Sleighed: BBW Holiday Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (Christmas Bears Book 1)

by Harmony Raines

  “It’s only complicated if you let it be complicated,” Bas said. “I spend my life trying to uncomplicate things.” Then he realized there might be more to her version of complicated. “I’m sorry. Am I being insensitive? Is there a reason you can’t have children? I understand if there is. And we can always adopt. I’m sure there are shifter kids who have lost their parents and need a new home.”

  “No,” she said quickly. Then she sighed. “I don’t have the best relationship with my father. And he never had the best relationship with his father.”

  “And you are worried it’s a family thing?” Bas asked.

  “Yes.” She pulled her hands out of the snow, and he could see how red they were. Moving forward, he took her hands in his big warm palm and rubbed them to get the circulation back into them.

  “You are not your father.” He leaned forward and kissed her lips. “And I think you’ll make a perfect mom.”

  “But you don’t know me,” she said.

  “I know enough.” He pulled back, and looked down at the snow that they had moved. “Have we found everything?”

  She shook her head. “No. There is one more thing. The most important thing.”

  “Which is?” he asked.

  “Christmas Magic. There should have been a small leather pouch with some in it. But it’s gone.”

  He looked at her forlorn face. If anyone else had told him they had lost a pouch of Christmas Magic, he’d have called them crazy. But this was his mate talking, and so he believed her.

  Maybe Bas was the one with concussion. That would make more sense. He was simply imagining this whole thing. Wouldn’t that be much easier to believe than him finding his mate, who happened to be a Christmas Elf, who had lost a pouch of magic meant for the Krampus?

  But when he pulled her into his arms, he knew she was real, that this whole bizarre situation was real, and that he would move mountains to make this right for her.

  Chapter Ten – Pepper

  It wasn’t there. Pepper had known it was gone before she’d even started to dig, but she’d dug in the snow anyway. What else could she do?

  Run home and be told she was a failure. That’s what. You had one job.

  “So we go and get some more,” Bas said.

  “First I have to find Dasher and Dancer,” Pepper said. “I’ll need them to pull the sleigh.” She looked around; there would be no way to follow their tracks in the deep snow. “If they haven’t starved to death out here.”

  “Reindeer live in these conditions all the time,” Bas said.

  “They aren’t normal reindeer,” Pepper said.

  “You mean they are shifters too?” he asked, his eyes widening in wonder like a child on Christmas morning. “I never would have guessed.”

  “You think bears are the only shifters?” she asked. Images of a bear and a reindeer walking through the snow came to her. “I met a shifter like you last year. He was a sheriff. He is mates with Vicky Vixen.”

  “Maybe there’s Christmas Magic at work here, maybe you were bought to me,” Bas said with a smile. He rested his hand on her arm. “We will get this figured out. Don’t worry.”

  She nodded. “We at least have to try.” She looked up at the sky; it was still clear, but the sun was high in the sky. The day would soon be over, and Krampus would only keep his side of the bargain if they made it to him before sunset.

  “So how do you find two reindeer?” Bas said, looking around.

  “You call them.” Pepper stood up, and did what she had been taught to do since she was a child. She lifted her head, and cupped her hands to her mouth and sang for the reindeer. It was a hauntingly eerie sound that traveled far over the mountains, calling the reindeer to her.

  “Where did you learn to do that?” Bas asked.

  “My father taught me.” She lifted her head and called again. Then she waited.

  “It must take some time to learn. And a lot of patience to teach,” Bas said.

  “I’ve been practicing since I was a small girl,” Pepper said. “Even before I could talk properly, he taught me how to call the reindeer.”

  “And you still think you don’t get on well with him?” Bas said.

  She looked at him sideways. “You don’t know him.”

  “Maybe. But I know my father would never have had the patience to teach me to sing like that.”

  “It’s not a song,” she said. “And he taught me because he had to. I’m the firstborn. I will take over from him one day.”

  “Doing what?” Bas asked.

  “I’ll be keeper of secrets. Just like he is, and his father before him, and his father before him.” And therein lay the issue.

  “Secrets of what?” Bas asked.

