“Anytime,” the elf said.

  Santa strode out of the barn, adjusting his wide belt. He walked down the line of reindeer, talking to them in a low voice before stopping at the sleigh and looking at the group gathered.

  “Thank you for keeping Northernmost safe. Tonight, I get to do what I was born to do. Be safe. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  He climbed into the sleigh and gathered the reins. With his booming voice, he shouted the call that was known the world over, reciting the reindeer names and snapping the reins. The sleigh rose into the air, powered by his magic. “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!” The sleigh was gone an instant later, leaving a magical, glittery trail behind.

  “That was incredible,” Pixie said, her wings fluttering.

  They stood for a moment longer, staring at the sky, and then Pixie said, “I should get going. There are teeth to collect.”

  He nodded. “I’ll be back,” he said to the Guardians and security team.

  “We’ll wait for you,” Maverick said, “then we’ll all shift together and start our rounds outside of the perimeter.”

  Hunter walked with Pixie into the main building and down to the chamber where her tethered portal stood.

  She took out her ledger, and he watched as the names appeared on the page. “Twelve tonight,” she said. “But every single tooth is in a different town, so it will take me most of the night. I will definitely be back before Santa returns though.”

  “I’ll be in my shift the whole time,” he said. “So I can’t meet you when you come back here.”

  “I’ll come find you when I return.”

  “Be careful,” he said. “I know you’re protected with the magic, and you’re a kickass female, but I still want you to be safe.”

  “I will be. You be safe too.”

  The last kiss before she walked into the portal was one that lingered as they seemed unable to walk away from each other. But the night was already underway, and they both had jobs to do. Parting, he smiled and watched her activate the portal and disappear.

  He stared at the portal for a long moment and then turned and walked away. He couldn’t shake the unsettled feeling in his bones, but he wasn’t sure if it was because he always worried about Santa on Christmas or if it was because he was already missing his mate and wished she was with him.

  The time couldn’t pass fast enough.

  The sooner she came back to Northernmost and Santa returned safely, the sooner they could head to the clan to spend Christmas Day with his family. He already had the perfect gift for her. He was falling hard for his truemate, and he thanked his lucky stars that he had found her.

  “I hear you,” Maverick said as he pulled off his shirt. “Aralyn still has to reap souls and while we’re on the same shift, I don’t like that I can’t be with her. She’s strong and capable, but she’s my mate, you know?”

  “Exactly,” Hunter said. “Pixie already proved she can fight, plus she can fly. But I still wish I could keep an eye on her myself.”

  Sebastian didn’t say anything because he was fortunate enough to have his mate live and work in Northernmost but in the safety of the infirmary.

  “We’re lucky though,” Hunter said as he set his boots in a plastic container by the perimeter to keep them safe from the elements. “We all found our truemates. I wouldn’t trade Pixie for anything.”

  “Hear, hear,” Sebastian said.

  “One hundred percent,” Maverick said.

  Before they shifted, they agreed on where they would start their trek around the perimeter while the elves were going to patrol inside, focusing on the Well of Magic. Other security team members were inside the building monitoring the cameras and motion detectors, and there were elves on the rooftops, watching the darkness for any signs of Frost or his people.

  “Good luck to us all and especially Santa,” Hunter said.

  The males shifted. Hunter stretched, his big claws digging into the snow as he snuffled the air. They parted ways—the snow leopard, the wolf, and the polar bear—and headed out of the magical perimeter to patrol.

  Hunter kept his head on a swivel, stopping to scent the frigid air every few feet and to listen intently for anything out of the ordinary. There was a strange stillness to everything, like the top of the world was holding its breath because something was coming.

  What would Frost try?

  No matter what he threw at them, he couldn’t succeed. Even though Hunter wasn’t magical, if the Well of Magic was corrupted, every single magical creature would suffer. They’d have to choose to turn evil or lose their magic entirely. That meant that the whole world would fall apart—fairies like Pixie wouldn’t be able to do their jobs, elves wouldn’t be able to bring joy to children, and witches and warlocks couldn’t keep the world in balance. That wasn’t good for anyone—magic users, shifters, or humans.

