She yawned and closed her eyes. “I suppose you’re right.” A heartbeat passed, then she asked, “Do you think Mom will be all right?”
“Oh, I’m sure. I’m not lucky enough to lose her this quickly.”
Despite his chuckle, Katelina smacked him on the shoulder. “That’s not funny! You don’t want her to die, do you?”
He sobered. “Of course not, Katelina. If, for no other reason, than it would break your heart. But you will have to face it one day.”
She got comfortable again and closed her eyes. “Maybe.”
He stroked her hair. “No, little one, it’s inevitable. Everything dies.”
“You don’t.”
He made a soft noise at the implication. “You’re not considering…”
She sighed and opened her eyes. “No. She wouldn’t make a good…” The word vampire stuck in her throat. “She’s not much of a blood drinker.”
Jorick kissed Katelina’s nose. “That’s probably for the best. Sleep, little one, and let’s hope there’s good news tomorrow.”
She nodded against him, and soon relaxed. Dreams drifted past, thick with fire and smoke. At last she stood in her mother’s hospital room. Furniture was broken. Everything was in disarray. Her mother lay in the bed, crushed, bleeding, hooked up to a million tubes and wires, wrapped in gauze, more dead than alive.
Hang on, mom.
She moved closer and bit into her own wrist. Her mother’s eyes opened, not blue but glowing red.
Katelina stumbled backwards and tripped over the overturned cart. When she landed, she was no longer in the ruined hospital. A sundrenched courtyard greeted her, filled with flowers and a pair of intertwined fruit trees.
The fear, anger, panic she’d felt only a moment ago were gone, replaced by soothing peace. Nothing made sense, but it was all right. It didn’t matter.
She stood uncertainly and looked to her arm. The wound she’d made was gone, as was her baggy sweatshirt, replaced with an Asian inspired gown.
“Hello.”
Katelina felt the voice more than heard it. She turned to see a figure standing by an ornamental pond. Long black hair hid his face. Golden robes hung from his narrow shoulders.
“Samael?”
At her whispered question, he raised his head. She met his eyes, dark and burning like the heart of a thousand suns. Once, it was more than she could bear. Even now she had to look away after a moment.
A spark of anger flared in her chest, then disappeared. She struggled to hold onto it. “How could you?”
“How could I what?” He walked to her, his movements fluid like the water rippling in the pond. A heartbeat passed and he stiffened. “She has been there.”
Katelina looked up against her will to meet his gaze. “Yes. You both were. You destroyed my town. You nearly killed my mother!”
“Not I.”
“I don’t understand. If you weren’t here…if it wasn’t a fight…why was everything destroyed?”
Samael’s expression remained impassive. “I cannot guess her motives.”
Brandle had suggested the battleground was chosen to send a message. Was the attack itself a message? Was it a warning?
She felt the shadow of panic, suppressed beneath Samael’s artificial calm. Tomorrow, when she was awake in the real world, there’d be nothing to dampen it.
“Peace, child. What will be, will be. You change nothing with your worry.”
“No, but you could change things, by killing her.”
“Such is my plan. Sleep now. I will join you soon, in flesh, then I will find her, and she shall suffer for her crimes, her and those who stand with her.”
The words popped out before she could stop them. “But you’re angry at me.”
“Angry? No. Disappointed, perhaps, but not angry. Only one creature deserves the sum of my rage, my hatred, and she will feel my wrath.”
There was more Katelina wanted to know, like where he was, how long until he’d be there, but her questions swirled away as the garden disappeared, and the darkness took her again.
Chapter Five
Katelina woke in the evening, clinging to wisps of her dream. She needed to remember what Samael had said so she could tell Jorick.
As if roused by her thoughts, her boyfriend came to life with a gasp; someone who didn’t need air deciding they did. He blinked, then smiled as he drank in her face. “Good morning.”
“I spoke to Samael.”
It took him a minute to digest her words. “What? When?” Then he understood. “What did he say?”
She poured out the dream. By the time she finished, Jorick was sitting up, a frown on his face. “There was no battle?”
