"You bitch," Yonnie murmured. "One day, me and you . . ."
She laughed and made the crowd of Harpies remove their squirming bodies from his face so he could see."How about this morning, then?Me and you, topside, lover?" She blew him a kiss and then turned and walked away.
Her laugh collided with Yonnie's echoing yell. "No!"
Carlos propped himself up on one elbow and stared down at Damali. He traced her arm, watching the perspiration he'd left there glisten in the new dawn light. Speckles of radiant white Light energy still danced in her velvety locks and made her cinnamon-hued skin shimmer. Her kiss-punished mouth made his own hunger to taste her lips just one more time, but he would wait.
There was something so absolutely peaceful and yet surreal about watching the colors in her aura float over her soft, beautiful skin while she slept . . . and although he had very pressing, selfish reasons to wake her, he couldn't. Not when she was so sated and unburdened by worry. That was a gift he'd never take from her. The sleep of the innocent was something to treasure.
His wife had rebuilt the team, had gotten everyone to envision a real home in order that it could manifest-and not just a barracks-type compound like before. A real home was what they now shared inSan Diego . His baby had even brought back their music after the insane battle atMasada . The healings she'd done on the emotional and spiritual level were so profound that he simply kissed her shoulder and laid his cheek against it for a moment. This woman deserved her rest, he told himself. They'd been at it all night.
Snuggling down next to Damali, he kissed her hair and drew her tighter into their spoon with a slight wince. Her body pressed against his erection, a perfect fit that increased the throb. It was going to take serious concentration and willpower unreal to not move against her warm, butter-soft behind. She stirred slightly and released a peaceful sigh, her hand curling around his the way a baby would unconsciously grip a finger.
Carlos's mind blurted a spontaneous prayer . . . if God would just let there be enough time, let the clock on the scoreboard not run out, maybe he could grow old like Father Pat . . . old enough for both him and Damali to have kids and see them grow up.
In his soul he knew that, fifty years from now, he'd still feel the same way about D. So, yeah, he could let her get some rest. He chuckled to himself-it was ridiculous between them sometimes. Carlos let his head slowly sink down onto the pillows, and he closed his eyes, willing his body to relax. The sun from the skylight was warm against his face. Again, she'd been right to put the bed under it to catch the morning rays and to display the spectacular star carpet at night. Yeah, they were blessed. It was all good.
He drifted off with that thought in mind and pulled the covers up a little higher on his wife's nude body to shield her from the coolness of the air-conditioning.
A sudden thud made Carlos and Damali open their eyes at the same time and sit up. They both started up simultaneously. Carlos was out of the bed, and she was right behind him with a sheet wrapped aroundherself . The gasp she released could have cut metal. Carlos was in his pants in seconds, tears in his eyes. Blinded by tears and grabbing at anything she could quickly put on, Damali dressed in a flash.
"I gotta go get him!" Carlossaid, his breathing erratic as he looked up at the skylight. "That's my f**king boy-I've been there, those bastards . . . oh shit . . ."
"Baby," she said, trying to hold him, as he snatched away from her attempts. "By the time you get there . . . I also remember trying to save you like that. You can't beat the sun. He'll be ash."
"Then I'll go get Yonnie's ashes! That's the least I owe him."
Carlos looked up, the flood of tears winning out as they leaked from the corners of his eyes. Another blood brother had died on his watch. Flashes of Alejandro, Julio, Juan, and Miguel stabbed into his conscience. Thinking of Father Lopez, and then Gabrielle, made him stop breathing. Yonnie's disheveled appearance made it seem like he'd been assaulted by Harpies-his suit was in shreds, and his normally immaculate Afro looked like he'd been fighting wild. Blood leaked from his jugular due to a sloppy vein hit, oozing down the skylight glass to paint it crimson. His body was beginning to smolder, but there was a look of pure bliss on his face. If it had been any other vamp, the fallen would have combusted on impact from Marlene's prayer barriers, but Yonnie was exempt.
"Don't look, baby," Carlos said, defeated, turning away to wipe his face with both palms. "He's two hundred years old. I'm going up to get him before maggots start crawling over the glass."
Damali touched his arm. "Let me go with you, Carlos. I can say a prayer with you over his remains . . . when two or more are gathered . . . remember?"
Carlos nodded, pulled her and the sheet she'd been wearing into an embrace, and folded them away to the roof. He didn't say a word as they stepped out of the nothingness to roll Yonnie over, trying to shield him with the bed linen. But Yonnie kept waving it away.
Carlos called his blade into his grip. "He's in so much pain, D, he's delirious . . . I gotta," Carlos whispered thickly."Can't wait for ash."
Damali knelt down, trying to get the sheet over Yonnie's head. "Then only like this," she said quietly. "That's one less pair of eyes, one less face to remember having to do this to."
"It feels so good, man," Yonnie murmured. "Don't."
Carlos sat back on his haunches, and Damali stared from where she squatted. Carlos slowly dropped his blade.
Yonnie opened his eyes slowly and squinted, fangs glistening in the sun, and then he laughed like a drunk while crying at the same time. "I haven't felt or seen sunlight in over two hundred years, man." He looked at Carlos, his eyes seeming blind and disoriented as he spoke.
"He's not burning, Carlos," Damali said, jumping up. "Something's wrong." She called theIsis blade into her palm and stepped back.
Carlos was on his feet in an instant and squared off with her, holding a protective shield of Heru over Yonnie."You crazy? This is family!"
Damali steadied her voice, tears streaming as she shook her head. What she said next came out in a near whisper. "They finally made a daywalker, Carlos. This isn't a resurrection or second chance."
Carlos slowly turned away to stare at Yonnie; the tears that glimmered in Damali's eyes shone with truth. He stooped down next to his best friend of too many years and battles to count. "Talk to me, man."
Yonnie closed his eyes and dropped his head back, smiling. "She bit me, man. I thought the Harpies were dragging us to our deaths by sunlight."
Carlos exchanged a look with Damali.
"Who bit you, brother?" Carlos asked carefully.