  Frost couldn’t succeed.

  The night had dragged because he missed his mate, but he’d kept busy looking for any sign of Frost and his asshole followers. By the time his mate returned from finishing her collections, he was more than ready to see her. Hunter heard Pixie before he saw her as she made her way across the snow toward the perimeter. The snow crunched under her boots and her wings rustled ever so slightly as she moved.

  She waved when she saw him. “Oh my gosh, you’re a polar bear!”

  She walked through the perimeter and shivered. She touched him, sinking her fingers into his thick fur with a murmur of praise. He’d never been petted before in his shift. He freaking loved it.

  “You’re gorgeous,” she said. “And you’re so big!” She hugged him around his neck, and he put a paw on her back under her wings to pull her in close. She giggled, resting her head on his shoulder. “So warm. You smell like snow.”

  They stood in their embrace for a few moments, and then she leaned back and kissed him on the nose. “It’s an hour before Santa should come back. I’ll walk around with you if that’s okay.”

  He nodded and they continued on his route. He listened to her talk about her shift as he watched everything around them—the sky, the cold darkness, and the snowy landscape.

  “It was a pretty dang eventful night! A few kids went above and beyond hiding their tooth in their rooms, but I found them all. And then I almost got busted by a Siberian Husky. Sneaky thing.”

  He let out a bearish chuckle.

  “I handled it of course,” she said, her wings fluttering as she giggled. “I can’t wait until we get back here after the holidays and visiting both our families so we can start building the fairy garden. I love getting to see my folks and the other fairies on the island every time I drop off teeth, but it will be nice to have a place to store them up here.”

  They walked for a while longer, but eventually as they rounded the Portal, she stopped and looked up. “It’s really quiet.”

  If he could talk in his shift, he would tell her that it’s always quiet outside of the perimeter, but then he realized that it was unusually quiet.

  He nodded and grumbled, wishing he could talk. They kept walking, both watching the endless darkness around the perimeter.

  If only he could put his finger on what he was feeling.

  Uneasy. But it was more than that.

  She looked at her watch. “It’s almost time for Santa to return. Should we meet up with the others in their shifts?”

  He grumbled an affirmative, and they moved faster to make their way to the area of the perimeter across from the Well of Magic. She turned her head to the sky to watch for Santa and rested her hand on him.

  Be safe, Santa.

  Azure crouched in the shadows of the snow-laden rooftop, covered in a magically infused cloak that prevented him from being seen by anyone. Underneath his boots, the final house on Santa’s route sat in peaceful silence, the chimney unused, the windows lit by the lights of the Christmas tree.

  He couldn’t believe that humans had helped him in his mission to take out Santa. Thanks to a Santa tracking website, he’d known exactly which home would be the last on Santa’s delivery route.

  Foolish humans.

  Frost’s magic allowed him to arrive unseen and utilize the cloak, which would enable him to pass through the protective perimeter around Northernmost without being detected. However, the rest of the plan was up to Azure. He was just the male for the job too. A warlock like Santa but happily evil like Frost.

  He could feel the weight of the Frostfang knife in a leather pouch on his belt. The blade pulsed with dark magic, crafted by Frost from frozen iron exposed to an eternity of winter and infused with the heart of a dying star.

  One stab was all it would take.

  The sleigh appeared in a heartbeat, magic swirling around it like tiny snowflakes. Santa grabbed the sack and disappeared down the chimney.

  Azure wasted no time.

  The moment Santa’s boots vanished inside the chimney, Azure sprang to action. He reached the side of the sleigh and vaulted over the edge, landing lightly in the back. He froze for a moment and listened. He hadn’t heard Santa coming up the chimney yet, so he hadn’t realized something was afoot on the roof. Slowly, he exhaled.

