Page 1 of The Dom with a Safeword

Chapter 1

Sabrina

“This block is a hot bed of activity!” Sabrina declared. She sounded like a kid in a toy store even to her own ears. Q’s eyes must be rolling out of her head. “It’s gotta be one of these old houses. There’s so much history here.”

The pin on the EMF detector bounced from point three to point six every time she pointed due north. The mansion stood out from the other houses even without her equipment going berserk. At least one story higher than its neighbors, with old cracked windows and ivy crawling up the front roman style columns, it practically screamed Haunted: enter at your own risk.

Oh, she would enter all right. This could be the breakthrough she’d been waiting for. And it looked completely abandoned – unkempt and not a single light on inside or outside of the house.

She crept closer, ignoring the shudder that rocked her. Now was not the time to chicken out.

“If there’s something strange…in your neighborhood,” a soft voice sang behind her. “Who you gonna call?”

“Shh!” Sabrina scolded, laughing. “For the millionth time, I’m not a ghostbuster!”

“Ghostbuster, ghost hunter…” Q drawled, pressing the button on the Trifield Meter hooked to Sabrina’s belt. “Same thing.”

She batted Q’s hand away. “I’m a paranormal investigator.” With an air of pride, she took out the badge she’d just received in the mail. It came with her online certification in investigating spectral disruptions to the real-world plane.

Q leaned in to take a closer look then arched a brow. “Where did you get that? Cheesy Gimmicks ‘R Us?”

Sabrina scowled at her best friend. She was so getting revenge next time they went to a heavy metal concert. Maybe she’d buy the purple punk tutu she’d seen on the fetish store website Q had left open the other day. Her other one was black.

Q nudged her, jarring her from her diabolical thoughts. “Keep going. It’s getting late and super creepy out here.” She shivered and rubbed her arms.

Sabrina smirked. “Scared? Thought you didn’t believe in ghosts.”

“I don’t. But I do believe in serial killers and rapists. And maybe zombies.” She gave her a little shove forward. “Hurry up.”

Sabrina pointed to the mansion, one house away. “It’s leading us there.”

To her amusement, Q stiffened then sighed. “Of course it is. It couldn’t take us to a cute, friendly-looking cottage, could it?”

Sabrina summoned a saucy smile. “Don’t worry Q. Lucky for you, Cheesy Gimmicks ‘R Us sells zombie repellent.” She held up a bottle of pepper spray.

“Smart ass.”

She chuckled then turned toward the house and crept along, grateful for the frequent streetlights. The house grew more ominous the closer they got. When they stood, staring up at it, mouths wide open, even Sabrina wondered if this was a bad idea.

“This is a bad idea,” Q whispered beside her.

She shook off the momentary lapse in courage. “Don’t be silly. Supernatural spirits can’t hurt us.”

“You say that, but that’s not how it works in the movies.”

Ignoring her friend, she studied the fence surrounding the property. About ten feet high and black iron, it appeared to run the length of the yard. She pushed on the gate door in front of them. Locked.

She stared up at spikes lining the top of the gate and sighed, pushing back her trepidation. “We’ll have to climb it.” Careful not to jar anything, she began removing her equipment, setting each device carefully on the ground.

“What? You’re insane!”

Possibly. “We’ll be fine. Just mind the spikes.” She placed one foot on the bottom rung and wrapped her hands around the bars.

Q stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Wait. There’s got to be another way.”

“There’s not. The fence runs the whole property. That’s how rich people protect their stupid stuff.” Sabrina pulled herself up one step.

“Wait!” Q tugged her back down. “Let me look before you go on this suicide mission.” Then she gave Sabrina that stubborn look she knew all too well. “Wait. Right here. No climbing.”