Page 6 of Death Warden
He appeared as a distorted shadow on the alley wall opposite, long-legged and large.
The empties didn’t register his presence; they never did, not until it was too late. The shadow opened its eyes, glowing green orbs, and a mouth too wide and filled with shadow teeth. I closed my eyes and covered my ears, but it wasn’t enough to successfully block out the eerie screech and resulting wail of the empties. A gust of icy air brushed my skin and it was over.
The world was calm once more.
I dropped my hands from my ears and opened my eyes.
Fin sat on the ground, licking his paws. As always, after a meal, he was larger, bulkier. More the size of a medium dog than a cat.
“Better?”
“You have no idea.” He winked one eye at me. “Now to satisfy some of my other urges.”
“Eew, Fin.”
He chuckled and stalked off into the night. “Leave a window open for me, Adi.”
“Don’t I always?”
But he was gone.
Now it was my turn to have some fun.
I headed up the alley to the main road and the front exit. Happy hour was about to begin.
* * *
The next morning sucked ass.I woke up with a hangover from hell and the taste of kebab and garlic sauce in my mouth.
Oh, God, I was gonna throw up.
I made it to the bathroom in time.
“If only there was someone to hold your hair back,” Fin said from the doorway.
I looked up from the toilet bowl. “Fuck you, you furry freak.”
“Ooo, you’re nasty when hungover.”
I reached out and shoved the door closed. Yeah, the bathroom was no princess suite, about large enough to swing a large cat-sith.
Ha.
I washed my face, brushed my teeth, then jumped into the shower, allowing the scalding water to wash away my binge-drinking sins.
Never again.
Bloody happy hour was lethal, and my tolerance for alcohol meant I always drank too much. It’d burn off soon enough, though.
By the time I’d finished showering, I was feeling almost normal.
I pulled on a pair of skinny jeans and a baggy, off-the-shoulder top and headed into the kitchen to make breakfast.
I caught sight of the clock.
Make that lunch.
Damn, I hated when I slept late. It ate away the whole day. I had a manuscript to finish and—
