The Alien Reindeer’s Winter Cabin

A Winter Starr

Cindy Heart

The Alien Reindeer’s Winter Cabin

A Winter Starr

Cindy Heart

Copyright © 2019 Cindy Heart

All rights reserved. No part of this story may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without express written permission of the copyright holder. This book contains sexually explicit content which is suitable only for mature adults.

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Contents

1. Rein’ok

2. Holly

3. Rein’ok

4. Holly

5. Rein’ok

6. Holly

7. Rein’ok

8. Holly

9. Rein’ok

10. Holly

11. Rein’ok

12. Holly

13. Rein’ok

14. Holly

15. Rein’ok

16. Holly

17. Rein’ok

18. Are you a STARR HUNTRESS?

Rein’ok

“You’ll never be happy alone and without a purpose, but I suppose you won’t learn that until you follow through with this plan of yours. Good luck, Rein’ok. Ho ho ho.”

The fat man in the red suit climbs back into his sleigh and disappears in the night sky.

Still in my reindeer form, I scamper through the snow.

It’s not enough.

I need to shed that old life as surely as I need to shed these antlers. It’s time for new growth, a new life.

A whole new me.

I shift into the shape Saint Nick always called my human form. It wasn’t until a year ago when I committed to starting this new life that I even knew what a human or Earth was. Each time I’d visited in the past, it was just more beings on yet another planet as we zoomed around the universe delivering presents on yet another special night to the locals.

No longer.

I’m free.

After shifting, I have no clothes. Who needs that restriction, anyway?

I run naked through the snow. It’s cold, but I refuse to shift into my reindeer form. It’s bearable, and if I have my way, I’ll never assume my animal shape again. It’s taken forty years to work up the nerve to break free from Kris Kringle and the grind and the constant cheerful singing of the elves.

I didn’t even bother to look in advance at what the new cabin Saint Nick promised me looks like. Anything is better than living in the stables in a winter wonderland. Whatever it takes to get away from that monstrous perversion of merriment is good enough for me.

I’m done with society. It’ll just be me, myself, and I from now on.

The trees are a blur as I dash past them. I spread my arms and laugh while trying to catch snowflakes on my tongue. I haven’t felt this alive since I first started the two-year training program to pull the sleigh when I was six years old.

The snow is falling so heavily I can barely see past the end of my nose. It’s the kind of weather that smug little bastard with the glowing red nose always went on and on about. The little primo Donner was always looking for a way to show just how special and amazing he was.

And he wondered why people never invited him to play cards with them.

But he’s not here, so the snow is perfect. In addition to feeling so amazing, it provides cover. If there are any other creatures on this planet, it will make it very easy to stay out of sight. My dream is to spend the rest of my days bunkered down in a cabin by a stream, catching and growing my own food, and seeing nobody else.

After forty years of visiting millions of houses on Christmas Eve every year, and the rest of my time around a bunch of over-cheery elves hopped up on highly caffeinated pumpkin spice coffee, all I want is to be left alone.

Ebenezer had it right.

Bah humbug.

I turn up the steep incline, desperate with the need to reach the top and see the world around me. The slippery terrain nearly makes me decide to shift, but I hold off and slow to a walk instead. I’m on my own clock from now on. There’s no need to rush, no deadlines or quotas to meet.

I’m all alone and wouldn’t change it for the world.

Ahead of me, the trees clear, and a small, rundown cabin appears, ruining my moment. The last thing I want is company, but there are no signs of life. No smoke rises from the chimney. No flickering nor steady lights shine inside the building. As I creep closer, I see the front door wide open.

He didn’t leave me with this dive, did he?

Sure, it’s better than working for the man for one more second, but even I have my limits.

If the place wasn’t so tiny, I would have run past and never gave it another thought. The front door probably never stays closed.

I can fix it.

I’m already adjusting my expectations. It’ll be perfect; small, remote, and without all the bells and whistles that lead to a lifetime of constant maintenance.

Silent as any of the Santas themselves, I climb the one step that leads to the tiny porch. Without any lights in the small cabin, I can’t see more than a foot inside the door. I bump the door when I creep through the opening.

After all, I still don’t know if this is really my place or not. I count to ten before moving again to verify nobody heard.

Standing firmly in the middle of the cabin, my eyes adjust to the darkness.

There is no furniture besides an old, ratty couch and a simple coffee table. No wall hangings. No dirty dishes in the sink. The place is entirely abandoned.

There are a pair of jeans, a plain white t-shirt, underwear, and socks on the couch. A pair of tennis shoes sit on the floor in front of them. There’s also a nightshirt to wear while sleeping. I quickly dress in the underwear and nightshirt before inspecting the rest of the cabin.

The main entry space has a small living room with a fireplace and a kitchen with a simple stove and fridge. No wall divides the two rooms.

The fridge is empty, but it does light up when opened.

A quick check of the two smaller rooms tells me the cabin has one bathroom and one bedroom with a small bed. My old boss even left me pillows, sheets, and blankets. He never could resist the chance to give someone a gift.

My good fortune nearly makes me want to frolic before remembering I don’t need to frolic anymore. I can just smile, scratch my stomach, and nod my head to show my contentment.

If I play my cards right, I might never need to see anyone else ever again, and I definitely won’t need to give the greedy bastards around the universe any more presents.

I start a fire in the fireplace. The room quickly warms. No more nightshirts for me. I strip down to my boxers, and in a final act of rebellion, remove those too.

I’m a raw, wild, solitary beast of nature from now on. I’ll even allow myself to shift again because there’s no need to deny that portion of my being.

This new life will do just fine.

Outside, I hear a rumbling noise off in the distance. From my research, I know it’s one of the humans’ petroleum-powered cars.

Is someone coming to reclaim my cabin?

Over my dead body.

Holly

“Don’t you just love Christmas?” I ask Wayne when the bell over the back door of the shop announces he’s returned from taking out the trash.

When he doesn’t answer immediately, I continue. “It’s just the best, isn’t it? All the cheer and goodwill. It’s amazing watching everyone being nice to each other and—”

Two men with guns push Wayne behind the counter with me. One with a green ski mask points his gun at me. The one with the red ski mask points his at Wayne.

I know I’m in shock when I think at least they are coordinated for the holiday.

“No funny stuff,” the one with the green ski mask says. His voice is gruff like its owner has smoked for decades. “Open the register. Give us all the money, and we’ll let you get back to your pathetic adoration of this corporate monstrosity of a holiday.”

I don’t move right away, but Wayne takes charge of the situation.

I hate how my body is frozen with fear even more than I hate the fear.

Wayne pulls two handfuls of money from the drawer. “Where should I put it?”

Green-mask shoves his gun into his back pocket and holds out a pillowcase with a picture of SpongeBob SquarePants on it.

My niece has one just like it. The poor guy must have a family. He’s probably struggling to make ends meet. He’ll probably even use the money to buy presents for his wife and kids so they can have a merry Christmas.

“I’m sorry you have to do this,” I say. “I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas with the money.”

“The fuck you talking about?” he snaps at me.

“This chick’s crazy, man,” his sidekick says.

“Right? Listen, lady. Love isn’t real. Neither is Christmas. Hallmark has trademarks on all that shit.”

I cock my head to the side. “Is that why you’re robbing a Hallmark? Civil disobedience?”

“I’m just trying to get some money for rent and beer so I can get through another month. Enough with the yapping. Give me the rest of the money.”

While Wayne grabs more bills, I say, “It’s really sad you feel that way. About love and Christmas, I mean. Sure, most people go overboard, but the sentiment is just so pure. Who doesn’t want to love others and be loved back?”

“Whatever, lady. I don’t see no ring on your finger. Who are you rushing home to after work tonight?”

His words hurt as much as any bullet could. He must see it on my face.

I don’t even have a boyfriend anymore. I broke up with Dylan weeks ago. He hadn’t exactly been excited about that, but I figure he’ll forget about me as soon as he finds someone else to be a jerk to.

“That’s what I thought. You see that, Red? This lady’s trying to convince us of the power of love, but she’s going back to an empty home, making herself some microwave dinners, and…what’ll it be? Trashy romance novels or movies? I’ll say you look like a movie girl.”

“Novels.” The word is barely a whisper.

Both men laugh as Wayne puts the last of the money into the pillowcase and closes the register.

“It doesn’t matter either way,” Green-mask says. “Movies. Books. Love. Christmas. It’s all fake.”

His partner tugs his sleeve. “Come on. We’ve got to split before someone calls the cops.”

They both sprint toward the back of the store.

I don’t start breathing again until the bell above the door announces they’ve left.

I gasp for breath. “Those assholes!”

“It’s okay,” Wayne says, wrapping me in a hug. “They’re gone. We’re safe again.”

But it isn’t the danger that has me shaken.

“How dare he say love isn’t real. And Christmas!” My tirade steadily gains steam. “And my novels are as real as anything happening in his pathetic life. Men and women falling in love in a book is as true and real of an emotion as exists in this world of ours. It’s not like I read those crazy books with orcs and aliens in them!”

* * *

Edith, the owner of the shop, made us shut down the shop after the break-in. The sweet old lady promised to pay us for a full day of work on top of it all.

Given the choice, I would have preferred to work the full shift and not get robbed, but eating Chinese food on my couch while wearing my pajamas and re-reading my favorite Christmas romances is not the worst way to spend the day.

I’m so in the zone of holiday bliss as the hours pass I almost don’t hear the phone when it rings. I spill a little bit of sauce on my red tank top as I answer the phone. “Hello, Joy.”

“I heard what happened at the shop, sis! Are you and Wayne okay?”

“Perfectly fine. It was quite a scare, but nothing a night on the couch won’t cure.”

“Oh.”

She doesn’t expand on her thought, so once I bookmark the page, I ask, “What’s that mean?”

“No. Don’t even think about it. You’re right. You deserve the night off.”

I clearly missed some appointment. I put her on speaker and open my calendar app.

Mom and Dad - 37th Anniversary

“How in the world did I forget? I’m going to hell for being such a rotten daughter.”

“Of course you aren’t. After the day you had, it’s completely understandable. They understand. They just wanted me to check on you since we hadn’t heard from you after Edith called Mom to tell her what happened.”

Edith and Mom had gone to school together ever since Mom moved to Applemore in second grade until they graduated high school.

“Knock it off, Joy,” I say. “You just want to get all the credit for being the only child to show up.”

I smile at my silly accusation as I walk into my bedroom to get dressed. The two of us have argued about who is Mom and Dad’s favorite since before we started grade school.

I can hear the smile in Joy’s voice when she answers. “And you just want the attention for showing up after your traumatic day. Hurry up if you’re coming. You don’t want to miss out on the garlic breadsticks.”

I hang up the phone and toss my pajamas onto my unmade bed. My cranberry red dress that goes so well with my black hair is still in the bag from the laundromat. It’s probably the only item of clothing I owned that isn’t wrinkled right now. I scrunch up my nose in annoyance at all the dirty clothes that line my bedroom floor.

I don’t bother making sure my bra and panties match, because it’s not like I’m going to meet dating material at a party full of relatives. Besides, as much as I enjoy reading about Christmas romances, it will never happen in my life.

I grab my comfy flats but at the last second toss them into the corner of my room. No one will see my underwear, but they will see my calves. I put on the one pair of black high-heeled shoes that I own.

I have thirty years of holidays without a man in my life as proof. Sure, the first fifteen or so I probably shouldn’t count, but even just the last fifteen years with no boyfriend over the holidays is a dry spell that can’t be ignored.

I’m just not the kind of woman men fall for. Maybe it’s that I have more curves than the models in the magazines. Or maybe that I spend more time in the library than out at the bars. Or maybe it’s because I refuse to leave Applemore, Colorado because I worry about leaving my parents as they get older.

Whatever the case, I have a job I enjoy, a happy life, and a loving family…just not a man to keep me warm at night.

I sigh and slide the dress on.

It takes a few minutes to find my keys. Somehow, they ended up underneath the bag the Chinese food came in.

As I walk through the back yard to my garage that opens into the alley, a general sense of frustration and blahs hits me like a brick. By the time I’m opening the garage door, I’m flat out pissed.

What the hell? Maybe I should stay home.

I hear growling in the nearby bushes. I turn and hiss at it like an old, crabby cat.

A mass of fur erupts from the bush, jumps the neighbors’ privacy fence and disappears in their backyard.

