Amaranthine Special Edition Vol II

by Naylor, Joleene

  Katelina glared at her companion. Was it true? Had Malick really ordered him to watch over her? No wonder he was so hell bent on being her friend! Jorick had warned her. Maybe next time she’d listen.

  Before she could articulate any of that, Jamie commented, “I think we have visitors.”

  Verchiel grabbed Katelina’s arm and dragged her away. The trap door opened a second later and Jamie emerged, followed by a scowling Jorick. His attention went first to Katelina and then to Verchiel. “What are you doing?”

  “I could ask you the same thing.” Verchiel was still grinning. “We came to see you and where are you?”

  “On patrol,” Jamie answered. “I’m not sure you should be up here.”

  Verchiel’s innocence was so overdone that it seemed ridiculous. “Really? Why not?”

  Jorick growled low as he approached them. He stopped before Verchiel. His eyes slid to the coat Katelina wore and then back to the redheaded vampire. “I have a debt to repay. Don’t think I’ve forgotten it.”

  “I doubt you’ve ever forgotten anything. You don’t seem the type to let things go. More fun hanging on to them, I suppose.”

  Jamie made a warning noise in his throat. “Did you need something, Verchiel?”

  “He needs to be reminded of his place!” Jorick laid a hand on Katelina’s shoulder.

  “Perhaps,” Jamie agreed mildly. “He does have a penchant for dancing with death. But now is not the time.”

  “He’s right. You wouldn’t want to kill me in front of Kately. It might upset her, seeing as she’s so fond of me.” Verchiel patted her head and she jerked away furiously. “She just wanted to come up and see her sweet baboo at work, but since you’re both so obviously busy, we’ll be on our way.”

  Jamie shook his head. “You’re going to get hurt, Verchiel.”

  “Yes, he is.” Jorick’s hand tightened on her shoulder. “If Katelina came to see me, then your presence is no longer necessary.”

  “Someone needs to escort her back.”

  “I will handle it! She’s my responsibility, not yours.”

  Verchiel held up his hands and backed away. “If you say so.” He turned his attention to Katelina. “I’ll wait for you in the office, Kately. Have fun with your sweety-ookums.” He was gone so fast that she didn’t even see him go.

  “I’m going to eat his heart,” Jorick hissed.

  Katelina stayed in the garage for some time, though Jorick’s mood hardly improved. Jamie melted into the background, then reappeared to remind Jorick that they were supposed to be on patrol. Jorick made an impatient noise and glanced at Katelina. “Yes. This is no place for you.”

  “Why?”

  Instead of answering he took her arm and led her towards the trap door.

  Jamie called after them, “If you go that way, you’ll have to pass the guards. Better to use the office.”

  Jorick raised a single eyebrow. “I know. If they run tales to Malick then so be it. Her appointed guardian is to blame.”

  Jamie shrugged and Jorick heaved the heavy trap door open. Like a bad case of déjà vu, Katelina stared down the length of a metal ladder.

  Her progress on the ladder was slow. When she finally reached the bottom, Jorick waved her aside. He dropped through the hole and landed gracefully on the floor.

  He took her hand and led her down the corridor. It ended abruptly at a large pair of wooden doors. Jorick knocked once and a peep hole opened. A single eye stared through it and then the square snapped shut. Several bolts were thrown aside and the door opened.

  Inside was a pair of irritated guards. The room was essentially the same as she’d last seen it: small with three doors, two wooden and one steel. The computer, which was supposed to be in the terminal to the right, was haphazardly stacked on the small table, and heaps of colored paper were in the chairs. A bank of security monitors surrounded the empty terminal, but their screens were either black or rolling fuzz. Multicolored wires hung in tangles from them and fell around a third vampire who was seated on the floor, a screw driver in his hand.

  He glanced up at Jorick. “No, they still aren’t working! I don’t understand it. I’ve checked and rechecked every component.” He sighed as though he didn’t expect a response and turned back to his work.

  Without remark, a guard opened one of the wooden doors. Jorick moved past him as if he didn’t exist, and Katelina followed.

  The door shut a little too forcefully behind them.

