The Strays came rushing forward, prepared for anything. The Raptors had arrived just half-an-hour earlier and they had been trading war stories. No one had thought to call Jane and warn her.

When Tarloh got to the front of the room, he wound up being more amused than alarmed. Jane had extended eight magical braids to defend herself against this intruder with anything at her disposal. “At her disposal," at that moment, was a steel folding chair, an old vase, a branch, two rocks, a jelly doughnut, a bag of chips, a jar of salsa and metal pipe.

“Woah there girl," the big man said with a grin. "It's okay. This is Otlivant. He's one of the Raptors . . . they're allies."

Jane was breathing so fast she was practically panting. The other Raptors and Strays were watching as Tarloh tried to talk the nervous girl into relinquishing her . . . weapons.

"Hey," said Raid as she ventured into the whirlwind of silky-smooth tentacles that was Jane. Jane instantly began to calm down and wrapped her arms and hair, weapons and all, around her girlfriend.

"There there," Red said softly. She knew she was making a scene, but she also knew that Jane was quite capable of hurting someone if she got spooked.

Besla leaned in and whispered to Robbie, "This is your sister's mate?

She seems . . . fragile."

Robbie shook his head. “Don't judge a book by its cover. That girl has saved every one of us at some time or another. Even before she had her Talent, she saved my ass just by being brave at the right time."

"I shall take you at your word," Besla said, still unconvinced.

Jane's head was resting comfortably on Red's chest and she was calming down. She felt a little silly at the fuss she had made.

“Sorry everyone," she said, blushing a bit and hiding behind Red as she released her from those braids. One strand held up a doughnut to the harpy that had been called Otlivant. "Chocolate glazed?"

The harpy just stared at her, looking totally perplexed. Everyone else just started laughing.

“Now that you're all calmed down," Mindy said, rushing forward to hug her friend.

"Mindy!"

And just like that, the tension was broken. Jane finally noticed that Red was looking much better. Arthur must have worked some of his healing mojo on the red-haired beauty. Jane had to give him a hug for that.

But there was one person who didn't feel all that jovial. Chris had been staring at Croc for hours. Sure, he had gotten a hug from Anya when he had returned with the others, but then she had been on the arm of that . . . outsider all evening. He hadn't cared all that much when the guy had shown up, but now . . . Chris wasn't sure what was going on. It's not like Anya had ever been exactly loyal to a single person before. But she seemed different with this guy now.

She'd said that she liked Chris because he was a gentleman. But had she been ribbing him? Was she really that smitten with bad boys?

Jane was at a table, trying to lay out what little she had managed to bring. She wasn't particularly good at socializing, so maybe if she played the quiet hostess role.

"Hey," came a smooth voice from behind her.

Jane felt a bit clammy. She turned around, still holding a jar of salsa she had forgotten to pour. "Nat . . . Natasha," she blurted.

Natasha looked her over. "You don't like me do you?"

"No," Jane started. "I mean . . . I don't know you. I can't.

It's just a ...