Ethan woke up first from to the early morning light flooding the room, the openness of the curtains very apparent. He instantly tensed up, as if from a bad dream that he couldn't remember, then relaxed as he took in his surroundings.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlp3HoxPtaP
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He was at the safe house. They'd made it out. Hanna was here, he felt her next to him. Her arm was draped across his chest and she was using his shoulder like a pillow. He could feel her breath gently rustling his chest hairs. She looked so peaceful and surreal. He'd half expected she would have been gone by the time he awoke.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSGrz0esa3
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The hazy morning daze cracked away when he started to recall the events of the previous day. Ethan let out a soft sigh. There was so much he needed to sort out. His eyes drifted to the glass of water on the nightstand and wondered when she'd put it there. Then he remembered how thirsty he was and, after carefully extracting himself without waking her, downed the whole thing.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9SsNxzVsj
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For the first time in a couple days, he felt like he had actual energy, not just heat energy, and he wasn't going to waste it on worrying. First order of business, he had wiped a lot of the blood and dirt off, but it was still obvious that he needed a shower. After that, he changed the bandage around his ankle, which had finally stopped bleeding.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFp2sQcgHp
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Afterwards, he silently got some of the clean clothes out of the dresser, to avoid waking Hanna. He couldn't help looking at her with a touch of disbelief, still have a hard time believing she was here. It was no surprise that she was still asleep, no doubt that whole ordeal had been traumatic and exhausting for her. He resisted the urge to run his hand through her hair to wake her gently. He wanted to talk to her while his mind was clear, before the pressure of the heat returned.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMbMXFT0cb
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Deciding her rest was more important, he took the time to call Steve and sort out some items concerning Midas Financial. Given he was going to disappear anyways, there was technically no need to quit his job. However, Hanna was not in the same position and he wanted to do what he could to smooth over her unexpected leave. His life was already screwed up, at least he could try not to take her down with him.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZfg2KFGEW
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Ethan felt slightly relieved as Steve reassured him that Hanna likely wouldn't be fired, although Sarah wouldn't be happy with her. Steve was surprisingly understanding of the whole situation, and glad that were both safe, as Ethan explained what would happen next. Now that two people he trusted knew his secret, he wasn't looking forward to a new life without them.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0CLoUs7v7
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That sorted for the moment, he figured he should at least get somethings done before she got up, like breakfast. It had been so long since he'd been here, he'd forgotten what he'd stocked.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISF1FyQzaM
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He walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge first, out of habit and forgetting it had been unplugged, and thus completely empty. The pantry had lots of canned soups and other dry foods. He was satisfied there would be more than enough for food both of them for at least a week, even though he'd never planned on stocking this place for two. At the end of his search, he found he wasn't actually hungry and didn't end up eating anything.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtKU2SK5oy
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He ended up on the sofa, waiting. The undeniable arousal sensation of the heat wasn't back yet but he had no clue how long that would last. He very much wished he had asked his father a lot more questions about this, like how long it would last or if there was a way to get rid of it. It was just another thing to add to the list of regrets he had about his teens.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtBLZCZqsX8
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His gaze drifted to the number on the back on his left hand. The number eighteen in clear black ink. The sight of it made his stomach turn. He wanted to get rid of it desperately, erase anything he could about that day. He went to the kitchen sink and he scrubbed the area until his skin was pink but the number was still there, hardly even faded.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrAa7jBNOr
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Anger and frustration flared up within him as he scrubbed harder. Before long, without realizing, he'd left his hand painfully raw with the ink still shining boldly. He leaned against the sink, trying to calm himself down, this wasn't working. In the end, he threw a bandage over it to cover it up, resolving to figure out how to get rid of it later.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8biZ7Wz6IO
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Ethan checked in on Hanna again, this time, he noticed the mound on the bed moving and flicked on the lights. Irritated muttering emanated from the mound. He resisted the temptation to laugh at her childish behaviour as he sat down on the bed next to her.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YdaISfl7u
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Ethan stroked her hair until she cracked opened her deep brown eyes. "Thank you."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5Ba2Q9uhC
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Hanna peeked her head out, still blinking sleep out of her eyes. "What?"123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9JlEgg2Iw
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"Just thanks for coming to get me." Ethan cleared his throat. "And everything else."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdz7x6hrvSi
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Fleeting emotions ran through Hanna's foggy brain until her anger jerked her awake, the memories still fresh in her mind from the previous day. "I was never going to let them use you like that." Her temper flared up just thinking about it. The idea they'd wanted to use him like an animal disgusted her immeasurably. She shuddered at the memory of the corpse on the metal table and she silently wished that he never asked about what their plans for him had been.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKUKRWhWmM
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Now we can make our own plans, Hanna thought victoriously. She subtly observed how much better he looked today. He wasn't sweaty, he looked like he'd actually slept and there wasn't a hint of any tremors. It was like he wasn't even in heat.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuv0eXxbme
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"Is the heat over?" Hanna asked bluntly.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQM5BqWqzd6
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"Um, no," Ethan answered, confused.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡneoUx9zjFO
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Hanna looked him over again. "But you seem- The symptoms went away?"123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeotyl5cFov