  He’d made it.

  Carefully he tucked himself into the corner under the magic cloak and forced himself to stay perfectly still. Even though no one should be able to see him, Santa was a powerful warlock—the most powerful in the world—and there was no telling what he might sense.

  A minute later, the faintest whooshing sound signaled Santa’s return to the rooftop. Azure held his breath.

  He listened as Santa hauled himself into the sleigh, his movements seeming sluggish, most likely from the exhaustion of using his magic all night. The journey was almost over, and Santa’s magic was nearly depleted. He had enough to get himself back to Northernmost and into the perimeter, and then Santa would be at his most vulnerable.

  The reindeer snorted and Santa cracked the reins. The sleigh lifted from the roof and Azure nearly fell over as the sleigh launched back toward the North Pole.

  The trip wouldn’t take long.

  Azure carefully unwrapped the leather roll with the Frostfang knife and pulled it out. Just one strike of the blade, and Santa wouldn’t live to replenish his magic or save the Well from Frost’s plans.

  As the temperature grew colder, Azure knew they were close. He gripped the knife and readied himself.

  The sleigh slowed, and Santa let out a grunt of exertion as he crossed the barrier.

  Azure smirked and rose to his feet, the cloak sliding from his shoulders.

  Now.

  Pixie stood with her mate outside the shimmering magical perimeter. Hunter was still in his polar bear form, his breath making clouds in the cold air. Maverick and Sebastian, in their snow leopard and wolf forms, were nearby, scanning the darkness for signs of Frost and his evil followers.

  She couldn’t take her eyes off the sky though.

  She’d never seen Santa come back into Northernmost.

  Hunter grumbled and nudged her with his nose.

  “Oh, it’s him!” She grinned as Santa’s sleigh appeared, highlighted by the Northern Lights. She leaned against Hunter and watched as the sleigh lowered slowly toward the magical perimeter. She barely breathed, so captivated by the sight.

  Unease rippled through her.

  Her wings twitched and she straightened.

  “Hunter,” she said. “Something’s wrong.”

  He growled softly, scanning the area. His fur was dusted with snow, his muscles taut under his massive frame. He was ready to fight. The entire security force was. But no one knew where the attack would come from.

  The sleigh dipped lower, passing through the magical perimeter. She could tell by the way the sleigh moved so slowly that Santa was tiring, his magic nearly depleted.

  There was movement at the back of the sleigh. It looked like the stars were moving in a strange, unnatural way.

  Her heart lurched in her chest as she saw a figure appear, rising behind Santa.

  “No!” She flapped her wings and shot into the air, cutting through the magical perimeter and racing toward the sleigh. Below her, Hunter bellowed in alarm.

  She saw something shiny in the male’s hand as he raised it to strike and knew it had to be Azure because Frost had silver hair and this male had dark hair.

  Azure raised a thin blade, aiming for Santa’s unprotected back.

  Pixie slammed into Azure and grabbed him by the collar, yanking him backward. He let out a strangled curse as he lost his grip on the blade. She didn’t give him time to react. With a mighty heave, she dragged him from the sleigh, her wings straining against his weight. She used her momentum to carry Azure outside the magical perimeter. When they cleared it, she let go, hovering in the air to watch as he tumbled toward the frozen ground and the waiting shifters.

  Pixie didn’t hesitate. She dove after him, landing nearby just as Hunter and the others charged forward.

  A fury of fur, claws, and snarls descended on Azure.

  Hunter hit him first, a massive wall of muscle and power, sending Azure skidding backward.

  Maverick lunged, claws flashing as he raked them across Azure’s arm, dark blood splattering onto the ice. Sebastian struck next, his wolf fangs snapping at Azure’s leg, nearly taking him down.

  They had him! They were going to take out Frost’s second-in-command.

  Then she saw it. Movement in the darkness.

  Her stomach dropped.

