by I. T. Lucas
“I want to probe him, not chat with him.”
Kian put a hand on her shoulder. “Most people just talk to get to know each other. You might want to try it.”
She didn’t want to, but to refuse would reveal her cowardice, and Edna had a reputation to uphold.
“I’m not one for wasting time, and probing is much more efficient. But if you insist that I talk with Kalugal first, I can do that.”
“Thank you. And please remember that he is a guest and an ally, not a suspect on trial.”
She cracked a smile. “I’ll be diplomatic.”
Kian turned to the others. “You might want to join us. This is an opportunity for an unofficial meeting with our guests.”
“I have to go,” William said. “I want to make a few inquiries about getting the parts I need sooner.”
“I’ll bail as well.” Brandon adjusted his tie. “I have a bunch of production proposals I have to go over. But I can stop for a few minutes and introduce myself.”
As they neared the table, Rufsur jumped up and pulled out a chair for Edna. “Your Honor.”
“It’s just Edna. No one addresses me as Your Honor even when I’m presiding over a trial.”
“That’s a shame. I’ve always wanted to say that.” He smiled, and both his cheeks dimpled. “Your Honor.”
The charming bad boy was getting under her skin.
“Jacki.” Kian took a seat next to Kalugal. “I see that you are feeling better.”
“I do. I only had to rest once on the way here.”
“I’m glad to hear that. It means that you are well enough to join my mother for lunch tomorrow. She wants to meet you. Naturally, Kalugal is invited as well.”
“What about us?” Rufsur asked. “Are Hivak and I going to meet the goddess?”
Gutsy and cocky, just like Robbie had been. Edna liked that in a man.
Kian seemed taken by surprise. “Frankly, Annani hasn’t said anything about you, but I can ask her.”
Rufsur dipped his head. “Thank you. I would very much like to meet the famous Annani, even if it’s just for a minute. Kalugal isn’t easily impressed, but he was awestruck by her.”
Kalugal nodded. “Indeed. I don’t remember my mother very well, but I think I would have noticed if she had glowing skin, which she didn’t. In fact, Annani and Areana don’t look like sisters at all, but Alena bears a striking resemblance to my mother. She mentioned something about an interesting story regarding her resemblance to Areana, but we’ve never gotten a chance to discuss it.”
“You can ask her tomorrow at lunch.” Kian crossed his arms over his chest. “So, how do you like our village?”
“It’s perfect.” Kalugal smiled. “As I told you before, I would love to build a similar oasis for my people in the Bay Area. But I don’t think I would find a secluded location like yours. I’ve given it some thought, and I think a regular gated community might be enough.” He waved a hand at the office building. “I don’t need anything as elaborate as this, but a café and a central gathering place would be nice.”
“You don’t seem as concerned with security as we are,” Onegus said.
Kalugal shook his head. “I wasn’t before, but now that I’m married, my priorities have changed. I want a safe place for my family. But I’m also a practical man. I doubt that my father is still looking for me, and if he is, he’s only interested in me and not my people. I never leave home without shrouding myself first, so the chances of him finding me are practically nonexistent. Your situation is more precarious. He is actively seeking your entire clan’s destruction.”
Interesting. It seemed that Kalugal only feared his father and didn’t consider the clan a threat. Or was it a ploy to lull them into a false sense of security?
Edna really needed to probe him, and if possible, his sexy lieutenant as well.
19
Rufsur
Edna pinned Kalugal with her intense eyes. “You don’t have any other enemies?”
As Kalugal smiled indulgently at the formidable judge, Rufsur felt proud of his boss. The guy was truly fearless, and Edna’s probing gaze didn’t affect him in the slightest.
“There might be several business competitors who harbor ill thoughts about me, but I doubt any of them would resort to violence. But even if some would, they don’t know who I am, what I look like, or where to find me.”
