by I. T. Lucas
David had a vague memory of Kalugal and then Amanda promising to explain something, but he couldn’t remember what it was. Someone had said something about demigods and immortals, but he might have dreamt it.
“I’m still looking for the enchantment.”
“It’s inside.” The pregnant blonde patted his arm.
As their group walked toward the castle’s massive front doors, David counted twelve people aside from himself and the driver. He remembered Amanda, the neuroscience professor he’d had a lovely chat with, but he couldn’t remember whether Kalugal had introduced him to the others.
His mind was a little foggy, and David couldn’t recall all the details from the strange explanation the guy had given him either. There had been something about hypnosis, an alternate reality with demigods and immortals, and a reference to Alice in Wonderland.
Oh, right. In the alternate reality game, the castle was supposed to be Wonderland, and he was supposed to be Alice.
It all sounded crazy, but for some reason, David wasn’t stressed or suspicious. Instead, he was willing to play along, suspend disbelief, and see where things led.
He was looking forward to an adventure.
Since he’d gotten his tenure, the university had become his entire world, and it had been a long time since he’d had any kind of adventure. He’d allowed himself to get too comfortable in his routine. There was a big world outside of Stanford, and David welcomed the injection of something new and unexpected into his staid life.
As the castle doors opened, the pregnant blonde and her husband were the first to enter. The darker interior prevented David from seeing inside, but given the happy squeals, someone was very happy to see them.
Next were Amanda and her huge guy, the tall redhead and his statuesque partner, and the blond with the long ponytail and his lovely companion.
David was in the last group to enter, and expecting a welcoming committee, he plastered a friendly smile on his face. But as soon as his eyes adjusted to the dim interior, he took a step back.
If he’d thought that no woman could be more beautiful or impressive than Amanda, he’d been wrong. The neuroscience professor paled in comparison to the divine creature who looked at him with eyes that were not only the most unusual color but seemed to glow from the inside.
This was most definitely an alternate reality, and the regal female in front of him wasn’t human. She was a goddess. Such perfection combined with such an aura of authority could not belong to a mere mortal.
She was dressed conservatively, in a calf-length narrow skirt and a soft blouse that showed just her neck and not an inch of cleavage. But that didn’t diminish his response to her in the slightest, which could have been embarrassing if he didn’t have his briefcase to hold in front of him.
What the hell was wrong with him?
He was a sophisticated man in his late thirties, and he wasn’t starved for sex. It was true that he hadn’t been with anyone for over a month, but that was okay for a guy his age. He wasn’t a horny teenager, and the response was incredibly inappropriate.
Except, he couldn’t help staring and imagining all the things he wanted to do to her.
Despite her conservative outfit, she was femininity personified. Long auburn hair cascaded in soft waves down her front and back, and her soft pink lips were made for kissing as well as delivering speeches. Her blouse was buttoned almost all the way up, but the silky fabric draped lovingly over her perfectly shaped breasts.
“And you are?” She smiled at him.
He had been so absorbed in her beautiful face and how she made him feel that it took him a moment to gather his wits and recall his own name.
“David.” He cast Kalugal a sidelong glance. “Am I supposed to have a different name in this alternate reality?”
The guy grinned. “What would you like your name to be?”
David thought about his brother and what he would have done in a situation like this. Jonah would have come up with something clever to say. He would’ve also flirted with the lady as if there was no tomorrow. But then Jonah had always been the more daring twin.
David was more reserved.
The woman frowned and turned to Kalugal. “What’s going on? He is not supposed to be here.” She smiled apologetically. “No offense, David. But you were not on the guest list, and Kalugal didn’t inform me that he was bringing along another guest.” She cast the guy a reproachful glance.
Unless he managed to save the situation, his Scottish vacation would be very short.
“None taken.” He put on his most charming smile and offered her his hand. “Let me introduce myself properly. Professor David Levinson.”
19
Sari
As Sari welcomed her guests, the last to enter were Kalugal and his party. The handsome blond guy must be one of Kalugal’s men, but since she hadn’t seen him at the wedding, she assumed that he’d been one of those who had stayed behind in Atherton to guard Kalugal’s mansion.
Except, as he got closer, it quickly became apparent that the guy was human and that he had no clue who his travel companions were.
What was the story with that?
Syssi leaned to whisper in her ear, “It’s a surprise. Just play along.”
Sari cast a questioning glance at Kian.
He rolled his eyes and whispered, “Don’t look at me. It was Kalugal’s idea.”
Since Kian and Syssi didn’t seem concerned, she could humor them for a few minutes, but the guy couldn’t stay.
After greeting everyone else, she turned to the blond man and smiled. “And you are?”
He seemed a little confused, and she wondered whether he was under a thrall.
But then his eyes focused on hers, and the impact of that gaze had her heart skip a beat and her knees go soft.
Sari was used to men looking at her with lust in their eyes, and sometimes even admiration, but none had ever looked at her as if she was the answer to his prayers. There was also a depth of sadness in the human’s eyes and a longing for connection that echoed her own.
