Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. It was a time with family, sharing love, and having fun. I always spent Christmas with my family, every year was the same routine. We'd awake to unbox our gifts, cook up a storm, and have a quiet time in the evening before our main ritual of the time began.

This year was a bit different as I had secured myself a date. Here I was in front of the mirror playing dress up and failing woefully at it.

"Let me help you with that," my sister said

I couldn't be more grateful as I had no idea what I was doing. This was my first date and I didn't want to ruin it. Ada helped me pick out a dress and fixed my makeup. I looked beautiful in a silver V-necked long gown with a thigh slit long enough to show my most prized features. Paired with it were a gold necklace, teardrop earrings, and a silver heel I had a problem with walking in. Ada had said to wear them to give my legs that extra allure so I did.

"He's here," She said and I felt my heart pound hard against its cage.

"Hey, deep breaths. You got this"

She was right, I got this. I blew her a kiss and went downstairs to conquer my first date. Daniel was deep into a conversation with my dad when I got to the living room. He was breathtaking as usual, I marveled at his beauty and when he looked my way, a warm blush crept up my face.

"Make sure you bring her home safe," my dad said softly

We said our goodbyes and were on the road a few minutes later. The streets were decorated with lights, hymns saturated the air and the Christmas spirit was in its full glory. I thought about random things to keep my mind from thinking about the man beside me but nothing was working. The way he gripped the steering wheel and controlled the car filled my vision with naughty thoughts.

I jumped as I felt his hands on me

"Are you alright?" He asked

I blinked to clear my thoughts and assured him that I was fine, just excited. We went for dinner first in a nice restaurant that sold exquisite delicacies. Then he suggested we visit a jazz club before going home and I concurred.

He was a gentleman and treated me well, for a second I went sad. If I had a choice, I'd keep him forever but it was out of my hands. I had a vow to fulfill, my family was on the line so I had to do what was necessary.

A group was performing when we got there. It was their talent night so we were in for a treat. Each performance was beautiful and I couldn't stop staring at Daniel.

"What about a dance?" He asked while holding out his hands. I was a terrible dancer but any excuse to get closer to him was welcome. I put my hands in his and we sway to the tune. He was so close to me that I could smell his essence.

"You are beautiful" he breathed and I shivered in response. His chuckle ran straight through my skin and I melted in his presence. How I could react like this to him was a misery, men weren't my cup of tea but this man was all I wanted. The thought of him consumes me, my every breath was filled with him and for the second time that night, I questioned what was to come later.

We stayed in each other's arms, swaying with the wind and lights. I tried to prolong the inevitable but deep down I knew it was futile. It was almost midnight and I could feel dread at the threshold. The voices of my family haunted me, disrupted my thoughts of naughtiness, and replaced them with visions of chaos. It was almost time and I had a job to do.

"I think it's time we go home," I said

He drove me home and through our journey back home, I held onto him. When we got to the door I couldn't resist him any longer so I put my lips on his. I moaned my satisfaction, it was exactly how I imagined it and I wanted nothing else.

"Come inside" I whispered

Immediately we went through the door, my father came out of the shadows and knocked him out. The resounding slap that followed knocked the air out of my lungs.

"You're late" he growled

With less than 30 minutes to Christmas, my family and I prepped Daniel for the sacrifice. It was an old tradition, one passed down from generation to generation. An ancestor of mine had made a deal with the devil decades ago. A blood sacrifice of someone we loved at midnight on the 25th of December every 5 years for fame, power, and money.

Every member of the family was required to do their part and it fell on me to provide the sacrifice. I had rejected Daniel immediately he asked me out because I liked him and didn't want to hurt him but my father demanded blood so I was left with no choice.

"You know what to do," Ada said

I took a deep breath to remind myself of my duties before picking up the knife. It was either him or my family and as my father used to say, "Family always comes first".

Episode 2

“You look beautiful as always," he said

I blushed as usual and tried to veil my face with my hair. He looked so handsome standing in the shadow of the sun, I couldn't get enough of him so I kept staring. His smile brightened up my day, I was so consumed with him and I felt my heart ache when I realized I couldn't have him.

