Merry & Bright: A Christmas Anthology (Nocturne Falls Universe)

by Fiona Roarke

  “Scared. I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “Me, too.”

  Jack turned away from them, adding the supplies to his bag before he carefully settled the strap on his right shoulder. The amulet warmed against his skin; he muttered a spell, letting the quartz draw his words in, hold the spell until he needed it.

  By the time Tami turned to face him, he was ready. He nodded, and she took a deep breath.

  “Okay, she said, smiling at Lidia and Harrison. “Let’s go do this.”

  Tami had never ventured outside of Nocturne Falls, and the forest surprised her.

  It was thick, dense, and almost spookier than the town that celebrated Halloween every day. She fought the desire to turn around and run back to town.

  Like he knew, Jack took her hand. His warm fingers twined with hers, his touch soothing. She knew that their time together was short, so she planned to enjoy every second—even when they were walking through a forest that could have been in the opening scene of a horror movie.

  Harrison stopped in a clearing, his face so pale he almost glowed in the moonlight. Lidia gripped his hand, and Tami had to constantly force down the need to jerk her friend away, in case he started to shift.

  So far, he stayed human—which proved Jack’s theory about the ring.

  Jack freed her hand and stepped forward. “Is this the place, Harrison?”

  “Yes.” He took a shaky breath. “I haven’t been back since that night.”

  “I understand this is difficult. Stand away from him, Lidia. I want you and Tami to stay at the edge of the clearing.” He met Tami’s eyes. “No matter what happens, make sure she stays.”

  “I will.” She grabbed Lidia’s arm and pulled her away from Harrison, dragging her before they got halfway across the clearing. “Lidia—”

  “I have to stay with him—let me go—”

  Tami used the advantage of her height and picked her friend up, carrying her to the trees. “Stop, Lidia, please. He wants to keep us safe—all of us.”

  Lidia let out a choked sob, and sagged against her. “I can’t lose him, Tam. I just can’t.”

  “I won’t let that happen, sweetie.” She gathered Lidia into her arms. “I trust Jack, and I know you do.”

  Rubbing Lidia’s back, Tami looked over at Jack. He stood next to Harrison, handing him what looked like a necklace.

  “Put this on,” Jack said. When Harrison hesitated, he crossed his arms. “I need you to trust me, or this won’t work.”

  “I do.” Harrison took a shaky breath, and slipped the chain over his head. An amulet rested against his chest, with a clear, round quartz in the center of the triangle. “It feels warm.”

  “It’s supposed to. Where was your wound?”

  “My right shoulder.” He laid his hand on his shoulder, and looked at Jack. “Tell me what to do.”

  “Defend yourself.”

  Jack pulled a knife out of his bag and raised his arm.

  “No!” Lidia leapt forward, fighting when Tami caught her. “Let me go!”

  Tami wanted to, but she had to believe in Jack, believe that he wouldn’t hurt Harrison—

  She almost let go when Jack swept the knife down.

  Harrison shouted, catching Jack’s wrist. The blade—the silver blade—hovered inches from Harrison’s shoulder.

  “What are you doing, Cross?” she muttered—and grunted when Lidia’s elbow hit her ribs. She tightened her grip, silently apologizing.

  “Shift, Harrison.” Jack’s voice was perfectly calm, but Tami saw his arm trembling, sweat sliding down his face. “Shift, as you did that night.”

  “I didn’t—” He twisted his grip, but Jack moved with him, the knife moving closer. “Why are you—doing this—”

  “You’re stuck, in that moment. You need—to move past it.”

  Jack let out a pained gasp when Harrison’s grip twisted again, fiercely this time.

  The amulet started to glow, and Tami felt the familiar tingle of magic brushing her skin.

  “Harry!” Lidia fought Tami’s grip. “What are you doing—ˮ

  Harrison’s furious roar cut her off—right before he shifted.

  Lidia froze, which was a good thing, because Tami was too busy staring to hold on to her.

