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    Last Christmas
    Last Christmas
    Last Christmas
    Ebook58 pages1 hour

    Last Christmas

    By A. Faris

    ()

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    About this ebook

    ‘Tis the season to be merry...

    But not when you’re on the trail of a time insurgent, and facing a demon’s servant at every turn.

    For Nadine Venus, Christmas is a jinx. Two deaths in the family and an estrangement, all on the blessed occasion, she spends every Christmas alone since. A knock on her door reveals a mysterious stranger, a stranger who kisses sweet, knows her soul and offers his heart with no reservations.

    Not everything is as it seems, however, with more at stake than Nadine thinks...

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDecadent Publishing
    Release dateDec 8, 2011
    ISBN9781613331248
    Last Christmas

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      Book preview

      Last Christmas - A. Faris

      Last Christmas

      A. Faris

      Smashwords Edition

      Copyright © 2011 by A. Faris

      ISBN: 978-1-61333-124-8

      Cover art by Dara England

      The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement (including infringement without monetary gain) is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

      Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in, or encourage, the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

      This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

      All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

      Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

      Look for us online at:

      www.decadentpublishing.com

      Chapter One

      From across the room, Nadine spun her angel in the air with an absent spell, her mobile on speaker. A flick of her finger and she had the angel perched on a branch while murmuring a vague assent to her mother. She didn’t know why she bothered with a tree. As a child, she had loved Christmas. It had been family, warmth, and love. For the past six years, however, it had been solitary sojourns to introspection. No merriment in that; the ghosts of her Christmas past could make a Grinch out of anyone.

      In fact, she had no idea why she’d bought the scraggly thing, even braving the London Underground to haul it home.

      It had been less than half-price. And all alone.

      She did not really want to think about what that implied.

      James said he’s not coming, her mother said.

      Nadine understood the implicit invitation. Her younger brother refused to be in the same room as her and since it had been her mistake that caused the death of his son, she had ceded all the joy of family to him. He needed the love and support more than she.

      That’s a first. She rubbed at her forehead. Guess no one will bring the holly this year.

      A warlock, her father had found certain amusement in subverting the tradition that the plant protected the household from witchcraft. With his untimely death just last Christmas, she’d expected her brother to take up the mantle.

      I know. A soft whisper and a sniffle from the woman whom Nadine regarded as a ballast of fortitude. Now, she understood why James couldn’t face returning home.

      Oh, Mother. Please don’t cry. Guilt, her long-time companion, doubled. Listen, I’ll come around tomorrow, all right, Mum? I promise I will.

      She could, of course, just pop over now, but she didn’t think she could survive a whole night of pretending to be happy.

      The audible crying stopped. I’m not doing anything special. Still, her voice sounded clogged with tears. I just need someone around. A choked off sob. I miss your father.

      Nadine leaned her head against the back of her chair. I know, Mum. I do, too. With no small amount of gratitude, she heard the beep of an incoming message from the red phone. Listen, I have to go. Work stuff. I will see you tomorrow, yeah?

      Work on Christmas Eve? Her mother sighed. All right, sweetie.

      Love you. She disconnected the call and tried to ignore the maudlin mood it had put

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