by I. T. Lucas
Instead of rushing to do it, they should have waited a little longer, a week or two at the least.
Hopefully, the bond combined with Kalugal’s potent venom would be enough. The guy was three-quarters god, which she still had a hard time wrapping her head around. Lokan was as well, and that was even harder to accept. Kalugal was much more impressive than his older brother, which was why Lokan’s equally superior blood didn’t get mentioned as often as Kalugal’s.
Perhaps if Kalugal failed to induce Richard’s transition, they could ask Lokan to do it.
“Would you like some nuts?” Jacki asked.
Stella opened her eyes. “No, thank you. My stomach is churning, but perhaps a little wine will calm it down.” She took a long sip from her glass and then put it back on the coffee table.
“Try to relax.” Edna patted her knee. “Close your eyes and think happy, calming thoughts. When I need to calm down, I imagine sitting on the beach and watching the waves.”
“I’ll do that.”
Leaning back, she closed her eyes, but her thoughts were the opposite of relaxing. She was still uneasy about helping Richard guess her secret. She trusted him not to tell anyone, but what if he accidentally blurted it out?
Richard had no filter, which was one of the things she liked about him. But it wasn’t conducive to keeping secrets.
What would Kian do if he discovered what she’d been hiding for all those years?
Should she let Richard tell him?
To what end? It wasn’t as if Kian could search for a small group of immortals hiding among a population of close to two billion people, and in countries with problematic political environments.
Where would he even start?
She’d met Vlad’s father in a bar in Singapore, but he could have been a tourist there just like she had been.
Even after all these years, Stella remembered Vrog well. He was tall, taller than Vlad, dark-haired and dark-skinned, and incredibly handsome. She’d been drawn to him like a moth to a flame, which she figured must have been the affinity at work.
He hadn’t picked her. She’d picked him, and he somehow had managed to hide what he was.
Vrog was definitely a different kind of immortal. They’d hooked up several times, and he hadn’t bitten her even once, which meant that his need to bite wasn’t as strong as that of other immortal males.
The sex had been phenomenal even without the benefit of the venom bite.
Vrog had been dominant in a playful kind of way. He’d loved her assertiveness, and he’d enjoyed subduing her, which she allowed him to do because she needed to pretend to be a weak human female, and because she’d enjoyed their games.
Then one time, she’d gotten carried away while in the throes of passion, got on top of him, and pinned him to the mattress, using her real strength. When his eyes blazed crimson and his fangs elongated, she’d been too stunned to react, and then he’d flipped them over and had shown her what he was really capable of.
He’d bitten her then, and she’d blacked out, but not before experiencing several powerful orgasms in rapid succession.
When she’d woken up, he was sitting on the bed beside her with his head hanging low.
“I screwed up,” he murmured. “Forgive me.”
She put a hand on his back. “So did I. Are you a member of the Brotherhood?”
He turned to look at her. “What are you talking about?”
“The Brotherhood of the Devout Order of Mortdh.”
“Never heard of them. What are they?”
“My clan’s enemies. There aren’t supposed to be any other immortals aside from them and us. Where did you come from?”
One corner of his lips lifted, but it wasn’t a smile. “We didn’t know that there were any others like us either. And we are not immortal. Just long lived.”
“Semantics. And who are ‘we’?”
“I can’t tell you. Our survival depends on no one knowing that we exist.” He pinned her with a hard stare. “I can’t manipulate your mind. Why is that?”
Stella tilted her head. Maybe he’d lied about belonging to a community of immortals. If he was part of a group, he would’ve known that immortals couldn’t thrall one another.
“I’m a near-immortal, like you. We can only manipulate the minds of humans. Didn’t you know that?”
“I’ve never tried to manipulate the mind of anyone in my community. It’s forbidden. Besides, when I tried to get in your head, I didn’t know what you were. I thought that you were just freakishly strong. But then you confirmed it. We are both so royally screwed.”
“Why do you keep saying that? It’s not a big deal. I’ll vow not to tell anyone about you, and you will vow not to tell anyone about me.”
He shook his head. “One small problem. I got you pregnant.”
A laugh bubbled out of Stella’s chest. “Even though we didn’t use protection, that’s highly unlikely. Besides, how would you know that?”
“How would you not? Can’t you feel the new life growing inside of you?”
“What life? We’ve just had sex. Your sperm is still swimming upstream and looking for an egg to fertilize.”
“You were out for hours, Stella. My sperm and your egg are now the beginning of a new life. Your people can’t tell when a female conceives?”
“Not this early in the pregnancy.”
“You’ll have to abort it.”
Instinctively, Stella put her hands over her belly. “With how low our chances of conception are, I didn’t plan on getting pregnant. But when a miracle happens, you don’t get rid of it. If there is indeed a life growing inside of me, I’m going to cherish it.”
“You have to abort it. If my leader finds out, she will have both of us killed.”
That sounded extreme. “Why?”
“We are not supposed to have sex with humans, and certainly not with others like us. But that’s not as grave of an offense as planting my seed inside of one. I shouldn’t have done it.”
“Then who are you allowed to have sex with?”
