Page 117 of Crimson Oath
His chief boyar held up a phone. “Confirmation from Polina.”
“About?”
“Vano and Ivan.” Mika sat across from him on a fallen log. “Her people finally found someone at the gold exchange to confirm the transfers from Ivan to Vano. The first payment was two nights before the first hijacking, and the following payments matched the timeline of the other robberies.”
“So Ivan was paying Vano’s men to rob our trucks.” Oleg frowned. “Even the ones headed into Ivan’s territory?”
“Yes, which means that Ivan killed some of his own people in the robberies.”
Oleg’s fangs grew long, and he smiled. “That’s excellent.”
“That’s horrible.” Mika curled his lip. “I have no love for Ivan’s people, but to be betrayed by your own sire and brothers?—”
“Yes, it’s terrible, and it’s exactly something that Ivan would do.” Oleg leaned forward. “The Poshani will hate it.”
Mika nodded. “They will.”
“We’re still holding that Danior at the citadel, yes?”
“Yes, but according to Yuliya, he hasn’t spoken again. Without your fire to frighten him, no other means of persuasion has worked.”
Oleg mulled over an idea. “Ivan’s betrayal of his own men could be useful.”
Mika nodded slowly. “The Poshani—even a criminal like Danior—value loyalty above all. The vampire would find it despicable.”
“We will wait and see if we need to use him.”
“Good.”
The Vashana Zata, the high festival of the Poshani, was only weeks away.
Within two weeks, Radu would send him a location, and Oleg could join the kamvasa without subterfuge. No more hiding. No more sneaking into Tatyana’s trailer and risking the Hazar finding him. He could enter the kamvasa as an honored guest.
Now Oleg had other reasons to be at the Vashana this year. A snake was hiding in his territory, and he had a plan.
If he was successful, Vano would lose his status and his reputation, would be ousted from power, and none of the Poshani would ever work with Ivan again.
Business would suffer. Roaming fees would not be paid. And Ivan’s lieutenants would bear the brunt of the loss.
Exactly as Oleg wanted.
Tatyana swungthe door of her trailer open a moment before he reached it.
Oleg smiled as he slipped inside and shut the door. “You felt me approaching.”
“Do you know an American vampire named Benjamin Vecchio?”
Oleg froze. “I know the name Vecchio.”
“He’s the nephew of some horrible assassin, and he’s arrived at the kamvasa in the past few days.” She looked distracted, and her amnis was surging erratically. “Something is wrong.”
She was very intuitive. Yes, she would make an excellent mate.
Wait, what?
“That.” She pointed at him. “What was that?”
“Nothing,” he growled. “What are you talking about? You’re acting crazy.”
