Page 10 of Kraved By Krampus

Just like you’re about to lose control.

“Please help.” Their small hands reach for me, trailing frost in the air. “He said there would be others, but I couldn’t wait. I had to try the spell now.”

“He?” My stomach drops. “Who said that?”

A branch snaps behind us. I spin around, heart in my throat.

Red eyes pierce the darkness between the trees. My breath catches as a massive shape emerges, all twisted horns and matted fur. Not Krampus—something else. Something wrong.

The child whimpers, pressing against my side. The magic pulses erratically, making the air crack with frost.

Run. Hide. Protect.

My body trembles with instincts I didn’t know I possessed. Power builds beneath my skin, demanding release.

The creature’s footsteps leave smoking patches in the snow. Each step closer sends waves of corrupted magic washing over us. My stomach churns at the wrongness of it.

“Stay behind me.” I push the child back, though what I plan to do against this thing, I have no idea.

Its jaw unhinges, revealing rows of needle-sharp teeth. Black ichor drips from its maw, sizzling where it hits the snow. The stench of decay fills my nose.

Think. There has to be something...

My fingers brush the fountain pen in my coat pocket—my mother’s pen. It burns hot against my skin, and suddenly I know what I need to do. I feel Krampus’s magic and think I’ll be able to draw on it.

I yank the pen out, holding it like a weapon. Silver light blazes from the nib, cutting through the darkness. The creature recoils with a sound like breaking glass.

“You don’t belong here.” I recognize the monster from one of the scenes in my manuscript. The words flow from my lips in a language I’ve never spoken but somehow understand. My voice resonates with power that makes the trees shudder. “This is not your realm.”

The thing lunges. I slash the pen through the air, drawing a burning sigil. The symbol hangs suspended between us, pulsing with light.

The creature slams into an invisible barrier. Its claws screech against the magic, leaving trails of corruption that my power burns away. Each attack makes the sigil flare brighter.

“What’s happening?” The child’s voice shakes.

My arms tremble with the effort of holding the barrier. “I don’t—”

The creature rears back, gathering itself for another assault. Black energy crackles around its form, distorting the air. This time, I’m not sure my hastily crafted protection will hold.

I can’t keep this up much longer.

Chapter seven

Krampus

She’s going to freeze out there.

The thought plagues me as I watch her silhouette disappear into the swirling snow. My claws dig into the doorframe, splintering the ancient wood. Magnus creaks in protest.

“She needed to make her own choice.” The words taste bitter. A cabinet slams in the kitchen. “Don’t give me that attitude. You know I’m right.”

The floorboards beneath my feet groan ominously.

“Fine. Yes, I could drag her back inside.” I pace the entrance hall, my shadow stretching across the walls. “But that would only prove I’m the monster she accused me of being.”

The temperature drops several degrees. Magnus’s way of giving me the cold shoulder.

“Really? That’s childish, even for you.” I wave my hand, warming the space back up. “She’s not defenseless. My magic will keep her warm enough until she realizes she can’t outrun this.”

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