Flight Before Christmas

By Christine Pope

They'll have to fly faster than reindeer to rescue Santa…and save Christmas.

 

Other than the pleasure of etching delicate tendrils of ice on windows, there's not much Kai Ulfsen enjoys about life under Jack Frost's rule. But when he's roped into serving on a strike team to kidnap Santa and destroy Christmas, Kai's had enough. Frost must be stopped.

 

Human witches, the only other beings on Earth with magical powers, are his only hope. He never expected his search would lead him a woman with sky-blue eyes and hair like a river of gold.

 

Stella Monroe is five minutes away from closing up her tea shop for the holiday when a vision of Nordic male perfection fills the doorway. And, even more surreal, this beautiful man with silver hair, aquamarine eyes, and…pointed ears?...needs her help.

 

Granted, she flies the fastest broom at the Witch Olympics, but is her magic equal to a task like this? But maybe with a little luck — and a bag of pixie dust — Kai and Stella can beat the clock, beat Frost at his own game, and save the happiest holiday of the year.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dark Valentine Press
• Release date: Nov 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393034957

Christine Pope

A native of Southern California, Christine Pope has been writing stories ever since she commandeered her family’s Smith-Corona typewriter back in grade school and is currently working on her hundredth book.Christine writes as the mood takes her, and so her work includes paranormal romance, paranormal cozy mysteries, and fantasy romance. She blames this on being easily distracted by bright, shiny objects, which could also account for the size of her shoe collection. While researching the Djinn Wars series, she fell in love with the Land of Enchantment and now makes her home in New Mexico.

Book preview

Chapter One

Another day, another rally where Kai was forced to listen to Jack Frost rant about Santa Claus and how it was time to take winter back from that annoying fat man and his equally annoying band of toy-building elves.

…and once Christmas is over, that’s all anyone cares about! Jack Frost proclaimed. The frost elves’ leader stood at a glass podium decorated with delicately etched snowflakes and slammed a long, pale hand down on the smooth surface. Standing a few yards away in the crowd, Kai couldn’t help but wince. In general, his boss went through at least three or four of those podiums per year. And since Kai was one of the elves tasked with etching snowflakes into the podiums, that meant he generally never lacked for work.

Still, he had to believe he should have something else to look forward to besides etching snowflakes in far-too-fragile podiums for the rest of his days.

All around him, his fellow frost elves listened to their leader’s diatribe with expressions of intent interest. As far as Kai could tell, no one else among his people seemed to experience the vague dissatisfaction with their lives that had crept over him during the past couple of years. They all seemed to be just fine with carrying out Jack Frost’s every whim, with traveling the world and bringing their leader’s cold and ice with them everywhere they went.

Kai had to admit that he did rather enjoy creating delicate tendrils of frost on windows in the world far beyond the lands of his people. Etching frost was difficult, delicate work, and he had a knack for it. On the other hand, he thought that he — and the rest of his kind — would be far better off if Jack Frost could find a way to rid himself of his obsession with Santa Claus.

No, Frost continued, now clutching the podium with both his white-fingered, spidery hands, "once they’ve gotten past New Year’s, all humans care about is getting winter over with as quickly as possible. Oh, they play at enjoying St. Valentine’s Day when it rolls around in February, but all they’re really looking forward to is beach weather. Beach weather," he repeated, the words dripping with disdain needle-sharp as an icicle.

Actually, Kai thought with some wistfulness that he might like to experience a beach that wasn’t being pummeled by the cold waves of winter…or frozen over altogether. Too bad he would probably never get the chance.

Not for the first time, he wondered why all his fellow frost elves had made the choice to follow Jack Frost so blindly. True, the legend ran that once upon a time, he’d rescued the frost giant children who became the forebears of the frost elf race, but after thousands of years, shouldn’t that debt have been paid in full?

And yet it seemed that no one except him had any trouble with the life that was their fate. Choose a suitable mate, have one child — and no more — and work to bring winter everywhere. Of course, there was an undeniable beauty to winter, but didn’t any of them want something else? Something more?

