A Castle For Christmas 2 Novels & Stories

Julia I stand back and watch Riley and Nina put the final touches on the Christmas tree, and then he pulls out a Christmas angel to sit on the top. "Would you like to put this on the top of the tree, Princess?" Nina is still bouncing on her toes. I swear the girl hasn’t stopped since she found out that we had the tree.

Kate asked as she stepped aside and motioned for them to follow her. The girls all just kind of looked at each other for a second and then Joy shrugged her shoulders and said, "what the hell," and they all decided to follow. They chatted among themselves as they were led down to the back entrance of the castle where a carriage was waiting for them. The girls almost fainted when they saw it. It was an old Transylvanian style covered carriage. It was gloss black with all gold trim and it was being pulled by a quad team of the biggest, blackest, and most perfect Fresian horses that they had ever laid eyes on. Everything was perfect, right down to the coachmen.

My brother and the girl look oddly surprised which was considerate from that girl's side as she was a human but how could my brother didn't recognise my scent. "Oh my goodness!" Both of them jumped as I stood in front of them out of nowhere smiling. My brother who just noticed me couldn't believe his eyes and shuttered. "You... Here... What...?" I raised my hand to stop him and use that very hand to make introduction. "Hello. I'm Cassandra, saved your life last night, nice to meet you." She didn't look confused or surprised anymore instead she smilingly shook my hand but her eyes was uncertain. "Oh you are that hero, pleasure to meet you."

Vexana Jones made sure everyone noticed the luxury watch on her wrist. Cassandra Carter talked about her wealthy husband, who doted on her. Rebecca Jenkins sat there in black-rimmed glasses with the bookish air of a math teacher. They weren't just showing off. They also kept finding ways to get my number. After all, no one expected that the girl who used to be nothing, the girl with that blunt bob haircut back then, would show up driving a Rolls-Royce.

But it was worth a shot I guess. “Why won't you listen to me, I know what's best for you,” I sighed for the umpteenth time, brushing the unruly dark curls framing his forehead back and he pouted. “But I wanna do it, my teacher says it will be fun and also we get to try on costumes for the Christmas play mommy,” he says in one breath, his eyes wide in pure excitement. “Olivia and I will play sheeps in the manger,” he squealed, punching the air. I felt my heart squeeze at that, Lucien had never been this set on doing something and it killed me to be the one to take that away from him.

Three wolves in the corner choked at the same time. Marek stepped closer. “Aveline. Listen. Please. This is a mortal holiday craft. Not a High Realm frost ritual. Do not enchant anything else.” I blinked at him slowly. “Define enchant.” “No magic.” “Define no.” Lucian groaned. “We are doomed.” The giant Christmas tree stood in a corner, still wrapped in twine. It reached almost to the ceiling. A towering dark green mountain of pine needles and potential. Wolves gathered around it, eager to decorate.

A storm behind the smiles. Maybe it was me. Maybe it was him. Lena shot across the room like a chaotic missile, skidding into me with a hug that knocked the breath from my lungs. “Jesus Christ, you look like a Disney princess who failed the survival side quest,” she said, tugging my hood down. “Did he cheat with a girl? A guy? A whole choir? Spill.” I choked on a laugh—weak, cracked. “Guy.” She froze. Then whispered, “Oh sweetie… that is spectacularly awful. Well done. You win Christmas.”

One soft click. The picture came out tasteful but teasing, enough to make him grin. She smiled, selected Darren’s name, hit send. Then tossed her phone onto the bed and poured herself a glass of cheap red wine. Next week, she'd have her bags packed, ready to head to Maysville, the small town she'd grown up in for Christmas. Her holiday plan was just perfect! Her playlist hummed to life; jazzy, lazy Christmas tunes filling the air. For the first time all day, her shoulders relaxed. She even started humming along, thinking about what tomorrow morning would look like. Morning pancakes, bad movies, Darren’s laugh…

On Christmas Eve, I finally dragged myself out to beg for food. The giant screen outside the mall was blasting headlines about Leon and Chloe. Apparently, to welcome Chloe to the family estate, Leon had dropped a ridiculous amount of money lighting up the entire city. Everything would go off at midnight. Under the screen, a kind shop owner handed me a bread roll. I scarfed it down, thanking him again and again. Didn't matter that I stayed tucked in a corner. Security still came over and chased me off. Night fell. My whole body shook as the last bit of warmth drained out of me.

It was a Christmas of firsts for both Felix and Cassie. For Felix, this was the first time that his house had ever been decorated for Christmas. In the past, he had put up a plastic miniature tree if he remembered and while Hazel had still been alive, she had put up a menorah for the December festivities. Now, the decorations started right from the gates to the mansion, with the pathway leading to the house lined with colorful reindeer figurines, giant candy canes and plastic snowmen. The house was decked in strings of flashing Christmas lights that Felix was certain would be visible from space.