Dark Survivor Echoes of Love

by I. T. Lucas

  Her heart beating a drumroll against her ribcage, Wonder could barely breathe. “Kiss me already. Don’t make me wait a moment longer.”

  38

  Anandur

  A man could resist only for so long.

  Holding Wonder in his arms and looking into her mesmerizing jade-colored eyes, Anandur no longer cared about all the reasons why he’d thought this was a bad idea.

  Denying her was worse.

  For an inexperienced girl who wasn’t naturally forward to proposition him so blatantly required guts. If he kept saying no, he would hurt her feelings, and her self-confidence might take a nosedive.

  He couldn't do that to her.

  Yes, that was it, the justification he needed for taking what Wonder was so eagerly offering.

  Gathering her to him with an arm around her middle, he smashed her body against his and cradled the back of her head with his palm,

  Her heart hammering in her chest, she breathed, “Kiss me already. Don’t make me wait a moment longer.”

  Never before had a kiss been so important. A very long time ago, when Anandur was a young lad, he had given girls a few first kisses, but that was then, and this was now, and there was no comparison.

  Wonder meant something to him, and he was going to make sure that her first kiss was the best he’d ever given.

  Ever so gently, he grazed his lips against hers, the contact sending shockwaves throughout his body.

  Electrifying him.

  And just like that his primal instincts roared to life, spurring him to smash her mouth and possess it with his tongue.

  It took all he had not to succumb and take her the way his body was demanding he did.

  But this wasn’t about him and what he needed. This was about Wonder.

  Her first kiss was going to be magical no matter what it cost him.

  Instead of launching an attack, he flicked just the tip of his tongue over her full lips, seeking permission for entry.

  Wonder moaned, parting her lips immediately.

  And yet he didn’t plunge right away, teasing her with soft flicks and tiny nips.

  She let him play for a few seconds, and then threw her arms around his neck and tried to take over, her own tongue darting out to meet his in welcome.

  Impatient girl.

  Passionate girl.

  The time for teasing was over. If he kept it up, Wonder was bound to explode. Worse, she was going to be disappointed.

  The only reason she was trying to take the lead was that he wasn’t moving fast enough for her. The girl was assertive, but he had no doubt that she would’ve preferred for him to take charge.

  It was a rare female who wanted to dominate her male, and he’d encountered only a handful throughout his long life.

  Despite her incredible physical strength, Wonder didn’t belong in that group. Anandur was willing to bet his life on it.

  Tightening his grip on her nape, he kissed her harder, plundering her welcoming mouth until her knees gave up, her body going lax against his.

  If he hadn’t been holding her up with an arm around her middle, she would have collapsed.

  He must’ve been doing something right to get such a reaction. Either that or she’d been absolutely starved for it.

  As guilt washed over him, Anandur felt like banging his head against a wall. He’d been so obtuse. If he’d paid closer attention, he would’ve realized that Wonder had been suffering as much as he had.

  Idiot.

  Focusing inwardly, he’d ignored what was right in front of his eyes.

  As Wonder regained her senses and started kissing him back, her sweet tongue darting into his mouth for a taste, it was Anandur’s turn to go weak at the knees. Except, he couldn’t let himself go.

  He would’ve loved nothing better than to let her explore, but his fangs were fully elongated, and he was afraid to hurt her.

  Crap, once again he was acting dumb.

  He wasn’t dealing with a fragile human. Wonder was an immortal too, and if he nicked her, she would heal in no time.

  The implications sent a jolt of desire down to his straining shaft.

  This was going to be a first for him too. Never before had he allowed a female entry into his mouth.

  Relaxing into the kiss, Anandur let go of her nape and lowered both hands to grip at her gorgeous butt.

  As he ground his aching shaft against her soft lower belly, she swept her tongue against his. He groaned in pleasure, and as she licked at one of his fangs, he nearly orgasmed right then and there.

