Mrs. Jessica Claus asked Elsa to join her in the kitchen for a drink to help her calm down.
Once Elsa had a hot drink in hand, she took a seat on a stool small enough for a Christmas elf, and Jessica turned to her.
Are you alright?"
Elsa sipped her drink and nodded weakly. "That was way too close for comfort." she breathed.
Lucky you caught it in time." said Jessica.
"Lucky to have gotten away at all." said Elsa. "They got me first. I guess when Cosima showed up, that vampire got greedy - she let me go so she could get a bigger blood meal I guess."
Jessica shuddered and put a hand on Elsa's shoulder. "What a horrible thing to go through. I'm so glad you didn't get taken."
"Thanks." Elsa replied.
Elsa was able to give Santa and Jessica some information on the enemy, the ones she saw anyway. This included a description of Miranda as the female vampire, and that she wasn't working alone. Elsa described the two men who were with the female vampire. So this was at least a little more to go on, and Santa had a better idea of who to look out for.
Word spread throughout the whole elf community, and all agreed not to allow any more strangers in for tours save for the guests who had just arrived to help fight the enemy.
It was disconcerting to say the least, for some of the elves, who had recalled an attractive looking green-eyed blonde who had come around the workshops, seeming chatty and friendly enough, making it clear she felt lonely.
Now, the elf community put it together that every time this lady had visited, one of their own company had disappeared, only to turn up as a vamped elf or dead the following day.
Security was tightened all around the place, turning the usual bustle of hectic merriment to one of consternation.
Stress and anxiety made it a very late night, sleepless for at least some.
Santa called a group of elves together, and told them the reindeer couldn't be fed until morning, and it was too dangerous to go check on their food supply.
NT happened to be there at the time, she had been ceaselessly wandering aimlessly about, and she suddenly had an idea.
"What do they usually eat? Is it a special diet?"
"At this time of the year, yes, it's a magic corn that enables them to lift off. After Christmas they are off it again for a couple of months, until spring. I like to keep them in flying condition year round and make sure it always works." Santa seemed pleased at NT's curiosity.
"Where do you keep it?" she asked.
"In the store room where the sleighs, harnesses, bells etc. are. It's too high up for you to reach it,and I don't know if you can climb quite as well as an elf."
"I could manage." she offered.
"No, thank you, NT," said Santa, "It's kind of you, but too risky."
"They won't want to get anywhere near me." NT said, quietly.
Santa recognized the menacing tone and the "Somebody's asking for it" look on NT's face. "What are you planning?"
"A little magic of my own." she replied.
The night went on, and it was sad the beauty of it was marred, what was supposed to be a time of bliss, altered by the circumstances.
Gretel looked out the window of her room before getting ready for bed. The glisteny glow outside gave no hint of the trouble that lingered.
In the hospital, Cosima lay in her bed, waiting for the drug to wear off, and feeling as if it never would.
In her room, Pippi texted Ameh and Indy, letting them know what had happened so far. She couldn't get to sleep. The image of Cosima's agony stare disturbed her greatly.
When no one else seemed to be about, NT made her way out to check on the reindeer. She already had her magic in order so if the enemy came across her, they'd forget about feeding on anything.
As it turned out, the reindeer still had plenty to eat, so NT spent some time befriending them.
She was just about to go back into the complex when the sound of moans and words like "Blood, blood, I - need - blood." were heard on the other side of the stable doors.
NT bristled at the sound, and got set to do what needed to be done.
Miranda, frustrated and in a perfectly foul mood, unable to get into Santa's house or any of the other buildings used primarily by Santa and the elves, resigned herself to settling for reindeer. It was a far cry from human blood but if Edward Cullen could do it, then so could she, at least for tonight.
Getting the stable open proved to be easier than she thought. No alarms or locks!
But, there was something else she hadn't counted on.
As soon as she wrenched open the door, what greeted her was not a herd of timid and panicking reindeer, but an ill-tempered, snarling wolverine!
Miranda froze for a moment, letting out a gasp.
The wolverine's hair stood up on end, and it charged at her, teeth bared.
Miranda uttered several primal ear-splitting screams and ran for all she was worth.
The wolverine, strangely didn't follow, but just stopped some distance away from the stable door, looking back into it.
The reindeer huddled in the back, frightened.
The wolverine disappeared among some trees.
In a while, NT reappeared inside the stable after shutting the door, and stalked back into the house, trembling with rage.
She had expected to send a vampire running scared, and have a good laugh from it.
The appalling shock, disgust, and anger she now felt at realizing just who this vampire was, and that it had been Miranda who tortured, drugged, and nearly consumed Cosima, made NT boil over.
