The Brethren Of Tavish [Vampire Coven Book 1] by C.L. Scholey Read Free Book Online Page A

herself and
fade away into nothingness. But she opened her mouth, feeling famished. Mercy
groaned as she chewed. It was amazing. The morsel was tender and juicy. The
flavors came alive in her mouth. She moaned in delight. It was so delicious;
her mother would have loved this. Her mother had been a fantastic cook.
    “It’s called steak,” Tavish said.
    “It’s wonderful. It melts in my mouth. May I
have more?”
    “You may have as much as you want. You will
always have enough to eat, I promise you. Everyone in my coven is fed. No one
goes without.”
    His pale blue eyes were centered on her in such
a way Mercy wrapped the covers around her tighter. She wondered if he would eat
after she did. The idea was terrifying, and oddly curious. He smiled as she
accepted another piece of the meat, then another. Her lips closed over his
fingers a few times. It was strange to be fed by a man. She didn’t object. She
should really object. For the first time, she noted his fangs. They were small,
pointed, not the monstrous things she had been led to believe. Her father had
insisted those fangs would rip a human throat out. But if two hundred humans
lived here, he must spare some lives. The woman who had stood past the
door-thing didn’t look terrified when she was standing before him. She hadn’t
cowered and begged for her life, she had smiled at him with affection. He had
kissed her much like Mercy’s father had kissed her at rare times. The woman
hadn’t fled in terror.
    “Try something else, little cub.”
    “What is that?” Mercy asked. She pointed at a
yellow object with tiny bead-like things covering it. It smelled nice.
    “It’s called corn on the cob. There’s only a
half piece here. It’s called a vegetable. I’m guessing you haven’t tried many
vegetables. You will be given a wide variety of vegetables as well as fruits
here for nourishment, to keep you healthy. Try it. Only eat the soft yellow
buds though, not the hard cob they’re attached to.”
    It was difficult to hold one handed so Mercy
tucked the covers under her arms and, using both hands, she bit into it. The
taste was fantastic. Back and forth her mouth roamed over the delectable thing
called corn, which was a vegetable. She didn’t set it down until she had eaten
every bud. Mercy could have eaten five more. Using a cloth Tavish wiped her
face clean.
    “Here, try this.”
    Tavish handed her a glass. Mercy thought that
would be the right name for the object holding the liquid. It wasn’t a cup or a
flask. It was see-through like thin ice. Her mother often said the ice was like
a sheet of glass. The liquid was odd. It was orange but not like any orange
pelt she had ever seen when smoked. It was beautiful like a rare sunset she had
been privy to once. Her father had taught her many colors that one night so
long ago when she had been a child. He had told her it was the last time she
would be allowed to see the sky until her blood time stopped and she was safe.
Mercy had taken a picture of the colors in her mind and replayed them over and
over throughout the years. She was grateful to be taught anything. Sometimes
she ached for knowledge.
    Mercy took a sip from the glass. She rolled the
fresh liquid around in her mouth. It was sweet, tart and cold. For a second her
lips puckered at the unusual taste and Tavish laughed. She did too after she
swallowed. Mercy tilted her head back and drained the contents.
    “What was that?” she asked.
    “Orange juice.”
    Roundish red objects sat on her plate and Mercy
picked one up to exam it. It had seeds on the outside. A drop of blood red
juice slipped over her fingers. Mercy licked the juice. Her mouth watered.
Whatever it was it smelled wonderful. She sank her teeth into yet another new
taste sensation. Her eyes closed as she chewed.
    “That’s a strawberry. A
fruit.”
    “It’s amazing.” Mercy’s words were muddled over
the piece she had in her mouth. She scooped up three more and couldn’t eat