Page 11 of Midnight Auto Parts

“Sure, I would,” I lied through my teeth. “I’ve been trying to reach you for weeks.”

That much was true, but those old worries had expired to make room for new ones.

“I haven’t gotten any messages from…” Her face mottled with ire. “I’m going to tan Rollo’s hide.”

“Yes.” I kept right on clinging to Kierce like a barnacle. “Do that.”

“I see you,cher.” She mimed pinching my arm, and I had no trouble recalling the bite of her freakishly strong fingers. “You’re not getting away without explaining this to me.”

“Come back here,” Carter hollered, her voice fading, “and say that to my face, bird.”

Peering around Kierce, who monitored their antics, I watched the crow taunt Carter. Badb lured Carter down the roadusing the boot Carter had thrown at her as bait, dangling it from her beak just shy of Carter’s grasping fingers.

That was when it hit me. They were moving away from us. Fast.

Badb was giving me privacy. With an irate Vi. Who had yet to break eye contact with me.

“You did this.” I gripped Kierce’s (very nice) thighs and shook him. “You egged Badb on.”

“Me?” He threw out a hand to brace on the wagon. “Badb requires no encouragement to misbehave.”

“Yes.” Of all the times for another layer of his ice to thaw, allowing this teasing side of himself to emerge, he had to melt when I couldn’t enjoy it. “You.”

“Flirting with your boyfriend isn’t going to distract me.” Vi clapped her hands. “Get in the wagon.”

With a swirl of purple motes, she breached the door behind me, landing on the bench, waiting for me.

“Do you mind giving us a minute alone?” I was grateful Kierce helped me stand. “This is gonna get ugly.”

Had Vi been in the flesh, she would have pinched my ear and led me around by it while yelling at me.

Another sensation I had no problem conjuring from my time spent in New Orleans with her.

“I’ll keep an eye on Carter,” Kierce offered. “Make sure Badb doesn’t lead her into oncoming traffic.”

A very inappropriate snort blasted out of my nose, and I cleared my throat. “You arebad.”

“Yes.” The amusement slid off his face, and he angled his chin away from me. “I am.”

That emotional land mine had been buried so deep, I hadn’t felt the activatingclickwhen I stepped on it.

“I’m only teasing.” I fisted his shirt and shook him until he cracked a tiny smile. “We’ll pick this up later.” I let him go. “Ihave to get in there before Vi comes back out here, and nobody wants that. Trust me.”

With his tight nod cramping my stomach, I rounded the wagon and climbed behind the wheel.

“I just put it together,” Vi said softly, her gaze skating between Kierce and me. “I understand now.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” I hung my head. “I was—am—having trouble with being dead.”

“Dead?”Her shriek rattled the glass. “You died?”

“Wait.” I backpedaled as fast as I could without making things worse. “What did you mean?”

“No.” She gripped my chin between her fingers, or she would have, if she could touch me. Lucky for me, the worst she could do was mime the action, which was threat enough. “What didyoumean?”

“I died. Ten days ago.” I bit the inside of my cheek. “But Kierce assures me I’m not actually dead.”

“You’re lit up like a Christmas tree on the spiritual plane, which is how I spotted you all the way from New Orleans.” She released me. “Your powers have been fluctuating, so I wondered if I caught you in flux. I watched for a bit, whenever you were home, but when you didn’t dim, I panicked and rushed over.” She wiped a tear off her cheek. “How?” She scowled at the wet mark on her hand. “How did this happen?”

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