Edna laughed. “Right. Because you are only interested in feeding me.”
“I also like talking to you.”
“So it’s my brain that you lust after?”
“I love your sharp mind. But I also love your ass, and don’t get me started on those long legs of yours, especially when they are wrapped around my thighs and spur me on. And let’s not forget your breasts.” He licked his lips. “Spectacular. You are a hellcat in bed, my delight. Bottom line. I love the whole package.”
“There must be something you don’t like.”
He shrugged. “I don’t like the sadness in your eyes. I want to make you happy.”
That was a nice thing to say, and the truth was that he did make her happy. But at the same time, he complicated her life, which made her anxious, so the net effect was neutral.
Well, that wasn’t true.
Edna couldn’t remember when she’d last felt so alive. Rufsur was like a breath of fresh air in her stale life. Or rather like a tornado, exhilarating and destructive at the same time.
But she was sure there were more things that he didn’t like about her. Many viewed her ability to probe their souls as a threat, and she wasn’t the most fun person to be around. Edna didn’t chitchat, mainly because she had nothing to talk about with most people. She rarely cooked, so she had no recipes to share. Fashion didn’t interest her, and she was clueless about the latest trends. The books she read were on topics most people rolled their eyes at, and the same went for what she watched on the tube.
She was too serious, too straightforward, and unapologetic about her views, and she made people nervous.
“What else?” she asked. “If you could change anything about me, what would it be?”
Rufsur shook his head. “I’m not falling into that trap. How about you? What would you like to change about me?”
She thought about it for a moment. “Nothing. Well, except for your affiliation with Kalugal. Is there any chance you would consider leaving him?”
He shook his head. “I can’t.”
“Why? Is it because you love what you do? Or is it out of loyalty to him?”
Rufsur put the sandwiches he’d made on two plates and sat next to her. “Both, but neither is the main reason for why I can’t leave him.”
“What is the main reason?”
He lifted his sandwich off the plate. “You are a smart woman. Try to figure it out.”
Another challenge. Rufsur had discovered her weakness and was exploiting it. Except, exploiting wasn’t the right term. She enjoyed it too much to call it that. Perhaps feeding her brain was more appropriate?
“Challenge accepted.” She took a bite out of the sandwich.
Perhaps Rufsur had sworn an oath to Kalugal? Or perhaps he’d taken a vow? He owed Kalugal his freedom, so his loyalty was fueled by gratitude. It wasn’t about defending his community against enemies because Kalugal had none. And it wasn’t about some lofty mutual goal because, as far as she knew, they didn't have that either. Kalugal was interested in making money and collecting artifacts.
Could it be about money?
Maybe Rufsur hoped to get rich with Kalugal’s help?
She put her sandwich down. “Did you vow to never leave Kalugal’s side?”
He shook his head.
“Do you feel indebted to him?”
“Yes. But that’s not it.”
“Is it about the money? Do you hope to get rich?”
“I’m being paid well, and Kalugal helps me to invest my money wisely, but that’s not it either.”
Edna threw her hands in the air. “I give up. Just tell me.”
He chuckled. “Where’s the fun in that? I’ll give you a clue, though. Think who Kalugal’s father and grandfather are.”
“One was the second most powerful god, and the other is the most powerful immortal, which makes Kalugal powerful too. Are you afraid that if you leave him, he will retaliate, and that the clan won’t be able to protect you?”
That would be a good reason to stay with his boss.
“If I want to leave, Kalugal will not stop me. Come on, Edna, think. What else do his father and grandfather have in common?”
“Mortdh was crazy, and Navuh is a despot. Come to think of it, Mortdh was a despot too. He wanted to rule the other gods, and when he couldn’t do it, he annihilated them. Navuh is not as crazy as Mortdh, but he is not sane either.” Edna lifted a brow. “Are you afraid that Kalugal will go crazy as well?”
“Bingo.”
She shook her head. “I don’t understand. Do you think that your company is the only thing keeping him sane? Even if that was true before, it no longer is. He has a mate now, and Jacki provides him with the love and stability he needs.”
“That’s true. But if he starts to show signs of insanity, would she be able to stop him?”
“Would you?”
“At the very least, I have a better chance of stopping Kalugal than Jacki has. She’s a weak immortal, and she is his mate. She will stand by his side no matter what.”
That was indeed a compelling argument.
If Rufsur had taken upon himself the responsibility of monitoring Kalugal for signs of insanity and stopping him from doing crazy things, then there was no way he could leave. Not unless he could transfer the duty to another capable immortal.
39
Rufsur
Edna chuckled sadly. “It didn’t occur to me to factor Kalugal’s insanity genes into the federation formula. Now, I’m doubly sure that it’s a bad idea, and it makes our situation unsolvable. You obviously can’t leave him, and I don’t want to invite a ticking bomb into my community.”
Rufsur put his sandwich down and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I think that the opposite is true. By myself, my chances of stopping Kalugal from doing something crazy are not good. I can wrestle him down physically, but I have no defense against his compulsion. I was even toying with the idea of asking William to make me those specialized earpieces.”
“That’s a good idea. Why didn’t you?”
He put his hand on her thigh. “I’ve never told anyone the things I’m telling you. How would I have explained to William what I needed them for?”
Edna’s eyes softened. “Thank you for trusting me with your secret. It’s safe with me.”
He believed her. “Anyway, if I can get a pair of those earpieces, I would carry them in my pocket in case I needed to protect myself from Kalugal. But if he lived here in the village, I wouldn’t need to because Annani could stop him.”
Edna lifted a brow. “How?”
Was she playing dumb? After he’d shared his fears with her, that was disappointing.
“Annani proved that she can compel Kalugal, which was a big surprise since even his father couldn’t do that. And what’s more, since compulsion is delivered through sound waves, she doesn’t even need to be here. A phone call transmitted through the village’s loudspeaker system would do.”
On their previous visit, Rufsur had noticed loudspeakers around the village square, which made sense for parties and other gatherings. But since then, more had been added along the walkways, and he had a feeling that it was the result of the goddess’s compulsion test at Richard’s ceremony.