Cry of the Firebird (The Firebird Fairytales Book 1)

by Amy Kuivalainen

  “I think she is fine just as she is.”

  “Well of course she is sweetie but unless you want her running around Paris naked I will need to take her shopping. Good Lord you would think I was asking your permission to torture her,” Cerise blew some smoke at him. He waved it away with a sigh.

  Trajan’s town house was made of a pale grey stone, had long gothic windows and was one of the only mansions in the area not attached to another. It had a high wrought iron and stone fence surrounding it and a well-tended garden and lawn.

  “I called my maintenance people from a town a few days ago so everything should be uncovered and ready for our arrival,” said Trajan as he walked up to the front gate. He punched in a code and the gate swung open slowly. The taxi holding Katya, Izrayl and Yvan arrived and they joined them. Yvan looked around warily, as if he expected something to jump them at any moment. He closed the front gate carefully when they were all through.

  “I hate keys,” admitted Trajan as he entered a number in a key pad next to the large white door. “I lose them all the time. This is easier.” He entered the house and start switching on lights. Katya let out a low whistle as she walked in.

  The floors were highly polished cedar and the walls were a clean, warm white. Art hung on the walls and vases were filled with freshly cut flowers. A magnificent, sweeping staircase led upstairs and a beautiful black chandelier hung above them.

  “Upstairs in the right wing are the guest rooms so you are welcome to any of them except the last room at the back of the house. That belongs to a friend of mine I hope will join us soon. The left wing upstairs is mine. Downstairs is a kitchen, the library and sitting areas,” Trajan directed. “The first lower level is a gym and the basement is the garage.”

  “Wait until they see the pool,” said Izrayl as he dumped his mud splattered bags on the shining floor.

  “Pool?” Katya said instantly. Trajan obliged her curiosity and took them downstairs. There was a gym full of shiny equipment, a sauna and a heated pool with cobalt blue tiles.

  “That’s more like it,” said Katya. “You know Trajan, I think I might move in.”

  “I had planned on asking you to. There is no point you keeping an apartment if we are all going to be working together,” he replied. “You can use the pool anytime.”

  “Gym as well?”

  “Of course. I will get Izrayl to help you move anything from your other apartment if you wish.”

  “I have ordered some take-out for the humans, I hope you girls don’t mind,” Cerise said as she appeared on the steps in front of them. “Come on ladies I want to take you on a tour of upstairs.”

  The guest rooms were as lavish as the rest of the house. Each had its own claw-foot bath and ensuite. The four-poster beds had thick velvet hangings and creamy linen.

  “I think I am in love with your Thanatos,” Katya said as she lay down on a window seat. “How the other half live.”

  “He isn’t my Thanatos. First thing I am going to do is have a bath,” Anya said as she stripped off her muddy jacket and boots. She turned the tap to the bath and watched it fill with hot water. She didn’t want to talk to Katya about Trajan. There was nothing to say, she reminded herself.

  “I think I will go claim a room of my own,” said Katya over the running water. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

  Trajan was relieved to be home at last. He left the others and went to his own wing of the house. He shut the doors quietly behind him and let the silence envelop him. He hadn’t been around so many people consistently before and he found himself longing for a quiet moment. A little bit of separation from Anya would also be a good idea, he decided. Not that he didn’t want to be around her because he did. He wanted to be around her too much and that was problematic. When he was with her he felt awkward. He blamed it on not feeding as regularly as he should. The energy from Vasilli’s creature was just about spent.

  Shedding his filthy clothes he went for a long, very hot shower. It always reminded him of the night Ilya helped free him from Eris. It had been cold and raining. He had stood in it, naked as a babe, and marvelled at the touch of water against his skin. Even cold had held a special kind of fascination.

  After he got out of the shower he looked at himself in the mirror to check that his fading energy wasn’t starting to show in any of his human features. He hadn’t shaved for days but apart from that his human body was holding true. He would have to feed soon but for now he would go and check on his guests.

