She smiled and held Mistletoe of his head and kissed him. ?I love you Cin, be happy?.

He nodded and passed through the door and was blinded by the light; he came to the building he had faced he would not be allowed to enter, it was over for him, his ticket of entry burned away in his hand. He sighed and looked around, the snow started to fall gently. Christmas was tomorrow his family who anticipated this time must also be worried about him. He followed the path out of the old forest and then the old north road to Alesblot.

He would be going home.

He stopped into the pub halfway to home and had a glass of stout. The place was decorated in pine garland and red candles were hung, the smell of orange spice accompanied the normal tobacco and beer aromas.

William the bartender handed Cinder his usual, a dark brew swirled in the glass with brownish foam. It was strong a nice bold semi sweet bitterness. He nodded to William and took up his stout then smiled to a fellow patron and realized it was Rewa; she had been waiting for him. He moved over to the next seat, she turned to smile at him, he wiped her face. She had been crying, he held her hand and kissed it...?I?m sorry.?
She shook her head smiling into her shots, brandy he thought. He smiled.
?No, I?m sorry?.care to walk a vampire home??

He grinned and nodded; he poured the stout down and got back off the seat leaving a tip on the counter. He headed to door and followed Rewa out.
?How?s my daughter??

?Oh you better have a good gift for her this year?. She poked him playfully?.

They would be going home.

It was Delliah?s and Red?s turn now to make Cinder feel a part of something, if Kristae was here it would have been hers again too... They revived that dying warmth this house had held for the past month. Even though now it had been two and a half months since they returned to Rhy?Din it still felt new on them all once again.

She smiled once more as Delliah turned to look at her and nodded, Jennifer then with rosy cheeks turned to her with a smile, she had been drinking already which was obvious. She wiped a few tears and one for Cinder too, she knew this season wasn?t just a joyful one but sorrow was no stranger either. Kristae died on the New Year. Jennifer smiled softly as she stepped off the stool finishing the star. She was suddenly confronted by Red.

Rewa kissed her and smiled. ?Tuerenswahr??

? Tuerenswafhr, and Merry Christmas Eve to you dear Red?.

Cinder sat down on the couch and returned to his true form, his grandchildren leapt up on the couch to curl up beside him, they purred and softly growled at him as he reached for his glass of Merlot. He then watched out the window for a while, the snow glued to the scenery outside and within the nooks of the window frame itself, white blanketed everything, only faint streaks of blacks and dark greens were visible in the distance marking the forest, the borders of Mirue. The pond and the pavilion were decorated, Delliah and him had gone out earlier to string garland on its roof.

Rewa and Delliah finished up the decorations; they opened the last box of ornaments, and hung the names across the tree: All but Delliah?s children had names on ornaments. Red frowned and Cinder smiled, he also noticed another name was missing. ?Give me some plain ones it?s time to update things isn?t it?. Rewa handed him a few plain glass ball ornaments, he shattered them in his hand and threw the glass dust they made in the air, they reformed onto the tree as ornaments once more, the names of five children appeared all had their own colors.

Cinder held the last ball and nodded. Doing the same to the last one it appeared on the tree. It read Rewa. Delliah and Rewa smiled then joined Cinder who was now watching the birdfeeder, a few scarlet hoods and a lone chickadee fed themselves from the feeder. He took a sip and smiled, it was nice to at the home he had made with Kristae. He set his glass down and gently moved over some, scooping the rest of the children in his lap. Delliah sat next to her father and her children started crawling to her instead save for two children which were dubbed the trouble makers who opened their eyes and decided to play around crawling up Cinder and flaling over the back of the couch.
Rewa sat on the recliner and leaned to the side swiping Cinder?s wine.
?Both of you did a great job, it looks really nice?. Rewa said to break the silence; she stood and took the glass.

?Can I get anyone anything??

?I?ll have a slice of spiced sweet potato pie?. Cinder smiled. ?Nothing for me, thanks Red?. Delliah added closing her eyes comfortably.

She nodded and left to the kitchen which was cluttered with wrapped foods from friends and distant relatives. She twisted the cork off the bottle of Turning River?s Holiday Wine and poured the glass generously and took a sip before slicing a piece of pie. She returned and sat back on the recliner and handed Cinder the pie and the wine, she lost count as to how many glasses he had but was sure the ten empty bottles were not just from him, after all Delliah and herself had some as well.

?Thanks Rewa?.

?Father, when can we open presents?? Delliah grinned opening her eyes for a moment bearing her fangs. She knew she wanted to give him his present early but hesitated after he laughed, she then knew she had to wait. ?Never mind?. She closed her eyes once more and batted her tail in defeat.

?This is a better holiday than last I must say. Are you expecting guests this year?? Rewa popped some mint chews into her mouth and dimmed the table lamp. The tree glowed much more vibrant and she even remained quiet for a moment to appreciate it. Cinder took a bite from the pie, Carolyn had made this especially for him it was a old Irish Family recipe her grandmother handed down to her, luckily it came in handy to give her boss a pie or two as to sway him to extend the off days for the holiday. Of course he would be the only one going to work the day after perhaps.

?Well I am not certain, I did invite Ren and wife to stop by if they wanted, perhaps to share a meal with. I know he celebrates Yule so I thought it right... I am unsure if Vic?te will come he was a bit scared last time we saw him. As for Richard and Elsa they have gone to their grandson?s this year but I have a card for them I?ll drop it off after Christmas. Carolyn said she may stop by but she is busy with family on holidays so I understand. And of course I have gifts for all seven of you, my beloved Delliah and grandchildren and of course my dear Rewa. By the way, did your niece from Aurhbury say she would come??

