Part 21 (1/2)
Tatiana awoke abruptly and bolted up in her dark bedroom, aware that although she could see no one, she wasn't alone in the room. Instead of apprehension, a warm feeling settled over her. A sense of peace she had not felt in over three hundred years overwhelmed her.
She jumped from her bed and stood staring into the shadows of the room. Suddenly, the figure of a slender, dark-haired woman appeared.
I heard your cries and I came to comfort and protect you, my little one.
Tears welled in her eyes and quickly spilled down her cheeks. ”Mother! You came?” she whispered.
”I will always come when you call, my little one. Come.” She opened her arms. ”You will tell me what troubles you and I will make it right. Yes?”
Tatiana stumbled forward into her mother's arms. When they closed around her, she sobbed, burying her head against her shoulder. ”I called and you came...you came!”
”Did you think I would not?”
”I didn't know... I haven't been very... I haven't tried as hard as I should have to makes amends with you. I had no excuse not to welcome you back into my life.”
”It does not matter. What matters is that you called to me. There is no power on earth that could have kept me away from you.” Her mother lifted her and carried her to the chair by the window. Sinking down into it, she rocked her, stroking her hair. ”Tell me what troubles you and I will make it right-no matter what it takes.”
Tatiana shook her head. She could not ask her mother to choose sides, not when she and Vlad were still trying to make their peace with each other. Perhaps Aleksei would forgive her if she interrupted his time with his new family to ask him to try to change Vlad's mind.
”Thank you for coming, but this is not something I can ask your help with.”
Her mother slipped a hand under her chin and lifted her face. ”There is no need to disturb Aleksei when I am here and capable of helping.”
Tatiana sighed and decided not to complain about Palea invading her thoughts. ”Shouldn't you be with Mikhel? How is he?”
”He is surrounded by love. Not only are Erica and Dimitri at his side, but his father is there as well. He is fine. He understood when I told him of your call. His friend Cal Harris piloted one of Mikhel's jets to bring me here.”
She moistened her lips. ”And Serge? Has Derri finally heard from him?”
”Yes. He had a little trouble with a former lover, but he was able to overcome her and break away.”
”He's all right?”
”Yes. He and his boys are on their way home.”
”And this former lover who held him hostage?”
”She will be dealt with at the proper time. Now, what troubles you, little one?”
”I... don't want you to have to choose sides.”
”Sides? Between you and who?”
”Vladimir.”
She felt a s.h.i.+ver pa.s.s through her mother's body. ”Vladimir?”
”Never mind. It's really not-”
”No, my little one. Tell me what troubles you or I will have to resort to probing your mind for the information.” She stroked her cheek. ”I know you have studied the shadow arts, but they will not help you in blocking my probe of a mind that is a part of mine. Trust me to do the right thing. Tell me.”
”First I have to tell you that the dispute between myself and Vladimir is entirely my fault. I've betrayed him-again. He's right and I know he is, but I can't help how I feel.”
”What has happened?”
”Oh, Mother, he's going to kill him and there's nothing I can do to stop Vlad without challenging him. I can't do that. But how can I allow Vlad to...how can I stand by and do nothing while Vlad kills him?”
”Who is this male Vladimir wants to kill, and why?”
Tatiana closed her eyes and pressed her face against Palea's body. In a small, shamed voice, she told Palea about her relations.h.i.+p with Jason. When she fell silent, she lifted her head, ready to face the condemnation she'd see in her mother's gaze.
Chapter Twelve.
Vladimir was surprised and pleased when he found his mother standing on his doorstep the next morning. ”Mother! Come in.” He put his arm around her shoulder and urged her into his foyer. ”What brings you here?” He frowned. ”It's not Mikhel? Is he all right?”
”Yes. He is fine.”
They moved into the living room. When she sat on the sofa, he sat with her. ”I didn't expect to see you here.”
”I would not have come without an invitation, but-”
”You don't need an invitation. You're welcome here anytime.”
She smiled and glanced around the living room Adam had furnished. ”You are happy here with Adam? Yes?”
He nodded. ”Yes.”
”Where is Adam?”
”Upstairs asleep.” After his argument with Tat, he'd been angry and hurt. He had spent hours rutting into Adam, who had finally shoved him away just before dawn. When he had reached for Adam again, Slayer had intervened, s.h.i.+fting to his natural form and a.s.suming a battle stance over the exhausted Adam.
Father leave Adam...too tired...need rest. Father leave room.
Palea rose and walked over to the patio doors. After staring out for several moments, she turned to face him. ”We need to talk, solnyshko moy.”
Even as she called him her sun, he noted the abrupt cooling of her tone. He rose. ”So this is not a social visit, Mother?”
She sighed. ”I have wanted to come. You understand that? Yes? But I have come on Tatiana's behalf.”
He narrowed his gaze. ”If she asked you to intercede for that piece of dirt she's sleeping with-”
”She asked me not to intercede. She is afraid of upsetting the... balance you and I are establis.h.i.+ng.”
”Then why are you here?”