The Touch of Twilight

422 Pages·2008·1.61 MB·English

by  Vicki Pettersson

T H E

TOUCH OF TWILIGHT

THE THIRD SIGN OF THE ZODIAC
VICKI

PETTERSSON
To my grandmother, Eva Mattingly.
Thank you for unconditional support,
ceaseless prayers . . . and for saying
I remind you of you.
Contents

1
The country-western bar rocked on its pilings
with music and… 1
2
I was surprised, though I suppose I shouldn’t
have been,… 13
3
The density of the airless space lessened the
closer I… 29
4
The great planets revolving around our sun are
subject to… 47
5
We reconvened at the Downtown Cocktail
Lounge on Fremont Street,… 59
6
I’d never had to explain myself to my sister,
and… 72
7
Even though it was the final stretch of the year,… 82
8
Xavier Archer was on his knees, chanting,
which was probably… 93
9
The derring-do of both sides of the Zodiac
was recorded… 106
10
Despite my bravado and anger over Zane’s
accusations, I was… 120
11
I drove Li and Jasmine to the emergency
room, and… 141
12
In addition to booby traps, and bombs, and
anything one… 155
13
Half an hour later I was alone with Warren in… 172
14
I used my Shadow manuals often. Most had
belonged to… 183
15
The next day found me back in mortal
reality, sans… 193
16
“The last time I saw you,” I said to the… 208
17
Light pricked at my vision in shards, and
I groaned… 227
18
I remained locked in the panic room for
most of… 240
19
Okay, so I wasn’t entirely trapped. I could
dissolve the… 254
20
There was no time to return the animist’s
mask to… 262
21
“Don’t mind her,” Janet said as we left
Ginny and… 273
22
If there was anything that visually spoke
of the Las… 288
23
It occurred to me as Chandra and I strode to… 297
24
The city’s annual benefit for the North Las
Vegas Children’s… 310
25
The wedding chapel was located on the north
end of… 320
26
The voice that had begun screaming inside
me the instant… 328
27
Regan didn’t bother taking Ben hostage. She
didn’t need to. 345
28
Despite Zell’s resistance—his conduit, his cries,
his fists, his blood—my… 355
29
I centered myself with a breath so deep I felt… 375
30
One would think with the birth of the new tulpa,… 387
31
“Hey, asshole,” I called out the next day,
banging the… 398
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Praise
Other Books by Vicki Pettersson
Cover
Copyright
About the Publisher