Dark Choices The Accord (The Children Of The Gods Paranormal Romance Series Book 43)

by I. T. Lucas

  He’d bitten her!

  Her hand flew to the spot on her neck, but she found no bumps and no scabs.

  How could that be?

  Given the sharp pain she’d felt when it had happened, there was no way the bite mark had already healed. Except, it might not have been a bite at all. Eleanor remembered thinking that Greggory had injected her with drugs, which would explain the euphoric dreams she’d been having.

  Now that her thought process was getting clearer, though, she realized that he must have bitten her first and then injected her with drugs later. There had been twin points of insertion, and as far as she knew, there were no double-needled syringes, and there was no way Greggory could have reached for two syringes at the same time while climaxing.

  Evidently, Greggory was into biting women during sex and then drugging them.

  But a bite would have left a mark. Even a needle would have done that. Could it be that she’d dreamt it all?

  Her brain was still not functioning at its full capacity, which confirmed her suspicion that she’d been drugged. The two glasses of wine she’d had couldn’t have made her feel so woozy.

  She should get up and check her neck in the mirror.

  Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, Eleanor reached for the night light, but instead of the lamp, her hand landed on a glass of water and knocked it over.

  Damn. The room was so dark that she couldn’t even see the mess she’d made. And where the hell was that lamp?

  Pushing to her feet, she realized that there was no rug on the floor, and as she patted the wall to find the light switch, it became obvious to her that she wasn’t in her bedroom.

  The surge of panic that realization brought about incinerated the last vestiges of the mental haze. She remembered feeling like that before, and the other time she’d woken up in a hotel room full of drug paraphernalia.

  Had she been abducted and drugged once more?

  When she finally found the switch and flooded the room with light, her panic reached a fever pitch.

  There were no drugs, no syringes, but also no windows. She was in someone’s basement. Greggory’s, no doubt.

  Rushing to the door, she tried the handle, but just as she’d suspected, it was locked. There was another door, and she ran over to open it, but it only led to a bathroom.

  She was a prisoner, and Greggory was a pervert who was going to torture and kill her.

  At least she wasn’t tied up, though, and she could use the bathroom, which for some reason seemed the most important thing to do right at that moment.

  She might not get another chance.

  Once she started screaming for help, which she planned to do right after using the bathroom, Greggory would probably come in, gag her and tie her to a chair.

  After taking care of her bladder, Eleanor washed her hands and checked her neck in the mirror. The skin was pristine, with not even a scratch, let alone a bruise.

  Her face, however, was a different story. The dark eye makeup she’d applied before her date was smeared all over, making her look like a cast member of the zombie apocalypse.

  Surprisingly for a pervert, Greggory had put on her clothes for her, and he’d also left a new toothbrush on the vanity counter, toothpaste, and a bar of soap.

  The bathroom was clean, and there was also a shampoo and conditioner combo, but she was not interested in washing her hair. A quick shower to rinse the pervert off her body, and then a spray of cold water to get fully awake would do.

  When she was done, Eleanor put back on the clothes she’d worn for the date, and since she’d knocked over the glass of water he’d left for her, she picked it up off the floor, washed it out in the bathroom sink, and refilled it from the tap.

  With her throat restored to operating condition, it was time to make some noise. Hopefully, someone other than Greggory would come to yell at her to keep quiet, a guy who wasn’t immune to her compulsion and would let her go free.

  “Let me out!” She banged her fists on the door. “Help me!” She added kicks to the commotion. “I was taken against my will! I’m down in the basement! Help!”

  15

  Kalugal

  As Kalugal’s phone rang, he silenced the device and extracted himself from Jacki’s arms. Not wanting to disturb her, he walked out to the sitting room of their master suite and closed the door behind him.

  “What’s up, Rufsur?”

  “You wanted to know when Gina woke up. She’s awake and screaming her head off.”

  “I’ll get dressed and head over there. Meet me outside her room.”

