by I. T. Lucas
“I’m afraid not.” Kalugal affected an apologetic expression. “I’ve been neglecting that aspect of my daily routine, and if I don’t resume it soon, I might become flabby, and you won’t want my body anymore.” Swiveling his hips, he rubbed his erection against her center.
Jacki’s laugh was deep and throaty. “I’ll always want you. Besides, you probably don’t need to do anything to look like that.” She squeezed his bottom and arched up. “Demigods don’t get fat.”
“Says who?” He smoothed his hand up her ribcage and cupped her breast.
She stifled a moan. “In every myth and legend, gods and demigods are flawless, seducing unsuspecting maidens left and right. Training is never mentioned.”
“Unfortunately, that’s not true.” He thumbed her nipple. “I can get away with doing very little to maintain my fabulous physique, but if I try really hard, I can get fat.” He assumed a frown. “I will if that’s what you desire.” No longer bracing on his forearms, he let her feel the full weight of his athletic body.
Jacki wasn’t a small woman, but even though Kalugal was slim, all those muscles were heavy. The weight on top of her was more than she’d expected, and yet it was just right.
“Don’t you dare gain or lose an ounce. You are perfect the way you are.” She squeezed his muscled bottom again.
Smiling, Kalugal exposed his fangs, which had elongated significantly since they had started their mutual teasing. “Is this an invitation, my Jacqueline?”
As if she needed to answer that.
Just the sight of those fangs was enough to trigger a gush of moisture that he could surely feel as well as smell.
After last night, she would never again look upon his fangs with fear. In fact, she would probably get wet every time Kalugal flashed them at her.
Just as he’d promised, the bite had left no mark on her, and if she hadn’t just seen his fangs again this morning, she would have thought the bite hadn’t happened and she’d dreamt it.
Jacki wasn’t sore either, which was most likely thanks to the healing properties of the venom as well.
Which reminded her that she hadn’t seen Kalugal’s manhood yet. She’d definitely felt it, though, and the fit had been perfect. But she wanted to see, and touch, and lick, and suck…
The images triggered another outpouring of wetness.
“What do you think?” She arched up a little, rubbing her center against his hard shaft.
His smile turned into a fanged smirk. “I think that it’s a yes.” He dipped his head and kissed her.
She was already so wet that he could have penetrated her right away, but Kalugal had other ideas. Kissing a trail down her neck, he lingered a moment over the spot he’d bitten last night, licked it, and then sucked the skin in.
Jacki giggled. “There is no trace of your bite, so you want to mark me with a hickey?”
“I wish I could.” He kissed the spot. “But nothing will be left of it after I bite you again.” His voice dropped an octave.
“I can’t wait,” she whispered and turned her head sideways.
“Not yet, my love.” He chuckled. “First, I need to worship at my goddess’s temple.” He slid further down, his lips hovering a fraction of an inch over her straining nipple.
Grasping his hair, Jacki pulled his head down to her breast. “The temple awaits your tribute.”
3
Kian
As Kian glanced around the conference table, he felt a stab of guilt for not including Lokan in the strategy meeting.
The truth was that the Guardian briefing had nothing to do with the summit, and therefore should be of no interest to Lokan, but his cousin might disagree. After all, he’d offered his help numerous times and had taken part in missions.
Except, Kian needed to finalize the details of securing his people during Jacki and Kalugal’s wedding, and having Lokan there would have made everyone uncomfortable.
Or maybe just him.
He still didn’t fully trust Lokan, especially with anything that had to do with Kalugal.
The brothers weren’t close, and they interacted more like distant acquaintances than family members. But blood is thicker than water, and Kian had no doubt that when push came to shove, Lokan would side with Kalugal.
The problem was that when Lokan found out about the meeting, he would feel excluded, and that wasn’t good either. If Kian wanted Lokan’s loyalty, he needed to show the guy that he was part of the team.
Under different circumstances, Kian might have compromised in the name of diplomacy, but this time there was too much at stake to risk it. He was about to walk into Kalugal’s compound with Syssi, Amanda, and some of his best friends.
Hell, who was he kidding. This entire thing was one big compromise in the name of diplomacy.
Agreeing to attend the fucking wedding had been a leap of faith on his part, and now it was giving him a mental ulcer.
Perhaps he could convince Syssi not to come?
She could use nausea as an excuse, or fatigue, or some other pregnancy-related syndrome, and bow out gracefully. He would be much less stressed if Syssi went home instead of attending the wedding in Kalugal’s mansion.
Yeah, good luck with that.
“Good luck with what?” Yamanu asked.
Kian hadn’t been aware of speaking out loud. “Convincing Syssi to go home instead of coming with us to the wedding.”
He was answered with a collective murmur of agreement.
Apparently, every mated male in the room felt the same. None of them wanted to expose their mates to even a whiff of danger.
Yamanu clapped Kian on the back. “We are all nervous, but it’s going to be okay. The Fates brought us to this fork in the road for a reason. We could have chosen to keep going alone, like we have done up till now, or to take a risk and walk toward a new beginning. As much as I would love for Mey to be safely back in the village, I don’t regret bringing her with me.”
