Smoke and Mistletoe (Best Wishes Book 3)

by A. J. Macey

  “We don’t use it very often, but we thought you’d like to be a part of it,” Cam explained.

  “Is it something that only works when we’re in the same area or when Hudson is around? Or can it be used long distance like walkie talkies?” I couldn’t stop my excited questions.

  “I don’t know if we’ve ever tried long distance,” Logan mused with a head tilt. “It might be fun to try though, see how much we can strengthen that link.”

  “So is that a yes, Princess?” Hudson brought the conversation back to him.

  “Yes!” I squealed, hopping up and down slightly in my excitement. “Does it hurt or anything?”

  “No, just need to mentally connect with you through the link. I’m hoping your mental barrier won’t make it too difficult.”

  “I’ve been working on it with Alex. It’s still solid, but it has a bit more fluidity to it now,” I told him. “Will that work?”

  Hudson nodded with a smile and instructions to close my eyes and relax the edge of my mind where I felt him brushing against my barrier. I didn’t fully sink into it, not wanting to overexert myself after a night of not sleeping well, but I felt the odd prickling sensation of the link being fused into the bubble surrounding my mental wall. It only took a moment, and when Hudson pulled back, there was a weight settling on me. Not in the sense that I felt bogged down, but the way a comforting blanket feels when you’re curled up in bed. After a little bit of getting used to it, I decided I liked the feeling.

  “How do you work this thing?” I questioned once Hudson stepped back from me and rejoined the circle. “Will you hear everything I think?”

  “No, you have to actively push the thought into the link,” Hudson explained, his mouth unmoving as his words filtered into my mind. “Once you get a bit more used to it, we can work on you sending individual thoughts to me versus the group.”

  “Can you hear me?” I thought, pressing into that tether I felt. Smiles appeared on their faces, answering my question. “This is cool.”

  “Yeah, Hudson has his uses,” Nik teased, elbowing him in the arm. Grigori hopped to stay on top of Nik’s shoulder through the abrupt movement.

  “Fuck off, witchy boy,” Hudson threw back, sticking his tongue out. “Lucie loves me regardless.”

  “That’s right,” I answered, “I love all of you. Merry Christmas, guys, thank you for the present. I love it.” With that, they converged on me, echoed sentiments rattling around in my mind as they peppered me with kisses.

  “Now,” Dante said aloud, “let’s get this celebration over with.”

  “Oh, yeah.” I cringed. “Your family is going to be there, aren’t they?”

  “Unfortunately.”

  Oh, joy.

  Ten minutes later, we found ourselves standing outside of a quaint two-story, the siding a pale coral, the pastel coloring bright against the white garage door and shutters. The yard was covered with fallen leaves, evergreen needles, and pinecones from the mature trees that sporadically littered the block. I recognized the street from when I went to Dante’s for dinner, only this time we were farther down and right next to the cul-de-sac.

  My nerves grew the longer I stood there at the reminder of Dante’s family, knowing his dad and brothers would be inside waiting to bury me in questions. Dante’s gloved hand squeezed mine encouragingly, his gaze filled with understanding and a hint of hesitation.

  “At least Aria and Ella will be there to help offset the amount of broody testosterone we’re about to deal with.” Hudson broke the silence, trying to infuse a little pep into the group. “Besides, I’m sure Miranda and my mom will have some kind of dessert.”

  “Oh, yes, treats,” Logan and Landon cheered, immediately darting toward the door and making me smile despite the niggle of worry working its way through my body. Cam and Nik followed, albeit more slowly, Grigori glancing back at me from where he perched on Nik’s shoulder. I gave him a small nod in an attempt to convey I’d be all right and inside in a moment.

  “Ready, Princess?” Hudson asked.

  “What about me? Don’t even care enough to ask about me? Rude, dude,” Dante teased.

  Hudson scoffed. “You know my family and yours, so I’m not worried about you, but if it’ll keep you from being a whiny baby, are you ready too?” He directed the question with a brow raise and a smart-ass grin.

  “Yes, thank you,” Dante answered, puffing up his chest. “It’ll be okay, Firecracker, I promise, and in a little while you’re heading to the twins’, so you’ll only have to bear my family for a bit.”

