“What?” asked Rowan.
“The sack works both ways,” said Santana. “The elves can toss toys into it from their end, and I can send stuff back to The Workshop from my sack. Boreas is going to tan my hide for getting those two knocked out.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” insisted Rowan.
“I should’ve realized they needed a break,” said Santana. “I did things too quickly. Rushed things. Won’t be a mistake I make again. Right now, what I need is for the six of you to take things slow. I’d rather get back to The North Pole by New Year’s Eve than have all that happen again.
* * *
“…So that’s it,” said Holly. “That’s the whole story. What do you think?”
“I’ll say this — the skeptic in me is, well, skeptical,” admitted Grandma Luna, raising her eyebrow as she took a sip of her cider. “There’s a lot of reasonable explanations for the events you explained. Maybe he didn’t fly during that fight — maybe he just jumped, really, really high. Maybe that was his real mate mark — the word ‘Naughty.’ Maybe he’s one of those rare folks that can shift into two animals — and that’s why he turned into a reindeer and into a bear. Here’s what I can’t figure out — what’s in your heart. Do you love him?”
“Do I what?” asked Holly with a laugh.
“Do you love him?” asked Grandma Luna.
“I can’t,” said Holly. “Not after he called me ugly.”
“And you heard him say that?” asked Grandma Luna. “Word for word?”
“There was no mistaking it for anything other than what it was, and what it was, well, it was cruel,” said Holly.
“Grandma, Grandma,” called a voice. One of Holly’s younger cousins, a little boy named Peter, waddled out of the house. He had a mug of hot cocoa with extra mini marshmallows.
“Well, hello, dear,” said Grandma Luna. “How can I help you?”
“I was wondering if you wanted to hear the song I practiced in school,” said Peter.
“What song?” asked Holly.
“The Twelve Days of Christmas!” said Peter.
“Well, I’m sure we have time for a few verses,” said Holly. “Why don’t you sit down next to us and we can all sing it together?”
Holly and Grandma Luna moved so Peter could sit between them. The elementary school-aged child broke out into song, and the trio sang up to the part about ‘six swans a-swimmin’“ when Peter pointed.
“Look!” shouted Peter, nearly dropping his mug of cocoa as he stood up quickly. “Look over there!”
“What is it, dear?” asked Grandma Luna.
“I just saw Santa and his reindeer!”
“You did, now, did you?” asked Grandma Luna, shooting Holly a wink.
“They flew right past the moon, but, they’re gone now,” said Peter. “Gosh. I never thought I’d get to see Santa! Do you think that means I stayed up too late and…?”
Peter leaned in to whisper to Holly and Grandma Luna.
“Do you think that means I’m on The Naughty List no?” asked Peter worriedly.
“Of course not,” said Grandma Luna with a laugh. “There’ll be a bundle of presents under that tree with your name on’m.”
“Phew,” said Peter. “Holly, you believe me, don’t you? I know you’re a big kid, but…you believe that reindeer can fly, right?”
“That I do,” admitted Holly. The real question wasn’t whether they could fly — it was whether they could love.
* * *
Rowan hit the ground at The North Pole, hard. He shifted into his human form before he collapsed. His ass hit the tarmac, and he curled his head behind his knees.
“Rowan?” called a familiar deep voice. “Boy, can you hear me?”
“Yes,” mumbled Rowan.
“That was a rough ride,” said Krampus, putting his hand on Rowan’s shoulders. “Let’s get you inside, get something warm in your stomach.”
“Okay,” said Rowan, getting up from the tarmac. His own human legs felt unfamiliar to him. He’d only ever used them in a few states in his own country. His reindeer legs — Cupid’s legs — had taken him around the entire world. These no longer felt like his own legs.
Krampus put an arm around Rowan. Someone put another arm around Rowan — it was Santana.
“Let’s get the boy inside,” said Santana, looking over Rowan. “I don’t suppose his woman’s here?”
Krampus didn’t answer Santana. He just shook his head.
“Holly…” croaked Rowan.
“Save your energy,” ordered Santana.
