She hated to disagree since it had been her idea, but she supposed it was for the best. Oren’s only contribution had been to send Baltheir to break him out. “He’s not that bad,” she murmured vaguely. “At least he isn’t trying to snack on me or calling me a stupid human.”
“I have a bad feeling about him.”
“So did Oren,” Baltheir commented. “He was adamant that your human should stay away from him.”
“Yes.” Jorick kept his eyes on Katelina. “And she should have. I don’t understand why he was even there!”
She was still uncertain herself. “I don’t know. He just appeared at Mom’s house as they were taking you away, and said he wanted to help.”
He stared at her with bulging eyes. “He was at your mother’s house?”
“Yes. He took me to your apartment so I could call Oren. Then he called Lorson, or whoever, and we went to the police station.”
Jorick made a noise of outrage. “I’ve been very careful. I didn’t tell anyone about this trip, and yet this idiot got involved, and now he’s told The Guild right where we are!”
If there’d been room in the backseat, she’d have put her hands on her hips. “But you said they aren't looking for us! You said it was all settled! You said -”
“Yes, I said!” Jorick shouted. Katelina flinched at his anger and he sighed resignedly and caught her hand in his. He drew a deep breath and when he spoke again he was calmer. “Despite the war coven’s decision not to punish you, The Guild may wish to intervene and have their own trial. Or they might want to punish me. Or, failing that, they may want to question me about Oren. You do remember that Senya was looking for him? Either way, now they’ll know where to look.”
“We won’t be here long,” Katelina pointed out. “So, it won’t do them any good.”
“I’ve been careful not to share information about you, such as where you came from or where your relatives live. Now, the idiot not only knows, but The Guild will too. If Lorson is my lawyer, they’ll have given him all the details, including your name and address! Do you think The Guild is any less ruthless than Claudius?” He groaned audibly. “I was hoping to sneak out of the country unobserved but now they’ll be following us!”
Katelina blinked at him in surprise. “Really? Where are we going?”
“Were,” he corrected. “We were going someplace warm.”
“But why can’t we go? The Guild already knows about me - everyone seems to. They all point and stare at ‘Jorick’s human’. Besides, you make it sound so certain that they’re after us.”
“No,” Jorick snapped and then relented. “Maybe. I don’t know. I’m just irritated right now. I had to let them badger me so it didn’t look suspicious, and to be honest, there were several tense minutes when I wasn’t sure that they had brains to manipulate!” He waved his hands, and his voice gained volume. “And they took my damned fingerprints! I knew they would! I’m in a database now!”
Obviously he was determined to look at the bad side of things, not that she didn’t understand. “You have a driver’s license, so you’re already in one.”
“That’s different, it doesn’t mean anything. It’s just a photograph and some fake dates. Fingerprints, however -”
“Don’t mean anything either,” she interjected. “Everyone has their fingerprints on file. Look on the bright side; it could be your DNA they wanted!”
“You’re all idiots for living that way. You shouldn’t stand for it.”
She rolled her eyes impatiently. “You act as if people have a choice. They make laws and you either follow them or you go to prison, it’s as simple as that. There is no other option. You can’t just decide you’re not going to follow along. Ask The Guild about that.”
As if to save Jorick from admitting she’d won, Baltheir cleared his throat loudly. “Oren asked me to give you a message.”
“Yes?” Jorick massaged his temples.
“He wants you to pay him a visit on your way home, if it isn’t too much trouble.” Baltheir hesitated. “He wants your opinion on someone’s motivation.”
Jorick was momentarily distracted from his irritation. “Who?”
“Traven,” he answered haltingly. “His coven made a pact and offered to help with the war on The Guild, but Oren’s not sure of their intentions.”
Jorick frowned. “He mentioned Jeda to me yesterday. He said she’d returned to her own coven a couple of days ago, but that he thought he’d see her again. I can’t imagine her being interested in this anymore. I’m not sure why she was, in the first place.”
Baltheir nodded. “Exactly. Which leaves Traven.”
