“You’ve gotten better,” Jorick said quietly. Katelina felt him in her mind and didn’t bother fighting. “You saw a lot in under a minute.”
“It felt like forever.” She met his eyes. “Did you know? About the others?”
Jorick nodded. “I saw it the first night, when I asked her about them.”
“You might have mentioned it.”
“Why? Do you want to know everything I see?”
“Yes.”
He coughed. “I doubt that.”
“I was looking for her dream.”
“I know.” He chose his words carefully. “She dreamed that she murdered a child. She drank its blood and dumped it in a ditch. I think this investigation is getting the best of both of you. It might be wise for you to stay away.”
Still under the effects of Sarah’s memories, Katelina was too disturbed to argue. “Did you make her forget I read her mind?”
“Maybe. If she wants to forget. Otherwise it will be back later.” He sighed. “You need to leave it alone. Once we get home I’ll help you work on it. Doing it like that…They know, Katelina. When you’re immersed that deeply you feel it—and they feel it, like Malick. If you don’t care about them, it’s fine, but if you want to maintain your friendship with her, then it’s impolite at best.”
Like Malick. “There’s no way…”
“You’re close to her, and she’s a new fledgling with extremely loud thoughts and no mental protection, so she’s easier. Either way, we’ll sort it out once we get home. For now, it might be best if you stopped practicing. All right?” Katelina nodded and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “If you’re feeling better, let’s have breakfast.”
She followed, though she didn’t feel hungry anymore. Sarah joined them. Her stiff shoulders spoke of her upset, though Katelina didn’t know if it was the dream, or if she knew someone had been in her head.
After breakfast, Sarah announced that she and Katelina had plans. Jorick gave her an uncertain look, followed by the admonishment to be careful and stay close to the house.
Despite their lack of conversation, Katelina assumed the secret plans involved a lecture or Estrilda. Her certainty disappeared when Sarah steered them into the green salon. Tol and Ren stood like book ends, both dressed in white, their blue eyes the only spot of color. Kali lounged between them on a couch. Long dark hair cascaded around her shoulders and a full, wine colored skirt fell to the floor.
A soft low buzzing started in the back of Katelina’s head as Kali smiled. “Greetings, Sarah. You have brought your friend again. Perhaps today she is in the mood for our company.”
Tol and Ren met Katelina’s eyes, their sinister smiles stretched across their faces. “Hello, Katelina.”
Run.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Katelina shivered and shook the voice out of her head. She tried not to look into Tol and Ren’s bright blue eyes, afraid if she did she’d never escape.
“So nice to see you,” Ren said.
“Yes, nice,” Tol echoed.
Katelina drew back instinctively and ignored Sarah’s hard look. Though the twins’ words were friendly, the buzzing in her brain proved the truth of them.
“You’ll have to excuse her,” Sarah said quickly. “She’s nervous with older vampires.”
“Really?” Kali’s laughter made Katelina shiver. “I’d have never guessed.”
Ren stepped forward and took Katelina’s elbow. “She is safe with us.”
“Yes.” Tol stepped to the other side. “We are young. Not as young as she, but younger than the others.”
Ren’s smile brightened. “Younger than her lover.”
But six times scarier.
The buzzing in Katelina’s head got louder, more insistent, and she felt the combing fingers of a mind reader digging deeper. She saw a flash of the memories she’d uncovered from Sarah, and heard Jorick tell her about her friend’s dream.
“Tut, tut. Not very nice to take liberties with the memories of your friend.”
Katelina jolted away from the voice to see Ren peering into her face. She barely stifled a cry as she shuffled backwards.
Kali was mid conversation with Sarah “-I’ve been told that tonight’s show features reenactments of classic tales from mythology. I wonder if they’ll get them right?”
“Sounds like fun.” Sarah turned to her friend. “Are you ready?”
Katelina was ready to leave but, even with the heavy fog in her brain, she knew that wasn’t the question. She strangled out an answer, more sound than words. Though Sarah looked impatient, Kali swept to her feet.
