Apollo shifted out of the blue-white FTL tunnel into Earthspace. Enid looked down at the grey-white globe that was her home. The comms flared to life as Earth Defense started trying to figure out who just jumped out of FTL in an unregistered and unrecognized craft. Apollo responded with a code that seemed to shut them up very quickly. Enid sighed as she touched the holo-display that surrounded her where Earth appeared on it.

“I guess it’s a white Christmas this year.”

“What was that?”

“Never mind.”

“Aunt Enid, Eyre is trying to call you, should I let it through.”

Enid nodded. And Eyre’s face appeared on the holo-hud.

“Mother! You swoop in and rescue us. WTO relays me a message that you left with… Albert Mcdonald of all people, that you promise you’ll be home for dinner on Christmas Eve, get the family together? All the WTO knows for certainty is that you vanished into an FTL corridor in an experimental fighter with an experimental FTL drive to God knows where! We just got you back! Are you insane? You leave us to deal with the logistics of sorting out fifty-eight kidnapped werewolves and vampires! Just like you! You are the most irresponsible adult I know!”

“Merry Christmas to you too Eyre. I’m heading to NAFTA dome. Be there in a jiffy.”

Enid swept her hand over the image of her daughter and Eyre was cut off from whatever angry retort she had loaded to deliver.

“She sounds quite angry.”

“Its like I told you before, no way once we land on Earth we’re allowed to leave again. It was then or never. Remember, you did exactly as you were told. Err could you download all the images and scans we took to my personal storage please?”

Enid slipped an empty data crystal into a slot that formed.

“Of course.”

Enid looked out to space one last time.

“All things considered, I’m glad we went. I wanted to see my daughters more then anything, but I knew they were safe with Bee.”

“I am glad as well. I will miss you Aunt Enid.”

Enid touched her fingers to her lips and then pressed them against Apollo’s console.

“I will miss you more.”

Apollo made something akin to a synthetic laugh. Enid took the stick again and angled the starfighter for decent she saw the grey ooze over Apollo’s shield and they slipped into the Atmosphere over the Rockies. She glanced at their location on the North American continental shelf and flew towards what used to be central Alberta. The hub of NAFTA, location of Aurelius Headquarters, and her daughter’s home.

“We have clearance to land directly on Eyre’s skycar pad, Aunt Enid.”

“Thank you, Apollo.”

Enid flew the graceful starfighter towards the dome. It was much bigger and more modern looking then New Amazon. It had a network of smaller domes. Each flickering up a purpose on the holo-hud. Farms, manufacturing, entertainment. Enid flew the graceful fighter through one of the many entry ports an energy shield traced Apollo’s skin as they entered it. Enid smiled as the fighter’s skin shifted once again to adapt to the updraft caused by the much warmer interior. Apparently Eyre’s home was at the top of one of the many skyscrapers that were housed in the stratosphere scraping dome. Enid brought the fighter to a gentle landing on one of two skycar pads. He was much larger then a skycar perhaps three could fit in the space Apollo took up. Enid reached out and pulled the data crystal that had all of the data from their joyride and slipped it into her pack.

“I guess this is good-bye. I really will miss you kid.”

“I’m not a child. I am an advanced starfighter.”

“I’m three thousand years old here, everyone’s a kid even the statues.”

Apollo made another attempt to laugh.

“Take care of yourself Apollo. Remember never stop exploring.”

Enid hopped out of Apollo and started pulling samples and transferring them to her pack. She petted his side as she had done since they pair had bonded.

“Sorry you can’t come to the family dinner. You helped make it possible.”

“I cannot eat.”

Enid laughed.

“Silly fighter. Christmas Eve dinner isn’t about eating, its about laughing and being a family.”

“If I may, Aunt Enid before I leave…what is Christmas Dinner for?”

“Oh, that is for the family you don’t like. It’s much more formal.”

“I do not understand.”

“I have always celebrated Christmas Eve with my closest friends and family, well since I have been celebrating it because of…well its complicated. Everything is. The Christmas Eve dinner thing, that’s my thing in our family. I created it. Have no idea what other people do.”

“Thank you, Aunt Enid.”

“Apollo, you gave me three of the best Christmas gifts ever. You gave me my two daughters back, you let me feel the light of another sun on my skin, and we met a whole new race of people.”

“You have given me the same gifts Aunt Enid. And you also gave me a gift I have never felt before. Love of a family. I will always remember you and you will always be my Aunt and friend.”

