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TATIANA LOOKED OVER Constantine’s shoulder when they pulled into the driveway. She recognized the Lupescu farm that belonged to the brothers’ parents and grandparents. She worried about her parents, who had followed the demon’s car after they reached town.
“When do you think they’ll be back?” she asked.
“Don’t worry,” Andrei said, unbuckling his seatbelt. “They’re only finding out where she lives. They won’t do anything yet.”
She certainly hoped not. At least, not without backup. She’d heard the story of the hell Cousin Annie had gone through when she’d confronted a demon, a succubus who’d tried to steal her body. Ever since it had happened two summers ago, it was all anyone in her tribe talked about. Was this woman a demon? Best case scenario was that she was a witch who practiced black magic, but a churning in her gut told her this creature was far worse.
She remembered Natasha comparing her to a girl she’d met in Texas, but Eilea had banished that succubus to hell.
Her car door swung open, and she gaped at Constantine as snow fluttered onto his broad shoulders.
After Dejan scooted out, Constantine held down a hand. “Don’t say anything to our stepmom about Natasha.”
She placed her hand in his. “Why?”
“Because she’s pregnant,” Dimitri grumbled and slammed his door.
He stomped up the stairs without a backward glance. She heaved a sigh. It wasn’t like he didn’t have a reason to be angry with her.
Filled with nervous tension, she let Constantine help her out of the car, though she was perfectly capable of doing it herself, even though her knees suddenly felt weak.
“We don’t want to worry her.” Constantine’s smile was strained. “I’m sure our fathers will tell her what happened when they get back.”
Snow crunched under their boots as they walked up the porch steps toward their grandparents, who were lined up behind the railing.
“Welcome, Tatiana!” Bunica held out her arms in sweet welcome. She looked just as Tatiana remembered, with twin silver braids and bright blue eyes.
Painfully aware of Dimitri storming into the house and slamming the door behind him, Tatiana let the elderly wolves hug and kiss her. A few of them even pinched her cheeks. She tried to show her appreciation, but her worry over Dimitri overshadowed everything. She feared he now hated her for putting them off for so long. Or maybe, even though he’d told her it wasn’t her fault, deep down he resented her part in his mother’s death, and that resentment was finally festering like an old boil.
“Where are the others?” Bunica asked.
“They took a scenic route,” Constantine said, looking away.
She gave him a pointed look but said no more and ushered them into the house.
“A winter storm is coming.” She tucked Tatiana’s hand in the crook of her arm, leading her inside.
Her mouth instantly watered at the smell of warm butter and cinnamon. Mmm, fresh baked cookies. Their house smelled exactly like a grandparents’ house should smell. Tatiana suspected she’d be making frequent trips here after she bonded with her mates.
Dr. Eilea Lupescu was sitting in the front room on a floral sofa, her feet propped up on her gamma mate, Marius’s, lap, resting her hands on her swollen stomach. A baby slept in a playpen beside them.
“Tatiana!” Dr. Lupescu struggled to sit up, rolling her eyes as Marius put a pillow behind her back.
Walking with Tatiana into the front parlor, Bunica held tightly to her hand, shooing away her grandsons with a hiss. “Give the girl some space.”
Dejan gave Tatiana a long look before following Andrei into the kitchen. Dimitri and Constantine went outside to get her luggage. She refused to watch the door for their return, not wishing to see Dimitri crushing her flowers.
After they were gone, Tatiana heaved a breath, not realizing she’d been holding it. Though she couldn’t deny her craving to be around the brothers, their presence was also suffocating.
“I’m going to help with refreshments,” Bunica said, kissing Tatiana on the cheek before going into the kitchen.
Tatiana bent over Eilea, giving her a hug and sitting in the opposite chair. “Dr. Lupescu,” she said, feeling awkward as Dejan and Andrei kept stealing glances at her from the kitchen. They reminded her of her mother’s little dogs, watching from the other room while they ate dinner. After Dimitri and Constantine returned with the luggage, she caught Dimitri staring at her, which made her feel ten shades of awkward. She wondered if he was still drawn to her scent, and if he hated himself for it.
“I’m going to be your mother-in-law,” Dr. Lupescu said with a grin. “Call me Eilea.”
So much for Tatiana pretending she was only here for a visit. Apparently everyone knew she was there to seal their bond.
“Okay.” She rubbed her arms, looking out the window for any sign of her parents.
Eilea frowned, shallow lines marring her otherwise smooth, ebony brow. “Where are the others?”
