Dark Stranger The Dream: New & Lengthened 2017 Edition (The Children Of The Gods Paranormal Romance Series)

by I. T. Lucas

  Why the hell did Kian have to bring it up?

  Her day had been going so well until he opened the trapdoor on the old pain she’d buried deep down behind thick walls and a moat. Surfacing, it dragged its serrated edge through her insides. “You know I don’t talk about it!” She pushed away from him, wiping the few tears that found their way out despite her best efforts.

  In the silence that followed, the sound of Gino’s light footfalls echoing from the stairwell announced his arrival. A moment later, he rushed in with a loaded tray in one hand and a folded stand in the other. Setting it up by the table, he proceeded to pull out a chair for Amanda. “My lady?” He gestured for her to take a seat.

  Donning her well-practiced cheerful mask, Amanda did what she’d always done when unpleasant thoughts intruded. She pushed them back into their little jail, redirecting her train of thought to a happier place; like whether Gino insisted on always serving them himself because he coveted their generous tips, or because he believed they were celebrities. “Thank you, Gino.” She sat down, sneaking another discreet swipe at her eyes before offering him a bright smile.

  Gino removed the red-checkered napkin from the basket of freshly baked rolls, letting the steam out, then fussed with the placement of the wine glasses. Once he was satisfied with how everything looked, he proceeded to make a big production out of opening the bottle and pouring Amanda’s wine.

  As he pulled out two menus from his apron pocket and was about to hand them out, Kian stopped him with a chuckle. “Please, we have no need for these. Unless new items have been added since our last time here, I can recite your menu verbatim. I’ll have a Caesar salad and the vegetable lasagna, please.”

  “The garden delight fettuccine and your delicious house salad, per favore.” Amanda smiled at Gino and reached for one of the fragrant rolls.

  “Very well!” His face beaming with satisfaction, Gino puffed out his chest and stuffed the menus back in his apron pocket. “I’ll be back with your salads momentarily.”

  Sipping her wine, Amanda stole a furtive glance at Kian to assess his mood as she thought of a way to broach the delicate subject she needed to discuss with him.

  “You’re plotting something.” Kian narrowed his eyes. “I know that contemplating look, the one you have when you want to tell me something you know I’m not going to like. Let’s hear it then and get it over with so I can bite your head off, and we can eat in peace.”

  Amanda pouted. “You could be nice and agreeable for a change.”

  “Spill!”

  “I want you to meet Syssi,” she blurted in a hurry, cringing in preparation for his retort.

  “Syssi?” He arched a brow.

  “Yes, Syssi, my research assistant, remember? I mentioned her before.” Amanda looked hopefully at Kian. He didn’t seem angry. Yet. Maybe this would go easier than she had expected.

  “Last I heard you mention that girl, you were blabbering about an architecture graduate who excelled at predicting coin tosses.”

  “I hired her,” Amanda said while trying to look remorseful.

  “And what credentials did she bring to the job? Arranging the Functional MRI machines in an aesthetically pleasing manner? Painting the lab in designer colors? I understand you wanted to test her, but why hire the girl?”

  Kian’s level of aggravation was rising with each sentence. He had this tendency to fuel his own temper over minor issues. And yet, when things hit critical mass he somehow managed to be as cool as a cucumber.

  “Syssi is an amazing person; smart, dedicated, and hard working. The internship she had lined up bummed. The poor schmuck died of a heart attack on a fishing trip of all places. I needed a research assistant, and she was both available and the best test subject I had to date. She is off the charts, Kian. And it’s not only the coin tosses, which in itself is beyond impressive; she guesses with eighty-seven percent accuracy. The random-computer-selected-images test? You know which one I’m talking about?”

  When he nodded, she continued. “She was spot on, or close to the correct image in ninety-two out of a hundred pictures. She has the strongest precognition ability of any mortal I’ve ever tested. I’m telling you, Syssi is a Dormant, Kian. I just know it.” Amanda could barely contain her excitement.

  Kian ran both hands through his hair. “I can’t do it, Amanda. It’s just wrong. Pick another male. It doesn’t have to be me.”

