Page 13 of Crimson Oath
“Once my flames get inside, you won’t die right away. It will take a long time for you to die. But you will feeleverymoment of it,” Oleg said. “Or you can tell us who hired you to steal this truck.” He shrugged. “Either way, you are dead, so being loyal to whoever paid your people is useless. They are dead. You will be dead. Your silence doesn’t matter anymore.”
“My silence keeps the others safe,” the man blurted. “So kill me however you like.” His eyes rose to Oleg’s. “But I won’t talk.”
“Well.”Oleg wiped his hands on a cool towel that Polina handed him back in the factory manager’s office. “He was correct. He didn’t talk.”
“That was frustrating and satisfying at the same time,” Polinamuttered. “At least I can tell Mr. Goretski’s family that the men who nearly killed him have been taken care of.” She curled her lip. “Unless Ivan tells them first.”
Oleg tossed the ash-stained towel on the counter before he leaned against it and crossed his arms over his chest. “What does that mean? Has my favorite brother in Moscow involved himself in this?”
“Didn’t you hear?” Polina was clearly annoyed. “Our driver was receiving medical treatment here in Minsk, and the doctors said he was recovering very well. And then Ivan sent a private plane for the entire family so he could see a neurological specialist in Moscow.”
What are you doing, Ivan?
“Did the man need a neurological specialist in Moscow?”
“According to the neurologist here in Minsk? No. He was receiving the same care as he would receive in any hospital. We pay for private doctors, Oleg. This has always been company policy. You know this.”
Working for vampires could be dangerous, which was why Oleg was quick to offer benefits to his many employees, and one of them was excellent medical care if they were ever injured on the job. He had a reputation for being generous with his humans, but it was mostly out of self-interest.
Happy humans made for loyal workers who were less easily turned.
Now his brother was stepping on his daughter’s toes.
Mika offered a thoughtful “hmmm” but nothing else.
Oleg sat on the edge of the metal desk in the factory office. “Who contacted the family initially?”
“The manager of the shipping company. He called as soon as we realized Goretski had been hurt. We quickly moved him to a private hospital; then I called the man’s wife as soon as I woke that night and got the report.”
“How many days later did Ivan send the plane?”
“Two nights later. Goretski was out of the coma, but Ivan’s men showed up at the hospital from ‘company headquarters’ in Moscow.”Polina snarled when she used air quotes. “The boys from Moscow had the woman on the phone with Ivan himself, reassuring the family there was an apartment in Moscow near the rehab facility waiting for them. All expenses paid.”
Polina knew as well as Oleg did that it wasn’t necessarily who caused the problems but who showed up fix them.
Humans were easily swayed.
Mika asked, “So are we all thinking that Ivan could be involved in this?”
“He’s not a stranger to provocation,” Polina said. “But attacking humans under my aegis like this? He’s never gone quite that far. If he did?—”
“Easy.” Oleg put a hand on her shoulder. “Throwing around accusations will get us nowhere. My brother is the governor of a major region in our empire.”
“And the head of a criminal gang,” Mika said.
Oleg shrugged. “And yet there are many in our clan loyal to him.”
“He’s been running his mouth to anyone who will listen about how you dealt with Zara,” Polina spat out. “As if that crazy bitch didn’t have it coming. You were too patient with her.”
“Your sister is dead now; it doesn’t matter.”
“But it does.” Polina lifted her chin. “Because Ivan is using it against you. And your druzhina may know what goes on behind the scenes, but the average area leader?” She pointed at the door. “Those men out there cleaning up the ashes? They think Ivan is great. They congratulated me for calling in afavor” —she nearly spat out the word— “a favor to help that poor man’s family.”
Mika muttered, “You didn’t disagree with them, did you?”
“Of course not!” Polina hissed. “How could I without looking ungrateful? I nodded and smiled and acted like it was the least I could do for our people.” She shook her head. “Ivan is a thug. They used to hate him.”
“Yes, but that’s when his men used to puff theirchests and make problems along the border areas,” Mika said. “Ivan has stopped all that.”
