you got another one of whatever is in your cup? It smells divine.”
“Of course.” Ra seemed startled to have been asked, but two more mugs appeared on the table. Kirill decided he was finished too, and added his plate to the others, before picking up the remaining mug. Arvyn was already drinking his and humming contentedly.
“So, back to the original question,” Kirill said, after taking a sip that seemed to warm him as it went down. “You’re saying I didn’t notice Yakov’s lack of power because I didn’t look for it?”
“Can you think of any instance where Yakov had to fight for his position, or fight off a threat?” Arvyn raised his eyebrows. “Seems to me, that’s the only time you might have noticed his lacking in that area.”
Kirill shook his head. “Yakov was recommended to me for the second’s position and from memory I was busy with a security project at the time and was just glad I didn’t have to interview anyone or witness challenges. In hindsight, many of my coven members were lazy sods and wouldn’t have wanted the responsibility that comes with the position, so it’s not as though anyone would’ve challenged him for it unless it was one of my enforcers.”
“And considering what we saw when Zeus and I got to the coven, Yakov had clearly been giving the head of security a blow job, so perhaps that’s why they didn’t challenge him.” Ra gave an elegant rise and fall of his slender shoulders. “My question for you, sweet vampire, is why is it important to you?”
And wasn’t that the twenty-thousand-dollar question. Kirill struggled to put what he was feeling into words. “I feel duped. I feel like I’ve been conned, and I’m angry… at Yakov definitely, but mostly I’m angry at myself. People, innocent people, were being abused, drained, chained, tortured, not half a mile from where I slept, and I didn’t know. I didn’t fucking KNOW!” His anger hit him like a Mack truck. Kirill was on his feet, the contents of his cup slopping all over the floor. Seconds later the handle of the mug started to crumble in his hands, and Kirill threw the remains of the mug against the fireplace.
Arvyn was there, pressed up against his side, hands rubbing up and down his arms – Kirill recognized his beloved was trying to soothe him. But Ra hadn’t moved. Didn’t so much as blink. He simply took another sip from his cup, and asked quietly, “Is omnipotence one of your powers? A gift you inherited after you turned five hundred, perhaps? Are you able to see into the future and all it holds?”
“What are you talking about?” Kirill didn’t seem to be able to shake his anger. “Of course not. No one is omnipotent except perhaps the Fates, and maybe you.”
“I am all powerful yes, but even I don’t proclaim to be able to see into the hearts of men or understand their reasoning for what they do. Nor do I have x-ray vision allowing me to see what’s happening in a closed-up barn, until I opened the door and looked for myself. If you’d have known what Yakov had done, would you have put a stop to it?”
“Of course, I fucking would. You think I condone that sort of shit?” Arvyn’s hand gripped his bicep, but Kirill was too angry to watch his words or tone, even to his beloved.
Ra sighed and stood, still holding his mug. “You can what-if until the cows come home or the birds come to roost, or whatever it is you mortals say in situations like this. It won’t change anything. Yakov and his cronies are responsible for the horrors I saw firsthand in that barn, and Zeus and I ensured that the vampire council were called in. All of those people will live, and the two main perpetrators have been dealt with.”
“On your realm.” Kirill almost spat the words. “You sent them to your realm. They’re still breathing.”
“Only until you deem otherwise, my dear mate.” Ra quirked an eyebrow. “And believe me, it’s no fun being one of the few individuals breathing in the realm of the dead which is where I sent them. They are parked, where they can do no harm, until you determine what you want done with them. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have no wish to sit around and watch you smash any more of the things in my house. I’ll be in one of the other rooms