Chapter 9
My shadows slip away from Nicolette’s unmoving body, where she lies sprawled out on the bed, covered in cum and red marks.
Her eyes flicker beneath her lids as her chest slowly rises and falls, her mind lost in a dreamlike state as she sinks deeper into sleep.
I watch her from the end of the bed, my eyes glued to the swell of her breasts, my fingers itching to touch her—fuck her all over again.
Although I might have been the one to bind and shackle her, she has taken control of my mind and imprisoned me with thoughts I’ve never experienced for anyone else.
She should fear me, but the fiery look in her eyes says otherwise.
I am a powerful demon, capable of destruction beyond any mortal's comprehension, and yet, I would fall to my knees for this woman and worship her at any altar.
A resplendent fallen angel.
I watch as the corners of her mouth curl up into a ghost of a smile that makes me wonder what she’s seeing... who she’s seeing.
I’m the one who sent her to her dreamscape, and while I would usually let my curiosity get the best of me and take a look, I’ve done enough damage for tonight.
There will be plenty of opportunities to cross into her unprotected mind, but for now, I must continue with my duties and check off the names that have been plaguing my list for too long.
I don’t want Nick to think I’m going soft—or getting distracted.
I take a slow step back, my body yearning to slip into the sheets and curl around her, but I resist. I reach behind me and turn the handle, keeping my eyes on her sleeping form and being careful not to let my hooves make too much noise on the hard floors as I finally make my exit to the living room, leaving her bedroom door cracked.
I stare into the fireplace, checking that the piece of coal I left is still nestled in the embers, its magic keeping the fire blazing hot and heating the entire cabin.
I look back over my shoulder and stare at Nicolette’s figure, outlined in red from the flames of her wood burner.
A small voice in my mind urges me to turn on a hoof and hide in this blizzard with her.
But the other, more rational voice booms over it, telling me to go back to the North Pole and keep Nick off her scent and out of my business.
If he catches sight of a wretched soul around Christmas, they might find themselves swept away to Santa’s Castle, never to be seen again.
And while Nicolette chooses to be alone, she’s at the top of the Naughty List and has been inching her way up for a long time, unknowingly on the Clauses’ radar.
I’ve managed to keep them off her scent so far, and I’ll make sure she remains just a name—one that’s clearly crossed off.
She would be a prize for them with her stunning curves and full breasts, along with her perfect pussy.
And most importantly, she’s a complete fucking brat.
My fucking brat.
The Clauses are dangerous and willing to cross boundaries to get what they want or who they want.
Nicolette has been mine longer than she realizes, and I plan to keep her for me and only me.
If those sadistic fucks so much as lay a finger on her, they’ll find out what my whips and chains are really capable of.
Fortunately, the snow will keep her confined for a few more days until the stormy weather settles, and we can safely get her out. Until then, I will keep her warm by the fire every night and take the liberty of adding her to my personal Naughty List. We have a lot of catching up to do.
I force myself to turn away, pulling my shadows back from where they wait at her bedroom door. Staring intensely into the flames, I take a deep breath, causing the embers to float up and swirl around me, opening the portal that leads directly to the North Pole.
I step forward, my hooves sinking into the deep snow as another storm whips through, large flakes pelting my face.
I look up at Nick’s castle, my heart thundering in my chest, as I take in the dark, rolling clouds and lightning flashing on the horizon.
I shift my gaze to the perimeter and see that not a single elf or reindeer is in sight, which can only mean he’s either on a warpath or has an undesirable guest lurking on the grounds.
Fucking fantastic.
The heavy doors swing open as I approach, quickly shutting behind me once I’m inside and cutting off the raging storm. The corridor is dark, and the candles that normally burn brightly are dim, casting ominous shadows on the walls. Something feels off and has me on edge.
Here, I usually don’t bother to keep my hooves quiet, letting Nick know of my presence, but tonight feels different.
The air is thick with tension as I move toward the throne room, my shadows spreading out like enormous wings behind me.
The doors are closed, but the flickering light on the other side seeps through the cracks, bleeding out on the stone floor.
