Red purse tucked under her arm, she headed for the impressive gate, her sandals silent on the mown lawn. I brushed my jeans, glancing at Josh’s school pants and shirt. He was going to be hot, but it was better than his running shorts and tank top. “If it helps, Tammy’s brother has a bluish yellow aura,” I said loudly.

“I saw that.” Nakita turned to show me a worrisome smile. Predatory. Eager. Her fingers were on her amulet, the origin of her power and the source of her scythe.

Beside me, Josh hesitated. “She’s not going to kill her, right?”

I shook my head, feeling he was right to ask. I picked up the pace to catch up with her. “Nakita?” I asked warily.

Nakita stopped, her hand on the gate and her eyes on the kids. There were fewer standing around outside now, and the first of the buses was leaving.

“I won’t allow Ron to put a guardian angel on her,” she said tightly. “You’d just better get Barnabas to do his part. But I’m telling you this isn’t going to work. Marks never listen.”

“Ace did.” I was arguing with a brick wall, but even brick walls could be broken down. “Okay,” I admitted as she tilted her head and raised her eyebrows questioningly at me. “So Ace is fated to live a short, violent life, but his soul isn’t meaningless anymore and he gets people to think,” I protested. “And what about Shoe? Now that he isn’t taking the blame for trashing the hospital’s system, he can help prevent that computer terrorist attack in the future. You can’t tell me that’s a bad thing.”

“Life is transitory,” she muttered, a whisper of doubt in her voice. “Only the soul matters.” Checking to see that she had her precious camera, she lifted her head and started for the chipped curb. Josh laughed, and we bumped shoulders as he took my hand and we followed. Like magic, I felt as if the sun was warmer, the air fresher, and my step lighter. His hand in mine was cool, and he gave me a little squeeze, cementing our connection. Josh put up with a lot from me, and I was grateful he was here.