Moonlight Captivation [Moon Shadows Book 1] by Angela Castle Page B

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