Holiday Spirits Read online

  “Thank you! I’ll be back in an hour or so. You guys have fun.” I didn’t have the heart to tell him where we were off to.

  As I cautiously backed out of the parking lot and into the streets, Kip was unusually quiet. “You okay, Kipling?”

  He let out a strangled burp. “Mom, I’m sorry. I dunno what I was thinking. I guess I wasn’t. I wish none of this ever happened. I wish I never met Sly!”

  “You can’t blame Sly for this. At least, not totally. Yes, he egged you on, but you made the decision to go along with him.” I tried to weigh my words carefully. “Kip, we all face choices throughout our lives. We all face times when it’s easier to go with the crowd, even though we know in our hearts it’s the wrong thing to do. Bravery and courage mean standing up to say, No, I won’t do this because it’s not the right thing to do when we know that we’re going to face laughter or ridicule. Or when we know a friend will be angry. We have to be willing to face feeling left behind, or even face losing a friend, if they want us to do something we shouldn’t. Do you understand?”

  He stared at the window, but finally said, “Yeah, I do. I didn’t think about what might happen. It started out with us just going over to mess up her lawn ornaments. Then Sly decided to break into her house. She leaves her door unlocked. I didn’t want to go in but he called me chicken. I knew it was wrong, Mom. I knew it. But I did it anyway. And then things got out of hand. I’m so sorry.”

  I bit my lip, wanting to comfort him. But he had to learn. “I’m sorry you got caught up in this, but I’m also disappointed that you didn’t stop to consider how Mrs. Standers would feel. You’re going to have to face her and apologize, you know.”

  “Mom, is this why Krampus is here? Is he punishing me for being bad?”

  I blinked. Of course Kip would make that connection. “I don’t think so, honey. I don’t know how or why we attracted this spirit, but he was in the house before you got in trouble so I’d say no in answer to that.”

  “But I was complaining. You didn’t hear me, but I was upset when you told me no mini-bike for Christmas. And I said some bad things about you and Joe to Sly when we were in my room the other day. Maybe that’s why Krampus showed up?”

  I suppressed a smile. “If Krampus showed up every time a kid complained about what they were—or weren’t—getting for Christmas, then he’d be a very busy spirit, don’t you think? Just let it rest for now. We’re almost to Todd’s. I want you to tell him the truth. Every bit of it. Don’t lie to him and don’t leave anything out. Do you understand?”

  “Yeah, Mom.” He sounded scared again.

  I swung onto Fir Street, looking for a place to park in front of the law office. As we headed into the building, I whispered a prayer to anybody who might be listening that Kip wouldn’t end up in juvie. I only hoped that somebody heard me.

  AFTER AN HOUR with Todd, we stopped and picked up pizza for dinner. By the time we arrived home, I was trying to figure out what to do about Krampus. I had to chase him away before he hurt anybody. I wasn’t sure who the elf keeping him in check was, but I didn’t want to press our luck. I had the feeling that Krampus’s keeper could only keep him in check so long. I sent Kip to take the food inside while I retrieved Joe, who was having a good time for all of his protests, and wheeled him across the street.

  “What did Todd say?” he asked before we got back to the house.

  “He’s pretty sure we’ll get away with a fine, restitution, community service, and probation. Especially since Mrs. Standers told the police that Kip tried to stop Sly, and that he had nothing to do with the gun. It will also help that he waited for the cops instead of running away.”

  “Here’s hoping, then. Em, I didn’t want to say anything but, what’s my part in all this? I’m their stepfather, but you’re their mom. I’ll back you up however you need me to.” Joe sounded uncomfortable. As their stepfather, and a relatively new one, he hadn’t fully settled into his role yet. And I wasn’t sure just what role he would have yet, either. I wanted him to be involved with their lives, especially Kip’s, but I had to have the final say. That Joe realized that made it easier. The trick would be to find the balance.

  “I’m not sure, to be honest. I’m trying to make certain that Kip knows how serious this is, but that I still love him. I want to make sure he understands this doesn’t have to happen again, that it won’t turn him into a lost cause.” In no way did I want Kip thinking of himself as a bad-ass, but neither did I want to sweep it all under the rug.

