Dark Queen’s Army

by I. T. Lucas

  “We will have to keep her drugged,” Arwel said. “I’ll go ask Julian if he can do it.”

  “I can,” came the answer from the living room. “But I’ll need to get more supplies.”

  “Go now,” Kian said.

  “Yes, boss.”

  “I’m debating whether we should bring the rest of the team here,” Kian said. “By now, Yamanu should be done with erasing every piece of footage that has Arwel’s face on it, and the hotel room for Eleanor’s return is reserved. The problem is that no one is going to believe a roofie put her out of commission for four days.”

  “I don’t think you should worry about it,” Lokan said. “If she is indeed an independent contractor, she doesn’t need to show up on schedule.”

  Arwel scratched his stubble. “Yeah, but since she doesn’t have a place of her own, we assume that she lives in the facility. She is going to be missed.”

  “Plant drugs in that hotel room,” Lokan suggested. “Eleanor is going to be so scared that she’d been using that she is going to invent a cover story for her absence.”

  “I like it.” Kian clapped him on the back.

  A moment later, Carol opened the door and stepped out. “Poor thing peed for five minutes straight.”

  Lokan wrapped his arm around her waist. “Did she give you any trouble?”

  “Except for a few snide remarks, not really.”

  “I’m going back in,” Kian said. “Now that she doesn’t need to empty her bladder, she might get stubborn again. Check out what’s in the fridge that’s easy to make and produces an appetizing smell. We are going to torment her with that.”

  Lokan snorted. “That’s not going to work. Instead, bring in the blond and have him sharpen his throwing knives in front of her. If she has any pee left in her, she is going to wet herself.”

  “Not a bad idea,” Arwel said.

  Kian put his hand on the door handle. “First, the food.”

  “I’m on it.” Carol pulled out of Lokan’s arm. “You can come help if Kian doesn’t need you here.”

  “Gladly.”

  65

  Kian

  “Feeling better?” Kian asked as he entered the room.

  Next to him, Arwel leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest.

  “Much, but I’m still tied to a chair.”

  “Unfortunately, this is necessary for now.”

  “Where am I?”

  He smiled, even though she couldn’t see him. “Do you really expect me to answer that?”

  She shrugged. “Can’t blame a girl for trying.”

  “Where are the trainees dropped off?”

  “The Outlet Mall in Harrisonburg. They get there around ten in the morning and are picked up at six.”

  And wasn’t that a stroke of good luck. Then again, this was the nearest urban center, so it made sense. The question was why Jin hadn’t used the opportunity to call Mey while on those outings.

  “Do they have phones with them?”

  She shook her head. “Radios, so they can communicate with each other and the group supervisor.”

  “If they are free to go, why the restricted communications?”

  “It’s done to encourage bonding within the group and wean them from outside attachments. It’s like the military.”

  “Is it military?”

  “No. It’s like it. But you are not going to achieve anything by approaching her. I’m only telling you all this so you will let me go like you promised.”

  He wasn’t going to mention that they were keeping her locked up until they made contact with Jin, but she was smart enough to figure it out on her own.

  “What do they do in that training camp?”

  “I can’t tell you that because I don’t know. I only bring the recruits in.”

  That confirmed Lokan’s suspicion that Eleanor was the recruiter for the program. But it wasn’t all she did or she wouldn’t have lodging on the premises. Which meant that she was lying again.

  “If you are just the recruiter, what reason do you have to live right next to the training camp?”

  “I don’t. I’m here because of the skiing.”

  He lifted a brow. “You don’t have an apartment, and the car you drive is not registered under your name. Where do you live?”

  “Sometimes the new recruits need a pep talk and hand-holding. I stay on the premises in case I’m needed.”

  So her compulsion power wasn’t as strong as Lokan’s, and she needed to reinforce it from time to time. That also made sense. Eleanor was a Dormant, while Lokan was an immortal. Not only that, he was the son of the most powerful compeller in the world.

  They would need Lokan to remove the compulsion from Jin. Otherwise, she wasn’t going to come with them.

  “Are you going to let me go now?”

  “Not yet. Are you like a headhunter who finds new recruits for the program, or are you given names and addresses and give them an offer they can’t refuse?”

  “I get the names.”

  “Do you know why these people are recruited?”

  “No clue. I don’t ask questions. I just get paid for each one I bring in.”

  Next to him, Arwel shook his head. Kian didn’t need the confirmation. It was such a blatant lie that even he sensed the deceit. It was tricky with her because Eleanor was an accomplished liar and felt no guilt or remorse. But he had learned her tells.

  What gave her away was that Eleanor was conceited and prideful, probably because she could fool the best of human detectives. Whenever she thought she was getting away with a lie, those two emotions showed on her face and in her scent.

  “Okay, let’s assume that you really don’t know why they are brought in. You should know how many, though. You are the recruiter.”

  “I’m probably not the only one.”

  “How many did you bring in?”

  “Fourteen.”

  “And how many are in the program?”

  “I don’t know. You can count heads when they get off the bus.”

