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Chapter 68
Nariana
Iwalked straight up to Anver, convinced Tath was watching me, and just hugged him. He didn't hesitate before hugging me back tightly, and then I felt another body press close against my back. Zeal. It had to be him, and this way it didn't matter what - or who - Tath could see. For just a moment, I stopped worrying about the people here, how I should act, and everything else.
"Happy Darkest Night," I told them, pulling back so I could see Zeal. "I've missed you both and it's barely been a week."
"Close enough," Zeal assured me.
"And it hasn't been the same without the four of you," Anver said. "However, you have to wait until you're back for your present."
"I don't need a present," I reminded him. "Well, maybe a kiss."
Anver cupped my cheek and leaned in, pressing his lips against mine. There was no hesitation anymore. No moment of searching my eyes or waiting for rejection, and when I parted my lips, his tongue was right there. He kissed me with passion, all but daring me to lean into it, so I did. My hand found his chest, the other sliding around his neck, and I lost myself in the swirls of our tongues and the caresses of our mouths.
"Showoff," Ela teased from behind me.
"Oh, but I do like the show," Zeal said, his voice just a little deeper than normal.
I laughed, leaning away from the temptation of Anver's mouth. "Is that why you invited your siblings? I thought they weren't strong enough to come into your temple."
"It's a holiday," he explained. "We chose these days because our world is just a little closer to yours, making things easier. On my day, we all come here, on Merci's, we'll be in her temple, and on Charisma's and Will's, we visit them. Bode and Savi make it easy by having theirs outside. Strange how it never seems to rain on either the Day of Blessing or the Day of Planning, hm?"
"I'd wondered about that," I admitted.
"It seems there are a few tricks they never lost," Anver said. "Miracles too coincidental to cause faith, though."
"Right," Ela said. "But, now for the real question. Zeal, where's Tishlie?"
"By the stage," Zeal said.
Ela headed off to find Tishlie - for some reason - but I just turned so I could see both Zeal and Anver. "Ok, the two of you? Ganging up on me? His kiss and your temptation, Zeal? Seems you've been plotting while I've been gone."
"I was just helping with Anver's gift," Zeal teased. "A little nudge to make you enjoy it more. I'd ask for my own kiss, but you'd look rather foolish kissing the air - and Tath is still back there."
"And I liked the show," Talin admitted, sliding up beside me. "Maela has Tath's attention for a moment. They're getting the rest of my family situated, and you would not believe who's stepped up to help."
I looked over to see a mass of red curls on the back of a woman greeting Talin's oldest sister. "Amerlee," I realized.
"And Jamik's talking to Thiemo and Kanten," Talin said. "They just bought you a moment."
"By Zeal, I love them," I mumbled, but the god in question chuckled at my choice of words.
"I will have you know that they made you care about them on their own," he promised. "I just picked them because they were the best options in the temple. It also gave them another reason to love each other." Then Zeal smiled, even though nothing had happened. "It seems Ela is trying to show me up."
"Huh?" I turned, trying to find my partner, but all I could see was Wraythe.
He stood in the aisle at the side, tilted so people could make their way past his bulk. A moment later, Ela caught up to him, wrapped an arm around Wraythe's waist, and hauled him back toward us. The grin on Ela's face meant Zeal was right. The man was clearly up to something.
"So," Ela said when he reached us, "I may have just mentioned to Harlin, who is standing in the wings while his desire gets ready to perform, that the Baron of Temptation has decided to come this year. Harlin asked if I was sure, and I happened to say, maybe a little too loudly, that Nari was his date tonight. I didn't mention that I came with Maela, but it seemed that Ciella and Tishlie haven't gone..." He paused, looking over my shoulder as he tried to stifle a chuckle. "Deaf! Oh, I knew they wouldn't be able to help themselves!"
Turning, I found Ciella and Tishlie introducing themselves to Tath. The man was handsome. All of the Ranndors were beautiful, if I was honest. I just happened to know that he was selfish and shallow, which did nothing to turn me on. Ciella and Tishlie only cared that he was rich, and the promise of a good tithe had them both smiling with all the seduction they could manage.
Then Ciella leaned in to bite at Tath's ear, slowly dragging her teeth across his lobe. I could see her pink painted lips moving, but the angle was wrong to make out the words. Tath didn't have that problem. He looked from one woman to the other, then allowed Tishlie to pull him to his feet just as the lights began to dim.
"I should probably make sure Maela's ok with this," Ela said, grabbing both sides of my face before pressing a hard kiss to my lips. "Love you. Have fun while they distract Tath, ok?"
"Be gentle with Maela?" I begged.
