SNOWBALL’S CHANCE IN HELL

SIN DEMONS

MILA YOUNG

HARPER A. BROOKS

Snowball’s Chance in Hell © Copyright 2021 Mila Young & Harper A. Brooks

Cover Design by Jervy Bonifacio | Phoenix Design Studio

Proofreading by Nic Page and Robyn Mather

Visit our books at

www.milayoungbooks.com

https://harperabrooks.com

All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher/author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

DEDICATION

Readers: “We want more Sin Demons… But make it Christmas”

Mila & Harper: You got it :)

CONTENTS

Sin Demons Series

Snowball’s Chance in Hell

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

NEW Upcoming Release

About Mila Young

About Harper A. Brooks

Books By Mila Young

Books by Harper A. Brooks

SIN DEMONS SERIES

Playing With Hellfire

Hell In A Handbasket

All Shot To Hell

To Hell And Back

When Hell Freezes Over

Hell On Earth

Snowball’s Chance In Hell

SNOWBALL’S CHANCE IN HELL

Four demons for Christmas? It pays to be naughty.

Being the Queen of Hell has its perks... Like having four sexy demon lovers at your beck and call, and the power of the underworld at your fingertips.

It has its downsides too, like everyone trying to kill you for your throne. And that includes Krampus.

But when the winter demon steals someone close to me, my family and Christmas are thrown into the fire.

Looks like it's time to rain Hell on this Hallmark holiday.

There's a snowball's chance in Hell I'll let anyone take what's mine.

A holiday epilogue novella with a little bit of sugar, spice, and A LOT of sin. Don’t wait for Santa. Grab your copy now!

Snowball’s Chance in Hell is a book Holiday Special Edition of the Sin Demons Series.

CHAPTER ONE

ARIA

“Go to heaven for the climate, and hell for the company.” - Mark Twain

D orian drops to a bent knee in front of me, looking up expectedly. His gaze fixates on me and a grin curls his lips upward.

My heart thumps wildly in my chest.

Is he really about to do what I think he’s going to do?

One second, we are strolling through the park to view the Christmas decorations, and the next, he drags me in here, away from view of the families and kids swarming outside. To be alone.

Knowing Dorian, I had expected another one of his steamy make out sessions, but now he’s on one knee and I’m holding my breath, waiting for him to say those four special little words.

But am I ready for this?

Should I say yes?

What about Cain, Elias, and Maverick? Do they know about this too?

Dorian is one of four demons that I’ve fallen head over heels for. When my foster father sold my soul to them to save himself a year ago, I was determined to do all I could to escape their contract over me. But it didn’t take long for them to capture my heart as well. We’ve been through so much together—literally went to Hell and back—and now that I’m Queen and things have calmed down some, why not take the next step like…

A wedding.

“Sweetheart, I need to ask you something,” Dorian says with an earnest look in his eyes. Strands of dark-blond hair are swept off his handsome face.

I’m sweating bullets. I’m not sure how to react.

He licks his lips.

Oh, hell... Here it comes.

“Yeah?” I whisper breathlessly.

An evil grin splits his mouth. "One or two fingers?"

"E-Excuse me?" I blink with confusion. Is this a demon proposal thing that I don’t know about?

His eyes are filled with lust. My gaze zeros in on his full lips, then down to his massive hard-on.

No ring.

“How many fingers do you want me to finger fuck you with?” he finally asks.

My mouth falls, and he smirks like the ass he is. I hate that my cheeks are burning. Thanks to the dim light in Santa’s shed, he can’t see the look of embarrassment that’s written all over my face.

“Were you expecting something else?” he teases.

Grabbing hold of the first thing my fingers skim on the table behind me, I hurl a handful of tinsel at his face. “Just for that, you’ll have to use your hand tonight.”

His eyes widen with faux shock, but then he bursts into laughter. The delicious sound always has a way of making me wet. Part of me suspects he knows how it affects me, so he really draws it out much longer than he should.

I turn to leave, but his hands are suddenly on my waist and he twists me around for my back to meet on the fake gingerbread wall. He cages me in place with his body, forcing his knee between my thighs.

“Come on. Don’t be like that, gorgeous.”

I pretend to be miffed and attempt to push him away, but he doesn’t budge. “You aren’t leaving this little fuck-shack until I stick my cock into your sweet little pussy. Just you wait. You’re going to be begging for it.” His hand slips past the waistband of my pants.

“I can resist you, you know,” I say smugly. “Your compulsion power and your charms.”

“Is that so?” He chuckles, and the sound sends tingles down my spine. Seizing my wrists, he forces them over my head as he grinds his erection against me.

“I love it when you’re feisty.” The determination is clear in his eyes, and he has no intention of giving up.

We shouldn’t be doing this… Not now and definitely not in this shed that’s been decorated to look like Santa’s house and sits in the middle of the park.

Is that enough to make me stop him?

Absolutely not.

Even if he completely dashed any hopes I had for an engagement ring and proposal, the anticipation of doing the nasty in public and possibly getting caught is exciting. As screwed up as it may sound. Then, add an incubus demon who has two magical dicks and all the right moves, and how could a girl say no?

He studies my face for a moment, then holds my arms over my head with one hand tight around my wrists. The other hand skims down over my shirt, tugging at the buttons on the way down. Shoving the fabric aside quickly, he tugs down on the lace of my bra, testing its give.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” I snap, writhing against his grip. I know what he’s thinking, and he better not do it. I’ve lost count of how many undergarments I’ve thrown away because of these demons.

Grinning, he tears the lace easily.

Bastard.

He’s already unbuttoning my pants and shoving them down to my ankles. Then, he moves to my thong. With his thumb slipping under the elastic, he rips them off me, too.

I liked those!

“There, now you have a matching pair.” He tosses what remains of my underwear aside and cups my pussy with his hand.

I moan, and my whole body tenses.

Dammit. Why is it so easy to give in to him?

He doesn’t need his power of command to work on me. I’m putty in his hand without it.

“Fuck, Aria. I love when your pussy is so fucking wet for me.”

When his fingers dance along the seam of my pussy, I lose all ability to think. My back arches, and a whimper climbs up my throat.

“Good girl. I’ve got so much more for you,” he whispers, lowering his head and catching my nipple into his mouth. He sucks on the sensitive flesh possessively, and between my thighs he slides open my lips, and rubs tight circles over my swollen clit.

I moan, my mind and body drowning in lust.

He releases my breast and looks up at me, his eyes glazed over from arousal. “I fucking love you so much.” Then he lets go of my arms. His hands fall to the back of my thighs, and he lifts me up and off my feet with ease. I wrap myself around him, succumbing to my desire.

A quick flick of the button and zipper, and his cock is free.

“I love you,” I gasp, my grip on his shoulders tightening as I feel the pressure of his tip pushing into me.

“You want this? Tell me how much you want it,” he commands.

“Dorian, please. I need you to fuck me,” I purr, my hands sliding to his rock-hard biceps, and my fingers digging in to hold on.

“That’s it. Now be a good girl as I work my cock into you, my love. And maybe I’ll give you a reward afterward.” He flashes me the sexiest smile I’ve ever seen.

My pussy clenches around him while I lose myself to the sensation of him burying himself inside me, stretching me because there is nothing small about Dorian.

He drives into me, deciding he has no patience for taking it slow today, and choke out a gasp of pleasure at how deep he’s hitting me.

“That feels so good,” I moan, my head tilting back against the wall.

“Tomorrow when you walk around, that ache you’ll feel between your legs will remind you of me,” he growls, thrusting into me relentlessly.

He holds me tightly against him as my nails dig into his skin. His eyes stare into mine, piercing into my soul, as he continues plowing his dick into me. Our frantic rhythm makes the intensity build so fast that it crashes through me unexpectedly, rocking me and tearing me apart. I bounce on him, meeting him thrust for thrust, and our tongues tangle as his mouth crashes against mine.

The sound of my pounding heart in my ears is so loud, I barely hear Dorian’s growls as his own climax claims him. He pulses inside me, clinging to me like his life depends on it.

“Aria,” his voice chokes as he’s plunged deep into me.

Unable to remember how long I’ve been floating on the orgasm, the sharp sound of someone clapping rips me out of the perfectly blissful moment.

“Hell, I could watch that all day,” Elias boasts, his bronze eyes glinting in the dark. He’s standing in the open doorway, his massive size making it impossible for a passerby to get a good look inside. “I definitely could have done it better, but it was still quite the show.”

“You’re unbelievable. At least shut the freaking door,” I say to my hellhound.

“I think you meant to say amazing, Elias,” Dorian gloats. He slaps a hand on my ass to keep me close to him.

Elias kicks the door closed behind him, his lips pinched to one side as he studies my mostly naked body.

“You’re just lucky I didn’t have my phone on me to record it,” he says.

I swat at Dorian’s chest and pull away from him. “You two are unbelievable.”

I hastily grab my pants, drag them on, and then stuff all my ruined pieces of clothing into my back pocket. I can feel Dorian and Elias’s eyes on me the entire time.

“Anyway, Elias, why are you here? I told you guys it was my turn for a date night.”

“Cain has called for a family meeting,” Elias explains, running a hand through his shaggy dark hair. “An important one.”

Dorian grumbles. “Now? Really?”

“He knew you’d say something like that, so he told me to say…” He clears his throat and puts on his best Cain impression by straightening his back and holding his head high. When he speaks again, he even lowers his voice to mock the Pride demon. “’Yes, Dorian. I don’t want to fucking hear it. Come home right now.’”

Dorian leans closer to me and whispers, “How does he do that?”

He means how Cain somehow always knows what we’re thinking or what we’re about to say. Not Elias’s acting skills.

Elias seems proud enough in his abilities for the rest of us. “You know he hates to wait.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Dorian grumbles.

Every one of my men is as different as night and day, and their personalities have taken a bit to get used to. Cain, the sin demon of Pride, is the pack leader when it comes to my men—he’s in charge. His brother, Maverick, the sin demon of Greed, is the newest addition to our group, but he likes to push the limits. With everything. Then there’s my hunky incubus, Dorian, and the fiery hellhound shifter, Elias. Together, we make an incredibly tight-knit group,

“I wonder what this meeting’s for,” I say as we all make our way out of the Christmas house and join the masses again in the middle of the park. As usual, everyone turns and stares at the two godly looking men who flank me on either side. I don’t blame them. They’re quite a sight to behold.

And they’re all mine.

After we claimed reign over Hell, we came to an agreement with Cain and Maverick’s brothers that we’d share the responsibility of ruling. We take care of it for six months of the year, and then they step into the role so we can spend time on Earth. We almost made it six months without incident, but now I’m wondering if something’s gone wrong.

My stomach spins with worry. Is that the reason for Cain’s impromptu meeting?

“Is it Hell?” I ask in a whisper. Even with all the noise and Christmas music playing, I know Elias will hear me with his super canine senses.

Elias’s expression hardens, confirming whatever is happening, it’s bad. “Not Hell. But something has come up that may…delay our trip back.”

He’s choosing his words carefully, which only unsettles me more.

His brows pinch as he thinks of what to say next. “It’s looking like we’ll need to ask Torryn, Val, and Nix to keep a watch over Hell a bit longer.”

Not good.

“You’re really going to leave us hanging like that?” Dorian says, eyeing him.

With his expression deadly serious, he nods. “We need to get back.” He takes the lead and starts weaving in and out of the patrons, forcing us to hurry to catch up.

When we reach the parking lot, Elias still doesn’t slow. I’m not a hellhound or demon, so my human lungs are gasping for air.

“Elias! Wait!”

He heads straight to the Town Car where Holmes is waiting with the engine running.

“Don’t worry,” Dorian says beside me as he speed walks with long strides. “Whatever it is, it can’t be worse than the end-of-world shit we’ve already faced, right?”

“Right…” But honestly, I’m not so sure.

“Elias!” Annoyance growing, Dorian breaks into a run after him, leaving me behind. When Elias continues to ignore him, Dorian grabs him by the shoulder, forcing him to stop, and wrenches him around to face him. “Elias, come on, man. Tell us. What the fuck’s going on?”

Finally, I catch up, huffing and puffing. My lungs are frozen from sucking in so much frigid winter air.

“Talk,” I demand while Dorian stands at his side, looking ready to wrestle him to the ground if he doesn’t cooperate.

“Just spill it,” Dorian says.

“Fuck. Fine.” Elias throws his hands up. Then his gaze falls onto me and sadness touches his face.

Oh no… Something’s really wrong. My chest pinches.

Defeated, he sighs heavily. “There was another break in at the mansion. It happened so fast. We had no clue until we heard Cass screeching from your bedroom.”

Screeching?

“Is he hurt?” I blurt out, my insides buzzing with panic. Cass is my pet, my friend, that I found lost in the woods while running from a crazy dragon shifter. We were both orphans, so I felt for the little guy and took him in. He’s been part of the family ever since.

Just thinking of something bad happening to him has my head spinning.

“What happened?” I grab onto Elias’s sleeve desperately. “Tell me! Is he okay?”

Elias collects me into his arms. “Cass is gone. We think whoever broke in took him.”

“Are you kidding?” Dorian snaps. “Who wants a thousand-pound lynx cat? Cruella DeVil?”

The words take a moment to sink in—really sink in.

Took him? Someone kidnapped my Cass?

Dorian’s pelting Elias with questions, like “Do we know who did it?” and “Was anything else taken?” but I’m having a hard time listening to their exchange.

When the realization of it finally punches me in the gut, I’m struck with inconsolable rage. Not fear. Fury. My entire body shakes with the force of it.

Someone stole Cass. Stole him from me.

No one hurt my family, pet or otherwise.

I push away from Elias and ignore his sympathetic eyes. Sensing my anger and distress, Sayah, the Leviathan creature, swirls inside me, attracted to the idea of a fight and revenge. Letting her out here is too risky, but her darkness is fueling my already heightened emotions.

We need to get back to the mansion.

Without another word, I throw myself into the Town Car.

“Aria?” Dorian’s climbing in after me, followed by Elias.

“Let’s just get home,” I say. It feels like we’ve already wasted too much time already.

The moment Elias is inside and Dorian closes the car door, Dorian slaps Holmes’s headrest and says, “You heard the lady, Holmes. Punch it.”

The engine roars and he gives it a flood of gas. We fly out of the parking lot and into the dark street, leaving the glittery lights of the Christmas displays behind.

I’m coming, Cass. I’ll find you. I promise.

CHAPTER TWO

ARIA

W e gather in the parlor, around a bowl filled with blood, bones, fresh grave dirt, and whatever else the sorcerer told Ramos to get for this dark spell. I figure it’s better I don’t know since I have to lean in close to the reddish, muddy liquid and talk, like an underworld telephone.

As gross as it is, it has to be done. It’s the only way to communicate between planes.

Doesn’t mean I’m actually looking forward to this, though.

I stare into the bubbling mess and try not to think about how bad it smells. I breathe through my mouth to prevent myself from gagging. Or worse...throwing up, which I came dangerously close to last time we had to do this.

Thinking of Cass and some terrible situation he may be in right now, my stomach churns anyway. He must be so scared. We’re the only family he knows, he trusts. Then some monster breaks in and steals him away?

And I say monster because the hole in my ceiling is massive, like a wrecking ball crashed in. Besides the destruction and rubble, all that we found were some tufts of Cass’s hair, some tree branches, and lots and lots of snow. Nothing else to really go on.

I can’t even imagine his fear. He’s still a baby, after all, even with his enormous size. I should’ve been home. I could have protected him.

Cain assured me there’s nothing I could have done, and if I was home, in bed, the roof would’ve collapsed on me so it was better I wasn’t there, but that does little to ease my worry.

I just want Cass home. Safe. I can’t stand not knowing where he is. I’d stick my whole damn head in this bowl of goop if it’d lead me to my lynx.

Shaking my head, I press my arm against my stomach to stop the nerves jumping around in there.

Warm hands slide up my arms, and from Sayah’s wiggle of recognition inside me, I know it’s Cain without needing to turn. Our dark magic has always been our unique link to each other in a way, and with the Leviathan creature attached to my soul stronger than ever, Cain and I have been even more in tune with each other than before. It’s like he knows when I’m upset, or distraught, like now, and when to step in or leave me alone, if need be.

Now, I welcome his touch and the heat of him pressing against me.

“Aria.” His voice is as gentle as his fingers are as they continue to caress my arms up and down. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

What? Chat with the demons in Hell to see what I’m missing while being up here for six months instead of searching for Cass? Yeah, sure.

Since Torryn, Nix, and Val have been running Hell in my place while I’ve been on earth these last six months, we’ve been communicating like this regularly to see how Hell’s citizens have been handling the new rules and changes. There was some resistance at first—a living soul governing a demon realm sounded ludicrous to me too when Cain had given me the crown—but it was nothing Torryn wasn’t able to snuff out quickly. Being the sin demon of Wrath, he is quite an intimidating guy. Especially in his monstrous, half bull, half man form.

Our earthly stay is coming to an end, and after the holidays, we’re supposed to head back through the gate to take the throne again.

I am more interested in asking the three sin demon brothers if any of them have heard anything about a demon trying to mess with us by coming after Cass. Or, more specifically, Nix, since he’s the king of gossip. If it was something Hellish that took Cass, he’d know.

“Aria?” Cain asks again, and it’s then I realize I never answered his question out loud.

