No Good Comes When You Dig Up the Dead, page 31
My stomach drops. “Is this about what I said earlier? Because we can forget I ever said it. We can just—”
“Sit down, Theo.”
I collapse on the sofa, leaving plenty of room for her. “We don’t have to talk about—”
She shushes me with a finger to my lips. “Why didn’t you tell me about my parents?”
“Because I hadn’t figured it all out yet, and I… Things were starting to look a certain way… leading a certain way, and I wasn’t ready to confront what it meant.”
“You kept your dating profile secret.”
“Didn’t want you getting in trouble.”
“Trouble is my brand, Teddy.”
I shiver. “Why do I love it when you call me that?”
She straddles my lap. “Because you love me.”
I raise my eyes to meet hers. “Is that okay?”
She kisses me softly, and I swear my insides have been swapped out for marshmallows. “Yeah, it’s more than okay. It’s…”
I kiss her back, a quick peck. “It’s what?”
“I love you too.” Her mouth twists into a funny sort of smile. “Like, I properly love you.”
I laugh. “Listen, I know I’m not smooth. You don’t have to rub it in.”
She rests her forehead against mine. “How are you? How are you really?”
My belly gives a sick jolt. “Little bit numb. What he did to my dad was… so cruel. I knew he treated my dad like shit, that Dad only tolerated him for my sake, but I wish… I wish he’d kept me away from him. I think he was just trying to keep what was left of his family together, and that… Well, it’s gutting me, honestly. He might even still be alive if he’d broken away sooner.”
“Your dad was lovely,” Erin says. “Just like you.”
“I’m going to write that down.” I smile up at her, but I don’t want to offer her empty smiles. I want to give her the truth. “The rest of it is all very… murdery. I don’t know, the man was a serial killer, and it feels distant to me… something you hear about on the news. But what he did to my dad was… I don’t even know what I’m trying to say.” I can’t keep the shakiness out of my voice. “It’s not like it was really any sicker than what he did to those women… to you. He said killing me was an accident. That he just wanted me to forget what I found out. He thought knocking me out would achieve that.”
“Do you believe him?”
“I don’t know. I don’t really feel anything about it… like maybe it hasn’t properly sunk in yet.”
“It’s going to be rough when it does.”
“I know… but I just want us to move on.”
“I thought this would help me move on,” Erin admits. “But seeing you in that room with him, knowing what he did to you… Well, I can’t deny the fury that lit up inside me, but it also made me realise that I moved on a long time ago. I can feel the hatred for him simmering away somewhere in the back of my mind, but it’s not all-consuming like it used to be. And I meant what I said to him. I went there for you.”
I smile, and it feels more real this time. “Because you love me?”
“Yes, but don’t get big-headed about it, or I’ll set Gorgonzola on you.”
“Pfft! Gorgonzola loves me.” Then I whisper into her hair. “Don’t you, sweetie?”
Erin laughs. “Oh my god.”
“Let’s get cleaned up and go to bed. We can talk more tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I could do with a shower.”
“We could get to bed quicker if we shower together,” I suggest, wiggling my eyebrows.
“Okay.” She tugs me to my feet and drags me to the bathroom, not calling me out on the false lightness of my tone. “But I’m getting Uriel to give you lessons in eyebrow waggling because that was horrible.”
We’ll be okay. It won’t be today, but we’ll be okay.
59
Tish Thinks She’s Won
POV: Erin
Theo and I took a few days off work, and though we’ve talked a lot about the events of the other night, we’ve spent most of our time in bed, thinking up surprising new ways to get off to distract ourselves. Maybe not the healthiest coping method, but we’ll get there.
Last night, we went to Limbo and fed on a pair of excitable twins, and we were so horny when we got home, we fucked and bit and fucked, bloodying the sheets so bad, we had to find another fire to dump them in. Seems my Teddy loves a bit of blood play.
Now, it’s Monday morning, and Theo is in my office distracting me with his eyebrows. I haven’t heard from Jack since the surprising offer he made over the phone on Friday night, but Brody is somewhere in the building, keeping their head down. War stuck his head in earlier to check on me because he was in the area. Sure, he was. The man is a grumpy fusspot.
I’ve already met the two new hires. One is an angel in Michael’s line, who just got his degree in social work after years of being a youth worker. The other is a ten-year vampire who worked in adult mental health as a human. Both are keen, professional, and get on well together. Meeting them, knowing I’m leaving my other cases in good hands, makes me feel a whole lot better about leaving.
Theo is standing between my legs, spreading my thighs on my desk as he kisses me, which is of course the exact moment that Tish struts into my office without knocking.
“Oh.”
Theo backs away with a pink face, while I pull my skirt back down my thighs.
I plaster on a bright smile and turn to face my boss. “Morning, Tish.”
The woman eyes me shrewdly, eyes shifting with each calculation, like she’s working out exactly how much mileage she can get out of this one. “I can’t say I ever imagined you’d bring something like this to the office.”
If she’s after an apology, she’ll be waiting a long fucking time. “Can’t say I imagined it either, but here we are.”
She shakes her head. “I’ll write up a warning, Nixon.”
