Chapter One

Lillie Damon stared out the window of her cabin. The lightning in the midnight sky illuminated the forest on Slaughter Hill. Wind hissed through the forests. Thunder rang with a loud explosion that echoed for miles. She was determined it was a suitable midnight to cast a spell upon her suitor Paul. She went into the shower. Lying down on the counter was a comb that Paul used to comb his hair. Lillie picked up the hair from his comb. Lillie stepped onto the back deck and cleaned the soil off the underside of his loafers. She continued into the backyard and ignited a picture of him and picked up the ashes. She was squatting on the floor with torches all around her. The gleam of the torches produced shadows on the wall. She arranged the hair, dirt, ashes, and two short nails into an urn. She started reciting the words of the spell while stirring the elements. The urn became extremely hot for her to hold. She set the urn in a pan of water. Steam rose from the urn as it spelled the words Slaughter Hill out. The torches, one by one, started to go out. She realized the spell was in effect. 

Lillie had caught Paul with another woman, Jennifer. Lillie was selfish of him and if she could not have him, no one could. The couple had a standing date for Friday night. He had supper with her. She had prepared his favorite dinner. He was relaxing in the dining area, waiting for supper. He started recalling the passionate night he experienced with Jennifer. Jennifer is a twenty-two-year-old maiden with lengthy blonde hairstyle. She had conquered the desires of Paul. Her skin was ivory with the tenderness of a newborn baby. Her blue eyes glisten like jewels in the sunshine. She can see into her spirit through her eyes. Her heart manifests innocence and affection. The desire that wished to be lit like a fire. Her lips are lecherous and craving to be kissed. They had a gentle kiss, and he remembered it. He tenderly held her in his arms and arranged her face in his hand. He leaned into her, and his lips kissed hers. It transformed them into a minute of desire. A comfort he had never experienced before. Lillie walked into the area and saw Paul embrace Jennifer. A youthful maiden that had conquered the desire of her suitor. He didn't want to come back to the real world. Lillie perceived he had been fantasizing about kissing Jennifer. A dream she would not allow.

Lillie made Paul his favorite dinner. Sauteed hen, mash yams, gravy, corn, handmade biscuits, and peach cobbler. While swallowing, he was abruptly in torment with a headache. His head was pulsing with anguish. He could feel his pulse in his temples. His eyes began to get heavy. He had never experienced a headache so painfully. It was all he could do it hold his eyes open. Lillie sat and looked at the pain on his face with enjoyment. She knew the cruse was working. He had been thinking about Jennifer and was suddenly ill with a headache. Lillie offered to bring him a headache powder. He agreed to take the medicine. She walked into the kitchen and obtained the white powdery substance. It was in a small paper pouch. Paul took the medicine. The taste of the medicine was bitter. After talking medicine, Paul felt lightheaded. The room was spinning. He began to become nauseated.

 Lillie took Paul by the hand and walked him into the bedroom. She gently unbuttoned his shirt. She removed it from his body and began to gently stroke his chest. Paul laid his head on the pillow. As he opened his eyes, the room was spinning. She unfastened his belt and removed his pants. Paul was suddenly unable to move, and his body was paralyzed. Lillie attempted to arouse him. She was unsuccessful, and he was suddenly in a deep state of sleep. Things did not end the way Lillie had planned. She had planned to have an intimate night with him. She wanted to make him forget about Jennifer. As the night slowly turned to morning, Lillie lay in the bed with him all night waiting for him to wake. When Paul awakened in her bed, she began gently running her finger through his hair. Then she began to kiss him on his neck and cheek. Paul showed no interest in her. She became angry because he was not perceptive of the sexual advances. Lillie knew she could never compete with the beauty of the young maiden. 

