Dealers of Light (28 page)

“Look, I don’t want to kill anybody, but Tor’s right.” Shana put her hands on her hips. “We have to take care of this. The authorities won’t discover them until they’ve killed who knows how many other people, and if we try to turn them in, the cops will laugh at us. We know what they are and where they are. I say we take them out.”

Marc
sat on the couch, face pale as sweat trickled down one side of his face. He crossed his arms over his chest. Cara couldn’t blame him. Now that they were faced with it, she didn’t know how she would be able to kill someone. She’d devoted her life to saving people, healing. How could she reconcile killing with her conscious?

“I’m afraid Shana’
s right,” Rolf said. “We have to make sure they don’t kill anyone else.”

“The killing is regrettable, but necessary in this case, sad to say
.” Alistair cleaned his spectacles, appearing far more absorbed in the simple task than necessary.

Tor stood. “I agree. What’s the plan?” He flexed the muscles in his shoulders, dark eyes intense.

“For now, Amber needs to complete the amulets,” Rolf said. “They don’t know about us, so time is not a factor. Continue your training with Tor. When the amulets are complete and you feel ready, we will make a plan to ensure they never kill anyone again.”

“You sound so matter-of-fact, but these people
can kill us,” Amber said. “They’re evil and murder without a thought. Is anyone besides me frightened?”

Shana put a hand on Amber’s shoulder. “I’m scared. I admit it. But I’m more afraid
where it will lead if we let them keep killing.”

“Do we really stand a chance against them?”
Marc gazed at Rolf.

“Just keep practicing. When the time comes, surprise will be on our side,” was Rolf’s non-committal answer.

Dusty left Cara and trotted over to Rolf seeking attention.
Traitor
.

“Can we please go to the beach just once?” Shana put her hands up in a prayer gesture.
“Please, please?”

Tor’s eyes lit and Amber bounced on her toes
. They all needed some stress release.

Rolf threw up his hands and stood.
“Okay, we can go for a few hours to a secluded cove I know. We won’t encounter the Takers in such a place. It’s best if we all go together.”

Amber squealed and rushed off
, Shana and Tor in her wake, while Marc trudged along in the rear.

Alistair rose from his chair and brushed back the thin wisps of his hair. “I daresay it would be a jolly good time, but I don’t
want to sunburn. Besides, research relaxes me.” He headed along the deck to the Salon.

“
I’m glad you’re safe.” Cara rose and put a hand on Rolf’s arm after the others left the salon. The air between them crackled with suppressed emotion. “I—”

He patted her hand but moved
away. “Let’s not talk about last night. I’m sorry, but what you want is impossible for me. I don’t want to hurt you. Do you understand?”

She rested her hands on her hips.
She wasn’t going to lie. “No, I don’t.”

He hesitated, then shook his head and walked away.

“Damn it,” Cara said under her breath. Tears started in her eyes, but she brushed them away.

###

The taxi dropped them on the side of a back road. Cara followed the others down to the secluded area of Jobson’s Cove, a delight of pink sand and lapping turquoise waters. She had to stop and stare at it for a minute to soak in the beauty. Rolf dropped the bag off his shoulder and spread a blanket on the sand.

Unable to resist the temptation of
a tropical paradise, Cara stripped off her outer clothes and tossed them on the blanket. “
Woo hoo
,” she yelled and ran into the water, yelping as a wave splashed in her face and salty water shot up her nostrils. Rolf actually laughed. He stripped off his clothes, revealing his bathing trunks and joined her. The others weren’t far behind, whooping and yelling.

She swam out a ways and dove under the surface, reveling in the warm caressing water and
a sense of freedom. Floating on her back, she looked at the clear blue sky. It was so beautiful here. Why couldn’t life stay like this?

Rolf swam
to her and surfaced, slinging drops of water out. “You look happy.”

“
Right now, I guess I am.” She spread her arms, sending ripples out. Then she tucked her feet under her and treaded water. “Are
you
happy?”

“
At this moment, yes.” His ice blue eyes made her shiver, despite the warm water.

She stopped a few feet from him, water up to her chest, and her feet found the gritty surface of the sand.
He faced her, squinting from the bright sunlight. A golden ankh on a chain glittered against the tan skin of his chest. How she wanted him to kiss her again, but he remained reserved, aloof. “I’m glad you’re happy,” she said. “You deserve some happiness after all you’ve been through.”

“Do you really believe
that?” He squinted at her.

“Yes.” Her eyes met his, unwavering. “You’re a good person. You’ve suffered over the centuries. Of course you deserve to be happy.”

“I’m afraid I’m
not
a very good person, Cara.” He dove under the water and swam back to shore, then went to his towel, flopping down on it.

“How’s it going?” Amber swam up and darted her
eyes to Rolf.

“It’s not. But you know what? I’m going to enjoy today and not think about tomorrow. And
, right now, I need some sun on my uber-white body.”

Amber laughed and
, after splashing in the cove with the others for an hour, they straggled, dripping and tired, from the water. Cara collapsed onto her towel. She glanced at Rolf lying on his back, eyes closed, a few feet away. Was it even possible to forget about her feelings for him? More existed between them than just physical attraction, she was sure of it. She could feel it in the Light when they joined.

She closed her eyes, basking in the warm sun as it soaked into her skin.
Above her head, palm fronds scratched as they swayed in the breeze, and the occasional raucous call of exotic birds contrasted with the calm lapping of water. The perfume of exotic flowers came and went, and the heat of the sun warmed her with a balm of pure pleasure. It was paradise, but at its edges shards of uneasiness still intruded.

