Amaranthine Special Edition Vol I

by Naylor, Joleene

  “Oh no! I won’t be a party to this!”

  “Settle yourself, Fabian,” Jorick drawled. “I don't want Kateesha's followers.”

  Anya snickered. “No, you'd much rather hide and mourn. Or are you over that now that you have a new plaything?”

  Katelina glared at the woman again. Jorick, on the other hand, pretended not to hear her. “Who among us has the right to have thirty-five, or more, under their command? For a coven – even a war coven – those numbers are large.”

  “I would choose you, of course, but that failing I’d suggest that Jeda is the next in line.”

  “And why is she not called to council?” Jorick asked.

  Anya snorted. “She doesn’t have the brains for strategy, despite her years. She's as bad as Torina!”

  Fabian shook his head with dissatisfaction. “So you’d give Jeda thirty-five followers? That's nearly as bad as Kateesha, Oren. And don’t forget that mate of hers.”

  “He isn’t here,” Oren explained. “Besides, you misunderstand. I’d let her claim the right and then disperse them. A coven leader may break his own coven.” He smiled smugly and his amber eyes danced with self appreciation in the flickering light.

  “And if she doesn't break the coven?” Jorick asked, unconvinced. “This is perilous.”

  “She will.” Despite the objections, he still looked pleased with himself. “What would she do with them? She has her own coven with what’s-his-name, down south somewhere. If they weren’t bored with one another, she wouldn’t even have come.”

  “Yeah, she’s bored with him.” Fabian snorted. “Or so she says. What’s to stop her from keeping them and giving them to him? Or how do we know they’re not fighting? What if she marches down there and starts a war with him?”

  Oren waved him to silence. “That isn’t really our problem. But, as Anya pointed out, Jeda is pointless when it comes to strategy. Her blood claims the right to lead this coven over me, but you notice she wasn’t interested in it.”

  “I don’t blame her,” Jorick commented wryly. “But for the sake of continuing let’s assume Jeda will claim the coven and disperse them.”

  Oren nodded enthusiastically, and rushed on, “The main problem isn’t who takes over, but getting in, and out, without being destroyed.”

  “Yes, and that's quite a problem.”

  They fell to discussing strategy, and Katelina's mind wandered away. At least the bickering had been engaging but, other than a few veiled insults and a couple of threats, their talk turned serious; serious and boring. She occupied herself by studying the portrait of Jesslynn and the children. The sight of Alexander; his dark too adult eyes set in a tiny pale face, tugged at something inside of her. She’d only known him a short time, but he was just a child. She didn’t understand how the Executioners could kill a child.

  But of course they could. She’d seen the pictures of Shelay, who they’d killed just for seeing too much; like some kind of drug running mafia. And, though it was hard to wrap her mind around, she didn’t doubt they’d been the ones to do it. They were cruel and terrible, and no doubt had taken great pleasure in their work. The idea was enough to make her shudder.

  The meeting dragged on for what felt like hours, but when it was over, they agreed on an uneasy truce. The plan they’d come up with seemed pretty pathetic to Katelina. The gist of it seemed to rely on taking the enemy by surprise, and herding them back into a tunnel where only a few could fight at a time. They finally agreed that Jeda had the right to drink from Kateesha's heart and lay claim to the coven, but only Oren seemed really satisfied with that solution.

  Fabian left first, followed by Anya. When they were gone, Jorick turned to Oren and commented, “That went better than I expected.”

  “Yes.” Oren ran an absent hand through his long hair. “Though I wish you'd claimed leadership.”

  “You're doing fine, Oren. Besides, only half of them would follow me and you know it.” Jorick glanced at Katelina. “Don't look so gloomy, a lot was accomplished tonight.”

  “Right,” she nodded vaguely and her empty stomach rumbled.

  Jorick snickered, then grinned at Oren. “I’m afraid you must excuse me. I need to feed my human.”

  Katelina’s eyes bulged and her mouth opened in outrage. “I'm not anyone's human.”

  “Really?” Her dark lover arched a questioning eyebrow. “Perhaps I'll remember that.”

