Curse of Christmas: A Collection of Paranormal Holiday Stories

by Thea Atkinson

  Dem opened the passenger side door and looked back to Cat, “You know, I’ve been meaning to thank you for waiting until the first to decorate the house. Prudence would start decorating right after Thanksgiving dinner, which always came with its own set of problems. Are you coming? I’d like to get the shopping done before the sun goes down. I really want to get the house decorated today.”

  Giving him a dirty look, Cat made her way to the car, “Yes, yes. I’m coming. I’m the one with the money, remember? Let’s just get this over with.”

  He smiled at her from across the top of the car, “Oh, don’t be such a Grinch, Cat. It’s going to be fun. I promise you.”

  She rolled her eyes as she climbed into the car, not really sure how Dem figured shopping for anything was fun.

  Chapter 2

  Dem looked around the store, watching as people bustled to and fro, picking up this and that and pricing the items they wanted. He loved this time of year and hoped to get his honey in the Christmassy spirit. Her earlier jibe about being the one with money had irked him a bit but he couldn’t deny that she was the only one in their relationship working. It wasn’t that Dem didn’t want to work; he couldn’t. Technically he didn’t exist, didn’t have a social security card or birth certificate to prove he was who he said he was, so work was a bit hard for him to obtain. He wasn’t sure exactly how Cat was able to work and prove her existence in the world, but he’d never bothered to ask her either. Maybe after the holidays he would sit her down and talk with her about being able to obtain the documents he needed to be able to find a job. He really hated just sitting around the house when Cat was working.

  Dem placed that thought in the back of his mind and started looking through the Christmas lights, “So what colors do you want?”

  When he saw the confused look on Cat’s face he continued, “There are many different colors to choose from. You can have all blue, all green, all yellow, all white or multi-color. So, which would you prefer we use?”

  Cat looked at the lights he was holding up and smiled, “I know what colors there are, Dem. Just because I haven’t celebrated the season doesn’t mean that I’m blind. I have seen decorated house and trees before, darling. My old job back in Chicago used to dress up the office in festive colors and the tree was smack dab in the middle of the office so it couldn’t be missed. As for the color for our house, I really prefer the blues and yellows but why don’t we get the multi-colored ones for the outside of the house and we can use the other colors in different rooms inside when we decorate that part of the house. You still planning on making the den the main focal point of decorations inside? Still want to set the tree up in there?”

  Dem set the Christmas lights down and tapped his lip with his forefinger, “Why wouldn’t we set the tree up in the den and make that room the focal point when we entertain? It’s the biggest room in the house so it makes sense to me to use it for that purpose.”

  She shook her head and picked up the lights he had just set down, turning them over in her hands so that she didn’t have to meet his gaze before placing them in the shopping cart, “I didn’t say we wouldn’t. I simply asked if that was still your plan. Remember that all of this; the decorating, the entertaining, the socializing, all of it is on you. I don’t have a clue on how to entertain for a potluck, much less a Christmas party and now you’re throwing me to the wolves by continuing a tradition started by my Great-Great-Niece some fifty years ago so please don’t expect me to tell you what needs to be done to set any of that up. I’ll cook and I’ll clean, Hell I’ll even bake if that’s what you’d like me to do, but when it comes to setting up the decorations and being all Christmassy and social, that’s on you, babe.”

  He placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her in for a hug, “Breathe, Cat. You’re going to be just fine. Everything will be just fine. You’re going to be a pro at hosting party events by the New Year’s Eve party. You’ll see.”

  Dem let Cat go when she pulled away and picked up a few more sets of lights, placing them in the cart, “We’re going to need these lights too.”

  Cat watched him put another three sets into the cart, “Um, why do we need so many lights? I know the house is big and all but there are more than enough strings to decorate the whole house at least twice over. Wait! What?! We’re hosting a New Year’s Eve party too?”

  He laughed, “Some of these lights are outdoor lights. They make sets specifically for the outside, beautiful. As for the New Year’s Eve party, Prudence’s place was the go-to for all Christmas and New Year’s Eve festivities, so of course we’re hosting a party to ring in the New Year. Relax, Cat, things will go swimmingly, and you’ll find that being social isn’t so bad after all. I promise.”

  She shook her head again, “Apparently there is still a lot for me to learn if I’m going to keep celebrating this holiday. Though I can’t promise that we’re going to be doing this next year.”

  Dem pushed the cart into the next aisle, grabbing things off shelves in a seemingly random order, “It looks like I’m not going to be able to decorate today. There are just too many things we still need to get.”

  Cat looked at the items that were starting to pile up in the cart, “Hey! I thought we were waiting to get ornaments until we went through the ones in the attic. You’re suggestion, if memory serves.”

  He looked up, “Huh? Oh! We are we totally are. These aren’t for the tree in the house. They’re for the trees outside.”

  “All of them?” Cat squeaked as they rounded the corner.

  There had to be a few hundred ornaments in the cart that her Genie wanted to use for the trees in their yard. She was sure he was going to decorate all of the standing pines scattered throughout the front of the house.

