Des sauntered between them. “Hello, Anya. Still hiding your brother in your room? Too ashamed to bring him out in public?”
Anya’s face contorted with fury. “You’re the one who should be ashamed. You and her.” She jabbed a finger toward Katelina “And Jorick, and everyone else who let that happen to him.”
Des shook his head sadly. “You talk a good game, but you didn’t go after him right away. You probably hoped they’d kill him, so you could quit cleaning up after him all the time.”
The slap echoed through the room. The ambient conversation died as all eyes turned to the unfolding fight.
Des rubbed his cheek and offered her a grin that said, “Is that the best you can do?” With a snarl Anya stormed away.
The conversation slowly resumed, and Des turned to Sarah. “She didn’t bother you too much, did she?”
“No.”
The dark vampire rubbed his neck. “Look. About yesterday…”
Sarah shrugged. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Except it does. Here’s the deal. I worked with Jorick before. I met him through his friend’s sister. She and I were kind of a thing, and she talked me into helping out with their war. Anyway, things went bad. One of our allies betrayed us. When we went to fight her, it turned out someone else was spying for her. I was pissed about my friends getting killed in a war they didn’t give a damn about, and Torina and I were already having problems. Every time I turned around she chose Jorick over me.”
Torina? Katelina bit back a growl. What did he mean she was choosing Jorick over him? As in how? When?
Des continued, “Hell, everyone acted like he was some kind of God. There was evidence that he was the traitor, even if it was flimsy, and it was easier to direct all my anger at him instead of looking into it. Now we know Anya’s brother was the spy and he already got what he deserved. That doesn’t mean I like Jorick—I never liked Jorick—but I don’t see the point in dragging you into the bad blood. It’s not like you had anything to do with it.”
“No, I didn’t,” Sarah agreed.
Des shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He crossed, and uncrossed his arms, his eyes on the floor. Finally he looked Sarah in the face. “I’m sorry. All right?”
Sarah nodded. “I accept your apology.”
“So friends, then?” He stuck out his hand.
Sarah considered it before she took the proffered hand. “Friends.”
They shook and Des held on a little longer than necessary. “What are you doing today?”
Katelina cleared her throat loudly. The last thing she wanted to do was watch this. “You can stay here, but I’m gonna…” She trailed off, though the meaning was basically “go anywhere but here.”
“See you later,” Sarah replied.
Katelina raised an eyebrow at the dismissal and hurried away before she said something nasty. Despite Des’ fine words, he hadn’t bothered to apologize to her or Jorick.
She wound her way through the corridors and pulled short in time to avoid running into one of the pale twins. Dressed in white, it was only their blue bloodshot eyes that gave contrast to their figures.
The skin crawled on the back of Katelina’s neck and she looked away. “Excuse me.”
“Katelina,” he purred. “Look, Ren.”
“Yes.” He smiled. “I said we would see you again.”
Katelina stepped back as he laid a hand to her arm. “Um, sorry. I’m in a hurry.”
“There is no reason to hurry when eternity is yours,” Ren said.
“Yes, you must meet our friend,” Tol added.
The crawling sensation worsened, and Katelina pressed back against the wall. “I-I need to…”
“Need to what?” The voice was more purr than words, and Katelina looked up to meet a pair of dark, polished eyes. Gold glittered at the vampiress’ throat and dark hair was swept up in an elegant style.
Katelina tried to form words, but her mouth wouldn’t work.
Ren poked his head around the newcomer. “This is our friend, Kali.”
Katelina couldn’t move as the vampiress took her hand. “Hello, child. The twins have told me much about you.”
They shouldn’t know much to tell, except they’d been picking through my brain. As if the thought was a cue, she felt the spark of a mind reader flame, then disappear.
“Perhaps you would like to go bowling with us?” Ren suggested.
“There is an organized game planned,” Tol added.
Katelina struggled through her terror to force out words. “No. No thank you. We-we have plans.”
Kali released her and stepped back, pulling Ren with her. “We must not impose. No doubt she and her mate are busy. Perhaps another time.”
