“Oh, FYI, I don’t want to know when anyone in attendance is going to die, or where they might be headed, except for maybe Jace,” Vivian said.
“I can dispatch him for you, if you like,” Darkmore replied, casually.
“No, no,” she said. “Tempting as that sounds, I think I’d just like to avoid him until we have to walk down the aisle together.”
“Fair enough.”
“So, can I ask you something?”
He smiled. “You just did, but yes, I am willing to indulge your curiosity.”
“Is it better to live as a man or as a woman?”
He laughed out loud before replying, “Dare I reply to such a question from you? You might strike me blind as Hera did Tiresias, depending on my answer and your own views on the subject. Both forms experience joy and sorrow in equal measure. If you wish to know my personal preference, I’d have to go with male, but I was born into a male body the first time around, so perhaps I am biased.”
“Well aren’t you diplomatic? You’d make a fine politician. Is that how you got the gift of foresight?”
“My, my, I’m impressed! To think I believed that all of the tales of old were forgotten. Foresight is part of the package for high-ranking reapers, guardians too. I have dabbled in politics from time to time, which has helped in my current occupation.”
His grin turned mischievous. “Now it’s my turn. Why did you ask me to accompany you to this event?”
Vivian thought for a moment. She didn’t want to lie, since he’d probably know anyway, but she wasn’t sure about all of the reasons herself. “For starters, Annabelle told me I had to take someone,” she said.
“Annabelle?”
“My friend Kay’s oldest daughter. Oh, speaking of, you won’t scare any of the children there, will you?” Vivian asked.
“Of course not,” he replied with a dash of indignation, “I prefer to spar with those capable of holding their own. Now, back to you. Did you seek my company based solely on the whim of a child?”
Persistent, aren’t you?
“No. I didn’t want to be alone, but I didn’t want to just settle for some random guy. I thought you would be interesting company. Plus, I still owe you. I was hoping you’d have fun. Good enough?”
“Yes, that will do for now,” Darkmore said, his gaze twinkling. Yeah, he saw right through her.
She was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when she spotted Boyd, Kay, and the kiddos heading their way. Slipping into panic mode, she struggled to psych herself up for the first in a series of what she thought would be awkward introductions.
Darkmore gave her hand a light squeeze. He then let go and sauntered over to Vivian’s friends.
“What a delightful evening for a wedding,” Darkmore drawled. Boyd and Kay stared at him and Kay couldn’t seem to pick her jaw up off the sidewalk. Kaitlyn and Annabelle beamed and made a beeline for the reaper. Connor sulked beside his father. At first, Vivian thought he was probably sour at the prospect of keeping tidy and behaving like a civilized person. Then she realized that Junior was nowhere in sight.
He’d probably high-tailed it out when he saw Darkmore.
“Hiya,” Kaitlyn said, forgoing her usual stranger anxiety. “Are you Aunt Vivian’s date?”
“Yes, young mistress, I am,” he said, stooping to the girl’s level. “Is that quite all right with you?”
Kaitlyn considered as she eyed him with unabashed curiosity, the kind only a kid can manage. And get away with. “I guess, as long as you give up your evil ways, rescue her, and take her back home on time.”
“Kate!” Annabelle scolded.
“What?” Kate asked as she shrugged her shoulders. “That’s what Flynn Rider did in Tangled.”
“I’m not familiar with that particular tale,” Darkmore said, appearing to give the matter serious consideration. “Perhaps you could tell me more.”
“Flynn starts out as a thief, but he’s not really bad. He ends up rescuing Rapunzel from her mom. Well, she’s not really her mom, she was just pretending, and then…”
Vivian watched and tried to stifle a chuckle while Darkmore listened to Kaitlyn’s rambling plot summary. Annabelle gave Vivian the thumbs-up on the sly. Boyd and Kay still couldn’t seem to put two sentences together.
“Mistress Kaitlyn, I promise I shall do my utmost to be worthy of your Aunt Vivian’s regard,” Darkmore said as soon as he had the opportunity to get a word in.
