“But the gifts he sent me.” Diana’s cheeks flushed. “Flowers nearly every day. Handbags and jewelry. And then all the time we spent on the phone. Just talking. And that was all he wanted. He never asked for sex. He said he wanted to get to know me, so I thought, maybe… this is real.”
“I think we need to be clear what we are speaking of,” Tatyana said firmly. “You have been speaking to a vampire who is not Poshani, despite the security requirements set out by the Hazar that all communication with other vampire clans must be on official phones for your security and our own.”
Diana gulped. “Yes, Terrin.”
“And you have been telling him things about our business?”
“I… I don’t know.” She shook her head. “Not intentionally, but?—”
“Who?” Tatyana was starting to get angry. With Diana but mostly with Ivan. To prey on and flatter one of her own staff felt like a personal insult. “I want to hear his name. From your mouth.”
Her cheeks flushed. “I met him only once at the summit in Budapest. And he was so kind. So sensitive. Not like other vampires at all. When his secretary reached out and told me?—”
“Who, Diana?”
Kind? Gentle? Not like other vampires?
What was going on? Ivan was theworstof vampires. Was he that good at pretending to be something else?
“Pavel Sokolov,” Diana whispered. “We’ve only been talking. I promise. He only touched me once at the ball in Budapest, and I don’t think he could have gotten much information about you from that because it was not a very long dance. So when his assistant reached out and asked that I get a phone so that we could get to know each other, I thought…” Her cheeks were flaming red. “I don’t know what I thought, but I knew it was wrong and I concealed it.”
Pavel?
Pavel?
Pavel had seduced her stylist? No, it was not possible. Pavel was not under Oleg’s surveillance. It was Ivan. Pavel had not been calling Diana. Ivan Sokholov had been calling her.
Tatyana narrowed her eyes. “Have you ever met with Pavel? Since you have been speaking privately, I mean?”
“No, never.” Diana shook her head. “He said we would have time to meet here in Saint Petersburg, but the schedule has been so packed and he has been hosting so many events.” Her cheeks reddened. “He has sent me flowers almost every night though. And we talk often. But not about you! I mean, a little about you, because he always wants to know where you are so that we might meet if I get the chance but?—”
“You talk with Pavel?”
Diana nodded.
“Are yousure?”
The woman frowned. “Of course I’m sure. Who else would…” Diana froze. “Terrin Tatyana, have Inotbeen talking with Pavel Sokolov?”
“No, Diana.” She kept her voice soft, realizing how devastating this deception was going to be. “I believe someone has deceived you in a very cruel way by pretending to be Pavel.”
Of all of Oleg’s brothers, Tatyana could easily believe that a softhearted human like Diana could be seduced by Pavel. Oleg’s quietest brother was handsome, wealthy, and did not live for the bravado so common for vampire men.
Color leached from Diana’s face so quickly Tatyana worried that the woman might pass out.
“Who is it?” she whispered. “Who have I been talking to?”
Chapter 25
Oleg
Oleg’s blood was moving before his black Land Rover came to a stop at Rudov’s country house. “Thank you, Seban.”
“I’ll park the car and then join the spectators if that’s acceptable.” Seban sounded excited too.
“Absolutely acceptable.” Every vampire and human in the Kievan Rus relished a chaugan match.
Mika’s eyes lit up as he opened Oleg’s car door. “Are you ready?”
