23. Mel

CHAPTER 23

MEL

S unlight stabs through my eyelids. My neck cramps from sleeping at an odd angle on Mom's ancient floral couch. The clock on the mantle reads 6:43 AM.

"Krampus?" My voice echoes through the empty house.

No answer. My stomach twists.

The news notification on my phone catches my eye. I tap it with trembling fingers.

"brEAKING: Massive explosion rocks downtown business district. Ayl-Lean corporate headquarters completely destroyed in an apparent fireworks mishap."

The article shows photos of smoking rubble where the building used to be. Fire crews still battle hot spots in the wreckage.

"Local authorities suspect illegal fireworks storage led to a catastrophic chain reaction..."

My throat tightens. The rest of the words blur together.

I scroll through every news site I can find. Nothing about a seven-foot blue alien. No mentions of strange creatures. Just theories about illegal fireworks and structural damage.

"Come on, you big blue idiot. Where are you?"

The silence mocks me. He should have been back by now. The knot in my stomach grows heavier.

What if he didn't make it out? What if he's buried under all that rubble?

My fingers hover over the phone, wanting to call someone, anyone. But who would believe me?

The morning sun streams through the windows, casting long shadows across the floor. Everything looks so normal, so ordinary. Like last night never happened.

But the ache in my chest tells me something different. He has to be okay. He has to come back.

Doesn't he?

The front door creaks open. My heart stops.

There he stands, silhouetted against the morning light. His blue fur matted with debris, but otherwise unharmed.

"You..." The word catches in my throat.

I launch myself across the room, nearly tripping over my own feet. His arms wrap around me, solid and real and alive. My fingers dig into his fur as I pull his face down to mine.

His lips meet mine with desperate intensity. He tastes like smoke and something alien and uniquely him. Tears stream down my face, but I don't care.

"Mommy? Krampus!" Sam's sleepy voice calls from the hallway.

The patter of small feet races toward us. Sam crashes into our legs, arms stretching wide to hug us both.

Krampus lifts us both off the ground in one smooth motion, holding us close against his chest. His heartbeat thunders beneath my ear - strong, steady, alive.

"Don't you ever leave us again." My voice breaks on the words.

"Never." His deep rumble vibrates through me. "You are my family now. Where you go, I go. Always."

Sam giggles as his fur tickles her face. "Promise?"

"I swear it on all the stars in the galaxy, little one."

The scent of maple syrup and sizzling sausage pulls me from sleep. My eyes snap open to find the couch empty beside me. Clattering sounds echo from the kitchen.

"No, the spatula goes under like this." Sam's voice drifts out. "See?"

"Ah, now I understand. Human cooking implements are so primitive."

I peek around the corner. Krampus towers over my stove, wearing my 'Kiss the Cook' apron that barely covers his chest. Sam perches on the counter, supervising his pancake-flipping technique.

Mom and Dad shuffle in, drawn by the breakfast smells. Their eyes widened at Krampus' human disguise.

"Good morning," Krampus booms. "I hope everyone likes their eggs over easy."

"That smells amazing." Mom accepts a heaping plate.

Sam bounces in her chair. "Can we open presents now?"

"Breakfast first, sweetie." I dig into perfectly fluffy pancakes.

The new kitten - Sam named her Starlight - weaves between our feet, begging for scraps. Dad sneaks her a piece of sausage when he thinks I'm not looking.

Wrapping paper flies as Sam tears into her gifts. Starlight pounces on every ribbon, tangling herself in a sparkly mess. Sam's delighted giggles fill the room.

A warm hand engulfs mine. I look up to find Krampus watching me, his disguised features softened with an emotion that makes my breath catch. His thumb traces circles on my palm.

The love in his eyes steals my words away. My heart swells until I think it might burst. How did this creature from across the galaxy become everything I never knew I needed?

Dad leans back in his armchair, coffee cup balanced on his knee. "So, Kevin, tell me more about your time as quarterback for the Patriots."

My stomach drops. We never discussed a cover story.

"And you mentioned earlier you were a doctor?" Dad's eyes narrow behind his reading glasses. "And a lawyer?"

Krampus sets his coffee down. "Actually, I lied. I am none of those things."

"Ha!" Dad's triumphant bark makes me flinch. "I knew it. Too good to be true. No one's that accomplished."

"You're right." Krampus reaches for his wrist. "I should be honest with my future in-laws."

The image inducer clicks off. Blue fur ripples into view, horns sprouting from his head. My parents freeze, coffee cups suspended halfway to their mouths.

"I am actually an alien from the future," Krampus announces. "Since you're going to be my father-in-law, it's far more convenient for you to know the truth."

My brain screeches to a halt. "Wait a minute." I spring up from the couch. "I don't remember you asking me to marry you."

The silence stretches as everyone stares at me. Even Sam stops playing with her new dollhouse to watch.

"Well?" I plant my hands on my hips. "When exactly were you planning to discuss this with me?"

"We discussed this when we first met." Krampus crosses his massive arms. "You are my mate."

"That's not how this works." My cheeks burn under everyone's stares. "You can't just declare someone your mate and expect them to go along with it. That's not a marriage proposal."

"What more do you require?" His brow furrows. "I have proven my devotion through combat and provided sustenance."

"Do you even have a ring?" The words burst out before I can stop them.

Tiny feet patter across the floor as Sam races to Krampus' side. She tugs on his fur until he bends down, then presses something into his massive palm.

My heart stutters as I recognize the plastic princess ring from her dress-up box. The tiny pink heart gleams under the Christmas lights.

"There, now you've got a ring to give Mommy." Sam beams up at him. "Please will you marry Krampus, Mom? Please? You both love each other an awful lot and I want him to be my Daddy."

The room spins. My daughter's hopeful face, my parents' shocked expressions, and Krampus holding that ridiculous plastic ring blur together. This can't be happening. Not like this. Not with everyone watching.

"Samantha," Krampus says. "Don't you want to meet your real Daddy before you decide?"

"No, you ARE my real Daddy," Sam says. "My space daddy."

"Yes." The word slips out before I can stop it.

"What?" Krampus' blue fur bristles in surprise.

My heart pounds against my ribs, but I stand my ground. "Yes, I'll marry you."

Sam squeals with delight as Krampus sweeps me into his arms. His lips crash into mine, and the world falls away. The plastic princess ring digs into my palm where he's still holding my hand, but I don't care. All that matters is this moment, this kiss, this impossible love that crossed galaxies to find me.

A thud snaps me back to reality.

Oh God. My parents.

I break away from Krampus just in time to see Mom slump sideways in her chair. Dad's already sprawled on the floor, his coffee cup rolling across the carpet.

"Are they dead?" Sam pokes Dad's shoulder with her toe.

"No sweetie, they just fainted." I press my fingers to Mom's neck, checking her pulse. Strong and steady. "I guess seeing Krampus' real form was a bit too much for them."

"Should I get the smelling salts?" Krampus asks.

"We don't have any smelling salts. This isn't the Victorian era." I run my hands through my hair. "Though honestly, the way they're always going on about proper courtship, maybe we should."

"Perhaps I should have maintained my human disguise longer." Krampus scratches behind his horns. "Your Earth customs are still confusing to me."

"No." I take his massive hand in mine, admiring how the tiny pink plastic ring sparkles against his blue fur. "This is exactly how it should be. No more pretending. No more hiding who we are or what we mean to each other."

Sam wraps her arms around both our legs. "Does this mean we get to have a space wedding?"

"First," I say, "we need to figure out what to do about your grandparents when they wake up."