by I. T. Lucas
9
Carol
As Carol came down from the venom-induced trip, she was snuggled against Lokan, her head resting on his bicep and her arm draped over his torso.
Awake, he was staring at the ceiling, his dark brows furrowed, and his mouth pressed into a tight line.
Not exactly the picture of post-coital bliss.
The awesome sex had helped at least one of them to relax, but not the one who’d needed it most.
“What’s the matter?” She turned sideways, resting her head on his chest. “Still worried over what Kian would do to the island?”
“That too.” He wrapped his arm around her and started absentmindedly caressing her back.
Carol stifled a relieved breath. Things seemed to be back to normal between them. “What else?”
“I was thinking about your idea to use Gorchenco to get you to the island.”
That was a surprise. Suddenly, Lokan was okay with her going without him?
On the one hand, Carol was glad he was no longer fighting her on this, but on the other hand, she wondered about his change of heart. “What do you have on Gorchenco that you are so sure he is going to cooperate?”
“A nuclear submarine.”
“What?”
“He stole one. Getting some of the senior officers to cooperate in exchange for a big payoff, they staged a fatal malfunction, evacuated the crew, and sank it somewhere deep. Except, they didn’t. A skeleton crew remained, and after a time, they stealthily delivered the submarine to a prearranged location.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because he tried to sell it to the Brotherhood and took me to see it. I was one of several interested parties, or at least I pretended to be. Not that my father wouldn’t have loved to put his hands on an awesome weapon of destruction like that, but the Brotherhood couldn’t afford Gorchenco’s asking price.”
Carol had no idea how much nuclear submarines were selling for, so there was no point in asking Lokan what Gorchenco wanted for it. Regardless of the cost, though, she was sure the Russian would find interested buyers who were willing to pay any price for it. A nuclear submarine was a strategic weapon that they couldn’t get their hands on any other way.
She waved a dismissive hand. “He’s probably sold it by now, and besides, how can we use it as leverage? Are you even sure that Gorchenco wasn’t acting on behalf of the Russian government? I wouldn’t be surprised if they manufactured the whole story. It’s a clever way to raise capital by selling off their arsenal without appearing desperate.”
“That is true, but not in this case. The submarine has a lot of top-secret Soviet technology that Putin would never allow to fall into foreign hands. If he discovers what Gorchenco did, he will feed him to the sharks, and I mean it literally.”
Carol lifted her chin. “Why would Gorchenco do that, then? He has enough money and he has Putin’s unofficial support. Why risk it?”
“First of all, the sub is worth a shitload of money, more than all of Gorchenco’s assets put together. And secondly, for a man like him, it’s not only about the money. It’s about power. And if he can swindle Putin out of a nuclear submarine, then he feels like he bested the most powerful man in the world.”
“I thought that was the President of the United States.”
Lokan chuckled. “The American President is not free to do as he pleases. There are checks and balances in place to ensure that whoever is holding office can’t gain absolute power. The Russian, on the other hand, is not encumbered by the legislative and judicial branches. So even though his country as a whole can’t compete with the United States, militarily or economically, he is much more dangerous than your President.”
“Gorchenco has balls, I have to give him that. Although personally, I would have loved to cut them off.” She smiled evilly. “Maybe once this is over, I will. Ella is my best friend, and I want to avenge her.”
“If you want to pretend to be his toy, you have to shelve this attitude.” He looked into her eyes. “Can you fake adoration for him even though all you can think about is castrating him?”
Carol waved a dismissive hand. “Of course I can. I’m a pro.”
“Putting on a face won’t be enough. Immortals would smell your resentment toward him.”
“So what? I won’t be the first pretty thing with a sugar daddy, pretending to adore him and secretly plotting to take his money. All they are going to do is snicker behind his back and call him an old fool.”
“It would be more convincing if you could make yourself like him for real, or at least feel attracted to him. To pull this off, your act needs to be above suspicion.”
“Right. You have a point.” Carol sighed. “I’m a good actress, but I’m not that good. I can’t fool myself.”
For some reason, her answer amused him instead of worrying him.
Smiling, Lokan kissed the tip of her nose. “Then you’ll have to use your sugar daddy idea and act it up all the way, making it obvious to everyone. You can roll your eyes when he’s not looking or murmur nasty retorts that he is not going to hear but the immortals will.”
She propped herself on her forearm. “That’s an awesome idea. I will not look suspicious because my behavior will match my aroma.”
“Precisely. And that could be a good setup for your lovers’ spat. He hears something you said, or catches you making faces at him, and storms off, leaving you behind.”
“I can do better than that. I can flirt with someone else, pretending like I’m looking for a better sugar daddy. With all the rich guys visiting the resort, I will have no problem finding plenty of men to hit on. I know how to manipulate those types.”
Fortunately, Lokan was too busy plotting and scheming to notice her slip. Otherwise, he might have wondered how she’d acquired that particular expertise.
“If I could meet with Kian and Turner, we could brainstorm ideas. Can you suggest it to Kian?”
“I can try. Is it okay if I tell him about Gorchenco's submarine?”
