Captured by the Count: An Abduction and Breeding Fantasy Read Online Free

to Cassie’s nostrils, just to assure herself that she was still breathing.
    When the coach finally turned off what seemed to be the main road, then off its tributary and into a deep forest, Sissy hunkered down for another long day of sheer boredom.
    Instead, the trees parted, reve a ling a gorgeous estate that had to be at least three times the size of Two Rivers .   The carriage stopped at the front door and masses of garishly uniformed servants descended and relieved it of all of its baggage, as well as the strange men who had travelled with them.  Only she, the Count and Cassie remained as the coachman clucked to the horses and they were moving again, although much more slowly than before. 
    They made their way around the huge main building, then well back from it, to a cluster of small houses that were much better appointed than the breeding cabins where she’d come from, but just about as small.  But they didn’t stop at any of these apparent residences.  Instead they were driven to a bigger building at the end of the road, where the Count swung out of the carriage and reached in to offer his hand to Sissy – which had surprised her to no end the first time he’d done it.  No white man had ever offered her assistance in anything, much less just alighting from a coach.  The Count had been unfailingly courteous to her, much more so than any other white man she had ever met, and she had come to accept the common courtesies that he displayed towards her, which only served to point out how badly she had been treated previously.
    When Sissy was safely on the ground, Victor reached in and plucked Cassie from the seat.  She was aware enough to put her arms around his neck , and he knew when she didn’t make any other moves that she was still sleeping cozily.
    The doors to the building were thrown open for him by two matronly looking women, who, with Sissy, followed him to what seemed to be a medical room of some sort at the back of the facility.
    “But, Sir,” one of the matrons exclaimed, “we haven’t had a chance to examine her yet!”
    It was then that the Count removed the hood of the warm cape Cassie had been wearing since shortly after they’ d departed Paris, causing both of the women to “Ahhhh” lou dly as that unique hair spilled down over her shoulders. The cape had served two purposes – keeping her warm as well as hiding that most unique of attributes from any prying – or spying – eyes.  He wasn’ t the only one in this business , and he knew that his rivals would slit his throat in a second to have what he had finally succeeded in procuring.
    “You found one!” the ol dest of the two women exclaimed reverently.
    “ That I did, Matushka, ” Victor agreed, at least as devoutly as she had as they all stood and stared at Cassie – except for Sissy, who was looking at them as if they had lost their minds .  “And she’s totally untouched, right, Sissy?” he added.
    He seemed to be looking to her for some sort of confirmation of Cassie’s purity, which was something Sissy had never considered before, and certainly never been asked, so she hesitated.
    Victor turned his full attention to Sissy as he and the other women held their breath .  “You would know, right?  You’ve probably been with her since she was born.”
    “Six, Sir.  She was six and I was eleven when Missus Winthrop told m e it was my job to take care of her.”
    “Has she known a man?”
    Sissy could not believe how forward he was bein g, but the look in his eyes – a cold and calculating one that chilled her to the bone, despite how well he had treated her - let her know that he expected an answer – a correct answer, not necessarily even the right one.
    “ Not far as I know, Sir.  She’s never even had a beau; she keeps turning all them that ask s down.”
    Everyone heaved a collective sigh as Victor turned back to a still very groggy Cassie, saying, “Yes, I’m not at all surprised.  S he is not the