Page 1 of Dreaming of an Earth Christmas

There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays

KAT

Kat was roamingthe halls of theJ’vinka’s Claw, taking a break from her most recent project—sorting the surveillance vids taken from the protected planet Uvias-6. Learning about new planets and their varied cultures never got old. Sometimes she stopped to wonder how she’d gotten so lucky. Dream job, dream man…Kat had no complaints. She was currently on her way to fetch a cup of chocolate from the dining hall. As she glanced around at the dark jade walls of the ship, she found herself humming, the tune slightly off-key as she imagined the space hung with pine garlands and tinsel.

Strong, corded forearms wrapped low around her waist. The man’s bronze scales gleamed like hammered metal, just as they had the first time she’d seen him.

“V’esthiss,” she half purred with delight. Maybe they weren’t preparing for battle or running many military drills anymore now that theJ’vinka’s Clawhad been reclassified as a scientific research vessel, but her handsome captain of a husband still had a lot of responsibilities. Stolen hallway embraces remained infrequent enough to make her heart stutter and her cheeks grow flushed.

“My Kat, my k’lallsa.” Warm lips pressed softly against her neck before they glided against her skin to her ear. “We can go back—to Earth.”

“What?” she asked as she grabbed his forearms and attempted to turn back to look him in the eye.

V’esthiss didn’t allow her to move. “I heard that song you were humming, lady. It was from the Christmas celebration. We could still return in time to join your family as we did last year. I know you often wish to forget it, but you are a princess now, and I’m still a prince. We can do as we please—to a certain extent.”

“Believe me, I haven’t forgotten, but you know that what you’re saying isn’t true. Being part of your family just means we have more responsibilities.”

V’esthiss let out a low hissing laugh as he loosened his hold on her enough to spin her. He was displaying the sharp tips of his fangs as he flashed her that roguish grin that’d always made her body clench and her skin heat despite herself. She still couldn’t seem to control herself around her beautiful mate.

“Stop looking at me like that, k’lallsa. I wasn’t supposed to leave the bridge for long. I was only planning to get myself some chocolate,” V’esthiss told her as his yellow-green eyes dropped down to her lips. The forked tip of his tongue just barely darted between his lips and she heard a little whispery hiss of desire follow the swift movement.

Yes, it was a good thing to know that close to three years of matehood hadn’t extinguished the fire between them. She sure hadn’t grown bored yet. She smiled as she raised a hand to his face. Kat watched his eyes flutter closed as he pressed his cheek into her palm, relishing her touch.

“That’s just what I was about to do, too, k’lallsith.”Beloved one.“Why don’t you escort me?” she asked, slowly lowering her hand as she watched his face.

She loved the way he looked at her then, hungry, but still with that playful gleam of mischief in his eyes. He’d become much more relaxed over the past year since they’d taken on purely scientific missions, and he didn’t try to hide that teasing side of himself quite as much anymore.

“Gladly, lady,” he said with a deft turn of his forearm.

Kat placed her arm over his and grasped his hand. Yes, some things never changed. His arm felt just as good supporting hers as it always had.

“You’re right—I was thinking about Christmas,” she admitted with a quick glance at his face. “I was imagining what theClawwould look like decked out in garlands and lights.” She laughed at the look on his face. “Don’t worry. I was onlythinkingabout it. It’s not like we have what we need onboard to decorate the ship anyway.”

“Would you like to visit your family? There is time, but we’d need to make arrangements immediately. We can’t take theClawaway from her current mission, but one of the smaller Fleet ships could rendezvous with us—perhaps even a private vessel would be willing to make the trip.”

Kat sighed softly. “I love my family, but I was thinking maybe we should do something different this year.” Those royal responsibilities she’d mentioned to him…they hadn’t exactly been living up to expectations lately.

“You sound as if you already have something in mind,” V’esthiss said as he guided them around the last curve in the hall before they’d reach the dining hall doors.

“I was thinking we should go to the palace—to your family.”

Kat almost tripped as V’esthiss’ arm went still and he stopped moving. “To my family?” he asked, and the words came out with an inhuman raspiness.

She glanced up at him. “Yes. Maybe it’d help to share some of my culture with them. We can’t make it a public celebration, because many people on Earth don’t even celebrate Christmas or have the same religion, but in private? I’d like to see if there’s a way to blend some of our traditions.” As much as Kat loved her family, she’d known when she’d chosen V’esthiss that although they’d always be tied to both planets, Xithilene’s pull would be stronger. She couldn’t be a princess of an alien world and never spend any time there.

“My mother would be overjoyed.” V’esthiss’ voice wasn’t capable of sounding much dryer, but she ignored his underwhelming reaction to her proposal.

“It doesn’t need to be only your immediate family either. I was thinking about the others like us—couples with a human woman and a Xithilene man. I don’t know all of them well, but there are several of us now who are all linked in some way. Your old captain, T’kalinth, and his mate Alice, her sister and her mate, High Priest Sseith and Carlie—”

“And K’thiss, and High Priest L’xat—yes, there are many. You would like to invite them all to the palace for a Christmas celebration?” V’esthiss asked, looking rather like she’d suggested bringing wild animals into the house instead of inviting people who could arguably be considered some of their friends to a holiday party.

“Not just Christmas—maybe a few days beforehand, too. We’ll see, but I’d need to invite everyone now, or else there won’t be time for them to plan. Maybe it’s a stupid idea. A lot of them are probably already preparing for their own holiday celebrations.” Kat shook her head. “Never mind. I guess the thought of Christmas on the ship had me feeling a little melancholy.”

V’esthiss’ grip on her hand tightened, and he steered them towards the entrance to the dining hall as he started moving again. “No. I’m happy to assist you. Your idea surprised me, but that doesn’t mean I disapprove. Some of the other human women haven’t returned to Earth since they arrived on our planet. If you feel this way about missing only one of your Christmases, it must be much more difficult for those who have forgone such festivities for several years now.” He led them inside the large chamber where they took their meals and guided her to a seat towards the end of one of the tables. “Sit. I’ll return with our chocolate.”

Kat watched her mate stride towards the smaller kitchen area as she swung her legs beneath the bench. She wasn’t looking forward to meeting with the queen, but being together with other humans in the same boat, planning the party and the meals, and sharing everyone’s favorite carols and traditions? Suddenly Christmas was looking a whole lot merrier. Her stomach gave a little lurch as one of V’esthiss’ crewmen passed her with a respectful nod and a steaming plate of veska meat.

Kat glanced back at the kitchen doorway. It seemed to take forever before she saw V’esthiss come out again, his handsome bronze face framed by his malachite green feathers. He was carrying two cups of chocolate as he walked back to their spot at the table.

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