Ark stepped out through the ruined front door. His long chestnut hair shimmered in the moonlight, shot through with highlights of blonde. His green eyes glinted. Tall and thin, with delicate features and a slim build, he’d have been at home as an elf in a fantasy movie. The silver medallion around his neck—three interlocking circles—only added to the mystique, though Katelina knew what it meant. It was the symbol of the Executioner, worn by all of their rank.
“Jorick.” Though Ark requested the meeting, his voice held no warmth. “Verchiel said you were in town. Can I ask why?”
“I thought The Guild knew all?”
Ark scrutinized him and relaxed slightly. “I see. I knew your pet was from Ohio, but I didn’t realize—or should I call her your fledgling?”
Jorick made a low noise and Katelina looked away. Surely the Executioner knew someone else had turned her. Was it meant as a barb?
Ark went on. "No matter. I assume you’ve done some investigating since you arrived?”
“Not a lot,” Jorick admitted, as the others joined. “From what I understand, it was Lilith and Samael?”
“That’s our working theory.” Ark eyed their companions. “New friends of yours?”
Jorick shrugged, but didn’t introduce them. Katelina wasn’t sure who should be insulted. Was Ark not important enough for introduction, or was it the other way around?
There was a sound at the door and Jamie stepped out. His long black hair was pulled up in a bun. Like the other Executioners, he was dressed in all black, including a long coat.
He gave a nod of greeting. As one of the Executioners assigned to the ball in Canada, they’d seen one another a few days ago.
“Any luck with Lilith’s den?” he asked.
“No,” Jorick answered. “There was plenty of evidence to connect her to kidnapping children, but nothing to say what her plans are, or where she’s going. There was this.” He handed Ark the dead vampire’s driver’s license. “We took it from the caretaker she left in charge. I doubt any of them are at the address, but it’s worth a try.”
Ark looked it over, then pocketed it. “I’ll pass that on.”
Jorick shot Katelina a sideways glance. “You might send some human authorities to the hunting lodge Lilith used as a den. She killed children there. I assume their parents would like to know.”
“That’s thoughtful of you.” Jamie’s tone said he knew which of them wanted it done, and it wasn’t Jorick.
“Fine, fine.” Ark waved it away. “As to Lilith, I’d tell you to stay out of the hunt, but frankly I don’t understand why any of us are in it. This is the Kugsankal’s jurisdiction, not ours.”
Brandle nodded. “Considering their age, they’d be better suited to handle this.”
“Who are you?” Ark asked.
Jamie motioned the inquiry away. “We contacted the Sodalitas—”
“The who?” Des demanded.
Jamie made an impatient sound. “The Guild in Germany. As I was saying, we contacted them after Lilith revealed herself at the ball. We have yet to hear back.”
“They won’t even send a no,” Ark bit out. “Never mind. We’ve inherited their problem, and we’ll deal with it.”
“If we can,” Jamie said. “You saw the destruction. It’s on a different level than anything we’re used to. Though you weren’t in Canada, I was.” He shook his head. “They have no regard for anyone or anything between them. Lilith sacrificed her own followers.”
There was a breeze. Verchiel appeared behind the Executioners, a grin on his face. “Did you guys come for the official sleepover? Where’s Sorino?”
“At a motel,” Jorick answered. “Good riddance.”
“He’ll be back,” Verchiel said. “Especially since you kept his relics.”
Jorick scowled and Katelina rushed on before they could fight. “Have you interviewed a lot of people yet?”
“Of course. But why don’t we continue this conversation inside?” Verchiel offered Katelina his arm. Jorick pushed it away forcefully before he led her into the house.
The entryway had chandeliers, and huge white columns. A pair of identical curving staircases were spray painted, the red the same color as their carpet. Busted vases and dead leaves littered the marble floor. A broken mirror hung on one wall, the gilt frame intact.
“Animals,” Verchiel commented to the destruction.
“The library is worse,” Jamie said. “They overturned bookcases. Jorick would cry to see the condition of some of the books.”
