Cain shook his head, peering intently at the selection as I went through the closet. “Sometimes it’s better to hint at something than to show it outright, anyway.”

  “So, hint to the fact that I ain’t got any bubs?”

  That actually made Cain chuckle. “It’d be better if you had something that could show off your legs.”

  I wanted to laugh. There was just something hilarious about this big, gruff, ghostie helping me pick out an outfit that might help me distract Death. Though I had to admit, Cain had a better idea of what men might like than I did.

  I offered him a cheeky smile, putting my dimple to good use. “I do have great gams, don’t I?” As far as I was concerned, my legs were my best feature. I was five-foot-ten inches, and most of that height was my legs, so they tended to go on forever.

  “Yeah, you could be a centaur for Halloween.”

  I looked at him, and my mouth dropped open. “Cain Morgan, that was one of the meanest things you ever said!”

  “What?” he asked, looking completely taken aback. “It was just a joke.” Then he reached out and shocked me when he put a hand on my shoulder (which went right through it) and said, “You do have fantastic legs.” His voice was matter of fact, like he was just stating another piece of evidence.

  “Well, I’ll be. You actually can be complimentary.”

  He caught sight of my open-mouthed surprise and got a little flustered. His nature as a spook meant he didn’t have any blood to blush with, but he lifted one hand to scratch the back of his head, his peepers darting away from me before coming back to rest on my face.

  “You have a very attractive body,” he said with an earnestness that was endearing. I couldn’t help but be a little charmed by it.

  The truth was, Cain’s clumsy words were pretty reassuring. I’d died in my twenties, and after being brought back to life, I was now basically in my forties. So, I’d lost out on the rest of my twenties, and then skipped my thirties which definitely wasn’t no party. I understood that forty was the new twenty, but golly-gee, it woulda been nice to have experienced them, all the same.

  The honest appreciation in Cain’s eyes as he gave me a once over, before he turned away to stare pointedly at my closet, started a warm glow in my chest. I suddenly felt like a downright attractive dame—the same as I used to feel. And I was grateful to him for that—after all, a girl should feel like she was a queen sheba every now and again.

  “You’re not so bad yourself, big guy.”

  Cain shot me a warning look from underneath lowered brows, but the way his lips twitched took any sting out of it.

  “So,” he cleared his pipes. “Any ideas on what outfit you’re going to wear? And whatever you do, stay away from that blouse that stinks to hell.”

  “Oh, the ‘toes’ blouse?” I frowned as I nodded. “It was a gift from Wanda.”

  “Well, I think you should regift it right back to her or donate it to Good Will or use it as pest control.” He shook his head and made a face. “I can smell it from here.”

  “It’s supposed to smell like roses.”

  He chuckled at that. “Well, whatever it does smell like, roses isn’t it.”

  “I can’t get rid of it when it was a gift,” I answered real snide like but all the while, I figured Cain had a point. Hangers scraped against the metal pole in my closet as I flipped through a few more options. When I found the one I was looking for, I couldn’t help but smile. That one had been a combination gift for my very first birthday since being alive again. Libby had sewn it, and Wanda had enchanted it. I’d never really had the opportunity to actually wear it yet since it wasn’t the sort of thing you threw on to go to the office, or to Poppy’s kitchen to mix up cocktails with the other gals during our Black Cat Cocktail Club hours (which were my very favorite hours in the whole wide world—right up there with watching wrestling with Henner).

  “Alright, turn around so I can put it on.” I made a little swivel with my finger, in case Cain didn’t understand English.

  He didn’t even grumble, though the line of his back was tense when he braced his hands on his hips. It was a holdover gesture from wearing a heavy belt, I was pretty sure. A lotta coppers I’d seen on the tele seemed to do the same thing.

  I drew the dress outta my closet, careful not to catch it on anything. In my head, it felt like the word shoulda been capitalized: The Dress. Like it was the only one in the world.

