Chapter 19

Vampires.

They were vampires.

Katelina's head swam with the realization of what she was witnessing, and she'd have fallen if Jorick hadn't held her up. Jesslynn seemed to enjoy Katelina's horror. Her cold, cruel laughter echoed through the evil nursery.

"Enough, Jesslynn," Jorick snapped. "I don't know if you're trying to impress me or intimidate Katelina, but either way it's pointless."

"Impress you?" she asked mockingly and took a step forward. "Hardly. And as for your snack..." she smiled cruelly and added, "She should already be properly intimidated, if you've done your job correctly."

Katelina whimpered, and Jorick bit back, "I don't require kowtowing servants like you." His eyes moved to Margaret and her peculiar outfit. "A creative punishment, I suppose, if you find holding power over the weak so interesting." His eyes moved back to Jesslynn. "But it's of no concern to me. What matters is what you've done. I've granted this woman my protection, and by doing this, you have violated it." He took a step forward and shuffled Katelina behind himself, still holding her firmly. "You know the penalties for such an act!"

"You are in my house - " Jesslynn began but Jorick cut her off.

"No!" His voice quivered with barely contained rage, "I am in the house of your master, Oren, and I am his master. If The Guild-"

The redhead moved to Jorick's side again and laid her hand on his arm. Her voice was liquid velvet. "Would you sic The Guild on us, Jorick?"

"I rather doubt it." Jesslynn sneered. "It's unlikely they'd be happy to see him."

"I don't need to go to The Guild," Jorick snapped.

Jesslynn ignored him and moved to Margaret, who was still feeding the tiny vampire baby. A thick silence descended, broken only by the small, sucking noises issuing from the babies tiny lips, a sick mimicry of more wholesome things.

When she made no answer he continued. "Anything I wish to do, I will do myself. I don't need to hide behind them." He took a deep, breath, but it failed to calm him. "I say only that if The Guild were to hear of this - all of this - you'd be severely punished, and you know it!"

Jesslynn sniffed disdainfully. Her eyes challenged him and held his gaze with a haughty gleam. "I do not fear them, and I do not fear you."

Oren's voice sounded from the doorway. His tone inflected with cautious curiosity. "What is this?"

Katelina's attention shot to the newcomer and she thought sarcastically how lovely it was to have another vampire crammed into the room. Just the way she intended to spend her day, surrounded by a bunch of blood drinking monsters! She twisted in Jorick's grip, but he held her tightly and she surrendered. She wasn't going to get loose, and even if she did, where would she go?

"Nothing, Oren," Jorick answered. "Yet. If Jesslynn persists, though..." he trailed off, his voice cold.

"I have done nothing wrong!" Jesslynn insisted, taking several steps toward Jorick. "Your human came to me willingly enough! Didn't she, Bethina?" She flashed a fanged smile and the crazy blonde vampiress nodded agreement.

Katelina balked at being called Jorick's human, but no one seemed to notice.

"Jesslynn!" Oren yelled. "You knew the conditions!" He strode forward, and stopped in front of Jorick, his muscles tense. His hands were clenched into white knuckled fists at his sides and his amber eyes glared dangerously at his wife.

Jesslynn scowled and tossed her head. "You speak of conditions as though he does us a favor by coming to us in his hour of need! Bah! I have no need for such favors."

At her words, Oren's temper flared. He jabbed an accusing finger at her, his words choppy with fury, "You forget all that he has done for us - for me! For our fight! He is here because of it!"

She scoffed. "He is here because he was a sentimental fool."

"And it's good he is or he would kill you where you stand!"

The redhead moved to Oren and caught his shoulder. "Why don't you see what Bethina has to say?"

"I care not for what she will say!" Oren snapped angrily, pulling away from her. "Jesslynn has used her as a puppet before, and might do so again. I sense nothing but fear from this human." Oren turned and met Jorick's gaze. The black haired vampire nodded slowly and gently pulled Katelina in front of him again.

Oren looked into Katelina's eyes. His amber gaze was penetrating and probing, and, though she tried, she found she couldn't look away from him; held by invisible hands that forced her to remain still. And then, as quickly as he had ensnared her, he released her - dismissing something that was no longer useful.

He turned back to Jesslynn, his face and voice cold. "I know that she did not come to you willingly, my wife. Why do you lie?"

"You take Jorick's side because you fear him." Anger and mockery dripped from her words and her eyes challenged him to deny the accusation.

He looked at her severely. "I do not fear him, I only show the proper respect for the one who made me."

Jesslynn shook her head in disgust and hissed between her pointed teeth, "You're a coward."

Jorick's grip tightened on Katelina, though she didn't bother to resist. It wasn't as if she could get away when she was surrounded by the creatures. Margaret was the only other human in the room, and she was busy pulling the baby vampire from her naked breasts and would be of no help. Katelina knew that she was alone now, more alone then she'd ever been in her life, and there was a chance she might not live to look back on it.

Jorick interrupted the dispute. "I'll leave you to deal with this as you see fit, Oren. I expect it won't happen again." An intense look passed between the two men, then he turned for the door, still holding Katelina in front of him. Though her legs wobbled, she made it back to her room. At least there she could lock the door - and lock them out.

Except, Jorick went inside with her. Panic flared in her chest. What would happen now? Would he kill her?

He released with a suddenness that left her lurching for the bed. She missed and landed on the floor in a heap.

Anger danced behind his words, "I told you not to leave the room until I came for you!"

She folded herself into a sitting position, as if that might protect her. "You're going to kill me, aren't you?" Her voice shook with unshed tears and she buried her face in her hands. "Oh God!"

Jorick took a deep breath, and when he spoke again his voice was even and soft. "No, I am not going to kill you." He crouched down beside her and met her gaze. "If I wished you dead, would I not have killed you already?"

"I don't know," she sobbed in reply, her voice muffled by her hands. "Maybe you and... the rest of them are going to sacrifice me or something." She was too afraid and embarrassed to look up. "Maybe... maybe you don't really know anything about Patrick. Maybe it was a lie to get a new victim..."

"An elaborate hoax for so little reward." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "If I wanted a victim, why not go out on the street and catch the first one I saw? Why go to so much trouble simply for the thrill of a kill?"

She hated his logic as much as she hated him. She dropped her hands and violently pulled away from his touch. "Damn it! You said that 'they' were the bad guys! You said 'they' worked for Claudius!"

"Who?" Jorick's hand hung in midair and his tone was confused. "Oren?"

"No! The vampires! You said they were evil!"

"Evil? I never said that."

"Yes you did! You said they were evil and they worked for Claudius and that they wanted to kill me and - "

He cut her off impatiently. "No, I did not. I said only that Claudius and his underlings were vampires and that they might try to kill you."

"No, you didn't," she seethed. "You said - "

"I know very well what I said. I would never have used such a generality. Not all vampires are evil any more than all humans are good or stupid. Each creature has its own merits, both good and bad. There is no catch-all to describe any group or species, and to try to do so would be ridiculous at best. Even among Claudius' followers there are undoubtedly some you would call 'good'. Good and bad aren't easily discernible conditions set in stone like black and white. It's a matter of perception."

"If that's true, why didn't you tell me you were one of them?"