The casket was sent to Helen as a trigger...it was an instruction to turnherself into a kuzkardesh gara and begin spreading the infection around.Susan...Dwyer's transformation has been halted in its early stages. Thatmust be what Egerton and de Monnier came here to achieve, possibly byconfiscating the implements Susan needed to complete it.But how were the seeds of her desire to become one of those monstrositiessown?She beckons me across but doesn't rise from her seat. As if the very airshe's. Inevitably, the atmosphere in her parents house became unbearable whenever Claire would visit and eventually she stopped going as her father took to visiting her at her own flat whenever they wanted to see one another. Gwen just gave up on her daughter. Ignoring her husband whenever he told her anything that had been going on in Claire's life in an attempt to avoid any further arguments about 'his little girl'. She and I settled into an unspoken agreement too- we would never discuss my ex-wife. Not now."I nodded, again. "Jen, I feel the same way. I know I shouldn't be sleeping with a married woman — indeed, I've never done this before. But I also know that you and I have something special here. Married or not, my cousin or not, I want to be with you, in each and every way possible."I didn't mention to Jen my suspicions that I was falling in love with her. That was certainly the last thing she needed to hear.We talked a bit more about the situation, not reaching any conclusions or. "How does it look?" Kim whispered from the other side of the dressing room door.I quietly unlatched the door, opening it enough for Kim to get a peek. She had more in mind than just a peek, though, as she hurried through the door and latched it behind her. "You," Kim whispered, stepping directly in front of me, "look soooo good." She reached her hand around to the back of my skirt and began working the zipper. "Let's see how it looks without the skirt."Kim's fingers worked with precision, And a.