“Not yet. This entire plan depends on the Russian’s cooperation, and the only way he will do that is if we have leverage over him. I want to use this information to get something out of your boss.”
“Since Kian is adamant about not letting me go to the island, I’m not sure you have anything to negotiate with. The stolen submarine might be good only as leverage for getting the Russian off Ella’s back, but the question is how much her freedom is worth to Kian.”
“He’ll change his mind. Annani is going to pressure him, and he will have no choice. It’s only a matter of time. That’s why I think you shouldn’t tell him just yet. Let him stew in his own juices for a while. Then when you approach him again, he will be more inclined to listen.”
10
Kian
As Andrew entered the room with Tim by his side, Kian stood up and offered his hand.
“Good morning, Tim. Thank you for coming.”
The guy was short, pudgy, and had thinning hair. Not exactly what Kian had imagined given what he’d heard about the forensic artist. But then the calculating gleam in Tim’s smart eyes was exactly what he’d expected. Apparently, an extraordinary talent and strong spirit were housed in a misleadingly average shell.
Tim looked up at him with a crooked smile lifting one corner of his mouth. “My pleasure. When Andrew told me that his friend Ken needed a favor, I didn’t realize that he was talking about Barbie’s boyfriend.” He glanced at Brundar and Anandur. “Did all of you guys go to the same spa?” He chuckled. “Is there a Barbie convention in this building? Because I’d rather see some girl Barbies.”
Kian lifted a brow, not sure whether he should laugh or punch the guy in his smug puss. Tim was like a Chihuahua, posturing and barking as if he was a bulldog.
Behind them, Andrew snorted. “No, Tim. We didn’t all go to the same spa.”
Tim looked at Andrew over his shoulder. “Where is that damn place? Didn’t they rebuild already?” He waved a hand over
his torso. “I know this is awesome, but there is always room for improvement.”
“I haven’t checked,” Andrew said.
“Then what are you waiting for? I’m not getting any younger.”
“Gentlemen, please take a seat.” Kian motioned to the two chairs facing the desk and went back to the other side. “I’m told that you are the best in the field.”
Tim dipped his head. “I am.” He looked at Brundar. “Did you find that lady you were looking for?”
Brundar nodded.
“That’s proof of my talent. My portraits come out so accurate that they can be used in facial recognition software. No one else I know of can do that.”
Leaning forward, Kian looked into Tim’s eyes. “The spa that you mentioned. Is it an inside joke between you and Andrew?”
“No joke.” Tim waved a hand at Andrew. “When my buddy here came back from vacation two inches taller and looking marvelous like he does now, he told me that he received special treatments in an exclusive spa. Unfortunately, the place burned down. I would have loved to get the same treatments.”
“I see.” The memory was old, so it wasn’t the best candidate for thralling away, but on the other hand, Tim had no visuals of it, only a verbal mention.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Tim asked.
Kian leaned even closer. “I thought that you had something in your eye. But it’s just an eyelash.” He made quick work of suppressing the memory of Andrew telling Tim about the spa and replacing it with a story about a spine operation.
Tim rubbed his eyes. “Is it still there?”
“I don’t see it now. It must have fallen out. By the way, did Andrew tell you how he regained the two inches in height that he lost?”
Tim frowned, then lifted a hand to his temple and rubbed it. “A spine reconstructive operation? Is that what it was? My memory is getting really shitty. He couldn’t have had an operation and recuperated in the time he took off. His vacation wasn’t long enough.”
Damn, Kian hadn’t thought of that. He waved a dismissive hand. “It’s a new type of minimally invasive procedure. It’s not approved in the States yet, so he had it done in Switzerland.”
“Oh, yeah. I remember he told me something about doing it abroad.”
It seemed that Tim wasn’t as difficult to thrall as they had feared.
Kian pushed to his feet. “Let’s go to the next room.”
Tim looked around. “Yeah. I wanted to tell you that the lighting in here is crap, but we got sidetracked.” He got up and lifted his artist bag off the floor. “Which one of you gentlemen am I going to work with?”
Kian walked toward the door. “The lady you are going to draw the portrait for is waiting for you over there.”
Tim’s eyes brightened. “Oh, a lady. I like working with the fairer sex.” He looked up at Kian. “No offense to you and your bodyguards, but as pretty as you all are, I still prefer the ladies.”
“So you are in for a treat. A word of warning, though.” Kian stopped with his hand on the handle. “Anna is a foreign dignitary, and you need to treat her with the respect afforded to a queen. Can you do that?”
Tim waved a hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll be on my best behavior.”
Kian opened the door and walked in. “The forensic artist is here, Anna. Can I let him in?”
Annani rose from the chair. “By all means. I was awaiting his arrival with bated breath.”
It was still a shock to see his mother in a pair of jeans and a silk button-down blouse, her long hair braided and twisted into a large knot on top of her head. She was also suppressing her glow.
Except, nothing but a shroud could diminish her beauty, and as Tim walked in behind Kian, he took a step back, bumping into Andrew.
“Holy crap. Which country produced this? I need to move there.”
Ignoring Tim’s crass language, Annani smiled. “I am afraid this will have to remain a secret.” She looked up at the ceiling. “Is the lighting in this room conducive to your artistry, Tim?”
