in the land. Lazy fuckers couldn’t even be bothered to say that to my face.”
Kirill growled at the thought of his beloved having to hear such insulting words. “I’m so sorry you had to hear all that.” It was difficult getting the words out through clenched teeth. For a split-second Kirill wished he hadn’t disbanded the coven, just so he could tear in there and rip them all to shreds. “It’s all my own fault. I gave them everything. They didn’t have to work, they all got an allowance, or could use the coven fund account for anything they needed. I thought… I thought I was helping them, giving them somewhere safe to stay…”
“And instead they shit on the hand that fed them.” Arvyn gave Kirill’s shoulders a small shake. “This isn’t on you. There’re good and bad among the vampires just the same as there are in any other species. You just happened to have a coven full of the bastards. What we’re going to do is walk through that door, collect your stuff and then you can put the place on the market. I assume you’ve secured your accounts.”
Kirill nodded. It was one of the first things he did after seeing what Yakov had done.
“Then let’s get this done,” Ra said quietly, leaning his head on Kirill’s chest, offering his comfort. “We’ll do a walkthrough, you can let me know if anything needs doing as we go, so that by the time we walk back out that door, the place is ready for market. Yes?”
“Sounds like a plan.” Arvyn draped his arm over Kirill’s shoulder. “And then, did I hear we might be going to Montana? That Paulie had heard of another property not that far from them that was on the market? I’ve never been house hunting before. Do I have to look all disinterested when we meet the agent, or do I pepper him with a dozen questions he can’t answer just so he’ll give us the place at the price we’re prepared to pay?”
Chuckling, Kirill gave his beloveds a hug. He knew what Arvyn was doing and while the man might be over five hundred years younger than he was, he had the knack of saying the right thing to ease the tension Kirill seemed to pick up and carry out of habit. “You just be you,” he said with all the affection he could muster.
The door wasn’t locked. There hadn’t been any need when the gates were always secured, and the fences were high enough to detract opportune thieves. Set back off the road, the way the coven was, it was unlikely anyone even realized the place was empty. Large velvet drapes could still be seen from outside… They didn’t steal the curtains at least.
Inside… Kirill shivered as he closed the door behind them. It was like a morgue – the air cold and lifeless. Everything stood, just as it had done for years. Chairs in the reception hall, Kirill’s picture was still hanging over the staircase. Only the flowers in vases showed signs of decay. Ra darted off to peer in a door off the hall. “The furniture all seems to be here. Just a bit dusty.”
“You seemed to think your coven members would basically steal what wasn’t nailed down.” Arvyn was peering in doorways too, although neither of Kirill’s mates went out of his sight. “It looks like they haven’t touched anything at all.”
Kirill strode over to his office and took a quick look inside. His computer still stood on the desk, where it’d always been, and his collection of original art drawings done on commission by Charles Schulz were still hanging in their frames on the wall behind his desk. But… Kirill frowned at the coffee mug left on his desk. Crossing the room, he touched the outside of the cup. It was still warm. “There’s someone still here,” he snarled, as he sprinted past his mates and heading up the stairs, taking two at a time. The doors to his private suite were closed, the handle refusing to turn when Kirill tried to open it.
“Some asshole’s tried to lock me out!” Stepping back, Kirill kicked at the door, splintering it off its hinges, before running into his rooms. It was immediately obvious someone had been staying there. Three of Kirill’s bespoke suit jackets were thrown over his window seat as if they were rags. There were empty pizza boxes and discarded coffee mugs strewn across the coffee table, spilling onto