It was too big to be a cat and too wild to be a dog. Maybe some kind of rabid raccoon? I shiver at the thought, but with each passing second, my foul mood improves.

By the time I start my car, I’m ready to whistle along with the Christmas song on the radio.

Sometime between leaving work and now, the snow started falling. There are two inches on the ground, and the sky shows no sign of it slowing.

I drive carefully through the streets of the small town. Once I pass the city limits, I start winding my way around the base of Mount Darling, glad my parents decided to have their anniversary party at the community center rather than up in the lodge this year. There’s no way I would have risked the dangerous windy roads.

The Christmas songs give way to pop music at the change of the hour. I reach for the dial to find more holiday tunes. In the second I’m distracted, the car jerks to a stop and throws me against the seat belt that locks against my chest, preventing me from flying out the front window.

Thank God the snow had prevented me from driving very fast.

Once I realize I haven’t been damaged, I turn my attention back to the road and see the antlers of a huge deer for a split second before they are gone.

I quickly scan the mirrors, but the snow obscures the view.

Without giving consideration to the cute black heels I’m wearing, I jump out into the snow. When I grab my purse and hurry back to where the deer should be, I don’t find any animal.

On the side of the road, not moving, lies one of the largest men I’ve ever seen. His long wild hair covers his face. His chest is massive with not an ounce of fat to be seen. Walking about in this weather without a shirt is bad enough, but he’s naked from the waist down, too.

I blush profusely while gawking at his massive—

He groans and pushes himself up to his feet. “Come back to finish your hit and run?”

Rein’ok

The gorgeous woman who tried to kill me plants her hand on her voluptuous hip. “Your head must have really taken a beating if you don’t even understand how hit and runs work. Let me see if I can clear it up for you. The hitter…normally runs. They don’t come back to see if their target needs any help.”

I don’t want to argue with the pretty woman who’s making my heart race. That must be a sign I’m still alive. I look away from her perfect curves, hoping to prevent my dick from standing up for attention without any clothes to cover it.

No matter how much I might want her, she clearly has no interest in me.

Nothing a little sweet talk won’t fix.

“I think you’ve done enough already, what with hitting me with your car and all that.”

I cringe at my lame words even before she stomps her foot in the snow. “I don’t think I can be blamed for not seeing a naked man running across the street in this weather.”

Smooth one, Rein’ok.

I brush the snow off my body to give me a second to try and decide how hopeless things are with her.

She looks so mad she’s practically got steam coming out of her ears. The whole incident must have been pretty shocking to her, and I hadn’t helped calm her. After all, it’s not like the little accident had hurt me much.

I’m not like the frail men from this planet.

Still glaring at me, she says, “Let me take you to a hospital. You should get looked over to make sure everything’s okay.”

The last thing I need is the doctors here poking and prodding me and coming to realize I’m an alien from space. Besides, I suddenly remember my main goal is to just be alone. I don’t need a woman, no matter how much every atom in my body screams that it wants her.

I snort derisively. “I don’t think so.”

She growls deep in her throat, and my cock doesn’t have a chance of not responding to that. “Why are men so stupid?”

I turn my back to her to hide my growing erection, which doesn’t do anything to help me seem warm and friendly.

There’s no scenario this conversation ends well in. She’s got me too discombobulated. I can’t stop wanting to protect her from worrying about me or feeling bad about hitting me. I can’t stop picturing her legs wrapped around my body while I press her against a tree. But each time I open my mouth, I say something dumber than the last time. If I’m not careful, she’ll back the car up and run me over again rather than kiss me.

As much as it pains my heart to let her go, I say, “Seriously, I’m fine. I’ll just head back to my cabin and get some sleep.”

I cross the road and head up the trail leading to my new home.

Rather than getting into her car and returning to her regular plans, she follows me.

Interesting. Despite her words and the looks she’s given me, maybe she feels something, too.

“Hey, you can’t just run off like that. I think you broke one of my headlights when you carelessly ran into my car. I need to get your insurance information.”

I pretend to reach into my nonexistent pockets. “Sorry. I must have left my wallet in my other pants.”

If I were smart, I’d break into a sprint. There’s no way she could keep up with me while wearing those high heels that make her calves look so sexy.

The truth is, I want her. I want her badly.

But I’m afraid that if I take her, it’ll be forever.

After forty years of being stuck in the same routine, I have no desire to hitch myself to a new wagon and get stuck in new routines. I need space and time to explore and sow my oats.

Even if it means missing out on her?

Fuck no. I won’t let that happen.

Even if it means settling down?

“Is there really even a cabin up here?” the lady asks. “How do I know you’re not some serial killer, leading me off into the woods to kill me?”

I barely hear her rant.

I need to know more about her. “What’s your name?”

“Excuse me?”

“I assume your parents gave you one.” A lot of this planet and its cultural norms are still a mystery to me, but I’m pretty sure I remember that tidbit from my research. “Or maybe you picked one for yourself when you became an adult?”

When she says, “Holly,” my cock throbs at the destiny of her having such a Christmas-themed name.

“Like the Christmas plant?” I ask, turning to look at her.

She pulls up to a stop and takes a step back when my erection points at her. I have the decency to cover myself with my hands when all I want to do is explore her body with my fingers and lips and—

Her smile lights up her face. “Yes.” I don’t even remember the question, but I’m pretty sure I hadn’t asked her to sleep with me…yet. “My mom is the biggest Christmas fan on the planet. My sister is Joy. We have a brother named Nicholas, like St. Nick. Mom’s a little crazy, especially this time of year.”

My dick is convinced it’s destiny, but my brain thinks it’s a warning. Conflicted about whether I should run toward her or away, I ask another question. “Why are you following me? I think you know I’m fine. Don’t you have somewhere better to be?”

She scrunches up her nose in an adorable way that makes me want to kiss it. “I do, actually. My parents are throwing an anniversary party tonight.”

I lean against a tree. Talking to her feels so right. “They are throwing their own party?”

She rolls her eyes and nods. “My mom is crazy about all parties. Christmas is the big one, of course, but their anniversary is the next biggest one. She doesn’t trust any of us to do it right.”

I want to learn more.

I need to learn everything.

She’s the one, and there’s no way I can ignore the call to be with her.

But despite her coat, she shivers in the cold. The light snow from earlier has turned into a blizzard in the few minutes we’ve been walking.

I nod my head up at the sky. “It probably won’t be safe for you to drive until this blows over. You are welcome to stay at my cabin.” I just manage not to add, “Forever.”

Her eyes roam over my body. Her pupils dilate as she takes me in. She bites her lower lip. She wants me as much as I want her.

When she looks back toward her car, I quickly add, “I have clothes I’ll put on when I get back there.”

She puts her hand in mine. “Not on my account, I hope.”

My heart nearly explodes with desire.

I squeeze her hand, but before we can even take one step, I hear a twig break deeper in the woods.

She jumps against my body. I wrap my arms around her, ready to protect her from any attack as I scan the woods for the black bear I smelled while wandering earlier. She wraps her legs around my hips. I squeeze her tight, letting her know I’ll protect her from anything.

“What was that?” she whispers so closely to my ear I can feel her breath.

“Probably nothing,” I lie, hoping the bear goes about his business rather than attacks.

I could deal with the bear, but I’d have to put Holly down to do so, and I don’t ever want to let her go again. I give up my last resistance as the smell and feel of her overwhelms my senses.

When Kris Kringle had set me down on this planet, I’d thought I’d noticed that mischievous look he gets in his eyes when he knows more than the rest of us, which, let’s face it, is pretty much always. The crazy old coot must have known my mate would find me no matter how much I tried to hide from her.

Then I’d gone and made it easier for her by getting hit by her car.

After a while, we realize no attack is coming. I don’t offer to put her down.

She doesn’t ask me to.

We stare into each other’s eyes.

I’ve been all over the universe in my years of service. I’ve seen black holes, births of suns, and creatures great and small. I’ve witnessed kindness beyond comprehension, and joy beyond compare.

I’ve never met anyone as perfect as Holly.

“I’m going to take you back to my cabin until it’s safe for you to travel again,” I say.

“What if I don’t want to leave?”

Our lips crash into each other with more force than two colliding galaxies. She changes the orbit of my life as her lips explore mine while I race through the forest with my woman.

She’s mine, and I’m never giving her back. I must get her home so I can claim her.

“Faster,” she says. “I can’t wait any longer.”

I turn a corner, and we’re at the cabin. My clothes are already off, so I start working on removing hers. It’s like unwrapping the greatest Christmas present ever.

Holly

After the intensity of our kiss outside, his tenderness inside the cabin shocks me. It’s like Christmas morning when the present is right in front of you, but everyone keeps making you wait to open it.

He struggles with the zipper on the back of my dress until I eventually push him away.

“Let me,” I say, trying to make my voice deep and sultry. I try my hand at the zipper, but it won’t budge. “Shit, fuck, damn. Move, you son of a bitch.”

When he laughs, I realize I said the words out loud. I blush and wish to die.

He steps back toward me, spins me around and whispers in my ear, “I love that filthy fucking mouth of yours, and the pretty shade of red your cheeks turn when you get angry.”

I feel him struggling with the zipper again. “I wasn’t angry. I was embarrassed. No man wants to hear a woman talk like that.”

“I must not be a normal man. It just made me want to get you naked so I could ravish you that much more quickly. Perhaps if we pulled it up over your head, we could bypass the zipper altogether?”

I hold my hands up over my head. He’s so tall, my hands barely reach his cheek. They brush against the softest beard I’ve ever felt. “Yes. That should work.”

His hands glide down my body, once again tormenting me with his slow deliberate movements.

“Having second thoughts?” I tease.

My words don’t have any effect on hurrying him.

“I want to cherish you, and this night, and your body,” he says while pulling my dress up over my head.

I stand before him nearly naked, and suddenly remember my bra and panties aren’t even close to matching. Any thoughts of being embarrassed are short-lived as he nearly tears my bra, pulling it off me and effortlessly throws me onto his bed.

His eyes roam my body, allowing me time to do the same to his.

His shoulders are broad like a man used to hard labor. I can picture him swinging an ax to chop wood, those big muscles moving in a display of strength and coordination. I want to run my fingers through his masculine chest hair. His thick body tapers into a perfect V with those little lines that guide my eyes down to his long, thick dick.

“You’re gorgeous,” I say.

“You’re an angel,” he answers. “You belong atop a Christmas tree.”

I smile at the strange compliment and think how much he would probably get along with my mom with all the Christmas talk. I mean, I love Christmas, but he even seems to go beyond my craziness for the holiday.

Not that they’ll ever meet. I know there will be no us after tonight. I plan to enjoy the night to the fullest and return to my boring ordinary life where naked hunks living in cabins in the woods don’t bring me back to their place to ravage my body.

“Shut up and fuck me,” I whisper.

My boldness makes me blush again, but it just makes him smile.

He nods and pulls my legs apart. I try not to be embarrassed at him seeing the wet spot on my panties, but he quickly pulls my panties off anyway. He throws them across the room before lowering his mouth to my mound.

My toes curl and my fingers grasp ahold of the cool sheets as his tongue begins to explore me in that same slow, steady manner. No man has ever gone down on me without me putting out first, and I decide then and there it will be a requirement from now on.

But what if he does want to be with me after this night is through?

His tongue is doing tricks that make it impossible for me to focus on anything but the moment. Seemingly without any effort, he has me panting and bucking my hips against his face in a matter of seconds with his skillful artistry.

“Fuck. You are incredible at this.”

“You are incredible, period,” he somehow manages to say while still teasing my clit.

The sweet talk pushes me over the edge.

I scream out in frustration at it being over so soon, but he doesn’t stop. As he continues to lick my hard button, he slides a finger deep inside me and presses on the little bundle of nerves that took me years to find by myself.

It’s like he was made to bring me pleasure.

I grasp his hair and hold on, desperate to make sure he can never leave me.

He won’t stay with you.

I tell the little voice in my head to shut the fuck up and let me enjoy the night.

He pulls his mouth away from my skin for long enough to say, “You’re a beautiful goddess.”

I know I should say something back to him, but all that comes out of my mouth is, “Damn.”

He doesn’t seem to mind.

I’m pretty sure I can feel him smiling as he returns his mouth to my pussy. In less than another minute, he makes me come again.