Rewa took a sip of the wine and set it down. ?No, after she found out whom I was spending it with, she declined, she decided to celebrate with her guild?. She laughed.

?Seems your manners are notorious enough from six years ago to keep all the Nalliste? save for me away. I knew I shouldn?t have invited you to our summer party...even if you did look darling that day, give you a stage and you sing the crudest of songs?. She sighed but it was for play, she was clearly enjoying it. ?My poor uncle Henry can?t even eat sausage anymore because of your one song?. She laughed and then Cinder thought about it for a moment and joined in the laughter. Delliah scrunched her face up in disgust; she didn?t even wish to ask.

?Well at least I brought some color back into your grandmother that day. It was bad enough that they didn?t know about your vampirism but to insist I come to the party and as Jennifer perhaps was something else. It was funny to see your family turn away each time we kissed?. He grinned with a sparkle in his eyes and took another long sip; Delliah shook her head at them both.

?Please, the both of you are even worse together let alone by yourselves. The three of us can?t even go to the market together?.

?Yes, you are true about that my dear. We are something however; we are good friends, historic peoples. Anyway, I think I will turn in early tonight, have a busy schedule what with what?s it called?? Cinder rose carefully as he gently set the sleeping ones on the couch. He yawned nodding to Rewa and placed his hand on Delliah?s head lovingly.

?Goodnight, see you both in the morning or night whatever I open my eyes to?.

?Oh I?m waking you up in the morning you can?t keep me from opening up presents?! Delliah grumbled.

They watched him go up the stairs he paused looking through the rail and winked at them. Red and Delliah looked to each other, they shrugged. He had been up longer than they have and worked the hardest as far as decorating the home was concerned. He also had much to drink; he was tired and was acting strange today.

It was a few days after the holidays and few crates of wine and booze later, Cinder and Rewa had taking up babysitting for Delliah. In fact they were both were too lazy and too high on spirits to do anything else the whole week but lounge. They had a surprisingly good natured Holiday party for their guest nobody was set on fire and Cinder hadn?t stripped naked and dived out into the snow at all, that happened after the party. He hadn?t gotten the memo it was over?

Delliah was given the greatest gift ever from her father a special stone that would take her into the heart of the Mountains back home. He knew her, like him hated when the weather got hot in the summer and needed to spend some time in the snow. Rewa was given what she wanted always from Cinder. Jennifer? it was decidedly not tasteful for the ratings board so it will be left up to the imagination. He in turn was given a new tackle box from Delliah one that he desperately needed but was unwilling to get rid of the old one so he kept the old one at home for a toolbox instead. Rewa also gave Cinder something that was not tasteful but gave him a nice pack of bite sized waffles in his stocking somehow they ended up being used in an inappropriate manner according to the international waffle association or as they are commonly know (IWA)

Rewa smiled her face pressed against his chest slowing rising in sleep, she stared at the lighted tree it had become dismantled, some stands of garland was wrapped around the kittens. Cinder had passed out on his fifth glass of cognac and the last of the dwarven mountain grass they had smoked. It?s sweet smoky aroma still lingered from the ashtray. She was happy here with him, she watched the young ones curling up on each other at times opening their eyes then closing them up seeing that their siblings were sleeping. She leaned over to finish her third cocktail and woke him up. He nodded closing his eyes once more.

?So did you have a good time?? He asked pretending he would go back to sleep.

?Yes, and I know you did too but really we could save booze for the New Year?s party?.
?What New Year?s Party?? He opened his eyes rubbing them then stifled a yawn.
?My niece invited us to her place for a New Year?s Party?you promised or at least Jennifer had?.

He shook his head stealing her glass. ?Nope, don?t know anything about it besides she didn?t come here for that Santa thingy you and Delliah enjoy so much so why should we come there for her?.
?Yeah apparently she didn?t have much fun being proper for our relatives and the socialites her father invited over; being noble is boring most the time. I swear she is a lot like me in some ways she hates the servitude of being nice and appropriate for people and business?.

?So basically she wanted the outcast of the Nalliste to come because she is the only vampire and lesbian in the family. But I couldn?t blame her? it?s always fun for me. Well? it doesn?t hurt to have a cutie such as Jennifer shock that old bag of a grandmother of yours. Plus if I make two appearances as myself and Jennifer I can even make your uncle turn green, perhaps I can make that slob vomit on his wife?. He laughed joking and tossed a few toasted pepitas in his mouth. The Halloween pumpkins were finally laid to rest but not before Cinder insisted on Rewa toasting the seeds ?Still it is better than no party at all? I?m in Red?.

?So you will come as Jen, that?s a relief. You may want to wear
underwear this year in case you get out of line that time you came didn?t go over well. Just don?t drink too much you forget what person you are supposed to be?.

He was intrigued he couldn?t remember if he ever got that drunk before, it would be funny to see he thought.
Cinder protested and finished the wine off for her. ?Now I would have known who I was and where I was, I?m responsible I think. I held back the times I was in your family, not that I was in one of your family members but come on it was a pool party?.

In fact Cinder was telling the truth, after all the maid was not a member of her family. He smiled thinking of Portia and the feather duster once more.

?So will the staff be on call??

She looked at him oddly wondering why he had a grin. ?Well it is a party?.

The security ushered the two guests from chateau Le Rumouex, Rewa and Jennifer still holding empty champagne flutes and each other as to not fall. They stumbled, finally fell as the gate closed after them. Laughing and pretending to drink once more from them they tossed the glasses over their heads wishing eachother a happy new year, they had an hour to go but being early isn't so bad. They laughed kissed each other and decided on a seedy pub than this fancy family party.

Together they wandered through the night following promises of a new year, most likely they were following the source of fireworks and the promise of a few more cheers.