The Alien Reindeer’s Bounty

by Starr Huntress

  “I don’t feel good,” Ruby muttered.

  Odessa gave Mads a frantic look.

  “A headache. It will pass,” he said.

  They went directly to Odessa’s home. While Mads arranged for a tow truck to retrieve her car and deliver it to the tire shop the next town over, she put Ruby to bed. She sat at the edge of the bed, stroking her daughter’s hair and taking comfort from her sleepy breathing.

  “She’ll bounce back,” Mads said.

  “I just need to be here.” To hear her breathing, to know her daughter was okay, and to keep the monsters away.

  “You’re running on empty. Have a shower before you pass out.”

  She didn’t protest as he led her into the bathroom. Mads’ sooty clothes fell into a pile on the floor. Hers quickly joined his. “We should put them in the wash, but I think I want to throw them out,” she said.

  “I’ll buy you more clothes. I’ll get you a new wardrobe if you like.” He turned the water on and let it run, the pink-tiled bathroom filling with steam.

  The hot water eased the tension in her. They took turns lathering each other. Carefully, she rinsed the burn on his back and the partially closed wound on his shoulder. The water ran dark with soot and soapy bubbles. Every touch from Mads replaced the memory of Karl grabbing her and choking her. He took the terror of the day—had it only been one night?—away. By the time he worked conditioner into her hair, she felt relaxed and ready to sleep for ages.

  His touch grew heated, the efficient contact becoming caresses. She leaned into him, giving the hard ridges of his abdomen a stroke. “Mads, make me forget,” she whispered.

  “If you are certain,” he said.

  “God, yes. I need to feel you.”

  He hoisted her up, her legs wrapped around his waist, and he pushed into her. They moved together, the hot water of the shower pounded his back and splashed in her face. If the water grew cooler, she didn’t notice. All she felt was Mads inside her and holding her. He whispered in her ear, words she recognized as Reilendeer but understanding their meaning of devotion and happiness. Together, they drove away the shadows and the lingering fear.

  Out of the shower, she slathered on a thick layer of antibiotic ointment to his back and shoulder. Applying gauze and tape, she said, “You really should get this checked out.”

  “It is not a problem. I heal quickly,” he said.

  “What if it becomes infected?” She couldn’t imagine the stress of finding a doctor who could handle Mads’ alien biology and keep that secret.

  “Do not worry. The same part of my physiology that lets me shift allows my body to repair itself quickly on a cellular level.”

  “But what if you get sick and need a doctor?”

  “Have you ever known me to catch a cold or the flu?”

  “No,” she admitted. Her nose might have always been dripping when they were kids, but Mads remained perfectly healthy. “I just worry.”

  “Because you love.” He grinned, entirely too full of himself.

  Odessa poked him in the side. “Yes, because I love you, and I’m serious. What do we do if your appendix bursts?”

  “I don’t have an appendix,” he said, running his hand through his wet hair. “I think. If we had to, we’d contact Svallin.”

  She liked the way he said we and implied a partnership. She checked on Ruby one more time; still sleeping, still breathing. Her own headache had largely vanished and she desperately hoped that Ruby would wake clear-headed and excited for Christmas.

  Crud. Christmas.

  They planned to spend Christmas Eve with her parents and Christmas Day with the Beckers. They couldn’t go, not with Ruby still drugged.

  She dug out her cell phone, the battery nearly drained. “Mom,” she rasped, voice tender from Karl’s choking grasp, “Ruby and I caught something. We’re not able to make dinner tonight.”

  “You couldn’t tell me sooner? I’ve been cooking all day.”

  “Mom, it’s seven in the morning. We just woke up.” Odessa shifted on the chair, uncomfortable with the casual lie to her mother.

  “You sound terrible, baby, but what am I going to do with all this ham?”

  “Save it for New Year’s.”

  “That’s a week away.”

  “It’s literally cured meat, Mom. It’ll keep.” Odessa rolled her eyes.

  “Not too sick to be sassy, I see. Besides, the ham will take up so much room in the fridge,” Patricia said.

  Ugh. There was no way out of this.

