I leaned forward across the table. “Every delectable inch of it.”

“Wait, now I feel like we’re discussing a certain part of my body.”

“My favorite part.”

“Wow, objectifying me. Not cool, Fee.” His smile was full of mirth, but his eyes were filled with the syrupy desire that promised plenty of orgasms.

There was a clatter and then the crash of glass. Leana stood, clutching an empty tray. The contents were smashed all over the floor.

She looked over at us. “I’m sorry. Let me clean this up, and then I’ll get your drinks.”

I pushed my seat back. “No, don’t worry about the drinks. Let me help you tidy this up.”

She tried to shoo me away. “No need.”

She swayed, and Mal caught her neatly, pulled out a chair with his foot, and lowered her into it, suave as can be.

“I’ll get the dustpan and brush and cleaning supplies,” he said. “Storeroom?”

Leanna nodded. “I’m sorry. I’m so embarrassed.”

“You’re not well.”

“I’m just tired. I don’t know why. I’ve been sleeping way too much.”

My scalp prickled. “When did you start to feel like this?”

“I’ve been feeling drained for a couple of weeks now, but it’s gotten worse the last couple of days.”

Mal returned with the cleaning supplies, and together, we mopped up the mess and picked up the broken crockery. Leana didn’t argue or try to help. She truly looked wiped.

Once we were done, I crouched by Leana. “I think you should close early today.”

I expected her to argue, but she simply nodded. “Yes.”

“Okay.” Mal hauled her to her feet. “Let’s get you to bed.”

“Where does she live?”

“Here, the third floor,” Mal said. “If you kick everyone out and flip to the closed sign, I’ll get her settled.”

Half an hour later, all the patrons were gone, and Leana was tucked up in her flat.

I flipped off all the lights. “Mal, can daemons get sick?”

Mal shook his head. “Not regular human sickness, but who knows, anything is possible.”

I gnawed on my bottom lip. “Azazel’s been super tired recently too.”

“You think Leanna and Azazel are sick?”

“I don’t know. I just think we need to look into it. It’s too much of a coincidence.”

He nodded. “Okay. I’ll get my reapers to ask around, see if this fatigue is affecting any other demons or daemons in the city.”

I stepped outside and locked the door with the keys Mal gave me, then posted them through the letterbox.

Mal tugged me to him by the lapels of my coat. “Shall we fly home and get some dessert, naked, in bed…”

“Sounds perfect.”

It was snowing, a gentle swirling kind of snow, the perfect kind for Christmas Eve. I stood in the lounge with Aunt Lara and Anna, watching the elements make the world even more beautiful.

I’ll miss you was on the tip of my tongue, but I didn’t want to spoil this moment, our last day together. Tonight was for joy and laughter. In a couple of days, Aunt Lara would be gone. I needed to make the most of this time.

Belly full of great food and blood warm from the mulled wine we’d had, I slung my arm around my aunt and pulled her close.

“We should build a snowman,” Cora said. “A huge one for the kids to see when they wake up in the morning.”

“What a fabulous idea,” Anna said.

“Do you have a carrot for its nose?” Cora asked.

“Let’s see what we can find.”

They hurried off together, leaving Aunt Lara and me alone. Yep, this was Cora’s way of giving us some space. I loved her for it.

Aunt Lara hugged me to her. “Have you been eating enough? You’ve lost weight.”

“But I’ve put on muscles.” I cocked my arm and flexed for her. “See.”

“Oh, gosh, you have too.” She smiled warmly at me. “I’m so glad we got to spend this time together.”

“Thank you for a beautiful Christmas Eve.”

“It’s not over yet,” Aunt Lara said. “I got you a gift.”

My throat tightened. “You didn’t need to do that.”

“I know. But I wanted to.”

She hurried out of the room but was back a moment later carrying a parcel. It was the size of a large hardback. “Here you go.”

I unwrapped the gift and turned it over. A brown leather-bound journal, pages thick and creamy beneath my fingertips.

“It’s beautiful.”

Aunt Lara chuckled. “And you’re confused as to why I’m giving this to you. I know you’ve never been inclined to keep one, but I think you should start. Your life will be long, filled with so many memories, but with time they might fade or become muddled. If you keep an account, you can always go back and experience those treasured moments again and again.” She patted the diary in my hand. “This is to start you off. A friend to hold onto your memories and to share your deepest secrets with, even the ones you can’t tell the people you love.” She stroked my cheek. “Use it, my sweetheart.”

