Chapter 8 #2
“Exploded and stayed for coffee,” I added, stepping around a life-size Santa that looked suspiciously like it might start singing if I got too close.
Standing by the sofa, Victor didn’t seem fazed by the holiday chaos.
His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out, his expression darkening as he read the message.
“Got the report on the victim,” he said, looking up at us.
“I ran his fingerprints. He was a mundane thief—pretty low-level. Targeted homes while the families were away.”
“That’s different from the last victim,” I pointed out, crossing my arms. “Brody was a predator, but this guy? A thief? Seems like Krampus took it a bit too far.”
Victor nodded slowly, his gaze flicking to the coffee table, where the photos of the kids still sat.
“It’s not random, though. This guy must’ve been staking out families at Santa’s Village.
He either said or did something that tipped Krampus off, making him think this guy planned to target the kids or infiltrate the home. ”
“Doesn’t make it less overkill,” I muttered, glancing at the garland-draped staircase. “Binding him, whipping him with birch branches—it’s like Krampus has one mode—maximum punishment.”
Victor sighed, slipping his phone back into his pocket. “That’s how he operates. He doesn’t see shades of gray. To him, any threat to children is a capital offense.”
Liam, standing by the train set, frowned. “So, what’s stopping him from just… punishing anyone he thinks is guilty? I mean, how does he even decide?”
“He doesn’t need proof,” Victor said grimly. “He acts on what he sees—and sometimes, what he assumes. If this thief made one wrong move at Santa’s Village, Krampus would’ve marked him as a threat.”
“That’s comforting,” Liam said dryly, shaking his head. “A demon judge, jury, and executioner.”
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 not random 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.
His cloven 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.”