Read Online A Wizard for Christmas by Dorothy McFalls - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Dorothy McFalls
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a miracle.
“Just doing what we do best,” he said. “We help the humans.”
“Are you reading my mind?” she asked, hoping that he hadn’t. Otherwise, just a little while ago he would have gotten quite an explicit show of what she’d imagined doing with him once she got him alone. She felt her cheeks burn. “Please tell me you can’t read my mind.”
“I can’t,” he assured her and gave her a quick kiss. He then whispered, “You should know, though, you show your thoughts clearly on your face.”
Holly playfully buried her face in her hand. “Great...just, great. Now you’ll think I’m a slut, too.”
“But, Miss Post,” he said, his tone wreathed in innocence, “I like all sorts of women.”
* * * *
The bedroom romp never did happen. Hadrian assured himself that it was for the best. He shouldn’t be enjoying himself this much...not with Holly...not knowing what was going to happen tonight.
To her.
Actually, exactly what happened would be up to her. He hadn’t lied about not letting her be unwittingly fed to the soul eater. But if she decided to fight the beast, he wouldn’t stop her. According to Frank, facing the soul eater was, after all, her destiny.
She sparkled in the night like the crystals of ice dangling from the storefront awnings. She’d put on a beautiful beaded silver gown. But it wasn’t the dress that made her glow. It was the joy dancing in her eyes. She was happy, so very happy it made his heart ache.
“Dinner was lovely,” she said. He’d broken his budget and taken her out to a posh uptown restaurant that had elevated haut cuisine into an art form. “My taste buds are still singing.”
“So are mine,” he agreed. If this was going to be her last day, she deserved the best and the hell with the cost. “Did I tell you how beautiful you look?”
“Yes,” she smiled up at him. “But I like hearing it.” She hooked her arm with his and stole a kiss that warmed him to his toes. “Thank you. Today was amazing.”
“It was amazing for me as well,” he admitted, his heart breaking. He didn’t want to lose her.
* * * *
Hadrian had escorted Holly to the midnight Christmas service at St. Agnes’s. It was a grand cathedral with a ceiling that seemed to reach into the heavens. Holly hadn’t attended a service here since her days at the orphanage.
Years had passed since she’d even visited this part of town. These were the places she was trying to forget. The memories here were of holidays that looked nothing like the images read about in books or saw in paintings.
Seeing the old neighborhood again threatened to chase away the image of her fantasy family. The loving mother and father who were still waiting for her to come home and sit down with her extended family at their oversized table to eat their oversized turkey. She almost made Hadrian take her home.
“There’s power in the past,” he promised her. “Don’t be afraid.”
It wasn’t much of an assurance. She’d felt his tension grow with each passing minute and knew he was worried about something. His gaze kept traveling around the church pews, even after the service started.
The congregation was singing the first carol when he whispered in her ear, “It’s here.”
Before she could react, a great wind howled outside that sent the heavy doors swinging open. With a thundering crash, the lights and candles went dark.
“I’m hungry,” it cried. It no longer looked like a man but moved like a shadow, like a ghostly demon down the center aisle toward her. And this time she knew exactly what it wanted. It wanted her.
Hadrian kept a tight hold on her hand. “I’m with you. We can fight it.”
“The humans have changed,” the beast said moved closer toward her. “Their souls are sealed against me. What has happened? What has changed them?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hadrian said.
“Liar!”
Holly could feel the beast reaching out to her. Its
“Just doing what we do best,” he said. “We help the humans.”
“Are you reading my mind?” she asked, hoping that he hadn’t. Otherwise, just a little while ago he would have gotten quite an explicit show of what she’d imagined doing with him once she got him alone. She felt her cheeks burn. “Please tell me you can’t read my mind.”
“I can’t,” he assured her and gave her a quick kiss. He then whispered, “You should know, though, you show your thoughts clearly on your face.”
Holly playfully buried her face in her hand. “Great...just, great. Now you’ll think I’m a slut, too.”
“But, Miss Post,” he said, his tone wreathed in innocence, “I like all sorts of women.”
* * * *
The bedroom romp never did happen. Hadrian assured himself that it was for the best. He shouldn’t be enjoying himself this much...not with Holly...not knowing what was going to happen tonight.
To her.
Actually, exactly what happened would be up to her. He hadn’t lied about not letting her be unwittingly fed to the soul eater. But if she decided to fight the beast, he wouldn’t stop her. According to Frank, facing the soul eater was, after all, her destiny.
She sparkled in the night like the crystals of ice dangling from the storefront awnings. She’d put on a beautiful beaded silver gown. But it wasn’t the dress that made her glow. It was the joy dancing in her eyes. She was happy, so very happy it made his heart ache.
“Dinner was lovely,” she said. He’d broken his budget and taken her out to a posh uptown restaurant that had elevated haut cuisine into an art form. “My taste buds are still singing.”
“So are mine,” he agreed. If this was going to be her last day, she deserved the best and the hell with the cost. “Did I tell you how beautiful you look?”
“Yes,” she smiled up at him. “But I like hearing it.” She hooked her arm with his and stole a kiss that warmed him to his toes. “Thank you. Today was amazing.”
“It was amazing for me as well,” he admitted, his heart breaking. He didn’t want to lose her.
* * * *
Hadrian had escorted Holly to the midnight Christmas service at St. Agnes’s. It was a grand cathedral with a ceiling that seemed to reach into the heavens. Holly hadn’t attended a service here since her days at the orphanage.
Years had passed since she’d even visited this part of town. These were the places she was trying to forget. The memories here were of holidays that looked nothing like the images read about in books or saw in paintings.
Seeing the old neighborhood again threatened to chase away the image of her fantasy family. The loving mother and father who were still waiting for her to come home and sit down with her extended family at their oversized table to eat their oversized turkey. She almost made Hadrian take her home.
“There’s power in the past,” he promised her. “Don’t be afraid.”
It wasn’t much of an assurance. She’d felt his tension grow with each passing minute and knew he was worried about something. His gaze kept traveling around the church pews, even after the service started.
The congregation was singing the first carol when he whispered in her ear, “It’s here.”
Before she could react, a great wind howled outside that sent the heavy doors swinging open. With a thundering crash, the lights and candles went dark.
“I’m hungry,” it cried. It no longer looked like a man but moved like a shadow, like a ghostly demon down the center aisle toward her. And this time she knew exactly what it wanted. It wanted her.
Hadrian kept a tight hold on her hand. “I’m with you. We can fight it.”
“The humans have changed,” the beast said moved closer toward her. “Their souls are sealed against me. What has happened? What has changed them?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hadrian said.
“Liar!”
Holly could feel the beast reaching out to her. Its
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