Dark Secrets Absolved (The Children Of The Gods Paranormal Romance Book 46)

by I. T. Lucas

  The woman smiled and pulled out a small bottle of water from her purse. “The fine young man that you sent to escort me here has taken very good care of me. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Is there anything else I can do for you?” She looked into the woman’s eyes and sent calming thoughts into her mind.

  “I’m okay. Ronja told me about David’s dream. It gave me hope that maybe Frank would come to visit me in my dreams as well.”

  He could be visiting her much sooner than that if Sari had anything to do with it. Perhaps later, when they got back to Ronja’s house.

  It was cheating, and it was against clan law to enter a human’s mind without just cause, but Sari was willing to break the rules to ease Frank’s mother’s suffering.

  As she took her seat next to David, a disturbing thought occurred to Sari. What if her mother had done the same to David?

  She could have entered his mind while he was in a coma, implanting false memories about his past as Gudbrand or as Olek, and also about his brother coming to talk to him.

  It would be so up Annani’s alley to do such a thing.

  Her mother knew that her relationship with David’s former self bothered Sari as well as David. What better way to solve the problem than to make him believe that it hadn’t been him? That it had been his brother who had been her lover?

  That would put the entire reincarnation thing in question.

  Except, David had dreamt about Annani as a teenager, so there was that. Also, Annani’s reaction when she’d seen him for the first time hadn’t been faked. She’d known him from before.

  But what if she hadn’t met David in his prior life but during this one?

  They could have met when David was a teenager, and Annani could have erased the memory from his mind.

  Why would she do that, though?

  Annani wouldn’t have seduced a teenager, so that wasn’t the reason. Maybe she’d seduced David’s father and had met David in Dr. Levinson senior’s house?

  Ronja had hinted that her first husband hadn’t been faithful.

  Then again, Annani had a rule against seducing married mortals.

  Sari shook her head. Why was she even going there?

  Those alternative scenarios were more fantastic than reincarnation, so why not just accept her mother’s story?

  Still, a niggling little voice in the back of her head refused to let it go.

  Perhaps she should have another talk with her mother.

  60

  David

  “I hope the catering service delivered the order already,” Sari said as she stepped out of the car. “Last time I checked, Magnus said that they were running late.”

  “Don’t worry.” Lisa offered her grandmother a hand up. “It’s not like anyone is starving.”

  “Hold on. Let me get the walker first.” David rushed to get it out of the trunk.

  “It’s okay.” Mattie pushed up, and Lisa pulled her the rest of the way. “I can lean on my granddaughter.”

  He unfolded the walker. “Here you go.”

  “Thank you.” She left Lisa’s arm and leaned on the walker. “I can’t go anywhere without my Ferrari.” She winked at him.

  He was happy to see her in a good mood, but he suspected that a certain demigoddess had something to do with that.

  David had no problem with Sari helping Frank’s mother cope, but she must have seen something that bothered her while peeking into the woman’s mind. Whenever Sari was upset, she went into a hyper-organizing mode, which was what she’d done as soon as the service was over.

  He would have to ask her about it later.

  After the funeral, Ronja had issued an open invitation for everyone to come to her home, and people would start arriving soon.

  Hopefully, not many would take her up on the invitation.

  Sari’s family had drawn a lot of attention from the humans. Having them mingle with Ronja’s friends in her small living room was not a good idea.

  Besides, there was not enough room for everyone.

  Thankfully, only a handful of the human couples showed up. They chitchatted a little, told Ronja how touching her eulogy for Frank had been, sampled the appetizers the caterers had delivered, drank some wine, and then left.

  When it was just the family, Ronja let out a breath and flopped into an armchair. “Frank and I have good friends. I’m going to miss them.”

  David looked at Frank’s mother, but she was busy talking with Sari and hadn’t heard the slip.

  Sitting next to Ronja, Lisa put her head on her shoulder. “We will have each other.”

  Kian looked like he wanted to say something, but casting a glance at Frank’s mother, he changed his mind.

  David sat on Ronja’s other side. “Let’s talk about that later.”

  She nodded her understanding. “Mattie is probably exhausted. Bowen should take her back home.”

  “Maybe it’s better that she stays the night. Sari and I can stay in a hotel and come back in the morning.”

  “I want to sleep in my own bed,” Frank’s mother said. “When you reach my age, you will understand. Besides, if I stay here, I will miss out on all the fun activities scheduled for tomorrow.”

  The assisted-living community where Matilda lived was one of the best. They kept their members entertained and socially active, which was one of the main reasons for the exceptional longevity its residents enjoyed.

  “You still have time, Mattie.” Bowen looked at his watch. “Our flight back is in two and a half hours, and the airport is only fifteen minutes away. But if you are tired, I can try to book us an earlier flight.”

  “I can stay a little longer.” Matilda lifted her empty glass. “And I’ll have a little more wine.”

  “Grandma seems in a surprisingly good mood,” Lisa whispered in David’s ear. “Do you think that Bowen got her drunk?”

  “I suspect that alcohol had nothing to do with it.” He leaned closer to her ear. “I think Sari put some happy thoughts in her head.”

