Christine Rains's Blog, page 125

A to Z Challenge - S is for Swallowed

This is part of an ongoing story throughout the Challenge.If you're just joining me now, please start with A is for Abby.
S IS FOR SWALLOWED
Go to the attic. That's where most of the characters are killed in Burrows' book. Tawa informed them. It's also where Jessica tells Matt that she kissed his best friend, but he still protected her and got eaten.
"What else does the book say?" Abby followed Demetrius up the stairs. Her steps were careful and silent. Her heart was still pounding and her lips still tingling. "Seems kind of soap opera-ishy for a kids' book."
Matt was the older brother of the protagonist. His death helped motivate her. Not soap opera-ishy. I just have a mature appreciation for the story, Tawa said. The attic is through the door at the far end of the hall.
Abby reached the top of the stairs and stood beside Demetrius. She could feel the heat of his body and had to battle the temptation to touch him. She silently chastised herself, demanding focus. There were five doors between them and the closed one at the end of the hall. All five doors opened slowly and green glowing cat's eyes locked onto their prey.
"Of course," Abby groaned. "At the end of a hall filled with monsters."
"I'll clear the way." Demetrius tapped his club on the floor and crooked a finger at the beasts. "Come here, kitty, kitty, kitty."
The answering growls didn't sound feline at all, but the monsters had a big cat's grace as they padded out of the rooms and fell into a synchronized prowl. Demetrius raised his club and roared, barreling down the hall at them. He smashed two against the wall as a third bit into his forearm. A fourth jumped high into the air over the others going for his head.
Abby threw her blade with her right hand. It twirled in the air leaving a pale blue contrail and hit its mark.The monster fell motionless to the ground, but there were still four. Demetrius snarled and slammed the beast attached to his arm onto the floor. The position allowed him to headbutt another as it charged him as Abby moved forward to join him.
Abby! Tawa screamed.
Turning around, but not quick enough, Abby faced another green eyed beast that had come from a linen closet. It had snatched Tawa from her backpack and, with a technique like an alligator, it swallowed the stuffed hippo with two hungry gulps.

A to Z Challenge - R is for Reflex

This is part of an ongoing story throughout the Challenge.If you're just joining me now, please start with A is for Abby.
R IS FOR REFLEX
Abby's hands glowed and the swords slid out. She gripped the slim hilts, trying to ignore the nervous perspiration. She and Demetrius moved to stand back-to-back with one another. Instinctive reflex.
Who turned out the lights? Tawa squawked from the other room.
"I guess I'm not getting any dinner." His humor didn't hide the tension in his voice.
"I think that's the least of your worries." Abby listened for something, anything, but the house itself didn't even creak. "Too bad you didn't bring your club. Anything else you could use as a weapon here?"
"Ah, but I did bring it." Demetrius reached into his pants' pocket. She glanced over her shoulder and gasped as he withdrew his enormous weapon. It was like watching a cartoon. It wasn't physically possible. Her mouth opened and shut wordlessly.
"Bet you're wondering what else is in my pants." He smirked, clearly enjoying her reaction. She elbowed him. "Magical weapon. It can be a twig or a trunk depending on your needs."
"I'm not going to say anything." There was no way Abby could do without thinking about what else was in his pants. Focus. She needed to focus. "Burrows was expecting us to do something. We search one room at a time."
"Main floor first," Demetrius said. "Then--"
Staircase! Tawa shouted. Something's coming down the stairs!
Abby and Demetrius raced from the TV room. She managed to catch sight of what looked like a black magic carpet hovering beside the bannister before it pounced on the fae. It wrapped itself around him and his club like an inky cocoon. He twisted and fell, rolling on the floor.
The thing was smothering him, and Abby couldn't wildly stab it without hitting Demetrius too. "Hold still!" It was like trying to tell a cat in a bath to stop fighting. He was a fighter. He couldn't stop himself.
Let him fight it. Go after Burrows. She's the real threat here. Tawa barked.
"No. Dammit." Abby cursed. She tried to shallowly slice at the monster, and though it squealed, it didn't release its hostage. Her heart hammered in her chest. She refused to let him die. She stepped on either side of Demetrius and trapped him between her legs. She raised her right sword and brought it down through the most bulky part of the cocoon.
The monster wailed and let go of Demetrius. He gulped in a huge breath. It shuddered before flopping down to lay motionless between her legs.
Demetrius stared at her and then at her blade still embedded in his club. "You could have hit me."
"There's nothing about you that big." Abby yanked her sword free and stepped away. She scooped up her backpack, hitching it over her shoulders.
"That you know of." Demetrius picked himself up. "You should have listened to Tawa. If Burrows gets away--"
"No." Abby replied too quickly. The thought of leaving him behind to die tore at her soul. She cleared her throat and motioned to the stairs. "Besides, she's not going to leave. All monsters want to fight. And you deserve better than death by blanket."
Demetrius grabbed on of the backpack's straps and pulled her to him. He kissed her. Nothing gentle about it. Teeth clinked as his tongue rolled around hers. Her world spun and went out of focus. When he pulled back an inch, all she could see was him.
"You saved my life again. If I had two lives to pledge to you, you would have them." His eyes bore into hers. "Honor or not, you already have me. Blood for blood, breath for breath, heart for heart."

