Dark Choices - I. T. Lucas Page 0,82

smiled at Kian. “I’ve been drinking much more of it since we became acquainted.”

Kian chuckled. “Don’t tell your mother. She’ll think I’m a bad influence.”

“On the contrary. My mother is overjoyed that we are cooperating and spending time together. She hopes that our ties will further strengthen.” Kalugal cast a quick glance at Rufsur, who was talking with Dalhu. “As do some of my men.”

“We are doing the best we can, cousin. Rome wasn’t built in a day either.”

Kalugal sighed. “I wish there were more of us. We could have built city-states like our ancestors did.”

“Someday, we might.” Kian took a puff. “Except, I doubt there will ever be enough of us to have our own sovereign country.”

“That would be nice.” Kalugal stubbed out his cigarillo. “We could find an unpopulated island like my father did. We could have our own unofficial country.”

Kian chuckled. “No, thank you. Navuh is, or rather was, in the business of war, so he can have his base wherever he wants. You and I are businessmen, and even in this internet-connected world, we need to be close to where things are happening. Besides, I don’t like the idea of living on a secluded island. I like to be able to go to a nice restaurant in the city or take my wife to see a show or a musical.” He grimaced. “Not that I get to do those things often. But having the option matters to me.”

“I feel the same way. When I was more involved with the stock market, my base was in New York. But when my interests shifted to new technologies, I moved to the Bay Area, where most of the startups are.”

Kian nodded. “My primary reason for choosing Los Angeles was its size and the movie industry. Our philosophy has always been that hiding in plain sight was the best strategy to avoid detection by your father. This village is a slight departure from that philosophy, but after one of our chief programmers was murdered in his home, I realized that it was not enough and that I needed a place where I could better protect my people.” Kian glanced at Dalhu. “The Fates have a really twisted sense of humor.”

Kalugal followed his cousin’s gaze. “Even though I wasn’t aware of the clan’s lore until you told me about the Fates, it seems like they decided to include my men and me in their grand scheme.”

“Lucky you.” Kian saluted with his drink. “Thanks to them, you have Jacki.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Kalugal clinked his glass with Kian’s. “By the way, did Nathalie speak to her ghost?”

“She couldn’t reach him, which reinforces my belief that it was the Fates’ doing.”

Kalugal wondered whether Rufsur and Edna’s relationship was also part of the Fates’ grand scheme.

Rufsur’s proposition had taken him by surprise. The guy had been a loud opponent of even coming to the village, and now he was pushing for unification.

Was he even in love with the judge?

He’d talked about having a child with Edna, but he hadn’t mentioned loving her.

Except, he’d compared his feelings for her to what Kalugal felt for Jacki, which meant that he thought of her as his one and only.

Kalugal still remembered his own response to learning of Jacki’s potential dormancy. His first thought had been that she could give him immortal children. Thoughts of love and a life-long relationship had come later.

His lieutenant was probably going through a similar process, but it seemed like he was getting very close to the conclusion that Edna was his mate.

The unselfish thing to do would be to free Rufsur and let him join the clan. But that was too risky.

If Rufsur shifted his loyalty to Kian, he might reveal Kalugal’s grand plans, and that would be disastrous. With Annani having the power to override Kalugal’s compulsion, his secrets would not be safe even if Rufsur didn’t wish to betray his trust.

And even worse was her ability to compel him, something even his father couldn’t do. With one verbal command, she could prevent him from achieving his life’s ambitions.

There was no doubt in his mind that Annani would do that. His goals might be similar to hers, but his methods of achieving them were very different. While Annani believed in empowering humans and steering them in the right direction by providing guidance and technology, Kalugal wanted to do the work for them.

If she got a whiff of what he intended, his aunt would do everything she could to stop him.

While her