Kian shook his head. “I wish I had your faith. Nevertheless, let’s continue. How many drones do we have on hand?”
“Seven,” Turner said. “We had five already, and I’m getting two more delivered. I figured seven would look better in formation.”
Kian frowned. “Who is going to operate them?”
Flying drones was not easy, and since he’d promised Kalugal an air show, the operators needed to be skilled in more than the basics.
Turner smiled. “I decided that it would be best if all of them were operated from the village. I’m not taking chances with Kalugal and his compulsion. If he somehow manages to get the cuff off, I want the drone operators to be out of his mental reach. William sent a signal booster that we will put on the balcony of the rented house. He, Roni, and Charlie are going to handle the drones from the safety of the village, and in view mode only. No sound.”
“Good. But that’s three operators. We need seven.”
“I thought so too, but William explained that all seven drones will be controlled by the computer, following a program that he wrote for the occasion. If something happens and the need to use the drones in attack mode arises, the three of them will take over. There is no need for all seven drones to attack at once. We are covering a backyard, not a city block.”
Kian shook his head. “I don’t like it. Tell William to get at least two more operators. I know it’s overkill, but I’d rather err on the side of caution.”
“You’re the boss.”
Kian turned to Magnus. “What about your men? We didn’t decide yet where to station them. I’m debating whether to have you join us at the party. The advantage is that you and your men will be right there if I need you. The other option is having you patrol outside.”
“Kalugal is not going to allow us to keep our weapons on his property,” Magnus said. “I’d rather stay outside with the men and, if needed, rush in fully armed. We can wear earplugs and communicate via text like we did before. That way, if Kalugal somehow manages to pull a magic trick, get rid of t
he cuff, and command everyone to freeze, we won’t be affected.”
“Good plan.” Kian rapped his fingers on the table. “Stay in the rented house. I don’t want him to see you patrolling.”
“Why not? He knows we're out there.”
“Diplomacy, my friend. I want to pretend that I trust him. He will know it’s a lie, but he’ll pretend to believe it, and everyone will feel good about themselves. The houses are so close that you can get there in under a minute.”
“That’s true,” Magnus conceded.
“I suggest that as an added precaution, Kian and Brundar should wear earpieces,” Turner said. “You both have long hair, so they won’t be conspicuous.”
Kian grimaced. “It’s going to be a pain to hear everyone sound the same, but you’re right.”
“I’ll wear mine too,” Anandur said. “I don’t care if Kalugal sees them. I’m your bodyguard, and my job is to protect you.”
“Aren’t you all forgetting something?” Magnus asked.
Kian glanced at Turner, but the guy shrugged. “There is always something. What did we miss?”
“I might be wrong, but I was under the impression that Kalugal went home without the cuff. When are you going to put it on him?”
Kian shook his head. “I can’t believe I forgot about that. I should have asked him to keep wearing it.” He pulled out his phone. “He’ll have to come here.”
“On his wedding day?” Anandur huffed out a breath. “Magnus can meet Kalugal outside the gate and put the cuff on him.” He looked at the Guardian. “Just wear your earplugs and take a couple of men with you.”
Magnus nodded. “I have no problem with that.”
“Let me check with Kalugal first,” Kian said. “As Anandur pointed out, it’s the guy’s wedding day, and we should make an effort to accommodate him.”
Anandur chuckled. “All in the name of diplomacy.”
“That’s right,” Kian agreed. “But we are also doing this for Jacki.”
4
Syssi
The squealing started as soon as Mey and Jin walked through the door. Actually, Jin was making most of the noise and hugging everyone as if she hadn’t seen them for months, but Mey contributed a few more joyous sounds of her own.
When it was Syssi’s turn to get crushed in Jin’s arms, she was glad that the girl wasn’t immortal yet. Jin was surprisingly strong for a human.
Chuckling, she hugged the girl back. “Welcome to our home away from home.”
“I’m so happy.” Jin released her and wiped tears from her eyes. “I missed you all so much.”
Behind her, Arwel shook his head. “You saw everyone on Friday, and it’s only Tuesday.”
“I know. But Jacki is getting married, and it makes me emotional.” Jin wiped away another tear. “I can’t wait to see her. She is going to be such a beautiful bride. Thank you so much for loaning her your wedding dress. Last night, Jacki emailed me a picture of herself wearing it, and she looked absolutely gorgeous.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
“Where is Yamanu?” Amanda asked.
“Downstairs at the briefing,” Arwel said. “I should head there as well.” He glanced at Jin. “You don’t need me here, right?”
She pecked him on the cheek. “You can go.”
The Guardian looked relieved, which wasn’t surprising given that he was the only male in the room. Nevertheless, he hesitated. “You’re safe up here. Kian had Roni hack into the hotel’s surveillance cameras, and if any suspicious activity is spotted, we will take care of whoever they are before they can get up here.”
“I’m not concerned.” Jin kissed his cheek again. “Go, have fun with the boys.”
As the door closed behind the Guardian, Amanda sauntered over to the sisters and put a hand on each of their shoulders. “Do you need to rest a little, or are you ready to try the saris on? We have a lot of work to do.”
