Dealers of Light (31 page)

“It’s not the same Taker I saw here before,” Rolf said.

Shana bought a beer and leaned back with her elbows on the bar, chest thrust forward. She looked in Cara’s direction and nodded.

Marc
moved to a table closer to the bar, his fingers tapping on the top of it. Rolf wiped a hand over his brow, the agreed upon signal the Taker had entered.

Shana fixed her eyes on the man and lifted her chin, giving him the “come hither”
look. It didn’t take a second invitation. The man moved right up to her and offered to buy her a drink. Marc gripped the sides of his table, face pale.

“Is
Marc going to be okay?” Rolf frowned.

“Give him a chance,” she said.
Marc’s eyes never left Shana and he leaned forward, like he was ready to spring. She tried to catch his eye, but he was too intent.

Shana continued
batting her eyelashes and flipping her braids. The Taker leaned over to whisper in her ear and she giggled. This was it. He’d probably suggested they leave. Cara nudged Rolf, and he lifted one finger to Alistair who raised his radio to tell Amber to be on the alert at the front door.

Shana push
ed playfully at the man’s chest and shook her head. But she laughed the whole time and looked at him from under long lashes. Finally, she put a hand on his shoulder and nodded. The man smiled and took her arm. She started for the front, but he tugged her and motioned to the back of the bar. She hesitated, then shrugged and allowed him to lead her through the crowds. Her eyes made contact with Cara’s and excitement shone there, not fear.

“Let’s go,” Rolf said to Cara
and pointed with two fingers to Marc, Tor and Amber to follow.

The Taker led Shana out a
rear exit. When Rolf reached the door, he opened it a crack and peered out, then motioned for the others. They filed into the alley and followed Rolf, who could track the energy of the Taker.

The
y wound further from the club, through alleys behind buildings. A rare light from backdoor entrances was the only illumination. Rats here and there scurried away at their passing. The foul smell of rubbish wafted from numerous garbage cans stored behind the shops and restaurants.

Ahead,
Shana’s laughter echoed. They reached the corner of a building and Rolf held up a hand. It seemed the Taker had stopped. Murmured voices ahead rose in volume then Shana said, “No. Stop.”

“Let’s go
.” Cara punched Rolf.

He waved a hand and they all rushed forward
, rounding the corner.

Shana threw an arm out
, breaking the man’s hold on her throat and planted a forceful kick to his groin. The man doubled over and she came down with both fists on the back of his neck. He collapsed to the ground, groaning.

“I. Hate.
Mean. People.” Shana kicked him after each clipped word.

Marc
reached Shana first and pushed her away from the Taker. His rounded eyes stared in shock at the man on the ground.

“Bout time you got here,
you almost missed all the fun,” Shana said. “Let’s finish this and go get the rest of them.”

Rolf let out a short laugh. “Good job.”

He knelt beside the Taker, staring at him with a frown. He glanced at Cara, then took a deep breath and placed his hand on the back of the man’s neck. His jaw twitched and a scowl washed over his features. Veins stood out on his temples, and a growl rumbled from his throat. It only took a minute then his lips curled back as he lifted his fingers.

He
stood and a powerful shiver wracked his body. He staggered and put a hand against the brick wall of a building to remain upright. He threw back his head, grimacing, and clutched his arms around his chest. Sweat popped out on his forehead, and he squeezed his eyes shut.

Cara
started forward, skin crawling. Horrified. What was wrong with him? “Rolf!”

He held up a hand
. She stopped and he leaned over, sucking in air. Not caring what he said, she rushed to his side, brushed his hand away, and put an arm across his shoulders. Tremors rippled in the taut muscles beneath her hand. A hint of something, like flesh burning, stung her nostrils. She couldn’t hold back a gag. Dear lord, this is what he had to go through to take their energy? And he’d been doing it for thousands of years.