Lillie named her plantation Slaughter Hill for a reason. She called Jennifer on the telephone and stated, “Paul is my lover. Leave him alone or you will face the wrath of a scorn woman.” Jennifer responded by saying, “He loves me and doesn’t want you anymore.” Lillie realized that now this would require more spells to be cast. She would never just walkway and let another woman have her lover. Jennifer worked at the Art Gallery in the center of town. The gallery was known for displaying and selling art by aspiring artist. Lillie walked into the Gallery with a painting she wanted to be displayed. The painting was a beautiful young maiden dressed in a flowing Red Evening Gown with ruby slippers. The owner of the gallery put the painting on display for everyone to see. When she looked at the painting for the first time, she saw the beauty of the young maiden. The painting became the Centerpiece of the Gallery by an anonymous artist. Only the owner knew where the painting came from. 

Lillie transformed her body to look like a beautiful young maiden. The transformation would only last for thirty minutes. She walked across the street to the coffee shop. The first man that walked in would be her next victim. An old man with gray hair in his seventies walked inside the coffee shop. Lille invited him to come and sit with her and enjoy a cup of the best coffee in town. It filled the shop with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The aroma captured the senses of anyone that enjoyed a cup of coffee. The aroma made the coffee irresistible. Everyone in the shop was drinking coffee. The old man, Steve, was delighted to have a cup of coffee with the beautiful young maiden. It had been years since his wife had passed away. He was hungering for a female companion. Someone to spend time with. Since his wife had passed, he was alone. He needed a companion. Someone to share his thoughts, dreams, and memories with. He had led a life full of adventure and now had no one to share it with. They sat and talked while drinking coffee. Suddenly twenty-five minutes pass. She left the money for the coffee and politely excused herself. Time was running short, and the transformation would end. She walked outside behind a tree and the transformation ended. She now looked like herself. 

Lillie walked back inside the coffee shop. Steve was still sitting at the table, enjoying his second cup of coffee. She sat at the table next to the one they were sitting at. She waited patiently for Steve to leave. Once he left, Lillie moved to the table they were sitting at. She took the cup Steve was drinking out of into her hand. She stroked the rim of the cup while chanting a spell. The cup was then placed back on the table. She then left the coffee shop and followed Steve. He entered the Art Gallery. When he came upon the painting of the beautiful young maiden, he gazed at the painting. The painting transformed him into a memory of his beautiful wife. Jennifer walked up to him to discuss the painting. When Steve looked upon her, all the love for his wife was transferred to her. As Jennifer looked upon the face of Steve, an uneasy feeling consumed her body. She knew he was looking at her with lust in his eyes. 

Steve asked Jennifer to have dinner with him later that night at the Emerald Palace. The Emerald Palace is the most exclusive club in town. To be a member of the club is by invitation only. Only the most prestigious people in the community are members of the club. He promised her a night of champagne, dinner, and dancing. It would be a black-tie affair. He would pick her up in his limo and take her to Boutique Arena to pick out the perfect dress for their night. Jennifer declined the dinner with Steve. Steve left the Gallery but was determined that one day she would be his wife. Jennifer turned and gazed into the painting of the beautiful maiden. While looking at the painting, the maiden began the cry. Tears were running down her face. Jennifer reached out and touched the painting. The painting was wet from the tears. The hours passed, and she was hesitating about looking at the painting again. On her way out of Gallery she stopped and looked at the painting. The beautiful maiden had a smile on her face. A red rose was in her hand. Suddenly, Jennifer smelled the aroma of roses. The entire gallery smelled like roses. She then knew that the painting was not a normal painting. The painting had special powers. 

As the day became night, Jennifer was getting dressed for her night in the town with Paul. She was waiting for Paul to come to her house. Lillie knew if the spell worked, Paul would end up in her arms. Lillie began cooking dinner for the two of them. Hamburger Steak, Baked Potato, Mushroom Gravy, Bacon wrapped Asparagus seasoned with Rosemary, Homemade Yeast Rolls and Homemade Red Velvet Cake. As Jennifer was getting ready for her night, the telephone rang. It was her mother, Anita. They took her little sister Susie to the hospital with difficulty breathing. Jennifer dropped the phone from her hand. She began to panic, with tears running down her face. She ran out the door to her car. She cried the entire time she was driving to the Hospital. Paul had come to pick up Jennifer for their evening out and she was not home. Paul called Jennifer on the phone to see how long she would be. Jennifer explained that her sister Susie had taken ill, and she would be out of town. 

