The Christmas Cat

Time: 21st century, December
Place: Iceland

"The fuck, Shaxy?" Verin spun in a slow circle, taking in their surroundings.

"I have reasons." Shax stamped his boots in the snow while he got his bearings. The graveyard was lovely in its festive lights and holiday decorations. He had no idea why every human community didn't do this for the solstice. But no, graveyards had to be creepy, silent, respectful places, not like the old days--

"Shax!" Ver bellowed. "Five seconds to tell me why I'm freezing my damn balls off in wherever the fuck we are!"
​
"Oh, very well. If you insist. We're going to spend the winter holidays in Iceland."

Verin dropped his head into his hands. "Why do you hate me, you short-assed royal prick? Why?"

"I'm quite fond of you, Ver." Shax patted his shoulder and pointed to the nearby road. "We're going this way. I have reservations at a lovely inn. We'll stay inside and drink and eat and read. And no one will be able to find us for anything Krampus related at all this year."

That brought Ver's head up. "So no Krampus herding for all the fucking krampuslaufs?"

"Krampusläufe, please."

"What the fuck ever. No oversight of the annual brushing? Or the stupid Krampus feed supervision?"

"None of it. We are bowing out inasmuch as we won't be locatable." Shax strode off, confident Ver would follow. "It'll be the best solstice we've had in years. Trust me."

"I hate it when you say that."

But Shax knew he was right this time. The doorway from Hell was conveniently located with the hotel on the Varma not even a quarter mile away. They were greeted warmly, and set up in a spacious room with two beds and lovely down duvets. They dined on reindeer and goose, trout and cod, boiled eggs in the hot springs on the property—because why not?—and lolled about in the geothermally heated pool. In the evenings, they drank Opal, which Verin claimed as his favorite fucking thing ever, and Brennivin, which the locals called Black Death.

No place in the human world got closer to good demon liquors than Iceland. It was grand.

Their peace remained undisturbed until Jól—another lovely custom, that Icelanders used the old word—when Verin had burrowed back into his bed for a nap after breakfast and Shax sat by the window, reading. The screams were entirely unexpected.

"Go tell them to keep it the fuck down," Ver growled from his blanket nest.

Shax raised an eyebrow even though Ver couldn't see. "You do know you should be looking into that as a serious threat, don't you? Aren't you my bodyguard?"

A good deal of grumble-cussing followed as Ver emerged and located his pants. Even after his bodyguard statement, Shax decided to go with him, two steps behind him, since his curiosity was going to give him an aneurysm otherwise. There were definite wails of despair amid the screams. No demon could resist that.

Footsteps pounded down stairs and hallways toward the common room with its fireplace and Yule tree. Presumably other guests and staff also drawn by the shrieks. Far from calming the situation, more people simply seemed to produce more screams.

Shax understood enough Icelandic—since human languages were one of his favorite pastimes—to pick out, "This can't be!" "It's the Christmas cat!" And one voice sobbing, "I'm so sorry! I'm not wearing anything new! It's my fault!"

"Oof," Shax exclaimed as he ran into Verin's rather solid back.

Ver had stopped in the hallway, just out of sight of the common room. "Christmas cat? The fuck are they yammering about?"

"It's a human thing. Regional. A belief that on this day, if you don't wear a new article of clothing, preferably one gifted to you, a giant cat will come and eat you."

"That's...humans are weird."

True, though when they rounded the corner, the humans were actually trapped in the common room by a giant cat lounging across the doorway. Larger than a Siberian tiger, glossy black with red paws, the cat's long tufted ears swiveled to catch every whimper and scream.

Shax sighed. "I suppose it was just a matter of time."

 "Steaming piles of troll shit," Ver agreed.

The cat was, naturally, not a Christmas Cat.

"Mittens," Shax whispered as sternly as he could manage. The end of the hellcat's tail twitched in response. He stepped over her tail to stand where she couldn't pretend not to see him. Hands on his hips, he began a more proper scold. "Mittens, you can't be here. You know it's not allowed."

Her tail did the little quiver that cats used to say I'm very pleased to see you, and she mewed at him.

"I know I didn't come home. I've been having a bit of a holiday." Shax turned to the humans who had huddled, more or less, in the corner behind the tree. "I'm so sorry. She's usually the good kitty of the pride. I'll just, ah, give me just a moment."

"So it's not the Christmas Cat?" one of the humans whisper-squeaked.

"Then what the hell is it?"

Shax rolled his eyes. Though they had come awfully close to guessing. "Exotic wildcat breed. Hybrid. Stay where you are gentle folk."

"She won't eat us?"

"Can't guarantee that," Ver rumbled. "I'd stay real still if I didn't wanna be cat lunch."

The humans froze into a tangled knot of limbs and heavy breathing. Shax shot Ver a Very Stern and Quelling Glance, but he just grinned around his cigar stump. Mittens sat up and butted her head against Shax's chest with a more demanding mew.

"I suppose so. The Krampuses should all be fed and put to bed by now, I'd think." Shax stroked behind her ears and couldn't help the smile when she started to purr. "Ready to go home, Ver? Mittens says she missed us."

"You. The damn cat missed you. She thinks I'm just furniture."

Mittens rubbed the side of her head against any part of Shax she could reach.

"All right, sweetie. All right." He laughed and rubbed his face against hers. To the humans, he said, "Sorry about that. You might want to make sure you all have something new, though. The day isn't over and the actual Christmas Cat might still come."

The humans' shudders practically vibrated through the floorboards. The unmistakable scent of someone's bladder giving up followed them out. Upstairs, Shax packed quickly, Verin ready to go seconds before him, which had to be a record. Packing quickly and Shax were not things that went together well.

On the way back to the graveyard, Mittens happy to walk at Shax's side with his hand on her shoulder, Verin gave him an odd look. "That was kinda meaner than your usual, your irritating highness."

Shax snorted. "Mistaking my beautiful Mittens for some mangy Christmas Cat. The utter nerve."

With a definitely offended sneeze, Mittens obviously agreed.

 
Author's note: The Christmas Cat is actually a thing in Iceland. Really.