Dark Enemy Captive (The Children Of The Gods Paranormal Romance Series Book 5)

by I. T. Lucas

  “Who are the typical customers?”

  “The rich, powerful and corrupt. From all over the world.”

  “That doesn’t tell me much, could you be more specific?”

  “It’s not as if I went around asking questions and mingling with the guests. But the girls aren’t required to be as tight-lipped with the soldiers as they are with the other clients, and they like nothing more than a piece of juicy gossip. Then again, it’s not like the johns introduce themselves by name and title. From what I’ve garnered, though, they are a diversified crowd; drug lords, arms dealers, oil tycoons, officers of large corporations, politicians, judges, professors, and even the occasional royal.”

  Andrew frowned. “I bet that it isn’t only money your leader collects from his distinguished clientele. Information and favors most likely bring an even greater profit.”

  No doubt.

  Kian was starting to wonder if he hadn’t deluded himself over the years, thinking the clan had at least a financial advantage over the Doomers. From what Dalhu was telling them, it seemed Navuh created his own fountain of gold.

  But again, although enlightening, the information was useless. “Where are you going with this, Andrew? It’s not like we can do anything about it. Even if we can get a mortal in there, what could one guy do?”

  “Information, as I’ve said before, is priceless. And you need as much of it as you can get because you never know when it would become handy. Knowing who the Brotherhood has in its pockets is in itself vital. And even if we can’t do anything to help the women already trapped there, maybe we can do something about the supply end of it.”

  Apparently, there was such a thing as an information addiction, and Andrew had it bad. “I’m sorry, Andrew, but from where I stand, the risk is not worth the potential gain. To me anyway. Our clan is not the government.”

  Andrew’s brows drew tight. “I’m not sure you’re right about that. I’ll collect what I can from Dalhu and analyze it.” He smiled. “You know I would love to sink my teeth into this.”

  Okay, the guy is both information and adrenaline junkie. “Even if I were willing to risk you on a suicide mission like this, which I’m not, your sister would kill me if I did. So when you think of a plan, don’t include yourself in it. Not going to happen.”

  Andrew pinned him with a hard stare. “Syssi wasn’t privy to my missions before, and she is not going to be in the future. And last I checked, I’m not working for you, and you have no authority over me.”

  “Uhmm…” Anandur cleared his throat.

  Damn. Kian really liked the guy, but Andrew was a pain in the ass—with an iron will and no respect for authority.

  Still, he was right about the independent agent status, and it was something Kian intended to remedy as soon as possible. If putting the guy on payroll was going to make him more manageable, Kian would hire him in a heartbeat. “We will discuss this later.”

  Andrew nodded and turned back to the Doomer.

  And what do you know, it was the first time Kian had seen Dalhu smiling.

  “Wipe that smirk off your face,” Kian barked at him. “And you too.” He pointed a finger at Anandur.

  “Yes, sir.” Anandur saluted and turned his face to the wall, but his heaving shoulders betrayed him.

  The Doomer had his head bowed down as if concentrating real hard on the scuff on his boot.

  Damn, what did a guy have to do to get some respect…

  CHAPTER 35: ANDREW

  Three hours, God knows how many drinks, and a platter of munchies later, Andrew was finally satisfied that he’d squeezed out of Dalhu all there was to squeeze.

  To follow were the profiles of the top players in Navuh’s camp, and a map of the island, or rather the parts Dalhu was familiar with.

  Not that an infiltration seemed likely.

  Unfortunately, Andrew had to agree with Kian. Aside from a spying solo mission, gathering information of a doubtful strategic value, there wasn’t much to be gained considering what he’d be risking. Like his head.

  Still, he was itching to go.

  It was dangerous, and finding who he could blackmail into getting him on the guest list might prove difficult if not impossible. But the idea filled him with renewed vigor and excitement the likes of which he hadn’t felt in a long time.

