5. Xin
Xin
“And this is just a sausage?” I turn the phallic object around staring at it wearily as the others eye me with smirks on their faces.
I’ve met them all at this point. Dash, aka Dasher.
Comet, Cupid, Don… You get the jist. One big happy family, with Santa to my right, sitting proud at the head of the table.
“Just eat it, you’ll like it.” one of the gruffer men says, grabbing one from the shared plate and biting into show there's no more tricks afoot.
When nothing happens, I decide to take a chance, and that first bite into the warm and salty meat has my taste buds firing. The flavours are unlike anything I have ever tasted on Santos, and my wide eyes begin roaming the table for what else I can try.
Before I have even finished the sausage my hand is reaching other tasty treats. A sliced meat called ham barely touches my plate before being shoved n into my glutenous mouth.
“Don’t choke. I doubt any of us know the Heimlich maneuver."
“I can’t help it.” I grab from another plate, and my staph pulses between my legs in approval at the flavors dancing over my tongue. That’s never happened before. It’s usually just lifeless and there unless used to discard urine, but on this planet I guess that's another thing that may change.
“This stuff is so good.” I add in disbelief to Santa.
“That’s great, Vixen. Eat and enjoy as much as you can.
You’ll need all your energy when we begin flying lessons.
” My hand stops for the first time since the sausage and I wince at the thought.
“I don’t know if I can go through that pain again.
I thought I was dying” I admit, feeling somewhat ashamed and like a coward
Santa flashes his kind eyes and says, “They’ve all had to do it, Vixen. Multiple times. It’s part of the process, but I can tell you, and your brothers will all attest that the more you do it, the less painful it becomes and the process actually happens quicker.”
My new brothers nod in agreement. Even Rudy, or Rudolph as Santa keeps calling him. I’m not totally convinced, but I keep that to myself and just nod with them.
Their shoulders visibly relax when I drop the subject. How did they expect me to respond? Refuse to do it and destroy this place or something? No, if this is my new life and pulling Santa’s sleigh is my new role, the quicker I get to grips with reality, the better.
Then maybe I can find one of those women things. My mate.
I take a sip of the drink they call hot chocolate, and my happiness is restored. The smooth texture sweetly washing down all I have eaten in a swish of sweetness.
I take another gulp but choke when I hear a shrill scream. I pound at my chest and damn near leap to my feet. Once I get my breath back, I turn in the direction of the sound.
“What the hell is that noise?”
My brothers look to one another, confused as to what I’m talking about?
“The screaming! It just made me choke on that hot brown stuff?”
“We don’t hear no screaming. We thought you were choking because you were drinking it too fast.” Dash smiles and shrugs before going back to eating his food.
My eyebrows knit together when I hear the noise again. I finally stand up, knocking my chair over when I do.
“That noise. Can you seriously not hear that?” I point out the window, sure it came from outside. “Has your hearing been affected on this planet?”
The guys grumble and groan, but rise up to join me anyway. All except Santa, who stares at me in wonder.
“We don’t hear anything, Vixen.” Rudy mumbles, folding his arms across his chest. A new, deeper anger builds as desperation to find the source of the scream takes over me.
“My name is Xin!” I bellow.
“Aww crap, his eyes are changing colour. What is setting him off?”
Santa raises slowly and everyone waits for instruction. Except me. I head towards the window, knowing that if I don’t find the door I'm going to bust straight through it. Nothing will keep me inside.
Santa’s voice booms out behind me. “Follow your brother and don’t lose him. I’ve never seen it happen like this before, but I think he’s just heard the call of his mate.”
“Oh crap. Fuck. Already?” ring out behind me but I don’t look back. I only take in one of the words.
Mate