Page 38 of Bishop's Flight
“I’ve zero quarrel with Oleg. He’s clearly older, more powerful, and more influential than me. I’m just trying to live my life, and Zasha Sokholov keeps poppin’ in to fuck things up.”
“You’re a do-gooder, you and your husband, the priest.” Mika looked amused. “Zasha would find that amusing.”
“Why?”
“Because they believe as the old ones did.” He spread his arms. “We are the gods of this world. Why not act like it?”
“Do you believe that?”
“I don’tbelievein anything. I do what Oleg tells me to do.”
“Is he your sire?”
“None of your business.” Mika smirked. “I enjoy your boldness. I don’t think you’ve ever been truly afraid, have you? Sired into a powerful and respected clan. Not even your own dangerous element will touch you. It protects you, Brigid Connor.” He sipped his wine again. “You don’t understand fear as we do.”
In the center of her stomach, Brigid remembered nights of terror in her childhood bedroom, waiting for the light to shine through the crack of the door. She remembered cold, sick dread; it was bitter on her tongue.
“You mistake my boldness for courage. I was born into fear, Mika. There’s a reason fire claimed me.”
The man’s perceptive eyes locked with hers. After a few silent moments, he nodded. “That is it then. That is why Zasha is fascinated with you. I imagine they see your fear, and yet somehow you have not allowed hate to consume you.”
“Do you know where Lucas is?”
“No.” Mika shook his head. “I wish I did, because I dearly wish someone would defeat Zasha in their sick little games. They irritate me.”
“So they do see it as a game?”
“Everything is a game to them.” Mika looked around the room and leaned in. “I’ve told you that Zasha doesn’t care about money.”
“I believe that.”
“That does not mean others around them don’t.”
“Others?”
“Who benefits if Zasha takes over Las Vegas?”
“Zasha.”
Mika shook his head. “You’re missing it.”
“Who then?”
“The one who benefits from what Las Vegas has to offer.”
“The only one campaigning for power here is Zasha.”
“Openly? Correct.”
Brigid sat back. “There’s someone behind the scenes.”
“There is always someone behind the scenes. That is usually how our kind works. But Oleg doesn’t particularly want these people in power either.”
“If your boss has something to tell me, I’d appreciate him being more direct.”
“Direct isn’t his way except when it comes to violence.”
Brigid sat and waited. Mika clearly wanted to tell her something, so she could be patient. She wasn’t going to guess at answers like an eager schoolgirl when the man called for the meeting and clearly had an agenda.
