Caught By Her Guardian

  YULETIDE SHIFTERS

  BOOK SIX

  R. E. BUTLER

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Excerpt from Must Love Familiars

  Sable Cove Book One

  Books By R. E. Butler

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Saint Nicholas, known around the world as Santa, stood near the magical perimeter surrounding Northernmost and stared into the vast darkness. Snow swirled in the biting wind, and he exhaled, his breath disappearing into the night. Overhead, stars glittered like diamonds and the Northern Lights danced and played. It was serene and beautiful, but there was nothing serene about the worry that churned in his gut.

  It was almost solstice.

  The longest night of the year, when his brother—Angel, who was Jack Frost—would be his most powerful and cast his ice and snow around the world.

  For years they’d played a game of his brother trying to kill him so he could take over the position of Santa. It wasn’t that his brother wanted to deliver gifts to children or oversee elves making toys.

  It was far more sinister. He wanted control of the Well of Magic, where the magical people of the world and other realms came to replenish their magic. His brother had been good once, living up to his Angel namesake. And then Saint, the eldest Nicholas, had taken over as Santa. As next in line, Angel took on the mantle of Jack Frost. They were supposed to work together: one the bringer of winter and the other the bringer of joy to children everywhere. But Angel was egotistical and arrogant and tried to kill Saint.

  Saint had kicked his brother out of Northernmost ages ago, protecting the town and the Well with magic to keep his brother and anyone with evil intentions out.

  That didn’t stop him from trying to get to Saint, though.

  Battles had been fought, lives had been lost.

  Angel abducted magical people and took their magic, often turning them into one of his evil followers. He’d attacked the town, the Portal that was the only entrance into Northernmost, and magical people around the world in his effort to take over the Well so he could turn it to evil and infect every magic user.

  They’d both lost their precious mates to the fighting, but that had only solidified Angel’s maniacal behavior.

  Just recently, he’d abducted a witch, taken her magic, and attempted to use her to take out one of the shifters and his powerful witch mate who worked for Saint at the North Pole. It was not the most diabolical thing Angel had ever done, but it was up there.

  He stared at the Northern Lights and then lowered his gaze. His brother’s lair was out there, underground, filled with evil followers with a deranged warlock guiding them to do horrible things.

  He’d genuinely had enough.

  Enough fighting, enough bloodshed.

  Enough of his brother.

  Lifting his phone from his breast pocket, he pulled off a glove and scrolled through his contacts. Pressing the button to connect the call, he turned from the darkness and walked toward the main building, where his office and living quarters, as well as the security team, dining hall, and various businesses, were located.

  A musical voice answered on the second ring. “It’s been a long time, Saint.”

  “It has been, Calista. How are you?” Calista Larksong was the most powerful fairy in the world. She was also the head Tooth Fairy. When children thought of the tooth fairy, Calista was who they imagined, but in reality, she had many fairies who worked together to gather children’s teeth. Her headquarters was located on a magical island in the Florida Keys, with her tooth-collecting fairies and other nature fairies.

  He’d been there once when he was married. It was a beautiful place.

  “I’m well. It’s the holidays, and kids are losing teeth like crazy this time of year. How are things in the cold North?”

  “Cold,” he said with a chuckle. Entering the building, he made his way to his office. “The reason I’m calling is that it’s time.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “As sure as I’ve ever been.” He opened the door to his office and closed it, then settled in his big chair behind the desk. “It’s been going on for far too long. It won’t stop unless I stop it.”

  “I understand,” she said. “It will take some maneuvering. I need to restructure my fairies and make sure there aren’t any children left waiting. I can’t leave gaps in the collection.”

  “I trust you.”

  “Give me some time, I can’t make this happen overnight.”

  “I’ll be waiting, whenever you can make things work.”

  They spoke for a little while longer. He’d known her for decades. Just like his friendship with other powerful, good magic users, such as Mother Nature and Sandman, he and the Tooth Fairy kept in touch and had each other’s backs because Jack Frost was a danger to them all.

  When the call ended, he swiveled in the chair, taking in the crackling fire in the fireplace and the two stockings hung from the mantel—one for him and one for his wife. They were never filled, but they weren’t meant to be. Just a reminder of happier times, simpler times.

  Christmas morning, fresh from the toy delivery, with his wife waiting for him.

  Tales of finding sleeping children along the route.

  His brother not trying to kill him.

  Simpler times indeed.

  His gaze landed on the picture window behind his desk where he could see the Well of Magic glowing and the Portal beyond, made of the ancient bones of a long-extinct magical creature. His home was here, and he was going to defend it to his last breath to ensure that the magic of the world remained pure and good.

  Because he was Santa and that was his job.

  Tooth fairy Pixie hovered near the sleeping child, her wings beating soundlessly as she reached for the tiny tooth tucked under the pillow. The room was dark, save for a nightlight in the corner that cast a warm glow along the walls. She could see the toys and books on the floor, and she smiled down at the sweetly sleeping young boy.

