Wanted: Undead or Alive

I Know I Love Hot Apple Cider

Mx. Landry, Moose, and I trudged into the elevator together and rode down in silence. Mx. Landry passed through security alone, and while they filled out paperwork, Moose and I stood leaning against opposite walls and not speaking.

"You both need to sign," Mx. Landry said.

The drawer opened, revealing a typed report with two signature lines at the bottom and two envelopes full of cash.

I signed first and passed the paper to Moose.

"What now?" I asked.

"Take a day," Mx. Landry said. "I'll have a file ready for you tomorrow."

Moose thumbed through his cash. "Think I'll take two days, if that's okay with you. Maybe three."

I figured I still owed Mandrake an explanation, so I drove over to his shop. He was just closing up behind his last late-night customers.

His smile lit the world. "I saved some cider for you."

I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my face against his chest. He smelled like coffee and cinnamon and laundry detergent. It was the scent of safety and contentment.

"You okay?"

I nodded without letting go.

He kissed the top of my head. "Did you catch your bad guy?"

I nodded again.

"And you got paid?"

I nodded.

"Big congrats. Also, in that case, you owe me three dollars and forty-seven cents."

The urge to tell him I loved him nearly overwhelmed me, but I kept my lips pressed together and paid him.

He held the five-dollar bill in his hand and studied me. "You going to talk?"

"Eventually," I said.

"Wanna do it?" His eyes sparkled mischievously.

"I think I'm too tired."

"That's a shame," he said. "Wanna snuggle?"

"Yes, please."

He poured my drink and then led me upstairs by the hand. I borrowed an enormous tee shirt and slipped under the covers, leaning against the headboard. "I met an angel tonight," I said.

"Which one?"

"Michael."

"Huh. Did he have a sword?"

"If he did, I didn't see it." I sipped my cider. It was the most wonderful thing in the world.

"Probably, that's for the best."

I agreed, sipped my cider, sighed. "I wish I could just tell you I love you and marry you and be content as your wife forever."

He grinned at me. "In theory, I wish that, too. But the truth is that if you did that, you wouldn't be the you that you are, and I might not be so in love with you, and that would just be awkward."

Well, that was confusing. "I have a lot of feelings."

"It's part of your charm."

"Some of them have to do with Nick," I admitted.

Drake played with a lock of my hair, wrapping it around his finger and gently letting it go again and again. "Are they real feelings or are they because of his magic?"

"I honestly don't know."

He put an arm around me, drew me close, and kissed the top of my head. "You should figure it out."

I really did love him so very much. "I'm working on it."

"You sure you don't want to do it?" he asked.

I set my drink aside and snuggled in. He chuckled and held me in his arms. In the moments before sleep came, I found the thread that bound me to Nick. Are you out there? Are you okay?