September 9 | Noon

The weekend storm had passed, and midday sunlight poured through the basement windows. Mys hardly stirred. I had spent the sleepless hours memorizing the details of their beautiful body. The night, including the bittersweet goodbye with Detective Zyr, lingered in the quiet room.

But what had changed? Everything and nothing.

While I busied myself brewing coffee, I tried to ignore the crazy idea some magical connection had been struck. Mys finally awakened at the bright, aromatic smell of java and the sound of someone knocking at the door. Leaving the bed and knuckling sleep, they let in the detective.

"Hey," Zyr grunted. He breezed to the kitchenette with a crisp new roadmap. It gave a loud crackle as he spread it on the marble island. "I mentioned to Aurie last night, she may be safer elsewhere, my cabin." He circled a spot on the map with a Sharpie.

Mys groggily leaned in to see and brushed against me in the process. With skin warm from the bedcovers, the brief contact made me feel weightless as the silk kimono. I fluttered to the barstool. I peered from one friend to the other, experiencing emotions that hadn't been there before—a stirring of something other than desire? A smile touched my lips.

At a blasé glance from the detective, however, I caught myself.

Zyr Ravani was unfazed. Like nothing had happened. The island between us sent a clear message. Nothing personal, at least. "It's in the upper corner of Tangipahoa Parish," he went on gruffly. "About a two-hour drive, barring traffic. If we can get there without Cyprian realizing we're on the move, he won't even know where to begin to search."

"How do you propose we avoid detection?" Mys asked.

"We leave in the middle of the day, take an unfamiliar vehicle." Zyr capped the marker and parked his shoulder against the fridge with his arms and ankles crossed.

A million interpretations for his body language flitted through my head, but I wondered if I was overanalyzing things. My roommate stroked the nape of my neck and handed me coffee. Recognizing the distraction for what it was, I managed a smile.

"His watchers will know something is off," said Mys. "We'll have to shake them somehow."

I interjected, "So, we're leaving this isolated studio apartment beneath a cathedral for an even more isolated location in the woods. Can a person die twice? 'Cause y'all are trying to kill me with boredom."

"I'll be there to keep you company, Yokai." Mys grinned.

"Cool, cool, cool. But, more and more, I'm thinking this isn't the Good Place," I grumbled.

Zyr folded his map and offered his first smile since leaving some odd hour last night. "Best I can offer is a supply run before we hide you away. Want to go shopping?"

"Oh-ho! Since you asked, I'd love to hit a few boutiques, dine in style, walk the boardwalk—"

"And never mind the threat of vampires? You like playing with fire," he modulated.

I held up a finger and reminded him, "I'm normally risk-averse, but you two encouraged me to wild out."

He smirked, but he couldn't hide his amusement. "I was thinking a big box store."

"Actually, Aurie's onto something," Mys chimed in. "We can lose Darcy's pets if we crisscross the city enough. Besides, I want to show you this gallery on Julia Street. We can do a lunch date afterward."

"A lunch date sounds great," I chirped.

Mys high-fived me and ducked into the bathroom to get ready. Outnumbered, Zyr tossed up his hands and plopped on the couch. "I guess we'll run the city and do lunch since, clearly, we have all the time in the world over the next seventy-two hours."

"We'll make it a working trip. Get Kittie and your partner to meet us out," I suggested. He hunched forward with a wooden expression, popping his knuckles. If ever there was a man who wasn't happy with a decision, he was the poster child.

Sorry to inconvenience you. I channeled nonchalance, but I was hurt. The feeling of empowerment from last night had worn off. Now, I mostly felt confused. From my perch on the barstool, I stole a furtive glance and caught him watching me. He looked away, I looked away. A pensive mood descended. I wrapped my fingers around my mug and stared at the milky coffee.

So, this was that morning-after rude awakening I had heard about—the moment when Enlightenment turned out to be Just Sex. The corners of my lips quirked downward. It wasn't like I had expected much, but was it naive to think we could remain friends after falling in bed together?

That was the problem. All at once I hated being in the friend zone.

~*~

The outdoor recreation store was beyond the city limits, pleasantly slow-paced and uncrowded. Its shelves were lined with athletic equipment and hunting stuff, camping supplies and hiking gear. It wasn't my typical boutique, but I was too happy to be out to complain.

Plus, the detective had promised we could hit the French Market later. We would also have lunch with Kittie Cad and Tegan before we headed to the cabin.