“Yes, I’m worried. More about Cass than this call,” I confess, but it’s true.

“We’ll see if my brothers have heard anything about this attack,” he replies as if he’s read my mind somehow. “My guess is that whoever took Cass was trying to get to you, and when you weren’t home, they took whatever they could grab for leverage.”

Is that supposed to make me feel better?

“Even if that was a one-ton giant cat,” Elias goes on and rolls up his long sleeves.

“I thought you’d be jumping for joy now that he’s gone,” Dorian teases from across the table. “Now you can stop pissing on everything to mark your territory.”

Elias huffs, anger creasing his brow. “I don’t piss—”

But Maverick’s booming laughter cuts him off. “Is that what that smell is? I was wondering.”

“Fuck off. The both of you.”

Dorian and Maverick erupt into a fit of laughter, but when Cain cuts them a hard glare, they stop abruptly.

“Sorry,” Dorian grumbles and fakes a cough to cover it up. Then he turns back to Elias. “Besides, I think it’s cute that you care for the feline. Even with your animal’s baser instincts.”

Elias opens his mouth to retort that comment too, but a gurgling voice rises from the bowl between us all, making everyone freeze.

“Shit,” Elias says instead. “It’s Torryn.” The liquid mixture bubbles before our eyes, and with every one that pops, another muffled word is expelled, as if said on an exhale of held breath but under water. It’s not easy to understand.

“Try not to worry.” Cain’s breath is hot across my ear. “We’ll get Cass back before we’re due back to Hell.”

I nod, even though he knows me much better than that. I worry about everything.

Leaning closer to the bowl, I swallow down the acid burning my throat and listen hard for Torryn’s next words.

The rest of my men all gather around me.

Elias waves his hand, telling me it’s time to talk.

“Hello? Torryn?” I call out. “Anyone hear me? Hello? Are you still there?”

More bubbles rise, and as they pop one by one, a dark chuckle rises from the inside of the bowl. “There you are,” the demon replies.

Hearing the obvious annoyance in his tone, I bite my lower lip. “How is everything going down there? Give me any updates.”

And only good news, please.

Only silence answers, and my body stiffens.

“Uh, Torryn?”

“Aria, when are you coming back?”

There’s urgency in his tone. Even through the mixture’s distortion, I can hear it. “Soon,” I hedge. “On the new year, as planned.”

There’s silence again, and Cain shifts uncomfortably behind me. He knows something’s not right, too.

“Why?” I press. “Is everyone okay down there?”

“Tensions are running high,” he answers, which is the last thing I want to hear. Bubbles begin to rise and pop like rapid fire as his words speed up. “People are getting unruly. Even the loyal ones want to see their queen home. There is still uncertainty about the arrangement, and I can see why. Hell’s always had one ruler, not someone who’s out and about for half the year, gallivanting with humans.” He spits the last word in disgust before continuing. “You need to reassure them that you are their queen. The true ruler. Maybe scare them a bit with the Leviathan to shrink them back into submission. I think it’s best—”

There’s the sound of a light scuffle before I hear Valdim speak, the sin demon brother of Gluttony. “Hi, Aria! How are you, dear?”

“Hi-Hi, Val,” I stammer. My head’s still reeling from all Torryn’s said.

“What my sweet, stupid brother is trying to say, is that things are getting a bit…antsy. It’s nothing we can’t handle yet, but we think having you home will fix any lingering doubts amongst the crowds.”

So that’s the sugar-coated version, while Torryn’s is the brutally honest one.

My insides spin with nerves. First, I lose Cass, and now I’m about to lose my kingdom, too?

“We’ll be down there for the new year. As planned.” Cain steps forward, a commanding presence. “Do what you must to assure the masses and snuff out any doubts.”

I hate that he has to take command like that. It makes me feel like I’m not fit to be queen and stirs old doubts. It doesn’t help that he radiates authority just standing in a room.

I on the other hand…

Torryn’s voice returns to the conversation. “Of course. But don’t you think—”

“Come on, now Torri.” It’s Nix chiming in now. “I think we can handle it from here. It’s just a few more days.”

Torryn’s annoyed grumble sounds more like a gurgle through the liquid.

“Aria,” Nix begins, his voice much more sympathetic than his brothers’. “While doing my usual digging around, I…heard something odd…”

Odd? Coming from the Lust demon, that means a lot.

Maverick rolls his eyes. He’s always the least amused with Nix’s dramatics. “Out with it, man!”

“People down here have been chatting about that pesky winter demon, Krampus, wanting to challenge the throne. I thought it was a load of shit, since no one’s heard a peep from him for half a century, but this was coming from a few crossroads demons. Not just one. I figured it’s safer to warn you than not. Especially during the Yule, he’s at his strongest. I’d keep my eye out. He may be going to try something devious.”

I pause, wondering if I heard him right.

Krampus? As in the horned, evil goat-like creature? The one parents used to tell their kids would steal them away or beat them with branches if they misbehaved?

I burst out laughing. I can’t help it.

I laugh until I’m wheezing and my eyes tear up. Demons have the weirdest sense of humor, but that one was funny.

Krampus? Yeah right.

When I finally catch my breath again and wipe away the tears from my eyes, I peer up at the four demons around me and notice they’re all staring at each other with great concern. Not one of them had even cracked a smile. Not even Dorian.

Their anxious glances have my stomach flipping. Even the bowl is eerily quiet.

“There’s no way Krampus is real,” I say it out loud to really drive it home. My gaze dances between each of my demons’ faces but their expressions never change. “No way. No way.”

Cain’s the first to move. He leans closer to the bowl to speak to his brothers directly. “He’s already been here,” he says, which shocks the shit out of me. He believes this crap? Seriously? “He broke into Aria’s room while she was out with Dorian and stole her lynx pet.”

“Fuck,” Maverick tacts on. “This is bad.”

They’re messing with me, right? Krampus stole Cass?

Just thinking about the absurdity of it has another giggle fit brewing.

“He’s real, Aria,” Elias says, muscles stiff. “And insanely powerful. Especially so close to Christmas.”

“He’s an old fucker,” Dorian goes on. When his gaze swings my way, his eyes are deadly serious. “Mostly keeps to himself, unless he’s out looking for children to eat—”

“Wait, did you say children to…”

“Their souls, my love. And yes. Krampus prefers the souls of the youth,” Cain explains. “It’s where his lore originated from.”

“That’s monstrous,” I gasp.

Wait… Was I really falling for this nonsense? “But Krampus… He’s actually real?”

All four of them nod in unison.

“And a demon,” Nix pipes in from the bubbles. “A nasty one at that.”

I snort. “Next you’re going to tell me Santa’s real, too.”

“I don’t know about him, but Krampus is most definitely real,” Dorian replies without missing a beat.

“But then… Why would he take Cass? He’s not a kid.”

“He was coming for you,” Cain says, his voice a low rumble and tinged with anger. “Now he’s using Cass to get to you.”

“I say we take Christmas on the road and pay dear ol’ Krampus a little visit. Spread some holiday cheer,” Maverick says with that dangerous glint in his eye that I know all too well.

“I second that,” Elias growls. “We get the cat back and make an example of him to anyone else who thinks the queen can be messed with.”

“Oh! Oh!” Can I come?” Nix asks. Even the gurgling sounds can’t mask his excitement. “I always wanted to meet the goatman and go to the Bavarian Alps.”

Bavarian Alps? Isn’t that extremely far? And cold?

I shiver just thinking about it.

But I’ll do anything to get Cass back. Skip Christmas, climb a mountain, kick some Krampus tail… whatever.

“Sorry, Brother. We need you three in Hell to put out fires there. We’ll handle the troubles here,” Cain answers.

“Dammit.” I can imagine Nix’s fake pout and all. “Fine.”

“Until next time,” Val signs off, and when the last bubble pops, the murky waters turn still, the last of the dark magic extinguishing.

Krampus stole Cass to get to me and there’s a war brewing in Hell…

How am I supposed to be the Queen they all expect me to be? That they need me to be?

Groaning, I push the doubt away and find myself leaning back into Cain’s strong arms. He envelops me, his skin hot and his familiar scent calming me immediately.

“You don’t have to come with us,” he says softly against my ear. “Three of us can go, take out Krampus, and bring Cass back. You can stay here with whoever you want to stay behind.”

I know he’s trying to ease my fears, but I can’t leave the rescue of Cass to them. He’s my lynx. I raised him. I should be the one to find him and bring him home.

And by threatening my throne, Krampus is threatening my family, and that’s something I can’t allow either.

“No, I’m coming,” I say with a sigh. “Besides, the holidays are around the corner, and it won’t feel like Christmas if we’re not together.”

“What I’m hearing is that you want us to dress up like polar bears again,” Dorian says with a wink.

Maverick’s laughter booms. “I’m sorry… What? You dressed up like what?”

“I don’t think we ever told him that story,” I say, my lips lifting at the memory of the demons dressed up and all the Coca-Cola and Hess trucks they’d gotten to fill the place.

Count on demons to misinterpret holiday commercials…

But it was cute. And hilarious. It’s definitely something I’ll never forget.

Dorian smirks. “I think we should dress Maverick up this year. You know, as an initiation into our group.”

“Oh, fuck no,” he replies instantly. “No fucking way.”

“We could use a reindeer… I’m sure we could find some antlers somewhere. Maybe a red nose...” Dorian muses.

Maverick growls. “Fuck you.”

I laugh. “There’s no need to dress up. As long as we’re all together, I don’t care where we are or what we do.”

“Well, you know how that Christmas song goes.” Dorian clears his throat and begins to mock-sing, “‘All I want for Christmas is my…’”

“Oh, wait,” Maverick interrupts him. “I actually think I know this one. I heard it the other day. ‘All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.’” He glances at me for confirmation. “Right?”

I’m about to answer, but Dorian cuts me off.

“Two front teeth? No. Who the fuck wants that? It’s ‘All I want for Christmas is my two dicked demon,’ of course. And I wouldn’t miss this adventure, so there you go.”

Elias chokes on his next breath, sputtering and coughing so hard his face turns bright red. Maverick’s laughing more at Elias’s reaction than Dorian’s bad joke, and Cain even chuckles behind me.

It doesn’t take long for me to join in, too.

CHAPTER THREE

CAIN

K  nowing what must be done, we pack into the private jet and start the long journey to find Krampus, the winter demon.

Do I believe he hasn’t already killed Aria’s pet?

Let’s just say I would be more surprised if he hadn’t. It’s a harsh truth, one I know she’d be devastated if I told her that. I’d much rather cling to the slim chance that Cassiel is still alive and do whatever is needed to ease her fears. Aria’s been harboring a lot of stress recently with being Hell’s new queen and the reemergence of Sayah, the leviathan living within her, and she means too much to me to not at least try.

Then there’s the little issue of Krampus now wanting to challenge us. After all we have sacrificed and fought for, he thinks we’re weak. He thinks he can steamroll over us.

He’s greatly mistaken.

The jet’s interior is comfortably outfitted and lush, like most of the things we own in the living plane. But, with four demons, one woman, and the crew members, it’s a bit more crowded than usual, and we have quite a long trip.

It isn’t long before boredom sets in for all of us. Dorian has earbuds in his ears and is watching something on his cellphone, while Elias is dead asleep with his head back and mouth wide open, snoring like a bear. When I peek up from the book I’ve been reading, I find Aria fidgeting in her seat. Her eyes are glued out the window at the dark sky, her fingers picking nervously at her nails.

Just staring at her in her plain black leggings and oversized sweater has my pulse racing and my thoughts turning dark. I can’t help but think back to the first time Aria and I had taken this plane together. It had been on a fake lead Maverick had sent us on, a trap, but it had been one of the first times she’d let me touch her. Please her.

I’d been so stubborn then, refusing to admit my feelings for her, but the craving soon took over and before I knew it, I had her in my lap, fingering her fiercely and wishing it was my cock buried inside her instead.

We've come so far since then. I hunger for her in the same way.

I don’t know how she can affect me so strongly without even trying, but I’ve given up trying to find the reason behind it.

My brother, Maverick, sits closest to her, and when I catch his eye, the same thought seems to pass over his face. Even though he’s the newest to our family, Aria’s managed to bewitch him like the rest of us.

Aria senses my attention on her and looks over, blinking those big brown eyes at me.

Again, she’s done nothing extraordinary, but somehow I’m flushed with heat. All I can think about is reliving that moment on the plane on our way to Missouri.

And…taking it further.

Even better.

“What’s the matter?” she asks innocently. When she glances at Maverick and sees he’s staring at her with a wolfish grin, her cheeks redden. “You both look like you want to eat me.”

Warmth curls inside of me, but before I can say a word, Maverick beats me to it. “Who says we don’t?”

Nervous, her gaze hops around the plane. Dorian’s still lost in his screen and Elias releases another loud snore.

“But…now?” she whispers.

“The perfect time,” Maverick replies.

When I lift a brow at him, he shrugs as if to say, “What? There’s no way you’re excluding me.”

An idea forming, I scan the length of the jet, spotting the bathroom, and push to my feet.

Aria’s voice cracks. “Cain?”

My demon is already pushing against my human form, wanting to dominate her, needing out. As selfish as I can be when it comes to my Aria, I’m never going to deny her a chance at being worshipped and adored.

I smirk. “Brothers are supposed to share, right?”

“That’s right.” Grinning, Maverick jumps up next, snatches her wrists, and tugs her to stand. “So, what’s the plan, Brother?”

Aria tries to tug her hand out of his grasp. “Maverick. Cain, wait—”

We ignore her.

“Bathroom. Now,” I command.

“Bathroom?” Her eyes widen in surprise. “But… But…”

She may still be a little shy when it comes to more public forms of sex, but her intense desire buzzes across the magical bind between us, telling me the truth. The idea of having both of us at once excites her. And with the added possibility of getting caught? It heightens the thrill of it even more so.

Maverick is almost giddy as he pulls Aria toward the back of the plane. “I’ve always wanted to join the mile high club after hearing about it,” he mutters. “This is gonna be fucking great.”

I know the guilt is weighing heavily on Aria, not only for Cass but for the issues we’re leaving behind in Hell, so a little sex is just the thing to get her mind off everything.

Off my mind, too. She’s always been my much needed distraction.

The moment I yank open the bathroom door, Maverick pushes her inside and steps in immediately after her. The space is bigger and spotless compared to most airplane restrooms, but with two big demons inside, it’s a cramped squeeze. Especially when I close the door behind me.

Maverick grabs Aria from behind, while I capture her from the front, loving the sharp gasping sound she makes as we pin her between us. I press my erection against her, and she peers up at me through long lashes.

“You’re both ready to go,” she says breathlessly.

“One look at you is all it takes,” I say. Honest.

Maverick whistles low. “You know what you do to us. You know being around you turns us into walking hard ons. We can’t help ourselves.”

Aria laughs and the sound shoots straight down to my cock. “A girl can use a reminder now and again.”

“Then we’ll help you remember,” I reply. “Always.”

Aria always feels so fucking amazing under my hands. She’s the drug I’ll never quit, the one I’ll never tire of.

As I trail my hand up to her sweater to cup her most perfect breasts, Maverick lowers his mouth to her neck and nips along her earlobe until goosebumps rise.

Her nipples harden under my palms, and I take one between my thumb and forefinger and pinch down hard.

Aria sucks in a sharp breath and the intoxicating mixture of pleasure and pain flashes on her face.

Fuck, I love when she does that.

A growl rumbles in my throat.

“We don’t have a lot of time to play this slow,” Maverick says, voice growing huskier by the second. His hand comes around her neck, forcing her head back. “Let’s just bend her over now and fuck her.”

Usually, I’d scold Maverick for being so impatient—he’s always in a hurry to rush to the finish line—but right now the primal hunger inside of me needs an outlet and seeing her helplessly trapped between us has my demon clawing for the prize.

A shudder of anticipation shoots across our bond, telling me she’s enjoying this quick and rough play as much as we are. And when Maverick grabs her ponytail and gives it a hard yank, a moan escapes, confirming it.

“That’s it,” Maverick coaxes, pressing his mouth against her cheek. “She fucking loves it when it hurts. Don’t you, Aria?”

She whimpers, and my cock jerks at the sound.

Not only is Aria driving me insane right now, but Maverick’s challenging me at the same time. I’m always the one in control. I’m the one with the level head, despite the situation we’re facing, but when it comes to her, it’s hard to stay that way.

And he knows that.

Even with that in mind, fighting my desire for this woman is pointless. It’s a game I’ll never win.

When I meet Maverick’s gaze again, he cocks a brow.

Fine. There’s no need to keep her waiting then.

I grab handfuls of her sweater and rip it clean off her, exposing the creamy expanse of her chest and the thin scrap of lace she calls a bra.

Maverick hoots, impressed. “Now, that’s more like it.”

“C-Cain.” Her voice trembles.

We’re so close to each other, but somehow it doesn’t feel close enough. A deep inhale brings the scent of her arousal to me, and I nearly lose it right there. The fragments of my control are slipping fast.

I want to fuck her mouth, feel the curve of her throat as I pump inside her over and over relentlessly. I want her gagging on my cock, and when I’m ready, I want to push myself so deep when I spill my seed, that she has no choice but to swallow me down. All of me.

That's all I can think of.

The devious smile on Maverick’s face tells me he wants the same thing I do.

