Chapter 6
Kamchatka Peninsula Safe House, Dusk, Sunday, November 25, 2012
Ash awoke and blearily looked around the bedroom in Eiko’s safe house. The witch had told them to stay in the isolated farmhouse until Ash mastered her vampiric powers and planned her next move. The property was well-warded, and it would take a very powerful being to catch them off-guard.
Dani came in and glared at the trash bags she’d taped to the windows. Light shone at the seams, but it wasn’t enough to hurt her sister. “By Lucaindrion’s saggy left nut, you’re okay!” She marched over to the bed. “I was so fucking worried about you.”
Ash still felt weak and groggy after her daytime deadness, so she had a hard time following Dani’s logic. “First of all, don’t ever say that again. Where the hell did you learn that?”
Dani shrugged. “Apparently, it’s a thing with dragons, but it’s not Luca’s saggy nuts they’re talking about. It’s some long-dead ancestor. I asked.”
Ash laughed. “What? Ancient testicles are an expletive for the dragons?”
Dani nodded. “Seems so.”
“What the literal fuck?”
Dani grinned. “I love it when you say that. It implies the existence of imaginary fucks, so my world is complete. Visualizing them floating around, invisible, just waiting to dive-bomb some unsuspecting person. Imaginary little stealth fucks.”
“You have too much time on your hands.”
Dani shrugged. “I am a weapon of mass confusion. You are just immune.”
Ash laughed and shook her head to clear the fog. “Why were you so worried? What happened while I was asleep?” She stretched and examined her limbs, but nothing seemed out of order.
Dani pointed at the windows and her hasty blackout curtains. “Dude, you caught on fire! The ring’s protection must have worn off. I was scrolling through Facebook, and you burst into fucking flames like Ghost Rider.”
Ash chuckled. “You are the best sister anyone could ask for. I don’t see any damage, so I guess you put the fire out.”
“Of course. You know I have your back.” Dani showed Ash her phone. “I mean, I took a picture first, but I totally put the fire out.”
Ash shook her head. “Like I said, you’re the best. So, what’s on the agenda for today?”
“Zia went to spend a few days with her daughter. She said she would be back on Tuesday. She left some vampire cheat sheets for you. Eiko is out gathering ingredients for a big spell and will come back tomorrow. It’s just you and me today.”
“Thank fuck for that. It’s been insane. It’s nice to be just us for a while.”
“Did you have anything you wanted to do while we’re here? I Googled a bunch of tourist shit about the peninsula. Did you know the US leased it from the twenties until the eighties? Do you think that’s what made Luca want to go to America when he was exiled?” Dani asked.
“We’ll ask him after the coronation,” Ash said, trying not to be devastated that she wasn’t at his side during something that important.
“Oh, my God, I almost forgot. Eiko left you something. Don’t move!” Dani ran out of the room and returned with a large hand mirror. “It’s spelled to let you watch the ceremony. Everything starts at sunset, which is in about five minutes.”
Ash’s eyes shimmered with grateful tears. “Thank you for not letting me miss it,” she whispered, eagerly staring into the mirror to catch sight of Luca.
“Wouldn’t. It’s killing you not to be there.” Dani settled in next to her sister.
The view was centered on Luca as if an invisible camera hovered near him. She felt an overwhelming rush of love when she saw him, tall and handsome in his regalia. He seemed to be alone in a side room and Ash smiled fondly when Mikhail entered carrying a large box, which he set on a table. He opened the box and stepped aside, revealing the crown within.
Luca’s eyes widened with dismay as he remembered that crown on Nikoli’s brow before and after the madness. It was a masterful piece of art crafted from gold, etched with intricate designs and studded with all kinds of jewels. He’d always thought it was beautiful, but it was also terrifying, given the responsibility it represented.
“It looks heavy,” Luca mused, reluctant to approach the table. His apprehension was so clear that Ash wondered if they should be watching such a private moment. She didn’t turn away, however.
Mikhail chuckled. “You think you know, but you cannot imagine. You can only comprehend the weight through experience. I wanted you to see this to remember what the head under this crown is capable of and to tell you that you won’t be wearing this one.
“I will not let you start your reign bearing the weight of the other’s mistakes. This crown is tainted. The next era of the Therian empire deserves a new symbol for a fresh start, so I commissioned something for you.”
