by Lynn Landes
“I remember parking the car, I had an audition and I had to walk a few blocks to get to it. When the first drop of snow fell, I was shocked. It started snowing so thick, and fast that I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face.” Her voice fades as she slows the images and remembers the wolves, Sincere, and Michael. Serenity begins trembling from the power of what this means. “You saved me, Michael.”
“Not hardly, they were all over me, Serenity. You saved us both.” Michael replies.
The final image slows and she pauses it at the wolves all over him. She releases it and watches as she destroys them. That’s not possible! Nathan gently pulls the jar away and sets it on the table.
“Thank you, Nathan. That is an amazing gift you have,” she says in a hoarse voice.
He shrugs his shoulders and blushes red. “I’m glad I could help you. Thank you, for saving my dad. We will let you get dressed. Hey Sincere, want to play video games?” They run laughing from the room.
Michael watches her carefully as she throws the covers back and adjusts his shirt. She gets up and walks slowly past him, into the bathroom, then closes the door softly and locks it.
“Oh my God, Oh my God!” She chants pacing back and forth. When she turns she finds another gift bag, with clothes her size and boots. Jeans, a purple sweater, socks, and black lace bra and panties. She pulls on the clothes and finds they fit perfectly. “Of course.” Turning back to the sink and mirror she finds a small bag with tooth brush, tooth paste, floss, and all the amenities a woman could need. Serenity braids her hair with shaking hands and stares at her pale reflection in the mirror. “Okay get it together, Serenity. I must be losing my mind.”
Michael watches her go feeling her confusion and terror building. He calls to his mom and asks her to take the boys until tonight. They will meet them later at dad’s workshop. When Serenity finds the courage to leave the bedroom, she walks into an empty living room. Baron pads over and leans against her legs. She pats his head and looks around for her purse and cell phone.
“You left it in your car, but I managed to save your pistol.” Michael says from behind her.
Her gun rests on the table in her holster. When she looks up at him, he sees the fear and tears shimmering in her eyes. He sighs deeply, “Serenity, I will not say I understand everything that is happening right now, but I can promise that you are safe here.”
“Where am I, Michael?” she asks softly.
“This is my home, my parents live not too far from here, and they have taken the boys for a while, so we could talk.”
“Where am I?” She demands louder this time.
“You are at the North Pole, Serenity.”
She explodes for the door, tearing it open only to skid to a stop. Snow, thick snow, covers everything. “That’s not possible, this can’t be real! Who are you?” she turns and finds Michael staring at her, waiting for her to get it.
“Oh my God, you people are crazy! You expect me to believe I am at the North Pole? What does that make you, Santa Clause?” she screams.
“Of course not! Serenity, my father is Santa Clause. I run the production and manufacturing side of things,” he starts to say, but she pushes past him heading straight for her gun. His stomach drops as he realizes she is serious.
She checks her clip and finds two shots left. Serenity is deadly accurate with her gun, thanks to years of practice. With the pistol trained on his chest she says carefully, “You will move away from the door and give me the keys to whatever vehicle you own! I am going home! I won’t be a part of this sick game any longer! What kind of human beings use children like this?” she snarls at him.
Michael holds his hands up and says calmly, “Okay, Okay. Behind you on the wall are my keys. The door to the garage is through the kitchen. Just stay calm.” She backs up keeping the gun trained on him. Fury and adrenaline fuel her body as she snags the keys and continues backing up. Serenity feels behind her for the handle and turns to leave, slamming the door shut.
Her scream of alarm causes him to smile. Michael knows he shouldn’t laugh, but he can’t help it. He opens the door slowly and finds her backed up to a wall, staring in shock at a mahogany colored sleigh. She turns her head to look at him, with tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Why are you doing this to me? Is this some sick idea of a joke?”
“Serenity, come inside and I will explain everything.” Michael says calmly but when he steps towards her she cringes in fear, and brings her gun back up.
