Dark Secrets Resurgence (The Children Of The Gods Paranormal Romance Series Book 44)

by I. T. Lucas

  He grinned. “My girlfriend. I like the sound of that. I’m also looking forward to you taking care of me. What exactly does the care entail?”

  “I’ll show you.” Sari pushed to her feet and sat in David’s lap. “I’m going to kiss the ouchies away.”

  She peppered small kisses on his cheek, his jawline, his neck, teasing him until he palmed the back of her head and took her lips.

  The kiss started softly, leisurely, and for a while, they just enjoyed the closeness. But then as the hunger and urgency took over, and his hands on her got rougher, she pushed a hand under his shirt and raked her fingers over his chest.

  With a groan, David cupped her breast.

  Impatient to feel his skin against hers, Sari attacked the buttons of his shirt with deft fingers, popping them free as fast as she could without tearing them off. When all of them were open, she parted the two halves and pushed the shirt down his shoulders.

  Without releasing her mouth, he flung the shirt off, toed his shoes off, and lifted up with her in his arms.

  Sari pulled away and laughed. “Put me down. I’m heavy.”

  “Not in the slightest.” David carried her to his bed and set her down gently. “You are perfect.” He dropped to his knees in front of her.

  Lifting her foot, he took off her shoe and kissed her toes one at the time, then did the same with the other one.

  Popping the button of her trousers, Sari lifted up so he could pull them down.

  With a flourish, he yanked them off her and tossed them aside. Next was her blouse, which he pulled over her head and sent flying in the same direction her pants went.

  “Gorgeous.” David looked at her bra-covered breasts. “I love your taste in lingerie.” He hooked his fingers in her satin panties. “But I love you in the nude even better.” As he pulled them down, she helped him by lifting her bottom again.

  Her bra was the last to go, and as David bared her breasts, his breathing became labored, and his eyes hooded with desire. “You are a goddess.”

  She chuckled. “Only half.”

  He leaned forward and kissed the underside of one breast while cupping the other. “To me, you are a goddess, and I’m your devoted worshiper.” He took her nipple into his mouth and rubbed his thumb over the other.

  Stifling a moan, Sari arched her back and pushed more of her nipple into the wet heat of his mouth.

  As the suckling intensified, David’s fingers on her other nipple rubbed harder and then pinched, sending electrical shocks straight down to her core.

  “Fates,” she murmured as her sheath contracted and then expanded.

  Still suckling and pinching, David slid a hand between her thighs and teased her opening with his finger.

  “More,” she whispered.

  Obeying her command, he gently pushed the finger inside her, pulled it out, and then came back with two.

  53

  David

  David loved how responsive Sari was to his touch. With only a few minutes of foreplay, she was ready for him.

  As satisfaction swelled inside him, he suddenly had the disturbing thought that maybe it wasn’t his doing. Maybe Sari was like that with other men as well?

  And what of it?

  She wasn’t a blushing virgin but an experienced woman. And that brought about another disturbing thought. How old was she?

  He’d never asked her. Did it matter, though? Would it freak him out if she was ancient?

  Was it even socially acceptable to ask an immortal such a question?

  “What’s the matter?” She put her hand on his head. “You are not with me.”

  Ashamed, he let go of her nipple. “I’m sorry. It suddenly occurred to me that I’ve never asked you how old you are.”

  Sari smiled. “I’m older than you. Does it bother you?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Then why ask?” She hooked a finger under his chin and motioned for him to get up. “This is not the time for talking.” She undid his belt, pushed his pants down, and freed his shaft from the confines of his briefs.

  He shuddered at the touch, and as she pushed his briefs down and closed both hands around his manhood, he groaned with pleasure bordering on pain.

  And then her mouth was on him, and he hissed. Throwing his head back, he growled. “God, Sari, what are you doing to me?”

  Sari didn’t bother answering the rhetorical question. Instead, she took more of him into her mouth.

  To refrain from thrusting deeper, David gritted his teeth and clenched his buttocks. If he let go, he was going to shoot down her throat, and he wasn’t sure that she was okay with that.

  Pulling up, Sari released his shaft with a plop and thumbed the head. “More?”

  “Not this time.” David lifted Sari by her waist and flipped her onto her stomach, her legs dangling down the foot of the bed.

  She had the most gorgeous ass he’d ever seen, heart-shaped, firm, and just the right size, not too small and not too big.

  Perfection.

  Parting her legs with his knees, he gazed at her glistening, puffy lips and his mouth watered. She was completely hairless and smooth as silk, and he wanted to dip his head and lick up all that nectar. But his shaft had other ideas, rising and zeroing on the target as if it was a heat-guided missile.

  As he grabbed her hips and lifted her, it found her entrance with unwavering precision. Instinct taking over, he pushed all the way inside with one powerful thrust.

  His vision blurred at the intense pleasure.

  “Fates,” Sari groaned. “You feel so good.”

  When he pulled back and thrust in again, she let her head drop down and put her cheek on the mattress, signaling that she was relinquishing control to him.

