Chapter 98
Katelina quickly discovered several inconveniences to staying with minimalist vampires. Not only was there no electricity, but no running water, so the cobwebbed bathroom was useless. She was on her third trip to the bushes that night, and just fastening her jeans, when Loren appeared at her elbow like a shadow.
"So, he brought you," the young vampire said softly.
Katelina jumped in surprise and stared at him. His dark hair curled around his somber face and the moonlight made his eyes glitter. "You scared me," she said flatly and pulled her coat closed.
"Sorry." He shrugged nonchalantly. "He brought you?" he repeated.
"Yeah, so it seems." She didn't know what else to say.
Loren studied her, his head tilted appraisingly. "Why?"
"I don't know. Why don't you ask him?"
"I doubt he's speaking to me." A smile flickered across Loren's lips and disappeared. "I think he's pretty pissed at me right now."
It was her turn to ask questions. "Why?"
He blinked at her, as though she'd gone insane. "Besides blaming me for not coming to pick you up that night?"
"Oh. That." Again, she was at a loss for words. "I didn't know you knew about it, yet."
"Yeah, word travels. I guess Jorick told Oren, and he told some other people because it means those two guys won't be coming back, after all." He broke off and switched topics. "I would have come myself. I mean, I was going to. But, The Guild was getting ready to hit Kateesha and Kariss was afraid we'd miss it if she had to wait on me, and she didn't want me to show up out here all alone because she thought they might mistake me for one of Kateesha's or something. I swear, I didn't know about those guys working for the crazy bitch. I mean, yeah, I was mad at you guys, but not that mad. It's not like I'd help Kateesha kill you or anything just to get back at Jorick." He looked at her, pleading for understanding. "Really. I didn't know, and I don't think Kariss did either. In fact, I think it was their idea, anyway. She said we were in a hurry and then I told her I had to go get you and she got all kind of exasperated- yeah, and then the red headed guy was all like, 'hey, we can get her for you'. And I thought they were friends of Kariss and Oren, so it would be okay and-"
"It's all right," Katelina interrupted. "I never thought you did it on purpose. I don't think Jorick does either."
Loren heaved a sigh of relief. "I'm glad. I just didn't want him thinking I was all like that, you know?"
She nodded. "So, what else is he pissed about?"
"Oh. Well, I said a few things," he answered vaguely and spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "I'm sure he's heard them all by now."
She glanced down at her feet, ankle deep in the snow, and wished Jorick would come outside to see what was taking her so long. Unfortunately, he had a general distaste for human body functions, so she doubted he would. She took a deep breath and looked back to the teenage vampire. "Yeah, I gathered from what's-his-name's remarks, about Jorick being whipped, that you'd been telling everyone a bunch of shit."
"Micah?" Loren asked and she nodded. "Yeah, well." He sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I was pissed at the time, you know? Jorick was acting like a coward-"
"No," Katelina interrupted. "Jorick was acting like it wasn't his problem - which it isn't."
"And how do you know?" his tone was sharp. "Or did that linking thing give you all of his knowledge too?"
"No." She was already sick of listening to comments about the stupid linking. "But I know this war isn't his problem."
"Really? A lot of people feel differently. Seems old Jorick left a lot of unfinished business when he went into hiding after Velnya." He shook his head and his ebony curls bounced with the motion.
"So?" Katelina tried to ignore the ache that spread through her chest at the sound of that name.
"So, he was supposed to have already killed Kateesha - only he didn't. Instead he went home and look at it now." Loren jerked his hands from his pockets and spread them to indicate the mess they were in. "If he'd done what he was supposed to do-"
"Were you even alive then?" she'd snapped the question before she was even aware of thinking it.
"No." Loren's hands dropped to his side and his eyes bored into her. "And neither were you."
"Which is why I'm not blaming him." She wiggled her cold toes in her shoes and decided she'd had enough of this conversation. "I'm freezing. Maybe you haven't noticed, but it's got to be thirty below."
"Look, all I'm saying is watch your back, huh? Jorick's managed to piss off half of these guys in the past, and the other half are pissed now because he's got a human here, and because they all know he killed those other two guys who were fighting with them. Though, if they were really on Kateesha's side it doesn't matter." He broke off and looked thoughtful. "I know you guys were attacked by those two, but no one's really said what happened-" he trailed off and waited for her to fill in the details.
"It was a lot of fun," she replied with cold sarcasm. "Now I'm going inside." She turned from him and marched deliberately towards the door.
"Fine, whatever," Loren called after her. "But remember what I said."
Her only answer was to slam the screen door.
Inside the gloomy house, she found Jorick waiting in the kitchen. He was mid-conversation with the raven-haired female, but he dropped off abruptly and smiled at her. "There you are. I was starting to wonder if you got lost."
"No." Katelina scowled, but decided not to mention Loren until they were alone.
Jorick nodded to his companion. "This is Jeda, by the way." He motioned from one to the other appropriately. "Jeda, Katelina."
Jeda's dark hair was pulled back in an intricate roll and she wore a long, filmy dress of a blue so pale it looked almost white. Her eyes were large and dark, framed in thick lashes, and her lips were thin and almost colorless; she looked like a queen of winter.
The vampiress surveyed Katelina in turn, as if critiquing a painting. "Pleasure I'm sure," she said unenthusiastically and turned back to Jorick. "An interesting choice."
Katelina bristled, but remained silent at a glance from Jorick. He ignored her statement and went back to their previous conversation. "Think on it, Jeda." He held her eyes for a moment, then looked back to Katelina and his voice brightened, "Now, if you'll excuse me?"
"Of course." Jeda studied him, then caught his arm with a slender, pale hand. "Jorick, be careful."
"Always," he answered.
Jeda released him and stepped back, her hands hidden primly in the folds of her long skirt.
Jorick took Katelina's hand and drew her after him.
