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

by Kristie Cook

  I nodded, my head rubbing against his chest, but I still couldn’t help the flow of tears. This house had been our little sanctuary, away from the demands and controls of the council, a place of our own. We’d bought it knowing life would be tough but hoping we’d always have this place for ourselves, for our family. The extra bedroom held our hope for a daughter to come into our lives. Blossom and I had painted for the first time here, making it into something that was ours. Something I’d hoped would be a permanent structure in our lives. But nothing was permanent for us. When would I learn that?

  A hand too small to be Tristan’s landed on my back and rubbed up and down. I looked over my shoulder at Blossom, who gave me a sad smile.

  “My house is gone, too,” she said, her voice heavy. “But we’re all okay, and that’s what matters.”

  “We’ve finished counting heads,” Owen said as he strode up behind her. “All Amadis and Normans accounted for.”

  “Injuries?” I asked as I swiped at my eyes and nose.

  “A few,” Charlotte said. “Nothing Tristan can’t help heal.”

  We spent the remainder of the day fixing people up, then the mages worked on shelters for everyone for the night. Owen and Char put up a shield and cloak over the entire island to give us at least one more night and day before Norman authorities caught on that anything had happened here. That night, as we lay in a tent on the beach, Tristan and I discussed how we should handle those authorities. Times were changing, and we had to be careful, but we couldn’t simply run and hide from them. Not with the war waging around the world. The local authorities needed to understand that they were not immune to the attacks.

  I didn’t know how I managed to fall asleep, but my body must have forced me to so it could regenerate. I awoke with the sun shining through our tent’s walls and a chorus of excited voices outside. When I stepped out of the tent with my hand on my forehead and my eyes squinting against the bright vision in front of me, Blossom came running over the sand to me.

  “We’re still having Thanksgiving!” she squealed.

  My brows pushed together. “Um ... what?”

  “Aunt Sylvie brought her whole coven, and Christina, a warlock, came, too, to protect them, and they’ve all been working hard on preparing a feast for us!” Blossom continued her gushing. “Isn’t it wonderful? It was so thoughtful of them to come all the way from Daytona, and they found our food that we left in the truck, so they’re working their magic. After everything that happened—”

  My eyes widened, and my jaw dropped. “After everything that happened, I think this is the last thing we should be doing.”

  “What? We don’t deserve a victory party?” Owen asked, sauntering up from behind our tent with Vanessa at his side.

  “A victory party?” I repeated in disbelief.

  “Yeah, we still won,” Jax said as he draped an arm over Blossom’s shoulder.

  “And the food’s practically ready. Everyone’s pretty excited for it,” Charlotte said, walking up to join us.

  “Excited?” I blinked. My mouth gaped, closed, gaped again, like a fish. Sure, we’d run the Daemoni off, but what exactly had we won? “They want to celebrate?”

  “Why not?” Tristan asked as he stepped through the tent’s door and stood by my side. “They deserve it, Lex.”

  “There’s so much to be grateful for,” Sheree agreed, the last of my core group to join us.

  My head snapped toward the ruins of the safe house—the one place everyone here had relied on for security. Now it was gone. I lifted my arms and swept my hands out, gesturing to all of the destruction. My house, Blossom’s house, Owen’s condo, everywhere the Amadis people had lived and worked had been damaged or even destroyed.

  “What could they be thankful for?” I whispered, the question more to myself than anyone else.

  “Well, I’m thankful we still have our strongest warlocks to keep us protected,” Vanessa answered anyway as she took Owen’s hand in one of hers and Charlotte’s in the other.

  “I’m thankful for a chance at friendship ... and something more,” Jax said, tightening his hold on Blossom.

  “Me, too,” the witch replied to him before her gaze skimmed over all of us. “I’m thankful for all of you.”

  “I’m thankful for second chances and people who really care,” Sheree said. She moved up to stand between Blossom and me and took each of our hands into hers.

  “I’m thankful for you and Dad and Sasha,” Dorian declared as he and the lykora ran up to us. He threw his arms around Tristan and me.

  Tears stung my eyes by now.

  “I’m thankful for a strong leader who brought us to victory,” Tristan said as he pulled me into his arms.

  “Here, here!” cheered a crowd of Amadis that had gathered around, including Blossom’s Aunt Sylvie and several witches and wizards I’d never met yet.

  My heart swelled as emotions crashed over me. My mind, always alert these days, listened as everyone mentally counted their blessings.

  “I’m thankful for an excellent leadership team,” one thought. Although many others’ echoed hers, I searched this one’s out. A warlock I didn’t know yet, but the one Blossom had called Christina, tall with light brown hair and brown eyes deeply focused on Tristan. Maybe it was the mischievous little smirk on her face and in her voice that caught my attention. “I’m especially thankful to set my eyes on this man. He’s so lickalicious.”

  I couldn’t help the giggle as I looked up at my husband. He was lickalicious. But licking would have to wait.

  “What are you thankful for, Mom?” Dorian asked as he studied both of us.

  A grin stretched across my face, and I lifted my arm to indicate everyone, although my eyes never left Tristan’s hazel ones that sparkled beautifully. “For all of you!”

