Chapter 402
The thunder that had been in the distance most of the night finally caught up to them and Katelina kept an anxious eye on the heavy black sky.
Jorick returned, looking irritated. Sorino followed. He looked vaguely curious and slightly aloof, like someone from the upper class who'd come down to the slums to "look around".
Jorick motioned to the group around the fire. "We'll leave tomorrow. Of course we'll have to take the prisoner, Fethillen, and at least two others. She wanted more, but we're already over capacity."
Etsuko bowed. "I can be of no help on the journey, so with Oren-sama and Jorick-sama's permission I would willingly remain behind."
Jorick shook his head. "Not alone."
"Torina could stay," Oren suggested. "She's not likely to be useful, either."
Jorick nodded toward the black clad vampires. "Could she defend Etsuko if there's trouble?"
"If nothing else she could take her into the jungle until we returned."
"Etsuko is your human, so it's your choice."
Katelina glowered at Jorick's words, but neither Etsuko nor Kai took offense. She felt like she was the only sane one left.
Oren hesitated and finally said, "If someone can't trust their own sister then who can they trust?"
Katelina held back a snort. She imagined the sexy vampiress standing by, playing with her fiery hair or admiring her nails, or even off in a dark corner with one of the Black Vigil while the rest of the secret group fed off Etsuko. It wouldn't be worth interrupting her selfish pursuits for a human.
A fat raindrop landed in the dirt in front of Katelina, followed by a second and a third. By the time they made it to the house, the rain was falling thick around them. Thunder cracked loudly, and something stirred in Katelina's memory.
"Even this will fade and pass away to nothing."
She hoped it was sooner than later.
***
Oren waited until the next evening to tell Torina that she had to stay behind. The vampiress glared at him and snapped, "Why?"
"Because I need someone to look after Etsuko," he replied.
"She isn't my human. You take care of her. "
Oren made an aggravated sound. "Just this one time, can you please do what I ask you to do?"
"You're leaving me behind because I'm a woman, but I'm more useful than he is." She pointed a manicured finger toward Loren.
The teen looked hurt, and Oren quickly dropped his voice. "That may be, but I need someone who can fend off the Black Vigil if necessary. I don't trust them."
"Then what about Micah? Or Jorick's human. They say she's done exceptional things lately."
Oren drew himself up. "Torina, I am your master. I gave you immortality and you will do as I say!"
Torina fell back, speechless. Her mouth worked, but nothing intelligible came out. At last she managed, "Fine, but next time it's someone else's turn!"
Etsuko sat primly on her large bag and didn't seem the least embarrassed they'd been arguing over who had to look after her.
"If we've settled it, shall we go?" Sorino asked.
They took a helicopter to the airport where Sorino's plane was parked in the hangar. Wolfe waited impatiently inside the leather trimmed, polished wood interior and Jorick was barely on board before he demanded, "How did you get out of the stronghold?"
Though Katelina expected Jorick to lie he said, "Your fianc¨¦ helped us."
"Why would she do that?"
"She was under the impression you needed help."
Wolfe gave Jorick a freezing look of outrage. "Why would she think that?"
Verchiel bounced into one of the seats and kicked his feet up. "Because you quit answering her calls right after the attack on Syria."
"I wasn't in Syria."
Jorick's smile was obviously disingenuous, as was his innocence. "We know that now, but at the time-" He spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness.
"I am sure she left you with no choice." Wolfe turned on his heel and strode to one of the chairs. "We'll deal with that later. For now I'm more interested in this oasis of the Children of Shadows."
Sushel, Quenby, Fethillen, and the prisoner boarded last. Sushel glared at Wolfe and then shoved the prisoner into the kitchenette at the back of the plane. Fethillen, on the other hand, stopped in front of Wolfe. "So you're the one Cyprus is hunting?"
Wolfe's face betrayed no surprise. "Is he?"
"Yes. He attacked the marina in Indonesia to kill you, and again in Uzbekistan."
"I wasn't in Uzbekistan."
"I know this, but he didn't." Fethillen studied him and then announced, "I am Fethillen, the leader of the Black Vigil. It appears we will be allies for the moment."
"Yes, it does."
Without another word the blonde vampiress chose a seat and fastened her belt. Katelina did the same with a silent prayer they wouldn't crash in the jungle.
***
It was almost two hours later when Sushel reappeared, lugging the whimpering prisoner before him. Katelina looked away from the stumps where his hands used to be and tried not to think about the screams she'd heard in the dark.
The vampire took his charge to the cabin of the plane, and Katelina imagined he was giving them directions to the so-called oasis. Verchiel gave her a wink and a grin, but the merriment seemed forced. She wondered if he was worried for Ume, or about facing Malick.
The plane landed and Katelina peered through the window to see a small airstrip. One end was surrounded by a semi-circle of hangars. Katelina tried to guess how many planes were housed in them and how Malick had managed to acquire them so fast.
"He may have been collecting them for some time before he left The Guild," Jorick said.
That everything had been a carefully orchestrated plan made Katelina shiver.
One of the planes, a smaller version of the one they were in, sat outside the hangars, as if waiting to take off. She wondered if Malick was planning a trip, or if it was one of his lackeys. As she contemplated it, a pair of black coated figures walked onto the strip. She squinted through the window to see that both were blonde. One was a woman who carried a massive gun and the other was a lithe male who bore a large square sword.
It was Griselda and Arlen, two of Malick's henchmen.
They knocked on the door of the plane and Jorick opened it. Katelina had to strain, but she could hear Griselda say, "If you will come with us?"
Jorick motioned the others to follow him, then plunged out onto the tarmac. Katelina hurried to catch up, but Verchiel caught her arm. "Give it a minute, in case it's a trap."
The others flowed around them, even Sushel and his prisoner. Finally Verchiel relaxed and gave a mock bow. "After you."
She unconsciously rubbed her arm. "What was that?"
"A stray thought of Arlen's, apparently." He gave her a wink and she hesitated. Was he sure it wasn't a trap just because it hadn't been sprung yet? Though she hadn't wanted to be left behind with the Black Vigil she wondered at the wisdom of going to see Malick, the vampire who figured prominently in her terrified memories and nightmares. The manipulative master who always came out on top.
What in the hell were they thinking?
"There is nothing to fear."
The peace that filtered over her didn't come from Verchiel, and when they reached the tarmac Katelina gave Jorick's hand a squeeze of thanks.
Griselda was mid speech, "master says you have brought someone with you who belongs to him and he would demand his return before he'll hand over what you seek."
So Malick was bargaining, but apparently for Sushel's prisoner.