  Lisa’s eyes widened. “That’s awesome. Can she do that for Mom and me? We could use some cheering up.”

  “She offered, but I told her not to.”

  “Why?”

  “Because there is no way around the grieving process. Sari can’t make you forget why you are sad. She can only give you some happy thoughts to distract you from your pain. It’s a temporary fix.”

  “I’ll take it. I’ll go for anything that will ease the squeezing right here.” Lisa pointed to her chest. “A little relief is better than none.”

  “I agree,” Ronja said. “I could use some happy thoughts as well.”

  61

  Kian

  “Is it okay if I smoke outside?” Kian opened the sliding doors to the back yard.

  “Of course, it is.” Ronja got up and turned on the patio lights. “Would you like me to turn the heater on? It’s cold outside.”

  “Thank you, but I’m fine.” He smiled. “Immortals are more impervious to cold temperatures. We don’t do as well with heat.”

  After the grandmother had left with Bowen, there was no more need to whisper and pretend to be human.

  “Then Southern California is not the right place for you. You should have chosen Oregon.”

  “This location has other advantages.”

  “I bet.” Ronja smiled. “If you change your mind about the heater, I’m sure you can figure out how to turn it on yourself.” She closed the door behind him.

  Letting out a breath, Kian pulled out his box of cigarillos.

  He hadn’t expected the funeral of a stranger to affect him in any way, but it had.

  The girl’s tears had done it for him. And if that hadn’t been enough, Syssi had taken one look at Lisa and had started sobbing as if the deceased had been a dear family member.

  The door slid open, and Dalhu stepped out. “Can I pretend that I’m smoking with you?”

  “Sure.” Kian handed him the box.

  He pulled
one cigarillo out and put it in the corner of his mouth, looking like a gangster. “Perhaps I should start smoking for real. It’s a great excuse to get out of uncomfortable social gatherings.”

  “Not really.” Kian waved a hand at the door. Ronja was on the other side, pulling the slider open. “That’s what usually happens,” he said quietly. “People follow me out.”

  Wearing a thick sweater, Ronja stepped out onto the patio. “Mind if I join you?”

  Kian arched a brow. “Do you smoke?”

  “I did ages ago when I was really young. But then I met David’s father, got pregnant with David and Jonah, and had to quit.” She pulled out a box of Virginia Slims from her sweater pocket. “But I always keep a box stashed away for emergencies.”

  “The problem is that pretty soon, everything becomes an emergency.” Kian lifted his cigarillo. “Ask me how I know.”

  Ronja pulled out a cigarette from the box, a lighter from her pocket, and lit it up. “I don’t need to. But I’ve been doing this for many years, and I have the self-discipline to keep it as a rare treat.” She smiled up at him. “But if I were an immortal, I probably would have been smoking a pack a day.”

  “I’m sorry that we didn’t find you in time.”

  “How could you? I’m still flabbergasted over the fact that your cousin identified David as a potential Dormant. Besides, I’m okay with living out my life as a human. Perhaps in the next cycle, I will be reborn as an immortal. Nothing is final. It’s just difficult to wait until I’m reunited with those I loved and lost.”

  Kian frowned. “I hope that you are not planning on doing anything crazy.”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh, no, I would never even think that. I have two kids I love dearly, and I want to live long enough to enjoy my grandkids. All in good time.”

  When his phone buzzed in his pocket, he reached for it, meaning to shut it down, but it was his mother’s number on the display. “Excuse me. I have to take it.”

  “Of course. Don’t mind me.”

  Glancing around Ronja’s backyard, Kian realized that it was too small for him to have a private talk with his mother no matter where he chose to take it.

  He stayed where he was and accepted the call. “Hello, Mother. We are at David’s mother’s house.”

  “I know, and that is why I am calling. I want to speak with David and his family and offer my condolences.”

  “I’m out in the backyard, and only Ronja and Dalhu are here. Do you want to wait a moment for us to get inside?”

  “Are you outside because you are smoking one of your cigarillos?”

  “You caught me.”

  “I do not want to ruin your fun. Put me on speakerphone, so I can talk to Ronja, and call David and Sari to come outside. I want to talk wedding plans with them. Have Lisa come out too.”

  “Now is not the right time for that, Mother.”

  “On the contrary. It is always good to plan for a happy occasion, but it is especially beneficial when the mood is down. Ronja and her family need cheering up, and what better way to do that than to plan for Sari and David’s wedding.”

  He should have known by now that arguing with his mother was futile. It was always best to just say, “Yes, Mother.”

  He activated the speakerphone and put the device on the lounger next to Ronja. “My mother wishes to speak to you.”

  Ronja’s eyes turned the size of plates. “The goddess?”

  “The one and only.” Annani’s laughter came loud and clear. “That was what I used to say. But thankfully, I discovered that my sister was alive, so that statement is no longer true. One of only two does not carry the same punch.”

  As Ronja mumbled something incoherent in response, Kian opened the sliding door. “Annani is on the line, and she wants to talk with David, Sari, and Lisa.”

  62

  Sari

  “That’s unexpected.” Sari followed David outside.