  Unexpectedly, her submittal spurred on a savage impulse to own and possess that David hadn’t known he had in him. Gripping her hips, he retreated and advanced, again and again, faster and stronger.

  As his shafting became frenzied, her sheath tightened around him and convulsed. The pressure reaching critical velocity, he exploded with a shout.

  “Fates, David!” Sari let loose a cry of rapture, and her own climax shook her body.

  For long moments, they both shuddered with the aftershocks of the powerful completion.

  Once David’s essence was finally depleted, he collapsed on top of Sari’s back and wrapped his arms around her. As he kissed her neck, her shoulder, the hollow between her shoulder blades, he was filled with contentment and gratitude for the gift of her.

  Sometime later, Sari stirred under him, and he rolled to the side, taking her with him and tucking her against his body.

  He knew that she was ready for more, but he needed a few moments to recuperate his strength.

  Hopefully, after his transition, he would be able to keep up. According to Sari, immortal males had incredible stamina and needed no recovery time. That alone was worth the price of admission.

  It was risky, and for some, the price might be what was left of their human lifespans, but David had no such fears. He was in a top physical condition and perfect health. There was no doubt in his mind that he was going to transition quickly and easily, especially since his initiator was a three-quarter god.

  54

  Sari

  It was still dark outside when Sari woke up. David had his arm around her, and she was loath to leave the warmth of his embrace, but just like the night before, she didn’t want people to see her leave the tower wearing the same clothes she’d worn for dinner.

  Her relationship with David wasn’t a secret, but Sari didn’t want to advertise it either.

  Except, why not?

  Assuming the win had always been her motto, so why was she pussyfooting about the most important relationship of her life?

  Because she was afraid of getting disappointed.

  Because she wasn’t sure that David would transition.

  Because she was still not a hundred percent certain that he was her one and only.

  Becau
se of her mother…

  It was all nonsensical.

  There was a good reason for why she was a leader, and it wasn’t her being Annani’s daughter. She was assertive, decisive, and goal-oriented, and she shouldn’t be any different with regards to David.

  She needed to stake her claim for all to see, move him into her apartment, seat him next to her at all meals, and have him by her side at all family meetings.

  David might object because he needed time to write, but if he was to become her mate, he had to realize that the position came with certain responsibilities, and that he would have to put clan affairs ahead of his personal pursuits.

  Perhaps she should have a talk with Syssi and ask how she was dealing with that. Kian’s leadership style was different than hers, though. He no longer lived under the same roof with his people, and he was never into communal meals and other social activities. Much less was required of Syssi than would be required of David.

  Snuggling closer, she kissed his chest then lifted her head and put her nose in the spot where his neck met his shoulder to sniff his unique scent.

  David sighed and tightened his arms around her. “What time is it?”

  “About four in the morning.”

  “Why are you awake?”

  “I have a lot to do today.”

  “The accord signing ceremony?”

  “Yes. But before that, I want to move you into my apartment.”

  His eyes popped open. “That’s sudden.” Chuckling, he lowered his arms and cupped her butt cheeks. “Are you tired of climbing the stairs?”

  “I’m tired of not having you with me at all times.”

  His smile was replaced with a frown. “What prompted this?”

  “If you are not ready, that’s okay. It can wait.”

  “No, I’m ready. I’m just curious to hear your reasons.”

  “It’s simple. I’m assuming the win. Instead of doubting my feelings for you and yours for me, I prefer to think that we are meant to be together and act accordingly. I want you by my side at meals, not at the other end of the table, sitting with Miranda and my other assistants. I want you to participate in all family meetings as my partner, and not slink away to your room to work on your novel. I want my people to accept you as my future mate, not just a guest who I happen to be shagging at the moment.”

  “Isn’t it too early for that? I’m still human, and none of that can become a reality unless I transition, which is not guaranteed.”

  Lifting her arms, she wrapped them around David’s neck, pulled up, and kissed his lips. “I’m assuming the win in that as well. You are going to transition, and we are going to live happily ever after.”

  For a long moment, he just looked at her, his blue eyes scanning her face as if he was memorizing it. “I want that too, but I’m too cautious to allow myself the leap of faith.”

  “It’s not a leap. Deep down, you know it to be true. Just turn off your brain for a moment and listen to your gut.” She chuckled. “My mother always says that her gut is smarter than her brain. In her case, it’s a great way to excuse impulsive decisions, but there is something to it. We know much more than we are aware of. That’s why the best ideas pop up while we are utterly relaxed and not thinking about anything in particular. The semi-meditative state allows our subconscious to be heard.”

  “Absolutely. It also manifests in dreams.”

  That was a reminder she could have done without.

  David’s dreams of her mother were still a problem that maybe she shouldn’t sweep under the rug. They were indicative of something.

  The question was of what, and did it have any bearing on their relationship. The right approach was to let what happened in the past stay there.

  The future was whatever they would make of it.

  “The way I see it, believing in an outcome makes it more likely to happen, while doubting it diminishes the chances of it becoming a reality.”

