Page 19 of I Saw Krampus Kissing Ms Claus

“Well, yeah but—”

“Come on.” He doesn’t wait for any more words before he leaps into the passenger side of the sleigh and yells. “I’ll show you.”

“Show me what?” I ask.

“My lair.” He leans over to pat my seat enthusiastically. “Let’s go, Saint Nik.”

“We don’t have time for this.” I protest.

“I’ll show you where I keep my Christmas Cheer.” He says, “And how I get it. If you think you can handle that.” He challenges.

I bite my lip, but I climb into the seat beside him and grab the reins.

ChapterSeven

KRAMPUS WALKS ME INTO HIS cave, past the big empty cavern and into a tunnel that leads down. As we descend deeper into the mountain temperature rises slowly as does the dread in my stomach.

“This might be a bit upsetting.” He whispers into my ear, one hand hovering at the small of my back.

“I can handle it.” I steel my nerves. “I’m all grown up. Remember?”

“I remember.” His voice is thrillingly close. Without looking at him, I know he’s smiling. His hand slips up to wrap around the base of my neck, sending a clench straight to my core.

I hear him snicker, and I know he sees it in my aura.

How does he do that? One little touch and I’m ready to drop to my knees for him again. He guides me into the next hall, pretending not to notice my building desires.

The tunnels are more lively as we travel lower. I hear them before I see them. The cheery high-pitched voices. We turn the corner to find an elf, who looks like he could be a denizen of Christmas Town, pushing a large bin of swirling silver Cheer down tracks.

“There’s an elf here?” I ask.

“There’s a whole workshop of them.” He whispers to me.

“From Christmas Town?” I ask, appalled.

“I offered them jobs. And they took them. You don’t mind, do you?” He asks. “I used to be able to do it all by myself, but unfortunately, business is booming these days.”

“I didn’t realize.” I say.

“They go where they are needed, including my workshop.” He pushes open a large iron door to reveal a large cave.

This isn’t anything like Santa’s Workshop. It’s a bit more menacing, a bit darker. In the middle of the large cavern a cauldron, as tall as I am, simmers on top of a blazing red fire.

A dozen or so elves are busy at work around it. Two shovel coal into the fire, another stirs the inky dark concoction that glitters like a night sky full of stars. A couple elves joke with each other as they ladle the dark liquid into containers. Another dices and refinines solid silvery blocks into a fine powder that looks a lot like Christmas Cheer. They seem happy.

“I don’t understand.” I say finally.

“I collect souls, Nikki, the souls of bad creatures, and then we refine it. Boiling them down until only good parts are left.”

“There’s goodness in bad people?”

“There’s goodness and badness in everyone, Nikki.” He says. “I punish the ones who deserve it and I take the souls of the truly irredeemable. Then I refine their souls and take the tiny amount of goodness from them, and use it for better things.”

I hold my breath. I knew he collected the souls of bad people and turned them in Cheer. But seeing those lives being boiled down in a pot, right in front of me, makes it real. Here you can see the difference that he makes in the world.

“Are you okay?” He asks, his thumb traces along the side of my neck, spreading warmth through my whole body. I’m here in front of the souls that he is turning into soup, and I can’t stop thinking about his hands.

“I’m glad you showed me.” I lean into him for comfort. “What else is down here?”

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