Read Online Vampire Coven Book 3: A Vampire's Embrace by C.L. Scholey - Free Book Online Page B

time.
    “Go sit with Ann for now,” Rhett said to Hope.
    When she didn’t move Rhett wondered if she had heard him. It got pretty noising during human feeding sessions. When Rhett repeated himself he made sure he was close to Hope’s ear. She was whiter than before. For a second Rhett just stood staring at her. Caine came over to join them.
    “It must be overwhelming going from seeing no one to seeing so many people,” Caine said. He scowled hard at Rhett and led Hope to the children’s table. Rhett could hear Caine speak as they walked away. “Three meals are provided for humans each day. Rhett will be assigned a task for you to complete. All humans are expected to help out around the coven with various chores. Except with any hunting, it’s too dangerous for humans to go over the walls as I’m sure Rhett has explained.”
    “Rhett hasn’t explained anything,” Hope whispered. Rhett knew she was right but the bitch didn’t have to be such a tattle-tale.
    It was starting already, his anger. He’d get Hope alone and he would explain everything to her in minute detail.

Chapter 5
    Hope wandered along a well-marked trail certain she was in a food coma. Hope had never seen so much food. Caine made her try everything until she thought she would burst. Strange, wonderful food that made her dormant taste buds come to life. Soft foods, hard foods. Sweet foods, bitter foods. Everything made her head spin. Little Ann downed more food than Hope had ever seen before. Her pint-sized child ate three pieces of something called pizza. The child sat and chatted with other children and adults. She looked like she had been born to the coven. And though she had obvious differences, no one blinked an eye. She was accepted.
    Then there was the liquid. Not all humans at the table drank water, but it was available. They drank milk, or juices called apple or orange, or lemonade. There was a bloody-looking substance called tomato juice that looked hideous but smelled nice and tasted fine. Strangely enough, it was Ann who demanded she try it. Caine told Hope at dinner tonight he would let her try something called wine. He said if she would be dealing with Rhett she may need some alcohol.
    “This is your job for the afternoon,” Caine said as they came to a row of small dwellings. Caine handed her a basket. “These are chicken coops. Chickens lay eggs. Eggs are small oval-shaped things. I’ll show you.”
    A bunch of squawking birds called hens, she was told, moved about the penned area pecking and strutting. Hope thought they were silly awkward things. When Caine told her she had tasted chicken at lunch she was surprised.
    Caine opened the coop and Hope scrunched her nose at the smell. They smelt almost as bad as she had when covered in crap. Caine reached under one of the birds nesting in a box and pulled out a small white egg and a larger brown egg. He put them in the basket and handed Hope the basket and bid her try. Reaching a tentative hand Hope reached under the squawking thing. It was warm and soft. She pulled out an egg and held it up, all smiles. It wasn’t as hard as it looked. She hadn’t been attacked. It was certainly an interesting object.
    Caine grinned at her and told her to collect all of the eggs from all of the coops and take the baskets to the kitchen one at a time. He showed her where the kitchen was after they had dropped Ann off at a place where children went while mothers worked. Caine told her not to rush, take her time, Ann would be safe, smell the fresh air and get some exercise, become acquainted with the coven.
    The time passed as Hope did her job. Her movements were a little stiff. Hope was used to the bulky furs she wore and winced a few times when she knocked a body part against the hard wood. She was self-conscious of her bruises. The women at the table tried to be discreet but Hope had seen them look at her multicolored areas of flesh. None of the women or children had bruises such as she. They all