  “I don’t know what your problem is, Kian. You bang random women you pick up at clubs and bars, and I know for a fact that you’ve even paid for it on occasion. So why not Syssi? Why not someone who has the potential to change your life and give hope to the rest of us? We know there must be Dormants out there; carriers of our unrealized genes who can be turned into near-immortals like us. Potential mates we could bond with for life. And I think I finally found a way to identify them. You know why I started this research in the first place, searching for anomalies, paranormal abilities. Once we realized DNA testing was useless, instead of giving up, I took a different approach. Don’t you want children, Kian? Immortal children? Don’t you want a life mate?” Amanda was exasperated. If it were up to her, she wouldn’t even pause to think. But only males possessed the venom necessary to activate the dormant DNA.

  It was a cruel twist of fate, or as Kian believed, the work of a crazy geneticist. Only the immortal females contributed the special genetic material to their offspring. And only males could activate it in a Dormant.

  An immortal mother and a mortal father produced mortal offspring who possessed the dormant immortal genes and could be activated by venom. If not activated, the dormant genetic material would remain inert but still pass from mother to daughter, and so on. It wouldn’t pass to the sons, though.

  The immortal heredity was matrilineal.

  To facilitate the activation of a Dormant, an immortal male would have to inject the latent with his venom. When sexually aroused, the male’s fangs elongated and venom was produced in specialized glands; the need to bite and release it into the female’s system congruent with the need to ejaculate.

  Aggression toward other males triggered a similar reaction. Though the venom produced for the purpose of immobilizing or even killing an opponent was obviously more potent and carried a different mix of chemicals. A large amount of it, pumped into the victim’s system, paralyzed the body and stopped the heart. Even in immortals.

  Kian just stared at her, looking stunned by her audacity. But she did not back down. Holding his stare, she challenged him to pick up the gauntlet.

  “You really want to know what the big deal is? I’ll tell you. I hate it! I hate what I have to do. I feel like a drug addict; needing, craving the release sex provides and despising the need. I wish I could abstain, or at least have the luxury human males have of taking matters into their own hands, so to speak. But I can’t bite myself, can I? If I could put my hands on the sick fuck who designed us this way, I would kill the fucker… slowly.” Kian took a fortifying breath in an obvious attempt to calm down, then continued in a quieter voice.

  “I use these women. I don’t remember their faces or their names. They are all interchangeable in my mind. Not to feel like a jerk, I try not to objectify them, giving them as much pleasure as I can, and when tampering with their brain I leave the memory of pleasure intact, erasing only the biting part and replacing my features with those of another. That’s all I can do to ease my conscience. But there is nothing I can do for myself, for the way I feel, as if I’m a goddamned animal with no control over my baser needs.”

  Reaching over and taking Kian’s hand, Amanda purposely kept pity out of her expression. “I had no idea it got so bad for you.”

  She did not understand his misery. She loved sex. Loved the variety of partners. Perhaps it was different for the females of the clan because supposedly, there was a purpose to their sexual appetite. Conception was extremely rare for her people, and pregnancy was hailed a miracle. With the females of the clan holding the key to its continuity,
as only their progeny could turn immortal, they were encouraged to seek a variety of human partners in the hopes of conceiving.

  Their plight was not as bad as that of the males. The possibility of having a child to share their long life with, to bear witness to their journey, made the lack of a life-mate tolerable. But for the males there was no such solace. If their dalliance with a human resulted in a child, that child was mortal, with a mortal’s short lifespan and vulnerability. But wasn’t that exactly what she was trying to rectify? Find Dormants that were descendent from other matrilineal lines?

  As all members of her clan were the progeny of one immortal female, they were forbidden to one another.

  A taboo.

  Kian took her hand. “You’re still young, Amanda, so it’s still fun for you. But I bet it will get old by the time you reach my age.”

  Amanda looked into his eyes and spoke softly. “Forgive me for pushing. But I still don’t get what all of that has to do with you attempting to activate Syssi. If she turns out to be a dud, all you did was have sex with another faceless, nameless female. But if she is the real deal, isn’t it worth a try?”

