Dark Choices: The Quandary (The Children Of The Gods Paranormal Romance Series Book 41)

by I. T. Lucas

  “Something of that nature. It just feels nice. Your hands are warm, strong…” Edna shook her head. “When I probe you, try not to resist. The easier you make it for me, the smoother the experience will be.”

  He chuckled. “That sounds like something I would have said.”

  “Is everything about sex with you?”

  “I’m a male. It’s hardwired into our psyche.”

  “That is true. But I hope that my probe will find more than just lust.”

  He looked at her from under lowered lashes. “Usually, there is more than that in there. But right now, with you sitting so close and holding my hands, that’s pretty much it.”

  25

  Rufsur

  Damn, why did Edna’s delicate hands feel so good?

  Rufsur imagined them roaming over his nude body, caressing, kneading, gripping…

  “Try to relax and not think about sex for a few moments. I need to see more than that if I am to discern your intentions.”

  He closed his eyes. “It’s tough. What should I think about?”

  “Think back to the defining moments of your life.”

  That was easy. The first such moment had been saying goodbye to his mother and being taken away to the training camp. He’d known that he would never be allowed to see her again, and his heart had just shattered into pieces. Keeping the tears at bay had been so hard. He couldn’t even cry at night because eleven other boys had slept in the same room with him, and he’d seen how those who had broken down and cried had been treated.

  Rufsur had channeled his pain and frustration into training, and over time the pain had become manageable. But it had never subsided completely. More than a hundred years later, he still remembered that day vividly and could still hear his mother’s wails of sorrow.

  Except, right now, the pain wasn’t as sharp, and he realized that it was Edna’s doing. Her presence inside his mind felt like a soft caress, and he leaned into it, taking comfort in it.

  The second defining moment of his life was his transition, but since it had been a lengthy process and not something that had happened overnight, it hadn’t impacted him as significantly. It was just part of growing up.

  The third moment and the one that had the most significant impact on his life had been escaping the Brotherhood with Kalugal and the rest of their team.

  It had been terrifying and liberating at the same time. They were leaving the only home they’d known, and even though it had been a bad one, it was where they’d belonged.

  He owed his freedom to Kalugal. Without him, Rufsur and the rest of Kalugal’s men would still belong to the Brotherhood, slaves to Navuh’s compulsion, soldiers in a meaningless war against a nonexistent enemy.

  Even without the compulsion, Rufsur and the others would have probably never had the guts to escape on their own. Kalugal’s leadership and their loyalty to him had brought them their freedom, and for that, Rufsur would be forever grateful to his boss.

  So maybe the escape itself hadn’t been the defining moment. It had been getting handpicked by Kalugal to serve in his platoon.

  In no time at all, it had become clear to Rufsur that Kalugal was different than the other commanders. They’d become friends, and it was the first meaningful relationship Rufsur had experienced outside of the Dormant enclosure. Kalugal and the men under his command had become his family, his home.

  Rufsur could still feel Edna’s mental fingers gently floating around in his brain, but he didn’t mind the intrusion. It felt nice not to be alone on the inside.

  Was there a fourth defining moment?

  The night Jin had tethered Kalugal could count as one. The chain of events that had followed brought him to where he was now, sitting on the couch of the clan’s judge, in her home, inside the clan’s secret village.

  Yeah. That night definitely counted as a defining moment.

  If not for Jin tethering Kalugal, they wouldn’t have captured Arwel and Jacki, Kalugal wouldn’t have fallen in love with her and kept her, and the director and his cronies wouldn’t have attacked their home during the wedding, which in turn would not have created such a strong spirit of cooperation with the clan.

  “That’s good,” Edna murmured. “Keep going.”

  What else was there?

  Should he think of Phinas and Atzil, or Shamash and Hivak?

  Why not. They were his friends, his brothers, all good men handpicked by Kalugal. It wouldn’t hurt for suspicious Edna to see them through his eyes, or at least get a whiff of how he felt about them. Maybe she would change her mind about the so-called danger they posed to her clan.

  All they wanted was to meet eligible immortal females and the opportunity to court them. If they could overcome the hurdle of tribalism, those unions would benefit both of their communities in the long run.

  26

  Edna

  Probing Rufsur was a pleasure.

  Instead of having to push past barriers and sift through many murky layers, Edna was floating through the beautiful landscape of his uncomplicated, well-organized psyche that was nevertheless smart, insightful, and compassionate.

  The main thing motivating Rufsur was the intense loyalty that he felt for Kalugal. His boss featured prominently in that landscape. Rufsur loved the man like a brother, worshiped him like a god, and respected him as his leader. He also had strong emotional ties to the other men and was devoted to them.

  There was also a past pain that still bled like an open wound.

  Rufsur had lost someone close to him, someone he’d loved, but Edna couldn’t tell who that person was. It could have been a fellow soldier, or a childhood friend, or even his mother or a sibling.

  And that was about it. Pretty straightforward stuff, nothing overly complicated or troubling. Rufsur was an easy guy to understand.

  Except for one thing.

