by I. T. Lucas
“Come here!” Dalhu called the soldier to him. “You worthless dog! You do not think! You do not question! You obey!” he hollered and sent his fist flying, at the last moment aiming lower and instead of the guy’s jaw, punching his middle. The powerful punch had the guy double over on the floor, retching his food. Still, the man had been lucky; Dalhu needed his face to remain pretty for tonight.
Taking a steadying breath and then another, Dalhu tried to rein in his rage. It was becoming harder to do lately—the anger would rise at the slightest provocation and linger, poisoning his mood and impairing his thought process. But at least he retained enough self-control to change the trajectory of that punch… Thank Mortdh…
The bastard had a point, though. As shaving was forbidden in the Brotherhood, the few unlucky men born without the ability to grow facial hair were ridiculed and humiliated for not being real men. And to add insult to injury, the poor bastards were not allowed to join the warrior ranks, becoming servants in the barracks or the brothel—a truly disgraceful existence.
Cowering in their chairs, his men were trying to ignore the sight of their comrade wiping his vomit off the rug, but their troubled expressions spoke of all the unanswered questions they still had.
“I know what you’re thinking, but don’t worry, I’ve thought of everything. You’re asking yourselves how are you going to catch and extract the males, without getting too close for them to realize what you are. Right?” Dalhu pulled a small plastic bag with white powder out of his trousers’ pocket. “You’ll thrall the bartender or the waitress to slip this powder into the male’s drink. The drug will make an average sized immortal male sleepy, but although he’ll be too fuzzy to talk or offer resistance, he’ll still be able to walk with your assistance. To the mortals, the male will appear drunk while you’ll look like the good friend taking him home. With the thing being tasteless and odorless, the male will not suspect he is being drugged until it’s too late. Good plan, huh?” Dalhu smiled smugly. The drug connection the Brotherhood had in Los Angeles was proving once again to be a most valuable resource.
“You bring them here for me to interrogate. If you value your own lives, they’ll better be alive and well enough to talk when they get here. So make sure you don’t accidentally overdose any. Even if your intention is to knock the male out, don’t use more than two packets.” Dalhu looked around making sure they got it. “We go out tonight. I’ll text each one of you the address of the club you’ll be scoping. Before you leave, check the map to orient yourself. Make sure to get all clean and scrubbed by eight this evening and dress appropriately. Jeans are okay, a dress shirt, and don’t forget the cologne. No playing with the females until it’s closing time, and then only the willing ones. No thralling until after the deed. Am I clear?”
“Yes sir!” the men acknowledged.
There was really no way for him to ascertain if the thralling occurred before or after the sex, but hopefully, the men feared him enough to follow his orders.
CHAPTER 49: AMANDA
Out of breath and drenched in sweat, Amanda stepped off the treadmill and glanced at Syssi. “I’m done. Are you ready to go up and put in some desk work?”
After an hour-long run at a speed that could’ve put an Olympic athlete to shame, Amanda felt, at last, as if she was done exorcising her demons. For the time being at least… Walking over to the paper-towel dispenser, she pulled one and used it to wipe the sweat off her face.
“Thank God! I thought you’d never stop. I’m exhausted from just trying to keep up at a fast walk,” Syssi said, following behind her.
Being the last two at the gym, the sound of their voices echoed off the walls, making the place feel like a crypt. Hurrying out and stepping into the elevator’s welcoming interior, Amanda was relieved to leave behind the empty gym and the bad memories that had surfaced there.
Syssi was quiet and somber all through the ride up to the penthouse, and Amanda wasn’t in the mood for small talk either. Which was okay. The silence didn’t bother her, and at this point she hoped that Syssi was comfortable enough in their friendship for the quiet to feel companionable as opposed to oppressing.
However, it was time to do something about Syssi’s bad mood and to fix the mess Kian had made.
Feeling like herself again—after she had showered, changed, and spent a good ten minutes applying her makeup—Amanda walked into her office and smiled as she saw her best girl already at the desk. “Ready, sweetie?”
