Nice: A Dark Christmas Duet book 1

by Vivian Murdoch

  His hot glower burns my back as he stares at us, his anger building. I don't even have to look at him. I can feel it. On the inside, I'm trembling with fear. He seems so close to snapping, there's no way this will end well. My body casts a haughty glance over to Asmon, a wicked smile curling my lips.

  "You shouldn't have been so abrasive Asmon. I might have chosen to stay with you. As it is," I look over at Kris and slide a finger against his full lips, "It looks like you're losing yet another woman to the better man."

  With a pained howl, Asmon leaps up from his chair, sending it clattering back against the floor. Some nameless elf scurries behind him to pick it up and move it out of the way. "Caitlin, you can't mean this."

  The pain in his eyes, his pinched expression, it's too much to bear. I try my best to look away, but my body won't let me. I am stuck watching this play out, my heart ripping from my chest with each flit of his eyes between Kris and me. I scream and wail, fighting so hard to break free. There's no use. Nothing that can be done.

  Red eases from his chair and looks between Asmon and I. His hands clench and release as he measures the tension between us. "Asmon, I think it's best if you go."

  Asmon turns his murderous gaze onto him, and for once since I've seen them together, Red seems to wither.

  "Please. This can't be easy for you -."

  "What the fuck do you know? What do any of you know?" He whirls back towards us, his eyes blazing. "I don't know how you did it, but you will never take another woman away from me again."

  His body ripples with malice as he heads our way. Red lays his hand on Asmon's bicep, only to be met with a snarl and snap of teeth. Red relents but follows close behind. With each step, he transforms back into his beast. The horns are out and deadly, his tail whips back and forth with agitation. Stopping just in front of the chair, he snarls at Kris. Inside my shell, I quiver beneath his wrath. What can I do to tell him it's not me? How can I convince him? His eyes are pained as he looks me over. It's like he believes this horrid charade.

  "You will give me my woman," he grinds out, his eyes piercing Kris.

  Behind me, Kris heaves a sigh and drops his hands onto either side of my lap. "I don't own her Asmon. She's here of her own free will. No one is stopping her from going with you."

  His ice blue eyes snap to my face, waiting for my response. My body smirks and snuggles in deeper, practically purring as it stretches against Kris's chest. "Why would I want you when I could have Christmas every day? You're more pathetic than I thought you were. Chasing after me when there's clearly another that's more adept at meeting my...needs." I lean up and poke Asmon in the chest. "You're just jealous that someone actually wants the spirit of Christmas instead of your measly offerings. Now, be gone with you so I can salvage what's left of my trip here." It turns back to Kris and runs a hand through his hair. "Besides, Kris has a lot to make up for the hell you put me through."

  Asmon just stares at me, his entire face falling. Each breath is ragged and shallow. My heart breaks as I sit there watching his world fall apart. Why am I saying these things? Why am I acting this way? Fists clenched, he gives us a small bow before turning and storming out of the room. My entire being shatters as I watch him leave. Wailing, I beat against this barrier. Please! Please come back! Don't leave me here! As he leaves, my entire world turns black. It feels as if I've fainted, but I don't take the time to suss through it all. All I can think about is sweet oblivion taking over, so I don't have to feel the agony running through my soul.

  Chapter Nine: Asmon

  The hallways pass by in a blur as I storm out of the dining room. Who was I kidding? It was just a matter of time before she realized her mistake and chose Kris over me. It was bound to happen. But why does this time feel even more awful? With Angelica it stung, and yeah, I was pissed off. But with Caitlin? It's like the other half of my soul is being ripped away from me.

  The beast paws within me, roaring and snorting, demanding I go back in there and take her by force. It's with every ounce of power that I'm walking away instead of killing Kris with my bare hands. She chose him. Nothing I do will change that. Even if she wakes up a week from now and decides he really isn't the one, she still chose him. I can never forgive her for this.

