Genevieve: A Witchblood Story (Witchblood Series) by Emma Mills Read Free Book Online Page A

the centre of the village.
    ‘Eva, I need to feed and I also wish to find out what is occurring in the town. Look at me and listen. You will stay here and not leave this house until I return, do you understand? You will be safe here. Do not open the door to anyone.’
    Eva nodded and smiled . She had no reason to leave now anyway. Her hunger was satisfied… for the time being and she felt a strange peacefulness, as if she’d succeeded in some unknown ambition. She watched as Sebastian left the house and rushed across the lane, once again disappearing into the shadows of the night.
    Lying back and waiting for Sebastian was becoming increasingly tedious and Eva’s eyes roamed the room, looking for an occupation. Sebastian had packed most of his belongings into an old trunk , but the wardrobe had not been fully emptied and this was what gave Eva her idea. She knew she would need more clothes, and there was no way she was going back to the uncomfortable dresses of old when she had felt the soft breeches against her skin, and been able to jump and run with no restriction to her movement.  She picked up a pair of Sebastian’s black velvet breeches and eyed them speculatively. They were slim fitting as was the fashion, and holding them against her she realised they would only need a small amount of alteration around the waistband and down both thigh seams. Sewing was one skill she had been taught and she grinned as she formulated her plan. She began to scour the rooms for sewing needles and thread, but of course found nothing useful, and that was when the banging on the door below surprised her.
    ‘Gendarmerie, open the door,’ a voice boomed from outside.
    Eva darted to the window and looked out onto the street below. There were four policemen and unfortunately one of them was already watching the windows. Eva looked out and wondered what to do. She was forbidden from leaving the house and she very much doubted that she would even make it to the door, and if she did… what then? Having spotted her in the window the voice shouted up again.
    ‘It is the police . Open this door or we will be forced to break it open,’ the voice came again.
    Adrenaline began to spike in her chest, and standing by the window she could already hear their heartbeats thumping steadily away, blissfully unaware of quite how much they would be risking by entering the house. The banging continued and Eva frowned, the noise irritating her and triggering the recently quietened rage to grow once more. Why was everyone intent on chasing her? Why couldn’t they just leave her alone? Leave her family alone… her family… something had happened to her family, something unthinkable, something connecting them to the men outside in the blue coats. Eva shook her head, dispelling the memories, but the banging continued. She looked out of the window once more, her beautiful face, a perfect picture of nobility, shining in the moonlight. She caught the soldier’s eye and smiled slowly.
    ‘There’s a girl hiding in there…’
    ‘Never seen her before…’
    ‘She doesn’t belong to this town…’
    The words drifted up to Eva just before she heard the wooden door split and break open. She walked over to the dresser and readied herself, enjoying the delicious chocolatey notes of human blood as they poured through the house and were hungrily breathed in.
    ‘Why didn’t you open the door?’ the first man demanded as he entered the room and stared at her.
    ‘And why are you dressed like a boy?’ the other asked, as the last two banged about on the ground floor.
    Eva stared at them, her previous meal instantly forgotten and she found she was once again parched. She licked her lips and got ready to pounce.
    ‘Speak , girl!’
    ‘Do you think she might be simple?’ the other man laughed. ‘We could have some fun with her , before we hand her in,’ he added, a cruel smile sliding across his face.
    That was when Eva leapt. She leapt straight across the