There was no going to sleep for her tonight.
In the hospital, Cosima finally showed signs the drug was wearing off. At first, Cosima could only blink, move her lips, fingers and toes a bit, and the facial muscles could at last move enough to display changing expressions. Then the progress quickened.
By morning, she could have visitors. Elsa had been welcomed into the group of newcomers, and they all went to see Cosima. After small talk was exchanged, they began talking about what happened.
Cosima looked at Elsa. "Aren't you the one who had a close call with that vampire just as I - "
"Yes, and it's all really hitting me now." Elsa said with a shudder.
NT flushed crimson. "It was Miranda Tompkins who did that to you." she said darkly.
Cosima looked surprised. For that matter, so did a few others. "How did you find out?"
"How did you find that out?" Pippi asked.
"Last night when I looked after the reindeer, I chased her off when she came skulking around looking for some victim to parasitize."
"You?" Jessica asked. If Cosima couldn't get away from Miranda, how could NT manage this?
"That's what I meant last night when I said that about a little magic of my own. I was the wolverine that chased her away. It was meant to help protect the reindeer, and you - and, laugh at a vamp running scared. Only I wasn't expecting it to be HER!" NT snarled. "Miranda disgusts me beyond belief!"
"Miranda's agenda went way beyond what any of you experienced so far," said Santa, "She is so evil that she got herself a lifetime ban from the Nice List. She doesn't even make the naughty list. Naughty is too nice for her. The things she wished for in the past," he blew out a breath, "But it's what she actively participated in that did it."
"Does she know about that, Santa?" Cosima asked.
"Yes, as of this year. I finally wrote her, telling her to stop sending me letters. Of course, she hasn't."
"I can imagine the kind of letters she wrote to you." NT sneered.
NT, Elsa, why don't you two go back to the house," Santa suggested. "You both look tired.
"No more tired than the rest of you," NT countered.
"That may be true, but we may need you to help out again when it grows dark and Miranda becomes active again. Jessica, why don't you join them? I'll see you back home, maybe if we're lucky, Cosima might even be released today." Santa suggested.
"Good idea. Someone should be there to hold down the fort while you are sick-visiting." Jessica agreed, smiling warmly at Santa.
So Jessica Claus, Elsa Elf, and NT the fairy went back to the house.
"How much does NT know of Miranda's agenda, apart from directly trying to hurt her?" Santa asked Pippi and Cosima.
"Well," said Pippi, looking disgusted, "this Miranda has continued to lie and pull the victim act every time she doesn't get enough attention or her own way, and that instead of demonstrating how sorry she claims to be, she runs away. Even after her bullying stopped, Miranda dropped out of school and bunked in with Tonya Harper and Cherie evans, who, well, if you kept tabs on us over the past, would know are a couple of very twisted individuals."
Santa nodded, frowning. "I didn't want to tell you this in front of Nt and get her rage burning out of control."
"She's not the only one." Cosima growled.
"Now now, Cosima," Santa chided good-naturedly.
Cosima grinned back.
"There, that's good to see a grin." Santa smiled back. "But there's more."
"Oh?" asked Cosima, puzzled.
Santa continued. "Tonya, as you remember, tried to blacken NT's name online, going so far as to make her look like she was soliciting a murder for hire."
"Yes." said Pippi. "NT knows about that too. She was there much of the time when we were freeing Indy from Tonya." She - heard about that then.
"Well, this has no connection to Indy, and it happened before Miranda ever met her. Miranda went much further and really did try to have NT's mother killed or at least seriously hurt. Although Ariel's eventual death was not a result of that, I offer my condolences to you all."
"What? When?" Cosima started.
"That time right before Cherie came into things, just after months of coping with being under the same roof with Miranda ; and this incident occurred not long after she ran away," said Santa.
"Oh, how could anyone forget?" Pippi said."
"Pippi, Cosima, that kidnapping Pippi and Danae savedMiranda from, along with Ariel, well, Miranda was not an innocent victim."
"You mean - she - " Pippi looked shocked.
"She and her father staged it, the only part of that Miranda was ignorant of was that 'Mr. Un' was actually her own father, posing as the rock star by use of magic."
Cosima gaped.
Santa continued. "and I have the footage to prove it. The same footage that had gone missing, Cosima, when you were putting Tompkins and Benson out of their human-exploitation racket." said Santa.
"Yes, I remember." said Cosima.
"That footage didn't go missing by accident." Santa informed. "Miranda stole it and replaced it with a blank. Ameh caught her in the act, she just didn't know which video Miranda was stealing or why."
