Chapter 36

Katelina wanted to be angry, wanted to be fierce, but standing in Kateesha's presence, all she felt was pinned down, like a butterfly in a book, even when Kateesha called her Jorick's new obsession - an obsession she obviously did not approve of.
If she can read his thoughts, then I hope she can read mine, because I'm not thinking anything nice about her.
But it was her own fault she was there, she reminded herself, she as the one who demanded to go with him.
Kateesha laughed again and patted Jorick's shoulder before she stepped away. Her face grew thoughtful and she paced in a slow circle, her hands behind her back.
Jorick watched her with detached curiosity and she ceased her circuit to stare back. Her eyes moved to Katelina but as quickly went back to Jorick, as though the human wasn't worth recognizing. "I question whether any of it is wise. Perhaps it would be easier - safer, even - to simply - " she finished the sentence by mimicking the motion of a dagger slicing across her throat.
"No!" His sudden outburst caused Katelina to flinch back. He looked at her; her wide eyes reflected her inner fear, and he quickly regained his composure, though his voice still shook with rage. "No one will harm her, or they will answer to me!"
Katelina thought again of the green motel and what a pleasant place it seemed now by comparison, so much better than being threatened by vampires in an abandoned warehouse!
"I didn't mean it as a threat," Kateesha said mildly. The hint of a smile played at her full red lips. "I simply meant it would be safer. Claudius is hunting her now, and if he finds her, then he finds you as well. And if he finds you, who else will he find?"
She stepped closer and put her hands on his shoulders. She leaned close to him and her voice took on the tone of a concerned friend. "Listen to yourself, Jorick! When did this take such a strong hold on you?" She stared into his eyes and then smiled slowly, as though a silent conversation had taken place. "Of course. You always were a sucker for the weak and helpless, weren't you? But a human? After what they did- "
Jorick cut her off with a gesture. "Enough of this, Kateesha! I did not come to discuss my life choices with you. I think that she should be moved. We'll no longer have Oren's inside information. Elsa won't risk telling him anything now. She may have had a soft spot for Michael, but in the end she's loyal to Claudius." He leveled his gaze with her and squeezed Katelina's hand reassuringly.
"Yes," Kateesha murmured. "Had she chosen to turn him herself then perhaps she'd have more loyalty, but we must do the best with what we have now." Amusement shimmered in her eyes. "It's ironic though, is it not? Had Claudius not forced her to make Michael her fledgling she'd have never helped us at all."
"Yes," Jorick agreed. "But she's made it clear she's done. Michael is dead now and though she swore not to betray Oren's involvement, she won't give him any more information. I'd have suspected that she changed her mind, except the Executioners came too quickly. Oren met with her the night before their arrival and as of that time she had not betrayed him. They aren't mobilized that quickly."
Kateesha nodded. "She has always been truthful with us, for the most part. I assume she didn't say who told Claudius?"
"No," Jorick answered. "She obviously didn't know about it or I believe she'd have mentioned it."
"If Claudius knows of your involvement and Oren's, then I wonder who else's he knows about?"
"Are you suddenly afraid of him?"
Kateesha laughed. "Hardly. You misunderstand, my brother. I only wonder whose names he gave to The Guild."
The dark skinned Goddess fell silent and began pacing again while Katelina took some time to clear her head and make sense of all she'd just heard. Her mind whirled, trying to figure out who Kateesha even was and how she and Jorick knew one another.
Kateesha spoke suddenly, "No, I think it's fine where it is." She stopped pacing and stood with her hands clasped behind her back. "There's no way anyone can know its location - not yet."
Jorick's dark brows drew together impatiently. "What's to stop me from moving it myself?"
"If you were to do that, it would make things look very, very bad for you, Jorick." She smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "Someone betrayed Oren to Claudius, after all. If you were to do that he might think it was you. And since he lost his wife in the deal, I don't doubt he'd be happy to help with a little eye-for-an-eye retribution, if you take my meaning." As if to be absolutely sure her point was made she let her eyes linger on Katelina.
"Mmmmmmm," Jorick murmured. "Then we have nothing more to discuss."
She cocked her head to one side. "That's a shame, but if you prefer imperfect flesh for your pleasure, who am I to question you?" She came closer and stopped near enough to touch him. "If you change your mind, you always know where to find me."
"Of course, but my mind hasn't changed in all these slow centuries, and I don't think it will anytime soon." Without waiting for a reply, he turned on his heel and dragged Katelina after him, leaving Kateesha behind. Her answer came regardless, in the form of cold laughter that echoed all around them as they retreated through the darkness.
After the strange silence in the warehouse, the car seemed too loud. Jorick's anger was palpable; the air seemed to pulse with it. Katelina didn't know what to say to make it better. She stuttered a question, "Oren wouldn't really-" but couldn't bring herself to finish it. Would Oren really kill her because his wife had been killed? As if it was all Jorick's fault.
"No," Jorick said the word with force. "He wouldn't dare."
She nodded but found no more words for fear of enraging him more. She wasn't afraid that he'd hurt her, or even be mean to her. In truth she wasn't sure what she was afraid of, but she didn't want to make him any angrier.

***

They pulled into the motel and, after parking the car, walked around behind the building to their windowless room. Once they were inside, Jorick shut the door and clicked all of the locks into place. He absently ran his fingers through his long, dark hair before he threw himself on the bed where he crossed his arms beneath his head and stared at the ceiling.
Katelina stood uncomfortably near the foot of the bed, unsure what to say. There were questions she wanted answers to, but she wasn't sure how to ask them.
He sighed heavily and his eyes moved from the stained ceiling above his head to her anxious face. He studied her pale features and pulled one arm loose to pat the bed beside him. "Come here."
She hesitated for a moment and then mentally gave herself a shove and walked towards him slowly. "Yes?" She swallowed, and reminded herself quickly of her earlier resolve not to fall into those eyes again.
"Here," he whispered the word, so that it seem almost like a caress, and patted the bed again.