by I. T. Lucas
“I knew you like me. Tell me, don’t be shy.”
Hell, why not, he could make the woman happy. “I like you, Lana. Stay safe.”
“I will. And I like you too.”
Anandur rubbed his beard-covered chin. Alex had taken the boat to Mexico, which presented a problem. He had no idea how to plan a rescue and an extraction operation on foreign soil. Hell, he didn’t know the first thing about it, especially since it involved a boat the size of a cruise liner.
This was a job for Andrew.
Question was whether the guy was operational. He’d just emerged from his transition and was still adjusting to his new body. For a fee, however, they could always turn to Turner, Andrew’s ex-boss and commander.
A creepy fellow, but extremely effective at what he did.
Chapter 15: Kian
“Do you have a moment?” Brundar walked into Kian’s office and sat down on the chair facing Kian’s desk.
“What’s up?”
“Carol called. She wants to bring her Doomer home with her.”
Kian had been expecting this. She couldn’t keep living in a hotel in Las Vegas indefinitely. As someone who didn’t hold a job in any of the clan’s organizations, her share in the clan’s profits was small. And as far as he knew, she didn’t work outside the clan either. She had enough income to lead a comfortable life but not an extravagant one.
“What do you think?”
Brundar shrugged. “We don’t know anything about the guy except that he saved Carol. It might have been a setup. Let her go free so she could lead him to us. On the other hand, Carol claims he still doesn’t know we cleaned up his home base, which means he didn’t try to contact them.”
Kian rapped his fingers on the glass top covering his table. “I don’t want him anywhere near here, not unless he is under lock and key or monitored twenty-four-seven. Can we ensure Carol’s cooperation?”
Brundar shrugged. “She didn’t spill under torture.”
True, and it was quite remarkable, but in her home, surrounded by her friends, she might let her guard down and blurt something. Besides, she would have friends visit who were even less careful.
“I’m not comfortable with it. The only way I may consider it is if we bring him here and keep him guarded the way we did with Dalhu. Slap on him one of William’s new locator cuffs, the kind that interferes with the cellular signal.”
“Carol wants to bring him to her home.”
“Can’t allow it. If she wants to be with him, she will have to move into the keep.”
Brundar leaned forward and snatched a notepad and a pen from Kian’s desk, then scribbled something on it.
“Here is Carol’s number. Call her.” He pushed the notepad back toward Kian.
“Do I really need to deal with that myself?”
“You’re dealing with it one way or another. It will be done faster without using me as a go between.”
Good point.
Kian picked up the handset of his landline and dialed the number.
Carol answered on the second ring. “Hello? Who is it?”
“Kian. Are you alone?”
“Yes, Robert is at work.”
“Good. You can’t take him to your home.”
“I can’t keep living in a hotel in Vegas either, and I promised him I’d give him three months. And even after those are up, I need to make sure he is taken care of. The guy has nowhere to go. No identity, no papers, and no people to call his own. I owe him for what he sacrificed for me. I know I’m not an important member of the clan, and you don’t have to help me, but I’m asking anyway. It’s the decent thing to do.”
Kian sighed. “I know, Carol, and I’m not turning my back on you or that Doomer. But we need to take precautions. If he comes here, I need him monitored around the clock, and that means he needs to stay here at the keep. He’ll have to wear a locator cuff. If you want to be with him, you’re welcome to move into the keep too. I want everyone to do so eventually, so it will only mean hastening the process for you.”
“What about my house?”
“You can rent it. Make a few bucks.”
“I’ll run it by Robert, but I don’t think he will go for it. He wants real papers, he wants a good job, and he wants a new life. That’s not what you’re offering him.”
True. But what else could he do? It wasn’t fair. If the guy was legit, then he deserved all that he’d asked for. Problem was, they had to make sure before they allowed him in.
“I’ll give him something to do until we can be sure he is not still working on behalf of the Brotherhood. I’ll have Edna probe him.”