“Whatever you have to do. We were called in about an update,” I remind her. “My case? Theo’s case?”
I specifically asked for the update to come from Tish since she was Chief during my murder case. I want to make her suffer just a little bit. She owes me that much after cocking up my investigation.
“You want to do this here?” she asks.
“Yes,” Theo says, dragging a chair behind the desk so he can sit beside me. “Go on.”
Tish’s look of astonishment has me biting my lip to prevent a laugh. Tish sits opposite. “Leslie Burnden was arrested five days ago.”
We already knew that. War snuck back there after he dropped us at the flat, and he said the place was crawling with police. Burnden was walked out of there in handcuffs.
“He was apparently rather chatty, confessing to everything, including the murder of his lodger, who he intended to frame for the death of his grandson,” Tish says. “Thanks to an anonymous tip-off, his house was raided, a hoard of evidence found. The police now have a complete timeline of every murder the man committed, and it seems by some unfortunate twist of fate, both your murders were committed by the same man.”
“We know that, Tish. Theo was under hypnosis with Brody Saddler and figured it out himself.”
“Perhaps, he has a career waiting for him here.”
“I can’t think of anything I’d like less,” Theo says.
“Well…” Tish glances at the wall clock. “Burnden said some very interesting things when he was brought into custody. He said there were four more people there that night, but he couldn’t give a description. Isn’t that curious?”
“Indeed,” I agree, grateful for once that mindbenders have their uses.
Someone must’ve owed Jack a massive favour.
“I heard you and Saddler were in the pen that night… talking to Ambrose.”
I wait for her to get to the point, but she doesn’t seem to have one.
“Is it true a woman tied him up?” Theo asks.
Tish eyes him suspiciously. “Apparently. A woman picked the key up according to the receptionist, but there’s no footage of her. However, he was tied up when the police arrived, and this woman left a letter, so…”
“So, what? He pretended there were more people there to save himself the embarrassment of the police thinking he was tied up by one lone woman?” Theo asks, eyes wide and innocent.
I’ll have to watch him. He’s a menace.
“Who can say?” Tish says.
“Is that it, then?” I ask.
“Yes, but this behaviour in the workplace is unacceptable. Of course, we could set it aside if you’re willing to undertake reassessment.” Tish looks at me like she’s won. “Something to think about.”
“Hmm. Nah, I don’t think so. I quit.”
Tish’s face drops, like she’s melting. “Don’t be hasty, Nixon.”
“Hasty? Does that mean something different to you? I’ve been here for twenty-five fucking years for one reason only. I wanted to be here when you finally brought my killer to justice, but you never did. I won’t lie. I’ve enjoyed my job, but I’m sick of the manipulation… the veiled threats. I’m done.”
“If this is because of what happened when you first joined?”
I glance at Theo, and Tish catches it. She knows I haven’t told him, and the way her face changes, like I just handed her my head on a platter, makes me feel sick.
It’s not the way I planned to tell him, but I figured it would come up some day because I have no interest in keeping secrets from him.
I hold his hand, ignoring Tish in favour of staring into Theo’s eyes, knowing I’ll never hurt anyone like that again… assuming they don’t piss me off too bad. “Not long after I started working for Cascade, I had… let’s call it an episode. I was depressed because my case had been closed, and Tish offered me a job because she felt guilty about it when my handler’s incompetence came to light.”
“That’s not—”
“I was having no luck with my own enquiries.”
“The pursuit of which was a direct breach of your contract.”
I grin manically at Theo. “Which I didn’t give a shit about. I was spiralling, drinking too much, and I’m talking about the good stuff here, Teddy. The stuff Oz gave us that night was distinctly mid by comparison. And during this episode, I attacked a bunch of vampires, who were all hospitalised. It took months to fix them up, and Jack still won’t let Tish access the files about it.”
“So, she doesn’t know about…” Theo nods pointedly at my head, making me grin when he adds, “Brie and friends.”
“Nope. And she’s mad because she thinks whatever I did to those vampires would make me a great weapon when she’s given her own chapter in Cascade’s special forces.”
Tish’s mouth drops open. “That hasn’t been announced yet.”
“You could’ve just let me take over your job, Tish, but you had to keep pushing. Well, congrats… because I’m gone.”
“Cascade could use your skills, Erin,” Tish rattles out. “Come on, you know how rare they are.”
“I do. And maybe one day I’ll consider coming back, but I want to move on with my life. I want to stop pretending I died thirty years ago.”
“We’ll need to find another mentor for Theo,” Tish reminds me.
“Already covered,” I say. Thanks to Jack. “Chief Cavelli has offered to check on Theo twice a week.”
Tish laughs. “Jack is the head of CasID. He can’t be running around after fresh bloodborns like a bloody babysitter.”
“I won’t take offence to that,” Theo says. “Because I’m sure you didn’t mean to be rude.”
“She did,” I tell him before turning back to my boss. “Look, Jack offered, and we intend to take him up on it. Not working for Cascade anymore doesn’t make me less competent, and Theo and I plan to stay living together, so Jack’s offer is technically overkill, but we don’t want any trouble.”
