Unholy Nights: A Twisted Christmas Anthology (27 page)

The two-week run of
The Nutcracker
had been a brilliant success. I’d danced better than I ever had, thanks to Mikhail’s private coaching. 

He’d come to every performance and sat in his private box seat. I was so lucky that he was so supportive. Everyone in the company suspected that we were an item. All the dancers were really supportive—except Evan. His eyes shot icicles at me when he found out. But he didn’t say a word. However, our dancing had suffered. He partnered me more aggressively, less passionately, less lovingly. I tried to talk to him about it and he just said, “Don’t worry about it. You’re just making a mistake.” I didn’t understand his jealousy at all. We’d never dated, nor had we ever hooked up. He’d never shown any interest in me at all. So what was his problem?

I didn’t have time to figure it out. I’d pushed the feelings that I was in danger out of my head. Tonight was the last night that I would ever dance Snow Queen for the Cambridge ballet. And immediately after, I was going away with Mikhail. I couldn’t wait.

The Boston Symphony’s Orchestra began to play Tchaikovsky’s famous score. The first notes gave me chills. My blonde hair was pulled into a tight bun and sliver glimmer shadow enhanced my ice blue eyes. I laced up my special pointe shoes and stretched behind the curtains.

Evan walked over to me, dressed in his shiny tunic. I had to admit, he looked gorgeous. I was overcome with emotion. This could be our last time dancing together. We’d been put together as partners since we were kids. What if we didn’t get contracts at the same company?

I peeked out the curtains. The party scene was in full effect. I marveled at the colorful costumes, the decorated Christmas tree, the shiny gifts. Evan pulled me behind the scaffolding. “Nieves, listen to me. I want you to be careful tonight. I can’t help but think that you’re going to vanish.”

“Well I’m not going to vanish. You don’t need to worry about me.” I paused—Mikhail had sworn me to secrecy about our upcoming trip, and I hadn’t told a soul. But something in the back of my head wanted to tell someone. Just so no one would think that I was another casualty of
The Nutcracker
curse. I lowered my voice. “Misha and I are going to go away together tonight. Just for a few days. Don’t tell anyone.”

His hand clenched, than he ran it through his hair. “Are you kidding me? You can’t go anywhere after the show. Everyone will think you were kidnapped. We all have strict orders to report back to the stage immediately after the curtain closes. Misha knows this. Why on earth would you possibly think this is a good time to go on a romantic rendezvous?”

Evan had a point. But I’d already made a promise to Mikhail. It’s not like I wasn’t going to come back. “Relax. It’s just for a few days. We just wanted some time alone together. I’ll be fine.”

The Mouse King was fighting the Nutcracker. “Waltz of the Snowflakes” was coming up next. I rubbed my shoes in the chalk and prepared to take the stage with the snowflakes.

It was showtime.

My snowflakes
bourréd
onto the stage, hiding me in their circle. When they opened and presented me, the audience roared. My face lit up and I began to dance. Knowing that Mikhail was watching me in the audience excited me. My arms were artistic, my
passé
was precise, my turns were tight. I didn’t miss a beat. When Evan came onstage to join me, I knew we were going to have our best performance yet.

Evan’s leaps weren’t as high as Mikhail’s once were, nor was Evan as strong as Mikhail had been in his day. But Evan danced with an intoxicating blend of exuberance, passion, and playfulness. He was a strong partner, knowing when to gently guide me and where to relinquish control over me.

We danced our
pas de deux
and the crowd went wild. Cheers and claps filled the auditorium. I was so caught up in the moment, that after the curtain closed, I jumped and kissed Evan.

He kissed me back, soft, sweet, tender. “Nieves. Please. Don’t go with Mikhail.”

It was too late. Mikhail was standing backstage. Waiting for me, holding a dozen white roses.

I gave Evan a hug and he held me tight, his hand resting on the back of my tutu. Turning away, I walked toward Mikhail and took his hand and waved off the security guard.

I couldn’t wait to be alone with Mikhail.

Act II Scene II

Mikhail led me to a secret room under the stage. It was filled with roses, articles he had written, and pictures of him dancing. “Wow—I never knew this room existed.”

He was dressed in a handsome Tom Ford suit. He had cleaned up so nicely since I’d seen him that night at his apartment. He was clean-shaven and smelled of fresh cut pine. Yum.

