Page 150 of Crimson Oath
“Thank you.” Tatyana spoke to René, but she was looking at Oleg. “I’m not royalty, just a grateful guest.” She sat and folded her hands in her lap.
“Poshaniya!” Kezia stood on the stage and shouted.
A roar from the crowd that sounded like they were ready for a show or a sporting event.
“Poshaniya!”
Another, louder roar.
Kezia was clearly running the program. “We gather tonight!”
She stepped to the front of the stage, and the crowd of Poshani roared and waved their hands in greeting.
René leaned over and spoke softly as the audience erupted. “I believe you’re friends with Ben Vecchio, are you not?”
Wait, what? Why was René talking about Vecchio?
“We’re… friendly.”
“So you know that he and Tenzin did not leave willingly.”
Tatyana’s eyes went wide. “What?”
“Vano tried to dispose of them,” René said. “Very unpleasant, but no harm done. I have been instructed to keep an eye on you if things become complicated.”
“What do you mean, dispose?”
“I mean exactly what I say.”
She glanced at Oleg. Did he know about this? Should she tell him?
She tore her eyes from Oleg. “Thank you for your concern, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
“If you’re worried about the Russian, don’t be.” René chuckled a little bit. “He’s as slow as all the old ones.”
Oh, you are an idiot.“That’s an interesting assumption.”
Tatyana suddenly wished she’d been less shy about publicly claiming her relationship with Oleg.
The Frenchman nodded at the stage. He couldn’t seem to keep his mouth shut. “Do you see them? All lined up, the humans who actually think they have a chance to become a terrin?”
“Do they?” Tatyana looked at the front of the crowd and saw a group of mostly middle-aged men and a few women sitting with what looked like cheering sections behind them. “I thought only vampires could become terrin.”
“Yes, but they expect to be changed,” René said. “That’s what they want, the immortality. Only the most foolish want the power.”
The power. Yes, only a fool would want the power.
“Brothers and sisters,” Kezia shouted, “welcome to Vashana!”
Another ecstatic cheer from the crowd, and the vampires in the grandstand clapped politely.
“As all of you know, this is the Vashana Zata, a special night held only once every hundred years. Because of this occasion, we have invited a few trusted guests from the kamvasa.” Kezia gestured to where Tatyana was sitting. “Our guests honor this trust and the privilege they have been granted.”
There was murmuring in the crowd as all the humans in the audience turned.
Tatyana smiled and waved, but then she noticed that no one else was waving and dropped her hand.
René chuckled beside her. “You’re a lamb, aren’t you?”
