Christmas Magic Read online

  His gaze finally relented, and he sat back in his chair. “It’s hard to say. I’m still not sure if the attacks are targeted or not. They’ve been moving through the countryside, so there’s every chance you were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  “Well, isn’t that great,” I muttered. Dash didn’t know the elves had been watching my home though. I had a bad feeling in my stomach that I had been targeted, and, if that was true, it was likely the other victims had too.

  He tilted his head as he watched me. “You don’t need to worry, Clio. My herd is on the investigation. We’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”

  I placed my coffee down on the table. “And what if I don’t want to be babysat by reindeers?”

  “We can’t just leave you defenseless.”

  “I’m hardly defenseless,” I scoffed. The moment Dash left, I had plans to pack up and disappear, which I thought was a pretty great defense, all things considered.

  “Could have fooled me,” he said. “Or was I just imagining you trying to run away from them last night? You wouldn’t be alive if I hadn’t come to save you.”

  I folded my arms over my chest as I stared him down. “Wow. He’s cocky too. I’ll bet the ladies are just falling over themselves to get to you.”

  The corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk. “I think you know I do just fine with the ladies.”

  I tried to ignore the way his annoying smirk made my stomach drop. Dash was far too good-looking and he knew it. I just wished my body didn’t know it too.

  “Once the rest of my herd get here…’

  I lifted a hand to stop him. “I don’t need protection from you or your friends. I think it’s time you left.”

  “I’m afraid that’s not up to you.”

  “Says who?”

  “Says the royal decree granting me unlimited powers to catch these dark elves,” he replied smugly. “I can do whatever I want if it is within the scope of catching them.”

  My face paled at his words. Well, I guessed I knew how he’d wrested the case off the protectors. They could hardly say no if he had that kind of power backing him up. He really wasn’t kidding when he said he had connections.

  “Look, I get that you want to catch them,” I said. “And that’s all well and good, but don’t go dragging me into this. Please, just leave me be.”

  “I can’t,” he replied softly. “And it’s too late; you’re already a part of this whether you like it not. The elves saw to that.” It sounded like he was sorry, but that didn’t stop me from hating him for it. “But don’t worry—we’re going to find out why they attacked you, and we’re going to stop them eventually.”

  I felt bad for the magical beings that had already fallen victim to the elves, but I couldn’t afford to let Dash make me part of his investigation. I had too much to hide. Magic swirled around my hand as I stared into his eyes. “Don’t make me use my magic against you.”

  Dash laughed. “Sorry, little claus, but I’m afraid you’re going to be outmatched on this one too. Tomi?” he said, calling out to my tomten.

  My heart started racing. “Don’t drag him into this as well,” I warned.

  “I tried to do this the easy way.” Dash sounded like he already regretted what came next.

  Tomi appeared on the kitchen bench with a small popping sound. I was used to the way he would snap in and out of existence whenever he pleased, but Dash jumped a little with surprise. It only took him the blink of an eye to get over it though.

  “I need your help,” Dash said to Tomi. “You remember what we talked about this morning?”

  Tomi nodded and my stomach swirled with a sick feeling as I watched him. Tomi glanced in my direction. “I’m sorry, Clio.”

  I stepped back from him, toward the corner of the kitchen, but I’d barely moved away when I felt his magic reach into me. My head felt light and my limbs felt heavy. A moment later, I staggered toward the ground. “Worst tomten ever,” I slurred before I collapsed in a heap and all consciousness left me.

  Chapter Four

  I awoke to a chill in the air and the stench of magic all around me. My nose wrinkled in disgust, and as I slowly blinked my eyes open, I saw a timber ceiling high above me. I jerked upward and looked around the room. I had no idea where I was.

  An empty fireplace took up the wall across from me, and a thick rug covered the floor. I was in a huge bed with an ornate wooden frame. The mattress was soft, but I found no comfort in it as the sheets that covered me smelled of shifter. The scent brought memories flooding back to me, and I recalled my last waking moment.

  “Tomi,” I cursed under my breath as I jumped from the bed. The floorboards were cold under my feet, and I was still dressed in the same pajamas I’d been wearing when I had passed out in my kitchen. A set of floor-to-ceiling curtains were drawn across the window in front of me. The heavy material blocked out most of the daylight, but a small slither of light peeked into the room from the edges of it. I yanked the curtains back to reveal a large bay window, and I let out a string of curses when I saw what was outside.

  White snow blanketed the world beyond the house, and thick trees indicated we were surrounded by forest. I definitely wasn’t in Bramblewood anymore, and queasiness swirled in my stomach as I took in the size of the pine trees and the unique hue of green that colored their needles. The color was far more vibrant than any trees I’d ever seen in the Human Realm, and the trunks were so wide and tall that it was clear the pines were ancient.

  I now knew exactly where I was.

  “The Northern Realm,” Tomi said, appearing beside me with a pop of magic.

  I could barely bring myself to turn and look at him. “Oh, so good of you to join me here, traitor,” I hissed.

  He didn’t respond, but I was hardly surprised. Tomi never saw the point in defending himself to me. I let out a sigh and turned to him. “Mind telling me why you decided to side with the reindeer and knock me out?”

