Chapter Eleven

Confessions in Russia

Everything about the Gothic and Byzantine architecture of Davikov Castle was spectacular. It was like she had stepped into a dark fairytale, rich in lore and mystery and had an arcane charm about it that could be mistaken for true magic. Everything held so much history; the stone, the tapestries, the paintings, the antique weapons displayed on the walls, the rugs, tables and chairs all looked like they had lived an opulent life. Etched into the surface of some of the library's desks were carvings. Names and symbols that meant nothing to her but had held some meaning at some time to someone. No matter how mundane the idle pass-time of their carving had been to their creator, they were a time capsule in themselves.

Magnus had given her as much of a tour as he could, but the grounds were so vast, and he'd explained that there were some places she was best not to wander into. Little did she know, but she was actively being hidden from her host, Roman Black, and with very good reason.

Regardless, her vacation became exactly what Magnus had promised, and she spent most of her time in the library with him, reading and talking, and they even ate and drank there too. He would walk her to her room every night and warned her to stay there until he came to fetch her the following morning. Karou found it all very over-the-top, but she didn't truly understand why her being there was so covert, but there again, she had no doubt she'd get lost if she wandered away to explore on her own... and the last thing she wanted was to meet the man in the mirror from her dream in the dead of night. Still, Karou didn't feel like a prisoner because not being at the Compound was a freedom and adventure in and of itself.

Between researching Karou's Enochian and vampiric lineage, she and Magnus would spend quality time getting to know each other. Karou could see why Magnus was such a valued confidant and mentor to Warren; he'd quickly become the father she'd never had already during his visits to the Compound.

So far, Magnus had been doing well not to ask her too many prying questions (particularly about her strange relationship with Warren), which was fortunate considering Karou still had no idea how to adequately explain her relationship with her Sire other than to say that it was tidal. There would be a great swell of affection, and then just like the tide pulled the ocean back from the shore to leave the coast a barren wasteland, he would take himself away and leave her abandoned and lonely.

Ugh, I'm pathetic! Am I really missing him? I bet he's not even thinking about me. Karou thought when she realised that a few times, she sensed Magnus wanted to ask something but stopped himself and diplomatically changed the subject, but somehow the conversation always found its way back to Warren whether she meant to steer it that way or not.

Every night she would hear Magnus on the phone, talking to someone in Russian. He'd pretend that the conversation wasn't of any importance, yet he'd always answer before the telephone rang thrice. For a while, she'd had no idea who he was talking to. But once, via a slip of the tongue, Karou thought she heard Magnus reveal the person's name on the other end of the line. If it was it Warren, why was their conversation secret?

On the fourth night of her vacation, Karou had curled up in the windowsill of a long, cathedral shaped window. Hidden around a corner in an alcove, she knew Magnus wasn't sitting too far away in the central lounge of the library. The rain pitter-pattered against the glass and lead, but it didn't disturb her candlelit reading, but she was distracted from her book. Her ear strained, listening for Magnus' phone ringing, but that night, no such call came.

At one o'clock in the morning, local time, he ascended the stairs to the castle library's west entrance. As he climbed, he could've sworn there were more steps than the last time he'd visited, or maybe he was more tired than he realised. By that time, he'd already been awake for four days straight, and fatigue strained every muscle and made his bones ache. The payoff from his forced insomnia was that he'd successfully defended the Compound against a group of would-be invaders. But, having flown ten hours to get there, and not to mention the fact that no matter how much mortal blood he consumed, his thirst came on thick and fast in a matter of hours, he was utterly exhausted.

Finally, at the top of the stairs, he heaved a sigh, relieved that he'd reached the halls flat gradient washed over him, but unfortunately, it didn't take away his exhaustion. Despite his immortal strength, the luggage bag he had hung over his shoulder seemed heavy. Still, he trudged onward until he turned and backed into one of the entrance's double doors. Shoving his shoulder blades into the hefty oak door forced it open, and he made his entrance. The reason for his going to the library in the first place and not straight to his room was to see Magnus. He wanted the opportunity to fill his mentor in on the last few days' events before he retired to bed. As tired as he was, he needed the chance to unwind. Otherwise, he was bound to lay in bed, overthinking and unable to rest.

