by I. T. Lucas
Dalhu looked stunned—his mouth gaping a little.
Oh, come on, like it was such a big revelation that she'd been clubbing.
"You guys have females on the force?" he gasped, apparently horrified not at the idea of her prowling for men at clubs, but that there were female Guardians.
Well, only one. For now…
And he didn't need to know that…
"Welcome to the twenty-first century, Dalhu," Amanda singsonged, not bothering to conceal her condescending tone.
"Are you guys out of your fucking minds? Who was the moron that came up with that brilliant idea?" Dalhu's eyes darkened again, the irises barely distinguishable from the pupils.
What the hell got his panties in a wad? Not that she thought he was wearing any… The guy was practically seething with rage, which proved that his theory about her touch's magically calming effect was complete crap.
"I know that Doomers still live in the dark ages, but come on, Dalhu, I'm surprised that you still hold on to this kind of bullshit ideas. Women can run countries, fly jets, and aside of growing a set, they can do pretty much whatever males can do. With today’s weaponry, one can be a soldier or a policewoman without having to be physically powerful."
He regarded her as if she was missing a couple of screws. "You think this is about some misogynistic crap? Are you blind to the kind of enemy you guys are sending those females against? Do you have any idea what a female would endure if she were captured? Any fucking idea?"
The vehemence in his voice was getting to Amanda, her gut clenching in a surge of fear and worry. "What?" she whispered, although her mind was already supplying the answer.
"The worst kind of hell imaginable. She will pray for the death that would never come. Should I say more? Or do you get the picture?"
Oh, she got the picture all right. Though knowing Kian, her brother would never risk sending Kri against Doomers. He used the girl primarily for situations that required—or were benefited by—a female taking care of things; like the handling of female clan offenders, and for other internal law enforcement matters.
That being said, though, it wasn't such a big stretch to imagine a situation in which Kri might be dragged into a fight with Doomers. Like when serving as a bodyguard for Amanda, or Annani.
"I get the picture. Thank you very much. But the female Guardians perform only policing duties. No one in their right mind would send them against Doomers. We are well aware of the consequences."
"Thank heavens." Sinking back into the couch, Dalhu relaxed visibly, his body losing its rigidity. "Even before I met you, I would have never, ever, have surrendered a female immortal into the hands of my exalted leader. Never." From the way he'd hissed my exalted leader, Dalhu's opinion of Navuh was clear. "Nor to any of my brethren. In fact, I would've killed whoever needed killing to free her."
Dalhu kept surprising her at every turn. "My knight in shining armor." Amanda planted a loud kiss on his mouth.
Unless… it was one hell of an act to get her to like him…
Nah… To think that he was such an amazing actor was even more incredible than believing she was looking at the only Doomer with a conscience… a brain… and a heart.
Move aside, Wizard, and bow before Amanda—the new queen of Oz…
"You mean it? Or was it sarcasm I've somehow missed …" Dalhu cocked a brow.
"No, I mean it. But you have to swear to me that you're going to send that email tomorrow, first thing in the morning."
"I swear."
"Not good enough. I want you to make a binding oath."
"What do you want me to swear on? I'm sure you don't want to invoke Mortdh's name… unless you are calling on the devil, and as far as I know, you guys do not worship your matriarch that way. And anyway, it wouldn't mean anything to me."
He had a point. There was nothing the guy held sacred, nothing he believed in. Dalhu was mostly opportunistic and self-serving. Though, strangely, he was grounded in some internal moral code that against all odds, considering the attitude of the rest of his buddies, was very protective of women…
Eureka!
"Swear on your mother's memory."
His expression changed in a heartbeat. "How did you know?" he breathed.
"I listened when you told me about her, and it didn't require a degree in psychology to figure out that she meant a lot to you… I bet she still does. She is the flickering flame that kept your soul from being consumed by the darkness you were submerged in, the light that kept a tiny grain of hope alive in your heart. So yeah… I think you would never tarnish her memory by breaking an oath you took in her name."
"I think I've just fallen in love with you."
Did he just say that? Must've been only a figure of speech… Still, her heart fluttered a little. No one had ever said these words to her before.
No one.
"That's very sweet, but I still need the oath, Dalhu."
He took hold of her hand and placed it over his heart, then covered it with his. "I swear on my mother's memory, and that of my sister, that tomorrow morning I will send the email you'll write to your friend, and with the exception of anything that might point to our location, I will make no changes to it."
"That's good. A very nice oath…" Amanda couldn't help but get a little teary… And it had nothing to do with being dramatic… for a change.
Dalhu's sincere vow touched her heart.
"I'm glad you approve." He lifted his finger and wiped away the tear that slid from the corner of her eye. "And I meant what I've said before, about falling in love with you. You see me. The real me. The part that is hidden and protected by layers upon layers of heavy armor; the essence of me that no one aside from my mother and sister has ever gotten a glimpse of."
Lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed it, then did the same thing with the other. "Thank you."
Oh, boy, at this rate she'd be spouting the ‘L’ word back in no time…
Well, maybe not.
