Krampus Gone Wild: A Lost Library Christmas Short by Baray Kate

Author:Baray,Kate
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-09-25T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 4

“Mmm, bacon.” Lizzie rolled over and inhaled, eyes still closed. She had a sense of déjà vu, but in the very best of ways. She must have slept late. But then an odd feeling crept up on her—as if she’d forgotten something, maybe something important. That sense of unease was quickly followed by a wash of panic. She sat up in bed, her heart racing. Then she remembered. “John!”

John popped his head into their bedroom. “I’m fine. Five more minutes, and I’ll even have breakfast.”

Lizzie scowled at him.

“With bacon,” he added, a hint of apology in his tone.

Lizzie fell back into bed, pulled the pillow over her head, and screamed.

Several seconds of silence passed, then she heard a muffled “Feel better?” from the general direction of the kitchen.

Lifting the pillow off her face, she contemplated chucking it across the room, but finally opted against it. “Yes, thank you.”

She rolled out of bed, but then immediately sank back down. “Ow.”

Her feet hurt. Her arms hurt. Her knees hurt. Her back hurt. Hell—everything hurt. She rubbed her itchy eyes, but the gritty feel just made the itch worse. Shower. She desperately needed a shower.

Twenty minutes later, she emerged into the kitchen feeling almost human again. Glancing at the clock, she did a double take. One p.m.? What about the truck? And this was their last day; they had to check out tomorrow by noon. And not to mention their still-at-large vicious rat-bastard Krampus attacker. Lizzie covered her face with both hands. Their one shot at a vacation, and this, all of this, happened.

John hugged her from behind. “It’s all going to be fine, and I’m okay.”

Lizzie tipped her head back against his shoulder. “I just can’t believe this is our vacation. And we’re not speaking about last night. Blood is one thing. But your blood… And poison? And then you couldn’t shift.” A shiver ran down her spine.

He hugged her tighter.

Lizzie ran her hand across his healed forearm.

“I changed this morning,” John whispered in her ear.

“Thank goodness. Wait a second.” She turned and backed up a step. “You cruised the condo community as a wolf, didn’t you?” She laughed at his unrepentant expression. “You’re terrible. We’re never going to be able to come back here again.”

“I’ll give the HOA a nice thank-you gift. It’s fine. By the way, the truck’s back. And not a single comment about us missing the pickup time, I might add. Nothing wrong that they can find beyond the tires, which are now replaced. And I’ve got a ride for us across the river.”

Lizzie chewed on the corner of her lip and tried not stamp her foot like the recalcitrant five-year-old she was currently channeling. “Yeah. I guess we have to do that. Can we please figure out some way to not get bit? I’m pretty sure it would send me to the hospital, and Lord knows what they’d think about Krampus venom.”

“About that.” John crossed his arms and rested a hip against the kitchen counter. “I called your buddy Harry to say thanks, and he gave me a little more information on Krampuses.

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