Chapter 33 33
Chapter 33 – Banya
Odessa’s POV
“Hades?” I tried to mind link with him when I realized he wasn’t in bed.
No response, I wonder where he’s gone?
I was snug under the blankets and didn’t want to get out of the warm bed, being naked made stepping out of bed feel even worse. I thought about last night and the punishment Hades had given me. I had seen naughty pups get lashed with a belt my whole life, but I had never expected a mate… my mate, to punish me like that.
There had been something in his eyes, his determination and dominance that intrigued me at first. I wasn’t sure if he would really hurt me or if this was part of his dark side I suspected he always had. Alphas tended to be dominant by nature.
“Our mate would never hurt us,” Olympia reminded me.
Ten lashes. I had earned ten lashes and he seemed focused to deliver. I could feel his anger and frustration with me along with fear. He had been afraid of losing me, of something actually happening to me. I wanted to be angry with him, but I was mostly frustrated with myself. When I saw that bomb explode, I realized the level of danger that lurks in Moscow. That maid and probably everyone else in the surrounding rooms had been killed. This entire situation was something beyond my understanding because my brother had always shielded me from the cruelty of this world. Humans could be just as vicious and cruel as wolves.
I rubbed my still sore cheeks, remembering the heat and excitement that flooded through me from the first six licks of the leather. His control and power did things to me, things I couldn’t seem to fully understand. I could feel my face flush just thinking about it. What was wrong with me?
My bladder was screaming to be emptied and I had no choice but to dash for the bathroom. I hissed the moment my ass connected with the toilet seat and then I remembered the way he kissed and caressed it after our lovemaking. I turned on the shower and waited for the water to get hot enough. It was lukewarm, but I still managed a quick shower.
“Boy the hot water here sucks,” I told Alec as I entered the common room.
“The hotel is full to capacity, most of the Skaya guests checked in last night. I imagine everyone is taking a shower this morning. I ordered room service nearly two hours ago, hope it gets here soon. The only one who has eaten is the cat,” Alec said. Kronos looked content in Giota’s arms after his breakfast.
“Where’s Hades and Kazimir?”
Alec explained what he discovered in the journal, the blackmail, the accounts, and the videos. He told me about the missing flight logs and what Kazimir learned from his brother. They believe the Russian Minister of Finance was behind the abduction. Hades and Kazimir had gone out to see a vodka distillery the Minister owned and then to the country club he frequented.
“Do you think we can take a taxi to buy some warm clothes, and come right back?” I asked Alec.
“Absolutely not,” Alec said and a knock came from the door.
“That must be the food, I’m starving.” Giota started moving for the door and Alec beat her to it.
He looked through the peephole and pulled the door open. A man dressed in all black stepped out from the side of the door, shoving the room service cart through the door to keep it from closing.
“Pffft! Pffft! Pffft!” A gun with a silencer shot through the open door and hit the sofa.
Alec kicked the gun out of the man's hand and pulled him into the room, tossing him to the floor. My claws shifted and I lunged for him. He let out a scream and I quickly sliced his throat from ear to ear, the way Dimitri had taught me. The young man dressed in a hotel uniform held another gun and started pushing his way through the door.
“Pffft! Pffft! Pffft! Pffft! Pffft! Pffft! Pffft!” He fired off shot after shot, hitting the lamp, the television, the wall, and judging by the feathers floating in the air, he hit the sofa pillows.
Alec slammed the door into the man and grabbed a hold of the gun, yanking it from him. He rushed into the room with a knife in his hand and aimed at Giota. She delivered a swift kick to the man's balls and he dropped to his knees. Alec moved behind the man and gave his neck a firm twist, snapping it. We stood silent for a few beats, listening for someone else. Alec pulled the room service cart inside so he could close the door.
“I guess we don’t have to worry about cat hair on the sofa,” Giota said. “Get your stuff, we need to get out of here!” Alec ordered as he grabbed
the journal.
Giota was already dressed and set Kronos in the tote with a fresh towel for warmth. I quickly tucked the remaining cans of fish into my backpack, and we rushed to the door. Alec stuck his head out into the hallway and motioned for us to follow. We moved swiftly to the stairs and went down two levels before we heard the sound of racing footsteps coming up.
“It sounds like three men. All human,” Olympia told me.
We quietly slipped out of the stairway on the sixth floor and the service elevator dinged open as a housekeeping maid pushed a cart of towels off. The door was about to close when Giota slipped her hand through and held it open.
“Is zero the lobby or garage level?” Giota asked pressing the button.
“I don’t believe the service elevator goes to the garage,” Alec told her and he was right. The door slipped open and a maintenance hall appeared before us. The scent of bleach filled the humid air as bedding and towels were being washed.
