THE OFFICIAL LAST day of Christmas fell on the sixth of January, and Gunnar and Kenna returned to Reykjavik the day before in order to celebrate at home. They were expecting Ari, Megan, and Sophia for dinner that evening, and Kenna was taking the time to cook something magnificent.

Another huge fireworks display had been advertised over the water and their apartment had a perfect view, so she was excited to see what they came up with this year. Last year’s had been great, but the city had promised something even better this year.

“What are you making?” Gunnar asked, walking into the kitchen with Styrr. “It smells incredible.”

“We’ll start with a roasted squash soup,” she said as she put the squash into the oven. “Then I’m doing grilled pork chops, asparagus, and garlic mashed potatoes. For dessert, I’m making a self-saucing chocolate pudding with cream.”

“Seriously?”

“Aye.” She smiled up at him. “Why?”

“Because I’m going to get fat.”

Kenna giggled. “Well, if you do, I’m doing my job.”

“You want me fat?”

She stood on her tiptoes. “If it makes you happy, then yes.” Kissing him gently, she smiled, then kissed Styrr’s head before returning to her duties.

“Ég elska þig.” (I love you.)

“I love you, too.”

“I’ll put Styrr down and come and help.”

“Thanks, love.”

Kenna put Gunnar on table setting duty, which probably wasn’t the greatest idea. He was a prince, after all, and had never set a table, so she ended up fixing a few things.

Styrr wanted to be fed just as Ari and Megan arrived, so Gunnar took care of getting everyone drinks while Kenna took care of the baby. She changed him and swaddled him tight before carrying him back out to the living room to an eager Megan who was reaching for him. “Gimme.”

Kenna giggled and handed the baby off to her.

Megan stroked his cheek. “Hey, little man. Oh, how your auntie misses this time. You are so handsome.”

“We can always have another one,” Ari said.

Megan smiled. “Let’s get Sophia out of the house for good and then we’ll talk.”

“Ew, Mom, gross. Having a baby at your age?”

“Elskan,” Ari admonished.

“What, Papa. My sisters are almost thirty... I’m eighteen. It’s weird.”

Kenna smiled. “It’s weird in your world, love. But not in ours. Once you’re bound, you’ll understand.”

She rolled her eyes. “I am not getting ‘bound.’”

“Oh?”

“Sorry, Auntie Kenna, but I’m not. Why do the men always have all the power? I want to be able to pick the man I marry.”

“It’s not like we didn’t choose our mates,” Kenna said.

“Well, what do you call it, then?” she challenged. “If we are destined to be with one person, then it’s not much of a choice.”

Ari frowned. “This is why you should have never left.”

Megan shook her head. “This is why you shouldn’t have lied.”

Ari and Megan were destined to mate, but when he met Megan, she was seventeen and human. Their Kalt Einn customs and lore were far more ingrained than even the Cauld Anes’, and Ari believed he’d hurt her if he bound her. Megan, fearing she was going insane and in danger, escaped with Sophia, and changed their names in an effort to keep her safe, but Kaspar found them, in turn reuniting Ari and Megan. They were now the family they should have been all along.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to cause a fight,” Sophia said. “I just know how I feel.”

“And you’re entitled to feel however you feel, love,” Kenna encouraged. “Just try not to let your emotions shadow your common sense, because one day, you’ll find the man you’re destined to be with, and you’ll choose him. I promise.”

“We’ll see,” Sophia said.

Kenna and Megan shared a secret smile, and then Kenna headed into the kitchen to finish dinner. Megan handed the baby off to Gunnar and joined her a few minutes later.

“Oh, that girl,” Megan breathed out as she washed her hands. “She’s going to kill me.”

Kenna grinned and salted the potatoes. “She’ll figure it out.”

“I hope so. I have managed to raise a very well-adjusted, independent, confident, and highly opinionated human being. Ari wants to kill her then me most days. She doesn’t know what it’s like to have a father, and to suddenly have one is an adjustment.”

“Is it not going well?”

Megan dried her hands. “No, it’s not that, necessarily. Ari missed so much after Charlotte and Pepper were taken from us. More him than me, because he erased my memories, but when I disappeared with Sophia, he missed both of us, so now he has us back, and he’s intense. More so than when we were together before. I’m fine with it because we’re in sync, but Sophia’s not used to it, so she’s balking at the over-protectiveness a little. Gotta give my girl credit though, she pushes because she’s strong, but she’s never disrespectful, and she tries to give Ari one-on-one time whenever she can. This whole not wanting a mate thing is new, so it’s going to be interesting to see what happens in the coming years.”

Kenna giggled. “I’m kind of glad I have a front row seat to the show.”

“You and me both, sister.” Megan grinned. “What can I do?”

“Well, we can start carrying food out. I’ll have Gunnar get the wine and then we’re ready.”

Megan nodded and picked up the platter with the chops, carrying it to the table. Once dinner was done, and much to Ari’s princely chagrin, Gunnar made him help with the cleanup while Kenna, Styrr, Megan, and Sophia sat out on the balcony waiting for the sun to set.

The men joined them, handing everyone drinks, and then once Styrr was fed and changed, Gunnar set him in the bassinet inside the closed glass doors so they could see him, but where he wouldn’t be shocked by the sound of the booms.

The fireworks, although a half hour long, seemed so much shorter. The light display depicted elves and the beautiful people that Icelanders believe live in the rocks and mountains of Iceland. The show told the story of a traditional Icelandic Christmas, and the images of the giantess Grýla and her third husband, Leppalúði ended the show. The sound of clapping echoed from the people standing on their balconies.

After hugs and good-byes, Ari, Megan, and Sophia left and Kenna carried Styrr to bed, Gunnar following.

As she climbed under the covers and cuddled close to her mate, she was overcome with the blessings she’d been given. She’d waited a long time for Gunnar, but he was more than worth the wait, and she was forever grateful.

“I’ve waited a long time for you too, elskan.”

Kenna giggled. “Much longer than me.”

He patted her bottom and kissed her temple. “Are you calling me aged?”

“I would never say that... out loud.”

Gunnar rolled her onto her back and hovered above her. “I think I need to show you what this old man can do.”

She gasped as he cupped her breast. “Yes, please.”

Gunnar made love to her and she was swept away by a perfect Christmas wish come true.