  As much as it pains me, I let her go. My beast thrashes about, refusing to come on board. Even as I get further and further away, he fights me. Fur sprouts and recedes as we fight our internal battle. Growling, I stop in one of the hallways and start tearing down all the Christmas crap cluttering everything up. The first to go are the boughs. Roaring, I snag a dip in the line and yank hard, bringing the whole thing down. Next are the lights. With the same ferocity, I rip them from the walls. Greenery and decorations fly about as I completely lose my shit.

  I've always found it a bit excessive. Now, I just find it repulsive. It doesn't matter if this makes me a Grinch, but nothing about Christmas will ever hold any wonder for me. What little spark I found with Caitlin died the moment she sat on Kris's lap. Dropping to my knees, I howl up to the ceiling. When will this torment stop? Get the girl and she will fix it, my beast snarls in my head. But I can't. I can't see her face without thinking about her betrayal. Hell, I could have handled her getting frisky with one of the reindeer better than her practically fornicating on Kris's lap.

  I rise on shaky legs and stumble my way out of the house and into North Pole Proper. As usual, the elven families give me wide berth, but this time, there's a sheen of fear in their eyes that wasn't there earlier. Not surprising. If I look half as enraged as I feel, then I can understand their concern. As I make my way down through the center of town, my heart plummets. Instead of seeing all the merriment, all I can see is Caitlin's face, the way her eyes lit up as she looked at Kris.

  Groaning, I slam my fist into my palm, needing that small bit of pain to ground me, to remind me that this is all real and not some nightmare I'm stuck in. As I breach the NPP barrier, the cold wind whips about me, biting into my skin, filling me with an odd sort of calm. I've been burnt by Kris before and I survived. This time will be no different. It can't be. I trudge forward, bending down into the driving snow. It would be just like that asshole to start up a snowstorm as I head home. Just the cherry on the shit cake.

  It takes several minutes to traverse the snowy path from NPP to my cottage, but I don't mind. It lets me think, lets me calm down. So much anger and hatred swirl through me at the thought of Caitlin wrapped up in Kris's arms. I mean, the way she fell apart for me over and over. How can she just ignore our chemistry? There's obviously something there between us. A spark that burns brighter than anything I've ever experienced. I hang my head as I pause in my journey. Was. There was a spark. Now there's nothing.

  I'm not sure what I was expecting, but bone-shattering loneliness was not it. Each time a wave of loneliness hits, a flash of anger flares up right behind. I should have known better than to take her with me. Kris is a known womanizer, and after last time...I was an idiot. Groaning, I kick at a patch of snow, sending it flying up. I need to get her out of my system, to just forget about her and focus on someone else. I want to go back to Mistletoe Lodge, but after everything that went down, it would probably be better to lay low.

  If I hadn't already wasted my punishments on such an undeserving girl, I'd be balls deep in someone else in a heartbeat. As it is, I'm stuck. My beast bellows as we get closer to home and further away from NPP. I feel sorry for us, but there's nothing else that can be done. Maybe next year I won't make such a colossal fool of myself. With that thought in mind, I tromp my way up to my door and kick my shoes off before coming in.

  The smells of holiday cooking fill the air, wrapping me in a cocoon of warmth and familiarity. Breathing in deep, I try to let today's events go. No use grousing over them right now. It won't fix anything. I make my way over to the bar and pour myself a bourbon before settling down in front of the fireplace. My father's stern features glare down at me. Tipping my glass to the picture, I take a deep drink and sit there i
n contemplation.

  The longer I sit there, the more my feelings become intertwined until I can't seem to find a way out. They just pull me in even deeper with their what ifs and what I should have done differently. But what could I have done? I can't kill Santa. As much as I would love to deck him one, the entire world depends on the cheer he spreads. What type of a monster would punish the world because a man stole his woman? My fingers clench and release. He didn’t steal her. Not really. She went all too willingly. No, better to put this behind me than to endanger the peace the world is clutching onto right now. Never let it be said I killed Christmas. I'll cop to just about anything else, but never that.

  I glare at the previous Krampus before finishing off the shot. If he weren’t such a fuckup, I wouldn't be in this predicament. Hell, maybe that's our family curse. The fuckup family. Shaking my head, I set my glass down and leaned back to rest my eyes. A weary sigh passes through my lips. Even now, I can still smell her, taste her, hell, even if she fucked Kris every which way but sideways, I'd still probably take her back. What type of a sap does that make me? I rub my hand over my eyes, still unsure of what to do.