The next twenty minutes were a blur. Rowan was taken inside to a medical wing. Doctors attached gadgets to him and had him drink up hot cocoa — for the electrolytes. Rowan was too tired to protest that hot cocoa probably didn’t have much in the way of electrolytes, but soon enough, he started to feel better.
“He’s all clear,” said the Christmas elf doctor, whose pointed ears and striped shoes showed his heritage. “One heck of a ride — one for the history books. I’m surprised a human could handle it.”
“I trained him well,” said Krampus, slapping Rowan on the back. “But…keeping his cool? He sure as shit didn’t get that from my hot-headed demon ass. You did good, kid. Real good.”
“Holly,” repeated Rowan. “Where is she?”
“Uh…probably back at The Wreath,” said Krampus. “I don’t know. She didn’t come up here with Avery.”
“I need to go see her,” said Rowan.
“Right now, what you need is rest,” said Krampus. “And…you’re not getting it at my piece of shit cabin.”
“What do you mean?” asked Rowan.
Krampus took his chain off his neck and threw it in the air. The familiar portal formed but it opened onto an unfamiliar destination that was even cheerier and Christmassier than Santana’s office. Inside, there was a living room with big fluffy green pillows and red cable knit blankets and a roaring fire. Sitting on the sofa was a curvy figure in a Christmas sweater, back turned to Rowan.
“Holly!” shouted Rowan, rushing through the portal.
“Huh?” asked the figure, turning. Rowan’s heart sank. It wasn’t Holly. It was her boss, Avery. They were both curvy, so, from the back, Rowan had confused one for the other.
Krampus walked through the portal and closed it behind him.
“Avery…sorry to impose, but, can the boy stay here tonight?” asked Rowan.
“You think I’d let him sleep at your place after the ride he had? Come,” said Avery. “This way.”
Avery got up from the couch and led Rowan to a guest bedroom.
“How did you get down here so quickly?” asked Rowan.
“Same way as you. Krampus made me a portal while you were getting checked out by the doctors,” said Avery. “Pajamas in all sizes are in the dresser. Spares of all types of clothes too, including, yes, skivvies. There’s a hamper there you can use. The bathroom is through that door. Any questions?”
Rowan had miscalculated his energy levels. Maybe it was because he’d spent so much energy in his adrenaline rush from the hospital bed through the portal into Avery’s house in hopes of seeing Holly. Maybe it was because of the complications that had happened on The Ride. Either way, he had only had the strength to ask one question, and he’d misspent the power on a silly question. Before he could ask Avery where Holly was, Rowan blacked out.
Chapter Ten
Christmas Day, 2012
Rowan woke up in a strange bed. It was comfortable — more comfortable than the mattress back at Krampus’ cabin, more comfortable than his full-size mattress back in his condo in Seattle. It was covered in layers of warm, fluffy blankets and thick pillows were wrapped around his head.
Rowan smelled something. He turned to find the source of the scent. It was the smell of the Christmas blend of coffee Krampus always ordered from Bear Claw Bakery. There was a fresh cup of the stuff on the nightstand, along with a donut — plain, with white icing, and red and green sprinkles.
Rowan sipped the coffee and ate the donut. The plain but Christmassy food filled his stomach and warmed his belly. He thought about what had happened the night before. He’d gone on The Ride, and there’d been an accident — but, things were okay, but he barely made it through in one piece. The details were blurry, but everything had been fine. The Ride was over.
But one thing wasn’t okay.
Holly.
Rowan put the coffee and donut down and walked through the house, looking for anyone. Finally, he found another guest bedroom. Inside, there was a familiar face.
“Krampus, where are we?” asked Rowan.
“Ugh, five more minutes,” said Krampus, turning over in the bed.
“Krampus!” shouted Rowan. “Where are?”
“Avery’s place, on The Wreath,” said Krampus, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. “Why?”
“I need to get to Holly,” said Rowan. “Where is she?”
“I have no clue,” said Krampus. “Try asking Avery.”
“Where is she?” asked Rowan.
