Christmas After Dark: A Holiday Paranormal Romance Anthology

by Abigail Owen

  "I'm not leaving you, at least not right now," he whispered as he drew her back into his arms. "I've got an idea that might work for what we both want... but first, no more tears."

  Before she could ask, he reached over and turned off the oven.

  "We'll eat later. Much, much later." Alec picked her up in his arms and headed for the bedroom.

  5

  Later on, when he'd fallen asleep, she rolled over and looked at the otter pelt, folded and placed on the side table.

  She drew her fingers along the fur, marveling at the softness. For a second, one wild second, she thought about hiding it from him—keeping him in human form and with her, as long as she wanted.

  A cold, greasy ball of fear rolled around her belly as she contemplated the action by its true name, free of the fantasy romantic notions the fairy tales gave it.

  Blackmail.

  No. She was better than this.

  Cassie patted the pelt before turning over and wrapping her arms around Alec, hating herself for the brief moral lapse.

  "I'm sorry," she said.

  He didn't ask for context, taking hold of her hand and entwining their fingers.

  "I have a plan. Well, sort of one. I'll figure it out." He squeezed her hand. "We'll make it work."

  Cassie pressed her cheek against his back, wallowing in the body heat.

  It was eight months, almost exactly to the day they'd first met, that he went, on a hot August morning. He'd spent the last few weeks working hard, taking on odd jobs in town to fill an old coffee tin almost to bursting, the folded bills stacked thick and high.

  He'd shrugged off her complaints. "While I'm gone, I want you to be financially secure." Alec cocked his head to one side. "Don't tell me that you can't use the extra cash."

  She couldn't dispute the facts. While the income from the bar was good, it wasn't enough for her to contemplate going back to Philly—not with the higher cost of living in the bigger city. Selling the house wouldn't bring much, so she was where she was.

  Selling everything and moving to be with Jean in Arizona wasn't even on the radar.

  The day arrived sooner than she thought.

  She woke first, staring at him in the morning light until he opened his eyes and smiled, cupping her face in his hands.

  "I do love you. I want you to know that. Now and forever."

  "I know." Cass drew a deep breath. "Do you want breakfast? Or at least coffee..."

  "No." He shook his head, pulling her into his arms. His long, dark hair fell over her face, turning the sunlight in small, shiny slits with darkness between each one. "Just a few more moments here, then I'll have to leave. Easier to do that on an empty stomach."

  They went to the riverbank, near where he'd crawled ashore. Where she'd first found him.

  Where he'd stolen her heart.

  Alec shuffled his feet in the dirt before taking hold of her hands. He wore a black t-shirt and jeans, both showing the wear and tear of his time on land.

  "I won't be long. All I need to do is make arrangements for you to join me. Or, if they won't let that happen or it's not possible, tell them I'm not going to be coming back. Say goodbye to my friends and let them know where they can find me—if they'd like to visit." He let out a soft laugh. "Just imagine, the house filled with otters, running all over the place. It'd be crazy."

  "Do you think it'll be that simple? To ask them to let me in... And the alternative—" She could barely speak, emotions clogging her throat. "Just walk away from your people?"

  He tucked a strand of loose blond hair behind her ear. "As far as I'm concerned, you are my people." Alec kissed her forehead. "I haven't heard of it being done before, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been done, just that I don't know about it. I don't care who I have to ask or how many elders I need to visit, I'll get an answer. After that—we'll deal with the results, no matter which way it goes. "

  He drew a deep breath. "Might be a week, maybe a month before I can come back. Just tell people I had a family emergency to attend to—which won't be far from the truth."

  "What if..." She hesitated, the words numbing her tongue. "What if they hurt you?"

  He frowned. "'Hurt' me? Cass, these are reasonable people. We've been around for hundreds of years, living in peace with your kind." He pointed at his chest. "They won't hurt me."

  She reluctantly pulled back, stepping away from him. "I hope so."

