Page 12 of Dead to Rights
Noah swallowed and returned his attention to the cutting board, doing his best to ignore the flutter in his stomach. “I think I’m done here. Is there anything else I can help with?”
After inspecting the vegetables with an approving nod, Finn jerked a thumb toward the refrigerator. “If you want, you can shred some cheese.”
“I can do that.”
“I’m not hiding, you know.”
Noah paused with his head in the fridge, his hand hovering over a block of sharp cheddar. Though Finn spoke conversationally, he could make out the thread of unease in his voice.
Grabbing the cheese, he carried it back to the counter, nodding his thanks when he found the box grater already waiting for him. “I get it. I wouldn’t want to deal with her either.”
Unfortunately, he didn’t have the same luxury since Karleigh lived in the same apartment building as him. Worse, she seemedto go out of her way to hunt him down, just to glare at him from a distance.
So far, she hadn’t run amok of the village. She hadn’t threatened anyone, including him. In fact, as far as he knew, she hadn’t spoken to a single person besides Orrin.
Yet every time he left his unit, she was right there—the corridor, the elevator, the shadowed corners of the lobby—watching him. He didn’t fear her exactly. She just creeped him the fuck out.
“I can’t avoid her forever, though.
“True.” Unless he planned to never leave the castle again, he would eventually have to meet his maker. Literally. “But you don’t owe her anything. Not even a conversation.”
“I want to know why she did this to me.”
He wanted to turn and look at the cowboy, but he resisted. Instead, he concentrated on his task, holding space for Finn to be vulnerable without shining a spotlight on the moment.
“What do you expect to learn that you don’t already know?”
Karleigh had been up front about her reasons for turning Finn, and while it sounded insane to him, he believed her. There had been some missing pieces in her story, and some parts that didn’t quite add up, but she hadn’t tried to hide her obsession.
“I don’t know,” Finn admitted. “I guess I want to know why she chose me specifically. I’m sure I ain’t never met her before.”
“I get that, but I think you might want to manage your expectations. What seems reasonable to her probably won’t make any sense to you.”
He didn’t know if Karleigh’s delusions and obsession had come pre-programmed in her genetic makeup, or if something had happened during her own transition to trigger it. Either way, she didn’t seem to be playing by the same rules as everyone else.
Finn sighed, a nearly inaudible sound filled with resignation. “I reckon you’re right about that. I don’t even know if I can trust her.”
Noah rocked his head from side to side as he considered that. “I don’t think anything she told you is a lie, but I get the feeling there’s more to the story. Especially the part about how she died.” He glanced sideways, trying to gauge Finn’s expression. “Does that make—fuck!”
The box grater clattered across the countertop, and ribbons of cheese rained down to the floor like confetti.
Hissing in a breath through gritted teeth, Noah curled his fingers reflexively, wincing when sharp pain shot up his hand. In his distraction, the block of cheese he’d been shredding had slipped from his grasp, and he’d ended up grating the knuckle of his middle finger instead.
“Shit, are you okay?”
Embarrassed, he waved off Finn’s concern as he hurried over to the sink. The sharp teeth of the grater had taken a pretty good bite out of him, and blood flowed freely from the wound to pool between his fingers.
“I’m okay.” He forced a laugh as he shoved his hand beneath the cold water. “I guess that’s what I get for not paying attention.”
The fact that he could still bleed, still experience pain, even in the afterlife, was both a blessing and curse. On one hand, knowing that nothing much had changed beyond his address had made the transition easier. On the other, still being able to experience cuts, bruises, and even things like insomnia just kind of felt like adding insult to injury.
“Can you hand me a towel?” When he didn’t receive an answer, he twisted around to look over his shoulder, his muscles instantly tensing when he found the vampire standing directly behind him. “Finn?”
A deep, rumbling growl echoed through the kitchen, his lizard brain recognizing the sound for what it was.
Danger.
“Finn,” he tried again. “Hey, look at me.”