Verchiel snickered. “He’s the one who did it.”
Jamie looked sharply to Jorick, who refused to meet his eyes. “I was under attack.”
“More like an introduction.” Verchiel grinned.
Katelina coughed. That was when they’d first met the redhead. He and a squatter were temporarily teamed up. There’d been a quick fight — enough to destroy the library — but in the end Verchiel had surrendered. They hadn’t been able to get rid of him since.
Des shoved his hands in his pockets, his attention bouncing from corner to corner. “I spent a lot of time spying on this place, but it’s the first time I’ve been inside anything except that sunroom.”
Ark made an incredulous sound. “A sunroom for vampires. Claudius was ridiculous.”
The Executioners led them down corridors, to a sitting room populated with vampire guards in gray uniforms. They all stood quickly, but Jamie motioned them back into their seats.
“You have a full complement,” Jorick said dryly.
“Two each,” Ark said. “Except for Verchiel.”
The redhead shrugged. “No offense to anyone, but I travel better alone. I can do my own paperwork.”
The nearest guard looked irritated. “With respect, sir, we do more than that.”
“Of course you do,” Jamie said. “Most of these guards are dream stealers or whisperers. They handle interrogations and amend memories, the same as we do.”
A sound came from the doorway. Katelina turned toward it. A vampire stood uncertainly at the threshold. A long black coat looked new. Dark hair framed Middle Eastern features. Eyes like mahogany snapped from one figure to another. The Executioner medallion glinted around his neck.
“Come in,” Verchiel called cheerfully. “This is Obrad. He’s the newest Executioner—the replacement for Jorick. As luck would have it, he’s a whisperer, too.” He clapped the newcomer on the back. “Speaking of Jorick, that’s him, and his girlfriend, Katelina.”
The Executioner nodded uncomfortably as Verchiel introduced everyone, ending on Des. “They’re not as scary as they look.”
With a snort of contempt, Jorick turned to Ark. “What have your interrogations revealed?”
Jamie took a seat on a dusty antique sofa. “We found a few people from ground zero who saw Lilith. Most of those survivors are at the hospital. That was Verchiel and Obrad’s area, so they might be able to tell you more.”
The redhead winked, and Katelina wondered if that was why Brad still remembered seeing Sarah. Surely that was a detail the Executioners would wipe. Had Verchiel left it on purpose? Or just not done his job?
“There wasn’t much,” Obrad said quietly. “Those that saw anything had quick flashes. We’ve identified Lilith and a few of her followers.”
Brandle cleared his throat. “Which ones?”
Obrad tugged a paper from his pocket and scanned it. “Anya, fledgling of Josephus; Zachariah, fledgling of Horace; William, fledgling of Henry.”
“Who’s Zachariah?” she asked Jorick. “I don’t recognize the name.”
“He was at the ball,” Jamie said. “Blonde hair, beard. He did nothing notable, except join Lilith at the end. I doubt you noticed him.”
Brandle shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “What were they seen doing?”
Obrad shook his head. “Not much. Anya and Zachariah attacked a woman. William was spotted among rubble for only a moment.”
Brandle nodded, though he didn’t l
ook comforted.
“What about Samael?” Jorick asked. “Did anyone see him and Lilith fighting, or the outcome of the battle?”
Ark shook his head. “No, but we haven’t processed everyone. There were many at the hospital we couldn’t get to, and I’m sure there are evacuees we still need to speak to.”
“Did anyone see Sarah?” Katelina asked.
Jamie shook his head. “I didn’t.”
“I thought your mom’s boyfriend did?” Verchiel mentioned casually.
Jamie looked sharply to the redhead. “Where did he see her?”
“On Mom’s porch,” Katelina answered. “Just before they were attacked.”
Des perked up. “Alone?” Katelina nodded, and his eyes glowed. “That might mean she’s escaped, otherwise, she’d be locked up somewhere, right?”
Ark scowled at Verchiel. “It’s a possibility, one I’d have more input on had I been informed.”
“I’m sure I put it in my report,” the redhead said innocently.
