by I. T. Lucas
“I can send Merlin with the team, but I disagree about the thraller. This is too important for second-tier Guardians to handle, and we only have two head Guardians who are unmated. Onegus and Arwel. The mission is not complicated enough to justify sending Onegus, so it has to be Arwel. Besides, I’m not going to send the team out before Mey transitions, so there is no rush, and Arwel is coming back this Saturday.”
Turner chuckled. “At this rate, you will soon run out of bachelor head Guardians. You have to either step up the training and promote some of the others to head positions or start sending your people on missions regardless of their mated status. Those who’ve been mated for a while can tolerate a short separation.”
“Or I can send them along with their mates like I did with Kri and Michael.”
“That’s also an option. Except, most of the mates are civilians.”
8
Losham
“What are you going to tell our leader, sir?” Rami asked.
Losham had been debating that since Shafen had come to him with the disturbing news on Thursday.
His initial investigation had confirmed Shafen’s report, but it hadn’t proved or disproved the clan’s involvement. The official city records contained a report about the raid, claiming a massive drug bust with sixty-seven suspects detained in an undisclosed location.
But that didn’t mean a thing.
The clan could have planted that report, either hacking into the system or thralling someone in charge to write it up.
The few neighbors who’d been awake during the raid parroted the same thing. A SWAT team had arrived, stormed the building, and taken everyone residing there into custody.
“I’m going to tell my father the truth, Rami.”
His assistant smiled. “And which truth are you going to choose?”
“The real one. I’m going to tell him that I’m not sure what happened and hope for the best. If he is in a good mood, I might still have a job after this conversation. If he is not, we might need to get our things and run.”
Rami’s smile slid off his face. “I’m with you, sir. Wherever you go, I go.”
Losham clapped him on the back. “I know. Your loyalty means a lot to me.”
Not that it was all about loyalty for Rami.
Losham suspected that his assistant had feelings for him, but as long as he didn’t make a move, which Losham was confident he would never dare, he didn’t mind his assistant’s harmless infatuation. If Losham swung that way, Rami would have been the perfect companion, but he didn’t.
Losham loved women, but unlike other immortals, he didn’t need to indulge all that often. He was a cerebral man, not one ruled by his baser needs.
Rami was a great assistant, intelligent, resourceful, and respectful without being sniveling. Losham could count on Rami to tell him the truth even when the man knew that Losham wasn’t going to like it.
This was a priceless quality, especially in the Brotherhood, where everyone was terrified of their superiors.
“Could you make the call for me, Rami?”
“Yes, sir.”
The calls to his father went through his secretary first, so it wasn’t like Navuh was going to be offended by Rami placing the call on behalf of Losham.
“This is Ramael, Commander Losham’s assistant.”
“Hold the line. I’ll check if his lordship will accept the call.”
“Thank you.”
It was the usual song and dance. Navuh was going to take the call, but he was going to make Losham wait and sweat until he did.
Except, Losham was going to wait with a glass of superb Japanese whiskey in one hand, a Cuban cigar in the other, and he wasn’t going to sweat because it was a most pleasant evening in Bel Air.
Rami put the phone on the table. “I’ll be in my room if you need me, sir.”
Losham nodded.
He hadn’t soundproofed the house yet, so Rami was going to be privy to the conversation wherever he went, but Losham didn’t mind. Navuh thought himself refined. So even if he was majorly pissed, he wasn’t going to shout or call him names.
“Good evening, Losham, or is it morning where you are?”
“It is late morning, my lord. I’m afraid that I have disturbing news. My team was taken out on Wednesday. I held off calling you until I completed my investigation. On the face of things, it appears as if they were arrested in a drug bust, but I suspect the clan’s involvement. I think they donned SWAT uniforms to make it look like a police arrest and then planted a fake report in the official database.”
While a long moment of silence passed, Losham’s forehead beaded with sweat.
“How would they know where to find your men? Did you start abductions in the area, so they got alerted to your presence?”
“No, my lord. The men had just arrived in the building I purchased for them in Koreatown. I chose the location because it is densely populated and relatively inexpensive. I have no idea how the clan could have discovered so soon that we’d arrived in the city.
“Were there drugs on the premises?”
“Naturally. This is part of what we are doing here, my lord.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that. But since your men had just arrived, I wondered if there was real justification for the arrest.”
“We brought the drugs with us from our previous location.”
“I see.” There was another long moment of silence. “It might have been the work of a traitor. He could have sold you either to the authorities or to the clan in exchange for money or other compensation.”
“I considered that possibility.” Losham sighed dramatically. “If the men had been implanted with trackers as I suggested, we might have been able to find them. If the clan has them, the trackers could have led us to them.”
“If the clan got them, they killed them and dumped the bodies somewhere in the mountains or deserts. So that would have done us no good. And if the human authorities have them, the men will find a way to get out. In any case, implanting them with trackers would have been a waste of time and resources.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Bottom line, Navuh was cheap and didn’t want to spend the money. Nothing new about that.
