The girls moved to the middle of the room and stood side by side."How about a couple of hot babes?" Lisa said. "We can be your models."Tom picked up t...e camera and took several shots of the girls. He told Jack to join them and took a couple more. Lisa stepped away and told him to take a few of just Jack and Megan. Jack put his arm around her and held her at his side. Megan put her arm around Jack's waist and Tom took the photos."Here Jack," Tom said handing him the camera. "Take some of Lisa. Suddenly, to Aran’s eyes, a golden nimbus surrounded her, as if the very rays of the sun had gathered themselves in one place. At the same time, a warm glow flared inside Aran, and he gasped as the vala filled him. Pure light raced through his veins, and for a brief second, he was connected to everything around him; the dirt beneath him, every stitch of clothing he wore, the grass and trees and tiny insects buzzing in the warm evening air, and Elaina, who was looking down at him. They were not worried, after all they were just women. If they noticed that those two had visited with every single voter they did not react to it. If they noticed that each town council candidate knew each of their future constituents by name they never noticed. The incumbent’s loss was so overwhelming, so stunning, that it never occurred to them to dispose of the thousands of documents that proved how corrupt they were, including bribery and extortion. With the backing of the State Attorney. What I wanted to say was that Zoe looked beautiful, but I didn’t dare say that. I wouldn’t have been able to say that. I’d have just croaked something incomprehensible, the words getting stuck in my throat and not coming up properly.She smiled and thanked me but she didn’t pay the compliment back. I guess the scruffy student look that I had deliberately chosen to be compatible with ‘emo’ had missed the mark by a mile. Oh well. But the ice was broken a little and, feeling braver, I asked her why.