  “Oh stop it!” She smacked him on the shoulder. Oren showed surprise at her actions but made no comment.

  “We can discuss this another time.” Jorick’s fangs glittered as he laughed. “For now, come along, little one.” Then, he captured her hand and led her out of the room, leaving the blonde vampire alone in his study.

  **********

  Chapter Thirteen

  Katelina quickly discovered several inconveniences to staying with minimalist vampires. Not only was there no electricity, but no running water, so the cobwebbed bathroom was useless. She was on her third trip to the bushes that night, and just fastening her jeans, when Loren appeared at her elbow like a shadow.

  “So, he brought you,” the young vampire said softly.

  Katelina jumped in surprise and stared at him. His dark hair curled around his somber face and the moonlight made his eyes glitter. “You scared me,” she said flatly and pulled her coat closed.

  “Sorry.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “He brought you?” he repeated.

  “Yeah, so it seems.” She didn’t know what else to say.

  Loren studied her, his head tilted appraisingly. “Why?”

  “I don't know. Why don't you ask him?”

  “I doubt he's speaking to me.” A smile flickered across Loren’s lips and disappeared. “I think he's pretty pissed at me right now.”

  It was her turn to ask questions. “Why?”

  He blinked at her, as though she’d gone insane. “Besides blaming me for not coming to pick you up that night?”

  “Oh. That.” Again, she was at a loss for words. “I didn’t know you knew about it, yet.”

  “Yeah, word travels. I guess Jorick told Oren, and he told some other people because it means those two guys won’t be coming back, after all.” He broke off and switched topics. “I would have come myself. I mean, I was going to. But, The Guild was getting ready to hit Kateesha and Kariss was afraid we’d miss it if she had to wait on me, and she didn’t want me to show up out here all alone because she thought they might mistake me for one of Kateesha’s or something. I swear, I didn’t know about those guys working for the crazy bitch. I mean, yeah, I was mad at you guys, but not that mad. It’s not like I’d help Kateesha kill you or anything just to get back at Jorick.” He looked at her, pleading for understanding. “Really. I didn’t know, and I don’t think Kariss did either. In fact, I think it was their idea, anyway. She said we were in a hurry and then I told her I had to go get you and she got all kind of exasperated… yeah, and then the red headed guy was all like, ‘hey, we can get her for you’. And I thought they were friends of Kariss and Oren, so it would be okay and-”

  “It’s all right,” Katelina interrupted. “I never thought you did it on purpose. I don’t think Jorick does either.”

  Loren heaved a sigh of relief. “I’m glad. I just didn’t want him thinking I was all like that, you know?”

  She nodded. “So, what else is he pissed about?”

  “Oh. Well, I said a few things,” he answered vaguely and spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. “I’m sure he’s heard them all by now.”

  She glanced down at her feet, ankle deep in the snow, and wished Jorick would come outside to see what was taking her so long. Unfortunately, he had a general distaste for human body functions, so she doubted he would. She took a deep breath and looked back to the teenage vampire. “Yeah, I gathered from what’s-his-name’s remarks, about Jorick being whipped, that you’d been telling everyone a bunch of shit.”

  “Micah?” Loren asked and she nodded. “Yeah, well.” H
e sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets. “I was pissed at the time, you know? Jorick was acting like a coward-”

  “No,” Katelina interrupted. “Jorick was acting like it wasn’t his problem – which it isn't.”

  “And how do you know?” his tone was sharp. “Or did that linking thing give you all of his knowledge too?”

  “No.” She was already sick of listening to comments about the stupid linking. “But I know this war isn’t his problem.”

  “Really? A lot of people feel differently. Seems old Jorick left a lot of unfinished business when he went into hiding after Velnya.” He shook his head and his ebony curls bounced with the motion.

  “So?” Katelina tried to ignore the ache that spread through her chest at the sound of that name.

  “So, he was supposed to have already killed Kateesha - only he didn't. Instead he went home and look at it now.” Loren jerked his hands from his pockets and spread them to indicate the mess they were in. “If he'd done what he was supposed to do…”

  “Were you even alive then?” She'd snapped the question before she was even aware of thinking it.

