Flirt: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel

When Anita Blake meets with prospective client Tony Bennington, she is full of sympathy for his loss. Anita knows something about love, and she knows everything there is to know about loss. Tony Bennington is desperate to have her reanimate his recently deceased wife, but Anita also knows that the thing she can do as a necromancer isn't the miracle he thinks he needs. The creature that Anita could coerce to step out of the late Mrs. Bennington's grave would not be the lovely Mrs. Bennington. Not really. And not for long.

Though Tony Bennington seems unwilling to be convinced, Anita is certain that the creature that would emerge from the grave would not be the woman he loved. The reanimated form might resemble his wife, but it would not possess her essence, her memories, or her personality. It would be a hollow imitation, a soulless husk that would only serve to prolong his grief and make the process of healing that much more difficult.

Anita understands the depths of his pain and the overwhelming desire to have his beloved wife back, even if only for a fleeting moment. However, she also knows the harsh reality of her necromantic abilities. The creature that would arise from the grave would be a pale shadow of the vibrant, living woman he remembers. It would be a cruel mockery of the life he once shared, and ultimately, it would only serve to compound his sorrow.

As Anita sits across from Tony Bennington, she can see the desperation in his eyes, the longing for a miracle that she knows she cannot provide. She wants to spare him the heartbreak of witnessing the hollow imitation of his wife, but she also understands the pull of grief and the human need for closure. It is a delicate balance, and Anita must navigate it carefully, weighing the potential consequences against the depth of his loss.

In the end, Anita's decision will not be an easy one. She must choose between honoring his request, even knowing the futility of it, or standing firm and denying him the chance to see his wife one last time, no matter how fleeting or incomplete that reunion might be. It is a choice that will weigh heavily on her conscience, for she knows the pain of loss all too well, and she does not wish to compound the suffering of another.

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