The Beauty of Forever

by Elyzabeth M. VaLey

  “Bullshit,” Christopher said.

  Santa pressed his index finger to his lips and gently shook his head from side to side. Christopher sucked in his cheeks but didn’t respond. Samantha stared from one to the other. Clearly, there was some kind of silent communication happening, but she didn’t quite understand it.

  “In any case,” Santa said. “It’s why I brought Sammy here.”

  He turned to her with a big smile. Samantha straightened in her seat.

  “Pray, do tell.” Christopher’s tone dripped with sarcasm.

  Samantha hesitated. This job was going to be harder than she’d been led to believe. She swallowed. Did she really need it? She could go back to her old job. Success. Money. Stress. Boredom. Unfulfilling.

  She needed this. Something different. It wasn’t permanent, but for a while, it would be a challenge. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself. Time for the show to begin.

  A loud knock interrupted them.

  “Come in,” Santa said.

  The receptionist strode in with a silver tray. Samantha stared. She couldn’t help it. When she’d arrived, she had not noticed the elf’s outfit, but now it was out in the open. Thigh-high white stockings, killer heels with bells at the back, which jingled when she moved, and a red-green mini dress.

  “Coffee and tea, as well as Mrs. Santa Claus’s famous cinnamon cookies.”

  She placed the tray on the corner of the desk.

  “That’s your coffee, Mr. Beaufort.” She pointed to a thicker concoction. “I called Andy to ask how you liked it.”

  Samantha focused her attention on the vampire. He nodded, but his thoughts seemed elsewhere and he didn’t acknowledge the elf.

  “Thanks, my dear.” Santa winked.

  The woman smiled. “My pleasure, Santa.” She bowed her head and left the room, bells chiming merrily.

  “Is that her uniform?” Samantha blurted.

  Santa let out a loud belly laugh.

  “No. Hannah is a bit outlandish in her outfits, especially at this time of year. I don’t require fixed uniforms in my employees, only a name badge if they are at reception.”

  “Oh.”

  “In any case, as I was saying, Samantha is here to help you, Christopher.”

  “I already have a secretary,” Christopher stated.

  Samantha crossed her legs and twisted her body to face Christopher. Time for battle.

  “I’m not a secretary,” she said.

  “A PA, then, whatever. I don’t need one.”

  She glared at him. Clearly, this creature didn’t think she was worth his while.

  “I’m not a PA either,” she said in a clipped tone.

  She was lucky she’d dealt with men like him before. Big, good-looking guys who thought they were always right and in charge simply because they were male. Men who treated others without respect, who thought of themselves above everybody else. She didn’t know why exactly Christopher was like this, because from what Santa had told her, he used to be quite passionate about his work.

  Christopher shrugged. His indifference grated her nerves and built her resolve. She’d come here to do a job and she’d accomplish it.

  “I’m an assistant manager,” she explained.

  “All right, and what does that have to do with me?” He raised an eyebrow.

  “I’m sorry, Christopher,” she said as sweetly as possible. “Do you even know what an assistant manager does?”

  Chapter Three

  Christopher stared at the little human. He wanted to eat her. Every time he took in a breath, her scent rushed through his system, fueling his hunger. Her attitude didn’t help. Any other human would run for the hills, but she was meeting him head on, even though the slight perspiration over her upper lip displayed her nerves.

  “Enlighten me, doll. What does an assistant manager do?”

  She licked her lips, a natural gesture which only served to drive his desire up another notch.

  “An assistant manager will help you supervise and handle complaints, last-minute schedule changes, and mess ups. I’ll help you get organized and delegate tasks so you, um, can go home to rest. Finally, and from what I’ve heard, this seems to, ah, be your weak point, I’ll address customers and business associates in a friendly, attentive manner. I’ll motivate both you and your employees to succeed and improve.”

  Christopher gawked. He was impressed. The girl had delivered her speech with confidence and a smile. Passion shone through her. The fire in her eyes excited him. The meaning of her words, however, annoyed him.