Nonetheless, there was no way in hell she was going to use that damned shovel now…
It was such a relief to forsake that abominable plan. She felt as if the darkness in her chest—that foreign evil thing that had taken residence inside her—got sucked up through the top of her head and dissipated.
Whatever, the important thing was that it was gone, and as she sagged against Dalhu and felt her muscles loosen, she became aware of the cramping in her legs.
With a sigh, she lifted her knee and shifted sideways to plop down on the couch.
Stretching like a cat, she lowered her legs over Dalhu's lap and her arms over the armrest, her naked breasts jutting as her body formed a gentle bow.
Dalhu's eyes zeroed right on target. "You still want me to tie you up?" The question was delivered with a rasp that suggested he no longer found the idea repugnant. In fact, he seemed quite eager.
In answer, Amanda crossed her wrists and wiggled her fingers.
"Go for it, big boy. I'm all yours."
CHAPTER 22: SYSSI
After a quick shower, a fresh change of clothes, and a makeup job to make an undertaker proud, Syssi was ready to face Annani.
She was wearing a pair of designer jeans and a silk blouse, one of the new fancy outfits Amanda had made her buy, or rather bought for her using Kian's credit card. The whole stack of them must've been delivered sometime during Syssi's stay in Bridget's hospital room.
God, she still couldn't believe that she'd been so close to not making it through, or that she'd really transitioned. It all seemed like a dream, or a nightmare, depending on how this night would end.
With a sigh, she knocked on Amanda's door.
A moment later, Onidu opened it. "Mistress, please, come in. The Clan Mother has been expecting you." He bowed and waved his arm in invitation, pointing her toward the open terrace doors.
Strangely, Syssi heard several voices as she neared the terrace. Was Annani entertaining someone else at a time like this?
But as she s
tepped outside, the source of what she'd heard turned out to be a tablet. Annani was watching a comedy, and at one point even giggled like a schoolgirl.
God, what a strange family. Two of her children were facing deadly danger, and she was watching some silly sitcom. At a time like this, any normal mother would be pulling out hairs, or biting nails, or crying…
Well, Annani isn't a normal mother.
A normal mother didn't sit in a pool of her own illumination, one that was radiating from her own body, and her giggles didn't sound like the chiming of an angel. Nor was she more ancient than most civilizations yet looked like a seventeen-year-old girl.
Oh, boy, Annani was going to take some getting used to.
Lifting her head away from the screen, the goddess smiled. "Hello, my dear, come, join me."
"Thank you," Syssi said as she took a seat across from Annani.
"No, no, come and sit here beside me." Annani patted the chair next to her.
Reluctantly, Syssi did as she was told. It was still quite unnerving to get so close to all that freakish light.
Annani reached for Syssi's hand and clasped it. "Do not worry, Syssi, everything is going to be all right." She sounded confident.
"How can you be so sure?" Syssi's voice trembled a little.
"Because I know that boy is not going to hurt Amanda."
That boy? Was she calling that evil Doomer a boy? What was wrong with this woman, goddess, whatever?
Annani patted Syssi's hand. "Do not look so incredulous. When I saw Amanda, she did not look like a woman afraid for her life or even her safety. She had this smug smile on her face that could only mean she has that boy wrapped around her little finger like she does every other male."
"What do you mean, you saw her?"
"Remote viewing, of course," Annani said as if it should've been obvious.
Maybe it was one of the goddess's powers. Syssi had only a vague grasp on what Annani was capable of, and besides, she was the last person to doubt someone's special abilities. But then, if Annani's remote viewing were a real thing—a dependable source of information—Kian wouldn't have been so worried.
Apparently, the goddess was a little full of herself. Still, the last thing Syssi wanted to do was to challenge her conviction. If this misguided belief in her superpowers eased her, let her cling to it.
"I see," she said with a nod as if she'd accepted the explanation.
Annani wasn't fooled, though. "Kian is a skeptic, that is why he does not trust my visions, but I have a proven record of accurate remote viewings. And on top of those, I have a little of your talent, though in my case it is more of a gut feeling than a vision."
"Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference," Syssi admitted. "And your gut tells you no one will get hurt?"
"I did not say that. I just know that there will be no carnage tonight. And I am basing this on more than just my gut."
"Like what?" That should be interesting.
"As I said, I believe Amanda is in control of the situation, and the Doomer will not hurt her. As to the men on the team, they not only outnumber him six to one but also have the element of surprise on their side."
"And what about the Doomer himself? What are his chances of getting out of this alive?" Syssi sincerely doubted the possibility. Kian intended to kill the guy. Otherwise, why carry a sword?
"His chances are good. I forbid unnecessary killings."
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. If an enemy is killed during a life and death fight, then his death is sanctioned. But I do not allow the execution of a subdued captive." Annani lifted her chin as if expecting Syssi to object.
In theory, Annani's approach was the morally right thing to do. Except, if they didn't kill enemy warriors, what did they do with the men they captured?
Kian hadn't mentioned any war prisoners being held in the clan's jail even though some Doomers must've been captured recently. The guardians who'd defended both her and Michael from Doomers' attack had most likely taken some of their assailants prisoner. And if they had, where were they?
