Misty

Since we still had a stupid curfew, we focused on classes with everything quiet on the demon front. Eventually, Christmas break arrived, which gave us a break from that stupid demon.

I guess demons take a much-needed break around the holidays. Thank the Lord.

Once we returned home and settled, I focused on Christmas. Nash already told me the cookie delivery service was out of commission. Well, phooey on him. I refuse to let Scrooge dampen my holiday spirit, so I enlisted Eden to help me.

"How did I get roped into helping you?" Eden asked.

"You make it sound like it's a chore to make cookies and deliver cookies," I said, putting a baking sheet of sugar cookies into the oven.

Eden dropped chocolate chip cookie dough onto a baking sheet. "It's not that. I never made cookies for Christmas when we lived with Rueben and Mia. Hell, I didn't do much for Christmas while growing up." She shrugged.

"It seems like you got the shaft."

"That's an understatement." Eden scoffed.

"Well, I'll show you how to celebrate Christmas correctly this year." I smiled.

Eden returned my smile.

I turned on Christmas music so we could get into a festive mood while making cookies. The front door opened and closed. Nash and Aiden entered the kitchen and saw the tin cans and cookies on the table.

"What are you doing here with tall, dark, and silent?" I asked.

Aiden rolled his eyes before kissing Eden and grabbing a cookie.

"We're here to help you and Eden," Nash said.

"I thought you quit the delivery service," I said, taking a baking sheet out and putting another into the oven.

"I quit the delivery service. It didn't mean I quit helping you."

"Ah, so sweet when you refuse to stay away from me, you possessive male." I smirked.

Nash rolled his eyes before sitting at the table, grabbing a piping tube, and decorating the cookies. Aiden helped Eden with the cookie dough. Christmas music played while we worked on the cookies.

Once we baked and decorated all the cookies, we packaged them in cookie tins. I placed a name tag on each one and wrote the person's name on it.

Besides the current cast of characters, we added a few more people to the route. It was only fair for people to get a taste of heaven.

We put on our coats, Santa hats, and gloves and loaded several tins into Nash's SUV before climbing inside. Our first stop was Matthew's house.

We grabbed a tin, walked to the front door, and rang the doorbell. Matthew answered the door, his lips curled into a smile. We handed him the tin and wished him a Merry Christmas.

Next were Markus, Mason, Larissa, Payton, Parker, Patton, Paxton, and Presley. They hugged us after receiving their cookies. The holidays are always hard without your folks, so we gave them a gift from their mothers and fathers.

We went to the auto shop, bakery, restaurant, hospital, and construction sites. Before heading to Harper and Harper Construction, we passed out cookies to different family members. We delivered cookies to Elias and Owen before heading to the workshop.

Bradley lifted his head when I entered and handed him a tin of cookies. He took the cookies from me as his brows furrowed.

"Family doesn't always mean blood." I winked and smiled before leaving.

We headed to the therapy office, the center, and the chapel and delivered cookies to more families. Next were two brothers who were home. I knocked on a door while Nash tapped on another one. Pat opened his door to see me standing on the porch with a tin.  I handed him the tin before walking away. Nash handed Romeo a tin of cookies before turning to meet me.

The Christmas bulbs were Pat's idea, but the cookies were mine. Sometimes, love comes from a homemade gift. Isn't that what Christmas is all about?

*******
Valentino

I might grumble about delivering cookies, but I'll still do it for Mags. Luckily, we had plenty of cookies left for her and Eden's folks. We wouldn't leave anyone out with cookies. It wasn't us.

We returned to Mags' house and collapsed on the couch.

"I didn't realize delivering cookies was exhausting," Aiden mentioned.

"Yeah. That's why I grumble about it," I said.

My cousins walked into Mags' house and headed straight to the kitchen to grab cookies.

"Save some for West and Raymond," I told them.

"You make us sound like animals," Nathan said.

"You said it, not me." I shrugged.

My cousins found a place to sit while eating their cookies.

"Did you hear Nana wants to have Christmas at the restaurant?" Nix asked.

"Why?" I asked.

