Note: I don't own Skulduggery or Valkyrie, and don't nobody but a fool claims to own Santa Muerte. Val is about 24 here, story is from her point of view. Oh, I apologize in advance for my rubbish Spanish I only taught myself phrases here and there, sorry. ¡Lo siento! Oh, thanks go out to everyone who has faved, followed and reviewed so far. The support is truly appreciated.

I'd been cooking, not even thinking about anything but what a terrible day I was having. So I'd gotten out the tiny saint statue I'd bought while in America at University and I told her my problems while I worked. Not out loud, because even there I'd had to hide her. People took one look at her and called her scary, a monster, and it broke my heart.

I decided to make a meal I liked offering her. Ground meat, rice, black beans, diced peppers and tomatoes, onions all sort of things with a sweet tomato sauce, and of course, cocoa powder and a hint of chili powder.

"What is that?" Came a velvety voice from behind me and I froze. Skulduggery stepped around me, picked up the tiny statue, looking at it curiously. "I never knew you were religious." He said. He turned it over, had to have seen the small charms embedded in the bottom along with mustard seeds, but said nothing.

"I'm not, that's just nothing." I lied. Not wanting to face the hate, the judgment. I was tired of being told she was scary. Satanic. Evil. She was none of those things. Skulduggery gently put her back down.

"There's no reason to be ashamed of having beliefs, Valkyrie. Who is she?"

"Nobody. It's nothing. I don't even know where I got it. Just a good luck charm if that."

Skulduggery put his arms around me from behind, pulling me close. "Valkyrie, I love you. I want to understand. Why won't you tell me?"

"I told someone once, did not go well. Never want to live through that again, thank you." I stiffened, near tears, and Skulduggery turned me and held me. The tears came as did the story.

"I had no one left, Skulduggery, no one after my parents died. So when I went to America I was so lost. I know how stupid it sounds, but she found me. She saved me. She became a mother to me. I- I trusted only one other person with seeing her, and all she kept saying was how ugly she was. How evil, how scary. It broke my heart. She- the saint is like a mother to me."

"How come I've never seen her before? You don't have to hide who you are from me, Valkyrie. Not ever." Skulduggery tilted up my head and kissed me softly, then clasped me close to him again. "Of course I take all the credit here. Clearly I primed the way for her, being as charming, wonderful and loving as I am."

I laughed into his shoulder. "She's a girl, not a boy, Skulduggery. But maybe you did. I've never seen her as scary. I love her, not in some strange way, but like my mother. I know how that sounds. Forget I said anything."

"She; helped you, Valkyrie. She's your patron saint. That she doesn't look like every other saint only makes her special. Please, for my sake at least, leave her out from now on. Anyone who saved you doesn't belong locked away or hidden. I love her already for saving you."

I was about to reply when we both turned sensing a disturbance in the air currents, the air shimmered and a tall figure appeared, resplendent in her white wedding dress. She carried a sharp scythe in one hand, but beckoned me to her with the other. I went to her happily, allowing her to enfold me in her bony embrace. We parted and she tilted her head at me, and I could feel her smile. "Mija, aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Si, mi madre. Skulduggery, this is Santa Muerte, which translates into holy death or saint death as you like. Santa Muerte, this is Skulduggery, but I think you already know that."

"Si, mija, I do, but it is always lovely to be introduced." She held out her arms to Skulduggery as well and he came forward, but stopped just out of arms reach to tilt his head at her curiously.

"You're Death, then?"

"Si, I am. But all people are my children for all who are born will meet me sooner are later. Don't you have a hug for your madre then? You just said you loved me, did you not?"

Skulduggery looked slightly lost, but he let her hug him, lightly hugging her in return. She stepped back, pleased with herself. Santa Muerte tilted her head towards the pot. "Why no chiles chipotles adobados? Where are the tostadas, mija?" She gave me a hopeful glance, her dress changing into a black robe, and cooed endearingly.

