AT THE RESTAURANT, I refrained from ordering a second dinner that I'd have to log in my food diary and sipped on a glass of chocolate milk. Adrianne rattled on about plans for my wedding. I wondered if she'd ever run out of ideas or questions.

How did I feel about hiring a caterer and bringing in tables for a garden reception?

Did I prefer roses or lilies?

Can we please, oh please, hire the McKinney String Quartet?

"I want a dark chocolate fountain," I said.

She groaned and touched her forehead. "Sloan, chocolate fountains are so 2004."

At that point, I gave up making suggestions. "You tell me when and where to show up, and you can take care of the rest."

She tapped the pen she was making notes with against her lips. "Whether or not you realize it, that's been the plan all along."

I slurped the last drop of chocolate through my straw. "Works for me."

"We also need to talk about the wedding shower." She pulled out her phone and swiped across the screen to unlock it. "What do the few weeks before the wedding look like for you?"

I moved my fingers back and forth across my neck while shaking my head. "No, no, no. I don't want a shower."

She flipped her hair back over her shoulder. "Whatever. It's happening, so get over it."

I reached across the table and grabbed her hand. "I'm serious. You have to promise me, Adrianne. No shower."

She snatched her hand away. "Why the hell not?"

I sat back in my seat as tears prickled the corners of my eyes. "My mom."

Her face melted. "Oh." She put her phone down. "I didn't think about that."

"It will be hard enough to get through the wedding without her there. I don't think I can handle anything else."

She offered a gentle smile. "You're absolutely right. No shower." She looked at me seriously. "But I am taking you out and getting you terribly drunk for your bachelorette party. Absolutely no excuses."

I aimed both index fingers at my swollen baby belly.

She tossed her hands up. "Damn it!"

We both laughed.

Beside us, Azrael, Warren, and Reuel talked about Chicago. And even though I was only half-listening, it was clear Azrael was still trying to convince Warren it was a bad idea. I pulled my smartphone out of my back pocket. "I'm booking flights with Azrael's credit card before he comes up with any more excuses for us to stay home," I announced.

Azrael held up his hand and my phone sailed from my fingers across the table into his grasp. "We're not flying anywhere," he said, looking around to see if any other patrons noticed his party trick.

"Why are you so against us going to Chicago?" I asked.

At the head of the table, Reuel's body vibrated with silent laughter that rattled the silverware against the empty plates in front of us. "Katu de nai parakk. Azrael metum parakk."

Warren and I exchanged a confused glance. "Azrael's what?" I asked Reuel.

Reuel mimed the next part. He pointed at Azrael. Then his eyes widened and he shook his hands like he was terrified. Then he spread out his arms and made an airplane noise.

Azrael fumed.

My mouth was gaping. "Are you afraid of airplanes?"

Now red-faced with tears of laughter threatening to spill down his cheeks, Reuel nodded.

"Is it true?" I asked Azrael again.

Azrael sat back hard in his seat and folded his arms across his chest.

Adrianne teased him with a pouty face. "Oh, is the big, badass Angel of Death afraid of flying?"

Reuel waved his hands toward us, then stretched his hand high above his head. "Toda altuyar."

"All heights?" Warren looked at his father. "You're afraid of heights?"

My head fell back toward the ceiling and I howled with laughter. "Oh my god. That's the funniest thing I've ever heard in my life. You know you're immortal, right?"

"I'm not afraid of dying," he snapped. "It's the plummeting from the sky bit that I don't care for."

I covered my face with my hands and laughed until I had to rest my head on top of my arms on the table. When I looked up, mascara was smudged on Adrianne's face and Warren had completely turned his back to everyone.

"I hate you all," Azrael grumbled.

"Didn't you fly home today with Silvers?" I asked.

Warren shook his head. "No, she flew here alone. We warped back." Still laughing, he put his hand on my shoulder. "Remember when NAG flew us to Claymore and you thought it was so nice that Az let Enzo take his seat on the helicopter while he drove the SUV back to the compound?"

I wiped away tears. "You've gotta stop or I'll go into labor."

Azrael stood, pushing his chair back with his legs. He slammed a fifty-dollar bill onto the table and walked outside.

Adrianne got up, trying her best to be serious. "I'd better go after him."

Warren gave Reuel a high five, then settled back in his seat. He smiled at me. "This may have been the best dinner we've ever had."

