Chapter 437
The in-dash clock said four a.m. when they hit the outskirts of a city. The traffic was thick, and the promised cyclists appeared in droves. Katelina was relieved when Verchiel finally parked the car and let them walk the six blocks back to the glittering hotel. He paid with his Guild issued credit card, and came back with a single room key.
"We're sharing?" she asked dubiously.
He leaned close and whispered, "In case you forgot we just rescued you from an ancient vampire who might change his mind."
The thought sent a shiver down her spine. "If he does can you stop him?"
"We'll make a good try of it, right, Kai?" Verchiel nudged the boy and grinned.
Kai's only answer was to peer between his shaggy bangs.
The room had two large beds and scattered furniture. Verchiel dropped the makeshift sack of clothes on a stand and motioned Kai to the phone. It took them several tries to dial out, and then Sorino answered on the second ring. Though the receiver was pressed to Kai's ear, Katelina leaned close enough to hear the vampire.
"Hello."
"Master," Kai replied.
There was a pause, then, "You can tell them we're in Bijie, not that it will mean anything."
Kai looked up to deliver the message. Verchiel motioned him to silence and asked, "How far is that?"
Sorino could obviously hear the redhead. "I believe you could manage the trip in twenty hours, if Kai drives most of it. If you stop to rest, then two days or more. The choice is yours on how to proceed. In the meantime, we will wait for you here." His tone became annoyed. "Jorick demands to speak to his human."
Katelina was suddenly nervous. Jorick had told her that the stuff with Samael didn't matter, but that was before she'd been carted off alone with him for days. Would he still feel that way?
Kai held the phone out. When she didn't take it, Verchiel forced it on her. She licked her dry lips and found her voice. "Hello?"
The answer was an equal measure of relief and worry. "Katelina! Has anyone-did he-are you all right?"
Warmth spread through her at the sound of his voice. "I'm fine."
"Thank God." He took a deep, ragged breath. "I've been-I was-God, Katelina, I've been scared to death." She imagined him closing his eyes and trying to find his usual calm. "Samael didn't-?"
There were so many meanings to that question. She tried to answer them all. "No. He didn't lay a hand on me, and he didn't turn me." She decided to keep the rituals to herself for the time being. "He let us go. He said immortality was a gift, not a prison, and if I wanted it from someone else that was fine."
Jorick took another calming breath. It did little to relieve the agitation in his voice. "I was coming as fast as I could. We left three nights ago. I wanted to leave immediately but the sun"
"I know. You had to wait for the sun to go down because you didn't have a human to drive. It's all right."
"No, it isn't. I should have gotten there first. I should be there now." He took another shaking breath. When he spoke again his tone was bitter. "The redheaded idiot is there, isn't he?"
"Yes."
"And has he"
She cut him off. "He hasn't done anything, except get me out of there. I swear, everything's fine."
"Put him on."
She hesitated, then handed the phone over. "Hello!" Verchiel chirped into the receiver. "You're welcome."
She could hear Jorick's deep, growling voice, "Don't. I swear to God, the devil, and everything in heaven, earth, and the nine levels of Hell that if you lay one hand on her I will make you suffer for the rest of eternity, do you understand?"
"I think that's pretty plain." Verchiel's smile disappeared. He turned away and dropped his voice but Katelina could still hear him. "What do you think I'm going to do to her? Ravage her against the wall?"
Jorick growled. "Among other things."
It took Verchiel a moment to answer. "If I wanted to claim her I would have done it already. I could, but I haven't."
"And you won't, or it will be the last thing you do."
Verchiel's smile was back, and the serious tone disappeared. "You make it sound like a challenge. Luckily I'm not in the market for a human. Having to drag two of them around would curb anyone's enthusiasm."
Before Jorick could reply he shoved the phone at Katelina again. "Better tell your sweet princey-poo nighty-night before his head explodes."
"Jorick?" She watched Verchiel flop on the bed, his hands behind his head and his expression careless.
"I swear Katelina, if he does anything-"
"He isn't going to. I know you don't trust him because you can't read his mind, but he's right. If he was going to do something he'd have already done it. We'll talk about it later. Right now I just miss you."
Jorick grumbled, but the angry tones changed to regret and longing. "And I miss you, little one. As soon as the sun is down, we'll head out and meet you halfway."
"I don't think Sorino plans"
"Then he can stay," Jorick said firmly. "Now that I know where you are I don't need the rest of them. I can travel by myself. It will be faster. I'll see you tomorrow."
Though she knew it would mean an argument among the vampires, the idea of seeing him that soon made her smile. "Okay. Tomorrow. I love you."
"And I love you. Rest well, little one."
Her throat tightened. "Good night."
She hated to hang up, but there was nothing to say that couldn't wait.
Kai was already in the bathroom with the shower running, so she perched on the edge of the bed and watched as Verchiel flipped through television channels. Finally, she cleared her throat. "I'm sorry. About Jorick. He doesn't mean to be an ass."
"I know." Verchiel clicked the remote again. "He's just worried about you."
Despite his words, the truth hung between them. Jorick was more than worried; Jorick was jealous and had been since she'd first met the redhead.
With nothing else to say, she announced, "I think I'm gonna try to get some sleep. Have a good night."
She slipped under the covers and tried to beat the pillow into something comfortable. As she settled down, she heard Verchiel chirp, "Sweet dreams."
She was sure her dreams would be anything but sweet.
Katelina woke the next evening to the rattle of a news program in Chinese. Verchiel was missing and Kai sat on the other bed, already dressed and watching the TV. She took a quick shower with the tiny provided soap and shampoo packets. When she was dry she realized she had no brush, so she ran one of the ornate hair combs through her hair. The results were rough, but better than nothing.
She opened the makeshift bag and pulled on her ruined clothes. The holes in her shirt corresponded to the wounds on her shoulder and her back, and the hole in her jeans revealed a dark bruise. Still, the normal clothes made everything seem a little less odd. She started to leave the embroidered blanket and robe crumpled on the floor, but they were pretty, so she snatched them up, and grabbed the hair combs as an afterthought.
She found Verchiel returned and cheerful. "Sorry, I was feeding."
She wrinkled her nose. "Do you guys always have to call it that? Couldn't you just say 'eat'?"
"But we're not eating. Technically we're drinking, but if I say 'sorry, I was out having a drink', I sound like an alcoholic."
"I'm sure you could come up with something less offensive if you tried."
"It's only offensive to you." His grin broadened. "Come on, we better get going before you and Jorick die of separation anxiety."
After a quick meal at the hotel restaurant, they started the six block walk to the parking lot. The night was crisp and smelled like car exhaust. Katelina thought about seeing Jorick and her heart skipped a beat.
Despite the bustle of the city, the parking lot felt eerily empty. The hair stood up on the back of Katelina's neck. Verchiel slipped his hand in his coat. She knew he was readying his sword.
Like the vampires always did, she sniffed the air, but found nothing. Verchiel did the same. What he smelled left creases across his forehead. He drew his sword and fell into a stance in front of her. Before she could ask what was going on, a figure seemed to materialize in their path. Blond hair settled on his shoulders, as if he'd just come to a stop. His long black coat fell around his body. In his hand was a sword with a heavily serrated edge, and around his neck hung a golden eye medallion. It was Arlen, one of Malick's lackeys.
With a fanged smile, he nodded to them. "Thanks for saving me the effort of fighting Samael for the human. If it's all the same to you, I'll take her now."
