by Gaja J. Kos
“That’s a mighty big risk to take,” Sebastian commented, his tone towards the goddess still holding respect, but not enough as to dull his unyielding protectiveness.
“We knew that.” Rose entwined her fingers with Veles’s. “And we knew it would take time for Morana to find me. We worked on understanding the pull between us, practiced so that she could get to me faster.” She hesitated. “We were aware of just how long Morana needed to pin down my location, and that was a risk I fully accepted. I’d known the Vedmaks could never resist putting me in those damned chains; I only had to keep myself alive long enough for her to get there. And if the worst happened, if I wasn’t strong enough to break through and take them down—or even hold on until Morana did… Well, at least the bond was severed. I would die, but my demise wouldn’t be at your expense. The Vedmaks would have no reason to snuff out your lives without our link tethering our souls to one another.”
“That’s got to be the shittiest excuse I’ve ever heard,” Zarja snarled. “We’re pack, Rose. If we die, then we die. But we do it together. You should have at least given us a chance to decide, not steal it from us. Fuck, we had no idea what you were doing. Just a fucking sense of a gaping void where your presence should have been.”
Rose pulled her lips in a thin line and angled her head in acknowledgment. She had done it to protect them. But even knowing that defying her pack was the only shot they had hadn’t made her decision any easier. Especially when they all still remembered how it had felt to sense Jens’s ethereal presence dim in that damned wasteland of Mračaj…
In all honesty, she was surprised they hadn’t clawed her for the scare she’d given them. For the pack rules she’d broken by cutting them off.
“I don’t have a clue about half the shit you’re talking about,” Rorik said, snapping her out of her thoughts, “but I do want to hear the rest of the story.”
Zarja shot him a venomous glance, and Nathaniel chuckled softly. As did Evelin.
“Please, continue,” the werewolf said, her emerald eyes meeting Rose’s for a second before falling upon Morana.
The goddess tucked away a strand of her hair and loosened a breath. “Veles and I stayed behind while Rose called the Vedmaks to her. We tracked her through the bond even while the warlocks’ magic was wrapped around her, transporting her to their stronghold.” Her breath faltered slightly. “We hadn’t been wrong. The Vedmaks had shielded their location with cloaking spells, and I believe I couldn’t have found them on my own even if I regained my strength completely. As it was, a faint trickle of Rose’s essence remained, leading us to her. We appeared outside the Vedmaks’ warded perimeter where Veles waited in a concealed spot for Rose to draw on his power should she need it, while I moved on, breaking through their wards.” She shrugged, but remnants of tension remained locked in the stiffness of her spine. “Eventually, I infiltrated their lair and killed those she had been unable to.”
The goddess looked up, and Rose flashed her a small smile. She wouldn’t be sitting here if it weren’t for her. And Morana knew it, as well.
“Rosalind was unconscious when Em brought her to me,” Veles added, his voice smooth, even if still lacking its usual vibrancy.
He pressed Rose closer to his body, and she curled up in his warmth without hesitation, trying to swat away the cold talons of awareness that they both could have lost so much… She listened to the beating of his heart, reminding herself that this was real.
“I managed to transport us back to my residence with what little remained of my strength.” He laughed, the sound almost helpless. “I passed out even before reality snapped fully in place…”
Serafina picked up the story as Veles’s silence ensconced the room. “I started working on them the moment they returned. My mother was a healer, and I inherited some of her magic, but the kind of damage Rose and Veles had sustained was beyond my capabilities. So while Morana watched over them, I reached out to Sander.”
Rose’s eyes flickered to the solemn Koldun.
“And he called me,” Rorik said.
“Are you telling me I rode a dragon and remember nothing of it?” She let out a disappointed sigh. “Damn.”
The Perelesnyk grinned. “If you ever want a repeat of that, I’m more than willing to go for a ride. Just—try to be conscious. Having two dead weights on my back isn’t exactly good for the freedom of movement.”
Serafina chuckled softly. “At least you weren’t the one actually keeping them in place while holding on for your own dear life at the same time.”
