Page 8 of Silent Nights and Vampire Lights

“Wait!” I hurried after him, confused.

When I caught up, he was crouched in front of a little boy, no older than five, who was crying his heart out. Nicholas’s low voice was calm, and after a moment, the boy nodded, hiccupping as he rubbed his eyes.

Nicholas straightened, looking baffled when the kid launched himself at his legs. I gestured for him to pick the boy up. Awkwardly, he did, holding the child like he was made of glass.

“What’s your name?” I asked gently.

“Sam,” the boy sniffled.

“Okay, Sam. We’ll help you find your family. Do you remember where you last saw them?”

He shook his head, fresh tears spilling.

Nicholas sighed. “He said he went looking for reindeer while his sister was looking for fish people.”

It took me a second to put it together. “Christmas Under the Sea display. This way.”

We walked toward the lake, Sam clinging to Nicholas like a koala. We hadn’t walked far when a woman screamed, “Sam!”

“Mommy!” The boy wriggled, and Nicholas set him down just in time for the kid to sprint into his mother’s arms.

The father approached us, gratitude written all over his face. “Thank you so much. He just vanished—we were terrified.”

“He was looking for reindeer,” Nicholas said flatly.

The man grimaced. “Rudolph obsession. I swear, I need a leash for these kids.”

“They make them,” Nicholas replied, dead serious.

I elbowed him hard. “He’s joking. I think!” I assured the father with a nervous laugh. “Merry Christmas!”

As we walked away, I glared at Nicholas. “Leashes are for pets.”

He shrugged. “Seemed effective.”

I rolled my eyes. “Let’s just go. The village is closing soon.”

When we reached the Kissing Bridge, a worker stopped us. “Toll to cross,” he said, pointing to the mistletoe above.

Nicholas reached for his wallet, but the kid shook his head. “Not money. A kiss.”

I barely had time to process that before Nicholas turned to me and pressed his lips to mine.

His kiss was firm and purposeful, but when I softened against him, it deepened. His tongue brushed my lips, coaxing them open, and a heat I hadn’t expected flared in my chest. My fingers fisted in his jacket as I melted into him, savoring the sweet, intoxicating taste of him mixed with chocolate and peppermint.

He pulled back too soon, leaving me breathless and dazed.

“Toll paid?” he growled at the stunned worker.

“Y-yeah, dude.”

Nicholas strode across the bridge without a backward glance. I followed in silence, my lips tingling and my heart racing.

What the hell just happened?

CHAPTER 5

NICHOLAS

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