“Probably at the bakery,” said Krampus. He tossed the chain that was on the nightstand onto the ground and a lazily formed portal in the shape of a jellybean formed on the ground. Krampus rolled back into bed.
Rowan jumped through the portal without thinking. He landed in Avery’s large office at Bear Claw Bakery.
“Candy canes!” exclaimed Avery. “Rowan, you startled me.”
Rowan stepped out of the portal.
“Is Holly here?” asked Rowan.
“No,” said Avery. The portal was still open. She reached through and grabbed a sheet from the bed. Krampus grumbled.
“Krampus!” hissed Avery. “You close this portal right now! I don’t need a gaping hole in my office!”
“Okay,” said Krampus with a yawn, and slowly, the portal closed back up.
“She’s not working here today?” asked Rowan.
“No,” said Avery. “She didn’t tell you? She left early — on Christmas Eve morning.”
‘Where did she go, Avery?” asked Rowan.
“I, uh, don’t know where she’s going to be on Christmas Day,” said Avery. “She just said she’d be with family.”
“Wait,” said Rowan. “She made a Christmas list. At the speed dating event, we both made those Christmas lists using that template you printed off.”
“So?” asked Avery.
“Do you have it?” asked Rowan.
“No,” said Avery.
“Shit,” cursed Rowan, starting to leave.
“Rowan, wait,” said Avery. “You’re forgetting something — I’m a frikkin’ Christmas elf. I know people who work in The Library of Lists.”
“The what?” asked Rowan.
“The Library of Lists,” said Avery, turning to her computer and going to a special program. “It’s where The Naughty List and The Nice List are kept and monitored…but it’s also the department that processes Christmas lists which are usually sent to Santana by snail mail.” She pressed some buttons and soon, her desk phone, which was red and white striped, rang.
“Hey, is this Oberon?” asked Avery. “Obie! Buddy! Hey! I was hoping you hadn’t had too much of the eggnog last night. Listen…I need a favor. Can you look up a list for me? Yeah. The name’s Holly. Holly Luna. Uh-huh. Yeah. It would’ve been sent with a big batch from The Wreath. Definitely Nice. Okay. I can wait.”
Avery looked up at Rowan and back at the phone. Rowan nodded.
“You got it already?” asked Avery. “I don’t know how you do it, Obie, but — yeah, magic. I know it’s list magic. I just meant — you know what? I don’t know. Merry Christmas. What’s the address?”
Avery’s printer started whirring.
“You really are the best,” said Avery. “I owe you a pack of fresh candy canes — and no, I won’t let the missus find out. Alright now. Merry Christmas to you and yours.” Avery hung up the phone.
“He found it?” asked Rowan.
“That should be it,” said Avery, grabbing the paper from the printer. “Yup. This is her Christmas list. Right here, this is the address she put on The List. It’s where she said she’d want her presents ‘delivered,’ and it ain’t my rental address…and it’s not her place in Boston.”
“I know what it is,” said Rowan. “Can you print off the map for me?”
Rowan looked at the list over Avery’s eyes and read Holly’s Christmas list. She’d only written one thing on it, and luckily for Rowan, it was something he could deliver.
Avery quickly printed off the map. Rowan looked over the map and committed it to memory. Rowan folded the pieces of paper with the address and map on them and stuffed them into the pocket of his tactical suit.
“Rowan…do you think that’s the place?” asked Avery.
“Has to be,” said Rowan. “Thanks for everything, Avery — and Merry Christmas.”
With that, Rowan rushed out of the bakery. As soon as his feet hit the pavement, he shifted, turning those feet into hooves so he could hit the sky running.
Boise, Idaho. He never would’ve guessed to find her in Boise. She’d never mentioned it to him before — but they hadn’t talked as much as he’d wanted.
That had been his fault.
Fixing this, that was also on him.
Rowan flew through the air for hours, only landing to rest and to double-check the map. He flew over towns, over cities, over forests, over roads, and finally, to the outskirts of Boise, to a suburb. He landed in the neighborhood marked on the map. He had the address memorized. He looked for the house number and finally found it.
The house was big, red, and full of light. There was snow on the lawn. Rowan trotted on to the yard to make sure he’d really found the right house.
