A Shade of Kiev 2(21)

“They’ll be a while.” Helina smirked. She took my hand and led me toward the remaining to women. “Meet Arielle and Celice… although you seem to have already been acquainted with the youngest of the sisters?” Helina winked.

I cleared my throat awkwardly and nodded. I dared look up at Celice only to catch her glaring daggers at me. I was relieved that she had the decency to keep her mouth shut, and that Helina didn’t press for an answer as to what I was doing carrying the witch down on the beach. I let her assume whatever she was assuming.

Arielle bowed before me, and held out her hand. I took it and planted a quick kiss on it. It was clear that all three women were sisters; they shared the same eye color, thick hair, and graceful form.

Then Arielle turned to Helina, and asked, frowning, “Where is Tristan?”

“He’s probably still on the ship,” Helina replied. “He said he had some repairs to do after our journey.”

Arielle nodded and hurried away into the forest we had just exited from.

By this time, Erik and Julisse had finished kissing. I couldn’t help but notice that Erik looked younger than the witch. Although nobody could deny her beauty, she appeared to be several years older.

“This angel,” Erik said, his arm around Julisse’s waist, “and her two sisters helped us escape with their magic. All fifty-one of us.”

“Oh?” My tone was that of mild surprise, but I was shocked. To penetrate Cruor—the turf of those evil spirits, where they were at their strongest—was a herculean feat in itself. But to tear fifty of their spawn right from their clutches was another world of strength entirely.

One thing was already clear to me: these were no ordinary witches.

We walked up the steps and entered the castle. We were about to close the grand doors when Tristan—a tall, heavily built vampire with long blond hair—and Arielle came running toward us, their hands intertwined. We all walked together across the hallway and climbed the levels of stairs until we reached my siblings’ quarters. Quarters I’d already rummaged through hours before.

We sat in a grand sitting room with a window that overlooked the island and the dark sea beyond. Helina took a jug of blood from the counter and spread out a tray of glasses. She handed one to me and Erik, and placed one on a table for herself. Then, to my utter shock, she handed a glass to each of the witches.

I almost choked on my drink when they downed a gulp. It was the first time in my centuries of living that I had witnessed a witch drinking blood. Human blood at that. I took another sip from my glass to hide the surprise that I knew had spread across my face.

“Didn’t the Elders ever try to come after you?” I asked.

“After we escaped,” Helina said, “the witches brought us all here to this island. They cast a protective spell that keeps us from harm. The Elders can’t enter so long as their spell is up.”

Yes. These are no ordinary witches. They have the ability to even keep those spirits out. No wonder Matteo wants one for himself so much.

There was a silence as they all looked at me, and I looked at them. I still couldn’t believe that I was sitting in a room with my undead siblings. I was still expecting to wake up from the dream any second.

“And now your story, Kiev,” Helina said, smiling. “You must tell us everything.”

I breathed in deeply and recounted everything to them. I left out the most harrowing of details. But otherwise I was honest about everything up until the point that I arrived at Aviary.

They gasped and sighed, and Helina got up to squeeze my shoulder and hug me on numerous occasions. I didn’t mention anything about Mona or Matteo’s island. When asked how I found out about their island, I lied and said that I’d heard the rumor spreading around during my stay in The Tavern that their island was a safe haven for vampires. And that I’d been looking to find it ever since.

Erik frowned. “You travelled for days in a boat, in the open ocean, in the heat of the sun? How the hell did you survive that?”

I looked at him solemnly. “I’ve survived a lot.”

Erik looked like he was about to ask another question, but I changed the subject before he could press further.

“Where did you come back from today?” I asked.

They all exchanged looks.

“That is… a long story. I don’t think now’s the time for it.” Arielle spoke up for the first time, eyeing the others.

“I think you’ll like it here, Kiev,” Helina interjected quickly. “I really do. You no longer have to be subordinate to any Elders. You’re completely free to do whatever you please. With no consequences.”