  She never thought about what the shifters she’d met over the past months did when they actually shifted. Watching Harrison change from man to wolf left her heart pounding, and terrified for the sorcerer trying to help him.

  Harrison as wolf was huge, his claws so long and sharp they could pierce Jack like the knife he still held. Snarling, Harrison shook Jack’s wrist. The knife flew out of his hand, leaving him defenseless.

  Tami sprinted forward just as Harrison pinned Jack to the nearest tree, those long claws wrapped around his throat.

  “Harrison—you have to let him go.” She couldn’t believe she was talking to a werewolf, never mind practically ordering him to give up his prey. “Look at yourself. You’re a wolf—he helped you with that. Please, let him go now.”

  She stumbled back when he glared at her, tripping over the uneven ground. Lidia stepped in front of her, arms crossed, the familiar glow of her power surrounding her. That only happened when she was furious.

  “Harry Grey. Let him go right now.” He blinked, looking down at her. His wolf dwarfed her by almost two feet, but she didn’t even flinch. “I mean it. He risked his life to help you—this is not how you repay him.” When he didn’t move, she marched forward and smacked his furred arm. “Harrison! Shift back right now.”

  He did, only a little shaky when he became human again. “Lidia—”

  She threw herself at him, and he let go of Jack to catch her. Tami rushed past them, grabbing Jack’s right arm as he slid down the tree.

  “Hey,” she said. He looked awful, bruises already marking his throat.

  “Hey,” he whispered, and flinched, reaching for his throat.

  She stopped him. “That was the dumbest thing I’ve seen in a long time. What were you thinking?”

  “He needed to—relive the attack, and win this time.”

  “So, you decided that you could play rival werewolf, after being injured just hours before.”

  “Well, yes.”

  She laid her forehead against his. “You’re crazy, sorcerer. I like that about you.”

  “I like you,” he whispered. “That could have—gone better.”

  “You think?” She eased back and met his eyes. “Can you stand?”

  He nodded, killing her doubt by not only standing, but walking across the clearing, with only her arm for support. She wouldn’t mention that he stumbled a few times before they reached the trees.

  Lidia and Harrison walked ahead of them, her arms wrapped around his waist. For the first time, Tami noticed just how tiny she looked next to Harrison, but how strong she was for him, had always been, since they first met.

  She wanted that kind of relationship, but she had to fall for a sorcerer. Her, a mortal, with one of the most powerful men in the South. It would never work.

  “Time to go home,” she muttered.

  “What?” Jack’s raw voice snapped her head up.

  “I talk to myself. Didn’t I tell you?”

  He smiled, and her already aching heart cracked more. “I figured that out, in the bedroom.”

  Heat flushed her cheeks as she remembered their time together. It would have been easier to let him go, if he hadn’t treated her with such care, with such—love.

  Idiot—you already fell for him.

  Tami and Jack were a block from his apartment when he stopped her.

  “Cross—what’s wrong?”

  “You are.”

  She yanked her hand free and took a giant step back. “What?”

  “I’m not doing this right.” He scrubbed at his face, and met her eyes. He looked beyond exhausted, but those intense hazel eyes were sharp and clear. “I want you to wait until I’m finished. This isn’t easy for me.”

&n
bsp; “Spit it out, Cross, before you fall over.”

  He sighed, and moved in until he could take her hand, studying their twined fingers. “There’s a myth, in my family, passed down from one generation to the next. This myth claims that we always see the aura of the person meant for us.”

  “You don’t believe it.”

  “I didn’t—until I saw your aura, the first time we met.”

  “Oh.” She swallowed. “That must have been a shock.”

  “One that has taken me until now to move past.” He looked at her, his hazel eyes intense. “Here it is, quick and dirty. I love you, and if you will have me, I’d like to marry you.”

  It took a minute for his words sink in. Then what he said finally registered.

  “That was the least romantic proposal I’ve ever heard.” Tami pulled out of his grasp and crossed her arms, her heart pounding so hard she was sure he could hear it. “Try again.”

