Forever As One by Jackie Ivie

it.

CHAPTER EIGHT
    “This is the place?” Dane looked up at stone
walls topped with jagged barbed wire, and back at the black clothed
man beside him.
    “You’re looking at the headquarters for
Karakov Enterprises, with their million ways to help. Exactly as
specified.”
    “You’re sure?”
    “You doubt me? Not very flattering, Babyface.
And I spent almost five minutes tracking the number from your cell.
Vampires. Sheesh.”
    “Looks deserted.”
    “Well…I’d expected them to have all the
lights on, too, but I guess if you run a crime syndicate, you keep
advertising to a minimum. ’Course with a Russian name like theirs,
I’d have thought they preferred some ancient eastern estate, but
there you go. Florida weather attracts all sorts of people.”
    “You talk too much.”
    “Passes time…and you never did tell me what
you want with these guys. Aside from the fact they just paid a
hefty sum into a VAL account. That wouldn’t have anything to do
with this little excursion this evening, would it?””
    “Did they?”
    “Four million. Wire transfer. Came through
yesterday. That information took me a lot more than five minutes,
by-the-way.”
    “You didn’t tell anyone?”
    “The boss doesn’t know a thing. Invaris is
only slightly wiser. You wanted us off the grid, we’re off the
grid. So…you going to tell me what’s up? Or do I get to continue
guessing?”
    “Later.”
    “As long as it’s personal. That’s all I’m
asking. I mean, there’s not a member of Karakov Enterprises that
doesn’t deserve the wrong end of a bullet. Word is they’re behind
the dead bodies washing ashore. The last guy didn’t even make it to
the water. They skinned him alive and then fed him to sharks. And
I’m rather fond of my epidermis.”
    “I’m a vampire, Len. They can’t touch
me.”
    “Stay close, then. So, hey…back to the
question. I’m all for cleaning out a nest of vipers. It’s just
sweeter if it’s personal. It is personal. Right? We’re not just
sneaking around Akron providing clean-up service for the
community?”
    They put out a hit on my mate
. “Oh,
it’s personal,” Dane finally replied.
    “Vampires. I don’t know why I ask. I really
don’t. It’s a waste of breath.”
    “You have a plan?”
    “Yeah. Go in. Kill everybody. Leave.”
    “Good plan.”
    “The one behind your cell phone call is Serge
Karakov. CEO. He’ll have an odd heat signature. Elevated temp. He’s
got leukemia. Just found out. Goes to show that no matter how
good-looking and rich you are, everybody gets pain and everybody
dies. Nice to know there’s a bit of justice to the world, you know?
Why am I asking you? You’re immortal. You never had a day of pain
in your life. Uh…I mean your afterlife.”
    “I took a spear in the belly, Len.”
    “Well…that had to hurt, I guess.”
    “Thanks for the warning. I owe you
again.”
    “What?”
    “Serge Karakov’s blood. It’s tainted.”
    “You planning on doing a little take-out, are
you?”
    “No time. I have an appointment at midnight.
Can’t be all bloodied. I might even have to don a tux.”
    “I’m not asking. I don’t care if you’re
escorting Miss America down a catwalk. But with that kind of
timeline, you’d better quit interrupting me and listen up. We’ve
got more than one target. Apparently, Serge likes to keep the
entire board of directors close to him. They’re partying somewhere
behind that monstrosity of a wall. Odd. I thought every lavish
estate in the Keys was open and airy, and had million-dollar curb
appeal. This one’s more like a thousand year old fortress. If I
wasn’t looking it over, I wouldn’t believe it.”
    “Five hundred. Maybe.”
    “No way. Not in the Keys. If that was real,
we’d have archeologists swarming the place.”
    “It’s real. Early sixteenth century. Maybe
later.”
    “Right.”
    “You don’t know your own history?”
    “Unlike present company, I wasn’t there at
the time.”
    Dane smirked