Page 86 of Crimson Oath
“We’re playing along for now,” Mika said. “Unless you’d like me to do something more… proactive.”
“This will be his people again. Ones he can keep on a tighter leash.”
“Yes, Polina and I have both considered the possibility.”
Oleg was going to have to do something about Ivan.
He was going to have to kill another brother.
But one problem at a time.
Right now he needed to find Tatyana and also figure out if Vano could be trusted. He wanted to keep the Poshani as allies if he could. He didn’t relish driving people from his territory, and frankly, hemade a generous income from nothing more than giving them the right to roam freely.
“You realize that if Radu finds out that we’ve tracked down the kamvasa in violation of our agreement, he could attack us and no one would blame him.”
“Yes.” Oleg pushed away from the vehicle when he felt the reverberation of the door slamming behind him. “That’s why they’re never going to realize we’re there.”
Chapter 18
Tatyana
“Isaw him,” Rumi said. “And for that one, I might not care about the fangs.”
The women around the cooking wagon hooted with delight.
“I saw him too.” A woman named Desiree elbowed Tatyana while she was stirring a pot of beef and barley soup. “Tanya, did you see him? He’s your kind. You have to have met at the welcome dinner.”
“I met him.” She shrugged. “He’s nothing special.”
“Oh no.” Rumi pointed at her. “I don’t believe you for a moment. If you had a heartbeat, you’d be blushing.”
“She has a heartbeat, it’s just sloooooow.”
The three women around the cooking fire laughed out loud, and Tatyana felt like her cheeks would crack from smiling. She hadn’t felt like this… maybe ever.
Rumi was there, and Desiree, who was a little older than Tatyana. There was also an older woman in her forties named Katrina, whose quick wit and stories kept everyone in stitches.
“Okay, I would never ask a Poshani vampire this,” Katrina said. “But blood flow is what makes the good timesgoodif you know what I mean.” She motioned below her waist while Rumi and Desiree smirked. “So does it take forever to have an orgasm when you’re a vampire?”
“Katrina, what a question!” Rumi waved a hand at her. “Tanya, ignore her. So rude.”
“Okay, but I really am curious now.” Desiree cocked her head. “I’ve never thought about that before.”
Tatyana pushed through her embarrassment and forced herself to answer. “I think it’s the amnis.” She lifted a hand and pulled a wave of fog toward them, cooling down the cooking fire. “You know, our energy.”
“Yes, that makes sense.” Katrina wiggled her hips. “Now to try that out with the very fine Frenchman.”
Tatyana joined Rumi and Desiree as they laughed.
René DuPont, French vampire and guest of the kamvasa for the rest of the season, had arrived the night before, and rumors of his looks and charm were already spreading like wildfire through the ranks of the Poshani women.
“Seriously,” Rumi said. “I swore off vampire lovers years before I married Hanzi, but if I were single? I might consider letting that one bite me.”
“Do all Poshani girls have vampire boyfriends?” Tatyana asked. “Is it common?”
“We all go through a phase,” Katrina said. “I had immortal boyfriends and girlfriends when I was young, but I only ever loved one.”
Tatyana blurted out the question before she could stop herself. “What happened?”
