He slowed to a halt and peered out the window as he asked the fateful question: “Need a ride?”

“You going my way, handsome?”  Flashing him, my most seductive smile, I leaned slightly into the open window, exposing a modest glimpse of ample cleavage.

Baited, his soft honey brown eyes lingered, until finally making their slow climb into my cool dark orbs.

“That depends, beautiful.  My first time exploring these woods, and I’m not certain of the exact location, or how far my destination is.  I lost cell coverage, a while back.  And my Jeep being dated; well, it’s not equipped with GPS.”

As conspicuous embarrassment rose, he ran his fingers nervously through his lush long auburn hair, brushing it back from his impressive features.  I smiled admiringly with understanding.

“Yes, these parts can be a bit mystifying, to strangers.  Especially, without accurate knowledge of where one’s headed:—I’d say, even perilous.”

His eyes widened, with a tad of concern, “What do you mean, by perilous?”

“Well, handsome, look around.  We’re surrounded by dense forest, as far as the eye can see.  There’s not a soul around.  The only thing moving is what we can’t see.”  I said, fascinated, at watching him squirm, with slight discomfort.

Noticing, I noticed that he fell slightly on edge; he turned the conversation onto me.

“And, you?  Aren’t you concerned?  I mean, what is a gal like you doing wandering after sunset on this desolate road, with just a mini-pack on her back?  It’s obvious you’re not packing a sleeping bag, or tent, so what gives?”

Flippantly, I said, “Well, how remarkably perceptive of you to notice, _a gal like me …”_

“Hey, I didn’t mean it like that, okay?  I just meant that you don’t strike me as a rough outdoorsy type, more ‘lipstick’.  Ya know?  No hard feelings, huh?”

“Of course not.  I mean, you would never know from looking at my hiking boots, and gear, that I might be engaged in a hike, headed towards home, hmm?  Or, did your eyes fail to notice my footwear, for having been bewitched by my v-neck sweater, and unzipped fleece coat?”  I teased, and unleashed a ravishing smile, to lighten the uncomfortable tension and tone rising between us.

“Ah”, he said apologetically.  “I’m sorry; you’re right.  I failed to see, that more than likely, you’re a local living in these parts.”

“Bingo! You got it. And, yeah, I live not too far from here in a quaint little village known as, “Mystic Falls”.  Ever heard of it?”

Suddenly, his face, his entire demeanor lit up like a light bulb, at the mentioning of the name.

“Mystic Falls, are you serious?  That’s the very place I am headed towards, or rather, that I’m searching for.  I thought I could find the place on my own without a map, after researching its location online.  And, yet, amid traveling, after a couple of hours into twilight without cell service, well, I realized the folly of my thinking, and voilà.  As I am, in the manner that you see.” He said, most genuinely.

I could tell by his sincerity, and modesty in describing his plight, that he must have felt a sense of relief sighting me, a lone woman, walking mysteriously alone in the dark, after having travelled endless miles without seeing a single soul.

It’s no surprise, that he slowed to a halt, when he did, asking that fateful question, in a mystical province teeming with vampires, werewolves, and other magical creatures:—_“Need a ride?”_