It's a Matter of Midlife and Death
Author: Robyn Peterman Narrated Byjessica Almasy
Date: 2022-02-28 00:00:00+00:00
Description: Midlife is madness-magical, messy, and one freaking crisis after another. With a new job I didn't apply for and an extended family I didn't know I had-midlife has become somewhat problematic. Gluing ghosts back together is easy compared to my new celestial occupation. The Grim Reaper wants to put a ring on it. Tim wants to be a father. Candy Vargo has lost her damn mind, and Jennifer thinks we're all sparkly vampires. I've been given an impossible task with catastrophic consequences for failure, but it wouldn't be my midlife without another crisis. What's the saying? When in Crazytown, embrace
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Rights: Copyright 2021 Robyn Peterman. All rights reserved.

It’s A Matter of Midlife and Death

Good To The Last Death, Book Six

Robyn Peterman

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Copyright © 2021 by Robyn Peterman

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is coincidental.

This book contains content that may not be suitable for young readers 17 and under.

Cover design by Cookies Inc.

Edited by Kelli Collins

Praise for The Good To The Last Death Series

“Daisy’s life has been turned upside down, and we get to watch the aftermath. Prepare to root for a new heroine. You’ll fall in love with this hilarious hoyden and all of the hot water she dives into. Head first! Masterful and heartwarming, don’t let this one get away!”

—NY Times Bestselling Author Darynda Jones

“Brilliant and so relatable! I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and I sighed. Heavily. Robyn Peterman has her finger on the pulse of midlife madness, and I can’t get enough.”

— USA Today Bestselling Author, Renee George

“I’d read the phone book if Robyn Peterman wrote it! It’s A Wonderful Midlife Crisis is a home run of hilarious, heartwarming paranormal fun. Midlife’s a journey. Enjoy the ride. Crisis included… Read it!”

— Mandy M. Roth, NY Times & USA TODAY Bestselling Author

“Hilarious, heartbreaking, magical and addictive! No one can turn a midlife crisis upside down quite like Robyn Peterman. A stay-up-all-night novel that will have you begging for more.”

— Michelle M. Pillow, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

Acknowledgments

This series has been in my head for two years. It took a call and a nudge from Shannon Mayer to make me pull the file out and finish book one. Now you’re getting book six! Each word was a joy to write and I owe Shannon for yanking me into the Paranormal Women’s Fiction group. Playing in a sandbox with strong talented women who have each other’s backs is a rare and special experience.

As always, while writing is a solitary experience getting a book into the world is a group project.

The PWF 13 Gals — Thank you for a wild ride. You rock.

Renee — Thank you for all your support, your friendship, your formatting expertise and for being the best Cookie ever. Forever in your debt. TMB. I promise I will get our phrase into the next book. LOL

Wanda — Thank you for knowing what I mean even when I don’t. LOL You are the best and this writing business wouldn’t be any fun without you.

Kelli — Thank you for saving me from scary grammar mistakes. You rock. LOL

Nancy, Susan, Heather and Wanda — Thank you for being kickass betas. You are all wonderful.

Mom — Thank you for listening to me hash out the plot and for giving me brilliant ideas. You really need to write a book!

Steve, Henry and Audrey — Thank you. The three of you are my world. Without you, none of this would make sense. I love you.

Dedication

For Sean. Miss you every day.

More In The Good To The Last Death Series

PREORDER BOOK SEVEN NOW!

Book Description

It’s A Matter Of Midlife And Death

Midlife is madness—magical, messy and one freaking crisis after another.

With a new job I didn’t apply for and an extended family I didn’t know I had—midlife has become somewhat problematic. Gluing ghosts back together is easy compared to my new celestial occupation.

The Grim Reaper wants to put a ring on it. Tim wants to be a father. Candy Vargo has lost her damn mind and Jennifer thinks we’re all sparkly vampires. I’ve been given an impossible task with catastrophic consequences for failure, but it wouldn’t be my midlife without another crisis.

What’s the saying? When in Crazytown, embrace the insanity or go insane. It’s time to lean into the madness. I’m putting down roots, pulling up my big-girl panties and getting down to business. With one month to succeed, it’s time to grow a bigger pair of lady-balls and play in the big league.

The rules are unclear. However, when it’s a matter of midlife and death, I’m making the rules. And I will win.

Contents

Acknowledgments

More In The Good To The Last Death Series

Book Description

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

More In The Good To The Last Death Series

Excerpt: The Write Hook

Chapter 1

Robyn’s Book List

Note From The Author

About Robyn Peterman

Chapter One

How to go from bad to hellish in a single beat of a heart. I couldn’t catch a break if it bit me in the butt.

Zadkiel had forgotten his throne but had brought along a few buddies to make up for it. They were faceless and terrifying. The air around them crackled with the promise of pain and agony. There were four of them wearing hooded purple robes that hid whatever horror was underneath. Gideon was on his feet so fast I didn’t see him move. I followed quickly behind. The friendly atmosphere disappeared and in its place was a tension-filled standoff.

Zadkiel, my de facto supervisor and gargantuan jackass, scanned the room. His eyes landed on the hourglass. “One more little test, Daisy, and you shall have earned your place as the Angel of Mercy.”

“Who else do I have to forgive?” I demanded as I realized my hands were sparking. That was new. Thankfully, it didn’t hurt. I was kind of done being beat up by my newly ever-emerging magic for the foreseeable future.

“Not forgive. Punish,” he replied cryptically, seating himself on my overstuffed chair like he was a welcome guest.

He was not.

“Unacceptable,” Charlie hissed. As the Immortal Enforcer, his hiss was freaking scary. Zadkiel wasn’t swayed. “The parameters were set when the task was given. No changes can be made.”

“Correct,” my father ground out as he approached Zadkiel with a look in his eyes that made me want to hide.

Zadkiel shrugged. “Fine. Take them.” He nodded to the faceless robed figures, then pointed to the Angels on the floor.

I was unsure if the strangers had feet. They glided across the room like they were ice skating. It was unnerving and strange. As they approached my Angelic siblings, a fury larger than I knew I possessed lit up inside me. Images of the violent beginnings of my sisters and brothers flashed in my head. I’d never seen the faces of the beings who had meted out the punishments, but I was pretty sure that the four in my home were somehow involved.

“NO,” I shouted as the abominations reached down to take the Angels. “Do not touch them.”

Zadkiel smiled. It was ugly. “You said you weren’t up for the mission. They are. I see no issue here.”

“I see an issue,” I ground out, crossing the room and standing between the Angels and their tormentors. “They’re mine. My responsibility.”

Zadkiel raised a brow. “You own them?”

Shoving my hands into the shallow pockets of my yoga pants, I willed myself not to blast the asshole. That was a move that was sure to end badly. Short-term wins could be long-term disasters.

“I don’t own them. No one does. Not you and not those things,” I said, nodding to the robed intruders. “Do you have any idea what was done to them? The criminal abuse?”

“Do you?” Zadkiel asked coldly.

I glared at him. I refused to drop my gaze. After what felt like an eternity, he was the first to lower his eyes.

“I do,” I said, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice and failing. “I saw it. They were damned to absorb the sins of humanity. Who in the hell thought that was a good plan? It was despicable and inhuman.”

“We are not human,” Zadkiel pointed out. “There are shades of gray around every corner. Nothing is black and white. Do not judge what you can’t understand.”

He was right and all kinds of wrong. Maybe it wasn’t my place to judge what had been done to my siblings, but I knew compassion from cruelty. The Angel might have thought he’d ended the journey before the journey ended him, but he was incorrect. There was very little to no humanity left in Zadkiel.

A choice was in front of me. I was certain it was going to suck. However, there was no way in hell the Angels were leaving with the robed abusers.

“I will punish them,” I said.

I heard Abby gasp. Prue began to cry. I wasn’t sure if it was because they were happy I wasn’t going to let Zadkiel have them or because they were upset I’d agreed to punish them.

“Do go on,” Zadkiel said. “Let me hear how you will punish the ones who sinned against the Heavens. If it is acceptable, the grains of sand will join the others. As you might have noticed, there are four granules left. One for each of your brothers and sisters.”

He made the words sound like curses. I wanted to make him eat them and choke.

The son of a bitch had put me on the spot. Physical harm was out of the question. They’d been through that, and it had warped them to the tipping point of no return. While forgiveness was divine, retribution seemed to be the way of the Immortals. If I was going to win this round, I had to lay out an acceptable plan.

“Help me,” I begged Gideon frantically in our silent communication. “I don’t know what to do.”

“What is it that you want the Angels to accomplish?” he asked.

“I want them to find their humanity.”

“I believe the answer may lie in the word human,” he replied.

My gaze shot to Gideon. A small smile pulled at his lips, followed by a loud sigh. I was pretty sure he had hoped the Angels would leave. That might not be the case.

“The punishment will be for a set period of time. Pravuil, Abathar, Raphael and Gabriel will become human—no powers, no magic. When they have discovered—truly discovered—their humanity, their Immortality will return.”

Prue continued to cry. Abby swore vitriolically under her breath. Rafe growled, and I was pretty sure I heard Gabe chuckle. I was tempted to drop a barrier around them. I didn’t need the celestial peanut gallery screwing up my plan to keep them from harm. Plus, the plan was good. If they were truly to serve humanity in a loving way, they needed to understand what it meant to be human.

“Rather mild,” Zadkiel said, getting bored.

“Hardly. An Immortal without power is not mild,” I countered. “What is the job of an Angel?”

“Read the bible,” he shot back.

“On my list. Answer my question.”

He sat silently and refused.

“Guidance, protection, proclamation, ministering care,” the Archangel Michael said, moving to stand next to me, his daughter—and in front of his other children, who were basically on trial for their lives.

My father might have said that the Angels were no children of his, but his actions spoke otherwise. For a scary badass, he could be a softie.

“Blah, blah, blah,” Zadkiel said with a disgusted eye roll.

Without any excess movement, the Archangel Michael approached the Angel Zadkiel and wrapped his hands around his neck. Lifting the huge man into the air, he leaned in close as Zadkiel struggled to breathe. “I was not finished.”

Zadkiel grimaced as my father tightened his grip. “My apologies,” he choked out.

Dropping Zadkiel to the ground, he turned and eyed the robed figures. If they had come for Zadkiel’s protection, they sucked. They hadn’t moved a single muscle to aid the Angel.

“As I was saying before I was interrupted,” my dad continued as if choking someone was normal. Hell, maybe in Angel-land it was. “Assurance of divine presence, comfort, enlightenment—these are some of the key duties of an Angel.”

“Then I win,” I said. “My siblings have never had the opportunity to truly be Angels. It was stolen from them. I want to give them a chance. Not all punishments have to be violent. Trust me,” I said, glancing over at the irate group on the floor. “It will not be pleasant or easy.”

Zadkiel shrugged indifferently. “Not my call to make.”

“I’m sorry. What?” I snapped, furious that he might take them anyway.

“Check the hourglass,” he said flatly. “If the sand has moved, then your punishment shall stand. If it hasn’t…”

“It has,” Charlie growled. “The four grains of sand have joined the others. The Angels shall be rendered powerless until the time they find their humanity.”

“Time,” Zadkiel said, standing up and joining his faceless posse. “Such an interesting concept. Isn’t it? The indefinite and continued progress of existence in the past, present and future.”

“Your point?” I asked, tired of the cryptic games.

“When one manipulates the hours, minutes and seconds, there is a price to pay.”

“The price?” I asked through clenched teeth. I was unsure if he meant the Angels or me. They had sent me back in time to change Clarissa’s outcome and give me the chance to forgive the one who had harmed me the most, but I’d requested that they do it.

Zadkiel shrugged. “It will become evident shortly. As far as the timeframe on your discipline methods go, or lack thereof… when the new Death Counselor takes her first breath, the experimental punishment of the Angels shall end. If they have not accomplished the task, they will be sent back from whence they came… never to leave again.”

That was eight and a half months, give or take a few days. Could centuries of abuse be replaced by compassion for humanity in that short a time?

“Is that negotiable?” I asked.

“It is not,” he replied.

“Fine,” I said.

“Daisy,” Candy interrupted.

I held up my hand. I didn’t need her to insult Zadkiel’s privates. “I’ve got this.”

“But—” she tried again.

“No buts,” I told her. “I accept the parameters.”

“As you wish,” Zadkiel said with a shrewd look in his eyes that made me uncomfortable. “They have one month… starting now.”

“Umm… clearly, you don’t know much about babies,” I said.

“Clearly, you don’t know much about the punishment for manipulating time,” he replied. “Oh, and I forgot to tell you—you know… that pesky small print. If the Angels do not accomplish the task, the first breath the new Death Counselor takes will also be her last.”

I screamed and wanted to destroy him. Looking down, my flat stomach was no longer flat. I was about eight months pregnant. The price for manipulating time was now evident. The only thing evident to me was that Zadkiel had to go… straight to Hell.

Gideon roared in agonized fury. His body burst into red flame, and he threw a blast of magic that took out the entire side of my house. My father dove for Zadkiel with a rage that knocked my house right off its foundation.

But none of it touched the Angel. The purple-robed bastards shielded his pathetic ass from the aggression, then they disappeared in a blinding flash of light.

The silence in the room was louder than an explosion. My mind raced, and my thoughts were jumbled and chaotic. Life just kept getting more difficult. Midlife was supposed to be a crisis, but this was a full-blown catastrophe.

“Why is he doing this?” I ground out through clenched teeth. Fury consumed me. “I played his stupid game.” I threw up my hands. “And I won. I forgave my worst enemy to become the Angel of Mercy, and still, that asshole is making me jump through more deadly hoops. I don’t understand.” I looked to Gideon and my father for answers. “You both have been around since Time was a toddler. Is this part of the application process? I thought I already had the fucking job.”

“He’s always been the worst kind of bastard,” Candy said, spitting on the ground as if warding off a curse.

Gram didn’t say a word about me dropping the f-bomb and just winced when Candy deposited saliva on my carpet. Everyone was getting a free pass right now.

My dad shook his head. “Zadkiel is a wily son of a bitch. I don’t know what he’s playing at, but as the original Angel of Mercy, it’s within his rights to challenge you. I’m sorry, Daisy. I’ll do what I can to help, but there might only be one way through this.” He cast a pithy glance at his four rotten apples.

I clenched my fists and consciously fought back the urge to blow up the house I loved so much into a pile of toothpicks. Granted, it already needed repairs since Gideon had exploded the wall and my dad had knocked it off its foundation. “Fanfreakingtastic.”

Gideon stepped behind me and put his arms around my waist, his hands resting on my basketball-sized belly. “I will beat the humanity into those four if that’s what it takes. Whatever needs to be done to make sure our child is born happy and healthy, I will do.” He kissed the top of my head.

“One month,” I said in a daze. I stared at the Angels on the floor. “Get up.”

Slowly they rose to their feet. Prue’s face was tear-stained, and her lips trembled. Abby’s eyes were narrowed to slits. Rafe wouldn’t even look at me. Only Gabe was open and accessible. He rocked back on his heels and clasped his hands in front of him patiently.

“They can babysit for me,” Candy Vargo said. “I got six foster kids coming to live with me next week. If caring for rug rats doesn’t knock some humanity into them, I’m not sure what will.”

As much as I wanted to express my shock at the news, I didn’t. Candy Vargo, for all her crazy, had a hell of a lot of love to give. The language was iffy, and the toothpicks were gross, but the heart was pure.

“I’ll give them jobs at the bookstore,” Missy volunteered.

“I’ll teach them to bake cookies,” June said.

“I’ll set up a P.O. Box for each of you so you can send letters and receive mail,” Tim announced. “I will also teach you disgusting knowledge. It’s a wonderful icebreaker at luncheons with the gals.”

The Angels looked alarmed. I wasn’t sure if it was because they had no clue what a P.O. Box was or if they feared Tim’s knowledge.

“I’ll teach them plumbing,” Jennifer offered as Heather made a face. Jennifer had destroyed the entire plumbing system in the building Heather had purchased to house her law firm. Jennifer had done it to save Heather a few bucks. It had cost Heather time and a whole lot of money to fix Jennifer’s fixes.

To my sister’s credit, she didn’t say a single word. She would happily pay plumbing bills till the cows came home if that’s what it took.

“I shall make sure that the proper authorities have been notified and will look into bringing charges against Zadkiel,” Charlie said. “I don’t care what Michael says about his rights as the first Angel of Mercy. The bastard has overstepped.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” Gram said to Charlie as she zipped in circles around the Angels. “I’m gonna teach y’all some manners and how to make my famous chicken salad.”

“And I will be your stepmother,” my mother said, floating over to the shocked Angels. “Daisy is my daughter. You are her father’s children. I love Michael with everything I am. What is part of him automatically has my love.”

The Angels had no clue what to do with that. Not one made a sound.

“Can I get in on that?” Heather asked with a shy smile.

“Already think of you that way, child,” my mom told her. “And it thrills me.”

My father hadn’t stopped staring at the Angels since they’d stood up. He slowly approached them and stopped about a foot away. “I shall take you under my wing and teach you the true meaning of being an Angel.”

“And I will kill all of you with my bare hands if you fail,” Gideon added.

“Umm… that really doesn’t go with all the other stuff,” I pointed out.

“True,” Gideon agreed. “But that’s all I’ve got.”

“Roger that,” I said, then glanced over at the shellshocked Angels. “Are you in?”

“Do we have a choice?” Abby spat.

“No,” I said in an icy tone. “You don’t. I do not expect you to thank me for saving you from the faceless horrors. If you fail, those abominations will become your destiny.” I placed my hands on my rounded belly and felt my little peanut kick me. “Failure is not an option. Dad, can you remove their power?”

“I can,” he replied. “And I shall.”

Crystals rained down in every color of the rainbow, illuminating the room in a kaleidoscope of shimmering hues. The Angels jackknifed forward in agony as their magic was ripped away. I bit down on my lip, so I didn’t cry out. If they could be silent, so could I.

We had one hell of a journey ahead of us. Moving forward was necessary, so I didn’t curl into a ball and lose myself in the mother of all panic attacks. I would win. The life of Alana Catherine was on the line.

“Be nice,” a voice whispered in my head.

“Gideon?” I asked, confused.

“No, silly goose. I’m not Gideon,” it replied. “Listen closely. One will comply, one will lie, one will stand by and, sadly, one might die. You must determine the outcome.”

“Alana Catherine, is that you?” I asked as tears began to roll down my cheeks.

“I prefer Mini-Daisy Gideonia,” she replied with a giggle.

“We can speak to each other?” I was amazed, shocked, thrilled and terrified that I might lose her.

“Just this once,” she said. “Remember what I said, sweet Mommy, and tell Gideon not to kill them. That’s mean.”

“You call your dad Gideon?” I asked.

“Do you think he’ll mind?” she asked, sounding all kinds of naughty.

“No,” I told her, glancing at Gideon, who was watching me with interest. “I believe he will be fine with whatever you want to call him.”

“I’ll see you soon,” she said as her sweet little voice faded away.

I wanted to beg her to stay and talk. I wanted her to tell me how to make the Angels comply. But mostly, I wanted to hold her in my arms.

I would do whatever I had to do to make that happen.

“I will only say this once,” I told the newly mortal, powerless Angels in a harsh and painfully raw voice that seemed to be coming out of someone else’s mouth. “You will find your humanity, or I will find it for you. Trust me when I say it will be far more pleasant if you do it yourselves. The life of my child is on the line, and losing her is not on the table.”

Gideon and our very chatty child had lit up my midlife crisis in a profound and beautiful way. If the Angels didn’t get with the program immediately, I’d light up their asses.

The path wasn’t clear. The outcome was iffy. That didn’t work for me.

Let the crisis continue. May the best Angel win.

Zadkiel assumed it would be him.

I was about to prove him wrong.

Chapter Two

The early morning frost blanketed the blades of grass and the naked limbs of the trees. I could see my breath as I sat on the front porch steps wrapped in one of Gram’s afghans. Last night, Gideon had blown out the side of the house, and my dad had knocked it off its foundation. Zadkiel was a horrid man in every sense of the word. While I had chosen the punishment for the Angels, he’d thrown in a wrench that could potentially ruin my world. Thankfully, Charlie had fixed my home with a wave of his hand. With my future crumbling fast, it was preferable to live in a house that wasn’t crumbling as well.

Glancing up, I wondered if there truly was a higher power and if it was observing me. Fading stars dotted the inky sky as I sipped my non-caffeinated tea. In a matter of a day, my life had changed so dramatically I could barely wrap my head around it.

“Herbal tea sucks,” I told my dogs, Donna and Karen, as they romped through the crunchy, ice-crystal-covered yard, unaware that I had four weeks before my existence as I knew it and loved it might change forever.

The lack of caffeine wasn’t helping matters. However, I’d gone from a few weeks pregnant to eight months pregnant in the blink of an eye. Literally. The impossible had become insanely possible. Alcohol was easy to give up. Sushi and blue cheese would not be missed. Giving up coffee, on the other hand, might mean everyone’s life was in danger.

I sighed and groaned as Donna rolled in the deep hole that she and Karen had dug. I’d be taking her dirty, hairy body into the shower with me shortly. I just needed a few minutes alone before everyone woke up and the real work started. What that actually meant was a freaking mystery.

“Freezing,” I muttered, cupping the warm mug in my cold hands. Donna and Karen darted over and sat at my feet with their tails wagging so hard it created a breeze. I grinned and reached into the pocket of my sweats. “One for you and one for you.”

The furballs swallowed the treats whole. Last week, I’d researched how to Heimlich a dog just in case they choked on a Milk-Bone. The answer to my query was yes. You could indeed Heimlich a dog. Hopefully, I’d never have to.

“You dummies need to chew your yum-yums,” I told them, breaking the second round of treats into smaller bites.

Donna barked, and Karen did a quick zoomie around the yard. The thought of them disappearing from my life made me feel panicky. If my Angel siblings didn’t find their humanity, that’s exactly what would happen… along with a whole bunch of other devastating things.

“Not gonna happen,” I told the furry nutbags, giving them the rest of the yummies from my pocket. “The more I say it out loud, the truer it will be.”

I had no clue if that was accurate, but I was grabbing at any straw available.

Karen was now rolling in the hole, and Donna was pooping on the fieldstone walkway. It was better than in the house. My dogs were not well trained. The only thing they sat for was a treat. Otherwise, it was a free-for-all. Although, Donna understood and helped me with my dead houseguests. I’d had a few newly dead show up recently, but they’d stayed mostly hidden. For the first time since the dead had begun showing up, there were not many here. Of course, we’d had a heck of a lot going down with Zadkiel, the colossal asshole, being around. I didn’t blame my deceased squatters for keeping a low profile.

Glancing at the horizon, I flattened my palm on my big pregnant belly and smiled. An elbow or a knee was pressing on my bladder. The feeling was surreal, humbling and somewhat uncomfortable. I’d had to get out of bed to pee six times during the night. Gideon had slept through my bathroom sojourns. Tonight, I’d wake him up for all of them. He wanted to be an involved dad, so I would definitely involve him. The knowledge that Zadkiel had made us miss all of the firsts of being pregnant infuriated me. However, Alana Catherine was still alive and kicking up a storm in my uterus. That was all that mattered.

I would bring my baby into this world healthy and happy or die trying. Period.

“Three more minutes,” I told my dogs as I took another sip of tea.

The long cold night faded away, and daybreak brought glimmers of hope. A new light. A new day. A new chance to make it right. The sun’s golden rays washed away the darkness, spreading light in every direction. The sun always rose and set without invitation. Time marched ahead no matter what. The knowledge that Zadkiel could take time away from me made something deep inside of me burn hotter than the rising sun.

Fury wasn’t going to cut it. Anger would not get me to the end goal. Tamping back the need to rail out at the Universe was hard but doable. The life inside me gave me a purpose far above what I needed personally.

“Come on, dummies,” I called out to my dogs. “It’s time to kick ass and take no prisoners. However, first, we’re gonna take a shower.”

They were all in. Clean Daisy and clean dogs. It was a start.

* * *

So much for a shower. My job as the Death Counselor took precedence over being squeaky clean.

There were three of them. The ghosts sat on my couch, looking confused and scared. My heart caught in my throat, and I quickly swallowed my gasp of sadness. Their bodies were badly damaged. With the deceased, the longer they’d been dead, the more decay. This group looked as if they’d died in some kind of accident, and fairly recently. Normally my guests were gray in color. The trio in my living room still had streaks of golden blond in their hair and a small amount of pink in their skin. They sat huddled together, holding hands.

Most of the ghosts had been adults—most of them old. The dead on my couch looked to be in an age range between ten and possibly twenty—two boys and a girl. My chest felt heavy, and I forced myself to breathe evenly.

My dirt-covered dogs immediately moved to the couch and lay on the floor at their feet. Donna, as a Hell Hound, was aware of the ghosts. Karen—a goofy Labrador—was not, but she followed her furry sister’s lead in most things. My beautiful, sweet furballs seemed to calm the group, who stared at them with curiosity.

I wanted to cry, but that wouldn’t help anyone. My job as the Death Counselor was to find out why they were still here, solve their problem and help them move on. My job didn’t stop even though my future was on the line. I’d handle business as usual—as unusual as it was—and figure out the rest as it came.

Sitting down on the overstuffed armchair facing them, I smiled. “Hi, I’m Daisy. I’m the Death Counselor,” I said. “I can help you.”

None of them uttered a sound. The dead could be difficult to understand. Unless I did a mind dive, I couldn’t actually have a real conversation with them, but sometimes the Ouija board worked.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk yet,” I told them. “You’re safe here, and you’re welcome as long as you want to stay.”

Still not a peep. The youngest of the three was a girl. She looked to be about ten. Part of her face appeared to have melted away, and her left hand was gone. To some, she would seem grotesque. To me, she was beautiful. She smiled shyly and pointed at my stomach.

I glanced down and grinned. “There’s a baby in there.”

“Toooooucha?” she whispered.

“You bet.” I stood up and moved slowly to the couch so I wouldn’t scare them any more than they already were. “She might even kick her tiny foot.”

The little girl giggled. It sounded like a death rattle, but I knew the difference.

She reached out and placed her right hand on my tummy. Sometimes the dead’s hands would slip right through, and sometimes they felt corporeal. With this little gal, I could feel her touch as if she was still alive.

“Baaaaaabaay,” she said. “Guuuuuurlah?”

“Yep,” I told her, placing my hand gently over hers. Her skin was papery and cool to the touch. “Her name is Alana Catherine.”

She nodded, then put her hand back in her lap. If I had to guess, I would say they were siblings and had died together. The two boys looked to be teenagers, one definitely older than the other. All three had mottled skin. It appeared they’d been burned. The oldest boy was missing part of his head and held his detached left arm in his right hand. The middle child was without a jaw and his left eye. Everything about the situation made my stomach hurt. My instinct was to wrap my arms around them and hold them, but I would wait to make sure that was welcome. The last thing I needed was to freak them out and have them leave.

The fact that the dead found their way to me was a mystery. None of my guests had ever been able to explain it. In the beginning, it had terrified me and made me think I was insane. I now welcomed it. The thought of the dead wandering through the world without a safe haven didn’t work for me.

“Can you tell me your names?” I asked.

“Peennnnnnneeee,” the little girl said, scooting closer, so our legs were touching.

I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth so I wouldn’t cry and carefully draped my arm around her. She snuggled close and put her good hand back on my belly.

“Penny is a lovely name,” I told her.

“Thaauanuak yooouah,” she said with a giggle.

“Rooobeeert,” the middle child said. “Thirrrrrrteeeenah.”

“Hello, Robert,” I said with a smile. “Thirteen is a very good age. I’m forty.”

“Ooooooldah,” Penny pointed out.

“Naawwwooo,” the oldest boy said, chastising his little sister. “Ruuuuudah.”

“Nope,” I assured him. “It’s perfectly fine. While I don’t particularly think forty is all that old, it’s definitely old to someone Penny’s age. What’s your name?”

“Gleeeeeenah,” he told me in a voice that belonged to a young man. “Aaaaaaateeenah. Rooobeeert annndah Peennnnnnneeee myyy siiiibbbliiingssss.”

“Got it,” I said. “Glen is eighteen. Robert is thirteen, and Penny is forty.”

“Naawwwooo!” The small girl squealed with laughter. “Teeeeenah!”

“Whoops,” I said, smacking my forehead. “My bad. Could have sworn we went to college together.”

“Silllllyeeee Dausseeeeee.” Penny grinned at me, then went right back to exploring my big belly.

“Glen and Robert, when you’re ready to talk, all you have to do is let me know,” I told them as they gave me timid smiles. It was macabre, sad and lovely all at once. “You can stay here as long as you want. I mean that. I promise to keep you safe.”

“Deeeeadah?” Glen asked. He didn’t seem confused—more like he was confirming what he already knew.

“Yes,” I said, as he nodded his head. I’d hosted a family recently who hadn’t realized they’d perished. It had been heartbreaking. However, lies were unkind, and I refused to harm the dead by pretending they were alive. While the truth could be traumatic, it was the only way to go. It was so much harder with young people, though. The death of children would never make sense to me. It wasn’t the natural order. “You are dead. When you know what you need from me, you just have to ask. And if you aren’t sure, that’s fine too. This is your home until you want to leave.”

The three exchanged glances, then began chattering so fast I couldn’t make out a word. The sounds were guttural and staccato, with a slight buzzing hum underneath. Robert, while not the oldest, seemed to be in charge. He placed his hands on each of his siblings and whispered to them. The calming effect was immediate. Penny’s chin dropped to her chest, and she leaned into Robert for comfort. Glen nodded tersely, then pressed his forehead to his brother’s. They sat in silence for a long moment.

I didn’t say a word. My need to make it okay for them was overwhelming, but I knew that wasn’t a reality for any of us. What I could do was help the three find peace. I hoped they would trust me enough to let me do that.

“Thaauanuak yooouah,” Glen finally said, reaching out to shake my hand. His detached limb fell to the floor, and he cried out in embarrassment.

The anguished sound tore at my heart. Robert embraced his older brother and held him tight.

Reaching over, I carefully handed Glen back his arm. “I can fix that in a jiffy. Wait right here.”

I hopped off the couch and sprinted to the kitchen. I was so focused on my search for superglue I didn’t notice I was being watched. The hand on my shoulder was so unfamiliar and startling that I whipped around and almost decked the owner. Almost. When I saw who it was, I was kind of bummed I hadn’t clocked him.

Rafe, with a sour expression on his beautiful face, looked at me like I was something he wanted to scrape off his shoe. The Angel—my brother—was an asshole.

“Do you need something?” I asked sharply. “I’m kind of busy right now.”

He stared at me for a long moment, then shrugged condescendingly. “What happened to those disgusting people?”

My mouth fell open. “You can see them?”

“Obviously,” he said with an eye roll.

That shouldn’t be possible. The Angels had been rendered powerless—human. Humans couldn’t see the dead. Although, I didn’t know why the words possible and impossible were even in my vocabulary anymore. Rafe could clearly see Glen, Robert and Penny.

“Asshole,” I muttered under my breath as I tamped back the need to belt him.

I turned my back on Rafe and grabbed a tube of superglue from the drawer where I kept my stash. It took all I had not to have a go at him. He was human now. I was not. I might not be an Immortal, but I was more powerful than I had a right to be. I didn’t even know half of what I could do. If I punched him, I could kill him. That wasn’t on the agenda. He needed to find his humanity so he and the others could avoid a punishment worse than death, my baby would be okay, and my world wouldn’t implode. It was a tall order, but failure wasn’t an option.

Taking a deep breath and tucking the tube into my pocket, I slowly turned around. My eyes narrowed to slits, and the jackass took a few steps back. “If I ever hear you call one of the dead disgusting again, I will make you regret it in ways you have never imagined. On my couch right now are three siblings who died together in some kind of horrifying way. If you so much as look at them sideways, you’ll be living in a cage with your mouth glued shut for the next month. We clear?”

Again, he shrugged. “I’ve lived in far worse accommodations,” he commented, walking over to the coffee maker and staring at it as if it was an alien.

My Southern manners were ingrained so deeply, there was no way I could walk out of the kitchen and live with myself. “You need coffee?” I asked tightly.

“Is this the machine that makes coffee?” he asked with a raised brow.

I closed my eyes and sucked back my scream. This was about to be a very long month. The Angels were like children. They’d used magic for everything they’d wanted or needed. They no longer had magic.

Awesome.

“It is,” I replied, quickly dumping coffee into the filter and pouring water into the back. “Watch what I’m doing. This is going to be one of your jobs in the morning.”

“Are you serious?” he asked, shocked.

“Nope. I’m Daisy,” I replied with sarcasm dripping off of every word. “This is not a vacation. I am not your maid. You will be learning a whole hell of a lot in the next few weeks. We’re starting with coffee. We will graduate to toast and how to use the vacuum tomorrow. Got it, asshat?”

I wasn’t sure, and I was probably wrong, but I thought there was a small hint of a smile on Rafe’s lips. The coffee began to percolate, and I felt an irrational rage that he could have a cup and I couldn’t. The need to headbutt the man was intense. I wasn’t sure if it was because he was a jerk or if it was the pregnancy hormones. Probably a combo.

“When it stops dripping into the pot, pour it into a cup and drink it,” I snapped, slamming a mug onto the counter. “Do not come near me with it, or I will harm you.”

He was wildly confused and obviously alarmed. If the exchange was about anything other than coffee, I might have explained myself. However, I was caffeine-deprived, and he was a dick.

“Okay,” he said, putting more space between us. “Am I allowed in the living room with my coffee?”

I sighed. I needed him to find his humanity. Being mean wasn’t setting a good example. “Yes,” I finally said. “Just stay at least ten feet away from me.”

“Because you hate me?” he asked calmly as if that was a normal question, and he expected the answer to be yes.

I groaned and let my chin fall to my chest. “No. I barely know you. I’m pregnant and can’t drink coffee. It’s making me a little homicidal. So, if you don’t want to be maimed, drink your coffee in the kitchen, then come to the living room.”

He smiled. There was no mistaking it this time. I may have just given him ammunition to infuriate me, but the truth usually won out in the end. And lies were too hard to remember.

“As you wish, Daisy.”

I rolled my eyes and went back to my guests.

Chapter Three

Rafe must have downed his coffee. He was back in the living room just as I finished gluing Glen’s arm back on. Secretly, I hoped he’d burned his tongue and destroyed the roof of his mouth. My coffee envy was vicious. Outwardly, I ignored him and focused on my new guests.

“All fixed,” I told Glen with a smile.

He tried out his reattached arm. His expression was grateful and full of shocked surprise. Robert was also amazed. Penny giggled.

“Ittttah woooorkssss,” Glen announced with satisfaction. “Hoooowah?”

I held up the tube of superglue. “This stuff is the bomb,” I replied with a wink. “If anything falls off, just hang onto it and I can glue it back on.”

Robert glanced over at me with a concerned look on his damaged but sweet face. “Heeeaadahs?”

“Yep,” I promised. “I can glue a head back on.”

“Maaaagiicah!” Penny sang, kissing Glen’s arm. “Dausseeeeee maaaagiicah.”

“Thank you,” I told a delighted Penny. “I do my best.”

Glen glanced over my shoulder with a curious expression. I pressed my lips together and swore to myself I would be nice. However, if Rafe was gawking at them with an ugly or judgmental sneer on his face, all bets were off. I didn’t want to scare Glen, Robert or Penny, but I wasn’t about to let anyone make them feel unwanted or unwelcome.

Slowly turning, my eyes widened. Prue, Gabe and Abby had joined Rafe. The girls were wearing my clothes that I no longer fit into, now that my belly was the size of a house, and I guessed that Gideon had loaned my brothers some of his. Rafe had obviously let them know I had a caffeine issue. The second my gaze landed on them, they all hid their cups behind their backs. I almost laughed. The absurdity of life right now was enormous.

They stared at the dead children, and my young guests stared back at them. It was clear they could see the ghosts. Odd, but lately, everything about my life could be defined as odd.

The Angels, in human form, looked almost the same as they had as Immortals. I knew they were hundreds of years old, but yesterday they’d appeared to be in their thirties. Immortals could control and change their age to suit them. Today, as humans, they had aged a bit. Rafe, Gabe, Prue and Abby were now around forty or slightly older. The few telltale lines around the eyes and the slight graying of Gabe’s hair were my hints.

A horrid thought occurred. If the girls were perimenopausal, that might be a problem. They were already bitchy. I didn’t need hot flashes, sweats and the need to kill everyone added into the mix. Whatever. I was going to have to play the hand I was dealt by Zadkiel.

But payback was going to be a bitch. That is if I got the chance to pay the bastard back.

Dealing with hangry Angels wasn’t a good way to start the day. They were my guests—wanted or not.

“If you’re hungry, I can make breakfast,” I told them.

Gideon poked his head out of the kitchen. The Grim Reaper was wearing jeans, a long-sleeved blue t-shirt and tennis shoes. His beauty was undeniable, and I still marveled at the ridiculousness of it. However, he was far more beautiful on the inside. The man wore casual clothes as well as he wore a designer suit. He eyed the Angels with distrust but smiled at my new guests and me. His gaze moved back to the Angels, and his smile vanished. “I’ve made eggs and toast. I’ll cook, but I refuse to serve you. Plates are in the cabinet. Utensils are in the drawer next to the fridge. When you want to eat, you can help yourselves.” He crossed his arms over his chest and continued to assess them dispassionately. “You will rinse your dishes and put them in the dishwasher when you finish.”

If they were surprised, they didn’t show it. Prue and Abby looked baffled, but I would guess they had no clue what a dishwasher was.

“I can make coffee,” Rafe announced, much to the surprise of his siblings. He then glanced over at me and winced. “But only when Daisy is not within maiming distance. She’s homicidal due to being pregnant.”

I blew out a long, audible breath. “It’s not because I’m pregnant. It’s because I can’t have caffeine.”

“Because you’re pregnant,” Prue pointed out.

“Well, yes, but—” I started.

“So, Rafe was correct,” Abby announced, cutting me off triumphantly. “You’re homicidal because you’re pregnant.”

I rolled my neck and willed myself to stay calm. It was incredibly okay if I blamed my iffy behavior on being pregnant. It was not okay if they did—made me feel stabby. Not that I would stab anyone. Ever. But the impulse was strong. “Fine,” I conceded. “But homicidal is too strong a word.”

“Just repeating what you said earlier,” Rafe volunteered, grinning.

“Busted,” Prue said under her breath.

I smiled at them so sweetly, they grew alarmed. Prue stood up and walked quickly to the base of the stairs. Being Southern was a handy tool. “Bless your teeny tiny hearts,” I purred, aware that my eyes had turned an Angelic sparkling gold. The room was awash in a golden glow. The Angels took notice and shrank back. “I’m incredibly close to pitching a hissy fit with a tail on it. Trust me, you don’t want me to do that. I’ll put it this way, an eight-month-pregnant person can be unpredictable—especially since she was only one month pregnant yesterday. Pressing her buttons won’t end well… for you.”

Gabe chuckled. “I do believe that means FU in Daisy speak.”

“You are correct,” I replied with a raised brow.

Gideon scrubbed his hands over his mouth and tried to hide his smile. He failed. The Grim Reaper was actually a very good man with an awesome sense of humor and a fabulous ass.

“Was I clear enough for you?” I asked my siblings.

“Yes,” Prue snapped, walking back over to the others but refusing to sit just in case I became unpredictable.

“Whoooooooah?” Penny asked, pointing at the new arrivals.

“I’m Gideon,” he told the child, approaching the trio. “If I can be of any assistance to you, please let me know.”

“Thaauanuak yooouah,” Robert said.

“Welcome,” Gideon replied, taking my hand in his.

The Angels were silent. As much as I wanted them gone, the fact that they didn’t think they were worthy of an introduction made my heart beat faster in my chest. My need to fix everything and everyone rose to the forefront.

There was no way they could love others and understand their own humanity if they believed they were worthless.

Squeezing Gideon’s hand and standing up, I crossed the room and stood in front of the four people who shared my DNA. Gabe was the only one who smiled. He’d been the only one all along who actually seemed redeemable. Alana Catherine’s message blared in my brain—“One will comply, one will lie, one will stand by and, sadly, one might die. You must determine the outcome.”

I assumed that Gabe would be the Angel who would comply, but assuming anything could make an ass out of me and end in tragedy. We were playing a game with real-life consequences. I’d rather chew glass or stick bamboo shoots under my fingernails, but those were not on the list of choices.