He reaches around to take the other breast in his hand, and with Aria distracted, I lower my attention to her leggings. Ripping them off would be easy, but to save her one piece of clothing, I simply jerk them down to her ankles with her panties, exposing her.

Our girl. Our queen.

Wasting no time, I run a finger along her folds and feel the wetness already pooling there. Then, holding her gaze, I lift the finger to my lips and suck.

“Fuck…” she murmurs.

It seems Maverick is done waiting because he wrenches Aria out of my grasp. She wiggles as he twirls her and pins her up against my chest. I wrap a hand around her automatically, and he uses me to lift her legs up and open to flick his tongue against her core.

“Mmm, delicious,” he says, his face buried in her pussy. A twinge of jealousy stirs within me. I can’t help it. There has always been a string of competitiveness between all the sin demon brothers, and even though I had welcomed Maverick into our home, our life, it doesn’t change that fact.

I must be the one to make her come first. Me. Not him.

When Aria moans, her arm looping around my neck, I tilt her back even further so I can capture her mouth in a rough kiss, wrestling with her tongue in time with my brother’s movements below. I pinch her nipples with one hand while the other holds her steady, my rock-solid cock pressing against her ass cheeks.

Maverick continues to work on her as I squeeze her breast hard enough to hurt. All I can think about is getting her on her knees and driving my dick into that wicked mouth of hers.

Aria twists in my arms, her back arching and her mouth opening in a frozen gasp.

Too close to orgasm.

Maverick peeks up at me, a mischievous gleam in his eye, and I know what he’s thinking. We may not have said this was a competition out loud, but we both know that this is.

And it’s one I’m going to win.

I let go of her ass, forcing her to drop her feet just before Maverick can finish her off.

He glares up at me, a curse hovering on his lips, but before he can say a word, I spread Aria’s legs again, undo my fly, and dive my cock into her without mercy. Her pussy grips me so tightly that I groan.

Shit, she feels amazing.

“Really?” Maverick huffs, annoyed, as he stands and wipes the wetness from his mouth.

“What?” I say nonchalantly as I slowly slide out of her, listening to her moan for more. “Thanks for getting her ready for me.”

“You sonofa—”

Then I begin to pick up the pace, seizing her by the elbows and slamming into her harder with each thrust.

“Don’t forget about me, beautiful.” Maverick’s finger glides up from her cleavage to the curve of her throat. He forces her chin up so that she can meet his eyes.

Then, he grabs her roughly by the back of the neck and crushes his mouth against hers.

I buck my hips as my brother devours her mouth and paws at her breasts, tugging her nipples to sharpen the pleasure.

We’re both possessive when it comes to Aria. Dominating. Ruthless.

Fucking her is no different.

Pounding into her, I speed up to an almost punishing pace, knowing she can handle all of this and more. She’s panting against his lips, barely able to suck in enough air between my thrusts and his harsh kisses.

“Fuck…” she manages to croak out between gasps. “I can’t—I can’t—”

“Yes you fucking can,” I growl as I continue to fuck her deeply. Relentless thrusts. Burying into her tight pussy while my fingers bite into her hips.

I close my eyes, savoring the complete ecstasy radiating over me. “You feel so fucking good.”

My brother grunts his agreement, and when I crack open my eyes, I see that he’s using his hold on her neck to shove her mouth down onto his dick. With one leg propped on the closed toilet’s lid, he shoves his hips up at the same time, forcing her to take all of him with each thrust.

She slurps and makes gurgling noises, and Maverick’s head falls back as pleasure consumes him too.

“Holy shit, that’s so fucking hot,” he cries out as he makes her bob up and down on him faster. “Yes, yes, yes! Shit. Take it all like the dirty little thing you are.”

I wanted that to be me fucking her throat, but the sight of him doing it to her has me falling apart just the same, and I roar as my body comes hard into hers.

I lift her hips to slam my final harsh thrusts into her. Her muscles clamp down on me, and as her climax finally peaks, a scream rips past her lips, only to be forcibly silenced by Maverick’s cock again. With a sudden growl, Maverick pushes her head down onto him as his own orgasm takes hold. She gags and sputters, her nails digging into his legs, but he doesn’t release her yet.

“Swallow it all, Aria,” he commands, tapping her cheek. I watch her throat work to do as he says, and he smiles. “Good girl. That’s it. I knew you could do it.”

Slowly, he slides out of her mouth and lets her breathe again.

We both draw back, helping Aria stand again on wobblier legs. It takes her a minute, but she’s able to pull up her leggings, smooth out her ponytail, and regain her senses again. Since her sweater was a casualty, I offer her my dress shirt for now. At least until we can grab something from our suitcases in the front.

Even when everything has calmed, Maverick’s cocky smirk doesn’t falter. “I think it’s safe to say I won,” he says.

Aria’s sex-drunken, bedroom eyes scan us both over. “Won? What do you mean?”

“Just some healthy sibling rivalry,” I reply. “Unfortunately, Maverick's a bit delusional.”

“Delusional? You played dirty, and you know it. I would’ve had her coming within seconds if you hadn’t put her down.”

I shrug. “All's fair in love and war.”

“Wait… You both were trying to see who could make me…” Aria trails off, unable to finish the sentence.

“Come first, yes,” Maverick says. “Like Cain said, it was just some usual brotherly competition.”

She quiets for a long moment, and I begin to wonder if we’d done something wrong by making the sex into a bit of a game between us. Could we have hurt her feelings in some way? I’m not sure.

But then, to my surprise, she laughs, and the sound has relief washing over me.

“It sounds more like I won,” she says, laughing even harder.

Maverick moves around us to open the door, and we all but stumble into the cabin after being cramped into such a small space for so long.

When we stroll back into the main area and take our seats again, Dorian’s still looking at his phone and Elias hasn’t moved an inch during his nap.

Maverick hooks a thumb his way. “Do hellhounds hibernate?” he jokes. “He’s dead to the world right now. And this one—” he nods towards Dorian. “He must be watching porn. I haven’t seen him blink once.”

“There’s no need to watch porn when everyone on this goddamn plane can hear you three going at it in the bathroom like a bunch horny teenagers.”

Dorian’s voice shocks us all, and when he finally looks up, he pulls out his earphones and turns his phone so that we can see that it’s been off this entire time.

“You were listening to us?” Maverick asks. “You pervert.”

“Incubus,” he corrects with a broad grin. “Sex demon, remember?”

Aria laughs. “To be fair, we were a little loud.”

“A little?” Now it’s Dorian’s turn to chuckle. “I’m pretty sure Gabriel and all his angel buddies heard you up in Heaven. You probably made God blush, the old prude.”

That has us all sputtering with laughter, and instead of worrying about Krampus and Cassiel and her throne, Aria spends the remaining hours of the flight joking around with the rest of us. Unbothered, carefree, and simply enjoying herself.

And you know what? So do I.

CHAPTER FOUR

DORIAN

I t’s cold as shit in Germany.

Of course, the moment we cross country lines, we end up flying into a huge ass snowstorm. We hit turbulence, and things got scary there for a bit, especially when landing, but our pilot handled it well and we touched down on the tarmac without losing a wing.

Instead of being here for a nice, mid-winter getaway, we’ve traveled across the world to hunt down an old ass demon who thinks he can steal someone else’s property and get away with it.

It’s not just Aria’s lynx–he’s after the throne.

Which means, he’s out to get my gorgeous girl. And that’s just not going to fly.

When we step out of the plane, the storm slams into us like a Mack Truck. It’s biting cold—freezing—and Elias is forced to scoop Aria into his arms and rush her into the waiting Jeep.

Did I ever mention that Hell creatures and the cold just don’t mix? Why Krampus chose to live up here I’ll never understand.

But again, he is a winter demon, so I guess he’s used to the below freezing temperatures. Unlike us.

We all pile in and the driver expertly steers us through the blinding whiteness and as far into the Bavarian Alps as the car can go. From there, a helicopter is waiting for us to make the rest of the journey higher and into more dangerous territory.

I don’t know how, but Cain was able to find a pilot just crazy enough to charter us tonight, even through this storm. Then again, money talks in this realm, and that’s something we have plenty of.

As we settle ourselves into the helicopter and strap in, I notice Aria’s looking a little paler than usual under all the layers of winter gear. Her eyes keep drifting outside, where the wind pelts the sides of the craft and snow whips all around us.

“You okay?” I whisper to her, leaning in closer.

She peeks up at me. “Hm? Oh, yeah. I’m fine.”

A blatant lie.

“Really? Cause you look a little green.”

Her brow furrows.

“Like you’re going to be sick,” I explain.

She swallows roughly. “Yeah…I am a bit nauseous. After all that turbulence on the plane…and now flying into a blizzard, it’s getting to me.”

“This isn’t going to be easy,” Elias says from his spot at the back. His massive frame takes up two chairs.

“Yeah, no shit,” Maverick snaps beside him. With barely any room left because of Elias, he’s practically smashed against the window. “Why do I get to sit next to the giant?”

Seated at Aria’s left, Cain looks at his younger brother from over his shoulder. “As Dorian said before. Initiation.”

I snort a laugh.

“Initiation! But it’s been a year! When will I stop being considered the new one?” Maverick elbows Elias in the ribs to try and get him to move over. He doesn’t budge.

“Ask Elias,” I say. “He had that title before you came along.”

Maverick elbows him again, which Elias returns so hard, the side of Maverick’s head hits the window with an audible thud.

“Shit, man! Really?”

“A hundred years, give or take,” Elias grumbles, ignoring Maverick’s pain. “Or until Aria decides to add another demon to her roster. Until then…” He elbows him again, throwing his head into the window again. When Maverick curses him off, he just grins broadly.

As expected, take off is shaky. Aria grips my arm for dear life and squeezes her eyes shut.

If she does end up hurling, I’m pushing her into Cain’s lap instead.

The helicopter blades cut through the snow, but climbing altitude is hard work. Maybe Aria should have sat with Maverick, that way, if we go down, he could glide with her safely to the ground, since Cain lost his one wing and can no longer fly.

Just as the thought hits, the machine struggles against the wind, and bells and whistles sound from the cockpit.

Not good.

The pilot yells something in German that no one can understand. No one but Cain, that is.

“He wants us to turn back,” Cain translates for the rest of us. “He doesn’t think we’ll make it all the way to the top.”

“Maybe we should,” I reply, not liking how badly everything is shaking and rattling.

Aria pokes her head up from my arm. “What about Cass? We can’t just leave him.”

More turbulence has the helicopter veering sharply to the right, and my heart ready to explode out of my chest.

Fuck. This is getting too dangerous.

“Tell him to keep going,” Maverick shouts from the back. “We need to get up there.”

Cain leans forward to converse with the pilot, none of the conversation audible to the rest of us above the howling of the wind and the overheating engine. When he sits back, his expression’s grave. “He’s refusing.”

“Dorian, do your magic word control thingy,” Maverick commands.

Magic word control thingy? Excuse me?

I narrow my eyes at him. “Do you mean my power of compulsion?”

“Yeah, that.”

The helicopter jerks violently, sending us all to one side. If it weren’t for the straps holding us in our seats, we could’ve been thrown out the side.

The pilot manages to right us again, but we’re all breathing harder and feeling a bit more uncertain about this.

“I’m…going to have to respectfully decline,” I say.

Turning slightly over his shoulder, the pilot starts talking again in German. Cain listens and then tells us, “We’re going to make an emergency landing.”

Maverick shakes his head. “What the fuck for? We’re already braving the storm. We might as well push through until we reach the top.”

“It’s not safe,” Cain says firmly. “I am not risking anyone’s life on the slim chance we’ll make it in this storm. So we land and wait for the storm to pass.”

It’s a no-negotiation type of answer, so none of us dare argue it.

With the blizzard, it takes an eternity for the helicopter to land. The pilot found a valley between the mountains where the wind isn’t too strong, but we’re not even close to the altitude we’re sure Krampus is hiding at.

The moment Elias yanks open the doors, a gust of frigid wind slaps him right back into his seat.

The pilot mutters more words to Cain.

“What now? Maverick asks, annoyed.

“He’s advising that we stay here in the helicopter. It’s too dangerous to venture out,” Cain explains.

“Fuck that,” Maverick grumbles. “We can’t just stay here.”

“You’re a demon. Hell creatures and frigid temperatures do not mix. Or did you forget,” I hiss at him. “Don’t be stupid.”

“We stay here until the storm passes,” Cain commands to squash his brother’s doubts.

The helicopter rocks up onto its side, lifting Cain and Maverick’s side into the air for a few breathtaking moments, before crashing back down again. Aria screams, clutching my arm again.

“What was that?” she shouts.

“The storm again?” I suggest and glance at Cain, but his expression reads unsure.

The pilot spins in his chair, eyes wide in terror. He yells, pointing out the windshield, but then there’s a sharp whistling sound, a crack, and he slumps over in his seat. He’s been hit with something.

“Oh my god. Is he dead?” Aria’s voice rises in panic.

Cain crouches near him and pulls a toothpick-like metal splinter out of his neck. He holds it up for us all to see.

Maverick reaches for it but stops short. “What the—”

But another whistle slices through the air, and I duck last minute. Something small whizzes past my cheek, and when I whirl around, I see the same metal spike sticking out of the headrest of my chair.

Oh fuck.

“That wasn’t the wind,” I say, unlatching my seatbelt as shadows zoom past the helicopter outside. “We’re under attack.”

An inhuman screech shoots straight through me, down to the bone, a second before a black blur leaps inside and attaches itself to my thigh. I feel the pain first–the sharpness of little fangs as the creature embeds its teeth into my flesh, and I automatically punch the thing in the face. It falls on the floor screaming wildly and flashing needle-like teeth.

Little gremlin things with gray skin and wrinkled faces, they remind me a bit of the griyns in Hell.

When it comes at me again, Cain grabs it by the back of the neck and chucks it out the door faster than I can blink. It disappears in the vast whiteness, hopefully never to return again.

“What the fuck was that?” Aria gasps, breathing hard.

“Griyn?” Elias answers.

“I thought the same thing, but no. At least, not entirely the same.” I try to rub out the pain still shooting through my thigh. “Fuckers got some sharp teeth though.”

“Must be a distant cousin,” Maverick says. “But if they’re anything like them, then that means there will be more.”

A strange blaring sound rides the wind, and we all turn toward the open door. The storm? No, not the wind. More of those little demonic creatures are coming out of the snow to play with us and yelling their high-pitched battle cry.

“Shit, what do we do?” Aria asks, glancing between me and Cain.

“What do you mean, ‘what do we do?’ We fight!” Elias shoves his way out the helicopter and dives head-first into the blizzard.

I look up at Cain, waiting on his orders. I’m all about a good excuse to knock some heads around, but I’m worried about Aria going out in this cold. At the same time, I don’t want her to be left in here alone.

As if knowing my concerns, he touches Aria’s hand—his silent way of telling me he’ll stay behind—and then nods for me to go.

I scramble out of the helicopter right behind Elias, who’s already stripped free of his clothes and is hopping through the knee-deep snow as a massive black hellhound. Maverick’s on my heels, and when more little dark heads pop out of the snow, we know we’re outnumbered.

More darts whiz past us. We narrowly dodge them, one even grazing Maverick’s left cheek, but Elias is quick to jump, and after driving his nuzzle into the snow, he pulls out two of the little devils from their hidey-hole. One chomp, and they’re done for.

When I glance back at Maverick, he’s touching the blood across his cheek and bringing his slick fingers to his lips to taste. Anger flashes in his eyes, darkening them a shade. “Those little shits,” he spits.

“Don’t die, okay? I can’t afford to watch your ass,” I tell him.

Another two darts fly my way, and I twist to get out of harm's way. Maverick’s following curse tells me he wasn’t fast enough again.

“Don’t die!” I shout before rushing forward. Once I spot one of the demon elves, this one reloading its miniature blow dart pipe, I kick it hard, sending it hurling through the air and out of sight.

I’ve never played human football before, but maybe I should give it a try. That had to be like twenty yards.

When a second sharp bite imbeds into my leg, I punch into the high snow drift, seize the creature, and haul it out. A quick twist and I break its neck.

Those fucking teeth are sharp.

In front of me, Elias bounds through the whiteness, digging for the things, and ripping them out. His muzzle is stained with blood, but he’s in his hunting glory here.

“Maverick!”

I can just hear Cain’s bellow over the noise of the storm, and when I find the young Sin Demon, he’s fighting off four of the creatures–and having a hard time with it.

Switching course, I head back to help.

Even with his blades in his hands, he can’t seem to fight them all off at the same time. He slashes at the air blindly, unable to cut any of them down as they bite through his coat and thick pants with ease. Three more darts stick out of his neck, too.

Utterly hopeless, this one.

I yank the closest one off his chest. Since it’s teeth had been embedded in Maverick, I rip away part of his clothes and a good chunk of his skin with him. Blood paints the whiteness, and Maverick roars in pain.

“Fucking shit, Dorian!”

“Hey, I told you not to get yourself killed.” I snap the creature's neck, and that gives Maverick the second he needs to seize one of the others attached to his shoulder and stab it in the back. It squeals and falls off.

Furious now, he pulls the darts out of his neck and uses them to spear the next one in the face. “Little shits!”

It looks like he has it handled now.

Elias rounds the helicopter back in his human form, naked of course, with snow clinging to his hair and an elf-thing dangling in his hand. The damn thing is hissing and scratching at the air trying to get free, its beady red eyes trained on us as they draw closer.

