Moonlight Captivation [Moon Shadows Book 1] (11 page)

"We're in Iraq?"

"Bagdad is three hundred miles in that direction.” He pointed to a stone wall.

"Why hasn't the U.S. bombed the crap out of you yet?"

Neman smiled. “My fortress is undetectable to humans."

"Aaahh, more godly magic, gotcha.” She tapped her nose.

"We're safe here for now, and you should not be able to get yourself into too much trouble in here."

"What do you mean by ‘get myself into trouble'? You're the one getting me into trouble."

Neman pushed open the heavy door leading into his chambers.

She ambled in, taking in the surroundings of his sparse bedchamber. A few weapons and shields decorated the windowless, solid stone walls. His large bed sat in the center of the room and a few wardrobes were in one corner. To the far end was a second door to the bathroom. Vanessa walked to the bedside lamp and tapped at the bulb. “How do you get power down here? You'd think for an ancient pyramid, there'd be flaming torches to light the way. Oh, I do hope you have plumbing."

Neman closed the door, flicking on his security switch. “You don't remember this room, sweetness?” His lips twitched up into a smile at the memory of their first night together. It was something he would never forget.

She turned to gaze at him with mirth and mischief in her eyes. “No, but I'm going to take a wild guess and say this is the place where Junior was conceived."

He smiled wickedly at her before stalking over to her. “Take off your clothes."

She raised her chin at his demand. “Has anyone ever told you how bossy you are? I guess being a god, no one tells you anything, but ‘yes, o mighty one.’”

"I've never known someone to talk so incessantly."

"Well, you're not the one...” She gasped, suddenly finding herself naked.

Neman was through waiting. He used his powers to teleport her clothes from her body.

"Better.” His eyes hungrily took in her lush curves, also noting her lower stomach which swelled slightly, pleasing him all the more. Neman dropped to his knees, his hands on her hips and he tenderly kissed her stomach. “All mine,” he murmured against her soft skin. He slid his hands up to cup her full breasts, squeezing the gentle flesh and loving the way they filled his hands. He strummed her hardened nipples between his thumb and forefingers, and she gave a soft moan while her fingers threaded through his hair. Neman smelled her arousal. It was a heady scent.

"It seems an eternity since I last had you.” He rose up, slipping his hands down to her waist. Lifting her up against him, he gripped her beautifully rounded ass, her legs automatically anchoring around his waist. In a flash, his clothes vanished. Now they were pressed flesh to flesh, his cock inches from her wet heat. His mouth sought her breast, sucking the flesh into his mouth and using his teeth to scrape against her nipple. Without any preamble, he lowered her onto his aching cock. Her tight sheath stretched around him, welcoming him home. Releasing one breast with a soft
plop
, he lavished the same attention on the other breast.

"Ooh, Neman,” she moaned breathlessly as he filled her, until he could go no farther.

"Yes, sweetness, you are made for this, made for me.” He lifted her, almost withdrawing all the way, then plunging back in. She gasped and panted, clinging to him while he set a steady rhythm. Careful not to break their connection, he shifted their position and set her down on the bed, never stopping his intense, penetrating thrusts. She tugged at his shoulder and licked her lips. Neman closed his mouth over hers, scraping her lower lip between his teeth before thrusting his tongue deep into her mouth, kissing her with an intense passion. She held nothing back from him, instead giving him everything she had. He angled his hips to hit the right spot within her, quickening his pace. She was wild beneath him; her pale painted fingernails clawing at his shoulders. Her heels dug into his back as she arched, trying to take more of him. Holding her tight, he hammered home, time and time again until she screamed in rapturous pleasure, trembling and quaking in his arms.

Neman gritted his teeth. Her hot sheath squeezing and spasming around him pushed him to the edge. He held on for as long as he was able to push her, straining to hold back his own impending climax until he heard her come again. As a fertility god, he had a reputation to uphold. He reached down between their bodies, his fingers finding the ultrasensitive, swollen, pink nub and gave it a gentle pinch with his thumb and forefinger.

