Possession (5 page)

Stockholm Syndrome was not where Catherine
wanted to see her life going.

“Just continue getting yourself through this
so you can escape later,” she muttered. “You have to think of how
to survive.”

The next day, Alana came up to say they were
going shopping.

“Does Julian know?”

The half-demon rolled her eyes. “Yes, Julian
knows, it was his idea! Do you want some fresh air, or not?”

“Yes, definitely!” Catherine rooted around
for her purse and coat, and hurried to catch Alana in the hall.
“Where are we going?”

“Into London, of course. We’re not going to
find you a ball gown in the nearby hamlet.”

“Ball gown? Huh?”

“Julian’s taking you to the opera next week.
He didn’t tell you?”

“Not yet.”

Alana tsked. “Just like a man. Well, anyway,
we’re getting you a dress and a makeover, no expense limit
imposed.”

“A m-makeover?”

She rolled her eyes again. “Well, you can’t
go looking like
that
! Haircut, manicure,
make-up
…the
works, honey. Trust me, when I’m through with you, you’ll be the
envy of every rich slob stuck with an old, fat wife. The gossip
rags will talk for weeks!”

Gulp.
Catherine looked heavenward and
sent up a little prayer.

Alana chattered the whole ride to London,
citing their route for best designer fashion efficiency. She tuned
it out, looking out the windows at her first glance at freedom in
almost four weeks. Would it be possible to give her the slip while
they were out? Did she want to?

The first stop was at a salon/spa. To someone
used to getting her hair cut at Fantastic Sam’s, the exclusive spot
made her feel a bit overwhelmed. The women sitting in the chairs in
this place were wearing jewelry worth more than her grandmother’s
house
. Alana didn’t seem to notice, breezing in like she
owned the place and slapping down a platinum card on the desk.

“I need a trim and a pedi, and
she
needs the works,” she announced, jerking her thumb at
Catherine.

“Yes, madam. Any specific requests?”

Alana looked at her with a critical eye. “Her
hair should stay long. Anything else you do is up to you.” She was
ushered to a station to have a seat while Catherine was whisked off
further into the shop.

Several people buzzed around her at once,
brushing her bangs off her face and looking at her hands. One woman
held color swatches up to her face, then shuffled off. A man
wearing a tight tee and designer jeans pushed her into a chair.

“What’s your name, love?”

“Catherine,” she meekly replied.

“Well, you’ll be Catherine the
Grea
t
by the time we’re through. How do you feel about color?”

“Color? I-I don’t know about--”

“An intensity glaze, then. We just have to do
something
about this mousy tone, see? Goin’ to make your
skin tone and eyes
pop
.”

“If you say so…”

He started mixing stuff in a bowl while the
manicurist came over with polish bottles.

“Pick one for your toes,” she commanded,
holding them out. Catherine pointed to the blood red. “Perfect. You
use your hands much, hon?”

“I guess so…”

“Thought so. We’ll do a good buff and shape,
then finish with the top coat.” She pulled out her files and
grabbed a hand.

The make-up lady came back with some base
colors. She tested them on Catherine’s cheek and bustled off again
to mix the custom shade. Alana gave her a thumb’s up while she
talked on her cell.

Two hours later, they finally let her look in
the mirror.

“Didn’t I tell you they were fabulous?” Alana
gloated.

“Yeah…” Catherine absently replied, caught up
in the image she saw before her.

She looked…flawless. Ageless, yet definitely
more grown up than the eighteen-year-old girl that walked in the
door. Her hair was glossy enough to be its own light source, the
mascara now on her lashes made her eyes look huge, and her feet
felt soft as a baby’s. The bangs that had been too long were now
trimmed just above her eyebrows, which had also been groomed into
perfect arches. She was leaving with a bag stuffed full of products
to help maintain this “vision”, though she felt she’d never be able
to duplicate their results.

Alana paid for their services and dragged her
back out to the car.

“
Now
you’re ready to walk into
Dior!”

Catherine had only read about shopping being
thoroughly exhausting. She’d never experienced it firsthand, until
today.

