Wonder: A Soul Savers Collection of Holiday Short Stories & Recipes

by Kristie Cook

  He gave me a grin that could melt panties.

  I stared at them, speechless. How could they expect me to make such a decision? The abilities would be pretty cool, and maybe immortality, too. But I didn’t want to be a monster! Did I? Did I have any choice? At least as a wolf I could have the family I always wanted. But did I really want pups for kids? Oh, my god, why was I even thinking about this? They couldn’t be real. This could not be happening!

  “Or, of course, you have another choice,” vamp-guy added, and the threat of his tone with his next words made my knees knock together. “We kill you.”

  They watched me, both with red eyes now, their hunger and lust growing with each beat of my heart. They moved in closer, expectantly, crowding me. I could either choose to be like them, or choose to die.

  What kind of choices were those? What was I going to do?

  “Hurry,” wolf-man growled. “We don’t have all night.”

  My throat tightened with each hammer of my heart as I continued to stare at them. They took a step closer to me. I tried to swallow as my gaze bounced between them.

  “I, uh, I choose …”

  What do you choose?

  If you choose to become a vampire, go to Chapter 2.

  If you choose to become a werewolf, go to Chapter 3.

  If you choose to stay human and fight, go to Chapter 4.

  If you choose to drop into a ball and pray for the Amadis to rescue you, go to Chapter 5.

  Chapter 2

  “I want to be a vampire,” I said, and as soon as the words came out of my mouth, I knew they were true.

  Superhuman speed and strength? Being at the top of the food chain? Being young forever with all of eternity stretching before me? Why would I choose anything else?

  My Guy’s lips turned up in a luscious smile, and if I hadn’t been sure before, I was now with the promise that grin held. “Excellent choice, darling.”

  The next thing I knew, he had me in his arms again, and he was sprinting farther up the mountain. Over the top and down the other side, we stopped at a large log cabin overlooking a lake.

  “Welcome to my home,” he said as he carried me inside.

  He lay me down on a sofa that faced a huge window with a stunning view as the sky began to lighten with dawn.

  “I apologize for the rush, but I am out of time.” He knelt beside me and pushed my hair away from my neck. “I have to drain most of your blood, and then replace some of it with mine. I’ll do my best not to drain you completely.”

  He dove for my neck then, and his fangs slid into my skin. As he began sucking, a feeling of bliss swept over me. I lay limp in his arms until my world went completely dark.

  Three Days Later

  “Hey, you, it’s about time you woke up.” Maria’s voice filtered into my foggy brain.

  “Yeah. You’ve been like a corpse, in bed for days.” Whitney now.

  I tried to pull myself into consciousness. My eyes peeled themselves open, and I blinked against the white light until my vision focused. Not white light, only simple daylight streaming through the window. But damn, it was bright.

  “What happened to you?” Maria asked.

  I looked at my friends, who sat on the edge of my bed in my dorm room. I squinted for a moment as I thought about exactly what happened, until something caught my eye. And my nose, making my mouth water and my throat burn.

  “Thirsty,” I croaked as my gaze focused in on exactly what I needed.

  Maria’s vein thumped in her neck. She tasted as good as she smelled.

  Chapter 3

  “I want to be a werewolf,” I replied.

  The ability to live forever had never attracted me. Who would want to do that? Sure it could be fun for a while, but eventually the excitement would wear off, leaving you in a dull, monotonous state of existence for eternity. Nope, not my cup of tea. I wanted to live, not simply exist.

  And to be able to change into a wolf? To have all the superhuman abilities they have? And to still be able to have a family? That’s what I was talking about!

  Naked guy bowed his chest, showing me who was alpha, as he nodded with confidence. He’d known my choice. Something inside me had been calling to him as his mate, drawing him to me. I knew that now that I’d made the decision. I felt our connection all the way to my bones.

  The vampire narrowed his red eyes, let out one last snarl, and then disappeared.

  “So now what?” I asked, the shake in my voice completely gone. I’d made the right decision, and everything within me knew it.

  “Now we see if you have what it takes,” my alpha replied, and then he exploded, gross, gooey stuff falling all around me and into my hair. A wolf stood where he just had, a deep chestnut color to his fur. His upper lip lifted in a growl, and then he lunged at me. I threw my hands up in front of my face, and his fangs sank into my palm.

  Only for a moment, though, long enough to draw blood, and then he was gone.

  I spun in a circle, looking for him, but there was no movement, no trace that he’d even been near. “What the hell?”

  I sank to my butt and waited for his return until long past dawn, but he never came. Exhausted and confused, I made my way down the mountain and back to campus. I had no idea what had happened tonight, but by the time I was snuggled into my bed, I decided I’d been drunker than I’d thought and had passed out while on a walk. I could only chalk up the events into a weird dream.

  One Month Later

  Snow fell in big, fat flakes as I hurried across campus for the warmth of my dorm. The clouds in the sky reflected the white blanket of snow on the ground, making it look and feel almost like noon rather than nearly midnight. The light brightened even more when the clouds skidded away from the full moon.

