“Something like that,” he answered with a slight quirk of his brow that told me I had just oversimplified it.
“What if I don’t believe in holiday spirit?” I retorted quickly.
“Then you will really suck at your job and won’t be paid. If you read the contract, you have twenty-two days to complete at least ten cases if you expect to be paid.” He nodded to the pen.
“I was an executive assistant, I used to put out more than ten fires before lunch every day. How hard can it be?” I took the pen, signing and initialing my way through the pile of papers.
“Excellent, now that the paperwork is all set let’s get you a uniform and some magic.” I blinked at his words but he led me out of the office. Just down the hall and to the right was a large green metal door. Justin pushed it open, revealing a room where hundreds, if not thousands, of costumes hung on a garment conveyer like one would find at a drycleaners. “Hi there Maggie, I have a new Holiday Spirit in need of a uniform and magic.”
A short Gnome dressed all in blue looked at me from her chair. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes twinkled and her mouth was drawn up in a disapproving sneer. “A Werewolf-Human Halfling? The council must really be scraping the bottom of the bucket these days.” I fought down the urge to tell her just exactly who I was.
She looked me over. “Normally they bring me pretty, thin Elves or beautiful, dainty Fairies. I’m not sure I have anything that will fit her.” Her tone was flat and barely hid her lack of approval.
I looked down at myself. While I wasn’t supermodel thin, I took pretty good care of myself. I had curves for sure, but my waist was narrow and I knew my assets were appealing to the opposite gender. The woman pulled several articles from hangers and bins before tossing them on the counter.
First she held up a long white dress that seemed practically transparent. It had a cape made of the same fabric. I hoped my job was indoors and well heated. Next was a cumbersome hat that looked like it had started life as a wreath that lost a fight with a florist and things didn't get better from there. The final accessory was a pouch that held sparkling dust that looked like the fake glitter-snow malls used to decorate with. “Here you go, missy.” She handed me a clipboard. “All articles are to be worn anytime you are out doing field work. Any damages to the items will be taken out of your pay. Please sign the release.” I scribbled a signature on the paper and handed it back.
“Thanks, Maggie, you’re a doll. I’ll see you tonight at the productivity meeting, right?” Justin made it seem like the North Pole was all business and no fun, but he was so cheerful as he did it. Maggie the Gnome blushed and waved him away. Justin turned to me.
“Now, if you follow me one last time I will show you to the dorms where you will be staying this month, and the office as well. I’m sure you want to get started as soon as possible.” His smile was beginning to look a little too energetic to me.
When we arrived at the dorms I stood just inside the doorway while he talked to the manager. Every time someone came in or out a gust of arctic air would hit me. All I was wearing were my pajamas. When Justin finally came back it was to find me turning blue and shaking.
“We have a small problem.”
I knew I wasn’t going to like the answer. “What sort of problem?”
“We’re out of space. Not to worry though, I will take you over to the Dwarven housing and see if I can find a spare room or something for you. There are many of us who live here year-round so the housing over there is a little homier. The down side is there are no shuttles to the office or facilities so you’ll need to walk or see if you can arrange rides.” He seemed satisfied with his answer.
“How far is it from here?” I was already freezing just from standing in the doorway.
“Not too far, maybe a fifteen or twenty minute jaunt.” He opened the door and I was smacked full force with icy air. He held the door open and motioned for me to go ahead.
He said jaunt like it was the distance from the front door to the end of the driveway where one would pick up the morning paper. A distance that when walked at a leisurely pace took less than a minute to cover. The one mile hike in blistering cold weather was not a jaunt.
My feet were freezing in the slipper socks I wore and I had stopped shaking. In fact I was starting to realize I was really rather sleepy. I was so tired, I noticed my vision was starting to blur a little. I stumbled trying to keep up with Justin. I could hear him talking but couldn't understand a word he was saying.
