Chapter 70
Before the vampire visitors could explain themselves, Jorick was in front of them, his fangs exposed in a dangerous snarl. "What do you want?"
The blonde closed the door and then turned green eyes to his challenger. "Hello, Jorick. It's been a while."
"What do you want, Beldren?" Jorick snapped.
"We have business with you." The blonde glanced over Jorick's shoulder, to where Katelina and Loren were standing in the doorway. As if by instinct, the teen vampire moved to block her from his sight.
Beldren smiled, flashing fangs. "You don't need to worry. We knew in advance that she'd be here, but that isn't why we've come."
"Then why have you come? I have no business with The Guild," Jorick stated flatly.
The Guild? What did they have to do with it, unless-.
Beldren's eyes stayed on Jorick, even as he snapped his fingers and held his hand open expectantly. "Zuri, the message."
The shorter vampire produced a piece of folded paper from his pocket, and handed it to his partner. As he did, his coat opened to reveal a silver medallion that hung around his neck. A twisted, silver medallion that looked just like -
"Executioners," Katelina whispered hoarsely. That word conjured strong, terrible images; pictures of fire and blood set to a soundtrack of screams. She well remembered the night when the Executioners had come and burned everything that Oren owned, including his wife and children.
"Yes," Beldren replied. "That's one of our titles." He snapped the paper open and read loudly, "J, I must speak to you. Meet me where the roses grow. Signed, O." He handed it to Jorick and waited while he scanned it. "Would you care to explain the meaning of this?"
Jorick shrugged and handed it back. "It means nothing to me. However, you're intruding upon my den. I suggest you leave immediately or I'll be forced to make you."
Beldren ignored the threat. "It means nothing at all? Come, we all know you were with Oren a little over a week ago."
Jorick snorted contemptuously. "And what does Oren have to do with this? For that matter what do I? J and O? The letters could mean anything. This message wasn't meant for me."
"Yes it was," Beldren declared flatly. "It was sent, via messenger, to be delivered to you. Luckily, we intercepted him."
"Whether it was meant for me or not is irrelevant. I have no idea what it means." Jorick looked from one to the other. "I do find it interesting that you're searching for him, though."
Beldren gave Jorick a tolerant smirk. "Ah yes, I shouldn't forget about your amazing perception."
Jorick's return smile was cold. "Nor I your ability. However, I don't believe it's needed here."
Beldren handed the paper back to the ever silent Zuri. "We'll find him, you know. Malick has a special interest in his plans."
Jorick's face twitched at the mention of that name, but his tone stayed unruffled. "Then I wish you luck. Malick won't accept your failure easily."
"He won't have to, because we won't fail."
The two men stared at one another; a silent contest of wills. Finally, Beldren broke away with a soft laugh. "All right, Jorick, we'll be leaving. But, should you hear anything, or suddenly remember 'where the roses grow', you know how to find us."
"Yes," Jorick agreed. "But I won't need to."
"I'm sure you won't." He turned to Zuri. "Come on, we'll find him on our own. It isn't like we actually expected Jorick to cooperate. He's too busy presiding over his infant coven to be any trouble."
Zuri made no reply and, as quickly as they'd come, the two were gone.
Katelina stood frozen in place, her breath caught in her throat. The seconds ticked by and she slowly came to the realization that they'd really left. The horrible Executioners had left, without killing or torturing any of them. Thank God.
Her body sagged, and she sighed with relief. The sound reminded everyone where they were, and the two vampires snapped to life.
Loren relaxed his protective posture but his eyes stayed on the door. "What was all that?"
"Executioners," Jorick explained bitterly. "Apparently they're searching for Oren. I imagine word of his little plan has gotten around and they intend to nip it in the bud."
Katelina shifted uncertainly from one foot to the other. "Exactly what is his plan?"
When Jorick didn't answer, Loren explained, "He's going to attack The Guild."
Katelina nodded. "Yeah, I know, but beyond that? I mean he's not planning to do it with just Torina and himself, is he?"
"He's collecting a coven-"
"It's unimportant," Jorick snapped. "He has no chance against them."
Loren cleared his throat loudly. "Maybe if we helped them?"
Jorick waved the suggestion away. "No. It's not my fight."
Loren looked at Katelina for support, but he found none. For once she wholeheartedly agreed with Jorick. This wasn't their problem.
She gave a soft shake of her head and Loren's face hardened. He crossed his arms defiantly. "Then maybe I'll go alone."
Jorick crooked a heavy eyebrow and snorted. "And what help do you think you'll be?"
Loren blinked in surprise at the insult, his mouth half open. As if unaware of his reaction, Jorick snapped, "We're not going!" Then, he turned his back on the conversation and strode towards the dining room.