Abby didn't have time to respond before he let her go, turned, and marched up the stairs. It wouldn't have mattered. His words left her more breathless than the kiss.

A to Z Challenge - Q is for Quiet

This is part of one continuing story throughout the Challenge.If you're just joining me now, please start with A is for Abby.
Q IS FOR QUIET

The house at the end of the road. I wonder how much it's like the one in the book. Tawa piped up from the backpack.
"It could be exactly the same for all it matters." Abby rang the doorbell. Her breath made small impatient clouds. Her head still hurt, but from lack of sleep rather than her injuries. Her wrist was wrapped up and she had taken some Tylenol. She was at the best she could be without more time to rest and heal.

"Do you hear that?" Demetrius cocked his head to the side.

"What? The cheesy jazz music Burrows just turned on in there?" Abby snorted.

Hey, that's Sarah Vaughan. This is classic jazz. Tawa asserted.

"No," Demetrius said in a quiet tone. "There's no nightlife. No birds or animals. It's only seven. No kids or even teenagers out in the neighborhood."

Abby had been too lost to her own thoughts to notice the eerie quiet of the night. Even if it was cold out, it wasn't late. She didn't get more than a few seconds to nod at Demetrius before the door swung open.

Burrows smiled at Demetrius with lips painted too red. Then she noticed Abby and her smile faltered. "Oh, hello. Good evening."

"A good evening to you, my dear Myrtle. I hope you don't mind. My sister was feeling better and I didn't want her sitting around the hotel by herself, so I brought her along." Demetrius grinned and walked inside without waiting for an invitation. He unbuttoned his jacket and slid it off. He rolled his big shoulders and dropped the jacket over the back of a chair.

"Oh, well, I suppose. I didn't make enough food for three." Burrows fiddled with the rings on her right hand. She stepped back and motioned to Abby. "Come on in then."

"Thanks. And it's all right. I'm not hungry." Not for food, anyway. Abby walked near to Burrows, but her hands didn't glow. What was different in the store the first time they met? She closed the door behind her.

What's it look like? Is there a curving staircase? Tawa inquired. Two of her characters had their first kiss on it and then one of them was killed in the same spot.

"Nice place you've got here. I see you got a lot of your inspiration for your books from your own home." Demetrius answered Tawa's question as he took a slow tour around the main room. He came near Burrows and threw her a sexy little smile. "You look lovely tonight. That color brings out your eyes."