“I can attest to that,” Kian said. “When Syssi and I negotiated with Perfect Match Studio to buy a majority stake in their company, we knew there was another interested investor. But even though we did some background checks, we didn’t find anything suspicious. Turns out it was Kalugal.”
Edna’s intense probing eyes didn’t leave Kalugal’s face. “Why were you interested in purchasing the studios?”
He shrugged. “It’s a revolutionary technology, and I can see many potential uses for it.” He turned to Kian. “I have to admit that virtual hookups are a great way to make money with it, but it could be used for training purposes as well. At the time, I thought of getting the Air Force interested, or even NASA. No one has deeper pockets than the government.”
Kian nodded. “You are right. Fully immersive virtual reality can be used to train pilots and astronauts. Syssi thinks it could also do wonders for people with disabilities. Except, there is no way medical insurance will cover the expense even though the service might significantly improve people’s quality of life. Sex is still a touchy subject for humans.”
Stealing a glance at Edna, Rufsur hoped that she was amused by the new topic of conversation, but her expression hadn’t changed. The judge was still watching Kalugal with her intense eyes.
Was she probing him?
Jin had said that Edna always asked permission before doing that, but what if Jin was wrong?
Right at that moment, Edna might be learning Kalugal’s secrets, like his world domination ideas.
“Edna.” Rufsur called out her name to break her concentration.
She turned her gaze to him. “Yes?”
“I was wondering about your job. Does the clan have a book of law? What are you basing your judgments on?”
“We don’t have anything official, but I’ve written down Annani’s guidelines, and I keep adding to them as we go.” For the first time since he’d met her, Edna seemed happy to talk to him. Apparently, she was passionate about the law. “The rules are quite simple. Mainly, they are meant to keep our existence secret. The other laws are concerned with limiting the use of our supernatural powers over humans to only what’s necessary to achieve that.”
“That leaves a lot to interpretation,” Kalugal said.
Damn, now Edna’s attention was back to him.
“I usually interpret the rules based on utility and intent.”
“How can you determine intent?”
For some reason, Kalugal was goading the judge. Was he curious about her ability?
Edna smiled at him coldly. “When I’m suspicious of the intent, I have ways of verifying it.”
“I’ve heard.” Kalugal smirked. “They call you the Alien Probe.”
Jin gasped, Kian growled, but Amanda laughed. “You like to live dangerously, don’t you, Kalugal? Edna doesn’t like that nickname.”
He arched a brow. “Why not? If I had a talent like that, I would be proud of it. I’ve never heard of anyone who could do that, and I find it fascinating.”
Edna crossed her legs and cast him an amused look. “I’m glad you find my talent so interesting. It is indeed one of a kind, and I don’t mind demonstrating it. Would you allow me to probe you?”
Rufsur was relieved. If the judge was asking permission, perhaps she hadn’t done so already.
“I would not,” Kalugal said. “I’m a private man, and I don’t want anyone in my business, let alone in my head.”
“Why? Are you hiding malevolent intentions toward my clan?”
Kian cleared his throat. “Kalugal is a guest, not a candidate for clan membership. There is no reas
on to put him through the probe.”
“I probed Lokan.”
“True, but those were different circumstances. He tried to kidnap Vivian and Ella, he was our prisoner, and we were about to entrust Carol’s life to his hands. We had to know what his intentions were.”
“I agree, but these circumstances are no less precarious. We are planning to host Kalugal’s wedding and invite forty-five additional former Doomers to our community. In my opinion, a probe is just as necessary now as it was then.”
Kalugal lifted a hand. “It wasn’t my idea. I only asked to be allowed in here so Jacki could transition with the proper medical care. The wedding was the Clan Mother’s idea. If it were up to me, I would leave this very evening.”
“Perhaps it would be best if you do,” Edna said.
Why the hell was she so hostile?
Kalugal, even with all of his men armed and present, was no threat to the clan without his compulsion ability.
