Page 78 of Dark Shaman: Love Found
She found him standing at a coffee maker, which was producing concerning gurgling sounds. "Good morning, Kian. Is that a new addition to your decor?"
He turned to look at her and smiled. "It is, but I have a feeling that it won't last. It's the fourth pot I've made today, and it's already making strange noises. Kalugal said the coffee was good, but he was vibrating like a tuning fork from excitement, so I don't know if I can trust his opinion on it. Would you like a cup?”
"Fates, yes."
Carol accepted the mug gratefully, wrapping her hands around its warmth. "I met Kalugal outside, and he said something about buying an island."
"He is. Or rather, we are. It's in the Indian Ocean, a little over three hundred miles from Navuh's island."
Carol nearly spat out her coffee. "What are you two planning to do? Build a base in Navuh's backyard?"
"That was my reaction, too. But Kalugal made a compelling case about hiding in plain sight." Kian settled behind his desk. "But you're not here to discuss Kalugal's ventures. How did the interviews go?"
Carol set down her mug and pulled out her tablet. "I interviewed twenty-three females over the past five days. The response was more positive than I expected, but not everyone I talked to was suitable for the task."
"I trust your judgment on that. So, what do we have?"
"My top three candidates are Marlene, Teresa, and Grace." Carol pulled up their files. "All three are beautiful and sexy, which matters for this type of work. But more importantly, they can all thrall."
Kian nodded. "Not all immortal females can do that."
"Very few can. Since they don't have the need to use it like the males do, they don't bother to learn."
Males had to master thralling because they needed to make their partners forget seeing fangs during intimate moments. Females didn't have that prerequisite. The only strange traits they had were glowing eyes that were easy to explain away and their strength and stamina, which could be explained easily enough as well.
"Marlene is my top pick. Like me, she spent a good chunk of time in France and absorbed the culture. She's working in an upscale boutique in Beverly Hills and is bored out of her mind. She jumped at the chance for something more challenging." Carol swiped to the following profile. "Teresa isteaching Romance languages at a community college, but she admitted that she misses some excitement in her life."
"And Grace?" Kian asked
"She's a poet, and she's not working outside the village. She's got natural charisma and a gift for making people trust her. Plus, she claims that her thralling is particularly subtle."
Kian wrote the names on his own tablet. "What about the reluctant ones?"
"Bathsheba, Regina, and Greta." Carol pulled up their files. "They didn't say no, but they have reservations."
"What are they?"
"The obvious things. Bathsheba is worried about the honey-trap aspect. The thought of seducing targets for information feels wrong to her."
"That's understandable."
"I told her that not all intelligence work requires seduction. Sometimes it's just about being in the right place, asking the right questions, becoming someone's confidant and feeding them the right ideas. She said she'd think about it." Carol moved to the next profile. "Regina's issue is different. She's willing but worried about her abilities. She's young and doesn't think of herself as much of a seductress. The girl oozes sex appeal and doesn't realize it. She could be the best of the lot because men are suckers for her type. Also, I can mold her into exactly what we need."
"And Greta?"
Carol sighed. "Greta is conflicted. She did work like this during World War II, and it left a bad taste in her mouth. She has the experience, but not the will."
"I can understand that."
"I didn't push her, but I told her that the offer stands if she changes her mind."
Kian leaned back in his chair. "So, we have three definite candidates and three potentials. That's a good start."
"I spoke with Eva, and she agreed to help me with the training." Carol took a sip of the coffee. "I think twelve weeks will be long enough to teach the ladies all they need to know."
"I'm glad she's willing to help."
Carol nodded. "Yeah, me too. Eva has expertise that I don't like surveillance techniques. How to observe without being noticed, how to record details without anyone noticing that you are doing that, how to spot when you're being watched. Eva will handle most of this."