  “What’s the guy on the floor doing?”

  “Trying to fix the security cameras. They went out this morning. He’s spent all day trying to find the right parts. Apparently they still don’t work.”

  “That’s weird.”

  “Almost like they’re sabotaged.”

  She didn’t like where the conversation was going. “Who would sabotage it?”

  He didn’t answer, which made her feel worse.

  They found Verchiel splayed across the couch in the reception room, his feet on a low, polished stand. “About time.”

  The minute Katelina saw him, fury bubbled in her stomach. How dare he still pretend to be her friend!

  Jorick’s jaw twitched, but he didn't acknowledge the redhead. “Come, I’ll take you back to our rooms.”

  Verchiel swept to his feet and stretched lazily. “Ah, I can handle that.”

  “I thought you were supposed to be in the office?” Jorick asked frostily.

  “I was, but I got kicked out. He gets mad when you play with the dog.”

  Jorick muttered under his breath and steered Katelina towards the door. Verchiel was suddenly at her side, his hand on her free arm. “I’d better do it. You have your orders, and all.”

  “My orders are none of your business! Get your hand off her!”

  The redhead made a show of jamming his hands in his pockets. “Malick would be mad if he knew you disregarded his directions.”

  Jorick’s lips curled back from his teeth. “Is that a threat?”

  “Read my mind and tell me.” Jorick stepped towards Verchiel and the redhead quickly held up a hand in surrender. “No, not a threat, only a reminder.”

  Katelina turned her angry gaze to the redhead. “Just shut up for once!”

  Offense flickered in his eyes, then faded. He bowed low. “As you wish.”

  They walked through the door and into the corridor. Three humans were just inside, two women and a little girl who looked about seven. The child gave them a bright smile. Katelina looked away quickly, afraid that she’d find knotted scars. Unconcerned, Verchiel patted the girl on the head as they passed.

  They stopped before the elevator. Jorick jabbed the button violently and waited. A small group of vampires gathered behind them. Verchiel gave them a friendly nod and Jorick ignored them.

  An earsplitting siren screamed.

  Katelina covered her ears, as did the vampires behind her, their faces a mixture of curiosity and fear.

  The noise stopped.

  Katelina lowered her hands and blinked against the new silence. “What was that?”

  “The alarm.” Jorick’s eyes snapped from the elevator to the vampires and humans rapidly filling the hallway from the surrounding rooms.

  “Like a fire alarm?”

  “More like a burglar alarm,” Verchiel answered. He met Jorick’s hostile gaze. “You know what it means.”

  Jorick made a noise that Katelina took as confirmation.

  Suddenly, the sound of a muffled explosion rent the air and the building shook. The vampires cried out in alarm and fear. One of them spied Jorick in his long coat and medallion. “What’s going on?”

  The building shook again. The noise was louder this time. Jorick swore under his breath and the unknown vampire shouted, “What’s going on? Why aren’t you doing something about this? Isn’t that your job?”

  The loudspeaker crackled to life. Senya’s disembodied voice floated over it, “There is nothing to fear. Remain calm. All Executioners are to report to Malic
k’s chambers immediately. Repeat, all Executioners.”

  Neither Jorick nor Verchiel moved. A third explosion, louder than the one before, shook the fortress and Katelina turned her terrified eyes to Jorick. “It’s Oren, isn’t it?”

  “Probably.”

  The elevator swished open, and a small crowd shoved its way out. The corridor was quickly filling and voices meshed together, demanding to know what was going on.

  Jorick tugged Katelina from the center of confusion and stopped a few paces away. Verchiel followed, his hands still in his pockets and his expression feigned casualness. Katelina’s eyes moved to the ceiling. She thought of Jamie in the garage and wondered if he was fighting.

  Ark suddenly appeared at the end of the hallway. He pushed past several clamoring vampires and slid to a stop before Jorick. “Eileifr is calling for us.”

  “So the time to choose has come?”

  Ark’s shoulders sagged just a little. “The Citadel is under attack, probably by your fledgling. I can only assume from the explosions that they have C-4, or something similar. With Malick’s order for us to report to the cellar, Eileifr has taken command of those loyal to The Guild. Senya, Greneth and Griselda, at least, stand with Malick.”

