Home for Horny Monsters Ch. 089

"And now Mike is seeing souls almost like a web-analogue for human beings. It's because humans don't weave webs, but you do braid string." Zel scribbled more notes, making Mike wonder if he had a way to access what she wrote down or if those etchings would simply disappear into the Dreamscape once she looked away.

He let out a sigh. "Okay, so these are some great ideas, but that doesn't help me with Jack's situation."

"It may, actually. You see, spider webs have different shapes and designs based on their function. You may be able to discern these properties if you consider them from that perspective," Ratu said.

Amymone, who had been hiding behind her tree, leaned out to reveal herself. "And you should be pretty good at it," she told him. "After all, weren't you a web developer?"

She ducked away as the others all threw rocks, the projectiles bouncing harmlessly off the trunk of her tree.

"I feel like she was just biding her time on that one." Mike couldn't help but chuckle. Even he had considered the programming angle. "Okay, so how can I use this information?"

"Next time you inspect Jack's soul, I want you to think about it using the web analogy." Ratu pointed at some of the lone strings holding the soul together. "This looks more like two separate webs than one to me. How would you put such a thing back together?"

"Or maybe I'm meant to pull it apart?" Mike frowned.

"I wouldn't do that unless you want to kill her. If you had another body for Freya to inhabit, then maybe, but I suspect you would end up with two incomplete webs if you attempted it. Neither would be good for much, other than falling apart in a stiff breeze." Ratu waved her hand and summoned a cup of tea. "Now perhaps--"

"Mike!" Kisa manifested in front of him, terror on her face. Her appearance startled Zel, causing the centaur to race off as the others watched her. "I just saw him, the Krampus!"

"You did? What happened?" Even though they were in a dream, he could see how hard Kisa was breathing. "Wait, is he after you? Are you safe?"

"No. And yes, I'm fine, but..." She took a calming breath. "He has his own sleigh, he's using it to steal back the presents the others have already delivered. The elves are taking them somewhere, I'm getting ready to follow them."

"Shit!" Mike ran his fingers through his hair, then summoned a copy of the map. "Where are you now?"

Kisa pointed, and a red X appeared on one of the buildings. "I think it's some sort of maintenance building for the sleigh, I'm not sure. Also, the giant was here. Krampus told her that Mrs. Claus was going to disappear soon, and then..." She took a deep breath and trembled. "After Krampus left, she ate one of the elves."

"Fuck." He put his hands on Kisa's shoulders. "Okay, priority one is your safety. Priority two is finding out where the elves are being kept. Maybe we can rescue them, or whatever."

Kisa nodded, rubbing tears from her eyes. "I can still hear her, Mike. I think she's eating another one." Her voice was little more than a whisper.

He pulled her in for a hug, holding her tight. "There's nothing you can do. She's all hopped up on god juice right now, I doubt anyone but Yuki could stop her." Or maybe Jack.

"I have to go." He kissed Kisa on the forehead. "It's time to do six impossible things before breakfast."

"What?" Kisa stepped away from her and wiped her eyes. "I don't get the reference."

"It's from Alice in Wonderland." He had no idea why he had even said it, but his eyes flicked to the boughs of Amymone's tree. Yuki was squatting in the branches, watching the two of them. The kitsune nodded her approval, then vanished. That was different, he thought to himself as he turned toward Kisa. "Stay safe, little kitty."

He opened his eyes and sat up from his recliner, the blanket covering him falling to the floor. Yuki looked up from where she sat, a Tom Clancy book in her hands.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"No. Stay here with the others, I need to check on something." He ran for the stairs, ascending them two at a time. When he got to Mrs. Claus' bedroom, his heart dropped through his stomach. She had the body of a ninety year old woman, her body much smaller than before. Not only had she shrunk physically, but her threads had almost vanished. The old woman would be gone soon, snuffed out like a candle.

"Shit, shit, shit." He burst out of the room and ran down the stairs. Holly, who had been asleep on a nearby couch, watched him in curiosity, then got up and ran toward the stairs, presumably to check on Mrs. Claus.

"Mike?" Yuki was standing now. "What's going on?"

"I need to check on something." He looked over at Freya/Jack, who remained slumped on the couch. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Without waiting for a response, he moved to the door that led down to the North Pole. The trip was faster this time, but mostly because he was running as fast as he dared, his magic spiders lighting the way. It still took a while before he reached the bottom, and by the time he got to the massive artifact, he could see that the magic spiraling around the bottom had been depleted.

On the magical globe, he could see a dark circle (which was probably the Krampus) moving across Asia, the light of the sphere fading away beneath it. The light representing Lily and the others was somewhere over Europe now, their speed far slower.

"Shit!" He moved closer to the pole, staring hard at the bottom third of it. The magic was unwinding, turning into a fine mist when it touched the air. Clicking his tongue as he examined the structure, he fought the urge to touch it. The surface of the pole looked like molten metal, and his precognition practically screamed that this would be a bad idea.

Once the magic was gone, it would be lights out for Mrs. Claus. Holly would no longer be protected, which meant the Krampus would come back to take her.

Watching those threads unwind, he made a knee-jerk decision to reach out with his magic and grab onto them. Maybe he could force them back around the pole, or tie the world's most powerful square knot.

The North Pole made a sound like screeching metal, and the ensuing blast hurled him across the room. The impact would have hurt far less if he hadn't hit one of Santa's abandoned work tables.

Mike wheezed for several seconds, the air knocked out of his lungs. It took him several seconds to crawl toward the closest table, his whole body tingling.

"Good god, that was stupid," he said with a groan, pulling himself to his feet using a nearby chair. "Note to self. Don't grab the Christmas magic. It grabs back."

Unable to stand, he collapsed into the chair. Leaning forward, he took several deep breaths, trying to collect his thoughts. How much time was left before this home was no longer safe? Should they run and hide?

No. Hiding would do nothing. When the Krampus came, they needed to be ready for him, but how? Maybe if they found a way to meet up with the others, they could be strong enough, but then what? He needed more time.

"Wait a second." Mike looked up at the spinning globe. The others were spending months out there for every day he was in here. Could he use that to his advantage? Holly had been able to travel to his home with a fireplace, could he do something similar?

The feeling now back in his legs, he got to his feet and wobbled toward the exit. Climbing those stairs was going to be a bitch, but he would muddle through. He was almost to the door when he noticed the tall apparition blocking his way, barely visible in the glow of the pole.

"I don't suppose you're here to tell me I've been a good boy?" Mike asked, trying to step away from the Ghost of Christmas Future.

The cowled figure shook its head ominously. Mike turned to run away, but the spirit had appeared behind him, bony arms stretched wide to embrace him. He desperately summoned his magic, but it was too late.

The world turned to darkness as the Ghost of Christmas Future whisked him away.

❄️❄️❄️

For anyone curious, my favorite Ghost of Christmas Future was the one from Scrooged. It's one of my favorite Christmas movies, you should check it out sometime!

Thank you so much for making it through this chapter. I l am having so much fun with the Christmas arc, and promise you that next book will take place somewhere much warmer!

On your way out, please make sure to click some stars for me or leave a comment. I've got some great twists and a phenomenal sex scene planned for you in a future chapter that you definitely don't want to miss, and I never would have gotten this far without you!

Now go do something kind for yourself. You've earned it!

~Annabelle Hawthorne