Page 9 of I Saw Krampus Kissing Ms Claus

The words are barely out of my lips when the animals respond. Eager for the exhilaration of running, the chance to let loose, to be themselves, truly flying through the air.

Krampus sucks in a satisfying breath at the increase in speed. The wind burns at my cheeks, tugging hairs out of my tight bun and whipping them around behind me. Krampus’s knuckles flatten against the dashboard.

The weight of his thigh increases as we bank around a turn, and his fingers flex around my shoulder. Adrenaline burns through my veins. I always loved the freedom of going as fast as you can. The power behind it, the focus to maintain control. I circle us above Christmas Town enjoying the view, the bright lights glistening on the white snow and Krampus’s laugh meets my ears. It’s a brief moment of bliss before I bring us down with a harsh crunch of the sled runners in front of our supply warehouse.

The deer snort, shaking themselves with pleasure as I secure the reins.

“You are something else, Saint Nik.” Krampus says.

I turn to him with irritation, ready to disavow the nickname again. But when I face him, he’s looking at me with such intensity that my lips slam closed. I forgot how close he was, his heavy arm on my shoulder, his face inches from mine. His grin is so bright it’s almost unbearable.

“I thought about you a lot over the past millennia.” He admits. “I missed having you around.”

I shake my head regretfully. “I’m sorry I stopped talking to you. Everything got all tangled up in my head, I was so mad at you, and disappointed, and sad.”

“It’s okay.”

“And then I heard you were dating a tooth fairy.”

His face changes, “Oh right, Loosey.” His eyes glaze over for a moment and it breaks the spell.

I leap out of the sleigh. “Anyway. We have a mystery to solve.”

“Whatever you command, Saint Nik.” Krampus scrambles to follow me, failing to wipe the smirk from his face.

ChapterFour

SNICKERDOODLE’S FACE IS HARRIED. Her office looks like a herd of reindeer ran through. Her auditing desk is covered in stray papers, impressively thick binders, and various Christmas detritus. A poinsettia wilts in the corner closest to the window.

“Ms. Claus!” Doodle stands up quickly, nearly knocking over her small chair. Elves are short, most are barely over three feet, which makes even me feel tall. But Krampus towers over the inventory workers.

Snickerdoodle pushes a strand of her candy floss pink hair behind her ear as she stands, her normally neatly braided hair is in disarray. “I wasn’t expecting to see you today!”

“How is everything Snickerdoodle?” I ask, surveying the messy room.

“It’s been a bit hectic, ma’am.” Doodle squeaks out an answer.

“Ma’am?” Krampus snorts a laugh behind me.

I shoot him ‘the look’ and his lips press closed into a thin smirk.

“We’re here about the Christmas Cheer.” I say. “Krampus is—assisting me.”

Doodle’s face blanches as she takes in Krampus as he ducks under the door so his horns do not scrape the frame. “Of course ma’am. Sir.” She nods to both of us.

“Could you keep her talking for a bit?” Krampus whispers in my ear.

I raise an eyebrow in his direction but ask her. “Krampus needs to see the inventory process. Can you show him how you record your data?”

“Well, it’s just me here today ma’am and—”

“Please?” Krampus says, his voice a low grumble that sends a chill through me that is both terrifying and exciting. Snickerdoodle only looks terrified.

“Of course, of course,” The elf leaps up from her chair, and starts talking very quickly as she launches into a long explanation of her filing system. I give Krampus a questioning look.

“This is the storage room.” Snickerdoodle steps from her office through a hallway and into a pair of wide double doors that lead into a warehouse. The ceiling is at least forty feet in the air, the back end of the room is so far away that it disappears into darkness. Nothing like Doodle’s office, this space is pristine. Orderly rows of tall metal shelves stretch in every direction. Stacked high with organized supplies. Neatly rolled string lights, wreaths stacked by size, color coded ribbons and wrapping paper, rows of hanging mistletoe, everything Christmas Town needs to operate smoothly.

“We do a complete inventory every July, during our slow season, but we keep careful records of anything that goes in or out of this room.” Snickerdoodle shifts from one foot to the other nervously.

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