  Jorick refrained from saying I told you so. “I need to take Katelina to safety.”

  “Have someone else do it. You’re the oldest of us. If Eileifr’s visions are correct, we’ll need you.”

  Jorick grudgingly looked to Verchiel. As if he’d been spoken to he snapped to attention. “I’m still relieved of duty, so I’ll take her and deal with the rest of them.” He nodded to the throng of vampires in the corridor.

  Ark nodded. “Take her, and tell the guards to deal with the population. The top three floors should be evacuated, but not to the atrium. It’s too open to make for any kind of defense.” A loud explosion interrupted him and he hurried through the rest of his instructions in one breath, “When you’re done, consider yourself reinstated. Malick may have removed you, but you’ll have no such luxury from Eileifr.” He threw a hasty, “Come!” at Jorick, then ran down the corridor.

  Senya’s disembodied voice rose over the sound of cries and exclamations. “All lesser guards are to make their way to the sixth floor. Executioners and greater guards to the sublevel. Anyone who does not follow these orders will be considered a traitor.”

  “Why is he calling them to the basement?” Katelina cried.

  “Because if they fight Oren the battle would be over too quickly. Malick is hoping for high casualties, that’s why he’s sending the lesser guard as a first wave of defense.”

  Indecision shone in Jorick’s eyes; there were three sides and now he also had to choose. If he sided with Oren then both factions of the Guild would see him as a traitor, but if he followed Ark and Eileifr he’d have to fight, and possibly kill, the closest approximation he had to friends. It would be easier for him to choose the third option, and go to Malick in the sublevel, then he wouldn’t need to choose between Oren and the Executioners. And it wouldn’t only be easier, but safer. Eileifr had taken temporary command, but it was doubtful that they’d actually overthrown Malick. Later, the ancient master would make those who disobeyed pay dearly for their sin.

  Katelina nodded her understanding and Jorick made his decision. He pressed his lips against hers and then wrenched away. “I’ll be back,” he said fiercely. Then he hurried after Ark, his long black hair flying behind him like a war banner.

  **********

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Once Jorick disappeared, Verchiel waved his arms and called to the vampires in the corridor, “For your own safety, move to the first floor in a quiet and organized manner. There is no need to panic.”

  The vampires shouted questions. Verchiel repeated his speech and then grabbed Katelina’s arm. “We need to get you stashed away.”

  In the rush of the moment she forgot to be mad at him. “Why are they scared? They’re vampires, too.”

  Verchiel snorted. “A lot of them are younger than your friends. Those who aren’t are mainly government types and their pals. They haven’t fought in decades, if at all. Not all vampires do.”

  The elevators were swamped by panicked vampires and a handful of humans. Verchiel took one look at the mess and pulled her away from them and towards the restaurant. “We’ll take the stairs. They’re kind of hidden so they’ll be less crowded. Besides, it’s safer than the elevators. If they cut the generators, we’d be trapped.”

  The entrance he sought was swamped by a crowd who stood chattering, so he pulled her farther down the hallway. “There’s another set down here, though they stop at the second floor.”

  They’d only gone a few feet when an explosion ripped through the air and the building shook. Large chunks of ceiling came down behind and in front of them, leaving them trapped in a little island in between. Clouds of plaster dust billowed. Through the gloom, Katelina could see five vampires drop through the holes in the ceiling.

  Verchiel swore and practically threw Katelina against the wall. He stood in front of her, one arm raised to fend off any attackers, but the intruders’ attention was riveted on the group of guards pounding towards them. Many of the gray clad lesser guards carried assault rifles that looked like something a SWAT team would use, while the greater guards had crossbows loaded with broad tipped bolts.

  They skidded to a stop and the lesser guards dropped in front. They raised their guns. Red laser beams danced through the dust, like pointing red fingers. Katelina made a strangled noise in her throat and Verchiel shoved her to the floor just as the guards let loose several bursts of shots. She covered her ears and watched the bullets rip into the attackers. Blood splattered and their bodies jerked, but they didn’t drop.