There was a door at the end of the long corridor that looked like an exit and we hurried towards it. The door led to the parking garage, and I was about to ask Alec if we could borrow a car but noticed a security guard patrolling the garage.
“Borrow or steal?” Olympia teased.
“The security guard could be with them. Keep your head down and keep moving.” Alec whispered.
The bitter cold hit me, and everything seemed like a blur as we moved down a side street and turned down another. Where is a taxi when you needed one?
“Shit! We forgot to grab Hades and Kazimir’s duffle bags.”
“Is it normal for the security patrol car to leave the garage and follow us?” Giota asked looking over her shoulder.
“Let’s turn the corner ahead and see if it follows.” We picked up the pace and so did the car.
Another car cruised towards us from the opposite direction. A man with a black wool hat and cold blue eyes was driving. He turned his head and looked right at us. I considered running, but I wasn’t sure if he recognized us or if we just looked suspicious to him. We weren’t wearing coats and hats which was ludicrous considering the weather in Moscow. We were sure to stick out like a sore thumb. Finally, we reached a very busy street and I knew the cars wouldn’t be able to keep pace with us.
“Should we try to get a taxi?” I asked Alec.
“RUN!” Giota urged as a man jumped out of the second car and raced towards us. His hand was tucked into his thick leather jacket and I assumed he had a gun.
“We need to lose them,” Alec called out and we started running and weaving through people. With our feet pounding the pavement, we moved faster than most humans could. We turned around another corner and continued our escape. Alec and I had trained with the pack and could easily run faster, but Giota was moving a little slower than I would have preferred.
“There!” Alec pointed ahead. A large box truck was parked up ahead and the driver looked like he was delivering plants or something. As we neared, I noticed the stacks of birch and eucalyptus tree branches in his arms. They were stacked so high that he couldn’t see anything in front of him. A metal door had been propped open on the side of the large brick building.
“Take some of these!” Alec rushed to the parked truck and handed us some tree branches.
I had no idea where the hell we were going or what we were doing with tree branches. The greenery smelled nice, so maybe they were used for making candles or bath soap. We followed Alec and moved into the building. With the tree branches in our arms, we continued walking through the maze of corridors. Alec stopped mid-step and listened to the sound of loud voices coming from down the hall where we had just entered.
“We’ve got company!” He whispered and I instinctively reached for a large wooden door to my right, hoping to find an escape.
To my surprise, the room was a sauna. Naked men were seated on towels wearing nothing but strange wool hats. One man was sprawled back with his penis lazily strewn across his thigh. I nearly dropped my branches at the sight. What was this place?
“Not there!” Alec hissed and we continued to step faster. There were several signs posted, but all in Russian. The sound of deeply accented voices walking in our direction grew louder.
Alec reached for another door and we slipped into a large tiled room. It had plunge pools in the middle and open showers lining the back wall. There were benches and tables where naked men lay, and other men ferociously beat them with fistfuls of tree branches. The man on the table closest to us let out a low grunt every time the branches thwacked across his butt and back. I wasn’t sure if he was grunting in pleasure or pain and I suddenly remembered my sore backside. A sea of massive Russian cocks dangled all around us and Giota suppressed a giggle.
“You’d better stop looking before Hades punishes you again!” Alec gave me a raised eyebrow.
No one seemed fazed by our presence, and we moved to a table at the opposite side of the bathing hall to deposit our tree branches. A large door was next to the table and we left through it. This time, we found ourselves in a room I recognized. A locker room.
“Quick, over here!” Alec pulled another door open. It was a janitorial closet, and we squeezed ourselves inside just as the deep voices entered the locker room. We stood quietly in the dark for what felt like an eternity. There was a large crack in the bottom of the door where the light poured through. Alec quickly knelt down and pressed his face to it.
“I take it we’re in some kind of bizarre fitness gym?” I asked. “Not exactly,” Alec said with his eye pressed to the crack. “Why else would there be a locker room?” Giota asked.
“It’s a banya.” He whispered and pulled his head back. “A Russian bathhouse, like a steam and sauna, or sweat lodge.”
“Let me see,” I hissed and pressed my face to the crack. I caught a glimpse of an old pudgy man undressing and another with his hairy ass in direct view before he wrapped a towel around himself.
“Are you sure it’s not a gym?” Giota asked.
“Yep, these two have never seen the inside of a gym alright!” I continued looking and the locker room door pushed open again. A tall man with dark blond hair, gray eyes, and a strong build walked through the door. He had interesting tattoos of a snarling wolf, daggers, eight-point stars, and a spider. Something was terrifying yet familiar about him.
Two men entered behind him, both with menacing tattoos and muscled physiques. All three were naked and wet, speaking in a language we didn’t understand. I had been so distracted by their nakedness, it took me a moment to sense what they were.