  With practiced ease, she slid her hand under the pillow and took the tooth, placing it into the small, enchanted sack at her waist. When she returned home, the teeth she hadn’t used to supplement her magic would dissolve into pure, magical energy, seeping into the fairy gardens that dotted the island, the magic dispersing into the earth or carried by the wind to spread its protective power. Most people never realized that the energy of children’s lost teeth lingered, subtly sharpening the world around them and weaving good fortune into the air.

  She turned toward the window, her wings flickering as she pulled her shadow magic closer to herself and stepped out, closing the window behind her silently and setting her course for the next home.

  Her wings carried her to the next home a few streets over. She moved through the night silently and unseen, thanks to the magic garnered through the teeth. Not only could she pull shadows to conceal herself, but she could enter a home and move between houses without being heard.

  She entered the two-story home, using her magic to unlock the bedroom window and glide inside. Surveying the room, she found the child asleep, hugging a stuffed unicorn with a soft smile on her face. She moved silently to the bed and reached for the tooth that she could feel was underneath the pillow when she heard a low, growling rumble from the doorway.

  Pixie froze.

  A large golden retriever, face white with age, stood in the doorway, dark eyes locked on her. It whined quietly, tail wagging, and trotted toward her.

  “Oh, for stars’ sake,” Pixie whispered, taking a step back.

  She tried to pull the shadows around her more deeply to obscure herself from the dog, but it didn’t stop coming toward her.

  The retriever grumbled happily, collar jingling. Pixie exhaled sharply. Her magic was running low and that’s why the dog had sensed her.

  She grabbed the tooth under the pillow and squeezed it between her thumb and finger. The small tooth disintegrated instantly, turning into glittery dust. Moving her hand to her chest, she inhaled, and the magic rushed through her like cool water and replenished her magic.

  She easily pulled the shadows around herself now, obscuring her from the dog’s sight.

  The retriever let out a low whine, its head tilted in confusion.

  Go lay down, she silently ordered.

  The dog stared into the shadows for a moment longer, then leaped onto the bed, turned in a circle, and flopped down at the child’s feet with a grumbling sigh. When neither the child nor the dog moved again, both settled into sleep, Pixie let out the breath she’d been holding and shook her head. That was close. At the last house, she hadn’t realized how low her shadow magic was getting. She definitely needed to be more careful.

  Flying out of the room, she closed and locked the window and then perched on a nearby tree to check her ledger. The small book was magically updated for her territory in the state of Delaware. Glowing names were added as children who believed in the tooth fairy put a tooth under their pillow. Children who were most at risk of losing their belief in the tooth fairy had top priority, their names glowing red instead of gold.

  She’d already collected twenty-three te eth and had eight more to go.

  An average night.

  Her busiest night she’d collected nearly fifty teeth and had to replenish her magic frequently to keep up. The faster she flew, the quicker she moved in the homes, the more her shadow magic depleted. Her main magic—that allowed her to open portals to move anywhere in the world and fly—was replenished at the Well of Magic at the top of the world.

  She had to go there only once a year.

  Not that she disliked it, although it was as cold as all get out.

  Readying herself for the next home, she put the ledger away in her pouch and flew from the tree into the sky. She spotted the golden glowing window in the distance and set off for her target, happy to be part of keeping magic alive for children, whether they were human, shifter, or another magical creature.

  The moment Pixie walked through the portal, the salty scent of the ocean mixed with the flowers from the fairy gardens, made her smile. Evermere Island, part of the Florida Keys but only accessible through magical portals, unfolded before her, the air humming with magic, the trees rustling in the breeze.

  It was a few hours before dawn and she’d managed to finish her shift without any more issues like the old pup who’d nearly busted her. It wasn’t that people in general didn’t know about tooth fairies or other magical people, but tooth fairies didn’t like to get caught by anyone. Even family pets. It ruined the illusion that tooth fairies moved in and out without detection, the same way Santa preferred not to get caught by children staying up to see if he would show up.

  She walked along a mossy pathway leading to the heart of the island, a commune where the tooth fairies in this part of the States lived. Their commune was large and in charge of the East Coast.

  The tooth fairies on shift that night were returning from their territories the same as she did, making their way to the main garden to scatter the teeth.

  “Hey, sis,” Calyx, one of her brothers, called from the garden where he scattered a handful of teeth to the blooming flowers dotted with dancing fireflies.

  “Hey yourself,” she said. “How was your shift?”

  “It’s cold as balls up in Massachusetts. I was not made for winter.”

  She grinned and opened her pouch, grabbing the teeth and flinging them to the garden. “It was cold in Delaware too, but not as cold as you had to deal with. It’ll get colder too, once Frost gets winter really cooking.”