  Dem laughed again, “Oh, goodness, no! Just a few of them. But I’m going to dress up the biggest tress in the yard. Remember, I want us to continue the winning streak that Prudence started two years ago.”

  She held up her hand, “Okay. Yeah, all right. All right. What else do we need?”

  He cocked his head to the side, leaning against the cart while he thought, “Let’s see; lights, check. Ornaments for outside trees, check. We need to go to the yard decorations and see what they have to offer here and, if we like what we see, pick some of those up. And of course, we still need to get our tree so we can at least set that up today. We need to know what ornaments and lights we’ll be using on the tree before we can decorate the room it’s in. The tree is supposed to be the star of any Christmas party.”

  Cat nodded, “Right. Yard decorations are this way. I think. Maybe we should ask someone?”

  Dem shook his head, “Nope. I know exactly where they are, just follow me. Oh, and you might want to get another cart. I think we’re gonna need it.”

  She watched as the Genie made his way to the other end of the store, shaking her head before going to get another cart, Two carts full of nothing but Christmas stuff, all just to decorate the house, inside and out. I honestly don’t know why he bothers when he has to take everything down in a month or so. But part of being in a relationship is compromise so color me compromising. Besides, I don’t really know the first thing about decorating for this time of year.

  As she was reaching for the first cart she came to at the front of the store, her hand brushed someone else’s who grabbed at the same one, “Oh! Excuse me.”

  A masculine laugh had her looking up to see who she hand encountered. The person in front of her made her smile.

  “Well, hello, Ms. Stacey. How lovely to see you,” Mr. Kemp greeted her warmly.

  Her smile widened as she grabbed the cart next to his, “Why hello there, Mr. Kemp. How have you been? Did you ever find out who sent me those escrow papers?”

  He shook his head, his smile slipping a little, “No, not yet. It seems that whoever sent them had no intention of being found. We’re still looking into it of course, but so far nothing’s come up. Don't worry, we’ll find them, whoever they may be. So is it t
rue?”

  Cat gave him a questioning look with his quick change of subject, “Is what true?”

  He gave her a soft smile, “The rumor that you’re going to continue with your Great-Aunt’s tradition of hosting the town’s Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties?”

  She cringed inwardly. It was always a bit confusing to hear others refer to Prudence as her Great-Aunt instead of what she truly was. But if the truth came out and the town found out what she was and that she had lived for two hundred fourteen years, there would be a lynch mob at her home instead of partygoers.

  Her smile faltered slightly when she thought about the amount of people who were expected to show up at her door for the parties in question, “Oh that. Yes, yes. The rumor is absolutely true. My other half and I decided that with all the space we have in Prudence’s house, and the new renovations that have been made, it would be best to continue her tradition on. The holidays are nothing if not for tradition, don’t you think, Mr. Kemp?”

  Mr. Kemp nodded, “So very true, Ms. Stacey. I’m so happy to hear that you’re carrying on the tradition started by your Great-Aunt so many years ago. I can tell you that the town greatly appreciates it. Not to mention what a great opportunity this is for everybody to get to know you.”

  Cat nodded her head, and they said their good-byes, each heading off in their own directions to finish up their shopping.

  Chapter 3

  Unloading the car, Cat couldn’t believe how much money they had spent just to decorate a house. She had decided on the way home from the store to let Dem worry about getting the tree of the top of the car and into the house. The hybrid had opted to carry the shopping bags filled with lights, ornaments, and yard decorations because there would be less questions than if she was carrying the tree into the house if a neighbor saw her. Just another flaw of being a supernatural being hiding in the human world.

  She walked up the porch steps and set the bags down so she could unlock the front door. After placing all the bags she’d carried from the car into the foyer, she went back to the car to get the yard decorations.

  “Coming through! I can’t see, Cat, so I really hope you’re outta the way,” Dem announced as he slowly came up the steps, the tree tossed over his shoulder, needles falling with each step he took.

  Cat hid a smile as she watched him struggle with the awkward weight he was carrying, trying to keep it from falling as he came to a stop in front of the doorway, “Dem, be careful of the bags. You know what? Maybe you should let me go inside before you and move those before you trip over them and we have to replace everything we just bought. Just, just set the tree down here for a second.”

  She helped Dem take the tree off his shoulder and lean it against the side of the house, “It’ll only take a second for me to move everything so you have a straight shot into the den to set that beauty up.”

  He leaned against the house next to the tree and looked at Cat, taking the time to catch his breath, “You just put everything in the foyer, didn’t you? Geez, Cat, how many times do I have to ask you not to do that? It causes issues even when I don’t have to carry a tree into the house.”

  Cat stuck her tongue out at Dem, “Just about every time I go to the store you tell me to carry the bags into the rooms they need to be in, whether it’s the kitchen or wherever. And every time I tell you that setting the bags in the foyer saves me some time if I have to go back to the car to get another load of supplies, food, or what have you. But I’m going in to move everything now, aren’t I?”

  Dem gave her a sexy smile, “Okay, I’ll punish you for it later. Just holler at me when you’re done and I’ll head in with the tree.”

