[Corine Solomon 5] Agave Kiss Read online

  Thinking of him in present tense helped.

  An hour later, the courier arrived. I took the liberty of answering the door—and I was relieved to find Booke’s documents ready to go. The passport looked fantastic for all its speed. Hard to believe Stenton had taken the picture with a digital camera just a little while ago. I tipped the messenger generously, and he saluted me before heading back down the stairs.

  From the kitchen came the sounds of the witch as she worked, muttered imprecations and rattling pots. A strong medicinal smell lingered in the air; gods, I hoped we didn’t have to ingest the charm for our passports to work in the scanners. That might not end well. But to my vast relief, when the woman emerged, she was carrying three sachets, which we were to wear around our necks.

  “As long as the bags remain in contact with your skin,” she explained, “you should have no trouble. The machines will malfunction just long enough to process your immigration.”

  “You make these often?” Booke inquired.

  “Often enough. I’ll have my cash now if you please. Then you need to quit cluttering up my front room. I’m for bed, and if Stenton sends anybody else my way in the next eight hours, I may turn him into a toad.”

  “The client or Geoff Stenton?” I wondered.

  “Both?” The witch laughed as I paid her, counting out the cash. “Mind you, use those within forty-eight hours. The spell won’t hold its charge forever.”

  “We’re on our way to the airport,” I assured her.

  Shannon roused on the first try; it took longer to wake Kel, who was in his trancelike sleep. “Come on, you two. We have a plane to catch.”

  The earliest flight left just before five in the morning, and we were only three away from that now. In short order, I hurried them out to the taxi and gave our final destination. I wished I could’ve spent longer in the U.K., but there were pressing issues elsewhere. In the taxi, I borrowed Shan’s phone again to email Chuch.

  We’re heading for Laredo. Given travel times, it will be late tomorrow or the next day. Booke’s with me, long story. Tell you when I see you. Would mean a lot to him if you throw a party. Invite all your friends and relatives. Trust me when I say he has reasons to want to be surrounded by people. Including our arrival time in case you’re willing to give us a ride from the airport. That was a long enough message for a tiny phone keyboard in a moving vehicle at night. Satisfied with how I’d managed things so far, I hit send and gave Shan back her phone.

  She stared at me in bemusement. “You seem . . . wired. Manic, almost.”

  “I feel a little frantic,” I confessed softly.

  There was no way I could confess aloud what I truly feared—that Booke would pass away in transit. But I think she knew. She put her hand on mine and squeezed. “You’re doing your best.”

  “Hope it’s good enough,” I muttered.

  The rest of the journey passed in a blur of lines and waiting. For the sake of efficiency, we got Booke a chair, which he hated. But it meant slipping the main security line for one more handicap friendly. We flashed our passports multiple times, but the real test of the charm around my neck would come when we entered the U.S. He didn’t need a visa, as British citizens could visit for up to ninety days on a tourist form. Given Booke would be lucky to have a month, let alone three, I didn’t figure immigration would pose a problem.

  By the time the pretty, polite stewardess settled us on the plane, I was running on fumes. Shan sat with Booke in the first row, still grilling him more about the war. Since he didn’t appear to mind, I let it go. Maybe it was a relief for him to be able to tell his stories. I mean, if he had tried that with anyone on the Internet, they’d have been like, sure, you were in the Blitz. Because people that old didn’t know how to work the Internet machine. Actually, there probably were some, but my experience with the elderly was limited; I never knew my grandparents on either side.

  Kel took the window seat, leaving me on the aisle. I didn’t mind. I was surprised, however, that he hadn’t poofed on me. But then, if he went back to report his failure to recruit me, Barachiel would order my death. That was another complication I didn’t need, amid everything else. My whole life was a wreck; gods only knew whether the workmen were still building my shop. Tia was old and frail. I had Chance’s apartment to deal with too. Fortunately, he’d paid the rent several months in advance, but who knew when those payments ran out? I hoped to hell the landlord hadn’t put all his things in the street. At the very least, I owed it to Min to collect them.