“No. Unless he’s lying.”
“I can’t imagine he would.” Jorick looked thoughtful. “If there was no battle…”
“Then Lilith did it herself,” Katelina finished. “Would she send me a message that big?”
“It’s hard to say.” He looked up as Jamie and Verchiel entered. “Come, let’s feed, then we’ll check on your mother.”
When they finished feeding, everyone gathered in a knot in front of the house. Katelina spelled out the dream with as little detail as possible.
Des frowned. “What about Sarah?”
It wasn’t the question she expected. “What?”
“You said last night that you thought she’d escaped during the battle, but what if she escaped before?”
Jamie frowned. “I don’t follow.”
“What if her escape was the reason for the destruction,” Des said impatiently. “If I got away from a kidnapper, the first place I’d head to is home.”
“So you think she came here and Lilith followed?” Brandle asked.
Jamie looked thoughtful. “It would explain the location, and the mess—it wasn’t a fight against Samael, but against Sarah, an effort to recapture her.”
“Maybe that was why Brad saw her,” Katelina said slowly. “She might have gone there for help.”
Ark ran his hand though his hair. “Right now I don’t care what anyone did. We have a job to do and there are eight more guards set to arrive in twenty minutes. We need to be there to meet them.”
“That’s true,” Jamie said. “But this might be important. If Lilith’s prisoner escaped, and is still missing, then Lilith might still be here.”
Katelina shivered at the thought. “You mean…”
“I wouldn’t leave without my prisoner,” Jamie said. “If she came here specifically to recapture Sarah, she’s not going to throw up her hands in surrender. She’d remain until Sarah was taken again.”
“Which means there could be a second attack at any moment,” Brandle said.
They fell silent, each musing their own private horror. Finally, Ark said, “Our orders are to deal with the aftermath. Until Eileifr changes them, that’s what we’re going to do. If Lilith is here, she’ll find us. Now, let’s go.”
He spun on his heel and marched toward the driveway.
Jamie looked to Jorick. “Do you still want to offer your services?”
With a sigh, Jorick nodded. “Yes. It looks like you could use the help.”
Des snorted. “So you’re joining them again?”
“No, just helping in a civilian capacity,” Jamie said.
Understanding showed in Brandle’s eyes. “I’m not a whisperer, but I am a dream stealer. If I can be of assistance?”
“Of course.” Jamie looked from the lingering guards to Verchiel. “Why don’t you finish the hospital? You can drop Katelina and Des off while you’re going.”
Jorick looked ready to object, but Katelina said quickly, “That sounds good.”
“Why do I need to go to the hospital?” Des demanded. “I’m here to look for Sarah, not babysit.”
“You’re not babysitting,” Verchiel said cheerfully. “You’re making sure I don’t ravage Kately against a wall somewhere.”
“Someone else can do that.”
“But they’
re mind readers,” the redhead explained. “So they’re useful.”
“Are you saying I’m useless?” Des demanded.
“Ask Jorick and Jamie,” Verchiel said mischievously. “In the meantime, let’s go.” He offered Katelina his arm. “You’re going to love my new car.”
“I thought you guys flew here?” she asked suspiciously.
“We did, but we brought the cars in the cargo hold. How else would we get around after we landed?”
“I guess you could rent something.”
“And risk not getting our hands on standard issue black SUVs? Like Ark would do that!”
Des muttered darkly as Verchiel led them around the house to an orange sports car. Sleek and showy, it reminded Katelina of its owner.
“What happened to the yellow one?” she asked.
He opened the door with a flourish. “I hit a moose, remember? Luckily, I’ve had my eye on this one for a bit. I was able to get it right away instead of using one of the company cars. I’ll never understand why they all like black.”
“Because it doesn’t stand out.” Des surveyed the vehicle. “Is it as fast as it looks?”
“Faster. Hop in.”
He motioned Des to the backseat. The dark vampire cocked an eyebrow. “She’s the newest. She gets the back.”