“David.” The guy glanced at Kalugal. “Am I supposed to have a different name in this alternate reality?”
He had a lovely voice, cultured, deep and smooth. Was he an actor? He was certainly good-looking enough, and with that voice he could be a newscaster.
Hopefully, her cousin wasn’t crazy enough to bring a reporter to her castle. The treaty between her clan and Kalugal and his people was a major event, but that didn’t mean that they needed a professional journalist to cover it.
“What would you like your name to be?” Kalugal asked.
Syssi leaned and whispered in Sari’s ear excitedly. “David thinks that he’s in an alternate reality.”
What kind of game was Kalugal playing?
Sari narrowed her eyes at her cousin. “What’s going on? He is not supposed to be here.” She looked back at David and smiled apologetically. “No offense, David. But you were not on the guest list, and Kalugal didn’t inform me that he was bringing along another guest.”
“None taken.” He smiled and offered her his hand. “Let me introduce myself properly. Professor David Levinson.”
It seemed like his initial confusion was over, and his natural confidence had returned. In fact, his tone was quite flirty, and as Sari inhaled his unique masculine scent, she discovered that he was aroused.
Unbidden, something in her shifted and responded to the handsome professor’s arousal. Being the object of his desire excited her.
Sari hadn’t felt that way about a man in such a long time that she’d forgotten how good it felt. It was invigorating, refreshing, it made her feel alive.
In contrast, her occasional hookups had been as exciting as eating the same bland dish every day, necessary for sustenance but not something to look forward to.
Perhaps the unexpected guest was just what she needed.
“Is this your real name and title?”
As Sari took David’s offe
red hand, the excitement intensified tenfold. She’d expected to feel warmth or desire, but not the instant connection. Was she just so starved for it that she was imagining it?
Not letting go of her hand, he inclined his head. “That’s my real name and title. I teach at Stanford.”
Sari was in no hurry to take her hand back either. “Very impressive. You must be good at what you do. What’s your field of study?”
“In the real world, it’s psychology and psychiatry, and I specialize in post-traumatic stress disorder. In this alternate reality, I choose to be a researcher of reincarnation, memories of past lives, and near-death phenomena, as well as a famous author.”
David was smart, confident, charming and amusing. A perfect combination. It was a shame that he was also a human.
Sari laughed nervously. “I must admit that I like the alternate reality better. Are you a famous author in the real world too?”
“I’m an author, but I’m far from famous. I published one science fiction novel several years ago, and it was moderately successful. This year I took a sabbatical from teaching to write my second one.” He looked at Kalugal. “When I was offered a chance to visit an enchanted castle in Scotland, I figured that the change of scenery would jumpstart my creativity. I have to admit that the charade Kalugal invented adds a whimsical feeling to the trip and gives me great ideas for my story.”
Sari smiled. “My cousin is very imaginative. Who am I supposed to be in this alternate reality game?”
David lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. “You are the princess, of course.” He glanced at Kalugal. “But since your cousin’s avatar is a demigod, maybe a demigoddess who is also a princess is better.”
Sari chuckled. “I can play that role easily.”
After all, as Annani’s daughter, she was a demigoddess, and as her Scottish regent she was also a princess of sorts, so both titles were true even though she never used them in any capacity.
Should she choose a different avatar for the game Kalugal had invented?
Sari had no confidence issues and no desire to be anyone other than herself. The only thing missing from her life was a meaningful, romantic relationship, with emphasis on the meaningful.
She was an old immortal who had been with countless human men, but until now, none had had that special something that called to her. For that matter, neither had any of the immortals in Kalugal’s community.
David had that special something, and it wasn’t about his good looks or sharp mind.
Not entirely.
Despite his confidence and charm, she could sense his vulnerability. David was hurting, and she wanted to help him, to save him, to surround him with her warmth and care until he was healed.
Except, he was human, and a relationship between them was not possible.
Not only that, Sari was well aware that the motherly urges weren’t good for a romantic relationship. But the turmoil that she sensed in David needed soothing, and the sadness needed an infusion of happiness. The reason David had embraced Kalugal’s alternate reality game so readily was that he needed to escape his own head.
The question was, what was Kalugal’s agenda in bringing him along? Was David a good friend of his who he wanted to help? Or was it something else?
Her guests seemed to know what the plan was, but they were all keeping the charade going, including Kian, who was the last person prone to playing such games.
The question was for whose sake they were doing it, Kalugal’s or David’s?
She needed to talk to her cousin in private.
Shifting from foot to foot, Amanda groaned. “Can we continue the pleasantries later? I need to visit the ladies' room.”
“Of course.” Sari turned to her assistant. “Let’s show our guests to their rooms.”
20
David
Still shaken from the encounter, David trailed behind the others as they followed Sari and her assistant to the residential wing of the castle. Observing the details helped calm his racing heart, and it also distracted him from staring at Sari’s magnificent backside.
