by I. T. Lucas
“Precisely. That’s why that was not good enough. I did some reading up on that device, and apparently, at certain frequencies, it can cause more than hearing loss. It can kill. That’s how they were planning to get rid of the problem permanently, and the cause of death would not have been clear.”
“Bravo.” Kalugal raised his glass. “That will ensure that he tells no one about it, even if in your story they ended up not killing their targets.”
“Correct. But according to the scenario I implanted in his head, they killed the couple.” Kian looked at Turner. “We will need to plant a fake police report about two unidentified bodies found with severe damage to their eardrums.”
“Did you use a specific location? I’ll need it for the report.”
“I’ll give it to you later.” Kian put his empty glass down on the side table. “The hardest part was to explain what happened to Simmons, and I’m not entirely happy with that. But I hope it will do. The brakes on the van they were driving malfunctioned. Roberts managed to jump out before it careened into the ravine, but Simmons was trapped inside. Roberts lost consciousness and woke up in the room he is now in.”
“Why was he brought here and not to the hospital?” Turner asked.
“His rescuers, meaning us, were into some illegal activity as well, and we couldn’t bring him to a hospital. I hinted at mafia. We patched him up as well as we could, and we are sending him home. End of story.”
Kalugal uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. “It sounds like a B-movie script. Do you think it will hold?”
“I did the best I could. The story is plausible, and I put in many vivid details for him to remember. I haven’t done such an intricate thrall in a long time.”
50
Kalugal
An hour later, Lokan walked into Kalugal’s office together with the doctor. “Your compulsion holds. I compelled him to eat a piece of chocolate, and even though his mouth salivated for it, he couldn’t even bring his hand near it.”
Kalugal grinned. “Excellent.”
It was good to know that lesser compellers like Lokan and Marisol couldn’t override his compulsion. After Kian had told him the story of how a thirteen-year-old kid had overridden Lokan’s compulsion and freed his mother and sister from it, Kalugal had been a little worried.
Shifting sideways, Turner made room for his mate, and when she sat down, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
Kalugal loved seeing those small displays of affection between the clan couples. Hopefully, the Echelon system would provide solid leads on potential Dormants, and his men would also find mates. After all, access to the system was possible only thanks to him and his power of compulsion, and he’d negotiated for his men to get the first pick of the females.
“Is Roberts well enough to travel?” Kian asked.
Bridget nodded. “Thanks to Ruvon’s blood, Roberts’ wound healed without a mark, at least as far as what’s visible. But he will still feel tenderness in the area.”
“That’s okay,” Kian said. “He will attribute it to falling out of a moving vehicle. His patchy memory can also be explained by trauma to the head from the fall.”
When Bridget lifted a brow, Kian told her the scenario that he’d implanted in Roberts’ head.
The doctor shook her head. “He is too smart to believe that. The first part about the blackmail is okay given what you found out about Simmons’s proclivities. But the part about the mafia helping Roberts and providing him with medical treatment? Not likely. Mafiosos don’t help random strangers they find lying injured on the side of the road.”
Kian shrugged. “That’s the best I could come up with, and I made sure that it sticks. His rescuers didn’t want to call 911 because of who they were, but they felt bad about leaving him to die. Even if Roberts finds it unbelievable, he will be convinced that it really happened the way he thinks he remembers it.”
Kalugal glanced at his phone. “Is there anything else anyone wants to say to Roberts before Rufsur takes him to the airport?”
“I’m done with him,” Kian said.
“So am I.” Kalugal typed a message to Rufsur, telling him to proceed. “I want Roberts out of my house already.”
Bridget put her head on Turner’s shoulder. “I’m glad this is finally over. Can we go home today instead of tomorrow? I’m worried about Jin not having immediate access to the clinic. If she loses consciousness while we are still here, it will take us about three hours to get home and have her hooked up to the monitoring equipment, and that’s too long. Besides, I’d rather sleep in my own bed.”
“I don’t see why not,” Kian said. “I can have Charlie come pick us up tonight.”
“Hold on.” Kalugal lifted his hand. “Why would Jin lose consciousness? She is young and healthy.” He turned to Kian. “You said that the transition isn’t dangerous for the young.”
“I didn’t say that. What I said was that the older the Dormant, the more difficult the transition. Syssi was only twenty-four when she transitioned, and she lost consciousness for twenty-four hours. Callie was twenty-two or three, and she had episodic blackouts. Nathalie, on the other hand, was thirty when she transitioned, and she just flew through it. So you can never know.”
The entire time Kian had been talking, Kalugal had been watching the doctor, but she had seemed to agree with everything he’d said.
That wasn’t good.
Kalugal had assumed that Jacki’s transition would progress without a hitch because of her youth and her health, but apparently that wasn’t guaranteed, and she might encounter complications.
What was he going to do if that happened?
He couldn’t even take her to a human hospital or bring in a human doctor. They wouldn’t know how to help her.
Bottom line, he needed Bridget to stay.
Perhaps he could compel her?
If he could have a private moment with her, he could make her say that it was her idea.