“Oh, and you should probably kick Mr. Jace in the—”
“Kate, that’s enough!” Mama Kay found her voice just in time.
“Ah, you must be the lovely Mrs. Clemmens,” Darkmore said, rising and taking Kay’s hand. “It is an honor to meet you. My name is Robert Darkmore.”
“It’s certainly…nice to meet you, too,” Kay said, still flustered. Darkmore had that effect on people even when they weren’t aware of his otherworldly status.
A red-faced Boyd stepped up and insinuated himself between his wife and the reaper. “Mr. Darkmore,” he said, offering his hand in a very pointed way.
“Mr. Clemmens, I’m delighted to meet you and your lovely family,” Darkmore replied, taking his hand and giving it a firm shake.
“So, you’re looking out for our Vivian this evening?” Boyd asked.
“She’s quite capable of holding her own. I am, however, in charge of her happiness for as long as she requires me,” Darkmore said.
“All righty then,” Vivian chimed in. “Time’s a-wasting. Let’s go and get you settled, Robert. I’ve got to do my duty and find Sue.”
“Oh, we’d be happy to look after Mr. Darkmore for you,” Annabelle said, trying her best to sound grown up.
“I’m not sure that’s necessary—” Vivian began.
Boyd cut her off, “You’re right, Vivian. Let’s get inside and get you kids settled and let Vivian take care of her friend.”
When Kay and the kids started to protest, Boyd continued, “I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time to get to know all about Mr. Darkmore at the reception.”
After the Clemmens family scurried off, Vivian turned to look at Darkmore. She was feeling a bit helpless at her friends’ reactions and worried about how he’d feel. He simply looked amused, which made her feel a little better. At least he was having fun.
“Go on in,” he said, bowing and planting a small kiss on her hand. “I’m sure I’ll be fine on my own for a while.”
It’s not you I’m worried about. She thought twice before uttering that sentiment aloud.
“Hey, wait,” she said, pulling him back. “I didn’t even think to ask. Can you, um, you know, go into a church?”
Darkmore stared at her for a long moment, then turned and strolled right into the chapel looking like Lord High Smug, the show-off. God, he was going to give her a heart attack. Vivian took the scurrying option as she rushed off to find the bride and her witch of a sister. She carried with her the cool and refreshing feel of Darkmore’s lips on her skin as she ran.
Along with the sparks of power flying from her fingertips.
CHAPTER 19
After Vivian found Sue and helped her squeeze into her undergarments and dress, which was a delicate operation to say the least given Sue’s expanding waistline, Vivian found herself with more time to kill than she’d bargained or hoped for. At least Sarah managed to hold it together and not make her fear of Vivian obvious. She sensed it, and every now and then caught a wary or disapproving glance, but it was about as obtrusive as background noise from a distant radio. She could tune it out.
What she couldn’t tune out was the feeling that had been tickling her innards for weeks. The tickling morphed into gnawing and she felt the urge to go outside and get her head on straight if she hoped to get through the next hour without blasting the hell out of someone in the wedding party.
She settled on ducking into one of the smaller corridors between buildings to avoid the gathering throngs in the main courtyard. Sue and Jack had a lot of friends and family.
They were well on their way to having their own family soon enough. They had the home, the marriage, and the baby on the way, not to mention good jobs and a bright future. She was trying super-hard to be happy for them and failing miserably.
Misery loved company, or in this case, it seemed to attract the type to bring more misery. Jace walked out of one of the side doors and made his way toward her. Vivian considered moving on, but sheer stubbornness kept her in place. He didn’t own this particular space and she’d be damned if she’d leave it.
He looked her up and down, but managed to be respectful about it. It would have been less upsetting for her had he leered. “You look great, Vivian,” he said with a smile.
“So do you,” she replied. “You must have left your horns at home. Or does Sheila have them?”
“I suppose I deserved that, but she doesn’t.”
