“It's too early for there to be any coffee. I stare dully at the empty pot in the common room, while Sam picks up a jar of instant grounds."Don't," I warn him.He scoops up a heaping spoonful and, heedlessly, shovels it into his mouth. It crunches horribly. Then his eyes go wide."Dry," he croaks. "Tongue...shriveling."I shake my head, picking up the jar. "It's dehydrated. You're supposed to add water. Good thing you're mostly made of water."He tries to say something. Brown powder dusts his shirt."Also," I tell him, "that's decaf.”

“I hold my finger up to his lips. He flicks his eyes down to look at it."You're absolved," I tell him.He brings his eyes back up to mine. There's no fucking way he knows what that word means. That's a word I dream someone will say to me.So I put it in his language. "You're free.”

“I picked up a new language a few months ago. It was just laying on the ground, dirty, so I scooped it up and popped it in my mouth.”

“Sam picks the stone up and clenches his entire body in deep concentration. Nothing happens. " Oh come on," he says to the stone. " I promise to use it for the power of good. No girls' locker rooms, I swear.”

“He grinned. "You're jealous."I considered it. "No. But when you stared at that woman like she was made of diamonds, it didn't feel very good.""I stared at her because she smelled strange.""Strange how?""She smelled like rock dust. Very strong dry smell." Curran put his arms around me. "I love it when you get all fussy and possessive.""I never get fussy and possessive."He grinned, showing his teeth. His face was practically glowing. "So you're cool if I go over and chat her up?""Sure. Are you cool if I go and chat up that sexy werewolf on the third floor?"He went from casual and funny to deadly serious in half a blink. "What sexy werewolf?"I laughed.Curran's eyes focused. He was concentrating on something."You're taking a mental inventory of all people working on the third floor, aren't you?"His expression went blank. I'd hit the nail on the head.I slid off him and put my head on his biceps. The shaggy carpet was nice and comfortable under my back."Is it Jordan?""I just picked a random floor," I told him. "You're nuts, you know that?"He put his arm around me. "Look who is talking.”

“Day leans in toward me. He reaches up to touch my face. I can tell it still hurts him to use his fingers, and his nails are dark with dried blood. "You're brilliant," he says. "But you're a fool to stay wish someone like me."I close my eyes at the touch of his hand. "Then we're both fools.”