by Tl Reeve
Maia is doing well at her job. She was promoted to supervisor, and hired Tina right out of college. Since they’re both pregnant, they’re working from home for now, and arrangements have been made for their maternity leave.
I feel my wife’s hand on my arm and turn to look at her. She looks at me lovingly, stroking a hand down my cheek.
I learned about the name her ex-coworkers gave me. It fits. I feel like her Tarnished Knight.
I’m grateful every day that she gave me my dream come true. A family of my own.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to my Beta Girls, ZL Morris; HL Neighbor and Faith Hammack for giving me their advice and encouragement. It was greatly appreciated.
About the Author
Kelly Williams writes romance and life novels that will take you to another world. She provides the 'Happily Ever After' you always need.
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Santa’s Curse
T. A. Moorman
Prologue
The Yule log crackled in the fireplace, making the room feel nice and warm. The smells of apple, cinnamon, and other fresh baked holiday treats permeated the air. The only sound to be heard was the creak of the rocking chair as the children jumped onto her lap. “Listen closely, and I’ll tell you the tale of how Santa Clause truly came to be. Once upon a time, there was a beautiful enchantress. Her ebony locks cascaded in thick, black waves down to the middle of her back. Her skin was the same color of the sweetest chocolate, with curving eyelashes surrounding shimmering, golden eyes encased in a rounded, angelic face that belied a look of innocence. She possessed a voluptuous body that most humans would call overweight, but her weight was in all the right places, and made most of the other supernatural beings fall in love with her at first sight. If not love, at least lust. Her name was Jadine Lanstross.
She was a fun and loving free spirit, and her powers were more than formidable, though she didn’t use them very often. Jadine was forever afraid that if she overtaxed her powers, one day she might no longer have them. Most thought her silly for it, thought it was a waste to let so much magick go untapped. Jadine figured if she was going to be alive for at least a millennium she wasn’t taking any chances of doing so without magic. Yes, even an enchantress can be paranoid and a hypochondriac; it’s not just a human thing.
Her sister, Jacquelyn, thought she was a waste of magic and space. It wasn’t always that way, because Jacquelyn used to adore her older sister. When Jacquelyn was a small child, she used to look up to Jadine. She followed behind her like a lovesick puppy dog, wanting so much to be just like her. But, just as human females had the tendency to turn into cold-hearted bitches during puberty, Jadine did not, but Jacquelyn did. Unlike most human females, Jacquelyn didn’t grow out of it. Everything became convoluted in her mind and took on a new, much darker light. Even though their parents loved them both equally, Jacquelyn grew tired of the way they doted on Jadine, acting as though she was a piece of fragile glass they had to keep protected because of how sensitive she was. Just because Jacquelyn didn’t cry at every drop of the dime like her big sister, it didn’t mean she didn’t want to be shown the same amount of attention. The knowledge that Jadine’s powers surpassed her own, yet she hardly ever used them, felt like a slap in the face. Jacquelyn thought her sister was a fucking idiot for even thinking she would run out of magic, which made her wish she could just syphon it from her and use it for herself. They say there is a thin line between love and hate. Jacquelyn both loved her sister, and hated her fucking guts.
What really heated Jacquelyn’s blood was the fact that she was model-thin, perfect latte complexion, with eyes the color of a metallic midnight blue sea, and thick, luscious dark brown locks of hair flowing down her back. Yet it was Jadine that all the males fawned over, competing for her devotion as they continuously attempted to court her. If it wasn’t for fickle human men, Jacquelyn would probably still be a virgin, and she was already pushing one hundred years of age, which was more like twenty-five in human years.
But, none of them meant her sister any damn good, but Jadine was too rainbow-eyed to ever realize it. The ironic part? Jadine was in such fear of using up her magic that she failed to notice how the males she bedded all walked away a little more powerful. While most men adored Jadine, her poor fool sister tended to choose all the wrong ones—the rule breakers, heart takers, and just plain assholes. She was so busy seeing the best in everybody that she became blind to their worst parts. Since Jacquelyn loved her sister more than she hated her, she did away with the fucktards who hurt her one by one.
Oh, she didn’t kill them, if that’s what you’re thinking. Jacquelyn was far more creative than that. Since the majority of them acted like children anyway, she cast a spell on them to look the age they acted like, and threw in pointy ears for good measure, so they couldn’t even attempt to mix in amongst humans. Wouldn’t do to have any of the vampires or shifters confused for regular humans. She also cast them far away from their alcove, that was hidden from human eyes, to the coldest, most desolate land in the north.
She had a special dislike for vampires in general, due to how they always teased her, saying how she didn’t have enough meat on her bones to hold the amount of blood needed to feed even a baby vampire. So, she tacked on an added extra to their spell; they would only feed on one night out of the year, and only a small amount from each victim they fed from. She did give them the ability to flash or teleport, so they could do so undetected, but they had to leave a small gift for each human. And what better day to do that than on the eve of the humans’ most famed holiday, Christmas?
