Masque of the Vampire (Amaranthine Book 8)

by Joleene Naylor

  “I’m glad. I’m just…I’m still in shock. I never imagined…Did you?”

  “No. I admit I didn’t.”

  “I feel like if only we’d known sooner…But at least she wasn’t alone. I guess that’s why she didn’t come back right away.”

  Jorick shrugged. “You could ask her.”

  Though she couldn’t explain it, the topic felt like a bad idea. “Maybe.”

  The next evening, Katelina’s mom pounced the minute they were through the door. “Kately! What have you done to your hair?”

  The words tripped out before Katelina could think, “Um…A perm.”

  “It looks nice.” Her mother released her from a bone crushing hug. “How are you? Is everything okay?” She meaningfully jerked her head to Jorick’s skulking figure.

  Preoccupied with hiding her fangs, it took Katelina a moment to grasp the implications. “Everything’s fine.”

  Her mother stepped back, a wary eye on Jorick. “I thought that was why you were so…clingy. Never mind. Brad said you were here last night? How did your reunion with Sarah go?”

  “Um…fine.”

  “Did you think she was different? She’s quieter, I think. Doesn’t talk unless she’s spoken to, and mumbles a lot, like she’s hiding something.”

  Yeah. Her fangs.

  “Anyway, Happy late birthday. I have a present for you.” Her mother moved to the cabinet and dug through it. “Somewhere.”

  “Mom, you didn’t have to.” Despite the words, a childish rush hit Katelina and she suddenly missed presents and cards and cake; the acknowledgement that she was special and important and everyone loved her.

  “Did I give you your Christmas presents?”

  Katelina had forgotten all about them, but she quickly pulled up the memory. “Yes. The ceramic cat and the bread machine. I came to visit.”

  “Did you?” she asked absently. “Oh, that’s right. You were living in the van. I thought it was before Christmas. Never mind. Did I show you what Brad got me?”

  “No.” Katelina pictured the sexy lingerie in the laundry room.

  Her mother held up her wrist and Katelina eyed the gadget. “That’s a very modern watch.”

  “It isn’t a watch. It’s one of those fit-thingies.” She tapped the screen. “It keeps track of my heart rate, how much I sleep, how much I exercise, and it even has a GPS chip so we can see everywhere I’ve been.”

  Katelina balked. “You tell Brad if he wants to keep tabs on how much you sleep and where you go, then he knows where the door is.”

  “No, Kately! I wanted it. To keep track of my health. That’s why I got a membership at the Y.”

  “Are you joking? Shopping is the closest you come to exercise.” Not that she was any better. Their relatively thin, but soft, bodies came from good genetics, not eating right or sweating.

  “Yes, but it’s time I took it seriously. I’m not getting any younger, and neither are you. Have you had your cholesterol tested?”

  The scene was bizarre and Katelina stepped back. “Mom…no. I’m fine.”

  Her mother frowned. “With that attitude you aren’t going to like your birthday present.” She produced a pink wrapped package and handed it over.

  Katelina ripped the paper to uncover a recycled box labeled “Chap Stick.” Inside was one of the fit watches in a violent shade of pink.

  “There’s an instruction booklet,” her mother explained. “But it isn’t very helpful. You have to go online for most of it.”

  “Tell me it at least keeps the time.”

  “Yes.” Her mother took the package and demonstrated the features while Katelina silently seethed. What in the hell had Brad done? Had he told her she needed to lose weight? He’d already redone her wardrobe and half the house, and now this? When she got her hands on him…

  She looked to Jorick, but his shrug irritated her more. He was supposed to be on her side, willing to rip Brad limb from limb.

  “I think you and your mother need to have a talk.”

  Though the thought was in her head, Jorick’s subtle nod said it came from him. She glared harder and he cleared his throat. “Excuse me. I have a call I need to take.” Before Katelina could shout that he didn’t have a cell phone, he was out the door.

  Her mother followed him with her eyes. “He is good looking, but he seems…dominating? I don’t know, Kately. Maybe it’s because I haven’t spent much time with him. I admit that whole running away thing colored my perception. And his not existing anywhere. If he’s into computers, why isn’t he on social media? And why couldn’t you stay here and date him?”

