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She looked me straight in the eyes. “It’s not you I have so much confidence in. It’s your mother. I don’t believe that Anyanka’s son could ever harm my daughter.”
Everything inside me urged me to flee the room. To turn my back on this woman and her daughter, and avoid the feeling of impending doom they had brought with them.
“Promise me, Kristoff.”
No one would touch them while under my roof. “You will be safe here.” And she would owe me.
“I’m not only talking about right now. I’m also not asking for myself. I need to leave for a while and I can’t bring Katya with me. Promise me you’ll keep her safe while I’m gone.”
Gone. She’d been here less than an hour and already broken several of my rules. It felt like she’d been here forever. I couldn’t wait for her to be gone.
“And when exactly will that be?”
“In an hour.”
That was very specific. “What’s going to happen in an hour?”
She shook her head. “Never mind that. Promise me that you’ll protect her with your life until I return.” When I hesitated, her eyes watered. “Do you want me to beg you? Because I will.”
“What more do you want? I already said I would.”
“I want a blood vow.”
Blyat. She’d done her homework. That kind ofVorylaw was unbreakable. Which was exactly the reason why I never made them. I had to remember that this woman, like my mother, once had been a part of the Bratva world. She knew exactly what she was asking of me. The question was, why anyone would want to leave a girl in my care? Didn’t she know I dealt in death, not life?
Her fingers clutching my arm felt like manacles. They were burning my skin, reminding me of what had happened to Cerb. It looked like my dog wasn’t the only one who got burned today.
“Please. She’s only a child.”
Desperate eyes bored into my soul, as if trying to find a hint of the kid who she’d once babysat. But she would never find him. That boy had died a long time ago. I refused to become responsible for another teen again. I’d taken in the twins, and Yuri, who I’d found in a leaking boat. But they were men now, and they knew the life.
But to take in a girl? Hell, I didn’t know the first thing about teenage girls. My house wasn’t cut out for boy band posters, nail polish, and that time of the month.
When it became clear I wouldn’t budge, she let go of my hand.
“If your mother were alive…” The disappointment in her voice felt worse than any beating I’d gotten in Siberia.
I don’t know what demonic spell came over me as I said, “I vow it.”
A careful smile appeared on her face. I bellowed for Viking, who was never far away, and bent to grab the knife from my ankle holder.
“I know who raised you,” Inessa suddenly said, and I stiffened. “I mean, after Anyanka. You can’t tell Sokolov about Katya.”
Because the man saw everyone as a pawn and poisoned their souls? It wasn’t an unreasonable request on her part.
Viking arrived, and I nodded at her. She held up her hand, palm up, and I made a small incision. Then I cut my own palm and pressed our hands together.
“I vow on my blood to protect your daughter with my life.”
We turned to Viking.
His jaw was set, but he nodded. “As I witness.”
It was done.
There were tears in her eyes. “Your mother would be proud.”
A prickle started in the back of my neck. Something in her tone set me on edge, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