Finally, he stopped and turned to say something to me. His eyes widened in surprise and he quickly closed the few steps between us. “You’re turning blue! I didn’t know Humans or Werewolves did that.”
I tried to answer but nothing came out but a squeak. His face went from surprised to alarmed in the blink of an eye. He looked around us and seemed upset when he didn’t see what he was looking for. In one fluid motion he scooped me up in his arms and began to dash through the snow.
In just a few short moments I was in a large blue chair sitting by a fire as he heaped piles of blankets on me. He dashed out of the room, returning moments later with a basin of warm water. He knelt to peel the socks from my feet and slid the water basin under them. I sucked in air at how hot it felt. “Wow that’s hot!” I said trying to pull me feet out of it. He reached up, holding my knees in place.
“Actually it’s room temperature at best. You almost have frostbite and probably have hypothermia. What were you thinking coming to the North Pole dressed like that? I thought it was some weird Werewolf thing that let you stay warm.”
If I could have moved I would have boxed his ears. He knew I had arrived in my pajamas. He saw me get out of bed.
“Where I’m from we don’t kidnap people bed and all to have them start working. If we are going to relocate them we give them at least a few hours to pack and possibly a packing list. I submitted the application and went to bed. What did you expect?” I didn’t mean to be rude but I was more than a little frustrated with the situation.
“What I expect is for you to be professional. Did you know you were applying to work with a magical organization?” His tone matched mine.
“Yes,” I answered.
“Did the job posting mention the North Pole?” he asked, becoming more irritated.
“Yes,” I nodded.
“Then what did you think this was? We service the Yule, Christmas, Winter Festival, Bleak Days and so on season for ALL THE REALMS. Billions if not trillions count on us and our magic to make the season bright. If you weren’t interested in the job, why did you apply?” His final words were edged with a harsh tone.
I bit my lip for a moment staring daggers at him. “Look, Grace, my job isn’t to be your friend. My job is to make sure things get done. And guess what?” I quirked a brow at him. “From now until Christmas Eve, that’s your job too.”
I was finally able to wiggle my toes again. When Justin noticed he added actual hot water to the basin. Sighing in frustration he looked up at me before standing. “You stay here. I’m going to find you a place to stay and I’ll see if I can track down some clothes you can wear. Hopefully you can wear Dwarven clothes.” He stormed out of the room closing the door behind him.
For the first time I looked around the room I was in. It felt more like a cottage. A large log bed sat in the corner covered in pillows, quilts, furs and blankets. A single window ran the full length of the room allowing the snow fluttering in lamplight to dance in the wind. The wall with the fireplace had four wooden bookshelves, each with intricate carvings of holly, snowflakes and northern animals. The shelves held a mixture of books, photos, and other personal mementos. The mantle was covered in the same ornamental carvings as the bookshelves. Above the fireplace were a collection of family photos, many of them with Justin. He had brought me to his personal quarters. I was sure there were rules for that too.
The only other furniture in the dwelling was a rustic wooden table and a matching blue ottoman. The man lived simply. Comfortably, but simply. I
looked back at the photos. Many of them showed a smile that was carefree. His lone dimple acted like a beacon pulling the viewer into the joy of the moment.
My thoughts were interrupted when the owner of said dimple came back in the front door stomping his feet and swearing under his breath. His arms were filled with what looked like clothes but the look on his face didn’t seem like someone who had returned victorious. I started to stand to come help him with his armload but he snapped at me to stay seated.
“Well, I have good news and bad news. Which would you like first?” He dumped the pile of clothes on his bed.
“Well, let’s get the painful part over with first. Always better to just rip off the bandage.” I offered a half-hearted smile.
“We don’t have any rooms left. All of my sisters are doubled up in their quarters already. As are all my female cousins. I tried to see if we could free up a bed anywhere. I found a cot, and as I am the only person not sharing a room, guess who your new bunkmate is.” He smiled sarcastically. “I was very set against sharing my room with a female, especially one I’m not related to or involved with.”
