“Tiffani.” His smile burned brighter than white phosphorus. “My beautiful Tiffani Ann. For so long it felt like you would never come back. I’ve missed you so much.”
“I didn’t even—” Her voice broke. “I didn’t think you—”
“Always. Why do you think I sent you Colt? No one else could’ve brought you back.”
Tiff laughed. Not the gruff, deep-down-in-her-chest laugh I used to get out of her once in a while when we were alive, but a surprised, childlike laugh. Her whole life she’d been unwanted. Now she finally realized how much she was loved—really, truly, wholly loved. If I’d still been alive, I think my heart would have exploded hearing her laugh like that.
Behind us, someone exhaled as if they’d been punched. I turned around.
Mom. She was covering her mouth with both hands. Bright tears stood out in her eyes.
When He stepped away from Tiff, Mom ran and took his place. Her and Tiffani didn’t say anything to each other, just hugged and swayed back and forth.
“Looks like Mom’s trying to steal your girl, Sunshine,” Ryder said, stepping up beside me.
I cleared my throat so I could talk. “You would ruin a moment like this.”
“I like to make a fashionable entrance,” he said. “So, you coming?”
“That’s what she said.” We both got it out at the same time. Tie.
Sissy came around my other side. You could practically hear her rolling her eyes.
Mom and Tiffani’s reunion was still going on. Dad went over to them. Mom finally let go and stepped back, one arm still around Tiffani’s waist.
“Welcome to the family,” Dad said, holding out his hand.
Tiff grinned at me. She shook Dad’s hand. “Thanks.”
Dad pulled her into an awkward hug, but Tiff let go of Mom and put both arms around him. Dad laughed.
I swallowed hard. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen either one of them truly happy.
“So where are we going?” I asked. “I thought we were already…you know, home.”
“Last battle for Earth.” Sissy held up the shining sword in her hand. It wasn’t on fire, but the blade burned with that concentrated Heavenly light. “We’re gearing up. JC didn’t ask you yet?”
I looked at Him.
“Well, we do need someone to reclaim the Sword and carry out the Judgment,” He said. “I know that you could do it, Colt, but you’ve been fighting for so long. I wouldn’t ask for more than you’ve already given. You deserve to rest.”
“What about Tough?” I asked. “Is he still alive…I mean, undead? Or is he in Hell?”
He shook His head. “When viewed from inside time, Tough is still on Earth and he’s still fighting. But he’s losing.”
“I want to go back,” I said. “If it’s not over yet, I don’t want to rest.”
Ryder giggled his high-pitched giggle. “Told you! I told you he’d say yes! This bitch don’t run from a fight! Ain’t that right, Sunshine?”
“Will you grow up?” Sissy said.
“I’m happy, Bossy, this is how I rejoice. If you got a problem, take it up with JC.”
Sissy looked at Him.
He smiled at Ryder. “You could stand to tone it down some.”
Instead of flipping Him off, Ryder just giggled again. Sissy laughed, too. Even Dad cracked a smile, like this was a running family joke.
A soft hand slipped into mine.
“If you’re going back, I am, too,” Tiff said. “Wherever you go, I’m going.”
I kissed her. She exhaled through her nose and pressed her forehead to mine. She was breathing—breathing and so warm.
Tough
The convoy sped down the gravel road to the Dark Mansion, kicking up enough dust to choke a tornado. Clarion was driving the lead Jeep, followed by the Broncos, all full of coyotes. I kept on their tail in Dodge’s truck. Behind me came Jim’s tow wagon, Drake’s S-10, and Addison’s El Camino—all three crammed with humans, and one crow and coyote apiece—then two more packs of coyotes bringing up the rear.
Across the bench seat from me, Harper was holding that shotgun on her lap, flicking the metal ring holding the strap to the butt of the stock.
We hit the barricade right where Lonely’s spies had said it would be—an overturned tour bus across the road, still about a mile out from the Dark Mansion.
The foot soldiers stationed there opened fire. Somebody screamed a vehicle or two back, but he got it under control fast.
The adrenaline kicked in and the vamp senses went into overdrive. I could see every dust particle the lead trucks threw up as they swerved toward the ditches. Headlights glinted off the portable strips of tiger teeth.
Through the busted-out back window of Dodge’s truck, I heard Tawny Hicks holler, “Get ready to run!” Fists tightened on stocks and grips. Someone was breathing too fast, close to hyperventilating. A couple hands grabbed the sides of the truck bed, ready to hop out.
Clarion’s Jeep hit the tiger teeth. Its tires shredded and the strips wrapped around the axle. Doors flew open and Clarion and his pack bailed out. They changed on the fly, from a bunch of armed dudes in woodland camo to a pack of scraggly-looking gray and brown coyotes. The foot soldiers turned their fire on the coyotes, but the coyotes healed too fast. By the time a foot soldier had put one coyote down, then turned around to take out another, the first coyote was already on the foot soldier’s back.
I slammed on the brakes, threw Dodge’s pickup into park, and jumped out. A few seconds behind, almost like she was moving in slow motion, Harper’s door slammed open and she followed.
Metal knocked against metal—weapons banging against the tailgates and sides of the trucks. Shoes and boots hit the gravel. I whistled
