Christmas Evil

Dinner is served!-1

Dinner is served!

Simon’s anticipation started to rise when he saw the sign:

Hill House

1 mile.

With one hand on the wheel of his customised MG, he fumbled in the side door pocket for a fresh-breath spray. He squirted two shots into his mouth, wincing at the strong flavour. He wanted to be sure he was at his best, just in case Serena answered the door herself………with a Christmas kiss!

He still couldn’t believe his luck that he had been invited to her Christmas party. She was without doubt the most stunningly beautiful woman he had ever met. And she fancied him. At least she must do, otherwise why invite him to her exclusive party having only met him for the first time earlier that evening?

To think, it was only due to a chance encounter by the lifts at work that evening that his work colleague Sarah had had the opportunity to ask him to walk her through the back alley near their office, to her cousin’s waiting car. Initially, he had been reluctant to comply. After all, it was Christmas Eve, and he was eager to meet his mates at the pub before the crowds arrived.

Simon had never fancied Sarah – she was far too plain for an up and coming executive like him. But she did have the ear of the Managing Director. Since she had been elevated to the dizzy heights of being his Personal Assistant, Simon had ensured that he paid her a little more attention. Though not too much! He didn’t want her thinking he fancied her. Even so, he figured it couldn’t hurt to play the chivalrous hero, so long as it didn’t become a regular occurrence.

Simon feigned enthusiasm by making small talk with her whilst waiting for her cousin Serena to arrive. And when she finally did, Simon was nearly knocked off his feet-in more ways than one. The red Mini screeched around the kerb so fast that Simon had to leap out of the way before being struck. He was ready to give the driver a piece of his mind……until Serena climbed out from behind the wheel!

She was short, Simon estimated barely five feet, but she was earth-shatteringly gorgeous. Her long black hair was swept back behind her shoulders. Her complexion, pale as milk, contrasted perfectly with her ruby lips. Her eyes held a deep blue hue, and looked like sapphires dropped in the snow. Their gaze pierced his very soul. Beneath her waist-high leather jacket Simon could just make out a low-cut crimson blouse, revealing just enough to be sexy without being cheap. Beneath the blouse she wore skin tight figure-hugging jeans, which were tucked into knee-high black boots.

Simon’s gaze followed Serena’s figure up and down. He heard himself gasp before he could stop it. When his eyes met her face again, she was smiling. Simon felt his face flush; he hated it when that happened, but it was too late. He hoped that in the dim light from the street lamp, Serena wouldn’t notice.

Sarah, standing right next to him, did notice.

“Simon, I’d like you to meet my cousin, Serena.”

Before Simon could regain his composure, Serena moved forward with her hand outstretched.

“Lovely to meet you Simon, I’m so sorry about that.” She indicated to her car over her shoulder. “One of these days I’m going to get into trouble for my driving.”

Simon took her pale, soft hand in his. It was cold to the touch in the chilly night air. He glanced at the perfectly manicured red fingernails as he brought her hand towards his bent-over face.

“Enchanted,” he said, trying his best to sound sophisticated. He allowed his lips to linger for a moment against Serena’s perfect skin.

“Oh,” breathed Serena, glancing at her cousin. “You didn’t tell me you knew any real gentlemen.”

“Simon and I work together,” replied Sarah. “He’s destined for greatness, or so I’m led to believe.”

Serena gave Simon an approving glance. “Well, he certainly looks the part.” She turned back to her cousin. “Why haven’t you invited him to my Christmas party, you know I need an escort?”

Serena turned back to face Simon. Moving closer she casually brushed some imaginary hairs off his shoulder. Simon’s eyes followed her hand “And real gentlemen are so hard to find.”

When Simon looked back, Serena was so close to him that he could almost feel their noses touching. He had to fight an irresistible urge to kiss her. She was so close that the movement would barely register, and the thought of what lay between those ruby red lips was driving him insane.

But with Sarah standing so close, he felt he had to resist.

His mind went into overdrive.

Was this a set-up?

If he took the bait and moved in for a kiss, would Serena push him away?

He imagined the two girls standing there, laughing at him for thinking, even for a second, that a rare beauty like Serena would even contemplate allowing a grubby urchin like him to kiss those luscious, pouting, ruby pathways to paradise.

Had Sarah cooked this little charade up with her cousin as revenge for some past slight Simon had made against her?

His mind raced, but he could not fathom such an insult. But then, perhaps he hadn’t realised it at the time. After all, before Sarah had been made the MD’s PA he had barely given her the time of day when they passed in the corridor.

The moment seemed to Simon to last an agonising lifetime.

They were so close, but he willed himself not to move forward.

If Serena moved closer, that would be a different matter……But she didn’t.

After a few more seconds, Serena stepped back.

He wasn’t positive, but Simon felt that he caught a glimpse of disappointment on her face.

The moment had passed, forever.

Damn!….Damn!….Damn!

Serena smiled. “You will come, won’t you?”

“Oh, yes,” Simon stuttered. “I’d love to. Just say when and where.”