  When I was sure Cain wasn’t looking, I slipped outta my clothes and into the black lace bra and panty set I’d gotten from Wanda and then I popped on my two-inch black, leather stilettos. The stilettos were also gifted because it turned out there wasn’t much demand for shoes that made cats wanna hang out with you. (Apparently, the heels had been a custom enchanted order for a dame who really liked cats but then she never came back to pick up the shoes).

  I’d already done my make-up, just enough to make my eyes look large and dewy, and paired with a bold lip, my kisser was definitely kissable.

  I stepped into the ring of the cool silk dress, drawing it up the lines of my body. The halter neck closed at my nape with a silver clasp, leaving my arms and shoulders bare. It flowed in a deep blue cascade over my chest, to nip in sharp at my waist, then skimmed over my hips to float gently around my gams all the way to the floor, where it darkened to almost midnight. The slit up one side flashed some pale leg, and the entire thing was studded with little winking hints of silver. At first, I’d thought they were silver beads or some other embellishment, but Wanda’s magic had actually set bits of light into the material, until the dress looked like it was spun outta the moon and stars themselves. The dress was enchanted to make the wearer look and feel just like a princess and boy, did I!

  My hair was still the short bob that had been so popular back in the day, so I just parted it to one side and smoothed it back to curl behind my ear. Cain hadn’t been wrong, my gams looked fantastic. I wanted to make every glimpse of them that peeked through the tasteful slit in the skirt to be as distracting as possible. Was it fair to weaponize leg crossing? Probably not. But Death wasn’t exactly known for playing fair. He’d been playing card games since humans first invented gambling, probably. I’d had a few hurried lessons with Finn at Poppy’s kitchen table while Poppy stress baked in the background. I needed whatever edge I could give myself and the chocolate chip cookies were just the icing on the cake.

  “Well,” I said, nervously, as I smoothed my hands over the floaty silk skirt. “What do you think?”

  Cain didn’t say much when he first turned back around. He just stared at me for a good few seconds, taking in everything. Then he swallowed hard enough that I could see the bob in his nearly translucent throat. Considering that Cain was a spook who definitely didn’t produce saliva, I took the gesture for the compliment it was.

  The skirt of the dress flared as I gave a little spin. “Do you like it? Do you think it’ll be enough to impress Damon?”

  “I think if he weren’t Death, you’d knock him dead.” There was an extra kind of gruffness in Cain’s voice, like he had to drag it over some gravel in his throat.

  I smiled through the nerves that were doing their best to turn my stomach into a pretzel. “Well, fingers crossed. That would solve a few of our problems.”

  Granite cracked, and Cain actually smiled. It only lasted for a second before he gave me a serious, searching look. Those gray-blue eyes that were so pretty on Marty were cold as ice in Cain’s face, but somehow, I found them even more attractive on Cain than I did on Marty. Maybe that was because Marty was kinda like that big goofy guy you couldn’t quite take serious. At least, that’s how he seemed to me. And I was fairly sure that’s how he seemed to Poppy too, even though she was his steady. I wasn’t sure how long that was going to last though—Poppy didn’t think about Marty the same way he did about her. The truth was there in her eyes—the way she looked at him, it was like he was her brother. But that was her own story she had to figure out, and I imagined she would, in time.

  “Are you ready for this?” Cain pulled my attention back to him.

  I took in a deep breath, partly to try and calm down, partly to stall for time. Was I ready? Truth was, I didn’t know. How could anyone ever be ready for a meeting with Death that could be final? But I didn’t have much of a choice, not if I wanted to help the ghosts of Haven Hollow. Not if I wanted to protect the people who mattered to me. And not if I wanted to continue to be free.

  Besides, I’d already learned exactly how quickly life could go by. I didn’t want to waste even one second of my miracle resurrection on doubt, or indecision. So, I met Cain’s eyes, and if my smile was a little bit grim, I didn’t think he’d call me out on it.

  “As I’ll ever be.” It wasn’t a reassurance, but it was true.

  Cain just nodded though, like I’d said something smart.

  The band of his class ring was cold when I slipped it on my finger, but the metal warmed quickly against my skin. The cool slide of Cain’s energy as he moved into my space reminded me a little bit of the silk of my birthday dress, and I had to fight to repress a shiver. The comforting weight of his presence settled inside my chest and it felt almost like he’d just tossed an arm around my shoulders.

