Dark Power Untamed (The Children Of The Gods Paranormal Romance Book 50)

by I. T. Lucas

  Maybe he could ask for an extended vacation and join the damn cult until Margaret was good to go? But what about that free-love philosophy they had? He wouldn’t let anyone near her. Then again, until the cast came off, she probably wouldn’t invite anyone, and the bastards had to wait for an invitation. They were not allowed to pester the females, which he had to grudgingly give Emmett kudos for.

  But what if he got invited? He would just refuse, maybe making up a story about some trauma he was working through. According to Anastasia, new members were allowed some leeway, which was how she’d managed to avoid inviting anyone to her bed until Leon had shown up.

  Onegus wouldn’t be happy about the long leave of absence. He’d already informed Leon that he needed him back by Thursday.

  With the influx of clan members arriving for the wedding and Kian’s birthday, Guardians had been allocated to their security, and the force would be stretched thinner than ever. Already some of the rescue missions had been canceled, and Onegus was calling in every available Guardian back to work. Vacations were officially suspended until after the celebrations.

  Bowen was the exception only because Margaret might be a potential Dormant, and Dormants took precedence over almost everything. The question was whether Onegus would approve an even longer leave of absence.

  After the celebrations were over, the plan was to increase the number of weekly rescue missions to compensate for the cancellations until they were all caught up.

  Next to him Margaret laughed, jerking Bowen out of his thoughts.

  He glanced at the screen, trying to figure out what she’d found funny, in case she commented on it and expected him to answer coherently. The truth was that he didn’t remember much of the lighthearted romantic comedy, and the details were fuzzy.

  “Here she goes again.” Margaret waved her hand at the screen. “Trying to walk in her boss’s large shoes.”

  He remembered it now. Instead of glass slippers, the story started with a pair of ill-fitting shoes. The prince was the grouchy owner of the company, and the big ball was a party at Sally’s boss’s penthouse. Sally borrowed a nice dress from her roommate, but she didn’t have money to buy fancy shoes to match. When she got to the party, she snuck into the boss’s closet and borrowed a pair from her, but they were too big. The actress had done a fantastic comedic job with Sally wobbling on the too-tall, too-big shoes, grabbing people on her way and apologizing profusely. Eventually she got the owner, causing him to spill his drink, and that’s how their love story started.

  “You’re not watching.” Margaret finally noticed.

  “I was thinking.”

  “About what?”

  “Going to Safe Haven with you. If you put in a good word for me, do you think the new management will accept me as a member?”

  Margaret quirked a brow. “You’re joking, right?”

  “No. I’m serious. I know that you want to go back, but I’m not ready to be apart from you. I’ll ask my boss for a leave of absence.”

  “Oh, Bowen.” She cupped his cheek. “You are serious.”

  “Did you think I was making it up?”

  “You are always so formal with me,” she whispered. “I didn’t know what to think.”

  Her lips were so close, and there was nothing broken or fragile about them. They were full and plump, and he knew he could taste them without fear or guilt. The problem was what would happen after that, but he would just have to figure it out.

  If he hesitated, if he refused the invitation he saw in her eyes, she might never get the courage to issue it again.

  Dipping his head, Bowen gently pressed his lips to Margaret’s, and when she eagerly parted them for him, he swept in with his tongue. To finally hold her close, pressed against him, and to kiss her was like an electrical shock to his system, but he never loosened the tight control he had over his fangs and his eyes.

  As she moaned and tilted her head to give him better access, some of his self-control slipped. Holding her with one hand on the small of her back and the other on her hip, he deepened the kiss, devouring her as if he was a starved man, which he was.

  After a long moment she pushed on his chest, and he realized that she needed to breathe and released her mouth.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I’m not.” Margaret brought a trembling finger to touch her lips. “I wish I didn’t have to take a breath.”

  “Have you taken enough?”

  “I have.”

  “Then, kiss me back.”

  She tilted her head up and did precisely as he’d commanded.

  36

  Cassandra

  Onegus hadn’t called yet.

  It was after six o’clock, the staff were already gone, and the only ones left in the office were Cassandra and her boss.

  She couldn’t remember the last time she’d checked her phone every five minutes to make sure that she hadn’t missed a call from a guy. But that was what she’d been doing throughout the day. Onegus had said that he would call as soon as he knew what time he would be done with work, and that should have been a while ago.

  What if he didn't call?

  He’d seemed interested enough, but what if he’d changed his mind?

  Normally she didn’t suffer from insecurities, but Cassandra was a realist, and Onegus was a much bigger catch than she was.

  Even if he wasn’t a billionaire, he was still rich, and he looked like a movie star. Scratch that, he looked like a god. If he could have any woman on the face of the planet, why would he bother with an obstinate, opinionated, and demanding one like her?

  Not to mention her short temper and its destructive power, but he didn’t know about that yet.

  So yeah, she had a great body and a pretty face, and she had a well-paying job, but she wasn’t young, lived with her mother, and she’d told him that she didn’t do hookups. And to top it off, she’d also told him that he would have to come to her house and introduce himself to her mother.

  What the hell had possessed her to do that?

