Chapter Three
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CYRIL WAS PISSED.
When he’d woken up that morning, he’d expected to do so in Vale’s arms, like every morning. It was especially important today because they were supposed to talk about what had happened last night and about Vale’s work for the Organization.
It was going to be hard to do that when Vale was nowhere to be seen.
Because Cyril had woken up alone in bed. The apartment had been empty except for him and John, who’d looked apologetic from his spot on the couch when he’d told Cyril that Vale had gone out for a run around half an hour ago. Cyril wasn’t a runner, but he half wanted to go after Vale anyway.
The asshole knew that Cyril had a job this morning. That was why he’d snuck out of bed to go for a long run. It meant delaying their conversation, which Cyril hadn’t wanted to do. He wanted answers, dammit.
But he wouldn’t get them this morning. Vale was gone, and Cyril had a job. He couldn’t stay at the apartment until his boyfriend came back just so he could yell at him.
How unfortunate.
He almost hoped that Oscar would kick Vale’s ass when he came back. It probably wasn’t nice of him, but he was past nice. What all of this was telling him was that Vale was hiding something he knew Cyril wouldn’t like, which worried Cyril.
He’d never thought he’d have what he had with Vale.
He was odd, and a lot of people didn’t want anything to do with him because of his ability.
He’d accepted that a long time ago, but meeting Vale had made him hopeful.
He’d thought they would build a future together, and he still hoped they would, but he wasn’t sure he could trust Vale when he was clearly avoiding him.
He sighed and stopped glaring at his cup of coffee. He had work to do.
He left John on the couch with the remote control and the order to take anything he wanted from the fridge.
The drive to the address Robbie had texted him was perfectly normal, even though Cyril felt anything but normal.
Once he parked his car, he briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then another.
He was here for a reason. The family of the deceased woman he was about to talk to didn’t deserve to have him take his anger out on them. The woman who’d died in a car accident certainly didn’t. Cyril needed to be a professional, even though it was hard when his emotions were all over the place.
He plastered a smile on his face and opened his door.
Like always, Robbie was waiting for him outside the funeral home.
He smiled at Cyril, but his smile faltered when Cyril gave him a wooden smile back.
He opened his mouth, no doubt to ask Cyril what was going on, but Cyril brushed him off because he didn’t have it in himself to talk about it now. “I’ll tell you later.”
Robbie looked like he wanted to push, but thankfully, he didn’t. He was a professional, too.
“I don’t know if you’ve had time to read the file I sent you,” he said as he opened the funeral home door to let Cyril in. “Elizabeth Stewart died in a car accident a few days ago. It was unexpected, and her family wants to talk to her one last time. It should be an easy enough job.”
Cyril hoped Robbie was right because he couldn’t take anything complicated right now. His personal life was driving him nuts. He didn’t need his professional life to do the same.
Cyril had been to this funeral home before, so he knew the way.
He also knew the job, even though the people were different every time.
He’d comforted grieving family members hundreds of times.
He’d seen bodies and had touched them just as many times.
There would be nothing odd or complicated about this job.
Or at least, that was what he thought until he found himself face-to-face with the deceased.
He shouldn’t recognize her. He hadn’t known her when she was alive, so there shouldn’t be a reason for him to.
He did, though. He recognized her blonde hair and her freckles, and even the lipstick she was wearing.
The last time he’d seen her face, it had been in the rearview mirror of the car in his nightmares.
He sucked in a breath. This couldn’t be right. “How did she die?” he asked in a trembling voice.
Robbie frowned at him. “I thought I’d already told you. She was in a car accident. A driver didn’t stop for a red light and slammed into her.”
Just like in Cyril’s dream.
What did this mean? He’d thought it was just a nightmare, but clearly, there was more to it.
He’d seen this woman die. He’d been in her head when she had.
That had never happened before, and he prayed it never happened again, but it had at least once, and he didn’t know what it meant or what to do with it.
A hand landed on his shoulder, startling him. Robbie took a step back as if wanting to be sure that Cyril knew he wasn’t going to hurt him, which was ridiculous. Of course Robbie wasn’t going to hurt him.
“I’m fine,” Cyril promised.
“You don’t look or sound fine. Let me get the family. I’ll tell them you’re not feeling well.”