No, Katelina thought firmly, though her tongue wouldn’t work.
“It was nice to meet you, child. Come Tol, Ren. We don’t want to make her late.”
They walked away and Katelina fell slack against the wall, her chest heaving. Tol and Ren. Despite Sarah’s assertion, she hadn’t cleared them of suspicion. Not only were they wind walkers, but their eyes were bloodshot, like Roger’s when he’d stayed up.
She pushed away from the wall and hurried to the smaller dining room, where Jorick sipped a glass of crimson.
“The twins,” she panted as she clutched his sleeve. “Would they be after you?”
“Who?” His expression turned to concern as he laid a hand to the small of her back. “You’re trembling. What happened?”
“Nothing. Now would they want to kill you?”
He frowned. “What were their names? Tol and Ren? I don’t recognize them.”
“They’re wind walkers, and their eyes were bloodshot, like they didn’t get enough sleep.”
Jorick frowned. “There could be several reasons for that besides lurking outside our room.”
“You’re supposed to take this seriously.”
“I am. I’ve never met them until this party. I’d remember a pair of albinos.”
“I don’t think you’re supposed to call people that, anymore,” she murmured, but he had a point about them being memorable. “Maybe you pissed off a friend of theirs?”
“It’s hard to tell. I’ll keep an eye out for them. In the meantime, I thought we might visit the library.”
The library was better than the bowling alley, but only barely. She sat in a leather chair while he browsed the books. “This is what you want to do with your day off?”
He shrugged and stuffed an old tome back on the shelf. “I’d rather find a collection of books I haven’t read at least a dozen times.”
“You’re exaggerating. There’s no way you’ve read every book ever written.”
“Just the ones worth reading and then some that weren’t.”
They fell back into silence until she announced, “I’m sorry, but I’m bored.”
“Perhaps I can help.”
Katelina jumped and turned to see Annabelle and Trivila in the doorway. Annabelle’s rich auburn hair hung down her back in waves, stark against her white lacey dress. Trivila’s ash blonde hair was piled on her head, and she wore a pair of hip hugging jeans and a fluffy pink sweater.
“We were passing,” the masked vampiress explained. “Would you like to join us for a walk?”
Katelina looked uneasily to Jorick, but like last time he said, “It’s up to Katelina.”
As if I can say no. “Sure. It has to be more interesting than this.”
Jorick murmured his goodbye. At the door, she cast a final glance toward him, then forced her shoulders straight and joined the women.
They wound their way through the house and outside. The sky hung heavy with stars. What remained of the frosty snow crunched under their feet as they circled the lake. The pond lapped the shore, silver in the moonlight, and Katelina watched a boat bobbing on the surface. Though she couldn’t see the vampires in it, she could feel them, like throbbing beads of power.
“That’s Acwellen and William,” A
nnabelle commented to her scrutiny. “Have you met them?”
Katelina imagined them lurking outside her bedroom door and shivered. “No. But that’s all right.”
“The old ones can be bothersome,” Annabelle agreed, apparently unaware of her own crushing presence. “On to more cheerful topics. Have you been enjoying yourself?”
She wasn’t sure how to answer, so she said a quick, “Of course.”
“Good. And your friend? Sarah, isn’t it?”
“She and Des have hit it off.”
Annabelle smiled. “I hope they become friends. I’m sure being a new fledgling and not knowing anyone is upsetting.” She paused, then asked, “Last night she and Andrei finalized their agreement?”
“Um…I don’t know.” Katelina thought of the silent message Sarah’d received, though she didn’t know if they’d followed up with it.
“You didn’t accompany her?”
Katelina shrugged. “No. After Jorick’s shift, we went our separate ways.”
“Did she discuss the arrangements with you?”
“Not really. Just that she was getting money and some kind of property.” Katelina stopped from saying the whole thing was weird.
“Of course,” Annabelle murmured. Their walk had slowed to a near stop. The masked vampiress motioned them onwards at a brisk pace. “Such a lovely night.”