  Then I wrapped my arm around my son and the other around my husband and pulled them both into a group hug.

  Especially for my men, I thought to both of them.

  “So we can have our Thanksgiving?” Blossom asked, hope overflowing in her question.

  I looked around at all of the faces, young and old, some magical humans, others were-animals and vampires, all of them full of gratitude and love. We may have lost everything material—our homes, our belongings, even our safe house—but we still had what mattered more than anything: our lives and our loved ones.

  “Who am I to stop you?” I asked with a smile, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

  So we ate, drank, and were merry with a Thanksgiving feast like no other spread out on the beach of Captiva Island. Blossom had worked so hard with the others on decorations that were now ashes. She didn’t get to bake the twelve cakes she’d had planned. Tristan and I didn’t get to spend hours in the kitchen together cooking up a storm like old times. But the food was delicious and the company extra special.

  “Best Thanksgiving ever!” Dorian exclaimed at one point, and everyone lifted their glasses to toast their agreement.

  Later that night, just before ducking into our tent for bed, Tristan whispered something to Owen. The warlock nodded and flicked his hand toward our tent, before calling Dorian over to him. He took our son and walked down the beach toward his own tent. I looked at Tristan and tilted my head with curiosity. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into the tent. As soon as he zipped it closed, all of the sounds outside fell away.

  “Owen muffled our tent?” I asked as excitement zinged through me.

  Tristan gave me his most sublime grin. “Since today’s all about counting our blessings, I thought it only right to show what I’m most grateful for.”

  “Oh, yeah?” I gave him a teasing smile. “And what is that?”

  He yanked me closer to him and bent his head so his lips grazed my neck. “My wife,” he murmured, and in a flurry of movement, he had me undressed. “And her naked body.”

  “Mmm ...” was all I could muster as his lips and hands explored, and my body immediately reacted. But before he brought me down on knocking
knees, I tore off his clothes as quickly as he’d done mine. “And I’m thankful for this lickaliciousness.”

  He pulled away and gave me a strange look. “This what?”

  “Nothing,” I said with a giggle as I pulled him down on top of me. “Now show me how grateful you can be.”

  And he did. And all night we shouted out our thanks as we counted multiple blessings together. It really was the best Thanksgiving ever.

  THANKSGIVING RECIPES

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

  Jewels’ Human Dip

  Submitted by Wendy Jahnke

  This is a dip Jewels might enjoy on Thanksgiving in Amity.

  Ingredients:

  8 oz Braunschweiger

  4 or 5 Tbsp. Sour Cream

  1. Take Braunschweiger and cut in to cubes place in bowl.

  2. Add sour cream and blend well. Serve with crackers.

  Sundae’s Pack Stew

  Submitted by Heather Wakefield

  My mom always made the delicious, warm chicken and dumplings that made the house smell so good. Since wolves eat chicken and my mom gave me the middle name Sundae, this seems like the perfect stew Sundae the werewolf would make for her pack.

  Ingredients:

  Whole fryer chicken

  1 medium onion, chopped

  3-4 celery sticks, cut into chunky bits (bite size)

  4 large carrots, cut into bite-size pieces

  3 cloves garlic, smashed enough to break open

  Parsley (pinch of dry or handful of fresh)

  1. Cut the chicken, and put it into large pot. Boil with salt until meat pulls easily away from the bone. Skim foam off the top when it boils.

  2. After boiling the chicken for about 30 minutes but before it is done, add the carrots and garlic, as well as other seasonings you like, such as paprika, chili powder, and cumin. Continue boiling for another 10-15 minutes, then add onion and celery, a few pinches of dry parsley or a small handful of fresh parsley. Let all of that simmer while you do the dumplings.

  For the Dumplings

  About 2 cups of all-purpose flour, seasoned with your favorite spice(s) for better dumplings

  2/3 cup milk

  1-2 eggs

  3. Mix eggs and milk first, then slowly add flour. Make a ball with the dough then turn out onto floured surface and roll out. At this point, you can use a knife to create noodle like shapes, or you can use a cookie cutter. (Take note that less flour will give you softer dumplings. If the dough is thicker and easier to handle, then the dumplings will be firmer and a bit chewy. Both ways are good, so adjust to your textural liking. If you use a cookie cutter to create shapes it’s easier when the dough is firmer.)

  4. Pull the bulk of the chicken out (at this time, you can debone your soup if you choose to). You need the cauldron to be at a slow boil, then drop some dumplings in. When they float, they are done. Keep adding more and using a big spoon to push the cooked ones out of the way until all the dumplings are done.

  Blossom’s Oh So Tender Turkey!

  Submitted by Heather Brandt

  I imagine Blossom making her Thanksgiving turkey this way in the story Gratitude.

  Ingredients:

  One Butterball turkey 15lbs-20lbs (never had it turn out right unless I use Butterball)

  Butter to coat turkey with

  Your choice of stuffing (I prefer Mrs. Cubbisons)

  1. This turkey will cook all night long on 200 degrees. You don’t have to preheat, but you’re welcome to preheat oven to 200 degrees if you’d like. First thing I do is clean my turkey out, rinse and place in turkey pan.