"Oh, Dios Mio!" Magnus gasped. He'd heard the door open and turned around on the leather chesterfield to behold Warren as he dragged himself over to the lounge. "You look like you've been to hell and back!"

Dropping his luggage onto the floor, Warren propped himself up against an armchair. He didn't dare sit down just in case he couldn't get back up again. "It's been one hell of four days, that's for sure. Thank God it didn't take any longer to defeat them." Warren explained, combing his fingers back through his slightly greasy and dishevelled looking hair.

"How many were there in the end?"

"We burned around fifty bodies. I don't think anyone got away to relay our coordinates. We set off an EMF, so their tech fried. It meant ours did too, but at least then we could herd them in easier." Warren explained, and Magnus nodded along in understanding. They were, of course, discussing the outcome of the mortal militia's attack on the Compound.

"Was it confined to the north wall as you'd hoped?"

"Fortunately..." Warren nodded and huffed out a deep breath.

"And... did you get a piece of the action? It must have been a while since you were in the field."

"I don't like getting my hands dirty, but this came in handy." Warren chuckled as he created a miniature tornado in his palm; it was a little trick his aero kinetic gift granted him. "Against mortals, it's almost too easy. They did give me a few souvenirs, though." Tugging up his sweater, he showed Magnus the pits left behind in his torso from four poorly healed bullet wounds.

Magnus' eyes widened at the sight of wounds and looked between them and Warren's eyes. "Why haven't they healed? Were their bullets laced with something?"

"No, no, I'm just thirsty," Warren noted nonchalantly.

"Then feed, my boy, you can't leave yourself in this condition." Magnus thrust a half-full goblet towards him as an offering. "Drink it. You know there's always plenty more."

"Thank you." Warren took it and downed the blood without a fight, but it barely altered the inky shade of the obis that swallowed his iris'. "The thirst has been harder to quench lately..." He admitted and passed the empty goblet back.

"… Warren, I didn't want to ask, but I fear I have to - how often have you been feeding from Karou now that she's nephilim?" Magnus asked, straight to the point.

"What? Uh-... maybe once every week, or less, why?" He didn't understand the question but answered anyway.

"Her blood is different, Warren. You need to be careful. It's known to be addictive, more so than psionic and fae blood combined." Magnus informed him solemnly, but a warning from a concerned mentor nonetheless. "I've heard it rumoured before now, but I never put much stock in it. I've been reading up since I knew you were feeding together, though."

"I'm not addicted to her blood, Magnus... I can go without it. I guess this -" Warren gestured to himself "- happens until I get enough mortal blood back in me to return to a balanced state. After that, I'm fine." Magnus still looked concerned, which caused Warren to reiterate, "I'll be fine."

Warren stood from the armchair and stretched and yawned. "Where is she anyway, in bed?" He asked, checking his watch, which he'd already altered to local time on the plane.

"The mental addiction might not be there yet, but the physical one is..." Magnus warned with an undertone of smugness that Warren rolled his eyes at. Then, to answer Warren's question, he nodded off into the depths of the library. "Somewhere in there... Karou!?" He called out her name.

"There is no way she's still awake at this time of night."

Warren was right, Karou had fallen asleep tucked into her windowsill, but Magnus calling out her name stirred her instantly. It startled her, and the book in her lap dropped to the floor with a loud slap as she jerked awake. "Uh- Coming..."

"She's going to be delighted to see you!" Magnus beamed. "Perhaps not in the state you're in, mind you." He whispered to himself, despite knowing Warren would hear.

As Karou rounded the corner, yawning and hugging the hefty book she'd been reading to her chest. "Sorry, I must've dropped off while reading..." Karou dropped the book into a desk, rubbed her eyes and drew another deep breath preparing to yawn again. That was when she caught a familiar scent in the air and whipped her head around to look in Magnus' direction. Her eyes beamed, wide and happy, along with a huge smile when she saw Warren there too. "What're you doing here?" The urge to run to him was profound, but seeing as Magnus was watching, she stood fast, even if she couldn't disguise the way her heart beat faster in her chest at the sight of him.

"It's a long story that can wait until morning. I'm going to head to bed as soon as possible." Warren replied; he smiled too, but no expression could pull his eyes from their blackness.