I’ve only known this man for a few minutes, and I’ve already had two mind-blowing orgasms.

I want to curl up into a ball and fall asleep.

He leans forward and kisses me. Tasting myself on his lips is a strange, erotic sensation I’ve never experienced with another man.

It’s a night of firsts I’ll never forget, but he’s not done with me yet.

He stands at the foot of his bed, pulls my feet up against his chest, and presses his gigantic, thick cock against my entrance.

“Ready for some more?” he asks with a smirk on his face as if challenging me.

My legs are already weak. I probably won’t be able to walk straight in the morning, but I nod my head. “Fuck me…” I try to recall his name, but he hasn’t told me it yet. “Kind sir.”

I might be a slut, but I’m not going to hold myself back one bit.

He laughs at my words. “Shall I give it to my lady soft and gently?”

I shake my head and bite my lower lip. “No. I need you to fuck me hard.”

Rein’ok

Her words drag a growl from me like I’m some kind of beast. After years of being forced to be perky and proper in my line of service leading the sleigh on a distant planet that nobody on this world has probably even heard of, it feels good to let my animal instincts take over.

I run my hands up and down along her smooth legs that I’ve pulled against my chest. “Careful what you ask for. I’m not sure I’m very good at being gentle.”

She bats her eyelashes at me and nibbles on that fuckable lip of hers once more. “I don’t think I asked you to be gentle. Give me all you’ve got.”

I push myself into her delicate folds and relish the way her eyes roll back in her head and her mouth opens as she gasps and moans.

“You’re so big,” she manages to say. “I’ve never been filled this full before.”

Any thought of being gentle gets thrown out the door by her words. I must ravish her and make sure she never forgets this night.

Her body is perfection as it bounces against mine.

Why can’t I have her?

Because I’m not even the same species.

There is no way this pretty little human is going to be okay when she learns I’m an alien.

But what if?

I push aside the thought. The last thing I need in my life is to be wishing for more Christmas miracles, especially since they never come true for me anyway.

Forcing myself back to the moment, I focus on her beautiful face, her curvy body, and the way her tight pussy holds onto my cock like she never plans to let go.

She squeezes my biceps as another orgasm approaches.

The little smile on her face pushes me over the edge, too. Like a supernova exploding, I come inside her.

I collapse on the bed next to her, and we kiss like lovers who have known each other for decades rather than strangers who’ve just met.

She rolls her leg over me and runs her fingers through my chest hair. “That was incredible.”

Now that our bodies are spent, the reality of the situation settles in on me.

One night is not nearly long enough. I want her for a lifetime. But best-case scenario, the storm will trap her here in my cabin for a few days before she returns to her real life. I won’t be able to follow her. I don’t belong on this planet, and it won’t take long for people to realize I’m different if I try to do more than hide in the woods in my little mountain cabin.

When I don’t reply, she says, “Don’t worry. I’m on the pill.”

Oh my God. Does she think I’m worried about that? Fuck, I’d do anything to have a child with her.

The thought hits me like a brick. I’ve never wanted a child before in my life.

“Sorry. It wasn’t that. I was just thinking I’ve never felt this way about a woman before. Stupid, right? I mean, we just met.”

This is where she’ll tell me she likes me, she just doesn’t like-like me. Or that I’m moving too quickly. Or that it’s not me, it’s her.

I know all the lines because I’ve used them all before.

My muscles tense and I hold my breath when she starts to answer.

She runs her hand through my chest hair. “I don’t think it’s crazy. Well, maybe it is crazy, but I feel it, too. Where have you been my whole life?”

I can’t tell her I’ve spent my life on another planet. “Here and there, I guess.”

She kisses me again. “I guess. Sure would be nice if you settle down here for a while.”

“I think I’d like that, too.”

All is perfect in the world.

With a jerk, she props herself up on her elbow and looks down at me, making me wonder what I did wrong.

Still playing with my chest hair, she says, “I just realized you never told me your name.”

I can’t tell her my real name is Rein’ok. It’s too strange. It’ll make her ask questions I won’t be able to answer without lying. I’d rather tell a small lie than the bigger one.

I settle with, “Rain.”

“Rain. I love it. So, Rain, what do we do now? Do you have anything to eat in this cabin?”

It’s another question that pushes too close to uncomfortable areas of my life. She might accept that I’m vegetarian, but will she accept that my preferred method of eating is to shift into my reindeer form and graze on vegetation?

I doubt it.

“Sorry, no. I just arrived and haven’t had a chance to round up anything yet. Will you be okay? We can check to see if there are any cans in the cupboards. What’s mine is yours.”

“Maybe later. I have something else I want to do first.”

She winks and straddles me.

Before I can get myself inside her, though, the door crashes open. Blowing snow whips inside followed by a mass of purple fur, two beaks, three tails, and one stinger that will kill either of us in seconds.

Holly cries out, “What the hell is that?”

A Frothmronk.

I can’t tell her that or how I know.

The monstrous creatures travel the galaxy sowing discord, misery, and general sadness wherever they go. The worse their environment gets, the better fed they are, and the bigger they get.

I have no weapons to defend us.

If the alien didn’t have the stinger, I might be able to fend him off, but the risk is too high.

There’s only one option.

We have to flee.

The Frothmronk moves faster than my human shape, which I’m sure is even faster than Holly can run. If we’re going to survive, we’ll have to fly.

Holly won’t want to talk to me afterward, but I’m not going to risk her safety just because I’m terrified of leaving her.

She’s standing there, frozen in place with her purse clutched to her chest for some reason. My poor girl is terrified.

I have to protect her.

With a sigh of disappointment at being interrupted before I can finish claiming her, I grab her hand. “Trust me. I’ll get you out of here safely.”

Holly

What! The! Fuck!

It feels like every few seconds this entire night spirals off in some new insane direction.

First, a sexy naked man gets hit by my car…but is still healthy enough to fuck me silly.

Then, we start talking about a future together, even though we’ve only known each other for a few fucking minutes.

But this hairy thing, growling at us from the door of the cabin, is a whole ’nother level of crazy.

Between the snarling of the monster and the insanity of the moment, I barely hear Rain’s words. I definitely don’t process them. His hand holding mine calms my nerves enough to follow where he leads me, though.

He keeps his body directly between the monster and me, a display of bravery and chivalry that makes me swoon as if I’m about to faint. With all the endorphins, adrenaline, and random other chemicals crashing around, trying to help me stay alive, it’s no wonder my body is freaking out.

“What’s happening?” I manage to ask as we inch toward the door. “I’m so scared.”

The monster sniffs the air and turns. With so many beaks and eyes and limbs reaching out of its body from all directions, it’s hard to tell which way it’s facing, but it definitely takes a step toward us.

“What do we do?” I ask.

“Whatever you do, don’t let go of my hand until we get outside.” Rain’s voice is eerily calm, as if he’s dealt with monsters his whole life.

Which is impossible.

Admittedly, I just met the guy, but I don’t think there’s a person alive who even knows what the creature really is, much less how to handle one.

His calm demeanor keeps my feet moving. The cold winter wind blasts against my face.

The monster’s claws scratch against the wood floor as he chases us out of the cabin.

Rain and I sprint through the dense woods.

Branches slap against my face and naked body.

The monster slips and falls once, but steadily gains on us.

“Whatever happens, don’t let go of me,” Rain says. “I will protect you.”

It’s a sweet thought, but what can he possibly do about the beast chasing us?

I look over my shoulder once more for the briefest of seconds. By the time I look back, Rain is gone.

So is the ground.

I’m floating up into the air.

When I feel coarse fur against my legs, I look down. It’s all I can do to keep from falling off when I see I’m sitting on the back of a huge reindeer.

A flying reindeer.

The creature below hasn’t given up. He effortlessly scales the tree trunks and jumps from branch to branch as the reindeer picks his way up through the canopy.

But when we emerge into the empty space above the trees, the chase is over.

Unlike the reindeer, the purple beast can’t fly.

“What the fuck is going on?” I scream into the night.

The reindeer looks back at me with a look in its eyes I read as guilty and apologetic.

Great. I’m losing my goddamn mind.

My ride banks to the south and makes a beeline for the lights on the edge of town. The cold hits me. I shiver uncontrollably. I want to wake and discover this entire night has been a dream.

Well, not the entire night. The part with Rain was pretty incredible. Where the hell did he go? I hope he’s okay.

The reindeer descends, but I’m so cold I can’t even focus on where it is taking me. Anywhere on the ground will be fine. Even better if there are no monsters around.

It lands light as a feather in a mostly-empty parking lot that can hold a few hundred cars, but there are only about twenty. I almost recognize the place, but my frozen body can’t come up with the name.

I climb down from the reindeer and pat its back. The night couldn’t get more surreal. “Thanks for saving me.”

I’d love to stay and pet the animal and find it some food to eat. It deserves that and more for saving my life. My need to get inside and out of the cold is too great, though.

Before I make it three steps, I fall to my knees in the snow-covered parking lot.

When I come to, I’m inside and warm. So blessedly warm. I’m covered by a pile of blankets and next to a roaring fire. It reminds me of Rain and the cabin.

“Welcome back, Holly,” Rain says from right above my face.

I open my eyes and find him staring down at me, smiling broadly.

“You’re okay! What happened? Did I fall asleep after we fucked and dream the rest?” I ask.

“What happened indeed?” an all-to-familiar shrill voice cries out. “My own daughter shows up naked and unconscious with a naked man to my perfectly-planned anniversary party. What the hell is happening is a very good question. I’d love an answer myself.”

I close my eyes again. “I see you’ve met my mom.”

“Ma’am,” Rain says to my mother. “Could you and your guests give us a few minutes of privacy? We have some things to talk through.”

“I most certainly will not leave my naked daughter alone with the naked stranger who brought her here. How do I know you won’t—”

“Mom!” I shout. Lowering my voice, I add, “Please give us a few minutes. Rain definitely isn’t a threat. He saved my ass a few minutes ago.”

“Nudity, and now this language. At my anniversary party. I just—”

My dad cuts her off in the gentle way that Mom would ignore from anyone else. “Dear, come with me. Let’s get you some more Champagne. Everyone else, clear out. Holly is fine. She’ll tell us more when she’s ready.”

I see Rain is wrapped in a similar blanket. “Some night, huh?”

He chuckles. “Yep. We made quite a scene when we crashed the party. If I’d known it was your family, I would have tried to be more discreet, but I was panicked. I thought you might have already been exposed to the cold for too long.”

My mind is spinning. Nothing makes sense. If the magic reindeer carried me out of the forest, how was Rain even here already? And…magic, flying reindeer? I half-expected Santa Claus to drop down the chimney with a talking, dancing snowman.

If I were smart, I’d thank Rain for the night and go my separate way. Since meeting him, nothing has been normal. I’ll be in a straightjacket before the week is through if I don’t push him aside.

But the night had been incredible for a while, too. Better than anything I can remember happening in my life in ages.

Can I walk away from that kind of incredible potential?

“Hey, I need to ask you a very delicate question,” I say. “You don’t have to answer, I guess. But I’d really like to know what the fuck is going on around here.”

He breathes out a huge lungful of air. He seems terrified as his eyes dart around my face. When he glances at the exit, I realize things have been just as strange for him, and he might make the decision to split up for me.

Instead, he says, “I’m an alien.”

Fortunately, I prepared myself to comfort him after any answer he gave me, or I might say something stupid.

“Bullshit.” I clear my throat. “Sorry. I wasn’t expecting that. Do you mean like from Mexico or Scandinavia?”

He smiles sadly. “Not exactly.”

Another mystery on a night full of them. “Okay. We’ll figure it out. I’ll probably need a little time to process that. Are you planning to stick around a little while, or have I scared you away?”

“You? Scared me away?” His laugh fills the large room. “I thought you’d be the one running.”

He kisses me. Not aggressively, and not meekly. Perfectly.

“I’ll protect you from the Frothmronk. I swear it, Holly.”

“The what now?”

“Yoohoo!” Joy calls out. “Could anyone do for some hot cocoa? Coffee? Whiskey?”

“Whiskey,” I say at the same time as Rain.

Rein’ok

“Are you almost done in there?” Holly asks from outside the changing room at the store she’s taken me to so we can get some proper clothes before returning to the party.

I pull up the zipper and look at myself in the mirror. When Kris Kringle told me I’d be moving to this planet, I’d done the research. I knew I’d have to wear clothes if I wanted to try to blend in with the people from time to time, but I’d expected to hate them.

