I glanced at Victor, my mind racing. “If he’s targeting people from the village, then we’re running out of time to stop him before he finds his next victim.”
Victor leaned forward on the ridiculously decorated sofa, his arms crossed and his expression grim. “Krampus doesn’t need much of a reason,” he said, his voice low. “From what I understand, he looks for an excuse to kill. It doesn’t have to be big, just something that, in his eyes, justifies it.”
I frowned, pacing a few steps across the room, the ridiculous holiday decor feeling more oppressive with each second. “Great,” I muttered. “A demon with a hair trigger and a superiority complex.”
Victor nodded, pulling his phone from his pocket and glancing at the screen. “I’ve got my people digging into Krampus’ origins and background, but it’s been difficult. There’s not much to go on. He’s older than most demons we deal with, and his mythology is tangled up with human folklore. Separating fact from fiction has been… complicated.”
“How complicated?” I asked, crossing my arms.
Victor sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Complicated enough that it’s hard to tell where the truth ends and the stories begin. Some accounts say he’s an enforcer, punishing the wicked as a kind of balance to Saint Nicholas. Others say he’s a rogue demon who latched onto Christmas as a way to mock human traditions. What’s clear is that he’s dangerous, and his idea of justice doesn’t leave room for nuance.”
Liam, standing by the fireplace, frowned. “So, he’s just looking for someone to mess up? That’s insane.”
Victor’s gaze shifted to Liam. “It’s not sane, but it’s notrandom either. To Krampus, every action is black and white. Good or evil. There’s no middle ground.”
I ran a hand through my hair, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. “And you’re saying you don’t have anything concrete on him yet? No weaknesses, no history that could give us an edge?”
Victor shook his head. “Not yet. He’s hard to track, even in records. But my team’s still working on it.”
“Perfect,” I muttered, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “So we’re dealing with a demon whose entire existence is a gray area, but he kills anyone who doesn’t fit his neat little idea of morality. No pressure.”
Victor’s lips twitched, but his expression had no humor. “We’ll figure it out.”
Liam stood by the window, his arms crossed, staring out into the yard. His brow was furrowed, his body tense in a way that immediately put me on edge. I was in the middle of questioning Victor when Liam’s voice cut through the room like a knife.
“Uh… Mom?” he said, his tone tight, almost disbelieving. “Krampus is outside.”
I froze mid-step, my stomach dropping. “What?”
Liam didn’t turn around, his eyes glued to something in the yard. “I’m serious. He’s just… standing there. By the giant reindeer.”
The room fell silent, the kind of silence that felt like the air had been sucked out. I moved quickly, stepping beside Liam and following his gaze. My breath hitched as I saw him. Krampus.
He was massive, even from this distance, his dark, hulking frame partially obscured by the absurd glow of the inflatable decorations. His horns curled wickedly from his head, catching the soft glow of the Christmas lights. Hiscloven hooves crunched in the snow as he shifted slightly, and those blazing red eyes were locked onto the house.
“Victor,” I said sharply, my voice cutting through the tension. “He’s here.”
Victor was already moving, his hand instinctively going to the weapon holstered at his side as he joined me at the window. “Well,” he muttered darkly, “I guess he’s not hiding anymore.”
Liam turned to me, his face pale but set with determination. “What do we do?”
I gritted my teeth, my pulse hammering in my ears. “We deal with him,” I said, my voice firm. “And this time, we make sure he doesn’t get away.”
CHAPTER 9
Before I could stop him, Liam bolted for the door, his hand already reaching for the weapon tucked under his jacket. My heart leaped into my throat, panic flooding my chest as I shouted, “Liam! Stop!”
But he didn’t stop. He yanked the door open and took off, his footsteps pounding down the porch steps and into the snow. I was right behind him, my boots slipping slightly on the icy path as I raced after him. “Liam! Damn it, stop!”
The cold air bit at my face, but the adrenaline coursing through me drowned out everything else. I could see him ahead, his frame tense, his weapon in hand as he ran straight toward Krampus. The demon was already moving toward the forest, his dark form cutting through the snowy landscape like a shadow come to life.
“Liam, get back here!” I yelled, my voice piercing and desperate, but he didn’t even glance back. His focus was locked on Krampus, and my stomach twisted at the recklessness of it all. He didn’t know what he was dealing with. He didn’t understand the danger that his gun would do minor damage and just piss Krampus off.
The woods loomed ahead, dark and sprawling, and I pushed harder, my legs burning as I chased him. Snow crunched under my boots, and branches whipped at my arms and face as I followed him into the trees. The cold air was sharp in my lungs, but all I could think about was catching him before it was too late.
Liam was fast, but Krampus was more rapid. The demon darted through the trees with an unnatural agility, his hooves barely making a sound as he weaved through the dense forest. Liam didn’t falter; his resolve drove him forward, but I could see he was losing ground.
“Liam, stop! You can’t take him on alone!” I shouted, my voice echoing through the trees.