  Anya was drinking vodka and laughing with the others when Trajan decided to joined them. He was dressed in a collared shirt, rolled to the elbows, waistcoat and pressed trousers. He hadn’t shaved in a day or two and Anya decided that suited him very well.

  “Stop staring,” Katya said discreetly next to her and Anya snapped herself out of it. She drank some more from the glass of vodka in her hands, cursing herself inwardly for being so obvious.

  “I thought you had drowned sweetie,” said Cerise as she sipped the martini she had been craving for days. She was reclining on a chaise lounge, wrapped tightly in a hand painted silk kimono and, much to Anya’s amusement, wearing fluffy pink slippers. Anya had formed the impression that the elegant keres only allowed heels to adorn her long white feet.

  “We were just about to send Anya in there to resuscitate you,” joked Izrayl. Trajan looked a little embarrassed but didn’t rise to his teasing.

  “Oh do grow up,” Cerise rolled her eyes. “We were actually speaking about some American friends of Katya’s who could help Anya develop her magic a little more.”

  “They will be hard to track down this time of year but I will certainly try,” Katya said with a yawn. “I think I will crash here tonight. I can get the things from my apartment later.”

  “Good idea,” said Anya, draining her vodka before getting up. She couldn’t even bring herself to look at Trajan as she mumbled her goodnights. Once back in her room she opened up a large window and stuck her head out into the cold air.

  “Are you all right?” Cerise appeared in her doorway. “You cleared out remarkably quickly.”

  “I’m fine. Go away.”

  “You look a little flushed.” Cerise pulled her back inside.

  “Bath must have been too hot or something. I shouldn’t have been drinking straight after it.”

  Cerise pulled out a silver cigarette case and offered it to her. Anya was tempted but she shook her head. Cerise lit her cigarette with a silver lighter.

  “Is it man trouble?” she asked casually as she blew out the silvery smoke.

  “Not exactly.”

  “I wouldn’t let Izrayl’s banter bother you too much. He likes to tease.”

  “Just because I don’t feel uncomfortable enough,” Anya muttered. “It is hard to get Trajan to talk to me let alone Izrayl scaring him off.”

  “It would take a lot more than Izrayl to scare Trajan. You can take my word for it. Trajan does things in Trajan’s own time. He is immortal so the time factor is measured very differently compared to humans. You have to understand though that our kind and your kind aren’t…compatible.”

  “I know I am not compatible to Trajan. I don’t think I’m compatible for a normal man let alone a Thanatos.”

  “That is not what I meant. There is nothing wrong with you. It’s what’s wrong with him. You saw what he did to that monster of Vasilli’s. He did that in seconds imagine how quickly he could do it to humans. If he loses concentration with you for a second and accidentally kills you he would never ever get over it. There are reasons that our kind and yours are forbidden to mix.”

  “What? It has never happened before?”

  “Not that I am aware. I don’t see how it could end well.”

  “I don’t think that is enough to scare me off,” she said slowly. “I know you mean well. That you are just telling me the way things are. But I don’t think it is something that I can switch off. I want to know him. He is the only one who has known my family since Ilya.”r />
  “Well I can’t give you any advice sweetie and I won’t get in your way. Trajan is big enough to make his own decisions, as are you,” Cerise said as she stubbed out her cigarette. “You obviously need to know where you stand with him so I suggest you go and talk to him. You won’t sleep until you do. He has gone back to his room for the night. Think about it.”

  Anya approached Trajan’s rooms with caution. She had spent the last half hour trying to come up with a decent excuse to be knocking on his door. She had drawn a blank so she decided to be brave and wing it. Anya knocked softly and opened his door a little to stop herself running back to her room like a scared little devushka.

  “Trajan?” She stuck her head in and looked about the dimly lit room.

  “Anya, what’s wrong?” Trajan walked out from his bedroom holding a book, his glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose.