  Cat smiled, “You know me so well, Dem. I’ll only be a minute.”

  She disappeared into the house and started moving their purchases from the foyer into the den. She placed the bags on the furniture scattered around the room and the yard decorations behind and out of the way. She wasn’t entirely sure where the Genie wanted to put the tree; the two had never truly discussed it before they went to the store. She just knew it made sense to have all of the Christmas items in the room where the holiday was supposed to shine.

  Satisfied that everything was out of the way and her mate wouldn’t be tripping over anything, Cat made her way back to the front porch, “You’re good to go, babe. You should be able to take the tree all the way into the den without incident. Are you sure you don’t want me to help?”

  Dem waved her off, “I’ve got it, darling. Just direct me so I don’t hit any walls or trip over the furniture. This tree is a real beaut and I don’t want to have to replace it.”

  She couldn’t believe how picky her companion had been when picking out the tree. He had told her that it had to be perfect and they would know which one that was when they saw it. When they came upon the one he was carrying, he had declared it the one and went off to get an associate to help them load it onto the car. Cat walked around the pine, trying to see what made it stand out from all the others on the lot but didn’t really see anything special about it.

  “Cat! Am I clear?” Dem asked her impatiently, causing her to pay closer attention to the path he was taking into the den.

  She cleared her throat, “Yes, Dem, you’re clear. Just keep going straight ahead. And where are you placing this behemoth once you get into the assigned room?”

  He looked through the pine needles at her like she had grown a second head, “Where are we putting it? Why in the middle of the room, of course! Don’t you remember me telling you that the tree is the star attraction for the season? That the room should be decorated around the main exhibit? It’s kind of like buying a new outfit to wear but starting with the shoes. Don’t you always say you build your perfect outfit around the shoes?”

  Cat laughed at the disbelieving look on his face, “Yes, that’s what I always say but I’ve never thought to apply that practice to decorating a room. I do remember our conversation about decorating but I wasn’t sure if you wanted the star attraction in the center of the room or if you were of the mind to place it in a corner like most people do.”

  Dem set the tree down in the center of the room, “Why don’t you start baking those sugar cookies that we were talking about using for the little gift baskets for our guests?”

  She walked over to the tree and her mate, “I wasn’t aware you were going to take me up on that baking offer. I had thought you were going to bake the goodies going into those baskets. You sure you want to leave all of that responsibility up to me?’

  He nodded, shaking more pine needles onto the floor, “Yes, yes. You’ll be fine. You can find everything you need in the recipe box above the stove. Just follow the directions and everything should turn out perfect. Go through the recipes and make whatever you’d like. You never know, you might just get bit by the baking bug. You’re never going to find out if you like to bake if you don’t ever try. Besides, I’ll be your guinea pig and taste everything before even begin to put those baskets together. I promise.”

  Cat cocked her head to the side and thought over what her mate was telling her, “I guess you’re right. But I’m not making any promises on how anything is going to turn out.”

  As she headed out of the den and made her way to the kitchen, she heard Dem muttering under his breath, “Now where did I put that damn tree stand?”

  Stepping into the bright, yellow kitchen she moved to the area of the room that always drew her whenever she entered, the sink and the window there.

  Cat looked into the backyard, taking in the beautiful job that Dragons-Bane Landscaping had done two months prior. With all the work that had gone into taking care of what she could only have called a jungle when she first moved into the house she was very glad that the landscaping company was willing to come out once a month to keep up the work they had started. It looked even better with the light dusting of snow that was beginning to stick to the ground.

  Taking a deep breath she turned to the stove, looking at the shiny applia
nce with a small amount of dread, It’s been so long since I’ve done any type of cooking that I’m worried nothing is going to turn out the way it’s supposed to. Even worse, that I will give someone food poisoning. But Dem has faith in me, so I suppose I should at least try to remember how things are done. Of course, the last time I baked there weren’t all of these fancy appliances and equipment to use.

  She moved to the stove she had been admiring and reached into the cabinet above, pulling out what looked like a handcrafted wooden box with gorgeous markings and some intricate designs. Carefully opening the lid, she pulled out a stack of 3x5 index cards and flipped through them looking for the sugar cookie recipe Dem had told her Prudence had perfected and written down. There were a few recipes that looked vaguely familiar, as if they had been passed down through the generations, so she set them aside to make after she worked on the cookies she had been assigned to make for their party.

  Chapter 4

  Dem located the tree stand in the attic and decided to bring the box of ornaments down along with it. He knew he was going to need to put some water in that stand so the tree would stay vibrant and green. Dem also knew that he would have to check the water level every other day to keep it healthy for as long as possible. It would really suck if the water ran out and the tree died before the New Year’s Eve party.

  The gingerbread wafting through the house caught the Genie’s attention as he stood back to admire the tree. The tall pine was standing straight in the stand, ready to be covered in lights and decorations.

  He took a deep breath and looked around the den, trying to locate the decorations he and his better half had purchased; Smells like Cat went with the gingerbread men instead of the sugar cookies. I can’t wait to taste one because they smell amazing.