Page 46 of Brush with Death
“Of course I hate him.He tried to kill me.He does have more training to do to become a decent assassin, though.He did an awful job when he came after me.”
“All right.You can walk me back to the car.”
“Give me a second.”Vale kissed Cyril’s forehead and stepped away.Cyril didn’t turn to watch him.Angelo was still talking, and Cyril wanted nothing to do with him.He wanted to forget all about Angelo as soon as he was out the door of his apartment.He knew it wouldn’t work, but he could hope.
He couldn’t believe that no one had noticed what Angelo was doing.Had the police investigated the deaths of the people that Angelo had sacrificed?Cyril would have to ask Rachel if she could find out who they were.Had their deaths been deemed accidents, too?At the very least, that meant that the police were incompetent, but Cyril suspected it was more that they didn’t care.Why investigate something that looked enough like an accident that no one would question it?
At least Angelo wouldn’t hurt anyone ever again.It didn’t feel like enough, but it would have to be.
Epilogue
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“I’M REALLY SORRY,”Cyril told Katie.
She was crying.Cyril wasn’t surprised since he’d just told her what had happened to Sam.It looked like Sam hadn’t gone into details when he’d talked to her at the morgue, and maybe Cyril shouldn’t have, either, but Katie had asked, and he hadn’t wanted to lie to her.
“What about the men who did it?”she asked.
“They won’t be a problem, and they won’t hurt anyone else.”Russell and John had taken care of the third man who’d been there that night.Cyril hadn’t gone with them that time, and neither had Vale.They’d stayed home and waited for Russell to call them and tell them it was done.
Cyrilwas done.He didn’t want to think about Angelo or demons ever again.Thankfully, he wouldn’t have to.
“I don’t know how to thank you,” Katie said with a sob.
“You don’t have to thank me.I did it for Sam as much as I did it for you.”
“You’ll come to the funeral?”
“Of course.Just let us know when and where, and Vale and I will be there.”
When Katie leaned forward, Cyril wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly as she cried.His eyes burned, but he’d already cried it out.
It wouldn’t be easy.Katie had lost Sam, and even though she knew what had happened to him now, it still had to hurt.It would take time for her to heal, but eventually, she would.Sam wouldn’t want her to stop living.He’d loved her enough to want her to build herself a life and be happy.
Cyril was exhausted, so he was glad when he and Vale left Katie’s house.The silence in the car was soothing, but unfortunately, it didn’t last nearly long enough.
“How are you feeling?”Vale asked.
“Tired, mostly.”
“You have time to rest now.”Vale hesitated, but he didn’t add anything.
Cyril wanted to know what he was thinking.“What?”
“I just think that eventually, we’ll need to talk about who you are without your ability.”
Cyril frowned.“Why?I have it back.”
“I know, but I also know that you struggled when you didn’t have it.Your life wouldn’t end just because you can’t reanimate dead people, Cyril.I need you to know that.”
Cyril sighed.He understood that Vale was worried about him, but he really didn’t want to talk about it.He didn’t even want to think about it.“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.You have to understand that I’ve been a necromancer my entire life, though.If I ever lose my ability to reanimate people, it’s going to take time to wrap my mind around that and accept it, just like you’re taking time to accept the fact that you’ve retired.It’s not exactly the same, but you were a professional assassin for a long time, and I know that you struggle with not knowing what to do now.”
“I just don’t want you to think less of yourself because of it.”