But there was one vampire in particular that set her blood boiling. He had been a thorn in her side since grade school. Enchantress’ were a different sect of witches—more powerful, more long-lived—and they were practically immortal, like the vampires. Which is how many of them ended up being together, most quite literally grew up together. This particular asshat was the ringleader of all of the teasing, and he continued to pester her well after their schooling was finished.
Then the tall, handsome, drool-worthy fucktard had the audacity to start seeing Jadine in secret. He never took her sister out on a proper date, always met with her alone. She would catch him coming in and out of Jadine’s home with a dumbass grin on his face. Would catch them together in various places talking, then they would quickly stop as soon as they saw her.
Honestly, who did he think he was? With his long, thick, jet black hair that sat just past his muscular shoulders. His hard but beautiful features looked as though he had been chiseled from stone and brought to life. He had gunmetal grey eyes, surrounded by eyelashes so thick and long any male or female would envy them. And his body? It was no wonder he was such an arrogant, cold-hearted, jack—”
“Woman, are you telling that story again?”
“Of course, dear. It is their favorite Yuletide story.”
“Well, could you at least lay off on calling this poor, misunderstood male so many cruel names?”
She laughed a little at his mock outrage, then replied with a smile as she winked at him, “Anything for you. Now, children, where were we?”
1
“Are you fucking kidding me?!” I couldn’t have stopped the words from flying out of my mouth had I wanted to. The nerve of that egotistical, narrow-brained… “Moron!”
“Caw…What’s wrong, Jackie?” This came from my raven and familiar, Jason, as he landed on my shoulder. “You know, you really need to find another hobby.” I’d lost count on how many times he’d told me that one.
I was sitting on my front porch, watching the thorn in my side since grade school, Victor Stranovich, walk out of my sister’s shack yet again. Trying to sneak off, as if being caught with Jadine disgusted him. If he was so ashamed of being with her, why go to see her so often? Oh, wait, I
already answered that question, didn’t I? He’s a moron. I had seen him over the past week, buying all sorts of trinkets and baubles that were beautiful, but more my tastes than hers. More evidence on how much of a moron the vampire truly was.
But every time I’d seen her, there was no evidence of any of it—no new jewelry on her, none of the beautiful bloodstones or uncut amethyst, nor the miniature blown glass skulls, just none of it. And I knew damn well he hadn’t been purchasing all of those items for himself. For one, they were way too feminine. Secondly, vampires had no use for any of the magical items he’d bought. If he wasn’t buying them for her, he must have been getting them for some other poor sap.
“Just what is that you would have me do, Jason? Open up a charm shop? Oh, I know, start an herb garden.”
“No, but how about getting you a boyfriend of your own? Or a girlfriend. This is just plain unhealthy.” Jason’s rattling, screechy voice was really working my nerves. “And that look you’re probably giving me is wasted when you’re not even visible.”
I really was doing just that. I had been so busy listening to him tell me about myself, I had completely forgotten. I concentrated for a few seconds to make myself visible once more, then gave him that look again, since it could actually be seen this time, because those comments most certainly deserved it.
“You know damn well I do not do relationships. I don’t trust anyone enough for that, and I won’t be caught being naïve like Jadine. Unlike her, I wouldn’t have anyone around looking out for me.” Would have been nice if someone did, but no sense in dwelling on that. “When I get an itch that needs scratching, I’ll hook up with someone and be on about my merry way. No worries on getting knocked up. My eggs are happily sealed until I find my mate, which I seriously doubt will be happening anytime soon.”
“Go and get yourself a friend, then.” I think he was plain determined to work my last nerve, and he was doing a damn good job at it.
“I’ve got a friend—you. And, before you even say it, no, I don’t want one that walks on two legs. Tried that before, didn’t work out too well.” I’d had a few friends throughout my lifetime, but most of them just used me to get closer to my sister. Mostly witches that wanted to soak up all that extra magic coming off Jadine in waves. She’d never just listen to me, though. Whenever I’d tell her not using her magic was really doing her more harm than good, she thought it was me being jealous.
Maybe I used to tease and make fun of her out of jealousy, but not anymore. Now, I was just afraid the dumb twat was going to spontaneously combust or some shit. I tried talking to our parents about it, too. They thought I was being paranoid. Amazing how they could see me as such, but couldn’t see their firstborn as the hypochondriac she was.
Which left me to pick up the mantle of protecting Jadine from obstinate assholes that just wanted to use her, and also to protect myself from conniving bitches that just wanted to use me to get to her. Ironic, when you think about it, given how I was the baby sister. I always thought it was supposed to be the big sister’s job to do the protecting.
“I’m going in,” I said as I stood from my old wicker chair. Jason was forced to fly from my shoulder in the process. “You coming?”
“Caw. No.” Jason responded as he hovered in the air, flapping his wings. “Me and some other familiars are going down to hang at the pet cemetery tonight to talk about our insane masters.”
“Ha, ha.” I flicked my wrist and gave his wing a playful zap as he flew away cawing in laughter. A strange sound that was, too. It would probably scare the hairs off a human male’s chest, but it only gave me a slight smile.