  “Friends of yours?” Verchiel shouted over the noise.

  “They’re Traven’s!”

  The bullets died down and the greater guards lifted their crossbows. Traven’s vampires surged forward, their weapons raised. Verchiel jerked Katelina to her feet. One moment they stood in a dwindling cloud of dust and the next they were halfway down the corridor. Katelina groaned and grabbed her stomach, though she was sure they’d left it behind.

  Verchiel moved too fast and the corridors blurred past; the restaurant, the infirmary, unfamiliar doors with unreadable signs and shadows of what looked like people. Why hadn’t they evacuated yet?

  The world jerked into focus as Verchiel came to a sudden halt. Katelina could see Luna and Fabian, surrounded by a ring of guards. Instead of guns and crossbows, the guards used flashing swords. Luna fended them off with a pair of silver daggers and Fabian fought back with a short sword.

  “Detour!” Verchiel announced and dragged Katelina around the corner and down a side corridor. An explosion rocked the building and a burst of fire shot down the hallway behind them. Katelina looked back to see flames curling up the wall and onto the ceiling. She got a face full of gas fumes and thought of the mixture Jorge had been stirring in the basement.

  “Homemade napalm!” Verchiel called cheerfully. “They have been busy!”

  They rounded another corner to find Torina struggling with Kioko. The redhead was streaked with grime and slashed at the Executioner with a long, thin knife. Silver throwing knives flashed at her wrists, held on by straps, and Katelina wondered if she could use them.

  Kioko lithely dodged the knife, swinging a bladed tonfa. Her eyes skipped past her opponent to Verchiel and she shouted, “Subdue her!” In that moment of distraction, Torina kicked her legs out from under her and, in a too fast motion, pulled one of the knives from her wrist and flung it at her downed opponent. Kioko rolled out of the way just in time and the blade embedded itself in the carpeted floor.

  Torina spun towards Verchiel and Katelina. Recognition and surprise chased across her features and she palmed two more of her throwing knives. Verchiel held up his hand in general surrender and called, “You’re doing great Kioko! There’s some guards on the way!” Then he dragged Katelina
into a connecting corridor.

  “Just through here,” Verchiel said. He turned another corner and nearly ran into two familiar figures: Alex and Yaul. The twins stood with their backs to Katelina and Verchiel, pointing large, bulky handguns at a group of guards farther down the hallway.

  Katelina stared in surprise; she’d forgotten that the remainder of Kale’s coven was there.

  Yaul dropped the magazine from his gun and shoved a second one in place. The slide cocked and the following shots echoed off the wall.

  “Wrong way,” Verchiel muttered and jerked her back around the corner before the twins saw them

  The door to the stairs was unmarked and the stairwell was empty. Verchiel practically dragged her down the steps. As he’d said, they ended at a door marked Floor 2. “Renovations,” he explained and then plunged into the corridor.

  Unlike the chaos of the sixth floor, the second floor seemed peaceful, even normal. Vampires stood in random pockets, their eyes on the ceiling as if they could hear what was going on above. A series of smaller explosions sounded, each louder than the one before, as Verchiel deftly wound his way through the hallways towards the other set of stairs. They could see the door, tucked neatly at the end of the veranda that overlooked the atrium-

  An explosion roared in Katelina’s ears, so loud it sounded like it was inside her head. Verchiel flung her out of the way and a chunk of ceiling crashed to the floor where she’d been standing a moment before. She slammed into the veranda railing with enough force to knock the breath out of her. The railing shuddered. She clutched at it and it tumbled backwards.

  Katelina fell with it. A scream tore from her throat, though she couldn’t hear it. Someone grabbed her calf and pulled her to a stop that wrenched her leg. She hung upside down, breathless and horrified, and watched the chunk of railing crash to the stone below.

  Verchiel pulled her up. She landed on the floor in a heap of wild hair and terrified eyes. He quickly fumbled inside the coat she wore and retrieved his sword. Then, he flung her away with enough force that she slid along the carpeted floor and banged into the wall. Her head bounced off of it and she cried out - or thought she did. She couldn’t hear it. She couldn’t hear anything.