Read Online The Gathering by Lily Graison - Free Book Online

head was
lowered, his shoulders drooping.
    He cleared his throat. “Is there anything
you’d like me to do?” He waited for long minutes and when no answer
came, he turned and headed for the stairs. The sound of his name
stopped him.
    Walking back to the living room, Garrett met
him at the doorway. The look on his face was one he hadn’t seen
since the night of the fight with Malcolm.
    “Jacob was with Carmen. I won’t believe for a
minute its by choice.”
    Bryce nodded. “I saw him, too.”
    “We have to get him back.”
    “How do you want to go about doing that?”
    “I’d personally like to rip every member of
Carmen’s little pack into shreds but I don’t know how many of them
are in the same situation Jacob is. We can’t assume they’re all
there by choice.”
    Bryce had never thought of that. Just because
Caleb had created a small pack of werewolves didn’t mean they all
wanted the same things Caleb did. Or the same things Carmen did,
for that matter. Just because they were there didn’t automatically
lump them into the bad-guy camp. “You’re right. I have Gavin and
Ethan patrolling the edge of the forest. Do you want me to have
them go in further to see where they’re camped?”
    Garrett was quiet for long moments before
slowly shaking his head. “No. Bring everyone back to the house,
even those watching the town and the main road. I’ll meet you, and
the others, back here in an hour.” He walked away then, taking the
stairs two at a time.
    Bryce followed a few minutes later, making
his way to the third floor where the vampire’s room was. He knocked
before opening the door and walking in. She was standing by the
window. Her hair was brushed; a riot of brown curls falling down
her back. She’d showered, he noticed. She didn’t smell like a
rotting corpse now. The scent of shampoo and soap filled the room
and he had to admit it lifted his mood a bit. Having to face her at
all was a daunting task but her smelling like walking death just
reminded him of what she was.
    He stopped when she turned to face him. They
stared at one another for endless moments and if someone were to
ask him later what it was that caused his feelings toward her to
shift, he wouldn’t be able to answer. It may have been the look in
her eyes. Fear was something he’d never seen in a vampire before
but this girl looked at him as if he were about to execute her.
Yesterday, he would have without a second thought. He wasn’t so
sure now.
    She was wearing a nightgown. The white
material swallowed her whole and she looked like a child playing
dress up. Moonlight from the windows shined through the material
and gave him a glimpse of what lay beneath. There was nothing
girlish about what he saw, then. Long limbs and full breasts caused
his wolf to stir. It prowled just beneath the surface and he had to
swallow to keep his chest from rumbling as a growl worked its way
up his throat. She was pretty, he thought, with surprise. Her
features were delicate looking. High cheekbones, large eyes in a
dark shade of green and her lips were full.
    He blinked and looked at the cup he held.
Seeing it reminded him why he was there. “I brought you something
to eat. It’s not exactly warm. Do you want me to heat it back up
for you?”
    A barely noticeable shake of her head was all
he got in return. He watched her stare back at him before he
cleared his throat and crossed the room, sitting the cup down on
the dresser. She never moved and her gaze didn’t stray. A tingle
raced up his spine and he backed away from the dresser, edging
closer to the door. “I’m Bryce.” He felt like an idiot the moment
the words were out of his mouth. He’d told her his name in the
mine. He was sure she remembered it.
    He wondered how many people in the house knew
her name. Lydia. He tested the sound of it in his head. It suited
her for some reason. He wasn’t about to examine why he even cared
but he repeated the name a few times before looking away from