I am loving you.
She said nothing, pressing his other hand to her heart in silence as she sipped from his vein.
I am loving you, my Oleg.
As no one else can.
Chapter 19
Oleg
Oleg watched his wife as she moved through another reception the following night. Pavel was hosting the party at his own expansive residence, and it was clear he had spent lavishly, which surprised Oleg a little bit.
His usually antisocial brother was making progress.
Immortal envoys from Western and Southern Europe were in attendance, as were several South American vampires, particularly a group of Brazilian immortals Pavel was hoping to impress with the gentility and hospitality of the Kievan Rus. He wanted to open the South American markets to Oleg’s shadow fleet, and he was slowly making progress.
Tatyana was with Pavel, moving from group to group, charming Pavel’s lieutenants, gracing his staff, and acting like the noblewoman she was born to be.
Mika was even smiling as he spoke to one of the lovely dark-haired Brazilian vampires.
And Polina, his favorite daughter, had taken the bold step of bringing her human partner to the reception even though she usually kept him hidden from vampire eyes.
Everyone in Saint Petersburg appeared to adore Tatyana. Standing next to her generous presence, even unsociable Pavel shone.
Despite her clear success, Oleg was feeling unsettled. As pleased as he was that he no longer had to find excuses to spend time with her, the prospect of sharing Tatyana with the world did not please him.
He wanted to take her to the citadel. He wanted to lock her in his castle and ignore the world for a solid year so that no one enjoyed her attention but him. He could be generous, but not when it came to sharing Tatyana.
Oleg’s nerves felt oddly brittle as his most irritating brother walked across the room to stand at his side. Ivan had arrived in Saint Petersburg the night before and quickly joined the festivities as governor of Moscow.
“A wise move,” Ivan said. “Taking her as your wife. She even makes Pavel slightly charming.”
Oleg grunted. “Hmm.”
His brother had brought a sizable group of his sons with him and set up house in one of Pavel’s guesthouses, and more vampire soldiers would be coming the last week of the wedding to join in the games and the parties at the gathering of the Kievan Rus.
“She’s young,” Ivan continued. “Good for your image, I think. Very modern. Very… civilized.”
Oleg looked at his brother sideways. Was that the impression Oleg was projecting to the world now?
A nice, civilized vampire?
Ludmila’s words snapped into his memory in that moment.
All those people out there? …they need you to be the baddest, most terrifying monster in this place.
Pavel—with all his quirks—did not thrive without a hammer standing behind him.
Mika was a snake in the grass unless he was spying for a cause greater than himself.
Polina’s human family might be seen as a soft target without a sire who would burn down the world if one bruise appeared on her babies’ skin.
Oleg had spent decades muting his power to project confidence. Unlike Ivan, he wasn’t a puffed-up rooster who needed to crow.
However.
His hand shot out, gripping Ivan around his throat and crushing the silk tie into his windpipe. “What was that, brother? What did you say?”