"You can't tell me what to do! I don't owe you anything!"
Katelina flinched unconsciously at the venom in the young vampire's voice. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes glittered dangerously. Jorick's remark had wounded him deeper than she thought.
Jorick stopped in the doorway, his shoulders tense. "Why do you want to go so badly?"
"Why not? I'm not as weak as you think. I know how to fight." He dropped suddenly into a defensive stance, his knees bent and his arms tensed. "I can take care of myself!"
Jorick shook his head and turned away again. "You're an idiot, Loren."
Before Loren's objection could sound, Jorick spun around, closed the distance between them and slammed him into the door with a force that jarred the house and made Katelina gasp. Loren struggled loose from his grip and circled Jorick warily. With one hand Jorick snatched him off his feet and threw him across the room where he crashed into the chair and sent books scattering.
Jorick glared at him as he tried to stand. "Just stay down."
"No." Loren grimaced and righted himself. "You're not my mother! And I'm not some little kid!"
"Compared to some of the vampires you'd be facing you're only a toddler." Jorick's voice rose, "Do you understand how powerful they are, Loren? Do you remember the other time the Executioners came? Do you remember what they did to the Rogues? Do you?"
Loren shuddered involuntarily, then looked disgusted at his own weakness. "That was a long time ago!"
"No, not so long ago." Jorick appraised him with cold eyes. "Can you defeat me? If not, you have no hope of winning against them, either."
For the first time since the fight started, Loren looked uncertain, but he quickly hid it beneath a veneer of determination. "Maybe I could."
Jorick shook his head, and the ghost of a smile tugged at his lips. "No, you can't." He turned back to the dining room. "This conversation is finished, Loren. When you look back on it later you'll realize-"
Loren launched himself across the room at Jorick's back, and Katelina shouted a warning. However, before her noise even registered, Jorick stepped out of the way and Loren ended up sprawled on the floor.
With a savage growl he pulled himself up and flung himself at Jorick, his fists swinging. Jorick blocked his punches and tossed him to the side. He landed near Katelina's feet in a heap, but he was soon up again. A thin stream of blood tricked down the side of his face and his eyes blazed hatred.
"Loren?" Katelina whispered and pressed herself back into the wall. Until now, she'd never been scared of the boy but, with that face, he looked like some of the monsters she'd fought before; the ones hiding in Claudius's den.
Jorick took a step forward. "Stop, Loren, before you get hurt."
"No!" he roared. "I can take care of myself!" He launched himself at Jorick again, and again Jorick sidestepped him. But, at the last second, Loren whirled and landed a punch to Jorick's gut.
Jorick stood there and looked at him, unfazed.
Loren gaped in surprise, and for a moment his resolve appeared on the brink of crumbling, but something in Jorick's cold face strengthened it instead. "Fuck this!" He stepped back and straightened his hoodie. "Fuck this and fuck you!" Then he stalked out the door, slamming it behind him.
It took Katelina a moment to gather her wits and then she glared at Jorick, who was innocently righting the furniture. "Was that really necessary?"
"What?"
"Beating the crap out of him. He's just a kid, you know! He just wants your approval. Like it would kill you to give it to him? Why do you have to be so- so unrelenting all the time?"
Jorick stacked the books haphazardly without looking at her. "Am I unrelenting?"
"Yes," she seethed. "Unrelenting and judgmental! You think you know what's best for everyone! You act like-"
"Like what?" He snapped around to face her, his tone angry. "Like sending him to that fight would be sending him to his death? Because it would be, Katelina! Would you rather I encouraged him to go die? You, with all your sentimentality?"
"Well, no," she faltered. She'd seen what they were capable of. They were as strong as Jorick and he'd defeated Loren effortlessly. But, even so. "He deserves to be given a chance. If he's going to fail, he should be allowed to find it out for himself. He has feelings too, you know."
"Stupid feelings," Jorick remarked thoughtlessly, but her furious look made him do a double take. "What?"
"That's exactly what I mean. You're so unrelenting and judgmental. Like you have a right to decide what's valid and what isn't!"
Jorick stopped what he was doing to focus on her. "No, I'm not. I was only saying-"
"You were only saying that his feelings were stupid. Are mine stupid too?"
Jorick started to answer, then held up his hands. "I don't know what this is over, but I'm done with this."
"Oh, you're done?"
"Yes," he said quietly. "When you've figured out what you're mad about, let me know."
"For your information, I know what I'm mad about!" She broke off as he strode from the room. "Jorick! Get back here now!" she shouted, but his only response was the slam of the door.
"Loren's right," she muttered furiously and threw herself on the couch. "Fuck you, and fuck your secret room too!"
