Amaranthine Special Edition Vol II

by Naylor, Joleene

  He ripped away from her and it disappeared. Wordlessly, he pushed her thighs apart and buried himself in her heated core. Her back arched as he filled her, hot and throbbing. She moved her hips, seeking a rhythm. It wasn’t enough.

  She grabbed to pull him back. He caught her arm in his mouth and bit. She cried out in surprise and pain. A battle raged in his eyes and he mastered himself enough to let go of her. The clarity only lasted a moment, then he shuddered and clamped his mouth around her shoulder. She tried to bite him, teeth snapping thin air, but he held her back with one arm.

  And then he bit into her shoulder again. It hurt for a moment, then faded as she was carried on heavy tides of ecstasy. She relaxed into the carpet and he let his restraining arm fall away. She didn’t know how long it lasted but finally the world exploded around her and left her panting.

  Jorick pulled away from her and swung into a sitting position. His hand trembled as he wiped his mouth. His eyes met hers, but he didn’t speak. She couldn’t guess what was happening behind his eyes.

  “What?” she asked self consciously and sat up too quickly. Light headed, she caught herself on the edge of the couch. He stared at her and she followed his gaze. There were bleeding bite marks on the fleshy part of her forearm. Though it looked painful, it didn’t hurt.

  “It will later,” Jorick said. “I guess I should have let you have more, after all.” He cleared his throat and swallowed uncomfortably. “You’re…” he searched for the word, “all right?”

  She blinked at the stupidity of his question. “Why wouldn’t I be?” He turned towards her and she saw the marks she’d left on his chest and shoulders; bites and scratches. Her cheeks flamed and she looked away quickly. “Sorry.”

  He caught her chin in his hand and gently tilted her face until she met his eyes. “There’s nothing to apologize for.”

  “If there’s nothing wrong with it, then why wouldn’t you give me blood to heal my wrist?”

  His eyes went wide. “I didn’t think you’d want it. You were so disturbed about it at the motel, I assumed you’d refuse.”

  “Then why did you tell Oren I’d ‘had enough’?”

  He stared at her. “Because it’s a little embarrassing to have a… mate who finds your blood so repulsive.”

  Mate. It was a strong word. “I don’t know that I find it repulsive, just weird.” She sighed. “It would have saved a lot of time and pain.”

  He traced the triple bites in her left shoulder and his voice turned regretful. “Maybe.”

  She answered his unspoken sentiments, “It’s fine. Though, I wish you’d limit yourself to the usual scars.” She thoughtlessly touched the mark above her right collar bone. “I don’t want to end up looking like Kai.”

  He slipped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. One hand played in the spill of her golden hair and the other caressed her back. “Who’s Kai?”

  She hated the words even as she said them, “Sorino’s human.”

  “Oh.” He fell silent and then heaved a deep sigh. “There was another murder.”

  She looked up in surprise, still a little dizzy. “You mean the ones they tried to blame on us?” He nodded. “Then that proves we didn’t do it! They have to let us go.”

  “We were already found innocent, so it makes no difference. Besides, I doubt that Malick plans to catch the culprit. He’s decidedly unconcerned.”

  “Is that what you were talking about when you got here?” She took his silence for affirmation. “So the murderer is going on trial tomorrow?”

  He stroked her hair absently. “Yes. She’ll have to spend the day in a detention cell to soften her up, though Malick can read her mind easier than I can. It’s just another charade. Malick is like a spider spinning webs of games and illusions until I’m not sure even he knows what’s real anymore.”

  She closed her eyes and sighed. Sometimes, she didn’t know what was real anymore, either.

  **********

  Chapter Nineteen

  Though Jorick’s new clothes were all black, he wasn’t enthusiastic about them. The TV earned a raised eyebrow, and her bedding choices got barely a mention, though he coughed loudly when she presented him with the teddy bear sheets.

  “They were cute, and on sale.”

  He made a low noise in his throat. “I can imagine why.”