“If you’re done joking around,” Sebastian chipped in, his tone dry, “I’d like to know if all the bastards are truly dead. Or are there others, lurking abroad?”
“No.” Rose shook her head, the information flowing to her freely and clearly like a spring, erupting from dry land. “The coven in Bulgaria was the only one. In their need to protect their ways, the Vedmaks remained an undivided unit after the Realm of Kolovrat broke. And although they migrated from time to time, seeking out witches to mate with, the stronghold southwest of Montana was their base. When we attacked, they were all present.”
“Srček…” Veles’s voice reached her the same time she noticed Morana, Sander, Serafina, and Sebastian all turn to her with surprise etched into their features.
Because they knew—they knew, just as she did, that she hadn’t possessed the information going in.
“Fuck,” she said softly, but it was Serafina who finished her thought.
“Rose, you gained the knowledge of the higher circles.”
Chapter 15
Zarja sat down on the bench and handed the cool pitcher of beer she brought out from the kitchen to the officer, taking note of the somewhat paler shade of his skin. The charm was still there—she didn’t believe anything could snuff out that aspect of who Tomo was—but there was no denying that meeting the colorful bunch at the house had shaken the man.
Then again, knowing about werewolves and vampires was nothing compared to hanging around deities. Even she sometimes had a hard time believing just what her reality had turned into. She shook her head and rested one foot on the edge of the bench.
“So, you are…?” Tomo asked, eyeing the tall blond sitting opposite him.
“A Kresnik,” Sebastian replied calmly.
The officer blew out a breath and wrapped his fingers around the pitcher as if it were a lifeline. “Kresnik—as in the protector a person is assigned to at birth?”
Sebastian gave the man an easy smile, the dying, warm orange rays of sunlight ricocheting off his golden hair. “Yes and no. We are assigned bloodlines, rather than individuals, but, yes, we exist to protect.”
Although he said the words without inflection, his eyes staying the same warm green, Zarja didn’t miss the slightly bitter undertone lining that last part of his statement.
The Kresniks were meant to protect their wards, but in the last month, it became clear that Sebastian’s brethren had chosen to ally themselves with the Upirs. Not all of them, but enough to taint their name. Although, in truth, Sebastian still hadn’t been able to tell just how many had turned sides. Having to tread carefully in order to not tip the bastards off meant progress was slow. Sometimes, Zarja found it hard to discern just what was the lesser of two evils.
“I have served Rose’s bloodline from the very beginning,” the Kresnik added, breaking the short silence that had descended upon the secluded yard. “From the day the first descendant of Mokoš came into existence.”
Zarja bit her lip, spying the frown that blossomed on Tomo’s forehead. He’d met Veles and Morana, but Rose was still only a were to him.
“Yes,” she confirmed, “as in the goddess of fertility.”
For a second, Tomo just stared at them, then took a long, long sip of his beer. His gaze was distant, but it was a pensive one, rather than a display of shock. Things were starting to look up.
“Right.” He exhaled. “So, vampires and werewolves, I know. Deities I’m aware of
through stories. Now not only did those stories take flesh, but you’re telling me there are people who descend from gods walking among us, as well as Kresniks who are immortal protectors of certain bloodlines. Why do I get the feeling the list doesn’t end there?”
While the look on his face was one of pure disbelief, he was clearly faring far better than he had when he’d arrived, if the light tone of his voice was anything to go by. Zarja chuckled softly.
“Because you’re right.” She smiled. “And if you want, we’ll tell you everything. No more secrets. But right now, there’s something a bit more important we need to discuss. And it involves your captain.”
Instantly, Tomo’s features hardened, ripples of the transformation echoing through his body. “Evelin already told me he was working with the vampires, organizing the attacks.”
“True,” Zarja replied, “but there’s more to the story than that. We’re sorry we didn’t loop you in sooner, but with the edict that the supernatural should remain hidden still in place, we didn’t dare risk your safety. Not while we were handling the deeper problem ourselves.”
