The Alien Reindeer's Christmas Package Read online

  I pulled the scroogian blaster from my pocket. A bulky, unwieldy weapon, and one I’d never learned to use. It was all I had to defend myself with, though.

  They’re here for the cargo, my sensible voice said. Let’s get out of here quietly and get to safety. They’re Dhannar’s business, not mine, and he’s abandoned me.

  I glanced behind me at the containers and shook my head. Maybe running would be the smart thing to do. Maybe. But I’d never claimed to be smart, and I refused to let the invaders win without a fight.

  Slipping out of the driver’s seat, I snuck back and braced myself between the strapped-down containers. The blaster angled up at the door, I’d have a clear shot at anyone trying to get in. Of course, I’d also be trapped inside, but that was a problem for later.

  Outside, someone crunched through the snow. I counted two people’s steps, then three. Maybe more. Great.

  My hand trembling and slick with sweat, I did my best to keep the blaster leveled at the door. It seemed like hours passed, days, months, before someone heaved the door open.

  A scroogian filled the doorway, grinning to show off pointed teeth. Matted green fur, hungry red eyes, sharpened tusks, and a wicked knife in one hand made him look like a monster. I squeaked and squeezed the trigger more by instinct than choice.

  In the confined space the blast was blinding and deafening, the force of the shot driving me back into the seating behind me. My target dropped his knife and threw himself backward into the snow, screaming and fur on fire.

  Shit. Missed. A near miss, close enough for the blast to catch him, but not enough to burn a hole in him. I launched myself through the hatch, grabbing the fallen knife on the way past. The frozen ground knocked the wind out of me, but I forced myself to roll to my feet, snapping another shot at the nearest noise. No chance of hitting anyone, but it might keep their heads down.

  Another blast lit up the night, illuminating the tent. In the frozen moment, I saw three scroogians advancing. The fourth lay in the snow beside me, scrabbling for a weapon, and I dove away before he got a hand on it, rolling under the rover.

  Snow crunched under me and more shots rang out. I fired back without looking, wishing I knew how to use this weapon. How many shots did I have left?

  Doesn’t matter. You won’t hit anything anyway. That infuriatingly rational voice wasn’t wrong. The blaster didn’t fit my hands, was too heavy for me to hold properly, and had no sights that I could find. Better to try escaping than fighting back, especially outnumbered four to one. I’d done my best to protect the cargo.

  Pulling myself out on the far side of the rover, I crept toward the shelter’s wall. In the dark they might not notice me while I cut a new opening and snuck out.

  Only — where would I go? Once I escaped the shelter, I’d be lost in the snow. Stranded. Nowhere in walking distance, and no idea which direction to head in. I didn’t have any supplies with me, either.

  Crap. Was surrendering my safest choice?

  But remembering my earlier experiences of the scroogians, I doubted that would be a good idea. Caught between the green-skinned aliens and death in a blizzard, I tried to find another option.

  And then one burst through the tent wall ahead of me.

  I squealed and fired by instinct, the blast tearing into the fabric beside the magnificent animal that had charged head-first into the shelter. Tall, with a dark ruddy coat and huge antlers, its eyes shone in the light of the blast. Powerful muscles moved it forward, and it looked past me at the scroogians.

  I had the disconcerting feeling that I knew this animal. That somehow, I’d met the reindeer before. It was impossible, though. Until now, I hadn’t even known there were reindeer on this planet. Why would anyone import them?

  The scroogians reacted before I did, one shouting something in their coarse language, another firing. The heat of the blast singed my arm, but the reindeer was already in motion and the beam cut through the snow behind it rather than the animal itself.

  He was fast. Head lowered, it crossed the distance to the nearest scroogian almost too quick to follow. The impact sent one alien flying back into another, a horrible crunch sounding as they hit the rover. The reindeer spun towards a third target.

  That one managed to shoot, the blaster scoring a line on the reindeer’s flank. I gasped, hand going to my mouth in horror at the beautiful animal’s injury, but the reindeer didn’t even slow. He charged again, head dipping low and antlers slamming into his target.