  “Yes, boss.”

  Hopefully, she would be responsive to his compulsion, and he could get rid of her promptly. A search of her place had revealed nothing incriminating, but that didn’t mean that there was no cause for worry.

  She lived alone with no roommates, and other than a few changes of clothes and miscellaneous toiletries, there were no other personal items. No family photos, no contacts on her phone, and Ruvon couldn’t hack into her laptop, which meant that it had more than the basic security that most people used. It was also an expensive model that a part-time delivery girl shouldn’t be able to afford.

  Come to think of it, she shouldn’t be able to afford the rent either. The house wasn’t in the best of neighborhoods, but everything was expensive in the Bay Area, and even software engineers had to live with roommates to afford rent.

  Then again, Gina might have had a decent job that she’d lost recently, and the delivery gig was temporary until she found a new one.

  In any case, he was going to find out soon.

  Ten minutes later, Kalugal entered the bunker, and as soon as he got to the residential level, he heard the screaming. The woman had a serious pair of lungs on her.

  Rufsur met him by her door. “I don’t know how she has any voice left. She’s been at it for over twenty minutes straight.”

  “She’s panicked.”

  “No shit.” Rufsur pushed off the wall. “Shall we?”

  Kalugal nodded.

  His lieutenant pulled out a handgun. “That’s just so she doesn’t scratch our eyes out. It’s not even loaded.”

  “Good. I wouldn’t want her to get hurt accidentally.”

  Punching the code into the newly-installed keypad, Rufsur pointed the gun at the door and pushed it open. “Step back, Gina.”

  Her small dark eyes blazing with hatred, she lifted her arms and did as he commanded.

  What the hell had prompted Greggory to risk their safety for this woman?

  She was a skinny twig, had a gaunt face and beady eyes, and hair that looked like a used floor mop. She wasn’t a total disaster, but she was far from attractive.

  Apparently, there was no accounting for taste.

  “Hello, Gina.” He walked into the room. “There is no need for panic. I only want to ask you a few questions, and then you can go.”

  Ignoring the gun in Rufsur’s hand, she glared at Kalugal. “Let me go right now.”

  “In a few moments.”

  As if she’d expected a different answer, the woman let out a deflated breath. “I’ve been bitten, drugged, locked in a basement, and your goon is pointing a gun at me. Do you think I’m stupid enough to believe that you are going to let me go? What kind of perverted things do you plan on doing to me?”

  So far, she hadn’t mentioned fangs, and the word vampire hadn’t come up, which was usually the case when a thrall failed and a woman remembered the experience.

  It seemed that Gina had only felt the bite but hadn’t seen Greggory’s fangs. Perhaps he could embellish on the theme and convince her that it had been all part of a strange fetish.

  “Greggory has peculiar sexual quirks, which he failed to warn you about, and I apologize on his behalf.” Kalugal put on one of his more charming smiles. “After you got upset, he panicked and decided to bring you here.” Kalugal pulled out a chair and sat down. “Please, take a seat.” He motioned toward the bed. “I’m willing to comp
ensate you for the scare you suffered. Would a thousand dollars make it better?”

  As she did as he’d asked and sat on the bed, Kalugal hoped that she was responding to his compulsion. But then she looked him straight in the eyes and said, “Not even close.”

  Apparently, she wasn’t susceptible to compulsion either, but perhaps it was because of her agitated state and she needed to relax first.

  “Come on, Gina.” He smiled. “I’m sure it wasn’t that bad. Other than his strange fetish, which most women find very arousing, Greggory has a reputation for being an excellent lover.”

  The woman lifted a shaky hand. “He was okay. But as you can see, I’m traumatized.”

  Kalugal let out a relieved breath. Gina was greedy, and she just wanted more money. “Tell me how much it will take to make you feel better.”

  “Money is not going to make me forget what happened to me.”

  “I understand that you got scared, but I assure you that Greggory is harmless. He would never hurt you.”