Abby suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Burrows wore a hideous green sweater that made her look more like a toad than anything else. She undid her coat and eased the backpack off, setting it on the floor. She bent as if settling her bag and opened the top so Tawa's head popped out.

"Thank you." Burrows cooed and flushed. "Um, perhaps your sister would like to go into the TV room and watch something while you and I have dinner?"

Demetrius looked over at Abby and she gave him a subtle shake of her head. She wasn't going to wait for them to have a leisurely meal before they questioned Burrows. They needed answers as soon as possible. The monsters would come out as soon as children started going to bed. There was no time to waste.

"If you don't mind, darling, I think maybe we could all go have a sit-down. Our conversation got cut short earlier today and I prefer to work up an appetite." Demetrius gestured to their hostess to lead the way. Burrows looked as if she was going to protest, but finally nodded and took them into a smaller room where the furniture was more worn in and a flat screen TV hogged the space on the far wall.

"Have a seat. I'll just check on the food and make sure it doesn't get cold." Burrows exited the room with a smile over her shoulder at Demetrius.

Ten seconds later, the power went out. The house was dark and quiet. Too quiet. Just like it had been outside.

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(Blogger pre-scheduling problems: For some reason, Blogger isn't automatically posting for me. I don't know why it's suddenly doing this. Anyone have any ideas?)

A to Z Challenge - P is for Plan

This is part of one story covering the entire Challenge.If you're just joining me now, please start with A is for Abby.
P IS FOR PLAN

The moment the door of the restroom opened, the remains of the monster vanished. The college-aged goth who entered only saw Abby sprawled out on the floor. "Uh, are you all right?"
"I'm fine," Abby replied, picking herself up with the aid of the sink. "I hurt my ankle recently and there was a bit of water on the floor and I slipped."
"Oh. Okay." The goth shrugged and locked herself in one of the stalls.

Her wrist and ankle throbbed in unison. Abby limped out of the restroom and paused to stare out the windows to reassure herself of a certain fact: it was daytime. A monster attacked her while the sun was up. It wasn't possible. Okay, well, it obviously was possible, but it shouldn't be.

Abby exited the cafe and breathed in the cool air. People walked by her, and she got a few strange looks. She wanted to tell them stranger things were going on in town than seeing a tussled woman without her jacket outside in November. And whatever strange thing was going on knew she was there to stop it. It underestimated her by sending one monster after her, but it wouldn't do so again.

"Abby." Demetrius called as he came outside. When she didn't turn, he put her jacket over her shoulders and nudged her chin with his fingers to turn her head his way. "Abby. What's going on?" His eyes narrowed. "What happened?"

"I was attacked in the restroom." She slipped her arms through her jacket sleeves and pulled it tighter around her. "By a monster."

"What?" Demetrius' face hardened and his hands clenched into fists.

"It's dead. It's gone." Abby waved it off. The monster was no more. There was something bigger ahead of them. Something the writer was involved with. "Have you learned anything from Burrows? She has to know something."

"No, nothing useful. I can't manage to steer the conversation in the direction I want to go." He grunted with the admission, and Abby couldn't help but smirk a little. "All she wants to talk about is me, and how she enjoys chocolate truffles and long massages."

"Maybe if you give her a massage, she might talk what you want to talk about."

Demetrius made a small choking sound. Abby had to muffled a snicker.

"Okay. Here's the new plan." Abby hugged herself tighter. "Go back inside and tell Burrows that I'm not feeling well. You're going to take me back to our hotel room so I can rest. Invite her to dinner, but say you want to have a private dinner. Since I'm at the hotel, the other logical option is her house. I bet she'll suggest it on her own, but if she doesn't, do it yourself. She won't say no to you. Then we'll both show up tonight and have a chat with her."

"Done." Demetrius turned and went back inside. Two minutes later, he was back and handed her the backpack. "Dinner at her house at seven o'clock."

