Little Miss Santa Claws

Missy

EPILOGUE

I lounge on a reading chair wrapped up in my long red robe, watching as Nicole bounces and writhes on the toy I set up for her in front of the windows in the living room.

She’s gloriously naked, and her arms are tied behind her back with a string of twinkling colored lights.

Her long legs are spread wide for balance, flexing as she carefully slides herself up and down the dildo attached to the floor. Frustration twists her features. She has to move slowly to avoid losing her balance—she’s been teetering on the edge of her orgasm for a few minutes now.

A wicked smirk overtakes my face.

I love torturing this woman. Only for our mutual pleasure, of course.

Nicole peels her green eyes open, her stare pleading. “Please, ?” Her voice trembles and cracks. She tries not to beg as a general rule, knowing it sometimes rubs me the wrong way, but I’ve pushed her past her limits today.

I suppose I’ll let her get away with it this time.

Rising from my chair, I approach her undulating body. She’s not moving with any semblance of rhythm anymore. She put on one hell of a show, stripping naked and grinding against me until she was wet enough to ride the toy, but now, she’s tired and needy.

I halt a few inches in front of her and grasp either side of my robe, gently pulling it away from my chest.

Nicole makes a desperate noise as her gaze drifts to my breasts.

“Do you need my help, precious?” I croon.

She nods, her eyes glazing over as I drop the robe entirely and it lands in a silken pool around my feet. “Yes, Miss Claus.”

I tilt my head to one side and brace my hands on my hips, considering our options. “It doesn’t look like you’re helping yourself much at the moment. You’ll never come like that.”

Her nostrils flare as I step closer.

My pussy is level with her mouth, and I can tell by the way she leans forward that just the taste of me might finally tip her over the edge.

But I don’t want our fun to end so soon.

I slide a hand into her dark curls and tug her head back, leaning down to kiss her. My tongue strokes hers, and when she hums, I can taste the sound, sweet and warm and wanting. Her back arches, her pretty mauve nipples reaching for me, and I let my other hand drop to squeeze her breast, smiling against her open mouth as she moans. I love her little noises. I love…everything about her, really.

I’m struck with an intense wave of emotion, my love for her mixing with the cutting edge of gratitude. Joy pierces my heart like a lance. Tears gather behind my closed eyes.

Nicole may be bound for my pleasure, but I am the one ensnared.

For as long as I live, I am hers. It’s decided. And for as long as she lives, I hope she’s mine. Whatever time we are given to be together is a gift I won’t take for granted. It’s too easy to lose the things we love—people, dreams, ourselves. Oftentimes, they are taken away in the blink of an eye, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop it. The resurrection of a heart after unspeakable loss, on the other hand, is the truest, most powerful magic in this universe. Everything means more to a healing heart. Every touch. Every laugh. Every kiss.

It is a privilege to love.

When Nicole whimpers against my mouth, I break our kiss, smirking before I lean over her shoulder and grasp her hips between my palms. I push her down, forcing her to take a few more inches until she’s full and gasping. I guide her hips up and down, angling her for more friction against her g-spot, pushing her harder and faster until she’s crying my name.

In her desperation, she buries her face between my legs and runs the tip of her tongue along my slit, and I allow it.

I thread my fingers into her hair and let her devour me. Her hips jerk and swivel, unable to stop as her need surpasses the aching muscles. Her tongue swirls over my throbbing clit, and my upper body curls forward at the pleasure, my legs very nearly giving out. I splay a hand on the window to steady myself. Steam spreads out from beneath my palm, whitening the surface of the glass—in fact, this entire windowpane is fogging up.

I lean over Nicole’s shoulder again and slide a claw under the string lights to cut them off her wrists. My Krampus has already broken free from its leash.

Nicole likes my Krampus a lot .

When her hands snap free, Nicole grabs my hips and tugs me closer, hooking my leg over her shoulder so she has complete access to my center. Her tongue glides easily through my slick, pushing into my entrance and swirling over my clit.

She sucks on the throbbing nerves, making me shriek. I pull on her hair half-heartedly. Her body bounces up and down on the toy, quickening as her eyes roll into the back of her head.

When a deep groan of ecstasy vibrates through my center, I know she’s coming.

I grab a fistful of her curls and pull her head back, crouching down to her level as my mouth returns to hers. She slides her tongue between my lips, tasting like my arousal and a hint of the sweet, ambrosial wintergreen berries we ate at dinner. That’s a new favorite for Nicole.

