A Shade of Vampire 8: A Shade of Kiev (13 page)

I never should have accepted anything from that vampire. It’s only encouraged him further.

I knew the type of man he was. Entitled. Uncompromising. Aggressive. If given an inch, he’d string it into a mile. He couldn’t receive even the slightest bit of lenience without pushing to take full advantage of it. I couldn’t accept any more of his gifts. And I could no longer visit the well at the same time each evening.

If I avoided him long enough, he’d grow tired of whatever game he was playing. And move on to badgering somebody else.

I closed my eyes, shutting out the world and relishing the sun’s warmth on my skin. The waves rocked the boat gently from side to side, as if it were a cradle.

The gifts I’ve received from him in the past few days outnumber the gifts I’ve received in my entire life. And most of them can’t have been easy to find on the island. He must have spent hours, maybe even days… Why is he spending so much time thinking about me?

I dozed in and out of consciousness, losing count of how many hours passed by. Despite promising myself to cast aside all thoughts of the vampire, I couldn’t get him out of my head.

Why am I still thinking about him? I left the island to get away from him.

A cool spray of water brought me to my senses. I scrambled up and looked over the edge of the boat. Kai and Evie had started splashing around wildly in the water. It was only when I looked up that I realized why.

Oh, no.

A large ship loomed toward us at an alarming speed.
The Skull Crusher
was inscribed in thick letters at its bow. I grabbed the reins and tugged at the dolphins to hurry forward in the opposite direction. As soon as they picked up speed, I turned back. A dozen trolls armed with bows and arrows stared down at me from the distance.

“Hurry!” I breathed. My dolphins’ supernatural speed suddenly seemed insufficient.

“Oi!” a voice bellowed down at me.

I turned around again to face the ocean ahead, hoping they hadn’t already recognized me.

“Hey!” another voice shouted.

“It’s that witch!”

Something hot sped past my ear. I looked in horror to see a fiery arrow embedded in the side of the boat. I managed to yank it out before the wood could catch fire, and threw it overboard.

Arrows continued to fly. I had to scramble around the deck attempting to dodge them. They stopped only once Kai and Evie had managed to gain enough ground that we were out of reach of their slower-moving vessel. Although their ship was powered by at least a dozen large sharks, we still had the advantage of being small and nimble.

I breathed a deep sigh of relief, looking back toward them once more.

“That’s right, witch!” one jeered. “Run away!”

“Just know that you can’t run forever!” another bellowed.

“Don’t know why they even call you a witch!”

I winced as raucous laughter broke out.

We’d made enemies out of the ogres on board the
Skull Crusher
the moment we’d offered Brett protection in our group. Brett was the son of their captain. Gentle soul that Brett was, he never did fit in with their crowd. They’d tried to make him perform violence he wanted no part of, and when he’d refused, they’d attempted to torture him into submission. We’d found him washed ashore on our island, beaten to a bloody pulp. He’d escaped by jumping off the ship.

They’d found out that Brett had survived, and they’d tried to reclaim him ever since. But thanks to Matteo’s able management of our defenses, we’d outsmarted them repeatedly. The humiliation that came with their defeats only made them twice as dangerous to encounter in open waters.

Once I was sure that I was a safe distance away from them, I didn’t turn around again. Instead, I focused all my attention on guiding Kai and Evie home as fast as their fins could manage. As soon as we arrived on the beach, I jumped out, dropped the anchor, and loosened the dolphins. Then I ran back to the wall. It was almost sunset.

The werewolf let me in through the gate, eyeing me with irritation.

“I thought you said you’d only be a few hours? Saira will kill me if she finds out I let you out alone for so long.”

“I’m sorry,” I said.

I walked back through the woods toward the lake, hoping I wouldn’t bump into Saira along the way. On rowing across the lake and reaching the front door of my cabin, I was met with a long object lying on the floor. Next to it were a handful of shriveled lilies. Unwrapping the object, I found myself looking down at a steel dagger.

I hurled it into the lake, along with the dead flowers, hoping that Kiev was watching.

I was beginning to run out of ideas.

