Once upon a time, Melaka and Harth Fray were inseparable. They were so inseparable, as a matter of fact, then when Mel went on a grab, Harth went, too--even though he was ostensibly cannon fodder and slowed her down. One night, when exactly that was going on, a lurk got between the twins.
Mel never forgave herself. But at the time, she didn't know she was the slayer. Unfortunately, the twins' older sister never forgave her, either. Erin told Mel it was her fault. And Mel believed. Mel still believed.
It's not your fault. Mel blinked once at her brother, her smiling brother, who would never, ever say that if he were a lurk. Her heart stopped. Stopped. Completely. And you work for a fish.
Harth vanished. Mel sat straight in the chair and felt her mouth open again, and she foolishly looked around for him, over her shoulder, little neck craning, over Jesse's shoulder, and back to the empty space where her brother had just sat.
Her brother she'd never, ever see that way again.
The slayer felt like she was going to be sick. Just heave up that stupid drink all over the table and all over the ground. Instead, she raised both her hands and brought them behind her neck, slowly, and counted calmly to ten, mouth moving, before opening her eyes and still feeling exactly the same.
Before twisting sideways in the chair, bringing her knees up to her chest and making herself into a ball, and sobbing with absolutely no regard for what anyone thought of the display.