  An army was coming toward them, Frost’s evil followers heading to Northernmost.

  Pixie soared upward with a powerful flap of her wings, desperate to see what they were dealing with. Her heart pounded as she confirmed what she’d feared—a wave of Frost’s evil followers was coming.

  “There’s an army!” she shouted. Inside the perimeter, the security force surged forward, warriors rushing out to meet the oncoming threat. The night erupted in battle cries and the clash of bodies as the two opposing forces met.

  She looked at the Well and spotted Santa beside it, the golden glow of his magic replenishing surrounding him. He couldn’t leave the perimeter to aid in the battle. If he stepped beyond it, Frost would have direct access to him.

  At least he’s safe now.

  But the moment of thankfulness was short-lived.

  A viselike grip clamped around her ankle and bitter cold shot up her leg.

  Before she could react, she was yanked from the sky.

  She screamed as her body whipped downward, her wings helpless to stop her. Then, she was flung like a ragdoll into the darkness. The wind rushed past her ears and her stomach lurched as she twisted in the air and tried to get her bearings before she slammed into the ground. The impact sent a burst of snow fluffing around her, the ice like sandpaper on her exposed skin.

  She barely had time to push herself upright before she felt someone loom over her.

  Azure.

  His eyes were glowing an unnatural purple, a herald to his warlock nature. He might be a minion of Frost’s, but he’d been powerful as a warlock before he turned evil, and that made him infinitely more dangerous.

  She scrambled away from him, her pulse thundering in her ears. Why were they still fighting? Frost lost. Santa was safe.

  As if he could hear her thoughts, Azure sneered. “You really thought it was over?” He stalked toward her with slow, measured steps.

  Behind her was the safety of Northernmost and her mate, fighting for his life with his friends against Frost’s followers.

  “You lost.”

  “We’ll take you instead, little fairy,” he said, his voice filled with malice as molten silver strands of magic flowed from his fingers like thorny vines that crept on the snow toward her. “If we can’t kill Santa this year, your magic will replenish Frost.”

  “No!” She flapped her wings and rose into the air.

  She was stopped by a shockingly cold pain around her calves and looked down to see the magical vines tethering her to Azure. He jerked on the vines and she was yanked down, crashing to the ground on her hands and knees, the unnatural cold of the vines burrowing into her bones. “I’ll keep you for myself. Frost lets me sometimes. When you’re turned evil and part of his followers, I’ll enjoy using you until there’s nothing left.” The vines slithered higher up her legs.

  Rage and panic ignited inside her. No!

  With a furious shout, she twisted away from Azure, grabbing the vines with her bare hands. She called on her shadow magic and the shadows answered, surging beneath her like inky ribbons. They curled up her arms and licked at her fingers.

  Azure frowned as he realized his dark magic vines weren’t working.

  Then she struck.

  She thrust the shadows toward the vines, and they wrapped around the silver vines, sinking into them. The vines unraveled.

  With a twist of her wrist, she yanked the silver vines and flung them back at Azure. He barely had time to dodge them. While he stumbled to avoid being hit with the vines, she launched herself skyward, desperate to put distance between them.

  She just needed a second to regroup, to get to Hunter and help him and the others.

  As she turned in the sky toward Northernmost, not liking how far away she’d been tossed, a presence colder than the very depths of winter around her surged through the air.

  A laugh, haunting and cruel, echoed through the darkness.

  Frost.

  Before she could fly toward safety, bitter cold hit her wings and they froze in place, and she tumbled to the ground once more.

  Her wings were frozen solid and heavy against her back.

  The impact knocked the breath from her lungs and pain exploded through her body. She tried to get up, but the weight of her frozen wings was too much.

  A wave of bone-deep, paralyzing cold whispered across the battlefield as she saw Frost walking toward her.

  She tried to move, tried to summon her shadow magic to cloak herself, but her magic wouldn’t respond.

  Snow crunched under his boots.

  He loomed over her.

 

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