I place my hand on the heavy iron pull, hesitating as I hear low voices on the other side—one that sends a shiver up my spine.
Jack Frost.
That motherfucker is the root of everyone’s problems and would have been better off lost in the same snowy haze as the rest of the humans they harbor here.
Jack was once only a favored pet of Clara and Nick.
Still, he somehow managed to manipulate them and convince them to strike a deal that not only granted him immortality but also gave him the powers of a guardian, allowing him to serve them in more ways than one.
They made him out to be their assistant to deal with the monsters that dwell among the snowdrifts and help in other frigid parts of the world.
But in reality, he’s nothing more than their icy spy, causing chaos wherever he goes.
His presence explains the ominous weather outside and why there aren’t any elves or reindeer around.
While they’re vile creatures, he’s an even bigger sadist than any of us, and they don’t want to get caught in his icy torture.
Still, I quickly scan the hall for the little snitches before pressing my ear to the door, while my shadows curl around me in an attempt to catch any words slipping through the cracks.
“You’re a fool if you believe what that demon tells you, Nicholas,” Jack says inside the chamber, his voice clear and firm. I hold my breath, trying to calm the anxiety that pinches at my skin.
Has he been spying on me?
Nick lets out a boisterous laugh, echoed by the soft clink of his goblet against the table. “Oh, come now, Jack, let her have her fun. She will get bored soon and return to her regular duties of hunting and killing, while keeping the mountainfolk in line.”
I let out a breath of relief, my warm breath curling through the air.
The little fucking rat has been off stalking other demons across the globe, and not only reporting back, but also snitching on them.
He’s heinous and harbors a deep loathing for the connection between Nick and me, which neither of us can control.
I spent years putting up walls to keep Nick out, and I doubled down when he granted Jack guardianship.
Though I technically hold a higher rank in Hell than Nick, he wields more power on Earth and has declared himself king of this realm—a king I would never kneel to.
While I am extremely powerful, I’m not foolish enough to challenge him.
Even if I were to win, there would be too many out for my blood to usurp his icy throne—one I have no desire for—and bear his gilded holly crown.
I straighten my spine and pull back my shadows, their tendrils fluttering behind me.
I intend to not only intimidate the little fuck, but also remind him that he doesn’t hold a candle to me or my power.
He believes he has the upper hand because he submits to Nick and Clara, fulfilling all their desires.
In reality, he’s nothing more than their little fuck toy—his title doesn’t mean shit.
Yanking the door open, their heads snap in my direction, and I make a grand entrance.
The veins in my arms throb black, stretching across my body, blending into the tattoos inked across my chest, and my eyes glow as red as the twinkling lights that decorate the evergreen towering in the corner.
My shadows swirl around me like the wings of a fallen angel, with the tips trailing behind like a cape.
My hooves click loudly on the stone, echoing through the room and making Jack wince with every step.
I let my élan crackle like an eternal flame, a reminder to everyone in the room who truly is the most powerful being in the North Pole.
Nick blinks slowly before spreading his arms wide, obviously intoxicated on his winterberry wine, and shouts my name in his cheerful Santa voice. “Kryx, I was hoping like a child on Christmas Eve you would come tonight.”
Jack’s icy blue eyes darken as he looks me up and down, his snow-white skin turning a bitter blue as his face flushes, with his snow-blown hair falling over his forehead.
I hold his gaze as his bitter draft presses against my shadows, trying to disrupt them and expose my back.
The tension in the room grows as the storm rages outside, but Nick doesn’t even seem to notice.
“Jack, you remember Kryx?” he says as he slaps him hard on the back, jolting him forward and nearly knocking him off his feet.
I can’t stop the grin that pulls up my lips, revealing my sharp teeth. Of course, he remembers me. One doesn’t simply forget the demon you’ve relentlessly followed around like a half-frozen puppy in an attempt to fuck them and make your handlers jealous.
“Hello, Jack,” I say slyly, giving him a wink and running my tongue over my exposed teeth.
His blue eyes swirl with ire as a draft drifts into the room, dropping the temperature a few bitter degrees. “Krampus,” he bites, attempting to use the word as an insult.