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"Um, they're only gone temporarily because..." Ethan left his explanation unfinished, beginning to dread where this conversation was going.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnySFHbjgfE
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"Because of us?" Hanna suggested helpfully.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMTqjWgUW2
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"Yeah. They'll come back," Ethan answered dejectedly.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9TSZ99mxf
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"Do you know when the next time will be?" Hanna asked.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0W3xyJSfh
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She assumes there will be a next time, Ethan realized, tensing up. He had to ask the question he'd been avoiding. "Uh, no, but does that mean you're alright with staying here?"123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXI7NToaXP
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"Yeah, it's fine. You can't go back to the city right now anyways, it wouldn't be safe," Hanna answered nonchalantly.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nWd2iZVZm
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"I mean, you're okay with staying with me?" Ethan clarified hesitantly.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdJ6soCmtT
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Hanna looked at him curiously. "You're asking if I'm going to leave you here? On your own?"123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuU8Hsa9Ik
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Ethan nodded, his bright blue eyes searching her face for her reaction.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3OwwHVrJr0
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"I'm not going to do that to you." Hanna took his hand comfortingly. "I'm staying. Unless you want me to go."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMh3NbyEb6P
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Ethan gripped her hand tighter. "You know what you're agreeing to?"123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2Lcwj7ueI
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Hanna smirked playfully. "I think I got a proper introduction last night." She winked. "Just let me know if you're planning anything really out of the ordinary."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUffsixu2M9
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"Um... that's not... it's just..." Ethan stumbled over his words.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwTJw5YiCU
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"Breathe," Hanna told him softly. "Think about what you're going to say."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcySHBBCvY
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Ethan took a deep breath. "With heat sex... I'm not all there sometimes. I might end up hurting you. And it might not always be... enjoyable."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCBasqkitu
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Hanna shrugged. "I've had rougher and I've had worse. You're not going to scare me off."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLpvOLhWuT
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For the first time, Ethan eyed her with suspicion. She was being a lot more eager and accepting than he'd expected, this was not how he'd thought this conversation was going to go. Maybe it was just recent events making him distrustful, but this whole thing seemed way too coincidental.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzP6SW2vsBe
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Her appearance, her willingness, her acceptance. This seemed too good to be true. His gut was telling him something was off, but it could very well be his own nerves, he still felt very on edge. He wasn't sure he'd ever be able to shed the low level anxiety that had taken up residence at the back of his mind after this ordeal.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfJXnDWHv0
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On the other hand, this week had been so hellish that maybe his luck had finally turned around. Maybe Hanna just had that attitude towards the Charax. It had been made clear to him yesterday that he didn't know his coworker that well.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWarG8VWwl
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Ethan stared at her uncertainly. "You're sure?"123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyxTCwNeyF
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Hanna smiled as she ran a hand down the side of his face. "I am. I meant what I said and I'm not going anywhere."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpgzLQPfDB
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He looked at her intently, suspicion hiding behind his eyes.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5v8MRd4pqF
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"You're wondering why," Hanna suspected.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mCVCGdNlm
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"Yeah. I am," Ethan admitted. "Why would you do any of this?"123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQ79eP7bF6
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"You're so blind. Because I like you, even when you're an idiot and refuse to listen to me," Hanna said as the corner of her lip twitched upwards, betraying the smile she was trying to hide.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVa63uoCLNJ
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Ethan hadn't been expecting that answer. He recalled the warning she'd given him days ago. Pieces fell into place. She'd known what he was, what had been happening to him and tried to tell him that others were figuring it out too. All without him realizing it. Clearly, he hadn't been doing as good job of hiding the symptoms as he thought he had.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ432E6t811m
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"You knew." Ethan rubbed his hands over his face.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSoHKaP4Z5
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Hanna laughed at his reaction. "Obviously." Then, her face fell. "I'm sorry."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVk09tvKQ0
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What does she have to apologize for? Ethan wondered, feeling his stomach twist at her reaction. "Why?"123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNM5MMoLEO
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Hanna's gaze fell to her hands as she twisted the sheets in her hands. "I should have told you. Then you could have left before things got out of hand. None of this would have happened to you." She looked at him sadly. "I'm sorry."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWab052WzD
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Ethan felt the knot inside him untangle. "You don't need to apologize. This is my problem. I should have listened to your warning."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWP7ZBAErtQ
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Hanna hugged him, burying her face in his shirt. "None of them. You are such an idiot! You can't just walk right into traps."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuLf7w3POZ
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Ethan wasn't sure how to react to that. He patted her shoulder cautiously. "Normally I do, I was just distracted this week."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sVKdSpohF