Paul then left and drove to see Lillie. When he knocked on the door, she knew it was him. She had been waiting for him to arrive. She slowly walked to the door and opened it. She pretended to be surprised to see him. She invited him to come in and share her dinner. Paul entered the dining room and sat in the chair at the end of the table. They reserved the chair for him. She never allowed anyone to sit in that chair except her beloved Paul. She had been working in the kitchen for hours to prepare the special meal. The meal for the lover. A meal he would never forget. As he took a bite of the Hamburger Steak, it filled his mouth with the luscious flavor of the steak. As he ate the piece of steak, he could smell the bacon and rosemary from the Asparagus. The aroma in the room reminded him of the meals his mother would prepare for his father. A meal that was prepared with the hands of a loving woman. He knew that Lillie had loved him since high school. He no longer loved her. His affections were now for Jennifer, the beautiful young maiden. 

While Jennifer was sitting in the waiting room with Anita. They were waiting for a word from the Pediatrician. The gift shop in the hospital delivered a Red Rose to her. The card attached said. “Forever in my thoughts. Signed Steve.” She then remembered seeing the painting crying and later holding a red rose. She was crying when she received the call from Anita. While at the Hospital she received the Red Rose. She wondered how the painting was so closely connected to her life. The Pediatrician entered the waiting room. Little Susie had an upper respiratory infection. The respiratory infection had caused Susie to have a severe asthma attack. Susie would be admitted to the hospital to obtain treatment. They could visit Susie. She was placed in an oxygen tent. They would not be allowed to hold or touch her. When Jennifer entered the room and saw the oxygen tent, the condensation had spelled out “Slaughter Hill.” The person in the room was the only one who saw the condensation. She remembered getting the telephone call from Lillie, who lived on Slaughter Hill.  She sits in the chair beside Susie and cried. Susie was asleep and could not see the tears flowing down her cheek. 

Paul began to think of Jennifer and wanted to call and check on her. Lillie knew immediately that he was thinking of her. He began to have a headache. She offered him a white powdery substance for the headache. He asked her, “How did you know? I just started getting the headache.” She responded, “When a woman loves a man, she can tell when something is wrong.” She never let him know that she found out about Jennifer. He took the white powder, placed it into his mouth, he began to feel dizzy. She then insisted that he lay down in her bed and rest. As he lay in her bed, she started gently started massaging his temples. Suddenly, she was rubbing his head, and he fell asleep. While he was sleeping, she sat on the bed beside him. She whispered in his ear. I love you and your pretty will pay for coming between us. He was asleep and did not hear what she said. 

Paul began dreaming of his beautiful young maiden. They were walking on the beach. Waves were crashing on the beach. The seagulls were soaring in the sky. The dolphins were jumping and playing. Paul took Jennifer by her hand and walked toward the bridge. The bridge crossed the bay to the small tropical island in the middle of the bay. While crossing the bridge, it began to shake and sway. The small boards of the bridge were clanging against each other. The bridge was high above the bay. He saw the rope holding the bridge together begin to fray. He tried desperately to make it to the shore. As he stepped on the shore, the bridge began to snap. The ropes were breaking. Jennifer was still on the bridge. He reached out to grab her hand and pull her ashore. She was falling into the water below and he suddenly woke up from his nightmare. He got up out of bed and walked through the house, looking for Lillie. He found her in the studio painting on a canvas. She was painting a scene of a beautiful tropical island with a couple sitting on the beach. The couple were Jennifer and Steve. He did not know how to react to seeing the painting of his beloved Jennifer in the arms of another man. Paul then began to wonder if Lillie knew Jennifer. Lillie had put a spell on the painting. The painting was not actually of Jennifer; it was a figure of a woman and man. Paul hugged Lillie goodnight as he departed to return to his home. 

