Savor (36 page)

respond, wringing her hands. I finished off my coffee and crawled out of bed, handing her the

empty mug.

“You’re welcome,” I said with a grin. “I’m glad you like it.”

She nodded once then all her humor disappeared. “Now, I don’t want you to be late, so put

that on and I’ll escort you to the dining room.”

“What’s in it?” I eyed the garment bag again.

“Since it’s Christmas, Mistress Yana thought it appropriate that you dress for the occasion.

She said to tell you that you are not just a photographer today.”

Yana sent the clothes? God only knew what it could be considering her taste. Praying the

hardest I’d ever prayed, I reached down and unzipped the bag and peeked inside.

“This is what she wants me to wear?” I gulped.

“Don’t worry.” Deidra patted my shoulder. “It comes with leggings and a pair of shoes.”

She dangled a pair of black pumps in my field of vision.

“Oh hell no! I am not wearing those!”

***

the red baby doll dress Yana sent over. I didn’t mind wearing dresses. My mother, as a joke,

always made me wear one on Christmas day for church. It didn’t mean I didn’t pull on the

hem periodically. And if not for the ridiculous red ribbon in my hair that Deidra insisted

looked cute on me, I wouldn’t have sulked all the way to the dining room.

My frown only disappeared when I entered a winter wonderland. Overnight someone had

transformed the dining room into the perfect Christmas scene. Massive gingerbread houses

acted as centerpieces from one end of the long table to the other. Bright red and green holly

hung from the chandeliers. The white carpet beneath my feet resembled the powder of fresh

snow.

At the corner of each room stood giant toy soldiers, while a snow man sat at the opposite

end of the table. Reindeer lined the walls. A mini version of the twenty-foot tree stood to the right of me. There was so much to see in the room, my eye strained to catch everything. I only remembered the camera hanging from my neck when I saw Santa seated to the left of the

snowman. I snapped a picture for each corner of the room.

“Dakota, you look gorgeous!” Yana exclaimed as she swayed toward me in a bright green

dress suspiciously similar to mine with one notable exception. She wore hers with fishnet

stockings and skyscraper heels. Green ribbons decorated her arms like maypoles.

“Thanks?” I scratched the back of my head. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas to you too! Come, come.” She ushered me further into the dining room.

That was when I noticed Phoenix and Calixta wearing the exact same dress as Yana and me

—one in gold and the other in white respectively. They smiled at me. Well, Phoenix smiled,

Calixta merely twisted her lips. I’d take whatever I got from her. Then I spotted the guys

standing together. They all wore top hats and suits straight out of a Dickens novel. Demitri

leaned on a cane. A green scarf hung from Dray’s neck. And Luka…

My gaze met his for a brief moment before I dropped it to the red cravat on his neck.

When I returned my gaze to his face, a noticeable grin pulled at his lips. I refused to blush.

Rolling my eye at him, I lifted my camera and took a picture of the handsome trio. Then I

aimed the viewfinder at the women. And
I
thought I took Christmas seriously. The Vicious household actually dressed the part.

“Alright,” Yana announced. “Since everyone is here, we can all eat!”

She sounded so chipper this morning, I couldn’t help but catch some of her good mood

when I moved to my regular seat.

“Where are you going?” Luka asked from the head of the table.

“To my chair?” I gestured toward the one beside Calixta, which oddly didn’t have a place

setting.

“Oh, you’re not sitting there today.” Yana guided me to the seat to the right of Luka—the

one originally reserved for me my first night here.

Luka pulled the chair out and I said through my teeth at him, “You promise to behave?”

“I will do my best.” He winked at me then pushed my chair in, forcing me to sit down. I

could only hope he’d keep his word. I didn’t want to ruin Christmas for everyone by putting

Luka in his place for his wandering hand.

When everyone took their places, the servants—all dressed in adorable elf costumes—

brought in the food. Yup. They took their holidays way too seriously.