“They took the scenic route,” she said, repeating what Constantine had told Bunica when asked the same question. “They’ll be here soon."
Eilea didn’t seem concerned. She placed her feet in Marius’s lap once more. He rubbed them. “How was your trip?”
She shrugged. “Okay, I guess.” Other than Natasha’s nastiness, Dimitri’s glares, and the constant feeling that she wanted to jump out of her skin.
Groaning, Eilea turned onto her side. “Forgive me.” A pained look crossed her features. “This baby weight is becoming unbearable, and no amount of magic will stop him from kicking.” She smiled at her son, sleeping in his playpen.
“I understand,” she said, leaning over the playpen and ogling the baby. He slept like a cherub, sucking his thumb with his round, little butt pointed in the air. He had a full head of curly, brown hair streaked with blond, an olive complexion, and the cutest squeezable cheeks. Tatiana couldn’t wait until he woke up. She suddenly had the urge to hold him. Then she remembered the nephews she’d left behind and wondered when she’d see them again. She spent almost every day at her brothers’ house, helping Amara and Rone with the boys. Would they miss her when she didn’t return right away, or would they forget about her? She resented having to go to Romania and that the women in her culture were expected to follow the men to their home country.
“Can I get you anything, my love?” Marius asked Eilea.
“I’d love some cinnamon tea,” she whispered to Marius. Then she asked Tatiana, “What would you like to drink?”
She shrugged. “Whatever you’re having is fine.”
“I’m making tea,” Dejan called from the kitchen.
“Thanks,” Tatiana mumbled. So much for privacy. They were hanging on her every word.
After Marius went to the kitchen, Eilea sat up and patted the space beside her.
Tatiana quickly switched seats, relieved to turn her back to the brothers and have a wall behind her. Not that it made much difference. They had wolf-touched hearing.
“Oh, there he goes again.” Eilea grabbed Tatiana’s hand. “Want to feel?”
She smiled when she felt the baby move in Eilea’s belly. “Wow! That’s a strong kick.”
She’d longed to have babies of her own. After her harsh words had driven Katarina into the hunter’s crosshairs, she feared the Lupescu brothers would never forgive her, and she wouldn’t get a chance to have children. Instead of blaming her, they had repeatedly told her their mother’s death wasn’t her fault. She should’ve run into their arms then.
“Are you okay?” Eilea asked.
“I’m fine.” Tatiana forced herself to push negative thoughts out of her mind.
Eilea and Tatiana thanked Marius and Dejan when they brought them steaming cups of tea.
Eilea frowned. “It’s too hot.”
“I figured you could cool it to an acceptable temperature,” Marius said with a wink.
Much to Tatiana’s surprise, Eilea dipped her finger into the tea, and the water turned blue.
“That’s a cool spell,” Tatiana said. Amara told her that Eilea’s magical powers were strengthening. She didn’t know how much stronger they could get. Eilea had already cured the entire Alaskan tribe from demon sickness with one spell and closed a portal to hell.
“It’s not a spell,” Eilea said. “I’m harnessing my baby’s power.”
Tatiana’s jaw dropped. “Amazing! Amara’s babies all have unique powers, too.”
“I remember.”
Their goddess had once told Amara that shifters who have human blood give birth to babies who have magical powers. Tatiana’s nephews could see the future, create earthquakes, and teleport. At times their abilities came in handy, except for when a temper tantrum had caused glasses to fall off the shelves. After that, Tatiana’s brothers had to lock away and bolt down anything breakable.
She set her cup down, waiting for it to cool before she drank it. “Are you ready for baby number two?”
Eilea’s grin stretched nearly ear to ear. “More than ready.” She balanced the tea saucer on her belly, which doubled as a shelf to emphasize her point.
“You seem to be adjusting well to Amaroki life,” she said. Eilea hadn’t been born a wolf, but their gods had gifted her with the power later.
Eilea heaved a contented sigh. “I’ve never been happier. My whole life I’ve longed for a large family, and now I have one.”
Tatiana arched a brow. “You don’t mind giving up American comforts?”
“I’m not going to deny I’d kill for a Starbucks right now.” She took a slow sip of tea. “But no, I don’t mind. The Romanian people need me, and I belong where I’m needed.”
She was humbled by Eilea’s response. Perhaps being here with Eilea was just what she needed.
“And now my amazing American daughter-in-law has come,” Eilea said. “We can reminisce about American comforts together while making lopsided sarmale and making the whole house smell like cabbage.”
