He shrugged again and stepped back. With a flick of his wrist, the remaining men dropped to the ground, unconscious.
Katelina looked from the fallen bodies, to Samael’s impassive face. Smoothed by thousands of years, he looked like living porcelain, with eyes that held a thousand sunbursts.
His voice came in her head, urgent and impatient, “Where is she?”
Katelina knew he meant Lilith. “I don’t know.” She forced herself farther out of the fog. “We think Sarah escaped.” Her words grew stronger, braver. She straightened her spine and looked to the soldiers. “You didn’t need to kill them.”
“And I did not need to spare them. Now, where is she? Speak, child, or I will take the memories from you.”
“I told you, I don’t know. If Sarah escaped, we think Lilith might be waiting to recapture her, or else...” Or else she already got her and took off.
Samael motioned her to silence, closed his eyes, and raised his chin a notch, as if listening. Katelina could feel his senses reaching over the grounds, spreading like an invisible net to cover miles.
Finally, he lowered his head and opened his eyes. “I do not sense your friend.”
Katelina’s heart sank. “Could Lilith shield both herself and Sarah?”
“She could. However, it is doubtful that she is. When she shields herself and others it creates a blank space, a spot in the universe where there is nothing, a black hole of perception. From a distance it may be overlooked. Close by it stands out. I cannot find such a thing here.”
“What about Estrilda?”
She felt Samael in her mind, pulling up the identity of the unfamiliar name. When he found it, he said, “I do not sense her, either.”
And that was that. Sarah and Estrilda weren’t there. It meant Lilith had recaptured her prisoner and moved on. They were back to the beginning.
“The beginning is much farther away than you comprehend. You have not stepped back, only not gone forward. “
He looked over her shoulder to the row of lobby doors. Katelina was aware of someone banging into them from inside, as though they were locked.
“Your lover grows concerned. Tell him I will see him when it is necessary.”
Samael turned, his coat flaring out around him, then he was gone, as though he’d been completely absorbed by the night.
The doors burst open. Jorick, Jamie, and Verchiel rushed out. Both Jamie and the redhead held their swords. Jorick’s hands were fists. Behind them were Micah and Loren, who dropped into fighting stances, heads swinging in all directions.
“Where the fuck is he?” Micah roared.
With no fight, Jorick rushed to Katelina and caught her by the waist. “We heard guns…” he broke off when he saw the heap of soldiers.
“They fired at Samael,” she whispered. “He stopped the bullets in mid-air and ripped the guns right from their hands. Oh my God. He was like…”
“A monster?” Jamie suggested as he sheathed his sword. “That’s because he is. Ancients are something unfathomable. Samael and Lilith even more so. How you expect to fight them is beyond me.”
Katelina’s shoulders sagged. Though she wanted to make Lilith pay for Sarah, Estrilda, and the children in Canada, Jamie was right. How could they hope to do anything against her?
“The Guild can deal with them,” Jorick said firmly.
She hesitated to agree, but Micah didn’t. “Damn right. It’s not our goddamn problem.”
“Where’s Samael?” Loren slowly relaxed. “What did he want?”
“He was looking for Lilith,” Katelina said. “He left. He said Sarah isn’t here.”
“How the hell would he know?” Micah demanded.
“He knows.” She met Jorick’s eyes, seeking serenity in their dark depths.
Ark appeared in the lobby door. Jamie motioned to the heap of soldiers. “We’ll have to deal with this. So much for leaving. Verchiel, see if the coven has evacuated yet. Jorick, thank you for your help. If you hear anything…?”
“Of course, and if you come across anything…?”
Jamie nodded. “Good luck. For what it’s worth, I hope you find Sarah and…” He glanced at Ark. “And the Kugsankal deal with Lilith and Samael. Only, I doubt they will.”
He gave a half wave then stalked back to the building, no doubt to handle anyone who’d heard the gunshots.
Micah tugged out a cigarette. “I guess if your friend ain’t here there’s no reason for us to hang around, right? Pipsqueak, go get Oren and Torina.”