Kai knew he wanted a great deal of something elses. A chance to walk on a warm beach. To find out what popped corn tasted like. To sit in a movie theater filled with humans and gasp or laugh or cry at the scenes being enacted on-screen.

None of which were going to happen while he was one of Jack Frost’s slaves.

A frown creased his brow, and immediately, Ulrika, the frost elf who stood next to him, sent him a questioning glance. He could tell from the expression on her pale, perfect features that she didn’t much appreciate him not showing utter adoration for everything their leader was saying.

At once, Kai smoothed away his frown and redirected his attention toward the podium.

…and that is why, Jack Frost thundered, now obviously working up to the climax of his speech, that this is our year! This is the year we take back our world — and take back the North Pole, which should have been the rightful home of the frost elves! We will stop Santa Claus in his tracks, and make sure that all those human fools understand who holds the true power of winter!

All around, the frost elves burst into thunderous applause. Kai made himself clap as well, although inside, he’d turned as cold as the frozen wasteland outside Jack Frost’s palace.

This was bad. Very bad. Jack Frost had threatened and blustered before, but now it sounded as though he was serious about taking on old Kris Kringle. And if the leader of the frost elves actually succeeded….

Kai didn’t want to consider such a possibility. Inside, he’d always had a sneaking fondness for Christmas, or at least what Christmas looked like from the outside. Glittering trees, and hot cocoa, and sheets of brightly decorated cookies. Presents in shiny paper wrapping, and people singing carols. It all seemed wondrous to him, since the world of the frost elves was singularly lacking in that kind of joy.

Why should Jack Frost have the power to deny so much happiness to so many people?

He shouldn’t, Kai thought fiercely. He needs to be stopped.

As soon as that thought passed through his mind, a shiver went through him. Not from the cold — his kind could withstand subzero temperatures without feeling a second of discomfort — but from the sheer audacity of such a notion. He was only one frost elf. What on earth could he do to stop Jack Frost, a being who, if not precisely a god, certainly had godlike powers?

On his own, probably not all that much. Like the other frost elves, Kai had the ability to move quickly and quietly, and to cover great distances with a single leap. But beyond that, he didn’t possess any talents which would allow him to prevail against a being who commanded the cold and the dark, and who could be anywhere in the world he wanted in a single blink of an eye.

Clearly, it would take more than one frost elf to prevail against Jack Frost.

These ruminations were interrupted by the extremely unwelcome sound of Frost intoning Kai’s name. Kai blinked, and realized that a group of frost elves had gathered by the podium…and they were all staring in his direction.

Erm…yes? he said, hoping he hadn’t missed anything too important.

Kai Ulfsen, you have the singular honor of being named to my strike team, Jack Frost said, pale eyes seeming to bore a hole right through him. Assemble now.

Yes, sir, Kai responded immediately, and then hurried over to stand with the rest of the elves who’d already left the main crowd. At least, he assumed that was what he was meant to do. Since they were all youngish, male, and of good strength, they must be Frost’s strike team.

And Kai was meant to be included in that group.

Uh-oh.

He didn’t want to strike anything, let alone Kris Kringle’s jolly house at the North Pole. No, he would much rather be at his workshop, laboring away at one of the intricate ice sculptures that were his true passion.

Obviously, he wasn’t going to be given that opportunity. Stomach sinking, he followed the other members of the strike team as Jack Frost led them away from the rest of the gathered frost elves to a promontory of ice that jutted far out into the North Atlantic.

You see it? he asked, pointing one long, pale finger due north.

Kai narrowed his eyes and gazed in the direction Jack Frost had indicated, while all around him, his fellow frost elves did the same. Far, far off in the deep violet haze that lingered on the rim of the world, a single point of bright light flickered.

The workshop, Frost said in sepulchral tones. That is our destination. I will make an ice bridge for us to cross, and we will take them unawares.

The words somehow emerged from Kai’s throat, even though he’d fully intended to keep his mouth shut. "We’re — we’re not going to hurt them, are we?"

