Page 58 of Tin God

Tenzin narrowed her eyes. “That’s very… convenient.”

“For who?”

“Whoever Zasha is actually working with.”

“Maybe they’re not working with anyone,” Ben said. It was the sick fear in his belly. That Zasha was doing all this just because they could.

For fun and nothing else.

“We could ask why they’re doing it,” Tenzin said. “But maybe the better question is why wouldn’t they? Where are you?”

She might be secretive, but Ben wasn’t. “We’re in Ketchikan right now.”

“Ketchikan,” Tenzin whispered. “I love the names in this place. They are fun to say.”

“Is Oleg with you?”

“Yes, but only because I asked him to train Brigid. He’s not really helping us, but he’s giving Brigid whatever she asks for.”

Ben tried not to smile. “You asked Oleg to train Brigid?” He was not going to share that with Carwyn. The man was already on edge, and the last thing he needed was the knowledge that a well-known lothario of the immortal world was working closely with his wife.

“He’s a fire vampire.” Tenzin spread her hands. “Zasha is a fire vampire. Most vampires go their entire life without siring one fire vampire, and Oleg’s sire madetwo.”

Knowing how closely fire and trauma were related, Ben was getting an even more hideous impression of Oleg and Zasha’s sire. “God, he must have been so awful.”

“Yes, but for Brigid, it is convenient. Oleg is strong, and his amnis is probably similar to Zasha’s. His fire might have some of the same characteristics.”

“Every fire vampire I’ve ever met has used fire in different ways,” Ben said. “You think Oleg is going to be able to help Brigid understand Zasha better or something?”

“Maybe.” Tenzin leaned back against something that looked like a bed. “I’m not sleeping. I think I only do it when I’m with you.”

Ben narrowed his eyes. “You’re lying.”

“Not exactly,” Tenzin murmured.

“Are you dreaming again?” Ben knew that Tenzin dreamed and it wasn’t always pleasant.

“Something like that.” She stared at something off-screen. “Was it wrong to come here?”

“No. You just shouldn’t have left me.”

“But if I hadn’t left you, the large flowered one would be all alone.” Tenzin closed her eyes. “You’re going to bring him, aren’t you? I hate his judgmental face.”

“His mate is the one Zasha is after.”

“I don’t know how accurate that is.”

Ben forced himself to ask the question that had been plaguing him for days. “Did you do something to Zasha, Tenzin?”Did you cause all this suffering?

He didn’t expect her to answer. God knows she rarely answered anything about her past and when she did, it was usually cryptic.

But this time she was staring at something, her head cocked, her eyes softer than he expected. “I think…”, she started. “I think I did the worst thing.”

Ben drew in a breath and braced himself. “What?”

“I let Zasha live.”

“They’re around Seward.”Ben walked into the common room under Buck’s house. “Somewhere on the Kenai Peninsula. That’s the most she could tell me. I doubt she really knows where they are.”

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