Katelina waved it away. “But if Sarah escaped during the fight, where is she?”
“Lilith might have recaptured her,” Jamie said. “Or she could be hiding.”
Katelina caught her breath. Could they be that lucky? Could Sarah really be hiding somewhere in town? Could she have Estrilda with her?
If she does, and the Executioners find her…
Though she hadn’t been listening, Ark was talking, “-tomorrow we’ll have more answers. Either way, we need to finish fixing their memories.”
No, no. If they were digging in peoples’ memories, and saw Estrilda… “Do you need to? No one would believe them. You’ve blamed the attack on terrorists; the news blamed it on terrorists, the internet, and on and on. Unless they have footage…No. Even if they have footage, they’ll end up with an article on one of those conspiracy theory websites. A handful of foil hat people will say it was real-life superheroes or aliens. Mainstream media, and all the sheep who hang on its every word, will ignore it because no one wants to deal with something that defies rational explanation, or means we need to rethink the way the world works.”
Jorick nodded. “She’s right. Though interviews will still help. Maybe someone knows where they’ve gone.”
Katelina tried to telegraph “shut up”, but he didn’t seem to get the message. Luckily, Ark yawned.
“Excuse me. It’s getting late. You’re welcome to stay the day here. As you know, there are plenty of coffins in the basement.”
Though Katelina and Jorick knew the way, they followed the Executioners through a pair of broken French doors, into a ballroom. One wall was painted in hyper realistic murals that included Adam, Eve, and Lilith from the old biblical legends. Sadly, the paintings had received the same treatment as the fountain, this time in bright yellow that included devil horns, tails, and circles around all the people’s “naughty bits”.
The opposite wall fared no better. Mirrors that had once reflected dancers were spider webbed with cracks. Broken vases were scattered on the floor, remnants of the missiles thrown by vandals.
“Luckily, they didn’t find the secret door,” Verchiel said as they stopped before a hidden panel. The redhead pressed a spot on the wall. The door sprang aside. Bits of broken glass shivered free and tinkled to the floor.
“It doesn’t look like you’ll be able to use this for much longer,” Brandle observed.
“Not in the present condition,” Ark agreed. “I’ve put in a notice to The Guild to have this place dealt with. Since everyone who was in line for it is dead, they’ll either auction it off or demolish it.”
Katelina knew that several of Claudius’ coven members were still alive, but she stopped from correcting him as they headed down the staircase to the cellar. Though untouched by the vandals, time had not been so kind. A layer of dust covered the wooden boxes and the floor. The last time Katelina was there, she couldn’t see past the wavering edge of the flashlight beam. Now she could see everything, including open doors that led to other box filled rooms.
While they worked out where everyone would sleep, she explored doorways, stopping in a dead-end room. Instead of wooden boxes, a cage sat in one corner. Several pointy instruments were in another. Long heavy chains and shackles snaked across the floor to pool in the middle, waiting for prisoners that hopefully would never come. Stains on the floor said they’d held plenty before.
She touched the wall with her fingertips, as if she could feel memories in the mortar, but there was only the cool touch of bricks and her imagination to say what might have happened there.
Her eyes moved to the cage. One of her memories surfaced. In the basement of another den, Claudius stripped her, looking for tracking devices, then stuffed her inside a larger, rustier version while he decided what to do next. She wished again she’d been able to torture him before he died.
“Little one?”
At the sound of Jorick’s voice she forced a smile. “Just looking around.”
“Not a pleasant place to explore.” He caught her hand and brought it to his lips. “If you’re ready, the others are going to bed.”
Katelina grabbed his arm. “Wait. Do you think Sarah escaped?”
“I don’t know. One person might have seen her. That’s not a lot to go on.”
“But if she did, do you think Estrilda could be with her? What happens if Ark, or Obrad, or one of the guards see her in someone’s memory?”
“I doubt they’d recognize her for what she is,” Jorick soothed. “As Brandle said, she looks more like an old lady. They’d have no way of knowing from a nanosecond memory she was a vampire. There’s a chance they’ve already seen her and didn’t realize it.”
