Page 7 of Dreaming of an Earth Christmas

“There were reports of one that lived in this territory when I worked at the site,” Marta said, holding back the grumble she was tempted to release. She’d noticed that now the guard was standing a little closer to her, as if he’d been just as disturbed by the ghastly screech as she had.

The man’s crown feathers flicked up and wavered before they fell. “Who would chase after a j’vinka?”

Loud crashing noises had them both snapping their heads to the left, but a bark of triumphant, masculine laughter had her feeling almost boneless with relief. She grabbed onto the guard again, and was doubly glad she had when her mate smashed through the foliage, wielding his long blade like a machete. His colorful wings were lifted up behind him, but as he drew closer to the trail, she noticed something that had her adrenaline surging all over again. He was pulling something behind him. Something that looked suspiciously like a very, very large dog crate.

Marta heard the pained hiss from the guard at her side and quickly removed her hand from his arm. The poor man would have marks on his scales from her fingernails.

“L’allith, what’s that?” she asked. She already knew the answer to the question, but she needed to hear it from his mouth, just to make sure this whole incident wasn’t one big hallucination from too much time beneath the hot Xithilene sun. Maybe she’d wake up and find herself napping on the big bed in their cabin on the beach. Yes, that would be ideal.

“Our j’vinka!” L’allith announced proudly.

No. Not sleeping. “What are we going to do with it?” she asked.

L’allith laughed again, this time with a relaxed hissing rasp. “Bring our friend with us to Verkissat.”

He looked back fondly at the deadly looking creature in the human-sized cage. Wings only slightly smaller than L’allith’s were stretched out in display, and its green feathered lion’s body rippled with powerful muscle. That snout was more jackal-like than feline, but from the intelligence in the animal’s glowing red eyes, she had no doubt that it was as clever as any big cat from Earth.

“Is that safe?” she asked, wondering how such a large, predatory animal was supposed to fit in their flyer, cage and all.

“Of course. We’ll sedate him for the journey, but Sseith has assured me he already has one of the groves at the temple adapted for his stay in Verkissat. Once he’s played his part in the Christmas celebration, we’ll make sure he’s returned safely to the forest,” L’allith answered.

“Verkissat?” That was the only word the guard beside her seemed able to manage. He was watching the j’vinka in the cage with wide eyes, his dark jade crown feathers completely extended around his face in alarm.

“Yes, Verkissat,” repeated L’allith with a pleased vocalization in his throat. “We have it from here,” he told the guard with a dismissive glance. “Come here, Marta. You should say hello to our old friend.” He motioned towards the j’vinka as he deactivated the hover on the cage and it lowered to the ground.

The j’vinka tilted its head to the side and regarded her with its demon red eyes. It gave a lazy flap of its wings, and then sat down on its haunches before settling down and curling in on itself like a giant winged dog.

“Hi, big guy,” she called softly, not wanting to disturb the animal while he was calm. She glanced back at her mate. “Do I even want to ask what a j’vinka has to do with Christmas?”

L’allith’s wings and crown feathers lifted as if he were slightly insulted. “Have I ever disappointed you before?” he asked.

“Well, no, not really,” she admitted with a reluctant grin.

“You’re going to just have to wait and see if you’re unable to guess. Like I told you before—it’s a Christmas surprise,” he replied.

Marta walked over to her mate. The guard had fled the scene while they’d been talking, and now they were all alone again—besides their giant feathered friend. “I can’t wait to find out,” she said, and then she cupped his cheek with her hand and found herself swaying forward, drinking in the heady and verdant scent of her man mixed with the lush undergrowth of the forest, and she pressed her mouth over his. The world faded away at the touch of his lips, at the glide of his tongue, and not even the steely stare of a j’vinka could distract her any longer.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

ALICE

Alice was practically whisperinginto her comm device as she spoke to Kat. Daniel was finally asleep, nestled into his hover hammock/bassinet hybrid. She would’ve thought all of the alien tech here would be enough to keep a sleeping baby calm, but Daniel never stayed down for long yet. The touted body heat replicator and heartbeat tones didn’t seem to work on their baby. If he wasn’t in either her or T’kalinth’s arms, the little guy never seemed to sleep longer than an hour at a time.

“I don’t know how long I’ll be able to talk,” she said, “but I’m going to contact Bethenny and see if she and J’cinth can pick up a few things from home before they head back to Verkissat this time. I was hoping for a baby’s first Christmas ornament and maybe even a real Christmas tree.”

“Oh, that’d be wonderful. Carlie was telling me that Sseith was planning to bring something to use as a tree, but she said it just wasn’t the same as an evergreen. She said that nothing he’s found so far smells the same as pine either,” replied Kat.

“Is there anything I should request for you? I know you and V’esthiss are able to return more frequently than most, but I don’t mind asking Bethenny if there’s something you’d really like.”

There was a short pause, and she heard Kat sigh. “I can’t think of anything right now. I’m looking forward to seeing you and the baby. We were still aboard theClawwhen you had him, and I don’t think I’ve seen you in person since back when you were only a few months along.”

“My world has definitely changed. I’m looking forward to catching up, and I know T’kalinth will enjoy chatting with V’esthiss—and K’thiss,” she added. “I was planning to do some holiday baking for the gathering. There isn’t much time left, but send me a comm if you have any special requests.”

“I will, but don’t work too hard. Enjoy that baby—we’ll see you in two days!”

Kat ended the comm, and Alice swiped off the screen on her own device. Daniel stirred slightly, but she released her held breath when he settled again. Two days and then it’d be Christmas Eve. It just wasn’t enough time. She hadn’t been down to the restaurant much since Daniel had been born, and when she had, her employees had shooed her out of the kitchen. They took parental leave seriously on Xithilene.

Unfortunately, T’kalinth had been out of the apartment more than usual since they’d received the invitation for Kat’s two-day Christmas gathering. She’d had pretty much no freetime, so actually making her promised baked goods had been put on hold. It was practically impossible to bake cookies without burning a few pans with a fussy newborn for distraction. Alice stood up and started to tiptoe towards their personal kitchen in the apartment. She’d almost made it to the main counter when she heard his shrill little cry.Foiled again.What was it going to take for her to get anything done around here?

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