by I. T. Lucas
He looked at the chicken. “I wondered where you’d gotten that from, but I assumed that Callie brought it.”
“Na-ah. This is my cooking.” She cut the chicken in half, put one half on his plate, and added a mountain of roast potatoes. “Do you want some salad?”
“Sure.” He lifted the bowl and scooped a small portion onto his plate. “I have to say that I’m impressed. And thank you. I haven’t been pampered like this since I left my mother’s home.” He chuckled. “Not that there was dinner on the table every night. She worked as a midwife, delivering babies in the nearby villages.”
“What does she do now?”
“The same. But now she works in a hospital, and she’s gotten a degree in nursing.”
“That’s awesome. My mother is a pediatric nurse.”
Yamanu grinned. “They will have something to talk about when they meet at our wedding.”
To hide the sudden flare of anxiety that had gripped her, Mey cut a piece of chicken and put it in her mouth.
Yamanu was such an optimist, taking for granted that everything was going to turn out okay. She wished she could be like him.
“I tested my powers today,” he said.
Mey’s stomach flipped and then sank low. She hadn’t known he’d been planning to do that.
“How did it go?” She croaked and reached for her drink to wet her throat.
“Not too bad. I managed to blanket thrall and shroud, but it lacked power. I think I can fix that with short abstinence. A day or two should do that.” He smiled and reached for her hand. “With you around, my sexual energy recharges at lightning speed.”
Mey felt light-headed with relief. “You have no idea how happy this makes me. I think that I worried about this more than I worried about my transition. I love it here, and I love the people. I couldn’t stand the thought of being shunned because everyone hated me for destroying their protector. Not to mention the guilt I felt for being your kryptonite.”
“You’re not my kryptonite. You are my superconductor. And once your transition starts, I’m going to test my powers again and prove it. But until then, we need to focus all of our energy on activating your dormant genes.”
14
Kian
As Kian entered the war room, several of the Guardians raised their brows in surprise, while excitement registered on the faces of others.
The day-to-day rescue operations and security detail for the village as well as the old keep were handled by Onegus. Kian’s presence meant something new was brewing, and it seemed that the rumor about Kalugal’s suspected whereabouts had not spread yet.
He waited for Onegus to be done before stepping in front of the assembled Guardians.
“For those of you who haven’t heard yet, we have new information about Kalugal. Lokan discovered it during a business meeting with a guy who heads one of the top cybersecurity firms in the country. He told him about an installation he’d done for a reclusive billionaire, who had a large underground compound built on the grounds of his mansion. Lokan thought it was worth investigating, and I agreed. I had William and Roni divert their resources from the country-wide screening of airport security feeds to those from bars, cafés, and restaurants in the vicinity of said mansion. They found a match.”
Excited murmurs started, and a couple of Guardians raised their hands to ask questions.
“Yes, Reibert.”
“Do we know if he has his men with him?”
“For the sake of brevity, it would be best that I continue to tell you what we know at this stage. Kalugal’s picture that was captured on the security camera was grainy, but the computer gave it a high probability of being a match with Tim’s sketch. I still have my doubts, though. We don’t have an actual photograph of the guy, and as good as Tim is, he is not a camera.”
Kian waited for the snickers and comments about Tim’s talent to die down before continuing. “I want to send a team to the Bay Area to investigate and bring back proof that this is indeed Kalugal. If it is him, he probably has his men with him, and that was why he built the extensive underground compound. If we can follow anyone leaving that place and verify that he is an immortal, we will have our confirmation.”
“What if those are Doomers?” Duncan asked.
“According to Lokan, all the Doomers from the Bay Area moved down here, including his brother Losham, who is the head of their operations in California. We took out the rank and file, so the only ones left at the moment are Losham, his assistant, and maybe several of his bodyguards. Lokan doesn’t have details on that.”
He scanned the faces of his men, stopping when he reached Magnus. Of all the second-tier Guardians, he was best suited for the mission. The way he dressed and carried himself would fit in well with the population of the affluent city the mansion was in. The question was whether he would be willing to leave his wife behind. Especially since they were working on a baby.
“Magnus, are you up for a low-key out-of-town mission?”
The Guardian nodded, but given his expression, he wasn’t overly excited about the prospect. “If we get confirmation that immortals live on the premises, do you intend to engage?”
Kian shook his head. “Not until I find out what Kalugal is up to, and in any case, I don’t plan an assault against him. At this time, I just want to find out if he is indeed the guy who owns that mansion.”
“A recon mission,” Magnus clarified.
“Yes. It’s crucial to keep the investigation discreet. I don’t want to alert him to the fact that we know where he is. That’s why I think you are a good choice for it. You can pretend to be a rich guy looking to buy a home in the area. This will give you an excuse to drive around. One of the other Guardians can pretend to be a real estate agent. Another two can be municipal workers tending to the electrical wires or whatever else you can come up with. You are in charge. Assemble your team and let Shai know how many, so he can arrange accommodations.”