  Ribs snapped and the scroogian soared through the air, landing in an unmoving heap. The remaining invader turned to run, but the reindeer wasn’t about to let any of them escape. He chased down the fleeing alien and ran over him before slowing and turning to face me.

  In seconds, the reindeer had killed all the scroogians. I swallowed, backing away slowly and trying not to look threatening. Not that I had any qualms about their deaths — the scroogians were invaders, killers, and I knew that if they’d caught me, I’d have faced an awful death. But if the reindeer killed four brutal alien warriors in as many seconds, what chance did I have?

  The animal stepped towards me with a carefully precise gait, and again I felt like I knew it. Impossibly familiar, the icy blue eyes looked down into mine.

  And then the animal changed. Straightened up, limbs twisting and thickening, antlers receding, chest folding in. I gaped at the sight as it transformed in the space of a breath, and Dhannar stood over me.

  “What?” I asked, unable to get more words out. I tried again. “How?”

  Dhannar frowned, crouching, reaching out to touch my cheek. “Are you hurt, little one?”

  I shook my head, blinking rapidly. This was too much. He’d saved me. He’d returned as a reindeer to save me from the scroogians. My brain couldn’t cope with that, and the world went gray before my eyes.

  The last things I saw as I fainted were his eyes.

  My eyes opened to the inside of the rover, dim lights flickering. Someone had set the back into ‘living room’ mode, unfolding the bed for me to lie on. Rubbing my head, I started to sit up, wondering about the dream I’d had. Where had that come from?

  A powerful hand stopped me, pressing me back into the bed, and I remembered it hadn’t been a dream. I’d really found a crashed spaceship, an alien, a super-hot alien. Panic crept into my thoughts until Dhannar smiled down at me, banishing my fears.

  Except… had I really seen what I remembered? It seemed impossible, but also far too real. The reindeer… that had to be a dream, right?

  Sitting up, I turned to my alien savior. “Did you…?”

  It was too ridiculous to say out loud. My cheeks burned bright red and I turned my face away, stuttering.

  But he understood what I was trying to ask. “Yes, beloved. The reindeer was me.”

  “How?” The word came out as a squawk, but he simply shrugged.

  “It’s normal for my species,” he said, as though that explained everything. “We reilendeer shift forms, and always have.”

  I bit down on my instinctive reply. Bullshit, I wanted to say, shifting into animals is impossible. But I’d seen it with my own eyes, and how many other supposedly impossible things did I know of? Faster than light travel, for one thing. No one understood how it worked, it just did.

  Anyway, arguing with my savior would be impolite. If I was going crazy, it was time to embrace that.

  “So, just to make sure I understand, you’re a reindeer who flew here from Earth with a delivery from Santa?” It still sounded ridiculous, and he knew it. Smiling, he brushed my hair from my face and nodded.

  “As always, it’s both simpler and more complicated than that,” he said. “But that’s the gist of it, yes.”

  I opened my mouth, realized I didn’t know what to say to that, and closed it with a click. Taking a deep breath, I shook my head and raised my hands.

  “What matters is that you saved my life. Again.” I looked into his eyes, the same ice blue as the reindeer’s, and realized I be
lieved him. As ridiculous as it sounded, his story was true. “Thank you.”

  His lip twitched. “I will save you from any danger, beloved Megan. And yet you greeted me with a blaster shot.”

  Despite his effort to look stern, a slight smile told me he was teasing. Still, I blushed. “That was an accident! I didn’t know it was you, how could I have known?”

  “Nonetheless, you must be punished for shooting at your mate,” he told me. I swallowed, pulling back and objecting despite the way my pulse raced at the idea.

  What’s wrong with me? Being punished shouldn’t sound like fun, but when Dhannar said it… something stirred inside me.

  He lost control of his wicked grin as I glared up at him defiantly. Trying to sit up again, I found myself helplessly pinned to the mattress by his strong hands. Flipping me face down, he smacked my ass. I yelped in shock.

  I should have been outraged. Instead, I’d never felt more turned on. My pulse raced as he gave my ass another swat, not hard, just enough to make me squirm.

