Page 57 of The Krampus's First Christmas Gift

A shadow moved in the window. Kraghol’s body tensed.

Then Jasper appeared, staring down at him. His breath caught. Jasper disappeared.

Moments later, the door to the apartment opened. Jasper exited. He paused at the top of the stairs. He grinned. “It’s strange, but for the first time in my life, I find myself with the sudden urge to go outside on Krampus Night.”

Chapter

Thirty

Jasper returned straight home after leaving the forest. Even as he headed home, the different businesses had turned their signs to closed and locked the doors.

The streets filled with people making their way home early. When Jasper and Kali got to the apartment, they went to his room.

He glanced out the window. But of course he saw nothing of interest. It was hours until Krampus Night would begin.

He settled onto his bed and pulled out the crochet needles, wool, and Kraghol’s Christmas gift, which he’d started making the night before. Jasper stuck out his tongue as he got to work.

He was not the best at crocheting. He’d learnt as a child but hadn’t picked it up in years. But he wanted to make something special for Kraghol for Christmas.

After he’d been working on the gift for a little while, he and Kali slept. Leo woke them when he brought in tea and some food. Then they slept again.

The distant sound of ringing bells and cries caused him to wake. He rose and went to the window. Leaning against the icy glass, he caught glimpses of krampuses roaming the streets.

He examined them like he had never previously done. They all bore clear similarities to Kraghol, of course: curved dark horns, tails, fangs, hooves, and tall furry bodies. Although, they weren’t all as muscular as Kraghol.

And none of them made Jasper’s heart beat faster like Kraghol did.

In other windows, he saw onlookers, watching the krampuses below, pointing and gasping. Jasper frowned. He looked back down at the street.

He saw a male faun running from a krampus. The faun turned down a lane. The krampus followed. From the expression on the faun’s and krampus’s faces, Jasper assumed it would not end in a whipping.

Jasper had never considered going out and being chased down by one of the krampuses. Well, never seriously. He’d spoken to those who did go out on Krampus Night to fuck and very much enjoyed it. From the stories he heard, the sex tended to be quite rough. He’d never personally been into that sort of thing.

As such, the idea had never really appealed to him. But if he saw Kraghol out there… Well, that would be very different.

He stood at the window, time passing, all the while keeping an eye out for a glimpse of the one krampus he actually wanted to see.

An older female krampus chased a group, snapping her whip at their heels. She laughed as they screamed. Then she chased them out of sight.

Several krampuses stalked down the street, waving their whips and switches. The bells they wore jangled. They shouted and howled. Jasper pulled back slightly.

After that, the streets emptied for a while.

Then Jasper saw him.

Kraghol.

Jasper smiled. He stood up straight as Kraghol approached his building. Then he saw Kraghol’s face, twisted in a deep gloomy frown. Jasper’s stomach tightened.

He looks miserable.

All the other krampuses had appeared excited or victorious, clearly enjoying the night. But not Kraghol.

Jasper pressed himself against the window, waving. Perhaps seeing Jasper would brighten his mood. But Kraghol didn’t see him. He didn’t look up at all.

He walked to the bakery below and seemed to peer in through the window. Jasper knocked at his bedroom window, trying to get Kraghol’s attention. But the krampus didn’t hear him. He just kept looking into the bakery.

Does he know that it’s my family’s bakery? He must.