Magnus scratched his beard. “My cover will seem more believable if Vivian is with me. A husband and wife looking to buy a house is more common than a guy doing it alone. And since this is only a recon mission, she will be in no danger.”
Kian nodded. “I like it. Tell Shai to put you up in a luxury hotel. The rest of your men should lodge somewhere else.”
There were a few murmurs of protest and comments about unfairness, but they were intended as jabs at Magnus and not actual criticism. The Guardians were all well aware of the financial strain the rescue operations were putting on the clan, and the most significant component in that expenditure was their salaries.
“When do you want us to head out?” Magnus asked.
“Whenever you are ready.”
“I can leave tomorrow.”
“Don’t you need to check with Vivian first?”
“I will, but I’m sure she will jump at the opportunity to get out of here. As lovely as the village is, it’s like living on a freaking island, and that includes island fever.”
Kian didn’t like the comparison. Anything that alluded to similarities between the clan and the Brotherhood, even superficial ones, aggravated him.
“That’s on you, Magnus. You could have taken your wife on vacation anytime you wanted.”
“He prefers to do it on your dime,” Reibert groused.
“It’s not his dime, it’s ours,” someone else commented.
Kian lifted a hand to stop the ribbing. Guardians were like boys. What started as a joke, could quickly escalate into fistfights.
“Anyone have more questions before we adjourn?”
“I do,” Anandur said. “What if Kalugal turns out to be a decent fellow who detests his father and everything he stands for? Are we going to invite him and his men to join our ranks?”
The room fell silent as everyone waited to hear Kian’s response.
“No.”
“Why not? We could use reinforcements. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, true?”
“I’m not in a ru
sh to welcome a bunch of ex-Doomers into our clan. First, we need to find out what they are up to, and then each man will get evaluated separately and over a long period of time. Besides, perhaps Kalugal enjoys his autonomy. He might prefer to stay neutral and as far away as he can from the conflict. The fact that he doesn’t see eye to eye with his father doesn’t mean that he wants to fight him.”
Or take over the island, as Lokan hoped to do with his brother’s help.
If Kalugal hadn’t made a move yet, he was probably not planning on making one.
15
Yamanu
As the men started to disperse, Yamanu followed Kian outside. “I feel bad for not going out on rescue missions, but I’m thankful to you for relieving me from duty. Not going out at nights allows me more time with Mey.”
Kian clapped him on the back. “Right now, your number one priority is to induce your lady’s transition.”
“I know. But still. Without Arwel and me, the guys have to manage the rescues, and they also need to reassure the girls after getting them out. Sometimes that’s the hardest part. They are so frightened.”
Kian nodded. “We also don’t have Kri and her calming influence. But the men manage. Vanessa gave them a crash course while you were in New York.”
Yamanu chuckled. “I heard about it. Donell says it helps him with picking girls up in bars.”
Kian’s lips lifted in a ghost of a smile. “That guy needs all the help he can get. I don’t know how he manages to seduce anyone with his lame one-liners.”
“Pity?”
Kian shrugged. “He is good-looking enough. I hear that nowadays ladies take the initiative, so he can get away with saying nothing.”
“I wouldn’t know.”
Kian cast him a sidelong glance. “Don’t tell me that you’ve never had women hit on you because I won’t believe that.”
“I might be a handsome bastard, but I’m too tall, and my eyes are too pale. Humans are wary of me.”
For several long minutes, neither of them spoke as they exited the pavilion and headed toward the office building.
“We’ve rescued several boys recently,” Kian said. “It’s no longer just girls. Vanessa organized another shelter for them.”
Yamanu shook his head. “This is so fucking sad. I don’t care how much this effort drains our resources. I’m glad we are doing this.”
“Me too. But instead of feeling good about it, I feel even worse knowing that we can’t get everyone out, and that whatever we do, it’s not enough. I hoped that we could at least clean up this city, but it’s hopeless. We eradicate one hellhole and another one springs up in its place. There is just too much money to be made in this business to deter the scum that deals in it.”
Yamanu often felt the same, but unlike Kian, he was a glass-half-full kind of guy. Rescuing some was better than rescuing none.
“I wish we had legions of people,” Kian said. “But I know that Kalugal and his men will never join our ranks in this. Even Lokan, who is as enlightened as a Doomer can be and strives to change the way the island gets its sex providers, is not all that concerned about the trade. They have little regard for humans.”
“Can you blame them? Why should they care when humans do not?”
Kian raked his fingers through his hair. “I know. And it frustrates the hell out of me. It always has.”
Yamanu wondered what had prompted Kian to share his thoughts with him. They had never been close. Cordial was the best way to describe their relationship. Even Anandur and Brundar, who had been Kian’s bodyguards for centuries, weren’t all that close to him.
Perhaps Yamanu’s confession about his abstinence had changed the dynamics between them?
They both kept people at arm's length, but for different reasons. Kian’s position as a leader created a natural barrier between him and his subjects, and Yamanu’s secrets created a barrier between him and even his closest friends.
