by Viola Grace
“An emissary from Silverwood is coming here to assist me in a few days, but she must arrive before the eve of my journey or the help she offers will be useless.”
“She?” Anora felt the spur of jealousy. A companion, a co-worker for Sahn was a scary thing, it was someone from his own world. She wouldn’t be able to compete, was never able to compete with other women. She simply shut down when they arrived and did an impression of human-shaped pudding, tall, shapeless and bland.
“Lucky. She will be here with her fiancé in a few days, hopefully soon, to help me get lucky while processing the wishes this year. This year has been bad and we need some more luck.”
“Have you been talking about me behind my back?” A stunning woman walked into the room. The man behind her looked like he was braced for anything. She moved forward and Sahn greeted her with a formal handshake. With a mental snort, Anora realized that the newcomer was braced for Sahn-Tah.
“It is good to see you, Lucky. I was just explaining to my guest that you were going to help me with the more emotion based wishes this year.”
Feeling ignored and pushed aside, she merely smiled and waved, “Anora Snow.”
“I am Westa, or Lucky if you prefer. This is Henry.” She nodded to her companion and he nodded back. “Are you familiar with the way things work here?”
Anora took a seat on the nearest bench. “I am just here because a sleigh hit my car. The workings of Sahn-Tah’s Workshop are mysterious, not to mention a hallucination. I am going to wakeup in a hospital any minute.”
Lucky and Henry shared a long look. Their smiles were not cruel, but understanding. Lucky sat next to her and bumped her hip. “Santa’s workshop has two request sections. The first is the wish list, or the naughty and nice list, the things that people ask Santa for, the second is the wish room. These are the wishes that people make out of desperation, out of true need and these are the ones that Sahn tries to answer.”
“Then what are you here for?”
“I am here for luck. It is my talent. The same way some people can cook and others can paint or do taxes, I generate luck.” She shrugged and smiled again.
Anora looked at the circle of faces. “Is it true?”
Henry answered, “Yes, it is true. Westa can’t cook.” He moved very quickly for a man so large, and it was with some luck that Westa managed to clout him on the side of the head. She was quick, too.
The mirth that engulfed Anora suddenly spilled into the room. Laughter bubbled out of her and as she laughed the others followed. The room rocked with good cheer for a solid five minutes. It always happened that way. Anora laughed and then the room laughed with her.
Sahn-Tah sobered first. “What just happened?”
“Uh, we all shared a good laugh?”
“There was something more to it. I felt the distinct touch of magic. It was coming from you.” He was looking at her in surprise, as if she was a completely new creature now.
“Couldn’t have been. I don’t laugh that loud.” A blush was forming on her cheeks. She knew what he was referring to. Her laughter was literally contagious, and it lasted until she decided that it had run its course.
The three people in the room with her looked at her with curiosity. Sahn finally broke the silence. “I will get to the bottom of this, Anora, even if it takes me a year.”
It was more of a threat than a statement. The grin on his face belied his serious tone, but the echo of his words rang in her ears. A year? “How long are you planning to keep me here?” Lucky and Henry suddenly found something on the other side of the room to concentrate on.
“I don’t know. How long do you want to stay?” He was right in front of her now, his bright blue eyes glowing as he knelt to face her.
“I…I…” Anora fell silent. She didn’t know what she wanted to say. She wanted to leave immediately, didn’t she? Who would want to stay in this fantasyland with a man who made her knees weak, after all? “I don’t know. Do you want me to stay?” There, turn the tables on him and give her some time to think.
“Yes. I want you to stay.” He looked as surprised as she was by his statement. His blue eyes widened, then moved back to their hypnotic position. “Your being here has woken something in me that I thought was long dead.”
“And what was that?”
“Joy.” The word was stark, but the tone he used was warm, inviting, and oh so soothing. She felt her lids get heavy and his hands held her as he eased her to the couch that she was sitting on. Sleep seemed a fine option.
—
“Did you have to do that, Sahn? She was just starting to warm up to you.” Henry stood at his side as he brushed hair from Anora’s face.
“She was badly injured, she needs time to heal, sleep was the best option.” His words came out fast, too fast and he knew it. He hadn’t wanted her to see the vulnerability in his eyes, so suggesting that she sleep was the answer.
“She touched your heart, didn’t she?” Great, now Lucky was ganging up on him.
“The instant that I took her from her car. She wants to return home.” Those words jumped out of him, bitter and sharp. The depth of his feelings shocked him. This woman had stumbled into his life and turned his routine upside down. Now she wanted to leave him before he had a chance to woo her. It wasn’t fair.
“Give her time. You can always have your elves disassemble her car. For safety purposes, of course.”
Hope blossomed in Sahn. It would work. Anora still hadn’t clued into the matter of him being able to deliver her directly to her home. With or without her car. Having the elves fix it was the perfect solution.
Chapter Four
“What the hell just happened?” Anora wasn’t waking easily. It was as if her mind was trying to hold her body down. The room she was in was dark, but warm, and she was tucked firmly under covers and something had changed.