Lillie had plans to take the painting to the Art Gallery the next morning. She wanted Jennifer to see the painting. Jennifer returned to work the next day. They had released little Susie from the hospital. When she arrived at the Gallery, Steve was waiting for her. Steve had bought her six red roses. A rose for everyday he had known her. Steve was desperately in love with her. Jennifer explained to Steve that she was in a relationship with someone special. Steve then replied, “You are the first thing I think about in the morning when I open my eyes. You are the last thing I think about at night. You are all I think about all day. Seeing the smile on your face sends a warm feeling into my heart. When I am with you, I feel great. I feel happy when I am with you. I can be a peace by sitting next to you. The reason I wake up every morning is to see you. You are the love of my life. I never felt this way toward anyone. You are my soul mate. If you just give me a chance, I will love you like no other. At night, I will draw your bath water. I will rub your feet and massage them when they hurt. I will always be there to wipe your tears away and put a smile on your face. You are the sparkle that lights my world. If you would only let me. I will show you more love than anyone has ever known. I will treat you like a queen. My darling, I love you. I have loved you since the first time I saw you. I will love you more than any man can love you. Please, just give me a chance.” 

Lillie had taken the painting to the Gallery and left it on display. Jennifer walked by the painting and saw her and Steve sitting on the beach with a drink in their hand. She thought that Steve had brought the painting in the Gallery. She had never had anyone act that way toward her before. He was simply a lonely old man looking for attention. He was old enough to be her grandfather. She thought that he was acting that way towards her because she reminded him of his late wife. Paul walked into the Gallery and Steve departed. He noticed that the painting was the one Lillie had painted in the studio. Paul was afraid to say anything to Jennifer about it. She would realize that he was still in a relationship with Lillie. Paul was afraid of what would happen if Lillie and Jennifer found out about each other. 

Lillie was preparing for the standing Friday Night date with Paul. She was cooking his favorite dinner. The dining room was filled with candles. The table was set with her finest China. The glasses were crystal. In the middle of the table was a floral arrangement made with red and white roses. Lillie knew Paul was going to try to end their relationship. The roses were perfect for the night to come. Red roses for Blood, and white roses for tears. She hoped that when he saw the table was set elegantly , with the red and white roses as the centerpiece, he would not carry out his plans. She wanted him to believe that the red roses were for love and the white roses were for unity. Paul knocked on the door and was met by Lillie. They entered the dining room to share their dinner. Paul looked at the table and knew that the plans he had for the night were nothing compared to Lillie’s. Paul wanted to tell her about Jennifer before she found out from someone else. Lillie was hoping for a romantic evening. He knew that he could not tell her it would break her heart and he did not know what would happen next. During dinner, Paul reached into the centerpiece to give Lillie a red rose. As he reached over and handed her the rose, the thorn had stuck into his hand. His hand was dripping with small drops of blood. Lillie ran into the bathroom to get the bandage from the medicine cabinet. While she was in the bathroom, she made an ointment to put on his finger. This was no ordinary ointment it was made to include an aphrodisiac. 

When Lillie went into the dining room, she placed the ointment on the wound. She then placed the bandage around his finger. She cradled his hand and kissed it. She was attempting to show compassion, loving, tender care to him. Paul’s finger began to burn. He was in pain. A wound from a thorn would never hurt the way it was. She knew the ointment had begun to work. She had the night she hungered for with Paul. He cradled her face in his hand and kissed her. She felt the love was still there between them. He took her by the hand and lead her to the bedroom. He started caressing her body. They took their clothes off and enjoyed a night of love and passion. The next morning when Lillie awakened, Paul was not there. She felt comfort in the fact they shared a passionate night together. It rekindled the fire that was fading. The ointment had worked. It satisfied the fire burning in her heart for the night.