I stared at him bewildered. Of course I had never ruined a Christmas. That’s what was so baffling about her words. “I always give the kids what they want, Christmas is never ruined because of me,” I boasted.
“Okay, big guy.” He sighed and turned back to the dashboard on the sleigh as he began to program the coordinates for the next leg of our route. The reindeer in the front started prancing in place, their bells jingling as they got excited. They knew the rhythmic beeping from Bernard meant it was almost time for takeoff. “Maybe take a different approach, Nick. Try asking yourself what you did to ruin Holly’s Christmas, then maybe you will begin to figure out why you can’t get her out of your mind.”
I thought about his advice. There might be merit to it if I had actually done anything to ruin her Christmas, but I hadn’t. I don’t ruin the holiday for anyone, this was my holiday and no one woke up Christmas morning unhappy. I wasn’t like Luka. I did more than just try to give these kids a happy morning, I actually did it, unlike some.
I rubbed my hand across my face, frustrated. If there had been nothing, then why did her little cryptic ‘glass house’ comment bother me so much?
It looked like Luka wasn’t the only one I would be having a talk with when they finally showed up on our radar. I knew they would, it was only a matter of time. Holly had some questions of her own to answer.
Chapter Thirteen
Luka
I took us back to my office so we could leave X there this time. If we were going to be successful, I didn’t need this mischievous little hellhound underfoot attempting to burn shit down.
Holly let go of my hand and looked around the room. I found myself fighting the urge to fidget. I had never brought a woman here before and I was unexpectedly nervous. My office for me had been a quiet, private place to get away from the hordes and get work done No one except my closest advisors came here, and even that was rare.
She ran her long fingers across the back of my sofa as she strolled toward the fireplace, her hair gently swaying with her steps and making me remember what it was like to have my hand fisted there.
I swallowed as she studied my office and watched her look around, trying to see it through her eyes. It was pretty simple with its red, white and black modern décor. I hadn’t wanted the chaos that was Hell spilling over into my space. For some reason now though as she scrutinized it, I wished I had more in here for her, so she could feel more comfortable.
X scrambled from her arms and beelined for the fireplace, and she chased him across the floor. In his usual clumsy fashion, he tumbled over the edge of the granite hearth and rolled into the flames. His horns hit the back wall making a loud clunk before he fell back on his bottom on top of the burning logs.
“X, no!” Holly shouted, dropping to her knees as tears began to well in her eyes. She frantically scanned the flames for him. “Oh shit, I’m so sorry X.” I began to run over to her, but I was too late before I realized what she was going to do. She reached through the flames and pulled the pup back out onto her lap, cradling him tight against her chest.
She sobbed into his fur, nestling his horns beneath her neck. “I’m so sorry,” she cried. “Luka, we have to do something to help him. He just ran right into the flames, I couldn’t stop him.” Tears rolled down her cheeks now and X turned and licked her face.
I crouched next to her and put my hand on her shoulder in comfort. “Holly, he’s a hellhound, he’s fine. They use the flames to recharge.”
She glanced down at him, relief shining in her eyes when she saw he was unscathed. “Don’t scare me like that,” she let out a weak laugh as she reached up to wipe a tear from her cheek. X seemed satisfied that everything was alright again and bounded back into the flames, settling himself for a nap.
My eyes widened in shock, “Holly what in the hell have you done to yourself?”
She glanced down at her burnt arm, the flesh peeling back exposing her muscles underneath and already the skin around it had started to blister.
The shock wore off as she let out a sharp cry of pain. “I couldn’t let him die, Luka.” Tears ran freely down her cheeks now as she cried out in pain once more and began to tilt to the side as she started to lose consciousness.
“Fuck, Holly!” I darted my hands out and caught her before she hit the hard stone and gently lifted her into my arms, carrying her over to the sofa. I set her down easily and crouched next to the edge. “Do you trust me?”