Maybe it was a demon thing, because Alana was
like the Energizer Bunny in her mission to find the perfect
everything. They went to clothes stores, shoe stores, lingerie
stores…it was all one big blur of horrendously expensive
merchandise.

In the end, they had a dress being custom
altered, shoes, a new lingerie wardrobe for Catherine (and wasn’t
that
embarrassing), and a formal clutch to match the dress.
It was a relief when they finally stopped for dinner.

“I’m surprised a girl like you didn’t try to
slip away today,” Alana said as she peppered her salad.

Catherine paused, then put the bite on her
fork in her mouth.

“I thought about it.”

“So, why didn’t you?”

“I don’t know. I do miss my old life. My
freedom. The idea of being in Lorcan’s clutches scares me witless…
But it was fun today, out with you. I certainly couldn’t have
afforded this, over in California. I don’t know… This whole
situation is so weird…”

“Well, if I were you, I’d play against
Julian’s hatred for Lorcan. We don’t normally house girls against
their will, you know. They come willingly and leave when they
please.” Alana fixed her with a look. “You could curry his
favor…”

“What, be
his
slave, instead?”

“
No
…convince him to let you go.
Duh
.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Catherine
asked suspiciously.

“I’ll side with
any
female over a man,
any day. I’d let you go right now, except I don’t think you’re done
learning from us, yet.”

“Learning what?”

“That’s for you to figure out.”

***

Julian was boggled by the amount of bags and
boxes being carried in by the servants in Alana’s wake.

“Bloody hell, Alana, did you buy out all of
sodding London in one day?”

She gave him that look that said she thought
he was being very stupid. “A new wardrobe can hardly be built in a
day, Julian, though we did come close.”

“Where
is
Catherine, anyway? You
didn’t lose her…”

“
No
, I didn’t lose her! I told her to
wait outside to make her entrance once the boys finish carrying
everything in.” She flipped her hair off her shoulders and picked
up her bags to take to her suite.

“Alana… How’d she do?”

She paused on the stairs. “They swallowed it
hook, line, and sinker. She’s a natural.”

The lady in question came through the front
door as Alana disappeared upstairs. Julian turned towards the sound
of her footsteps.

“Hi,” she said shyly, wiggling her fingers to
wave.

Wow.

Julian could hardly believe she was the same
girl he saw at supper the night before. Her hair was in glossy
waves, instead of a French braid, and she wore snug jeans with a
violet scoop neck sweater, instead of the usual baggy attire. A
knee-length black wool coat topped the ensemble.

He glimpsed a tiny sliver of taut fair skin
between the sweater and jeans as she walked closer. Her lips were
glossed rosy pink. He’d never noticed their beautiful shape
before.

***

“Cat got your tongue?” Catherine asked,
noticing his glazed-over expression.

I knew I shouldn’t have let Alana dress me
out of the store…it’s all wrong…

She ducked her head and headed for the
stairs. “I’ll just…” she muttered.

Julian snapped out of it and grabbed her arm.
“No. Don’t. I mean, you don’t have to run off, pet. You look
lovely.”

“You’re not just saying that?” she asked.
“Alana’s taste is a lot more overt than mine--”

“
Catherine
. I mean it. You can even
put on a bloody fashion show, if you like.”

***

There was that pretty blush he was used to
seeing.

“I believe you. Thanks.”

He let go of her arm and guided her into the
parlor to sit. “You enjoyed being out today? Alana can be a bit
much in large doses.”

Catherine nodded. “It was nice, once I
figured out the salon wasn’t going to do something scary. And she’s
a pretty good shopping buddy, despite running me around until my
feet fell off. London’s a beautiful city. I’m glad I’ve seen it at
least once.”

“Good, good… And you got a dress?”

“Yes. It’s being tailored. We actually agreed
on it, if you can believe it,” she said, chuckling.

“It
must
be special, then. Have you
eaten?” They’d missed dinner with the others.

“Yes, we stopped at a restaurant before
heading back. I was pleasantly surprised, since I’d heard English
food…lacked.”