He brings it over to the helicopter so we all can get a good look at it.

They may not be griyns, but they sure are ugly fuckers.

“Any idea what it is?” Aria asks.

Elias shifts his grip so that he’s holding the thing by the scruff of the neck. “No clue, but I can bet money they’re working for Krampus. They may even have been sent by him as a warning to tell us to stay away.”

“Why do you think that?” she replies. “Can you understand it?”

“Well no…but why else be up here in this frozen wasteland?”

“It could be their natural habitat,” I suggest. “The griyn like hiding in the tall grass and these things like the snow.”

“I don’t know. They just seem too dumb to be able to work for themselves,” Elias continues. “I’m still voting Krampus.”

The creature hisses loudly and screeches again, showing a mouthful of its fangs. “Cain, can you understand what it’s saying, like with the pilot?”

He frowns. “Its gibberish is a lot different from German. I’ve never heard it before.”

Well, there goes interrogating it.

We all climb inside, and Cain closes the massive door again, hoping to keep some of the heat in and the cold out.

Aria casts worried eyes at me. “Are you all okay?”

“I think Maverick got the worst of it,” I chuckle. He grumbles behind me.

Elias holds the creature between us so we can all get a better look at it. It continues to claw at the air and screech manically.

“I say just kill the thing and toss it out with the others,” Maverick says.

Elias gives the thing a firm shake, jostling it around until it's too dizzy to fight.

“How are we going to get answers out of it if we don’t speak the same language?” Aria asks the question we’re all still thinking, and honestly, I don’t know. Maybe we should just kill it.

“Sayah,” Aria whispers in confusion. “What are you…”

She can’t even finish the question before the shadow slinks out of her and fills up most of the cockpit. Like always, her presence chills me. It doesn’t matter how long she’s been back, or how much she’s helped us. A creature that powerful living inside my gorgeous girl, living under our roof, definitely keeps me on my toes.

Leviathans were the first things God ever made, and when he did, he accidentally made them too powerful. He created monsters so dark and terrifying, he had to build an angel army to kill them off. But one survived and had chosen Aria as its host. Sayah’s helped us quite a bit in the past, but when Lucifer stabbed Aria during the big battle in Hell, we thought the Leviathan was lost for good. Turns out, we were wrong.

Something that can survive the most powerful and holy weapon ever created? A bit unnerving, don’t you think?

Sayah’s dark form shimmers as it consumes the pilot and any free space it can find at the front of the helicopter. Two glowing red eyes peer at us from all the inky blackness.

We all stare in silent awe.

Well, except Aria, who’s no longer afraid of her deadly shadow monster. She treats her more like a friend than a parasite.

“What do you think, Sayah?” she asks the thing casually.

We can’t hear anything, but it’s clear from Aria’s expression that the two are communicating in some way we’ll never be able to understand.

After a moment, Maverick presses in annoyance, “Well? What’s it saying?”

“I think…” Her nose scrunches as if she’s trying to decipher what Sayah is telling her mentally. “I think she knows what the little elf is saying.”

Cain’s eyes widen. “She can translate it?”

“Uh… Yes and no,” Aria tries to explain. “She may know what it’s saying, but she just can’t tell me. We don’t communicate with words. Just feelings…hints… It’s hard to explain.”

“Can she show us the way then?” Cain asks, glancing at Sayah’s constantly shifting, smokey form.

There’s a moment of long silence as Aria and Sayah talk amongst themselves again. Then, she turns to Cain. “Yes. She said she can do that. It’ll be easier than her trying to give me directions.”

“Perfect.” Cain nods Sayah’s way in thanks. “But it must be after the storm passes. We don’t want to risk anyone’s life in this blizzard.”

“It’s going to be hard with all the fresh snow, but I can try to use the gremlin’s scent to track it back to Krampus, too. For a plan B.”

“What are we going to do with this thing, then?” Maverick asks, pointing to the tiny elf-like creature. “Do we stomp on it or toss it into the snow?”

“We can’t let him go,” I say. “He’ll run right back to Krampus and warn him about us.”

“Shit. True.”

Elias grins, bringing the elf closer to his face. Licking his lips, his eyes glow like molten amber. “Well…I can always use a little snack.”

A bout an hour later, after the storm settles, we follow Sayah’s dark form and Elias’s hellhound through the snow.

It’s fucking freezing outside, and as a demon, it makes me feel sluggish and tired.

We weren’t made for this kind of weather.

Think hellish thoughts… Heat. Fire. Humidity.

I sigh. It’s not working.

“I hate snow, hate the cold, hate the winter,” Maverick mumbles as we trek farther up the mountain. Each step sinks into three feet of soft fluff, slowing us down.

“My nips are so hard, they could cut diamonds,” I say, winning me a laugh from Aria and a snort from Elias.

Aria’s arms are wrapped around Cain’s neck, her legs wrapped around his waist, and his hands are glowing a bright orange-red from the hellfire he’s stirring up to keep her warm against him. Even though she’s wearing layers of clothes, it’s below freezing and the temperature is only dropping the higher we go. So Cain’s turned to carry her the rest of the way.

He’s like her personal walking, talking furnace.

And they say romance is dead.

I’m about to join her and jump on his back for a piggyback ride. Every inch of me is chilled. My bones hurt, but at least Elias and Sayah are keeping a grueling pace.

“Any idea how much longer?” I ask the group.

Aria’s head peeks over Cain’s shoulder at me. “Not much…” she replies but quickly adds, “I think, anyway.”

“Thank fuck,” Maverick cries out in relief. “My balls are frozen.”

Finally, Sayah zips back into Aria and Elias stops and sits on his hind legs. The power of the shift pushes through his limbs, and when Elias stands on two legs, he creeps closer to a snow mound and gestures for us to follow quietly.

When we reach the top, the first thing I see is a line of lights twinkling in the distance. It’s coming from an old hunter’s lodge that sits in the middle of all the whiteness. Its two chimney stacks billow with smoke, and flickering lights shine through the windows, like eyes staring at us.

“Here?” I ask, voice low. “Krampus lives here?”

I don’t know what I expected, but it definitely wasn’t this homey, five star winter retreat looking place.

Elias and Aria nod at the same time.

“This is it,” Elias says out loud.

Maverick glances over at us. “Anyone else have a bad feeling about this?”

A thin stream of music is playing inside the lodge, and it’s growing in volume by the second.

“You mean, like he’s expecting us?” I reply, my voice rising to combat the noise. “What possibly gave it away?”

The song booms loudly now, shaking the snow all around us with its thunderous bass.

You’re a monster, Mr. Grinch…

CHAPTER FIVE

MAVERICK

“C an someone tell me what I’m looking at?” I say against the freezing wind icing my balls. We’re lingering outside Krampus’s home, peering into his windows like stalkers. Dance music thumps loudly from inside, so I doubt he can hear a thing.

Yellow light from the huge hearth spills across the room, tossing shadows on the wooden walls, the dark flooring, and ceiling. A single leather, high-backed couch is in the middle of the room, and sitting at the center is a beast-like man with a scraggy grey beard, messy hair, and curled black horns. Looking more monster than man, he sucks on a thick cigar and wears a velvet robe.

Several young women in red bikinis are kneeling by his hoofed feet, while another is dancing on a stripper pole in front of him. They look like normal human girls, which, if I were to guess, means they’re more than likely prisoners to the beast.

When the blonde throws herself upside down on the pole, legs kicking up in the air, my thoughts fly to Aria. Our sexier than sin moment in the jet’s bathroom is something I’ve been reliving in my daydreams ever since, but I wouldn’t mind seeing her on a pole just like that in front of me. Gliding up and down with nothing on but some string and pasties…

Fuck. The image has my cock twitching.

Well…it’s safe to say that Krampus has, uh, changed. It’s been some time since he’s popped into Hell, since he prefers the living world, but you can’t truly take the Hell out of a demon. It seems he’s found a way to quench those devilish desires while spending time on earth.

Good for him.

“He’s…different than I remember,” Elias mutters under his breath, stealing my thoughts exactly.

“Different? How? He’s still a horn dog,” Dorian chuckles.

“Sexist pig,” Aria scoffs. “Forget the strippers. Does anyone see Cass in there?”

Cain towers over her protectively, slipping his arm around her waist to hold her close. A year ago, jealousy would have poked at me at watching them together, but after living in this arrangement, I’ve gotten used to it. It’s hard to share the woman you love with one man, let alone three, and I’m a selfish bastard. But Aria has enough love for us all, and I’ve found myself the family I’ve never had before. It’s even brought me and my brother closer.

Another blast of cold slams into my side with the snow coming down faster. I shudder, my teeth chattering.

How can anyone, let alone a demon, live in an outdoor ice box like this? I’m pretty sure my eyelashes are all frozen together.

I shift my attention back to the window where the blonde is now giving the old prick a lap dance. “Is it me, or is this grossing anyone else out?” I ask.

“It is a bit…disturbing,” Cain says without looking at me.

“So, what’s the plan?” Elias begins and rolls back his shoulders. “We storm in there and kick his ass?”

“I say we use our abilities to take him by surprise, overpower him, then tie him up, and torture him until he tells us where Cass is,” Dorian adds.

“Works for me,” Aria says, hugging herself as Cain rubs her arms. “We do whatever we need to get Cass back.”

There’s a moment of silence as everyone looks to Cain for his command.

Then, he says simply, “We hold a confrontation off for now.”

Aria spins in his arms. “What? Why?”

“It’s four of us against him,” I say.

“Five,” Aria pipes up. “Well, six if you want to include Sayah.”

“We got this, Cain. It’ll be easy.” Elias is cracking his knuckles.

Cain holds his hand up and we all fall quiet. “Listen to me,” he begins. “Krampus has extraordinary power, but as to what that power actually is, we don’t know. Thriving off the souls of children will make him able to wield some dark magic.”

The rest of us exchange worried looks. It’s clear no one else thought about that.

“Why do you think no one has ever taken him down before?”

“Because he lives in a frozen wasteland?” I reply with heavy sarcasm, but of course, Cain doesn’t find it funny. He gives me a deadpan look.

“We need to think about this first. We don’t even know if Cassiel is even being held inside.”

“So what do you suppose we do?” I ask. “Nothing?”

“That’s not what I said,'' he bites out, anger flashing across his face. “We are strangers to this land. Like with the elf griyns, we don’t know what we’re up against here.”

My annoyance only grows. “If we’re not going to beat some Krampus tail, then what the fuck are we doing here?”

There aren’t many who would dare challenge my brother, Lucifer’s fist born and Hell’s most feared sin demon, but as the youngest of the seven siblings, pushing his buttons is kind of my thing, one I enjoy doing.

“I’m only saying we take a more strategic approach,” he says as he struggles to keep his composure, but his eyes are already darkening with his demon rearing up. “The smarter approach.”

“You mean a defensive approach. Like a bunch of pussies.”

He throws me a deadly glare.

“Mav…” Dorian warns. He’s afraid I’m pushing him too far, so naturally, I ignore him.

“You’ve gone soft brother,” I say. “What happened to charging into a fight head first?”

His lips tighten. “And you haven’t changed at all.”

Ouch. That stings.

But he’s not done. “You’re always rushing into battle without thinking. Then you wonder why I’m always the one who has to save your ass from the fire..”

Everyone’s silent, watching us. We might have agreed to share a girl we fell in love with, but we both still have so much unresolved brotherly shit from back in Hell. It likes to come back at the worst times. Like now.

When Cain had first tried to overtake Lucifer, he’d asked for my help and I, being young and dumb, took our father’s side instead. Mostly, it was to survive his wrath. But it’s clear Cain’s still holding some grudges.

“We need to stay on task,” Aria says, hoping to break the tension. She offers me a small smile, and I can feel my icy bones defrosting a little.

“I agree,” Dorian adds in. “The longer we stand here doing nothing, the worse it’ll be. For Cass, and my dick. It’s like a popsicle down there.”

Once he realizes there’s a potential perverted joke there, he tries to say it but Elias punches him in the arm to stop him.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” Elias says.

Dorian rubs his arm. “Oh, come on! That was good!”

Shaking my head, I look back at the house where the private dance party is still going on, this time to a fast-paced, techno version of Jingle Bell Rock. At this point, I’m too cold to care what we do. As long as we start moving and get out of this snow. “Fine, we’ll do it your way then.”

I don’t even realize Aria’s crept close to me until she slips her hand into mine and interlaces our fingers. “Everyone’s just a bit anxious about this, but we have to work together. We’re stronger as a team.”

She’s right, of course. When we took down Lucifer, we all had to work together and do our parts to get it done, but with so much testosterone and stubbornness in one place, sometimes it’s too hard to remember that.

But that’s where Aria comes in. She’s always there to remind us of the truth, especially when our demon sides make it difficult to see past what’s right in front of us.

I peer at her from the corner of my eye, and take in just how gorgeous she is. Her nose and cheeks are red from the cold, and the hat she wears, lined on the inside with fur, looks adorable on her. Just being in her presence makes me forget the anger, and with her hand in mine, things just feel…right.

How sappy am I?

Ah, shit. Guess I’ve gone soft too.

“Let’s try the other side of the house,” Elias suggests and creeps around the corner to the more secluded back end. Everyone follows. Since it faces the rocky face of the mountain, the wind’s less powerful here. Good thing, too, because I think frostbite’s starting to set in. My toes are numb.

There is a set of steps to a rear door and more snow. Everything is smothered in the white stuff.

“Stay close,” Cain instructs, voice low. “We let Sayah search inside for Cass, that way no one is put at risk. If he’s here and depending on where and how heavily guarded, then we figure out the next step.” His gaze lands on me, making sure I understand.

I nod with the rest of them, while Dorian holds up the “O.K.” sign.

“Aria?” he calls and she steps forward. Holding up her hand, she silently summons the Leviathan creature, and we all watch as the dark shadow pulls out of her feet like a phantom and jets up the back steps.

When she makes it to the door, she stops suddenly, her form wiggling but unable to go any further.

“What’s happening?” I whisper, confused.

Dorian hushes me sharply.

Sayah jumps from the back door to a nearby window and tries to push herself inside, but again she’s halted by something we can’t see. Like an invisible wall.

As if frustrated, the shadow darkens and jerks around the house. A second later, she returns and retreats back into Aria.

Aria’s hand drops to her side and she lets out a long breath.

“What was that about?” I ask, unable to hold back. “Why didn’t she do what you told her?”

“It’s not that she didn’t want to,” she explains and glances over at Cain. “Something’s preventing her from getting in.”

“What? What could do such a thing?” Dorian rubs his forehead. “You think magic’s at play here?”

Cain nods. “I suspect so. Krampus must have done something to keep people—or dark spirits—out.”

“I’ve never heard of anything like that. Well, besides what Gabriel did with his sword to keep out all those hellhounds and imps,” Elias says. “But there’s no way Krampus has an angel blade.”

“But he does consume the souls of children, which are the purest souls on earth. That would give him more power than a regular demon.”

“Plus, he’s ungodly old,” Dorian adds. “Another perk for him.”

“But without Sayah, how are we going to search for Cass?” Aria frowns.

“Simple,” Dorian says and walks over to the first window Sayah had tried to get into. With some muscling, he’s able to wrench it open. “We do it the old fashion way.”

“Let’s just hope whatever spell is on this house doesn’t work on us, too,” I say, but once Dorian pulls himself up and through the window, that theory is squashed.

“If it’s blocking dark magic, we should be fine as long as we don’t turn into our demons,” Cain whispers.

Walking right into Krampus’s house without our demons? Yeah, this couldn’t go badly for us at all.

“All clear,” Dorian calls. Thankfully, with the music in the other room, it will be enough to muffle any noises we make breaking and entering.

Elias goes next and throws himself through the window like he’s about to dive into a pool. His shoulders get stuck, and Dorian has to yank him from the inside.

I can’t even believe this right now. We look like a bunch of fucking clowns.

“Aria, you’re next,” Cain instructs and guides her over.

When she reaches for Dorian’s waiting hands, Cain takes her by the waist and lifts her off the ground. Within seconds, she’s inside, too.

Cain and I exchange looks.

“After you, Brother,” Cain says, waving for me to step up. I do and easily haul myself inside. When I jump down onto the hardwood floors, I hear a creak to my left and see the door swinging open. Cain strolls through.

“No one bothered to check if it was open?” he says.

Dorian gives him a sheepish smile. “Got too wrapped up in the moment.”

I shake my head in disbelief. Absolutely ridiculous.

Sometimes I wonder how these three did survive up here all by themselves for a century after being banished.

I glance up and spot a weird symbol above the back door. It looks like an eye but has some strange squiggly things in the middle. I’ve seen my fair share of dark symbols for summonings, and that’s definitely demonic and definitely magic. “Do you all see that?”

Everyone glances up to where I’m pointing.

“What the—” Elias gapes.

“The evil eye,” Cain murmurs. “A symbol that originated in Greece and meant to reflect darkness. It’s very possible that could be the cause of Sayah being blocked.”

Sonofabitch. It looks like Cain was right again. Krampus had some dark shit up his sleeve.

“Let’s find Cass and get the fuck out of here,” I say. I scan the hallway. The interior keeps with the hunting lodge motif with taxidermy elks, bears, and moose on the walls. The smell, though, is a different story. It’s earthy and musty and just overall funky.