"Are you alright, though? You look ill." Karou noticed his eyes complexion and general peaked appearance. Tentatively she edged across the room towards him and invaded his personal space to check over his face. Magnus just sat on the couch observing and trying not to make too many exposing facial expressions. It was always interesting to watch the pair interact, especially Warren's reactions to Karou.

Warren's reaction was instead telling; he straightened his shoulders and stiffened his neck, signalling that he didn't want her to get too close. "Gee, thanks... I'm fine, Karou, just tired." He said, chilly as ever. Then picking up his luggage from the floor, he turned towards the double doors to make his exit. "On that note, I'll say goodnight. I'm off to bed."

"Alright. Goodnight, Warren." Karou sighed and feebly waved him off. He was disinterested in her; it was disheartening. "Uh- I guess I'll go to bed now too, Magnus." She said to the Spaniard, by way of requesting him to escort her to her guest room.

"I'm sure Warren can take you. I'm going to sit and read a little longer."

Warren glared over his shoulder, having heard Magnus' suggestion. He just wanted to get to bed and wasn't sure he had the energy to babysit Karou right now. Luckily, his eyes retained his annoyance. The way he rolled them was disguised too.

Regardless, within moments Karou was behind him and following down the corridor back to the stairs. He led her through another door and onto a grander, wider staircase that led up to an ornately decorated stone-walled passage. The righthand side was lined with dark wood doors adorned in ornate ironwork. For a while, she'd followed quietly until she no longer recognised where they were going. "Uh, Warren, I don't think my room is this way," She pipped up as she looked around at the unfamiliar paintings in the corridor they were walking down.

"I'm taking my bag to my room first, so I don't have to carry it to the other side of the castle to your guest room," Warren explained.

A chill ran up his spine the moment he smelled a familiar scent close by. Warren spun around on a dime to face Karou but glared past her. Startled by his sudden movement, she didn't reply to what he said and looked back over her shoulder to find a man stood not too far behind them. He seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

"Good evening Warren. It's good to see you made it here in one piece, if not a little feral looking." The stranger greeted while chuckling at his own comment. A stranger, he might've been, but Karou thought she recognised him from somewhere. "I trust the mess at the Compound has been dealt with; all those pesky intrusive mortals have been vanquished, yes?"

What is he talking about? Karou posed the question in her mind and looked to her Sire confusedly.

Warren wouldn't answer her right now, even if his icy demeanour was no longer aimed at her. Instead, he cursed inside his mind, and Karou caught a snippet of the thought that followed, but it only confused her more. If we hadn't walked all the way across the castle, he wouldn't have found us like this. Warren's arm reached around Karou to usher her behind him, putting his thought into some context. He stood, shielding her from the stranger. Frankly, he didn't want him to notice her, much less talk to her.

"Everything was dealt with in a timely and efficient manner, yes," Warren replied respectfully though his tone was cold and clipped when he addressed the other man.

Karou could feel how the air around them chilled when Warren's façade was up and in full force as he glared forward. She had a feeling there was about to be a battle of egos.

"Why so hostile, Warren? And why are you hiding your dear Karou from me? I knew she was here the whole time, you know? I have eyes everywhere in this castle; it is mine, after all."

"She isn't an exhibit."

"Pity, when she's so lovely to look at, don't you think? But it's amusing that she doesn't even know why she's here… Does she? More is the pity that I do not doubt your chilly exterior has not thawed nearly enough to let her know you care, even just a little, hmm?" The wickedly handsome looking man sneered. He seemed to enjoy making statements and then challenging you or mocking your intelligence by asking if you agree with him. "We should have a little get together, Warren. Over dinner, perhaps? You should bring your delectable fledgeling along too. She might not be an exhibit, but she should at least get to enjoy a meal with her host." Instantly he changed his tune and made the invite sound warm; it was stunning.

"I'm sure dinner can be arranged." Warren didn't like the idea of it, but he knew that at least that way, he could be there to monitor their interactions. If Warren could've had his way, he'd have Karou out of the man's presence instantly and keep her out of it for good.

"Tomorrow night then. I'll see you at seven in the lower dining room. Please dress appropriately for such an occasion, won't you, Karou?"

