I flipped the light on in the kitchen. I could navigate the cabin in near darkness, but I needed light to cook.
Nikolai came in and studied the light fixture before frowning, his gaze sweeping over the appliances. His shoulders sagged.
"Grab a seat."
He did, studying the table. The werewolves padded into the kitchen. Ed laid down near the refrigerator. Allan laid down near Nikolai. Doc leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, studying Nikolai.
"What do you like to eat?" I had no idea what to make for a Russian from the fourteen-hundreds.
"I shall have to be adventurous, I suppose."
I glanced at Doc. He shrugged.
Ed got up and stuck his head in the fridge. He touched a package of hamburger with his nose before glancing up at me.
I rubbed his ears, and he dropped his jaw in a wolfy grin.
"Hamburgers it is."
"Do you think you're up to telling us what happened to you?" Doc's voice carried its normal friendly cadence.
"Yes."
I got a glass of water for Nikolai and handed it to him.
He glanced at me, hesitated as if trying to figure something out, before he nodded. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"I am…" He paused before shaking his head. "I was high mage for Prince Ivan Vasilyevich. Quite a nice post, but not without dangers. We are—were fighting off Mongols and were often out in field, but earned place at court finally, as the fighting began to settle down."
"Is that how you got the scar across your chest?" I squished the ground meat into individual patties and threw them on the griddle. It would have been better to use the grill, but I didn't want to miss the story.
"Yes, unlucky blow. Fortunately, Peter was there to save me."
He didn't elaborate, and I saved that question for another time.
"With many mages dying in combat, I needed to train others and had several students. One in particular, Roza, showed quite a lot of promise."
I wasn't sure if Nikolai was lost in his memories while he spoke, or if he was ignoring the werewolves. Both of them perked up when he mentioned students.
Doc glanced at me. I shrugged.
"Turns out, along with quite a lot of promise, she had quite a lot of ambition. Ivan was a friend of mine and it was highly unlikely he would replace me. I was popular with many of the nobles, despite my mixed heritage. Father was a Tartar invader. Mother a Russian noble. She killed him escaping from his camp and made it back to Moscow. It is rather fortunate I turned up with magical abilities, or my life may have been quite different and likely much shorter.
"Roza somehow devised a nasty trap, stabbed me in back, and well, now am here." He took a drink of the water.
Doc pushed off the wall and went into the living room, returning a moment later with the broken knife. He put it on the table.
Nikolai shuddered. "How did you come to be in possession of that?"
"I stole it from some mages," I explained. "They kidnapped me, and I used it to escape."
Nikolai smiled.
Knowing he would ask, I continued as I flipped the burgers. "I actually used it to block a spell, which is how it got so damaged. I've had it for about a week, and I was poking at it with magic and I think I unlocked it."
"Thank you both for saving me. I appreciate it. Though, I don't know what to do with myself now." He stared at the table again.
I made a burger for him, since I doubted he would have much experience with them, then I made one for myself and brought them both over to the table.
"You guys hungry?" I looked at the wolves.
They traded a look before giving me the wolf equivalent of 'no duh.'
Laughing, I put a couple of burgers on plates for them. "Floor? Table?"
"They can eat on the floor. The chairs aren't really big enough for wolves," Doc said as he went over to the refrigerator and pulled out a protein drink.
I put the plates down, petting both of the wolves, before sitting at the table. Doc joined us. Nikolai watched me while I picked up my burger and took a bite. He did the same, eyes raising.
We ate in silence. Though it was quite late, we were all hungry, and the food disappeared quickly.
"Nikolai, you can stay with us for now," Doc offered after we had finished. "It would be terribly unfair to turn you lose on the world as it is right now." He smiled.
"My thanks. I will try not to be too much of a burden."
"You can repay us by teaching Sofia magic."
Nikolai looked at me and frowned, a faint hint of panic crossing his face before he shook his head. "I can't," he replied.
"Why?" Doc's voice had taken on a hint of danger, though at the moment, Nikolai looked more afraid of me than the vampire.
"Surely she's already trained. She's an adult."
"It's a long story we'll tell you later, but she's not."
"I see. I suppose." He looked confused again but finally shrugged. "I do not train people who are already in relationships. Is unnecessarily complicated. Nearly got me killed. Twice. I was not even trying to interfere in their relationship." He sipped his water.
The wolves both growled.
"Guys, we'll talk about it later. The poor guy has had his entire world turned upside down, and I'm sure we're all tired. Let's get some rest," Doc said.
"Doc, do you maybe want to show Nikolai how to use the shower and everything? Spare toothbrush, things like that?"
Doc's eyes widened, and I wasn't sure he had considered the implications of Nikolai's predicament until just then. The Russian mage was handling himself well, but there was almost nothing familiar for him in the modern world.
"Yes. Ed, Allan, which one of you wants to give up your room?" Doc stood.
The two wolves looked at each other before Allan huffed and nodded.
"Nikolai, wait here a moment, and I'll get some clothes for