Christmas breakfast at Lunar Manor consisted of cinnamon rolls, French toast, poached

eggs, sausages, hot chocolate…the menu went on and on. I must have eaten my weight in

food. By the time the sugar cookies were served with homemade ice cream, I feared the

seams of my dress would bust open. I could hardly breathe when I pushed my plate back and

leaned heavily against my chair.

Besides the sugary rich food, I enjoyed the conversation floating around the table.

Everyone took turns sharing their favorite Christmas stories. I learned about the time Dray

stuck his tongue on a frozen pole to test a theory. It took the servants an hour and three blow driers to thaw him out. Poor guy. Then everyone laughed at the story of Yana insisting they

have a Nightmare Before Christmas theme one year. Her blush rivaled the color of my dress.

“What?” She crossed her arms. “I love that movie!”

I totally understood where she was coming from. The Gothic Lolita princess finally finding

a film that spoke to her tendencies? I would want a Nightmare Before Christmas themed

Christmas day too.

The story I loved the most must have been the time Luka got a cold. He had such a high

fever that he couldn’t make it out of bed for Christmas breakfast and opening of presents. So, in a stroke of genius, Demitri convinced everyone to bring Christmas to him.

“Now I get where your self-entitlement comes from,” I whispered to him.

Luka snorted then shook his head at me, taking a bite out of a gingerbread man. He could

put it away with the best of them. I watched him eat to his heart’s content and still didn’t

seem full. And he’d kept his promise to behave. The whole time I sat beside him, not even a

knee touched me. Although, he could have at least tried to hide his glances. Nothing discrete

about the heat in those blue eyes at all.

Once the plates were cleared, Yana announced the time had come for present opening.

Dray and Phoenix raced each other to the main room while Demitri twirled his cane as he

strolled after them. Calixta pretended not to care, but the glint of excitement in her eyes told me otherwise. Yana entwined her arm with old sourpuss and pulled Calixta along.

Feeling self-conscious about my modest gifts, I lagged behind. I was confident about my

work, but I’d never given photos as presents before. Every artist felt uncertain about her

talent at some point. Mine just happened to coincide with present opening time.

“What’s the matter?” Luka stood by my side.

We were just outside the main room. I looked up at the angel atop the massive tree. A

tingle of accomplishment rang in my chest for being responsible for the feat. Not everyone

could boast about almost falling to their death after decorating a tree.

Luka’s fingers entwined with mine when I didn’t respond to his question. I looked down at

our joined hands. The warmth of his palm gave me a measure of reassurance. I smiled,

tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

“I just hope you like my gift.” I swallowed when I met his gaze. “I mean all of you. I hope

you all like my gifts.”

He tilted his head and treated me to a bright smile. “I’m sure whatever it is will be great.

C’mon.” He tugged me forward and when I moved he whispered into my ear, “You look good,

by the way, but I prefer the jeans.”

Okay, now I blushed. I couldn’t help it anymore. The tickle of his breath and the bedroom

voice he used? I’d have to be made of stone not to react to that combination. So unfair.

At the tree, the guys sat on chairs while the women sat on the floor. Dray sat on the floor

too, shaking a box close to his ear and hazarding a guess as to its contents. I took a seat

beside him, knowing anything he got he would thoroughly enjoy.

“Did you know gift giving was common in the Roman celebration of Saturnalia, an ancient

festival which took place in late December and may have influenced Christmas customs?” he

said to me after picking up another box.

I smiled, already feeling a whole lot better about my gifts. “That’s really interesting.”

Dray nodded then handed me a box with my name on it. “This one’s from me.”

Taking the box, I stared at the silver blue paper with matching bow. “You didn’t have to get

me anything.”

“I know. But how else could I thank you for giving me the splatter drumming experience?”

Blinking away welling tears, I threw my arms around Dray. He leaned back at first, unsure

what to do. Pretty soon he laughed and wrapped his arms around me too, completing the hug.

