"Take these," Gabriel said, handing him the souls he took from the bowl. "Then call everyone in. Looks like I'll be conducting mind checks morning and night."

"Got it." Landon pocketed the souls before calling a portal.

"I need to move Deidre," Gabriel said when the death-dealer was gone.

"Something happen?" Rhyn asked.

"Yeah. She got attacked by demons today."

"Drop her off at my place," he said, referring to the Immortal's stronghold in the French Alps.

"I thought being in Atlanta might help her. It won't work," Gabriel said. He shook his head. "I need Wynn, but he's nowhere to be found this morning."

"Haven't seen the f.u.c.ker," Rhyn said, tone hard.

Gabriel knew how much Rhyn hated his father. Not many people thought differently of the first Ancient Immortal, who had led the Council with six of his sons for many years before being killed. Wynn was a brilliant surgeon, the only person Gabriel knew to bring in and evaluate Deidre's claim that she was healed.

Not that he didn't believe her. But, well he didn't. He pushed aside the nagging instincts he'd been ignoring since seeing her earlier.

"Hey, boss," one of the dealers approached. "We got everyone."

"Drop them at the lake and hang out for a bit," Gabriel said.

"Go get your woman. I'll see you at the castle," Rhyn said, calling a portal.

Gabriel nodded. He looked around, furious at Darkyn for earning the trust of people who didn't trust him in his new role as Death. With some dread, he returned to Deidre's apartment.

It was past dark, and she was dozing on the couch. Cora waved from the kitchen. Gabriel sat down across from his mate, studying her. It was hard for him to remain detached around the beautiful woman with silver-white hair. She slept peacefully, her delicate features and shapely body at ease as she slept on her stomach. His eyes went over her perfect legs and lingered on her a.s.s. Their history made him want to touch her, to feel the softness of her skin before waking her to gaze into the huge blue-green eyes that were able to stop him in his tracks.

Both Deidres in one. He rubbed his jaw. He didn't know how it was possible. He barely accepted the idea of being mated to a woman who only looked like his ex. Now, she was at least half the woman he'd spent lifetimes loving and hating.

She was human. No matter how many Deidres were shoved into that perfect little body, she'd never have the control over him she once had. He was Death, after all, a deity in his own right. It was his turn to protect her the way she never bothered protecting him.

"Deidre," he spoke her name quietly.

Her face skewed a moment before her eyes opened. She stared at him and sat up quickly.

"I'm moving you to Rhyn's."

"Why?"

"It's safer there."

She appeared lost as she looked around her. She had the artless expressions of a human, an endearing trait that made him want to wrap his arms around her.

"Why don't we go home?" she asked.

"We can't right now," he said. "I'm locked out of the underworld."

"Locked out?" She arched an eyebrow at him. "You're the master of the underworld. It can't lock you out."

"Apparently it can," he said dryly.

"What on earth did you do?"

That was the tone of the G.o.ddess. Gabriel drew a deep breath and stood. He motioned her up.

"Come on," he said. "I'm headed to Rhyn's. I'll take you."

She frowned. "Gabriel, I want to stay here."

"No."

"You never used to tell me no, either!" she snapped and rose, marching towards the stairs to the second floor.

"Get used to it," he called after her.

He watched her angry walk, gaze on her swaying hips. A smiled spread across his face. Maybe having the former deity as a mate wasn't so bad. He definitely liked the look on her face when he told her no.

"Get your s.h.i.t and let's go," he added.

She glared at him, the blue fire in her eyes stirring his blood.

"Don't forget shoes," Cora yelled as Deidre disappeared down the hallway. Her voice lowered as she faced him. "Gabe, she needs a babysitter."

"What's wrong?"

"She doesn't understand the human world yet."

Gabriel met Cora's eyes. The death-dealer was shaking her head in disbelief. There was something else in her gaze, the knowledge that she'd figured out this Deidre wasn't the same one she was yesterday.

G.o.ds, he had a headache already.

"You want the job?" he asked.

"I'm not sure I can keep up with her. She tried on every piece of clothing today and took five baths to test the different soaps. She discovered the toaster this afternoon. She used it to warm up her socks. Nearly caused a fire."

Gabriel smiled, entertained as much by the story as he was by Cora's visible exasperation.

"We went to the other side of the country to find her more funnel cakes. It's all she wants to eat."

He listened, thoughts turning darker. Deidre made a deal with the Dark One, one good enough to bring her soul back from the dead, combine the two Deidres, cure the tumor of one and release the final product from h.e.l.l. It sounded far too good to be true, especially since Darkyn knew who she was and what he might extort out of Gabriel to have his mate returned.

It had to be the private deal, the one Gabriel found no trace of that Darkyn himself had mentioned to him. What were the terms? Did Deidre owe a debt? What of the deal made with Darkyn by human-Deidre? Was it, too, unofficial and therefore not recorded in the Oracle's book?

The instincts that warned him the night before were louder this night. Whatever happened, there had to be more to the story than what Deidre told him.

He gave her five minutes then started up the stairs. He knocked before opening her door and saw her wardrobe empty with clothes piled and stacked on the bed. She was leisurely sorting through everything.

