Alex fell silent. Willow’s premonitions had never steered them wrong so far, and if what she’d dreamed was even partly accurate, then she was right, no question – they had to go. And even apart from her dream, he knew it would be a lot easier to recruit people in a city, rather than up in el monte. If he were on his own, then Mexico City would be exactly the place he’d head for. Plus there were the rogues: angels who believed their kind didn’t have the right to destroy humanity – Nate had told them about how they did something called “marshalling”, where they implanted a tiny bit of resistance in a human’s aura to make it unpalatable to angels. There were bound to be some rogues in Mexico City; if he could somehow hook up with them, it might be just what was needed to swing the balance in an almost-hopeless fight.

Alex massaged his forehead as the headache jabbed again. Yeah, going to Mexico City was all really logical...except he’d already nearly lost her once.

Willow took in the movement of his fingers on his brow. She didn’t comment this time, though he saw the concern in her eyes. “Alex, we have to go,” she said instead. “We really do.”

“All right,” he said finally. He managed a smile. “I mean, if you’ve got a psychic girlfriend, then I guess you’d better listen to her, right?”

She reached across and gripped his hand; he knew she was only all too aware of how much he dreaded anything happening to her. “Okay,” she said softly. She started to pick up her taco again and then stopped, narrowing her gaze. “Wait a minute. So, does that mean you wouldn’t listen to me if I wasn’t psychic?”

She looked so cute that he almost grinned despite his apprehension. He raised an eyebrow at her. “Is that a trick question? Of course I wouldn’t – you’re a girl.”

Willow’s mouth pursed as her green eyes flashed with sudden humour. She started laughing. “Oh, you are in so much trouble for that.”

“I am?”

“Definitely.” She propped herself up on her elbows and kissed him, stretching across the picnic table. Alex curled his fingers around the smooth skin at the back of her neck, holding her in place for a moment and savouring the feel of her lips on his.

“Is that really your idea of being in trouble?” he said when they drew apart. “Because I don’t think you’ve grasped the whole punishment/deterrent thing. See, you’re supposed to make me not want to do it again.”

Willow was laughing, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “I’m the one who doesn’t want to do it again. Your lips are all spicy from those chillies—” Suddenly her face slackened in alarm. “Alex, the bike!” she cried.