  Tomi shrugged. “It’s my job to protect you,” he answered, like that was all the explanation I needed.

  I scoffed in response. “And how exactly are you protecting me by bringing me here?”

  Tomi shrugged once more. “You can’t defeat a group of dark elves alone.” He popped out of existence.

  “I still think you’re a traitor,” I called into the vacant air. I doubted he’d gone far, so I really hoped he could still hear me. “Protection,” I muttered, turning away from the window. “What a joke.”

  Dash had really hit below the belt with this one. Appealing to Tomi’s nature was plain unfair. Tomten were bound to protect their claus, so telling Tomi I’d be in danger if I didn’t do what Dash wanted was a surefire way to get around me.

  The little bugger could normally only achieve small feats of magic. But if I was in danger, it was like he got an adrenaline rush, and his powers became even stronger than mine.

  Letting out a breath, I started toward the door. I needed to get out of here and back to my life. I definitely wasn’t planning on sticking around the Northern Realm. As I reached for the door handle, I heard voices in the room beyond.

  “You really tricked a tomten into turning on his claus?” a female voice asked. It was soft and melodic, and there was a hint of shock in her tone.

  “It’s not a trick if it’s true,” Dash said. “That claus wouldn’t have lasted another day if I’d left her there. This was the only way I could protect her.”

  “Still sounds like you tricked him to me,” the woman responded.

  “Yep, you played him for sure.” Another man laughed

  I growled under my breath, not liking the way they were talking about me. I’d managed just fine on my own for the last few years, and I practically had hiding from danger down to an exact science.

  “What are you going to do with her?” a third man asked. His tone wasn’t nearly as deep as Dash and the other guy’s. He sounded far more serious too.

  “Keep her here until the danger has passed.�
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  Not if I had anything to do with it. I pushed the door open and walked into the room. “I don’t think so,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest as I glared at the people in front of me. There were four of them standing near a roaring fire in a large open living area. The room was far more spacious than any living room I’d been in before with a lofted ceiling and huge windows that stretched across one of the walls, looking out onto the forest beyond.

  Despite the size of the room, it somehow still managed to look homey. The cabin was furnished with raw wooden tables and old leather couches that were covered in cushions. There was a reclining chair by the fireplace, and a thick rug was laid across the timber floors.

  Dash turned to look at me, but my gaze was narrowed on the others with him. A slender woman with eyes the color of honey was assessing me right back. She was dressed casually in skinny jeans and a leather jacket, and her long hair was pulled back off her face. There was distrust in her eyes and also a hint of judgment, like she’d taken one look at me and already decided she didn’t like me.

  The other two guys in the room were flicking Dash looks of concern. They didn’t seem to have passed judgment on me yet, but I got the impression they weren’t happy I was there. They both had similar features to the woman with reddish-brown hair and golden eyes. One of the guys was shorter and leaner than the other though, and his hair was cut close to the scalp. He wore thick glasses, and an awkward nervousness to him set him apart from the others who all exuded too much confidence.

  The other man’s hair was shaggy, and he seemed more relaxed about the whole situation. There was a cheeky smile on his lips as he returned my stare. He was tall and broad and had muscles that rivaled Dash’s. They weren’t quite as impressive though—not that I cared.

  From the smell of the three of them, they were shifters just like Dash, and I wondered if they were reindeer too.

  “You can’t keep me here,” I said, focusing my attention back on Dash. I didn’t really care who the rest of his crew were. He was my captor, not them.

  “I think you’ll find that I can,” Dash said, closing the distance between us with his powerful strides. “I told you before. I have unrestricted powers in this case.”

  “And I told you that I don’t care.” Magic swirled at my fingertips as I stared him down. “You may have convinced Tomi to help you bring me here, but I think you’ll find that’s about the extent of what you can get my tomten to do. I’m not in any danger, so he won’t be coming to your rescue this time.”

  “Don’t be angry,” Dash purred. “I’m sure we can come to some arrangement that makes us both happy.”

  “Batting your eyelids at me won’t work either,” I replied. “I’m not some Dash fangirl ready to submit to your every wish.”

  One of the men behind Dash burst out laughing. “I like her.”

  My scowling eyes flickered in his direction for the briefest second. The man was grinning at me, but it didn’t make me feel like my captors were friendly. If anything, it put me more on the defense. I took a step back and raised my hand so that my magic swirled in front of me.

  “You’re going to let me go, and you’re never going to bother me or my tomten again.” I focused on Dash.

  He gestured toward the door. “Fine, leave, be my guest.”

  Well, that was far too easy.

  My gaze flickered toward the entrance, suspicion making my gut pull taut. Dash might have given in a bit easily, but I wasn’t about to wait around to find out why. I started toward the door Dash had waved at, keeping my focus firmly locked on him. I refused to turn my back on him—not after the stunt he’d pulled with Tomi. This was probably another trick. My magic continued swirling at my fist as I drew closer to the door.

