Too true. I looked at Bruno’s gift again. “I don’t have yours. I already shipped it to New York so you could open it at your mom’s.” Then I realized I was wrong. “Wait. I do have something.” I reached into my pocket, where I’d thrust the item when Alex had given it to me. “It’s not wrapped, but I want you to have it because you said you wanted to think.”
I put the soft leather bag into his gloved hand, coiling the thin silver chain atop it. “What’s this?” he asked, looking at me curiously.
“Siren charm. Then you’ll know for sure that whatever you decide is just you.” I touched his other hand. “And just me. The charm is specific to me. I asked the forensic witch where Alex works to make it up and the queen’s mage approved it.”
Bruno looked uncomfortable, but I didn’t give him the chance to refuse. I put the chain around his neck and leaned in to give him a slow, soft kiss that gave me more shivers than the icy north wind. “I don’t want you to have to question yourself. It’ll take a few days to kick in and then we’ll talk.” I took the wrapped present from his hands and backed up a bit with a warm smile.
He picked up the small bag, which was trimmed with silver wire, and stared at it with more than a little worry in his face. Then I heard a familiar voice from behind him: “Hey, I recognize that charm. Got one just like it. Pity it doesn’t work against kick-ass leggy blondes.”
Creede was walking up the sidewalk, likewise carrying a gift.
“C’mon, you guys. You tell me to mail my gifts and then bring yours so I’m stuck looking like a cheapskate.”
“Merry Christmas, Ceil. Guess DeLuca and I had the same idea, ’cause I’m on my way to the airport, too.” He leaned in and pressed lips against mine warmly, causing Bruno to let out a small, possessive growl.
“I’ll be back in a couple of weeks. Don’t get too cozy with her.”
Creede turned to look at him with eyes full of sparkling challenge. “It’s a marathon, not a sprint. I’m in no hurry. Of course,” he amended with a sly smile and a wink, “that doesn’t mean I’m not willing to take advantage if you fall down on the job.” He checked his watch and let out a small swear. “And speaking of jobs, how about we ride together to the airport? I’ve got something I want to discuss with you and I’m going to miss my flight if I don’t get moving.”
Bruno also looked at his wrist. “Shit! Is that the time? Sorry, Celie. Really gotta go. Tell your gran Merry Christmas for me. Be safe.” He gave me a quick peck and so did Creede. As I watched them walk away together and start to move luggage from one cab to the other, I realized I didn’t want to lose either one of them. But there wasn’t any way to keep them both and have it be fair to any of us.
I opened the door slowly, letting the smells of roasting turkey and apple pie fill my nose. Before I went inside I heard another vehicle and turned to see a familiar car pulling up, one I’d been afraid wasn’t going to make it. Sheesh. My place was turning into Grand Central Station.
Just how I like it.
Dawna got out of the car and let out a squeal of pleasure before running up the snowy sidewalk to give me a big hug, being careful to avoid the packages in my hands. “Merry Christmas!” The passenger door opened and Emma climbed out carrying an armload of packages.
Dawna pranced into the living room to give Gran a big holiday hug. She’d been spending the holiday with me and Gran for years because most of her family is Buddhist … which is why Ahn wasn’t here. As Emma came up to me, I hugged her gently and quietly asked, “How are Kevin and Amy holding up?”
I could see the worry in her eyes as she answered, “Kevin’s back at work at the university, but he’s got a bunch of post-traumatic stress that we don’t know how to help him with. He gets weird panic attacks from seemingly no cause. Someone at work suggested an assistance dog—one of the breeds sensitive to the demonic, like a hellhound.” She sighed. “Amy is still pretty withdrawn. I think the taint is mostly gone, but I know what she’s going through. It’ll take time for her to feel normal again.” She smiled then with genuine pleasure. “Thank you for inviting them to come today. I know you still haven’t gotten over what they did to you, and I know they really appreciated the gesture. Father might stop by later.”
“Christmas is a time for forgiveness. At least that’s what they tell me.” I forced myself to smile. I might never completely get over the betrayal by Warren and Kevin, but I’d try. For Emma. And for the past we’d all shared.
“Wow. A lot of people showed up!” Her smile grew broader as Gran gave her a peck on the cheek.
Finally Emma reached the couch and sat down. “I wish I didn’t get tired so fast.” She sighed. “It’s the meds. They keep me calm, but they make me sleepy.”
Dawna patted her hand. “You’re getting around. That’s what counts. We’re in no hurry today, girlfriend. It’s a day to take it easy.” She looked at the tree and then dropped to her knees in front of it. I took in her red and white velour pantsuit and wondered if Dottie was having a bad influence on her. But I had to admit the pantsuit was stunning. It made Dawna look like a very tanned and fit Mrs. Claus.
“Wow. You must have had more presents delivered. I didn’t see these yesterday.” She picked the one out of my hand before I could stop her and opened the card. “Ooh! ‘Merry Christmas, Ceil. Love, John.’ ”
I raised my brows at her teasing. “You can see full well that all he wrote was ‘Ceil’ and ‘John.’ The other words are preprinted.”
She refused to be denied and gave me her pretty pout. “He picked out the card.”
I shook my head. “Doubtful. It’s wrapped too well. Does that look like a guy wrapped it? That’s a mall wrapping.”
She started to shake it and I winced, leaping forward to take it away from her and put it carefully under the tree. “He gives things that explode, Dawna. I don’t want Santa to find you up on the roof.”
The girl must have some sort of radar, because next she pulled Bruno’s. “They were both here and I missed them? That would have been something to watch.” She eyed the box critically. “Now, I know Bruno wrapped this himself. Why do men use eight times more tape than necessary?”
I took that box away as well and moved it far from her. He had also been known to give things that go boom.
Bless ’em both.
“Ooh!” Dawna said when she spotted the one I thought I’d hidden behind the bookcase. Damn, she’s got a good eye. It was a small bag filled with fluff. “ ‘MC, Gaetano.’ New player, ladies!” She looked at me and then skeptically at the bag. “Also kablooie?”
I shrugged, because I honestly didn’t know. “He’s a doctor—or at least a medic. I’m thinking not. But he’s also a soldier.”
She handed it to me and leaned forward to whisper, “Go on, then. Open it. First one is always the guest’s pick.” Well … I was sort of curious and I could always put it right back in the bag.
I was frankly a little nervous about opening Gaetano’s gift. Surely he wouldn’t make it too personal. Would he? We still hadn’t even gone out on a date. The last I’d seen him was when he was pulling chunks of melted artifacts from my legs and chest.
I dug to the bottom of the bag and extracted a small, unwrapped box. I let out a little sigh of relief and actually brightened. “Cool!” I held up the box of emergency first-aid charm disks. “Look—two for broken legs and three for cuts up to an inch deep.”
Dawna and Emma wisely didn’t say a word at my exuberance. Only Gran was willing to comment: “That was very … thoughtful. Try not to need them, dear.”