I originally had every intention on confronting Victor that very night, but I hesitated and entered my little cottage, instead. The outward rickety door creaked as I opened it. The outside, along with most of the other homes, looked old and broken down, but the inside held every modern convention one could have asked for.
The façade worked to keep us hidden away from human’s judgmental, prejudiced eyes. No one had any desire to go through another Salem Witch Trials, or any other nasty persecution they could think up. So, we kept to ourselves in our very own communities in the guise of either Amish, Mormons, or Native-American Reservations. A glamour had been placed on each community to appear as what they said they were, keeping mundane passersby none the wiser. My community took on the look of an Amish one.
Most humans kept away, but we did have a few who ventured into town every now and then. If they were simply curious and didn’t cause any trouble, they were allowed to roam around and see us as Amish humans going about our everyday lives. If they had come to just mock the Amish culture, or were Jehovah’s witnesses come to attempt to ‘convert us,’ they ended up as vampire cuisine.
I bypassed the kitchen, den, and living room, as my destination was my bedroom. The only stop I made, once I made my way up the half-spiral staircase, was to Jason’s room to double check that his window was open for him to fly in whenever he made it back home. I was going to give Victor one more day. Once I laid down on my king-sized bed—that held more pillows than necessary, so that I wouldn’t think about how empty it almost always was—I thought about the real reason I kept hesitating when it came to Victor.
Something I’d never admitted to anyone, including Jason, was that I had some kind of twisted crush on the asshat. Which was stupid, really. But I couldn’t help but feel that maybe, just maybe, he had been picking on me all this time because deep down he had feelings for me and was too much of an idiot to know how to show it. Now that he was going after my sister in such a dodgy way? It not only made me sick to my stomach, it also hurt my heart.
“Victor, if you don’t shape up and prove yourself worthy of my sister, you’ll end up with a fate even worse than the others.”
2
The following day started off just like any other. After having that most important first coffee of the day, I headed into the living room to sit back in my recliner that had been magicked to remain worn just enough, but never entirely break down, and placed my second cup of coffee on the end table at the ready. I leaned back in the chair as I waited on Jason to flap his way in.
Once he finally entered as quietly as he could, thinking he was sneaking up on me, I scolded him. “I’m not asleep, you little turd, and if you stick that beak of yours in my cup, I’m gonna kick you in the head.”
“Caw! Come on, Jackie! A little sip won’t hurt.” Jason had the nerve to act outraged.
“I don’t know where that beak of yours has been.” Was my reply while taking a small needle to prick my finger from out of the pocket in my robe. “Now let’s get this over with and I won’t bother you for the rest of the day.”
“Sure you won’t.” Jason said as he took his little, hard, and barely wet tongue to scoop up the blood that had bubbled on the finger I had just pricked. “If I believe that, I must have been hatched yesterday.”
When the connection was made between the two of us, I concentrated and sent Jason directly up north, to where all of Jadine’s exes were. This was something we did daily to check in on them and see not only what it was that they were up to, but to make sure no attention was being drawn to their location. Also, to see if any of them had become anywhere near close to redeeming themselves, which none of them ever seemed to be. If maybe one of them could stop being so pissed off for what I’d done and own up to take responsibility for their actions, they’d realize they could literally grow the fuck up and get out of there.
First thing Jason did was fly around the perimeter to insure no humans were around trying to get past the shield I had placed. There was magic pouring off it that would make any human who came near it too petrified to get close enough to cross it, but it didn’t have that effect on supernatural creatures, or animals. Which explained all the damn reindeer running all around back and forth.
I was seeing all of this through Jason’s eyes, something I was able to do only because he was my familiar. Whenever we made a blood conn
ection, it enabled me to see, hear, feel and smell everything he could. It didn’t work the same vice versa, but he was able to hear anything I said to him.
“Jason, get on in there and see what they’re all up to. I only spelled you for like twenty minutes, don’t waste it.” My knucklehead familiar was getting ready to veer off course when he scented a mouse. “You can eat when you get back home.”
“Caw. Not trying to eat. That’s a lot more than one mouse.”
I pulled harder onto the bond and realized Jason was right. Those dipshits must have been up to something. “You’re right. Follow your nose, well, beak.”
He did, and it led him to another portion of the cave that we had yet to explore. The cave itself held many sections; one, the most cavernous, was where they all slept. They didn’t bother building any separate quarters. Another where they ate and congregated. I had no idea if they actually bathed, but there was a hot spring farther within. But this little nook and cranny was something new, and they seemed to be using it as a storage unit.
Jason flew up even higher so that he would remain undetected when he saw a couple of the pricks walking out of it, talking and laughing together. He heard one of them say, “We’ll be leaving a gift behind alright. Wait till those humans get a load of their presents.”
As they laughed at some joke that neither of us were privy to, but I had a bad feeling about, Jason swooped in undetected. Then it was his turn to laugh. And trust me, a raven’s laughter directly in your ear is worse than hearing nails scraped down a chalkboard. “I take it back, maybe they are just as childish as the form you stuck them in.”
