Page 39 of Mortis

“Careful!” I yelped, reaching out instinctively. “It’s hot!”

Rather than spitting it across the kitchen, He swallowed without so much as a flinch. Then He slammed the mug onto the worktop. I jumped, and my eye twitched as I spotted the fresh hairline crack snaking up the porcelain.

“It is . . . acceptable,” He declared, looking down His nose at me.

“The bitterness hides the poison,” I deadpanned.

The Beast took one suspicious step backwards.

“You . . .” He growled. But His sentence died the moment He noticed my smirk. “You walk on thin ice, mortal.”

The glow in His eyes slowly faded. Kael blinked several times, looking momentarily dazed as he returned to himself.

“So,” I asked, reaching for another mug. “What did you think of the coffee?”

He watched me slide the cup beneath the machine and press the button for another triple espresso. His lips pursed thoughtfully, and he smacked them together once, as though trying to remember the flavour.

Then he shrugged. “It was drinkable.”

I sighed and wrapped my hands around the fresh mug, letting the warmth seep into my palms. Not exactly a glowing endorsement. But what was I expecting from a flesh-eating demon?

Pulling my phone from the pocket of my pyjama bottoms, I checked the time again. Just after noon. There was a text from Arlo telling me he’d cleaned up the funeral home, and another from Grandad insisting I take the day off if I needed it.

I couldn’t.

Mr Cartwright still needed embalming, and Dorothy Robinson still needed a considerable amount of repair work if I was going to hide Kael’s midnight snack. I took another mouthful of coffee and immediately regretted it as the heat scorched my tongue for the second time.

“I have to go to work.”

Kael looked up from where he’d been studying the coffee machine. “Would you like me to hide in your bedroom?”

I set the half-finished mug in the sink with last night’s plate, promising myself I’d wash them later, and headed towards my room. Stopping beside Kael’s bicep, I tipped my head back until our eyes met.

“Not a chance, big guy.” I grinned. “You’re coming with me.”

6

TEDDY

The bell above the door rang as I walked into Adler & Sons, Kael following close behind.

I hadn’t been able to lock up the night before thanks to the busted lock, so I’d made do by wedging it shut with a chunk of wood I’d found on the street. Not exactly high-grade security, but my resources were limited in the early hours.

Besides, I had no doubt Grandad had already been on the phone to Gordon, the owner of the hardware shop a few streets over. If all went to plan, I was sure we’d have a new door by closing time.

Arlo sat behind reception, scrolling through TikToks on his phone.

“Welcome to Adler & Sons,” he drawled, barely looking up from the cat video playing on his screen. “Where every life is remembered.”

I slammed my palm onto the reception desk. Arlo flinched so violently he nearly rolled backwards out of his chair.

“Top-notch customer service, Lo.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Teds,” he panted, clutching his chest. “Y’almost gave me a fuckin’ heart attack.”

I smirked. “At least you’re in the right place if you drop dead.”

Arlo sneered as he straightened his shirt. It was cream, with puffy sleeves and a high collar. The sort of thing you’d expect to see on a Victorian ghost.