Page 32 of Starved Until Sunset

“Thanks, Dr. Baldwin, we will,” Otis said.

They watched her walk away, then Otis asked, “Who’s she sitting with?”

“Dr. Graham. He’s a new medical examiner.”

Otis looked at him. “We have a medical examiner now?”

“We do. Care to guess why?”

Otis shivered slightly, and Cody figured he was remembering being held hostage by Nicolae, the alpha werewolf. Everyone in Parson’s Hollow had been touched in one way or another by some kind of monster, yet, no one talked about it openly. And he and Demmy had lost their business over it.

Nothing was fair when it came to monsters and animal control, it seemed.

Demmy walked into the cafeteria, and Cody signaled to him. A warm swell of love rose within him as he watched Demmy approach. All the years between them had built into something Cody had never been able to imagine for himself. He’d never felt worthy or smart enough for what they had. He’d never heard the call of it, felt the burning need to have someone with him as much and as close as possible. Not until he’d paid attention to what was going on inside him whenever he was with Demmy.

And now here they were. Together. And even through all the monster bullshit, he wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“How’s she doing?” Otis asked, pushing to his feet.

“She’s doing well.” Demmy pulled out the chair beside Cody and sat. “The doctor took the neck brace off, so she’s a lot happier.”

“Oh, that’s a good sign.” Otis took up his coffee. “I think I’ll go check in on her now that you’re here.”

“They may be releasing her tonight,” Demmy said. “If they do before I come back again, just send me a text and let me know.”

“I will.” Otis smiled. “We’re both so lucky to have you two. Thank you for being here.”

Cody slid his coffee over toward Demmy and returned Otis’s smile. “We wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

He watched Otis hurry off. Demmy took a sip of the coffee and pushed it back to him.

“Thanks.”

“Figured you could use a little juice.”

“Yeah, a bit.” He blew out a breath and scrubbed his hands up and down his face. “Crazy day.”

“These old folks are a lot of work, aren’t they?”

That earned him a tired grin. “They really are.” He chewed his lower lip a moment and stared at his hands on the table before him.

Cody kept quiet and looked at his phone. He knew the signs. Demmy wasn’t sure how to bring up something on his mind, and Cody bet it had something to do with Amelia’s accident. He wondered if a tornado of bats had caused her to go off the road. Or something big that had brought down a full grown deer with no effort.

Against his better judgment, he asked, “Anything you want to tell me?”

Demmy groaned and put his head on his arms. “Why do you know me so well?”

Cody leaned down and whispered. “Years and years of study.” He blew gently into his ear. “And fucking your brains out on the regular.”

Head still down, Demmy whispered quietly toward the table, “Jesus Christ.”

Cody sat back up and grinned as he sipped his coffee. Some days, he enjoyed being himself.

Demmy lifted his head, but avoided looking at him. “You’re a very evil man.”

“And yet you fell head over heels in love with me.”

“Because I’m very susceptible to evil.”