  “I’m just glad it’s only two families instead of four since Cam’s and Nik’s are preparing for their next project,” I muttered. Two families, only a few hours, I can totally handle that.

  I think.

  “All right, let’s go,” I directed, starting toward the house, Dante and Hudson following me.

  It was noisy as soon as we stepped over the threshold, holiday music, laughing, and talking all muddling together in a blanket of sound. Plants, flowers, and natural materials every which way the eye could see. It was as if someone had just decorated a forest with some furniture instead of bringing shrubs into a house. Among the greenery and colorful flowers were photos, knicknacks, and other objects I couldn’t identify. Hudson and Dante started to move farther into the house, pulling me from my gaping as I hurried to follow. There was a lot to get used to after being outside in the quiet, but my attention was hooked by the scent of baked treats and savory spices filling the air as my stomach growled.

  “I’m glad to see your appetite has started to come back, Firecracker,” Dante murmured, hanging up our coats.

  “How could you hear that in this racket?” I hissed quietly, my exclamation making Hudson snicker under his breath.

  “I think the entire block heard that, Princess. Come on, let’s get some food. That way you have an excuse to keep too many people trying to talk to you,” Hudson offered, leading me down the front hall.

  “Ah, Lucie!” Miranda called out. “There you are! Come meet Vera and the rest of the Nyugen family.”

  “Mom, this is Lucie.” Hudson introduced me as soon as we closed the distance between us. His mom was clothed in a flowy dress, the gauzy white fabric bright against her black hair that was braided over one shoulder, colorful flowers woven into the shiny locks. As she stepped up to me, I noticed she was shorter than me by an inch or two.

  “It’s wonderful to finally meet you.” She shook my hand lightly; her lavender eyes were softer than her son’s, but the light purple still seemed to glow against her honey skin.

  “Huds!” I heard a younger girl call, and Hudson immediately stepped away from me to catch the speeding blur of purple, black, and blue that barrelled at him.

  “Thank you for coming today. I’ve been excited to meet you for a while,” Vera murmured. She had moved closer as soon as Hudson was distracted, and it made hearing her much easier, seeing as how she didn’t have to yell over the noise. Her happy sigh was barely audible, but I heard it, her eyes centered on Hudson talking with his sister. “He didn’t used to be like this, you know. He wasn’t playful, always so locked up and unimaginative before. Angry and bitter at the world around him. But I noticed a difference in him immediately after you started dating. That’s when I knew, knew that he had met someone amazing. Thank you for helping my son connect with his emotions and experience them instead of locking them away. It is something I wanted for him for years, but he had never tried. Until you.”

  “I just want him to be happy,” I told her softly.

  “I know, and that’s why I wanted to thank you.” I knew my cheeks were bright red, the burn of my blush apparent as I shuffled uncomfortably. It wasn’t that I was unappreciative of her compliment, but I had just met Vera, and me being me, I was a giant bundle of nerves and social awkwardness. Though, who just drops a bomb like that out of nowhere?

  “What are you two talking about?” Hudson questioned, his eyes narrowing on us, but his mom
only smiled and moved back to her original task. Hudson leaned forward and whispered in my ear. “Sorry if she makes you feel uncomfortable or weird. My mom’s a bit of a social anomaly. She doesn’t believe in fluffing any kind of compliments or beating around the bush, so there’s not much of a barrier to what she’ll say and what she won’t.”

  Nodding, I tucked that information away, understanding now why she would throw something so deep out there right away.

  Hudson turned and held his arm out to the younger girl who moved back to his side. “Lucie, I want you to meet my youngest sister, Ella. Ella Belle, this is my girlfriend Lucie.”

  “Hi! Oh my gosh, your eyes are so pretty!” she exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at me. “They look just like the sapphires I have in my rock collection.”

  “Don’t scare her, Els,” another girl said. I recognized her from the photo I had seen in Hudson’s mind a few months ago, Aria, the middle of the Nyugen children. “Hey, I’m Aria, it’s good to meet you. I like you much better than Brittney.”

  “Aria,” Hudson hissed, glaring at her. “Seriously?”

  “What? Brittney was a bitch,” she stated with a shrug.