“The mistake was letting the men stay away from the island for long periods of time,” Navuh continued. “No one should be away for more than a month, and then they should stay on the island for an extended period before being allowed back. I’m going to send you replacements, but you will need to overhaul your entire operation. It is going to be a small group of men this time. Once a warrior escorts an acquisition to the island, he will stay here, and another one will take his place. We are going to establish a rotation.”
“Yes, my lord. But that will require training for each new group of men.”
More work for Losham.
“Initially, yes. But once you train everyone in the rotation cycle, you are done. It won’t require too much effort on your part. I also suggest that you don’t house them in the same location again. Rent them apartments in several buildings in different parts of the city, and no more than two warriors in one address. Putting them all together is making them an easy target for the authorities as well as for the clan.”
“Yes, my lord. That is an excellent idea.” In fact, he should have thought of it himself.
Except, it was easier to keep the men together. Besides, purchasing one old building had saved him a bundle on rent, which he’d pocketed. Now he would have to pay at least double for their accommodations and also rent a warehouse for meetings.
“And, Losham.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“I expect you to recuperate the monetary loss, so you’d better start thinking creatively.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The line disconnected without any goodbyes, but that wasn’t new either. Navuh rarely bothered with niceties.
Leaning back, Losham puffed on his cigar.
This had gone much better than he’d expect
ed. In fact, Navuh’s response worried him. His father was never that mellow or that understanding. Usually, he would express his disappointment and issue a few threats. He must have been in an exceptionally good mood.
Or maybe Navuh appreciated Losham’s honesty?
Nevertheless, it was disconcerting because it was out of character. Losham would have to be extra careful and watch his back. If nothing else, his father was going to send an informer with the new group of warriors.
Had there been one among the group that had been taken out? Was that why his father had been so accepting?
That made perfect sense.
If Navuh had an informer among the fallen warriors, then lack of communication from the man had confirmed Losham’s report.
9
Mey
“I must be out of my mind.” Mey adjusted the silk scarves that were tied to a wide belt slung low on her hips.
She looked sexy, but only when striking a pose, not when attempting to belly dance. The vivid colors went well with her dark hair, and since she didn’t really need to wear a bra for lift, only for coverage, the scarf that was tied around her breasts and looped around her neck did the job well enough. Her tummy, although a little rounded after all the big meals she’d been having lately, was still flat enough to put on display.
Besides, the belly dancer in the video was far from slim, and her jiggly belly and wide hips only added to the allure of her dance.
Except, the woman on the screen could move, while Mey’s attempts looked like they belonged on one of those animated mannequins that had been popular lately on YouTube.
Feeling silly, she imitated her favorite one, called Late for a Meeting, flapping her arms around and bending her body in weird ways.
That was good for a laugh, and for getting her limbs to loosen up, but if she wanted to dance for Yamanu, she needed to practice. Unless she could pull off dance moves that weren’t embarrassing, she wasn’t going to do it. The idea was to get him excited, not laughing his ass off.
Perhaps she should just do a model walk for him. That would get him all hot and bothered without her having to put much effort into it.
But what was the challenge in that?
Determined to learn, Mey restarted the video and followed the moves as best she could. She practiced until every muscle in her body hurt, and a cramp in her side forced her to stop.
Twenty-five minutes. That was how long she’d lasted this time. What the hell was she going to do with the rest of her day?
Yamanu had to work, so he couldn’t stay with her in the house all day, and her new friends were all busy as well. Callie had classes, Wonder worked in the café, and Syssi and Amanda were in the university lab.
Perhaps she could help Wonder out? Without Callie, Wonder had to do everything by herself, making the coffees and cappuccinos and the sandwiches and also serving them.
Now that was an idea.
Instead of sitting at home, being bored and thinking about stressful stuff, she could help a friend and at the same time get to meet new people. The café was the central hub of the village, and according to Wonder and Callie, it was the best place to get to know everyone.
It shouldn’t be too hard to learn. Anyone could make coffees and sandwiches, or at least serve them.
Fifteen minutes later, showered and dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, Mey walked out of the house and closed the door behind her. She didn’t have a key, but it seemed like no one in the village bothered to lock their doors, so that wasn’t a big deal.
As she strode toward the café, she texted Yamanu to let him know where she was going in case he came looking for her.
Have fun, he texted back. I’ll come to get you when I’m done.
When she got there, the place didn’t look too busy, and Wonder welcomed her with a big smile. “I’m so glad you came. Would you like a cappuccino?”
“Actually, I came to work. With Callie at school, I’m sure you could use a helping hand around here.”
Wonder looked uncomfortable. “I need to check with Jackson. I only work here, and I can’t pay you.”
