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.
He finally glanced back, his expression a mix of defiance and desperation. “I can’t just let him get away!”
“You don’t understand what you’re dealing with!” I shot back, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst.
The gap between us narrowed slightly as I pushed harder, my legs burning with the effort. Krampus was still ahead, a dark blur moving through the snow, and I knew we were losing precious time. If Liam caught up to him first, it wouldn’t be a fight but a massacre.
“Liam, damn it, listen to me!” I yelled again, my voice raw. “Stop!”
He hesitated, his steps faltering for just a moment, but it was enough for me to gain on him. My heart was still pounding, my breath coming in short, ragged bursts, but I wasn’t going to let him get himself killed.
Krampus suddenly stopped, his massive form looming in the snowy clearing. His red eyes gleamed in the dim moonlight, and his wicked grin dropped my stomach. My gut screamed what my brain already knew—this was a trap.
But my son was my priority.
Before Krampus could make a move, I pulled a star from my belt and hurled it at him. The blade flew true, embedding itself in his chest with a sickening thud. He roared, his head snapping back as he staggered slightly, but the grin didn’t fade. If anything, it widened.
Liam didn’t hesitate. He raised his gun and unloaded an entire clip into Krampus, the sound of gunfire tearing through the stillness of the woods.
The bullets hit their mark, one after another, ripping through the demon’s torso and sending blood spraying across the snow.
For a moment, I thought it might actually work.
But Krampus barely flinched. The wounds closed almost as quickly as they appeared, the bullets falling uselessly to the ground.
“Those won’t do any real damage,” I called out, my voice clipped. “Trust me, I’ve tried lead on demons before. It just pisses them off.”
Liam’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t stop.
Instead, he holstered his gun and closed the distance between himself and Krampus, moving with a precision and confidence I didn’t expect.
He ducked under Krampus’ clawed swipe and landed a hard punch to the demon’s side, followed by a swift kick that frustrated Krampus.
My heart leaped into my throat, but I didn’t have time to process my emotions.
I mirrored Liam’s movements, moving in tandem with him as we took on Krampus together.
My blades flashed in the moonlight, slicing at Krampus’ arms and legs as I dodged his heavy strikes.
Liam was right beside me, fluid and fierce, his punches and kicks landing with the kind of force that could only come from years of training.
Amidst the chaos, I realized just how skilled he was. His movements were precise, and his footwork was impeccable. Every hit he landed was calculated, and every block was perfectly timed. It wasn’t wild, reckless fighting—it was disciplined, deliberate. It was exactly how Max taught me.
I felt a surge of pride swell in my chest, even as I ducked another swing of Krampus’ claws. “You’ve been training hard,” I said, my voice breathless but steady as I parried a strike and slashed at Krampus’ side.
Liam glanced at me for just a moment, a flicker of determination in his eyes. “You can thank my teacher.”
“I will,” I muttered, spinning to avoid another swipe. “Right after we survive this.”
Krampus roared, his claws slashing wildly as we pressed our attack. My son was holding his own, and for the first time in this chaotic mess, I felt a sliver of hope. We could take him down. Together.
The fight raged on, snow flying around us as we pressed Krampus back step by step. He stumbled, his massive frame jerking under the force of our combined assault. My throwing stars had taken their toll, and Liam’s strikes were relentless, his movements precise and unyielding.
Krampus roared, swinging a massive, clawed hand in a wide arc.
Liam ducked, but not fast enough. The edge of Krampus’ claws caught his arm, slicing through the fabric of his jacket.
I froze for half a second, panic flashing through me, but as I saw him glance at the wound, I realized it was barely a scratch.
Liam didn’t even flinch, shaking it off and charging forward again. He landed another solid punch to Krampus’ ribs, and for a moment, hope flared in my chest.
And then Liam screamed.
It wasn’t a sound of pain from the scratch. It was deeper, rawer, like something tearing him apart from the inside. He grabbed his head, falling to his knees as his face twisted in agony.
“Liam!” I yelled, my heart slamming against my ribs as I lunged toward him. But Krampus let out a low, guttural laugh before I could reach him.
“Now you will receive my gift, bounty hunter,” he growled, his deep voice laced with cruel amusement. He straightened, his glowing red eyes fixed on me as a twisted grin spread across his face. He backed away slowly, his hooves crunching against the snow as if he had all the time in the world.
I froze, staring at him, my mind racing. He knew. He knew me. He knew about me. How was that possible? How did Krampus understand who I was—or what I was?
“Get away from him!” I snarled, my voice raw as I stepped in front of Liam, my blade raised.
Krampus chuckled, the sound echoing through the woods. “I’ve been watching you, Faith,” he said, his tone dripping with malice. “Your family. Your choices. Your secrets. You’re all such… fascinating creatures.”
The words sent a chill down my spine, but I didn’t move, keeping myself between him and Liam. “What did you do to him?” I demanded, my voice trembling with fury.
Krampus tilted his head, his wicked smile never faltering. “I’ve simply shared a little… insight,” he said cryptically. “The boy will understand soon enough.”
With that, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, his laughter fading into the stillness of the woods. I stood there, my heart racing, as I stared after him. I didn’t understand what had just happened, but I knew one thing for sure.
This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
“Liam, are you okay?” I asked, my voice shaky, the words tumbling out before I could think.
He didn’t answer. Instead, he dropped to the ground, clutching his head as he rolled on the frozen moss, his face twisted in agony. His screams tore through the night, raw and filled with pain. “Make it stop!” he yelled, his voice hoarse. “It burns!”
Panic gripped me as I dropped to my knees beside him, my hands hovering helplessly over him. “Liam, talk to me! What’s happening? What’s burning?” My voice cracked, and I hated how powerless I felt.
Behind me, Krampus let out a low, sinister laugh that sent a chill straight through my bones. I whipped around to face him, my blade still in hand. “What did you do to my son?” I snarled, my voice shaking with fury.
His glowing red eyes gleamed with malice, and his twisted smile stretched wider. “He has been purified,” he said, his tone dripping with mockery. “The boy was tainted, and I have purified him.”
“Purified?” I spat, stepping in front of Liam as he writhed on the ground. “You call this purification? You’re nothing but a coward, preying on the innocent.”
Krampus’ grin faltered briefly, replaced by a flicker of irritation. “Innocent?” he growled, his deep voice reverberating in my chest. “No one is innocent. Not you, not him.”
I opened my mouth to fire back, but the subtle shift in his stance caught my eye. His muscles coiled, his horns tilting slightly forward. He was going to attack. He thought I was distracted.
But I wasn’t.
The second Krampus lunged, I moved. My blade flashed in the moonlight as I sidestepped his charge, narrowly avoiding the sweep of his massive claws. Snow sprayed into the air as his hooves skidded across the ground, and he whirled to face me, his teeth bared in a snarl.
“I’m not as easy a target as you think, horns,” I snapped, my voice low and grounded, though my heart was hammering in my chest. I spared a quick glance back at Liam, who was still writhing in pain, his screams echoing in my ears.
Whatever Krampus had done to him, I was going to make him pay for it.