  “What about you? You are keeping me locked up in a basement.”

  “Not for long. I just need you to calm down and accept an apology together with some form of compensation. Can you do that, Gina? Say yes, and I will give you five thousand in cash to buy your silence.”

  This time, his tone was imbued with the full power of his compulsion, and unless Gina was an immune, she should agree to his terms.

  She shook her head. “Not good enough. Are you his boss? Are you Kajeck Zolotovsky?”

  He was going to throw Greggory in the brig and toss out the key. What had possessed him to tell her that?

  If she was a snoop, Gina could have found out the name by checking who owned the house. That information was easily accessible. But that was no reason for Greggory to flap his mouth when he should have kept it closed.

  Kalugal smiled. “Do I look like a Kajeck?”

  “You don’t look or sound Russian. Who are you then?”

  “I’m Mr. Zolotovsky’s personal assistant. My name is Calvin.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “I want to speak to the boss. Get Kajeck in here.”

  The woman was rude, and she was in no position to make demands, but given the scare she’d had, he was willing to cut her some slack. “Mr. Zolotovsky is out of the country at the moment.”

  “Then I’ll wait until he returns.” She looked up at Rufsur. “Have Greggory go back to my place and pack my things for me. I’m moving in. I don’t need money, but I need a place to stay.”

  Kalugal and Rufsur exchanged glances.

  The woman was obviously off her rocker. Was that why she was immune to thralling and to compulsion?

  He hadn’t tested the theory that insanity might interfere with mind manipulation, but it was possible.

  “Even if that was an option, which it is not, you are a woman alone, and this house is full of men. You wouldn’t be comfortable here. You can stay here for a couple of days, but I’ll need to keep you locked up for your own protection.” Not really, but he needed to keep her prisoner while he figured out what to do with her. “After that, I will help you find new lodging.”

  16

  Eleanor

  This was bad. Neither man was responding to her compulsion, not even when she’d shoved it at them full power.

  It didn’t make sense.

  Immunes were rare. Some people were more difficult to compel than others, but other than Simmons, she hadn’t met any she couldn’t bend to her will. Well, she couldn’t compel Josh either, but that was because at the time she hadn’t been aware of her ability and hadn’t known how to use it. If she had, she would have prevented him from joining the Air Force. He could have found another job.

  But this wasn’t the time to think about the many what-ifs of her damn life.

  Could it be that all the paranormals in the mansion were immune?

  Perhaps they had been taught to resist compulsion?

  Or maybe their boss, the mysterious Kajeck Zolotovsky, was a powerful compeller, and he somehow shielded his people by compelling them to resist compulsion by others?

  The only way to find out was to get exposed to more of the men and try her luck with them.

  But to do that, she needed Calvin to allow her to stay.

  Changing her attitude, Eleanor smiled. “I can be useful. Do you need a cook? Or a maid? There aren’t many jobs out there, and I could use one that comes with a place to live rent-free and a modest salary.”

  Calvin’s expression remained impassive.

  Perhaps appealing to his compassion would do the trick. “Look, I’m burning through my savings, and I’m worried that there will be none left, and I will be still doing deliveries instead of making decent money.”

  “What did you do before?”

  “I was a pharmaceutical salesperson.”

  He arched a brow. “That’s a well-paying occupation. Can’t you go back to doing that?”

  Eleanor forced out a tear. “It’s a job for young, attractive people.” She wiped her eyes. “Once I hit forty, I was out of a job.”

  She’d quit long before that happened, but she’d seen others lose their jobs when their looks started going downhill.

  “It’s a cruel world,” she added.

  “That’s deplorable.” Calvin seemed offended on her behalf. “But as much as I feel for you, I can’t give you a job in this house. All I’m authorized to do is offer you monetary compensation for your inconvenience.”

  Maybe she could use her meager feminine charms to sway his opinion.