“These people are my brothers and sisters,” I told Penny while staring at the Angels. “Rafe, Gabe, Prue and Abby.” I pointed at each one, so the child understood. “They’re staying with me for a little while to get back on their feet.”

Prue rolled her eyes. Abby made a face that marred her beauty to the point it was comical. Rafe shrugged, and Gabe nodded.

Again. It was going to be a long month.

Penny floated across the room and peered at the Angels from behind me.

“Sooooooo saaaadha,” she whispered.

“What did she say?” Gabe asked, waving at the little girl with a kind smile on his handsome face.

I still didn’t quite understand how they could see my dead guests, but I’d talk to Gideon about it when we were alone.

I glanced at Penny, who was mesmerized by my brothers and sisters. “She said, ‘so sad’.”

“Aaaannngeeels,” she whispered.

My heart skipped a beat. I was sure I’d heard her wrong.

“Saaaadha aaaannngeeels,” she said, zipping out from behind me and hovering over where they sat. “Iiiiittsss ooookaaay. Beeeeha ooookaaay.”

You could have dropped a pin and it would have sounded like an explosion. My arms were covered in chill bumps, and the Angels went slack-jawed. Humans didn’t recognize Angels, from what I’d learned so far. But Penny was dead. It was logical and possible that the dead could identify Angels.

However, the reactions of her brothers popped holes in my line of reasoning. I wanted to punch myself in the head. Trying to apply logic to the unbelievable was an exercise in futility. I should know better by now.

Glen and Robert grew antsy. Glen began to tremble violently. Robert floated across the room to his sister and tried to pull her away from my siblings. Penny was having none of it. She darted away from her brother and zoomed in circles around the shocked-to-silence Angels.

“Naawwwooo, Peennnnnnneeee. Peeopleee. Naawwwooo, aaaannngeeels,” Robert insisted as Glen began to shout in unintelligible grunts.

“Yausssss,” Penny told him, pointing at the foursome with her good hand. “Aaaannngeeels. Saaaadha aaaannngeeels.”

Robert’s agitation grew, and he flew in jerky stops and starts around the room. I was terrified that Glen was going to fall apart. Literally. His breakdown had reached a fever pitch, and I had to slap my hands over my ears to block out the volume of his shrieks. The arm I’d just reattached fell to the floor with a thud, and he began to weep.

“What the hell?” Abby demanded with her hands over her ears.

It was a good question. The truth will set you free or send you over the edge. Since we were perilously close to falling off the edge, I was hedging my bets and going with the truth. “Stop,” I shouted. “Everyone, stop. Please.”

The room went silent. Glen continued to weep softly. Robert picked up his brother’s arm and handed it to me. Hugging it to my chest, I fought the intense need to cry for Glen, Robert and Penny. Penny looked crestfallen as she floated back over to the couch and hid her face with her good hand.

“Okay,” I said, gathering myself. “We’re all okay. Glen, can you look at me?”

The young man lifted his gaze to mine. His body still shook, but he did as I asked.

“It upset you that Penny called my brothers and sisters Angels?”

He nodded slowly, looking terrified. I wanted to ask him why but refrained. One, I probably wouldn’t understand him. Two, I didn’t want to upset him and send him back into another meltdown. However, the truth might do just that.

“Naawwwooo suuuucha thiiiing asssah aaaannngeeels,” Robert said firmly, giving Penny a harsh glance.

Penny began to cry. This was a tragic shitshow. I wished with all my might that Gram and my mom were here. Gram was staying with Candy Vargo, and my mom was at my dad’s. Even dead, they were so much better at peopling than I was. I was too emotional, and being pregnant magnified the trait by a hundred-fold.

Too bad, so sad. Right now, I was the Death Counselor and the Angel of Mercy. It didn’t matter that it looked like I was wearing an extra-large basketball under my sweatshirt. Actually, it was Gideon’s sweatshirt. None of mine fit. My belly might have grown, but it was my lady balls that needed work.

The truth might send us into the grand finale of the shitshow, but I didn’t see a way around it. Lies were not kind and usually ended up biting everyone in the butt. We didn’t have time for that. I pressed my lips together and glanced over at Gideon. His expression was pensive, and he gave me a curt nod.

Moving to the couch and sitting down between Penny and Glen, I put an arm around each and pulled them close. Robert still floated around in a state of agitation.

“Pleeeeeaasseeee leetah usssss staaayah,” Robert begged, giving Penny a warning glare.

I squinted at him in confusion. “Of course, you can stay. You’re welcome here always. The decision to leave will be yours, not mine. I promise.”

“Thaauanuak yooouah,” he choked out with so much relief in his tone it affected all of us.

Gideon closed his eyes and pressed the bridge of his nose. The Angels whispered amongst themselves. There was a story here. A big one. I never forced the dead to talk before they were ready, but I was beginning to believe things occasionally happened for a reason. Their story might somehow weave into mine.

“Do you want me to tell you the truth?” I asked the three, but with my gaze on Robert.

Robert’s chest sunk in defeat and fear. He nodded. “Truuuuuutha.”

God, the way he handled things like an adult made me wonder what his life had been like before he’d died. He’d assumed responsibility for his brother and sister in death. I could only imagine it had been the same in life. Something was very off and unusual here. “Okay, the truth. Some things are difficult to understand,” I said. Penny wrapped her arms around me as well as she could, considering there was a lot of me to hold. “When people like you started to come to me for help, I thought I was imagining it—thought I was a little cuckoo.”

Penny giggled. “Cuckoooooooooo!”

“Yep,” I told her, grinning. “And then I realized I was special. I had a special gift to help other people find peace. The impossible can be very possible. You just have to believe.”

“Maaaagiicah!” Penny announced.

I laughed. Her joy was infectious. “I suppose you could call it magic.”

“Liiiikeah Saaantah Claaausee?” Penny asked with her face pressed against my stomach.

I felt like a deer caught in the headlights. Shit. Did Penny still believe in Santa? I wasn’t exactly used to dealing with kids. Gideon’s eyes grew wide, and I knew he was concerned with the same thing.

Penny was dead. If she believed in Santa, I wasn’t about to set her straight.

“Umm… kind of,” I told her, wondering if I could use the jolly fat man in an analogy to make everything make more sense. For the life of me, I couldn’t think of one.

I could have used a little help. My wish came true. Beware of what you wish for… The person who jumped in could have knocked me over with a feather. I was so focused on Penny, Glen and Robert, I hadn’t even seen her cross the room.

Prue stood in front of me with a questioning look on her face. My sister reminded me of a lost child. She was unsure and uncomfortable. She wrung her hands and kept clearing her throat. Her demeanor didn’t exude a whole lot of confidence, but I didn’t say a word. There were so many moving pieces to the puzzle, I wasn’t about to throw out a piece and destroy the final picture.

“Can you help?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, not quite able to make eye contact. “Maybe.”

I nodded and mouthed, “Do not tell her Santa doesn’t exist.”

Prue gave me a thumbs up, then squatted down in front of me, Penny and Glen. Robert floated back over and hovered above Glen.

“Penny is not wrong,” she said, staring at Glen, who began to shake again. “Please don’t be mad at her and don’t be afraid. I don’t know what has happened to you, but Penny is correct. I am an Angel—a very sad Angel.”

Robert shook his head vehemently. Penny reached out and tried to touch Prue, but her hand went right through her. I wasn’t sure this was helping, but she was telling the truth, which was what I was going to do.

“Your sister is what we call an Angel Light,” Prue explained, pulling on her hair and searching for ways to make Robert and Glen understand without freaking them out. “It’s a gift. I’ve never met one, but I haven’t been allowed to…” She stopped and inhaled deeply.

I wasn’t sure why she was trying to help. Did pain recognize pain? Did she actually have empathy, or did she just want the screaming to stop? Did it matter? Something was happening. At this point, that was good enough. My dead guests weren’t losing it, and Prue was doing something kind. Her reasoning behind it might be questionable, but it was a start.

“Yausssss,” Penny said softly. “Saaaadha aaaannngeeel.”

“Some people can see the celestial,” Prue said haltingly. “Some can feel them. Angels who roam the Earth seek out the Lights. To be seen is a rare occurrence.”

I felt a little ill. Prue’s words had many meanings. She, Abby, Rafe and Gabe had never been seen until now. They’d spent centuries enduring abuse and absorbing the sins of mankind. It was criminal. The fact that they had even a semblance of decency was mind-blowing.

“Liiiieeeessssss,” Robert insisted.

I shook my head and reached out to him. He backed away distrustfully. “No, Robert. My sister tells the truth. It’s okay not to believe, but Penny isn’t lying, and neither is Prue.”

“It’s called faith,” Gabe said, joining Prue. “And Daisy is correct. It is fine not to believe in Angels. Many Angels don’t even believe in Angels.”

“Silllllyeeee,” Penny said, pointing at Gabe.

Gabe grinned at the small, disfigured child. “I’m working on it. Doesn’t come easy to someone like me.”

“Iiiiittsss ooookaaay. Beeeeha ooookaaay,” she promised him.

Prue’s eyes watered. She made a sound deep in her throat and pressed her hands to her forehead. Without another word, she walked to the front door, opened it and strode right out of the house. Donna and Karen were on her heels.

A cold chill skittered up my spine. I wanted to take Penny’s words about everything being okay as the truth. I needed her words to be true.

“How about this?” I suggested, feeling like the room was loaded with explosives about to blow. “Let’s table this talk and get back to it after we’ve all had a little time to think.”

“Yausssss,” Glen agreed, looking at his arm lying on the coffee table. “Peennnnnnneeee liiiikeah toooo swiiiiingha.”

Well, crap. I didn’t have a swing set. Grabbing the superglue and slathering his shoulder joint, I held it in place while the glue dried. “I don’t have a swing set, but I do have a porch swing if that would work in a pinch.”

“Yausssss!” Penny said, hopping off the couch and floating over to Rafe and Abby. She didn’t say a word, just smiled.

Rafe was so taken aback, he stared at her like she was a creature he’d never seen. Abby rolled her eyes, then glanced down at the carpet. They were more childish than the child. Penny wasn’t fazed. She just kept smiling and waved as she zipped back across the room to her brothers.

“Come with me,” I said quickly before Abby chimed in with something shitty. “I’ll get you settled on the swing.”

“And I’ll help,” Gideon announced, giving both Abby and Rafe a look that meant business.

“May I join you?” Gabe asked the trio.

“Yausssss,” Robert said after a long pause. “Jooooiinah.”

The ghosts flew right through the front door. Gabe, forgetting he was human, slammed right into it. After shaking it off for a hot sec, he laughed.

“Note to self,” he muttered, rubbing his forehead. “Doors are dangerous.”

“Daisy?” Rafe called out as I opened up the door to make sure the kids were good.

“Yes?”

Rafe sucked on his lip for a moment, then sighed. “I’d like to use your phone.”

“Have at it,” I said, tossing it to him. I had no clue who he wanted to call since I wouldn’t guess he had many, if any, friends.

He looked at it the same way he’d examined the coffee pot. I rolled my eyes.

Crossing over to him, I took back my phone. “Who do you want to call?”

“Your father,” he said tightly.

My brows shot up. I was dying to ask why, but I bit it back with huge effort. It was going to take a village to help my siblings find their humanity. If Rafe was reaching out to our father, that was a positive step… I hoped.

Finding the contact, I hit it and handed the phone to Rafe. “You want privacy?”

He rolled his eyes. It was far superior to my eye roll from less than a minute ago.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” I said, walking away but curious as all get out.

Day one of the Angels finding their humanity so Daisy’s world didn’t implode was off to a bizarre start.

Chapter Four

“What exactly is happening out there?” Heather asked as she shrugged out of her winter coat, then carried the bags she’d arrived with to the kitchen.

I stared out of the bay window and tried to figure out the same thing. “Not a clue.”

My sister joined me, and we watched perplexed as a load of lumber was delivered to my front yard. The delivery from the local hardware store was being supervised by my father. Rafe and Gabe huddled together about thirty feet away and argued. Donna and Karen were thrilled with the wood pile, and both peed on it to mark it as theirs. I really needed to get them trained.

“Are they building a house?” Heather asked. “I mean, that would be odd, but the Angels are the definition of the word odd… and rude and weird… and violent.”

“Not enough wood for a house,” I pointed out.

Heather walked back to the kitchen and began to unload the bags. “True that. How are you feeling, and did you ask what they’re up to?”

“I feel like a beached whale, and nope, I didn’t ask.” I joined her in the kitchen and helped arrange the platters of food she’d brought. “It would be an understatement to say we had an eventful morning. Everyone’s a little on edge.”

Heather glanced out of the kitchen window. “Where are Abby and Prue?”

“Upstairs taking showers and draining the hot water tank,” I told her. “Glad I got my shower in before them.”

Heather chuckled and shook her head. “Explain the eventful morning,” she requested, opening up the cabinets and pulling out plates.

I did. I went over everything that had happened. She was as surprised as I was that Gabe, Rafe, Prue and Abby could see the ghosts. However, she was more surprised that Penny was an Angel Light.

“I’ve never found an Angel Light in all my years,” Heather said wistfully. “I want to meet Penny.”

“Gideon took them on an adventure in the woods,” I told her, sitting down and picking at the fruit tray. In my pregnant opinion, it was missing chocolate. Grabbing a squirt bottle of chocolate syrup from the fridge, I solved the issue, much to Heather’s pained wince. However, my sister was smart. She didn’t comment. “Pretty sure he’s trying to avoid the afternoon luncheon with the gang.”

“I don’t blame him. You don’t know how the kids died?”

Shaking my head, I added extra chocolate to the blueberry section of the platter. “Not yet. They look like they were burned in a fire. It seems recent. I’ll have Tim research to see if it was in the news and where it might have happened.”

“Speaking of Tim,” she said with a bemused eye roll. “He’s called Missy and me twenty times today and left bizarre messages.”

“Like what?”

“Like, ‘Hi, how are you today?’ and ‘Wear a coat! It’s cold out there.’”

I grinned. “He’s working really hard on his social skills. Soon we’ll work on phone etiquette.”

Heather continued to arrange the table. My sister was tense and pensive. She tended to think before she spoke, unlike me, who just let it rip.

“Prue tried to help with the ghosts?” she asked, squinting in disbelief.

I nodded. “She did. It ended with her walking out of the house.”

“Where did she go?”

“I found her sitting in my car,” I told her. “Donna and Karen were in the backseat waiting to go on a drive. It didn’t happen.”

Heather groaned. “Do not let any of them drive.”

“No worries there,” I said. “Rafe didn’t know how to use a coffee maker or a cell phone. Pretty sure they have no clue how to work a car. Right now, though, my main worries are Penny, Robert and Glen.”

Sitting down, she joined me in picking at the fruit while studiously avoiding the chocolate river I’d created. “Are you going to mind dive?”

“They seem so fragile. The last thing I want to do is traumatize them,” I told her, feeling Alana Catherine kick. Glancing down at my stomach, I was amazed. It was like an alien was inside me—an active alien. The kicking grew into something I could only liken to break dancing.

I grabbed Heather’s hand and placed it on my belly.

Her eyes grew huge. “Oh my God,” she said with a laugh. “You sure there’s just one baby in there?”

“Umm… hadn’t considered that,” I replied, kind of horrified. I hadn’t had a single checkup. No ultrasound. No bloodwork. Nothing.

“You just went as pale as a ghost,” Heather said, putting her hands on either side of my face. “The baby is fine.”

“We don’t know that,” I said, getting panicky. “I went from barely in my first trimester to perilously close to blowing out the baby overnight.” I jumped to my feet and began to pace. “I don’t have any baby books or diapers or miniature spoons with rubber handles that look like giraffes. I don’t have butt cream or tiny clothes or that squeezy bulby thing to get boogers out of noses.”

“Boogers?” she asked, wildly confused.

“Yessss,” I snapped, getting frantic. “I saw it on a TV show. It was blue. Babies don’t automatically know how to blow their noses, and you have to suck out the boogers. Do we have pizza?”

“Pizza?” Heather hopped up like her pants were on fire and ran to the freezer. “Shit. No pizza. Do you need pizza?”

My brow wrinkled in deep thought. “Yes. I need sausage pizza with extra cheese and banana peppers with a side of ranch dressing and hot sauce.”

Heather winced and laughed. She grabbed her phone and began to text like a mad woman. “You don’t eat meat,” she reminded me.

“I know. I’ll pick the sausage off,” I told her. “Who are you texting?”

“Missy. She’s shopping. She can get pizza at the grocery and bring it over.”

“Scrap that,” I told her, digging for my phone in my purse. “I’ll order a few. It’ll be faster and will already be made.”

“Roger that,” Heather replied, continuing to text.

“Wait,” I yelled. “Is June coming to lunch?”

“Nope. Tim cast an age spell so June and Charlie could spend the afternoon with their kids and grandchildren.”

I started to cry. What the hell was happening to me? “So, no June cookies?” June was the best baker in the Universe. My stomach growled loudly at the thought of her peanut butter cookies.

Heather gulped and appeared too terrified to answer. “Umm…” She bit down on her bottom lip and kept texting. “I have a leftover container of June’s cookies from last week. I’ll have Missy pick them up,” she shouted triumphantly.

I cried harder. “I’m kind of not in control,” I blubbered. “What kind of cookies?”

“Peanut butter.”

I was now sobbing with joy.

“It’s okay,” Heather assured me, looking seriously unsure. “I think it’s just the hormones. If we feed you, you’ll feel better.”

“For real?”

She nodded hard and looked so confused, I sniffled and laughed.

“I’m a hot mess. Let’s talk about something other than food. I think that would help,” I said as I dried my tears with the sleeve of my sweatshirt and pulled the plastic wrap off of the cheese tray.

Heather quickly grabbed the brie and blue cheese and tossed them in the trash.

“Thank you,” I told her. “Not sure I could have stopped myself.”

“That’s what sisters are for,” she replied, now sweating and meticulously checking all the trays she’d arrived with to make sure there wasn’t anything on them I shouldn’t eat.

“I’m going to take everything one day and one problem at a time,” I said. “We have a month before the potential implosion.”

“Correct,” she agreed. “Pictures have a way of revealing themselves when the time is right. Pushing won’t work. The Angels have been pushed for far too long.”

“I’m not even sure they can find their humanity,” I whispered.

We sat in silence and digested what I’d just said.

“Bullshit. Define humanity, Daisy.”

Resting my elbows on the oak table and my chin on my hands, I thought about it. “Caring about other people. Being kind. Putting others before yourself.”

Heather nodded, picked up her phone and typed away. “According to the internet… humanity is a virtue linked with the basic ethics of altruism derived from the human condition. Basically, love and compassion towards other human beings.”

“They’re not exactly human,” I reminded her.

“They are now,” she corrected me. “If a person is still breathing, there’s a chance to change.”

“Slim as it may be,” I muttered, feeling Alana Catherine sit square on my bladder. “What was done to them in Heaven was sickening. Zadkiel is a sadist.”

“It was Zadkiel who abused them?” she asked.

I paused. When I was in their minds and saw the abuse, I didn’t see a face. My gut told me it was Zadkiel, but I didn’t actually have proof, and I wasn’t sure that the Angels would give him up. He was insanely scary and seemed to hold their destinies in the palm of his hand. “Honestly, I’m not sure, but I think so.”

“I don’t understand why I wasn’t with them,” Heather said. “How did I end up on the Earthly plane, and they didn’t?”

“Don’t know. Don’t care. Just incredibly grateful that you did,” I told her.

It was an interesting question and most likely one we would never know the answer to. The mysterious and cryptic ways of the Immortals were gas-inducing.

Heather ran her hands through her sleek pixie cut, then glanced down at her beeping phone. “Amen to that. Missy is on her way. She clothes shopped.”

I laughed. My BFF since childhood and Heather’s lover was not a fan of shopping unless it was for books—hence why she owned a bookstore. She was a bohemian beauty and made most of her clothes. “Odd,” I commented.

“Necessary,” Heather shot back. “Unless you want to give up your wardrobe to Abby, Prue, Rafe and Gabe. Not thinking Gabe and Rafe would fit into your sweats or, God forbid, your yoga pants. Also, you don’t exactly fit into your clothes at the moment. Missy swung by the maternity shop too.”

“Holy crap,” I said with a giggle, glancing down at my ensemble for the luncheon. Gideon’s black sweatshirt and my gray sweatpants, riding well below my huge stomach, weren’t exactly appropriate partywear. “I didn’t even think about that. The Angels have nothing and no magic to conjure clothes up. Thankfully, Gideon doesn’t mind me pilfering his wardrobe.”

“Takes a village,” Heather said with a grin.

“I’ll pay Missy back,” I said quickly.

“Nope. It’s on me,” Heather said firmly. “They’re my siblings too, and the maternity outfits are a gift from Missy and me.”

“I love you.”

“Love you more,” she replied.

* * *

Missy had shown up with enough maternity clothes for five pregnant women. I cried. No surprise there. After a short fashion show, with Heather and Missy both helping me dress and undress, we’d chosen a crazy-cool pair of jeans with embroidered daisies and an enormous soft and stretchy waistband. Missy had insisted we pair it with a fuzzy soft orange sweater. The sweater felt like heaven against my skin, but I did have a slight fear that I looked like a huge pumpkin.

We’d paused multiple times to watch my stomach move of its own accord—or rather, Alana Catherine’s penchant for dancing in my uterus.

“What does it feel like?” Missy asked, kissing a protruding elbow or foot.

“Hard to describe,” I told her. “Kind of like a moving gas bubble that isn’t painful times fifty.”

“So weird and amazing,” Heather said, shaking her head.

“Yep,” I said, cupping what I thought might be Alana Catherine’s bottom. “Until she sits on my bladder or wedges herself at the top of my rib cage and kicks like she’s swimming in the Olympics.”

Missy laughed. “Can’t even tell you’re pregnant from behind,” she said, checking out my look from all angles.

“Thank heaven for small favors,” I said as I dug into the tin of June’s peanut butter cookies. “Although at the rate I’m going, my weight will double by tomorrow.”

“Nope,” Missy informed me. “You missed out on about seven months of getting to eat anything you wanted. I say shove it in, girlfriend.”

“Seriously, dude?” I squealed with a mouth full of cookie. “I have permission to eat myself out of house and home?”

Heather threw her head back and laughed. “Permission granted.”

“On it.” I winked at my bestie and my sister and put a few cookies into my pocket for emergency purposes. “So, who is actually coming over for lunch?”

“Us and the Angels,” Heather stated.

“Along with Jennifer, Candy Vargo, Tim, Gram and your mom,” Missy finished.

“Got it. Eat something now,” I suggested. “I have a feeling once Tim and Jennifer get started with the gross facts, there will be a massive loss of appetite.”

“Even yours?” Heather inquired with a lopsided grin and a raised brow.

I thought about it for a second. “Probably not,” I told her, patting my tummy. “I could eat a house.”

“You go, guuuurl,” Missy said, handing me a piece of one of the ten pizzas I’d ordered.

“I do believe I will.”

Chapter Five

The kitchen table was loaded down and would make any Southerner proud—hors d’oeuvres, finger sandwiches, salads, cheeses, an array of delicious desserts, pizza and, of course, the fruit swimming in chocolate. There was enough food for a party ten times the size we were hosting. The Angels were awkward and uncomfortable. However, they all looked nice in their new clothes. Gabe was the only one of the four to say thank you to Missy. Rafe tried, but the words got stuck in his throat, and he simply grunted something unintelligible. Prue and Abby didn’t say a word, just took the bags and went upstairs with them. Lovely.

My mom and Gram tried to engage the Angels, with little success. My dad had grabbed a plate of food then skedaddled. Neither he nor Gideon were fans of the lunch bunch. I’d done my best to pry the secret out of him about the lumber in the front yard, but he wouldn’t budge. He just shrugged and smiled. I was going to have to wait and see what Rafe and the gang were up to.

“Dang it, girlie,” Gram yelled as she hovered over Candy Vargo, who was skewering pot stickers with a toothpick and shoving them into her mouth in between picking her teeth with the same toothpick. “What in tarnation do you think a fork is for?”

“Stabbing people in the forehead?” Candy asked with a mouthful.

“Lord have mercy,” Gram grumbled, trying not to laugh. “Don’t know what I’m gonna do with you.”

Gram had moved in with her project Candy Vargo recently. Candy was a mess of profanity, bad manners and no social skills. However, as horrifying as the Immortal Keeper of Fate could be, the insane and unpredictable woman had a huge heart. She’d informed all of us that she was taking in foster kids soon. At first, I’d been skeptical, but when Candy loved, she loved something fierce—same as Gram. Gram had loved a project in life, and she loved one in death. She also loved Candy Vargo like she was her own.

Shockingly, Candy wasn’t wearing ratty tennis shoes and ripped sweats today. Her hair was brushed, and she wore a kelly-green sweater dress with scuffed black combat boots. It was questionable as far as fashion went, but it looked clean. The dress was inside out, but I wasn’t about to comment on that. I wasn’t in the mood to get a fork in the forehead. Plus, I wasn’t all that big on fashion myself.

The Angels kept a healthy distance from Candy and sat together on the far side of my living room. Something heinous had gone down between them at some point in time, and there was no love lost. My need to know things I didn’t need to know made me want to press for an answer. However, my self-preservation instincts were getting better.

“It’s quite chilly today!” Tim announced in his outdoor voice, waiting for a reply.

When no one took him up on it, my mom came to the rescue.

“It certainly is,” she said, floating over to Tim and smiling kindly.

The Immortal Courier heaved out a relieved sigh and nodded politely to my mom. Tim had made approximately fifteen references to the weather in the ten minutes since he’d arrived. There was definitely something going on with my socially awkward buddy, but I was terrified to find out what it was. He’d recently been outed by Candy Vargo for being a virgin. My mail-carrying friend had been around for many centuries. It was difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that he’d been celibate the entire time, but Tim was an unusual one. I was still a little put out that Candy had embarrassed him like that, but what was done was done. They seemed fine with each other.

“Tell you what,” Jennifer announced, popping open a bottle of red, a bottle of white and a bottle of non-alcoholic sparkling apple juice for me. “Before I had my boobs and ass done, I used to feel the cold a hell of a lot more. I think the silicone is like an internal heating blanket for my privates.”

“For the love of everything I never wanted to know,” Heather said with a groan. “Thanks for that. Not.”

Jennifer cackled. “Welcome! Alrighty then. I say we get this shindig started.”

“What exactly does that mean?” Gabe asked, accepting a glass of red wine from Jennifer.

“Fine question, young man,” Jennifer said, taking a huge slug off of her glass of white. The fact that she called Gabe young when he had a couple of centuries on her was absurd, but Jennifer was Jennifer. “You people need to find your humanity, and I think we need to get right on it.”

“Shit,” Abby muttered under her breath as she accepted a glass of white and downed it.

“Bad attitude,” Jennifer chastised her as she refilled my sister’s glass. “You ain’t gonna get far with a poopy perspective. And speaking of poop, I’ve got something for you, Daisy.”

“With an intro like that, I’m not sure I want it,” I told her, pouring myself a glass of sparkling apple juice.

“You’re gonna love it,” she assured me, handing me a card with a stuffed teddy bear attached to it.

I hugged the bear and smiled at my nutty friend. “Thank you.”

“Open it,” she insisted.

I did. And… I started to cry. Again. “Oh my God.”

“Is it a botulism gift card?” Candy asked, now using a fork to eat off of Tim’s plate.

She was batting zero. However, the fact that she was using a fork to steal food from her friend was a slight improvement.

“Humans give each other botulism as gifts?” Abby asked, stupefied.

“She meant Botox,” Heather explained. “Jennifer is a fan of frozen faces.”

“Darn tootin’,” Jennifer agreed. “But I’m cutting back on the filler and surgery. I’m gonna do microdermabrasion, chemical peels, laser treatments and whale sperm now.”

“Why would you—” Tim started, only to be halted by a raised fork from Candy Vargo.

“Do not ask,” she warned. “I’m eatin’, and I will maim you if the answer puts me off my pot stickers.”

“Logical,” Tim agreed.

“Wait,” Missy said, wrinkling her nose. “You got Daisy a Botox gift card?”

“Hell to the no,” Jennifer said with a grunt of laughter. “Daisy doesn’t need any of that crap. I’m goin’ cold turkey off the stuff. My face is just startin’ to move after I got my double dose. Dip Doody says my smile doesn’t look like I’m constipated anymore. What do y’all think?”

No one knew quite how to answer. While her smile had improved by a fraction of a centimeter, it still looked like she was plugged up.

Dip Doody, the town sheriff, loved Jennifer and all her sixty-five years to distraction. She loved him right back and flat-out refused to marry the man. After as many divorces as she’d had, she decided living in sin was the way to go. However, Dip saw his woman through the besotted eyes of a man in love.

“You look lovely,” my mom said quickly.

Jennifer couldn’t hear her. She was human, and my mom was a ghost.

“Mom says you look lovely,” I said quickly, pointing to where my mom was sitting.

Jennifer waved at the spot and blew a kiss. “Thank you, Alana. Much appreciated. Having a baby’s ass for a face isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Remember that now that you have a few lines around the eyes,” she advised, pointing to Prue and Abby.

“Are we supposed to say thank you for that ridiculous information?” Prue asked, alarmed and insulted.

“Nope,” Jennifer assured them. “Just statin’ the facts. And if you start finding silver wisdom sparkles, don’t yank ’em out. Ten more will grow back in its place—especially down yonder.”

“Moving on,” Heather said before Abby and Prue had a go at Jennifer.

The Angels were human now—no magic. Jennifer might be tiny, but she had huge lady balls—along with no filter. I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side. Not to mention, she was banging the sheriff. And a fistfight at a luncheon wasn’t on the agenda.

“Agreed,” Missy added. “What’s in the card from Jennifer?”

“A gift certificate from Baby Central for diapers and wipes,” I said as my eyes filled up again.

“And butt cream,” Jennifer added proudly. “You gotta have butt cream.”

“What is butt cream?” Rafe muttered, then held his hands up as I glanced over. “Forget I asked. I do not want to know.”

“Speaking of poop,” Jennifer began as she grabbed an entire pizza for herself.

I didn’t bat an eye. There was enough pizza for everyone several times over. While I was caffeine-deprived and very food motivated, I still had manners. Withholding food from guests in the South was considered a sin.

“We weren’t talking about poop,” Heather pointed out.

Jennifer ignored her. “In only seven hours, an elephant can produce a pile of poop that weighs the same as one fully grown person.”

“How in the fuck is it okay for Jennifer to talk about elephant’s shit, and it’s wrong for me to put a fork in someone’s forehead?” Candy grumbled.

“Are you serious?” Gram demanded, slapping her hands on her hips and glaring at Candy.

Candy was confused, and also terrified of Gram. There was an incredible irony there since Gram was technically dead. My grandmother was a force to be reckoned with, and she wasn’t giving Candy an inch. However, having Gram’s approval was what Candy lived for. “Umm… no?”

“Good answer,” Gram told her as Candy preened.

Tim cleared his throat and pulled his handy-dandy notebook out of the pocket of his mail carrier uniform in preparation for God only knew what.

“Is this what happens when humans gather?” Gabe inquired while enjoying the fruit covered in chocolate sauce.

“No,” I told him. “But with this particular combo, yes.”

“So, if I’m in the presence of humans other than this group, I should or should not talk about the bowel movements of animals?”

“Should not,” I told him with a laugh. “Ever.”

“Got it,” he replied with a grin.

“The fecal habits of elephants are impressive,” Tim said with a respectful nod to Jennifer, his partner in all things gross. “But I can top that.”

“Go for it, Timmy,” Jennifer told him gleefully.

“Koalas feed their babies koala poop. This helps them digest Eucalyptus leaves, which is the main source of their diet.” Tim stood and took a small bow.

“Lordy, help us all,” Gram muttered.

I groaned and agreed.

“Thank you, Tim. That was informative and nasty. This next one is a public service announcement,” Jennifer shared as everyone held their breath in fear. “When you use those electric hand dryers in public restrooms, you’re blowin’ fecal matter all over the damn place. I’d suggest if there are no paper towels, you just dry your hands on your pants.”

There was a moment of horrified silence after Jennifer’s admission.

“Is that true?” I gagged out.

“Entirely,” Tim said, concurring with his buddy. “I often keep a washcloth in the pocket of my uniform for that very reason.”

“This is hurting my brain,” Abby complained, pouring herself another drink.

“Speaking of brains,” Tim said.

“We are not speaking of brains,” Heather insisted, still trying to get past the flying fecal matter information.

“Abby said brain,” Tim pointed out, then just kept on going. “There is a variety of cactus native to Mexico that grows in some strange shapes. It’s called Mammillaria elongata. Now one might think it looks like a lady bosom due to the unusual moniker, but no! It’s also known as the brain cactus. Can anyone guess what it looks like?”

“An asshole?” Candy asked.

Gram whacked her in the head. Of course, Gram’s hand went right through Candy’s head since she was a ghost, but the intention was very clear. Candy Vargo zipped her lips.

“No,” Tim said, oblivious that Candy Vargo had been sarcastic. Tim was very literal. “Interesting guess, but no. Anyone else?”

“A brain?” Missy guessed with a wink at Tim.

“Very good, Missy!” Tim shouted.

“Let me get this straight,” Prue said, looking around the room at everyone like we were insane. She wasn’t wrong. “We just sit here, drink wine, eat food and share disgusting facts?”

“Yep,” Jennifer said, piling her plate with cheddar cheese cubes and crackers. “And whoever pukes out the grossest info is the winner.”

“Not literally pukes,” I added quickly since we were in the company of a lot of literal people.

“What does the winner get?” Prue asked.

“Well, now… usually nothing,” Jennifer told her. “But I do have six more bottles of wine in my purse. If we don’t go through all of them, the winner will get a bottle of wine today.”

Prue looked at Abby. Abby shrugged and rolled her eyes.

“Fine,” Prue said. “When a frog throws up, its entire stomach will fly out of its mouth and just hang there. The frog will then fling out the contents of his stomach and swallow it back down.”

“Can’t eat,” Missy choked out, laughing.

“That was seriously foul,” Heather said, pushing her plate away.

“Isn’t that the point?” Prue inquired flatly.

“Damn straight,” Jennifer said, giving Prue a thumbs up. “Disgusting.”

“Thank you,” Prue said, trying her best not to crack a smile.

As gross as the conversation had gotten, I was still able to eat. There was very little that could make me not hungry right now. But a more important thought settled in my head and made me happy. While the info imparted at lunch would probably give me nightmares, or at the very least, indigestion, it was also helping my Angel siblings. They were engaged. They were trying.

Baby steps. A miracle couldn’t happen without a foundation of trust.

“What do you have, Abby?” I asked as Heather shot me a wide-eyed glance of horror.

“Nothing,” she snapped.

“I call bull,” I replied with a mouthful of pizza. “You’re going to let Prue win the wine?”

She stewed on that for a long moment, then eyed Prue.

“I won’t share it,” Prue informed her.

Abby lifted her middle finger to her sister, then cleared her throat. “Lobsters pee out of their faces. Female lobsters pee on males to attract them. Male lobsters pee on each other when they fight.”

“Mother humper,” Heather ground out. “So much for eating lobster ever again.”

“Word,” Missy agreed with a laugh.

Sadly, I’d eat ten lobsters right now. My appetite was voracious. I’d pretty much eat anything with chocolate sauce on it. Well, not koala poop.

“Amateurs,” Rafe said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “There is a parasite called cymothoa exigua. It attaches to a fish’s tongue and eats it. It then becomes the tongue. There it will stay for the rest of the fish’s life with the swimming dolt none the wiser.”

“This party has gone to hell,” Heather muttered.

“In a handbasket,” I agreed. “I’m thinking about going full-on vegan.”

“I’m in,” Missy said.

“I’d like to address my virginity,” Tim announced.

My mouth fell open, and I almost choked on my pizza. Thankfully, Missy smacked my back, and I swallowed with no issue. The Angels were appalled and whispered in confusion amongst themselves. Heather and Missy hopped up and began serving everyone multiple desserts. Jennifer topped off everyone’s wine. In the South, food and drink solved all problems. Not so sure cake, cookies, and alcohol were going to trump Tim’s discussion topic, though. It was a whopper.

My mom immediately floated over to Tim and put her ghostly arm around him for comfort. Gram was eyeing Candy Vargo, ready to smackdown on her if she said anything rude.

“Not banging you,” Candy told him.

Gram immediately got in her face. “Candy Vargo, I am gonna jerk you bald and cancel your birth certificate,” she bellowed. “Tim is bein’ vulnerable, and you’re bein’ a horse’s butt. You apologize right now to Tim.”

“Not necessary,” Tim assured Gram. “I have no desire to fornicate with Candy Vargo either. The exchange of bodily fluids is not appealing to me. And I find neither a vagina nor penis arousing.”

I’d finally lost my appetite. Tim won. Jennifer clearly agreed and set an unopened bottle of wine in front of her friend. She gave him a warm hug and a thumbs up.

Heather closed her eyes and pressed the bridge of her nose. “Is this conversation truly necessary?”

Tim nodded. “It is. While I find copulation unappealing, I do believe I’d like to procreate.”

“I’m a little lost here,” I said, getting up from the armchair and moving to the couch to sit next to Tim. “How exactly would you do that?”

I was fully aware I would probably regret asking, but Tim was deadly serious, and I was going to make sure he was in a safe space to let it all hang out—so to speak.

He glanced shyly over at Missy and Heather. Their eyes grew huge, and I sucked back an enormous desire to gasp or laugh. The conversation was headed into truly bizarre territory. I was pretty sure I now knew why Tim kept calling my sister and BFF.

“So, I was thinking,” Tim started.

“Thinking can be fucking overrated,” Candy Vargo pointed out, digging into her dessert. “Action is better.”

“Can it,” I warned her.

“Well,” Tim continued nervously. “I thought since Heather and Missy are lesbians and as penis adverse as I am, I would like to offer a few turkey basters of my sperm to impregnate Missy. Being that Heather is Immortal and probably has rotten eggs, I feel that Missy would be a better bet.”

“Dude,” Heather said, insulted. “My eggs are way younger than your swimmers.”

Tim looked surprised for a moment. “My goodness. You’re correct. In that case, I would be delighted to provide both of you with turkey basters containing my sperm. The chances of us having a baby would increase exponentially.”

The silence was so loud, you could literally hear it. Tim grew mortified and looked as if he might cry. Prue and Abby began to snicker but were silenced quickly by a withering and vicious glare from Gabe.

Missy was on her feet in a flash with Heather right behind her. She threw her arms around Tim and hugged him tightly.

“That is a beautiful offer, Tim,” she told him. “A gorgeous offer. You are a kind and wonderful person.”

“I second that,” Heather added with a grin, then looked at Missy. “Missy is the love of my life. Period. However, we’re kind of new to being an out-in-the-open couple.”

“This is true,” Missy said, taking Heather’s hand in hers while keeping her other arm around Tim. “We need to just be us for a little while before we even think about having a baby.”

Tim nodded and pressed his forehead to Missy’s. “I understand.”

“But,” Heather chimed in. “If we decide to go that route, we would be honored to have you as our sperm donor.”

“Should I freeze the sperm I’ve collected?” Tim inquired, totally serious.

I pinched Candy Vargo hard before she commented. She got the picture and threatened me with a fork. I raised a brow, and she quickly put it down. The Keeper of Fate was fully capable of destroying me with the wave of her pinky finger, but I knew that she would never even try. She loved me. And I loved her. We were a constantly growing, wildly dysfunctional family.

“Umm… you can probably let that batch go,” Missy said, biting her lip.

“Logical,” Tim said with a happy nod. “When you ladies are ready, I will purchase fresh turkey basters and start again.”

“LOVE IT!” Jennifer bellowed, topping off everyone’s wine. “A toast to the future baby Tim Junior or Heather Junior or Missy Junior.”

All raised their glasses.

All downed the entire contents.

It ended up being one hell of a party.

Chapter Six

The lunch had ended on an awkward but sweet note after Tim’s heartfelt offer. Actually, it hadn’t exactly ended since everyone but Missy and Heather were still here. The Angels didn’t stick around to say goodbye to the gals. The hugging was apparently too much for them. They were out in the front yard staring at the pile of wood and yelling at each other.

