Home for Horny Monsters Ch. 084

She thought back to Death's words. It really would just be easier to accept that magic happens, and accept that she would receive no explanation. Christmas magic was definitely something special, that was for sure.

To be safe, she gave both sleepers a jab with her tail to ensure they slumbered. A quick dive into Janet's mind revealed that she had rewrapped the presents from William's mother and addressed them from Santa. Puzzled, Lily dug deeper.

Janet's mind unraveled like a rotten onion, revealing a history of entitled behavior and glowing narcissism. William's sisters were adorable, and got plenty of attention from Janet's friends and strangers alike. She liked being told she made a good mother, and enjoyed taking credit for the children's accomplishments. However, as long as their mother was in the picture, there would be credit she couldn't claim.

There was a lot to unpack. Janet was only being kind to the children for her own glorification and to hurt a woman she barely knew. William was old enough to see through the charade, but the girls were not. It was likely only a matter of time before she started using William as her own emotional punching bag.

"How would Santa handle this?" she wondered aloud. How would a fat man who brings joy and good cheer to the world deal with a chronic liar bent on destroying a child's perception of their mother? This situation reminded her of the one between Mike and his own mother, and the temptation to just snap Janet's neck was very strong.

Staring at her prey, she bit her lip and crawled up onto the bed. Spreading her legs around Janet's torso, she placed her hands on Janet's temples and delved into the Dreamscape.

She didn't know what the answer was. The fact of the matter was that Santa wasn't here, but she, Lily, was. She had her own way of dealing with things.

Not knowing what sort of deadline she was on, she bombarded Janet's Dreamscape with a nightmare sequence that lasted for weeks on end. The Christmas filter fought her hard at first, but the Dreamscape was Lily's domain, and she was able to defeat it soundly there.

Janet's soul begged for forgiveness on multiple occasions, but Lily saw through the lie each time. The woman Janet had become was a project years in the making, and not something casually undone. The woman would say whatever she thought necessary to stop the terrors that Lily sent at her. Scare tactics clearly weren't going to work, so she would have to go deeper.

Changing tack, it was time to do some spiritual manipulation. Lily set up a dream scenario where Janet woke up on Christmas day, broke her stepdaughters hearts, and then enjoyed a briefly successful career as their manager when they got picked up by a scouting agency. She became close friends with the wife of a wealthy oil mogul, whom she eventually had a threesome with. Using this sexual moment as an opening, Lily pounced.

Souls were often like apples. It was entirely possible to cut the bad parts out in the hopes that what had rotted them in the first place wouldn't grow back. Lily bit large chunks out of Janet's soul, almost to the point where she would perish. When Christmas morning came, Janet would likely suffer confusion, weakness, and headaches for several days. She would barely have the energy to get through the day without napping, much less emotionally manipulating her stepdaughters. Smiling, LIly licked her lips and tweaked Janet's nose as if she was a child.

"If nothing else, that should keep you out of trouble for a few months. You'll love the attention you get from everyone when the doctors can't figure out what's wrong with you."

Before leaving the bedroom, she jacked into the father's head long enough to see that he was a good man with a penis that made most of his decisions.

"Consider getting snipped," she told him, both in his dreams and out. "Cause if you knock this one up, she's gonna take you for everything."

It had been almost half an hour by the time she returned to the living room. William was dozing on the couch, but snapped to attention when Lily arrived. He was holding a plate with a peanut butter sandwich, which he offered to her as a snack. She accepted it, then identified the presents beneath the tree that had been mislabeled. He helped her rewrap them properly, then sat back to identify their handiwork with shimmering eyes. As she was leaving, William gave her a big hug, clinging tightly to her body.

"Thank you, Santa," he told her. "Merry Christmas."

"Right. Merry Christmas." She waved him off of her. "Now go to bed before I bring you coal."

"If Janet stops being so mean, you can bring me coal forever." He grinned for her, suddenly looking much younger than he seemed. It was like the stress of his stepmother's machinations had prematurely aged him, but now that weight was gone. She gave him a wave, then stuffed the whole sandwich in her mouth on her way out the door.

