Chapter 7

Niklaus

Xalreth’s lip contorts into a snarl at the sight of Damien wearing my sweater, with me standing bare-chested behind him. “My Liege…” Unmistakable anger brews in his voice as he forces the words out of his clenched teeth. “Might I ask what the fuck is going on…”

Damien’s spine snaps tall, and unbridled, suffocating power explodes out of him in a potent wave. It chokes me, my throat closing as my chest constricts with the weight pressing against every inch of my skin. Xalreth stumbles to a stop before slamming down onto a single knee before him, face low and neck exposed.

He bows .

For the first time, Damien doesn’t look like a mere pampered prince, but the ruthless, cunning King of Hell he truly is. The monster behind the man is exposed.

A red, fiery aura pulses around Damien’s frame as he takes a step closer. “Watch your fucking mouth.” The sound is deeper and multi-dimensional, infused with the magic of his position, and Xalreth bows lower, forehead pressing against the snowy ground. “And mind your fucking business.”

“Lucifer…” he gasps, fighting for his breath. “Forgive me, sir, it was…” Another choked, rasping inhale barely gives him any oxygen. “It was not my place.”

“No,” Damien says, still with that terrifying voice that seems to multiply, as though a thousand versions of himself are speaking at once, layering and mingling as he ripples with power. “It wasn’t.”

“Forgive me,” Xalreth says again, and although the air remains thick with magic, Damien loosens his grip on his aura, allowing everyone to breathe.

For a long second, he stares at the back of Xalreth’s bowed head, before heaving a sigh. “If you have something to say, say it now and be done with it.”

Xalreth’s black eyes finally lift, darting to me before focusing on Damien. The sheer amount of power he holds, despite his diminutive size, is enough to make my hair stand on end and my knees ache to kneel before him as well. I’m barely able to resist the pull of submission.

All while his pants are soaked in his own cum.

Honestly, I’m impressed.

“Of course not, Lucifer, sir,” Xalreth says, bowing his head subserviently once more. “It was a mistake to question your actions.”

“Yes, it was.” The oppressiveness surrounding us eases as Damien’s temper is reined in, and he takes a step backward.

Xalreth’s chest rises in a deep breath before he glances up at Damien again. “Does my king accept my most sincere apologies?”

Damien tsks, his usual saucy attitude returning as he crosses his arms and rolls his eyes. “Of fucking course I do. It has become a routine for you to behave like an idiot, and I always find it in myself to forgive you, don’t I?”

“Yes, sir,” Xalreth agrees, a small, relieved smile tugging at his lips as Damien gestures for him to rise and he climbs to his feet.

“Niklaus was about to introduce me to the reindeer,” Damien says, snapping my attention back to him, “if you’d like to join us.”

Was I?

Was I really ?

Because this sounds very different from what I was imagining. My plan had been to haul his impudent ass to my bed and fuck him until he cried, then lick the tears off his flushed cheeks while I came inside him .

But if this is the game he’s wanting to play, then I’ll play.

“What a lovely idea, Lucifer,” I say, and he smirks at the underlying threat in my voice. “Please, join us… Caddy, you’re welcome to come along as well.”

Understandably confused, Cadbury nods, probably wondering why I’m standing out here shirtless in the freezing snow. I’m nothing if not stubborn, though, and determined to hide my discomfort from Damien. “As you wish, Santa.”

“Come, Lucifer,” I purr, and his lip tugs up further at the double entendre.

“Aren’t you cold?” he asks, falling in step beside me.

“Why, do you want to return my sweater? I’m sure Xalreth would have a few heated opinions about what he’d see if you did.”

He laughs, pushing his hands up into the baggy sleeves and crossing them over his chest. “Nope, this is mine now.”

Something possessive purrs inside my ribcage at the sight of him in my clothes, and I try to hide my smile, but fail miserably. We walk into the barn, and I don’t miss the way his eyes light up at the reindeer in their stalls. In a jarring contrast to his earlier show of dominance, he now looks innocent and eager, almost youthful despite being centuries old.

He steps forward, then hesitates, and my grin downturns into a frown. “What’s wrong?”

In a rare display of nerves, he licks his lips and gestures towards the reindeer, and I glance at the enormous beasts. They are larger than most people realize, with fur that straddles the line between brown and gray. Soft, downy fuzz covers their noses, highlighted by the sun peeking through the windows.

