Chapter 351
It was an hour later when Katelina slipped from the bed and tiptoed out of the bedroom in search of a bathroom. It wouldn't be long before the sun was up. The sky outside already had a thin, colorless quality along the horizon. Soon all the protective plates would be over the windows to block the burning sunlight and shield the house's occupants. She could already see some of the island's employees struggling to put them in place.
When she was finished, she slipped through another door to a broad balcony. The last of the night breezes blew her long hair back from her face and tried to tell her stories of others who'd stood on the sandy beaches and bathed in the surf.
She surveyed the lush lawn below and traced the line of palm trees that marched down to the beach. The whole place was almost too perfect.
"That's why it's expensive," a voice volunteered from the shadows. Katelina turned to see Verchiel step out onto the balcony wearing a pair of flannel pajama pants that sagged too low for her comfort. His ridiculous red hair was wet and the faint smell of soap wafted from him. She looked away quickly from his naked chest, something she'd seen far too much of on the beach in the last week.
After the earlier conversation, he was the last vampire she wanted to see, as if his presence made Jorick's complaint more credible. Regardless, Verchiel leaned on the railing next to her. He scanned the beach scene and something strange passed across his face. What could ruffle his affable veneer?
"What?"
"It seems- I don't know. Maybe I've been here before." He shrugged and stepped back, his usual smile on his face. He nodded toward the humans hurriedly fastening up the last of the metal plates. "The sun will be up soon. Since I don't fancy a third degree sunburn I'll leave you to it."
He started for the door and Katelina asked absently, "Don't you miss the sunrise?"
"Nah. I've already told you I don't remember anything from before Kateesha turned me, including the sun. Besides, I have a snazzy tropical sunrise calendar in my apartment at the Citadel, so I can see one every day if I want." He gave her a wink. "Speaking of pictures, you might catch the sunrise for your photo collection, but don't stay out too late or Jorick will worry."
And then he disappeared.
***
Katelina woke to rain, as if the island mourned their leaving. She packed reluctantly and stuffed a pair of disposable cameras on top. Jorick came up behind her and pulled her against him. His lips trailed along her neck and he pantomimed biting her, then settled for planting a kiss. He nodded to the cameras. "Did you get enough pictures to satisfy your mother?"
"I only filled one. It's hard to take pictures where you guys don't look like vampires. And how many night shots do I want? I think I got a nice sunrise this morning, though."
"That's good. I'd ask how we get the photos to her, but I assume you know."
"You get them developedif you can find somewhere that still develops photos. I would've gone digital, but Mom's such a tweep about technology. She'd never figure out how to download them."
"If you say so." He drew back and she turned to see him standing shirtless, his long hair around his shoulders. "This isn't worth a photograph?"
"If you want"
He caught her hands before she could grab the camera. "I was teasing. Come, we'd best join the others."
Jorick pulled on a shirt and escorted her to the living room where they found Wolfe and Sadihra. Wolfe was tall with long chestnut hair and cold gray eyes, while Sadihra was short and plump, her blonde hair usually worn in a bun. They were both Scharfrichter, or more accurately Wolfe was a Scharfrichter and Sadihra was a Scharfrichterin, the difference between male and female.
They were Germany's equivalent of the American Executioners, elite vampire police, and it was their job to bring Jorick and the others back to Munich, Germany, to testify about what had happened in the Raven Queen's temple.
Wolfe gave them a sharp nod. "Good morning."
"Good evening," Katelina corrected out of habit.
Wolfe surveyed her with general disdain, then turned to Jorick. "You've packed?"
"Yes, our luggage is waiting."
"Good. I've called ahead and everything is prepared. The cars will meet us at the marina and the pilots will be ready by the time we reach the airfield."
Sadihra released Wolfe's arm and surveyed the spacious room. The protective plates had been removed from the windows and the outdoor floodlights gave the illusion of daytime. Rain streaked the glass and the swaying palm trees threw mysterious shadows. "It does seem a pity."
Something that might have been a smile flickered over Wolfe's lips and disappeared. "Yes, but we have duties to perform. We've already delayed for a week, and both der H?here Rat and the Kugsankal will be getting anxious."
Sadihra's shiver was slight but noticeable and Katelina understood. Der H?here Rat was Munich's High Council, and she doubted that the Scharfrichterin was in a hurry to see them. She'd willfully abandoned her post and disobeyed orders when she left Munich to travel with Jorick and the others, and now she would have to pay for that.
"I'm sure they are." Sadihra glanced toward a curtained door that led to the dining room. "I believe breakfast is ready."
Sadihra was right. The long wooden table was already set. There were glasses of blood and three crimson filled decanters for the vampires, and two plates of food, one for Katelina and one for Oren's new human Etsuko.
Jorick snickered as they took their places. "I doubt he'd call her 'his human'. She was sort of foisted upon him."
Katelina scowled at the egg topped pile of noodles and vegetables. "I love how everyone acts like she's an object."
Jorick caught Katelina's hand and brushed his lips across it. "No one said she's an object, only that Oren wasn't excited about her company."
Katelina couldn't argue the point. Etsuko had taken to heart a tarot reading and decided that the 'red string of fate' bound her to Oren and that it was her duty to 'help him'. Whether she meant to help him get over the murder of his wife, Jesslynn, and their children by Malick's pet Executioners, or some other thing, Katelina couldn't guess. Either way she was sure it would end badly.
As if summoned, Oren strode through the door, Etsuko on his heels. Her hair was pulled up in its usual bun and, despite being on a tropical island, she wore a pink kimono. Katelina guessed that her luggage was nothing but kimonos.
Etsuko nodded to them, and quickly took her place. Without a word Oren swept up his glass and downed half the contents. It had barely hit the table before Etsuko refilled it from the decanter.
Jorick nodded to the pair and teased, "You could learn something, little one."
Katelina's answer was a cold stare.
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