Death was reading the manual in the sleigh when she returned. Once they were airborne, she transformed back into her normal form and picked up the thermos. As she poured herself a mug of cocoa, she pondered again how Santa would have handled the whole affair. Perhaps it was some magic he possessed that she was unaware of, but it almost felt like the whole experience had been tailored to her particular strengths.

If so, to what purpose? That would mean that Santa had known that trouble was brewing, and that Death would take the sleigh. It seemed impossible to believe, so she thought back on the wisdom of the Reaper and just let it go as she contemplated the night sky. She had been given a unique opportunity to help someone that hadn't involved murdering someone else, though she had considered it.

"How did it go?" Death asked.

"The cookies sucked." She slammed hot cocoa from the mug, marveling at how hot it felt against the back of her throat. "By not making you eat them, it's almost like I did you a favor."

"Aha! I see young William has gifted you with a sense of humor!" Death's grin was contagious as he let out a booming laugh. "It's almost like a Christmas miracle!"

In response, Lily chattered her teeth at him, then stuck out her tongue. Though she wouldn't admit it out loud, she was starting to have fun.

"Next stop?" she asked.

Death nodded, then handed over the reins. "It's your turn," he declared with a smile.

She couldn't help it. With a laugh, she snapped the reins and Cerberus pulled them up into the sky, leaving a trail of smoking paw prints behind.

Christmas Present sat at the head of the table, smiling at Yuki and Mike while they filled up on meats, cheeses, and rolls. Yuki didn't dare let her attention wander away from the giant, who would occasionally lick her lips while watching Mike.

Conversation had been minimal, other than a general encouragement to eat. Christmas Present promised them a long journey, and they should be well fed before they began. Yuki didn't detect any animosity, but was expecting a betrayal of some sort. If not for the odd behavior and that strange scar on the giant's lower belly, she probably would have pin cushioned the woman a while ago.

Mike drank from a silvered goblet, then wiped his mouth with a napkin. He had put away an impressive amount of food, and Yuki watched a tiny spark jump across the top of his knuckles. "So you're one of the three spirits of Christmas. We met one of your siblings earlier."

Christmas Present chuckled, then tossed her hair. "Actually, you met several. You see, today is Christmas. My Christmas. Once it is over, I will join my brothers and we shall become the past together."

Yuki nodded. If Christmas Past really was a conglomerate of individual spirits, it would make sense how they had been able to split her and Mike into separate places and times. "Does that mean Christmas Future is actually several spirits as well?"

Christmas Present shook her head. "Potential spirits."

"Potential spirits?" Mike looked up from his meal. "How does that work?"

"That would be a limitation of your language. Just like a gift, each of us is an unopened box. We can be and are absolutely anything until we've been opened."

"I like the analogy," Mike told her. "Because I get the feeling that you're exactly what I wanted for Christmas."

Yuki felt the urge to chastise Mike for flirting, but she watched in fascination as the giant's face and chest burned a fiery crimson. Christmas Present seemed friendly for now. If MIke wanted to flirt his way out of potential danger, then he was welcome to it.

In truth, she found the giant to be very pretty, which made her a little wary. She hadn't felt any sort of romantic or sexual feelings for many years now. It wasn't until the incident at the cabin where she had helped Mike get off to feed Dana that those feelings had emerged once again. Even then, the stirrings had been distant, but she had recognized them all the same. A part of her was waking as if from a long slumber, but it had skewed heavily toward the Caretaker himself.

"Tonight is going to be so much fun," Christmas Present declared, her voice filling the room. "An evening worth remembering."

"Speaking of which." Yuki set down her fork and wiped her mouth. "What exactly is your intention for us? Christmas Past seemed intent on harming us, and I am aware that you have been ordered to hunt us down."

The smile faded from Christmas Present's face. "You're right," she admitted. "I was sent to hunt you down, but can no longer remember why." Her hand slid beneath the fur-lined fabric of her robe and caressed the scar on her belly. "And when I caught you, I was supposed to take you away."

"Well, maybe we should just spend some time together instead?" Mike clapped his hands, a hint of worry in his eyes. "After all, it's Christmas, right? Nobody wants to be sad on Christmas!"

"That's right!" Christmas Present stood, then adjusted her crown. "And we've got so many things to see!"

"See?" Yuki looked at Mike. "Like what?"

"Come, Caretaker." Christmas Present stepped toward the two of them and extended her arm. "Hold onto my robes, and we shall travel anon."

