Whirling Fintan around, I kept him steady despite his huffs and hoof scrapes, yearning to join in the fight. I needed his sharp antlers to ward off any that might have slipped past. A few of the creatures leapt to Jack’s back, one accidentally catching his ear on a shoulder spike. He yelped, attempting to pry himself free, but Jack yanked him off only to shove his entire head through the spikes. The creature became a grotesque decoration dangling from Jack’s shoulder while he fended off the rest. The sight of that, the experience of all of it, should’ve disgusted me more, but it simplydidn’t.
These things were clearly here to harm us, if not ordered to kill us. The instant Jack sensed trouble, sensed that I was in danger, he morphed into this other side of him that he had yet to mention. No doubt this beast of his was menacing, dangerous, and bordering on barbaric, and I’m sure he worried I would find it disturbing. No, I wanted to see it up close. I wanted to run my fingers over the dull sections of the icy spikes that were a part of his skin.
I’d become so distracted by the arctic force that was Jack Frost, I didn’t see the creatures lurking behind us. Fintan kicked his back legs and swung his antlers, but there were too many of them for him to counter on his own. One jumped and latched onto my hair, dragging me from my stag and into the snow. Another pinned my wings to the ground, and I shrieked at how painful the pressure was—a pain I’d never experienced.
Jack roared as he stormed through the clearing, throwing creatures into tree trunks, their bones breaking and cracking, the sound amplified by thick forest. He stomped on several others, their small forms trapped under his gigantic, icy haunches. Jack impaled the creature who’d yanked me by my hair and the one that still had me pinned—he grabbed it by the head, turned away from me, and using only his hand, popped the creature’s skull like a grape.
The creatures began to retreat after this, scurrying to the foggy hole. Nanok swiped at them as they passed, killing many more who dared to try to walk past him to the safety of the hole. When the last creature toppled into the opening in the ground, it sealed shut, and the only evidence that they were here at all was the hundreds of body parts and scattering mass of blue blood staining the snow.
Wincing, I sat up, my right wing still hurting. I frowned at the small tear in it, making the top curved portion bend.
Jack was still in his monstrous form, his head shaking, his hand beating against his skull like he was trying to morph out of it. Drool dripped from Nanok’s jowls, and he stood in a combat stance, lips curling in a snarl.
“Jack,” I eased, fanning my palms at him and rising. “They’re gone now.”
I had no idea what to expect from this side of him, but in my gut, in my heart, I knew even this version wouldn’t hurt me.
“Was this not enough for you?” Jack roared, his voice far deeper, far more gravelly than his normal voice.
“Enough?”
Jack dragged one arm sword through the snow, bumping into arms and heads. “The carnage I displayed for you—to protect you. Is this notenoughto prove what kind of mate I can be to you?”
My heart raced at how feral he sounded, and it nearly burst out of my chest when he began to pace in circles like a cornered wolf. I had to tread this one very, very carefully.
Not daring to move closer, I kept my hands out in front of me. “Jack, I appreciate you protecting me. Thank you for that. Times have changed, though; it can’t just be some?—”
Jack sheathed the ice swords into his arms, leaving only the spiked barbs at his wrists and elbows. He prowled toward me, and I shook uncontrollably, gulping once he stood in front of me.I had to lean backward to look him in the face. “You aremine, Sylvaria. You are mymate. Iownyou. It is that simple.”
Not knowing where the sudden burst of confidence came from, I rolled my shoulders back and glared at him. “I’m not a possession,Jakzair. And this isn’t you talking.”
“That is where you are wrong. This is me in my truest form,” the monster said, bowing forward to bring our faces closer.
The spikes, barbs, and sharpened bits of him were intimidating, but those eyes—Jack wasstillthere, and I knew no matter how much he huffed and puffed, he wouldn’t ever hurt me.
“No. This isn’t your truest form. It’s a part of you that you haven’t needed in a long time.”
Jack clenched his fists, his icy skin and armor cracking and misting. “Because of you. Because you are my mate. Because you are?—”
Mine. The craziest part was that I loved hearing it and I wanted to be able to say Jack was mine, too.
“Jack, I’m going to walk away now. Because for the first time in your ethereal life, I think you need tocooldown.”
The beast blinked at me, and Nanok too grew more submissive, flopping onto his butt and tilting his head to one side.
Sucking in a deep breath, I reached forward and placed a hand over where Jack’s heart would be. With my icy warmth pressed to his chest, steam wafted underneath my touch. “I appreciate you protecting me. Come find me whenJackis ready to talk.”
Fintan came to my side and knelt for me to climb on his back. My stag blew a puff of air at Jack through his nostrils before he carried me into the forest. My shoulders shook from the fear I’d felt from daring to come toe to toe with such a creature, butit soon fizzled away because it wasn’t just any monster. It was Jack,mywinter monster king.
“You saygingerbread people and I say they still look likedicks,” Tambie announced, waving her finger at my newly displayed tray of cookies in the case.
Aella pinched the bridge of her nose and pointed. “The arms are folded in, Tamb, see? They’re holding the candy cane.”
Tambie’s black pixie cut hair swished around her face as she shook her head. “Nope, I see balls—” She gestured toward the legs with wide feet. “—and a bulbous crown.” She circled the cookie’s head.
Smiling, I wiped the counter and shrugged. “I don’t have a problem calling them gingerbread dickheads.”
“See? Now that’s keen marketing.” Tambie flicked one small, tan fawn antler at her temple and threw an arm around Aella’s shoulders.
