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Chapter Nine: Recon Part 1
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Codename: Aconite Chapter Ten: Recon Part 2
I tighten the belt around my long white coat, steeling myself against the cold Moscow air and step into the cloud-filled coffee shop. I think I was better off out in the cold. Heavy smokers fill the room, permeating the air with the smoke from their cigarettes. I may be used to the smell, but that doesn’t mean I enjoy it. Even if I get my clothes dry cleaned it’ll probably still take multiple tries to get out the smell of smoke. I’m kicking myself for choosing to wear all-white today. Cigarette smoke stains like a bitch. Nevertheless, I make my way to an empty table and get myself situated, ignoring the smoke as best I can. I remove my white leather gloves and slip them into my pocket as a waitress comes over, looking like she’s been working back-to-back shifts for the past month. “What can I get you?” “I’ll just have a belyash, thank you,” I say pleasantly. “Anything to drink?” She asks tiredly. Note to self, leave this woman a large tip. “Maybe later.” She walks off to get my
Codename: Aconite Chapter Eleven: Date With The Enemy Pt 1
This isn’t the first time I’ve been on a date with a target. Sometimes the best way to get close enough to poison someone is by going on a date with them. Posing as a waitress or pretending to be a patron are the next best possibilities, definitely the ones that lead to the least amount of suspicion. If the police are called to investigate a death and everyone reports he or she was spotted having dinner with a woman no one can find, then that woman – rightfully – becomes suspect number one. In this case, Silas – or Nicolae – willingly placed himself in my crosshairs, so it seems foolhardy not to seize the opportunity. All that said, I still intend to look my best. The least I can do for him is give him something to admire before he dies. A final glimpse at beauty as he takes his inevitable last breath. Thankfully, I pack for all occasions. I’ve gone with a long-sleeved, turtleneck black thigh-high dress with white satin ribbon travelling in an elaborate stitch pattern down the left s
Codename: Aconite Chapter Twelve: Date With The Enemy Pt 2
The drive is short, pleasant, and not remotely uncomfortable. His cologne fills the car with a woodsy aroma with floral undertones that make it warming to the senses. He looks relaxed, with not a care or worry that this is his final night on Earth. In no time at all, we’re pulling up to a dimly lit building, where he parks and gets out handing the keys to a valet standing outside. He walks over, opens my door, and extends his hand to me. I graciously take his hand and get out of the car, smiling as he wraps his arm around my waist while closing the door behind me. With a firm but comfortable grip on me, he escorts me into the building revealing a surprisingly elegant restaurant. The lights all around are dimmed low creating a romantic ambience while a burning fire at the far end of the room offers guests warmth from the harsh Russian cold. The smell of the roaring fire fills my mind with pleasant memories while the scent of food wafting from the kitchen awakens my stomach like a snarl
Codename: Aconite Chapter Thirteen: Date With The Enemy Pt 3
With dinner paid, he stands and offers me his hand, and I once again gladly take it as I retrieve my purse and sling it over my shoulder. “Would you like to join me for a walk? If you don’t find it too cold,” he clarifies. I hold his hand and hold his arm close, “A walk sounds perfect,” I say softly, smiling up at him. He smiles down at me, but something about it doesn’t quite reach his eyes this time. Nevertheless, he escorts me out of the restaurant, and we begin walking down the streets of Moscow. The air is cold and unpleasant, but his body warmth is acting as a very welcome portable heater. “I’m sure you do this with all the women,” I tease. He shakes his head with a reticent smile on his face, “No, I definitely don’t do this with all the women. You’re different.” Well, I already knew that, but it’s nice to know he knows that. Aside from lying about my name, I’ve been myself all night, and that should unsettle me, but it doesn’t. I’ve never felt so comfortable being myself
Codename: Aconite Chapter Fourteen: Another Close Call Pt 1
I walk through the frigid streets with my hand firmly clutched against my shoulder to stem the bleeding. Part of me hopes the cold is at least slowing the blood down, while the other part of me just wants to get the fuck back to my hotel. By some miracle of the Gods, I see an approaching cab and hail it down. I don’t even wait for the car to come to a complete stop before I dive into the backseat. “Hotel National,” I instruct. The driver glances at me briefly in the rearview mirror and decides to avert his eyes before he turns the car around and begins heading in the direction of the hotel. I lean forward and do my best not to get blood on the backseat of his car - more for the sake of avoiding leaving evidence as opposed to courtesy. The driver never makes small talk and continues to avoid looking at me. It’s one of the things I love about this country. There’s trouble around every corner, so people tend to just keep their heads down and play dumb for their own good. As soon as th
Codename: Aconite Chapter Fifteen: Another Close Call Pt 2
I take a frustrated breath and examine my shoulder once again. It’s still bleeding, just not as much as it would be if not for that bullet. I get up, walk across the room, and open the mini bar, pulling out a baby bottle of vodka, which I proceed to unscrew with my teeth and down the entire bottle in one gulp. I make a face and toss the bottle in the trashcan across the room. I lean against the dresser and take a deep breath as I reflect on the fucking mess I’ve gotten myself into and how my next order of business is to get my shoulder fixed. I walk back to the bed to grab my cell phone when I hear a knock at the door. I quickly grab the dagger from my purse and make my way over to the door. I take a look through the peephole to see one of the hotel staff from the looks of him, and I immediately hope someone hasn’t reported my dishevelled state when I entered the building. “Can I help you?” I call out to the staff member in clear Russian. “I’m sorry to disturb you, ma’am, but there
Codename: Aconite Chapter Sixteen: Another Close Call Pt 3
Time marches onward until I hear a knock at the door, and on instinct, I withdraw my dagger from the man’s dead body and hold it firmly in my palm, ready to use it again on the next person who dares to fuck with me. “Dasha?” I hear the familiar voice call out, and I immediately relax. I get up and go and open the door and look into the concerned face of Vsevolod Zubov. If you’re a member of the criminal underworld and you need medical assistance, Vsevolod is your man. He’s known throughout Europe and parts of Asia and makes a hell of a living off this deadly business, but he doesn’t help everyone, only those who make it worth his time or those he has a soft spot for, like myself. Vsevolod is 67 and looks like a man who has seen things few could ever even imagine. He’s 5’7” with fine lines and creased puffy eyes covering his peach-toned skin. He has dim cerulean eyes, short, thin greying hair that is pure white around the edges of his face, with a grey beard that just manages to hid
Codename: Aconite Chapter Seventeen: Suffocating Pt 1
“Would you like some more food, sweetheart?” Asks my grandmother with an encouraging smile. “If I eat anymore, I’m going to be sick,” I groan, rubbing my engorged stomach. “Don’t be ridiculous. A growing woman like you who is still healing needs lots of food. You need your energy,” she coaxes me while scooping more food onto my plate. “For heaven’s sake Viridis, stop force-feeding the poor girl, she’s clearly full,” says my grandfather in exasperation. I mouth a ‘thank you’ to him while my grandmother glares in his direction. “Mamma, I think she’s had enough,” adds my mother, while my father sips his drink to stay out of the conversation. “I’m just trying to take care of my granddaughter. Look at her, she’s skin and bones and healing from near-fatal wounds,” grandmother protests, flopping back down into her seat at the table. She and my mother go back and forth discussing my eating habits and my overall health while I sit back in my chair and enjoy the soothing warm breeze of th
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