Murder, Mayhem, Monsters, and Mistletoe by Lindy Spencer

  Chapter Nine

  When Tyson arrived back at his apartment, he was greeted by a very happy Sabine.

  "Ooh, I'm so glad you're back, honey. How did it go? Is everything okay?"

  He half smiled at her and said, "It's as okay as it's going to get. Listen chouchou, you should sit down while I tell you something."

  She appeared unnerved but let him take her hand and pull her over to the couch and down into his arms.

  "There's something important I have to do. A trip I've had planned for a while and should have told you about."

  She pouted a bit. "So, you're going away? For how long?"

  "It will take us some time to get there, and then, well...I don't know. I may be gone for about a week."

  "And you leave...?"

  "Tomorrow." She looked like she was going to cry then and he hated himself. "But, I've made arrangements for you."

  "Oh?"

  "I have some friends. They live in a big gated community west of here. It's very secure and you'll be perfectly safe. You'll be staying at the house of my friend Lillith and her, uh, sisters."

  "Oh! Well that sounds nice." Her voice perked up a bit.

  He hugged her tight. "I'm so sorry. I'm worried that your memory will come back and I won't be there to comfort you, but I have to do this."

  She nestled into the crook between his neck and shoulder. "It's fine. A week isn't even that long. Besides, I'm sure this Lillith will help me with my memories."

  Tyson felt a little hint of wariness at how close that sounded to his thoughts earlier, but he blew it off. He was just happy that her initial worries were gone and she was okay with him leaving.

  "Tyson?"

  "Huh?"

  "I found your handcuffs at the top of the closet."

  He held her back and looked at her intensely. Her expression was a strange mix of innocent and wanton. "What!?!"

  "Well, I just thought that, you know, you could use them...on me...in the bed."

  His mouth dropped at the same time that parts of his lower anatomy rose. Well, I guess this Sabine is a lot like the old Sabine after all.

  Chapter Ten

  He had horrible nightmares all night long. In every single one, Wolf's Crossing was somehow infiltrated. Daimones everywhere. Fighting. Running. Screaming. And there was so much blood...