When Yule came about a week later Mom called to check on me. She asked what my big plans were and I didn’t have the energy to lie. “Watch Netflix, maybe order a pizza.”
“Gracie, you’ve been home a week. All you’ve done is watch movies. You should go out, have fun. You’re young and alive.” I rolled my eyes.
“I don’t feel good Mom. I just want to sleep.”
“It’s called depression, dear. If you can’t snap yourself out of it then maybe you should talk to a doctor.” I knew she was trying to be helpful.
“Am I crazy?” I asked.
“No, why would you say that? Depression doesn’t make you crazy. It just means you’re going through a rough time. Why do you think you’re crazy?” She paused.
“I think I loved him the moment I met him. Like something inside me just turned on.” I laughed. “That’s the stupidest thing in the world though.”
“No, it’s not. When it’s right, it’s just right. I fell for your father the first day we met. I’ve loved him every day since. I know I told you that relationships are work, but some things - some things are just meant to be.”
“I really do hope he is happy,” I told her, the tears welling up inside me again.
“I know you do honey. I don’t think you could hate someone if your life depended on it.” Her words pushed me over the edge into rolling sobs again.
“Mom, I’m going to go back to bed. I love you.” I hung up before she could make it worse.
I was just headed for bed when I heard a knock on the door. “Great. Now what? Have they come to evict me or something?” I mumbled to myself. I flung the door open with every ounce of anger I could muster.
“Hello, Grace.” Lord Vallen’s silky smooth voice greeted me. He took one look at me and asked, “Have I come at a bad time?”
I opened my mouth to say no but all that came out were sobs. He stepped in the doorway, closed his arms around me and let me cry. Occasionally he would stroke my hair, telling me it would all be alright. I don’t know how long we stood there, but he didn’t rush me or complain. He just stood there and let me cry, knowing it was what I needed most at that moment.
When I finally found my senses I wiped away the tears. “I’m sorry. I’m not normally so melodramatic. Why are you here? Is everything alright with the lantern?”
“Actually, Lady Jura’s daughter Alizeyah stopped by with her friend the Pixie and her boyfriend the Werewolf. He was talking about the family gathering he was at and how happy they were for the diversion. We told them about the Holiday Spirit who helped us with the Lantern. It turned out that his cousin was a Holiday Spirit and couldn’t be there at the gathering. We mentioned you were a Werewolf too, and lo and behold discovered you and Ian are cousins.”
I blinked at him. He knew my cousin Ian because his girlfriend happened to be part of this Dragon household. What were the odds? “I see.”
“Well, we mentioned that we had invited you to our gathering and he agreed it would be nice to see you. I called my friends working at the North Pole to find out what realm you were in and found out you left a week ago. I was very surprised to find that you were neither at our festivities, nor your family’s, nor even the Dwarven Stronghold where it would seem you are a hero this season.”
I shrugged. “I wasn’t feeling the cheer.”
“I can see that now.” Lord Vallen paused for a moment, considering his words. “Do you know why we come together to celebrate Yule and the Bleak Days? Outside of the religious significance.”
I shook my head. “Not really. Mainly just to see each other, I imagine.”
“Well yes, that is part of it. Back before castles had fires that didn’t die and Humans had electricity, we knew that winter would be hard. Every year it would claim some of our strongest. It didn’t matter what race you were. Winter is cold and lonely, and if you let it, it will suck the life right from your lungs and leave you hollow inside. We would come together to give each other hope, warmth and strength. It also let us say goodbye, knowing some of those who we held wouldn’t survive.”
I thought about what he was saying. It made sense from everything I had read over the years. “So why are you here?”
“Because nobody should be alone to face winter when it arrives.” He squeezed my shoulder. “You can get dressed and come with me to a gathering, or you can order some form of food this realm delivers. I’ve heard good things about both Pizza and Chinese. Either way, I won’t let you face winter alone. That’s what friends do.” He offered me a half smile.
