Page 31 of Cookie: Part One
I lean forward, my jaw clenching. Beside me, Pyper’s eyes glow vhile a seat down, Alik bears his fangs, his muscles tightening.
“You show great insolence, Grigori,” I growl, shaking ze table. “You forget zhat zhough our blood is veak, our claws are sharp.”
“Hsssss hssss hssssss,” Grigori laughs, a dry, rasping sound. “Claws are useless if you cannot shift. Look around,heir.Youneedus, or in two generations, ze Bershov bears vill be but a ghost story in ze undervorld.Our strong, ancient genes are ze only antidote to your affliction sssince even filling it vit ozher bloodlines gained you nozhing.” He glances to Dimitri. “A fox shifter, and even a coyote,” he snorts at Nadya, and I fist my hands. “Nozhing vill come of it. Ze Bershov’s are bound to disappear vitout us.”
Pakhan slams his cane down, his eyes gloving a dangerous, elemental blue, vit small sparks of electricity cracking in ze air.
“Andyouforget,Snake,” Pakhan snarls, his voice guttural and low. “Vho you are addressing. After yourclan’s debauchery in ze garden of Adam and Eve, your clan fell out of favor vit every faction and ze source itself. Nowyou are stuck crawling on your belly,beggingfor legitimacy. You need ourlowly insignificantinfluence name to re-enter society.Even if our diluted shifter blood dies out, vee vill still hold power and move mountains in ze undervorld, soyouneedusmore zhan vee need your poisonous genes.”
“Yet, here vee are,” Grigori smiles, hissing, and ze tension in the room coils so tight, zhick, and suffocating, zhreatening to break ze deal vee vorked so hard for. but I sit back, knowing ze ball is in my court.
“So… vhat do you vant?”
“Veedemand ze official engagement announcement be moved up immediately.Vee vill not have Veronica’s honor compromised furzher by your heir’s… distractions.”
“Vhat does zhat mean exactly?” I hum.
“Veronica told me about your leetle human playzhing.”
“VATCH YOUR MOUTH!” Alik warns, standing, and I cut my eyes to him.
“Vhat? It’s true… vhile it’s faint, I can ssssmmeeellll him on her at ze event earlier.” He flicks his tongue out and I gostill as Alik flinches and frowns. “So, vee came to agree zhat ze announcement vould happenafterDimitri and Nadya’s, but considering therecklessnessss…” he pauses, glancing pointedly in my direction. “Of your heir,vee vant security.” I stare at Grigori as he finishes, his cunning move clear.He plans to use my current… indiscretion as leverage.
“I see…” Pakhan glances over to me. “Is zhat all you have to say?”
“Da. Move up ze announcement or vee call off ze agreement.”
“I see your daughter seems to have lot of influence over hov you do zhings… I hope you do not zhink it vill be ze same here. Da, I marry for convenience, but…” I slam my fist on ze table. “Do not confuse zhis for love,” I remind him. “Vee can move date up as far as you vant… but it changes nozhing.” I lean back in my chair. “Know zhat.”
His flinches, snarling.
“You say zhat, but you cannot mean to say you vill put my family’s honor and reputation on ze line! Surely zhat is not vhat you’re telling me!” he sneers, but he is like his daughter. A bitch…all bark no bite.I stare him in ze eye, smirking, letting him know plainly zhat’s exactly vhat I plan on doing. “DISRESPECTFUL!” He scrapes his chair back, yapping like a mutt as Pakhan slams his cane down.
“Yishiv, calm yourself. My heir is honest. Zhat is vhy he is ze heir. I vas ze one who placed such burden on him, so he is right to not vant to be tied to a voman he harbors no feelings for…”
“BUT, AS A FAZHER, I C—” Pakhan raises his hand.
“Regardless…Veronica has been a friend of ze family for long time. Her and our Nadya vere once best friends, so as a courtesy for her honor, regardless of feelings, appearances must be kept.” Pakhan cuts his eyes to me seriously. “Misha, you are free to...indulge... but, for our ally’ssoftheart, be discreet.”
I snort, leaning back.
“I vill zhink about it,” I mumble.
“Zhat settles it. Ze engagement vill be announced early,” Pakhan states, voice controlled, heavy with authority and bitter resignation. “Zhis discussion is over. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a card game to get to.” He stands, leaving immediately, and I sit zhere pissed, zhough zhere is nozhing I can do.
The deal vas struck, and I stand to leave, but not soon after I feel a presence and I turn to see Alik and Pyper standing behind me.
“Alik?”
“Mikhail…” Alik pauses, working his jaw. “Is vhat zhat Yishiv bastard said true? You’re… you’re messing vit Connie?”
“Vhat’s it to you if I am?” I question vit a straight face.
“I... j-just stay avay from her,” he grits out and I smile, flashing fangs before I incline my head, sighing.
“Alik, you have alvays been an obedient one… stay zhat vay, and mind your fucking business,” I vave him off, but he snarls.
“ConnieISmy business.”