  If her mother wanted to offer her condolences, she should have called her number, not Kian’s.

  “I think it’s nice of her,” Syssi whispered. “It’s just one more way to show Ronja and Lisa that she considers them part of the family.”

  Kian put his cigarillo out as soon as Syssi walked up to him and wrapped his arm around her. “It’s cold out here.”

  She lifted her head and smiled. “I’m just as immortal as you are, my love.”

  Sitting on the lounger and leaning over the phone, Ronja looked like she was about to faint. “I’m so excited that I’m speechless.” She fanned herself with her hand. “How do I even address you? Is it Your Highness? Your Excellency? Your Holiness?”

  Amanda walked over to where Dalhu was standing with an unlit cigarillo stuck in the corner of his mouth and put her arm around him.

  “None of the above.” Annani laughed. “My official title is Clan Mother, but my friends and close family call me Annani. And since we are going to be related by marriage soon, you should call me Annani as well, and I shall call you Ronja.”

  “I’m honored,” Ronja croaked.

  “Hello, Mother,” Sari said. “David and Lisa are here with me. You wanted to talk to them?”

  “I am deeply sorry for your loss. How are you faring, my dear Lisa?”

  The girl dipped her head as if she was in the goddess’s presence. “I fare well, Clan Mother. Sari has been incredible, taking care of all of us and everything that needed to be done. My mom, David, and I were like rag dolls that she moved where we needed to be, which was good because we were not in a good place in our heads. So, I’m grateful, and I just wanted to say that you have an amazing daughter.” She sucked in a breath. “I talk fast when I’m nervous.”

  Sari was not only touched but also impressed.

  Lisa was fearless. Not many found their voice when first talking to Annani, but Lisa had been direct and eloquent, and she hadn’t stumbled over her words.

  “No need to be nervous, child. And thank you for the kind words. A mother always enjoys hearing her children praised.”

  Ronja grinned. “I see that we are not so different, after all.”

  “We are both mothers, and we want our children to be happy, which is why I want to discuss wedding plans. Sari and David were about to get married when the sad news forced them to abandon their plans and rush to America. I offered to marry them on a later day, and I would like to set a date, so we can all plan for it. How about a week from now?”

  David rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “Thank you for the offer, but I think that my mother and sister need more time to mourn. At least a month.” He looked at Ronja. “Am I right?”

  She nodded. “I need time to take care of things here before Lisa and I are ready to leave. And we haven’t decided yet where we are going to live. Is it going to be in Kian’s village, where Lisa can commute to school, or in Scotland with David and Sari, where she would have to be homeschooled?”

  Actually, they had agreed that the first stop was going to be the village, but Ronja was probably saying that to test Kian’s response.

  He caught her meaning right away. “I understand your need to stay and finalize things here, but when you are done, you are welcome to come live in the village.”

  “Then it is settled,” Annani said. “Fourth Sunday from now in the village. Is Amanda there?”

  “I’m here, Mother.”

  “Is that enough time for you to organize a grand celebration?”

  “It’s plenty, but Kian will have to help. We need a hotel to house Sari’s people and yours. Kalugal and most of his men moved into the village, so we have a temporary housing shortage.”

  Ronja frowned. “In that case, perhaps it is better for me and Lisa to join David and Sari in Scotland. We don’t want to be a burden.”

  “You wouldn’t be.” Amanda walked over and sat next to Ronja. “We have plenty of vacant houses for you and Lisa to choose from. Sari’s people are not staying. They will come for the wedding and then go back home.” She looked up at Sari.
“Are you still considering moving your portion of the clan to the village at some point?”

  Sari shook her head. “I’ve given it a lot of thought and decided against it. Unless a very compelling reason to move presents itself, my people are staying in Scotland. We need to keep the two centers. It is strategically unwise to put all of our eggs into one basket.”

  63

  Richard

  Richard stood on the hill overlooking the construction site and snapped a few photos with his phone. It wasn’t necessary now that Kalugal had moved into the village, but it had become a habit. He’d developed a system of recording each day’s progress in his digital journal and adding a picture or two.

  If Kian decided to develop the Eastern Slope as well, Richard was going to offer his services as the job supervisor, and the journal would provide a good roadmap.

  He was also reading up on construction processes and watching videos to educate himself. Whether he transitioned or not, he had to make himself useful and earn a living.

  Regrettably, Richard’s hope for transitioning was dwindling by the hour.

  Kalugal had induced him on Saturday. That was four days ago. If it had worked, he should have started transitioning already.

  Hearing footsteps behind him, Richard plastered a smile on his face and turned around. “Good morning.”

  He’d been expecting Kalugal and his second-in-command, but instead of Rufsur, his boss had brought along his cousin.

  “Good morning, Richard.” Kalugal walked up to him. “Kian and I are going to take a look at the Eastern Slope. Would you like to accompany us?”

  “Of course.” Richard turned his gaze to Kian. “If you decide to build there, I can manage two projects at the same time.”

  “I’ve already decided to go ahead with it, and the architect has started drawing conceptual plans. Kalugal wants to take a look at the site and make suggestions.”