Dark Overlord New Horizon

by I. T. Lucas

  Maybe she should follow Jin’s example and take a chance. Could she possibly have the same with Kalugal?

  As the doors opened, Kalugal walked in with a large tray, and then someone closed the door behind him.

  Probably Shamash. The guy was like Kalugal’s shadow.

  “Do you like the soundtrack I put on?” He put the tray down on the table and sat across from her.

  She hadn’t even noticed it. “Yes. It’s lovely.”

  Leaning closer, Kalugal reached for her hand. “What’s the matter? You look perturbed.”

  She chuckled. “I love the way you talk.”

  “And how is that?”

  “You always sound so sophisticated. You look young, but you sound old.”

  “I guess that’s because I don’t spend enough time talking with young people.”

  “And when you do, they are usually the well-educated types who talk like you.”

  He nodded. “True.” Lifting one of the plates off the tray, he put it in front of her. “I can’t wait to taste those stuffed avocado halves. What an original recipe.”

  That was a smooth change of subject, but Jacki was glad of it. She would rather steer away from the topic of what had made her look perturbed.

  “Not really. I found it online.”

  Taking a bite, Kalugal made a satisfied sound. “Delicious.”

  “I’m glad that you like it.”

  “The salad is excellent too.”

  She wondered whether he was really enjoying the meal so much or just pretending, and when he finished his portion and then waited until she was done and finished hers as well, Jacki still wasn’t convinced. Maybe Atzil was right, and this wasn’t a hearty enough meal for an immortal?

  “Are you still hungry? Atzil made a stew. I can get it for you.” She started to get up.

  He put a hand on her arm. “I don’t want stew. I want you to stay right here and talk to me.”

  She let out a breath. “As you wish.”

  His lips lifted in that signature panty-melting smirk. “There are a lot of things I wish for. Are you willing to fulfill all of them?”

  Crap. She'd walked right into that trap. “That depends on the wishes.”

  “I wish for a kiss.”

  “I can do that.” She leaned and pecked him on the cheek.

  He caught her hand and pulled her onto his lap. “I want a real kiss.”

  Crap and double crap. “I can’t.”

  “Why? Am I so repulsive?”

  Jacki snorted. “I wish. You are too damn sexy for your own good.” She shook her head. “Let me rephrase. For my good.”

  “Maybe you are just shy.” He cupped the back of her neck.

  With the most perfect lips on the planet a mere inch away from hers, it was a mighty battle to keep from closing that small distance and kissing them for all they were worth.

  Kalugal’s patience lasted for about thirty seconds, and then he did it for her.

  His kiss was soft as a feather, just a brush of those perfect lips of his over hers, and then he pulled back and smiled at her. “Was that so terrible?”

  She shook her head.

  “Can I do it again?”

  All coherent thought gone from her head, Jacki nodded.

  With permission granted, Kalugal’s amused expression turned into a ravenous one. His fingers on her neck tightened, and when he took her mouth, it was like no other kiss she’d had before.

  He devoured her, and she loved it. Moaning into his mouth, she wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to kiss him back, but he refused to let her tongue past his lips. He was in total control, and it only added fuel to her mounting desire.

  That was precisely how she wanted to be kissed, made love to, possessed…

  No. She didn’t want any of that. Not without the love and the commitment and devotion.

  Her moans of passion turning into desperate whimpers, she pushed on his chest.

  He let go right away. “What’s wrong?” He frowned. “Why are you crying?”

  75

  Kalugal

  Something was very wrong, while a moment ago, it had been perfection.

  Jacki had been so into the kiss, so passionate and responsive, and then she suddenly wasn’t. Her sweet scent of desire was replaced by the terrible scent of despair, and Kalugal’s arousal had deflated as fast as a balloon that had been stabbed with a sharp knife.

  “Talk to me, Jacki. I need to know what's happened.”

  Tears still streaming down her cheeks, she shook her head. “I can’t do it. I can’t be the new toy that you play with until you get bored with it. I wouldn’t survive that.”

  “What the hell are you talking about? Do you think that this is a game for me?”

  She nodded. “What else could it be? You are you, and I am me, and we are not in the same league on any level. There could never be something long-lasting between us, and I don’t do hookups or flings or whatever you want to call them. It’s all or nothing for me.”

  She looked so distraught, and what she was saying was such utter nonsense, but it wouldn’t do him any good to say that. He needed to tread lightly and gently, or she would just shut down completely.

  “This is not a casual fling for me, Jacki. I have feelings for you, and I think we could have something beautiful together. But it’s not going to happen unless we take the first step.” He started rubbing small circles on her back. “What are you so afraid of?”

  “I just spelled it out for you. You are an intelligent guy. It shouldn’t be so hard for you to understand.”

  “You think that we are too different to make it work?”

  She nodded. “You are the immortal son of a goddess. I’m a human. I could never be more than a plaything for you, and I refuse to be anyone’s toy. Even yours.”

