Read Murder, Mayhem, Monsters, and Mistletoe Page 14

Sabine watched Tyson pack while lounging on the bed. "I am going to miss every single part of you while you're gone."

  He looked over at her and smiled. "Ditto." Who says that? Disgustingly annoying couples, that's who. He sighed as he realized he fit into that category. Sure, he'd always loved her. But, this time they were different. She was just so perfect.

  She jumped up and walked to the closet as he grabbed more gear and put it in his bag on the bed. Thank goodness they were taking Jude's private plane, or they may never get through airport security.

  "Honey, do you have another bag that I can put some clothes into for my stay at your friend's place."

  Crap. How had he forgotten to tell her? "There's been a change of plans," he called over his shoulder. "I'm having another friend come here to stay with you instead. You'll be more comfortable here, babe."

  Her voice got very small and childlike again. "You mean, I'm not going to Wolf's Crossing?"

  Tyson stood straight and furrowed his brow, trying to remember when he'd told her that name.

  "But, I thought I was going to get to play with Lillith and her 'sisters'." She suddenly sounded less infantile and more nefarious.

  Tyson looked up and into the reflective glass of the framed painting across the room, but sheer confusion kept him from reacting before he watched the kitchen knife slash the air behind his back and hit him in the left trapezius. The pain didn't affect him near as much as the sense of betrayal. She pulled the knife out and he spun around and grabbed her wrist just as she was about to stab him again with it. Then he grabbed around her neck with his left hand and squeezed despite the pain to his injury, but not enough that she couldn't talk.

  "Why?" That was the only word he could bring himself to say.

  Her face contorted into one that was no longer so lovely. She spat at him. "He brought me back because you were their weakest link; screaming and crying like a baby while holding my dead body in your arms all those years ago. All I had to do was smile, and bat my pretty eyes, and spread my pretty legs, and you were in love all over again."

  "Brought you back?"

  "THE KING!" she shouted through her struggles to escape his grasp. "Lycos has more power, more resources than any of you will ever know. He raised me from the dead just to get close to you so I could get you to take me to the Luminosi. All week I've tried! And every time you find some excuse to keep me away from my mission."

  "No. No." Tears burned and threatened to fall from his eyes.

  Her face and voice turned childlike again as she mocked him. "'No. No.' You little bitch." She kicked him between his legs and he loosened his grip on her for a split second, allowing her to spin out of his reach.

  Laughing maniacally, she came running at him, knife in mid-air. He grabbed her wrist again, and this time he twisted it into an odd angle until she dropped the knife. She was on her knees in front of him then, but she would not be submitting. Letting the tears fall, he conjured his fire in his right hand and placed it over her heart. Her eyes got huge as she began to feel the rising heat and realized what he was doing. She didn't cry, scream, or beg as his hand, burning white hot, burrowed into her chest and incinerated her heart until its ashes crumbled in his hand. The only words that left her lips were the whispered, "He…shall be…victorious." Then he let the intense heat spread until there was nothing left of her but gray and black flecks in the flat shape of a woman's body on his floor.