Katelina trooped behind her, trying to figure out what was going on. Obviously Annabelle invited her on the walk to pick her brain, but didn’t she know what was in the agreement? Wouldn’t Andrei tell her?
“No,” Annabelle said. “He handles the business matters.”
Katelina grimaced at the intrusion. “Then ask him.”
Annabelle laughed softly. “You say that as though you expect him to answer. I already asked and was told what he’s willing to share.”
Katelina stuffed her hands in her pockets. “You could ask Sarah.”
“I could, but I don’t wish to alarm her.”
The word set bells off in Katelina’s head. “Why would she be alarmed?”
What was visible of Annabelle’s mouth grimaced. “She may think there’s something suspicious about the deal, when there isn’t.”
Despite the assurance, Katelina’s wariness of the situation tripled. “Riiight.”
They left the lake for the trees that circled the property. The space between the trunks was free of weeds, as though kept clean for walking, but farther in Katelina could see where nature was in command.
“The Feast is tomorrow,” Trivila said cheerfully. “I’ve heard the preparations are under way.”
“Yes.” Though Katelina couldn’t see her hostess’ face, she could feel the sideways glance, as if she was warning Trivila to be careful of her words.
“I’m glad I don’t have to help with it,” the blonde said. “I imagine it’s a lot of work.”
“It is,” Annabelle agreed. “And as Marna said, it doesn’t hold much significance anymore, but you know how superstitious Andrei is.”
Trivila scoffed. “Not just Andrei. It seems everyone turned before 1950 is.”
Katelina could feel Annabelle’s smile. “The date neatly excludes yourself.”
“Of course. I’m not superstitious, or overtly religious, or any of the rest. Life is what you make it.”
“A very modern sentiment.” Annabelle sniffed the air. “Do you smell that?” When no one answered, she whispered, “Blood.”
Chapter Sixteen
Katelina inhaled deeply. There was only the smell of frost and cold, evergreens and dead weeds. Then she smelled the birds, the musk of the wildlife, and finally, underneath, a thin thread of death. Her first thought was animal, but somehow she knew better; she knew it was—
“Human,” Trivila said.
The scent that had once filled Katelina with dread now made her stomach tighten. She followed the women past the well-kept area and into the weeds. Annabelle’s dress snagged. She stopped to untangle it, and Katelina pushed past them. As the scent grew stronger, she picked up speed. At last she crashed through a tangle of undergrowth to discover a spot where the dead weeds were mashed down. Nestled in the center and sprinkled with snow was the mangled body of a boy.
His eyes were forever closed against the cold. Dark lashes rested on frosted cheeks and wisps of dark hair that escaped from his knit hat. His hands were at his side, one with a mitten and one naked and white against the brown of the grass. His jeans, slashed and ragged, revealed wounds underneath, and his bright yellow coat was open to show his gory chest. Frozen blood splattered his face and clothes, and clung in a heavy crystal mass where his throat was torn from one side to the other.
Katelina let the screen of weeds fall into place as she stumbled back. The scent that made her hungry now left her sick. She squeezed her eyes shut, as if she could force away the image, but it was burned on the back of her eyelids.
Trivila crashed through the underbrush and stopped to push the weeds aside. With a gasp she let them spring back and took a step away.
“Who is he?”
Katelina shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe from a house around here?”
Trivila frowned. “There’s a village not too far, but I don’t know.”
Annabelle appeared, her dress hiked up above her pale knees. She looked sorrowfully toward the weeds. “None in my coven would take a child.”
Katelina bit back her surprise. Of course she’d know without looking. She was a mind reader and had probably pulled it from Trivila’s thoughts. Or maybe Trivila was a whisperer and flat out told her.
“Even if it was an animal that attacked him, he couldn’t get here by himself,” Trivila said quietly. “Not unless he braved the pools and climbed the fence. I know none of us would kill him, but what about the guests?”
Annabelle shook her head. “We asked that they not take victims from the surrounding area. Too many disappearances would raise eyebrows.”