A new respect for his turmoil and determination swept through her
, leaving her humbled and filled with compassion. He gave up happiness to fight this evil, with no end in sight. She’d never considered the depth of sacrifice he made.

He straightened
, rubbing his temples, his face etched with lines of pain. He patted her shoulder. “I’m okay. The corrupted light has to be purged once it’s in my body. This is why I must be the one to drain them.”

Alistair’s face
glistened in the moonlight, more pale than normal and Amber held onto Tor’s arm, wavering on her feet. Marc stared at Shana with an unreadable expression. Cara backed away, unable to speak.

Rolf rubbed his hand and motioned them toward the main street.
“We need to hurry. We’ll take taxis near where they live and walk the rest of the way.”

Cara took a deep breath and hurried after him. The sight of him suffering left her shaken. But they had to carry on.

“Are you okay?” Cara asked once they were in a taxi. She and Rolf rode with Alistair and the other four followed in another cab.

His face was pale, but his blue eyes glistened in the darkness. “I’m fine. It’s painful but passes quickly.”

She took his hand and squeezed it, pleased when he returned the pressure and didn’t pull away. Perhaps, he needed comfort after all. “I had no idea. I’m sorry you have to suffer.”

Alistair leaned forward.
“What exactly happens?”

Rolf shrugged. “I’m not sure. I take in their tainted Light and it feels different, separate from my own Light. My energy core surrounds it
; a burning sensation grows and spreads through my body. After a few seconds, the internal incineration fades away and the evil is gone.”

“Bloody fascinating.”
Alistair leaned back in his seat. “I’d like to know more about this.”

“Let’s get through the night
, and I’ll answer anything you want to know.” Rolf gave him a faint smile.

They traveled to a rustic area where the ramshackle Takers’ house sat surrounded by tall grass at the end of a sandy road. Rolf led them closer through the shadows. Light blazed from the windows. A surge of anticipation hit Cara in the gut, surprising her.

“
Looks like they’re awake,” Tor murmured. “Everybody put on your hats and gloves. Don’t leave any evidence.”

“We’ll surround the house,” Rolf said. “Alistair, you go to the back, and Amber will stay in the front in case one of them gets out.
Marc, you, Shana and Tor go in the back door. Cara and I will take the front.”

Marc
, Tor, Shana and Alistair moved off to circle the house. Cara held onto Rolf’s arm until he nodded, and they approached the front. Rolf stepped up to the door and knocked. Beyond the door, someone shuffled, muttering.

The door opened and a man peered out, an irritated expression
wrinkled his face. He was young and thin, wearing a navy T-shirt and baggy jeans that hung on his hips. “Yeah, what do you want?”

“Hey, sorry to bother you, but our car broke down and we don’t have cells.
Could we use your phone?” Rolf said, smiling.

The man’s eyes traveled up and down Cara, and his lips curled in an unpl
easant smirk. Rolf peeled off his gloves.

The man’s grin
faded, and his eyes narrowed. “Oh, yeah? Well, come on in. The phone’s in there.” He pointed behind him, his eyes greedy as he stood aside for them to enter.

“Thanks
.” Rolf snaked out a hand and grabbed the man’s neck before he could move. The Taker’s mouth opened, but no sound emerged. He jerked and clawed at Rolf’s arms, then sank to his knees, limp. When his Light was gone, his eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the floor. Rolf leaned against the door frame until his spasm of internal turmoil passed. Cara drew in a breath, wishing she could ease his pain, but she knew that was impossible.

“Hey, what’s going on?” A
hulking man entered from another room, his eyes wide as he saw his friend on the floor.

Rolf straightened to face him.
Marc, Shana, and Tor charged in from the back and the giant turned. He made a grab for Tor, who ducked. Marc threw a punch to the man’s jaw, but it was a glancing blow. The Taker grabbed Marc’s throat with one meaty hand. He punched Marc in the stomach and sent him crashing against a wall where he collapsed.

