Torina stood behind Micah, soaked in blood. From her stance and expression Katelina guessed she was injured though where and how badly she couldn’t tell. Her eyes moved away and picked out Alex, Yaul and Saeed. They were bloody but alive. Then, she saw Traven. He was awake and his face restored, no doubt thanks to Jeda, who clung to his arm. With her head held high and her dark hair tumbled about her face, she looked like a deposed fairy-tale queen.
Traven had four vampires left, including Jorge and Benny, the woman with the large glasses she’d met at the ranch house. Fabian was behind them, scowling darkly.
Heng called loudly, “We will make sure everyone is accounted for.”
A greater guard holding a clipboard stepped out from under the veranda. Two more moved to the cloth covered mound. They flung the covering aside to reveal a pile of twisted, bloody limbs. At the sight, Katelina’s stomach clenched.
The guard with the clipboard nodded once and turned his attention to the prisoners. “We will start with the dead. You will identify them as they are held up. Name and Coven.”
A mangled body was held aloft by one of the other guards. The gashes in the half naked torso revealed a matted, gelatinous substance that had once been blood and organs. Katelina looked away, sickened. Jorick tightened his arm around her.
The guard repeated his instructions for identification and someone in Traven’s coven called out a name. The guard made a checkmark on the clipboard and another body was held up. Katelina didn’t want to look, but she couldn’t stop herself. The woman was one she didn't know. Her missing arms made Katelina think of Loren; the explosion of blood and his horrible, high pitched screams.
As the body was identified she turned to Jorick and buried her head in his side. “How long is this going to go on?”
“Until they’re done.”
While she hid her eyes two more unfamiliar names were spoken, and then there was silence.
“Who is this?” the guard snapped. “You will identify the name and coven voluntarily or the information will be taken from you!”
Katelina looked, then wished she hadn’t. One guard held the body, complete with hollow, congealing chest, and the other held a severed head by a handful of long, silvery blonde hair.
Fabian’s voice shook, and his eyes snapped cold fire. “Luna,” he hissed, his fists clenched at his side. “Her name is Luna.”
“Coven?” The guard’s pencil hovered over the board expectantly.
Micah looked at Fabian and Katelina saw the approximation of pity pass over his features. “She was with Oren,” the bald vampire answered.
With a checkmark and a nod, Luna was tossed into the pile with the others. Her head landed on the floor next to the heap with a sickening plop. Her pale eyes were open and her lips were pulled back from her teeth, frozen in a snarl.
Katelina tore her eyes away and the guards held up the next body. Their cavalier attitude towards death both scared and appalled her. They cared for their own, but had no feelings or sympathy for anyone else’s. Jorick was right when he’d once said that most immortals were selfish people.
Katelina’s eyes were drawn again and again to Luna’s severed head. The silvery hair trailed over the floor, clumped with blood. Jorick had said there’d be casualties. Somehow it was worse than she’d imagined. She hadn’t known Luna, but to see her like that twisted her insides. The idea that Loren had lost his arm, or that Oren might be dead instead of safely hiding, made her feel even worse.
They finished cataloging the dead and moved to the living. Each prisoner was forced to step forward and give their name and coven. Katelina noticed that Traven’s vampires listed both Jeda and Traven as the coven masters. They’d done it for the dead too, but she hadn’t paid enough attention to think about it.
“I didn't know they shared leadership.”
“They don’t.” Jorick nodded as Jeda stepped forward and uncomfortably identified herself as belonging to Traven’s coven. “And they never have.”
Katelina assumed that she was supposed to understand something from his statement, but she didn’t.
When everyone except Oren was accounted for, the remaining seven Executioners were called, one at a time, to give evidence about the attack. Heng asked each one if they’d seen Oren. They all agreed that he’d been at the forefront of the battle. No one knew when he’d disappeared or where he’d gone.
Jorick was the last to be called. While he calmly answered Heng’s questions, Verchiel slipped behind Katelina. “Looks like he got away with it. I told you not to worry.”
