Page 77 of Crimson Oath
“You know” —Mika seemed to ignore him— “she’ll only be there for a few more months, and then you can lure her back to Odesa.”
Polina nodded. “She probably wants more money. Not many of our kind are technologically talented, so if she’s as skilled as you say?—”
“It’s not a question of money.” Oleg was trying to be cool, but his fangs had been on edge since he’d heard Radu’s voice on the other side of Tatyana’s phone.
The moment he’d acquired another phone after he’d broken the second one, he called Radu back, asked him to pass his number along to Tatyana, and then he’d waited.
For three weeks.
Oleg wasn’t willing to call Tatyana’s phone more than once. That would make him look desperate and attract too much attention toward Tatyana.
“Your father is very grumpy right now, Polina.” Mika glanced at Oleg. “Personally, I think he needs to go hunting.”
“The deer are plentiful at the country house,” Polina said. “Alexi was just up there last weekend with some friends and?—”
“I don’t need to go hunting.” He didn’t want to hunt down a deer; he wanted to hunt down Tatyana Vorona. He just didn’t want to create a problem with an old ally while he was doing it. “I need to find the Poshani kamvasa.”
“It’s not that wecan’tfind it,” Polina said. “Of course we could. But even asking around will create problems, Papa. They guard their route carefully, and even a hint that we’re looking for them will cause offense.”
“You’ve been invited to the Vashana Zata,” Mika said. “Surely we can wait for a few more months. So far, no more trucks have been attacked, and Ivan seems to be quieting down.”
“I know,” Oleg said. “That’s what puts me on edge.”
“I spoke to Vano in Warsaw a few nights ago and casually brought up Sami Novak again.” Polina lifted a finger. “I did not mention Danior. I believe he still thinks that all Sami’s friends are dead.”
“Good.” Oleg and Mika spoke at the same time.
“And Vano didn’t mention Ivan at all. Was very friendly, very eager to work on the housing project I proposed in Grodno.”
Oleg asked, “So Vano is playing like he’s still on good terms with you?”
“Heison good terms with me,” Polina said. “We have no proof that Vano is working with Ivan. Some of his people obviously are, but Vano can be an asshole. An independent-minded immortal might not want to stay under his thumb.”
Mika looked up. “I have to agree with her. We can’t assume thatVano is going behind our backs with Ivan. If we can be double-crossed, so can he.”
“I don’t like any of this,” Oleg said. “And in a matter of weeks, Vano is probably going to disappear into that stupid roaming safe house.”
With Tatyana.
HisTatyana.
“We need to find the kamvasa,” Oleg said. “Do it, Polina.”
His daughter groaned. “This is going to screw up the Grodno project.”
“The future stability of Sokolov Industries is more important than one project.” Oleg’s voice was clipped. “I don’t need an exact location. Get me a rough estimate and I’ll do the rest. If Vano’s people have a problem with it, they can speak to me directly.”
“Yes, Papa.” Polina’s voice was subdued. “Of course.”
Moments later, Polina disconnected the call and Mika stared at Oleg.
“What?” Oleg was suddenly in a foul mood.
Three weeks. What was she doing in that damned caravan? Taking up knitting? Tatyana would only be interested in knitting needles if she could stab him with them.
“Tell me this isn’t because of the woman,” Mika said.
“We suspect a centuries-old ally might be double-crossing us and working with my most dangerous sibling, and you think I’m overreacting?”
