Well, two years wasn’t accurate, but the attitude was. He’d lived in residences with strygoi before. It didn’t always happen, and until now, it’s hadn’t happened here. Soră had been the barest presence when the Ildum arrived a thousand years ago and faded over time, the strygoi magic exhausted after transporting the entire fortress from Dacia.
But sometimes strygoi magic infused the places the witches lived, letting them hear things in other rooms, know when someone was arriving before they knocked on the door.
Or, slam doors in the faces of their vampires.
For the house to pick up on Viktoria’s mood, that meant... had Viktoria turned strygoi when he bonded with her?
Fuck.
He hadn’t asked. Jael lifted his head and banged it against the door, once, twice, and on the third bang, it flew open, dumping him onto the floor in his room.
Scrambling with none of his usual assassin-trained grace, he managed to get his legs and feet out of the way before the door slammed shut. Grateful he had almost no belongings for use as ammunition, Jael lay on the floor. If they were in Viktoria’s house, Soră could throw things at him for days.
Viktoria hadn’t said a word to him after they’d entered the house. Since she’d snapped him out of his downward self-pity spiral by telling him he could walk into the sun, he’d been concentrating hard on feeling nothing so she didn’t suffer with him. But she had suffered all the same, only not knowing why. She’d headed straight for Selene’s tower, and her departure left an emptiness in him. He was surprised to find empty felt worse than nothing.
He tried to sort out his memories of bonding her to him. He had thought he needed to hurry. She’d been dressed wrong, and he thought she wasn’t real. She’d said to feed, and he’d bonded with her. She could have stopped him, he’d expected her to. Another way the mage could torture him, letting him almost have her and taking her away. But she hadn’t stopped him, and he hadn’t asked her if she wanted him, or explained what it all meant.
Bonding with his Dragă, and opening himself to a rush of over three thousand years of emotions crashing down on him at once, while his brain and all his most painful memories were scrambled by spider venom, then waking up in a whole new world, and underworld, and having his pain taken away in such a short time had left his mind spinning. It had been an emotional overload, and he’d shut down to try and process it.
And there were more practical matters. How would it work between them? He’d never heard of Dragă-divorce. That bond, once formed, was it. No going back
When the swan dropped them off, he’d seen more of Viktoria’s house while she’d been releasing the spiders into the forest on her property. Cute, fuzzy and wearing socks or not, he wasn’t ready to see a spider.
As he wandered through her house, he realized she had so... much. Kitchen appliances, furniture, knickknacks, enough electronics Stryx should be banned, paintings, rugs, lamps, an inordinate number of pillows. And clothes.
The woman needed an entire house just for her clothes. He lived in a monk’s cell.
She had an enormous family. He was responsible for the death of his.
She was a social creature, he’d seen that watching her at the gallery. He was a creature of solitude.
She was shadow. He was darkness.
He hadn’t appreciated the difference when she’d laughed at his efforts to hide from her in shadows, but he knew what it meant now.
There was still a hollow place inside him where his swords used to live. His daughter hadn’t wanted to die by a mage spell, killed herself with the swords she’d infused with her magic to avoid that fate. But in the end, he hadn’t been able to prevent her burning in white mage fire, even after she was dead.
Thinking about his wife, his daughter, and all the other people he’d failed over the years no longer hurt. There was an ache, and he missed them, but his memories were settling, and reality was becoming more solid. When he remembered his daughter’s death now, he felt sadness, but no pain, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Did he deserve the memories without the pain that went with them? He didn’t think so, and that’s what he was trying to keep from Viktoria above all.
He didn’t realize he’d fallen asleep until she came to him, a bright beacon in a black world.
“I’ve been waiting forever for you to go to sleep.” Dream, dressed in black pajamas, with cutouts, and bunny slippers, crossed her arms, tapped a foot, and glared at him.
