Special Christmas Anthology, A

Author(s): LaVerne Thompson, EveTesoro, Scarlet Hunter, E.W. Walsh

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A Christmas Spirit by LaVerne Thompson
A few weeks before Christmas and an unprecedented snowstorm had Kali going off the road and right into a coma. But when she came out of it sexy Dr. Devin Tanner was there to nurse her back to health. But was she a convenience or could there be something more?
Devin wanted to meet Kali for months and with the season of miracles upon them he was taking her presence in his house as the gift it was. But could he convince her to stay beyond the season?

Christmas Present from the Past by Eve Tesoro
Logan's lover left him an emotional cripple after walking out on him not once but twice. His sister Ava determined to bring her brother happiness used her powers of witchcraft to find the perfect man for him. When Gareth appeared, Logan got more than he bargained for.

Snowline’s Visitor – Arise of the Guardians Series, Book 1 by Scarlet Hunter
Olivia thought her life was over when her father promised her in marriage to someone twenty years her senior. Who would have thought her savior would come in the form of a dark guardian of the night. Remus a vampire, her love?

Wolf of the Frozen Sea by E. W. Walsh
Tala, a member of the Cree nation had a duty to her tribe, but all she wanted to do was run free in the woods with her animal friends. And one day she got her wish. She only had to give up her human form to do it. She never regretted that decision until she met Caleb, and suddenly freedom wasn't all that mattered.

Excerpt

A Christmas Spirit by LaVerne Thompson

Christmas got up from the bunk she’d been assigned in the middle of the room holding twenty beds, with worn wooden nightstands next to each headboard. Surprisingly, only six beds were occupied. But by evening the place would fill up. She could have had a bunk by the window but she didn’t need it, not planning on staying very long. Only long enough to fill the drab room suffocated in hopelessness and depression with a little Christmas cheer, her specialty. Moving over to the window, the snow fell like puffs of cotton on the already down covered ground. The reflection of her blue eyes stared back at her, the look of ageless wisdom Kali had glimpsed earlier glistened from her eyes, and she smiled. Looking up at the thick clouds she blew a gentle breath against the window. But it didn’t stop to frost the pane, instead of clouding the glass, it drifted through and floated up toward the heavy clouds. Her third cousin Jack, she shook her head, up to his tricks again playing with the weather. Every few hundred years or so he got bored and did something outrageous. Like create a blizzard in a place where snow is rare. But this time it actually helped her.

      Christmas just had to make sure no one in her bailiwick came to any serious harm. She sent up a quick prayer to make sure anyone caught in the snowstorm of epic proportions would survive to see the New Year. More than that lay beyond her powers. It was going to be a good Christmas this year after all. “Thank you Kali,” she whispered sending the human the power of a Christmas wish.

      That done she turned to face the room and smiled.

Christmas Present from the Past by Eve Tesoro

The previous evening, Gareth lay still, nevertheless disoriented from the change and perplexed with the language of this time. Afraid to close his eyes, his body eventually succumbed to its natural cycle. It could have been the warmth of the house, the comfort of the deeply padded bed, the incredibly soft clothing Logan left for him, or the amount of duress suppressing his essence from the night’s adventure, but Gareth slept the deepest he could ever remember. Waking slowly, he rose from bed, walking barefoot across the smooth wooden floor to the window he looked up at the sky through the hard clear pane. The farmer in him could see the sun and figured it to be about half past the nine o’clock hour.

      Wandering over to the room where Logan spoke of a bath, Gareth peered in. There sat a large bowl containing water, which seemed secured to the floor, in addition to a large basin encased in a decorative wooden box with shiny metal knobs. He knelt down on the floor to try to see how it worked, but finding nothing he stood and backed out of the room. Gareth needed to pass water desperately but the uncertainty elicited his restraint. Instead, he went to search for Logan.

