Taron turned around and raised a brow at me. "That miner's arm is coming in handy right about now, eh?"
I chuckled. "Maybe. Or maybe it was all the daggers I threw in my training with you two?"
"Perhaps," he said with a smile, flashing me those sharp vampire fangs. "Keep it up. Time’s almost out."
I shot a glance at the clock tower. We only had ten more minutes.
"What's the score?" I shouted up to Ash. I knew he'd be keeping track. He was way more competitive than I ever realized; especially when it came to games.
"Dan and Criss only need one more hit each before they're out," he informed me, throwing a snowball at the prior and just barely missing. It crashed into a puff of white dust in the street. "Ben's only been hit once, and Cal's never been hit. That cheeky bastard."
Pursing my lips, I decided to change that. It was too risky of a shot from where I hid behind our barrier, but if I snuck closer, I could totally take him out while avoiding wrecking the poor snowman in the process.
I stockpiled, packing ball after ball into my free arm until I had a small arsenal at my disposal. Then I withdrew even further into the alley, wandered around the back of the nearest shop, and came out on the other side. Cal didn't appear to have seen me, considering he was still watching the fort Tamara and I had made.
Keeping low, I ran forward, hiding behind a crowd of teenage banshees. Unlike spirits and ghosts—which I couldn't see at all—banshees were semi-transparent, lending me at least a bit of cover. Cal still didn't seem to have noticed me.
Ahead, there were different groups of shoppers strolling across the square, tree decorators hanging ornaments, more kids making snowmen, and groups of random undead citizens sitting at outdoor cafés, sipping cups of steaming hot cocoa.
It was a little bizarre to see people bundled up in winter coats and scarves, sitting outside at a café while it snowed. Up north, when it got cold, people mostly stayed inside, curled up by a fire. But, I supposed, since it was always snowy here, they had to adapt. Just because it was cold didn't mean they had to miss the chance to enjoy life… or un-life, or whatever.
I found myself admiring their tenacity.
That's when I noticed Cal's blue gaze had sharpened. He seemed to have realized I was no longer behind my team's barrier, but he couldn't seem to locate where I'd gone.
Giggling quietly, I shuffled behind a half-decorated tree and waited. I could just barely make out his face in between the branches. He scanned left and right and everywhere in between but he couldn't find me.
It was time I made my move.
I grabbed a snowball and jumped out from behind the tree. One, two, three! I threw my snowballs as fast as I could, splattering each one into Cal's side—head, shoulder, and bicep.
"Got ya!" I shouted just as the clock tower dinged ten o'clock.
He shot me a playful glare and hauled me into his arms, swirling me around before squeezing me tight. "You cheated."
"Nuh-uh."
"Yes-huh. You weren't allowed to cross the invisible barrier."
Shit. I'd forgotten about that.
"Well, you cheated, too," I insisted. "Hiding behind a kid's snowman..."
He laughed and brought his lips down to mine, our cold noses bumping. "Fine. Maybe we'll call it a tie, then."
"No ties," Ash decided as the rest of the players joined us. "Cal and Alexis's hits don't count since they cheated, but how many did everyone else get?"
When Ash was finished tallying up everyone's scores in his head, he sighed. "We lose. But only by one. If Alexis hadn't crossed the barrier and lost all her hit points, you guys would have been creamed."
"I know," Criss agreed in surprise. "Where'd you learn to throw like that?"
I held up my arm and made a muscle that no one could see beneath my coat. "Jewel miner, right here."
"Ex-jewel miner," Cal reminded me as he sat me back down on my feet.
“Princess-assassin, then.”
“Well, at least you got part of it right that time,” Dan teased. “You are a princess.”
I stuck my tongue out at him.
Taron and Tamara bumped fists with Rob once more, telling him they had to get going.
"Find me first thing in the morning," Rob said sternly. "I want to know why the Storm King sent you."
Taron's features slackened into grim lifelessness, and fear once more curled in my gut.
"I don't look forward to that meeting, Your Highness," Taron admitted in a whisper.