Tatiana couldn’t contain her laughter. Her mother and gamma father had tried to teach her popular Romanian dishes, but her sarmale was a disaster. She and Eilea shared a look, and she laughed so hard, her sides ached. She had no idea how Eilea was able to tap into her well of joy so suddenly, but as she wiped tears from her eyes, she couldn’t help thinking maybe she belonged in Romania after all.
The baby stirred and let out a wail.
“Shh, Artem, it’s okay,” Eilea said, reaching for him, her belly preventing her from leaning over.
“I’m sorry,” Tatiana whispered, her laughter fading.
“Don’t be,” Marius said as he set a tray of flower-shaped cookies on the coffee table. He heaved the baby into his arms. “Artem has napped too long already.” Turning into Marius, the baby wrapped his arms around his neck.
Tatiana was about to take a cookie, but she jumped to her feet when she heard the rumble of an engine outside. Relief swept through her when she saw her parents getting out of a car.
Constantine reached the door in a few long strides and opened it. “Everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine,” his father answered, brushing snow off his jacket.
Stepping aside, Constantine let everyone enter, and the small farmhouse felt like it was bursting at the seams with shifters. Tatiana wondered if the brothers’ house was as small. After growing up in her parents’ spacious cabin, she would have to learn to adjust.
She didn’t like the look of concern on their faces, but she decided not to press them for information. The last thing she wanted to do was worry Eilea while she was pregnant.
Tatiana hugged them, relieved they were okay. Something about Natasha had made her feel like spiders were racing across her skin.
“There you are.” Rubbing her lower back with a grimace, Eilea waddled to Boris. Taking his shirt collar, she pulled him in for a kiss, then recoiled. “Why do I smell dark magic on you?”
Scratching the back of his neck, he said, “We helped a woman get her car out of a ditch.”
“What aren’t you telling me?”
He shrugged out of his fur-lined jacket, trying and failing to look as if it was no big deal. “She smelled odd, so we followed her.”
“And?” Eilea pressed.
“And she drove to the castle.”
A chill raced up Tatiana’s spine. “The castle?” Why was this bad news?
“A few months ago, the Russian mob bought the abandoned castle,” Boris explained. “They said they were turning it into a hotel catering to the wealthy elite.”
“Now we know why they blocked off the renovation site with an electrified fence,” Constantine said. “They claimed it was to keep looters away.”
“A hotel? Here?” Tatiana snorted, not meaning to sound rude, but who would want to vacation with a bunch of bleating sheep? “And what about the Russian mob?” she asked, following Boris into the kitchen.
Holding tightly to her hand, her mother went with her, standing behind the kitchen table while the elders sat.
“We’re not happy about it.” Boris grimaced. “It’s the one piece of land the Amaroki don’t own.”
“Our tribe is divided,” Bunic Klaus said, handing Boris a shot of what she assumed was whiskey. “Some think tourism will boost our economy. Others think living among humans risks our exposure.”
“And what do you think?” she asked him.
The old man gave her a pointed look. “I don’t want the Russian mob in our town, especially if they are associating with dark witches.”
Eilea mumbled a bunch of words Tatiana didn’t recognize. Marius helped her into a chair.
Boris frowned. “What is it, Eilea?”
“I recognize that smell. She wasn’t a witch.”
“Then what was she?” Boris asked.
Nervous energy twisted Tatiana’s gut until it hurt.
Eilea gave Boris a long look. “Demon.”
Well, fuck. Her mouth went dry. “What are demons doing here?”
“Could they know about us?” Tor asked.
“I’m not sure.” Bunic Klaus stood and rested his knuckles on the table. “We will call an emergency tribal meeting and discuss it. In the meantime, we are to remain vigilant.”
* * *
MUCH TO HER CHAGRIN, Tatiana found herself sandwiched between Constantine and Dimitri. Not that she minded being next to Constantine, but sitting next to Dimitri was like being pressed against an iceberg. He kept his attention focused on the center of the big barn. It was old and smelled like musty hay, but it had been recently painted. It was nothing like the beautiful structure the Alaskan tribe had, with coliseum seating and carved pine pillars, but it had been improved. Ever since the brothers’ grandfathers had taken over as chieftains, they’d been making improvements to the town, from fixing potholes to painting fences. The Lupescu wolves took pride in their community, and it showed. Hopefully, the brothers did, too, and the house they’d been fixing up would look a lot better than when she’d last seen it.
When Bunic Klaus walked to the podium in the center of the barn, everyone still standing took their seats, waiting for him to speak.
