Chapter 524
Katelina stumbled backwards and dropped the chair.
Brad gaped, his eyes bulging. "K...How-?"
Jorick stepped between them. Brad went slack. He blinked, nodded, then wandered over to the couch and sat down. His tone was friendly, as if nothing had happened. "Katelina! What a surprise. Patty said you were coming, but she didn't know when."
Katelina's attention stayed riveted to Sarah. Her friend shut the door, then caught her up in a hug. "I was so worried about you."
Katelina stayed stiff, too overcome to form words. Sarah. Fangs. Vampire. Sarah? Sarah was a vampire? But-but how? Lennon said she was dead. He said no one turned her. He said-
Sarah's breath tickled her ear. "I'll tell you later."
She let go and dropped back to glance at Jorick. "Who's this?"
"Um, Jorick," Katelina mumbled. Sarah. A vampire.
"He's Katelina's boyfriend," Brad said from the couch. He stood. "Would you like something to drink?"
"I'm fine," Jorick replied.
"Kate?"
She wished she was still human. This was the kind of situation alcohol could only improve. "No."
Brad shrugged. "Well, I could use a scotch." He started for the kitchenthe kitchen! With it's crazy new table and black cupboards.
Katelina rounded on Sarah. "Where's my mother?"
"She's out to dinner," Brad called.
"With who?"
Brad leaned in. "Some friends from work. Marge and Kelly, I think. Tammy had to cancel because her oldest has the flu. I told Patty not to go. With the disappearances the last week, it's getting dangerous. That's why they're all riding together. Sure you wouldn't like something?"
Disappearances? Was Brad planning to use that as an excuse to explain her mom's absence later? Had he and Sarah-It was almost unthinkable. "What disappearances? And if Mom isn't here, why are you two?"
Brad stuck his head in the room again. "Patty hasn't told you?"
"Told me what?" That you and Sarah killed her? When Katelina imagined vampire assassins, Sarah had never been a possibility.
Brad hesitated. "We're living together."
"I know Sarah's living at your place. That's my point. Why are you here?"
"No, not like that," Brad said quickly. "Sarah is staying at my apartment because I'm living here."
Katelina struggled to grasp the implications. "You mean you're living with my mother?" She turned to Sarah and whisper-snapped, "I thought you were back together?"
Sarah coughed uncomfortably and mumbled, "No. Brad and Patty are...All things considered, it's for the best."
Katelina couldn't believe that Brad would really give Sarah up for her mother. More likely they were two-timing. She tried not to sound accusatory, "So you and Brad aren't together at all?"
"No."
Katelina thought she saw a flash of venom in her friend's eyes, but it was gone before she could be sure. "If Brad lives here, with my mother, and you live in his old apartment, alone, why are you here together now?"
"That's my fault." Brad reappeared with a drink in hand. "My car broke down and I needed a ride home from school."
School? Katelina thought her mom might have mentioned him going to college to be a pharmacy tech.
"When we got here I saw the lights on and thought I should check it out," Sarah finished. "I don't know what you think is going on-"
Brad breezed on, as though he hadn't heard the last part. "Right. Can't be too careful after all the disappearances lately. We made it on the national news yesterday."
Except Katelina hadn't been watching the news. "What disappearances?"
"Women, mostly," Brad explained. "On their own. You remember Karen? Used to come to the bar a lot? She disappeared Monday."
Katelina looked to Jorick, silently asking if they were telling the truth. His nod and shrug were slight. With a resigned sigh Katelina sank into the misplaced chair. It was all too much. Sarah was a vampire. Brad, the same guy she'd double dated with before, had moved into her childhood home so he could sleep with her mother. Sarah was a vampire.
"Maybe we should come back later," Jorick suggested. "When your mother is home."
Brad checked his watch. "She said she might be late tonight. Why don't you three go ahead, get caught up, and we'll see you tomorrow."
We. As if they were already an inseparable unit.
Jorick nodded, and gently tugged Katelina to her feet. "Tomorrow."
Before she could form words, Jorick shuffled her out the door. Sarah followed and said, "I'd suggest the bar, but there isn't much point anymore."
"There's a park near the edge of town," Jorick said.
"I'll see you there." Sarah hesitated. "About Brad-"
Brad? Katelina blinked, then realized what she meant. "I'm sorry. I, uh, didn't mean to sound suspicious. I just thought you guys were back together and so the whole living here thing threw me off." I really didn't mean to accuse you of killing my mom and stealing her house.
"I understand. But no, we're not back together. We talked about it briefly and-We'll discuss it at the park. I have a lot of things to tell you about."
Katelina managed a half wave. "See you there."
She didn't relax until the car doors were shut.
"Are you all right?" Jorick steered onto the street.
"I don't know. A vampire! I meanholy shit. How did she become a vampire? Lennon said he watched her die, and you said he was telling the truth." Her head swiveled to Jorick. "Did you read her mind?"
His lips tightened. "I imagine we'll get the story from her soon enough."
They stopped at the dark empty park. A baseball field lurked across a gravel drive, and a grouping of trees hugged the back of a playground. Lonely swings swung in the breeze and a merry-go-round creaked ominously. Though Katelina couldn't feel the temperature, she shivered and huddled into her shirt instinctively.
Sarah arrived and motioned them to the picnic pavilion. Once they were seated she said, "So, you're one too. Was it Troy?"
Troy? The name was familiar and horrible. Katelina tried to mentally run away from the conjured image of a bald vampire in sunglasses. He'd been Claudius' henchman, the one who kidnapped Katelina and took her to their den, and the one who supposedly tortured Sarah to death.
"No," Katelina said quickly. "You?"
Sarah nodded and picked absently at her purse.