  As usual, he was summoned by Malick the next evening. She wished she could tackle him to the bed, but she remembered Malick’s lesson. There was no telling what he’d do if Jorick was late.

  She took a shower and changed her bandages. Thanks to last night, Verchiel’s bite was pretty much healed, though the new bite on her arm wasn’t. It hurt and was hard to bandage. The bites in her shoulder were neatly scabbed over, so she gave them a gentle pat with the towel and left them alone.

  She was dressed and contemplating breakfast when a cheerful Verchiel strolled through the door without knocking. His new outfit was worse than the last; an electric purple t-shirt that said “Nosferatu wears purple” and a pair of jeans with holes in the knees.

  He was determined to go to the movies, so she gave in. The theatre was on the other side of the second floor. It had three screens and no concession stand, which made the lobby look empty. While they waited to be admitted, Verchiel grinned and flirted with a variety of females. Some of them seemed impressed, but more than one gave him a look that said “Nice try. Not falling for it.” Katelina wondered if they’d fallen for it before.

  When the movie was over, Katelina and Verchiel exited with a small crowd. They’d barely stepped into the hallway when she spied Greneth dragging a familiar figure down the corridor: blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and a muscular action-movie frame. It was Thomas’s sister, Anya.

  As the pair passed, Katelina hid behind Verchiel. Greneth sneered in their general direction, but Anya was too busy complaining to notice, “-Ridiculous! I demand to speak to someone else!”

  “There is no one else!” Greneth snapped impatiently. “The High Council doesn’t handle kidnapping unless it’s someone important!”

  Kidnapping. Katelina shuddered. No one had mentioned Thomas and his illegal burial at the trial. Now that Anya was here, would Jorick be punished?

  Anya dragged the Executioner to a stop a few feet away, still yelling. “You’re saying that my brother isn’t important enough?”

  “Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m saying! Now come on, I’ve been ordered to escort you out of here.”

  “I’m not leaving until they do something! I want Jorick investigated!”

  Katelina bit back a cry. It wasn’t fair! Joseff was the one who’d done it wrong, not Jorick! Why should he suffer?

  Greneth snorted. “Great idea. Maybe this time they’ll promote him to the council as punishment.”

  Anya’s eyes narrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means Jorick is Malick’s favorite right now, so you’re wasting your breath. If you want something done, blame it on someone else and come back in a couple of months.”

  Without looking at Katelina, Verchiel said softly, “They don’t know what happened to him. She thinks he’s just being held prisoner.”

  Anya’s next words proved him right, “Two months? They’ll probably kill him by then!”

  Without missing a beat Greneth quipped, “They probably have already. Now come on. I have other things to do.” Then he grabbed her arm and dragged her away, still arguing.

  Katelina released a breath she hadn’t known she was holding. “Oh God.”

  Verchiel turned to her and shrugged. “Oren was right, that is illegal, but looks like you scraped out of it.” She glowered at his mental intrusion and he grinned and ruffled her hair. “If you want, I could mention his location to someone and they could dig him up?”

  She cringed away from the idea. “What good would that do?”

  “For starters, it would make Senya look like an ass. She should have found him while she was there.” He suddenly f
rowned. “Of course, I don’t know what he’d do for the rest of eternity with no arms or legs.”

  “Or a jaw,” Katelina added.

  “They might be able to fix that. Depends on how bad the decay is. I could always suggest they dig him up and kill him, if that’s better?”

  She didn’t want the responsibility of the decision, so she shook her head. “It’s not up to me.”

  “Suit yourself. I was just trying to salve your conscience. It’s not like he doesn’t have years to be rescued in!” He caught her arm and changed topics. “After all that excitement, I bet you’re hungry!”

  They made a quick trip to the sixth floor restaurant. Despite Katelina’s fears, they didn’t run into Sorino again, and she was grateful. The chain and collar gave her the creeps, as did Kai’s scars. She didn’t care how normal everyone treated it, it was sick.

