Chapter 10
Chapter
Ten
Jasper’s heart stuttered in his chest as he stared at the krampus in front of him.
Black horns curled upwards. Dark fur covered his toned and very muscular body. Hooved feet pressed into the dirt. A long furry tail hung behind him. A bit of fabric tied around his waist covered his groin and upper thighs.
The krampus lowered his face, as if he didn’t want Jasper to see him. And he was tall too. He stood at least a full head higher than Jasper, and he was significantly wider and more muscular. Still, Jasper didn’t feel a shred of fear.
In fact, he felt a stirring of attraction inside his gut. He itched to move towards the krampus and touch him. He wanted to stroke his hands over those broad shoulders. He wanted to slide his fingers along those horns and explore the texture. Were his horns smooth or rough?
And he wanted to hold the krampus’s chin and force him to meet Jasper’s assessing gaze.
But why? Why do I feel this way?
“Who are you?” Jasper asked again.
“I am a krampus,” he said in a deep growling voice.
“But that is not your name, right?”
The krampus exhaled. He glanced from side to side, avoiding Jasper’s gaze. “I am a krampus,” he repeated. Then he hesitated. “My name is Kraghol.”
“Kraghol,” Jasper repeated. He shifted closer on the pile of furs. “Why am I here, Kraghol?”
Kraghol shrugged, upper lip curling. “I do not know why you came to the forest.”
“Not that. What am I doing here in this cave?” Jasper gestured around them.
Kraghol flexed his hands, still not meeting Jasper’s gaze. For several moments, he did not speak. Finally he answered, “You lay in the snow, unconscious. I brought you here so you would not die.” He shrugged again, as if saving Jasper’s life meant nothing. “Why did you collapse?”
Jasper did not want to go into his illness at the moment. Especially when he had so many of his own questions. “I’m just a little tired at the moment. Overworked and whatnot.”
“You should be more careful.” As he spoke, his sharp teeth glinted in the firelight.
All of a sudden, Kali hopped down from the bed and bounded over to Kraghol. She ran circles around Kraghol’s ankles. “Yip! Yip! Yip!” She rubbed against his furred legs.
Kraghol stared down at her, gaze flicking between Kali and Jasper…as if he was uncertain.
“That’s strange.”
“What is?”
“Kali is always nervous of strangers.” Except for when she’d found Jasper. For some reason, Kali had taken to his unconscious form immediately and refused to be parted from him.
Now here she was, begging Kraghol for a little attention. Affection flowed through the witch-familiar bond. However, if Kraghol felt the urge to pat her, he did not give in to it. He crossed his arms over his wide chest, ignoring the excited fox.
After a moment, Kali whined, sitting on her hind legs. She blinked up at Kraghol with bright amber eyes. Jasper could feel her rejection. And confusion.
But why is she confused?
Tail between her legs, Kali returned to Jasper, hopped amongst the furs, and snuggled close. She whined. Jasper stroked her soft fur, pulling her close, knowing she needed to be comforted.
Kraghol stared at Kali, brows lowered. When he realised Jasper watched him, the krampus looked away.
Did Kali feel this strange connection to Kraghol too? Like Jasper did? Because Jasper definitely felt a connection to the krampus. But if Kraghol felt it, he did not show it at all. In fact, he looked displeased to have Kali and Jasper here.
But he had brought Jasper to this cave! He’d put him on this pile of furs and started a fire.
Of course, that might just be because he’d taken pity on Jasper and not wanted him to freeze to death.
Now that Jasper was awake, maybe he wanted Jasper and Kali to leave him in peace.
The polite thing would be to oblige the krampus.
But Jasper felt in his bones that something was happening here between them. He wanted to uncover what. So he remained exactly where he was.
Jasper did not know much about krampuses. He’d never met one in person. Really, he only knew about them because of Krampus Night. Year after year, he’d seen the krampuses descend on Anorra, terrorising people in an attempt to get them to behave.
Jasper had never been out on Krampus Night himself.
Like most, he’d always been sure to get inside early.
But as kids, he and Leo would stare out the window, watching the krampuses go by, pointing, yelling, and then ducking away anytime one of them looked their way.
They’d been fascinated by the krampuses as children. Obsessed even.
Based on everything he knew about krampuses, Jasper supposed he should be frightened of the krampus in front of him. But instead, his instincts told him to remain right where he was. Somehow, he knew he was safe here.
Then Jasper remembered what had occurred before he collapsed.
“Were you watching me?” Jasper asked.
“What?” The krampus’s dark-grey eyes met his.
“Someone was watching me. I chased them. Was that you? It was, wasn’t it? Why? Were you following me too?”
The krampus bared his teeth. “I don’t know what you are talking about. I just found you and brought you here.”
Jasper stared at Kraghol, not believing him. After all, he’d seen the horns and the fur. But he didn’t think calling Kraghol a liar would help.
Then Jasper realised something. He had no headache. No body ache. He breathed easily. He searched his body for any pain or niggling aches or anything. And found…nothing.
What the fuck?
For the first time since the accident, he felt…well.
He turned to the krampus, who frowned, arms crossed over his muscular chest.
“Well, thank you for taking me in and not letting me freeze outside in the snow,” Jasper said.
“It was no problem.” The golden light of the fire danced on the tips of his curled horns.
“I appreciate it all the same.”
The fire crackled. The krampus now stared at it, once again not meeting Jasper’s gaze.
“My name is Jasper, by the way. This is Kali.” Jasper stroked the fox. “We live in Anorra, in an apartment above a bakery. It is my family’s bakery actually.”
The krampus kept staring at the fire.
But Jasper thought he was listening. So he kept speaking, “Me and my siblings work there with some of their partners. My family are hearth and kitchen witches. I have a lot of siblings. Do you have much family?”
“Some.”
“And do they live nearby?”
“Yes.”
“Do you live in this forest?”
“Yes.”
Another one-syllable answer. Jasper held in a sigh. “Have I offended you?”
“What? No.” Kraghol shook his head, clearly agitated. “You do not bother me.” But it was clear he did not wish for Jasper and Kali to be here. Still, Jasper was loath to leave.
But Kraghol must feel the connection too! Why else would he have been watching and following Jasper? So why was the krampus lying to him now? Why was he pretending to not feel what Jasper was feeling?
He’d taken a step towards solving the mystery. Still, he had much to unravel. But how would he get this grumpy krampus to open up and speak to him when he clearly didn’t want to?