Suck My Life (Sucking Dead #1) - Andie M. Long Page 0,24

the fell as they’d wished, never to find love with an outsider. They thought it was nonsense, travelling out of the fell, dating and falling pregnant, but they were never loved in return and their partners never came back to the fell. We are all cursed.”

“How can the curse be removed?”

“Only by the witch who put the spell there and I don’t know how we’d ever find her again. No one knows who she was because they weren’t interested to find out.”

“That’s awful. Does the curse affect me too?”

He shook his head. “No, my dear, you live just outside. You’re lucky.”

“That’s the first time I’ve been called that since I died yesterday.” I laughed.

“Gnarly is a fabulous place. It’s a shame what happened to it, but I get into London now and again.”

“The city?”

“No, darling, that’s the name of the hooker I meet up with twice a month.”

I gasped.

“I’m joking. Yes, I mean the city. I love the bars and the vivacity of it all. Gnarly is so sedate in comparison, although maybe that will all change now you’re here.”

“And you’re all supernatural species like me?”

“We are. I’m not telling you what any of us are though. With me you can puzzle over it and for others, that’s their news, not mine. Now, come along, let’s talk about modernising that monstrosity at the top of the hill.”

It was so refreshing talking to Stan after dealing with the twins. His cheerful disposition meant what I’d assumed I’d find boring, I actually found a lot of fun.

“I’m going to give all this a go over the next couple of days and then make a proper list of what jobs I need help with and what furniture is fit for nothing but a bonfire.”

“You get that place cleaned of the dust, and myself and Stan junior will come and help you get the place sorted.”

“Stan junior?”

“Yep, I have a son, though his mum left us to fend for ourselves, no doubt thanks to the curse. I didn’t know she was pregnant until she returned to Gnarly with her son, saying she couldn’t keep a supernatural kid.”

“Harsh.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I learned to accept it, because I don’t know how much was fear of the unknown, how much was the curse, or whether I just chose a wrong ‘un. He’s thirty now, so I stopped thinking about it a long time ago.”

“Do you have a business card so I can call you? I’m sure I will need yours and Stan junior’s help.”

He passed me a card. “My son’s a looker, but don’t fall for him. He’s cursed too. Can only lead to heartbreak.”

“Don’t worry, I’m too busy getting used to being dead, along with my new place to live and my new job to think about romance.”

“Pity, because that man up there is also single, and he also lives outside of Gnarly…”

“Oooh, have got any duct tape?” I queried.

“Sure, hold on a mo.”

“It’s for your mouth.”

He giggled. “Oh for no curse and a few decades off my age, Mya. Now you get back to your new home and I’ll have this all delivered.”

“When can I expect it? Only I might carry a few things if it’s going to be later this evening.”

“It’ll be there when you get home. Gnarly has an express delivery service. Watch.”

He walked over to the corner of the store where there was what looked like a cupboard. Stan opened it up to reveal a dimly lit, empty room. He put some of the items I’d bought in it and closed the door. “Wayward Souls hallway,” he said, and he banged his hand on the cupboard door three times. He opened it again and the space was back empty.

“Only works with things, not people,” he added, which had been my next question because otherwise you could wake up with intruders in your home. “All the stores have them.”

“Ah that makes sense.” I held my hand out to Stan. “Thanks so much for everything you’ve helped me with today. I’ll get back to you with my list of requirements and then once the place is spick and span, I will invite you to my new dwelling for a scotch along with Stan junior and Death.”

“Sounds perfect, and good luck with the job, Mya. It’s not an easy task, working with people and deciding on whether they go to Heaven or Hell.”

I’d not given my job any real thought, given it wasn’t even twenty-four hours since I’d died, but maybe it was going