Frost (8 page)

Now that dream was felt possible.
 

Until last night my life was complete. A job I loved. A woman I loved and loved me. A best friend beyond reproach. And a future.
 

Now?
 

I wasn't sure what was happening. A dead brother. An whack-job mother. A goat legged father. And a problem with ice. And worse—I was keeping most of it from the woman I loved.
 

I found Crow buried in the center of a tumble of little people in night gowns, pajamas, robes, and wheelchairs. He was drawing totems for everyone on a legal size pad of paper.
 

"Now you tell me your favorite things," he said to one of the young girls in a wheel chair. It was her delicate beauty and grace that told me she was a female, and very young. Her hair was gone and I watched as Sarah wrapped a blue and white scarf around her forehead and behind her ears. As I approached I saw the white pattern in the fabric was snowflakes.
 

Which made me think of the snowflakes on Jason's fingertips.

The little girl glanced over at me, and then did a double take. Her wide eyes glistened and she put her hands to her mouth. I thought for a second she was in pain or having a fit
 

"Oh my god," she said into her hands. "You
do
look like him. Miss Donna was right!"

Miss Donna. I hadn't seen Donna since arriving. I hadn't heard confirmation about the car I asked sent to her house either.
 

"Yes." Sarah held her hand out to me. "Jack, come here and meet Amelia. Amelia, this is Jason's twin brother, Jackson."
 

I knelt down beside her and wasn't expecting her to lunge forward and wrap her arms around my neck. But when she did it was one of the most incredible feelings I'd ever experienced. I returned the hug and felt the heat of her skin against mine. She smelled of soap and disinfectant.
 

She felt like…love.
 

"Amelia?" Sarah said as she rubbed Amelia's back. "Jack needs to breathe."
 

"Oh," she pulled back and faced me, wiping the tears from her eyes. "So your name's Jack. I used to joke with Jason that if he was named Jack he'd be Jack Frost."
 

I kept my expression as pleasant as I could. "You like Jack Frost?"

"Yes. He's one of my favorite characters for Christmas. Along with Frosty the Snowman."
 

I smiled. "Rankin Bass?"
 

"Maybe. Those specials are for kids though. I think of Jack Frost as someone much older." She blushed. "And cuter. But not someone that likes me."
 

"Why wouldn't Jack Frost like you, Amelia?" I glanced up up Sarah. Even
her
eyes were a little red rimmed. The other kids still crowded around Crow who'd pulled himself and the group away from us to give a little privacy. Crow was good like that.
 

"Because I've asked to see snow since I can remember it. To see frost on the windows. See it fall outside. I wanted it to fall on me. But," she looked down. "Every time it did snow I was too sick to see. When I woke up, it was all melted."
 

The sorrow in her voice touched something inside my chest. I put a hand on hers. "I don't think Jack Frost dislikes you, Amelia. I think he just had bad timing." I could see why my brother was drawn to her, and if he'd heard the same story, I was pretty confident he felt responsible.
 

She smiled at me and my heart soared. "That's exactly what Jason said. And he was just as sincere as you." Her cheeks turned red. "You're cute."
 

Now
I
blushed.
 

"Ho! Ho! Ho! Meeeeeery Christmas!" boomed a voice behind me.
 

I turned in time to see the classic image of Santa Claus come through the door. There were no elves or reindeer with this one, just some hospital schmuck in a rental. Crow and I were there to play the helper parts. With a glance at each other, Crow and I stood and joined Santa as he stepped further into the room and the kids cheered.
 

The whole thing took maybe an hour by the time we'd passed out all the presents. I gave Amelia hers—a beautiful midnight blue hat with sparkling snowflakes and mitts to match. I could see the happiness in her eyes, but it was mixed with a little sorrow as she told me, "They're beautiful, but there's no where to wear them. It's too hot to snow. It's not even cold outside."
 

