Chapter 646
Jorick headed back inside. Micah glanced in the backseat. "What the fuck are we" He sniffed. "Oh fuck, Lunch. Tell me you didn't try to turn her?"
Katelina hunkered down. Her mother twitched next to her, like someone having a nightmare.
"You did, didn't you? Holy shit. Did you fucking think about it first?"
A sideways glance at her mother left her with semi-regret. No, she hadn't thought about it. When her mother finally came to, how the hell was she going to explain this? What was she going to tell Brad when he found out her mom was missing? Oh God, where was her mother going to live?
But she was going to die.
Jorick reappeared and threw himself into the passenger seat. "They believe she was transferred. If they review the security footage it will be undone."
Katelina wrung her hands. She should have thought about it a little more, worked out a better way to get her out of the building.
Her mother went rigid. Her eyes popped open. She looked around, then let out a long loud scream.
"And we're outta here." Micah turned the car over and tore out of the parking lot, while Katelina tried to quiet her.
"Mom. Mom. Stop. Stop!"
The woman fell silent, eyes wide. She swiveled her head toward the front seat passengers then back to Katelina. Finally, she muttered, "What?" before she collapsed.
Katelina eased her back, aware of the silent judgement from the front seat.
"Look, I didn't have a choice."
"You always have a choice," Jorick muttered.
When they were out of town, he instructed Micah to pull over. "Katelina needs blood."
"Good for her. What about me?" Micah snapped.
"Do what you want." Jorick climbed out and helped Katelina from the backseat. Sitting, she'd been okay, but standing she was dizzy again.
"Is this normal?" she asked with alarm.
"Yes," Jorick said impatiently. "Making a fledgling weakens the master. Sometimes for days. Doing so while you're hoping for war with an ancient is a poor choice."
"Right. Like you make great choices."
"Better ones than that. Not only did you weaken yourself, but you've saddled us with a fresh fledglingone who knows nothing about vampires."
"Micah didn't know about vampires, and he turned out fine."
"If you think he's fine, then your judgement really is impaired." They started down the ditch toward an open field. "There are deer nearby. I can feel them."
A scream came from the car. The driver door swung open. Her mother tumbled out, tangled in the bloody blankets. She pulled up to all fours, looked around wildly, then folded in on herself, arms wrapped around her stomach.
"She's fine," Jorick said. "She doesn't have the energy to escape."
"I can't leave her lying on the side of the road!" Katelina hurried and knelt next to her. "It's okay, Mom. It stops, eventually. It's okay."
Her mom's eyes popped open. "Kately? Kately, I've been kidnapped. And poisoned."
"Shhhhhh. No, you haven't. Come on, let's get back in the car." She stood, lifting her mother under the armpits.
"No. Not in the car" she broke off into another cry.
"It's the agonies," Jorick said dispassionately. He stuffed her in the backseat, despite her feeble protests. After he'd fastened the seatbelt around her, he used the blanket to tie her hands together. "So she can't escape."
It was wrong, but- "We'll be right back, Mom. Stay here."
Micah joined them, smelling of fresh blood. "You should gag her, so she don't start screaming again."
"No!" Katelina cried. "This is bad enough."
"Whatever you say, chicky-poo."
With Micah to keep an eye on her mom, she followed Jorick to the field, then on to the trees. The deer were gone, but there was a fox. When it was empty, he gave her a pair of squirrels. She drained them with the usual guilt. Still, she wouldn't have said no to a third.
Jorick looked to the sky. "That will do. Oren should have enough refrigerated blood to get your mother through the day. I can't wait until tomorrow when you have to teach her to hunt."
Katelina shrank in on herself. "I didn't think about that."
"No, you didn't think about any of it."
"If it was such a bad idea why didn't you stop me? You could have pointed out feeding, and having to teach her everything, and that Brad is going to freak and go to the police."
"Would you have listened?"
She knew the answer, but she wasn't going to admit it.
***
They got back to the car and Jorick enchanted her mother. The ride passed in heavy silence, broken occasionally by a chortle from Micah.
When they pulled into the driveway, he broke into a raucous laugh. "I can't wait 'til you spring this shit on Oren."
Katelina hadn't thought about that, either. Not that Oren's opinion mattered. Or Verchiel's. Oh God. He was going to enjoy this.
Jorick lifted her mother out and motioned Katelina to lead the way inside. Except she didn't want to.
Maybe I can hide in the barn?
She mentally shook herself. Stop being ridiculous. She forced her spine straight and lifted her chin. The others weren't going to like it, and they were going to make remarks, but it didn't matter. She'd done the right thing. She was sure of it. Well, pretty sure.
At least kind of sure.
The front door was locked. They had to wait for Etsuko to open it.
"I apologize. The hour was late. We were retiring." She looked at the burden in Jorick's arms. "May I ask who this is?"
Micah announced with delight, "It's Lunch's mom."
Etsuko hesitated, no doubt clicking through all the things she could say, to find the most polite. "Where would she like to sleep?"
Jorick asked, "Are there any sun proof rooms other than the basement?"
"One could be arranged." Etsuko bobbed and scurried away.
Inside, Jorick deposited his burden on the couch. Katelina untied the blanket from her mother's wrists. It wasn't like she was going to escape anymore.
Oren appeared. "There you are. I thought" He stopped to stare. "What is that?"
Micah almost clapped. "It's Lunch's mom."
Oren's mouth opened and closed without words. Finally, he asked, "Her mother?"
"Yes," Jorick replied tersely.
Oren took a step closer. "And she's-"
"Enduring the change." Jorick's frown deepened.
"I see." Oren pursed his lips. "Now I understand why Etsuko needs to paper over the window in the library. I think I'll help her."
He strode away, strangely silent.
"Ah, what the fuck? I expected something better than that." Micah frowned. "I'll go tell the redhead. He should be good for a laugh."
Micah forced past them. Katelina sagged onto the arm of the couch. Her mother twitched, and stirred, but didn't wake. "You must have her under pretty deep."
"Yes, though when I go to sleep my influence will disappear. You'll be on your own with her."
"What?"
"You weren't planning to sleep and leave her by herself? How do you think that will go when she wakes in an unfamiliar house, terrified, and thirsty for blood?"
Loren hurried into the room, his eyes alight. "Is it true? Did you really-?" He grinned. "Oh damn! You did! You turned your mom!"
Etsuko joined them. "The window has been blocked. Kate-san and-her mother should be safe."
"Patricia," Katelina mumbled.
"Patricia-san." Etsuko nodded. "I will get blankets."
She hurried away again. Oren leaned in long enough to tell Loren to go to bed. "The sun is rising."
"I know, I know. But her mom." Loren grinned. "All right. I'll make fun of you tomorrow." He waved to soften the impact of the words, then followed the lion-maned vampire down the hall.
When Etsuko was finished, Jorick carried Katelina's mother to the library and laid her on the blankets.
"Good night, little one. I'll see you tomorrow." He pressed a kiss to her cheek.
She grabbed his arm. "Wait. You can't leave me. I don't know what to do!"
"Comfort her. When she says she's thirsty, give her blood. There's some in the refrigerator. You should get a store of it from the kitchen, before my influence is completely gone. Usually, they drink after the first wave of pain. Since I've kept her subdued, she'll be overdue. She'll want to glut. Don't let her, or she'll be sick."
He left her with another kiss. Alone, Katelina looked over the prone woman and groaned.
What the hell have I done?
