The last time I'd been on Obie's porch, Shion had walked straight up to the lodge's warped wooden door, across the unstained porch, and knocked like it was no big deal.

She wasn't here, though, so this time felt different.

Maybe it was the way the boards sagged under my shoes, creaking like old bones and threatening a thousand splinters for anyone's bare feet.

Maybe it was the smell, wet smoke, stale beer, and cedar sap.

Or maybe it was just the simple fact that I had no idea how Obie the Bitter Dwarf was going to react.

I told myself it'd be fine.

Heck, if I were lucky, Arclose would answer the door, and I'd be greeted by a smug grin and some dumb joke about how slow I was.

But the longer I stood there, staring at the door like it was a hornet's nest, the heavier my hand felt.

I knocked, the sound hollow and loud, like knocking on a coffin lid.

My stomach clenched, and I heard the exact voice I was hoping to avoid.

"Neh! Who's the hell's bangin' on me door?" Obie barked, his tone equal parts whiskey and gravel.

So much for Arclose.

I swallowed, trying to sound braver than I felt.

"It's me, Ryu. You know… Shion's… friend."

My voice cracked at the end, and I winced.

Real impressive.

That's when I felt a soft hand slide onto my shoulder and the gentle scent of lemons and ginger.

Murasaki, but her touch was warm, grounding, and it helped.

I hated how much it helped right then.

Obie's door cracked open an inch, just enough for one of his bloodshot eyes to glare at me.

He scanned the porch, and his scowl deepened when he spotted Inego and Murasaki standing there too.

"Hmph. Ye got some nerve. I'll let you in, since you're Shion's friend."

He jammed a stubby finger at me.

"But I ain't gonna let them in. This ain't no student lounge."

Inego bristled immediately, while Murasaki's lips curled into an angry pout.

"What the bloody hell, mate?" Inego snapped.

Murasaki rolled her eyes.

"Oh? Really, Inego? How charming," she purred with mock offense. "Apparently I'm unwelcome, and he doesn't want to stay out here with me."

She smiled impishly.

"Who could've guessed?"

I sighed, realizing the problem straight away.

"Obie," I said, trying not to sound like a kid asking for his dad's permission for the car keys. "Come on, man. Would it hurt to let them in?"

He chuckled, a low, dark sound. It was the kind of laugh you hear right before a fight breaks out.

"You, Ryu. That's who it hurts, lad, unless ye know what's good fer ya."

Great. He wasn't going to budge.

"Okay, so, could they just hang out here for a few minutes?"

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Inego shot me a look, nervously tugging at his collar.

"Oi, I'm not going to lie, mate, but there's no chance I'm going to wait on the porch alone with her."

Murasaki's grinned hungrily.

"But why not, darling? I'm wonderful company."

Inego stiffened, his jaw twitched,

"Yeah, that's exactly what worries me."

I stepped between the two of them.

"Enough," I muttered. "Look, Obie, can I at least see Shion?"

He raised a shaggy eyebrow.

"And what makes ye think she's here?"

An exasperated sigh escaped my lips before I answered.

"She told me she was with Arclose, Edin, and Nightmage."

Obie smirked.

"Heh. I know."

I clenched my fist.

"Great, then open the damn door."

He shook his head, but then, a thought hit me.

"Obie, you know why me and my friends are here? We followed some tracks from the woods. They came from the bus tunnel actually."

That caught his attention.

His eyes narrowed and he leaned forward, like we were sharing a secret.

"Ye keep yer damn voice down, Ryu," he mumbled.

I leaned a little closer, ignoring the smell of bourbon and microwaved fish.

"Well, Inego, Murasaki and I followed these really obvious wheel tracks all the way here. They weren't exactly subtle, you know, if a bunch of damn high school kids can track you back to your lodge."

He crossed his arms.

"Yeah? So, what're ya sayin'?"

I grinned a bit, knowing he was exactly where I wanted him.