  I was near my dorm when movement in the trees to the side of the path caught my eye. Were those eyes glowing in the darkness of the forest? The events of Halloween night rushed back to me as something within me tugged toward those woods. Toward the beast I knew was in there. As though in a trance, I veered off the path and headed for the trees.

  I’d no more than passed the first tree when my lower leg snapped in half, ripping a scream out of me as I fell to the ground. My throat seized when my other leg broke like a twig. My whole body lurched and convulsed as agony wracked through me. Every bone in my body felt like it was breaking. My skin ripped apart where shards of bone poked through. Pressure built in my skull until my head felt as though it were about to explode.

  Then I did just that.

  I exploded. I burst out of my human skin, out of my human self. I landed on my feet—four of them now—and shook myself out. Bloody, pulpy stuff rained to the ground around me.

  The deep chestnut fur of my mate caught my eye, but then a waft of something delicious tickled my nose. Meat. I needed meat. I needed food. And I didn’t care what kind. I turned toward the tantalizing smell … back toward the way I’d come when I was human only moments ago … toward two girls and two guys my human self knew … and my animal self craved.

  I sprinted for them. For my first meal.

  Chapter 4

  All of those years in the dojo and the fighting ring would pay off. I’d taken martial arts since I was a toddler and had defeated bigger guys who’d gone on to become professional MMA cage fighters. Surely I could take on these two whack jobs.

  “You’re both fucking crazy,” I snapped before moving into action.

  I swung my leg out in a roundhouse to the naked dude’s danglies, and as he doubled over, I thrust my arm up, plowing the heel of my palm into his nose. He grunted as he fell to his knees. Not stupid enough to count him down, I swung my foot into his temple, knocking him to his side. He lay there, motionless.

  I spun to face the other one—the one I’d been stupid enough to daydream about. He lunged for me at the same time, but I twisted out of his grasp at the last second, then shoved my fist into the side of his ribs. They should have cracked with the force. Instead, my knuckles cracked
, and I gasped with pain. His side was like concrete.

  He gave me a sardonic smile.

  When I jumped for him, he disappeared. Only to appear behind me. He wrapped his arms around me, and I swung the upper-half of my body down, flipping him over my back. He broke his hold on me, but landed on his feet. He smirked again. I swung at his chin. He caught my hand. Squeezed. I cried out as all the bones in my hand broke.

  “Too bad you’re not as bright as I’d originally thought,” he said. His hand blurred toward me and sank into my hair, grabbing a fistful and yanking my head back, exposing my throat. “I should have known, though. You are only human.”

  His mouth dove for my throat. A beastly growl sounded beside us right before more teeth dug into my leg and pulled. As they ripped me apart, all I could think was, “At least I still have my soul.”

  Chapter 5

  Life as a monster or death? I couldn’t choose either of those! I didn’t want to be like them. I didn’t want to die, either. I just wanted to be in my room, in my warm bed. Why was this happening to me?

  “What will it be, young one?” the vampire asked as he took another step closer to me.

  My whole body trembled. My breaths were shallow, barely pulling in enough air. My heart raced, sending a pulsing rush into my ears. I sucked in the deepest breath I could manage and let out a scream. Then the tree bark carved into my back as I sank to my butt, curled in a ball, and sobbed.

  “Someone please help me!” I cried.

  “Nobody’s coming for you,” the werewolf guy sneered, but he’d barely finished his sentence when two pops sounded in the air. The attackers both growled.

  “Alexis and Tristan,” one of them snarled.

  I dared to peek between my fingers. Two new figures stood in the woods behind the vampire and werewolf—a girl and a guy. He was big, with light brown hair and a powerful build. She was his opposite, with reddish-brown hair and a petite body. Both were beautiful, inhumanly beautiful. And both scary as hell as they fought the supernatural creatures that had almost killed me. Like warrior angels battling these demons.

  They were a sight to behold as they flipped and turned, kicked and punched, and then most amazingly, the girl shot electricity out of her palm. The other two stopped fighting and looked as though they were surrendering. I dared to uncurl myself and push my way to my feet. A breath of relief slid past my lips. I stared at the couple with rounded eyes until the girl gave me a slight nod. Then I took off in a run.

  I sprinted down the mountain, toward the lights of the campus below. Tree branches tore at my jacket and bare legs, but I paid the scratches little attention. I’d almost died tonight, but I’d been given a second chance at life. I just needed to get to the safety of my dorm, and tomorrow morning I’d wake up with this horrible nightmare as nothing but a memory.

  As the residential buildings came into sight, I wanted to shout with glee. But then something huge and hairy plowed into me, knocking me off my feet. I flew into a tree and fell to the ground with a gasp. The wolf stood over me, air puffing out of his black nose, and his eyes glowing an unnatural red. His lip curled upward, and he growled. Just once.

  Then he lunged for my throat.

  His fangs tore into my skin. He whipped my whole body around like a rag doll as he shook me like a dog shakes a toy. The grip of his muzzle loosened, and I flew several feet away. My back snapped when I slammed into a rock. My vision began to gray. He growled again before latching once more onto my neck.

