Winter's Night Read Online Free Page A

nice, too.”
    Gallagher frowned as she rummaged around in her giant oversized, beaded purse. After a few seconds, she pulled out an oven mitt that looked like a fish. She handed it to him.
    â€œThat is quality. From QVC. My favorite place. Do you watch QVC?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWell, you should. Akri says I watch it too much, but he never complains when I shop there. They like me, too. Put me on television and call me Miss Simi. I like that.”
    He handed her the fish back.
    â€œOh no, that’s for you. Presents make people happy. The Simi wants you to be happy.”
    Oh yeah, this was without a doubt the strangest moment of his life. Both mortal and immortal. “Thank you, Simi.”
    She waved his words aside with her hand. “No need to thank me. See, that’s what families do. They take care of each other.”
    His stomach tightened at her words. “I no longer have a family. I had to give them up.”
    She looked at him curiously. “Of course you have a family. Everyone has family. I’m your family. Akri your family. Even that smelly old goddess is your family. She’s that creepy old aunt who comes around but nobody likes her so they make fun of her when she’s gone.”
    He laughed again. “Does she know you say that about her?”
    â€œOf course. I say it to her face all the time. That’s why akri told me to come play while he’s with her. He don’t like it when we fight.”
    She took his hand into hers. “Listen and I’ll tell you what akri once told me. We have three kinds of family. Those we are born to, those who are born to us, and those we let into our hearts. I have let you into my heart so the Simi is your family and she won’t give you up. If you are sad right now, then I’m thinking your family is still in your heart, too, and they are taking up so much room that you have no room for anyone else.”
    â€œI can’t give them up.”
    â€œAnd you shouldn’t. Ever. No one should ever forget those they love. But it’s like with QVC—whenever I fill up my room with too much stuff, akri builds me another room. Somehow there’s always space for more. Your heart can always expand to take in as many people as you need it to. The people who live there, they don’t go away. You just make room for one more person and then another and another and another.”
    With her arm in his, Simi walked him down the street. “Don’t you want Simi to be your family?”
    He thought about her words and strange analogy.
    She leaned forward and whispered. “This is the part where you say, ‘Yes, Simi, I would like to be your family.’ ’Cause if you don’t, then I’ll have to take my mitt back and barbecue you. Akri is still upset about the last Dark-Hunter I barbecued and that was … oh, a thousand or so years ago. He part elephant when it comes to remembering things. So tell me, do you want Simi to be your family?”
    He smiled in spite of himself. “Yes, Simi, I would like to be your family.”
    She beamed. “Good. You’re such a smart Dark-Hunter.”
    Before Gallagher realized it, Simi had led him back to Sanctuary. She opened the door and stood back, waiting for him to enter. The earlier loudness was nothing like what was happening now. There were four hawks lined up on one curtain rod, dancing in time to the rocking Christmas carols. The Howlers (all in human form) were singing while Dev Peltier played the piano. A white tiger was lying on its back on the sofa while Marvin the monkey jumped up and down on its belly.
    A large black bear he assumed was Aimee Peltier was feeding two baby cubs peanut butter sandwiches. A red-headed human woman with a scar on her face came up to them and grabbed Simi into a hug. “Hey little demon, where’s boss man?”
    Simi shrugged. “He off attending to Lord Queen Pain-In-My-Butt. How are you,