Agave Kiss

“I’ll find a way. I know you said emergencies only, but . . . could we dream walk under those circumstances?”

I smiled up at him. “Absolutely.”

“What can you absolutely do?” Chance joined us in the bedroom, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

In the past day, I hadn’t gotten many moments alone. He was a bit reluctant to let me out of his sight and I didn’t blame him. Things still felt fragile, like we needed to touch each other to remain grounded. No matter what, I’d never accepted that his last words to me in Sheol weren’t the literal truth. Even death can’t keep me from you. And here he was; he’d given up godhood for my sake. I nestled against him, marveling that he was here; he’d chosen me against his father’s wishes.

“Meet Booke in a dream to show off the baby.”

His arm tightened on me, a reflexive reaction to the crazy fact that we’d made a new life in hell. “That presumes he can’t come in person? I’m inviting everyone we know when the little guy is born.”

“You know something I don’t?” I raised a brow.

Chance shook his head. “I couldn’t see the future, even from the other side. And now . . . I’m just an average guy.”

My gaze swept him from head to toe, then I laughed. “You’ll never be that.”

He kissed me as if he couldn’t help himself and didn’t stop until Booke cleared his throat. “Far be it for me to stop a PDA, but I need to finish packing.”

“Sorry,” I said, but I was too happy to be embarrassed.

Chance accompanied me to the living room, where Chuch was holding Cami. Eva was in the kitchen, putting the final touches on dinner. Jesse and Shannon would be here soon; this was a farewell party for Booke, but unlike the other one, it would be small and intimate. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be crashed by demons either.

We’d all gone through so many changes over the years. I was no longer a solitary creature, desperately longing for acceptance and a sense of belonging. Instead, I had friends, a man who loved me, and a family on the way. The latter sent a pang of pure visceral terror through me, but I reined it in with the surety that I had a great example of how to love a kid from my own parents. And our little one would have Min as a loving grandma. Not to mention we had the entire Ortiz clan at our backs; Chuch had claimed me long ago as an honorary cousin, which meant I had an extended family the like of which I’d never known.

“We’ll figure it out,” Chance whispered as he drew me down beside him on the couch.

I believed him.

Dinner was a lively affair. For old times’ sake, Eva made her famous tamales. I served them up with green sauce, cream, and grated cheese. That night, we talked and laughed with our friends, knowing it was the last time for a while. After this, there would be no more insane adventures. When you had a kid to protect, you got serious about staying out of trouble. I planned to post charms all over our residence in Mexico, paying Tia handsomely for protection. No matter what, our child would be safe. I could tell Chance felt the same way; his expression revealed the awareness that our lives were about to change irrevocably.

After the meal, we sat in groups of two. Chance kept me close while Jesse snuggled with Shannon. By the time Eva got Cami down for the night, nobody really felt like playing party games. I just wanted to chill and enjoy their company. I listened to the guys talking about sports for a little while, until Shannon pulled away from Jesse, beckoning me into the other room.

Butch followed us, so I figured I might as well kill two birds with one stone. I said, “Let’s take him out.”

I had the feeling she wanted to talk about something, but I hoped it wasn’t more guilt over hooking up with Jesse. I was having another guy’s baby, for fuck’s sake; if that wasn’t the definition of I’ve moved on, then I had no idea what would convince her. Over the past months, I’d done my best to convey that I was cool with the way things went down. Plus, I was totally, absurdly in love with Chance—to the point that Jesse had thought, at one point, that I was in serious denial and in danger of needing mental health care.

She read my look as Butch trotted into the grass, and laughed. “It’s not what you think.”

“No?”

“I just want to make sure we’re okay. Before the whole amnesia thing, we talked about going into business together—”

Yeah, I remembered. We’d discussed running a consignment shop together, what seemed like ages ago. But circumstances changed. She had new dreams now, and I understood. So did I, actually.

She went on, “Now, I’m putting together a business plan for my own deal. I just don’t want you to think that—”

“Shan, you’re always going to be my best friend.” I put an end to her verbal stumbling. “It doesn’t matter if we live together . . . or work together. As for your idea, I think Zombye Gear will be epic.”

“It’ll hit the goth market anyway.”

“All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be safe and happy. I know that sounds super motherly, but I don’t care, and you have to deal.” More tears prickled at my eyes. “Gods, these hormones. I don’t even know how Eva survived it.”

Shan laughed. “I won’t say you’re glowing, but I am relieved to have an explanation for all the barfing.”

“Me too,” I muttered.

“That was trippy, right? You go in with a demon dog bite and come out with, ‘Surprise, in seven months, you’re having a baby.’”

“It was terrifying,” I confessed.

“Yeah, and with Chance—”

“Dead. It’s fine, you can say it. I know what happened in Sheol . . . and normally, that would be an impediment to a life together.”

“Little bit.”

Butch trotted over to me, his job done, and I picked him up. When I straightened, I wore a smirk. “Anyway, I’m happy for you on all counts. I do, however, expect free clothing and cosmetics as you’re perfecting the prototypes.”

“Deal. But I have years of school ahead of me before then.”

“You’ll be famous by the time Cami is old enough to think your products are cool,” I predicted.

Shan waved a hand in dismissal but I could tell she was pleased. “Maybe. It’ll take some start-up money. I have some ideas on that.”

“Oh?”

“Well, I was thinking I might do seances. Talk to dead people?”

“Be careful. You might cause trouble for Jesse if you get a reputation as a charlatan. And if people think you’re legit, that’s a whole different set of problems.”

She grinned. “I didn’t say it was a perfect plan.”

I hugged her with a squirming dog between us. “I was wondering . . . would you and Jesse be willing to serve as godparents?”

It was a huge thing to ask, considering her age, but she was my closest friend. If all went well, it’d just be a titular role that involved spoiling the baby rotten; so far, it hadn’t been hard with Cami. There were more overtones, like religious training and raising the kid if something happened to Chance and me, but I wasn’t asking with those things in mind. This was a gesture that proved things were—and would always be—good between two Kilmer girls who made it out despite the odds.

Her arms tightened around my shoulders. “God, yes. I mean, I have to ask Jesse, but I don’t think he’ll mind.” Shan’s voice thickened, and I could tell she was on the verge of tears. “I have . . . so much now, Corine—family . . .” I suspected she meant the Ortiz clan and Jesse’s folks, plus all his other relatives. From what she’d said, they had welcomed her with open arms, even though she was young for him and didn’t dress like a nice girl.

She took a breath, continuing, “Friends, a future. I can’t tell you—”

“Then don’t. I get it.”

“Okay.” Shan pushed out a shuddering breath, hugged me hard, then let go. That felt a little symbolic.