Read Catherine (Echoes of Ossiria #1) for Free Online Page B

was leaving another dreadful party. She freed me, my salvation…
I’ll always thank her for that.”   He
finished the bottle and gave it an odd look, then shrugged and got up to fetch
another.   Grabbed a glass, too, this
time.
    “You needed saving
back then?”
    “In a matter of
speakin’.”   He pulled the chair out next
to her and sat, pouring a full glass from the new bottle of JD.   “Misunderstood, I was, except by my family.
My sire saw to the heart of me, what I yearned for. We had over a hundred happy
years together, until...”
    “How did that
whole thing happen? You never say her name.”   Catherine only knew of it from the book—Sylvania.
    He refilled the
glass.   “ Tallis doesn’t love, you know,” changing the topic.   “Feels it’s beneath him, a human thing.
There’s a kind of affection he has for his clan, but there’s nothin’ soft about
it. He came into town more wicked than ever. When ‘e sets ‘is mind to a
plan…well, it’s twisted and sadistic as hell, but it’s genius, too…and if you
ever tell ‘ im I said that, I’ll cut out your tongue
and make you eat it.”
    Catherine crossed
her heart.   “I promise. So, she leaves
town…and you’re…?”
    “Healing. A
vampire will heal from just about anything, short of cutting off our heads, but
it still takes time, and blood.”
    “What happened to
you?”
    “Barely escaped an
explosion in London.”
    “That must have
been hard,” she said.   “Did you ever see
her again?”
    “Briefly.”   He nodded, swallowing more whiskey.   “It was well and truly…over.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    He sniffed.   “’S alright. We had longer than most, right?”
    There was
Catherine’s “in”.   She placed her hand on
his.   “That eats you up, huh?”
    He nodded
morosely.   Abandoned the glass and went
straight for the bottle.
    “I don’t know how
a woman could forsake such obvious devotion,” she said, shaking her head.   He looked up, eyes glistening and
vulnerable.   “Most any of us would kill
to be the center of a guy’s world for centuries.”
    “You’re just
sayin’ that,” he mumbled.
    “I’m not! You seem
to be the perfect catch for a vampiress wanting to be
loved. Have you tried getting out there…since?”
    “Not exactly how
it works. There’s no speed-dating night for demons.”  
    She rolled her
eyes.   “But there are clubs, aren’t
there? For booze and a hook-up. It’s the 21 st Century.”
    “Until a hunter
shows up to be the ultimate killjoy,” he said, pouting.
    “That’s what
happened tonight, isn’t it? Knew there had to be a reason for the bad-ass
look.”   Ooops.
    William curled his
tongue behind his teeth.   “The baddest , baby. You like the way I look?”   He said this a little too close to her face.
    Catherine’s eyes
watered from the alcohol fumes.   “I-It’s
fine…if you’re into that sort of thing.”
    “What kind of
‘thing’ is that?”
    “You know…the
whole ‘can’t take home to Mom’ vibe. But bad boys always lead to trouble.”
    “Hm. Trouble can
be fun.”
    “Trouble can get
you killed .”
    “How can you ever
really feel alive if you don’t test your limits? I bet even you have
contemplated a walk on the wild side at least once…”
    Okay, how did this
get turned around on her?   “For, like, a
minute. I’m human . But that’s not my way.”
    “Bet you’ve
dreamed about it.”
    “William…”
    “Not one, little,
fantasy? ‘S only natural…”
    Well, Cathy,
you’re the one that kept talking to the drunk, horny vampire.   “Not really. I’m boring like that.”
    “Not even with all
Alicia’s sex talk?”
    “Geeze, you’re
like a dog with a bone.”
    “Better believe
it, baby,” he slurred.   “Hey, the whisikey’s all gone…”
    She put her hand
on his arm to stop him as he made to get up.   “Maybe it’s time you called it a night, then.”
    “Please! It takes
more than two bottles to get a vampire