  It was a tired conversation. “Because his job isn’t here, and I don’t expect him to quit and settle in Nowhere, Ohio. As for dominating, he isn’t nearly as controlling as Brad. Look at the kitchen for crying out loud. That’s not you. This fit crap. A membership at the Y. I mean, really? You’ll throw out your knickknacks next and start tanning.”

  “Tanning is bad for your skin. It makes you look old.”

  “Mother!”

  “Don’t mother me. That’s the problem, Katelina. You see me as ‘mom’, as an unchangeable entity who is the same as when you were three, but I’m not. I’m a person who just happens to be a mother. I love you more than you know, but being your mother doesn’t define me. I’m a thousand other things, and when you have children you will be too. You’ll grow, and change, and God willing mature. You’ll get new interests, new hobbies, try different hairstyles. You won’t always be the same as you were at twenty-six, and you can’t expect me to be, either. If we aren’t growing we turn stagnant.”

  Katelina frowned. “You aren’t doing this for Brad, or to try to impress him?”

  “Of course I hope he’s impressed, like you hoped your new hairstyle impressed Jorick. But you didn’t do it for him, you did it for you, because you wanted something different. Or I hope you did. I hope he isn’t telling you—”

  “Geeze, Mom! Why would you think I’d let someone dominate me like that?”

  “Why do you think I would?”

  Touché.

  “Oh! I meant to tell you, I got your package.” She moved back to the cupboard and withdrew a beat up box. “The dolls are adorable.” She pulled out a closed set of Matroyiska dolls. “I’ll have to find somewhere for them. We’re going to cut down the clutter, but it’s not every day we get something Russian.” She stashed them again. “I got your photos too, though I don’t know where I put them.”

  “It’s all right.” Truthfully Katelina didn’t remember what she’d taken pictures of, past a couple of jungle snapshots.

  “The hotel was lovely. Did you really stay there?”

  Katelina wasn’t sure which hotel, but it wasn’t worth finding out. “How else would I take pictures of it? Speaking of Brad, where is he?”

  “He’s at his house, picking up a load.” She sat in her chair. “So, Europe.”

  Jorick returned. For all the help he was, Katelina might as well have brought an attractive rock with her. As she talked to her mother, she had a hard time concealing her fangs. She struggled with excuses to hide her mouth or look away when she spoke. A glass of water helped because she could hold it up as though getting ready to take a drink, and, thanks to earlier experiments, she knew she could drink it.

  It was two hours later when Brad returned. Jorick got volunteered to help bring in his stuff. Katelina’s unhappiness grew with the pile of boxes. Though she held her tongue, she was ready to burst when Jorick made their excuses and steered her to the door.

  Her mother gave her a hug. “You’re coming back for Easter dinner?”

  Katelina panicked. “We’ll let you know.”

  “You’d better decide. It’s the day after tomorrow.”

  The date left Katelina speechless. Before she knew it, she was nodding her head.

  “Good. I’ll see you Sunday at one. Tell Sarah to come too. If you decide you want to stay here instead of the motel, let me know. Love you, sweetie.”
Then the door shut.

  Katelina stood on the porch and blinked. What had she agreed to?

  “No,” Jorick said firmly. “It’s impossible.”

  “I know.” Katelina stopped from smacking herself in the forehead. What was she going to do?

  Sarah waited for them at the motel, her car packed. “I was starting to worry.” Her smile faltered. “What’s wrong?”

  Jorick walked past her toward their room. “Katelina signed us up for Easter dinner.”

  Sarah’s already pallid skin paled. “I thought we were leaving?”

  Katelina tried to explain. “She didn’t give me a chance to say no. You know how Mom is.”

  “Say no to what?”

  Katelina looked up to see Micah, Loren, and Xandria. Sarah stiffened, and her eyes narrowed warily. “You aren’t human. Who are you?”

  Micah gave her a long once over. “Better question is, who are you honey? Do you know this chick, Lunch?”

  “I’m not a chick, or your honey,” Sarah replied angrily.

  Loren cut in front of his friend. “He didn’t mean to sound like a douche. I’m Loren, and this is Micah. The human is Xandria. You are?”

  Sarah stepped closer. “Are you with Claudius?”

