The Snowmaiden, A Bride for Krampus - Jeanette Lynn Page 0,66
mug, like he was waiting for another sneeze bomb to go off, I went to reach out and offer him a comforting pet but he grumbled something, shook his head, and tucked my hand back into the blankets.
The chill in the air felt more pronounced today—I wasn’t about to argue with him on it. He wanted to keep me warm today, more power to him. After earlier, I was just fine with a little snuggle time and some nice mate stuff.
Baumb continued with his one piece at a time in offering, feed the little mate routine. Once he was finished, he glanced at the water and I knew he wanted to take me there, but I was honestly feeling a little worn and sick of getting wet in the warm water to freeze my ass off afterward getting out. Shaking my head, I laid my cheek on his chest. My hand lifted to sift through his chest fur and I pressed the side of my cheek against the pec it was resting on harder.
Baumb pulled back a little to glance down at me, still wearing that odd, worried look. I put a whole lot of please into the puppy dog eyes I sent his way.
A tiny whoop left me that made his churring start up as he settled us farther up the bed and curled me into him. A niggle of guilt filled me as it washed over him. I doubted ours were for the same reasons.
“Yours. Only yours,” I promised the big guy as I drew the pelt up over my face and snuggled the shit out of him, eager to get feeling back in my nose as the end of it started to prick with the chilly willies. “You don’t have to worry about me and any Krampus shenanigans. I’m good for my word,” I assured him, my voice muffled, when he started to squirm uncomfortably.
When this didn’t seem to help the unease slithering through him, I popped my head free of my blanket cocoon to stare at him. Wriggling my way up the bed, until we were nose to nose, I bumped our noses and rubbed them. His eyes closed, happy rumble issuing, and I closed mine as well. “Would it help if we both apologized and promised to be better mates to each other?” I ventured, cracking an eyelid open to find him staring at me with a soft expression lightening his sharp features.
He grunted in answer and the guilty filling churning his stomach eased.
“Good,” I agreed, and returned to my chest snuggling position cocoon. “I think I’m liking this no words needed connection thingy between us,” I mumbled as I closed my eyes. Baumb’s churring purr serenaded me to sleep.
Chapter 16
There was only so much Krampus juju induced breast milk liquid diet I could expect a Baumbel with a healthy appetite for meat to accept graciously, without complaint, and I knew he was only doing it to help, so it was no small relief when the girls’ milk production let up. But, as these things went, with the lack of Krampus and all those glorious things I tolerated taking one on, came the cold.
The back caverns Baumb called home, despite his efforts to warm me up and my acceptance of Shnikel’s cute gifted outfit, which swam on me but was quite warm all on its own, I was still freezing like a Popsicle. This place was just not made for a plain old human.
My sinuses were crying from all the dry cold bombarding it, my stuffed up nose running even though I couldn’t breathe through it. A week or so, I honestly wasn’t counting but something close, had passed since Ded had been released back into the wilds of the main caverns, and I’d just slowly gone on to succumb to this puny body’s not made for this shit’s cold weather intolerance.
Baumb hadn’t left the main cavern area of his sleeping area in days and I’d stopped getting out of the bed furs but to eat and handle needs. My Baumbel was getting antsy but refused to go about his business.
“Tell him I’m fine,” I grumbled to Yule, whose large form was taking up the entire end of the bed, curled up at my feet, her beak resting over my legs. The beastie pet companion had warmed up to me of late. She was an affectionate thing when she wished to be and I’d take what I could get.