Loren rolled his eyes, but started for the school when Jorick called, “I suppose you should get the others as well. Sorino and Brandle are in the library.”
“And Des?” Loren asked.
Jorick nodded and the teen disappeared. Micah took an angry puff on his cigarette. “Tell me again why that piece of shit is here?”
Katelina pulled her attention away from the twisted corpses. “Why do you hate Des? He accused Jorick of being a traitor, not you.”
“Sure. If you wanna overlook the fact he called me a liar. I told him who the traitor was, remember? Jackass should have known me better.”
Jorick made a low noise and squeezed Katelina to him. “Do you want to return to the hospital?”
“No. There’s a curfew. They’d throw us out. Besides, the nurse has Verchiel’s number. If Mom wakes up she’ll call him.”
“Only I’m not coming with you, yet.” Verchiel sheathed his sword.
“Then you can call Sorino and he can pass it on,” she said impatiently.
Verchiel gave her a mock salute. “As long as it doesn’t interfere with my evacuation duties.”
“Why is evacuating that coven so important?” she asked. “I didn’t know The Guild cared.”
Verchiel shoved his hands in his pockets. “With all the lockdowns and swarming agencies, they’re worried about a vampire being taken into custody. Besides, this group is older than us. The Guild gives ancient vampires special treatment.”
Micah crossed his arms. “Pity we can’t recruit them to take Lilith out.”
Oren and Torina exited the building. The vampiress picked her way over the fallen bodies, a frown on her face. “Did they give you trouble?”
“Samael,” Jorick said, as if the one word explained everything.
Loren returned a moment later, Des, Sorino, Kai, and Brandle with him.
“I’ve phoned my pilots,” Sorino said. “They’ll meet us at the nearest open airport, which is not that near. Apparently, everything is closed because of terrorists.”
“That’s fine,” Jorick said. “We’re going to Oren’s den for the day.”
“And leaving tomorrow?” Sorino asked.
Jorick hesitated. “We’ll decide later.”
With Jorick in the van, the checkpoints were a breeze. Thirty minutes later, they pulled into the driveway of a two story farm house. Lights from another town twinkled in the distance. Katelina guessed it couldn’t be more than four miles away.
“It’s a nice location,” Brandle said as he climbed out.
“Yes,” Sorino said sarcastically. “And very…homely.”
Despite Sorino’s disparaging tone, it was an upgrade from the usual abandoned house. Painted a light tan with maroon trim, all the house’s windows were intact. A front porch was in good repair, with a painted porch swing. In the back yard, a barn and a garage hulked. Beyond were trees and the beginning of a budding field.
“You’re farming again?” Jorick called jovially as Oren climbed out of his large blue car.
“No. The fields belong to the neighbors. My plantation days are long behind me.”
Katelina pictured Oren as a plantation owner, dressed in Civil War clothes. The image looked like the cover to a romance novel. She shook it away quickly.
The front door opened before they reached the house. Katelina saw Etsuko framed in it, a dark silhouette against the light. Short and slender, with her hair piled on her head. From her shape, Katelina guessed she was stil
l wearing her traditional kimonos.
Etsuko bowed and stepped out onto the porch. “Welcome home, Oren-sama.”
Torina imitated her with a talking hand, while Oren said, “Hello. We have guests.”
Etsuko greeted each of them as they came through the door. Katelina returned the well-wishes, then moved further into the living room. Carpeted in beige, half of the room was filled with a couch, chair, coat tree, and television. The other half had a staircase in honey colored wood. Doorways led to a tiled kitchen and a hallway.
When everyone was introduced, Etsuko bowed again. “There is some time until sunrise. If you would like to visit I will bring chairs.”
“No, I’m fine,” Des muttered.
“As am I, madam.” Brandle gave her a gallant smile.
“I’m not,” Micah said.
“Get your own,” Oren bit back. “Etsuko isn’t your slave, any more than she’s Torina’s.”
His sister tossed her hair and marched from the room with a huff. Etsuko let her go without comment, then made her own exit.