"I mean now," he said.

"I'm not ready," she replied archly.

He crossed the room and s.n.a.t.c.hed the gym bag at the bottom of her wardrobe. He tossed it on the bed and grabbed a handful of clothes then stuffed them in.

"Oh, no, I don't want that one," she objected and pulled out a sweater. "It's not soft like the others."

He grunted and stuffed another handful in.

"Gabriel, stop!"

She sounded so distressed, he did. Gabriel let her push him aside so she could squeeze between him and the bed to protect her precious clothes from his callous groping. She paused to consider her options again then dumped out what he'd started.

"You've got sixty seconds," he told her.

"No, Gabriel, I can't decide that fast," she said in the haughty, dismissive tone that used to infuriate him.

His gaze traveled her body as she bent over the bed and stretched for a maroon sweater. He resisted the urge to take her hips. She straightened and very carefully folded the sweater before placing it with similar care into the bag. The deliberate movements alone took a minute.

"G.o.ds, are you trying to test me?" he growled.

"I'm going to do this my way."

Her way. It was how things always used to be with her. On her terms, her time, her way. Her way involved deals with Darkyn and lying to Gabriel. Something within him clicked, and he recalled his resolve not to let the woman in his life strangle him anymore.

He reached around her and tugged free his favorite sweater. His hand settled on her back, and their bodies brushed. Deidre stilled suddenly, her breath catching softly. Gabriel glanced at her. She was trying hard to control her expression and the flush moving up her features.

Amused, he dropped the sweater into the bag, grabbed a few more and a pair jeans. He loved touching her and loved even more watching her try to figure out what to do about it. When he was satisfied, he lifted the bag and stepped away.

"Come on," he said and called a portal.

"I have to just leave them?" she asked, gaze on her clothes. "They're so beautiful."

"They'll have more for you at the fortress."

Gabriel waited in front of the yawning portal. Deidre sighed. She kept her distance from him. He motioned her into the portal. With a look of dread, she went ahead of him. He followed.

"You really are locked out," she said, stopping in the middle of the shadow world. The portal to his underworld was grey; only yellow mortal portals and the black one to h.e.l.l were visible. "How can that be?"

"Someone didn't leave an instruction manual when she walked out on me," he replied calmly.

"Why would you need one?"

Gabriel stopped and turned, glaring down at her.

"It's not that hard," she murmured as the silence grew.

"Maybe to someone who's been doing it for tens of thousands of millennia," he replied. "When you left, the demons were pouring in, the Lake of Souls was bubbling and everything else was falling apart. Guess who gets to clean up that mess?"

He started walking again and waited for her at the portal to Rhyn's.

"I guess I didn't realize you weren't ready," she said as she joined him.

Gabriel said nothing, but it took effort. She stepped into the portal, and he trailed. They emerged in the chamber she'd been in before. Deidre gazed around her, eyes settling on the green glow, visible through the French doors. It was night on this side of the world, and the otherworldly glow from the lake near Rhyn's house reminded Gabriel that he was no closer to getting those souls home yet.

"Why does that look like souls?" she asked, puzzled.

"Because it is."

Her mouth dropped open.

"You were here yesterday. You don't remember?" he asked.

She seemed to be thinking of how to respond.

"I'm having trouble with memories in general," she admitted. "Maybe because everything was um, mashed together. Almost everything feels new. It's a little unnerving." She glanced around.

There was a vulnerable note in her voice, one that bothered him.

Gabriel tossed her bag on the floor next to the bed and strode to the doors, opening them. The night air of spring was chilly in the mountains. He breathed it in deeply. Dawn would soon break across the horizon on this side of the world.

Deidre trailed, eyes on the direction of the lake near Rhyn's fortress. Gabriel sat down on the railing to face her, arms crossed as he took in her features. Shadows played across the delicate, pert features. Her lips were full, a perfect bow, and her large eyes steady and concerned. Her hands were rubbing her sweater absently, her silver-white hair long and loose, hanging almost to the small of her back. Narrow shoulders, rounded hips and a pet.i.te frame were distinctly feminine.

"I can't believe they're here. What did you do, Gabriel?" she demanded at last, the fire flaring in her eyes once more.

"You always a.s.sumed I'm the one who messed up," he replied.

She met his gaze.

"I never was, though, was I?" he asked.

"I wouldn't say never." At her shiver, he offered his hand. She eyed it.

"G.o.ds, woman. You melted for me last night," he reminded her. "Before you walked off to betray me to Darkyn."

That did it. Deidre's face flamed red once more. She took his hand. Gabriel drew her into his body, and she tucked her head against his shoulder, so she didn't have to look at him. He wrapped his arms around her, breathing in her womanly musk. Her fine hair tickled his chin. He was far too content holding the pet.i.te woman he didn't dare trust.

"What were the terms of your deal?" he asked carefully.

"I told you. He cured my human side, brought the deity side back, and joined our souls," she replied a little too quickly.

"Darkyn doesn't do s.h.i.t for free. What were the rest of the terms?"

She was silent. Gabriel waited. She pressed her face to his neck.

"I love the way you smell," she murmured.

"Terms, woman."