“Someone get this guy a cleaning service,” Dorian mutters, staring up at picture frame that is covered in dust. “Shit, what a pig.”

“Why does it smell like that?” Aria’s nose scrunches.

Elias shakes as if someone’s walked over his grave. “I don’t think I want to know.”

But before anyone can say anything more, the sound of heavy footsteps on floorboards echoes at the end of the long corridor. Cain ducks right into another passage and we rush forward after him. We swing left then right and find that there are doors everywhere. This place is unnecessarily huge.

“Where the fuck are we?” Elias growls, turning on the spot. And he’s right. Everything looks the same. Wood paneling walls and doors, more rank odors, and thumping Christmas music. “I really think we should have gone with the idea of attacking first instead of sneaking around.”

“Shhh,” Aria says. “Can you hear that?”

“I don’t hear anything besides Dominick the Donkey.” And, if I’m being honest, that’s the worst song of them all.

Heehaw, heehaw!

As a demon, I know torture, and that song is most definitely torture.

She waits, holding up a finger, and then the sound of footsteps come again, growing louder despite the music.

Aria swings around and darts into the nearest room, and we all pour in after her. I quickly shut the door behind us.

Spinning back around, Cain, Dorian, Elias, and Aria are all frozen in place and staring at the center of the room.

Bones.

That’s all I see at first. A mountain of them in the room and scattered everywhere. All kinds of sizes and shapes too, all heaped in here and under the glow of a faint red light.

Seriously, this room looks like a dumping ground after each meal.

“What the fuck is this?” I gasp.

“Keep it down,” Dorian snarls, then presses his ear to the door.

“What do you think?” I whisper at Cain, who’s studying the disturbing sight before us.

“They aren’t fresh,” he confirms. “Look how clean they’ve been picked. Maybe Krampus uses them for the furnace to keep the house warm. Might explain the dreadful smell.”

“Who gives a fuck what he uses them for. The question is, who the hell did the bones once belong to.”

“Isn’t it obvious,” Elias says. “It has to be his victims.”

Aria swallows roughly. “You mean…the children?”

Cain crouches next to the pile and picks a half curled ribcage. “These belong to animals,” he explains. “Not humans or children.”

“Well, that’s a relief, but still slaughter-house creepy,” Aria says. “Can we please leave this room now? I really can’t stand it.”

Dorian continues to listen for any sounds in the hall. “It sounds quiet out there. If we’re leaving this Hell hole, I’d say now’s the time.”

Cain waves us on. “Come on.”

Opening the door, Dorian peeks outside, confirms the coast is clear, and steps into the hall. The rest of us follow close behind.

“We’ve got to move,” Cain takes the lead and snatches Aria’s wrist to keep her close.

Trailing behind the group, I watch Dorian and Elias check the rooms for any signs of the lynx, but all we find are piles of more bones and empty rooms. A few have dirty mattresses on the floor, but that’s about it.

The more corridors we turn, and the more rooms we check, the more I start to worry that we’re wasting our time.

But as Elias opens the last door at the end of the hall, a bright light greets us and surprises us all.

Blinking against its harshness, I peer deeper inside.

I can’t believe what I’m seeing.

“What in the fresh holiday hell is this?”

CHAPTER SIX

MAVERICK

I t’s…a workshop?

Benches run the length of the room in four rows with stools on either side of them. The walls are all bare stone as though we’ve stepped underground, and the evil eye symbol decorates each wall.

Someone really wants to keep this room protected.

There are monstrous machines with rusty gears, metal tubs, and a conveyor belt at the far end. Metal shelves line the walls, each one stacked high with cardboard boxes.

Okay, maybe not a workshop. More like a factory.

Why is this in Krampus’s house?

“What the heck?” Dorian wanders inside toward the back of the room to the machine. “What is this place?”

We all sprawl outward to search.

“What would a monster like Krampus be manufacturing?” I ask.

“I thought a workshop was supposed to be Santa Claus’s thing,” Aria says.

“If he was real, you mean,” I answer.

She glares at me, and I laugh.

“You don’t really believe in that bullshit, do you?”

“Well, I didn’t. Not really. But I also didn’t think Krampus was real, so…”

“Krampus is a demon, though,” I say.

“And there was a point in my life when I didn’t think demons were real either. Or archangels. Or Leviathans.”

I guess that’s true.

“All I’m saying is that I’m not counting anything out anymore,” she goes on.

“Found something,” Dorian calls out from across the room.

We all look over to find Dorian holding a goddamn green dildo that’s the same length as his arm. As if it was modeled from a freaking horse.

Elias blinks, stunned. “What the fuck?”

Laughing, Dorian’s got the thing high in the air like he’s in battle and waving the white flag for peace.

“Is that what I think it is?” Aria strides over to him.

“There are loads of them,” he says, pointing to a stack of boxes. “Along with fluffy handcuffs, mouth gags, blow up toys…”

“Sex toys,” Cain observes, looking around the room again. “Krampus is in the business of sex toys.”

Still gripping the huge vibrator, Dorian waves it about to emphasize his words as he talks. “It is a billion dollar industry. Sex sells—and I should know.”

“He’s not dumb,” Elias jokes with a smirk.

“Be careful with that thing, Dorian,” I chuckle. “You may hurt yourself.”

Elias cracks up, and I even get a little laugh out of my brother too.

Dorian glances at Aria and wiggles the thing in her face. “Oh, Aria! I’ve checked twice, and I’m sure you’re on my naughty list. Now, I’m going to fill you up with my Christmas spirit.”

She swats it away. “Dorian!”

Elias shakes his head. “That was lame.” He goes over, rips over one of the boxes, and pulls out another dildo. This one hot pink. “I’ve got a better one. Want to sit on my North Pole?”

I bark a laugh. As stupid as this is, I can’t help it.

“I say we take some of these home with us,” Dorian says, pulling out more toys and trying to shove them in his pockets. “You know…to play with later.”

I wonder if those sharp-toothed, dart-blowing elf things work here, making dildos for all those people in need.

“We have to keep looking for Cass.” Aria heads back to the door.

“You sure you don’t want to give one of these a test drive?” Dorian waggles his brows at her.

She gives him a deadpan look.

“What does a guy gotta do to get somehow to jingle his bells around here?” Dorian laughs again, while Elias scans the hall for anyone walking by.

“Is the coast clear?” I ask, and when he nods, we all fall back in line and slip out of the workshop.

It doesn’t take long before we’re trekking through more endless hallways and getting nowhere, and my irritation peaks. This place is a maze of halls and doors. Looking for Cass is going to take days, and I don’t have the patience for this.

“Change of plans,” I call from the back of the group, drawing the others to a stop. “I say we go for Krampus and torture him into telling us where Cass is. Like we originally thought of.”

“Maybe Maverick’s right.” Aria turns to Cain at the front. “We have no idea how many rooms this place has. It’ll take forever to get through them all. I think we should take our chance with forcing Krampus to speak over searching.”

Yes! Finally!

I could kiss Aria right now… Then strip and fuck her again. But that’s another thing.

“Fine then,” Cain begins. “If everyone agrees, then we change tactics.”

I mentally celebrate my victory and turn to go back the way we came, where I’m sure the main living room with the pole and strippers must be. “Find Krampus and…”

As I round the corner, I walk right into someone, and my stomach flips. But when a small cry hits my ears and I look down, I see that it’s a woman wearing a red bikini.

From the live entertainment.

Cain pushes forward and seizes her before she can escape, but to my surprise she doesn’t fight him. She doesn’t even scream. She just stares at him with wide, dazed eyes, not really seeing him at all.

“Hello,” Cain tries to capture her attention but keeps his voice low. “Are you okay?”

Still, she says nothing.

“Is she under some kind of spell?” Dorian asks. “Entranced?”

“It seems that way,” he answers, then turns back to the dancer. “Can you hear me? Hello?”

She continues to stare at him blankly.

Yep, hypnotized.

But by what?

The thumping Christmas music stops abruptly, and the house is flooded with silence. As if waking from a long sleep, the dancer blinks rapidly and peers up at Cain, actually seeing him this time.

“Who…Who are you?” she asks, voice weak. Then, she glances around, finding us all standing around her. “Where am I?”

Wow. Those were some powerful holiday hits. Krampus was using them to keep the girls under his control.

Aria steps over to her, drawing the groggy woman’s attention. “Have you seen a lynx cat in the house by any chance? Maybe with Krampus?”

She shakes her head, but whether it’s to answer Aria’s question or get rid of the last of the spell’s hold, I’m not sure.

“I…I haven’t seen a…lynx…” she manages to get out.

“A giant white and gray fluffy cat then?” Aria tries again.

“No, sorry…But maybe he has him at his…other place.”

“Where’s his other place?” I ask eagerly.

She blows out a long breath of frustration. “I’m sorry…I don’t know.” Her eyelids droop, exhaustion making her body sag against the wall. Cain helps lower her to the floor, where her eyes roll back and sleep takes her over.

“Is she going to be alright?” Elias asks.

“She should be,” he says, “once the magic’s out of her system.”

“It doesn’t help that they’ve probably been dancing under Krampus’s spell for hours,” I add.

“Probably right.”

“We should leave,” Aria says. Now that there's no more music, our voices all sound much louder against the quiet. “If Cass isn’t here, we need to find where Krampus is holding him. Where that other place is.”

“Agreed.” Cain nods.

Leaving the dancer behind, we head down the corridor, back the way we’d come. It takes a bit of time to navigate the many twists and turns of this place, but when the chill of the outside comes rushing toward us, we know we’ve found the exit.

Done with this house of horrors, we hurry for it.

The frigid night air slaps me in the face, but the more distance we put between us and the house, the less of the oppressive magic of the evil eye weighs down on our demons. When we make it far enough away that we can breathe easier, we pause and glance back. The windows are dark now, the night deathly silent, and I wonder if Krampus is even still home. Or if that entire adventure was pointless.

At least we found out Cass is being held somewhere else. Where that is exactly, we don’t know.

“I feel Sayah now,” Aria whispers. “So it was definitely those eye symbols blocking her.”

“It’s good to know for future reference,” Cain says

The wind howls, and the cold seeps into my muscles and bones again.

Fuck winter. Seriously.

“We may need to regroup,” Elias suggests and looks back at Krampus’s house. “I don’t know about you, but that place fucked with my head. And all this cold is making me feel like I’m walking through sludge.”

There are nods all around.

A dark figure steps out from the shadows in front of us, and my inside ice over for a different reason.

I throw my arm out to push Aria behind me.

“Should you really be out here?” his deep, husky voice asks.

Krampus?

I step forward, alongside Cain, my demon ready to burst out of me after being contained for so long.

The figure walks toward us, emerging out of the shadows. He’s a tall, broad shouldered man with silvering wild hair. And a long beard to match.

Not Krampus. Someone new.

But a friend or foe?

I keep my demon on the edge just in case it’s the latter.

The others are tense too.

He’s dressed in black pants, a thick red sweater, and a white snow jacket that he’s left unzipped.

“Good evening,” he says, tipping his head forward as if might be wearing a hat. “This isn’t a place for you all to be at, now is it?” His voice takes on a disciplinary one, and I narrow my gaze on this odd man.

Up close, his round cheeks glow red, his smile somehow making my lips twitch upward too of their own accord.

Cain approaches him cautiously and searches his face. “Do we know each other?”

“No, we don’t,” the man responds. “But I know who you are. And right now you and your friends are in a dangerous place. So, you better make haste and leave.”

“You know us?” Cain asks, his tone heavy with his suspicion.

But the man ignores him. His gaze stays trained on Aria, and he smiles warmly.

I reach for Aria, but she’s staring up at the man, her mouth partly open in awe.

Noticing, he winks at her and then starts to walk past us.

“Like I said, leave now before it’s too late. I won’t even be able to help you then.”

“We haven’t finished talking,” Cain demands, his anger rising. “Who are you and why are you here?”

“Consider me a friend.”

A friend? Ha! That means nothing to us. We’ve had friends stab us in the back before.

Hell, we’ve have family do it too.

“I understand your distrust, but let me give you a piece of helpful advice. What you seek is in Krampus’s hidden cave, north of here. Not in the lodge. It’s where he keeps everything he steals, including the children he wishes to dine on. Go there in daylight. That’s when he’s at his weakest.” He smiles at Cain. It looks genuine enough, but there are secrets sparkling behind his eyes.

I don’t trust him.

“Now, I must be off.” As he strides past Elias, he slaps a hand to his shoulder as if they’ve known each other for years. At his touch, a small spark of energy passes between them. Like an exchange of magic, but when Elias doesn’t react, I wonder if I’d really seen it at all.

Maybe just a trick of the eye…

Elias stares at the man in disbelief as he walks off, disappearing into the shadows behind a thick of trees. Then rolls out his shoulders. “What a weirdo.”

I glance around the group, but they all seem just as confused as I am. “What the fuck was that about?”

Dorian blows out a raspberry. “What do you think he meant when he said he knew us?”

Cain’s staring at the shadowy place where the strange man had vanished. “I have no idea.”

I peer over at Aria. Her gaze is fixed in the distance too, and she smiles wide, her entire face lighting up.

“Don’t you see?” she practically squeals with excitement. “I-I think that man is the real Santa Claus.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

ARIA

“S anta? Like the old man in a red suit who breaks into people’s homes to leave behind creepy toys for kids?” Maverick states, an eyebrow arching upward while we follow the man’s advice and hurry down the mountain.

“You really should do your homework on Santa,” Elias says. “Even I know that he climbs through the chimney to leave kids toys made by his slave elves. And in payment, the kids must leave Santa cookies and milk, or he’ll pee on their tree.”

“What?” I blurt out. “Where did you hear that?”

“I read it someplace,” he answers and shrugs. “But that’s just a myth to scare kids into behaving, right?”

I don’t answer.

Because of my lifetime in foster care, Santa felt like a hero to me and the magic he brought during the holiday season was something I craved but could never get to experience. There were no Santa visits at Murray’s. No presents besides the handmade ones between me and Joseline. No man in a red suit to make my shitty life a little better, even if it was only for one day.

But what little kid doesn’t want to believe in Santa?

As we continue to cut through the dark night, I can’t stop thinking about the jolly looking man who seemed to come to us like a ghost. And his words…they were just as cryptic. I’m not sure what to make of it all.

“So, do you believe the old man about the cave?” Maverick asks suddenly.

“Only one way to find out, right?” I push forward and come to Cain’s side. In the distance an oversized dark object sits on top of a patch of snow.

My chest tightens. “No way,” I mumble to myself. I’m running before I can stop myself, half-picturing Santa’s sleigh waiting for us in the shadows.

As we get closer, a flare of disappointment washes over me. It’s more of an old battered car that’s had the top half and windows ripped off. Well, talk about being let down majorly. I have no idea who would dump a car out in the middle of the mountains either.

“People just toss their garbage anywhere,” Dorian comments in disgust. “Pigs.”

I run a hand over the rusty car and frown.

Elias comes over and whispers near my ear, “Are you okay?” His arms wrap around me.

“I’m fine. Just worried for Cass.” It’s mostly true, so I stick with it. “We’ve come all this way to end up at a dead end. I just thought that the old guy might have been the real thing and was giving us the answer to where Cass is. But I was being an idiot.”

He kisses my brow and holds me close. “I promise you, Aria. We’ll turn over every stone to find Cass. But I don’t think there’s an easy solution like that old man suggested.”

I nod, and we huddle close, looking the car over.

“This old thing has been out here for years by the look of it.” He slaps a hand against the drunk of the car dusted in snow. And in that exact moment, sparks shoot out from his touch.

“Shit!” he shouts and stares at his hand.

We both back away, but energy jumps all over the old junker, spreading and encasing it in light so fast, I can’t even work out what I’m looking at.

“What did you do?” Dorian shouts, but no one answers. The car is transforming before our eyes into a shiny, black sleigh.

Definitely not Santa’s typical red sleigh, fit for reindeers and presents, but it’s impressive all the same.

“Oh my god!” The words rush past my lips as I rush toward it. It almost looks like a hearse with its dark wood and gold accents among all the black. “I think this belongs to Krampus.”

Maverick’s droning on about something behind me, but I’m too busy smiling until my cheeks hurt that I don’t pay attention. Maybe the old man was right after all!

Inside, there are two cushioned benches behind the front seat. Gadgets and buttons cover the dashboard. It’s high tech too!

I climb inside, ignoring Cain’s protests behind me. The seats are all leather and soft, and while it may be snowing outside the sleigh, it doesn’t touch me while inside.

That’s so freaking cool.

“I think there’s some invisible shield protecting the sleigh,” I say. “It’s actually warm in here.”

While one second, the guys are watching me with utter shocked expressions, and now they’re all scrambling to get inside. There’s a moment of chaos as they shove to get in, and we’re all squished up in the back two rows, testing out the seatings.

“I have no idea how this is possible,” Elias murmurs from alongside me. “But I fucking love it.”

“How is it so warm in here?” Maverick says from behind where he’s sitting with Dorian.

Cain runs his hand over the wood. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

I shuffle for shoulder space between Cain and Elias who are big guys.

“Oh, we’re definitely going to be borrowing this,” Maverick says, rubbing his hands together.

“But how do we get it started?” Elias looks over all the buttons and gizmos.

I blink a few times, my mind running blank. “Good question…”

“I’d see a spark of light or something when he’d touched your shoulder, Elias,” Maverick says. “I think he may have given you the power to activate it.”

