Her voice dropped lower with each answer. “One vampire and one human.”
Obi cut in, “There were no survivors. What did you hope to gain?”
“The - the app said there was just one vampire and a human, but there were two vampires, so I killed the one that wasn’t as good.”
Malick took over again, “And in Kentucky?”
“Three, the first time.”
Obi interrupted, “Is it true you used stakes to kill them?”
“T-Traven said it wasn’t obvious enough that it was a human, so I used those and started reporting the murders in - in the daytime so they’d know.”
Malick nodded. “And the fourth murder?”
“O-Only two. I had to recruit the others for Traven though, because Gerard was gone by then.”
“And the fifth?”
The answer was almost inaudible, “Four.”
Malick leaned back in his chair, hands on the table. “That was the last one, I believe?”
Dahlia nodded. Her body had gone slack. She’d have been on the floor if not for Senya. “Please don’t kill me. Please.”
“Do you deserve any less?” Malick asked. “You killed twelve vampires, and even now feel no guilt, only fear. It’s a pity; you’d have made an interesting fledgling.”
She whimpered and Malick’s eyes moved to Jorick. “What do you say, my son? It was your life and the life of your human she jeopardized with her actions. What should her punishment be?”
Jorick’s jaw twitched. “I don’t want her blood, but her Master’s. Bring Traven before the council.”
Malick turned to Katelina. His dark eyes met hers and her heart seemed to stop. For a moment she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Then Verchiel poked her sharply in the ribs and she jerked back to the world to find everyone staring at her.
Verchiel whispered, “He asked what you thought should happen to her.”
“Me?” Katelina glanced to Jorick, seeking the answer in his eyes.
“Don’t look to him,” Malick ordered. “Answer this; if you woke to find her standing over your lover with one of her stakes, would you kill her?”
The answer squeaked out against her will, “Yes.”
Jorick smacked the table. “That’s a different scenario!”
“Not for those who survived her attacks.” Malick’s smile turned chilling. “I must agree with your human, my son. The murdering child deserves death.” He motioned to Senya. “Take her to the detention cell. She will be executed tomorrow.”
Katelina’s mouth dropped open and Dahlia shrieked, “No! Please! I’ll do anything!”
“You’ve already done enough.” Malick snapped his fingers, and she fell silent, tears dripping down her wooden face.
Senya hauled her out of the room. When Jorick refused to meet Katelina’s eyes, she grabbed Verchiel’s arm and whispered, “I didn’t mean he should sentence her to death! I never said-”
Verchiel lifted a finger to his lips, his eyes meaningfully on Malick.
The door opened and the four guards returned with a fifth, uniformed vampire between them. He was slightly pudgy with a ring of hair around an otherwise bald head. His eyes were wide and terrified.
“We’ve brought Gerard, sir.”
Malick nodded. “Very good.” His attention moved to Katelina and suffocated her. Amused laughter echoed through her head. “The human and her escort are no longer required. Thank you for your input.”
Verchiel had to pull Katelina to her feet, even as Jorick growled. “Thank you, Master.” Verchiel bowed formally, then tugged her out the door into the audience chamber.
Her legs were still shaking when they reached the corridor. Verchiel stopped so she could lean against the wall and catch her breath. Her vision was blurry. When she wiped her eyes, she found tears there.
“I never said they should kill her,” she whispered. “It’s not my fault.”
“Of course it isn’t. He just asked you to annoy Jorick, because he didn’t give him the right answer. It’s not a big deal.”
She glared at him. “Maybe not to you, but it is to me! Dammit! He basically blamed me for her sentence!”
“It’s just a game, don’t let it get to you. Be cool, stay slinky, and let it roll off your back. That’s the only way to deal with Malick.” He glanced at his watch. “If I hurry, I might be able to catch that bit of fluff at the movies. Come on, I’ll take you home first.”
She tried to distract herself with the new TV, but Dahlia’s frightened eyes hung in her mind, two terrified gray orbs. When Jorick stalked through the door, she flung herself into his arms and clutched him as though he were a lifeline.