  “Well, I’ll take my cues from you, but let’s discuss it soon. I just want to help them. I want to help you, as best as I can.” He reached over his shoulder, resting his hand on mine. I paused to lean down and give him a soft kiss.

  “I love you, Joe Files. I love you and don’t you forget it. I never dreamed I could ever find this kind of love after Roy. I never hoped…” I paused, my heart welling up. This man, ten years my junior, had swept into my life and brought something I never realized was missing. I had been lonely, yes, though not all loneliness was a bad thing. I had Randa and Kip, and my friends, but hadn’t realized just how much I missed having a partner until after I had begun dating Joe. Now, it was hard to imagine life without him.

  “Em, my love. You’re all I could ever want. Now please, haul my ass into that house before we both freeze to death or get hit by a car.” He laughed and patted the wheels of the chair.

  RANDA SHOWED UP an hour later. I was researching what I could possibly do about Krampus as she burst through the door, breathing heavily. “Mom, I need to talk to you. Now.”

  I took one look at her frantic expression and followed her into the kitchen.

  “Is Kip around?”

  I shook my head. “He’s up in his room. Why?”

  “Because I was at study group and overheard something. Mom, Sly’s in the hospital. He’s in serious condition. Withdrawal symptoms. I overheard Mrs. Trundle talking about it to another librarian. I guess he’s severely addicted to meth and also malnourished.”

  Despite the way I felt about Sly, my heart went out to the kid. He had no one. His mother was in jail, and his father had vanished a couple years ago, leaving his family in the lurch. “Damn it. Damn, damn, damn.”

  “What’s wrong, Mom?”

  “What’s wrong is he’s going to end up in the court system. Without proper support, he’s just going to go from bad to worse. If he lives through this.” I couldn’t do what I was thinking about. No way in hell could I step in and give Sly the guidance he needed. And the realization that I wasn’t in the position to help made me feel both guilty and sad.

  “Should we tell Kip?” Randa waited for my answer. Given my daughter’s nature, I was surprised but grateful that she hadn’t already blurted it out to him. Sometimes, her over-intellectual nature led to some faux pas moments, but this was serious.

  “Not yet. Wait and see what happens. And don’t go in the basement. Krampus has chosen to pay us a visit.”

  She blinked. “Krampus? You’ve got to be kidding.”

  “Do you even know what Krampus is?”

  “Mom, I go to movies. There was a horror flick about him a couple years ago. I know what he is. The anti-Santa, and do you mean he actually exists?” She paused, then blinked again. “Does that mean Santa actually exists? No! Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.” As she headed out of the kitchen, shaking her head, I missed my little girl who had once believed in the jolly old elf. Well, until she was five and caught me sticking the presents under the tree. But it was just her nature.

  I pulled myself a triple-shot espresso and added caramel to it, along with a little cream. Now to figure out what to do about Krampus. I could surf the net all night and not come up with any usable information on how to deal with him. I could also call on Nanna, but she seldom spoke to me. Right now I needed guidance, not a spot of good luck.

  As I settled at the table, trying to think, it suddenly occurred to me. Maeve Elliston.
An odd duck in a town of oddballs, Maeve was as Irish as they came and direct to the point of rudeness. One day she had marched in the shop and handed me her mother’s crystal ball. She had decided the town witch might be able to use it. Maeve was a fount of history and on anything to do with herbs and plants, she was the go-to person. She was a natural-born kitchen witch, but had very little aptitude with spirits and ghosts. However, her book learning was as keen as they came on legend, lore, and the like. If anybody in town knew about Krampus, I’d bet it was her. I pulled out my phone and looked her up in my contacts. She answered on the first ring.

  “Emerald! How nice to hear from you. It’s been awhile.”

  “I know and I’m sorry about that. We’ve been incredibly busy lately down at the shop.”

  Maeve chuckled. “After that article the Bellingham Examiner wrote about your shop, I’m surprised you have time to brush your teeth. Your customer base seems to have skyrocketed.”