I needed to throw everything I could at her. I couldn’t leave a single stone unturned. But the fact that she’d stopped showing up at the well after all my efforts wasn’t a good sign. I had hoped that my gifts would have warmed her to me, not turned her away. As I sat in my dark room, I ran through all the hours I’d spent with the witch since I’d first met her. She was always so guarded.

But then, as I traced my memory further back, I recalled an incident on the boat, after we’d just escaped from Aviary. An uncharacteristic eagerness had taken over her eyes as she’d asked me questions about my personal life. About Sofia. I had cut her short, refusing to indulge in what I considered to be a senseless and uncomfortable discussion.

Thinking back, I realized that was the only time I’d witnessed any true spark of enthusiasm in her face. And she had looked disappointed when I’d refused to comply.

A plan began to form in my mind. I had no idea if it would work, but I was a man with nothing to lose. I stepped out of my room and exited the tunnels. I looked around the trees until I found a broad leaf that was dry enough for my purposes. Then I walked to the wall and crumbled off some of its chalky brick. Smoothing the leaf against its surface as much as I could, I inscribed a message. I read it through. Then I crumpled up the leaf, breathing out in frustration. I picked another leaf and started again.

Better,
I thought, once I’d finished.

Next, I ran to the lake, and, placing the folded leaf between my teeth, swam toward Mona’s house. I was about ten feet away from it when I heard a splashing nearby. It came from the other side of the cabin. Careful not to make a sound, I swam around the house’s foundations toward the noise.

There, bathing in the moonlight, was Mona.

Her long hair flowed down her back as she tipped water over herself. My breath hitched when I saw that her shoulders were bare. Grateful that she hadn’t noticed me, I retreated silently to the other side of the house. I climbed onto the veranda and placed the folded leaf between the gap beneath her front door.

I slipped back into the water and returned to the mainland. Crouching in the trees, I waited, my eyes on the entrance of the cabin. After several minutes, she appeared climbing out of the water, wrapping a wide cloth around her. I watched her stoop down and pick up my note. I ducked further into the bushes when she turned and cast her eyes around the lake. Her arm made a hurling motion toward the water. Then she hurried into her cabin.

Curse that witch!

I planned to head back to my room and try to calm myself down. But Saira came bounding toward me just before I reached the entrance of the tunnels. My sour mood intensified.

“Well, good evening, Kiev,” she said, eyeing my soggy clothes. “It looks like you’ve been busy.”

“What do you want?” I snapped.

“I just wanted to see how things are going for you.”

“I need more time,” I muttered, not willing to mention my failures. “I’ll come to you when I’m ready.”

“Oh, these things can’t be rushed. I understand that. I just wanted to make sure you’ve been keeping yourself busy with the task.”

“Well, I have.” I scowled and turned to leave, but she padded round me, blocking my way. Her shining eyes looked up into mine, suddenly intense.

“You’ll thank me for this one day, son,” she said softly.

Before I could spit back a retort, she turned and galloped away. I stood watching as her large form disappeared into the dark woods.

Crazy wolf.

I frowned at the folded leaf wedged beneath my door. I had no doubt that this was another one of Kiev’s gifts. I shuddered. It hadn’t been there when I’d left the cabin less than an hour ago. That meant that Kiev had been in close proximity while I was bathing. I hoped that he hadn’t seen me undressed.

I was about to drop the leaf straight into the water, but curiosity overcame me when I unfolded it and saw that it contained a handwritten note. In case he was still watching, I pretended to chuck it into the lake. Then I hurried inside and locked the door.

I sat cross-legged on my mattress and began to read the smudged message.

“Witch,

I understand you’ve been avoiding me.

My conclusion is that you still insist on holding a grudge.

When we were on the boat together, you asked me some questions. I admit that I found them inappropriate.

However, if you want to ask them again, I promise to answer.

I won’t come to you. You can find me in my room.

Or, if you prefer to meet somewhere more public, we could meet by the well, at the usual time.

Or, if you don’t respond within two days, I could come to you…

Sincerely,

Kiev.”