Rufsur could understand the clan males feeling hostile toward Kalugal’s men. Some of them might have been involved in skirmishes with the Brotherhood, maybe even lost friends. They were also probably not happy about Amanda’s matchmaking initiative. But what was Edna’s problem?
Maybe she’d lost someone close to her in one of the rare face-to-face battles between the clan and the Brotherhood?
Still, she was a smart woman, and she was well aware that Kalugal and his men were no longer affiliated with Navuh’s organization. Not only that, Amanda, the goddess’s own daughter, was mated to a former Brother, and they’d accepted the guy as a full-fledged clan member.
Was it something personal against Kalugal?
Or maybe Edna had been okay with one ex-Doomer joining their community, but not an entire bunch of them arriving at once?
Not only that, but she’d also probably probed Dalhu as well.
So that was the problem.
Edna only felt safe with new people who she got to probe. Perhaps she’d be happy with probing him?
Rufsur had nothing to hide. He had no grand plans for taking over the world, and all Edna would discover was his intention to keep Kalugal and his friends safe and maybe get to know her.
Intimately.
Despite her hostile attitude and her ugly clothes, she was a fine woman. She didn’t fear Kian, or Kalugal, and evidently, not even the goddess.
Edna spoke her mind no matter whose toes she was stepping on. Rufsur respected that.
20
Kalugal
The judge seemed to have an ax to grind, and since she was an influential member of the council, she probably represented a wide sector of the clan.
He and his people were not welcomed in the village, and Rufsur might have been right all along about the visit not being safe.
If not for Jacki, who wanted to spend more time with her friends, Kalugal would have packed up and left. But other than Jacki’s wishes, there were other factors to consider.
First of all, he needed to do it in a way that wouldn’t look as if he was leaving in a huff. Kian had been very gracious in his invitation, and Kalugal wanted to show his appreciation.
Most importantly, though, he didn’t want to piss off Annani.
The goddess gave the impression of being friendly and sociable, but she wasn’t the Clan Mother for nothing. Her power didn’t stem only from her godliness or from her abilities. Underneath the delicate exterior was a titanium core that every member of her clan was well aware of.
Staying in Annani’s good graces was more important than appeasing the judge and whoever else she represented, or even Kalugal’s desire to go home and resume his life where he had left off.
He was paralyzed in the village, caged, unable to conduct his business even on the most basic level. All of his borrowed devices were no doubt monitored, and he didn’t wish Kian to have access to his stock portfolio or even know what he was interested in.
All of that boiled down to the need for careful diplomacy.
Smiling amicably, Kalugal spread his arms. “I wish I could, but we all have to bow to the goddess’s wishes. Perhaps tomorrow over lunch, I could appeal to the Clan Mother and humbly request her permission to leave your lovely village and return a day before the wedding. And if it would meet with her approval, maybe even postpone the party by a few days.”
“Kalugal is right,” Kian said. “It’s never a good idea to disappoint Annani.”
Edna nodded. “I’ll have a talk with the Clan Mother as well. Perhaps I can convince her to seek a solution that would work for everyone.”
After his little speech, the judge seemed much less hostile, and Kalugal wondered which part of it had softened her up. Was it the deference to the goddess?
Probably.
Even if Edna disagreed with Annani, she appreciated his respectful regard for the Clan Mother.
He turned to Kian. “Since we might be leaving soon, and Jacki and I have no plans for this evening, I was wondering if we could meet Eva. I’m curious to hear how her life has changed after our chance encounter.” He put a hand over his heart. “After all, I was the catalyst of that change.”
Kian arched a brow. “Are you sure about that? Her mate might not be happy about her meeting you.” He turned to look at the muscleman who was glaring at Kalugal as if he wanted to sink his fangs into his neck.
Was that Eva’s mate?
Kalugal lifted his arms again. “It’s entirely up to Eva and her mate. But I would be grateful if you could ask them on my behalf.”