  She was right. After the article came out, my shop had been busier than ever, especially on weekends. Even after six months, it hadn’t slowed down.

  “That’s about the way things are going, true. But Maeve, I have a problem and I was hoping you might have an idea of how to deal with this.” I felt a little like a heel calling her for help after not talking for a few months, but if Maeve didn’t want to help, she’d say so up front.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know how to say this without sounding like I’m stoned, but I’ll just come out with it. I’ve got a very cranky Krampus and a fluttery elf hanging out in my basement, and Krampus is starting to get physical.” I stared at the table, waiting for her reaction. Right on cue, she had a coughing fit, covering up the laughs.

  A moment later, she cleared her throat. “Oh dear, I’m sorry. But that was just sounded wrong in every way possible.” She let out a long breath, sobering. “All right. Yes, I know what—or who—Krampus is. And even though I laughed, my dear, Krampus is no laughing matter. He’s a dangerous spirit. Do you know why he’s there? Do you know much about his lore?”

  “He showed up a couple days ago. I’m not sure why, but then Kip… Maeve, this is going to get around town, but I’m asking you to keep quiet on it for now. Kip got in trouble with the law last night. He screwed up pretty bad, vandalizing Mrs. Standers’s house. And Krampus is scaring Kip, and I’m afraid he might try to hurt my son. I did enough research to know that if Krampus is anything like legend has it, he’s a danger to children who misbehave.”

  “Krampus is a danger to children in general, as well as adults. He’s no myth. They can speculate all they want on his origins but truth is, as far as I know, Krampus is an evil wight. The legends go back to the ancient Norse. Hold on for a moment. I just need to find a reference book.”

  While I waited for her, I polished off the rest of my espresso, then dug through the fridge for the last piece of the apple pie that Joe had made a couple days ago. I had just transferred it to a plate and returned to the table when Maeve was back on the line.

  “Emerald? Still there?”

  “Yep, I’m here,” I said around a mouthful of pie.

  “I found a reference to Krampus being a servant of the Holly King. Krampus rebelled and was cast out of the Winter Lord’s service. He turned on the Holly King, from whom Santa is derived, and in his own twisted way, began a counter campaign aimed at harming those who revered the Winter Lord. Somewhere along the line, as Santa rose to prominence, Krampus devolved into targeting mostly children.” Maeve paused. “No matter which way you slice it, not a good thing.”

  I frowned, puzzling over the information. “He showed up here before Kip got into trouble.”

  “Are you sure that there isn’t something else Kip did that you don’t know about? Perhaps not so bad as vandalizing a house, but something he knew you wouldn’t approve of?”

  The moment she said it, I knew she was onto something. “Crap. I don’t know for sure, but I’ll bet you’re right. And if he felt guilty enough, Kip has enough psychic power to broadcast that guilt. It could have easily attracted something like Krampus.”

  “I think you have your answer, then, at least as to why the creature targeted your house. You’ll have to verify it, of course, but I have no doubt that Kip inadvertently opened the door through his guilt. But now, you must focus on sending Krampus packing. I’ll be over there in twenty minutes. I’ve a few useful items that I think will help do the trick. Meanwhile, ask Kip to be honest with you. Once the deeds are out in the open, he can release the guilt that holds the spirit in your basement.” And with that, the line went dead.

  I stared at the half-eaten pie on my plate. Maeve knew what she was talking about. I could feel it in my bones. As I glanced up, Nanna was standing there. She pointed toward the ceiling.

  “So, I go talk to Kip?”

  She nodded. I pushed back my chair. After one more bite of pie—everything looked better with pie—I heaved a low sigh and headed upstairs to talk to my son.

  Chapter 6

  KIP LOOKED UP as I knocked and peeked around the half-open door.

  “Got time for a chat, kiddo?”

  He waved me in. He was sitting on his bed staring at an open book, but I had the feeling he hadn’t been too engrossed in reading. As I entered, he placed a bookmark between the pages and set the book aside. I sat down on the bed next to him and gently took his hand.

