Chapter 18

Katelina hesitated at the maid's request. "Follow me," she said, but Jorick's warning was still warm in her mind, his edict.

Edict, as if he was her boss. He wasn't. She barely knew him. She didn't need to follow his order.

"All right." She followed the maid out of the kitchen and back into the dark green hallway. Her skin crawled as they reached the stairs and ascended them. She glanced around nervously, feeling like evil eyes were watching her. Deep inside, she knew there was something wrong with the house. An urgent voice in her mind told her to dash to the front door and escape, but Jorick's promise of safety stopped her. He'd kept his word and so far she had no reason to doubt him.

The maid led her down the second floor hallway, in the opposite direction of Katelina's room. A door stood open and Katelina stepped through it to find herself in a large nursery. A crib sat in the middle of the room, painted white and surrounded by bright happy colors. Despite the reds, blues and yellows smiling at her; the room made her feel queasy. Even the happy clown painted on the wall seemed to leer menacingly and the stuffed toys on the shelves bore malice in their shiny eyes.

The dark haired woman she'd seen last night sat in a white rocking chair, clutching the baby to her. Katelina recalled Oren addressing her as Jesslynn, and imagined that they made quite a contrasting pair with his blonde mane and her raven colored tresses. The woman was actually quite beautiful: her large, sorrowful eyes held both misery and haughtiness, a combination that made Katelina look away.

The bandaged maid moved from Katelina's side and took the baby from her mistress, murmuring softly about a bath before feeding time. Jesslynn nodded, like a queen on her throne.

Before anyone had bothered to explain why Katelina had been summoned, the small boy she'd seen last night came dashing into the room, pulling along a wooden duck on wheels. He was followed by the blonde girl he'd been playing with, the one who was neither young nor old. He hurried past Katelina as though she wasn't there and climbed into Jesslynn's lap. He whispered in her ear, then settled himself comfortably.

Jesslynn's lips curled in a smug smile. "Alexander says that you look very pretty in my dress."

Trying to ignore the sensations creeping up her spine, Katelina forced a smile for the little boy. "Is this Alexander?" He didn't reply, but stared back at her, nodding solemnly.

She was usually good with children, so she tried again, her smile larger this time. "Thank you, Alexander."

He made no reply and his mother said smugly, "Oh, he won't answer you." Her lips curled tightly in a smile as she stroked his head, the same way someone might pet a cat. "Alexander will only speak to certain people."

"Oh." She couldn't think of anything else to say besides the obvious, "Gee, sorry your son is mentally challenged", but that seemed like a bad idea. Maybe whatever was wrong with the child had something to do with the mysterious illness the whole household had? She found herself wondering if they weren't inbred, though Oren and Jesslynn looked nothing alike.

She studied the woman, looking for some hint at the malady, but found herself distracted. Jesslynn's eyes seemed to smolder with something... Katelina thought it might have been power, though that undeniable sorrow seemed to hold them. The combination made them spellbinding.

Jesslynn continued to pet the boy, her eyes fixed steadily on her guest. "He is a delicate child with a very complex mind."

Katelina simply nodded and Jesslynn turned her attention to Alexander, bending so close to him that her dark tresses hid her face. "Have you fed yet, my darling?"

The child shook his head no, and she told him to find Margaret, the secretive smile still clinging to her ruby lips.

He climbed down and scampered past Katelina. His wooden duck jogged along behind him as he disappeared through the door, leaving the blonde woman-child behind.

Jesslynn's voice floated around the evil nursery like music, commanding Katelina's attention, "Children can be so.... impetuous."

"Mmmm-hmmm." Katelina fought the desire to look at the dark woman. Her heart hammered in her chest with the exertion. All she wanted was to get away from Jesslynn's probing eyes and the thick, suffocating feeling of evil. Every nerve in her body jangled expectantly, waiting for something terrible to happen, some scene from a horror movie to unfold. She found her attention drawn momentarily to the crib and, even though she'd seen Margaret take the baby, she still expected to peer into it and find a demon grinning back at her.

Her eyes flicked away from the crib nervously and landed on the ageless girl. She stood like a sentinel next to a shelf of toys and looked them over, one after another. When she finished she started over again, her pale hands clasped in front of her. Her skin was almost translucent, and her hair spilled down like curling rivers of molten gold, pale against the soft lilac dress she wore.

"Have you eaten?" Jesslynn's dark eyes stared into Katelina's blue ones. They mesmerized her until she forgot that there was anyone else in the world.

