“Her phone rang again. “What?” she snapped as she answered it.Myrnin, of course. “Are you on your way?”“No!”“Claire, there are things to do.”“Here, too,” she said. “And I’m staying here, believe me.”Myrnin was silent for a beat, and then he said, “Bob would be very disappointed in you.”“Bob the spider?”“He looks at you like a mother, you know. I’m surprised at your lack of work ethic. Think of the example you set for—”She hung up on him and turned the phone on vibrate and relaxed in Shane’s arms.”

“Myrnin was silent for a beat, and then he said, "Bob would be very disappointed in you.”

“The ringtone was a dead giveaway, emphasis on dead . . . creepy organ music. She didn’t even have to glance at the image of fangedbunny slippers on the screen to know who was calling. She just sighed, thumbed it on, and held it to her ear.“Claire! I need you here immediately. Something’s wrong with Bob.” Myrnin, her mad-scientist, blood-addicted boss, sounded actually shaken. “Ican’t get him to eat his insects, and I used his favorites. He just sits there.”“Bob,” she repeated, looking at Shane in wide-eyed disbelief. “Bob the spider.”“Just because he’s a spider doesn’t mean he deserves any less concern! Claire, you have a way with him. He likes you.”Just what she needed. Bob the spider liked her. “You do realize that he’s a year old, at least. And spiders don’t live that long.”“You think he’s dead?” Myrnin sounded horrified. So wrong.“Is he curled up?”“No. He’s just quiet.”“Well, maybe he’s not hungry.”“Will you come?” Myrnin asked. He sounded calmer now, but also oddly needy. “It’s been very lonely here these past few days. I’d like yourcompany, at least for a little while.” When she hesitated, he used the pity card. “Please, Claire.”“Fine,” she sighed. “I’m bringing Shane.”After a second of silence, he said, flatly, “Goody,” and hung up.”

“It's only a hunting spider, it won't hurt you." -Myrnin"So not the point!" -Claire"Oh, pish. It's just another living creature. Nothing to be frightened of, if handled properly. I think I'll call him Bob. Bob the spider." -Myrnin"You're insane." -Claire”

“Oliver laughed - actually laughed."I like this new Claire," he said. "You should work her this hard all the time, Myrnin. She's interesting when she's forthright."Claire, possessed by the spirit of Eve, shot him the finger. Which made him laugh again, shake his head, and walk up the steps.”

“Myrnin: "I shall name him Bob, Bob the spider"Claire: "You're insane."Myrnin: "Why Claire, I thought that was part of my charm." (something like that)”

“Here," Myrnin said, his voice still gentle and low. "Amelie said you had to work. No one said you had to work alone." He picked up the next part and slotted it in, took the screwdriver from Claire's numbed fingers, and fastened it with a couple of deft, fast movements. "I'll be your hands."She wanted to cry, because it was so sweet, but it wouldn't do any good.”