Page 60 of Bride of Choice

A bit of time by myself, all to myself, as long as the place wasn’t a total dump, that actually sounded like a vacation from all the drama of late.

Grimacing as we bumped along, noting the simple design of the sled, the tall sides, the bits of bark at my feet here and there, it was probably for moving decent amounts of lumber a fair distance. And now it was hauling my lumbering ass, har-har.

Eh. I’d always wanted to go on a sleigh ride. Sitting up straighter, wincing as my hip protested, I uncorked the bottle of hot numbing brew stuff, had myself a nice, long, slow sip, but not too much because I’d like to be coherent and awake for this once in a lifetime opportunity, having myself a look around at the scenery passing us by, I soaked it all in.

It was beautiful. No matter how much I complained about the snow and the cold, the wilderness surrounding, there was no denying it was a sight to behold.

If only it was Krampus and gobble-you-up-quick beasts free.

Glancing from Kooky, riding that wild looking, Willy Wonka dotted beastie bareback with ease, talking to the beast in his language quietly as it loped along, I smiled.

This was nice. More than nice. I felt like a princess. I was pretty sure that wasn’t the magical brew talking. Erm. Ninety nine percent sure.

Dorothy’s place bordered along what I considered the near outskirts of our little town, close enough to the heart of the village, the market and all that, but backed along that vast everything else behind it.

We were taking some kind of backway I’d yet to take before. The further he drove, the taller and thicker the trees grew, some faded shades of blues, green, and purple blacks mixed in here and there, until that’s all there was.

A bit longer and I spotted a thinning amongst the trails just off the snow beaten path, a telling smokestack in the distance. Not too far now.

A pinch of disappointment hit me. I’d been hoping for something closer to town, less of a trek from my cousin. I’d go through withdrawals without my god-babies fix! I loved those little boogers. And of course chilling with my cousin, but she was well aware where she stood on the Joanie’s love pecking order— and was totally cool coming in second to her kids.

Biting at the inside of my cheek, it was on the tip of my tongue to ask if it was going to be much farther out. I really didn’t want to actually leave the village. Maybe I wouldn’t be as vulnerable to Krampus out here, but I’d be all the fuck alone. I mean, all alone.

The sleigh hit rocks- No, gravel, rumbling along for the next good bit.

The simple wooden seat I’d planted my rump onto was a bit too smooth, sanded down and coated to a fine finish and angled in such a way that it sent me sliding down the short bench until I had to grip the sides of the sleigh and shove myself backwards to keep from tumbling right off of it.

Distracted by all of this, my head jerked up as Kooky made that weird clicking noise again, rumbled something in his language, then what sounded like the word or phrase behbeh, and we came to a smooth stop.

It was more than a shock to find myself parked right out front of the McMansion from the other night. It looked even more… grand in the waning daylight. I’d been so distracted trying to force my ass to stay put without irritating my broken butt I’d missed my own grand entrance.

“I- I’m going to stay here?” I sounded as breathless as I felt. Princess? Pfft. This shit was fit for a queen. A queen of Glamazon proportions.

This was a castle of beastly real estate around these here parts, and my ass got to hang here?!

Giddy at the idea, though I was still feeling very wary over this whole chill at a stranger’s pad thing, I startled when the sleigh creaked as Kooky’s hand fell on the side and he hoisted himself up to reach in and help me out.

“I get to stay here?” It beared repeating. “All by myself?”

Kooky paused to glance at the place briefly over his shoulder, then back at me. “Jes.”

My hands gripped the sides of the sleigh a little tighter, my gaze level with his as he reached in towards me and I instinctively jerked back.

“What’s the catch?” My feet dug in and I tensed, something Kooky took note of and immediately backed the fuck up.

My god, a male who can not only take note of things but react accordingly? Dorothy works miracles. Teach them! Teach them all, you intuitive beast!

“Catch?” he said slowly, glancing from the house and then back to me.

“Whose place is this?” My brow tugged into a frown as these eyeballs shot from the house to him, then the house again.

Kooky paused for a minute before answering. “Celuk.”

“Celuk?” The breath I’d been holding rushed out of me. “Celuk as in, Bia and Noyel’s uncle? That guy? The one they call crazy? Crazy Uncle Celuk? THAT guy?”

“Luk not stay. Hunt,” he grunted out.

I noted he did not argue the claim of craziness of said Crazy Uncle Celuk. That did not bode well, to my way of thinking. Fuck me.

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