Tale of the Century Bride Complete: Historical Vampire Paranormal Romance Box Set by Susan G. Charles

once she’d loosened up a bit.

Tale of the Century Bride Book One: Chapter 14
    The tenebrous clouds were still 240 kilometers out. Now, they lit up in different shades of grey, from the dimmest smoke grey to a southern grey, lightning bolts emanating from within, striking the earth in silence.
    “A storm,” Catherine said. “A terrible storm is headed this way.”
    “What’s that material dropping from the clouds?” Alice asked.
    “I’m not sure. But something is not right about this.” Catherine responded.
    She turned her sights to the blacksmith’s station. It was empty. She thought of her mother and sisters, and she feared for their safety if this dark storm was anything like the Black Plague – which she was not alive during the era. She knew that if she wanted them there with her, all she would have to do is make the request. She wanted to leave the castle and enter the village.
    But she could not abandon her castle without August’s blessing.
    “Colleen,” Catherine said. “I need you to go into town and see how my mother and sisters are doing. Tell them to pack their things and wait for my summoning.”
    She then looked to the stables. “Take Percy with you,” she said of her mare.
    A second later she added, “And a basket of fruit… Make sure you tell them that I am fine. I’m pretty sure they will see the storm coming. Tell them to find Rose and let her know that she too is welcome to join my family. Do you understand?”
    “Yes ma’am. Right away,” Colleen said with a bow before running off toward the stables.
    The twins stood on both sides of Catherine. Like they dwelled in each other’s thoughts, they both took her hands simultaneously. A cold feeling came over the three. It was easy to establish this by the grips of the children and Catherine together, the blank stares into the morning’s darkness more than a hundred miles away and the tentative moderations of the manly men that whispered of their soon to be shortcomings to the land they all knew as home.
    Other tenants of the castle moved rapidly into the main hall. The mysterious dark clouds that carried with it a silent, thundering storm, was now on everyone’s mind, and the tip of their tongues. Normally the weather was not such a cause for alarm but one look at this storm had made all the inhabitants of the castle anxious and fearful.
    Alice looked up to Catherine, tears filling her blue puppy dog eyes. “What are we going to do?” she quietly asked.
    Catherine said nothing. She stood motionless, her eyes still turned to the dark cloud. The castle was sure to withstand the oncoming storm. Her only thoughts were of the wellbeing for her loved ones.
    Cored tugged at her arm. “Lady Catherine… what should we do?”
    She blinked three times, coming out of her subconscious thoughts. She said, “What can we do? We cannot do anything except prepare for the storm.”
    She looked to Cored and then to Alice. Hiding her fear, she threw on a phony smile to the both of them. “Do not worry. So… how about that breakfast now,” she said. “Hungry?” she asked them both.
    “Countess,” exclaimed a man’s voice from behind.
    Catherine and the children immediately turned to see who this unfamiliar voice belonged to. Upon a quick examination it was plain to see the man’s face was completely hidden beneath a stringy, long but matted mound of hair and the scruffiness of his full mustache and beard. His eyes were of coal, low and beady.
    He looked to Catherine with a flaming intensity, a sure look that exhibited an earnest concern. His lips were dry and cracked; teeth were rotted and brittle when he’d spoken. He was an odd looking fella. He wore the tattered rags and sandals of a peasant. Two knights of Dalmar stood on each of his sides. Never before had she seen this man in the village or the castle.
    “Yes, how may I help you?” Catherine speculatively asked.
    He bowed his head. “My name is Deleon, son of Mourn.” He said