“Not if I can help it,” she says. “I have responsibilities. Like you said, where’s Mictlan going to be if I’m not around? I can’t risk getting into a fight with him. I was serious about you coming to Mictlan, you know. If whatever he’s doing needs you, removing you from play is going to be a problem for him.”

If this were Tabitha, I might think about it. But Santa Muerte’s shadow taints everything. Some things I can’t forget, or forgive. One of these days I’ll have to finish what I started in Mictlan. I’m just not sure what that is.

“You know I’m not gonna do that,” I say.

“I know. But I needed to say it.”

“I guess that’s it, then.” I stand up from the pew. I’ve sat too long and every muscle in my body is yelling at me for it.

“I guess so. Goodbye, Eric.”

“Goodbye, whoever the hell you are.”

“Oh, Eric, one more thing,” she says, as I’m about to step through the curtain. A jolt of fire rips through my left hand starting from the ring. My fingers cramp and twist like knots. The pain almost brings me to the floor. I turn to look at her, wondering how I missed this trap. Her face is Tabitha, but her eyes are empty, black sockets. The pain disappears as quickly as it came on.

“Like it or not,” she says, a scent of smoke and roses filling the room, “we’re linked. We’ll see each other again. Husband.”

And with that, she’s gone.

Chapter 20

I yank the ring off my finger as soon as I’m out of the chapel. There are a few customers looking at candles and a woman behind the counter. They’re all looking at me like I’ve just grown a second head. Yeah, fuck you, people. You try being married to a death goddess.

I storm out the front and throw the ring as far as I can. I watch it sail over the parking lot and disappear among the street traffic. And then feel a sudden new weight in my pocket.

Goddammit. Of course it wasn’t going to be that easy. I pull the ring out of my pocket. Yep, same ring. Still warm from when I was wearing it. Fine. You want to play that game? I might not be able to get rid of the damn thing, but that doesn’t mean I have to wear it. I slide it back into my pocket. The fuck was I doing wearing it in the first place?

But I already know and it pisses me off. Because I’d hoped that somehow it’d be Tabitha waiting for me in there and not some goddess stitched together from leftover parts.