“Robbie isn’t the kind of person who would do anything stupid, so that won’t be hard.You really should have more faith in him.”
Vale sighed and squeezed Cyril harder.“I like Robbie.I just don’t trust anyone but me to watch your back.”
Sometimes, Cyril still couldn’t quite believe this was his life.Before meeting Vale, he’d only had his mother and Oscar.He’d initially been scared of Vale because his boyfriend killed people for a living while Cyril’s job was to reanimate them, but by some miracle, they completed each other in a way neither of them had expected.Vale had become central to Cyril’s life, and he brought people that Cyril considered friends along with him.Cyril’s life was full of laughter and love, and he’d never do anything to jeopardize that.He wanted to be happy more than he wanted to help people.Maybe that made him selfish, but he didn’t care.
If he had to choose between helping people and having allies with Vale, he wouldn’t even have to think about it.
Vale continued hovering as Cyril finished getting ready.Thankfully, by the time Cyril was leaving the apartment, Russell had arrived to distract Vale.Vale didn’t look particularly happy, and he was grumbly, but he often was when Russell was involved.Cyril was pretty sure it was the way Vale showed his love to Russell.
“You need to let your man go,” Russell teased Vale as he and Cyril said goodbye.
Vale turned to glare at his friend.“Have I asked for your opinion about anything in my life?”
Russell grinned.“You haven’t.”
“Then keep your mouth shut.”
“You’re touchy this morning.Is it that hard to be away from Cyril for a few hours?”
“It is when I don’t know what might happen to him while we’re not together.”
Cyril kissed the corner of Vale’s lips.“I survived before meeting you.I’ll be fine.”
Vale didn’t look convinced, but he let Cyril step away.
As soon as Cyril was out the door, he wanted to go back inside.Instead, he checked one last time that he had everything he’d need in his bag, then headed for his car.
He had a job to do, and the sooner he did it, the sooner he’d be back with Vale.
Chapter Two
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ROBBIE WAS WAITINGby his car when Cyril arrived at the address Robbie had given him when he’d agreed to the job.Robbie was on his phone, but he put it away as soon as he heard Cyril park.
Cyril was glad not to be working on his own anymore.It was what he’d always done and what he’d thought he’d always do.He’d never imagined he would find people who accepted what he could do enough to become his friend.
Robbie clapped his hands as soon as Cyril was with him.“Okay, let’s do this.”
“You sound like you can’t wait to get out of here.”
“That’s because it’s true.The sooner I’m away from this dead person, the sooner I won’t feel like my skin is crawling.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?I worked on my own for years, so it’s not a problem if you’d rather leave or stay outside.”Even though Vale would be pissed.
He hadn’t come along today only because he’d known that Robbie would be there.After what had happened when Cyril had been kidnapped, Vale was overprotective.Cyril couldn’t say he felt sorry about that.He liked knowing that someone was worried about him, and he liked coming home to Vale and seeing the relief and the love on his boyfriend’s face.
Robbie straightened his back and squared his shoulders.“No.I can do it.”
“I never said you couldn’t.The fact that you can do it doesn’t mean you should do it.A lot of people aren’t comfortable with that.”
“I may not be comfortable with dead people, but you hired me to do a job, and I’ll do it.Besides, it’s not like I have to touch the body.That’s your job.”
And Robbie’s job was to deal with the grieving family.It was a relief because Cyril had never been great at that.He’d done it because it had been inevitable, but he’d always felt awkward.He was better at dealing with dead people than people who were still breathing.He supposed it made sense since he was a necromancer.
Cyril let Robbie take the lead and knock on the door.The exterior of the house had a well-maintained garden that someone had obviously put a lot of care and effort into from the flowers and lush greenery.A white picket fence lined the front yard, and the pathway leading to the front door was flanked by flowering rose bushes that Cyril could smell as he walked past them.The front door was painted a deep shade of red and had a brass knocker in the shape of a lion’s head that Robbie ignored in favor of the bell to the side.
It was instantly obvious that Robbie would be great at his job.The woman who opened the door was already crying, and he quickly brought her inside and fussed over her.It left Cyril with nothing to do but look around, which was always a bit awkward, but at least he didn’t have to say anything to make the woman feel better.