“Wonderful. Shall we?”
Kali took Sarah’s arm, leaving the twins to take Katelina’s elbows. Something in her brain screamed out a warning, begged her to stay, but her feet weren’t under her control, and she let the twins propel her down the hallway.
She didn’t notice when they reached the patio, and only realized she was sitting after the fact, the twins on either side. Next to Tol was Kali, and Sarah was on the end. Katelina tried to catch her friend’s eye, but Sarah was lost in conversation with the vampiress. Kali laughed appreciatively at some joke and Sarah beamed.
“Are you jealous?” Ren asked.
“You shouldn’t be,” Tol said. “Sarah still likes you.”
“Oh yes. She speaks highly of you.”
“You are her friend.”
“You could be our friend,” Ren added.
“Yes.” Tol nodded. “You and Sarah could be our friends.”
“Very good friends,” Ren insisted.
Before Katelina could form a reply, the curtains drew back from the stage. The complex set resembled ancient Greek temples, complete with pillars and statues. A fountain was on one side, and a painted sun hung on a backdrop of blue sky and rolling green hills.
On the opposite side from the fountain stood a trio of vampires holding musical instruments. They were dressed in togas, and their smooth white masks made her think of Annabelle and Estrilda.
“I wonder if her blood is sweet?”
Katelina jumped as the voice whispered in her head and glanced to the pale twins. Ren offered her a smile that made her shiver.
A chime sounded and she looked to the stage. A robed vampire appeared, carrying a book. In rhyme, he introduced himself and his book of fables, hinting that there was more truth in myths than man accepted.
He stepped back and a second chime came. Five toga clad vampires danced onto the stage. Their masks were more detailed than the musicians. One was painted as an old man, another as a young boy, and three more had beaks, like giant birds.
“Icarus,” Ren said knowingly.
Sure enough, the performers told the familiar story. As it drew to its terrible conclusion, the actors hanging in midair on a pulley system, the narrator moved to the front. During his monolog the cast disappeared, and returned in new masks, ready for a tale from Norse mythology.
The stories moved by in a blur, cleverly linked by the narrator. Katelina couldn’t concentrate and more than once realized she’d missed whole pieces of the performance. Finally, at the sound of a chime, only two performers returned. A red heart decorated the bodice of the woman’s dress, and her mask was heavily made up. The male’s mask had thick, angry eyebrows drawn on it. Wings were pinned to their backs. His were the bat wings of a demon and hers were black and feathered, like a fallen angel.
Or a raven.
The narrator announced it as an epic love story, the tale of Lilith. Katelina felt a tickle of amusement, though she didn’t know if it was hers or someone else’s. In verse, the actors loved and separated. Three more women danced onto stage. Samael did a short dance with each that ended in the promise of forever, while the original woman stood to the side, arms crossed. When the third spun away from him, Lilith exploded in a rhymed bout of fury and danced to the center. The rest of the cast streamed on stage, all wearing plain white masks. One by one, Lilith dipped them and spun them away. When the stage was cr
owded, the man exploded.
Pulleys and rope pulled him high into the air, and he sang his fury at her cavalier ways. At the climax of the song, he dropped to the stage and a pantomimed fight ensued. He ripped the heart from her dress and made to throw it, then looked sorrowful and instead stashed it in his toga.
The story finished with Samael mourning over Lilith’s broken body, and stashing it in a temple. He swore to one day resurrect her so they could reign side by side in love. The audience applauded and, at the chime, the narrator returned to start a final story.
As if jostled by the play, Katelina thought of the conversation with the real Samael. A shadow of his joy touched her, to be replaced with cold laughter. It would do no good. It is too late.
Too late for what?
“Hello!”
Verchiel’s voice pulled her back to the present, where the audience was exiting. Sarah and Kali were on their feet, and Tol and Ren stood, eying the Executioner behind her with distaste.
