Chapter 686 : Honeymoon Havoc, Part 6
Back at the house, Zeke was seated in the living room. Maeko stood to one side grinning, her hands clasped, while Verchiel stood near the couple, typing on his phone.
Sharon knelt in front of Zeke. Her hand trembled as she lifted it to his face and brushed his cheek with her fingertips. When he caught her hand in his, she burst into tears and threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest.
"Why didn't you come with me?" she wailed.
"I'm sorry." He pulled her closer and nuzzled his face in her hair. "If I went, I knew Dilana would hunt us down. I thought if I stayed, she might refuse to help Eli bring you back."
Verchiel patted Sharon on the back. "There, there. It's all right now. I don't think you'll have any more trouble with Dilana. I've got a warrant for her."
"For what?" Jorick asked in surprise.
"Impeding an Executioner," the redhead said gleefully. "Some days I love this job."
Zeke looked over the top of Sharon's head. "Unless they put her to death, I don't see what difference that will make. Even if she's imprisoned for a year, she'll be back when she's free."
"Unless she trades you for her freedom, and so never goes to trial. I have a good feeling she will." Verchiel winked. "No one wants to spend time in The Guild's prison, I promise you that." He stepped back and rubbed his hands together. "It seems my work here is done, kiddies. Unless you want me to stay?"
"No!" Jorick snapped. "And before you leave-"
"Yeah, yeah. Body on the beach. I know."
"What about the other Executioners?" Sharon sniffled back tears. "You said there was an army coming."
Verchiel shrugged. "I lied. Jamie's in Alabama."
Zeke caught his breath. "You're lucky Eli didn't call your bluff."
"Technically, you're the one who's lucky. And now-" He broke off to give a flowery bow. "I believe I must be gone." He straightened and mussed Katelina's hair. "Enjoy your honeymoon. It'll be good practice for ours in a few years, after you've gotten tired of Gloomy Boots."
Jorick snarled and lunged, but Verchiel was already gone.
Katelina caught Jorick's fist and forced it loose. "He was just trying to irritate you."
"Then he shouldn't be surprised it worked."
Maeko giggled and bobbed her head. "I regret to say that tomorrow we must also take our leave. If Sharon-san and Zeke-san wish, they may come with us. Should Verchiel-san's plan fall through, it is doubtful Dilana-san would track them to Japan."
"And even if she did, Maeko has an in with the government," Katelina added.
"Something like that," Maeko agreed with a giggle.
Sharon nodded her thanks, and unwound herself from Zeke to sit next to him on the couch. She dabbed at her wet cheeks. "There's one thing I still don't understand. If he lied about the other Executioners, who was he talking to on the phone?"
"Ryuu-chan, of course," Maeko answered. "It is fortunate that we were here to help."
Katelina bit her lip to keep from saying she bet Jorick didn't think so.
***
At bedtime, they dragged one of the air mattresses out into the basement for Sharon and Zeke to share. Katelina wondered which of Maeko's vampires would end up on the floor, then decided she didn't want to think about it. She might really be a mature woman stuck in that child-like body, but Katelina wasn't ready to let go of appearances quite yet.
Maybe in a few years.
She changed into her nightgown and slid into bed next to Jorick. "At least everything worked out for the best."
"Did it?" Jorick asked. "Eli is dead."
"He deserved it," Katelina said bitterly. "After what he did to Sharon."
Jorick didn't meet her eyes. "Many masters do that, or worse. Why do you think I was so concerned when Micah turned you? I told you at the time that he could do anything he wanted to you. Didn't you grasp the implications?"
She sighed. "No, I guess I didn't. Not really. I feel sorry for her, and for Zeke. They've had to face so many roadblocks, and all because they're owned by someone. That doesn't seem right."
Jorick shrugged. "It is what it is."
"And that passive attitude is precisely why it continues. If you were to stand up-"
He fixed her with a questioning stare. "Are you going to?"
"What?"
"Are you going to stand up against the Laws? Picket, perhaps? Or protest? Or will you just storm The Guild the way Oren tried?"
She blinked. "Well, I-"
He relented and pulled her to him. "If history has taught us anything, it is that it will work itself out. Newer vampires join the ranks every day, with newer ideals. The ancients die, and with them their way of doing things. Look at how the turning has already changed. There's no longer any ritual to it, no careful planning. In a hundred, or two hundred years the term master will come to mean considerably less than it does now. It's already less than it was when I was turned. Then it was a term that could fill a fledgling with fear. Now, more often than not, it only means the person who turned you and brings no terror with it."
"You act like that's a bad thing?"
"Not bad, just different. Those who cannot embrace change should never be immortal, Katelina. The branch that won't bend with time will snap. Enough talk. I'm tired, and tomorrow we'll finally get to be alone." His tone turned teasing. "I'd like to be rested for that."
She poked him in the ribs, but settled in and closed her eyes. She was almost asleep when his voice came, nearly inaudible, "Would you really have preferred to go somewhere exotic and romantic for our honeymoon?"
It took her a moment to place the worry. Right. Verchiel had said that, hadn't he? But he was wrong.
"No. I don't want to go anywhere. I've had enough traveling to last me a life time. This is the only place I want to be."
With you.
Forever.
