Read Online Christmas in Transylvania by Sandra Hill - Free Book Online Page A

the ­people even wore a Santa hat, it was Alex. Elvis was crooning “Blue Christmas” from somewhere. And the smell of evergreen filled the air. Probably the tree she’d seen on the flatbed truck the day they’d arrived. The children were so excited, they kept jumping up and down and clapping their hands with delight. In the midst of it all, she saw Karl, whose face was half-­hidden by the tall box he held in both hands.
    She eased halfway down the staircase and sat on a step, still unnoticed by those below. There were about two dozen adults, mostly men, and the two children, who’d moved into the room where the giant Christmas tree held center stage. Unadorned, but beautiful.
    Alex was displaying some of her purchases. Lights, ornaments, tinsel, a star. Each one drew oohs and aahs. Meanwhile, a young woman came in with a tray carrying an assortment of cookies, while another young woman brought in a tray of hot chocolate . . . Faith could tell by the rich smell that wafted up to her . . . and what someone said with a groan was something called “Fake-­O.” Faith recognized the two young women as Ester and Hester, who sometimes brought meals to her bedroom.
    Faith realized in that moment that this was the kind of holiday home she’d always dreamed about. Oh, not a castle. Her dreams were never that lofty. But a large family full of Christmas cheer, safe in the love that surrounded them, that was the ultimate fantasy to her. Foster homes, at least the many she’d resided in, had never provided this sense of belonging. In fact, she’d always felt like an outsider, even when there had been large families.
    Suddenly, Faith noticed something else. Every single person, except for Alex and the two children, had pointy incisors. In fact, on some of them they appeared to be actual fangs. She frowned as she tried to concentrate. What had the twins told her about almost everyone in the castle being vangels? Viking vampire angels? She didn’t see any evidence of wings, but fangs. Oh, yeah!
    Had she landed in a vampire enclave or nest or cult or whatever you called it? Like that True Blood or Twilight ? She knew that the town of Transylvania was kind of crazy with all the Dracula nonsense, but this was different. Was it possible? For some reason, she wasn’t frightened, just puzzled.
    Just then, Karl glanced up and noticed her staring at them. He quickly looked around and must have seen what she’d seen. The fangs. Turning back to her, he shrugged, as if to say, “Now you know.”
    He came up, two steps at a time, and sat down beside her, placing the box in front of them, down two steps. “I bought this for you,” he said.
    â€œFor me? A present?”
    â€œNo big deal. Just a little prelit Christmas tree for your room. I know how confined you’ve been feeling. It has tiny pink poinsettias on it, and I thought since you like pink so much . . . oh, shit! What did I say wrong?”
    Faith was weeping, big tears streaming down her face. She couldn’t help herself. It had been so long since a man had treated her so nicely with no ulterior motive. “Nothing is wrong. Thank you, thank you!” Without thinking, she pulled his face down to hers and kissed him. His lips were cool from just coming in from outside.
    He was momentarily shocked by her gesture, she could tell, but then he kissed her back, cupping her face with his cold hands. It was a gentle kiss to accommodate her still-­swollen lip, but it was erotic nonetheless, with tendrils of sensation snaking out to other parts of her body. Somehow, she was on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck, and his hands were caressing her back and thigh and rump, wherever he could reach. His lips and fingers were no longer cold, but hot, hot, hot, and they were melting her. His tongue was in her mouth, and he tasted of peppermint. Candy canes, no doubt. Santa’s elves supposedly