“Little pig, little pig, let me in.”

“My voice wouldn't work right. I made a tiny nod instead, because - how's this for weird? - I didn't want him to let go of me. He'd pulled back a little, with just his lower half, and I was afraid the scorch in my cheeks would set fire to the rest of me, because I had an idea why. Wow. Oh, wow.”

“Yap, yap, little dog.”

“Amazingly, he smiled at me. "You're bossy." His pupils were still huge, but a little color had begun to come back into his face, especially along his cheekbones. "I like bossy chicks.”

“I would not put my little bird in the jaws of a trap without being near enough to make sure it wouldn't close on her.”

“So, Mystery Lady? What's it going to be? You're going to spend your short little life playing by their rules, or are you going to take your chance?”

“I hit the dance floor, wincing a little bit as the DJ looped feedback through the throbbing of a useless song about someone playing poker with his face or something.”