Staying Dead

by Laura Anne Gilman

  There were other things to worry about.

  “So.” She took his hand, lacing her fingers through his. “All done?”

  “All but the handshake. Astonishingly, I think everyone’s pretty well pleased with the result,” Sergei said in wonder. “Although if I never have to go through a negotiating round like that again…”

  “We did good, huh?”

  “Yeah.” Sergei nodded. “I think maybe we did real good.”

  “Excellent.” She leaned a little against his shoulder. “Take me to dinner.”

  “Why should I do that?”

  She bit the inside of her cheek and looked up at him thoughtfully.

  “Because you love me, and worry that I’m not eating right.”

  Behind them, just far enough down the street and in the shadows to be unseen but near enough to be helpful if something happened, P.B. rolled his eyes and made a rude noise only he could hear. But his black button nose was scrunched in amusement, and his eyes rested on the two figures with affection.

  They weren’t bad, as humans went. He rather thought he might keep them.

  STAYING DEAD

  ISBN 1-55254-486-9

  Copyright © 2004 by Laura Anne Gilman

  First mass market printing: June 2006

  First trade printing: August 2004

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Worldwide Library, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

  This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

  ® and TM are trademarks of Harlequin Books S.A., used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patentand Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.

  www.LUNA-Books.com

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