“I —”
Dream held a finger to her lips. “You don’t get to talk. Shadow has worked very hard, but she probably hasn’t told you anything about what you almost cost her, and us. And you’re being so mean!”
“What I —”
“Hush! It’s not your turn to talk yet!”
Jael held his hands up and stopped talking.
“Our mother keeps... kept us here in Pohjola because she doesn’t trust the world outside. We may have gotten into some trouble once or twice on our own. Kidnappings and what not.” Memory waved a hand to dismiss the ludicrous idea. “And you know what happened to Shadow a long time ago. Mother wants to keep us safe, but Shadow wanted to be free. So, she talked mother into a deal. If she could live in the human world for a thousand and one years and not ask for help, or be rescued even once during that time, Shadow could live in the human world for good. And if she did it, Mother would let the rest of us try, too.”
“That’s why she wouldn’t let —” He blinked. “Why didn’t she just say something?”
“Ha!” Dream giggled. “I thought you were smart. If she tells you she can’t accept help and then you don’t help her, it’s like helping her. Mother likes her tricky word games.”
That made sense. Sort of.
“Do you have any more questions, or can I finish telling you what I came here to say?”
Jael had a ton of questions, but recognized the trap when saw it. He held his thumb and index finger together and made a zipping motion across his lips.
“Shadow had to figure out everything by herself, including how to fight, and she had to keep everyone away, because if she let someone close and even asked them to help to carry her groceries, she would have lost her chance to be free.”
“But that’s ridiculous. People help each other with little things like that all the time.”
Dream shook her head. “Maybe so, but there were no restrictions or limitations placed on what she could ask for help for. Mother plays word games, so Shadow couldn’t ask for or accept help from anyone to do anything. She made sure to go out of her way to tell people she didn’t want their help. And when people started getting close to her, she left, so she didn’t come to rely on anyone.”
“She must have been lonely.”
“I think she was, but she never complained. You seem to like talking even when you say you won’t, so we’ll do this instead. This is what Shadow dreamed after you left her house the first night.”
Two movie theater seats emerged from the floor, a white screen unfurled in front of them, and a montage of images played. Dream showed him the future Viktoria wanted for them, and the more salacious things she wanted to do with him.
His eyes widened, and he slid down in his seat. He wanted the same things, but for his Dragă’s sister to be showing him this... As the images continued, Jael covered Dream’s eyes with a hand.
She giggled and pushed him away. “I didn’t know vampires could turn so red! Don’t worry. I’m totally here to judge you, but not about... that. I’ve seen dreams Viktoria hasn’t even had yet.” She winked. “The night the mage hurt you, we found you, and Mother came. This is what happened.”
“YOU DIDN’T SAVE EVERYONE.” Louhi nudged Jael’s still body with her foot. “And what about consorting with this... cursed one?”
“He’s different.”
“The number of times I’ve heard you girls say that before.” Louhi sighed. “I thought you were smarter than this, Shadow.”
“He is different.”
“Shall I judge him? Set him a task to see if he’s worthy?”
“You can’t! The mage did something to him. He’s not in any shape to be judged about anything right now.” Viktoria brushed hair back from Jael’s forehead. “I can come back to him when he’s well. And you already know perfectly well that he protected me when you couldn’t once before.”
Louhi studied Jael, reaching out a hand to cradle his face. She closed her eyes and muttered under her breath. She opened her eyes. “I can help him. If you ask for it.”
“You’re being cruel, Mother.”
“I am offering you a choice. What was our agreement?”
“If I live in the human world for a thousand and one years without asking for help, or being rescued, I don’t have to return to Pohjola, except for when I choose to, and I am free to leave anytime without interference. If I succeed, you will allow my sisters the same challenge.”
“And how long has it been?”
“You know how long it’s been.”
“How long has it been, Shadow?”
Viktoria closed her eyes and sighed. “One thousand years, eleven months, twenty-eight days.”
