by Hope Hart
I grin. “You know, Santa’s eyes are meant to twinkle with joy, not sparkle with lust. Get it in check before we see the kids, and maybe I’ll be a very good girl for you later.”
“Ew, gross,” Bree makes a gagging sound and I grin.
“Sorry. Forgot you were here. You ready to go?”
“Sure am.”
I study my sister. After months in Arcavia, she’s looking healthier than ever. Bree had Cystic Fibrosis on Earth, and she was knocking on death’s door before we stole her from the hospital and brought her back with us. The Arcav are lightyears ahead of us when it comes to medicine and technology, and while they had once had a disease similar to CF, they’d already eradicated it centuries ago.
Jaret saved my sister’s life.
I know she still struggles, especially since so many of her friends are still on Earth hoping for lung transplants. Bree tries to hide it from me, but she’ll occasionally shut down and disappear for a few days.
I try to give her space.
Today though, Bree looks gorgeous, her eyes shining, skin glowing. I haven’t heard her cough in months, and she’s got a healthy social circle, along with an obsession with learning self-defense.
Apparently, Eve will soon be teaching her how to shoot a blaster.
I link my arm with hers, yelping when Santa pinches my butt. I send him a look beneath lowered lashes and he pulls his beard down, leaning in for a kiss.
“Get a room, you guys.” Bree tugs on my arm and I grin.
“Sorry.”
We head to the giant ballroom, which has been repurposed and turned into a winter wonderland. It never snows in Arcavia- in fact, the entire planet reminds me of California, with its year-round sunshine.
Harlow has outdone herself. There’s a layer of fake snow on the ground, and somehow, the Arcav have also made it fall gently from the roof. The walls are now white, with Christmas lights twinkling at every corner, and an Arcav tree decorated in the corner.
Of course, we’ve all helped, but it was Harlow who decided that Christmas was going to happen. Today, the kids will get to meet Santa, who’ll give out candy and read a Christmas book to them. The day after tomorrow is Christmas Eve, which means we only have a few days to plan Meghan and Methi’s wedding. On Christmas Day, we’ll all have Christmas lunch together.
Butterflies are suddenly dancing in my stomach as I watch my mate walk into the ballroom. We’re planning have our own private Christmas celebration and I can’t wait to spend some time together.
If everything goes to plan, Meghan and Methi will tie the knot the day after Christmas.
The kids go crazy as Jaret walks in, and I’m grinning as Harlow walks over, Varian at her side. He rarely lets her out of his sight now, which makes sense since she could go into labor at any minute.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe that’s Jaret.”
Harlow’s smile stretches wide over her face and I laugh. Jaret and Harlow haven’t always seen eye to eye. They have a weird sibling rivalry, but if he needed to, Jaret would lay down his life for her and vice versa.
“He looks good, right?”
Eve appears, takes one look at Jaret, and cackles.
“Oh, I’m never letting him live this down.”
Jaret’s currently being swamped by kids.
“Santa! Santa! Santa!”
I spot Arabella and Emma in the fray and my heart melts at the look of wonder on their faces. Every kid deserves to have a magical Christmas.
“Ha, Ha, Ha,” he growls and I laugh. I make my way closer to where he’s about to sit on the giant red armchair.
“It’s ho, ho, ho,” I remind him and Jaret nods, winking at me. He grins at the kids who are all talking over one another, and I can tell from the sheer joy on his face that he’s loving this.
Jaret is the Arcav Commander. That means that he’s constantly under pressure, making life-or-death decisions to keep our planet safe and ensure we’re defended from the Grivath.
He’s huge and intimidating, and before he met me, most people were scared to be in his presence. Even after we mated, I noticed that both Arcav and humans still gave him a wide berth, something that he seemed to accept.
Today, it’s different. Right now, the kids aren’t staring up at him because they’ve heard their parents talking about how dangerous he is. They’re staring at him because he’s Santa.
I blink back tears as Harlow puts her arm around me. Jaret hauls one of the kids onto his lap, nodding his head at the baby babble.
