Katrina, The Beginning (20 page)

“Your gift is a wonderful
addition, El. When I said impress us, I had no idea you’d take me
seriously.”

“I don’t know about you
girls, but all of this has worn me out,” Rosa, yawned, “I’d go to
bed now, except I’m starving.”

“Dessert sounds really
good,” El said.

“You mean Thomas?” teased
Kate teased.

We all had a good
laugh.

CHAPTER NINE

We made a pact to keep the
existence of our gifts to ourselves and to practice whenever we
could. Exploring our gifts made us even more confident in our
training. Gunter had Kate and me working as a team, one
right-handed, one left-handed, and we made a dynamic pair. We also
worked on targets, using bow and arrow, swords, and daggers.
Horseback skills filled our afternoon. We even hauled a small straw
target back to our quarters so we could practice throwing daggers
before bed. Or that’s what we told Gunter. What we really wanted to
do, of course, was to see if Rosa could throw a dagger using her
mind. That would have to wait, because we were going to dinner at
the Ravonavich estate tonight. The girls’ fathers had even delayed
leaving, so they could accompany us. We cleaned up and dressed in
our finest gowns. We all agreed it felt good to have a fancy dress
on again, in place of our training clothes.

“Well, I have to say, we
make a formidable force in training and on the dance floor,” proud
of our group.

“I’d like to see anyone try
to match us,” Kate beamed.

“Ready, ladies?” Thomas
inquired.

Damien had the most
beautiful transportation awaiting our arrival; four white horses
were harnessed to each of the black coaches. Damien rode with my
family in the first coach. Mother looked beautiful, of course, and
all our fathers were very handsome, but they were no match for
Damien. He had his hair tied back tonight, showing off his handsome
features. We made small talk along the way, Father and Damien
discussed plans for the trip to the Americas this summer. Listening
to their enthusiastic conversation made the time pass swiftly and
in no time we arrived at our destination. Our Watchers had escorted
our traveling party and of course and were right there as we exited
the coaches.

The Ravonavich family was
waiting to greet us.

“You look quite different
from how you looked yesterday,” said a young man.

“Let us make formal
introductions,” said Father. “I am Fredrik Van Dracek, and this is
my wife, Elizabeth, my daughter Katherine. This young woman is my
daughter Katrina, whom some of you have already met. We are in your
area visiting the Daminovs. This is Damien Daminov, whom your party
also already met.”

“It’s so nice to meet you
all formally. I am Janich Ravonavich; this is my wife, Synthya, and
our son, Rikark.”

Rikark bowed and kissed my
hand. Yesterday he had been dressed in a hat and cape, so I hadn’t
noticed much about him. He was fair, with even features, and
shoulder-length light blond hair. He looked at me with kind eyes,
the color of a morning sky; very nice indeed.

“I rather like these
circumstances, rather than those of our first meeting, Katrina, but
I’m very thankful you and Damien chose yesterday’s.”

“Glad we could help,
Rikark,” I said graciously.

Rikark’s parents were very
congenial, and they also introduced his son’s thankful escorts and
their families, who also couldn’t stop thanking us. Damien was his
usual charming self, and the dinner was lovely. I couldn’t help
thinking how much all of us are more alike than we are different.
We may look different, or believe in different ways, but in the end
we just want the same things: to live free, have families and be
safe, healthy, and happy. We must not be afraid to fight for these
values.

The evening wound down and
soon we were headed back to our coaches.

“We have a token of
appreciation for each of you,” Lord Ravonavich
announced.

Then he took two boxes from
a page and presented one to me and the other to Damien. We looked
at each other and opened the boxes. Inside were beautiful daggers,
the handles encrusted with jewels. Everyone gasped at the beauty of
these gifts.

“It’s a very beautiful gift
my Lord, but it is not necessary. One should never expect payment
for doing the right thing,” I was awed by the dagger’s
beauty.

“That, my dear, is a noble
thought, but my son is priceless to his mother and me, so please
accept this gift as just that - a token of gratitude from very
grateful parents.”

“In that case, I thank you,
not only for this wonderful gift, but for your gracious
hospitality.”

With that we said goodnight
and were on our way back to the palace.

“What an eloquent young
lady you have raised, Fredrik,” Mother said, patting Father’s arm
and smiling at me.

“Indeed, Elizabeth, she
surprises me every day, it seems,” his voice was full of
pride.

“Now we’re all together
Father, I think you’re in for double the surprises, right
Kate?”

Kate laughed, “That’s true,
Father, and I hope you’re up to it.”

Damien was very quiet all
the way home. I noticed him often watching Mother with such
sadness; I vowed to find out what had happened to his mother. We
were going home tomorrow afternoon, and I hoped to have time to
talk to Mother tonight. I had no idea what the true story might be.
He must have felt my eyes studying him, because he turned his head
so our eyes could meet.

“Katrina.”
I clearly heard his voice, but his lips
hadn’t moved. My eyes widened in surprise, but I didn’t say
anything. Maybe I had imagined it.
“Katrina,”
I heard as clearly as before.
“Don’t be alarmed, it’s only my gift. Please meet me for a
final ride before you go.”

Could I use my mind to
answer him or would he just be able to talk to mine?
“Yes,”
I thought, but I received no reply. So I closed
my eyes.
“YES,”
I thought. When I opened
my eyes, it was my turn to see surprised eyes looking back at me.
Just then the coach stopped, and it was time to gather ourselves
and head to our rooms.

“Well, it’s been a lovely
evening; will we see you ladies at breakfast, or are you training
again?”