Bunic Klaus raised his hands, and the crowd went silent. “Brothers and sisters.” Lines of worry framed his eyes and tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I have called this emergency meeting because of a recently discovered threat to our community.”
The crowd hissed until he raised his hands once more.
“The Russians that have infiltrated our town”—he paused, clearing his throat and perhaps gathering his courage—“have brought a demon with them.”
It was as if a vortex had sucked up all the energy in the room. Everyone gaped at Bunic Klaus.
A middle-aged man with stark, white hair and a thin scar bisecting his upper lip jumped to his feet, pointing an accusatory finger at Bunic Klaus. “How do you know this?”
“Fucking Atan,” Dimitri murmured, his brothers growling with him.
Tatiana knew all about Atan Albescu. She glared at him, standing a few rows behind them. Atan’s fathers, the senior Albescus, were the former chieftains. The alpha and beta had died a few years ago, leaving behind a frail widow and two brothers who were rapidly going senile. Atan and his brothers would have inherited the chiefdom if their fathers hadn’t royally fucked up, allowing an old grudge to put the entire tribe at risk. Tatiana suspected, judging by the way Atan glared at Bunic Klaus, that their grudge was not forgotten. It had most likely grown and festered since Bunic Klaus had taken over as head chieftain.
Tatiana had her own personal grudge against Atan. He and his brothers had once tried to kill the Lupescu brothers, and their punishment, voted on by the tribe, had been only a monetary fine and a reduction in rank, hence why he and his pack now sat in a middle row.
Puffing up his chest, Bunic Klaus matched Atan’s glare with one of his own. “My sons and the Thunderfoots encountered her on the road. She smelled like dark magic.”
Atan’s upper lip pulled back in a feral snarl. “Why didn’t they kill her?”
Bunic Klaus didn’t falter, leaning over the podium with a growl. “They were not sure if she was a demon or a witch.”
Atan snorted. “Would it have mattered?”
Boris jumped to his feet, his hands curled into claws and his eyes shifting into silver suns. “Do you forget our mate is a witch, or do you mean to insult her?”
“We mean your mate no insult.” Atan flashed a crooked smile. “She is one of us now.”
Tatiana’s veins iced over when the brothers broke into low growls, hunching over the backs of their chairs as if they meant to jump over them. Atan’s three brothers stood beside him in a threatening stance. Though she wasn’t afraid of her mates losing a fair fight, the Albescu pack fought dirty.
“Easy.” She settled a hand on Constantine’s arm, pleased when his growls eased up, his brothers following his example.
Much to her dismay, the Albescus continued to growl.
Bunic Klaus let out a powerful roar that rattled Tatiana’s bones.
She gulped when his face completely transformed to that of a protector, his nose wide and flat, his white, furry brow extended. “Please calm yourselves,” he rumbled. “We cannot battle the enemy when we are fighting amongst ourselves.”
Atan threw his arms wide, a virulent gleam in his eyes. “What do you propose we do, chieftain?” There was no mistaking the venom in his tone when he called Bunic Klaus “chieftain.”
Her wolf scratched at her skin, begging to break free and rip out his throat. Atan was obviously not interested in unity in their tribe.
“What we have always done,” Bunic Klaus snapped. “Be vigilant. Do not leave the house without at least one protector. Do not leave your families alone without a protector.”
“What about smaller packs?” a man asked from the back.
Tatiana grimaced. There were some smaller packs that had only one protector, which meant they’d have to stay together all the time.
“Join with other small packs,” Bunic Klaus said. “You must always have a protector with you. No exceptions.”
“Why don’t we just kill this demon?” Atan snorted and turned to the others, urging them on when they grumbled their agreement.
“She is being protected by the Russian mob, and we’re still not sure how many demons are among them,” Bunic Klaus answered with surprising restraint. “We must do reconnaissance before we determine our next move.”
Atan arched a thin brow. “Who’s doing this reconnaissance?”
“Tor Thunderfoot has already sent for a team of US Army trackers.” Bunic Klaus motioned to her father, who sat in front of her in the first row. As chieftain of the largest Amaroki tribe, he was granted the respect of a front-row seat. The way Atan snarled at him, it was obvious he didn’t care to offer deference.
“What’s wrong with our betas?” Atan demanded, trying to get everyone else present riled up.
Fuck, this piece of shit needed to be taken down.
Bunic Klaus managed to maintain his calm. “They don’t have the same training.”