  “No.” Loren’s hands dropped to his side and his eyes bored into her. “And neither were you.”

  “Which is why I'm not blaming him.” She wiggled her cold toes in her shoes and decided she’d had enough of this conversation. “I'm freezing. Maybe you haven't noticed, but it's got to be thirty below.”

  “Look, all I'm saying is watch your back, huh? Jorick's managed to piss off half of these guys in the past, and the other half are pissed now because he's got a human here and because they all know he killed those other two guys who were fighting with them. Though, if they were really on Kateesha’s side it doesn’t matter.” He broke off and looked thoughtful. “I know you guys were attacked by those two, but no one’s really said what happened…” he trailed off and waited for her to fill in the details.

  “It was a lot of fun,” she replied with cold sarcasm. “Now I'm going inside.” She turned from him and marched deliberately towards the door.

  “Fine, whatever,” Loren called after her. “But remember what I said.”

  Her only answer was to slam the screen door.

  Inside the gloomy house, she found Jorick waiting in the kitchen. He was mid-conversation with the raven-haired female, but he dropped off abruptly and smiled at her. “There you are. I was starting to wonder if you got lost.”

  “No.” Katelina scowled, but decided not to mention Loren until they were alone.

  Jorick nodded to his companion. “This is Jeda, by the way.” He motioned from one to the other appropriately. “Jeda, Katelina.”

  Jeda’s dark hair was pulled back in an intricate roll and she wore a long, filmy dress of a blue so pale it looked almost white. Her eyes were large and dark, framed in thick lashes, and her lips were thin and almost colorless; she looked like a queen of winter.

  The vampiress surveyed Katelina in turn, as if critiquing a painting. “Pleasure I'm sure,” she said unenthusiastically and turned back to Jorick. “An interesting choice.”

  Katelina bristled, but remained silent at a glance from Jorick. He ignored her statement and went back to their previous conversation. “Think on it, Jeda.” He held her eyes for a moment, then looked back to Katelina and his voice brightened, “Now, if you'll excuse me?”

  “Of course.” Jeda studied him, then caught his arm with a slender, pale hand. “Jorick, be careful.”

  “Always,” he answered.

  Jeda released him and stepped back, her hands hidden primly in the folds of her long skirt.

  Jorick took Katelina's hand and drew her after him. He led her through the house and up the stairs to the second story, where they found a long deserted hallway lined in doors. Deep shadows hid most of it, but silver moonlight splashed through the windows on the landing and highlighted cobwebs and various bits of debris that lay on the naked floorboards.

  They came to a stop near the first gaping doorway and Jorick lifted her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips across it. “So, what did Loren have to say?”

  She looked at him in surprise. “Oh, you weren't listening in, only watching?”

  “Of course I was watching.” He shrugged and released her hand slowly, meeting her eyes. “I'm not a fool, Katelina.”

  “No, I suppose not,” the words were like a sigh. “He said you'd pissed off everyone here and that I should watch out. Oh, and that you're mad at him.”

  Jorick mused silently before he replied. “I wouldn't use the word mad. Disappointed maybe, but not mad. What else?”

  “He said this was all your fault,” she faltered uncertainly. What was the point in bringing it up? He’d only brush it aside or say it was unimportant. But he pressed.

  “Oh, did he?”

  “Yeah,” she responded reluctantly. “According to him you were supposed to kill Kateesha a long time ago and didn't.” She stopped short of mentioning Velnya. He probably knew what she meant, anyway.

  “I see. So they're still saying that, are they?” He shook his head in disbelief. “No, it wasn't mine to do. Malick gave her a reprieve and I was overdue as it was.” Sorrow passed across his face like a ghost, then disappeared as quickly as it had come, though his sadness continued to resonate in Katelina’s mind. “Malick accepted her apologies. He was always soft with her. He turned her, it should be his job to destroy her, but he always finds a way out of it. Kateesha is his favorite after all. Just as blood thirsty and power hungry as he is. His protégé.”