“Wolves,” I whispered. The blond man that had entered was older, but his aura was strong. He had suppressed it, which wasn’t an easy thing to do, but I could still sense it because I was Alpha born. He was a ranked wolf. I pulled away from the crack and allowed Alec to peer out again.
“Those are Bratva tattoos!” Alec whispered.
“If they come any closer, they’ll be able to sense us,” I said.
“We could wait a while before we try to slip out,” Giota suggested just as Kronos meowed.
Alec jerked his head back and stretched out his arms, trying to move us behind him. They had heard Kronos’ meow. A voice spoke in rapid Russian and heavy footsteps moved closer to the door. Olympia pushed for control, ready to fight our way out of this regardless if we were in human territory.
“Volkov!” A deep voice called out and the steps near the door came to a halt.
Volkov? My stomach somersaulted as I realized why the man looked familiar. He looked so much like Kazimir. The man on the other side of the door was his father. Ivan Volkov was the infamous Bratva Pahkan and the Alpha of his pack. I knelt back down and pushed my face against the crack. Angry sounding words were exchanged, and he was speaking to the man in the leather jacket that had chased us.
Alpha Volkov wrapped a towel around his hips and the man in the leather jacket left with a scowl on his face. I wish I knew what was said. In three swift strides, Alpha Volkov reached the door and wrenched it open. He looked us over and Kronos hissed as the Alpha released his full aura.
“Well, well, well… What have we here?” His accent was even thicker than Kazimir’s.
“Alpha Volkov,” I greeted him, allowing Olympia to the surface so he could sense my full aura.
“Very interesting,” he tutted. “Two Alpha born females and a Beta…or Gamma?” He looked Alec over who was a Gamma with a strong wolf that could easily be a Beta.
“We were out exploring the city and took a wrong turn,” Alec said.
“You know, spying is an offense punishable by death in my country.
Who are you spying on?”
“Spying?” Giota asked.
“This banya is frequented by many members of the Duma and Council, even a few judges. Now tell me, what are you doing in my territory?” He demanded.
“Moscow is pack territory?” I asked, looking him in the eyes.
“Little Koshka, Moscow is bratva territory.” A twisted smile formed on his face and he leaned closer, scenting me. This man may have looked like Kazimir but there was a cold cruelness in his eyes. “Which pack are you from?”
“Olympus Blood Moon,” Alec replied.
“Ahhh... The Beast of Greece.” He stepped back looking thoughtful. “It is not customary for wolves to come to Russia without notifying the local Alpha first, but I understand Alpha Theodorus is in trade negotiations with local companies.”
“Yes, he is. This was a last-minute trip,” Alec assured him.
“And yet, she smells like another Alpha I know,” his eyes turned to me, and I shifted uncomfortably.
“How long will you be here?” He asked. “We’re here for two days,” Alec replied. “And you’re staying at?”
“The Crowne,” Alec lied.
“Very well. Give my regards to Alpha Theodorus.” He turned his focus to me and sniffed the air. “When you see your mate, tell him to bring Kazimir home for dinner, his mother would like to see him.”
Alpha Volkov turned and left the locker room with the other wolves. He had scented Hades on me and after last night, his scent would still be strong. I couldn’t seem to remember if Kazimir had said anything about his mother or if there was a possibility his father wanted to kill him. I know their relationship was strained, but I wasn’t sure to what extent.
Alec held his finger to his lips, reminding us to remain quiet. We walked down a long corridor towards a big metal door similar to the one we used when we entered. We stepped outside to the sounds of a busy street and the sudden chill hit us after being in such a warm building. There was no sign of the two cars that followed us or the man in the leather jacket.
“We’re going to freeze!” Giota said.
“I know where we’re at. There’s a department store not too far from here,” Alec told us.
“That was Kazimir’s father. Was the man in the leather jacket working for him? And why did he let us go so easily if he was the one after us?” Questions swirled around my head as I tried to make sense of what had happened.
“Do you think we’re being followed by his men?” Giota asked.
“Probably. We need to buy coats, call Hades, and get out of this area,” Alec answered.
Five minutes later, we entered the department store and I realized it was an upscale ladies' department store. Giota held Kronos close to her body, and I silently hoped he would stay quiet while we shopped. Alec pointed ahead and moved past the ladies' handbags, sunglasses, and scarfs to the coats. They had a variety of coats for the cold Russian winters, fur, wool, leather, sheepskin, you name it.
“Alec, they might be looking for a man and two females. We should get you one of these long coats with a headscarf and sunglasses to help disguise you.” Giota suggested.
“Sure and why don’t we get me a new purse and gloves while we’re at it. Have you looked at me? No way anyone is going to believe I’m a woman,” he mocked.
“This is Russia, have you seen some of these tall and burly women?” I laughed.