Mystical Xmas: Paranormal Romance Anthology Box Set Read online

  Gray reaches over to take her hand. “That’s so sad. I’m so sorry that the other kids were so cruel. I wish I could take away all the hurt.”

  Savannah doesn’t know how she should react to his caring. What she knows is, she has never been cared about in this way, or to this extent, before. She is falling so hard for this angel. Her Angel!

  Gray encourages her to continue. “Please tell me what happened in college, sweetheart. I’d like to know, if you don’t mind.”

  Savannah blinks back tears at the memory. “It was the year before I met Esme. I was dating a young man from Michigan. We’d just started to get serious when Spring Break rolled around. He was going home to visit his parents. I had an uneasy feeling about his trip, but I didn’t know how to tell him. I didn’t feel that I had the right to ask him to stay with me, so I said nothing. The private jet he was on went down before he reached Michigan. Everyone on board was killed. I was devastated, and I was afraid to tell anyone why I was in such bad shape. I just knew they’d lock me up, if I told them I thought I could have kept him alive by keeping him here with me. It took me months to begin to feel anything like normal again.”

  He holds her in his arms as she sobs at the memory. When the sobs start to subside, Gray asks her what it was that helped her.

  “Esme.” That’s all she can say for several minutes.

  Gray waits silently. He just holds her, stroking her hair, giving her gentle kisses on her hair and her cheeks.

  When she feels that she can talk again, she tells him, “Esme had lost a friend, also. When we found out about this shared experience, we began talking to each other about our feelings, our fears. We soon became truly inseparable. She became my sister. After a while, we decided to become roommates. We’ve been together ever since.”

  Gray holds her tightly against his chest. He thinks to himself. How can I tell her about my true nature? She has been through so much! Will she understand? Or will she be frightened of me, and shut me out? All I know is that I have to make her understand who, and what, I am. And I have to do it in such a way that I don’t frighten her away. I thought I was falling for her before. After hearing this about her life, I know definitely that I want her in my life. I want to protect the woman I love! Wait a minute! Did I just say I love her? Yes, I do love her! I HAVE to tell her that I love her!

  “Savannah, I want you to know something. I want you to know that I will be here for you, for however long you want me here. I love you, sweetheart!”

  Savannah can’t quite believe her ears! Did he just say that he loves me? How can that be? I’m so messed up! Why would he even want me? I know I love him, but how could he possibly love me? He’s gotta be saying it because he feels sorry for me now. Me and my big mouth! Why did I ever tell him anything/ I just managed to make him think I am truly crazy, a nutcase!

  “Oh, Gray. You don’t have to say something like that. I know you just said that because you feel sorry for a crazy woman. Please don’t do this to yourself. Or to me. I couldn’t bear it!”

  Gray again wraps her in his arms and kisses her passionately. “Savannah, I would never say that I love you unless it was true. I DO love you. You began tugging at my heart even before we met! Sweetheart, I have a confession to make.”

  “EVEN BEFORE WE MET? HAVE YOU BEEN STALKING ME? OH. MY. GOD! I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU’D TRY TO FOOL ME THIS WAY!” Savannah turns and runs back toward the house, away from Gray. She runs until she is out of breath, and he has caught up with her.

  “Savannah, please let me explain! Savannah, look at me. Please!” Gray is terrified that he’s lost her. He’s barely found her, and he’s afraid he’s losing her.

  “Why should I listen to you, Gray? You just admitted that you had been stalking me!” She is crying again. Furious! Horrified! Terrified! But, of what? Even now, angry as she is, Savannah feels safe with him.

  “Savannah. Sweetheart, I am not like you. You know in your heart that I’m different. You are terrified. At the same time, it’s not ME that you’re afraid of. Tell me I’m wrong.”

  “No,” she sniffles. “I feel safe around you. Even as angry as I am, I’m not afraid. What do you mean, you’re not like me? How are you different?”

