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Chapter Seven
“Three days,” I pretended to whine, having to hide my face behind my favorite pillow and peek over the top so Liam wouldn’t see me barely holding back my giggle. “It’s been three days since we got back, and Dr. Bombay said I was okay. I sat for hours while his blasted Magical Healing Machine poked and prodded and sucked that nasty Krampus-voodoo-crap outta my veins, my muscles, my everything. I am better than a hundred percent – I’ve been Bombay-er-cized, Baby. Even before that, I did that perfect, one-legged swan dive right into your arms. It was good, right? Better than good, it was great. Why can’t we get going? I want to show you Snowcap Peak, Christmas Mountain, and the Crystal Forest. Santa said it’s okay. Why won’t you? Please, Liam, please, can we go?”
“You know I already had an up close and personal experience with the Christmas Forest and… We still have time,” my overprotective and very attentive Dragon answered, appearing in the doorway with a tray of coffee. Inhaling deeply, I could tell he’d made it just the way I liked it. “I understand that the Doctor of all Witches is the best of the best of the best, but I think you need a little more rest, relaxation, and recuperation.” Giving me that special smile – the one I knew was just for me with those amazing dimples – my Dragon winked, “Besides. I like takin’ care of you.”
(Have I mentioned that Liam is wonderful with a capital W? Well, he is.)
Extra cream, five shots of sugar-free vanilla, two cinnamon sticks and a mountain of whipped cream on top – my man already knew what I liked. Now, if he’d just give into my charms and do what I wanted.
“So,no,I am not just going to give in,” Liam answered my thoughts. Tapping his temple as he set the tray on the table. “Still gettin’ used to sharing a brain with me?” He chuckled, the sound making me think I could fly without my broomorhis wings.
“Oh, no way!” Edgar gleefully chimed in from the miniature red leather recliner my Dragon and his brothers whipped up for him after I inadvertently left the one-thousand-three-hundred-and forty-seven-year-old Christmas Elf in the ‘dungeon where the Krampus was trying to kill us’ and Mick had to bring my frumpier and frownier than usual Familiar back to me. “Ella’s used to having only half a brain. Actually, I tell a lie. Having half a brain is an upgrade for my loving Witch, who would never ever never leave me to die in a pit deep in the center of Earth’s core, almost all the way to the top Pits of Hell to be eaten by spi… eaten by spi… eaten by spi…”
“Eaten by spiders,” I snarled, throwing my favorite pillow across the room at Edgar’s grumpy face. “I’ll say it for you, Mr. Fraidy Cat. Eaten byspiders. Eaten by spiders. Eaten by spiders. Consumed by big, furry, eight-legged freaks with bunches of eyes and venomous fangs and…”
“STOP!” Edgar screamed. Covering his ears, he singsonged, “La-la-la-la-la- I’m not listening to you, Ella Stupidhead Brown. La-la-la-la-la.”
“That’s Ella Brown-Archer,” my sexy Dragon grumbled, working hard not to laugh at the crazy shitshow that was my Familiar.
“Mmm, that’s good stuff,” I hummed my approval for the perfect mug of coffee. “You are good ateverything– cooking, baking, making coffee, constructing recliners for pain-in-the-ass Elves.” Leaning forward and kissing the tip of his nose, I swooned, “Is there anything you can’t do?”
Kissing my cheek, then the tip of my nose and finally my lips, my wonderful, amazing, and terrific Mate whispered into my mind,“Yeah, and you know it, my sexy little Witch. However, I can’t – or more to the point - won’t let you go out flying around the countryside until I know you’re completely healed.”
Pulling back, even though I didn’t want to, I furrowed my brow and frowned with all my might. “Well, I never.”
“Yes, you did, and more to the point,you do– all the time,” Edgar jumped into the conversation again, gulping down the mug of peppermint hot chocolate Liam had made him. “I keep tellin’ ya’ that you’re not foolin’ anyone, but you…”
“Shut. Up. Edgar.” I growled, snapping my fingers and zapping the quilt right off his lap.
“Hey!”
“Hey, yourself,” I snapped. “Keep it up, and you’ll be staying home alone for Christmas, and no one anywhere will be making a movie about your bearded heiney.” Cuddling onto Liam, loving that he held me tight and rubbed loving little circles up and down my arms, I batted my eyes, adding, “I’ve got a new partner in crime, and as you know…”
“Yes, as you keep reminding me, and as I taught you all those years ago – it only takes two Magical Beings to pick the fermented Christmas Star Crystals.” Making a show of rolling his eyes before letting out a very loud incredibly long-suffering sigh, that kooky Christmas Elf literally laid the back of his hand on his forehead, swooned against the headrest of his recliner and in his best southern accent pretended to be Rhett Butler. “And frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn. Go on without me. A little alone time is just what I need.”
Laughing out loud, it took me a couple of extra seconds to get it together enough to giggle, “Oh my Great Goddess, you just pretended to be Rhett and Scarlett all at once. I bow to your crazy, Edgar. You’ve officially topped me in every way.”
“Good.” My frumptastic Familiar did three quick snaps of his fingers in the shape of C and sassed, “Now, magick that quilt back over my legs, stoke that fire, and fill my mug while you’re at it. Then I might forgive you for leaving me behind in that horrible hole in the ground to die a horr....”
“I did not…”
“Yes, you did.”
“No. I. Did. Not.”
“Yes, you…”
“No, she didn’t,” Liam cut in, fire flying from his fingertips, hitting the logs in the fireplace and effectively shutting my Elf right the hell up.
“I did,” my Mate adamantly announced. “I was so worried about Ella. Dr. Bombay was about to leave with her, and I didn’t want her out of my sight. It was me that forgot, Edgar. Not Ella. She would never ever never forget you. Can you ever forgive me?”
“Sure, I can,” that crafty Christmas Elf immediately answered. “If you make me a couch, armchair, and ottoman to match my recliner.”
“Deal,” Liam agreed. “Is after Christmas but before the New Year soon enough?”
“Oh, yeah,” Edgar nodded, the white ball atop his head bouncing with glee and the little gold bellching-ching-chingedright along. “Thanks, Liam. You’re the best.”
Laying my hand on my Mate’s chest, I could feel the vibrations of his barely contained laughter. Even with the crankiest, crotchetiest Christmas Elf in the whole wide world, Liam was a sweetheart. My man was a keeper. One of the true good guys. Taking the blame for Edgar getting left behindandagreeing to make the little Butthead more furniture. I mean, come on, Liam Archer was the bestest ever, right? And all I had to do was convince him that I was well enough to fly so, we could have some alone time.
