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

Nico stared at the scene in horror as flies swirled in the humid, stifling air, and gore oozed down the walls. He clutched his hair, inviting the pain. “Enough!” His voice boomed in the nightmarish room, echoed off the walls. He blinked, swooning with vertigo as the room swirled around him and came to a sudden stop.


Quiet settled around them, and Nico blinked at the ordinary bedroom with its beige carpet, white walls, dresser, and nightstand. A single bed stood against the far wall, a small figure sprawled on the bright coverlet.


John knelt at his feet, his face haggard as he looked up at Nico, eyes swimming with confusion and pain. “What happened?”


“Piter’s playing games, but something else must have caught his attention.” Nico winced, not wanting to think about what his enemy and Jamie might be doing at that moment. “Hurry. Get the boy while we can.”


Chapter 41