“What the fuck are you?”
She could hear the note of fear behind Kurt’s usual bluster and took advantage of the moment to renew her struggles. His grip tightened and Krampasarian snarled.
“I am Krampus. I have come to render judgment on the unworthy.”
Knut’s fingers finally loosened and she wrenched herself away, racing across the clearing to Whit’s side. He sprawled limply in the snow but when she gathered him in her arms, she could feel his pulse beating steadily. Robin perched on her shoulder, chittering anxiously.
Krampasarian had been watching her, but when she nodded, grateful tears streaming down her cheeks, he turned back to Knut.
“And I find you unworthy.”
Without another word, he flew at him. Knut was a big man and for a moment, she was frightened that he would prove a challenge for Krampasarian, but it was no contest. The big man was on the ground within seconds, and then a spurt of red sprayed across the snow. Krampasarian roared triumphantly and rose to his feet, blood dripping from his claws. He took a step towards her just as Cinna raced back into the clearing, a crowd of villagers behind her.
“He hurt him,” Cinna sobbed. “He hurt my brother!”
“That demon?” The mayor stared at Krampasarian and stepped protectively in front of the others.
“No!” Cinna and Jaelle spoke simultaneously.
“The bad man,” the girl continued. “The one in the snow.”
Whit moaned in her arms and Melissa appeared at her side. “What happened?”
“He was trying to defend me.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “Knut attacked me.”
“Who are you?” the mayor demanded.
“Jaelle, of course.” The weak voice came from her lap and she looked down to find Whit’s eyes open.
“Whit! How do you feel? How’s your head?”
“Aching,” he muttered, but he pushed himself upright with a hint of his usual grin. “What happened?”
“Krampasarian came and rescued us. Again.” Her voice shook as she looked across the clearing to where he was standing.
But he was gone.
Krampasarian forced himself up the mountain, away from his mate, away from his family. When he had defeated the male who would have preyed on her, for one moment he thought he had won them back. But then the villagers had appeared. He had seen the shock and horror on their faces, seen the way they had gathered protectively around Jaelle and the children. There was no place for him here.
And even though he suspected there was no longer a place for him amongst the Tandroki, he would return. He would fulfill his responsibilities and live out a meaningless, empty life of tradition and duty. His chest ached as if he had been physically wounded, but he ignored it as he began the pre-flight checks. He wouldn’t even allow himself to turn on the monitor for a last look.
As he pressed the ignition controls, he remembered the dirt that had been packed around the back half of the ship. He half-hoped, half-dreaded, the possibility that it would prevent him from leaving, that it would force him to stay longer and clear it away. Instead, the ship trembled for a brief moment, then lifted easily into the air.
He should have headed immediately for the upper atmosphere, but he couldn’t do it. Bringing the ship around in a long circle, he turned back to face the mountain. Their mountain. His hands hesitated over the controls, still unwilling to take that final step, and he saw it.
A white plume of snow rose into the air, slowly, almost poetically, but already beginning to gather speed. An avalanche!
His heart pounding, he studied its path and realized that it was headed straight for the village. Jaelle’s village. The one her ancestors had tried so hard to help. The one that in the end had gathered around her. He couldn’t let it be destroyed.
Even before he made a conscious decision, he was already steering the ship to intercept the mass of snow and rock tumbling down the mountainside. He couldn’t stop it, but he thought he could divert it enough that it wouldn’t take the village. White clouds of snow covered the view port but his hands were steady on the controls. Jaelle’s face appeared in his mind, smiling at him, smiling down at the children. He couldn’t be with them but at least he wouldn’t have to leave them behind.
He was smiling when the ship crashed into the mountain.
Chapter Sixteen
Jaelle and the rescue party were almost to the clearing overlooking the village when she heard the roar. To her shock, the villagers had insisted that the three of them return to the village to recover. Ingrid, Knut’s wife, had been amongst the searchers, and Jaelle had braced herself for her recriminations. Instead, she had given Knut’s body a cursory glance, then turned away without a word. As she did, Jaelle saw the massive bruise discoloring the other woman’s cheek.
Whit had insisted on walking, and excitedly described their adventures on the ship to the curious villagers while she did her best to keep her face composed despite the pain in her chest.
Small, cold fingers slipped into hers. Cinna looked up at her, blue eyes shining hopefully. “He’ll come back. The story says he comes every winter.”
Her heart cracked again. How was she going to explain to the little girl that he wasn’t returning? Before she could respond, she heard a low rumble that grew rapidly louder.
“Avalanche,” the mayor yelled, urging everyone back towards the tree line.
The first flurry of loose snow tumbled past them and she watched in horror as it streaked downhill towards the village.
Melissa started to dart past her and Jaelle grabbed her arm.
The other woman struggled wildly. “My children are there!”
“You can’t help them if you get caught up in it.” Her voice sounded strangely calm despite the way her heart was pounding. “Maybe it will pass by the village.”
Melissa sobbed and clung to her hand. She suspected the other woman knew as well as she did that the chances were very slim.
