Surrender

In this fight, there’s no white flag.

Kira, Goddess of Darkness, has no problem with sin. Especially if it helps her reclaim the city stolen from her by the Timaran gods. With strength flowing through her veins, she takes aim at the throne of Timara, ready to commit whatever sin necessary to reclaim her birthright. Even kill the current ruler.

Jarek knows Kira by name only, but he knows one thing. Her attack is based on a terrible lie—that her parents once owned Timara. He understands the bloodthirsty anger that fuels her quest to right a wrong, but he won’t give up his city without a fight. He is a king and a god in his own right—and a most formidable enemy.

Kira never expected the ancient warrior to accept her challenge to fight to the death. Then she discovers he has a very different kind of battle in mind—one that starts with a fiery kiss. With all the audacity of the Egyptian gods combined, Jarek throws down his own gauntlet. If she loses, she will join him in his bed for as long as he wishes.

This book has been previously published and has been revised and expanded from its original release.

Warning: This book contains sex scenes that would make Caligula blush, some bitchiness, and a hero with a god complex.

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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

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Surrender

Copyright © 2010 by Rachel Carrington

ISBN: 978-1-60928-103-8

Edited by Laurie M. Rauch

Cover by Kanaxa

All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
electronic publication: June 2010

www.samhainpublishing.com

Surrender

Rachel Carrington

On life’s journey, faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day, and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him.

~Buddha

Prologue

A.D. 3045, the city of Timara

“Your wife waits for you, my son.” Lamar thumped his hand on his son’s sturdy shoulder and gave him a bright smile. “You will have to tame her first, of course.”

“Then she will wait much longer,” Jarek said in a stubborn tone, his brow furrowed. “I want no woman who will not accept me as I am. Why would I waste time convincing a woman?”

Lamar threw back his head and laughed, as did the others in the room. “My son, ever the arrogant male beast.”

Jarek folded his arms across his chest. “Who is this woman, then?” Surely his father would understand that he had no time to focus on a woman when he was training to become the next king of Timara.

“You will know her soon.”

“How soon? And why are we having this conversation now? We have much work to accomplish, and yet, you speak of a wife and taming. Your mind should be on ruling Timara and not on my future spouse.” The second he spoke the words, Jarek knew he’d angered his father, but it was too late to take back what had already been said.

“I could never forget my city, Jarek.” The tone had a bite to it. “Timara is the land of my ancestors, but soon there will be a battle for its ownership. This is why I’m telling you about your future wife now. She will come to you in fury about the ownership of the city, but in reality she comes for you.”

Keeping his voice low, Jarek leaned in closer to his father. “And this woman—when will she arrive?”

“Patience, my son, patience. Your souls will touch, and your destinies will be sealed.”

Jarek glowered. “You speak in riddles.”

“I speak the truth as I have seen it.”

“Tell me more about this battle you have seen.” Timara had always been his home, and he’d be damned if he’d allow anyone to question its ownership. It belonged to his family, and that was the way it would stay as long as blood flowed through his veins.

Lamar shook his head. “I cannot. There are some things I cannot see, my son. Just know that you will be caught between your love of this woman and your love of this city.”

Jarek turned away and walked to the stone wall that buffered the castle from prying eyes. Pressing his palm against the cool gray granite, he swept his hand around in a circle, and the wall slid open, parting in the middle to give him a clear view of the night.

Inky blackness filled his vision; the night sky bore little sign of the city below. Surrounded by utter darkness, the castle of the gods carried the weight of the city on its shoulders, protecting the citizens of Timara from all harm and ensuring the safety of future generations. But it was the gods within that castle who controlled the destinies of all who lived in this country, even the cities that existed beyond the gates of Timara.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jarek caught the glitter of lights below. He ducked his head to see the soft illumination of the city’s revolving star, a testament to this land’s beauty that Jarek loved.

“When you look out, what do you see?” Lamar asked, placing his hand on Jarek’s shoulder.

“The home that I love.”

“And you will protect it when the time comes.”

“I will join you in the battle, yes.”

Lamar’s hand tightened. “Son, there is more to what I have seen.”

Jarek hated his father’s gift of vision, but he hated the sorrow he heard in his voice even more. Needing to change the subject, he spoke between clenched teeth. “How will I recognize this woman?”

Lamar sighed, but responded, “She will spike your temper, tempt your willpower, and create a longing within your soul to make her yours, and once you do, you will connect with her in such a powerful way that you will be unable to fight what you know to be true. She will be your soul mate, the one your heart cannot live without.”

Adjusting his leather vest, Jarek pinned Lamar with a dubious look. “Hasn’t Mother warned you against partaking of so many libations, Father?”