  “I am what you know as a Guardian Angel. I was sent to protect you, to fight alongside you. We have already fought many battles together. You just don’t remember them. I have come to love you while we fought together. You have fought with skill and courage, which is what caught my attention. As I watched you mature as a warrior, I also came to know your compassionate side. I watched as you fought your heart out, then cried over a fallen comrade. I watched while you found homes for the children orphaned by the aftermath of our battles. I saw you leave food and money for the spouses of the people who died in the fights. Every single time I saw something like this, I lost a little piece of my heart to you.”

  “Oh, Gray. I DO remember those battles. It took me a while to recognize you, but I felt like I knew you, even at the accident. That was probably why I felt so at ease with you! My heart already knew you. Oh, Gray, I love you, too! I’m so sorry I doubted you. I was just so afraid you’d think I was a nut job after what I had told you! Can you ever forgive me?” Savannah begs, sobbing against him again.

  “Aw, sweetheart. It was forgiven by the time you decided to listen to me. I’m so sorry that I explained myself in such a stupid, frightening way.”

  They begin kissing again as their bodies fall together to the sand.

  As they walk back to the house, Savannah begins to feel dread and fear rising in her chest. Looking at Gray tells her that he is feeling it too. They take off running. When they finally reach the house, all hell has broken loose! Quite literally! There are creatures all over the beach. Before Savannah and Gray get close enough to see what is going on, they can hear the shouting of men, roaring of beasts, and clanging of weapons. They run faster as they recognize several evil ones from their battles. They look at one another. How had THEY found her? More important, how had THEY gotten through to this side?

  Gray and Savannah grab the weapons that materialize before them. As they look around, trying to get their bearings, they realize they have allies! Gray raises a shield of protection around the entire site. Normal humans do not need to know what is happening.

  The two of them rush into the middle of the fracas. With clanging of swords, swishing of cross-bows, and flaming torches, the battle begins in earnest. For hours, the battle rages. Esme comes home, calls for them from the deck, and finally goes back inside. She is confused. It isn’t like Savannah to go anywhere without leaving a message for Esme. Little does she know that Savannah and Gray are just yards away, fighting for the lives of everyone Esme loves. Because Savannah loves them, too, everyone is in danger.

  Little by little, the battle slows. After two days, it is finally over. Savannah knows she has a LOT of explaining to do. Esme has called for her, and for Gray, numerous times. They both know Esme would be extremely worried. She has even called their families, asking them to come early. The police have been over the grounds, also searching for any signs of foul play. Finding none, the police leave Esme and their families alone to conduct their own search.

  When Savannah and Gray finally manage to drag themselves into the house, everyone screams and runs for them.

  “Oh, my god! Where have you two been?” shouts one.

  “We have been worried sick!” yells another.

  “Are you okay? You look like you’ve been through Hell!” screams another.

  Savannah and Gray just stand there, taking all this in. They look at each other, finally realizing how they actually look. Then they both burst out laughing.

  Savannah’s father is furious! “Why in the name of heaven do you think this is remotely funny? You have been gone for over TWO DAYS! Esme waited a day to call us. And believe me, she has been thoroughly told about that! Why did you not call us when you were hit by a car? Did you not think that we would care? Would we not have come to look
out for you?”

  Savannah shifts, uneasily now, closer to Gray’s side. She notices the look that passes between her parents. She sees the tears flowing down Esme’s face. She looks at the other worried faces, many with tears in their eyes.

  “I’m so sorry. There was no way to let you know! Esme, you remember Gray told you we were going to walk on the beach? We were coming back when we heard the noise of battle, right down on the beach. We knew we couldn’t just walk away. We knew what kind of danger was out there!” Savannah looks at Gray for confirmation. He is nodding his head and looking around the room.

  Then Gray begins to speak. “Steve, Melanie, Rob, and Charlotte, I am honored to finally meet you. She is telling the truth. We had no warning. I am so sorry that I didn’t recognize that the cab may have been a sign that this was coming.”

