Dealers of Light (16 page)

“I see what you mean.” Carlton
glanced at the floor. “But how do you trust a junkie? Because that’s what these men are. Light-dealers given a taste of tortured Light and turned to the darkness. Now they crave it and would do anything for another hit. Only the threat of death controls them.”

“Then
it’s fortunate they know I can kill them.” Desmond stomped to the heavy, dark oak table housing his treasured golden statue. He brushed his fingers over the smooth, creamy turquoise-colored opal planted atop the grimacing Incan god.

Even
Carlton didn’t know this stone was the center of his plan. He didn’t need to know yet. When they spread the Net he would reveal this great secret.

The enormous Andean opal’s power had been evident ev
en in the tomb of earth where Desmond originally found it. Radiance from the stone penetrated through the ground in the cave and he dug it out with his fingers, clawing through chunks of dirt and rocks. Using it had allowed him to escape the cave prison in which his brother planned for him to spend eternity.

“I’ll make sure they understand their lives hang by a thread,” Carlton said.

“Good. I’m glad
you’re
not blind. Now, see if you can find these two women and deal with them before they go to the police with any information or descriptions. And dispose of them somewhere they won’t be found.” He stalked forward with menacing steps and lifted the younger man’s chin with one finger, leaning close. “Don’t fail me, Carlton. I don’t want to lose you.”

Carlton’s nostrils flared, and his gaze shifted to the floor in submission.

“Once we have people in the positions of power we need, we can control the world. I’m sure you want to be a part of that?” Desmond dropped his hand and eased back.

Ca
rlton swallowed. “Don’t worry. I’ll see to disposing of the women personally. And the hack is almost complete. I should be finished within a week.”

Desmond smiled
. He tilted forward again to pat Carlton’s cheek. “Excellent. I knew you could do it.”

“We need to start taping the ads we’re going to run so we’re ready once the link is secure.”
Carlton blinked several times.

“Very good.
We can work on it tomorrow.” Desmond dropped his hand to Carlton’s shoulder, and gripped it tight enough to feel bones grinding.

Carlton
winced and backed away. Desmond followed him from the study, down the hall to Carlton’s office. Ten glowing computer screens with a variety of keyboards and processors filled every available space on shelves lining the wall by the door and the side wall. Fans across the room blew the heat from the machines to fan his face and he breathed in the musky smell of fear from Carlton.

Desmond strolled to the other side wall with the large cork board and scanned the labels tacked
there listing major cities throughout the United States he controlled. Under those, a succession of note cards listed names. Names of trusted government officials, police, military and VIP’s, carefully nurtured over the past ten years by Desmond for one purpose—control of the cities.

I
nner warmth suffused him, thinking of the power and wealth that would soon flow toward him like rivers flowed to the sea. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation. The only mishap at this point was if his idiot men continued to screw up.

He turned from the board
. Carlton placed his phone and a laptop in a satchel and swung it over his shoulder. Desmond hoped he would be able to clean up the mess made last night. Any more mistakes and
someone
would have to die.

###

“Damn!” Rolf slammed the phone down. The spindly antique desk in the living room creaked in protest at such abuse. So, the group of Takers they’d tracked in Richmond, Virginia had links to the one here in Norfolk. Desmond’s control reached much further than the local area. While Rolf was stamping out solitary Takers across Europe for the last twenty years, Desmond had been building an empire here in America.

Next time he
confronted the
Huaca
he wouldn’t leave him buried in a pile of rubble. He’d make sure he was finished completely. He paced to the fireplace, assessing the enormity of the situation.

An involuntary snarl escaped his
lips. Soon he would have to face his old enemy again. But first, he needed more information. This time it wasn’t just Desmond he must destroy, it was large groups of Takers in five cities as well.

Rolf
pulled his cell from his pocket and stared at it for several seconds. Did he dare call her? He tunneled his fingers through his short black hair. It was difficult to admit, but the extent of the threat pushed him into utilizing Cara and her friends, and yet he worried for her safety. But it was imperative to control his emotions for the sake of saving the world, as usual. He sighed and punched in Cara’s number.

“Hello?” H
er voice resonated with dependability and self assurance. It calmed him.

“It’s me
. Rolf. Where are you?”

“I’m at Tor’s dojo. He’s teaching us to fight.”

“Your other friends are there?”

“Yes, why?”

“Give me the address.”

“Are you coming here?”

“I need to see you, ah, and ah, your friends. Is that all right?”

“Of course.
Is something wrong?” Her voice held a timbre of worry. It’d been a long while since anyone fretted for him. Funny. It felt as good now as it did a millennia ago. 

“I’ll tell you about it when I get there,” he said.

She relayed the address and, within forty minutes, he steered his Mercedes into a deserted parking lot, save four cars in front of a strip center. He strode to the front of the dojo with the name
Karate Masters
in blazing red neon above the door.

He stepped i
nside, put his hands together, and bowed, honoring the dojo. When he straightened and removed his shoes, he glanced at his reflection in the mirrors lining the side walls. Cara and her group practiced at the rear of the large, shiny floored exercise area. Shelves cluttered with a variety of tall and short sparkling trophies filled one section of the back wall. Cara’s friend must be successful in his fighting.

