Khol (Rescued by the Alien)

29. Nancy

Chapter 29

Nancy

D awn split open the world, flooding Zuldrux with light. It found me where I sat on the sofa.

He hadn’t come back, and I was desperate to run through the jungle, calling his name.

My chest ached and my throat hurt whenever I swallowed, but I hadn’t gone to bed. As long as Khol was still out in the lingering storm, I’d wait for him.

“Where’s Khol?” Flora asked, rushing out of her bedroom, dressed in a bright red onesie with green slippers courtesy of the house spirit. The outfit must’ve been waiting for her when she woke up. “And where’s our stockings?” She peered around, her tiny face knit with concern.

I hadn’t even noticed that the stockings were gone. Fear kept snarling through my heart, and it was all I could do to keep it from taking over.

“He’ll be here soon.” Please, be here soon .

Where was he and why hadn’t he returned? He wouldn’t leave us. I knew in my heart that Khol would always be here for me and my daughter.

Unless he physically couldn’t reach us.

Flora had gotten up early. Somehow, kids always knew when it was Christmas. Every other day of the year, especially on the days when we had to get up early, I had to drag her from bed. But a day off and when Santa was coming?

“Do you want some breakfast?” I slid off the sofa and started toward the kitchen. I’d do normal things until he returned.

And he would return. I refused to believe anything else.

“Can we have waffles?” she chimed in, scooting to her chair. “Wit stwawberries and cweam?”

“Let’s see what the water spirit has to say.” Before I could formally ask, a plate holding something that looked like what she’d ordered appeared on the counter. I took it over to her along with the mug of tea gifted to me.

How could I drink or eat anything when Khol wasn’t here with us?

Flora dug in, wiggling in her seat and humming Jingle Bells while she ate. She finished her meal, and I returned her plate to the counter. My tea remained untouched; I wouldn’t be able to swallow.

“Where’s Khol?” she asked again, hopping off her chair.

“He’ll be here soon,” I repeated by rote, hoping it would be true.

She spun in a circle, singing a song about Santa Clause coming to town. When she finished, she stood in front of the tree. “Look at all da pwesents! Can we open da pwesents, Mommy?”

“Once Khol gets here.”

Her shoulders fell. “He needs to get here soon.”

And that was when I heard the bells.

Flora paused and her head tilted, before she released a squeal and raced for the door. Wrenching it open, she burst into the sunshine, where she cried out with joy once again.

My heart leaping around behind my ribs, I hurried after her, stumbling over the jamb and out into the world washed new by the storm.

Santa had arrived—a blue-skinned Santa, that is.

He sat in a good approximation of a sleigh, dressed in a bright red suit with white trim and with our stuffed stockings lying on the bench beside him.

Eight creatures unlike any I’d seen before were harnessed to his wheeled sleigh, each sporting fake antlers strapped to their heads. Their brown fur fit with a reindeer, but their fangs and spiked tails gave the “eight tiny reindeer” idea a jarring feeling.

My laughter trilled, and I sobbed out my happiness that he was okay.

He climbed out of the sleigh, shouting. “Hay, hay, hay!”

“It’s ho, ho, ho, Santa Khol,” Flora said through her giggles. “ Ho , not hay. We feed hay to da reindeer.” Who she raced toward.

I grabbed her arm before she could reach them, holding her back. “Will they . . .”

“They’re friendly—for now,” he said, leaping from the sleigh. “As is this little one.” He tugged a pink, fluffy creature the size of a kitten out of his pocket and held it out to Flora, who squealed.

“Kitty, kitty!” she said, hugging the tiny alien pet to her neck. “I’s got a kitty. Thanks, Khol.”

A pet. A new life. And the return of the male I was terrified I’d lose. Could life get better than this? It truly was a Christmas miracle.

While Flora took her new pet over to show the alien reindeer, he strode toward me like a god rising from the sea, all bold and gorgeous muscles rippling beneath his suit. Even dressed in red and white, this guy was hot. I’d never get enough of him.

“I’ve been so worried about you,” I said.

He paused in front of me, frowning. “The water spirit told me Flora came home. They said they told you I was okay.”

“They didn’t . . .” My heart lightened. “Ah. When your favorite cookies and meal appeared on the counter last night, I didn’t know what to think.”

“That was their sign. They told me about Flora in my mind.”

If only they’d done the same for me. “It doesn’t matter. You’re safe. You’re home.”

His smile widened. “Yes, love, I’m home, with you and Flora. This is where I’ll always belong.”

He swept me up and kissed me.

And when he shouted ho, ho, ho, Flora and I joined in.