I shrugged. “I grew up with brothers. When I visit the family in Scotland we all sort of pile in. Werewolves tend to sleep with their packs and clans. So when I went with my parents I slept in a den with a dozen others. I can handle a cot.”
He raised a brow at me. “Besides the whole male-female thing, it’s totally inappropriate because I am your superior.”
“Do you plan on seducing me?” My blunt question seemed to affect him as if I had slapped him.
He sputtered and mumbled. “Of course not! I am a Dwarven gentleman. I assure you I am honorable.”
I giggled without meaning to. I buried my face in my hands trying to quell the need to laugh. When I removed them to speak I was still smiling. Justin stared at my smile in an almost trance-like state.
“If you’re not going to seduce me then I doubt there is a reason to be concerned, right?” He just nodded.
“I have nothing to fear from you because you are a gentleman with honorable intentions. Problem solved. Any other bad news?” He shook his head, still silent. “Then what is the good news?”
“Huh?” was all he said.
“I said, what is the good news?” I pursed my lips, still grinning, trying not to giggle.
“Oh, right! Sorry.” He looked down; slightly embarrassed by his unresponsiveness. “I was able to get a selection of clothes. You should see if any of these fit.”
I started to get up but he rushed over and urged me to sit back down. He then knelt again to check my feet.
“They look like they will be ok. You’ll want to keep your feet and head warm here as much as possible.” He grabbed a small towel and patted away the worst of the moisture.
I made my way to the bed and dug through the pile of clothes. There were a half dozen pairs of pants and sweaters, a hat, a wool coat, wool socks, a scarf and boots. I tugged off my pajamas and pulled a pair of pants, a sweater and socks on.
When I turned to face Justin again I discovered he was as red as a berry. “What’s wrong?”
“You were, umm, well… just now.” There was something strangely adorable about him not being able to put together words.
“Naked?” I offered.
“Yeah, that,” he said pointing at me. I laughed and waved it away.
“I’m sorry. Werewolf family, sort of destroys any semblance of modesty someone may have. It wasn’t until high school that my father or brothers started wearing any clothes around the house. I brought a few friends home to study one day and, well, let’s say there were some angry phone calls.” I shrugged.
He laughed. “Did you and your brothers get the Were genes?”
“Sort of, I guess all three of us got it to various degrees. If we complete the Darkling rituals we can actually become full Were but I’m not sure that’s something any of the three of us want.”
I folded the clothes on the bed. “Where should I put these?”
He held out his arms and took the clothes. “Over here,” he nodded to an empty wall. “Push on that knot in the wood.”
I looked at the wood paneling but did what he said. To my amazement the panel slid open, revealing a closet. While nothing huge, it was certainly bigger than what I had in Portland. He stacked the clothes on a shelf that didn’t have much on it.
He slid the door shut. “If you’re staying with me let’s set some ground rules. Music will only be listened to on headphones from eleven PM to eight AM. I don’t like things messy so while it is fine to eat in here make sure all plates make it back to the kitchen before you go to bed. If you put your boots on I will show you where the bathroom, kitchen, dining room and main hall are. Mind you, these are all part of the family house so normally outsiders would eat, sleep, etc. at the dorms, but at night you can stay on this side of the campus during nonworking hours.”
I tugged the boots on, happy when they fit well enough, and grabbed the coat as I stepped out the door behind him. Shrugging the coat on I walked across an entryway and through another door. It led into a large kitchen that looked like it belonged in a gingerbread house. Grabbing my wrist, Justin led me through the house, showing me several bathrooms to choose from, many equipped with multiple showers, sinks and toilets. The final room was large with a vaulted ceiling. It looked like a modern log cabin with a massive fireplace, several groupings of large plush chairs, ottomans and sofas. The gem of the room was a sparkling fifteen foot tree covered in every type of ornament imaginable.
“It’s beautiful,” I said breathlessly.