  “What can I do to prove to you that I am serious?”

  “You can’t be.” She lifted a pair of teary eyes at him. “What I want is love, respect, devotion, and loyalty. Nothing less will do. Can you give me that?”

  “You have my respect, and as long as we are together, you have my loyalty as well. Love and devotion will take more time, but they need a starting point. They can’t happen if you are not willing to take the first step.”

  “And what is that? Having sex with you?”

  “To be frank, yes. I’m not an expert on relationships, but I believe that intimacy and sexual compatibility are vitally important. Those are the building blocks of love.”

  “Well, I’m not an expert on any of that, but for me, love and commitment are vitally important, and without them, there will be no intimacy and no sex.”

  Suddenly the pieces of the puzzle started to align into a pattern that he should have figured out much sooner.

  “Have you ever been in love, Jacki?”

  She shook her head.

  “Have you ever had sex?”

  She shook her head again.

  “That explains it.”

  Jacki was not going to have sex with him unless she was convinced that he was in love with her, and he couldn’t allow himself to love her before he knew that she could transition.

  They were at an impasse.

  “Have you ever been in love?” she asked.

  “No, but I've had plenty of sex.”

  She chuckled. “I believe that.”

  “I don’t know if I can fall in love without experiencing intimacy first.”

  “And I can’t allow myself the intimacy without having the love first.”

  He sighed. “Then we have a problem. Any idea how we can solve this?”

  She shrugged. “You could marry me. That would at least fulfill the commitment and devotion requirements, and you wouldn’t even have to lie and tell me that you love me.”

  “I will never lie to you, Jacki. I might keep things from you, things I can’t reveal before I have your love and loyalty, but I promise never to deceive you.”

  There was hope in her eyes when she looked at hi
m. “It seems that we are not that different after all. You can’t tell me your secrets before you are sure of my love and loyalty, and I can’t be intimate with you before I’m sure of your love and devotion. Perhaps marriage is not such a crazy idea. It might be the best solution for both of us.”

  COMING UP NEXT

  The Children of the Gods Book 39

  Dark Overlord’s Wife

  To read the first 3 chapters

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  Don’t miss out on:

  The Children of the Gods Origins

  Goddess’s Choice

  Goddess’s Hope

  The Perfect Match Series

  Perfect Match 1: Vampire’s Consort

  Perfect Match 2: King’s Chosen

  Perfect Match 3: Captain’s Conquest

  The Children of the Gods Series

  THE CHILDREN OF THE GODS ORIGINS

  1: Goddess’s Choice

  When gods and immortals still ruled the ancient world, one young goddess risked everything for love.

  2: Goddess’s Hope

  Hungry for power and infatuated with the beautiful Areana, Navuh plots his father's demise. After all, by getting rid of the insane god he would be doing the world a favor. Except, when gods and immortals conspire against each other, humanity pays the price.

  But things are not what they seem, and prophecies should not to be trusted...

  THE CHILDREN OF THE GODS

  1: Dark Stranger The Dream

  Syssi's paranormal foresight lands her a job at Dr. Amanda Dokani's neuroscience lab, but it fails to predict the thrilling yet terrifying turn her life will take. Syssi has no clue that her boss is an immortal who'll drag her into a secret, millennia-old battle over humanity's future. Nor does she realize that the professor's imposing brother is the mysterious stranger who's been starring in her dreams.

  Since the dawn of human civilization, two warring factions of immortals—the descendants of the gods of old—have been secretly shaping its destiny. Leading the clandestine battle from his luxurious Los Angeles high-rise, Kian is surrounded by his clan, yet alone. Descending from a single goddess, clan members are forbidden to each other. And as the only other immortals are their hated enemies, Kian and his kin have been long resigned to a lonely existence of fleeting trysts with human partners. That is, until his sister makes a game-changing discovery—a mortal seeress who she believes is a dormant carrier of their genes. Ever the realist, Kian is skeptical and refuses Amanda's plea to attempt Syssi's activation. But when his enemies learn of the Dormant's existence, he's forced to rush her to the safety of his keep. Inexorably drawn to Syssi, Kian wrestles with his conscience as he is tempted to explore her budding interest in the darker shades of sensuality.

  2: Dark Stranger Revealed

  While sheltered in the clan's stronghold, Syssi is unaware that Kian and Amanda are not human, and neither are the supposedly religious fanatics that are after her. She feels a powerful connection to Kian, and as he introduces her to a world of pleasure she never dared imagine, his dominant sexuality is a revelation. Considering that she's completely out of her element, Syssi feels comfortable and safe letting go with him. That is, until she begins to suspect that all is not as it seems. Piecing the puzzle together, she draws a scary, yet wrong conclusion...

  3: Dark Stranger Immortal

  When Kian confesses his true nature, Syssi is not as much shocked by the revelation as she is wounded by what she perceives as his callous plans for her.

