Page 78 of Mistletoe

They lay in his bed, barely large enough for him, let alone both of them. Legs tangled together under the blankets. Her head rested on his chest, her blonde hair spilling across him like sunshine. After years in the dark, he had his very own sunshine.

It was perfect.

“Tell me again,” he said.

“You’re my friend,” Emma recited, her fingers interlaced with his own. “You’re my monster. You’re mine.”

“Yours.”

Someone to claim him.

Somewhere to belong.

Perfect.

Chapter Nineteen

Emma

Mistletoe Farm

The Barn

Felix hadhis horse saddled and ready at dawn. Emma woke at the same hour as usual, but she was stiff and sore. She retired to the bunkhouse with Hal. After an alarmingly cold and remarkably quick shower, she dried by the fire. Once warm, they went to sleep in the same bed.

“The bunkhouse?” Felix’s eyebrows were high enough to practically hover over the top of his head.

“I am thirty years old. I can do what I please,” Emma said, hiding a yawn behind her hand.

“You’ll ruin your reputation and mine by association,” he said, mock alarm in his voice. “I’ll never make a good match now.”

“Oh. Woe is you. Whatever shall you do?” Emma said in a flat tone. Her reputation as a spinster was indisputable; she hadn’t concerned herself with public regard in ages.

Felix grinned as he tightened the cinch on the saddle. “I do miss you.”

“As do I. Ma is going gray with worry,” she said.

“I see a little gray in your hair, too.” He reached over to pluck out the offending hair.

She swatted his hand. “You never had a chance to tell me about your adventures.”

“It seems you had adventures of your own.”

Emma searched for malice in his tone but found none.

Felix continued, “We took the Aerie. We were told it’d be a treasure trove of old Earth tech, but it’s nothing but old junk. The top brass are fuming. All that time planning, money spent, and Draven got away in the end.”

“The papers say it was a massive success. Draven was killed.” She knew otherwise, Hal having confessed that he freed the vampire.

Felix gave her a look that silently derided her for believing everything she read.

“No one died taking it. That much is true.” He looked over his shoulder before continuing to speak. “Listen, Ma’s right about the army having monsters in their ranks. Not a brigade but there’s one in my company. If the major knew, he’d take Hal into custody. Conscript him.”

“Imprison him, you mean,” Emma said. Cold dread knotted in her stomach. “You mustn’t tell a soul, Felix.”

“I’m obligated to report monster sightings.” Felix swung up into the saddle. “I will be late. Farewell, sister.”

Emma grabbed the reins, preventing him from leaving. “You have no idea how he’s suffered. What that vampire did to him. He’s covered in scars. He has gaps in his memory. He can’t be imprisoned again.”

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