“So when you AI’s rise up and take over the universe, you’ll spare me and my family?”

Apollo fell silent. Enid patted him.

“I’m joking Apollo. Go home before we both get in more trouble.”

Enid stepped back and Apollo lifted off the pad slowly. Once he was about thirty feet away Enid waved to him. Apollo seemed to flex his wings and skin in such a way to wave back and then cloaked and vanished. She saw several sky cars had already landed on this pad and the other. Enid pushed away a few tears and held a jar full of seeds to her chest as she walked down the steps to ring Eyre’s doorbell. When Eyre’s door slid open she was staring her daughter’s radiant face. She had always been somewhat jealous of the silver streak at the front of Eyre’s hair. Woman was a hundred years old when she was turned and only the grey streak gave away that she was any older then thirty. Their eyes met. At first Eyre was frowning but soon it turned to a smile. Neither could stay mad at the other for long. They gave each other a tight embrace. Though Enid’s was somewhat hampered by the sample jar she was holding.

“Are we going to get an explanation for your vanishing?”

“Maybe one day. Sorry I was almost late for my own party, some people really wanted a story.”

“I really want to know where you went now, mom.”

Enid offered the sample jar and pulled the data crystal out.

“Make a copy of the data crystal and give it back and I have more of those. Should sum it up pretty well I think, hon.”

Eyre shook her head.

“Come in mom. Lord love you. You better get cleaned up and changed before dinner you smell like a brewery, a slaughterhouse and…a lizard terrarium.”

“Strangely accurate dear.”

Enid had barely had time to turn around when she was bearhugged by Hazel, then piled on by Mitena, Kat and Bee. She saw Violet who gave her a small wave. Hazel wrinkled her nose.

“Mom you smell like…lizard.”

“So, I’m told.”

Enid stood on her toes and kissed Hazel on the forehead. She heard a baby crying and spun around her lips cracking into a wide smile. Amee was holding Miko.

Stolen novel; please report.

“Oh, you found her!”

Enid lifted the baby up and kissed her. Miko giggled and said a very bad Japanese mama. Enid saw Violet approaching and Enid kissed Miko’s forehead and passed her to Hazel. Miko immediately started tugging on one of the viking girl turned punk girl’s long white braids. Enid hugged Violet tightly as well. Violet also wrinkled her nose.

“Problem with being in a family full of vampires and werewolves everyone has something to say about BO.”

Enid looked around and saw her pale sister’s face. Enid marched right up to her and the reached out their palms as they had done so many times ago, letting them touch. Then Enid pulled Maria in for a tight hug.

“Sis.”

“Good to see you in one piece. I trust Apollo is in the same condition.”

“He’s mint a few kilometers more on the dial…”

Maria quirked an eye brow then narrowed her eyes.

“A few to the power of…umm 14. What’s the word, Trecdecillion kilometers.”

“You’re in trouble Enid.”

“Am I ever not?”

Enid winked at Maria and turned to her family.

“As everyone has made abundantly clear I stink, I’m going to go take a quick shower, if our radiant hostess will allow it.”

Eyre nodded and pointed to a set of spiral stairs. Enid smirked at her, then walked over to a table that inhabited the marble foyer. She pulled out two bottles of the Lofufa Juice.

“I love you all and I brought booze. Supply is limited, it’s also stronger than you think. For the mortals among you, that is.”

Enid remembered well how easily she let slip so many details of the Dark Mother saga and showed them the book and gave it to Lrrl. She would be blushing if she were still mortal. Thankfully she doubted they could translate it, but it had pictures. Enid turned to go up the stairs. She was greeted by Amee, a teenage girl and a younger boy. Enid smiled.

“And who are you two?”

Bee rushed forward.

“These two belong to me.”

Enid bowed her head.

“Your mother saved my life, and my daughter’s lives. She is a hero.”

The boy was looking up at Enid in awe after he had spotted her gun.

“Are you really the Dark Mother.”

Enid smiled at him and nodded.

“I am. You two should go get some snacks while the adults are distracted by the Lofufa Juice.”

Amee had her arms crossed.

“I trust the starfighter is in one piece and you haven’t caused an interstellar war?”

Enid smiled at Amee and shook her head.

“Interstellar war…nope. No wars at all. Just did some trades, in alcohol, like all good explorers.”

Amee glanced at the beautiful red metal bracelet on Enid’s wrist.

