DARK GUARDIAN CRAVED (The Children Of The Gods Paranormal Romance Series Book 12)

by I. T. Lucas

  Not exactly a high-class affair, but then Eva had no such aspirations. It wasn’t necessary. Her idea of a good time was a simple, friendly get together, with plenty of good food and quality booze. She could still remember the barbecues at her parents' modest house. Food wise there had been nothing fancier than hamburgers and Budweisers, but her mother had put colorful tablecloths over the folding tables, topping them with fresh flowers from her garden and setting the table with precision. She’d managed to make it look festive without breaking the bank. Everyone had always had a great time.

  Eva had a feeling that Syssi would approve, but she wasn’t so sure about Amanda, especially given the woman’s fancy designer clothes and larger-than-life attitude. Not that Eva cared one way or another. This was her house, and she didn’t feel the need to impress anyone. If Amanda wanted something fancier, she could plan a party of her own.

  Bhathian came back inside. “There is no more room in the cooler. Do you have another one?”

  “No. But you can put the rest in the fridge, and we can refill the cooler later.”

  “Good deal.” He carried the box with the remaining beers into the kitchen.

  “Thank you for inviting Jackson and the guys,” Tessa said.

  Eva smiled. “They are bringing in the food. I don’t think it counts as an invitation.”

  A pink hue crept up Tessa’s cheeks. “I hope they will have some free time to enjoy the party.”

  “They sure will. Not much to do after the food is served.”

  “I was thinking about taking Jackson down to the beach.”

  “After the desserts.”

  “Okay.” Tessa glanced out at the patio, then back at Eva. “We’ve never had guests over before.”

  “No, we have not.”

  “It feels weird. It was always just the four of us, and you specifically forbade bringing anyone over, not that any of us wanted to, but still.”

  Eva put a hand on Tessa’s narrow shoulder. “Is it stressing you out?”

  The girl shook her head. “No. I like Bhathian, and if the rest of his family is as nice as he is, then it should be fun.”

  “I’m sure they are. I wish Nathalie could come, but she doesn’t want to take the baby out of the house yet. It has been only ten days.”

  Bhathian wrapped his arm around Eva’s waist. “She is the cutest little girl ever. Do you want to see pictures?”

  Tessa’s eyes sparkled. “Yes. I would love to.”

  Bhathian whipped out his phone and handed it to Tessa. “There are a lot of them. Just scroll down.”

  “She is adorable!” Tessa squeaked. “Such huge eyes, and all that hair. It’s hard to believe she is a newborn.” She scrolled through a few pictures. “And Nathalie looks so happy. Is that her husband?” She lifted the phone, showing a picture of Andrew holding Phoenix.

  “Yes. That’s Andrew.”

  “He looks so in love with his tiny daughter,” Tessa whispered. “She is a lucky baby to have adoring parents like them.”

  “She is.” Bhathian took his phone back. “And grandparents.”

  “Do you have pictures of them too?”

  Bhathian’s expression was priceless. “No, I don’t.” He stuffed the phone into his back pocket.

  “Oh.” Tessa sounded disappointed.

  “I think there is someone at the front door,” Eva said. “Tessa, could you see who it is?”

  “Sure.” The girl hurried away.

  Bhathian let out a breath. “That was a close one.”

  “You should watch yourself.”

  “I know, and I usually do, but Tessa feels so much like family that I sometimes forget she is not one of us.”

  Eva kissed his cheek. “Maybe she is. And the way you feel about her might be a clue.”

  “Did you talk to Jackson?”

  “About our experiment?”

  “Yes.”

  “Not yet. I didn’t have a chance. I’m going to tell him when he comes in. But we can’t count him as an objective tester. He has feelings for her.”

  A smirk tugged on Bhathian’s lips. “But that’s the thing. I know that boy. He is a chick magnet. Until he met Tessa, he had no qualms about using his charms to get in as many pairs of girls’ panties as he could. He was a player.”

  “What if he still is?”

  Bhathian shook his head. “Not with her. He is different with Tessa.”

