The Christmas Charm (New Adult Holiday Love Story) Read Online Free PDF

felt shy, reluctant to step forward, so she resisted his forward motion. As Emilio’s strong hand stayed on her back, Allie tripped. Her father put his hands out to keep her from falling. As they made contact with her upper arms, Allie felt a strong warmth emanating from the contact with her body. She relaxed, feeling as if the warmth coming from Santos’ hands had seeped, not only into her body, but into her spirit. Her steps forward became more natural as she stopped resisting Emilio’s hand moving her forward.
    ¡ Mija! My daughter! How are you? How was your trip? Emilio, please come in. Tell me what you encountered,” Santos commanded. Emilio walked in and accepted a glass of whiskey. Santos handed Allie a glass as well, then poured a glass for himself.
    The trio sat down on comfortable chairs surrounding a fireplace. Allie held her hands out to the welcoming warmth, feeling shy again. She listened as Emilio reported on their travels – leaving out the details of their relationship and love-making.
    “We encountered several groups of attackers, Santos. Allie has learned how to use her power as a fire faerie well – we worked on that on the second day of our trip. She is still learning how to detect attackers behind her, but she’s coming along very well. They did try to separate us, so I needed to use a joining charm so they couldn’t take her away from me,” Emilio concluded.
    “I have heard that she was attacked in Las Cruces. Is this correct?” Santos asked with concern shading his voice.
    “Yes, it is. I had just told her about her heritage and she needed to think about things. She was already wearing the chain from her nana, so she was protected. Ever since her grandmother died, I’ve been close by. I moved into a home just down the street from where she lived. Immediately after she was attacked, I had her pack a few things so we could leave right away – other magical races had become aware of where she lives – lived, so it was too dangerous for her to stay in New Mexico.”
    “You mean I can’t go back? What about my friends? What about work?” Allie asked.
    Santos turned to Allie. “ Mija , you have no other protection in Las Cruces. Other magical races know that you are a very valuable faerie, with valuable powers. Our race is vulnerable to dying out. We need you here, Allie. If you leave, we are vulnerable to takeover. We have several Palaces throughout Ireland. You will stay here with me and you will work on learning your magical powers so you can use them for the good of our race. In time, you will meet and marry another faery. Your life is here, now. Aside from your nana, you had your friends – but they would have been placed in danger if you had stayed in New Mexico,” Santos explained.
    “Oh. I never thought of it that way. Emilio . . . Emilio? Where is he?” Allie asked the question as her voice grew louder.
    “He left, Allie,” Santos said in a quiet voice.
    “But . . . but I wanted to thank him. To . . . say goodbye! Will he be staying here?”
    “No. He had a look on his face that told me he needed to go off by himself and think.”
    “Does he live in Las Cruces? Will he go back there? If it’s so dangerous for me, why isn’t it dangerous for him?” Allie asked the questions rapidly, shooting them at her father. Inside, she felt her emotions roiling quickly as she grew angrier and angrier at Emilio.
    Coward! He brings me here, then disappears! Allie scowled as she slammed back the last of her whiskey, then crossed her arms in front of her.
    Over the next few days, Allie spent each day with her father, getting to know him and the history behind his departure from Las Cruces.
    “Why couldn’t you take my mother and me with you, daddy?” Allie asked this and other questions, struggling to understand just why her father had left. “It seems to me that, if you really had loved me, you would have found a way of protecting me. You would have tried to find a way of