I didn't make the Hollows series, but I adore it endlessly. All of her titles are witch-twisted allusions, and I tried to be witty "_ it's alright, XDDD Get it, like the Night Before Christmas?

So…It's Christmastime in Rachel-world, but the unholy terrors aren't about to take a holiday. XD

I really love Jenks as a human, but I don't have the heart to hurt poor Matalina, so we'll just have to see who Rachel ends up with…Nick, Marshal, Algaliarept, [Kisten o-o?], Trenton, someone else? [Yeah, you know the Trenton one made you gasp XD]

Enjoy~

Steady now…steady. You can do this, just a little more. You've faced psychotic demons for Turn's sake, you can handle this..just a little more-

Rachel Morgan, partner in Vampiric Charms runner service, tensed in surprise as her heel crushed an ornament and she tilted her heel into the rug by mistake, falling back onto her rump with a wince. Jenks swore and flew at her as if to grab her, but thankfully, someone who was actually above six inches tall found her first.

"Very graceful, Rachel." came Ivy's silky voice, wry as she offered Rachel a hand and hefted her up before stepping back. Things were getting better, after all, Ivy had managed to touch her without biting her. That was a good sign. Ivy looked beautiful as usual with her black hair hanging like silk past her shoulders and her pale skin and eyes luminous in conjunction with the sultry red dress Ivy felt was appropriate for the festive occasion.

"Tink's Panties, Rache!" Jenks swore, his gorgeous, six-inch tall self looking like a blonde Peter Pan with his hands on his hips as he frowned down at her, hovering. "Who tries to decorate a Christmas tree in heels anyway? It's not like you're getting laid tonight." he huffed.

Rachel felt her cheeks warm in a slight flush, and Ivy's lips twitched, whether in amusement or irritation was uncertain. She batted Jenks aside lightly as Rachel huffed a bit under her breath as well and brushed herself off. "Well forgive me for trying to look good." she muttered.

Jenks, of course, heard and piped up. "Trying to look good for who? The tree?" he snorted.

Rachel glared and tossed a piece of popcorn that was meant to be strung up at Jenks, and he laughed as he dodged, smirking at her. Rachel tossed another piece of popcorn and then turned back to what she had been doing, setting the star up on the tree top.

Rachel had wanted to look good, partially out of habit, and partially just because she wanted to. This was their Christmas, hers, Jenks', and Ivy's…but for how long?

Matalina's condition seemed to be worsening and Jenks wouldn't be long after. Pixy life spans were all too short, and eighteen year old Jenks was on his last year if even that.

The thought was depressing and Rachel pushed it aside, forcing a smile to her lips. She'd scoured all of the magickal texts that she could get her hands on, but nothing helped. Not even the curses she'd been able to look into had anything on extending pixy lifespans, which really, really sucked.

She would accept any smut, the aura-staining, balancing price of curses and certain magicks, it took to save Jenks and Matalina.

But there was nothing; she'd checked, and so it didn't matter what she would do if she could. The fact was that she couldn't save Jenks, no matter how much she wished it were otherwise. So she had to enjoy him while she had him.

Her throat tightened with emotion and she swallowed hard, blinking as she caught sight of Ivy's light, furrow-browed concern and Jenks' worried expression.

"Rache? Are you okay? Are you sensing something?" The pixy asked anxiously, zigzagging around. How long had Rachel been lost in her own thoughts?

"Huh..? No…I'm fine, Jenks. Just trying to figure out how to get the star on the tree." Rachel made sure her smile was reassuring and since Jenks didn't seem convinced, she slid off her shoes and headed for the ladder again. The tree was a huge ten-footer at Jenks' insistence. He said it was part of their duties as rentors to maintain holiday festivities.

Not like Christmas meant anything to a pixy, but Jenks, like all pixies, had a fondness for colors, music, sweets, and the general festivities that were nowadays associated with Christmas. Then again, Jenks seemed to understand their need for Christmas, he'd been a part of their family and their ways for awhile, and he seemed to accept it as a holiday too.

