Reindeer Games (2 page)

bright orange hair, her own medallion resting between two small, creamy breasts.

The three of them moved to the side to make room for the next reindeer to change.

4

Jet Mykles

They were immediately surrounded by a number of other handlers, these bearing

robes, shoes, and refreshment for the exhausted members of the team.

Lon bit his lip and forced himself to concentrate on his remaining work before

his obsession with the lead reindeer became obvious. It wouldn’t do to let anyone

know he was hopelessly, madly in love with Rom. True, nearly
everyone
was in love

with Rom, at least a little, but Lon was sure his feelings were different. His heart

constricted when he was around the sexy lead reindeer. But he didn’t want to be

seen as a simpering follower. He wanted Rom to notice him as a man. He would, one

day. Soon. Although he had yet to come up with a suitable way to make that

happen.

He managed to keep his eyes off Rom, and soon all nine reindeer were free of

their harnesses and had shed their four-legged forms. Five men and four women, all

chosen for their physical prowess to fill the role of Santa’s chargers. The waiting list

to become one of the reindeer shifters included at least half of the population of

Santa’s Village, certainly most of the youths. Although it was acknowledged hard

work, nearly everyone wanted not only the excitement of crossing into the human

realm to deliver toys but also the unique magic that allowed the shift into reindeer.

“Ho ho ho.” Santa’s signature laugh got everyone’s attention even if it was

uttered by a feminine throat. Jannie mounted a small platform by the workshop

entrance of the barn, still wearing the red pants with the white fur trim. But since

the special coat that enabled her shift was slung over one shoulder, she was

revealed as the elf she was. Her small breasts remained bare underneath the

suspenders that held up the pants that sagged about her legs, pert, rosy nipples

vivid against her snowy white skin. At all of four feet, she was much smaller than

the five-and-a-half-foot form she presented in full Santa regalia. It wasn’t physical

prowess that qualified Jannie for her leadership as Santa among them. Jannie had

gotten her job for her smarts and her natural talent for magic. Not for the first time,

Lon wondered what humans would think if they knew that Santa wasn’t always a

Reindeer Games

5

man. For five years now, Santa had been this petite little woman with short, grape

purple hair and silver and gold rings pierced along the edges of her pointed ears.

Jannie raised a golden goblet. “A fine night and a fine job, everyone.” She

toasted her team and the handlers that surrounded them. “We made many a child

happy this night.” Cheers all around as Jannie drank, and then everyone with a

glass—namely the reindeer—joined her.

The door opened behind Jannie, and Gus, the reigning Mrs. Claus, stepped

through. Because he didn’t typically have a public face, he didn’t wear the shifting

gown that would make him look like an aging, snowy-haired woman. Instead he just

wore a sleeveless red jacket with something of a short skirt that flared out from his

waist almost to his knees. The role of Mrs. Claus was no longer only held by the

wife—or husband—of the current Santa but rather by a person appointed as the

most qualified to run the “housekeeping” of Santa’s Village. Mrs. Claus was in

charge of the communal kitchens and all housekeeping staff, leaving Santa to

concentrate on the business of
The List of Good and Bad
as well as the acquisition

and distribution of toys. Gus was the first man in history to fill the role of keeper of

the house, but no one begrudged him the fine work he’d done for the past eight

years.

Jannie saw Gus. He gestured over his shoulder, and she nodded. “Good work,

everyone. Get a good night’s rest, and we’ll do this again tomorrow night.”

A genial groan followed her off the platform, and she laughed at it as she

approached Gus. The housekeeper immediately started talking to her in a low voice

as he accompanied her through the workshop door. Although the day was longer

here than in the human realm, there was still much to do before the next night.

Toys had to be gathered for the proper region, and the exact time schedule had to be

perfected before Santa and the reindeer made their time jump to the Christmas Eve

that wouldn’t happen for another month.

“Work work work.”

6

Jet Mykles

Lon jumped at the sound of a low male voice right behind him. He spun to see

the reindeer second-in-command leaning against one of the posts that supported the

storage loft. Like Rom’s, Wod’s hair draped heavy and loose almost to his waist, and

it had something of a wave, so the tips just brushed the soft green velvet of his fur-

trimmed robe. The robe was loosely belted so it fell half open in front, letting his

Dasher medallion sparkle against the hairless backdrop of his muscular chest. Wod

smiled at Lon, eyes every bit the deep almost brown but mostly red color of his hair.

Lon wasn’t entirely sure why but Wod’s darkness of hair and eyes had always

frightened him slightly. Wod wasn’t the only elf with dark hair and skin, certainly,

but they weren’t many. Lon had heard that the darker-haired elves were descended

from a different race of fae, maybe even a different realm, and had access to a

different kind of magic. Neither Lon nor anyone he knew had ever been able to

prove that, but it was the rumor nonetheless. Wod was certainly mysterious

enough. Lon could only attribute the way his heart raced and throat tightened

around Wod to fear of the mystery.

Wod’s smile darkened, and he brought his goblet to his lips. “Are you all right,

little Lon?”

Lon startled, realizing he’d been staring. “I-I’m fine.” He tore his gaze from the

taller man to stare at the loose hay at his feet. Wod remained barefoot, and a small

silver ring winked around the second toe of his left foot. It matched the ring that

dangled from his right ear. Wod said nothing, but Lon knew he was still watching.

Wod did this to him often, showing up and saying little. Lon didn’t know if the

bigger man was teasing him or what. “E-excuse me, Wod.” With a little bow that

wasn’t necessary but showed respect, Lon gathered up his harnesses and fled.

