Page 41 of When the Snowman Whispered
“No.” Santa laughed, falling on the ground and holding his stomach. “I’ve always wanted to be the person to say that. So funny.”
My mouth opened, but no words came out.
Santa continued, “I forgot when I died, but I was driving. I had two sweet things kissing all over me. One blonde. The other redhead. I took my focus off the road. And that was that. I crashed around here.”
“And you can see me?” I asked.
“Yes. And whoever comes here.”
“My daughters?”
“Yes, and the woman of disguises.”
“The who?”
“You’re always talking to her.”
I opened my mouth and couldn’t get any sensible words out.
The mermaids giggled.
“So, I’m dead, but not really.” He pointed to the mermaids. “And they’re dead too, but not really.”
“How. . .how can that be?”
He gave me an odd look. “Because nothing ever dies.”
The mermaids giggled some more. The snow under them rippled and then waved. Those beautiful creatures laughed again and then sank into the rippling snow like it was an ocean, deep and limitless. Their tails disappeared along with them.
“I must go.” Santa looked over his shoulder. “My vixens like to run, and me, I love to chase.”
I ran over to their cell. “But—”
All three reappeared on the other side of the cell.
They’d left.
Off in the distance, the mermaids’ giggles filled the air. They’d escaped with no problem, right along with Santa. While my bars had held them, the earth would not. Snow and winter soil bent to their will and allowed them to do anything.
Shivers ran through me. They had power. And maybe I had power too. I’d created them or according to Santa, gave them the body to take over at night.
Santa didn’t seem that bad. He could barely see me. And he talked about others. Who? More spirits, probably.
My hands shook.
There were spirits all around me and they didn’t like my elves or the guitar. That didn’t sound like evil beings. Just a bunch of bougie, uppity art critics.
A deep voice sounded behind me. “Faith.”
My whole body jumped. It was Remy and he was close. He had to be directly behind me. Nowhere near the place where I’d made his cell. He’d come alive and I had no idea what to do.
Chapter 9
Faith
I
spun around, slowly drinking him in. Unfortunately for my body and senses, I had to get used to him all over again and take tiny sips of this surreal moment. I had to be careful. Not take in too much too fast. Just. Little. Careful swallows of his unnatural loveliness.
