Free Deadly Kisses by Kerri Cuevas

“You wanted to come and this is the only seat, unless you enjoy sitting in the truck bed. Good thing it’s not black fly season. Do you know how they stick to the grill of the truck?”
    “I’m not leaving you, so the backseat it is. Don’t worry about my comfort because I’m dead and all, but hey, whatever. No one respects us Grims and the services we provide. They just flirt to get answers from us and cram us into trucks like sardines.” I placed my scythe in the back of the truck bed.
    “Come on, be a good sport.” Her smile was so angelic, bright lights should have come down from the sky. I looked up just to be sure.
    “This is creepy. I can’t see it, and you look like a nut talking to thin air.” Jaleb squinted until his eyes were slits, but he looked through me to a tree before getting into the driver’s seat.
    I grunted and smashed myself into the small seat. My knees bunched up and they pushed into the passenger seat. Finally, I moved so my feet were on the seat near Jaleb’s side. I sat sideways, my back against the window and shoulders scrunched between my seat and the back of Bee’s seat.
    “I wish you could see how he fits back there, Jaleb.” Bee was having a field day with my six foot height crunched up.
    “And I wish I could see him, so I could tear his every limb off. Then he couldn’t go near you.”
    Bee let out a long breath and I felt her soul shrink and expand—stressed.
    “Let’s forget about what I said earlier. It’s my night, so be nice and get along. I give you permission to duke it out tomorrow.”
    Jaleb slammed his hand on the steering wheel. “I can’t see him, so it shouldn’t count.”
    Bee gave him a pout.
    “Fine, but I won’t be nice.” Jaleb drove down the dirt road and I groaned with every pothole he went over. The car swerved and I grunted.
    Bee glared at him and he stopped, staring at the road.
    Outside, it was pitch black and stars blinked in the sky. I concentrated on them, so I wouldn’t hyperventilate that I was in a vehicle—the first time since I died.
    Bee’s excitement about the concert was contagious as it wove into me. I was eager to see my old friends and hear their new music.
    Bee took a handful of black jelly beans and popped them into her mouth. I imagined kissing her again and the way her lips felt against mine. I realized the more time we spent together the more we knit into one. Almost as two individuals who were different but the same. Maybe there was no good outcome for us.
    Jaleb looked into the rearview mirror. Orbs of black stared straight ahead. “I just have to say one thing, death boy. We need to talk about my sister and why not to kill her. First, she is way smarter than me and will go to college. Second, unless you’re blind, she is pretty and will find a nice guy and have kids of her own.”
    Jaleb droned on. “Third, we can’t lose another young person in the family. We’re all of the Flynt’s that’s left.”
    This was depressing.
    “Jaleb, please stop. I just want to have fun tonight.” Tears leaked out of her eyes, but I remained silent. I brought my arm around the seat and wiped her tears away with my thumb. I left my hand resting on her shoulder. I held it tight, sending a wave of energy to interlink us both. She didn’t push me away.
    “We have to convince him. I won’t let him take you!”
    Bee reached over and turned on the radio. She turned up the volume.
    I was inches from her ear and only the seat held her away from me. “It will be okay, Bee, I promise. I’m expert at making it quick and painless. I just have to figure out a way to get our souls in their right places first. I have a suspicion it’s because of what you do.”
    She stiffened. “And what do I do?”
    “What did he say?” The crease on Jaleb’s forehead rivaled the Grand Canyon.
    “Jaleb, watch the road.” The car swerved back, and she lurched forward. I prevented her from hitting the dashboard and left my arm wrapped around