The Christmas Devil's Bride (2nd Book Of The Krampus Series)

By His Side

Many emotions were running rampant on Samantha's mind and each was not fulfilling than the others. Krampus' mother merely waited at the door with a smile (if you would ever call a tear in her lips rising) on her face.

"You-you...Where is he?!"

Keeping her breathing in check to prevent herself from having an attack, Samantha eyed the woman warily as if one wrong movement could have her pouncing towards her and devouring her in a second.

"Ärgere dich nicht, mein Sohn ist in Sicherheit"

"Sicher?...He's your son?!" The Underworld Queen was beginning to like this little wife of her son. She was acting a lot like her century old parakeet, always parroting back a statement in a new form of language.

"Ja, er ist mein Sohn und verzeihen Sie mir das BegrüBungskomitee. Unterweltwesen haben selten ... sterbliche Gäste"

I can tell by the way literally looked at me like I was a prized budget meal!

Samantha kept herself in check as she opened her mouth to ask herself to the exit door (or was it portal?) to this world when Krampus came storming in with a look of rage so raw that he really could curse an entire kingdom of despair and destruction.

If he wanted to that is...

When Krampus' eyes went to her, Samantha swore she could see them soften up before it hardened at the sight of his mother.

I wonder if it's because of my current state of being kidnapped by a possible future in law or the fact that her disfigured face that looked like it had been horribly merged by all kinds of...things?

Samantha shook her head. Now was not the time to thing such...ridiculous things.

Samantha made a small squeak when Krampus pulled her beside him and away from the eyes of his mother.

Phyrra dutifully awaited her master outside and grew slightly concerned when she heard growls, grunts and some occasional cuss words in their tongue.

She took a step back when the doors swung open and out came an enraged Krampus with Samantha trailing behind him with confusion and a bit of fear swimming in her eyes.

Samantha spotted Phyrra and gave a small smile a weak one at that before she followed behind Krampus. Phyrra turned to the Queen who merely gave her a glance before casually walking after the two of them.

***

Samantha sat in a chair in the far corner of the room they went in and the chair looked like it had been hand-made by flesh and bones due to the rotten stench and watched Krampus angrily pace about.

A knock made Samantha walk over to the door but not before making Krampus tense up slightly before relaxing when it was only Phyrra who entered.

"Darf ich fragen was passiert ist?"

Samantha smiled at her before frowning and shaking her head while Krampus merely growled some more and ordered Phyrra to leave them alone.

Samantha waited from the door as Krampus sat in a chair. It was getting on Samantha's nerves that Krampus was not saying anything in regards to what his mother said. Before she could chicken out from her neves, she asked.

"What did...your mother say?"

Krampus finally looked at the woman who held no ounce of fear right now that was standing before him. The ruby red ring still on her finger and she had not once taken it off, mainly only when she goes to the bathroom.

"Mother gives you test. Sign of contract to be my bride"

His reverberating growl sent a chill through her spine. A test? What test? Is it one of those cult things where blood is to be shed?!

Seeing her face pale made Krampus grimace as he answered the one unanswered question she would most likely ask first.

"Test is to have first hunt with me on the Night of Eve"

Samantha blinked before speaking slowly and unsurely "You mean to say...I get to hunt and slay naughty children" It was more of a statement than a question but the way Krampus was looking at her she knew she was right.

Part of her wanted to vomit and run away at the sheer thought of harming any innocent lives yet a much darker side of her, the one that had been locked away the moment her gaze landed on him purred and squealed with glee at the thought.

Krampus eyed his fiance with his intense stare. He knew as well as those in his domain how different his fiance is and would not force her to do something that might destroy her mind in order to be with him.

He much preferred her with sanity in her brain. He had too much insanity to even count with the others.

Samantha looked at the beast that had haunted her since childhood and had kidnapped her from her family. Yet, he treated her with no malice and actually let her have her freedom if the storms would lessen and she was frankly getting used to the behavior of the elves.

With the exception of the breakfast meat being hanged in front of my face first thing in the morning.

Samantha looked outside the window beside Krampus. The blood red sky seemed to shine like a ruby as the constant screams and groans of agony sounded off in the distance.

"Well...there's only one thing we can do"

Samantha said solemnly and Krampus made a move to stand up and order Phyrra to send them back to the Human World to drop Samantha off when the human girl added.

"When will this test begin?"

Krampus turned sharply to look at her and Samantha stared deeply in the blood red pools of his eyes as it seemed to tear down the walls of her soul and taint her with his aura.

"I probably won't have the life I had before and I am pretty sure that my family thinks of me as dead"

Samantha explained. Generally, she didn't like being his fiance or soon to be bride but that was a long time ago and she was really getting used to living underground with the ghouls and the demented ones.

Krampus let out a sharp call for Phyrra to stumble in with his mother who had an amused look on her face as she began to converse with him rapidly in her native tongue.

10 seconds later, Samantha was now left alone with Krampus' mother with the Christmas Devil being kicked out by the room for some privacy.

This looks a lot like an initiation.

Samantha mused as she recalled some of her early childhood days watching too many cult movies with her friends.

"Ich weib nicht, warum mein Sohn Sie gewählt hat, aber ich finde Sie sehr interessant zu sehen. Hauptsächlich darüber, wie Sie es noch geschafft haben, mit ihm zu überleben"

Samantha smiled nervously at the grin Krampus' mother gave her, looking over her shoulder in hopes to see Krampus emerging with his raging blood red eyes.

"I may not have fully grasped the idea on what you just said but my past home is gone. The home I have now is out there in the harsh cold winds with Krampus"

***

Translation:

Ärgere dich nicht, mein Sohn ist in Sicherheit - Do not fret, my son is safe.

Ja, er ist mein Sohn und verzeihen Sie mir das BegrüBungskomitee. Unterweltwesen haben selten ... sterbliche Gäste - Yes, he is my son and forgive me for the welcome committee. Underworld beings rarely have ... mortal guests

Darf ich fragen was passiert ist? - May I ask what happened?

Ich weib nicht, warum mein Sohn Sie gewählt hat, aber ich finde Sie sehr interessant zu sehen. Hauptsächlich darüber, wie Sie es noch geschafft haben, mit ihm zu überleben - I do not know why my son chose you, but I think you're very interesting to see. Mainly how you managed to survive with him.