Page 61 of Grave Beginnings

“No. We were hoping you’d see something before they cut out, but maybe your skill doesn’t translate to recorded video.”

“Maybe,” I agreed. “I’ll try watching it again.”

I returned to my desk to find a stack of books on the side of it. The books were a mix of shifter facts, necromancer lore, and adetailed historical biography of the war. Had someone passed by? Angel had a meeting with Sergeant Hanna. Reviewing the backlog of cases, I understood how incredibly busy and understaffed we were. Would we ever catch a break?

“Okay, yeah, keep me updated,” Angel said as he entered our office and clicked off his phone. He glanced my way.

“Are these from you?” I asked him, holding up the top book.

He studied the title. “No. But Xavier probably dropped them off. I asked him to pick out a few books about the war for you.”

“Xavier?” Could it be the same Xavier that had wanted to take Ivan?

“Think of him as my roommate… sort of.”

“Are you lovers?” I demanded, as that’s immediately where my brain went. The hot, super mystical NHV with the energy of something out of a fantasy novel would have been a better match for Angel’s sexiness than me.

Angel snorted as he sat down at his desk. “Not a chance.”

“But you want me to come to your place later so you can cook for me, and you have a roommate?”

“I live in an old, converted mall,” Angel said. “Xavier bought it shortly after the tear overtook it, and once it was all across the Veil, he renovated it into apartments. There’s a big movie room, a massive kitchen, and even a communal library, but I have my own private apartment with a kitchen. It’s not big, but it’s my own space. If you spend more than five minutes moving around the building at all, you’ll run into Xavier.”

“So, he’s a creepy landlord?” That made sense. Supernatural baddy in control.

Angel burst into laughter, falling back into his chair, howling as if it were the funniest thing he’d ever heard. I had to fight not to smile as his mirth made me want to laugh too. Was it really that ridiculous to wonder?

“Creepy… landlord…” Angel howled, tears leaking from his eyes as he gasped for air.

“Everything okay in here?” Wade popped his head in the doorway, gaze darting from Angel back to me.

Angel waved at him, still unable to form words.

“I don’t understand what’s so funny,” I said. “Do you know this Xavier person who renovated a mall across the Veil into apartments?”

“Yes,” Wade agreed. “Most of us live there.” He pointed at Ezra, who came up behind him, and himself. “He owns most of the block. Why is that funny?”

“Creepy landlord,” Angel gasped.

Wade tilted his head and repeated, “Creepy landlord?”

“Angel said if I spent more than five minutes at the mall I’d run into Xavier, and he’s your landlord, right? That sounds sort of creepy, that he’s always just there. Like, you’re getting your cereal in the morning and close the fridge door to find him standing there. That would be creepy, right? Horror movie creepy.” What about the pretty twins? Were they there, skulking around, too? Was it a shifter thing?

Wade’s eyes went wide and he met Angel’s gaze, who had his face buried in his elbow as he continued to laugh. “Well, you’re not wrong.”

“He’s shown up when I sat down for coffee in the communal kitchen,” Ezra added. “Makes me think more of one of those priests in a box waiting for you to confess. One look and you’re spilling whatever trauma of the week to him.”

“That doesn’t sound creepy to you?” What the hell? Who was this guy?

“I think Angel finds it funny because it’s a very accurate description for a man you’ve never met,” Wade offered. But I had met him. I was certain it had to be the same guy. Mynopemeter had been screaming in the red zone.

“I’m buying him a t-shirt,” Angel gasped, his laughter easing even as he wiped his eyes. “Creepy landlord.”

“I’ll design it,” Ezra offered, and headed back to his office.

Wade shook his head at us. “I want to be there when you give it to him. The expression on his face will be worth it.” He left our office as Angel’s chuckles trailed off.

“Fuck me, I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard in years,” Angel said as he dabbed his eyes with a tissue.