Mike looked at Yuki, then flicked his eyes toward the spirit. She nodded, then moved to join him. Standing before the ghost of Christmas Present, she took Mike by the hand and they both grabbed onto the fabric that dangled from the spirit's arm.

It was as if someone grabbed Yuki by the heart and pulled. Her breath left her body as the world turned into a blur. Dazzling colors spun around them for the span of a breath, and they appeared on a frost covered hillside. Down below, smoke rose from a small cabin, and the nearby barn was lit with Christmas lights.

"What are we doing here?" asked Mike.

"There are many ways to measure a man," Christmas Present replied, some of the cheer gone from her voice. "You see, I'm perfectly aware that your magic has altered me. But yours isn't the only magic making demands."

For just a moment, her sparkling eyes flickered black, causing Yuki and Mike to step away.

"It would seem that I have been given a dangerous choice," she informed them, her eyes changing back. "To oppose my master and risk destruction, or to put my fate in your hands. You see, I desire you, Mike Radley. I wish to make you mine, to feel the heat of your body against my skin, to possess you in all the ways a woman can take a man."

"But?" Mike's voice squeaked a little.

"That's what your magic has done to me. It has given me desires of my own. And I would see what your influence has done to others." She shook her head, her smile reappearing. "So, come! Let us see what transpires in yon cabin!"

She waved the sleeve of her robe, obscuring their vision for a moment. They now stood inside the cabin, surrounded by hordes of rats who sat throughout the house. The rafters were packed with them, and most of the furniture had been obscured by their bodies. Up above, Emery could be seen sitting amongst the rodents with a sprig of mistletoe taped to the top of his head.

"Hello!" he greeted them, then flew down in their direction. Stunned, Yuki couldn't figure out how they had teleported to the cabin until the imp passed through them to land on the kitchen counter. Reggie the rat king had emerged from a small doorway with a wreath of red and green tinsel wrapped around his crown.

"So we're not really here?" Mike asked, wandering away from the spirit.

"We are," she said. "These are not the shadows of things that have been, but of what transpires now."

"What about the time lock?" Yuki asked.

The ghost chuckled. "We are still in it. Traveling as spirits, we are not beholden to the linear nature of time and have stepped outside of the lock. As such, this party had started before you came to the North Pole, and there is naught you could do to alter its course upon returning."

Reggie held up his hands and waved at the other rats as a bunch more poured through the cabinets. It was almost as though the rats had chewed portals through most of the cabinetry, and the cabin was filling up.

The rat king greeted nearby rodents with sparkling eyes and friendly waves. The rats that came through the cabinets ran up to the rats at the cabin and greeted them with warm hugs. Ever since Eulalie had become the Rat Queen as a bit of a joke, a section of the rat kingdom had gone to live with her in the Library. Though there was nothing keeping the two fiefdoms from interacting, Yuki would bet this was the first time so many of them had gathered in one place.

Reggie had been a bit hurt when the split had first occurred, but then realized it was beneficial for his kingdom as a whole. Not only did this allow his subjects to spread out a bit, it also meant that the odds of them being wiped out completely went down drastically. Even if the house was vaporized, the Library and its occupants would remain to rebuild.

"Looks like we're missing quite the party," Mike said, pointing at the kitchen table. Fruit, bread, and giant wheels of cheese had been set out for everyone, and the rats were drinking some sort of cider from tiny tea sets. A roaring fire burned in the fireplace, and the front door opened to reveal Bigfoot wearing a large, white beard.

"Ho ho ho," he declared, holding a bag under his arm. "Merry Christmas!"

Young rats gathered at Bigfoot's feet, milling about as he knelt down to hand out gifts. They scrambled up into his fur as he laughed, doing his best to give them their presents. Most of the gifts were dollar store toys for children, but the young rats were able to wear them like accessories. More than a few rats sported slap bracelets as fancy belts and one of them had scored a set of earrings that was now worn as a necklace.

Christmas music played through a speaker that sat by the front door. Reggie was in the middle of handing out some red cheese wheels when his nose twitched and he looked up toward the second floor of the cabin.

Up above, Eulalie had emerged from her room. Sleek black legs unfurled from beneath her as she climbed over the railing and flipped over to land on the main floor. The rats squeaked at her in greeting and spread apart to give her some room.