Everyone turns to look at him.

“No one else saw it?” he asks, brow raised. “Just me?”

“Have you lost your mind?” Elias barks with a laugh. “I knew that old geezer was crazy, but I’m starting to think you’re worse than him. I definitely don’t fucking know how to work a sleigh. Especially one without horses.”

Magical touch? A surprise sleigh in the woods? This guy’s sounding more like Santa with every passing second.

“How about you give it a go,” I suggest.

Elias growls. “Fuck me, seriously? I’m telling you I don’t know shit about this.”

Maverick slaps him in the shoulder too. “Then you got nothing to lose.”

With a huff, Elias gets to his feet and moves to the front seat, making the whole sleigh sway left and right with his movements.

“It’s probably for the best,” Dorian adds. “Gotta balance the weight in the sleigh.”

Elias flips the middle finger at him over his shoulder.

“You can do this, Elias,” I say. He only responds with a groan.

We’re all sitting in silence. Night cloaks us, and the snow falls outside. Elias is randomly hitting buttons on the dashboard, but nothing happens. “Fuck this.”

I feel bad for him so I get up to help him. Leaning up against him, I stare at the gadgets, having zero idea how this works.

“Shouldn’t we have reindeer or something to pull us?” Maverick pipes up. “All the Santa sleighs I’ve seen use them.”

“Let’s try more buttons.” I press a green one as it’s closest to me. At once, the sleigh humms beneath us, and yellow lights flash across the dashboard.

The guys behind us cheer.

“Welcome, Krampus. Where should I take you today?” a feminine android voice asks from the dashboard.

“The closest restaurant,” Elisa answers instantly and chuckles.

I gape at him, but really, I’m not surprised.

“What? I’m hungry, and if we’re believing what the old guy said, then we should be going to the cave after dawn,” Elias explains.

“Location has been programmed,” the sleigh responds, then nothing.

“Dammit. What now?” Elias asks, when we both are drawn to a flashing beacon. Suddenly, a compartment under the dashboard falls open in front of me, revealing a bunch of chains and leather restraints.

“What is that?” I grab them and unravel them in my hand. “I’m so confused.”

“It’s a harness,” Cain says and looks down at Elias.

“Fuck no!” he growls, and it takes me seconds to understand what they’re talking about. “I am not a damn reindeer, so everyone can go fuck themselves. I’m so tired of this bullshit just because I’m a hellhound.” He’s seething, jaw clenched tight, and he lunges out of the sleigh, then storms into the woods.

“What the heck is going on?” Dorian asks.

“I’ll get him,” Cain says, taking the harnesses from my hands, then vanishes after Elias.

I turn to the other two. “Looks like Elias needs to pull the sleigh, but he’s mad and not going to do it. So we can’t go anywhere without his help.”

I can tell Dorian’s fighting the urge to tease him, but to my surprise, he keeps quiet.

I’m sitting in the front seat now, worried that we’re taking too long, and that we’ll get caught before we get a chance to move. And that I really just want Cass in my arms again so he’s safe.

“Why don’t we just catch a wild deer,” Maverick suggests. “Can we use that instead?”

“The guy touched Elias with his magic, not a random deer. I think it’s meant to be Elias,” Dorian answers.

I don’t know how long we wait, but when I’m close to climbing out to go after them, Cain emerges from the woods with Elias by his side in hellhound form.

He snarls in our direction, but I am assuming that is more toward Dorian. Cain hooks him up with the harness and attaches it to the front of the sleigh.

Cain then joins us, carrying Elias’ clothes, his expression pinched tight. He takes the seat behind me. “You’ve got this,” he tells me, and suddenly the pressure is on. What do I know about flying? I barely know how to drive a car.

So, I hit that green button again.

“Are you ready to start your journey?” the sleigh voice asks.

“Yes,” I respond, then feel stupid when nothing happens. So, I flick another flashing switch. The sleight thrums beneath us, and sparks racing along the harness. Poor Elias is trotting about lost, not even looking forward.

“We’re heading off now, Elias,” I call out to him so he’s prepared.

He stares at me with wild eyes, and my heart goes out to him. But how hard can it really be? The reindeer make it look so easy.

“You got this,” Dorian says. “Just channel your inner reindeer.” His chuckles only have Elias grunting, then as a result, he whips forward and charges as if he’s trying to get away from us. Well, except for the fact that we are tied to him.

The sleigh pulls forward, and we lurch back into our seats. We’re moving faster than I would have thought.

Elias lunges forward, gathering speed, and you wouldn’t even think he’s pulling us behind him. We burst into the forest, and my heart is pounding in my chest at how fast we travel. Low hanging branches swipe at us. I duck low, while those behind me groan, no doubt being whacked. And I am certain that is Elias’ intention.

I’m not really sure how the GPS and him pulling the sleigh work, but I just hope he’s not so pissed that he’s going to take us in a random direction.

“Does he know what he’s doing?” Dorian calls out.

“How the hell should I know,” I shout back, the wind billowing in my hair.

Next thing we know, we burst out of the woods and are madly rushing toward the edge of a cliff.

My stomach drops with terror.

The guys behind me are yelling at Elias to stop, but he’s not listening. Panic slams into me, and the idea of leaping out of the sleigh knots my insides. Would he really throw us all off a cliff as payback?

Suddenly, we are flying off the ledge, nose diving more specifically.

I’m screaming, my hands gripping the dashboard. We’re going to die!

Darkness rushes toward us, as does the wind, and my throat is raw from the yelling. Everything happens too fast.

And just as quickly, we’re abruptly swinging upward. I’m thrown back into my seat with a bad case of whiplash colliding into me.

I cock my head to the side, unable to look behind me with how fast we’re traveling. I’m glued to the seat, and I’m frantically tapping either side of me for a seat belt, but come up short.

Then we’re diving back down again, before being jutted sideways, and I grip the seat to avoid being tossed out of the sleigh, my gut lurching.

The guys behind me are cursing Elias, but my heart is beating so hard, I can only concentrate on holding on for dear life.

This is the worst roller coaster experience of my life, and my stomach hurts with how hard I clench it.

Only when we stop jostling about that I finally realize we’re flying through the sky smoothly. I pull my nails out of the seat and look over the dashboard to Elias who’s running through the air.

He glances back at us, and I swear there’s a smirk in eyes. Bastard. He did that on purpose.

The sound of someone hurling their guts out has me turning around to find Dorian half-leaning out of the sleigh, spewing.

Maverick’s looking green around the gills too, while Cain’s sitting back in his seat, his hair wild, not bothered one bit.

“Are you okay, beautiful?” he asks me.

“Yeah, I just wasn’t expecting that joyride.”

“Is that what you call it?” Maverick groans. “That idiot tried to kill us, didn’t he?”

The corner of Cain’s mouth curls upward, and of course Elias made us suffer. Was that part of the deal of how Cain got Elias to pull the sleigh? Dirty trick.

Dorian flops back into his seat, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “I swear to hell, I’m going to murder him after that stunt.”

Cain’s laughing. “It wasn’t so bad.”

I slide back into my seat, realizing there’s nothing for me to do as the sleigh is automated, so I sit back and try to calm my frantic heart. I swore I was going to die back there.

We cut through the night sky, the stars blinking amid the clouds. The sickle moon feels so close that I want to reach out my hand and touch it.

It’s amazing to look at when you’re not fearing for your life.

The world below us is an ocean of trees covered in snow, and I can just imagine how beautiful the view would be from up here during the day.

Surprisingly, it isn’t long before we begin descending toward a town blinking with lights. Instinctually, I’m gripping my seat as we come down fast. Wind blows through my hair, but somehow it’s not as bad as it should be.

We come in sharply. Elias pulls off the perfect park right on top of a building with a flat roof, then stops abruptly. I lurch forward from the momentum, then am thrown back into my seat.

I won’t lie… I’ve been holding my breath until we made the landing as I wasn’t sure what to expect from Elias. Now, I exhale a long breath of relief.

Cain hops out to unleash Elias, while the rest of us climb out to stretch. The chill hits me instantly outside the sleigh.

I approach the ledge of the building and we’re about four floors up, which is high enough for no one to see us up here from down below. In the cobblestone street, people are strolling, dressed in heavy coats, popping in and out of stores. Windows are heavily decorated with Christmas decorations.

“Let’s go get some food,” Cain suggests.

I turn to find Elias, already dressed in his clothes again, climbing into the sleigh, looking pissed. “Bring me back one of everything,” he growls under his breath.

“You got it, Rudolf,” Dorian teases.

“I’m going to stay with Elias,” I answer and get into the sleigh with him. Maverick shrugs, and the three of them are all heading across the roof to the entry into the building.

I flop down beside him. “What’s going on? Why are you letting their remarks get to you?”

Elias swoops his arm around my waist, and he lifts me with ease, dragging me over his lap. I find myself quickly straddling him.

“Whoa.” I gasp at how fast he has me sitting on him as though I weigh nothing.

“I got you, little rabbit,” he says as he glances over to the trio reaching the exit door. Dorian is watching us. Even from our distance, I can see his eyes narrowing, finally working out Elias’ plan.

My hellhound barks a laugh, and I guess I fell for his trick too.

“You’re not mad at all, are you? This is just you getting back at Dorian,” I tease.

“I don’t give a damn if I have to pull a sleigh, but sometimes Dorian’s smart-ass mouth needs a lesson.”

“Well next time let me in on this plan. I seriously thought we were going to die back there.”

“Right now he doesn’t.” His arms engulf me, and his mouth is on mine, our lips crushed, and he kisses me with the savagery of a wolf.

“I would never harm you, little rabbit.” He leans in, his lips grazing mine. Heat pours off him, and I lose my breath as I fall under his magic. When he finally breaks our kiss, he takes a look over to Dorian who’s still watching us from the doorway.

“You’re terrible,” I joke and begin to pull away from him.

But his large hands tighten their grip around my waist. “Umm, where do you think you’re going? This isn’t just a show for Dorian. You’re mine and I want you now.”

I gasp. “In the open…on a roof?”

The corners of his lips curl upward, and I really shouldn’t be surprised. Yet, with the way his hands are leaving a trail down my back and across my ass, let’s just say, my own desires reawaken.

“You’re teaching me bad habits of having sex in public,” I purr and bury my face in the warm curve of his neck. I inhale and love the masculine way he smells. It sends a shiver of delight down my spine.

“Says the girl who let Dorian fuck her in a santa shed in the middle of a park.”

I pull back and pepper his face with kisses. “I guess it's too late for me now then. I’ve been completely corrupted by you four.”

A wider grin spreads over his face. He slides his hands underneath my coat and shirt, finding the warmth of my skin and draws me against him. “There are too many clothes between us for my liking.”

My insides tighten with the arousal he stirs, and a buzz zips between my thighs with the desperation for Elias’s touch. “I’m sure we can make it work with as many clothes on as possible.”

“Are you scared of someone watching us?”

“Actually I was thinking more of the cold.”

He nods as if seriously considering my response. “You have me to keep you warm, plus it’s cozy here. And I’ll gladly give you some recommendations on the best positions to take to keep extra warm.”

I laugh at his innuendo. “Yeah, you do that.”

When his gaze slides down to my lips and he licks his own, that earlier arousal flares through my body. He groans and slides a hand to the back of my neck where he holds me. And he kisses me again, roughly this time, his tongue plunging into my mouth. With his free hand, he pulls at my coat, and I help him, taking it off, our lips breaking only when he tugs my shirt up and over my head. He whips my bra off me in seconds.

A light chill grazes over my nipples, and as if he can sense my cold, he leans down and collects one into his mouth. He’s touch is so warm, and his tongue flicks at me, while sucking hard.

My heart is thumping, and I’m trying desperately not to moan too loud and avoid drawing attention from anyone down on the street. Sure we are the highest building in town, but that doesn't mean someone can’t look up if they are on the top floor of another building and maybe catch a glimpse of what we’re doing.

Right now, Elias wants me, and how can I ever say no to him. Our desires blend into a wicked cocktail where I know nothing will stop us, so that means keeping quiet.

He releases one breast and takes the other, and I know he’s going to leave a mark on my skin with how hard he’s sucking, but I don’t care. Working the buttons on my pants, he’s sliding them down. I shuffle off his lap, somehow without him breaking his hold on my nipple, and he’s shuffling down my pants and underwear. He is a magician when it comes to stripping me.

A flash of worry flutters over me as I realize I’m standing completely naked on a rooftop, so I quickly duck back down within the confines of the sleigh.

“What’s the rush,” he growls, gripping my hips and pushes me to stand up again. “I’m not finished.” He leaves a path of kisses down my stomach, then his tongue slips between my thighs, finding my fire.

I moan, plunging my fingers through his hair which is so soft. “Someone might see me like this.” I moan as he works his long tongue along the length of my pussy. My knees wobble, and his grip on my waist tightens. “Let them. You’re all mine.”

“Damn!” I breathe out at the way he’s sucking on my clit, and I don’t think I can ever get enough of him eating me. He does it with primal hunger, and the wet sounds he makes drive me insane. It’s so sexy.

I’m tingling all over, so close to coming.

And of course, that’s exactly when he releases me from his grap.

I groan. “Hey, why did we stop?”

“I’m going to make you feel better. I will fuck you now so hard that you won’t be able to stand for days. First, I’ve got to level the playing field a bit.”

“You do?” I’m not really sure what he’s talking about when he’s got me so close to the edge that his denial to finish has me nearly begging him to keep going. And when I glance down to his erection, I might be half mistaken in believing he’s trying to smuggle a baseball bat in his pants. Damn.

He stands in front of me and strips in record timing, including kicking off his boots. My attention drops to his thick erection, and I remind myself what a lucky girl I am.

“Get over here.” He grabs me by my hips, our naked bodies pressed up against each other. His skin is on fire, his cock even hotter as it sits cradled between us. This crazily gorgeous man grins at me as he pinches my nipple. And instantly, I’m tingling as I struggle to tell apart the sensations he rises out of me and the pain he causes.

“I’m going to fuck you from behind, hard and rough, so your pussy is ruined for anyone else. I want her dripping wet every time she clamps tight around my cock.”

“Oh my, Elias.” The things he says leave me speechless and completely wet.

He spins me around by my shoulders and runs a soft touch along the length of my back. “The thought of bending you over won’t leave my mind.” He pushes me forward, and I grab the side of the sleigh, with my ass pointing to the street.

Thank hell he’s standing in the way of me not flashing the world.

With a strong hand, he nudges my thighs apart. “Now open up for me.” He slaps a large palm across my ass.

“Ow,” I half-cry, half-moan. The pain and pleasure thing is huge for me. I've come to that realization, and that absolutely includes spanking.

“You really don’t care about anyone seeing me naked do you?” I say over my shoulder. He’s palming his cock as she pushes it toward me.

“Have you seen the way men look at you? You are fucking stunning, and if that means anyone wants to see the way I fuck you, enjoy staring at how perfect you are, and become jealous as fuck, then hell yeah. They can look but if they touch, I’ll rip their faces off.”

His cock nudges against my entrance, and he’s already pushing into me unceremoniously, stealing my response. My fingers tighten on the sleigh as he edges into me because there is a lot to fit inside me.

It doesn’t take him long to push his full length into me, and I feel every inch of his erection, filling me, stretching me. Then he begins to rock in and out of me, growling as he picks up his pace.

I feel myself tighten and my hips are bucking with each slap of him plunging into me. He reaches over and curls his hand around my long hair, tugging my head back.

“Fuck, little rabbit. I love you like this. Now, hold on tight.”

I moan in response because he’s slamming into me so hard that I’m barely catching my breath. This man is a beast. I adore his dominance.

His pace quickens, and my hips do that thing where they start to quake just before I’m about to detonate. “Hell, you feel so incredible,” I moan, bucking into him, wanting it harder, when he tucks his hand around my clit, and he pinches it.

And that completely undoes me. I’m crying out as an orgasm swallows me, my muscles quivering as the most delicious sensation owns me.

Elias roars as I squeeze his cock, and his fingers dig into my hip bones. He blasts inside me. I’m shaking and jerking, screaming with the most beautiful sensation curling through me.

My knees don’t hold me up anymore, and they give out. Elias scoops an arm around my middle, lifting me off the floor as he slides out of me.

“Let me hold you,” he says.

“That was tremendous,” I purr, my body still buzzing from my high.

Elias has me sitting on his lap as takes a seat.

“You’re so incredibly beautiful,” he whispers. I shuffle around to face him, and his eyes are fixated on my breasts, then they raise to my lips.

“I needed that release badly.”

“I could go another round.” He winks, and I shuffle out of his arms, finding strength to stand on my own legs.

“Why do I get the impression that you are hoping Dorian will catch us having sex?” I’m collecting my clothes off the floor and dragging them on as my bigger concern is that when the others return, they’ll want to join us. And after Elias, I just want to be in his arms and rest.

Elias lounges on the seat, legs spread, a smile on his face, and his cock still erect as a flagpole. “Guessing then we’re not going for a second round?”

“You got it,” I answer with a smile.

By the time he’s dressed and I’m huddled up against him in the back seat, the other three return. They’re carrying bags of food, the moment they get into the sleigh, the smell has me salivating.

“What did you get?” I ask.

“A few things,” Maverick teases. “I suggest starting with the kransky hotdogs.”