“Show me.” Syssi rolled her chair sideways and pulled another one for Amanda.
It didn’t take Amanda long to introduce Syssi to the proprietary software that was developed by none other than William. The thing was years ahead of what they had in the lab which, of course, meant that any significant trend they’d discover could not be used in the official research papers. But it would save them time by identifying, quickly and efficiently, which of their assumptions were correct and which were not. That way, they could focus their efforts and use the official program on what was more likely to work.
“I have to leave for a little bit. Are you okay here on your own?” Amanda asked once Syssi got the gist of the new program and began uploading the research data they had accumulated over the past several weeks.
“Yeah, I’m good. With this software, I’ll probably be done in a couple of hours. If you’re not back by then, I’ll text you when I have the results so you can decide what you want to do next.”
“Good deal. I’ll check on you later.”
Letting a few minutes go by, Amanda peeked into the office to make sure Syssi was immersed in her work, before sneaking out her front door and closing it soundlessly behind her.
Making the short trek to Kian’s apartment, she walked in without knocking and headed down the hallway.
CHAPTER 50: KIAN
“We need to talk,” Amanda said as soon as she entered Kian’s office.
Lifting his head, Kian grimaced. An angry expression marring her pretty face, she looked ready for battle. Bracing for the attack that was sure to follow, he eased back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest.
Halting in front of his desk, Amanda placed her hands on her hips and began tapping her shoe on the hardwood floor. “What did you do to her this time?” she accused.
He really didn’t have the patience for the scene she was making, and her offensive behavior was getting on his nerves. And what’s more, once it dawned on him that he was the one assuming a defensive posture, his temper flared hot. The little hellcat was the one who was supposed to bow to his authority and answer to him. Not the other way around. He was cutting her way too much slack and forgiving her impudence out of love. But enough was enough.
Uncrossing his arms, he placed his palms on the glossy surface of his desk and pinned her with a hard stare. “What do you want, Amanda?” he barked back, letting some of his anger leak into his voice.
Amanda winced. Plopping down on the chair facing him, she continued in a softer tone. “Syssi is upset and unhappy. You must’ve either done something or said something to hurt her.”
“I know. But I’ll be damned if I know what it was. I hoped she would tell you.” Kian ran his fingers through his hair. Now that Amanda had abandoned her combative attitude, his anger gave way to frustration.
She frowned and straightened in her chair. “Syssi told me she was overwhelmed with all the stuff she had to wrap her mind around, but I know there is more to it. The way she was holding her arms around her middle she seemed almost in physical pain.” Watching him carefully, Amanda searched his face for signs of guilt.
What the hell was she thinking? That he had gotten too rough with Syssi? Except, what if he had? What if Syssi had only pretended to be okay? Kian winced uncomfortably.
It didn’t escape Amanda’s notice. Suspecting the worst, her intense blue eyes began glowing from under her clenched brows.
The hellcat looked ready to tear him a new one.
But then he shook his hea
d. “No, she was fine after we… after we made love… It was only after I told her our story that she clamped down.”
“Tell me everything exactly as it happened. You may not know what you’ve done wrong, but I might.”
“Everything?” Kian cocked his brow with a little smile tugging at his lips.
Amanda waved a hand in front of her face. “Ugh! I don’t need the steamy details! Too much information. Just the sequence of events, and what you said to her, or rather how you said it. We both know you tend to be somewhat uncouth.”
Kian sighed. Maybe she had a point. As a female, Amanda might have the insight he was apparently lacking. Except, he had a feeling that as a near-immortal, her way of thinking would be very different from Syssi’s. But be that as it may, it was worth a shot even if talking with his sister about his relationship with Syssi felt uncomfortable. But what choice did he have?
There was no one else.