  The thing about adventures that they never put in fairy tales? They screwed up your life in a royal fashion. Real-world business went unattended; bills didn’t get paid. My freaking El Camino had been abandoned on a remote mountainside in Oaxaca. True, I didn’t pay much for it, but I’d put money into repair work, and there was no way in hell I’d ever see that car again. In the first week of my sojourn in Sheol, I’d bet that my ride was jacked and possibly stripped. Or maybe, given that it was a solid car, somebody was just driving it around without the title. In a small village, nobody checked into that sort of thing.

  To my left, Kel’s hands were clenched on the armrests as the attendants went about their business. They handed out masks, pillows, and blankets, offered cool or hot beverages. In the back of the plane, which I dubbed steerage, they were probably deploying the cattle prods. A ten-hour flight, like the one from London to Houston, would be absolutely miserable in coach. My inner skinflint had caviled a little at the cost of four first-class tickets, but I had the money. I was just reluctant to touch it, especially for such a fleeting experience.

  Seeing Kel’s tension reminded me of the last time we flew together. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

  “It would help if you distracted me at least until we’re in the air.”

  “What did you have in mind?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “Talking works.”

  “The only thing we have to discuss is how I’m not signing on for your boss’s cause. Did you tell him yet?”

  “I did,” he said quietly. “And he’s ordered me to try to change your mind. I have clearance now to discuss your role, if you wish.”

  If Barachiel truly thought I’d sign on with no information, like a dazzled Joan of Arc, he’d lost touch with humanity.

  But I wanted to give Kel a fair shot, so I said, “It’s not at the top of my to-do list, but ignoring a problem never made it go away. So go for it.”

  It was unlikely in the extreme he’d change my mind, for obvious reasons—for the first time, I had a clear picture of what I wanted for my future—but if it would take his mind off his fear of flying, then I’d listen. Unlike most of my breakups, if you could even call it that after one night, this parting had been bittersweet but amicable, and I considered him a friend. Even if he might try to kill me the next time I saw him. Gods, if there wasn’t even a small possibility I’d be reunited with Chance, wherever the hell he was? Then I’d let Kel do his job. But ultimately, that would be selfish, and he’d have to carry my death as he did Asherah’s.

  “Barachiel wants you to rally soldiers to his banner. Your lineage makes you uniquely suited to persuading the people to rise up against demonkind.”

  Okay, what the hell.

  “You mean start a cult or something? The New Church of Solomon?”

  Kel reflected visible surprise. “The archangel doesn’t call it a cult, of course, but how did you know the name?”

  I puffed out a breath. The plane rumbled beneath my feet, as the attendants called out completion of cross-check. They passed multiple times, begging people to turn off their damned phones. Those things I noticed with half an eye, as I wrestled with the idea of predetermination. Kel set his hand on my forearm, and for a few terrifying seconds I glimpsed a wavering future, where I was polished and coiffed, addressing an enormous gathering of like-minded fanatics. They gazed at me with utter adoration, ready to fight or die, or donate all their worldly goods at my command. A hard shi
ver rolled through me. I starred in television specials, using my gift to prove that I was, indeed, touched by angels, and that I could carry their words to the masses.

  No. A thousand times no.

  Shaken, I jerked my arm away from him, cutting the live brain feed. I had no doubt that was exactly what Barachiel had shown Kel. If I signed on, I would have wealth, fame, and power beyond my wildest dreams. Now Ninlil had been evil, no question, but this offer reeked of infernal style, even if it came from an allegedly beatific source, so it made me wonder if maybe the demon queen had a point when she claimed the beings Kel knew as angels had started their lives in Sheol.

  And I wasn’t even remotely tempted. I’d ruled a city. Power wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

  Safe Harbor

  I slept most of the ten-hour flight to Houston. A shady past had taught me the ability to snatch rest whenever I could. When I woke, I was leaning on Kel’s shoulder. He didn’t seem as if he’d moved in all that time. At least he wasn’t rigid with fear, as he had been the first time we took a plane together.

  “We’re landing soon,” he said.

  Sitting up, I ran a hand through my hair. If I had been thinking, I would’ve braided it to keep it from turning into a snarled mess. “Did I bother you?”