"She wants a space big enough for our family. Ryden already said he was cooking Christmas dinner."

"Better than Aiden's old man cooking. No one wants food poisoning on Christmas," Nathan said.

"That's like Aunt Bailey cooking." Noah shivered.

"Are you mad everyone is knocking on your parents' cooking?" Eden asked Aiden and Nolan.

"Why? It's the truth. Our parents can't cook for shit except for my dad," Nolan said.

Eden looked at Nolan with her mouth cracked.

"Nolan isn't wrong," Aiden said. "My parents are horrible cooks."

I looked at Mags. "Are you and your folks coming to Christmas dinner?"

"The last time I checked. Eden and her parents are coming, too. We're visiting my grandparents on my mom's side on Christmas Eve," Mags said.

"Good because I got you a gift."

"Aren't we past gift-giving in our relationship?"

"No."

"I didn't think so."

"What's wrong with gifts?" Nathan asked.

"Nothing, except what do you get someone that has everything?"

"A hard time and a short way to get there." Nathan shrugged.

"I give that gift every day to you guys."

"Yes, we're quite aware you give us a hard time, Maggie," Noah deadpanned.

Eden giggled, watching us.

"It doesn't matter as long as we're together," I said.

"You're such a softy, Nash," Nix said.

"I'm not that soft." I arched my brow.

"Yeah, I don't want to know." Nix rolled his eyes.

That will teach Nix to throw in his two cents.

******
Eden

After visiting Maggie and the others, Aiden and I headed to my house. We entered to find my mom and dad decorating the tree. They spotted us and smiled.

"Just in time, baby girl," Dad said.

We closed the door, removed our coats, hats, and gloves, and walked toward them. We grabbed ornaments and hung them on the tree since it was our first Christmas together as a family.

"I wasn't expecting to come home to find you decorating," I said.

"I had a chance to buy a tree and decorations when you were at school and your dad was at work. I wanted to get decorations we would like and honor our heritage," Mom said.

I couldn't help but smile. "I think everything looks great."

My mom beamed. "Thank you, Mija." She bought random mismatched decorations, but it was better than the previous Christmases.

My dad didn't seem to care since he looked at my mom in adoration. It was the first Christmas we could enjoy ourselves.

"After decorating the tree, let's make popcorn and watch Christmas movies," Dad suggested.

"Really?" Mom and I asked.

"Yeah. Why?" His brows pinched in confusion.

"Rueben thought watching Christmas movies and eating popcorn was silly." My mom shrugged.

My dad glanced between my mom and me. "Let's make a new tradition. We don't mention that name ever again in this house. We celebrate the holidays as a family, doing whatever we want. Got it?"

We smiled and nodded our heads in agreement. "Yep."

"Good. Now let's finish this tree."

"Do you want me to order pizza?" Aiden asked.

"Yes," I said.

Aiden pulled out his phone. "What does everyone want?"

We told Aiden what we wanted so he could place the order. Mom and I had a blast decorating the tree with Dad. He enjoyed himself as much as we did.

Who would have guessed this summer would have led me to a family and Aiden? My lips curled upward at the thought of everything working out.

*******
Wayne

The Feds transferred me to another prison until my court date. I sat in the back of the van with my head against the wall. Thanks to that stupid bitch, I get to spend my freedom in jail. Good thing she was dead.

The Feds closed the back doors, and the van started moving while I sat there, seething.

The van stopped abruptly. I lifted my head and looked at the doors as they opened. A guy climbed into the back and stood before me. His eyes were black as coal before he shoved his hand into my chest. A coil wrapped around my heart and squeezed until I opened my mouth and inhaled a black mist. Then everything went black.

I opened my eyes and cracked my neck before breaking the chains connected to my wrists and ankles. I dropped the shackles to the floor and moved to the front to check on the driver. His eyes and mouth were wide open. He won't be an issue for me.

I turned, exited the van from the back, and climbed down. I adjusted my body and walked away from the van. I had to change tactics to keep them from capturing me. It's incredible what rage will do for you. It's easier to occupy a body without rotting it. I'll keep fueling that rage until I get what I want.