"Good. This has to end tonight." Abby didn't protest as he put an arm around her to lead her away from the cafe. He was warm and strong. She needed that right now, because the night would bring the cold and then she would have to be the strongest one. If she wasn't, she was certain she would die tonight.

Teaser Tuesday with Slave to Sensation

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that pageBE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!I finally managed to pick up the first book in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series, Slave to Sensation. I've always wanted to get my hands on it, but it was never at the library or used book stores. She's one of the best paranormal romance writers out there, and I'm devouring this book.
Here's your teaser:
The Psy thought the changelings stupid because they sacrificed the wisdom of their elders in favor of young blood. The Psy didn't know anything. (page 66)

A to Z Challenge - K is for Knees

This is part of a story continuing through the whole Challenge.If you're just joining me, please start with A is for Abby.
K IS FOR KNEES
"Get out of there now!" Demetrius bellowed, trying to grab Abby from the window. His broad shoulders prevented him from slipping through.
Abby ignored him. She stood with knees bent, ready to spring into action. She nearly gagged with the fermented musky scent of the things as it threatened to stick to her throat.
A swarm. Best strategy is to keep moving and use broad, sweeping strikes. Tawa instructed. And don't give them a chance to jump on you all at once.
"Really? I thought that would be the best plan, considering how fuzzy and cute they look." Abby swiped at the first brave beast that pounced at her. She sliced it in half and it fell like mush to the floor.
"Dammit, Abby! Get out!" Demetrius snarled, pounding at the sides of the window. He then let out a roar of frustration and disappeared from sight.
With a squealing cry, the monsters attacked. Abby spun fast, low to the ground. Her glowing blades made it look like the circle was unbroken. Many of the creatures met the same fate as the first beast, but two of them landed on their target.
Abby screamed as their long teeth bit into her. One of them managed to scrape against bone. She skewered the monsters and three more launched themselves at her.
Abby! Tawa cried. Retreat to higher ground. Go for the stairs!
A violet monster attached itself to Abby's ankle as she dove over the horde and landed in a somersault. She didn't land on both feet, but stretched the leg out that the critter clung to and smacked it on the cement floor. It squeaked, but didn't let go. It gave two others the opportunity to jump on Abby's back.
The basement door burst open and Demetrius flew down the stairs. With his first strike, he squashed the one latched on to Abby's ankle and then yanked the others off her back. As if with the same motion, Abby turned and slammed her swords through the pair of beasts. Black blood formed shiny puddles.
Demetrius leapt over her and to one side to crush a turquoise one. Abby pushed herself forward on her knees to skid across the now slick floor. She swept her blades out to the sides and killed most of the remaining monsters. Demetrius smashed the last two with a victorious grunt.
They searched the basement in silence for any beasts that might have been hiding. Not finding any more, Abby limped to the center of the room to face Demetrius. She felt as though she might topple over from blood loss at any moment, but sheer will kept her standing. He was still breathing heavily as he eyed her wounds.
"I told you I could take care of it," Abby said as her swords disappeared.
"And I told you not to go in without me." His reply was low with his displeasure.Neither of them moved.
So now that you saved Abby's life, your blood debt has been paid.You can go home now. Tawa's voice was crisp and business-like.
Abby's stomach flipped. She bit the side of her tongue to keep herself from begging him to stay.
Demetrius stared at her for another few seconds and then shook his head. "Abby would have killed them all eventually. Her life wasn't in any danger. My blood debt still stands."
Abby wanted to grin and throw her arms around him. Her mouth twitched and her body relaxed. No matter how good she thought she was at hiding her emotions, she spied his little smirk as he offered his arm to help her up the stairs.

A to Z Challenge - J is for Jelly beans

This is an ongoing story for the Challenge.If you're just joining me, please start with A is for Abby.
J IS FOR JELLY BEANS
Abby took shallow breaths, unwilling to her body press any more to Demetrius' than it already was. They were swashed into a corner by a deck and a garage. Tawa was mashed against the wall and complaining in some ancient language. Sounded a little like Greek but not quite.