Edna eyed him curiously. “Naturally, I’ve heard the story of how you met Eva and unknowingly induced her transition. Do you remember her?”
“Of course.” Kalugal cast a sidelong glance at the Guardian who he suspected was Eva’s mate. “Even as a very young woman, Eva left an impression on me, and not only because of her beauty. She’s a born fighter, and I’m not at all surprised that she went into law enforcement and later opened her own detective agency.” Kalugal clasped Jacki’s hand under the table. “It might sound strange, but my interest is fatherly in nature. I feel responsible for initiating her into immortality.”
From the corner of his eye, he saw Eva’s mate lose the murderous expression. He still didn’t look friendly, but at least he no longer seemed to be planning Kalugal’s gruesome demise.
This time, Kian looked straight at the Guardian. “What do you say, Bhathian? Do you want Eva to meet her initiator?”
The guy shrugged his massive shoulders. “It’s up to her. You know Eva. No one tells her what to do.”
21
Rufsur
On the way back home, Jacki required three rest stops, which indicated that she wasn’t as well as she had claimed to be.
“Let me carry you the rest of the way,” Kalugal pleaded. “There is no one out here to see you.”
Jacki shook her head. “How am I going to get strong if I let my muscles atrophy? I have to do this.”
Stubborn woman, but she wasn’t wrong, and Rufsur admired her determination.
“Besides.” She leaned on Kalugal. “We are invited to lunch with Annani tomorrow. I want to arrive on my own two feet.”
“About that,” Kalugal said. “I thought it would be best if we used the golf cart. Walking all the way to Kian’s house will exhaust you, and you will have no energy left for meeting the goddess.” He chuckled. “You might faint from the experience, and that will be much more embarrassing than arriving on a golf cart.”
Rufsur stifled a chuckle. Kalugal had already learned how to manipulate Jacki into doing things his way without her realizing that he was doing that.
“Let’s decide on this tomorrow. Perhaps by morning, I will feel a hundred times stronger.”
When they got back into the house, Jacki plopped down on the couch. “That was exhausting, but I’m glad I did it.” She looked up at Kalugal. “Do we have anything to serve our guests tonight?”
He sat next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I don’t know if they�
��ll come. Bhathian needs to ask Eva first.”
Rufsur walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. “That guy must pump iron for hours every day. Did you see the size of his muscles?”
Kalugal smirked. “Are you smitten, Rufsur?”
Jacki chuckled. “He is, but not by Bhathian.” She glanced at Rufsur. “I've seen the looks you’ve been sneaking at the judge.”
“You caught me.” He pulled out a beer from the fridge. “Anyone want something to drink?”
“I’ll have a beer,” Kalugal said.
“Me too.” Jacki lifted a hand.
Rufsur arched a brow. “Are you allowed?”
“I’m a new immortal, not an expectant mother. Of course I’m allowed.”
When he handed her a cold bottle, she tried to twist the cap off, but it didn’t budge. “Damn. When will that immortal strength kick in?”
“Patience, my love.” Kalugal took the bottle from her and opened it. “Here you go.”
Jacki took a sip and then looked at Rufsur. “So, what’s the deal with Edna?”
He shrugged, pretending nonchalance. “The woman needs a good schtupping. Given how uptight she is, it has been a while.”
That had come out a little crass, but Jacki seemed unfazed. Perhaps she saw through his macho act.
“And I guess that you are the one to give it to her?”
“Why not?” He smiled. “I’m a charming fellow.”
“Edna is a good person. She might look severe and even a little scary, but she has a good heart. Be nice to her.”
He hadn’t known that Jacki knew the judge. “When did you meet Edna?”
“The clan has an underground facility somewhere, and that was where we were hiding after we escaped the government’s paranormal talents program. Kian suspected that one of us might be a mole, and he brought Edna to probe us. Amazingly, Wendy managed to fool her. I have no idea how she did that.”
“Was Edna able to probe you?”
