Death in Double Mocha - Chapter 5

Here's the last sample chapter for Death in Double Mocha! I had just finished this chapter and written the first couple of paragraphs for Chapter 6 the night before my own mother passed. Finishing Chapter 6 was incredibly difficult, but I did. I'm working hard to finish this book and get it out to y'all!

Next week, I'll start posting samples from Invasion!

And for those of you in the U.S, don't forget to VOTE! Election Day is November 8th!

----------------

Dani looked over her shoulder. Mark had given Heath his extra water soaker. While her son had relaxed at the sight of Wila, suspicion marred Heath’s face.

The ding of the toaster oven interrupted Dani’s introductions. After locking the front door, Wila followed the rest of the Elante clan into the kitchen. Since she wore her paramedic uniform, she must have been on the way to work when either Penny or Francine called her.

“You didn’t have to come over,” Dani said while Heath pulled their treats out of the toaster oven.

Wila shrugged. “After the meltdowns Penny and I had when our relatives showed up on our doorsteps, Francine was a little worried about you. Especially since you got a two-fer tonight.”

Dani crossed her arms. “You mean you guys were worried I couldn’t tell the difference between my husband and the Prince of Hell.”

“Have you checked him?”

“Checked me for what?” Heath said.

Dani glared at Wila.

“Checked me for what?” Heath repeated.

“Checked to make sure you had your soul,” Mark offered. “Mom and Wila already know you’re not possessed because they can see the demon under the human, but they don’t like looking for someone’s soul because that person can see theirs, too.”

Heath set the plate of cinnamon toast slices on the table. “Why wouldn’t I have my soul?”

“So far, all the resurrected have them, but with Satan running around Oakfield, we’re extra cautious,” Wila said.

“Would you like some cocoa, too, Wila?” Mark asked. “And we have plenty of bread to make more cinnamon toast.”

“No, thank you, but I’ll take you up on it the next time you and Derek have a sleepover.” Wila smiled gently at the pre-teen. She’d mellowed quite a bit since Crucifer’s death. Dani knew her sister Horseman would never admit she developed feelings for the fallen angel, but it was very obvious his loss had affected her.

“Maybe cinnamon toast is what we should make for my party instead of cake,” Mark suggested.

Dani’s heart lurched. Mark’s birthday was next month. He’d officially be a teenager. Maybe Heath came home to them just in time for Mark to become a man.

Wila leaned close to Dani’s ear. “I’ll examine Heath if you don’t feel comfortable.”

“No. You’re right.” Dani sighed. There was a time when she hadn’t been so easily distracted. “We have to know for sure, but I’ll do it.” She rounded the table and looked up at Heath. “I’m sorry.”

“You had my heart and soul from the first day I saw you.” He took her hand and smiled.

She twisted her focus.

And relief flooded her. His soul glowed with the same intense blue as his eyes. Energy threads of the same color connected his soul to his body. He was her Heath.

She blinked the tears from her eyes, and her vision returned to normal.

He tightly hugged her. “I knew your soul was beautiful. I never dreamed it would look like what I imagined.”

Mark joined them in a group hug.

Wila chuckled. “Thank you for making sure, Dani. I’ll leave you folks to your night.”

“I’m sorry Francine and Penny made you come over.” Dani released her husband and son. “But you’re right. I needed a bit of a reality check.”

“Call me if you need anything.”

“As long as my mother doesn’t knock out any more demon hunters, I’ll count my blessings.” Dani smiled.

She walked Wila to the front door, hugged her friend, and locked up before she returned to the kitchen. Her family sat at the table and munched on cinnamon toast.

Her family. Another wave of joy rippled through her. Her family was together again.

Heath eyed her. “So, Mark tells me that’s War. I was picturing her in armor, not an Oakfield paramedic uniform.”

“That’s her day job. The only thing worse would be me all boney while I’m trying to sell a life insurance policy.”

Mark chortled, but Heath obviously didn’t find her joke funny. She wouldn’t have either if she just crawled out of her grave.

She slid into the chair next to Heath’s. The mini marshmallows had congealed into a gooey layer from the heat of her hot chocolate. She took a sip from her mug and licked the sweet fluff from her upper lip.

“When did you meet her and the other Soccer Moms?”

Of course, he was curious. She had a totally different set of friends when he was alive. None of whom knew how to deal with a twenty-eight-year-old widow.

“The day Mark returned to school, I went to Java’s Palace after I dropped him off.” She tore off part of the crust from one of her slices. “I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t have a job. I didn’t know how I would finish my degree—”

Heath’s eyes widened. “What about the life insurance? Or the Victorian we were restoring?”

“I wasn’t thinking straight at the time, honey,” she said gently. “Penny owns Java’s Palace. She noticed me and sat down at my table. We started talking. She and Francine helped me get our finances in order.”

Dani swallowed the growing lump in her throat. “I’m sorry, but I had to sell the Victorian. I used the excuse it was the money, but I couldn’t bear walking inside that house without you. Wila’s son Derek is the same age as Mark, so she watched him a lot while the other two helped me deal with all the paperwork. You have no idea how much paperwork is generated when someone dies.

“I started working at the insurance agency. It was supposed to be a temporary thing while Marty took over the day-to-day operations so Dad could retire. But almost seven years later, I’m still there.”

Heath whistled. “Chuck was okay with you working for him? No offense, honey, but Chuck can be a, um…” Apparently, Mark’s presence sunk through Heath’s fresh-from-the-grave brain, so he aborted whatever not-so-nice thing he was about to say.

“It’s okay, Dad,” Mark said. “Mom knows Papa is old-fashioned like Justine’s Grandpa Edward.”

“That wasn’t what I meant,” Heath protested.

“Yes, it was. And Mark’s right. Dad wouldn’t have let me work at the insurance agency if you were still around.” She sipped her hot chocolate.

“But Uncle Marty can’t handle everything without Mom,” Mark stated.

“That’s not true.” Even as she said it, she wondered if that was the real reason Marty kept giving her raises so she wouldn’t quit and go back to school. Granted, numbers weren’t his strong suit. He was a lot like Francine’s husband Neal. Sales were both men’s superpower. And she had learned a ton about money matters from Penny and Francine.

“I’ll explain it to you later,” Mark pseudo-whispered to Heath.

“Mark!” she snapped.

“Mom, when you had the flu last year, Uncle Marty called every ten minutes, and that was after I got home from school.”

She lowered face into her hands. It had been a very long day before Heath showed up. Wila’s technique of counting to ten in a foreign language. Chinese through a phone app helped. Once she was a hair calmer, she looked up at her son.

“Mark, whatever happens between me and my brother—”

There was a sharp, rapid knock on the front door.

She pushed to her feet. Wila probably left something here.

Dani marched into the living room and checked the peephole.

In time for Penny to beat on the door again.

Dani jerked it open. Mom rushed into her arms and grabbed her tight. “Daniella! Your father needs to burn in Hell!”