“There’s no proof he had anything to do with it,” she whispered back fiercely.
“I never said he did.” He tugged at the coat she was still wearing. “You’re too short. It’s dragging in the water.”
“Do you want it back?” she snapped.
“No, it’s all right.” He looked to where the snow drifted through the ceiling. “It’s probably cold in here. Just don’t get anything else on it.”
Before she could answer, he was gone.
Jorick returned and the group of masters folded in on itself to deliberate. Katelina hung onto Jorick’s arm, her fearful eyes on the ancient vampires. They broke up and Eileifr moved to the front to address everyone assembled.
“We have reached a decision. Tonight’s attack could not have been possible without the interference, nay almost guidance, of Malick, the head of the High Council. He was aware of the intentions of this war coven and yet he made no move to impede the attack. It is our suspicion that he as much as helped, not only by refusing to report their plans to the High Council, but also by deliberate acts which range from possible sabotage to ordering all Executioners to stand down and allow the attackers to penetrate our defenses. Under normal circumstances, such as these would never have been able to attack, let alone inflict the damage they have.
“Nevertheless, punishment must be meted out, as this is a grave and mutinous offense. It is the will of this council that the leader of each of the three covens will be punished as both a warning and lesson to those who followed them into a foolhardy war that could not be won.”
Murmurs rose all around. Eileifr held his hand up and the sounds fell away. “You have each identified your coven masters. I ask now that the masters step forward willingly.”
The prisoners muttered among themselves, but no one moved. Finally, Alex shrugged off Yaul’s restraining hands and moved forward. He held his spine straight and met Eileifr’s eyes. “I am the master of my coven.”
The Nordic master motioned with his hand and a guard hurried forward and moved Alex over to one side, away from the others. Yaul started to go after him, but Saeed stopped him. Though Katelina couldn’t hear their conversation, she could see Yaul gesturing angrily.
The remaining prisoners looked from one to the other expectantly and Jorick spoke up. “Oren is one of the three coven leaders, and he is missing.”
“Yes,” Eileifr said. “And so presumed dead for the time being. As such, it is Oren’s successor who will be punished.” He looked to Ark and Beldren. “Seize the remaining two masters.”
Ark seized Traven while Beldren grabbed Micah and attempted to wrestle him into submission.
Before Jorick could stop Katelina, she darted forward and shouted to the Executioner, “What are you doing? Micah isn’t the successor!”
All eyes turned to her and the blood rushed to her face. Jorick stepped forward quickly, as if to shield her from the master’s anger, but it wasn't necessary.
“What did you say, human?”
Under Eileifr’s gaze, beads of sweat popped up on her forehead. She dropped her eyes to the floor. “Micah isn’t the successor. Fabian is. He brags about it.”
Micah’s eyes were wide with shock. “I thought you were going to kill me one of these days, and now what are you doing? You can’t fucking trust anyone!”
Eileifr ignored Micah’s outburst and looked to Celandine, who nodded once. Beldren released Micah. He made a show of
straightening his shirt and then hurried back to catch Loren before he collapsed.
The Executioner turned his attention to Fabian. The dark haired vampire snarled and shouted, “You’ll be sorry, human!” But he went without much of a fight.
Katelina shrunk back against Jorick. He wrapped a protective arm around her and murmured quietly, “Stay out of this, little one.”
Before she could object, Traven’s antics captured everyone’s attention. His face had gone the color of paper and his eyes shone with panic. He looked around wildly for an escape, though it was obvious there wasn’t one. When Ark clamped his hands on him, all the fight evaporated and Traven suddenly drew himself up regally and announced, “You’re making another mistake. I am not the master!”
“You were identified as the master,” Ark said. “You and your mate.”
Traven got an arm loose and pointed an accusing finger at Jeda. “She’s the Master, not I! If you had listened, you’d know that they identified themselves as members of the coven of Jeda first and Traven second. I am not Jeda.”
Katelina’s mouth dropped open, but Jorick shushed her to silence.
