Free VAMPIRE ROMANCE: The Fallen from Grace(Prince of Darkness Vampire Angel Fantasy Paranormal Adventure) (Dark Fantasy New Adult Devil Short Stories) by Amanda Knight

man in black said.
    “Thank you,” I said as I handed him my bags and bundled up my coat as the chill hit me.
    “How long is the drive?” I asked already wanting it to be over.
    “Three hours,” he said.
    “Three hours!” I yelled.
    He sort of looked amused but didn’t say anything else.
    “Sorry,” I said as I got in the car and braced myself for a long drive.
    The car left the small town and small airport and drove over large snow capped mountain ranges and past small hamlets that sprinkled across the lands. The snow on top of the buildings made it look like a snow based fairy tale land. I started to lighten in mood as I decided to not let my awful mother get in the way of my enjoyment of these beautiful and magical surroundings. The more I saw the place the more I relaxed and felt at ease. The place really was beautiful and enchanting. The tiny German buildings reminded me of Hansel and Gretel type of houses that you would see at Disney Land.
    We drove for two hours and I was beginning to think that perhaps we were lost. I pushed the button to roll down the partition between the driver and I.
    “If we have much longer to go maybe we can have a stop at tavern so that I can grab a coffee please?”
    “Yes, ma’am. There is a place a few miles down the road here.”
    “Thank you.”
    Minutes later I was inside the ladies room of a rustic tavern lodge in a small village. I freshened up and stretched. Then I sat at the counter of the tavern and ordered a hot coffee to go.
    “You are not from her dear are you? You’re American?” the woman pouring my coffee said.
    “Yes, I am. I’m just passing through. I am on my way to the village of Bernhardent,” I said.
    As soon as I said it everyone around me stopped talking. The woman looked at me with wide eyes and then softened into a smile.
    “What? What did I say?” I asked as she placed the lid on my coffee.
    “Nothing dear, it is just superstitions, and that particular village is steeped in it.”
    “Oh I see,” I said confused.
    “Steeped in what exactly?”
    “In old legends and stories of magic and magical creatures.”
    “Oh!” I said as I laughed. “Isn’t that everywhere in Europe.”
    “Yes, I suppose you are right.”
    I walked out with my coffee and felt very uncomfortable as everyone stared at me. What a strange place, I thought to myself.
    Then we were back on the road. I once again went back to sightseeing out the window with the hot coffee warming my hands. I soon forgot all about what the woman had said.
    An hour later we were still not at our destination. This was the longest car ride, though it was very beautiful. I once again rolled down the partition to talk to the driver.
    “Excuse me sir, how much longer?” I asked him.
    “Only half an hour. We are entering the dark forest now and the village is on the other side,” he said.
    Dark forest? I thought to myself. I knew that the countryside of Europe was full of areas with names that could be out of fairy tales, but Dark forest was a little much.
    “Dark forest? Why is it called that?” I asked him not knowing if I really wanted to know the answer.
    “Because the trees you see are very tall, so very little light gets through. It makes the ground of the forest dark… and other reasons.”
    “Oh,” I said as I looked out the window at the tall pine trees that towered along both sides of the narrow road we drove down. It was true for when I looked between the bases of the trees it was indeed very dark. But what did he mean by “other reasons?” I thought I should leave it alone and not ask. Finally we emerged from the forest and into a wonderful valley with rolling hills on one side, the large snow covered mountains on the other, and of course the Dark forest on the other side. The small twinkling lights of the village glimmered as the sun began to set and the snow on top of the village buildings glowed a soft pink the remaining light of the sun.
    The car entered the village