I went to my room and tugged on jeans and an oversized sweater. Vallen stood as I entered the living room again. He eyed me carefully, a frown creasing his brow, but he didn’t say anything. I tugged on some boots and rummaged through the closet for my hat. “If it’s your first pizza it should be the best in the area and unfortunately, they don’t deliver. Do you mind a short walk?” I asked as I pulled the hat down over my ears.
“Not at all.” Following me out the door, Lord Vallen took my hand and tucked it into the crook of his elbow. We walked along the quiet sidewalk, away from the rows of apartment buildings. Street lamps started to flicker to life as dusk approached. Clearing his throat he began to speak. “I have a friend that you remind me of. He recently met his Soul Mate, but he hasn’t acted on their natural draw to each other.”
I looked up at him. “Soul Mates are so rare, why would he not act on it?” I wasn’t sure how this applied to me. Justin wasn’t my Soul Mate - not in the magical meaning, at least.
“She is young compared to him and in love with someone else. He knows that because they are Soul Mates and have found each other that someday they will be together. For now he says he will wait. It’s obvious to everyone but her that he is madly in love. I keep telling him all he needs to do is tell her the truth. Go to her and say, 'I love and I need you.' "
“Ah, I see where you are going with this. It’s not that simple.” I gave him a weak smile. “I barely know him and we’re not Soul Mates. I have no claim to him.”
“If love was simple, everyone would live Happily Ever After. Love doesn’t play by a set of rules, it just exists. It happens slowly and it happens fast. Soul Mates aren’t the only ones that have happy endings, or that have a strong love.” I pulled us to a stop in front of a little hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant. I opened the door and led the way in.
Lord Vallen looked around, taking in all the sights and smells. “What sort of meat and vegetables do you like?” I asked as I glanced over the menu.
He flashed a toothy smile. “Meat eats vegetables, therefore we can order extra meat and still get all our vegetables.” I laughed, hard, for the first time in days. That was the sort of answer I expected from my brothers or my Wolfblood cousins.
“Ok, meat lovers it is.” When the waitress came over I ordered us a couple beers and a meat-heavy pizza. She looked from Lord Vallen to me then gave me a way-to-go wink.
“Did that server just flirt with you?” he asked with confusion.
“No, she was signaling her approval of you.” I smiled again.
“Human women are so odd,” he responded, shaking his head. “I think you should tell Justin that you love him. If you don’t, he could end up with the wrong person.”
“Let’s say I tell him how I feel and he rejects me. Then what? I’ve made things more awkward between us then they already are. He saw me crying - he knows I have feelings for him.” I quieted as the waitress returned with our beers.
“I’m going to let you in on a little secret.” Vallen leaned across the table and whispered. “Men... aren’t always that bright when it comes to the affairs of our hearts.” He leaned back in his chair and took a sip of the beer. His face turned almost green and he spit it back into the mug. “What is this swill?” he exclaimed in shock.
I couldn’t stop it. Laughter bubbled over and erupted out of me. When I looked back at his face I just laughed harder. Everyone in the restaurant was now staring at us. When I
was finally able to contain my laughter, I waved the waitress over and ordered him a soda. “That, my friend, is American beer.”
“What a vile drink! Normally the Humans brew things almost as well as the Dwarves or the Dark Elves. That was horrendous. Never feed me that again. I’m sorry to sound like a rude guest, but seriously, that was horrible.” I held up my hand as the waitress approached and sat a soda and with a straw in it in front of him. I held my breath as he took a sip. His eyes lit up brightly and he smiled. ”I don’t taste a single drop of alcohol in that but it’s delightful. What did you call it? Soda?” I nodded as he took another sip.
“I’m glad it’s an improvement.” I took another sip of my beer, resisting the urge to giggle when he cringed watching me.
“Anyway, as I was going to say before that disgusting decoction - you should still tell him. Even if he doesn’t return your feelings you won’t have anything to regret. You’re half Werewolf. If you embrace your Darkling side, you’ll have a very long life ahead of you. Wouldn’t it be better to live without regrets?” I considered his words as the pizza arrived.
