Dark Choices: Paradigm Shift (The Children Of The Gods Paranormal Romance Series Book 42)

by I. T. Lucas

  How he and Kalugal got along as splendidly as they did was a mystery. Rufsur’s boss was his exact opposite. Kalugal was well-educated, refined, and a snob who somehow managed to appear charming despite being condescending.

  She handed Rufsur a wine glass. “How did you and Kalugal end up being such close friends?” She sat on the couch.

  Rufsur sat right beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “He needs me, and he knows it.” He took a sip of wine. “Although now that he has Jacki, I’ve been demoted.” He sighed. “I have to admit that I’m a little jealous, but that’s how life is. A mate supersedes all friendships.”

  “Obviously. But Jacki can’t replace you, right? You are his right-hand man.”

  “I’m not referring to my official job. Before Jacki, I was the one who made sure that Kalugal had some fun and didn’t spend all of his time buried either in books or his artifacts. He gets obsessive in his quest for knowledge and success, and he needs constant reminders that there is more to life than that.”

  “Used to need.” Edna sipped on her wine. “He didn’t strike me as the all work and no play kind of guy.”

  “That’s exactly how he is. But with Jacki around, he no longer needs me to drag him away from his desk or his dusty artifacts.”

  “He is already rich and successful. What more does he want to achieve? Conquer the world?”

  Snorting, Rufsur sprayed his pants with wine. “Damn. Look what you’ve made me do.” He brushed the droplets off with his hand.

  It seemed to her that he was overacting to hide the fact that she’d inadvertently stumbled upon the truth.

  She eyed him with a raised brow. “Was that too close for comfort? Does he want to conquer the world?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Kalugal is smart, not crazy. But he is obsessed with history and finding out more about the gods and where they came from. He thinks that they were aliens.”

  It might have been a clever redirect, or Rufsur might have been telling the truth. In any case, he’d piqued her curiosity.

  She’d heard about Kalugal’s extensive artifact collection. He’d even built a bunker to house it in an optimally controlled environment. The funny part was that before Jin had tethered him and everything that followed, they’d thought that he’d been hiding human slaves in there, or an arsenal of weapons.

  “I’ve read some of the Sumerian legends regarding the gods’ origins, and I have to agree with your boss. But then all mythologies claim that their gods came from the heavens.”

  “Yeah, but not all have accurate depictions of satellites, rockets, and launch pads.”

  “I see that Kalugal shared some of his observations with you.”

  Rufsur laughed. “He would have shared much more if I was willing to listen. I tried not to let him get started because he can talk about this stuff from morning till night.”

  “I would love to hear some of his findings and hypotheses.”

  Rufsur waved a hand. “Now is your chance. You can come over tomorrow and have a nice long talk with Kalugal. Perhaps you’ll discover that he’s a pretty decent guy, and you’ll change your mind about him.”

  “I don’t hate him.”

  “But you think that he and I and our friends are a threat to your clan.”

  Sighing, Edna leaned forward and put her empty wine glass on the coffee table. “It’s not personal. But as one who has lived through the Scottish clan feuds, I’ve seen firsthand the ‘us versus them’ mentality at work and its bloody results. No matter how friendly and well-meaning you might appear, and by you I mean Kalugal’s entire community, I can’t fully trust you.”

  He chuckled. “We are not in Scotland, Edna, and we don’t have cattle to steal from each other, or territories that we want to conquer, or a history of blood feuds. Where is the conflict?”

  She opened her mouth to voice a counter-argument, but then realized that she had none.

  Without conflict, or a reason for one, there was no impetus for violence. Kalugal and his men didn’t worship Mortdh, so there was no religious incentive either. What possible reason could they have to strike at the clan?

  Females.

  Tribal wars were often about that.

  But if they could obtain them freely, they wouldn’t have to steal them.

  Then there was the quest for power.

  Kalugal was an ambitious guy, and he might seek control over the clan. Except, he was no match for Annani, and if he had any doubts about that, it had been proven during Richard’s induction.

  So, that wasn’t it either.

  Still, she couldn’t just relax and accept him and his men with open arms.

  Rufsur smirked. “You see? There isn’t a single reason you can think of for why we are a threat to your clan.”

  “If you take away our females, you are.”

  “But you’ll get some of us in exchange.”

  “That also worries me.”

  24

  Rufsur

  Rufsur wasn’t a psychologist, but he had no doubt that Edna’s fear was rooted in her loss.

  She was a rational woman, and yet she relied on a gut feeling that had nothing to do with reality. She’d lost Robbie in one of those skirmishes between clans, and his death was the result of betrayal. Edna hadn’t elaborated, but she’d said that Robbie had been trying to negotiate a peace treaty, so the betrayal had been perpetrated by the neighboring clan members pretending to come in peace, and not by some random attackers.

  Rufsur didn’t know much about Scottish history, but he’d seen enough examples of the same tactics in other parts of the world. In that respect, Edna was right. The best way to ensure her people’s safety was to stay isolated and make it unwise for anyone to dare to attack them. The second best was to hide really well, so no one knew where to find them.

