Any characters you recognize belong to Sherrilyn Kenyon or Laurell K. Hamilton. I’m just doing this for fun. This is rated PG-13 to be safe.

 

Thank you Maggie! Another fic pulled out of the fire by my excellent beta!

 

Merry Ho Ho Ho (Nate’s Story: Chapter 31)

 

November proved busy but fighting the Daimons helped the month go by faster. We were well into December with Christmas only a couple of weeks away before I knew it. Acheron said that if we bought gifts for home, he'd find a way to get them there. So we bought gifts trusting Ash to play Santa to the friends we were missing this season. 

 

I had decided to buy gifts for a few of the people that I had grown accustomed to in St. Louis as well. It was a short list. I had thought about getting Nathaniel a puppy but I figured Blake would shoot me for real then. So I opted for a less harmful route. My list consisted of my brothers in arms, a wereleopard, a vampire, and a few others. Now all I had to do was find the stuff I wanted to give them… Oh yeah, and fight Daimons.

 

We had decided to switch routes for the night. Irish opted to take the Blood Quarter.  He had said there was something he wanted to check out. Roan and I exchanged looks, but didn't say anything.  Roan took the college district. That left me with downtown. Maybe if the daimons stayed in their holes, I could get some shopping done.

 

The air was crisp and the night clear as I wandered the streets.  The decorations were nice. Seemed like everywhere you turned there was a Santa Clause. It had to confuse the kids. I know it did me when I was young. Mom would tell me that they were his helpers. I thought that was the elves. Little did I know that elves were real. I wondered if Santa was. Not bloody likely. 

 

Taking a break around six. I sat in a small coffee shop on main and watched the crowd, everyone rushing here or there to find that perfect gift. I had to hand it to the shop owners and the city council. Downtown looked very festive. 

 

I was so lost in thought watching everyone that it was well after seven before I grudgingly grabbed a brownie to go and went back out onto the street.  For some reason this holiday just didn't seem right to me.  Melancholy had set in and there was no squire to keep me out of trouble.

 

I stopped in several of the small shops, made a few purchases and decided that gift certificates looked really good.  I passed one shop and felt a strange hum of power. I turned around and checked out the sign over the door.  Rare Books and Gifts. A Wizard looked down at me. I was thinking magic, Dungeons and Dragons… that sort of thing. 

 

Inside I found just what the sign said: books and gifts… Jewelry, weapons, really cool shields. It was that hum of energy that bugged me. Where was the owner?  There was no one at the counter. A thief could walk in and steal the guy blind. 

 

There was a door near the counter that probably led to a storage area.  You've seen it in all those teen fright movies. You know the ones. You scream at the bubble headed girl not to open the door. You know that's where the guy with the meat cleaver is but she opens it anyway.  Movies have gotten too predictable. There are too many sequels that all end up the very same way but I digress. 

 

I also opened that door and walked into a room full of amazing things: books and weapons and jewels in all matter of shapes and sizes.  That hum was still there… Closer… Stronger… Right behind me.  I expected to find some demon or something. Instead I found a guy who looked to be about my age, shorter by an inch or so, with auburn hair and blue eyes that I swear could see through me.

 

It turned out he was the owner of the shop and was a little miffed that the warding spell he had used on the door hadn't worked. After I assured him that I was no threat we exchanged names and he actually suggested a few gifts.

 

I was looking through some old books that he hadn't got around to restoring and came across a Royal Air Force manual from World War II. I was smiling as I was paging through the book… Memories. The Brits thought that they knew everything about flying but we Yanks had shown them that we knew a thing or two as well.

 

The owner Zachary walked over to see what I had found.  “You're interested in that era?”

 

“I lived that era.” I said before thinking. The owner eyed me curiously. I shrugged it off. “Well thanks for letting me look around.” 

 

I started out of the shop when a painting caught my eye. It was of Cupid and Psyche, done in oil. The colors were very vibrant like it was painted yesterday.

 

I turned back to Zachary. “When was this done? It isn't real is it?”

 

“The original was done in 1789. A French artist named Gerard. This one he did the next year.”

 

“Is it for sale?” The owner nodded at my question. “How much?”

             

We negotiated a price and I walked out with the gift.

 

The rest of the night went quietly, even though in the back of my mind, I felt something was wrong. Just what, I didn't know. I stopped by the station and talked to Jake for a bit. He was having a lot of fun with my job. But hey, as long as he didn't mind giving it up when I came back,

I had no problem with him having fun.

 

I'd just left the studio when my cell rang.  Roan was at the Lunatic Café and so was Richard.  They were having a little disagreement about protocol. I told Roan that I was on my way. Remember I said something felt wrong? I just hoped that the doggie king and his guards were in one piece when I got there.

