Page 34 of A Raging Merry Christmas

Outside in the trees, something huge moved, and my eyes went wide.

“What the hell?” I muttered, leaning closer.

“A yeti!” Amelia hissed.

“No. Yeti’s live in the mountains, that’s a big foot. He lives in the forests,” Bonnie argued.

My gaze swept the area, and my stomach sank. The little kids were piling outside to play, and there was a dangerous creature near them. No! I had to save them.

“Go and collect the youngsters. Tell the moms!” I cried as I dashed towards a room I wasn’t allowed in. But this was a life and death situation. I was the leader of the Princesses, and they were all under my protection.

Rock

I hated Christmas. The snow, the lights, and the fuss. Everything was over the top, and I liked it small and minimalistic. However, my woman loved this season, which is why I was out here traipsing back from the Rivendell Village, where I’d just helped her decorate the tree. So, what if we got a little bit of loving in? Carly was happy, and so was I.

Or I had been until a fuckin’ tree dumped a shitload of snow on me and smothered me head to toe. I had a change of clothes at the Hall. Most of us did nowadays, which was lucky. The snow had run down my neck and was even in my boots. Now, I was stomping and trying to shed it, but it clung to me like a magnet.

I saw the Hellions piling out the door and paused to watch them play. It was rare they played nicely, so I wanted to remember this. I pulled out my phone and snapped several shots as the women got involved. The laughter and fun took away from the darkness in our lives, and I needed this one single moment.

The older Princesses spilled from the Hall, all yelling and shoving the younger children behind them. Just as I stepped forward, another tree dumped a load on me. I didn’t have timeto brush it off. The girls were in a panic and pulling at their mothers.

Something was wrong.

“Big foot!” Bonnie screeched at the top of her lungs.

Carly straightened and frowned as I trudged forward.

“What do you mean, Big Foot?” Carly’s words faintly floated back towards me.

“There!” Amelia screamed, shoving Sin around to face me.

The front door of the Hall burst open, and I stared, frozen on the spot, as Eddie blasted through it.

Holding a fuckin’ shot gun.

My stomach clenched as it was aimed at me.

“Kill it!” Davy yelled as she shoved the younger children through the doors.

Eddie held the shotgun up as the old ladies froze.

Carly met my eyes, and her mouth opened in a scream.

“No!”

Too late.

Eddie pulled back, and a boom roared through the area. I stood spellbound as Eddie was lifted off her feet and blasted backwards into the Hall. She dropped the gun as the power of the shot knocked her flying.

Carly was moving, screaming my name as I searched my body for pain. My feet stung like mad, my nose was frozen, my gut was still twisted, and I think I might have pissed myself a little. But nothing frightened me more than seeing Eddie sit up like something possessed and reach for the shotgun again. And this time, Carly was in the way.

“Carly, move!” I roared and raced towards her.

“Aunt Carly’s in trouble! The Big Foot is going to eat her!” Davy screamed.

Eddie climbed to her feet, and I knew I wouldn’t make Carly in time. Eddie notched the shotgun and fired.

Once more, Eddie was thrown onto her back as the shotgun echoed.