Voshkie had been included in that shield—that family. This was what she’d get with Ondrej Tatsu. This life. This bond.
It was what she wanted almost as much as peace for her people.
When they broke apart, it was Mikolas who was all business. “So what’s the plan, brother?”
“We stay here until dusk. Then I fly to West Virginia with Krysanthe.”
“You can’t still mean to go?” Voshkie was incredulous.
“I have to. We’ll never be safe. I need to know if it was Borgia, or his witch,” Krysanthe said.
“Makes sense,” Aranka agreed.
“We’ll tweak my plan, then.” Voshkie sighed. “You’re hell bent on going. So Mikolas and I will head toward the compound one way. Aranka and Imre the other. We all look enough alike to pass for Ondrej and Krysanthe at a distance. So we’ll keep any eyes and ears on the road in confusion while you handle your shit at the compound.”
“That leaves you too exposed. If I take out the compound, the rest of Remus will come. As will their allies.” He shook his head. “You know if Borgia planned this, that’s what I have to do.”
“We’re with you.” Mikolas gave him a pointed look. “And this is the best way to make sure we get the answers we need. Exposed or not.”
“I’m in,” Imre said.
“Aranka, I can’t—”
“Oh no, Krysanthe. There’s no way you’re going on this fabulous adventure and not taking me with you.”
“If something happened to you, I’d never forgive myself.”
“Somethings happen to people all the time. I’d rather something happen to me than nothing. You chose to go to Remus. I choose to follow. Suck it up, buttercup.” Aranka planted a kiss on her cheek.
“Pick up new bikes as soon as you can. They’ll probably be watching for that knowing the ghouls destroyed ours. Don’t get fancy. Buy used from private sellers instead of dealerships. We’ll get custom after crush our enemies,” Ondrej said.
“Whoever slept last can take the first watch,” Imre said.
“Mik and I will take first watch,” Voshkie offered.
Aranka used her power to travel along the veins of gold to find them a cave system down the side of the mountain where they could hide out until dusk.
She realized then that maybe her little sister wasn’t so little after all. She wasn’t so lost in the world and her great sense of adventure wasn’t naiveté. Not by a million miles.
Chapter 7
W hen dusk fell and there was still no sign of Fabian, Ondrej was torn between sending Mik and Imre out to find him and sticking with the original plan.
If he’d been hurt somehow, Ondrej should’ve gotten some kind of distress call, but there’d only been silence.
Krysanthe seemed to know what he was thinking. “We can go look for him.”
“Not if we want our plans to be effective.”
“This Mating Fever thing, is it possible he was struck as well and is… occupied?”
“I don’t think he’d go radio silent for that. He either dead or Turned. So there’s nothing I can do to help him until I help you.”
Krysanthe laced her fingers in between his. “You’ve lost so much.”
He squeezed her hand. “I’ve gained so much, too. So have Imre and Mikolas.”
“I’m afraid of what we’re going to find. Part of me doesn’t want to know. That same part of me that wouldn’t mind if you just stole me away and locked me in a tower like a proper dragon.”
“You’d mind.” Though, the idea did have merit. His dragon liked it. He wasn’t at all opposed to being a knuckle-dragging “proper” dragon as she described it. He thought that locking her in a tower was perfectly reasonable—especially if he could lock her in there with all of his other treasure. His dragon had fantasies of perching on all of his gold, rolling around in waterfalls of the stuff while Krysanthe stroked his chin and read to him from the old books. Of course, his bipedal side had no intention of her scratching his chin. He’d make love to her for hours in that golden
It was what she wanted almost as much as peace for her people.
When they broke apart, it was Mikolas who was all business. “So what’s the plan, brother?”
“We stay here until dusk. Then I fly to West Virginia with Krysanthe.”
“You can’t still mean to go?” Voshkie was incredulous.
“I have to. We’ll never be safe. I need to know if it was Borgia, or his witch,” Krysanthe said.
“Makes sense,” Aranka agreed.
“We’ll tweak my plan, then.” Voshkie sighed. “You’re hell bent on going. So Mikolas and I will head toward the compound one way. Aranka and Imre the other. We all look enough alike to pass for Ondrej and Krysanthe at a distance. So we’ll keep any eyes and ears on the road in confusion while you handle your shit at the compound.”
“That leaves you too exposed. If I take out the compound, the rest of Remus will come. As will their allies.” He shook his head. “You know if Borgia planned this, that’s what I have to do.”
“We’re with you.” Mikolas gave him a pointed look. “And this is the best way to make sure we get the answers we need. Exposed or not.”
“I’m in,” Imre said.
“Aranka, I can’t—”
“Oh no, Krysanthe. There’s no way you’re going on this fabulous adventure and not taking me with you.”
“If something happened to you, I’d never forgive myself.”
“Somethings happen to people all the time. I’d rather something happen to me than nothing. You chose to go to Remus. I choose to follow. Suck it up, buttercup.” Aranka planted a kiss on her cheek.
“Pick up new bikes as soon as you can. They’ll probably be watching for that knowing the ghouls destroyed ours. Don’t get fancy. Buy used from private sellers instead of dealerships. We’ll get custom after crush our enemies,” Ondrej said.
“Whoever slept last can take the first watch,” Imre said.
“Mik and I will take first watch,” Voshkie offered.
Aranka used her power to travel along the veins of gold to find them a cave system down the side of the mountain where they could hide out until dusk.
She realized then that maybe her little sister wasn’t so little after all. She wasn’t so lost in the world and her great sense of adventure wasn’t naiveté. Not by a million miles.
Chapter 7
W hen dusk fell and there was still no sign of Fabian, Ondrej was torn between sending Mik and Imre out to find him and sticking with the original plan.
If he’d been hurt somehow, Ondrej should’ve gotten some kind of distress call, but there’d only been silence.
Krysanthe seemed to know what he was thinking. “We can go look for him.”
“Not if we want our plans to be effective.”
“This Mating Fever thing, is it possible he was struck as well and is… occupied?”
“I don’t think he’d go radio silent for that. He either dead or Turned. So there’s nothing I can do to help him until I help you.”
Krysanthe laced her fingers in between his. “You’ve lost so much.”
He squeezed her hand. “I’ve gained so much, too. So have Imre and Mikolas.”
“I’m afraid of what we’re going to find. Part of me doesn’t want to know. That same part of me that wouldn’t mind if you just stole me away and locked me in a tower like a proper dragon.”
“You’d mind.” Though, the idea did have merit. His dragon liked it. He wasn’t at all opposed to being a knuckle-dragging “proper” dragon as she described it. He thought that locking her in a tower was perfectly reasonable—especially if he could lock her in there with all of his other treasure. His dragon had fantasies of perching on all of his gold, rolling around in waterfalls of the stuff while Krysanthe stroked his chin and read to him from the old books. Of course, his bipedal side had no intention of her scratching his chin. He’d make love to her for hours in that golden
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