Or would have fled, if he hadn’t slammed into a bigger, more solid person. The

collision barely moved the other but sent Lon sprawling onto his back, harnesses

spewing from his hands and landing about him in a loud jangle of jingle bells.

“Whoa, hey.”

Reindeer Games

7

Lon knew that voice well and squinched his eyes shut, too mortified by falling

to see.

But he heard the swish of Rom’s robe and felt a strong hand on his shoulder.

“Hey, little Lon, sorry about that. Did I hurt you?”

Suppressing a groan, Lon opened his eyes. Rom’s face hovered above his, the

sweep of his light blue hair draped down the right side of his face. His uptilted eyes

shone crystal blue even in the shadow his head and hair made over his face.

Rom grinned. “You okay?”

Embarrassed, Lon reached up to rub the point of his ear. “I’m okay.”

“Excellent.” A slim, strong hand gripped Lon’s shoulder to help him up. “You

shouldn’t rush about in a crowd like that.”

Lon nodded, keeping his eyes down. Look at him, you idiot! he yelled silently

at himself, but he was too mortified to meet those gorgeous eyes. He wanted Rom to

fall for him. He wouldn’t do it if Lon showed himself as a joke. He climbed to his feet

and tried to keep Rom from brushing him off, but the bigger man would have none

of it. Lon was grateful for the loose, long fit of his jacket, for it covered the state of

his erection when Rom’s firm hand dusted off Lon’s backside.

To make matters worse, while Rom was righting Lon, Wod had gathered the

strewn harness bits. He stood beside Lon and Rom, dark eyes gone stony as he

watched Rom put Lon to rights. “Here you go.”

Lon took the straps of leather from Wod quickly, avoiding any contact. “Thank

you.” He nodded his head at both reindeer as he backed from them. “Thank you.

Good night.” He spun before he could blindly collide with anything or anyone else

and this time succeeded in fleeing the room.

8

Jet Mykles

Chapter Two

“No.”

Behind the shiny translucent dildo he held before him, Bok’s emerald eyes

widened under soaring lime green eyebrows. “No?”

“No.” Lon put out a hand to firmly push Bok’s wrist down and away. Then, for

good measure, he wrapped his fingers around his best friend’s arm and drew him

inside the cabin. “And get in here before someone sees you with that thing.”

Bok’s expressive face fell as he passed by Lon. He pouted at the six-inch dildo

in its snug plastic wrapping. “But it’s the exact color of his hair.”

After making reasonably sure that no one in the other cabins along the quiet

path had seen, Lon closed his front door. Then Bok’s words struck him. “His hair?”

Beaming, Bok held the sex toy up to him again, using both hands this time.

“Rom’s hair.”

Lon’s eyes went wide, and he blinked, first at the dildo, then at his friend’s

bright green eyes, then at the dildo. “What?”

Although the smile was childlike, Lon knew well enough that Bok’s intentions

were anything but innocent. “I thought maybe you’d like to give it to him. As a gift.”

Lon didn’t know whether to be appalled or amused. It must have showed on

his face, because it made Bok giggle. Which made Lon frown. “I am
not
giving him a

dildo
as a gift.”

Bok’s grin twisted to show some of his unsavory intent. “It would make him

notice you.”

Reindeer Games

9

Grumbling, Lon brushed past him into the room proper. “I don’t want him to

notice me like
that
.”

Unrepentant, Bok followed Lon through the small main room into the

bedroom. “I thought you were hot for his rod?”

Lon stopped and spun so quickly that Bok ran into him. Since Bok was half

again as wide as Lon, they both stumbled. Before Bok could fully right himself, Lon

thwapped him over the head. “Don’t be crude.”

“Ow.” Bok rubbed at his head, mussing the fine lime green silk of his hair.

“Why not? Not being crude isn’t getting you anywhere.”

Lon grimaced at him but couldn’t find words of protest. So he settled for a

“humph!” before turning back into his bedroom.

Bok followed, as Lon knew he would. “No matter what you say, I’m leaving this

here.” He dropped the dildo onto Lon’s neatly made bed. The sky blue stood out

against the pastels in the multicolored patchwork quilt. “In case you change your

mind.”

Lon sat at his desk, putting his back to the bed, his friend, and the toy. “I

won’t.”

Bok sighed as he lowered his bulk into the reading chair beside Lon’s desk.

Lon bent his head over his writing and tried to ignore his friend. He knew it

wouldn’t last. Bok couldn’t sit still for that long. “Whatcha writing?”

Lon grumbled and pushed frustrated fingers through the pale gold hair that

was just long enough to gather on the table beside his letter. “Nothing much. I’ve

been trying to write him a letter.”

Bok rolled his eyes and sank back in the plush chair. “The dildo’s better. More

direct.”

Lon glared at him. “No.”

“I’m telling you. The toy would work. Works for me.”

10

Jet Mykles

The trouble for Lon was that Bok would know. He got girls all the time. He

and his coworkers spent most of their time at computers, finding appropriate toys

for the millions of human children that they served. The Department of Acquisitions

was a relatively recent branch of Santa’s operation. In the distant past, the elves

had manufactured all the toys themselves. But especially in the last few decades,

homemade toys didn’t make the grade. The first acquisitions department had

consisted of elves taking the list of names from the Department of The List, then

venturing into the other realm disguised as humans to buy appropriate toys. Back

then, the team had been vast. These days, acquisitions had far fewer members, and

every one of them was a computer nerd. Bok and his coworkers used established

accounts to purchase toys and have them delivered to spots where the shipping

department would pick them up.

But that wasn’t why Bok and his coworkers were so popular. No, that was

because they could and did find and purchase
other
things besides toys. The elves