Part 16 (2/2)
The more he paced, the more fury entered his system as Eve stared at him. ”I would have shown him everything I knew...
brought him into his season with majesty in due time! But the sonofab.i.t.c.h pulled one of the most treacherous coups I have ever witnessed. Then, he threw it all away by flooding the realms instead of closing the breach and rebuilding layer by layer. His dark energy is scattered, affecting everything, bringing notice!” He parted his hair with his fingers and stared at Eve for answers.
”What is wrong with our children? What has become of our future? They don't take a stand. They waffle from the Light and into the darkness, and back. How can either side empire-build on sand?” He looked down at his Grecian sandal-clad feet and then bent to collect a fistful of the grainy beach, allowing it to filter away through his fingers.
She came to him and hugged him, and her compa.s.sion almost made him sob. ”I don't know, Dante,” she whispered. ”I don't know. We have the same problem on our side.”
”Things should be black or white, shouldn't they?”
He held her back to stare into her eyes.
She almost felt sorry for Dante as she watched him struggle with the way the world had changed since his time in it. It was so tempting to ask who this new heir was, and how to locate him, so that the young Neteru could slaughter him. But she didn't dare press for more information than she'd already gleaned through just the merest suggestion of an affair. Any more, and she would have to offer Dante a night-an unacceptable trade. So she gave him empathy instead.
”Things were indeed once black and white,” she finally murmured, her tone wistful. ”But your father's bargain created a gray zone...”
He came to her and leaned his head against her forehead. ”My absolutely insane father...”
”Dante... listen to me,” she said softly.
He kissed the top of her head, stopping her words. ”I love the way you say my name, even under these circ.u.mstances... Say it again, on a deeper breath, and allow it to run all through me.” He couldn't even bring himself to smile as her eyes searched his face. ”I can't talk about this sordid s.h.i.+t in the realms anymore... Send me a pain block through your voice... my name lingering in your mouth as I capture it.” He closed his eyes and attempted a mental siphon without her permission.
She chuckled. ”The answer is no before you even ask. Do not go further into my mind for an immediate beachfront seduction.”
He pretended to shudder just to keep her melodic laughter mingling with the pound of the surf. ”Just another little mind lock, Eve, after all these years? They surely aren't still guarding you as though you were a teenager... You're a grown woman now, love...
They'll never know.”
She laughed and pushed him away, seizing his mercurial transition into a good mood as an opportunity. ”Who is the new threat?
I'd rather have you on your old throne, where order was maintained, than this new problem.” She folded her arms over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. ”At least you and I understood each other. You were never rash and impetuous.” She smiled and gave him a s.e.xy wink.
”Well, maybe just once.”
”Ah... you do remember.” He clucked his tongue and chuckled low in his throat as his hot gaze raked her. ”Flattery will get you everywhere. But to extract that level of information, only a barter in Dananu would be acceptable.”
”Propose your requirement,” she whispered to him in Dananu.
Just allowing him to see that she remembered all he'd taught her at the base of the Tree of Knowledge compromised him fully, so a flat-out seduction attempt was more than fair, he reasoned. He filled his hands with her hair and took her mouth slowly.
”All night, once again... in a garden. Then we can discuss it.”
He watched her study his face, then glance up at the stars as though seriously considering his offer. The seconds of hesitation that she drew out made him tremble. But suddenly every light that had been in the sky, save the moon, went out. She giggled and shook her head.
”No can do,” she whispered seductively. ”They'll do the Armageddon, first, before they cosign that.”
He chuckled low in his throat and ran a sharp fang down her jugular. ”I ought to bite you just for teasing me-just take the plunge out of spite.”
”And torch on impact,” she whispered. Running her hands over his broad shoulders. ”I have very old silver in my veins that stirs hot when unwilling... Shall we be serious?”
”You're sure you're unwilling?” He nuzzled her hair. ”Not even for old time's sake?”
”No,” she cooed.
”Why are you so uncooperative, love?”
”It's my job,” she said laughing low and s.e.xy.
”Then I guess the new kid on the block is going to have to work this out on her own,” he said, kissing Eve's temple as he fought off a shudder when she stroked his neck. ”This one is formidable. Might be her Achilles' heel,” he added, teasing her to keep her smile radiant.
”I guess we'll just have to see,” she whispered, closing the small s.p.a.ce between their bodies and allowing her hands to trail down his back. ”Since you insist on being so stubborn.”
”This is unfair, Eve.” His eyes held a combination of amus.e.m.e.nt and anguish. ”Your side is as ruthless as mine.”
”How so?” She c.o.c.ked her head to the side, waiting.
His arms enfolded her again as he openly inhaled her scent. ”You come to me trailing Neteru from the Garden, and tell me your husband doesn't know you're with me,” he said, his breathing beginning to labor. ”Fill my arms, allow me to sample your skin, your mouth, your voice... and your touch.” He shook his head with his eyes closed. ”Ruthless negotiation ploy and d.a.m.ned near effective,” he whispered, brus.h.i.+ng her mouth. ”They wait until a man is completely compromised to strike. Pit father against son, wait until that son is dethroned, and then put the woman of his dreams for millennia in his arms and ask him a question.” He nicked her earlobe and let the drop of blood fall to her shoulder just to inhale it. ”Then deny that poor b.a.s.t.a.r.d as he writhes while insisting that he give up information they want. Evil.”
He chuckled as she smiled wider and touched the drop of blood to her lips to taunt him. ”Eve, you are dangerously close to the edge of battle on this beach. I've been through a lot, lately, and am not quite as rational as you may believe.” His voice dipped an octave. ”Especially with you... I might attempt a violation to go out in a blaze.”
”All right,” she said with a sigh. ”I'll stop, but I had to try.”
”So did I,” he said quietly in a defeated tone. ”I thought everything in the universe was negotiable, love of my existence. Don't leave. I've no one to really talk to or rule... and have been alone for months.”
She came to him and ran her fingers through his hair as she hugged him. ”Sometimes there's room for negotiation.”
This time when he shuddered, it was no act.
”Stop toying with me, Eve,” he whispered. ”There is no such thing as resistance around you. I have to go, if you're not willing.
Merely talking to you when I'm like this is worse than a battle in Dananu.”
She sighed and allowed her hand to fall to his shoulder. ”Then at least close the portals and help us hunt down Lilith.”
”I cannot close off what her Level-Seven energy opened as long as she's alive. But hunting her down to adequately repay her larceny is on my agenda.”
”Thank you,” Eve whispered and took his mouth in a long, sensuous kiss. ”You'll help us dethrone the new threat we're blind to, as well?”
”Oh, to be sure,” he said, taking her mouth again. ”I will bring you his head.” He deepened the kiss until a groan fought inside his chest. ”You can't see him? Interesting.”
”No,” she said on a breathy exhalation, practically swooning in his arms from the long kiss. ”For some reason he's s.h.i.+elded to hunter councils. That is why we are so concerned.” She closed her eyes. ”d.a.m.n... you get me every time, Dante.”
”You didn't do too bad extracting from me, either,” he said, reveling in the skin covering her spine. ”You have gotten older and so much stronger.” He took her mouth hard, punis.h.i.+ng it, then attended to her throat, but didn't break the skin, just made her gasp. ”You said you were concerned-how concerned-tell me now?” he asked in a hissing rush of air, pulling her against him hard.
His hands had begun to slowly dissolve her gown.She opened her eyes and gave him a glare through a soft laugh. ”Not that concerned.”
”Let's get back to the part about everything being negotiable.”
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