Free Haven of Nightmares (Littlemoon Investigations Book 5) by Morgan Kelley Page A

epitome of scary.
    “Can we go up?” she asked, rubbing the goose bumps on her arms. “I feel like we’re being watched.”
    Yeah, so did he.
    Nyx had told him once that if that happened, the odds were you were being checked out by the dead. Apparently, the living were very curious to the dead, and once they realized you knew they were there, they’d try to communicate.
    It was probably best not to tell her that.
    Mattie would flip her shit. It was clear from the look on her face.
    “When are the Littlemoons getting here?” she asked, as they climbed the stairs.
    “They have a late flight tonight, and will be here tomorrow early—like four in the morning.”
    “So we’re staying here alone?”
    “Afraid I’ll end up being the killer and jump you?” he asked, leading her down the dark hall.
    “I’m not afraid of you, Roman. I think I could kick your ass,” she teased. “I’m more freaked out by what’s going on here now that it’s dark.”
    “Why does everyone think I’m some weakling who can’t take care of himself in a bad situation?”
    She grinned. “It was like that time when you…”
    Mattie stopped talking.
    Her heart skipped in her chest at what she’d nearly done. She had almost discussed that first time they met.
    Roman stopped in front of a door and unlocked it with a master key. “When I what?” he asked.
    She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. That was a long time ago. That’s no longer any of us. We’re not high school kids anymore.”
    He was aware.
    “At some point, you’ll have to talk about it,” he said, pushing the door open. It had been his sister’s room when she was alive.
    Honestly, she didn’t want to go there. She was afraid she’d tell him the truth. Mattie held the secrets he was searching for, and she knew it.
    Once Pandora let them out of the box, she wasn’t quite sure how he’d feel about her.
    About Devora.
    About her memory.
    “Goodnight, Roman.”
    “Aren’t you hungry? Don’t you want to get dinner?”
    She shook her head. “No, I want to think.” Mattie didn’t believe it was a good idea to be anywhere near him. If she was, the truth would definitely come out.
    God!
    She wanted him to know all of it.
    “Are you sure? If you change your mind, I had Elbert, the grounds keeper, pick up some things for us.”
    It was tempting.
    WAY. TOO. TEMPTING.
    “No, it’s best I do my thinking alone.”
    Mattie closed the door in his face, and there was the audible click.
    “Mattie.”
    She didn’t answer.
    Maybe she was right. With the way that he was beginning to feel, he should do some thinking too.
     
     
    Far from her.
     
     
     

Chapter Four
     
    Tuesday Night
    Ten P.M
     
     
    He couldn’t sleep.
    For the last two hours, he remained on his old bed, staring up at the ceiling. First, a twin bed sucked. He was a grown ass man, and there was no reason he should be sleeping in one.
    In fact, he knew there was a big, soft, comfortable king bed in his parent’s room.
    Only, he couldn’t go in there.
    A part of him wouldn’t allow it to happen. That was the final place his father and mother had been before they died. His father had woken up, gone to the citadel, and hung himself.
    Not long after, his mother, so lost in the pain and anguish, had ended her life.
    By going in there, he was forced to face not only his demons, but theirs too.
    Roman was pretty sure he wasn’t strong enough.
    As he remained on his bed, he could hear something. It was a soft sound, and it seemed far away. His heart began pounding faster, unsure what it was.
    Roman had to investigate.
    While he and Matilda were there, he needed to keep them safe. After all, he’d failed at keeping Devora safe.
    Yeah, failed miserably.
    Pulling on his jeans and hoodie, he opened the door. Now, he could discern the sound.
    It was a piano.
    It was coming from downstairs.
    Well, he knew that there were either two options. Mattie was playing, or Tori’s ghost had come to visit. From the