  Meeting her loony mother was a sure way to scare the guy away, and that was the last thing she wanted.

  It had been a test, one of many she’d thrown at him to make sure that he deserved her time and attention, and she’d expected him to fail. But so far, Onegus had passed each one she’d challenged him with. The question was whether he would pass them all.

  Cassandra huffed out a breath.

  Subconsciously, or maybe consciously, she’d created an obstacle course designed to weed out the half-hearted contenders and the flakes. The prize for the one who reached the finish line would be her love and devotion.

  Except, she was no princess, and there was a serious dearth of worthy knights. Chances were that no one would be willing to work so hard to win her heart, and she would end up a spinster.

  When her phone finally rang at 6:37 and Onegus’s name appeared on the screen, she sagged in relief. Not to appear overly anxious, Cassandra let it ring three times before accepting the call.

  “Hello?” She pretended as if she didn’t recognize the number.

  “It’s Onegus.”

  She switched the phone to her other ear and leaned back in her chair. “Oh, hi. How are you doing?”

  “Great. How about yourself?”

  “I’m good.”

  “Are you still in the office?”

  “Yes. I’m just finishing a few things.” She could leave right away, but again, she didn’t want to sound overly eager.

  “When can you leave?”

  “I have about half an hour’s worth of work left.”

  “Are you heading straight home?”

  Cassandra slumped in her chair. He hadn’t called to ask her out after all. “I am. Why?”

  “When are you going to get there?”

  Maybe he wanted to pick her up at home? That was nice of him.

  “Seven-thirty or eight.”

  “If you give me the address, I can come to pick you up at eight, and you
can introduce me to your mother.”

  She chuckled. “I won’t subject you to that. Let’s meet somewhere in town.”

  “That’s not what we agreed on yesterday. I’m picking you up at home and saying hello to your mother. You don’t need to invite me for tea, but I want to introduce myself.”

  Perhaps she could make it quick and warn her mother not to say anything strange or embarrassing. If she kept refusing, Onegus would think that she was embarrassed about her home or about her mother.

  She wasn’t about either.

  The house she’d bought wasn’t a mansion, but it was in a new gated community, and she had it beautifully furnished. As for her mother, there was nothing wrong with Geraldine except the memory lapses and the crazy stories that she sometimes spouted. Her mother was a beautiful woman with impeccable manners.

  “I don’t know if she’s even going to be home. My mother has a busy social life. But you can come over at eight, and if she’s there, I’ll introduce you.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “I’ll text you the address. It’s a gated community, so when you stop at the gate, tell the guard that you are visiting the Beaumonts.”

  “I remember your last name, Cassandra.”

  “Cassy. That’s what my friends call me.”

  “I’m glad that you consider me a friend, but I love your full name. Cassandra,” he purred.

  She chuckled. “Of course, I consider you a friend. I don’t let strangers or mere acquaintances kiss me.”

  Just thinking about that had her nipples tighten into two hard knobs. No man had ever rocked her world with just one kiss, and if Onegus made love the way he kissed, she was in for the experience of a lifetime.

  “I’m also glad for that. I’ll see you at eight.”

  “Wait. Where are we going? I need to know how to dress.”

  “Wear whatever makes you feel sexy, and we will take it from there.”

  “That’s kind of vague. I felt sexy wearing those shorts, but that’s not what I would wear to a dinner date.”

  He was quiet for a moment. “Dinner it is, then. Have you ever heard of a place called By Invitation Only?”

  “I have, but I’ve never been there. Have you?”

  “No, but I can get us in. My boss has a membership.”

  That was impressive as hell, but if he hadn’t made reservations, there was no way he could get them a spot in a place like that.

  “I doubt they will have a table available. Besides, it’s too fancy for a weekday evening, second date.”

  “Nothing is too fancy for you, my beautiful Cassandra. I’ll see what I can do, but even if I can’t get us reservations at By Invitation Only, I’m taking you somewhere fancy. Dress accordingly.”

  37

  Onegus

  Being the chief of Guardians had its advantages.

  Gerard had tried to argue that he couldn’t possibly find a table for Onegus and his date on such short notice, but it hadn’t taken Onegus long to convince the prick that it was in his best interest to find them a table.

  He didn’t care if his cousin had to squeeze an additional table in or put it in the restaurant’s covered patio in the back. One way or another, he and Cassandra were dining at By Invitation Only tonight.

  The reservation was for nine-fifteen, and it was five minutes to eight when Onegus parked in front of Cassandra’s manicured front lawn. The restaurant was only a twenty-minute drive away, which gave him plenty of time to chat with the mother and get that obstacle checked off.

  Grabbing the bouquets of flowers he’d bought on the way, he got out of his car and walked up to the front door.

  It opened before he had a chance to knock.

  “Flowers? How gallant.” Cassandra reached for the bouquets. “For my mother and me?”

  “The tulips are for your mother. The orchids are for you.”

  “Thank you. Both are lovely.”