  “Then who wanted her dead?” Katelina’s eyes skipped past him to the glowing orb of the moon outside the dirty window. This was just another surreal, moonlit moment, like so many she’d had lately.

  “She broke The Laws,” Jorick's voice was calm. “Back then she was an Executioner too and, though they’re given a lot of leeway in distributing punishment, she and another Executioner went overboard. They wiped out an entire coven without cause. The Guild said they had to be destroyed, but she ran back to Malick, showering him with tears and excuses and pleas for forgiveness, and he heeded them. The Guild still wanted her destroyed, but my obligation was never to them. Malick promised that if I left Kateesha alone, and instead hunted down her partner, my Blood Debt would be paid. So, I killed her partner and went home.”

  Katelina had a lot of questions, but started with the one she thought he’d answer. “What is this ‘Blood Debt’?”

  “A blood debt is the debt one owes to their master as payment for being turned. Only the master chooses when it has been paid. One vampire's blood debt may be finished in a year, while others have it dangled over their heads for centuries.” There was bitterness in his voice, and she suspected he had been one of the latter.

  Her familiar reply slipped from her lips, “Oh.” She paused thoughtfully. “Well, I don't see how it's your fault.”

  “It's not,” he agreed. “But others would place blame where there is none. Someone must be responsible, and no one will blame the one whose fault it is-” Jorick's eyes hardened. “– Malick. He'll stay where he is, protected by his old blood and his power and no one will point a finger.”

  “I thought The Guild just got done attacking her? When Oren attacked, too, and it all ended badly?”

  “Yes, they did. She kidnapped that human and The Guild had to do something about it, but I doubt she's marked for death because of it.” Annoyance flickered in his eyes. “Oren's war is also with The Guild and, whereas I'd like to see Malick suffer, I fight only Kateesha, and only because she provoked it.”

  “Why?” she asked softly, recalling Loren’s accusations. Jorick wasn’t a coward, but Loren was right that he stubbornly refused to fight.

  He sighed heavily. “Katelina, I’ve seen more death than you can imagine. I’ve fought war after war since before I became this,” he held out his arms. “Haven’t I earned some time for quiet? Why can I not be allowed the same peace that everyone else enjoys? Don’t I deserve it?”

  �
��I didn't mean anything,” she said quickly, and looked away guiltily. “I just wondered.”

  He took her hands in his and folded them up in his warm fingers. “I know,” he said softly, and waited until she looked at him again. “Did Loren say anything else?”

  “What?” She asked, startled. She’d almost forgotten the reason they'd started the conversation. “Oh. No, just that I should be careful.”

  “He'd do well to take his own advice.”

  She nodded absently. “So, what were you and Jeda talking about?”

  He started to dismiss her question, then thought better of it. “We were discussing the plan. And her mate.”

  She refrained from calling it the stupid plan and asked instead, “What about it?”

  Jorick seemed reluctant. “About her role in it, and why she’s here in the first place.” His smile was forced. “Let’s discuss it later.”

  Katelina wanted to argue, but she remembered his warning. Though they might not be able to read Jorick’s mind, they could read hers, and anything he told her would be the same as telling them. Though, just because she understood it, didn't mean she had to like it. “What are you planning on doing with me during the fight?”

  His amusement washed over her. “And what should I do with you?”

  “I don't know.” Her eyes dropped involuntarily to his chest. “I don't want to stay here alone, and I don't want to go either.”

  He sighed. “If I leave you here, there’ll be no one to protect you. If I take you, you'll be in danger still.” His frustration prickled around them in the cold air.

  “I'm sorry, for being such a burden,” she whispered without looking up.

  He lifted her chin and forced her to gaze into his pale face. “You're many things,” he murmured, his voice thick. “But you're never a burden.”

  Despite the cold, she flushed as his warm eyes looked into hers and whispered of things they could be doing. “I just feel like I am. Loren said you pissed off everyone by bringing me. They all make snide remarks about how plain I am or how you've lost your mind or-”