“NO! I am going home! Now!” She edges around the garage to the exterior door and pushes it open, leaping outside into the snow, Serenity runs. Baron comes running around the side of the house thinking it’s time to play again.
Nick watches the seen unfold from his shop and decides to take pity on his son, and help the process along. He harness’s up the reindeer to the sleigh and kisses his wife goodbye.
“Take it easy on her, Nicholas. She is young and scared,” Noel reminds him before he leaves.
“I will, Wife, Now let’s go boys!” he yells snapping the reigns. The reindeer pull off and fly silently through the sky, just in time to watch Serenity trying to run away from the house in the thick snow. She wades through the thigh deep snow with tears freezing on her cheeks, followed closely by Michael. He smiles in relief when he feels his Dad’s arrival.
“Serenity, please come back to the house. We can talk this out.” Michael pleads one last time.
“Go away!” she snaps pushing and hiccupping her way through. A shadow over head causes her to look up and scream in terror. “No! I’ve lost my mind, truly. That’s it, I’m sick. I need to get help immediately.” She turns to leave but stops when he calls to her.
“Serenity, I’ve come to take you home,” Nick says in his deep voice. Michael’s father is sitting on a stunning sleigh, led by reindeer, of course.
Maybe she will wake up soon, she hopes as she heads toward the sleigh. She flips the safety lock on her pistol and slips her gun into the back pocket of her jeans and waits. He reaches down to help her climb up and just before she takes his hand, she looks back at Michael.
“I wish this were real, Michael. I wish you were real. I will miss you and the boys when I wake up and this was all a dream.” She turns back and clasps Santa’s hand, climbing into the sleigh. With a flick of the reigns he leaps into the morning sky, taking Michaels heart with him. He sighs and trudges back inside.
Serenity watches him go and turns back to look at the man driving the sleigh. He is large and muscular like Michael with a lush white beard that matches his long white hair. “So you’re supposed to be Santa?” she asks sarcastically.
“Yes, I am. I have been Santa for the last five hundred years or so. Though, I am hoping to retire soon. Michael would be the most obvious choice, but I’m not sure he would want the job. We shall see.”
“I’m flying through the North Pole, with Santa discussing career choices. I must be losing my mind!” she says semi-hysterically.
“No, you’re not crazy, Serenity. I will explain.” He flies through the air to the highest peak and straight into the Northern Lights.
Serenity decides if this a dream she should just enjoy the moment. How many people get to ride with Santa through the Northern Lights? She reaches her hand out hoping to touch the swirling colors. It sifts through her fingers like mist. The sleigh begins to slow until it stops all together on the top of a mountain. Santa climbs down and walks around reaching for Serenity’s hand.
She steps down with him into the snow and realizes she isn’t cold. “It’s a perk of the job, controlling the weather around me.” He says smiling as though he read her mind.
They walk a few feet and Nick stops as he looks up. He reaches a large hand towards the lights. When his fingers touch the mist, it solidifies. He grabs a whip of bright purple and jerks it free, pulling it towards them causing Serenity to gasp in awe.
“Serenity, this is the North Pole. I am Saint Nicholas, you can call me Nick. I am
husband to Noel, father to Michael, grandfather to Nathan, and Sincere. You are a Guardian, chosen by our creator to protect our most valuable gift. The future. Our children. Legend says that in times of great need a guardian will be chosen to protect us. You see we don’t just bring toys, we bring hope. If hope is lost then the Darkness wins.”
“That is a lovely story, Nick, but I don’t buy it. I am nobody special. I am a human and you are clearly, not, human. Tell me what your legend says about that!” she demands frustrated by all of this.
“You are gifted, Serenity. Your voice is a gift that brings peace and hope. Surely you have seen this, felt it when you sing?” At her nod he continues. “When you felt Sincere’s pain, your guardian instincts to protect him came forward. Then again when you were attacked in the snow. Your powers are only to be used to protect. You protected Sincere, but not yourself. Again when Michael was being attacked, you were able to tap into that power and pull it close!”
