Immortals After Dark 09 - Pleasure of a Dark Prince

all—so?”
    “So what do you think he’d do if he discovered immortality existed? If he determined that we can potentially live forever—or that I could possibly
make
him immortal?” Not that Garreth ever would. Of all the species in the Lore, the Lykae turned others the least—because of the devastating side-effects.
    “And what about Damiãno?”
    “He’s got doctored medical records. Definitely no’ human.”
    “Then what is he?”
    “Maybe a shifter or warlock? Or a demon? If he’s into shamanism, he could be a bluidy witch doctor for all we know.”
    “Do you think he lied about what he’s here for?”
    “Doona know what his real aim is—but if it’s truly to stop the oil companies, then we’re already being followed. They’ve got mercenaries cruising up and down the river, scanning CBs and sat-phones. A basin-wide intelligence net. Any uncontacted tribe would cost them
billions
. No one will be reporting a sighting,” hesaid. “Lousha, those three all know this is dodgy. It’s why they’re on a shite boat like this, hiring a drunk captain who’s ruled by the dollar. So unless you give me a damn good reason to allow you to stay aboard—”
    “
Allow
me?”
    “Aye. Second lesson about the Amazon? Might makes right out here.”
    “I have to be on
this
ship. This one in particular.” At his unbending look, she said, “This isn’t about me and you. This is much, much bigger. End of the world big.”
    “Then tell me,” MacRieve said, “and I’ll help you.”
    Seeing no way around it, she decided to reveal
some
. “Fine, let’s make a deal. You keep my cover, and no more ordering me to strip—”
    “Which you loved and were aroused by.”
    “Do you want to know or not?”
    He held up his palms. “Agreed and agreed.”
    “And we won’t be having sex.”
    “
Dis
agreed. You’re acting like you have some bargaining power—I can force you from this ship.”
    “Don’t put my back up against the wall, MacRieve. I might strive to be reasonable, but you have no idea what I’m capable of when cornered.”
    “Ah, but what are you capable of without drawing human attention? Tomorrow morning, we’re gone.”
    “Very well! I’ll tell you,” she said, beginning to pace yet again. “You’ve met Nïx, I’m sure.”
    “Oh, when I was locked in the Valkyrie dungeon? After you trapped me?”
    She pursed her lips.
    “Go on, then.”
    “She contacted me just a day ago, told me the world was on the verge of apocalypse. I was to find Rio Labyrinto. The river would hold the answer to our salvation. And before you ask, I don’t know much more. Nïx won’t divvy the details. You don’t know what she’s like.”
    “I doona? She would no’ tell me why I had to be in Iquitos at precisely three. All she’d say is ‘Do you want to see your mate or no’, werewolf?’”
    “That’s how you got here so fast!”
Rotter!
“No, she wouldn’t.”
    “We both know she would and did.”
    Nïx had
planned
for Lucia and MacRieve to meet. The soothsayer had done him a favor. Why? Nïx might be mad, but she could also be calculating.
    A niggling suspicion had been building in Lucia over the last few months. The three-thousand-year-old soothsayer had begun telling people she would soon be a goddess. And that wasn’t just an insane musing—it was actually a possibility.
    Nïx had been born of gods, and she’d attained the requisite age—ancient. But most importantly, she was collecting lifelong loyalties, which doubled as worship.
    If gods derived strength from the number of worshippers they acquired, then Nïx was growing more and more powerful. Here was Garreth MacRieve, another being who owed Nïx a favor, who’d be thanking her daily for the rest of his immortal life for her help. Like a prayer. Humans might thank God—MacRieve would thank Nïx.
    Nucking Futs Nïx a goddess? Lucia wondered if she’d be a benevolent one.
    “Doona be angry with the soothsayer,” he said. “If she had no’ helped me, I would’ve eventually caught you anyway.”
    “You sound confident. Makes me wonder why you hadn’t before.”
    “I had an ace in my pocket that I had no’ yet played.” Before she could question him about his
ace
, he asked, “So did Nïx happen to give you any directions to Rio Labyrinto?”
    Lucia shook her head. “She said I’d have everything I needed aboard this ship.”
    “That so?” he replied thoughtfully. “Then she must’ve meant that you’d need