Staring back at my reflection in the mirror, I like what I see. The forest green sweater fits snugly across my chest. The blue jeans squeeze my legs a little more than I’d like, but I can’t help but admit they make my legs look shapely. I turn and look at my butt and hope Holly approves.

I pull open the curtain and spin so she can see me.

She claps and says, “Oh, very nice. I think I prefer you nude, but when we have to go out in public, this will do quite nicely.”

We hurry to the register. The pimply-faced teenager working the register must think we’re crazy, but he just scans the tags on the clothes I’m wearing and tells us the total cost.

“I’ve got it,” Holly says, digging into her purse, “since you left your wallet at home. But you better be prepared to make up for it later.”

She pays with something plastic that she swipes in some kind of computer.

The poor kid blushes furiously as we finish the transaction.

Afterward, Holly drives us back to the party in the car Joy loaned her.

“You sure you really want to go through with this?” she asks. “I have to. They’re my family, but you can escape back to the cabin if you don’t want to deal with them. I’ll find you afterward…if you want that.”

“I wouldn’t think of leaving your side.”

I don’t tell her that I’m still worried we’ll be attacked again before the night is over. I don’t like it one bit that the creature has settled so close to the woman I’ve fallen for.

It’s bad enough that I have found someone I want to be with despite my plans not to fall for a woman. There is no way I’m letting that monster take her away from me. Until I rid the planet of the foul alien, I won’t be comfortable letting Holly out of my sight.

Holly drags me into the party and straight onto the dance floor. She locks her hands behind my head and starts moving her hips from side to side. “Dance with me, Rain. They’ll leave us alone while we’re dancing, and I’ll still get credit for being here.”

Her body sways like the reeds blown by the wind in the tropics of my home planet. I can’t resist the temptation to move my body along with hers.

I place my hands on her lovely hips, and we rock back and forth to the music, lost in each other’s eyes.

“Do your eyes change color?” she asks.

I nod. “They are normally brown, but change when I’m mad or happy, enraged or frightened. But right now, you are making them change because I’m aroused.”

She smiles but shakes her head at the same time. “I don’t understand what you see in me. Does my big booty remind you of the girls back home?” she playfully asks, spinning her back toward me and grinding her ass against my dick.

It takes me nearly a minute to stop laughing. “No. You definitely don’t remind me of them. They all have horns and cloven hoofs. The females don’t shift, so they’re basically a mix of this form that looks like you humans and the form that looks like reindeer. Kind of like a centaur. Our women are hardy and strong, but they do not make me think of the wind and the stars or make me want to write poetry or paint them nude.”

When she blushes, I know I must paint her someday.

“So what’s it like around here?” I ask. “As someone new, will I have trouble fitting in?”

Holly glances at the others on the dance floor. “You might, at first. Most people have lived in this little town their whole lives. We have a lot more people who leave Applemore than move into it. Everyone knows everything about everyone, so it can be rough for people when they first move to town. But everyone comes around, eventually.”

She spins along with the music and ends up facing me again.

“Must be the mountain air,” I say. “Who could possibly be too mad about anything around here? Everything is so damn beautiful.”

I grab her ass and pull her close. Her head tips back and her mouth opens, inviting me in for a kiss. As the music reaches a crescendo, I let myself believe this can all work out.

I can stay in my human form forever, and we can be happy.

Two kids dancing together bump into my legs, pulling me out of my daydream.

“Hey, there,” I say to the short humans.

“Who the hell are you?” the boy asks.

“Oh, I’m…” I look at Holly, not sure what to say.

“He’s a friend of mine,” she says. “And you clean that mouth up or I’ll tell your grandma.”

“Ah, shit,” the kid says. “Don’t tell her. I still can’t taste anything but soap when I eat as it is. It’s been a rough fucking week.”

The girl waves her middle fingers at us as the boy drags her away.

Holly covers her mouth to keep from laughing and stares them down with a harsh look in her eyes until they disappear in the crowd.

Once they are gone, she says, “Congratulations. You survived your first encounter with Billy Dee and Maggie Anne. They’re six-year-old twins who cuss worse than any sailors you’ll ever meet. Their dad is one of the guys who left town while their mom was pregnant with them. Their mom is…interesting. God, I can’t imagine how hard it must be to raise kids on her own. I should volunteer to babysit for her. You want kids someday?”

Her eyes open wide as she realizes her question. “Sorry. Too soon, right? I’m so stupid. I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just making small talk.”

Before she can continue, I silence her with a quick kiss. “Relax. It’s fine. I’m not looking to rush into anything, but I don’t have anything against kids. Are you looking to have them soon? Do your eggs expire while you are still young?”

Holly tries to hold in a laugh, fails, and snorts as the giggles sweep over her. In between outbreaks of laughing, she explains she can probably have kids for another decade.

Am I relieved because she’s not mad at my noncommittal answer or because she’s still fertile? It can’t be the latter, because there’s no way I can get her pregnant anyway.

“I told you to stop taking my picture!” a man screams.

“Well, you don’t have to be an asshole about it!” a woman shouts back.

A metal tray crashes to the ground.

“Is that their mother and some new boyfriend?” I ask.

“No. That’s my mom and dad. Come on. Let’s go see what the hell is happening now.”

Holly

People seem to instinctively clear out of the way of Rain, so I follow in his wake through the crowd that’s gathered around my mom and dad. Rather than breaking them up, my friends and relatives are chanting, “Fight! Fight! Fight!” like idiots watching two kids fighting in the hallway at high school.

“Mom, you put that cake knife down this instant!” I shout, rushing toward her.

She waves the knife at my dad’s face. “Tell your father to apologize for calling my mom cheap.”

“Why would you do that, Dad?” I ask.

“She’s been asking for it for thirty years. I’m just saying the thing we’ve all been thinking.”

I take the Champagne glass from him and chug the little that remains. I need it, and he definitely doesn’t.

My dad wobbles on his feet. Rather than falling, he sits down in the middle of the floor and then lies down on his back. “Holly, lie down next to me. The floor is so cool. It feels great.” He reaches up for my hands. “Come on.”

I slap his hands away. “Stop it. You’re drunk, and you’re making a scene.”

He counters with, “Tell that to your mother. She’s the one acting like an ass.”

Mom is bent over at the waist so far with her legs locked so straight, I worry she’s going to fall right onto her head. It’s insane. My mom and dad aren’t exactly sticks in the mud, but they are pretty reserved and dignified. I’ve never seen either behave anything like this before in my life.

At least Mom set down the knife somewhere along the way.

Rain waves at me from a few tables over. He shows me the knife before setting it on a plate.

So, Mom hadn’t put it down. He’d managed to take it from her. All of my loved ones just sat around chanting for my mom to use the weapon, and the stranger literally disarmed the situation without anyone even noticing.

Mom pulls off her pantyhose and shoves it into her bra. “That’s better. Someone point me to the bar. I’m going to try one of the fruity ones this time.”

I breathe out a sigh of relief. They’ll be embarrassed by their antics in the morning, but at least no one will get hurt.

I reach out to hug Rain as he approaches, but Uncle James screws everything up by shouting, “You’re just going to let him call Mom a cheap bitch?”

The crowd starts chanting, “Fight!” again as my mom turns her glare on my father.

Rain’s steadying hand on my shoulder is the only thing that keeps me from flying across the room and punching Uncle James in his stupid face.

What is in the Champagne here tonight?

Something’s not right, but maybe it’s just decades of family nonsense bubbling to the surface. Doesn’t every family have a crazy family gathering or two over the years?

“We should sing a Christmas song,” Rain says.

He doesn’t raise his voice above his normal conversational level, but somehow it cuts through all the chaos and makes everyone fall silent.

“Nobody wants to sing, fancy boy,” some old man I don’t recognize, and I’m not even sure belongs at our party, says.

Rumbles of agreement spread through the crowd.

Rain doesn’t argue, but he doesn’t back down, either.

Instead, he sings.

His voice cuts through all the negative vibes.

“Oh, holy night…”

Nobody joins in right away. I keep expecting my family, who has clearly gone psycho, to mock him, but one by one they all join in, starting with my Uncle James, of all people.

The next thing I know, I’m singing along with everyone. We all form a circle and hold the hands of the people on each side of us. We look like something out of Whoville in The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

It’s at least as ridiculous as the earlier negativity, but all I can do is bask in the Christmas cheer.

I smile up at Rain. “My hero.”

“Nothing to it. Everyone just needed to be reminded of how good it feels to sing together.”

“Nobody has ever sung at one of these parties. This is a real Christmas miracle. It came a day early, but thank God for the timing.”

His eyes are practically glowing purple.

When I pull our bodies together and feel his hardness against my belly, I know exactly what purple must mean. I’d seen it while dancing and back in the cabin, but figured it was a trick of the light.

I playfully nibble his neck. “Want to sneak out of here and head back to my house?”

“I’d like to be a gentleman and offer to stay to celebrate with your family and friends, but I need you so bad, Holly. Take me home before I take you right here.”

My heart hammers in my chest when I whisper to Joy to let her know what’s happening. She agrees to let me use her car again since her husband had needed to bring his own car to the party anyway.

She gives Rain an approving glance. “He’s a keeper.”

“I hope so.” I kiss her cheek and hurry back to Rain, planning to do my best to never leave his side again.

Rein’ok

Once in her house, I carry my princess down the hall to her bedroom. I plan to lie her on the bed and cover her body with kisses, but there is no free space on her bed. Scowling at the mess that’s slowing us down, I stand Holly in an open patch of the floor next to her walk-in closet.

She’s blushing and covering her face with her hands as she says, “I would have cleaned if I’d have known I was going to hit an alien with my car and bring him back to my place after having sex with him in his cabin and taking him to my parents’ anniversary. It’s what I always do when that happens.”

I laugh along with her. “You are too much. Give me one second.”

I turn my attention to the messy room, completely unsure where to begin, and desperate not to spend a second longer than I need to. There will be plenty of time to get things organized after we make love.

Deciding we won’t really need the blanket for a while, I pull up one corner near the headboard and walk around the bed gathering the other corners on my way around. Turning the blanket into a giant sack, I lift everything off the bed at once and gently set it on the floor.

I turn back to invite Holly to join me, but she’s no longer waiting in the corner. Her clothes have been thrown on top of the others on the floor, but she’s disappeared.

From down the hall, I hear the shower start.

Holly calls out, “I’ll give you a special treat if you can find me.”

She makes me forget my normal neatness. My sweater ends up draped over a lamp, my jeans on top of the bedroom door. My socks end up somewhere in the hall, and my underwear land in the bathroom sink.

She is standing in the tub with the shower curtain pulled tightly around one side of her hourglass figure as she peeks out at me. She smiles before pulling the curtain closed. “Stay there.”

The curtain is translucent. I can’t make out details, but I can see her outline as she dips her head under the stream of water. She pulls her hair back over her shoulders. Her hands explore her belly. One moves quickly up to her breast and gives it a squeeze. The other inches down between her legs.

“I’m so horny, Rain. Are you horny, too?”

My dick is so hard I could knock a wall down with it. Forcing myself to play along with her game, I say, “Yes, Holly. I’ve been turned on since the second I first saw you. Even after getting hit by your car, the only thing I could think about was how beautiful you were.”

She pinches her nipple and moans. “You did have such a handsome erection.”

“That was nothing. It was cold out then. You should see it now.”

She leans back against the wall and slides a finger into her pussy. Her other hand releases her breast and moves south to explore her clit. “But you’re so far away. I need something right here and right now.”

“I make shower calls.”

“Come on over. I tip well.”

I nearly rip the shower curtain off the rod in my desperation to get inside her. I try to spin her away from me so I can enter her from the backside, but she has different plans.

She strokes my dick and says, “First, I’ve got a present for you for being so incredible back at the party.”

I thought I’d turned the page on the part of my life where presents excite me, but when the word comes from her mouth, my dick twitches in anticipation. She’s the woman who can make me love Christmas again.

“Should I close my eyes?” I ask.

She shakes her head and kisses my neck. Practically purring against my skin in a way that makes my dick throb, she says, “I want you to watch me be a bad girl.”

She drops to her knees and immediately licks the underside of my shaft from my balls to my slit. She wraps her lips over the tip of my cock and sucks up the bead of pre-cum that’s formed.