"She didn't bring any dresses if that's what you mean..." Warren explained bluntly. "I told her to pack for cold weather."

"Oh, don't worry about that. I'm sure I can have something arranged and sent to her room. Consider it a welcome gift." The stranger smirked. Karou watched from where she was peering around Warren's arm and had decided she didn't like the tone he took when talking about her, so she grabbed Warren's wrist and hand in both of hers to pull him away.

I want to leave now, please? Karou thought desperately.

In reply, Warren glanced over his shoulder at her and simply nodded. "It's late, and I'm tired after my flight. We'll see you tomorrow evening." Warren half turned to leave and take Karou away too.

"Warren, it's considered highly rude to turn your back on your Coven Lord."

"Am I dismissed... M'Lord? I'd like to retire to bed." Warren said unwillingly with forced sincerity.

"Why, of course, you look absolutely dreadful. You should feed well and get a good nights rest. Good night." The supposed Coven Lord chuckled. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Karou."

Karou just peered around Warren's arm as he wandered back down the corridor and left them alone. Once he was out of sight, Karou's eyes turned to Warren, who was still looking coldly after the man's shadow; she tugged at his hand to stir him and asked, "Who was that?" Karou whispered into the dark and sought Warren's eyes, but the light from the wall sconces didn't illuminate them; instead, they glimmered like inky pool's; still, something was alluring about them even in that state. Suddenly it dawned on her how possessive and overtly protective Warren's behaviour was, and it was all aimed at her. It was oddly flattering, and she blushed as she admired the angles of his face in the low light.

"Roman Black. Lord of the Davikov Coven.” Warren stated plainly and promptly urged Karou towards one of the doors a few feet behind them without meeting her eyes. All that time, they'd been in such proximity to his room, but, unfortunately, they'd been just out of time to reach it before Roman had ambushed them.

Although she had to let go of his hand when he reached into his pocket for the door's key, it'd felt quite nice to have held it for a little while since she couldn't recall any other occasion when she'd had the opportunity to.

Are all male vampires' handsome jackasses? Uck, I can't believe I'm distantly related to him. Karou reflected as she walked through the door behind Warren. The subtle glow of an oil lamp, which Warren lit, illuminated the room enough for Karou to get an impression of the place. Holy cow! She thought, wide-eyed. Awestruck, she wandered further into the room, and Warren locked the door behind them. "This place is bigger than the entire unit..."

While Karou still admired his personal space, he passed her to drop off his bag on the ottoman at the bottom of the spacious bed, leaving her to gaze in wonder. Three vast walls were panelled in chestnut and home to beautiful landscape paintings and ceiling-high bookcases. Karou imagined their warm glow of the wall scones would bring out the rich tones in the wooden furniture if they were lit too. The trinkets and the collection of books that adorned the shelves caught Karou's eye. Though some were bare, and some were enclosed with glass doors, everything seemed to be of purpose and interest. She always thought that peoples belongings spoke volumes about their character. Karou couldn't help but wonder if this was Warren's preferred style, considering it was in such stark contrast to their unit in Montana. She brushed her fingers over the surface of an ornate antique-looking writing desk that sat before one of the windows. Outside, the night looked bleak, and the rain still poured. But, at least in there, it felt warm and cosy, and the most comforting thing of all was that it smelled like Warren.

Altogether, there were three windows, and they sat in the only stone wall in the room. Over them hung thick, luxurious cream curtains. The bed, which stood in the stone wall's centre, was dressed in a similar coloured quilt and satin sheets. Even though the room was inviting enough, what allured Karou further in was how her Sire had sprawled himself over the bed.

Regardless of the strange encounter they'd just had with Roman, more than anything, she wanted to forget about it and join him, perhaps snuggle up and pretend they were a couple enjoying a dirty weekend away at some fancy get-a-way location. Her daydream was over too soon, though, when out of left field, Warren asked her, "So, you think he's handsome, huh?" He hadn't seen her reaction to his private room because since laying down, his eyes had been closed as if he might've fallen asleep.

"Well, uh, I mean... You can't deny he has some aesthetic appeal... but he seems like a jerk." Karou evaluated as she awkwardly lingered at a distance. She still waited for him to get back up and take her to her guest room despite dreaming of staying.