  I twisted the doorknob behind me when I reached it, and I took a quick glance over my shoulder as I cracked the door open. A long snow-covered driveway extended from the cabin and into the woods. I wasn’t sure of my precise location, but it wouldn’t take me long to get my bearings once I was outside. I’d be able to sniff out the nearest sleigh line and portal my way the hell out of here.

  “Well, thanks for the kidnapping,” I said, glancing back at Dash. “I’ll hopefully see you again never.”

  I turned to walk through the doorway only to slam against an invisible barrier. “What the hell?” I stumbled back from the entrance. I walked up to it again, with more caution this time, and reached out a hand as I tried to step through. Right underneath the doorframe, my fingers brushed up against something cold and hard that was buzzing softly with the zap of magic. The invisible force was firm and didn’t yield to my touch. I pressed both my hands against the wall, running the length of it as I tried to find a gap in it. The barrier covered the entire doorway. “Are you kidding me?” I yelled, turning on Dash.

  He was smirking at me again.

  God, I hated that smirk. “What have you done?”

  “Me?” he asked innocently. “I haven’t done anything.”

  “You’ve barricaded the door.”

  “I haven’t, but I think you’ll find that your tomten was more than happy to help out. Unlike you, he doesn’t want to risk your life out there.”

  “Tomi?” I called out.

  The little devil refused to appear, so I focused on the magical connection between us. He was close but not within the cabin walls. I gave the connection a firm tug, but still he refused to appear. I’d never seen Tomi use anything close to this much power before; he must have been convinced I would die if I left the cabin.

  I refocused on Dash. “You can’t keep me in here forever.”

  He walked up to me and patted me on the shoulder. “Don’t plan on it,” he replied. “Make yourself at home though. You’re going to be here a while.” He walked past me, straight through the invisible barrier, and out into the snowy world beyond. He gave me a brazen wave before making his way over to the truck that was parked in the driveway.

  As I watched him, the other three shifters who’d been loitering in the room made their way past me to follow Dash outside. The only one to look me in the eyes was the guy who’d laughed at me earlier.

  He paused at my side. “It’s a tough break, claus, but it really is for the best. Dash will get the elves, and you’ll be out of here in no time. You’ll see.”

  I didn’t give him a response. I simply turned on my heel and made my way back to the bedroom I’d awoken in, slamming the door shut behind me. I knew it was childish, but it did make me feel a little better.

  I waited for the sound of the car’s engine to disappear down the driveway before I snuck back out of the bedroom. The place was so quiet and peaceful now that Dash and his tagalongs were gone. It was nothing like the Human Realm, which always seemed to be awash with noise. Even in Bramblewood there was always some sound or other in the distance. There was usually the low hum of electricity or the soft purr of car engines. People always seemed to be talking, and there was a dog that lived down the street from me that never seemed to quit barking. Here there was total silence.

  I didn’t waste time as I started to test the barrier Tomi had created around the perimeter of the house. He’d never felt the need to trap me in one before, so I wasn’t certain how powerful it was. I studied the front entrance for at least an hour, trying and failing to find a way through it, before I went on to check every window of the cabin with no luck.

  Tired of messing around, I summoned a chainsaw and attempted to cut my way through one of the walls, but that failed too. I even shimmied a little way up the chimney in the bedroom. I hit my head on the barrier near the opening at the top and came out with nothing but a bruise on my head and dirt covering my pajamas. I could probably conjure some fresh clothes, but what was the point when it seemed I wasn’t going anywhere.

  I wasn’t sure whether I was angrier with Tomi or Dash as I resigned myself to the fact I was stuck in the cabin. Dash may have put me here, but Tomi was making certain I didn’t leave, and he was supposed to be on my sid
e. I decided his betrayal was far worse.

  Still, I cursed them both as I sat myself down before the roaring fireplace. I didn’t know how long Dash planned to keep me hostage, and I had no idea how I could escape. There was only one thing I was certain of: there was definitely no mac and cheese in my tomten’s future.

  Chapter Five

  It was growing dark outside by the time I finally had some company again. I’d well and truly given up on escaping and was pacing the living area from one wall to the other.

  “Where on Earth are we?” Alfie asked, appearing at my side so suddenly I jumped.

  “A little warning next time?” I asked, pressing a hand to my chest to settle my rapidly beating heart.

  Alfie had the decency to at least look a little bit sorry. I knew it wasn’t his fault that he’d appeared so close to me. He had little control over his apparitions at this time of year, so I didn’t blame him. I was just glad he was here.

  “So, where are we?” he prompted.

  “The Northern Realm.”

  “What?” His shock caused his eyes to grow wide, and even his soft voice was stronger.

  “My thoughts exactly,” I replied. I was pretty certain Alfie hadn’t been to the Northern Realm in a long time. We’d never really talked about his life before he became a ghost.

  “And you’re just hanging out in this cabin?” he asked. “I thought you’d vowed never to return to the Northern Realm.”

  “I’m not sure I’d call this ‘hanging out,’” I said. “Tomi trapped me here after putting me to sleep at a reindeer’s request. This, of course, after I was attacked by a group of dark elves and narrowly escaped with my life.”