  Looking dazed, her eyes still closed, she drew back and touched a finger to her swollen lips.

  So beautiful.

  He kissed her eyelids, and then took her mouth again.

  Threading her fingers into his curls, Wonder held him to her as if she was never going to let go.

  “Oh, Esag,” she mumbled into his mouth.

  Had he heard her correctly?

  Had she just moaned another male’s name while kissing him?

  Leaving her mouth, Anandur leaned away. “Who’s Esag?”

  Still dazed, Wonder opened her eyes just a crack. “What?”

  “Not what, who. You said Esag while kissing me.”

  Wonder’s eyes rolled back, and her knees buckled. She would’ve slumped to the ground if he hadn’t caught her.

  Lifting her into his arms, Anandur carried her to the nearest bench and put her down, then knelt in front of her.

  During all the time he’d known her, he’d never seen her in such a state. His initial anger gave way to worry.

  “What’s going on, Wonder? What’s happening?”

  “There was someone.” Wonder touched her lips with trembling fingers. “He kissed me.” The trembling intensified. “He was tall, not tall like you, but tall. Taller than me.”

  Anandur felt like the ground was slipping from under his feet. Wonder’s first memory had just resurfaced, and it was of another man kissing her.

  “Could he have been the one who hurt you? The one who put you in a coma?”

  Wonder shook her head. “I don’t remember his face, only his smile.” She touched a hand to her belly. “All I have are shadows of impressions. Esag smiled a lot, like you.” She lifted a pair of teary eyes to him. “I think I loved him, but I can’t remember anything more.”

  Fuck, fuck, and fuckety fuck.

  What if Wonder had someone back in Egypt?

  What if she was already mated?

  No, that didn’t make sense. If she were, she would’ve been repulsed by Anandur, not attracted to him. On the other hand, nine months was probably long enough to get over the addiction.

  He should ask Bridget. Maybe she knew how long it took for the venom addiction to wane.

  Suddenly, Wonder’s maidenly delicate scent of arousal made sense. It wasn’t because she was too young, it was because she was at the tail end of getting over her addiction.

  “Do you think he was your mate?”

  “You mean like a husband?”

  “Yes.”

  Wonder shook her head. “I’m sure I’ve never been married.”

  “How can you be sure of that? You said that you remembered loving him.”

  “I might have been in love, but I’ve never been with anyone.”

  Anandur scratched his head. “You could’ve forgotten.”

  Wonder smiled sadly. “It’s not a question of remembering or not.”

  Finally, her meaning got through his thick head. “You’re a virgin.”

  She nodded. “I asked Bridget to check.”

  39

  Wonder

  Wonder managed to keep the tears at bay until Anandur dropped her back at home. But the floodgates broke free as soon as she closed the door behind her.

  “What happened?” Gertrude asked.

  Shit on a stick. She hadn’t noticed the nurse sitting on the couch. If she had, Wonder would’ve held off the crying fit until she reached her bedroom. Now she was stuck having to explai
n something she didn’t understand herself.

  “It’s complicated.” She wiped her face with the sleeve of her blouse.

  Gertrude frowned. “Did Anandur say something to offend you? Because if he did, he probably didn’t mean it. He just likes to joke around and sometimes it comes out the wrong way.”

  Wonder shook her head. “Can we talk about it tomorrow morning? I just want to take a shower and get in bed.”

  “As you wish. But I think that getting whatever troubles you off your chest will help you sleep better.”

  There was truth in that.

  Wonder was so used to being alone that the idea of sharing her troubles with anyone was foreign to her. But Trudy and Hilde had made her feel so at home with them, that she was starting to think of the nurses as her family. Especially since she didn’t have a real one of her own.

  “Okay.” Wonder sat on the couch and kicked off her sandals. The straps were pretty, but they were starting to pinch.

  Trudy rose to her feet. “Let me make you some calming tea first.”

  “Thank you.”