  “Nothing is wrong I was just…after a book. I can’t sleep.” He turned the one in his hands over a few times.

  “There is a library downstairs,” he said quickly.

  “Right, thanks.” Anya turned back towards the door when he stopped her.

  “Would you like some company?”

  “If you aren’t busy. Or tired. I didn’t mean to barge in on you.”

  “I am not busy or tired. Please sit down; I don’t like my guests standing next to the door ready to run at any moment.” Anya sat down on one of the couches that was arranged around a carved oak coffee table. Trajan turned on a tall led-light lamp. Anya loved the way it looked like a stained glass window.

  “What are you reading?” she asked as he poured himself scotch and her a vodka. She looked over to the deserted volume. “Stories and Legends of Pagan Russia,” she read aloud. “Are you catching up on Yvan’s biography?”

  “I was looking for references to Yanka,” Trajan said as he handed her the vodka.

  “I thought you knew Ilya. Wasn’t she his mother?”

  “According to Ilya she wasn’t there long. He had memories of her until he was about five years old and then she disappeared. I thought that if I could find out anything more about her it may be able to help you.”

  “I think you have all helped me too much as it is. I could never be able to pay back any of you.” She sipped her vodka as she thought about it. If any of them were hurt protecting her she would blame herself entirely.

  “We don’t do any of it with the thought of being paid back, Anya,” Trajan said sharply. “We do it because we know you are worth it, even if you do not think you are, so banish that ridiculous notion from your mind.”

  “I have a lot of ridiculous notions in my mind that would be lonely without it so I don’t think I will.” The vodka was warming her and loosening her tongue. She shouldn’t have accepted another drink. Making a bigger fool of herself in front of him would not help her situation in the slightest. “Cerise came to lecture me,” she continued.

  “About what?”

  “About you and me.”

  “What about you and me?” he asked cautiously.

  “She seems to think there is a ‘you and me’ for starters,” Anya laughed nervously. Trajan didn’t even smile.

  “Is there?” The laughter died on her lips when she realised he was serious.

  “I don’t know. I didn’t think you were interested.”

  “It’s not a matter of interest it is a matter of possibility,” Trajan put down his glass and ran his hands through his hair.

  “You are wrong,” Anya drained her glass and got up to refill it.

  “How am I?”

  “It is all about interest. You are either interested or you are not. Possibility doesn’t factor into it.” Anya sat back down and put the bottle on table in front of her.

  “It does. I am in a human form but I am not human, Anya. I don’t even know if a relationship between a Thanatos and a human could work.”

  “Cerise said it hadn’t happened before.”

  “It hasn’t.”

  “Then how would you know if it’s not possible?”

  “I could hurt you-”

  “You kissed me twice and nothing happened. Or did you forget that?” A voice in the back of her head reminded her she couldn’t bully someone into wanting to be with her. She told it to shut up and have another drink.

  “I haven’t forgotten. But are you willing to risk me accidentally killing you one day?”

  “Yes.”

  “You are just being stubborn now you have not even given it proper thought.” He shook his head.

  “I have given it proper thought!” she hissed in frustration. “It is all I have been thinking about for days. I have never liked people, Trajan. I could never have been bothered with men especially. But I like you. I liked you from the moment I met you. So yes I am willing to risk it because me liking anyone that quickly has to be some kind of miracle on its own. I like that you wear glasses and that you wear waistcoats even though no one just casually wears a waistcoat anymore. I like the way you are uneasy around people and the way your lips feel on mine. I want to feel them on mine a lot more. Don’t try and tell me I haven’t thought about it.”

  Trajan looked down at his hands and didn’t say anything. It made Anya feel guilty for being so forceful. She leant across and gently touched his arm. “I’m sorry. I am drunk and I shouldn’t have…I will go.” She picked up the bottle up off the table as she got to her feet. Anya felt a self-flagellation brewing inside of her, a vodka fuelled rant, the worst kind.