“Mocking my heritage now, are we?”

“Depends on if that offends you,” she teased
back.

“And if it did?” he volleyed.

***

“Then, I’d apologize, or take my punishment
like a good girl, depending on your preference.”

Thinking on Alana’s advice, Catherine
realized she no longer feared Julian. She wasn’t sure when it
happened, but she felt confident enough to show that she was more
than a meek woman-child. The ball was now in his court.

Julian’s eyes widened in surprise, then
narrowed in scrutiny. “You don’t fear me anymore, do you?”

“Should I?” she replied mildly.

“Always,” he purred. “I’m still a
vampire.”

“True, but if you were going to eat me, you
already would have,” Catherine countered. “You’re not like
Lorcan.”

“Maybe not, but you read the book.” He waited
for her nod. “I’m a bad, rude man.”

“But with honor, and the capacity to love. It
still sets you miles apart from
him
.”

“Romanticizing my exploits, love?”

Catherine shook her head. “No, but none of us
are defined by one action. We’re the sum of all our decisions. I do
want to know…”

“Yes?”

***

Might as well see where her sharp mind was
heading.

“After Santa Barbara…you changed course,
started all this. Why suddenly go under the radar?”

“Why do you want to
know
?” he
snapped.

It was still a painful time to remember,
almost ten years later.

“I…I just want to understand.” Her voice was
soft, timid. “I kinda like you, when you’re not yelling at me.” She
dropped her gaze to her hands in her lap. “I’m sorry for being too
nosy.”

Why did making her feel bad twist his gut a
little? He shouldn’t care.

“Catherine…maybe another day. Turn in early.
You’ve had a long day.”

“Of course. Goodnight, Julian.”

Chapter 6

Julian flopped into the chair at his private
desk and flipped the switch to turn the monitors on. Instantly,
cameras showed views of every bit of the house and surrounding
grounds.

Alana was in the business office tabulating
expenses. The cook and his assistant were washing dishes from
dinner. One of the girls was in the library, a couple others in the
TV room…
interesting
…and openly flirting.

Catherine was just reaching her room.

He watched her set her bag aside and hang up
her coat in the armoire. Her recent purchases were scattered about
the room, and she set about removing the tags and putting the
clothes away where they belonged. She was quite the little
organization queen.

Julian wasn’t surprised--Catherine approached
everything with methodical efficiency, practically to the point of
being anal-retentive. He wondered if she’d freak if he mixed up all
her stuff. A chuckle escaped as he imagined it.

“Well, now…”

While he’d been musing, Catherine had
finished putting things away, and was now changing her clothes.
Julian normally shut the feed off to preserve her privacy, but
tonight, he was curious to see if Alana changed
all
what the
girl wore. He was evil, after all.

She pulled off the sweater and hung it up,
revealing a plum lace bra. He approved of the color against her
fair skin. Would there be matching bottoms? The jeans shimmied down
her hips, confirming his assumption. She wore bikini knickers in
the same lace.

It was the most he’d ever seen of her body,
let alone the newly-improved version due to the exercise regimen he
put her on. She had tone and curves in all the right places, places
Julian wouldn’t mind exploring. His prick seemed to agree, as it
was well on its way to full hardness. He unfastened his pants and
slipped his hand in to relieve some of the tension.

Catherine picked up a set of pajamas and
walked into the bathroom, cutting off his show by closing the door.
His sensitive ears picked up the sound of water in the bath a
second later, though, so he let his imagination fill in the
gaps.

He found it strange he was so turned on by a
human woman. He found many women attractive, of course, and
fighters had always gotten him hard, but raging lust had always
been reserved for Celia. She’d entranced him with her mysterious
beauty from the moment he laid eyes on her, and captured his
devotion from the moment she took his virginity after his first
feed. He hadn’t turned her down once in over one hundred years.

It hadn’t occurred to him until now that the
night she left changed all that. Guess a bloke takes it to heart
when his beloved leaves him for another man while he’s injured…when
he needed her most.