Cara threw an impressive punch at an
Asian man, who gave her a high five. She turned her head and noticed Rolf then smiled. She peeled away from the others to trot across the floor to him, her shapely legs displayed in black leggings topped by an oversized sweatshirt. Her strawberry blonde hair bounced in a long ponytail, exposing her graceful neck. A sizzle of warmth stirred in his gut.

“Hey, you found it
.” Behind her, five other people milled about, all in workout clothes except the Asian man in a gi with a black belt. The dojo owner, no doubt. The students’ eyes followed him as he advanced into the brightness of the workout floor.

Rolf refocused on Cara.
“Yes. I’m happy to see you made it through another day. No trouble at work?”

“
Just the usual sick, desperate, poor people.” She shrugged, her long ponytail falling over one shoulder to her breast. “It’s been quiet there.”

“Good.”

“Come on over and let me introduce you to my friends.” She gestured to the group behind her. “Hey, guys. This is Rolf. I’ve already told you all about him.” Then she recited the names of the others.

He stepped forward to shake their hands, assessing them through the eyes of a warrior.
Tor, wiry and strong; Amber, pale and gentle; Shana, fiery and unpredictable; Marc with a long scratch down one cheek, unable to meet his gaze; and Alistair, intelligent with a tight grip showing confidence. Ah, but they all had the aura of Dealer power. It was a start.

“And you know Dusty.” She pointed to her dog, lying on a blanket
by the end wall, his tail wagging at Rolf.

“I’m pleased to meet all of you. Since Cara has already told you the basics, let me fill you in on what I’ve learned today.” He gave them the information about Desmond and the confirmed connection in
Richmond.

“The
Huaca
,” Alistair mused, rubbing his chin. “It makes sense. He couldn’t make his own energy, so he took it from others. It was beneficial for him to develop an aura as holy or a deity so he was assured of sacrifices. Would you say it’s possible his power has grown over time?”

“All I can say is, when we fought five-hundred years ago he was very strong. I thought I
’d destroyed him. Therefore, the fact he remains alive is a testimony to his strength and endurance.”

“Have
you
grown stronger over time?” Cara asked.

“Yes.”

“Then we should assume he has as well.”

“
That would be reasonable,” he said. “But what I need right now is more information, and my staff is spread thin.” He turned to Tor. “How many places are known as gang hangouts? I prefer to pick the Takers off one at a time if we know what places they frequent. Fighting a large group at once would be a disaster.”

Tor glanced at Amber and she nodded. “
Okay, dude, I can get you a list.”

“But what about the club
Nicki told me about?” Cara crossed her arms.

“It’s being taken care of.” Rolf didn’t want them involved in
that sort of activity without training.

“We need to
stake it out. Then attack them before they attack us.” She shifted her gaze to the other members of the group. Shana, Tor, and Alistair nodded while Amber and Marc looked away.

“Well, I think Cara’s right,” Shana stepped forward,
brown eyes flashing. “We need to stomp this trash out, and fast before it spreads.”

“
That won’t be necessary,” Rolf said.

“Why not?”
Cara planted her hands on her hips.

“
I already know where they live and my men are keeping an eye on the club. They will eliminate any Takers they find luring unsuspecting victims away from the scene.”

Marc
shifted back and forth on his feet then crossed his arms over his chest.

Rolf glanced at Cara. “
If you went, the Taker’s would feel your energy signature and you would be ineffective. Besides, I need Tor’s help diverting the police from a house for a brief time tomorrow. I have to get more information from the Takers’ headquarters.” He detailed his plans to them and everyone nodded agreement—except Tor.

“I’m not sure.
If I’m caught, it’s my ass on the line.” Tor raked a hand through his hair.

“We shall take every precaution
not
to be caught,” Rolf said. “We’ll watch the location until they’re all out then disarm their security system. But I need to make sure there’s no police roaming the area while we’re working on the cable.”

Tor threw up his hands. “Okay
, man. I’ll see what I can do.”

“Excellent,” Rolf said. “Now, I need to speak to Cara a moment.”

Cara raised one brow. 

“Outside.”
He jerked his head toward the front door.

“Oh, uh, yeah.
Right.” She followed him outside to a bench on the sidewalk.

The parking lot
still held only the group’s cars. The air was warm for this time of year, but he saw her shiver.

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Her intense hazel eyes focused on his
. The moonlight highlighted her creamy skin. So soft. His fingertips tingled to touch the satin-smooth flesh. He joined her on the bench but kept a foot of space between them.

Being alone with her rattled his rock solid resolve,
but there was something important he needed to know about the night the Taker attacked her. It’d kept him up last night. “The night the Taker attacked you. You told me he tried to take your Light.”

She let out a big breath
and sagged against the bench. “Yes, he pinned me against the wall and put his hand on my forehead. Then he looked surprised. That happened only seconds before you hit him.”

“
He wasn’t able to take any?”

She
shifted to face him. “No, I didn’t feel anything. What are you getting at?”

“I’m not sure. But Takers
become adept at extracting Light from their victims. In the past I’ve never found anyone able to stop them—unless—” He gripped his knees.

“Unless what?” She
rested a hand on his arm. A tingle of warmth seeped through his shirt where she touched him and a jolt of electricity shot up his arm to pierce his chest in an explosion that set blood hammering in his veins. He bolted to his feet and her hand peeled off him. But his eyes never left hers.

Warring confusion and realization clashed in the depths of her gaze.
“Rolf?” She slid forward in her seat.

“
I believe you have the gift,” he whispered, rubbing his arm.