Katelina found herself walking forward, closer and closer to the great queen on her white throne. The dark hair flowed over her shoulders, shimmering like the wings of a raven. Her dark lips were full and soft, her skin flawless, her eyes commanding, calling her forward... Yes... Whatever the great queen wanted... Nothing was too much to offer her-

"Jesslynn!"

The shout jerked Katelina back into the real world. Her head felt heavy and fuzzy. She blinked and found herself kneeling on the floor at Jesslynn's feet. She looked up to find the crazy blonde girl next to her on all fours, peering expectantly into her face. Her mouth opened, revealing a quick pink tongue and long, white fangs...

Katelina leapt to her feet quickly. She raised her hand to the throbbing pinpoints of pain on her neck, but pulled it away when she felt something damp. Two pin sized dots of blood glistened on her palm, the echo of a new wound.

Her stomach turned. She finally understood what was wrong with the occupants of the house: they were vampires. For the love of God, they were vampires!

Jesslynn wiped her mouth. A strange smile flickered on her lips. "What?" she asked innocently, looking at the newcomer. "I only tasted her."

Katelina stumbled as she backed away, but strong hands caught her shoulders and kept her from falling to the floor. Panicked, she twisted her head around and found herself looking into Jorick's face. Relief swept over her, but it was short lived as she realized that, though these people were vampires, Jorick had brought her here. He'd said that vampires were evil, that they were working with Claudius.

She tried to make her mouth work, tried to ask Jorick what he was thinking, but the redheaded strolled through the door before she could. She crossed the room slowly, her hips swaying sensually beneath a sultry black dress. Her eyes glittered, but when she reached Jorick she pouted out her lip as she touched his shoulder. "Ah, Jorick, you have to share. No fair bringing fresh blood into the house just for yourself."

Katelina tried to understand the implications. Was she implying that he was- But no, he couldn't be like them- like Jesslynn and the blonde and those who had attacked them- In a sickening moment, she knew it was true. He was a vampire! Jorick - her savior, the one who had promised to protect her from the monsters - was one of them! She'd trusted him! She'd believed in him!

Her knees trembled as the full impact hit her. Oh God! She was trapped in a house full of vampires!

"You should share," the redhead insisted again. "She has plenty, after all."

"Her blood is not for anyone to drink!" Jorick raged. "I made that clear to Oren!"

The redhead rubbed her body against him, purring as she pressed her breasts into his arm. "Maybe you did, but do you really think Oren can control me?"

Jorick stiffened at the contact and pulled away from her. "I expect him to be able to control his own offspring." He drew his lips back and snarled at her.

Katelina whimpered and looked away from him; away from the vampire fangs. She had to be trapped in a nightmare!

Jesslynn cut into the conversation, her tone amused. "Why should he control us? Why should he even listen to you? You've never controlled him! You couldn't even stop him from making us!"

"And look what he made," sneered Jorick. He nodded towards the blonde woman-child, who was still on all fours licking her lips and staring at Katelina like she was a pork chop. "Her mind was lost."

Jesslynn stood quickly; the great queen angered. "She is mine! How dare you!"

Margaret chose that moment to return, interrupting what could have been an explosive argument. She carried the baby in her arms and the little boy followed behind her, still tugging his wheeled duck. Katelina wanted to grab the children and run. She wanted to save them from the demoness with her pale skin and sorrowful eyes, save them from madness, but Jorick held her firmly.

Alexander and Margaret reached Jesslynn. The vampiress looked at them and her face caught between expressions of anger and doting. She settled on the latter as the servant held the baby out, offering him freely.

"Would you like to feed him today, or do you wish me to, Mistress?" Margaret's voice was hollow and emotionless.

Jesslynn's eyes glowed. "Oh, I think that you can manage it for today. I haven't fed nearly enough." She smiled evilly and pulled the woman's dress open, exposing her bare breasts to the cool air.

Jesslynn used a single, long nailed finger to cut a line across the maid's tender flesh. Crimson blood rose quickly to the surface. Margaret, expressionless throughout, lifted the baby and pressed its eager mouth against the bleeding wound.

Katelina's head swam as she stared at the spectacle before her - trying to figure out what they were doing to the baby. She twisted in Jorick's grip and saw Alexander standing next to the blonde. His own small set of fangs gleamed in the light as he made some comment to his companion.

Katelina jerked her gaze to Margaret and saw two brand new puncture marks in the woman's neck, too small for any adult to make.

Jesslynn caught Katelina's horrified gaze and smiled.