“Can I call you back?” Carol didn’t sound happy.
Not that he blamed her. He wished there was more he could offer Carol. After what this poor girl had gone through, he would’ve loved to shower her with kindness. But safety always came first.
“Yeah, here is my cell number.” He recited the digits. Kian never gave it away to anyone other than the Guardians, council members, and his mother and sisters. But he was making an exception for Carol.
It was the least he could do.
“Thanks.”
It sounded more like thanks for nothing. But there wasn’t much Kian could do about it.
Life wasn’t fair.
Chapter 16: Losham
Losham stared at the scorched earth of what used to be his son’s base. Were Sharim’s ashes scattered on the ground? Was he inadvertently stepping on his son’s remains?
The fire department had concluded that it had been an accident; the gas tank catching fire and exploding for some reason. It had been an old building, they’d claimed, and someone had renovated it without pulling permits. The work didn’t comply with current safety codes.
Bullshit.
Losham knew who was responsible for his son’s death, and he was going to make them pay. Dearly.
He wasn’t a violent man, and the use of force had never appealed to him. Losham’s sharp mind was much more formidable than any weapon or military force. Like an invisible puppeteer, he could cause damage on an unimaginable scale just by pulling the right strings. But that was before it had become personal. Now he would’ve given anything for the military acumen and training of his brothers so he could hunt and kill each and every one of those responsible for Sharim’s demise.
Careless of his Salvatore Ferragamo loafers, he kicked a stone. The shoes were ruined anyway, covered with ash and scuffed from the broken debris strewn about.
The remains of what used to be a fountain stood in stark relief against the canvas of the desolate landscape, showing remarkably little damage compared to the utter destruction of the rest of the compound.
Like a sad monument to Sharim’s memory.
But there would be no other. No mourning was allowed in the Devout Order of Mortdh Brotherhood, no tributes to the dead, no memorials to friends lost.
Death was celebrated, not mourned.
Losham had never believed in any of the crap the Brotherhood’s propaganda spewed. In fact, some of the ideas had been his. For him, it was a game of wits. Could he outsmart everyone, from leaders of countries to simple garbage collectors, leading them to believe in whatever the hell he wanted them to? Could he move the chess pieces with his ghostly hand and deal Annani, her clan, and humanity a checkmate?
It used to satisfy him like no mindless bloodshed ever could. But now he craved his enemies' blood. When he’d send Sharim over, the hunt for Annani’s immortals hadn’t been a priority for Losham. It had been all about gaining influence and playing the game. He’d left the “how” of the hunt up to his son.
It had been a mistake that had cost Sharim’s life. Losham had trained him well, and his son had been a smart man. But no one could plan and plot like Losham. He should’ve given it more thought.
Annani and her tiny clan of average intelligence immortals stood no chance against Losham’s brilliance. Once he devised a plan and put it in motion, they would be dropping like flies
into his elaborate spider web.
He could’ve eradicated them from the face of the earth a long time ago, and the only reason he hadn’t was his love of the game and his pride. With the clan gone, there would be no worthy opponent for him to outsmart.
“Sir, forgive me for interrupting your investigation, but we need to go. Your aircraft is ready.” His assistant waved a hand toward the limousine parked outside the crumbled wall surrounding what used to be the monastery.
“Yes, of course.” Losham lips lifted in his well-practiced smile.
Sadly, he had to lie to Navuh about the purpose of the trip. Showing grief for his son would’ve been viewed as a sign of weakness and lack of devotion to the cause. Navuh would’ve never allowed Losham to visit the site. The stated purpose of his trip was a vacation in Las Vegas. For the sake of appearances, he’d reserved the penthouse of one of Sin City’s most luxurious hotels, and purchased the services of several pretty girls from the best escort service in town.
In secret, he’d chartered a private flight to Santa Barbara, planning to be back before anyone noticed he hadn’t been sleeping off a night of debauchery in his room.