  A few minutes later the nurse returned with two cups of steaming, weird-smelling tea.

  Wonder lifted the mug and scrunched her nose. “What’s in it?”

  “It’s a secret recipe. If you want to know, you’ll have to become my apprentice, and I’ll have to swear you to secrecy.” She winked. “Let it cool a bit and then drink up.”

  “Okay.” Wonder put the mug down on the coffee table.

  “Let’s hear it. What did the big oaf do to upset you so much? Is he still playing hard to get?”

  Wonder wasn’t too happy about letting her roommates in on her secret infatuation with Anandur. As far as they were concerned, he’d been supposed to be a friend or a big-brother style mentor.

  Except, whether they’d believed her or not had become irrelevant after the makeover. Naturally, it had been impossible for Amanda to keep her mouth shut about what had prompted the beautifying session, and both Gertrude and Hildegard had voiced their opinions on the subject of Anandur’s reluctant attitude.

  Or stinky attitude, as Hilde had called it.

  Trudy had called him a condescending prick and had suggested Wonder hit him over the head with her sandal.

  “I confronted him and told him to kiss me.”

  “High five.” Trudy lifted her hand. “Good for you, girl.” She smiled and leaned forward. “How was it?”

  “Amazing.” Wonder sniffled.

  “What’s going on?” The blurry-eyed Hildegard walked into the living room in her Hello Kitty sleep shirt. “Why are you crying?”

  Trudy wrapped her arm around Wonder’s shoulders. “Anandur kissed her.”

  “Wasn’t that what you wanted?” Hilde plopped into an armchair.

  “Yes, and it was a great kiss.”

  “But?” Hilde made a circular motion with her hand.

  “It brought back a memory of another kiss.”

  As Wonder wiped her tears away with her sleeve and picked up the mug, her roommates gaped at her with their eyes peeled wide.

  “That’s excellent news.” Trudy clasped Wonder’s hand. “If one memory resurfaced, then there is a good chance others will too. It means your memories are not lost forever.”

  “I think that calls for a celebration.” Hilde rose to her feet. “Wine, anyone?”

  Wonder shook her head. “No, thank you. I don’t drink alcohol.”

  “Right. What about you, Trudy?”

  “I’m always game for wine.” She turned to Wonder. “I understand that having a memory come back can be emotionally laden, but I have a feeling these tears are the sad kind, not the relieved or grateful kind.”

  Wonder closed her eyes and groaned. “I finally got Anandur to kiss me, and then I moan another guy’s name into his mouth. You should have seen his face. He looked as if I punched him in the stomach.”

  “Ouch.” Gertrude grimaced. “That’s bad. You’ll have to reassure Anandur that the other guy is just a memory. Tell him that his kiss was so electrifying that it helped reboot your brain. That should mollify him.”

  Another tear escaped the corner of Wonder’s eye and made its way down until it detached from her chin and landed inside the tea.

  Great, now the tea was going to be salty.

  “What? You don’t like my idea? Guys have fragile egos. It always helps telling them how great they are, especially as lovers.” Trudy winked.

  “I’ll drink to that.” Hilde handed the other nurse a wineglass. “There is nothing wrong with a little white lie if it makes someone happy, right?”

  “It’s not that,” Wonder said. “I think I was in love with the other guy, Esag.”

  Hilde frowned. “Esag, that’s a name I’ve never heard before. Are you sure you remember it right? Maybe it was Esau? Not that Esau is popular nowadays, or ever. He wasn’t exactly a hero to name your little boy after.”

  “On the other hand, Wonder can use Esau as a good excuse. Wasn’t he a big redhead too?” Trudy asked. “You can say that Anandur reminded you of the biblical Esau.”

  “That’s not a little white lie, Trudy,” Hilde said in a stern voice. “That's a big fat one.”

  Gertrude shrugged. “All is fair in love and war.”