Chapter Twenty-Five

“Sir, so far we have a little over six hundred million dollars in the bank account.” Carlton scanned the printout in his hand.

“Arrange to transfer a hundred thousand dollars to each member’s account and the rest to our account in the Caymans,” Desmond responded.
But there was still a chance of discovery until they controlled the entire country. “I don’t want any questions raised by those not under our control.”

“Very good.”
Carlton started to go.

“Wait,” Desmond called
, and Carlton turned back to him. “Any word of our enemies?”

“No, I sent messages to the people we’ve bribed in every city in our web with
pictures and descriptions of Rolf and the woman, Cara. They seem to have traveled beyond our boundaries.”

“I’m not happy
they’ve slipped from my grasp.” Desmond paced the room. Rolf had intimate knowledge of Takers and was the only person in the world Desmond feared. He’d counted on Rolf being caught within the Net. But, somehow, he’d escaped. How had he known? Was it possible he knew more about the grand plan than the isolated events here in Norfolk? Impossible. Only Desmond’s followers knew, and of them, only Carlton was privy to the extent of the scheme. Desmond scrutinized the younger man but rejected the idea Carlton might be able to fake his devotion, or risk being cut off from Desmond’s tortured Light.

“If they surface anywhere from
Charleston, South Carolina to Baltimore, we’ll be on the lookout for them,” Carlton said.

Desmond crossed his arms. “Send out a reminder. They pose the only threat to our expansion. If there is any sense of their presence I want all resources sent to intercept and eliminate them.”

“Very well.”

“I think it’s time to launch phase two. Establish the link to all radio stations in the area.”

Carlton’s lips curled. “At once.” He hurried away. 

Some urgent need tugged at Desmond’s memory, but he
couldn’t define it. Some vital piece of information eluded him, some reason for Rolf’s easy escape. He momentarily pondered the possibilities, but nothing came forth to explain his uneasiness. He shrugged. Soon they would expand their Net and, perhaps, catch Rolf at that point.

In any event,
Desmond would make sure his followers remained on alert for any sign of the two Dealers.

Right now
, the need to inflict pain gnawed at his soul like hunger with sharp teeth. He left Carlton’s office and strolled outside. Dusk cast lengthening shadows across the street, and he drank in the warm scent of people close by, possibly on the next street. He clutched his dark jacket close about him to block the chill of evening and set off with a determined stride, the hunter after his prey.

###

“Cara!”

Shana slammed into her and they both tumbled to the floor. Damn it,
Rolf kept distracting her. She struggled to her feet, rubbing the pain in her shoulder where she’d landed. They circled again. This time, when Shana rushed her, she stepped to the side, snatched Shana’s wrist and twisted her arm up behind her back.

“
Uncle
,” Shana panted, so Cara released her.

“Let’s take a break. Good work.
” Tor tossed them both a towel and Cara wiped sweat from her forehead. Amber sat on a bar stool, using the surface as her work area, and Cara wandered close to check on her friend.

“How many have you finished?” She
grabbed a bottle of water and peered over Amber’s shoulder as she hammered a rune design onto a gold sheet.

“Three more will be finished today. I’m getting better at it now
that I know the rune designs and have all the crystals sorted out.”

“You really have a knack for this.”

Amber smiled up at her. “Thanks. Maybe when all this is over, I’ll take up jewelry making.”

When all this is over
…Cara couldn’t imagine what would happen. Would they be able to return to their old lives and pick up where they left off? It didn’t seem possible. But they couldn’t sail the seven seas on Rolf’s boat forever. Best to not think about it or she’d become depressed.

A few hours later,
Cara had showered and slipped into the long flowing sundress she’d bought in Hamilton. She ran her fingers down the silky material of the skirt.
Let’s hope Rolf notices how this green brings out my eyes like the clerk did at the store
. She adjusted the low V-cut bodice so her bra didn’t show.

Did she really stand a chance against the lovely, guilt-enshrined
Sakhet? Her heart fluttered a denial. Pushing those thoughts away, she flicked a long strawberry blond tress over one shoulder, applied lipstick and pressed her lips together, then walked out of the room to the foot of the stairs.

T
he sounds of laughter and clinking of glasses filtered down to her. Hand on the rail, Cara hurried to join them. Hidden at first by the shadows of the afternoon sun, she paused at the top of the steps. One by one, the talking ceased and all heads swirled in her direction. Cara put her hands to her face, as embarrassed heat pooled there. “What’s wrong?” She searched the room for Rolf and breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn’t present.

“Nothing’s wrong, girl.” Shana jumped from the couch and
rushed over to hug her. “You look seriously hot,” she whispered in her ear.

Cara
started to deny it when the skin on the back of her neck pricked. She pivoted and there, just off the deck, one hand on the door, Rolf surveyed the room. His blue eyes captured her glance and the room stilled. His gaze took in her appearance from top to bottom before he finally moved.

“
Sean grilled some shrimp. Anyone hungry? We’re eating on the back deck.” He held open the door and waved them outside. Dusty and Rambo bounded through, barking.

Amber glanced at her expectantly, and handed her a glass of chilled chardonnay. 
Cara forced her own breathing to slow, hating that Rolf had this effect on her.

The group trailed to the back of the boat
, and the crew brought trays of food, while Sean removed skewers of shrimp from the deck grill to place them on a platter. The garlic and jerk spices wafted through the air, and Cara’s stomach grumbled.

Everyone picked up a plate
, piling them high as they circled the teak table. Cara hid a smile.
Seems everyone’s as hungry as me
.