“Who’s Traven?”
“Her mate,” Jorick answered absently. “We’ll leave tomorrow night, I hope. If we don’t have to make many stops, we might be able to reach him before dawn.”
Katelina’s shoulders sagged. “I thought we were done with them. Remember? That’s why we left? We weren’t getting involved!”
“Yes, but this warrants investigating.” Jorick smiled for the first time since his release. “Come, little one, it won’t be so terrible, and it isn’t as though we’ll be staying long.” His tone turned serious. “I’m not involved in The Guild war and he knows it.”
She managed to nod, but a very bad feeling settled in her stomach and refused to go away.
Jorick scrawled the directions to Oren’s new den on the back of a junk mail envelope and stuffed it in his pocket. Katelina wanted to grab it and fling it out the window, but she knew it was pointless. He probably had them memorized.
It was two a.m. when they got to her mother’s house. Despite the time, her mother was awake and Brad was waiting. There was another barrage of questions, but since the police released Jorick, her mother’s opinion of him seemed to improve. With her new-found friendliness came the inevitable invitation to stay the night, which Jorick kindly turned down, much to her mother’s annoyance. Katelina avoided a scene with a promise to return early the next day, so that they could spend some quality time together. Crisis averted, they made their way back to Jorick’s old apartment.
Jorick’s mood had improved with the promise of future intrigue, but he still felt the need to tell her about every moment of his horrific brush with the law. He concluded the diatribe by pointing out that they were all stupid humans and he could crush them easily. It was only because he didn’t want to make a scene that he hadn’t. She forced a tight lipped comment, complained about the lack of a bed and finally flopped on the bedroom floor to try to get a few hours of sleep.
She woke at noon and, after a quick change of clothes, she left Jorick huddled in the windowless bedroom and headed for her mother’s. After two months of being a passenger, it felt weird to be in the driver’s seat. She told herself it was like riding a bike, though she couldn’t help but wonder if riding a bike was really “like riding a bike”.
She parked in front of the ugly green house and forced herself out of the car and up the sidewalk. The winter sun seemed too bright, and the snow intensified it. She squinted against the light and shuffled to the door, like a shambling creature of darkness trying to get inside before she burst into flame.
Her mother clucked about the late hour. Katelina stopped short of telling her what late really was, and steered the conversation to the topic of her missing belongings. They spent two hours sifting through what Brad and her mother had been able to salvage. While they sorted, the subject of Jorick came up. Her mom was satisfied that he seemed the commitment type, and blatantly asked if she would see a ring soon. Katelina only groaned and changed the subject. Her mother was not to be detoured. When Jorick appeared, after sundown, she presented the question to him. He recovered from the surprise long enough to assure her that if they got married, she’d be the first to know, and then he skillfully hauled Katelina - and her four boxes of junk and two garbage bags of clothing- out to the car.
“You’re leaving already?” Her mother trailed after them with a pout of disappointment.
“You haven’t even been here twenty-four hours.”
“I know Mom,” Katelina said apologetically. She looked to Jorick for help, but he busied himself with the boxes, so she lied on her own. “He has to get back to work.”
“And what does he do, exactly?”
“Computer database technician,” he replied effortlessly. Katelina stopped herself from giving him the high-five of brilliance while her mother looked baffled. To clear up her confusion, he added, “It’s very lucrative.”
She nodded as if that suddenly meant something. “Ah, of course.” Then, she turned her attention to Katelina. “You’d better stay in touch, and get a phone. If it’s half as lucrative as he says, he can afford it.”
Jorick scowled into the trunk, but stayed silent.
“All right.” Katelina gave her mother a tight hug. “I’ll give you the number as soon as I get one, though we may be going out of state for a while.”
“I doubt it,” Jorick muttered under his breath. “Not now.”
With a fake smile plastered on her face, Katelina took an inconspicuous step backwards and kicked him in the ankle.