  "Have a little faith in me. Just don't do anything until I return—like move to Arizona." He pulled out the otter pelt from his waistband and handed it to her.

  She took it, pressing it against her light blue blouse, right over her heart.

  He toed off his running shoes and peeled off his socks, tucking them inside. Then Alec stripped down, carefully folding his clothing and placing it in a neat pile on a nearby flat rock.

  Cassie found it hard not to smile as she dragged her eyes over his naked form, taking in every inch and committing it to memory. The tight, sculpted abs, the broad shoulders, the definitely squeezable, grabbable butt...

  He cocked his head to one side and eyed her. "I can practically hear what you're thinking."

  "If you could, you'd be dragging me to bed," she shot back, laughing through her tears.

  "Don't tempt me." He put out his hand.

  She gave the pelt to him, restraining herself from throwing her arms around him and never letting go.

  "Be careful. When you come back, I'll be here," Cass said.

  "Thanks." He leaned in for one last kiss. "I love you. I'll be back soon."

  She watched as he placed the furred square against his chest and took a deep breath.

  Over the past few months she'd only seen him change once or twice, Alec choosing to remain in human form first to heal, then to be with her. Both times had taken her breath away, seeing the magic happen in front of her—confirming that there was so much more to this world that she'd ever thought.

  This time was no different, a cold fist gripping her heart as she worried that this might be the last time she saw him in either form.

  The fur spread over his body in an instant, matched by an amazing transformation as he morphed into a smaller form, dropping to all fours. Within seconds a river otter lay where Alec had stood, peering up at her with his dark, brown eyes. He reached up with one paw and rubbed his face, repeating the motion with the other paw. Alec gave himself a shake, the small furry quills rising and falling as they fell into place.

  Cassie knelt down and stroked his back, unable to help herself. "Oh, my God. You're still totally adorable."

  This earned her a frown, or what she took as a frown.

  "Don't hold it against me." She forced herself to smile, pushing through the invisible pain. "Go do what you need to do—I'll see you soon." Cass swallowed hard. "When you come back, I'll be here."

  He stood up on his back legs and gave her a kiss on the cheek, his whiskers tickling her skin. One tiny paw rose to stroke her chin, the nails skimming the surface.

  Alec dropped back down on all fours. He scampered down the riverbank and slid into the water, a few strong kicks pushing him out into the middle of the river.

  Cassie stood up and watched him roll onto his back, looking back at her. Alec waved at her before he spun around and dove, a last flip of his tail throwing water high into the air before vanishing from sight.

  She waited for a second, staring out over the river.

  There was no sign of the otter.

  Cass turned back toward the house, insides churning.

  "You left. I waited. Every morning I went out at sunrise like we agreed, every evening at sunset. I stood there and looked out over the water, searching for you." Cass swallowed hard. "For days, weeks, months. You never came back." She fought to stay calm, gripping the edges of the varnished wood for support as he came behind the bar. "It nearly killed me." Her nails scratched the surface. "Last year, I spent Christmas here, alone. Waiting. Can you imagine how that felt?"

  "I can't." Al
ec shook his head. "Please, give me the chance to explain."

  "Do you know what happened while you were gone?" Cassie snarled, gritting her teeth. "The rumors, the sly looks when people thought I wasn't looking... Jean never shut up about how you'd abandoned me. How you'd played me for a fool and then walked out, taking my heart with you. Danny confirmed you hadn't run off with any money, but that didn't make any difference." She pounded her chest, trying to will away the ache inside. "People felt sorry for me. Sorry!"

  "Except you stayed here. You waited." He moved inside her personal space; his thick white sweater tight on broad shoulders. "Because you knew I'd come back."

  "Yes. No." Cassie shook her head. "You've been gone for so long..." She rubbed her eyes, cursing. "Damn it, you promised! You said you'd be back soon."

  Alec nodded. "What I wanted to do... it took longer than I thought it would." He let out a deep sigh. "I went to my family and told them about you, asked our elders how to make you one of these."