Mey waved a dismissive hand. “I’m not expecting to get paid for this. The clan is doing so much for me, the least I can do is put in a little work. Besides, I’m bored, and I really suck at belly dancing.”
Wonder lifted a brow. “Belly dancing?”
“I’ll tell you all about it while you show me how to work the cappuccino machine.”
“It’s really easy.” Wonder pressed a button. “The only part that takes some practice is frothing the milk.”
“Can I try?”
“Let me show you how it’s done first.”
As the machine finished grinding the beans, Wonder filled a metal container with milk and put it under the nozzle. “You need to make sure that it’s not too hot and not too cold. You can watch the thermometer. It should be between a hundred and fifty and a hundred and sixty. But soon you’ll be able to tell by touch. When the pitcher becomes too hot to hold, you are done”
“Got it.”
From the corner of her eye, Mey saw Ella and her mother heading toward the counter.
“It seems like the cappuccinos are not going to be wasted.”
“Hi, Mey. When did you start working in the café?” Ella asked.
“Mey is volunteering,” Wonder said. “Which is really nice of her but unacceptable.” She turned to Mey. “I’m going to call Jackson and ask him to put you on the payroll.”
“Don’t. I might not be here next Monday.”
Vivian frowned. “Why? Where are you going?”
“Probably back to New York.”
Vivian’s frown deepened. “Are things not working out with Yamanu?”
Mey sighed and leaned against the counter. “Yamanu is amazing, but if I don’t transition by Sunday night, I can’t stay.”
“Said who?” Ella asked.
“Kian. He gave me two weeks. Evidently, erasing memories of a period longer than that can cause brain damage.”
Luckily, he hadn’t thought to include the week she’d spent with Yamanu and the team before arriving in the village. If he had, she would already be back at her apartment in New York, bemoaning a loss she couldn’t remember.
Ella waved a hand. “Don’t worry about it. If you don’t transition in time, he’ll give you an extension. The two weeks is just an arbitrary choice. No one knows for sure how many memories are too many to erase.”
Well, that wasn’t exactly reassuring. What if she’d already accumulated too many memories and was going to suffer brain damage when Yamanu removed them?
“How long did it take you to transition?” she asked Vivian.
The petite blonde blushed. “From the time we threw the condoms away, it took about ten days.”
That was good news. They had started on Friday, and this was only Tuesday.
“Same here,” Ella said. “So don’t think that my mom took longer because she was older.”
Mey let out a breath. “Then I guess I should start worrying only if I don’t enter transition by Sunday.” She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “Perhaps I should ask Kian for an extension. Given your experience, he might consider approving a day or two over the deadline.”
10
Yamanu
“No way!” Roni crossed his arms over his chest and leaned into his Batmobile style swivel chair.
“Why not? You did it to aggravate Kian.” Yamanu smirked. “As someone who loves getting a rise out of people, you should enjoy this.”
“I’m not going to stand in front of a student cafeteria and recite slam poetry. Besides, what’s the deal with testing your powers? Did you lose them somewhere?”
Yamanu grimaced. “Love might have weakened them. I have to find out before Kian sends me out on a real mission. He counts on me.”
William shook his head. “Why would falling in love make you weak? It’s not like you were a grouch before meeting Mey, and your bad temper fueled yo
ur abilities. You were always an easy-going fellow.”
Damn, it felt bad to lie to his friends, but coming clean and admitting the real deal was not an option. Not only for his sake but for Mey’s as well. He didn’t want people blaming her for the loss of his protection.
“I can’t focus as well as I used to. Meditation always helped, but since Mey entered my life, I have a hard time clearing my mind. I keep thinking about her, seeing her whenever I close my eyes and feeling my heart overflow with love for her. I have to find out whether the lack of focus affects my shrouding and thralling.”
Roni smiled, and it was a genuine one, not mocking like usual. “There ain’t nothing better than love. Still, you will have to rope someone else into doing this for you. As much as I would like to help, I’m still a wanted man, and I can’t risk people pulling their phones out and videotaping my performance. What if it ends up on YouTube?”
“I’ll do it,” William said. “Just text me the damn thing so I can memorize it.”
That was a surprise. William hardly ever left his lab.
“Are you sure?” Yamanu asked. “You don’t have a problem with public speaking? Because I might not be able to shroud you.”
William shrugged. “I could use some excitement.” He chuckled. “Doing something that doesn’t involve a computer screen would be great.”
He stretched his arms, pushing his big belly out. “Besides, I wouldn’t mind mingling with some college hotties. There is nothing sexier than a smart woman.”
Roni snorted, his expression reverting to reflect his usual sarcastic attitude. “Being in college doesn’t make them smart. I’ve never gone, and I’m one of the smartest people you will ever meet.”
William shook his head. “Your humility is astounding.”
“What? It’s the truth. Faking humility is the same as lying. I don’t feel humble, and therefore I shouldn’t act as if I am just so people who are dumber than me won’t feel threatened.”