“When are you gonna tell him?”
“On Christmas Day.”
“He’s going to be an amazing daddy.”
I grin as he offers a small boy a piece of candy and booms out a ho ho ho that makes the kids shriek with excitement.
“He sure is.”
Chapter Nine
Eve
I knock on the door to Varian’s quarters. Harlow’s hair has a ‘just got laid’ look that it didn’t have when I saw her at Amanda and Jaret’s Christmas celebration for the kids.
“Looking a little windswept, Maleficent.”
She raises an eyebrow at me. “Oh please, as if you weren’t getting lucky, Ms. Always-On-Time.”
I smirk back. Korva may have pulled me into one of the closets on the way up to the Royal Quarters.
“Must be something in the air,” I say, shifting aside as Korva steps in behind me. Varian walks in and nods at us.
“Welcome,” he says, and I almost wince. Someone needs to tell the guy that if he’s hoping for a closer relationship with his brother, treating him like he’s a foreign dignitary probably isn’t the best start.
Korva smiles back though, running his hand across my lower back before he moves closer to Varian, starting up a conversation about the weather of all things.
“Perfect today, perfect tomorrow, perfect the day after that,” Harlow mutters. “These guys have some work to do.”
“Baby steps. Speaking of, how are you doing today?”
“Oh, you know, the usual — pissed off and low on patience. This baby is just like its father, working on its own schedule.” Harlow sends a dark look toward her mate, who grins back.
The door opens and one of Harlow’s maids appears with a cart of drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
“Sara,” Harlow says, grinning at the maid. “How are you going? I haven’t seen you for a while.”
“Yeah, I had to go home for a bit. My mom was sick.” The poor girl looks pale and hollow-eyed.
“Is she okay?”
“Not really. But working here means I can pay for her cancer treatment.”
Harlow sends one wide-eyed look to Varian, who steps forward, clearing his throat.
“We would be happy to help.”
“You’ve done enough, really. This job is incredible, and it’s allowed me to send more money home than I could’ve ever dreamed.”
“But your mom is all alone,” Harlow says, her voice trembling. Uh-oh. Those pregnancy hormones seem to be no joke, and there’s nothing Varian hates more than seeing Harlow cry.
“We will send you home with full pay,” he says. “We will also send an Arcav healer to your mother and you will return when your mother is healthy and you are ready.”
Harlow sends him a look from beneath her lashes and I almost laugh. Someone’s getting lucky again tonight.
“Oh, oh,” Sara stutters, her hands fluttering. Sara has been bringing food to Harlow since she moved to Arcavia, and this is the most anxious I’ve ever seen her.
“I can’t accept that,” she starts, paling as Varian narrows his eyes.
“Is there a reason that you are defying your King?” He asks and I almost give him a round of applause. By making it a direct order, Sara has no choice but to graciously accept.
“No, no, um, thank you, Your Majesty.”
Harlow steps forward, giving Sara a hug and Varian tenses, his eyes sharpening as he watches their every move. He doesn’t like Harlow touching anyone who’s
not in our inner circle. After learning that people he had trusted for centuries were working with the Grivath, Varian has become more than a little obsessed with security.
Sara pulls away, tears running down her cheeks.
“You are very kind,” she says, reaching for a tissue and blowing her nose.
I caress my blaster and raise an eyebrow at Korva, who reached for his own weapon the moment Sara reached into her pocket. He shoots me a look, stowing it away.
“Happy holidays,” Sara says, bustling back out the door, with no idea how close she just came to death.
Harlow is well aware though, and she’s practically breathing fire.
This should be good.
“Did you just pull your weapon on my friend?” she asks Korva.
He simply nods, and she whips her head toward Varian, who doesn’t look at all repentant.
“He was just doing his job, Harlow,” I say, blowing out a breath.
“How?” she takes a seat, reaching for a glass of juice. Korva hands me a glass of wine, and I sit beside her. We’ll move into the more formal dining room after we finish our drinks.
