Dark Power Untamed (The Children Of The Gods Paranormal Romance Book 50)

by I. T. Lucas

  “I’m not as young as I look.”

  She’d never asked him how old he was, but he couldn’t be more than thirty. Should she ask?

  “How old are you?”

  He smiled. “Guess.”

  “Twenty-nine?”

  “Guess again.”

  “Thirty?”

  He shook his head.

  “Twenty-seven?”

  “You’re getting colder.”

  “Just tell me.”

  “You have to guess.”

  The waiter’s arrival stopped the guessing game, but after they ordered, it was on again.

  “Thirty-one.”

  When he shook his head, Margaret kept going until she reached her own age. “No way.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “You can’t be thirty-eight.”

  He smirked. “I didn’t say that I was.”

  “Thirty-nine?”

  Bowen shrugged.

  “Show me your driver’s license.”

  “Why? Don’t you believe me?”

  “I don’t. You just want me to feel more comfortable with you.”

  “I give you my word that I’m older than you.”

  “You don’t know how old I am.”

  “Yes, I do. Did you forget that I was in the hospital with you when you were admitted? You filled out the questionnaire right next to me.”

  “You must tell me your secret then. How do you manage to look so young?”

  He winked. “I work out a lot.”

  Other than lifting her and carrying her around, Margaret hadn’t seen Bowen exercise even once in all the time they’d been together in the cabin. But then he usually woke up hours before her, so he might have finished his workout routine by the time she got up.

  “That’s it.” She tapped the table. “Once this damn cast is off, I’m starting to lift weights every day. Apparently, my walks on the beach are not doing the trick.”

  “To build muscle, you need to eat protein, and you don’t eat enough of it or anything else for that matter. Chocolate doesn’t count.”

  “You are right. I should have ordered the steak in addition to the fish.” She lifted her hand, pretending to summon the waiter.

  “Don’t forget a side of spinach.” He flexed both arms without even lifting them.

  The bulges were impressive enough to draw the attention of other diners.

  How could he be older than her? He’d given her his word that he was, and Bowen wasn’t the type of guy who would do that and lie.

  Perhaps he was just blessed with incredible genes.

  29

  Bowen

  “Did you enjoy yourself?” Bowen asked as he pulled out of the restaurant’s parking lot.

  “I did. Thank you.” Margaret readjusted her dress. “In fact, I don’t remember ever enjoying myself as much.”

  It had been a very pleasant evening, especially after he’d convinced Margaret that he was older than her. Bowen had employed Leon’s tactics, and they had worked remarkably well. All he’d said was that he was older and let her assume the rest. She’d stopped guessing at thirty-nine.

  Still, if that was the most Margaret had ever enjoyed herself, her life must have been pretty dull. It wasn’t surprising given how long she’d lived in Safe Haven, basically working herself to the bone.

  “I’m glad.” He reached over the center console and gripped her slim hand. “We should do it again tomorrow.”

  She didn’t pull her hand out of his. “You’re spoiling me, Bowen.” She looked at their conjoined hands. “But the truth is that I’m well enough to return to Safe Haven, and I shouldn’t keep you away from your work any longer.”

  “You still need help.”

  “Not really. I can shower by myself, and I can get dressed without help. I also suspect that Leon and Ana are staying in the cabin for my sake. We all need to get back to our lives.”

  “Not yet.” He lifted her hand and brushed his lips over her knuckles. “Stay at least until next Monday.”

  “That’s an entire week.”

  “It will give you time to get stronger. Besides, my goal of fattening you up hasn’t been achieved yet. I want you to gain at least five pounds before you return to Safe Haven.”

  She chuckled. “There are no scales in the cabin. How would you know if I gained anything?”

  “Easy. My arms will be the scales, and I’ll weigh you every morning.”

  Given the soft curve of her lips, she liked the idea. “Frankly, I’m not in a rush to go back. I just don’t want to keep the three of you from getting on with your lives.”

  He cast her a sidelong glance. “If you want to get rid of Leon and Anastasia, just say the word. I wouldn’t mind having you all to myself.”

  She swallowed. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “Are you scared of being alone with me?”

  “What? No! Of course not. You are the only man other than Emmett who I feel safe with.” She looked at her cast. “I’m no good for you, Bowen.”

  “Because of that? That’s temporary.”

  “It’s still going to be there by next Monday. But that’s not the only thing that’s broken about me.” She let out a sigh. “Do you really want to get involved with a former junkie?”

  “As long as it is former and not current, it doesn’t bother me. You’ve hinted at it enough times, so it’s not like I didn’t know. Getting over addiction and keeping clean is a monumental achievement. You should be proud of it rather than ashamed.”

  “There is nothing to be proud of. I was young, weak, and stupid, and I got addicted to painkillers. I wasn’t able to stop, and I only sank deeper and deeper.” She lowered her head. “It got so bad that I was willing to do anything for my next fix.”

  His heart broke for her.

  Had she sold her body for drugs?

  “It’s not what you think,” she whispered. “I didn’t prostitute myself, but I deliberately sought injury to get hospitalized and prescribed more painkillers.”

