Page 29 of New Beginning

“What am I?”

“Whatever you want to be.”

“Just yours. Forever. Can I be?”

Now Mikkel was the one fighting back tears. “For as long as it’s within my power.”

“And mine.”

Although Sparlow was only a small settlement, almost all of it had been transformed into something magical. In the village centre, wooden stalls circled the tree, their roofs dusted with snow and trimmed with evergreen garlands. The scent of mulled wine, roasting chestnuts, cinnamon, and fresh gingerbread drifted through the crisp evening air, while children’s laughter mingled with the gentle hum of Christmas songs floating from hidden speakers.

Families wandered from stall to stall with steaming cups in their hands. Elderly couples stood wrapped in matching scarves. Teenagers took selfies beneath a few strings of warm white lights that criss-crossed overhead like stars caught in a web. Most of the lights would come on with the rest. Whether you were paranormal beings or not, almost everyone liked Christmas.

He gently tugged Teddy through the crowd, waving to people he knew, and over to a wooden platform beside the enormous Christmas tree.

Teddy glanced up. “Smaller than ours and nowhere near as nice.”

Mikkel chuckled. “Don’t let anyone hear you say that.”

Several villagers spotted them and smiles immediately spread across familiar faces.

“He’s here!”

“Evening, Mikkel!”

“Hurry up! We’re getting cold.” That was Luke, a werewolf who never felt the cold.

Mikkel recognised Jules and Erin’s little girl, Sophie. The six-year-old hid behind her father’s leg before gathering enough courage to wave. Mikkel waved back. He tugged Teddy up on the platform beside him, where there was a box with a big red button on a stand. The music stopped and everyone quietened.

“Good evening, everyone!” Mikkel called. “Thank you all for coming to another Sparlow Christmas Light Switch-On. Every year we celebrate friendship and family, welcoming those who need a place to belong. It’s become a tradition that the newest inhabitant of Sparlow is the one who switches on the lights. I’d like to introduce you all to Teddy, who’ll be living with me.”

Teddy instinctively reached for Mikkel’s hand as everyone clapped. Mikkel gave him a reassuring nod.

“You’ve got this. Press the button. It’s not hard.”

“It’s not attached to anything,” Teddy said under his breath.

“Three…” Mikkel called.

The crowd joined in.

“Two…”

Children bounced excitedly on their toes.

“One…”

Teddy pressed the button and thousands upon thousands of tiny lights burst into life. Golden light raced along every branch of the Christmas tree before spilling across the square. Shop fronts glowed. Lanterns shimmered. All the stalls burst into life. All the dark strings of lights overhead awakened one by one until the whole village sparkled. And as if someone else had also pressed a switch, snowflakes drifted lazily from the dark sky, catching the lights and making them look like falling stars.

Teddy tipped his head back, his face bathed in warm gold. “They’re beautiful,” he whispered.

“No,” Mikkel replied quietly, slipping an arm around his waist. “You are.”

~~~

Teddy had been to Christmas markets before, but never with someone’s hand to hold. He met so many people, thought there was no chance of remembering their names and yet as he and Mikkel walked back to the house drinking mulled wine, he realised that every name was still in his head. He’d also realised that Sparlow was a special place. People here were not as they seemed, except he didn’t know quite what was different about them. But it didn’t matter that they were different and that made him happy. This place felt more and more like home.

It was still snowing as they reached the house and Teddy wondered if Mikkel had somehow made that happen. I am so lucky. He felt flooded with happiness.