It was almost half an hour before they climbed in the car and another ten minutes before Jorick started the engine. Her mother tried to keep the conversation going, but after Jorick mentioned the price of gas she relented.
He didn't make a sound until they were out of town, and then he heaved a sigh of relief. “I thought she’d never shut up.” He grinned suddenly. “Now I understand where you come by it.”
“I am nothing like my mother! Don’t you even!”
“Yes, you are. You even look a bit alike.” His words drew an evil hiss from her and he laughed. “You do.”
“I do not! I don’t look like her, sound like her or act like her! And if you say I do, you’ll be sorry!”
“Planning on having me arrested again? Or perhaps you have some more relatives I need to suffer through? Or is it a wedding you intend to torture me with next?”
She shuddered at the last statement. “Hardly. I have no intention of getting married, thank you. I have plenty of time left!”
Jorick’s grin spread across his face. “I don’t know. As your mother pointed out, you’re not getting any younger. You’ll be past your prime soon and then what? What makes you think I want to be seen with an old lady?”
Katelina switched on the radio and drown him out, though his laughter tinkled over the top of the music.
After being up all day, Katelina spent most of the trip asleep, which suited Jorick and his “few stops” plan. The eastern sky was pale lavender when he shook her awake and told her they’d arrived and there wasn’t a moment to lose.
She blinked and sleepily tried to come to terms with their new locale. They were parked in a row of cars next to an unfamiliar house. Instead of the normal dilapidated monster, it was a ranch style made of cheerful red brick and trimmed in white. The roof had a perfect coating of snow on top, and dark green flower boxes hung under the front windows. Katelina expected to look in a cheerfully lit window and see a happy family Christmas scene, but yellowing roller blinds hid the interior.
Jorick made a noise of impatience in his throat. “Katelina, I’m going inside.”
In her groggy state she had a hard time reconciling his urgency. “This is Oren’s? It looks a lot better than the last place.” In fact, the only thing it had in common was a lot of cars and a bunch of trees nearby.
“It’s not Oren’s, but he’s staying here. Come.” He opened the door and swung out quickly, moving so fast that he’d opened Katelina’s before his own was shut.
“I’m coming.” A blast of cold air slapped her in the face and forced her awake. Jorick jerked the suitcase out of the back seat and grabbed her arm. He hurriedly dragged her across the yard, following the mass of footprints to the back of the house. They’d barely reached the door before it opened wide to reveal Oren. He wore a pair of faded blue jeans and a white button up shirt with the cuffs undone. His face was pale and smooth, and held a sort of feline grace. His long mane of tawny hair and his strange, amber colored eyes added to the lion-like appearance.
“You’re cutting it close.” He stepped back from the door and allowed Jorick into a utility room whose windows were garbage bagged.
“Aren’t we?” Jorick tugged Katelina after him. When the door was safely shut he released her and dropped the suitcase to the floor. Then, he turned to study their host and his guarded expression. “How are you keeping, Oren?”
“As well as can be expected. I imagine you’re doing better today than you were last night?”
Katelina ignored Oren’s sarcasm and let her eyes wander over the shelves of cleaning products and the matching washer and dryer. She thought immediately of the garbage bags of clothing in the car. She hadn’t seen any of them for a couple of months and having them back - and clean - would be wonderful. She deserved something good since she was stuck in a den of vampires. Again.
Jorick also ignored Oren’s remark. “You’ve acquired a lot of vehicles.”
Katelina gave Jorick a quizzical look and started to remind him about Baltheir’s message, but Oren held up a hand and talked over her with a false casualness, “We have guests.”
Jorick feigned surprise and Katelina huffed an impatient breath. More games.
“Anyone I know?”
“As a matter of fact, yes.” A tight smile flickered over Oren’s lips and then died. “Traven’s coven, or most of it anyway.”
“Traven? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him.”
Oren nodded to Jorick and a silent conversation passed between them, until Loren blundered into the room. He stopped just inside the doorway and blinked. “Jorick? Katelina?” A smug light blossomed in his large, brown eyes as he pieced it together. “I wondered why Oren was still up.”