“No,” Jeda murmured, her eyes wild with confusion and shock. “Traven, what are you saying?”
Irritated, Ark grabbed the first available vampire; Jorge. He probed the Guatemalan’s mind, then released him. “He swears allegiance to the woman.”
Eileifr gave another nod and they released Traven. Ark caught Jeda by the arm and hauled her towards the other two. She stared wide eyed at Traven, uncomprehending.
As if commanded, Migina crossed the room and stood next to Jeda while Ark and Beldren moved to the other two. Katelina tried to focus on them, but one of the spotlights shone on the waterfall and the light hurt her eyes.
Eileifr gazed at Alex, Fabian and Jeda. “As master of your coven, you are responsible for their actions. You chose to lead them into battle and as such your lives will now be forfeit.”
“No!” Yaul shouted and tried to break free of Saeed. “No! Alex!”
Alex met his twin’s eyes and gave him a slow, deliberate nod, as if to say both yes and goodbye in a single motion. Then he purposefully looked straight ahead.
Yaul shouted and struggled as Ark and Beldren prodded the three prisoners towards the shimmering waterfall. Alex went without argument, but Ark had to half carry Jeda. She fought and waved her pale arms towards her mate, screaming, “Traven! Traven!” over and over again.
Whether from guilt or disinterest, Traven refused to look at her.
Fabian fought at first, but then he broke into cold, eerie laughter. The sound echoed through the chamber until Katelina’s ears hurt. Beldren stepped back, unsure what to make of it. Fabian caught his breath and then walked on his own towards the glittering pool, sick laughter floating behind him.
The vampires stopped some feet away from the stone basin. The light that shone in the waterfall and surrounding area was blinding and, as Alex was prodded towards it, Katelina realized what it was. Not a spotlight, but the sun shining in through the hole in the ceiling.
She clutched desperately at Jorick. “They can’t burn them to death! Not like that!”
Jorick held her tightly and gave no other sign that he was aware of what was happening.
She wanted to look away, but the horror held her gaze. She watched as Alex squared his shoulders and willingly walked the last few steps to his doom. The light shone on him and he raised an arm to shield his face. He stepped into the pool of water and the pure beam of sunlight embraced him. He dropped his arms and stared up into it, the same way Rachel had.
Like Rachel, his death wasn't instant. The light turned his skin to blisters and blood. By the time he started to blacken, his knees had given out and he dropped into the basin. With the sun shining on it, it looked like he’d fallen into a pool of liquid light.
Yaul’s screams reached a crescendo Katelina hadn’t known was possible. With each shriek it was as if he were screaming out his silent brother’s death agonies; as though their connection went beyond just blood.
Alex was still thrashing in the water when the Executioners pushed Fabian towards his death. With nothing else to do, he went.
Jeda watched in horror as Fabian’s skin began to smoke. She gave a final, hysterical appeal. “Traven! Traven, save me! Traven!” When he didn't so much as look at her, she clutched Ark’s arm desperately. “I’m not the Master. Ask someone else! Anyone else! Even the human knows that much! Ask her! Ask Jorick! Jorick will tell you! Please! I’m not the Master!”
Ark stayed silent and expressionless; a living statue. Fabian’s screams filled the room. Katelina covered her ears against them, and Jeda broke into unrestrained sobs. Fabian fell into the steaming water. Ark scooped Jeda up and carried her to the pool where he dropped her with a splash.
He hurriedly retreated. Jeda stared at her smoking arms and then up at the sunlight, her terrified eyes as large as saucers. She shrieked again for Traven, final appeals that he ignored.
Katelina turned away. Jorick wrapped his arms around her and pressed her face into his chest, as if he could shield her from it. She could hear Jeda’s screams and in her mind she could see Rachel thrashing in the snow as her skin and eyes shriveled. Rachel’s black, flaking hand reached through the empty space, begging for some final comfort…
When the last cries faded away, Eileifr announced that the survivors would be detained in the lower cells until Zuri had been reclaimed, then they would be released. He warned that should they cause any more trouble their deaths would be instant.
