19. Mel

CHAPTER 19

MEL

S am's head droops against Krampus's shoulder as he carries her up the stairs. Her blonde curls spill over his blue fur, and my heart does a little flip at the sight.

"Right here." I pull back her unicorn covers. "Easy does it."

"Your offspring weighs less than my smallest weapon." He sets her down with surprising gentleness.

Down in the kitchen, the coffee maker gurgles to life. "I still can't believe you ate three whole pizzas."

"The small human was correct. That establishment makes superior sustenance."

"And you were amazing with her friends. The way you played along with their pageant..."

"They cast me as the monster. It felt... appropriate."

"Hey." I reach across the table and touch his hand. His fur tickles my palm. "You're not a monster. You saved Christmas for those kids today."

"Perhaps Earth customs are growing on me." His golden eyes meet mine. "Or perhaps it's the company."

The coffee grows cold as we talk. About Sam's performance, about his life before cryo, about everything and nothing. His deep laugh fills the kitchen when I tell him about my own pageant disaster at age eight.

How is it possible that this alien criminal understands me better than any man I've dated? The wrapped package upstairs burns in my thoughts. I hope he likes what I got him...

A high-pitched whine cuts through the air. Krampus's ears prick up and he's on his feet in an instant.

"The perimeter defense system." He pulls a wicked-looking weapon from somewhere in his fur. "Hide. Now."

"But Sam-"

"I'll protect the small one. Go!"

The whine turns into a screech as the death ray powers up on my roof. Because apparently that's my life now - death rays and alien boyfriends.

Wait, did I just think of him as my boyfriend?

"Move!" Krampus shoves me toward the pantry just as the first blast hits.

The pantry shelves dig into my back as explosions rock the house. Krampus's battle roar drowns out even the whine of energy weapons. My hands shake as I grip the can of green beans like it's going to protect me somehow.

The sounds of combat move across the kitchen, then through the sliding door. Each blast lights up the gaps around the pantry door like strobes at a nightclub. The fight moves further away until I can barely hear it.

My legs feel like jelly as I ease the door open. The kitchen's a disaster - scorch marks on the walls, broken dishes everywhere. Through the shattered sliding door, craters dot my backyard like some kind of alien crop circles. The grass is still smoking.

No sign of Krampus. Or the grolgath. Just destruction as far as I can see in the dark.

"Mom!"

Sam's terrified scream from upstairs turns my blood to ice. I bolt for the stairs, taking them two at a time, my heart threatening to burst through my chest.

I burst into Sam's room and freeze. Gregor dangles my daughter by her unicorn pajamas, her feet kicking wildly in the air. His human disguise flickers, revealing patches of grey scaly skin beneath.

"Put me down you big meanie!" Sam's tiny fists pummel the air.

Gregor's lips curl into an amused smirk. "Such spirit. Just like your mother."

"Let her go!" My voice comes out as a strangled whisper.

"Now, now. No need for dramatics." His image inducer stabilizes, showing his familiar human face. "I'm just here to take you both to Santa's workshop, little one."

My nails dig into my palms. "Give me my daughter."

To my surprise, he complies, lowering Sam to the floor. She runs to me, wrapping her arms around my legs. I pull her close, my heart hammering against my ribs.

Gregor's coat falls open. The weapon strapped to his chest pulses with an eerie purple glow. My stomach drops - I've seen what those things can do to concrete walls.

"There's a car waiting for us outside." His voice turns silky smooth, like he's discussing a business lunch instead of kidnapping. "Let's keep things civil, shall we?"

Sam's fingers dig into mine as we walk down the driveway. The purple glow from Gregor's weapon bathes everything in an eerie light. My shoes crunch on frozen grass, each step taking us closer to the sleek black limo idling at the curb.

"Krampus will come for us." The words slip out before I can stop them.

Gregor's laugh sounds like rocks in a garbage disposal. "Oh, I'm counting on it."

"What?"

"Did you think this was about you?" His image inducer flickers again, scales glinting beneath. "A mere human secretary? Please. You're just the bait in our trap."

The truth hits me like a punch to the gut. All those months working for him, thinking I was special enough to be trusted with alien secrets. But I was never anything but a tool.

"You should have taken my offer earlier, Melanie." Gregor opens the limo door with a flourish. "Things could have been so much simpler."

Sam climbs in first, her unicorn pajamas glowing under the interior lights. I follow, my heart pounding against my ribs. The leather seat feels cold through my thin clothes.

The door clicks shut with the finality of a coffin lid.

