Rude's Awakening

Published by Evernight Publishing ® at Smashwords

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2014 Danica Avet

ISBN: 978-1-77233-142-4

Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

Editor: Melissa Hosack

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION

This one is for my awesome readers and their endless patience. Y'all are the absolute best!

RUDE’S AWAKENING

Reindeer Games, 1

Danica Avet

Copyright © 2014

Chapter One

She should have been freezing cold, caught in the frozen tundra that made up the Outer Plains, but running for your life tended to make an elf forget about things like warmth. A field of blinding white snow and ice stretched out before Jinger von Brot, a complete wasteland of nothingness, unless you knew where to look and her sights were set on the slight mound in the distance. A soft silver glow created a dome over the North Pole territories, the magical barrier protecting those within its walls from the rebels of the Outer Plains as well as nosy humans. Unfortunately, as a spy for the North Pole, Jinger had been outside the dome’s protection for decades, and now it was her only salvation.

Jinger tripped over a crack in the ice, pin wheeling her arms to stay on her feet. She leapt over another rock, pumping her arms to push her body harder. If she slowed down, she’d fall into the dark elves’ possession. She’d be treated to torture and rape, followed by a gruesome death.

What a benefits plan.

She’d given up a luxurious life of being a pampered pet for this? Her mother and friends were right; she was out of her fucking mind. Would it really be so terrible to be some dominant male’s submissive toy if it meant not having to become the prey of Drows? Despite the current danger, Jinger had to say yes. Belonging to any man would be an absolute nightmare and it would have prevented her from saving her best friend.

She eyed the incline ahead, her heart beating like a rapid-fire machine gun. She had to make it. The information she’d gathered was too important to die with her. Santiero Claus, son and heir of Santa Claus, needed to know about the mole hiding among his elite guards. A fucking mole who could lead a swarm of evil right into the North Pole.

Eternal Fathers, please don’t let me die before I get that information to him.

Panting with effort and fear, Jinger climbed the slope, ignoring how the sharp ice scraped her hands and feet. Safety stood on the other side of the magical barrier.

Home.

Scrabbling sounds came close behind her. Her blood pressure spiked even higher. The Drows were gaining on her. They’d slaughter her, leaving no one to warn Claus of the newest threat against him.

She shook her head. No, she was not going to die in this void. Even if she had to crawl back to North Pole City, she’d do it in order to make it home again. Determination bolstered her strength, lending her legs the power to speed up the hill, leaping over bigger rocks until she reached the pinnacle. The magical barrier shimmered with a silvery glow used to hold back the evilness beyond it.

Panting, breath wheezing in and out of her tortured lungs, she gasped out the incantation to open a small crack. Nothing happened. Terror clawed at her throat. Then, like a ripple in a pool, the barrier parted, revealing the brighter, warmer landscape of North Pole City.

The Drows couldn’t make it through, the taint of evil in their souls and the soul of their leader marking them as outcasts from the North Pole. She prayed it didn’t cling to her, prayed to the Eternal Fathers that her spying hadn’t left a stain on her soul. She pumped her arms, springing for the small window.

Jinger leapt through the opening, falling to her knees on the clean stone pathway. Pain exploded through her body, mingling with the relief she’d made it through the gauntlet. After nearly a century of deep undercover work, she’d thought her luck had abandoned her on this last assignment. Of course it wasn’t over yet. She still had to hide until Claus and Jack Frost made it back from their out-of-town adventure, but at least she was where she belonged.

Her body quaked with a shaky laugh. Home. She was finally home after nearly fifty years. She wanted to jump up, shout for joy, but she hurt too damned much. No, she’d ease to her feet and hobble to the small house Claus promised would be waiting for her. Maybe she could see her mom—if her current lover allowed it—so Jinger could prove how fulfilled she was with her life as a spy.

Danger, guts, and glory, she muttered under her breath as she pushed her hair out of her face.

A bare whisper of sound alerted her she wasn’t alone seconds before two sets of hands clasped her arms, pulling her to her feet. Thick black leather edged with unforgiving steel closed over her wrists before she could form a single thought.

No, she whispered as she stared at the cuffs on her wrists.

A thick, scarred finger lifted her chin, forcing her to look up. Her heart leapt to her throat, nearly choking her as shock and dismay exploded to life. It’d been years since she was in North Pole City, but no one ever forgot the sight of the Tactical Unit uniforms. They fit the reindeer shifters who wore them like a second skin, molding to bulky muscles, and highlighting their sinful attractiveness.

Jinger backed up as the two shifters stared at her with hungry eyes. Her pussy dampened in spite of her fear. That was their strength. They used their sensuality like a potent drug to weaken. She shook her head and turned to run. She hadn’t escaped fifty years of desolation to fall prey to the seductive wiles of the reindeer clan.

They caught her of course, one of them slinging her over his shoulder. As he carried her to the compound, they took turns stroking their knowing hands over the curves of her body. Reluctant arousal stirred in her gut.

What are you doing? she shrieked, kicking out as best she could with tight arms wrapped around her knees. Let me go! You have no right to do this!

Nothing. They uttered not a single word, but their hands said plenty.

Tears of frustration burned her eyes. She didn’t know who the mole in the elite guard was and feared that’s exactly who’d caught her. A seductive, knowing hand pressed against her pussy, making her shudder and bite back a moan. They were going to torture her for information she couldn’t give them. And she couldn’t do anything about it. She worked on a strict need-to-know basis and sharing information with possible traitors would be like handing Claus over to them on a silver platter.

Damn, this was just a bad fucking day.

* * * * *

That’s the spy we’ve been waiting for? Rudolph Rude Briars asked of his top lieutenants.

She was right where they said she’d be, Comet answered without taking his eyes off of the little female pacing her cell, her face screwed into a cute scowl.

Rude rubbed his jaw feeling a mixture of surprise and lust.

What a pretty little thing. Little being the operative word. She couldn’t have been more than five and a half feet tall; not the usual height for elves in this area. Perhaps she had some brownie in her genetics? He gave a mental shrug. It didn’t matter. A traitor was a traitor. If she had plans to infiltrate the North Pole, he’d know as soon as the interrogation began.

Heat pooled in his groin as he thought about the ways he’d question her. With her blood-red hair, brown sugar tinted skin, and lush figure, it wouldn’t be difficult to muster the interest to interrogate her in his favorite ways. The question was how long would it be before she broke?

Two hours. Dasher answered his unspoken question. I have three cases of Frostbite that says she breaks before two hours.

Comet snorted. Too easy. She’ll barely make it longer than an hour. Did you see how she nearly cried when we caught her? She’s soft.

What do you think, Rude?

He studied the female carefully. He hadn’t been there when they brought her in, but he’d heard how the little elf whimpered and moaned as they carried her to the compound. She sounded timid, maybe