The guards hurried to gather up the prisoners and take them away before the slowly advancing sunlight could reach anyone else. Katelina stared after Traven. She couldn’t believe that to save his life, he’d betrayed the woman who had been his companion for centuries.
“He may regret it,” Jorick murmured. “Though I doubt it. Traven cares for no one.”
Heng broke from the other Masters and came to a stop before her and Jorick. His eyes went straight to the vampire as though she didn’t exist. “Tomorrow we would like you to accompany Kioko and retrieve Zuri. If the information gained from their minds is correct, he should be easy to find.”
Jorick nodded once and Heng went on. “We will need someone to go to Munich and give testimony to the True Council. Since your appointment was controversial, it is likely you will be the first choice.”
Heng walked away and Katelina gaped after him. Munich, as in Munich, Germany? What in the hell would she do while he disappeared to Germany?
“Come with me. You did want a vacation.” Though he teased, his heart wasn’t in it. “Come, it’s been a long day.”
**********
Chapter Twenty-Four
Katelina thought that it felt strange to take a shower and slip under the teddy bear sheets. After all the horror, the tiny pocket of normalcy was like stepping into a vacuum.
A dreamless sleep found her, No doubt brought about by Jorick. As she had all too often recently, she sank into it gratefully.
Jorick woke her early the next evening. She yawned and blinked at him. “What time is it?”
His words were reluctant. “Get dressed. I need your help.”
“With what?” His only answer was to throw her clothes at her.
When she was dressed, he led her out of the Executioners’ block. The corridors were still strewn with rubble. They stepped over it on their way to the stairs she’d taken last night. She glanced through the hole Jorge had blown in the ceiling and noted that it went up for several floors; one hole above another. She wondered if Traven had been privately working his way down, floor by floor, to Malick’s chambers.
Jorick led her into the stairwell and up. Part of the wall was missing on the fifth floor and debris littered the stairs. They picked their way through it and finally exited on the sixth floor.
The destruction left Katelina speechless.
Rubble was heaped in the carpeted corridor. Electrical wires hung fr
om ruined walls like dead spider legs. Whole sections were charred and black, as Aine had been. Few of the lights were working, and holes in the ceiling revealed pale swaths of twilight sky. The sun wasn’t gone yet.
Jorick hurried under the gaping holes, an arm up to shade his eyes. Katelina followed quickly, a hundred questions on the tip of her tongue.
The front of the restaurant was blown out. Jorick signaled to her to stop, and ducked inside. She squinted into the gloom and imagined she could see slumped bodies inside. She thought of the waitresses and the young man who’d brought her dinners. Were they in there, dead and waiting to be noticed?
Jorick returned, his coat in a ball under his arm. He took her hand and said quietly, “There hasn’t been time to do a thorough clean up. I imagine there are many dead yet uncounted.”
They turned down several hallways, away from the public areas, and stopped in front of a battered door that was labeled “Supplies.”
She frowned. “What’s in there?”
Jorick rattled the door. It was locked. He handed his coat to Katelina, then looked quickly left and right. Unobserved, he kicked the door. The wood splintered. A second kick knocked it in, hinges and all.
He stepped over the remnants of the door and motioned her to follow. Inside was a large, shadowy closet. She could just make out shelves of shattered light bulbs and several overturned buckets.
Jorick walked all the way to the back and moved several crates. He retrieved a bulky, plastic wrapped bundle that he heaved into the center of the floor. He motioned Katelina to him, and hurriedly ripped through the plastic.
Katelina knelt on the floor next to him and watched with confused eyes. The plastic peeled away to reveal a shrunken, withered face. In the dark she couldn’t be sure who it was, but she could guess.
Oren.
Jorick freed his head and cradled it with a hand. “In my coat,” he said quickly, reaching to her. “Hurry.”
She unrolled the coat to find several bags of blood. As Verchiel had hinted, they looked disturbingly like bags from a blood collection center. The plastic was slippery, but Jorick caught it before she dropped it.
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