“He won’t last two days like this. He’s one of the cursed, so he won’t die, but his mind will be lost. If you want me to save him, you must ask for help and return to Pohjola. Or you can stay here and win the challenge in two days. Your freedom or his mind. Choose, Shadow.”
“Please help him. I’ll return to Pohjola.” She pressed a kiss to Jael’s lips. “I’m sorry, Lurky. If I had known things were going to turn out like this, I would have let you bite me when we met. I would have been your Dragă, even for one day.”
TWO DAYS.
After a thousand years of being alone, she had two days to go and she...
“She chose you, you big galoot. You believed all the nightmares. But it's easy to believe in nightmares. Dreams are so much better, because they’re what can happen, if you want. With you, I don’t even have to work! All you have to do is find my sister.” She waved an arm and the white screen disappeared. The chair tipped him onto the floor and vanished. “I asked you once before, and now I’m asking you again, what are your intentions with my sister? Are you going to live in your nightmare past or are you going to make her dreams come true?”
Selene had been right. He should have paid attention to Viktoria’s words. She’d never said she didn’t want him, his help or his protection. She’d said she couldn’t accept those things. But now she could. Her words rang in his ears. I would have been your Dragă even for one day. She’d chosen him. Another memory became a reality. When she’d told him to feed, she’d also said I want to be your Dragă. He’d taken everything she offered and shut her out. “I —”
Dream jabbed a finger in Jael’s face. “I should tell you, if there has to be another intervention, Memory will come. And she’s not as nice as me.”
Jael grinned. “Can I talk now?”
She nodded.
“My intentions are to find your sister and do as many of those things you just showed me in that movie immediately.”
Dream beamed at him and clapped her hands. “Do you want to see more? I can show you all of them.”
“No!” Jael blurted. “No, I got the idea. The rest I think we can figure out together.”
“Go find my sister, Lurky.”
“And tell her I love her?”
“Eeew.” Dream wrinkled her nose. “No. Stupid men tell us that all the time. Just love her.” She kissed his cheek and disappeared.
He woke to find himself laying on the floor in his room. Now that he wasn’t fighting it, what Viktoria felt came through their bond. She was strygoi, and she was up to mischief and secrets. He thought he’d dodged that bullet since she was already so powerful, but now he was looking forward to seeing if she got wings or a sword in her silver form.
He felt a twinge at the thought of his swords, but put it aside. It was time to stop worrying about fighting mages, and start worrying about fighting for his Dragă. He had some arrangements to make.
Jael stood and reached for the door. He jerked his hand back and picked out the large splinter. “I need to get out so I can do something for Viktoria.” The door remained closed. “I’m sorry I upset her. I’ll try to never do it again.” The door gave no response. “Please?” The door opened.
Stalking through the house, he came to the realization he didn’t know where any of the ‘stuff’ was kept. Maybe everyone already had everything they wanted in their rooms. Well, then, he’d have to go out.
Heading down to the garage, he stopped as the door connecting it to the house opened and Ciaran came in.
“Ciaran, I need some things for my room.”
“You do?” Ciaran placed his palm on Jael’s forehead. “You don’t feel like you’re running a fever. Did Hell freeze over?”
Jael swiped Ciaran’s hand off his head, and wanted to wipe that smirk off his face, too, but refrained. Ember would toss him through a wall if he hurt Ciaran. “You tell me. You’re the one dressed like you’ve just come from an Antarctic expedition.”
Ciaran laughed. “Let’s just say I have a new appreciation for the great outdoors and I like eating sandwiches outside now. But it’s cold enough if you’re only half-vampire.” He took off his parka and hung it up. “What do you need for your room?”
CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO
VIKTORIA
“THIS IS WEIRD,” EMBER’S voice echoed in the spiral stairway as Viktoria climbed to Selene’s tower. “It’s like being in three places at once, and two of them are the same.”