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Hanna let go of him. "I got that, but it was still way too obvious. You never should have been working."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTYQYsTIWJ
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"Who else knows?" Ethan asked seriously. "Did you tell anyone?"123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjSwJFEGU7
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"I didn't tell anyone. I know how to keep a secret," Hanna answered confidently, almost proudly. "The dealers wouldn't have shared that information either but Steve seemed suspicious," she added on. The Crimson Keys would have tried to avoid alerting their competition, wanting to get their prize as cleanly and quickly as possible, she thought.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3X0dzuwYO
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"Steve already knows," Ethan revealed casually.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRKOcIPLGB
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Hanna was astonished he'd told anyone. He was going to get caught sooner or later with those kind of slip ups, she thought. "Oh, okay then," she said quietly.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTAfTkGtZ7u
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Ethan nodded automatically. He was staring out the bedroom window, almost as if he was looking at the brightly lit pines, but his eyes were unfocused. His expression only got more troubled as the seconds ticked by.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZjE0eez3V
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"What are you thinking about?" Hanna asked curiously.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RrLEdkUJL
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Ethan sighed heavily. "Just trying to figure out how my life got so messed up."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooVIahK3HI
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"It's not messed up," Hanna protested quickly. He shot her a look. "Okay, it's not that messed up." The only loose end is whoever tipped off the dealers and I can take can of that, she thought, nothing a well aimed bullet can't fix. "We'll be able to deal with it."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOhd4mF9ns
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Ethan recalled how she had set the place on fire, destroying any record they were there. "How can you be so certain?"123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8IbfPoor7d
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"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Hanna reassured him vaguely. "Don't worry about it."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUZSjeELMb
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Ethan was strongly tempted by the opportunity to procrastinate. After all, they weren't in danger right now. He didn't need a new identity this instant. He could wait out the heat here, with her, and deal with that all later. Things could be easy for once in his life.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObZfzdwEtw
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"You look much better than yesterday," Hanna remarked, breaking his train of thought.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67dw5lMJUz
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"Water and sleep helped a lot." Ethan smiled down at her. "You too." She flashed a smile back.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxTB3kFQXE
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"Does the Trazinol help?" Hanna asked curiously.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJJRe4SxCW
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Ethan frowned slightly. "It does but I don't have it. It wasn't in my bag."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTmlW2fyxX
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Hanna looked troubled. "It's going to be impossible to get without making people suspicious. Are you going to be okay without it?"123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU3dzKBKFRL
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"I think so. You work a lot better," Ethan answered confidently. As long as you decide to stay, he added on mentally.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPMRM6dRuW
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Hanna blushed at the compliment. She sat up, her neck achingly from her previous position and she rubbed it lightly, recalling her missing injuries. "What do you think happened to the burns?"123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LVRlIviUc
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Ethan pushed her hair aside, as if to confirm the injuries were still gone. Her skin was as smooth and unblemished as it was yesterday.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcZtcIDPMI
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"None of my injuries are healed, so my thinking is you're the one with special healing powers," Ethan reasoned.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAO36OjfG8G
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Hanna looked him over, noticing he still had his assortment of bruises, some starting to turn an ugly colour. She didn't really buy his explanation. "I'm Terran, we don't get healing powers."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPf34uKtTP
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Ethan fell silent at that comment.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwX0MChjm2P
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"Charax, on the other hand..." Hanna trailed off after noticing how he had stiffened.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7LSvgfoOh
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"Those are just rumours," Ethan tried to reply dismissively, attempting to cover up his underlying agitation.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAof4BYPpp
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"There's lots of rumours," Hanna argued.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzYbeLJh10
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There were lots of myths that Charax body parts had mysterious healing capabilities, which fuelled the black market. Hanna felt her stomach start to twist at the thought. It was disturbing how many people were willing to commit cannibalism. Even more disturbing was how people tried to rationalize the Charax as non-human to argue it wasn't actually cannibalism.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCupYLsB0TF
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"There are lots of rumours. Rumours that have nearly gotten me killed," Ethan stated dryly.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcOtYG016r
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Or kidnapped, Hanna mentally added as she shivered at the memory. "Obviously, we can't tell a single person or let anyone figure it out. If it is true... I don't want to think of the consequences." That thought scared her more than anything, he was in enough danger already.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDMMWj2tDQ
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Ethan nodded in grim agreement.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCPRbWUbVr
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"We should know at least. We could test it with something small," Hanna suggested.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG08NcfZKqg
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"No," Ethan answered, extremely serious. "I'm not going to let you hurt yourself for an experiment on me."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCU347jRVoH
