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more prominent than they had been outside the Sacred Yew a month ago； his lips drawn tight across his teeth。 For no good reason； Ghost thought suddenly of certain strange happenings in Missing Mile lately。 The bodies of two railroad bums； mutilated and decayed； found half…buried in the dead kudzu near the train tracks。 The disappearance of a little boy out on Violin Road。 But those things did not bear thinking about right now。 〃What happened？〃 he asked Nothing。 〃They didn't kick you out； did they？〃
At the thought； a breath of cold wind seemed to pass through Nothing。 He shuddered。 〃No。 Oh no。 Christian gave me the jack…o'…lantern。 I was bringing it to you。 I walked over here〃
〃You walked all the way from Violin Road？〃 Steve interrupted。 〃Shit； kid； that's three or four miles。〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Nothing。 〃I didn't want the others to know I was ing。 I told them I was just going out for a…for a walk。 And you weren't home； but I heard your voices back here； and I saw you lighting matches。〃
〃So what do you want？〃 said Steve。 He seemed to have remembered that Nothing was on the wrong side。 〃Does your green…eyed buddy want me to send Ghost on over？ He already took my girlfriend。 He might as well have my best friend too。〃 Ghost poked him； but he kept talking。 His voice was unsteady。 〃Maybe he wants my car。 Or my bag of pot。 I'll just go home and pack it all up for him。〃
Nothing stared at the ground。 〃No。 I just…I came to tell you that we're leaving。 All of us。 Tonight。 We're going to New Orleans。〃
〃Even Christian？〃 asked Ghost。 〃He's from Now Orleans。 He's going home？〃
〃The new barkeep？〃 said Steve。 〃How the fuck do you know that？〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Nothing。 〃He's scared to go back。 Somebody there is after him。 But he can't let us leave without him。 And I was born in New Orleans。 So this time I really am going home。〃
〃I'm happy for you。 I guess。〃 Ghost was surprised to find that he would miss Nothing。 He hadn't seen the boy since that night at the club； that horrible night； but now he realized he had been hoping that Nothing would show up on the doorstep one day。 Forsaking his family； or forsaken by them。 Saving himself。
But that was impossible。 Blood calls to blood。 Nothing had to go home。
〃Wait a sec；〃 said Steve。 〃How e you walked all the way over here to tell us you were leaving？ This doesn't have anything to do with Ann； does it？〃
Nothing studied the ground some more； stirring the pine needles with the toe of his sneaker。 〃I was kind of hoping you knew。 I'm afraid she'll try to follow us。 She came and told Christian yesterday…〃 Nothing swallowed； glanced at Steve； blinked several times。 His eyes looked huge in the haft…light 〃Forget it；〃 he said。 〃Mostly I just came to tell you goodbye。 I'm sorry things turned out like they did。 I wish they could have been different。 But I'm with my family now。〃 He slipped his arms around Ghost's neck and quickly kissed Ghost's cheek with cold chapped lips。 Then he turned away。
〃Wait！〃 Ghost snatched at a thin black…clad arm。 Nothing looked back； his face wary； haft…hidden in shadow。
〃It scares me； Nothing。〃 Ghost pulled his hair over his face。 〃But I need to know。 What are they？ What are you？〃
〃I think you know。〃 Nothing stopped back and gave them a wide smile。 On any other face so young it would have been a sunny； angelic smile。 But on Nothing's face it was wrong； so wrong that at first Ghost could not grasp why。 Then he knew。 Most of Nothing's front teeth bad been filed to sharp points。
〃What did Ann say to Christian？〃 Ghost whispered。
〃I didn't want to tell you；〃 said Nothing。 〃She's going to have a baby。 She says it's Zillah's baby。〃
Ghost could not speak。 After a moment he had to close his eyes。 When he opened them； Nothing had faded back into the woods。 Without the glow of the jack…o'…lantern to mark his path； he disappeared quickly； melting like a black wraith into the shadows between the trees。
Ghost turned to look at Steve。 Steve had pulled a plant out of the ground and was using its leaves to wipe pumpkin pulp off his face。
〃Are you okay？〃 Ghost asked。
〃Huh？ Yeah。 Why shouldn't I be？〃 Steve looked at the leaves he'd been wiping his face with； held them up to the moonlight。 〃Poison oak。 It figures。 Shit。〃
〃You won't get it；〃 Ghost told him。
〃How do you…〃 Steve slapped his knees。 〃Okay。 Okay。 I won't get it。 Do we have to wait tin somebody slings a rotting corpse at us； or can we go over to R。J。's now？〃
〃Sure。 We can go to R。J。's。〃 If Steve wanted to pretend he hadn't heard Nothing's parting words； if Steve bad refused to notice that mouthful of sharpened teeth； Ghost wasn't going to force it。 It would catch up to Steve sooner or later； and then all hell would break loose。
The lights were bright at the party。 Terry Buckett answered the door wearing a pair of long johns with psychedelic peace signs painted all over them。 He took one look at Steve； pointed over his shoulder； and said； 〃The keg's that way。〃
They found it out on the back porch in a garbage can full of ice。 As Ghost was pumping it； R。J。 caught up with them。 His Dracula makeup was smudged on his nose where he kept pushing his glasses up。 〃We're having a vampire film festival；〃 he explained； supporting himself against the porch railing。 〃They're just finishing up Near Dark； that one's real cool。 You missed The Lost Boys。〃
〃Fuckin' shame；〃 said Steve darkly； draining half of his first beer。
RJ。 put a dripping cup into Ghost's hand。 He sipped it； tasting the tingling foam and the barley funk and something metallic。 Something metallic and red… No。 The beer was clear； white and golden； pure。 He swallowed that mouthful in a hurry。 Then he drank off the rest of the cup。
Ghost sat on the floor and drank two more cups of beer。 Vamp was on now。 All the vampires seemed to be aged； running a honky…tonk joint； the remainders of a glorious race。 He tried to talk to Monica when she walked by； but she was dressed as the Raven and would only say 〃Nevermore。〃
He was about to go in search of some fruit juice when Steve loomed in front of him； swaying slightly； reeking of beer； his T…shirt stained with it。 Steve grabbed Ghost's hands and pulled him up。 〃Let's go。〃
They staggered out to the T…bird； Steve leaning most of his weight on Ghost。 When Steve tried to get behind the wheel； Ghost said； 〃Uh…uh。 I'm driving。〃
Steve put the keys in his hand without argument。 Ghost slid in and cranked up the engine。 Beside him； Steve lay against the passenger door； eyes slitted； staring up at the night sky。
Ghost reached over and touched Steve's shoulder。 〃Steve。 Hey； Steve。 Where we going？〃
〃New Orleans；〃 said Steve without looking away from the stars。 〃Drive。〃
Chapter 23
〃She's going to what？〃 said Molochai when Christian told them。
〃Again？〃 said Twig。 〃What would we do with a baby？〃
〃We could eat it；〃 Molochai offered。
Zillah grimaced。 〃Eat my baby！ Are you mad？〃 After a moment's reflection he added； 〃Nothing and I might eat it； but you couldn't have any。〃
〃Zilllllaaaah 。 。 。〃
〃Pleeeeeezzze？。。。〃
〃Not one drop。 Not one pink sugar drop。〃
They might