so we could do the thing right . . . man, I would have brought you over the prayer lines to see her, would have opened a path with your name -
you know that - so you could see your woman one last time." Carlos punched the sore spot on his chest over his scorched T-shirt. "I wouldn't deny my boy a right like that."
"I just thought - "
"You thought wrong!" Carlos hollered. "You're like a brother - we are blood brothers, man, shit!" He walked away, breathing hard, trying to pull himself together. "Nuns laid her out on a granite slab, Damali said ... did I don't know what. I wasn't there, but twelve nuns praying hard, a hybrid healing nymph, and my wife, a Powers angel on real old consecrated ground ... add in a man who'd loved her for over thirty years down on his knees begging any power above that will listen. The woman came back. A miracle happened, and it was outta my hands."
Carlos turned and looked at Yonnie. Their gazes locked in silent understanding.
"I understand miracles," Yonnie said slowly, his voice suddenly weary and sounding very fatigued. "She was my miracle, saved my ass when the empire was tracking me the first go
'round. If it wasn't for her..."
"I know, man, but you've gotta let it go. She's married." Carlos walked to the far side of the black-box and rubbed the back of his neck.
"You always said you'd have my back - "
"I did, man, don't put me in a position between you and - "
"Hear me out," Yonnie said as Carlos gave him his back to consider and folded his arms over his chest.
"My days are numbered. She ain't safe with me. I just wanna see her." Carlos turned and stared at Yonnie full on. "If your days are numbered, why you look so healthy, like you just took a throne, man? Come on, brother... I still know Dananu. Don't play a - "
"I would never bite her, wouldn't turn her," Yonnie said without blinking. "She got a second chance. You've been there. You know what this is. Hell."
"I know," Carlos said without judgment in his tone. "I know."
"I had to elevate tonight because they finally caught me. Got the ultimate call and it broke my ass down so hard I was licking blood off the floor at Fallen's feet."
"Oh, shit, brother... the ultimate call... I've never even..."
"Yeah. I ain't proud - I'm just glad Lilith did the installation." Yonnie released a hard, brittle laugh. "But in that moment, right before I started regenerating, I didn't give a shit who installed a brother. Feel me? That's why I would never drag her back into the life." Carlos nodded, not sure what to say. "Man, I'ma always have your back ... I just..."
"It's cool," Yonnie said in a philosophical tone, and then released a hard sigh. "You took me as far as you could. Did all you could do. Took me places and gave me power I'd only dreamed of, man. You also gave me something that even while they were about to stomp my ass into a black puddle on seven, they couldn't take away from me - for a minute, she was mine. For a minute, she was my wife. For a minute, she cared if I lived or died. And, really, because of the way you rolled, one of my lovers went into the Light and came out whole. The other, Gabby, went over as spirit, but they can't touch either one of 'em." Yonnie walked away from Carlos to place both hands on the translucent box as he stared at the sea. "Women and chil dren first. Get 'em out first. You did that, homeboy. Got the ladies out. And I got a three-night pass, just like you had a while ago," he said with a sad smile as he turned back. "I'm on escrow account with Lilith because Nuit fucked up a legit bargain with a fellow councilman. Even after your ass left Hell, your smooth criminal ways was all in the thrones ... I just got a hit, and I'm feelin' kinda reckless. So, hey, they can't read my mind over your mark, maybe they don't know where I am... as long as I can I'll
send you images, locations, plots, schemes, whatever."
"You don't have to bargain with me to see her, man," Car los said, so quietly hurt for his boy that the