Page 19 of Snowed In With the Orc

“Well,” she says with a sly grin, her gold bangles making music as she puts her hand on her hip, “I know you have everything you need. But I know this is your favorite.” A wink. I squint at her.

I’ve been very careful over the past year not to declare anything she makes my favorite. At the book club at the library, I even refrained from declaring that gritty mysteries were my favorite. Suspicious? Possibly. But it seems more than coincidental to me that she would know my favorite tea, or suggest a mystery for our next book club meeting. Leif just shrugs and says, “The rumors are probably true, and she’s a witch,” like it’s no big deal.

And I suppose in a town full of orcs and other monsters, a witch and a werewolf running the local bakery and coffee shop isn’t such a big deal.

When Leif finally makes his appearance as Santa again, the crowd goes wild. The kids rush him and practically tackle him to the floor. Unlike last year, when he clearly barely tolerated the munchkins, this year he laughs at their attempts to peek in his sack and steal his hat.

“Ho, ho, ho, Kai. Have you been good this year?” Leif leans in, studying Kai, who shrieks in delight and lunges to steal his hat. Leif plops it on Kai’s head, and it drops over his eyes. More squeals of laughter erupt out of him. He looks like a Solstice elf.

Leaning into me on the other side from Kai, his hair tousled from the Santa hat, Leif says, “Ho, ho, ho, have you been a good girl this year?” His sly grin around his tusks says he knows the answer he wants. I can feel my cheeks blush against my will.

“That depends on who is asking. Because there’s a lot I’m willing to do to get my toy this year,” I say in a low whisper, winking at him as his own cheeks darken. Gods, I love to see him blush.

“We talked about this earlier. You aren’t supposed to distract me from my Santa duties.” His grumble is low, just for my ears, as he pecks me on the cheek.

“I can’t help it. You bring out the…naughty side in me,” I give him my best smile. He nods contemplatively at my admission.

“Well, just so you know, I have lots of plans for you between now and New Year’s.”

“Oh, really?”

“Mm-hmm. I intend to recreate last year’s blizzard.” His face is so serious, I can’t help but laugh as I adjust Kai on my hip. He’s getting heavy.

“You’re going to consult with Ravena and cause a blizzard?” Kai wiggles in my arms at Ravena’s name. I whisper in his ear, and he settles again and takes a sip of milk.

“I’m hanging a sign on the door outside that says, ‘Go away. Blizzard in progress.’”

“Smart. And the Quills?” They were so instrumental last year.

“Extra meal-worms for their own cabin. They will not be joining us this time.”

“Alright, Santa. I like the way you think.”

He grumbles something that sounds an awful lot like, “That’s because I’m brilliant,” then heads off to deliver the kid-appropriate toys from his sack.

Kai squawks at Leif’s back. “I feel the same way, kid,” I whisper.

Poppy appears, and Kai tries to leap out of my arms for his mom. It’s weird to think of my sister as a mom, and yet it’s so perfectly her. And I’m perfectly happy to be Aunt Addy for a good long time. “I hear you making noise!” she says in that high-pitched mom voice, a bright grin on her face. Her cheeks are flushed and her lips bright red—and not from lipstick.

“You’ve been busy,” I say, razzing her. She ignores me in her big sister way and scoops Kai up, sniffing the soft black hair on the top of his head.

“You smell different,” she murmurs. I giggle to myself, enjoying the fact that Kai now smells like Leif. My mouth watersat the idea of leaning into Leif and inhaling his scent, of kissing the soft skin of his neck.

Damn. Tonight cannot come fast enough.

The party progresses through the evening, much like last year. The sheriff, Draugr, and his mate, May, make an appearance. She makes the rounds, giving everyone hugs—including me, though we’ve only met a few times as she’s been on tour for the past six months. She sings her new holiday song, “Stuck in the Solstice with You,” and it brings tears unbidden to my eyes. All the yearning in the song makes my heart ache.

Leif appears and wraps his arms around me. We stand together, swaying slightly to the song, then cheering at the end. He never lets go. After, Poppy gives out prizes for the gingerbread competition and her new idea—yodel caroling. Bjorn and August win the gingerbread contest, and Kaj, my favorite minotaur, wins the yodeling prize. Poppy, slyly wearing thin gloves, hands him his prize—an ornament that looks suspiciously like the one we both touched last year.

Looking from Poppy to Ravena and back again, I’d say these two have some explaining to do. But I will not bust Kaj’s bubble by warning him off of his prize.

“Do you have more Santa duties this evening?” I ask Leif as people go back to mingling. He grunts a bit and then shakes his head.

“I’m ready to take you home when you’re ready.” It’s funny to think that after a year, the word home still makes my heart leap, but it does.

The community here. The family-like atmosphere, everyone looking out for each other, not caring about how someone looks, or what species they are, is everything I didn’t know I needed.Not only has Leif cared for me and made me his, but everyone in town has taken me in with open arms.

I’ve found a place to belong. Not just with my sister. Not just with my mate. All of Moonfang Haven is my home now.

With an overflowing heart, I say my goodbyes and happy solstices, and Leif and I walk out to his big, dark, pickup truck. No mistaking it from Koru’s anymore; I put a big golden mistletoe bumper sticker on it.

“Take me home, Santa,” I say.

“My pleasure,” he says to me, kissing the top of my head before opening my door for me.

No matter how you celebrate the winter holidays, I wish you peace, laughter, and love.