I fanned my face as the remaining giggles subsided. "Warren, tell Azrael he can warp there without us. There's no way we can drive to Chicago. It will take a week to get there with all the bathroom stops I'll have to make."

Warren draped his arm across the back of my chair. "I'll talk to him, but don't get your hopes up." He twirled a strand of my long brown hair around his fingertip. "Tell me about the dress."

I leaned an elbow on the table. "What I should really tell you about is the dress Adrianne picked out."

He grinned. "For you or for her?"

"For me." I shook my head. "But if you'd seen it, you might be convinced she was shopping for her. It was made for someone with her figure. I looked like lumpy cheese blintz covered in sequins."

He tried to suppress a chuckle but couldn't. "Babe, you'll be beautiful even if you look like a breakfast pastry."

Outside, it was clear Adrianne was using the cold as an excuse to invade Azrael's personal space. And he didn't seem to mind. "I know Adrianne's hardheaded, but do you think he's leading her on?" I asked.

Warren plucked his straw from his glass and began to chew on the end of it. "He says he's been straight with her."

I didn't miss his insinuation that Azrael often says one thing and does another.

Before I could ask Warren to elaborate, his spine went rigid and his head jerked toward the door. I knew what it meant.

"Azrael says we've got to go?" I asked.

He nodded.

We stood and he helped me with my coat. "He can send a text message, or hell, wave through the window. There's no need for him to be all creepy about it," I said as I pushed my arms through the sleeves.

"He's The Angel of Death," Warren said. "Creepy goes with the job title."

"Amen to that."

* * *

When we got back home, I went upstairs to take a bath while Warren finalized plans with Azrael for the next day. I was half-asleep, up to my chin in lavender bubbles, when the door creaked open. Warren trudged in and gave a heavy sigh.

"It went well, huh?" I asked, smirking.

He took a deep breath. "We're flying with Reuel. Az will meet us there."

I clapped my wet hands. "Impressive, honey."

He raked his fingers back through his hair. "The argument over the flight wasn't the worst of it."

My brow lifted in question.

"Last minute fares are ridiculous. We've really got to get better about planning these trips."

"How much?"

He cringed. "Too much."

I frowned. "That reminds me, I still owe Nathan for flying to San Antonio."

Warren walked over to the linen closet and retrieved a towel. "I already took care of it."

"You did?"

He nodded. "Of course I did. He saved our asses down there. He didn't want to accept it, but I threatened his life if he didn't."

I smiled. "That's a serious threat coming from you."

"Yep. My new credentials are coming in handy."

"Did you know Nathan took the job at Claymore?" I asked.

Warren sat on the closed toilet seat and began untying his black boots. "I knew Azrael offered it to him, but I didn't know he accepted till we got back today. I'm not surprised though. How are you feeling about it?"

"I'm happy for him. I think it will be a good opportunity, and it's probably the best thing for all of us." I sank further under the suds. "Thanks for changing the subject earlier when things got awkward downstairs with Silvers."

He grinned over at me. "I did it for Nate. Not for you. You've earned all the awkward shit karma can dish out."

"Hey!"

Laughing, he kicked his boots off and set them side-by-side next to the sink. Then he stood, and in one seamless motion, reached back between his shoulder blades and peeled his shirt off over his head. Then, because he's truly the world's most perfect boyfriend, he tossed it in the hamper rather than on the floor.

"What are you doing?" I asked when he unbuttoned his jeans.

"I'm getting in with you," he said.

My heart quickened as he pushed his pants down to his ankles. "You never take baths with me."

"That's not true," he argued.

"Once. And that's only because you wanted sex."

He had a wicked grin as he tugged off the jeans. "Who says I don't want sex now?"

I giggled as he dropped the rest of his clothes into the hamper. "You're impossible."

He stepped carefully into the tub between my legs, and the muscles across his chest and shoulders strained as he lowered himself into the water across from me. We both watched nervously as the water rose to the rim of the tub and threatened to spill over onto the floor. When the water level settled and it was clear we weren't about to flood the bathroom, he laughed. "I remember why we don't do this more often."

Even though the garden tub was huge for me, Warren's long legs were bent at an awkward angle and his knees poked out of the bubbles like mountain peaks. I pulled my feet in so he could stretch his legs around me, then I rested my legs on top of his thighs. "Better?" I asked as he relaxed against the fiberglass.

"Better, but we need a bigger one."

"Agreed."

"Sloan, we need a bigger house too."

I groaned. "I know, but can we please handle one major change at a time? I can't even think about moving right now."