Shana screamed and
lunged as Tor sent a side-kick to the man’s chest and knocked him back. Shana and Cara jumped on top, pinning the man to the floor and Tor grabbed his legs. A flying elbow hit Cara in the jaw and a spasm of pain coursed through her head. But she held on.

“Who are you?” the man yelled
as he struggled to escape.

“What are Desmond’s orders for you?” Rolf
asked, one knee on the floor, the other on the man’s arm. His voice was cold, deadly.

The man turned white
-rimmed eyes to Rolf, and his brows came together. “Who? What are you talking about? I don’t know no Desmond.”

“Excellent.” Rolf
put his hand behind the man’s neck, and the Taker’s eyes popped wide, his lids fluttered. He stopped struggling, and his stare fixed upward.

Rolf rose and threw his head back, completing the ritual of the killing and cleansing in his soul. Shana gasp
ed and ran to Marc’s side. Cara rushed after her. Marc moaned and flailed his arms while Cara examined him for injuries. Shana put her fingertips behind his ear to give him some of her Light, but he slapped her away.

“I’m fine.”
Marc blinked and Shana withdrew her hand, brow furrowed.

“Are you okay?”
Shana whispered.

“Nothing broken,” Cara said. She worked her jaw to make sure
it
wasn’t broken either.

Marc
groaned and pushed himself to his feet. Shana kept a hand on his arm. “Yeah, I’m okay. Don’t worry, Shan.”

Tor and Rolf released the Taker and stood. Everyone stared at the two still bodies
splayed on the floor. Cara felt no elation now, only sorrow they had killed three people tonight. Sorrow it had been necessary.

Amber and Alistair came in through the
two doors, front and back, then paused across the room from the scene of action. Tears pooled in Amber’s eyes, and Alistair rubbed his forehead, frowning.

“It’s done. Let’s get out of here.” Tor was
the first to recover. He met Amber and put his arm around her, leading her outside.

“No evidence they were part of Desmond’s group?” Alistair asked when they were out in the yard.

“No. That guy was sincerely puzzled when Rolf mentioned Desmond’s name,” Cara said. “Which is good. We have more time now.”

Marc
and Shana came out of the house last, holding hands. Cara smiled. Maybe some good came of tonight.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Cara let hot water from the shower pour over her—massaging jets of healing warmth. She leaned against the shower wall and let the heat seep into every inch of her body, hoping to purge the gruesome scenes of the night. A shiver wracked her, in spite of the warm water, and she hugged her arms around her waist.

The chill passed and she
scrubbed her skin with a loofa until it was red, leaving only a cloying inner essence, all that remained of her contact with evil. Was it possible to actually wash away something so bad? She’d helped kill someone. The reality of it left her frozen with remorse.

She sighed.
We had no choice
. The Takers had to be destroyed. Relief pulsed through her that no one in their group had been hurt. She’d been amazed and proud of how they had worked together.

After towel-
drying her hair, she pulled on leggings and a white cotton shirt, wincing from sore muscles. She headed to the salon to see how the rest of the group fared at dealing with their own demons after this first mission.

Shana and
Marc leaned against the rail on the deck, heads together. Dusty and Rambo sat at the foot of Alistair’s chair. The older man held a glass of brandy with a faraway expression on his face.

“Hey,” Cara said to Alistair
as she went to the bar and poured herself a glass of red wine. “Where’s everyone else?”

He blinked,
distracted from his reverie. “What? Oh, Cara, yes, sorry. Tor and Amber are in their cabin. I believe Amber is disturbed with the night’s events, and Tor is comforting her. Rolf is with the captain. He wants to leave in the morning.”

If only this interlude i
n Bermuda would last forever, and they could forget the threat of Desmond. But it wasn’t possible. She strolled toward him, sipping her wine. “Oh, well. I should have known he’d want us back in the U.S. to deal with Desmond now. We proved ourselves.”