Rachel rose back to the ladder which Ivy held this time, her jaw just faintly clenched as she cast her gaze firmly on the twinkling tree lights. Her brow furrowed till she realized Ivy was trying not to look up her dress, then she blushed faintly and finished to the top. Rachel held the star out, carefully aiming and smiling in satisfaction as the star alighted nicely. "There. The star's in place, this tree is officially-"

She sneezed.

Jenks blinked and Ivy's gaze lifted questioningly to Rachel.

Rachel paused a moment and shook her head. "I'm fine, just a regular-" She sneezed again. And again.

"Shit!" Jenks swore loudly, flitting about anxiously. "It's hallowed ground! He can't get in!" Jenks cried and then his eyes widened as Rachel was overcome by another sneeze that caused her already precarious grip to slip. Rachel fell and Ivy darted forward, only to freeze as someone else's arms wrapped around Rachel.

"Hello, Morgan." came a smooth voice.

Rachel swallowed hard and looked up, finding herself staring at Minias in his favored form, that of man with light brown-blonde hair and a handsome face. But his eyes were still red and goat-slitted, boring into her own. "Minias!" she squirmed in his grasp, aiming a punch at his face. She felt it connect and then found herself dropped as Minias scowled and narrowed his eyes.

"Do you want me to kill you? It would actually be a mercy, likely, considering what's coming for you." he said coolly.

Ivy stood defensively, staring at Minias with a tense expression while Jenks clutched his little sword. Rachel rose and watched Minias, her expression uneasy at his words as she ignored for a moment the fact that Minias was on hallowed ground in their church. "What do you mean? What's coming for me?" she asked.

Minias' lips curved into a smirk. "Well now that you've gone and hit me, I'm not so certain I want to tell you. In fact, it'll cost you a mark. Namely, you'll take the one I'm wearing off." he growled, his smirk fading.

"You want me to give you the mark that's keeping me alive to you, for information that may or may not be useful? No thanks." Rachel said, saluting him. "You can leave now."

Minias' nose flared in indignation as his eyes narrowed further. In an instant, he was before her and she gasped slightly, stepping back as he glared down at her. "Rachel Mariana Morgan…" he hissed, reminding her of Al, "Watch how you speak to me. I won't be wearing your mark forever, and Newt will see the error of letting you live eventually.."

"Really? Because last time, she seemed keen on me coming to her alive." Rachel pointed out, a slight smirk settling over her lips that died instantly at his words.

Minias' expression relaxed as his smugness returned and he said chillingly. "If Newt wants you life to continue for any reason, I can guarantee you'll spend the rest of it wishing for death to your very last, gasping breath." he chuckled.

Newt, the androgynous in appearance but ultimately female demonness who was both Minias' charge to watch, and to impregnate. Except that he hadn't gotten around to it just yet because she'd fried the brains of her last lovers with her power surge.

"Bring it on! I'll kick that she-man's ass!" Jenks said bravely, wings flickering agitatedly as he glared at Minias.

Minias' eyes went to Jenks as his jaw clenched slightly. "Insult Newt again, and I'll rip your pretty little wings off." he said coolly.

Jenks cocked his hip, even though he was trembling just slightly. "Oohh. Big boy talks tough, but you'd have to catch me first." he retorted, flitting up past Minias' reach as if in example.

Or perhaps out of common sense. Minias clearly wasn't pleased.

"Both of you, knock it off." Rachel finally put in, stepping forward and crossing her arms as she looked up at Minias. "Either tell me what you came here for or get out, I'm not taking back my mark." she said firmly.

Minias stared at Jenks a moment more before his eyes drifted down to Rachel, remaining a moment before he said lowly. "Something's coming for you, Morgan. Even Newt is…concerned. Several demons have already been killed-"

"Demons have been killed?" Rachel was astonished. It was damned near impossible. The last demon to kill another had been Newt when she'd killed all the female demons and it had driven her insane. "What does that have to do with me? Why hasn't Al mentioned it?"

Minias stared down at Rachel in grim silence a moment. He paused and glanced away a moment before returning his gaze and speaking almost softly. "Whoever is doing this killed Al. And they were looking for you."