  “Can you check with your boss? I would really like to stay.” She cast him and the hunk with the gun appreciative glances. “It ain’t every day that a girl stumbles upon a house full of gorgeous men. Besides, until Greggory bit me, I thought that he was awesome. If he can do without that kinky shit, I’m willing to give him another chance.” Eleanor rubbed the spot on her neck. “What I don’t understand is how come there is no trace of it. That bite didn’t feel like it was done with human teeth. Is Greggory a wannabe vampire? And what’s with the euphoria and the blackout? Did he drug me?”

  Calvin pushed to his feet. “It’s late, Gina, and all of us are tired. Go to sleep, and tomorrow, Greggory will explain his fetish and how it works.”

  “Can I get you anything to eat?” the dude with the gun asked.

  “Yes, please.” Perhaps whoever brought the food was not immune and she could get more answers out of him.

  “What would you like?”

  “A sandwich would be nice.”

  “I’ll send someone over.”

  “Thank you. And if it isn’t too much trouble, I would also like to drink something other than tap water.”

  The gun-toting guy smiled. “What’s your poison?”

  “I meant coffee or tea.”

  “No problem.” He tucked the gun in his waistband, pulled out his phone and started texting.

  Apparently, she was deemed no longer dangerous.

  “Can you also get me a T-shirt?” She tugged on her bustier. “This is not comfortable to sleep in.”

  Her plan had been for the men to focus on her breasts, but neither had looked down from her face. They were either being gentlemanly, or they were immune to her feminine charms the same way they were immune to her compulsion.

  It seemed like the only strategy that had worked so far was appealing to their compassion.

  “I’ll send something over.” Calvin opened the door. “Good night, Gina.”

  17

  Rufsur

  “Good morning.” Rufsur was surprised to find Kalugal and Jacki in the dining room. Usually, they had breakfast in their master suite.

  Lunch and dinner were shared with him, Phinas, and a rotating schedule of the other men. Jacki made sure that no one was neglected, and that she and Kalugal dined with everyone at least once a week.

  Her presence in the house was a welcome addition, and he didn’t think there was even one man who didn’t like hav
ing her there. So yeah, some of the crude joking had to be curbed, but since Kalugal hadn’t tolerated that kind of talk even before Jacki’s arrival, that wasn’t a big deal.

  His boss was a stuck-up snob, but Rufsur had to admit that there were advantages to Kalugal holding the men to higher standards. The way people talked influenced the way they thought about others and about themselves. Demeaning comments, even when said jokingly, translated into demeaning attitudes, and on some subconscious level, they also tarnished a person’s self-perception.

  Now that the men were about to meet with clan females, Kalugal’s insistence on good manners would certainly pay off. Nevertheless, perhaps Jacki should give them some pointers on flirting etiquette when the purpose was not one-night stands but finding life-long partners.

  “Good morning.” Jacki smiled at him. “Any news from Gina?”

  “I didn’t check on her yet.” He pulled out a chair and sat next to Kalugal. “She’s probably still sleeping.”

  “Right.” Jacki chuckled. “I’ve been an immortal for less than a month, but I’ve already forgotten that humans need more sleep.”

  “I want to talk to Greggory,” Kalugal said. “And then I’ll talk to her again. I need to figure out what to do with her.”

  Jacki narrowed her eyes at him. “Since she doesn’t suspect what you are, you can just pay her off and send her away.”

  Pushing to his feet, Kalugal leaned and kissed the top of her head. “That’s why I need to talk to Greggory. We need to come up with a convincing story for her, and after that I’m going to lock him up in a cell for a month.”

  “What for?”

  “For being an idiot.”

  Jacki reached for his hand. “Don’t. He made a mistake, and I’m sure he feels awful about it. Instead of punishing him, summon the men and give them a lecture about using their heads to make the right decisions. You can’t possibly cover every possible scenario, and they need to evaluate each situation based on the potential risk of exposure.”