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“What the hell are you…?”
“What that old bastard, Teagon is trying to tell you, Liam Archer,” Krampus said my name like it tasted bad while correcting my assumption that he and my Dragon King didnotknow one another. “Is that when the one who wields the Magic of the Christmas Star – also known as the Hope of the World is joined with the Dragon of Light – her one True Fated Mate – who controls the Faith of the World, together they hold the key to the Love and Compassion of the World. Until now, it always went to one of you sappy, do-gooders. However, once I take it, I will be able to destroy – rather than nurture like you idiots would do – the Fate of the World, the Universe and all living beings by taking their Hope, destroying their Faith and leaving them without Love and Compassion for themselves and one another.”
“Son of a…” Ella and I breathed in unison.
“Yes,” Krampus nodded, a condescending look on his face that made my knuckles itch with the need to punch it right off his face. “Son of a bitch is the appropriate response from your point of view.” Taking a step forward before stopping at an angle so he could look at Ella and I at the same time, the Goat Demon crossed his arms over his rather broad chest and goaded, “But for me, this isabsolute perfection. A ‘way to go, Krampus’ moment, if you will.”
Batting the air with the fingers of one hand, he added with a grin and a wink, “Now, if you would just get a little closer to your beautiful Mate, Mr. Archer, or take hold of her hand. That would be even better. Either way…” he nodded. “As long as her Magic reaches for yours, I can make this quick and painless.”
“And if I don’t? Won’t? Or refuse?”
“Then I’ll be forced to kill you both very slowly making sure you feel every single prick and poke and rip and tear of my talons while screaming in pain during every second of excruciating agony as the venom that courses through my veins destroys and consumes every cell that makes you who you are…”
Pausing for effect, because that’s what assholes do, Krampus leveled his gaze, forced the flames of hellfire to flash in his eyes while his thin, bloodless lips curled into a snide smirk and he nodded his grotesque head with a confidence that I swear made me want to rip him limb from limb.
Then he kept going, and I shook with a rage unlike anything I’d ever known. It took all my considerable control to stand where I was and not fly across the room and rip his head off his neck.
“But what will really hurt… What will eat away at your soul for all time… What will keep you awake even when you’re dead and your soul is supposed to be at rest in the Heavens… What will haunt you for all eternity and then some… Will be the sight of watching it all happen to your little Mate, the one and only, Ella Brown, the cute, little curvy Witch you’ve been pining over for years. Knowing that there was nothing you could do… That you were beaten by the powers of the dark, and of evil, and of the almighty Krampus!”
“Oh, fuck no, he won’t” Chris and Mick roared, flying into the cavern, the swords of their Dragon Kings aimed at Krampus’ heart as the scales of their Warrior Dragons glowed like the Flames of the Almighty Universe.
The deafening roar of the Goat Demon coupled with the squeal and hiss of his thousands of spider soldiers only added to the chaos breaking out all around me. There was no doubt in my mind that Mick and Chris could keep Krampus busy as my single-minded focus became all about saving Ella and leaving the pain in the ass Goat Demon to my younger brothers.
Swinging my blade, cutting the acrid arachnids into pieces as fast as I could, stepping over wiggling body parts and scampering disembodied legs, I refused to give up. Step by step, swing by swing, I cut a path towards my Mate, roaring, “Use your Magic, Ella. Blast those little fuckers to hell. Light their asses on fire!”
“Why does everyone keep saying that? Don’t you think I would if I could?”
“Oh!” Was all I could say, promising myself to apologize for asking what I realized in that moment was a really stupid question.
“Don’t!” Ella screamed.
Snapping my head to the side to see why my wonderful Witch was screaming past me, even more upset about what was happening behind my back than the thousand or so spiders trying to eat her alive, I was proud to see the points of Mick and Chris’ blades at Krampus’ neck. My little brothers had everything under control. Kicking ass and taking names in true Archer Dragon style.
Then Ella screamed, “He can’t be killed! Krampus. Can. Not. Die. Light has to have Dark to survive. It’s the Great Balance. It’s the number one law of the Universe, the Great Goddess and all the Powers That Be! Do. Not. Kill. Him!”
Just to be sure they were listening, I roared, “Don’t kill the bastard!”
Eyes flying back to my Mate’s, I barely had time to return the Sword of Light to the ether from whence it came before I was throwing my arms open wide and catching Ella as she launched herself into the air.
“Kiss me, Liam! Kiss me like the world depends on it,because it does!” She demanded as the tips of my fingers touched her silky skin and the electricity of our connection lit me up like every Christmas light on every house all over the whole wonderful world.
Arms wrapping around her waist, her legs wrapping around my hips, our lips met in the most perfect of embraces.“Open your heart and soul to me as I have opened mine to you,”Ella’s sweet voice whispered through my mind.
Doing the one thing I’d always dreamed of doing but had feared might never happen, I kissed my Mate with every ounce of love and adoration that had occupied my heart and soul for as long as I could remember. Holding nothing back, not one thought, not one secret, not one heartbeat, not even the smallest corner of my soul where I dared not look, I followed Ella’s lead into what could only be described as all-encompassing, everlasting, perfect paradise.
From one second to the next, Ella and I truly became one. It was just like every damned book, every quote, every scripture, every word from the Ancients my Grandad and the Elders made me read -but so much better. I could feel her everywhere, I knew what she was thinking, her dreams, her regrets, her hopes, her sorrows, simplyeverythingthat Ella Brown was became a part of me just as I became a part of her.
The lightness to my darkness, the soft to my hard, the uplifting of hope to my stark belief in reality. Ella was my perfect complement. I was whole for the first time in my very long life.
Way too soon for my liking, my gorgeous Witch pulled away, slid down my body and grabbed my hand. Eyes meeting mine, she ordered directly into my mind,“Say the words with me.”
And I did. With no clue where they’d come from, how I knew they were there, or when they’d been written on my soul, I spoke every syllable with the utter belief in Ella, our Mating, and what we were together. There was no doubt in my mind, I would follow her anywhere – to the ends of the Earth and then some. As long as Ella Brown-Archer was there – that’s where I would be found.
“We are the Guardians of Faith, Hope, and Love. Together always. One in body, heart and soul. The Dragon of Light and the Keeper of the Christmas Star destined to be together, the couple to lead the world from darkness, to renew the belief of all living creatures in what goodness can come from goodwill and compassion for others. Today we send you, the antithesis of all we believe in back to Hell. Never to die, only to know torture, to relive the pain and torment you have heaved upon countless others, may you toil and suffer forever and ever.”
Lifting our joined hands, still looking deep into my eyes, Ella whispered, “For our love is one for the ages, and your hate is no longer welcome here.”
Flying backward as if he’d been kicked by some incredible invisible force, Krampus’ arms stretched longer and wider than I knew possible. His talons dug into the rock wall, cutting through the rock, his black blood flowing down the stone as he scrambled for purchase. The bastard wasn’t going down without a fight, but he was nothing compared to the love and faith Ella and I had in one another – in what we were together.