Micah grumbled, but stomped off. Katelina started to perch on the arm of the couch when a familiar woman pounded down the stairs. Shorter than Katelina, and a couple years younger, she had red hair that ended at her shoulders, and surprised green eyes. Skinny jeans and large-heeled boots emphasized her thin frame. A t-shirt bore a slogan in French. A knot of necklaces at her throat made Katelina think of the 80s.
“You didn’t die!” Xandria cried excitedly.
Micah came back, hauling a folding chair. “Is that any way to greet your master? You got a few things to learn there, girlie.”
Katelina bristled. “I’m not her master.”
Jorick coughed lightly and Micah chortled. “Hate to hurt ya’, princess, but I’m pretty sure that’s what the court ruled. Ain’t that what the mark on her forearm means?”
What was left of the bite could barely be called a mark, though it was enough to count for the Sodalitas. “You know damn well I only did it so she wouldn’t be an unmarked human and get in trouble.”
“Don’t matter why you did it. You did it, and she’s yours, unless you’re plannin’ to give her away. Loren might take you up on it.”
The teen flushed and shoved his hand in his pocket. “It’s a lot of responsibility.”
“Maybe we should ask her what she wants to do?” Katelina snapped.
Xandria shrugged. “I don’t know. Whatever. I know how it works with vampires.”
Katelina remembered Xandria’s outlook on her future:
“You look at the trail of death and think, ‘that won’t be me’, but eventually it will. It’s like playing with fire. One day you’ll get burned.”
Katelina forced determination into her words. “It works however you want it to. I’m not going to tell you what to do. You can go wherever you want.”
Xandria laughed. “That’s pretty liberal. I think your boyfriend disagrees.”
Jorick gave an unsettled nod. “If she gets picked up, or into trouble, you’re responsible. It’s on the books that you’re her master. Given her past…”
He didn’t say it, but Katelina knew he meant the vampire slayers Xandria had once been involved with.
“I doubt she’s going to do anything to get in trouble.”
“I’m not planning on it. Unless you ask nicely.” Xandria shot Loren a wink that turned him pink.
“Well she’s here now. Call that good enough and get on with it, huh?” Micah unfolded the chair, and made a show of placing it. “There, I got my own.”
Oren coughed and excused himself. As soon as he was out of earshot Des whispered, “Etsuko? She’s not…”
“Oren’s new wife?” Micah asked as he stuck an unlit cigarette between his lips. “Kind of. They ain’t tied the knot yet, but that’s where it’s leaning.”
“I see. She’s…nice.”
“You mean not a bitch like his last wife?” Katelina asked.
Des choked. “Yeah, something like that.”
“The more people talk about his ex, the more I wish I’d met her before the Executioners killed her,” Micah said.
“No.” Des shook his head. “You don’t. She was…strong willed to say the least.”
“Bossy,” Jorick responded. “She was in control of all things, at all times. It’s interesting to see Oren given the reins.”
“As much as any man is ever given control, you mean.” Xandria snatched Micah’s cigarette.
“Hey! What the hell?”
She laughed and headed out the door, the bald vampire on her heels.
“No smoking in the house,” Loren explained as the door shut.
Etsuko returned with chairs and insisted everyone sit. She offered them blood from the refrigerator that they all declined, then she summoned Kai to the kitchen for food. “Would you like baths?” she asked. “I can ready them.”
Sorino smiled, like a man who was finally getting the treatment he thought he deserved. “Yes, thank you.”
“I’ll send for you when it’s ready.” She bobbed her way out the door.
“Different,” Des murmured. “Very different.”
Near sundown, Oren suggested that Kai could sleep with Xandria. “She has one of the upstairs bedrooms.”
Sorino gave a cold smile. “The couch will suffice. I’m sure there will be no unfortunate incidents on either side. We’ve spent enough time together to earn that measure of trust, or at least come to an understanding.”
In other words, Kai wasn’t going to kill them while they slept, so long as no one tried to drink from him.
With the humans settled, Oren led the vampires to the basement. Finished with brick walls and a cement floor, it had a neat row of coffins.
