“I don't want our first time to be tainted by Nikolay. I've just come from his bed, Kon. I want to be with you, I really do, but not now and not here. We've already risked too much with you staying this long. You need to leave. I'm so sorry.”
“It's okay.” Konstantin bent to kiss me once more, just a quick press of lips. “I understand. You're right; we'll find a better time and place.”
“Thank you.” I walked him to the door, then peeked out into the corridor to make sure the way was clear. “All right, I'll see you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight, lover.” He trailed a hand over my cheek as he left.
After I shut the door, I sagged against it, wondering if I'd just signed my own death warrant.
Chapter Fifteen
The next morning, Konstantin and I left the castle to start investigating the death of Eva, who'd been a chambermaid. He wanted to begin by speaking to her family, and Eva only had one family member—her mother. And her mother lived in the village.
In fur coats—his fluffy white fox and my black sable—we made our way down the beaten path, crunching over the snow that had fallen that morning, past the Larchary and into the village. Kon and I kept two feet of space between us and limited our smiles, but it still felt as if we were being obvious about our romance. So I remained silent as we navigated the village roads, slightly in the lead since I was the one who knew where Olga lived.
“What's the name of this village?” Kon asked.
“It's called Grigorenia, after Nikolay's father.”
Konstantin wrinkled his face. “That's an awful name.”
“Yes. That's why we never use it. We just call it the village.”
“Misha, why aren't you looking at me?”
I glanced over to find a smile hovering around his lips. “I don't want anyone to report us.”
“You're making us look suspicious by trying so hard to not be suspicious.”
“Am I?” I looked around, but the villagers who were out only smiled and waved at me. I waved back absently. “I don't think so.”
“Well, not now that you've looked up. Try to relax. Act normal.”
“Right. Relax.” I thought of that steel shaft, the way it had felt inside me, and my sacs tightened. Well, that was the wrong approach.
It was also wrong to get excited about something Niko had done to me because it hinted at what Kon could do. Completely wrong. I was probably mentally broken or something. Out of my mind. But knowing all that didn't stop me from wondering if I'd made a mistake by sending Konstantin away the night before.
No. I hadn't. For God's sake, I'd still had Niko's release inside me. There was no way I could have made love to Konstantin like that. It would have tainted our relationship. And also, it would have been . . . disgusting.
“Misha?”
“Huh?” I looked back at Kon.
“You're flushed.”
“It's the cold air.” I cleared my throat. “Ah, here we are.”
I went up to a modest home with an A-line roof, passing through a vegetable garden in the fenced, front yard, the beds covered in little glass greenhouses that moderated the temperature. The heating units whirred softly, the circulating air slightly stirring the frothy tops of carrots and turnips. Across a wooden porch, the front door was painted a cheerful red, but the color seemed more sinister under the circumstances. I knocked.
The woman who answered looked no more than thirty, but that's how it goes with immortals. Olga Stepanova showed no signs of advanced age even though I knew her to be well into her sixth century. Her dark hair gleamed and her sky-blue stare met mine steadily. But there were smudges under those eyes, hollows in her cheeks, and that direct stare was bloodshot. Six centuries and she'd born only one child.
“Misha,” she whispered and crumpled.
I caught Olga, but with her being nearly my height, it was hard for me to get her through the doorway. Konstantin took her from me, lifting her into his arms as if she weighed nothing, then nodding me forward. I hurried inside, closed the door after them, and gestured him over to the couch. As he laid her down, I pulled the knit blanket off the back of the couch and folded it over her.
Kneeling beside her, I took her hand. “Olga, I'm so sorry I haven't come sooner.”
“My baby.” She started to cry. “They killed my baby, Mikhail. Why? She was so kind. Eva was a good girl. Everyone loved her.”
