Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty-Five

T atyana sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the ground and sitting in damp clothes that rasped against her skin but somehow felt soothing.

She hated this. She hated all of it.

If there was one thing she detested, it was feeling like an amateur. She worked hard to be competent. Maybe she couldn’t be the prettiest or the most popular. Maybe she wasn’t good at making friends or dating.

But she was a good student. When she’d been a dancer, she’d worked harder at it than anyone in her class. She took pride in knowing what to do, even when her mother fell apart.

And now she was faced with a situation she could never have been able to plan.

There was a tapping at the door, and she knew immediately it wasn’t Oleg. She walked over and cracked it open, only to see Oksana standing in the sitting room.

“Oh. Hello.”

The soldier was dressed much like Mika dressed most nights, in black cargo pants and a fitted shirt. She wore her hair short and cropped close on the sides with a delightfully unmanaged curly mop on top of her head that fell into her eyes, softening the severe cut of her uniform.

Tatyana asked, “Is there something?—”

“I brought you this.” The woman held a pile of black and white clothing. “I convinced my mate to lend you some of her clothes. Ludmila isn’t usually very sharing, but you’re much closer to her size than mine.”

It was a small kindness, but one that Tatyana could appreciate. “Please tell her I said thank you.”

“I will.”

Tatyana took the clothes, but Oksana stood at her doorway with her hands in her pockets. “Was there something else?”

“If you ever want to get a drink or something,” the woman said. “Just let me know. There are so many men around here, and sometimes the testosterone…” She shook her head.

“It’s like it permeates the air.” Tatyana clutched the clothing to her damp chest. “I’m glad I’m not imagining it.”

Oksana cracked a laugh. “You’re not.”

Tatyana wanted to ask her more, but she already felt like she was intruding. Oksana was a serious soldier, a mated vampire, and she clearly had her life sorted out.

And Tatyana?

She was walking around in wet socks and sort of enjoying the sensation.

Oksana smiled. “You’ll get it.”

“Am I that transparent?”

“It’s not that. We were all there once. Even him.”

Tatyana did not need to ask who “him” was.

“Thank you.” She lifted the clothes. “I’ll try to remember that the next time he tries to burn me alive.”

“He wouldn’t though.” Oksana narrowed her eyes. “You know that, right?”

Did she?

“I think so?”

“Oleg is…” Oksana pursed her lips. “He’s complicated. But you’ll figure him out. And just so you know, there’s a reason that so many of us are loyal to him.”

“Why is that?”

Oksana took a step back and smiled. “I think you’ll have to figure that out for yourself.” She headed toward the door. “Let me know if you need more clothes, but I think yours will be coming tomorrow night.”