“It was actually a dressing room once before the renovations. Sveta and I discovered it one night and it became our secret hideout.” He took out a bottle of wine from his briefcase, and a small box. “Congratulations, Nieves. You were perfect. Here—this is for you.”

He poured me a glass of wine as I opened my present. Though I was pretty sure that I knew exactly what he was about to give me. I unwrapped the paper and saw a reflection. Yes. A snow globe. After all these years, he’d finally bought me my own.

“I knew how much you admired the one I had. This one is actually custom made for you. You were right, the ballerina in the other globe looked too much like Sveta so I got rid of it.”

I took the globe out of the box, but there was no dancer inside of it. My face dropped. Who wanted a nutcracker snow globe with no ballerina inside?

But I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. “Thank you. It’s beautiful.” I kissed him and ran my hands on the back of his neck.

He pulled back from me and I took a sip of the wine, a chardonnay. It was crisp and had hints of vanilla, apples and oaks. I swirled the glass and kept sipping. I didn’t want to get drunk and pass out again, especially since we were going to leave on our trip. But what was the harm in having just one drink. After all these weeks of rehearsals, and the stress of the discovery of Svetlana’s body, I needed to relax.

Mikhail watched me intently. He turned me around and started rubbing my shoulders as I sipped the wine. His hands dug into my knots, alleviating the tension in my shoulders, neck and back. The room felt warm and I became woozy. I took one last sip and relaxed into Mikhail’s arms.

He stroked my forehead. “You can take a quick nap if you like. You must be exhausted after dancing tonight. I’ll wake you in a bit and we can set off for our getaway.”

I nodded my head but I was too weak to speak. Mikhail rubbed my temples. What a perfect night. I’d danced my heart out, my boyfriend was so romantic, and we were about to officially start our relationship together. I closed my eyes and Mikhail kissed me on the lips.

Act II Scene III

The warmth from the fire covered my body and the scent of nutmeg tickled my nostrils. My eyes opened, and took in my surroundings. It seemed I was in a cozy cottage, like the one that I had dreamt about. I was lying by the fire, Mikhail humming in the background, while snow blitzed the window.

“Good morning, sleepy head.” His eyes twinkled and he walked toward me. Without his limp.

“Good morning? What happened last night? Last I remember, I had some wine. Where are we? And oh my God! Misha—you aren’t limping at all?”

His toes straightened and he went on to demi-pointe.

My mouth dropped. Had he healed overnight? Was watching me perform truly some kind of mystical salve for his ankle? What in the hell was going on?

He lowered his feet down into fifth position, pointed his right toe to the side and then into fourth position. Then lifted his right toe into
passé
and executed the ten most perfect
pirouettes
I had ever seen.

“Misha, you’re cured! How did this happen?”

He lifted me over his head. “Yes. Thanks to your love and strength. I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want to get your hopes up. But I’ve been going to this experimental physical therapy for months. I thought there was no hope. But we had a breakthrough the other week and I can dance! I’ve been limping on it purposely as to not spoil the surprise for you. But I’m cured.”

He placed me down and gave me a deep kiss. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that we would one day be able to dance again. Before I said a word, he pointed to my slippers, which I quickly put on. He turned on his iPod and played “The Waltz of the Snowflakes.”

His arms wrapped around me and we glided into the snow
pas de deux
. He was a much better dancer than Evan was, though it was hardly fair to compare them. Mikhail’s feet were fast and elegant, and his toes seemed to skate across the floor. When he lifted me into angel lift, I felt like I was flying. His hands knew where to touch me, where to support me and where to turn me. It was as if I was born to dance with this man.

He set me down on the floor. I jumped into his arms and he caught me.

“Misha. Oh my God! That was amazing. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to truly dance with you, be your partner. You can go back to the Cambridge Ballet. We can start a new life together. It’s a miracle.”

Mikhail didn’t say a word, but I could read his eyes. It was time. He wanted me.

He turned his iPod on to the Arabian Dance from
The Nutcracker
. I knew the piece, having danced it two years ago. I danced around the fire for him, teasing him and taunting him. He sat down on a sheepskin rug, seeming to enjoy the view. I slowly peeled my clothes off my body. I seductively moved my body, my hips, my breasts. The hypnotic music mesmerized him.