But it was too late for that. Bridget was done with Roberts, and she’d just asked Kian to go home tonight.
Maybe he could appeal to her compassion. “I know this is a lot to ask, but I need you to stay until Jacki transitions. As you are well aware, we don’t have anyone who can help Jacki if her transition doesn’t go smoothly. And I can’t take her to a human hospital either.”
Bridget shook her head. “Even if I stayed, there isn’t much I could do for her outside of a clinic. Perhaps you should wait with Jacki’s induction until you have one set up. I can send Julian to help you do that and also train one of your men in the basics. Then when Jacki enters transition, he or I can fly over and keep an eye on her.”
Kalugal pushed his fingers through his hair. “It might already be too late.” He lifted his eyes to Kian. “I would be forever grateful if you agree for Jacki and me to come to your village and stay until she safely transitions. I don’t mind if you want to keep me locked up in a room with guards wearing earplugs watching me. I just want Jacki to be safe.”
As all eyes turned to Kian, his cousin had no choice but to nod. “I can’t say no, but I need to come up with safety measures.” He turned to Bridget. “We’ll leave tomorrow morning. By then, I hope I’ll have it figured out.”
Kalugal released a silent breath. “Thank you.”
51
Jacki
“Are Kian and his crew still here?” Jacki asked as Phinas parked the car.
“Last I checked with Kalugal, they were all in his office.”
“Good. I want to say goodbye.”
Chad opened the door for her and offered her his hand. “I can take you there.”
“Thank you, but I know the way.”
“I’ll come with you,” Phinas said. “I want to say goodbye as well.”
It was probably just an excuse to accompany her, but she couldn’t refuse. “Okay.”
Walking down the corridor, Jacki wondered whether she should ask Bridget to check her temperature. She was feeling only mildly sick, an
d she didn’t want Kalugal to worry, but what if the mild fever was the first sign of transition?
What if it started and she had no one to help her because Bridget had gone home?
Suddenly feeling faint, Jacki listed toward Phinas and grabbed his arm for support.
“What’s wrong?” He looked at her with worried eyes. “Are your ears still bothering you?”
“Not much, but that’s probably the reason for the dizziness. I think that the inner ear is responsible for balance, and it might still be affected by what happened to it two days ago.”
“I’m sorry, but I have no clue.” Phinas looked at her apologetically. “You should tell the doctor.” He started walking again.
Could the fever be connected to that? Ear infections caused fever, but could loud noise cause infection?
That was unlikely. Then again, her fever was so mild that she might be imagining it, and the rest of her symptoms might go away after she had some sleep.
As they reached Kalugal’s office, Phinas knocked on the door and then opened it, probably after hearing Kalugal telling him to come in, but Jacki hadn’t heard a thing, which had probably nothing to do with ear damage.
Immortals and their freaking bat hearing.
“Jacki!” Kalugal walked up to her and pulled her into his arms as if he hadn’t seen her in weeks.
Holding her tightly to him, he breathed her in for a couple of seconds and then kissed her cheek.
“Young love,” Anandur murmured. “How sweet.”
Ignoring the comment, Kalugal let her out of his arms but took her hand and led her to an armchair. “How is Jin doing?” He sat down and pulled her onto his lap.
It was a bit embarrassing to sit like that in the company of Kian and Turner and the others, but no one reacted to Kalugal’s move one way or another.
That was probably because they were all used to public displays of affection between mated couples. Even Bridget and Turner, who were the most reserved of the bunch, often shared the same armchair.
Jacki got comfortable on her husband’s lap. “Jin’s canines fell out, and she’s freaking out.” She glanced at Bridget. “Do you think she will grow big fangs like the men?”
Expecting Bridget to say that it wasn’t likely, Jacki was surprised to see the doctor nod. “I don’t see why she would grow venom glands but no mechanism to deliver the venom. But who knows? We will have to wait and see.”
Jacki grimaced. “I’ll have to be satisfied with pictures. I don’t know when I’ll see Jin again.”
“Tomorrow morning,” Kalugal said. “The two of us are going to Kian’s village.”
Turning around to face him, Jacki gaped. “When was that decided?”
“Just a few moments ago. I realized that you might enter transition at any moment, and we don’t have a doctor or a clinic here. Kian has graciously agreed to host us until after your transition.”
“I didn’t say that,” Kian interjected. “My invitation isn’t open-ended. I’m willing for you to stay for up to two weeks. If Jacki doesn’t transition during that time, she probably isn’t a Dormant.”
Maybe now was the time to mention that she was feeling a little under the weather?
“You can’t go with just Jacki and no bodyguards for protection,” Phinas said.
Kalugal shifted, moving Jacki so he could look at Phinas. “If Kian wants to do me harm, a couple of bodyguards are not going to help. I’m taking a leap of faith, and so is he.”
“You can bring a couple of men if you want,” Kian said. “My sister would love to start her matchmaking program.”
Kalugal’s brow lifted. “How exactly is she going to do that when my men and I are locked up?”
“You were the one who suggested that I lock you up. Not me. I have no intention of doing that.”
