Page 59 of Crimson Oath
“It’s possible.” Oleg nodded, gripping the door in his hand. He heard the plastic crack, and he released it.
“Vano does handle most of the human-facing businesses,” Mika said. “Radu and Kezia deal with internal matters, and Vano is the moneyman.”
“Yes, but if it was a business matter, why didn’t we know about it? Vano should be dealing with Polina or Juliya in Kyiv, not making calls to Ivan’s personal secretary.”
“Tank.” Mika spoke to the driver. “You remember Radu’s club?”
“Yes, boss.”
“Take us there.”
Oleg looked at Mika in the back of the black sedan.
Mika shrugged. “You wanted options, those are our options. If we can’t get him on the phone, he’s probably at that atrocious club.”
Oleg turned to watch the darkened windows. “Radu told us that Sami Novak was Vano’s man, but he implied that Vano and Sami had a falling-out. I don’t think Radu was lying to me.”
Mika nodded. “But Vano could have been lying to Radu.”
“I don’t trust Vano,” Oleg said. “I never have, but he’s only one of the terrin, and his power is checked by Radu and Kezia.” Oleg felt a snarl working its way up his throat as the sedan stopped in traffic and his frustration peaked. “The Vashana Zata is being held at the end of the season, Mika. I’m supposed to go and witness it.”
Mika kept his voice even. “If Vano is plotting with Ivan without telling his brother or his sister, the Poshani have a major problem.”
“And if Vano is scheming with Ivan—and Radu and Keziadoknow about it—thenwehave a problem.” And hundreds and hundreds of secretive, skilled Poshani humans and vampires roaming freely through their territory.
The Poshani’s traditional territory was not like other vampires. They had no single homeland, though their presence in Romania was significant. They crossed boundaries and maintained host relationships with numerous vampire rulers, who gladly worked with a clan of loyal and discreet humans and vampires who were skilled artisans and tradespeople.
In the previous century, Oleg had used Poshani contractors to build factories and compounds, trusted them with the plans to his personal offices and homes, and spent millions to hire their people.
They came to do a job, were paid generously, and then moved on.
Oleg had never worried that those secrets could be compromised because the Poshani valued trust and secrecy above all.
“What do you want to do?” Mika asked softly.
“I want to speak to Radu before I jump to conclusions.”
“Understood.”
Oleg wasn’t willing to break an old alliance because of suspicion. More than likely, there was a perfectly legitimate explanation.
Traffic picked up again, heading toward downtown Bucharest and the flashing lights of the clubs and bars where humans wandered, hailing taxis or staring like zombies at their mobile devices.
They pulled up to the back entrance of Zarva and immediately exited the vehicle. Oleg brushed away the polite greetings of the security guards as Mika introduced them.
Moments later, they were walking up the stairs to the soundproofed vampire lounge that overlooked the dance floor.
Mika walked into the club before Oleg, scanning back and forth before he waved Oleg inside. “I don’t see him.”
Oleg’s eyes narrowed on a familiar head of dark, curly hair. “I don’t see Radu, but I do see his sister.”
Kezia le Almásy, terrin of the Poshani and sister of Radu and Vano sat in the corner booth where Radu had met them weeks before, sipping on a glass of blood-wine and luring Oleg in with her eyes.
She was one of the singularly most seductive women Oleg had ever met, though they’d never been lovers. She bounced between human men and immortal women as powerful as she was, though Oleg had always suspected that her truest companions were entirely hidden from sight.
He walked across the club and couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips. He waited patiently as Kezia’s sandy-haired bodyguard patted him down.
Mika wisely kept his distance.
