“If you think that I will stand by and let you have something you denied me, you are mistaken.”
“Ivan.” Viktor says, sensing the escalating tension.
“You stay out of this. It is not your concern.” Viktor backed off. He knew we could not do any damage to one another. We were at an impasse. Ivan took one step toward me.
“What does it feel like, Peter? To have the one thing you always wanted and worry every second that it will be taken away? Do you worry that she will trip and fall? Puncture her skull with a pencil while she is studying? Crash that ridiculous car? Their bodies are so soft. Vulnerable. Broken so easily. Do you worry about that, Peter?” His voice was soft.
I didn't say a word. Didn't tell him that I worry about those very things every single second of every single day. Every moment she is alive, I am terrified something will happen to change that. Things go wrong, blood vessels burst. And then she would be gone. And I would have nothing. My reason for existing, gone, gone, gone.
“Someday you will pray for the simple worries you have no. I promise you that.” We couldn't making binding promises to each other, but still. Promises are serious things.
“You should go now,” Viktor said. Ivan turned and I watched as he took his noctalis form. I stayed in my human shape. His skin slid from human to the glittering scales of a reptile. His hair sunk into his scalp. Turning back around, he fixed me with his eyes. The pupils were no longer round, but elongated.
Within seconds he was back to his human form, smile in place. As if nothing had happened.
“What are you fellows up to tonight? Bingo? Perhaps a lovely evening in the backseat of a car at a drive in movie?”
“You should go now,” I said.
“And not get to catch up with that lovely lady you have Claimed? Never. I can smell her from here. And her mother. Shame about her shortened life.” He lifted his face to scent the air. “Seems as if they have a guest. Honeysuckle? Interesting.”
“Go.”
“I don't think I will.” I stepped away from him and looked at Viktor. There was nothing we could do. I had a brief and pleasing image of tackling him and grinding him into the ground, or wrapping him with chains that he couldn't break. But none of those things were possible.
We were a match, strength-wise and even with Viktor's help, nothing would be strong enough to hold him. Unlike the vampires and werewolves of legend, our only weaknesses were the promises we made. We could be weakened by thirst, but it would take weeks to get to that point. We didn't have weeks.
“You going to stop me? You and what army?” He gestured to the empty woods. “I could always contact our lovely mother to settle this. I'm sure she'd love a visit to see how her protegees are getting along.” He stands next to me and throws his arm over my shoulder. “Right?” His smile could sharpen knives. I had no choice but to comply.
My only consolation was that he couldn't touch Ava. Her family... I would have to protect them. Viktor and I shared a wordless glance and he ran in the opposite direction of the house.
“Where's the fire?” He knew Viktor was going to set up a perimeter to protect from an ambush. I would handle the humans in the house.
And then we were on Ava's doorstep.
Her face was first one of happiness to see me and then confusion at why Ivan was here.
****
“Who's at the door?” Claire calls after our greeting and several seconds of silence in which I try to find the words to explain to Ava what is going on.
“Uh, it's Peter and, his, uh, brother.” She says the last word dubiously, no doubt remembering the last time we met. Claire comes around the corner, wiping her hands on her apron.
“Oh. It's nice to meet you...” she says, silently asking one of us for his name.
“Ivan,” Ava and I say at the exact same time.
“It is a pleasure to meet you too, Mrs. Sullivan.” His smile is firmly on his face. Charming. She blushes a little as he says her name. He tends to have that affect on human women. Ava glares at Ivan.
“Mom, could you excuse us for a second? And keep this on the DL?”
“Sure, I need to check on dinner anyway.” She gives Ava a look I have seen before that means she will demand details later.
“What the hell are you doing here? I thought you said he was in Vegas.” She fires the last part at me.
“I came to see you,” he says at the same time I say, “he was.” She closes her eyes and shakes her head.
“I do not need this right now.” She groans and leans against the door.
“Oh come on, is that any way to greet us? I came all the way from the glittering city to this out of the way town to see Peter's best girl. You could give me a little something.”
“What do you want?” Her hands twist together, and I feel her anxiety, and undercurrent to her confusion and anger. She's also curious, underneath it all.
“I would start with a kiss, but that might be hazardous to my health, if you know what I mean.” He winks at her. Ava sputters for a moment as a glare settles in her eyes.
“If I could slap you without breaking my hand I would. I thought you were the one who was pushing me toward Peter, what happened with that plan?” Her arms cross and she gives him a triumphant look. I was so proud of her.
“Oh, I haven't ruled that out. But what is that they say? All roads lead to Rome?” Her face drains of color. I know why, but I'm not sure Ivan does.
“I think you need to leave.”
“Ah, love. You pierce my heart.” He holds his hand to his chest dramatically. Ava is shocked for a moment, then angry. She hasn't had the pleasure of seeing Ivan in his element. I have seen it far too much.
“You don't have a heart.”
“Correction. I don't have a soul. Those are two different things. I had a heart. I gave it away.” His cockiness drops for a brief moment. Strange. I'd never seen him do that before. Not ever.
“I know.” Ava's face melts into a smile. A pang of guilt goes through her. Why does she feel guilty? She didn't kill Josephine.
I did.
“Well, it's been delightful to see you, Sweetness. I hope to repeat this often. But for now, adieu. Parting is such sweet sorrow.” He blows her a kiss before running into the night. In the space of one of her blinks, I decide it would be best to stay with her and not follow him.
“What the hell was that?” Her human eyes search the night for something they cannot find. Ivan is gone. I will have to find out where.
“That, was Ivan. Being Ivan.”