"Your thought was quite the blanket statement considering how many male vampires you know. Don't let him know you find him attractive, though. He'll use it against you. He's already going to try and convince you to join his harem at dinner tomorrow..."

"Well, two out of the three male vampires I know are handsome jerks."

"That's no way to talk about Magnus." Warren attempted a small joke.

"I'm not talking about Magnus, and you know it..." Karou giggled.

"I didn't come all this way to see you for you to insult me, Karou."

"You're here to see me?"

"Hmm, it's somewhere on my list of reasons, yes."

"How flattering to know that I'm at least somewhere on any of your lists, but uh- just because I think he's is good looking doesn't mean I'd ever consider joining his harem. Actually, that sounds very gross." Karou glanced to the door again because Warren wasn't implying he would move anytime soon. "If you give me some directions, I might be able to make it back to my room."

"You're not allowed to wander around the castle alone, especially with Roman prowling the corridors," Warren mumbled. Her assumption that he wasn't planning on budging was correct. "Karou, come and get in bed already. I'm not taking you anywhere tonight."

"I haven't got anything to wear to bed," Karou mentioned as she wandered over the room to perch herself on the edge of his bed. Ooo, this is bouncy. She thought gleefully when her rear sunk into the mattress.

"Last I checked, you're covered in skin, all of which I've seen," Warren muttered; his tone was somewhere between suggestive and practical, but it still made Karou smile shyly.

"You enjoy saying things that make me blush," Karou whispered back as she kicked off her boots, and at the same time, she removed her sweater to reveal the cream lace garment she wore beneath.

"What's not to enjoy," Warren admitted.

She could feel his eyes on her, and even when she looked over her shoulder at him, he didn't look away. Whatever pandora's box he'd opened inside her when he took her virginity had unleashed a side of her personality that she never knew existed. Still, it caused Karou to realise that she liked how he looked at her so hungrily.

Her wings fluttered when she turned to face him and started to remove her jeans. As she wiggled them down her thighs, his head tipped to the side, admiring her body from a different angle. He still hadn't averted his gaze for a second, and Karou had one last tease before she'd touch him - she still had her socks to take off. So, she turned her back on Warren again and bent over to take them off. Warren was surprised by the brazen nature of her little strip tease, but she knew just what he wanted to see, it seemed. The noise Warren made in the back of his throat, in awe of her behind as she bent over, made her chuckle.

Warren didn't want to move much but decided he had to do something; he wanted to touch her. So, the moment Karou moved to sit down on the edge of the bed, he reached out his hand so that her cheek pressed down against his palm just as he'd desired so that he could give it a gentle squeeze.

She gasped. Relishing the playfulness of Warren's move, Karou raised her hips and looked over at him with an adorable look of innocent surprise on her face, to which Warren smirked back devilishly.

"It's your turn," She whispered and turned to crawl, on her hands and knees over the soft sheets towards him. Having prowled his way, Karou began to pull his sweater from him. He obliged as much as he could despite feeling almost too tired to move, but he was enjoying letting her undress him. Although he lifted his hips to help her along, Karou found wrangling Warren out of his jeans rather tricky, and he couldn't help but grin at her struggle.

Once dressed down to his underwear, Karou boldly straddled his lap. He sighed; at last, she was within reach, and he was free to let his hands loose, stoking up the length of her supple thighs. Karou smiled down at him, liking how he touched her with such care. While her hands felt over his chest, reaching towards his shoulders, she'd been about to tell him how glad she was that he was there but stopped in her tracks when she noticed four circular pits in his skin. "What are these?" As she asked, her brows furrowed, she thought she knew, but how they'd gotten there didn't bear thinking about; she hoped his explanation would disprove her theory.

"As I said, it's a long story."

"But you're going to have to tell me. Some of the things that Roman guy said got me thinking. You need to tell me what happened back home, Warren." She requested reasonably, but he sighed reluctantly. "Right now." She insisted.

"I sent you here to kill two birds with one stone," Warren explained. Karou shot him an unimpressed look; he hadn't told her enough to dissolve her concern yet. "It gave you a chance to see Blue Ash, and I needed to get you someplace safe."

"Why wouldn't the Compound be safe?"

