The absolute shock on her face as I moved toward the counter to greet the witches was almost worth the indignity of playing barista. Almost.
"Good morning," I said to the startled witches, my deep voice making them jump slightly. "What can I get for you today?"
Behind me, I heard Simone's reluctant sip, followed by the softest sigh of pleasure. First lesson of the day: delivered.
Chapter seven
Krampus
The mid-morning rush transformed the café into a supernatural symphony of chaos I observed from my booth. Werewolves in business attire growled over the last cinnamon scone. A cluster of minor deities argued philosophy by the hearth, their voices rising and falling like tides. Two vampires huddled beneath anti-UV umbrellas despite being indoors, ridiculous precaution given the enchantments I'd woven into the windows centuries ago. Through it all moved Simone, her pink dress a splash of warmth against the winter palette of the café,her smile once more back in place after our earlier... interaction. She'd finished her hot chocolate, every drop, before I'd allowed her behind the counter. The small victory still tasted sweet.
I watched her hands move with ease, creating artful swirls in foam, measuring precise amounts of spiced syrups, passing warm mugs to customers who rarely bothered to thank her properly. Yet she smiled for each one, remembered their names, asked after their magical ailments and children as if she genuinely cared. Perhaps she did. That was the maddening thing about Simone, her warmth wasn't entirely fake. Beneath the professional veneer beat a heart that actually concerned itself with the happiness of others. Fool.
I still hadn't made any formal announcement about Simone's future at The Hearth. The uncertainty must be eating at her. The time had come to increase that pressure, to test how she handled not just day-to-day challenges but the looming threat to her position, her stability, her carefully constructed world.
I moved to the center of the café, my size and presence naturally drawing attention without need for vulgar shouting. Conversations quieted as I positioned myself where all could see and hear. Bramble paused in her garland hanging, hovering near a rafter with suspicious eyes fixed on me.
"Your attention, please," I said. "As most of you know, I've been evaluating the management of The Hearth this past week." I deliberately did not look at Simone, though I felt her stillness, her focus sharpening on my words. "I've come to a decision regarding the café's future leadership."
Murmurs rippled through the gathering. A werewolf's ears pricked forward. The vampire in the corner lowered her teacup, red eyes narrowing with interest. Even the enchanted gingerbread men in the display case seemed to lean forward, their cookie faces frozen in expressions of anticipation.
"There will be a holiday party this Friday evening," I announced. "All regular patrons are invited to attend. At that time, the new manager of The Hearth will be formally announced."
The café erupted in whispers. Customers exchanged glances, speculation immediately buzzing between tables. Some looked toward Simone with expressions of concern or encouragement. Others avoided looking at her altogether, discomfort with potential bad news making them avert their eyes.
Throughout the commotion, my attention remained fixed on Simone, though I appeared to be addressing the room at large. I watched her process my words, cataloging each minute shift in her expression. To anyone else, she appeared perfectly composed. Her smile never faltered, that mask firmly in place as she nodded along with my announcement as if it were exactly what she expected. She even clapped her hands once, drawing attention back to herself.
"A holiday party sounds wonderful," she said, voice steady and bright. "We'll need to plan a special menu. Silas will be thrilled."
But I saw what others missed. In her eyes, just for a moment, there was a flicker, a dimming of light, a momentary extinguishing of the warmth that usually radiated from her. Not fear or even sadness, but something more dangerous: resignation. She believed she was losing everything she'd built. More importantly, she accepted it as inevitable, as if disappointment were her natural state to which she must always return. Her body language shifted subtly as I watched, shoulders squaring slightly beneath her dress, spine straightening a fraction more, chin lifting in preparation for bad news. She was armoring herself, gathering her dignity around her like a shield, preparing to lose gracefully. The movements were so small they were nearly imperceptible, but to me, they screamed volumes about the woman before me.
She expected to be replaced. Expected to lose her place. Expected, fundamentally, to be found wanting and was preparing to accept that judgment with the same grace she brought to everything else.
Fascinating. And infuriating.
This wasn't the response of someone worried about a job. This was deeper, a pattern of expectation. She wasn't just preparing to lose The Hearth; she was falling back on a lifetime of experience that had taught her joy was temporary, that anything she loved would eventually be taken from her.
I felt an unexpected surge of something dangerously close to protectiveness. The predator in me recognized her preparation for pain, and rather than being satisfied by it, found it deeply unsatisfying. I didn't want resigned acceptance. I wanted her fighting for what was hers. Wanted her to believe she deserved to keep it. Wanted, perhaps, to be the one who finally didn't disappoint her.
The realization was unsettling. This wasn't merely about desire anymore, or even about testing her capabilities as a manager. Something more complex was developing, a puzzle I needed to solve, a knot I needed to untangle. I would teach her that not all anticipated pain comes to pass. That sometimes, what looks like an ending is merely a transformation. Friday's announcement would shatter her expectations, just not in the way she believed.
The holiday party announcement still hung in the air when Silas appeared from the kitchen, balancing a tray of skull-shaped cupcakes. Today his horns were adorned with tiny silver bells that chimed softly with each movement, a festive touch at odds with his perpetual scowl. He surveyed the scene with narrowed eyes, gaze darting between me and Simone as understanding dawned on his features. Unlike the others, he didn't bother masking his disapproval behind polite smiles or averted gazes.
He set the cupcake tray on the counter with deliberate care, each skull decorated with miniature holly leaves crafted from green fondant and berries of glistening red sugar. His tail lashed once, twice, a tell of agitation before he turned to face me directly.
"Sure. Turn her into a game," he said. "Great plan. Totally not cruel or controlling at all."
The café went silent, conversations dropping away like stones down a well. Even the garlands ceased their gentle rustling, as if the entire room held its breath. No one spoke to me this way, certainly not employees. Supernatural beings with any sense of self-preservation knew better than to challenge me directly. I narrowed my eyes at the demon baker, my gaze carrying enough weight that lesser beings would have immediately averted theirs. Silas did not. His eyes remained locked on mine, chin tilted upward in open defiance.
"Mind your place," I warned.
"My place is in that kitchen," Silas replied, gesturing toward the back of the café with a flour-dusted hand. "And my job is baking. Her job—" he pointed at Simone, who had gone perfectly still, "—has been running this entire place while you were off doing whatever holiday demons do in the off-season. Hunting naughty children? Polishing your horns? Who knows."
Several gasps punctuated the silence. A vampire near the window began gathering her things, clearly preparing for a hasty exit before violence erupted. The werewolf in business attire slowly slid beneath his table, only his pointed ears visible above the edge.
Silas continued, undeterred by the tension crackling through the air. "She's held this place together. She's done everything, inventory, scheduling, customer service, crisis management. She stays late. Comes in early. Fixes everything."
My jaw tightened, claws flexing slightly at my sides. Not from anger at his insolence, though that would have been the expected response. No, my physical reaction came from something far more uncomfortable: recognition of truth in his words.