  The clan had no chance against the Brotherhood, so their best tactic was to remain hidden. But what about Kalugal and his men?

  There were too few of them to be a threat to the clan, which made it unwise for them to try anything. But Edna wasn’t thinking logically, she was thinking with her heart, which still bore the scars from her loss.

  The thing with smart people was that they could rationalize their irrational fears, as well as their aspirations, with perfectly logical reasons and convince themselves that they were right.

  Kalugal was an excellent example of that.

  He wanted to rule the world, so he convinced himself that he could do a better job of keeping everyone fed and happy than all of humanity’s leadership combined.

  Maybe he was right, but Rufsur wasn’t sure about that. As smart and as powerful as Kalugal was, he was just one man. That was good enough to lead their small group, but not to lead billions of humans. Even Navuh, the ultimate despot, had advisors and didn’t do everything himself.

  But that was another problem altogether.

  Right now, Rufsur needed to address the one in front of him, and the best way to convince a smart woman that her gut was mistaken was to show her proof to the contrary.

  “You probed me. You know that we don’t harbor any malevolent intentions toward your clan.”

  “I know that you don’t, but that doesn’t mean that your boss has no such plans.”

  “Kalugal shares everything with me.”

  Edna sighed. “The other problem is that my sensors are not as infallible as I thought. Jacki’s friend Wendy, a nineteen-year-old girl who was a human at the time, managed to fool me. She hid her nefarious intentions under a mountain of pain and suffering, knowing that I would get stuck on that and not dig any deeper.”

  “That’s clever. But I’m an open book. You said so yourself.” He lifted her hand and kissed it. “I’m a simple man, Edna, and I’m honest.” Or as honest as he could be without revealing secrets that weren’t his own.

  Pulling away from him, Edna turned to face him and crossed her arms over her chest. “I was wondering about something. What do Kalugal’s men actually do? I mean besides
training and securing his mansion.”

  “That’s a big part of their job.”

  “But not all of it.”

  “Well, he has to keep them busy doing other stuff.”

  “What is that other stuff?”

  “Gathering information.”

  He really didn’t want to get into it because Edna might figure out what Kalugal needed that information for.

  “On what?”

  Damn.

  “Everything worth knowing. He can’t do it all himself, and he likes to have his finger on the pulse of the world. They search for information about new technologies, political and social changes around the world, interesting scientific discoveries, astronomical discoveries, artifacts, and whatever else that catches their attention.”

  Her pinched expression relaxed. “Fascinating. Do they prepare briefs for him?”

  “It depends. They give him the high points, and he chooses what he wants to get more information about. When it’s something he is interested in, he digs in himself.”

  “The more you tell me about Kalugal, the more fascinated by him I become. He must have a treasure trove of information.”

  “He does.”

  Rufsur frowned. Kalugal would have made a much better mate for Edna than he would, but fortunately he was no longer on the market.

  “Just don’t get too excited. He’s taken.”

  “Oh, Rufsur.” Edna reached for his hand and clasped it. “I find him intellectually intriguing, but I would never be attracted to a guy like Kalugal. He’s not my type.”

  He arched a brow. “Oh, yeah? So, who’s your type?”

  “You are.”

  He shook his head. “That doesn’t compute, judge. You are a well-educated woman, an intellectual who’s interested in many of the same things Kalugal is. Why would you be attracted to a simple guy like me?”

  “You are not as simple as you pretend to be.”

  “I assure you. With me, what you see is what you get.”

  Edna looked down at their joined hands. “Robbie was a lot like you. He was upbeat, straightforward, cocky as hell, loyal to a fault, and fun to be with. If I ever fall in love again, it would be with someone like him.”

  Rufsur smirked. “You mean like me.”

  She lifted her eyes. “I can’t fall in love with you.”

  Leaning, he wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her to his lap. “But you are already in lust with me, and for now, that will do.”

  25

  Kian

  “That was pleasant.” Amanda stretched her arms over her head. “I like Kalugal.”

  Even though it had indeed been a pleasant evening, with Kalugal entertaining them with stories about the various artifacts he’d collected over the years, Kian was glad that it was over, and he could finally relax.

  “Yes, it was,” Syssi said. “He is so charming, and he’s so knowledgeable about so many things.” She handed Amanda a fresh cup of cappuccino.

  “Thank you.” Amanda took a small sip and sighed. “This is good, Syssi. You are the best barista in town.” She put the cup down and chuckled. “All throughout dinner, I kept wondering whether I would ever be able to eat goat cheese in front of Kalugal.”

  Kian waved a dismissive hand. “After the demonstration at Richard’s induction ceremony, he knows that Annani can not only override his compulsion, but can compel him as well. He’ll figure out that she did that.”

  “I know. But I don’t want him to know that it was a test, and I also don’t want him to think that I have no willpower and couldn’t abstain from cheese even with him compelling me not to crave it.”

  “Then I guess that whenever Kalugal is invited, there will be no goat cheese on the menu.”

  “Yeah. Not a big deal. It’s not like he’ll be a frequent guest.” Amanda turned the cup to the right, then to the left, and then to the right again.