He has always been my heart's desire. We met in school a year ago and have been friends ever since. When he first asked me out, I was so excited that for a second I forgot what it would mean for him if I said yes. The vision of him tied up in our house and bleeding to death flashed before my eyes so I rejected him immediately.

I told Ada what had happened that night while crying my ache away. She stayed with me all night just like I did for her 5 years ago. We understood what it meant for someone to love anyone from our family, only death awaited them and I loved Daniel too much to sacrifice him.

“Snap out of it and help me out," Ada said

I blinked my consciousness into reality and the scene before me broke my heart all over again. The love of my life was chained eagle spread on a bed and being prepared to be sacrificed to the devil in exchange for riches and power. My father walked in to ensure everything was in place and ready for what was to come next.

“You just saved us all, my dear" he whispered softly

His words reminded me of a similar event 5 years ago, they were the same words he said to Ada after she had sacrificed Luke, her lover on the same altar. That night, I was awoken and brought down to the room where everything takes place. Ada had told me the night before that she was going to run away with Luke so I was surprised to see her all dressed with blood on her hands and Luke battered and almost half dead on the floor.

To date, she hasn't spoken about that night no matter how much I prick her about it. Yet, 5 years later we're all standing in the same room, only this time my hands were the ones covered in blood. I choked back a sob and smiled at my father.

“Baby, What's going on?" Daniel whispered groggily

I looked at him and felt my heart sink, this was the love of my life, the Man I loved more than life itself and I was going to sacrifice him to save my family. My father had drugged him while he was knocked out so he wouldn't be able to resist. This time I didn't stop myself and fell apart wailing until I could take it no more.

"I'm sorry” I kept chanting

"It's time,” my father said

"You know what comes next so I need you to wipe your tears and do what is expected. Always remember, family comes first.”

I nodded in response to him and went on to prepare for the ritual. One important part of this ritual was the blood oath we took before the actual sacrifice. We'd all drink from the same bowl after mixing our blood with wine. It was a way of renewing our oath to remain faithful to the devil.

We formed a circle around the bed Daniel laid and when everything was set in place, the ritual began. The bowl was passed and my father took the first sip before passing it around to everyone else. When that was done, I picked up the knife and began the chants.

“Savior of my soul

Owner of my existence

I call upon thee

One request I ask

That my innermost wish be granted"

I was halfway through when the first cough was heard. It became persistent as the seconds ticked off and spread through. My mother held on to her throat and kept heaving until she started forming. Soon after my father began heaving too.

“What have you done?" Ada asked

She was the only one I felt bad for because she had suffered just like I was.

“I'm sorry" I sobbed

“I love him and I won't hurt him"

She must have realized what was going on because she lunged at me. I fought her off easily as she was already weak from the poison in her system.

“I'm sorry, Ada but I love him"

No matter how much I tried, I couldn't hurt him and I knew my father would never let him so I did what I could to save him. Before pouring the wine into the bowl they drank from, I had laced it with rat poison. I stood by and watched them die a slow and painful death while I cried my heart out.

“Baby, what's going on?"

I took deep breaths to help me focus on the task at hand.

"It's alright now, we're safe now,” I told him as I untied him from the bed. He was still out of it and couldn't function properly.

"Wait here, let me get you some clothes”

I ran to my father's room to pick up some clothes and ran back to Daniel. He was no longer in the room when I got there, I felt panic cripple my mind for a few seconds. As I turned to go look for him, I felt something cold pierce through me.

My hands felt warm and sticky, I looked at them to see blood and the knife I held some minutes ago sticking out of my belly. Daniel stood in front of me but his eyes were devoid of the love that once shone in them. My breath became ragged and it hurt to draw in air but the sight of the man I loved was enough to keep me at peace.

I closed my eyes and pictured Daniel and I having a different ending. We got back from the date and he took me to his place where we made love until sunrise. I smiled at the vision and as I exhaled for the last time, the name of the man I loved flowed out of my being.

“Daniel"