It wasn’t Vasilisa who responded to Olga’s accusations; it was Grigor.
“Seriously, Aunt Olga? What the hell are you talking about? Our mother was never jealous of you. She admired you and took pride in your accomplishments.”
Olga’s face darkened with fury. She clenched her fists so tight her nails pierced her palms. “Lies. Those are lies. She reveled in the accident that took away my dancing. She taunted me every chance she had. She made certain to destroy my friendships, especially with Vasili. She pulled away from him, and I tried to comfort him, but she wouldn’t even allow us to be friends. She didn’t want him anymore, but no one else could have him. She didn’t care if he was miserable.”
“That’s a lie,” Andros snapped. “They loved each other. You know they did. If anyone was jealous, clearly it was you or you wouldn’t be talking like that.”
Olga’s harsh laughter seemed to reverberate through the room. The longer Afanasiv looked at her, the more her features began to change subtly. Her perfect complexion was no longer as smooth as it had been.There were blotches, dark smudges appearing and creases showing around her mouth and eyes. Her eyes appeared to sink in just a little bit.
“How would you know?” She sneered. “You believed everything I said to you. How do you think those men got into the palace that night? How do you think they knew where to find your parents? My precious sister died, but she gave up her secrets to me. Vasilisa carried the soul of a Carpathian male. Of course she did.”
She glared at Vasilisa, looking as if she might leap on her and rip out her heart. “You,” she accused. “Just like your mother. Everything going to you that should have gone to me. He should have been mine. The Dragonseeker should have been mine.” She all but screamed the last.
Afanasiv could feel the shock in the room. Vasilisa and her brothers had never expected Olga to confess to being part of the conspiracy to kill their parents.
“You fought to save us,” Garald said. “We saw you.”
“Yes, I was so heroic.” Olga tossed her head. “That ensured I was always going to be revered by you and everyone else. It was simply a matter of you rounding up the conspirators and killing them quickly before anyone could figure out who allowed them into the palace.” She studied her fingernails with a malicious smile.
Grigor stepped toward her, but Andros caught his arm to hold him in place. Grigor tried to shake off his hand. “Didn’t you hear what she just admitted to? She was behind our parents being murdered. She let those men into the palace and showed them the secret room.”
“So she claims.” Andros sneered at his aunt, pure contempt on his face. “Anyone can say anything, Grigor. You must learn that and not believe everything. She wants us to believe she despised our mother, and yet how many years did we have with her showing just the opposite? Either this woman is an impostor, or she is lying to us now. I doubt she has Alyona or even knows where she is.”
Olga’s dark brows drew together, and her lips drew back in whatshould have been a Lycan’s snarl. Her mouthful of teeth was definitely longer and sharper.
Afanasiv’s radar went off.Brothers, something is wrong other than Olga having traded her soul. She is part demon. I feel that in her. Something foul has taken hold of her. Come into the room to aid me in containing whatever it is she is host to. You must use as little energy as possible.
“You dare to talk about me that way, Andros? I took that little hellion, and you won’t get her back unless Vasilisa meets my terms. There will be no negotiations. Either she wishes to save the child or she wants her dead.” She glared at the royal, her eyes twin pits of red-and-yellow malevolence. A small bit of saliva dripped from the corner of her mouth. She didn’t seem to notice.
Vasilisa, move behind me and continue all the way to the other side of the room. Do it casually, but get closer to Andros, where you can defend him.
Is she going to attack him?
I fear she might.He didn’t know what Olga’s intentions were, but she seemed so confident. He had to believe Xaviero had seen who was in the room and had sent Olga in to confront them. They knew Afanasiv was capable of taking Olga’s memories from her just as he had Rudlof’s. Why was she so certain she had the upper hand? He had allowed her to taunt the royals, and Andros had even helped, but other than catching that she was hosting another, he hadn’t yet solved the puzzle.
Vasilisa sighed. “Andros, please stay calm. I know you’re upset over Alyona, but accusing Aunt Olga of lying isn’t going to help the situation.” As she spoke, she looked directly at Andros, turning her back on Olga and walking to him.
As Vasilisa moved past Afanasiv, her body skimmed his. Featherlight. Every nerve ending in his body was on heightened alert and completely aware of her. The chemistry between them felt sizzling. Explosive. Electricity seemed to arc from Vasilisa to him, tiny little forks of what looked like white lightning crackling just for that brief moment, jumping between them.
An ancient symbol blazed hot on Afanasiv’s skin, the one he’d been born with, his birthright. A fiery dragon worn on his body, coming alive for his woman in a brief display of bonding with wings spread. As she moved by, the talons gripped, and a long, hot river of fire emerged in a steady stream before the dragon subsided.
Few things shocked the ancient, but the fact that his woman had awakened the protection of his dragon, and the dragon had displayed a warning given thus far only when a vampire was near, managed to do just that.
There is a possibility that she is part vampire or managed to bring a vampire unseen into this house,he cautioned his brethren.The women are in another part of the house. Olga’s claim of despising the royals rings true to me. She might be spiteful enough to have Lada killed while Andros is trying to locate the child.
He wove a shield of protection around each of the royals, beginning with Vasilisa. He included Rudlof once he managed a good defensive block above, below and from either side of all of them.
Petru, add your safeguards to mine. There is mage in Olga and she feels too confident. Over the years, we changed much of our safeguards so a mage could not so easily bring them down. Two of us working together should make the shield far too strong for any harm to come to them.
Benedek is with the women. He is uneasy. They have no awareness of him. The house feels foul to him.
Where is Nicu?Afanasiv was really concerned now. He stepped back from Olga deliberately. He had her full attention already, and he wanted whatever she was to see that he was ready to do battle.
He is adding his safeguards to mine to protect the women here,Benedek assured him.Then he will begin to search through the house to find what is hidden.
Olga stomped over to Afanasiv. “Don’t even look at her,” she hissed.
He gave her a cool, arrogant stare. “What makes you think even if Vasilisa should say she would give me to you that I would agree? We are lifemates. You cannot break the soul bond.”