Free The Bloody City by Megan Morgan

tone of his voice, and she didn’t like what it implied—the anger, the betrayal. If she could make him stop talking, stop thinking about it, she would.
    A knock sounded at the door. Sam stepped in without being invited, his usual method of entering a room. She broke the kiss and scowled at him.
    “I think you have another supernatural power,” she said. “The power to sense when you’re least welcome.”
    “I need to talk to you.” He stared directly at her, ignoring Micha.
    “I doubt I can stop you,” she said.
    “What can I do to convince you not to come to this meeting?”
    She shrugged. “Kill me.”
    “I can disguise myself and Micha. But it’s going to be a good deal harder to disguise all three of us.”
    “You don’t have to disguise me. I walked around Old Town and no one messed with me. I’m a missing person that no one misses.”
    “It’s still a risk.”
    “This whole thing is a risk. You need help protecting Micha, plain and simple.” She squeezed Micha’s hip.
    “Hopefully what Cindy and Muse bring back will do just that,” Sam said.
    “Unless it’s a bomb, I’m going.”
    “I think you ought to go home instead.”
    She frowned, blinking.
    “I’m serious,” Sam said. “I think you ought to take Jason and go back to California.”
    “Yes.” She sat up. “Why didn’t I think of that? Because I haven’t wanted to go home before now.”
    Sam sat down on the edge of the bed. She jerked her feet out of the way.
    “Leaving hasn’t been practical until now. If you took a plane or a train, or a bus, someone out there might have recognized you. But your friend is here now. He can take you back in his car.”
    The idea was marvelous, tempting, yet…
    “You don’t want me fighting the good fight with you anymore?”
    Sam looked away, his jaw tight. So much emotion had come from him lately the Institute must have sneaked in during the night, snatched him, and left behind another shapeshifter, one who was a conscience-riddled human being.
    “Things should be different,” Sam said. “This isn’t how I meant for this situation to turn out.”
    “Oh, please. This isn’t gonna work.” She untangled herself from Micha.
    “What do you mean?” Sam looked back at her.
    “You, pretending to be all sorrowful to manipulate me into being safe. I think we’re past that bullshit, aren’t we?”
    “I’m not manipulating you. If you have a chance to go home, you should take it.”
    “Don’t tell me what I should do.”
    “Maybe he’s right,” Micha said behind her.
    “Don’t you tell me what to do either.” She pointed at him. “I’m the one with the voice around here, remember?”
    “This could be your only chance,” Sam said.
    “And do you think they’ll leave me alone in California, if they decide they’re interested in me again? We go back there, we’re sitting ducks. So is our mother.”
    “You could get your mother and take her somewhere safe.” Sam knew exactly where to strike. He didn’t even have to strike that hard.
    “Now you are manipulating me,” she informed him. “You’re trying to play me.”
    “I’m trying to help you. Getting you away from me is probably the best help I could give you right now.”
    “I would have to talk to Jason about it first. It wouldn’t be safe.”
    Sam frowned. “Your whole argument for going tonight is that no one knows who you are or cares about you. Now you’re arguing you can’t go home because people are going to know who you are?”
    She waved a dismissive hand at him. “I’ll think about it. Now get the hell out.”
    Sam stood up. “Please think about what I’m saying very carefully. You know it’s the best option for you. For Jason.”
    “Get out of here!”
    He left.
    “Do you think I should go?” she asked Micha.
    Micha had sprawled on his back again, gazing at the ceiling. “I think you should do whatever you can to help yourself.”
    “I knew you would say that.”
    Sam was right. However, part