I lay down on the floor. He climbed on top of me, yet he was still dancing. We played with the music and the beat, until I couldn’t resist him another minute. I wanted to become one with him, experience true unity through dance and love.

Our naked bodies writhed together, and he entered me. I gasped—it was my first time and the pain masked the pleasure. He tried to be gentle, but I could feel his years of longing coming alive inside of me. I breathed in, trying to endure for him, hoping the throbbing would dissipate.

“Nieves, are you okay?”

I clenched my teeth. “Yes.”

The thrusting, pulsating, became more intense. This was what I’d been waiting for, dreaming of for all these years. I was a dancer; I was used to the intersection of pain and pleasure.

He finished and collapsed on top of me. Tears welled in my eyes. I didn’t want to cry but I couldn’t control myself.

“Babe, I’m so sorry I’ve caused you pain. It will get better. I’ll teach you how to please me.”

I rolled over, embarrassed that I was crying. He’d been with the most beautiful women, and he probably saw me as some pathetic virgin.

He kissed my tears. “I’m gonna run to the store and get us lunch. Please, take these to help you relax. I’ll be back before you know it.” He handed me two small blue pills.

I clutched them in my hand. Was he trying to drug me? He didn’t want to cuddle with me? He’d been so tender the other night. Something seemed off. “I will take them after I bathe. Where are we by the way? You never told me.”

He got dressed and looked toward the door. “Upstate New York. In my friend’s cabin. I’ll be back soon.” He grabbed his coat and slammed the door shut.

I broke down in tears. This wasn’t how I wanted it to happen. I thought he would please me first, like he had done the other night. But I guess no one’s first time is a fairy tale.

I stepped into the shower, and warm water washed away the blood that had trickled down my legs. Mikhail could dance again. We had our whole future together. But I couldn’t shake a sinking feeling. Why did I feel so alone?

I stepped out of the shower, and heard a strong rap at the door. Was Mikhail back already? Didn’t he have a key?

Squeezing the water out of my hair, I wrapped myself in a white terry robe that was hanging on the door.

The knocking became louder. What was his problem?

I walked to the door and opened it. But it wasn’t Mikhail.

Evan stood in front of me, his clothes drenched from snow.

“What are you doing here, Evan? Did you follow me? What’s wrong with you?”

He pushed himself into the door. “Fuck yeah, I followed you. Mikhail left you here alone. You’re not on some romantic getaway as he promised. He’s trapped you in a snow globe!”

The snow globe?! “Are you insane? We’re in upstate New York.”

He pulled me outside, the icy snow freezing my feet. “Look up, Nieves. Does upstate New York have a glass ceiling? Do you hear ‘The Waltz of the Snowflakes?’ ”

My eyes opened and I could see that shiny roundness of a dome above my head. I closed my eyes and heard the faint sound of “The Waltz of the Snowflakes” playing. 

There had to be an explanation. My lip quivered.

Evan shook me. “Wake up, Nieves! He’s responsible for the disappearances. He killed Sveta. Haven’t you noticed anything strange?”

I thought back to the perfect row of snow globes on his desk, how each one looked like one of the missing dancers.

How had I been so blind? Svetlana, the dreams! And of course he could dance perfectly in here. Was I trapped forever? He’d been kidnapping all the dancers?

“How did he trap me in here? And how did you get in here?”

Evan pushed me back in the house and took off his clothes, throwing them near the fire. His naked body glistened. I couldn’t help but stare. “I drank the wine he gave you. We don’t have much time. The other dancers are waiting to escape. They told me that the window to the globe only opens when he winds it up from the day
The Nutcracker
cast is announced until Christmas Day. They’ve been trying to escape for years. Sveta tried last month but he caught her and killed her. At midnight tonight, the globe will close until next year. According to the girls, Mikhail will visit you one last time in a few hours. You have to get ready.”

Evan stormed into the bedroom and put on some of Mikhail’s clothes. I didn’t have time to question him, or think about how ridiculous this sounded. But in my heart, I knew Evan spoke the truth. I’d been deceived. Mikhail didn’t love me—he had used me. Harnessing my dance skills in the globe so he could feel whole again. What was he? A man, a demon, the devil? I didn’t know or care. I just need to make sure I escaped this globe.