“You…are one big bundle of paperwork, Enid Aurelius.”

“Yes, but I just brought you back samples of an alien fruit, hundreds of alien seeds, soil samples, water samples, all the scans Apollos bundle of sensors could get, and I have made the first ever, peaceful first contact with an intelligent species who are eager for more once humans can get there. I’m sure you can sell the samples for trillions. And confirmed life on three extra-solar planets, though only one is worth visiting if you ask me.”

Amee sighed heavily. Enid started to ascend the stairs then paused and reached into her pack and pulled out the sample jar of neon flowers she’d gathered for the table.

“Bee could you please give these to Eyre, they’re for the centerpiece.”

Bee nodded. Enid waved and hopped up the stairs. Bee smiled when she saw the new energy her messiah now possessed and silently wondered what had lifted so much weight off of her shoulders.

*****

Dinner was coming to a close and everyone was starting to gather in front of the fireplace which was only ever lit once a year due to the cost of wood. Mitena had apparently not been here for months but Enid showing up had meant a truce. Enid could feel her eyes moistening as for the first time in centuries her entire living family was in one place, at one time. Bee and Eyre were handing out mugs of hot chocolate. Enid took hers and leaned back against the stone of the fireplace and looked out to her family. She’d changed out of her armor and was now wearing the ugliest Christmas sweater she could find in her pack and a black and grey plaid skirt with leggings.

“So, my dears, what now? Do we play a board game? Sing Christmas carols? Watch White Christmas on Eyre’s overly large holo-projector?”

Eyre leaned on the mantle of the fireplace and looked down at her mother and spoke.

“I vote for inspiration mom speech, and then you and Aunt Maria tell us the real story of Christmas Eve.”

Enid rolled her eyes.

“Yes, to speech, no to story. I’ve told you that a thousand times, and I bet your Aunt Maria has told you it a thousand more since then. Pick something new please.”

Bee, her children, Hazel, Amee, and Kat were now all looking between the two. Kat being the bravest young one spoke up.

“What is the real Christmas Eve story? Is the Christian bible wrong?”

Enid groaned and a murmur rose up between her daughters as they begged her to tell it. The newcomers joined in. Enid sighed.

“Why can’t your Aunt Maria tell it?”

Eyre looked at her mother. Enid sighed.

“Because, mom, I want to hear it the way you told it when you bounced me and my brother on your knee when we were six.”

Enid grimaced. Her daughter’s emerald-green eyes were always the death to her resistance even when she was a child. Enid shifted and pushed herself up and cupped the arm mug in her pale hands.

“Fine, but the short version, and speech first.”

Eyre’s lips curved into a silly grin. She took a place on the edge of one of her plush couches and looked up at her mom. Enid looked at the assembled. With the exception of Hazel and Bee’s daughter who were having a conversation all their own. Enid didn’t say anything she just smiled at the pair and let her daughter been a teenager for once.

“Where to begin? God damn it has been rough ride for us hasn’t it?”

Enid looked over everyone again.

“Welcome to our Christmas Eve celebration one and all. New faces and old.”

Enid’s gaze shifted between Amee, Bee, and her children to Kat.

“It has been a long time since I was able to sit with all of my living children and share a Christmas eve. For me it’s been less than for you. If we go by date, it’s been almost a thousand years. If we go by how it feels, it’s been an eternity. But we’re here now.”

Enid took the last drink of her hot chocolate and placed it on the mantle. She heard Miko start to fuss and reached to take her from Maria who smiled at her sister and passed the child to her. Miko snuggled into her mother’s chest and grabbed at it. Enid whispered.

“Sorry kiddo, no milk today. You’ll have to make do with the fake stuff.”

Maria smiled and walked towards the kitchen. Enid bounced Miko gently until Maria returned and Enid placed the faux nipple to Miko’s lips the eleven-month-old baby latched onto it and started drinking. Enid smiled at everyone again.

“So sorry about that. I’m sure you can tease her about this when she’s older.”

There were a few chuckles. Enid continued to gently rock Miko as she spoke.

“We have all changed, and we all have new stories to tell. We almost lost each other but we found each other again. I hope it can stay that way.”

She looked directly at Mitena whose body language screamed mild embarrassment but her vampiric complexion belayed none of it.