The guy shook his head. “Your beauty is enough to illuminate the darkest spot. I shall lack for nothing in your presence.”
Frowning, Annani lifted her hand and looked at it. “Oh, good. For a moment there I was worried that I was still glowing.”
“My comment must have been lost in translation,” Tim said. “I meant it figuratively.”
Annani smiled again. “You are most charming, Tim. Thank you for the compliment. Shall we begin?”
Kian stayed in the room for several more moments, observing Tim work. The guy didn’t stop talking, asking Annani question after question, showing her what he drew and then correcting it according to her input.
It was a long process, and after ten minutes they were still working on the eyes, which Tim had said were the most important feature.
“Are you going to be okay here without me?” Kian directed the question to his mother.
Tim answered. “Leave, your hovering is distracting.”
Annani smiled. “You can go, Kenneth.” She added a wink.
The room they were in was an inner office, and the only entrance was from the main room where the brothers and Andrew were waiting.
The only thing that bothered Kian was the windows, but Tim insisted he needed the blinds off for the natural light. The glass wasn’t bulletproof, but it had a reflective coating on the other side. During daytime, even immortals couldn’t see the inside of the office.
Besides, there wasn’t much he could do about it even if he stayed.
“How is it going?” Andrew asked as Kian entered the room.
“They are still working on the eyes.”
“Yeah, it takes a long time. I should have warned you. I can get us coffee while we wait.”
“Maybe later.” Kian sat behind the desk and flipped his laptop open. “I should get some work done.”
An hour later, Tim came out. “Can we get something to drink and eat in there?”
Kian glanced at his watch. “Lunch should be delivered in about fifteen minutes. How is it going?”
“Good. Do you want to take a look?”
“Naturally.”
“Spivak.” Tim waved at Andrew. “Get us a couple of bottles of Perrier. The lovely Anna is thirsty, and so am I.” He clapped his hands. “Chop chop.”
“No problem.” Grumbling under his breath about Tim’s lack of basic manners, Andrew walked out.
In the next room, the artist’s work in progress was propped on a portable easel, and Annani was staring at it with misty eyes.
“Is that how you remember her?”
There wasn’t much, just a pair of sorrowful, blue eyes, a contour of a face, and an outline of a mouth, but it was enough to give Kian a general idea of what Areana looked like, and it was nothing like Annani.
Areana was a gentle beauty, while Annani was pure fire. There was no mischief in those pale blue eyes, no burning curiosity and superior intelligence like in Annani’s. But there was compassion in them, the kind that only those who had suffered greatly could feel for the suffering of others.
11
Annani
Tears blurred Annani’s vision as Areana’s face slowly materialized on the canvas, her delicate features drawn with such precision by Tim’s nimble fingers.
He cast her a questioning look. “I gather that the drawing is accurate?”
“It is. You are a true artist, Tim. I do not know how you translate what I say into lines. It is as if you can look into my mind and see what I see. But it is even more than that. Your questions force me to remember things I have forgotten. They bring her back.”
“How long has it been since you saw your sister?”
“Thousands of years.”
He nodded. “It must feel this way when a loved one has gone missing.”
“Yes, and yet I remember parting with her before her journey as if it were yesterday. I remember every word we exchanged, and how brave she was. But most of all I remember
how guilty I felt for letting her take my place.”
“Your sister joined the armed forces? Did she go missing in the Middle East?”
The alarm in his voice touched Annani’s heart, and although technically Areana had gone missing in that specific region, what Tim was imagining was a completely different situation.
Hopefully, her sister had not been violated or abused by Navuh, but it was possible, and Annani shuddered to think of the never-ending torment her sister had endured and was still enduring.
All because of her.
Everything Areana had suffered was Annani’s fault. Her sister had sacrificed her peaceful, secluded life to allow Annani several short moon cycles of happiness.
“My sister did not join the army, but she fought a brave personal battle.” She reached for the canvas. “Can I have the drawing?”
“Let me just spray it with a protective coating.”
When he was done, Tim carefully placed the sketch on the desk. “The spray needs to dry for a couple of minutes. I’ll tell Ken that we are done.”
“Thank you. You have no idea how much this portrait means to me. I do not have any pictures of my sister. I am going to hang it up in my bedroom so I can look at her beautiful face and remember her.”
Looking uncomfortable, Tim slunk away to the other room, and a moment later Kian entered.
“Are you okay?” He closed the door behind him.
Annani shook her head and pointed at the picture. “Take a look. This is your aunt, Areana.”
“She looks nothing like you.” He stood next to the desk and gazed at the portrait. “Her eyes are so sad, so full of compassion.”
“Areana is a pure soul, and she suffered greatly because of me.”
Kian turned around and leaned against the desk, blocking her view of the sketch. “Stop doing that. Your father did not force Areana to take your place. He asked and she agreed. It was her choice.”
“I know, but poor Areana wanted our father’s approval so badly that she would have walked into a fire if he had asked her. And in a way she did.” Annani wiped a stray tear away, then took a shuddering breath. “Can we go see Lokan now? I want to show him the picture.”