Penny, Robert and Glen sat on the front porch swing and watched the Angels go at it. Penny laughed at the semi-violent antics. Robert and Glen seemed content that Penny was happy. Gideon told me the kids had been quiet on their trek with him through the woods but didn’t seem stressed or unhappy. Their story was still a mystery that had clearly ended in a sad way.

“How are you feeling?” my mom asked as she and Gram floated over and sat next to me on the couch.

I was cuddled up in one of the colorful afghans that Gram had made when she was alive. Tim, Candy and Jennifer were in the kitchen with Gideon. My dad sat on the front porch steps and watched the Angels who carried his DNA with tempered curiosity and reserve. He didn’t engage with them, but he wasn’t ignoring them either. Only Rafe and Gabe seemed to acknowledge his presence, but it wasn’t what I would call warm and friendly—more of a neutral truce.

The house was immaculate due to Heather laying down the law before she and Missy made their exit. Observing Tim teach Abby and Prue how to use a vacuum was scary. At one point, I was sure Prue was about to choke Tim with the cord. A sharp word and a raised fork from Candy Vargo put a kibosh on that plan. Gabe and Rafe doing dishes ended up being a comedy of errors that resulted in a few broken plates due to slippery hands from dish soap, but I’d actually heard Rafe laugh. Plates could be replaced. My brother’s laugh was priceless and shocking.

While Prue and Abby were not what I would describe as team players, they did show moderate affection to Donna and Karen. My crazy fur balls had taken to the two girls and followed their every move. It was seriously hard not to love the fuzzy freaks.

Baby steps.

“I feel sleepy,” I told my mom. The fact that she and Gram were with me right now was an unbelievable blessing. All kinds of strange and all kinds of wonderful. “And hungry.”

“On it,” Gideon called out from the kitchen. “Lasagna will be ready in an hour. You need a snack before that?”

“Sadly, yes,” I called back with a giggle. Gideon’s hobby throughout his inordinately long life had been getting degrees and mastering skills. Lucky for me, becoming a chef had been one of them.

“Sweet or salty?” he asked, standing in the archway between the kitchen and living room.

“Salty.”

“Hot or cold?” he inquired with a lopsided grin.

I couldn’t love the man more. His complete lack of judgment and eager willingness to feed me was sexy. “Hot.”

“On it,” he replied with a wink as he disappeared back into the kitchen.

“That boy is a keeper,” Gram announced. “Gotta say when I heard you’d gone and fell in love with the Grim Reaper, I had a few reservations, but it just dills my pickles to say I was wrong.”

My mom laughed. “Mark this day,” she said, teasing Gram. “My mother rarely admits when she’s wrong.”

Gram slapped her thigh and cackled. “True that. Happens to the best of us.”

Turning my head, I glanced out of the bay window. Penny, Robert and Glen were whispering with each other. Glen’s body trembled as Robert spoke. Penny’s damaged face was full of sadness.

“Were either of you able to talk with the kids?” I asked, turning my focus back to my mom and Gram. They’d sat with my new guests while the after-party clean-up had taken place.

I had no clue how much longer Gram and Mom would be able to stay on this plane and refused to ask. What I wanted was forever, but I knew that probably wouldn’t happen. I’d lost my mom so young, I wanted to make up time. With so much awful stuff going on, I’d had to put that wish on the back burner.

Gram shook her head sadly. “Tried. Hard to understand ’em. They got to talkin’ real fast, and I couldn’t make out a dang word. They’re sweet kids, though. Breaks my heart for youngins to die.”

“There’s pain there,” my mom said in a somber tone. “And I believe it’s not necessarily due to the way they died. I was sure I heard the mention of someone—possibly an Amanda or a name that sounds similar.”

Digesting the news, I tried to put the puzzle together in my mind. However, I barely had the outer pieces in hand. My puzzle was a hot mess of nothing at the moment. “You think this person might have been the one who harmed them?”

“I don’t know,” my mom said, wrapping her ghostly arms around me. “Maybe.”

I closed my eyes for a moment and held back the urge to press my new young guests for answers. “I’ll wait for them to come to me. It seems to work better that way.”

My mom hugged me tighter.

I’d never been so happy to be the Death Counselor in my life. I was the only one who could feel the touch of the dead. Being held by my mom was beyond comforting. Alana Catherine thought so too. She danced up a storm in my belly.

“That little gal is gonna be a wild one,” Gram announced gleefully as she placed her cool, translucent hand on my stomach.

I winced as my baby bounced on my bladder. I was too comfortable and cozy to get up and pee… again. “Do you guys think there might be more than one baby in my stomach? I’m pretty huge.”

“Let’s put the emphasis on the word pretty,” my mom said, cupping my cheek lovingly. “And no, there’s only one very active little girl in there.”

I squinted at her. “You know that for sure?”

She smiled. “I do. I’ve had visions.”

“Good ones?” I asked, then held my breath. I was looking for anything that meant my baby would live. “Ones where she’s grown?”

“Beautiful visions,” she assured me. “I’m taking them as a positive sign.”

I stared at her for a long moment. My mom hadn’t been specific, but her words were still calming. She was as lovely in death as she had been in life. Strangely, she and Gram didn’t look like the other dead who decayed the longer they stayed on the Earthly plane—they were fully formed ghosts of themselves who looked like they had before they’d passed. In my mind and heart, I decided to believe it was an omen that they weren’t ready to leave me yet.

“I’ll take any sign I can get right now.”

Gram floated around the living room and hovered by the chandelier. As normal as the abnormal had become, it still felt sometimes like I was living in the Haunted Mansion at Disney World. “Daisy girl, you need to make some specific plans.”

“Okay. Forgive me for being repetitive, but define specific, Gram,” I requested.

“Alrighty,” Gram said, zipping over to me. “If I told you that you needed to eat right, what does that mean?”

“Umm… eat healthily?” I guessed.

“Drill it down,” Mom suggested, understanding where Gram was going.

“Okay,” I said, trying to catch on but missing the point. “No junk food.”

“Define junk food,” Gram said, pointing at me as she perched on a lamp.

I shook my head and simply went along for the ride. My mom and Gram were being as cryptic as the Immortals. “Cake. Ice cream. Fast-food burgers and French fries. Sugared soda. Anything that has more calories in three bites than you should eat in a single day.”

Right on cue, Gideon walked in with a plate of delicious, gooey, cheesy nachos. Putting the plate on the coffee table, he tucked a napkin into the neck of my fuzzy orange maternity sweater, kissed my nose and grinned.

“And nachos,” I added, digging in.

“And nachos what?” Gideon asked.

“Nachos are considered junk food,” I explained as I gripped each side of the plate so they wouldn’t be taken away.

Gideon laughed. “You get a pass, beautiful girl,” he assured me.

“Darn tootin’,” Gram yelled, getting into it. “Define healthy food, Daisy.”

I wanted to roll my eyes but refrained. I didn’t need a come to Jesus about manners from Gram right now. I needed to figure out the game we were playing. “Okay… obviously not nachos. Fruits. Vegetables. Fish and chicken more than red meat. Water.”

“Right,” she said, turning somersaults in the air. “Get it yet?”

“Nope,” I replied, wrapping the strings of melted cheese around my finger, so none went to waste.

“What if I told you to get good grades?” my mom asked. She smiled as I chewed and swallowed a rather large bite.

“I’d tell you I’m not in school anymore,” I shot back with a giggle.

“Agreed,” she said. “However, if you were, what would your response to that request be?”

I shrugged. “I would ask you if you meant A’s or B’s,” I said, then froze in realization. “They don’t know what I mean by humanity.”

Letting that sink in, I realized even the dictionary definition was vague—humanity is a virtue linked with the basic ethics of altruism derived from the human condition. Hell, that was hard for an adult to understand. Prue, Abby, Rafe and Gabe were like children who needed it spelled out for them. The question was, how to spell it out…

“Define humanity, please,” I asked, looking at the three people in the room who I trusted with everything.

“It’s relative,” Gideon said, going for a nacho, then thinking better of it. “What it means to me and what it means to you could be vastly different.”

I handed him a chip covered in cheese. I wasn’t a total monster. He popped it into his mouth and grinned.

“Yeppers,” Gram agreed with Gideon’s statement. “But you bet your bippy it’s all based in the same principle—kindness to other human beings.”

“Hang on a sec,” I said, getting up and taking my nachos with me. I stopped and groaned. Turning around, I put the plate back on the coffee table in front of the man who I loved and the father of the reason I could eat a car. “Sorry about that. It was rude.”

Gideon handed me back the plate and attempted not to laugh. “I love you.”

I started to cry. Hormones sucked. “I love you too. I really want to share my nachos with you. I mean, I kind of don’t, but at the same time, I do.”

“I can make more. Those are for you,” he assured me. “We’re good.”

“For real?” I sniffled.

“Always,” he promised.

I shoved a nacho in my mouth and headed into the kitchen. “Wait. I have to pee.”

Looking down at the plate in my hand, I actually considered taking it into the bathroom. I was losing my mind.

“I’ll guard it with my life,” Gideon promised, holding out his hands.

I was mortified. “Thank you,” I choked out in a whisper.

He pressed his lips together and nodded.

“You can laugh,” I told him, running to the half bath off the living room.

“Wouldn’t think of it,” he replied.

“That’s good,” I said, slamming the door behind me and whipping down my super-cute jeans. “I would feel just awful if I stabbed you.”

The laughter from Gideon, my mom and Gram made me giggle. Thank God I was surrounded by love. It was an indescribable feeling.

However, I was going to have to figure out a way to describe it to the Angels.

Chapter Seven

“Did you find anything?” I asked Tim as I entered the kitchen with my nachos back in my hands. My bladder was empty, and my snack had survived.

“Not yet,” Tim said, typing on my laptop. “How recently do you think they died?”

I shook my head and sat down next to him. “I can’t be sure. They still have a little bit of pigment in their hair and skin. If I had to guess, I’d say a week or possibly two.”

Candy Vargo sat across from me, picking her teeth. “Could be more recent than that,” she pointed out.

I shrugged. “Short of asking them, which I don’t see going over well, we have to take a guess right now.”

Jennifer sipped a cup of tea and watched her buddy Tim type a mile a minute. “So, it’s a bad thing to ask ghosts questions?”

“No,” I told her. “But Penny, Robert and Glen are fragile right now—Glen especially. Mom thinks they suffered even before they died.”

“I’m gonna agree with that,” Candy Vargo said, putting her combat-shoe-clad feet on the kitchen table.

“Off,” I said, raising my brow. “Not working for me.”

She rolled her eyes and took her feet down.

“Why do you agree with Alana?” Tim questioned Candy, taking a brief pause from his research.

“They have the fear in them,” she said with a grunt of anger. “I recognize that look. Seen it too many times from the kids that get stuck in the bad end of the system. Hell, those kids have the same look the Angels do.”

Tragically, I was fairly sure she was correct. I hoped like hell they hadn’t been beaten like my brothers and sisters had. There was no way I was going to push the kids to talk. Waiting until they were ready was the way to go. I just hoped when the time came, they would allow me to help them.

“And that’s why you’re gonna take in foster kids and treat ’em like gold,” Jennifer said, slapping Candy on the back. “You might be disgusting, but you’re good people, Candy Vargo. Real damn good.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Gram said, floating into the kitchen and giving Candy a thumbs up. “My girl might be lackin’ in the manners department, but she makes up for it in all the other important departments—except for house cleanin’ and the overuse of the f-bomb. We’re workin’ on that.”

Candy was stunned and delighted. She blushed a little, then went back to picking her teeth. Jennifer and Gram were right about Candy, and I wondered if Candy was correct in her assessment of the kids. The thought made me feel sad and weepy. My empathy, plus the whacked-out hormones surging through my body, might send me over the edge. I reminded myself that there was nothing I could do to change the pasts of my dead houseguests. The only thing I could do was to aid them in solving their unfinished business then help them find peace.

“No last name?” Tim asked.

“No. But Mom thought she heard them say Amanda or a name that sounded similar.”

Tim nodded and went back to searching databases, newspapers and obituaries.

We silently watched him work. Gideon and Mom joined us. Jennifer uncorked another bottle of wine, but no one took her up on it. She didn’t even want it. Recorking the bottle of white and putting it in the fridge, she grabbed a pad of paper and a pen from my little kitchen desk and began to take notes.

“Can’t believe I’m hungry again after all I ate at lunch, but whatever is cooking right now smells dang good, Gideon,” Jennifer told him with a wink.

My man saluted her, and she saluted him right back.

Jennifer was correct. The lasagna smelled heavenly. And speaking of—or rather, thinking of Heaven brought me right back to the Angel issue.

“How would you define humanity?” I asked Candy Vargo.

She pulled the toothpick out of her mouth and pointed it at me. “Not killin’ people. Maiming is acceptable if warranted, but only if they’re Immortal and can heal—like Tim. Or possibly Heather, who I’d like to fork in the head. Only maim a human if you intend to end them. And PS… that never feels good even when they deserve it.”

“Mmmkay. Wow,” I said with a wince. “Didn’t expect that.”

“Candy Vargo, running me over with a chariot a century ago was a little more than maiming,” Tim pointed out. “Took a while to regenerate my legs after that one. However, I find your honesty refreshing. I was beginning to think you enjoyed beheading people.”

“Holy hell on a Sunday,” Jennifer said, walking back to the fridge and removing the wine. “I’m gonna need a buzz for this conversation.”

“I wish,” I muttered, sipping on water. I needed a human perspective. The Immortals were a little much to digest. “How do you define humanity, Jennifer?”

“Well now, I do agree with not maiming or beheading people. That kinda seems like a given to me. I guess I’d say do unto others like I want them to do unto me,” she replied, taking a slug off the bottle. “That’s a little religious sounding, but my mamma, God rest her ornery, bitchy soul, always told me if I didn’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Well, until you get home and you can tell your best friend—the one who tells you stuff too, so it becomes a blackmail situation if they blab.”

“Alrighty then,” I said, running my hands through my wild curls. “I’m a little terrified, but Tim… how do you define humanity?”

Tim smiled at me. “Words are cheap,” he replied. “I surmise you are trying to understand how to explain humanity to the Angels.”

I nodded.

“You can talk and teach until you are blue in the face,” he explained. “One will never understand or believe what one has never seen no matter how many times it’s described.”

“That’s faith, dumbass,” Candy Vargo pointed out.

“Wasn’t finished yet,” Tim told her, pursing his lips. “That was my next point. The faith that the Angels subscribed to brought them nothing but pain and agony. It was a bastardized version meted out by those who should have known better. Double that with the fact they were created to absorb the sins of mankind, and you have your work cut out for you.”

“Shit,” I muttered, letting my head fall to the table with a thud. “That sounds like an impossible feat.”

“Nothing is impossible if you believe, Daisy,” Gideon said, squatting down next to me and reverently touching my stomach. “Nothing.”

“Show them, don’t tell them,” Tim suggested. “It will still be difficult for the Angels to comprehend, but again, talk is cheap. Actions speak far louder.”

Tim was socially awkward, strange, sweet and astoundingly brilliant. I was going to show them love. I would show them respect. I would treat them like I wanted them to treat me.

And hopefully, I wouldn’t maim them.

“Oh my,” Tim said, paling. He turned to my mom. “Do you think the name you heard could have been Amelia?”

“Possible.” My mom floated over to Tim and studied the screen. Her hand went to her mouth in horror as she stared at what Tim had found. “Heartbreaking,” she whispered.

“It’s the children?” he asked.

My mother nodded and looked away from the screen. Chills skittered up my spine. However, I had a job, and I was going to do it.

“May I?” I asked Tim, pointing to the computer.

He hesitated, clasped his hands together until his knuckles turned white and inhaled deeply.

“May I see, please?” I repeated.

“You may,” he replied quietly, pushing the laptop towards me.

I squinted at the screen and almost threw up. “What am I looking at?” I asked, shocked.

“I hacked into the databases of the coroner’s office and law enforcement once I got a hit on the names,” Tim said. “If it’s too much, please don’t look.”

I felt queasy. Closing my eyes, I willed myself not to get ill. Pushing the laptop back to Tim, I shook my head. “It’s not necessary for me to see that. Can’t do it,” I told him, taking the tissue that Jennifer offered. It was one thing to see the dead as ghosts. It was entirely another to see their barely recognizable human corpses. “Can you just give me the information?”

“Yes,” Tim said. “I’m so sorry.”

“No,” I said, putting my hand over his. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that you have to look at it.”

He nodded and scrolled down the page. “Some things—even tragic and sad—are necessary. Penny Marie Williams, age 10. Robert David Williams, age 13. Glen Michael Williams, age 18, and Amelia Cara Williams, age 25.”

“Siblings?” I asked.

“Yes. Died in a fire five days ago. They were squatting in an abandoned house when it went up in flames. The cause of the fire is suspicious and police are investigating.”

I held onto the edge of the table, so I didn’t pound it with my fists. “They were squatting? They had no home?”

“Looks that way,” Tim replied.

“The authorities think the kids caused the fire?” I asked. “Or maybe Amelia?”

Tim silently read for a bit, then turned to Candy Vargo. “Can you hack into the Pourtersberg Police Department and see what you can find?”

“With pleasure,” Candy replied, snapping her fingers and producing another laptop.

“Jesus in a jockstrap,” Jennifer muttered, sucking back a good portion of the bottle of wine. “Did Candy Vargo just conjure up a dang computer?”

“She did,” I told her.

Jennifer was still getting used to the Immortal thing and the magic that came with it. Actually, I was too. Normally, humans had no clue of the otherworld that lived right under their noses. It was safer for all that way, but Jennifer had figured it out.

“They never did stuff like that in Twilight,” she pointed out. “And none of y’all sparkle in the sun.”

“Thank God for that,” I said with a giggle.

“What’s the password for the fucking internet?” Candy Vargo asked, all business.

“Was the f-bomb necessary in that there sentence?” Gram demanded, glaring at Candy.

Candy Vargo had to think about it for a minute. “From the look on your face, I’m gonna go with, no.”

“Correct, girlie,” Gram huffed. “Now, try that again and say please.”

“Do I have to?” she whined.

“Yep, or we’re not gonna watch Bobby Flay grill meat later on the cooking channel.”

“Fine,” Candy grumbled. “What is the password for the fu— I mean the internet. Oh, shit. Lemme do that again. What’s the password for the internet… umm… please?”

She immediately looked to Gram for approval. She got it. Gram grinned and blew her a kiss.

I shook my head and chuckled. Life was so incredibly absurd. I was thankful I could still smile. “The password is Gideon666.”

Gideon pressed the bridge of his nose and groaned. “Tell me that’s a joke.”

I winced. “Not a joke. I can change it.”

“Nope,” he said with a laugh. “Leave it. It’s fitting.”

“This is gonna take me a while,” Candy said once she got online. “What am I looking for?”

“Any leads on the cause of the fire and who the suspects might be,” Tim told her.

“Wait,” I said. “Did Amelia die too? Why isn’t she with her sister and brothers?”

Tim glanced back at the computer and began to type. “No, Amelia is still alive. She’s in the Pourtersberg hospital.”

“How far is Pourtersberg from here?” Jennifer asked.

“’Bout two hours south,” Gram supplied. “Used to go to a flea market down there back in the day. Real nice little area.”

I scrubbed my hands over my face and went through about ten different scenarios in my head. None of them were good. However, I was going to have to pick one. I felt it in my gut. The chance was solid that Amelia was their unfinished business. Whether it was revenge or saving her was the wild card.

“I have to talk to the kids,” I said flatly. “I don’t like doing it this way, but something is really wrong here.”

“I agree,” Gideon said. “There’s a large piece missing.”

“I also have to deal with the Angels,” I said, twisting my wild curls in my fingers and feeling completely overwhelmed.

“One foot in front of the other, Daisy,” Gideon advised, massaging my tight shoulders. “Deal with what pulls you. Otherwise, you’ll be pulled from what you truly need to address and will succeed at nothing. Sometimes the unconnected pieces all fit together.”

I let his words sink in and felt a calmness wash over me. I wasn’t sure if it was the fact that he was working out the knots in my shoulders or that his statement felt right. Probably both.

“How’d you get so smart, Grim Reaper?” I asked, melting into his touch.

“I’m old, Death Counselor,” he replied, kissing the top of my head.

“Understatement,” Candy said with a grunt of laughter.

“Zip it, Vargo,” Gideon warned. “You’re no spring chicken.”

“Sooooo true,” Tim agreed with a giggle.

She rolled her eyes. “Need to get home and use my desktop,” Candy Vargo announced. “Can’t hack on a fucking laptop.”

“Laptops don’t fornicate,” Gram snapped. “Rephrase.”

“Can’t hack on a damn freaking laptop,” Candy Vargo said, grinning. “Better?”

“You got that right, little missy,” Gram told her, patting her head.

Tim closed my laptop and sighed. “Candy Vargo, can you hack into the Pourtersberg Hospital data files and dig around to see if there is a next of kin and find out the status of Amelia Williams?”

“Can do,” she replied. “Gram, you ready to go home?”

“Yep,” Gram said, giving me a quick hug.

I hugged her back and smiled. Candy had been horrified when Gram announced she was moving in with her. Gram was on a mission to teach Candy some manners and basically force her to get her shit together. So far, it was not going as well as Gram would like. But she never gave up. Ever. Candy Vargo might still be using the f-bomb and wearing her dress inside out, but she was getting Gram-love. Gram-love was one of the most precious things in the world.

“Can I come?” Jennifer asked. “I wanna learn how to hack.”

Candy Vargo cackled. “You’re banging the sheriff. You sure you wanna break the law?”

Jennifer grinned. “Positive,” she replied. “And it ain’t breakin’ the law if you’re doing good for the world.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Debatable,” I told her.

“I’m always up for a good debate and a bottle of wine,” Jennifer announced, showing me the four bottles left in her purse. “Ohhhhh! I have a good one! What’s the hackers’ rehabilitation meeting called?”

I groaned. “Not a clue.”

“Anyone?” Jennifer asked.

“Anonymous Anonymous,” Gideon replied.

“Yes!” Jennifer shouted. “Where did the hackers go when they escaped?”

Everyone looked at Gideon, who sheepishly grinned. “No idea… they just ransomware.”

“You’re a nerd,” I said with a giggle, throwing my arms around the man I adored.

“I’m many things,” he replied, kissing my nose. “Candy Vargo, do you want some lasagna to take home?”

“Nah,” she said. “I have two leftover pizzas from the luncheon in my car already.”

The part of me that was insanely food motivated almost screamed that Candy Vargo was absconding with pizzas. However, the Southerner in me was happy. Plus, Gideon had made an enormous tray of lasagna.

“I’ll call when I have info,” Candy Vargo promised.

“I’ll wait to talk to the kids until I know more,” I told her.

I would put off talking to Penny, Robert and Glen until I had more information. However, I had all the time in the world at the moment to show my siblings what humanity meant.

“Half hour until the lasagna is ready,” Gideon said.

Well, I had a half hour. A pregnant gal had to eat.

Chapter Eight

The sun was setting in the sky, and the Angels were close to beating the living hell out of each other. Though the trees were barren and the ground was frozen hard, the sunset had arrived with life-affirming flaming oranges and reds that filled my soul and made me feel like there was indeed a higher being.

The fact that Prue, Abby, Gabe and Rafe were behaving like deranged children made the beauty of the winter sunset pale. The pile of wood hadn’t moved. What they planned to build was still a mystery. Prue was crouched like a wild animal, ready to pounce on her sister and brothers. Abby held a hammer in one hand and a saw in the other. That had the potential to end badly. I’d bet a lot of money that she had no clue what the tools were actually used for. They were simply weapons right now.

Rafe paced around the wood, studiously avoiding his armed sister. Donna and Karen bounded behind him, oblivious to the violence about to erupt. Of course, Rafe had picked up a large branch to potentially defend himself from attack, and my dogs had mistakenly thought they were about to play a game of fetch.

Gabe was the only Angel who wasn’t on edge. He sat on top of the wood pile with his arms crossed over his wide chest and watched his siblings lose their debatably sane minds.

Tim had been correct. My work was cut out for me.

“How long have they been trying to eliminate each other?” I asked my dad as I sat down next to him on the front porch steps.

He glanced over and smiled. The man who I’d known as Clarence Smith most of my life was my father. He was also the Archangel Michael—the badass of the Angelic Immortals. The knowledge of my parentage had slammed me like Luke had been slammed by Darth Vader, but I understood why my dad had stayed out of my life. He’d protected my mom from Clarissa’s deadly rage for decades. It was sad that we’d missed out on so many years together, but that was the past. The past could be left exactly where it was. The future was my focus. However, I wasn’t going to have a future if the Angels didn’t get it together.

“Since the moment they came out here,” my dad replied.

“Nice,” I said, scooting closer to him for warmth. “So… what exactly are they building?”

“Right now, nothing.”

“You’re not going to tell me, are you?” I asked.

He chuckled and put his arm around me. “I have been asked to keep it in confidence. What I can tell you is that it’s a good thing, unless they kill each other in the process.”

I nodded and watched Prue dive at Abby. Abby swung the saw and narrowly missed removing her sister’s ear.

“This isn’t working for me,” I muttered, standing up and approaching the shitshow. Spending time in the emergency room getting an ear reattached wasn’t in the plans. The lasagna was almost ready, and I was starving.

They were human. I was not. I could wave my hands and cage them in a hot second. I didn’t want to do that, but if they insisted on trying to off each other, I’d have no choice.

“If anyone ends up bleeding, all of you will be in trouble,” I told them. I wasn’t exactly showing them love at the moment, but if they were dead, I wouldn’t have the chance.

“Screw you,” Abby hissed. “This is our business. Not yours.”

“Correct,” Prue backed up her sister, who had just practically disfigured her. “Get lost, loser.”

Rafe continued to pace but also had something wonderfully rude and ugly to add. “As much as I find my sisters repulsive and worthless, they are correct. You can take your high and mighty self back into your house. You are ridiculous and pathetic to think you can control us. A mere child cannot wield power over those superior to her.”

“Interesting,” I said in a super polite tone. “Please, do go on.”

My words confused all of them for a moment. Well, not Gabe. He laughed, much to the ire of the others.

“This is absurd,” Prue shouted. “You are nothing. For you to believe you can change us is deplorable. You plan to break us and send us back. I am onto you. I will never play your game. You can burn in Hell with your fallen Angel for all I care.”

“I feel like I’m in Hell right now,” I told her sweetly. “The Grim Reaper is a far better person than you.”

Prue’s shocked and appalled expression would have been funny if there wasn’t so much on the line.

“Take that back,” she screamed. Her face suffused with mottled red. “A fallen Angel is an abomination.”

“Blah, blah, blah,” I said, sounding bored. “Actions speak louder than words. The only abominations I see right now are the people who left me and our father to die while breaking the Celestial Law.”

That caused a moment or two of enraged silence. The truth hurt.

“Why are you doing this?” Gabe asked. “Why try to save us?”

“She’s not trying to save us,” Rafe bellowed, hurling the stick into the woods surrounding my property. “She only cares for the life of her child. We are a means to an end—just like we always have been.”

“You are so wrong,” I snapped, narrowing my eyes. Glancing down, I almost gasped. A golden glow emanated off my entire body, and I could no longer feel the cold. The Angels took notice and backed up a bit. “I had a choice. I could have let you go back with the robed bastards and that son of a bitch Zadkiel. Did I?” I shouted. “Answer me. NOW.”

“You did not,” Gabe replied as his siblings shot him incensed glares.

“Correct,” I said so coldly, the girls stepped back even farther. “I chose not to let you go back to abuse and pain. I chose to keep you here. I chose to try and make you see that what you’ve always known isn’t the only way. I chose that. I didn’t choose for my child’s life to be connected to the outcome. That was Zadkiel. Would I choose my child above you?” I paused and made eye contact with each one of them. Gabe was the only one who didn’t drop his gaze. “Yes. Yes, I would choose Alana Catherine over you. I would choose Alana Catherine’s life over my own. However, that choice is not on the table. I’m dealing with what is in front of me, and you are going to play. Am I clear?”

Abby snarled like an animal and aimed the hammer my way. “Weak,” she hissed. “Inadequate. You will pay with your own happiness. You will not take us down with you. Fuck you. You have no real power.”

They were not going to make this easy. The baby steps I’d thought we’d taken were bullshit. It was time to up the playbook.

My instinct was to headbutt her. She was wrong, and she was messing with my life, her life and the life of my baby. It was seriously difficult to ratchet up any compassion for such a vile being, but I tried with all my might. Clasping my now sparking hands behind my back, I glared at all of them dispassionately. I had no clue what my sparking hands could actually do, and it was a shitty plan to test it out on my sister.

Alana Catherine kicked me hard. I barely winced. My daughter might not be able to talk to me, but she was making herself very clear. Headbutting and electrocution were off the table.

The Angels understood power. They understood violence. Maybe to get to the loving and empathetic part, I had to prove my worth in their warped eyes. I would never prove it at their physical expense, but putting a little fear in them might be the only way to begin the process.

“MOVE,” I shouted in a harsh tone, raising my fire-spitting hands over my head.

They listened and hauled ass closer to the house. I had no plan. I had no clue what I was about to do or what I was capable of, but I was about to pull something out of my ass.

“This,” I screamed, slashing my arm through the air and elevating my car about forty feet above the ground. “Is this what you want?”

When I pointed at the car, it exploded and came hurtling back to earth. The crater it created could be used as a swimming pool. Internally, I groaned that I’d destroyed my detached garage and my vegetable garden, but a girl had to do what a girl had to do. A front-yard swimming pool would be weird, but I’d just saved a ton of money on having to hire someone to dig it out.

“More?” I demanded, clapping my hands and creating a tornado.

My father’s eyes went wide, and he did his best to hide his surprised expression. He failed. Gideon had stepped out onto the front porch and leaned casually on the railing. I hoped to hell and back I wouldn’t need my dad or Gideon to help me. That wasn’t the point of the exercise.

“Pick them up,” I demanded of the tornado. “Do NOT harm them.”

The wind moved as if it had a mind that understood commands and lifted Abby, Prue, Gabe and Rafe. They floated like rag dolls above me. “Is this what you want?” I shouted. “You need me to be cruel? Is that all you understand? Does it make you happy?”

Gabe relaxed his huge frame and watched me with a calm expression. Abby, Prue and Rafe fought the wind with everything they had. It wasn’t much, considering they were human.

“We can do this a whole bunch of ways,” I told them in an icy voice. “I will give you a choice. You are not a group. You are individuals. If you want to go back to the despicable place you were, that will be your choice and cross to bear. I’ll figure out another way to save my child. I’m trying to give you a way out. If you want it, fine. If you don’t, fine.”

I stared at them. They stared back.

Inhaling deeply, I forced myself to calm down. “I have seen a spark in all of you,” I said, pointing at the ground below them. An enormous five-foot-thick pad appeared. It covered more than half of the yard. Waving my arm, the tornado dissipated, and they fell to the ground. Instead of the hard earth, their bodies were cradled in the soft padding.

“Gabe, you are already there,” I said, extending my hand to him and helping him up. “Or at least mostly.”

He took it and got to his feet.

The others refused my help.

“Rafe, you’re not lost yet,” I told him as he turned his back on me. “If you’re able to open your heart, you could find a new life. Prue, you tried to help the ghosts. You didn’t have to do that. That is the basis of humanity. It’s just kindness. Pretty simple.”

Prue’s chin dropped to her chest, and she said nothing.

I sighed and glanced over at Abby. I didn’t have a single nice thing to say to her. Lying at this point was a sign of weakness. That would be detrimental to the cause.

“Abby, you’re a bitch,” I said with a shrug as her mouth formed a perfect O. “I’ve seen nothing kind or compassionate about you. You’re the wild card at this point.”

Clapping my hands, I made the padding disappear, along with the massive hole in my yard. I was minus a car and garage, but that was too bad, so sad. Gideon had a car I could borrow if I needed it. I would scour the paper later for a good deal on a solid used car. I was very aware that Gideon would buy me the world if I asked, but that wasn’t how I rolled. Never had and never would.

“I’m tired. I’m pregnant. I’m also hungry,” I told them. “There is a family of children who no longer have a chance at life.” My voice was low, so the ghosts wouldn’t hear me. “That’s tragic. What happened in your past is devastating and wrong. I would like to make the ones who harmed you pay. However, the past belongs to a former time. Period. If you want to embrace it and relive it, that’s on you. Not me. However, you will tell me right now what you choose. I don’t have time to help those who will not try to help themselves. I have far too much to lose.”

Gabe stepped forward and stood next to me. I’d expected that.

“This is not a choice,” Abby snapped. “It’s blackmail.”

“Nope,” I ground out between clenched teeth. “It’s a choice, and it’s yours to make. If you want to go back to your own personal hell, I will challenge Zadkiel for the life of my child, and he will not win. You can bet everything you know on that. At this point, I’d love to say I don’t care about any of you. I can’t. Even though you have been nothing but hateful.” I stared straight at Abby and Prue. “You break my heart. It would be a blessing and a miracle to help you to a new life.”

Rafe met me halfway. He couldn’t quite bring himself to stand next to me, but the effort counted. Prue flipped me off, then walked over to me. I wasn’t sure if she was going to hit me or join me. I held my ground and watched her with skeptical eyes.

She said something heinous under her breath and took her place by my side. Abby was the only one who didn’t move. It made me want to cry, but I stayed stoic.

“So be it,” I said flatly. “It’s time for dinner. I’m eating for two, and I’m done with today. If you’re hungry, you are welcome to join us.”

With that, I turned my back on my brothers and sisters and walked into my house. Zadkiel had made the rules. He wasn’t the Angel of Mercy anymore. I was. If all else failed, which it looked like it might, I was changing the rules.

And I wasn’t going to be told no.

Chapter Nine

I was jealous of Gideon’s even breathing. The more I tried to fall asleep, the more sleep eluded me. Moonlight bled through the frosted windowpanes and bathed the bedroom in its eerie silver glow. I watched Gideon’s chest rise and fall. The Grim Reaper was a stunning man. Even sound asleep with tousled hair and a soft snore, he was gorgeous.

Donna and Karen had wedged themselves on the bed with us. It was tight considering the size of my stomach, but I didn’t care. My small family was all together—Alana Catherine, Gideon, Donna, Karen and me. Of course, I was precariously close to falling off the bed since Karen felt the need to put her big head on the pillow next to me and her paw on my belly, but I was one of those kinds of dog moms.

The Angels had come in for dinner, then retired to the front porch. My mom and dad had gone home after we ate. Tim decided not to stay but took home a large piece of lasagna for later. The conversation at the table had been stunted and uncomfortable. My dad and mom had done their best to engage everyone, but it fell on deaf ears other than Gabe’s, Gideon’s and mine. If I wasn’t pregnant, I might not have been able to eat, it was so tense. However, I was pregnant and very little could deter me from food—especially Gideon’s lasagna.

When I’d finally gone to bed, the Angels were still outside. Penny, Robert and Glen sat on the porch swing while Prue, Rafe, Gabe and Abby sat on the rockers on the far side of the porch, across from them. They didn’t converse. They simply stared at each other.

It wasn’t hostile. I felt a little iffy leaving my siblings alone with the ghosts, but Gideon had assured me that it would be fine. The ghosts could disappear if they wanted to. I often wondered where my dead houseguests went when they vanished, but it seemed that they didn’t actually leave, just wandered around the house and property.

“I can hear you thinking,” Gideon said sleepily.

“Sorry.” I smiled as I touched his face. “My brain won’t turn off.”

Gideon rolled to face me and gently pushed Karen out of the way. “Talk to me, Daisy.”

I sighed and cuddled closer. When my stomach touched his, Alana Catherine kicked her father in the gut. His surprised laugh filled me up and made me sigh happily. I craved Gideon’s laugh like I craved air to breathe.

“Ballsy little gal,” he said, rubbing my stomach. “Was that a foot or a fist?”

“Not a clue,” I replied. “Could have been her bottom. She’s very talented.”

Gideon grinned and gazed at me with awe and adoration. “You are my miracle.”

His words calmed me and freaked me out. Would I still be his miracle a month from now? Would I even remember that I loved him and that I was pregnant with our child? Would Zadkiel take everything and everyone I loved from me by reversing time?

“Stop,” Gideon said, sensing my stress. “There’s still time. You’re making progress with the assholes.”

I winced. “Calling them assholes might not be the best way to go.”

He chuckled. “True. But the truth sucks. I promise I’ll keep my opinions to myself.”

“Gabe has graduated from the asshole category,” I told him.

Gideon traced my lips with his fingers. “I don’t disagree with you on that.”

“The rest have a long way to go,” I said, kissing his fingers. “I feel like I have millions of things to do, but I have no clue what those things actually are.”

“Let’s make a list,” Gideon suggested.

He knew me well. I was a consummate list maker. I never completed all the items on my never-ending lists, but they made me feel organized and full of purpose.

“Umm… we’re in bed. I don’t have paper, and I’m way too cozy to get up and find some.”

Gideon snapped his fingers. A yellow legal pad and two sharp pencils appeared on the pillow. I squeaked. I wasn’t sure I would ever completely get used to magic.

“Problem solved,” he said with a grin. “You talk. I’ll write.”

“Not the way it works,” I told him, sitting up and turning on the bedside lamp. “I have to write it. It sticks in my brain better. There’s something about physically creating the letters to make words that makes it more real for me.”

He squinted at me for a moment, then shrugged. “Works for me. How about we start with making a list of what we need for the baby?”

“Love it,” I said, jotting down all the things we didn’t have yet—which was basically everything. “We have a gift card from Jennifer for diapers, wipes and butt cream.”

“Butt cream?” he asked, confused.

“Yep,” I said, nibbling at the end of the pencil. “When you poop and pee in your diaper, your little bottom can get irritated. Butt cream will help that issue.”

“Get lots of butt cream,” Gideon directed, sitting up and growing wildly concerned. “Should we get more than one kind? Is there a pee butt cream and a poop butt cream, or does one butt cream work for both?”

I paused. I had no freaking clue. “Good question. We have to research that.”

In a small pop of bright red mist, a laptop appeared. Gideon went to work like a madman.

“Umm…” I said with a laugh. “I didn’t mean right now.”

“No time like the present,” he said, typing away. “Interesting. It looks like a single butt cream works for both poop and pee.”

The words poop, pee and butt cream coming from the mouth of the Grim Reaper tickled me. However, he was deadly serious, so I sucked back my amusement.

“We need burp cloths, a baby tub, a sling, bibs, changing table and pads, onesies—whatever they are—sleepers, tiny socks and hats, a car seat, blankets, soft washcloths, baby soap, little hooded towels that look like unicorns, a crib, sheets, a mattress and waterproof pads.” Gideon’s stress was obvious as his voice grew louder with each new product added to the list. “A stroller, safety nail clippers, a baby monitor, thermometer, a bulby-looking thing to suction mucus. Fuck,” he yelled, jumping out of bed. “We need to get on this. Now.”

I watched with my mouth open as he pulled on jeans and one of my t-shirts. The man was huge and ripped. He had no clue he looked absurd or that his belly button was exposed. He searched for his socks and tennis shoes frantically.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Daisy,” he shouted. “This is unacceptable. I had no idea we needed so many things for Alana Catherine. I’m going shopping.”

I couldn’t hold back my giggle. “It’s four in the morning.”

He froze. “So, what you’re saying is nothing is open right now?”

I nodded and patted the space next to me on the bed. “Yep.”

Gideon grew pensive. “I could drive over to the baby store and wait until they open.”

“Or,” I said, still grinning, “we could order a lot of this online and have it delivered in a few days.”

He considered that for a long moment, then flopped back down on the bed, fully dressed. “I might have gone a little nuts there for a moment,” he admitted.

“It was hot,” I replied.

He chuckled. “It was?”

“So hot,” I told him.

He looked down at the t-shirt he was wearing and shook his head. “Holy hell,” he muttered. “I thought my clothes had shrunk.”

“Again, hot,” I told him with a grin as he pulled the t-shirt off.

“You know,” he said, tangling his jeans-covered legs with my bare ones. “I could just snap my fingers and conjure all of it up”

“Nope,” I told him, opening the laptop. “It’s kind of like list-making. We need to buy each thing, so we’ll know what we have. Magic is lovely, but I need this to be real.”

“Magic is real,” Gideon pointed out.

“Fine point, well made,” I conceded. “But I want to do it the old-fashioned way. I want to pick colors and prints. I still want to make her a toybox and paint animals all over it. Making memories is the way to go here. We missed most of the pregnancy because of Zadkiel. I want what’s left to be ours forever.”