Luca sighed. “Oh, thank the gods! The thought of wearing that has plagued my nightmares for decades, and it’s been a constant worry during these past few days. I can’t tell you what a comfort that is. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, son. Thank you for allowing a foolish old man the opportunity to right so many wrongs.”
Mikhail took the crown with him and left Luca alone for a few moments of quiet contemplation before he went to the throne room. He looked at the faint shimmer in the air that was Eiko’s spell broadcasting the day for Ash and smiled. “I wish you were here, Ash, but you’ll be by my side when we’re done. I love you.”
Luca navigated the halls to the throne room, which looked very different than it had when he and Viktorija returned after Nikoli’s death. He mingled with the throng that was waiting for the ceremony to start.
Ash felt his presence in their mating bond. While their tryst had gone a long way toward healing it, it now seemed to have a mind of its own. She sent love and support through the link and felt his affection when she spotted his happy grin in a hall mirror.
“He’s going to be an amazing king,” Dani commented as they watched the coronation like little girls observing a royal wedding.
Ash nodded. “He will. I could not be prouder of him, Dani.”
“Then why are you crying, babe?”
“Not being there with him hurts, but it would create too many problems. I got to go to the funeral, and he needed me more then, but I-I miss him.”
Dani wrapped a comforting arm around her. “I know. Understanding the reasons for the separation doesn’t make it suck less.”
Ash wiped her eyes. “It really doesn’t.”
“Let’s finish watching your man become king, then go test more of your cool vampy talents. You need a distraction.”
“That sounds nice. I am so lucky to have you.”
“We already established my awesomeness. Pay attention!” Dani hissed.
The ceremony began with Queen Kittania speaking about her hope for their future under Luca’s reign. Then the rulers of the different clans publicly pledged fealty and gave their blessings to the new high king of the Therians.
The speeches seemed to go on for hours. Ash was astonished by the variety of shifter clans and the scope of Luca’s empire. His responsibilities were mind-blowing, and she vowed to remember that and her choices to protect their people when the separation was too much.
Luca knelt on the dais as Mikhail went through the ancient rituals that allowed him to claim his birthright. Magic swirled around them, and finally, Mikhail lifted a beautifully crafted crown of titanium and white gold studded with deep blue sapphires.
The magic sank into it.
“I crown thee King Lucaindrion Grigori Vladimir Nablyudatel, ruler of all Therians and high king among kings!” Mikhail shouted, his deep voice carrying to every corner of the room.
Luca braced himself as Mikhail settled the new crown on his head, eyes closing. When he opened them, a thousand gleeful faces were focused on him.
“Long live the king!” Viktorija shouted.
“LONG LIVE THE KING!”his people echoed.
Ash and Dani put the mirror away when Luca departed for the first of many banquets. Finally getting out of bed, Ash showered and dressed while Dani flipped through the cheat sheets Zia had left. When they went outside, she held them up and grinned. “I kind of want to start with your hentai shadow tentacles.”
“Ew. That’s gross. You know what ‘hentai’ means, right?”
Dani nodded. “I’m aware. I thought it might make the magic less intimidating if you imagined a horny monster attached to the other end.”
“Why?”
Dani shrugged. “I don’t know why you act surprised anymore. If you haven’t caught on by now, that’s your fault. I have to say weird stuff or I’ll explode.”
Ash gave her a serious look. “Don’t ever change.” Then, she shook herself and focused. “Okay, horny monster tentacles it is. What should I try to do?”
They spent the next two hours experimenting with Ash’s abilities and control before Dani got so cold that they had to go inside. Ash built a fire while Dani made hot chocolate and warmed the donor blood Zia had left in the fridge. They curled up on the couch to talk about what they would do after Ash completed vampire boot camp and Eiko gave her the ability to walk in the sun.
“Is it terrible that I want to go home? Not forever or anything, but we need to talk to Mom and Dad,” Dani suggested. “We promised to keep them in the loop, and there have been some significant detours from the original plan.”
Ash paled and looked sick to her stomach. “I’m scared shitless to tell them I’m a vampire. They’re going to think I’m a monster.”