  He didn’t want to think about how she’d done that, but he had a good idea.

  “How did you get out of it?”

  “I was forced into rehab. While I was there, I met a woman who told me about Safe Haven. At the time, it seemed like my only option. I had nowhere to go and no money, and I was afraid for my life.”

  “Why were you afraid?” He had a good idea, but he needed to hear it from her.

  Margaret shook her head. “That’s a story for another time, or maybe never.”

  Bowen didn’t want to press her. She was opening to him, telling him things she hadn’t before, and if he insisted, she might clam up again.

  “How did you get to Safe Haven?”

  She smiled. “I hitchhiked. Even though I was a recovering junkie, I was still pretty back then. It took me nearly a week to get to Safe Haven, and when I did, I looked like a dirty, starved rat. Emmett took me in, no questions asked. Later, I told him everything, and he still gave me a home and a job. With Emmett’s help, I was reborn in Safe Haven, becoming a completely different person.”

  “He did a good deed, but that doesn’t compensate for what he did to you and the other females in your community. I’m surprised that you never suspected him of drugging you.”

  “Do you know what kind of drugs he used? Maybe they were just mild relaxants?”

  “I have no idea. We should have searched his place, but there was no time.”

  Margaret nodded. “I don’t know what he has done to your people directly, but if they ever catch him, tell them to be kind to him. I’m not mad at Emmett for what he has allegedly done to me, and I bet the others aren’t either. In my opinion, Emmett’s good deeds outweigh the bad.”

  Bowen wasn’t sure of that. He hadn’t heard the latest updates from the interrogation. He should call Peter and ask him what else had been uncovered. Most likely, it was nothing good.

  30

  Eleanor

  It was early in the morning when Eleanor made her w
ay to the office building, the cold air cooling her heated face. When she’d sent Kian a text message asking to speak with him, she hadn’t expected him to invite her to come to his office right away.

  What she needed to talk to him about wasn’t urgent, and her text hadn’t implied that it was.

  The café was still closed, but a few people were already sitting at the tables, enjoying coffee and pastries from the vending machines. A couple of males even smiled her way, which was new.

  It could be because they had heard of her breakup with Greggory, or perhaps people were starting to view her more favorably now that she’d proven her loyalty to the clan.

  The office building’s front door was open, but she didn’t encounter anyone as she climbed to the second floor. The place was completely quiet, which meant that no one other than Kian started their workday that early.

  As she reached his door, Eleanor took a deep breath and knocked.

  “Come in.” His gruff voice didn’t sound welcoming.

  Perhaps he was pissed about something else. The guy had a thousand balls in the air at all times, and she was just the thousand and one.

  Depressing the handle, Eleanor pushed the door open and walked in. “Thanks for agreeing to see me.” She closed it behind her.

  “Take a seat.” The gruff tone didn’t soften, but he motioned to the chairs in front of his desk.

  “Thank you.” She pulled one out and sat down.

  “How can I help you, Eleanor?”

  She smiled nervously. “Perhaps the better question is how can I help you.” She straightened her back and forced herself to look into his intense eyes. “Since I am immune to compulsion, I think that I should be part of the team guarding Emmett.”

  “Annani compelled Emmett not to use his compulsion on clan members, so that’s no longer an issue. Besides, you are not a Guardian yet.”

  “I’m training.”

  “You won’t be ready for many years, and don’t think I’m saying that because I don’t trust you, it just takes that long to go through the training.”

  “Physically, I might not be anywhere near the Guardians’ level of ability, but I have the kind of experience that’s precisely what’s needed in this case, and I believe that I can do a better job with Emmett than they can. Especially given my immunity and my other assets.”

  “Annani also compelled Emmett to tell her everything he knows about his people.”

  Eleanor smiled. “Compulsion is good for many things, but not for getting information unless you know exactly what to ask. If you don’t believe me, ask Peter. He managed to avoid answering many of Emmett’s questions.”

  “I hadn’t considered that, but you are right.” Leaning back, Kian regarded her for a long moment. “Perhaps you can be part of a team. I’ll have to discuss this with Onegus.”

  “So, is it a yes or a maybe?”

  “It’s a maybe.”

  “When will you have an answer for me?”

  He leaned forward. “First, tell me why you want to guard Emmett. Do you want to get back at him for what he did to you?”

  “I’m madder about what Emmett did to Peter than what he did to me, but revenge is not my motive.”

  “Then what is? I know that you are not doing it out of the goodness of your heart or because you believe that you are the best woman for the job.”

  Damn. She didn’t mind telling Peter or even Magnus why she needed to do this, but admitting her real motives to Kian would be awkward in the extreme.

  “Well?” He arched a brow.

  “Actually, I do believe that I’m the best woman for the job. Emmett is attracted to me.” She pushed her chest out. “When Kri suggested I volunteer for the job, she put it quite crudely. She said that boobs make men stupid, meaning that as a female, I have a better chance of getting Emmett to reveal information that he would never have shared with the male Guardians.”

  Kian looked surprised. “Do you plan on seducing him?”

  Eleanor shrugged. “I’m single again, so why not? I can scratch an itch and help the clan at the same time. It’s a win-win.”

