Chapter 306
They stopped at what Maeko called a rest stop, and Katelina gratefully stumbled inside to stand in awe at the rows of shiny vending machines. She'd never seen so many different beverages and snacks shoved into one place. Maeko cheerfully bought her a pile of cans and packages "for later".
After the respite, the rest of the trip seemed worse. The car was cramped. Katelina's legs ached. The heater was on too high, and the tense silence felt suffocating.
They stopped at last on a quiet side street in one of the seemingly giant cities. The rows of buildings were all alike, ringed in gated concrete walls. Katelina wasn't sure if it was a residential or business area.
"They are houses," Maeko explained as Hikaru opened the door for her. She signaled them to wait and hurried to the gate. Katelina watched as the little vampiress disappeared through it. Moments ticked past, and then Maeko reappeared and waved them inside.
Katelina groaned as she climbed out of the car and stretched. The night was heavy and quiet. In the distance a dog barked, and the sound echoed off of the claustrophobically close houses.
"Where are we?" asked Neil. The waver in his voice echoed Katelina's uncertainty.
Hikaru opened the trunk and heaved out luggage. "In English, one might call it a safe house."
"Safe against what?" Katelina asked.
"Everyone."
Katelina didn't voice her doubt, but it was there just the same. She met Jorick's eyes as he picked up her suitcases, but his expression was unreadable.
Oren pulled a duffel bag from the trunk and looped it over his shoulder. "The last den was supposed to be safe."
"This belongs to the Tsukino clan," Hikaru said.
Oren cocked an unimpressed eyebrow. "Who are they?"
"One of the three clans," Maeko explained as she held the gate open. "Before the Yononaka took charge, the clans ruled the vampires. Though Fukui and Sato submit to the rule of the Yononaka, the Tsukino clan prefers to rely on themselves. They will help us."
Maeko led them inside the gate to a small courtyard. Two females dressed in kimonos greeted them, and then showed them into the house. Katelina was confronted with an entryway, and traded her shoes for another pair of slippers. Then, she and the others were led down a hallway where a large trap door was propped open. Katelina hung back, expecting to see a gaping, dark hole and a rickety ladder. When she finally approached she saw a set of carpeted stairs leading to a finished basement.
The downstairs seemed larger than the upstairs and it couldn't decide whether it wanted to be modern or traditional. The furniture, and even the decorations, were a mixture of both. The east and west styles seemed peculiar together.
They came at last to a low, pillared room. Three men sat on pillows near the back wall, the youngest in the middle. Maeko signaled them to wait just inside the door. She approached the men alone, dropped to her knees and rattled off what Katelina assumed was a greeting.
Hikaru translated, "She is now explaining our situation to Shinobu-san, who is the head of the clan. She has asked for sanctuary."
They waited in silence while the young male seemed to ponder the request. At last he answered, motioning to the two on either side of him.
"And?" Neil asked, clutching his bag tightly.
"He has agreed."
Katelina let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. She wasn't sure what she thought these vampires could do for them, but with Senya on the hunt, it was better to know they had somewhere to stay.
Maeko thanked them, and then led Katelina and the others back to one of the rooms they'd passed through earlier. "It will be dawn soon," she explained. "Tomorrow you will be greeted properly. I insisted it wait, so please do not hold the others responsible for this breech in etiquette."
Etiquette. Of course, because that was what mattered the most right now, not the fact they'd been attacked, or that they might have died, or even that they might still be in danger.
It seemed insane to Katelina, but there it was.
Oren hitched the strap of his bag up his shoulder. "Shouldn't the others be here by now?"
Maeko looked surprised. "Oh no. Takeshi-san has taken them somewhere else."
"What?" Oren's amber eyes narrowed and he spun towards Jorick. "What is she up to?"
Maeko bowed quickly. "I apologize, Oren-san, such a large group is hard to move and to conceal. Jorick-ue was correct when he suggested we should split up, but as it seemed to be such a problem, I took the liberty of handling such arrangements myself. I apologize if I have offended you."
"My sister-"
Jorick snorted. "She can surely take care of herself."
Maeko frowned. "I can send word to Takeshi-san to send her to us if you would like?"
Oren scowled. "Never mind. It doesn't matter."
Katelina glanced at the hodge-podge group. She had to admit, had she known Maeko's plan, she wouldn't have chosen Neil or Kai to come with them. But then, she couldn't say who she would have picked.
At least Micah isn't here. She wasn't in the mood for his brusqueness, though she could imagine his reactions to this so-called safe house. Then again, he was probably having those reactions at whatever "safe" place Maeko had sent them.
That or he was trying to hit on Torina.
Katelina wondered vaguely if he'd ever gotten anywhere with that. If not, maybe he would now. They said a near death experience made people want to have sex. But did that apply to vampires?
The two kimono-clad women brought their bedding; blankets, pillows and sleeping mats. As they left, Katelina noticed that one of them seemed to look at Oren longer than necessary.
They returned and laid out other beds. Soon, several unfamiliar vampires filtered in to take their places for the night. Katelina tugged her mat closer to Jorick and snuggled up against him. She told herself they were safe, but she wasn't so sure. She could feel the unfamiliar vampires in the darkness around her. Maeko seemed to trust them, but were they really trustworthy?
She hoped so.
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