Syssi glanced at her watch. “It’s eight-thirty in the morning. We have plenty of time.”
The party was scheduled to start at nine in the evening, but they were going over there a couple of hours earlier than that to help Jacki get ready. And while the ladies fussed over the bride, the guys were going to throw the groom a mini bachelor party.
It had been Kian’s idea to surprise Kalugal and his men with premium whiskey and fine cigars. Despite being wary of his cousin, Kian must have grown fond of him to come up with that. Or maybe it was just another attempt at diplomacy, which Kian had been experimenting with since the whole thing with Kalugal had started.
In either case, Syssi was sure that the gesture would be appreciated, and sharing in a pre-wedding celebration would further the spirit of cooperation between their people.
“We have a lot of work to do.” Amanda repeated as she herded the ladies toward the bedroom.
“It won’t take us that long to get ready.” Syssi followed the procession. “Can I make you girls coffee? Something to eat?”
Mey waved a dismissive hand. “I’m good. I prepared breakfast to go, and we had coffee and sandwiches on the plane.”
“I would like some tea if it’s not too much trouble.” Jin rubbed a hand over the front of her neck. “My throat feels scratchy, and tea helps.”
“How long have you been having these symptoms?” Bridget asked.
Jin waved a hand. “Since Arwel and I went up to the mountains. I don’t know if it’s allergies or if it’s the freaking motor home’s fault. It was either too cold or too hot inside, and we couldn’t get the temperature right.”
“Do you have a fever? Are you coughing? Do you have a runny nose?
Jin smiled. “Relax. I don’t have a fever, and I’m not coughing. It’s just an allergy.”
“Do you usually get allergies this time of year?”
“Sometimes, but only mildly. I guess it depends on where I am."
Bridget shook her head. “Just in case, let me take your temperature.”
As the doctor left to bring the tools of her trade, Amanda unfolded the two remaining saris. “Everyone has already picked theirs, and these are the only ones left.”
Jin reached for the pink one. “Are they all this gaudy?”
“They are beautiful.” Mey patted her back. “A sari without the vibrant colors is not a sari. Besides, we are both lucky to have the right coloring to pull it off. Dark hair goes with everything.”
Amanda handed Jin a pink, long-sleeved T-shirt. “You can use this instead of the tiny one that comes with the outfit. The wedding is outdoors, and it gets quite chilly here at night.”
“Thank you.” Jin put the shirt on the bed and whipped her blouse over her head. “Mey brought me a long-sleeved T-shirt too, but it’s probably not electric pink.” She pulled the shirt on and glanced at the mirror mounted over the dresser. “Good fit.” She unfurled the sari and eyed it suspiciously. “How do you put this thing on?”
“I’ll show you.” Amanda took the long swathe of fabric and expertly wrapped it around Jin. “I also brought safety pins to hold it in place.”
“I guess the yellow one is mine.” Mey picked up the last sari. “Not my favorite color, but it will do.”
“I can switch with you,” Syssi offered. “Do you prefer purple?”
Mey looked at her hopefully. “After red, that’s my favorite color. But are you sure? Yellow might be too pale for you.”
“It has pink embroidery.” Syssi took the sari from Mey. “It might work.”
“You see?” Amanda waved a hand. “That’s why we needed to start early. I also have to do everyone’s makeup, and Callie has to do everyone’s hair.”
“You don’t have to,” Syssi said. “We can do it ourselves.”
Amanda glanced at Wonder, who suddenly looked panicked. “Not everyone can, and if I’m doing it for one, I might as well do it for everybody.” She grinned. “When I’m done, you are all going to look fabulous.”
“Oh, boy.” Syssi groaned. “Now I know why you need ten hours to get
us ready.”
5
Simmons
After checking the GPS, Simmons turned left and looked at his friend. “I’m sorry, Elijah, but a drive-through is our only option.” He smiled. “I haven’t eaten a hamburger in ages, and I’m actually looking forward to it.”
“I don’t eat beef.” Roberts rolled his window down. “I need to watch my cholesterol.”
“One hamburger will not make much of a difference.” Simmons cast him a sidelong glance. “It has been how many years since your bypass?”
“Four, and I don’t intend on having another one. I need to keep my arteries clean.”
Simmons shrugged. “What’s the point of prolonging life when you can’t enjoy it?”
“I enjoy myself plenty. I happen to love fish. Besides, I allow myself a steak once a month. That’s good enough for me.”
“What are you going to order then? They don’t have fish burgers.”
“What about Mexican food? I can eat a bean burrito.”
Simmons waved a hand. “Be my guest. Find a Mexican drive-through.”
“I shall do that.” Elijah pulled out his phone.
Unlike his friend, Simmons didn’t have any underlying health conditions, but he wasn’t a young man either, so perhaps he should start watching his diet as well. The problem was that he loved the finer things in life, and he hated putting restrictions on the things that brought him pleasure. But taking his continued good health for granted was irresponsible.
At his age, he didn’t have a lot of time left to realize his dreams.
The paranormal division he and Elijah had envisioned many years ago was finally happening, and everything had been working splendidly so far. Even the trainee escape hadn’t been such a big loss because, other than Jin, their talents were not very impressive.