  He nodded. “I’m sorry that things didn’t work out between you and Greggory.”

  “Yeah, well. Me too. But it is what it is, and I’m ready to move on.”

  “To Emmett?”

  “Maybe.” She chuckled. “It’s so like me to go for the worst possible candidate. First, I choose a former Doomer, and then I move on to a member of another potentially hostile immortal species, who is locked up in a cell indefinitely. I need a third option. A nice clan member who doesn’t think that I’m a shrew.”

  Kian cracked a smile. “I’m sure there are plenty of those. But in case you develop feelings for Emmett, you won’t be falling for a lifer. I promised him a place in the village provided that the information he gave me about the last location of his people is true.”

  “What if they moved to a different location and didn’t leave any traces behind?”

  “Then the deal is off. Emmett will have to earn his freedom some other way.”

  31

  Kian

  “Good morning, boss.” Onegus strode into Kian’s office and pulled out a chair. “How is your day going so far?” He spread his long legs in front of him.

  “You seem in a good mood. I assume that the gala was successful?”

  “Very much so. Brandon says that the contributions were even larger than the year before.” Onegus flashed him his signature smile. “I would like to think that it was my speech that made the difference.”

  “Bridget said that you dismissed most of her suggestions.”

  Onegus shrugged. “I only took out the tearjerkers. I left everything else in. People come to events like that to enjoy themselves, to hobnob, to mingle, to be seen. You can’t douse them with depressing stuff and expect them to be in a charitable mood. The best way to encourage them to donate is to show them how much good their money will do, insert a little humor and humility, and sprinkle it with some individual success stories to bring it home.”

  Kian hadn’t seen Onegus this upbeat in a long time, and he doubted the generous pledges were solely responsible for it.

  “Did you enjoy yourself?”

  The grin splitting Onegus’s face was infectious. “More than I expected.”

  He had probably met someone whose company he’d enjoyed, but Kian wasn’t interested in the details.

  “Eleanor came to see me earlier. She wants to be part of the team that guards Emmett.”

  “Why? Does she want revenge?”

  “That was my reaction as well, but that’s not what she’s after. Kri convinced Eleanor that she has a better chance of getting Emmett to open up than any of us, and she might be onto something.”

  Onegus shook his head. “Once was not enough for her? Eleanor already played that part with Emmett in Safe Haven, and it didn’t end well for her.”

  “Indeed.” Kian nodded. “She also lost Greggory because of it. Apparently, he couldn’t handle what happened between her and Emmett, which would give the revenge hypothesis more credence, especially given Eleanor’s personality. She’s not the forgive and forget type. On the other hand, she admitted to feeling a strange attraction to Emmett, so it might be about her need to explore that.”

  Onegus rubbed a finger over the cleft in his chin. “That complicates things. It’s one thing for her to go into it with a cold heart and manipulate Emmett to open up to her. It’s another thing altogether if she falls for the bloodsucker.”

  Kian crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t see a problem with that. Carol fell for Lokan, but she never betrayed our trust even once. The clan came before her feelings for him, and him falling for her played a big part in his willingness to cooperate with us and reveal the location of the Doomers' island.”

  “Eleanor is not Carol. But we can mitigate the risk by assigning Peter to the case as well. He knows her, and he can keep an eye on her.”

  “I like your idea with one
caveat. Peter also has a grudge against Emmett, even worse than Eleanor, and if I put him in charge, things could get ugly.”

  “Peter wouldn’t do anything that wasn’t sanctioned by you or me. And having him in charge might be another way to encourage Emmett’s cooperation.”

  Uncrossing his arms, Kian leaned forward. “Are you comfortable with promoting Peter? It would be the first time he’d be in charge.”

  “He’s experienced enough, and this is a low-risk assignment. I’m not worried.”

  Peter had failed his Safe Haven mission, but it hadn’t been his fault. Kian, Onegus, and Turner were as much to blame as he was. The problem was that none of them had taken Eleanor’s suspicion seriously. It had been a curiosity that Kian had wanted to investigate, and they hadn’t put in place contingencies in the event that her suspicions were correct. They had also relied too much on Eleanor’s immunity to compulsion. None of them could have suspected that Emmett was a different breed of immortal who was incredibly strong physically, on top of being a powerful compeller.

  “Put Peter in charge, but have him report to Magnus or directly to you, and keep an eye on him.”

  “Done. When do you want him to start?”

  “As soon as possible. I want to send Arwel to China, and Peter will need a few days to learn the routine.”

  “What about Eleanor? Do you want them to start at the same time?”

  “First, let’s summon them both and see if they are willing to work together.”

  “I don’t see why not.” Onegus pulled out his phone. “I assume that you want to see them right away?”

  “Indeed.” Kian opened the drawer and pulled out his cigarillo box. “I’m going to take a break on the roof. Text me when they get here.”

  32

  Eleanor

  One advantage of working for Kian, Eleanor realized, was how fast he made and implemented his decisions. He’d promised her an answer right after he spoke with Onegus, and since they were meeting right now, she expected him to call her back soon.