She met my eyes, the pain very clear, but still she didn’t complain. Slowly, as if making her decision, she nodded. Fuck, I hoped this worked.
I reached up and took her arm softly between my hands. I controlled the flames of hell which had burned her, hopefully I could repair the damage they had done too. She watched me, her eyes clouded over with pain as I focused, I needed to draw the heat from her arm and let her skin repair.
The flames were mine to command, I reminded myself and so I did exactly that, drawing the heat from them, away from her and into me. My body would absorb the heat, where for her soft human skin it was just too much. Sweat dripped down my forehead as I concentrated, sending all of my energy into her to repair what had been so badly damaged.
At last her raw flesh began to uncurl, and the bubbled pieces of skin started to deflate. She watched in awe as I worked, relief filling me as the pain finally receded from her eyes. I searched her arm for any last sign of heat or damage, and finding none I put her arm gently back into her lap.
I rocked back on my heels and stared at my hands as if they were some foreign part of me. I had never done anything like that before and I was stunned.
“Luka?” Holly asked, breaking the silence. I looked up at her, beyond happy that it had actually worked. “How?” she breathed out, turning her arm over, looking for any signs there had been a burn. Instead there was only her perfect, unmarred skin.
“I only have a theory; I don’t really know. You were my first,” I admitted.
She jumped into my lap and closed her arms around me, burying her face in my neck. “Thank you,” she mumbled against my skin, sending a warmth shooting through me.
I circled her waist with my arms, “I’ll do whatever I can to keep you safe, Holly.” I promised, my voice coming out thick with regret. I swallowed and pulled back, placing a quick kiss on her mouth before standing and drawing her up with me. It wouldn’t be good to let myself think things that I had no business thinking. Especially with a human as special as Holly, she deserved so much better than me.
I would stick to our agreement and she would go home after these gifts were delivered. That would be that.
“Luka, are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I cleared my throat. “I was just thinking about how the next gift could possibly go wrong.” I laughed lamely.
She laughed back, her green eyes dancing with amusement, “Stick with me pal, we’ll make it happen. Let’s pick a letter.”
I summoned the letters to me, and they appeared with a flourish in my hand. I fanned them out and held them out to her. “Pick one.”
“Me?” She asked surprised.
“Why not?” I shrugged.
“Okay,” she reached forward and pulled a letter from the middle handing it back to me. “You open it, it might lose some of its magic if the addressee doesn’t open it.” She winked playfully.
I put the other letters away again and looked at the envelope she handed me. This one had a small Christmas tree drawn in marker on it and my name was meticulously printed across the front.
“Let’s see what David has to tell Santa,” I grinned pulling the letter out.
Dear Santa,
Dinosaurs are my favorite, but mom says I can’t have one as a pet because they are too mean and would eat her out of house and home. She told me it was okay to ask for a toy one though. Can you bring me a dinosaur for Christmas? T-Rex is the best!
Thank you,
David
“Let’s take David some dinos,” I wiggled my eyebrows at Holly
, and yanked her against me. “Hold on tight,” I whispered huskily against her ear. She knew she didn’t need to, but I wanted her close. She squeezed me in response and a thrill shot through me. As we exited the portal, I began to question my sanity with this woman. I hoped I hadn’t made a mistake tonight.
Chapter Fourteen
Holly
We came out on a sidewalk in front of an old Tudor style home. The asymmetric frame and stuccoed façade gave it a charm that couldn’t be denied. A single light lit up the front of the house, its soft amber glow washing over us as we approached.
It made me chuckle to imagine a woman living here with her son, telling him that he couldn’t be eating her out of house and home. Especially considering this house gave the whole Hansel and Gretel vibe.
Luka linked his fingers with mine and as he had done before pulled me through the closed front door. I looked around the entryway, everything was decorated in traditional Christmas style. Green garland hung from the banisters and a matching wreath decorated the far wall as well as above the fireplace. The mantel had candles placed on top, and old- style stockings hung below, waiting to be filled.