"Fine. You're spoiled, you know that?" I said lovingly. I got out the chiles in the spicy sauce, adding four to the pot, then several more at her hopeful glance and I could feel her smile. I added in fresh sweet peppers as well, then let it all on to marry on a simmer.

Skulduggery looked at me. "Tostadas?"

I shrugged. "She loves them. This isn't even real Mexican food but she likes it."

"Si, mi gusta." Santa Muerte cheerfully agreed as she watched me get her out a sturdy paper plate and lay out three tostadas. "You are not eating, mija?" She asked worriedly, so I prepared a plate for myself, then joined them at the kitchen table.

"I really wasn't hungry, but if you're eating I will." I admitted, and she nodded, pleased. Skulduggery was still staring at her warily. "Skulduggery! She's about as lethal as a kitten unless someone she loves is in danger. But then she loves everyone. Death doesn't play favourties."

He relaxed slightly. "Sorry, I do apologize, you're just big, and you carry a scythe-" He gestured helplessly at the scythe she had propped against the wall and she nodded.

"Si, si. But only to protect mis hijos. My little ones, my children, and to harvest them good things. But I never seem to harvest enough for some of them. Does that make me a bad mother, mijo?" She asked him, reaching out a skeletal hand for his gloved one endearingly.

Skulduggery patted her hand and I think even he saw her delighted grin. "You're a wonderful mother if you saved Valkyrie. Thank you."

"¡De nada! She is my little one to look after, si? I wouldn't let her come to any harm." She paused, seemed to scent the air, then looked at me. I nodded and got up, topping each plate with a ladle of the homemade chili for each tostada, then adding Mexican cheese and cream cheese on top. I put fresh sweet peppers on the side and several chipolte peppers in the adobo sauce as well.

I set down her plate first as was only polite, and we ate, though I swear she inhaled her food. I remembered I had pineapple soda from Goya as well and that too disappeared in a wink. We retired to the living room with instant coffee I'd imported from Mexico.

Skulduggery tilted his head. "Not to be rude, but where does the food go when you eat?"

Santa Muerte laughed in delight. "It fills my belly, there are plusses to being death, mijo." She was clearing coaxing him so he nodded then spoke again.

"Si, madre." The two simple words seemed to melt her heart, for she promised us blessings. She downed her coffee, hugged us both, then gestured and her scythe appeared in her hand. Her robes changed color, first gold, then white, then pulsing, dancing through the rainbow of colors she wore, and she swung her scythe wide and high over us in benediction. She faded from view and I turned to Skulduggery with a slight smile.

"She's never done that before, obviously. Appeared in a solid form, I mean."

He pulled me close, kissing me deeply before he replied. "I didn't think she had from the look of wonder on your face. Now are there any other saints in your closet?"

"Well there's Jesús Malverde, but it isn't like he's ever appeared or anything."

"You are a woman of many secrets, Valkyrie Cain. But I'm glad you haven't kept falling in love with me a secret, and I hope you're proud of me and not ashamed of me, even if I am a skeleton and people might think I'm a monster too."

I blinked back instant tears. "I never thought of it that way. I hid her from you to protect myself from hearing what you might have to say, thinking you'd judge her, but you're right. No more hiding her, ever again, and certainly no hiding you ever."

Skulduggery removed his gloves, and brushed a skeletal hand against my cheek. "Do you mean it, will you marry me?"

"Yes, Skulduggery, I'll marry you." He kissed me tenderly in response, and I silently thanked Santa Muerte for blessing me with such a good man.

I'd like to point out here and now that Santa Muerte is not just a narco saint nor is Jesús Malverde. Both are Mexican folk saints and more that happy to protect and help anyone with a loving heart and an open mind, end lecture.

Translations:

Lo siento: I'm sorry.

Mija: My daughter, sweetheart (female)

Mijo: My son, sweetheart (male)

De nada: You're welcome, no problem

Mis hijos: My children

Si: Yes

Mi Gusta: I love, I love that

tostadas: flat crispy shells

chiles chipotles adobados: Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce