'Twas a Dark and Delicious Christmas

by Stacey Espino

  “Oh, hell yes you can. I’m on my way.” The line went dead and Holly stared down at the phone’s call timer on the display.

  There’d be time for a quick shower and change of clothes before Rani arrived. Then she’d have to tell her best friend this would be the last time she’d ever see her.

  Chapter Four

  “So, how did you get up the guts to ask Mr. Hot Delivery Man over for dinner?” Rani teased her as they unpacked the dinner supplies in Holly’s modest kitchen.

  “Well, I’ve had an interesting day and I guess I just figured…it is now or never.”

  Rani stopped her preparations to turn and look at her friend. Suspicion danced across her face.

  Holly had thought about it while she was in the shower and decided against telling her friend about her current predicament. After all, that Tan guy told her not to tell anyone. She didn’t know what might happen if she told her friend, as it could put her in harm’s way, and Holly couldn’t chance it.

  Plus, she knew her friend better than anyone. She knew if Rani believed her, she would try to stop it from happening. She might even try to call the police or something equally unhelpful.

  Holly knew it was best not to tell her. Just to see her and let her know how much she loved her one last time, would have to be enough.

  She’d realized something else in the shower. Unsure of what the next day would bring, and if there was any chance she wouldn’t live to see another night—she was going to live this one to the fullest. Holly was finally going to let all her inhibitions go and be totally unlike herself for once. She was going to really live it up.

  “Holly, you’re not thinking of hurting yourself or anything stupid like that, are you?”

  Rani’s voice brought her out of her thoughts. Holly turned to look at her friend in surprise. “Of course not! What made you think that?”

  “I don’t know.” Rani clicked her tongue and squinted at her friend, scrutinizing her.

  “Don’t be silly. I’m just tired of being alone. It’s Christmas and I figure I should give myself a gift for once.”

  Rani walked over and touched Holly on the arm. “You deserve to be happy, Holly. More than anyone I know. Don’t forget that.”

  Those same exasperating tears tickled her eyes yet again but she managed to hold them back. She’d done enough crying for today. She’d save her tears for tomorrow night when she had to stand before her executioner. That would be the time to cry.

  They changed the subject and chatted about the dinner preparations as they set the table.

  It was just like old times and the minutes ticked by.

  “He’ll be here soon,” Holly said nervously, checking the time again.

  “Yeah, I’m gonna head out, but I want every last little detail in the morning, okay?”

  Holly nodded. “Thanks, Rani. I don’t know what I would have done without you all these years. I’m glad you’ve been a part of my life.”

  Rani eyed her suspiciously again, but Holly smiled affectionately and wrapped her in a family style hug before she could interrogate her again.

  After Rani left, Holly lit candles around the room to set the atmosphere for her date. Tonight, she’d make the most of her time with Liam and tomorrow she’d try to figure out what to do. For now, she’d forget about the clock ticking away the minutes of her life, which drew too quickly to a close.

  * * * *

  Liam Walsh was not exactly sure what he was getting into tonight, but he absolutely couldn’t refuse the beautiful, mysterious woman’s invitation to dinner. Particularly since he’d had the hots for her for months.

  Holly Marino was this incredible, dark beauty who ordered an insane amount of items from online stores. But he was always infinitely more excited about his day when he saw her name and address on his delivery schedule.

  She always looked and smelled amazing, but she was so quiet and shy. He hadn’t ever wanted to scare her off, so he’d held back, waiting for the right moment to make his move. After keeping an eye on things, Liam believed she must not have a boyfriend or some significant other as she was alone most of the time.

  There was an oddness there but he found her all the more attractive for it. Of course, he was a bit concerned about her emotional outburst earlier today.

  Holding her against his chest while she sobbed wasn’t exactly the way he’d planned to go about seducing her. And if she’d just found out some really heartbreaking news, this dinner might not go off as the romantic interlude he’d like it to be.

  Nonetheless, if it meant spending time with Holly, he was in.

  Standing on her extremely familiar front porch in the dead of night, he held a single red rose in his hand, and rang the bell.

  Holly opened the door wearing a red, satin dress that ended just above the knees. The dress was classy and modest but with the tease of a low cut neckline; it was more than enough to cause a stir in his crotch. Her olive complexion hinted at a culturally diverse background and with that long, think black hair atop her shoulders, she was an absolute knock-out.

  She offered him a genuine smile and he offered her the rose.

  * * * *

  Holly lifted it to her nose and inhaled. The sweet scent coursed through her lungs and she closed her eyes for a moment to savor the aroma.

  When she opened her eyes, Holly caught him watching her intently.

  “Stopping to smell the roses,” she said.

  He chuckled and stepped inside when she motioned for him to enter.

  Holly felt relaxed and brave and totally unlike herself. Somehow the threat of impending death brought out a side of her she’d never known existed. Well that and the two glasses of wine that she’d already downed with Rani while they were setting up the kitchen.

  She invited Liam to sit with her on the sofa and share a glass of wine. She asked him about his day and he admitted to being thrilled the holiday delivery season was behind him. He laughed when she asked about how many gift return shipments he’d have to haul back out in the coming month.

  Things went smoothly all throughout dinner. He seemed genuinely impressed by the meal and she decided to take his praise even though she wasn’t the cook.

  Thanks, Rani.

  After dinner, she served him a dish of vanilla ice cream with two of her homemade cookies included. Standing beside his chair as she placed the dessert in front of him, she felt a flutter in her stomach as his eyes lit up at the sight of it.

  “Oh, these are my absolute favorite!”

  “Yes, I know,” she replied, hardly recognizing the seductive quality of her own voice.

  He looked up and smiled. “Ah, I remember now. You asked me about this before. You made these specifically for me?”

  Holly nodded and couldn’t stop herself from reaching out to touch his cheek with the back of her fingers. He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. His face at her belly level, he pressed his lips to her stomach and the heat of his mouth soaked through the sheer fabric of her dress.

  She had to bite her lip to keep from moaning out loud. The mere anticipation of what might happen with the subject of her nightly fantasies was enough to send her libido through the roof.

  He looked up again and seemed to gauge her reaction to his sudden display of affection. Liam must have liked what he saw on her face as he pushed his chair back and scooped her up onto the table in one swift motion.

  Holly let out a breath and her body trembled with expectancy.

  If she allowed herself to think, consider, or wonder what was happening to her, she might lose her confidence. She might back out. She might even cry. None of those were an option tonight. Tonight, she’d do something she’d never done before. She’d live for the moment. Damn the consequences.

  With that thought, she let herself enjoy the sensations, courtesy of his lips on the base of her neck.

  Liam lowered her back on the table. The sound of a dish breaking resounded beneath, but she didn’t stop to worry about the fate of the ic
e cream dish.

  The image of him licking the spoon filled with ice cream entered her mind and she let out a sigh as the cool table top touched her back.

  Liam began kissing her neck while his hands worked their way up her bare legs to the hem of her dress. She wrapped her hands in his hair and pulled him closer, wanting more of him.

  Closer. More. Now.

  But before his wandering hand reached the core of her being, which pulsed beneath her thin panties, he lifted his head and paused mid action.

  Holly opened her eyes and looked at him.

  “Holly, I want you,” Liam murmured.

  “So, take me…” she said, lustily. It had been so long since she’d been with a man she should have felt awkward. Instead she felt wild and wanton.

  He stared at her a moment longer, prolonging her sexual agony. She thought she might shatter to bits if he didn’t quench her yearning very soon.

  Holly pulled his face down and his lips captured hers, and then her body began to grind beneath him, wanting…needing to feel him tight against her.

  Her legs wrapped around his waist, trying desperately to guide him closer still.

  Liam reciprocated her movements with a soft rocking motion of his own; the roughness of his jean-clad crotch pressing against the barely there layer of her panties. He smelled of Safeguard soap and she bit his lip playfully, before he moved away from her mouth.

  A low, guttural chuckle beneath this breath made her pussy pulse with excitement, as her panties now felt like a second skin clinging to her extreme dampness.

  His hand suddenly remedied that as he slipped his fingers beneath them and edged the scrap of material down over her hips. All the while he worked tender kisses over her neck and chest, heading slowly south.

  Liam’s mouth replaced his hand and was suddenly flitting around against her wet pussy, his tongue working magic on her throbbing clit. She pressed her bare feet down on the table top to elevate her hips.

  She wanted him closer, wanted him plunging deep inside her. Gripping handfuls of her dress, Holly panted and squirmed against him as her body began to shake and spasm. His tongue slipped inside her then and she thought she might come off the table completely as he worked it in and out of her in a rhythm that made her scream out with desire and curl her toes against the table’s surface.

  Suddenly a cold burst of air made her jump out of her pre-orgasmic stupor. She peered down between her legs and saw his eyes watching her as he blew cold air on her tender, wet lips.

  “What…what are you…?” she lost her train of thought when he grasped her thighs and pulled her ass to the edge of the table. She watched intently, burning with an appetite for him, as he pulled his shirt up and off and slid his jeans down with an efficiency she’d never before witnessed.

  Her eyes zoned in on the long, pink cock saluting her from the table’s edge. She worked her eyes appreciatively up the short patch of hair that snaked up to this lower belly where it met a tightly muscled torso. His smooth chest sported two tiny nipples and without thinking, she leaned forward and licked each one with brief flicks of her tongue. Finally, she worked her gaze up to his gorgeous face where his eyes burned with hedonistic desire.

  “Are you sure?” he asked, ever the gentleman, even though she was already spread open for him with her pussy practically weeping for him all over her newly polished chestnut oak table.

  Holly nodded and reached forward to grasp his throbbing cock, feeling the smooth skin between her fingers. It turned her on even more hearing his sharp hiss of breath when she grasped him so boldly.

  He removed her hand and kissed her palm. Taking one slender finger into his mouth and sucking it tenderly, the sensation was almost more than she could take. Her body hummed with sexual energy and new found frustration with his prolonged seduction.

  “Liam…” she pled softly.

  He released her finger and kissed the back of her hand in a noble gesture.

  “As you wish,” Liam said as he grabbed her knees and slid her further towards him, until the edge of her ass was off the table. Holly thought she would crash to the floor, but then Liam pinned her against the table, and she felt the head of his cock nudge her wet slit.

  She moaned as he pushed against the resistant opening with his cock. The pressure was intense. She thought for a moment it wasn’t going to work. They’d have to find some other way to make love. He was too large and she was too tight. It had been far too long and her body wasn’t used to the fullness of a man.

  But then she was opening and he was entering and her eyes closed at the sensation of being taking by the very man she’d wanted for so long. She cried out as they rocked towards oblivion.

  Her arms wrapped around his neck as Liam drove his cock in and out of her again and again.

  “Ahh….” Every time she cried out, panted, or moaned, he pounded harder.

  Holly couldn’t take any more. She screamed out as she let go of all the sadness, fear, longing, and desire she felt for this man, as her body shook and erupted beneath him in orgasm.

  He leaned back to gaze down at her and Holly watched his eyes in the candlelit room. There was something there, something between them she’d never felt before. She wanted to hold on to this moment and savor it, but he had other plans. Wordlessly, he lifted her and carried her towards the bedroom.

  After the kitchen table, they managed to make it only as far as the hallway where he pressed her against the wall and continued making her moan in pleasure. That was followed by the floor of her bedroom, where Liam finally found his own release. When they made it to the bed, sated and spent, they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

  Holly awoke sometime during the night and laid there, looking at Liam’s face in the moonlight streaming through the window.

  She’d remember this moment and this feeling forever. At that thought, she turned her back to Liam and looked at the digital clock glowing nearby. Soon it would be daylight and forever would come to an end way too soon.

  Chapter Five

  The next morning Holly woke to the smell of something delightful coming from the kitchen. Since she rarely cooked with the exception of baking cookies, she was immediately intrigued Liam found a way to make use of it, which was recently fully stocked with all the latest cookware courtesy of her obsession with online shopping.

  She and Liam enjoyed a delicious breakfast and if she hadn’t already known she was in love with him, the fact he could cook sealed the deal.

  After breakfast, they spent the morning together watching the Christmas parades on television and chatting about Liam’s family. Holly shared the details of losing her family and he held her in his arms and gently stroked her arm while she recounted the tragedy.

  At lunch time and after one more quick sexcapade on the living room sofa, Liam admitted he had some family holiday obligations to attend to. He asked if he should stop by later this evening.

  Holly debated how to answer his question. She assumed she wouldn’t be around when he returned so telling him to come on over seemed irrelevant. On the other hand, if she told him she wasn’t available it would seem like an odd response after the last twelve plus hours they’d spent mostly naked and intertwined.

  She stuck with the former and his face lit up with promise of another hot evening together. She saw him off with a passionate kiss at the door. Then she turned back to look at her sofa cushions which were recently displaced.

  What she felt like doing was stretching out and taking a long cat nap, but as the tell tale clock struck one in the afternoon, she realized she had less than six hours left and she didn’t plan on spending them sleeping.

  Making her way over to her well used laptop, she booted up the system and headed straight for her favorite search engine.

  There she did a little research on a demon hit man named Tannin.

  * * * *

  After several hours of research and a shopping trip to three different stores, she had all the supplies she needed…or so she ho
ped.

  She made her way to her bedroom and began to set up everything she’d gathered. It was an incredible long shot but with only an hour left before her showdown with the demon hit man, it was the only shot she could take.

  Her cell phone rang making her nearly jump out of her skin. She looked at the display. It was Rani. She wanted desperately to answer the call but knew if Rani could hear the emotion, the fear and desperation in her voice, she might try to come over and intervene.

  Holly absolutely could not have her here. It was a risk she simply wasn’t willing to take.

  She knew Rani must want details about her night with Liam but hoped she would take Holly’s non-response as a cue she was still otherwise occupied.

  The phone stopped ringing and switched over to voicemail. Holly turned the ringer off and placed the phone on the bedside table.

  She surveyed her arsenal and closed her eyes for a few moments of silent meditation. The clock in the living room struck six in the evening and her heart skipped a few more precious beats. She couldn’t help but wonder how he’d do it. Kill her. If her plan didn’t work, she’d find out soon enough.

  * * * *

  “You’ve been a very busy girl,” Tan said. Holly opened her eyes to find him standing at the foot of her bed.

  Holly tried to smile at him but her lower lip betrayed her with the stutter inducing tremble.

  “I appreciate the effort, love, but these things won’t stop me.”

  He gestured to the collection of religious artifacts Holly had spent the better part of the day collecting.

  “But I did research on you and you’re a demon of Jewish folklore. Your name means alligator and these are the symbols which repel you. I’m sure of it.”

  Tan howled with laughter.

  “I really like you. You are smart and devoted to the cause. I love a woman who uses her brain.”

  Holly knew it had been a long shot but she needed to try something. Now she’d wasted all those hours doing something completely worthless.