Read Online bedeviled & beyond 06.5 - bedeviled & bah humbug by sam cheever - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: sam cheever
Tags: paranormal romance, holiday romance, christmas story, science fiction romance angels & devils, fantasy & futuristic romance, Anthologies and Collections
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supposed to swear. I was about to tell Ralphy this when I noticed a crumpled piece of paper lying on the ground.
A clue!
Reaching down, I picked it up and pulled it flat. It was a flyer advertising a rendition of The Christmas Carol that was playing in downtown Angel City. I’d gone to the show several times in the past and it was very well done. “What would this be doing here?” I asked Ralphy.
Ralphy shrugged. “Santa sends one to the Grinch every year. He always tells us he’s going to talk the Grinch into going with him some time.” Ralphy’s little face took on a dreamy quality. “Santa never gives up. He’s the most determined man I’ve ever met.”
Judging from the fact that the flyer was scrunched into a ball on the ground, I was guessing that Santa would have to dig much deeper into that determination before he talked the Grinch into attending a play that celebrated the wonder of Christmas. “Maybe next year.” I murmured.
Ralphy just nodded. “Can we go back to the workshop now?”
“You can if you want to. I need to talk to the Grinch.”
Ralphy’s little shoulders drooped but he fell in beside me as I headed more deeply into the woods. The path we were on was narrow and the woods grew darker and creepier as we progressed.
Soon the reassuring sound of the wind creating icy drifts in pristine snow gave way to strange chirpings and unfamiliar screaming coming from the dark woods. Every once in a while I’d catch a glimpse of glowing orbs peering at us from the shadows.
The orbs would disappear in the blink of an eye and I’d be left with nothing but a growing sense of unease.
“It’s not too much farther.” Ralphy told me.
I’d noticed his steps had slowed and his worried gaze swept the area more cautiously the farther we got away from the snowy plains around Santa’s workshop. I opened my mouth to ask him why, but never got the chance.
The air in front of us suddenly exploded with flame and the sound of wings pounding the air thundered down on us. I grabbed Ralphy and leapt into the trees at the side of the path, hoping the green dragon pounding the air above us would lose interest if it couldn’t see us.
The dragon decided to fire the trees instead, in an obvious attempt to flush us out. All around us trees smoked and sizzled, but appeared disinclined to ignite.
Unfortunately, Ralphy wasn’t so lucky. The ball on the top of his stupid hat ignited in a flash, and flames crawled quickly over the soft material.
I reached over and yanked the hat off his head. “Hasn’t Santa ever heard of fire retardant fabric?” I shook my head, pulling my power forward. “Stay here.” I stepped back out onto the path and looked around, searching for the green scaled, red eyed fiend.
The not too distant thrum of heavy wings on the air told me the big reptile was circling around for another shot at us. Unlike last time, I’d be ready when it returned.
The green dropped out of a thick bank of snow clouds, its block-long wingspan undulating lazily against the sky as it prepared to dive for me again.
Fire erupted from its snout, the bright red of the flame looking kind of Christmasy against the massive creature’s green body.
The dragon pulled its wings back and stretched its neck in classic dive position.
I pulled power into my fingertips and waited for the green to get closer, planning my attack for maximum damage.
Power popped and sizzled around my hands, behind me, Ralphy whimpered in a less than manly way. I opened my mouth to tell him to man up but a dark shadow suddenly appeared in the sky above me and to the right.
I jerked my gaze in that direction and my mouth dropped open. Then another shadow appeared. And two more, coming from the other direction.
As the massive dragons dropped down from the sky, toward the green, I opened my mental drawers. Hey, Glynus! Fancy meeting you here.
Mother halfling. Did you forget I was here visiting Snoopy’s family?
I snorted, while sending
A clue!
Reaching down, I picked it up and pulled it flat. It was a flyer advertising a rendition of The Christmas Carol that was playing in downtown Angel City. I’d gone to the show several times in the past and it was very well done. “What would this be doing here?” I asked Ralphy.
Ralphy shrugged. “Santa sends one to the Grinch every year. He always tells us he’s going to talk the Grinch into going with him some time.” Ralphy’s little face took on a dreamy quality. “Santa never gives up. He’s the most determined man I’ve ever met.”
Judging from the fact that the flyer was scrunched into a ball on the ground, I was guessing that Santa would have to dig much deeper into that determination before he talked the Grinch into attending a play that celebrated the wonder of Christmas. “Maybe next year.” I murmured.
Ralphy just nodded. “Can we go back to the workshop now?”
“You can if you want to. I need to talk to the Grinch.”
Ralphy’s little shoulders drooped but he fell in beside me as I headed more deeply into the woods. The path we were on was narrow and the woods grew darker and creepier as we progressed.
Soon the reassuring sound of the wind creating icy drifts in pristine snow gave way to strange chirpings and unfamiliar screaming coming from the dark woods. Every once in a while I’d catch a glimpse of glowing orbs peering at us from the shadows.
The orbs would disappear in the blink of an eye and I’d be left with nothing but a growing sense of unease.
“It’s not too much farther.” Ralphy told me.
I’d noticed his steps had slowed and his worried gaze swept the area more cautiously the farther we got away from the snowy plains around Santa’s workshop. I opened my mouth to ask him why, but never got the chance.
The air in front of us suddenly exploded with flame and the sound of wings pounding the air thundered down on us. I grabbed Ralphy and leapt into the trees at the side of the path, hoping the green dragon pounding the air above us would lose interest if it couldn’t see us.
The dragon decided to fire the trees instead, in an obvious attempt to flush us out. All around us trees smoked and sizzled, but appeared disinclined to ignite.
Unfortunately, Ralphy wasn’t so lucky. The ball on the top of his stupid hat ignited in a flash, and flames crawled quickly over the soft material.
I reached over and yanked the hat off his head. “Hasn’t Santa ever heard of fire retardant fabric?” I shook my head, pulling my power forward. “Stay here.” I stepped back out onto the path and looked around, searching for the green scaled, red eyed fiend.
The not too distant thrum of heavy wings on the air told me the big reptile was circling around for another shot at us. Unlike last time, I’d be ready when it returned.
The green dropped out of a thick bank of snow clouds, its block-long wingspan undulating lazily against the sky as it prepared to dive for me again.
Fire erupted from its snout, the bright red of the flame looking kind of Christmasy against the massive creature’s green body.
The dragon pulled its wings back and stretched its neck in classic dive position.
I pulled power into my fingertips and waited for the green to get closer, planning my attack for maximum damage.
Power popped and sizzled around my hands, behind me, Ralphy whimpered in a less than manly way. I opened my mouth to tell him to man up but a dark shadow suddenly appeared in the sky above me and to the right.
I jerked my gaze in that direction and my mouth dropped open. Then another shadow appeared. And two more, coming from the other direction.
As the massive dragons dropped down from the sky, toward the green, I opened my mental drawers. Hey, Glynus! Fancy meeting you here.
Mother halfling. Did you forget I was here visiting Snoopy’s family?
I snorted, while sending
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