“It’s just that… animals aren’t huge fans of demons. Most creatures avoid us and shy away, while others bolt and hide. On rare occasion, they even attack.” He gave me a quick shrug, but his eyes reveal the unspoken hurt he tries to conceal.

My heart gives a sudden pinch in my chest.

How can such a powerful man be so sweet —turning into a sad boy because he can’t cuddle all the animals? He yanks me from my thoughts when he adds, “Except cats, obviously . They adore demonkind.”

Is that obvious?

Is it?

I open my mouth to question him when he gestures at the reindeer. “They probably won’t like me.” The disappointment in his tone causes my heart to give another funny squeeze, but I understand the sentiment better than most.

Being a leader means people respect you. They tolerate and obey, put on a smile when they’re in your presence…

But it doesn’t mean they like you.

And he encounters rejection not only from peers but also from animals, for no reason other than the way he was born. His very nature pushes them away, warns of the impending danger he carries.

It warns me, too.

So why do I want to get so close ?

A burst of my magic is guided towards the reindeer, soothing them with its calming energy. “They’re very friendly, and I’m sure they’ll love you.” I take his hand and tug him along, but resistance makes me stop, glancing over my shoulder at him.

Looking at our hands, he appears fascinated by the sight of our fingers weaving, like he’s puzzled by how they fit together. His honey brown eyes move to mine, and for a fleeting moment, he’s vulnerable.

But then, like it was nothing more than a trick of the light, his calm cockiness returns. “Everyone loves me.”

“Of course they do,” I tease, lips twitching as he walks up to my side, hand still woven with mine. He doesn’t release me even as he reaches forward, tentative in a way he doesn’t normally let others see. When his fingers land on the reindeer’s snout, relief relaxes his posture before a sweet smile spreads over his lips. It nuzzles against his touch, and I can’t bring myself to look away.

Fingers raking through my hair, I stare at the stacks of unfinished business and trashed deadlines that cover my desk. It feels like a lost cause, a desperate attempt to catch up on everything that’s falling more and more behind.

How did I let myself get this far off schedule ?

My preoccupation with Damien can’t shoulder all the blame. Things were already running uncomfortably tight when he arrived on my doorstep, but now that he’s here, my attention is even more scattered.

At this rate, we won’t be done in time for Christmas, and that’s never happened. It’s not an option.

Exhausted, I scrub my hands down my face with a sigh, but a timid knock on my door interrupts my thoughts. “Santa?” Cadbury calls from the other side, and my fists clench in my hair before I take a calming breath, releasing the tension from my shoulders.

“Come on in.” As soon as I spot his expression, I’m tempted to slam the door and pretend he was never here. “Gods…” I groan, slumping in my seat. “What is it?”

“Nothing major, sir… well, at least, I don’t think it’s major.” Unable to find the energy to speak, I wave my hand, urging him to continue. “There seems to be a bit of a… record-keeping issue.”

Yep, I should’ve slammed the door. “What kind of record-keeping issue?”

“Like I said, I don’t believe it’s anything major. When the elves working in the electronics department were pulling supplies, there were some tools and materials that were… well, missing , for lack of a better word. The problem is likely as minor as someone neglecting to sign the log, but I thought it was necessary to bring it to your attention. ”

A small frown tugs at my lips as I rub my forehead. “It’s all electronics related?”

“Well, er… no…” he says, wringing his hands. “There are also a few missing heating elements and…” Cadbury pulls out a pocket-sized notebook and glances over the scribbles. “And quite a bit of silicone.”

“Silicone?” My brows shoot up in surprise.

“Yes, sir… we use it for suction cups and figurines, amongst other things.”

A headache threatens my temples as I shake my head, wishing I could fall asleep and wake to find this laundry list of problems solved. “Can you show me?”

“Of course, sir.” Cadbury opens the door and gestures for me to go first, the quiet of the hallway contrasting with the symphony of sounds coming from the workshop.

Lost in thought, it takes my brain a moment to notice the elf with fire engine red hair walking past, causing me to do a double take and turn around to watch them. “Who was that?!”

“Oh, er… that was Mallow, sir, but she’s going by Blayze with a Y now.”

What the hell?