  His hand went inside his pocket and came out with an otter pelt, folded and slick with natural oils.

  She stared at it, resisting the urge to slap it out of his hands. "Make me what? That's your hide, what you use to shift."

  "No. Not mine." He exhaled the words like a prayer. "Yours."

  Alec pulled his sweater up, showing not only the tight, toned muscles she remembered, but also the otter pelt, tucked into his waistband—tight against his skin.

  "This is mine. That's yours," he repeated.

  She stepped back, bumping against the rack of bottles behind her. Glass clinked against glass, but thankfully nothing fell off the shelves. "What?"

  "I brought this for you. So now, you can join me." He placed it on the counter top. "You'll be able to change like them. Like me. Like us." The eager, hungry look burned through the invisible ice around her soul. "I can teach you how."

  Her heart hammered against her chest so hard she was sure he could hear it. "What?"

  Alec put his hands on her shoulders. "This way, you can be with me permanently—no matter where we are, on land or in the water." A smile broke free. "So much I want to show you, so much I want you to experience..."

  Her head spun at the revelation, her heart leaping for joy as the impact of his words drove home.

  "Mine." Still slightly dizzy, she leaned in for the kiss, the emotional wave rushing over her like a tsunami.

  Alec let out something between a grunt and a sigh, pulling her into his arms. His hands roamed over her body, pulling the blouse free with a familiar hunger.

  Cassie wasn't letting him get ahead of her. She pulled away just long enough to draw the sweater over his head, tossing it to one side. His skin was hot to the touch, the heat drawing her deeper into his spell.

  He picked her up and carried her out from behind the bar to a nearby table.

  "God, I've been dreaming of this," he growled as he stripped her bare, tossing the clothing onto a nearby chair. "You've got no idea how hungry I've been—to taste you, to feel you, to hear you..."

  She tried to speak but couldn't form the words, only able to make soft gasps and moans as he laid down a series of kisses between her breasts, a flip of his fingers freeing them from the sturdy, bland bra.

  With a hungry groan, he latched onto one nipple. His teeth brushed across the tip, followed by his tongue—sending erotic flashes through her body like lightning bolts.

  "Alec..." She struggled to keep a clear head, her desire clouding every thought. "I need..."

  He lifted his head to stare at her, the hunger in his dark eyes silencing her.

  Then his mouth, wet and hot, headed southward, and she was lost.

  There was an urgency to the lovemaking, the shared hunger taking them both to the edge in a frantic rush. It was fast and hard, desire and need driving both like a race car determined to set a speed record on the track—with two drivers fighting for control all the way to the finish line.

  It was good. Damned good.

  "Oh, Gods..." Alec grunted as he shifted to one side, catching his breath. "Right. Okay." He let out a low whistle. "I know I can do better. Give me a few minutes to get myself together and..." He pressed his cheek against the table's surface. "And, let me be the first to say—ouch. I might have pulled something."

  Cassie gasped for air, her head still spinning from the sensual rush. There was so much to say and the words tangled in her mind, a Gordian Knot she couldn't slice open right away.

  "Maybe we should have gone for a booth. More padding." She rolled over, keenly aware of the hardness under her. "All I know is I'm going to have to burn this table, or move it into the back room. Can't imagine clearing beer bottles off this surface without grinning like a madwoman."

  Alec pushed himself into a sitting position with his legs swinging free over the edge. He took a deep breath, the dim lights reflecting off his naked body. "Agreed." He rolled his head forward and back, wincing. "Glad you locked the door."

  She reached for her shirt, her skin still tingling. A glance at the clock set on the far wall sent her heart rate skyward, still recovering from the lovemaking session.

  "Shit." Cassie grabbed at the rest of her clothing. "I've got to get home..." Her voice faded as she realized the next step she needed to take.

  "What's the rush?" Alec smiled, tugging his sweater over his head. "You're officially closed until the 26th, if I recall correctly."