  “I have to ask you something. Will you give me an honest answer?”

  His eyes wide, he nodded, still silent.

  I kept my voice steady. “Before Krampus showed up in the basement, did you do anything with Sly—or without him—that you feel guilty about? That you don’t want me to know? It’s important, Kipling. I want you to tell me the truth, regardless of what it is.”

  One blink. Another. A third. Then, my son squinted. I knew that expression all too well by now. He rubbed his nose with his free hand and wiped it on his jeans. I kept my mouth shut, even though I wanted to tell him to use a handkerchief.

  “I figured you’d find out sometime. I guess I should have told you earlier.”

  “Let’s hear it, then.”

  “You’re gonna be so mad at me.” He really looked afraid.

  I bit my lip, wanting to promise him I wouldn’t, but I might not be able to keep that promise. “You know, even if I get mad at you, I’ll still love you. Right? There’s very little in this world that you could do that would destroy that love.”

  He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “When Sly was hanging out over here last week, he brought a bottle of wine he stole from his mother. We drank it. That’s the night he stayed over here and I told you we were really tired. I got really sick and threw up. I didn’t have a stomach ache from eating too much junk like I told you the next day. It was from the wine.”

  I closed my eyes, counting to ten. I had thought he was coming down with the flu and had told him to stay in bed for the day. “Is that everything?”

  He shivered. “Not quite. While we were drinking it…I…he…we looked at…” He stopped, blushing. “We were surfing the net on Sly’s phone.”

  And then, I understood. Relief flooded through me. The truth was so much less than I had feared. I tipped his chin up so he was staring into my eyes. “You watched porn, didn’t you?”

  Blushing like a fire truck, he nodded. “And I went in the bathroom and…”

  I gently shook my head. “Never mind that. There’s nothing wrong with touching yourself, Kip. We’ve talked about that before. But watching porn? That’s different. And the drinking? That makes me really unhappy and I don’t ever want you to do it again. When you’re grown and can make up your own mind, you’ll have to make a choice. But until then, I all the shots.” I paused, then asked, “Do you remember when I first left your father? How much I drank?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You remember how I wasn’t very nice sometimes? And that I finally had to stop keeping wi
ne in the house because it was too easy for me to try to drown my problems?” I didn’t like remembering those days, or reminding the kids that I had been on the road to developing a tidy little problem with booze. But it was important for Kip to realize the fire he was playing with.

  “I remember.” He worried his lip. “Mom, that’s the first time I drank anything. I promise you. Sly and I watched porn before, but only a couple times. And only the past couple of months. I don’t want to disappoint you. I promise you. That’s all I did. Everything.”

  Embarrassment flared in his cheeks. It didn’t take much to set my son to feeling guilty. I didn’t want his natural curiosity about his approaching puberty to make him feel ashamed, but I realized it was time we had a talk about growing up. But that could wait a few days.

  “Kip, I’m not upset you’re interested in sex. Sex is a natural, adult activity. We’ll discuss all that a little later. But the drinking and watching porn—you understand this can’t happen again? Not until you’re old enough to be on your own. I want you to make a vow to me, on your honor, that you won’t take another drink of any alcohol until you’re an adult.” I kept hold of his chin. I needed to see the truth in his eyes as he promised.

  He searched my gaze, then slowly said, “I promise. I won’t touch booze again.”

  His words rang true. “All right, then. We’ll talk about porn and why I don’t want you watching it later. It has nothing to do with me not wanting you to grow up. But for now, that’s enough. I want you to think back. How long was it after this happened that you began to notice the energy in the basement?”

  Looking relieved, like a huge weight had just lifted off his shoulders, he said, “Two days, maybe.”

  “All right. I’m not going to punish you for the drinking, Kip. Everybody slips up, and I think you’ve learned your lesson. Whatever happens in court will be punishment enough for whatever you’ve done the past week. Now, Maeve is coming over and we’re going to try to evict Krampus from our basement. I think now that you and I have talked, the job will be a little easier.” I leaned down and kissed his forehead.