  “Many things do. You’re not one of them.” There was something in his voice, a nearly imperceptible regret.

  Did he wish he could’ve stayed? Everything would’ve been different if he had. But then, maybe it would’ve shaken out so that he died in Sheol instead, if he could even die. I thought he had when we were fighting the warlock in Laredo, so pale and still, but then he came back. The same when they’d killed him in Sheol. I gave him mouth to mouth, revived him. So maybe even if he’d sacrificed himself to open the gate, his body would still come back online. That didn’t entirely make sense, however. If it required a sacrifice, it needed to be a permanent one, right? Whatever. The past was past. Dwelling served no purpose.

  “Did you sleep at all?” I didn’t expect trouble, but it seemed wrong for him to function at less than peak efficiency. In a world like ours, you just never knew.

  “Some.”

  “What’s going on? You’re even more terse than usual.”

  “Barachiel contacted me, asking for a progress report. He seemed anxious to learn how you reacted to his master plan.”

  A chill rippled through me. The plane dipped, hitting a pocket of turbulence that unsettled my stomach to match my mental state. “What did you tell him?”

  “That I was showing you the perks of cooperation.”

  “Did he go for that?”

  Kel turned his face away. “I don’t think so. From this point, we’re living on borrowed time.”

  Just like Booke.

  In my heart, it felt like Armageddon. Kel was a reminder of beauty lost as well as a looming threat. He was the Sword of Damocles. It would kill a sliver of his soul if he ended my life on Barachiel’s orders. Hell, it would ruin my week too. Maybe it was wrong to make light of the situation, but I was full up on despair. If I lost humor, then I’d forfeit the ability to move forward.

  “Noted. But, Kel . . . if it comes down to it, I won’t fight you.” There was no point. I’d seen how damned resilient he was. “Just . . . make it quick, all right?”

  His words came out terse, clipped. “Stop. You’ve moved on. Humans do. But for me, this is a cycle repeating, a way for Barachiel to prove he owns me. Again.”

  “So . . . my life is a power play. I thought he wanted me for the coming war.”

  “It’s a double-edged sword. If you accede, he gets what he wants. And if you don’t, he still gets something out of it.”

  “A reiteration of your forced loyalty and compliance.”

  “Yes,” he said quietly.

  “Sounds like we lose, either way.”

  Before he could reply, the attendant interrupted with final descent announcements. We were to turn off all electronics, stow tray tables, and return seats to an upright position; oddly, the chatter sounded more courteous, delivered in a crisp British accent. While we went about disembarking, I mulled over my predicament. Talk about a rock and a hard place—this was worse than when I was caught between two rival drug lords. This time, my enemy was a powerful supernatural being, who might’ve started as a demon, but over the long millennia had convinced his followers—and maybe himself too—that he was an angel with divine guidance. In my experience, fanatics were more dangerous than other enemies because they believed so fervently in the cause.

  I didn’t see how this could end well.

  Downcast, I collected my things and followed Shan and Booke off the plane. She steadied him down the aisle to the jet bridge, where an airline worker had a chair waiting for him. This time, Booke didn’t protest its use. He collapsed into it gratefully; and I wondered if I was really doing the right thing. But then, this was all his choice. He could’ve gone to Paris, Milan, anywhere he wanted, and I’d have made it happen. For his own reasons, he had chosen people over places. He wanted to meet Chuch and Eva, so there was no way I’d deny his request. Who could blame him, really? They were pretty great.

  Shortly after we got off the plane, Kel disappeared; he didn’t need documents. When I first encountered him, Chance and I got him arrested, thinking he was a murderer, and Barachiel made him serve part of the prison sentence as a punishment for getting caught by someone like me. When the archangel deemed his mortification complete, Kel came after me . . . but not in retaliation, as I thought at first. No, he had been serving as my guardian angel for longer than I knew. Which made me wonder . . . was he the reason nothing irredeemable happened to me during those awful months, where I had been between permanent residences? Once, I felt terrible shame with how many men I’d used for room and board, how I’d traded sex for shelter without real hope of a loving relationship. I’d since made peace with the memories, but maybe I should thank Kel because that dark time ended fairly well.

