Page 94

Snow crunched when someone else circled around Raven, and I realized I hadn’t heard the man approach us.

“You stole all our fun away.” A younger woman with pale skin strolled up. Her hair, the color of bluebell wildflowers, lay like thin, soft petals down her back, her eyes the same purple-blue color. Small and delicate, the rifle in her hand looked out of place on her. “They were about toa face dragoste.”Have sex.

“Shut up, Viorica.” The man behind me barked, but I saw her eyes flare with lust at his brutal tone. “We have a job to do, which I seem to be the only one who takes seriously.”

“No one takes it as seriously as you, Vlad.” Another man came up, broad and built, his dark brown skin blending him with the shadows until he looked at us. His eyes were a bright, glowing yellowish-brown. “And not nearly as much fun as watching him fuck her right here.” He smirked, coming behind Raven. His eyes stayed on me as his hands moved down her frame, checking for weapons, sliding over her hips and up her stomach.

Snarling, I lowered my lids on him.

A smirk danced over his mouth, continuing his search, confiscating the knife and gun from her.

“Vlad?” Raven lifted her brows. The name was notorious all over the world, though in America, it was more linked to a storybook vampire and a ruthless leader who spiked his own people. In these parts, he was a cult hero, and many children were named after him.

“They call me that because I enjoy impaling trespassers.” He stuffed my weapon into his belt, keeping his pointed at me. He was lean, with a mix of brown, black, and white feather-like hair, dark eyes, and a beak-like nose, reminding me of a goose.

“Or just impale Viorica and her cousin, Brându?a, like you did last night.” The man behind Raven chuckled. Viorica covered her mouth, her eyes dancing with humor and lust as she looked at Vlad.

“You can shut the hell up too, Codrin.”

Codrin meant woods. Viorica and Brându?a were flower names. I had no doubt we had found exactly the group we needed to.

“You know what we do to trespassers?” Vlad gritted at me.

“Invite them in for a warm meal and some brandy?” I replied dryly.

“No.” He blinked at me, not getting my humor. “I kill them.” His finger started to tug at the trigger.

“We’re here to see Iacob.” Raven stepped forward, putting herself more in front of me, as though she could protect me from getting shot.

“Raven,” I growled, trying to move her behind me, but the silence of the other three took my focus.

“How do you know that name?” Vlad pointed the gun between us.

“Reverend Baciu sent us.”

All three looked at each other, the name clearly meaning something to them.

“He told us we could find sanctuary here for a few days,” Raven continued.

“Sanctuary from who?” Codrin asked.

“Your newfound queen and her men.”

“She isnotour queen,” Vlad spat.

“See, we already have so much in common,” I quipped.

Codrin lowered his gun, looking to Vlad to do the same. “We must take them to Iacob.”

Vlad still glowered at us, his expression tight.

“Vlad…” Codrin expressed his name with a slight warning.

Vlad huffed, dropping his weapon. “Fine. Let’s go then.” He motioned for Raven and me to move. “But you pull anything, and I will gun you down where you stand.”

“Ohhhh…” Viorica giggled, her shoulders shivering. “Don’t you love when he gets all assertive and domineering?”

“You two.” Codrin rolled his eyes, moving behind Raven and me. “Move.”