And then there was a bright flash against the sky. Krampasarian’s ship appeared, heading directly towards them. Surely he didn’t think he could rescue them again? But then the angle of the ship changed slightly, and she realized where he was heading.
“No!” she screamed, even as she pulled Cinna’s face against her skirts.
The ship’s path never varied and she watched in horror as it headed straight into the mass of falling snow. The roar increased, deafening her, and then silence descended around them as the mass of snow finally came to a halt.
A vast, empty field of white spread out in front of her, only a few last puffs of snow floating in the air. The village appeared almost untouched, the majority of the fall further up the valley.
She searched the expanse of white desperately, looking for any indication of where the ship might be. Tears kept threatening to obscure her vision and she dashed them away impatiently. There! The faint silvery line breaking the surface was the only indication of where the ship had gone, but it was enough. It had to be enough.
She thrust Cinna into Whit’s arms and took off. The thick snow made for treacherous footing and it seemed to take forever before she reached that distant line, but she reached it at last. The icy metal burned her fingers but she followed it along the surface as far as she could, then started to dig. The soft snow was easy to sling aside but it was also heavy and her arms soon began to ache. She didn’t care.
“Here.” The gruff voice startled her and she looked up to see the mayor handing her a bucket. “This will be faster.”
More voices sounded and she watched in shock as more of the villagers appeared, equipped with shovels and buckets, and began to dig.
“I… I don’t understand.”
“We all saw it. He deliberately crashed that flying machine of his to stop the avalanche.” The mayor dropped a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll get him out.”
He turned away to direct the digging, and she shook off her shock to resume her own efforts.
It was slow, cold work. He
r arms ached and her hands burned, but she refused to give up until Melissa forced her to pause long enough to drink some hot soup.
“But I…”
“You need to take a break. You won’t do him, or anyone else any good, if you’re half dead from exhaustion.” Melissa pointed at the tree line where several of the women were preparing more soup over a blazing fire. “Don’t you at least want to get warm?”
“I can’t. I have to get to him.”
Melissa studied her face, then nodded. “All right. But at least take the soup first.”
She gulped it down impatiently, but the warmth and the nourishment helped, and she turned back to her task with renewed urgency. They had cleared enough of the snow that she could see the front end of the ship crumpled against the mountainside. The bridge had been destroyed. If he had been sitting there…
No. She refused to consider the possibility. He was alive. She knew he was.
As she bent back to her task, she saw two small determined hands next to hers and looked over to find Whit digging just as fiercely. His face was pale with exhaustion, but he did his best to smile at her.
“Don’t worry. We’ll get him out.”
“Yes we will. Where is Cinna?”
“Linnea is watching her. She wanted to dig, but I told her she had to look after Puppy. That Krampus would want her to do that.”
Tears threatened once again, but she managed a watery smile. “That was smart thinking.”
He sniffed defiantly and turned back to the snow.
A short time later, a shout when up. They had reached the door. As much as she wanted to be the one to dig, she reluctantly agreed to let a few of the larger villagers concentrate on that area. The snow flew as they all gathered around, and Whit’s hand clenched in hers.
“I don’t know how to open it.” A man yelled as they finally uncovered the entire door.
“I can do it.” I hope.
Willing hands lifted her down into the cleared area, and she pressed her hand against the lock, praying that it worked. With an agonizing creak, the door started to open but it only made it part way before freezing into place.
Too impatient to wait while they dug out more snow, she forced her way through the narrow opening. The ship was in almost complete darkness. Only a small line of emergency lights flickered at the base of the walls, walls tilted to an angle that made them more like floors. She made her way along the twisted corridor, metal creaking with every step. Everything looked oddly compressed - as if a giant hand had squeezed the ship. The corridor grew narrower, tighter, and her heart thudded against her chest as she approached what was left of the bridge.
Even the lights were damaged here, and she was in almost complete darkness, but she kept going on her hands and knees, feeling her way. And then silky strands of hair met her outstretched fingers.
“Krampasarian,” she whispered, her hand shaking as she explored further. She felt the familiar ridges of his horns and then his head, wet beneath her fingers. It took a moment before her shocked mind realized that it must be blood.
“Please be all right. Please.” She found his face, his features so familiar to her touch. “I love you.”
“Then it is just as well that I decided to return.” His voice was shaky, weak, but somehow he managed to retain a hint of that familiar arrogance.
“Oh thank God.” She burst into tears.
By the time more of the villagers made their way onto the ship, he had passed out, but his heart beat steadily beneath her hand. Somehow they managed to maneuver him down the twisted corridor and out of the broken ship. More villagers waited to lift him onto a blanket, and she heard the muttered exclamations as they took in his appearance in the full light of day.
She didn’t care. He was alive and he was hers and no one was going to keep them apart. She knelt down next to him to examine his injuries. To her great relief, the only serious injury was the gash on his head and although it was bleeding profusely, it appeared to be only a surface wound.