"Oh, I remember that video was recording when Danae and I arrived to help Ariel and Miranda get out of danger."
"Yes, and the truth about Miranda's involvement, right from the planning to her father's commission of violence...Miranda called Ariel and pretended to be in trouble, and yes, her injuries though minor were real - but they were do-it-yourself."
"Oh, that's sick!" Pippi declared.
"Ewww, no wonder she and Cherie got along so well." Cosima winced.
"Yes," Santa continued, nodding, "but Miranda and her father didn't count on Ariel letting any of you in on it."
There was stunned silence.
"That," said Santa sternly, "is why Miranda Tompkins/Harlan will never be off the naughty books, no matter how many self-pity and hateful letters she writes."
Cosima gave a sigh of relief, and thanked him.
"Just out of curiosity, though I think I can guess the answer," said Pippi, "Has Miranda ever written to you on behalf of anyone else?"
"Other than her father, no." said Santa. "She's written about other people, Tonya, Mirabelle, Indy, NT, even you, Pippi; always in a self-pitying way. Oh, she has even written about me, too, ranting on about what a cold-heart I am for not responding, not caring, not listening or believing her, not giving her what she wanted, for not being truly good or even real. If you'd like to look them over, you're welcome to do so. There might even be hints and ideas at what she has planned that Jessica and I haven't picked up. I never had the time to waste slogging through all of that childish drivel"
"Yes, let's do that." said Pippi. "No doubt about it, we need Ameh here at her earliest convenience."
"I better hurry up and get myself out of here." said Cosima.
"Cosima, before you do anything else," said Santa, "You should eat, and then get some sleep.
"I think they'll be in here with breakfast pretty soon." said Cosima.
Santa nodded, and looked to Pippi. "Pippilotta, I'll show you the stack of Miranda's letters, posted, emailed, texted, etc.."
"Certainly." Pippi agreed. "Well, I should be getting back to touch base with the others."
"I'll see you back at the house, Pippi," Santa replied.
Pippi smiled at them both, then left.
Santa looked at Cosima once more, and drew close to her bedside. "You saved Elsa's life last night, when Miranda decided to go for you instead."
Cosima nodded.
"She saved you too."
Cosima gave Santa a questioning look.
"It was Elsa who came running to tell us what and where the trouble was. Without her, we might've discovered you too late, or not at all.
"I'm grateful for all of you and your help." Cosima said quietly, and turned away from Santa.
"I'm grateful for your help as well." said Santa. "Elsa may not actually come out and say it, but I can see it in her eyes. She is profoundly moved by what happened to you, as well as the close call she had."
Cosima nodded. "You know, Santa, if she wants to help me out until I'm back to normal, and look in on me while I rest, she's welcome to. And you're the only one I don't mind telling this to - " Cosima's expression turned somewhat embarrassed, and she lowered her voice. "I'm - not too keen on being alone, not after - that cannibalistic nightmare."
"There's nothing wrong with feeling vulnerable and frightened, Cosima, and nothing wrong with letting on, especially when it's something this serious." Santa assured her.
"That's not all." said Cosima. "I detested Miranda from the moment we met, and our mutual dislike just kept growing. I would've been completely freaked out if this vampire had been someone I liked before. If it had been Pippi or Indy, who had become a vampire, my immense respect for them would've turned to revulsion. So this is even worse. Miranda is not only a blood-sucker, she is an exceedingly repulsive person and I want to kill her.. I'm pretty sure I could if given the chance. Well, that's how I'm feeling right now, and it scares me."
"I won't put you on the Naughty List for feeling this way." Santa said. "It might have to come to that, depending on what Miranda does. She's shown herself capable of anything just to get what she wants, including vengeance."
"Tell me about it." Cosima muttered in disgust.
Santa continued. "And you are still trying to cope with the fright and the feeling of being completely vulnerable in front of Miranda, which makes you feel violated."
Cosima confirmed Santa's observation with a grimace and a scowl.
"Just try to get some rest now, and let your friends take over for a while."
"Thanks, Santa," Cosima breathed, giving him a relieved glance.
Santa left when Cosima's breakfast was brought, and the nurse assured him the hospital would call when Cosima was ready to be released.
"Oh, Santa,"
Santa was greeted back at the house by Pippi approaching him. "What is it, Pippilotta?"
"If anyone can help Indy, you could. Being here among you and Jessica, the elves and the reindeer, for however long she might need - " Pippi trailed off, looking ruefully at Santa. "We would be glad to have her here once this danger is past. And all of you, for that matter!" Santa suddenly brightened up. "If it all comes out right, the gifts we give one another are worth more than all the toys in the world."
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