Song of the Mourning Dove: Dark Fairy Tales

By Victoria Champion

An emotional and macabre reimagining of two fairy tales by The Brothers Grimm, these dark fantasy paranormal horror short stories are about love, fear, the supernatural, and witches.

In the title story, Song of the Mourning Dove, two young lovers have a romantic tryst in an ancient forest and encounter a horrifying evil that threatens to tear their love apart. A harrowing struggle to save themselves and each other leads to a terrifying confrontation that transforms the once innocent nature of their love.

In the bonus second story, The False Prince, three beautiful princesses discover that forbidden pleasure comes with a terrible price. A devious soldier and a scheming witch battle to possess the sisters to satisfy their own obsessive desires.

These stories contain mature subject matter and are suitable for mature young adult readers, new adult, and adult.

This ebook contains the short story Song of the Mourning Dove. Also included is a bonus short story The False Prince. Combined, these two original stories by Victoria Champion are 10,400 words, or approximately 38 pages.

Second Edition. Originally published on May 03, 2012 with a different cover.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Luminous Points Publishing
• Release date: May 3, 2012
• ISBN: 9781501480546

Book preview

Song of the Mourning Dove

Dark Fairy Tales

Victoria Champion

For Dale, who showed me the meaning of passion and shares my passion for the macabre.

Song of the Mourning Dove

Lorena pushed against the elaborate wrought bars of her cage. Tears of frustration smeared her flushed cheeks. The other women watched her, their expressions placid. She knew their thoughts — her struggles amounted to a waste of energy. Her sweaty palms slipped on the chilly and slick iron. Defeated, she let go and sat back on her naked rump.

Her heart ached for her beloved Lorenzo, whom she feared she may never see again. He might perish, out there on the weald, eaten by scavenging animals, their sharp teeth devouring him alive while he lie helpless. Unable to bear such gruesome thoughts, she forced them from her mind.

The women did not speak to her, nor did they respond to her sobbing pleas. Instead, they fixed their brazen stares on her delicate body. Her skin turned a bright pink under their scrutiny. Other times they ignored her, and turned their eyes away. She abandoned her attempts to reach out to them for comfort.

Lorena hung her head and sighed. Her breath warmed her bare chest and her goosebumps subsided. Cramped, she scooted around in an effort to find a comfortable spot to rest. The looks of renewed interest from the watchful women made her nervous.

As she settled, the women stirred; a low murmur spread through the room. Lorena’s heart pounded. Her bare breasts rose and fell with her quickened breath, the nipples pert with fear and from the chill of the night air as it blew in through the window. She approached, to inflict her grotesque love upon them. Lorena’s hands trembled as she covered her tear-streaked face and peeked between her fingers. Hideous eyes leered back at her through the bars. Lorena screamed.

~~~

The day before, Lorena had departed the relative safety of the village to walk in the woodlands with the youthful shepherd Lorenzo. Since they had become young adults, playing or walking in the woods together caused a scandal. This inauspicious day they snuck away from the careful scrutiny of their parents later in the afternoon than usual.

They met past the timber line. Her heart beat faster as he approached, and she knew his did as well. They smiled at each other. Lorena trusted in his love for her. It was clear in the shine of his eyes, and in the way he embraced her. She gazed at him as he strode alongside her. His thick curly hair caught the sunlight. She imagined her fingers nestled in its softness as he nuzzled in her lap and explored her most secret places. The anticipation of their precious time together caused a warm moistness and aching between her legs. She yearned for intimacy; they grasped hands and hurried into the backwoods.

Lorenzo said, Darling, stay close. We mustn’t go too deeply into these tangled woods, lest we come upon the old castle.

The reclusive stronghold he spoke of stood in the recesses of the overgrown forest. Lorena heard the tales before, however she thought of them as fanciful stories meant to scare children who wandered from home. She did not