Chapter 211
The next morning, Katelina woke to the usual scene. The idea that it was "usual" was disturbing, so she dismissed it in favor of a shower. When she finished, Jorick was back from feeding.
"Oren's on his way."
Katelina wasn't sure whether to be happy or horrified. The sooner Oren got there, the sooner they could have the stupid battle and she and Jorick could leave. By the same token, the sooner Oren got there, the sooner they'd have to go to the stupid battle. Not only would she have to drive, she'd have to endure Oren, and then there'd be another bloody fight.
Rachel and Kale seemed to materialize behind her. Kale asked, "Is Traven coming with him?"
"No." Jorick snorted contemptuously. "He claims he has too many new coven members and needs to integrate them before he can trust the coven to work together."
Kale squeezed Rachel's hand reassuringly. "How many new recruits does he have?"
"Four."
Katelina's eyebrows shot up. "Counting the two from Maine?"
Jorick nodded. "I told you he'd be recruiting."
Rachel dismissed the conversation with a wave. "It's a ten hour trip, right? That's plenty of time to get some painting done upstairs. You might want to change, Katelina, so you don't ruin your clothes. I'm sure I have some that will fit."
***
Armed with cans of paint, Rachel gathered a small army and headed upstairs. Katelina, wearing borrowed jeans and a bright salmon t-shirt, cast a pleading look to Jorick. He offered her a cheery wave and disappeared.
Alex and Yaul helped, or pretended to. They spent more time texting on their phones than working. The non-stop chime notifications made Katelina feel violent. It was apparently a shared feeling because when Rachel finally sent them on their way, even Saeed seemed glad to see them go.
While they worked, Kale drifted in and out, more show than help. Joseff managed to control his furious hatred of Katelina long enough to hold Rachel's ladder. It only lasted so long, and he eventually disappeared.
It was three-thirty a.m. when Rachel called a halt for the night. They'd gotten three rooms done, and that seemed like a good place to end. Katelina used the ugly t-shirt to wipe her face. She was glad she'd borrowed clothes because she was covered in paint. It was even in her hair.
So much for the shower I took this morning.
They headed downstairs to find Alex and Yaul in the dining room, bent over their laptop. Behind them were two new vampires. Micah, a bald vampire with a goatee and a tribal tattoo down one side of his face, and Loren, a sixteen year old with dark curly hair and large, innocent brown eyes. For once, Micah was dressed for the weather. He had a leather jacket thrown over his usual tank top. Loren was in his year-round hoodie, neon red earbuds hanging out of the pocket.
Rachel stiffened then quickly relaxed, though her smile was too cheerful to be real. "Well, hello. You must be with Oren?"
Micah's head snapped around. He gave them both a once over, concentrating on Rachel. "Yes." His expression said he hadn't decided whether to be impressed or not. "And you are?"
"Rachel." She offered him her hand and he shook it warily.
His eyes settled on Katelina. "If it isn't the human who seems to be fucking everywhere. What the hell have you been doing, Lunch? You look like crap!"
She scowled at him. "Not that it's any of your business, but I was painting."
"Really?" He gave her a fanged grin. "It was nice of you to cover yourself up so we wouldn't have to look at ya, but you missed a few spots." He poked her cheek. "Like here" Then her nose. "And here." Then her shoulder. "And-"
Katelina batted his hand away. "Maybe I should paint your mouth?"
"Oooh! Scary threats." He turned back to Rachel. "Jorick's a real son of a bitch, making you put up with her."
Rachel blinked uncertainly. "I find her company more than tolerable."
"Then I feel sorry for you, babe. You've apparently been outta the loop for a while, right Loren?" He clapped the teen on the back.
"Yeah, sure." Loren's eyes were riveted to the screen. "Damn."
Rachel watched him suspiciously. "What are you looking at?"
"The webcam of a chick with tits the size of basketballs," Yaul answered. "Oh! Hello! Do that again!" he cried to the computer.
Katelina wrinkled her nose. "Men are so disgusting."
"We're not disgusting, you're just an iceberg," Micah said. "It's a lucky thing Jorick can't freeze to death with you tucked in his coffin."
A slinky redheaded vampiress sashayed into the room, hips swaying under a tight green dress. Her long hair fell around her shoulders and her bright green eyes appraised the situation. "Now, now, Micah." She draped herself over his arm. "She can't help that she's unadventurous." She looked Rachel over and purred sarcastically, "You must be Kale's lovely little woman."
Rachel's spine stiffened. "Yes, and you are?"
"Torina." She held out her hand limply. "Charmed, I'm sure."
Micah's arm slid around Torina's hips and his hand settled on her ass. Though she didn't remove it, she made a soft tsking sound. "Micah, Micah, when will you learn to ask permission?"
He snickered. "I've been a very naughty boy. Why don't you punish me?"
Katelina and Rachel were equally repulsed. Torina gave him a pretty pout. "Maybe later. You know I don't like to exert myself before a battle." She traced his jaw with her fingertip and then turned to the computer screen. With a laugh, she pointed to the display and said, "You're watching a man, boys."
"No we're not!" Loren cried, horrified. "It's a woman!"
She chucked him under the chin. "If you say so, honey. I'm sure with all your experience, you'd know." She slinked out of the room, laughing to herself, their objections a chorus behind her.