He returned the embrace and then peeled her loose to look into her face. His eyes darkened. “For once, the idiot is right. It isn’t your fault.”
“Malick acted like it was.” She laid her head against his chest. “Are they going to kill the guard, too?”
“No. He was sentenced to fifty years in the detention block.”
She thought of Verchiel in the prison; his withered face and matted hair, and shuddered. “I still don’t understand why Traven would do that.”
“He likes to keep his coven perfectly balanced. He lost most of his vampires fighting the Mexicans, when he force-recruited Jorge. He needed replacements, so he killed two birds with one stone. By using the app, his human could find vampires that had the abilities he was seeking. When she killed their coven mates, it left them scared, with no where to turn. Then Gerard would come in as a representative of The Guild and offer Traven’s help. By killing them close to us, he hoped that we’d run and Malick would send the strongest Executioners to chase us. When he and Oren attacked, the strongest fighters would be gone.”
It all came back to the stupid attack. She ground her teeth and prayed that when it came, Oren got everything he deserved.
She ordered dinner and, as Verchiel had instructed, met them at the door to the block. It was the same young man who’d waited on her the other day. He looked nervous at the new locale. She took the covered dishes and had barely thanked him before he disappeared.
She and Jorick watched mindless television until she fell asleep in his lap. He woke her gently and carried her to the bedroom where she snuggled down under the crisp teddy bear sheets.
The next evening came too soon. Jorick gave her a soft kiss and left. Katelina stared at the ceiling and willed the day to end. When it didn’t, she got up and started her morning routine.
She’d just finished breakfast when the door opened and Verchiel strolled in. Today’s t-shirt was canary yellow and said “All My Black Clothes are at the Cleaners”.
“Is that another one from the truck stop?”
He dropped into a chair and grinned. “How did you guess? There’s a pink one that says ‘Vampires and Glitter Don’t Mix’ that I have laid out for tomorrow.”
“Something to look forward to.” She stared at the dirty plate. “What should I do with this? Upstairs, I just left them in the hallway.”
“Good question. I guess we could take them back? I don’t have anything else planned.”
“Is that why you’re here, again?”
“You’re not complaining, are you? I bet there’s plenty of people who’d love to have me around. If you don’t, just say the word and I’m outta here.”
She snorted sarcastically. “Promises, promises.”
Verchiel talked her into going back to his chaotic disaster of an apartment and shoved a video game controller in her hand. The sound effects were loud, and they’d only been playing for an hour when someone hammered on the door. Before Verchiel could answer it, the door jerked open and Senya strode in, her face twisted in fury. Katelina squealed and threw herself behind the anime tower. Verchiel was unconcerned, even as Senya snarled, “Turn that shit down or I’ll rip out your wind pipe!”
“Well hello! I was just beating Kately at yet another race. She has appalling driving skills. Care to join us? Or are you too busy with your
needlework? Embroidering ‘Executioner property’ in your underwear?”
Senya shot him a withering glance and turned on her heel. “Insolent moron! I don’t care what you do with your new pet, just do it quietly!”
The door slammed as he called, “She’s not really mine. I’m just watching her for a friend!”
Katelina peered out and tried to relax. She’s gone. She’s gone. She’s-
“Yes, she is.” The mental intrusion earned him a dirty look. “Maybe we’d better play something quieter?”
Despite his good intentions, the new game was soon as loud as the first. The pounding on the door wasn’t much of a surprise, though the visitor was. Verchiel opened the door to find that instead of Senya, it was the oriental vampiress, Kioko.
“I realize that I’m new, and you’re my superior, but is it necessary to have your television so loud?”
Verchiel leaned on the doorframe and batted his eyes innocently. “Why don’t you come in and find out?”
She peered past him to where Katelina sat, scowling. She hadn’t forgotten Kioko.
“No thank you, it appears you’re already busy with your human. If you’ll excuse me, just please turn that down.”