Perhaps our food will be enough to convince her to stay for another orbit.

We haven’t talked about it—whether she would stay or go. Our current orbit is nearly over, and I have no idea what her plans are for when we realign. She hasn’t brought up Christmas yet, and I’m too frightened to ask her outright. I’m trying to be patient. I know how much she misses her family, and I know she’ll age at a far slower rate if she continues to live here with me. Eventually, she’ll have to stop seeing them. Or worse, she’ll keep seeing them for the rest of their lives, and then she’ll have to watch them die.

I couldn’t ask anyone to endure that, but especially not her. Not my love.

Nicole’s body is limp in my arms, but I continue kissing her in earnest, savoring every moment of her pliant lips as she returns to herself.

“You are so perfect,” I murmur.

She chuckles then grunts softly, wiggling in discomfort at the large toy still buried inside her. Her arms wrap around my neck, and I take the hint, wrapping my arms around her waist to lift her off it. An airy wisp of a moan fills my ear as I kneel, our bodies colliding as I set her down beside me. Her lips trail sweet kisses across my jaw.

But I’m focused on that toy, soaked and glistening with her cum.

I twist in place, burying a hand in Nicole’s hair to guide her lips up to mine. Practically panting with desire, I pull her into me, dragging us both upright on our knees. I grasp the toy with my other hand and shift my body to hover over it, the slick tip prodding at my entrance. I lean back to look into her darkened green eyes and purr, “I want you to fuck your cum into me now, precious.”

Nicole’s returning smile is diabolical.

She wiggles her way closer and drops her hands to my hips, applying enough pressure to force the dildo in an inch. Once she’s certain I’m slick enough, she offers no mercy. I feel her fingers starting to bruise my skin as she manipulates my hips, tugging me up and forcing me back down, returning my ruthlessness tenfold. That’s one of the things I love the most about her. She takes control when I need to be cared for, when I need a break. This entire orbit, she has been a true partner to me, my helper and lover and friend. My everything.

I quickly find my release with her arms snaked around me and her mouth covering mine. She swallows every last morsel of my pleasure.

We crawl onto the couch and curl up together, a thin blanket draped over our damp bodies, Nicole’s fingers combing mindlessly through my hair. I melt into her side, my head resting on her chest and my leg hooked over her hips. This is my favorite place in the entire universe. I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve fallen asleep right here, wrapped in each other’s arms. I would be happy spending every day of the rest of my existence like this.

If only I was so lucky…

Once our hearts have settled, I sense a change in Nicole. She shifts beneath me, almost uncomfortably. When I glance up at her, I see the cogs turning behind her eyes, the distance in her stare. “What is it?” I ask reluctantly.

She grimaces. “We need to talk, baby.”

Here it is. She’s breaking up with me. I knew this was coming—there’s only a handful of days left until our planet realigns with Earth. I just didn’t think it would happen today. This is her choice, though, and I will respect it the same way I respect her.

Bracing myself for the inevitable, I sit up, putting a little more space between us. “Okay,” I sigh. “I’m listening.”

“I was thinking,” she starts, the words tentative and quiet. She’s at least as nervous as I am, maybe more. While that might have made me feel better, but I don’t want her to hesitate when it comes to her feelings. Even if she’s leaving, I want her to feel comfortable around me, no matter what. I grab her hand and hold it tightly, and she manages to get the rest of it out. “Could we spend Christmas Day at my sister’s again this year?”

My brow furrows. I wasn’t expecting her to plan out another Christmas together, but I’ll take every second I can get.

I nod, squeezing her hand a few times in quick succession. “We certainly can. You know how much I enjoyed meeting your family last year. I would love to be included again.”

“Good,” she murmurs, her eyes straying to our joined hands.

“That’s not the only thing you wanted to talk about,” I prompt.

When her gaze meets mine again, her eyes shine. “No, it isn’t,” she admits. “I was wondering if there was a way to get me home early on the morning of Christmas Eve so I can spend the day at my Dad’s place? I want to take advantage of the full forty-eight hours we’re aligned with Earth, get in as much quality time with them as I can.”

“Forty-eight hours?” I echo her words, allowing them to sink in fully. She’s talking like…she plans to be here for another orbit. “You’re not going back home for the year?” I dare to ask.

She blinks rapidly, her face scrunching in confusion.