She started to sob beneath him, begging him both to stop and to keep going. Her whole body shaking, she screamed ecstatically once again. It was then he let go, feeling the intense power charge through him more extreme than a god bolt. Multicolored lights exploded behind his eyes. He threw back his head, a deep, guttural groan tearing from his throat and his seed spilled forth into her depths. As though he'd been struck by lightning, he knew in that moment he possessed the greatest power and curse no man or god could ever control: he loved Vanessa. Never had he loved his wife with such intensity as he did this frail, mortal woman. She still panted with closed eyes, while he slowly withdrew from her heat then lying down on the bed to pull her into his arms.

"Is that one of your great powers?” Vanessa opened her eyes just a crack to peer at him with a sleepy, well-sated smile on her lips.

"Which power, sweetness?"

"The power to render me utterly useless."

Neman chuckled. “Glad to know I please you.” She reached out to touch his face. As her pale blue eyes regarded him, he wanted to know the depths of her thoughts. He wanted to know everything about this woman who managed to capture his heart so easily. “What goes through that beautiful head of yours, sweetness?” He captured her pale hand in his darker-skinned large one, turning it over to kiss her palm.

"I know nothing about you. Ana said some things which made me curious."

He could see the questions in her eyes. “Ask any question you like. I promise to give you truthful answers. But, be warned, I too have questions for you."

"What could you possibly want to know of me?"

Neman shifted back between her legs, keeping the bulk of his weight off her. “Oh, a great many things, but ask your questions first.” She was silent for a moment. He could almost hear her mind ticking over, absorbing everything he'd said to her. She drew in a long breath, and Neman enjoyed watching her chest rise and fall.

"Why don't you start with why you're a god who's not? What made you turn to hunting demons?"

Of course, she would pick the one question which pained him the most, but if he had a chance to win her heart, then she should know the truth. “Four thousand years ago, the gods were openly worshipped and walked among humans. We all have some power to perform a cosmic function. I made sure the moon rose to light up the night to measure time and to provide fertility."

She raised an eyebrow, her expression changed to one of disbelief. “Not to sound doubtful, but modern science has kind of blown the theory of gods making things work out the window."

"Are you going to let me finish?” he said, teasingly.

Vanessa pinched her fingers together and slid them across her lips in a show of zipping up her mouth.

Neman chuckled again. “Your modern science is nearly correct—it's more like a linking of forces which help us control a number of things, but I don't wish to get bogged down in the ways of the gods. I had a mortal wife, Ningal. She was the daughter of the king and priestess in my temple, given to me as an offering. Together we bore two children, Inanna and Iskur. It happened the day before the festival of the New Year and the New Moon.

"Offerings poured into all the temples. As a priestess and my wife, it was Ningal's duty to take the best of the offerings for our family to feast upon. The festival, dancing and music was lively and without a thought or care. I partook of everything which was given. What I didn't know was my food was tainted. It takes a powerful drug to knock out a god. I can assume it was in the wine, because I took but a few sips before I was overcome. When I came to, I felt my powers being drained by a powerful demon. I was unable to focus on who, or what type of demon it was, but I managed to stop it before it drained me completely. Still, the damage was done. I retained some basic powers, I had my strength, but the demon escaped before I could do anything. Losing my powers was nothing compared to what I found when I stumbled into my temple. There on the floor were the bodies of my wife and two innocent children."

She gasped softly. “I'm so sorry, Neman."

"I went to my family, but they turned their backs on me. My brother Sin would help only if I would give him my title. He took over the role of Moon God, sank my Ziggurat below the surface and placed a protection spell upon it. It was all he would do. I live for revenge. I became a skilled hunter and killer, taking great pleasure in each demon I killed hoping to find the one that destroyed my life and my family. He drew in a deep breath. “You see, Vanessa, I am a killer. My whole existence until now has been one long quest for bloody vengeance."

There was no condemnation in her eyes, just a gentle compassion which twisted at his heart.

