Chapter 321
Katelina followed the slaves to Micah's room. They carried him inside and dropped him onto the bed. Without a word, they turned and filed out.
She stared uncomfortably at the unconscious vampire. He was sprawled on his back, limbs at every angle, his eyes closed and his mouth open. She glanced around, as if afraid someone might see, and then tried to straighten him out.
"Oh my God!"
She jumped away to find Loren skidding to a halt next to the low, lumpy bed. "Is he okay?"
"He will be when he wakes up." She wiped her hands on her shirt and took another step back, distancing herself from the bald vampire. "Thadimus' slaves knocked him out."
Loren bit his lip. "I heard the commotion, but Jorick said to ignore it."
"It's just as well you did," Jorick said from the doorway. "Or you'd have probably ended up like him." He walked into the room and frowned. "What happened?"
She related the story, including the NR2 knockout gas that Thadimus' slaves used. When she finished, Jorick rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Interesting. One wonders how he got it."
"Especially since, as I understand, it was Malick's pet project at The Guild and he ordered it used to kidnap you."
"And Kale," Jorick reminded her. "It's one of Malick's favorite weapons. Perhaps a conversation with Thadimus is in order?"
They left Loren with Micah and set off to find Thadimus. The museum-like shop was empty, and the heavy ringed door locked. They cut back through the main building and found the trader near a long corrugated garage. Traven looked down his nose at them and then climbed into a waiting Jeep without a word. He'd obviously taken their host's offer of free blood because his arm and face were returned to normal.
The front gate rolled open and the vehicle eased out it. Thadimus waved until the gate closed again, and then he dropped his hand and muttered something in a foreign language.
Suddenly aware of their presence, his familiar smile snapped onto his face, like Mr. Potato Head changing expressions, and he turned to them. "Yes, yes, what can Thadimus do for you?"
"An unfortunate business." Jorick nodded towards the retreating taillights. "I'm curious, though, where did you come across the NR2 gas?"
"The what?" Katelina could almost see the thoughts flipping behind Thadimus' eyes. "Ah! Perhaps you mean the control gas, yes? Ha ha! A savvy businessman never reveals his suppliers. However, if you're interested in purchasing some-"
Jorick held Thadimus' gaze. The trader's words dwindled to nothing and his face went slack.
"Where did you get the control gas?"
Thadimus' voice was hollow, like brainwashed victims on a television show and his words were foreign until Jorick said, "In English."
"A woman gave it to me. She wanted to buy the scroll and tried to butter me up with gifts. There are three more, if you would like to buy them."
Katelina groaned. Even under mind control he was still trying to sell stuff!
Jorick motioned him to stop. "The woman, did she have black hair?"
"No. Her hair was golden."
Jorick frowned. "What did she look like?"
Thadimus' mouth twisted into a half leer. "She was tall and pretty. But very business minded. She would have looked lovely dressed like my girls instead of all the black leather. Some men prefer this, yes? But not me."
Blonde. Business like and black leather. Could it be- "Griselda?"
"Yes, that was her name. She said her master was rich and powerful, but she only wanted to pay twenty thousand. I told her to come back later."
Katelina glanced at Jorick. "Does that mean Malick is after the scroll?"
"Apparently." Jorick turned from Thadimus and motioned Katelina after him. As an afterthought, he cut the connection and the mustached vampire stumbled and caught himself. Katelina saw him leaning against the garage, blinking, and then they turned the corner and he disappeared from sight.
She waited until they were in the alley to ask, "Why did you make him talk? Why didn't you just read that from his mind?"
"He has some abilities of his own," Jorick answered. "I could have forced it, but he'd have noticed that level of intrusion. This was easier."
She didn't understand, but it didn't matter. "What about Malick? Why would he want the scroll?"
Jorick scoffed. "The same reason you and Oren wanted it, I imagine. Apparently he doesn't know what to do with the Heart either. Which only proves my theory: there is nothing to do with it."
"I don't think so. If Malick is after it, then that proves there is."
"We'll find out soon enough, I imagine."
He was right, assuming Senya or Griselda didn't bust into the compound, guns blazing, and demand to take the scroll first.
Ryuu appeared for supper, though his mistress and her cohorts were absent. Katelina gave the boy a tentative smile and tried to concentrate on eating. It was another strange dish; this time some sort of pasta with rice, onions and what might have been a kind of bean. What she wouldn't give for a ham sandwich.