  Loren blinked and Micah sniggered. “Sugar, I don’t know what planet you dropped from, but Claudius is dead. If he wasn’t I still wouldn’t be with him. I’m with myself.”

  Katelina groaned and stepped in. “This is my friend Sarah.”

  Loren’s eyes went wide. “Your friend’s a vampire?”

  Katelina introduced them, tried to explain Xandria, and finished with, “They travel with us.”

  “If by travel you mean save your ass. So, what’s this shit about you not saying no?”

  “We aren’t leaving until Monday. My mom invited us for Easter dinner.” Katelina crossed her arms and dared Micah to complain.

  “Pffft. Shit. I ain’t been to Easter dinner since Gam died. I don’t do holidays.”

  Before she could say, “Good,” Loren broke into a grin. “Come on, it’ll be fun. We’ll get to meet Katelina’s family, and smell the ham and sweet potatoes, and the pie. Man, I didn’t realize I missed that stuff. Mom always had a huge dinner every year. My aunt lives in California, so she never came, but—”

  Katelina cringed as he rattled on. How could she look at his animated face and say he wasn’t invited? But how could she take him? Maybe she could say he was Jorick’s younger brother.

  “Okay, you pulled my arm. Damn kid! We’ll go.” Micah glanced to Katelina. “You’re taking your human?”

  It hung like a challenge she needed out of. Before she could find the words, Jorick called from the doorway, “Why not? Misery loves company.”

  Katelina ignored him. “Dinner’s at three on Sunday, but sundown isn’t until six. I’ll call her tomorrow and make an excuse about why we’ll be late.”

  As everyone nodded, Sarah stepped close and whispered, “Do they all live with you?”

  “No. Loren has a house down the beach. Micah will probably stay there. And Xandria—” Katelina looked to see the woman sharing a cigarette with Loren. The spare room she’d planned to give Xandria had now been promised to Sarah. “—she’s staying with us for a while.”

  “As long as the bald asshole isn’t there. I know his type.” Sarah gave him a hard look. “I guess I’ll see you Sunday.”

  She seemed as enthusiastic as Katelina felt.

  Katelina’s mother didn’t sound like she believed Sarah had a “church thing” that lasted until six, but she took the excuse and hurried off the phone. Katelina could hear Brad in the background. She thought of the lingerie and had a horrible mental image of what her mother was rushing off to.

  Jorick toweled his wet hair. “I don’t know why modern people are bothered by the idea of their parents mating. How do they think they were created?”

  “That’s gross!”

  “Why? You should be happy she’s in a fulfilling relationship. You want her to be happy for you.”

  “I don’t want her to think about me having sex. That would be weird.”

  Jorick threw up his hands. “No matter how sexually revolutionized you pretend to be, you’re all puritans at heart. Like your modern problem of people sleeping together. Not mating, but sleeping. You take great pains to separate male from female, and God help you if the pair are related because, in your sick sexually-obsessed culture, you think that makes it more likely they’ll participate in something illicit. In my day, being closely related made it less likely you’d have sexual relations. You could trust a brother and sister, or mother and son, to share a bed and no one thought anything of it. Now you’re so sex absorbed that if people of the opposite sex stand near one another they must be mating. It’s sad that modern humans assume they have so little self-control they cannot even be trusted with their own family.”

  A thousand arguments rose to Katelina’s lips, but she settled for, “Stop saying ‘in my day’. It makes you sound like my grandfather.”

  Jorick smiled evilly. “In that case, come here little girl.”

  She threw a pillow at him.

  They spent most of Saturday night in an abandoned lot. Katelina sparred with Micah and Jorick read a book. At one point Katelina kicked a rock at him. He neatly dodged without ever looking up.

  Sunday evening opened cool and purple. Jorick led them to the park where he enchanted turkey vultures to come down from the water tower. Katelina finished and quickly pushed the body away. It was odd. She didn’t feel guilty eating cooked birds, but draining their blood made her feel like a murderer.

  They all piled into the car for Easter dinner. As they drove, Katelina practiced stories to explain the extra guests. At least most of her relatives would be gone.