I put my hand against her fevered cheek and smiled. "Don't give up, Amelia. Hope is what makes everything work."
 

I had no idea where that came from. I'd never said it before in my life.
 

Amelia's eyes widened to the size of goose eggs. "That's—that's what Jason always said."
 

"Hey Jack," Sarah came up behind me and touched my hand. "You did a good job."
 

"Have you seen Donna Blankenship?"

"No…but you're right to ask. She's the one that arranged this for the kids. She should be here."
 

"I told you she came to my place saying she'd seen someone in her house…and I didn't really believe her." I searched her face. "What if she was telling the truth and went back there?"
 

"Call it in." She put a hand to my cheek. "You okay? You seem kinda sad."
 

"It's Amelia," As I retrieved my phone from my pocket I glanced back at Amelia, but her attention was focused on another of the smaller girls who couldn't get her doll out of the packaging. Amelia was doing it for her. "I can't get her out of my head."
 

"I checked her chart. The cancer's inoperable and the last chemo didn't…" she paused. "It didn't work. So she's asked if she can discontinue the treatments."
 

"What do her parents say?"
 

"She doesn't have any. She's basically on her own."
 

"Who pays her bills?"

"Good samaritans." She pointed to my phone. "Go into the hall and check on Blankenship. She kissed my cheek and joined the group of kids.
 

I strode into the hall and down a ways to an empty room. I didn't want to disturb anyone. I called the precinct first to see if they sent a car. They had so I filled them in on Miss Blankenship's no show. They told me they'd call the officer assigned to do a sweep and let me know.
 

"Detective Frost?" Someone touched my back.
 

I disconnected and turned to see Santa Claus behind me. Saying I was surprised would be an understatement. I actually gave short "Shit!" before I put a hand on my chest. "Sorry—you surprised me. I wasn't expecting to see you." His eyes had a sort of sparkle to them and his skin was paler than mine. I noticed the ruddy blush of his cheeks and nose. The guy really looked like the classic depiction of Santa.
 

"Everything all right?" He gestured to my phone as I slipped it back into the pocket of my shorts.
 

"Yeah—no. I'm not sure. Just police business." That's about the time I noticed he was standing really close to me. "Uh…Santa? Is there something you need? Shouldn't you be back in there with the kids?"
 

"Shouldn't you be taking over where your brother finished?"
 

Wh-what?
 

I narrowed my eyes and took a step back. We were in the empty room, my back to the window. Santa blocked my path to the door. Every hair on my body stood on end in alarm. I knew this feeling, the one creeping up my back. It was fear. Apprehension. The same cloak of dread I used to get when Christmas came and went, back when mom had me convinced that Santa (Satan) ate the bad kids, folded over my shoulders. Was I going to survive because I didn't tell mom when I did something naughty?
 

Which—didn't make sense. I'd just handed out presents with this guy.
 

When he didn't answer I took a step to my right.
 

He blocked me.
 

I tried the left.
 

He blocked me again.
 

"Mister—I don't know if you're aware of this but I'm a cop. And if you keep toying with me like I'm going to have you arrested."
 

He laughed.
 

I mean he gave me that old familiar belly laugh I'd heard mocked and copied so many times throughout my life. Black gloved hands on his belly.
 

My fear and apprehension turned quickly to anger and frustration. I tried again to move around him, and again he blocked my path. I reached out to push him out of my way—

And he grabbed my right wrist. I didn't see his hand move. I feinted to the left a second before I brought the left hand up to deliver a left cross. But he grabbed my free wrist in a matter of seconds. Before I could bring my knee up he yanked me into his round belly and twisted my arms until my elbows bent and my forearms formed a V at my back. I was nose to nose with him and his insane smile.
 

"Your father wants to see you." His smile never faded.
 

"My father? What're you—"
 

But I never finished my question because he pushed his face into my mine and silenced me with a kiss. His lips sealed my own. I tried screaming as something dark and cold was brought down over my eyes. I was bound, silenced and blinded with only one thought echoing in the darkness.
 