"I wasn't aware of any enemy prisoners being held down in your basement."
"Oh, Kian told you about the jail? I did not know that. But no, they are not in the jail. They are kept in the crypt."
Crypt? Like a burial chamber?
"I don't understand, you said they are taken alive…"
"Only barely, you see, an immortal can be held in stasis indefinitely. Which means a state in between, like the undead from your lore." Annani chuckled.
"How is it possible?"
"It is a precise art. The victim has to be injected with venom to a point when his heart slows down to almost nothing but still beats—a little more would kill him, a little less and he will revive in short order, regenerating his injuries."
"And that's what you order the Guardians to do?"
"Exactly, we call it injecting to the brink. Then we store them in the crypt." Annani looked like she had just revealed a most clever and marvelous plan.
"Why? What do you plan to do with them?"
Annani's face fell a little. "It is the same question Kian keeps asking me. He does not agree with my decree and he chafes at having to obey it." Annani sighed. "But I just cannot allow it. There are so few of our kind left, and that includes the Doomers. I would be contributing to my own people's extinction if I let it happen. At this time, I have no solution for how to salvage these men. They have been brainwashed since birth and we do not have the resources and manpower to rehabilitate them or keep them as prisoners. So I did the only thing I could think of. I will keep them in stasis for as long as their leadership continues on its destructive path. But if one day something happens to Navuh, hopefully a coup, and the Brotherhood will change its objectives, maybe then I could order them revived."
"Your heart is so full of love… " Syssi said, when something occurred to her. "Are you by any chance the goddess of love?" Annani was, after all, ancient, and who was to say that she wasn't the mythological Venus? Or Aphrodite? Or Ishtar? Or any of the other names different cultures attached to the ideal of love and beauty?
"Maybe I am…" Annani winked.
She was kidding, right?
"Speaking of love, tell me how did you and Kian meet, and when did you fall in love? I adore a good love story. Especially when it involves my precious son."
Was Annani deflecting cleverly? Or did she just enjoy being mysterious? In any case, it wasn't like Syssi could pressure her for an answer.
"Well?" Annani motioned with a wave of her hand.
"We met at Amanda's lab at the university. Kian came to try and convince her it wasn't safe for her to stay there… after the Doomers had murdered that programmer. She, of course, refused to listen to reason. But then his bodyguards called to warn about Doomers outside the lab and he whisked us both away and took us here."
"And what did you think of him when you first saw him? I want all the juicy details, not just the dry facts." Annani's eyes sparkled with excitement.
The goddess apparently not only looked like a teenager but had the mentality to match.
Syssi chuckled. "I thought he looked too good for a mere mortal, and I was right because as it turned out he wasn't."
Annani scooted on her chair to get closer. "Was it love at first sight? Did you know right away that he was the one?"
More like lust at first sight… Not that she was going to admit it to Annani. "I thought he was out of my league and tried to hide behind my computer monitor. I didn't want him to see me."
"Why on earth not? You are beautiful!"
"Thank you. But I'm well aware that compared to Kian and Amanda I'm just ordinary. Anyway, for some reason Kian walked over to my station and forced me to show myself." Syssi shrugged, pretending as if it had been nothing special when, in fact, she had almost fainted. And when he had taken her hand, she'd almost orgasmed just from that one little touch. But again, it was not something she wished to share with Kian's
mother.
Except, judging by the knowing smirk on Annani's beautiful face, Syssi had a feeling the goddess wasn't fooled by her feigned nonchalance.
Annani sighed. "Oh, well, I see that you are uncomfortable sharing the exciting details with me. But at least tell me how it happened.”
Thank God! That I can do.
"After we got to his apartment, Amanda made up a story to explain why we had to run. She told me that the attackers were some religious fanatics who believed our work was evil and had threatened her before. We had a drink and Kian took me home. Once we got there, he thralled me to forget everything that had happened, including himself, and sent me off to sleep." But not before he kissed me senseless.
"Then the next morning he showed up on my doorstep, introduced himself as Amanda's brother, and said I needed to come away with him. When I hesitated, he returned my memories."
"That must have been very confusing for you," Annani said.
"It was. I thought I was losing my mind. But anyway, he took me to his place and that was it."
Annani arched one perfect red brow. "That was when you fell in love with him?"
Syssi blushed. "I've been attracted to Kian from the first moment I saw him, but then any normal woman would. He is so handsome and so impressive. But I realized that I loved him only after I got to know him better and discovered what a sweet and wonderful person he is."
Annani beamed like the proud mother she was. "Just do not ever tell him you think of him as sweet. I think my son will take offense."
Syssi chuckled. "I know. He is like a prickly pear, thorny on the outside but sweet on the inside, and he doesn't want anyone to know he has a softer side."
Annani nodded. "As a leader, he is required to project strength and authority. Sweet will not cut it."
"No, I guess not."
CHAPTER 23: KIAN
Trekking through the sparse forest on foot, Kian cursed. He hated that he was forced to slow down and wait for the mortals to catch up. Again.
He and the brothers could have been at the cabin by now.