“Of course not,” she declares with fierce conviction, leaning forward to cup my face. Tears sparkle on her lashes. “ Na’pishky. Wherever you are is my home.”

I release a heavy breath.

Na’pishky… it means I love you in elvish. Nicole has proven to be quite the natural at our language, as if she was born to learn it. Perhaps she was.

All the tension bleeds from my body, and I surge forward to kiss her, a giddy lightness sweeping through my chest as my mouth covers hers. I giggle against her lips, and she smiles. Her arms wrap around me, comforting and soft. She’s right. This feels like home.

I simply kiss her for a while, communicating my gratitude and relief and the deep affection I feel for her. Then, I whisper, “Na’pishky, precious. I love you to the Void and beyond.”

A soft flush fills her cheeks, and she nuzzles closer, burying her face into my neck.

I let my head fall back against the cushion and close my eyes, resting in stillness as relief cleanses my nerves. She isn’t leaving me. She wants to stay. “You know, you just about frightened the stockings right off me,” I tell her. “Why were you so nervous bringing that up? I love your family.”

“I know you do,” she says into the crook of my neck. “I wasn’t nervous about that . I’m nervous about the question I want to ask next. I’m not sure how you’re going to react to it.”

I shrug a little to urge her to look at me, and when she lifts her head from my shoulder, I pinch her chin between my thumb and forefinger.

“You can ask me anything,” I assure her, staring deeply into her eyes. “ Always .”

She bites her lower lip, and I’m sorely tempted to eat her up myself. But then, with a sigh, she asks, “Would you ever be willing to tell my family who you are? Who you truly are?”

My heart sinks. “I don’t know…”

There are Claus protocols to be followed, rules that protect both us and the humans. It’s better for them if they believe we are a myth. Panic can destroy a planet as well as any asteroid.

But I would cross every boundary, forsake every law, for my human.

Nicole slips a hand beneath the blanket to touch my hip, leaning into me, seeking my warmth. “I know you usually have to wipe watcher memories, but what if we offered to bring them back here with us? What if they chose to live here? Then, they wouldn’t be watchers anymore. We don’t have to tell them anytime soon, but they’re my family, and maybe, someday down the road, the perfect moment will present itself. I just wanted to know if that has ever been done before. Is it possible?”

Her words are threaded with uncertain hope. She’s been thinking about this for a long time. I can’t say I fault her for it. Now that she knows the North Pole exists, knows the intimate wonder of our planet and its magic, it’s only natural that she would want to share it. She made friends here in the North Pole, more friends than I have, if I’m being perfectly honest. But that’s not the same thing as having family around. I know that.

I hesitate, carefully considering her request.

In theory, there’s nothing that expressly forbids a human family from moving here. And why couldn’t they? We’ve had a number of species settling here over the many millennia our planet has been orbiting. Our kind has taken many mates.

I inhale deeply, affectionately grazing a thumb over Nicole’s cheek. “For you, I will do my best to make it possible.”

A brilliant smile lights up her face as she falls forward to embrace me.

I turn my face into her hair, breathing in the intoxicating scent of her shampoo—jasmine and candied strawberry. A sharp wave of fear crashes over me, and I voice my worries before I can stop myself. “You would really rather stay with me, here, forever, instead of living a life in your native galaxy? You’ll have to watch everything you’ve ever known come to an end.”

She turns her head, her nose nestling next to mine as she kisses the corner of my mouth.

I feel her head shake gently. “Even forever with you wouldn’t be long enough.” She leans back suddenly, blinking a couple of times. Then, a chuckle crackles through her, a gentle burble of amusement followed by deep, full-bodied laughter.

“What are you laughing about?” Even bewildered, I can’t help but laugh with her.

She shakes her head. “I just realized you’re my glass slipper.”

“What?”

Nicole wraps her hands around my neck and pulls me in, her eyes softening with desire and… joy , I think. “You’re my happily ever after, Claus.”

My heart skips a beat and then starts pounding hard against the inside of my ribs.

“And it is an honor to love you, Nicole Strobe.” I kiss her again, slow and thorough, our tongues tangling. She clings to my arms and allows me to press her down into the couch, her body rolling sensually beneath me as I stroke her thighs and hook her knees up over my hips.

Eventually, I pull away to grin down at her, admiring how the starlight shines through the window and reflects off her dark curls. My own little human. I get to keep her forever.

“Alright, precious. Forget about the nice list and show me just how naughty you can be.”

THE END