a wolf, but their gods had gifted her with the power later.
Eilea heaved a contented sigh. “I’ve never been happier. My whole life I’ve longed for a large family, and now I have one.”
Tatiana arched a brow. “You don’t mind giving up American comforts?”
“I’m not going to deny I’d kill for a Starbucks right now.” She took a slow sip of tea. “But no, I don’t mind. The Romanian people need me, and I belong where I’m needed.”
She was humbled by Eilea’s response. Perhaps being here with Eilea was just what she needed.
“And now my amazing American daughter-in-law has come,” Eilea said. “We can reminisce about American comforts together while making lopsided sarmale and making the whole house smell like cabbage.”
Tatiana couldn’t contain her laughter. Her mother and gamma father had tried to teach her popular Romanian dishes, but her sarmale was a disaster. She and Eilea shared a look, and she laughed so hard, her sides ached. She had no idea how Eilea was able to tap into her well of joy so suddenly, but as she wiped tears from her eyes, she couldn’t help thinking maybe she belonged in Romania after all.
The baby stirred and let out a wail.
“Shh, Artem, it’s okay,” Eilea said, reaching for him, her belly preventing her from leaning over.
“I’m sorry,” Tatiana whispered, her laughter fading.
“Don’t be,” Marius said as he set a tray of flower-shaped cookies on the coffee table. He heaved the baby into his arms. “Artem has napped too long already.” Turning into Marius, the baby wrapped his arms around his neck.
Tatiana was about to take a cookie, but she jumped to her feet when she heard the rumble of an engine outside. Relief swept through her when she saw her parents getting out of a car.
Constantine reached the door in a few long strides and opened it. “Everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine,” his father answered, brushing snow off his jacket.
Stepping aside, Constantine let everyone enter, and the small farmhouse felt like it was bursting at the seams with shifters. Tatiana wondered if the brothers’ house was as small. After growing up in her parents’ spacious cabin, she would have to learn to adjust.
She didn’t like the look of concern on their faces, but she decided not to press them for information. The last thing she wanted to do was worry Eilea while she was pregnant.
Tatiana hugged them, relieved they were okay. Something about Natasha had made her feel like spiders were racing across her skin.
“There you are.” Rubbing her lower back with a grimace, Eilea waddled to Boris. Taking his shirt collar, she pulled him in for a kiss, then recoiled. “Why do I smell dark magic on you?”
Scratching the back of his neck, he said, “We helped a woman get her car out of a ditch.”
“What aren’t you telling me?”
He shrugged out of his fur-lined jacket, trying and failing to look as if it was no big deal. “She smelled odd, so we followed her.”
“And?” Eilea pressed.
“And she drove to the castle.”
A chill raced up Tatiana’s spine. “The castle?” Why was this bad news?
“A few months ago, the Russian mob bought the abandoned castle,” Boris explained. “They said they were turning it into a hotel catering to the wealthy elite.”
“Now we know why they blocked off the renovation site with an electrified fence,” Constantine said. “They claimed it was to keep looters away.”
“A hotel? Here?” Tatiana snorted, not meaning to sound rude, but who would want to vacation with a bunch of bleating sheep? “And what about the Russian mob?” she asked, following Boris into the kitchen.
Holding tightly to her hand, her mother went with her, standing behind the kitchen table while the elders sat.
“We’re not happy about it.” Boris grimaced. “It’s the one piece of land the Amaroki don’t own.”
“Our tribe is divided,” Bunic Klaus said, handing Boris a shot of what she assumed was whiskey. “Some think tourism will boost our economy. Others think living among humans risks our exposure.”
“And what do you think?” she asked him.
The old man gave her a pointed look. “I don’t want the Russian mob in our town, especially if they are associating with dark witches.”
Eilea mumbled a bunch of words Tatiana didn’t recognize. Marius helped her into a chair.
Boris frowned. “What is it, Eilea?”
“I recognize that smell. She wasn’t a witch.”
“Then what was she?” Boris asked.
Nervous energy twisted Tatiana’s gut until it hurt.
Eilea gave Boris a long look. “Demon.”
Well, fuck. Her mouth went dry. “What are demons doing here?”
“Could they know about us?”