Catherine (Echoes of Ossiria #1) by Vivian Lane Read Free Book Online

drunk!”   He shuffled to the cabinet to retrieve a
bottle.
    “If you say so,”
she muttered.   Though it took only two
bottles for him to talk funny…
    “Ya wan’ some?” he
offered, dangerously tipping the bottle of rum.
    “No, no…you go ahead.”
    He nodded.   “You’re a good girl, Cat. Always polite.
Kitty-cat, pussy-cat, jungle cat… I got books with drawings from all those
expeditions… Very old. You ever wanna drive Tallis around the bend, start singin ’.”
    “Really?”   Good gracious, his drunken speech was random.
    He executed a poor
Boy Scout salute.   “True as the North
Star. Hates music.”
    “Still… I’d rather
avoid him altogether.”   She dropped her
eyes to her cup and swirled the last bit of milk left around the bottom.
    He tucked her hair
behind her ear.   “I know, pet.
Shows you have a lick o’ sense.”
    “I try not to
think about it, or just be brave…but I can’t imagine anything worse then being
at his mercy. And I know I don’t know all he’s capable of, despite being told
what he did to those in the book, but it’s enough… I don’t need to be a vampire
for my blood to run cold.”
    “You’ve done well
for yourself so far.”  
    She shook her
head.   “If I was really brave, I would
have left. Disappeared.”
    “What I don’t know
won’t hurt you.”
    She arched her
brow, and he nodded.   Well, then.   That was something.   He wasn’t going to help, but he wouldn’t stop
her, either.   It gave him plausible
deniability in front of Tallis .
    She smiled, then
looked at the clock.   “Well, it’s late…
You need a hand upstairs?” she asked, standing.
    “’M fine.”   He rose too quickly and swayed on his
feet.   “I’ll, uh, make the trip with you,
though.”
    She smothered a
smile to preserve his pride.   “Okay.”
    William’s suite
was on the floor below Catherine’s room in the attic.   It felt like miles to trek with a heavy drunk
leaning on her for balance.   The old
manor had narrow steps for the staircases, his big booted feet slipping off
them with the lack of his usual grace.   He nearly took her down a few times when he stumbled and flailed for
something to hold on to.  
    She wrapped her
arm around his waist and continued.   “What are you humming?” she asked when they reached his floor and turned
down the hallway.
    “ Motorhead . Bloody brilliant stuff. Not like the dreck they
call modern music.”
    She stopped in
front of the big mahogany doors.   “Well,
this is your stop.”
    “Right…”   He removed an old key from his pocket and
inserted it in the lock.   Turned to face
her as she stepped aside.   “Don’t think
this lets you get out of your lessons tomorrow.”
    She laughed.   “I wouldn’t dream of it. Goodnight, William.
I hope you sleep well.”
    He caught her hand
when she started to walk away, lifting it to his lips to place a kiss on the
back.   “Sweet dreams.”  
    She blushed.  
    He opened his
bedroom door and slipped inside.

 

Chapter Four

 
    The next day,
Catherine knocked on William’s door.
    “Enter.”
    The door opened
slowly, part way.   “Only me. I wanted to
see how you were.”
    “In or out, girl.
You’re lettin’ in a draft.”
    “Ooops,
sorry!”   She slipped inside.   “Oh…”   She stopped and blushed, averting her eyes.   “I-I didn’t expect you to be…um…”
    “Two minutes
sooner, and you’d have caught me wandering around starkers ,
so I’d say your timing is perfect, Miss Mitchell…unless you wanted to
catch a peek?”   William was wearing
nothing but a towel.          
    “No! I mean, not
that you aren’t worthy of peeking at, if one planned to do so, but that so
wasn’t my plan, and, um, oh God… I’m gonna go.”   She turned around, only to find him blocking the door.
    “So soon? I
thought you had a question for me,” he purred, stalking her.
    “ Eeep !”   He took
gentle hold of her arms.   “What are