“I like this new schedule.”

“Me, too. And I wouldn’t be going anywhere now if we weren’t running those checks on him still.”

She twisted around and kissed Vishous, and then slid out from his arms. Heading for the shower, she was smiling, and she made a point of turning on the bathroom light. There, in the mirror, was the happiest version of herself she had seen for a long while, and she wanted to enjoy the view.

“I’m going to meet Payne in a half hour,” V said from the bed.

Jane leaned back out into the bedroom. “You are?”

“Yeah.” He put his arms behind his head and crossed his legs at the ankles. “You know, to spar. In the gym.”

“You’re going to talk to her about your mom, huh.”

His eyes shifted away. “We figured if we did it this time of day now, we could have some privacy.”

“I think it’s a really good idea.”

“Mary’s—you know, Mary’s going to be there.”

Jane popped her brows. “Really?”

“I was the one who suggested it.”

Jane smiled some more and then paused to appreciate the sight of Vishous’s enormous, naked body, lying on that messy bed like he was a lion in the sun.

Those diamond eyes swung back around to her. “Take a picture,” he drawled, “it’ll last longer—and you can keep it in your pocket while you’re gone, to remember me.”

“You’re pretty unforgettable.”

“You’ll make me blush.” He eased onto his side. “Do go on.”

His sex lay on his thigh, shameless, half-erect, and as she looked at it, the thing hardened even more.

V slipped his hand down and palmed himself. “Can I get you all messy again as soon as you’re out of the shower?”

“You are—”

“Hungry still. I have a couple of months to make up for, you know.” Stroke up. Stroke down. “Plus I like the idea of you out in the world with me in your panties.”

Jane laughed. “How about you do my back in the shower?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” he said as he jumped out of bed. “We have enough time for me to do your front, too, if we’re quick about it, true?”

* * *

—

Forty-five minutes later, Sola was pacing around Assail’s kitchen. Doc Jane, as folks called her, had arrived just a little late, the woman apologizing profusely as she came in through the garage door.

Doctor and patient were currently in the vast living area, their soft voices unintelligible. Sola had wanted to be in there with them, but she thought it was important for the two to have a little privacy. Plus she didn’t trust herself not to break down. It seemed inconceivable that Assail would do anything other than continue to improve, get stronger every day, be here next week and the month after and the year after that.

She could swear he was becoming better by the moment. The trouble was, feelings were a response to reality. They didn’t dictate it—

As the door up from the cellar opened, Ehric and Evale filed in. The two brothers were half-asleep, their hair sticking up in exactly the same way, as if not only did they look alike, but they slept the same.

“Anything?” Ehric asked as he went over and sat at the table.

“Not yet.”

“Your grandmother is still sleeping,” he said as he rubbed his face. “We were very quiet.”

“I’m glad.” Sola paused by the stove. “I worry she’s on her feet too much, although good luck trying to get her to lie down.”

“We will ensure her list of groceries is filled,” Ehric murmured. “At nightfall, and not before.”

“Good plan.”

As Sola resumed pacing in her socks, Evale started going through the cupboards.

“Can I help you?” she offered, even though it wasn’t her kitchen. And she wasn’t a cook. And she didn’t know shit about anything at the moment.

“I am looking for the peppers.”

“The stuffed ones? They’re in the fridge.”

“No, the little ones—ah, yes. Here.”

The guy took a package over to the counter, and she didn’t pay much attention until he started to put something in his mouth—

“No!” she barked, throwing her hands out. “Stop!”

Assail’s cousin froze with a ghost pepper just about to drop in a piehole that would never be the same. “What’s wrong?”

“Put that down and wash your hands! That’ll make you sick!”

He frowned and regarded the shriveled piece of hotter-than-evil. “Are you certain?”

“It’s a ghost pepper—you want to handle them carefully. They’ll burn you from the inside out.”

“I had them last night.” He popped the thing into his mouth and started chewing. “I like them.”

Sola couldn’t move for a moment. But then she exploded for the refrigerator, grabbing a carton of whole milk and diving for a glass in the cabinet. There was a delay between when the peppers were taken on a oner like that, and if she could just get him to spit the stuff out and start rinsing with the milk, they might not give Doc Jane another patient to treat—

Sola wheeled around only to go statue.

Evale was looking at her with pleasant curiosity as he chewed—like he couldn’t understand what she was getting on about, but he liked and respected her enough to give her space to be weird. And then he put a second into his hopper.

“Hit me,” Ehric said from where he was sitting.

In response, Evale pivoted and tossed a ghost pepper across the room, tagging his brother right in the mouth.

Sola stood there with the glass of milk and played an ocular tennis match between the pair of apparently-indestructibles.

“Let me see those,” she said, holding her hand out. “No, I don’t want to touch one, I want to see the package.”

Maybe she was confused—nope. As she got a close look at the label on the cellophane bag, it had all the appropriate warnings on it. Except maybe they were duds, like ammo that had failed or something?

A quick sniff and she found they smelled as awful as they should. Still, she took one out with her fingertips and extended her tongue. She knew better than to do a test with a full-on chew—and if she hadn’t needed a distraction, she wouldn’t have bothered with the verifying.

She took a lick. And waited—

“Oh, my God!” Bending down, she coughed. “How in the world—”

“Are you finished with them?”

As Evale put out his hand, she gave the package back and hit the milk. And while she was trying to calm down all the HOLYSHIT on the tip of her tongue, he and Ehric proceeded to dust the peppers one by one.

And then they snagged the other package in the cupboard.

“I do not understand how you guys can—”

Doc Jane and Assail came into the kitchen, and Sola tried to read their expressions.

“Cousin,” Ehric said, “would you care for a—”

“No, no.” Sola stepped in between the two. “He’s good without the ghost peppers. Right? You’re good. Yup, maybe later, thanks.”

“What are you guys eating?” Doc Jane asked offhandedly.

“These?” Evale showed the package. “They’re quite delightful.”

Doc Jane nodded. “Vishous loves those. Eats them like candy.”

Sola could only shake her head. “You guys are amazing.”

Then she refocused and met Assail’s eyes, searching for an answer. When he gave her a wink, she wasn’t sure what that meant.

“Well, I’ll head out now.” The doctor put a backpack on. “Manny will be here after nightfall, and I think we’ll have Ghisele come out to—ah, help my partner with the exam.”

Abruptly, a pounding anxiety rumbled through Sola, the storm of bad energy rattling her so badly, she forgot the burn that was still on her tongue.

“I’ll walk you out, Doc Jane,” she said as she headed for the rear door.

“No—”

“Not that way—”