Masque of the Vampire (Amaranthine Book 8)

by Joleene Naylor

  He inhaled deeply. “They were here, recently, but they’ve gone. Maybe there is something.”

  That Jorick was worried was enough for her.

  The door was unlocked and Katelina rushed inside. The front room was a riot of what-nots and mismatched decor, including a couch upholstered in orange pheasants. It was the same hodge-podge as usual. With Katelina’s new eyes the dust was more obvious, and the colors more jarring. Otherwise it looked the same as it had since she was small.

  She dashed into the kitchen and skidded to a halt on the checkered floor. Checkers? That was new. So were the plum walls, the black paint on half of the upper cabinets, and the chrome and black table and chair set. She’d always hated the homey yellow and green mess she’d grown up with, but seeing it transformed was a smack in the head.

  She shook it off to check the paintbrushes laying on the countertop. They were clean but still damp, as was some of the paint. The step ladder was set up on a bed of newspaper. Her mother’s painting had been interrupted, but she’d had time to wash the brushes.

  The bathroom was the same as usual, and her old bedroom was still a pile of boxes and bookcases stuffed with crafting supplies. Both were devoid of life.

  She slammed into her mother’s bedroom, expecting to see blood and body parts. Instead she saw a new paint scheme—the wild purple was gone, replaced by a subdued gray. The closet hung open. Her mother’s bright seventies-inspired dresses were mostly replaced with darker colors and a row of slacks.

  Slacks?

  Katelina rifled through the clothing and fell back a step. “What the fuck? There are men’s clothes in here!” She turned to Jorick. “Can you tell if the vampire was male or female?”

  He quirked an eyebrow. “Can you?” When she rolled her eyes he said, “No. I can only tell they’ve been here.”

  She dropped onto the corner of the bed. It had been six days since she’d talked to her mother. Six days that vampires could have been living in the house of an old woman with no family to protest her disappearance. “How recently?”

  “Today. Or yesterday.”

  “They’ve already killed her, haven’t they? And taken her house. That’s why they’re redoing things. I knew the black kitchen wasn’t like her and this—” She waved to the new hardwood floor and the modern headboard and dresser. “She’d never decorate like this.”

  Jorick’s frown deepened. “I don’t smell blood. Is there a basement?”

  Katelina dutifully led him to the utility porch where the basement door waited, bolted as usual. She paused to pick through the laundry and found several modern pieces, including some slinky black lingerie. Her hands shook with fury as she threw the filmy garment on the floor. Katelina’s imagination played the scene for her; a slutty vampiress, who looked a bit like Torina, cavorted all over the house with her mate, leaving a trail of soft moans and musical laughter, lips stained with her mother’s blood.

  “I’ll fucking kill them!”

  Jorick pushed the basement door open and disappeared. In Katelina’s mind she saw her mother’s dead body splayed on the cement. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for affirmation. Jorick’s slow footsteps came back up. “Nothing.”

  Katelina felt a moment of relief, but the tension returned. If her body wasn’t there, then where—

  A car engine sounded outside. Katelina stiffened as doors opened and closed. Jorick sniffed, and she did the same. She could smell the faint thread of human blood but there, over the top of it, was immortality. The vampire had returned with a victim.

  Katelina charged for the living room. She grabbed the recliner and hefted it, ready to swing at whatever monster walked in the door.

  Keys rattled. The door opened. A human man stepped inside. His brown hair was gelled in a perfect wave, like a ken doll. A sports jacket stretched over broad shoulders, and a button up shirt in pale pink was crisp and trendy. His blue eyes widened in surprise as he stared. “Katelina?”

  It was Brad.

  Katelina froze, chair held aloft, as Sarah pushed through behind him. Her brown curly hair fell around her shoulders, held back on either side by sparkling hair pins. She wore a pale blue sweater and a pencil skirt that looked made for her. Her honey colored skin shimmered and her green eyes stared. The horrified astonishment faded and her lips parted in a smile that revealed a set of shiny white fangs.

  “Katelina! You’re back.”

  Chapter Six

  Katelina stumbled backwards and dropped the chair. Brad gaped, his eyes bulging. “K...How…?”