  “You’re such a romantic. Jackson is just a boy. Today he is infatuated with Tessa and tomorrow it will be with someone else.”

  “Maybe, and maybe not. Should we bet on it?”

  Gordon walked in with a stack of aluminum foil containers. “Hi, where do you want these?”

  “On the kitchen counter.” Eva pointed.

  “No problem.”

  Vlad was next.

  Closing the procession, Jackson sauntered in. His stack of trays tilting precariously, he bent sideways to plant a quick kiss on Tessa’s cheek and then followed his friends to the kitchen.

  Eva grimaced. The girl looked too happy. She’d be crushed when Jackson moved on. “I need to talk to that boy.” She pulled away from Bhathian.

  He tugged her back. “No need to unsheathe those claws, lady cougar, he has done nothing wrong.”

  “Not yet.”

  “You don’t know that he will, but you know what they say about assumption—it’s the mother of all fuckups.”

  Eva pinned Bhathian with a hard stare. “What are you willing to bet on?”

  “You choose.”

  Oh, that was good. He was going to regret he’d ever made that wager. “Loser does the dishes for the next three months.”

  A toothy grin split Bhathian’s face as he lifted her hand to his lips. “That’s harsh, love.” Teasingly, he brushed them over the back of her hand. “Those latex gloves of yours will come handy.”

  The man was tangling with the wrong woman. “I don’t think my gloves will fit you, big guy. You should stop by Walgreens and get your own.”

  Shaking a finger at her, he laughed. “You’re good.”

  Eva had to give it to her man. He was a good sport. “Thank you.” She inclined her head in a mock bow. “As much as I would like to stay for more compliments, I’d better get Jackson and tell him the score before the party starts.”

  “Don’t worry, you’ll get them after it ends.” Bhathian winked.

  In the kitchen, Tessa was helping the guys organize the trays on the counter, so pulling Jackson aside required a small lie.

  “Jackson, I need your help with something.” Eva waved her hand toward the patio.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Follow me.” She headed out, with Jackson following behind.

  She took him to the furthest corner of the small patio. “I need to talk to you.”

  “I figured.”

  “First of all.” She pointed a finger at him. “If you break that girl’s heart, I’m going to make you regret it for the rest of your extremely long life.”

  “I won’t break Tessa’s heart.”

  “You’re an eighteen-year-old boy. Today you may think she is your one and only, but tomorrow it will be someone else.”

  “For now, we are just friends, Eva. Tessa is not ready for anything else.”

  That was a relief. “Keep it that way.”

  Jackson smiled, and it was clear why females were drawn to him like flies to honey. The boy oozed charm and confidence. “I’m not the one running the show. Tessa is. Whatever she is comfortable with, I’m there for her. I want her to feel free to explore and experiment with no pressure whatsoever coming from me. She needs it.”

  It sounded so altruistic and noble, but could he handle it? From what she’d learned about immortals, males and females alike, they weren’t known for their restraint. It wasn’t going to work unless Jackson was having sex with others while he was “friends” with Tessa.

  “I hope you’re releasing steam elsewhere. It’s not going to work otherwise.”

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nbsp; Jackson’s smile melted away. He looked as if she’d insulted his mother and his entire family. “With all due respect, my sex life is none of your business.”

  “You’re right. I apologize.”

  He nodded. “Apology accepted. I know you love Tessa and want what’s best for her, but putting her inside a protective bubble is not the solution.”

  With a sigh, Eva pulled Jackson into a quick hug. “I can’t help it.”

  The boy pulled away as quickly as he could. “Are you trying to get me killed?”

  She narrowed her eyes. “What are you talking about?”

  He pointed behind her.

  Eva turned her head and stifled a chuckle, finally understanding how her handsome guy earned himself the unflattering nickname ogre. Standing just outside the patio doors, his bulging arms crossed over his massive chest, he was glaring daggers at Jackson.

  She walked over and patted his arm. “Calm down, big guy. This was just a motherly hug.”