  “Gray? What are you talking about? How do you know my parents? And Esme’s? You and I just met!” Savannah’s eyes are wide and frightened now. She looks from Gray, to the four parents, and back to Gray. The parents look stunned, but are relatively calm now.

  “Savannah, honey, this is my fault, and a little of your father’s. Mostly mine. We thought you had been spared this. We never knew you were feeling THEM. You never gave us any indication that you could feel THEM.”

  “Mom, don’t you remember all the accidents my friends had? I never had any friends because they all decided I was bad luck! And then my boyfriend from college! Don’t you remember?”

  “Yes, honey, I do. But when I tried to talk to you, I got no response. I felt it best to let you come to me. I remember these days from my experience,” Savannah’s mom answers.

  “From your experience? What are you saying, Mom? Did you know this could happen?”

  “Savannah! Don’t talk to your mother that way! You don’t know how many times she wanted to tell you, and I said no because you never gave us any indications that you knew anything. We watched you for years.” Her dad replies angrily.

  “But I don’t understand! What IS going on? How do you know about it? Please explain this to me,” Savannah pleads.

  “Okay, this may be a little hard to hear and harder to understand, so let’s all sit down. We’ll order some dinner and eat while we talk. Savannah, you and Gray look tired enough to drop. Why don’t the two of you get showers while we wait on dinner? Gray, we hope you don’t mind, but Esme gave us the keys to your place while you were gone. The four of us were so certain of what had happened that we got you some things that we thought you would need when you returned.” Esme’s dad, Rob, says.

  “Sure! Of course it’s fine! Thank you for thinking of me,” replies Gray.

  Savannah and Gray head in opposite directions up the stairs to the showers. When they have finished, they take a few minutes to just relax in each other’s arms.

  “Did you know about this, Gray?” Savannah asks.

  Obviously, not enough. But, yes. I knew some of this could happen.” he answers.

  “How do you know my parents? And Esme’s?”

  “That’s not my story to tell, anymore. Besides, it appears we’re all about to hear it.” With that, he kisses her gently. Then they head downstairs to see what they have to face.

  Refreshed and back downstairs, Savannah and Gray sit side-by-side at the huge dining table. While waiting to see who will speak first, they each help themselves to the Chinese food being passed around the table. When their hands touch, they feel sparks jump between them. They just look happily into each other’s eyes. He kisses her on the forehead. All four parents notice, and smile at each other.

  The families are almost lined up against one another, although there doesn’t seem to be any tension between them. Savannah and Gray soon found out why they are seated this way. The Jacksons, Esme’s family, are seated along one side of the table with Rob and Charlotte at the end. The Lewis’s, Savannah’s siblings were along the other side, with Steve and Melanie at the other end.

  Melanie begins. “Savannah, I am the same as you. Only the females in our family have the ability to feel that THEY are near. The ability shows itself in slightly different ways, and consecutive generations cannot feel the same things. Your grandmother might have felt the same entities as you. But I cannot. Because of this, I could not tell when you were experiencing THEIR presence. And since you preferred not to discuss it with me, I had no way to help. I suspected things, but I didn’t want to butt in where I was not wanted. Especially, if there was a chance that this … ability, you might say … had skipped you. I never wanted to alarm you without reason. My ability was feeling confusion. I felt that in you sometimes. Usually it was strongest around a time when one of your friends had been injured, so it appears that I knew more than I realize. I never had the battles that you must have had. Mine were entirely different. That’s where your father and I met. You see, Savannah, Steve is my Guardian Angel. As I suspect that Gray is yours.”

  Steve chimes in here. “We fought side-by-side, much as I suppose you and Gray have had to do over the last few days. We fought the ONES that brought confusion and chaos to the world. Only one group can be fought at a time, you see. And a new generation fights each battle.”