  “You can’t just—”

  Dhannar cut off my protest with another sharp smack, and I bit my lip as he slid a hand under my skirt. His finger brushed across my panties, teasing a moan from me and feeling my wet warmth.

  “I can, and I will,” he said, turning me back over and looking me in the eyes. His dark, sexy chuckle made me certain I’d enjoy whatever came next.

  Space was tight with the two of us in the rover’s sleeping area, and I started to protest as he joined me on the bed.

  “There’s no room here, we should—”

  “Oh, I’m good at making things fit,” he said, shushing me with a finger across my lips. “As you’ll soon find out.”

  I caught my lip between my teeth, my cheeks burning, and shut up as he tugged on the ribbons holding my clothing on. Oh so slowly he stripped me, his fingers teasing and tormenting the whole time.

  Reaching for him, I tried to return the favor only for Dhannar to take my wrists and firmly press them down on the bed. I squirmed, helpless in his grasp, as he unwrapped me with his free hand. Each piece of cloth he removed made my body ache for him more.

  I had to bite down hard to stop myself pleading with him. Begging to be allowed to touch him. That would be going too far, but god I wanted to feel his skin under my fingers.

  Dhannar slid a hand between my legs as I thought that, his fingers pressing on my wet panties and making me gasp. I writhed again, spreading my legs for him, desperate for his touch. But no, he wasn’t going to make things that easy for me.

  Letting go of me he stood up, towering over the bed. A huge, powerful, sexy silhouette, he unlaced his pants and flung them aside, freeing his magnificent cock. I whimpered and reached for it, but once again he caught my hands.

  “Naughty,” he rumbled, amused. “I will tell you when.”

  “Fuck you,” I said, trying to sound angry. My breathless voice only carried a desperate need, and he chuckled again.

  “I see that I’ll need to keep you still,” Dhannar said, holding both my wrists in one hand again and reaching behind him. From somewhere he produced a length of sparkling metallic rope and wrapped it round my wrists. In moments he’d tied me to a fixture at the head of the bed.

  “You’re tying me up with tinsel?” Half-outraged, half-amused, and entirely turned on, I pulled against my bonds. He’d tied it expertly, not tight enough to hurt but too tight to slip out of.

  “I am,” he confirmed. Sliding his hands down along my arms, he caressed me, and I arched my back, offering my body to him. “And now I’m going to finish unwrapping my present.”

  I swallowed, breathing fast, as he trailed his fingers down across my bare chest, teasing and caressing. My body responded to his slightest touch and I no longer cared how desperate I looked. I just wanted him, damn the consequences.

  Strong fingers stripped me, leaving only my panties, and Dhannar lowered his lips to my body, trailing kisses down across my breasts, down my stomach. Pressing myself up to his mouth, I tried to pull free of the bonds. That was impossible, but instead of frustrating me, the restriction made my senses keener. My body trembled, eager for Dhannar’s touch.

  Slowly, deliberately, he kissed his way down my thighs. I gasped something wordless as he rose back up along me, placing his head between my legs. His tongue pressed against the thin fabric of my panties and I couldn’t bear it any longer.

  “Dhannar,” I begged. “Please, god dammit, please.”

  “What do you want, little one?” His teasing voice made me want to hit him and kiss him all at once, but the tinsel tying me to the bed left me no opportunity to do either.

  “I want you to fuck me,” I said, words coming in a quick gasp. “Please, Dhannar. I need you.”

  His fingers slid into my panties, paused. I trembled with need, heart racing, and for a moment neither of us moved. Then, in one quick motion, he tore the thin fabric from my body and cast it aside.

  I gasped loudly, spreading my legs for him, and he grinned down at me. Rough hands pressed my hips into the mattress as Dhannar positioned himself.

  Remembering how big he was should have frightened me, given me pause. But I’d never wanted anything as much as I wanted him inside me, and my pussy ached for him as he pressed the head of his cock against it.

  His icy eyes met mine, and I nodded. With a mighty thrust, my shifter mate buried himself inside me.

  I threw my head back, crying out. Perhaps it should have hurt, but no, it was as though our bodies were made for each other. His cock filled me, fitted me perfectly, the hard ridges along its length making me shudder as they slid into me.