He was aware of how pathetically keen he sounded, but at that moment he didn’t care. He took comfort in the fact that he would have plenty of time to regain his composure on the drive to Serena’s house.

Sarah removed a pen and paper from her handbag. Leaning on the roof of the car, she began scribbling.

She passed the paper to Simon.

“You can’t miss it, straight up the Old Forge Road out of town, then straight on for three miles. At the fork in the road turn left, then follow the signs for Hill House.”

Sarah opened the passenger door. As she slid inside the car, she said “I’ve put my mobile on the back, in case you get lost.”

Simon surveyed the details on the paper Sarah had handed him.

“I’ll look forward to it,” said Serena, giving Simon a final once-over. “Don’t be too long, the fun starts at around nine.” She tilted her head slightly to one side, her long dark hair cascading over her shoulder and falling across her neck. “And I’ll need my date to be with me when I make my grand entrance.”

Serena turned back to her car.

Simon sprang forward, refusing to miss a chance. He placed his hand over Serena’s on the door handle.

“Please, allow me.”

Serena brushed his cheek with her lips.

“A real gentleman,” she sighed. “You’ll be a perfect addition to my little gathering.”

As the care drove away Simon felt a stab in his chest, which remained with him still.

He raced home. He showered, changed into his best designer suit, and splashed on his most expensive cologne - the one he saved for when he felt confident that he was on to a sure thing. He checked himself out at least a half a dozen times in the mirror before finally leaving.

Sarah’s directions were pretty straightforward.

Simon checked the time on his car clock; it was 8:45pm.

It was early by his usual standards for attending parties, but Serena’s insistence that he be there to escort her “AS HER DATE” meant he could not afford to be one second late.

Though Simon had lived in town for most of his adult life, he had never ventured past the road he was on. He had always assumed that the turning led merely to more woodland. And such was the condition of the surface beneath his wheels, he felt sure that he had taken a wrong turning somewhere. He pledged to stop and check Sarah’s directions once he found a clearing.

The car jumped and jerked over the rough terrain, and without the assistance of any overhead lighting Simon could only gauge his progress in the beams from his headlights.

Then the overgrowth around him parted, and in the distance he could see the lights from the house.

Simon stopped and gazed through his windshield, the engine idling.

He surmised that it must be the right place, given the instructions.

Simon drove on, cautiously.

It was only when the property was in full view that he could appreciate the enormity of it, as well as the isolation of his surroundings.

The house looked more like a mansion-c*m-castle, with definite shades of Stoker and Poe.

The front door was made of solid oak, and looked to Simon as if it would take more than one person to move it. The high stone walls stretched towards the heavens, and two large turrets, one on either side of the structure, protruded through the building’s slate roof.

With the wind whipping up behind him through the woods, and a crescent moon above, Simon felt an immediate urge to turn around and drive straight home.

But then he remembered why he was there. And what…or rather who… was waiting for him behind that imposing wooden arch. Not to mention the paradise he felt sure would soon be his.

The other cars on the gravel drive were all either Rollers, Jags or sports cars of various descriptions, with a few scattered Limos for good measure.

Simon began to feel a little out of his depth as he pulled in beside one of them. He began to wonder what Selena (or at least her parents, as this must be a family home), did for a living.

He felt a little awkward as he realised he had come empty-handed.

He glanced at his watch. It was too late to turn back now and drive into town.

Blast!

A well-chosen present may well have been all that was needed to tip the balance in his favour. But then he surmised that judging from Serena’s earlier demeanour, she had already decided that she would be his…Even if only for tonight.

Simon located the bell rope, and pulled it. Within a few seconds the mighty oak panel swung back, and Simon was confronted with the biggest man he had ever seen up close.

The imposing figure looked down at Simon for a moment, then stood to one side and ushered him in.

Before Simon could state why he was there, Sarah came into the passage.

“Thank you, Blane,” she said to the doorman. “I’ll take care of him.”

She motioned to Simon.

“Follow me.”

Simon followed Sarah into a great baronial hall. He was immediately awestruck by the majesty of the place. The floor, like the door, was solid oak, inlaid with what appeared to be a brick-wall design.

The roof formed a rectangular dome, which reminded Simon of the bottom of a boat, with wooden beams criss-crossing the ceiling.

The walls were draped in tapestries and huge oil paintings. They were mainly landscapes, with a few portraits of - Simon presumed - relatives of the family, along with the occasional family pet thrown in.

The entire room was tastefully - though sparsely in Simon’s opinion - decorated in green, red and gold, with an enormous tree dominating one corner.

“Wow,” was all Simon could find to say.

Sarah smiled. “It can take your breath away the first time you see it.”

Simon turned to her. “Who does all this belong to; don’t tell me your cousin?”

“Well,” replied Sarah, “The family mainly, but a lot of it will come to Serena eventually. She’s the last of her line, so to speak.”

Simon turned. “And what about you?”

Sarah let out a raucous laugh, which caused a few heads to turn in their direction.

She put her hand over her mouth in embarrassment. “Just a poor relation I’m afraid. My part of the family tree grows in a distant part of the forest.”