Gideon’s expression hardened. I was very aware that it wasn’t directed at me. Even the mention of Zadkiel’s name made him murderous.

“Charlie’s investigating Zadkiel,” he ground out as he clenched his fists.

Charlie was the Immortal Enforcer and one hell of a scary badass. Ironically, he was one of the nicest people I knew. He was also my dear friend June’s husband. They had their own set of issues right now, like June’s body being half the age it was before Clarissa had stolen her soul. It had been a surprising side effect of bringing her back from death. Now, June was biologically younger than her adult children, something my friend saw as a huge problem. Like I said, issues.

“Has he discovered anything?” I asked.

Gideon shook his head, and his eyes turned Demon red. “Not yet. But trust me, he will.”

I nodded. Zadkiel had overstepped. I’d proven myself as the Angel of Mercy, but he’d thrown in a deadly wrench at the end. The question was, why? My gut told me it was self-serving, but I had no clue what he was up to.

“I’m the Angel of Mercy, not him.”

Gideon looked at me for a long moment, then a slow smile spread across his mouth. “You are correct, love of my very long life. And that might come in handy.”

“I’m counting on it,” I said, feeling my heart rate speed up. “He’s made a decree that affects the lives of more than just mine. My test should not harm others. Period.”

Gideon sat quietly. His brow wrinkled in thought, and he picked up his phone.

“What are you doing?”

“Texting Charlie,” he replied tightly. “What you just said was pertinent.”

My breath came easier for the first time in a few days. “Really?”

“Yes,” he replied. “If it makes a difference remains to be seen. The politics of Heaven are archaic.”

“Time for that shit to change,” I said tightly.

The Grim Reaper’s brow raised. “That’s a tall and most likely impossible order.”

“Nothing,” I said, feeling my eyes go gold. “Nothing is impossible if you believe.”

Gideon threw his head back and laughed. My entire body tingled. His laugh completed me in ways I couldn’t describe.

He pointed at me with pride. “You are my beautiful badass.”

“And you’re mine,” I told him, feeling naughty. “Would you care to prove it to me?”

His grin grew wider. “And how exactly would I do that?”

“Figure it out,” I said, pulling my maternity nightgown over my head.

I had a horrible moment of insecurity as I realized what I must look like. My stomach was enormous. My breasts were swollen and achy. I wasn’t exactly what I would describe as sexy.

The Grim Reaper clearly didn’t agree. His lustful expression made my breath catch in my throat. His eyes were hooded with desire, and I’d never felt more beautiful.

“I love you, Daisy,” he whispered as he took me into his strong arms. “More than you will ever know.”

“Oh, I know,” I whispered back, running my greedy hands all over him. “Because I love you just as much.”

Pregnant sex was hot, hilarious and all kinds of satisfying.

I highly recommend it.

Chapter Ten

Breakfast was delicious. I was tired but had a spring in my step due to my three orgasms at five AM in the morning. It didn’t hurt that I was wearing a cute maternity outfit either. Missy had scored big time. I was insanely grateful that I didn’t have to wear my sweatpants over my belly and one of Gideon’s shirts. The hunter-green velvet overalls and the cottony-soft gold thermal shirt made me feel pretty. Paired with my Ugg boots, I was comfortable and working it.

Sex with Gideon was as good as coffee… actually way better. However, Gideon’s breakfasts were a close second. I’d enjoyed pancakes, fluffy scrambled eggs, freshly squeezed orange juice and decaf iced coffee with a healthy squirt of chocolate syrup. A literal feast. Even the Angels didn’t complain and went back for seconds.

It was a fabulous way to start the day. Sadly, it was followed by severe indigestion caused by the newly unfolding drama.

“Houston, we have a fucking problem,” Candy Vargo grunted, barging in the front door of my home with Gram floating right behind her.

The Keeper of Fate was a hot mess and pissed. It was a terrifying combo and didn’t bode well for an uneventful day. Not that any day lately could be called uneventful, but one could hope.

“What is Houston?” Prue asked, looking around in alarm while keeping a safe distance from the manic Candy Vargo.

“It’s a city,” I said, picking up Candy’s coat that she’d tossed to the floor. “In Texas.”

“Confused,” Rafe muttered.

“It’s a line from a movie. Apollo 13 starring Tom Hanks—the sexiest man alive after Bob Barker,” Gram told them as she hovered close to me and glanced around. “Where are the kids?”

“I don’t know,” I told her. “I haven’t seen them today yet.”

“They’re in your car,” Gabe told me.

I winced. “I don’t have a car anymore.”

“Right,” he said, shaking his head. “They’re in someone’s car in your driveway.”

“Mine,” Gideon said. “Do you know why?”

“No,” Prue replied cagily.

She was lying.

I stared hard at the Angels. Something was wrong. “Did you do or say something to Penny, Robert or Glen,” I asked as calmly as I could.

“Define do,” Abby said with so much venom, I lost it.

It was the first time in my life I understood the meaning of seeing red. I’d been through a lot of life-threatening crap in the short time I’d been involved with the Immortals… and that was a massive understatement. Maybe it was because I was pregnant. Maybe it was because I was caffeine-deprived. Maybe it was because this directly involved the fragile kids who had come to me for help. It didn’t matter. It was happening. My fury boiled up inside me so quickly, I felt dizzy. My mouth went dry and my ears rang.

Turning away from everyone, so no one got harmed, I sliced my hands through the air and screamed. The back wall of my house was now rubble.

To say I was surprised would be flat-out wrong. I was flabbergasted. The occupants of the room behind me were deathly silent. I kept my back to them. I was perilously close to doing something to Abby that would end in a very bad way. Looking at the damage I’d caused was a reminder that I had very little control over my power.

“Tell me what you did,” I ground out so harshly, I barely recognized my voice. “They are dead. Those children died in a fire. They were burned to death. If you doubt me, I’ll show you pictures you will never be able to unsee. And I have reason to believe that their lives before that were tragic. If you hurt them in any way, you can walk out of my house right now and never come back. If you’re capable of harming innocents—dead or alive—there is no hope for you.”

No one made a sound or a move. Slowly turning around, I met Abby’s defiant gaze.

“The children were not harmed,” Prue said quietly.

“Why should I believe you?” I demanded as tears ran down my cheeks. “Why should I trust you?”

Gideon was at my side immediately. Candy Vargo began to growl, and the Angels grew anxious and fidgety.

“You shouldn’t,” Rafe said in a flat tone, glancing at his sisters and brother. “We have given you no reason to trust us.”

I ran my hands through my hair and closed my eyes. “You are not helping your cause.”

“Abby slept in the car with the children,” Gabe said as Abby shot him a furious glare. “They asked us to help them find someone called Amelia—said she was far away and we needed to drive to her.”

“We don’t know how to drive,” Prue said. “And we couldn’t understand where they said Amelia was.”

“If I knew how to drive, I would have taken them there,” Abby shouted. “I see them. I see me in them. Fuck you.”

I squinted at her in shock. “Are you serious?” I asked.

“Yes,” she snarled. “Very.”

“So, since you couldn’t drive, you stayed with them through the night in the car?”

Abby gave me a look that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

“It’s completely my business,” I shot right back. “I’m the Death Counselor.”

“Then do your job,” she growled. “They were scared. Someone had to look after them, and you certainly weren’t doing it, bitch.”

If a feather had floated through the room, it could have knocked me over easily. I ignored her tone. I ignored that she’d called me a bitch. I focused on the important and unbelievable part. “That was kind,” I told her as she flipped me off. “You did something caring for others with no gain for yourself.”

Abby looked like she was about to implode. The last thing she wanted from me was approval. Tough shit. My sister was so angry I was sure she wanted to hit me or worse. Right now, I was damned glad she was human, or else my entire house might have come down around us.

Crossing the room, I stood in front of her. She backed away, and I grabbed her arms. Abby’s body stiffened, and she refused to meet my eyes.

I hugged her.

She did not hug me back, but she didn’t attack me either.

“Thank you,” I whispered in her ear. “Thank you for helping me do my job.”

She jerked her rigid body out of my arms and walked to the bay window. Her back was ramrod straight. My sister didn’t say a word. She simply stared out of the window.

Baby steps.

“I got here as fast as I could,” Tim yelled, running through the open front door that Candy had neglected to close. “What’s happening?”

“A fuck load,” Candy Vargo said, eyeing Abby at the window. She then turned to the decimated wall and waved her hand. My house was repaired in the blink of an eye.

“Thank you,” I told her.

She grinned and saluted me. “It was impressive,” she said. “Would have left it, but I’m fucking cold.”

Candy Vargo was crazy and unpredictable. I adored the insane Immortal.

Tim pulled a pad and pen from his pocket and sat down on the couch. “I’m ready. Start talking.”

“Not yet,” Candy Vargo said. “Charlie and June are on their way over.”

“Because?” I asked.

“Because I need June to pretend to be Amelia Williams’ relative,” she announced, pulling out a toothpick and going to town.

Gram didn’t even chastise her.

“Why June?” I asked, feeling a little wonky about a plan hatched by Candy. June was human—at least mostly. We weren’t sure right now. I didn’t want her involved in something where she might be in over her head.

Candy pulled out a second toothpick and performed a double-handed pick. “Because June is the nicest fucker we know, and she’ll be more believable than anyone else.”

“But she’s going to lie?” I asked, trying to get it straight.

“Bingo,” Candy answered. “Hold all other questions until everyone is here. I’ve been up all night, and I’m tired. Do I smell pancakes?”

I glanced over at Gideon, who got to his feet and walked into the kitchen. “Pancakes coming right up.”

“Do you happen to have bacon?” Tim called out.

“Yes,” Gideon answered. “Coffee?”

“Fuck to the yes,” Candy Vargo said, grabbing one of the afghans and laying down on the couch. “Gonna take a quick nap. Wake me up when the food is ready, and if anyone puts my hand in warm water and I pee myself, I will kick your ass.” She was staring straight at Tim.

“Roger that,” he replied with a grin. “No hands in warm water.”

“And no freezing my bra,” Candy warned.

“You ain’t wearin’ a dang bra,” Gram pointed out. “You’re still in your pajamas, and your hair is stickin’ straight up on your head.”

Candy Vargo looked down at herself and laughed. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

“Pretty sure you already are,” Gabe muttered under his breath.

Candy Vargo didn’t hear him—which was probably a very good thing. She was sound asleep on my couch.

* * *

Not only did June and Charlie show up, but Heather, Missy, and my mom and dad joined us as well. The spell Tim had cast to make June look her true age had worn off, and she was back to her twenty-five-year-old new self. Charlie had adjusted his age to match June’s. It was bizarre seeing them so young while knowing June was fifty-seven and Charlie was older than dirt.

“There is a lot of missing information,” Tim said, taking notes.

“No shit, Sherlock,” Candy agreed, shoving pancakes into her mouth and speaking with her mouth full.

Again, Gram didn’t say a word. Helping Candy Vargo find socially acceptable manners had to wait.

“There’s no next of kin?” I asked, wanting to reconfirm what we did know.

“Correct,” Candy said. “And Amelia Williams has no medical insurance.”

“How much is the bill, and what kind of shape is she in?” Heather asked.

“Twenty thousand,” Candy replied with a snort of disgust. “Highway fucking robbery.”

“Not an issue,” Gideon said. “It will be paid.”

I heaved a sigh of relief. I could have covered the amount, but it would have been a stretch. I would never ask Gideon for a car, but I would gladly accept his generosity for Amelia Williams.

“I love you,” I told him.

“Love you more,” he replied.

“Is she well enough to leave the hospital?” my father asked.

Candy shrugged and scanned the computer screen she’d pulled up. “Physically, yes. Mentally, anyone’s guess.”

“She wasn’t burned?” Missy asked, cleaning up the breakfast mess Candy had made.

“Legs and arms,” Tim said, sitting next to Candy and reading the file aloud. “Second degree—some third degree on her legs. She must not have been engulfed in the flames.”

No one said anything. There wasn’t a whole lot to say. The visual hit me hard.

Pushing away what I couldn’t change, I zoned in on what we could do.

“If it’s on the record that there’s no next of kin, why are we sending June in?” I asked.

Candy Vargo grinned. “Not a problem. Easy fix.”

Note to self: never, ever, ever get on Candy Vargo’s bad side. The damaging shit she could do with or without a computer was unending. However, right now, I was overwhelmingly grateful for it.

“And the cause of the fire?” Gideon inquired.

“Suspicious,” Candy confirmed. “Might be insurance fraud. Might have been the kids.”

I shook my head. My gut told me it wasn’t the kids, but I knew a way to find out. Although, if they’d been trying to cook food over a fire, it might very well have been them. “It was an abandoned house?”

Tim nodded. “Yes, a ramshackle place. The property is worth quite a lot, but the house was a teardown.”

“Breaks my heart,” June said as Charlie put his arm around his wife. “I’ll do whatever is needed to help.”

“Let’s get the facts straight first,” I said, smiling at my dear sweet friend. Candy was correct. June was the kindest person that I knew.

“What time of day did it burn?” Heather questioned, sounding very much like the lawyer she was.

“Eleven at night,” Tim confirmed.

That basically ruled out cooking dinner over a fire. I hoped.

“Something is weird,” I said, growing a little panicky. Alana Catherine was using every appendage she had to let me know she agreed. Bending over to relieve the pressure in my rib cage, I took a deep breath.

“You okay, sweetheart?” my mom asked, floating over and hovering at my side.

“Yep,” I said. “Just trying to readjust my baby for a sec. Candy and Tim, please lay out the facts. All that you know.”

“As you wish,” Tim replied. “The parents of the children died after the birth of Penny in a car accident. No evidence of any relatives who could take them in. They were divided and put into the foster system.”

“Divided how?” Rafe asked.

I glanced over, surprised that he seemed interested and appeared to care.

“The boys stayed together, and the girls stayed together,” Candy Vargo replied. “It looks like once Amelia aged out, she tried to become the guardian for her siblings.”

“Correct,” Tim agreed. “However, the request was denied as she had no clear way to take care of them.”

“Glen is eighteen,” Gabe said. “Wouldn’t he have aged out as well?”

I hadn’t told him that. They really had talked with the kids.

“He did—recently,” Candy said, looking at the info on the computer. “From what I can make out, it looks like he took Robert with him when he was kicked out.”

“The hospital records over the years make me ill,” Tim muttered, scrolling angrily. “Multiple broken bones, contusions, stitches, malnutrition.”

“The boys?” Prue asked sharply.

Tim shook his head and pressed his temples. “All of them.”

Abby turned away from the window. Her eyes were narrowed to slits. “And the little one? Penny?”

Candy Vargo stared at her for a long moment. Abby didn’t drop her gaze like she normally would have. “She never seemed to stay long anywhere. Records show she was diagnosed with multiple personality disorder or schizophrenia. She saw people who weren’t there, apparently.”

Abby walked over to the wall and put her fist through it. I winced as a guttural gasp of pain came from her mouth. Everyone in the room heard her bones crack. She’d clearly forgotten she was human. “She’s an Angel Light,” Abby shouted, cupping her bleeding and broken hand against her chest. “There is nothing fucking wrong with the child.”

My father’s brows shot up. “An Angel Light? A true Angel Light?”

“She is,” I confirmed, trying to approach Abby.

It was a no-go. She hissed at me like a feral cat. My dad held up his hand, and I backed off.

“Come here,” he told Abby.

“Screw you,” she snarled. “Little too late to start playing daddy now.”

“I wouldn’t insult you like that,” my dad said emotionlessly. “I’m offering you the same courtesy I would offer to anyone here. Our shared DNA is immaterial.”

“Ohhhhhh, harsh,” Candy Vargo said with a chuckle.

The air in the room went from comfortable to frigid. My father’s eyes spit silver sparks, and he shot the Keeper of Fate a glare that almost made me swallow my tongue. “Your input is irrelevant and unwelcome,” he ground out.

Candy shrugged and refused to back down. “It was funny.”

Badass Immortals going head-to-head wasn’t something I was sure I would ever get used to. The ramifications could cause property damage and all sorts of other stomach-churning events.

Clearly, Gram didn’t read the room, or she just didn’t give a hoot. If she didn’t like what she saw going on, she barged right on in uninvited.

“Well, I have never,” Gram screeched, zipping across the room and dive-bombing a startled Candy Vargo. “My knickers are in such a tight knot, I’m not sure they’re ever comin’ out of my crack. I can deal with the f-bombs. I can tolerate the hairy legs and pits. I can overlook the dang nasty sticks of wood hangin’ out of your mouth, but you ain’t gonna get involved in other people’s family matters. That’s none of your business. You hear me, girlie? Nobody licked the red off your candy. I love you, Candy Vargo, but I’m about to take you over my knee and whoop your behind. You keep your dang opinions to yourself. Opinions are like assholes. Everybody’s got one, and nobody wants to see or hear them.”

Prue and Abby laughed at Candy’s expense. It was an ugly sound. Candy’s chin dropped to her chest in shame.

Gram wasn’t done. She whipped around and turned her fury on Abby and Prue.

“And you!” she shouted, wagging a ghostly finger at them. The girls were no longer laughing. Gram could be more terrifying than my dad. “You better give your hearts to Jesus because your butts are mine. I ain’t never seen nastier pieces of work in my life or death. The only reason you ain’t back in that hell you were livin’ in is because of my Daisy girl. Your behavior makes Candy Vargo look like a damned saint. And we all know my Candy still has some work to do.”

“Umm… Gram,” I said, not sure this was going to end well.

“Not finished yet, darlin’.” She was so angry her translucent body was shaking. “Porch lights on, but nobody’s home.” She circled a shocked Prue and Abby like a mini-tornado. “Daisy is givin’ you, ungrateful terrors, a chance for a life that doesn’t include nightmares that I can’t even imagine, and you’re actin’ the fools. Y’all think you’re so dang important, but lemme tell you right now, you ain’t. Mean, that’s what you are—just plain mean and not all that smart. You could throw your sorry asses on the ground and miss. I’m tellin’ you right now, you better change those attitudes.” She got right up in Abby’s face. “Turn that ugly frown upside down and let that man right there fix your hand.”

Abby’s mouth opened, but no sound came out.

“As for the other two fellas,” Gram continued, on a roll that seemed to have no end in sight. “Gabe, you’re doin’ just fine. Keep it up. Rafe, you’re rude and uppity, but I see some potential. Now I will say, you could start an argument with an empty room, but I can see some good in you. Just quit goin’ round your ass to get to your elbow, and you’ll be fine.”

Rafe stared at the floor. Gabe simply gazed in awed surprise at Gram.

“You done?” I asked.

Gram looked around the room. “Yep. For now.”

Abby, still in a state of semi-shock, held out her broken hand and walked halfway across the living room. My dad met her in the middle.

“This will be uncomfortable,” he said, taking her hand in his.

“I have a high tolerance to pain,” she said in a hollow tone.

Her words made my heart ache. The truth in them was tragic.

A fine silver mist filled the room, and the power of the Archangel Michael flowed out of him like a strong wind. It was difficult to breathe, but I was getting used to it. I knew it wouldn’t last long. I watched in awe as a golden glow surrounded both of them. Abby didn’t wince as the sound of her bones mending could be heard loud and clear.

When it was over, they stood simply observing each other. Abby jerkily nodded her head at the Archangel. He returned the favor.

“Michael,” Candy Vargo said with only the tiniest eye roll. “I overstepped. Won’t happen again.”

My dad nodded curtly.

It was just short of an actual apology, but it was more than anyone expected. Gram floated over to Candy and put an arm around her. “Proud of you, girlie. Now, how hard was that?”

“Really fucking hard,” Candy Vargo muttered. “But it felt kinda nice.”

Gram cackled, and Candy Vargo grinned. Gram’s magic was one of a kind, and it wasn’t magic at all.

“Shall we get back to the matter at hand?” Tim inquired.

“Absolutely,” I said with relief. No one had died, and my house was still standing. I considered that a win right now. “You have more information?”

“Getting to that,” Candy said, slapping a pile of toothpicks on the coffee table. “If anyone wants one, have at it. The story doesn’t get better as we go.”

Prue walked over to the table and grabbed a handful. Candy and my sister looked at each other like they were staring at science experiments gone wrong. It was uncomfortable and strange. Gabe walked over and pulled Prue away before words or blows could be exchanged.

What the heck had happened between them?

Knowledge was power. Knowledge filled in pieces of puzzles. I was done wondering what had happened between the Keeper of Fate and my Angel siblings. I knew for a fact I’d regret demanding an answer, but on the outside chance it helped in any way, it was time.

It was going to take a village to aid the ghosts and the Angels. We had a little less than a month. A village with warring neighbors wasn’t going to cut it. Taking a page from Gram’s book and dealing with the enormous white elephant in the room was my plan. It was probably a bad plan, but it was something.

“I’m going to ask a question. If anyone wants to leave the room before I receive an answer, it’s up to you,” I announced.

Heather stood up and took Missy’s hand in hers. “Just yell when you’re done,” she said, walking out the front door with Missy.

“How do you even know what I’m going to ask?” I called after her.

Heather grimaced. “I know you, my sister. I can read you like a book.”

“Do I have to stay?” Candy Vargo inquired.

“Yes.”

“Figured,” she grumbled.

Tim sat back on the couch and clasped his hands together. “Daisy, I do not believe you want to do this.”

“Can everyone read my mind?” I asked.

“Absolutely not,” Tim assured me. “However, you have a very expressive face. Remind me never to partner with you in poker.”

I laughed. I didn’t know if I was bold or stupid—right now, it was fifty-fifty—but I planned to ask anyway. “Being in the dark isn’t the way to find the light. I want to know what happened between the Angels and Candy Vargo.”

Gideon winced and excused himself to the kitchen. My dad, mom and Gram followed. Charlie hustled June out of the room as well.

I rolled my eyes.

“What happened between you all?” I asked.

“Shall I?” Tim asked when no one volunteered.

“Were you there?” I asked.

“Unfortunately, yes.” He paled some and cleared his throat. His gaze roved over the Angels and Candy. “If I get it incorrect, please feel free to interrupt.”

Candy Vargo threw her hands in the air. “Pretty straight forward,” she grunted, eyeing the Angels with fury. “I was attacked—four on one. Came up from behind like cowards. Used magic and weapons. Knocked me out cold. When I woke up, my legs and my right arm were gone. I got pissed and ate them. Happy now?”

“You ate them?” I asked as my stomach roiled, and I was certain I’d misunderstood.

“Yep.”

The Angels had turned a greenish hue and stayed silent. How were they standing in my living room if Candy Vargo had eaten them? There was no sense to be made of the admission.

Shaking my head, I began to pace. The need to puke was right below the surface. “Not following.”

“I can see how this might be confusing,” Tim concurred. “You must remember that we are not talking about humans. We are discussing Immortals. Very difficult to end the life of an Immortal.”

The scenarios in my brain were gross and horrifying. Was I being punked for asking something no one wanted to share? That had to be it.

“Seriously,” I said, swallowing back the bile that had risen in my throat. I forced out a laugh. It sounded tinny and thin. “If you really don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. But this story would mean that you crapped them out, and they reformed somehow. Utterly ridiculous.”

No one said a single word. The silence was telling and mind-blowing. When Tim gave me a paltry thumbs up, I gagged. The bile was now in my mouth.

“Excuse me for a sec,” I said, sprinting to the bathroom and emptying the contents of my stomach. Splashing cold water on my face and using the toothbrush I kept hidden in the drawer, I swore to myself over and over I would stop asking questions when I knew the answers would be nightmare-inducing. The mechanics were inconceivable and disgusting.

“Are you okay?” Gabe asked from the other side of the door.

“Nope,” I replied. “I’ll be right out.”

I needed to think. The particulars didn’t matter. If I kept mulling them over, I’d throw up again. Why had the Angels attacked Candy? Had Candy done something to them that she’d omitted? Not that eating people was ever a good plan, but attacking unprovoked was appalling as well.

“There’s part of the story missing,” I said, walking out of the bathroom. “Candy, you first. What happened before the attack? Had you done something to the Angels to warrant that response? Not that appendage removal is ever okay.” I winced at the sentence I’d just spoken. My life was insane.

“Why does everyone always think I did something?” Candy Vargo groused.

“Because usually, you do,” Tim pointed out. “However, in this case, I can confirm that the attack wasn’t provoked by the Keeper of Fate.”

I turned to the Angels. Not one would make eye contact—not even Gabe.

“Spit it out,” I said, holding onto the back of the armchair for support. I didn’t think anything else could be as repulsive as what I’d just learned, but I wasn’t banking on it right now.

“It was an order,” Rafe finally admitted after no one else spoke.

I squinted at him. “An order to kill the Keeper of Fate? That’s not even possible.”

Gabe sighed and shook his head. “An order to give her a message.”

“And you thought ripping off her legs and arm would do the trick?” I demanded, wondering how warped they really were.

“No,” Prue admitted. “We were told to harm her and bring back proof.”

“By who?” I asked.

They refused to answer.

“We declined the mission,” Prue whispered.

“Could’ve fooled me,” Candy Vargo snapped.

“We were given no choice,” Rafe said hollowly.

Abby looked like she wanted to have a go at the wall again. I really hoped she didn’t. “We were threatened with eternal damnation,” she ground out.

“Who has the authority to even do that? God?” I shouted.

Gideon walked back into the room and had clearly overheard the entire conversation. “One might think the Grim Reaper could do that, but that’s not the way it was set up.”

His words felt like a punch in the gut. There was an ironic balance in the Immortal world. The Angel of Mercy was responsible for sending souls in question into the darkness while the Grim Reaper was in charge of sending them into the light. It wasn’t often that souls were in question of their afterlife, but when they were, that was the way it worked.

“No fucking way,” I muttered.

“No f-bombs,” Gram yelled from the kitchen.

“Sorry,” I yelled back. “Zadkiel is responsible?”

“WHAT?” Candy Vargo bellowed.

The house shook on its foundation.

The Angels cowered.

“It was an order from that cheating, lower-than-a-snake piece of shit?” Candy demanded.

“Answer her,” Gideon said coldly to the Angels. “You have been asked a question by the Keeper of Fate. I’d suggest you reply.”

“Yes,” Gabe finally said as his siblings nodded.

“Charlie, come in here, please,” I called out. My mind was whirling. Zadkiel was so full of evil and sin, he stunk. I would not let him ruin my life. I was now gunning to ruin his.

“Heard all of it,” Charlie said. The Immortal was glowing and sparking. He wasn’t pleased at all. Thankfully, we were on the same side. “It shall be made known.”

“Will anything come of it?” I asked as my brothers and sisters looked defeated and terrified.

“I would like to say yes,” Charlie told me. “However, it’s a wait-and-see.”

“This is bullshit,” I snapped. “Heaven sounds like Hell.”

Abby laughed. For real. It was the first time I’d heard the sound. She laughed so hard tears came to her eyes. Everyone was shocked. The laugh verged on hysteria, but it was a beautiful thing to witness.

She walked over and stood in front of me. It took all I had not to flinch. If she hit me, I’d take her out. I was more than just me at the moment. Alana Catherine was my entire purpose.

“Destroy him,” she whispered. “You are the only one who can.”

With that said, she turned and walked out the front door. I watched as she made her way to Gideon’s car and got back in with the kids.

There were about five minutes of silence. It felt like an eternity and, at the same time, just the beat of a heart. Moving forward was the only way to go. I was done hearing about appendage removal and eating people.

“Candy Vargo, what else do we need to know about the kids or Amelia?” I asked.

“Amelia is in danger somehow,” she told me. “I feel it. Not sure how or why, but my guess is that’s why the kids want to get to her.”

“You’ve seen her future?” I asked.

Strangely, she stared at Rafe, then shook her head. “Futures change on a dime. Free will has a funny way of blurring what comes next. You need to talk to the kids. I’ve given you all I have.”

I nodded. It was time for a mind dive. Forcing them to talk wasn’t the normal way I rolled, but nothing right now was normal or anything close to it.

Chapter Eleven

Time was of the essence. I knew that, but when I looked at the kids, all I felt was the urge to protect them. I was certain part of it was because I carried my own child inside of me. But even if I wasn’t pregnant, I’d still have a difficult time wrapping my head around why the young lives were stolen.

“Okay,” I said, smiling at my dead guests. I hoped to heck and back that my expression didn’t look forced or constipated. “The best way for us to talk is for me to go into your minds.”

Penny sat on my lap—or what little was left of my lap due to my big belly. Robert and Glen sat on either side of me. All three were calm and composed. Surprisingly, the atmosphere in the room was relaxed and easy even though the Angels were present. Abby and Prue had refused to leave the kids. Gabe had requested to stay during the mind dive, and Rafe followed his sibling’s lead.

Gideon sat silently on the overstuffed armchair and kept a sharp eye on the Angels. The Grim Reaper was a foreboding sight, and my brothers and sisters took notice.

Everyone else had left.

Charlie had departed to parts unknown to follow the new leads on Zadkiel. My father had joined him. Heather, Missy and June had gone to run mysterious errands, and my mom and Gram had gone to Candy’s house along with Tim to get the bedrooms ready for the foster kids who were arriving soon. Jennifer was meeting Candy at her house. My nutty human buddy was feeling bossy and figured Candy Vargo needed someone to ride her ass other than just Gram.

“Huuuurtah?” Robert asked.

“Nope,” I assured him. “Mind diving doesn’t hurt a bit.”

That was mostly true. It wouldn’t hurt them, and that was all that mattered. I’d gotten somewhat used to it.

“Hoooowah?” Glen asked.

“Group hug,” I told them.

Penny giggled. “Huuuugaaaah!”

“You got it,” I said with a laugh, then went on to explain the process so they would be comfortable. “We’ll be in a mystical room of sorts—a place where we can talk and understand each other easily.”

Robert leaned into me and whispered in my ear. “Heeeeeaaveeen?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“Goooodah,” he said with satisfaction.

His statement was confusing. Did he not want to go to Heaven? Did he think he was going to Hell? The concept of light and dark was still murky to me. Heather had said that both destinations were more a state of mind than a place. While I would never subscribe to organized religion, I had no doubt about my belief in a higher power anymore. There was no way to avoid it. My new job as the Angel of Mercy had higher power written all over it.

I took a deep breath and broached what might be a delicate subject. “When we’re in the room together, I want you to tell me about Amelia. Is that okay?”

“Ammeeeeeliaaaa,” Penny gushed. “Loooove Ammeeeeeliaaaa.”

The boys exchanged glances, then nodded solemnly.

I held back my tears with effort. A feeling of anger and helplessness washed over me. It was criminally unfair that these children had died. An unholy thought consumed me. I wished with all my might I could bring them back. The reality that they would miss out on so much cut to the bone.

“You can’t,” Abby said quietly.

My head jerked to her, and for the umpteenth time today, I wondered if my mind was being read. “Can’t what?”

She shook her head and blew out an annoyed breath. “You know exactly what I mean,” she replied flatly. “And trust me, it’s a wish I have as well. But you can’t.”

Abby was taking giant steps now. Her expression was still sour, and her tone still rude, but her heart was showing. I swiped a tear. Crap. Everything was making me cry. My hormones were out of control.

“Come with me,” Abby commanded.

“Kind of busy here,” I shot right back. Abby didn’t understand subtle and polite. I could work with that. “If you want to stay in the room while I mind dive, you need to sit down and zip it. Now.”

“Come with me,” she repeated, pointing to the kitchen. “Now.”

Closing my eyes, I wanted to let her have it with a whole bunch of four-letter words. However, Penny, Robert and Glen were far more important than me winning an argument with a nasty person.

“Gabe,” Abby continued. “You and Prue stay with the kids for a few minutes. Rafe, join us in the kitchen.”

Gideon’s brow shot up. He eyed Abby with distrust. “I’ll be joining you as well.”

“Whatever,” Abby snapped.

I glanced at Gideon, who simply shrugged and stood up.

“Fine,” I finally said, easing Penny off my lap and kissing the top of her ghostly head. “Be right back, guys.”

Walking the short distance to the kitchen, I ran my hands through my hair. Today had already felt a million years long. If Abby wanted a fight, she would get one… outside. I wasn’t about to blow out another wall of my house.

“This better be necessary,” I said.

Abby raised her brow and sat at the kitchen table. She idly traced the wood pattern and made a growly sound deep in her throat.

“Abby,” I said, getting frustrated. “If you have something to say, say it. Candy Vargo thinks Amelia is in trouble. The faster I talk to the kids, the faster we can figure out what to do to help her.”

Abby’s lips flattened to a tight white line. It was clear she didn’t want to talk to me any more than I wanted to talk to her.

“You’re placing human emotions on those who have passed,” she ground out.

I shook my head. I really didn’t have time for her to critique my job skills. “What are you talking about?”

She stared straight ahead—wouldn’t look at me. “I do not like you and I probably never will.”

I laughed. There wasn’t an ounce of humor in it. “I’m done here. You are the very definition of a self-absorbed asshole. And news flash… I don’t like you either. Somehow, I’ve found a way to love you, but I do not like you. Your selfishness is mind-blowing.”

“Not selfishness,” Rafe cut in.

“Okay. I’ll bite. How is calling me away from helping the kids to tell me she doesn’t like me not selfish?”

Gideon leaned on the counter and watched the farce unfold. “Ignore that part and focus on what the unpleasant woman said before she needlessly insulted you.”

I glanced over at Gideon. He poured a glass of ice water and handed it to me. “Believe it or not, she actually has a point.” He turned to Abby. “Speak your truth and be done with it. Your opinion of Daisy is unnecessary and unwarranted. Your disgusting behavior makes your feelings exceedingly clear. Your words and actions will come to haunt you eventually. Trust me on that.”

Abby flipped him off.

“Speak,” I snapped. “You have one minute.”

“You’re underestimating them,” she said coldly.

“How?” I demanded.

She shook her head and pressed her lips together. If she refused to talk, I refused to stay.

“Wait,” Rafe said, putting his hand on my arm to stop me from leaving. “I think I can explain.”

I paused, crossed my arms over my chest and waited.

“She won’t understand,” Abby muttered.

“Only if she isn’t given a chance,” Gideon said.

“Try me,” I told Rafe. “Help me. Please.”

Rafe’s eyes grew wide with surprise, then he nodded curtly. “When a person passes, a miracle of grace occurs—a higher state of being. A blessed mystery,” he said, clearly searching for the right words. “It’s a foreign concept to others who have not passed over. The children are far beyond what humans experience as far as emotions go.”

“They still seem like children to me.” I understood what he’d said, but I couldn’t match it with my young ghosts.

“Because they are,” Rafe agreed. “And they crossed over very recently. However, if you watch and listen, their distress is not that they have left this realm… it’s for their sister who has not.”

“Robert was glad that we weren’t going to Heaven to talk. Sounds like he doesn’t want to leave this realm.”

“Because he has unfinished business here,” Rafe insisted. “He is unable to move on yet. None of them are wailing or bemoaning not being alive. There’s already an acceptance there that you and I can’t understand. What I’m trying to make you see is that they are far beyond that point and on their way to something unimaginably beautiful.”

Abby laughed. It was a guttural and tortured sound. “Beautiful, my ass.”

Rafe closed his eyes and inhaled slowly. “It will be a beautiful experience for the children. They are innocents. We are not.”

I sat down next to Abby because my knees felt wonky. Rafe was wrong, not about the children, but about himself and the other Angels. They had not been created in violence and pain. They had been taught that by the hand of a monster who had destroyed their innocence.

A monster who I was more convinced than ever was named Zadkiel.

Rafe’s other observations had been on point. None of the dead I’d helped were in a state of shock that they’d died… except for the family who didn’t realize they’d perished. However, it was the adults, not the two little girls of the family, who didn’t know.

I thought about the beauty of the golden light that the ghosts went into after I’d helped them solve their unfinished business. The vision was stunning. The joy was intense. No tears were ever shed… except mine. The most difficult was watching Steve go into the light with Emma and Sophia. Steve had been part of me—always would be—but his final destiny was to love and protect two small innocents. It was a moment of heartbreaking beauty that would stay with me until the end of time.

Steve had no fear about moving on. He had no regrets. He was no longer meant for this world, and he’d had something exquisite that I couldn’t comprehend to look forward to.

“So,” I said, pressing the bridge of my nose. “Turns out I’m the one being selfish.”

“No,” Abby replied emotionlessly, still tracing the woodgrain of the table with her finger. “Not selfish, just overly empathetic and compassionate. It will not help them. You have to learn that your pain belongs to you. Do not project it onto those who can no longer understand it. It will only harm them.”

I put my hand over hers. She didn’t pull away.

“Thank you,” I told her, then looked at Rafe. “And thank you.”

Abby said nothing. I didn’t expect her to. Rafe, on the other hand, surprised me.

“You’re welcome, Daisy,” he said. “It’s an honor to do something… good.”

I smiled at him. “Not so hard? Right?”

A hint of a smile pulled at his lips. “No. It was not so hard.”

Without another word, Abby stood up and left the kitchen.

“She’s trying,” Rafe said quietly. “Don’t give up on her yet.”

He followed his sister back to the living room.

I looked at Gideon. He looked at me.

“Did that really just happen?” I asked.

“It did,” he replied. “You have a pull far stronger than magic, Daisy.”

I hugged the man who made me feel loved and secure. “It would be impossible to pull something that didn’t exist. The credit goes to the Angels.”

Gideon raised a brow. “Do not underestimate yourself. A gift is something to embrace and take pride in.”

“A gift is something to give away to others,” I said. “If you keep it, it’s not a gift.”

Gideon was speechless. He kissed the top of my head and rested his hand on my belly. “You humble me,” he said softly, staring into my eyes with such intensity, I felt breathless and wobbly. Luckily, he held me up. “Not a clue what I did in my long and dark life to deserve you, Daisy, but I will be grateful every single moment for the rest of my days.”

“You’re my gift, Gideon,” I whispered. “The best gift I’ve ever been given.”

What I wanted to do was get lost in a kiss and have an unending conversation about the little life that we’d created together. However, there were people who needed me. Gideon and I would have a lifetime together to make memories. Zadkiel would not steal it from me.

I was going to make sure of it.

Chapter Twelve

The cold. The cold went all the way to my bones and tore through my body like sharp, frozen daggers made of ice. Trying to catch my breath, I gasped for air and forced myself to stay calm.

The only sound that left my lips came from so far away I could barely hear it. It didn’t scare me. It was fast becoming second nature.

My head pounded violently, and every single cell in my body screamed for oxygen.

I didn’t fight the sensations. I welcomed them. I knew what was on the other side of the pain.

As quickly as it started, it stopped. My body felt like it was floating on air.

“Open your eyes,” I directed.

Penny, Robert and Glen stood side by side about ten feet from me in the vast nothingness. They were no longer missing body parts. Their skin was rosy and pink. They were whole and beautiful. There were no walls or floors to speak of. We floated together in a grayish haze. It was neither warm nor cold, but regardless of the ambiguity, it felt safe.

The boys looked around in curiosity, but Penny stared straight at me with a huge smile on her adorable face. All three were blond with athletic builds and long legs.

“Ohhhhh, Daisy,” Penny squealed, darting over and hugging me. “You are such a beautiful Angel.”

Her small frame was sturdy and strong. Her joy was contagious.

“Thank you, Penny,” I said, ruffling her blonde curls.

“About that,” Robert said, walking over and looking very serious.

“Leave it be,” Glen told him, looking worried.

Robert glanced at his brother. “I can’t, Glen. I’m sorry.”

Glen nodded his head in a jerky rhythm and patted his younger brother on the back. He was nervous. My instinct was to assure him, but instead, I waited to hear what Robert had to say.

I’d been correct about Robert being in charge. He might be thirteen, but he had the countenance of someone much older.

“You can ask me anything,” I told him. “Everything is fair game, and nothing you say or do will make you unwelcome in my home. I already know some of your background information. I’m aware that the foster homes didn’t understand Penny’s gift.”

“You believe her?” Glen asked. “Truly? You’re not pretending because she’s so young, and you’re so kind?”

“I promise you I believe Penny, Glen. I’m the Death Counselor. I’m here to help you, not to lie to you.”

“And you’re an Angel!” Penny reminded me.

“And I’m an Angel,” I agreed.

“But you’re human too?” Glen pressed, perplexed.

Join the club… “Yep. I’m all those things.”

Robert held out his hand to me like an adult man. I took it in mine and shook it.

