Betrayed by a lover, Jamie rents an isolated cabin on Lake Huron, wanting only to be left alone. Instead, he is pulled from his solitary existence as an artist and tumbles headlong into the legend of Saint Nicolas.<br><br>As a young man, Nicolas accidentally killed a man intent on murdering three children, only to have the man's malicious spirit rise up against him. Fleeing through the centuries from the Krampus, the evil troll-like creature that dogs his steps, Nico finds refuge with the young artist who takes him into his home and bed. But Jamie has questions. Who is Nicolas, and why does the Krampus want to destroy him?<br><br>When the Krampus begins to torment and torture anyone Nico comes in contact with to punish him, Jamie's life is put in danger. And Jamie isn't sure whether he can help Nico defeat his nemesis or if he's merely a pawn in the Krampus's game.

Nicolas

“We’re coming, Piter,” he warned, and for the first time since that horrible night so long ago when his and Piter’s fates had become woven together, he felt the end of his arduous journey was drawing near.7


Nico rolled to his side and stared at the glowing embers of the fire. He should stir them up and add more wood, but he was more tired than he’d been in a long while. Piter might have healed his illness, but now he needed sleep and a chance to recover. He settled further into the cushions of the couch, pulled the blanket tighter across his shoulders. The pillows held a trace of Jamie’s scent and he breathed deeply, his body aching for his lover sleeping in the next room.


He groaned and turned on his stomach, praying for sleep to come. He’d risen twice already to go to Jamie’s bed, only to return to the couch in defeat. Maybe if he remained cold to Jamie, Piter would believe he’d been mistaken in Nico’s affections. Maybe.


Chapter 19