And then I saw him.
A young man standing near the edge of the square, his posture too still, too deliberate. As our eyes locked, a sneer spread across his face, and for a moment, his features wavered, the edges of his form flickering just like the man we’d chased earlier.
“Got you,” I muttered, my heart leaping into my throat as I bolted toward him.
He laughed, a low and mocking sound, before darting into a small Christmas store across the street. I didn’t hesitate, sprinting after him, my pulse pounding as I burst through the door. The scent of cinnamon and pine hit me like a wall, mingling with the jingle of the shop’s bell.
I barely made it three steps inside when the shelf nearest the door tipped forward, crashing down on top of me. A cascade of hand-blown glass ornaments shattered against myshoulders and onto the floor, the tinkling of breaking glass ringing in my ears. Pain shot through me as I hit the ground, shards of glass digging into my coat, some slipping past the fabric to prick my skin.
The shop owner yelled, outraged from behind the counter, his face twisted in shock and fury. “What the hell are you doing? Look at this mess!”
Before I could respond, Liam and Eve barreled through the door. Liam was at my side in an instant, his hands gripping the edge of the shelf to lift it off me, while Eve knelt beside me, carefully brushing the shattered ornaments away.
“You okay?” Liam asked, his voice tight and concerned.
“Yeah,” I muttered, wincing as I shifted under the weight of the shelf. “Just get this thing off me.”
With a grunt, Liam heaved the shelf upright, and Eve helped me to my feet, her hands steadying me as I brushed shards of glass from my coat. My knees wobbled slightly, but I steadied myself, ignoring the sting from the tiny cuts on my hands.
The shop owner stormed over, his face red as he waved his arms at the wreckage. “You’ve ruined my inventory! Do you have any idea how much those ornaments cost? These were handmade—handmade!”
I raised a hand to placate him as my patience stretched thin. “I’ll pay for it,” I said quickly, pulling out my phone. “I’ll cover everything.”
His mouth opened like he wanted to argue, but the mention of payment masked him, if only slightly. “You’d better,” he muttered, his tone still sharp. “This is a disaster.”
I ignored the rest of his grumbling as I texted Drin and Dran, knowing they’d sort things out with him faster than I ever could. The shop owner huffed, crossing his arms as he returned to his counter, still muttering about lost inventory and shattered glass.
Once he was distracted, I hurried back outside, scanning the street for any sign of Krampus. My heart sank as I saw nothing but the usual holiday crowd—smiling families, couples holding hands, and clusters of kids pointing at decorations—no flickering figures, no telltale signs of magic.
“He’s gone,” I muttered, the frustration curling hot in my chest as I turned to Liam and Eve.
Eve’s jaw tightened, and Liam’s hands clenched into fists. But neither of them said anything. We’d been so close, and now he was slipping through our fingers again. My eyes flicked toward the glowing Christmas tree in the distance, and I swallowed hard, the pit in my stomach growing deeper.
Liam took my hand and removed a small shard of glass from it. “Damn, this demon plays dirty.”
I pulled my hand from my son after he dropped the piece of glass. “The tree lighting is in ten minutes. We are running out of time.”
CHAPTER 15
Itexted the others, my fingers flying over the keys, as I told them to meet us in front of the bakery near the center of the village. The glow of its warm lights and the faint scent of sugar and spices made it the perfect rendezvous spot.
By the time we arrived, the others were already waiting. Salima leaned against the lamppost, Nishi paced in tight circles, and Aurora stood with her arms crossed beside Tegan, her eyes scanning the crowd. As soon as we joined them, they straightened, their expressions tightening as they saw the frustration etched on my face.
“What happened?” Aurora asked, her tone clipped.
I let out a short breath, still annoyed by the shop debacle. “He was in the Christmas store,” I said, brushing a lingering piece of glass off my sleeve. “We chased him inside, and the bastard knocked a shelf on me. He’s gone… again.”
“Damn,” Nishi muttered, shaking her head. “This guy’s got more lives than a damn cat.”
“I’m tired of chasing him,” I said, my voice sharper than Iintended as I turned to face them. “Let’s give him what he wants.”
The others froze, their expressions ranging from confusion to alarm. “What do you mean?” Liam asked, his eyes narrowing. “What does he want?”
“Me,” I said simply, my gaze resolute. “That bastard demon wants to be festive? Fine. Let’s give him a present to unwrap.”
Liam’s face hardened, his brows knitting together in a mix of anger and disbelief. “No,” he said, his voice firm. “Absolutely not. You’re not going to use yourself as bait.”
I stepped closer to him, my voice softening but still resolute. “Liam, I’ll be okay. This isn’t my first time drawing out a demon. I know what I’m doing.”