“Sara could’ve been compromised. I know you don’t want to hear it, but these are the types of things we need to think about. The moment she said she was worried about her sick mom, was the moment all of us wondered if someone had already contacted her, promising to heal her mom if she slipped a knife between your ribs or tried to poison your food. That’s why Varian sent her home. She’s not dirty— no one could fake that relief. But she could’ve been.”
Harlow’s pale, and Varian raises an eyebrow at me. I just raise one right back. If there’s one thing that Harlow hates, it’s being kept in the dark.
“What a universe to bring a child into,” she murmurs, and Varian’s eyes narrow threateningly at me.
Korva takes a step closer to me, his eyes on Varian and I almost laugh. Just another happy family dinner.
“Don’t be silly,” I say. “You’ve got a group of people who will do anything to keep your kid healthy, happy, and most of all, safe. Now pass me one of those little ham thingies. I’m starving.”
Harlow frowns but seems to shake it off, and we all watch as her cat Tom strides into the room.
“Oh, that reminds me,” she says, holding her hand out to Varian who helps her to her feet. She moves toward the wall, where three bright red stockings are hanging for Varian, Harlow, and Tom.
Varian and Korva take a seat, obviously deciding not to lock horns.
“I asked Nathan to bring me back something special for Tom last time he traveled to Earth,” Harlow says, reaching into his stocking and pulling out a tiny toy reindeer.
Tom immediately stalks closer, his eyes on the prize.
“What is that?” Korva asks.
I grin as Tom rubs against my leg, purring as he moves closer to Harlow.
“Catnip.”
Harlow lets Tom sniff the toy and he rubs against it in feline ecstasy. He then jumps into the air, running across the floor while Varian watches in bemusement.
And then it happens.
Harlow hands Varian the toy and Tom comes for it, purring. Varian tenses, likely expecting Tom to claw him, but Tom’s obviously high as a kite because he does something he never does.
He rubs his head against Varian’s leg, purring like a motor.
“Wow, I wish I had a camera.”
Varian looks shocked and Harlow grins as he casts a suspicious look at the toy.
“What is this?”
“It’s a drug for cats.”
His brows lower. “You drug your animals?”
She bursts out laughing. “Relax, Big Guy. It’s perfectly safe. Tom’s enjoying himself.”
Varian still looks unconvinced, but the slightest smile crosses his face at Tom’s antics.
I lean back, sighing as I drink my wine. You can’t always choose your family— otherwise I probably wouldn’t have chosen the Arcav King as my brother-in-law. But I’m a firm believer in making the most of every situation.
It’s weird. Varian’s basically my Commander in Chief, but he’s also my best friend’s mate and my mate’s brother. I’m his subordinate, a member of his mate’s guard, but also his brother’s mate.
A few weeks ago, Harlow seemed to realize that neither of us could fully relax in each other’s company. So, she got Jaret involved, and now he’s the one who gives me my orders and I bring any issues to him— unless it’s an emergency. It’s working well so far, and it’s easier to have a glass of wine with the Arcav King when I don’t feel like I should be standing at attention.
We move on to dinner, and the guys relax enough to tell us stories about their childhood. Before I know it, we’re all howling in laughter as Varian tells us about how he once managed to convince Korva he was adopted.
I grin at my mate from across the table. Just a few months ago, I could never have imagined seeing him this happy. It’s going to be a very Merry Christmas.
Chapter Ten
Harlow
I rub my side and take a moment as my belly tightens through a Braxton Hick’s contraction. At least my body is getting ready to do its thing. Eve eyes me as we slowly walk to Jen’s quarters.
Blake and Vazta walk a few feet behind us, giving us enough space to talk privately.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, just the usual. Varian has gone down to the dock to check out some new ship that’s just been built. The only way I could convince him to go was to promise I’d stay in the palace. Is it ridiculous that I was planning to stay here, but the moment he declared his approval of that plan, I wanted to do the exact opposite?”
