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Back Any Way the Wind Blows Save as PDF
Chapters (100)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. 65
  69. 66
  70. 67
  71. 68
  72. 69
  73. 70
  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
  77. 74
  78. 75
  79. 76
  80. 77
  81. 78
  82. 79
  83. 80
  84. 81
  85. 82
  86. 83
  87. 84
  88. 85
  89. 86
  90. 87
  91. 88
  92. 89
  93. 90
  94. 91
  95. EPILOGUE
  96. AGATHA
  97. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  98. Also by Rainbow Rowell
  99. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  100. Newsletter Sign-up

He steps closer to me, wrapping his arms loosely around my neck. “You can’t, you’re too weak—you need blood.”

“Snow, I’ve been in many extreme scenarios, and this has never transpired…”

“It could!”

I cover my eyes and press my fingertips into my forehead. “Why are you doing this? Why are you making me imagine a terrible situation where I lose my humanity and have to do the very worst thing to the person I care about most?”

“Because…” he whines. “Because it’s kinda hot.”

“For fuck’s sake, Snow!” I shout it so loud, some birds go squawking out of the trees. I duck out of his arms.

“Come on. It’s sexy. Admit it.”

I’m walking away from him. “Cannibalism isn’t sexy.”

He hums, like I might be wrong.

“Simon.”

He jogs to catch up with me. “It’s not just me—everyone thinks vampires are sexy! I’m terrible at metaphors, and I still get it. Every vampire movie is about fucking virgins.”

I shake my head over and over. “I’m not … This is not … You’re not a virgin.”

“Well, that part’s fictional, right? You don’t have to drink virgins, do you?”

“I don’t have to drink anyone! I’m not drinking anyone! I’m not drinking you just because you think it’s kinky. Also, why do you think you could handle anything kinky?”

“Well, not now…”

“Simon.” I wheel on him. “I’m asking you to stop! This isn’t a metaphor for me. It’s my life. It’s my attempt to have a life. Just … stop. Please.”

He’s biting his bottom lip. His eyebrows are bunched up. “Yeah,” he says, letting go of his lip. “Okay. Of course. I’m sorry.” He shakes his head. “I won’t mention it again.”

“Thank you,” I whisper.

He bites the other side of his lip. “Just…”

“You said you’d stop.”

“No, I am. Just…”

“Snow.”

He fists his hand in my shirt and yanks me close to him, pressing his cheek into the side of my jaw. His voice is low. “Just know,” he says, “that I’d do anything for you. That I’d let you do anything to me. There’s nothing about you I don’t want.”

And then he lets go of my shirt and runs away from me.

I watch him disappear into the Wood.

53

AGATHA

Niamh and I are quiet on the way to the car. But it’s a better sort of quiet than before—I think we’re both just relieved that no more of the goats have left Watford and that we’ve managed to round them up, at least.

I suppose I have to make peace with Simon continuing to show up to save my day. Whether or not I’ve asked him to. Whether or not he has any claim on me.

“Those spells you were using…” Niamh says.