“With my leader. I belong to her.”
That sounded so wrong, and it made Stella feel dirty. She’d just had an affair with a mated immortal. Even if Vrog and his leader had a mating of convenience, or it had been arranged, it was still wrong of him to cheat on her.
“Do you love her?”
He shook his head. “It’s my duty to serve her.”
Stella wondered whether he never mentioned his leader’s name on purpose. Perhaps she didn’t allow it? What if she was forcing him to have sex with her? The female sounded like a major bitch.
“To me, it sounds like you are being sexually exploited. Maybe you should defect and join our community. I could put in a good word for you with my leader.”
A spark appeared in his dark eyes. “Is she kind?”
“She is.” Just to err on the safe side, Stella decided to talk in generalities and not mention any names. Not Kian’s and especially not Annani’s. “If you plead your case, I’m sure she will allow you to join after a period of probation.”
The tiny spark in Vrog’s eyes dimmed. “I can never break my pledge to my leader. I’m hers to do with as she pleases.”
“Seriously, dude? What hold does she have over you?”
“You don’t understand. Once a vow is given, it cannot be broken. The consequences would be disastrous.” He pinned her with a hard stare. “Are you willing to risk the lives of the people you love for your own selfish reasons? Because that’s what breaking a vow will do. It’s always taken on the life of someone you hold dear.”
If she ever met Vrog’s bitch of a leader, she was going to punch her in the face. “That’s so twisted, but if you believe in that, how are you sleeping with other females? I’m sure I’m not the first one you cheated with.”
“The vow wasn’t about sex. I vowed to never leave her, and to obey all of her commands.”
“Oh boy. Did she command you to force your lovers to abor
t your babies?”
“No, she commanded me not to plant my seed in anyone but her.”
“So, you’ve already broken that vow. What’s another one?”
“It was unintentional. I can tell when human females are ovulating, and you weren’t. It just happened spontaneously.”
“Yeah, that’s how it works for us. We don’t ovulate unless there is a chance of conception.”
“How was I supposed to know that? I didn’t disobey on purpose.”
“So it doesn’t count?”
“It’s a loophole.”
“Loopholes are good. We can find more.” Rubbing a hand over her belly, Stella realized that she was still naked and pulled up the blanket to cover her breasts.
Vrog’s story sounded crazy, but he really believed that he’d gotten her pregnant. What if he had?
What if there was a life growing inside her? It was both scary and exciting.
“You must realize how important this child is to me, right? We would be on our way to a doctor if it wasn’t.”
He nodded.
“If I vow on the life growing inside of me that I will never tell anyone about you, I would never dare to break it, and that would satisfy the directive of keeping your existence secret. So, if you let me go, you won’t be breaking any vows or disobeying your leader’s commands.”
His eyes looked tortured. “What if the child comes out looking like me?”
“What of it? You can pass for a human. Hey, you fooled me, and I should have realized that you were one of mine.” She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at him. “Except, you aren’t. You’re something different altogether. But that’s beside the point. My people would assume that my child’s father is human, and your people should never find out about it.”
58
Richard
“I suggest that we do it outside.” Kalugal opened the patio doors. “That grassy area should be good enough.”
Richard would have preferred to have a mat to land face down on, or even a carpet. Swallowing dirt while Kalugal bit his neck wasn’t his idea of fun, but then nothing about it was.
Well, that wasn’t true. Getting subdued and bitten by a male wasn’t, but the venom trip and the possibility of immortality were well worth it.
He followed Kalugal out into the yard. “I guess beggars can’t be choosers.”
“If you prefer, we can do it in the living room.” Kalugal waved a hand in the general direction of the couch. “We can move the furniture to clear some space in the middle.”
“I have to admit that the carpet looks more comfortable.”
“The grass and the earth under it are softer, but it’s your choice.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll help you move the furniture.” Rufsur lifted the coffee table with everything still on it and carried it to a corner.
“We can push the couch all the way against the wall,” Jackie said as she got up.
Edna pushed to her feet as well.
Oblivious to what was going on around her, Stella looked like she was in a trance, or maybe she was sleeping.
“Stella, sweetheart.” Jacki touched her arm. “Do you want to get up, or are we going to push the couch with you on it?”
“I’m up.” Stella’s eyes popped open, and she rose to her feet.
Kalugal put his hand on Jacki’s shoulder. “You are not moving furniture, my love. Let the men do that.”
“We’ve got it.” Rufsur grabbed the couch on one side, and Richard on the other.
When a decent square of floor had been cleared, Kalugal turned to the judge. “You are probably the only one here who remembers the precise wording of the ceremony. Would you mind reciting it for Richard?”
“It would be my pleasure.”
Richard lifted a hand to stop her. “Please, don’t. It’s embarrassing by now. I’ve been induced four times already, and this is going to be my fifth. I’d rather just fight Kalugal and get it over with.”
Edna shook her head. “That makes the ceremony even more important. You’re not going for a sixth attempt, are you?”
“No, this is the last one. I officially hold the dubious title of the most induced male in the history of the clan.” He’d wanted to say the most induced Dormant, but he wasn’t sure that he was.