  “So basically, you plan to wheedle your way into my job and steal it. Forget it, little human. This job is not made for people like you.” He looked her over, his gaze lingering over her breasts, then her neck. “You could be of service to me in other ways, though.” He smirked.

  Samantha paled slightly, but she kept her stand.

  “Christopher.”

  The warning in Santa’s voice was unmistakable. He wasn’t pleased by his attitude. Christopher narrowed his eyes and returned his attention to his boss.

  “This is what I was talking about earlier. You are questioning my decisions. You are acting rude and impolite in front of a new employee. A few years ago, you would have welcomed her with open arms, and now this? You’re losing your spirit,” Santa scolded him. “Sammy is going to be your right hand for the remainder of the holiday season.” He tapped his index finger on the desk in front of him, emphasizing each word. “And it’s probable she’ll stay for quite some time, so help her. Teach her all she needs to know to manage this madness better. She’s here to aid you, Christopher. Nothing else.” Santa sighed. “Now, Sammy, would you mind leaving us for a few minutes? Why don’t you step outside and ask my secretary if you have any paperwork pending?”

  “Um, yes, sir.”

  Christopher clenched the arms of his chair to avoid turning to look at her walk out. The door clicked shut but her scent lingered in the air, unsettling him.

  “Christopher—”

  He jumped to his feet and started pacing the room.

  “Why are you hiring her? She’s human. You know they can’t stand the darkness of the arctic or the amount of magic we use.”

  “She comes recommended by Alvin McIntosh,” Santa explained.

  “The shifter?” Christopher stopped and grasped the back of one of the chairs.

  “Yes,” Santa said.

  “So? Was she working with them? Why did she leave them?”

  “Sit down, Chris.” Santa scratched his beard. “Yes, but she was looking for new challenges. Apparently, she hasn’t had a good year in personal terms. We’re just helping her a bit.”

  “New challenges?” Christopher sat down. “I understand that, but here? She’s human, Nick. They can’t handle the pressure from a job like this.”

  “Most can’t, yes, but I firmly believe she can. She knew about the paranormal community before she arrived and she took it in stride. She’s not afraid.”

  Christopher cocked his head.

  “She isn’t? She didn’t seem very relaxed to me.”

  Santa chuckled. “You’re not exactly the friendliest guy around, Chris.”

  Christopher shrugged. “I’m not a nice person, and you know it. You also know humans are dinner to me. She smells like dinner. Moves like dinner. My department is full of vampires. My receptionist is a damn vampire. Why did you set her up with me? Why not Jacobs? Mason? Jen? I’m going to have to spend most of my time protecting her instead of working.”

  “None of them need her like you do. Besides, I know you’re a great professional who will keep his fangs to himself.” Santa raised his hand to quiet him. “And so will everybody else on your team. You’re not animals.” He reclined against his chair. His gaze softened. “She’s here to help you, Chris. I really think you need to learn to delegate and lead a better life. You’re long-lived, but you won’t live forever. Don’t drag yourself to an early grave. Enjoy life.”

  Christoph
er huffed. “Not like I am alive. Very funny.”

  Santa’s boisterous laughter filled the room. “Indeed. Now get out of here. Go show the girl the ropes of the business. Have some fun. And apologize to Jacobs. I hear he’s downright pissed you blew his meeting today.”

  “You don’t miss anything, do you?” Christopher sighed.

  “I wouldn’t be Santa if I did.” The rotund man crossed his hands over his belly. “I hear Jacobs is a fan of the Golden State Warriors, in case you’re interested.”

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  Christopher waved Santa off and left his office. He was screwed. It was less than ten days before Christmas and his boss threw in a new employee under his supervision. One who barely knew anything about the business. To complicate matters, she was hot as sin and it’d been a very long time since he’d been so attracted to a woman. A human one to boot. How was he going to survive this holiday season?

  “Where is she?” he asked Eluvien.

  “Up front, chatting with Hannah,” the secretary replied without glancing at him.

