Prologue #2
I had to look up to see his face, way up. At five foot seven I wasn’t tall, but for an omega I was considered to be on the taller side. But this man–elf–had to be at least seven feet tall. Just trying to see his eyes was giving me a neck ache.
Doing as he ordered, I gripped him tightly, not sure what was about to happen.
“Some people prefer to shut their eyes,” he told me, his voice a deep throaty purr. “It can be…dizzying. Your brother gets a bit sick from it.”
Giving my neck a rest, I lowered it, and not really having any other choice, I rested it against his surprisingly hard chest. “He can’t deal with anything that spins. Never has been able to.”
And then the floor fell from beneath our feet, and the world around us turned black, except for what looked like a million bright stars. Colors swirled all around us; silvers, blues, reds, and purples. Wind roared in our ears, and the air turned bitterly cold.
His hands held me tight, and I swore one stroked down my back in a soothing gesture, but I had to have imagined it. And then we stopped moving, and the world was silent. Cold bit at my cheeks and hands, as I blinked my eyes open to the bright world around us.
His arms loosened around me, and I stepped away from his wonderful heat and scent. Gasping, I stared down from the top of the hill we were on at the scene below me. If I hadn’t known better, I would think we had landed smack dab in the middle of a holiday movie.
The white snow glistened all around us, looking sparkling and shiny in the afternoon sun.
Below us, the village stood, buildings decorated in reds, greens, blues, and silver.
In the middle of it all was a gigantic ice skating rink, where several skaters were spinning around.
I could just make out the black and white twirling forms of the skating penguins my brother went on and on about.
“It’s breathtaking,” I whispered in awe.
“This way,” the grumpiest elf to ever elf grumbled, not paying one bit of attention to the stunning scene below us. I guess if you actually lived here, it probably lost some of its shine, but…I didn’t think I would ever get tired of looking at it.
And how could he be so grumpy living here? Just looking at it had me all happy inside, filled with well…Christmas joy, I imagined.
Hurrying to catch up with his long-legged stride, I barely had time to properly take in a postcard worthy cottage. Instead of stopping, we walked past it, down a little path, then broke through a pine tree fence.
Another cottage stood here, looking like something out of a picture book. Did all the houses look like this?
A scream rent the air, raising the hairs on my arms, and I took off in a run. That was Keegan!
Throwing the door open, I nearly ran into my parents, who were pacing in the small foyer.
“Come along,” the elf ordered all of us, and without hesitation we followed him to a bedroom. Keegan was in the bed, looking pale and sweaty, Nik by his side. Two older men were also there, along with another elf. The room was so crowded we could barely get all the way in.
“Thank you for getting Keegan’s family here in time, Balfour,” one of the older men smiled warmly at the elf standing close to me.
Balfour.
That was the name of the elf who had been giving Keegan a rough time of it. He was Nik’s best friend, but he had a strong dislike for humans, especially my brother.
Ugh, why did the sexy elf that smelled like my favorite thing in the world, have to be the asshat that didn’t like my brother? Now I couldn’t like him no matter how sexy I found him, or how yummy he smelled.
Quick introductions were made, with Nik’s parents introducing themselves as Oliver and Kris, and the other elf was identified as Dr. Timmons.
He made a shooing motion with his hands. “Out. Everyone out. I’ll let some of you back in once I’ve examined my patient. Shoo.”
Keegan sagged down into the soft looking bed, giving our mom a wan smile. She looked worried, even as she gave my brother a brave smile as Oliver ushered her out of the room. Kris and my dad already seemed lost in conversation, while I turned all my attention to giving Balfour my stink eye.
“I hear you don’t like my brother, elf,” I stated, as we left the room.
“He likes me, Ken!” Keegan called to our retreating backs, “He just won’t admit it.”
As the door shut behind us, and we stood in the small hallway, I glared up at Balfour. “You and me, we aren’t going to get along.”
He gave me a look that said he clearly didn’t care. Dryly, he told me, “I think I’ll be able to sleep at night.”
“Stop being mean to my brother,” I growled.
“Or what?” he demanded, his arms once again crossed over his chest.
“I’ll make your life hell.” I promised.
He laughed. Threw his head back, shaking all that glorious silver hair of his, and laughed. In turn, I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him.
“Humans are so bothersome. I need to get back to work. Your brother has thrown my schedule completely off.”
But he didn’t leave. Instead, he frosted a cake in the kitchen. Apparently, it was Nik’s birthday and Keegan had been baking a cake when he had gone into labor. A cake Bal had saved from burning.
After frosting the cake, which he did a surprising good job at, he tidied the kitchen, then planted himself into a corner of the living room and waited with the rest of us.
Listening to my brother giving birth was a horror I could have happily lived without. I knew one thing, if I ever found an alpha and had a baby, there were no home births in my future. No way. No thanks. Drugs and hospitals were the way I wanted to do it.
I busied myself shooting Bal dirty looks, snickering when he returned with much of the same.
Hours later, Kacey Megan Kringle was wailing her little lungs out. She was pissed and not afraid to let everyone know it. She had a shock of bright red hair and blue eyes, like most babies, but I was betting they would stay that color.
And when my brother introduced Kacey to her two uncles, I knew we were both instantly besotted by the tiny infant. Soon we were fighting over who was going to hold her, and how long the other had been holding her.
Still, it didn’t matter how good the elf smelled, or how sexy all that hair of his was, as far as I was concerned, he was the enemy.
Balfour
Past…
Unknown Number: I heard you made my brother cry today, Elf. It better not happen again.
Me: Who is this and how did you get this number?
Unknown Number: You know exactly who this is. Don’t you worry about how I got this number. I have my ways.
Me: I see I need to schedule another meeting about protocols.
Fingers flying over the keys, I updated my contacts, a part of me amused and part annoyed. Nik was going to catch an earful from me when I saw him. Giving out my number to humans! Candy canes! The man had lost all sense since that little redhead had smiled at him.
Nemesis: Fuck your protocols. Don’t make my brother cry again! Or else!
Me: Big talk for someone who barely comes up to my stomach.
Nemesis: Closer to your balls where I can do the best damage.