Kioko turned away stiffly and Verchiel called after her, “She’s not mine! Come on! We could get better acquainted!” Katelina heard her door shut and he sighed. “What’s the point of being a superior if they don’t want to suck up?” He broke off into a lurid snicker. “Suck up, get it?”
Katelina rolled her eyes. “You’re disgusting.”
“That may be, but I admit when I’ve met my match. Apparently everyone is spending the day at home. Let’s go somewhere less crowded.”
His idea of less crowded was the first floor shopping center. They rifled through several stores and ran into the “bit of fluff” from the movie theater. Verchiel smiled at her hopefully. She rolled her eyes and turned away.
“I take it your date didn’t go well?”
He shrugged. “Oh, I had a good time, and I think she did, too. It was her boyfriend that didn’t appreciate it.”
Before Katelina could comment, someone called Verchiel’s name. They both looked to see the Native American Executioner from yesterday. Her long black hair was thrown over her shoulder in a single, thick braid, and her dark eyes were annoyed.
“Hello, Migina! Not hanging out upstairs like the rest of them?”
“Malick has called for the human. He said you would likely follow.”
Katelina shivered and stepped away. “Why can’t he leave me alone?”
Migina didn’t deign to answer her. “He wants her in the detention block. I assume you can find the way?”
Verchiel mock saluted her. “Aye-aye, ma’am! Leave it to me!”
Migina made a noise of disgust and stalked off.
“She takes everything too seriously, you know that?” But Katelina was already oozing away. He turned and saw her before she could disappear into the nearest store. “Hey! Didn’t you hear her? We’re wanted!”
Katelina shook her head. “You can go if you want, but I’m not!”
Verchiel caught her elbow, suddenly serious. “If you don’t go, Malick will punish Jorick. You don’t want that.” She stared back with wide, horrified eyes, and he shifted back to his flippant self. “Besides, aren’t you dying to see what he wants?”
His choice of words made her shudder. “I hope not.”
The closer they got to the lowest level, the sicker she got. When the doors swished open on the black and red hallway, she stepped back and shook her head. “I can’t do this.”
“He’s not going to kill you. He needs you alive and healthy to control Jorick.”
“Oh thanks. That’s comforting.”
“Best I got.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her after him. “Come on. Don’t want to keep him waiting.”
“Why do you put up with this? He treats you guys like you’re his personal property and makes you play all of these stupid games. Why don’t you all stand up?”
Verchiel stopped and turned to meet her eyes. “Would you?”
As if summoned by their thoughts, she could suddenly feel the weight of the master pressing into her skull. She tried to push it away. It was no more effective than a fly fighting a dragon. “No.”
“There’s your answer. Now come on.”
The door of the detention center was open when they reached it. Verchiel led her inside where the guards stood in a nervous knot. One of them pointed to the door at the back. Something flickered over Verchiel’s face. He nodded and motioned her to follow him to it.
Like the doors to the left and right, it led to a black hallway. Unlike those corridors, it wasn’t lined with prison doors, only a single silver door at the end.
“Where are we going?”
The answer made her sicker. “To the execution chamber.”
The door opened and they filed through it into a shiny black room. A piece of plexiglass separated it from what looked like a large, gray cell. Malick sat on a bench, dressed in a pair of slacks and a silk shirt of forest green. Though Migina, Beldren and Greneth were there, Jorick was noticeably absent.
Then she saw him.
He stood on the other side of the plexiglass, looming over a quivering heap. The heap moved and Katelina recognized it; it was Dahlia. Her face was bruised almost past recognition and her swollen lip was bleeding. Tears ran down her face as she stared up at Jorick pleadingly.
Malick clapped his hands and Jorick picked Dahlia up by her hair. She kicked her legs, her gray eyes panicked. Jorick’s face was cold, unfeeling. Verchiel made a strange noise and hissed into Katelina’s ear, “Close your eyes.” She couldn’t. She couldn’t close her eyes. She couldn’t turn her head. She couldn’t look away.
