Chapter 613
With Jorick in the van, the checkpoints were a breeze. Thirty minutes later, they pulled into the driveway of a two story farm house. Lights from another town twinkled in the distance. Katelina guessed it couldn't be more than four miles away.
"It's a nice location," Brandle said as he climbed out.
"Yes," Sorino said sarcastically. "And very-homely."
Despite Sorino's disparaging tone, it was an upgrade from the usual abandoned house. Painted a light tan with maroon trim, all the house's windows were intact. A front porch was in good repair, with a painted porch swing. In the back yard, a barn and a garage hulked. Beyond were trees and the beginning of a budding field.
"You're farming again?" Jorick called jovially as Oren climbed out of his large blue car.
"No. The fields belong to the neighbors. My plantation days are long behind me."
Katelina pictured Oren as a plantation owner, dressed in Civil War clothes. The image looked like the cover to a romance novel. She shook it away quickly.
The front door opened before they reached the house. Katelina saw Etsuko framed in it, a dark silhouette against the light. Short and slender, with her hair piled on her head. From her shape, Katelina guessed she was still wearing her traditional kimonos.
Etsuko bowed and stepped out onto the porch. "Welcome home, Oren-sama."
Torina imitated her with a talking hand, while Oren said, "Hello. We have guests."
Etsuko greeted each of them as they came through the door. Katelina returned the well-wishes, then moved further into the living room. Carpeted in beige, half of the room was filled with a couch, chair, coat tree, and television. The other half had a staircase in honey colored wood. Doorways led to a tiled kitchen and a hallway.
When everyone was introduced, Etsuko bowed again. "There is some time until sunrise. If you would like to visit I will bring chairs."
"No, I'm fine," Des muttered.
"As am I, madam." Brandle gave her a gallant smile.
"I'm not," Micah said.
"Get your own," Oren bit back. "Etsuko isn't your slave, any more than she's Torina's."
His sister tossed her hair and marched from the room with a huff. Etsuko let her go without comment, then made her own exit.
Micah grumbled, but stomped off. Katelina started to perch on the arm of the couch when a familiar woman pounded down the stairs. Shorter than Katelina, and a couple years younger, she had red hair that ended at her shoulders, and surprised green eyes. Skinny jeans and large-heeled boots emphasized her thin frame. A t-shirt bore a slogan in French. A knot of necklaces at her throat made Katelina think of the 80s.
"You didn't die!" Xandria cried excitedly.
Micah came back, hauling a folding chair. "Is that any way to greet your master? You got a few things to learn there, girlie."
Katelina bristled. "I'm not her master."
Jorick coughed lightly and Micah chortled. "Hate to hurt ya', princess, but I'm pretty sure that's what the court ruled. Ain't that what the mark on her forearm means?"
What was left of the bite could barely be called a mark, though it was enough to count for the Sodalitas. "You know damn well I only did it so she wouldn't be an unmarked human and get in trouble."
"Don't matter why you did it. You did it, and she's yours, unless you're plannin' to give her away. Loren might take you up on it."
The teen flushed and shoved his hand in his pocket. "It's a lot of responsibility."
"Maybe we should ask her what she wants to do?" Katelina snapped.
Xandria shrugged. "I don't know. Whatever. I know how it works with vampires."
Katelina remembered Xandria's outlook on her future:
"You look at the trail of death and think, 'that won't be me', but eventually it will. It's like playing with fire. One day you'll get burned."
Katelina forced determination into her words. "It works however you want it to. I'm not going to tell you what to do. You can go wherever you want."
Xandria laughed. "That's pretty liberal. I think your boyfriend disagrees."
Jorick gave an unsettled nod. "If she gets picked up, or into trouble, you're responsible. It's on the books that you're her master. Given her past-"
He didn't say it, but Katelina knew he meant the vampire slayers Xandria had once been involved with.
"I doubt she's going to do anything to get in trouble."
"I'm not planning on it. Unless you ask nicely." Xandria shot Loren a wink that turned him pink.
"Well she's here now. Call that good enough and get on with it, huh?" Micah unfolded the chair, and made a show of placing it. "There, I got my own."
Oren coughed and excused himself. As soon as he was out of earshot Des whispered, "Etsuko? She's not-"
"Oren's new wife?" Micah asked as he stuck an unlit cigarette between his lips. "Kind of. They ain't tied the knot yet, but that's where it's leaning."
"I see. She's-nice."
"You mean not a bitch like his last wife?" Katelina asked.
Des choked. "Yeah, something like that."
"The more people talk about his ex, the more I wish I'd met her before the Executioners killed her," Micah said.
"No." Des shook his head. "You don't. She was-strong willed to say the least."
"Bossy," Jorick responded. "She was in control of all things, at all times. It's interesting to see Oren given the reins."
"As much as any man is ever given control, you mean." Xandria snatched Micah's cigarette.
"Hey! What the hell?"
She laughed and headed out the door, the bald vampire on her heels.
"No smoking in the house," Loren explained as the door shut.
Etsuko returned with chairs and insisted everyone sit. She offered them blood from the refrigerator that they all declined, then she summoned Kai to the kitchen for food. "Would you like baths?" she asked. "I can ready them."
Sorino smiled, like a man who was finally getting the treatment he thought he deserved. "Yes, thank you."
"I'll send for you when it's ready." She bobbed her way out the door.
"Different," Des murmured. "Very different."