  “Aren’t you afraid of being disappointed? What if I’m not a Dormant?”

  Smiling, she cupped his cheek. “Fear is the real enemy here. If we let go of it, we can fully open our hearts to each other instead of keeping the door open just a crack and ready to slam shut.”

  David let out a breath. “Now I know for sure that you are ancient. That wisdom couldn’t have been gained in one mortal lifetime.”

  “If I told you that I’m really old, would it repulse you?”

  One of David’s dreams about the sorceress who looked like her mother was about her using glamour to hide the fact that she was old and ugly. He might have a problem with Sari being nearly a thousand years old.

  “You still didn’t tell me how old you are, but nothing about you will ever repulse me. You can be thousands of years old.”

  She doubted that David would still think that once she confirmed his suspicion. But she should do as she preached and let go of her fears. “I’m not thousands of years old, just short of one. I’m nine hundred and fifty years old.”

  55

  David

  David struggled to hide his shock.

  Sari had lived for nearly a millennium?

  Despite what he’d said, the most he could have imagined was a century, and even that was a stretch. She didn’t act or sound old.

  There was none of the know-it-all condescending attitude his father had exhibited more and more as he aged, absent was the jaded expression, the indifference, the vacant stares.

  Then again, he knew that Annani was over five thousand years old, and except for the wisdom in her eyes, she didn’t exhibit any of those signs either.

  How did they manage it?

  How could they remain positive and seem excited about life after all that they had witnessed?

  “You’re stunned,” Sari murmured. “I knew that my age would freak you out.”

  He shook his head. “I’m shocked, but not for the reason you think. It’s just amazing that you can have such a youthful attitude after living for so long. My father was only eighty-one when he died, and even though he worked until the last day, he acted like a cantankerous old man. He was jaded, nothing excited him, and he felt like he was allowed to say whatever was on his mind with no regard for other people’s feelings.”

  “Maybe that was his character?”

  “Some of it, but he definitely had gotten worse with age.”

  Sari sighed. “It’s different for humans. Their bodies start to fail them, they can’t do all the things they used to take for granted, aches and pains become intolerable, and they often suffer mental decline. It’s not fun. For us, nothing really changes.”

  “What about ennui?”

  “That can be a problem. We have my mother to thank for solving it for us. She has tasked her descendants with the lofty goal of lifting humanity out of darkness and making the world a better place for all. It requires endless work, and it never gets boring because things keep changing and new challenges keep arising.”

  “What about your enemies?”

  “They are fueled by hatred, and their goal is taking over the world and enslaving humanity. It’s a nasty goal, but it keeps them busy and challenged as well.” She chuckled. “Sometimes I think that Navuh invented his world domination agenda just for the purpose of keeping his people united and engaged. Hatred is an incredibly strong motivator. In fact, that’s how dictatorships work. They redirect their people’s dissatisfaction with their lousy lives, poverty, and lack of human rights by blaming the situation on some enemy nation. Another method is to incite their people with religious fervor. Kill the nonbelievers and so on. Combining the two is even more effective.”

  “That’s an interesting insight.” He chuckled. “Especially at four o’clock in the morning.”

  “I’m sorry.” She cuddled closer.

  “Don’t be. You provide me with endless inspiration.” He kissed her forehead. “I’m going to incorporate all the fascinating things you tell me in my novel.”

  Sari didn’t look happy. “I wi
sh I could take credit for that, but all I know I’ve learned from my mother.”

  He regretted telling her about his dreams.

  As a result, the goddess had become a touchy subject, and he needed to be very careful in the way he talked about her.

  “You are too humble, Sari. Your mother has been around since the dawn of civilization, and her knowledge is boundless. But if she wasn’t there to guide you, I’m sure that in time you would have deduced everything on your own.”

  That seemed to appease her. “I guess so.” She pulled out of his arms. “Dawn is approaching. We’d better get up and move your things into my apartment before people start waking up.”

  “Can’t we do it later?” He pulled her back to him. “We can cuddle in bed for a little bit longer, then go down for breakfast, and after that, I can come back up here and pack.”

  With a sigh, she wrapped her arms around him and pressed herself against his body. “You’re right. I can send my butler to pack your things and bring them to my place. But I still want to get there before everyone wakes up, shower and change before going to breakfast.”

  He cupped her bottom. “Do we have time for a morning quickie?”

  She smiled. “Hold on to that thought. Let’s get dressed, go to my place, and then we can take our time instead of rushing it. My bed is much more comfortable than this one, and my shower is twice as big and more luxurious.”

  “I’m sold.” Reluctantly, he let her out of his arms.

  “Good. For a moment there, I thought that you were stalling because you didn’t want to move in with me.” She bent down to pick her bra and panties off the floor, giving him a magnificent view of her ass.

  His shaft sprang to attention. “Are you sure that you don’t want a small appetizer before we head down?” He palmed his manhood and stroked it leisurely.

  Sari looked at him over her shoulder and licked her lips, causing his erection to twitch in his hand. “Tempting, but I’d rather have the full meal. Get dressed.”