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He could get used to feeling like that。
Ann's head jerked up when the man touched her shoulder。 She hadn't heard him approaching； probably wouldn't have heard the march of Sherman ing up the street。 At a better moment she might have weled a stranger's attention； but right now she knew her bangs were plastered to her forehead； her eye makeup smeared across her cheeks； the pale plexion she cultivated flushed and blotchy from crying。 Damn Steve Finn； she thought； damn him to death。 But then 'she saw the man who had spoken to her； and she forgot about Steve； she even forgot that she probably looked like a bag lady on crack。
She was transfixed。 Her stare flicked over the boy beside him； dismissed him as a high school trendy； and went back to Zillah。 The eyes were amazing； the first thing anyone would notice。 The rest of him wasn't bad either。 He was shorter than she usually liked her guys； and a little more muscular…Steve and Eliot rivalled each other for the Ichabod Crane Bodybuilding Award。 But the bones of his face were like a mask carved out of moonstone； perfect and faintly cruel； the face of an aristocrat。 His skin was smooth and flawless。
As he reached out and took one of her hands； dwarfing it in both of his； Ann noticed the dark tracery of veins beneath his silken skin。 After a moment she realized that these were noticeable because the man had almost no hair on the visible parts of his body…none on the knuckles or the back of his hand； none at the open collar of his shirt。 She wondered if he was so smooth elsewhere； if she was about to find out。 Those green eyes gave her a reckless feeling。 How could you turn down a man who looked at you with those eyes？
〃We were going back to our car to smoke a touch of opium；〃 Zillah told the girl。 〃Would you care to join us？〃
For a moment Ann was almost afraid。 If he had said 〃pot〃 or even 〃hash；〃 she would have thought nothing of it； but who had opium in Missing Mile？ She thought of serial killers； of girls found rolled up in rugs with their arms and legs sawed off； of toolboxes and power drills。
Then she straightened her back； thrust out her chest； and smiled。 None of that could happen to her。 And if it did…well； then Simon couldn't practice his emotional torture on her any more； and Steve would feel so bad that it would almost be worth it。 〃Why not？〃 she said。 〃I haven't gotten stoned in three weeks。〃
She slid off the hood of the car； and Zillah took her arm and led her toward the van。 Ann kept her arm squeezed against her body so that his fingers would e into contact with the sideswell of her breast。 He didn't move his hand away。 Soon she felt his fingers begin to move； subtly caressing her； a forefinger darting out to graze her nipple。 The nipple shivered erect； and he toyed with it a second longer。 Ann felt something happening in her lower pelvis； a warm throbbing tension。 If this man really got her stoned on opium； he might get more than the quickie he seemed to be looking for。
Neither Ann nor Zillah looked back to see whether Nothing was following； but after a moment Nothing did。
Ghost tailed Zillah and Nothing； keeping to the shadows； staying a good ways behind。 They were well into the rundown section now。 All the windows here were boarded up or broken。 Ghost saw a milky swath of stars reflected in a long splinter of glass。 The stars were cold in the sky。 This part of town was always cold。 Even in the middle of summer； nightwalkers might shiver and pull their light clothes more tightly around them。 The glinting spears of glass； the crust of dirt in the gutter； the cloud of steam that boiled like some gray…white phantom from a sewer grate cast a chill over everything。
Ghost walked with his hands in his pockets and his hat pulled down low。 Once Zillah turned his head； and Ghost thought he could see hot green light spilling from those eyes。 He ducked into a dark doorway； his heart beating faster。
Zillah and Nothing melted into the cold shadows without a glance at the desolation around them。 They moved silently and did not speak or touch； though their hands sometimes brushed together。 Ghost stayed in the doorway and watched them。 Down the sidewalk he saw a girl sitting on the hood of a car。 She looked as if she might be crying。 Her long hair could have been any color； the flat illumination of the few unbroken streetlights turned it black。 But Zillah approached her and spoke to her； and when she looked up at him； Ghost saw her face。 The girl was Ann Bransby…Smith。
