Yeva nodded at her sire. “Yes, Knyazhna.”
“You may go.”
Yeva left the room, closing the door quietly.
Oleg waited for her footsteps to retreat before he spoke. “She’s very good.”
“Thank you.” Polina had her arms crossed over her chest. “She’s smart and follows orders but not blindly. She thinks well on her feet.”
“Excellent.” Oleg knew the strength of an empire rested in strong local governance. “Strong leadership potential.”
Polina nodded. “The drivers were Poshani?”
“I’m sure of it,” Oleg said. “The accent is unmistakable.”
“The trucks arrived last night,” she said, “but I didn’t know where they were coming from.”
“Of course you didn’t,” Oleg said. “It’s not your job to know Ivan’s contracts. If there is any blowback, it will come to me. Don’t worry.”
“The Poshani won’t even know you were involved,” Mika said. “As far as they’re concerned, it was one of Ivan’s rivals. None of their drivers were killed, were they?”
“No,” Oleg said. “Only a few injuries.”
The Poshani were a clan of roaming vampires who were experts in moving cargo in unobtrusive ways.
Need to smuggle cigars into Moscow? The Poshani had a plane and a pilot. Want to get that load of Russian caviar to a buyer in Monaco? Not a problem.
Five truckloads of high-end electronics delivered to a warehouse was the kind of job they would send teenagers to complete.
“They might have suspicions,” Polina said. “Ivan’s rivals tend to be far more brutal than we are.”
“True,” Oleg said. “Perhaps we should have killed more of them to cover our tracks, but that would only make the call that is coming from the Poshani even more complicated.”
Mika’s eyebrows went up. “You just said there wouldn’t be much blowback.”
“Their drivers were still attacked in my territory.”
Mika shrugged. “True.”
The Poshani were ruled by three terrin, all of whom he knew personally. Some of them more personally than others.
And Oleg knew the moment word reached the three Poshani terrin that their drivers had been attacked in Oleg’s territory and their trucks stolen, he would be getting a call.
“They’re a very reliable ally, and we want to keep them happy. We will have to compensate them for their loss.” Olegsmiled. “This is perfect actually. I can call and yell at Ivan about pissing off the Poshani. Then I will settle with them and make Ivan pay for it.”
Polina shook her head. “I think you enjoy toying with your brother too much.”
“Of course I do. The man thinks he is playing chess when he’s losing at checkers.” Oleg puffed out his chest. “Like a pigeon. Strutting around with no idea where his shit is landing.”
Polina laughed.
Mika wasn’t as amused as Polina. “You should call the Poshani before they call you. Defuse the situation.”
“Of course I cannot do that,” Oleg said. “Because as far as I know, nothing has happened.”
Mika pulled out his phone, which was already buzzing. “No need.” He held up the screen and showed Oleg. “She’s calling me.”
Oleg smiled slowly. “Excellent.”