Katelina didn’t care one way or the other. She climbed in before an argument started. When the doors were shut and the motor running, she leaned forward. “Jamie really sent you because, after I see Mom, we’re going to look for Sarah.”
Des studied her suspiciously. “Then why not say that?”
She wasn’t sure how to answer without giving Estrilda away. Luckily, Verchiel chirped, “Because that’s not as much fun. Now buckle up, kiddies.”
He laughed maniacally as they sped out of the driveway and down the gravel road. Katelina clung to the seat, praying as Verchiel slid around a curve in a spray of gravel.
Despite her terror, they arrived at the city limits in one piece. Military vehicles blocked the road and a soldier approached.
“IDs,” he demanded.
Katelina shot Verchiel a terrified look. She didn’t have an ID.
“Is that necessary?” Verchiel asked. “We’re heading in to visit Kately’s mom in the hospital.”
“No one gets in unless they’re on the approved list,” the soldier snapped. “IDs.”
With a sigh, Verchiel met the young man’s eyes. Seconds ticked by. Katelina wondered if it was working. Verchiel said it all came and went. What if it had gone? Finally, the soldier relaxed, his tone mechanical. “You may go.” He motioned to a second soldier, who moved the barricade aside.
“Thank you.” Verchiel saluted and deftly maneuvered past them.
Des snickered. “Now I see why they sent you with us. You’re not good at that, are you?”
“We all have our talents. Give me a few hundred years and you’ll be surprised.”
There were three more checkpoints between them and the hospital. Despite that, Katelina felt a little better. A lot of the rubble had been removed. Houses and buildings had been boarded up, and the fires were long out. Street lights were back on. Even the hospital parking lot was only half full.
Inside, calm had replaced the chaos. Gone were the overflow beds and desperate patients. Katelina’s spirits lifted as she made her way down the corridor. Everything was going to be all right. Her mom would be sitting up in bed, watching TV, maybe a dinner tray in front of her.
Her optimism disappeared when she reached her mother’s room. Her mom was still asleep, her skin even grayer that yesterday. Still hooked to an IV, they’d added an oxygen mask and replaced the surgery cap with gauze.
Katelina sank into the chair by to the bed. “Mom?” She took her hand. “Mom? Are you awake?”
Verchiel stopped next to her. “She’s unconscious.”
“I see that,” she snapped, then relented. “I’m sorry. I…”
“You’re upset,” he offered.
“I don’t understand why she hasn’t woken up.”
“Maybe she did and you missed it?” Des suggested.
The curtain on the next bed flipped open. A woman stuck her head out. “She hasn’t been awake. Her son was here most of the day—your brother, I guess?” She looked pointedly at Katelina.
Brother? Did she mean…? “Brad?”
“I don’t know. Anyway, good luck getting a nurse around here.”
The curtain flipped closed before Katelina could say anything else, not that she knew what to say.
She turned back to her mother and watched the rise and fall of her chest. Was she in a coma? Could she hear them? Did she know they were there?
“See for yourself,” Verchiel whispered softly.
“You mean read her mind?” Katelina asked. “While she’s asleep? Isn’t that an invasion of privacy?”
“All mind reading is.”
He had a point. Besides, if she could see what was going on in her head, she might get some answers. The trouble was she’d only been able to read minds by making eye contact. Her mother’s eyes were closed.
“You don’t need to stare into their eyes,” Verchiel whispered, his breath tickling her ear. “You’re using it as a crutch. Pretend you can see them, if it makes you feel better.”
She looked into her mother’s face and imagined her eyes. The same blue as hers, except for a tiny dark speck in the right iris. As a child that fascinated her. Her mother had laughingly told her it was an “eye freckle”. She still remembered it. They’d been standing in the yellow and green kitchen, her mother at the sink, and she on her way to watch cartoons.
Suddenly she could see it. The knickknacks on the shelves. The crocheted pot holders on the wall. The fruit-shaped magnets on the refrigerator. She felt a rush of warm amusement, and looked down to see a child in front of her. Long blonde hair was in braids. A teddy bear was clutched in one hand, a plastic glass in the other.