Meandering the fluorescent-lit aisles behind my friends, I bided my time as our shopping cart filled. A family-pack of toilet tissue went in with ready-to-eat meals, cases of bottled water, toiletries. Stuff a dead girl would never need.

Mys slowed to meet my pace and looped an arm through mine. I glanced at the glossy Edge tech magazine they were perusing. I had shelved my complicated reaction to the ménage a trois, but it seemed like the two of us were tighter than ever. On the other hand, the Empath didn't treat the detective like he should be any cozier.

"Hey, what do you think of this?" Zyr held up a fancy-looking first aid kit.

I watched them debate the merits of getting it, not a hint of chemistry evident. I wasn't as good an actress, but I'd be damned if I played the salty one while Zyr and Mys were over it.

"The woods are hazardous," I spoke up. "I mean, obviously, I have no use for first aid, but even if one of you senses trouble and the other heals super-fast, someone might get an agonizing splinter or something."

It was a try-hard joke, but it garnered a laugh. I had to suppress a wistful simper as Zyr's resonant baritone chuckle rolled through me. Mys gave my hand an affectionate squeeze. Discreetly. It reminded me that my mood was on full display to them, and my cheeks flushed.

Tossing the kit in with the other items, I hopped on the end of the shopping cart to be pushed to the next aisle. Only then did I notice the woman next to us staring in alarm. To her, the huge first aid kit had flown into the buggy on its own.

I mumbled an apology to the glowering detective as the woman scurried by. Mys covered a giggle with a cough, and our disgruntled companion eventually cracked a smile. At that, the rhythm of my phantom heart misfired.

This is trouble, everything in me seemed to say. Well, it couldn't be called Trouble, exactly. Just a Situation-ship. Even that was probably too official a title. It was Nothing. I made myself remember why I had engaged in this trifle in the first place. Reason being, I was running out of time. I could feel it.

Deep down, I knew stopping Darcy Cyprian was my real unfinished business. The case file gave us the leverage we needed to ensure the vampire never hurt another soul. Tegan and Kittie Cad would make short work of convincing his former victims to come forward for justice now that we knew who they were.

Which meant I didn't have months left, possibly not weeks, either. Last night had been about indulging in a fantasy. Today was about getting my affairs in order. At no point was I supposed to catch feelings. I would be crossing over soon.

The thought of leaving pushed other concerns from my head and made me anxious for my sister again. On the drive to the store, Zyr had been adamant visiting the mental health center was off limits, but he had put my mother on speaker to let me get an update on Haley.

"She's doing better than expected, Detective Ravani. Sleeping peacefully," my mom had relayed. Zyr shifted the phone closer to me.

"I miss you guys," I said, tears collecting on my lashes. I dashed them, knowing that neither Mom nor Haley could hear me. Yet, a weak voice groaned my name in the background. My eyes flew to Zyr's in surprise.

Mom interrupted all my unasked questions. "She's been calling for her sister a lot lately, but I can't bring myself to tell her that Aurie's—"

"I'm right here," I wanted to shout.

I heard my sister reply faintly, "Aurie, I told Jack..."

"Jack? Who's Jack?" the detective asked. I raised a brow and shrugged.

"I don't know. Probably a figment of her imagination. She's incoherent at times," my mom apologized, "Anyway, Haley needs her rest, and I'm afraid this chat is disrupting her sleep. Was there anything else you needed?"

"No, no. I'm glad to hear she's progressing. Please...contact me immediately in the event of unexpected visitors or anything of that nature," Zyr requested. I tipped my head in mute appreciation for the brief conversation. It had been enough to hear their voices.

"Will do, Detective," Mom vowed as she ended the call. "By the way, thanks for being as hands-on as you are—I underestimated you—but don't worry as much. She's gonna make it out of this, okay?"

Emily Edison was right, as usual. Haley would survive and recover from this brush with devastation. I no longer needed to keep a vigil. Using her as an excuse to stick around wouldn't work anymore. There was only one thing left for me to do now, something I had been putting off since discovering I was dead.

"Are you hot-natured or cold-natured?" Zyr asked.

I snapped to the present and had to dodge a customer who nearly walked into me. Mys answered for me: "I love that you're being extra considerate, Senpai, but our girl doesn't feel discomfort anymore."

Zyr stared at the blanket as if suddenly realizing how ridiculous it was, but I was touched. "Watch it," I teased. "A shopping trip, phone privileges, and now this? I might start thinking you care." Swearing, he thrust the fleece on the shelf with such force that several bundles fell as he stormed off. "Hey, what the hell is wrong with you?" I called after him with a frown.