"It is, but just in case the mortal militia that marched on the north wall had been more successful in gaining entry and wreaking havoc, I made you come here so that you wouldn't become collateral damage..." As calm as ever, Warren explained, and Karou was left astounded.

"So people attacked the Compound, and these are..." Karou began to irritate his words to aid in her understanding. She looked solemn when Warren helped her to the conclusion.

"They're bullet wounds."

"You were shot!?" Karou gasped.

"Relax, I'm fine."

"No, you're not; they haven't healed properly," Karou said, setting her fingertips into two of the raw and ruddy pits gently. I don't understand. Why haven't they healed? And… What happened to the people that hurt you?" Again, she thought she knew, but she had to ask.

"It's just because I'm thirsty. I'm thirsty a lot lately."

"We can fix your thirst, but what about the perpetrators?"

"… I killed them," Once more, Warren explained calmly and reached up to brush his fingers under her chin. "Karou, I hoped I'd never have to tell you. When I was a fledgeling here, the Davikov indoctrinated me into their military order called the Black Winter… Because of my gift, I would be useful to them."

"What gift?" Karou asked apprehensively. Regardless of the look on her face, Karou couldn't deny how knowing that Warren was thirsty drew her to him. So automatically, she'd leant closer. Intending to alleviate his thirst by offering him her blood, her neck hovered over him.

At that moment, Warren couldn't possibly focus on anything else but the sight of the pulsing golden vein that ran the left side of her neck. Suddenly gathered into his strong arms, Karou moaned and turned her face into his hair as he growled and went in for a bite. Every moment of skin on skin contact was as close to ecstasy as it got without them removing the rest of their clothes and giving in to darker temptations.

Warren regained his strength halfway through feeding and growled excitedly as he rolled them over so that he could loom over her and take complete control. Karou whimpered and submissively spread herself out over the bed, with her legs, arms and wings free of him, feeling ready to let him have her.

Warren lingered to kiss Karou, where he'd bitten her neck when it was all over. Upon opening his bright eyes, he saw her content and sedate beneath him, basking in the afterglow with a faint smile on her lips that caused him to smile too.

"Mmm, that felt so good, like always." Karou hummed happily and finally opened her eyes to look up at him. Then, reaching out her hand, she ran her fingertips over his left cheek with a dreamy grin as she stared into his eyes. The moments' sexual charge was neutralised completely when Karou said, "That's better. I can see you again now."

Her words caused a lump to rise up his throat, and a tight pang felt like his heart had been clasped from within his chest. Her words were so sweet, but Karou truly believed that no matter how expressionless Warren could be, if she looked hard and long enough, she could get his resolve to falter, and he'd reveal himself through his eyes. Vampiric thirst hid him from her, but once the darkness cleared, the man she cared for came into view again in the crystal clear blue.

Warren was dazed but unquestionably as happy as she was, bittersweetly so. In their solitude, he felt free and said, "Karou, have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"

"What?" Karou understood what he'd asked, but still, it baffled her. Of course, he'd never told her that before. He'd insinuated that she was attractive, but for a long time, regardless of any contradicting evidence, she never completely believed that he meant he personally found her alluring to any significant degree. Perhaps he liked using her body and taking her blood once in a while, but there was nothing romantic about his desires.

"You're the most stunning creature I've ever seen."

The sincerity in his gaze and the way he whispered as if it were a precious secret made her eyes well up. But you don't love me... She thought. It hurt her how much she wanted him to; that way, she didn't have to be afraid of falling for him. "I don't understand. Why are you telling me this now?"

"Because when you go to Enoch, you'll hear it all the time, and I don't want you to go without knowing what I think. I wanted to be the first to tell you. Just like I was the first to kiss you and-…"

There came a knock at the door that shattered the moment they were sharing.

For fucks sake, who's that at this hour? Warren shifted from the bed, feeling closer to furious that disgruntled that their moment had been ruined. On his way to the door, he gestured for Karou to get under the covers away from prying eyes.

D'you think it's that Roman guy again? Karou asked as she obediently hid; she was more wary than disappointed.

You've got to be kidding? Alas, when he unlocked and opened the door and beheld the face of the late-night visitor, he wished he'd known better and ignored them.