The only one Losham trusted with his secrets was his assistant, Rami, and that was because Rami had a secret of his own that only Losham was privy to. A secret that if found out would get him tortured and killed. The Brotherhood had absolutely no tolerance for gay men. Not even as guards for the harem.
Chapter 17: Nathalie
Bridget put down her tea on the counter and crossed her arms over her chest. “How did your father take the news?”
Nathalie stirred sugar into her coffee, then added cream. “I didn’t tell him yet.”
Syssi had called for an emergency breakfast meeting to discuss wedding plans, inviting Bridget and Amanda. They had about an hour before Amanda and Syssi had to leave for work. With no patients waiting for her, Bridget wasn’t in a hurry, and Nathalie could basically show up at the coffee shop whenever she pleased.
It was beyond wonderful, but old habits still had her waking up with a feeling of urgency every morning. She had to remind herself that everything was taken care of and she could take her time.
Bridget frowned. “Why not?”
“Last night, when William brought my father back to the penthouse, he was so tired that I decided to save the wonderful news for today and tucked him in bed instead. He is still sleeping.”
Cappuccino cup in one hand, her other arm crossed over her chest, Amanda asked, “Before we start throwing ideas around, do you have any preferences?”
Nathalie finished chewing a piece of toast and washed it down with orange juice. “As I told Bridget and Syssi yesterday, all I want is a beautiful white dress and my father walking me down the aisle. My girly fantasies never carried me past that point.”
Amanda tapped her fingers on her bicep. “If you don’t want to feel like a guest at your own wedding, you need to put some more thought into it. When you walk down the aisle, what do you see?”
Nathalie closed her eyes and tried to visualize. It wouldn’t be in a small, community church as she had always assumed, so she imagined the dining hall of a medieval castle. Too big. She could almost hear the organ music reverberating from the stone walls.
“What’s the frown about?” Syssi asked.
“I’m imagining the castle in Scotland, and all I can see is a huge dining hall that feels awfully empty, with every little sound echoing from the walls.”
Amanda snorted. “Don’t worry about it. The place is going to be packed, bursting at the seams with people. I don’t know about the echo, but I can ask Sari to check the acoustics.”
Nathalie’s eyes widened. “How many guests are we talking about?”
Bridget grinned. “Everyone is going to come to your wedding; around five hundred and fifty people.”
“Why? I don’t know every person in the clan, and I’m sure Andrew doesn’t know that many either.”
Syssi patted her knee. “Yeah, it was a big surprise for me too. I hate big parties, and I freaked out when Kian told me he was inviting every member of the clan. But then he explained the significance of it, and I realized I had no choice. I couldn’t be selfish about it and have my way. I had to bite the bullet. It turned out beautiful, though, and I didn’t feel overwhelmed at all. I even managed to enjoy myself. You are an outgoing girl, not an introvert like me, you’re going to love it.”
“It makes sense in your case since Kian is Annani’s son and one of the most important people in the clan. But why would everyone drop everything to come to Andrew and my wedding? They don’t know us. We are not important.”
Amanda smiled indulgently. “I see Andrew and Bhathian did a shitty job explaining the history and dynamics of the clan to you. I’ll have to rectify the situation, but not now. Maybe I’ll come back in the evening. The one thing you should understand is that every new Dormant female who is not a descendant of Annani represents a new hope for the clan. A new bloodline. So you are a very important member of the clan. Also, yours is going to be only the second wedding in the clan’s history and therefore a huge deal.”
“So why didn’t you and Dalhu get married yet?” Nathalie blurted before thinking it through. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business.”
Amanda harrumphed. “The thing about large, tight-knit families is that everything is everyone’s business. No privacy whatsoever. Get used to it.”
It didn’t escape Nathalie’s notice that Amanda hadn’t answered her question, but she didn’t want to push. Instead, she turned to Syssi. “Over five hundred people, huh?”
