I had spent the past three days sleeping, stuffing my face, and sleeping some more. Nightmares came and went, fading remnants of the Nexus memories, but I knew they would and I accepted them. I knew why they were there, I didn’t have to wonder what they meant, and it made things easier. It just had to wait them out, like the pain of a healing wound.

I reached out with my magic. The newcomer felt familiar.

The still nameless cat and Beast looked at me. I made big eyes at them. Well, how about that?

A knock sounded. I got up and opened the door.

Sean Evans stood on my porch. He wore jeans, running shoes, and a plain grey T-shirt. The scars still crossed his face and his eyes were still dark with memories. I searched them for the hopelessness I had seen before and I couldn’t find it.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi.” My heart was beating a little too fast.

“Today is the 80’s night at the Sims Theater,” he said.

Sims was our local answer to movie and dining. It came equipped with small table, and once you ordered form a menu, a speedy and nearly invisible crew of servers would deliver your food while you watched the movie.

“What’s playing?” I asked, keeping my voice light.

“Big Trouble in Little China.”

I grinned.

“I have two tickets,” he said. “Would you like to come?”

“I would.” I grabbed my purse from the table and stepped out. “I think I totally deserve a night off.”

“Lucky for me.”

Behind me, the inn shuttered itself. It would be okay for a couple of hours.

We walked down the long driveway to where a Range Rover waited parked by the street. I liked this. I liked walking next to him.

“So what did you tell the neighbors about your absence?” I asked.

“I told them the truth. I took a job in a far away place to make some money and broaden my horizons.”

We reached the car. Sean peered at the side street and swore.

A brief wail of a siren cut through the night, and Officer Marais’ cruiser slid out of the side street and stopped next to us, facing in the opposite direction.

Oh no.

“Is there a problem, Officer?” Sean asked.

“We have a movie to catch,” I added.

Officer Marais rolled down his window. “I had a five-day training session in Houston this week. I don’t like leaving my family alone overnight, so I every day I drove to Houston and back.”

“That’s a long trip,” Sean said. His voice was deceptively calm. We were off the inn’s grounds. If he snapped and Marais out of the cruiser, there wouldn’t be much I would be able to do to stop him.

“Two hundred and seventy miles every day,” Officer Marais said. “Plus all the driving around Houston. I put fourteen hundred miles on my odometer.

“That’s very nice,” I said.  I still didn’t see what his Dodge Charger had to do with me.

“I’d gassed up on Monday, before going to Houston. I’m still at three quarters of a tank.”

Oh shit.

“It’s great what Dodge is doing with fuel efficiency these days,” Sean said, his face calm.

“Sure is.”

Damn it, Hardwir.

“This isn’t over.” Officer Marais smiled, showing his teeth. “Enjoy your movie.”

The cruiser slid past us and drove into the night.

THE END