Dark Stranger: The Dream (The Children of the Gods #1)

by I.T. Lucas

Tragically, though, the poor man had died of heart failure a few days before she’d been supposed to start. So here she was, working at the lab and getting valuable insight into an ability that had haunted her, her entire life.

Ah shit, Amanda killed the man!

Yummy, so many to choose from. She loved their attention, their lust. Drinking it in, Amanda was in her element: the hunter in a field of ogling prey.

Whoa, we just went from not being able to stand all this attention to this?🤔

“Sorry, princess, we are on guard duty, keeping an eye out from down here. The two of you together in public always makes me twitchy.” Anandur waved her off and dragged a chair to the small table the waiter had placed near the stairs.

So why even ask if they were sitting together if he’d planned on sitting separately anyway?

For a good guy, he sure had a very short fuse.

I wonder if Kian is the guy Sissy’s dreaming about…🤔

like whether Gino insisted on always serving them himself because he coveted their generous tips, or because he believed they were celebrities.

But… dude just called her “Doctor” downstairs when she arrived…🤔

She got inside and turned on the ignition. “It’s good that the Porsche’s engine is in the back. Get inside, Syssi.” “What about the hydrant?” “It’s fine. Let’s go.”

So she got out, unbuckled Syssi, then got right back in the car and told Syssi to get back in…🤔

The young man standing on his front porch looked nothing like the guy in the picture on the escort service’s website. Mark’s neck tingled. Something was wrong. “You’re not Jason,” he said, debating if he should slam the door in the guy’s face.

So why say that instead of, “Hello, how can I help you?” since it’s a stranger at your door. That’s why your ass should check the peephole. But you don’t give the stranger the name of the person you’re expecting…

Mark was only dimly aware of what the Doomer was saying, hearing the words but not truly comprehending them. Through the drugged haze of his mind, he heard two more sets of footsteps entering his home.

He had believed that hiding in plain sight among the multitudes of mortals would keep his family safe from this powerful enemy. And yet, the Doomers had somehow gotten to Mark.

So you mean to tell me that Mark knew there was an enemy out there that was coming after them and he just opened his door like that? Wow.

“Find a solution. I’m not leaving my work.” She ended the call.

Oh okay, so she’s just stupid. How would they not find her as high profile as she is, published in several journals, etc etc?

It was oppressively quiet in the SUV on the way to Amanda’s lab.

So this is how they’ll meet…

Braving a glance, she expected Kian’s expression to be smug. Men like him were used to women fawning over them. They were empowered by it, expected it. Instead, he surprised her. His beautiful eyes were full of regret.

Wait… before this whole inner monologue she said he looked amused at her rambling, now, with nothing being said between them since then, he has a look of regret?🤔 He’s bipolar.

And after seeing the grandeur of his place, she hoped he wouldn’t think that her tiny guesthouse-apartment was a dump.

But his sister picks her up in a porch and drops her off quite frequently…🤔

Her neighbor’s cat decided to take advantage of the open door and perform an inspection of his own.

It was only 30 seconds though…

Both palms cradling her cheeks,

Which cheeks because didn’t he just lift her up with the bottom ones? It didn’t say he put her down, just that he pulled back from the kiss…

Knowing he would be leaving soon and erasing himself from Syssi’s memories—most likely never to see her again—had twisted a knot inside him, bringing on a sense of loss and resigned sadness.

How’s that going to work if she’s Amanda’s friend?🤔

What if he attacked first and won?

So gods against mortals and near immortals and there was a possibility the former would win?

She would steal her uncle’s library, which contained much of her people’s science and culture and was stored on a tablet she had seen him read often.

Ah, so this must be the stolen knowledge that the Doomer that killed Mark was referring to…🤔 And her uncle is Mordth’s father…

Lacking the intellectual resources Annani had stolen must have chafed terribly,

They would have lost it anyway when his father bombed the city if she hadn’t have taken it.

Tonight, though, he had plans; a date with his sparring partner down at the gym,

He has plans but he’s still the last to leave?

I want it on my desk by tomorrow morning.”

Dude, it’s almost 9pm

And besides, there might have been other clues at his house that can lead to us.

Why doesn’t he tell them about the ones that came for Amanda. Sounds like pertinent information…

Kian glanced at Amanda, expecting her to argue, but she didn’t. Evidently, the experience at the lab had scared her into compliance.

So why didn’t she raise her hand?

The most amazing sex she’d ever experienced

But all he did was play with her breasts. How is that sex?

Her innocent, hopeful expression when he had first seen her face emerge from behind the curtain of her wild hair.

But she said she was glad she’d blow dried her hair that day…

Except, what choice did he have? He had to stay away and somehow try to forget her. Unfortunately, it wasn’t going to be as easy for him as it had been for her. After all, he couldn’t thrall away his own memories.

And who’s to say Amanda wouldn’t be inviting her over to continue her tests and research? I don’t get why he did that because she would still know him through Amanda.