  If she doesn't turn, he’ll be forced to erase her memories and let her go. His family's safety demands secrecy – no one in the mortal world is allowed to know that immortals exist.

  Resigned to the cruel reality that even if she stays on to never again leave the keep, she'll get old while Kian won’t, Syssi is determined to enjoy what little time she has with him, one day at a time.

  Can Kian let go of the mortal woman he loves? Will Syssi turn? And if she does, will she survive the dangerous transition?

  4: Dark Enemy Taken

  Dalhu can't believe his luck when he stumbles upon the beautiful immortal professor. Presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity to grab an immortal female for himself, he kidnaps her and runs. If he ever gets caught, either by her people or his, his life is forfeit. But for a chance of a loving mate and a family of his own, Dalhu is prepared to do everything in his power to win Amanda's heart, and that includes leaving the Doom brotherhood and his old life behind.

  Amanda soon discovers that there is more to the handsome Doomer than his dark past and a hulking, sexy body. But succumbing to her enemy's seduction, or worse, developing feelings for a ruthless killer is out of the question. No man is worth life on the run, not even the one and only immortal male she could claim as her own…

  Her clan and her research must come first…

  5: Dark Enemy Captive

  When the rescue team returns with Amanda and the chained Dalhu to the keep, Amanda is not as thrilled to be back as she thought she'd be. Between Kian's contempt for her and Dalhu's imprisonment, Amanda's budding relationship with Dalhu seems doomed. Things start to look up when Annani offers her help, and together with Syssi they resolve to find a way for Amanda to be with Dalhu. But will she still want him when she realizes that he is responsible for her nephew's murder? Could she? Will she take the easy way out and choose Andrew instead?

  6: Dark Enemy Redeemed

  Amanda suspects that something fishy is going on onboard the Anna. But when her investigation of the peculiar all-female Russian crew fails to uncover anything other than more speculation, she decides it's time to stop playing detective and face her real problem—a man she shouldn't want but can't live without.

  6.5: My Dark Amazon

  When Michael and Kri fight off a gang of humans, Michael gets stabbed. The injury to his immortal body recovers fast, but the one to his ego takes longer, putting a strain on his relationship with Kri.

  7: Dark Warrior Mine

  When Andrew is forced to retire from active duty, he believes that all he has to look forward to is a boring desk job. His glory days in special ops are over. But as it turns out, his thrill ride has just begun. Andrew discovers not only that immortals exist and have been manipulating global affairs since antiquity, but that he and his sister are rare possessors of the immortal genes.

  Problem is, Andrew might be too old to attempt the activation process. His sister, who is fourteen years his junior, barely made it through the transition, so the odds of him coming out of it alive, let alone immortal, are slim.

  But fate may force his hand.

  Helping a friend find his long-lost daughter, Andrew finds a woman who's worth taking the risk for. Nathalie might be a Dormant, but the only way to find out for sure requires fangs and venom.

  8: Dark Warrior’s Promise

  Andrew and Nathalie's love flourishes, but the secrets they keep from each other taint their relationship with doubts and suspicions. In the meantime, Sebastian and his men are getting bolder, and the storm that's brewing will shift the balance of power in the millennia-old conflict between Annani's clan and its enemies.

  9: Dark Warr
ior’s Destiny

  The new ghost in Nathalie's head remembers who he was in life, providing Andrew and her with indisputable proof that he is real and not a figment of her imagination.

  Convinced that she is a Dormant, Andrew decides to go forward with his transition immediately after the rescue mission at the Doomers' HQ.

  Fearing for his life, Nathalie pleads with him to reconsider. She'd rather spend the rest of her mortal days with Andrew than risk what they have for the fickle promise of immortality.

  While the clan gets ready for battle, Carol gets help from an unlikely ally. Sebastian's second-in-command can no longer ignore the torment she suffers at the hands of his commander and offers to help her, but only if she agrees to his terms.

  10: Dark Warrior’s Legacy

  Andrew's acclimation to his post-transition body isn't easy. His senses are sharper, he's bigger, stronger, and hungrier. Nathalie fears that the changes in the man she loves are more than physical. Measuring up to this new version of him is going to be a challenge.

  Carol and Robert are disillusioned with each other. They are not destined mates, and love is not on the horizon. When Robert's three months are up, he might be left with nothing to show for his sacrifice.

  Lana contacts Anandur with disturbing news; the yacht and its human cargo are in Mexico. Kian must find a way to apprehend Alex and rescue the women on board without causing an international incident.

  11: Dark Guardian Found

  What would you do if you stopped aging?

  Eva runs. The ex-DEA agent doesn't know what caused her strange mutation, only that if discovered, she'll be dissected like a lab rat. What Eva doesn't know, though, is that she's a descendant of the gods, and that she is not alone. The man who rocked her world in one life-changing encounter over thirty years ago is an immortal as well.

  To keep his people's existence secret, Bhathian was forced to turn his back on the only woman who ever captured his heart, but he's never forgotten and never stopped looking for her.