  “Okay, I can live with that, I suppose. But how do you fit into this situation, Mr and Mrs Jackson? Are you Guardians, too?” Savannah asks Esme’s parents.

  “Yes, in a way, we are,” Charlotte replies. “I am what you might consider a Lady-in-Waiting to your mother. And Rob was your dad’s squire, so to speak. We all just happened to be together, and were able to find our mates. And we ARE mates, fated to be together. We have noticed that you and Gray seem to feel the same pull toward each other. You were destined to find one another.” Savannah shyly looks at Gray and smiles at the huge, proud grin on his face. “Esme’s mate has not been found among your followers yet, or she would have been pulled into the fight alongside the two of you. That is one reason the two of you girls became such good friends. You are fated to be together for the rest of your lives.”

  Savannah and Esme beam at each other. “How awesome!” they exclaim at exactly the same time. Everyone laughs at the girls’ perfectly timed simultaneous reactions!

  Rob continues. “This battle lasts for years. We are not trying to discourage you. You are bred to be able to take on this challenge. From generations before the ones sitting here, you have been chosen to carry forward this fight.”

  “Does this mean that we don’t have a choice? I mean, this is the first that I’m hearing about this!” Esme whines a little.

  “A week ago, Savannah didn’t know either. But both of you knew that something was different about Savannah, didn’t you. You knew that several times she had kept you from danger when you listened to her when she said she felt funny about something. Didn’t you, dear?” asks Charlotte.

  “Well, now that you mention it, I guess you’re right. She HAS warned me a couple of times when I escaped grave danger. OMG! The fire! How did you know, Savannah?” Esme’s eyes are wide in awe of her friend.

  “It was just a feeling, Esme. I don’t know any other way to explain it,” comments Savannah, innocently. “It was no biggie!”

  “Wait just a cotton-picking minute! Why is everyone else at this table so calm? Did they already know about all this drama?” exclaims Savannah, as she realizes that neither her, nor Esme’s, siblings seem to be surprised over any of this information.

  “Actually, they did.” says Melanie, smoothly. “Since, we knew this ability wouldn’t affect your brothers, we started preparing them to help you when the time came that your help was needed. As soon as we figured out that your Lady-in-Waiting was to be Esme, her siblings were given the same preparation. Even their spouses are part of this. We are all here for you, whenever you need us.”

  “Wow, this is a lot to take in,” whispers Savannah. Then she looks at Gray. When he nods, she asks “May we have a few minutes alone?”

  “Of course, darlings. We will be waiting for you.” the parents agree.

  �
��So. What do we do next? I feel overwhelmed, excited, nervous; you name it, I think it’s there.” said Savannah, when she and Gray got to the deck. “Are we ready for this? You don’t have to be involved, you know,” she says quietly to him.

  “Don’t even think that, Savannah! Look at me” he demands as he raises her face so she has to look into his eyes. “Don’t ever think I would leave you. Even without being your Guardian, I don’t think I could willingly leave you. You own my heart, sweetheart. I have only one question for you.” He drops to one knee, reaches for her hand and says, “I love you, Savannah. I promise to love you, care for you, and protect you for eternity. Would you, please, put me out of my misery and marry me?”

  Savannah is dumbfounded for only a moment before she pulls him off his knee and whispers, “Yes, Gray, I will. I think I have loved you from the moment I first saw you. I feel so loved, and safe, when I am with you. I will absolutely marry you!” she squeals and everyone rushes to the window to see what is wrong. When they see Gray spinning Savannah around until she is dizzy, they all just laugh. They know what has just happened.

  It’s Christmas Day, and the whole family gathers in the church for the wedding of Savannah and Gray. Esme smiles with joy when she sees her best friend come down the aisle toward her, then past her to Gray. Steve and Melanie look so proud as their daughter says her vows. Rob and Charlotte stand in for Gray’s parents, and are just as proud as if he truly is their son. All of the siblings look on as two of their very favorite people are united for eternity.