Turner cleared his throat. “We haven’t discussed yet the safety measures you mentioned before.”
“I know, but I’ve been thinking. Kalugal and Jacki and their party can stay in one of the houses in the new phase. Jacki and Kalugal already have cuffs, and William can fit them on the two men they bring with them as well. We will know where each of them is at any moment, and Onegus will assign guardians to monitor their activity.”
Turner didn’t look happy. “That would have been fine with any normal immortal. But because of Kalugal’s special ability, I would need to babysit him twenty-four-seven, and I don’t have time for that.”
“I don’t want you to watch me around the clock either,” Kalugal said. “It’s a leap of faith for all of us. All I can do is vow not to use my powers against the clan in any way. And there is this.” He lifted his cuff.
“People.” Jacki chuckled. “You are all being silly. There is a much simpler solution. All you need is a couple of guards with earplugs to follow us when we leave the house.”
Kian shook his head. “Kalugal can compel their own friends to attack them. If he wants, he could have the entire village under his command.”
“No, I can’t.” Kalugal sighed. “I can compel twenty immortals at once, maybe a little more, but not by much. I’m not nearly as powerful as my father.”
If looks could kill immortals, Kalugal would be dead right now from the daggers Phinas’s eyes were shooting at him. “Why the hell did you reveal that?”
“Because if I’m asking Kian to take a gamble on me, I have to extend him the same courtesy.”
52
Wendy
“Dinner is ready,” Leon called.
Turning the television off, Wendy tried to remember what she’d done all day long, but everything seemed to be one big blur.
The guys had kept her busy with bow practice, she remembered that because her shoulder ached like crazy, but she couldn’t remember whether she’d hit the target, or what they had talked about. She also remembered making hotdogs for lunch because her stomach was still protesting being fed junk.
Or maybe it wasn’t the hotdogs’ fault.
For some reason, the full impact of Simmons’s death hadn’t hit her yesterday, but it had today.
She literally had nowhere to go and was completely dependent on Vlad and his people. In the program, she’d at least had a contract that provided her with a place to stay and a good income for the next five years.
Now she had nothing but a vague promise of a job in one of the hotels the organization apparently owned.
Wendy felt adrift.
Vlad had kept casting her worried glances, and she’d tried to reassure him with forced smiles, but she hadn’t fooled him. Even though he claimed no empathic abilities, he was attuned to her and read her moods way too easily.
Even now, he was still looking at her as if she was on suicide watch.
“Did you have a nice nap?” Bowen asked.
“I didn’t sleep.”
He lifted a brow. “I didn’t hear the television.”
“I put it on mute and read the subtitles.” She didn’t read a single line, but it was a good enough excuse. “I know the sounds bother you guys.”
“Only the screaming.” Leon put in front of her a plate with a hamburger and store-bought French fries.
That was what happened when it wasn’t Vlad’s turn to cook.
They’d already finished all the meals that Kian’s butler had made for them, and had to fend for themselves.
Vlad passed her the ketchup bottle. “If you put enough of it on the fries, they won’t taste as bad.”
“Thanks.”
Bowen chuckled. “Any culinary disaster can be saved with ketchup.”
Leon sat down and put a paper towel over his lap. “If you don’t like what I make for you, you’re welcome to do it yourself. Cooking is not part of my job description.”
Wendy felt bad. They were all taking turns with the domestic chores and doing the best they could. Her hotdogs and coleslaw weren’t any better than what Leon had slapped together, and the guys had all been nice about it.
“The hamburger is delicious. I just do
n’t like frozen French fries.”
“Neither do I,” Leon admitted. “But we are out of potatoes. I need to go grocery shopping.”
“It has been almost a week since we got here,” Wendy said. “Aren’t we supposed to go back tomorrow?”
Bowen wiped his mouth with a paper towel. “Do you miss living underground?”
“I don’t. I like it here, but we can’t stay in this cabin forever.”
She wouldn’t have minded if it were only her and Vlad. That could have been romantic, and maybe they could have even moved past kissing and graduated to more serious necking, or even gone all the way and had sex.
Her entire world had been turned upside down, and the safety net she’d believed she’d had turned out to be an illusion, and it dawned on her that playing it safe was a loser's game.
That didn’t mean that she would let caution fly out the window completely, but Vlad was as safe as she was going to get. He was sweet, respectful, and non-threatening.
Wendy would never find anyone she would feel safer with and still be attracted to.
Even though Vlad wasn’t aware of his own appeal, she thought that he was sexy. So what if he was too skinny? He was strong, both in character and physically, and he was protective of her. What girl wouldn’t find that attractive?
Duh, the idiots who hadn’t bothered to look beneath the surface.
Their loss was her gain.
Except, she and Vlad were sharing a small cabin with three more guys, and it was just too awkward to even think about having sex.
Leon and Bowen never slept at the same time, so one of them was always awake in the living room, and if they could hear her television shows, they could also hear Vlad and her in her bedroom.
Bowen reached for his second hamburger. “I need to call the boss and ask him what’s the plan. We stay until he tells us to get out of here.”