Was that going to change now that it was no longer an issue?
Except, it still was. He hadn’t told anyone he didn’t have to about his sacrifice, and if he could help it, he never would.
Kian cast him a sidelong glance. “You didn’t tell me about the results of your experiment yet.”
“Right, I was about to. Roni refused to help, claiming that he needs to remain incognito. William volunteered to go in his place and did a damn good job.”
“That’s not what I was asking about.”
Impatient man.
“I was getting there. It was better than I expected but not as good as I hoped. I can still do blanket thralls and shrouds, but they don’t last as long, and they don’t affect as many people. I need more power behind them.”
Kian let out a breath. “That’s better news than I had hoped for. At least you can still do that.”
“I think I can get to nearly full power if I abstain for a couple of days. But as you’ve said, inducing Mey is my number one priority right now, and we don’t have much time left. You gave us until Monday.”
Actually, it was until Sunday, but Yamanu hoped that Kian wasn’t going to be strict about his deadline.
“I’ll give you an extension. The two-week timeframe is arbitrary, and its purpose is mainly to protect Mey in case she doesn’t transition. None of us want to risk her suffering brain damage from erasing too many memories. But if she is willing to take the risk, I’m willing to give you another week.”
That was a huge relief, but not without reservations. What Kian had said was true. “Is this your way of telling me to test my theory sooner?”
Kian nodded. “I have to know if I can still count on you to shield operations. I don’t like hanging in limbo. It’s either a yes or a no. If it’s a no, I’ll start working on a substitute, but I don’t want to waste time and effort on this if it’s not necessary.”
“Perfectly understandable. I’ll talk to Mey and see what she thinks. It would have to be her decision.”
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
16
Mey
Mey took her apron off and balled it up. She hadn’t brought a purse, so there was nowhere she could put it. “This thing needs washing. I’m taking it home to put in the laundry.”
“I can do that,” Wonder offered. “I’m washing mine and Callie’s anyway. You have better things to do than that.” She waggled her brows and then blushed.
Mey pretended not to get her meaning. “I still have to make dinner, but it will have to be something quick. Yamanu texted me that he is heading home in a few minutes. It might have to be a pizza night.”
“I wasn’t talking about that.” Wonder swiveled her hips, performing a damn good belly dance move. Much better than Mey had managed so far. “Are you going to show him what you’ve learned?”
“Maybe.” Mey handed her the apron.
She’d practiced, and her movements were more fluid today than they were yesterday, but she still wasn’t good enough.
“I need more practice.”
Wonder waved a hand. “Don’t be a perfectionist. He’s going to love it no matter how well you do.”
“If I were a perfectionist, I would have given up after the first ten minutes. I’m a realist.”
“Well, good luck. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Wonder pulled her into a quick hug.
Working in the café had been a brilliant idea. Wonder, Callie, and Mey were becoming best friends, and the stories Wonder had been telling her about the young Annani were pure gold.
The goddess had been quite a character, and according to Wonder, she was only a little less wild and impulsive now than she had been as a girl. It was so sad that Annani had lost the love of her life, though, and that she had never allowed herself to love again.
A goddess.
Mey shook her head. She’d met a real goddess.
Life was indeed stranger than fiction.
On the way home, she passed several people and was delighted that she could address each one by name
because she’d met them either at the café or at her welcoming party. Only a week and a half had passed since she’d arrived in the village, and it already felt more like home than any other place she’d ever lived in before.
Damn, it was already Wednesday, and she had only until Sunday night to start transitioning.
No pressure.
Hopefully, the belly dancing was going to make Yamanu super randy, and he would bite her every time he climaxed. As she’d discovered, he didn’t require recuperating time to have sex again, but he needed it to produce more venom.
When she got home, Yamanu wasn’t there yet, but he was due back at any moment.
Mey threw a pizza in the oven, cut a few vegetables for a quick salad, and then hit the shower. Today’s dinner was going to be a simple affair eaten at the kitchen counter, but the seduction later on was going to be spectacular.
Hopefully, she wasn’t going to trip over her own feet.
When she got out of the bathroom, she found Yamanu sitting at the counter and sipping on a bottle of Snake Venom.
“Is everything okay?” she asked as she leaned to kiss his lips.
He put his hands on her waist and pulled her to sit on top of his thighs.
“That depends. Kian gave us a one-week extension.”
Mey felt like the rock that had been sitting in her belly had shattered into dust and evaporated. “That’s great news. I was so stressed that it’s already Wednesday and nothing’s happened. Now we have more time.”
“We do, but as you know, the two-week time limit wasn’t about Kian being unreasonable. It was meant to protect you. More memories mean a greater chance of brain damage if, Fates forbid, I have to erase them.”
She smiled. “What happened to your optimism? I thought you were certain I was going to transition. No memory erasing is going to be needed.”
He grimaced. “There is a reason Kian volunteered the extra week. He wants me to abstain so I can test my powers again. He wants to know if I can still shroud and thrall as well as I did before.”