The older man didn’t take offense at the words. Instead, he steered his son toward the long table where the other gods sat and commiserated over the fate that would soon befall Jarek.

“It is almost time for you to take your rightful position as the ruler of Timara.”

Those had been the words Jarek hadn’t wanted to hear. He spun around to face his father. “I will not discuss this with you, Father.”

“You have no choice. My life force is ending.”

“That is impossible! You are immortal, a god. How can you cease to exist?” Though Jarek asked the question, he already knew. Every god, in his time, eventually reached the end of his life force, the day when he simply faded away. It was the cycle of life, and try as he might, Jarek could not resist what was to be.

Lamar studied Jarek’s face a long time before responding. “You must be strong, my son, for I will not leave alone.”

Pain lanced the center of Jarek’s chest, for he knew exactly what his father was saying. When the king passed on into the land beyond the cities, so would his queen. Clenching his hands into fists, Jarek stalked toward the door. “I will not have this discussion with you. You and Mother will be here for a long time to come.”

“Jarek.”

He stopped in his tracks, bowing his head. “When?” The one word came out on a croak.

“At the next turn of the star.”

Panic filled every inch of Jarek’s body, but he kept his emotions under control, as he’d been taught. The turn was only days away. “Then we must prepare.” How could he say that, knowing what those words meant?

“Your mother is already making the preparations. Now, come. Let us discuss the future of our city and your ascension.”

Jarek’s blood ran cold, for when the star revolved, not only would he lose the ones who’d given him life, he would gain control of the city.

And the pain of his loss would have to be pushed aside when the battle arrived. “Father, when will the battle take place?”

Lamar touched his shoulder once more. “On the day of my departure, your future queen will arrive.”

Chapter One

She’d sell her soul for a cigarette. That is, if she had a soul. Sometimes, being a goddess had its disadvantages. She tumbled through the darkness of space, rolling and twirling like an Olympic champion, all the while considering her destination.

Timara—an ancient city of gods as vast as the universe. It spanned the length and breadth of a galaxy. The rumors about the city were many. Some said the gods there still spoke in the ancient tongue and refused to mingle with the mortals.

Kira didn’t allow that possibility to bother her. Mortals were of little use to her, except for an occasional dalliance. Ah, but Timara… With its gold-lined streets, rushing waterfalls, and skies of the clearest blue, Timara was definitely of interest to her.

The city belonged to her, and she’d reclaim it, no matter the cost.

“I will take back what has been taken from my family.” It wasn’t the first time she’d made the vow, but this time was different.

“Stay focused, Kira.” Her father’s voice reached to her across the distance, spanning the night sky.

“I will, Father. There is no need to be concerned about me.”

“You are my daughter. I shall always be concerned about you, but this mission is of the utmost importance. Now that Lamar is gone, Timara is at its weakest. This is the time to strike.”

Kira had heard the speech before. Her father had ingrained her mission into her being since she’d been a child, describing in graphic detail how the city of Timara had been taken away from her family, leaving her loved ones homeless, without support or foundation. With the death of her own father, Set had taken her in as one of his own, eventually growing to love her mother as well. They’d become a family, even if one without a foundation.

Forced to find a new city, the outcasts had formed their own home, but Set had never forgotten…nor forgiven. And he’d waited for Lamar’s death. As the king of Timara, Lamar had been a powerful opponent and didn’t tolerate interlopers in his city. Not even Set would go against him.

A smirk formed across Kira’s lips. But now, the great Lamar had passed into the spiritual realm, leaving the city in the hands of his son, a much weaker enemy.

“I will not fail you, Father. I will not fail our family.”

The resounding words carried her promise to her father, and his responding murmur of approval confirmed her decision.

She couldn’t wait to see the look on Jarek’s face when she faced him. Her reputation had preceded her, she was sure. Everyone knew about Set’s family…especially their enemies.

Having settled in a city on the other side of the galaxy, Set had eventually overtaken the local ruling gods and become the leader of the hierarchy. He controlled the entire city of Enun, as well as several of the outlying cities, but it wasn’t enough.

And Kira understood why. At her mother’s feet, she’d learned the stories of destruction, horrific tales of the battle that had taken place so long ago and caused the death of her father. The thought of Lamar’s callous disregard for her father’s life had angered her, even as a small child. Now, that anger glowed inside of her like an untamed fire. Unquenched, it had grown until the inferno had overtaken her, and she’d become exactly what her stepfather, Set, had wanted her to be…the Goddess of the Night, a fierce opponent in battle and one of the most powerful goddesses in the cities circling the galaxy.

And tonight, Jarek would experience that power. The battle would begin, and the victory would be sweet.