“You should introduce me to your friends,” Verchiel said cheerfully.
“They’re Tol and Ren,” she murmured. What had the last story been? All she could remember was Samael and her dream.
The twins bowed stiffly, their expressions wary. “You are Katelina’s friend?”
“Yes, I am,” Verchiel said. Something stern in his words made their faces harden.
“Then we will leave you now,” Ren said.
“Yes. Perhaps we will see you later.” Tol moved down the aisle, following Sarah and Kali.
Ren met her eyes. “Yes. Later.” He gave a stiff nod to Verchiel, then followed his brother.
The Executioner came around and took Ren’s vacant seat. “They’re interesting.”
Katelina rubbed her tingling head. “You could say that.”
“And Kali is pretty intimidating, isn’t she?”
“I guess. Sarah likes her.” The buzzing receded and Katelina sighed, as if a weight was lifted. “Have you interviewed her yet?”
“No. I meant to today, but then I couldn’t find her.”
“She was here, watching the play.”
“I noticed.” He looked thoughtful, but shook it off. “Never mind. I’ll catch her after lunch.” He nodded to the stage. “I wonder what Sorino’s doing? Surely not complimenting them?”
Katelina followed his gaze to see the vampire in conversation with the actors. “He’s probably making them pay him for watching it. Come on. I’m hungry.”
They’d finished their meal when Fleur caught up to them. “Jorick, would you switch rounds with me tonight?”
His question echoed Katelina’s. “Why?”
“I just got a call. Derdenima’s in the area, and she’s determined to stop in and check on things. She won’t get here until later and I’d like to be off duty so I can show her we have everything under control.”
Jorick set his empty glass down. “Who is she?”
Graham shuddered. “The captain of our Executioners.”
Jorick glanced to Katelina with a shrug. “I suppose. Some advanced warning would have been nice.”
“Wouldn’t it?” Fleur asked with annoyance. “Then it wouldn’t be a surprise, and she might not catch me slacking.”
“Are you slacking?” Jorick asked.
“No. But tell her that. Ever since—never mind. Anyway, when she gets here, I’ll deal with her.”
With the afternoon off, Katelina and Jorick went for a walk.
“Where’s your leach?” Jorick teased.
She looked at him sharply. “If you mean Sarah, I don’t know. She left the play with Kali and I haven’t seen her since.”
He drew up and caught Katelina’s hands. “She’s avoiding you because Estrilda makes her uncomfortable. If she faces you, she has to face that, too.”
“She’s the one who wanted it solved. Besides, what’s uncomfortable about a little girl? I’ve actually been thinking we should visit her.”
“No.” She started to argue and he put a finger to her lips. “No. Not just for your sake, but hers. The more you see her, the more you think about her. Let it go.”
“Then what am I supposed to do? You don’t want me to help with the investigation, you don’t want me to make friends—”
“I never said you can’t make friends. I only asked you to be careful.”
He was right, but she was irritated. “Whatever.”
“Exactly.” He winked. “Do whatever you want to do. You still have William to follow around.”
“But he’s not stalking you, after all,” she said.
“You seem disappointed no one’s trying to kill me. I’ll take that to mean you’ve ruled the lion and the chandelier accidents?”
“Sarah was the one who thought the chandelier was an attempt on you,” Katelina clarified. “I think it was an accident caused by a ridiculously large light fixture. As for the lion…I don’t know. If it was an accident, it was too perfect.”
Jorick rubbed her back. “Maybe it wasn’t an accident. Maybe your William teamed up with a powerful whisperer after all.”
“Now you’re patronizing me.”
He sighed. “You’re the only woman I’ve ever met who’s happier when she thinks she’s surrounded by danger and intrigue.”
Katelina scoffed. “Then you haven’t known very many women.”
It wasn’t quite dinner time when Verchiel joined them on the patio. “The Canadian hottie said you’re supposed to take over for her. She wants you to start now. Apparently her friend is early.”