"Well, think about it, Obie. If we can trace you from the lodge to the bus tunnel, what happens if the school administration gets curious. I mean… since you won't let us in, I guess the only thing for the three of us to do is ask Suiren-sensei."

That did it.

The door flew open wide, and Obie stepped out, jabbing a grubby finger into my chest.

"Ya better listen to me, boy," he snarled. "The school administration better never, ever, find out about what goes on here. Unless ye want ta find me boot lodged so far up yer arse you'll be coughing me shoelaces!"

I froze.

He meant it.

"You, the succubus, and the damn limey can come in. But the two of them wait in the foyer, or there'll be trouble. Believe me."

I did.

He stepped back with a grunt.

"Got it," I said quickly, before Murasaki or Inego could say anything that might make it worse.

Obie stomped back inside, leaving his door open.

Inego gave me a nervous look.

"Let's hurry, eh, chap?"

I nodded, pushing past the door and into the lodge.

The foyer was cluttered with dirty boots, skateboarding shoes, and cheap flip flops. Beyond these, the living room opened up to a dirty coffee table with no less than three ashtrays, a plastic bong, and a host of beer cans.

Then, I saw them.

Arclose sprawled in a beanbag like a king who'd lost his crown, a half-eaten candy bar still in his hand.

Edin was curled up near the fireplace, one arm wrapped protectively around a battered vodka bottle.

Nightmage sat propped against the wall, lips moving faintly like he was casting spells even in sleep.

And Shion looked like a queen in exile, draped across the world's ugliest and most comfortable couch, her black hair spilling over the armrest like moonlight caught in spiderwebs..

None of them moved.

As soon as I saw her, my heart jumped in my throat.

"Shion?!"

Obie grunted and smacked my arm.

"Keep yer trap shut, ye eegit!" he said angrily but quietly, for him.

I looked at Shion.

Unlike the others, her chest didn't rise or fall.

"How can she be asleep? She's… dead."

Obie rolled his eyes and let me into the living room with the sleeping potheads and vampire.

"Listen, lad. Ye keep yer voice down. They're here, but they're also in the Nightlands."

I looked at him curiously.

"You mean, like, with their bodies?"

He nodded.

"How can they be there if they're here too?" I asked.

He snorted.

Then, he walked into the adjacent kitchen, grabbed a beer can from an old fridge, and turned back towards me.

"Right, this goes nowhere, got it? I figure yer vampire friend'll tell you herself soon enough anyway. But it's like this. They fell asleep by the tunnel, the lot o'em. Then, in their dreams, they enter the tunnel. That'll get ye to the Nightlands, body and all. Except, you'll still be here, eh? Cause ya need someplace to wake up."

I glanced at Shion's face.

She looked peaceful for once.

"So, yer vampire friend and these three went there and I came by with me cart to bring 'em back here. That way no one from the school comes by and pokes 'em with sticks or something."

I tried to understand.

"Okay… so they're in the Nightlands with their bodies. So, how are they also here with their bodies?"

He smacked me in the back of the head.

"Don't be a horse's arse," he said.

I rubbed the back of my head where he smacked me.

"I didn't make the rules, lad. They're, um, partially here, partially there, I guess. Whatever, it means they can bring stuff back that they carry out of the Nightlands. They wake up with what they're carryin'. Got it?"

I nodded my head agreeing just so I wouldn't get smacked again.

"Yeah, sure thing. That makes perfect sense to me," I said.

I stared at Shion, her chest still, her face softer than I'd ever seen it.

If she could be half here, half there… then why couldn't I?

The thought crawled into my skull and refused to leave, whispering like an invitation.

All I had to do was fall asleep by the tunnel.

Obie cracked another beer and gave me a look sharp enough to cut glass.

"Lad," he muttered, "if yer dumb enough to take yer body into the Nightlands, you'll be writin' yer own bloody eulogy. A dream'll kill ye just as quick as a sword."

Then he grinned, all teeth.

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