“Okay. So last night, after we came back from the club, I didn’t thrall her after the sex. She was spacey from the bite, and I figured it was the perfect time to tell her what was going on; while she was still in a receptive mood and wouldn’t freak out. It just didn’t feel right to keep thralling her and lying to her. I decided to come clean the way we did with Michael. I told her some of it last night and the rest this morning. She didn’t freak out, didn’t panic, but she got upset. Mainly because she figured out that I would have to erase her memory if she didn’t turn. But then she seemed to understand why it was necessary and seemed better, then got upset again and wouldn’t tell me why.”
“Tell me exactly how you explained it to her.”
“Why?”
“Just humor me. I have a feeling your presentation lacked finesse, and since I wasn’t there, the only way I can figure it out is to hear it word for word.” Amanda tapped her long fingers on her biceps, nailing him with her blue stare.
“I told her everything, pretty much the same way we explained it to Michael. Our history, the unique biology, how important both Michael and she might be to the future of our clan. Then I elaborated a little more about the venom and how it works. The first time she really got upset was when she realized she’d be sent away if she didn’t turn. The second was when I explained about the possibility of her getting addicted to the venom. Instead of alleviating her concerns, the more I explained how it could be circumvented by having several different partners, the more cold and distant she became. I think I did the best I could to make it clear that she wasn’t trapped in a relationship with me because of it, and would be free to choose anyone she wanted.” Kian felt his face twist with rage. Just imagining Syssi being approached by another male made him want to shred the hypothetical bastard to pieces. “And believe me, it cost me to get the words out of my mouth,” he growled the last sentence.
“Suave, Kian… really suave, almost two thousand years old and clueless.” Amanda shook her head. “I’m amazed that an intelligent and experienced man like you can be so blind.”
Blind? Who was she calling blind?
She was the one who, oblivious to his state of mind, was fueling his rage with her insolence, instead of offering to calm him down. Breathing hard, he fisted his hands until his knuckles turned white; feeling like anytime now smoke would start coming out of his nostrils and horns would poke out from his forehead, making him look like one of his demonic illusions. “That’s enough, Amanda! I will not tolerate this tone of voice from you. You’re my sister and I love you, but that doesn’t mean I’d allow you to talk to me with disrespect.”
True to form, instead of cowering before him, Amanda bowed her head with mock penitence. “My apologies, Regent, you’re right of course. This era is not very respectful towards its elders.” She smirked.
And just like that she had him disarmed.
“You’re forgiven. Now talk… respectfully…” Kian looked at her sternly, but a smile was tugging at his lips. She’d gotten him there. Was he really too old and rigid? Clinging to some outdated notion of propriety? He didn’t think so.
Kian considered himself an easygoing ruler, far more forgiving and lax than his mother ever was. Amanda would have never dared to use this tone of voice around Annani, even when not addressing her directly.
Amanda straightened her back, and with her hands clasped before her on his desk she looked like a chastened schoolgirl in the principal’s office. All that was missing were pigtails and a naughty schoolgirl uniform to make her performance good enough for a comedy skit.
It was a shame, really, that she couldn’t pursue an acting career… With her looks, natural talent, and predisposition for drama, she would have made it big. Despite himself, Kian shook his head and chuckled.
Using her teacher’s voice, Amanda asked, “How do you feel about Syssi? Think about it for a moment before you answer. I want you to get a clear picture in your head.”
Looking at Amanda’s beautiful face wearing an expression that was composed and serious for a change, Kian was startled by the resemblance she bore to their mother. Most of the time it was masked by the marked differences between them. Amanda was tall as opposed to the diminutive but formidable Annani, and her mischievous and lively demeanor was very different from their mother’s regal composure. Except, right now, the similarity of their features was striking. And for some reason it made it easier for him to open up to his sister.
Still, long seconds passed as he tried to come up with an honest answer. “She is sweet. I like how unassuming she is. She is definitely smart, and not prone to dramatics or exaggerations like some people I know…” Kian looked at Amanda pointedly as she rolled her eyes. “Syssi is beautiful, lush, sensual… lustful… I can’t get enough of her, and she responds in kind… We are definitely in serious lust with each other.” Kian smiled before taking in a hissed breath as memories of their wild lovemaking assaulted his body.