I let go and opened his gift for me.

“It’s a—”

“Lens cleaning kit,” I finished for him, in awe of the small token that meant so much to

me already. “Dray, thank you!”

He nodded awkwardly before reaching for another box. For the first time the guy full of

facts stayed speechless. The sound of tearing wrapping paper mixed with my laughter. I

barely held back tears of joy as I took pictures. So much for working in the sidelines. In less than a month, I’d become a part of this merry band of eccentrics.

“This one’s from me,” Demitri said with a wink when he handed me a sleek box with a red

bow that could be called the little sister of the one I wore.

I tore through the wrapping and discovered a new camera strap. Embossed leather. With

watering eyes, I glanced up at Demitri. He scratched his cheek, fighting a grin.

“I figured you needed a new one since the one you have now is fraying,” he mumbled.

The big guy more comfortable walking around half-naked at a loss for words? I stood on

my knees and hobbled toward him for a hug. Gruff laughter reverberated from his chest to

mine.

“Oh my god!” Yana screeched. We all froze then looked toward where she sat. My present

sat on her lap. She stared at the photo with her hand covering her mouth. “Dakota this is

gorgeous.” She lifted her gaze, the same watery expression in her eyes I just had. “Thank

you!”

At Yana’s reaction, everyone dove for their presents from me. Wrapping paper flew in all

directions, and for the first time since we sat around the tree, silence ruled the main room. I sat on my calves, worrying the ribbons at the hem of my dress. Everyone stared at their

photos. I had no idea what to make of their silence until they all looked at me and said thank you at the same time. Hugs were shared all around.

“You guys like them?” I asked like an idiot because I needed further validation.

“You’re really talented, Dakota.” Phoenix wiped away the tears she couldn’t hold in. “I’m

sure the photos for your project are a hundred times more awesome than these. Not that I

don’t like this. I love it.”

I chuckled. “I get what you mean. No need to blubber.”

Once the awe from my gifts died down, the rest of the gifts were opened. I received

makeup supplies from Calixta, who mumbled grudgingly about maintaining my complexion. I

thanked her for the thought. Phoenix and Yana banded together and gave me a shopping

spree. I rolled my eye at that. Apparently, I couldn’t have too many clothes and boots.

“Whatever floats your boat,” Phoenix added just so I wouldn’t return the debit card they’d

given me.

I didn’t want to think about it but the lack of a present from Luka ate at me. Not that I

expected him to give me anything. Just…he’d given everyone else something. And he cradled

my present like it was the most precious thing he’d ever received. But really, it didn’t matter that he gave me nothing.

I kept telling myself that all the way back to my room. I clutched everything I’d received to

my chest, a bounce in my step. Besides my mom, I’d never had anyone else give me anything

this time of year. It meant so much to receive thoughtful presents from relative strangers.

When I decided to come to Lunar Manor, not once did I think I would feel a part of the

Vicious family. The band had taken me in and that mattered more than any material thing

they could give me.

Setting aside the persistent pinch at not getting anything from Luka, I pushed into my

room. With the preparations for the New Year’s Eve party underway, I needed to plan the last

photo shoot. Prepared to work for the rest of the day, I didn’t notice the large rectangular box sitting on my bed until I went into my bedroom to change out of my dress.

Like it was some kind of mythical creature, I approached the box slowly. A golden bow

adorned it. Someone with mad calligraphy skills spelled my name out on a white card in

curlicue letters.

I picked up the card and flipped it over. At the back it said, “Here’s to finding answers.”

My heart fluttered. Sweat rose on the tips of my fingers when I slipped off the bow. I eased

up the top of the box and peeled away the delicate tissue paper covering the dress I’d worn

during the video shoot.

“I want you to wear it at the party,” Luka said.

I whirled around to face him. “The dress?” I couldn’t believe how dumb I sounded, but

what could I do? Something told me the gift wasn’t really in the dress but what it