  As his handsome face hardened, Kian pulled his hand away, leaned back in his chair, and crossed his arms over his chest. “Here is the thing, sister of mine. She will not be another faceless, nameless girl. We don’t know how long it takes to turn an adult woman. Don’t pimp me out like I’m some man-whore.” He uttered that last bit acidly, his expression turning to menacing.

  She had known her holier-than-thou brother would find her request objectionable, but she hadn’t expected him to be that adamant about it. Nevertheless, she had to give it another go. Tempt him. Too much was at stake. Shaking off her despairing mood, Amanda straightened her back and leaned forward. “Syssi is beautiful, Kian, and smart. You’re going to love her…” She paused, realizing that the word love did her a disservice in the context of this conversation. “I mean, it’s not like you’ll be suffering. She is exactly your type. She is blond, very pretty, with a deliciously curvy figure. I’m sure you’ll find her attractive. And engaging. Did I mention already how smart she is? And nice?”

  “I’ll take your word for it, but I’ll pass. Ask someone else. If she is so wonderful, I’m sure you’ll have no shortage of volunteers.” There was a finality to his tone that would have deterred a lesser opponent. But Amanda remained adamant.

  “I’m not going to choose someone else,” Amanda hissed, then hushed as she heard Gino climbing the stairs.

  Sensing the heavy tension in the room, Gino’s smile faded. “Here are your salads, and more rolls. Enjoy!” He turned and beat a hasty retreat.

  Amanda waited till Gino was out of earshot before resuming her offense. “You are my only brother, and what’s more, you’re our mother’s only living son. You’re the closest to a pureblood male the clan has. Your venom’s potency is Syssi’s best chance of turning. And when she turns, she will have the potential to create a new matrilineal line. Don’t you want to be the one who creates it with her? Who knows if I will ever find another one? Maybe she is the one lucky shot? Are you willing to bet on it? To forfeit your one chance because of pride and arrogance?” Amanda was practically huffing with righteous indignation.

  Kian regarded her coolly, still leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. “Nice speech, Amanda. One problem, though. The ‘when’, is an ‘if’. If she turns and if I were a betting man, I would not put my money on this one. And the answer is still no.”

  Amanda set her elbows onto the table, dropping her forehead on her hands. “You are such a stu… stubborn old goat. Just sleep on it. Don’t decide anything yet. Maybe when you meet her, you’ll change your mind.”

  “I don’t think so, princess.” Kian’s tone got a shade warmer as he leaned in and patted her cheek as if she was a petulant child. “Look, you will have similar chances of success using another male. The only thing I’m spoiling for you is your romantic fantasy. It’s not a big disaster. Put on your big-girl panties and deal!”

  Amanda smiled at his feeble attempt at levity. Despite his stubbornness and gruffness and bad temper, she knew that he loved her. “If I were leaning that way, I would have snatched Syssi for myself in a heartbeat. I like her that much.” She pouted.

  Kian rolled his eyes and dug into his salad, letting her know that as far as he was concerned, this discussion was over.

  Chapter 6: Syssi

  “Why Amanda thought I could do this is beyond me,” Syssi muttered as she stared at yet another printout. The freaking computer had been spouting nonsensical results all morning, and she was no closer to finding the error than she’d been five hours ago.

  Taking a hammer to the thing was looking more and more enticing.

  Heaving a sigh, she ran her fingers through her hair. Again. Sticking out in all directions, it was tangled and knotted from the number of times she’d pushed her fingers through it.

  I probably look like Einstein, and not because of what’s under my cranium.

  It was time for a break, the hollow feeling in her belly reminding her she hadn’t eaten yet.

  The two espressos, one cappuccino, and eight cups of coffee she’d consumed before lunch—which was excessive even for a caffeine addict like her—didn’t qualify as nutrition.

  It crossed her mind that she reached for coffee the way other people reached for alcohol. When agitated or worried, or just in need of a break, the ritual of making it, pouring it, and stirring in the precise amount of sweetener relaxed her.