Sorino wasn't finished by dawn, so Katelina and Jorick went to bed. She stared through the darkness, snuggled close to him, and wondered where Malick was. Would he show up looking for the scroll? And if so, could they defeat him?
The next evening, Katelina got up and took a shower in the communal bathroom. Then she dressed and wandered to the reclining room where several of the vampires were gathered, including Maeko. Katelina hadn't seen her since the incident the night before, and looking at her in her bright pink hoodie, embroidered with dancing bunnies, and clutching her doll made it seem even sicker. She felt bad for the thoughts, and expected Maeko to make a comment on them, but the girl only bowed and said, "I'm sorry to have caused you discomfort Kate-san."
"Um, it's okay." Katelina looked away and tried to think about something else; anything else.
"I am also sorry that I did not find you last night and apologize. It was rude of me."
Truthfully, Katelina was glad she didn't. "No, it's okay. Really."
The smile she gave the girl was watery, but Maeko's return smile seemed genuine, so Katelina hoped they never had to talk about it again.
Katelina was served something that looked like refried beans, though didn't taste like it, and a small dish of tomato. Ryuu and Etsuko looked just as confused as she did, and Kai, who might have known what it was, was nowhere to be found.
Weird food was better than no food, so she ate what she could and had just abandoned the last two bites when Kai appeared. He wore a loose button shirt and the familiar thick black collar around his neck, though the chain was missing. Apparently Sorino didn't think he needed to lead himself.
He stopped before Jorick and said, "Master wishes to speak to you."
Oren stood. "Is he finally finished?"
Kai nodded, then motioned the three of them to follow him to Sorino's room. They had barely reached the door when it jerked open and Sorino, looking pale and a little twitchy, waved them inside.
The room was a mess; maps and papers littered the floor and a pair of well-worn books lay open on a folding chair, their pages covered in the same strange writing as the scroll. A folding table was set up nearby, and the scroll was spread out on it under a layer of paper, the four corners held down by various objects including several empty glasses stained with crimson.
Sorino swept away the mess until the scroll lay on the table alone. His eyes glittered with excitement, though his face remained impassive. "Thadimus was right. This is most interesting."
When nothing more came, Oren cleared his throat impatiently. "It took long enough. Do you plan to share the information?"
"Oh yes, for a price." Sorino gave them his Cheshire smile. "I want to go with you."
"Go where?" Jorick asked.
"To the temple of the Raven Queen. Lilith's temple."
Katelina caught her breath. "Is that a real place?"
"It was, at least." Sorino pointed to a section of writing. "There are directions, and while it's hardly latitude and longitude, I believe it is enough to start on."
Jorick cocked an eyebrow. "Why would we go to the temple?"
"Because-" Sorino broke off and started again. "Do we have a deal?"
Jorick met Oren's eyes as if in silent debate. Katelina wanted to interrupt it with a loud "No!" Sorino was far too excited for her liking. He must have something up his sleeve, and the last thing they needed was to be caught up in it.
Jorick obviously didn't agree. "Fine," he said. "If we go to this- temple, then you can come with us."
"Oh you will go, once you understand." Sorino turned to the scroll and read, "Thus will begin the new age. Mankind will be subjugated to the will of the vampires and by this will they shall live and die. It shall be as a - apocalypse is a close word - for all of mortal kind, when the Heart has been given to the broken body within the temple of the Raven Queen and the sleeping wreak their wrath. Then all will tremble at the might of the master and his consort in the time of the Great Destruction- It continues from there. Cities will be leveled and the works of men destroyed, but I believe you've already gotten the gist."
"I haven't." They stared at Katelina and she shrugged. "Sorry, but what does it mean?"
Sorino's lips tightened with impatience. "Obviously the broken body is Lilith. When the Heart is replaced, the sleeping - Lilith - will wreak her wrath and the Master - whoever has awakened her - and his consort - again, Lilith - will rule the world. It's very straightforward."
Katelina choked. "You have to be joking! That sounds like the plot to a cheesy late night movie!"
Verchiel interrupted from the doorway, "It doesn't sound any more ridiculous than flying to Egypt with a plane load of vampires, does it?"
