Ted opened his mouth, but only a squeak came out.

“He’ll make a fine pet, my dear,” Kristof said as he stepped behind me. “I can’t wait to hear him scream.”

I smiled. “You won’t have to wait long.”

Kristof slid a hand across my bare thigh. As his fingers crept up to my rear, I leaned back into him, twisted to his ear, and whispered, “Keep going, and I’ll play with your intestines.”

A throaty chuckle, as if I’d said something wickedly sexy. His hand slid to the back of my leg…and stayed there. At a warning look from me, he withdrew, but not before tickling his fingers over my inner thigh and sending a shiver through me.

“Let’s hurry,” he murmured, loud enough for Ted to hear. “We’ll take him down and show him his new home…see how fast you can make him scream.”

He started a phony incantation, then stopped. I shot a questioning look over my shoulder.

“Perhaps we should have kept another,” Kris said. “A guard might have proved useful, to ensure none of them returns, and no others take their place.”

“Guard,” Ted squeaked. “I’d make a great guard.” He sidled toward Kris. “I’ll watch the place for you, and keep out trespassers and anything else you—”

Kris flung him away with a knock-back spell.

I leaned back against Kristof. “You take him. I’ll find another.”

“I’ll find you another.”

I smiled. “Even better. And if this one doesn’t do his job—”

“I will,” Ted said. “I’ll stay right in this hospital—”

“No, you’ll stay right outside it,” Kris said. “And you won’t bother any of the patients. They’re ours, under our protection.”

“Speaking of ours,” I said. “What about Jaime?”

“Is she yours, too?” Ted said. “No problem. I’ll stay away from her.”

“Of course you will,” Kris said. “Because you’ll be here, on the grounds, and you will not leave until we return and tell you to go.”

“Got it.”

Kris made Ted swear a soul-binding oath. It was magical mumbo-jumbo, but Ted bought it…and the rain of sparks and ending clap of thunder were nice cinematic touches. Then Kris waved his hands, and a swirl of fog rose from the floor. When it enveloped us, we transported back to the ghost world, and found ourselves in an open field.

I poked Kristof in the chest. “You were amazing.”

“The thunderclap was a bit much. And maybe the lightning bolts.”

“Never. You were perfect.”

As his eyes lit up, my laugh floated through the field.

“You miss that?” I said. “Not having flunkies telling you how wonderful you are?”

His gaze met mine, and his voice softened. “Never mattered. You’re the only one who ever said it like it might be true.”