Suck My Life (Sucking Dead #1) - Andie M. Long Page 0,25

to be a challenge.

I just told Stan thanks, left it at that and I walked out of the store.

Strolling back down the boulevard, I admired the trees. I’d bet it looked beautiful when it snowed, and I wondered if they trimmed up the place at Christmas.

Thank you for visiting Gnarly Fell.

I saluted the sign. “Thank you for having me here this afternoon.” I walked out of the entrance and back to the bottom of the hill.

Where I almost fell over with shock.

Death stood there, dressed in a pale-blue shirt, a grey sweater, and a pair of navy trousers. He had black polished shoes on his feet, and he looked… amazing, but so weird in normal attire!

“I have to admit, these are a lot comfier. So thank you. I’ve hung the rest of my things in my wardrobe. There’s one package with my name on that I can’t open, so that must be a gift?”

The smoking jacket and matching pyjama bottoms.

“Yes, one of the things seemed very you and I hoped we got it right.”

“We?”

“The twins helped me.”

“So, how did your visit go?”

“How about I tell you back home, hey? Rather than us standing at the bottom of the hill all night?”

“You called it home.”

I looked up at the strange looking house at the top of the hill.

“Seems it is my home, and I intend to make it feel more homely for sure. But other than some dusting—of furniture, not vampires that is—tomorrow is another day, and tonight, I’d like to enjoy some downtime. I might get a book from the library.”

“The Librarian has already left you some books she thinks you’d like in your living room. Before you retire for the evening though, we need to meet the wayward spirit I’m hoping you can help.”

“Oh yes. I guess I should find out a little more about my actual job.”

“See you up there?” Death nodded to the house.

“Yep.”

I closed my eyes and imagined being outside the front door.

As I appeared, Death ran towards me armed with a bucket.

“I’m fine. Don’t feel sick. Just a little dizzy,” I said, walking towards the house and losing my equilibrium and landing in a muddy puddle.

Death

I knew I shouldn’t have laughed, but I couldn’t help myself. Mya stood up, made a growling noise at me and stomped off into the house.

“Don’t forget we need to meet the spirit,” I told her.

She walked back towards me but just scowled as she picked up one of the boxes that had been delivered for her.

“Shall I bring the rest to your living room?” I asked.

“Whatever. I’m going to grab a shower, though I’m not expecting the bathroom to make me much cleaner if its like the rest of this hellhole.”

I shook my head. “The hellhole is in the basement.”

Her teeth ground together. “You need to learn when to shut up.”

“Sorrryyy, just I usually do get the final word. Goodbye, or you’re dead.”

“Well, now you don’t. You’re far too chipper for Death right now. You need to go brood somewhere.”

She flounced off. I wasn’t expecting her mood to be any better this evening, because she was right about the bathroom. I had no idea when it had last been cleaned. Also, I doubted her washing machine worked, or many other things for that matter. It was all ancient. Maybe I should have made an effort to modernise before appointing a queen, but I’d already been working two jobs and I thought they’d want to make the place their own.

I took the rest of the belongings through into her living room and left her to it because I could hear her swearing in the distance and so yes, I escaped before I became the focus of her rant.

After about thirty minutes, there was a knock on the door. “Come in.”

Mya walked in. She’d changed her clothes and was wearing a bright yellow silk shirt and a short black skirt. She had good legs, I noticed. I also noticed she was carrying a package wrapped in brown paper.

Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. “I didn’t buy shampoo,” she sighed.

“I have some you can borrow?”

She shook her head, “No. I’ll sort it all tomorrow. I know you said I wouldn’t need much sleep, but I am tired, Big D. There’s been a lot to take in.”

“You can become mentally exhausted, Mya. You just won’t need a lot of sleep before feeling refreshed. When I saw Lawrie earlier, he did advise an extra blood bag each evening for your first week,