“Thank you, Daisy,” he said. “I didn’t really understand her gift either—didn’t believe it. Just knew it kept getting her in trouble.” Robert scooped his little sister into his arms and hugged her tight. “I’m so sorry, Penny.”

She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a sloppy kiss on his cheek. “It’s okay. It’s hard to believe, but Amelia did.”

Robert nodded and forced a smile for his little sister. “She did.”

“Where are we?” Glen asked. His brow was wrinkled in worry. “This isn’t Heaven? Is it?”

He clearly carried the world on his eighteen-year-old shoulders. Glen was as concerned as Robert that they hadn’t left the earthly realm yet. Talking to Abby, as unpleasant as it had been, had prepared me well. Their distress concerned Amelia.

“Nope, not Heaven,” I assured him.

“Is this the waiting room for Heaven?” Penny asked.

“Umm… not really,” I said. Crap. Questions from children were direct.

“Is Heaven less boring than this place?” she went on, looking around and wrinkling her nose.

Again, she had me. “I’ve never actually been to Heaven,” I admitted. “But I’ve seen the doorway, and it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever witnessed.”

“Good to know,” Penny said with a nod of satisfaction and a giggle. “After I go, I’ll let you know what I think, Angel Daisy.”

I laughed. Penny was a delight and magical in her own right.

“So, how do we do this?” Robert asked, getting right down to business.

“Come stand by me,” I told them. “We can talk just like we are now, or I can hold your hands and see your memories. Whatever is easier for you. Your pick.”

“Memories differ,” Glen said, scratching his head. “Some of mine seem to be leaving me.”

Robert mulled it over. His siblings watched and waited for his opinion. “I agree,” Robert said. “When I think too hard, thoughts disappear.”

I’d never heard that one yet, and I wondered if that meant their time to go was coming soon. If that was the case, I needed to expedite this meeting. Plus, time ran differently here. What felt like minutes could be hours or even days on the Earth side.

“Give me your hands, please.” I held mine out.

“Angel Daisy,” Penny said, grabbing my left hand. “Guess what?”

“What?” I responded as Robert and Glen took hold of my right hand.

“When I leave you, I’ll see my mommy and daddy.”

Glen looked down. Robert looked stricken.

I wasn’t sure what to do. The filter-free honesty of a child made me feel a little lost for words. Lies were unkind and wrong. I had no clue if she would be reunited with her parents.

“I hope so,” I finally said.

“I know so,” she whispered, squeezing my hand. “Don’t you worry about that. I already know. I just wanted to tell you.”

I nodded and smiled.

“One more thing?” Penny requested.

“Okay.” I hoped to heck and back it would be a question I knew the answer to.

“Do dogs and cats go to Heaven?”

Shit. Shit. Shit. Penny had some excellent questions that I didn’t know how to field. “I don’t know for sure, but here’s what I think,” I said, smiling down at her earnest face. I was about to tell her what I chose to believe—what I wanted to believe. I’d check my answer with my dad after the mind dive. If I was wrong, I would rectify it. Hopefully, I wasn’t wrong. “In my heart, I believe they do.”

“All of them? Even ones who bite?” she queried.

Double shit. I’d take a page from the Immortals on this one… answer a question with a question. “What do you think?” I asked.

Penny giggled. “All dogs and cats and other animals go to Heaven, silly Daisy. Even fish.”

“Good to know.” I laughed and hoped Alana Catherine had the same kind of joy Penny had. “Okay, my friends, just relax and open your mind to me.”

“This is actually quite fascinating and cool,” Robert said, impressed.

“Yes,” Glen agreed. “We appreciate it so much, Daisy.”

I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth for a second because my emotions were about to get the best of me. “It is my pleasure and honor to help you.”

“There will be sad things,” Penny whispered. “Please don’t look at those. It will make you cry.”

“Penny is right,” Robert said. “What is done is done. The past can’t be changed. It happened.”

He wasn’t sad. He wasn’t angry. Robert simply stated the facts as they were.

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him how old he was again. His wisdom was far beyond most adults I knew. It broke my heart and humbled me.

“We had each other,” Glen said, using his free hand to gently pat my back. “That was all we needed.”

The irony that they were trying to make me feel better didn’t escape me. They were truly amazing beings.

“Let me take a peek so I can help you with Amelia. Close your eyes. It won’t take long.”

All three followed my direction. I joined them.

Pictures raced across my vision so quickly I couldn’t make them out. It was like an old static-filled black-and-white TV screen was inside my head. Slowly, the images began to come into clearer focus.

Seeing the memories of three people at the same time was confusing. The visions jumped and bled together. The faces were the same, but the stories were fragmented. When a linear line appeared, it was interrupted by another. And Penny was correct… so much of it was sad.

“Think of Amelia,” I whispered. “Think about how you want me to help her.”

The rush of images began to pivot from a cacophony of noise to a more streamlined story. Sadly, the story was rough and unsettling. Amelia was as lovely as her siblings, but life had not been kind. Images of Amelia huddling with Penny in dark closets as sounds of yelling pounded in my brain made me furious. Time after time, pictures of Amelia wiping away the tears of her brothers and sister as they were separated stabbed at my heart. And then the story grew focused—as if all three were reexperiencing the same event.

“Listen to me,” Amelia said, pacing a room with broken windows and rotted floors. “This isn’t perfect, but we’re together, and we’re not on the streets. I found a job at a diner. I can bring home food.”

“I can work,” Glen promised, cleaning an area in the dilapidated room of debris and trash. “Saw a sign at the gas station a mile down the road. They’re looking for people. It’s walkable.”

“Great,” Amelia said with a stressed smile. “Everything will help. I think we could find a cheap apartment after a month or so here.”

“And then Glen can go to school,” Robert said. “I stopped by the community college and picked up application forms and financial aid paperwork. I can continue to teach Penny. It’s too risky to send her to school. They’ll take her away if they find her.”

Amelia bit down on her lip hard. “And you too,” she reminded him. “You’re only thirteen.”

She turned away as a sob left her lips and wracked her slim body.

“Stop,” Penny told her, wrapping her arms around her sister. Robert and Glen joined the hug, and they rocked back and forth together as one. “Don’t cry. We love you. We’re safe together. Having stuff doesn’t matter. Having each other does.”

“I’m not sure I’m doing the right thing,” Amelia said, holding on to her hope and sanity by a thread. “But I can’t think of a better way. I’m worried about everyone having enough to eat and staying warm.”

“We’ll be fine,” Robert said firmly. “Way better than what it was. I can steal from gardens and hang out behind restaurants when they throw away the food at the end of the day. So much waste.”

“There’s a food bank a few miles away,” Glen reminded everyone. “I can walk there once a week. We’ll be okay. I know it. I can go to school part-time if I can get a scholarship, then I can get a real job and take care of all of us.”

“The Angels will watch over us,” Penny whispered.

It took effort for Robert and Glen to hold back their retorts of disbelief, but a quick and stern look from Amelia made them hold their tongues.

“They will,” Amelia told Penny. “They will guide us to where we should be.”

The images went fuzzy, and I watched with my heart in my mouth as a series of events that I knew would end in tragedy began to unfold.

Glen arrived at the house with a small bag of food.

Robert went through it with excitement, then carefully put it in a metal box so the rodents couldn’t get to it.

Penny sang for her brothers, and Glen surprised her with a tattered book of fairy tales.

The sky darkened as Robert read to Penny by the fading light of the day.

Noises outside the house sent Robert, Glen and Penny into hiding. They were in a dank closet. Huddled together so as not to be caught.

The face of a man with crazed, dull brown eyes, a mustache and a fearful expression roared to the front of my brain. I watched, knowing he was somehow responsible but unable to do anything about it.

His words were difficult to hear.

His actions were not difficult to see. I observed in horror as the man poured gallons of gasoline throughout the rundown house. The images came faster, and my heart sped up.

A lit match.

An explosion.

Flames danced and engulfed the decayed wood.

Screams.

An eerie image of the pristine souls of Glen, Penny and Robert leaving their bodies and floating out of the inferno. They hovered above the fire and observed the rest of the story.

Amelia—in a waitress uniform—sprinted towards the burning house as the fire trucks and police arrived. The sounds she made shook me to the core. She made it partially into the house before she was physically removed by the firefighters and held back as the ramshackle structure caved in on itself.

Her agony was complete. Her devastation was the hardest thing I’d ever watched.

However, I knew now why Candy Vargo had said she was in danger. I knew now why Penny, Robert and Glen had not moved on.

At the edge of the woods near the house stood the man responsible for the fire. His face was ashen, and his eyes narrowed to slits. In his hand was a gasoline can. Those guilty eyes met Amelia’s for a long moment, then he disappeared into the brush. But before he ran, he left a message for the broken girl. He put his finger to his lips, then made the slit-your-throat gesture.

There was a witness to his crime, and she was in danger. He wanted her to stay silent, or he would make sure that she did.

The images went to black.

“Oh my God,” I choked out, willing myself to remember that I had no ability to change the past, and that wasn’t the point of why we were here. However, I could manipulate the future and make sure I got to Amelia before the mustached man did.

“We have to leave this place,” I told the kids, trying my best not to sound frantic. “We have to leave now.”

“We do,” Penny said. “It’s time to bring Amelia home.”

I wasn’t sure what she meant by that. Was Amelia close to death? Tim and Candy Vargo’s findings didn’t sound like she was seriously burned. However, her spirit was broken. Dying of a broken and devastated heart could be her end. And there was someone who wanted her quiet. Forever.

Did Penny somehow know if the man had already gotten to Amelia? There was no time to ask for an explanation. If there was time to save Amelia, I needed to work fast.

Plus, I had no clue how long we’d been gone from the earthly plane. My fingers were crossed that it had only been an hour or two.

“Hug me,” I instructed. “We’re going back.”

Chapter Thirteen

“How long?” I shouted as I came to and jumped to my feet, scaring the heck out of everyone in the room.

Jennifer screamed and spilled her wine. Candy Vargo accidentally blew up the lamp on the side table next to the couch. Missy joined Jennifer in a shriek. Prue shouted a few four-letter words that earned her a glare from Gram. And Heather just gasped and placed her hands over her pounding heart.

I glanced around the room. Almost everyone was present. Gideon, the Angels, Candy Vargo, Tim, June, Heather, Missy, Gram and Mom. The only two missing were my dad and Charlie. I hoped that meant that they’d made progress in taking down Zadkiel. However, those thoughts had to wait. I had far more pressing business.

“How long was I out?” I repeated as Karen and Donna trotted around the room, wagging their tails and wanting in on whatever all the screaming was about.

“Thirty-six hours,” Gideon replied tightly, running his hands through his hair.

I surmised that he’d repeated that specific action often, since his hair stuck straight up on his head.

“I’m fine,” I assured him. “I promise.”

He blew out a long breath. His smile was pained, but I loved him more than I had even seconds ago. His belief and trust in me were liberating. He would never try to stop me from doing what I had to do, even if it worried him sick. And I would always return the favor.

“You hungry, babe?” he asked with a relieved grin.

They were the sexiest words I’d ever heard. “Umm… yes.”

“For anything in particular?” he asked, moving toward the kitchen.

“Pickles, crackers and chocolate chips.”

Gideon paused. “Together?”

I was very aware that the answer should be no, so I went with what was semi socially acceptable. “Nope. Next to each other will be fine.”

He chuckled and gave me a thumbs up. “On it.”

“I know I’m gross, but that’s disgusting,” Candy commented while picking her teeth with her ever-present toothpick.

“Cakehole. Shut it. I’m pregnant, and if you give me crap about my eating habits, I’ll put that pointy stick in your eye,” I told her.

“Harsh,” she said with a cackle.

“Truth,” I shot back, trying not to grin. I was not successful.

“I think the food combination is interesting,” Tim said, defending my disgusting snack.

“Thank you,” I told him. “I was also going to add strawberry ice cream but refrained.”

“Heard that,” Gideon called from the kitchen. “We’re out of strawberry. You want vanilla?”

I was dangerously close to throwing a fit and crying about the lack of strawberry ice cream in the house. Thankfully, I didn’t. My voracious appetite would not own me. I had shit to do.

“That will work,” I called back.

“We have a plan?” Candy Vargo asked, picking up the pieces of the broken lamp.

“Kind of,” I replied. “You have a laptop?”

She snapped her fingers, and one appeared in a pop of shimmering mist. “I do now.”

“Buddha in a goddang bikini. Don’t know if I’m ever gonna get used to that,” Jennifer said, shaking her head and pouring another glass of wine.

“What time is it?” I asked, looking out of the bay window at the sunny day.

“Noon,” Missy confirmed.

I glanced back at Jennifer. She raised her glass. “It’s five o’clock somewhere,” she pointed out.

Tim pulled out his always-present pad of paper and settled himself on the couch next to Candy. “Tell us how we can help, Daisy.”

“I need a name and a photo of the owner of the house—any info you can get on him,” I said, looking over at the ghosts who sat comfortably with the Angels. Penny had settled herself on Abby’s lap. The sight calmed me and made me want to cry.

Hormones…

“You sure it’s a man?” my mom asked.

“Right now, yes. If Candy Vargo finds out it’s not, we’ll figure out the next step.”

She nodded and hovered near me. I reached out and touched her hand. Having my mom close felt grounding.

“What else?” Tim inquired.

“Please look into how much was on the insurance policy and if it’s been claimed yet.”

Heather’s brows shot up. “You need a lawyer?”

“Yes,” I replied. “A lawyer who will go for the jugular. It was definitely arson. The deaths were a byproduct of what I’m going to guess was insurance fraud.”

“Doesn’t matter. It’s considered felony murder if people die,” Heather said.

“Not following,” I said. “From what it looked like, the man didn’t know the kids were hiding in the house.”

“Cooooorreeectah,” Robert said.

“Again, doesn’t matter,” Heather said, smiling kindly at Robert. “He can be charged with first-degree murder under the felony murder law even if there was no intent to kill.”

“Heather is on point,” Gideon added, walking back into the living room with my snack. My mouth watered. Yes, it was technically gross. Yes, I was going to eat it happily. “All that’s necessary for a first-degree murder charge is the participation in the commission of a felony where a death or deaths occur during or as a result of the crime.”

“You’ll take the case?” I asked them.

“Hell to the yes,” Heather said. “Gideon, will you ride shotgun with me on it?”

“With pleasure,” he replied.

“Love both of you,” I said. Having lawyers in the family was an advantage. Having shark lawyers in the family was a bonus.

Heather smiled. “Right back at you, sis.”

“Also, we need to get to the Pourtersberg Hospital and get Amelia out of there. ASAP,” I said, wasting no time as I shoved a pickle and a few chocolate chips into my mouth, then walked to the foyer closet and grabbed one of Gideon’s coats. Mine wouldn’t cover my belly anymore.

“Now?” June asked.

“Now,” I confirmed. “Candy, did you already mess with the files?”

“I most certainly fucking did,” she responded with her eyes glued to the computer screen. “June is an aunt on their father’s side. Her name is now June Williams. Never married. Age seventy. Retired school teacher.”

I squinted at Candy. “She looks twenty-five. Not gonna fly.”

“Fuck,” Candy muttered, slapping herself in the forehead.

“Not a problem,” Tim said, waving his hand at June.

June was now pushing seventy.

“Holy crap,” Jennifer shouted. “June, you’re rocking the silver wisdom sparkles again!”

June glanced in the foyer mirror and giggled. “Oh my goodness.”

So far, so good. However, I could see holes in the plan.

“Wait. How do we explain that June’s never been around for their entire lives?” I asked, searching for my keys. I stopped and grimaced. I no longer needed my keys. I no longer had a car.

Candy huffed. “You questioning my methods, dumbass?”

“Yes, douchebag,” I replied. I was well aware of what the Keeper of Fate could do to me with a simple wiggle of her finger. However, I wasn’t playing games or stroking egos right now. If I had a question, I was going to ask. If it offended, so be it. She was a badass, but I was no slouch.

Candy Vargo rolled her eyes, and Gram gave her a look.

“Answer the question, girlie,” Gram warned. “We need to be a team. No gettin’ butt hurt today. Ain’t got no time for that crap.”

“Fine,” Candy grumbled. “No questions will be asked of you. The paperwork is drenched in magic. Anything that’s pulled up electronically has been spelled as well.”

“Coooooolah,” Robert said, waving at Candy.

“I got your back, boy,” Candy Vargo told him with a wink. “We’re gonna go get your sister.”

“Potential problems,” I stated. “The fire was arson. Amelia saw the man who did it. He knows she saw him.”

“You’re sure?” Missy asked.

“Positive,” I replied, looking over at Penny, Glen and Robert, who nodded their agreement.

Abby growled. Prue swore under her breath. Penny embraced both of the Angels, much to their surprise.

“Iiiiittsss ooookaaay. Beeeeha ooookaaay,” she told them. Her small arms went right through their bodies, but the intention was clear and moving. “Yooouah aaaareeeah guuuaardiaaan aaaannngeeels.”

Abby and Prue were shocked to silence. I had to admit it surprised me too. Something clicked in my head, but I’d address it later. However, I smiled. Whether what Zadkiel had done was legal or illegal in the celestial world, the bastard would lose. The humanity of my siblings was happening.

“I’m going. I’ll transport with June and Heather,” I informed the group.

“It’s safe to transport with June?” Jennifer asked, concerned. “She’s not exactly Twilight material like the rest of you.”

Jennifer’s obsession with sparkly vampires was never going to end.

Missy nodded. “It’s safe. I’m proof.”

She shot me a grin. I’d saved Missy’s life by transporting her to safety not so long ago. It had been a terrifying moment since I wasn’t sure what I was doing. Thankfully, it ended well. I would have had an atrocious time going forward if I’d harmed my best friend.

“I’ll drive down,” Gideon said. “I can bring the kids.”

“Shut the front door,” Jennifer said. “The kids can ride in a car? I figured they’d fly right out of the window bein’ ghosts and all.”

Penny thought that was hilarious. Robert and Glen even chuckled.

“Nope,” I told her. “Steve and I went on a bunch of drives, and my sweet friend, Sam, rode in my car too.”

“I’ll stay and wait for Charlie and Clarence’s return,” Tim announced. “I can continue the research and text when I find more.”

“I’ll stay too,” Missy said. “We don’t need too many people there. It will scare Amelia.”

Jennifer corked the wine bottle and stood up. “I’ll hang here as well. Don’t know if y’all have ever noticed, but I have a way of stickin’ my foot into my mouth occasionally.”

No one said a word. It was all I could do not to laugh. Occasionally was an understatement. She was a filter-free, amazing, hilarious and loving phenomenon. I couldn’t adore my buddy more. She was self-aware and could make me laugh even when I felt broken inside.

“Good plan, Jennifer,” Tim said, patting the seat next to him.

Candy was still focused on the computer. “I’ll transport there as soon as I find what we’re lookin’ for.”

“We’d like to come,” Gabe said hesitantly. “If that would be okay.”

“We want to be with the kids,” Abby announced, glaring at me and daring me to object.

I traded a glance with Gideon. He simply shrugged, leaving the decision up to me.

“Fine,” I said. “You’ll stay in the car. I can’t have you getting in the way.”

“As you wish,” Prue said.

“Thank you,” Rafe added.

His sisters looked at him like he’d lost his mind. Gabe just smiled. The boys were doing much better than the girls, but everyone was moving forward.

Candy Vargo grinned naughtily. “I could always ride along in the car and use my phone for a hot spot. Love me a good road trip.”

I eyed her sternly, and she swallowed her glee.

“Nope,” I said. “Here are the rules from here on out. No one will remove anyone else’s appendages. No one will behead anyone. And under no circumstances will anyone eat anyone. Everyone will be civil to each other. Am I clear?”

“Oh my God,” Missy choked out on a horrified laugh. “Eat anyone?”

I’d forgotten she and Heather had missed the confessions. “Yes. Eat.”

Missy gulped and paled.

My gaze moved from Candy Vargo to the Angels. “Am I clear?”

“You are,” Gabe answered for himself and the other Angels.

“Candy Vargo?” I demanded.

“Yessssss,” she conceded. “And I’d just like to remind everyone that I didn’t eat them until they dismembered me. I’m not a dang idiot. I don’t even like eating people. It’s fuckin’ gross.”

No one said a word. There really wasn’t much to add. Gram even let her get away with the f-bomb this time.

“Umm… great,” I choked out with a weak smile as my stomach roiled. “Candy, you will transport. If we can all get along and not maim or ingest each other, then next time we go out, you can ride in the car.”

The things I said nowadays were so absurd they were almost funny. However, eating people would never be funny.

I could have sworn the Angels were trying not to laugh. My words amused them as much as they shocked me. Whatever. Laughter was way better than bloody dismemberment or cannibalism.

Alana Catherine’s words came to mind again as I stared at my brothers and sisters. “One will comply, one will lie, one will stand by and, sadly, one might die. You must determine the outcome.” Most of what she’d predicted had already come to pass. Gabe had complied. Both of the girls had most definitely lied. All but Gabe, at one point or another, had stood by. However, the last part was what terrified me. I wasn’t about to let any of them die.

Pushing the thought away and concentrating on the now, I realized I had no clue where the Pourtersberg Hospital was. “Umm… problem.”

Heather jumped right in. “Not a problem,” she said. “I’ve been to the Pourtersberg Hospital. I can lead the transport.”

I wrinkled my nose. “How did you…?”

“Psychic sister power.” She grinned. “Just kidding. I know you pretty well.”

Whatever. At this point, I didn’t care if everyone could read me like a book. If we were all on the same page, it could be helpful.

“Amelia is in room 425,” Tim said. “Her attending physician is Dr. Rhonda Muth—female, age forty-two. Five-foot-seven. Red hair, freckles, and slightly crooked teeth. Graduated from Georgia Tech. I will text you her picture and signature, Heather.”

Heather nodded and glanced at her phone screen. “Got it. Thank you.”

I was a little confused. “Is there a reason we need all that info?”

“Possibly,” Heather said. “It’s good to have just in case.”

“We’ll be about two hours behind,” Gideon said, standing up. “If you need me there faster, text and I’ll transport everyone.”

“Not sure how that would work with the kids,” I told him.

He glanced over at the ghosts pensively. “I’m not sure either, to be honest. I’ll drive fast.”

“You always drive fast,” I reminded him.

His brows shot up, and he grinned. “I do believe you might be referring to yourself.”

Busted. I had a lead foot. “Never mind,” I said as he laughed. “June and Heather, are you ready?”

“Oh yes,” June said. “Not sure what I’m supposed to do exactly, but I’m ready, dear.”

“We’ll figure it out as we go,” I told her, giving her a hug. “Hold Heather’s and my hand, please.”

“And relax,” Heather advised. “It will be a little bumpy, but I’m very good at this.”

“Let’s go get my new niece!” June said. “I need to bring that girl home.”

* * *

We stood in the parking lot hidden behind a dumpster. It was a smart move on Heather’s part. If we’d poofed right into the hospital, that would have been difficult to explain.

“Hooowee!” June said, feeling her body to make sure she was actually with us. “Bumpy was right.”

“You okay?” Heather asked, concerned.

“As far as I know, yes,” June replied. “Can Charlie perform this transporting trick as well?”

Heather nodded. “Yes, he can.”

June giggled. “Well, that’s certainly going to save us a lot in airfare when we go on vacation.”

June was truly priceless. It had taken me a whole lot longer to accept the otherworld.

“The way you look at life is a lesson for us all,” Heather said, hugging the seventy-year-old version of our fifty-seven-year-old friend who looked twenty-five when she wasn’t spelled by Tim.

“There’s a silver lining in the darkest clouds,” June replied, cupping Heather’s cheek. “Sometimes you have to squint real hard to see it, but it’s there.”

June’s words were profound. Her delivery was sweet, just like she was. I just hoped she was correct. We needed a silver lining right now.

My phone beeped in my pocket. “I have a text.”

Looking at it, I felt sick and furious simultaneously. I also felt relief. At least we had a name to the face. It was the same face as in the vision.

“What is it?” Heather asked.

“The man I saw set the fire in the mind dive.” I turned the phone and showed them the photo Tim had texted. “Justin Hodge. Fifty-five. Owner of the house.”

I kept reading. Holy hell, Candy Vargo had hacked deep.

“That’s all the information they sent?” Heather asked.

“Nope,” I replied. “He’s a house flipper. Owns properties in Pourtersberg and surrounding counties. Went bankrupt last year and is under investigation for embezzling millions from investors. Divorced. Three times. No kids. Has a restraining order out on him from his most recent ex-wife.”

“Sounds like a real peach,” Heather ground out.

“And then some,” I said, pulling a cracker from my pocket and eating it. I’d left the pickles, chocolate chips and ice cream at home. They wouldn’t have traveled well in the pocket of Gideon’s coat. I was being considerate. “There was a half-million-dollar policy on the house he torched.”

“I thought it was a teardown,” June said, confused.

“The house was,” I confirmed. “It was the property that was valuable. Not sure how he got a half-million-dollar policy on that house, though.”

“It sounds like he knows how to work the system—and probably has good friends on the inside,” Heather pointed out. “Anything else?”

“Yes,” I said as the feeling of bugs skittering up my spine made me shiver. “It hit the papers today that three children died in the fire.”

“Shit,” Heather muttered. “You think he didn’t know he killed the kids?”

“I think he knows now,” I said, looking at the five-story building in front of us. “We need to get Amelia out before Justin Hodge makes that impossible.”

Nothing was impossible if you believed. I believed like crazy that we would get her out before she was harmed even more.

“You don’t think she’s already told the police about this Hodge person?” June asked.

I scanned the information that Tim had sent. “My guess is no. He’d be in custody if she talked.”

“Why wouldn’t she tell what she knew?” Heather mused aloud. “Seems to me that since she lost her entire world in the fire, she’d want the man punished.”

It was a good question and one I couldn’t answer. The image of Justin Hodge putting his finger to his lips, then making the slit-the-throat move wouldn’t have stopped me from turning him in if I’d lost everyone who meant anything to me.

But I wasn’t Amelia. I didn’t know her.

“Not a clue. Right now, not important. How do we want to do this?”

Heather waved her hand. She was now sporting a doctor’s coat, a stethoscope and a badge. With a snap of her fingers, she conjured up a file. Handing it to me, she clapped her hands and dressed me appropriately. Gone were my cute overalls. In their place was a black maternity business suit, red silk blouse and sensible black flats. My hair was twisted into a neat bun, and I was wearing glasses.

Looking down, I laughed. “What am I?”

“A lawyer,” Heather replied. “The papers in the folder are blank. If we need them, they’ll magically fill with the necessary information.”

“Oh, my,” June said, shaking her head as her eyes grew huge. “This is like Law and Order on crack mixed with Bewitched, Doctor Who and a side of Judge Judy.”

I didn’t quite follow June’s train of thought, but I was just as flabbergasted at the magic about to be employed. “Why am I a lawyer when you’re actually a real lawyer?”

“Because I’m doctor Rhonda Muth,” she replied, checking the photo Tim had sent her on her phone, then chanting softly.

In a pop that sounded like a child’s cap gun accompanied by a bright orange mist, Heather was gone. In her place stood Dr. Rhonda Muth—female, age forty-two. Five-foot-seven. Red hair, freckles, and slightly crooked teeth.

“Holy shit,” I choked out, then grabbed Heather/Rhonda by the arms. “What if she’s working today?”

“Candy Vargo took care of that,” Heather replied.

“Define ‘took care of,’ please,” I said, hoping it wasn’t lethal.

Heather looked down at the text she’d just received. “She had her called away from the hospital for a family emergency. We have a window of probably about two hours,” Heather said, checking her watch. “We need to move.”

“Still not sure what I’m doing,” June said nervously as we hightailed it across the parking lot.

“It’s called pulling it out of our asses. We assess the situation and behave accordingly,” Heather said. “Do not get separated. We stay together.”

“Goal is to get Amelia out of here,” I said.

“What if she doesn’t want to come with us?” June asked a very logical question as she hustled along. “She’ll know I’m not her aunt.”

“Shoot,” I muttered, grabbing both of their hands and pulling them to a stop. “That’s a good point.”

“Yep, but not a problem,” Heather assured us. “If we have to, we act first and explain after.”

“We kidnap her?” June asked, fanning herself.

“I prefer the word save,” I said. “But the semantics could lean either way.”

“Lord help us all,” June mumbled as we walked in the front door of the hospital.

I couldn’t have agreed more.

Chapter Fourteen

I didn’t like hospitals. Made me think of the dead and dying. The irony was almost too much, considering what I did for a living. However, the ghosts didn’t seem dead to me. I was under no illusions that they could be human again, but I saw them as entire people—not broken, sick and sad.

“I want to give birth to Alana Catherine at home,” I said under my breath as we took the elevator to the fourth floor.

Heather leaned over and whispered in my ear. “You’re going to shit your pants, but Candy Vargo is a trained doula.”

“Correct,” I shot back. “I need new pants.”

“Wait,” my sister said, alarmed. “For real?”

“Nope,” I assured her, glad that we were the only occupants on the elevator. “Although, if Alana Catherine keeps dancing on my bladder, there’s a fine chance that I might pee a little… no need for diapers yet. As to what you just overshared… I’m not sure that having a profane, toothpick-abusing doula is a good way to go.”

June giggled. “Charlie’s a doctor. And I’m pretty sure Gideon has been one as well.”

Heather raised her hand. “Me too—and Tim.”

“My goodness,” June said with delight. “Such accomplished friends I have.”

I grinned and agreed. I had options. Many options, apparently.

“Game faces on,” Heather directed as the elevator doors opened. “We’re here.”

We had no issue getting to the fourth floor.

Heather, looking like Dr. Muth, easily snatched Amelia’s chart from the nurses’ station. She just walked behind the busy desk and took the file. As she passed me, she covertly took the empty file I held. She tucked the hospital file under her coat and replaced it with the one she conjured up.

Heather nodded, smiled and waved as her coworkers greeted her. I noticed she didn’t speak a word. My sister was every kind of smart. We had no voice match for Dr. Rhonda Muth.

“This is June Williams. Amelia Williams’ aunt,” I said to the nurse behind the desk. “We’re here to pick Amelia up.”

“Dr. Muth is her attending physician,” the nurse said, pointing at Heather. “Is she ready for checkout?”

Heather nodded and gave the nurse a thumbs up, passing the new file to her. Amazingly… or maybe not so amazing, considering what the Immortals were capable of, the chart read that Amelia Williams was free to leave with June Williams.

“May I see your ID, please?” the nurse asked June, who went as pale as a ghost. “It’s standard hospital procedure. We have so many procedures here it makes my head spin! I tell you what we don’t have… decent food in the cafeteria. I’d suggest if you want to grab a bite on the way home, you stop at Burger Brothers. I swear to the good Lord above I got food poisoning from the chicken fingers here last week. Rancid stuff.”

The nurse, whose badge read Cathy, was definitely chatty… However, chicken fingers sounded seriously good right now. Maybe not from the cafeteria, though.

Heather quickly bent down to pick something up and handed June a wallet.

“Oh,” I said, clasping my hands together and heaving a monster sigh of relief. “Thank you so much, Dr. Rhonda Muth. June Williams must have dropped her wallet.” I winced when I realized how stupid it sounded to have used both of their full names. I would be winning no awards for my crappy performance.

“Yes,” June said, a bit wild-eyed. “June Williams can be so clumsy!”

Neither one of us was on the Oscar’s list.

June looked like she was about to pass out. Her hands shook. I quickly opened the wallet and handed the nurse June Williams’ driver’s license. I was feeling a little light-headed. Acting and lying were not my forte.

“Room 425,” the nurse said, pointing the way and handing back the license. “Fantastic news. It looks like all the discharge papers have been filed, and the bill has been paid. Amelia is free to leave. And…”

“And?” June asked, clearly worried that she might have to provide more proof.

Chatty Nurse Cathy leaned forward. “And my prayers are with you that the young woman starts speaking soon. She’s not uttered a word since she came in—not to the police or the doctors.” The woman glanced to her left, then her right. “I’m not supposed to say anything like that, but she just breaks my heart. I read in the paper today about her siblings. So tragic. She won’t even speak to her boyfriend.”

“I’m sorry. What?” June asked sharply.

I shoved my hands into the pockets of the coat Heather had provided. I knew they were sparking. We certainly didn’t need me to be admitted for imploding or get thrown into a lab to be studied for fire-producing fingers.

“Her boyfriend—little old for her if you ask my opinion,” the nurse confided with a shrug. “He was here earlier—just left.”

Heather didn’t wait. She strode down the hall towards room 425. June and I sprinted after her.

We entered the room in a rush. Heather snapped her fingers and locked the door behind us. Since hospital doors didn’t have locks, Heather’s magic was coming in handy. I immediately searched the room and bathroom for Justin Hodge. There was no trace of him.

Amelia’s eyes went wide with fear. She grabbed a vase of flowers, bashed it on the bedside table and pointed the jagged edge at us.

“Good girl,” Heather said to her approvingly.

My mouth fell open. Heather had obviously done a switcheroo and was back to herself. I’d missed that.

“Who are you?” Amelia demanded.

“We’ve come to get you out of here, dear,” June said.

“That’s not what I asked,” Amelia snapped.

I held up my hands to both June and Heather. We needed to slow down here a bit. We were with Amelia now. Justin Hodge was not. If he tried to take her in our presence, that would be the very last thing he did on this Earth, and no one would be the wiser.

“My name is Daisy,” I told her, staying safely out of stabbing range.

She looked small in the large bed. Her arms were red and blistered. The skin I could see on her legs looked wet and shiny from the burns. Both legs were lightly bandaged in areas. I remembered Tim saying she had some third-degree burns. Her lovely face was unmarred, but her eyes were dull and practically dead.

“What do you want?” she asked me.

I sighed and wondered how much truth Amelia could take without breaking. From the look in her eyes, she’d already fallen apart.

“You’re in danger,” I said slowly.

The laugh that came out of her was harsh. “And?”

This wasn’t going to be as easy as I’d hoped. And clearly, the nurse was incorrect. Amelia Williams had no problem talking.

“The man you saw at the edge of the woods—his name is Justin Hodge. He burned the house down for insurance purposes.”

She stared at me and waited.

“I’m fairly sure he didn’t know that Penny, Robert and Glen were in the house. However, it’s still a felony murder—murder in the first degree.”

“Do not say their names,” Amelia ground out, wielding her weapon like she was about to use it.

Heather wiggled her fingers, and the sharp glass disappeared. Amelia glanced at her hand in shock, then cowered back.

“You’re pregnant,” Heather said to me when my gaze jerked to hers. “I’m taking no chances here.”

“How did you do that?” Amelia asked, looking around for the broken vase.

“Don’t worry about it,” Heather told her. “Just be happy I did. You do not want to kill the people who are here to save you from Justin Hodge.”

“Who are you? How do you have this information? Are you Feds who moonlight as magicians?” Amelia demanded, staring at Heather with fear and distrust.

“I’m Heather. I’m your lawyer who is going to make sure that Justin Hodge rots in jail for the rest of his miserable life.”

“Yeah, right,” she said flatly.

“She will,” I assured Amelia. “There is no one better than Heather.”

Amelia shook her head and mumbled to herself. “Can’t take that risk.”

I squinted at her. “Tell me what you mean.”

Her eyes were filled with unshed tears. “I don’t know who you people are or why you’re here. I believe nothing anyone says. And I don’t have any money to pay a lawyer.”

“Money isn’t necessary,” Heather told her.

Amelia glared at her. “Really? Awesome. I have a bridge to sell you if you’re interested.”

“That’s fair,” June said, walking right up to Amelia’s bedside and gently pushing her messy blonde hair away from her face.

Amelia stiffened and slapped June’s hand away. “Do not touch me.”

June backed away but stayed close to the angry girl. “You can’t do this alone, Amelia,” she said softly. “You’ll have to trust someone along the way.”

“Wrong,” Amelia snapped. “You don’t understand. There is no way in hell you can understand.”

She was right, and she was wrong. I most definitely understood her pain.

“I understand you—more than you know,” I said. “I lost my mother to murder. I lost my husband to murder.”

“Bullshit,” Amelia hissed.

“Enough,” Heather said as someone began to knock on the door.

“Who is it?” June called through the closed and locked door.

“I’m Amelia’s boyfriend. Why is the door locked?” a frustrated male voice yelled.

Amelia paled to the point I was sure she was going to faint.

“Answer me truthfully,” I whispered to her. “Do you have a boyfriend?”

She said nothing. Why on earth wouldn’t she bust him? It didn’t make sense. I was pretty sure Justin Hodge stood on the other side of the door.

The knocking became more insistent. We didn’t need security coming to the room. Getting arrested wasn’t in the plan.

“Penny told me you believe in Angels,” I said softly. “I’m an Angel, and I’m here to protect you.”

Amelia was furious. Tears rolled down her cheek, and she reminded me so much of Prue and Abby, it made my heart literally ache in my chest.

“You lie,” she said raggedly through her tears.

“No. I don’t lie,” I promised as the knocking morphed into banging. “Glen was looking into going to community college and getting a job at the gas station. Robert was like a grown man with all his wisdom. Penny is a joy. She sees Angels. She always has. It’s why she got moved from foster home to foster home. I know that Glen gave her a book of fairy tales. I know that Penny believes all dogs and cats go to Heaven.”

Amelia’s tears were now sobs. I worried I was destroying her, but I needed her to understand we weren’t here to harm her.

“They love you,” I said.

“They’re dead,” she choked out.

I nodded. “Yes. They’re dead, and they’re also worried about you. Not only am I an Angel, I’m also the Death Counselor. The dead come to me to help them solve their unfinished business before they can move on. You are their unfinished business. Please… please let us help you.”

She swiped at her tears with her blistered arm, then winced from the salt of her tears bathing the wound. “I have no boyfriend.”

“Is that Justin Hodge on the other side of the door?” I asked.

She nodded jerkily.

“Has he threatened you?” Heather asked in a low tone.

Again, Amelia nodded.

“Will you trust us enough to get you out of here?” June asked, taking the girl’s hand in hers.

“How?” Amelia asked, clutching June’s hand like a lifeline.

“Do you really believe in Angels?” I asked her with a smile.

She pressed her lips together. Tears continued to spill from her eyes. “I don’t think I do anymore.”

I took her other hand in mine. Heather joined hands with both June and me. We were connected. “Let me help you believe again.”

“I don’t think anyone can,” she said emotionlessly. “But I want to leave this place.”

I gently squeezed her hand and looked at Heather. Heather nodded. We were ready. I wasn’t sure if Amelia was truly ready for what was about to happen, but it was the safest way to get her out. “As you wish.”

Chapter Fifteen

The setting sun left a heavy and visceral darkness in the air. A few watery rays of sunlight bled into the living room through the bay window, but they couldn’t brighten the somber mood.

Amelia sat on the couch in an almost catatonic state. We’d gotten her out of her hospital gown and helped her put on some of my comfortable sweats. Candy Vargo had gently dressed her wounds. She hadn’t made a sound. The talkative girl from the hospital had disappeared. Amelia didn’t seem scared or even wary. She was just an unresponsive body taking up space.

I felt a little panicky, and my breathing came in quick spurts and stops. Had we done the right thing by bringing her here? Was she going to slip away from us before our eyes? I backed away from Amelia quickly when my fingers began to spark.

Tim’s hand on my shoulder calmed me. My friends might be unusual, but I wouldn’t trade them for all the riches in the world.

Donna and Karen had curled up at Amelia’s feet and nudged her with their wet noses every few minutes. The broken young woman didn’t notice. June sat quietly next to her and kept her hand on her back.

Candy Vargo was ready to lose her shit. She’d paced for a bit, then went to the kitchen. After I heard the third piece of kitchenware shatter, I joined her.

“Ease up,” I told her. “Breaking my plates isn’t helping anything.”

“It’s keepin’ me from transporting down to Pourtersberg and rippin’ that fucker from limb to limb,” she ground out. “That child in there is empty. She might be breathing, but that’s about it.”

Tim, Jennifer, Heather and Missy joined us. My mom and Gram stayed with Amelia and June. I knew neither June nor Amelia could see them, but even invisible, their presence was comforting.

“How long till Gideon gets back with the kids and Angels?” Missy asked, grabbing a broom and sweeping up the mess Candy had made.

“Forty-five minutes or so,” Heather confirmed.

Gideon had left soon after we’d transported. We’d called to let him know we were back at home. Penny, Robert and Glen were beside themselves that Amelia was safe. However, while she was physically away from harm, mentally, she was in deep trouble.