  “What’s bothering you? Not having cheese or Kalugal’s infrequent visits?”

  She shook her head. “Neither. Richard asked me to talk to you about giving him an extension.” Amanda turned to look at him. “His time is running out and he’s worried. Would you also consider inducing him yourself? Maybe you will succeed where others have failed. Roni needed four different inductions, and finally your venom did the trick.”

  Kian raked his fingers through his hair. “Roni didn’t transition because he was recovering from pneumonia, and his body wasn’t strong enough to go through transition. By the time I induced him, his health had just happened to improve enough for the venom to work. Richard is the picture of health. Besides, he hasn’t bonded with anyone, and that’s another strike against him. He just might not be a Dormant.”

  “I know that. But on the other hand, he’s good friends with Bowen and Leon, and they both like him a lot. He also says that the village is the first place where he has felt at home. That sounds like affinity to me.”

  “Do you want me to induce him? I’ll do it as a favor to you.”

  The unexpected pregnancy had been a shock to Amanda, and despite the brave face she put on, he had a feeling that she was holding up by a thread. If there was anything he could do to reduce her stress level and make her happy, he would do it. She needed all the support she could get.

  Amanda smiled. “Thank you. That’s sweet. But all I ask is that you talk to Richard. He really wants to stay, and after the services he provided, he deserves an audience with you before getting kicked out.”

  Kian arched a brow. “What services?”

  “You know, the auctions. It was hard work for a human to service a different immortal female every night. The poor guy was so exhausted that he asked for a break.”

  “You told me. It’s understandable.”

  “Give him another chance,” Syssi said. “We don’t get enough male Dormants, and it would be a shame to send Richard away before making absolutely sure that he isn’t one. The ladies will be disappointed.”

  “I’ll call him.” Kian pushed to his feet.

  “Are you going outside to smoke?” Syssi asked.

  “I intend to. Why?”

  She smiled. “No reason. Enjoy your relaxing break.”

  His wife was the best.

  He leaned and kissed her cheek. “I won’t be long.”

  Out on the back patio, Kian sat on a lounger, pulled out a cigarillo, and lit it up.

  The only problem he had with inducing Richard was giving the guy false hope. If he hadn’t transitioned yet, he probably wouldn’t even with the help of the most potent venom. But refusing was even more unkind.

  With a sigh, Kian pulled out his phone and placed the call.

  It rang a few times before Richard answered. “Kian?”

  “Good evening, Richard. Amanda told me that you wished to talk to me.”

  There was a long moment of silence. “I do. I just didn’t expect a call this evening. I know that you’ve been entertaining Jacki and her new husband. Where are you now?”

  “In my backyard. Why?”

  “Can I come over? I can be there in two minutes. It’s not the kind of talk I’m comfortable having over the phone.”

  Damn. Kian was hoping to avoid that, but it wasn’t as if he could refuse. It would be callous of him. Before Syssi had entered his life, it wouldn’t have even occurred to him, but he was learning to be more sensitive to other people’s feelings.

  “Enter through the side gate.”

  “Thank you. I’m on my way.”

  26

  Richard

  Richard hadn’t been expecting a call from the boss, especially not at nine in the evening.

  “I have to run.” He kissed Marla on the cheek. “I had a great time with you.”

  “Me too. Good luck.”

  “Thank you.”

  Fortunately, her home was as close to Kian’s as the one Richard was staying in, so if he ran, he could really make it in two minutes. The problem was that he didn’t have a speech ready, and he would have to wing it.
>
  Since he was a damn good salesman, that wouldn’t have been a problem in any other situation, but when his life depended on it, it would have been better to be prepared. But Kian was not going to give him another chance, and he needed to make the best of it.

  Breaking into a jog, Richard reached the side gate to the boss’s home on time, but then stood in front of it like an idiot, debating whether he should knock on the wooden door or just enter.

  “Give it a push, Richard.” Kian’s gruff voice made him jump. “It’s open.”

  He sucked in a breath, squared his shoulders, put a fake confident expression on his face, and pushed the wooden gate open.

  “Thank you for agreeing to see me.” He walked to where Kian was sitting and offered him his hand.

  Kian shook it, then motioned to the other lounger. “Take a seat.”

  “Thank you.” Richard gingerly sat down on the edge, wishing that he had a bottle of beer or a glass of whiskey in hand for some liquid courage.

  Pulling a box out of his pocket, Kian flipped the lid open. “Would you like a cigarillo?”

  Except for the occasional joint, Richard didn’t smoke, and regrettably, Kian’s cigarillos were made of pure tobacco and not weed. Nevertheless, he pulled one out, took the lighter Kian handed him, and lit it up.

  “Amanda told me that you wish to be induced one more time.” Kian puffed on his slim cigar. “By me.”

  “If you are willing, I would be eternally grateful.”

  Kian chuckled. “If it fails, which I’m pretty sure it will, you won’t remember me, or the need for gratitude.”

  The guy was just being honest, but it sounded like a kick to the gut nonetheless. “I hope it works, but if it doesn’t, I still want to stay in the village. It’s the first place that feels like home to me.”