It was true. The betas in the Alaskan tribe went through a long, intense bootcamp and extensive tracker training. They were the US Army’s secret weapon and never failed to capture their targets, usually terrorists in hostile countries.
Atan looked at Bunic Klaus as if he’d just spit in his face. “So we’re putting our fate in the hands of another tribe?”
As the Lupescu brothers and fathers all growled, she feared they were about to rumble with the Albescus.
Bunic Klaus pounded the podium so hard, it cracked down the middle, then split in two and toppled to the floor. “Another tribe? They are our brothers. Many of their daughters and sisters live among us. Again I ask you to focus on the real enemy and not let ourselves become divided by petty differences.”
“What if we are overreacting?” Atan pointed an accusatory finger at Klaus. “We imposition the Alaskan tribe for nothing.”
“And what if we underreact?” Klaus rumbled. “Do I need to remind you what happened when demons threatened the Texas tribe?”
“I know what happened.” Pulling back his shoulders, Atan exuded confidence. “A succubus tried to steal a shifter’s body, but Amaroki magic prevented the demon from entering.”
Klaus let out a string of Romanian curse words. “The demon almost killed Annie Wolfstalker.”
“There have been demons on earth for centuries.” Atan slapped his chest like an ape trying to assert his dominance. “If they were a serious threat, we would’ve had a sign from the Ancients.”
The look Klaus gave Atan reflected Tatiana’s thoughts. The guy was a fucking idiot. “The Ancients equipped us with the power to determine threats for ourselves,” Klaus said, “the ability to scent dark magic, and powerful protectors to keep us safe. Do we roll over like babies and wait for our gods to save us, or do we use the magic they gave us to protect ourselves?”
When the crowd broke into murmurs of agreement, Tatiana inwardly smiled, but her joy was short-lived when she saw the murderous look in Atan’s eyes. She knew without a doubt that shifter wouldn’t be satisfied until Klaus was dethroned.
* * *
BALBAN NERVOUSLY TOYED with her fingers while Sitri paced the slate floor of his bedchamber, one of the few rooms in the castle where reconstruction had been completed. The wolves had followed her all the way to their headquarters, which meant they had caught her demon scent. Though Balban enjoyed torture, she had her limits. Getting her tits chopped off was one of them.
Sitri poured himself a shot of vodka. He gave her a long look that made her flesh crawl. She knew he was contemplating her punishment.
Downing the vodka in one gulp, he threw the glass into the fireplace, where it smashed against the stone wall. “We need to accelerate our plan.”
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“We make a move tonight.”
But they hadn’t yet fleshed out their plan. They needed to capture the witch, but one of her protector mates was always with her.
“How do you expect to get her alone?” she asked, then held her breath, fearing Sitri would put her in danger.
“We lure her with bait.” He casually strolled to the bar and poured another shot of vodka. “Her stepsons spend every night at the bar. We’ll take one of them tonight.”
Moisture pooled in Balban’s panties at the thought. Though she knew it was a dangerous mission, what she wouldn’t give to have one of those virile wolf shifters as her prisoner. Maybe Sitri’s plan wasn’t so bad after all.
* * *
AFTER THE MEETING, Tatiana’s mother worked at soothing Tor. Judging by the thunderous look in his eyes, he wanted to pummel Atan Albescu. She had no doubt he could do it, too. The Thunderfoots were the largest shifters among the tribes. Atan wouldn’t stand a chance. Some part of her wished Tor would beat him, but she knew Klaus was right. If the Amaroki warred within themselves, they’d miss the bigger threat from outside. They had to focus their energy on the demon. After it was destroyed, however, she wouldn’t mind seeing Tor plant his fist in Atan’s face.
“Tatiana?” Constantine looked at her, his wool cap in his hands.
Butterflies swarmed her belly. “Yes?”
“We would like to show you our house.”
A knot of tension formed in her throat as Andrei and Dejan gazed at her with hopeful looks in their eyes. Dimitri had his back to them while he talked with his father. Though she couldn’t deny she was curious about their house, she didn’t want to go if Dimitri was going to sulk the entire time. She hoped Tor would give her an out. They wouldn’t want her going anywhere with a suspected demon on the loose.
To her surprise, he shrugged. “Have her back in an hour.”
She gaped at him. Was he seriously going to let her leave?
“Da,” Constantine said, his eyes lighting up like a kid with a new toy. “We will.”
As Dejan helped her into her coat, she couldn’t help giving Tor an accusatory look. Something told her this was going to be the longest hour of her life.