  “Hey Mom, how about you cook up that ham and bring us some this evening? I’m sure we’ll be super hungry and I’m not well enough to cook.”

  “I can make soup,” Mads offered, bringing her a mug of hot tea. He set it at the table next to her. The scent of lemon and honey teased her. “I figured out how to use the electric can opener and I want to show off for you.”

  “Who’s that? Is Mads sick too?” Patricia asked, suddenly concerned that her favorite felt under the weather.

  “He did a pharmacy run for me this morning,” Odessa lied. “You know, cough drops and decongestants. All that.”

  “And we’ll bring over Ruby’s presents, too.”

  “Mom, we’re sick. Please don’t make this into a thing,” she begged, knowing it was too late. This was already a thing.

  “Nonsense. If she’s not up for it tonight, Ruby can open them in the morning,” Patricia said, already decided.

  “Fine. No circus. We’re sick. I’m heading back to bed.” Odessa ended the call and turned to Mads, with his own mug of honey lemon tea. “My mom is bringing over a circus tonight, just so you know. She’s going to smother us with ham and a billion cookies.”

  “I like both those things and I like your parents. Smother me,” he said.

  “Be prepared for the full-on Muller holiday experience.” She drained her tea. “How many women do you think Karl took?” In the last few years, it seemed like young women moved out of town with no warning, but perhaps they had been snatched. Everyone thought Bonnie took off with a rich, older man she met at the bar. Well, everyone except Bonnie’s mother.

  “It will take time, but I can investigate.”

  Odessa shut her eyes.

  Dig up the bodies, he meant but didn’t say.

  “I never want to think about today ever again,” Odessa said honestly. “That would be so awesome, but the families deserve closure.”

  His hand covered hers. “Then let tomorrow worry about our problems. You need sleep.”

  The shifting mattress woke her. A little nose pressed up against her own. She cracked an eye open. Ruby’s grin took up her entire face. “Mommy, tell Mads I can eat cereal for dinner.”

  “Grandma is bringing up ham.” So much ham. She rubbed her throat, wishing Mads really had gone to the pharmacy for cough drops.

  “But I’m hungry now.” Ruby patted her belly. “Can I have Cocoa Pebbles?”

  Her phone told her it was mid-afternoon. Ruby could have a bowl of cereal now and be able to eat enough ham to appease Patricia. “I think I’d like some, too.”

  “Yes!” Ruby leaped from the bed and tore out of the room. “Mommy says I can have all the cereal I want,” she shouted.

  “A bowl,” Odessa called after her daughter. She stretched and eased out of the bed, following the scent of buttered toast.

  A soft smile tugged at the corner of Mads’ mouth. He wore a festive green sweater with snowflakes and reindeer—of course—and looked so at ease in her kitchen. Somehow, a bag from the pharmacy waited on the table, between the bottle of juice and a tub of butter. Ruby climbed into a chair and clumsily poured herself a bowl of chocolate cereal. Mads grabbed the milk and carefully supervised as Ruby filled the bowl to the brim.

  “How are you feeling?” He pressed a quick kiss on her forehead.

  “Tired. Sore.” Her fingers brushed her throat, wondering if she had any visible bruising. A little make-up would cover that up. “How about you? Your—” She stoppe
d herself from saying gunshot wound.

  He patted his shoulder. “Good as new. Stop worrying.”

  “I worry because—”

  “You love and I love you in return.” Another kiss to the forehead and Ruby made an exaggerated gagging noise. “Eat some toast. You’ll feel better with something in your stomach.”

  She nibbled on a piece of toast, barely tasting the strawberry jam.

  Mads asked Ruby if she was excited about Santa arriving that night and if she thought they could catch a glimpse of Santa’s reindeer. Ruby bounced in her seat. “Can we, Mommy? Can we stay up to see the reindeer?”

  She caught Mads’ eye. He winked. “Sounds like a plan,” she said, not entirely sure what Mads intended but willing to play along. They’d been like that from the beginning, since the boy with the antlers grabbed her hand and insisted she come home with him so they wouldn’t be strangers.