 

When I pulled up outside the restaurant the place looked deserted. Locking up the car, I approached the entrance and opened the door. The girl behind the bar gave me a small smile and nodded toward one of the other rooms. Sighing, I made my way to said room, cautiously entering.

 

Roan and Richard sat opposite one another at a center table.  The power coming off the two shifters was nothing short of smothering. Jamil and Shang Da stood behind Richard.

 

My voice broke the silence. “Roan.”

 

“Hunter.” He didn't look at me, keeping his eyes on Richard.

 

“Are we playing double dog dare?” I asked.

 

“He seems to think he has some jurisdiction over me.” My friend bit out.

 

The doggie king bristled. “He's an unknown shifter in my territory.”

 

I sighed. “Richard. Roan. Roan. Richard. There now you know each other. Oh yeah, Shang Da and Jamil. His shadows.”

 

Richard wasn’t amused. “He should have announced his presence here.”

 

“Roan what did you do? Piss on his leg?” The Kattagari grinned at my question.

 

Jamil asked me. “Are you always such a smart ass?”

 

“Only when the situation warrants.” I looked at Roan. “Ready?”

 

“Yep.” He replied then scooted his chair away from the table and stood.

 

“I didn't say he could go.” The doggie king barked.

 

“I don't need your permission to do anything.” Roan growled. His bio level went up a couple of notches. Shit.

 

Richard’s eyes widened. We were about to find out who was the big bad in the room.  I so didn't want to get in the middle of this. I had been in between two alphas in a pissing contest before. I had lost so I backed up a bit, just enough to keep my eye on the bodyguards.

 

My friend looked from the doggie king to his shadows. “Tell me Richard.  Are you anything without your soldiers?  I don't need backup.”

 

Richard jerked his head in my direction. “Then what is he?”

 

“Oh please.” Roan snorted. “A sentinel would never use a hunter as back up. No offense.”

 

I smiled. “None taken.  So what's it going to be Richard? You going to sit there and be petty, or are we all going to go home and get some sleep?”

 

He grinned. “I'm not afraid of the light.”

 

I shook my head. “Was that a dig at me?  I can just curl up right here. I'm sure Kendra wouldn't mind.”

 

“I wouldn't mind at all. I even have a cot in the back room.” She was standing in the doorway, smiling. Her hair swept over her left shoulder, arms across her waist. 

 

She was a bit perturbed. I had wondered if she was human or a shifter. Her eyes were that soft brown like a deer. Her hair was long and a golden blond, distracting.

 

I turned back toward the shifters.  No progress there. I leaned up against the doorway and watched the standoff. Kendra and Mai were friends and since I hadn't seen Mai in a while, I asked the bartender about her.

 

“She said she was going home for a few days. Course that was two weeks ago.” She told me.

 

I shrugged. “Got side tracked probably.  This could go on all night.”

 

Kendra shook her head. “Oh no, it won't.”

 

My phone rang.  “Yeah.” It was Irish. I sighed telling him, “You may not want to do that.”

 

He asked why and I gave him the situation.  He cursed in a language I didn't recognize.  I told him we'd meet him at the house. He was really agitated. After a minute or so we hung up. 

 

“Okay everybody out. I need to clean up and close up.” Kendra announced. No one moved. “Alright, how about I call the police to remove you.”

 

Richard glared at her. “This is Lukoi business.”

 

She stood her ground. “I'm not Lukoi as you well know and I'm sure Rafael would back me on this.”

 

I sighed. “Look Richard, we're all tired.  Just call it a draw.  Let's go Roan.” I turned and kissed Kendra's cheek. “Thanks Mouse.”

 

She smiled. Roan and I walked out together. We gave the others our backs showing them that we weren’t worried about them. Out on the street I checked my watch, six a.m. The sun would be up soon.

 

I could still the power coming off of Roan as he walked past me and got on his bike to leave.  I had a feeling the next time the two alphas met it wasn't going to end as peacefully.

 

I was so tired when I got home that I walked right past Irish, pointed to Roan and went upstairs. Everything that I had purchased was in the trunk of the car so it was safe. After a quick shower I’d be off to sleep or so I thought. I tossed and turned for twenty minutes before drifting off. 

 

The skoti had a rare treat for me that night. Instead of witnessing my brother's death, I got to see another man die. I recognized him right away. I also recognized the source of his grief right before they killed him.  Sitting up and breathing hard I put my hand over my chest. Tears ran down my face. I could still feel it.

 

“Sonuvabitch!” I cursed at the darkness. 

 

My door burst open. I just sat there looking at Irish. My tears falling, I was shaking and I couldn't even tell him why.