  Her hand had just touched the handle of the door when she felt something move behind her. Trajan loomed over her causing a momentary flicker of fear that she had made him angry. He didn’t say anything but lightly placed his forehead against hers, his hands sliding up her arms to rest on her elbows. The half empty bottle of vodka slipped from her grasp and landed on the carpet with a muffled thud. They both ignored it. He leant down and kissed the top of her head before moving down to kiss her temple, the curve of her ear and the tip of her nose. His lips were warm and soft when they found hers. He kissed her lightly a few times, as if to check it was safe. Her hands moved up and she finally ran her fingers through his dark curls; something she had wanted to do from the moment they met.

  “I suppose this means there is a you and me?” she whispered as she held tightly to him.

  “I believe so. I, we, will have to be so careful though and I can’t guarantee-”

  “Shh Trajan I know. We can figure it out as we go along.” A piercing sharp pain shot through her and she doubled over.

  “Anya? What is it?” Trajan caught her as her knees gave out.

  “Katya,” she gasped and clutched her head tightly. “Katya is being attacked.”

  ***

  Look through the fog to a small camping ground deep in the North American mountains. Sitting in the closest tent is a man in the middle of a peyote-induced trace. He doesn’t use the drug often because his visions come unbidden, but this time he is worried. He is worried because he keeps seeing his gypsy friend in trouble. He is hoping the peyote will make his visions more complete.

  He can send a message to her sister who is a psychic. He follows the paths of the spirit world. The colours move in front of him to form a picture of strong Katya bleeding on the ground next to a wolf’s body.

  He sees a girl trailing bright red magic wherever she goes. There is darkness hunting them. He is stunned and horrified. He knows she will need him and his brother.

  Aleksandra? He throws the name to the wind. Where is your sister? He waits quietly; he feels the peyote wearing off but he hangs onto the spirit world waiting for her reply.

  Paris. Black magic is following them. Vasilli has returned. Aleksandra’s voice is barely a whisper against his cheek. Suddenly his world is crashing and he is being pulled backwards. Air rushes through his ears and he cries out in pain as his spirit slams back into his body. He opens bleary eyes and sees his twin brother across the fire. His grin is wide and white.

  Chapter Ninet
een-Jumped

  Katya was running. Sweat soaked her back and the butt of a hand gun rubbed irritably against her hip. Pain shot through her thighs and lungs as she tried to run faster. In the back of her mind her father’s voice came through unbidden and unexpected. You have let yourself get slow and weak. You are supposed to train harder in Skazki not waste your time hunting animals. She pushed herself harder to prove it wrong.

  The night had started well. After days of travelling and being on high alert she found she couldn’t relax enough to sleep. While staring up at the ceiling Katya had decided she would take Trajan up on his offer and move into the mansion. Not having to pay for her short term apartment would also be a bonus.

  The house was silent when she rose and dressed once more. There would be no chance of her sleeping tonight so she might as well be productive. Trajan had offered her Izrayl’s help but she was never going to take him up on that. Now she was cursing that she hadn’t asked someone to come with her.

  Katya’s apartment was in Montmartre. It was neat and rather impersonal as the furniture and pictures hanging on the walls had come with the apartment, exactly the way she had left it. There had been no point in settling in because she never stayed anywhere for long. Katya smiled with delight as she ran her fingers over her laptop. She had missed it terribly and had felt completely lost without her iPod. The few changes of clothes she had hanging in the cupboard were quickly shoved into a bag. She opened the gun cabinet she had secreted behind some coats and emptied the contents into another bag. After she had picked up the remaining weapons and books she had left out she locked the door and gave the landlord back his keys.

  “You in trouble with the police or something?” he grunted.

  “Of course not Monsieur,” Katya answered smoothly. “Why do you ask?”

  “There have been people here looking for you. I assumed they were police from the questions they were asking. They were here yesterday.” His eyes were narrowed suspiciously at her. Katya gave him a smile she hoped was convincing.