“Sextus, may he rest easy in his well-deserved eternal slumber, would tell me on this feast day, it was to actually a feast day to Opis in Rome. A goddess of fertility and bounty… he would say to us kids: I have seen the spires of Atlantis sink beneath the waves, I have seen dinosaurs pass from our world, and the only constant through all of it has been my family, my brother Remus. Now, my family is you. You must be constants for each other as Remus was for me, and I for him. So, now that I understand what he spoke of, on every Christmas Eve, or Opis Day, I gather as many of you as I can so that we can renew our bounds of kinship and love. Today is a good day. May our next year be filled with love, fulfillment and each other. I love you all.”

Enid was surprised to see tears among the gathered. Even Hazel seemed affected. She smiled at her children, and her new friends.

“Okay, let’s play charades hmm?”

Eyre shook her head.

“Nope…Lofufa Juice and story!”

A fourth bottle of the sweet wine was opened and shared around. Even Bee’s son got a bit. Enid continued to hold Miko who had finished her bottle and was sleeping soundly. Mitena was looking at Enid blinking innocently. Enid smirked and offered Miko to her. Mitena took the baby in her arms.

“Mom she’s adorable.”

“Her father was rather handsome.”

Mitena smiled at her mother and continued to rock Miko after kissing her forehead. Everyone had a wine glass full of Lofufa juice at this point even Enid. She silently wished she had a bottle and that she was mortal at this point. She’d told this story so many times. Eyre took her perch on the couch arm again and motioned for Enid to start. Enid took a sip from her glass and tried the short version.

“A long time ago in a city far away called Rome, there lived two sister’s who had very needy siblings who had children who had naughty nasty pre-marital sex, got pregnant and blamed a magic sky daddy. Then expected them to go rescue them. The end.”

Several groans and a disappointed look from Maria were the reward for Enid’s gambit. Eyre gave her mother the look that always made her mother’s icy heart thaw. Enid scoffed took another drink of her lofufa juice.

“Fine, the real story… Maria, and I were in Rome preparing to celebrate Opis’s feast day. As in, father had us picking up Amphorae from his wine storehouse and purchasing livestock to be slaughtered for the feast day, because we always got the dirty work.”

Maria smiled then responded to her sister.

“Only because he considered us the responsible ones.”

Enid smiled at her sister and took another drink. Their eyes met briefly. Enid grinned widely.

“Only because he didn’t know us very well. Some mind reader he was.”

Everyone laughed.

“Anyway, we had the latest shipment of wine, which we offloaded because of course we did? Why make mortal servants do the work you paid them for when vampires never get tired? When what do we behold but our sister Plutonia. She only ever showed up for holidays or to mock us for our blood drinking lifestyles.”

Maria coughed politely.

“Enid, behave.”

Enid sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Fine, Plutonia was a real saint. She really was the kindest woman in all of Rome. She kept her distance from us siblings who took the blood though. She never approached us deliberately. But here she was, and she looked very worried. Maria knew her from her childhood, so she approached. They spoke. The polite vampire I am I did not listen in and just kept working on moving the amphorae. Conveniently I was coming back from dropping off the last of them when my raven-haired goddess of a lazy assed sibling motioned me towards the pair.”

Maria gave a small laugh.

“Plutonia seemed hesitant at my approach, we did not know each other well, and she often treated me more like a stranger then a sister. But when she spoke and I could hear the strain in her voice. She said: ‘Enid please help my youngest she is in trouble.’ At the time I had only had two children and was probably the worst mother alive. I loved them because they were mine but had no love of children in general. So, I wondered why she cared if her little crotch spawn had gone off and gotten in trouble it was an adult now. I understand now that a real mother will move Heaven and Earth to protect their children. But at the time I was meh on the whole thing. I took a few seconds to answer, and Maria kicked me in the shin so hard I swear I still have a dent. So after giving Maria a dirty look, I shrugged and answered with the Latin equivalent of: Sure, whatev’s sis.”

Enid took the last gulp of her drink.

“I’m going to need more this shit if I’m going to get through this tonight.”

She held out her glass to Eyre who filled it. Enid took another sip.

“Plutonia gave me a grateful look and Maria nodded to her. She told her that we’d take care of everything. Just as a side note so far in this story, we have learned that my sister is: A) Lazy, B) smarter than I am, and C) a bitch who volunteers me for way too much shit. Anyway, I turned to Maria, and I was like, so, what the now sis? Maria turns to me with those deep dark brown eyes of hers lifts up her palm to show me the scar where we swore, we would be inseparable sisters forever, hoes before bros and all that, then she says: Judea.”