Page 12 of Grave Robbing and Other Hobbies (Grave Concerns 1)

I pressed my lips together. What was there to say back to that? As insulted as I wanted to feel, that was exactly why I’d gotten into the business, wasn’t it? Well, I mean, minus the balding and wife part—I didn’t much want either of those. The rest of it, though?

“I’m not going to discuss that,” I snapped. “If you’re here out of some joke, just leave. I have work to do.”

He lifted an eyebrow, an act that made the light hit his eyes and turned them almost red. “Feisty, aren’t you? And here I thought this entire trip might be boring. I hate being bored, you know? At my age, there isn’t anything worse.”

“And I hate having my time wasted. You might make for nice scenery, but I’m busy. Thank you for stopping by.” I made sure my ‘thank you’ sounded as much likefuck youas possible. Sure, hewasnice to look at, but I had so many other things to deal with. Pretty boys who wasted my time couldn’t make it on the list.

He laughed and pushed himself out of the seat. I didn’t stand, trying my best to ignore him entirely. Better that then risk staring again.

“This isn’t over.”

“Yes, it is.”

He set his hands on the desk and leaned in close enough to force my gaze up and to his amber eyes. He was only a breath away. “No, it isn’t. If you thought no one would sense what you did, that sort of power, then you’re even more foolish than you look.”

Power.His words chilled me. He couldn’t mean what had happened with the spirit, could he?

Exactly who—and what—is he?

I opened my mouth to ask, but he took the opportunity to run his thumb across my bottom lip, silencing me. “I’ll see you around, shadow-girl. Count on that.”

With that, he left. The heat of his thumb remained on my lip, as if I could still feel it there, teasing me.

What the hell just happened?

* * * *

“I thought you weren’t allowed to come in without an invitation.” I carried my to-go container of food past Kase, who sat in the recliner of my living room as though he were entirely welcome there and hadn’t broken in while I had been gone.

“Superstition. We’ve encouraged quite a few of those over the years to throw people off our trail.”

“It’s also called manners.”

He waved that off but didn’t rise from the seat. “Manners are for humans.”

“You sure like reminding me you aren’t one.”

“Why hide it? You already know the truth, so why pretend? Besides, who wouldwantto be human? You all scuttle about your short, little lives, oblivious to the world around you.”

“Do you even remember being human?”

He pursed his lips as though thinking. “A little. I remember it smelled horrible. Filth everywhere, everything wanting to kill or eat me. Not much to miss.”

I went into the kitchen, leaving him behind in the living room. If he wanted to talk—and I’d guess he did since he’d shown up at my house—he could follow me. I took a seat at the kitchen counter and flipped open the top on my food.

Carne asada fries.The best food for hangovers or life crisis. Which I was having, I wasn’t sure. Maybe both?

He lifted his lip as though the food disgusted him.

In turn, I took one slow, noisy bite, making sure to smack my lips, just to annoy him.

Sure, annoying him was stupid, but it seemed they wanted me alive. If they hadn’t, I wouldn’t have been able to say a word before he ended me.

“So what misfortune brings you here? Last I checked, I did the job you forced me to, and I was paid for it. That ends our little transaction.”

“Why are you still looking into Rachel’s death?”

I paused, then narrowed my eyes. “How would you know that?”

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