  This was her family.

  This was exactly what she wanted, every day, for as long as possible.

  Mads

  Patricia and Gerald arrived with too much food and presents. Odessa’s raspy voice and Ruby dozing on the couch reinforced the fable that they were ill. Patricia stocked the refrigerator and promised to come by tomorrow and make soup. Odessa rolled her eyes and groaned about her parents smothering her but Mads was fine with the smothering.

  His father had been distant, which was how he had preferred it. A distant demeanor was better than Arne’s scorn and fits of rage. As long as Arne ignored Mads, they could live indifferently with each other under one roof.

  At least, that’s what he had always believed.

  He didn’t know how many of Karl’s wild claims to believe.

  The lights of the Christmas tree illuminated the room in a soft glow. Presents wrapped in brightly colored paper crowded under the tree. A large, red velvet bag waited by the back door. Ruby slept on the sofa, tucked up in a fuzzy blanket. The calf’s steady, even breathing assured him that she remained fast asleep. Odessa sat next to Mads on the floor, her back to the sofa and head on his shoulder.

  “I never knew my mother,” he said, giving voice to the trouble churning inside him. “My father always said that she left after I was born but Karl told me another story.”

  Odessa took a moment to respond. “I can tell it’s not a happy one.”

  He grunted, the correct words proving difficult to find in the moment. Better to state it bluntly and clear rather than let worry tangle up his thoughts. “Karl said my parents were bonded mates and he killed my mother to see what would happen to Arne.”

  Mads could not imagine the vast emptiness inside him if anything happened to his mate. Karl took Odessa and considered her nothing more than an interesting specimen to dissect. Had Karl succeeded—

  Bitter and cold rage could consume him. He’d end Karl and would not rest until he tasted the treacherous male’s blood. What happened beyond that point, his imagination failed. His heart would continue to beat but he wouldn’t be able to call that a life.

  How had Arne managed it? As broken as Arne became, he managed to exist for nearly three decades, courting a slow death with alcohol.

  Odessa shifted, pulling away enough to look him in the face. “God, I hate that man. No, he’s a monster, not a man. Do you believe him?”

  “I don’t want to. He was kind to me.” For so long, Karl had been the caretaker in the family, eccentric as he was. The time Mads spent with his uncle, he knew he would have all the food he could eat and no one would yell at him.

  Mads closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “He wasn’t kind, when I think on it. He was decent. He fed me and bought me toys and never berated me. I enjoyed the time I stayed with him, away from my father.” He took another breath. “I feel embarrassed that food and kind words were all it took to buy my loyalty.”

  “You were hurt and he gave you what you needed. Don’t be ashamed of surviving,” she said.

  “I never questioned him. Not once. Not even when I returned to Earth and I had a list of his crimes. I refused to believe them.” Another breath. “I don’t think my father knew what Karl had done.”

  “Why do you say that? I have a hard time imagining Karl keeping it a secret. He liked the sound of his own voice.”

  “Why would he come to Earth with the male who murdered his mate? That makes no sense. I was a little older than eight when we left Reilen. Arne was not the type to forgive and forget, even after eight years.”

  “You don’t forgive murder. I’m sorry. If that happened to you, I’d never forgive the person responsible. Maybe if it was an accident, but not what Karl did.” She shuddered. “He said he was going to open up my brain to watch it working.”

  He pulled her closer to him. The tension in her relaxed as she snuggled in. “Arne always told me that she left after I was born. That story never wavered. Not once, not even when he was drunk as a skunk. He must have believed it to be true. He didn’t know.” Sympathy stirred in him for his father and the pain the male lived with for decades, believing his bonded mate walked away from him and their newborn calf.

  “It’s okay to still be upset with your father for what he did, for how he treated you,” his mate said, almost sensing his thoughts. “Even if you understand him better now, you’re entitled to feel that way you feel. His pain doesn’t erase the pain he caused.”

  “But that’s what wounded creatures do. They lash out,” Mads said.

  “What’s going to happen to him?”