  He snorted. “Motherly my ass. You’re too hot for motherly.”

  “That’s so sweet.” She wrapped an arm around his waist and stretched to kiss his cheek. “I need to tell Jackson about our experiment. Can you keep Tessa busy in the kitchen?”

  “What experiment?” Jackson asked.

  Bhathian uncrossed his arms. “Fine. But no more hugging or touching. Motherly or otherwise.”

  She saluted. “Yes, sir.”

  “Phew.” Jackson wiped invisible sweat from his brow.

  “Are all immortals so jealous and possessive?”

  Jackson winked. “Just those who are in love with their mates.”

  Was Bhathian in love with her?

  Was she in love with him?

  Eva had no clue. What was the difference between just loving someone and being in love?

  Rainbows and butterflies?

  She shook her head. “I’d better get to the real reason I dragged you out here. Amanda and Syssi have a new theory about Dormants. They think immortals feel a special affinity toward Dormants and vice versa. That’s the reason behind this housewarming party. We suspect Tessa, Sharon, and Nick might be Dormants. After mingling with them, the immortals are going to report their reactions.”

  It seemed Jackson heard only the part about Tessa. “Tessa is a Dormant?”

  “She might be. I felt something special for each of them when I met them, and it could be the affinity Amanda and Syssi are talking about. Nick and Sharon have unique abilities. Tessa doesn’t. But I think that whatever her special talent is, it’s just stunted.”

  Jackson opened his mouth, then shut it, then opened it again, and closed it again. The poor guy looked like a fish out of water. It was the only time Eva had seen his self-assured countenance waver.

  She clapped him on the back. “Breathe, Jackson.”

  “It explains so much. Why I feel the way I do about her. I think she’s my destined mate.”

  Eva rolled her eyes. “Dramatic, much? You like the girl, and she likes you back. That doesn’t make you destined mates. Use your head, Jackson, and don’t let your heart hijack your brain. I know it’s difficult at your age, but you’re a smart guy. You can do it.”

  He nodded, but from the glazed look in his eyes, she knew her words had fallen on deaf ears. Perhaps she’d gotten it all wrong, and it wouldn’t be Tessa’s heart that was going to get broken. It would be Jackson’s.

  Chapter 10: Jackson

  As he was making rounds with plates of small sandwiches, Jackson was hardly paying attention to the other immortals at the party. Eva hadn’t asked him to do it, but he needed something to keep him busy. It helped muffle the buzzing in his head. Going on autopilot, he fell back on the skills he’d honed running the café, smiling and joking with everyone while pretending nothing had changed, and his world hadn’t tilted sideways, and the ground hadn’t slipped from under his feet.

  Tessa was a Dormant. There was no maybe in his mind. All the pieces had aligned, and the puzzle was solved. She was the one and only for him.

  But she was broken.

  What if she never healed? What if she could never suffer his touch?

  It would kill him.

  Jackson wasn’t as obsessed as some of the other immortal males who had fewer generations separating them from the original gods and their insatiable appetites, but he was a highly sexual creature nonetheless.

  Since he’d reached puberty, Jackson declared himself a lover. Giving pleasure was more important and more satisfying to him than receiving it. He could never be happy with a woman who could barely tolerate his touch. He needed his woman to crave him, to blissfully fall apart in his arms.

  Hell, he wasn’t sure he could even climax unless she did so first. Given the effects of the venom, there was no chance she wouldn’t reach her peak. But that was cheating. A chemically induced orgasm didn’t count. Not in his book.

  “Hey, Jackson. Shouldn’t you refill the platter?” Anandur jerked him out of his thoughts.

  Damn it. Apparently, he’d been offering people an empty tray. “I’ll be right back.” He scurried inside with Anandur’s laughter following him to the kitchen where Vlad was making more bite-sized sandwiches.

  Fucking immortals and their big appetites.

  He lowered his platter to the counter and sat down on a stool. “How long?”

  “Two minutes,” Vlad said.

  Gordon handed Vlad another pack of cold cuts then turned to Jackson. “How come you’re not hanging out with Tessa?”

