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

“Excuse me,” he said to Nico and rose wearily to his feet. The warmth in the dining room was making him sleepy.


Nico reached out and tugged him down, whispered in his ear. “Be safe,” he warned, concern in his eyes.


“I’ll be right back,” Jamie promised, though his heart pounded at the reminder of their danger as he walked in his stocking feet to the glittering tree and pushed open the bathroom door17


Jamie let out a relieved breath as he stripped off his thermal clothing and the cool air touched his skin. Much better. Pulling back on his pants and thinnest sweater, he met his own gaze in the gilded, framed mirror over the sink. Dark wood and a couple of scenic pictures made the bathroom a rustic but comfortable room. His eyes seemed huge in his pale, tired face, the few freckles more prominent on his cheeks and across his nose. He didn’t like the fear lurking in his blue eyes and sighed as he plaited his hair again. This had to be the strangest day of his life.


Chapter 46