  “You’re missing the point,” Wonder said quietly. “Before my coma, I was in love with another guy. Maybe I’m still in love with him but can’t remember it. What if more memories of him resurface?”

  Hilde lifted her wineglass. “That’s a good problem to have.”

  “I’m not sure about it. I have feelings for Anandur. I want to see where it could go, but not if I have a boyfriend somewhere who’s waiting for me, and worries about me, a boyfriend I still love.”

  “Or a husband,” Trudy said.

  Wonder shook her head. “No, not a husband. Bridget says I’m still a virgin. But it doesn't make a difference. Shouldn’t people be loyal to the ones they love? Shouldn’t my heart stay true to Esag?”

  Hilde finished her wine and put the glass on the coffee table. “Not if he’s dead. Maybe whoever or whatever put you in a coma has killed Esag. Otherwise, he would have been searching for you. How long did you stay in Alexandria after waking up?”

  A feeling of dread gripping her insides, Wonder put a hand over her heart. “For about six weeks.”

  “If he were alive and in love with you, don’t you think he would’ve found you by then?”

  “It’s a big city.”

  Still, she’d spent many hours of every day at Alexandria’s central market. Anyone looking for a lost person would’ve started there. It was the city’s hub.

  40

  Syssi

  Kian wasn’t going to like her idea, Syssi knew it, but at some point, she would have no choice but to tell him.

  This wasn’t a trivial thing she could get away with hiding. Taking fertility drugs wasn’t like deciding to add highlights to her hair and then asking him if he liked it after it was done.

  She loved him to pieces, but sometimes he could be so overbearing. She hated to see him frown at her.

  Stop being a mouse.

  It would be a long time before Bridget got back to her, but it didn’t feel right to keep Kian out of the loop. He needed to know what she was planning even if it was months away from happening. If the roles were reversed, Syssi would’ve wanted to know right away.

  Kian might huff and puff, but it was all bluster. In the end, Syssi always got what she wanted. In fact, she needed to be careful with what she told him because he often interpreted her musings as requests and had them immediately fulfilled.

  With that in mind, she strode into his home office and took a seat. “I need to talk to you.”

  He lifted his head from the report he’d been reading and smiled. “That sounds ominous. What did I do this time?”

  Right, as if she was so scary. Syssi rolled her eyes. “It’s not about what you did. It’s about what I want to do.”

  He sighed
. “I know I promised you another vacation in Hawaii. But with the way things are going, it will have to wait.”

  “It’s not about a vacation.” She took a deep breath and plunged right ahead. “I talked with Bridget about our fertility issues and suggested attempting some of the treatments that work for humans.”

  He lifted a brow. “Our fertility, as in yours and mine, or the clan’s in general?”

  “Both. You know how much I want a child, but this is bigger than just me and my longings. This village is perfect for raising children, but one baby and one more on the way are not enough. Every time I walk by the deserted playground my heart squeezes a little.” She put a hand on her chest.

  “Oh, my sweet girl.” He pushed to his feet and walked over to the other side of his desk. “What do those fertility treatments entail?” He sat in the chair next to her and took her hand.

  “Bridget is still checking up on that, but from what I read it seems that drugs that increase ovulation are the first step.”

  Kian shook his head. “The problem is not limited to immortal females. Immortal males are not all that fertile either. Are there any drugs for that?”

  “There are for humans. I didn’t discuss it with Bridget yet, but there might be many reasons for the infertility, and we can’t treat something until we know what that something is. The low fertility of immortal males can be caused by a low sperm count, or by weak compatibility with human females, or by other factors we are not aware of.”

  “The same is probably true for immortal females as well.”

  “Yeah, but the explanation seems simpler. We don’t ovulate as frequently as human females. But males produce sperm all of the time, so the limiting factor must be something else.”

  “We need more research to be done on the subject.”

  “Exactly, but there are several problems with that. Bridget doesn’t have time to conduct in-depth research, and we need volunteers who are willing to get tested.”