“Then she’s definitely more than you deserve,” Vivian said. She took some of the bite out of her voice. His apathy had deflated her anger a bit.
“You’re probably right about that, too, but she makes me happy. What about this new man you brought along? He do right by you?” Jace asked. He seemed genuine in his concern.
“So far so good,” she said. That was about as honest as she could get about Darkmore. She had to admit, though, it pleased her no end that Jace noticed and seemed worried about his replacement.
“Are we going to get through this like civilized people?” he asked. Again, he managed to ask without inspiring any anger. There was no accusation in his voice. She’d have to work harder, she reckoned, if she wanted to get a rise out of him.
“I can if you can. You’d better run along back to your young miss before she starts to fret,” she replied.
He regarded her for a moment. She could tell he was mad and was fighting awfully hard to hide it. That would have been a turn-on and the beginning of some serious steam about a month back.
Not anymore.
“You know,” he began with a sad, wry smile lifting to the corners of his mouth, “of all the things I miss about you, and believe me, there’s a lot, I think I miss your fire most of all. It was worth all the rest while it lasted.”
She shivered even before Darkmore put his hand on her bare shoulder. Had he just appeared? Jace looked a bit taken aback, but maybe it was just because he’d put his foot in his mouth.
“She is rather a live wire, is she not?” Darkmore purred. “And her worth is immeasurable. You must be Jace.”
Vivian gulped and, remembering her manners, got on with the introductions. “Yes, um, this is Jace Blakemore. Jace, allow me to introduce Robert Darkmore.”
Jace mumbled something along the lines of “nice to meetcha” before bowing out. Darkmore watched him the entire time. When they were alone once more, he gave Vivian his attention.
“You could always change your mind and secure my services, you know. According to your friend the priest’s dogma, I’d be well within my rights. Treachery, synonymous with betrayal, is a mortal sin.”
“So is lust, and by that rationale I am just as guilty and got what I deserved,” Vivian said without emotion.
“Well, that particular sin doesn’t rank quite so high.” He stared at her with his intense blue eyes. “Still warring with yourself, I see,” he said softly. “What shall I find in there in the way of other deadly sins?”
He sucked in a breath and closed his eyes to savor it, as one might a fine wine while trying to unravel its complexities.
“You won’t find gluttony or sloth,” she quipped with a dash of tartness. It was her go-to defense in uncomfortable situations. “I’m certainly not lazy!”
“Nor avarice,” he murmured. “You have a healthy sense of pride and understandable envy with regard to the happy bride.”
She gasped, abashed that he’d spoken her ugly little truth aloud.
“Don’t beat yourself up about it, Vivian,” he said, eyes opening. “As I said, it is understandable given your circumstances, and a natural human reaction. You should worry more about anger.”
Eager to change the subject, she said, “But you didn’t taste greed, huh? I thought greed and envy would be in the same flavor family.”
“Not quite,” he said. “You don’t even realize how interesting that is, do you? You, who have been graced, or cursed as you might think, with remarkable powers, have yet to use them for personal gain or to harm others in any meaningful way.”
The last he offered with a wink. She supposed Sarah would recover, then.
“That’s me,” she said with bitterness. “Selfless to a fault. A real giver.”
“Why so glum?”
“Look how far it’s gotten me,” she said.
“Don’t be too quick to dismiss this quality, Vivian. It may save you in the end.”
Before Vivian could ask him what he meant, they were interrupted by the minister.
Showtime.
***
Vivian put on her best and brightest smile as she strolled down the aisle with her arm linked with her philandering ex’s. It was amazing what a girl could accomplish when she put her mind to it. In Vivian’s case, she pictured Jace neck-deep in a frozen lake, screaming in agony while wolves chewed on his face. That was all Darkmore’s doing, no doubt. He certainly painted a vivid mental image.
The ceremony itself was short and sweet. Vivian cried along with Sue and Jack as they promised to love, honor, and cherish one another until death they parted. She had to wonder if they could find their way back to one another from beyond the grave someday. She’d seen some spirit “couples” holding hands and appearing for all the world, at least to those who could perceive them, as being deeply in love.