“Are you sure it’s only lust?” Amanda probed gently.
“What else could it be? We’ve known each other for less than four days…” Kian was once again raking his fingers through his by now messed-up hair while avoiding Amanda’s smiling eyes.
“So you didn’t become a jealous monster when another male was sniffing around her, or turn practically demonic just at the thought of her with another guy?” Amanda sounded smug.
Bracing his elbows on the desk, Kian dropped his head on his fists. “I did. Big time.” He sighed. “I was ready to pound Anandur to a pulp, and barely held myself from breaking Alex’s arm when the scumbag touched her. I don’t know what came over me. I’ve never been the jealous type, not even with Lavena, whom I loved… had a child with… I don’t understand what’s happening to me.”
Kian felt guilty.
Why the hell he’d never gotten jealous over Lavena? Was it possible he hadn’t loved her enough? For some reason, questioning what he believed he had with her brought on a despondent feeling.
Over the years, he had cherished the memory of the short time he had with Lavena as a precious nugget of good. A taste of normal—knowing that he would never have that again. But with what he was now feeling for Syssi, he was forced to question the authenticity of those memories.
Amanda watched him with pitying eyes—as if he was slow-minded. “Yet, you’ve told Syssi that she is important to the clan, that she should not fear addiction because she can choose some other male for her mate.”
Kian’s anger flared anew. “So? It’s true! I wanted her to know she is important to us, and I didn’t want her to feel trapped or forced. She has the right to know what her options are.”
Amanda palmed his tightly fisted hand and held it in both of hers with an expression so somber, he was afraid she was slipping into her dramatics again. “You lied, Kian; lied to yourself, lied to Syssi, and by doing so you hurt both of you.”
Yup, she did… Delivering her statement in a perfectly modulated tone to maximize the dramatic effect.
Kian tried to pull away from her, but she held on. “Listen to me
! She is important to you, and you want her to choose you because you want her for yourself, not for the clan. That’s what she wanted to hear, needed you to say, and it also happens to be the truth.”
When he didn’t try to refute her, she continued. “Syssi is not like us. She is not someone who has casual sex. This thing with you means the world to her. The poor girl had just one lover until now and went without sex for two years, for goodness sake… And the way you explained things made her feel like she is nothing to you… Way to go, Kian…” With a last disapproving look Amanda finally let go of his hand.
“I’m an ass…” Kian dropped his head and rubbed at his temples. It was so obvious when Amanda had put it like that. How come he hadn’t realized that before?
“I’m such a moron…”
“No, my dear sweet brother, you’re not a moron, just inexperienced; shagging thousands of women notwithstanding. You don’t know how to deal with your own emotions, let alone someone else’s. You never had to woo a female, so you don’t know how to go about it. But all is not lost. I’ll help you romance her back.” Amanda squared her shoulders, pushing her chin up.
Kian chuckled. “You, Amanda? What do you know about wooing or romance? What does any of us know? We use and discard partners like dirty underwear or used condoms.”
“Okay, Kian, now you’re being crude. As regent, you’re not allowed.”
He dismissed her with a wave of his hand. “In here, I’m just your brother.”
“Could have fooled me… Watch your tone, Amanda… I demand respect, Amanda…” she emulated his haughty tone, crossing her arms over her chest and jutting out her chin.
“Cut the crap. What do you suggest I do, Miss-Know-it-all?”
“I do have some human female friends, and I’ve read a few romance novels, so I do have some idea of what mortal females want—besides the shagging, or in addition to it, that is. You should take her out on a date, make it several dates, to some classy, romantic restaurant, or a show, or the theater. Take her dancing. And gifts—I think mortal females expect that from their suitors. Shower her with attention, but it has to be outside the bed… or the wall… or the closet… or the shower…” Amanda couldn’t help herself and was trying to make him squirm a little. But he just smirked. “Make her feel she is the most important person in the world to you. Tell her how you feel, show her; give yourself to her and make her yours.” Amanda sighed, her little speech evidently making her wistful.