  Quickly making his way across the office, he stopped a few feet away. His breath caught and his cock twitched at the sight. Samantha leaned over the desk, giving him a view of her ass in the skin-tight dress she wore. His hands itched to squeeze her tender flesh. To see his fingers marked on her. He licked his lips. He might be able to keep his fangs to himself, but he wasn’t sure other parts of his body would cooperate. Damn. How long had he gone without sex that he was reacting like this to a mere mortal? Two years? Three?

  Get it together, Christopher.

  Shaking off the thought, he started to approach the women, but paused as snippets of their conversation reached him.

  “Mr. Beaufort is good at his job. Very good. He is focused and quick at finding and solving problems,” Hannah, the receptionist, said.

  “He’s not good with people, though?”

  “No. I started working here two years after he did and he used to be friendlier before, but a few years ago he started becoming more aloof.” Hannah shrugged.

  Samantha shifted her weight. “Could it be because he’s a vampire? You know they tend to be cold and standoffish.”

  Hannah laughed. “Who told you that? I guess some do, but the ones I’ve met have all been really nice.”

  “Oh, and what about, um, biting? Aren’t they dangerous? “

  “Biting? Dangerous? Ms. Kraus, I don’t know about other vampires, but I’m sure Mr. Beaufort won’t bite without permission. Vampires used to be people, breathing, living beings. Just as humans, there are good and bad vampires, elves, shifters, etcetera.”

  Christopher grinned. He wouldn’t be so sure. Given the chance, he’d sink his teeth into Samantha’s flesh in a heartbeat.

  He cleared his throat. Samantha spun around, her hand at her chest and her cheeks blazing crimson. Guilty. Hannah had the decency to blush too.

  “Are you ready to go?” he snapped.

  “Yes,” Samantha said.

  Christopher called the elevator, turning his back on the women.

  “Seriously, Ms. Kraus,” he heard Hannah whisper, “Mr. Beaufort won’t bite without permission. His job is his number one concern.”

  Samantha thanked the receptionist and hurried to catch up with him. The elevator arrived and they entered the small space. Christopher leaned against the wall. Samantha stood as far from him as possible, but her body still gave off a pleasing warmth which made his own skin tingle.

  “She isn’t right, you know.”

  “What?” She looked up at him with eyes wide, like a deer caught in headlights.

  “I always bite without permission.”

  He swept his gaze across her figure. She flushed and clutched her purse to her chest like a shield.

  “There’s nothing as exhilarating as the pleasure of hunting down prey.” The elevator jolted to a stop and the doors slowly slid open. “But don’t worry, doll. I promised Santa I’d keep my fangs to myself.” He smiled broadly. “After you.”

  Samantha hurried out of the box. Christopher held his breath. Her fragrance wrapped around him, coming to rest over the tip of his tongue. His eyes dilated, throwing everything into sharper contrast, but all he could focus on was Samantha. Two steps and he’d be on her. All he had to do was bend her backward, expose her neck, and bite. Christopher swallowed a groan. It was going to be a long Christmas season.

  Chapter Four

  “Welcome. How can—?”

  The woman behind the reception desk never finished her question. She stared, eyes wide and unblinking, mouth slightly parted, the tips of a pair of fangs clearly visible.

  Samantha stopped in her tracks.

  Vampires.

  She had been expecting many things when she’d accepted the job here. Some elves, fairies, shifters like her previous boss, but never vampires. She could handle supernatural, strange, weird. Heck, humans all had their own quirks and particularities, but the undead were different. Unnatural. They didn’t have beating hearts. They couldn’t go out in the sun. They depended on blood to survive. And most of the time it came from humans. She shuddered.

  Granted, all she knew was what she’d read in books and seen in movies, but if the way the receptionist and Christopher had greeted her were any indication, she was inclined to believe it was all true. She was lunch.

  “Ariana, this is Samantha. She’ll be working with us for the next few days,” Christopher said, placing a steady hand on her shoulder and steering her to the right. “We’ll be in my office.”

