Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
“But what about the tree? It’s not like we can put it in the spot it came from. It’s supposed to live in the neighbor’s yard. The thing barely listens to us in here.”
Nolan snorted. “It would probably try to strangle one of the Carmichaels. Or eat one of their cats the first time it pissed near it.”
As if sensing they were talking about it, the tree slowly crawled to where they were standing together, moving across the scattered sage and mistletoe. As soon as it was less than a foot away, it reached out one of its little roots and pinched the hem of Nolan’s jeans.
Against his better judgment, his heart softened. The tree was intensely territorial. It didn’t like when Sky put up another Christmas tree. It had likely been trying to protect them from Frank, or at least warn the minion away from its territory. Regardless of the insanity it had brought into their life, it was a cute thing and seemed happy in their living room, shining brightly with its white lights and ornaments.
“We can’t let it out of this yard,” Sky declared.
That much was obvious. If people saw the thing scuttling about on its roots, they’d burn it or chop it up.
“Tonight, we go to Maddox’s house for the party. We’ll also talk to Maddox and Red about how to cleanse the neighbor’s yard, reinforce your barrier, and plant a new, nonmobile tree to replace the one you woke up. Preferably after the holidays because my brain can’t take more right now.”
“Stealth tree replacement!” Sky cackled.
Nolan rolled his eyes. Thankfully, Maddox ran a landscaping business. He had to know where they could get a shrub like this one. If they were lucky, they’d get it into the ground before James noticed his was missing.
His boyfriend hugged him while resting his chin on Nolan’s shoulder. “What about this tree?”
Nolan gazed at the tree that was still holding on to his pant leg. “It can stay in the house during the winter if it agrees to stop attacking the underworld minions and anyone who comes to the house. But as soon as the weather turns warm, it’s an outside tree again!”
“Yay!” Sky shouted in Nolan’s ear. He pressed a loud, smacking kiss on Nolan’s cheek. At the same time, the tree wrapped a root around his ankle and let out a happy purring, chittering noise, as if it were celebrating as well.
“Merry Christmas, my poor suffering human!” Sky said, nuzzling Nolan’s cheek.
A slow smile spread across Nolan’s lips as he squeezed Sky. “Merry Christmas, my crazy necromancer.”
“Do you regret dating me now?”
“No, never,” he replied without a breath of hesitation. “You keep my life interesting.”
“And I always will.”
Chapter 8
December 27
The winter solstice witch party was a success. They might have all drank too much, but they’d devised a rough scheme to meet after the holidays prior to the passing around of the wine. Maddox and Red might have also gotten a few good laughs over the stories Sky had told about the tree. It was clear they didn’t entirely believe the tales, but they would soon enough.
Christmas Day was a blissful event with his sweet boyfriend surprising him with some of the best gifts. Sky couldn’t begin to figure out how Nolan had gotten his hands on an actual spell book from an old necromancer who’d lived in the area more than a hundred years ago. So far, Nolan wasn’t saying a peep, but Sky had ways to wringing the truth out of Nolan. In addition, there were more books, soft sweaters, and random weird gifts exchanged that had earned belly laughs.
Both Sky and Nolan had also made sparkly ornaments covered in glitter and sequins for the little tree. It seemed a safe assumption that the tree liked its gifts, considering how it moved its branches to get the lights to bounce off its new, flashy swag.
Grammy had appeared to share in their fun for a few hours, and then her ghost was off to cavort with her friends, giving the young, living couple time to cuddle in front of a fire and eat way too much delicious food.
After Christmas, when the United States fell into a sort of sated, sluglike state where people were content to live off of leftovers and binge endless amounts of TV until they were forced to return to work at the start of the new year, Sky gathered his coven mates Redstone and Maddox for some magic and mischief. Former blood witch Moon had already left for his new home in China with his vampire mate, but he’d promised to make regular visits to see them.
Nolan had wisely chosen to remain out of the way and make margaritas, because midnight margaritas were a necessary thing for magic and mayhem with Sky and his coven.