His hands found my right foot under the water. He pulled it up to his chest and began massaging it with his thumbs. "OK, but when we get home, we need to start talking about it. We don't need to wait till the baby gets here and space really becomes a problem."

Water dripped off my hands as I held them a foot apart over the bubbles. "She's gonna be this big. I don't think she'll take up that much space for a while."

"Babies need a lot of stuff."

“How do you know what babies need?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I've been reading."

I smiled. "Of course you have."

"I want to build her crib," he said.

"Can you do that?"

"Sure."

I sighed. "You're full of surprises."

"I'm kind of excited about starting a life with you."

I cupped a handful of suds in my hand and blew them across the tub at him. "About shopping for baby stuff, weddings, and buying a house to grow old in together?"

He closed his eyes. "Absolutely."

When Warren died and came back without his human spirit as a full-blown angel of death, I wasn't sure where we stood on the whole "growing old together" thing. I wondered if I'd be doomed to wither and die while he stayed frozen, beautiful and flawless. But Azrael assured us that wouldn't be the case because Warren's body had been created with the flaws of humanity. He said as long as Warren stays on this side of the spirit line, his body will continue to age as it normally would. Then, at the end of his life—or mine, rather—he could cross into the spirit world with me.

It sounded like a perfect arrangement. And that scared me to death.

If I'd learned anything in the past year, it was that life could change instantly and without warning, and that the things we take most for granted are the things that hurt the worst when they're gone. But those kinds of thoughts have a tendency to impede a good night's sleep, so I pushed them away.

"Speaking of weddings, we're having ours at Dad's house," I said.

The water rippled with Warren's silent chuckles. "No courthouse, then? I guess Adrianne got her way."

"She usually does."

He smiled. "Maybe we should warn Azrael." He switched to massaging my left foot. "If they did get together, would that make Adrianne your mother-in-law?"

I groaned. "Why would you say such a thing? Let's please talk about anything else. Did you let Silvers know about the flight?"

"Yeah. She's taking a later one out of Greenville."

Lucky. "What time are we leaving in the morning?"

He glanced at his black tactical watch. "In nine hours…if Azrael doesn't think of a way to stop us from going between now and then."

I drummed my nails on the side of the tub. "Is it really that unsafe in Chicago?"

"It's a dangerous place, babe." He raked his fingertips down my calf muscle. God, it felt good. "With The Destroyer still being on the loose and Chicago being a hotbed of Kasyade's business dealings, I'm sure Az is only being cautious."

His vacant tone and the way his eyes drifted toward the window didn't add any credence to his message that Azrael was simply being protective of me. But I knew that even if Warren was having doubts about the motivations of the archangel, he would never—or could never—say as much to me about it. Not anymore, anyway. I nibbled at a hangnail on my pinky finger.

"What are you thinking about?" He was looking at me again.

"Nothing important. Are you excited about going back?"

His face soured. "Hell no. I hate Chicago."

"Really? Why?"

Again, his eyes turned toward the window. "Nothing good came out of Chicago."

I wiggled my toes in his hand. "Not true. You did."

He squeezed my foot. "And if I never go back it will be too soon."

After that, he was lost in thought for a while. My gaze followed his. Outside, the moon peeked over the top of the evergreen in my tiny backyard.

"I wonder if my mom is buried in Chicago." His voice cracked enough for me to notice. Nadine had been at the forefront of Warren's thoughts since he met Azrael. It was obvious by the number of times he brought her up in conversation.

Warren, the protector in both job and nature, had indirectly and unintentionally killed his mother. It was a fact he'd assumed his entire life, long before Azrael confirmed it. I would never know what it was like to carry that kind of guilt and grief, so I didn't probe him about it.

"We should ask Azrael if she's buried there. Maybe we could go pay our respects while we're there."

He shrugged. "We probably won't get very far. You know how he gets when she comes up."

"Deaf? Mute? PMS-y?"

That got a smile out of him.

"I'll ask Nathan and see what he can dig up," I said.

He nodded and let my foot sink back under the warm water. "That's a good idea." He stretched his arms over the rim of the bathtub. "It will be weird not having Nathan along for this adventure."

My phone buzzed on the little shelf that held my soap and bubble bath.

Warren cut his eyes across the water at me. "I thought you only did that on purpose now."

I picked it up. "We don't know that it's Nathan…"

But it was.