  “Santa’s village. You know.”

  “Not really. This is all new to me. I mean I … I didn’t believe in any of this. I’m still not sure I do.”

  “You might when you meet Dasher and Dancer.” She looked into the trees, sensing their arrival.

  “Oh, now they are reindeer.” Bas stood, his mouth open as two big, powerful reindeer wove their way through the trees.

  Pepper had forgotten how impressive Santa’s reindeer were. They stood head and shoulders above a normal reindeer, and their antlers gave them a majesty all of their own. Especially when they glowed like Rudolph’s nose.

  “Oh, Candy Canes,” Pepper exclaimed. “Now we know what happened to the Christmas Magic.”

  The two reindeer came up to her and sniffed her hands, and then sniffed Bas, before the air around them shimmered and they disappeared, only to return as two men, who looked just as impressive as their shifted animals.

  They stood over six feet tall, with blond hair; they could almost be twins, their blue eyes and pale skin were so similar. As was their ethereal glow.

  “What happened?” Pepper asked quickly.

  “The storm was too much, the snow heavier than we were ready for. If there had been more than two of us, we would have been OK,” Dash said. “The wind hit us just right and we came down.”

  He looked at the sleigh. “We got the full force of the Christmas Magic, and couldn't control our flight.”

  Dan looked at Pepper, and said, “We’re sorry we left you.”

  “That’s OK, as long as you are both uninjured.”

  “We are more than OK. We went to the moon and back,” Dash said.

  “So it’s all gone? The magic is gone?” Pepper asked.

  “Yes. Most of it hit us,” Dan said. “The rest blew away with the snow.”

  “Then we have no choice, we’ll have to go back and get some more.”

  “And be late?” Dan asked.

  “Any suggestions?” Pepper asked. “Because I see no other way.”

  “What if one of us raced back to the village and got some more, while the other pulled the sleigh. It would be slow going, but we could get you to Krampus, and then you can stall him.”

  “Stall him?” Dan asked. “You don’t stall Krampus.”

  “Miss Pepper might be able to,” Dash said. “She has a magic touch all of her own.”

  “Yes, she does,” Dan said, and then caught sight of Bas, who had balled his hands up into fists. “Not in that way.”

  “Wait,” Dasher said. “Miss Pepper, is this the guy who rescued you? He’s a shifter, I can see it in his eyes. You are Miss Pepper’s mate?”

  “I am,” Bas said protectively.

  “Wow! Maybe we didn’t get all the magic dust,” Dan said, with wonder. “It’s not every day you fall off a sleigh and into your mate’s arms.”

  “Shame that didn’t happen to us. I mean, the moon was cool, but I’d rather have a warm woman in my bed than stand on a cold lump of dusty rock.”

  “Now we know we didn’t need to worry about you getting cold last night. Curled up next to a…” Dash sniffed Bas. “A bear. I knew you were a predator as soon as I set eyes on you, but a bear.”

  Dan held out his hand. “Good to meet you. Any friend of Miss
Pepper’s is a friend of ours.”

  “Good to meet you too,” Bas said, and shook each hand as it was offered. “I’m Bas.”

  “Call me Dan and this is Dash.”

  “OK, pleasantries out of the way. How do we deal with this?” Pepper said. “I don’t think one of you will be strong enough to pull the sleigh. Not without risks. We came down last night with two of you hitched.”

  “Then we all go,” Dan said. “And hope Krampus is in a good mood.”

  “Yeah, and pigs might fly,” Dash said.

  “It’s a pity bears don’t,” Bas said under his breath.

  “But they could,” Dan exclaimed.

  “No,” Pepper said, shaking her head. “Don’t even go thinking about it.”

  “Why not? Dash and I must have some sparkle left in us. So we could rub it off on Bas.”

  “A bear pulling Santa’s sleigh! My father didn't want me to drive it, so he’d be furious if I let anyone other than you two pull it.”

  “More furious than a rampaging Krampus?”

  She put her hands over her face, hating that she was even considering Dash’s idea. “What if someone sees?”

