"It's perfect, Ash."
He ducked his head, cheeks red, lips curled in a bit of a smile. Deciding I needed to hug Ash more than I needed to hide from Dad, I wrapped my arms around the demon.
Hesitantly, he hugged me back.
"Time to decorate!" I declared. Dad handed over one of the laden shopping bags.
"This means we need Christmas cookies." Ed bounced on his toes.
"I'll bake, you decorate," Ash ordered.
"Deal." Ed took the bag from me and I got another from Dad.
Nikolai joined us while Doc watched and pretty soon the living room looked like a bunch of kids had just opened their gifts. Packaging was everywhere as we pulled out strings of house lights, packs of ornaments., and a few other odds and ends to lend a Christmassy touch to the cabin.
Dad, Nikolai, and Doc headed outside with the house lights while Ed, Allan, and I went to work on the tree. Mom went to the kitchen to help Ash bake.
It took a couple of hours but between the fresh pine from Ash's tree, the sugary sweetness of the baked goods, and our efforts at decorating, the place looked extremely festive.
Ed and Allan sat in front of the fire, contented smiles on their faces as they looked at the tree and ate cookies. I sat on one end of the long couch and nibbled on a sugar cookie. Ash and Mom had started up a card game and Doc, Nikolai, and Dad had just come inside from hanging the lights. For once I couldn't wait for it to get dark so we could fully appreciate their efforts.
Doc and Nikolai sat on the couch by me and Dad joined Mom.
The winds picked up outside and Ash and I traded glances. Normally we sensed weather shifts a few days in advance. It was something to do with how tightly demons were tied into the energies and elements of the world. That was part of why Ash was so good at using the land to build things. I still had a lot of that from when the demon had possessed me.
"That's strange. A storm is kicking up."
"It's winter, honey," Mom said.
"Right, but Ash and I usually sense it coming. This one is unexpected. It wasn't even on the weather." I had actually checked since I wasn't quite used to the ability.
"Interesting." Doc got up and went to the window. "We got done just in time."
Uneasy, but not sure why, I went over and joined him.
Doc, sensing my distress, put his arm around me. "We're safe in here."
"Yeah, I know. It's just strange. I've been able to predict the weather for weeks now and it feels weird to not have sensed this coming."
"Ash, did you sense anything?"
"No. It is unusual, but not completely unheard of."
"Don't sense magic," Nikolai said, uneasily. "Is probably natural." He didn't sound convinced.
Doc pulled a hair tie out of his pocket and pulled his long hair back into a tail. "I'm going to check and make sure everything is tied down, if the wind is going to kick up like that."
"I'll help." Allan joined Doc. Neither of them remembered to grab a jacket since they really didn't need one.
Moments after the door shut, Ash bolted to his feet and clutched at his head.
Nikolai swore, leapt to his feet, and blasted Ash in the chest with the same spell we had taken the demon out with before we'd released him. He crumpled to the ground.
"Nikolai!" I was interrupted as pain seared through my chest. I clutched at myself and staggered, falling to my knees. Moments later I heard Allan yelp.
The Russian mage was already casting another spell, this one a shield as he rushed out the door, Ed on his heels.
I struggled to my feet, ignoring my parents except to make sure they were still all right. Mom knelt by Ash.
Ed and Nikolai dragged an unconscious Doc back inside while Allan hobbled in after and slammed the front door.
"What the hell! Doc!" I shrieked and hit my knees again beside the very unconscious vampire. "Nikolai!"
Nikolai rolled Doc onto his back and brushed some stray hair out of his face. I stared at the wooden bolt protruding from the vampire's chest in shock.
We had wards. Why weren't they triggered? How were we under attack?
"Ready?" Ed asked his brother.
I glanced at them. Ed had his hands wrapped around another wooden bolt that was imbedded in Allan's thigh.
Allan nodded and Ed pulled.
Allan howled in pain, collapsing backward, skin rippling as he almost shifted. "Fuck," he gasped.
I grabbed the bolt in Doc's chest, but Nikolai stopped me. "That is not a good idea. He will wake up violently. Last time I did this, nearly died."
"Wake up?" Dad was standing behind me. "That's through his heart. There's no way he survived that."
Nikolai and I locked gazes, not answering my dad.
The house shuddered.
"Lock the doors, no one gets in," I shouted.
The house responded, sealing even more tightly. I didn't even think the magical attacks would get through, at least not any time soon.
"He can wait until we defeat the Andersons," Nikolai said.
I switched to Russian, in a sort of last-ditch effort to keep my parents in the dark a little while longer about Doc's vampire nature. "He's half human. This can't be good for him. Hell, feel the bond, he's fading." I fought off panic, knowing it wouldn't help me save my lover.
Nikolai swore colorfully and at length. "Will take me out of the fight." He swallowed nervously. He didn't make me decide, just hooked his arms under Doc's. "Ed, grab his legs."
They carried Doc into the bedroom, Allan limping after them. I followed, shutting the door in Dad's face.
"Sofia!"
I ignored him.
"Dan, help me with Ash," Mom called.
"Okay, will pull this out. He will probably attack me. If not, needs blood right away. Try to keep him from killing me." Nikolai