"Merry Christmas, everyone!" Eulalie gave everyone a wave. She wore a garish Christmas sweater adorned with a patchwork tree. Tucked against her belly and wrapped in silken webs was an egg with ruby spirals. Firelight reflected off of the egg, but Yuki was certain that some of the light she saw was coming from beneath its shell.

"Merry Christmas, my queen." Reggie took off his crown and gave her a regal bow. "And well met."

"This isn't the roleplaying server." She winked at him and held out a hand. "You can just be yourself."

"Roleplaying...server?"Reggie's whiskers trembled in confusion.

"Just some web humor. Don't mind me." She laughed.

"How is the child?" Reggie asked. "Do you think she'll hatch soon?"

"We've got plenty of time." She rubbed the egg and smiled. "Though I can feel her vibrate sometimes."

"Where's the beer?" Bigfoot stood, causing the rats to scatter. A few remained behind, putting braids in the hair by his shoulders. "I didn't see the cooler outside."

A few of the rats contemplated their tea cups, then skulked away. In the corner of the room, Yuki saw a rat move a pillow to block the sight of crushed cans on the floor.

"We can have someone make a beer run." Eulalie looked around at the rats. "There's probably some at the Library."

"Speaking of, I thought Sofia was gonna stop by." Bigfoot sniffed, then scratched his nose. "Kinda wanted someone my own size to talk to."

"Ooh, do you have a crush?" Eulalie batted her eyes. "Does Uncle Foot like the cyclops?"

Bigfoot laughed. "She's okay, just wanted someone my own size to hang with. You know Beth keeps me busy enough, but she decided to go home for a bit. Had something she needed to do."

"Yeah. I've heard the rumors." Eulalie smiled, then picked up a piece of cheese. "But back to your original question, Sofia won't be making it tonight. She's...tied up with some unexpected business."

"Busy? On Christmas?" Bigfoot shook his head. "Woman's a workaholic."

"She's enjoying herself. I promise." There was an odd twinkle in Eulalie's eye when she said this.

Christmas Present made herself at home, and grabbed one of the cheese wheels from the table. Upon touching it, the wheel doubled in her hands, leaving the original behind. She bit down into it and nodded her approval. "High quality," she declared.

The gathering progressed for quite some time, and Mike wandered through the cabin while Yuki followed. It didn't take long before he wandered outside. He walked over to the new barn and put his hands on his waist.

"You okay?" Yuki came up from behind him, her arms resting across her belly. There was no chill in the air, despite the frozen surroundings. Whatever mechanism they were traveling by didn't convey the chill that should have been in the air.

"I guess," he told her. "At least they aren't all swimming at the spring, right?"

She nodded, then moved closer to him. Though the barn was new, it dawned on her that this was the last place Mike had seen Velvet alive, chasing after that bastard Leeds. She could see his pain through the way he stood, could smell it in the air like cloves and dying flowers. He was putting up a brave front about it, which was a feeling she knew all too well.

Hesitating for a moment, she stepped into him, wrapping her arms around his chest from behind. He tensed up at first, then pressed into her. Beneath the warmth of his skin, she could feel his magic swirling through him. It was like trying to hold a handful of butterflies, their fluttering wings sending ripples of power through her body.

Back when he had used his magic to electrify her, it had been nothing but pain and agony as it tore through her muscles and into the metal floor of the ductwork. Now, though, it reacted to her touch, and moved as if to caress her. No stranger to the duality of magic, she couldn't help but wonder. If his magic could bring so much misery through touch alone, how much joy could it also bring? Would it be large enough to fill that gaping void in her soul, the one she contemplated on a daily basis?

They said time heals all wounds, but she was tired of waiting. Her heart was now beating in time with those tiny surges of power, and his magic was still inside his body. They were both survivors of a special kind of heartache. Maybe it was time for her to take that first step toward leaving Emily behind forever.

"Mike?" She wrapped her hands around his chest and rested her cheek in the small of his back, her thoughts on the words he had spoken earlier. Once upon a time, she had been an artist, a poet, a traveler. She had conquered continents on foot, had battled armies of stone, had even head-butted an Oni over a bottle of saki. But most of all, she had been a survivor.