Connections, Money and Secrets [Almaz]

[Oriena]

It sluiced a cold wave through her, not that she would admit to the fear. Carmen could take care of the club, with Nox’s help to protect the people who called it home. Dezhda was a problem though, still holed up in that apartment. But her mother was always going to be a problem.

When the vodka arrived she poured her own generous glass. Her head had gone surprisingly quiet, just a startled hiss and fluttery retreat when the blood trickled from her nose. She presumed the ijiraq were still wary of breaking their toy, which might have made her laugh had she not been aware how mad it would have made her sound. A hollow ache lingered behind her eyes.

She was aware of the stranger’s sidle into her periphery. Oriena didn’t recognise him at all, which wasn’t usual. Credentials or coin paved the way to Almaz’s welcome, and both left an easy trail to follow. New to Moscow then, or something else. Her gaze ran an unsurreptitious up and down enquiry, sly smile on her lips as she took another drag. Didn’t he just make the perfect little portrait, fawning over that old-fashioned flyer with twee little stars in his eyes.

“You don’t look like a fan, sweetheart.” She did laugh then, cruel and amused. He was about as subtle as a hammer-blow. “If you’re planning on killing him, good luck. You’ll need it. Seems he has that effect on people. You’d hardly be the first to try.”