Micah Thaxter has a problem -- one scary, inconvenient problem. His shadow wants him dead and isn’t shy about it.<br><br>On the plus side, it’s not his time to die and Scary Gary is always there to carry him back to the land of the living. Gary is far too pale, his black cloak a bit out of fashion, and his scythe quite terrifying, but he’s still one of the most beautiful men Micah has ever seen.<br><br>Micah may be stuck with a homicidal shadow, but perhaps there’s a way to keep Gary around too. His job escorting souls keeps him busy, but since Micah has already died once today, Gary’s there. So what’s the harm in offering him a cup of tea?

Scary Gary

He shot out of bed and hurried into the shower. His body ached in all the right places, and in the wrong ones too. The pains of his injuries coming back now that the high from the sex had been doused. None too gently, he scrubbed his body and washed his hair. Once dry again, he put on a pair of pajama bottoms, stripped the sheets off the bed, and put on clean ones. He emptied the trashcan and paced the apartment before forcing himself to go back into the bedroom.


For several long minutes, he lingered by the window. Frost glittered on the asphalt; the shadows appeared harmless, but they weren’t. For normal people they were, but even if the soul Gary had to go collect or guide or whatever was right outside his door, he couldn’t have gone to him.


Micah didn’t know exactly what Gary did, all he knew was that when he reached the moment when Gary should wield his scythe, he carried him indoors instead.


Chapter 5