  They left the restaurant and Verchiel said casually, “I hate to leave you on your own, but I’ve got a kind-of date.” He gave her a wink. “It’s the kind where she doesn’t know about it yet. I’m sure she’ll be delighted when she finds out.”

  “Is it Geneva from the clothing store?”

  “No. It’s that tasty bit who sold us our movie tickets. I’m feeling lucky, if you know what I mean.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Not in that outfit.”

  “Really?” He frowned at his bright t-shirt. “Maybe I’d better change.”

  They headed back to the Executioner block where they found someone standing at Katelina and Jorick’s door. It was the female Executioner who’d been at the trial. She had cold blue eyes and blonde hair pulled up in a clip. Close up, Katelina recognized her; she’d been at the brick house when Verchiel had kidnapped her.

  Katelina drew back instinctively, though Verchiel grinned. “Something we can help you with, Griselda?”

  “Malick requires the human’s presence.”

  Katelina cringed against the wall and Verchiel asked, “Any particular reason?”

  Griselda scoffed. “He said you’d ask. She’s summoned to the private council chamber. They’ve caught the murderer.”

  “Have they?” Verchiel turned to Katelina. “So much for my date. Come along, I don’t know about you, but I’m interested to see who’s been impersonating you!”

  She wasn’t interested, but she had no choice. The elevator ride was short, though uncomfortable. She stared at Griselda’s back and imagined planting Verchiel’s sword between her shoulder blades.

  She followed the Executioners through the third floor corridors to the familiar audience chamber. The large room was empty again, and she let her eyes run over the tapestries as they walked through it. Her attention settled on the decorations over the thrones; a golden eye shaped emblem and a red tapestry. Suddenly the scene woven into it made sense. A man with black bat wings and a knife attacked a naked, feather winged woman. There was a red line between her breasts where he’d cut her; Samael removing Lilith’s heart.

  She didn’t have time to dwell on it before Griselda pressed something on the back wall. A door shaped section opened and they filed through it. The room beyond was walled in polished wood. A long table ringed with chairs took up the center and around it sat Jorick, Senya, Beldren and a Native American vampiress that Katelina had met on her first trip to the Citadel. She thought her name was Migina.

  Jorick met Katelina’s eyes, his expression hard. He looked back to Verchiel and then looked away. She wanted to go to him, but the redhead caught her elbow and whispered, “He’s on duty.”

  A familiar, suffocating sensation swept over her and she stepped backwards. A door at the far end of the room opened and Malick swept through it, today in a gray suit and a purple robe, an odd combination. His long white hair gleamed down his back, and his beard was full and flowing. Behind him came the ebony skinned Obi, and a member of the Lesser Council who lugged a book.

  Malick nodded to the new comers. “Very good. Take a seat.”

  It was a command and she obeyed without thought. Though she tried to look away, the shimmering master held all her attention as he sat at the head of the table, Obi on his right. He clapped his hands. “Bring in the prisoner!”

  A door to the left opened and four gray clad guards bustled through. Between them hung a thin, unhappy woman. Blonde hair fell around her face in disarray and tears leaked from large, gray eyes. Her shirt was torn open and practically hung off of one arm. Bruises blossomed on her face and arms like purple-black flowers.

  The guards led her to the end of the table and stood, surrounding her. As Malick’s eyes swept over her, the pressure on Katelina’s mind seemed to lessen. She found Verchiel in a chair next to her, and looked again to Jorick. His eyes were on his hands.

  Malick’s question boomed through the room, “What is your name?”

  As if Malick was holding her up, the woman’s spine suddenly snapped straight and she stepped forward. Her hollow voice made Katelina shiver. “Dahlia.”

  “Show us your mark.”

  She turned around, her movements wooden. The ripped shirt revealed a slice of her back and her shoulder blade, where a scar was just visible.

  “Child, who made that mark?”

  “Traven.”

  Katelina gasped at the familiar name. Griselda had mentioned the murderer, but…Traven?