  "Master? Is Caitlin not joining us for dinner?"

  Startled, I look up into Fredrick's concerned face. Gritting my teeth, I get out of my chair and head over to the kitchen. "No, she's eating Kris right now."

  "Surely you mean eating at Master Kris's. Right Master?"

  "I wish I was Fredrick." Sighing, I took a seat at the head of my own table. Not nearly as massive as Kris's, but then I also don't entertain like he does, so there’s no need.

  "What happened? Were you cross with her? It's not her fault Master. I -."

  Snarling, I slam my fist into the hard wood and glare at Fredrick. "Why do you just assume it's my fault? Why is everything always my fault? I detest being the scapegoat for everything. My family has suffered long enough. I've suffered long enough. No. I wasn't cross with her. Everything was fine until we started eating dinner. Hell, she stood by my side when Kris and I got into it. But something happened in the dining room. I don't know what. Fathers, I wish I did."

  Hanging my head in my hands, I fist my hair into my hands. "If I could just go back, we'd never even step foot in that overly festooned dining room." I spear Fredrick with a glare. "Is my company that horrid? She was turned on by me. There was no doubting it. But Kris. Fucking Kris. He has this thing. I don't know what it is, but he's somehow able to draw people to him like it's magic."

  "I can't answer to that Master. Even when working for his father, Fathers rest his soul, he had this way about him. But I don't think you're horrid. Think about it. I chose to serve you." He sets a plate full of meat and potatoes in front of me and backs away. "I could have stayed and served Master Kris, but I didn't. I chose you. If someone chooses him over you, then it's just not fated to be."

  I mull over his words as I stuff my face with his succulent roast. There's something to what he's saying, but it's foggy in my brain. Something seems so wrong about this entire situation, but what? It's not hard to believe that Caitlin would choose Kris's glitzy, glamorous life over my quiet one. How can anyone compete with the magic of Christmas? More so, how can someone rooted in justice and punishment compete with the man that can give you anything with a snap of his fingers?

  "Master. If you want her, why are you here? Go win her back."

  Sneering, I stab at a potato. "And what? Demand she give up Claus? Drag her back here kicking and screaming?"

  "Isn't that how you brought her here?"

  I smirk and push away from the table. "That may be, but you know Red and the crew won't let me within ten feet of Northport. Besides, I'm not going to stand outside with a boombox blaring emo music at her until she relents and comes out. This isn't a hostage situation, and I sure as hell am not going to crawl on my hands and knees to beg for her to come back. No Fredrick. I'll stoop to many things but begging for the affections of a woman is not one of them."

  "Not to speak out of turn, Master, but they are using much newer technology these days. It wouldn't hurt for you to go down to Earth more than once a year."

  I stand up and pat him on the shoulder as I head up to my room. He tries so hard and I sure as hell don't make it easy on him. "That may be, Fredrick, but I like the simplicity and the imagery of some of the older technology. Things change so much so fast. I just wish we could stop the world just for a moment." Or reverse it. Shaking my head, I heave myself up the stairs and into my bedroom.

  The massive bed, a normal refuge for me, looks daunting. My plan was to share it with Caitlin after finishing her punishment, but that's not going to happen. Closing my eyes, I can see her pale hair stark against the black silks. The beast in me whines as I settle down. I've accepted the fact that she's gone, why can't he? In fact, he's the only reason I can't seem to let go. That beast wants her so damned much that he torments me, demands that I go get our girl back. How can I convince him that she's not ours? If she were, she'd never leave us like that. But she did. Closing my eyes, I drift off to sleep. My brain mulls over her actions. There's something so familiar about that situation. But what? I can't seem to remember, but my body does. Something is not right, but I can't put my finger on it.