  Let’s do this, then.

  I took a deep breath and descended the stairs.

  Chapter Fifteen

  What I wasn’t expecting when I stepped out the front door of Cain’s house, was the crowd waiting for me on the sidewalk.

  My mouth hung open as I looked around and took everyone in. Poppy and Finn were standing near Wanda, Lorcan and Libby, with Roy hovering protectively at Poppy’s back. Fifi and Bailey were there, along with Henner and Marty. Taliyah looked remote and resplendent in dark blue and white, the pale streaks in her hair all the more vibrant in the brilliant scarlet and gold of sunset. And just beyond her stood Betanya, Maverick, Olga and Astrid. I couldn’t believe how many people were crowded around me, standing like an honor guard.

  Wanda crossed to my side, strutting like she was moving along a catwalk. She was dressed to kill in a tight black sheath dress and leather boots that climbed up over her knees. Wanda was always drop-dead gorgeous, but tonight she looked even more beautiful than usual. Maybe that was because I worried I might never see her again?

  Now, don’t start thinking like that, Cain warned from inside my head.

  When she reached me where I stood like a dimwit on the front step, she hooked one finger, tipped in a flawless scarlet nail, underneath my chin and shut my mouth with a light click of my teeth.

  “Do yourself a favor and don’t make that face again. Especially if you want your opponent to take you seriously.”

  A hint of a flush crawled up my cheeks, but I knew Wanda meant well. She just wasn’t good at offering things like support and sensitivity without enough barbs to make a rosebush feel naked. But, just like a rose, the prize was worth the prickles.

  Wanda made a considering sound as she looked me up and down. “I suppose you clean up alright. Now, just figure out how to keep your shoulders back when you walk. Don’t tip-toe your way around that bastard.” I figured she meant Death. “Strut.”

  I smiled. “Thanks, Wanda.”

  “Hmph.” With a toss of her long black hair, Wanda tilted her chin to the big black limousine parked at the curb. “Come on. We’re your escort.”

  I eyed the car. I didn’t know much about modern vehicles. Heck, seatbelts were a newfangled invention when I was young. It looked big and expensive though, with a coat of wax that made it gleam like a dark mirror.

  “Where’d that ride come from?” I asked.

  “Lorcan,” she answered as the vampire appeared to open her door.

  “I wanted us all to arrive in style,” he pointed out as I just gave him a big smile, all the while well aware that he was sore about the way Damon had welcomed him to the hotel last time. Or hadn’t welcomed him, as the case may be.

  In spite of everything, in the face of the uneasy churning of my stomach and the watery feeling in my knees, I had to fight not to laugh. Lorcan was just… well, he was Lorcan. And I couldn’t think of a better beau for Wanda. I also couldn’t think of anyone else who’d put up with her.

  “You look beautiful,” Henner whispered as he climbed into the limo right behind me. The car was big enough that Poppy, Finn, Wanda, Henner and I all fit comfortably. Everyone else moved to their own cars, so that we’d form a convoy to the edge of town, where Death and his hotel awaited us.

  Expensive leather sighed as I sat down, molding around me. The cut of my dress left my entire back bare, and the feeling of the seat upholstery was so buttery soft, I almost couldn’t believe it. I could feel the tension melting outta my spine against my will. Henner reached over and took my hand, squeezing it. I looked up at him and gave him a smile I didn’t really feel.

  The ride outta town wasn’t a long one, but I was all but vibrating outta my seat. This was it. This was for all the marbles. Either I’d win sanctuary for all the spooks of Haven Hollow, lost souls that clung to their past lives, unable to let go and move on without help. Or I’d basically be Mrs. Death by morning, and I’d never see my friends again.

  I had to lean forward and put my head between my knees or I was going to throw up all over my pretty dress. Henner hesitated before laying a hand on my bare back. When I didn’t say anything, or straighten up, he stroked a gentle touch down my spine.

  “Hey, breathe. You can do this, Darla. You can do anything.”

