Slave to a Vampire - Book 1 Catherine

by Katrina Kahler

  ***

  Voices close by. Catherine’s eyes fluttered open as she tried to listen. Men spoke overhead, saying something about a girl…the one who could read. She tried to lift her head to hear more, but the creaking of the boat muffled their voices. A horrid stench hit her nose and she fought the urge to vomit.

  “What is that?” she whispered.

  “Vomit,” Mary said close by. “Some of the women grew sick from the fruit.” She herself sounded as if she was about to be ill. “They’ve been up there talking for hours it seems.”

  Catherine peered up again. It was dark. Night had fallen. Soon enough they would be off this boat and maybe she’d be able to stay on dry land for a while. The rocking started to make her nauseous too and she cursed herself for waking up. If she’d just kept sleeping, she would’ve been fine. Heavy footsteps sounded overhead and a new voice met her ears. She focused on the man’s smooth tongue, the way the words flowed from his mouth. She couldn’t hear them all, but just the sound was enough to distract her.

  They were all rocked forward as the ship hit a soft thump.

  “Land,” Mary said hopeful. “Did we land already?”

  Overhead heavy steps stomped across the deck before disappearing once more. A moment later the hold was opened and Dion yelled for the women to get out. One by one they were led off the ship and shoved into two cage-like enclosures. More water was tossed on them making Catherine and several others cry out. The night might have been warm, but the water was freezing. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself as they were told to get some sleep.

  Catherine, Charlotte, Mary, and Rose sat close beside each other throughout the rest of the night, needing the comfort of another, knowing tomorrow their lives were going to change forever.