  With the half-smile that she had fallen for, he nodded, and lowered himself to one knee.

  “Tami Bennett.” Her eyes widened when he pulled a ring out of his pocket and held it up. “I’m afraid I can’t let you go.”

  “How—when—Cross…” Tears stung her eyes, and she blinked, mortified when they slipped down her cheeks.

  “I have been lost, Bennett, since the moment we met. My heart refuses to give you up, and for once, I agree. Please give me an answer, before I stiffen up and can’t stand.”

  She let out a watery laugh, then sank to the sidewalk. “I wouldn’t want that. You’re sure, Cross? I’m the ‘until death do us part’ type, so there’s no backing out of this.”

  “According to family myth, you were meant for me. I love you, and I never expected to care for a woman enough to say those words.”

  “I’m honored.”

  “That’s not—sarcasm?”

  “Not this time.” She smiled. “You have so much to learn, Cross.”

  “As long as you will be the one teaching me.” He took her hand, and slipped the gorgeous teardrop sapphire on her finger. “Say yes, Bennett, and I will stand at your side, no matter what trouble you find.”

  “I’m not the only trouble attracter, sorcerer.”

  He leaned in, until his breath warmed her lips. “Then we should have an interesting life.”

  “Yes, Cross. You know the answer is yes.” She cradled his cheek. “I fell the second I saw you.”

  He smiled. “It’s good to know I am not the only hopeless romantic kneeling on the sidewalk.”

  He was still smiling when he kissed her.

  The End

  The Witch’s Snow Globe Wish

  by Larissa Emerald

  Chapter One

  The off-road course rose before him, two laps to go and he was neck and neck with the werewolf. Jake Newburg grinned to himself. Racing made him feel alive. His modified wheelchair allowed him to sit low and lean forward. His biceps strained as he pushed his hands against the wheels in rapid succession. Sweat streamed from his forehead. His tank-style shirt clung to his pecks and back. Throaty laughter peeled from his lips as his gain lengthened.

  He was going to win this. Crossing the finish line felt exhilarating.

  “Awesome race,” Billy said, clapping his hand in Jakes and tugging the grasp until their wheelchairs clanked and their shoulders touched.

  “It sure was, thanks,” Jake replied.

  They both reached for their water bottles to replenish the fluid they’d lost. “Are you going to the Steeple County race over New Years?” Billy asked.

  “Yes. I’ve sent my race entry.”

  “Excellent. See you then.”

  Over by his Suburban, Jake hit the button to raise the backend of the vehicle. He pushed his body from the wheelchair and stood, using the side of the SUV near the tail light for support until he could reach in the back for his cane. He loaded the racing chair and closed the electronic door. His arms felt a tad weak as he leaned onto the cane while he made his way to the driver’s seat and slid behind the steering wheel.

  Today had been an outstanding day. He started the engine and headed home.

  If only he could feel this alive every day.

  “Christmas is in three weeks, Mom. I’ll come home a few days before, and we can shop then,” Telia Kraft pinched her cell phone between her chin and shoulder as she slid the mail from the box, including a small package. The snowglobe she’d ordered, a quick check of the label confirmed.

  She lived on the outskirts of Nocturne Falls in a section of homes with large, wooded acre lots. It was a hefty trek back up the drive to the house. Her mom lectured about the importance of being together as a family over the holidays the entire way.

  Back inside the house, Telia held the phone aloft and sighed heavily. Ever since her younger sister had left for college, mom had been going through empty nest syndrome. This meant she was pressured to fill in the missing togetherness time.

  Her parents lived in Atlanta. Abigail attended the University of Georgia not far away. Holidays were a big deal for mom. And even though Telia was twenty-seven her mother insisted everyone be home for Christmas. And honestly, she liked that.

  She dropped the mail on top of the stack on the counter with the intention of getting to it when she paid bills on Thursday. The pile of letters and mailers didn’t sit right, though, and spilled onto the floor. “Okay Mom, I promise we’ll have enough time to make it a fabulous Christmas.” She peered at the envelopes scattered at her feet. “Love you too.”

