24. “Thank you for kidnapping me and for loving me so much.”

Chapter 24

“Thank you for kidnapping me and for loving me so much.”

KRAMPUS

I snicker as she throws her arms around me from behind, but they could never reach all the way around me. My horns harden, and my tail instinctively flicks toward her.

“Mmm, you’re wearing your big, Daddy Krampus corporate suit and look like you just came from a board meeting,” she says, weaving her way to my front, her eyes admiring me. I say nothing yet but still give her a hearty smile. She reaches up to touch the collar of my white business shirt. “But you’ve removed your tie and opened your collar and rolled up the cuffs of your sleeves. Amazing how I dreamed of this from the first time I came to Krampus World.”

“I remember.”

“Was the Board Meeting completely ruined because of me?”

I snort and roll my eyes. “You never ruin anything, min Twyla. Leave those greedy fossils to me.”

Her eyes flick to the expansive sweeping windows on the one side of the penthouse. “I see it’s snowing again.”

She smiles and tilts her head, brows scrunching. “Are you feeling better?”

Faen, those tender fingers touch my slabbed chest as she arches her neck to me. Those amber eyes glimmer in the firelight.

I nod. “Are you?”

Her nod is quicker than mine. “A little sore, but I’m so…happy doesn’t seem like the right word. Elated, maybe? No. I’m deliriously and incandescently joyful. That joy that only and always comes at Christmastime.”

“I haven’t even given you your Christmas presents, Twyla.”

Damn, my heart melts when she hugs me, pressing her cheek to my chest. “You’re my best present, Krampus.”

“And you, min Twyla. But I want to give you the most important one now…”

I reach for the special present I concealed on the mantle and hand it to her.

She scrunches her brow but does not lose her goofy, little smile. “A brown paper package?”

I smirk. “Tied up with red string. Open it, min kona.”

She tears into it with eager fingers, but those fingers freeze once the wrapping falls away. “Krampus!” she exclaims, but her voice croaks from her emotion. Her eyes cherish the gift, as do her fingers as they trace the words upon the bound book.

A Collection of Stories by Twyla

And underneath the initial title, the gold ink I magically fused into the manuscript comes to life.

Twyla, Queen of Yuletide, her Amorous Majesty, the Lady of the Winter Star, and Monstrous Mistress of the Solstice.

I tap the gold lettering, and when she lifts her eyes to mine, I explain, “They are for you…whatever you choose to do with them, min Twyla. I spoke to a business associate who will publish them if you desire. But the second title is for…my people.” Tears fall onto her eyelashes, blotting them like little silver snowflakes. As she parts her lips, I smile and continue, “If you wish it, all of Krampus Haven will gather in the town square. More will come once the word spreads. All the monsters in my realm will adore their Queen’s stories as much as they adore her.”

I tenderly tuck my fingers beneath her chin as she swallows, her eyes creasing in gratitude as I continue, “And if you wish to interview them, min Twyla, they would be more than enthusiastic. If you wish to write articles, you will never want for new subjects. Krampus Haven has never had a newspaper. I thought we might call it The Krampus Haven Chronicle. Or something.”

She shakes her head and stands on her tiptoes. I screw my brows down, wondering if I said anything amiss, but I still lower my head so she may kiss my cheek.

“The Krampus Haven Star.”

I kiss her mouth, feeding upon her dreamy lips for a moment. “Perfect.” I give her a toothy grin. “And Twyla, min kona, min dronning, your questions will always be welcome. Your stories will always be beautiful—a joy to me and others. Your belief in the magic of this world was always real, even if it could only be felt in your heart. And now, you live it every day with the greatest monster in the world who loves you.”

“Krampus…” her voice cracks right before she falls against me, burying her head in my lower chest.

Wrapping my arms around her, I rumble a purr to calm her trembling, “You may always be the naughty girl breaking the rules, min Twyla. But you are my naughty girl. And you are my golden one. My golden star. Whatever you do in this immortal life with me, your stories, your questions, your festive spirit, your love…they will always be enough. Because you will always be enough.”

“Thank you, Krampus,” she whispers and lifts her head, arching her neck to show me her lovely face, those flushed cheeks and eyes wet with her starry tears. “Thank you so much. Thank you for…being you. Thank you for kidnapping me and for loving me so much.”

“Whether or not you decide to try for a child, I will always be your Krampus. You have made me the happiest monster of all time, min Twyla. My happy ending and forever fairy tale beginning. Come…” I offer her my hand. “Let us go downstairs. You will sit near the tree, and I will enjoy your eyes lighting up and all your expressions as you open presents.”

Her shoulders lift, and she presses those lips into a familiar smile full of mischief. “Or we could go snowshoeing and get lost in the woods.”

I lower my brows, also recognizing the way she stands on her tiptoes and dances away from me. Laughing, she runs, fully expecting me to pursue. I shake my head with a grin, awed by my sweet stjerne.

As she scampers away, her soft laughter echoes in the penthouse like the ringing of little bells. Like the silver ones adorning the Krampus World tree.

Later, we will go for a walk in the snow together.

Long after my world has closed, and the public square has been roped off, I will escort her to that tree that rivals Times Square’s magnificent one. And with that childlike wonder in her eyes, I will lift up the ends of the new dress I bought for her, the one she will wear, and I’ll fuck her until she gives me those incandescent and delirious cries of joy.

And then…I’ll give her some eggnog.

The End

(Until Next Year! My next Christmas monster special will be a novella dualogy with a spin off on the Nutcracker! I will have more reveals closer to the holidays in “Emily Shore’s Reader Court” on Facebook.)