Page 180 of Monsters in Love: Lost in the Underworld

“Heavy. Like marriage. Or prison.”

“Riiight,” I drawl, trying to piece together why Glenda sees those two things as equal, then deciding I’m not opening that coffin of undead trauma. “So it becomes how could we make that work when we’re from two different worlds. Literally.”

“But you can’t go to his home,” Glenda argues.

“According to Wren, the demon who brought us together this time could take me there, but it’d be a one-way trip.”

“I’m guessing by your tone that you don’t want that.”

“I’d love to visit his world, but I like this one too. I have friends?—”

“All of whom are ghosts,” she argues.

“Still counts. I love chocolate and electricity and modern plumbing. None of which Wren’s world has. Plus, I would miss my career. There are still so many places I dream of seeing, and I get messages from all over the world from women who say I inspire them to study architecture, history, or both.”

“Well, youarethe most popular influencer on television.”

“Social media,” I correct although Glenda sees a smartphone as a really small TV. “I love what I do—the travel, the architecture, meeting new people, all of it. Wren says he gets how important my job is.”

“It’s good to have a man who respects your work.”

“You don’t think it’s selfish?”

“I don’t see you asking him to give up what he does. Or demanding he stay in this world.”

“But how do we make it work between us if we’re not even in the same realm? Wren thinks everything will work out because he defied death itself to send me back and the gods still made us mates.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet.” Glenda’s voice has Maximus climbing to lick her chin. “Maybe he’s right. If you’re destined to be together, you’ve got to have hope it’ll work out to make you both happy. Whatever gods he believes in certainly seem to be on your side.”

“It was a demon who brought us together,” I remind her. “Not a divinity.”

“No, I don’t mean that. I’m talking about how he’s already gotten rid of most of those creatures. We’ve seen—what? A handful? Only one or two made it out of the house. He said there were hundreds mobbing the property when he first showed up, enough to drive cities mad. Hey, you don’t think they can make us ghosts crazy, do you?”

“Wren says whatever madness the revenants cause should only work on humans.”

“Should?”

“It’s not like he’s asked for a ghost volunteer to test the theory.” I pull into the market’s lot and park.

“Don’t forget the candy,” she says.

“The kind that crackles so you can listen to it. I’ll look for it,” I promise. “Anything else?”

“Not unless you’re low on peppermint oil for your headaches. Although it seems you’ve been having less of them.”

She’s right. For the first time in years, I’ve found some relief. “I’ve been taking my meds, and with sleeping through most days and working at night, I feel better than ever.”

“Could be all the orgasms giving you a natural high.”

“Or the bangxiety short-circuiting my brain,” I mutter. “I can’t believe that shower show I put on for him didn’t work.” It turned me on, but still, my Render held out.

“Do you want to be mated to him?” She asks the question so plainly, without judgment, without expectation, without all theangst I’ve wrapped up in overthinking it. “Would being with him for the rest of your life make you happy?”

Maximus tilts his head, looking as though he’s literally allears.

“No guilting her into this, little dude,” she whispers to him.

“Yeah.” The truth is right there on my tongue, screaming to come out. “Yeah, I do, but I don’t know how it’s going to?—”

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