“Yes, it’s ridiculous, but yes, I also get where you’re coming from.” Eve sends my belly a sympathetic glance. “Better you than me.”
“Did you make sure Meghan’s not here? She’ll know something’s up if we both show up to talk to her mom.”
“Yep. She’s training with Saria.”
I frown. “The Lahmu?”
“Yeah, crazy huh? That bitch helped keep her locked up. Meghan’s sure as hell more forgiving than I’d be.” Eve strokes her blaster and I laugh.
“Maybe it’s a case of keeping your friends close, and enemies closer?”
“I dunno. I don’t think Meghan thinks like that.” Eve scans our surroundings and lowers her voice. “Anyway, how are we gonna pull this secret wedding off without her figuring it out? I’m not subtle and she’s one of the smartest people I know.”
“She’ll be focused on the holidays. Amanda’s giving her plenty of jobs to do to keep her busy, and Methi promised to keep her occupied.”
She glances at me and we both grin. We all know what it means when an Arcav wants you occupied.
Eve knocks on the door and I wince. Physical activity sometimes makes my Braxton Hicks worse. After I talk to Jen, I plan to go home and put my feet up.
Jen gives us a wide smile as she opens the door. She’s been through a lot over the past year. Not only did she meet her mate and move to a new planet with her teenage daughter, but that daughter then went missing and was presumed dead. Without Arax by her side, I honestly don’t know if she would’ve gotten through it.
I imagine if my baby was lost somewhere in this universe with no way to tell me that they were okay, and my eyes fill with tears.
Goddamn hormones.
“Are you okay?”
“Fine,” I say. “How are you?”
“I’m good,” Jen says, leading us to her sitting room. She gestures toward the sofa and I take a moment as another contraction hits me.
“Harlow?”
“Braxton Hicks,” Eve explains, and Jen frowns.
“They shouldn’t be painful—”
“Your Majesty,” Arax says, grinning as he walks into the room. The last time I saw him, he was annoyed at Eve for telling Jen she was going to look for her daughter. He believed she was dead and was convinced that we were giving his mate false hope.
&n
bsp; I glance at Eve. I’m guessing that she’s remembering the same moment, as she currently has a shit-eating grin on her face.
“Arax,” she says.
“Guard,” he greets her, and I grin.
“I will leave you to your planning,” he says.
“So, ladies,” I say, stopping to wince through another contraction. These are getting painful, and a little voice in my head warns me that this may just be the real thing. But as much as I’m excited to meet my baby, the idea of what I have to do to meet that baby suddenly feels more than a little overwhelming.
“Let’s get to work. Where are we thinking for the ceremony?”
“Meghan loves the outdoors,” Eve says, and Jen nods. “I was thinking we could use the gardens. She doesn’t really hang out in the palace gardens now that her and Methi have moved out, so we could probably get it decorated and set up without too much trouble. The biggest issue is going to be keeping all the big mouths around here shut.”
I nod. “Maybe we need to keep everyone else in the dark as well. We’ll get Varian to ask people to attend a special meeting in the garden. They’ll show up, and then we’ll let them know that it’s a wedding.”
Jen smiles. “She’ll want a small guest list anyway. Just her closest friends and family.”
I shift, fighting to get comfortable. “Maybe we could invite the human women who were just rescued though? It would be nice for them to see a glimpse of what life is really like here. Right now, I think they consider us the enemy.”
“I’m sure Meghan would like that,” Jen says. We talk about color schemes, decorations, and a cake, and I leave most of the planning in Jen’s hands. She’ll delegate, and she has the full weight— and budget— of the crown behind her.
Finally, we’ve covered just about everything.
“I can’t wait to take a bath and then chill on the sofa for the next few hours,” I mutter as I get to my feet.
Pop!
My mouth drops open as water gushes from between my legs. I look up and Eve looks pale as death, her lips chalk white.
“We had an agreement,” she says, wide-eyed. “No baby on my watch!”