Viktoria tapped on the open door’s frame as she entered Selene’s domain. Musette lay so still in her bed, Ember sitting next to her twin didn’t look up. Even the beige room was better than seeing Musette like this. Idris wasn’t anywhere in sight. A queasy feeling made a knot in her stomach. If two out of three relationships were shaky, maybe Soră’s Dragă detecting skills weren’t working so well anymore.
The silver girl waved a small, imperious hand to direct Viktoria to a seat on the couch in front of the fireplace next herself and Selene. “Soră! I’m happy you came back. Is Jael being mean? If he is, I will open all the shutters and slam all the doors!”
“I’m afraid that won’t work anymore. Lurky is safe in the sun now.” Viktoria crossed the room and took her assigned position. “While we were flying through the Soul Paths during the eclipse, I gathered some of the darkest shadows and put them on him.”
Soră clapped her hands. “I want to play with shadows. When are our sisters coming? Will you bring all of them here for me?”
“They’re still in Pohjola for now, but I’m sure they’ll start arriving soon. I’ll make sure to bring all of them when they come to Port Storm.” The promise was easy to make, but the amount of sheer drama that could cause almost made her shudder.
“Hello, Viktoria,” Selene greeted her. “Join us. Ember, bring her into your Dragă space, so I can bring her into mine.”
Ember didn’t move or give any sign she’d heard Selene, but the room blurred and the tower receded, pulling Viktoria out of herself. Her surroundings were replaced by the kitchen at Ember and Musette’s house. Viktoria clutched at at the edge of the table in her new location, trying to make sense of the superimposed vision of herself sitting on the couch next to Soră and Selene. Soră waved. Viktoria took a deep breath.
“It’s easier if you try not to think about it too hard.” Ember slid into the chair opposite, still sitting by Musette in the other place. “All that stuff you’ve heard about not being in two places at once? Right out the window when you’re strygoi. We can be in three so far.”
Remembering the tone of voice Stryx used when he called Ember his Dragă, Viktoria wrinkled her nose. “Your kitchen is your Dragă space? Interesting, darling, but not what I imagined for you at all, especially if you bring your scowly, growly here. And if you bring him here, I don’t think I can ever eat in this room again.”
Selene laughed as Ember flushed. “Viktoria! This isn’t where I go with him. It’s where I find her. Someone wants to have a word with you.”
“With me? Who?” Viktoria gasped as magic pulled at her again and the kitchen thinned, stretching like taffy. The walls, ceiling and floor elongated and weakened, until they became almost invisible, leaving Viktoria standing next to the couch as a second version of Selene’s tower room superimposed itself, coming into focus but a bit out of phase from the first. Ember sat with Selene on the sofa. Soră curled up asleep between them in front of a roaring fire.
“This is going to take some getting used to.” Fighting off motion sickness, Viktoria closed her eyes to shut out the other two layers of reality. “Give a girl some warning, please. That was worse than Mother throwing us through her portals when she rescues us from kidnappers.”
Dishes clattered behind Viktoria, and arms crashed around her neck as a musical laugh filled her ears. “Musette?” Viktoria opened her eyes to give her friend a once over. Green eyes sparkling, skin radiant, golden-blonde hair coiffed into an updo, finger and toenails painted in shades of pink, and wearing a purple dress. Her friend seemed back to her self.
Viktoria returned Musette’s boa constrictor hug. “That chocolate must have really been something special. You’re looking vivaciously vivid. I’m glad to hear your laugh again.”
“It’s nice to laugh again. And it’s Cocoa Day!” Musette picked up a tray full of cups and a teapot, set it on a low table in front of the couches and prepared cups of cocoa with marshmallows for everyone. “Thank you for getting me away from that empty place.” She shuddered and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “And for finding the mage who hurt me. Idris went to get him and threw him into the dungeon. Is it weird we’re living in a place with an actual dungeon? He said there were a lot of witches being held prisoner. I’m glad they’re all free.”
Viktoria's Shadow: Jael Page 36