  His lusting after her was flattering, but she couldn’t fathom why Rufsur had chosen the least attractive female in the entire clan as the object of his desire. Edna worked very hard on having absolutely no sex appeal, while Rufsur was not only a very handsome man, but also a desirable bachelor as one of the only two unrelated and unmated immortal males currently in the village.

  Reluctant to let go of his hands, Edna looked at his gorgeous face.

  He had such kissable lips.

  “Are you done?”

  “Yes.”

  He didn’t pull his hands out of hers. “So, what’s the verdict, Judge? Did you like what you saw?”

  “I did. It was a very pleasant experience, which I can’t say about most of the probes I’ve done. You have an uncomplicated mind, your loyalties are clear cut, and you don’t have many regrets. “

  “I told you that I’m a simple man.”

  “Simply beautiful, I mean your mind. You know who you are, and you like yourself, which is surprisingly uncommon. Most people hate many things about themselves.”

  He chuckled. “I guess that’s the result of hanging around with Kalugal, who thinks that he’s golden. It must be contagious. But I’m not a snob like him.”

  “No, you are not. What I don’t understand, though, is your attraction to me. I must be the least attractive woman in the entire village.”

  His hands tightened on hers. “Nonsense. I see beyond the ugly business suits and the granny shoes and the bad hairdo. For some reason, you are trying very hard to appear unappealing, but I’m not fooled by your charade. I see the beauty that you are trying to hide, and I can’t wait to get you out of your clothes and see the rest of what you’re hiding.”

  Letting go of her hands, he reached behind her and pulled out one of the pins holding her bun securely to her nape, then another, and another, until her hair cascaded around her shoulders.

  “That‘s much better.” He combed his fingers through the strands, fanning them out. “Beautiful.”

  Gazing at his lips, Edna felt herself leaning toward him until their mouths were a scant inch apart. “Kiss me.”

  “With
pleasure.” His beautiful golden-brown eyes blazing with inner light, he closed the rest of the distance and claimed her mouth.

  As their lips touched, a soft sigh escaped her throat, and her eyelids drifted shut.

  So good.

  His lips brushing softly over hers, he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her onto his lap.

  He was hard under her, and the feel of his erection made her core tighten with anticipation.

  Fates, it had been a long time.

  With a gentle flick of his tongue over the seam of her lips, Rufsur asked permission to enter, and by parting them, Edna granted it.

  Going in deep, he savored her with lazy licks, his hands on her back caressing gently. He was treating her with care, as if he was afraid to spook her.

  She wanted to tell him that she wasn’t easily spooked, to remind him that she was an immortal female and that he didn’t need to be so careful, but he was still kissing her, and all she could do was run her hands over his chest, which was regrettably still covered by the fabric of his shirt.

  He was so warm, so hard, all man.

  With fingers that trembled only slightly, she started on the first button, and then the next, and the third, but as Rufsur’s hand tightened on her nape, and his kiss became more demanding, Edna lost her concentration and dropped her arms.

  27

  Rufsur

  Rufsur had known that there was fire hiding under Edna's reserved exterior, but it seemed that she had kept that fire banked for a very long time.

  Her hands were unsure, her kiss tentative, and she was holding back.

  Lifting up with her in his arms, he strode toward her bedroom. The house was very similar to the one he was staying in, and he was sure that the judge had no roommates.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck. “It’s the one on the right.”

  “I know.” He smiled.

  The door was slightly ajar, so all he had to do was push it open.

  The pink and lavender decor that greeted him was surprisingly feminine and frilly, especially given Edna's personal austere appearance.

  It could have been the interior designer’s work, but Rufsur had a feeling that Edna had decorated her sanctum herself.

  Her bedroom was the only place where she felt comfortable enough to express her softer side.

  He wasn’t an expert on female psychology, but it kind of made sense.

  If Edna didn’t have a soft side that she wished to hide, she wouldn’t work so hard on portraying herself as tough and uncompromising.

  When he put her down on the bed, her eyes went to the unbuttoned portion of his shirt, and she licked her lips.

  “Do you like what you see, my delight?”

  “You know the meaning of my name?”

  “I do.” He released another button. “It means pleasure, tranquility, delight. And you are all of those things.” He popped the last one and shrugged his shirt off.

  As she smiled seductively, her pale blue eyes blazed with an inner light. “I don’t know what your name means, but it must be incredibly sexy man.”

  He smirked. “Thank you. Frankly, I have no idea, but I like your definition.” He put a knee on the bed and reached for the hem of her T-shirt. “Your turn.”

  Obediently, Edna stretched her arms over her head, allowing him to pull it off with one tug.

  “Lovely.” He dropped the shirt on the floor and stared at her bra-covered breasts.

  They were bigger than he’d imagined. The simple sports bra covering them was just one more attempt to disguise her femininity, flattening what looked to be even more promising than what he’d seen through the shirt.

  Holding his gaze, Edna crossed her arms, grabbed the elastic bottom and pulled the bra over her head.