“You had a nap a few hours ago. Apparently, you are awake now.” Sahn’s voice was coming from an awfully close location. A turn of her head showed her why. He was in bed next to her, reading with a small floating light that was hovering over his book. He idly turned the page and spared her a small smile and a glance. “It is night here at the workshop, but if you want to read a book, you are welcome to pick one from the shelf over there.”
Moving carefully, she shoved back the covers and swung her feet to the floor. Her splint was gone and her arm felt better. Someone had dressed her again. This time in a slinky silk bias cut gown in the softest shade of ice blue. It clung to her as she moved and a small noise made her whirl toward the bed. Sahn was sitting up. He had put his book down and was watching her, his torso clothed in nothing but his yummy muscles framed by the hair flowing down his back. She had to ask, “Why is it that you are in fantastic shape, and yet all modern portrayals of you are as a pudgy old man?”
“Several reasons. One, I issue a glamour, so people see what they expect to see. Two, I actively promote the perception of the rotund Santa so that people see me and associate me with a man that they can trust. A very grandfatherly sort.”
“That makes sense, I suppose.” She turned back to the bookshelf when he returned to his book. She found a likely book at the bottom. An Encyclopedia of Blacksmithing. As she bent to pull the book from its home, she heard a small groan, smiled and stood up as slowly as she could manage, keeping the silk tight against her backside. She was only wearing the slip, but teasing Sahn-Tah was a fun way to work it.
Anora calmly climbed back into bed and settled in. She was unsure as to how to turn on a light, but when she opened the book, a small globe of light hovered over it. “That is neat.”
“Small enchantments are all over this place. You never know if you will stumble over one.” He cleared his throat and looked over at her. “You look lovely in that gown by the way. The elves made it especially for you.”
“Thank you. But I do have to ask. How many people here have seen me naked? I keep waking up in new clothing, and there is no underwear under this gown.
” She crossed her arms and looked at him.
His eyes were aimed at her chest and she moved her arms up to hide the distended nipples that were visible behind the silk. She was titillated by being in bed with a hunk like him. It wasn’t a common occurrence, and her body was showing all the signs of wanting to throw herself at him. She was quite sure that he read each and every inch and signal.
“Only myself, and the healer. No others were allowed here while you were unconscious. I made sure of it.” His eyes were turning from bright sky blue to a heated turquoise, and she couldn’t look away.
When he leaned toward her, she leaned in and they met in a soft kiss. The soft brush of lips soon turned into something beyond contact, beyond exploration. It was the sweet meeting of souls. Part of Anora’s mind screamed screw this and her hand wove through his hair. She turned the kiss into something else. Something hot and wild rose inside her and Sahn met her halfway.
He pulled her under him and the silk on her breasts rubbed against his chest with a delicious friction.
“Anora.” Her name was a whisper on his lips and he trailed a line of kisses across her jaw and down her throat. When he hit the sweet spot on her neck, she squealed and almost bucked him off. Moisture flowed between her thighs and her nipples peaked. She knew the spot existed, had accidently set herself off before by just throwing her hair back.
His chuckle made her anticipate and fear at the same time. He was remembering that spot and would probably use it against her later. One long fingered hand reached down to stroke her hip, calf and ankle, then started to drag the gown up with it.
She would have protested, but her mind went blank as his other hand moved one strap off her shoulder to expose one breast and he latched on to it, nuzzled it and generally worshiped her breast like he hadn’t seen one in centuries. His other hand, meanwhile, had reached the join of her thighs and was rubbing gently at her damp slit. She was going out of her mind.
Each stroke of his fingers spread the damp heat she was exuding over her clit and her blood pounded higher in her body, stealing her breath as her orgasm crept closer and closer. As heat engulfed her from head to toes, she tried to throw her legs around his hips, to pull him into her. “Not this time, Anora. This one is for you.”
And what a one it was. His hands and mouth had her writhing, panting and groaning. He held her inches from her orgasm until tears started to flow from her eyes and she begged him blindly. When she came, she screamed his name and the walls shuddered under the force of her voice. Sobbing softly, she waited to come back to herself with Sahn’s arms holding her close. His lips pressed to her temple.
“Why didn’t you want to…” She couldn’t explain or describe what had flared between them.
“This time was for you. When it is my turn, I will let you know.”
“When will that be?”
“When you least expect it.” He chuckled and fell asleep with her still in his arms. Like she could fall asleep after that. Well, actually she was kind of tired.
Chapter Five
“Where did all of this come from?” Anora was looking at the new wardrobe and the vast array of clothing inside.
Sahn was looking both pleased at her enjoyment, and irritated for some reason. “I suppose that my elves felt you needed some more clothes. Galmor probably gave them your measurements.”
“Stop scowling and help me pick something.” She was dizzied by the array of colours and designs. They were all vaguely familiar, but somehow more ornate and delicate than anything she was used to. The shirts were tunics, the trousers flowing and there was some lingerie that looked like it was crafted from moonbeams and lace.
He came up to her, embraced her and helped her pull some clothing from the wardrobe. A burgundy tunic and black embroidered trousers were his selections. “What? No underwear?”
“My day will be more fun without it.” His wicked wink made her laugh, and she felt light hearted for the first time in a long time.
