Page 8 of Happily Undead in Dark River

X was shaking his head. “This place is worse than the brothel I was born in. Don’t worry, Sheriff. I’m pretty sure your Council will accept me into their fold. You see, I fill a need that they have right now?”

“What’s that? Because I can tell you, we don’t require a hangman,” Walker said, his tone almost peevish. Something about the mercenary got under the skin of my good Sheriff.

X smirked. “Killing is just one of the skills in my ball bag of goodies, Sheriff. I also happen to be a trained surgeon. Medically licensed and everything; well I was when I was alive. And I hear you are now in need of a town doctor.”

My jaw unhinged, the spoon hanging out. When I’d met Judge, and mistaken his moniker for his profession, I’d been surprised and disbelieving. But the idea of Judge as an upholder of the law was infinitely more believable than X being a doctor, fixing boo-boos. I looked at Judge, and he nodded.

“Seriously? You want to settle in Dark River, give up all your rights to drink and fuck whoever you want whenever you want? Plus, you know, the no-killing thing.” The idea of X becoming a wholesome member of the community like Bert or Walker or even Antonio over at the dry cleaners was insane. Even Judge had balked at the idea. “I can’t believe you were a doctor. Unless you were removing kidneys for the black market?”

Tex laughed from where he was leaning against Judge’s hip. X looked at them again, face still unreadable. “Nope. I was completely legitimate. I had a practice on Harley Street and everything. Very reputable.”

I called bullshit, but I was prepared to be wrong. If it meant it was easier for him to stay in Dark River, I wasn’t going to protest.

We all sat in silence, stunned by the killer’s admission he was a healer, or because there was nothing to say, I wasn’t sure.

“Lucius is close, isn’t he?” Brody asked, sitting up from his relaxed position, going from laidback lover to Shapeshifter Alpha in a heartbeat.

X nodded solemnly. “I say he’ll be here within a week. I’m sorry I’m not still there to feed you information,” he said, directing the last comment to Judge.

Judge clapped him on the shoulder. “You’ve done enough. It was time to get out.”

Hmm. More secrets. I jumped from the bench, landing as gently as a cat. Vampire Boon #267. “I have to get ready for work. My boss is a real slavedriver.”

I’d been given a temporary post at the Sheriff’s Office, doing dispatch and filing. But I mean, there was hardly anything to do. It was a tiny town. Mostly neighbor disputes, liaising with the clans and supernaturals in the area, reports to the Council, and the odd murder like mine. Nothing that really needed a secretary. I missed my job at the Immortal Cupcake, the books, and the late-night movies. I missed Angeline, my friend.

I shuffled into the bathroom, weighed down by the sadness again. I locked the door so no one tried to follow me in. Sometimes I just wanted to wallow, without an obligatory orgasm while pressed against the shower tiles.

The guys were pretty good though, they seemed to know when I needed space, and when I needed them to barge past my barriers and hold me close. It was a fine line and sometimes I didn’t even know.

When I emergedthirty minutes later, I was alone in the cottage. My phone dinged beside the bed. I looked down and found they’d added me to their group chat.

WALKER: Hey, going to work. See you there, Raine.

JUDGE: TAKING X TO SEE THE COUNCIL. WILL DROP BY LATER TO TAKE RAINEY DAY TO THE DINER FOR LUNCH. MISS SEEING HER FACE WITHOUT YOU ASSHOLES AROUND.

TEX: You don’t have to yell, Judge. *Laughing emoji*

JUDGE: I WASN’T SHOUTING. I WAS TYPING.

BRODY: Don’t bother with the text etiquette, Pup. It’s a wasted lesson.

BRODY: Rainey, me and Tex are going back out to see the Pack. Be back before sunrise tomorrow x

RAINE: Okay guys. Be safe and come back to me. xoxox

I hatedit when they left without saying goodbye. I had an irrational fear since my death. That something might happen and I’d never have gotten to say goodbye. A little PTSD to talk over with Nico next week.

I’d slipped on a bra and underwear when the front door opened and then suddenly I was squished between two bodies. I knew the smell of their blood, the thump of their hearts. My shifters.

Tex nuzzled into my neck, just like Brody always did. “Couldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”

Brody reached his long arms around us both, pressing me closer without pushing Tex away. “Never goodbye. Only see you soon.” He kissed me gently then let us go. Tex remained wrapped around my body.

“I hate leaving you, every single time I worry you’re going to disappear forever,” he murmured against my skin. So maybe we both had PTSD.

I ran my hand over his hair. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m really hard to kill apparently.”

He huffed against my skin. “Not funny, Mi-” He swallowed down my old name. “Raine. I don’t wanna test how hard you are to kill anymore.”

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