“Maybe you’re right,” I said, taking his plate and serving him up a large slice.
“Grace, I’m always right. It’s the curse of being me,” he said with an arrogant smile. He looked down at his slice of pizza, completely confounded on how to eat it.
I took the time to explain the intricacies of folding our pizza slices in half and eating them with our hands. Once shown the ropes Lord Vallen had soon consumed most of our pizza and asked if we might order a second. Laughing, I took pity on him and filled his Dragon belly with pizza and soda pop.
He walked me back to my apartment and thanked me for dinner. I pushed open the door to my place and looked around the bland little rooms. It felt naked. “Think it’s too late to decorate?” I asked him.
He smiled. “No, you celebrate this realm’s holiday called Christmas, right? That doesn’t happen for a few more days.”
“True. I'll have to see what I can come up with.”
I watched as he rummaged through the pockets of his coat. “Lose something?”
He stopped and quirked a brow. “I am a Dragon. I don’t lose things. I find them and keep them.”
“Does that include ancient Dragon artifacts?” I teased.
He pulled a small pouch from his pocket. “I did not have charge of the artifact; if I had, it would not have been lost.” He held the pouch out to me. “However, I am doing something that Dragons don’t usually do. I am giving you a treasure. Consider it a thank you for your help. I think it may be of use to you.”
I pulled on the strings of the pouch and opened it up. Inside was a black and silver bead, suspended on a chain. “It’s beautiful, but I’m not sure how much I will use it. I don’t really dress up much.”
“It’s a portal bead. I have one because I am a Dragon Lord, but I recently acquired this one from a Goblin who was less than honorable. Simply focus on it and tell it where you want to go. I figure you may need it to go talk to a certain someone. Just don’t tell anyone where you got it. They’re supposed to be registered with the OAC.” He took it from me and helped fasten it behind my neck.
“Thank you, but why don’t you give it to your friend who found his Soul Mate?” I played with the bead where it sat on my collarbone.
“Hue can already get from point A to point B without it. That and I’m not about to add to his treasure vault. He who dies with the most wins!” He chuckled. “I should get going. Thank you for dinner. I hope you will visit us next time.”
“I guess I don’t have a valid excuse not to. Thank you for coming. My head is clearer.” I walked him out and watched as he disappeared in a ripple of wind. Stepping back inside, I looked around my lonely little apartment. He was right, I needed to give it a shot.
Chapter Twelve
I printed out a copy of my resume then packed my laptop, phone, charger, spare set of clothes and my ice skates. I tugged on my coat and boots, checked that I had my hat and gloves then tossed my bag over my shoulder. “Let’s hope this goes well.”
I closed my eyes and rubbed the bead on my necklace. I pictured the snow-covered North Pole and the warmth of the main house. I felt the air shift around me and a blast of cold swirl past. When I opened my eyes, there, fifty feet in front of me, was the main house. A feeling washed over me that filled me with warmth and courage.
I marched up to the house and pushed open the door to the kitchen. “Close the door, it’s cold out there,” Joy said, with her head shoved deep in the refrigerator. "If you’re hungry there are leftovers in the fridge, otherwise Yule is in full swing. I’ll bring out mugs of brew shortly.” She sounded exasperated.
“I already ate, but I can give you a hand carrying the mugs.” She jumped, smacking her head on a shelf within the industrial-sized ice box.
She whirled around wide-eyed and shocked. “Gracie, I didn’t know you were here. Come in, dear. Sit down and get warm.” She started fussing with the tea kettle.
“Joy, it’s alright, I was only outside for five minutes.” I smiled, setting down my bag. The Dwarven Mom rushed over, wrapping me in a bear hug.
“But what are you doing here, girl?” Her eyes sparkled warmly.
“I came to get what is mine,” I smiled.
“I knew you would be back for your things. Justin said you told him to keep them. I know that when a woman is mad she says things she doesn’t mean, though. I can gather them up for you.” She started to turn around. Grabbing her arm, I urged her to have a seat.
