Free What the Sleigh? by Mina Carter

on his threat.”
    He shoved her away and stepped forward, jostling for space with Darrick. Humans knelt by Rudi’s side, holding dressings against her wounds. They were already stained red.
    “More pressure…we’re going to need more dressings to stop this bleeding,” the man near Rudi’s head rapped out orders, not one of the EMT’s but some kind of medical professional by the way he was checking her over.
    He looked up, gaze catching on Darrick. “I’m assuming she’s one of yours?”
    Darrick nodded sharply, already shrugging out of his jacket and shirt to give them to the women trying to stop the bleeding. “Yeah, deer shifter.”
    The doctor nodded. “Thought she was moving with too much focus for a natural animal.”
    “You know about shifters?” Nick demanded.
    “Yeah, something. Chief veterinarian for City Animal Control. We don’t get many weres but I’m familiar enough with them to know she should have shifted by now to heal some of this damage.”
    “She should. Let me look at her.”
    He took a half step forward, stripping like Darrick to drop his own shirt and undershirt on the pile. The magic had sloughed away, leaving him in his younger form. He slid to his knees next to the doctor, who looked at him and nodded. “Figured a Santa would know about reindeer.”
    Nick spared him the tiniest smile, his attention on Rudi as he leaned forward, stroking the fur over her neck gently. She huffed as though sensing his presence but didn’t open her eyes. Anguish speared his heart. She was almost gone. The magic of her shift had leaked away, leaving a small bubble rising toward him.
    Curious, he reached out to touch it only to have it burst open. A cacophony of emotions hit him. Rudi’s emotions.
    There was pride she’d saved the child. Nick swiveled around to find the little girl watching him, her eyes wide with unshed tears as she watched the fallen form of the reindeer.
    There was sorrow she had to leave. To leave him. She was sorry she had to leave him and there was something else wrapped around it. It was regret.
    Regret she’d never told him she loved him. The emotion hit and burst through him. Filled his heart and radiated through his body and he couldn’t help the smile that flowed over his lips.
    Rudi loved him. She always had.
    The harsh voice of the EMT broke through his daze. “We’re losing her. Can we use the defib on a deer?”
    He opened his eyes and smiled. He knew exactly what he had to do.
    “No need. Everyone move back.”
    As he spoke, his voice swelled with the power of Christmas, with the power of Santa, and he leaned forward to place his hands gently on Rudi’s side. Over her heart.
    “Come back to me, my love,” he whispered.
    Closing his eyes, he gathered all the Christmas magic within him, every last drop, and shoved it all into her. Drained himself entirely of the power and energy that made him what he was. Everything which made him a Claus elf and a Santa he gave to her. Willingly. With love and no regret until there was nothing left within him. Depleted, his hands slipped off her fur and he sat back on his heels, swaying as he opened his eyes.
    “Oh my god, she’s breathing.” The EMT’s swarmed around her as she shifted back to human form, her terrible wounds down to merely nasty, non-fatal ones. “Right, let’s get her out of here.”
    Nick watched, unable to move as they loaded her onto a trolley and wheeled it away. He should go with her, but he had nothing. No energy. He’d given it all to her. He wasn’t even sure his body worked anymore.
    A large, scarred hand appeared in front of his face. Surprised, he looked up. Darrick stood in front of him, a new respect in the Pixie's eyes.
    “I saw what you did. Come on, bud, let’s get you checked out so you can be there when she wakes up.”
     
    ***
     
    Rudi opened her eyes with the sure and certain knowledge of two things:
    It was Christmas morning.
    And she should be dead.
    In an instant everything,