“Just because you asked, doesn’t mean they listened,” Katelina said. “I need to tell Jorick.”
Annabelle dropped her skirt and wrung her hands nervously. “Yes, I suppose that’s best.”
Katelina didn’t want to feel suspicious but shouldn’t she want a murder reported?
Except they don’t consider it murder, she reminded herself. No more than humans considered a hamburger evidence of foul play.
When no one moved, Katelina left the women and the body behind. She hurried through the trees, then across the crunchy lawn. She ducked through a side door and down a corridor, ignoring the sensation as a pair of ancient eyes brushed over her.
Jorick was in the library where she’d left him. He lowered his book and asked, “What is it?”
She gasped out the tale, and Jorick snapped the book closed. “Did it look fresh? Never mind, I’ll look for myself, assuming they’ve left things alone.”
Katelina waited impatiently as he fetched Jamie from his second floor rounds. After a brief explanation, the Executioners followed Katelina outside, and into the trees. The scent of blood seemed stronger to her, maybe because she knew to look for it, and she quickly found Annabelle and Trivila huddled together.
“Where’s Andrei?” Annabelle asked.
Jamie and Jorick’s eyes met, and the former said, “We haven’t told him yet.”
Katelina could feel Annabelle’s unhappiness, but the vampiress only motioned to the screen of weeds.
Jorick pushed through first. Jamie followed. Despite Katelina’s aversion, she peered after them curiously.
Jamie studied the corpse. “He’s on top of the snow, so he must have been left after the storm.”
Jorick crouched and gently prodded the stiff body. “There’s a lot of damage.” He peeled back the frozen coat. “The heart is missing. But there are minimal signs of animal activity, so he can’t have been here long.”
Jamie stood back and sniffed. He frowned and sniffed again. Jorick did the same. Katelina followed their example, though she had no i
dea what she was smelling for.
The men stepped over the body and pushed past a fluffy conifer tree. Katelina hesitated, her eyes drawn against her will to the body of the dead child. Ice crystals clustered on his lashes and around his nose. A splatter of blood on his cheek ran down in a tiny frozen rivulet, like a moment stopped forever.
She forced herself to look away as she stepped over him, and tried to shut out the thoughts crowding her mind; the questions about his parents, his grandparents, his siblings. Was his mother sitting at home, clutching a favorite toy, praying her baby would come back safely? If so, it was a prayer that would go unanswered.
Katelina’s chest caught and she dabbed at her eyes as she followed the men deeper into the forest. She could see them ahead of her, standing over something.
“What is it?”
Jorick looked up and panic danced across his features. “No, little one, don’t—” but it was too late.
She covered her mouth and spun away, though it did nothing for the image seared into her retinas. What was left of a little girl was spread in the snow. Reddish-blonde curls were splayed around her head, and her pink coat was torn and dirty. Like the little boy, her throat had been savaged and her chest ripped open, but unlike him she’d been there for a few days. A layer of snow covered half of her body, and what was exposed was gnawed on by wildlife, leaving frozen valleys of crystal carnage.
“Oh my God. Another one.”
Jorick moved to pull her protectively against his side. “I tried to warn you.”
“I know,” she murmured. “My God, it’s like the Heartless Killer.”
“Heartless killer?” Jamie asked as he stopped next to them.
“The one Fleur went to check on.”
Jorick made a hissing noise of comprehension. “Yes. The two boys discovered in the park not far from here. She went to look at the bodies.”
Katelina nodded and tried to stem tears as she pictured another terrified mother. “She said their throats were cut and their hearts were missing.”
“Come little one. I’ll take you inside, then we’ll have Fleur see if this is similar to those murders. It may be a coincidence.”
Jorick deposited Katelina in the library before he went for Fleur. She started by sitting in the chair, then climbed to her feet and paced restless circles. In her mind she could see those imagined parents grieving for their children, never knowing what happened. Though the Executioners might look into this, there was no way they’d contact human police.
Masque of the Vampire (Amaranthine Book 8) Page 23