  After she pressed the end button, she opened the package with anticipation. As a child, she’d collected snow globes, but it had been a long time since she’d gotten a new one. A few weeks ago, she’d found a lovely Christmas scene that spoke to her in a Facebook ad and she’d ordered it.

  Inside the box and styrofoam packaging she found another box of polished cherry wood. As soon as she lifted the top to reveal the snow globe, a tingle washed over her. The scene captured the perfect family setting, gathered around the fireplace, complete with a Christmas tree and dog.

  Her heart melted with longing. “I wish…”

  She swished the snow and watched it fall, and then set the snow globe in a safe place at the back of the counter. She would find the ideal spot to display it later.

  With a sigh, she bent and picked up the fallen letters, repositioning them on the counter. As she went to set down the very last one, she froze glancing at the soft-white envelope. Her hand shook a little as a mixture of joyful and fretful emotions pulsed off the envelope into her fingers. Her witchy powers included picking up and reading information off of inanimate objects, such as how the person felt or thought about things in their life. And sometimes even from the person themselves, reading them as it were. She flipped the envelope over to see who it was from. No return label. Plus the missive was addressed to Jake Newburg, not her. He lived two doors down.

  She knew because they had dated over the summer.

  Sucking in her lower lip, her gaze skimmed the letter pile then moved to her computer where she needed to get back to work. As a virtual personal assistant, getting her client’s marketing out in a timely manner was vital. More important than sorting through mail or delivering a wayward letter.

  However the imprint on the missive nudged her to finish the job of delivering the letter. Her fingers pinched the envelope. It was meant for Jake. She should take it to him even though the idea of seeing him made her tummy anxious. They’d been introduced at the Red, White, and Boo by realtor Pandora Williams. At first, she thought they’d hit it off. He gave her good vibes. Until Jake had dropped her like a hot potato, although he’d never said why. He’d just stopped calling.

  The muscles along her spine tensed. Delivering this note was going to be so awkward. But she really need to suck-it-up and get it done. She sensed the letter was some kind of invitation…and time sensitive. How many days had it sat on her counter, undelivered? The date stamp in the corner was smeared and illegible. So there was no way to
tell.

  She decided to take the letter to her neighbor right now and avoid further delay. With a sigh, she headed back out the door, feeling a tad pleased to gain control over her propensity for procrastination. She almost had a skip in her step as she walked the driveway to the street. Two doors down shouldn’t take that long to achieve. Plus it would count for her exercise.

  With her job as a personal assistant, she was sedentary way too much.

  She approached the drive, double checking the numbers on the envelope just the make sure it was Jake’s. Yes, this was it. The house couldn’t be seen from the street. Gravel crunched beneath her feet as she moved down the drive that curved around between thickly wooded trees. She inhaled the fragrant aroma of the forest. A few of the oaks appeared very old.

  An air of isolation and remoteness wafted around her. My goodness, he had a long drive. She’d forgotten that.

  Finally, she came upon the house constructed, or decorated, in flagstone siding. It had the appearance of an English cottage. She traipsed up the steps and knocked on the solid wood door.

  The place was well kept. She liked that about Jake. Not a cobweb in sight. She craned her head back scrutinizing the corners near the ceiling. Actually, she had liked a lot of things about him. Too bad it hadn’t worked out for them.

  The door clicked open. She snapped her head down to discover the heartstoppingly attractive man standing before her. Where was his wheel chair?

  “May I help you?” he asked, his brows lifted in recognition.

  “Um, yeah. Your mail was delivered to my house by mistake.” She handed it to him.

  “Thanks. It was nice of you to drop it by.” He glanced at the envelope.

  Telia felt a pinch in her neck as she tilted her head back to gaze at his dark brown eyes. Big mistake. The vampire was alluring and sexy as ever. “It looks like an invitation.”