Jack Frost sent him a slit-eyed glare that made Kai wish he could have turned to stone on the spot. Even if we were, that’s no concern of yours. But, he went on, each icy syllable dripping with contempt, for the soft-hearted among you, know that our mission is not to hurt anyone. We will capture Kris Kringle so I can imprison him and make sure there is no chance of his delivering Christmas presents on time. We will also take his reindeer hostage, just in case any of his elves tries to play hero by delivering the presents in Santa Claus’s stead. The elves we will leave alone — they can do no harm on their own. If possible, Frost’s icy-pale eyes narrowed further. Does that satisfy you, Kai Ulfsen?

Yes, sir, Kai replied at once, although he was feeling far from satisfied. What would happen if all those presents remained in the workshop?

There won’t be any Christmas, he thought with a pang. None at all.

Which of course was Jack Frost’s intention.

Kai didn’t have time to think after that, however, because Frost extended his hand, and the promontory on which they all stood suddenly grew longer by at least five miles.

We will go now, he said. Stay close, and be ready once we reach the North Pole.

Because there was nothing else he could do, Kai moved as one with the rest of the frost elves, following Jack Frost as he created a vast bridge of ice to span the waters of the sea, bringing them closer and closer to Santa’s workshop and village. Sooner than he’d thought possible, they were stepping off the bridge and onto solid land.

Here, all was covered in snow, but rather than the bleak landscape of far northern Lapland where the frost elves lived, the village proved to be a cheery place, with warm lights glowing in the windows and red ribbons decorating the doorways and window frames. The chill air held a delicious scent, one Kai didn’t recognize, but which made his mouth water.

To the workshop, Frost said, then pointed to the largest building, which had several chimneys from which drifted happy little puffs of smoke. I will take care of Claus. The rest of you can subdue his elves and make sure they don’t interfere.

Feeling more miserable than ever, Kai followed his leader and the rest of the frost elves to the building in question. Every ounce of him wished he could break off from the group and flee back the way they’d come, but he knew such a feat of bravery was impossible. They’d spot him at once. Since he’d seen what Frost did to those who were disobedient — they were turned to statues of ice, and then shattered with the sharp little axe he always wore at his belt — Kai realized he had no choice.

But at least he could try to hang back and participate in the mayhem as little as possible.

Obviously, Santa’s village didn’t have any kind of early warning system. Jack Frost burst through the front door, sending out a waft of air that smelled of vanilla and spice. The elves working away at the long tables lined up in rows throughout the large room sent out frightened squeaks at the sight of the tall, pale frost elves who flanked their leader, but they made no attempt to engage.

Wise, probably, since they only came up to a frost elf’s waist and could be easily dispatched with a single blow. Still, Kai hated the fear in their eyes. He wished he could tell them that he personally didn’t mean them any harm, but he doubted they would have believed him.

Santa rose from the large chair where he’d been sitting. An expression of resignation rested on features far too plump and jolly to be forced to entertain such an emotion, and his voice sounded almost too calm as he spoke.

I suppose I don’t have to ask why you’re here, Jack.

Jack Frost sneered, thin lips lifting in dislike. No, you don’t. It’s time for this to end, Claus. I hope you’ll come with us peacefully, but if you don’t…. The words trailed off, and his pale fingers played with the handle of the axe he had tucked into his belt.

You know I’m a peaceful man, Jack. Santa looked over at the tallest of his elves, a chubby specimen with a shock of bright red hair. There was something quelling in that glance, as though he was ordering the elf not to put up any resistance.

Very slowly, the elf nodded, but, judging by the way his chin thrust out and he stared at Jack Frost and the rest of the interlopers with hot blue eyes, he was none too happy about being told to stand down.

Then you’ll come with us, Jack Frost said. And we’ll take a little detour to collect your reindeer.

At that comment, Santa released a breath, and the twinkle disappeared altogether from his clear blue eyes. Somehow, Kai got the impression that Claus had been hoping Jack Frost would forget about that particular detail.

Unfortunately, Frost never forgot anything.

Of course, Santa replied.

He stepped forward, and immediately a group of frost elves surrounded him and forced