  Jorick stepped between them. Brad went slack. He blinked, nodded, then wandered over to the couch and sat down. His tone was friendly, as if nothing had happened. “Katelina! What a surprise. Patty said you were coming, but she didn’t know when.”

  Katelina’s attention stayed riveted to Sarah. Her friend shut the door, then caught her up in a hug. “I was so worried about you.”

  Katelina stayed stiff, too overcome to form words. Sarah. Fangs. Vampire. Sarah? Sarah was a vampire? But…but how? Lennon said she was dead. He said no one turned her. He said…

  Sarah’s breath tickled her ear. “I’ll tell you later.”

  She let go and dropped back to glance at Jorick. “Who’s this?”

  “Um, Jorick,” Katelina mumbled. Sarah. A vampire.

  “He’s Katelina’s boyfriend,” Brad said from the couch. He stood. “Would you like something to drink?”

  “I’m fine,” Jorick replied.

  “Kate?”

  She wished she was still human. This was the kind of situation alcohol could only improve. “No.”

  Brad shrugged. “Well, I could use a scotch.” He started for the kitchen—the kitchen! With it’s crazy new table and black cupboards.

  Katelina rounded on Sarah. “Where’s my mother?”

  “She’s out to dinner,” Brad called.

  “With who?”

  Brad leaned in. “Some friends from work. Marge and Kelly, I think. Tammy had to cancel because her oldest has the flu. I told Patty not to go. With the disappearances the last week, it’s getting dangerous. That’s why they’re all riding together. Sure you wouldn’t like something?”

  Disappearances? Was Brad planning to use that as an excuse to explain her mom’s absence later? Had he and Sarah…It was almost unthinkable. “What disappearances? And if Mom isn’t here, why are you two?”

  Brad stuck his head in the room again. “Patty hasn’t told you?”

  “Told me what?” That you and Sarah killed her? When Katelina imagined vampire assassins, Sarah had never been a possibility.

  Brad hesitated. “We’re living together.”

  “I know Sarah’s living at your place. That’s my point. Why are you here?”

  “No, not like that,” Brad said quickly. “Sarah is staying at my apartment because I’m living here.”

  Katelina struggled to grasp the implications. “You mean you’re living with my mother?” She turned to Sarah and whisper-snapped, “I thought you were back together?”

  Sarah coughed uncomfortably and mumbled, “No. Brad and Patty are...All things considered, it’s for the best.”

  Katelina couldn’t believe that Brad would really give Sarah up for her mother. More likely they were two-timing. She tried not to sound accusatory, “So you and Brad aren’t together at all?”

  “No.”

  Katelina thought she saw a flash of venom in her friend’s eyes, but it was gone before she could be sure. “If Brad lives here, with my mother, and you live in his old apartment, alone, why are you here together now?”

  “That’s my fault.” Brad reappeared with a drink in hand. “My car broke down and I needed a ride home from school.”

  School? Katelina thought her mom might have mentioned him going to college to be a pharmacy tech.

  “When we got here I saw the lights on and thought I should check it out,” Sarah finished. “I don’t know what you think is going on…”

  Brad breezed on, as t
hough he hadn’t heard the last part. “Right. Can’t be too careful after all the disappearances lately. We made it on the national news yesterday.”

  Except Katelina hadn’t been watching the news. “What disappearances?”

  “Women, mostly,” Brad explained. “On their own. You remember Karen? Used to come to the bar a lot? She disappeared Monday.”

  Katelina looked to Jorick, silently asking if they were telling the truth. His nod and shrug were slight. With a resigned sigh Katelina sank into the misplaced chair. It was all too much. Sarah was a vampire. Brad, the same guy she’d double dated with before, had moved into her childhood home so he could sleep with her mother. Sarah was a vampire.

  “Maybe we should come back later,” Jorick suggested. “When your mother is home.”

  Brad checked his watch. “She said she might be late tonight. Why don’t you three go ahead, get caught up, and we’ll see you tomorrow.”

  We. As if they were already an inseparable unit.

  Jorick nodded, and gently tugged Katelina to her feet. “Tomorrow.”