  "It's... complicated." She fought to control her breathing. "I don't even know where to start—"

  "Hey." He cupped her chin, the familiar gesture bringing her to the edge of tears. "Nothing you say, nothing you do or have done will change how I feel for you. That's why I came back."

  "Good." She gulped, steeling herself. "Because…" The words came out in a rush. "Because there's someone else now."

  Alec paused for a second before giving her a wistful nod. "I can't blame you. I never planned to be away for so long, and—" He stopped, seeing her upraised hand.

  Her cheeks burned as she imagined what he had to be thinking, that he'd been replaced by another man.

  "It's not like that—whatever you're thinking." She hopped off the table, struggling with her clothing. "I can't… I mean…" Cass shook her head. "I can't explain it. I need to show you."

  The prepared speech she'd worked on for months had vanished from memory—the words jumbling into a hot mess. In her mind, she'd never imagined this sort of reunion, this stutter in her reality.

  Alec picked up the otter pelt from the counter top. "Listen to me." He took her hand and placed the furred square in her palm, curling her fingers around it. "I want you to know this is yours. No matter what happens between us." The pain in his eyes almost broke her. "I'll still teach you how to shift if you want—I owe you that much."

  "No, no..." Her heart ached as she searched for the right thing to say, failing at every attempt. "I—I can't believe you did this. For me." She bit her lip in an effort to focus her thoughts before continuing. "Was it very hard to get this?"

  "Yes." Alec touched his shoulder, the thin white line showing a fresh scar she hadn't remembered from before. "Except that's another story for later—much later." He looked around the empty bar. "I'll save it until we get back to the house."

  Cass tucked the pelt in her waistband as she'd seen Alec do so many times. The fur was warm to the touch, settling easily against her skin. She tugged her blouse down over it and continued dressing.

  It took a few minutes to finish and officially lock the bar up, Alec in tow as she secured the front door.

  The two of them stood outside the building in the chilled air. A full moon had risen, adding a surreal look to the snow-covered ground.

  Alec shuffled his feet in the dirt, the running shoes digging a dark trench.

  "Come on." She took his hand and led him out to the familiar path, the one they'd used hundreds of times in the past.

  The same path that had led her to meet him, years ago.

  There was a tension in h
is body, the way he carried himself. She could almost hear the questions running circles in his mind, digging deep into his soul.

  "You got the clothing where I left it?" It was the first question she could think of that wouldn't bring her to tears. "I did like you asked, put them in a bag and buried them under the large oak near the river. Same with the shoes." She looked down. "Didn't think of switching them out for boots."

  "I'm fine—thanks for putting them there," he said. "The clothes were a bit stiff, but okay. Good idea, putting the sweater there and the t-shirt. Appreciate the choice."

  "I thought about the coat a lot, sitting there. Considered digging it back up, bringing all the clothing back into the house. Into our room. Just to give me something else to remember you by." Cassie swallowed hard. "Except I didn't. Instead, I waited for you to show up. A few days, a few weeks." She swiped at her eyes with her free hand. "You never did. I couldn't tell anyone where you'd gone, had no one to confide in."

  "I'm sorry." Alec shook his head, pressing his lips into a tight line before continuing. "I'm so, so sorry for being away for as long as I was. It was wrong. I should have found some way to send a message, but..." He let out a soft laugh as her house came into view. "Damn. I missed this place." He stared up into the clear night sky, studying the bright stars. "I've missed so much."

  His smile was heartfelt and added to the low simmer in her soul, reinforcing her love for him just that bit more.

  "Come on." She led him along the path, by the two cars parked in the driveway and up to the front door. Cassie fumbled with the keys, her stomach churning.

  How do I...

  6

  The door opened before she could find the right key.

  "Cassie!" Veronica beamed. She pulled Cass into a tight hug, the dark blue shawl around her shoulders slipping, dangerously close to falling off and into the snow. "Merry Christmas!"

  The white-haired woman looked past her to Alec, her eyes widening. "Alec. So good to see you again." Her tone shifted from friendly to neutral, with a trace of curiosity.