Santa really was Satan.
 

-9-

One minute I fought in darkness so black I couldn't see Santa in front of me, the next I was blinded by snow so white the glare hurt my eyes. I put up my eyes to protect them and realized Santa no longer held me. I turned to look behind me, to the left and then the right.
 

I wasn't in the hospital anymore. I was in a snow covered forest. It crunched beneath my feet, glistened under a monochromatic sky. It fell in small flakes but never gathered on my skin.
 

All this snow—and I wasn't freezing.
 

I could see my breath—but I felt as warm as I would on a breezy summer's day.
 

"Hi son. This…isn't the way I wanted to see you again. But given the circumstances, it was the quickest way."
 

Son?
 

I whirled around and looked back where I started. I could've sworn it was empty a second ago—just another group of trees drooping with snow. But not now. Now the space was occupied by a tall man with no shirt and furry pants.
 

Wait—

I took a hesitant, crunchy step forward into the snow to get a closer look. Those weren't pants. Those were…legs.
 

He shifted and I saw the legs in action. They bent backward at the knees, like a goat's legs. The feet weren't feet, but very large hooves.
 

"Jackson? Are you all right?"
 

"You…your feet…"
 

"Oh. Whups."
 

His legs and feet blurred for an instant. I blinked, thinking it was my own vision going against another attack of heat exhaustion. But the legs were covered in jeans. Boots covered the feet.
 

Had I just imagined it?
 

"Jack—" he snapped his fingers at me. "Son, I need you to pay attention. We don't have a lot of time."
 

"S-son?" He winced at him. "Who—who are you?"
 

"I thought that was obvious the way Jovita described me." He took a step forward but I wasn't ready for this. When I moved back, hands up in fists, he backstepped to where he was. "Did Nik do something to you when he brought you here?"
 

"Nik?"

"St. Nikolas. Santa. He can travel with a touch of his nose." He leaned forward. "Or not? What did he do?"
 

I didn't see anything wrong with answering him. "He kissed me."
 

The stranger returned my wince. "Oh. Sorry. I told him not to do that. I'm pretty sure he did it on a bet. Don't take it personal. But I'll make sure he gets you back without the invasion of personal space."
 

"Back?" I put my hands to my head and then held them out as if directing traffic, signaling for a car to stop. "Wait…wait just a fucking minute. What the hell is going on?"
 

"I wish I could give you a much longer explanation, Jack. But I can't. Maybe if I'd found you sooner, but you didn't start manifesting your power until yesterday. Given the rate magic travels, Nature's going to know you're alive if she doesn't already."
 

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What?"
 

He tried stepping closer and this time I didn't assume the defensive posture. I just somehow knew he wasn't intent on hurting me. "Jack, you're going to have to listen to me and do exactly what I tell you. Promise?"
 

"No. I don't know who the hell you are or where I am—"
 

"You're in North Dakota. Fargo to be exact. I like it here. And it's a lot cooler than Georgia right now."
 

"Yeah…you noticed the heat?" I lowered my arms. "So you're saying Santa brought me here."
 

"Yes. Now listen. For all intents and purposes, I'm your father. I don't expect hugs or adulation or any kind of emotion. Frankly—I don't know you either. And that's okay. We can deal with that later. For the time being just call me Winter because it's easier. Right now you got about forty-eight hours to survive if you want to avoid Jason's fate."
 

"Jason's fate?" I decided I'd listen. I mean, why not? I was in Fargo, North Dakota for crying out loud. And I didn't have any reason to believe he was lying—there was no where in that hospital they could set this kind of stage up. "You mean his death or his being Jack Frost."
 

"Both." Winter shifted on his feet as I they were uncomfortable. "Most of what your mother told you was true. She and I had a fling. I was drunk. She was adventurous and one night of debauchery and she was pregnant."