Read Hellebore’s Holiday for Free Online Page A

angry, and when he jerked slightly, she could feel the bindings that were around him. He may have wanted to try to leave via her car, but he wasn’t going anywhere.
    Santa gestured for her to make her farewells. She shook Rown’s hand, thanking him for the repairs. She kissed Neer on the cheek for his help in contacting the outside world.
    When it came to Fetu Larsen, she stood in front of him and went up on her toes, kissing him on the lips. “If you get out in a decade and don’t mind wrinkles, give me a call.”
    He touched her cheek. “You will always look the same to me, no matter how your body changes.”
    She smiled and leaned into his touch. “And you will always warm me, whether we are in contact or not.”
    “Does that mean…”
    “Take it as you like.” She blushed and did a verifying head count before she zipped up her coat and got into her car.
    Santa nodded, and Hellebore started her engine, aiming for the ball of light on the edge of the town. She waved a final farewell, and her car rolled forward, sliding through the light with ease and it deposited her on a snow-covered road. She was right where she had been when she left.
    “Damn. Well back to the house.”
    Carefully driving around, she managed to get herself back into the drive of the Anders’ family farm and parked in her spot. She plugged the car in and got out, grabbing her bag from the trunk and knocking on her mother’s front door.
    The moment that the door opened, all the smells of Christmas rushed out to wrap her in their comfort. Her mother shrieked in delight and hugged her tightly, kissing her frantically with tiny pecks. “I was so worried, Bells.”
    Her father was waiting for his wife to let her go. Finally, he cleared his throat, and Hellebore rushed to hug John Anders in all his stoic glory. “We were worried, Bells. If your friends hadn’t kept in touch, we might have wandered into panic.”
    “I was in good hands.” She sniffled as she hugged her dad back with all her strength. He grunted and enjoyed knowing that his daughter was safe. She could feel it in his arms.
    Her father didn’t speak much, couldn’t speak much with Hellebore and Amaryllis around, but he spoke so much without words that there was nothing they didn’t understand when he gave them so much as the smallest look. It was a magic all its own.
    Her mother smiled and wiped at tears. “Christmas lunch is ready, and then, we have gifts to open. Your friends are arriving tomorrow to check on you.”
    Hellebore blinked. “They are coming here?”
    “Yes, a nice young woman named Abby said they were coming to check on you. I am making a nice lunch and laying out a fruit platter.” Amaryllis smiled. “Was I actually talking to the Nexus?”
    “You were. She’s sweet and her guards are amazing. Cousin Laura is one of them.” Hellebore grinned. “I am grabbing a shower and changing. Some asshole shredded all of my clothing.”
    Her mother looked concerned, but Hellebore went to her room and changed into clothes that were a little more snow friendly.
    The sweatshirt wrapped around her like an old friend, and she sighed in relief. The winds of the plains were battering at the house, but it was a familiar song that Hellebore wanted to sing with.
    The urge built in her until she couldn’t stand it.
    “Mom, Dad. I am going out to sing to the storm before lunch, I will be back as soon as I can.”
    Her mom nodded. “I am guessing that the last few weeks have been a lot of whistling and no songs.”
    “Something like that.” She kissed both of her parents. “I will be on the roof. Listen. This one is going to be amazing.”
    She wrapped herself in her parka and headed into the snow. She hummed the song that had begun during her stretch as a reindeer, and the moment she finished climbing the ladder to her widow’s walk, she started to sing.
    The instant she stood upright on the platform her father had built for just this sort of moment, she searched for