Sun God Seeks…Surrogate? (Accidentally Yours #3)(35)
Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

“Cimil claims the Creator made us to watch over the world, but I have never seen or heard this Creator personally.”

I suddenly felt woozy. My brain was going into overload. I stumbled to the side.

Nick reached out and caught me. “You need to eat something.”

He gently placed me down on the couch and propped my head up with a cushion. I didn’t want to rest. I wanted to fight. I wanted to hunt down those vile creatures and get my mother back. But he was right; I was hungry and fried.

Nick returned several moments later with a tall glass of water and stack of Oreo cookies.

“Cookies?” Had this been that breakfast he’d mentioned earlier? My kind of chef!

“My kind does not require food,” he explained, “So when I eat, it is for pleasure. My preference is tropical fruit. I keep these around in case my brother Guy stops buy. He likes them very much.”

Weird, but I supposed it made sense. If they didn’t need food for fuel or have to worry about waistlines, then they ate what they liked. Of course, if I were a deity, I’d sign up for the egg roll, ice cream mochi, and sourdough bread diet.

I reached for the tall glass and took a swig. I promptly spit the fiery liquid all over Nick’s flagstone coffee table. “What is that?” I hacked.

“Rum. I thought it might help to take the edge off.”

Yeah, for the next three days. “Thank you, but I’m not scheduled to become an alcoholic until next week.”

He looked confused.

“Joking. Why be a drunk when I have grack at my fingertips? That’s way more fun.”

He stared blankly.

“God crack? Grack?” I said.

He continued staring.

“Just ignore me,” I mumbled.

He dipped his head. “I’ll bring you that water.” He returned with a real glass of water and sat down on the edge of the couch. “I will send one of the Uchben out for groceries while you rest. Then we will finish answering your questions.”

“Uchben? Those are your ‘human allies,’—the ones guarding Chaam, right?”

“Yes. They have a very large army and use my grounds for training, as do our vampire allies. There is an encampment about a half mile from here along with several guesthouses, apartment complexes, a convention center, airstrip, airplane hangar, helicopter pad, underground bunker for fifteen thousand, missile silo, ten-year supply of clean water, fifty self-sustainable greenhouses that double as emergency oxygen generators, a state-of-the-art underground hospital, a library, war room, and satellite control center.”

I quirked one brow. “Is that all?”

Contemplating, Nick’s eyes shifted to the mural-covered ceiling (it was a replica of the Sistine Madonna with the two cherubs). “Oh. And a bar with pool tables and a few hundred board game stations.”

“Board games?” Was he serious?

“The men are very competitive—especially the vampires. There’s a tournament every year. I believe this year’s pick is Hungry Hungry Hippos. Cimil is usually the master of ceremonies.”

“Seriously?” I asked.

“Absurd. Is it not?” He shook his head.

“Yeah. Just a tad.”

“Barrel of Monkeys is much more challenging. Those little red buggers never stay together.”

Okeydokey.

“At any rate,” Nick continued. “General Niccolo DiConti, who has direct, day-to-day responsibility for the army, stays at the camp along with the Uchben chiefs assisting with training and preparations for the Great War—the war that will decide the fate of mankind. With so many well-seasoned warriors about, the Maaskab are less likely to attack us here.”

“Only less likely?” I started to sit up. Where I was going, who knew? But running sounded like a fab idea.

He gently pushed down on my shoulder. “You need to rest.” He brushed the hair back from my forehead. “Please. I will watch over you. Nothing will happen.”

Although I could take care of myself, it felt oddly pleasant to have a real live deity wanting to protect me. An unexpected giddiness washed over me.

“Why are you smiling?” he asked.

I sighed and closed my eyes. “No reason.”

CHAPTER 19

When my dizziness subsided, I opened my eyes to the heavenly sight of Nick, eyes closed, sitting at the other end of the couch. His large hands rested on top of my legs, which were propped over his lap.

Now that I could think clearly, I saw the truth; I liked this man—deity, whichever—a lot. I loved being near him. I loved having my hair and clothes saturated with his delicious, exotic scent. I loved how he made my cuticles—and other unmentionable parts—tingle with adrenaline.

It didn’t matter that I knew next to nothing about his past, his world, or—gulp—species. It didn’t matter that the timing sucked or that my world was falling apart. My heart knew what it wanted. It knew the moment we’d met.

But how did he feel about me?

Pondering the question, I studied his exquisitely masculine face and watched his wide chest rise and fall with the peaceful rhythm of his breath.

Ask him.

I can’t.

Since when did you become shy? And think of the agony you’ll feel not knowing. Ask him!

Ugh. Okay.

“Nick?”

His eyes snapped open.

“Oh, sorry,” I said. “Did I wake you?”

“No. I was thinking,” he said.

About what? I wondered.

He ran his hands through his golden brown hair and then stretched his arms above his head. He still wore his white linen shirt buttoned just above the navel.

On any other man, the partially-exposed-chest look would be so “player,” but not on him.

“Feeling better?” he asked and gave my legs a little rub that only made me turn warm and gooey inside.

“I think so.” I sat up, and pulled my legs away; I needed to concentrate. “Can I ask why you’re helping me?”

He glanced away. “Because I must.”

“Must? Like, gun to head ‘must’ or compelled by your own emotions?”

He leaned forward and placed the heels of his palms over his eyes. “This is what I’ve been contemplating; I am compelled to watch over mortals, but with you, it is something entirely different. The two weeks I searched for you, following our night together, were…extremely distressing. I thought of little else besides you.”

My brain buzzed with ego-laden joy. It was almost too surreal to think that someone like Nick could have feelings for someone like me. He was a deity, for heaven’s sake. And a really, really hot one at that.