“So what’s changed?” His voice was weary, but there was determination in there, as well. A whole lot of it.
Zarja took a sip of her own beer, then glanced at Sebastian before she turned her gaze back on the officer. “The beings who are supposedly maintaining the balance between the human and the supernatural world have overstepped the line. Even more so, they seem far too inclined to just leave the vampires to wreak havoc on our world than step in and stop the bloodshed. Something they could easily do, if the stories of their power hold even a pinch of truth.” She sucked in a breath, swatting away the annoyance that prickled at her retracted claws. “Since we’re left no choice but to deal with everything alone, we decided to bend the rules a little ourselves.
“We withheld information from you until we reached a consensus on the depth of your involvement after a very shitty revelation knocked us on our asses, though some of us had wanted to loop you in the instant we learned Tater is working with the group angling for vampiric supremacy. You can’t even begin to imagine how glad I am that we can give you the details now.” She raked her hand through the wild strands of her hair and suppressed a growl. “He’s dangerous, Tomo, really dangerous. And he already knows about your association with us, which makes everything that much worse.”
Tomo’s eyes darkened, his hard features now gaining that sharpness only someone seasoned in the darker paths of life possessed. Good. Having that edge just might keep him alive, if not exactly safe.
“He isn’t just some leader of the vamps, is he?”
Zarja shook her head.
“There are ancient beings who we believed were extinct until recently,” Sebastian said. “Their true form is something this world is unfit to handle, especially in larger numbers, but the creatures’ possession of two souls grants them the opportunity to take human, as well as vampire form at will. While Tater chose the former, it doesn’t mean he’s any less lethal. If anything, it only makes him more inconspicuous. He hides his true nature unnervingly well, but he is an Upir. Of that, we are certain.”
“Do you remember the woman we interviewed a couple of months ago?” Zarja asked, then continued when Tomo nodded. “She’s an Upir, too. And more than likely one of Tater’s associates.” She sighed. “And so was Vaclav.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake…”
“Trust me, I share the sentiment,” Zarja said dryly. “The thing is, Sebastian has reason to believe a fraction of the Kresniks that had gone rogue and the Upirs are working together. And now that we have the identity of at least one of the fuckers still alive and active, he’ll be able to investigate further.”
Tomo rubbed the side of his nose, then stilled. “Wait”—he turned to Zarja—“what about that woman?”
“Still no ID.” She snarled. “We have her cover name, as you’re well aware, but we were unable to establish a direct connection with any of the ancients we know about. Tracking her proved to be a waste of time, and we haven’t been able to keep it up, given that we aren’t sure just who else might be watching.” A bitter smile tugged her lips to the side. “We prefer her to stay ignorant, rather than risk exposure without any guarantee of a result. I mean, so far, she hasn’t given us a single hint, and I seriously doubt her cautious nature will slip anytime soon. Tater is our best bet.”
Loosening a breath that sounded suspiciously like a grunt, Tomo nodded. More to himself than to acknowledge her words. But there was a newly found resoluteness in his eyes as he met Zarja’s gaze, then glanced over to the Kresnik sitting by her side.
“What do you need me to do?”
The tension that had lurked in the air like the promise of a storm had subsided, but the atmosphere was far from easy. Whispers of anticipation, anger, and unease clung to the walls, accompanied by the restless shifting of bodies and the shuffling of feet.
Rose still rested on the couch, curled up next to Veles, only she had replaced her cup of tea for something a bit stronger. A light headache throbbed in her temples—undoubtedly a side effect of the knowledge of the higher circles settling in—and she hoped the aromatic glass of Refošk would succeed in taking some of the edge off.
Off her headache and her thoughts alike.
While she was still unable to access the knowledge, only catch a glimpse here and there despite her almost feverish attempts, she nonetheless felt its presence within her mind. Within her memories.
It was as if a pocket of her consciousness had sprung to life, assessing itself in her system.
The sensation was familiar, yet foreign at the same time, and as much as she was glad to finally possess this ethereal insight into the workings of the world, a part of her was also terrified of just what she might learn.