  “I don’t want to monopolize her time. She’s finally meeting new people and having fun.” It was partially true, and maybe there was no harm in telling the guys what was going on, but not yet. They might talk, and news would spread through the immortal community before Tessa was even told. Besides, he was in no mood to deal with their questions and their excitement. For the time being he’d keep the news to himself.

  Wrapping his head around the possibility that he’d found his one and only at eighteen wasn’t easy. He needed time to think.

  “I’m going out for a few minutes.” Jackson pushed to his feet and headed out the front door. With his long legs eating up the distance, he soon found himself on the beach and broke into a sprint on the sand.

  His mate had been harmed, maybe irreversibly, and there was nothing he could do about it. Jackson funneled the rage into his legs, pumping his arms and running at a speed that was sure to raise a few human eyebrows, but he didn’t care.

  Tessa should be avenged, but he wasn’t stupid enough to think that he could go after the monsters by himself. With no training and no connections, he had no way of even finding them, let alone meting out justice.

  Kian.

  He should approach the regent and ask for his help.

  Kian had what it took. The question was whether he would be willing to do anything about it. Perhaps with Tessa being a potential Dormant, not just a human girl who’d been hurt, Kian would consider allotting resources to avenge her.

  Fuck. It wouldn’t be right to share Tessa’s story with Kian without asking her permission first. Would she grant it?

  Later, when everyone finally went home, he would ask her. Turning around, Jackson sprinted back to the house.

  “Vlad has more ready for you.” Gordon handed Jackson a loaded plate as soon as he entered the kitchen.

  His friends were awesome. There was no way they hadn’t noticed that he was acting strange, Vlad and Gordon knew him too well to be fooled by his fake smile and well-practiced swagger, and yet they let him be.

  Not Tessa, though.

  Her big eyes full of concern, she stopped him and took a tiny sandwich off his tray. “What’s going on? You look troubled,” she whispered.

  Futile given the company but she didn’t know that.

  He faked a grin. “Just waiting for everyone to go home so I can be alone with you.”

  He heard Kri snicker, and then Michael shush her.

  Tessa blushed. “What do you want to do?”
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  “How about a walk on the beach?”

  She sighed. “That would be lovely.”

  Kri must’ve spread the word because half an hour later people started saying their goodbyes.

  Bhathian caught him by the elbow. “Way to clear the party.”

  “It wasn’t me. The food is gone.” Which was true. Jackson and Eva had underestimated the quantities.

  Bhathian waved a finger at him. “You’re one lucky bastard to find a good excuse.”

  “Yeah. Lucky is my middle name.” The sarcasm dripped from every word.

  “Jackson, my man, you don’t know shit. Take it from someone who’d learned it the hard way. Today’s troubles might bring tomorrow’s joys and the other way around. The bloody Fates are fickle and love tangling things up for us.” He squeezed Jackson’s shoulder and leaned to whisper in his ear, “Besides, you’ve done me a favor. I wanted everyone gone too. Any chance you can get Eva’s crew out as well?”

  Jackson eyed the guy. “No, I can’t. And why did you give me grief about it when you wanted the same thing?”

  “For shits and giggles. You’re taking yourself too seriously.”

  Easy for him to talk. He hadn’t found his mate and discovered she might never be his…

  Fuck, he had, hadn’t he?

  Bhathian had found Eva thirty some years ago, had her for one night just to get a taste of how good it could be, and then lost her. The lonely years of searching for his one-true-love mate must’ve been torture.

  How had he survived?

  “I’m glad you and Eva found each other again.”

  “Me too. But if you think this is the happy ending, you’re wrong. Everything worth having in life takes a lot of work. And there is nothing more worthwhile than your mate.”

  “Amen to that.” Jackson glanced around, looking for Tessa and finding her hauling a big trash bag.

  “What are you doing with that?” He ran up to her and snatched the bag from her hands. “This thing is almost as big as you.” He lifted the bag and strode outside to the trash bin, depositing it on top of a couple of others.