“We were passing and thought we’d visit,” Jorick said crisply.
Loren wasn’t fooled. “That’s convenient.” A grin spread across his face. “I heard about your stint in jail, by the way.” He looked from Jorick to Katelina. When no one spoke he took the broad hint and said stiffly, “Anyway, I’m off to bed.”
“Why don’t you take Katelina with you?” Oren suggested. “No one will harm her,” he added as if he sensed Jorick’s reluctance. “Traven’s coven is in the cellar. We didn’t take enough coffins from the stronghold to have the guest accommodations they expected, so they have the basement and the rest of us have moved the coffins upstairs.”
“Rest of us?” Jorick asked skeptically.
“Myself, Loren, Torina, Micah, Fabian and Luna. None of them would harm her, and besides, they’re all sleeping already, or should be,” Oren added, with a suspicious glance at Loren. “Since it’s dawn, I assume the two of you will stay. Though I don’t have an extra coffin, I believe that the black plastic bags over the bedroom windows will suffice to protect you. And should you like, there is plenty of bedding. The old woman was fond of linens.”
The past tense bothered Katelina. “Was?”
“Yes. She died. Rather suddenly.” Oren sniffed disdainfully and then turned back to Jorick. “Katelina will be fine with Loren.”
Jorick weighed the situation and then nodded slowly. “All right.” He handed her the suitcase. “Loren will show you where to go.” He offered her a smile, then brushed a quick kiss across her lips. “He hasn’t tried to kill you, yet.”
“Yet,” she muttered darkly and moved to follow Loren. What was the point?
“Don’t worry,” the teen vampire commented as he took the luggage. “I won’t let anyone snack on you.”
“Oh thanks, I feel so much better.”
They filed through the fussy old woman-style house. Though the windows had blinds, the sun seeped through the edges. Loren cringed away from the light and clung to the shadows. His tense muscles made her think back to what Jorick had said when she’d once asked if he’d turn to ash in the sunlight: “Not immediately. Loren might.”
&nbs
p; Loren relaxed when they reached a windowless hallway, and he unceremoniously opened one of the doors, careful to stay behind it. Inside was a prissy bedroom that was growing lighter by the moment. “It’s up to you whether you want to sleep in here or with us.”
“Isn’t Jorick sleeping with you?” She stepped over the threshold and the musty scent of disuse met her nose; a guest room. The large bed did look inviting though, and she couldn’t get much safer than to be drenched in sunlight.
“I assume so.”
Her eyes skipped from the flowered wallpaper to a shelf of porcelain dolls whose blank eyes stared dully. She thought suddenly of the old lady. She was probably the last one to step foot in this room. Undoubtedly, she was the one who’d carefully made up the large bed, tucked in the sheets, and fluffed the pillows. Katelina’s imagination conjured forth a wrinkly ghost that made her skin crawl. Suddenly the bed didn’t look so inviting.
“Let me get some blankets.” She stripped off the heavy comforter and pillows and was back in the hallway in record time. She was sure that the dolls stared at her accusingly as she slammed the door.
“This way,” Loren said, but Katelina caught his arm and he came to a stop.
“What’s going on?”
Loren shrugged. “Traven showed up yesterday. He seemed all right to me, but Fabian, Oren and Torina have been buzzing in each other’s ears since he got here.”
Though Jorick had already given her a vague answer, she asked anyway, “Who is he?”
“You remember Jeda, the one who was supposed to get the coven until you murdered Kateesha and -” Her expression stopped him from finishing the sentence. “Anyway, he’s Jeda’s ‘mate’. I don’t know if it means they’re married or what, but that’s what everyone keeps saying. I think Oren’s worried that Jeda’s holding a grudge over not getting the coven.” He broke off and offered her a semi-apologetic look for mentioning it again. “Traven promised to join in the war so long as Oren agrees to a few things.”
Amaranthine Special Edition Vol II Page 9
