Page 22 of Crimson Oath
Radu guffawed and motioned Oleg to sit down. “Hardly, hardly.” He craned his neck to look around the lounge. “But who doesn’t enjoy being surrounded by beautiful women, am I right?”
Mika looked their server up and down as she set crystal goblets in front of them. “A beautiful woman is never a hardship,” he said. “Thank you for meeting us on short notice.”
“It was fortunate you called.” Radu’s smile fell, and he flicked his fingers at the human who was serving them, sending her away and leaving only Oleg, Mika, and Radu in the quiet, curtained booth. “I was already hearing rumors that made me uncomfortable, my friend.”
Radu picked up an open bottle of blood-wine and filled their goblets before he filled his own, lifted it, and took a drink. After his initial sip, Mika and Oleg both joined him.
“We dispatched at least one vampire from your clan.” Oleg believed in directness. “He and a group were operating in our territory with a team of human thieves. They beat our truck driver into a coma before they stole the freight and took it to a warehouse.”
Radu wasn’t wearing a smile anymore. “Was this the first incident?”
Oleg looked at Mika.
Mika said, “This was the fourth incident in six months. It was vexing enough that Polina called Oleg about it.”
“Your daughter is a capable ruler.” Radu lifted his goblet and drank. “If she called you, it is not without reason.”
“Thank you, and I agree.” Oleg’s eyes never left Radu. “We don’t know if any of the other vampires killed were Poshani. The one left refused to speak more than a few words. I understand a blood price must be offered to his clan, but given the circumstances…” Oleg spread his hands. “You must understand our concerns as well, my friend.”
“Our people have lived in your territory for centuries,” Radu said. “The Poshani have no interest in interfering in our hosts’ businesses. It goes against every law of hospitality we hold sacred.”
Hospitality codes among the Poshani were inviolable. They had strict rules about interference with any people or organization that offered them roaming rights, and if a vampire bartered for shelter within their seasonal caravan—the kamvasa—they were protected by any and all means for the agreed-upon dates.
“Who was he?” Mika leaned across the table and kept his voice low. “Do we have a problem?”
Radu waved a hand. “He was one of Vano’s men, but my brother had disciplined him for a minor infraction and the young one took it too much to heart. He struck out on his own. His sire was upset by his death, but Vano has made it clear that the blood price will be all the recompense he is given. Sami was working outside the organization.”
“Do you know who they were working for?” Mika asked.
“Not yet, but I’ll keep asking,” Radu said. “His sire has questions too.”
“The other vampires we killed along with him,” Oleg asked, “none of them were yours?”
Radu shook his head. “Not that I know of. We felt Sami die, but he was the only loss.”
When an immortal child died, a sire felt it in their own body. Their amnis was tied together, so the moment the Poshani vampire had been killed, everyone with a blood tie to the dead would have known it.
“How is your employee?” Radu asked.
“Recovering in Moscow.” Oleg swirled his blood-wine before taking a sip. “Thank you for asking.”
“Sami’s sire will be making financial settlements with you for the damage to your human.”
Oleg raised a hand in the expected objection. “That is not necessary.”
“You must allow him.” Radu pressed on. “This is our way.”
“Your clan has suffered a death, and my driver is stillalive.”
“But he is injured, and we must make this right for his family,” Radu continued. “And for you, our ally.”
Oleg had bargained with the Poshani for many years. Three times offered was a sincere overture. If he rejected Radu’s recompense, the Poshani terrin would be offended.
“If you insist,” Oleg said after a long pause. “I will pass this settlement to his family. I’m sure his wife and children will be grateful.”
“And of course, the greater harm is to the appearance of conflict between our people.” Radu leaned his elbow on the table. “Any appearance of division between the Poshani and your empire will be seen as a weakness and an opportunity to exploit both of us.”
Oleg sipped his blood-wine and lifted one shoulder in a reluctant shrug. “I cannot disagree with you. Much as I would like to.”