Rachel scowled after her. "That's Oren's sister, isn't it? I've heard about her." She growled low. The only words Katelina could catch were, "touch Kale and die."
She turned to Loren, who edged away from the computer. "Is Jorick off with Oren?"
"Yes." Yaul casually moved away too. "Luna and the other one are with them."
"Fabian." For Rachel's benefit, Katelina added, "Oren's brother in law."
"My, he has his whole family, doesn't he?"
As if on cue, Jorick strolled into the room, an annoyed Oren on his heels. They were followed by Torina and the dark haired, dark eyed Fabian. His expression was as angry and brooding as usual. Behind him was Luna, a pale, impassive vampiress with long silvery blonde hair. Joseff and Kale brought up the rear.
Jorick slipped his arm around Katelina's waist and Rachel moved to Kale's side. He caught her hand and brushed his lips across it, a secret smile on his face. Torina snickered at the pair and left Rachel caught between pleasure and anger.
Alex snapped his laptop shut. "What's up?"
Jorick answered him, "We agreed that Kale is the master of the war coven."
Micah rolled his eyes and Torina muttered, "So, he'll only play if he's in charge?"
Jorick went on over the top of them. "-because, though Thomas has earned the title enemy from all of us, it is primarily Kale he's wronged. We'll attack as soon as the sun goes down, hopefully before they've had time to feed, and if we're lucky some may still be asleep."
Alex tapped his fingers on the lid of his laptop. "If it's that early, how are we going to feed? That will make us as weak as they are."
"Oren has brought provisions," Jorick answered. "Are there any other questions?"
Yaul narrowed his eyes. "And what happens after this battle?"
Kale gestured for him to relax. "We'll join Oren's coven and help him attack the Citadel."
"And I suppose Oren will be in charge of that?" Joseff demanded. "What proof do we have that he can manage a war coven?"
"He managed one well enough to kick your asses," Micah quipped. "Or'd you guys forget that?"
Joseff's eyes turned into cold slits. "Hardly, and I doubt I ever will."
"You better not," Fabian warned. "Or we'll show you again!"
Luna touched Fabian's arm, cautioning him to silence. "This accomplishes nothing. We are allied by the will of our Masters."
Katelina hated to admit it, but she agreed with Joseff: Oren wasn't strong enough to hold the loose confederation together. How he thought he could manage this group, or even Traven, was something she didn't understand.
She looked to Jorick, expecting his usual "Oren is our friend" reprimand, but he seemed too busy to notice her thoughts. She wondered if he could read all the minds at once and, if so, was it a babble of meaningless sound, or could he follow each individual thread?
Alex nodded his agreement. "We're working together, so we might as well get used to it." he turned to Jorick and Kale. "I assume the human will drive us?"
Jorick nodded. "Yes. We'll leave tonight before sunrise. Oren has taken extra precautions to sun-proof the van and Katelina will drive while we rest in the back."
"How do we know she won't stop somewhere and drop us off to burn in the sunlight?" Yaul asked suspiciously.
Saeed's voice was a low rumble. "Her lover will be in the back of the van. Would she risk his life to let sunlight upon us? In close quarters, the fate of one will be the fate of all."
Alex nodded, satisfied, but Yaul and Joseff didn't look convinced.
Fabian cut in, "Speaking of close together, how are we all going to fit?"
Micah moved towards Torina and elbowed her gently in the side. "We'll have to snuggle up."
"No one is snuggling up with me!" Joseff snapped, though his eyes lingered on Rachel a second too long.
"We'll deal with it when the time comes," Kale said. "There are only thirteen of us. Surely we can fit in a carpet van!"
The unlucky number made Katelina shiver, and the old superstition popped in her head: Thirteen to dinner and one will die.
Jorick squeezed her and whispered, "Relax, little one. We aren't going to dinner, and besides you make fourteen."
She nodded absently, but the eerie feeling stayed.
***
They spent the evening unpacking the boxes from the van and bickering. It was nearly five in the morning when they all marched outside. The moon hung above them and a chill wind blew dusty snow crystals in miniature tornadoes. The icy cyclones swirled around the yard and glittered in the moonlight like fairy dust.
Oren opened the back of the van and the vampires climbed in one by one. His extra precaution turned out to be a sheet of corrugated metal installed behind the front seats that completely blocked the back from the front. There were also three tarps for them to huddle under "just in case". Between the front seats sat a bright blue cooler. Given the plan, Katelina could guess its contents.
Jorick took the keys and kissed her cheek. "I'll drive until sunrise. We have at least an hour left."
She heaved a grateful sigh and swung into the passenger seat. She'd barely fastened her seatbelt before the vampires in the back started in again, their voices muffled and tingy behind the sheet metal. She rolled her eyes and Jorick offered her a wink and started the van. The motor drowned out their argument.
They stopped at a gas station an hour later. Jorick pumped the gas and Katelina dodged inside to buy drinks and a pack of cigarettes. When she came outside, he gave her a reassuring kiss and then climbed into the back to join the others. Katelina had a momentary glimpse of the dark, lumpy tarp. Maybe it was just as well she didn't know who was by the door. It might make Yaul's idea of dumping them off too tempting.
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