REBORN AS A NECROMANCER : BUILDING THE ULTIMATE UNDEAD ARMY

Kaine climbed the fire escape to his apartment building as the first rays of dawn painted the sky pink and gold. His clothes were torn from the chase, his jacket shredded where Chad's claws had found their mark during one particularly close encounter. Marcus followed silently behind him, the ghoul's pale eyes reflecting the morning light like mirrors.

They'd spent the entire night tracking tChad through the industrial district, only to lose him when the wight pulled that blood magic trick near the railroad yard. Three hours of additional search for the X and O killer—no trace, no scent, no sign of where the psycho killer had gone to ground.

Kaine was exhausted, frustrated, and looking forward to a hot shower and a few hours of sleep before he had to deal with the world again.

That plan died the moment he reached his floor and saw Rebecca waiting by his door.

She seemed dressed for work in a navy blazer and matching skirt, her hair pulled back in a professional bun. But there was nothing professional about the way she looked at him—arms crossed, jaw set, brown eyes flashing with something between worry and anger.

"Well, well," she said, her voice deceptively calm. "Look what the cat dragged in."

"Morning, Rebecca." Kaine fished his keys from his pocket, very aware of how he must look. "You're up early."

"I never went to bed."

That stopped him cold. "What?"

"I said I never went to bed." She stepped closer, and he could see the exhaustion in her face, the dark circles under her eyes. "I was worried sick about you."

"Rebecca, I told you I had work—"

"Work?" Her voice rose. "At three in the morning? What kind of work keeps someone out all night, Kaine? And don't you dare say vampire hunting like it's some kind of joke."

Kaine glanced at Marcus, who had positioned himself by the stairwell, giving them privacy while remaining close enough to intervene if needed. The ghoul's presence suddenly felt awkward in a way it never had before.

"It's complicated," Kaine said finally.

"Complicated." Rebecca laughed, but there was no humor in it. "You know what's complicated? Sitting in my apartment all night, listening for your footsteps in the hallway. Wondering if you were coming home in a body bag like you joked about. Wondering if you were with her."

"Her?"

"Your work buddy. Gwen." The name came out like she was spitting something distasteful. "The one who shows up at midnight for 'meetings' and rides away on a motorcycle looking like she stepped out of an action movie."

Kaine unlocked his door but didn't go inside. "Rebecca, it's not what you think."

"Then what is it? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you spent the night with another woman doing God knows what, and I'm the idiot neighbor who waited up worrying about you."

The hurt in her voice cut deeper than he'd expected. "You don't understand—"

"You're right, I don't understand!" Her composure cracked, revealing the raw emotion underneath. "I don't understand why I care so much about a man I barely know. I don't understand why I cooked dinner for you every night this week hoping you'd knock on my door. And I definitely don't understand why I'm standing here at six in the morning having a fight with you like we're—like we're something we're not!"

The silence stretched between them, heavy with everything they hadn't said. Kaine could hear his neighbors stirring behind their doors, the building coming alive with the morning routine.

"Rebecca..." he started.

"Are you sleeping with her?"

The question hit him like a slap. "What?"

"Your work buddy. Gwen. Are you sleeping with her?"

"No." The answer came immediately, instinctively. "No, I'm not sleeping with her."

"But you were with her all night."

"Yes, but not—it's not like that. We were working. Actually working."

Rebecca studied his face, searching for deception. Whatever she saw there seemed to satisfy her, because her shoulders relaxed slightly.

"Then what is it like?" she asked quietly.

Kaine ran a hand through his hair, suddenly aware of how exhausted he was. How could he explain that he'd spent the night chasing his undead former colleague through the city? That Gwen was his ex-partner from an organization that hunted supernatural creatures? That Marcus wasn't just his roommate but a ghoul bound to his service?

"It's work," he said lamely. "Dangerous work. The kind that happens at night and requires people with specific skills."

"And she has these skills?"

"She does."

Rebecca nodded slowly. "And this work, it's important?"

"Very."

"Important enough to risk your life for?"

Kaine thought about Chad, about the X&O killer, about all the monsters that prowled the city while normal people slept safely in their beds. "Yeah. It is."

She was quiet for a long moment, processing this. When she spoke again, her voice was softer. "I'm not stupid, Kaine. I know there are things you can't tell me. I know you're not just some regular private investigator. But I was scared."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"And I was jealous," she continued, a flush creeping up her neck. "Which is ridiculous because we're just neighbors. Just friends. But when I saw her looking at you like you were something she'd lost and found again..."

"Gwen and I have history," Kaine admitted. "But it's complicated history. Unfinished business."

"The romantic kind?"

"Maybe. Once. But that's not what this is about now."

Rebecca stepped closer, close enough that he could smell her perfume—something warm and vanilla that made him think of home and safety and all the things he couldn't have.