“Then let’s do it right.” Edna cleared her throat. “We are gathered here to witness Richard’s fifth transition attempt. Many have already vouched for his worthiness, and I add Rufsur’s and my vote to that list.” She turned to Kalugal. “Who volunteers to take on the burden of initiating Richard into his immortality?”
Kalugal lifted his hand. “I do.”
Edna turned to Richard. “Richard, do you accept Kalugal as your mentor and protector, to honor him with your friendship, your respect, and your loyalty from now on?”
Richard cast a glance at Stella. He couldn’t pledge unconditional loyalty to Kalugal while keeping her secret.
As if reading his mind, Kalugal raised his hand. “David put in a mate clause during his ceremony, and I suggested that his qualification should be included in the official wording. I’m sure Edna can phrase it better, but the gist of it is that you vow to fulfill those obligations to me only as long as doing so doesn’t negatively impact your mate.”
That would solve his problem. “I like it.” Richard looked at Edna. “Is it okay if I add the qualification?”
“David created the precedent. Go ahead.”
Richard looked at Stella. “I pledge my loyalty, friendship, and respect to Kalugal, but only if that doesn’t negatively impact my mate. Stella will always come first.”
Nodding, Edna turned to the others. “Since I know for a fact that no one here objects to Richard becoming Kalugal’s protégé, let’s seal it with a toast.”
Richard could think of at least one person that might have objected, but Kian wasn’t there.
Rufsur came out of the kitchen with a wine bottle and wine glasses on a tray.
“Help yourself.”
When everyone had a glass in hand, Edna raised hers. “To Richard and Kalugal.”
With the ceremonial part done, all that remained was to fight. It felt weird to attack the guy after all the nice things they had promised each other, but that was how the ritual worked, and Kalugal wasn’t going to attack first.
“Come on, Richard.” Kalugal beckoned him. “I don’t have all night. Charge me!”
He did, and it was game over in under a minute. Kalugal only looked like a dandy, but he was as fast as lightning and well-trained.
“Nighty night, my friend,” he teased before sinking his fangs into Richard’s neck.
59
Sari
“Thank you for coming.” Sari hugged Amanda and then Syssi and Kian.
Dalhu didn’t look like he wanted to be hugged. In fact, he looked extremely uncomfortable.
Anandur and Brundar nodded their heads but didn’t enter. They were going to remain outside the funeral home and guard the doors.
“Let me introduce you to Ronja and Lisa.” She motioned for them to follow her to the front row, where David was seated with the last two remaining members of his family.
She stopped in front of Ronja and leaned down. “My brother and sister and their partners are here,” she whispered. “They would like to say hello.”
Ronja’s red-rimmed eyes widened. “Oh, dear. I can see the family resemblance.”
Next to her, Lisa just gaped.
“My condolences.” Kian dipped his head. “I’m Kian, and this is Syssi, my wife.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss,” Syssi added.
“May Frank’s soul find peace on the other side of the veil,” Amanda said. “I’m Amanda, Sari’s sister, and this is Dalhu, my partner.”
Ronja pushed to her feet and then glanced back at her and Frank’s friends, who were gaping at the newcomers with open curiosity. “I’ll have to tell them that my future daughter-in-law comes from a family of Scottish actors.�
� She leaned in and whispered, “Can you all speak with a matching Scottish accent?”
“That won’t be necessary.” Kian’s expression was annoyed as he leaned down and said quietly, “After the ceremony, they are not going to remember us.”
Sari assumed that he was bothered by the stares and not by Ronja’s comment.
“Oh, right. I forgot.” Smiling, Ronja put a finger on her lips. “Not another word about that.”
Sari was glad to see her mood improve.
It had been a difficult weekend, with Lisa and her mother vacillating between crying fits and reminiscing fondly about Frank. Sometimes they’d even laughed at a joke that David cracked, or at some funny anecdotes from their lives.
As the double doors opened and Bowen entered with Frank’s elderly mother, Ronja’s eyes filled with tears again. “Excuse me, but I need to take care of my mother-in-law.” She put a hand on Lisa’s shoulder. “Come. A hug from you will make Grandma Mattie feel better.”
Sari’s heart twisted with compassion and worry. Frank’s mother was eighty-seven years old, and she looked it. Leaning heavily on a walker, she was nearly bent in two. She wasn’t crying, but her sorrow was written all over her weathered face.
There was no worse loss than that of the child, even if that child was over sixty.
David had offered to pick Frank’s mother up from her home in Las Vegas and fly with her to Anaheim, but Sari had convinced him to stay by Ronja and Lisa’s side. She’d sent Bowen instead.
The Guardian had picked her up from her home, flown with her on a commercial flight to Orange County, and brought her straight to the funeral.
Hopefully, she would survive the ordeal, but Sari feared that the tragedy would shorten the remainder of her life.
Perhaps she should do something about it and ease her sorrow, just a little thrall to make the frail woman feel better.
Sari waited until all the introductions were made, and after everyone was seated, she crouched in front of Frank’s mother. “Can I get you something to drink? Perhaps water?”