Chapter 655
When everyone was back at the van, they started off again, classic rock blaring. Katelina stared at the back of Micah's head and wondered what he did with his victim. Were they stumbling around, cognizant of a vampire attack, or dead on the sidewalk?
She felt the momentary burn of mind reading. Jorick nodded, taking credit, then said softly, "He could have incapacitated them before he drank. The victim might wake and assume it was a mugging gone wrong."
"Do you think he'd take the time?"
Jorick shrugged. She leaned her head against the window. Feeding was so complicated. She needed blood to live, but taking it felt wrong. Though Jorick compared it to eating meat, it was different. Meat came neatly packaged or, better yet, fully cooked and slapped between hamburger buns. If she had to look in the cow's eyes, or butcher it herself, she might have been a vegetarian. It was that removal from the truth that made it possible. But with vampirism there was little removal. She had to look at what she drank from, had to crawl inside their heads.
"You don't have to," Jorick said softly. "You can choose what to do with the connection, whether to see inside their minds, let them into yours, or send feelings. Right now you're allowing your subconscious to choose because you don't want to acknowledge what you're doing. When you're ready to accept it, then you can learn to control it."
It made a certain kind of sense, but she couldn't accept killing things.
Then don't kill them.
The thought wasn't hers. Jorick gave another nod of credit. That sounded good, but how was she supposed to not kill a squirrel? One sip and the thing was dead.
"Look for larger prey," Jorick said. "Deer. Cows. Horses. Humans."
Brandle leaned up from the backseat. "Sorry, but even with this racket I overheard you mention horses. Do you have some? I did for decades. More recently they're out of favor, what with automobiles and airplanes and the like. I miss them. Not that these aren't convenient conveyances, but they lose the feel, the companionship of a good horse."
Katelina hid a smile as he went on with a story about a particularly faithful beast he'd once owned. As he talked, they left the city behind for an expanse of desert. The mountains were dark shadows that rose from nothing, then fell off again. Alien was the only word she could think to describe it, even with the cactuses.
The GPS gave orders in fake feminine tones. Micah turned off on what was more track than road. They bumped along for a couple of miles before a trailer came into view, a dusty red SUV parked next to it.
"Is that it?" Katelina asked doubtfully.
Verchiel glanced from the phone to the property. "So it says. But that doesn't look vampire friendly." He squinted. "Wait. There's another building behind it."
Micah turned the music down. "A fucking short one."
"Probably an underground house," the redhead said. "That would make more sense."
Katelina closed her eyes and tried to reach out to Samael. Had he found Lilith already? Killed her and Sarah? Was he there, tearing through the underground bunker?
Sorino's voice came from the very back, "Open the suitcase, Kai."
A click followed, then Sorino handed out the weapons they'd used in Texas. Zander took the heavy mace without comment. Jorick took the same short sword. He held it out to Katelina with a wink. "Is this weapon enough for you?"
They pulled in next to the trailer. Micah shut the van off. "Things look pretty quiet."
Verchiel sniffed. "They do, but there's someone here."
Katelina eyed the trailer, then shifted her attention to the underground building. Mostly buried under a mound of clumpy grass-like bushes, what was visible was made of concrete. An area in the front was dug out, like a pit. She could just see a set of stairs that led down to a heavy metal door.
They climbed out of the van to stand in a bunch, watching the bunker as if it might explode. Nothing happened. There was no crushing presence of an ancient.
Neither Lilith nor Samael were there.
"Is this the place or not?" Micah asked.
Verchiel shrugged. "I don't know."
"Then find out. Either knock on the damn door or kick it in. I don't give a shit which, but let's get on with it."
Jorick took a few steps when the bunker door opened. William and Zachariah dashed up the steps, followed by two vampires Katelina didn't know. The four fanned out in the yard, bodies tense, weapons in their hands.
William's eyes narrowed at his friend. "Brandle, I told you in Texas that if we met again you'd be my enemy."
"Haven't you realized yet that Lilith has no intention of fighting the Sodalitas. I already told you, you're cannon fodder."
"That's where you're wrong, old friend. We have a deal. Once her ex-lover is defeated, she'll turn her attention to Munich, as she catered to Sarah's whims."
Katelina stiffened. By catering he meant destroying her town and nearly killing her mother.
"Once she destroys the Kugsankal, who do you think will rule?" Brandle demanded. "You? In place of a council, you'll have a queen."
"Don't you mean a goddess?" one of the others sneered.
Micah laughed. "Like anyone would worship her."
"They already do. They pray to her, sacrifice to her, and celebrate her feast every year," the vampire said smugly.
"Don't bother talking to them, Aalot," the other said. "At their age they wouldn't know."
Except they did. Pray. Sacrifice. Feast. Goosebumps ran up Katelina's spine.
Aalot bounced his weapon in his hand. "Everyone's heard of the Night Goddess."
Zander stiffened. "Why do you invoke her sacred name?"
"You call it sacred, yet you fight against her?" Aalot asked.
Zander's voice rose a notch. "I strive to do her will in all things."
Zachariah rolled his eyes. "If you want to do her will, then step aside. Better yet, deal with your friends here."
Zander lifted his chin. "Her will would be to destroy you."
Aalot laughed. "Do you think so? Wait until she returns, and ask her yourself."
Zander looked confused. Brandle laid a hand on his shoulder. "They're trying to goad you. Best to ignore them."
"No, I'm not." Aalot stepped closer, still bouncing his weapon. "I don't need to rely on mind games to disarm an opponent. If he wants to follow the Night Goddess, he's welcome to join us and fight beside her."
"Kali," William snapped impatiently. "Or Lilith, as you call her. She's the Night Goddess from long before any of us were born. If we're done here?"
Zander stood motionless. Katelina could feel his brain trying to process the information. "It cannot be true," he muttered. He grabbed Brandle's arm. "You can see their thoughts. Tell me! Is it true? Or do they lie?"
Brandle made a noncommittal sound as the door to the underground bunker opened. Angelica climbed the steps to join them. "Acwellen. I thought I smelled you."
"Angelica," Brandle said weakly.
Zander ignored the interruption to give his friend a small shake. "Is it true?"
"Zander"
"What do you see?"
Brandle sighed. "They're telling the truth."
"Blasphemy!" Zander practically shoved Brandle away and pointed his rusty mace at William. "Lilith is a destroyer. The Night Goddess brings life, not death!"
Angelica stared. "What in the hell? What is he talking about? Has he heard of the Night Goddess before? Her whole religion is based on drinking as much blood as you can and killing everything in sight. That's why it's not popular anymore."
"Lies!" Zander cried, brandishing the mace like a pointer. "The scriptures of the Night Goddess teach temperance not slaughter."
"I've never heard of her scriptures," Aalot said. "But I know what she teaches herself. It's not temperance."
"Lilith is a demon!" Zander roared. "Not a Goddess!"
Angelica crossed her arms and cocked a hip. "Obviously. But what kind of creature do you think a vampire goddess would be? If you've lived long you should know most myths have a foundation, and she's it."
"The Night Goddess is not a myth!" Zander shouted. His usually calm face was twisted in a fury that Katelina didn't know he could feel. She drew away from his anger.
Angelica held up her hands. "Hey now. I was only saying"
Zander leapt toward her with a snarl, swinging the mace.
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