“We’re going to train in
high speed for the first time tomorrow, Mother,” Kate was excited
at the prospect.

“Well, lunch then.
Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” we all said at
the exact same time, and then laughed.

“I’ll see you in a minute,”
I told Kate. “I need to say goodnight to Damien and then speak to
Mother.”

She shot me a questioning
look.

“It’ll be okay, I’ll
explain later.”

“Very well,” she said, and
then turned and walked away, looking back once, before disappearing
up the steps. Rosa, Letta, and El were saying goodnight to their
fathers. I had just enough time. Damien was waiting for
me.

“Forgive me for scaring you
earlier,” he said as I approached.

“More like a shock than a
fright. You looked quite surprised yourself.”

“I’ve never encountered
someone who answered me - with their mind, I mean.”

With our Watchers coming to
escort us, and the girls finishing their goodnights, I was running
out of time and I still had so many questions.

“I’ll meet you at sunrise
in the stables.”

“Don’t worry, Katrina. You
can speak to me whenever you wish,” and with a parting bow we went
our separate ways.

“Thomas, I need to speak
with Mother before I retire.”

So, with Thomas’s silent
companionship, I walked to their quarters. My parents had lingered
in the gardens. I hated to disturb them again, but I was still
determined to ask her about Damien’s mother.

“Father, can I steal Mother
away from you again, just for a few minutes?”

“Of course, my dear. Take
all the time you need.”

We walked to a bench, which
nestled between archways covered in jasmine. The scent was
intoxicating and it provided a cozy private location.

“What is it, Katrina?” she
took my hands in hers.

“I have so many questions,
Mother, but we’ll have plenty of time for most of them when we get
home.” I took a deep breath. “Tonight on the way back, I was
watching the way Damien looked at you. There was so much sadness in
him; I vowed I’d try to find out what happened to his mother. Can
you tell me anything? Did she go with you and the
others?”

She looked down at our
hands as if trying to find the right words.

“Katrina, while it’s
admirable for you to want to ease Damien’s pain, did you ever stop
to think finding the truth and revealing it to him could
add
to his pain?”

“No, I never thought that,
Mother, perhaps because I was not told what happened to you, and
yet here we are tonight, together, happy - and I have a twin sister
waiting for me back in my quarters. I guess both Damien and I hoped
his mother might also come back and they’d be happy
too.”

“I think you should be
careful what you ask for. Listen Katrina, if Damien wants to know
more about his mother he should ask his father.”

“Oh, just as I asked mine,
over and over, with no reply other than ‘
now’s
not the time’
?”

“I’m sorry, Katrina; it was
too painful for him.”

“Because he still loved you
so much; we all realize that now, Mother.”

“Yes,” her face lit up at
the thought of him. “And I realized how much I still love him this
week. All right, I can tell you as much as I know. It will be up to
you to pass the information on to Damien or not.”

“Damien and Luena’s mothers
are sisters. Damien’s mother was the Count’s first wife, her sister
was his mistress, quite scandalous at the time. They did not come
with us in the exodus, and they were banished.”

“Banished, why?”

“Because it came to light
they’d started rumors pitting clan against clan, created
fledglings, and endangered all of us by killing humans to incite
fear and hatred. It’s taken your father years to restore the peace.
We’ve learned to blend into every part of human society, providing
them with no reason to fear us. This is why your father has worked
so hard to make sure any uprisings are dealt with quickly and
severely. Damien’s father couldn’t bear to enforce the ultimate
penalty, death, so the two women, Damien’s and Luena’s mothers,
were banished with the knowledge they would have no second chance.
If they were ever again involved in treachery they would be
killed.”

“It sounds as if Luena
turned out just like her mother. Damien says she’s a truly evil
being.”

“Your father hasn’t been
able to prove it, but he thinks she was in contact with her mother
and aunt, and they’re probably together now.”

“So, you think Luena
resented her father and planned this attempted overthrow and war as
revenge
for her mother’s
banishment?”

“Yes, and it’s also why
your father is so insistent the trip to the Americas proceed as
soon as possible. If Luena and her kind entrench themselves in
America, they will use it as a base to build a force and from which
to launch attacks against us. None of us will be safe; it would
endanger all we have worked so hard for.”

“Is that why no one is
allowed to know the location of your sanctuary? In case we have to
hide again?”

“Absolutely, but it’s also
to keep those safe who offered us sanctuary. They risked their very
existence to harbor us.”

“Thank you, for trusting me
with this information, Mother. I have much to think
about.”

We hugged each
other.

“I’ll see you at lunch.
Kiss Father for me.”

“I will.”

As we went our separate
ways I saw Quinn waiting for me. Thomas joined Mother to escort her
back to her quarters. Quinn smiled and I melted. As I approached,
he opened his arms, and as I put mine around his waist and buried
my face in his chest, he closed his arms around me. I could hear
his heart pounding, his sweet scent again filling my head, and I
wanted to taste him. Why was there never enough time for us to be
alone? I looked up and the look on his face said he wanted me too.
We kissed urgently this time. I used my lengthened canines to open
a tiny cut on his tongue and let blood drip onto mine and trickle
down my throat. I knew my vampire saliva would keep the cut open as
long as I wanted. We both moaned and pulled each other closer. Then
I heard…

“Katrina, please
stop.”

I broke the kiss with such
a start, it made Quinn go for his sword.

“Did you hear
that?”

“Hear what? What did you
hear?” he asked as he whirled around.

Then out of the corner of
my eye, I could just see someone melting into the
shadows.

“Damien,” I said under my
breath.