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at it was not true。 There was a deep scarlet rose in the lapel of Ghost's rumpled army jacket； full blown and fragrant。
Then he noticed the stain at the corner of Ghost's mouth。 Not much blood； not much at all。 Just a drop。 Ghost must have bitten his lip or his tongue。 Nothing bent without thinking to lick the blood away； and Ghost's eyes flew open and stared straight up into Nothing's。
〃Born in blood；〃 Ghost whispered。 〃Born in blood and pain…〃
Then the door burst open and slammed shut again； and strong hands seized the back of Nothing's raincoat and yanked him up。 All at once he was flying toward the wall。 His forehead caught the edge of something sharp。 Tiny colored stars exploded through blackness。 Blue； red； silver。 All the stars from Ghost's ceiling were showering down on him。 He closed his eyes and let them land on his eyelids； tingling。
Steve's adrenaline rose another notch at the sight of the strange kid bending over Ghost's bed。 But he couldn't bring himself to bash the kid's skull in； not from behind。 Instead he grabbed the kid by the back of his coat and threw him across the room。 He did not know that he was screaming Ghost's name； but later his throat would be sore。
He turned； weighing the bat in both hands； keeping it between him and the kid； keeping himself between the kid and the bed。 〃What did he do to you？〃 he asked Ghost； who was looking dazed； not quite awake。
〃I didn't do anything；〃 the kid said。 〃I wouldn't hurt him； honest。 Or you either； Steve。〃
〃How do you know my name？〃
〃I like your music and…〃
〃Yeah？ This how you usually show your appreciation for art？ Breaking into people's houses？〃
The kid looked so sad and shamefaced that Steve almost felt sorry for him。 Not quite； though。 The kid didn't seem dangerous； didn't seem to have any fight in him； and he was locked in here with Steve and the baseball bat。 This kid might be the only weapon he had against those three creeps in the hall if Steve handled it right。
〃Ghost。 Wake up； Ghost； WAKE UP； YOU DUMB…FUCK。〃 Ghost would be worse than useless in your typical barroom brawl； but in mortal danger Steve suspected he could hold his own if he was fully awake。
Ghost blinked and rubbed his eyes； trying to shake off the last shreds of nightmare。 Steve edged closer to the kid； who was still sprawled on the floor staring miserably up at him。 He had enormous street…orphan eyes and that phony dyed black hair that so many kids wore and Steve hated。
〃What's your name； kid？〃
〃Nothing。 I…〃
〃Nothing？〃 said Ghost。 〃Did you send a…〃
Something crashed against the door。 It shuddered in its frame。 The kid looked toward the source of the sudden noise。 Steve reached down； hauled him up by his coat collar； and pinned his arms behind his back。 It must have hurt； but he didn't cry out； he was a tough little kid。 Steve didn't really want to hurt him。 But he would if he had to。 He got a good grip on the baseball bat and pulled Nothing back toward the bed。
The object crashed against the door again…they must be using the big piece of quartz that sat in the hall； nothing else could make that much noise…and Steve saw the doorknob splinter loose from its moorings。 Another crash and the door swung halfway open。 From the er of his eye Steve saw Ghost scrambling up in bed； pressing his back against the headboard。
The two larger figures appeared in the doorway； supporting the smaller one between them。 The entire lower half of the small one's face was a mask of bruise and blood。 His hands dangled at his sides； bloodied； the fingers clenching and unclenching。 When he opened his mouth to speak； Steve saw with grim satisfaction that he had taken out most of the bastard's front teeth。
〃'You hurt my face；〃 said Green…eyes。 Through the mush of blood and ruined tissue； his voice was low and smooth； smoother than it should have been considering how much he must be hurting。 〃I don't like it when people hurt my face。 We're going to tear you up。〃
〃Try it if you want your ugly face smashed in worse；〃 Steve said。 He hoped he sounded more confident than he felt。 To pull this off； he could not show an iota of fear in the presence of these creeps； even though they smelled as if they'd been eating roadkill for breakfast。 Steve jerked his arm tight across the kid's throat。 He saw the light…colored roots of the kid's hair and the tender scalp beneath； and knew that be could bring the Slugger down on it if he had to。
Green…eyes stared at him for a moment； considering。 〃Let him go；〃 he said。 〃If you do； we'll just settle our score with you。 But if I have to take him away from you； I'll rip open your pretty friend and have his intestines for breakfast。〃
〃Yeah； fucker。 I'm real eager to make deals with a bag of pus like you。〃 Steve throttled the kid a little harder and heard him choke； though he had not struggled or cried out。
〃Not 'fucker；'〃 said Green…eyes。 〃Zillah。 Remember the name。 Remember it when you feel my teeth sink into your heart。〃
〃Well； if you're gonna sink 'em into my heart； you better go pick 'em out of the hall runner first。〃 Steve thought he felt the kid stifle a helpless laugh； of all things。 He eased up on the boy's throat a little。
Zillah glanced right and left at his cohorts。 They were poised like springs； like big cats on the prowl。 〃Molochai…Twig…take him down；〃 he said。 〃Save the boy if you can。〃
Steve knew his shaky bargaining chip was gone。 He thrust Nothing as far away from him as he could and started swinging the bat as Molochai and Twig closed in。
One came at him high； one low。 He brought the bat down on a shaggy head and felt it thunk against a cushion of hair。 The owner of the hair staggered but recovered fast。 Then one long pair of arms was wrapped around his legs and one slobbering feral face was pushed up close to his； and he lost his balance and went back onto the bed with both of them crushing him。
Sharp nails raked across his chest； drawing beads of blood。 Sharper teeth sank deep into the meat of his hand； and he screamed and lost his grip on the bat。 It clattered to the floor and rolled under the bed。 In an instant Zillah had darted across the room and retrieved it。
A snorting； snuffling head burrowed in between Steve's neck and shoulder。 The filthy dishevelled hair tickled horribly。 Steve whipped his head around； tried to bring his chin down tight against his chest。 He felt hot drool on his neck。 Teeth found his skin and nipped。
〃Don't do him just yet；〃 said Zillah mildly； and the teeth went away。 One creep had Steve pinned on the bed； sitting on his chest and trapping his arms。 Molochai and Twig were heavy and bulky and amazingly strong； and Steve couldn't catch his breath with the full weight of whichever one it was on top of him。 Ghost hadn't even had time to struggle before the other creep had pinned him。 Steve aimed a useless kick at Zillah； who stepped gracefully away。
Nothing pushed himself away from the wall； flung his arms out in a pleading gesture。 〃Don't hurt them。〃
Zillah snorted and hawked a bright pink gob of blood to the floor。 〃Why not？〃 he said； dangerously quiet。
〃Because they know me。 Ghost k