Gareth walked down the hallway, the unmistakable smell of bacon becoming stronger with each step, so by the time he made it to the kitchen, his stomach grumbled pushing aside the need to relieve himself. His back to him, Logan stood in front of his odd looking stove, the white square box with metal coils and no fire. Different colors of paint marred the rough blue pants he wore and his shirt, similar to what Gareth wore except the sleeves were missing, fit tightly around his upper body displaying his lean yet muscular build. Saying nothing for a moment, Gareth just stared and admired the movements Logan’s form made while he cooked and felt a rush of heat inside of him. Slightly embarrassed by the tingle, he dropped his head setting his gaze on the floor wishing the sensation would ebb and at the same time hoping the feeling would linger.

Snowline’s Visitor – Arise of the Guardians Series, Book 1 by Scarlet Hunter

      The speed of her heart increased so much she could hear it thumping in her head and out her ears. She broke out in a heavy sweat, even underneath her hairline on the back of her neck. Getting light headed, her body began to shake and rapidly ruptured into spasms. She dropped down on all fours and at the same time, the skin on her back crawled like thousands of ants were marching at a parade.

      “HELP!” She screamed.

      “Remus. Someone….help me please.”

      But she knew the cries she called went out into an empty room. Her breathing started getting short…lungs not taking in air.

      Oh my god, I am going to die.

Wolf of the Frozen Sea by E. W. Walsh

      For the first time in five years, Caleb thought of the holidays celebrated in North Carolina with his family. His mother, Clare, decorated the house with berry-filled holly and pinecone wreathes which smelled of cinnamon. She hung woolen stockings at the hearth and placed fine linens on the tables for the frequent guests. The smell of the baked goods radiated through the house and warmed the soul.

      His father stood proud at the pulpit, humming hymnals of praise and jubilation. Later he would bring meat in from the farm for Mother to cook in the large cast iron stove for the many members of the congregation invited to feast at the preacher’s home.

      His brother trotted around the nearby woods, searching for the perfect tree for the living room to decorate on the first day of Christ’s Mass. The tree became a tradition because of his mother’s German roots on her mother’s side. Caleb’s duty for the season involved making the many ornaments, which hung from the tiny branches of the evergreen, which Shamus would find eventually. He always found the best tree and each year, the tree got grander. Air escaped his mouth in a rush of sadness; Caleb ruminated about how his brother no longer searched the family’s woods for the perfect evergreen because his fit of rage stole Shamus’ breath. He thought about how distraught his mother must be at this time of year missing her children. He thought of the fury of his father’s fiery rage toward his remaining son.

      An impulsive conclusion struck Caleb when he recalled his favorite holiday from his youth. The first day of Christ’s Mass started at midnight. Well, he may be alone in his cabin once more and his brother dead many years, but the joyfulness he embraced over the last few weeks propelled him from his seat besides the smoldering fire. He hastily clothed himself in his warmest coat and slipped into his heaviest boots. The snow poured steadily over the last hour, so making his way into the woods at midnight might be foolish, but Caleb needed a tree to grace his home this year. Gathering his ax from the long cupboard and stowing his pistol in the waist of his pants, he prepared his lantern to guide his path through the snow-filled woods in search of an evergreen to cut for his tiny cabin. Laughing while he headed to the door, he thought to himself, whatever would he use to decorate the tree?

      “I bet tat Missy would ‘ave loved a tree in the cabin. She wuld ‘ave probably knock ‘er down too. I miss dat wolf.” Caleb spoke aloud to perhaps the spiders hiding in the corners of the cabin since no one else would hear.

      Pulling the heavy door ajar, Caleb skidded to a halt before he raised his lantern to eye level. Before him on the porch stood the most stunning female he ever laid eyes upon. He gasped audibly when he realized she not only stood on his porch in the middle of the woods at midnight, but also stood completely naked. After scanning the edge of the woods to determine if others stood nearby, Caleb held his hand out to the female beckoning her inside. The blast of frigid air cuffed his face when he opened the door more; reassuring Caleb this female needed shelter from grave dangers from the elements of the harsh winter evening.