“Nothing from my dad or Charlie?” I asked Tim.

He shook his head. “Not a word.”

Grabbing a box of dry breakfast cereal and going to town, I sat down at the table and tried to streamline my thoughts. “Is it good or bad that they haven’t been in touch?”

“Neither,” Candy Vargo said, reaching into the box and pilfering a handful. “No news is always better than bad news.”

I handed her the box, then got up and opened a new one. The fact that she was always wielding a wet toothpick in her hand didn’t make me fond of sharing finger food with her.

“What’s next?” Missy asked.

I almost choked on a mouthful of Cheerios when a terrible thought settled in my frontal lobe. Missy smacked my back, and the food went down the right pipe.

“Lifesaver,” I told her with a smile as I accepted a glass of water from Tim. “The police don’t know that Justin Hodge did it. Only Amelia knows.”

“He’s on the suspect list,” Candy confirmed. “However, so is Amelia, and so are the kids. Fire Marshall is lookin’ into it.”

“There was gasoline poured all over the house,” I said flatly. “Amelia was at work, so she has an alibi. The kids died in a closet. Pretty sure that will rule them out.”

“Don’t disagree,” Candy said. “However, it takes humans a while to figure shit out.”

I pushed the cereal box away. I wasn’t hungry. Shocking, but the thought of what Amelia might have to go through to get justice stole my voracious appetite. “She’s going to have to go back there. She’s going to have to make a statement and ID him.”

“Maybe, maybe not,” Heather said. “However, we’ll have to get in touch with law enforcement.”

Tim wrung his hands and sat down next to me. “I’m unsure if they will believe Amelia.”

“Why?” I asked.

“She has a record,” he said softly, just in case Amelia could hear us.

“For?” I asked, closing my eyes. The thought of more complications made my stomach queasy.

“Misdemeanor petty theft,” he replied.

“Define,” I said. “I’m not a lawyer.”

“Food?” Heather asked Tim.

He nodded. “Yes, she stole from grocery stores. Repeatedly. Spent time in a juvenile detention center four times between the ages of fifteen and seventeen.”

“They were starving,” I ground out. “Clearly, they weren’t being fed in the fucking foster homes.”

I half expected Gram to zip in and yell at me for dropping the f-bomb. However, if the word had ever been merited, it was now.

“I don’t think that will be admissible,” Heather said. “I also don’t think it would matter if it was. She paid her debt and was clearly feeding her siblings and herself. Yes, they were staying in the house illegally, but the crime was burning it for insurance purposes. That’s a felony. The fact that the kids died makes it first-degree murder, even if it wasn’t premeditated. And… most importantly, she has an alibi.”

“Have we checked that?” I asked. In no way did I think she was involved. However, law enforcement needed facts.

“Yes,” Tim confirmed. “Amelia was at work. She clocked out after the fire began, and there are witnesses to corroborate if necessary.”

I squinted at him. “How do you know that?”

“I transported down and checked,” he replied.

“You walked into the diner when we were rescuing Amelia and went through the time cards?” I asked doubtfully.

Heather groaned and shook her head. “Tim, how long did you render yourself invisible?”

Well, that was something new.

Tim didn’t want to answer her. He busied himself putting away the cereal boxes.

Heather raised a brow and repeated herself. “How long?”

“Half hour,” he mumbled.

Her eyes narrowed. “How many times have we discussed this?” Heather demanded.

“Umm… at least three,” he replied sheepishly.

“Try three hundred,” she snapped.

“Wait,” I said, very confused. “Are there consequences to Tim going invisible?”

“And then some,” Candy Vargo announced. “If the dumbass goes too long, he gets stuck. About three hundred years ago, he disappeared for six decades.”

Tim huffed and flicked nonexistent lint off his mail carrier uniform. “It was four decades, and I wasn’t gone. You just couldn’t see me.”

My stomach dropped. I didn’t have a ton of friends. I didn’t want to lose one for a few decades. “Tim, while I appreciate what you did, let’s not go invisible anymore. I like having you around. Cool?”

Tim gave me a guilty yet incredibly adorable smile. “I promise I won’t. It’s lovely that you care.”

Candy Vargo spat out the toothpick she was chewing on and pulled out a fresh one. “I have an idea.”

“A bad one?” Tim asked with a wince.

“Define bad,” she shot back.

“One where someone ends up dead,” he replied.

Candy Vargo paused for a long moment. “Yes. It’s a bad idea.”

“Nope,” I told her. “While I understand the impulse, I don’t agree. You understand?”

Candy Vargo shrugged. “I hear you.”

It was a non-answer. I was going to have to keep an eye on her.

Jennifer pulled out some of the leftover pizza and slapped the box down on the table. “Look, we need to make sure Amelia is healthy in the head. I’m thinkin’ we need to get her a therapist. That child’s carrying a heavy load. Her body will heal. Her mind?” Jennifer paused and shook her head. “I’m not so sure about that. However, a human therapist might not be the way to go bein’ as parts of the story involve shit that can’t be explained.”

She had one heck of a point.

“Are any of you all therapists?” Missy asked the logical question of the Immortals present.

Heather shook her head. “No, but Clarence is.”

Of course, my dad had been a therapist at one point in time. All of them had been around so long, I couldn’t compute the number in my head.

“Jennifer,” I said, getting up and giving her a hug. “That’s a brilliant idea. Thank you.”

She smiled sadly. “Welcome, Daisy. All of this just makes my heart hurt something awful.”

“I know,” I told her. “Me too.”

The headlights of Gideon’s car were like a beacon in the night. As thrilled as I was that he was back, I had no clue what was going to happen or how to handle the Angels, the ghosts and Amelia.

“One thing at a time,” Tim said. “There is no wrong way. The only way to go wrong is not to be present and engaged. No mistake is harmful when decisions are made with love and compassion.”

“You sure you’re not an Angel?” I asked him with a smile.

“Very,” he replied. “I much prefer plain old Immortal.”

“Emphasis on the old,” Candy Vargo commented, walking to the fridge and pulling out the tin of lasagna. “We need to see if that gal will eat. I’m gonna warm this shit up. It was fucking delicious.”

Her language was heinous. Her intentions were golden.

“How about I meet Gideon and the Angels in the living room, and you all stay in here for a little bit?” I suggested.

“Agreed,” Heather said, pulling out a plate for the lasagna. “Everything is overwhelming enough for Amelia without an army of strangers staring at her.”

“We’ll get some food ready,” Missy said. “If you need us, you know where to find us, dude.”

I nodded and smiled. Taking a deep breath and hoping for the best, I stepped back into the living room.

One thing at a time.

Chapter Sixteen

It was not going well.

The Angels huddled together in the foyer and stared at Amelia. Penny, Robert and Glen flew around their sister like whirling dervishes. She was unaware of their presence and their joy. June was still next to Amelia and had no clue they were being dive-bombed by the dead. Gideon stood in the archway between the kitchen and living room with a concerned expression marring his handsome face.

“What the hell is wrong with her?” Abby demanded rudely. “It’s not like she’s dead or anything.”

My head jerked so fast to my sister that she almost fell backward in her haste to escape. My eyes glowed with fury. The way the room was awash in golden light was my clue. The house even shook a little. My lack of control over my power was alarming. At least my sparking fingers hadn’t started a fire. There was no way Abby was getting away with her cruelty. Grabbing her arm, I shoved her out the front door. Gabe, Rafe and Prue followed.

“What is wrong with you?” I hissed, making sure the door had closed behind me. “Have you paid attention to nothing but yourself? Is your goal to destroy everyone you come into contact with?”

“I didn’t mean—” she began.

“Really?” I asked, cutting her off in a harsh tone. “What didn’t you mean? Didn’t mean to be rude? Didn’t mean to be an asshole? Didn’t mean to be vicious to a person who just lost their entire family in a fire—the people who she loved most in the world? Tell me what you didn’t mean, please. I’m curious.”

Abby was silent. She didn’t have an answer. Abby was as broken as Amelia. Penny, Robert and Glen had lived a difficult and tragic life just like Prue, Rafe and Gabe.

Shut the front door. Their initials matched.

“Oh my God,” I gasped out as my knees buckled and I slid slowly down the wall. What the heck did it mean? I was way past believing in coincidences.

“Are you having the baby?” Prue shrieked. “Rafe, help her. Daisy’s having the baby. Abby, this is all your fault!”

Abby’s eyes grew huge, and she looked like she might cry. Her humanity was showing. “Do something,” she snarled at her siblings.

Rafe scooped me up into his arms and started running towards Gideon’s car. Gabe was right behind him. I was so shocked, I could barely speak. They were very mistaken. I was not in labor or even close.

“Umm… guys,” I said as Rafe carefully put me in the backseat.

“Don’t speak,” Gabe said, a total nervous wreck. “I don’t think that’s good for the baby.”

“Are you serious?” I asked, trying not to laugh.

“YES, he’s serious,” Abby bellowed. “If you speak, that leads to screaming. Once you start screaming, that means the baby is coming out. I have seen this on TV.”

I bit down on my lip and watched the freak-out ensue.

“Do we have blankets and hot water?” Rafe asked, searching the car.

“Why the hell would we have hot water?” Abby growled. “It’s not like everyone carries hot water in their pocket.”

“Why do we need hot water?” Gabe asked, getting frantic.

Rafe spewed out a string of swear words that would have made Candy Vargo proud and Gram’s head explode. “I don’t know why we need hot water,” he snapped.

“Did you see it on TV?” Abby asked, completely serious.

“Yessss,” he hissed.

“Then we need it,” she replied.

“Oh my God, I don’t know how to drive,” Prue shouted, getting into the driver’s seat and banging the steering wheel with her fists. “How do you even turn this thing on?”

“Get out,” Abby insisted, yanking Prue out of the car. “I watched Gideon do it. It didn’t look hard. Where in the name of hell on earth are we going?”

Prue had run around the car and dove into the passenger side. “The hospital.”

“Where is the hospital?” Abby yelled, flicking every switch she could find. The windshield wipers came on, and all four of them screamed.

“I don’t know where the hospital is,” Rafe ground out. “Maybe we should get someone from inside to help us.”

“Actually, that’s a good idea,” Gabe said, getting out of the car and sprinting towards the house.

“Guys,” I tried again.

“No speaking,” Abby admonished me. “While we’ve seen births on TV, we’ve never participated in one.”

“I’ll get Gideon,” Gabe called over his shoulder.

“NO!” I shouted. “Everyone, stop. Please.”

The Angels froze.

Abby glanced over her shoulder at me. Her eyes were wild with distress. “You want to have the baby on the grass? Not in a hospital?”

“That’s absurd,” Prue snapped at her sister. “This isn’t the middle ages. As far as I know, women don’t squat in fields anymore.”

Rafe continued to search the car. “We also don’t have blankets, and it’s cold outside. I see that as a large problem.”

“Guys,” I said, raising my voice over the bickering. “I’m not in labor. I’m not having the baby right now.”

“Wait. What?” Rafe asked, confused. “Then why did you say you were?”

I almost laughed, but I was still in partial shock at their caring behavior towards Alana Catherine and me. “I didn’t.”

“You didn’t?” Abby asked.

“Nope,” I said, patting her on the shoulder. “Prue said I was having the baby.”

Abby pointed at her sister. “She’s right. You said it.”

Prue flipped Abby off. “It looked like she was.”

“You’ve seen a baby being born?” Rafe demanded.

“ON TV,” she shouted.

Rafe shook his head and groaned. “Should we get out of the car?”

“Not yet,” I said. “Gabe, come back, please.”

“Are you having the baby, or are you not having the baby?” Gabe asked, getting into the backseat next to Rafe and me.

“I am not having the baby, but I’d like to thank all of you for your concern and quick thinking.” I was grinning from ear to ear and trying my best not to laugh.

The dummies had found their humanity, or at least a good deal of it.

“And that’s funny?” Abby hissed. “Funny that you completely freaked us out? I mean, I almost drove a fucking car. I don’t know how to drive.”

“Umm… it’s the thought that counts,” I told her. “And I’d like to remind you that I didn’t say I was having Alana Catherine.”

Abby rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

“Okay,” Rafe said, taking a deep breath. “If you’re not having the baby, why did you say ‘Oh my God’ then lose the use of your legs? I would think the loss of control of the bottom half of your body would mean you were having the baby since the baby comes out of the…”

“Say it,” Prue demanded.

“Absolutely not,” Rafe said flatly.

“It’s just a body part,” Abby pointed out. “It’s not a bad word. Say it.”

Rafe crossed his arms over his chest and glared at his sisters. “No.”

“Yes,” Prue insisted gleefully.

“NO,” Rafe shouted.

I rolled my eyes and pressed the bridge of my nose. How old were they? Eleven? “Vagina,” I said. “The baby comes out of the vagina.”

“Unnecessary,” Rafe admonished me.

“Vagina,” I repeated.

“Penis,” Prue added gleefully.

“VAGINA,” Abby yelled.

“Enough,” Rafe snapped. “I know what the body parts are called. I simply prefer not to say them.”

“It’s better than saying woowoo and weenie,” Prue pointed out.

“Or clam and pecker,” Abby said, grinning.

A laugh burst from my mouth, and I glanced around. We were having fun together. Granted, the level of our maturity was on par with a fourth-grade boy, but that was beside the point. Abby was smiling. Prue had giggled. Gabe was his usual amiable self and even Rafe, as annoyed as he was, had a hint of a smile on his lips. If the girls wanted to tease our brother, I was all in.

“Or front butt and schlong,” I chimed in, much to the delight of my sisters and the horror of Rafe.

“Or cootchie and baloney pony,” Gabe said with a straight face.

“For the love of everything fucked up,” Rafe muttered, running his hands through his hair and giving up. “Fine. Or hairy taco and pork sword.”

“Ewwwwww,” Prue said with a gag.

Rafe eyed her. “You started it. I ended it.”

“That you did,” I said with a laugh. “Are we all good now?”

“Other than needing ear bleach, yes,” Rafe said.

Abby was staring at me. It was intense and uncomfortable. I hoped to heck and back that we could continue on a lighter note now that we’d laughed together for real, but I doubted it. My sister was a tough nut to crack and filled with anger and pain.

“I’d like to say something,” she said, still staring holes into me.

“Is it ugly?” I asked, returning her gaze.

“Not as ugly as a hairy taco and a pork sword,” she replied with a tiny smirk.

“Then, by all means, have at it,” I told her and waited to be railed at.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

“I’m… well, I’m, you know, umm… sorry,” she finally choked out.

The silence in the car was deafening.

I knew how difficult that had been for her. The word sorry had sounded foreign coming from her mouth, but she’d said it.

Zadkiel had lost. My brothers and sisters had found their humanity. It wasn’t necessarily constant yet, but it was there. I wasn’t sure how to let the bastard Angel know that I’d won, but hopefully, my dad and Charlie would discover the asshole’s whereabouts.

“Apology accepted,” I said.

She nodded curtly. Prue reached out to touch her but got her hand slapped away for her effort. Abby still had work to do, but didn’t we all?

“Alrighty then,” Gabe said, breaking the awkward silence. “So, if you weren’t having the baby, what happened on the porch?”

“You all are connected somehow,” I said.

“We’re siblings,” Prue pointed out, looking at me like I was an idiot.

I was not an idiot. I also hadn’t been clear.

“Amelia—Abby. Glen—Gabe. Penny—Prue. Rafe—Robert,” I said.

No one spoke for at least five minutes. Several times, Gabe opened his mouth, but he closed it without making a sound.

“What does that mean?” Rafe finally asked.

I shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know. But I’m positive it means something.”

Abby inhaled deeply and audibly. “I say we go back inside and figure it out.”

“I say yes,” I told her.

“Oh,” Prue said as we made our way out of the car and back to the house. “Can we keep this little episode between us?”

I laughed. “Yep. It will go nowhere. I’m good with not having to explain why I used the terms front butt and schlong.”

Rafe shook his head, but he smiled. Gabe joined me in a laugh. Prue grinned, and Abby mouthed the word vagina at Rafe.

With life going haywire, everything was alright in my world at this moment. Granted, it could change on a dime, but I would take what I could get… vaginas and all.

Chapter Seventeen

We’d put Amelia to bed in a guest room. Penny, Robert and Glen wouldn’t leave her side. They were aware she couldn’t see them, but they still hovered around their sister. Amelia had not spoken a single word. The young woman was asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

June sat in an armchair near the bed. She’d insisted that a familiar face needed to be near Amelia in case she woke up during the night. Candy Vargo had grabbed a blanket and extra pillow for June and made sure she was comfortable. The Keeper of Fate had also checked Amelia’s burns and applied a salve and light bandaging.

For all of Candy’s gross, violent and rude behavior, she was a loving caretaker to those she cared about.

Rafe surprised everyone by checking to make sure the windows were securely locked, and he’d even found a nightlight in the hallway to put in the bedroom. The Angel had also placed another blanket over Amelia for warmth. Prue had given him a strange look, but he’d studiously ignored it.

We’d all literally tiptoed out of the room and down the stairs so Amelia wouldn’t wake up. There was a sweetness to it that made my heart happy.

No one was tired even though it was late. We were gathered in the living room to figure out how to proceed. Jennifer, Tim and Candy Vargo sat on the couch. I was curled up in the armchair with Gideon standing behind me. Mom and Gram perched their ghostly bodies on the arms of the chair. Missy was in the kitchen putting together snacks. Abby, Prue, Gabe and Rafe sat on the floor by the fireplace. Heather paced. The mood was tense.

“We have to let the authorities know where Amelia is,” Heather said as she walked back and forth at a quick clip. “Otherwise, it looks like she’s gone into hiding. Not smart if she’s technically a suspect.”

“I agree,” Gideon stated, rubbing my shoulders. “I’ll notify them tomorrow morning and let the police know any communication comes through me.”

“Or me,” Heather reminded him.

Being represented by the badass Grim Reaper and the kickass Arbiter between Heaven and Hell was about as good as it could get.

“If the authorities know where Amelia is, does that mean Justin Hodge will have that information?” Rafe demanded. He uttered the name of the man who’d caused all the tragedy as if it was a filthy swear word.

I didn’t disagree. Even the man’s name made me sick.

“No,” Tim said. “He would not be privy to that information—only the police.”

Rafe nodded curtly. His humanity was unmistakable now.

Abby growled deep in her throat. “If he comes here to harm Amelia, it’s not a problem. I will kill him.”

She was very serious. She’d taken her humanity a little too far.

“First thing you’ve ever said that I can get on board with,” Candy Vargo commented, giving Abby a thumbs up. “However, since you’re human at the moment, leave the killin’ to me. I’d hate to see you go down since you’re not as much of a slimy shitball as you used to be.”

“I appreciate that,” Abby told Candy Vargo. “However, I feel strongly about being involved.”

“I can work with that,” Candy Vargo said, offering her a toothpick.

Abby got up, crossed the room and took the toothpick. She seated herself on the couch next to Candy. My mouth was open. What was happening here? It was good and horrific at the same time.

“I would also like to be included in the demise of Justin Hodge,” Prue announced. “May I have a pointy piece of wood too?”

“Yep,” Candy Vargo said, tossing a full box across the room.

“None of you will kill Justin Hodge,” Rafe said flatly.

“Finally, someone is making sense,” I muttered.

“Because I plan to torture him for weeks, then kill him. I plan to do this whether he comes after Amelia or not. I will need an address and someone to drive me. I don’t know how to drive,” Rafe said.

I groaned. “I take back what I just said.”

“I like your style, boy,” Candy Vargo told him. “However, that scenario sucks ass. Best way to go about this kind of shit is to make it look like an accident. Let Fate take care of it.”

“Interesting,” Gabe chimed in. “I can see how that would accomplish the goal while keeping the innocent safe.”

“Bingo,” Candy said, tossing another box of toothpicks to Gabe. “You idiots catch on fast.”

“Thank you,” Gabe told her, catching the box and examining the contents. “What exactly are these pieces of wood for?”

“Dual-purpose,” Candy explained. “You can pick the food out of your teeth, and it’s also a fashion statement.”

“For the love of everything dadgum wrong,” Gram grunted. “Do not teach the Angels how to be disgusting, Candy Vargo. And while I’m in agreement that this Justin Hodge is a real snake in the grass, and he needs to be knocked hard into next week, I don’t wanna see his blood on none of y’alls hands. I don’t have the time to jerk all of y’all bald. You hear me? Don’t wanna see people I love havin’ to live with something like that. Makes about as much sense as tits on a bull.”

“What exactly did all of that mean?” Gabe asked, confused.

“It meant that none of you are going to go out of your way to kill Justin Hodge,” I said, thankful Gram had said what she’d said. “Going about this legally is what we’re going to do. Amelia didn’t start the fire, and neither did the kids. Justin Hodge did it for the insurance money. The trail logically leads right to him. His demise could likely land right back on Amelia as an act of revenge for the death of her siblings.”

“While Daisy has a point, I’ve also seen the bad guy get away with murder multiple times,” Prue said, picking her teeth.

I sighed. “On TV?” I asked wearily. The Angels seemed to get most of their information from television shows.

“Yes,” she replied.

“Not applicable,” I told her. “TV is fiction.”

Prue shook her head. “Not America’s Most Wanted,” she challenged. “Or The People V O.J. Simpson. That asshole got away with murder.”

Well, crap. She had me there.

“While I can’t argue that, I’m going to lay down the Law of Daisy right now. There is no killing anyone unless it’s in self-defense.” I truly couldn’t believe what I was saying, but it had to be stated. I was dealing with very literal beings. “Do I think Justin Hodge is a piece of shit? Yes. Do I think he should rot in prison for the rest of his life? Yes. Do I want to kill him… for real? No. Because I’m better than he is, and so are all of you. Period.”

“Amen to that,” Gram said.

“Kind of a buzzkill,” Candy Vargo commented.

“I’m good like that,” I told her. “Are we all on the same page?”

“Is the correct answer yes?” Prue asked, perplexed.

They were like children. “Yes,” I told her.

She nodded along with her siblings. No one gave me a verbal answer. That didn’t bode well, but I’d keep my eye firmly on all of them.

“Still no word from my dad or Charlie?” I asked Tim.

He shook his head. “No, not yet.”

“I think the best thing to do is for all present to get some sleep. Being clearheaded is the smartest way to go,” Gideon said.

I yawned. It had been a seriously long day. “Gideon is right. Time for bed. Tomorrow is a new day, and if we plan to tackle it, we need to be awake.”

“Snacks are ready,” Missy announced, walking into the living room with a massive platter filled with delicious food.

“We’ll go to bed after snacks,” I said sheepishly. “I’m kind of hungry.”

“All pregnant women have the appetite of twelve grown men,” Prue backed me up. “I have seen this many times.”

“On TV?” Heather asked with a raised brow and a grin.

“Of course,” Prue answered, helping herself to the snacks.

“Umm… I wouldn’t say twelve men,” I chimed in with a wince.

“Interesting,” Gabe commented. “Ten grown men?”

I rolled my eyes and groaned. “Eight,” I confirmed, much to the amusement of Gideon, my mom and Gram. “Eight grown men. Happy now?”

“Yes,” Gabe replied with a chuckle. “It’s fascinating to learn from sources other than television.”

“I like TV better,” Abby said. “You can turn it off when you’re done. Real life is a real kick in the ass with all the rules and focus on manners. I find it tedious.”

Candy Vargo cackled. “You know, if you shitbags hadn’t torn my legs and arm off, we could have been friends.”

“You did ingest us,” Prue reminded Candy with a shudder. “I would say we’re even. Perhaps we could start fresh.”

I closed my eyes and tried not to laugh or scream. The conversations I had and witnessed were so flipping weird it was insane.

“I think it’s a fine idea as long as cannibalism and rendering each other limbless is off the table,” Tim said, standing up. “Jennifer, Candy and Gram, shall I drive you home?”

Jennifer stood up and gave me a hug. “Works for me, Timmy. I tell you what, all this makes Twilight look like a kid’s book. Although, we probably could use the help of the Illuminati.”

“What is this Twilight you speak of?” Gabe inquired.

“I’ll bring over the DVDs tomorrow, and we can watch it,” Jennifer told him. “I’ve got the whole series.”

“Remind me to run errands tomorrow,” Gideon muttered.

“I’ll be joining you,” I told him with a giggle.

“Alrightyroo,” Jennifer announced. “I’ll come over in the morning with donuts.”

“Awesome,” I said. “And thank you.”

“I’ll be back around noon,” Candy Vargo announced. “My house is being inspected to make sure it’s up to code to take in my kids.”

“Is it?” I asked. Candy Vargo wasn’t the finest housekeeper from what I’d heard.

“Hell to the yes,” Jennifer said, slapping Candy on the back. “We got it ship-shape. Candy bitched like she’d stepped on a dang Lego, but we got it done.”

“Sure did,” Gram said with pride as she kissed my cheek. “My Candy did a fine job. ’Course it took a little ass-kickin’ from Jennifer and me, but I’m dang proud of my toothpick-chewin’ gal.”

Candy rolled her eyes, but she was grinning like a fool. “Thought I was gettin’ six kids. Turns out it’s gonna be four to start. I’ve got the room for ten.”

“Your house is that big?” I asked, surprised.

“It is now,” Tim said with a giggle. “It seems that in the dead of night recently, Candy Vargo had an extension built.”

“And the neighbors didn’t notice that?” I pressed.

“Nope,” Candy assured me. “Magic is a handy-dandy tool.”

“Be careful,” Gideon advised. “Drawing attention to the unexplainable is never a good plan.”

“Roger that,” Candy said. “But I gotta say, I enjoy usin’ magic for the benefit of other people rather than dismembering assholes.”

“Literally?” Gabe asked with a wince.

“Not following.” Candy Vargo squinted at him.

“You remove assholes?” Gabe clarified.

Candy slapped her thigh and laughed like Gabe had made the funniest joke in the world.

I gagged.

“Hell to the no, I was speaking figuratively,” she explained, wiping away a tear from her eye.

Gabe nodded. He still had no clue what she was talking about, and I didn’t have enough energy to explain.

“And on that lovely note, I say we call it an evening,” Heather said, grabbing her coat and handing Missy hers.

Everyone left except those who were staying with me. Prue and Abby were now sharing a room, since we’d given Amelia a room. My mom decided to sit with June and watch over Amelia. Gabe and Rafe made their exit along with the others.

Gideon put his arm around me. “Come on, sleepyhead.”

I rested my head on his shoulder. “Will you cuddle me all night long?”

“With pleasure, Daisy.”

As we walked up the stairs and toward the master bedroom, an unusual sight made us stop in our tracks.

“Is something wrong?” I asked Rafe, who had taken a pillow and blanket from his bedroom and set up a makeshift bed on the floor outside of the guest room Amelia was in.

He would not meet my gaze. “No,” he replied curtly.

I waited for more of an answer. I didn’t get one. “Okay,” I said. “See you in the morning.”

All I got was a nod. Gideon and I continued down the hall.

“That was weird,” I whispered, closing the bedroom door behind me.

Gideon sat on the edge of our bed and patted the spot next to him. “Rafe is having feelings he doesn’t know what to do with.”

“Like?”

Gideon shrugged. “Not quite sure, but did you notice Candy Vargo stared at Rafe when you asked if she could see Amelia’s future?”

I paused. I had seen it and thought it was strange. “You think Amelia and Rafe’s futures are intertwined somehow?”

He shrugged. “Not a clue, but I would surmise Candy Vargo knows.”

I slipped out of my shoes and let Gideon help me with the rest. He dressed me and my big belly in a soft flannel nightie that Missy had bought. I felt like a beached whale, but the man who I loved treated me like beautiful spun glass.

“I’m not going to ask her about it,” I said. “Candy always says the future has a way of changing on a dime because of free will. I don’t want to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong.”

“Beautiful and smart,” Gideon said, pulling me into his strong arms and gently rubbing my belly.

Alana Catherine head-butted her father. Gideon grinned and kept his hand on my stomach.

“She’s going to be a handful,” I said with a smile. “She calls you Gideon, by the way.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “Perfect.”

Alana Catherine agreed with his assessment and gave Gideon a few right jabs. She then sat on my bladder and bounced with all her tiny might. “Oh my God, I have to pee.”

“Need company?” Gideon asked.

“Nope, but if you fall asleep before I get back into bed, you’re in huge trouble,” I warned.

“Wouldn’t think of it.”

“Good,” I told him as I hightailed it to the bathroom.

He was as good as his word. The Grim Reaper had stayed awake, then cuddled me close all night long. He was the best man I knew. Gideon was a keeper, and I was definitely keeping him.

Chapter Eighteen

“What are they doing out there?” Amelia asked, staring out of the bay window.

It was the very same question Heather had asked only days ago, and I still didn’t have an answer. Prue, Abby, Rafe and Gabe were back at the mysterious woodpile in my front yard. At least the Angels were no longer trying to attack each other with hammers and saws. However, their arguments were loud and profane.

“I’m not sure,” I told her. “How are you feeling?”

Amelia turned and gazed at me blankly. “I’m not sure,” she replied, repeating what I’d just said.

The morning had dawned bright, sunny and cold. After dropping off enough donuts to feed an army, Jennifer, June and Missy went food shopping and to get some personal items and clothes for Amelia. She was walking better today and seemed to be in less pain.

Heather and Gideon had gone into town to Heather’s law office to make some calls and let the Pourtersberg authorities know where Amelia was staying.

Candy Vargo was at her house waiting for an inspection, and Tim was with her. My guess was that he was there to make sure Candy didn’t say anything horrifying. She wasn’t the most socially acceptable gal. Gram and my mom were there too, but since they were dead, they wouldn’t be able to run interference like Tim could.

“You want to talk?” I asked, wincing as Prue threw a long chain and almost hit Abby in the head.

“No,” Amelia said. “But we probably should. How long am I allowed to stay here?”

My heart caught in my throat. The girl was so used to not being wanted anywhere, she was putting everything out upfront.

“As long as you want.”

She shook her head and made a sound of disgust. “It would be good if you could be more specific. I don’t do well with vague answers.”

“The rest of your life,” I said.

She looked at me like I was crazy. I might be. But not about this. I was very serious. Gideon and I were moving to our new home. If Amelia wanted this one, she could have it. I’d sell it to her for a dollar, so it would be a legal transaction. I’d broach the subject later. She needed to trust me before an offer like that.

Amelia turned her back on me, her slim body trembling. I knew she thought I was screwing with her. My instinct was to hug her, but I was aware that it wouldn’t be welcome.

“June told me that those people out there are Angels,” she said flatly.

“They are,” I confirmed. “Right now, they’re being tested, so, umm… they’re kind of at half power, so to speak.”

“They seem like jerks,” Amelia commented.

I shrugged. I couldn’t completely disagree with her. “They’ve had a very difficult existence.”

She turned back to me. “How difficult?”

“Unimaginably difficult,” I replied carefully.

Amelia nodded, then stared at them again. Prue was sitting on the ground pouting. Abby was throwing wood. Gabe stood next to the woodpile and did his best not to laugh or yell at his sisters. Rafe was the only one actually building something. It was shitty construction, but he was making progress. However, it was still a mystery as to what they were building. When he hammered his thumb, I gasped.

“That had to hurt,” I muttered.

Amelia walked away from the window and sat on the love seat. “I don’t believe in any of that Guardian Angel crap.”

I sat on the couch across from her. “You don’t have to.”

She rocked back and forth, hugging herself. She had no clue that her siblings were with her every step she took and every move she made. “There’s something wrong with you people. I think all of you belong in a mental institution.”

I kind of agreed with her, but I said nothing.

“And you,” she spat, pointing at me. “You think you speak to the dead?”

Amelia was angry. She had lost everything. She was devastated, and she was confused. I wasn’t sure the truth would set any of us free right now, but the alternative sucked.

I nodded slowly. “It’s hard to believe,” I admitted. “I thought I was insane when it started happening.”

She laughed. It was humorless. “And you think you’re right in the head now?”

I tried to cross my legs. My big belly didn’t allow that move. “Debatable,” I replied.

“I don’t get you.” She eyed me with distrust.

“That’s fine. You don’t have to get me. You don’t have to like me. However, regardless of how you feel about any of us, you’re welcome here. We want you to stay.”

“Teeeelah Ammeeeeeliaaaa myyyyyy liiiitttleah poooneeeeeey,” Penny begged, trying desperately to hug her big sister.

My eyes strayed to Penny, and I covertly shook my head. I did not think Amelia was ready for me to relay messages from the beyond. The last thing I needed was for her to run away from here. We could only keep her safe if we knew where she was. Once Justin Hodge was behind bars, she could run as far away from us as she wanted.

“What are you looking at?” she demanded, glancing over her shoulder in alarm.

“Nothing,” I lied.

She narrowed her eyes. “You suck at lying.”

She had me there. I was a crappy liar—always had been and apparently still was.

“Yep,” I agreed. “However, I don’t think you’re ready for me to answer you.”

She rolled her eyes. “You have no clue what I can and can’t handle. You know nothing about me.”

Actually, I did, but I didn’t think sharing that right now would be helpful. I sat quietly and hoped to heck and back that June, Missy and Jennifer would get home soon. It was a whole lot easier dealing with ghosts than a person who was so fragile and broken. I didn’t want to harm her in any way. She’d been hurt more than enough in this lifetime.

“You talk to them?” she asked with a nasty sneer on her pretty face. “My dead brothers and sister?”

I’d never been so unsure of how to handle something in my entire life. The truth was normally the best way to go, but Amelia had been dealt so many tragic truths lately, this one could send her over the edge.

“Dausseeeeee,” Penny said. “Iiiiittts ooookaaay. Beeeeha ooookaaay. Ammeeeeeliaaaa stroooongah.”

I tried to ignore her, but it was difficult. Penny was right up in my face.

“Teeeelah Ammeeeeeliaaaa Iiiiii oowwwah heeerrrr fiiiivah,” Robert insisted.

“Teeeelah Ammeeeeeliaaaa bluuuuuah soooockssss,” Glen begged. “Teeeelah.”

They were all over me. I could feel them. As the Death Counselor, the dead were corporeal to me. While they were not hurting me in any way, I couldn’t help but flinch.

“What?” Amelia snapped. “What’s happening?”

The ghosts calmed and floated back over to her. They stared at me expectantly. They knew her far better than I did, and, apparently, they were certain she could handle it.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Decisions sucked.

“Do you promise me you won’t leave?” I asked.

“No. I don’t.”

I sighed and ran my hands through my hair. Well, she was honest. However, if she did indeed believe that her siblings were here, there was no way she would run.

Inhaling deeply, I did as asked. “Penny wants me to tell you, my little pony.”

Amelia paled and gasped. “What else?” she choked out, angrily swiping at a tear.

“Robert says he owes you five, and Glen said blue socks.”

The sound that left Amelia’s throat was that of a mortally wounded animal. The Angels crashed through the front door, led by a wild-eyed Rafe. Amelia rocked back and forth and sobbed. I didn’t care if she didn’t trust me yet. She needed to be held and comforted.

Shockingly, Rafe beat me to it.

The other Angels gathered around the love seat. Rafe wrapped his arms around Amelia and whispered in her ear.

“What did you do to her?” Abby asked. Her voice wasn’t surly. Her manner wasn’t ugly.

“I gave her messages from her siblings,” I said as my eyes filled with tears. “It was too soon.”

“Naawwwooo,” Robert said, floating over and touching my face. “Weeeeeeeeee haave toooo goooooah sooonah.”

“When?” I asked as my stomach lurched. “Now?”

Glen shrugged. “Doooonah knoooooooah. Sooonah.”

“Fuck,” Abby muttered. “What can we do?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” I said, feeling frantic.

She rolled her eyes. “To help,” she snapped.

Her tone was probably never going to match her words. I was getting used to it. She was trying.

I shook my head and got down on my knees in front of Amelia. “I am so sorry.”

Amelia’s sobs abated somewhat, and she glanced at the man comforting her. I was worried she might slap him like she’d slapped June’s hand away. She didn’t. She eased out of his embrace and walked back to the window.

“What are you people building?” she asked in an emotionless tone with her back to all of us.

The Angels exchanged glances. Abby pointed to Rafe. He nodded and sighed.

“A swing set,” Rafe told her.

“Why?” Amelia asked.

“For Penny. Your brother said she likes to swing,” he replied. “Daisy didn’t have a swing set, so we decided to build one.”

I was flabbergasted and proud. My brothers and sisters were truly good. They were broken and probably always would be, but they were trying so hard.

“You decided to build the swing set, Rafe,” Gabe said, giving the credit where it was due. “We agreed to help.”

“And we suck at it,” Prue added.

Amelia walked back over and sat down on the love seat next to Rafe. She glanced around the room warily. “Where are they?”

Penny squealed with joy. Robert began to cry, and Glen trembled so much I was worried he’d lose a body part again. They hovered over her and began to chatter.

“Above you,” I replied.

Amelia looked up. “They can see me?”

“They can.” I motioned for the Angels to move. Rafe clearly didn’t want to, but finally did when he noticed Penny trying to sit by her sister. “Penny is now next to you on your left. Glen and Robert are on your right. They’re seated on the chair with you.”

Amelia carefully ran her hands through the air. They went right through her siblings, but she’d aimed for the correct area. “Did I touch them?” she whispered.

I couldn’t hold back my tears if my life had depended on it. What I was seeing was so beautifully sad. “You did.”

“Why can’t I see them? And why can you?” she asked.

“Humans can’t see the departed.” I wished I had the power to give her the gift of seeing them, but I didn’t.

Amelia nodded slowly and continued to touch the air around her. “But Angels can?”

I nodded my head. “Angels can.”

“Penny saw Angels,” Amelia said. “No one believed her.”

“She told me that you believed her. Robert apologized for not believing her.”

Amelia’s blue eyes looked huge. She stared at me in disbelief mixed with fear. “I don’t believe anymore. If the Angels watched over us, how did it happen? Why did they die?”

It was a question I had no answer to. I didn’t think I ever would.

“Some things have no reason,” Prue said quietly.

“That’s stupid, inhumane and cruel,” Amelia shot right back. “Prove to me you’re an Angel. Do something. Bring my brothers and sister back.”

“I can’t,” Prue said, paling. “That isn’t possible.”

“Then you are worth nothing,” Amelia snarled, sounding very similar to Abby.

Prue stood tall and glared at Amelia. “I am very aware that I’m worth nothing. I do not need you to tell me that.”

Prue turned and began to walk out of the house.

“Nope,” I said, crossing the room so fast I disappeared from view for a moment. Wrapping my arms around my sister, I held her tight. She fought me for a few minutes, then went boneless. We sank to the floor together, and she fell apart in my arms.

“It’s okay,” I told her. “It will be okay. I promise.”

Abby approached and squatted down next to us. “Prue is correct. We are worth nothing. You can’t change that, Daisy. No matter how much you want to, you can’t.”

“You’re right,” I said.

Abby backed away as if I’d struck her. She turned to run from the house, and I waved my hand and dropped a wall in front of her, trapping her inside. I heard Amelia gasp, but there was little I could do to explain to her what was going on. The room was filled with people in pain. I had to address what was in front of me. One step at a time.

“I can’t make you see your self-worth, Abby. You have to find it,” I told her, doing my best not to let my raging hormones take over. The need to cry was overwhelming, but it wouldn’t help Abby to put my pain on her. She needed my strength. Whether she knew it or would accept it was the question. “I will swear to you on my life and the life of my unborn child that it’s there. But I can talk until I’m blue in the face. I can’t make you believe it. You have to believe—have faith.”

“Faith has not been kind to us, Daisy,” Gabe said, crossing the room and helping Prue and me to our feet.

“Your faith was placed in someone who abused his power and abused you horribly. It was criminal,” I said. “That was a bastardization of all that’s good about faith.”

“Poetic words do not alter the truth. You deserve what you get,” Rafe said coldly.

“I’m sorry,” Amelia said. “What did you say?”

Rafe refused to look at Amelia. “You heard me. You deserve what you get.”

“That is wrong,” Amelia ground out. “So very wrong. First of all, I want to say I’m sorry to all of you. What I said was despicable, and I didn’t mean it. This is not who I am. I hurt right now more than I ever thought possible, so I tried to hurt you.”

“I have a high tolerance for pain,” Prue said flatly. “I am used to it.”