"Thank you for inviting us to your snowball fight," Tamara added with a strained smile. "It really was nice to forget about the real world, if just for a few minutes..."
Waving, they returned to their cart and walked away, leaving me with a chill in my bones.
Ben chuckled, probably to lighten the mood, and patted Rob's shoulder. "Well, bro, looks like cocoa is on you."
Rob scoffed but it quickly turned into a chuckle. "As if there was ever a question. It's my kingdom. Of course I'm going to treat you guys."
I glanced at the snowman Cal had hidden behind. The child making it had just put the finishing touch on it—a chunk of beef jerky for a nose.
I smiled as inspiration came to me.
"Can we do one more snowy activity before we warm up with cocoa?"
Chapter 3
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Rob announced, standing once more atop the frozen fountain in the center of town. "Welcome to the first ever Blackdell Snowman Making Contest!"
I clapped and cheered along with the rest of the crowd that had gathered. There must've been at least fifty separate contestants. I knew my idea of having a snowman making contest would be fun, but I hadn't imagined that many people would want to join. Zombies, vampires, demons, banshees, and who knew what else, gathered around waiting for Rob to start the competition.
It filled my heart with joy to see them embracing the fun, even though Rob had sort of ordered them to do so.
Rob gestured to the kid that had made the original snowman. "This little girl and her friends are going to be the judges of the event. So, keep your target audience in mind."
He gave his brothers and I each a pointed look. It was as if he already knew what we had in mind, and he was telling us that dicks and tits were officially off-limits.
I chuckled and rolled my eyes. "We're not that bad, are we?"
"Remember our painting-date in Western Blackwood?" Ben whispered.
I couldn't help but grin. How could I forget? Dicks, tits, and vaginas everywhere—disguised as fruits and vegetables. Very clever, or so I'd thought in my wine-drunken state.
"Everybody ready?" Rob asked, invigorating the crowd once more. "You have half an hour to make the best snowman in the square. Good luck and have at it!"
Rob hopped down from the fountain as the contestants got to work.
For the first few minutes, all we did was roll snowballs around the plaza. Some were big, some were small, some were misshapen, and others were perfect. But once everyone got their balls stacked into the typical snowman shape, that’s when the creativity came to life. We each chose different objects for arms and facial expressions, and different buttons, hats, and scarves for decoration.
Personally, I wanted to make a woman snowman. I mean, seriously, in what parallel universe were all snow figurines male? They ought to have been snow people. Well, I guessed they could be something other than humans. Maybe just snow fuckers? That was pretty all-encompassing.
I put some round mounds on my “snow fucker,” careful to avoid making nipples, since I was being judged by children. I scrounged up a few random rocks to use for eyes and buttons—she had to at least look like she was wearing a top. I found a red ribbon for the smile, and I even grabbed a few strands of straw to use as eyelashes.
I stepped back and stared at her, pursing my lips. The poor girl needed some hair. I found a bale of hay and snatched some longer pieces of straw and gave her a side-part that pretty much looked like shit—sticking out in all sorts
of weird places—but it was the best I could do. And, overall, she was actually pretty cute. I tied another red ribbon in her straw hair and wrapped my own pale blue scarf around her neck just as the contest came to a close.
“Time’s up!” Rob shouted. “The kids will be coming around to decide the winner!”
We all stood beside our creations, grinning like imps as the children assessed our handywork.
Dan had made a snow mermaid, complete with a seashell top and a scaled tail.
Holy fucking gods, when did he get so artistic?
Cal’s snowman was huge, damn near taller than he was, with whole branches for arms instead of twigs. It didn’t have hair, a hat, or a scarf; just a long row of black buttons in the middle of its six-pack abs.
Ben’s snowman was perfect. Flawlessly round balls made up the body, getting incrementally smaller up to the head, and its attire was stereotypical all the way—a fancy scarf, a black silken top hat, hell, even a pipe.
Show off.
Ash’s had adorable little kitten ears, straw whiskers, and a tail made of snow.