Syssi nodded.
Nathalie closed her eyes again. With the number of guests dictating the visual, the one that popped behind her closed lids was the scene from Hogwarts’ dining hall in the Harry Potter movie.
The rest of the pieces fell into place. “If the castle’s banquet hall is big enough, we can have long tables on both sides of the room with a big center aisle between them, and an altar on a podium at the far end so everyone can see the ceremony. I don’t want big flower arrangements because they interfere with socializing. Food can be whatever as long as there is enough of it and it’s tasty. As to the booze, given your Scottish heritage, we need a lot.”
Amanda nodded approvingly and offered her hand to Nathalie for a handshake. “It’s a pleasure doing business with you, Nathalie. Decisiveness is an admirable quality.”
“Well, it’s a quality that emerged out of necessity. Running a business basically by myself, with no time for anything, decisions had to be made quickly. I didn’t have the luxury of thinking things over.”
“Nevertheless, it’s admirable.” Syssi filled a tall glass with orange juice and handed it to Nathalie. “Drink! Vitamin C is important for a pregnant lady.”
Nathalie took a sip. “Thank you for the compliment, but it’s misplaced. You forget that I also had no one to answer to. If I screwed up and made the wrong decision, I might have had trouble paying my bills, but no one was going to berate me, other than me, that is.”
Amanda shook her head. “You really need to learn to take a compliment, Nathalie. The right answer is thank you, nothing more.”
“That’s what I keep telling her, but she never listens to her Papi.”
Nathalie turned around and smiled. “Good morning, Daddy, did you sleep well?”
“I slept like a baby. The beds in this hotel are top of the line. We should buy the same kind of mattress for our home. Your mother always complains how lumpy ours is.”
And just like that Nathalie’s good mood flew out the window. When Fernando didn’t remember his wife was gone, it was a sign he was going to have a bad day.
Should she wait with her news?
“Would you like toast with your eggs for breakfast, Papi?”
“Yes, I would. Thank you. Good morning to you, lovely ladies. Are you my Nathalie’s friends?”
Damn, he’d forgotten who they were. Definitely a bad day.
“Yes, we are. I’m Amanda.” She offered her hand and dazzled him with her gorgeous smile.
Fernando shook it. “Such a beautiful lady. You look familiar, have I seen you in a movie? Or maybe one of those Victoria’s Secret commercials?”
Her father was such a flirt.
“No, sir. I wish. Regrettably, I’m not voluptuous enough for Victoria’s Secret.” Amanda winked.
Fernando actually blushed.
Bridget saved him by offering her hand. “I’m Doctor Bridget.”
“Yes, yes. I remember you. I don’t know from where, but I do. You’re also a very pretty lady.” He glanced down at Bridget’s impressive cleavage but refrained from making a comment. Good. It meant that his brain was still functioning. Never mind that he was probably faking remembering her.
“And I’m Syssi.”
He shook Syssi’s hand. “Another beautiful lady.”
“Stop flirting, Papi, and sit down to eat.” Nathalie put a plate on the counter for him.
“Thank you.” Fernando paused his flirting to dig into his food.
“Has he always been such a charmer?” Syssi whispered in Nathalie’s ear.
“Yes. When he was still running the shop, most of our clientele were ladies. Come to think of it, Jackson is a chick magnet as well. I swear, ever since he started working for me the female clientele has doubled, and not only the teenage girls. He charms grandmas just as well.”
“Some guys just can’t help themselves. They love women, and it shows. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, though. I’ll take a women lover over a women hater every day and twice on Sunday.” Bridget took her coffee and headed for the living room.
“Yeah, unless you’re the jealous type, and you’re married to one,” Nathalie said quietly. Her mother hadn’t appreciated Fernando’s innocent flirting.
Syssi and Amanda followed Bridget to the living room, leaving her alone with her father. She waited for him to finish his breakfast.