Page 100 of Dawn Caravan
Ben remembered Chloe’s shock when she’d woken up to see Tenzin hovering, fangs out, in their loft in New York. “I think there are a lot of people who don’t know a thing.”
“Then they’re blind.” She glanced up. “Did you always know?”
“No.” He debated how much to tell her, but he decided to offer something to see if she’d open up. “I was twelve. I picked a vampire’s wallet.”
“You tried?”
“Succeeded. Not to brag, but I did. He tracked me down and ended up adopting me.”
“That’s interesting.” She glanced up again. “I was in university.”
“Same as my aunt.”
“I doubt that.” She took a breath. “It wasn’t a pleasant revelation, but I overcame it.”
“So Oleg isn’t your sire?”
She let out a string of unintelligible curses that got the humans laughing. “No. Praise God he is not my sire,” she muttered. “That asshole.”
“Clearly you’re a big fan.”
“He’s a manipulative son of a bitch.”
“Aren’t they all?”
Tatyana looked up. “You tell me. You’ve known them longer than I have.”
Ben didn’t know how to answer her. When he was with Tenzin, he found it easy to call himself a monster. But when he was confronted with calling his aunt or uncle a monster, he felt strangely protective.
“You’ll find your people,” he said quietly. “Eventually you’ll find them.”
“I hope so.”
She put on a good front, but Ben sensed nothing but fear from her. “So what brings you to the Dawn Caravan?”
“What brings anyone?” She lifted the spoon and waved the scent of the stew in front of her face. “I heard about it. I needed to get away. I needed…” She shrugged. “It seemed like a good idea.”
What had she been about to say? What could the Dawn Caravan have that would draw a vampire on the run? Ben glanced around.
Poshani women and children. The young ones ran between the trailers and buses in the swiftly dimming light as human guards roamed the perimeter and vampire guards hovered overhead.
Ah. Of course. “You’re afraid of him.”
“Of who?” She looked up with blank eyes.
“You know exactly who I’m talking about.”
“Sorry, I really don’t.”
She was afraid of Oleg, hiding in a place where protection was guaranteed and Oleg the fearsome Russian fire vampire wouldn’t dare trespass even with all his influence and wealth.
Ben had a feeling that Tatyana had booked her caravan for the whole season.
“What will you do when winter comes?”
Her eyes were all innocence. “Be on my way of course.”
Ben wasn’t so sure that Tatyana was an innocent. Maybe she hadn’t stolen the goblet initially, but what if she happened to find it in her possession? Surely the Poshani would trade anything for their priceless treasure even if it meant bending the rules for a vampire on the run.