  Mads wanted to tell his mate that Karl would be held accountable for his crimes, but Svallin hinted that Karl had friends on the Council. The old bull might get nothing more than the minimum sentence for interfering with a lesser species. Murdering humans wouldn’t be seen as a serious crime, as they were merely human and not reilendeer. “Prison,” he said. “Perhaps time in a re-education facility on Reilen.”

  “Are those as bad as they sound?”

  “Yes.” He spoke bluntly and with vitriol. He should tell his mate about his experience but so many serious words had already been shared. Then again, he promised no more secrets. “Arne sent me to such a facility after we left Earth.”

  She curled into him, pressing her face against his shoulder. “Just when I think I can’t despise that man more. I’d pee on his grave if I could.”

  An unexpected laugh tore out of him. “Me, too. It’d be weird for a date, but I’d do it with you.”

  Odessa checked her phone. “Midnight. You ready?”

  Mads went to the back door, stripped off his clothes and handed them to Odessa. She, in turn, handed him the red velvet bag. He shifted to his four-legged form and carried the bag to the trees.

  He waited while Odessa disappeared inside, enjoying the crisp air and the peace of the moonlight on frost.

  The back porch light switched on and two figures emerged.

  There was his cue.

  Taking the velvet bag in his mouth, he walked toward Odessa and a sleepy Ruby. Okay, he pranced. He held his head high, not because he was a vain male flaunting his antlers, but to make a dramatic figure in the early hours of Christmas morning.

  “Ruby, tell me I’m imagining this,” Odessa said dramatically.

  The calf gasped. “Santa’s here!” She clapped and bounced in place.

  He approached the back porch and dropped the bag of “Santa’s” presents at Ruby’s feet. The calf’s eyes were huge. She held up a hand to stroke his muzzle but withdrew it.

  He lowered his head and butted against her hand. With a shy smile, she stroked the soft velvet of his muzzle. “Mommy, this is amazing,” she said, barely above a whisper. “Can we feed him a cookie? He has to be tired from pulling Santa’s sleigh all night.”

  “I’m not sure reindeer eat cookies. Why don’t you grab a carrot?”

  He’d rather have a cookie, honestly.

  Ruby ran inside and returned in a flash with a baby carrot. She held out her hand, palm flat, and he carefully took the offered morsel. With a grin, she
stroked his muzzle again. “Thank you for the presents, Mr. Reindeer. This is the best Christmas.”

  “I’m sure Mr. Reindeer has a busy night and needs to get going,” Odessa said. “Come inside.”

  Ruby smacked a wet kiss on his muzzle and zoomed inside, shouting about Santa and reindeers. Odessa gave him a softer, gentler kiss and scratched behind an ear. His eyes nearly rolled to the back of his head.

  “Thank you for the magic,” she said. “I left your clothes on the steps. Don’t freeze.”

  He shifted back and dressed quickly. Through the window of the back door, he watched Ruby bounce around the living room. Eventually, he knocked before letting himself in.

  “Mads! You won’t believe who was here!” Ruby ran up to him and threw her arms around his legs. “It was Rudolph!”

  Rudolph.

  His nose wasn’t even close to red.

  “Merry Christmas to you too,” he said.

  “Can we open presents now? Everyone is here.”

  Odessa gave him a tired smile. Waking Ruby up for a special reindeer delivery meant the calf would never be able to fall back asleep until she opened her presents. They knew the risk when they devised the plan.

  “Sounds good. The people I love the most are here,” she said, echoing what he held in his heart.

  Epilogue

  Mads

  One Year Later

  He placed the final figurine on the mantel, a reilendeer bull chiseled from smoky gypsum. It joined the glowing fire pearl doe and calf, completing their herd.

  Their family.

  Presents crowded the tree and the stockings on the mantle groaned with treats.

  Much had changed in the last year. The house next door to Gerald and Patricia went on the market, the same house Mads grew up in. He purchased it because he craved wandering through the forest in his four-legged form and despite whatever sour memories the house held, he felt only affection for the landscape.

  The neighbors were tolerable, too. Mads particularly enjoyed the way Gerald let himself into the house and then proceeded to complete several small repairs.