Before I read the text message an alarming thought occurred to me. "You're no longer human, and Nathan's not going tomorrow." I swallowed the rising lump in my throat. "If I get into trouble, I'm on my own. I can't summon any of you for help."

This news should have horrified Warren as much as it horrified me. It didn't. He should have been worried, fearful and frantic. Instead, he stared back at me like something was hanging out of my nose and he was trying to figure out a delicate way to tell me.

"What is it?" I asked, more frustrated than curious.

He grimaced. "You don't get it yet, do you?"

"Get what?"

"The entire spirit world can see you now, Sloan." He wasn't making a declaration; he was quoting what Samuel had told me months before when we battled Kasyade in Texas.

My shoulders slumped. "I am a homing beacon."

"What?"

"At Calfkiller River, Azrael said he was leading the demons into an ambush so we'd have the advantage. I had wondered aloud to Nathan if he was using me and the baby to lead them there. Nathan doubted it. I never did. And now it's confirmed. I was intergalactic demon bait."

"I'll always be able to find you, Sloan." Warren's tone was a good attempt at sounding reassuring.

"So will everyone else."

He cupped my face in his hands. "We'll stay together. You don't have to worry."

"Easy for you to say, angel boy."

He laughed. "What did Nate want?"

I looked back at my phone and read the text message aloud. "I wrote my resignation letter tonight to give to Davis tomorrow. I wanted you both to hear it from me. My last day with the department will be February 14th."

"We should throw him a going away party," Warren said, resting his head back and closing his eyes again.

"That's a good idea. I think we could all use a good party." I opened up the calendar app on my phone and scrolled till I found the date.

Friday, February 14th.

Oh, the irony. Saying goodbye to Nathan…on Valentine's Day.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up when the side of the bed dipped under Warren's weight. I was on my side, sprawled diagonally across my queen bed with drool forming a cold wet ring of slobber on my pillowcase. I arched my neck to look back at him. Of course, he was already clean-shaven and dressed, wearing the black sweater I'd given him for Christmas and enough cologne to send a chill down my spine. It wasn't enough, however, to coax me out from under the tangled covers. My head flopped back down, and I hugged the pillow.

He swiped a rogue strand of hair away from my mouth. "I made you breakfast."

Warren had discovered the easiest way to get me peacefully out of bed was with either bribery or sex, and bribery worked best when productivity and schedules were looming.

I yawned and stretched my arms up toward the headboard. "I smell pancakes."

He let his hand glide over the bare skin on my lower back. "I'm going to go pack the car. Will you get up?"

I nodded without protest and rolled over as my empty stomach growled loud enough for both of us to hear.

He grinned and stood up. "I'll see you downstairs."

When I finally trudged down the stairs, Azrael glanced up from where he sat on the couch, texting on his phone. His eyes drifted from my face to the sweatshirt I'd stolen out of Warren's closet, then down to my leggings and back up. "Is this a fashion statement or a fashion protest?"

"Good morning to you too," I said, walking past him to the kitchen.

Reuel grunted his usual greeting from his spot at the table where he sat with a stack of pancakes almost up to his chin. The smell of warm maple syrup and melted butter made my knees weak. My stomach growled again. Beside Reuel was a glass of chocolate milk and a plate covered with a stainless sleet cover from Warren's kitchen accessory collection. I settled in front of it and lifted the lid.

"What the hell is this?" It was like my heart fell off a cliff.

Taunting me from my plate were jiggly egg whites, cheese that refused to melt, and a piece of turkey "bacon" that looked suspiciously like a big pink eraser from kindergarten.

Reuel was chuckling.

With a huff, I picked up my fork and reached over, skewering his top pancake. His nostrils flared and he blocked my fork with his. I glared. He raised a daring eyebrow. Rather than risk being stabbed through the hand in a culinary sword fight with a sentinel of Heaven, I slowly withdrew my utensil.

I sliced the "omelet" and stabbed it through with more force than necessary. It tasted like snot with salted rubber cheese.

Out of nowhere, Barry Gibbs's voice rang out through the first floor of my house with the lyrics to "Stayin' Alive."

Azrael quickly silenced his cell phone.

I spat a bite of egg across the table and laughed. Really loudly. So did Reuel. “What was that?" I asked.

Az dropped his face back toward the ceiling and sighed. "Adrianne changed my ringtone with some kind of app. Can't figure out how the hell to change it back."

