Chapter 38
Katelina woke. She blinked in the dimness, her eyes drawn to the open bathroom door. Light flooded out of it and gave shape and depth to the small motel room.
Jorick was still next to her on his back, his arm under her head. His dark lashes lay on his pale cheeks and his raven hair pooled against the crisp white pillowcase. He was covered from the waist down in the ugly bedspread and the bathroom light gleamed on the smooth expanse of his chest.
She looked away from him to the water stained ceiling. She closed her eyes tightly to blot out the world and asked herself the requisite "what have I done?" morning-after question, only she truthfully felt no regret. It was simply a game she played out of habit, a society imposed guilt complex that failed to actually make her feel guilty. No, she knew what she'd done and she wasn't even slightly sorry, only vaguely excited at the warm memories.
She rolled towards him and tentatively brushed his naked flesh with her fingertips. His skin was cold to the touch, like it had been in the bathtub, and she pulled her hand away quickly as if it burned. Implications rose in her head, but she forced them away and slid out of the bed. She paused to gather up her clothes and her sack before she hurried to the bathroom, the parcels held like a shield against the chilly air.
She remained tense until the door was shut, and only then did she drop the clothes to the floor. Her flight might seem stupid, but she'd never been comfortable with anyone seeing her naked. Most of her ex-boyfriends had laughed at her over her modesty, but there was nothing she could do about it.
She turned the shower on and, as the steam began to billow, she glanced in the mirror. Her eyes caught something above her collar bone and she leaned closer to examine it. Sure enough, in the curve of her neck where Jorick had marked her was a fresh set of neat bite marks, exactly over the top of the old ones.
Her hand went to it unconsciously and she wondered if that was the point of the mark. Was it proof that you'd shared their most intimate embrace? Is that why you belonged to them; their human "property"? Was that why Oren found it distasteful? She wasn't sure how she felt about the idea. And she wondered, if he'd bitten her, had he also taken blood from her? She recalled the overwhelming sensations: the images, the feelings, the waves of intoxicating pleasure that had been like no other. Was that what had caused it? Was it like something from a low budget, R rated movie where vampire bites were so orgasmic that girls would strip naked for no reason? But, she argued with herself, Jesslynn had bitten her, as had that vampire in the cellar, and there was no pleasure, just pain.
She dismissed her query and climbed into the shower. She let the hot water run over her and wash away her fears and doubts. She reminded herself that Jorick had never done anything to hurt her. His only fault had been the omission of a few facts, and though that angered her it hadn't really put her in danger. Well, not completely. Then again, memories of the vampire manor made her question her theory.
Katelina finished her shower and dressed quickly. With relish, she retrieved her hair brush from the bag and ran the bristles through her wet, tangled hair. Things were almost normal. Almost.
The door opened and she looked up quickly to see Jorick. He leaned casually against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest and gazed at her lazily from half closed eyes. When he offered no explanation she asked, "Yes?"
"Nothing." He smiled broadly so that his fangs glimmered in the bright light. "Just looking at you." He continued to gaze in silence until her raised brows prompted him to laugh. "All right, all right. I'm going to go get you some food, but I have a meeting, so it'll take a little longer than usual."
She kept her voice casual. "A meeting with who?"
"It doesn't matter," he answered airily. Then, his face hardened. "I'm not taking you with me today."
She snapped her head around to face him and began her argument, "But - "
"No," he cut her off and shook his head firmly. "Not today. I want you to stay here," he paused before specifying, " - in this room. Do you understand?"
An unreasonable rage flared up in her and a voice inside her head hissed: He's going to meet Kateesha alone to take her up on her offer, because now that he's had you he's disappointed.
"Oh, I understand perfectly," she snapped. The fury nearly blinded her, but she kept it in check as he kissed her deeply then left, calling back for her to lock the door.
Her hands shook with rage as she exited the bathroom and did as he requested. She dropped on the foot of the unmade bed and turned on the TV. Brightly colored images flashed past but she couldn't comprehend or concentrate on them. The hissing tones in her head were growing louder, drowning out the too-happy voices on the television. They told her again that Jorick was going to see her. He'd pretended not to want her yesterday because Katelina had been there, but today he'd be alone with her. He's left the key to the other room on the dresser.
Shocked, she looked up as this last thought bellowed through her mind, completely unbidden and unlooked for. Her eyes snapped to the dresser and sure enough, the key lay there. Its yellow plastic tag bore the room number 622.
Before she knew what she was doing, she had the key in her hand. "No," she told herself and started to put it back. This wasn't a good idea. What if Arowenia wasn't restrained? How could she possibly hope to defeat a vampiress? She was no match for their strength. Besides, why would she want to go there? Jorick was meeting someone; he wasn't in Arowenia's room.
But the voice had an answer for her: maybe that's where he's really gone, maybe Arowenia is his lover. The words shocked her, but she mulled them over. Perhaps Arowenia had run away with Jorick. After all, Oren had spoken of some secret motive behind everything. Maybe Jorick was in that room right now, making love to Arowenia and laughing at the stupid human.
The burning anger washed over her again and drowned her senses until she could think of nothing else. She turned from the dresser and marched towards the door. The key was clenched tightly in her fist as she unsnapped the locks, one after another.
She marched outside and stormed along the building, oblivious to the world around her.
The door was suddenly in front of her; painted a dingy white. She stared at it in confusion, taking in the minute details. The metal numbers 622 were chipped and most of the gold coating had flaked off years ago. The silver screws that held them on had also turned a dingy color from the years of weather and elements.
No light seeped out from under the door, so she pressed her ear to it. Nothing. There was only the last of the crickets chirping in the shadows. Jorick wasn't there.
Katelina shook herself back to the present. She didn't even know what she was doing. Why was she there with the room key in her hand? To see Arowenia? She wasn't even sure that Arowenia was being held there. This was stupid.
She turned and started back to her room when unbidden thoughts pulsed in her ears to a rhythm of anger and betrayal. Maybe Arowenia isn't there, but maybe Kateesha is! She's in there with Jorick and you know what they're doing!
Katelina snapped back around and jammed the key in the lock with shaking hands. The door swung inward with a push, but she hesitated in the doorway.
The room was dark except for a bright swath of light thrown in by the door. Her silhouette was a black blot in the middle of it.
It was too familiar. She'd seen this before; a golden path of light that stretched into the darkness and lead her to something terrible. It was like standing in a memory and she knew she should leave - but she couldn't. She had to see. She had to know. She always had to know.
She reached for the light switch and stopped. A strip of light spilled out beneath the bathroom door, betraying his presence. He's in there. He's with her!
She moved across the floor slowly and stopped in front of the door. A subtle rustling noise came from inside, followed by a soft slurping. He's in there! He's with her!
Katelina was aware of her hand on the doorknob, the metal cool to her touch, but she was really beyond the entire scene. Her consciousness was floating somewhere high above the reality of the situation and above the voice in her head.
The door swung open and her awareness came slamming back to earth. The world suddenly rushed into confused focus and she found herself in the middle of a nightmare. Kateesha sat on the edge of the white bathtub, smiling obscenely, a limp body in her arms. Blood covered Kateesha's perfect face and ran down her chin in rivulets. It stained her green dress in long crimson ribbons and dripped onto the dead woman; if the creature could be called a woman. She looked barely over sixteen, with porcelain cheeks and long lashes. She wore a white, tattered dress of some filmy material and her long blonde hair hung down nearly to the floor. Her throat gaped, red and gushing.
