Page 13 of All I Want For Christmas Is An Alien
Like me, Jaizon mated a human female. Before that, he condemned her to these tunnels, which is how he knows them so well.
“My sholani nailed a clump of fovi berries over the door and each time I stand under it, she says we must kiss.” Just the thought of kissing my Jade again makes me grip the swords in my hands with fervor.
“That is a tradition I would not mind. Not that I need a reason to kiss my Anya.”
“I asked Quinnov to retrieve a special gift on Earth. A holiday treat my sholani says she hasn’t had since she was a youngling. I’ll splitit with you.”
“The last I heard, Quinnov got diverted from Earth.”
“Drekk.”
“I’m sure your return will be present enough.”
I understand what he means. Leaving my family behind gets harder each mission, but I’m sure my crew and friends are with Jade, helping her, supporting her. “I think I’m beginning to understand this holiday of Christmas.”
“Good, once we’re aboardThe Nomadyou can explain it to me.”
The lift reaches the top and we step into an entirely new battlefield full of grud racing to put out fires and salvage what they can of their ships.
CHAPTER SEVEN
JADE
Fluffy, white snow blankets the ground and trees around us, creating a picturesque Christmas. The rest of Havok’s crew arrived in the past few days which meant we’ve had plenty of hands pitching in. The tree has a bright copper star Melikk fabricated, silver threads for tinsel courtesy of McKenna, strings of fovi berries thanks to Makov and Emily, and pictures the kids drew hang from the tree. Once Torin flushed out the sartog living in the tree, it’s been rather peaceful here.
Too peaceful. I miss my sholan. Constantly smiling for the kids’ sakes is wearing on me. I stare out the window while Emily and Makov clear the dinner dishes behind us.
Ruby wraps me in a tight hug. “He’ll be here.”
“You never worry about anything.”
“Sure I do. I just don’t show it.” She kisses my cheek and I wander over to the common area where McKenna and Remmikov are spreading out the last of the blankets and pillows for all the kids. I’ve lost count at this point, but they appear to have everything in hand.
Mak and Em have Clem’s room, and McKenna and Remmikov have Crispin’s. The remaining couples will sleep aboardThe Relentlesswhich Torin landed a few hundred feet away from the house. Once the kids settle for the night, I’ll head upstairs and stare at the ceiling as I wait for sleep to claim me. If that’s even possible.
“Hurry, everyone,” Emily announces. “Santa can’t visit if you’re all running around. You need to get to sleep.”
“What about the cookies?” my Clementine asks.
“I cooked another batch,” Emily answers. I laugh a little. She never gives up which makes having her here so crucial, even if most of her cooking is inedible. “Why don’t you and the others each take a cookie and put the rest on the plate for Santa.”
“Did you make extra for Daddy? He’ll be home for Christmas. He promised.”
“I saved a bunch just for your dad.” She did, too. I saw the plate she set aside for Havok. Not just cookies. An entire meal.
I lose it right there and race upstairs so no one can see me cry. Torin follows me up.
“He said he’d be home in time,” I say with my back to him as I face the window.
“And he will.”
“What if he’s lost?
Torin harrumphs. “Havok doesn’t get lost. You could blindfold him, tie his hands behind his back, drop him in a mud pit on Trinoth, and he’d still find his way back to you.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because he’s spent his entire life fighting against others. When he found you and Clementine, I saw the change in him, Jade. Now he fights for you. Everything he does is for you and your younglings. Hewillreturn.”