  The airline employee accompanied us to immigration, where the officer at the booth was tired and bored; she asked a few rote questions about Booke. Since I was listening, I heard the faint crackle in the machine when she ran our cooked passports; traditionally speaking, magick and technology didn’t play nicely together. There had been a small risk that the charm would short out the scanner, but the machine cleared us, and we caught our connection to Laredo without trouble. Kel slid on late, just before they closed the doors.

  Booke and I sat together for the short commuter hop. It was a tiny plane, small enough that it freaked me out a little, and I didn’t have any particular fear of flying. I wondered how Kel was doing in the row ahead of us. Shannon was talking to him, so that much was good, but I couldn’t hear what they were discussing. I turned to Booke, studying his appearance. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but he seemed to have stabilized around eighty.

  “How do you feel?” I asked softly.

  “I ache in a way I didn’t before you broke the spell. But I’m on a plane, going to meet friends. I count that as a smashing success.”

  An hour and a bit later, we arrived at the Laredo airport. It was late, nudging toward midnight, but I texted Chuch as he’d instructed. He’d meet us at the curb. As we had no luggage to collect, it was a simple matter to deplane and make our way out. Again, we had help, but Booke seemed resigned to it. While he could walk, he wasn’t speedy, and I knew he was ready to get shed of airports. He wanted to hang out with friends for his last days, not spend them trapped in a winged metal tube.

  As promised, Chuch was waiting in a restored 1980s Suburban. It had classic gold paint, trimmed in cream, and he beeped the horn to make sure we saw him. At this hour, the pickup lanes weren’t too crowded, so I had room to help Booke into the passenger seat. Chuch hopped out, then raised both brows at me, inviting the explanation I’d promised. He was a stocky fireplug, just starting to get a belly, but he was strong as hell. His features were rugged rather than handsome, but he had the kindes
t brown eyes in the world. Eva was lucky to have him. They had been friends since we ran into them in a wicker store while they were vacationing in Florida. Chance stayed in touch after our breakup. I hadn’t, mostly because I was running from all things Chance-related. Fortunately, Chuch and Eva didn’t hold a grudge.

  “Shan!” he called. “Jesse’s gonna go postal when he finds out you didn’t tell him you’re home sooner than expected.”

  She flashed him an impish grin. “I want to surprise him. Do you mind dropping me off at his apartment?”

  “No prob. It’s on the way. Kinda.”

  Actually, it wasn’t, but Chuch was that kind of guy. He’d empty his bank account for you, then claim it was found money he wasn’t using anyway. My heart lightened a little. Texas wasn’t home, but it was full of people who cared about me, and that was the next best thing.

  Chance should be here. Tears threatened quite suddenly, the emotion a sudden and surprising rush. Through sheer force of will I pushed them down, refusing to tarnish the moment. I hugged Chuch tight when he rounded the truck.

  He squeezed back, then stood back to analyze my appearance. “Damn, you’re skinny. Tired too, it looks like. Bad shit went down, prima?”

  “I’ll tell you on the way to the house.”

  “Hecho. Eva can’t wait to see you. And just wait ’til you get a load of Cami.”

  Mention of my goddaughter put a smile on my face. Knowing I had to explain how her godfather died took it away again. Kel and Shan climbed in the back while Chuch shook hands with Booke.

  “Not gonna lie, mano, you’re not how I pictured you.”

  “A bit of a story, that.”

  “Save it. Eva will want to hear it too.” As he went back to the driver’s seat, he waved a hand at me. “That goes for you too, Corine. No point in telling everything twice. She was up with Cami when I left, so I’m sure she’ll be awake.”

  “Can’t wait to see them.”

  The ride was quiet, though Shan’s leg bounced with nervous energy. She must be excited to see Jesse, but worried too, maybe. Her boyfriend, Jesse Saldana, was an empath, and a hot one, which meant he wasn’t known for constancy, as he found it hard not to respond to people’s feelings. So when a woman wanted him, he tended to feel the same. In my opinion, Shannon was brave for taking a chance on him, but that was love, wasn’t it? Risking it all in the hope of a happy ending. The alternative was winding up alone.