  “That’s true only if everyone gets the day off.”

  “They do. Are you going to let me go now?”

  “I can’t. Not until we verify the information you gave us and make contact with Jin.”

  She let out a breath. “I figured as much. Am I going to spend the entire time tied to this fucking chair?”

  “We will find a different solution.”

  Kian opened the door and motioned for Arwel to follow him.

  Out in the corridor, the smells of cooking reminded him that it had been hours since he had eaten anything. But he wasn’t going to take a break until he had the Eleanor situation figured out.

  He found Lokan and Carol in the kitchen.

  “It looks like you will need to stay until Saturday to remove the compulsion from Jin. Assuming that this is what we are dealing with.”

  Lokan shook his head. “I can’t. I have meetings scheduled for tomorrow afternoon and for Friday. But I can move things around and come back on Saturday.” He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I’ve never attempted to remove someone else’s compulsion. It might be a gift unique to Ella’s brother.”

  “He said that he didn’t remove it. He overrode it.” Kian smiled. “Which means that he’s a stronger compeller than you are.”

  Lokan puffed out his chest. “That’s not possible. I’m my father’s son, and I have centuries of experience. There is no way a teenage boy is more powerful than I am.”

  “Well, you can prove how talented you are on Saturday when you override Eleanor’s compulsion.”

  A smirk lifted one corner of Lokan’s mouth. “I’m always glad to assist. In exchange for future favors, of course.”

  Kian clapped him on the back. “Each time you prove yourself helpful, you are adding another stone to the foundation of your future home. When there are enough stones for me to trust you, I’ll let you build it in the village.”

  Next to Lokan, Carol beamed a smile at Kian.


  Lokan arched a brow. “What makes you think that I want in?”

  “In case you do, cousin. I know you like to keep your options open.”

  66

  Arwel

  “What’s next?” Arwel asked. “I want her out of those restraints already. She’s been tied up for hours.”

  Kian raked his fingers through his hair. “Perhaps you should get her into the shower. I’m sure she will appreciate that. And while she is in there, we will get the bed and desk back in. I don’t want to tape towels over all the windows in the house, and I don’t want her to know where she is. With all due respect to Turner’s guy, I’m not at all sure that drugs can eliminate four days of memories. The less she knows, the better.”

  Lokan nodded.

  “She will need a change of clothes,” Carol said. “But I’m much shorter than she is. Then again, I’m sure she will be fine with a big T-shirt if any of you guys can spare one.”

  “I can give her a T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants,” Arwel offered. “And she can wear one of my flannel shirts as a robe.”

  “That’s awfully nice of you,” Carol said. “Are you experiencing Stockholm syndrome in reverse?”

  “No, I just feel guilty even though it makes no sense. If she were a guy, I would have had no problem with any of it.”

  As Kian and Lokan nodded, Carol shook her head. “You guys are such chauvinists, but in a good way.”

  “I’d rather think of it as being gentlemen,” Arwel said. “I’m going to get her clothes.” He headed for the stairs.

  Passing through the living room, he glanced at Brundar and Anandur, who were sitting on a couch and watching a soccer game.

  Slackers.

  “When you hear the water going in Eleanor’s shower, bring in the bed and the desk.”

  “Yes, boss,” Anandur saluted.

  “Is Julian back?” Arwel asked.

  Brundar shook his head.

  “I wonder what’s taking him so long. I hope he didn’t get arrested for trying to buy drugs.”

  It was a joke, of course, but just in case, he called Julian. “What’s keeping you?”

  “I went grocery shopping. If we are going to be stuck here until Saturday, we need supplies. Why? Is our girl misbehaving?”

  “No. I was just worried.”

  “I’m okay, Mommy.”

  “Up yours.” Arwel disconnected.

  After pulling the clothing items from his duffel bag, he went into Eleanor’s room and turned on the light. She’d already seen his face, so that didn’t really matter.

  Squinting, she looked at the bundle of clothes in his arms. “Are you going to disguise me?”

  He put the bundle in the bathroom and returned to crouch next to her chair. “I figured that you would want clean clothes after your shower.” He started untying her ankles. “Carol’s are too small for you, so I brought you some of mine.”

  “That’s so kind of you,” she said sarcastically, then moaned when he started massaging her calf. “I’m willing to forgive you your sins for this.”

  “That’s so magnanimous of you.” He smiled up at her while untying her other calf.

  She moaned again when he massaged that one as well.

  “Why are you doing this?” Arwel asked.

  “Moaning? Because I was in so much pain, and this feels so good.”

  “Why are you doing the recruiting? You were making good money as a pharma rep. Getting these young people to sign their lives away is not a good thing.”

  She shrugged. “First of all, not all of them are young. And secondly, this is better money for much less work.”

  There wasn’t even a smidgen of remorse in her tone. She really didn’t care what happened to the people she brought into the program.

  He untied her wrists, massaging each until her circulation returned, then helped her up and led her to the bathroom.