“Syssi, darling, I wanted to tell you that I’m not coming to the lab today.” Amanda produced a very fake sounding cough. “I must’ve caught something. I need you to take over my test subjects for me. I’ll email you the schedule.” Another fake cough.

Why would she send her in to the lab knowing it’s dangerous, while also suspecting that she’s a Dormant and knowing what the Doomers do to Dormants?

“Of course. Love you, darling. Have a good one.” “Love you too.”

Since when did Bosses say “Love you” to their employees?

Syssi chuckled. This was another thing she should be grateful to Gregg for. If not for him, she wouldn’t have learned this valuable lesson.

How did we go from panic attach when reaching for shoes to chuckling at memories of Gregg? This author writes like my mind works sometimes…all over the place with my thoughts…

There were only two ways to force them to change. Blow up their safe zone, or tempt them with something they couldn’t resist.

Or tell your mother that you think you’ve found his mate and let her get involved…🤔

“No, it’s my second week. Why?”

It’s her second week, but Amanda ended a call with “Love you”?

Syssi shook her head. She was losing her mind. As if the dreams weren’t enough, she was now having waking hallucinations. Maybe it was the headache’s fault. She’d been having a lot of those lately. She should get it checked out.

They don’t have cameras in the lab?

Syssi glanced at the others, expecting them to snicker at Leonora’s proclamation, but found the two nodding solemnly. She loved them, but they were all loony.

She’s loony for reading cards, but you have premonitions…ooooookay…

“Make love to me. You’re good at that.” He chuckled. “That, I am.”

Last night he said he wasn’t good at that, only fucking…🙄

It may take them some time and some cash to find someone to dig through the phone records,

Why would they need cash when they could easily thrall them to do what they wanted?

“I’ll call you later, after you’ve had a few cups of coffee. I know you don’t function before your third one.”

So, Kian says he’s going to pick her up, but Amanda doesn’t relay that and tells her she will call her back? 🤔 On top of that, she told Syssi she needed her to do something for her? What was that exactly?

Amanda’s text came in, reassuring him that Syssi was home and wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon.

Yet she doesn’t tell him that she didn’t tell her he was coming…🤔

Shrouding himself, he watched from a distance as Lavena mourned his death, as she delivered their beautiful, healthy daughter, as she got better, as she married a widower with four kids of his own.

How did she get better though?

After two more spiked coffees and an old episode of Friends, she felt her anxiety ebb.

She took a shower and watched a whole episode of friends and Amanda still hasn’t told her Kian was on the way, nor has Kian arrived?

Syssi was packed and ready to go in a matter of minutes, hurrying to brush her hair, apply a little eyeliner, and step into her platform slides.

Pending doom and panic, you brush your hair and apply eyeliner? Just throw the shit in the bag and do it in the car or later. He has already seen you.

Kian wondered what it was about her that stirred these unfamiliar cravings in him. The lust was to be expected; Syssi was beautiful and sexy and it was in his nature to want her body. But the possessiveness, the protectiveness, the tenderness he felt toward her, these were new.

It’s not like he doesn’t know about mates or whatever since Amanda is always harping about it, so why doesn’t it click?

Posturing her independence and insisting on staying home would’ve been just stupid. Sometimes, a girl needed to acknowledge her limitations and accept help.

Unlike Amanda who was protesting staying at the Keep…

She wouldn’t make it easy on him. She would expect him to woo her, be romantic. Kian’s brows drew tight as it dawned on him that he didn’t know how to do that. He had never felt the need to make that kind of an effort before.

Didn’t he just do an entire spiel about the fact that they couldn’t be together? So why is he now thinking about the fact that she would want to be wooed and that he doesn’t know how?

I have a car and no one knows I visit the Golden Age Retirement home. I’ll be perfectly safe.”

Hannah obviously knows since she asked about it..🤔

“It could be a good idea for you to stay at the lab longer and pay down some of your student loans before taking an internship with lower pay.”

Why is he assuming things without verifying first?

“What about people?” “Amanda can probably tell you more about this than I can.

He asked about her own research, before Amanda…

Syssi opened the door just a crack and peeked in. “I have two guys with me. I think it would be better if you ladies came out and met us at the salon.”

So… did she just forget about the fact that she was coming to read an exotic book when they got there and already expressing that she wouldn’t be able to do so?

“They will look for you at his place. It’s not a stretch to assume that you will run to hide at the home of the only relative you have nearby.”

How does he know he’s the only relative nearby? He knows nothing about her and have family, proven by him assuming she had no money because of where she lived.

She was attracted to Kian, big time, and he seemed to be attracted to her, but not as strongly.

But he just kissed her and put her in a thousand dollar a night room just because she didn’t want to stay at his place. Speaking of, the councilors may have issue with him using guardians for a human, but they are being sequestered in the Keep.

Not to mention the amount of money we could’ve saved.”

I was wondering why he didn’t hit her with that first, LOL