"What is it about now?" she asked.

"Keeping people safe. Keeping you safe."

"I don't need protecting."

"Everyone needs protecting from some things."

She reached out, her fingers barely brushing his torn jacket. "Are you hurt?"

"It's nothing serious."

"This doesn't look like nothing." Her fingers found a long tear in the fabric, beneath which his shirt was stained with dried blood. "Kaine, what kind of work are you really doing?"

He caught her hand, stilling its exploration. Her skin was warm against his cold fingers, and he saw her eyes widen slightly at the contact.

"The kind you're better off not knowing about."

"And if I don't want to be better off? What if I want to know?"

"Rebecca..."

"What if I want to be part of whatever this is?" Her eyes met his, direct and challenging. "What if I'm tired of being the safe neighbor who cooks dinner and waits for you to come home?"

The words hung in the air between them, loaded with possibility and danger in equal measure. Kaine could see the determination in her face, the stubborn set of her jaw that reminded him she was stronger than she looked.

"You don't know what you're asking for."

"Then tell me. Help me understand."

Before he could answer, Mrs. Patterson from down the hall opened her door and peered out at them. "Everything alright out here? It's awfully early for... discussions."

"Sorry, Mrs. P," Rebecca called, stepping back from Kaine. "We'll keep it down."

The older woman gave them a knowing look before retreating back into her apartment. The interruption broke the tension, reminding them both where they were.

"We should go inside," Kaine said. "Before we wake the whole building."

"Your place or mine?"

"Mine. Marcus is already—" He gestured toward his apartment, where the ghoul waited patiently by the door.

Rebecca nodded and followed him inside. She looked around his sparse apartment with new eyes, taking in the scorch marks on the coffee table, the complete absence of anything personal.

"I'm never gonna get used to this, you know? You really don't live here, do you?" she said. "You just exist here."

"What's the difference?"

"Living implies you have a life worth living."

The observation stung because it was true. "Rebecca, I can't be what you want me to be."

"And what do you think I want you to be?"

"Normal. Safe. Available."

She turned to face him, her expression serious. "You know what I actually want?"

"What?"

"Honesty. And maybe..." She paused, seeming to gather her courage. "Maybe one evening where you're not rushing off to save the world. One evening where it's just us, doing something completely ordinary."

Kaine felt something shift inside his chest, a warmth he hadn't experienced in a long time. "What kind of ordinary?"

"Dinner. A movie. A walk through the park. The kind of evening normal people have." She smiled, and it transformed her entire face. "Call it a friend thing if that makes it easier. Just two neighbors getting to know each other better."

"Rebecca..."

"I'm not asking for promises, Kaine. I'm not asking you to explain your mysterious work or your dangerous nights. I'm just asking for one evening." Her voice softened. "Is that too much?"

He looked at her standing in his apartment, professional and beautiful and completely out of place. She was offering him something he'd thought was lost forever—the possibility of normalcy, of connection with someone who didn't know what he'd become.

"It's not too much," he said finally. "But I have work tonight. Important work."

"Then tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow I can do."

Her smile brightened. "Really?"

"Really. But Rebecca?" He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a serious tone. "If we do this—if we spend an evening together—you have to understand that it can't change anything about the rest of it. About the work, about the danger, about the things I can't tell you."

"I understand."

"Do you? Because once you start caring about someone in this business, it makes everything more complicated. More dangerous."

"For who?"

"For everyone."

She held his gaze steadily. "I'm a grown woman, Kaine. I know what I want. And what I want is one evening with my mysterious neighbor who saves the world and comes home with blood stains. Is that really so terrible?"

Looking at her, Kaine couldn't remember why it would be terrible. All he could think about was how long it had been since someone had looked at him like he was worth saving.

"Okay," he said. "Tomorrow night. Something ordinary."

"Something completely ordinary," she agreed. "I'll plan everything. You just have to show up."

"I can do that."

She moved toward the door, then paused. "And Kaine? Try to come home in one piece tonight, okay? I worry."

"I'll be careful."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

She kissed his cheek quickly, her lips soft against his skin, then disappeared into the hallway before he could react. Kaine stood frozen for a moment, his hand moving unconsciously to where she'd kissed him.

Marcus emerged from the shadows, tilting his head in that curious way he had.

"Don't give me that look," Kaine said. "It's probably just dinner. Two neighbors being friendly."

The ghoul's pale eyes seemed to say otherwise, but Marcus kept his opinions to himself.

====

A few hours later, Kaine was just stepping out of the shower when he heard a soft knock at his door. He wrapped a towel around his waist and padded to the peephole, expecting to see Mrs. Patterson complaining about the morning's noise.

Instead, he found Rebecca standing in the hallway with an armload of clothes.

