Page 63 of Deck the Skulls

“Sure,” Rissa agreed with a laugh. She chatted with the three as she worked.

She finished the drinks and handed them over. Briar sipped hers as Memphis downed half of his in one swallow. At leastshe knew better than to ask for car keys anymore. She’d learned very quickly that shifters and many other magical creatures had extremely high alcohol tolerances. Still, they liked to tease her about her demanding keys in the first days of working at the bar.

To her surprise, Mikey showed up with several other members of his pack. “What are you doing here? Don’t you own two bars already?” she teased.

He grinned at her as he walked behind the bar. “Zan didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?” Rissa asked, confused and a little annoyed at Mikey standing in her territory. She was about to politely ask him to move when Zan came rushing into the bar from upstairs.

“Mikey!” he shouted, leaping over the bar and grabbing Rissa. “Thanks!”

“What are you—” her question ended in a scream as Zan threw her over the counter. Anatoly was there and caught her, cradling her against his chest.

“Nice catch,” she said to him, then glared at Zan. “What did I tell you about doing shit like that?”

Zan’s grin was unrepentant as he leapt back over the counter. “Don’t.”

“He’s very excited to show you our surprise,” Anatoly said as he turned to take her up the stairs.

“We can’t leave the bar unattended!” she protested and wiggled in Anatoly’s grip. “And carrying me up those stairs will kill your back. Let me down.”

“You weigh nothing to me,” Anatoly said. “Try telling me what to do again and see what happens.”

Last time she’d put herself down, Anatoly had given her a spanking, then he and Zan fucked her until she saw stars. She was still undecided on the spanking, but the stars had been perfect.

“Mikey and the others are going to finish out the night and close up for us,” Zan explained.

“But I need to show him how to use the tablet,” Rissa said as Anatoly headed up the stairs, Zan right behind them.

“Everyone can live without special cocktails for one night,” Zan said.

“Only one night!” someone shouted from below and there was a chorus of laughter. Then they were in the apartment, and they couldn’t hear anything, which added to the ambience Zan and Anatoly had created while she’d opened and worked downstairs.

“What did you guys do?” she breathed, trying to take it all in. In the last few hours, they’d transformed the apartment into a Hallmark movie.

There were wreaths and garlands draped on every wall. All the flat surfaces had figurines or overflowing candy dishes. The stylish rugs were replaced with colorful ones in greens and golds.

The item that took her breath away was the Christmas tree. How they’d gotten it up here without her seeing was a mystery. The thing was at least twelve feet high and dripping with lights and decorations. It was so covered; she could barely see the branches! Under the tree were piles of brightly wrapped gifts.

It was all so perfect; it could’ve been the set of some holiday movie.

“I told you it wasn’t too much,” Zan said to Anatoly.

Even though they could feel her reaction to their effort, it was important they heard the words. “I love it,” she murmured, grabbing the two of them in a hug even as tears streamed down her cheeks.

***

Zan

“Wait, are you crying?” Zan asked, panic going through him. Was there something wrong with their link? All he could feel was love and appreciation coming from Rissa, but she was crying. That couldn’t be right!

A wave of reassurance came from Anatoly. “They’re happy tears, Zan,” Anatoly said as he rubbed Rissa’s back. “If you had sisters or dated women for more than a few weeks before meeting me, you’d have experienced it.”

Zan sighed with relief. “It’s not my fault no one did it for me except you and Rissa.” Hunching over, he nuzzled Rissa’s face. “Is Anatoly right, sweetheart? Are these happy tears?”

Sniffing, Rissa nodded. “I can’t believe you guys did all this for me.”

“There’s more,” Zan said, eager to distract her from her tears with gifts. Grabbing both Rissa and Anatoly, Zan lifted them up in a bear hug and walked them to the couch. Once he set them down, he encouraged them to take a seat.