The City
, Caitlin thought with disgust, staring listlessly out the window. This time, though, she wasn't asleep when they arrived, and could appreciate the swell of lights and sounds as they entered the lit streets. 'Appreciate' was a strong word in her current mood, but it distracted the other passengers well enough. Lev seemed to really enjoy himself when they merged onto the busy freeway.
Her mother had tried to console her after a time, but nothing helped, so she gave up. Janice looked as if she'd been rudely awakened for the journey while Marianne seemed more quiet than usual, though Caitlin assumed it was due to the severity of the situation. "Where are we going?" she finally asked Zakari, who was still as a statue throughout the journey, resting quietly in what looked like a relaxed, yet meditative pose.
He didn't answer for a long moment. The first sign of life was a deep breath, then he exhaled and opened his eyes slowly, glancing to her. "To the safe house."
Safe house
? Did he mean the same suite they'd stayed in during their first and only excursion to the city? Caitlin shuddered at the thought of returning, having done her best to forget that place.
Was it the same place?
Only Sara would know, and he wasn't exactly available to speak at the moment. She could see his bald head reflecting the city lights through the darkened glass, wishing he'd sat in the passenger compartment with them.
"Right," she finally said, not sure what to make of her newest escort.
The limousine took a vaguely familiar turn onto a vaguely familiar street. She realized, with growing dread, that it was indeed the place they'd stayed. At least this time it was nearer to midnight than morning, so Sara and Zakari would have no need to avoid the daylight. When the car stopped, Zakari was first out the door.
Sara, too, was at the entrance of the building, their bags already inside.
Zakari flanked their group as they entered, while Sara kept stray pedestrians from coming too close. His mere size had always warded away most humans. Now, they must have picked up on his predatory streak, because they remained well-clear of him now.
Caitlin was the last in the door, dipping her head with a small smile at Sara, who returned the gesture mirthlessly. When all were inside, Zakari locked the doors securely, though it wouldn't deter a vampire, if they were so inclined to enter.
Janice looked around the sparse, abandoned entryway. "Well, it's not much, is it?"
Caitlin rolled her eyes and paced to the elevators. "It's down here, mom."
Marianne and Edmund grabbed the spare suitcases and dragged them to the elevator. Lev insisted on helping the old man, who accepted with relief.
Everyone filed in, except for Zakari.
Caitlin held the elevator door open. "Are you coming?"
"In a moment. I'm going to get the security system set up." His brow was knit as he punched some numbers in a keypad near the entrance. "Go ahead."
She let the door go, then pressed the SB button, which made the elevator slide smoothly down the shaft. Caitlin felt Sara behind her, but refused to turn. They'd spoken only a few hours prior, and though she hadn't gotten all the answers she desired, she didn't want to push him, either. He was a man of few words and she could respect that.
Maybe, after this all blew over, he'd open up to her as a brother might.
The doors opened to a familiar suite, almost entirely unchanged from what she remembered. There was a kitchenette against the back wall, rich, earthy decorations that mimicked the mansion's grand presentation, and a couch across from a television set. There were only three rooms in this suite, though: the bedroom she'd used, an office, and Kalen's personal room. They'd have to learn to share, with so many people needing a place to sleep.
Marianne didn't hesitate to pull out the couch, which turned into a generously sized bed. "This'll fit two, and there's one extra cot in the hall closet. Caitlin, I believe your room is already prepared. You and your mother can share for now. That should fit everyone."
Except the Sara and Zakari, of course,
Caitlin thought, wondering what they would do for sleeping arrangements for a whole week... and food, too.
Someone had flipped on the television, while Janice got to setting up the cot for someone. The noise of the TV was too loud, so she adjourned to the office to be alone. Among her family and the people she loved, she was isolated from them. Sure, they'd all been uprooted in an instant right alongside her, but none of them quite understood what she was dealing with.
Caitlin sat into the chair heavily, kicking her feet up on the sparse desk as the doctor had suggested earlier. She closed her eyes for only a moment when she heard the distant hum of the elevator come to life again. The anxiety of their circumstance wore on her so she couldn't trust it was just Zakari, and had to check for herself.
It seemed everyone had taken on some task when she came back out. Edmund and Lev were in the kitchen, helping Marianne scrounge together a list of necessities, while her mother set herself to unpacking the few things they brought with them.
Sara stood facing the elevator, seeming to have also heard the whirr of machinery. His back was to everyone, tensed as if he was ready to knock the lights out of whoever stepped through.
As the doors slid open, he relaxed and let Zakari pass.
Zakari looked none-too-pleased at having to babysit. Surely, he wanted to be back at the mansion, where his company was assisting Kalen with Eamon's arrival.
Caitlin lingered by the office door for a second, then went back inside. As the door closed, she thought she saw a glimpse of Sara's blue eyes, watching her curiously with his head cocked. She let the door shut on its own, then paced to the desk again, refusing to sit.
The phone sat in its cradle on the desk and she had the deepest urge to ring the mansion. Her hand was on the phone before she changed her mind. Kalen had enough to deal with, without getting a call from her. And if he didn't answer, she'd only think the worst.
"Caitlin, honey?" A knock accompanied the timid voice. "Marianne is going out to get food. Is there anything you'd like her to pick up?"
She released the phone and sat down again. "No thanks, mom."
"Can I come in?" The door cracked open and Janice's curls peeked through the doorway, followed by Janice, herself. "We haven't talked in a while. I just hope- that you are doing alright."
She turned her face away. "I'm fine."
"Well, I'm not." Her mother entered anyway, shutting the door quietly behind herself. Her eyes were filled with worry and something else Caitlin couldn't place. "Marianne told me about your
brother
, Sara. Not that I couldn't have picked him out of a crowd. He's almost a spitting image of his father."
"Abraham was my father, too."
"Believe me, I know." Janice's eyes darkened, then she assessed Caitlin. "So, the big baddie scared us out of the mansion? Kalen's father, right?"
"Yes," Caitlin said without hesitation, then toyed with a steel pen that was left on the desk, clicking and unclicking it. "King Eamon. He's the one that took Amandine instead of me."
"Hm." Janice leaned against the desk, half-sitting on its surface. "And you think we're safe here? Because I don't. Men like that don't take 'no' for an answer."