As she bats her eyelids while looking up at me, she says, “Yummy. Can I have some more?”

I’m completely unprepared for this sweet woman to talk so seductively. All I can do is nod.

It must be enough.

She wraps her lips around my dick again and takes me deeper this time. She settles into a smooth, leisurely pace and adds her hand to the incredible blowjob she’s giving me.

If this is what fated-love sex is like for everyone, how come nobody told me? I would have scoured all corners of the universe to find my magnificent angel.

Sure, I know we need to do more than have sex, but it’s impossible to say no to her when she’s so good at what she’s doing. I want to fuck her and make her scream my name. I want to make her feel as great as she makes me feel.

I want more than just her body, though.

But that will have to wait until I’ve ravaged her once more.

“Come up here,” I say, hooking my hands under her armpits and lifting her to her feet.

“Bored with me already?” she asks with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

“Never. I’ve got a package I need to deliver.”

She giggles but lightly slaps my chest. “That was horrible.”

“Should I return the package?”

“No way. Should we go to my bed?”

“I wouldn’t survive the walk there.”

I spin her away from me and bend her forward. “Brace yourself against the wall. This will be a bumpy sleigh ride.”

Holly

“Bumpy sleigh ride? What kind of corny alien are you?” I ask, still giggling at how silly Rain can be while also managing to be incredibly sexy and intense.

Dylan never made me laugh.

I push all thoughts of my ex out of my mind so I can focus on the amazing, sexy man behind me.

The weight of Rain’s cock against the small of my back leaves me breathless.

The steam builds around us, creating the sensation we’ve escaped to an exotic paradise that’s hidden from anyone except the two of us.

Finally finding my voice again, I ask, “Did I mention how great of a singer you are?”

I want to thank him again for helping back at the party, but he silences me by penetrating my wet and ready vagina.

I gasp. “God damn, I will never get used to how huge you are.”

“I won’t ever get over how sexy you are.”

I’ve never had a man fawn over me like this before. The more he does it, the more I start to believe he might mean the words.

He grabs my hips like he doesn’t have any plans of ever letting go, not that I plan to fight him when he’s fucking me so good.

There will be plenty of time to talk later. There’s nothing that could happen between us to break us apart. I won’t let it. It’s taken so long to even find a good man, I’m not letting an incredible one get away.

I nod my head stiffly as if I need to convince myself. “Just so you know, the water heater isn’t so good in this place. The hot water will only last a few more minutes.”

A grunt is his only reply.

Each time our bodies slap together, the sound echoes on the tile walls. It’s joined with the raw animal sounds that are coming from our mouths. The water starts to cool, but Rain doesn’t slow.

Right before it gets unbearably cold, any remaining stress from the long, strange day floods away as Rain makes me come with his magical dick.

As if he’s been holding out to make sure I had my orgasm, his cock drives into me one last time. He grunts again as he spanks my butt.

The water is icy now. He pulls out all too quickly so he can reach the handle to turn off the water.

My legs are too weak to move. Fortunately, Rain can manage for the both of us. He wraps me in a towel and pats me dry, and then helps me into my robe.

As I use the towel to squeeze the water out of my hair, I let myself appreciate his well-muscled body. He belongs in magazines or in movies or maybe playing professional sports. He’d look gorgeous anywhere.

I have no idea what he sees in me, but the hunger in his eyes even now convinces me it’s real. This man who will be the envy of all my friends craves my body as much as I want his.

“I’m exhausted, Rain. Take me to bed and spoon me.”

He lifts me like I weigh no more than a child and carries me to my room. As he carefully picks his way through my dirty room, I nearly die from shame. Messes have never bothered me before, but I also never bring men back to my house.

He doesn’t comment on the mess, though. Maybe he’s messy like me.

Before we reach the bed, the doorbell rings.

Rain raises his eyebrows inquisitively. “Expecting company?”

“Definitely not at two in the morning.”

The doorbell rings twice in quick succession.

“Should we ignore it or go check?” he asks.

When it rings again, followed by a fist pounding on the door, I say, “We better go check. It’s probably some friend of the guy down the block. He throws wild parties, and guys end up getting confused when they go outside for a smoke or piss or whatever it is guys do when they are drunk. But better to send him on his way before he breaks down the door.”

“He better not dare.”

Rain’s tone is animalistic and powerful, but the last thing I need is cops showing up to break up a fight.

I pat his cheek. “Put me down, dear, and let me handle it.”

Even though I’d told him to, it is still a little disappointing when he sets me on my feet. Whoever is at the door is going to get a piece of my mind for ripping me out of Rain’s strong arms.

Worry replaces my anger when I see my mom standing on the front porch.

I hurriedly unlock the door and swing the door open. “What’s wrong, Mom?”

Mom, looking more pissed than when I told her I was dropping AP Chemistry during my senior year of high school, pushes her way past me. “I can’t live with that man another day. What do you have to drink?”

I hurry after her, hoping she’ll say something that makes sense. Other than a few parties a year, my mom is never awake after nine o’clock. She’s definitely not the kind of woman who runs around town waking the dead this time of night.

“Slow down and tell me what’s going on,” I plead.

Mom comes to a stop but not because of my words. She points at Rain. “What’s that…man…doing here?”

My skin grows hot as rage fills me. I put myself between the two of them and shout back, “Don’t you dare come to my house and complain about who I am spending the night with, Mother. I don’t live under your house anymore, and I certainly don’t follow your rules.”

As I yell, I wonder when the last time we had a real fight was. And what the hell had happened with her and Dad earlier?

I don’t get a chance to ponder what could be causing the unusual outbursts.

My mother doesn’t back down. “As if you and your sister followed them worth a damn when you did live with us. You’d be so much better off if you had.”

She is scratching old scabs, and I’m powerless to just walk away. “Yeah, because a doctor is really the career I wanted for myself. No, Mom. You wanted me to be a doctor so you could brag to your friends about how successful you were because of what I would have accomplished. Just because you were too afraid to tell Dad to fuck off and let you get a job when we were kids, don’t take that out on Joy and me.”

My mom’s eyes shoot open wide.

I half-expect her to remove her big, dangly earrings and throw punches.

Rain leans against my back and wraps his arms around me. The vile anger and tension diminish almost immediately. I shake my head as if waking from a stupor.

Even more amazingly, when he reaches out for my mother’s hand, she takes it, and a similar wave of relaxation falls over her.

“Holly, can I talk to you in private for a second? Mrs…ma’am, why don’t you make yourself a drink? We’ll be back in two minutes and talk this through.”

Rein’ok

I pull her into her bedroom, kick clear enough empty space on the floor for us to stand without risking breaking our ankles, and try to decide how much to tell her about the alien threat she’s being exposed to.

I decide to just roll with it. She’ll need to learn more eventually, and if it’s going to cause her to run away, I’d prefer to find out now rather than later when I’ve fallen for her completely.

Too late.

Committing to the plan and actually doing it are two very different things. The words start slowly. “Remember that Frothmronk?”

“Of course,” she says with a nervous giggle. “I’m not likely to forget the first alien I ever met. Well, second after you.”

“They’re all downhill after me,” I joke, trying to decide where to go next.

“Where are you going with this?” she asks as if reading my mind. “I need to get back to my mom soon.”

I exhale slowly before continuing. “The Frothmronk have these parasites that travel with them once in a while. It’s rare they contract the parasites, and even less frequent that the parasites survive the journey through space, but when they do, it’s bad. The Frothmronk are the brutes. They destroy shit right out in the open. It’s terrifying but direct. Easy to confront if you have enough power on your side.”

I sit down on the edge of the bed. “The stragglers are called the…there’s really no pronunciation for it here, so I’ll call them the Illwills. They sow discontent and chaos, but not directly. They just slowly change the mood of the entire area until everyone turns into giant assholes and all kill each other. I’ve seen whole civilizations wiped out when the infestation lingered long enough.”

My nerves get the better of me. I rise and start picking up clothes and stuffing them in the empty hamper.

Holly stares back at me with a confused expression that quickly flips to awareness. “That mess at the party, and Mom just now.”

I nod. “We’ve got a huge problem. My normal advice would be to just leave the planet behind and never come back. I don’t think it will be that simple for you, though.”

She shakes her head. “I couldn’t run away and let these things kill everyone I love. But…you could go…if that’s what you want to do.”

She stares up with large eyes that look ready to shed tears.

If she’d said she wanted to leave the planet with me, I would have. There’s no way I’m leaving her behind. What would surviving somewhere else in the universe serve if it means I lose Holly?

“I’m not going anywhere without you. We will need to split up for a little while. I know how to attract him. He’ll come after me. I’ll bunker down and kill him. That will weaken the Illwills enough to make them easy to handle.”

I leave out many parts of the plan that would make it seem more difficult than I just made it sound.

She’s already shaking her head before I finish. “No, no, no. No way, mister. This plan involves you going back to the cabin, letting him attack you, and hoping you survive, right? Don’t lie to me, Rain. I saw what happened the last time he attacked. We barely made it out of there.”

I can’t argue that we’d escaped pretty easily back at the cabin. I knew that had been due to luck as much as anything. I also can’t lie to her about my plan.

I hang my head. “Basically,” I admit.

“It’s good to know that all men everywhere are stupid, I guess. You don’t need to do this alone. We’ll gather up the whole town and make a stand. You’re not allowed to take one step out of my sight.”

I run my hand through her soft hair. “Against many kinds of monsters, that would be a fine plan. It won’t work against the Frothmronk.”

Growing annoyed with all the things I’ve thrust into her life that she doesn’t understand yet, she spins her finger in the air. “Go on. Explain.”

With the clothes picked up, I move on to organizing the mess of things on top of her dresser.

“It’ll bring the parasites with it. The Illwills. Before you know it, the whole town will shoot each other. It’s best if I do this alone.”

“That can’t be right. I get the town thing, but surely we can work together. Maybe we can divide and conquer. You handle the Frothmronk and I’ll—”

“Yoohoo!” my mom calls out. “I made hot cocoa. Come out with your clothes on and keep me company.”

Holly pokes me in the chest. “This isn’t over. Do not go anywhere without me.”

I absolutely would have left her behind if she hadn’t ordered me to stay. The thought of taking her into danger makes me want to vomit. The prospects of leaving her behind to defend herself if I’m wrong doesn’t make me feel a whole lot better.

In the end, I promise to stay, and once promised, I won’t break my word with her.

Her mom finishes stirring the last of the three mugs when we return to the kitchen. “Marshmallows, Rain?”

“No thanks. I prefer it plain.”

When she hands me my mug, she asks, “You aren’t from around here, are you?”

“No, ma’am. I’m from a little ways away.”

When she asks, “Where from?” I settle in for the interrogation.

But Holly comes to my rescue. “All over, Mama. Rain’s a military brat. You name a place, he’s been there.”

“Fort Gordon?” she asks, quick as a whip.

I smile. “No, ma’am. Must have missed that one.” Desperate to avoid her listing base after base that I’d have to deny living at so she couldn’t press on with more detailed questions, I push a question back on to her. “What’s the secret to staying happily married like you have for so long?” I wrap my left arm around Holly’s shoulder and squeeze her against my hip. “My parents didn’t last together very long, so I could probably use some pointers.”

I don’t explain that what split them apart was a black hole. Technically, my mom ended up on the inside of the event horizon, my dad on the outside. Very few relationships survive that.

“Oh, really, now?” she asks, her eyes locking onto her daughter’s.

I hope Holly won’t kill me, but whatever it takes to steer the conversation away from the fact I’m an alien.

Holly

My mom is going to have our wedding planned by the end of the week and expect grandkids nine months from now.

Does that sound all that bad?

It doesn’t, but it’s hard to be looking forward to the future when there’s an alien and its parasite who are trying to destroy all life on the planet. Whatever might be happening between Rain and I will have to wait until after we save the world…assuming he stays after that.

I can’t stop hearing his admission that his normal first reaction to the monsters would be to run to a new planet. If he’s a runner, he’ll be running on his own. I’m not planning to leave Applemore for some guy I just met, no matter how tight of an ass he’s got or how perfect he keeps turning out to be when things get crazy.

Rain is going to drive me insane if he keeps cleaning my house. How am I supposed to find anything if he keeps moving it around?

Taking the garbage bag from him, I say, “I’ll take this out to the garbage can. It’s a little tricky to find in the dark if you don’t know where to look.”

