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A knock on the open door startled me out of a daze a few hours later. I glanced up, surprised to find Chris Hardy at the threshold.

I jolted to my feet, offering him a hand. We hadn’t really formally talked, though I knew he’d been Jude’s friend.

“Hey,” the man said, taking my hand. “Our team is temporarily assigned to your unit. Thought I’d offer help reviewing.” His gaze flicked over the mostly empty bullpen. “So your team could get some rest.” He sucked in a breath, hesitating as his focus drifted to Jude’s empty desk.

“He’s not here,” I whispered, careful. I wasn’t sure if the office was bugged like our vehicles.

Hardy gave a nod. “There’s a couple visual spooks in the building,” he added after a long minute. “Reviewing the bodies.”

I flinched; glad I’d instructed Jude to stay home. Though I suspected he was either in the library between worlds or pacing the other side of the Veil in annoyance. I could only hope he wasn’t finding more trouble, which seemed to be drawn to him like a magnet.

“I’m waiting for details from the Holt’s property,” I admitted.

“Sucks to be benched on something like this,” Hardy agreed, his smile tight. He lingered in the doorway, shifting his weight like he had something else to say.

I waited.

His gaze narrowed on the far door as a group of unfamiliar agents passed by. “Maybe you’d like to get a dinner break?”

Since I’d been late getting in, I’d planned to stay well into third shift, but caught what Hardy wasn’t saying.

“Sure.” I glanced at the clock. “Want to walk down to Divine Donuts?”

Hardy’s face lit up. “Never been, but heard it’s great.” His expression shifted to wary. “Though isn’t it run by actual goddesses?”

“Sometimes,” I admitted. “Jude’s friend Nikki is going to be working there.” I wondered if Ivan planned to as well. He’d been talking about the place with Nikki before I’d left. I could see Gwen looping him in for the work and to watch over him since she obviously knew he and Xavier were fated, even if her brother pretended otherwise.

Victor’s gaze met mine from his office window as I headed for the door with Hardy. His brow raised. I shook my head. I was fine. It wasn’t as if I couldn’t call for him if something went wrong. We’d spent years establishing the mental connection. Though now that Jude got flustered and jealous over me sharing blood, I wondered if it would wane.

At the elevator, I encountered the first SV I didn’t know. An older Black woman with gorgeous locks and a bright headwrap. Hardy gave her a friendly smile—the kind that reminded me of Jude. That charismatic niceness that came naturally to only a handful of men. It didn’t feel like an act, any more than Jude’s ever had. Genuine kindness was rare, and it didn’t surprise me that he and Jude had been friends, though Hardy lacked Jude’s snarky sarcasm.

She gave him a polite smile, though her gaze lingered on me. I offered a nod and kept my distance, reminded that most non-shifters didn’t like to be touched or crowded by us.

We got out on the first floor. She continued on to the basement morgue, for which I was grateful, and we made our way to the door. I barely breathed. Hardy greeted everyone with kindness and careful reserve as we passed through and outside.

Down the street and through the transition into the Veil, we were nearly to the bakery when I heard, “Replaced me already?”

I nearly leapt out of my skin.

Hardy gave me a wide-eyed questioning look.

I glared at Jude.

“You’ve never looked more like a cat than right now,” he remarked. “I’m not sure if I want to pet you or be jealous of your reflexes.”

Hardy tipped his head in my direction. “Is he here?”

I hesitated to answer.

“He can’t see me. I tried at the warehouse when I saw the motes and realized there were more bodies they hadn’t found yet. Had to recruit Nat to help.” Jude assessed Hardy. “I trust him. He’s got better instincts than most of the people I’ve met who are still breathing.”

I sighed. “Jude’s here. Appeared when we crossed the Veil. Says he got a friend of ours to tell you about the bodies.”

“Wait?” Hardy’s eyes went wide. “The hot professor guy? There was something strange about him, and then he disappeared. Everyone thought we were nuts.”

He thought Nat was hot? I wondered what Nat would think of that. “Don’t focus on him too much. Seeing a Reaper can be dangerous.”

Hardy blanched. “A Reaper?”