Chapter 477
The rain turned to a light drizzle. Katelina sat on the rusty gas tank, holding her injured side. Jorick, Jamie, and Maeko were lost in conversation. She thought about joining them but couldn't stir up the interest.
Braydon walked over and leaned next to her. She followed his eyes to where the Birlik's crew sorted through body parts. When they found a hand, they scanned the fingertips with a glompy device that didn't seem to produce any results.
Braydon cleared his throat. "You're all right?"
She nodded. The silence stretched and she tried to think of something to say. Despite whatever link his blood might have given them, she wasn't sure she trusted him. Or rather she didn't want to trust him.
"Why didn't you join Malick at the silo? Even if we'd tried to stop you we couldn't have."
"Would you follow the man who murdered your father?" Surprise stole her words and he turned burning eyes to her. "My father was killed at the Dernek in Turkey. Not just killed, butchered, by the Children of Shadows. Raoul came through afterward and recruited survivors to join the army of the golden eye, an army whose goal was to eradicate the monsters."
He looked into the distance and his voice turned bitter. "I should have noticed that things were wrong. Instead of joining an army, I was tasked to guard a mansion in the desert. Instead of the Children of Shadows, it was a vampire named Jorick that my fellows spoke of defeating. At first I thought he must be part of them. By the end I'd figured out he wasn't, though I refused to admit it. I wanted to believe that we were going to get vengeance, so I ignored all the inconsistencies. Then, at the trial, they said that Malick was in control of the Children of Shadows, and all the odd things made sense."
He let out a slow breath. "I chose ten years servitude to the Sodalitas not because I'm afraid of imprisonment, but because I hoped to do something to avenge my father. If I'm locked up, I can't. I stand a better chance working for them as a guard." A sick smile formed on his lips. "Look at the chance I've already had to kill the bastard. I failed, but at least the chance was there."
Katelina didn't know what to say so she made a noise in her throat.
"About-I was only following orders. I knew better by then; knew that you had nothing to do with my revenge, but I wasn't sure what else to do. My father was my master. It was the two of us for more than a hundred years and without him I-I've never been alone and I was terrified of it, so I followed Malick's orders. Even when they-when you begged for my help."
Begged for his help? She didn't remember doing that.
"I just...I'm sorry."
Katelina didn't know what to say. How to take apologies from your captors wasn't something they covered in women's magazines.
As though he sensed her distress, Jorick looked up. His eyes narrowed and he hurried toward her, Jamie behind him.
"I have a match!" one of the Birlik vampires called. "It's a human. His name is Telov Gura and he was reported missing yesterday by his girlfriend in Kiev. She said he disappeared on the eleventh."
"What's he doing here?" Baka looked to Wolfe. "Any suggestions?"
"None." He glanced at his phone. Katelina guessed he was checking the time. "Where is your transportation?"
"We're parked down the mountain. You have a ride?"
Jorick came to a stop. Braydon pushed himself up from the tank. He gave the Executioners a short nod then walked toward the Scharfrichter.
She was grateful for the intervention, but not the attitude. "You don't need to be so protective. He wasn't trying to kill me."
"This time," Jorick snapped. His voice was back to normal when he said, "Maeko has accommodations at an inn. I imagine it's better than what they've prepared for us."
"And Wolfe?"
"Seems to be enjoying himself." Jamie's eyes twinkled mischievously. "He can tell us all about it tomorrow."
Katelina's side had stopped bleeding, but it still hurt. She was tired of being wet. An inn with a hot shower sounded great. "Then let's go before they notice."
They walked casually out of the valley and down the road. Maeko's rental vehicle was parked in a ravine. She sent Hikaru down for it and he dutifully drove it out, churning rock and dirt under the giant tires.
When they got to town the question came up of Katelina's injury. "We could find Kate-chan a person or animal to feed from," Maeko suggested. "Or she could let it heal as she rests."
Katelina didn't think she could bite someone again, and the thought of a hairy animal was unappealing. She chose the latter option and let Jorick bind the wound with a shirt from her bag.
Ryuu, Maeko's human, waited for them at the motel. His smile was genuine as he greeted his mistress. At only sixteen, he wasn't old enough to turn, or so Maeko said.
Maeko had two rooms. "Ryuu-kun and Hikaru-san can room with me today and Kate-chan, Jorick-ue, and Jamie-san can share the other."
The donated room was small and looked like something from the seventies. There were four tiny twin beds, a table, two chairs, and a bright red rug. Jorick inspected it for possible sun leaks while Katelina took a shower. The rain had soaked through her bag and into the clothes. Still, she found a shirt and a pair of pants that were dry-ish. She was half dressed when Jorick ducked in and stripped off.
"What are you doing?"
"Taking a shower." He leaned close and whispered, "It's a pity about the roommate or we could take a long shower together." He flicked his tongue over the scar of her mark. Goose bumps ran down her spine. He gave a devilish laugh and hopped in the shower.
She left him to finish. Jamie sat in one of the chairs. He gave her a nod as she moved to where Jorick had pushed two of the twin beds together. She flopped on them and, even though she was fully dressed, pulled the blanket over herself.
She tried to think of something to say. She didn't know much about Jamie except that he and Jorick had worked together a long time ago. Then Jorick had quit the Executioners and he'd stayed.
"Unlike Jorick, I had nothing else to do."
Her eyes moved to the textured bedspread. It angered her that the mind readers could still hear her thoughts.
"It's because you don't block them. Yet you were able to force out all three of the True Council."
Katelina rolled the bedspread between her fingers. "I don't know how I did it."
"It was a knee jerk reaction, but it means your subconscious knows how. If you asked Jorick, I'm sure he'd help you."
"I think he likes being able to read my mind. He can't read Verchiel's and he hates him for it."
Jamie scoffed. "He thinks he hates him for several reasons. Very few have anything to do with whether he can read his mind or not. His jealousy should lessen now that he doesn't have to worry about a competing claim."
"A what?"
"Competing claim. It's exactly as it sounds, when a vampire claims another vampire's human. Not to put too fine a point on it, but you drank from Verchiel and he from you. He left a mark on your neck. That's how claim is established. If he chose he could create a lot of legal complications. He could charge Jorick with theft of his property, and even claim that Jorick's drinking your blood afterward was done illegally, without his permission, just as Xandria's master could come after you. Like Sanjay, the chances are that Verchiel would lose, they'd probably find that he was the one who illegally drank your blood, but it could go on and on and there is a risk that they'd side with him. Now that you're immortal, your master's claim supersedes anything done while you were mortal. He can have a raging affair with you, but he can't legally take you away against your will."
Katelina's cheeks turned scarlet and a loud bang from the bathroom gave Jorick's opinion. The door opened a second later and he waltzed out in nothing but a towel. "Your turn," he said with a pointed look at Jamie.
The Executioner rolled his eyes, then disappeared to shower.
Jorick grumbled as he slid into bed and Katelina stopped from asking if that was really his problem. As Jamie said, it wasn't an issue now. Maybe it was best to let it go.
She snuggled up against him and closed her eyes. Thoughts of Verchiel faded into a crimson smeared room and piles of body parts. She stiffened and Jorick rubbed her back.
"It's all right, little one. One day you'll get used to such things."
She wasn't sure she wanted to.