  Drinking a truly good cup of coffee was her idea of bliss.

  Pushing up from her chair, she stretched her back, listening for the familiar popping sound. A stretch wasn’t as satisfying without it. When it came, she did a couple of side to side twists and then turned toward the two postdocs. “I’m going to grab a sandwich. You guys want anything?”

  Hannah shook her head, pointing to the empty protein shake container on her desk. Her latest diet craze consisted of protein shakes, protein bars, and water. Nothing else.

  David, the other postdoc, smiled his creepy smile and took a big bite of his salami sandwich.

  Ugh, she must have been really engrossed in her work not to notice the nauseating stench.

  “I can bring cookies.”

  Hannah made a sad face. “Rub it in, why don’t you. Waving sweet, delicious carbs in front of the fat girl. Meanie!”

  “Fine, so no cookies.”

  “Hey, what about me? I want something sweet...” David leered.

  “In solidarity with Hannah, no dessert.” Syssi pretended not to get it—her usual line of defense against unwanted advances.

  David was a jerk. He didn’t flirt or tell jokes, or any of the other things guys usually did to get Syssi’s attention. He ogled, made inappropriate comments, and habitually invaded her personal space, believing for some inexplicable reason that he was God’s gift to women everywhere. His delusional beliefs aside, his problem wasn’t that his features were unappealing, David was an average-looking guy, but that he was schlumpy and unkempt. More than his personal hygiene or taste in clothes, it was his personality that needed a major makeover.

  In the lab’s kitchenette, Syssi slapped together her favorite sandwich of goat cheese, tomatoes, and basil on whole wheat, then ate it leaning against the counter.

  She wasn’t ready to go back yet.

  Out there, she would have to deal with David. And unfortunately, as she’d learned from experience, he wasn’t done. Once David started with his idiotic comments, he’d be on a roll for the rest of the day.

  Oh, the joy...

  “Good afternoon, darlings!” Syssi heard Amanda make her grand entrance. “Missed me terribly, I hope? And where is my girl Syssi?”

  “Over here!” Syssi called over a mouthful.

  Amanda poked her head into the kitchenette, then stepped in and leaned against the counter next to Syssi. “What’s up? You look troubled.”

  “I’m dying out
there. I can’t find what’s wrong with my programming. The computer has been spouting nonsense all morning, and I’m ready to go at the thing with a sledgehammer.”

  “Why didn’t you ask David for help?” Amanda crossed her legs at her ankles and her arms over her chest.

  Syssi cast her boss a sidelong glance. “Are you serious? He will never let me live it down, probably demand a hookup as payment. The creep.”

  Amanda’s expression turned serious. “I know you don’t like David, heck, I don’t like him either. But he is very good at what he does, and you need to use him. There will always be people like him trying to mess with you, but if you let them, you’ll find it damn hard to accomplish anything. You need to be forceful and refuse to take shit from anyone. Sometimes a girl needs to be a bitch not to get pushed around. Be a bitch, Syssi! You might even enjoy it.” Amanda winked, her gorgeous face returning to its usual brightness.

  “Thank you for the advice, mommy.”

  Joking aside, Amanda was right. Syssi needed to deal with David, or working in the lab would become intolerable.

  What puzzled her, however, was Amanda’s admission that she didn’t like David either. She was the boss and no one dictated to her who she should employ and who she should not. With a frown, Syssi asked, “What I don’t understand, though, is why you hired him if you don’t like him?”

  “He was the best applicant for the job. And besides, I hired him because I don’t like him.”

  “So am I to assume that you don’t like me either? Since you hired me...” Syssi pretended offense.

  “No, my dear, sweet Syssi, I adore you. You know that!” Amanda slapped her cheek playfully, then kissed it. “I hire females I like and males I don’t.”

  Searching her face, Syssi realized Amanda wasn’t joking. Her boss seemed sincere. “I don’t understand.”

  “Better shun the bait, than struggle in the snare,” Amanda quoted, looking down at her stiletto-clad feet.