  “They won’t. Not once we’re hitched. We’ll be covered by the same spell as the sleigh. Invisible to anyone below.”

  “I’ll do it,” Bas said.

  “Wait, I haven’t agreed to it yet,” Pepper said.

  “Miss Pepper. You know we love you. But sometimes you have to have a little faith, in us, and yourself, and fate. You got dropped into Bas’s arms for a reason.”

  “Head. I landed on his head. Or at least the sleigh did.”

  “Don’t be pedantic. Anyway, it’s much more romantic to tell everyone you fell into his arms.” Dash winked at Bas. “And every girl likes a bit of romance.”

  Pepper sighed. “OK. If the magic works, and Bas can fly… I can’t believe I’m saying this…”

  “Out of anyone, you know we all have to believe,” Dan said.

  “I know. If Bas can fly, and he thinks he can pull the sleigh, one of you pulls it with him, and the other goes back for more Christmas Magic... We’ll stall Krampus, and everyone has a happy Christmas.”

  “Some happier than others,” Dan said, nudging Bas.

  “Are you sure about this, Bas?”

  “Never been more sure,” he said, although she didn’t quite believe him.

  “Let’s do it!” Dan said excitedly, and Pepper had the feeling he was still high on Christmas Magic, and if they were really thinking straight they would see this was a terrible idea.

  But she had no choice. You have one job.

  And she still had time to salvage it.

  Chapter Eleven – Bas

  Flying had never been his thing. It was one of the reasons he didn't visit his family very often. So the thought of flying with no engine, no wings, and no parachute was just wrong on so many levels, he didn’t know where to begin. And what happened if he fell from the sky and Pepper fell with him?

  “This is safe?” he asked Pepper as Dan and Dash went around to the front of the sleigh. The first thing they needed to do was right the sleigh, check it for damage, and then load it with the goods they’d salvaged from the snow.

  “Yes. At least, Dan and Dash can fly, whether they have magic sprinkled on them or not. So even if your magic wears off, we’ll be able to land.” She watched him nod, and saw his uncertainty. “The magic doesn't switch on and off like a switch. It will fade gradually, so we’ll make a safe landing, not a crash landing.”

  “Good to hear,” Bas said. “Crash landings have never been on my bucket list.”

  “Are you ready?” Dan called.

  “Ready,” Bas answered, gripping the cold metal. Pepper had placed his hands in the correct position; all he had to do was lift when he was told.

  “One, two, three, lift,” Dan called.

  They all worked as one, and he felt the metal in his hand move, and went with it, finding it easier to close his eyes and trust to his other senses.

  “That’s it, keep it going,” Dash said, with a strained voice.

  “Nearly there,” Pepper said.

  Then the metal in his hands shifted, and there was a crunching sound and a thump, followed by a shout of triumph from Dash. “OK, phase one complete.”

  “Let’s get everything packed away. Then we’ll try your theory,” Pepper said.

  “This is going to be weird, pulling something I can’t see,” Bas said, and passed the branches to Pepper, who placed them in the sleigh, where they instantly disappeared. “Very weird.”

  “You’ll be able to see it all, once you have the magic dust on you.”

  “Will I?” Bas asked. He never expected magic to have so many rules. But then he’d never expected to actually see magic at work. His life was firmly rooted in the mundane, and this was the furthest from mundane you could ever get. Apart from the shifting of course, but when you’ve grown up around bear shifters, it becomes mundane. At least that’s how Bas saw it.

  “Let’s give it a try,” Dan said, passing the last of the goods over to Dash.

  “What do you have in mind?” Bas asked, eying the two men with some suspicion.

  “We have magic dust all over us.” Dash said.

  “So what? You rub your hands all over me?” Bas said, with a raised eyebrow.

  “Not exactly.” Dan took a step back from Bas. “We only have it on our other selves. Our reindeer, we’ll shift.”

  “You need to shift too,” Dash said, standing next to Dan. “Miss Pepper, when we’re ready, you need to harness us up. I’m going to head for home, and Dan can come with you.”

  “Are you sure?” Dan asked. “I’m stronger than you?”