After talking to them for a minute； she slid down from the hood of the ear； Frantically； Ghost reached out for Ann's mind。 If he could feel her； maybe he could warn her 。 。 。 of what？ This kind； urbane man raising a baseball bat above his head； ready to split Ghost's skull？ Of Zillah's smashed face that had magically repaired itself； of Zillah's smooth voice murmuring cold lewd words in Ghost's head？
Ann would never believe it。 And at any rate she wasn't out there tonight； or if she was； he couldn't find her。 There was only the cold void of the dark。 The ether； his grandmother had called that empty…feeling place。 The ether was alone； and Ghost left it so。 He watched as Ann walked away with Zillah； and when they had gone several paces； he started following again。
When they got into the black van； Zillah helping Ann up and motioning Nothing in after her； Ghost thought it was all over。 Up Shit Creek； Steve would have said； without a paddle。 Now they would drive away； and Ghost would have to go back to the club and try to decide whether to tell Steve that his ex…girlfriend had just taken off with two of their mysterious visitors。
But the headlights never came on； the motor didn't start。 The van didn't move。 A few times the back window lit up with the red flare of matches。 Then the van stayed dark and still。 Ghost walked closer； scared and confused。 He didn't know what to do。 He wanted to go hammer on the windows； break the glass； rescue Nothing and Ann from that beautiful； awful creature with the bright green eyes。
But Nothing had cast his lot already； and Ann was old enough to take care of herself。 If Ghost tried to rescue her； she would probably punch him in the nose。 So he prowled； and shivered； and wished for X…ray vision to see through the sides of the van。 He closed his eyes and stood very still with his hands at his sides； swaying； but the van might have been a million miles away； might have been empty。 He couldn't feel anything。
Ghost turned away； thinking he would go back to the club。 He would keep his mouth shut if Steve was still conscious。 He would take Steve home and give him a lot of coffee and maybe one of Miz Catlin's potions。 Maybe everything wouldn't be so weird tomorrow。 He turned away； and then he heard the door of the van slam。
Nothing was standing on the sidewalk； half in the street…lights' glare； half in the shadow of the storefronts。 He stood as if he might be very tired or very drunk； but he held his head up； and there was strength in his face； strength and stubbornness and a resignation that should never have marked a face so young。
〃Hey；〃 said Ghost softly。
Nothing's eyes sharpened； and his lips parted a little。 For a moment he stared into the darkness； but he didn't look as if he cared much what came out of it。 Then he saw Ghost and stepped forward； and they stood facing each other on the cold sidewalk。
〃That's Steve's girlfriend in the van there；〃 said Ghost。
〃That's my lover in there with her；〃 Nothing said。 〃She's on top now； He was on top before； when they started； and the sweat on his back was shining； and she screamed when he spread her legs and rammed it in 。 。 。〃 His voice trailed away； and he stared at Ghost。 His eyes were dark and huge； all pupil。 His face was naked； exquisitely shadowed； desperate。 〃Be my brother；〃 he said。 〃Zillah loves me。 He'll let me stay now。 I can stand it if you'll be my brother just for one minute。〃
So Ghost put his arms around Nothing and hugged him tight； as he had wanted to do ever since he first saw the pain in those dark child…eyes。 Nothing sagged against him as if never wanting to let go again； and Ghost felt all the exhaustion in that thin little body。 There was strength in this boy； a lot of strength； but he was just a kid and God only knew what had been happening to him。 He must have had about all he could stand for today。
〃Hold me；〃 said Nothing into the folds of Ghost's jacket。 〃Please don't let me go。 Not yet。〃
〃No；〃 Ghost told him。 〃Not yet。 It's all right。〃
He felt so damn helpless。 It wasn't all right。 It would never be all right。 If Nothing stayed with those three； with that one； he was lost。 〃Listen；〃 he said into the boy's lank damp…smelling hair。 〃Do you want to e stay with me and Steve？ I mean； he'll cuss about it； but he won't kick you out。 Not if you need us。〃
Nothing looked up at Ghost for a second。 Then be let his head fall back onto Ghost's shoulder。 The touch of his lips against Ghost's throat was light； shivery。 〃I can't；〃 he said。 〃If I went home with you； they'd e for me。 Zillah would。 And I have to go with them。〃
〃Why？ What are they to you？〃 Ghost knew his voice was getting louder； but he cou