The man on the deck told his dog to hurry up and finish his business. The dog, of course, took his time.

Abby could hear Demetrius' heart in his chest. It annoyed her it was much calmer than hers. Her stomach quivered and her hands clenched. No matter how she was breathing, she could smell that masculine woodsy scent that she had come to know as his. Even though he had been using her soap in the shower, he still smelled like he had just come out of the forest. He was as hard and solid as a great oak too. Yet cut in the most appealing of ways.

She glanced to see him looking at her. A smirk quirked up his lips and he leaned against her more so. Abby wanted to look away, but her head refused to move. Those lips of his were a crime. Too full and sensual to be a man's, but so fitting for the fae. What would it feel like to have him kiss her? Would he be tender? Or would he be wild as he was when fighting?

The dog finally did his thing and trotted back up to the house. The man muttered and shuffled inside, shutting the glass doors and locking them. The outside lights turned off.

Abby and Demetrius stood where they were for another minute. Their gazes locked. Goose bumps freckled her arms as he bent his head. He was going to kiss her. Oh, how she wanted to taste that fire.

My face is squished. Tawa grumbled. This is only the first house of the night. Let's get moving.
Tawa's sharp voice was enough to knock some sense back into Abby's head. She pushed her way out of their hiding spot, taking in a deep breath of the cool night air. She needed to focus on the matter at hand and not the gorgeous man her hands wanted to be exploring at the moment.
"This one's in the basement. Let's avoid going in through the rest of the house in case anyone is still awake. There's a window to the basement right there." Abby pointed to it. She stiffened as she felt Demetrius' hand on the small of her back. He seemed warmer than he should, or was that just her?
"I won't fit through the window. We can go through the back here. No alarms, right?"
"No alarms, but we're not taking the chance that anyone's still awake. I can take care of this one myself." Abby marched forward and worked the window open.
"You're not going in without me." Demetrius' tone was one that demanded her to obey. She ignored him. When she sat on the ground and slid her legs in through the window, he grabbed a hold of her arm. "Not without me."
"I've been doing this for years without any help. It's just one monster." Abby tore her arm from his grasp. "You go prance around the yard or whatever it is you fairies do." She slid the rest of the way in before he could snatch her again. "Oh, be careful. The dog left something nasty out there."
Demetrius cursed at her and stuck his head through the window. "I have a blood debt. I will not have my honor insulted by being ignored or belittled like this."
"Yes, yes." Abby waved a dismissive hand at him and let her eyes adjust to the darkness of the basement. There was only one child in the house. Mark had sent her a note with the boy's address and nightmare. Furry critter in the basement ready to yank him down there and eat him. She heard a noise to her left. Her palms glowed and her blades slid free. She gripped them tightly.
The ceiling wasn't high and she could see nothing her height or taller. Another noise and she looked down. A monster the size of a rabbit hopped into view. It was all eyes, ears, and mouth, and the rest of it was covered in dirty purple fur. It growled and left a big pile of slobber on the floor.
"Lovely." Abby wrinkled her nose. She could step on the thing and be done with it.
There was another noise to her right. Then one in front of her.
Several growls echoed the first creature's and nearly two dozen of the critters hopped into view. Each of them a color of the pastel rainbow.What do you see? How many? Tawa asked.
"Rabid jelly beans. A whole freakin' basket full."