The idea was comforting, but… “Maybe you should go with them tomorrow.”
Jorick choked on the idea. “Excuse me? I thought—”
“I know, I know. I’m not talking about joining them, just volunteering for a day. You’re a whisperer, and they’re obviously overloaded. You could say you want to help out, then you’d be there if they find anything.”
“You want me to monitor all of the memories that ten vampires go through? I can do a lot, Katelina, but that—”
“Not all ten. Verchiel and Jamie would know her, and they wouldn’t say anything. It’s the rest of them, especially Ark.”
Jorick ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know that I can do what you’re asking of me.”
“I’m just asking you to try. Please.”
She saw the surrender in his eyes. “While I’m doing that, where will you be?”
“I’ll go see mom first, then I might try to look for Sarah and Estrilda. They could be hiding somewhere in town. If they are, we don’t want the Executioners to find them first.”
Verchiel’s voice came from the doorway, “I don’t think there’s much worry about that. Obrad and two of the guards cataloged the destruction last night. Other than that, we’re leaving it up to human authorities to dig through the mess. We have our hands full with survivors.”
“Des will want to go with you,” Jorick warned.
She nodded. “I know. But, I think he’ll be too distracted with Sarah to pay Estrilda much attention. If not, like Brandle said, Sarah can probably convince him to keep his mouth shut. Or you could kill him.”
“That escalated quickly,” Verchiel said. “Just to let you know, Jamie’s thinking the same thing.”
The Executioner strolled through the door. “What am I thinking?”
“That Jorick should help us out tomorrow.”
Jamie and Jorick’s eyes met. Katelina felt the silent conversation. It ended with a nod, then Jamie said, “Ark will likely fuss, but he needs the help right now. He already sent for another group of guards.”
Katelina bit her lip. Another group. How the hell would Jorick keep an eye on all those whisperers and all those memories?
I’m just asking him to try.
They headed back to the main room. Everyone else was already packed up f
or the night. Like old tea cups, she mused.
Verchiel motioned to the boxes. “I already told Jorick, the coffins are pretty small to share. You might want your own.”
Panic fluttered in her chest. They wanted her to sleep in a box by herself? Were they insane? She couldn’t—
Then she realized she could. Before, she’d shared with Jorick because he didn’t trust the other vampires not to kill “his human”. Now that she was one of them, what reason did she have not to sleep alone?
Because I don’t want to.
Regardless of what she wanted, Verchiel was right. They couldn’t both fit in a box, so she resigned herself to slowly climbing into her own. The lining was musty, but it was better than bare wood. She stretched out slowly, noted a lack of padding, and watched as Jorick slid the lid into place.
“Wait.” She stuck her hands up before he could close it all the way. “We’re in a basement with no windows, right? There’s no sunlight. Do I need a lid?”
Jorick blinked. “No, I suppose not.”
“No lid?” Verchiel asked. “There’s thinking outside the box.”
“No, thinking outside the box would be to push a pair of them together and sleep on the lids.” Her eyes lit up as she forced the lid back and climbed out. “Why don’t we?”
Jorick was clearly baffled. “There’s no reason we couldn’t, I suppose.”
“Good.” Without waiting for further confirmation, she pushed a heavy wooden box against its neighbor. “There.” She scrambled on top, testing the lid. “It seems sturdy enough.”
Jorick climbed next to her. “Yes, I imagine it is.”
She stretched out. “This is much better than being shut inside.”
“If you say so.” Verchiel made a show of yawning. “You kiddies have fun out here. Personally, a box sounds wonderful to me. How about you, Jamie?”
With a chuckle, the Executioner followed the redhead into the next room, where Katelina heard the scrape and bang as they dropped lids into place. A thick silence fell. Katelina snuggled closer to Jorick. “Why haven’t we done this before?”
“I don’t think there’s been a time when it was appropriate.” He draped an arm over her. “Most cellars have a window of some kind, hence the lids.”
Goddess of Night (Amaranthine Book 9) Page 8
