Prologue
Snowflakes swirled around in happy little dances and gentle winter breezes that only seemed to exist within the protective bubble of Santa’s Magical Village. The winds outside in the real North Pole raged on as the blizzard conditions continued to heighten on this non-traditional Christmas Eve.
Candy Kane could hardly comprehend that this was the same snow that had nearly buried her alive a mere day ago. But what did she expect? Going off into the human world, following astronomical signs, and listening to her heart instead of her brain had all colluded to make sure she might never comprehend a single thing again!
Imagining all the effort she’d put into finding him was simply wasted made her head ache as much as her heart!
The big dumb snow crunching dummy! Rrrrr.
Candy felt used up and out of sorts. She was so mad, she could hardly come up with an appropriate name to call the man who had broken her poor Elvish heart. And to think, she’d offered it to him on a silver platter.
He was like the ice that got inside her shoes and melted, freezing her little toes, and making her aware of its existence for every second of the day until she had a chance to get home and change.
No, he was worse than that, he was like hot chocolate that sat too long and allowed all the good, sticky, sweet, delicious stuff to sink to the bottom so that when you sipped it, it was nothing more than tepid brown water.
Yeah, he was like that. Only, if she were being honest, he tasted more like a snickerdoodle than chocolate.
Warm cinnamon sugar and spice. Yum. Her favorite flavor.
Of course he was. The mistletoe sucking monster.
She stomped angrily along the frozen path, muttering to herself and ignoring the stares of her fellow Christmas Elves. She knew she was in trouble with the big guy and she had to atone for that.
“Who is that?”
“Oh my! She’s the Elf that ran away!”
“Is that you, Candy Kane?”
“What’s happened to her?”
“Is she crying?”
“Get some hot chocolate stat!”
The sounds of the few Elves who were not busy loading Santa’s sleigh filtered through to her confused and weary brain as she limped towards warmth and sanctuary. Yes, she had to confess her crimes and beg forgiveness even if that meant never coming back to the earthly realm.
But her crying? Ha! No, she was not crying. Candy Kane wanted to shout it at the Elves even as she sniffled and ignored the path her hot tears trekked down her cold cheeks.
She would ask for forgiveness of course and beg if need be to resume her duties in the village before midnight came and they blinked back to the Holiday Plane of Existence. But Santa was merciful, right?
He would forgive her and she would exile herself to the Holiday Plane where all magical creatures tied to holidays existed until it was their season once again. But she would never be allowed to return to the North Pole ever again after her transgressions. And right then, Candy was on board with that.
She never wanted to see him again! And he would certainly never find her there. Not that he’d be looking when he had her waiting for him.
Good riddance to bad rubbish! She sniffed again finally understanding the uniquely human colloquialism and wiped her nose with the back of her gloved hand. The little bundle in her arms chirped and cried as if her tiny heart was also breaking for missing him.
Jingle-balls! Even the tiny, orphaned penguin chick she’d found and adopted in the wild was going to suffer because of him.
Oooh, if he was standing there she would pummel him with a hundred ice filled snow balls! Fury filled her as she cooed soothingly to Fluffy. She hadn’t counted on the bird missing him as well.
It seemed the man was an all-around heartbreaker to creatures big and small. Dirty rotten yellow snow eater!
“Don’t worry, I got you,” she whispered to the little castaway creature and nuzzled her soft feathers with her own cheek.
“Candy! Is that you? Where the heck have you been? And where did that penguin come from?” Jolly, her BFF since they were Elflings, shouted as he came running towards where Candy was struggling to walk.
Her muscles burned and bones ached, it was such a long, arduous journey over snow covered hills and frozen pathways, through drifts that were hip deep in some places, but she’d made it all the way to the main toy room and loading center. To find the big man himself.
Santa.
Candy trekked over twenty miles in hazardous winds and blizzard-like conditions just to get there. Good thing Jolly had smuggled her that Sparkle Phone when she’d left or she would have never been able to find it.
“Oh, Jolly,” she cried aloud when her old buddy had finally reached her.
Candy sobbed noisily and embraced her childhood buddy with one arm. Jolly squeaked as he usually did when she squeezed too hard.
Oopsies.
“Easy there, Candy Margaret,” he chided and patted her head awkwardly.
“STOP! Unhand my mate or die where you stand,” a familiar voice said behind her and poor Jolly squeaked once more before shoving her aside and jumping back.
Candy closed her eyes and growled at the very same second that spicy cinnamon gummy bear scent of his wafted into her nose. She stifled the need to moan aloud and ignored the way her girly bits seemed to jump up and wave, begging for attention.
Who knew former virginal Christmas Elves could be positively slut-tastic when it came to their mates? Oh well, she could ponder that question later. Right then she had a dirty rat to deal with, but the pain in her heart stabbed at her and she found it difficult to breathe.
Heck no! No way. She was so not doing this. Candy pushed her tiny bundle into Jolly’s trembling hands, then gathered all the courage her Granny Elf had always said she possessed. Candy straightened her formerly huddled shoulders and turned to face him.
“Don’t you dare call me that,” she growled at him with her hands on her hips.
The sight of him was almost too much for her to take. He was too good looking to be true. She wanted to sigh and swoon but would never give the two-timing yellow-snow crunching hoof-licker the satisfaction!
“Candy Kane, as your mate I command you to tell me why you left?” Medjed asked through tight lips as he stood, ever the mighty warrior, with one hand on his waist, his regal head held high, and a wicked looking sword gripped tightly in his other hand and pointing right at Jolly.
Damn, but he looked better than a lit up Christmas tree, all decked out in his bright white hi-tech polar gear. The ultra-expensive fabric molded to his almost seven-foot tall frame, perfectly outlining his sublime physique, and making her mouth water.
“Put your sword down, he is my friend,” she hissed at him and ignored the shockwave that zipped through her when his glittering dark eyes met hers.
Candy sucked in a fortifying breath and waited as heat and recognition flared to life between them. It was to be expected, she supposed. After all, they had already consummated their relationship only hours ago, sealing what she’d thought was a lifelong bond. Naturally, her body and her magic still wanted him.
Traitor! She wanted to shout, but she bit her lip instead in order to steel herself against his wily ways. She had to remember she wasn’t his only love. And that was unforgivable.
“Candy,” he said and stepped forward, “what happened? I came back from checking on the weather, and you were gone!” He roared.