Chapter 17 #2
He grins, showing too many teeth as he places his drink on the table next to the hearth.
“Nothing gets past you, does it, darling?” I blink, and suddenly he’s on me, trapping me as he presses his hands on either side of my head, gripping the mantle.
The fire's heat laps at my skin, threatening to turn the sheer fabric of the teddy into nothing but ash.
He leans in, running his nose along my jaw, inhaling deeply before pulling back with wide eyes as if he’s seen a ghost. The look is gone as quickly as it appeared, his blue eyes darkening like a winter storm.
He checks the leash hanging from my neck, moving his hand to run his fingers over the braided leather, curling them tightly around it.
He yanks me forward, bringing me to his face, and licking his lips.
I want to pull away from his icy gaze, but one wrong move and I’ll fall into the fire—caught between two extremes with nowhere to run.
“What do you want?” I ask, trying to keep the wavering out of my voice, but I fail miserably.
He presses his nose against mine, tugging the leash up, forcing me to look at him. “To give Saint Nick himself a present and remind him who his favorite really is. It is almost Christmas, you know.”
He steps away, the leash slipping through his fingers until he reaches the end, sliding his hand through the loop.
I try to resist, but he overpowers me, dragging me like a dog behind him.
“Please stop,” I beg, but just like with Kryx’s shadows, ice solidifies like shackles around my wrists and ankles, imprisoning me further.
“Please.” And at that, my lips are frozen shut, every cry for help muffled.
“Now, now, Nicolette,” he croons, “we don’t want to ruin the surprise for jolly ole Saint Nick, now do we?
” He pulls me close, running his knuckles across my cheek.
“He’s going to have so much fun with you.
I can’t wait to see the twinkle in his eyes as he finds his pleasure, watching as he breaks you into a million pieces.
” He leans in, whispering in my ear, “It’s my favorite part. ”
My eyes widen with fear, panic pulsing through me as Jack leads me through the castle.
My bare feet ache with every step across the freezing floor, the pain like walking on glass.
I look around and see sconces lighting the long hallway, their flames flickering across the walls, each decorated with mistletoe and holly.
The tall tapestries start bright, depicting Christmas as we know it, stitched beautifully, but as we move down the hall, each scene darkens until we reach a large set of wooden doors that tower over us.
A deep laugh echoes from the other side, piercing the silence. Jack glances over his shoulder, his familiar devious grin spreading across his face as he pushes open the door and leads us inside.
The room is vast, with high ceilings and chandeliers hanging from the rafters, much like those in the room I woke up in. A long banquet table occupies the space, with a handsome, white-bearded man sitting at the head and a beautiful woman to his right.
“Jack!” the man exclaims, rising from his chair and nearly knocking it over. His eyes land on me, and I want nothing more than to cover myself as he surveys me, the twinkle in his eyes dimming as we near the end of the table.
“Nick. Clara,” he says as he bows, “I brought you a present—a new toy.”
The ice shackles bite into my skin as they both examine me. Clara’s eyes widen as if she’s seeing the ghost of Christmas past. “Where did you get her, Jack?” she asks coolly, her expression returning to neutral.
He shrugs. “Does it matter where I got her? She’s for you.” He throws his arms in the air. “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!”
Nick steps toward me as Jack grabs the back of my neck, forcing me forward. “Bow down to your new master,” he says in a low, growling voice. “And keep your fucking mouth shut or I’ll let him know you were Krampus’s little whore.” My lips part as he releases them from his magical hold.
My body trembles from both the cold and fear as Nick looks me over, inspecting every inch of me. He hooks a finger under my chin, tilting my face up to him. “What’s your name?” he asks, his eyes narrowing.
My heart thunders, and my own name sticks in my throat, but I swallow hard and push it out. “Nic-Nicolette.” I take a deep breath, the pain in my lungs easing with each breath. “Nicolette Evergreen.”
Clara suddenly stands, her chair toppling backward, exposing someone kneeling at her feet under the table. “Is this a fucking sick joke, Jack?” Her voice is sharp, aimed at his throat.
He stammers as she crosses the room, her delicate hand grabbing his neck, her fingers curling into his skin like claws. “Clara, I—” She tightens her grip, cutting off his words.
“You brought her into my home knowing full well—” she starts, but Nick raises a hand, silencing her, the air thick with tension.
“Evergreen,” he whispers as he gazes into my eyes.
His expression softens, and his hand gently lifts to cup my face as if he’s holding the most fragile flower in his palm.
He opens his mouth to speak, but suddenly the hall doors burst open with a deafening crash, filling the room with a roar, and causing the glass on the table to rattle.
I scream as Nick pulls me into his arms, seeming to shield me from the intruder as the voice bellows a single word.
A name.
“Jack.”