Cyril shook his head. “Get them, but I’ll do this. They hired me to do a job, and I don’t want to disappoint them.”
Robbie stared at him. For a moment, Cyril thought he’d say no and would force him to go home.
It wouldn’t be the first time Robbie did that.
It was one of the reasons Cyril had hired him as his assistant.
Robbie wouldn’t take any bullshit from him, and he took care of him when even Cyril didn’t take care of himself.
“All right,” Robbie said. “But I’m taking you home once the job is over. I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s clear you’re not doing great.”
“I’m doing perfectly fine.”
“You’re an extremely bad liar.”
Cyril resisted the urge to stick his tongue out. He was a professional, and he was here for a job. Still, it was tempting.
Sometimes, he disliked that people could read him so easily now. It had never been a problem before he started making friends and met his boyfriend. Now, everyone was always in his business, giving him advice and telling him not to work too hard.
What else was he supposed to do? He was one of the best necromancers in town. If people needed him, he wanted to help as much as he could.
That was what he did today, too. He shook Mr. Stewart’s hand and accepted a hug from Mrs. Stewart.
Both of them had clearly been crying, and they started sobbing when Cyril reanimated their daughter.
They were able to say their goodbyes to Elizabeth, who looked more peaceful by the time she closed her eyes for the last time.
Cyril wished he’d been able to ask her questions about the nightmare and her accident, but with her parents there, it had been out of the question.
Besides, he suspected she wouldn’t have had anything to tell him.
He didn’t think she knew he’d been there that night.
She hadn’t reacted to his presence today, so he didn’t think she’d recognized him.
But Cyril had recognized her. He’d seen her die. Hell, he’d been her when she’d died. Nothing like that had ever happened to him, and he didn’t know how to deal with it. Normally, he’d go to Vale, but could he this time?
* * * *
VALE FELT GUILTY FOR the entirety of his run. He’d known Cyril wanted to talk this morning, so instead of sticking around to do just that, he’d run—quite literally.
He had too much energy. When he’d woken up to find Cyril curled against him, for a moment, he’d been happy. Then, reality had slammed back into him.
He’d lied to Cyril. A lie by omission was still a lie, and Vale knew that Cyril would see it that way, too. That wasn’t even what worried Vale the most. No, what did was what Cyril would think about Vale working for the Organization.
Vale had done things he wasn’t proud of during that time, but also things he was proud of. He hoped Cyril would listen to both of those things and accept that Vale’s past was checkered. There was nothing Vale could do to change it, which meant that Cyril needed to accept it.
He wasn’t sure Cyril could.
“You’re in trouble,” John said from the couch when Vale walked past him after his shower. His legs were stretched out, and his feet were on the coffee table, and he was wearing clothes he’d borrowed from Vale. His arm was bandaged, and Vale knew there were more bandages under his t-shirt.
“What are you talking about?”
“Your boyfriend left the apartment looking like you killed his puppy. He’s not going to be happy with you when he comes home.”
“It’s none of your business,” Vale grumbled.
“Maybe not, but it feels like Mom and Dad are fighting, and I don’t like it.”
Vale shuddered. “Please don’t say that.”
“Why not? It’s obvious you’re Dad in the scenario. You’re tall and you suck with words.”
Vale wondered if that was a jab at the fact that Vale had run out on Cyril before they could talk. Knowing John, probably. “I could kill you in a hundred ways without leaving any trace of your body,” he threatened. “I’d be careful if I were you.”
“Oh, no, I’m shaking in my boots,” John said as he wiggled his naked toes.
Vale was going to cut them all off if John didn’t watch his mouth.
Thankfully for John, the front door opened, and Vale was instantly distracted. His heart raced as he turned toward his boyfriend, who walked in with a frown on his face.
Vale blinked when Robbie followed Cyril inside. Usually, Robbie didn’t stop at the apartment after a job. Not that Vale minded since they were friends, but his presence here didn’t bode well, especially with the worried expression on his face.
“Something happened,” Robbie declared before Vale could ask.
Cyril turned to glare at his friend. “I don’t like you.”
“You love me, and you know I’m doing this for you.”
“Do I?”
Robbie rolled his eyes. “Stop being a big baby. Vale needs to know something’s up with you.”
“I’m pretty sure he already does,” Cyril grumbled.