  Above me, Dhannar growled and pulled back slowly, leaving me feeling an aching emptiness. Then he thrust again, harder, deeper. His cock began to vibrate as it slid into me again, and every inch buried itself in my pussy.

  “Oh god, oh fuck,” I whimpered, squirming under him. My arms tugged helplessly at their bonds, and that only made it feel better. I was in Dhannar’s power and the sensation was incredible, unbelievable. I shook around him as he sped up his rhythm.

  He leaned in, kissing and biting at my neck as he thrust again and again, each powerful stroke deeper than the last.

  Wave after wave of pleasure crashed over me as he took me, made me his. As I screamed in pleasure, he swelled inside me and, with a powerful, final thrust, he came too.

  Indescribable ecstasy filled me, a climax that nearly knocked me out. Dhannar shouted and bit down on my shoulder, the flash of pleasure and pain adding to my joy and I lost myself in the moment. Nothing existed apart from the two of us, nothing mattered except us.

  Eventually, I returned to myself. Dhannar cradled me tight against his broad chest, the steady thump-thump of his heart a soothing rhythm. Breathing a happy sigh, I clung to him, feeling safe and loved in his arms. The tinsel still wrapped around my wrists but no longer tied me to anything, and I smiled at the sight of them. I ached all over, not a painful ache but a joyful one. One that I hoped to feel a lot from now on.

  Snuggling against the expanse of his chest, I smiled and let myself drift.

  10

  Dhannar

  I held my beloved mate in my arms until the morning light made the snow glow above us. No sleep for me, not now — I would not miss a second of this first night with Megan.

  She rested, snuggled against my chest, and no sight in the universe could compare. Relaxed, eyes closed, she looked so peaceful now. And that peace infected me, soothed the sharp edges of my soul.

  Gently, carefully, I pulled myself free of her embrace. As much as I’d like to spend the whole day in her arms, that wasn’t possible. My mission had a deadline and Megan’s colony was in trouble. Neither issue could wait.

  Collapsing the dome brought the shell of snow down with a thump, and I pushed the door open to clear it from the rover’s roof. Bright blue sky greeted me, a beautiful winter’s day, and I smiled as I unfolded the rover’s solar panels. We’d have enough charge to ge
t moving soon.

  As I finished setting the panels, the rover’s door opened again, and Megan stepped out. Wrapped in a blanket and holding a cup of instant coffee, she looked delightfully untidy and my heart skipped a beat. My desire awoke instantly, and it was all I could do not to pounce on her immediately.

  A shiver ran through Megan as the cold air hit her, but still she stepped out of the vehicle and offered me another self-heating cup. I smiled, taking the cup and ripping its seal. The chemical heater activated, and a strong smell of bad coffee filled the air. I winced and Megan grinned up at me.

  “What, you’re a coffee snob?” she asked, taking a sip of her own.

  “You can’t get good coffee off Earth,” I grumbled, risking a mouthful. It tasted even worse than it smelled, but at least it was coffee. Better than nothing.

  “Well perhaps you’re lucky and some of those presents you brought are the real thing,” Megan said, gesturing back to the rover’s cargo compartment. “Then you just have to figure out who it belongs to and mooch off them.”

  I laughed, shaking my head and putting an arm around her. “No, beloved, Santa isn’t that cruel. Give someone one packet of good coffee with no hope of getting more? That would be awful.”

  “But at least you’d have a decent cup,” Megan laughed. I ruffled her hair and drank another mouthful, pulling a face.

  “I’ll survive. Bad coffee with my mate is better than any drink I could find on Earth.” She stuck her tongue out at that and I laughed again. “Besides, I told you I’m not carrying presents in that sense. Santa doesn’t send physical gifts, he has me and my brothers deliver distilled Christmas spirit instead.”

  Megan looked at me dubiously. “That’s hard to believe, honestly. It sounds… kind of new age? What does it even mean?”

  I shrugged. “I can’t explain the technology involved, but it works. Santa builds up a reserve over the year and then at Christmas we set out to spread good cheer to all mankind. Since you humans began to colonize the stars that means some of us must follow you, taking weeks to deliver what we used to do in a night.”