Page 35 of Death Raiser

“Let me check my schedule.” I pulled my phone from my back pocket while my brain started functioning again. If I had to wait, I might as well try to use it to my advantage.

Kang shook his head.

“Unless you don’t mind being double-booked with a cheating spouse death raising?” I lifted an eyebrow and flicked through my phone apps. “I mean, I could take you to a raising as a part of our date, if that’s what you’re into. No judgement.”

I was lying about my schedule. Or at least misleading him. I already knew my work schedule. I needed to check the lunar calendar. I only knew of one other kind of glamy, other than fae, who could detect spirits the same way as Kang.

“How about two nights from now? Thursday?”

Kang’s lips twitched, and he leaned forward to catch strands of my dark hair. He let them slip from his fingers. “I’m on call Thursday night.”

“Aren’t you on call every night?”

“Thursday night it is. I’ll pick you up at six.” He stepped back and turned to leave.

Dammit. I couldn’t let him leave without telling him about the second rose. What if the stalker murdered me on my way home? Sure, my brother would avenge me, ruthlessly, but only after he figured out who did it and that would take time. And I’d already be dead.

Frankly, I didn’t want to get killed by a rose-toting stalker. There was no need for me to keep this a secret and I didn’t need to fight this battle alone. I’d take all the help I could get.

“Someone left me another rose,” I blurted.

Kang froze. He slowly spun back toward me. “You asked me about a flower a few days ago, is this the same thing?”

I winced. “Someone left me a rose outside my apartment door. At least, I assumed it was for me. There was no note. It wasn’t my brother or his boyfriend messing with me. It wasn’t from you or Gregor.”

Kang narrowed his eyes.

Yeah, Kang had nothing to worry about with Gregor, but mentioning the master vampire’s name probably wasn’t the best idea, either. “And that’s the flower I asked you about. I wasn’t really worried…”

“Until?” Kang growled.

“The next day, I woke up to one on my bedside table.”

Kang swore. Something dark flashed across his gaze, and he went impossibly still.

“I told my brother right away and he installed security cameras and he’s been monitoring our block.” I twisted my hands together. “And then the roses stopped. I didn’t get one this morning. There were only the two, and—”

“Why are you just telling me this now?” Kang asked, his voice a deep rumble, like the thunder of an impending storm rolling in.

I swallowed before answering. “My brother—”

“I know exactly who and what your brother is, Lark,” he snapped. “You still should’ve told me.”

My stomach twisted, and Kang finally met my gaze. The sheer intensity flashing back had me staggering into my car. My butt hit the driver’s side door and my breath rushed out of my lungs.

Kang followed, crowding my space. His hand shot up to cradle my cheek and jaw. Despite his whole body vibrating with rage, his touch was gentle, tender. “Just so we’re clear. If anything ever threatens you, scares you, or makes you uncomfortable, I want to know.”

“I—”

“I want to know, Lark. I want to know right away, even if it’s me,” he growled. “And I’ll take care of it. Okay?”

“Okay,” I said. Really, what else could I say to that?

He squeezed his eyes shut and took in a deep breath. His body relaxed a little and he stepped back, dropping his hand from my face. “Okay.”

I swallowed again, still not quite sure how to respond. Honestly, if this had been a first date with a stranger, there’d be all sorts of red flags going up and I’d be finding a way out of the date.

But this was Kang.

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