Page 100 of Crimson Oath
Something was going on with Kezia’s brother, and Tatyana knew she needed to watch her step.
For the first time in months, she did not feel safe.
Tatyana was watchingthe premiere performance ofThe Captain’s Daughterthe following night and wondering if Oleg was actually going to find her again. The kamvasa had moved after their brief and explosive meeting; she had no sense of where she was.
She’d briefly entertained the idea that she should wait in her trailer in case Oleg managed to find them, but then she banished that thought from her mind.
She was not going to wait for him. She was going to join her friends to watch the play, eat delicious food, drink some wine, and watch the stars. Then maybe if Oleg was in her trailer before dawn, she would talk to him.
But she would not wait for him.
The darigan had set out tufted sofas and luxurious pillows on the slope of the hill where the audience sat to watch the play. There was a natural amphitheater carved into the hill—or perhaps years ago an earth vampire had carved one out—and the ground was layered in rich wool rugs.
Vampires and humans tiptoed through the gathered audience to find a seat, waving at friends as children ran barefoot across the waving grass. The scent of paprika from the kitchen wagons wafted in the breeze.
Poshani, both human and vampire, greeted her by name as she sat on one side of a bright green sofa about halfway up the slope. A striped grey cat she’d seen near the kitchen wagons jumped up on the sofa, winked at her, then sat at attention on the far arm of the sofa, watching the grass.
Woodsmoke and dust. Fresh pine with a hint of wild violet. The summer night called to her, a symphony of scent and sound that filled her mind and piqued her amnis.
“Tatyana.”
She turned when she heard her name. “Darius, how are you tonight?”
“I am well.” The ancient Persian sat next to Madina. He touched the woman’s shoulder, and both of them turned to nod at her.
“Tatyana.”
“Madina.”
On the edge of the gathering, she saw Fynn, who always seemed to be alone.
That night Vano sat with Fynn, and the two had their heads together. Both were wearing frowns. She couldn’t look at Vano without seeing his hand raised to strike Katrina and his scorching insults.
She felt her lip curl instinctively.
“May I be so bold, mademoiselle?”
She turned and saw a blond vampire standing a little ways away. “Hello.”
The man had blond hair, beautiful eyes, and full lips that were made for kissing. There was a dimple in his cheek and a playful expression on his face.
“You must be Tatyana.” He took another step closer, addressing her in accented English. “Chérie, you are as stunning as Kezia reported. I am René DuPont des Trous of Tornai. It is an honor to make your acquaintance.”
Tatyana disliked him immediately.
He was too charming. Too friendly.
And she was being rude. She responded in English even though she hated her accent. It was better than her French. “Good evening, Mr. DuPont. It’s nice to meet you too. Welcome to the kamvasa.”
He looked at the nearly empty sofa she was sitting on. “May I join you?”
“Ah, I am afraid that I am saving this seat for a friend.” She plastered on a smile. “Perhaps for the encore performance tomorrow night?”
He raised an eyebrow and pointed at her. “I will hold you to your promise.”
Had she promised anything? Lovely. Oh well. He would be her traveling companion for a number of weeks, so she should at least try to be friendly.
Her instinctive aversion to the man likely had more to do with being Anna Vorona’s daughter than it did with anything he had done. She’d simply inherited her mother’s suspicion of charming men.
