Chapter 659
After their bath, Katelina dressed. She pulled her hair back and thought of the style Torina had used on her. The vampiress had been right; she'd looked good. But all that work-
Thinking of Torina made her wonder how she and the children were doing. After a quick conversation with Jorick, she left to find out.
She stopped in front of Torina's door, ready to knock, when she heard raised voices further down the hall. She concentrated until she could hear Zander.
"Is that what you saw? Did you see the truth in their minds, dream stealer? Tell me!"
Brandle's voice was quieter, patient. She oozed closer to hear. "What does it matter? Because they believe one thing and you another?"
Zander threw out a string of foreign words, then added, "The truth matters! What is the truth?"
"Who can say? I'd have to see in Lilith's mind for that. Even if I could, it's a place I wouldn't go. That she's passed herself off as the Night Goddess-Yes. That is true. Was she the original, or did she steal the identity? I can't say."
"Then where did the scriptures come from? Who wrote them?"
"These are questions for your master."
"He's gone!" There was a crash, then Zander said desperately. "Lilith's lover, the one we hope to fight beside. He might know."
"Samael? Perhaps, but"
"Katelina, she is in communication with him? She could ask."
Oh God. That was just what she didn't need.
She hurried back to Torina's door and knocked. Torina snapped, "Come!" and Oren opened the door. She hurried inside before he could stop her. To her surprise, he only turned back to his conversation.
"As I was saying"
"I'm done discussing it." Torina stood at the end of one bed, her arms crossed. The children slept, safely tucked in, tiny hands curled into fists. "You get what you want. It's time I got something."
Oren scoffed. "You don't know the first thing about children. And human children, no less."
"You and Jesslynn managed parenthood. As for them being human, I'm sure Jorick's pet remembers humanity. She was helpful enough at the store."
Katelina realized they were talking about her. "Um-I don't know that much"
"You'll be fine," Torina said firmly.
"No." Oren held up his hand. "It's my den ."
"Fine. I'll move into my own."
Oren choked. "What?"
"This conversation is over, Oren." Torina fixed Katelina with a stare. "What did you want?"
What did she want? Not to be the godmother to Torina's adopted children, that was for sure. "I wondered how they were doing."
"Sleeping, poor things. I've named them." Torina moved to the bed and adjusted the blankets. "Jayleth." She touched the darker of the pair. "And Paylin." She patted the brown headed child. Her eyes softened. Katelina felt the rush of affection, the warmth, and a strange longing ache. The desire to scoop the toddlers up and take away everything terrible that had happened to them, to wrap them in blankets of love, to see their smiles, to hear them call her mother
Katelina stepped away from the overwhelming feelings. They weren't hers, but the source was as impossible for her to comprehend. That Torina wanted to keep them as pet Chihuahuas for a while she'd believe, but to play mommy-
Torina was still talking. Katelina quickly focused on her words "only bruises. They hadn't been bitten, until I had to mark them." She rubbed one's tiny hand. "I wish I'd had more time, I wouldn't have left it there. But it is what it is."
"You could heal it," Oren suggested.
"No!" Torina looked back to them. "No. They're not old enough for immortal blood. Even a taste might complicate them. Besides, they'll have to remain marked to satisfy The Guild's laws."
Oren shifted. Katelina thought of his human servants who'd been killed months agodestroyed because they weren't properly marked.
Whether he caught her thoughts, or was looking for an escape, he cleared his throat loudly. "Where's Jorick?"
"In our room, reading."
Oren made a noise, that might have meant, "I'll go talk to him because he's sane," then showed himself out.
Torina sat in the nearest chair, legs crossing as if by instinct. "His faith in me is amazing."
Katelina stopped from saying she agreed with Oren. Torina as a mother-
"It's tiresome," Torina said. "Everyone decides who and what you are. Nothing you do can break their perceptions. After a while, you start to believe them yourself."
Katelina jolted guiltily. Had Torina read her mind? No, she decided, or the vampiress would have said so. That was one thing; Torina wasn't likely to mince words.
"I'm tired of it," Torina went on. "I'm worn out with living up to expectations. As Micah would so eloquently say, 'Fuck them'. It's time I did what makes me happy. Oren has moved on with Etsuko. Why should I be trapped?"
Katelina didn't know what to say. Still reeling from her own epiphanies, she couldn't handle someone else's.
She realized Torina was waiting for a reply. "Um-I don't blame you."
The redhead tossed her hair. "Don't worry. You don't really need to help me. I only said that to shut Oren up. As for moving out, maybe it's time I did. I've lived under the same roof as him since I was born. I've always had someone looking over my shoulder, or in my head, analyzing my thoughts. Jesslynn was the worst, but Oren still does it. I wonder what it would be like to have your mind all to yourself?"
"I wouldn't know anymore."
"No, Jorick's worse than Jesslynn, I'm sure."
"He wasn't at first, not until after the Linking. During it he could hear all my thoughts. I guess he got used to that, and took it for granted it was open season from then on."
"He got comfortable with you," Torina said. "Before that he was afraid of what he'd find; that you didn't truly want him, or that you were secretly afraid of him, or that you were still in love with what's-his-name. Once he got in there and discovered his fears were foundless, he was fine with treating you like everyone else. I almost hope you become a powerful mind reader. It would serve him right." She chuckled at some imagined scenario.
