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

Swallowing several times, he finally loosened the lump of pain in his throat. “Your words might shock me, Nico, but you have to promise not to leave, even if I seem angry. Please, Nico! It seems like you have something terrible to tell me. You’ll have to give me time to take it in. Promise me you won’t walk away, disappear. Give me the time to understand.”


Nico darted him a glance, love and anguish naked on his face. “I promise,” he whispered, returning his gaze to the fire. He sat up straighter, placing Jamie’s hand on his thigh as if afraid to let him go.


“Have you never wondered how old I am, my love?” Nico began, sounding weary, close to despair.


Jamie’s heart lurched. This was something he’d tried not to examine too closely. “Thirty-five?” he said, and shivered a little at Nico’s painful laugh, both aware Jamie knew the truth was far stranger.


Chapter 60