  She looked resplendent in a figure-hugging silver-hued dress that reached a little above her knees. The slightly shiny fabric accentuated her warm caramel-colored skin, and the sophisticated cut complemented her tall frame and long limbs. Spiky-heeled silver sandals adorned her slender feet, held only by narrow straps. Long silver earrings dangled from her dainty ears, and a chunky matching necklace gleamed around her long neck.

  He didn’t know much about makeup, but he’d seen her yesterday with barely anything on her face, so he knew she had it expertly applied now. Cassandra was a natural beauty, but all decked out, she was magazine-cover perfect.

  “You look ready for the runway.” He followed her inside. “Silver looks good on you.”

  She gave him a crooked smile, followed by a hooded eyed once-over. “You clean up nicely yourself.”

  He waved a hand over his charcoal suit. “This old thing?”

  Cassandra laughed. “You stole my line.”

  “Is your mother home?”

  “Let me first find vases for these, and then I’ll call her.”

  “No rush. Our reservation is for nine-fifteen.”

  Looking at him over her shoulder, she arched a perfectly shaped brow. “Did you manage to get us a reservation for By Invitation Only?”

  “Of course.” He stuffed his left hand in the pocket of his slacks and looked around the beautifully decorated living area.

  It wasn’t professionally done like Ingrid’s interiors, and not everything matched or was even in the same style, but it was still elegant and yet warm and inviting. Cassandra had impeccable taste, which explained her success as the creative director of Fifty Shades of Beauty.

  “I’m duly impressed.” She put the flowers on the counter and pulled two vases down from one of the shelves. “Who did you have to bribe?”

  He chuckled. “My cousin is the owner. But it took threats of bodily harm to convince him to secure a table for us.”

  Her brows dipped. “I hope he doesn’t spit in our food out of spite.”

  “Gerard is obsessed with providing his super-important guests with an incomparable culinary experience. He would never do something like that.”

  She cast him an appreciative glance. “You are well connected, but then I shouldn’t be surprised. Your family owns a multinational conglomerate.”

  She didn’t know the half of it, but that was how the clan needed it to be.

  As Cassandra filled the vases with water and unwrapped the flowers, Onegus examined the artwork. Noticing her name scribbled at the bottom of one, he checked the other paintings and charcoal drawings, and sure enough, her name was on each one of them.

  “You are a very talented lady, Cassandra.”

  She lifted her eyes and smiled. “Thank you.”

  When a door opened somewhere on the second floor, and a moment later light footsteps sounded going down the stairs, Onegus turned and prepared to flash a charming smile that would disarm the most protective of mothers.

  The woman who entered the living room was nothing like what he’d expected, and for a moment he wondered whether she was a visitor, perhaps a friend whom Cassandra had forgotten to mention.

  Dark hair cascading around slim shoulders framed a pale, unlined face that was much too young to belong to Cassandra’s mother. Big blue eyes eyed him with curiosity, and her red-colored lips curved in a mysterious smile.

  “You must be Onegus.” She offered him her hand.

  “Indeed.” He shook it. “And you are?”

  She laughed. “I’m Geraldine. Cassy’s mother.”

  “Impossible. You can’t be. A sister, maybe. But her mother? No way.”

  “Oh, dear. You are a charmer, aren’t you? And so handsome. I thought that Cassy was exaggerating when she told me you were a god among men. But every word was true.”

  “Mother.” Cassandra walked over to the much shorter woman and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. “You are embarrassing me.”

  “I’m sorry.” Geraldine lifted her face to look up at her daughter. “You two look perfect together.” S
he giggled. “Like Ken and Barbie. You are both so tall and beautiful.”

  “The tulips are for you.” Cassandra kissed her mother’s cheek and then grabbed a small purse off the counter. “Let’s go before my mom decides to show you my naked baby pictures to prove that she’s indeed my mother.” She walked over to Onegus and threaded her arm through his.

  “It was a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Beaumont.” Onegus smiled at the woman.

  “Just Geraldine.” She walked over and patted his arm. “Thank you for the flowers. It was my pleasure to make your acquaintance as well. Enjoy your evening.”

  “Thank you.”

  38

  Cassandra

  Cassandra had been to fancy restaurants before, where a couple could easily spend over three hundred dollars without even overindulging in exotic drinks or delicacies, but By Invitation Only was by far the most exclusive gig in town, perhaps even in the entire country.

  It was a well-hidden gem that wasn’t marked by a sign, and the only indication that there was anything happening beyond its sprawling gardens was the valet service, but even that was done so discreetly that only those in the know could find the place.

  It was also run more efficiently than any of the other high-end restaurants she’d ever been to.

  As soon as Onegus had given his name, they were quickly led by the hostess to one of the secluded enclaves. Candles burned on the tables they passed on the way, their light too faint to illuminate the patrons’ faces.

  She had no doubt that it was intentional, providing privacy to the movers and shakers who owned a membership.

  As soon as they were seated, the hostess took their drink orders so they could sip on them while going over the menu. Looking at the offerings, Cassandra was glad of having taken French as a second language in high school. Otherwise, she would have been forced to guess what she was ordering. It also bothered her that the prices were not listed.

  It probably didn’t matter. Everything was no doubt so costly that her choice of entree wouldn’t make a difference in the bill Onegus got.