Chapter 599
The next evening saw Katelina dressed and following Jorick to the lobby. She could smell the mortal blood around them: in the rooms, walking past in the corridors, the staff at the desk. Each one made her stomach tighter.
"You'll get used to it," Jorick teased.
"Maybe if we had a snack at night I wouldn't be starving in the morning?"
"Yes, you would. Do you think vampires have lived hundreds of years without trying that?"
The others joined them in the lobby. Together they filed out to the van. Katelina took her seat from the day before and tried not to notice how delicious Kai smelled. From the way Des shot glances backwards, she wasn't the only one.
Des brought the engine to life. "We're feeding, then going to Iowa?" Jorick gave a crisp nod and Des scowled. "You're sure we want to go there? Into the heart of the Executioners?"
"Are you avoiding them for some reason?" Sorino asked from the back.
"Besides the fact they're all blood thirsty bastards?" Des replied sarcastically.
"You need only fear them if you've done something wrong," Jorick said.
"I didn't say I was afraid," Des snapped. "And they don't necessarily need a reason to go after someone. You know that better than I do."
And there it was. The reference to Jorick's days as an Executioner. Though his first stint was before Katelina was born, he'd been forced back a few months ago. After they'd released him, they recalled him to play security guard at the party in Canada. The fee for going was a signed document promising he'd never be forced to serve again. It would have filled Katelina with relief if she trusted the vampire government.
Jorick was ready to bite back a response when Brandle interrupted, "I heard that, with a new leader and new members, things were different in the Executioner ranks. Perhaps we should give them the benefit of the doubt."
"Until they stick knives in our backs?" Des muttered.
They fell silent, and the atmosphere thickened as they drove. Katelina was relieved when they pulled over outside of town. They climbed out and split up through a large area of trees. "It looks very East Coast here," she commented.
Jorick cocked an eyebrow at her. "What?"
"I said it looks East Coast. You know, the tall trees, the lack of underbrushlike the forests on TV. It's a nice change. Most places look the same as Ohio. Like Iowa. I expected it to look really-I don't know-rural. Really farm-y, but it wasn't much different. This is different."
He chuckled. "And Germany wasn't? Or Japan?"
"Not really. The jungle in Africa was different, but we didn't get to enjoy it. We were busy running from one place to another, trying to beat Malick to Samael." With the name Malick came memories of The Guild. "Maybe Des is right. Are you sure going to The Guild is a good idea?"
"Why not? What do you think will happen?" When she felt the soft buzz of a mind reader, she contemplated shutting him out, then relented. Let him see. It was easier than saying, "They'll rope you into being their lackey again."
"Katelina, we have Eileifr's word."
"What does that mean? The word of a vampire? It's no better than the word of a human. Everyone lies, cheats, and changes their mind when it suits them. Ancient vampires are no better. Worse, maybe."
Jorick caught her hands in his. "Eileifr won't force me to work for him again. I doubt he wanted it in the first place, but he couldn't afford to waste anyone on the party in Canada."
"Don't give me that. He's a demon eye, isn't he? He can see the future. He knew what was going to happen there. He sent us on purpose."
Jorick hesitated. "Perhaps. But he can't recall me. I have the signed paper. I'd only need to take it before Munich"
"While we're messing with that, what would Samael and Lilith do? What about Sarah and Estrilda? Forget it. You don't understand."
She pulled free and started away, but he caught her shoulder. "Katelina, I swear I won't join them. Surely my word counts for something?"
She started to snap back, then softened at the sincerity in his eyes. "Yeah. All right."
He hugged her and pressed a kiss to the curve of her neck. Goosebumps raced down her spine.
"Now that's settled, perhaps we can get to more important things?"
"Seriously? Last night"
He laughed, rich and warm. "I meant feeding, but I can see where your mind is."
She flushed, but didn't deny it. He'd told her before he liked that because it made him feel important to her; attractive. It made sense since it did the same for her.
Jorick soon located a deer. He held it still by his will as he bit into it and drank. When he finished, he wiped his mouth and motioned Katelina to feed. Watching him, smelling the blood, hearing the soft slurping sound, drove her hunger to a fever pitch. She clamped on gratefully, taking in long mouthfuls. The world around her faded until she saw open fields, heavy forests, smelled the crush of plants beneath her feet, the scent of humansthe smell of death.
She broke away, hands shaking. Jorick gave her a curious look, and slowly released his influence on the deer. It stood blinking, then turned tail and ran into the trees, kicking up leaves and dirt.
"Hunters," Katelina said. "They killed her baby. She-She's mourning."
"Of course she is." Jorick wiped her mouth with his thumb. "Animals are sentient beings, like humans. To think differently is presumptuous."
"But if that's true, how is feeding on them any better than feeding on people?"
"I never said it was. Come. Iowa waits."
***
They climbed back in the van and started off. It was near ten p.m. when Sorino's cellphone buzzed. Katelina glanced to Jorick, but he didn't look up from his book.
"You are aware this is my phone," Sorino commented to his caller, a mixture of intrigue and irritation in his eyes. "It's hardly my fault he refuses to get his own. However, since we're together, just this once, I can be generous." A thin smile stretched over Sorino's lips as he held the phone out. "It's for you."
Jorick reached out, but Sorino pulled the phone away from him. "It's for your pet."
Katelina frowned. "Who would call me?"
Jorick growled as she snatched the device and pressed it to her ear. "Hello?"
"Kately!" The sound of Verchiel's voice instantly conjured an image of a vampire with slanting purple eyes and a mop of crayon red hair, long in the back and spikey on top, much like an anime character. Verchiel was an Executioner. Whether he was a friend, or more of an antagonist, remained to be seen.
"What do you want?"
"You don't sound happy to hear from me." There was a pause, then his usually flippant tone turned serious. "You shouldn't be. We have a situation."