  Chapter Ten: Caitlin

  My head pounds as I try to lift my eyelids. What the hell happened to me? It’s like I have the worst hangover in the world, but I didn’t drink. Did I? Strong, sure fingers rub against my scalp, and I moan as they thread through my hair before rubbing my scalp again. God it feels so good. It’s not quite taking away the headache, but it’s relieving a bit of the tension.

  Sighing, I shuffle closer to the warm body and burrow my head into his chest. After everything he put me through, it’s nice to see that Asmon can be a bit of a softie. I slide my fingers up his abs and onto his warm chest. The fingers still in my hair before gripping tightly. Smiling, I tilt my head up and pry my eyes open. Pain slices through my skull as light pierces me. Groaning, I screw them shut and tuck my head deeper into the warm body.

  He chuckles and holds me close in his arms. "I didn't think our hot chocolate was alcoholic, that or you're beyond a lightweight."

  I freeze as my brain processes the voice. It isn't Asmon. Unease churns in my gut as I force my eyes back open, blinking against the twinkling holiday lights surrounding us. Normally I'd be giddy with the display, but it hurts too much to process the beauty. Instead, I focus on the face in front of me, forcing myself to hold my eyes open until I can make sense of who I'm seeing. Eventually, Kris's face pops into view.

  With a screech, I scoot away from him, ignoring his hurt frown. The way my skin slides across the silky sheets lets me know instantly that I'm naked. Fuck. Pulling the sheet back, I look down and confirm that I am indeed unclothed. Kris chuckles softly and inches his way towards me. Already, there's a massive tent in the sheets, and panic wells up inside me.

  "Let's slow down there champ," I plead, clutching the sheet to my chest with one hand and forcing distance between us with the other. "I don't know what you think's about to happen, but this isn't it."

  Kris zeros in on where the sheet pulls against my pebbled nipples and smiles before dropping his gaze down to his crotch. "Oh, it's going to happen. You were practically begging me for it."

  Blood drains from my face as he pulls at the sheet, trying to pry it from my grasp. This can’t be happening. Who the hell knew that Santa would be such a perv? Gritting my teeth, I wind the sheet in my fist and tug back, refusing to let go. His crystalline eyes darken as he continues pulling.

  "You will not win this game pet. Might as well submit to me and let me have my way with you."

  "I'll never submit to you."

  Kris gives a low growl as he inches his way closer. With every bit of movement, his muscles bunch and strain. The lethality in his body gives me pause. Can I really escape him? Bit by bit it dawns on me how royally screwed I am. And I don't even know how I got here in the first place.

  "You can't te
ll me you don't want this. Between that asshole and I, it's a no brainer."

  I scrunch my face up into a frown. "He's not an asshole. Just because you're jealous of him -."

  His bark of laughter interrupts me. "Me, jealous of him? Now I'm worried it wasn't alcohol at all. You must have suffered greatly to think that I would even care enough about him to be jealous. Come now." He shifts a bit to extend his hand. The sheet pools at his waist, almost giving me more of a show than I want. "I don't know what games Asmon played with you, but I'm not in the mood. I have wanted you from the first moment I saw you, and I will have you."

  Gripping the sheet even tighter, I slide my ass over as far as I can before easing my leg out. I keep my movements small, so I don't alert Kris to my plans. His eyes remain leveled at mine. Good start so far. Once I feel stable enough, I hop to the floor, the sudden impact jarring my ankle. Wincing, I pull back, bringing the sheet with.

  "I said no!" Hysteria creeps into my voice, making it warble.

  Kris says nothing. He simply rises from the bed like a god, letting the sheet slide down his legs, leaving him completely exposed. My mouth grows dry as I stare up at him. He's impressive, I'll give him that, but he's not the man I want. Asmon! Memories flood back in, crashing through my skull. With my free hand, I grip at my head, willing the pain to stop.

  Everything becomes crystal clear. I don't know what came over me, but I remember all of it, especially the hurt look on Asmon's face when I chose Kris over him. Agony pours through me as I collapse to my knees. Kris leaps off the bed and rushes to my side, gathering me close. His smell is wrong. His arms are wrong. Everything is wrong. I attempt to shove at him, but my feeble motions do nothing to move him.