Page 56 of Call of the Ride
Although there aren’t many like me.
After my mother disappeared, I’d accidentally discovered the truth of who I was while cleaning out herVardowagon.I could still remember how my hands shook as I read the incriminating letter, written in flowing script on stationery with a royal seal. I’d burned it on the stove before my father, Gerard, could find it and run into the woods, blinded by tears and heartbroken by the truth.
That was when I’d tumbled into a pitfall trap and broken a wing. The Goddess must have been watching over me, as the newly appointed Baba Yaga—Vasi—stumbled upon me only hours later. I’d heard she used to be human, so I bitterly refused to talk to the witch, even as she set my wing and nursed me back to health in her hut. It took a few days, a gallon of peppermint tea, and some well-timed humor to finally get me to crack. We’d been inseparable ever since. Vasi liked to joke she’d beencursedwith me since that day, but I knew she cared for me like a sister.
Since clearly, she likes to collect half-breed misfits.
“Do you think I could swing from the rafters by my horns, Acey? You could all play pin the tail on my…”
Luckily, Tan’s train of thought was interrupted by another knock on the door. A blast of impending winter’s chill blew it open, revealing a smiling Marena. I felt myself automatically tense at the sight of her freckled face. The goddess and I had formed a surprising friendship these past few months, but her presence sometimes included that twin of hers, Jarilo, and I was in no mood for his idiocy tonight.
“It’s just me, Anthia,” she grinned mischievously, probably not even needing to access my thoughts to know who my glare was for. To my annoyance, I didn’t feel as relieved by his absence as I’d hoped.
Stupid god of stupid springtime…
Try as I might, I’d been unable to forget the unexpected kiss I’d shared with Jarilo. Granted, he’d ruined the moment, despite being semi-conscious, but I could still feel the crush of his vines wrapping around me. Vasi had immediately realized the encounter was triggering memories of the Facility, but that’s not why I couldn’t stop thinking about it. As much as I would never admit it, even under threat of death, there was also a part of me who’d liked how it felt.
I shook my head, angrily banishing all thoughts of golden eyes and annoyingly soft-looking reddish curls from my mind as I refocused on my friends. Nox was laughing uncontrollably as Asa pulled Tan back from his attempt to climb the table to the rafters. I noticed the drunken Rider had somehow lost his pants along the way.
Praise the Goddess he’s wearing underwear.
“That’s enough, suge. Why don’t we give Vasi our presents now?” Asa’s voice was stern, but he was smiling at Tan like the sun rose and set at his command. This sparked the familiar ache I felt, deep in my gut, whenever I witnessed the four of them mooning over each other.
“Oha! Me first!” Tan shouted, and I braced for whatever his gift might be, as I hadn’t been involved in procuring it. “I decided to hold Cass to her promise that anything Vasi wanted was on the house…”
Nox was already shaking his head as Tan emptied a duffel bag full of sex toys onto the table with a flourish. It was no secret how Vasilisa and her Riders recharged their powers—not that they seemed to need a reason to mount each other like animals all the time—but a pile of dildos certainly cemented the rumor.
“Thank you, Tan,” Vasi murmured, her face as red as the lipstick I wore. “I do wish you’d chosen to wait untilafterour guests left to present these to me…”
Oh, just you wait for the books I gave you.
We all looked to Asa to go next. The Rider tossed aside the strap-on harness he’d been fiddling with and surprised us all by suddenly going down on his knee at Vasi’s feet.
“Sweetness,” he gazed up at her earnestly. “I didn’t think it was possible to love someone the way I love you, and I’ve been simply tormented to come up with an appropriate gift to show you how I feel.” Every woman—and a drunk Tan—dramatically gasped when Asa pulled a green velvet ring box out of his pocket and snapped it open. “Luckily, I’d saved a souvenir from when we killed Matthew…”
Vasi’s cheeks pinked again, only this time it was in pleasure as she pulled what appeared to be a ring made from human bone out of the box. “It’s perfect, my Beautiful Sun,” she purred as she slipped it on her finger, and I feared we’d immediately be hustled out the door so Mt. Dildo could be put to good use.
“You fuckingmudak,”Nox groaned, swiping a large hand down his face and beard. “How the fuck am I supposed to follow something as metal as that?” A dreadful hiss sounded from the storage cellar beneath us, and I vaguely recalled there was a house spirit down there who apparently didn’t like foul language or inappropriate behavior.
Good luck with this crew!
“Nox…” I interjected, giving the big guy a whack on the back of the head—harder than was probably necessary. “Your gift is perfect, too. Go on, dummy, give it to her.”
Still scowling, Nox pulled out the gift bag I’d handed him and wordlessly pushed it across the table to Vasi. She gave him a secretive smile as she pulled out the tissue paper, gasping in delight when she saw what awaited her inside.
Just like I knew she would.
With trembling hands, Vasi pulled out the skeins of yarn in rich, earth tones, running her fingers over the worsted wool like it was made of precious jewels. Her gaze flickered to her loom, gathering dust in the corner, before she happily flung herself into Nox’s lap. She didn’t verbally thank him, but I swear, I saw a tear track down her face, making me proudly smile at her Rider. As the one in charge of the purse strings in this family, it had been up to me to purchase the yarn, but the gift was 1000%hisidea.
“Hmph,” Tan grumbled. “I still think mine is the best.”
“And I’m sure you willallagree with that, later on, in your fucknest,” Marena cackled. “But first, let’s enjoy this treat I picked up from one of the best bakeries in Moscow—Spartak cake!”
“Mmm, my favorite,” Nox growled in Vasi’s ear and I tried not to gag on the pheromones emanating from the four of them.
Marena ignored the commentary, efficiently passing around plates and forks before serving everyone with enormous slices. “Aaand, a little Russian birdie told me you’ve never had pineapple before, so I also tracked down some of that as well—no easy feat this time of year!”
Vasi giggled and swatted Nox on the shoulder before sliding onto the bench to enjoy her sexually suggestive cake and fruit. The Spartak cakewasdelicious, and I even had to admit it was cute to watch her try pineapple for the first time. It warmed my black heart to see my friend so happy, because if anyone deserved to be surrounded by men who loved her enough to put a human bone on her finger, it was the last Baba Yaga.