The cold air feels great on my skin. I stick out my tongue and catch a snowflake before heading toward the alley where the garbage cans are kept. A growl to my left startles me out of my tranquil moment. A small round ball of floof cowers behind the garbage can.

Thinking it’s a dog, possibly injured, I squat a few feet in front of the can and say, “Hey there. You doing okay?”

I know it can’t understand my words, but I make my tone as friendly as possible to show I want to help.

A small furry green creature unlike any I’ve ever seen before emerges from behind the garbage can. I hold my hand out palm up and let it sniff my fingers. Two more bounce out and join the first. They make a soft chittering noise as if discussing what to do about me.

“You could try being nice,” I say in the friendliest voice possible. “Maybe don’t exterminate all of us humans?”

The first of the creatures rubs itself against my hand. Its fur isn’t soft like Rain’s beard. It’s coarse and scratches my palm, but I don’t back away.

“See. We can be friends. I’ll bring you all the trash you could possibly want to eat.”

Down the block, there’s a loud bang of metal.

The Illwills scatter. Moving much faster than I would have thought possible, they quickly disappear into the night.

“Oh well. I tried. Don’t try to hurt Rain and me, and I won’t have to crush your cute, tiny bodies.”

I won’t be able to stop Rain if he wants to leave the planet, but if he stays, I won’t let anything come between us.

By the time I get back inside, Rain has managed to convince my mom to go to sleep in the bedroom. She’s already snoring.

“Did you hypnotize her?”

He shakes his head and whispers back. “She must have been running on fumes when she got here. All the adrenaline must have worn out. Ready?”

“Let’s go kill some monsters.”

I back my sister’s car out of the drive and head out of town in silence. The sun won’t rise for hours. Except for the main roads, very little of the city has been plowed.

I eventually crack the seal. “You really think they’ll come looking for you in the cabin rather than causing trouble in town?”

“I hope so,” he says with a grunt.

His eyes never leave the window on his side of the car. He immediately returns to silence.

On the best of days, I can’t deal with moody, silent men, and with an alien attack imminent, it is miles from the best of days.

“Hey, don’t block me out. Why would they bother with you when they can just feast on the more vulnerable people in town?”

“I’ve got something the Frothmronk wants. He’ll come for me. The Illwills will follow.”

More silence.

“Stop that bullshit, Rain. I’m scared out of my mind here. Stop throwing me nuggets and serve me the real meal. I need you to talk to me right now. Hell, tell me stupid childhood stories if that’s all you got, but I’m going to have a hell of a time helping you if you don’t involve me in the plan.”

“The plan? Fuck, the plan was for me to fly off to another planet and hope to lose the monster along the way. The new plan is to kill it, I guess, and hope I can keep you alive since you won’t let me fight it on my own.”

I step on the accelerator.

His fingers grasp hold of the door. “Slow down.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got my own plan.”

I’m spitting mad. My new plan is to drop his crabby ass off at his cabin and…what? Leave him?

I can’t leave him.

He’s traveled untold miles to reach me. Sure, he wasn’t exactly looking for me, but I feel like we belong together, and I think he does, too.

But would it kill him to say it? He did say as much before my mother arrived, I suppose. Would it kill him to act like it?

“Holly, hon. Why don’t you tell me the plan while you slow down to a safe speed?”

“Safe speed? I hit you with my car already. I have a feeling you’ll be just fine if you’re inside the car if I get in another wreck.”

“But will you survive it?” he asks, surprising me so much I let up on the gas pedal. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if you get hurt because you’re mad at me, especially when I don’t even know what stupid thing I did to piss you off.”

When he adds his delicious smile, I can’t stay too mad at him. I’d just be punishing myself.

“You sure you want to talk rather than grunting at me like an animal?” I want to glare at him, but I keep my eyes firmly on the road ahead of us.

“Sorry about that, Holly. Sometimes the animal in me comes a little too close to the surface when I’m stressed.”

I laugh until he finally asks me what’s so funny. I wipe away tears from the corners of my eyes. “I forgot. How in the world did I manage to forget that you are an animal? After all, you were in full-reindeer form when you hit the car.”

“When your car hit me,” he corrects with a playful tone in his voice.

“We can argue that until the cows come home. Hey, do you know any cows? I’m thinking of finding another house and could use a recommendation for some moooooovers.”

His voice gets very serious. “My mom was a cow. She was worked to death by some farmer who made her plow too much of his farmland.”

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I was joking. Please forgive me.”

He snorts before breaking out laughing. “Gotcha.”

I let go of the steering wheel and swat at him with both hands. He grabs the wheel and keeps us on the road while I bang away on his rock-solid chest.

When I take control of the car again, he asks, “Are you really planning to move?”

I shrug. “Yes and no. I think about it almost every day. There’s so much world out there, and I rarely even get outside Applemore. I talk myself out of it each time because everyone I care about is here, and what’s out in the big, wide world that’s so much better than in town, you know?”

“I’ve seen a lot of places, but at the end of the day, they all kind of blur together. The sights are fun, but it’s the loved ones that make a place worth being.”

“What brought you to Earth? Fast-food restaurants?”

“Not gonna lie, you humans eat some really gross stuff. No, it wasn’t the food. It was…a job. I was…conscripted into a career from birth. I served my required time. Lots of us stay on and live in our little community after we retire so we can be close to friends and family. Many start families of their own. I was just done with it and needed to get away.”

I don’t know what to say. I miss my family something awful when I go away for a week of vacation. Leaving everyone on the other side of the galaxy and moving to a planet where I don’t know anybody is impossible to comprehend. “I’m sorry. That must be rough to leave everything behind.”

Based on the exhaustion I hear in his voice, I’m certain it’s more than rough. There’s no way he’ll choose to stay with me forever.

As quickly as I reconcile myself to that reality, I make another decision as I pull up to the cabin.

I’m going to do my best to enjoy every second I have with him.

“Hurry up,” I say as I jump out of the car, removing my shirt as I dash to the front door. “We should have a little bit before they show up to try and kill us.”

If I’m going to die, I’m at least going to have one last orgasm before I go.

Rein’ok

By the time I catch up to her, she’s shed all of her clothes, and every incredible, curvy inch of her is exposed. While making my way to where she’s lying on the couch, I pick up all of them. She rolls her eyes at me as I take the time to fold each of them and set them on the coffee table.

“What kind of neat freak are you?” she asks.

She means it as a joke, but I hate a mess. It was bad enough in her own house—I was just a guest, after all—but I’m not going to let her trash my cabin.

I also know telling her any of that will lead to a fight I have no interest in getting involved with while she looks so beautiful.

Instead, I joke. “While studying up on the cultures of this planet, I read that women get turned on by a man who does his share of the chores.”

“Not gonna lie, it’s pretty damn sexy. It would turn me on even more if you worked in the buff so I could spank that ass of yours when you get too close.”

Breathing out a sigh of relief at dodging the conflict, I pull off my sweater and throw it at her.

She fake gasps. “So messy.”

I turn away from her and make sure to bend with my legs straight as I pull down my pants and underwear so she gets a nice view of my ass.

She gasps again when I throw those at her, too. “Such a litterbug. You need a spanking.”

I back up until I feel her hand swat my ass.

“That’s just obscene,” she says, spanking me even harder. “It doesn’t jiggle one bit. That’s not natural, mister. It’s fucking hot, but it’s not natural.”

I pull her to her feet and give her ass a squeeze with both of my hands and give it a rough shake. “I’m sorry for my broken ass. Everyone knows all of the best asses have plenty of jiggle, ma’am.”

We kiss like the sun will never rise again and we have all the time in the world.

We kiss like lovers.

I want to tell her, but I still can’t let myself believe in miracles. How can I when all the signs of us being torn apart are right there in front of us? If I have to choose between fleeing the planet to draw the Frothmronk and the Illwills off-world to keep her safe or putting her in harm’s way, there’s no choice.

If I had some help from Saint Nick or even my old sleigh crew, things would be different, but I’m just one man against a monster capable of ending civilizations.

Lost in my thoughts, I haven’t noticed Holly push me onto the couch.

She gets my full attention when her lips wrap around my dick. I open my eyes and stare straight up into her pussy.

I push aside all thoughts of the future or the dangers surrounding us. Why would I want to worry about those things when her juicy pussy is right there waiting to be licked?

I suck her gentle folds into my mouth and start to work. She’s so ripe and delicious, she takes my breath away.

Doing my best to ignore the incredible sensations of her soft tongue and eager lips, I focus on her pleasure. I trace tiny circles on her clit and feel it harden beneath my tongue. When she moans against my dick, I slide my fingers deep into her and pump them in and out, matching the pace of her lips along my shaft.

She comes quickly, but it’s the strength of her orgasm that catches me off guard.

Wrapping my arms around her legs, I lap up her juices until she screeches and giggles, begging me to stop.

She collapses against my body, my dick seemingly forgotten, but I don’t even care. She must be exhausted like her mom. More importantly, she’s content. That’s all that really matters. If I survive the battle, I’ll worry about my own needs.

She surprises me, though. “I want more, Rain. I need you inside me right now, but my legs are too weak to move.”

She doesn’t need to tell me twice. My animal instinct jumps at the chance.

I rise from the couch, lifting her with me.

She wraps her legs around my waist, her eyes wide with anticipation. “Where are you going to fuck me?”

“Right here.”

With my hands under her ass, I easily lift her and drop her onto my ready cock. She slides around me like we were made for each other.

We were made for each other. She’s my fated mate.

Destiny dragged me across the galaxy so I can fuck my woman the whole night through. I’ll deal with the Frothmronk when it comes, but for now, I only have thoughts for my woman.

Using my strength, I fuck her right there in the middle of the room. We kiss as we fuck. My chest rubs against her hard nipples.

She bites my lip, making me roar and fuck her even harder.

It doesn’t take long for her to regain her energy. Soon she’s riding me harder than I’d even dared to fuck her.

My dick throbs inside her.

She comes again.

Her orgasm sets off the eruption inside me. I try to hold onto the moment as long as I can, but like all good things, it comes to an end eventually.

Even this?

I don’t know. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe, even if it means leaving her behind and taking the monsters with me.

I kiss Holly once more before setting her down.

“Want some water while we recover for another round?” I ask.

She nods. “You really think that thing is going to come looking for you here instead of terrorizing the town?”

“I do. My kind have fought theirs for millennia. Having a chance to take out one of my kind without help will be a temptation it can’t refuse.”

“You’ll have help. I’ll be here.”

I smile at her words of encouragement and even let myself believe them.

The real question is will I stay when it attacks and let her put herself in harm’s way just to try and help me?

Holly

I’m standing by the window again, staring out into the snow. “Where is it?”

We’ve had sex twice more while waiting for the Frothmronk to arrive, but so far the only thing that’s tried to enter the cabin is a cold draft.

“Coming.” His answers grow terser as the impossibly-long night stretches on.

“You can’t know that,” I say, not taking my eyes off the window. If I look at him in the mood I’m in, I’m certain to start yelling. “Just admit you were wrong. We need to go back to town and—”

“I’m not wrong. He’ll come here. He’s just waiting for us to let down our guard.”

“But how can you know that?” I ask again. “Is he some kind of Fated Enemy? Or are you just being a dumb man too stubborn to adjust to the reality happening around him? Don’t tell me. You’re the kind of guy who won’t stop to ask for directions when he ends up in the wrong solar system, aren’t you?”

I don’t even know why I’m fighting. The last thing I want is an argument with Rain, maybe even more so if he’s going to end up fleeing the planet to drag the Frothmronk away with him. Every word I say to him might be my last, and I don’t want things to end sourly between us.

The more time passes, the more certain I am that’s his plan. He’ll be the big hero and go off to have more big adventures around the galaxy, and I’ll be the woman with the broken heart left to struggle through waking up each morning.

For some reason, I can’t stop poking at him, though. Protecting myself from disappointment when he inevitably proves I am not worth his love feels more important than exposing my vulnerabilities.

He responds but sounds more bored with my complaints than mad at me. “That’s just dumb, Holly. We travel the universe at faster-than-light speed. Computers do the navigation. We don’t get lost.”

“Of course. Make something else do all the work for you.”

I’m glad there isn’t someone else in the cabin who knows I can barely leave town without turning on my GPS.