“I’ll take the brew out,” I told her as I gathered up the mugs on a tray.
“Justin’s out there. I don’t want you or him to have to suffer any more than need be. Affairs of the heart are so painful,” she said, patting my hand.
“I need to speak with Markus anyway,” I told her, picking up the tray.
“Last minute Christmas Wish?” Joy grabbed another tray as a cheer went up from the great room. “I’ll give you a hand.” Joy followed me into the great room.
I began passing out mugs. When I got to the last mug I took a big sip and plopped down on Markus’s lap. He was startled, but not as startled as Justin was, who was sitting next to him staring at me wide-eyed. “Santa, I know what I want for Christmas.”
Markus smirked at me but rolled his eyes and played along. “Have you been a good girl this year?”
“Yes, very good. I was a top performer here and in my job back in the States,” I told him.
“That’s wonderful, Gracie. Tell Santa Claus what you would like.” I reached into my back pocket and pulled out a folded paper, handing it to him. Markus reached around and opened it up to read. His eyebrows knit together in confusion. “Your resume? I don’t understand.”
“Santa, I want a job here at the North Pole.” I put on an extra big cheesy smile like kids do for a picture or when they are trying to snowball the Mall Santas.
“You know, normally my HR or Ops people take care of this.” He handed my resume to Justin.
“I realize that, but I wanted to know I got the job on my merits. If you hire me then there really isn’t anything your Ops or HR people can do, right? After all, you are Santa.” My smile brightened that extra watt.
“That is true. I am Santa, so really I am in charge. Consider it done.” I leaned forward and hugged Markus.
“Thanks Santa!” Markus chuckled and helped me up. As soon as I was standing I smiled and plopped down on Justin’s lap.
There was a surprised “Ooomph!” when I did. There were a few stifled chuckles around the room. “Justin Kringle, you are a huge pain in the ass.” There was a gasp from everyone in the room. “You’re a workaholic and a control freak that has to always be right.”
I took his hand in mine. “You are also warm, unselfish, caring and thoughtful. I think I fell for you the moment we met. At the time I thought it was loathing, but now I’m pretty sure it was love. If you don’t feel the same, that’s ok. I just h
ope Gwenna is fine with seeing me all the time because I just took a job here.”
He started to say something but closed his mouth. He took a deep breath and seemed to really study my eyes. Finally he spoke.
“Gwenna and I weren’t engaged. She thought we were, but we weren’t. I couldn’t say anything at first because I didn’t have a chance and then by the time we got in you were asleep and she had told the whole family. I was trying catch you before you left but it was a disaster.”
His eyes were filled with hurt and anger. “You didn’t hear me out, you just left. You leaving was horrible. I felt dead inside and now I’m just mad at you.”
I hadn’t considered this outcome. Everyone was staring at me and I felt severely out of place. I wanted to hop off his lap and go hide but I knew if I did that now it would just confirm his belief that I would run away again. “Well, you can just get over being mad at me. Forgiveness is a virtue. I spent an entire week crying over you. I only showered once. It took a Dragon lecturing me to make me put on real clothes. If I can forgive you for all of that, including breaking my heart, surely you can forgive me for getting mad and scared and running away.”
He slid me off his lap and I had to react quickly to keep from landing on the floor. “You left,” he said, standing and leaving the great room. Dusting myself off, I squared my shoulders and walked back into the kitchen. Joy chased after me. “Gracie, don’t leave. He just needs to calm down. Stay, at least for the night. I don’t have a spare room, but the couch is pretty comfortable.”
I turned and smiled at Joy. “Oh, I’m not leaving. I’m going to take my things, put them in our room and continue this conversation.”
She blinked at me. “Do you think that’s wise?”
“Yes. He obviously wants to punish me for leaving, but I think he needs a lesson in making people listen and communicating. I love your son. He may hate me now, but he is going to listen. He can still hate me tomorrow and that’s ok because I am a professional and I love being a Holiday Spirit.” She stared at me like I was crazy.
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