  2. Next I mix the stuffing. The amount of stuffing will depend on the size of your turkey. I overfill as much as possible, since that’s my favorite part.

  3. After stuffing is made and turkey is stuffed to your liking, butter the outside of your turkey.

  4. Lastly cover turkey completely with foil and place in oven. I usually have my turkey in the oven between 8 P.M. - 9 P.M., and it’s done by 10 A.M. - 11 A.M. the next morning. You can also use a roaster to cook. I have had the same delicious results with either. You’ll wake to your whole house smelling of turkey and never worry about your turkey not being done on time!

  Mindy’s Homemade Stuffing Craving

  Submitted by Sue VanNort and Shelly Fenner

  For Mindy’s craving for human food at Thanksgiving.

  Ingredients:

  Loaf of day-old bread, any kind you like, or pre-seasoned stuffing mix

  1 stick butter or margarine

  24 oz chicken broth

  3 stalks celery, finely chopped

  1 medium size onion, finely chopped

  1 lb. ground sausage, browned

  1 tsp sage

  salt and pepper to taste

  1. Melt butter in frying pan, add celery and onion. Stir continuously until softened.

  2. Remove from heat. Mix all ingredients together. Be sure that the bread is completely moistened. I put mine inside the bird and cook it slowly at 325 degrees. It can also be placed in a baking dish and baked.

  3. Be sure to cover and stir occasionally.

  4. Inside the bird, stuffing is done when the bird is done. Baked separately in a baking dish, it’s done in about an hour at the same oven temperature as the bird.

  Mindy’s Fake It ’Til You Make It Thanksgiving Casserole – My Grandma’s Spin On the Traditional Green Bean Casserole

  Submitted by Christina Silcox

  Ingredients:

  1 1-lb package frozen California vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)

  1 can cream of mushroom soup

  1 ½ cups shredded Swiss cheese

  ¾ cups milk

  1 ½ cups French-fried onions

  salt & pepper to taste

  1. Mix cream of mushroom soup and milk in a large mixing bowl.

  2. Stir in veggies, 1/2 cup of swiss cheese, 1/2 cup of French-fried onions, and salt and pepper. Pour into prepared baking dish.

  3. Top with remaining Swiss cheese and French-fried onions.

  4. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and heated through.

  Blood on Snow Almond Fudge and White Chocolate Cranberry

  Submitted by Zee Hayat

  Ingredients:

  1 cup white chocolate bits

  ½ cup slivered almonds

  ½ cup cranberries

  ¾ cup Condensed Milk

  1 Tbsp. lemon zest

  1 Tbsp. of butter

  1. On a baking sheet, grease the foil with butter and set aside.

  2. On medium heat, melt the white chocolate bits.

  3. Stir in the condensed milk.

  4. Pour in the cranberries, lemon zest and almonds and stir in.

  5. Pour onto baking sheet and refrigerate for 2 hours.

  6. Cut into squares and serve with fruits or as stand-alone dessert.

  Sasha’s Delights – Dog Cookies

  Submitted by Felicia Semmler

  I love Sasha. She reminds me of my Pebbles, and Pebbles loves these cookies. She goes crazy for them, and they are better for the animals than store-bought animal treats. Even birds love them, and they’re safe. Sasha would enjoy these while her people ate Thanksgiving dessert.

  Ingredients:

  2 cups flour

  ¾ cup oats

  ½ cup peanut butter

  1 ¼ cups hot water

  2 drops liquid imitation butter

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Mix flour and oats together then mix in water, imitation butter, and peanut butter (mix in more flour if it’s too sticky).

  3. Knead the dough and roll out until it’s about ¼-inch thick.

  4. Cut the dough into shapes with cookie cutters or cut into squares.

  5. Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet for 40 minutes or until they reach desired texture.

  6. Store in an a
irtight container at room temperature for 1 week, in the fridge for 3 weeks, or freezer for 6 months.

  CHRISTMAS STORIES

  JOY

  This first short story for Christmas, Joy, gives us a peek into how the Daemoni “celebrate” the birth of their enemy. We meet new characters that may or may not show up again in future Soul Savers stories, but know for sure that the events in this story have nothing to do with the actual series itself. I hope you enjoy this little fantasy.

  Chapter 1

  Christmas Eve day began with a clear dawn as the sun rose brightly in the sky and shone down on the city below, making everyone with high hopes of a white Christmas groan. Claire, however, grinned, reveling in their disappointment. After all, her magic kept the clouds away. Just barely, though. Even a warlock like her wasn’t powerful enough to completely change the weather, but she could at least ruin their expectations for a good part of the day, as long as nothing distracted her from her spell.

  She’d had to start the magic at the top of the tallest building, but now she’d been able to move down to the fourth-floor apartment she shared with a couple of other Daemoni warlocks. The three attended the same university, where they used their magic to help the local vampire nest gain access to the students. With school closed for the break between semesters, the warlocks had other havoc to wreak.