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Hanna couldn't think of a good rebuke for that. "I was thinking more along the lines of just waiting until I get a bruise or something."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnPKkr2I7H
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Ethan eyed her suspiciously. "No, I don't..." He sighed, taking hold of her hand. "Just promise me you won't do this."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFHsqZKqEi
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Hanna couldn't refuse a request like that. She was fairly certain she was right, but if he wanted to ignore it then there wasn't much she could do without pushing him away. Besides, pretending it didn't exist could be the safest course of action, for both of them.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKQD1etCpc
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"I promise," Hanna agreed softly. "But if I get a black eye and it mysteriously disappears, people are going to ask questions," she joked, trying to lighten the mood.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlNKMbwrun
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Ethan let his shoulders drop in relief. "You don't need to worry, that won't happen."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmRsSwsok5
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"Okay," Hanna yielded. She pointed at his new bandage. "Speaking of injuries, what happened to your hand?"123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHrJsoWPIm
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Ethan pulled his hand in towards him, rubbing the white tape unconsciously. "Nothing... I was covering it up."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxq53zQIvp
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"Covering up what?" Hanna asked, confused. She couldn't remember him hurting his hand yesterday.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqUVmDMEEU
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Ethan pulled off the bandage and showed her the number underneath. If Hanna was surprised or alarmed by the raw skin, then she didn't show it. Her face only hardened.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhIQvSvCnY
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Hanna felt a surge of anger at the sight of the leftover marking. "One second," she said, getting up and throwing on her clothes from yesterday. "Let's get rid of that," she stated flatly.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYq2aCFuS0
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Ethan stuck the bandage back on, feeling newly dispirited. "I tried that already."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XQllCMHjB
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"It won't wash off." Hanna pulled out a small bottle from the medical kit. "It'll come off with alcohol, come on."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJjN4rpWpq
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Ethan followed her into the washroom halfheartedly, watching as she drenched a washcloth with the pungent liquid. He pulled the bandage off his hand, holding it palm up over the sink as he reached for the cloth in her hands.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUq0d0BJgV
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"It's alright. I'll do it," Hanna soothed, stepping forward to take his marked hand delicately.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXtVpYu4sL
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Ethan watched Hanna rub the raw, inked area gently with slow motions, until the dark numbers started to fade. The tinted liquid began to run off his hand, forming small droplets at the tips of his fingers. He watched the drops slowly fall and splatter on the white porcelain, leaving grey dots all over the surface. For some inexplicable reason, it mesmerized him.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyOUamP95y
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Ethan's mind drifted away, the stinging sensation on his skin barely registering and irritating smell a distant memory. Eighteen. Seventeen before. That's almost more Charax than I've met, Ethan thought sadly, and how many were in heat? Probably most, if that's how they find us.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzf5AwLfIVR
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He couldn't stop thinking about what the dealers had been talking about. It was like they'd known more about heat than he did, an idea that unsettled him to no end. He actively tried to ignore what they'd said, but he couldn't forget it. Nor could he forget what he'd done.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXwt1RHOTz
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Hanna squeezed his hand, causing Ethan to jerk and look at her, before letting go. "Are you listening to me?"123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHX2xiRCl7
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Ethan blinked at her. "What?"123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9TpOtvBpj
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Hanna wore an expression of mild concern. "I said it's gone, you can wash your hands now."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRpOPmGPir
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Ethan looked down at his hand, free of black ink. "Oh, thanks." He turned on the tap and began to rinse his hands rapidly. Hanna suddenly hugged him. She wrapped her arms around his waist carefully, mindful of his injuries, as she let her cheek rest lightly on his shoulder.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDu11mYzAs
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To his surprise, Ethan relaxed at her unexpected soft touch. It was warm, genuine human contact and it put him at ease. The effect her simple action had on him was impressive.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AKMuN0ud1
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To his annoyance, her closeness was arousing him again, mixing with his lingering dread. He shifted more of his weight to his injured ankle, causing the pain there to build. He used it to push back against the pressure, unwilling to combine the two emotions, unwilling to taint the mood.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1T4isvLv7Z
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It was only lasted a few seconds before Hanna unwrapped her arms. She glanced at his reflection in the mirror. "I know that look," she teased.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63FKFaTslT
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"What?" Ethan asked innocently.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwfUkJd0tY
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Hanna winked at him. "That's your holding back face. You can be honest with me."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZje4ByWAz
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"Okay, I'm not there just yet but... soon. Don't go far," Ethan admitted, reluctantly giving her the half-truth.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLhsT3LpTv
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Hanna chuckled and gestured out the window to the trees outside. "Not much place to go, out here." She paused, studying him. "And you don't have to wait until you feel like you're going to explode. Next time, we can be... preemptive."123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu37Ew6DksA
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"I'll keep that in mind," Ethan replied noncommittally.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTBLOqww0e
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