Chapter 413
With Torina's assistance they soon had Etsuko stripped down and changed into something that resembled a white kimono without all the fuss. Torina easily carried the insensible woman back to the couch and then ran back to the bathroom to wash her hands.
When the plane landed Etsuko was no better. She'd woken again and muttered in rapid Japanese, at one moment nearly hysterical, until Jorick laid a hand on her and sent her back to sleep.
Katelina stepped off of the plane and at once recognized the slab of airstrip and the bright glare of the lights. Beyond that she knew was a collection of buildings and a range of mountains that reminded her of their last visit, and their casualty. Neil had died at the fight in the temple and they'd burned his body not far from where she stood. It felt like bad luck to be back again.
Katelina followed Jorick through the cold to a squat building. He opened the door without knocking. The room inside was as messy as Katelina remembered; a futon was folded in one corner and two chairs were buried under piles of newspapers. A doorway revealed the control room where the young, dark haired vampire Amari and the graying human Burke sat at a control panel.
Amari wore a headset that consisted of heavy earphones and a microphone. He nodded along to something only he could hear through it. "Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Right. We've been getting reports about it all night. The Asian Association is asking survivors to gather at these coordinates." He read off a set of numbers and Katelina bit her lip. Survivors. Asian Association. So Fethillen had been right about the target.
"Uh-huh." Amari flipped a switch and part of the panel's lights went out. "I hear it was bloodier than The Faction. They're saying hundreds of casualties, and that's just the vampires. I don't envy the cleanup crews. What a nightmare to try to keep the human emergency services away from the vampires and vice versa. In a crush like that it would be hard to tell who anyone was right off, especially given all the rubble. Uh-huh. That's right. It was next to a housing complex or apartment building, and they blew that up too."
Katelina closed her eyes. She'd seen the aftermath in Uzbekistan and could only imagine what it would've been like had people lived nearby.
"Okay. If I hear anything else- Yeah, got a new plane in, so I'll let you go." Amari spieled off a few more pleasantries and then peeled his headset off with a sigh. "Busy night," he commented to Burke. "Looks like you and Celia will have your hands full today."
He stretched, then spun around in his chair. His eyes landed on Jorick and his whole face was animated. He swept to his feet and hurried toward them. "Well hello there! So you're our other customers. It's nice to see you again." He offered Jorick a fanged grin and a good once over. "The others weren't sure you were going to show up."
"Yes." Jorick took a step back. "Where are they?"
"There's a lot of them," Amari said. "I don't know where everyone's going to sleep. Even if we put people on the floor it's still going to be cramped. Of course, I can always find room." He coughed, as if to punctuate the not so subtle proposition.
The door opened and closed and Sorino strode inside, Kai behind him on his usual silver chain. It looked like a leash and Katelina wanted to snap that Kai wasn't a dog, but it was pointless.
"And you as well," Amari said with less enthusiasm. "I don't suppose Lurid is with you?"
"No," Sorino said. "Now, about accommodations."
"I was just discussing that," Amari said. "I don't see how everyone can fit, unless we stack you." He eyed Jorick again, as if suggesting he knew exactly where to stack him.
Katelina wasn't sure whether to feel jealous or not, and wrapped her hand around Jorick's arm for good measure.
"Kai and I will be in the bunkhouse," Sorino announced, then turned for the door.
"Okay," Amari called after him. "But some of the other bunch are already in there, so you may have to fight for a bed."
Sorino's back stiffened, and Katelina could imagine the angry expression twisting across his face. Without looking back he disappeared out the door.
Amari turned to Jorick. "Now, where were we?"
The door opened again and the young vampire threw up his hands and muttered something in a foreign language before he turned toward the newcomer. "Yes?"
It was Fethillen, dressed in her usual incognito sweater and boots. "So you made it. I'd started to think you weren't coming."
Jorick stepped toward her. "We'd have come faster if we didn't have to walk to the airport."
"You were welcome to leave yesterday." They stared at one another, and Katelina detected the subtle power struggle going on. She was fed up with all of it.
"Etsuko was too sick to leave." She turned toward Amari. "All I want is a real shower and then I don't give a damn where I sleep."
The vampire grinned. "There's a shower in Celia and Burke's cabin. It's right"
"I know where it is. I was here last time too," and without waiting for an answer she strode out the door.
She was in the shower when Jorick came in. He waited until she got out to say, "You shouldn't have taken off."
"Yeah, yeah. Place is crawling with vampires. I got it." She toweled off and pulled out the clothes she'd washed in the jungle. They'd seemed clean there, but now they didn't. "What I'd give for a washing machine."
"Katelina, you're not taking the threat seriously," Jorick snapped. "You've become"
"Used to 'friendly' vampires?" she suggested.
"Desensitized," he said. "Indifferent. Complacent. Vampires are deadly. It's the same as looking a lion in the face and stooping to scratch its chin."
"I hardly call taking an unchaperoned bath the same thing as tickling a lion." She stopped from shouting and took a deep breath. He meant well. Between the coming battle, Etsuko's condition, and the stress of their recent living conditions everyone was on edge, and it wasn't worth it. "Fine. I'll try to be more careful."
Jorick blinked in surprise, but quickly recovered. "Good. The bunkhouse and the room under the main house are full. The humans have volunteered to give up their cabin, but I think they'll still be short on space. I suggest we sleep on the plane."
"As long as it's not on the floor I'll sleep anywhere." And she meant it.