  As my vision slid into darkness, my life slipping away with it, the girl who’d been my heroine stood behind the wolf. Unable to speak or to move, I tried to plead to her with my eyes, begging for her to rescue me again. To save my life.

  She only gave me a small smile as she lifted her shoulder in a shrug.

  “Sorry,” she said, “but this is a Halloween story. Did you really think it’d have a happy ending?”

  HALLOWEEN RECIPES

  Recipes for you to try this Halloween—or whenever—submitted by me and members of my street team, Kristie’s Warriors. I hope you enjoy them!

  Keep the Monsters Away Spinach Artichoke Dip

  Submitted by Tammi Swartz

  The garlic makes it extra yummy and with it on your breath, you’ll keep the monsters away on Halloween…and everyone else.

  Ingredients:

  ¼ c butter

  Heaping tsp garlic

  1 10-oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained

  2 cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

  2 8-oz packages cream cheese

  1 ½ cups sour cream

  1 ½ cups mayonnaise

  1 cup grated parmesan cheese

  1. Melt butter and garlic together in microwave.

  2. Add all other ingredients.

  3. Bake @ 350 degrees until golden brown

  Tristan’s Birthday Cake

  Submitted by Kristie Cook & Wanita Cook

  Alexis loves to cook, but she’s not much of a baker, especially compared to Tristan and Blossom. If she didn’t have Blossom’s help, this recipe, using a box mix, would be right up her alley. And I know Tristan would love it because all the men in my house request this for their birthdays. I know the recipe by heart because they have me make it so much. I actually make it with a full 8 oz can of evaporated milk, two packages of caramels, and a full (small) bag of chocolate chips, because we’re just decadent like that.

  Ingredients:

  1 German chocolate cake mix

  ½ cup evaporated milk

  1 pgk. caramels

  ½ cup chocolate chips

  2 cups chopped nuts

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Prepare cake mix as directed. Pour half of batter in greased 9x13 pan (reserve the other half). Bake for 15 minutes at 350.

  3. Meanwhile, combine milk and caramels in saucepan and heat to melt.

  4. When half of cake is done, pour melted caramel over the cake. Sprinkle with half of the nuts and chocolate chips. Pour remaining cake batter over the top, then sprinkle the rest of the nuts and chocolate chips. Bake for 20 minutes.

  Graveyard Cake

  Submitted by Kristie Cook & Wanita Cook

  The family calls this Kansas Dirt Cake, since they’re from Kansas and the cake represents the dark, rich soil of Kansas. Because it does look like dirt, it’s a perfect recipe to use for a graveyard theme at Halloween. Add some gummy worms, fake bones, and headstones for a fun party cake.

  Ingredients:

  1 ¾ cups chocolate cookies, crushed

  1 stick of butter or margarine

  Large container of whipped cream

  2 pkgs of coconut pudding mix

  1 8-oz pkg of cream cheese, softened

  1 cup powdered sugar

  3 cups milk

  1 tsp. vanilla

  1. Mix pudding mix, milk, and vanilla in a saucepan. Cook on medium heat until thick. Set aside to cool completely.

  2. Mix cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Stir in whipped cream. Set aside.

  3. Cover the bottom of a 9x13 cake pan with all of the crushed cookies except 1 cup. Spread cream cheese mixture over the cookies. Pour pudding mix over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle remainder of crushed cookies over the top. Refrigerate.

  Spirit Blasting Leek and Potato Soup

  Submitted by Katherine Murphy

  A warm soup before you go out in the cold for trick-or-treating or other spooky festivities. The leeks will keep the evil spirits away.

  Ingredients:

  4 large Leeks

  2 medium Potatoes

  1 medium onion, chopped small

  1 ½ pint chicken stock

  ½ pint milk

  2 oz butter

  2 Tbsp cream

  1/2 Tbsp chives

  Seasoning

  1. Melt the butter in a pan and add the leeks, potatoes, and onions.

  2. Stir well and sweat with lid on stirring occasionally.

  3. Add the chicken
stock and milk.

  4. Put lid on and simmer for 20 minutes on a low heat.

  5. Liquidize and season to taste.

  6. Add chives and swirl on cream to serve.

  Blossom’s Last-Minute Stew

  Submitted by Chrissi Jackson

  There’s nothing better than a rich, hearty stew to warm your soul and fill your stomach on a cold autumn night. The beauty of this recipe is that it’s really just a starting point. You can customize it with whatever you have in your fridge and pantry. As long as there’s love in the kitchen, the results will be delicious.

  Ingredients:

  3 Tbsp. olive oil (if you want to really kick up the flavor, use half bacon drippings and half olive oil)

  2 cloves garlic

  1 large onion (diced)

  4 carrots (diced)

  4 celery stalks (diced)

  2 lbs. steak (cubed)

  6 Tbsp. flour

  ½ tsp. black pepper

  1 tsp. Sazón seasoning*

  1 cup red wine

  4 cups beef broth

  4 medium red-skinned potatoes (diced)

  Optional additional vegetables: green beans, corn, spinach, squash, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, kale, canned tomatoes…