  As her beautiful breasts spilled out of their confinement, Rufsur ran a hand over his mouth. “You are magnificent, my lady judge. But you are guilty of an unforgivable crime.” He leaned and pressed a soft kiss to her left breast. “Hiding that much beauty is a criminal offense.”

  With a gasp, she arched her back and cupped his cheek. “We will discuss my punishment later.”

  Her meaning was crystal clear. Stop talking and start pleasuring me.

  “Yes, ma’am.” He flicked his tongue over her stiff nipple and then circled it with his lips, careful not to nick her with his fangs.

  Except, he then remembered that she was an immortal like him, and a little nick would not harm her.

  In fact, it might turn her on.

  With no prior experience, he couldn’t be sure of that, though. Testing his theory, he scraped her nipple with the blunt side of his fang, and then licked it.

  As the scent of Edna’s arousal intensified, he got bolder and gently nipped the fleshy underside of her breast.

  She hissed and arched up.

  “Too much?” he asked.

  “I don’t know,” she whispered. “This is all new to me.”

  “Same here.” He smoothed his hand over her belly, flicked his tongue over her other nipple, and then kissed it tenderly.

  “Let’s get rid of the rest of your clothes.” He pulled down her stretchy pants.

  She lifted up, and as he bared her completely to his hungry gaze, she got a little shy and crossed her legs.

  “Don’t hide from me, beautiful.” He put his hand on her knee. “I want to see all of you.”

  Edna shook her head. “First, you need to get naked.”

  “That’s a fair request.”

  He toed his shoes off together with the socks, and then stood up and unbuckled his belt.

  Slowly.

  “I want to see all of you. Don’t torment me.”

  “Oh, sweetheart, I’ve only just begun.”

  28

  Edna

  Was that a threat or a promise?

  It didn’t matter. If he would just hurry, Edna welcomed both.

  The anticipation was killing her. She’d deprived herself for so long that she’d become numb to the hunger. But now that this magnificent male had awakened it, the gnawing emptiness inside her roared with need.

  Shifting to her side, she lifted and reached for his fly button. “I need you.”

  “If you touch me, I won’t last.” He took her hands and kissed each palm before pushing her back down and pulling her arms over her head. “Stay like this.”

  “I’m not good at taking orders.” And yet, she remained exactly as he’d positioned her.

  He smiled, his white fangs gleaming enticingly in the darkness of her bedroom. “It’s not an order. It’s a request.”

  She wanted to tell him that it had sounded more like a command to her, but she didn’t want to delay things further.

  Satisfied that she was going to obey, Rufsur unzipped his jeans and then shoved them down his legs. He’d either gone commando or his briefs hitched a ride together with the jeans, but the result was the same.

  As his shaft sprang free, hard and ready, Edna let out a sound that was more of a growl than a moan.

  Rufsur chuckled. “Easy, my tigress.”

  The endearment brought back a distant memory of Robbie calling her his wildcat, and as it washed over her, a momentary sadness gripped her.

  Edna shook her head.

  Now was not the time for memories. She needed to stay in the present and savor every moment of this encounter because it would probably be the only one she’d have with Rufsur.

  She wanted to touch him so badly, but he’d asked her not to, and for some reason, she wanted to please him.

  “I want you,” she whispered.

  “You have me.” He sat on the bed and put his hand on her thigh. “I fulfilled my side of the deal, now it’s your turn.”

  It took her a brief moment to remember what he was talking about, and when she did, Edna let out a breath and parted her thighs.

  “More.” He applied a little pressure. “I want to see all of you.”

  This was so damn intimate.

  She wasn’t shy,
just a little overwhelmed. They’d just met, and it always had been difficult for her to jump straight into intimacy with a man she barely knew.

  If Rufsur weren’t who he was, and Edna weren’t who she was, they could have taken it slowly, gotten to know each other, and maybe something beautiful would have come out of it. But this night was all she had, and there was no time for shedding layers of concealment one at a time.

  Doing as he’d asked, Edna parted her legs until she felt cool air on her heated folds.

  “You’re so wet for me,” Rufsur whispered with awe in his voice.

  As he reached between her spread legs, Edna bit down on her lower lip, and as he slid two gentle fingers through her wetness, the shock of his touch electrified her.

  Hissing, Edna arched up.

  Misunderstanding her reaction, Rufsur pulled back. “Did I hurt you?”

  She shook her head. “It has just been a really long time for me.”

  Rufsur smiled. “Then I need to make it worth the wait.” He dipped his head and gently kissed the apex of her slit.

  In a different situation, she would have welcomed his tongue and his lips on her, but Edna was too hungry, and too over-sensitized for that kind of attention.

  Reaching for his hair, she threaded her fingers through the tightly cropped curls and tugged. “I need you in me.”

  “I want to prepare you.”

  “I’m more than ready.”

  His smile was strained, but thankfully, he didn’t argue and let her pull him up on top of her.

  The hard length nestled between her thighs prodded her entrance, but Rufsur made no move to penetrate her. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

  With his lips and his tongue devouring her mouth, the light smattering of hair on his hard chest scraping her already achy nipples, her need ratcheted up, but Rufsur still wasn’t giving her what she needed the most.