Page 53 of Prize for the Alien Grumpus

Sam's terrified scream from upstairs turns my blood to ice. I bolt for the stairs, taking them two at a time, my heart threatening to burst through my chest.

I burst into Sam's room and freeze. Gregor dangles my daughter by her unicorn pajamas, her feet kicking wildly in the air. His human disguise flickers, revealing patches of grey scaly skin beneath.

"Put me down you big meanie!" Sam's tiny fists pummel the air.

Gregor's lips curl into an amused smirk. "Such spirit. Just like your mother."

"Let her go!" My voice comes out as a strangled whisper.

"Now, now. No need for dramatics." His image inducer stabilizes, showing his familiar human face. "I'm just here to take you both to Santa's workshop, little one."

My nails dig into my palms. "Give me my daughter."

To my surprise, he complies, lowering Sam to the floor. She runs to me, wrapping her arms around my legs. I pull her close, my heart hammering against my ribs.

Gregor's coat falls open. The weapon strapped to his chest pulses with an eerie purple glow. My stomach drops - I've seen what those things can do to concrete walls.

"There's a car waiting for us outside." His voice turns silky smooth, like he's discussing a business lunch instead of kidnapping. "Let's keep things civil, shall we?"

Sam's fingers dig into mine as we walk down the driveway. The purple glow from Gregor's weapon bathes everything in an eerie light. My shoes crunch on frozen grass, each step taking us closer to the sleek black limo idling at the curb.

"Krampus will come for us." The words slip out before I can stop them.

Gregor's laugh sounds like rocks in a garbage disposal. "Oh, I'm counting on it."

"What?"

"Did you think this was about you?" His image inducer flickers again, scales glinting beneath. "A mere human secretary? Please. You're just the bait in our trap."

The truth hits me like a punch to the gut. All those months working for him, thinking I was special enough to be trusted with alien secrets. But I was never anything but a tool.

"You should have taken my offer earlier, Melanie." Gregor opens the limo door with a flourish. "Things could have been so much simpler."

Sam climbs in first, her unicorn pajamas glowing under the interior lights. I follow, my heart pounding against my ribs. The leather seat feels cold through my thin clothes.

The door clicks shut with the finality of a coffin lid.

The limo pulls away from the curb, its engine purring like a contented cat. Sam squirms off my lap and Gregor jerks back, his hand tightening on his weapon.

"Relax. She just wants to see the Christmas lights."

Through the tinted windows, multicolored displays paint the night in festive hues. The Hendersons' inflatable snowman waves at us as we pass.

"I fail to understand the fascination." Gregor's lip curls. "They're merely illuminated diodes. Not particularly bright ones at that."

Sam presses her nose against the window, her breath fogging the glass. "You're only looking with your eyes, Mr. Gregor. You gotta look with your heart too."

His laugh sounds like metal scraping concrete. "My species doesn't possess hearts, child."

Before I can stop her, Sam scrambles across the limo. She places one tiny hand on her chest, then presses the other against Gregor's suit jacket.

"What are you doing?" His scales ripple beneath the flickering human disguise.

"I'm giving you some of my heart so you'll be nicer." Sam's face scrunches in concentration. "And like looking at Christmas lights."

The limo falls silent except for the soft hum of the engine. My daughter's tiny hand rests against Gregor's chest, her face serious with concentration. His scales shimmer beneath the flickering human disguise as he stares at her with an expression I've never seen on his face before.

"Maybe there is more to Christmas than I originally thought," Gregor says, his voice barely above a whisper.

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