  Except the driveway was full, and so were the spaces along the street. Jorick parked farther down the block and they walked. Katelina told herself that maybe the cars went to another house. It wasn’t as if her mom was the only inhabitant.

  Sarah waited for them at the end of the driveway, wearing a white knee length dress and green shrug. Immortality had paled her honey colored skin, but it had given golden highlights to her curly brown hair and made her hazel eyes sparkle like gems. In comparison, Katelina felt inelegant in her jeans and pullover.

  They trooped to the porch. Katelina forced herself to act nonchalant as she pushed open the door. Inside was a scene from her nightmares. Her aunt Leandra sat on the couch with her husband Barry, and her son Gregg. His boyfriend perched uncomfortably in one of the matching chairs, and Aunt Charlotte sat in the other, her bosom barely constrained by her bright Easter dress, despite her obvious efforts.

  Her husband, Uncle Henry, lurked behind the couch with a cup of coffee. Katelina’s cousin Elsie sat in one of the chrome chairs from the kitchen, and her husband Ben sat in another. Their preteen daughters, Marshy and Cinna, were huddled over a tablet in the corner. A pair of toddlers zoomed in, followed by Gregg’s sister Shelby. Her twelve year old son sat Indian style on the ottoman, and Shelby’s twin sister and her husband took up the other two kitchen chairs.

  “Here comes dessert,” Katelina’s mother trilled as she stepped into the room laden with a tray of sliced pie. Brad followed, carrying a coffee pot and cups.

  “Kately! About time, dear. We were starting to think your church thing would last all night.”

  Instead of the usual long blonde hair, her mother sported a shorter cut. Her giant glasses circa 1976 were replaced with a sleek pair in a smaller modern style. The gray sweater and charcoal knee-length skirt made her look slimmer and more streamlined; like the chrome plated kitchen.

  Her mother said she wanted to change, but good lord! It had only been two days!

  Before Katelina could comment, the room dropped into silence and all eyes turned to her.

  “Goodness, you brought a lot of friends,” her mother said as she handed out plates. “Would you be a dear and introduce everyone while I get some
more chairs?”

  Katelina still hadn’t mastered talking without flashing her fangs, so her introductions came off as mumbled. “This is Jorick, and Loren, and Micah. Xandria, and Sarah.”

  Aunt Leandra studied them. “Is that the man you ran away with?”

  “Mom!” Gregg admonished. “You don’t say things like that.”

  “She does to her niece,” Aunt Charlotte said. “You nearly worried your mother to death, young lady.”

  Micah chortled and Charlotte rounded on him. “I don’t know what you have to be amused about.”

  Katelina prayed he’d shut up. Instead he said, “A lot of things, lady.” Luckily Loren jabbed him in the stomach before he could elaborate.

  Her mother and Brad bustled in with folding chairs. “I don’t know if your ‘church thing’ fed you, but there’s plenty left in the kitchen. Plates are on the counter.”

  They mumbled polite excuses, except Xandria who said, “Thanks, I’m starving,” and hurried toward the promise of dinner.

  “She has an interesting accent,” Uncle Henry commented. “Where’s she from?”

  Katelina realized she didn’t know. She’d mentioned Zimbabwe and vampire killers, but…“I met her in Indonesia.”

  “What were you doing in Indonesia?” Elsie asked with alarm.

  Aunt Charlotte squinted at her. “Catching something, from the looks of it. Your hair looks better dear, but you’re terribly pale.” She tilted her glasses and studied Jorick, Micah, and Loren. “You all are.”

  Uncle Barry swallowed a large bite of pie. “It’s a thing now with kids. They all look pale and sickly.”

  “Mine don’t,” Elsie bristled.

  “Kate is hardly a kid,” Charlotte said. “She’s twenty-six now.”

  Gregg cut in. “By the way, happy late birthday.”

  Katelina shot him a grateful look. “Thanks. How are you?”

  “Pretty good. Josh and I are talking about getting married.”

  Charlotte coughed and Leandra gave her a hard look. “Yes?”

  “Nothing. I’m only glad my children grew up to like the opposite sex.”

  “It’s too bad they didn’t inherit a work ethic,” Leandra said icily. “How is your son doing? Still living off the kindness of strangers as he backpacks through Europe?”