We crossed the room to the short, squat tree, decorated with lights and glistening ornaments. “This looks like the perfect home for a dino,” I mused aloud.
“Agreed. Let’s give him a whole herd of dinosaurs. One that will blow his mind come morning time,” Luka exclaimed, really getting into things again.
“Just dinosaurs. Nothing else, Luka. The kid can use his own imagination.” I saw the gleam in his eyes when he looked at me. “Luka,” my voice dropped low in warning.
“Okay, just dinos,” he agreed crouching next to the tree.
I wandered around the space as he worked, content to let him do his thing. Next to the stone fireplace sat a small table with a plate of cookies and milk atop it. Near the plate lay two carrots covered in glitter, sparkling even in the low light.
I smiled sadly, remembering the glitter battles I had with my Mom. The now seemingly pointless arguments about how glitter was not ‘magic’ that helped the reindeer fly. I sighed, it all seemed so long ago now.
I glanced across the room at Luka, his face bright with excitement as he set up a dino army for the boy. Maybe Dad had been right. There was still joy in this holiday, even without Mom. I needed to celebrate with him, instead of remaining bitter because she was no longer with us. Santa might be an asshole, but he had no control of me losing my mom at Christmas, or control over how I had celebrated after we had lost her.
Luka stood and came to my side, casually taking my hand again as he beamed from ear to ear at his work. Under the tree he had created an entire army of dinosaurs, complete from a three-foot T-Rex all the way to small four-inch pterodactyls hanging from the lower branches.
This kids eyes were going to pop right out of his head when he saw the fifty or so dinosaurs that were prepared for attack in his living room.
“Great job,” I smiled warmly at him. He might be the Devil, but he had a heart.
His chest puffed out, proud that he had accomplished his task. It was kind of cute to see the big bad Devil so childlike and pleased with himself.
“The stockings?” I laughed, nodding over to the fireplace, reminding him his job here wasn’t done.
Luka dropped my hand and strode over to the hearth. With a wave of his hand the stockings all grew plump, candy jutting from the tops of the socks. “Take that, Nick,” he laughed sarcastically.
We both spun around when a high-pitched screech emanated from behind us, followed by a series of low clicks and gurgles. Now, instead of hanging from the tree, the pterodactyls sat perched on the branches, shrieking out their discontent at being tethered.
“Luka?” I asked.
“I didn’t do this, I swear,” the surprise clear in his voice. I believed he didn’t intend for this to happen.
One by one the dinosaurs started coming to life and began moving across the floor, “Please don’t tell me…” I trailed off, my fear confirmed as the giant T-Rex lifted his foot and stomped down, the smaller dinosaurs running for cover around him. He bent over and let out a long roar before charging the two of us, scattering any smaller toys that got in his way.
His sharp teeth glinted even in the dim light, looking all too real as he ran at us, jaw wide open, ready to tear us to shreds.
“Vanquish thine enemy!” A muffled voice shouted from behind us. I glanced over my shoulder and a tiny knight in shining armor slid down the line of greenery, skidding across the wooden floor. Metal clinked as the knight stood to his feet and rushed at the dinosaur, brandishing his sword above his head. “No enemy is too large!” he exclaimed as he charged.
The little knight distracted him long enough for us to dodge to the side and out of his path. “Luka what the hell happened?” I asked.
“I have no clue, I didn’t do this,” he repeated, just as bewildered as I was.
Suddenly, the cacophony of dinosaurs stopped and all of the toys stilled. The air shimmered around us and Nick and Bernard appeared in the center of the room.
“You just couldn’t help yourself, could you?” Nick demanded arrogantly.
“I didn’t do it this time, Nick.” He replied exasperatedly.
“Okay, and I’m the Easter Bunny.” Nick retorted.
“He didn’t do this asshole. Or at least he didn’t do it intentionally this time.” I stepped forward.
