Chapter 465
"Malick?" Katelina echoed the name with the terror it deserved. "Did they find him?"
Wolfe ignored her for Jorick. "He's using the nuclear codes he stole. Der H?here Rat have chosen you to go to Russia and your Guild has demanded that Executioner Jamie accompany you. There is no time."
Katelina's heart stopped at the word nuclear, but her senses returned. "I'm going."
Jorick spoke before Wolfe could argue, "Yes. She comes with me."
"Then bring her. We do not have time!"
Katelina followed them to the Scharfrichter's office. Jamie joined them at the door and they hurried inside. Two heavy wooden desks faced each other, both manned by Scharfrichter on phones. An L shaped counter was littered with glowing computer monitors and surrounded by a crowd of both Scharfrichter and guards. In the center of the chaos stood a vampire in royal blue robes, no doubt one of the H?here Rat. He gave orders in German, his eyes on a computer monitor.
Wolfe saluted. Though he didn't speak English, Katelina assumed he was explaining her presence. The robed vampire nodded, then turned to Jorick, looking annoyed. "Malick has commanded that you come alone. However, Wolfe and a guard will accompany you, and your guild has requested that Executioner Jamie go with you." His curled lip gave his opinion on the matter. "What's one more?"
"Why would he demand my presence?" Jorick asked.
"He wants you to bring him the immortal crown."
"The what?" asked Katelina.
Jorick shrugged and Wolfe looked aggravated. "It's the golden crown worn by Ishkur. The symbol of his authority."
"Yes," the robed vampire said with annoyance. "After much debate, the Kugsankal have agreed to let you take it, but it must be given back on your return." His eyes bored into Jorick's, trying to press his will into the vampire's skull. "You will use it to get close to Malick, then you will kill him. You will not let him have the crown!" His voice dropped to normal. "Wolfe will escort you to receive it."
The Scharfrichter had a hurried conversation with him, and Katelina whispered to Jorick, "What does he want with a crown?"
"It's a symbol, apparently. No doubt he would wear it as proof that he's defeated the True Council. Perhaps older vampires will respect that."
"You don't know?"
He arched an eyebrow. "I'm not that old."
After saluting his superior, Wolfe practically dragged them out the door. Maeko and Hikaru stood casually at the end of the corridor. She bowed as the men hurried past, then grabbed Katelina's wrist and pressed something into her palm with a wink.
A strange thought popped into her head, "If you need me, you can contact me this way." She looked to Maeko. With a nod the girl took credit for the message.
Katelina shoved the tiny note in her pocket, and caught up with the others at the elevator. As they descended, the heavy sensation of the ancient masters grew stronger. Katelina handled it better than she had on previous visits, but their power still jarred her.
They passed through private elevators, locked doors, and narrow corridors to reach the plush waiting room. Fake plants and leather couches had a layer of dust that spoke of infrequent use.
The presence of the ancients seeped through the walls and Katelina took a deep, calming breath. It wasn't as if the Kugsankal would hurt her. Would they?
Wolfe peered into a large gilt framed mirror on the wall. A click echoed and the wall slid aside. They walked single file through a claustrophobic corridor to reach a large chamber, lit by a single bulb. On previous visits, the room had been mostly shadows, now Katelina could see it clearly. The walls were decorated in carved wooden panels that stretched upwards for several stories. It made her think of concert halls, where the domed ceilings amplified sound. Since the ancient Kugsankal rarely spoke aloud, perhaps it was made to amplify something else. Psychic energy, maybe?
Four doors sat in the back wall. Katelina had a vague thought that they must lead to the vampires living quarters. There'd been four of them before Ishkur murdered the leader and took over. She wondered what the bedroom of a two thousand year old vampire looked like. They probably didn't sleep in coffins like the modern ones.
In the center of the room was a long table. Seated behind it were the three vampires who made up the Kugsankal. Katelina had never been able to look at them for very long, but now she could.
Inanna sat in the middle, the shortest of the three. Her long hair was silvery white, and her cerulean eyes were like pieces of a winter sky against the snow of her skin. She sat with her back straight and her hands folded in her lap. A delicate silver crown sat on her head, woven of threads that looked more like spider web than metal. Katelina hadn't noticed it before, probably because she'd never been able to look long enough.
On her left sat a male. His long chestnut hair gleamed like polished wood and his black eyes were dark, deep holes that she'd once fallen into. He was dressed in black robes. A bronze crown on his head bore a small red gem in the center. One hand rested casually on the table top, adorned with a matching ring.
Katelina looked to Ishkur last. Over a burgundy tunic he wore a sleeveless robe embroidered with gold. His hair was long and black, as was the hint of a beard on his chin and jaw. His orangey colored eyes peered at her from beneath arching eyebrows. An image rose to her memory; Lilith's lover standing over Samael, satisfaction on his face. She felt anger flare then die as Samael's words came back to her, "He is of no importance."
She looked from his eyes to the golden crown on his head. Instead of a stone, the center had a golden flower studded with white and yellow gems. "It's a lotus flower," she thought, though she wasn't sure how she knew.
Inanna's voice rang through her head. "You return to us again, though you are not the same. Perhaps you should have remained. It would have saved you the pain of choice."
Katelina clenched her hands into fists at her side. "What choice?"
Jorick looked at her curiously, and Inanna's voice returned. "The choice of two masters. Whom will you follow? Your lover, or the one who offers to make you a queen?"
"I've already chosen," she snapped.
"You forget that I can see everything inside you."
Fury replaced any fear she felt and she screamed silently, "Get out!"
The three vampires flinched, and all eyes moved to her. She took an unconscious step backward and grabbed Jorick's hand.
Ishkur swept to his feet. Like Samael he was short, a remnant of ancient humanity, but seemed larger.
He stopped before them. His orange eyes flicked to Katelina and his face hardened. Wordlessly, he removed the crown and handed it to Jorick. There was a moment where Katelina could almost feel the vampires' silent conversation, but she couldn't hear it.
Ishkur turned on his heel and strode back to the table, his movement tight and precise.
Wolfe hurried to put himself between them. He bowed low to the ancients, then herded them out of the room. Katelina felt Inanna's eyes boring into her all the way down the corridor.
Wolfe waited until they reached the floor above before he jerked the crown from Jorick's hands and snapped at Katelina, "You do not talk back to the Kugsankal!"
"Then tell them to stay out of my head."
Jorick stepped in front of her and growled low. Wolfe started to respond, then broke away. "We don't have time for this." He gently wrapped the crown in a large handkerchief, as if it might disintegrate just from being looked at, and carefully slipped it in his coat. "This way."
Outside waited an SUV and a guard. He tugged at his uniform and Wolfe snapped, "Salute!"
The guard looked up and Katelina cringed. It was Braydon.
"What is he doing here?" Jorick demanded.
"He has elected ten years servitude to the Sodalitas," Wolfe said brusquely. "Der H?here Rat has decided that since he was one of Malick's minions he could be useful."
Though Jorick snarled in Braydon's face, he didn't retaliate.
Jamie pulled Jorick away. "You can threaten him later."