“Yeah, we’re pretty fond of it. You are welcome to anything in the fridge or cupboards that doesn’t have a note on it. Feel free to read any books or watch movies if you have down time. Welcome to your home for the next three weeks.”
He started to turn to leave. “Oh and don’t mention to anyone not in the family that you’re staying in the main house. We wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea.” Before I could respond he was headed out the door back to his quarters.
“Wait, aren’t you going to show me the office? What about my bed in the workshop? Who do I need to report to in order to start… spiriting?” I asked in a flurry of questions.
“I’ll have your bed sent home for you. I’ll take you to the office now if you want to get started right away.” He seemed to relax a little at the news I wanted to get started.
As we left the house, he turned towards a small barn. Inside were a half-dozen snowmobiles. “You never saw these,” he said, holding a finger up to his mouth.
“Mum’s the word.” When he climbed on one I was a little hesitant. I remembered riding them as a kid. I also remembered falling off the back of one in college and needing stitches. With a quick, silent prayer I climbed on behind him.
“Hold on tight.” I wrapped my arms around him and was surprised when he gave them a tug, pulling them tighter.
With a loud roar we rushed through the afternoon snow back towards the workshop facilities. Before we reached it we turned down a path and parked the snowmobile next to a few others out of sight.
"Ok, let’s get you set up and running."
An hour later I was settled into a desk staring at snow tumbling down outside. I smiled. It was exactly what I had all but wished for the day before. I turned my attention to a pile of folders in front of me. My job was to read the files then go and orchestrate things so a holiday miracle took place without causing harm to others. So obviously I couldn’t use magic to make a store give a bunch of bikes to orphans if it meant the store wouldn’t make enough money to pay the bills.
Work holiday magic and don’t be seen. When I asked why I had to wear the flimsy costume if I wasn’t to be seen I was given the answer of, “Just in case.” Lame!
The first case seemed pretty easy. A soup kitchen in Pittsburgh had to turn people away because they didn’t have enough food to feed all those in need. It took me all afternoon but I managed to convince fou
r local restaurants to bring the extra food they would normally need to toss at the end of the day to the soup kitchen. By six I had all the needed paperwork in their hands so they received the charitable tax write-off, and the soup kitchen had enough donations to keep people fed.
“One down, nine more to go.” I smiled as I looked at the clock. It was a quarter of eight by the time I wrapped up. I realized just how hungry I was when my stomach protested. I'd skipped lunch and hadn’t eaten all day. I gathered up a few files and tucked them into my coat. I planned to start reviewing them tonight before bed. I hoped the kitchen had something warm to eat.
When I trudged back to the house I stepped into the kitchen rather than Justin’s quarters. I could hear many people in the dining room laughing and conversing. I considered for a moment going in to say hello, but instead made a plate and took it along with a hot cup of coffee back to the room.
I pulled the small table over to the fire and the large blue chair, careful not to spill any of the food that I had set on it. I went to the closet to see if there was something more sleep-worthy in the things he had brought me earlier. When I didn’t find anything I pulled out an old flannel shirt that looked like it didn’t see much use anymore. I tossed it over the back of the chair, then sat and ate.
When I finished I returned the plate to the kitchen, and went to find a shower. The bathrooms were deserted. It sounded like everyone was still in the dining room or great room. After my shower I pulled on the flannel, folded my clothes from the day and darted barefoot down the hall, through the kitchen and back across the snowy entranceway. I had realized walking around in nothing but a flannel may be frowned on here, so I tried to be quick.
I grabbed a blanket from the bed and curled up with my cases by the fire. I flipped through the pages quickly realizing that my first case was my only easy case. At some point I fell asleep.
I was shaken awake a short time later. “Hey, Grace, wake up.” I blinked myself awake surprised to find Justin standing over me.
“Hey, I brought the cot in and made it up. You can go to bed.”
Holiday Spirit for Hire Page 2