And Criss’s was a goofy snow fucker, with eyes pushed in opposite directions, a wavy smile with a leaf-tongue hanging out, zigzagging buttons, and arms made of whips—which I assumed were for carriages, but which had me imagining kinky thoughts, anyway.
Rob hadn’t made a snowman. I was pretty sure he was too busy enjoying helping the kids. He was going to make an awesome father one day.
The thought immediately turned my blood cold.
Hopefully a day much later, rather than sooner.
I still hadn’t gotten my period, and while the prospect of that was utterly terrifying to me, I shoved it away and buried it deep in my chest. Today was a worry-free holiday; quite possibly the last one we’d ever have, and I was determined to enjoy it.
After the kids looked at every single snowman—and snow creature—they joined Rob in a huddle near the fountain and whispered their choices in his ear.
Rob stood with a sexy grin on his stubbled face. “Ladies and gentlemen, the winner is Mrs. Faye and her pukey-poopy snowman!”
The crowd chuckled and parted to reveal an extremely old lady. She stood next to a hunched over snowman that appeared to be puking up candies and pooping out chocolates.
The kids giggled at their choice while I shook my head and grinned.
“Mrs. Faye,” Rob said before chuckling softly—a delayed reaction to the ridiculousness of this whole thing. “In honor of your epic win, I’d like to provide you and your family with all-new gowns and suits for tonight’s Winter Ball.”
Poor Mrs. Faye’s eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fainted into a pile of snow, the glittery white stuff going up in a puff all around her. Then again, she looked so old and decayed I was half-assed convinced she was a zombie. Maybe her eyeballs were always rolling in weird directions?
“Oh, shit,” Rob muttered, momentarily unsure if he should rush over there or not. “Is she okay?”
A few nearby citizens helped her to her feet, and she gave him a thumbs up.
Rob exhaled and smiled once again. “Thank the gods. When you find the suits and gowns that you’d like, please tell the shopkeeper I’ll be by to cover the price.”
She nodded shakily, and I wondered if she might pass out again. “Bless you, Highness.”
I smiled tenderly. What a softie my brooding badass was becoming—at least, where his citizens were concerned. I could tell how much he cared for them, and that only made me love him more.
Ash came over, shaking his head. “I can’t believe I didn’t win. Kids love kittens.”
Dan chuckled. “Well, apparently they like shit and vomit more.”
“Criss was on the right track,” Ben said with a nod. “Wacky rather than practical.”
Criss grinned. “I wasn’t trying to be wacky. That leaf was supposed to be a mustache, but it fell out of place. And I swear those eyes were straight when I first put them in.”
Cal laughed and patted his shoulder. “It’s okay. Not everyone’s snowman can be as manly as mine. Though, the mustache would’ve helped.”
“Yeah, well,” Dan said cockily, “apparently kids don’t like manly snowmen either.”
“Or womanly,” I added with a grin.
Ash choked before laughing. “That was supposed to be a woman?”
I tried to push him into a snowbank, but the bastard didn’t budge. He simply wrapped me up in his arms and kissed me. I couldn’t help but melt into his embrace. Gods, it still felt so good to have him back.
“Come on,” Rob said, corralling us toward Zombay Café. “Let’s get that hot cocoa.”
We shuffled into the shop, which was busy as all hell. Every available chair was occupied, with some guests even standing between the tables, and there was a line all the way from the front door to the back counter.
My mouth fell open. “I guess everyone had the same idea.”
Rob grinned. “Yeah, but not everybody is the prince. Why don’t you guys head out onto the side deck? I’ll bring our cocoa out in a sec.”
I didn’t really want to be freezing my ass off outside, but considering the packed state of the inside, I guessed there really wasn’t any other option.
Cal led us through the side door, and even out on the deck, it was so full of random undead people that there was only a single table left—and it didn’t have enough chairs.
“I got this,” Ben muttered. He glanced around as inconspicuously as he could, and he broke all four legs off one of the chairs.
I raised a brow and stared curiously.
“I need a piece of preexisting vegetation,” he told me, waving a wooden chair leg at me for just a moment.