Amelia shook her head. “And so am I,” she said harshly. “And you know what? I didn’t deserve it. Penny and Robert and Glen didn’t deserve it. We did nothing wrong other than being born to parents who died too soon. We didn’t deserve to be separated. We didn’t deserve not to be loved. We didn’t deserve to be hungry or harmed by those who were getting paid money to watch over us. We deserved none of it. And by God—a God I’m pretty sure I no longer believe in—my brothers and sister didn’t deserve to die. So, no, Rafe. We do not always get what we deserve.”

Amelia walked over to Prue and got on her knees before her. “I am so sorry. If there is something I can do to make you feel better, please tell me. I feel terrible for hurting you. I understand you more than you know. You didn’t deserve what happened to you, either.”

“Do not bow to me,” Prue said, dropping to her knees and going eye to eye with Amelia. “I am no better or no worse than you. I know who you are on the inside.” She cupped the young woman’s cheek in her hand. “And I forgive you.”

“Daisy,” Amelia said, glancing up at me. “I still think there’s something off about all of you, but I’m sorry. You saved me, and I’ve been awful.”

“We’re fine with awful,” Abby said. “We’re fairly awful.”

I almost laughed. Abby spoke the truth, but not the whole truth. The panicky feeling that had almost made me ill was gone. In its place was a warm, fuzzy sensation.

“I have an idea,” I said, waving my hand and removing the wall I’d put up to keep Abby from running away.

“Is it a shitty one?” Abby inquired with a raised brow.

“Probably,” I admitted.

“I’m in,” Gabe announced. “Tell us your shitty idea.”

I put my hand on Amelia’s shoulder and gently squeezed it. “I think we should build a swing set. Together.”

“About that,” Prue said. “We don’t know what we’re doing.”

“Yes,” Rafe agreed. “Building seems to be very similar to driving.”

“Okay,” I said with a grin. “However, I am very, very good with a hammer and nails.”

“But you’re a girl,” Gabe pointed out.

Prue, Abby, Amelia and even Penny joined me in a massive eye roll. “I’ll pretend you didn’t say that,” I told him. “Get your sorry asses out there. I’ll prove to you what a girl can do.”

Prue took Amelia by the hand and led her out of the house. Rafe was right on their heels. A sheepish Gabe followed. My dogs were already outside and were thrilled by the parade of people to play with. Penny, Robert and Glen flew right through the wall of the house, delighted by the idea of a swing set and the fact that Amelia wasn’t crying anymore.

“I lied to you,” Abby said.

“About what?” I asked as I put on one of Gideon’s coats.

Abby rolled her neck and popped her knuckles. “When I told you I would never like you, I lied.”

“I know.”

She squinted at me. “You know?”

I winked at her. “Yep. I’m seriously likable. There is no way you couldn’t like me.”

“That was not even remotely humble,” Abby pointed out. “And kind of douchey. Prue and I are rubbing off on you.”

“Whatever,” I said with a laugh, using one of her favorite terms. Waving my hand, I put a warm coat and hat on her.

She looked down at herself and sighed. “Without magic, we’re nothing.”

“I disagree,” I said. “Your humanity is showing. Your magic will return.”

A small smile began to pull at her lips. “That fucker, Zadkiel, is going down,” she whispered.

“Yes,” I said. “He is.”

Abby literally skipped out of the house. I heaved a huge sigh and patted my tummy.

“Zadkiel is going down,” I told Alana Catherine. “It’s just a matter of when and how.”

Chapter Nineteen

The swing set was coming together. There was a lot of profanity being tossed around thanks to Prue and Abby, but that was to be expected. I’d proved Gabe wrong, and he’d apologized so many times I had to wiggle my fingers and put duct tape over his mouth. My magic was coming more easily, and I wasn’t as destructive. The key was in controlling my emotions and anger level. Of course, the pregnancy hormones made that a real challenge, but so far, so good.

“When is the baby due?” Amelia asked as we hooked the chains up to hold the swings.

“About three weeks,” I told her. Her fast acceptance of the unexplainable floored me. Both she and June had come to terms with the otherworld much faster than I had. Since Robert had told me that he and his siblings didn’t have much time left on the earthly plane, I was overjoyed that they would have some time together—no matter how unusual.

Amelia lightly touched my stomach. My baby gave her a friendly kick hello. She laughed. “Is it a boy or a girl?”

“A girl. Alana Catherine. She’s named for my mom and another very special woman who I had the privilege of knowing.” I smiled as I thought of Sister Catherine and her penchant for mooning us. When she’d moved into the light, I’d been wildly happy for her and equally as sad for myself. I would have loved to have spent more time with the nutty woman, but that wasn’t what was fated.

“Your mom. You said she was murdered?” Amelia questioned.

I nodded. “Yes.” I almost told her my mom was still with me in her ghostly form but held the story back. Everything was going smoothly right now, and I didn’t want to upset her.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

“Me too.”

Amelia glanced around. “Are my brothers and sister here now?” she asked, helping me down the step ladder I was standing on.

Penny, Robert and Glen were definitely still here. They’d stuck to their sister like glue. However, Penny had made sure she also paid attention to the Angels and complimented them repeatedly as they built her swing set. They’d done a horrid job, and I’d had to repair every improvement they made, but no one nailed their hand to the wood, and no one bled. I considered it a win.

“They don’t leave your side.”

Amelia extended her arms and closed her eyes. “Tell them I want a hug, please.”

“I don’t have to,” I explained as her siblings wrapped their ghostly arms around her. “They know.”

Amelia gasped softly. Tears of joy leaked from her closed eyes. “I think I feel them a little bit.”

I was shocked to silence. Was that possible?

A sensation of something powerful that stopped and started in uneven jerks and spurts came from behind me. It didn’t scare me a bit, but it was foreign. Turning around to figure out what was happening, I had to grab the frame of the swing set, so I didn’t drop to the ground like a sack of pregnant potatoes.

“Oh my God,” I whispered in a state of awe.

Rafe, Gabe, Abby and Prue held hands and stared directly at Amelia and her ghostly siblings. A dull golden glow surrounded them, and muted sparks of magic shot around them like sparklers on the Fourth of July. My smile was so wide it hurt my cheeks.

Their power was returning. It was not fully back by any means, and they were probably using up what they had right now, but it was there. I realized I wouldn’t have to prove they’d gained their humanity to Zadkiel. They were proving it themselves.

“I do,” Amelia whispered. “I feel them. How?”

“Open your eyes,” I told her. “The Angels are watching over you.”

Amelia did as I requested and saw the magic that was going down—the magic that was a gift for her. She smiled through her tears and nodded her head to my brothers and sisters.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “Thank you so very much.”

Prue looked as if she was going to pass out. Abby was so pale I could see the veins in her face. Gabe was unsteady on his feet, and Rafe’s body trembled from head to toe.

“Stop now,” I told them. “Gifts should not harm the giver. What you’re doing is beautiful beyond words, but it’s time to stop.”

Both of my sisters dropped to their knees and sucked in huge amounts of air. Gabe grabbed a tree for balance, but Rafe stood on his own and stared at Amelia. I felt like I was watching something I shouldn’t be privy to but couldn’t turn away.

Was Rafe in love with Amelia? Was he her Guardian Angel? Was it something else altogether? Was it any of my business?

No.

No, it was not.

While I was dying to ask questions and figure it out, I didn’t. My impulse control was improving. That didn’t mean I wasn’t going to obsess over this odd turn of events, but I was definitely not going to butt in.

The internal debate I was having was thankfully interrupted by Jennifer’s car pulling up. Saved by the groceries and my buddies.

“Oh my!” June said as she exited the car loaded down with bags. “A swing set. How wonderful.”

“I tell you what,” Jennifer said, opening up the back hatch and filling her arms with bags. “Daisy could build a dang house from the basement up. Our girl is one heck of a carpenter.”

“I know,” Gabe mumbled as he carefully pulled the duct tape from his mouth. “Believe me, I know.”

Missy took in the scene, and her expression turned from delighted to concerned. “What’s going on here?” She put her bags down and raced over to the Angels.

“It’s fine,” Prue assured her as Missy felt her forehead, then reached over and felt Abby’s. “We did something nice.”

“And it almost killed you?” Missy asked, helping the girls to their feet.

“It almost killed them?” Amelia cried out, looking stricken.

“No,” I said quickly. “No. It wore them out. They haven’t done anything like that in a while.”

“Actually,” Rafe contradicted me. “We’ve never done that before in all of our centuries.

It was Amelia’s turn to pale. “Did you just say centuries?”

Missy’s alarmed gaze shot to mine. I nodded my head to let her know it was okay, or as okay as it could be. “He did say centuries,” I confirmed.

Amelia stared at Rafe. Rafe didn’t look away. Again, I was so freaking curious, but I kept my lips zipped. Jennifer didn’t.

“As far as I know, that boy right there is single,” Jennifer told a mortified Amelia.

Rafe, who’d stood his ground through the magical gift, now looked like he wanted to run for his life.

“WOW! Food,” I shouted. “Look at all this food. Food is delicious. I’m pregnant. I love food!” I winced at how idiotic I sounded, but my verbal vomit continued. “Soooooo hungry. I could eat the swing set! I’ll eat anything if there’s chocolate sauce on it. Yum-yum!”

Only my dogs seemed to enjoy my loud and ridiculous overshare. They zipped around the yard and barked. Everyone else looked at me like I’d lost my mind.

“Dude,” Missy said with a laugh. “Ease up.”

June, ever the peacemaker, and the one who kept us from digging holes that would bury us, chimed right in. “Inside, everyone! Time to feed Daisy. Hustle. It’s too cold out here to just stand around.”

Jennifer, realizing she’d just stuck her foot into her mouth and pulled it right out of her ass, backed June up. “That’s right. I might not feel the cold like y’all do ’cause of my boob and ass implants, but June has a fine point. I’d hate to see everyone get chafed nipples—hurts like a mother humper.”

“You should probably stop right there,” I told her.

“Too much?” she asked.

“Way,” I confirmed.

Jennifer just laughed like a loon and handed everyone bags to carry in.

“Holy shit,” Abby muttered. “How many places did you people shop?”

“Ten places, dear,” June told her sweetly. “We’re having a party!”

“We are?” I asked, confused.

“We are,” June said with a wink.

“For?” I asked.

“It’s a dang surprise!” Jennifer bellowed. “We’ve been planning this for a few days. Don’t you go askin’ questions and ruin it.”

I grinned and shrugged. “Fine,” I said. “Let’s go get ready for the mystery surprise party.”

“That’s the spirit, dude,” Missy said with a giggle. “I’m proud of you for not begging to know the deets.”

“I’m maturing,” I told her with an eye roll.

“Seriously?” Missy inquired, squinting at me and trying not to laugh.

“No,” I admitted. “But I’m trying.”

“You’re kickin’ ass, Daisy,” Jennifer informed me. “MOVE IT, PEOPLE! My knockers are feeling the chill, and that means it’s really freakin’ cold out here. I paid far too much for these babies for them to freeze and fall off my chest.”

The laughter of my real family and my chosen one filled me up. Jennifer was right off her rocker, and it was all kinds of perfect. So many single moments in time were beautiful… and this crazy moment was one of them.

* * *

I was sent to my bedroom by a very bossy Jennifer and told not to come out until I was called. I’d been provided with a huge platter of snacks, a gallon of strawberry ice cream and a jar of pickles. I was fine with it. Glancing at the array of food, I shook my head. Candy Vargo would be appalled, and she’d be correct. It was disgusting, and it was all mine.

“I hear you’ve been banished,” Gideon said, entering our bedroom.

“Yep,” I said, offering him a pickle.

He politely declined. “Let’s get you dressed,” he said, walking to my closet.

I looked down at the sweats I was wearing and groaned. I’d been in such a hurry this morning, I’d pulled on his clothes.

“What? I’m not hot in sloppy sweats?” I teased.

“You’re hot in a burlap bag,” he replied, choosing a fun and colorful maternity dress that Missy had picked out. “Combat boots or tennis shoes?”

“Boots,” I told him, pulling off the sweatshirt. “I want to mix it up today. Plus, tennis shoes would kind of suck with that pretty dress.”

He smiled and helped me put it on. “We have a few issues.”

“Are my dad and Charlie back?” I asked, then held my breath.

He shook his head. “No. No word from them. It’s about Justin Hodge and the bullshit story he told the police.”

Clasping my hands together, I sat down on the edge of the bed and waited. Gideon was a no-bullshit kind of partner. It was something I loved about him. Right now, I wasn’t in the mood for a setback, but knowledge was power. I had people to protect, and I needed to know how to do it.

“Tell me, please.”

“The son of a bitch is claiming he didn’t know the kids were in the house,” he said.

“That’s already established,” I reminded him. “Do they know he set the fire?”

“They do,” he said flatly. “However, he’s not on the insurance policy.”

I shook my head. “Isn’t he the owner of the house?”

“Partial,” Gideon replied. “He has a partner who’s the beneficiary.”

“Okay,” I said, standing up and pacing the room. “This isn’t making sense. Where’s the bullshit part of the story.”

Gideon inhaled slowly as his eyes went a scary Demon red. I half expected his ebony wings to appear.

“Justin Hodge is claiming he was in a romantic relationship with Amelia Williams. Says she knew he was going to burn the house down. Says they were going to share a cut of the insurance money. Claims she didn’t want to be responsible for her siblings anymore and set them up to die. Says he didn’t realize what she’d done until it was too late.”

Thankfully, Gideon could move fast. My knees buckled, and I began to fall. His strong arms caught me and held me tight.

“Lies,” I spat. “Total lies.”

“Established,” he said.

“How?”

He led me to the chair and seated me. Squatting in front of me, he took my shaking hands into his. “Candy Vargo took a little trip and assessed the situation.”

My stomach roiled. “I thought she was meeting the inspectors to be approved to take in the foster kids.”

“Let’s just say the Keeper of Fate is a multitasker,” he replied cryptically.

“Question.” I focused on keeping my breathing even. “Is Justin Hodge still alive?”

“He is… unfortunately,” Gideon ground out. “I don’t believe his story, but I also do not know Amelia. We needed to understand what we were working with and have the facts to back it up. Candy Vargo was able to corroborate that the first time Amelia ever laid eyes on Justin Hodge was the day he killed her siblings.”

“Do I want to ask how she found out?”

“No,” Gideon said. “You do not. Suffice it to say, it involved no one actually dying. Plus, they will have no memory of what happened to them.”

“Mmmkay.” I shivered. Gideon was correct. I didn’t want to know the particulars. “Since the proof was obtained through… umm… unusual means, will it hold up in court?”

He shook his head. “No. But as long as we know that his confession is patently false, there are ways around it.”

I nodded and let that go as well. If he and Heather were going to do their thing, I was going to step back and let them. Amelia was innocent, as were Penny, Robert and Glen. If the process of getting justice was murky, I didn’t care. As Prue had pointed out, too many people got away with murder.

“Is there anything else?” I asked, hoping the answer was no.

My hopes were dashed fast.

“Justin Hodge’s partner in ownership is named Scott Rose.”

I stared at him blankly. “Is that supposed to mean something to me?”

“Officer Scott Rose.”

If I was standing near a wall, I would have punched it. “A cop?”

“A very dirty cop,” Gideon confirmed. “And while it seems he should have been recused from the case since he’s the person claiming the insurance money, he’s put himself in charge of it.”

“How in the hell is that allowed?”

“Small town corruption,” he replied with a grunt of disgust.

“Can you argue that in court?” I asked as my fingers began to spark.

Gideon smiled. It was all kinds of evil, and I loved it. “We won’t have to.”

“Would you like to be more specific?” I asked.

“Not yet,” he said, extending his hand to me. “Tim is on it. Trust me, it will be explosive.”

“Literally?” I asked with a wince as I took his offered hand and stood up.

Gideon raised a brow. “It depends on your definition.”

“Dude,” I said with a pained laugh. “Are all the Immortals so cryptic?”

He grinned. “When you live forever, it becomes the norm. Just wait.”

I squinted at him. “I’m not Immortal.”

He pointed at the ground. “Actually, you are.”

Glancing down, I gasped. It was a darn good thing I was still near the chair because my knees gave out for the second time in five minutes. On the floor by my feet was sparkling purple dust. It shimmered and danced. It was almost like it was winking at me.

“How long have you known?” I didn’t know what I thought or felt. I was aware that Immortality was a possibility, but I hadn’t truly processed it or even considered it too much. While I was pretty sure I didn’t have a choice in the matter, I didn’t know what I would have chosen if I did. My new truth was overwhelming and scary.

I was forty. I thought I had forty or fifty more years of life. The concept of no ending didn’t make sense. It was impossible to wrap my head around.

“After you went into the minds of Penny, Robert and Glen,” Gideon told me, watching my reaction closely.

I didn’t have words. Crying or screaming seemed like a good option, but I wasn’t sure if I’d be sobbing with joy or horror. The thought of being with Gideon forever was glorious, but the reality was tricky. Would he love me forever? Would I love him forever? Would Alana Catherine be Immortal as well?

“Talk to me, Daisy,” Gideon said. “Tell me what’s going on in your head.”

“I’m not sure how to put it in words,” I whispered. “I’m happy and sad. I’m freaked out and mad and confused.”

He nodded and touched my cheek. “It’s confusing,” he agreed. “Sometimes, the best way to handle the unimaginable is not to think about it.”

I wrinkled my nose. “That seems like a cop-out.”

“More like a survival instinct,” he replied. “It’s too much for the brain to comprehend. To understand a number that doesn’t end would consume a person and make them go insane.”

I slowly nodded. I agreed with him, but I wasn’t there at all. “Hard.”

“Doable,” he promised. “One step at a time. One joy. One success. One failure that makes the successes have meaning. One more day to love. One more day to do good.”

“It’s that simple?” I whispered.

“Nothing is simple,” he said. “Nothing worthwhile is simple. Don’t look at the big picture. Look at the now. Immortality is a concept. You can’t live a concept. You can live a day at a time.”

“How long did it take you to accept that you will never die?” I asked him.

“I’ll let you know when I have the answer,” he said with a tight smile. “However, you have made my meaningless existence meaningful.”

It was a lot. It was a whole hell of a lot.

“Okay.” I placed my hands on my stomach and felt our child move. Alana Catherine was my concern. She was my one step right now. I could control how she was raised and how she was loved. I could make sure she ate right and was happy, and had good manners. “It’s not my normal to not ask five million questions, but I’m gonna change that right now.”

“Really?” Gideon asked with a raised brow and a hint of a smile.

“Umm… probably not,” I admitted.

“There’s my girl,” he said, placing a soft, sweet kiss on my lips. “Selfishly speaking, the thought of never being without you gives me a reason to go on. And I am a very selfish man.”

I hugged him tightly. His existence had been dark and sad. However, he was incorrect to label himself selfish. The Grim Reaper was the antithesis of what one would expect.

“I love you,” I said against his broad chest.

“Till the end,” he replied. “You okay for your surprise baby shower?”

I leaned back and stared at him. “Well, it’s not a surprise anymore.”

“Shit,” Gideon muttered, closing his eyes. “My bad.”

I smiled, then I laughed. I had new knowledge about myself, but I was still the same person I was before I knew. I still smiled. I still laughed. I still loved… and I loved fiercely.

“Yes,” I told him. “I’m ready for my surprise baby shower.”

“Are you going to rat me out for letting the cat out of the bag?” he inquired.

“Not sure yet,” I replied, taking his hand and grabbing the jar of pickles with the other. “Might keep you on your toes in suspense.”

Gideon threw his head back and laughed. The sound would never grow old and would always be something I craved… far more than pickles and strawberry ice cream.

“I accept the challenge,” he said, leading me out of the room.

And I knew he would. I had a brand-new challenge to accept in front of me as well. As to whether I could accept it or not, only time would tell.

It certainly looked like I was going to have a lot of time to figure it out.

Chapter Twenty

“Surprise!” everyone yelled.

I felt seriously loved, and it felt damn good.

Pushing away the chaotic thoughts concerning my newfound Immortality, I decided to live in the moment. This was most likely the only surprise baby shower—that wasn’t a surprise—I’d ever have in my life. Alana Catherine was a miracle and today was a celebration of Gideon’s and my baby.

Aside from my dad and Charlie, everyone I loved was here. And the smiles… the smiles were real and very contagious. Even the Angels were happy. Abby sat next to Missy and bounced in her chair. Of course, the moment I spotted her, she stopped and glared. I winked at her, and she flipped me off. Everything was normal there.

Prue sat next to Amelia. Penny, Robert and Glen hovered over them. Prue whispered to Amelia and told her exactly what her siblings were doing and saying. Amelia was doing pretty darn okay, considering. Loving care did magical things to people—Immortal and human.

My mom and Gram were so proud. It made my heart swell in my chest. It was a rare gift indeed that they were here with me. I hoped with all my might that since Alana Catherine was the next in line as the Death Counselor that she would be able to see them. Only time would tell.

And time was moving at warp speed. I only had three more weeks until I held my baby in my arms. Gideon was positively glowing—literally. His joy was so intense, a golden glow emanated off of him. It was stunning.

The living room was an explosion of pink balloons and pink and white crepe paper. It was a beautiful mess. A tall pile of brightly wrapped gifts filled the entire foyer. Some of the boxes were enormous. The kitchen table was loaded down with food and eight squirt bottles of chocolate syrup were strategically placed on the table. I rolled my eyes, but my stomach growled.

I tore through the pile of gifts with squeals of joy, much to the delight of my friends and family. The tiny clothes, socks and shoes made me so happy I cried. No surprise to anyone. The hormones were raging.

Gideon had clearly been in on the planning since every single thing I’d written down on the list had been given to us for Alana Catherine. My hunch was that Missy had been very involved as well. My BFF since childhood knew my taste. The colors of the bedding and all the other accessories were spot-on perfect—the same as I would have chosen.

“This is way too much, you guys,” I said, swiping at the happy tears rolling down my cheeks. “Thank you won’t even begin to cover it.”

“You just gotta promise to let us love on that baby,” Jennifer said, putting the discarded wrapping paper into a big green trash bag as my dogs, Donna and Karen, were ripping the colorful paper to shreds. “Two things I just love to bits—puppy breath and the smell of a baby.”

“Ohhhh,” June said with a giggle as she wrote down on a pad who had given us what. “I agree.”

I was grateful to June. My dear friends needed to be properly thanked for their generous gifts. Gram would tie my tail in a knot if I didn’t send thank you notes. A good Southern gal always wrote thank you notes by hand. I was a good Southern gal.

“What is this?” Prue inquired, holding up the blue booger grabber.

“It’s a mucus extractor, dear,” June told her. “Babies don’t know how to blow their noses, and that aids in getting the little boogies out. Very helpful.”

Prue dropped it immediately and gagged. Penny thought that was hilarious and did flips through the air. Robert and Glen joined her. It was a ghostly circus and absolutely perfect. Even Amelia laughed when Prue described the antics.

Abby and Gabe each held a stuffed animal in their hands. I hid my grin and secretly planned to let them keep them. My guess was that they’d had no semblance of childhood at all. I was grateful that Amelia seemed to be finding a sense of peace. Even though she couldn’t see or feel her brothers and sister, she was calmed by their presence. Rafe watched Amelia’s every move. There was something there, and I wasn’t sure it was romantic at all, but it was definitely something.

“We gonna play some shower games?” Gram asked as she whipped around the living room with Penny.

“Heck to the yes!” Heather said. “I’m ready to win the games.”

“I brought prizes for the winners,” Jennifer announced.

“Wine?” Heather inquired with a raised brow.

“But of course,” Jennifer replied with a laugh. “Red, white and sparkling apple cider for the momma-to-be.”

“If I win, my bottle goes to Daisy to have a sip after little Alana Catherine arrives,” Gram told everyone.

Gram had arrived with my mom, Candy Vargo and Tim. I wanted a few words alone with Candy, but the conversation would have to wait. The games were about to begin.

Tim pulled out his handy-dandy notebook, and everyone in the room except Jennifer cringed. He took no notice and paged through the notebook with rapt concentration.

“The first game shall be baby and pregnancy fact sharing,” he said.

“Oh my goodness,” my mom said with a laugh as she floated in the air next to me. “Sounds a little iffy.”

“I agree,” I whispered to her.

“Umm… that’s not a shower game,” Heather said, scrunching her nose.

Tim looked crushed. “It’s not?”

I jumped in before he cried. This was a happy day, and Tim had near-zero social skills. The thought that he’d prepared himself was sweet. I was certain I’d regret encouraging him, but I went for it anyway. “It’s fine,” I told Heather with only a tiny wince. “Let’s hear some facts.”

“Pretty sure you’ll live to regret that fuckin’ statement,” Candy Vargo said, playing with a little piano that looked like a caterpillar.

“Probably,” I agreed, still holding the tiny dresses and shoes.

“Shall I start?” Tim inquired.

“Nope,” Candy Vargo answered.

“Yes,” I said, speaking right over her. “Go for it.”

Tim cleared his throat. Everyone was terrified, and rightly so. “During pregnancy, your baby pees inside you and then drinks it.”

“Oh my God,” I choked out. This was not a good game at all. Science was amazing. However, I was living it and didn’t need all the icky details.

“What the fuck kind of game is this?” Abby muttered, trying not to laugh.

“A human one,” Prue informed her. “Humans are nuts.”

“Tim’s not human,” Gabe pointed out.

“This is true,” Tim conceded. “But I am honing my social skills to fit in better.”

Candy Vargo burped, then laughed. “How’s that goin’ for you, dumbass?”

Gram whacked her with a ghostly hand. “That there comment was about as useful as a trap door on a dang canoe. If you don’t mind your Ps and Qs, I’m gonna cream your corn, Candy Vargo. You hear me, girlie?”

Candy Vargo sighed dramatically. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Now you tell Tim you’re sorry,” Gram demanded, slapping her hands on her hips. She might be a ghost, but she was in charge.

Candy rolled her eyes. “Tim, you’re not a dumbass. You’re a douche.”

“Well, I have never,” Gram bellowed. “Try again.”

Candy Vargo was terrified and, from the looks of it, confused.

Tim laughed. “It’s fine, Gram. As long as she doesn’t run me over with a chariot or insist that I eat Mentos and drink Sprite, we’re good.”

Amelia glanced around in confusion. “Who is Gram?” she asked.

“There are other ghosts here, as well as Penny, Robert and Glen,” I explained. “My grandmother and my mom are here too. Humans can’t see or hear them—well, except Missy, but she has some magic of her own.”

Amelia continued to glance around. “Is there anyone else human here besides me?”

“Like Daisy said, I’m human,” Missy told her with a smile. “And so is Jennifer.”

“I’m an enhanced human,” Jennifer added, grabbing her bosom.

“TMI,” I said with an eye roll.

“Whoops. My bad.” Jennifer also slapped her silicone-padded ass. “As for June, we’re not sure yet.”

June giggled. “I’m actually fifty-seven,” she explained to an open-mouthed Amelia. “A very bad Immortal stole my soul, and Daisy put it back in for me. When I woke up, I was a tad bit younger. However, I can’t see the ghosts.”

Jennifer shook her head sadly. “I’ve been angling to get my soul ripped out too, but Daisy said no. I’d look fanfreakintastic as a twenty-five-year-old.”

“And I will continue to say no,” I told her.

“Bummer,” Jennifer said. “Movin’ on! I have a fact.”

“Heaven help us all,” Missy said.

“Heaven sucks,” Abby muttered under her breath.

I wasn’t sure who else heard her, but I did. The Heaven that she knew was what I considered Hell.

“Babies are born with three hundred bones!” Jennifer told the group. “That’s ninety-four more than adults have.”

“Wait, what?” Gideon asked, wildly alarmed. “Do we have to do something about that? Is there a medicine or an exercise?”

I was pretty sure I would have known about something like that, but at this point, I was just shocked at all the stuff I didn’t know.

“Hell to the no,” Jennifer said.

“Correct,” Tim added. “The bones fuse together during the development of the baby once she is out of the womb. No worries there.”

“Son of a bitch,” Gideon muttered as he began to pace. “Are there more facts we need to be aware of?”

“Oh crap,” Heather said with a groan. “The Grim Reaper just opened a can of worms.”

“Newborns don’t have kneecaps,” Tim announced.

“WHAT?” Gideon bellowed as red sparks shot from his eyes. “Where do we buy kneecaps?”

“This is a shitty game,” Prue said. “Someone is going to die.”

I grinned and pulled Gideon down on the couch next to me as he paced by in a tizzy. “No one is going to die, and I actually knew about that one. Kneecaps don’t develop until between the ages of three and five.”

“And this is normal?” Gideon asked, still horrified.

“Completely,” Tim assured him. “However, this next fact seems a bit excessive if you ask me.”

“No one asked you,” Candy Vargo pointed out.

Tim ignored his buddy and kept talking. “Babies go through about three-thousand, three-hundred and sixty diapers in the first year.”

“We don’t have enough diapers,” Gideon ground out in a panic. “We should get more. I can get more right now.”

“We’re good for the time being,” I told him, pointing to the ten packages we’d been given. “We don’t want too many of one size since she’s going to grow.”

“Kneecaps. She will grow kneecaps,” Gideon said, still stuck on the fact that Alana Catherine was going to show up without them.

“Yep. She’s gonna grow kneecaps.” I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth. It wouldn’t be nice to laugh when he was so worked up.

“Here’s a good one,” Jennifer said, looking over Tim’s shoulder at the list. “First color a baby sees is red. Gideon, she’s gonna see those crazy eyes of yours!”

Gideon calmed immediately and smiled. “I like that.”

“And to finish off the fact game,” Tim said as everyone in the room heaved a huge sigh of relief, “babies deprive their parents of about forty-four days of sleep during their first year of life.”

“Not a problem,” Gideon said. “I’ve gone a year without sleeping.”

My mouth formed a perfect O. “Are you serious?”

He grinned. “I am. I’ve got you covered, babe. You can sleep, and I’ll take the baby.”

“Darn good deal,” June said, smiling sweetly at Gideon and me. “Charlie was terrific with our babies. Now that I know the love of my life is a heck of a lot older than me—which is not an exaggeration—I have to wonder if he can go without sleep as well.”

“He can,” Tim told her. “All Immortals can go years without sleep or food—not that it’s a good plan to do so. One can get very cranky that way.”

“Understatement,” Candy Vargo said, reaching underneath herself and scratching her bottom. “Well, I’ll be damned. My ass itches.”

Gram shook her head. “That is not ladylike,” she scolded.

Heather’s gaze shot to Candy in alarm, as did Gideon’s and Tim’s. I suspected that her itchy rear end wasn’t a good sign.

“Excuse us,” Gideon said, heading for the kitchen. “Candy, Tim and Heather. Now.”

I hopped up and followed. Something was happening. I had no clue what it had to do with Candy Vargo’s butt, but I was going to find out. The Keeper of Fate’s boob tingled when she spotted an Immortal. I could only guess that a butt tickle meant something.

I just hoped it wasn’t a bad something.

“Talk,” Gideon said tersely.

Candy sat down at the kitchen table. Her skin began to glow an eerie blueish color. Her hair blew around her head, and she hummed a melancholy and haunting tune. When her eyes rolled back in her head, my body tightened all over.

“What’s happening?” I asked, feeling as panicky as Gideon did when he learned Alana Catherine would arrive without kneecaps, but far worse.

“Don’t know yet,” Tim said, placing his hand carefully on Candy Vargo’s shoulder. “This could take a few minutes.”

“Wait,” I said, not sure whether to laugh or freak out. “Candy Vargo gets messages from her ass?”

“Not her anal sphincter, so to speak,” Tim explained with a straight face. “Her left cheek tingles when an Immortal needs assistance—a magical SOS, to put it in layman’s terms.”

“Seriously?” I asked, squinting at him. If they were screwing with me, they were doing an incredible acting job.

Heather sighed. “Yes, seriously. And it’s her right ass cheek, not her left.”

“Candy got saddled with some strange gifts,” I muttered.

“Indeed,” Tim agreed.

“We have another potential problem,” Heather said quietly. “One that we missed.”

“Out with it,” Gideon said with his gaze still on Candy.

“Justin Hodge most likely has the information on where Amelia is,” she said as her hands balled into fists at her sides. “Officer Scott Rose has the address. Therefore, it’s a logical guess that Hodge has it too.”

“Isn’t he in custody?” I asked.

“Made bail,” Heather replied flatly. “So, no. He’s not in jail.”

Gideon turned his blood-red gaze on Heather. “You think he’ll come here and go after her?”

Heather shrugged. Her magical tattoos danced and raced over her skin. It was a beautiful and macabre sight to behold. She looked like a living piece of art. “He has a lot to lose if she testifies against him. Insurance fraud is one thing. Murder is altogether another. If Amelia is out of the picture, he can blame the deaths on her and get less jail time.”

It was all getting too real for me. The good thing was that the Angels had found their humanity. There was no arguing it. Their power was returning, and I would guess their Immortality would as well. Alana Catherine’s life was no longer in danger. However, Amelia’s life might be.

“Plan?” Gideon asked.

“Send me down to Pourtersberg,” Tim replied. “I’m quite adept at erasing memories.”

The Grim reaper nodded curtly. “Excellent. Plant that Amelia is still in Pourtersberg. Let them search. They won’t find her.”

“As you wish,” Tim replied, bowing his head to Gideon formally. “I will wait to hear what Candy Vargo has to report, then I will depart.”

The temperature in the kitchen dropped drastically. Candy Vargo’s body convulsed as if she was having a seizure. No one seemed alarmed, so I stood still and waited. When she began to speak, her voice was vastly different. It seemed to come from somewhere deep inside. It sounded ragged and choppy. “Danger. Michael. Charlie,” she rasped. “Batu Caves. Surrounded.”

“Malaysia?” Tim asked.

Candy nodded and passed out.

“Oh my God,” I gasped out. “Is she okay?”

Tim held her up. “She’ll come to shortly.”

“Who’s going?” Heather asked.

Every single Immortal in the kitchen was glowing. I had to shield my eyes from the glare. Putting my hand up turned out to be useless. I was glowing like a freaking beacon as well.

Gideon went as still as a statue. His eyes blazed red, and his ebony black wings unfurled from his back. It was terrifying.

“Tim will go to Pourtersberg to erase the knowledge of Amelia’s whereabouts from Hodge and Rose’s minds.”

“On it,” Tim said as he disappeared in a silver mist.

Heather took his place and held Candy, so she didn’t fall to the ground.

“We will go to the Batu Caves,” Gideon directed. “Have you been?”

Heather nodded. “I have. It’s been over a century, but I’ve been.”

“I’m holding it together by a thread,” I said as calmly as I could. “What are the Batu Caves?”

Gideon took my hands in his. “They’re a series of caves in Malaysia. They’re filled with intricate Hindu shrines. It’s a very powerful place.”

I nodded slowly. “And my dad and Charlie are there?”

“They must be,” he replied.

My chest squeezed. “In danger?”

“Yes,” Candy Vargo said as she came to. “Zadkiel and his minions have them cornered.”

“Excuse me for a sec,” I said, moving quickly to the door in the kitchen that led outside. The pressure inside me was too much to handle. I liked my house and wanted to keep it in one piece. Not to mention, it was filled with my friends and family. Blowing it up was out of the question.

Raising my hands over my head, then slashing them through the frigid air, I screamed. The earth parted and groaned as it broke apart. Gasping, I stared at the damage. I was now the proud owner of a crater that could house two Olympic-sized swimming pools. Actually, it felt great. The release of tension was profound and no one was harmed. Win-win.

However, when I thought about Zadkiel, all of the fury came roaring back. That bastard had come at me and those I loved from every side. It was time to end his reign of terror.

Looking over the edge of the crater, I sighed. I’d fix it later. I had things to do and places to be.

“I’m coming with you,” I said as I reentered the house.

“Everything okay in there?” Jennifer called out from the living room.

“Yep,” I called back. “Just blowing off a little steam.”

“Remind me to never get on your bad side,” Jennifer yelled. “You’re a dang maniac.”

“All’s good,” I told her.

“Wrong. All is not good,” Candy Vargo said, standing up. “And you are not coming.”

“Says who?” I snapped.

“Says me,” she shot right back. “I didn’t see you there.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “You know what’s going to happen—the future?”

“I wish,” she muttered with a harsh and humorless laugh.

Heather put her arms around me. “Candy can only see pieces. The truth reveals itself in real-time. If she didn’t see you there, you can’t go.”

I looked at Gideon. He nodded his agreement with Candy and Heather.

“Okay,” I said, inhaling deeply. “I get it. I don’t like it, but I get it.”

The safety of my dad and Charlie was on the line. I would not tempt fate by disobeying Fate.

“Gideon and Heather will come with me,” Candy Vargo said, pulling out a toothpick and putting it in her mouth with a shaky hand.

“When?” I asked, handing her a glass of water.

“Now,” she replied, taking a huge gulp. “I see fire. I don’t understand what I saw.”

“In the caves?” Gideon questioned.

She shook her head. “It was very fuzzy this time. Like I was seeing the action unfold all over the place—possibly two separate events. Not sure.”

Heather pressed her temples and closed her eyes. Her tattoos still raced over her skin. “Are Charlie and Michael together?”

“I think so,” Candy said, regaining her balance and strength. “It’s not that fucking clear.”

Gideon pulled me into his arms and held me for a moment. “They will be fine.”

“You’re sure?” I asked.

He didn’t reply. His lack of answer made me feel ill.

“We’re out,” Candy said, extending her hands to Heather and Gideon. “Save me some fucking cookies.”

And on that note, they vanished in a sparkling red mist.

I sat down at the table and drank the chocolate syrup from the bottle. The party was over.

“I’m leaving.” Amelia stood in the archway between the kitchen and the living room. “I heard what they said about Justin Hodge. I refuse to put you in danger. I’d always planned to go after him to make him pay.”

I almost choked on the syrup. The reason she hadn’t talked to the police was now very clear. “No,” I said, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “If you heard the entire conversation, you would know that Tim has gone down to Pourtersberg to erase their memories of where you are. I want you to stay here. I can protect you that way.”

She shook her head. “I’m not your responsibility.”

“No,” I agreed. “You’re my guest. Penny, Robert and Glen are my responsibility, though, and they would be devastated if you left. Please don’t do that to them.”

Amelia ran her hands through her hair and chewed on her bottom lip. “I just don’t know.”

I stood up and approached her. “How about this? You stay for now. It’s getting late, and you have nowhere to go. If you truly want to leave, I’ll find a safe place for you to go. Let me do that for you.”

“Why are you so kind?” she asked, looking at me strangely.

I smiled at her. “It’s way easier to be nice. Plus, I adore your siblings, and that extends to you too.”

“You’re kind of crazy,” Amelia said with a small smile.

“Best way to be,” I said, putting my arm around her and leading her back to the others. “I’ll take crazy over normal any day of the week.”

“What’d you call me?” Jennifer asked with a chuckle.

I grinned. “Batshit crazy,” I told her.

“You got that right,” she replied, pouring wine for everyone still here.

I gasped as a pain I’d never experienced shot through my abdomen. “Oh shit.” I jackknifed forward. The puddle of water at my feet shocked me. Had I wet my pants, and it leaked all over the dang place? This was an embarrassing way to end my baby shower.

“Oh dear,” June cried out, hustling across the room. “Daisy’s water has broken. She’s in labor.”

“What?” I shouted as another sharp pain ripped through my abdomen and down my legs.

“You’re having the baby,” June said calmly, leading me over to the couch. “Just relax. We’ll get you to the hospital. Someone get Daisy a coat, please.”

Another tremendous pain doubled me over even harder. I’d had three contractions in as little as thirty seconds. Not good. “I don’t think so,” I said, gritting my teeth. “Not going to make it. She’s coming now.”

“Hot water!” Rafe shouted in a panic. “Blankets.”

“I’ve got the booger grabber,” Gabe yelled, holding it above his head. “I would think the baby might have some boogers after living in a stomach and drinking her own pee.”

“That’s absurd,” Abby hissed, pale as a ghost. She ransacked the pile of tiny clothes and chose a yellow dress and matching socks. “She needs an outfit. It’s cold outside.”

Gabe dropped the mucus extractor and ripped open a package of diapers. “Where the hell is the butt cream? We need the butt cream!”

“Oh my God,” I said with a pained grimace. The panic level of the Angels was almost humorous. If I didn’t feel like my insides were exploding, I would have laughed.

“I found the butt cream,” Abby shrieked. “Does it just go on the butt?”

“Everyone, chill out,” Missy said in her outdoor voice. “We do not need diapers, butt cream or clothes yet. We need to be calm and collected. Daisy needs a Zen environment.”

