44. Rob

44

ROB

" I think I need another drink," Rob murmured. "Or maybe an appointment with a shrink."

"I can help you with the first one." Margo pushed to her feet.

Toven just regarded him with amusement dancing in his blue eyes. "I know that it's a lot to be exposed to and process, but I suggest that you suspend your disbelief until I'm done."

Rob swallowed.

So far, he had seen Toven's skin start and stop glowing on demand, and he also saw the guy's fangs. Unless this was the strangest dream he'd ever had or he was hallucinating, Toven was really an alien from a race of alien beings who called themselves gods.

Also, Margo was not disputing a word he'd said.

Maybe it was all true?

"My sister vouches for you, and Margo is not easily fooled. I'm listening."

"Good." Toven seemed relieved. "So here is how the induction process works for males. It requires a fight with an immortal. The goal isn't to win, as immortals are much stronger than humans. Still, the resistance you put up needs to be enough to trigger the production of venom in the immortal's glands. When he bites you, and the venom enters your system, it triggers the activation of your immortal genes. It doesn't always work with the first bite, and sometimes the process has to be repeated, but at least you don't need to worry about not having the genes. Since your sister turned immortal, there is no doubt that you will turn as well. You share the same mother, right?"

"We do." Rob frowned. "Can our mother be activated as well? Given what you have told me so far, she should also be a Dormant."

"It's risky at her age," Mia said. "And since for females, the bite is not enough and sex with an immortal is also required, it's problematic because I doubt your father would be okay with that."

Suspension of disbelief was getting more and more difficult, but Rob had promised Toven that he would try. "Why is sex required? Is it because females can't put up a decent enough fight to trigger an immortal's aggression?"

Toven laughed. "It's not about a female's inability to put up a fight. There was one case of a male who aggravated an immortal into producing venom by reciting vile poetry, so physical strength is not the issue. It's just that we are programmed not to respond that way to females, no matter what they do. We produce aggressive venom only in response to male aggression, and we produce erotic venom in response to desire, mostly toward females, but I assume that for some, the response is the same toward males they find desirable."

"That could get confusing," Mia murmured. "I mean between two males who are into each other. What if they get into a fight?"

"I wouldn't know," Toven admitted. "But I agree that this is an interesting question. My guess is that when desire and love are involved, the venom produced can only be the erotic kind."

"I'm exclusively into women," Rob said, to make sure they were all on the same page. "Who do I need to fight and when?"

Toven leaned back, his expression serious. "This is a lot to take in, and it's not a decision to be made lightly. Becoming immortal seems like a no-brainer, and it opens up a world of possibilities you've never imagined, but it has some downsides that you should be aware of, so take your time deciding."

The words hung in the air, heavy and impossible. Rob felt a hysterical laugh bubbling up in his throat. This had to be some kind of joke, right? Some elaborate prank to distract him from his heartbreak?

But as he looked at his sister's earnest face, he felt the laughter die in his chest. "What downsides?"

As Toven began to explain further, Rob felt a strange mix of emotions washing over him. Fear, excitement, disbelief, hope—they all swirled together in a dizzying emotional dance. But beneath it all, there was a spark of something he hadn't felt for a long time, much longer than the recent breakup. It was a possibility.

The world as he knew it had already been turned upside down by Lynda, but now the future didn't look as glum anymore.

By the time the god was done explaining the possible dangers of transitioning into immortality and the limitations of leading a life that had to be shrouded in secrets, Rob had made up his mind.

"I don't want to wait. I want to do it as soon as possible."

Toven looked at Margo before returning his gaze to Rob. "There is one slight complication. Your transition probably needs to happen in the immortals' hidden village, and Margo can't come with you. I didn't explain about her transition and why her situation is unique. I leave it up to her, but I need to call the leader of our community to ask how we should proceed."

"Who is your leader, the goddess?" Rob asked.

If it wasn't Toven, the only other one could be the other surviving goddess. The Clan Mother, the one who had created this clan of immortals.

"Her son," Toven said. "The goddess is semi-retired. She is still the head of the clan, but her son runs the American part of the clan, and her daughter runs the European one."

"When can I go there?"

Toven sighed. "If I get approval from Kian, I can take you there right now, but I'm sure that you need a few days to organize things so you can take the time off. The transition process can take between several days to several weeks."

Rob felt a thrill at the idea of leaving everything behind right now and starting a new adventure.

"If the boss agrees, I would love to go with you. I don't want to go back to the house I shared with Lynda. The only thing I need is my laptop, and I have it with me. I can work from anywhere as long as there is internet access."

Margo snorted. "Don't be silly. You need to get some clothing from the house. You can't just go. Where will you even stay?"

"Rob can stay with us," Mia offered. "We have an extra bedroom. And as for clothing and other things, we can stop at a department store on the way and get him whatever he needs."

Margo shifted her gaze back to him. "Is that what you want to do?"

"Yes. More than anything. I don't want to see Lynda's face ever again if I can help it."

Toven pushed to his feet. "I'll call Kian from the terrace."