Jujube comes into sight, looking far more cheerful than usual, with a pep in his step that hasn’t been there in years. “Yo, yo, Santa Daddy-O!” He’s loud, words lilting with a strange accent I don’t believe actually exists anywhere in the world. My brows dig deeper as I glance at the cut-out red H safety-pinned to his shirt .

What the actual fuck is going on around here?

Is this some sort of crazy fever dream?

Am I in a goddamned coma?!

Movement in the corner of my eye catches my attention, looking like it might come from the old Furby room. Right as I turn to look, Cadbury steers me into one of the storage rooms, and the thought slips away.

“This is where we’ve been finding the most discrepancies,” he says, handing me the supply logs to review. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure what I’m searching for, but I fixate on the list of names as if it holds the answers and will share its secrets.

A few minutes pass, and I realize that staring at the logs isn’t inspiring any dramatic breakthroughs, so I heave another tired sigh. “Will our production be impacted by the shortage?”

Cadbury shakes his head, taking the clipboard from my hands. “We’ll be fine for Christmas this year.”

That’s one positive tally mark, at least.

“Alright. Remind the elves to handle logging their supplies with more care to avoid any more issues. And if anything else… strange… happens, let me know right away.”

“Yes, sir, of course.”

“Oh, is there a party in here I wasn’t invited to?” Damien’s cheerful voice rings out from behind me, and I turn to find him with a giant grin on his face, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. He pushes off and takes a swaggering step towards me, absolutely coated in mischief .

“Why, Santa!” He puts his hand up beside his mouth as he whisper-shouts. “I didn’t know you were still in the closet!” As soon as he says it, his eyes get wide with glee. “It’s the Santa Claus-et!”

“Oh, my god,” I mutter, dragging my hands over my face as I groan. “Never say that again.” As I glance up at him, my grin grows wider at the sight of his proud smile beaming at me.

Then the fucker winks, and my brain goes fuzzy.

“Did you need something, Damien?” We haven’t seen much of each other since our excursion to the reindeer barn yesterday. I’ve been up to my eyeballs in paperwork and deadlines, drowning in my impending doom.

Good times.

“Oh, well…” Hesitating, he appears almost shy, causing me equal parts surprise and skepticism. This timid version of him is incredibly suspicious… more suspicious than normal, even, and that is a feat.

His eyes finally land on mine as those blonde lashes flutter. “I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner. With me. Tonight.”

My stomach flutters in response, but I clear my throat and attempt to keep my tone professional. “I suppose I owe you some time to discuss our ongoing issue.”

His tongue flicks out between his lips as his eyes dart away… and is that a blush forming on his cheeks?

Holy shit, it is .

A maroon flush that almost hides his freckles paints his face, and I’m mesmerized by it.

“While that is true, I was hoping for something of more of a…” He pauses, those eyes like molten honey as he meets my gaze again. “Personal nature.”

A satisfied smile plays on my lips as I step forward and grip his chin, tilting him towards me. “You wish to dine with me?”

“I do.”

I lean closer, placing my mouth near his ear. “And does this dinner involve dessert?”

“Only the sweetest kind,” he purrs back, and I press a barely-there kiss on the hinge of his jaw. A soft hum rises in his throat, not leaving his lips, and I move further until I pull the lobe of his ear between my teeth.

“Are you behaving?” I murmur as he shudders.

“Why does that feel like a trick question?”

I retreat and hold his gaze, so close we’re nose-to-nose. “Why does that answer feel like side-stepping? What are you up to?”

He smiles, a sweet, serene thing that is just terribly full of suspicion. “I’m the Devil, Nik… I’m up to a lot of things. And if I play my cards right, sounds like I’ll be…” His fingers tiptoe up my chest until they hook under the neck of my sweater and tug, pulling me forward until our lips brush. “Up to something big later.”

“Trouble,” I murmur, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before remembering that Cadbury is awkwardly standing to the side, pretending he isn’t witnessing this. “Be in my office at six-thirty sharp. Every minute you’re late, you’ll suffer the consequences.”

“Oh, now, don’t tempt me.” A sly grin appears on his face as I raise a brow, and I push the sleeve of my sweater up a few inches, causing the muscles in my forearm to flex in warning. “Yes, sir, I’ll be on time,” he murmurs, tracing a finger along a vein on my arm before smiling to himself and walking away, tail twitching in a little wave goodbye.