  He craved adventure, and Amanda’s rescue hadn’t even come close to providing enough of a challenge to sate it.

  The need to get back the vitality that he felt was leaching out of him at his desk job grabbed him so hard, it overshadowed what he had believed was his quest for Amanda’s affections, making a mockery out of it.

  Given a choice, he would take the mission and dump Amanda in Dalhu’s lap, wishing them the best of luck with a big smile on his face.

  And wasn’t that a revelation.

  Yeah, she was beyond gorgeous, and hot. And competing for her with another man had been a challenge, which he had to admit was part of the lure. But she had not touched his soul the way she had obviously touched Dalhu’s. So, even though he still believed himself to be a far better choice for Amanda than the Doomer, and even though with time a deeper connection might’ve been forged between them, he would be deceiving her and himself if he pretended she had won his heart.

  Perhaps she was better off with a lesser man, yet one who loved her with everything he got.

  But then, there was Kian.

  A big, stubborn obstacle in both Andrew and Amanda’s way.

  During the long hours of questioning, Kian’s attitude toward Dalhu had improved somewhat, and a couple of times he’d even addressed the guy by name instead of spitting the derogative Doomer. Yet to hope that he would come around and allow anything between Amanda and Dalhu was ludicrous.

  And unless Andrew could come up with a very convincing rationale behind his quest to infiltrate Passion Island, that wasn’t going to happen either.

  He would most definitely be facing an uphill battle, and so would Amanda if she was still interested in Dalhu.

  Though if she was, Andrew doubted even Kian would be able to keep her away from what she wanted. Blood would spill, and Annani would have to put her little, yet formidable foot down to keep her children from tearing each other’s throats out.

  On a more positive note, Kian had invited Andrew to stop by tomorrow to discuss the possibility of Andrew’s inclusion in the clan’s organization. Kian had also instructed Anandur to take Andrew to William, where he’d been given a transmitter to install in his car that would allow him access to the clan’s underground parking, and his thumbprint had been taken and encoded into the reader of the clan’s private elevators.

  So progress had been made—he’d been officially accepted into their inner circle—as evidenced by the fact that he was strolling down the corridor of the basement’s top level, unescorted, on his way to the clinic.

  Now that he’d decided not to pursue Amanda, nothing prevented Andrew from visiting the lovely Dr. Bridget and letting her check him up, or out, or any other way she had in mind when she’d invited him the other night to stop by.

  In fact, Andrew felt quite proud of himself. Bowing out from the competition was the right thing to do.

  He wished Amanda good luck.

  Though not a religious man by any stretch of the imagination, he felt like offering her a blessing to echo his own epiphany. May you find the wisdom to realize your heart’s desire, the strength to acknowledge it, and the courage to pursue it.

  The end… for now

  * * *

  Amanda’s Story Continues in

  Dark Enemy Redeemed

  Available on Amazon

  TURN THE PAGE FOR AN EXCERPT

  DARK ENEMY REDEEMED

  CHAPTER 1: AMANDA

  “Are you sure? Not a single karaoke machine?”

  Freaking Lana probably hadn’t bothered to even look for it.

  “Niet, I found one in a bar, but the owner not want to sell.”

  “How much did you offe
r?”

  “Two thousand.”

  “You should’ve offered more.”

  “We buy the vodka and the fish you want, and this was all the money left from what you give me.”

  While the Anna moored for the night in Avalon harbor, Amanda had sent Lana and Sonia with instructions to buy supplies and find a karaoke—whatever the cost. Because c’mon, a party wasn’t a party without one.

  Especially since this one would be missing the most important element—hunky guys.

  Regrettably, though, twenty-three hundred and some change in cash had been all she’d had on her, and the Russians had refused to take her credit card.

  The obvious solution would’ve been to go with them, but she preferred to stay on board—not only because their company was such a dubious pleasure, but because she dreaded encountering horny males and their lustful, leering looks.

  Which was sure to happen if she were to grace the streets of Avalon.