She watched as Jorick’s hand closed around Dahlia’s throat. He pulled her head back by her hair and then, in a single smooth motion, he ripped her throat out, while snapping her head backwards hard enough to sever the spine, leaving it lolling limply by what was left of the spinal cord. Katelina had a nanosecond view of her spinal column before a spray of blood obscured it.
Her tongue wouldn’t work, but she screamed silently. Jorick dropped the limp, ruined body to the floor and stiffened. He spun around and his dark eyes met Katelina’s; terrified blue clashing against the black of night.
Malick released her.
The scream in her head throbbed out into the open air and she stumbled backwards into Verchiel. The other Executioners looked up sharply, but she didn’t see them. All she could see was Jorick’s bloody face, and angry, betrayed eyes.
She ran.
The guards leapt out of her way as she barreled through the control room and into the corridor. She didn’t stop until she’d reached the elevator. The doors swished open and she bolted inside. A breeze blew her hair and she looked up to see Verchiel. He leaned casually against the wall by the button panel. “Going up?”
She turned away from him and fought her heaving stomach. She could see Dahlia behind her eyes; see the blood, see the gore and what might have been her windpipe clenched in Jorick’s hand. See-
“They don’t call him the Hand of Death for nothing, you know. If you’re squeamish, you picked the wrong guy.”
Katelina met Verchiel’s steady gaze and shuddered. “I know. But I wasn’t expecting it, okay? It came as a surprise.”
“I did mention we were headed to the execution chamber.”
His logic was infuriating and she slammed her fist into the wall. “Just shut up!”
“Whatever you say, but might I give you one piece of advice? The next time you stumble on Jorick killing someone, don’t scream. He feels bad enough that you had to see, and screaming only makes it worse.”
She started to ask how he knew, but stopped. Of course, he could read Jorick’s mind.
“It only works under stress,” Verchiel added as the elevator doors opened.
Katelina ignored the intrusion and slammed the door clos
e button before the waiting vampires could get on. “You said he felt bad?”
“Of course he did. No guy wants to horrify his girlfriend with some grisly, gory scene. And he’s super sensitive about it because he already thinks that you think he’s a monster or something.” Verchiel rolled his eyes. “It’s all stupid, but that’s how people are.”
He was right. Everything was stupid.
She barricaded herself in the apartment and stared at the TV. The programs couldn’t hold her interest and even the sharp scent of nail polish couldn’t chase the image of Dahlia’s terrified eyes from her mind. It was stupid - stupid and pointless, like all the other deaths. Rachel had died for Kale, Kale had died because of Thomas, Thomas had died because he was blamed for something Malick and Senya did. It was a crisscrossed web of sticky pointlessness that made her want to chuck it all and go home.
Home.
The word no longer conjured her old apartment or her mother, but a forlorn little house by the sea, stuffed with too many books and too little heat. It meant a set of dark, moody eyes and a familiar musky scent. It was the warmth of Jorick’s arms in the evening and his cool touch in the morning. He was home, and so long as that was true, she’d have to stay tangled in the dark web of this new world.
It wasn’t a comforting thought.
Jorick came back later than usual. He hesitated, just inside the door, then strode to the couch, his spine straight and his face set. After what Verchiel said, she planned to pretend nothing had happened. It was hard with his stony silence.
“How are you?” It was the best she could think of.
He looked at her for the first time since walking in the door. “How do you think I am?” When she didn’t answer, he added, “How are you?”
She sat next to him and leaned her head on his shoulder. “I’m fine, now.” She didn’t want to talk about what she’d seen, but there didn’t seem a way to avoid it. She sighed heavily. “I’m sorry. It was just a shock. I didn’t expect that. I thought - I don’t know what I thought. It doesn’t matter.” She took his chin in her hand and forced him to look at her. Something shimmered in the depths of his eyes that made her chest catch. She wanted to wrap him up and bundle him away somewhere safe. If only she could.
Amaranthine Special Edition Vol II Page 57