  “In your dreams,” Dash said, and nudged Dan with his elbow; then, in perfect synchronicity, the two blond men shifted, to be replaced by two glowing reindeer. “Anyway, I’m faster.”

  “This is some weird crap,” Bas said.

  “Welcome to my world,” Pepper said. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes. Wait. One thing. Why do they call you Miss Pepper?”

  “Because my dad is the real Pepper.”

  “The real Pepper? What does that mean?” Bas asked, preparing to shift.

  “It means my dad is Pepper Minstix. The Pepper Minstix. So to stop everyone getting confused, they call me Miss Pepper. Beats Miss Minstix, I guess.” She held out her hand. “I am a poor imitation of my father.”

  “I don’t believe that at all,” Bas said, and the two reindeer nodded in agreement. “OK, let’s get this done so that you can prove to your father that you are not a failure. Parents! They are pretty good at screwing up their children.”

  His last comment had been a leading one, but he did not want to talk about it right now, not in front of Dan and Dash, so Bas shifted into his bear. They could talk about how bad their parents were over dinner, when this whole Krampus crisis was over with.

  The two reindeer charged at him before he’d even fully materialized. Damn them and their hijinks, they bowled him over, and then Dan held him down with his massive antlers, while Dash rubbed his head all over Bas. Then Dan released him.

  Bas stood up, his body in an aggressive stance. Until a funny mood came over him: he no longer wanted to fight, he wanted to fly to the stars and back. What the hell was happening to him?

  With no thought for how ridiculous he looked, Bas started to cavort around. He bounced on all fours like a deer, and then leapt into the air. And bears never leap. Much less frolic.

  “OK. I think we can say the magic worked. Dan, give him all you’ve got.” Pepper said. “You need to rub off as much magic as you can, because then you won’t be lit up like the star on top of the Christmas tree. I’d prefer you return to the North Pole unseen. We need to hurry.” The short winter day would soon be at an end.

  “OK. Time to go.” Pepper let Dan rub the last of the magic dust off on Bas, and then she hitched them to the sleigh. Fitting the straps around a bear w
as undignified to say the least. Bas was a lot rounder in the waist than any reindeer. But somehow Pepper managed it.

  And then they were ready to fly. The sleigh, which had come into focus as the magic took hold of Bas, was a magnificent sight. Carved out of wood, which was painted in red and white, with intricate trees, reindeer, holly, and ivy all entwining around it. There was no picture he had ever seen that did it justice.

  So, despite the indignity, as Pepper gathered up the reins, and called out On Dasher, on Barnabas, he rose to the challenge and become the first bear to pull Santa’s sleigh. Not quite what he’d spent all his professional life wanting to be recognized for. But with magic dust on his skin, his blood thrummed in his veins in a primal beat, and he opened his mouth and roared to the sky.

  Barnabas bear was king of the sky.

  Chapter Twelve – Pepper

  Flying always calmed her; there was something about the solitude that she enjoyed. Often, she’d tried to figure out what it was. The quiet, with only the wind as your friend, whispering long-forgotten secrets in your ear, secrets of the ages, lost to men. That was what she let herself believe as the wind whipped her hair, and sparked tears in her eyes with its icy chill. Or maybe it was the distance from all of the people below, as if she were above the troubles of mortal men and magical beasts.

  Whatever it was, it wasn’t working today.

  Time was not on their side. Just as the wind had not been on her side yesterday… Or had it? If the wind and snow hadn’t brought them down, then she would never have met Bas. But she would have made the rendezvous with Krampus, and she wouldn’t have failed her father.

  Would she really have preferred to have gotten the job done, and not met Bas?

  Pepper took her attention away from the wind and the clouds, and the bright solitary star that glimmered above their heads, guiding their way. How many voyages had been guided to safety by the first star of the night? Looking straight ahead, she watched Dan and Bas, running through the air, as if their feet were touching terra firma.

  She’d met a man who was willing to do this for her. A man who was willing to risk his life to take her to see a beast who liked to beat children with birch branches. A beast who, in days gone by, had earned a reputation of kidnapping naughty children.