I rub my hand over my chin, unsure of the answer. “I’m not sure,” I admit. “It certainly didn’t feel bad. Actually, it felt quite the opposite—amazing and good. It took all of my strength to stop the progression. And the only reason I did, is because I had no idea where it would end. While I’m sure it saved me from suffering the same fate as Cade, I couldn’t risk riding that wave all the way. Daire—” I take her worried face in my hands. “All I can say for sure, is that it felt like I’d swallowed a bolt of lightning. It was the most tremendous surge of power I’ve ever experienced. It’s hard to describe…” My voice fades when I see the way she focuses hard on my eyes.
Afraid that I’ve said something to scare her, I start to turn away, eager to get to our friends, leave the gaffe behind, when she holds me in place. Her soft hands cupped to my cheeks, she says, “Whatever it was, it can’t be all bad. For the first time in a long time, I can see myself reflected in your eyes.”
forty-four
Daire
I rush toward our friends, never so glad to see them. “Thank God, you’re okay!” I hug each of them to me. Focusing on Xotichl when I say, “You sensed it, didn’t you?”
She nods, burrowing deep into the shelter of Auden’s shoulder. “But it took me a while—longer than it should have. I was almost too late. For some, I was too late.”
“You did the best you could, flower.” Auden’s quick to comfort her. “None of us would be here if it wasn’t for you.”
“Don’t forget about Dace,” she says, looking right at him.
But Dace is quick to brush it off, preferring to give the credit to her. He lifts his shoulders and says, “It’s been a wild night.”
“Yeah,” Xotichl agrees. “And for some, it’s not over yet.” Her attention drifts to the far side of the alleyway as she burrows deeper into Auden’s chest.
And I’m just about to ask her what she meant, when Lita says, “Xotichl’s way more of a hero than she lets on. After I jumped on stage to tell Auden to yell fire to get everyone out, Xotichl centered her energy on the doors and blew them all open, making for a quicker getaway.”
“You did that?” I study her with open admiration.
Lita nods to confirm it, as Xotichl works her jaw, and continues to gaze toward the alleyway.
“What is it?” I ask, disturbed by the look on her face. Xotichl never looks frightened, and while she doesn’t exactly look frightened now, it’s the next best thing. I follow the length of her gaze, but I’m unable to make out anything other than a team of emergency workers hovering over Suriel’s remains.
“The preacher is stuck.” She fields our collective blank stares when she adds, “His spirit is hovering near his body, and he’s angry as hell. Can’t believe what became of him. It’s only a matter of time until he sees us and exacts his revenge. I just hope his spirit guide gets to him first.”
“Why wait?” Lita makes a beeline for Auden’s wagon. “A scary preacher in limbo, and a blown-up version of the Rabbit Hole that’s even creepier than the non-blown-up version—never a better reason to vamanos as far as I’m concerned!”
We head for our respective cars, having agreed to meet at Paloma’s. And once I’m inside Dace’s truck, I slide across the worn leather seat, eager for the comfort of his body beside me.
He shifts into reverse and backs onto the street. And after he’s put a good distance between us and the Rabbit Hole, I look at him and say, “Not to sound callous, but…” He turns to me, eyes creased with curiosity. “Do you think it’s too late to claim that New Year’s Eve kiss? I hear it’s bad luck to miss it, and I don’t think either of us can afford to risk it.”
Without another word, Dace pulls to the side of the darkened dirt road and drifts toward me as eagerly as I drift toward him.
At first, I keep my eyes wide, stealing a moment to revel in the sight of his beautiful face looming before me, his lips angling to meet mine. Then my lids softly drop as I merge into the kiss. Savoring the heated press of our bodies coming together after what feels like so long apart.
His mouth moves on mine, and I meet his tongue with an earnest intensity matched by his own. Relishing the moment for all that it is—a welcome reprieve from a life fraught with problems—a just reward after a battle hard-won—a New Year’s Eve tradition meant to bring good luck—a life-affirming action in the face of senseless death.
But more than anything, it’s the promise we give to each other—to never give up on ourselves.
His arms providing safe haven. His lips offering the sort of comfortable permanence I’ve never been able to claim until I met him.
Here, in his arms, it feels like I’m home.
A low groan escapes from his lips as he molds his body hard against mine until there’s nary a breath spanning between us. His touch growing urgent, heated, as our hearts thrum in tandem. Rising and falling in deep fervent melody, as though keeping time with the chiming and swishing of the keys at our necks.
I settle into his warmth, linger on the sweet deliciousness of his tongue. Ready to act on the heated desire rising within me, when he draws away and says, “Listen, my place is a mess, but—if you don’t mind.” His heavy-lidded gaze displaying the depths of his need.
“I can’t imagine I’ll notice.” I kiss him again. And though it’s meant to be brief, once there, I find it hard to leave. “After Paloma’s. I’ll sneak out if I have to, but I doubt that I’ll have to.”
Planting a final kiss on my cheek, he settles back into his seat, and heads for my grandmother’s. That luminous white wolf with blazing blue eyes appearing before us throughout the entire ride. Its spectral form bobbing in the headlights’ glare, almost as though it’s leading us home.
“Tell me you can see that,” I finally say, plagued by the fear that the hallucinations that landed me here have returned. But when I see the way Dace reluctantly nods, gripping the wheel so firmly his knuckles leach of all color, it leaves me so uneasy, I ask, “What do you think it means?”
He sits silently beside me, pressing hard on the accelerator.