Teaser Tuesday with The Night Circus

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that pageBE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!I've heard so much about The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It has my expectations set very high, but I've been told it doesn't disappoint. I love the cover. It stands out on a bookshelf and offers so much mystery.
Here's your teaser:
In the blink of an eye folds of silk are glossy black feathers, large beating wings, and it is impossible to pin-point the moment when is is fully raven and no longer cloth. The raven swoops over the red velvet seats and up into the balcony where it flies in curious circles. (page 75)

A to Z Challenge - I is for Intelligence

This is part of an ongoing story for the Challenge.If you're just joining me, please start with A is for Abby.
I IS FOR INTELLIGENCE
Abby returned to her loft with pizza in hand. She was about to toss down her satchel when she heard Demetrius. His voice was quiet and intense, talking about something going on in the old house at the end of the street. There were no houses on her street, only apartment buildings.
After a half minute more, she realized he was reading. Reading out loud.
Abby crept around the corner and peered into the loft. Demetrius was sitting in her window seat with the window wide open. Tawa was propped up across from him. He had the newest Burrows book in his hands. He paused in his reading and started to ask Tawa a question.
"You!" Abby gasped and stormed over to them, tossing the pizza onto the coffee table. "You can hear her. You've been making fun of me all this time for talking to myself and you can hear her!"
"Hey, darling. It's no reason to be mean to the pizza." Demetrius gave her that grin that infuriated her and made her stomach do flips at the same time.
If it's any consolation, I didn't know he could hear me either until yesterday. Tawa didn't sound very sympathetic. In fact, Abby was sure she sounded amused.
"Yesterday?" Abby growled and threw up her hands before pulling at her hair. "Why didn't you tell us? Do you realize how infuriating you are?"
"I didn't do it to annoy you, but it was an amusing game." Demetrius slipped out of the window seat and bent over to open the box, snagging a piece of pizza. "You never asked how much I knew about the Fearless. Well, the old tales say something about a spiritual guide for each warrior. In centuries past, the guide was wished into a sacred object - perhaps a statue or a symbol of one's faith."
I remember those days. I was in a statue of the Greek Goddess Artemis for a couple of generations. Tawa sighed wistfully.
"Yet your sacred object was a stuffed hippo." Demetrius chuckled as he took a bite, cheese stretching out. He used his tongue to skillfully reign it in.
"At least it's something I can carry around easily and not draw any attention. I think lugging around a statue would slow me down a bit." Abby stared at that tongue. She slammed her palms into her eyes and rubbed them.
We didn't go with our girls when they fought. That has been something new I've experienced with you, Tawa said. After being in the washer for the third time this week, I think I prefer being in an unmovable statue.
"Anyway," Demetrius continued. "As for being able to hear Tawa, I'm from a line that has some telepathic abilities. I don't have any active abilities, but my senses can pick up things on other wavelengths. I didn't say anything at first because I was trying to respect your relationship with your guide. I didn't want to intrude unless invited."
"So why did you?" Abby folded her arms.
"I got tired of listening to her whining about being stuck in the washer and took her out." Demetrius shrugged as he took a second bite.
I wasn't whining. Tawa sniffed.

"That I can believe," Abby said to Demetrius and picked up a piece of pizza for herself. "Okay, now we can all talk together. Anything in the book worthwhile?"
It's full of bad prose and self-entitled teens complaining their parents won't let them stay out past ten. Tawa snorted.
"As a guide for the Fearless, you have no insight into literature." Demetrius fetched the book from the window seat.
Yes, because I spend so much time with a book in my hands.
He ignored Tawa and held out the book to Abby. "Monsters praying on children. It's written simply, but speaks to the basest of fears. Great use of tension. Not graphic, but enough detail to be frightening. Leaves a good amount to the imagination." He raised a brow at that.
Abby stood motionless, pizza in hand. He knew what he was talking about. He knew literary techniques. No longer just a hot body, he had a keen mind. Nothing turned her on more than intelligence. She was so screwed.
"Did you hear me? It's triggering the imagination of its readers to realize their fears." Demetrius frowned slightly at Abby who still hadn't moved. He wiggled the book at her, waiting for her to take it.
Abby slowly reached up and took the book. Her hand fell heavily back to her side, the book bonking against her thigh. "Oh, I heard you."

