“Why especially now, Vasi?” Sorina asked.
“Did you feel the tear in the earth? The tremor? There was a large seismic event a few days ago. It woke me up, nearly threw me right out of bed. The moment I went outside, I felt the tear. I heard wails of the dead. There is a vent open somewhere, and I have to find it, Sorina. I have to find a way to close it.”
“You aren’t telling me everything. I hear something in your voice. A reluctance to speak of it aloud.”
Vasilisa sighed. She fiddled with the gold filigree on the small glass holder. “There is a prophecy in my family, handed down from mother to daughter, a very sacred one we never share with any other. Not a male sibling. Not our father. No one else.” She looked up at Sorina. “My mother told me that a man would come to claim me, that he was my true mate. If he doesn’t appear to claim me within a certain time period, and I’ll know when, then I must marry a good man and pass the soul I guard to my daughter.”
Sorina continued to look at her for a time in silence. She didn’t object or say Vasilisa was crazy; she simply asked her a straight question. “Are you guarding a man’s soul?”
“Yes. I feel him sometimes. He’s close now. Very close. When I walked into the inn, I knew he was extremely near and that he’d been here.”
Sorina let out her breath and reached across the table to touch Vasilisa’s hand briefly. “You must be frightened.”
“Very. Why aren’t you telling me I’m insane?”
“Because I hold the other half of a man’s soul as well,” Sorina explained very calmly. “It’s the way of my people. I know it isn’t the way of yours. You know I’m Carpathian, and if your people knew who and what I am, they wouldn’t accept me here. They’re very superstitious.Still, I’ve been coming here for a very long time, and we’ve been friends since you were a young child. I grew up with you. I’m not quite certain how you happen to carry a soul as well, but if you were told by your mother that you do, know it is very real, Vasilisa.”
“My mother said it is my duty to guard his soul against any and all who might seek to take or destroy it. That if it is taken from me, he could destroy the world. He might be that powerful. Is that true as well?”
Sorina nodded slowly. “You’re aware of vampires. You’ve seen the destruction they cause. You know what we guard together. That’s even worse. Whoever you’re lifemates with could be an ancient who has been in this world far too long. He might not be able to be contained by other hunters should you give up his soul. It would be a disaster. You have a huge responsibility.”
Vasilisa nodded, running her finger along the rim of her glass. “My mother drilled that into me.”
“Have you consulted the cards?”
“I live by the cards. You gave your blood to keep the cards alive and allow me to help you guard the gate, Sorina. I am very careful of the cards. I consult them daily. Today I drew the chariot. It was upright, staring right at me. It’s a card of determination. Inner strength. It also can signal change, and in this case, I think it’s screaming change.”
Sorina smiled at her. “The attributes sound like you. You’re always determined, and you have more inner strength than anyone I know.”
“When I dealt the cards today, I realized the hand wasn’t for me alone. The chariot was forhimas well. He has determination and inner strength. His willpower is strong. He is so strong Ifelthim as I was laying out the cards.” She pressed her hand over her heart where the goddess card was protected at all times. “Sorina, I know he was aware of me. Hefeltme. We somehow connected. He’s that strong. I didn’t understand how he could have connected with me when I wasn’t looking for him or expecting to find him.”
Sorina’s white teeth bit down on her lip. Vasilisa noticed that two of her teeth appeared just a little sharper than the others. Instead of detracting from her looks, the teeth only enhanced her beauty.
“Why do you look so worried? You need for this man of yours to be strong. You’re in an untenable position, Vasi. You have to protect everyone, and suddenly you’ve become vulnerable through no fault of your own. You are going to need help. His help. All along, you must have known this. Your mother must have told you when she said he was coming.”
Vasilisa pushed back her dark hair. “I had my girlish fantasies,” she admitted. “It isn’t the same thing as facing a real living man in the flesh. For all I know, he could be a raving madman bent on ruling me. You know that’s not going to happen.”
Sorina smiled. “I know he might try. He’s Carpathian. The males were born with an attitude. They speak the ritual binding words and you’re stuck together. That gives them an advantage.”
“Carpathian?” Vasilisa all but spat the word at her. “I don’t want him to be Carpathian. Do you know how much trouble I have as it is hiding what I am from my brothers? From my people? Can you imagine what it would be like trying to hide it from him? I don’t think you can have secrets from Carpathians.”
Sorina shook her head. “You’re right about that. For one thing, he wouldn’t stand for it, and for another, he’ll be able to read your mind.”
“Just great. I mean, that’s just great.” Vasilisa slumped back in her chair. “As if I didn’t have enough problems. I’m going to avoid him.”
“What does the chariot mean as far as the relationship goes?” Sorina sounded curious.
Vasilisa looked at her suspiciously. “Did you just read my mind?”
“No, of course not. I promised you I wouldn’t unless you gave me your permission. It’s just that if you’re going to believe in the cards, you have to actually believe everything, not just pick and choose what you want to take from them.”
Vasilisa waved her hands in the air. “It doesn’t always work like that, Sorina. Card readings are never absolute.”
“Most cards readings aren’t, because they aren’tyourcard readings,” Sorina corrected. “You don’t want to tell me.”
Vasilisa sighed. She didn’t want to tell her, but she knew she was going to, so she might as well get it over with. “Fine. It’s time to move forward with confidence in my relationship. But that could mean our relationship. My relationship with my brothers.”
Sorina’s laughter was bright. Joyous. Musical. The sound, although soft, dispersed the blanket of negativity in the room, replacing it with cheer. The flames in the fireplace responded, leaping and springing higher, throwing orange and red figures dancing on the walls. The competing conversations vying for air space grew animated and happy, voices soaring with enthusiasm.