And had it not been for the outpouring of love and support from Alyssa, as well as her entire family, I think I would’ve lost it altogether. It was ...he end of my junior year in high school, the year was 1966, and I was looking forward to summer. I’d been invited by Alyssa’s Dad to go with the family to South Padre Island for the next six weeks. Of course Dad and Aunt Caroline both told me that I should go, but in the back of my mind I felt like I was abandoning them somehow. That all changed. ‘It’s freezing out here.’ He lifted the mattress again. ‘If I let you–sleep in Charlie’s bedroom–I’ll probably find you dead from hypothermia in the morning. Oh, for God’s sake, don’t argue!’ he growled, catching her doubtful gaze. ‘Just give me a hand.’ Grasping the edge of the mattress, Melissa was guiltily aware that she was unable to do little more than steer as Matt lugged it into the living room. After manoeuvring it into position between the settee and the coffee table, he collapsed on. “Ahh Balam, You’re late. I heard about your unfortunate errors above…” A fingernail sharp as a knife slowly cut down my back, drawing a trickle of hot blood. Her whisper sent my mind reeling into visions of the passionate night she claimed my soul as I collapsed to my knees before her. “Now, now, dirty boy. There will be time enough to relive those moments when you redeem yourself.”“I know I have failed you, Naamah. I will not again.” My head remained bowed before her until one of her delicious. Later that night she was tossing and turning in bed, her stomach full of slightly too much Butterfinger ice cream. The house was silent. Everyone else was in bed. Or should have been. Lindsay had almost dozed off when a soft, dry rustling sound brought her back to wakefulness. At first she thought it was the cat scratching at her door, but as she sat up she realized it was coming from somewhere inside the room. A twinge of fear shivered through her body. They'd never had rats or mice in the.