“Serenity, my family is in danger and I will not be able to protect them without your help. I know this is confusing for you, but it is not safe for you to return to your home yet. On December sixth if legend holds true, your powers will come into full strength. Then you should be able to protect yourself as well as others. Until then you are vulnerable to attack. You are welcome to stay with us here, where you can be protected and learn to use your gifts.”
“Is that all?” she asks with a small laugh.
“No, young one. That is not all. You are being hunted by the Dark One. She seeks with all of her heart to destroy you. If she wins, then the world as you know it will cease to exist. She will destroy all hope, goodness, light, love, and laughter. Starting with you. No one that you love will be safe, not your parents, nor your sister.”
“Can she be stopped?” she asks quietly.
“Yes, if one is strong enough, they can journey to the Well of Souls and stop her from drinking from it. But it must be done under the winter solstice moon.”
“If it is that simple why hasn’t anybody tried to stop her before now?”
“We have tried to stop her, but only a guardian is strong enough. You must get to the well and drink before she does. The well only appears when the Guardian is chosen. You are the Guardian,” he responds with a small smile. “If you choose to help us you will not be alone. Michael will go with you. Serenity, I know what I ask is too much, if you say no, I will return you home with no memory of ever being here or meeting any of us. The choice is yours.”
“It will be that easy, just say no. Will another guardian be chosen if I say no, Nick?”
“No. There is only one, chosen every five hundred years. You would not be the first to turn away, Serenity. There is no shame in following your heart,” he reassures her.
“I need a minute, please.” Serenity walks away to think things out, she looks up at the beautiful colors and see’s Michael’s smile. All she can feel is Sincere’s hugs, and Nathan’s gentle touch. They are the true gifted ones, what kind of person would she be to turn away and leave them unprotected?
She turns back and smiles at him. “I will stay, Nick.” He barks out a laugh that booms off the lights and reminds her of his son. He whips his ribbon of purple light out at her and it circles her from toe to head before dissolving into her skin. Her eyes glow purple and a silver snowflake glitters in each reflecting the power of the Guardian.
“Wow! What was that?” she asks a little scared of the answer. “That was your first infusion of power. Tonight, Noel and I will tell you and Michael the rest of the story. Any questions?”
“Yes,” she asks softly after they climb into the sleigh. “Can I drive?” she asks hopefully.
They laugh together as he hands her the reigns, “Women always love the sleigh!”
Chapter 8
Nick drops Serenity and promises to be back in time for dinner. Standing looking at the log cabin she finds she isn’t ready to see Michael yet. How can she look at any of this as real? Is she going crazy? Is she sick? Did they drug her? When she’s with Michael, it feels real and God help her, she wants it to be. There is a connection between them that is intense, and she wants time to explore it. The experiences she has had since she went to Noel’s shop, can’t be explained away.
She bends down and rolls up a snow ball then begins rolling it through the snow, like she did as a little girl. Bigger and bigger it grows until it reaches her hip. Serenity breathes hard, and looks at it with a critical eye, “Bottom, next.” She repeats the process for the middle, making it a little smaller than the last.
Michael stands behind her and watches with a smile. When she goes to lift it, he asks softly, “Want some help?” Serenity doesn’t jump, she was expecting him. Unable to look at him yet, she nods and moves away to begin the head. She rolls a perfect head and finally speaks to him in a soft voice.
“I grew up in North Carolina, near the beach. Bailey and I used to pray for snow. Beach snow men are not the same, are they?” She says standing back to look at their work.
“Serenity? Are you okay?”
“No, but I will be. I need to see my sister. Can you take me home, Michael?” she asks finally allowing her eyes to meet his. Her emotions are high and for a moment her eyes flash purple with the image of a snowflake swirling inside them.
“Yes, I can. You are safe with me, Serenity,” he says. “But first, our snowman needs something. Got it!” With a snap of his finger, the snowman shifts into a snow queen. With a wave of his hand, Serenity is carved in ice, with a tiara glittering on top. The sculpture wears a gown carved to match the one his mother gave to her. Held snugly in her arms is a small child protected by her loving embrace.