  Before she could form words, Jorick shuffled her out the door. Sarah followed and said, “I’d suggest the bar, but there isn’t much point anymore.”

  “There’s a park near the edge of town,” Jorick said.

  “I’ll see you there.” Sarah hesitated. “About Brad…”

  Brad? Katelina blinked, then realized what she meant. “I’m sorry. I, uh, didn’t mean to sound suspicious. I just thought you guys were back together and so the whole living here thing threw me off.” I really didn’t mean to accuse you of killing my mom and stealing her house.

  “I understand. But no, we’re not back together. We talked about it briefly and…We’ll discuss it at the park. I have a lot of things to tell you about.”

  Katelina managed a half wave. “See you there.”

  She didn’t relax until the car doors were shut.

  “Are you all right?” Jorick steered onto the street.

  “I don’t know. A vampire! I mean—holy shit. How did she become a vampire? Lennon said he watched her die, and you said he was telling the truth.” Her head swiveled to Jorick. “Did you read her mind?”

  His lips tightened. “I imagine we’ll get the story from her soon enough.”

  They stopped at the dark empty park. A baseball field lurked across a gravel drive, and a grouping of trees hugged the back of a playground. Lonely swings swung in the breeze and a merry-go-round creaked ominously. Though Katelina couldn’t feel the temperature, she shivered and huddled into her shirt instinctively.

  Sarah arrived and motioned them to the picnic pavilion. Once they were seated she said, “So, you’re one too. Was it Troy?”

  Troy? The name was familiar and horrible. Katelina tried to mentally run away from the conjured image of a bald vampire in sunglasses. He’d been Claudius’ henchman, the one who kidnapped Katelina and took her to their den, and the one who supposedly tortured Sarah to death.

  “No,” Katelina said quickly. “You?”

  Sarah nodded and picked absently at her purse. “When I didn’t hear from you, I went to your house. There were a couple of guys there. They thought I was you, and took me to Claudius.” Katelina nodded, this much she knew. “They interrogated me about where you were. I didn’t know, and finally Claudius said I could be put to death. He gave the job to Troy.” She said the name with enough venom to poison a small city.

  Her hands tightened around her purse strap. “I thought I was dead when he hauled me out of there. I probably should have been. He took me to the house and...and that’s when he did this to me.”

  “Did Claudius know?” Katelina couldn’t believe the sulky master would have allowed such a thing.

  “No. Kurt,” she paused after the name twisted from her lips and grimaced. “Kurt said Troy was making a private army to overthrow Claudius. We were all supposed to be dead as far as everyone else was concerned. I don’t know. Whatever he had planned, he disappeared a week later. We figured out he wasn’t coming back, and finally escaped. We stayed together for a little while, then I worked my way here.” She dropped the purse and caught Katelina’s hand. “I’m so glad you’re all right. Well, as all right as can be expected now that we’re this.” She motioned to herself. “When Troy didn’t show up with you, I was afraid you were dead.”

  Katelina remembered the horrors of Claudius’ den. She didn’t want to think about what Sarah had endured. “No, but he is.”

  Sarah’s shoulder’s relaxed a little. “I thought so. I can’t explain it, but we all felt it.”

  Jorick cut in, “You mentioned a Kurt. Was he one of the others? How many were there? Where are they now?”

  Katelina gave him a sidelong look. He wasn’t an Executioner anymore. It wasn’t his job to keep tabs on vampires.

  Sarah didn’t meet his eyes. “Six. I left them in Pennsylvania.”

  Jorick made an unsatisfied noise, but at Katelina’s glare, let it drop.

  With a deep breath, Katelina asked the most important question, “You haven’t told Brad or Mom about…”

  Sarah’s eyes went wide. “Good lord, no.”

  Katelina nearly collapsed with relief. “Thank God. If you had…” She broke off. “The Laws.”

  “The what?” Sarah looked from Katelina to Jorick.

  As Katelina explained about The Guild, The Laws, and the Executioners, Sarah looked more and more concerned. “They have police?”

  Katelina nodded.