  “I hope you don’t plan on staying here and watching me shower. You can bring Carol back if you want.”

  He glanced at the window. It was too small for her to try to escape through, but she could open it and scream murder. Not that it was going to help her. Brundar was still shrouding the place.

  “I’m going to be right outside the door. If you as much as whistle in there, I’m going to get in and haul you back to the chair. So, unless you want to spend the next three days tied up, I suggest that you don’t try anything.”

  Looking at the small window, she shrugged. “I can’t fit through there anyway.”

  “You have five minutes. So you better hurry.” He stepped outside and closed the door behind him.

  67

  Kian

  Julian opened the front door and walked in with three shopping bags in each hand. “I have more groceries in the trunk.”

  “Good thinking. The rest of the team is arriving later tonight,” Kian said. He’d called Syssi and asked her if she was all packed and ready to go.

  That had been as much as he’d dared to say over the unsecured line. But it was enough for his smart mate.

  “I hope you brought steaks.” Anandur pushed off the couch and stretched.

  The guy was a total carnivore.

  “And vegetables too,” Kian said. “You guys can survive on meat, but the ladies like to have some greens on their plates.”

  “I got veggie burgers for you. The new kind that you like that taste like the real thing.” Julian put the bags on the kitchen counter.

  “They don’t come even close, but they are good.” Several new brands had come on the market and were even served in fast food places. “Did you get the drugs?”

  “That was my first stop. I went into an urgent care clinic and thralled a bunch of people.”

  He could have probably used his doctor's credentials to get what he needed, but it was better not to leave a trail. “What did you get for her?”

  “Opiates. I’m going to give her just enough to make her loopy but not knock her out. We want her to be able to eat and use the bathroom.”

  “Good thinking.”

  He chuckled. “I’m a doctor.”

  Brundar snorted. “That doesn’t prove that you are smart. Just that you can study your ass off.”

  Julian flipped him off, then looked around the living room. “Where is the bed?”

  “We took it back into the room,” Kian said. “Eleanor showered, and she is eating dinner now with Arwel watching over her. You should prepare to give her the first dose.” Kian pushed to his feet. “I’m going to check on them.”

  Before entering the room, he debated whether he should turn the light off. Eleanor had already seen Arwel’s face, so there was no point in him hiding in the shadows, but she hadn’t seen his.

  Maybe it would be better if she didn’t.

  Inside, he heard the two talking and decided to stay in the corridor and listen instead of going in.

  “You’re making a mistake by holding me until Saturday. I’m going to be missed, and someone might come looking for me.”

  “No one is going to find you, and you know it,” Arwel said. “We searched you for tracking devices, and you had none on you.”

  “That’s good to know,” she murmured. “I never know with these people.”

  “You don’t trust them.”

  “I don’t trust anyone. But that doesn’t always help. I didn’t trust you, and I still ended up here.”

  “You should start thinking about a good story to tell your superiors. If they believe that you’ve been captured and talked, they might decide to eliminate you.”

  Smart. In case the drugs Turner’s guy had sent didn’t work, putting fear into Eleanor’s heart was a good thing.

  She snorted. “They need me. I’m the best they’ve got, and they are not going to find anyone as good.”

  “Don’t fool yourself. Everyone is replaceable. Are you done?”

  He was probably referring to the food.

  “Yes. Thank you for feeding me.”

  “You
should get in bed.”

  “I’m not sleepy.”

  “Nevertheless, I want you in bed. I’m going to turn the lights off.”

  He must have sensed Kian standing outside.

  “Are you going to tuck me in?” she teased.

  “I’ll put the dishes in the kitchen, and I’ll come back.”

  “I was joking.”

  Arwel opened the door and walked out with a tray in his hands. “Is Julian back?”

  “I’m here.” Julian joined them in the hallway.

  “It would be best if she went to sleep now. She is exhausted but too agitated to let herself drift off.”

  “I can give her sleeping pills instead of drugging her.”

  Arwel nodded. “Let’s keep the drugs to the bare minimum.”

  “I’ll get the pills for you. It’s best that you give them to her.”

  “I figured you would make me do it.”

  As Arwel headed toward the kitchen, Kian followed. “You seem very sympathetic toward Eleanor. Did you change your mind about her?”

  “No. She is just as hateful and bitter and selfish as I initially thought she was, and she had no qualms about bringing in the recruits, knowing that it’s probably a one-way ticket. Still, I feel sorry for her. It’s not fun being her.”

  Kian chuckled. “She is her own worst punishment.”

  Arwel put the tray down and leaned against the counter. “I wouldn’t go that far. What bothers me about our plan is that once this is over and we dump Eleanor in the hotel, she will go back to recruiting.”

  Lokan walked over to where they were standing and leaned against the counter next to Arwel. “I’ve been thinking about that as well. Since she is an independent contractor, getting paid by the head, what if you offer her a better deal? If she brings the recruits to you instead of the program, she’ll get paid double.”

  Kian shook his head. “She is getting the names from her client. If she fails to bring the recruits in, they will stop using her.”