Chapter 148
Before Katelina could reply to Torina's snide comment, Jorick dragged her into the next room. "Stay quiet, and try not to think about anything."
The lights in the living room illuminated a matching sofa and chairs, beige carpet, fussy pictures of cats and fruit, and eleven vampires. Oren stood behind the sofa, his face unreadable. Fabian, Oren's dark haired brother-in-law, stood next to a pale, willowy blonde woman Katelina vaguely remembered as Luna. She was an ex-member of Kateesha's coven who'd joined Oren after the last battle.
Katelina scanned the other eight, searching for the cold eyes she'd seen in the trees. They weren't there. Maybe Jorick was right and she had imagined it?
Of Traven's coven, the only one she recognized was Jeda. Her skin was smooth like marble and her large, dark eyes were fringed in heavy lashes. Her black hair was pulled back in an intricate roll. Tendrils dripped from it strategically and fell around her graceful neck. She sat on the couch, her spine straight. The folds of her dress fell around her feet so that she looked like a fairy queen from an illustrated children's book.
The man next to her was equally beautiful, the prince to match his princess. He looked to be in his early thirties, with shimmering chestnut hair that skimmed his shoulders. Like Jeda, he'd made no effort to dress in modern fashion. Instead, he wore a dark blue brocade vest over an old fashioned white shirt. His hands rested elegantly on his lap and his deep gray eyes studied the new arrivals.
Observations complete, he stood and bowed with a flourish. He straightened, his smile too bright to be genuine, and said something in French that Katelina couldn't understand.
Micah, Torina and Loren slid through the door and moved to inconspicuous locations. Jorick nodded politely and greeted the other vampire, though there was no warmth in his voice. "Hello, Traven. What a surprise."
"Quite." The suave brunette's gaze moved to Katelina. "And this must be the human I have heard so much about." His eyes revealed his distaste, but he smoothly caught her hand and lifted it to his lips. "Bonjour." His eyes held hers a moment longer than necessary, probing their blue depths. Her cheeks flushed and she wasn't sure how to feel about him. As disappointment flickered over his face, she guessed that he'd been trying to read her thoughts and, though he'd apparently found nothing useful, she instantly disliked him.
He released her hand and turned to Jorick again. "I believe you all know one another?" He indicated the assembled vampires.
There were murmurs of acknowledgement from all around, then Jorick asked disinterestedly, "What brings you so far north, Traven? Last I heard you'd forsaken places that had winter."
"Ah, yes, but perhaps I decided it was time to see the snow again." He flashed a debonair smile. "Or perhaps I intercepted a most intriguing visitor." He snapped his fingers and a slender male turned and hurried out the door as if commanded.
"A visitor?" Jorick and Oren's eyes met briefly, both surprised.
The slender vampire reappeared, followed by a dark skinned male and a short Hispanic. His hands twisted nervously and his brown eyes darted around, just visible under his long, messy bangs. The slender vampire stepped away, but the other two stopped in the center of the room, the dark skinned male next to his charge or, more likely, prisoner.
Traven smiled like a cat at Jorick and Oren, who both looked confused. "May I introduce my Mexican friend, Jorge."
"No Mexicano," Jorge muttered in thickly accented Spanish. "Guatemalan."
Traven ignored his comment. "It was most interesting how we met. Perhaps you'd like to hear the tale, Jorick - or are you in a hurry to be on your way?"
"I'm sure I have the time." Though Jorick's face was unreadable, Katelina knew he was all curiosity inside.
"Very well." He smoothly resumed his seat on the sofa. "Jorge and his friends appeared on my land roughly two weeks ago. It was no trouble to dispatch them for trespassing, but this one - " he cleared his throat " -he was a distinctly unique specimen with a most interesting story to tell. He insisted that he and his brothers were on their way north to join 'a dark queen in her war'. Needless to say, I found this fascinating, especially when Jorge finally recalled the name of his 'dark queen'." Something in his eyes said that Jorge's memory had been prodded in a none-too-gentle manner. "With Jorge's help, we rounded up the other Mexicans Kateesha had persuaded to join her. I have to admit, I found the lengths she went to a bit extreme. Did she really need so many new allies?" He stared into Jorick's eyes, his tone false friendliness. "Then my sweet Jeda returned with a tale of intrigue. Although she had gone to join Oren in a fight against The Guild, she said the coven turned instead to fight Kateesha. I must admit, I was amused to discover that the same vampires I'd so recently hunted were destined to owe allegiance to my dearest Jeda. How ironic that I'd already dispatched them before learning that they had any connection to her or her errand. I do wonder, Oren, why it was that Kateesha became a target when you had sworn revenge on The Guild?"
Oren's nostrils flared with irritation. "We thought she waged war against The Guild too."
"Did you? Or is it because she was after him?" He jabbed a long finger at Jorick. "Or rather after something he has! Where is it?"
Jorick didn't flinch under the attack. "Where is what?"
"You know very well! It disappeared at the same time you did! You can't fool me! I know you have it, or did you give it to her? Did Kateesha already have it? Is that the real reason you turned to fight her? To get it back?" He stood and took a menacing step forward, but suddenly recovered his manners and backed down. "Forgive me," he said breezily. "I allowed myself to be carried away by the moment." He offered Jorick an insincere smile.
Katelina moved closer to Jorick. What was it Traven thought he had? She surveyed the room and found that many of the onlookers had the same question in their eyes.
Traven seemed eager to change the topic. He turned to Oren. "Has Jorick come to join against The Guild?"
"No." Oren's jaw tightened. "He's just passing through."
Traven brought his hands together in feigned delight. "What exceptional timing he has! And I am so glad he has his pet with him. When Jeda told me the story of Kateesha's demise, I was shocked! Imagine such a scandalous thing!" His eyes shifted to Jorick. "Of course, all's well that ends well, as they say, yes?"
Jorick made a noise in his throat that was a cross between irritation and acknowledgment.
Traven continued, fake joy in his eyes. "You're sure you won't consider joining our fight. I believe with our friend Jorge it will be quite interesting."
Torina pushed herself from the wall and came to a stop in front of the nervous Hispanic. She gave him a cool once over. "What's so interesting about him?"
"It's his particular area of expertise. Our dear Jorge is an expert with all things flammable and explosive. He blew apart no less than five of my coven members before he was subdued, and he had enough gunpowder on his person to do considerably more damage."
"Won't that be a bit conspicuous?" Jorick asked.
"Yes. I intend for it to be." Traven's voice turned regretful. "Alas, I fear that discussing plans with one who refuses to join in the fight is unheard of. Especially when we know who his master is."
Jorick opened his mouth to answer when one of Traven's vampires hissed, "Someone's here!" The room went silent, and everyone visibly tensed. Katelina imagined the cold eyes she'd seen in the trees. As the seated vampires leapt to their feet, she drew towards Jorick. She didn't have time to say, "I told you so" before the picture windows exploded in a shower of glass.
Five black clad vampires landed inside, weapons raised and ready. The medallions around their necks winked under the electric lights. Twisted, silver medallions that Katelina recognized instantly.
Someone shouted the word that she was thinking; a word that filled her with cold dread. "Executioners!"
