Murder, Mayhem, Monsters, and Mistletoe

by Lindy Spencer

Tyson woke the next morning. Sabine was still sleeping peacefully next to him. He quietly slipped out of the bed and walked out, stepping over clothes that had been hastily discarded last night. He meandered into the kitchen and went through the automatic motions of making a pot of coffee. While it brewed, he mulled over the uneasy feeling that he had in his gut. He didn't believe in omens or visions, regardless of the fact that he used to be an Angel. He doubted that anything bad would ever happen in Wolf's Crossing. The community was built in a half-rural area outside the city called Oswego. No one even new the name of the town unless they lived in or near there. The Luminosi were as under the radar as they could get. Plus, Thelan's security system was even more advanced than the one he'd designed for the CIA headquarters in Langley. Still, something kept telling him that Sabine shouldn't be there while he was gone.

  He grabbed his cell from the charging dock and searched through his contact list, hitting the call button with a little hope when he found the name he was looking for.

  "Yo, Tyson."

  "Asher! Hey, how are you?"

  "Cut the bullshit man. It's a quarter to six in the morning. What do you want?"

  "You're not leaving with us tonight, are you?" Tyson knew the answer but thought he'd ask anyway.

  "Of course not. You all don't need a Daimon with latent powers." His powers may be latent but the man worked out three hours a day and trained extensively with both blades and guns.

  "Good." Tyson crossed his fingers. "I need a huge favor."

  "Spill it."

  "I need you to keep an eye on a woman for me while I'm gone?"

  "A babysitting job? You're joking right?"

  "Look, she's really special to me. You'd just have to come here and hang out with h---"

  Asher cursed on the other end. "Wait. You mean come stay at your penthouse in the city?"

  "Yeah."

  "I'm in! Is she hot?"

  Tyson wasn't amused. "Very. And if you lay a hand on her you'll be missing it along with other appendages."

  Asher laughed. "Don't worry, man. I'll pack some things and be over in a few hours so she can get used to me while you're still there, 'kay?" He had a bad sense of humor, but he always seemed to know what would make people feel more at ease. The gift of an aura reader, Tyson guessed.

  "Thanks. See you soon." He pressed end and poured two cups of coffee, one with no cream extra sugar, just how Sabine liked it. Then he carried them both into the bedroom. His plan was to wake her up. Then he'd make love to her, sweet and slow, like it was their last time. Just in case.