Page 27 of Stranded with the Kraken
He leans in to kiss my temple, then says, “We’ll get a bag ready for you. Give us a few minutes.”
He takes my hand, and we gather up some essentials for Emmerich’s human. It feels strange calling her that, but he never mentioned her name.
“Do you think this woman is okay?” I whisper as I take two towels from the linen closet and add them to the rapidly growing pile. “Should we, uh, insist on going there to check up on her?”
Jasper shakes his head. “I’ve known Klaus for more than a decade. He’s a good male. Emmerich is a sweet guy, too, he wouldn’t hurt a fly. If he says she wants to be there, then I believe him. And I wouldn’t want to intrude on the gargoyles’ territory when they have a new mate. That would be a bad idea.”
We package some fruit, a bottle of milk, and a loaf of sliced bread. Jasper roots through his pantry and produces a jar of peanut butter and a pot of jam, then tosses in several protein bars. I put the folded towels on the bottom of the duffle bag Jasper prepared, as well as one of his sweatshirts and a pair of socks. We put in the food and tuck two blankets and a pillow on top, then carry it out to Emmerich.
“Come back tomorrow if she needs anything more,” Jasper tells him.
The big gargoyle nods in thanks. “We will see you soon. Thank you for helping us, Jasper. And you, too, human Arielle.”
With those words, he stomps back onto the porch, unfurls his wings, and takes off into the night. Jasper slides the glass door closed, then walks over to the fireplace and throws another log on the fire to offset the chill we let into the room. Then he stands and stares at me, expression shuttered.
“What?” I ask, picking up the blanket I set down earlier to help him pack.
He shoves a hand through his hair. “You reacted remarkably well to having a monster literally crash your Christmas.”
I shrug. “He’s nice. It was good to meet your friend.”
He still seems worried, and I get it. He’s waiting for me to freak out like he did when I first arrived here for our Bone-R date. And maybe I’m still in a bit of a shock, maybe I’ll have to process this and I’ll freak out later. But for now, I’m happy to have seen this side of Jasper. He was annoyed by the interruption that Emmerich presented, but he didn’t hesitate to help him out.
I walk to him and put my arms around his waist, leaning my head on his chest. “Your friend knew you’d help him,” I say softly. “He came here in the middle of the night, and you didn’t turn him away.”
Jasper wraps his arms around me. “I’m surprised he came here, actually. The wolves would have been a better choice.” He pauses, then adds, “Or maybe not, since the full moon is tomorrow.”
I want to ask about the wolves, the gargoyles, and everything. There’s so much I need to learn about this world of his—and about him. But now is not the time. I lift my chin and tug his head down for a kiss, then drag him back to our nest on the living room floor, snuggling under the blankets with him.
Jasper holds me close, his large body wrapped around mine. “So, you’re still here.”
I intertwine our fingers and squeeze his hand. “Still here. And I’m not going anywhere.”
His exhale ruffles my hair. “I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. For you to realize that this is all too much for you.”
“Nope.” I wiggle closer to him, drawing a pained groan from him. “I’m here to stay. Maybe it’s a Christmas miracle.”
“Yeah.” He kisses the side of my neck. “Merry Christmas, Arielle.”
“Merry Christmas,” I echo.
His breaths deepen, and I know he’s on the verge of falling asleep. But a thought occurs to me.
“Jasper?” I whisper.
“Mm,” he mumbles.
“We should send a gift basket or something to the Bone-R HQ.”
Jasper’s reply is muffled. “Mmkay. Why?”
“Because their matching system is flawless.” I smile in the darkness. “They helped us find each other.”
“We’ll do it after the holidays,” he promises. “Now go to sleep. I have plans for tomorrow.”
I settle in, warm and comfortable with him by my side. “What plans?”
But Jasper is already asleep, his steady breaths caressing my skin. And I find that I don’t care what his plans are—I’ll be here for whatever he has in mind.