“And you won’t let anyone do the work without you,” Rain counters. “I swear to sugar cookies, if you get yourself killed because you just needed to come with, I’m going to kill you.”

Tears stream down my face, but my voice somehow remains steady. “You’re right. This was a mistake.”

I don’t clarify whether I mean coming to the cabin tonight or our whirlwind relationship. I’m not sure I could clarify.

Everything sucks.

Everything is making me feel bad.

“Too late to worry about that now. Why don’t you get away from the window before it crushes the glass and you get that pretty face of yours cut up?”

He sighs a little too dramatically for my taste.

I nod. “Fine. I’ll go somewhere you think is safe: back to town. Don’t bother coming around looking for me. We had fun, but we’re clearly not made for each other.”

More lies.

I grab my coat and rush out the door before even putting it on. The last thing I see before slamming the door behind me is the shocked expression on Rain’s face.

I count to ten inside Joy’s car.

He doesn’t come out to tell me to stay.

Men. Could they be any dumber?

I drive back to town, drowning in the melancholy of the Christmas songs that normally bring me so much cheer. I’m not getting a Christmas miracle this year, that’s for sure.

My plan is to drive around town and make sure it isn’t burning down from whatever chaos the Illwills might be causing. If Rain is right and they are not tormenting everyone I know, I’ll head home and cry myself to sleep.

A quick trip down the main street proves I’m an idiot. The town is sound asleep, waiting for the sun to rise on Christmas morning.

I can barely see the road through my tears.

Once again, I wonder why I acted so harshly at the cabin, especially near Christmas. This is normally my favorite time of year. Nothing can get me in a bad mood during the holiday season.

In general, I like to think I’m pretty even-keeled and not prone to flying off the handle like some lovesick school girl.

If only Rain hadn’t made it sound like he was taking advantage of the first opportunity to get rid of me.

But what man hasn’t done that to me in the past? Sure, I might be fine for a few dates and maybe a fuck or two, but guys like Dylan always find some better eye candy they want to taste and leave me in the dust.

Rain probably saw some cousin of mine at the party and decided he’d just use me until he had the chance to make an upgrade.

I know it doesn’t sound logical based on anything he’s said or done, but the feeling just won’t go away. I want to trust him, even love him, but something prevents me from giving myself over to him completely.

As I pull onto my block, I tell myself what’s done is done. The only thing to do is get back on the dating horse.

But maybe lower my standards a little this time.

I frown when I see a car in my driveway. The last thing I want is more company on this miserable Christmas Eve. My mom will be bad enough to wake up to.

It takes me a few seconds to recognize the man on my porch.

Dylan.

I’m not sure I’m ready to lower my standards that much yet.

“Go home, Dylan,” I say when I get out of Joy’s car before he can ring the doorbell. “I’m not in the mood for you.”

He shrugs. “Can’t blame me for trying. Thought you might be getting lonely, and I know how much you want love on Christmas.”

“You don’t know the first thing about love.”

He shrugs again. “Maybe. Sometimes a nice fuck can make up for that, though. What do you say?”

“Go home, that’s what I say.”

I breathe a sigh of relief as he leaves the porch and walks toward his car.

His body is inches from mine as we pass in the driveway. “And what if I say no?”

He grasps my arms and pulls me toward the house.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see one of the fluffy Illwills jump behind the bushes outside my windows and realize why I’ve been feeling so sour.

Unfortunately, it’s too late. Dylan is too strong for me to break away from on a normal day. Encouraged by the Illwills, he’s a real monster.

Rein’ok

I let her walk out the door.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

I’ve let my desire to be right make me lose the one thing that’s actually made me happy in ages. But it’s more than that, too. The real reason I tried to lure the Frothmronk back to the cabin is so I can avoid interacting with anyone.

I’ve welcomed Holly to join me in my world, but I’ve been too big of a coward to fully join her in hers. I can make a crowd sing a Christmas song, but I don’t let it bring me the joy that it should.

Because I’m afraid I made the wrong decision when I quit working for Saint Nick.

The realization hits me like a ton of bricks.

I wasn’t really looking to throw that part of my life away. I was looking to add to it with someone I love like Holly.

And now I’ve lost it all.

The sooner the Frothmronk arrives and finishes me off the better.

I find a bottle of Vodka in the freezer. I pour myself a shot and chug it. I start to pour another but throw the glass across the room instead. I won’t need it. I carry the bottle to the couch and collapse into my misery.

I only take one more swig, though.

How can I drink myself into oblivion without knowing she’s safe? With the Frothmronk and Illwills still alive, she’s definitely at risk. I must save her, but if I do, I won’t let her walk away again without a fight.

I slam the bottle onto the floor, ready to rush to her side. I have no idea what I’ll do after I save her. It’ll probably depend a lot on whether she’s willing to take me back after the idiot I’ve been.

Armed with nothing more than fragments of a plan, I prepare to shift and chase after her. She won’t be hard to find. Whenever we are apart, I can sense where she is.

My plan collapses in a crash of glass as the Frothmronk breaks through the window where Holly had been standing minutes ago.

It’s almost as if he’s been waiting for her to leave. But why? What benefit would he get out of that? Wouldn’t it be better to try and overpower me and torment me by making me watch her die?

As the creature lunges at me, I realize the only thing that makes sense. She must be in more danger away from me.

“You asshole!” I shout as my hands press against the slimy fur, trying to survive its initial attack.

The Frothmronk is much stronger than normal. The Illwills must really be tormenting the town and feeding the Frothmronk with plenty of misery.

Any plan of surviving the night and the planet surviving until Christmas morning will depend on what happens in this cabin right now.

Rather than trying to overpower the monster, I pretend to let it knock me off balance. I roll with the fall and twist out of its grasp.

A fight in a confined space favors my enemy. I need to get outside where I can use my powers to my advantage.

As I sprint to the door, I shift.

My ears turn into antlers.

My arms into legs.

More importantly, I can fly.

I take to the air right as the beast lunges for my rear legs. Out of its reach, I circle around. I need a plan to kill it quickly so I can go after Holly before it’s too late.

Without any weapons, the best option would be to run away. Holly’s need removes that option. I will not be running anymore.

I hear a familiar jingling in the distance that gets closer by the second.

The Frothmronk turns toward the sound and sniffs the air. When he realizes who’s coming, he bounces in glee at the thought of bringing misery to the jolliest being in the universe.

There’s no time for me to warn my old friend.

The Frothmronk creatures have tried for eons to kill Saint Nick, but he’s always been too quick and too clever.

He must be coming to check on me, and will not be expecting an attack. I hadn’t exactly left on good terms, but I never really held any real animosity toward the kind soul. He’s a good guy.

“Rein’ok!” he shouts as he nears. “Hurry to me! I need your help!”

Before I can yell a warning, his sleigh bursts into the clearing.

I immediately notice he’s down two reindeer and remember the universe is much bigger than my own problems.

The sleigh skids to a stop. Saint Nick leaps to the cabin and reaches for the door.

The Frothmronk races across the snow to attack him from behind.

I dive and hope the evil monster is so focused on his prize he forgets I exist.

But I’m too late.

One of the Frothmronk’s limbs extends out and wraps around Saint Nick’s ankle. It starts dragging him back to its mouths.

Blind with fury, I push myself faster and lower my head. I’ll only have one chance. If I miss, I’ll die, Holly will die, life on the planet will cease to exist, and the foulness of anger and fear will spread through the universe without the ambassador of cheer available to fight against it.

My antlers squish into flesh.

A sick feeling spreads throughout my body.

I can’t retreat, though. I must continue my attack.

I whip my head from side to side, tearing large holes into its flesh, spilling its vile black blood.

Its scream pierces the quiet night, but only for a few seconds before its two hearts stop beating.

Once it finally collapses, I shift back to human form and vomit. My body starts shaking. I killed the Frothmronk, but it’s going to take me down with it.

Then I feel a strong arm on my shoulder. Kindness and cheer pour through my body, chasing away the dark taint. Within seconds, I’m able to stand again.

I smile at the fat man with his thick beard and bushy brows, the most unlikely hero ever, but with the force of his goodness, who could really stand against him?

“Thanks,” I mumble, blushing at how childish my rants over the years have been.

“Ho ho ho.” His belly jiggles while he laughs, and it’s impossible for me not to join him. He glances down at the Frothmronk. “But I should be thanking you. Unfortunately, I’m going to need to ask you for another favor. Two of the reindeer are sick. I don’t have time to round up two more. You are strong enough, and experienced enough, to guide us through this night. I need your help.”

“I’d love to.” When I realize I mean it, I add, “I really would, but I have something I must do first. The woman I love is in danger. I can’t leave before she is safe.”

The wise man nods. “Quite right. Lead us to her. We will help if we can. Hurry.”

Holly

When we reach the kitchen, Dylan throws me onto my ass on the floor so he can look for beer in the fridge.

He turns up his nose at what he finds, but it doesn’t stop him from opening it and taking a big swig. After he burps, he says, “You and your sissy microbrews. Don’t worry. I’ll make you buy real beer when you grocery shop for me each Sunday.”

The thought of him dressing me up like a trophy wife from the fifties and expecting me to do his fantasy homemaking chores is nearly as terrifying as whatever else he might have planned.

I shake my head. “That’s not happening.”

He looks around my messy house. “Damn, Holly. We’re going to have to change some things around here. We can’t be having our kids crawling around in this filth.”

Sure, my bedroom is messy, but I can close the door on it when company comes over. The rest of the house is lived in, but clean. His insult further sparks my rage.

“Don’t you have some whorehouse you should be visiting, or did they start charging you more because you’re such a bad lay?”

Whoa, Holly. Tone it down a little.

My emotions are descending rapidly.

Much more rapidly than even this shitty situation calls for.

The Illwills.

I need to control my anger. The more negative emotions I feed them, the madder they’ll be able to make me get.

Dylan saunters over to me. He takes a deliberate drink right in front of my face to show how unafraid of me he is. He looms over me so completely I can barely see anything above his stupid chin.

“Holly, Holly, Holly. That filthy little mouth of yours is going to get you in all kinds of trouble.”

I force myself not to spit in his face.

Taking my silence for subservience, he says, “Good girl. Want a sip?”

He holds the bottle to my quivering lips.

I open my mouth like a defenseless baby bird waiting to be fed.

Rather than letting me have my drink, he pulls the bottle away as he pours. The cold beer soaks the front of my shirt.

My nipples harden against my will, but I refuse to flinch away when he stares right at my breasts.

Instead of pressing things further, he snorts as if he’d expected me to do something dramatic.

I don’t give in to the temptation.

As he walks back to the fridge, so unconcerned I’ll fight back he doesn’t even glance at me, he says, “Damn, Holly. You really might be something if you dropped twenty pounds and started wearing makeup, but I can’t even get it up for you right now.”

I breathe out a sigh of relief that turns into a sharp gasp when he aims a gun in my direction.

“Dylan, don’t. Let’s talk,” I manage to say.

“Talk, talk, talk. All you ever want is boring talk.”

It’s not true. All I ever want when I’m around him is to get away. My usual need to chatter with him is just a nervous response.

With the gun pointed steadily at my chest, he backs me into the living room. I’m standing next to the front window. He’s got his back to the fireplace. If our positions were swapped, I could grab the poker and try to stab him before he shot me.

I’d lose, but at least I wouldn’t be standing around hoping he came to his senses. On the best of days, Dylan is a stubborn ass. Under the influence of the Illwills, I am beginning to see how dark he can go, and it makes normal-Dylan look like Mr. Rogers.

I drop to my knees, ready to plead for my life. Before I can form the words, the window behind me shatters and an animal soars over my head and lands between Dylan and me.

Not any animal.

A reindeer.

Rain came for me.

I never expected to see him again, and here he is saving my—

Dylan pulls the trigger.

The explosion is deafening.

It all happens so fast, I’m not sure if I’ve been shot or not.

I’m still alive if I heard the bullet.

But Rain falls to the ground. I hurry to his side even as he shifts back into his human form.

“What the fuck is that?” Dylan asks, pointing the gun at Rain.

It’s my turn to protect my man. I charge at Dylan. I catch him off guard and send us tumbling back toward the fireplace.

Somehow I land on Dylan’s legs, pinning him on his back.

He smiles and runs his hand through my hair. “I thought you’d never ask. The gun got you all riled up, didn’t it?”

I knee him in the crotch.