  Wanda hummed, like she was considering an academic point and not whether I was going to get myself stuck in Hotel California for eternity.

  “You do seem to have a way of defying probability,” she said, eyebrows reaching for the ceiling of the vehicle. “I’m sure you’ll pull something off.”

  It was funny, how reassuring Wanda could be sometimes.

  It was enough to get me to sit up though, now no longer feeling like I was going to be sick or pass out anymore. My heart pounded double time, and I was hyper aware of every precious beat, but I managed to shoot Henner another reassuring smile.

  Finn pulled a battered deck of playing cards outta his pocket and offered me a hesitant smile. “Want to get in one more practice hand?”

  “I’d love that.”

  Anything to get my mind off what was waiting at the end of the ride.

  It was a little awkward, playing in the back of a moving car with no table to even lay the cards down on. I almost dropped my entire hand when the vehicle took an unexpected corner a little fast, but we managed.

  Flushed with excitement, I bounced in my seat when we finally showed our cards. I fanned my handful of clubs at Finn, beaming. “Flush! I win!”

  He winced, his nose wrinkling up and making the dusting of freckles there more obvious. “Uh… no. I win, actually.”

  “What!” I pointed at his cards. “You’ve only got three of a kind!”

  “Right.” Finn tapped the pair of Kings tucked in beside his three tens. “But I’ve also got a pair. This is a Full House, and it beats a Flush.”

  “Horsefeathers!” I wanted to toss the cards into the air. How the heck was I supposed to remember all the rules to the dumb game, anyway? They didn’t make any sense at all! It was all Baloney, anyway. Thank goodness I had Finn to tell me if Damon was gonna try to pull a fast one on me, because if Damon told me that getting the joker was a winning hand, I’d have believed him.

  I handed the cards to Finn to be shuffled back into the deck, and couldn’t keep the scowl off of my face. “So, what beats a Full House then?”

  Finn frowned in concentration, his hands moving to slide the worn cards back into the paper pack without bending or folding any of them.

  “Just a Royal Flush wins over a Full House. Though, in Texas Holdem, a straight flush also wins.”

  “Wait, wait, wait.” I held up my hand. “What’s Texas Holdem? We’re playing poker.”

  “Um.” Finn darted a glance at Poppy, like he didn’t want to answer my question. “There’s more than one kind of poker.”

  “What?” My screech was unnaturally loud in the confines of the car. Wanda gave me a dirty look, and I lowered my voice back into human range. “What do you mean there’s more than one kind?”

  “Exactly that.”

  I sighed out my frustration. “And the rules are different?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, what happens if I learned the wrong poker?”

  “I mean, they’re all similar. It’s just a few differences.” Finn squirmed, and the leather creaked under his shifting weight.

  I groaned and hid my face in my hands while Henner gave me a comforting pat on the shoulder.

  “I’m sure the Poker game Damon was thinking of is the original,” he managed with a big smile.

  ***

  The Hotel looked different in the darkness, all the windows reflecting the moonlight, and looking like they were on fire with it. It was jarring to see the building bathed in the milky rays. Like it was a thing of night time shadows. The cracked sidewalk in front of the hotel looked surreal, too normal to exist.

  As I stepped outta the limo, I watched the convoy of cars as they pulled into the weed-choked abandoned lot we were using for parking. The line of vehicles reminded me of a funeral, and I shook my head sharply to banish the thoughts from my mind.

  Even as I did, I felt the unmistakable brush of fur against one of my legs and, glancing down, noticed a stray cat rubbing against me. Well, even if my knowledge of Poker didn’t work for jack, at least Wanda’s bespelled clothing did.

  It was a somber, quiet group that approached the huge double doors of the hotel. Henner’s hand in mine was the only thing that kept my knees from knocking as I crossed the pavement towards it. My little furry friend was right beside me and, as I watched, a few more feral cats joined him.

  All the while, all I could think about was that at least if I was going to my second death, I had a fabulous dress on. It would take me at least a couple centuries to get tired of this one. The way the little winking lights seemed to move, forming their own constellations, would entertain me for years on end. Or, I hoped they would.