“Why don’t I have an eye freckle?” the little girl asked.
“Not everyone has freckles in the same place,” she said in a voice that wasn’t hers. “You have one on your elbow, but I don’t.” She showed her bare elbow. “If everyone was exactly alike, the world would be pretty boring, don’t you think?”
The child looked thoughtful, then nodded. “Yeah.” When a TV jingle floated in from the next room, the kid dashed away.
She turned back to the sink of dishes. Katelina had her eyes, but her father’s curious nature. If only Randy was still alive to see her—
Katelina recoiled from the crushing heartbreak. She didn’t want misery. She wanted something happy. Something… She was transported to her mother’s front porch. Two crooked jack-o-lanterns grinned at her, firelight flickering behind triangular eyes. A bowl of candy sat on the top step with a sign that said Take one. She couldn’t hand out candy if she was taking the girls trick or treating, but she still wanted the neighborhood kids to get a treat.
The girls stood on the sidewalk, whispering excited childhood secrets. One had braided blonde hair and a homemade pirate costume; a white ruffled shirt, and red skirt complete with belt. Though Kately wanted one of the cheap plastic outfits—little more than a vinyl hospital gown and a plastic mask—she thought this was a thousand times better. It was real, and one of a kind. No one else would be dressed to match her.
The other girl had a bush of curly hair and a borrowed dress. Construction paper wings were speckled with glitter and held together with wire. It was the best she’d been able to do on short notice. Stupidly, she’d assumed Sarah’s parents would take care of their child. Then, last night, Kately told her Sarah was skipping school because she didn’t have a costume for the march. She didn’t mind doing something, she just wished she’d had more notice. Next year, she’d just start out with the idea that Sarah needed a costume. With enough time, Kately and Sarah could even coordinate.
Her thoughts trailed off as a father approached with his children. The kids descended on the b
owl, while he nodded to the girls. “What are you?”
“A pirate princess,” Katelina muttered.
Sarah beamed and did a little spin. “I am a fairy.”
“You both look very pretty.” The guy corralled his children, forced them to say thank you, and headed off to hit the next house.
Patricia smiled to herself. At nine years old, there were only a few years of trick or treating left. Time goes too fast.
The scene disappeared. Katelina dropped back into the hospital room. It took her a moment to orient herself, to adjust to the warm, sweet feeling. Her mother’s feeling. Was that what she was dreaming about?
“No.” Verchiel leaned close again. “She was dreaming about a picnic a moment ago, though it’s turned into a trip on an airplane.” Katelina felt his scrutiny, though she refused to look at him. “You were in her memories, in one she’s probably forgotten about. You shouldn’t do that.”
“That’s what I hear.”
They stared at one another in silence, until Des asked, “Are we done here?”
Katelina wanted to go look for Sarah, but… “If she dies while we’re gone, I’d never forgive myself.” Her eyes stung with tears. “If she dies alone…”
“She’s not alone.” Verchiel laid a hand on her shoulder. “If she dies in her sleep, alone or with company, she won’t know the difference. But if you want to stay, stay. No one’s making you leave.”
Katelina wiped savagely at her eyes. “Thank you, but there’s not much point. I honestly don’t think she’s going to wake up. It’s pointless for all three of us to sit here when we could be finding Sarah and Estrilda.”
“Right.” Des stepped closer. “That’s supposed to be our top priority.”
“It’s not mine,” Verchiel said sharply. There was a warning in his tone not to pressure her. She appreciated it, but he didn’t need to worry. She wasn’t willing to go because of Des. It was because she couldn’t stand to look at her mother like this, to face what Jorick called inevitable.
“It’s okay. But before we go…” She trailed off to look toward the bed and the neighbor she knew was listening. God, how could she say she wanted give her mother a little blood? Sure, it would create a weird tie with whoever the vampire was, but if it was her…didn’t her mother already have a tie with her? Could it really complicate anything? And it might mean the difference between her recovering and not. If only she could get it to her without anyone seeing.
Goddess of Night (Amaranthine Book 9) Page 9