Dylan grunts, but isn’t distracted. Quick as a cat, he flips me onto my back and straddles my chest.

I cross my arms into an X and raise them to my face, as if that will protect me somehow.

Dylan laughs menacingly. “You’re pathetic. I’ll be doing the world a favor by getting rid of you.”

I hear him cock the hammer on the gun.

He pulls the trigger but the shot goes wide. My ears ring, but I’m alive.

Dylan is screaming in pain.

When I see why, I start laughing. Three of the cute, fluffy Illwills hang from their teeth on his arms like Christmas ornaments.

“What the hell are these things?” he shouts, wildly shaking his body.

Using the distraction as cover, I crawl toward where he’s dropped the gun. Before I can reach it, the Illwills start flying across the room. One crashes against my side, knocking me off balance. I make one last push for the gun. Right when my hand touches the hard steel, Dylan’s foot presses down on my hand, grinding my bones together.

I cry out in pain which just makes Dylan laugh.

“Stupid girl. What are you thinking, trying to fight me? You think your little dogs are going to save the day? I’ll just kill them, too. I have enough bullets for all of you. How about I kill them first? That’ll probably make you cry, right? Why don’t we find out?”

Rather than a gunshot, the next sound I hear is a giant oof like when I throw all my bed linen down the stairs at once when I want to save energy getting it to the laundry room.

I cower and wait for the loud bang of the gun for several seconds until I realize the man laughing isn’t Dylan.

The laugh isn’t cruel and evil.

It’s friendly and…jolly?

I lower my hands and see a fat man with a long white beard. He’s wearing a red suit. His cheeks are pink and his smile warms my soul.

“Santa?”

I pinch myself, certain that all of the craziness of the long night has caught up with me at last.

Santa Claus doesn’t disappear.

“Dylan, you are being a very naughty boy.”

He pulls out a scroll and lets it unroll to the floor. He snaps his fingers. A pen appears in his hand. He licks the tip and crosses off something. “I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt this year, but this puts you over the top. You’re going straight to the naughty list.”

Dylan cowers away from us. His face goes pale.

“Don’t be such a baby,” Santa says. “There’s always next year. You’ll just have to work extra hard on being good.”

“Yes, sir,” Dylan says.

He sounds like he’s about five and got caught stealing cookies.

I cover my mouth to suppress a giggle.

Rain coughs, reminding me of the reality of the situation.

“Rain!” I hurry to his side and brush his hair from his face.

He opens his eyes and smiles at me. “I love you, Holly.”

And then he kisses me, making me realize that all I ever wanted for Christmas is a super hot man who’s great in bed and willing to take a bullet for me.

“Was that really too much to ask for?” I ask out loud.

“What?” Rain asks, a wide, confused smile on his face.

“Nothing. I was just thinking about how much I love you, too.”

The jolly laugh from across the room reminds me we aren’t alone.

Rein’ok

“Are you…” Holly grabs my arm. “Is that?”

I can’t help but smile at her surprise that’s as innocent and pure as any three-year-old who finds Santa in their living room during a midnight bathroom break.

“It’s a long story,” I say.

Saint Nick nods. The jovial smile has been replaced by one of deep concern. “We don’t have much time.”

When I nod back, I can see the confused expression on Holly’s face.

I don’t want any secrets between us.

She places her body between Saint Nick and me. “Time for what?”

“It’s a long story.”

“You keep saying that, but I’m not letting you take one step outside of this house without an explanation. I won’t let you expose yourself to any more danger just because some other stupid man—no offense, Santa—says he needs your help all mysterious-like.”

Holly’s defiant move to protect me makes Saint Nick laugh again. “Ho ho ho. You’ve found yourself a good one, Rein’ok. Let me assure you, Holly, the time for danger has passed for now. I’m down two reindeer, and the only creature I know who is strong enough to replace them both is Rein’ok.”

“Rein’ok?” Holly asks.

Another secret.

“That’s a short story,” I say, deciding to mix up my answers. To Saint Nick, I say, “I’d love to help.”

The realization that I really would like to pull the sleigh again overwhelms me. How did I let myself throw away that part of my life? I’d do whatever it takes to fly on this magic night once more.

“But I can’t help you,” I say, nodding at the blood pouring out of my chest.

“Oh my God!” Holly shouts.

“Relax, Holly. Nothing a little magic can’t fix.” Saint Nick touches the side of his nose and quick as a flash, I’m good as new.

Holly rushes into my arms. I don’t plan on ever letting her get away from me again.

“I’ll help,” I say. “But Holly comes with.”

“Where are we going?” she gently demands as she buries her face into my chest.

“Why, to deliver the presents, of course!” Saint Nick answers.

He touches his nose again, and we’re on top of the roof. Holly is decked out in the biggest, fluffiest, warmest-looking winter coat I’ve ever seen.

“What about my mom? We can’t just leave her with Dylan.”

Saint Nick laughs again opens his sack. Dylan is inside, sound asleep. “We’ll take him back to the shop and see if the elves can fix him up.”

Holly’s eyes go wide with shock. “They can do that?”

He laughs again as he helps Holly into the sleigh. “No. We’ll deliver him to the cops along the way.”

I take my spot just behind Rudolph where Dasher and Dancer would normally be.

“Good to see you again,” Rudolph says in his cheery voice as his red nose nearly blinds me.

“Good to be back,” I say, honestly for once. “Dasher and Dancer going to be okay?”

“They sure are. They just got ahold of some sour milk. I warned them not to drink it. I said it smelled off. You’d think they would have learned to trust my nose by now, but they—”

I ignore the rest as I shift and take my position. “Come on, Saint Nick. Let’s get moving before Rudolph finishes his thought and has to try and come up with another one.”

Rudolph gasps. “You’re going to get a lump of coal for that one, mister.”

I laugh as we launch into the air.

I pull extra hard, knowing Holly is watching.

When we settle on a rooftop in Poland for a break, Holly hops down from the sleigh and nuzzles her face against my cheek.

“You are the strongest reindeer in the universe, Rein’ok. But if you can pull even harder, we’ll get back to the cabin all that much faster.”

As she saunters back to the sleigh, I shout, “Breaks over. Let’s get your lazy asses moving. I’ve got my own present I need to deliver before the night is through.”

“Get a room, you two,” Donner says.

Saint Nick snaps the reins, sending us leaping into the sky.

I do manage to pull harder and we finish our deliveries in half the normal time.

When Saint Nick drops Holly and I off at my cabin…our cabin…and leads the sleigh back home, I smile as I hear him call out, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

“I love you,” I blurt out, overwhelmed by the weight of my words. I refuse to hide from committing to this wonderful woman. “I’m not ever going to let you go.”

“I love you, too, dear. I can’t imagine where else I could possibly want to be.” Holly whispers into my ear. “Santa gave us a special present tonight.”

“Oh yeah? He didn’t even wait to let me unwrap it with you. What was it? Monogrammed towels?”

She shakes her head and bites her lip as if too shy to admit what it was. “You might not be ready for it,” she teases.

“You’re killing me. I don’t give a damn about the present. I just want to unwrap you and make love tonight.”

“Me, too.” She’s nearly breathless. She trembles, but not from the cold. “But I think you should know what the present is first.”

Worried at this strange reaction, I pull her in for a hug. “What is it?”

“While you were pulling the sleigh tonight, Santa and I were talking. He really wanted to give you something special for Christmas to show how much he’s always appreciated all your hard work, and...well...he made it so we can have babies…if you want to. Would you like that, dear?”

My heart swells at the thought. “That magnificent bastard. I’m going to fill you full of babies. We’ll have them pulling our own sleigh in just a few years.”

She giggles and playfully swats my chest. “Slow down, champ. How about we start with one and take it from there?”

I toss her onto my shoulder and carry her into our cabin. We don’t leave it again for two days. What can I say? I want to make sure we have a baby as soon as possible.

Epilogue - Holly

The twins pace back and forth near the fireplace of the cabin. It’s no longer the tiny place where Rein’ok and I started our relationship. He’s expanded it in the five years we’ve been together. With all the bedrooms he’s added, he’s definitely not planning on stopping with two kids.

I place my hand on my stomach.

Good.

There’s no bump yet, but our baby will be coming soon enough. I haven’t told Rein’ok yet. I’d just confirmed it with the doctor earlier this afternoon.

“He’s not coming,” Merry says, flopping onto the floor in a pout.

“He’ll be here,” Rudy says.

Ever since returning to his job, Rein’ok and Rudolph have been the closest of friends, but even I was shocked when he chose the name. It fits our boy, though; the eternal optimist.

“But I want to fly with the reindeer now,” Merry whines.

The gentle laughing behind her sends her scrambling into Santa’s arms.

“Come on, Daddy,” she shouts out the open door, hoping Rein’ok will hear her from wherever he is searching for berries to fuel him through the long night.

Santa takes off his stocking cap and sets it on Merry’s head. He flashes me a knowing smile. “I think Rein’ok is going to take the night off this year, my tiny deer.”

My pulse quickens.

Santa knows, and he thinks it’s time to tell my husband.

“Fine. Then let’s go,” Merry cries out.

Rudy rolls his eyes. “I really don’t understand why she doesn’t get lumps of coal each year, Santa.”

“Ho ho ho,” he laughs before tapping his nose and whisking the children off for their big yearly adventure.

Rein’ok comes in from outside. He’s been running as a reindeer. He says he’s eating berries to fuel up for the night, but I know he just needs to burn off energy each year because he gets even more excited than the twins.

He wrapped himself in the robe we keep on the porch for when he shifts back into human form. “Where are the kids? I heard the sleigh. It’s time to go.”

“Dear, they’ve already left.”

He runs back out onto the porch. “What? This doesn’t make sense. He needs me.”

I join him and wrap my arms around him, pressing my cheek against his muscular back. “I need you more tonight.”

He spins and looks down on me with concern. “What’s wrong?”

Rein’ok is always ready to abandon his own plans if he thinks I need help. Just one of the millions of things I love about my shifter.

“Nothing. Everything’s perfect. I just needed some time alone with you.”

Rein’ok’s laugh is music to my ears. “How much does Saint Nick charge for babysitting? He’s going to have those kids so hopped up on milk and cookies without me there to slow him down.”

“They’ll be fine.”

I’ve thought of a million fancy ways to tell my love my big news, but in the end, I choose to keep it simple.

Pressing his hand against my belly, against our baby, I say, “We’re pregnant.”

His eyes open wide, just as surprised as when I’d told him the first time. “I’ll get started on making a new crib right away.”

So practical. He’ll also search every square inch of the baby’s new room to make sure nothing’s out of place.

“Not tonight,” I say, untying his robe. “The baby is my present to you. What do you have for me?”

“There are dozens of presents under the tree.” He takes my hand and drags me inside. “Which one do you want to open first?”

I push him down onto the couch, pull off my panties from under my nightgown, and straddle his lap.

I feel his hardness press against my pussy. I feel my juices dripping down the inside of my legs.

“I don’t want any of those right now. What else do you have to offer?”

He bucks his hips and slams the full length of his thick cock inside me, stealing my breath.

Santa doesn’t bring the kids back until noon the next day.

Rein’ok and I haven’t slept a wink. Sure, he cleaned each room of the house as the night went on, but not until we were done making love in it.

The twins hop onto our laps on the couch.

“Can we open presents now?” Merry begs.

At the same time, Rudy shouts, “You wouldn’t believe the creatures we saw tonight.”

“I bet I would, son,” Rein’ok says, lifting both kids up under his arms and carrying them to the tree. “Your mother and I are exhausted, so you two can open everything and tell us what we got.”

I lie down on the couch. Rein’ok spoons his body behind mine, and together we watch the joy on our children’s faces as they start to open their Christmas presents.

I glance toward the fireplace to thank Santa for watching the kids, but he’s already disappeared, leaving our perfect little family to enjoy the day together.

“Can we go to Grammy’s when we’re done? I bet she bought me a new gaming system,” Merry says.

Rein’ok groans. Mom always makes him sing when we go over for Christmas. He pretends to not want to, but I know better.

“Give us a couple hours for a nap,” I say, my eyes already growing heavy.

“Alexa, set an alarm for two hours,” Rudy shouts at the speaker on the coffee table.

“Alarm set,” the device confirms.

I hear Rein’ok’s steady breathing and let it lull me off to sleep.

***

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