Her fingers reached up, running tenderly across his cheek and jaw. “Maybe so, but there is something called a ripple effect. You may call it vengeance, but you have been saving lives with every evil creature you kill—a few thousand years can add up to hundreds of thousands of people you saved. You're a hero, Neman, not some mindless killer. You saved my life and gave me something I never thought I could have or be. The doctors told me when I was still young that I could never have children."

He buried his face in her hair, holding her close to his heart. Vanessa possessed an inner strength, a giving heart and a deep capacity for love. He didn't deserve a woman like her, yet he could not deny himself either. Every inch of his soul craved her, not just for now, but for eternity. His possessiveness raged full to the surface. She was his, and no one would take her from him. He raised his head and gently kissed her forehead, his body throbbing. He grew hard again with wanting to have her. “I guess being a fertility god was good for something after all."

A smile curved the corner of her pink lips.

"The fates have brought us together, sweetness, and I'm not ashamed to say this pleases me. You've brought light into my life, Vanessa, which has been missing for a very long time."

"Man or god, I don't care, but what I do know is there is goodness inside you, and I know you're going to be a great father to our baby. I will stay with you for as long as I'm needed, because I understand it's this anointing thing which makes you want me."

Hearing those last few words made Neman scowl. “No.” Neman's possessive instinct made him pull her tighter against him. “Have you not noticed the strong scent fading, sweetness? The anointing lasts but a few days. It's like striking flint against the rock—there is the first spark, but sometimes, rarely, those sparks can create an eternal fire, if you find just the right tinder to fan it. You have changed everything for me. Vengeance doesn't rule me anymore. You've broken my curse, my sweet Vanessa. I'm going to want you for eternity."

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What does a girl say to that? He may be a god, but like any man, he was capable of hate, vengeance, compassion and love. Nessa couldn't imagine being alone for so long and her heart broke at what he had suffered. She knew she was worthy of him. He helped her find her worth, and she cherished him for it. There was vulnerability in his golden eyes, as if he were waiting for something from her, but having him on top of her with the heat of his body pressed against hers made her lose her tongue. As a general rule, she was never at a loss for words, yet over the past few days, she found herself lacking whenever he got close. There was no way of ever living a normal life again. The plain and simple fact was that she loved him, had ever since the moment he'd ducked the vase she threw at Larry. A fear stole over her—should she tell him? What was the worst that could happen? Her heart torn utterly apart and left without hope? As carefree as she might think she was, this man could easily break her. She took a deep breath to steel herself for her confession of love. “Neman, I—"

A loud beeping made him practically leap off her and the bed.

With a sigh, she rolled to her side, watching him walk to a panel she hadn't noticed in the wall by the door. She licked her lips at being treated to a splendid view of his naked back. Those broad muscled shoulders and the perfect hollow line of his spine led down to the best-looking ass she'd ever seen.

He jabbed the button.

"You'd better get out here—your elf has just turned up with an injured man,” a male voice informed him.

Nessa sat up, looking about for her clothes which were once again nowhere in sight. She sighed, ripped the sheet off the bed and wrapped it around her body. She was becoming quite apt at making it fit like a toga, not to mention she was beginning to suspect he enjoyed keeping her naked in bed. “Did someone say elf?"

Neman flicked a switch, pulling open the door. “Stay here.” In a flash, his clothes reappeared on his body.

She rolled her eyes, annoyed with his overprotectiveness. “Look here, god-boy, I'm not a pet you can order about. I am not staying in your bedroom.” She followed him out into the corridor. “You said I was safe here."

"You are, but if this is the elf I think it is, it could mean trouble."

"C'mon, I've never met an elf. Anyway, the fellow said someone was injured."

He huffed and opened his arms.

"Shortcut.” She grinned, jumping into his arms. Every time he teleported her, she got a brief, dizzying buzz from it. After feeling his power surge then the
pop
, they stood in a large open square where a central wide staircase joined the two levels of this ancient Ziggurat. It had darkened doorways around the square on both levels with markings carved into every wall. A tall, middle-aged man in jeans and a black T-shirt stood over another man with silvery white hair flowing down his back. She could only assume he was the elf. He was cradling a third man in his arms. Nessa stepped forward to get a closer look.