Page 36 of Trapped in the Christmas Cabin

KLAUS

Klausfelt like shit.Heunderstood whyKellinever wanted to see him again—hell, he wished he never had to seehimselfagain.Butthere he was, every morning when he looked in the 3-Dviewer.Justa sad, washed-up male who was going to die alone because he had foolishly made a vow ten years ago.Avow he now regretted, but couldn’t break.

Itwas the week beforeChristmasand the entireMotherShipwas decorated for the human holiday.DuringpastChristmasesall he had been able to think about was his time withMirandaand how he missed her.Butnow it wasKellithat he missed.Hewished he could see her sunny smile just one more time or hear her bubbly laugh.

Thatwasn’t going to happen though.Assoon as he finished landing the ship, he’d gone toCommanderSylvanand asked for a reassignment.Hisboss had seemed confused and asked if the time he andKellihad spent at theChristmasVillagehadn’t gone well.

“That’sa fucking understatement,”Klaushad growled.“Theydidn’t care aboutChristmas—they just wanted to see if they could make us fuck.Whichtheydidn’t,”he added, grimly.

CommanderSylvan, aBloodKindredwith spiky blond hair and ice-blue eyes, had looked shocked.

“I’mso sorry,CommanderKlaus!Ihad no idea theQuestarionswould try something like that.Theyseemed so benevolent and kind.”

“Yeah, well…they weren’t.”Klausshook his head.“I’mafraid our time there pretty much ruined our professional relationship, though.SoI’mrequesting that you assign a newProtectortoKelli.”

Askingthat nearly killed him—a part of him was still insisting thatKelliwas his!Histo protect, to care for, to love.ButKlauspushed it away.Hecould never have her—not the way he wanted her.Andit was too painful to be close to the curvy little human now that they’d pushed past the boundaries of a professional relationship and into something much more personal.Nowthat they’d entered territory that never should have been explored.

“Iunderstand.”CommanderSylvannodded.“MayIask though,whydid you andKellidecide not to pursue a relationship?Forgiveme—Iknow it’s personal.Ijust always thought that the two of you eventually mightBond.You’reboth single and there seemed to be a spark?—”

“Imade aSacredVow,”Klauscut him off.“Aftermy wife died ten years ago.”Heshook his head.“Ican’t break it.Noteven forKelli.”

Sylvannodded thoughtfully.

“Isee.ASacredVowis serious.”

“It’sfucking unbreakable,”Klausgrowled.“Soyou can see whyIneed you to reassignKelli.Ican’t…”Heshook his head.“Can’tbe around her anymore, commander.It’stoo fucking painful.”

“Iunderstand.”Sylvansounded sympathetic.“AndI’llbe willing to reassign her—but not until afterChristmas.There’stoo much happening right now to find her anotherProtector.Butdon’t worry,Iwon’t send her out on another assignment untilIfind someone new to watch over her,” he added, clearly seeing thatKlauswas going to object that she couldn’t go out on her own.

“Allright, fine.”Klausrose from his seat and nodded.“Thankyou—as long as you assign someone good.Kelliis…” he cleared his throat.“She’sspecial.Shedeserves the best.”

“I’msure she does.”Sylvanrose as well from behind his desk.Heoffered his arm andKlaustook it in a warrior’s clasp, gripping the other male’s forearm firmly asSylvangripped his.Thenhe turned to go.Butbefore he left the office,Sylvancalled him back.

“Yes,Commander?”he asked, turning his head.

“MightIsuggest that you visit theSacredGrove?”his boss suggested.“Youmight receive some clarity about the vow you took if you did.”

Klausshook his head.

“Idon’t think so.Onceyou take aSacredVow, you can’t undo it.”

“Ithought that too,”Sylvantold him.“Ialso took a vow,” he added, whenKlausgave him a surprised look.“OneIthought was unbreakable.ButtheGoddesssometimes has different plans for us.Justgo to theSacredGrove.Youmight learn something new.”

Klausnodded, but he had no intention of visiting theSacredGrove—a place he’d been avoiding ever sinceMirandadied.Hehad gone there daily to pray for her recovery after she fell ill and then once more after she passed to take his vow.

Afterthat, he had turned his back on theGoddessand everything she stood for.Shehad taken his wife and his mate from him—clearly she didn’t care for him.Buthe still stubbornly kept the vow.Evenif theGoddesswasn’t faithful, hewas,he told himself.

Sohe avoided theSacredGrove…until one night about a week after coming back from theChristmasVillage.Hehad come down to the center of the ship to walk in the parklands that served as a recreation area for theMotherShip.Theysurrounded theSacredGrove, which was a miniature forest filled with green and purple trees that were dedicated to the service of theGoddess.

Itwas twilight.Thegreen artificial sun that powered the ship was dimming overhead and there were couples walking hand-in-hand.Thistime of year, the temperature in the parklands was lowered to simulate winter and there were even a few snowflakes blowing past from a snow generator that had been set up to help add authenticity to the season.

Christmasdecorations of red and green and gold were everywhere andKlausthought that he had never felt more lonely—not even on that firstChristmasafterMirandahad died.Helooked down at his boots, wandering aimlessly through the inch of snow that had settled on the green and purple grass, until suddenly he saw a pair of bare feet right in front of him.

Klauslooked up in surprise and saw a priestess standing there.Withher green-within-green eyes and her long blonde hair, streaked with green, blowing in the wind, she looked otherworldly.Shewas wearing full white robes and despite her bare feet, she didn’t seem bothered by the cold at all.

“Warrior,” she said.“Come—there is one who would speak with you.”

Klausopened his mouth to protest…and found he couldn’t.Therewas something stopping him from speaking…or from disobeying the priestess.Thoughhe had promised himself never to enter theSacredGroveagain, he found that he was following her into it.

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