  Malick motioned to the council member. He hurried forward, the book in hand. He flipped pages madly, then peered closely at Dahlia’s mark and an illustration in the book. “A double bite, forming an x. The mark is registered to Traven Laurent, fledgling of Henri of the Old World, deceased. It is also registered to eleven others. It is unofficially associated with-”

  Malick waved the council member back to his seat and addressed the human, “What were you doing when my Executioners found you?”

  The woman turned back to face the room. “I was trying to convince the vampires to join Traven’s coven. He needed a mind reader and they were both satisfactory.”

  Malick smiled benignly. “Can you tell us who murdered their coven mates?”

  “I did. Then I called the number Traven gave me and reported it.”

  “Have you done this before?”

  “Yes.”

  Obi scowled. “Are these her answers, or yours?”

  “Perhaps you’d like to question her?” Malick dropped his hands to his lap. Instantly the woman sagged. Her blank eyes filled with fear and she whimpered. Her trembling hands made Katelina sick.

  “Human, why did you kill them?”

  Tears ran down her pale face and she swallowed hard. “I - Traven - he said to go to Iowa. He was looking for mind readers, and there were some nearby.”

  “Why Iowa?”

  “Please,” she whispered. “I’m sorry. I only did what he told me to do. It had to be near Jorick and his human.”

  Katelina bit back a gasp. Jeda had warned them once that Traven was up to something, but this was too much!

  “He - he said they’d be blamed, and the Executioners would go after him, then they wouldn’t be here for-”

  Malick cut her off, “Jorick and his human were under lock and key. How could they be blamed for the murder?”

  Dahlia swayed on her feet. “They - they were prisoners? But - but Traven said…he said ‘they’re already in Iowa’. He said-”

  “How would he know where they were?” Obi asked sharply.

  Her knees buckled and she dropped to the floor, her face in her hands. The guards moved to grab her, but Malick motioned to Senya. With too much delight, the Executioner swung to her feet and dragged Dahlia up by her hair. The woman cried out, and Senya shook her like a doll. “The Master asked you a question.”

  “Gerard probably told him! I’m sorry! Oh, God, I’m sorry!”

  Senya shook her again. “Who is Gerard? Answer me, human!”

  “He’s a - a guard.” Katelina noticed that the gray clad guards had all stepped back, concern on their faces. “He helped us. He gave us the app.”

  “What
app?”

  Katelina knew the answer before it stumbled from Dahlia’s lips. “The vampire app. It has everyone listed, where they live and their abilities. Traven, he had me follow Jorick and his human and find vampires near them that he could use. But I got scared after the big fight, and I lost track of them! When I called Traven, he sent me to their house. They were gone, and when I called back he said they were already in Iowa. Please, please, I’m sorry!”

  Malick looked to Jorick. “If I remember, your fledgling has an association with Traven, does he not? How interesting that he would allow such a thing.”

  Jorick’s words were tight. “He knew nothing about it, or she wouldn’t have gone to my den. I told Oren we were going straight to Mexico.”

  Malick turned back to the prisoner. “What else did Gerard do?”

  Dahlia sobbed too hard to answer. At a nod from Malick, Senya slapped her hard across the face. She stumbled backwards and landed on the floor. Senya kicked her, then hauled her up by her hair again. “Answer him!”

  Her voice was moist with tears and a mouthful of blood. “He recruited them at first. I killed the others, and he came back and offered help to the survivors. But he let one get away and - and he and Traven got in a fight. He said he wouldn’t help anymore and his vacation from work was up. I’m sorry. I was just doing what Traven told me!”

  Obi looked hard at the guards. “Summon Gerard.”

  They hurried out, their eyes on the floor, as if betrayal by one had put them all under suspicion.

  Dahlia’s knees gave way and she’d have landed on the floor if Senya hadn’t caught her by one arm. Malick asked quietly, “How many did you kill, child?”

  “There - there were three the first time.”

  “In Maine?”

  Dahlia nodded.

  “And the second?”