Serenity walks towards it in awe. Afraid to touch the image he has created, she whispers, “Is this how you see me, Michael?”
“I see you, Serenity. All of you. Your smile and your kind heart. I would like a chance to get to know you better. Will you give me that chance?” he asks.
When the first tear drops he moves close to catch it. He cups her face in his hand and lifts her mouth to his. “Just a chance, Serenity,” he whispers before his mouth claims hers.
Michael’s mouth slowly moves towards hers and her body goes up in flames. Her hands move up his strong chest and sink into his hair, pulling him to her. He smiles as he kisses the corner of her mouth softly, nibbling her bottom lip before brushing feather light kisses over her mouth. Her growl of frustration causes him to pull her closer. Serenity sucks his lower lip in to the hot cavern of her mouth groaning softly. His teeth tug on her lip biting gently, his tongue strokes along her lips coaxing her to open for him. The moment his hot velvet tongue pushes inside, dancing waves of energy pass between them. She breaks away for a moment to look at him with shock.
“More!” he demands. Possessive now, he kisses her as though starving for her taste. Serenity presses her body into his and holds on tightly, following his lead. His hands are everywhere claiming her. Hot, his mouth is so hot, it’s a wonder there is any snow left around them. Michael knows he needs to slow things down, but he can’t seem to stop. Serenity hears warning bells in her mind and forces herself to tear her mouth from his. No other man had ever aroused her like Michael.
She pulls her hand away from his and attempts to slow her own heart down. “Michael, you should not kiss me again!” she says trying to slow her heart down.
“You taste like heaven, Serenity,” he whispers still reeling from the intensity of her touch.
“I should go home now.” Staring down at her swollen mouth and eyes full of desire, he smiles.
“Probably a good idea.” He steps toward her, tugging her close.
“Michael?”
His smile tells her she is safe. “As a son of the Saint, I have certain privileges. I can move through space at will. I need only see the image and I can take you home.”
“How will you see the image, Michael? I have no picture with me?” He pulls her close and whispers softly.
“Give m
e your thoughts, Serenity. Open your mind and show me your home. I can see the images you wish, but you control what I take. Trust me.” His skilled mouth is so close and his body heat envelopes her. The thoughts running through her mind right now are not thoughts of home!
“That could be a problem, Michael.” she says smiling into his eyes. Michael seeks her mind and finds images of them ripping each other’s clothes off. He groans, “Serenity!” Her giggle catches him off guard.
“Sorry Michael, but I am only human you know! Okay I can do this, picture my home. Not you and me rolling around in the surf, pounding waves matching the rhythm of our…” Michael growls and jerks her close, flipping her around he wraps his arms around her body. Her laughter fades as she feels the evidence of his arousal.
“No more games, tell me about your home.” Instantly Michael’s mind fills with images of the ocean. Beach, seagulls and a beautiful small house facing the sea. “Got it. Hold on,” he says and they are gone.
Ayva watches them go and sneers in disgust. “This is not going to happen! I have not spend five hundred years preparing for this to have it ripped from me by some, human!” She tosses her long black hair over her shoulder and fury fills her black eyes. She strikes out at a tree with fury and slices into it with her long red nails. “I will have to stop her, before she comes into full power! I am the Winter Queen! No one will stop me from reaching my destiny!”
She smiles when she steps from the trees and starts walking towards the house. “Ohh, while the mouse is away, Ayva will play.” With a clap of her clawed hands she begins her spell.
“Memories and dreams, hopes and fears, your sorrow will grow and bring me your tears!” She lifts her hands to the sky and begins to chant.
“I take the power I desire! Power from water, Air from the sky, Power from the earth and the Fire of Desire!” Aiva draws on the elements and creates a massive fire ball and forces it away from her body, straight through the large bay window! Glass explodes, as fire detonates the house.
