- Thanks. It was a pleasant evening.

I didn't speak at the time. Either the voice in my head, or I read Lucas' thoughts and just spoke them out loud. The inert state nevertheless allowed me to turn around and head for the exit, worrying little about the fact that my back was covered in blood, I was practically half-naked, and I could fall at any moment. Someone hurried to hold out slippers, and I put on my shoes, barely realizing what I was doing. She even went down the stairs, noting with some gleam of pleasure that blood stained the snow-white pile of an expensive carpet.

The coolness of...