Her mother took her arm and led her out of the room.
Barnabas turned to the other judges. “We have a very rare opportunity here. It sounds to me as if Vasilisa is not like the rest of her family. I am looking forward to meeting her. It will be extremely interesting to question her friend. I ask that no one be rude and embarrass the Belov family. They have been gracious enough to allow us to use their home for our meetings.”
Lada’s father led the way into the sitting room, with Barnabas walking beside him. Vasilisa and Skyler stood at the far end of the room, where Lada’s mother had sectioned off a large corner she’d turned intoan atrium. It was a small greenhouse, but she grew a few exotic plants that seemed to do quite well.
Vasilisa and Skyler turned around as the two men entered the room. Behind Barnabas and Lada’s father came Vovo and Artyom.
“Vasilisa, how good of you to come,” Stepan Belov greeted her. “You’ve brought a friend. Welcome, welcome.”
“Yes, this is Skyler, Dimitri’s wife. Skyler, Stepan Belov and Dimitri have known each other for years. Have we come at a bad time? You have company.”
“No time is a bad time for you to come, Vasilisa,” Stepan beamed at her. “This is my dear friend Nikita. You know everyone else. Sit, sit. Lada will be in soon with her mother.”
Barnabas went right up to Vasilisa and held out both hands to her. “Wonderful to meet you. I’ve heard nothing but good things about you.”
Vasilisa placed both hands in the mage’s. His fingers closed around hers and he drew her to him, kissing her first on one cheek and then the other. Afanasiv studied their enemy up close. As the mage leaned in to kiss Vasilisa, he blew softly onto her left cheek as his lips brushed her skin.
He planted a marker under my skin.Vasilisa sounded matter-of-fact. Calm. Outwardly, she looked serene and sweet, as if she didn’t have a clue what the mage had done.
Afanasiv was very aware that the mage had marked his lifemate. He felt close to panic, so much so that Dimitri demanded to know what happened.
Siv, I can deal with his marker. He doesn’t have a clue what I am. He has taken me at face value. He holds the belief that women are inferior and have no power. He looked Skyler over and dismissed her without even touching her. How could he not feel her power? She is part mage. Surely he would at least feel that in her.
Afanasiv wasn’t buying that a mage as powerful as Barnabas woulddismiss Skyler. She was a target, a huge prize for the mages to be able to drag down to the underworld. He was uneasy that a portal was so close.
He knows who Skyler is,he assured Vasilisa.Be on the lookout for treachery. Be careful of anything you are offered to eat or drink. And they will offer it if for no other reason than to prove that Skyler isSange rau. Although, to be honest, he will not allow anyone to do that, not if he wants a chance to take her to the underworld. He must be elated with her being so close to the portal.
“Please sit down.” Stepan waved toward the very comfortable upholstered chairs. “I see you were admiring Polina’s little project. The temperature must always be kept constant, or those flowers won’t survive.”
“The flowers are so beautiful. Some I’ve never seen before,” Vasilisa said.This thing under my skin is wiggling. I have to get it out.
Let me take a look at it.Afanasiv moved right up against his lifemate, so close he could inhale and take her into his lungs if he had them. He was only molecules. The sitting room window was cracked open, the tiny slit allowing fresh air to circulate in the room. For what purpose? He was certain Barnabas was aware of the breach of safety. He had to have either allowed it or orchestrated it.
“Yes, the flowers are exotic and would never survive our extreme cold,” Stepan advised her, pride in his voice. “Polina had to study each of the exotics and learn what they needed to thrive. It took a great deal of time and effort.”
I will take on the safety issues while you see to the tracker the mage put under the royal’s skin,Benedek instructed.
He is up to something,Petru reported.There is activity at the portal. A five-man team of demons awaits at the entrance.
Afanasiv considered what that meant.Describe them to me.
As he waited for Petru to give him the description, he moved to the left side of his lifemate to study her cheek. She had gorgeous skin. Almost luminous. Her complexion was smooth and very pale, almostalabaster, as she rarely saw the sun. Her long, feathery eyelashes and mass of sable hair appeared even darker, contrasting with the tone of her skin. Then there was the color of her eyes. They could go a deep royal blue, like now, or a light, almost crystalline blue that seemed to pierce one’s soul.
“Was this a joint project? The various shelves made from rock and wood are beautiful and really seem to showcase each species of flower,” Skyler said. “I especially love the ones that are grouped around the little waterfall. Those rocks look so natural.”
Stepan’s chest expanded. “Polina must take the credit for all the work with the flowers. She is the one who manages to get them to thrive. She tells me what environment she needs, and I provide it for her. That is very little to contribute.” He spoke modestly, but the underlying tone was definitely a brag.
Both women immediately exclaimed over the rock shelving and wooden settings.
The demons are fierce in appearance, with massive bodies in that they are dense. Each has four horns, two on the front of their skulls and two larger ones in the back, but up on top of their heads. The horns have very wicked points.
Afanasiv feared he knew the five demons already, before Petru was finished describing them. In the hierarchy of demons, these five were at the top for a very good reason. They rarely failed when a prisoner fled. They were sent after escapees Lilith wanted back at any cost. If they couldn’t return them, she wanted the prisoners killed and the bodies brought to her. That was the usual state of any escapee she set the team on.
Their heads are very large and look heavy, the jaws extended in order to accommodate their teeth. They have more teeth than can fit into their mouth, so no lips, just curved, spiked teeth that look as if they can do a lot of damage. The forehead clearly has a bony plate between the horns. Lots of hair.
Afanasiv studied the tiny flaw that was under his lifemate’s skin. It showed itself the way a blackhead might appear, although this movedin tiny increments. At first, he could barely tell that the thing was attempting a migration. When it moved, Vasilisa would put her hand to her cheek and rub or scratch over the spot with a long fingernail. Each time she did, Barnabas’s gaze would jump to her, his eyes almost glowing. The tiny creature would stop moving, and Vasilisa would drop her hand and continue the conversation as if nothing had happened.
These demons are taller than some I’ve seen. Deep chests, strong arms, big thighs. They have claws, but their hands work, just that they have fingernails that look more like a cat’s hooked claws. I think they’re venomous,Petru continued.