Page 22 of Some Swans Don't Swim
“Any time,” I said. “Really. Um, so the rings? What are they all about?”
“They turned our magic back on us.” The seventh swan-human glared at Krampus. “He wanted to marry us. We don’t do marriage when it’s forced.”
“Girl.” I nodded in solidarity. “Preach.”
“He forced the rings on us right when we arrived to take him down,” she continued, “but I got away. The ring didn’t fit me, and it fell off.”
I swallowed hard at her frail, unnaturally bent finger. “So he made it fit.”
“She went straight for the children when she escaped,” the swan-human next to her said proudly.
Another hero with a big heart. The world needed more of those.
“I was trying to free them from below ground when Krampus snuck up behind me, so I just used the Christmas lights to save them before he forced the ring on me again.” The seventh swan shrugged. “Then I guess I just needed the slayer to saveme, to save all of us.”
Jacek and Eddie came up to us then, their footsteps crunching lightly on the snow. I turned and watched them, curious what their reaction to seven naked women standing in a wintery park would be. Curious and ready to poke them in the eyes with my jealousy stick. Yeah, I know. If I were perfect, I’d stamp my forehead with a P.
But it turned out I didn’t have to worry. They noticed the swan-humans, sure, because there were seven of them and they were gorgeous and how could they not? But they seemed more interested in statue Krampus and me.
“It’s not Christmas unless someone gets turned into a statue.” Jacek grinned as he came to stand next to me and took my hand. “I’d like to pretend that’s always been my motto, and I would appreciate it if you all did the same.”
“That’s fair.” I smashed my smile into his shoulder as I leaned into him. “The kids?”
“Are fine,” he assured me.
Brimstone touched the air seconds before the devil himself appeared on the other side of Jacek, already cursing up an impressive storm.
“Three days,” Luc shouted to us even though we wereright here. “Who has birthday parties for three days? And dear old Dad insists I’m there for most of it and then complains I didn’t buy Jesus a gift? The guy already reeks of myrrh and frankincense, and goes around telling everyone he’s not a fan of gold, but secretly...he lies.” His sapphire eyes widened when he realized we had company, the naked variety wrapped up in Christmas lights like a festive bow.
The seven women raked their gazes down the devil’s leather-clad form and made a slow crawl back up again, biting their lips, touching their hair, dousing the air in sex.
Luc rumbled low in his chest. “Merry fucking Christmas, everyone.”
Sawyer slapped him on the back. “I think you’ve got it from here with your Krampus problem. We’re going home.”
My vampires turned to leave, but I wriggled my hand free from Jacek’s instead of following.
“A word of advice,” I said to Luc with my back turned to the swans so they wouldn’t hear. “They hate rings, so no talk of marriage unlesstheybring it up, got it?”
Somehow, he managed to tear his gaze from them long enough to smile genuinely down at me. “I learned that lesson from the best, but if you ever want to join in, you know you’re more than welcome.”
I shook my head. “Not going to happen. I only do vampires, and I don’t share.” My vampires stopped a few feet away and looked back, the snow falling around them making them look like something out of a dream. “But I do love those who will share me.”
The snow in Luc’s hair made it twinkle like diamonds. He took a breath and exhaled, seeming more at peace in this moment than I’d ever seen him, like he’d finally come to terms with our separate situations. “Then until we meet again, Belle Harrison.”
I glanced back at the seven swans and waved. “Something tells me you’re about to forget I even exist.”
“Never.” He stuck his hand out, a formal gesture but not with him. “Thank you, Belle.”
I took his hand and squeezed tightly. “You’re welcome. If you ever need my help with Krampus again, don’t.”
His chuckle warmed my back as I turned away and crossed to where my loves were waiting.
“Before we head home...” Eddie dug in his pants pocket and fished out a blue-striped hat with a pompom on it. “Think we can deliver this first?”
I smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek, watching how his eyes lit up with the Christmas lights behind us. “I think we can.”
Jacek nudged my shoulder. “Was this Christmas everything you hoped it would be?”