  They headed down a hallway illuminated with a soft, yellow glow, decorated with black carpeting, white walls, and elegant portraits of snowy mountains which rather reminded her of those found in a funeral home. Christopher dropped his arm to his side. The warmth which had infused her at his touch disappeared, leaving behind a trail of goosebumps and an odd yearning.

  Unnatural.

  He was handsome. There wasn’t any doubt. Long, confident gait. Broad shoulders. Tapered waist. Christopher exuded elegance mingled with raw masculine energy, which made her tingle with awareness.

  That was exactly the problem. If anything at all, the men she’d worked with in her life had never inspired more than a mild attraction. This never went anywhere, except to Friday night happy hour with her girlfriends as they envisioned improbable scenarios.

  Christopher, on the other hand, well, he’d made her body hum alive from the instant he’d touched her. How was she going to work with a man who had her pussy tingling by just standing at her side?

  Samantha bit her lip. This was nothing more than physical attraction. She had to distract herself from his good looks. Christopher wasn’t perfect. No man was. He had issues. The first one being he didn’t like humans and he didn’t want her there.

  “Andy,” Christopher roared. “On your phone, again?”

  Samantha stopped in her tracks. Issue number two: explosive anger.

  In two strides, Christopher was standing over Andy. The young man dropped his phone on the table.

  “Tell me you’ve done what I told you earlier.”

  “Part of it,” Andy squeaked. He bowed his head. A silver earring glinted on his pointy ear.

  “Part of it? What part?” Christopher lowered his voice to a menacing rumble. Samantha shivered. If his voice had been sexy before, this octane made her knees weak.

  “Photocopies.”

  “So you haven’t sent the gift to Jacobs?”

  “N-no.”

  Christopher crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes blazed with barely held irritation.

  “You have thirty minutes to do your work or I don’t want to see you tomorrow. Come on, Samantha.”

  “Aren’t you going to introduce me?” she asked, glancing at the elf.

  “No. He’ll be gone in half an hour.”

  Grabbing her by the elbow, Christopher firmly directed her into another room. The lights blinked to life as the door clicked shut. She took in the space. It follo
wed the same scheme as the rest of the floor. Black, white, and steel. Functional and elegant, it had a built-in fireplace, which wasn’t lit, and an uncomfortable-looking white, leather couch. Next to it, a black lacquered wood mini-bar held an assortment of bottles and glasses. Above the mantelpiece, an original clock with exposed gears told the time.

  The sleek desk in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows was laden with papers, a laptop, a lamp, and a phone. Shelves heavily loaded with books gave the finishing touch to a room designed for work.

  “What’s that door?” She pointed to the frame and handle built in to camouflage with the rest of the setting.

  “Personal bathroom,” Christopher said, going around to his desk.

  “Oh.” Samantha toyed with her purse. “It’s…” She struggled to find a word which wasn’t depressing and actually sounded like a compliment.

  “Somber,” he supplied, settling in his chair and pointing for her to do the same on the seat in front of him.

  “More like a tomb than an office,” she blurted. “I mean. It’s very sterile. Like pulled from a magazine. Do you have anything personal in here?”

  “Honey, I’m a dead man. I enjoy my darkness and my peace. I don’t agree with Santa’s flamboyant choice of colors. I come here to work, not throw a party.”

  “Oh.” She sat down, placing her purse on the floor beside her and her hands over her lap. Christopher regarded her with an unreadable gaze but that didn’t stop her insides from fluttering. She grasped her knees, digging her fingers into the flesh. Focus, Samantha. This is business.

  She glanced outside, taking a second to gather her thoughts. There was no skyline. Only artificial light coming from within a dome which kept the harsh elements of the arctic away. Magic. She couldn’t explain it, but it existed. All over the world, humans like her lived oblivious to the magical elements which surrounded them. Elves. Fairies. Shifters. Santa Claus. Vampires. The world was filled with amazing and inexplicable things and she was here, experiencing them. The thought gave her courage. She was here to do a job and by all which she believed in, she’d do it.