“I’ll eat anything. I’m starved,” Elias says, and Dorian’s staring at him, the look on his face tells me he knows we had sex.

I pat the seat next to me for him to join me. “Missed you,” I say.

He flops down. “I’ve got something for you called an Apfelstrudel. It’s an apple strudel.”

“Sounds delicious,” I answer.

Cain and Maverick sit in front of us, and the five of us dive into the food, no one talking much but too busy stuffing our faces.

Sunrise wouldn’t be for another few hours and we’d take the sleigh to the programmed location of Krampus’s cave. So that means settling down and waiting until it was time to go collect Cass. All I can do is pray to whoever is listening that Cass is okay and will come back to me in one piece.

CHAPTER EIGHT

ELIAS

B ones crack and black fur recedes back into my skin as I stare into the dark mouth of the cave. My nostrils flare, drawing in the scents of wet hair, sulfur, and extinguished fire in my human form. They’re less strong in this body, but we’re definitely in the right place. I can even hear the scuffle of tiny feet echoing deep inside the cavern.

The stolen children. They’re not dead yet.

And the wet goat smell is old, which means, no Krampus here either.

Perfect.

I nod for Cain, Aria, Maverick, and Dorian to come out of their hiding places and join me. When they do, Aria gets close to my side and whispers, “Any sign of Cass?”

I’d almost forgotten the big lynx cat.

Drawing in a deep breath, I pick up the same smells as before, but nothing that hints to a feline.

That’s odd.

Aria must see my confusion because she follows up with, “He’s not here, is he?” She frowns.

I hate seeing her so defeated. It twists at my heart. “Wait, wait. I didn’t say that.” Inhaling, I draw in as much air as my lungs can hold, and as the wind bustles past, I get the slightest hint of Cass’s familiar scent.

Oh, he’s here alright. But hiding.

A warning tickles the back of my neck. My hound senses danger at the last second.

No, Cass isn’t hiding. He’s hunting.

I whirl around just in time to see a massive white blur sailing through the air at us, its claws extended and poised to kill.

I shove Aria out of the way in record time, but my chest gets the brunt of Cass’s massive weight and piercing talons.

The pain hits first, stunning me, and then I’m thrown back into the compacted snow. The landing is hard and brutal on my ass, but I can’t even think about that because killer jaws are snapping at my face, trying to rip and tear. Like before, his eyes are an angry, unnatural red.

“He’s still bewitched!” Cain shouts as Cass and I wrestle for dominance. The sneaky fucker had waited until I’d switched back into my human form to attack, knowing I was weaker this way. Shifting back now will make me too vulnerable for those few seconds, so I’m forced to fight like this.

And not hurt him, too, I might add.

Cass continues to aim his fangs at my neck

I seize him by the top and bottom of his jaw and wrench him sideways, enough to get us both rolling. Claws slash against my chest, and more blood spurts.

“Cass! No!” Aria cries out desperately. “What do we do?”

I don’t know but they better think fast because I don’t know how much longer I can hold him back.

As I dodge another swipe of his paws, a dark shadow looms over us, blocking out the morning sun. When I look up, I see the terrifying inky form of Sayah. Her glowing red eyes zero in on us, and dread curls at the base of my spine.

Oh no. She’s not planning on eating us, is she?

“Uh… Aria?” I hear Dorian’s shaky tone calling to her. “What is Sayah doing?”

“I…I don’t know,” she replies.

That’s not good.

“Sayah! Return!” Aria commands, but instead of listening, the Leviathan zips past my shoulder and flies into Cass’s nostrils. Instantly, Cass freezes in place, mid-attack, as if turned to stone.

What the fuck did she do?

Aria’s horrified screams shake the night. “No, Sayah! Return! Return!”

It only takes a second, but finally, Sayah seeps out of Cass’s nostrils again and slinks along the snow-covered ground back to Aria. Staring at the lynx in shock, I watch as the red drains from his eyes and the normal amber color is restored.

He blinks rapidly and snorts, his gaze finding me. It seems like he’s not only freed of the weird spell Sayah had put him in, but the one Krampus had done to him as well.

Before I can jump off him, he leans forward and licks my face.

“Fuck!” I scramble to my feet, wiping saliva off me frantically. I’m covered in the stuff and now soaking wet. “Disgusting!”

Dorian’s hysterical laughter fills the night.

Cass rolls and shakes out his fur, completely unbothered.

“Cass!” Aria throws herself at the animal and wraps her arms around its thick neck. “It’s you again! You’re back!”

He nuzzles her head, purring loudly.

Still hesitant, Cain and Maverick step closer.

“What did Sayah do?” Maverick asks the question we all want to know. “How did she break the spell?”

“It looked like she was able to absorb the dark power Krampus had over him and free him from it that way,” Cain says.

“Holy shit. Like a supernatural sponge?” Maverick blows out a breath. “What can’t a Leviathan do?”

“I’m starting to wonder the same thing…” Cain murmurs mostly to himself.

“It does make sense if you think about it,” Aria says as she scratches Cass behind the ear. He’s loving every minute of this extra love and attention—the mooch. “Sayah is made up of the dark stuff. She’s attracted to it, can absorb it and consume it, so…this is just another way she’s doing that.”

“Well, when you say it like that…” Maverick jokes.

Aria presses her face into his furry side. “I’m just glad we got you back and you’re okay.”

Cass purrs happily.

Damn cat.

“Well, we got him, so let’s get the hell out of here before Krampus comes back up here for a little kiddie breakfast,” Maverick says, gesturing back down the mountain. “It’s about time I go and defrost.”

“Wait, we can’t just leave the children here.” She stands and eyes the rest of us. “Krampus will kill them if we don’t help.”

“And? That’s not our problem,” Maverick replies with a shrug.

“This is why you should never have children,” Dorian says to him. “I’ll be calling protective services in a heartbeat.”

“Hey, the only Daddy I want to be called is in the bedroom, thank you very much.”

I roll my eyes.

“Besides, we got the pet. That’s what we came for, isn’t it,” he goes on.

“But if Krampus really wants to try for the throne, he’ll just keep coming for us. He’ll make our life miserable,” she says.

She’s got a point there. We just started to get a handle on everything again. I certainly didn’t want another Lucifer-type situation and have a big bad demon breathing down our necks.

“What do we do?” Maverick asks. “Just sit here and wait for him to show up? You’ll have to chisel me out of some ice by the time that happens.”

“Let me save you some time then.”

My hackles rise to attention as the guttural voice grates against my eardrums.

We all spin to see the seven foot, half goat demon standing there, silhouetted by the rising sun. No velvet robe this time; no cellphone. Just the winter demon as we know him.

Cass hisses loudly, and a growl vibrates in my throat.

When Krampus’s gaze finds Aria, a leery smile stretches across his face. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, my queen,” he says without an ounce of sincerity in his voice. “You’re not exactly what I expected from all the stories of how you defeated Lucifer and secured the crown.” Then, he peers down and finds the black stone ring on Aria’s finger that used to belong to our father. “But it is you…and the Leviathan.”

Despite the fear flashing in her eyes, Aria holds her head up high and stares down Krampus head on.

“We had no issues with you, winter demon.” Cain steps in front of her. “Not until you broke into our home and stole from us. That’s a call to war.”

“Stealing the lynx was just a bit of mischievous fun,” he replies nonchalantly. “What I really wanted was you, but I knew taking your pet would bring you to me. And here you are.”

His eyes glimmer, even though they’re as dark as coals in an abandoned furnace. A forked tongue flicks out to wet his lips and my hound claws for release. The alpha in it doesn’t like facing off with an enemy as a human. It wants to show fangs and use claws to show dominance.

“It’s over, Krampus,” Aria says, stepping around Cain. “We have Cass, so leave us alone…”

“Or we’ll have to kill you,” I add on for good measure.

“Kill me?” He laughs manically, throwing his head back and blowing out puffs of hot breath with every wheeze. “Kill me?”

Is there an echo out here?

“I think you’re very confused. No one–human or Hell-made–can kill me.”

Man, this guy was cocky. But he obviously has never faced a Leviathan before.

Aria and I are on the same wavelength because she holds up her hand and calls to Sayah’s ancient power. The orange lights flicker up and down her arms, and suddenly, every shadow in a ten foot radius comes to life and throws themselves at Krampus.

But when they try to touch him, they bounce off, blocked by an invisible wall.

That’s when I spot it—the same evil eye symbol permanently engraved into the center of his hairy chest.

Fuck.

That means no Sayah and no demon forms for us.

This is going to suck big time.

Krampus takes that moment to launch himself at Aria. Cain grabs her last minutes and tucks her against his chest, while I leap in front of them and sock the goatman right in the face. Reeling back, his hot, foul breath blows into my face, and I gag at the rancid smell of it.

I don’t even see his arm swipe out, but it catches me right in the stomach and sends me sailing through the air. I tumble when I land, all the air knocked out of my lungs, but when I stand up, I find that I’m at the mouth of the cave and four pairs of eyes are staring out at me from the darkness. The children.

Glancing back to the fight, I spot Cain, Dorian, and Maverick doing their best to take down the massive beast, but without their demon forms or powers, it’s near impossible to match his strength or speed. I’m basically watching them be tossed around like a rag doll and Krampus just enjoying the exercise it provides.

I look back at the kids, and my chest clenches. They’re all huddled together for warming and shaking from the cold. Their eyes are all wide with fear and hope when they land on me, as if they’re praying I’ll be the one to bring them back to their parents and away from this nightmare for good.

“Don’t worry,” I tell them. “We’re going to get you out of here.”

They all shift a little closer together.

“Stay low and try not to be seen. Just in case.”

As they were told, they shuffle back inside, out of direct sight.

“Elias!”

Aria’s scream shakes me back to the fight, louder than the sudden explosion of my pulse. I whirl around to see Krampus hovering over Aria, whose back is pressed up against the mountainside, unable to move.

Dorian is there in an instant. From behind, he drives his knee up between the demon’s legs, hoping to make contact with the family jewels. But when Krampus doesn’t collapse into a puddle on the floor, it’s clear that was the wrong move.

With a roar that rattles my bones, the winter demon turns, seizes Dorian by the arms, and throws him off the side of the mountain in a feat of crazy inhuman strength.

My heart plummets.

Shit! No!

As he disappears from view, Maverick leaps over after her, his silvery wings snapping out of his back in the blink of an eye. He tucks them in tight to his body to pick up speed.

We may not be able to use our demon when facing Krampus, but thank fuck we still had access to them otherwise. Like for moments like this.

All I know is that Maverick better reach Dorian in time. I don’t even want to consider another alternative.

I don’t have time to dwell on it though because pain suddenly rips through my ankles, and when I look down, there is a swarm of those pesky little elves surrounding me and tearing into my legs.

Cain’s familiar rageful bellow fills the night, and a blast of heat scalds the side of my face. A quick glance across the snow is enough to see that he’s in a very similar situation with the elf creatures. Except he’s using his hellfire to get them off his back.

“You didn’t think I’d let you walk in here without backup?” Krampus yells with a dry, rasping laugh.

The screeches of more elves tear through the night. The snow moves all around us as the little fuckers burrow their way underneath all the white.

My hellhound surges to the forefront, forcing the shift through my muscles and bones. The power rips through me without my permission, but my scream of pain is silenced by my mouth and nose extending into the animal’s.

The moment I’m back on four legs, I swing my head, throwing a lot of the elves out of the way while chomping my jaws at as many as I can grab.

Blood coats my tongue, the creatures shrieking their ear-splitting cries as I kill any in my path.

Once I am able, I glance over at the side of the mountain, and my chest clenches with fear.

There’s still no sign of Maverick or Dorian. Fuck!

ARIA

F ire blazes across the snow.

I watch from the sidelines as Cain and Elias battle with the evil elves. I hate having to sit back and twiddle my thumbs while the demons risk their lives, without Sayah, what can I do?

I’m pretty good with a sword… But there’s no way I’ll find a sword just laying about on a mountain, and Maverick’s a little occupied right now trying to catch Dorian to let me use one of his daggers.

Creeping along the cave’s side to the entrance, I step inside the darkness and find four of the stolen children huddled together for warmth. Their faces are dirty, and they’re shivering uncontrollably.

My heart aches for them, but I can’t save them without some kind of weapon. “Is there anything in here that I can use against Krampus? A cub or big stick?

One of the kids points deeper into the cave, into the darkness. I stalk closer to find a metal pitchfork by a smoking fire pit.

That’ll work.

I grab it and head back out into the bright morning.

Cain is trying to throw fireballs at Krampus, but because of the ward tattoo, they deflect off of him, unable to make contact.

The winter demon laughs and laughs and laughs as he closes the distance between them.

“Pitiful!” he shouts. “I already told you, I cannot die!”

We’ll see about that.

Gripping the pitchfork, I run full speed at the beast.

The four spikes embed into his hairy backside, and he rears back, roaring in pain.

Cass appears out of nowhere and chomps on his goat leg. There’s a snap of bones breaking.

He curls his black nails and slashes Cass across the face, catching him across the eye, and I scream as blood coats his white fur. Yowling, he lets go and shrinks away. Then, Krampus whirls around and his hand catches me around the throat before I can react.

Glaring at me with hateful eyes, he cuts off my airway and lifts me off the ground. I kick and rip at his hand, but he doesn’t let go.

At the corner of my eye, a dark figure swoops closer with large silver wings, like a colossal bird. My vision begins to blur from the lack of oxygen, but something drops on top of Krampus, and he’s forced to drop me.

I land in the soft snow, and quickly suck frozen air back into my lungs.

When I look up, I find Dorian sitting on Krampus’s shoulders, his legs and arms wrapped around his neck, using all of his human-form’s strength to choke the life out of him. Because of the evil eye, Maverick’s demon is forced back inside him, so he uses his knives to repeatedly stab him in the stomach.

He may be protected from dark magic, but he’s not immortal.

He can still bleed.

Cain’s at my side. His hands are on my face, and he looks me over with concern in his eyes. “Are you okay?” He touches my neck.

I nod. “I’m fine. I’m fine.”

Another thunderous roar bounces off the mountain and Krampus throws out his arms. My demons go flying in opposite directions. Elias is not far off, still cutting through the hordes of elves and trying to keep them away from us.

“He’s too strong.” For the first time, I realize Cain’s breathing hard. There’s a fresh gash across his forehead and purple bruise under his eye, but most of all, he looks exhausted. He’s never struggled this hard in a fight. Even when we’d faced Lucifer. “Without our demons and Sayah, I’m not sure—”

“We don’t have a choice,” I cut him off.

“The temperature isn’t helping. It’s making us sluggish, and Krampus knew that.”

He’s right. Demons and the cold don’t mix.

“What are we going to do?” I ask him desperately.

Nostrils flaring and dark eyes pinned on us, Krampus limps our way.

“You’re going to run.” Cain’s on his feet in the next second, ready to fight, despite his weakened state. He’s more than willing to sacrifice himself for me, but unlucky for him, I’m too stubborn to let him do it.

We need help.

We need an angel blade.

I squeeze my eyes shut, and the first thing that pops into my mind is the archangel, Gabriel, and his holy sword. But how to summon him? Cain had always just shouted to the sky, using his pull as Pride to call the angel down. Would that work for me? Doubted it.

How did regular people talk to Heaven usually?

They pray.

I am going to have to pray.

Aw, fuck. I’m not sure I know how to. I’ve never said a prayer in my life.

I can hear the crunch of Krampus’s footsteps in the snow as he gets closer.

Heart hammering, I start to ramble in my head, unsure what to even say.

Uh… Hello, it’s me. We need some help down here, so if anyone up there in Heaven has an angel blade to spare, we’d like to borrow it. Hello? Gabriel? Help.

Pathetic. I know it, but that’s all I got right now.

Bright light bursts against my eyelids, and my head spins as immense energy snaps and crackles all around me. When I open my eyes, I’m staring up at the jolly old man who’d told us about the cave and missing children. This time, he’s wearing a long red coat, black boots, and holds a pickaxe type weapon with its blade glowing white. He holds the sharp point right over the evil eye emblem on Krampus’s chest, but the winter demon is locked in place. He tries to move, but he’s either too afraid to or under some kind of immobilizing power.

“You’ve stepped over the line again, old friend,” the man in red says.

Santa?

He looks even more like him now with the coat and boats, but I don’t remember Santa ever wielding a glowing pickaxe before…

Or being able to flash into existence like a goddamn angel.

I peek up at Cain, who’s staring at the scene with wide eyes.

Krampus and the man are staring each other down, neither of them willing to give up first.

“Recall your elves,” the Santa-impersonator demands. The friendly demeanor we’d witnessed when we’d met him is gone, and now he’s a commanding presence. “And leave these people alone.”

When Krampus only glares at him, he presses the tip of his axe into the center of his chest, deep enough to draw blood, and the demon bellows as if he’s being seared from the inside out.

I remember what it felt like to be stabbed with an angel blade, and it was the most intense pain I’d ever felt.

But Santa is…an angel?

That sounds absolutely insane, even to me.

The remaining screeching elves scatter, burrowing themselves into the snow and disappearing from sight.

Pleased, Santa lifts his angel blade—or is it an angel axe?—away and at the same time, whatever holding spell he placed on Krampus extinguishes.

Now able to move, Krampus’s narrowed gaze dances between me and Cain, as if he’s debating whether or not to follow the rest of Santa’s commands or kill us instead. But when Santa waves the axes his way again, there’s an eruption of black smoke and Krampus is gone.