Just then, Warren's heavy boots on the front porch outside announced his entrance before the front door swung open. He walked inside and wiped his boots on the welcome mat. For a second I almost forgot he tried to kill me with breakfast.

"Call Azrael's phone!"

"Shut up," Azrael grumbled.

Warren was confused. "What?"

"Call him," I insisted.

"Don't bother. It's on silent." Azrael turned on the leather couch to look at Warren. Phwaaaaawert…

Reuel and I burst out laughing again.

Azrael ignored us. "You ready to go?" he asked Warren.

Warren nodded. "I need to get Sloan's toiletry bag. You guys had better grab some rain gear," he said. "It's gonna be messy today."

As he crossed the room to the stairs, I snapped my fingers in his direction. "Warren Parish, we need to talk about what is and what is not appropriate to feed your pregnant girlfriend for breakfast." I frowned at my plate.

He started up the stairs two at a time and called back over his shoulder, "I love you!"

I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled. "I'm drafting a prenup on the flight!"

I heard him laugh from our bedroom.

While he was out of sight, I bolted from my seat and retrieved the jar of peanut butter from the cabinet. I dunked my fork in, with all disregard for sanitation, and shoved it in my mouth. Reuel started chuckling again.

I sank back into my seat. "Like you'll say anything." I picked up the prenatal vitamin Warren had left on my napkin and swallowed it with the last swig of chocolate milk. I lifted the edges of my plate and looked at Reuel. "You wanna choke down the rest of my omelet?"

He shuddered.

I put my plate into the dishwasher after shoving the remaining eggs down the garbage disposal and tucked a banana into my purse. I was buttoning the only button that I could still get together on my coat when Warren came back with my bag. His bottom lip drooped with pity.

I pointed at him before he could speak. "Not one word, Warren Parish."

He closed his lips, but they spread into a tight smile.

Phwaaaaawert…

Azrael groaned and walked with us to the front door. "I'm buying another damn couch the second we get home."

Behind him, Reuel began to sing the Bee Gee's softly. "Ha, ha, ha, ha…"

I doubled over halfway through the doorway laughing so hard I almost had to go back in and use the bathroom.

When we walked outside, Azrael's eyes were closed like he was praying for serenity. I nudged him with my elbow. "So we'll see you when we get there?"

He nodded. "I'll check into the hotel and leave a key in Warren's name at the front desk."

My mouth dropped open. "We're sharing a room?" I looked around at Warren and Reuel. "All four of us?"

Warren locked the front door, then joined me at the top of the steps. "It's a suite," he said, like that was supposed to make me feel better.

Azrael's heavy hands rested on my shoulders. His countenance was stern, but uncharacteristically pleading. "Please don't be upset, Sloan. I'm being cautious for your own good. Chicago isn't a safe place for you. We all need to stay close."

"You should be happy. Chicago will be the perfect place for me to practice my superpowers." I flicked my fingers out a few times with corresponding "pew pew pew" sound effects as I pretended to shoot magic from my fingertips.

He forced a smile. "Yes. 'Pew pew pew.' I'm so glad you've remembered everything I taught you." He gave my neck a gentle squeeze. "Please listen very carefully and heed my words."

I raised my brow in question.

"Chicago is the last place you need to use your power. Tapping the power of the Vitamorte there will be like throwing a bucket of chum into the sea." He leveled his gaze with mine. "It will draw the sharks."

The blood drained from my face, leaving my cheeks suddenly numb against the cold.

"Come straight to the hotel when you leave the airport." Then he said something to Reuel in Katavukai before vanishing with a crack that rippled the air.

I flinched and turned to Warren. "I'll never get used to that."

He winked. "Wait till you can do it too."

"Is he serious about me not using my powers?"

"I think so."

My bottom lip poked out. "I don't want to be a chum bucket."

He laughed. "We'll take care of you." He gave me a quick peck on the lips, and when he pulled back, his dark eyes narrowed and one brow peaked in question. "Is that peanut butter?"

I held my breath and shook my head.

"Aytim," Reuel said with a grin as he walked past us.

"Nobody asked you, Reuel," I said sticking my tongue out at him.

Warren sighed as we walked toward his car. He tilted his head back and without him touching it, the trunk of the Challenger popped open then slowly rose into the air. "Babe, you can eat whatever you want. I'm only doing what you asked me to do. Remember?"

"Yes, I know."

He shoved the bags into the back. "Now kiss me again," he said, grabbing my collar and pulling my lips to meet his. "You taste delicious."