As he read the numbers on the door, the door slammed open, and Rowan found himself facing the business end of a shotgun, wielded by a curvy older woman.
“Grandma? What’s wrong?” called a familiar voice.
“Be careful, child, or you’ll spook him away,” said the older woman. “I want that rack on my mantle!”
“What are you talking about?” asked the voice. Holly looked through the doorway and saw the animal standing in her yard, snow swirling around his antlers. The beast wasn’t spooked away by Holly. Instead, it started walking closer to the door.
“Grandma, that’s not an eating deer,” said Holly. “That’s…him.”
“Okay, so you really don’t want me to miss,” said Grandma Luna, peering down the gun.
“Grandma!” hissed Holly. “Rowan…why don’t you properly introduce yourself?”
Rowan shifted and heard a pop at the same time. Rowan found himself in his human form, covered in bright red — but also, in green, white, gold, and silver tinsel.
“This will never come out, will it?” asked Rowan.
“Grandma, that wasn’t even a real gun?” asked Holly.
“Real gun, but it’s filled with confetti rounds. Your papa won’t let me have any birdshot, for reasons unknown,” said Grandma Luna. “Now, I ain’t ever seen a shifter shift from beast to man and not end up butt frikkin’ naked, but I guess there’s a first time for everything.”
“Grandma Luna, let me take care of this, and I’ll be right back inside,” said Holly. “Shouldn’t take long.” Grandma Luna nodded and gave her granddaughter privacy.
“I can explain,” said Rowan.
“I don’t need to hear anything,” said Holly. “I talked to Grandma Luna about everything last night. Turns out she has a friend with a story like yours — a story about a guy who claimed to be a reindeer and a bear to win over a girl. Guess I just fell for some old shifter trick.”
“There was no trick,” said Rowan. “Holly —”
“Rowan, you already ruined a good portion of the last month for me,” said Holly. “At least grant me the mercy of not ruining my Christmas Day. You owe me that, at the very least.” She turned to walk back toward her parents’ home.
“H
olly, wait,” said Rowan. “Look.”
Rowan pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. He checked to make sure it was the right paper.
“I know what you wrote on your Christmas list,” said Rowan. “All you wrote was one word, starting with an ‘R,’ ending with an ‘n.’ You wrote a name. You wrote my name — Rowan. Well, guess what? I’m here. I’m yours. I’m your special Christmas delivery, delivered by reindeer.”
Holly stopped walking.
“How did you get that?” asked Holly.
“I told you — I’m one of Santana Claus’ eight magical flying reindeer,” said Rowan. “You’re not the only one who was doing temp work at The Wreath.”
“Avery made you a copy, didn’t she?” asked Holly.
“Holly, I’m telling you the truth,” said Rowan.
“Like when you told me the truth about how I’m your fated mate? How you knew, in your heart of hearts, that I was yours?” asked Holly.
“Those weren’t lies,” said Rowan. “I’ve never lied to you.”
“So that means you weren’t lying when you said to Krampus, ‘How could someone love something so ugly? Someone…like Holly?’“ recounted Holly. They were words she knew all too well.
“Yeah, who could love something so ugly?” asked Rowan. “You have to admit, your sweaters are kinda…interesting looking.”
“Wait, what?” asked Holly. “What do you mean?”
“I was talking with Krampus about your Christmas sweaters,” said Rowan. “He said they’re ugly. I said that I knew what he was thinking — ‘how could someone love something so ugly?’ — especially someone like Holly, who is drop-dead gorgeous. It was a rhetorical question.”
“But what did you mean by that?” asked Holly.
“I’m saying that Krampus’ question, the one he didn’t say, but that I knew he was thinking, was, ‘how could someone love something so ugly?’ — referring to your Christmas sweaters,” said Rowan. “The words, ‘someone like Holly’ were my next words. I was clarifying my own question. The question is, how could someone like you, who is so beautiful, love something so ugly…like the sweaters, his words, his opinion, not mine.”
Cupid Claws: The Twelve Mates Of Christmas, Book 6 Page 12