  There was a price to be paid for beauty, and enduring leering glances from men wasn’t even the worst of it—heck, most of the time she didn’t mind.

  Topping the list were the resentful looks from other females, followed closely by the presumption that all beautiful women were airheads.

  Come to think of it, most people, males and females alike, found her looks intimidating.

  So yeah, she had been enduring leering glances since she was scarcely a pubescent girl, but they hadn’t bothered her before—on the contrary, most times she’d found them arousing.

  But nothing was as it used to be.

  She was horny, but at the same time felt nauseated by the prospect of a meaningless hookup. And earlier, during her afternoon nap, when she’d given self-pleasuring a halfhearted try, it had been more of the same.

  Because there was only one male she was able to fantasize about, but the guilt and loathing associated with her attraction to Dalhu wasn’t exactly conducive to that particular activity.

  Shit. It was hell, and it seemed she was going to be stuck in this purgatory for the foreseeable future.

  Oh, well, there was nothing to be done about it, except giving it time.

  Besides, as the Anna swayed gently on the pull and ebb of the tide, lying on a lounger on her top deck wasn’t exactly a torment. And the fishy, salty smell of the murky waters wasn’t all that bad either. Actually, it could have been quite pleasant if not for the diesel fumes wafting up from the boat’s engines.

  Fates, how she missed the era of old-fashioned sailboats. The experience had been completely different—the ocean had smelled wonderful—unpolluted.

  On the other hand, there was something to be said for the speed, luxury, and modern amenities of the Anna.

  This was the thing about life—nothing was ever perfect, and to gain one thing you often had to sacrifice another.

  And wasn’t that an inconvenient truth.

  She’d found spending the day with a good book relaxing and would’ve loved to keep on reading, but the sun was getting low on the horizon, and even though the drop in temperature wasn’t all that significant, it was getting too chilly for lounging in a string bikini.

  With a sigh, Amanda closed her book and padded inside.

  Back in her cabin, she eyed her laptop. Maybe she should check her email to see if the design ideas for Syssi’s wedding gown were ready.

  Joann had been amazing, as always, and had contacted all of her designer friends, asking if they’d be willing to do a rush job. But with less than two weeks from idea to final fitting, only two had accepted the challenge of creating an original, breathtaking masterpiece for Amanda’s best girl.

  Nothing less than spectacular would do for Syssi.

  With a frown, Amanda wondered if anyone remembered Kian. After all, the groom also needed something new and fabulous for the event. Unless, her brother was planning on showing up at the altar in his fancy Regent robe.

  Yeah, right, she chuckled. In her opinion, he looked dashing in it, regal, but she was well aware that Kian detested the thing.

  Maybe she should call him and suggest the robe. At first, Kian would blow up, but then he’d realize it was a joke and they would have a good laugh about it.

  Or maybe not.

  Amanda plopped down on the king-sized bed and crossed her arms over her eyes. She was dimly aware that the suntan oil she was covered with would leave a sticky imprint on the sheets, but she just didn’t give a damn.

  Who cared about bed linens when she was contemplating the depressing prospect of never regaining the easygoing, loving relationship she and Kian had enjoyed prior to this whole ugly mess.

  Her hand reached for the phone, and she was tempted to hit his number.

  But what would she say to him? Ask for his forgiveness?

  If she believed it would mend things between them, she would’ve done it in a heartbeat. Pride, or who was right and who was wrong, was of no consequence when the stakes were so high.

  Amanda just wanted her brother back.

  Instead, she selected Syssi’s number.

  “Just a sec,”—Syssi answered after the first ring—”let me get someone off the other line.”

  “Take your time.”

  Syssi came back after a few moments, puffing as if she’d been running. “I’m all yours.”

  “What’s going on? You sound harried.”

  “You think? You try planning a wedding for six hundred guests. Neither your mother nor I have any experience in organizing events. And before you ask, no wedding coordinator worth her salt will take the job on such short notice. Ugh, it’s going to be a disaster.”