Jarek belted his sword at his waist and secured the gold collar around his neck. The metal felt cool against his skin, though his father had worn it only days before. Ordinarily, the collar retained the heat of its previous owner for at least a week, but Lamar had wanted to transfer all of his power, making sure his son and Timara were protected at all costs.

Caressing the amethyst, Jarek winced as the memory of his father washed over him. Lamar had ruled the City of the Gods well, had been beloved by most of the gods—except for those who’d chosen a darker path and had been banned from Timara. And now that Lamar’s life force had ended, Jarek had come face-to-face with his destiny. Ready or not, he now ruled this great city.

“Jarek,” a voice squeaked out.

“You may enter, Devlin,” he called to his father’s assistant.

Devlin, a wiry god with an angular face and a sprig of facial hair, burst through the chamber door, his face a mask of worry.

The god’s agitation didn’t surprise Jarek. For as long as he’d known Devlin, he’d never seen him calm. “Is something wrong, Devlin?”

“A visitor has petitioned to be seen.”

Jarek frowned. “A visitor? On the day of my father’s ascension?”

Devlin bobbed his head. “She is quite insistent.”

“Did she give her name?”

“She did. Kira. I didn’t recognize the name and…” Devlin stopped speaking. “Jarek? Forgive me for saying so, but you don’t look well.”

Jarek’s jaw tightened, and in that instant, he knew. This had been the woman his father had spoken of. The bitch actually had the audacity to arrive on this day of mourning. With clenched hands, he jerked his chin toward the door of his chamber. “Grant her petition.”

Devlin’s eyes widened, but he backed toward the door obediently. “As you wish.”

Kira inspected her surroundings with interest, for a future queen must know everything about her home—its strengths as well as its weaknesses.

The walls were adorned with gems from the finest mines in the entire universe, and crystal-clear tiles lined the floors. Windows were etched with an artisan’s touch and the finest of silks draped over carved silver posts above each doorway.

Every surface reflected the power of the gods, those who lived a life of extreme wealth and lavishness, much more than even she did now, but that would change. Soon, all of this would return to its rightful owner, and the Enunians would come home.

She caught a glimpse of pale eyes staring at her and lifted a hand, ready to dismiss the nuisance with a wave.

“Your powers are ineffectual here.” A male figure, thin and easily dismissed, stepped forward quickly, an anxious look on his face. His hands were clenched together in front of his body, as if he were afraid of what he might do with them.

Her lips curling into a sneer, Kira sized him up easily. A god, maybe, but a servant, definitely. “Who are you?”

“My name is Devlin, and you have been granted an audience with Jarek, ruler of Timara.”

Kira smirked and sailed forward, swiping the lesser god out of her way.
Granted an audience, indeed.
She touched her palm to the bronze door, and it opened instantly. The action boosted her confidence.

She marched into the room, head held high, muscles tensed for battle.

Jarek turned, and Kira took a step backwards. Her father had warned her about the god she would face, but only his ability in battle, his lineage, and his weaknesses. He’d failed to mention his beauty.

Dressed in a long-sleeved white shirt, open down to the waist, and black leather pants tucked into knee-high boots, the ruler of Timara caught her off-guard. His eyes captured her first. An indescribable green, they zeroed in on her face without wavering. The shoulder-length sandy brown hair swayed when he walked, the effect a hypnotic blend of sensual grace and power.

“You dare come to my home on this day,” Jarek spat.

Kira’s eyes lifted, and though her heart fluttered beneath her breast, she somehow managed to reclaim her focus. “
Your
home? I believe you are mistaken. Timara belongs to me, to my people.”

Jarek surprised her by tossing back his head and laughing, a full, deep-throated laugh that brought her attention to the muscles in his chest.

“The reason for your humor eludes me,” she retorted, but the sound of his laughter ignited a spark within the center of her stomach…a spark Kira refused to identify as attraction.

“Then we are on equal terms, for your logic eludes me. Timara has been owned by my family since the dawn of time.”

“Only because Lamar stole it from my father.”

Eyebrows the same shade as his hair rose, and Jarek took a step forward, his teeth grinding visibly. “You stand in the presence of one who could very easily destroy you and call my father a thief?”

Kira folded her arms across her breasts for fear he would see the way her nipples peaked with his nearness. “I only speak the truth.”

Rage burned in his eyes and, for a brief moment, she wondered if he would hold such tight control of his fury were she to snag her hands in his hair and drag his mouth down to meet hers. Would he give in to her desires—and perhaps even some of his own?

“How can you speak the truth when you’ve never heard it?”