Whether they’d found one another after crossing from the land of the living was still a mystery.
Some of her tears were for those who’d lost their loves, and who still might. She spared a tear or two for Kay and Boyd, hoping they’d find a way to mend their marriage. She spared a few more for her parents, who would have loved to witness such a beautiful ceremony.
She cried for Zeke, too, and the raw, gaping wound he’d left in her heart.
While the ceremony was short, the staged and stilted photography session just after soon became as painful to Vivian as her forced smile and cramped toes. She couldn’t believe how long this apparent Annie Leibovitz wannabe was taking. Plus, she was antsy and worried about how Darkmore was getting along. Now that the reverent part of the ceremony was over, she knew he’d be swarmed by curious family and friends, not to mention single horny women. Maybe a few married ones, too, judging from Kay’s reaction.
She wasn’t sure how she felt about this hypothetical attention.
“Just a few more, I promise. You’re doing great,” Sue whispered. It was then that Vivian realized she’d been frowning.
“Sorry,” Vivian muttered.
“Don’t be. We’ll get you back to that tall drink of water in no time,” Sue teased.
“Stop it,” Vivian whispered back, hissing.
“What?” Sue said, feigning innocence.
“Keep that up and I’ll work in a jibe about you wearing white during my toast,” Vivian shot back.
“Ladies, ladies, let’s focus,” said Ms. Taskmaster. “We’re losing the light and I want to get some nice sunset shots.”
Vivian wished for a Snickers bar, since she clearly wasn’t going anywhere for a while.
A flash of white caught her attention in the periphery, chased by radiant warmth. No, this could not be happening. She wouldn’t let it happen.
“It’s so hot out here,” Sue whispered before flashing another bright smile for the camera.
Vivian couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t think. All she could do was stand in front of the camera, frozen and terrified, hoping the rogue guardian wouldn’t unleash his fury on her family and friends before she could summon Darkmore.
Or before she was forced to abandon all pretense and attack in the open.
CHAPTER 20
By the time they arrived at the Union Station Hotel, Vivian was a bundle of nerves on the verge of exploding. She’d barely uttered a word in the car. Between lingering worry over the rogue spirit who might or might not decide to crash her best friend’s wedding reception and the reaper who’d be forced to wreak havoc if the guardian did show up, she had a lot on her mind. It certainly made keeping up appearances difficult.
There were more than a few cracks in her fragile façade of calm.
If this bothered Darkmore, he didn’t let on. He observed the speed limit, obeyed all traffic signals, and had the good grace to let folks merge. The only time he spoke during the drive was to tell Vivian that she was magnificent during the ceremony.
She didn’t feel magnificent, but she appreciated the sentiment.
She’d hoped to have a few moments to brief Darkmore on modern etiquette in the parking lot, but he opted for valet. He offered his arm and she took it, gripping a little too tightly. He smiled, winked, and together they walked into to building for the reception, him looking about as happy as a tick on a fat dog.
Vivian was astounded. The room was full. If there were a fire marshal of the spiritual persuasion, he’d be lighting a fire under the dead to get them the hell out of the room. Departed spirits lingered, floated, and walked among the living as far as her gaze could reach.
Vivian ducked down a corridor and tried her damnedest not to hyperventilate.
Darkmore didn’t try to coddle her this time, which was good. He did speak quietly and send rays of cool, calming blue light her way. Vivian devoured them and felt slightly better. When she could speak, she asked, “Who invited undead Nashville?”
Darkmore chuckled. “It wasn’t me, I can assure you.” He slid down the wall and sat beside her. She was grateful for the time to recuperate, and also for the fact that she wasn’t alone.
“They’re here for the party,” Darkmore continued. “Festivities, especially milestones like births, marriages, or deaths, tend to draw spirits. Some are relations, no doubt. Others are simply lonely and wish to be close to vitality.”
Raising the Dead Page 20