I read the note through several times. My cheeks grew warm and my stomach churned at his mention of those questions. I had hoped he would forget I’d ever asked them.

Why is he still chasing me like this? Is this his way of wooing me? Could Saira have been right after all about him taking a fancy to me?

I knocked the thoughts out of my head as soon as they had entered.

Don’t be so stupid, Mona.

I threw the leaf aside and leaned my back against the wall. Stretching my legs out in front of me, I looked up at the wooden ceiling. I wasn’t sure what to think anymore. I closed my eyes, trying to calm my whirring mind and obtain some clarity as to what my next move should be.

I could just go to Matteo and complain. Tell him to forbid Kiev to bother me again. That would work. Kiev would have no choice but to listen to him, or he’d be booted out of the island.

My other option was to meet with Kiev, and have him answer my questions. Although I knew that this would only encourage him to continue badgering me in the long run, I couldn’t hide the desire that had reignited within me. I could always complain to the captain
after
Kiev had answered them.

My thoughts drifted back to my unfinished story.

Adrian and Irina.

They might benefit if I met with Kiev. Perhaps his insights might be what I need to finish their story. After all, wasn’t that the real reason I asked them of him to begin with? To help me complete their love?

But, despite my longing to hear his answers, my whole body tensed with fear. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be that vulnerable in front of him again, now that I had no idea if I’d ever see the back of him. I’d bared myself enough to him already.

I sat all day on the mattress, with nothing but my old towel wrapped around me. Kiev wouldn’t seek me out before two days were up. I had some time to think things over.

Early next morning, the perfect solution dawned on me. I took a spare piece of parchment from my drawer and sat down at my desk. Picking up my quill, I began to write. I paused every so often, crossing out words, and trying to find ways to better express myself. Four hours had passed, with several more sheets of parchment used up, before I was satisfied.

I dressed and, folding up the sheets, tucked them safely beneath my shirt. Jumping into my boat and traveling toward the forest, I knew exactly where I needed to stop by first. Kiev had either forgotten to include his room number, or deliberately excluded it. Either way, I guessed that the ogre would know. Unless Brett’s guard duty had changed hours recently, he’d be standing by the wall close to the tunnels at this time.

I was pleased to see that my assumption had been correct. Brett sat on the ground near the gate, humming something out of tune to himself and fiddling with his thumbs. His face lit up when he saw me approach.

“Eh, Mona! How are you?”

He stood up and patted me affectionately on the shoulder. I winced. Brett always forgot that I didn’t like being touched. But I didn’t have the heart to correct him as much as I did Saira.

“I’m fine, Brett. I wanted to know which room…” My voice dried up before I could finish my sentence. I hadn’t envisioned that it would be this difficult.

“You looking for Kiev?” Brett blurted out, a wry grin forming on his face.

“Uh… y-yes. How… how did you know?”

“Well, you’ve been on his mind a lot recently. I guessed he might be on yours too.” Brett winked. “He’s been asking me all sorts of things about you. Even asked me to make a table.”

Kiev had that made especially for me?

“He’s in chamber twenty-five,” Brett concluded, still grinning from ear to ear.

“Th-thank you,” I said, and hurried away, reaching up to hold my burning cheeks.

The lanterns flickered as I crept into the entrance of the tunnels. I looked around, but the place was empty. Most vampires had no reason to be up at this sunny hour. As I walked along the corridors, the only sounds were the odd dripping leak in the dirt ceiling and muffled snores.

Breathing heavily, I stopped outside Kiev’s door. My throat felt dry as I withdrew the parchment from my shirt and bent down. As I was inches from dropping the sheets, my hands began to tremble.

I stopped, my limbs frozen.

Why are you even doing this?

This is a stupid idea.

Just walk away.

Somehow, the braver part of me took over, numbing my doubts and warming me enough to shove the letter under the door. Then I raced away.

As I reached the exit and ran toward the forest, I looked back at the dark entrance of the tunnels. I shivered, despite the mild breeze.

I hope I won’t live to regret this.

I awoke to see parchment beneath my door. Rubbing my eyes, I got up and picked up the sheets. It took me a second to realize that they were from the witch.