A to Z Challenge - H is for Horror

This post is part of one story lasting the whole challenge.If you're just joining me, please start with A is for Abby.
H IS FOR HORROR
"You will stay at this table, read the books or whatever, but you will not bother me while I'm working." Abby hissed out the words, glaring down at Demetrius who only infuriated her further with his lazy smile. She grit her teeth and repeated, "Stay right here."
Abby turned and marched over to another table in the library where twin twelve-year-old girls sat. They whispered and giggled, stealing glances at Demetrius. They leaned on the table in unison as Abby sat down and took her texts out of her satchel.
"Is that your boyfriend, Miss White?" Amber asked. Her twin Violet added, "He's really cute." This set them giggling again.
"No. He's not my boyfriend. He's..." Abby searched for a proper cover story. "My cousin. Visiting from out of town." Her neck ached as she willed herself not to look in the fae's direction. She knew he heard that, knew he was grinning. She tapped the book in front of her. "Down to work, girls. Algebra today."
Abby spent the hour tutoring the girls, but her mind kept drifting. It was a good thing math came easily to her and that the twins weren't paying that much attention. She would've cancelled all her appointments, but she still needed to pay rent and, more importantly, tutoring let her communicate with the children. She would hear stories about kids having problems with nightmares or, a few of them already knew she could help them with monster problems and would pass notes to her through their friends. Other adults never believed them, but she did. Were there a few false calls? Yes. Lately, though, every one was real.As they were collecting their things after the session, Demetrius sauntered over to the table. He grinned at the girls. "Hello girls. Did you enjoy your lesson with my lovely cousin?""It was good." Violet flushed and giggled."Though I bet you'd rather be reading those books of yours." Demetrius motioned to the books they currently held in their arms and sat on the edge of the table. Their math books were already stuffed in their knapsacks. "What are those about?""Oh, this is the new one by M.T. Burrows. Her stories are awesome scary." Amber gazed up at Demetrius with big dreamy eyes."I like a good horror story. Maybe I'll pick them up. Thanks for the recommendation." Demetrius made a small noise as he was pushed off the table and straightened up, still smirking."Go on, girls. Your mom is likely waiting for you out front." Abby shooed them off. The twins walked away, giggling and peeking over their shoulders at Demetrius. Abby frowned at him. "I told you not to talk to the kids.""No harm done." He shrugged. Abby couldn't help but notice the t-shirt he was wearing stretched across his chest as if barely containing him. At least it wasn't as distracting as his tattoo."It's creepy. Did you actually do any research while you were sitting over there? I didn't see you open more than one book." Abby sighed and hooked her satchel over her shoulder."Not all knowledge of value can be found in books. Though it is books that I'm interested in. Especially those ones that the girls were reading. The Burrows books.""They're just some silly stories. Fiction. Why? Do you like to read children's books?" Abby shook her head. She hoped he would be some help with her research, but she shouldn't have expected it from one of the wild fae. He likely never read a book in a life."No, but look." Demetrius put an arm over her shoulder and turned her in a slow circle. He spoke in a quiet voice near her ear. "I've been watching the children. Almost all of them have a copy of the book."Abby scanned the library. There were a lot of kids since it was after school and just before dinner. What he said was true. It was a popular series."So?" She was very aware of his arm on her and the nearness of his mouth to her ear. It was difficult to think about books when she could just turn her head and press her lips to his.No, no. None of that. She took a step away from him."I saw that book in the room last night. The gorilla room." He dipped his head to her, seemingly awaiting something. When she didn't reply immediately, he continued. "A scary book. Awesome scary. All the children are reading it. It's breeding the monsters."Abby was about to protest, but then it clicked. She could have kicked herself for not seeing it sooner. It didn't take much to fuel a child's imagination. She had been going too deep, researching old folklore and history. She never saw what was there all along. She hadn't been thinking like a child. There were always horror stories and films. What was different about this one?
"Let's go buy a copy."