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

Jamie looked over the imposing structure. A church dedicated to Saint Nicolas. Piter’s touch of dark humor. The quiet remained unbroken and he followed the wall to the left, rounding the corner where Piter had disappeared. In a small courtyard of grass, he saw a figure huddled on a bench, face in his hands, and his heart jumped. He walked along the stone pathway and approached Nico slowly, searching for the words to convince him to stay.


He stopped in front of him and waited, trying to calm the rabbit beat of his heart. The silence stretched between them, allowing Jamie’s fear and self-doubts to resurface. What if Piter was right? What if Nico didn’t want him? He felt awkward, his face heating, but held his ground. Even if that was true, Nico needed someone to stand by him. Jamie could do that much for him.


Chapter 72