Garald pointed to the door. “Worry about yourself. And get out. Love and loyalty.”
“Love and loyalty,” Vasilisa answered, blew him a kiss, waved at Taisiya and stepped out of the shepherd’s cabin.
Afanasiv followed her out and closed the door behind him. He remained a few moments longer in order to throw a quick spell of protection around the small cabin, over it and under it, making it nearly impossible for any enemy to get to the couple inside.
Vasilisa’s heart contracted. It was a small thing, but it meant a lot to her that he would take the time to think of watching out for her brother and Taisiya. Those small kindnesses were ingrained in him, whether he knew it or not. They were part of what made him who he was.
“Where to, my lady?” He gave her a small courtly bow.
He was a big man, and the bow should have seemed ridiculous, but he was so graceful, every movement fluid, he appeared almost princely.
“I think tracking Olga to the original portal would be the smartest move. There was an earthquake not too long ago, and almost at once, we began to have strange occurrences. My brothers and I became certain the quake had opened a passage to the underworld. Now that I’ve seen those demons and realize they were programmed to use those low notes to displace rock and move plates, I’m sure that I’m correct and Lilith is behind the earthquake.”
Afanasiv scooped her up, cradling her close to his chest.
“I really am good at flying.”
“I’m sure you are. You seem to be good at everything you do; however, in this instance, as I’m not tired and you are, this makes sense. You can conserve your energy while we hunt for your aunt. We’ll be able to track her from the sky. I can cover the distance fast once wehave a direction. You pay attention to the ground and any signs that you might see of Olga’s passing. I’ll be moving fast,” he warned.
“My eyes can keep up.” Unless she fell asleep. He was warm and she felt safe with him, an odd thing when her entire world seemed to be imploding.
He laughed softly in her ear. She didn’t know why his breath against her ear or that low laughter seemed so incredibly intimate, but it did. Just like that, she became aware of him as a man and her as a woman. She burrowed closer to him, sliding her arms around his neck but keeping her gaze on the ground.
I suppose the snow has covered her tracks,Afanasiv ventured.
I can track her.Vasilisa gave a little sniff of disdain for Olga’s chances of escaping her.She thinks she is so much smarter because she has a few demons for friends, and they’ve talked to her about how much slyer and more cunning she is than we are because we trust her. I am the most loyal of friends, as are my brothers. But we make bitter, relentless enemies. She betrayed her family. She delivered her nephews to the underworld. For all I know, she may have tortured and killed their women. She will not elude me.
He might as well know some of her worst traits before they got too far into their relationship. She wasn’t an easy person to be around. She spoke right up and gave her opinion, even when it wasn’t asked for. She considered herself an equal with any man in the room. She wouldn’t back down if she believed she was right. She was Lycan through and through, and she would hunt an enemy and never stop until she found and eradicated them.
You are exactly the woman for me,Afanasiv said without reservation.
She heard the pride in his voice. She wasn’t used to a man like him. He made her want—more. Want a real relationship. Want physical intimacy. She wanted so much more than that, if she was admitting the truth to herself and to him. He was in her mind. He could read her thoughts.
I grew up in a wonderful family. My parents were good to us, but...She hesitated, feeling disloyal.They didn’t always stay in step with one another. Or they felt out of step to me. My mother kept this secret from my father. Her legacy of protecting your soul and then handing it to me when it was time for her to have children. She had sons first and finally me. She passed your soul to me and told me from the time I was little that I had a sacred trust that had to be fulfilled, but that no one else could know, not even Papa.
Afanasiv remained silent, allowing her to choose her words, never hurrying her. Never impatient with her. He flew low over the ground, shielding them from any eyes, but true to his word, he flew very fast.
I think Papa knew she kept secrets from him, and after a while, it took a toll on their marriage. She told me often that she loved my father. Really loved him, and I believe she did, but how could she?
She was not my lifemate, sívamet. Once she was of a certain age and realized she was merely the guardian of my soul, she was free to love whomever she chose to give her heart to. In that way, she would have children, or at least a daughter to continue the legacy. I have heard of such things but had no idea I would ever be a part of it. Your legacy of demon fighting was also something your mother kept from your father?
Vasilisa nodded her head and then rubbed her cheek against his chest even as her gaze followed her aunt’s stumbling tracks in the snow.Slow down just a bit, Afanasiv. I think we’re closing in on her.
Through the snow-shrouded world, Vasilisa caught occasional glimpses of a tall, slender figure wearing trousers and a very fashionable matching jacket that in no way would keep anyone warm. As she peered down, Afanasiv took them directly over that pitiful-looking woman. It was, indeed, her aunt.
Olga appeared much older than Vasilisa had ever seen her look. Her hair was disheveled and falling in strands around her face. From her position above, Vasilisa could see that small patches of her scalp were bare. Olga reached up and tore at her hair, ripping some out bythe roots. She was ruining her own hair and didn’t seem to notice the damage she was doing.
Olga alternated between muttering curses, promising revenge and sobbing. She fell in the new knee-deep snow and pounded on it with her fists before managing to extricate herself. Snow clung to her clothes, forming little balls that hung off her and made it more difficult to walk. Still, Olga persisted.
Why doesn’t she shift? She’s Lycan. If she took her wolf form, she could run over the surface much more easily. This makes no sense.Vasilisa tried to puzzle it out. Olga was intelligent. In their world, Lycans were respected, and they ruled the territory. Should someone come along, they wouldn’t know the difference between the shifter and the real animal.
She might not even remember she is Lycan, my lady.
His voice, so tender. Wrapping her up in a velvet heat to comfort her when sorrow threatened to overwhelm her.
She was once our beloved aunt. When our parents were murdered, she fought off the intruders. The boys helped and so did I. There were so many of them. Eventually, when it appeared as if we were going to be overrun by the enemy, she demanded we enter the safe room. When we said we wouldn’t go without her, she insisted. She backed us up right into it.
Vasilisa rubbed at her temples. The headache that had been there earlier had come roaring back with a vengeance.We could hear and see everything through the audio and video our father had set up. She fought them off. I don’t know how many she killed to keep them off us, but she took up a position in the narrow hallway leading to the safe room and forced them to come to her the only way they could.