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 looked up, making a sound of pain, and reached for him. At that instant the Krampus roared, hatred and fury in its harsh tones. It pushed Nico aside and swiped a claw across Jamie’s throat. Jamie froze, shocked, as the blood oozed from the shallow wounds, quickly staining his coat.


“No!” Nico raised his hands and shoved against the Krampus’s thick chest, sending it flying backward. The creature struck its head on a stone and slowly sat up, looking dazed. It changed back to its human form, and Piter blinked up at them, pale in the shadows. He put a hand to the back of his head and stared when his fingers came away stained crimson.


“So, you would kill me again, Nicolas,” he stated, climbing slowly to his feet.


Chapter 73