Chapter 309
Wolfe glared at Katelina, then turned back to Shinobu and picked up an existing conversation. "I'm here by order of the Kugsankal to apprehend Jorick and his companions."
Katelina covered her mouth with her hands and looked to Jorick, but he remained as impassive as Wolfe. The clan leader seemed to be deliberating and, in the ensuing silence, Maeko slid next to her and whispered, "They just got here."
"He won't really hand us over, will he?" Katelina asked. And if he did, would the clan stand by while they fought Wolfe, or would they help the Scharfrichter?
Before Maeko could answer, Shinobu said, "The Tsukino clan has extended their protection to those you seek. I am sorry."
"I don't think you understand." Wolfe pointed to the medallion around his neck. "I am here by the command of the True Council, the overseers of all. You have no choice but to hand them over."
Shinobu gazed at the Scharfrichter, as if examining a troublesome insect that had wandered indoors instead of staying where it belonged. "I understand perfectly. There is always a choice, and I say no."
Wolfe's lips twitched. "If you refuse to cooperate we will take them by force."
"You may try." Shinobu lifted his hand and several of the vampires rose from their cushions, hands loose and ready to fight. Wolfe's human assistant jumped to his feet and pulled his gun.
Katelina gave a cry and dropped to the floor. No one else moved. The clan leader didn't even flinch. "Tell your human to put his weapon away or we will take it from him."
Wolfe made a low noise in his throat, then snapped something in German. The human wavered, swinging the gun from one target to another, and then reluctantly stashed the weapon, though his expression said he'd like to come back without his master and mow them all down.
Katelina gave a soft sigh of relief and slowly sat up again. The vampires might not worry about bullets, but getting shot wasn't on her list of things to do.
"I believe our interview is over," Shinobu said. "If you and your human would be kind enough to leave?"
"We'll leave, but we'll be back!" Wolfe spun on his heel and strode to Jorick. "Where is Sadihra?"
Jorick held out his hands, as if to indicate the room's occupants. "Do you see her?"
"Neither do I see Cyprus. Where are they?" His voice shook with fury. "Tell me now!"
Jorick sat back smugly. "I don't know. I'm not their keeper."
Wolfe growled and leaned close to the dark vampire. "I don't know what you're doing in Japan, or why the Kugsankal care about you, but I will take you back to the Stronghold!" He pulled away, then stopped and added, "When you see Sadihra, tell her that she should expect to find punishment waiting for her in Munich!"
Wolfe spun on his heel and strode out the door, his human behind him. Katelina listened as their footsteps stormed up the stairs and then through the house and finally out the door.
The room filled with the soft, low buzz of voices, and Maeko turned to Jorick. "He will go to the Yononaka and they will send the Keiri."
Katelina pulled her knees to her chin. "I suppose that means the clan will ask us to leave."
Maeko blinked in surprise. "Oh no. They are happy to fight the Keiri, if only for the fun of it." She smiled. "Besides, they have given their word to protect us, and they are too honorable to break it, especially to a clan member."
Katelina nodded, still unconvinced. "The clans here are sort of like extended covens, aren't they? I thought you were the first vampire, so how can you be related to any of them?"
"Shinobu-san was my fledgling." She tilted her head and smiled fondly at the clan leader.
Katelina coughed at the implications. "But if you made him, shouldn't you be in charge?"
Maeko giggled. "Being the leader would be boring. Shinobu-san is much better than I would be. He enjoys it."
Jorick caught Katelina's hand and squeezed it. "Now that that's over, what were you saying about an apocalypse?"
Though she wasn't convinced that it was truly over, she told them what little information Kai had given her. When she'd finished, Jorick frowned. "I've never heard of that, though it makes sense he'd be up to something along those lines."
Oren cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should go to Egypt and find that scroll before Sorino does. His human seems to know plenty about it."
It was another moment that left Katelina agreeing with Oren, and she hated it. "If Sorino gets it first he'll use the information as leverage to try to get the Heart."
Jorick rubbed his chin and looked from one to the other. Finally, he gave a resigned sigh. "All right, we'll go to Egypt." He turned to Maeko. "Can your clan help with the arrangements? We need to sneak away without anyone else knowing."
"So soon?" Maeko's frown only lasted a moment before she bowed and smiled. "Of course, Jorick-ue. We will make arrangements for you and your friends."
Jorick hesitated, as if making a last minute decision. "You'll need to come with us. Malick knows of your involvement, and they'll be back for you."
"I thank you for your concern, Jorick-ue, but they do not frighten me."
His words echoed Katelina's thoughts. "They should."
The girl faltered. "Yes, but-" her shoulders straightened and her false smile reappeared. "Yes, of course. We will accompany Jorick-ue."
Oren tapped his fingers restlessly. "What about Torina and the others?"
Jorick snorted. "They can stay behind and distract Malick and Senya for a while. It will give the redheaded idiot something useful to do."
Oren looked unhappy, but he went quiet under Jorick's gaze. Katelina wished that she could hear their silent conversations. She'd love to know what Jorick said to make the amber-eyed vampire shut up.
She picked at her jeans. "If Kai and Sorino are linked they'll know anyway."
Oren brightened a little, and then scowled. "Then we should make sure that Kai doesn't know where we're going until we're already there."
Maeko moved to talk to Shinobu and returned to say, "They are glad to help. They will make the arrangements and we can leave tomorrow." Unhappiness clung to the corners of her eyes. "I have asked them to notify Takeshi, if he comes looking for us, but not to seek him out, so that the vampires with him will not find out where we've gone."
Jorick gave a satisfied nod. "Good. Then everything is settled."
Katelina glanced down at Neil's navy blue coat. "If we're leaving tomorrow, then I need to do some laundry. I'm running out of clean clothes and my coat smells like blood and moldy cave."
"If you like, I will give your laundry to the humans and they'll handle it," Maeko suggested.
The humans. The cavalier attitude towards what was obviously a "human-duty" rankled Katelina, as if that was all humans were good for; doing the laundry, picking up the bedding, serving the blood. The vampires in Japan were no different than they were everywhere else.
She tried not to sound too irritated when she said, "If you show me where the washing machine is, I can do it myself."