Using the old wood as a starting point, Ben’s magic spread out and built on it, creating four new chairs—each made of thick, twisted vines and gnarled branches. Then he replaced the four missing legs in much the same way. When he was finished, he blinked and swallowed hard.
It must have been nerve-wracking to slowly lose his senses every time he used his magic.
Dan glanced around and pursed his lips. “All the water’s frozen, man.”
“What?” Ben asked, cupping his ear as he shouted.
“The water is frozen!” Dan shouted back, picking up a gloveful of snow to add some context.
Rob arrived with a trayful of steaming mugs a moment later. “Don’t worry. I think there’s water in the cocoa.”
“What?” Ben asked loudly.
“I said there’s water in the cocoa!” Rob cried, plopping a mug down in front of Ben before grabbing his brother’s shoulders and forcing him to sit.
The rest of us sat down all by ourselves and sipped at the sweet, chocolatey goodness even as it scorched our lips and tongues. Gods, chocolate would never get old. I could live in a chocolate house and wear chocolate clothes, right down to my chocolate bra and panties… and then the guys could lick them off me. I smiled to myself and bit my bottom lip.
“You feeling better?” Ash asked Ben with a sympathetic grin.
Ben’s brows furrowed. “No, I don’t need a sweater! I have a winter coat on!”
“Gods above, I’m going to smack the sense right back into him,” Ash muttered, gazing skyward as he shook his head.
“Guys?” Criss said, but it was low and quiet.
“What?” Ben asked, still shouting.
“Just drink more of your damn cocoa,” Rob ordered, scooting the mug even closer to his brother’s hand.
“You sure that’s not made with milk?” Dan asked, quirking a brow.
Rob shrugged and stood. “No idea. Guess I better go get a cup of water, just in case.”
He strode back into the café and I took another sip of my cocoa.
“Guys,” Criss said again.
“Yes, most of us are guys,” Dan teased. “Way to be observant…” He paused and a puzzled look crossed his face. “What’s Crissen’s ‘S’ name?”
We all had one, though som
e were more official than others. Sky Prince, Sea Prince, Sand Prince, Spirit Prince, and Shifter Prince were all well-known and accepted. My self-dubbed title was Sex Princess, due to my cutesy fire magic that always seemed to end in penetration. So, what would Criss’s be?
“It’d have to be healing in nature,” I thought out loud.
“Shaman Prince?” Cal suggested.
“The Salve Prince,” Ash said.
“The Stitch-up Prince,” Dan teased with a grin.
“Savior Prince,” Cal tried again.
Dan scoffed. “Oh, fuck that noise. He’s not a messiah.”
I pursed my lips. “What about the Soothing Prince?”
“Soothing?” Dan asked in an unconvinced tone. “What does he do, calm crying babies?”
“No,” I countered, “he soothes crying citizens when they’re burning alive.”
Everyone went silent and Dan’s gaze dropped down to his mug of cocoa.
Immediately, I regretted my brash words.
I reached over and squeezed his hand. “I am… so sorry, Dan. I just meant, soothing would be a good name for him. I didn’t mean to hurt you by trying to prove my point. I… sincerely apologize.”
He smiled a bit and kissed my temple. “It’s alright, Lexi. We all say things we regret from time to time. I forgive you. It just still hurts that I wasn’t able to protect them all.”
I nodded solemnly. “I know. I wish we could have, too.”
“Guys,” Criss said again.
But before he could say anything more, Rob returned with Ben’s glass of water.
“Here you go, bro!” Rob shouted loud enough for Ben to hear.
Ben gratefully took the glass and chugged it.
“All better?” Rob yelled in question.
Ben frowned and rubbed his ears. “Yes, but holy shit that was loud. No need to shout.”
I chuckled along with everyone else, then followed Crissen’s hazel gaze to where it rested on the town square. “What were you trying to say, Criss?”
He sighed, then turned to us and smiled. “I was going to say—”
“ATTACK!” a citizen shouted from the streets.
Snow Storms Page 2
