Page 43

CHAPTER 43

Lalo

He kept stealing glances at Carolina, who was busy inspecting the horses. With her blood coursing through his veins, Lalo’s senses were heightened to their full ability. He had smelled the geldings trapped in brambles from a distance.

Carolina had been ecstatic to find them because she’d strapped a satchel containing supplies over the larger horse’s neck, but now her expression was serious. His heart twisted in his chest. He could hardly believe the last hour they’d shared together. They’d fought like hell to survive and after, for the first time perhaps ever, Lalo felt like he had truly lived. But now they were heading toward his ultimate demise.

Did she know he probably wasn’t going to survive this night? What if she’d only been with him for pity’s sake? No. He would not tarnish his first and possibly last time with such a thought.

He dragged his attention back to his task, which was to read over the papers she’d taken from her grandfather’s room and stuffed into the satchel and make certain the path they were going was the one that would lead them to Vidal.

But his mind kept slipping back to her. His body still buzzed from drinking her blood. She tasted how he imagined fire would. Her life force burned as brilliant as any flame. But it was not something to be contained in a hearth. Carolina was a wildfire. One could only sit back and watch her burn.

And every part of Lalo’s undead heart burned for her.

He had never longed for passion. His parents lived a perfectly unromantic marriage most days, and they had seemed content. Lalo thought it was safe to keep one’s partner at arm’s length. But with Carolina, he pictured an eternity of passion. Every emotion she had was big.

He thought of their kisses. How she pulled loose something he thought he never craved. Laughter. Joy. Friendship. Desire. What he wouldn’t do to have more time with her. To ride into the valley just to watch the sun rise. To kiss her always. To hold her and watch as her hair turned gray.

When he drank in her life force, he’d seen the world through her eyes. It was so colorful. So exciting and beautiful.

A lump formed in his throat. Lalo wasn’t sure what happened to a sediento when they passed to the Land of the Dead. What if his soul was damned? What if he never found her in el Cielo because he wouldn’t be admitted?

He rubbed a hand over his face.

What did it matter? If Vidal was gone, and all sedientos died with him, the world would be a safer place. Fernanda and Carolina would be spared. He would not fail in his mission no matter the consequence to himself.

Carolina plopped beside him and cursed. “The speckled horse cannot carry any weight. One of his ankles is swollen.”

“What shall we do?”

“We’ll just have to ride together. I hope you don’t mind.”

Lalo shrugged. “I’ll endure it if I must.”

“You’re such a saint,” she replied. “Here.” In her palms were two thick globs of clay that smelled like death.

“What do you expect me to do with that?” he asked.

“We need to cover our scents. I’ve already caked our horse with the stuff, though he should be fine anyway—animals are a natural part of the woods. But us? I think the chupasangres are proof enough that you stink.”

Lalo chuckled. “I love it when you talk dirty.” His nostrils flared at the rank odor. “Speaking of dirty, where did you find that mud?”

“In that bog over there. It’s vile, no?”

“That’s an understatement.” His lip curled. “You really wish for me to put that on myself?”

A single brow shot up. “Now is not the time to act pompous.”

His mouth dropped. “Pompous?”

“Yes. Snobbish. Superior. Whatever word you like. You will put this on or else.”

“Or else what exactly?” he asked, wiggling his brows.

Carolina snorted and rolled her eyes.

“You are beautiful when irritated,” he teased. “I remember when I first saw you, even as you snarled, I thought you were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.”

“And did you think that still after all the times I tried to murder you?”

He grinned. “I didn’t say I liked you very much, but yes.”

And, oh, did he still. She was hardly wearing anything now. Her hair was a mess of tangles framing her face. He imagined this would be how she looked like in the morning when she woke. Save for the dirt on her face and clothes. What he wouldn’t give to wake up next to her daily, to see the morning sun kiss her cheeks as they nuzzled close.

He leaned in to steal a kiss but froze when an owl flapped its wings in the distance, hooting as if it had been spooked.

Lalo snapped out of his trance and cleared his throat. “We should get going, shouldn’t we?”

“Put this on first.” She plopped a blob into his lap.

He gasped at the sudden throb of pain in his nether parts. “You are a terror,” he wheezed.

“I know,” she said while painting her skin with the brackish clay.

“For the love of el Cielo,” he complained, but he slathered the wretched stuff over himself.

When they were both covered and green with moldy-smelling mud, Carolina jumped up, offering her hand. “Time for the fun to begin,” she said.

He rose and wrapped his arms around her. “I think I’d rather stay here and enjoy your kisses instead.”

The owl hooted again. Her eyes flicked to the thick woods beyond. “We will have to wait, I fear. Best hurry.”

He handed her the papers, and she slid them into the satchel tied to their horse. She climbed up and patted the horse’s rear. “Get on.”

Lalo did so, not so uncouthly as other times, but no less embarrassingly. When he shuffled in behind her, he had to bite down on his cheeks. How in the world was he going to handle this now that their relationship had entered uncharted territory?

“Hold on to my waist,” she said.

Stars above.

He placed a light palm upon the soft curve of her side.

She scoffed. “Are you trying to get thrown off this horse?” She grabbed one of his hands and brought it around her, pulling him right against her backside.

Taxes. Chupasangres. Maricela. Trees with eyes. He was trying to keep his mind clear, but dammit—Carolina fit so perfectly between him. His everything ached for her. It wasn’t right that one person could completely unravel another from the inside out.

Something rustled in the far-off distance. Lalo could hear a host of wings flapping as birds suddenly took flight.

“Carolina,” he said.

He felt her nod and sensed her pulse starting to beat at a frightening pace. “I heard them too.”

Lalo squeezed his arms around her and whispered, “Go.”