I nodded and clutched the journal to my chest. “I’m going to miss you so much.”

There, I’d said it.

She pulled me into a hug, and I let the tears fall. I let it out, because when Ascension Day came, there could be no sadness, only joy at the fact that the only mother I’d ever known would find peace.

Aunt Lara wiped my tears, and then we watched Cora and Anna throwing shoddily made snowballs at each other and falling on their asses outside.

“I think we should go show them how it’s done,” Aunt Lara said.

“Totally.”

I didn’t want the girl time to end, so when we got back I dragged Cora to my room where we devoured a box of donuts sitting cross-legged on the bed.

“I love this,” she said. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

There was a knock on the door.

“Come in!” Cora and I called out in unison.

The door opened, and Azazel peered in. He looked from Cora to me and then smiled. “Just wanted to make sure you got back okay.”

“Uh-huh?” Cora wiggled her brows. “Are you sure that’s all?”

Azazel sucked in his cheeks. “Cora…”

“Azazel…” she sing-songed.

Cora made to get off the bed, but I pulled her into a hug. “We’re having a girls’ night.”

Cora relaxed against me.

Azazel smiled. “If you were Mal, I’d fight you for her. But I like you too much.”

Cora blew him a kiss.

“Enjoy girls’ night, and if you get hungry, there’s a meat stew in the oven and fresh bread too.”

“I love you,” I called after him.

“I love you too!” Cora cried.

And then he was gone.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go hang with Azazel?” Cora asked.

“Yep.”

She was silent for a long beat. “They’ve changed so much.”

“Who?”

“The guys, Az and Mal and even Conah. Do you remember when they wouldn’t let you do anything.”

How could I forget? “Yep. It fucking pissed me off, but I understood to start with. I didn’t have the knowledge or the skill then. It was only when they refused to cut the apron strings that I got really mad. Oh, and don’t get me started on the lies and the secrets…” I shuddered. “I’m glad it’s over.”

“They’ve grown,” she said. “But so have you. You’re stronger now, Fee. You’re truly their equal. You have Azazel, Mal, and Grayson. You’ve found your place.”

Panic tickled the back of my mind. “Cora, what is this about?”

She sat back against the headboard and turned her head to look at me. “When you were gone, and I couldn’t sense you, I felt completely lost. It was like I was floating. Like I was nothing. Untethered. I hated that feeling.”

“But it’s gone now, right?”

“Yes, but the thoughts it prompted aren’t gone.”

“What thoughts?”

“I don’t know who I am without you, Fee. I feel like…Like there’s something I need to be doing, something that’s mine, you know. I need to find my place.”

My eyes welled because I knew where this was going. “Your place is here with me.”

She cupped my face. “It was once. It was all I was, but I’ve grown…I’m changing. I love you, Fee, but once we have answers about these hooded figures, once I’m sure they’ve been dealt with, I need to go.”

The donuts sat like lead in my stomach. “Need to?”

She closed her eyes, and a tear tracked down her cheek. “Want to. I want to go, Fee.”

My throat felt too tight. Her eyes were still closed as if she didn’t want to see the hurt on my face, and I owed her, dammit. I owed her my life. This wonderful woman I’d dreamt into being was more than a figment. She was real and solid with hopes and dreams, and she had a right to explore the world, to find her purpose, even if that purpose wasn’t to be by my side.

I wiped away her tears and fixed a shaky smile on my face. “You better come visit.”

Her eyes snapped open.

“Wherever you go, you need to come visit.” My smile trembled and dropped. “Fuck. I don’t mean to cry.”

“I’ll only ever be a jump away.”

I pulled her into a hug and squeezed, feeling my heart break a little for the changes to come. But not yet. Not just yet.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“Are you ready to go?” Cora asked from my bedroom doorway.

I pushed my feet into my pretty new boots and did a twirl to showcase my burgundy midi dress. I’d paired it with opaque black tights and the pretty new boots, of course. My hair was pulled back in a French braid, and I’d added silver hoops to my ears.