Page 127 of Immortal Sun

What if Daggon is who she chooses? I guess he’d be better than Inti.

Enki as well.

I clear my throat and keep my arms crossed to stop myself from doing something stupid like touch her again, kiss her, hold her like she means something when she’s nothing. “He’s playful, dumb, easy.”

“He can hear you!” Dag yells without turning around.

I smirk and say in a low voice. “I’m well aware of that.”

“Jackass.”

“Say it louder,” I call.

“Benevolent god, Lord of the Skies, Master, blah, blah, blah, blah…amen.” Dag says in a bored tone that actually has me smiling. Things have been less boring since Cleo came, and it pains me to admit that living from one sacrifice to another hasn’t been enjoyable. Miserable. Painful. Frustrating. And now I’m finally smiling. Now I finally feel my own sun radiating from within all because of the last one I have to kill and the way she tugs the joy from my soul.

Everyone has their job. That’s why Dag chose the police station, it’s why I own the pubs and a few ships. We need something to keep us busy since money is no object.

No, we deal with time and power; those are the only commodities—well that and the spilled blood.

“He’s insolent.” I turn to Cleo. “You’d get along well, I think if you choose him, but we still have training for the next two, and Enki, well…” I trail off there. The idiot is going to try to feed her the entire time, cry, then feed her again.

It will be a crazy emotional cycle of her constantly comforting him while he comforts her.

“That sounds weird,” she says.

I frown. “Did I say all of that out loud?”

“You’ve been distracted since losing to me.” She tilts her head and grins. Then that same smile falters when I grab her by the waist and jerk her against me. “Maybe you should see it the way I do.”

The way her lips part and the sound of that small exhale nearly undo me. “And how’s that?”

I lower my head until my mouth touches hers and whisper, “I’m actually winning, because it’s me holding you right now, not the gods. Pick whoever you want, I don’t give a shit, but if I could ask one favor.”

I cup her neck gently, and I know I’m not gentle, it’s not in my character. It’s always black and white, life or death, but I need this moment.

She doesn’t pull away from me in fear, she’s still under me. “What do you want?”

“To pretend,” I say with so much shame that I almost can’t ask. “I need to pretend for just a few seconds.”

“What are we pretending?” She draws back and gazes at my face. I know my eyes are still black; it was the only protection I could give myself while my heart continues to thaw from her presence.

Something ugly.

Something terrifying.

Something that would push her away in fear.

“Kiss me like you would a man, not an angry immortal sun,” I whisper. “Just once. Think of it like another contract.”

“Just because you’re Ra doesn’t mean you aren’t still fully man.”

I almost laugh. “I wish that were true.”

“But you have—” She stops herself. “You look like a man, just a really large one with…spears and fire for eyes.”

Another laugh rises, but I squash it. Instead, I think I’m disappointed that she didn’t jump at the chance to kiss me but rather chose to argue.

She leans in, but I break away from her, dropping my hands to my sides and shake my head at her. “I am nothing like you’ve seen.”

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