  “I had no idea. I saw a few of them at Claudius’, then Troy and the others. That was it until you and Jorick showed up tonight. But why do you keep saying vampires? That’s not — I mean, we aren’t…”

  “What did you think you were?” Jorick asked mildly. “A zombie?”

  “No! There’s no such thing as zombies. And there’s no such thing as…I mean Kurt used that term but…but it’s so ridiculous.”

  Katelina understood. “It’s just a word. You can use anything you want. In the end it all means the same thing.”

  Sarah sighed. “I suppose so. I understand why they’d use it; the blood drinking and the sunlight. I don’t know. I thought of it more as a contagious virus.”

  “Like a zombie,” Jorick muttered.

  “It’s not contagious,” Katelina said. “You have to give people your blood to turn them.”

  “So you mean biting them won’t make them…this?” Katelina nodded and Sarah looked away. “Ah. I thought…I mean…we thought biting them…that you had to kill them to keep them from changing.”

  Katelina didn’t like the way she put that. “No. You can drink a little bit and be okay.” She thought of the disappearances Brad mentioned. Sarah never liked Karen, and she’d always hated– “Have you visited your parents?”

  Sarah scowled. “No. I didn’t spend time with them before, so why bother now?”

  Katelina heaved a sigh of relief. She’d thought Sarah might have gotten back at her abusive father and dishrag mother.

  “I thought about it, but after everything else, it was pointless.”

  Katelina started to reply, then realized Sarah had read her mind. “Not you too?” Sarah looked confused and Katelina clarified, “You’re a mind reader.”

  “Aren’t all of…us?”

  “No. There’s a bunch of different abilities.” She explained that vampires inherited their traits from their masters, and sometimes through being predisposed. “As they age they get extra powers, so really ancient vampires can do everything, but it takes a long time.”

  Sarah shook her head, as if processing too much information. “It’s all kind of overwhelming.”

  “Yes, a master is supposed to teach you these things,” Jorick said.

  Katelina didn’t want to dwell on what Sarah had missed out on, so she asked, “What are your plans? I know your apartment is gone, and you can’t work.”

  Sarah nodded. “I’m staying at Brad’s old place. He’s in the middle of moving. When he’s done,
I don’t know. Your mom said you’re living in a van?”

  Katelina groaned. “No. Jorick has a house in Maine. We’re going home after this.”

  Sarah brightened. “I could come with you. I’ve always wanted out of this place.”

  Jorick made a low noise in his throat and Katelina kicked him. “We have a spare room in the basement.”

  The last of Sarah’s tension drained. “Thank God. Trying to pretend to be normal…it’s almost impossible. Trying to hide my teeth, and not being able to eat food. And they know I don’t have a job. After a month or two that’s going to get awkward. When are you leaving?”

  “We’re visiting Mom tomorrow, but after that we can go.”

  “Ok. Brad has most of my stuff boxed up in his house. I don’t have room for it in my car. I’ll have to get a storage unit. I think they’re open until seven tomorrow, I might make it in time.”

  Her stuff. The concern seemed so normal, so every day, that Katelina didn’t know what to say. It was as far removed from their new reality as the sun.

  “So, about Brad?”

  “Yeah.” Sarah’s eyes dropped and she shrugged. “When I got back he and Patty were together. He apologized, but made it clear he was happy.” A smile stretched over her lips. “And that’s what matters. With me being this it’s just as well.” She stood quickly. “Anyway, I’m going to go pack and get things ready for storage. I’ll see you tomorrow?” Katelina nodded and Sarah paused to dig an ink pen from her purse. “What’s your number? I don’t have a new phone yet, but Brad still has a landline. He got money off of his internet for it.”

  “Um…we don’t have a phone. We’re staying at the motel, down from the gas station where Patrick used to work.” Saying his name felt weird, and Katelina cleared her throat, as if to push the last shreds of guilt away.

  “Okay.” Sarah stashed her pen. “I’ll look it up. Have a good night.” She gave Katelina a final hug. “God, I’m so glad to see you.”

  “I’m glad to see you, too.”

  Sarah hurried toward her car. As she disappeared, Jorick caught Katelina’s eye. “You don’t seem that glad.”