Annabeth caught his gaze with hers. “Exactly what’s going on? Why did you suddenly turn into a Dunkleosteus? Was that what was going on this morning when you leaped out of bed and dove into the pool?”
“Er,” Norris said. “Um.”
“You’re trapped in a van together,” Carter remarked. “There’s no dodging the question.”
“I’m not trying to dodge,” Norris said indignantly, then turned back to Annabeth. “Okay. This is what I’d started to tell you when I got interrupted by turning into a Dunkleosteus. When I was helping the Defenders after I got out of jail, one of the wizard-scientists put a curse on me that stuck me in my Dunkleosteus form. A witch named Kerenza Couch removed it, but recently it’s started coming back. That’s what was going on when I ran out to the pool this morning. It’s also why I dashed out of the coffee shop when we first met. I had to go jump in a lake.”
Annabeth had already figured out some of that, minus the specifics about wizards and witches and curses. “But why didn’t you want to tell me even after I knew you were a shifter? No. Wait. I still want to know that, but the really important thing is getting the curse reversed. It’s dangerous—you can’t breathe on land! Let’s go visit that witch again to see if she can fix you.”
Ransom smiled. Fen and Dali giggled. Tirzah snickered. Roland chuckled. Merlin, Carter, and Pete laughed outright.
Annabeth glared at them. “What’s so funny? His life is in danger!”
“They’re not laughing about that,” Norris put in. He looked like he was trying not to laugh himself. “They’re laughing at me. Not in a bad way,” he added quickly when Annabeth glared at them harder. “I already talked to Kerenza, and she told me how to break the curse. I have to bring my mate to the Defenders’ holiday party.”
“Your mate?” Annabeth asked, baffled. “Who’s your mate?”
“You are,” Norris replied. He took her hands. “Your mate is your true love. The person you’re perfectly compatible with. A shifter’s inner animal can recognize their mate at first sight. My Dunkleosteus recognized you. But honestly, I didn’t really need him to. I’d have known I’d love you forever halfway through our first conversation.”
Annabeth was stunned. But somehow, she wasn’t surprised. “I don’t have an inner animal. So I guess that’s why it took me longer. I’m pretty sure I fell in love with you halfway through our first date.”
She wasn’t sure how long they sat gazing adoringly into each other’s eyes before she remembered what they’d been talking about before.
“Hey!” she exclaimed. Norris jumped slightly. “Why didn’t you tell me all that once you’d told me about your Dunkleosteus? Did you actually think I’d still refuse to go to a holiday party even if I knew it wouldsave your life?”
“No, no!” He patted her reassuringly. “I knew you’d go if I told you why. That’s why I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want to make you feel obligated to do something you wouldn’t enjoy. I was hoping you’d come around to going because you wanted to go.”
She shook her head in disbelief. “Norris, that is very sweet but also very ridiculous. You would’ve told me eventually if I hadn’t decided to go on my own, right?”
“I hoped it wouldn’t come to that. But yes, I would’ve.”
“I’m glad you havesomesense of self-preservation. But seriously, next time just tell me what’s going on!”
“I will,” Norris promised. “But I’m glad it happened this way.”
“Me too. It was no fun for me to keep on hating winter holidays.” Remembering that they had an audience, she turned to the Defenders. “Norris and I have been having all these weird, amazing winter holiday moments. We found tracks from a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer in the park, and there was oil and latkes for Hanukkah, and a drawer full of Diwali lamps...”
Ransom’s lips twitched. Roland smiled. Tirzah stifled a snort. Pete chuckled. Dali stuffed her fist against her mouth. Carter laughed outright. Fen began to giggle, and Merlin and Natalie joined her.
Annabeth was instantly suspicious, but Norris spoke first. He stabbed a finger at Merlin. “Did you make those sleigh prints?”
Merlin shook his head violently, looking offended. “Absolutely not!”
There was a moment of silence, then he grinned and went on, “Dali made the sleigh prints. I made the reindeer prints. Carter and Natalie made it look like they landed and then flew away.”
“And the Hanukkah miracle?” Annabeth inquired.
“Carter cut the power to your house,” Tirzah confessed. “Phone and wifi too. I told Pete what you needed for your Hanukkah miracle, and he and Roland snuck it into the house. It was Ransom’s idea to combine it with a Diwali celebration.”
Annabeth was dumbstruck. It seemed like Norris was too, because there was a silence in the van.
“You’re not mad, are you?” Merlin asked. “Or disappointed that it wasn’t really Santa?”
“We never thought it was Santa,” Norris said, with a slightly defensive note in his voice. “We thought it was a family of flying reindeer shifters giving their kids a Christmas treat.”
“I’m not mad,” Annabeth said. She swallowed hard, not wanting her emotion to make the Defenders think they’d hurt her feelings. “I’m touched. You guys went to so much trouble to help out Norris and help me enjoy the holidays again.”
A general aura of relief filled the van.