He offered the guests first choice of boxes, but Katelina quickly declined. “Jorick and I will be fine on the floor.”
“Me, too,” Des muttered.
Torina laid her hand possessively on a silver casket with ornate handles. “Good. I’ll keep mine.”
“You can keep mine as well,” Brandle said gallantly. “I’m not so old yet that I can’t get up from the floor.”
Given his age, his lack of traditional ideas surprised Katelina.
He chuckled. “The coffin and the vampire are a newer connection. I can assure you, in my day, we only took to a box if we needed to assure safety from sunlight. Later vampires snatched up the mantle and ran with it. I suppose it matched the gloomy outlook Christianity gives blood drinking and immortality.”
“How old are you?” Torina opened her casket with a movie-worthy creak.
“More than fifteen hundred but, as they say, age is merely a number.”
“Yes,” Torina purred, her eyes fixed on the attractive blond. “You’re only as old as you feel.”
“And I imagine you know how to make a man feel young?” he teased.
“Hey, enough of that shit,” Micah cut in. “Jesus.”
“Like you would do any less?” Brandle asked. “Or is it jealousy I hear?”
Micah sputtered and Brandle laughed. “I meant no offense. The lady is worth being jealous of.”
Torina giggled. Not her usual fake sound, made to entice a man, but a real, actual giggle. Katelina couldn’t believe that someone as polished as Torina could be disarmed by a compliment.
Sorino interrupted to demand a box. Oren surrendered his. When Etsuko returned with the blankets, she insisted she be the one to sacrifice.
“I will be fine on the floor, Oren-sama. As the master of the house, you should not be.”
Oren coughed uncomfortably. “Yes, but…if you insist.”
He self-consciously climbed inside the casket. Etsuko said something in Japanese before she shut the lid and took her place on the floor. Though Katelina didn’t understand the language she perceived the meaning, the affection.
The words were followed by a flush of warmth that made Katelina smile, even though she knew the feelings weren’t hers or Etsuko’s.
; But whose are they?
There was only one possible answer.
Oren.
Katelina woke the next evening. Without waiting for the others, she headed up to take a shower. The whole house smelled like Xandria; like roast beef and gravy. The living room was worse. On the couch, Kai reminded her of a turkey leg from an old Bugs Bunny cartoon. Katelina forced herself to grab her suitcase and run for the bathroom.
By the time she reached the door, she’d tuned out the smell of the humans and their delicious blood. With a mental pat on the back, she reached for the knob. A moan sounded and she jumped back. The soft noises that followed said it all. Torina had managed to bag Brandle. How predictable. All she had to do was point her cleavage and shake her hips, and every man in a twenty-mile radius turned into a moron.
Distracted, Katelina didn’t hear someone come up behind her. “Is there a line?”
She spun toward the new comer and came face to face with— “Torina?”
“In the flesh,” the vampiress drawled. “I’d like to take a shower sometime this year. Do I need to go to the other bathroom?”
Katelina blinked. “I thought you were already in there.”
Torina stepped around her as another moan came. Her eyes gleamed and she licked her lips delightedly. “Oh. I see. Shall we take a look?”
She jerked the door open and burst into silvery laughter. The occupants froze. Though Katelina looked away, the image was burned into her brain: Xandria was perched on the edge of the sink, her skirt pulled up around her hips, her legs wrapped around Loren’s waist. The boy’s fangs were buried in her shoulder, his hand splayed over her bare butt.
Loren made a horrified gurgling noise. Torina sniggered. “He’s not as innocent as we thought. Maybe I should have paid more attention to him?”
It was too early for Katelina to deal with this.
She hurried upstairs for the second bathroom. A quick shower later, she felt better. She exited to Kai and Sorino waiting in the hall outside. The turkey-scented teen gave her a nod of gratitude before he rushed in and shut the door.
Sorino straightened his suit jacket. “I hear you’ve had an interesting morning.”
Katelina scowled and blushed at the same time. The vampire chuckled. “I’m not surprised you’re embarrassed. For all of your airs, you’re rather puritanical.”
Goddess of Night (Amaranthine Book 9) Page 12