Suddenly, with a giant roar, the door was flung open and a grown Grizzly bear stood on the threshold, sniffing the air.
“Ma, run upstairs!” Ari called to Angel who stood at opposite ends of the room.
They both made a dash for the stairs.
“Don’t look back,” Angel called to her son. She had had enough wits to grab the box containing the salt and was now strewing it on the stairs while murmuring magick spells.
The bear followed them slowly but when he reached the stairs, he couldn’t cross the salt barrier. He stopped, sniffed and sneezed, turning away at last, he followed the delicious scent to the pile of pancakes on the countertop and gobbled them down in no time. Then he turned to the fireplace, looked at the merrily dancing flames and rolled up in front of it.
“Ma, don’t tell me he is going to hibernate here,” Ari whispered.
“I’m not sure. But did I not tell you to run and not look back?”
“You were behind me. You honestly think I wouldn’t look out for you?”
“You know I can take care of myself, Ari. Now go and get Arrow. Just be careful, he is not dressed. His clothes are still in the dryer.”
Ari groaned.
“So we have a naked Marine who is the only one qualified to lure a bear out of the house?”
“I guess. Our clothes won’t fit him.”
“No, they won’t. And as to taking care of yourself, I didn’t know if you had enough time.
Besides, how do I know you know any kind of magick spells involving bears? It’s not like they’re running down Bourbon Street all the time, right?”
“You wanna be smart with me? Go get Arrow and then tell your brother what is happening."
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Good boy.”
Arrow came rushing down without giving a second thought to the fact that he was naked. The boys stood at the top of the stairs, snickering and Angel blushed.
“Get a towel for him, will you?”
“Are you alright?” Arrow asked with panting breath.
Tirza's Christmas Tales are a series of standalone romance novellas with a seasonal theme and can be read in any order.
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