"Clara!" the girl said, jumping up and down. Then she skipped over to the couch and gave the Native American beauty a big hug and kissed her on the side of the face. Clara's hands froze like claws that wanted to rip the girl's eyes out. But Shamira found herself warming to the girl already.

She'd known a few like this back in school, who just loved life and didn't hate anyone in it. The world could use more people with that attitude. And Shamira could see a little bit of the tiredness around the girl's eyes . . . eyes that she got from fighting an inevitable death. But...