Page 44 of One Dark Kiss (Grimm Bargains #2)

THIRTY-NINE

Alexei

I m just about finished with issuing the strategy for these forty men. They now have a job to do—going out on arranged meetings to bring more followers to our side.

Finally, the last one leaves, and Garik walks over to me at the bar. I trust about half of them, but if you show strong leadership through the next year, I think you ll receive their full loyalty. It s a strong force.

I nod. It ll help if they re treated well. I want you to double everyone s pay within the next month or so.

His eyebrows rise. That ll get you loyalty for sure.

I m not sure if it ll get me loyalty, but I ll take what I can get right now. My phone buzzes, and I look down at a text from the two men guarding Rosalie. My heart stops.

What s wrong? Garik asks.

They lost Rosalie.

Garik begins moving toward the door as fast as I do. How could they have lost her? She said she was on her way with her lawyer to surrender herself at the police station.

She texted us earlier. I don t know. I should ve instantly headed her way.

Garik quickly sends a text and then pauses as his phone dings in response. I have two sources in the police department. She s not there, and they re making plans to find and arrest her since she didn t turn herself in.

I pause. Then my phone rings and I lift it to my ear. Sokolov.

Hello, dear stepson, how are you?

I briefly close my eyes and then pause again. Lillian, what have you done? I m going to kill her this time. I really am.

I have a friend of yours here with me.

You actually have my wife, I say. If you hurt her, you know what I ll do to you.

Silence reigns for a few moments. Your wife? You actually wedded the lawyer? I would have bet against that.

Is she hurt? I ask.

There s a rustle. No, she s perfectly fine. Here.

Hi, Alexei, Rosalie says. I m sorry. It was stupid. They killed Joseph Cage.

I wince. They murdered her lawyer? I m starting to imagine how they captured her. In front of you?

Um, yeah, she says.

Put Lillian back on. If they allowed her to see a murder, they don t plan for her to survive the day. Lillian, I don t have enough words to describe what I m going to do to you if you hurt her. Tell me you get me. My voice is low and gravelly. I can barely get the words out.

Lillian sighs. I actually don t want to hurt her. She s smart and I like her, but this is going to go my way and my way only.

What do you want? I bark out.

I swear it sounds like she purrs. The first thing I want is for you to go to Hologrid Hub and charge the servers.

This is unexpected. Excuse me?

Hendrix is dead. I don t have the ability, and I haven t found anyone who comes close. We re losing subscribers by the second, so the first thing I need you to do is charge the crystals.

I m stunned for a moment, which is very rare. Does she understand that it s a two-way exchange? She must not. All right, and then what? I walk outside toward my waiting bike with Garik on my heels.

She chuckles. Then we ll negotiate. Obviously, we have a problem here.

You re the one with the problem. I straddle the motorcycle.

Not if I don t hurt your precious. I am willing to reach an agreement, but first the servers. Call me when you re done. She clicks off.

I look at Garik. It s just you and me. We don t have anyone else I trust to go.

He looks at me, his gaze hard. I ll go in now if you want.

I shake my head. No. Lillian has too many men there. The second I attack, she might kill Rosalie before I can get to her.

A rock drops into my gut. I ve never felt true fear before. Not like this. I told Rosalie that I d try to find love, and apparently I have. If she dies, there s no reason for me to keep on breathing.

I twist the key, my bike roars to life, and I m headed down the street before I completely lose my mind.

There s a part of me—a small part not terrified for Rosalie and not pissed off at Lillian—that awakens in anticipation.

I miss the amethyst and need the exchange of energy.

Most people don t understand, and that s how we want it.

I duck my head as I open the throttle, zipping through the city around cars, over sidewalks, and through alleys toward the main center of Hologrid Hub—feeling the energy the closer I get.

Hologrid Hub uses holographic interchanges between users so they can actually engage in experiences at the same time, the same place. Someday soon, we ll create an interface where people can experience a telepathic bond. We re not there yet, but I m determined that my company will get there first.

I ride into the lower garage of Hologrid Hub, past armed guards who don t shoot me, and park in my old spot. I sprint into the open elevator and hit the down button.

Anticipation fires lightning through my veins. I know exactly where to go, and I descend several miles down in the earth. The door smoothly opens into the power center of Hologrid Hub.

Two armed guards are waiting for me, and I ignore them as I move past them toward a black metal door.

I put my hand to a keypad next to it, and it clicks open.

I can t believe my palm print still works.

They really did think I was going to die in prison.

One of the guards tries to walk inside after me.

Absolutely not. I slam the door in his face.

I breathe in. The place smells familiar. It s sterile and clean, and yet there s a hint of lilacs on the breeze. Computer hubs line all four walls, while a rough and rugged amethyst stands on a pedestal in the middle. The gem is a darker purple than it should be, and I can feel its exhaustion.

Why most humans have not figured out the power they could have with the exchange of energy with a crystal or a gemstone is beyond me, but it s not like we shared the news.

I move closer to the beauty and feel power arcing between us. Something inside me settles, relaxes, and opens. The amethyst sparkles and real electricity arcs in the air. I smile and reach for it with both hands.

The second I connect, a jolt rips through me, burning my feet and my ears. I laugh and then close my eyes to force every ounce of energy I have into the large, sparkling, wild gemstone.

I m not a religious man, but if I were, I might hear angels singing. Instead, all I hear is the hum of the servers and the beeping of machines, and then I m lost. The energy arcs from me to the gemstone and back, filling me until I lose myself in the exchange of power.

I don t know how long I m there. Maybe half an hour, maybe an hour. Finally, my hands drop. I take a step back.

The amethyst is now a bright purple with fire dancing along its edges. Each sharp edge and valley holds its own secrets. I know if I look at my shoulder, I ll see all the wounds have healed. Yet another secret of these crystals and our power with them.

I step away again. This charge should last at least a couple of weeks. During my imprisonment, I wondered, maybe even feared, that I lost this ability. If anything, my connection is stronger than ever.

The two armed men are waiting for me as I move back into the outer room.

Now you can take me to my wife. Hopefully Garik is in place. I could probably break both their necks with very little effort.

Lillian has absolutely no idea what she s just done.