  “Aria Sage, watch your language,” Vera scolded, throwing a look to her daughter.

  “It’s all right, hon,” I assured Hudson. While I was a bit thrown off by hearing Brittney’s name along with the reminder that Hudson had been with her before me, I couldn’t stop the swell of pride from knowing his family liked me more.

  Well, as least Aria did.

  “Sorry, Princess,” he whispered, kissing my temple. “Dad! Meet Lucie,” he called out, stopping a man who entered the room. “Lucie, this is my dad, Lee.”

  “Welcome to the madhouse, Lucie. Normally we’re not so full up here in the house, but you know what they say during the holidays—sharing the season together is the greatest gift of all,” Lee rattled off, setting a large cooler on the counter. His voice was deeper than his son’s, with a bit more of a guttural tone. He was taller than Hudson’s 6’5” which meant I had to lean my head back to look at him. Hudson looked like a carbon copy of his dad, only with slightly longer hair and a more youthful face.

  “I understand,” I said, shaking his outstretched hand. “I came well prepared to be around a lot of people.” Well, as prepared as I can be.

  “Smart girl. How’re you, son? Been treating her right? Getting good grades?” Lee tossed a bunch of questions toward his son.

  “Of course I have,” Hudson scoffed as Vera came over with a pastry looking object in a napkin. Hudson grabbed it, immediately taking a bite despite the raised brow his mom was throwing his way.

  “What?” His words were mumbled, his mouth still full.

  “That was for Lucie, darling son,” she said sarcastically. “So since you took it, share with her if she wants, or I’ll show her all your adorable baby photos.”

  “Oh my gosh.” Aria cackled, Ella following suit at their mom’s threat. Hudson’s eyes were wide, and he immediately handed me the dessert. Giggling, I grabbed the treat and took a bite, smiling at his pale cheeks. Dante strode over, a soda in his hand, his head tilted in confusion at what was going on as he walked up to our cluster.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll show you those next time you come around,” Vera stage-whispered, clearly enjoying teasing her son. Dante continued to look confused as Hudson’s fear shifted to a flat expression and a deadpanned ‘ha ha.’

  “Should have seen that coming,” Lee pointed out, nudging Hudson’s arm before going with Aria and Ella to where Miranda had waved them over. Dante had just opened his mouth to say something when a familiar and cold voice spoke.

  “Hello, again, Lucie,” Dante’s dad greeted curtly, his face stoic as I glanced over my shoulder at him. “Son, Hudson.”

  “Father,” Dante said, his head dipping respectfully at the same time that Hudson returned the greeting.

  “Why don’t you come visit with everyone? If my son stops hogging all of your time,” Alejandro offered, shifting to open a small walkway to the other portion of the house where I saw the rest of my guys standing in clusters. Some were talking with Miranda and Hudson’s sisters, while a couple were near Sebastian and Miguel. Ugh. The guys chuckled, their gazes falling on me and cluing me in to the fact that I accidentally had shoved that thought down the telepathic connection and they’d all heard my discontent at being in the same room with Bas and Miguel. Oops.

  “Sure.” Walking with him into the large living space, I took a deep breath, readying to be bombarded with skeptical gazes and questions.

  “Hey, Doll,” Cam said, immediately hooking an arm around my waist and yanking me into him. His gaze centered on Bas and Miguel, and while he looked laid-back, I felt the predatory tension wafting off him as he squared up to the two shifters.

  “Doll, hm?” Bas hummed, his brow raising as he turned a smirk toward me.

  “Do all of them have a nickname for you?” Miguel asked with thinned lips and a calculating gaze. I felt Alejandro’s eyes on me, dissecting every move and expression I made.

  “Cute nicknames for a cute girl,” Bas added before I could respond. Cam growled, the sound deep within his chest, and while it was soft, it immediately caught the attention of the three men of the Rodriguez family. “Oh, protective, aren’t we? Was Nik not enough or is Lucie’s supe type just that addictive?”

  “Bas,” Dante snapped, stepping into the room. “Knock it off.”

