Page 45 of A Cursed Noel

“Good to know,”Celia says, her husky voice firm. Her tigress eyes flash. Sheunderstands what must be done and her beast is looking forward to it.

“Dude!” Shaynayells. She stumbles into the bathroom and almost drops her sword whenshe sees the last few pieces of the Nullit break away and fade.“Ceel, what is that?”

“A nullit,” I say.“They’re the creatures who’ve been feasting on you.”

“They can be killedwith metal or water,” Celia adds. She gives Shayna a look. “Youcan also cut their heads off.”

“On it,” Shaynasays and…skips away. “T, Em’,” she hollers from the hall.“Things with bad haircuts have invaded the house.”

“What?”Taran yells.

I pinch the bridge ofmy nose.How are these girls still alive?

“Nullits, Shayna,”Celia calls out, her expression apologetic. “Not mullets.”

We charge out of thebathroom when Emme and Taran scream. I get slightly ahead of Celia intime to watch Shayna lift her sword and spin across the kitchen likefigure skater. As smooth as silk waving in the breeze, shedecapitates three nullits cornering Taran and Emme.

I body slam the nullitthat hurtles itself from the top of the refrigerator and crack itover the head with a pitcher of water. The water sizzles through itsface and neck, killing it.

The nullit that springsfrom the floor encounters Celia’s rage. Like a pendulum, Celiaswipes her extended claws back and forth. The nullit doesn’t havetime to cry out. It collapses, convulsing and disappearing in anexplosion of smoke. I snatch a charging nullit in a headlock andshove it beneath the kitchen sink, slapping the water on full blast.

At the same moment,Celia kicks the handle of a pot on the floor. She catches it as itspins upward and strikes it across a charging nullit’s head, cavingit inward. Her claws extend further, the muscles along her armstensing as she slashes the nullit’s throat, killing it.

Nullits don’t likeanything pure. I’m uncertain how Celia strikes it down with suchease. I won’t worry about it now. I’m simply grateful she canprotect herself.

Rat-like shriekingerupts from all directions. Nullits in all shapes and sizesmaterialize from the dark corners of the kitchen, beneath the kitchentable, and from behind furniture in the small family room. Celiaraces ahead, her sharp nails protruding as she flips over the couchand rams her nails into a nullit’s chest.

“They don’t likemetal or water,” Celia yells over her shoulder.

“How do they feelabout fire?” Taran asks.

It’s her dead tonevoice that has me glancing back.

“Oh,shit.”

I tackle Celia whenTaran lets loose. Fire as bright as lava zooms over me and into abox-shaped nullit. The nullit crashes into the fireplace anddetonates from the force of the blue and white flames.

The fire alarms blastin warning. I’m expecting the house to come down, but Tarancontrols the fire well enough, and the alarms quickly silence.

Celia and I scramble toour feet, her clawing at anything within her reach and me ramming afire poker I seize through heads, chests, and stomachs.

Shayna scrambles on topof the island and, with the most pathetic warrior princess yell I’veever heard, lifts her sword and stabs the nullits scrambling acrossthe ceiling.

I race toward Emme whena small group of nullits rush her. I barely acknowledge a rattlingnoise when multiple drawers fly open and every utensil in the kitchenjets out. Like a fountain of metal, Emme slices and dices everynullit stupid enough to mess with her.

Okay. Now, I see howthey survived.

Taran walks forward,flames encircling the length of her arms. Her blue eyes blanche towhite as she embraces the nullit like a lover. The nullit trembles,trying to break her hold.

Taran holds tight. “Dieyou son of bitch,” she whispers.

The nullit explodes ina cloud, invading the small space. Taran doesn’t move. She’sangry and in her own head. Celia hurries to her. I’m worried Taranwill burn her, but as she reaches for her sister’s hand, the flamesdie out.

“Come on, Taran,”she tells her. “Let’s get Ana Lisa out of the house.”

With one look, my loveurges me to stay with her younger sisters. I do, believing most ofthe nullits have rushed to the immediate area.

I’m proven wrong whenTaran releases a blood curling scream and the connection I feel toCelia abruptly vanishes.

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