  The winter solstice was tomorrow, and Pixie made a mental note to make sure she wore her fleece-lined leggings under her tunic. She didn’t get cold often, but a frigid blast from Frost was sure to make her feel chilly.

  As the teeth she and her brother tossed into the garden turned to magic, glittery particles lifting into the air and flying away and some seeping into the ground, the colorful, glowing plants swayed in the breeze.

  Somewhere in the world, a child would sleep a little more peacefully and hold on to the belief in the tooth fairy for a little longer, thanks to the unseen, protective magic of the fairies.

  Someone called her name and Pixie turned and found herself in the presence of the most powerful fairy in the world, who was the head of the Tooth Fairy guild, Calista. She not only had control over shadows, like all tooth fairies, but she could also control the elements, bending sunshine and rain to her will as needed to keep the Earth in balance.

  “How was your night?” she asked, her pale green eyes crinkling at the corners as she landed in the center of the garden and gently touched a sapphire blue lily.

  “Great.”

  There was a brief pause, and Calyx cleared his throat and said, “I’m going to get home before my wife wonders why I’m taking so long. Night, sis. Tooth Fairy.”

  “Good night,” Calista said, her large wings shimmering in the moonlight. “My dear, I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor.”

  “Of course,” Pixie said. “What can I do for you?”

  Pixie was trying not to grin like an idiot. Tooth Fairy had never asked her for a favor. Ever! Holy crap. Her wings shivered in excitement, and she almost lifted off the ground.

  Tooth Fairy smiled. “I’d like to change your territory for tomorrow night.”

  “Oh. Is something wrong?”

  “No, not at all. I have a project I’m dealing with and I need to change up the territories for several fairies to free up some people to help me. I’d like you to take over the Northern Pennsylvania territory.” Before Pixie could say anything, she put up her hand and said, “Oh, I know, tomorrow is the Solstice and Frost is an ass, so it’s going to be very cold. But I promise you’ll only need to cover this territory for a couple weeks and then you can go back to Delaware. I’ve tasked other fairies from Maryland and New Jersey to split your territory, so everyone will be stretched a bit thin for a while. But we can’t let any children miss having their teeth picked up.”

  “Of course,” she said. “I don’t mind the cold, actually, and I haven’t been to Pennsylvania before.”

  Tooth Fairy put her hand on Pixie’s shoulder and smiled benevolently. “Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Your ledger will be altered for your new pickups tomorrow. I wish you good luck and good rest.”

  “Thanks, you too.”

  Tooth Fairy lifted off the ground and flew away, and Pixie hummed with a smile.

  Well, well, well.

  Her boss asked her for a favor and how freaking cool was that?

  Instead of flying, she walked along the mossy path to her small home, a quaint little cabin covered with ivy and morning glories, in between her sister Marigold’s home and her parents’ home. With a yawn, she walked inside and closed the door, ready to grab something to eat and watch a bit of TV before getting ready for bed. The life of a tooth fairy who worked on the East Coast like her meant that her night started when the sun went down and children went to bed and didn’t end until she’d collected the teeth in her territory or the sun came up.

  She didn’t mind being a night owl with her work. And someday, when she found her truemate and had a family, she’d take a territory in another part of the world so she could work during the day and sleep at night, following her family’s schedule. But she didn’t have her mate or a family yet, so she was content with how things were. For now, anyway.

  She sure wouldn’t mind finding her Mr. Right someday soon.

  Polar bear shifter Hunter McAdams rolled his shoulders as he walked out of the security office in Northernmost, his shift finally over. He followed the hallway underground to his apartment to grab his bag and his brother, Winter.

  As a Yuletide Guardian, one of nine shifters who worked for Santa keeping the Well of Magic—and Santa and his elves—safe, Hunter had been living at the North Pole since he turned eighteen and had been chosen to train for the important job. His brother Winter was a Guardian, and their oldest brother Storm had been a Guardian until he met his truemate last December when she accidentally fell through the Portal into Northernmost. As a human, Seren wasn’t allowed to live in Northernmost, so they’d brought in a replacement for him, and the couple had headed to the clan’s home in Arctic Springs, Pennsylvania.

  “How was your shift?” Winter asked. He was sitting on the couch in the gathering area for the polar bears that was connected to the individual apartments.

  “Cold.”

  “It’ll get worse since it’s Solstice.”

  “I know,” he said, shaking his head. “But I don’t mind the cold since we get to go home for the night.”

  Normally, because Jack Frost spent the time leading up to Christmas Day trying to kill his brother, Santa, and take over the Well of Magic, it was all-hands-on-deck in the security office, and no one took time off. Santa had made an exception for Winter and Hunter because Storm’s little boy, Hale, had been born a week early, and the clan was having a big party to celebrate.

  Jack Frost was too busy spreading ice and cold over the world to bother with trying to get into Northernmost or take out any of the security team, so they were fairly certain it was safe to be away for the night and return in the morning.

 

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