  Amanda smiled. “Who’s the drama queen now? Relax, it’s going to be amazing. It shouldn’t be all that difficult to arrange for good food, lively music, tasteful decorations, and most importantly—a gorgeous wedding dress.”

  “Yeah? The way things are going it seems Okidu will have to cook, decorate, and sew the dress. Because every caterer and florist I’ve called has practically laughed in my face. I had no idea these people are booked months in advance—some even years.”

  “This is actually a splendid idea. Between Okidu and Onidu and my mother’s two, the Odus will have no problem pulling it off. All you need to do is give them a menu, including the recipes, show them pictures of how you want it to look, and they will take it from there.”

  “You must be kidding, right?”

  “I’m dead serious. They can do all of it, except for the dress, which I got covered.”

  “Oh, yeah? Do tell.”

  “Hold on, I’m checking my email. Joann, bless her soul, found not one, but two designers who were willing to take on the challenge, and I’m waiting for the initial sketches.” She quickly scrolled through her inbox, but there was nothing from Joann. “Nope… nothing yet. As soon as I have something, I’ll forward it to you.”

  “That’s wonderful, thank you. Joann has impeccable taste, I trust her completely.”

  “Good, I was afraid you’d hate me for not checking with you before talking to her.”

  “Nah, after outfitting me with an entire wardrobe of fabulous, I trust her to come up with something I can’t even imagine. I’m all for letting the pros do their thing. One less item to worry about.”

  “Poor Syssi, you sound as excited about this wedding as if it was somebody else’s.”

  “I know, right? I hate big events, and being at the center of one is my personal idea of hell. If it were up to me, it would’ve been just Kian and me, you, Andrew, and Annani. That’s it.”

  “Really? What about your parents? And my sisters Sari and Alena? And the Guardians? And William and Bridget?”

  “Okay, them too, but that’s it, no one else.”

  “Oh, sweetie, don’t you see? You might be happy with only our immediate families and the few people you know and care for witnessing your joining, but Kian wants, needs, each and every member of the clan to be there.”

  “I know. That’s why I’m still here and not running off scre
aming.” Syssi let out a huff.

  “By the way, speaking of Kian, did anyone remember to get him fitted for a tux for the wedding? If you leave it up to him, he’ll show up wearing one of his old business suits.”

  “You’re right, God, I can’t believe I didn’t think of it.” Syssi heaved a sigh. “Just another reminder of how little I know about the man I’m going to marry in thirteen days.”

  “You know everything that really matters, and you have endless time to learn the rest. So, stop fretting. Kian is a great guy—bad temper and all.”

  “Yeah, I know…but speaking of your brother’s sunny predisposition”—Syssi switched to a whisper—”Kian spent the entire evening with Dalhu and came back…well, I wouldn’t say happy, but not enraged either. I think it’s an encouraging sign.”

  Amanda chuckled. “I guess it is—by Kian’s standards. Did you ask him what they’ve talked about?” She wasn’t curious, not at all…

  “He gave me no chance, planting one hot kiss on my mouth and heading straight for his office to grab a file for his next meeting. But I’ll grill him later tonight and report to you tomorrow.”

  In spite of herself, Amanda felt her heart give a little flutter. Kian must’ve been in at least a decent mood if the first thing he had done after spending hours with Dalhu was to kiss Syssi.

  “Deal. First thing in the morning.”

  “Are you sure you want me to call you that early? You might be too hungover to talk after your drinking party with the Russians.”

  “Oh, please, I’ll be fine. I’ll have them drunk and singing in more ways than one before I’m even tipsy.”

  Syssi snorted. “If you say so.”

  “I’ve got it covered.”

  Well, almost. Without the karaoke, she would have to make a playlist on her phone and hook it up to the sound system in the grand salon, then hand out printouts of the lyrics to the girls.