The castle was a blend of old and new, and it looked lived in. At first, seeing the many doors they were passing, he’d thought that it had been turned into a bed and breakfast hotel, but listening to Sari and the others talk, he realized that he’d been mistaken.
The castle was home to a large extended family, or rather a clan, and Sari was in charge of running it. She was also managing some of the family-owned businesses. Kalugal was her cousin, Amanda and Kian were her siblings, and the others in their party were either friends or more distant relatives.
When everyone other than him was assigned quarters, Sari’s assistant turned to her boss. “I don’t have a room for David. I can put him in Annani’s suite until she and Alena arrive.”
Sari shook her head. “That doesn’t make any sense, Miranda. They are arriving tomorrow night. One of the tower rooms is the only option.”
The assistant grimaced. “He’s not going to survive the stairs.”
That was insulting. “I don’t mind.”
The towers looked steep, but he was sure he could manage the stairs just fine. Schlepping his suitcase up them was not going to be fun, though.
“They are also drafty and cold,” Miranda said.
“It’s summer now, so it’s not so bad.” Sari cast an apologetic glance at David. “There are a lot of stairs, but you seem in good shape.”
“Thank you.”
She looked down at his suitcase. “Leave it here. I’ll have my butler bring it up to your room.”
As if he was going to let some old guy do that. “It’s fine. If I get winded, I can take a break on the way. Just point me in the right direction.”
Sari smiled, causing his heart to skip a beat. “What kind of a hostess would I be if I let you get lost in the castle? I’m coming with you.”
“I don’t want to inconvenience you. Especially given the many stairs.”
She waved a dismissive hand. “I need the exercise.”
Behind her, Miranda snorted as if that was a big joke. “Talk about a StairMaster. Do you need me to come up with you?”
David hoped that Sari would dismiss her assistant so he could be alone with her, but for what? It wasn’t as if he was going to seduce her after knowing her for less than half an hour.
Maybe she would seduce him?
Sari seemed confident, powerful, the kind of woman who took what she wanted. If she was as attracted to him as he was to her, she would have no problem being the one to initiate.
“I can manage to find the tower on my own,” Sari said. “Besides, I need you to check with the kitchen staff that everything is ready for dinner.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Miranda saluted with a wink and strode away.
Sari sighed. “I apologize for my assistant’s juvenile attitude. She is very young, but that’s no excuse.”
That was an odd comment. The only reason Sari looked a little older than Miranda was the mantle of responsibility she carried on her shoulders. Other than that, they looked to be about the same age.
Pulling the rolling suitcase behind him, David fell in step with her. “She is not much younger than you.”
“Oh, she is. In comparison, I’m ancient.”
Another odd remark. “I’m sure it feels like that. Being in charge of so many people and running several businesses is not easy.”
“I see that you were listening.”
“I always do. My father used to tell me that those who talk a lot are not as smart because they are too busy listening to themselves to hear what’s going on around them.”
She looked at him from under lowered lashes. “Is that your professional opinion as well, professor?”
He shook his head. “My avatar in this reality is not a psychologist or a psychiatrist. I’m the weirdo who’s interested in paranormal phenomena.”
“Why weirdo? My sister Amanda conducts a lot of paranormal research in her lab, an
d she is well regarded in her field.”
“In the real world? Or in this reality?”
“Both.”
He shrugged. “Neuroscientists enjoy more leeway. Besides, Amanda told me that her research is privately funded, so she doesn’t have to chase grant money. That’s a huge advantage. If my esoteric interests were to become known, my funding would dry out.” He leaned toward her. “That’s the main motivation behind my fiction writing. I can express my ideas freely and also excuse some of my private interests as research for my novel.”
“Clever.” Sari led him to a side corridor that terminated in a door. “It’s never locked, but we keep it closed.” She pulled it open. “Here are the stairs to the tower.”
“Oh, my.” He looked up the narrow, spiraling staircase. “I guess this part of the castle didn’t get modernized.”
Was there even electricity and running water up there? Or would he have to use a chamber pot?
“There was no room to enlarge the stairs or add an elevator, but the room has its own bathroom and every other amenity.” Sari put a hand on his arm, the slight touch sending an electrical current that went straight to his shaft. Luckily, his briefcase hid the evidence. “If it gets cold at night, you can use the fireplace.”
“I’m sure that it’s going to be fine.” He chuckled. “Instead of pretending that I’m Alice, I’ll pretend that I’m Rapunzel.
Sari laughed. “Your hair is not long enough, professor. Perhaps Sleeping Beauty is a more apt avatar?”
Damn. She was asking for it. “I’ll play Sleeping Beauty, provided that you play Princess Charming and wake me up with a kiss.”
21
Sari
Sari didn’t remember blushing in ages, but David’s flirtatious comment had her cheeks warm up.
It was bold of him to make a move so fast, but it wasn’t surprising. The new generation of humans didn’t follow the old conventions of courtship, and the distance from the first contact to a romp in bed was lightning fast.