Wolfsbane and Mistletoe (Charlaine Harris) (Kitty Norville 2.50)

"You got a name, Bogeyman?" asked Lehrmann.

"That's Mister Bogeyman to you," said the watcher. "Or you can call me Taylor. "

"That your real name, Taylor?"

"It is. "

"Well, Mister Taylor, how about you letting me know what you're doing here. I am assuming this isn't a social call. "

"I have come to kill you, Sam," said Taylor, taking a tranquilizer gun handed to him by Hidalgo.

"Then I would prefer you call me Mister Lehrmann," said Lehrmann. "I don't fancy being on a first name basis with you at the moment. "

"

Fair enough," said Taylor.

"There is the question of why," said Lehrmann. "You one of those guys who is sexually impotent and only gets off on killing werewolves?"

"Are there many of those?" asked Taylor curiously.

"You hear things," said Lehrmann.

"No doubt," said Taylor. "No, this is a little tradition of mine this time of year. The last full moon before Christmas, I hunt and kill one werewolf. "

"Wouldn't it be more fun if you stuck with the mistletoe and a little caroling?" suggested Lehrmann. "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, and all that?"

"My sister was killed by a werewolf," said Taylor. "Christmas Eve, twenty-two years ago. "

"I'm sorry," said Lehrmann. "You know it wasn't me. "

"But I don't know that," said Taylor. "Not that it matters, not that I care. Even if you're not the one who killed my sister, you probably got some blood on your paws somewhere along the line, even with your nifty little yoga techniques. "

"Most of us don't kill humans," said Lehrmann. "Unlike humans. "

"Nevertheless, one of you did," said Taylor. "And she was very dear to me. "

"I'm sorry for your loss, I truly am," said Lehrmann.

"Are you about to beg for your life?" asked Taylor.

"Would it do me any good?" asked Lehrmann. "Has it ever done anyone any good?"

"Not so far," said Taylor. "But there's always a first time. "

"Yeah, well, in that case, fuck you," said Lehrmann.

Taylor pointed the tranquilizer gun through the bars and shot him in the leg.

"Ow," said Lehrmann, staring down at the dart. He pulled it out and threw it on the floor. "So the plan is you tranquilize me and then hunt me down?"

"No, the plan is I kill you slowly," said Taylor. "How does the leg feel?"

"Like it has a needle stuck in it, you fuck," said Lehrmann. "You better hope that shit works fast, because if I'm - "

He stopped as the burning sensation kicked in.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" observed Taylor. "At least, I hope it does. "