Chapter 203
Alex said the house was being renovated. Katelina thought "previously abandoned" was a better phrase. Only the downstairs was furnished. The upstairs room she and Jorick were sent to had only three rickety chairs and a pile of mouse eaten boxes.
She watched through the dingy window as Oren borrowed a cell phone and moved from tree to tree in search of a signal. "Why doesn't he ever have his phone?"
"He leaves it with the coven while he's away," Jorick answered. "Telephones are harder to get than you think. They want credit ratings, or some such thing."
He was right, so she changed topics. "Are we staying to help Kale?" An ominous silence followed. "It's almost Christmas! You promised we were going somewhere tropical!"
"I did say after Christmas."
She rolled her eyes. "You can't keep your nose out of Oren's wars, can you?" Jorick didn't reply, and she leaned her forehead against the cold window. Below her, Oren stood under a tree, half invisible in the darkness. He waved his hand emphatically as he spoke. Apparently he'd reached someone.
She closed her eyes. "Do you really think Thomas did it?"
Jorick took a moment to answer. "If so, he's waited a long time to get revenge. The action fits him, allowing the humans to do the dirty work and torture Kale. But there's been no gloating, which seems unlike him."
"You're willing to kill him anyway? What happened to all that 'vampires' lives have meaning' crap?"
"I never said they had meaning. Thomas encouraged Alistair to murder you. He deserves death for that alone. It's only delayed justice. Not to mention, I owe Oren a favor. That was the only way I could get him to accompany me to the Citadel when that redheaded idiot took you!"
"I know, but-" she stopped abruptly. If Oren cashes his favor in now, that means-
"Yes," Jorick agreed to her thoughts. "If I help him with Kale and Thomas, the favor is paid and he can't use it for his attack on the Citadel."
It was small comfort, but it was something. "Fine. I guess."
A soft smile played on Jorick's lips. "I'm glad to have your permission."
"You should be." As if he sensed her scrutiny, Oren's face turned towards the house. "Maybe he'll get killed fighting Thomas, then he won't need to attack Malick to commit suicide."
Jorick raised his eyebrows at her cold tone. "Or perhaps his new recruits will talk some sense into him."
"I doubt it. If he won't listen to you, why would he listen to them?"
Alex suddenly appeared at the door. "It will be morning soon. We're trying to sort out the sleeping arrangements. We didn't have a big enough vehicle to haul coffins from the underground war den and we didn't want to draw attention by stealing them locally." He cleared his throat. "Yaul and I built boxes from the scrap lumber we found. They're not much, but we've covered the basement windows, and it seems to work."
Katelina stifled a groan and Jorick responded politely, "I'm sure they're fine."
"The problem is we only have six. Rachel and Kale have volunteered to share, but that only leaves one free for three of you."
"Katelina and I will share."
She wanted to shout, "No, no, no!" but it was pointless. Being stuffed in a box with Jorick was better than sleeping alone in a house of unknown vampires.
Alex shrugged. "That still leaves Oren."
"There are two boxes in the van," Katelina suggested.
"Why didn't you say you'd brought your own!"
Jorick shrugged. "They're bolted to the floor."
Alex checked his watch. "We might have time to get one of them loose, if we hurry. Come on."
Jorick and Alex left and Katelina watched through the window as they worked. The sky to the east was starting to brighten when they carried the box inside and slammed the door.
She met Jorick downstairs in the dining room. He caught her hand and they followed their hosts to the cellar where six wooden boxes were arranged around a furnace and a pile of old lumber. A bare light bulb in the middle of the ceiling threw strange, harsh shadows. The contrast of dark and light lent a sinister air to the vampires who stood around.
Katelina felt a set of hostile eyes and looked to see Joseff glaring at her. Unlike most of the vampires she'd come across, who slept fully dressed, he wore only a pair of loose pants and socks. Scars on his chest and stomach matched the ragged one across his cheek. She looked away from him quickly and noticed that Alex and Yaul were dressed in sweatpants and t-shirts. Kale wore only a pair of loose pants and Rachel a long flannel nightgown. Vampires in pajamas. It made as much sense as anything else.
Since they'd only brought in one box from the van, they were two short. Kale and Rachel shared one box, and Jorick and Katelina took the other. Katelina made mental notes as Kale and Rachel climbed inside. When it was her turn, she tried to imitate Rachel's smooth movements, but failed. When Jorick tugged the lid shut, she was uncomfortably wedged half beside him and half on top of him.
Despite the discomfort, sleep found her quickly. She didn't care if it was because she was exhausted or because Jorick intervened. She only wished he would do something about the dreams.
***
It was the same nightmare she'd had over and over since Alistair bit her. It was the scene from Kateesha's war den, but it was through the wrong eyes: his eyes. She could see Kateesha in the throne room, her fangs bared, and then she watched herself attack the vampiress. She heard Alistair's scream and felt the heartbreak rip through her chest as he realized Kateesha was dead - then the scene changed. It was Jorick in Kateesha's place and hovering over him was-Thomas?
Katelina jerked awake to find Jorick soothing her. When she was calm, he pushed the lid aside so she could climb out.
Their first stop was the bathroom. Jorick stood sentinel while she had a fast shower and took care of her "disgusting human habits", as he teasingly called them. Dressed, she pulled on her hat and coat to follow Jorick outside to feed.
When they exited the bathroom, Saeed appeared like a massive shadow and announced, "Kale wishes to speak to you."