“So, what does your day have in store for you? Christmas is in a few days. You must be busy.”
“Fairly busy, yes. But the majority of gifts are sent out via magic. They arrive under the tree without me doing anything. It is the other magic that has to be delivered region by region.”
“The magic that Lucky is here to help you with?”
“Oh shit.” His dismay was palpable.
He was headed for the door when she interrupted him, “You may want to put pants on if you are going near Lucky and her fiancé. I have a feeling he might object to you in the altogether.”
He gave her a black look and muttered as he dressed himself. She noted a few small bruises on his arm and neck and had to stifle a laugh. She had given him hickeys while he slept, and his shirt was not going to cover it. Her smile had him looking at her quizzically as she waved him off to attend to his duties. Someone may eventually point it out, but for now, he was wearing her marks.
As he whirled out the door and left her to her own devices, she let out her giggle. She took up a light pashmina and wrapped it around her, then left to explore the workshop without Sahn scowling down at the elves.
When she entered the workshop, there was a wave of murmurs and then the work came to a halt. One by one the elves came over and introduced themselves by the means of kissing her hand and bowing very deeply. When Galmor came over, she smiled at him warmly, so he engaged in the forward motion of kissing her on the cheek. It was not a second later when the one familiar face and the body attached to it went flying across the workshop. She only had a second to register Galmor’s flight when she was slammed firmly up against a body that was all too familiar.
“Hello, Sahn. Are you finished with Lucky?” She squirmed lightly in his grip. It was secure.
His voice was a harsh growl, not his normal smooth baritone. “Yes, only to find you seducing half the workshop.”
“Not half. All of them.” She tried to move against him again and only succeeded in finding the reason he had sought her out. His erection pushed hard against her buttocks in a very insistent manner. “Your meetings ran long.”
“It serves me right for leaving you to your own devices. It is a mistake I shall not make again.”
His hot breath in her ear caused a shiver in her that started in her nipples, then ran through her breasts, across her ribs and belly down to her sex.
“My turn.”
She was racked with anticipation as he half dragged and marched her away from her admirers and into an iced alcove. A wall of snowflakes closed the doorway as he stripped his clothing off and approached her with a deliberate stare. Lust and possession blazed out of his eyes and she couldn’t help but cringe against the icy wall as he loosened her trousers and peeled off her tunic.
Moisture flooded from her as he pinned her up against the wall. Her sex was hot, wet and welcoming as he put his cock against her opening. She gasped and arched as he thrust into her completely. His lips found her neck and, as he kissed, sucked and bit, his hips slid his cock into the slick channel of her body, hard and fast.
Her back was against the ice wall and her front was covered by the heat of his body. All of her senses were rioting and, when his hand snaked up to grip her breast, she went over the edge fast and hard, screaming her release to the ice. The jet of heat inside her and his groan against her neck, gave indication of his own orgasm. His weight pinned her to the ice and she was rapidly melting into it.
He separated from her reluctantly and she slid down the wall, only then realizing that she had wrapped her ankles around his hips while he pounded into her. Silently, she collected her clothing and redressed herself. The fabric snagged against her damp flesh and she caught the musk of his seed on the inside of her thigh as her trousers went on. By the time her tunic was on, he was fully clothed and watching her.
“Did I hurt you?”
She shook her head, mute. She didn’t know how she felt about a quickie in an ice cave, but she did know that his jealousy was what had spurred i
t. That she didn’t like at all.
“Anora, you are so quiet, what is wrong?” He repeated while rubbing her arms, “Did I hurt you?”
“Did you take me out of jealousy, Sahn? Tell me the truth. Did you fuck me up against a wall because you were marking your territory?” The anger in her voice could not be disguised. She walked to the snowflake wall and shattered it with a fist. Striding through the halls, she went to the room filled with wishes. She took a deep breath, held the crystal in her hand and touched one of the snowflakes on the wall.
“Oh, god.” The tears of a child whose mother was struggling on welfare in danger of being taken right before Christmas hit her. The sadness washed through her and into the globe in her hand.
It wasn’t enough. She had an emotional storm in her and she had to get it out. Anora touched snowflake after snowflake, registering sadness, desperation, anger, hatred and despair so deep that it took her breath away. Tears ran freely down her cheeks, sobs racked her body and still she touched and read them, one by one. Finally, there were none left and she returned the brightly glowing ball to its stand.
“You felt them all, didn’t you?” Sahn was waiting. He had been watching her for some time. There was a pot of tea and some sandwiches in front of him.
“Yes. I needed to feel something.”
“I was jealous. I am sorry that it offended you.”
“You shouldn’t be jealous, I don’t sleep around. Serial monogamist. That’s me.” She tried to be flippant, but it came out a croak. Her voice was hoarse from crying. “Can I go home now? Is my car in one piece?”
He flushed red, his features taut with anger. “Your car is in pieces and you are not going anywhere.” He left after giving her that news flash, his hair swinging against his backside as he moved.
“No wonder I hate Christmas. Santa’s a jackass.”
Chapter Six
“What the hell am I going to do?” Sahn paced the floor in his private study, Westa and Henry watched. “She hates me now. I made an ass of myself and she hates me.”