“Nick, I think they’re telling the truth. I don’t think he meant to do this.” Bernard injected hesitantly.
“If he didn’t do this, then who did?” Nick asked cockily.
“If I may?” Bernard asked, all eyes on him. “You see, there is a reason we spend the whole year actually making the toys at the North Pole instead of magically creating them from nothing. When we simply magic them out of the air some of that magic is embedded in the item itself, causing all kinds of consequences.
“For someone like Nick, who doesn’t control demons and hellfire, those consequences are not usually as harmful. Sometimes it results in a toy randomly singing a Christmas tune or making it snow for example. For Luka, whose power comes from Hell itself, it transfers that dark magic into the toys. Resulting in things like we have seen tonight,” he concluded.
“And you didn’t think it was necessary to tell him this before he attempted to bring Christmas to these kids?” I asked.
Bernard blushed, “I honestly didn’t think he would keep trying.”
“Don’t take this out on Bernard, it’s not his fault the hot head insisted on taking letters that weren’t his to begin with.”
“As far as I’ve seen they had his name on them big guy. He had every right to answer them. And you’re just as much at fault as that one,” I jabbed my finger at Bernard, before turning back to him. “You knew too. But you were too arrogant and self-conceited to think to even mention it to him.”
He stared at me, clearly fuming but not able, or not willing to say what was on his mind. It was a shame Santa was such a twat.
Bernard came over to Luka and I, “Look, I’m sorry. I really didn’t think you would keep it up as long as you have.”
Luka nodded solemnly, seeming to come to grip with the fact that he couldn’t create a Christmas for these kids like he had wanted.
Frustration tore at me. I had to help him somehow. “Bernard, can I talk to you for a minute?” I asked.
He looked at me nervously, but agreed as he followed me to the side of the room. “Y-yes?” He asked hesitantly.
“How can I help him?” I asked simply.
“What do you mean?” he looked confused.
“With the presents. How can I help him? This is something that he really wants to do and it’s not fair he was dealt the short end of the stick and can only create possessed toys.”
“You would help him?” he pushed his glasses up on his face looking at me curiously. “Why?”
“He has a good heart, and I get what it feels like to not be ac
cepted for who you are. To be made an outcast. Everyone always looked at me differently growing up and I could never figure out why, so I just dealt with it.
I understand things a bit more clearly now because of him, and might not hate Christmas as much anymore. Because of the Devil, I might believe in Christmas again,” I laughed ironically.
“Really?” He fell silent, studying me for a moment, “Holly, why did you hate Christmas?”
I shrugged, “I’m not sure if it was a hate of Christmas, or the time of year. Maybe both?” I took a deep breath, as I gathered my thoughts. I might as well tell Bernard if he were to understand why I wanted to help Luka so much.
“I stopped believing in Christmas the year I asked Santa to take away my Mom’s pain. She was dying from cancer and instead of taking her pain, I thought it was Santa that took her. I hated him for everything he did, everything he stood for. My mom was Christmas to me and without her, there was nothing left.” I wiped a tear from my cheek, “So, Nick can’t sit there and tell me that he’s perfect, but he did nothing to make it better for a young girl who lost all hope. He’s in no position to judge. Especially when I see Luka trying so damn hard to get it right.”
He reached out and rubbed my arm, “I didn’t know. I’m sorry about your Mom, Holly. You do know Nick wasn’t responsible for that right?” He asked gently.
“I do now. It still didn’t make it any easier when I was twelve and expecting a Christmas miracle. Instead, my Mom was taken, and my belief squashed because Santa ghosted me as far as I was concerned. Then I just stopped believing because it was easier than hurting.”
“Nick is far from perfect, that’s for sure. He likes to think he is, but he’s not. If he could have given you your Mom, I’m sure he would have.” He glanced over my shoulder at the other two talking, “Look, if it means that much to you, I’ll help,” he blurted out.
I stared at him in shock, “Wait, what?”
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