Jorick grumbled, but kissed Katelina. “I’ll see you later, little one. Be careful.”
Though she wasn’t sure what the specific warning was about, she nodded.
Verchiel crammed his hands in his pockets. “What do we do for fun?”
“I haven’t had fun since we got here.”
“That’s because you have the wrong attitude. I bet we can find something interesting.”
He tugged her into the house and down several corridors before they slowed their pace. As a pair of voices grew louder, he motioned her to silence.
“—It’s all under control,” Fleur said firmly.
A second female voice sounded. No doubt it was Dardenima. “Sure it is. That’s why there was another murder. A little boy from the village was found in a ditch today, his heart missing.”
In the ditch? Just like Sarah’s dream!
Katelina gasped and Verchiel clamped his hand over her mouth with a warning look.
Dardenima went on, “Apparently the perpetrator isn’t threatened by you or the Americans.”
“What do you want me to do? Declare a lock down of private premises?”
“If that’s what it takes, yes. Let’s get this handled quickly, without the Americans’ involvement. The less they do, the better our chances when we present it to the Höher Rat.”
Katelina bit Verchiel’s hand, and he pulled away with a shake and a warning to stay silent.
Fleur replied angrily, “If you want us to handle it, then you should have sent me some help. The last official word I received said to let the U.S. take over and hope they make a mess of it.”
Dardenima scoffed. “That’s because you listened to Jacob. He doesn’t know his head from a hole in the ground, especially where you’re concerned. America knows what’s at stake. They aren’t going to screw up, unless they’re stupider than I think. Though, with this laughable investigation, they might be.”
“What are we supposed to do? Andrei has entertainers coming and going. A new troupe arrived this morning, as did a shipment of blood and several of the guests’ costumes for the masquerade. How are we supposed to stop all the comings and goings during a party? Andrei’s a powerful vampire. He’s on Canada’s side right now. Piss him off and he won’t be.”
“Surely he wants this handled as much as we do.”
“I don’t think so. Frankly, his attitude seems to be that it’s all a bother he’d rather not deal with. And why not? He’s how old?
Did they even have The Laws back then?”
“Don’t quote history at me, Fleur, or I’ll remind you of things. How about Quebec? And the reason they split you and Jacob up.”
Fleur’s voice shook with anger. “I swear to God, Dardenima, if you weren’t the captain…”
“But I am, and I suggest you remember it. Now show me where the bodies were.”
Katelina grabbed Verchiel and dragged him into the nearest room. Footsteps sounded as the two vampiresses marched past. When they were gone, Katelina turned to the redhead. “She said another kid was found in a ditch! Sarah had a dream about that this morning. Jorick thought it was the investigation getting to us, but…you don’t think she…?”
He chuckled. “No, I don’t think she’s the Heartless Killer. Jorick’s probably right. After everything she’s been through, it’s not surprising.”
“So you know about…everything?”
Verchiel shrugged. “Some of it. Her thoughts are loud.” He turned to study a portrait. “More important than her delusions is the problem of our killer. We’re in the middle of an investigation, and they still snuck out and killed someone. They obviously don’t fear us.”
“Maybe you should make them?” The words left her mouth before she had time to think about them.
He laughed. “How should we do that?”
“I guess remind them no one is above the law. Maybe if you arrested someone? Though they’d have to actually be guilty of something.”
Verchiel drummed his fingers on an end table. “There’s plenty of guilt here. The question is which one to zero in on?”
“William is up to something,” she said. Jorick suggested she follow him around, so by God, why not?
“Is it something illegal?”
“I don’t know. A bunch of vampires said they saw him plotting with Brandle.”
“I guess we could look him up.”
They left the safety of the room to wind their way through salons and parlors. Dinner was drawing near and vampires abandoned their card games and conversations to make their way to the dining room.
“There he is.” Katelina pointed to the vampire as he walked next to Eagan. “And that’s Jamie’s master.”
Masque of the Vampire (Amaranthine Book 8) Page 33