When Whit flung himself down next to her, she was able to give him a reassuring smile. “He’s going to be fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” She put her arm around his thin shoulders and hugged him. He buried his head against her for a moment before he pushed away, swiping impatiently at his nose.
“Here.” Melissa handed her a damp cloth, and she carefully cleaned the wound.
Fortunately, she had wiped away most of the blood before a small blonde figure threw herself at him. Cinna’s shoulders shook with her sobs and Jaelle reached for her, but before she could pull the girl into her arms, a big hand came up and gently patted her back.
“Do not cry, little one.”
“You’re all right!” Cinna cried.
“I am now. Now that I am back with my family.” Dark eyes studied her face as he extended his other hand to her.
Smiling through her tears, she took his hand and drew Whit with her. “Our family.”
More murmurs came from the villagers and she looked up defiantly, but she didn’t see the hostility that she expected. Several of the men looked suspicious, but most of the women were smiling. Perhaps she had more friends here than she realized.
But these three were the ones who really mattered, she thought, looking back down at Krampasarian, Cinna still clinging to his neck and Whit tight against her side. Then Puppy came tumbling over, Robin flying past him to land on her shoulder. A mismatched family to be sure, but one she was never letting go.
Epilogue
One year later…
Anakarian D’Marchandar stared up at Jaelle from big, blue eyes as he nursed hungrily. He had his father’s silvery blond hair and tiny, adorable nubs where his horns would grow, but his eyes were all hers.
A son. After generations of an uninterrupted female line, she had finally broken the tradition and allowed nature to dictate the sex of her child. Krampasarian had been delighted, but considering the attention he lavished on Cinna, she was sure he would have been just as delighted with a daughter. Perhaps next time…
Just the idea that there could be a next time filled her with delight. Her son would never need to be alone. Of course, he might not appreciate that fact, she thought wryly, as Whit came rushing in. Puppy, who was almost as big as Whit now, bounded after him. Despite his size and a fearsome array of teeth, he had maintained his sweet, playful nature.
“Mama!” Whit yelled.
Anak shot a suspicious glance in Whit’s direction and suckled harder.
“What is it, sweetheart?”
“Papa is going to teach me how to fight.”
“What?”
She frowned at Krampasarian, who had followed Whit into the room. Despite her frown, her heart still skipped a beat, just as it did every time she saw her tall, handsome husband.
Cinna grinned from her position perched on his arm. “Me, too!”
“Don’t you think we should have discussed this first?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I am just going to teach them some simple self-defense moves,” he said soothingly. “It will discipline their minds as well as their bodies.”
“Let’s go practice,” Whit shouted with his usual exuberance and Cinna nodded enthusiastically, demanding to be let down.
The children and Puppy scampered off and Krampasarian came to join her, dropping a brief kiss between the nubs of Anak’s horns before pressing a much longer kiss to her lips.
“Don’t try and distract me,” she scolded him when he finally raised his head, even though her body hummed with pleasure.
“Would I do such a thing?”
“Absolutely. You were trained from birth to be manipulative.”
“I would never attempt to manipulate you, my love,” he said earnestly.
“I know you wouldn’t.” He did, of course, but only ever with the intention of making her happy. And his knack for diplomatic maneuvering meant that the village had accepted him with surprising ease. “
But I’m still not sure about this fighting thing.”
“Do you not want our children to be able to defend themselves? In case someone else like Knut appears in our lives?”
“You’d never let him hurt us.” She put a finger over his lips when he started to respond. “But I understand your point. I’ll withdraw my objection.”
“Thank you, my love.”
Anak’s suckling had finally slowed to an occasional lazy pucker and his eyes were closed. She pried his mouth away and Krampus took him, burped him, and carried him to his crib. He turned back as she began buttoning her top.
“You do not need to cover yourself on my behalf.” The hunger in his eyes sent an answering thrill of desire through her body as he prowled back over to her. He circled a distended nipple with a careful finger. “I very much enjoy the sight of your body lush from motherhood.”
“I think you’ve made that clear,” she said breathlessly, arching into his hand. His passion for her had never diminished.
“Perhaps we should take a nap while our son naps,” he whispered, his fingers clamping down on the sensitive bud just enough to send a streak of pleasure straight to her aching clit.
She swayed towards him, but as she did, a shout came from outside. They both froze, then she sighed as she heard Whit yelling instructions at Cinna. “As much as I would love to take you up on that, you know we’d be interrupted.”
“Not if I am fast enough.”
“Those are not words that thrill a woman’s heart.”
“I am sure I could prove differently.”
She was quite sure that he could, but she laughed and shook her head, buttoning her blouse. “I know. But tonight you can take as much time as you want. After the celebration.”
“Are you really going to make me wear that ridiculous costume?”
Despite his protests, she knew that he was looking forward to the evening. After the events of the previous year, the legend of Krampus had been modified, transforming him from a dark spirit to a generous one, and tonight they would celebrate.
“After the celebration,” she repeated, just as the door swung open and Whit appeared.
Krampus and the Crone: A SciFi Alien Warrior Holiday Romance Page 10