He spun to face me and hissed, "I care, honey. That's the fucking problem! In a case like this, that's a goddamn liability."

"Dude, seriously, I get it." I was talking to his back again.

"Nahin, I don't think you do."

An angry scowl stitched my brow. With arms wide, I receded at the same pace he walked away. "You don't think I do? Oh, that's right. I need you to think for me!" I retorted.

"Oh, gimme a break, Aurie! You know that's not fair!" Zyr pivoted and snarled.

"Exactly, it isn't fair!" I shouted back.

"Guys, I feel every sting in every word," Mys said quietly in the growing chasm between us.

Zyr clenched his teeth and glared at the floor. I jerked away to hide my face. Throwing a tantrum was so twenty years ago, but the aftermath of our ménage a trois was doing terrible things to my pride. Through the blur of vexed tears, I noticed a man squinting at us—or rather at Zyr and Mys—but I was too frazzled to think much of it. People often stared when we were in public.

Bad as I wanted privacy to lick my wounds, it wasn't safe to wander off. I trailed my companions and pulled myself together. I wondered why I was letting infatuation get the best of me. How much did it matter that Zyr had admitted his feelings? And was it my imagination, or was his temper flare a sign of his increasing instability?

The three of us migrated to the front of the store to check out. That's when I realized the Watcher remained suspiciously attendant. I managed a closer inspection. Black slacks and a white tank accentuated bulging arms covered in tattoos. He could be a cheap extra in a mafia flick.

"I think I see a pet," I muttered.

"I don't smell anything." The detective's skeptical gaze followed my line of sight, and he swore under his breath. Half a big-box store separated us from the goon. Unfortunately, a similar-looking thug exited an aisle on the opposite side of the building. "Shit. Let's go," Zyr growled.

"What? Why? We knew we'd be followed." I threw up my hands in protest.

"He's right. We should leave," said Mys as the men zeroed in on us. "There's a weird vibe coming off these guys."

"So, we're going straight to the cabin?" I asked incredulously. The thought sent a surge of fury through me, and the shopping cart slammed to a halt as Zyr tried to push it forward. We were so close to escaping that the automatic doors opened in anticipation.

"What the hell, Aurie? Now isn't the time for this!" he exclaimed. I lowered my gaze, but I had no control over the poltergeist activity. It made me more determined than ever to complete what I had planned for my last day free.

"I need to see my grave before we go," I said.

"I'm not taking you to a fucking cemetery! I never promised that!"

"Can you two keep your shit together for like five seconds? Let's get out of here!" Mys commanded. I choked up, unable to argue with the goosebumps racing up my arms telling me that peril was closing in. The shopping cart jerked from my telepathic grip as I fled the store with Mys.

Once in the parking lot, we gained speed. We flew past onlookers who wrestled cellphones out to take video. A few people shot off running on reflex. More than one frightened voice asked if there was an active shooter. General panic spread through the crowd.

Mys whined in obvious distress, and the small sound pierced me. I could imagine the disorienting emotions coming from every direction. "I got you, babe. This way!" I said as I wrapped an arm around the Empath's waist and maneuvered us to the truck. From there, I looked for Zyr. I saw him back in the store scattering merchandise and carts in our wake to give us a fighting chance at a clean getaway. His good name would be in shreds after this.

All because of me. I swallowed the burning lump in my throat.

Zyr sprinted out of the store and blew through the parking lot, gesturing for me to get in the truck. "Go, go, go!" he shouted. Mys pushed me into the backseat, but I wedged the door open.

"I don't want to do this anymore. Let me out!" I said.

The detective shook his head. "I swear I'll find a way to make today up to you, but let me get you to safety, Aurie, please!" His voice cracked with desperation.

"You can't make it up to me! What could you possibly give me that outlasts the grave? Don't you get it? I'm telling you to let me go so that helping me doesn't ruin your lives, too!"

Zyr's hand shot into the cab. He grabbed my face, bringing us eye to eye. Static crackled between us. The fierceness of his expression would've warned another woman off, but not me. We were both a little wild and crazy in that moment. A sob broke from my chest as I stared into the yellow fire in his amber orbs.

With a heavy exhale, he eased his grip. "Honey, life is full of things that outlast the grave, like loyalty and honor." He softened. "I'm not letting you sacrifice yourself for everyone else. We're in this together."

"Why? Why would you two risk everything for me?" I asked.

"Don't make me spell it out for you," Zyr whispered.

My eyes widened. Spell it out for me? Please, do...