The limo pulls away from the curb, its engine purring like a contented cat. Sam squirms off my lap and Gregor jerks back, his hand tightening on his weapon.

"Relax. She just wants to see the Christmas lights."

Through the tinted windows, multicolored displays paint the night in festive hues. The Hendersons' inflatable snowman waves at us as we pass.

"I fail to understand the fascination." Gregor's lip curls. "They're merely illuminated diodes. Not particularly bright ones at that."

Sam presses her nose against the window, her breath fogging the glass. "You're only looking with your eyes, Mr. Gregor. You gotta look with your heart too."

His laugh sounds like metal scraping concrete. "My species doesn't possess hearts, child."

Before I can stop her, Sam scrambles across the limo. She places one tiny hand on her chest, then presses the other against Gregor's suit jacket.

"What are you doing?" His scales ripple beneath the flickering human disguise.

"I'm giving you some of my heart so you'll be nicer." Sam's face scrunches in concentration. "And like looking at Christmas lights."

The limo falls silent except for the soft hum of the engine. My daughter's tiny hand rests against Gregor's chest, her face serious with concentration. His scales shimmer beneath the flickering human disguise as he stares at her with an expression I've never seen on his face before.

"Maybe there is more to Christmas than I originally thought," Gregor says, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sam beams up at him, her blue eyes sparkling in the passing Christmas lights. "Everybody thinks Christmas is about getting presents and lights and stuff." She settles back against the leather seat. "But it's really about being nice to people, especially your family. Sometimes you even have to be stupid snowflake number four so your mom can take pictures."

My throat tightens at her words. Last week's school pageant flashes through my mind - Sam in her cardboard snowflake costume, waving from the back row with such joy despite not getting a speaking part.

Gregor shakes his head slowly, the weapon in his lap forgotten.

"A mere child understands Ataxia's message of love more than I ever will," he whispers.

The familiar streets of our neighborhood blur past the window as my boss - my alien boss - looks at my daughter like she's just explained the mysteries of the universe. And maybe she has, in her own eight-year-old way.

Gregor barks something harsh and guttural to the driver. The alien language makes the hair on my neck stand up. I pull Sam closer, breathing in the familiar scent of her strawberry shampoo. Please let us get out of this alive. Please let Krampus find us.

The limo glides through the dark streets. Sam's tiny hand finds mine, squeezing tight. Each turn feels like we're getting further from home, until the car slows to a stop.

"Get out." Gregor's voice holds none of the warmth from moments ago.

My hands shake as I reach for the door handle. The cold night air hits my face, and I blink in confusion. We're back in my driveway. The Christmas lights still twinkle, the craters in my yard still smoking from the earlier battle.

"Tell Krampus he is a criminal and I cannot let him go free." Gregor's scales ripple beneath his human disguise. "But you and your offspring have nothing to fear from me, Melanie."

His gaze shifts to Sam, and something almost gentle crosses his alien features. "And you, little one. Thank you."

The limo purrs away into the darkness, leaving me staring after it with my mouth hanging open.

My fingers shake as I dial my parents' number. The phone rings three times before Mom answers.

"I need you to watch Sam tonight."

"Melinda, after what happened-"

"Mom, please. I know what you saw was... weird. But I need you to trust me right now."

"That monster-"

"Is the man I love." The words tumble out before I can stop them. My heart pounds against my ribs as the truth of it hits me. "And he's in trouble."

Silence stretches across the line. I press my forehead against the cool window glass, watching Christmas lights twinkle across the neighborhood.

"Please, Mom. I've never asked you for anything like this before."

"We'll be there in ten minutes."

I rush upstairs to Sam's room, where she's already pulling on her winter boots.

"You're going to save Krampus, aren't you?"

"Yeah, baby. I am."

She throws her arms around my waist. "Good. He needs somebody to love him."

My parents arrive in record time. Dad doesn't meet my eyes, but Mom pulls me into a fierce hug.

"Be careful," she whispers. "Whatever that creature is-"

"His name is Krampus. And he's not a creature, he's..." I swallow hard. "He's everything I never knew I needed."

The truth of those words settles into my bones. All those years of failed relationships, of trying to find the perfect man. And here he was, blue fur and all, breaking out of a cryo pod in my office basement.

I grab my coat and keys. The Christmas lights blur as tears fill my eyes.

"I have to find him. I have to tell him..."

Mom squeezes my hand. "Then go."

I race out into the night, my breath frosting in the air. Somewhere out there, Krampus is fighting my battles, protecting me and Sam. Now it's my turn to protect him.

All I need is one more Christmas miracle.