The Orc Who Hated Christmas (An MM Monster Christmas #1)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

“ I ’m the Christmas pixie.” Casimir lifted his arms and flew into the air, wings fluttering as shimmering pixie dust rained down around him.

Cas’s brother Jack looked away from the balls of dough he rolled to glance at Cas. “I thought it was elves who were all about Christmas.”

“Fuck elves!” Cas raised his chin. “Christmas is mine!”

Cas stood in the bakery’s back area with several of his siblings. They laughed as Cas ran his fingers along one of the silver bauble earrings that hung from his earlobe.

I look magnificent. I look festive. And if I keep smiling and sparkling, no one will know that my heart is fractured and bleeding inside my chest.

“You’re so shiny, Cas,” Trent said.

Lacy laughed as she removed star-shaped cookies from a baking tray. “Cas? I can’t see Cas anywhere. All I see is a garish Christmas tree.”

“Garish!” Cas bristled. “How fucking dare you?”

More laughter and giggles filled the back room of the bakery. Cas might be an adopted pixie in a family of hearth and kitchen witches, but they’d always loved and accepted him.

Today, Cas dressed from head to toe entirely in silver. The colour matched his translucent blue wings and white hair with streaks of pale blue. His top and trousers had been sewn together from scraps of a material that had been magicked to sparkle. He’d gotten the material on sale, as they’d been offcuts.

He’d painted his eyelids, lips, and nails in silver. Small baubles hung from a white sash draped around his slender waist.

“I’ll have you know I spent quite a bit of time making this outfit.” Of course, having been recently dumped by the incubus he’d loved for three years meant Cas suddenly had a lot more free time.

But that was fine. He’d just embrace the joy of Christmas to distract himself from the festering wounds of his heart. He’d throw himself into the frivolity, shine, and prettiness of the season. He needed it more this year than he usually did.

“Is it even the Christmas season yet?” Jack asked with a quirk of his lips.

“Bah!” Cas waved a hand. “It is the first of the month. The Christmas season has officially begun.”

“I agree with Cas,” Lacy said. “We are selling Christmas baked goods. The Christmas markets open today. The season has begun!”

Cas flapped his wings and nodded. “And just wait until you see my other outfits!”

“I love all your looks.” Lacy placed the last of the cookies in a tray. “Even if you blind my eyes with how bright you are.”

Cas reached out and snagged one of Lacy’s cookies, taking a bite of the buttery sweet treat with a hint of cinnamon. “ Mmmm. Perfect.” He licked the sugary crumbs from his lips.

“Stop eating the product, Cas,” Grady scolded as he kneaded dough.

“I’m just testing for quality.” Cas took a second bite. “We wouldn’t want to serve subpar cookies to our customers, would we? Not at Christmas! That would be pure evil, Grady! And we’re not an evil bakery, are we?” He batted his eyelashes.

Grady gave him a look. But Cas couldn’t be fooled. He could see the amusement lurking in his big brother’s serious grey eyes.

“No! We are the Magic Bakery!” Cas proclaimed. “And we will bring joy and spread Christmas cheer to all our patrons.” He popped the last of the cookie into his mouth and smiled.

“You’re so frivolous and shallow. Why don’t you ever take anything seriously, Casimir?” The memory of Xavier’s words smashed into Cas like an ice-pick to the sternum.

The cookie soured in his mouth. But he kept the smile frozen on his face as he swallowed.

I’m going to enjoy Christmas if it fucking kills me. I’m not going to let Xavier cheating on me and dumping me a week ago ruin my favourite time of year. I won’t!

“And what does Xavier think of your pretty outfit?” Lacy asked as if Cas’s thoughts had somehow compelled Lacy to ask about the incubus.

Cas dropped his gaze. He fingered the sash around his waist. “We ended things.”

“Oh.” Lacy glanced at her brothers. “Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

Cas could feel his siblings’ stares.

Cas shrugged and laughed. “It was a mutual decision.” The lie rolled off his lips.

He’d begged Xavi. He’d pleaded. “Are you really just going to throw us, throw me away after three wonderful years together?” Cas’s pathetic voice still rang in his ears. Tears had streamed down his face.

Xavi had stood naked in front of Cas. The dryad Xavi had just fucked got dressed behind him, casting Cas guilty glances. The memory of their groans and moans and their bodies slapping together still kept Cas awake at night.

“Surely we can work this out?” Cas had asked even whilst the scent of Xavi fucking someone else lingered in the air.

Fuck, I’m pathetic. Desperate and pathetic.

“There were no hard feelings or anything like that.” Cas smiled. “Our relationship had just run its natural course. You know how it is.”

Lacy didn’t, of course. She was nineteen, and her longest relationship had been less than a month.

Lacy studied him. They all studied him.

Cas rolled his eyes. “You’re all being so dramatic, which is my job! He really was just too serious and dull for me.” Cas picked up another cookie and took a bite.

This time, Grady didn’t say a word.

The bell tinkled. A customer came into the bakery.

Thank fucking Christmas carols!

“Well, this Christmas pixie needs to go spread some holiday cheer.” Cas flew to the counter in the front of the bakery. He smiled at the young man approaching.

“Merry Christmas! Welcome to the Magic Bakery. I’m the Christmas pixie, and I’ll be serving you today.” His cheeks ached as his smile stretched. “What can I get for you?”

“Wow! You look incredible!” The man gushed at the sight of Cas.

Cas preened, letting the compliment brighten his mood. He would not let Xavi casting him aside and cheating on him ruin the season.

For a brief second, an image of the dryad on his back, legs spread, Xavi ploughing into him, flashed before his mind. “Xavi,” the dryad had cried out.

But Cas’s face didn’t betray him. He nodded and grinned as the customer continued to compliment him.

“You’re just not who I want, Casimir,” Xavi had said as he cupped Cas’s tear-stained cheek. “I’m sorry. But that’s the truth.”

Cas swallowed and forced his smile wider.

He would be the brightest, most fucking festive Christmas pixie the world had ever seen. He would be full of holiday fucking cheer if it fucking killed him.