Missy ran around the room, lighting candles. She grabbed her phone and put on spa music. Her inner hippy was showing. I had to admit it was better than the Angels having nervous breakdowns. It wasn’t lost on me that all the Immortals who were qualified to deliver babies were gone.

“Shitshitshit,” I growled as another contraction made my insides feel like they were clawing their way to my outsides.

“Boil some scissors,” Gram insisted, following Prue to the kitchen.

“Why?” Prue asked. “I never saw that on TV.”

“We gotta cut the cord,” Gram said. “Need to have something sterilized to do it.”

“Gross,” Prue muttered.

“This can’t be happening,” I grunted as yet another strong contraction came over me, making my stomach go as hard as a rock. “I’m supposed to have an epidural.” I gritted through the pain. “This suuuuuuuuuucks.”

“It’s going to be fine,” June promised with a smile on her face. “I promise.”

From her mouth to God’s ears.

Chapter Twenty-One

“I’d say you have moved into transitional labor,” June said, sounding thrilled as I huffed and puffed like the Big Bad Wolf. “The head is in the birth canal.”

I was on the couch with my legs bent and splayed open. I was certain I was dying. June assured me I was not. I didn’t believe her. Jennifer and Missy had undressed my bottom half. I didn’t care who saw me. I just wanted the pain to subside. It was heinous.

“You’ve done this before?” Abby warily asked June. “Not just watched it on TV?”

June smiled and nodded. “I was present and participated in the home births of my grandchildren. We’re good. I promise.”

Abby grunted her approval. “Just checking.”

Abby couldn’t hide her humanity now if her life depended on it. I liked June’s answer, but I was pretty sure I could blow my baby out in the middle of nowhere all by myself. Thankfully, I didn’t have to do that.

“How long does it take to have a baby?” I grunted through a particularly awful contraction.

“Your pregnancy was supernaturally accelerated,” Missy pointed out, holding my hand. “Nothing about any of this is normal.”

“At the rate your progressing, I’d say very soon,” June told me. “This is the fastest I’ve ever seen. Just a few good pushes, and Alana will pop on out to greet you.”

Gram didn’t blink an eye when I used the f-bomb in every conceivable way that it could be used. My mom sat behind me and played with my hair like she had done when I was little. It was a small comfort but didn’t negate that having a baby hurt a ton.

“I don’t think a baby can come out of that hole,” Abby said, near tears.

“Is everyone looking at my vagina?” I snapped. “No one needs to look at my vagina.”

“I am not looking at it,” Rafe said, still ripping through the gifts in frantic search of things he thought Alana Catherine would need when she arrived. Amelia helped him. Penny, Robert and Glen floated above them and shivered with excitement.

“I would never look at your vagina,” Gabe swore. “I would never look at my sister’s vagina.”

The fact that he called me his sister was wonderful. The fact that my vagina was being discussed was not.

June led breathing exercises. “Do what I’m doing,” she instructed.

“What are you doing?” Prue asked, copying June’s deep inhales and audible exhales.

“Birth breathing,” June said. “It’s relaxation and controlled breathing. It’s an alternative to drugs for pain management. It’s the only option we have right now.”

“Shit,” I shouted. “Drugs would be way better.”

“It will be over soon,” my mom promised. “Breathe, sweetie. You’re doing great.”

“I am never having sex again,” I growled. “I will castrate Gideon.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Jennifer said. “Do Immortals grow back body parts?”

“They do,” Prue confirmed, holding the sterilized scissors in her hand.

“Then I say castrate the bastard,” Jennifer announced. “He deserves to experience a little genital agony. I mean, for the love of everything unreal, Daisy’s about to blow a watermelon out of a hole the size of a golf ball.”

“Not helping,” I bellowed.

“My bad,” Jennifer said.

“The body is a wondrous instrument,” June said. “Daisy’s body will adjust.”

“It better,” I grunted. Another pain hit, and I instinctually pushed. I couldn’t help myself.

“That’s great, Daisy,” June said. “Push.”

“I’m coming, Mommy,” a voice whispered in my head. “It will be okay. I promise, and I love you.”

“Are you okay?” I asked frantically as the contraction eased. “You’re early. Do I need to push you back up to cook some more?”

“Who is she talking to?” Jennifer asked, looking around in confusion.

“Alana Catherine,” Abby said, calming down. “She’s talking to her child.”

“Silly Mommy,” Alana Catherine said with a giggle. “I am cooked and ready to meet you.”

“Now?” I demanded as a whopper of a contraction almost made me throw up.

“Yes. Now,” she replied.

“Push, Daisy,” my mom whispered against my ear. “Push hard.”

Gritting my teeth and using the f-bomb as a noun, verb and adjective, I pushed. I pushed with everything I had. My vision blurred, and a kaleidoscope of colors tore across my vision. My stomach went as hard as stone—then the pressure subsided. The relief was absolute.

The cries of my child were the most moving and beautiful sounds I’d ever heard. Zadkiel had lost. My daughter had taken her first breath, then her second, then her third. The spell had been broken. My siblings were free, and my beautiful baby was alive and well. Now I just needed Gideon, Heather, Candy Vargo, Charlie and my dad back home.

I’d soon deal with Zadkiel myself, and it would not be pretty.

June cut and tied off the cord then showed me Alana Catherine. I’d never seen anything so exquisite in my life.

“She’s gorgeous,” June cooed as she gently cleaned off the baby and handed me my miracle.

“I’m kind of shocked Daisy didn’t poop,” Abby commented. “On a documentary I watched, the woman pooped big time.”

“Cakehole. Shut it,” I warned. However, I was delighted to hear I’d only blown out a baby.

“Do all babies come out so goopy?” Prue asked, concerned. “She looks like she’s been slathered with pink cottage cheese. Is that normal? I haven’t seen that on TV.”

“This isn’t fiction,” Missy told her, crying. “It’s real life, and it’s perfect.”

Alana Catherine’s cries stopped. Her eyes met mine, and she reached out and touched my face with her tiny fingers. My only regret was that Gideon had missed her birth.

“Now, that ain’t normal. No way. No how,” Gram said, bursting with pride. “My little grandbaby ain’t no normal newborn. She’s a dang genius!”

“You got that right,” Gabe announced, holding diapers and butt cream at the ready. “She’s magical like the rest of us freaks.”

“Back up, everyone,” June advised as I felt my entire body begin to tingle. “There’s some kind of enchantment happening.”

June was correct. It was insane. However, my entire existence right now could be described that way. I was fairly sure I wasn’t making any of this happen. It was Alana Catherine’s doing.

A pale pink mist filled the room and floated in the air. It swirled and danced and covered me in a warm caress. The pain disappeared. My stomach flattened, and there was no evidence at all that I’d even been pregnant or had just given birth.

“What the hey-hey?” Jennifer exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. “That’s not how it happened in Twilight.”

“We’re not vampires,” I reminded her, looking down at my fully healed and cleaned-up self in shock.

“Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit,” Gram crowed. “Never seen nothin’ like that before.”

“Neither have I,” June said with a surprised giggle.

Missy put a baby blanket over Alana Catherine and kissed my forehead. “You done good, Mama.”

I pushed the top of my dress aside and placed my baby on my breast. She latched right on. It was the most natural and glorious feeling I’d ever experienced.

“I’m here,” Alana Catherine told me.

I smiled down at her. “Did you just repair me?” I asked.

“Yes, Mommy,” she replied, gazing into my eyes with a milk-drunk expression. “You have to be at full strength. There is more coming. Your power is weak right now, but it will return soon.”

“Will we be able to keep talking like this?” I asked, gently touching her perfect fuzzy head in wonder.

“Only today,” she told me. “After today, I will be a regular baby.”

I grinned. “There is nothing regular about you, my little love.”

“You got that right!” Gram crowed. “What did our tiny bundle of love say?”

Alana Catherine looked at Gram and my mom and extended her small hand to them. My heart caught in my throat. My mom gasped, and Gram began to cry. My baby could see the women who came before her. Wishes did indeed come true.

“She says there is more coming,” I told them.

“More babies?” Abby asked, appalled. “Do we have enough diapers and snot suckers?”

“Son of a bitch,” Rafe muttered. “I’m sure I could figure out how to drive. We can buy more supplies. Does anyone have money? If not, I can steal what we need.”

I laughed. For real. “No, no more babies. And yes, we have enough diapers and snot suckers. Rafe, you’re not driving anywhere, and you are not stealing anything. I don’t know what Alana Catherine meant.”

And then I did.

And it was God awful.

The windows in the kitchen and living room shattered. Six Molotov cocktails landed in the house. The blaze started immediately. Abby threw her body over mine to protect Alana Catherine and me from the flying glass.

Jennifer screamed, and June grabbed her phone.

“Calling 9-1-1,” she shouted.

Gabe walked right into the flames and was able to toss two of the homemade bombs right back out of the window. While that was good, it wasn’t nearly enough. Thankfully, he didn’t get burned. His Immortality was coming back for sure.

“Magic,” Prue shouted as she dumped a bucket of the hot water Rafe had supplied for the birth over the flames. “Use magic, Daisy.”

I rolled off the couch as the flames began to lick up the walls and incinerate the curtains. My baby was safe in my arms. However, I wasn’t sure how long any of us would be safe.

Slashing my arm through the air, I tried to douse the flames.

Nothing.

“Shit,” I shouted. “My power is weak. Can any of you do anything?” I asked the Angels.

Prue and Abby joined hands and began to chant. Part of the fire abated, but they were not even remotely at full power.

“Out of the house,” Gabe shouted. “Everyone out. NOW.”

“House is surrounded,” Jennifer yelled back. “Cops. Not local. Pourtersberg. At least six of them. Guns drawn.”

“I can kill them,” Abby said. “I would like that.”

“Sounds good to me,” Prue agreed with her sister.

“Hold that plan for a sec,” I said.

My stomach roiled. So many thoughts blasted through my mind and I struggled to make sense of them. Candy had seen a fire. It wasn’t at the Batu Caves. It was here. That was why she was confused. There might be danger at the caves, but there was danger on our doorstep as well. Tim clearly hadn’t gotten to Justin Hodge and Scott Rose fast enough.

My main concern was my baby. Getting her out of here alive was my priority. Period.

Before I could make a plan, Amelia sprinted out of the house. “They want me,” she yelled as she ran. “You all go out the back. I’ll let them take me.”

“No,” I shouted.

Rafe growled like an animal and hauled ass after Amelia.

“Send me to Gideon,” Alana Catherine whispered in my mind. “It’s what is fated.”

“Can’t. Too dangerous,” I said, then winced. It was pretty damned dangerous here.

“Yes, Mommy. It’s the way it has to be,” she told me. “Help me, please. Send me to my daddy.”

I had never been more torn in my entire forty years. Everything was happening so fast, I felt unhinged. Shouts came from the front yard. The sound of a gun discharging made my head spin with fury and fear. Amelia’s scream pierced my soul. Donna and Karen growled like wild animals and tore out of the house.

My world was coming apart, and I had no magic to stop it.

“I don’t have enough power to transport you anywhere,” I told my child.

“I do,” she said. “Just picture my daddy in your mind, and I will find him.”

My eyes filled with tears, and my heart felt as if it were breaking into small pieces. I couldn’t believe what I was about to do, but if I couldn’t protect our child, I prayed that Gideon could. The fire was out of control. June, Jennifer and Missy had literally been thrown out of the back door by Gabe. He, Abby and Prue had followed to protect them.

“Get out of the house,” Abby shouted. “NOW.”

“It’s time, Mommy,” Alana Catherine pleaded. “You must save those here in order to save me. There is one who might die.”

Her prophetic words ran in my head on a repetitive reel. “Listen closely. One will comply, one will lie, one will stand by and, sadly, one might die. You must determine the outcome.”

I had a very bad feeling I knew exactly who might die if he hadn’t already. I didn’t understand what my child meant by saving those here in order to save her, but there was no time to ask questions.

Closing my eyes, I pictured Gideon in my mind. He was my happiness, along with Alana Catherine. His smile made me smile. His laugh made my heart sing. His love made me whole.

In a burst of glimmering pink mist, my baby disappeared. I didn’t know if I was relieved or horrified. It was a combination of both.

“GET OUT,” Gabe yelled again, running into the living room and grabbing me. “Where is Alana Catherine?”

“I sent her to Gideon. She told me to,” I choked out, inhaling smoke with every breath I took.

Gabe looked alarmed but nodded. “We have to leave. The house is going to come down.”

I sure as hell hoped that wasn’t a metaphor of what was going to happen in my world next.

“Front,” I said as I ducked down and made my way to the front door.

Gabe turned and slashed his arm through the air. The fire died. His mouth dropped open. So did mine.

“Touch me,” I insisted.

Gabe took my hand in his. I pointed across the room. The lingering smoke disappeared.

I smiled.

Gabe grinned.

“Don’t let go,” I told him as I pulled him out of the decimated house. “Together, we will end this.”

“With you until the end of time, little sister.”

The scene before us looked like fiction. It wasn’t.

Rafe lay in a pool of his own blood. Amelia sobbed over him. Donna and Karen lay on the ground next to my brother and whined. Penny, Robert and Glen floated above in a frantic tizzy. My mom and Gram tried to comfort the children. It wasn’t working.

There were six cops. Justin Hodge stood among them with a gun in his hand. It was aimed at Amelia’s head. The other cops looked shell-shocked and wildly unsure.

“Cage,” I instructed. “And melt the weapons.”

Gabe nodded and squeezed my hand hard. Together, we made magic.

An iron cage came down around the officers and Justin Hodge. Their shouts of surprise were expected. Their screams as the guns melted and charred their murderous hands didn’t bother me one bit. If you play with fire, you get burned. Permanently.

Sprinting over to my fallen brother, I was so relieved to see his chest was still moving, I almost cried. “What happened?”

“He dove in front of me when Justin Hodge tried to shoot me,” Amelia choked out through her hysterical tears. “He saved my life. Don’t let him die, Daisy! Rafe can’t die.”

For a brief second, I wondered if this was why Rafe had connected to Amelia. Did he somehow know he was meant to save her? I didn’t have time to dissect the theory.

“Help me,” I told Gabe.

He was ashen and looked like he was going to faint. “I’m spent. I don’t have anything left.”

I wasn’t sure I did either, but that wasn’t going to stop me. If Gabe was getting his Immortality back, that had to mean all of them were. All four had found their humanity. However, Gabe had always had his. I prayed hard that didn’t mean he was the only one with Immortality right now.

Examining Rafe, I realized the bullet had gone straight through his shoulder. Unless it hit an artery, he would hopefully live. However, the amount of blood coming out of him didn’t bode well for my hope of it not nicking an artery. “Rafe, can you talk to me?”

“Well, that fucking hurt,” he said weakly. “Remind me not to do shit like that again anytime soon.”

I laughed. My brother was one of a kind. “I’m going to try to close the wound. Not sure I have enough magic right now, but I’m going to try.”

He nodded and winced when I touched the bleeding area. Concentrating hard, I tried to send healing vibes into him.

It wasn’t working. He knew it, and I knew it.

“Shit,” I muttered, getting desperate.

In a blast of sparkling mist, Tim appeared. I’d never been so relieved. He was trembling and furious.

“Move, my friend. I’ve got this,” he ground out, throwing a death glare to the men trapped in the cage.

Tim examined Rafe, then gently touched his forehead. He nodded with satisfaction. “You have your Immortality. It’s not at its peak. You would heal on your own eventually,” Tim explained. “However, it could take months. That is not a prudent plan. I can fix it now, but it will be painful.”

Rafe squinted at the Immortal Courier between Heaven and Hell. “Will it hurt more than being shot, old man?”

Tim chuckled. “Definitely.”

Rafe gave him a tight-lipped smile. “Then by all means, have at it.”

Jennifer, Missy, June, Abby and Prue had come from the back of the house and formed a tight circle around us.

“Where is the baby?” June asked with her hands over her heart.

“With Gideon,” I replied, not looking at her. My eyes were on Rafe.

“You can save him?” Amelia asked Tim, still slightly hysterical.

Tim smiled at her. “I can and I shall.”

Tim placed both hands over the wound and chanted in a language I didn’t understand. Gabe, Abby and Prue, dropped to their knees and clasped their hands in prayer. They chanted with Tim in a counterpoint. It was eerily beautiful. I held my breath and waited.

A silver mist rained down on us, and Tim’s hands glowed a brilliant golden yellow. Rafe convulsed under his touch but didn’t utter a single sound. His eyes were shut tight, and his fists were clenched at his sides.

It took a moment. It took a lifetime. The starkness of the unfamiliar words being sung along with the glistening silver and gold suspended in the air around us seemed to make time stand still.

Maybe it had.

Slowly, Rafe opened his eyes. He glanced around. With a nod of thanks to Tim, he then let his gaze rest on Amelia.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I think I should be asking you that question,” she replied, touching his cheek. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“I would do it again,” he replied.

“Why?” Amelia asked, truly confused.

Rafe didn’t answer her. I had a feeling I knew what the something I was wondering about might be, but that was their business, not mine.

Tim stood up and walked over to the cage. He wasn’t socially awkward at all. He was freaking terrifying.

He continued to chant. The men trapped inside screamed and slapped their hands over their ears in agony. Tim didn’t stop. One by one, each of the dirty cops, along with Justin Hodge, dropped to the ground and went deathly silent. My stomach churned.

“Are they dead?” Prue asked as she walked over to the cage and examined the scum.

“No,” Tim replied flatly.

“Too bad,” she commented.

“Death is far too good for them,” Tim said coldly, walking back to check on Rafe. “They will confess everything now—every last sordid detail of every crime they have ever committed, including the insurance fraud that killed innocents. Amelia will not be implicated in any way. She has been erased from their minds for eternity. An article is set to go national about the corruption in Pourtersberg. Names have been used. Lives will be destroyed. Jail time is guaranteed.”

Tim wrung his hands and looked like he wanted to cry. I hopped to my feet and wrapped my arms around him.

“I have failed you, Daisy. None of this should have happened.”

“Bullshit,” I said, hugging him tighter. “You saved Rafe, and you did whatever voodoo you do to the criminals. You saved us all.”

Tim smiled. It was sad. “I would like to believe your version of the story, but I can’t.” He shook his head and glanced around. “You sent the baby to Gideon?” He looked worried.

“She told me to,” I said, feeling like the worst mother in the Universe. “She said it was the way it was supposed to be—that it was fated. Alana Catherine also implied that I needed to save Rafe in order to save her.”

The silence was thick and loud. The more I thought about what I had done, the more I felt the need to peel the skin from my body. I was supposed to protect my daughter. Not the other way around. The sensation of rabid mice skittering up my spine made me shiver.

The arrival of a haggard-looking Candy Vargo made me come close to losing my shit.

“Come with me,” she said, holding out her hand. “You are needed.”

“Alana Catherine?” I whispered. “Is she okay?”

The Keeper of Fate was silent for a few seconds. “She is fine… for the moment.”

“My dad? Charlie? Gideon?” I choked out.

“Alive,” she said.

My world was falling down around me. Instead of crying, I sucked it back. I was the very last of my worries right now.

Candy glanced around the yard and took it all in. The sound of sirens in the distance made me panic.

“If I leave, can you all handle the police?” I asked.

“We can,” Gabe said.

“You can’t,” Candy Vargo said, eyeing the Angels. “You are coming as well.”

Abby, Prue, Rafe and Gabe exchanged wary glances.

“I can handle the authorities unless I am needed,” Tim said, waving his hand and making the cage disappear.

“That will work,” Candy replied tightly. “Zadkiel wants to cut a deal.”

“What kind of deal?” I ground out. Hearing the Angel’s name made me want to destroy something.

Candy sighed and pulled out a toothpick. “A deal in exchange for Gideon and Alana Catherine.”

“Is this a joke?” I shouted as my hands began to spark and my eyes burned gold.

Everyone backed away from me—even Candy Vargo. My magic was restored, and I had a feeling I was going to need it.

“Not a joke,” Candy replied. “Zadkiel is holding them hostage. There’s no time. Touch me. We leave now.”

And we did. Rafe, Abby, Prue and Gabe joined hands with Candy and me without question.

We left to fight for what was mine.

And I would win.

There was no alternative.

I was the Angel of Mercy, but Zadkiel would receive no mercy from me. He was about to get what he deserved… and it was long overdue.

The End… for now

More In The Good To The Last Death Series

ORDER BOOK SEVEN NOW!

Midlife is sheer madness, and the facts of midlife are not taught in school. Unfortunately, some lessons are hellishly hard to learn.

I thought I had it figured out. I was wrong.

Proving I’m the Angel of Mercy is turning into a sh*tshow of epic proportions.

Not too long ago, I was a forty-year-old gal with a stable and boring life ahead of me. Now? Not so much. I have celestial siblings who are no walk in the park. Their decisions can destroy my future.

And of course, my predecessor has given me a month to do the impossible or I’ll lose everything that means anything to me.

Gluing ghosts back together is turning out to be the easiest part of my job.

Fine. If this is my fate, I accept. Nothing is impossible if you believe.

I choose to believe.

Excerpt: The Write Hook

Chapter 1

“I didn’t leave that bowl in the sink,” I muttered to no one as I stared in confusion at the blue piece of pottery with milk residue in the bottom. “Wait. Did I?”

Slowly backing away, I ran my hands through my hair that hadn’t seen a brush in days—possibly longer—and decided that I wasn’t going to think too hard about it. Thinking led to introspective thought, which led to dealing with reality, and that was a no-no.

Reality wasn’t my thing right now.

Maybe I’d walked in my sleep, eaten a bowl of cereal, then politely put the bowl in the sink. It was possible.

“That has to be it,” I announced, walking out of the kitchen and avoiding all mirrors and any glass where I could catch a glimpse of myself.

It was time to get to work. Sadly, books didn’t write themselves.

“I can do this. I have to do this.” I sat down at my desk and made sure my posture didn’t suck. I was fully aware it would suck in approximately five minutes, but I wanted to start out right. It would be a bad week to throw my back out. “Today, I’ll write ten thousand words. They will be coherent. I will not mistakenly or on purpose make a list of the plethora of ways I would like to kill Darren. He’s my past. Beheading him is illegal. I’m far better than that. On a more positive note, my imaginary muse will show his ponytailed, obnoxious ass up today, and I won’t play Candy Jelly Crush until the words are on the page.”

Two hours later…

Zero words. However, I’d done three loads of laundry—sweatpants, t-shirts and underwear—and played Candy Jelly Crush until I didn’t have any more lives. As pathetic as I’d become, I hadn’t sunk so low as to purchase new lives. That would mean I’d hit rock bottom. Of course, I was precariously close, evidenced by my cussing out of the Jelly Queen for ten minutes, but I didn’t pay for lives. I considered it a win.

I’d planned on folding the laundry but decided to vacuum instead. I’d fold the loads by Friday. It was Tuesday. That was reasonable. If they were too wrinkled, I’d simply wash them again. No biggie. After the vacuuming was done, I rearranged my office for thirty minutes. I wasn’t sure how to Feng Shui, but after looking it up on my phone, I gave it a half-assed effort.

Glancing around at my handiwork, I nodded. “Much better. If the surroundings are aligned correctly, the words will flow magically. I hope.”

Two hours later…

“Mother humper,” I grunted as I pushed my monstrosity of a bed from one side of the bedroom to the other. “This weighs a damn ton.”

I’d burned all the bedding seven weeks ago. The bonfire had been cathartic. I’d taken pictures as the five hundred thread count sheets had gone up in flame. I’d kept the comforter. I’d paid a fortune for it. It had been thoroughly saged and washed five times. Even though there was no trace of Darren left in the bedroom, I’d been sleeping in my office.

The house was huge, beautiful… and mine—a gorgeously restored Victorian where I’d spent tons of time as a child. It had an enchanted feel to it that I adored. I didn’t need such an enormous abode, but I loved the location—the middle of nowhere. The internet was iffy, but I solved that by going into town to the local coffee shop if I had something important to download or send.

Darren, with the wandering pecker, thought he would get a piece of the house. He was wrong. I’d inherited it from my whackadoo grandmother and great-aunt Flip. My parents hadn’t always been too keen on me spending so much time with Granny and Aunt Flip growing up, but I adored the two old gals so much they’d relented. Since I spent a lot of time in an imaginary dream world, my mom and dad were delighted when I related to actual people—even if they were left of center.

Granny and Flip made sure the house was in my name only—nontransferable and non-sellable. It was stipulated that I had to pass it to a family member or the Historical Society when I died. Basically, I had life rights. It was as if Granny and Aunt Flip had known I would waste two decades of my life married to a jackhole who couldn’t keep his salami in his pants and would need someplace to live. God rest Granny’s insane soul. Aunt Flip was still kicking, although I hadn’t seen her in a few years.

Aunt Flip put the K in kooky. She’d bought a cottage in the hills about an hour away and grew medicinal marijuana—before it was legal. The old gal was the black sheep of the family and preferred her solitude and her pot to company. She hadn’t liked Darren a bit. She and Granny both had worn black to my wedding. Everyone had been appalled—even me—but in the end, it made perfect sense. I had to hand it to the old broads. They’d been smarter than me by a long shot. And the house? It had always been my charmed haven in the storm.

Even though there were four spare bedrooms plus the master suite, I chose my office. It felt safe to me.

Thick Stella preferred my office, and I needed to be around something that had a heartbeat. It didn’t matter that Thick Stella was bitchy and swiped at me with her deadly kitty claws every time I passed her. I loved her. The feeling didn’t seem mutual, but she hadn’t left me for a twenty-three-year-old with silicone breast implants and huge, bright white teeth.

“Thick Stella, do you think Sasha should wear red to her stepmother’s funeral?” I asked as I plopped down on my newly Feng Shuied couch and narrowly missed getting gouged by my cat. “Yes or no? Hiss at me if it’s a yes. Growl at me if it’s a no.”

Thick Stella had a go at her privates. She was useless.

“That wasn’t an answer.” I grabbed my laptop from my desk. Deciding it was too dangerous to sit near my cat, I settled for the love seat. The irony of the piece of furniture I’d chosen didn’t escape me.

“I think she should wear red,” I told Thick Stella, who didn’t give a crap what Sasha wore. “Her stepmother was an asshat, and it would show fabu disrespect.”

Typing felt good. Getting lost in a story felt great. I dressed Sasha in a red Prada sheath, then had her behead her ex-husband with a dull butter knife when he and his bimbo showed up unexpectedly to pay their respects at the funeral home. It was a bloodbath. Putting Sasha in red was an excellent move. The blood matched her frock to a T.

Quickly rethinking the necessary murder, I moved the scene of the decapitation to the empty lobby of the funeral home. It would suck if I had to send Sasha to prison. She hadn’t banged Damien yet, and everyone was eagerly awaiting the sexy buildup—including me. It was the fourth book in the series, and it was about time they got together. The sexual tension was palpable.

“What in the freaking hell?” I snapped my laptop shut and groaned. “Sasha doesn’t have an ex-husband. I can’t do this. I’ve got nothing.” Where was my muse hiding? I needed the elusive imaginary idiot if I was going to get any writing done. “Chauncey, dammit, where are you?”

“My God, you’re loud, Clementine,” a busty, beautiful woman dressed in a deep purple Regency gown said with an eye roll.

She was seated on the couch next to Thick Stella, who barely acknowledged her. My cat attacked strangers and friends. Not today. My fat feline simply glanced over at the intruder and yawned. The cat was a traitor.

Forget the furry betrayer. How in the heck did the woman get into my house—not to mention my office—without me seeing her enter? For a brief moment, I wondered if she’d banged my husband too but pushed the sordid thought out of my head. She looked to be close to thirty—too old for the asshole.

“Who are you?” I demanded, holding my laptop over my head as a weapon.

If I threw it and it shattered, I would be screwed. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d backed it up. If I lost the measly, somewhat disjointed fifty thousand words I’d written so far, I’d have to start over. That wouldn’t fly with my agent or my publisher.

“Don’t be daft,” the woman replied. “It’s rather unbecoming. May I ask a question?”

“No, you may not,” I shot back, trying to place her.

She was clearly a nutjob. The woman was rolling up on thirty but had the vernacular of a seventy-year-old British society matron. She was dressed like she’d walked off the set of a film starring Emma Thompson. Her blonde hair shone to the point of absurdity and was twisted into an elaborate up-do. Wispy tendrils framed her perfectly heart-shaped face. Her sparkling eyes were lavender, enhanced by the over-the-top gown she wore.

Strangely, she was vaguely familiar. I just couldn’t remember how I knew her.

“How long has it been since you attended to your hygiene?” she inquired.

Putting my laptop down and picking up a lamp, I eyed her. I didn’t care much for the lamp or her question. I had been thinking about Marie Condo-ing my life, and the lamp didn’t bring me all that much joy. If it met its demise by use of self-defense, so be it. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business, lady. What I’d suggest is that you leave. Now. Or else I’ll call the police. Breaking and entering is a crime.”

She laughed. It sounded like freaking bells. Even though she was either a criminal or certifiable, she was incredibly charming.

“Oh dear,” she said, placing her hand delicately on her still heaving, milky-white bosom. “You are so silly. The constable knows quite well that I’m here. He advised me to come.”

“The constable?” I asked, wondering how far off her rocker she was.

She nodded coyly. “Most certainly. We’re all terribly concerned.”

I squinted at her. “About my hygiene?”

“That, amongst other things,” she confirmed. “Darling girl, you are not an ace of spades or, heaven forbid, an adventuress. Unless you want to be an ape leader, I’d recommend bathing.”

“Are you right in the head?” I asked, wondering where I’d left my damn cell phone. It was probably in the laundry room. I was going to be murdered by a nutjob, and I’d lost my chance to save myself because I’d been playing Candy Jelly Crush. The headline would be horrifying—Homeless-looking, Hygiene-free Paranormal Romance Author Beheaded by Victorian Psycho.

If I lived through the next hour, I was deleting the game for good.

“I think it would do wonders for your spirit if you donned a nice tight corset and a clean chemise,” she suggested, skillfully ignoring my question. “You must pull yourself together. Your behavior is dicked in the nob.”

I sat down and studied her. My about-to-be-murdered radar relaxed a tiny bit, but I kept the lamp clutched tightly in my hand. My gut told me she wasn’t going to strangle me. Of course, I could be mistaken, but Purple Gal didn’t seem violent—just bizarre. Plus, the lamp was heavy. I could knock her ladylike ass out with one good swing.

How in the heck did I know her? College? Grad School? The grocery store? At forty-two, I’d met a lot of people in my life. Was she with the local community theater troop? I was eighty-six percent sure she wasn’t here to off me. However, I’d been wrong about life-altering events before—like not knowing my husband was boffing someone young enough to have been our daughter.

“What language are you speaking?” I spotted a pair of scissors on my desk. If I needed them, it was a quick move to grab them. I’d never actually killed anyone except in fictitious situations, but there was a first time for everything.

Pulling an embroidered lavender hankey from her cleavage, she clutched it and twisted it in her slim fingers. “Clementine, you should know.”

“I’m at a little disadvantage here,” I said, fascinated by the batshit crazy woman who’d broken into my home. “You seem to know my name, but I don’t know yours.”

And that was when the tears started. Hers. Not mine.

“Such claptrap. How very unkind of you, Clementine,” she burst out through her stupidly attractive sobs.

It was ridiculous how good the woman looked while crying. I got all blotchy and red, but not the mystery gal in purple. She grew even more lovely. It wasn’t fair. I still had no clue what the hell she was talking about, but on the off chance she might throw a tantrum if I asked more questions, I kept my mouth shut.

And yes, she had a point, but my hygiene was none of her damn business. I couldn’t quite put my finger on the last time I’d showered. If I had to guess, it was probably in the last five to twelve days. I was on a deadline for a book. To be more precise, I was late for my deadline on a book. I didn’t exactly have time for personal sanitation right now.

And speaking of deadlines…

“How about this?” My tone was excessively polite. I almost laughed. The woman had illegally entered my house, and I was behaving like she was a guest. “I’ll take a shower later today after I get through a few pivotal chapters. Right now, you should leave so I can work.”

“Yes, of course,” she replied, absently stroking Fat Stella, who purred. If I’d done that, I would be minus a finger. “It would be dreadfully sad if you were under the hatches.”

I nodded. “Right. That would, umm… suck.”

The woman in purple smiled. It was radiant, and I would have sworn I heard birds happily chirping. I was losing it.

“Excellent,” she said, pulling a small periwinkle velvet bag from her cleavage. I wondered what else she had stored in there and hoped there wasn’t a weapon. “I shall leave you with two gold coins. While the Grape Nuts were tasty, I would prefer that you purchase some Lucky Charms. I understand they are magically delicious.”

“It was you?” I asked, wildly relieved that I hadn’t been sleep eating. I had enough problems at the moment. Gaining weight from midnight dates with cereal wasn’t on the to-do list.

“It was,” she confirmed, getting to her feet and dropping the coins into my hand. “The consistency was quite different from porridge, but I found it tasty—very crunchy.”

“Right… well… thank you for putting the bowl in the sink.” Wait. Why the hell was I thanking her? She’d wandered in and eaten my Grape Nuts.

“You are most welcome, Clementine,” she said with a disarming smile that lit up her unusual eyes. “It was lovely finally meeting you even if your disheveled outward show is entirely astonishing.”

I was reasonably sure I had just been insulted by the cereal lover, but it was presented with excellent manners. However, she did answer a question. We hadn’t met. I wasn’t sure why she seemed familiar. The fact that she knew my name was alarming.

“Are you a stalker?” I asked before I could stop myself.

I’d had a few over the years. Being a New York Times bestselling author was something I was proud of, but it had come with a little baggage here and there. Some people seemed to have difficulty discerning fiction from reality. If I had to guess, I’d say Purple Gal might be one of those people.

I’d only written one Regency novel, and that had been at the beginning of my career, before I’d found my groove in paranormal romance. I was way more comfortable writing about demons and vampires than people dressed in top hats and hoopskirts. Maybe the crazy woman had read my first book. It hadn’t done well, and for good reason. It was over-the-top bad. I’d blocked the entire novel out of my mind. Live and learn. It had been my homage to Elizabeth Hoyt well over a decade ago. It had been clear to all that I should leave Regency romance to the masters.

“Don’t be a Merry Andrew,” the woman chided me. “Your bone box is addled. We must see to it at once. I shall pay a visit again soon.”

The only part of her gibberish I understood was that she thought she was coming back. Note to self—change all the locks on the doors. Since it wasn’t clear if she was packing heat in her cleavage, I just smiled and nodded.

“Alrighty then…” I was unsure if I should walk her to the door or if she would let herself out. Deciding it would be better to make sure she actually left instead of letting her hide in my pantry to finish off my cereal, I gestured to the door. “Follow me.”

Thick Stella growled at me. I was so tempted to flip her off but thought it might earn another lecture from Purple Gal. It was more than enough to be lambasted for my appearance. I didn’t need my manners picked apart by someone with a tenuous grip on reality.

My own grip was dubious as it was.

“You might want to reconsider breaking into homes,” I said, holding the front door open. “It could end badly—for you.”

Part of me couldn’t believe that I was trying to help the nutty woman out, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. I kind of liked her.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she replied as she sauntered out of my house into the warm spring afternoon. “Remember, Clementine, there is always sunshine after the rain.”

As she made her way down the long sunlit, tree-lined drive, she didn’t look back. It was disturbingly like watching the end of a period movie where the heroine left her old life behind and walked proudly toward her new and promising future.

Glancing around for a car, I didn’t spot one. Had she left it parked on the road so she could make a clean getaway after she’d bludgeoned me? Had I just politely escorted a murderer out of my house?

Had I lost it for real?

Probably.

As she disappeared from sight, I felt the weight of the gold coins still clutched in my hand. Today couldn’t get any stranger.

At least, I hoped not.

Opening my fist to examine the coins, I gasped. “What in the heck?”

There was nothing in my hand.

Had I dropped them? Getting down on all fours, I searched. Thick Stella joined me, kind of—more like watched me as I crawled around and wondered if anything that had just happened had actually happened.

“Purple Gal gave me coins to buy Lucky Charms,” I told my cat, my search now growing frantic. “You saw her do it. Right? She sat next to you. And you didn’t attack her. Right?”

Thick Stella simply stared at me. What did I expect? If my cat answered me, I’d have to commit myself. That option might still be on the table. Had I just imagined the entire exchange with the strange woman? Should I call the cops?

“And tell them what?” I asked, standing back up and locking the front door securely. “That a woman in a purple gown broke in and ate my cereal while politely insulting my hygiene? Oh, and she left me two gold coins that disappeared in my hand as soon as she was out of sight? That’s not going to work.”

I’d call the police if she came back, since I wasn’t sure she’d been here at all. She hadn’t threatened to harm me. Purple Gal had been charming and well-mannered the entire time she’d badmouthed my cleanliness habits. And to be quite honest, real or not, she’d made a solid point. I could use a shower.

Maybe four months of wallowing in self-pity and only living inside the fictional worlds I created on paper had taken more of a toll than I was aware of. Getting lost in my stories was one of my favorite things to do. It had saved me more than once over the years. It was possible that I’d let it go too far. Hence, the Purple Gal hallucination.

Shit.

First things first. Delete Candy Jelly Crush. Getting rid of the white noise in my life was the first step to… well, the first step to something.

I’d figure it out later.

HIT HERE TO ORDER THE WRITE HOOK!!!!!

Robyn’s Book List

(in correct reading order)

HOT DAMNED SERIES

Fashionably Dead

Fashionably Dead Down Under

Hell on Heels

Fashionably Dead in Diapers

A Fashionably Dead Christmas

Fashionably Hotter Than Hell

Fashionably Dead and Wed

Fashionably Fanged

Fashionably Flawed

A Fashionably Dead Diary

Fashionably Forever After

Fashionably Fabulous

A Fashionable Fiasco

Fashionably Fooled

Fashionably Dead and Loving It

Fashionably Dead and Demonic

The Oh My Gawd Couple

GOOD TO THE LAST DEATH SERIES

It’s a Wonderful Midlife Crisis

Whose Midlife Crisis Is It Anyway?

A Most Excellent Midlife Crisis

My Midlife Crisis, My Rules

You Light Up My Midlife Crisis

It’s A Matter of Midlife and Death

The Facts of Midlife

MY SO CALLED MYSTICAL MIDLIFE SERIES

The Write Hook

You May Be Write

All the Write Moves

SHIFT HAPPENS SERIES

Ready to Were

Some Were in Time

No Were To Run

Were Me Out

Were We Belong

MAGIC AND MAYHEM SERIES

Switching Hour

Witch Glitch

A Witch in Time

Magically Delicious

A Tale of Two Witches

Three’s A Charm

Switching Witches

You’re Broom or Mine?

The Bad Boys of Assjacket

The Newly Witch Game

SEA SHENANIGANS SERIES

Tallulah’s Temptation

Ariel’s Antics

Misty’s Mayhem

Petunia’s Pandemonium

Jingle Me Balls

A WYLDE PARANORMAL SERIES

Beauty Loves the Beast

HANDCUFFS AND HAPPILY EVER AFTERS SERIES

How Hard Can it Be?

Size Matters

Cop a Feel

If after reading all the above you are still wanting more adventure and zany fun, read Pirate Dave and His Randy Adventures, the romance novel budding novelist Rena helped wicked Evangeline write in How Hard Can It Be?

Warning: Pirate Dave Contains Romance Satire, Spoofing, and Pirates with Two Pork Swords.

Note From The Author

If you enjoyed reading It’s A Matter Of Midlife And Death, please consider leaving a positive review or rating on the site where you purchased it. Reader reviews help my books continue to be valued by resellers and help new readers make decisions about reading them.

You are the reason I write these stories and I sincerely appreciate each of you!

Many thanks for your support,

~ Robyn Peterman

Want to hear about my new releases?

Go HERE and join my mailing list!

About Robyn Peterman

Robyn Peterman writes because the people inside her head won’t leave her alone until she gives them life on paper. Her addictions include laughing really hard with friends, shoes (the expensive kind), Target, Coke (the drink not the drug LOL) with extra ice in a Yeti cup, bejeweled reading glasses, her kids, her super-hot hubby and collecting stray animals.

A former professional actress with Broadway, film and T.V. credits, she now lives in the South with her family and too many animals to count.

Writing gives her peace and makes her whole, plus having a job where she can work in sweatpants works really well for her.

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