“Good riddance,” the man in red huffs and then turns to us. Just like the first time we’d met, looking at his rosy cheeks, white beard, and pleasant face has the inner child in me giddy.

Come on, Aria. Surely the real Santa didn’t just save us all.

After sheathing the axe safety on his belt, he holds out a gloved hand to help me up. I take it.

“I’m so sorry,” he says, his warm smile back in its rightful place. “He gets out of hand if I don’t check in on him occasionally.”

When I’m on my feet again, he looks me over. “There you are, Aria. You’re better now. Aren’t you?”

I can’t find my words, so I only nod.

Cain moves closer to me, unsure about this stranger despite all he’s done to help us. Maverick, Elias, and Dorian come over too, surrounding me.

Sensing the rising tension, the man draws in a deep breath and claps his hands together. “Ah yes, well, I should be going now. Lots to do, you know.”

Why? Because it’s almost Christmas?

“You’re an angel?” I blurt out, figuring it’s less crazy than asking if he’s actually Santa Claus.

His smile widens. “I am.” His eyes sparkling, he bows and introduces himself properly. “Name’s Nicholas.”

“As in Saint Nicholas?” I gasp, unable to hold back my excitement. “Santa Claus?”

He laughs, and it's a loud, rich sound that warms me all the way to my toes. “I have been called those things.”

No way! I can’t believe it!

I’m shaking from excitement.

“Thank you for helping us, Nicholas,” Cain says, still hovering close to my side. “We owe you a great deal.”

He waves that away. “Just return the children to their homes, and all debts will be considered paid.”

Cain dips his head. “We can do that.”

Then, leaning in close to me, Nicholas touches the side of his round nose and lowers his voice to a soft whisper. “Remember, Aria… Never lose your good heart. It’ll be your light.” He peeks up at Cain, as if the next part is also for him. “Even when you’re surrounded by so much darkness. Do you understand?”

Again, I only nod, unsure how else to respond.

When he straightens, his gaze roams over me and my four demons. “Be good.”

There’s another flash of light, brilliant enough to temporarily white out my vision.

When the mountain comes into view again, the spot where Nicholas stood is empty. He’s gone.

The wind howls across the mountain, and the rising sun makes the snow twinkle and shine. Cass walks over to me and presses his head against my stomach, wanting more pets. There are two deep slashes across his face, but luckily his eye was spared.

He’s okay. We’re okay. The stolen children are all okay.

We made it out of another Hellish scenario. Thanks to Santa.

Speaking of…

I spin around, facing my four demons, and suck in a deep breath.

“I knew it!” I shout at them. “I knew he was Santa!”

CHAPTER NINE

ARIA

“A re you nervous?” Dorian asks Elias, handing him a wrapped up Christmas gift. It’s a box that could easily fit a pair of shoes. Though I’m certain it’s going to be something crazy.

“Should I be nervous?” Elias asks, accepting the gift nonetheless, to which Dorian offers him a genuine smile.

Cass on the other hand is making a groaning sound, staring at the pair from where he’s laying in front of the blazing fireplace, like he knows something we don't know.

“Think Cass is saying to be careful,” Maverick suggests with a laugh, sitting near Cass by the fire.

Cain lounges on the couch next to me in the parlor, embracing me as I press up against him. Snow falls hard outside, coating everything in white, while our Christmas tree blinks with golden lights in the far corner. The side tables are filled with snacks and eggnog, and this is exactly the kind of Christmas day I’ve envisaged.

Me and my demons.

No end-of-world drama or something trying to steal my throne.

After so much happening with Krampus, we all need some time to relax before we head back into Hell for the next six months.

“Well open it,” Cain says impatiently, his gorgeous voice bringing me out of my thoughts. I lift my gaze to Elias tearing the wrapping paper and opening a cardboard box.

He looks inside and chuckles.

“What is it?” I ask.

He draws out a set of antlers on a headband. He slides it onto his head and mock poses as if he’s in a photoshoot.

I love that he’s not pissed but can take a joke. Everyone else is chuckling too.

Dorian’s going around handing us all gifts of the same size. We rip into them and find our own antlers, which I love. Mine are pink, so I put them on. I do notice that Dorian’s are huge antlers compared to the rest of us.

“Are you trying to compensate for something?” Maverick mocks him.

“Aria can very well attest to no compensation needed, right beautiful?”

I wink at my handsome demon, and when he looks at me with a grin, it’s like I’m looking into the depth of his green eyes, into his soul, and all I see is his love for me. With so much attention and affection, I’m starting to get slightly teary eyed. “I can confirm that none of you are small in the slightest. Let’s just say, you all measure in the large department.” I laugh, and blink away the tears that keep wanting to come up. And they have everything to do with happiness.

Cain kisses my brow, and I snuggle more into his side as if he senses my emotions. “You’re perfect,” he whispers.

Elias is on his feet. “I’ve got something for everyone as well.”

“Ooo,” I tease, half picturing some kind of sex toy.

Elisa returns from the Christmas tree with a bundle of wrapped up cylinder boxes. “Here you go, little rabbit.” He hands me mine first, and I wait for everyone to get theirs, then I peel the Christmas paper away. I pop open the lid at the end of the tube and slide out what looks like a scroll.

“What is this?” I ask, curious as I rapidly unravel the gift.

There are two papers. First one is titled Sky Map and has a photo of the galaxy with one star circled. Then I flip to the next page which is a certificate.

Extra Bright Star #592162 - Virgo

has been officially named in the Star Registry as:

Aria Cross

I might have just squealed. “You named a star after me?”

“Are you kidding me? This is…” Dorian says and goes over to give Elias a big bear hug.

Maverick gasps and he joins them. “Please tell me this now means we’re officially up there in rank with the angels.”

I can’t stop laughing and choking on tears that threaten to come out. I’m on my feet, as is Cain, and we join them in a huge embrace.

“If I knew that just getting you each a star was all it took to get you so mushy, I would have done it long ago,” Elisa says, and he’s chuckling, loving the attention of being hugged.

Something about the gesture and to see everyone being just as surprised and excited has my throat thickening. And next thing I know, I’m crying.

Elias gathers me into his arms and covers my face with kisses. “Hey, this isn’t meant to upset you.”

I wipe my eyes and look up at him and all my men who surround me now. “It’s just so beautiful. The antlers, the star, having you all with me. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”

“Well, you haven’t even seen my present yet,” Maverick winks. “Ah, fuck the envelopes, I got us all a full massage treatment. The masseuse is coming over tomorrow. I’ve always wanted to try it and after what Aria’s been through, she deserves it the most.”

“You’re not supposed to blurt out your gift,” Cain says, to which Maverick shrugs.

“Thank you, Maverick. That sounds divine,” I whisper. I’m still holding onto the certificate and I look down at it then glance at Maverick. “As far as I’m concerned, this is totally equivalent to being a star in Heaven.”

“I thought so,” he smirks, curling his certificate back up like it’s gold. He is so adorable.

“And what about your gift, Cain,” Dorian asks.

Cain has a mischievous look on his face. He lets go of me. “Give me two seconds.” And he walks out of the parlor.

“What’s he got?” I ask.

“Hell if I know,” Elias answers. “Getting a secret out of him is like squeezing water out of a rock.”

Cain returns into the room moments later, holding onto a piece of paper in his hand. “My gift is currently being constructed, so we should have it in a day or two.”

“I have no clue what you’re talking about, but I need to know,” I answer, stepping toward him.

“Me too,” Maverick murmurs.

Then Cain hands me the paper which is actually a photo. I stare down at it, along with three of my demons, crowded in around me to take a look.

It’s a huge bed with a dark-wood headboard covered in ornate carvings of patterns I can’t make out in the photo. But I’m talking about a Godzilla sized mattress that might have once belonged in a King’s castle.

“I think it’s about time we had the option of sharing one bed,” Cain explains. “We are a family now.”

“Fuck yes!” Dorian and Elias cheer simultaneously, which has us all laughing.

“Is this going to Hell or here?” I ask, still staring at the bed in the photo and strangely excited to try it out with all my men.

“I’ve arranged for one in Hell too, don’t worry. I’ve got us covered.”

“I love it,” I say and hug him tight around the middle. “It’s like everything is falling into place for us finally.”

The guys behind me are already talking about who is going to sleep next to me and schedules, which makes me giggle.

Is there such a thing as being too happy?

Their love presses into me, and seeing their attempts to fit into human life brings a whole other level of appreciation to their love for me. And I can’t wait any longer, I want to give them my surprise next.

“Okay, now it’s my turn,” I say. “I have something to give you all.”

“You don’t need to,” Cain says, his gaze roaming my face. “Just having you is all we need.”

“Trust me, you’ll want this.” They have to love it. “I won’t be long.” Then I rush out of the room and right up to my bedroom, my stomach dancing with butterflies with what I’m about to show them.

CAIN

T  orn wrapping paper is all over the floor. Ribbons, boxes, bows… the parlor is covered in Christmas morning’s mess, but it doesn’t bother me. I stand by the roaring fireplace, loving the warmth against my skin, and watch as Maverick, Elias, and Dorian chat about their gifts and chat about our showdown with Krampus and our upcoming trip to Hell.

I never cared for the strange human holiday of Christmas. Not until Aria came into our lives. But this year, I’m feeling the spirit, as the living would say–the happiness, the peace, and the hope for what’s to come in the new year…

All because of her.

We’ve come a long way since the holiday last year of silly polar bears and Santa costumes and Coca-Cola.

Speaking of Aria, I haven’t seen her in a half an hour. After opening our gifts, she hurried off, claiming she had one gift for the four of us. Probably something sexier, no doubt, and my pulse quickens just at the thought of her wrapped in something thin and silky, just like a present.

The sound of someone clearing their throat has me glancing to the parlor’s sliding doors, and to my complete surprise, there’s Aria but instead of some type of sexy lingerie, she’s in the same fuzzy robe, pajama pants, and slippers that she was in before.

Disappointment settles over me, but I try not to let it show on my face.

As she comes further into the room, I notice she’s trying hard not to show us what she’s hiding behind her back, but her smile radiates as she crosses the room to stand in front of me.

“Are you ready for your final present?” she asks, excitement bubbling from her. Gifts don’t mean much to me, but her giddiness is enough to make me smile and nod.

She waves for Dorian, Elias, and Maverick to come cover, still doing her damndest to keep the present hidden from view.

The three of them come to my side, surrounding me and waiting for the big reveal.

“Well? What is it?” Maverick says impatiently.

“Is it under that robe?” Elias reaches for her, but she steps back.

“Keep your hands to yourself,” she squeals then glares Maverick’s way. “And patience, you. It’ll be worth the wait.”

My hard gaze roams over the three of them, and they all settle down.

“Go on, Aria,” I encourage her.

Smile widening, she finally holds out the small rectangle shaped box.

Everyone is silent, and I know they’re thinking the same thing as me.

How is something that size supposed to be for us all? But I’ll play along.

When she hands it to me, I take it gingerly in both hands and cock a brow at her.

She’s practically bouncing on her toes. “Open it.”

I do. And what I see at the bottom of the otherwise empty box has me even more confused than before.

It’s a skinny white and pink stick with a little window and two pink lines inside.

I pick it up so Dorian, Elias, and Maverick can see it, but I’m not exactly sure what I’m looking at.

There are confused looks all around.

“Um… Thanks?” Maverick says, then glances at me for guidance.

Elias sniffs the air. “Wait, did you pee on that thing?”

Eyes shining with mischief, she laughs. “I did.”

Now I’m even more confused. Is this another living world tradition I missed?

“I-I don’t understand,” I say and search her face for an answer. “What is this?”

Hesitating, she rubs her lips together. Then, with a blush kissing her cheeks, she says, “It’s a pregnancy test.”

“A what now?” Dorian half-chokes on the words.

“Did I miss something?” Maverick asks. “Can someone fill me in?”

“Well…” she begins cautiously. “I was feeling a little sick after the plane ride, and after all those jokes you all made about being dads, it got me thinking…”

Then it hits me, and my heart all but leaps into my throat.

No… She can’t be…

Can she?

Oh fuck.

“Aria… Aria, are you… Are you pregnant?” I can barely breathe, let alone form words at that moment.

Dorian, Elias, and Maverick’s heads all snap up at once, their shock clear.

She gives a subtle nod, but it’s all the confirmation I need.

My hands tremble violently, causing me to almost drop the test.

Me? Me… a father?

It’s a terrifying thought. A terrifying yet exciting one at the same time.

I can’t believe it.

I’m going to be a father…

As Aria looks over each of us, her smile grows. At that moment, the Christmas tree’s lights seem to reflect in her eyes, making them twinkling like magic.

“Merry Christmas, Sin Demons.”

NEW UPCOMING RELEASE

I've danced for some powerful and deadly men. But lately, instead of dollars, I'm collecting death warrants.

I’ve always played with danger. And as long as I followed the rules, I told myself I’d always be safe.

One night is all it took, one mistake, and now every damned mafia criminal in the Black Spades gang is after me.

But so are the Kings of Eden.

Cassius, Dracon, and Knox-- they're monsters that would make the devil's serpent look like an inchworm.

They want to play with me, break me, rule me.

What they don't know is that I'll never fall to my knees... even if that's exactly where they want me.

Grab your copy today by clicking here.

ABOUT MILA YOUNG

Best-selling author, Mila Young tackles everything with the zeal and bravado of the fairytale heroes she grew up reading about. She slays monsters, real and imaginary, like there's no tomorrow. By day she rocks a keyboard as a marketing extraordinaire. At night she battles with her mighty pen-sword, creating fairytale retellings, and sexy ever after tales. In her spare time, she loves pretending she's a mighty warrior, walks on the beach with her dogs, cuddling up with her cats, and devouring every fantasy tale she can get her pinkies on.

Ready to read more and more from Mila Young? Subscribe today here.

Join Mila’s Wicked Readers group for exclusive content, latest news, and giveaway. Click here.

For more information…

milayoungauthor@gmail.com

ABOUT HARPER A. BROOKS

Harper A. Brooks lives in a small town on the New Jersey shore. Even though classic authors have always filled her bookshelves, she finds her writing muse drawn to the dark, magical, and romantic. But when she isn't creating entire worlds with sexy shifters or legendary love stories, you can find her either with a good cup of coffee in hand or at home snuggling with her furry, four-legged son, Sammy.

She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance.

RONE AWARD WINNER

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Want to read more from Harper A. Brooks?

Subscribe to Harper’s newsletter and get Halfling for Hire for free!

Join Harper’s reader group for exclusive content, sneak-peeks, giveaways, and more! Click here.

BOOKS BY MILA YOUNG

www.milayoungbooks.com

Savage

Lost Wolf

Broken Wolf

Fated Wolf

Shadowlands

Shadowlands Sector, One

Shadowlands Sector, Two

Shadowlands Sector, Three

Shadows & Wolves Complete Collection

Chosen Vampire Slayer

Night Kissed

Moon Kissed

Blood Kissed

The Alpha-Hole Duet

Real Alphas Bite

Kingdom of Wolves

Wild Moon

Wild Heart

Wild Girl

Wild Love

Winter’s Thorn

To Seduce A Fae

To Tame A Fae

To Claim A Fae

Shadow Hunters Series

Boxed Set 1

Wicked Heat Series

Wicked Heat #1

Wicked Heat #2

Wicked Heat #3

Elemental Series

Taking Breath #1

Taking Breath #2

Gods and Monsters

Apollo Is Mine

Poseidon Is Mine

Ares Is Mine

Hades Is Mine

Sin Demons Co-write with Harper A. Brooks

Playing With Hellfire

Hell In A Handbasket

All Shot To Hell

To Hell And Back

When Hell Freezes Over

Hell On Earth

Haven Realm Series

Hunted (Little Red Riding Hood Retelling)

Cursed (Beauty and the Beast Retelling)

Entangled (Rapunzel Retelling)

Princess of Frost (Snow Queen)

Thief of Hearts Series Co-write with C.R. Jane

Siren Condemned

Siren Sacrificed

Siren Awakened

Broken Souls Series Co-write with C.R. Jane

School of Broken Souls

School of Broken Hearts

School of Broken Dreams

School of Broken Wings

Fallen World Series Co-write with C.R. Jane

Bound

Broken

Betrayed

Belong

Beautiful Beasts Academy

Manicures and Mayhem

Diamonds and Demons

Hexes and Hounds

Secrets and Shadows

Passions and Protectors

Ancients and Anarchy

Subscribe to Mila Young’s Newsletter to receive exclusive content, latest updates, and giveaways. Join here.

BOOKS BY HARPER A. BROOKS

Reaper Reborn Series

Death Wish

Death Trap

Death Match

Death Deals

Death Sentence

Till Death

Christmas Spirits: A Holiday Novella

Halfling for Hire: A Short Story Collection

Sin Demons

Playing with Hellfire

Hell in a Handbasket

All Shot to Hell

To Hell and Back

When Hell Freezes Over

Hell on Earth

Shifter Unleashed

Tiger Claimed

Wolf Marked

His Haven: A Victorian Vampire Romance

Eternally Yours: A Vampire Romance

Immortal Throne

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Contents

Sin Demons Series

Snowball’s Chance in Hell

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

NEW Upcoming Release

About Mila Young

About Harper A. Brooks

Books By Mila Young

Books by Harper A. Brooks