Dani laughed, dismissing Ash’s concerns. “That’s not true, and you damned well know it. Have you ever met a more accepting pair? There is nothing we can do in this universe that would make them stop loving us. Cut the bullshit.”
Ash sighed. “You’re right. As usual. I just feel…I feel like they will be disappointed by what I chose.”
“First, tell me this. What else could you have done? The only other choice was inaction. I didn’t see it go down, but the way I’ve heard it, you saved the day with your vampy badassery.”
Dani’s logic was sound, but she couldn’t help thinking about what she’d given up to become a vampire. Her humanity. A fully-functioning soul mate bond with Luca. Children. That one sent a pang through her heart, but she didn’t regret her transformation.
“Again, you’re right. I did the only thing I could,” Ash fought back the blood-tinged tears that stung her eyes. “I didn’t just do it for Luca, though that was enough reason. Without him, the Therian empire was at risk.”
Dani grabbed her sister’s shoulders and looked into eyes that glowed red with vampiric power. “Hey! Deep breaths. You’re freaking out for nothing. They may not understand right away, but look how quickly they adapted to the news that Luca is a fucking dragon. Our parents are amazing, and they love us unconditionally.
“So you’re a vampire. Who gives a shit? You’re still Ash.”
Ash wiped her eyes. “What would I do without you?”
“Suffer in abject boredom in a sad life devoid of humor and color,” Dani answered, deadpan. “Also, you would have to figure all this shit yourself.”
“Truth. I know they will still love me, and I want to see them so much it hurts. It feels like it’s been forever since we’ve seen them because we’ve been in crisis mode nonstop, but it’s only been a few weeks. How are they going to adjust? Do you think they’ll be afraid of me?”
Dani shook her head. “Not a chance. Fascinated, sure. Curious, definitely. Confused, almost certainly, but they will not be afraid of you. I guarantee it. It’s not like we can travel for a while anyway. You have to learn to use your vampire voodoo, and until Eiko can cast the long-term spell to let you endure the sun, you’re homebound.”
“Bursting into flames on an airplane might be counterproductive to having a pleasant journey,” Ash agreed. She heard a distinctive sound downstairs. “I think Eiko’s back early. That sounded like a portal. Get behind me, just in case. I won’t let anyone touch you.”
A few moments later, Eiko padded down the hallway. “It’s good to see you again, ladies,” the tiny Japanese witch told them in lightly accented English, bowing politely as she entered the living room.
“Welcome back, Eiko-sama,” Ash replied. “We didn’t expect you until tomorrow. Did everything go okay with your trip?”
“Yes, everything went fine. I was able to find some of the ingredients more easily than I expected. The spell will require several days of preparation, though.”
Ash bowed her head in respect. “Thank you so much. I am grateful for your efforts.”
“Have you eaten yet, Eiko-sama? I can fix you something,” Dani offered.
“No, thank you, Dani-san. I am tired and will retire, but I wanted to let you know I was home. Goodnight, girls.”
Dani and Ash chatted for a long time after Eiko went to bed. Conversing had always been effortless, and they operated on the same wavelength to such an extent that they didn’t have to finish sentences for the other to understand. Ash was thrilled to find that some things hadn’t changed. Very late—or early, depending on one’s point of view—Zia called to say that Sasha and Anya would be there at sunset to run Ash through drills while she was with her human daughter.
“Ash, have you eaten today?” Zia asked.
“Yes. I had a cup of bagged blood earlier.”
“Good. You’re going to need the energy. I practiced these drills with the dragons for hours. They’re going to kick your ass, but you’ll learn. Enjoy the rest of your night off.”
Dani yawned, and Ash rolled her eyes. “Go to bed. I’m going to call Luca and turn in. We only have about an hour until dawn.”
Dani shuffled off to bed. Ash picked up the phone and sent Luca a quick text.
Are you free for a call? I was hoping to hear your voice before I went to bed.
His response came instantly.
Of course.
Luca answered on the first ring. “Hello, love.”
Ash smiled. “Hi. I’ve missed you. How did everything go today? I watched, but it was a lot like TV. I’m more interested in how you feel.”
He sighed. “It’s fine. Just endless ceremonies. The magic accepted me and my claim to the throne, so it’s official now. I am the king of the Therians.”
“I am incredibly proud of you. Tell me all about it.”