As an established bloodborn, especially one with my training, I can easily apply for a licence to mentor Theo, Cascade employee or not. Tish knows that.
She couldn’t look more shocked right now. “So, this is serious, then?”
“Yes. My resignation will be on your desk by lunchtime.”
“Very well.” Tish gets to her feet and heads for the door, turning at the last minute. “Are you certain there’s nothing I can do to convince you to stay?”
“There’s nothing worth staying for.”
“Not even for a glimpse of Ophelia’s new assistant?” she asks, but she’s already gone.
Theo gives me a pleading look.
“We’ll go down at lunchtime,” I promise.
Theo locks the door behind Tish, and lowers the blinds. “Are you in the mood for some ravishment? You’d look lovely draped over this desk.”
I laugh, and Theo blows his hair out of his face.
He perches beside me on the edge of the desk. “One of these days I’m going to say something sexy.”
I grin up at him. “I look forward to it.”
We both laugh. Then we ruin the desk.
60
Good Friday: Theo’s First Vampire Birthday
POV: Theo
I close my eyes at the familiar crunch beneath my bare toes. It’s been four days since Erin’s snakes shed their skins and slithered back into her hair, and she promised me that she’d tracked them all down and disposed of them. I lean against the back of the sofa and lift my foot to dust off the scaly debris, then head to the kitchen for the dustpan and brush.
“I bet it was that bitch, Brie,” I grumble.
“Who are you talking to?” Erin asks from the lounge archway. “And why are you up so early? It’s not even light out.”
“It’s Good Friday,” I remind her.
“Why is it even called that?” Erin watches me clear up the remains of that bitch, Brie. “Imagine Jesus rising from the dead and being told people call the day he died Good Friday.”
I smile as I shuffle off to the bin. “Poor Jesus. Forget him, though. It’s my first birthday.”
“Your birthday isn’t for two weeks, Teddy.” She wraps her arms around my waist and stuffs her face in my t-shirt, taking a big whiff like I’m her favourite smell.
“Yes, and that will be my other birthday.” Because Easter is two weeks earlier this year. “My sign-off with Jack is today. This is my official birthday now.”
“You’re not the King.”
“A man can have two birthdays if he wants.”
“Mmm.” She kisses my throat. “Fine. Come back to bed, though. It’s too early to be this upright.”
I cup her cheeks until she offers her lips for a kiss, then another. “Horizontal mambo?”
She laughs in my face, or she would’ve if she was taller. “You’re so terrible. I don’t know what I see in you.”
“Liar,” I whisper. “Come on, then. Recumbent rumba, it is.”
She lets out one of her sexy, husky laughs, and allows herself to be dragged to the bedroom, where we devour each other for two days straight. We’re not always like this, but when we are, we like to do it right.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you for ages,” Erin says, as she lays her head on my chest, which is less pancakey than it was this time last year. “The candy dish of stars… Does it represent something?”
I’m silent for a moment as I think about how to answer. I could just tell her… or I can show her.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I’ve just been wondering that’s all. I’m sure they’re multiplying in there.”
“Open one and find out,” I tell her.
“Open it, how?”
I pat her hip. “Go and get it.”
She climbs out of the bed and retrieves the glass candy dish from the chest of drawers, eyeing the multicoloured paper stars inside, then offers it to me.
I smile as she settles back into bed beside me, and remove the lid of the dish to plunge my hand deep inside. I swirl my finger around and pluck out a fat, purple star, flattening it a little so I can peel it open until it’s a long strip of paper.
Erin takes it from me, and reads what’s on the strip, a strange look on her face. “Your hair is a fucking marvel.”
I hand her a yellow star. “Open it.”
Once she’s got it unravelled, she reads aloud. “You’re so unexpected, Teddy. What is this?”
“It’s all the nice things you’ve ever said about me. I told you I was going to write them all down.”
She eyes the dish. “But there’s so many.”
“Yeah, I guess you must like me or something.”
“Actually, Teddy…” She leans over to kiss me.
“Yeah?”
“I love you,” she whispers against my lips. “Like, I properly love you.”
“Oh my god, you need to get over that,” I complain.
“I don’t want to,” she says. “It was adorable.”
I refold the two stars with a pout and throw them back in the dish.
“Are you sulking because I called you adorable?” Erin asks, as she returns the candy dish.
“Panthers aren’t adorable, Erin.” I pull her beneath me as soon as she’s within arm’s reach, growling into her neck. “They’re dangerous predators.”
“So dangerous,” she agrees. “And sexy.”
I pull up onto my elbows. “Sexy panthers? Really?”
“Clearly I need to introduce you to ThunderCats.”
“Hmm.” I frown at the small chest in front of the window, which suddenly looks more crowded than usual. “Are there more plants in here?” I kneel between Erin’s legs. “The stars aren’t the only thing multiplying.”
“You like plants,” she says, as if that were the point.
I’d let her turn my room into a jungle if it meant keeping her in my bed. I don’t say it out loud because she would do just that, and it’s much more fun letting her think she’s sneaking them in.
Erin glances at the candy dish again. “All those things I said to you… It makes me wonder why it took me so long to realise I was in love with you.”