The words brought her mind back to the present, but didn’t stop the tingle between her thighs. “I know everything I need to know about you.”

“Do you now?” Another step closer and she would be able to feel the heat from his body pulsing against hers. “I doubt that very seriously, considering Set is the one who provided you with this information. Every god in the galaxy knows he isn’t known for his veracity.”

Like a splash of cold water, the words slapped her in the face, and Kira’s focus returned to her mission. “How
dare
you criticize my father?”

“Why not? Were you not the one who accused
my
father of taking Timara from you?”

“It is the truth!” The shout made the walls tremble.

“You would be wise to learn more about that word before you bandy it around so easily, Kira.” Fingers flicking the collar of her skintight black leather suit, he leaned in and whispered, “And learn more about your enemies before you confront them, my sweet. Were it not for my pity for your lack of knowledge, I could very easily extinguish your life.”

Her breath hissed out from between clenched teeth. “You will find I’m not so easily destroyed, Your Majesty.” The words came out as an epithet. Her fury fueled by the smugness of the god’s nature, she wanted to pummel him, to destroy him in his own chambers, leaving his withering body for his servants to see. But this was the time for restraint. The war would come soon enough.

Jarek sniffed the air next to her hair. “Your greed and thirst for dominance has taken you down a path from which you will not return, Kira.”

“I didn’t come here to ask you for advice.” How dare he? As the son of a thief, he shouldn’t be allowed the adulation of his people. How could he not know of Lamar’s deception, his thirst for the city, and the lengths to which he’d gone in order to quench his need?

“Then why did you come?” His voice was a silky caress of sex and seduction, and for a moment, however brief, Kira felt she could easily fall into any web he created. But then his eyes locked on hers once more, and the images her mother had shown her flashed in front of her eyes.

“To give you the opportunity your father never gave mine.” Kira stepped into his personal space, slapping her palms against the bare wall of his chest. “Abdicate by tomorrow morning, or I will kill you. Either way, I will have my throne.”

She had to leave, to wipe away the intense knowledge of his power, his overwhelming masculinity. She’d expected the hatred to remain strong when she faced him. Had even prepared for the consuming need to slice his throat. Had anticipated anything but desire, the hot, burning sensation in the pit of her stomach.

That had definitely taken her by surprise.

Kira disappeared amidst a shower of sparks, giving Jarek a much-needed breath of fresh air. He hadn’t been prepared for the quick flash of heat that had spiraled through him when they’d seen one another. For a brief moment, he’d felt connected to her, drawn like a tiny feather guided by gravity. Desire had shot a quick rush of blood straight down to his cock, and he’d wanted her.

Fury clawed at his insides. How could he even consider mating with such a goddess, a woman without compassion or any sense of decency? The thought should disgust him, and yet, strangely, heated images still enveloped him.

“Dammit.” One fist pummeled the wall behind him while his cock strained at the thickness of his trousers. “You will not weaken me with your beauty, Kira.”

Though he’d never met this particular Enun goddess, he’d known her name the second Devlin had said it. Most gods knew Kira. Powerful, dark, and extremely dangerous, she claimed to own most of the ancient cities in the Universe…or at least that her father did. And once his life force ended, she would be, by far, one of the richest goddesses to ever claim a throne.

If she lived that long.

She’d drawn the line in the sand, dropping the gauntlet that could very well prove to be her last one. She wanted Timara. It mattered little to her that she had no right to it.

Jarek floated to the nearest window and swept open the panes. High above the night stars, Timara glowed like a beacon for lost gods. Its illumination had existed for well over ten thousand centuries, and never before had anyone questioned its ownership.

So why now? What would make Kira believe Lamar to be a thief? As he asked himself the question, Jarek felt the spark of fury flame into rage. If the goddess truly believed Timara belonged to her, why had she not challenged his father? Did she believe Jarek to be so worthless an opponent? Perhaps she did not know the full meaning of the fulfillment of destiny. Along with the reins of Timara, Jarek had claimed his father’s power.

Kira couldn’t know that. Otherwise, she never would have issued the ultimatum. Perhaps she had been reassured by her father, Set, the God of Evil. The stories about Set were legendary, blurring the lines between truth and reality. Jarek had grown up listening to them and believing few, but perhaps he’d been mistaken.

He slammed the window shut and cursed in several languages. While Kira’s arrival had surprised him, the challenge intrigued him. She knew he would not abdicate, and by tomorrow morning, she would attempt to carry out her promise.

Jarek enjoyed a worthy opponent, and he just might consider a challenge of his own, especially since the woman had roused more than his anger. After all, it had been a long time since he’d enjoyed the gifts a lovely woman had to offer. And he’d definitely enjoy them.