“While it serves my empire for Ivan to live, he will live,” Oleg said. “Our clan has suffered unusual loss in the past century. First Luana, then my daughter Zara. My own sibling Zasha was killed in America last year.” Oleg spread his hands. “And I will admit I did nothing to prevent it.”
“Zasha was as twisted as Ivan.” Radu curled his lip as he said the name. “Perhaps more.”
“That may be.” Oleg shrugged. “But another disruption is not ideal at this time.”
“I do understand, my friend,” Radu said. “And I do not envy you.” Radu reached for a deep red bottle on the table beside him. “More blood-wine?”
“Unfortunately, I must go.” Oleg stood. “I wish we could visit for longer, but you are not my only meeting tonight.”
“Then I will have to finish this wine myself.” Radu smiled. “And hope your next meeting is less stressful than this one.”
Oleg chuckled. “My friend, I would not count on it.”
Chapter 2
Tatyana
Tatyana Vorona wished that she did not employ household staff, because she wanted to slam a door so badly it was like acid on her tongue.
Though seeing as vampire strength would probably break the heavy oak doors of her house on Clucerului Street, it was probably a good thing she wasn’t the one opening and closing them anymore.
“Rumi, is the rest of the staff gone?” Tatyana pulled off her gloves and tossed them on the entry table in the foyer.
“Yes. I told you I’d send them home.” Rumi walked over and took the overcoat that Tatyana handed her. “That bad? You left the house in a bad mood and returned in a worse mood.”
“Just…him.”
Rumi chuckled. “You’re the one who?—”
“Don’t!” She held up her hand. “Don’t remind me.”
“I assume he is coming over?”
“Of course he’s coming over,” she grumbled, then walked over, shoved up the sleeves of her blouse, and plunged her hands into the ice-cold water of the fountain fixed to a wall.
The deep-set blue ceramic bowl was decorated with an elaborate mosaic in lapis lazuli, malachite, and gold tiles, aseascape surrounding a bronze fish that spouted water from its mouth. The flow touched her amnis and spread through her body, her element soothed by the flow of salt water over her skin.
The tiles of the mosaic were flecked with gold, and tiny gemstones were embedded in the mortar, winking at her as they reflected the light.
The calm lasted only as long as it took Rumi to walk over and place a cotton towel over her shoulder, which only reminded her that she couldn’t stare at the water all night.
“I cleared your calendar with Darek, and he says he will forward the email he received from the truck dealer. The short version is that it will not be a problem to get them by next week.”
“Good.” She took a deep and cleansing breath.
Vampires didn’t need to breathe, a fact for which she was utterly grateful when she went swimming in the sea or submerged herself into the saltwater pool at her mother’s home in Wilga, a beautiful village an hour outside Warsaw.
But breathing practice was good to calm her mind. As meditation, it still worked.
The house in Bucharest with the mosaic fountain was a replacement for the brutalist, modern mansion Vano had built outside of town when he had been terrin. Since Bucharest was the unofficial political capital for the Poshani clan, Tatyana had needed a home there, though she spent most of her time in the Polish capital.
Tatyana had spent five years cleaning up Vano’s messes. Five years rooting out the corrupt contracts and pet projects that only funneled Poshani money into the pockets of those who did Vano favors.
She had streamlined Eastern Poshani businesses, modernized their fleet of vehicles, and created a shipping and logistics company that catered to a very specific niche.
If you were an immortal who wanted to move something discreetly across Europe, Tatyana’s people were the ones to call. Nothing too illegal. Absolutely no human trafficking or drugs. But the majority of blood-wine that was shipped east went through them. Most of the vampire-safe electronics as well.
Khori Transport specialized in things that would cause questions with human-run businesses. They were small but very fast.