"Rebecca?" He opened the door partway, very aware of his state of undress. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." She looked him up and down, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I was hoping you could help me with something."

"Help you with what?"

"Choosing an outfit for tomorrow night." She held up the dresses. "Since it's not technically a date, I wasn't sure what kind of vibe to go for."

Kaine stared at her. "You want me to help you pick out clothes?"

"Well, you're my date. Sort of. Not-date. Friend evening companion?" She seemed to realize how ridiculous she sounded. "Look, I haven't done this in a while, okay? I'm nervous, and I have no idea what's appropriate for whatever we're doing tomorrow night."

Despite everything—his exhaustion, his confusion, his growing certainty that this was a terrible idea—Kaine found himself smiling. "Give me a minute to put on some pants."

"Take your time," she said, her eyes definitely not looking at his chest. "I'll wait."

Five minutes later, Kaine emerged from his bedroom dressed in jeans and a t-shirt to find Rebecca laying out dresses across his couch. She'd brought at least six different options, ranging from casual sundresses to something that looked like it belonged at a cocktail party.

"Okay," she said, surveying her options. "What do you think? Too formal? Too casual? Too—"

"Rebecca, breathe."

She took a deep breath, then another. "Right. Breathing is good."

"What exactly are we doing tomorrow night?" he asked. "That might help narrow down the choices."

"I was thinking dinner somewhere nice but not too fancy. Maybe that Italian place on Fifth Street? Then a walk through a Park if the weather's good."

"That sounds perfect." Еnjоying thе stоry? Disсоvеr mоrе оn М|V|LЕМ6РYR.

"Really?"

"Really. Simple, ordinary, exactly what I need." He gestured to the dresses. "Any of these would work, but if I had to choose..." He pointed to a midnight blue dress that looked elegant without being overly formal. "That one."

"This one?" She held it up against herself. "You sure?"

"I'm sure. It brings out your eyes."

Rebecca's cheeks flushed pink. "You noticed my eyes?"

"I notice everything about you."

The words slipped out before he could stop them, honest and raw. Rebecca's breath caught, and for a moment they just stood there, staring at each other across his living room.

"I should try it on," she said finally. "Make sure it still fits."

"The bathroom's—"

"I know where it is."

She disappeared into his bathroom with the dress, leaving Kaine alone with Marcus and five other dresses. The ghoul was studying the clothing with the same intensity he usually reserved for potential threats.

"What do you think?" Kaine asked him. "Am I making a mistake?"

Marcus tilted his head but offered no opinion.

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

Ten minutes passed before Rebecca's voice came from behind the bathroom door. "Um, Kaine? I need help."

"What kind of help?"

"The kind that involves zippers and possibly some creative problem-solving."

Kaine approached the bathroom door cautiously. "Rebecca?"

"The zipper's stuck. I can't get it up or down, and I'm kind of... trapped."

He could hear the frustration in her voice, tinged with embarrassment. "Can you open the door?"

"Not without flashing you. The dress is basically falling off."

Kaine closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Okay. I'm coming in. Just... hold the dress up."

He opened the door slowly and found Rebecca standing with her back to him, clutching the midnight blue fabric to her chest. The zipper was indeed stuck halfway up her back, the teeth misaligned and caught on the fabric.

"I think I yanked it too hard," she said without turning around. "Can you fix it?"

"I can try."

He stepped closer, close enough to see the delicate curve of her spine, the way her dark hair had escaped its pins to curl against her neck. His fingers found the zipper pull and gently worked it back and forth, trying to free the caught fabric.

"Easy," he murmured, more to himself than to her. "Just have to..."

The zipper came free suddenly, sliding down her back in one smooth motion. Rebecca gasped, clutching the dress tighter to prevent it from falling completely.

"Got it," Kaine said, but he didn't step away.

Rebecca turned slowly, still holding the dress against her chest. They were standing close enough that he could see the rapid rise and fall of her breathing, close enough to count the freckles scattered across her collarbone.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome."

Neither of them moved. The bathroom suddenly felt too small, the air too charged. Rebecca's free hand came up to rest against his chest, her palm flat against his t-shirt.

"Your skin," she said softly. "It's always so cold."

"Yeah. That's just... how I am."

"But you're so hot," she continued, her eyes meeting his. "Cold skin, but so, so hot."

Her fingers curled in his shirt, pulling him closer. Kaine's hands moved to her waist automatically, steadying her even as his own world tilted off its axis.

"Rebecca..."

"I know," she whispered. "I know this is complicated. I know you think it's dangerous. But right now, standing here with you, none of that matters."

Her face tilted up toward his, lips slightly parted, eyes dark with want. Kaine could feel his carefully constructed walls crumbling, could feel himself forgetting all the reasons why this was a bad idea.

"You don't know what you're getting into," he said, his voice rough.

"Then show me."