Pushing the unexpected seed of cowardice aside, Rose nestled herself deeper into Veles’s embrace and focused on the drink in her hand instead. A small groan of pleasure uncurled from her lips as the full taste of Refošk exploded on her tongue, a soft snicker fluttering through the room in response almost immediately.
She peered up from behind the rim, a smile tugging on her lips as she traced the sound to Greta. Probably the only person in the room—aside from Rorik and her co-conspirators—who wasn’t pissed at her for what she had done.
The tall, elegantly muscular were was lingering by the wall close to her brothers, her wild red hair only emphasizing the mischievous glimmer in her eyes. Laughing softly, Rose shook her head, then motioned Greta to come closer.
“So does this mean you’re staying with us?” she asked as she licked a stray droplet of wine off her lips.
Greta threw herself onto the empty spot on the couch next to Rose. “If you guys stop snarling at each other, yes. From what the Double Js told me, the shit you’re in calls for some reinforcements.”
“We’ll stop snarling if Rose stops making stupid-ass decisions,” Jens said matter-of-factly, and gained a scowl from Rose in return.
“I already said I’m done flying solo.” Jens raised an eyebrow in disbelief, but she ignored him. “The Vedmaks were my problem, not yours, and you know it.”
“Yeah, but it still sucks that you benched us,” Jürgen chipped in, mock hurt flashing across his handsome features.
“Now we’re talking. You’re only pissed that you couldn’t get a part of the action.”
The twins grinned, Greta rolling her eyes in turn, but the were couldn’t hide quirking up the corners of her lips. “Assholes.”
“That they most certainly are,” Rose agreed. She fell quiet as Zarja strode back into the room, Sebastian by her side. “How did it go?”
“Pretty good, actually. He and Sebastian will stay in touch, and he’ll report to us about Tater, as well.” Her words were easy, yet Rose caught a hint of concern lining Zarja’s voice. “He plans to put a bug in Tater’s office, as well as a tracker on his car and on his person.”
Mark let out a low whistle. “Do you th
ink he can pull it off?”
“If he believes he can, I trust him,” Zarja said firmly, almost as if she were convincing herself far more than she was Mark.
“He is only human,” he pointed out. “If we’re having difficulties coping with this shit, how can we thrust someone with no preternatural abilities right into the thick of it?”
Rose felt Evelin stir by his side even before her quiet, yet firm tone swept through the room. “You’re forgetting one thing. He’s a human with powerful allies. And I don’t mean only us. He has Nikolai at his back, as well.”
“You know”—Rorik’s smooth voice cut through the growing tension—“he could have far more than just allies.” His gaze brushed Nathaniel before it fell on Sander, then moved over to Serafina. The Koldunya’s lips formed an o, while deep, rumbling laughter bubbled from Sander’s chest.
“You sneaky sonovabitch,” the Koldun purred, but Nathaniel only shot the three of them a confused stare.
A sentiment Rose wholeheartedly shared.
“Okay, just what are we missing?” she pressed.
It was Serafina who answered, a conspirator’s grin making her feminine features even lovelier. “Protection amulets.”
“Like the one you gave us when we came to you for aid?” Evelin’s fingers wrapped around the pendant of Mokoš resting between her breasts, the metal bright against her suntanned skin.
“Yes and no.” Sander’s gaze lingered on the black-haired werewolf just a second too long before he sauntered to the center of the room and snagged a seat next to Rorik. “While that pendant does carry our magic, it doesn’t protect the bearer. But even more so, any charm we might create would hardly be enough to ward off someone as powerful as an Upir. The tradition of amulets is linked to our supposed benevolent nature. It’s designed to warn rather than shield, to give the person a chance to flee. Not throw themselves into a counterattack as I’m sure your officer would do.” He shrugged, clearly more than a little amused at the idea. ”However, there have been instances when we tricked the creation of amulets into becoming something more. It was why Rorik and I had become acquainted with one another in the first place.”