  “What? Curious minds just want to know more about who won the hearts of you and your friends. Or how someone so quiet and timid escaped from a crazy human,” Bas challenged. I wasn’t sure what came over me, but I straightened from where I leaned into Cam and walked forward.

  Each step I took, Bas moved closer, not by his own volition, but because I pulled the section of the flooring under him with my reality warping. A surge of power filled me at his wide eyes and gaping jaw, but as soon as we were directly in front of each other, he smoothed his expression.

  “You mistake quiet and watchful for being weak,” I murmured, confidence flowing through me with each word. Noah may have nearly broken me, but I was a survivor, and I wasn’t going to let someone mistake my nervousness for weakness. “But actions speak louder than words.” Pressing a finger into his glass that he had clutched in his hand, I pushed more power, purposely ignoring the bead of sweat building on the back of my neck. His eyes were glued to the glass as it crumbled, but as soon as I released it, his gaze held a hungry gleam.

  That was when the static blanket started, Bas pushing forcefully against me with his Dominance. It was painful, the tingles turning to pinpricks, but I refused to look away. I might not be a shifter like Dante or a predator like Cam or able to pull hellfire out of nowhere like the twins or wash away a wave of glitter confetti with a simple phrase like Nik, but I was powerful, and I wasn’t beneath anyone. Not now.

  Not ever again.

  “You can push that on me all day, Bas,” I hissed, leaning closer, “but I won’t yield to you or your griffin.”

  “Enough!” Miranda yelled, breaking the standoff. The wash of power stopped, and Bas flew backward as the floor resumed its usual position. Muffled laughter filled the space as my guys smashed their lips together while Bas got up from the ground. “We went through this last time, and I will not have my son behaving in such a manner. Now apologize to Lucie and our hosts.”

  “Sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Nyguen. Sorry, Lucie,” Bas muttered, wiping a hand down his shirt where his alcohol had spilled during his tumble. Turning to step back over to my original spot next to Cam, I accidentally made eye contact with Dante’s dad. He was watching me closely, sending a soft wave of tingles washing over my skin as I looked at him. I cocked a brow, lifting my chin in challenge. Whatever test he was giving me I seemed to pass, a millimeter smile appearing as he raised his glass slightly. He took a drink at the end of his small toast and I turned fully away from him and back to my guys.

  “That was so cool!” Ella gaped at me.
“I hope I have powers like that someday!”

  “Doubtful, but regardless of what you get, it’ll be awesome, Els,” Aria told her before turning her attention to Hudson. “Yeah, much better than Brittney. Lucie can stay.”

  “I’m so glad I have your approval,” Hudson ground out in exasperation before looking over at us. “Come on, let’s go grab some food and some air in the sun room.” We made our way quickly through the kitchen, piling food onto disposable plates and filing into the attached sunroom.

  “That was so fucking amazing, Lemon Drop,” Landon whispered as soon as we were all in the room, the brush of his lips against my ear causing a wave of goosebumps to appear as the adrenaline faded from my system.

  “I can’t believe you just challenged Dante’s dad and won,” Logan hissed, his eyes wide.

  “She only challenged Bas,” Dante stated in confusion, glancing between the two of us.

  “Oh, my unobservant friend,” Logan teased, “at the end. It was brief, and I don’t think anyone was supposed to notice, but she cocked a brow and raised her chin as he pushed his power onto her.”

  “My dad did that?” Dante’s jaw opened and closed a few times, disbelief making him struggle for more words.

  “Yeah,” I replied around a large bite of fruit I had just taken.

  “He gave her a toast, like raised his glass and everything,” Cam piped in, taking over the explanation.

  “Wow,” was all Dante said. We lapsed into silence, the music the only sound around us as we ate.

  “Nik, sweetie, I have a few questions about some things I need cooked up from the garden when you get a chance,” Vera called into the room, Miranda’s head popping out immediately after.

  “Boys, Lucie, Lee is about to pass out the gifts. If you could come help, please,” Miranda added. The guys filed in, my gaze trailing over the snowy garden and yard as I started inside, when a bit of movement caught my eye.

  A pair of golden eyes looked at me through some of the white dusted bushes, big ears twitching as the cat watched me. Is that… no, I shook the thought away, there’s no way that it was the funny looking cat from my dreams.