Page 51 of Cursed by Death

It had to be close to seventy degrees outside. Winter was over, we were approaching the end of spring, and the summer heat would be upon us before we knew it. He had no business being dressed like that.

I really hoped he was just sleeping it off and wasn’t actually dead. If he was alive then there was still a chance to get him off the streets and find help for whatever problems it was that he had that had landed him here in the first place.

Knuckles rapped on my window and Fox cursed under his breath. He’d been caught off guard and I didn’t think that boded well for his future with me.

I got out of the car and the Detective was there, his badge was clipped to his belt and in full sight. He was on duty and he clearly wanted everyone he came across to know it. The only time before that I had ever seen him with his badge out had been when the police were called and was the first time he’d been to my house.

“Have you gone inside yet?” I asked him and he shook his head. “Have you seen the hunters yet?”

“No. I just got here when you did.”

Perfect timing then. “Should we wait or do we just go inside?” If he wasn’t here and flashing that shiny badge of his I probably would have just let myself inside the house.

He opened his mouth but closed it when he looked over my shoulder. His face went hard as all the warmth bled out of it. He wasn’t even attempting to give the blank but fake friendly cop face that I was sure he had perfected years ago. A face he’d used on me the first time we’d met. Someone was approaching and he didn’t like whoever they were and he also didn’t mind them knowing he didn’t like them.

I could guess and when I turned around to find Roan and Bane I figured I had guessed right.

Bane stood there and he was wearing the same kind of outfit that he and his brother had shown up at the funeral in. Black t-shirt that clung to his muscular upper body. Black cargo pants. And black combat boots.

His choice of clothing matched his black hair. His eyes were like chips of ice shards that immediately started to thaw out the moment they locked onto me.

I absolutely hated that and a very small part of me that I was attempting to ignore, and failing, actually thought I enjoyed it at the same time.

I was fucked in the head and the heart. I hadn’t quite learned yet how to turn either off. Perhaps with time, and a whole lot more heartache, I'd finally get there.

“Ruby Jane,” Bane practically purred as a grim took over his face. “You came. I’m glad to see you. Though, I don’t understand why you felt the need to show up with your entourage. You seem to never be able to do anything on your own anymore. What’sthat about? You were always such a loner and happy to be by yourself.

It felt like he was baiting me.

“Things change,” I gritted out between clenched teeth. I didn’t like how well he knew me or that he was choosing to point it out in front of our audience. In truth, I thought the only two people that really knew me, the real me, were Bane and his brother, Roan.

And that was just ridiculously sad for me.

“This involves an ongoing police investigation of a murder,” Detective Rowans informed Bane in a serious voice. “A case that’s mine. You called me about this little meeting and you didn’t think I’d not want to tag along with her? Come on now, hunter, you’re not that stupid. Don’t pretend to start to be now.”

Bane completely ignored the Detective, he only had eyes for me. “And the wolf, Ruby Jane, why’s he here?”

I didn’t feel like answering this question so I kept my mouth shut instead. I could be smart sometimes.

Fox didn’t seem to have the same problem as me. “I do what my Prince tells me to. I don’t answer to you, hunter.”

Bane finally looked away from me to glare at Fox and I knew if I didn’t get this situation in hand, and quickly, they’d end up fighting. In fact, I kind of thought Bane was hoping and trying for it.

“Can we go in and check out the body now?” I asked. And then, when they all just stared at me I said, “Please?”

It was thepleasethat got us walking towards the house and the body inside of it. Nothing kills the mood better than a dead body.

I think they all knew it wasn’t a word I used very often.

Chapter 27

The homeless man on the porch was dead. He’d had his throat slit but with the scarf wrapped around his neck you couldn’t see it. He’d been murdered on the porch but he’d been dead for a few days. The heat wave had dried up the blood on the porch, making it look like a giant paint stain.

Detective Rowans got out his cellphone and made a call because he had to call this in. That didn’t give us a whole lot of time before other cops started showing up.

I felt bad for the dead man and asked the Detective what would happen to his body if he really was just some nameless, homeless person.

“If his body remains unidentified and no one comes to claim it after a certain amount of time then it will be cremated. After that, if no one comes to get the ashes after so long then they will be disposed of.”

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