The Powerful Pride of an Immortal (Immortal Supers Book 4) by Kurtis Eckstein (ebook reader for surface pro .TXT) 📗

General abruptly held up his hand to silence her. “What options?” he asked skeptically.

I crossed my arms. “I did a lot of research on this subject, and also talked to my fiancé about it, Freya Rosetti.” Shit! I couldn’t lie! All that was true so far, but I was walking on thin ice. I cleared my throat. “In the end, after all the research I’ve done up until now, I determined that there is an important piece of legislation that affects this decision. The Grimoires Act.”

Instantly, everyone started cursing and making accusations at once, both at each other, as well as directing some of their frustrations at Liz, who largely ignored them, assuming she truly had mentioned something.

I decided to try to yell over them before this got too out of hand. “I would have spoken up sooner!” I shouted, causing everyone to quiet down some. “But I couldn’t even get a word in when the topic was brought up.”

That was all true. I wouldn’t have known about the Grimoire Act if I’d spoken sooner, but I didn’t actually have to say that.

Everyone looked at Connelly.

“What he’s saying is true, but–”

I cut her off. “Look, we don’t have all day to debate this. I know some of you have places to be,” I added, focusing on Burnham. “So stop trying to deny me something you can obviously offer, because I’ve got another topic I want to bring up.”

“And what is that?” Pennington demanded seriously, leaning forward, with his thick fingers interlaced.

I looked him dead in the eye. “My superpower evaluation.”

“Absolutely not,” Burnham retorted.

“That’s completely off the table,” Moulton agreed.

“I thought we made it clear that wasn’t an option,” Mrs. Dolan surprisingly countered, seeming pissed that I’d even bring it up.

“Correct,” Jackie finally chimed in. “Mr. Archer, I believe I’ve made it clear that access to your evaluation was never up for negotiation.”

I leaned forward again, resting my elbows on the table. “Look, I get why you’re hesitant–”

“No, you don’t,” Fairbanks snapped, the woman in the lab coat speaking up for the first time. “You haven’t got a clue.”

“Actually, I do!” I retorted harshly. “But let me just present you with the facts. I’m sure you’re all aware of James Willard? Now imagine the nine million people that would be alive right now if he just knew what he was capable of!”

“That’s hardly relevant,” Fairbanks tried.

I quickly continued, before she could. “Yes, it is relevant! Very relevant! Just look at my eyes!” I snapped. “I was in my fiancé’s body for twenty-one hours! And now look at my eyes! Am I going to develop pyrogenesis? Because that’s kind of a big problem! What if I accidentally ‘get upset’ and start a bonfire while I’m holding my little baby girl!”

The thought was infuriating.

The idea of her dying in a fire again was horrible enough, but the idea that I might be the source of that fire?

It was unforgivable.

I continued. “And if it’s true that I can copy powers like that, then I need to know that! Because I don’t want my other fiancé’s power! It’s been nothing but a curse for her, and it would definitely be a curse for me!”

“Freya Rosetti?” Moulton scoffed. “How has her power been a curse?”

I glared at him, prompting Jackie to speak up.

“Didn’t you read her updated evaluation?”

He shrugged. “There wasn’t a lot ‘new’ that we didn’t already know. She has a third eye that can sense violence, as well as a severe case of killer’s remorse, and she drinks blood, in addition to immortality, top-tier regeneration, and heightened senses. Don’t see how that’s a curse when she can just drink from blood bags.”

Jackie smacked her forehead into her hand, looking sincerely embarrassed and disappointed. “Then I guess you missed the part where she can also read the entirety of a person’s memories in a matter of seconds, OR that she has an uncontrollable bloodlust tied to her state of arousal.”

I was still glaring at him. “You ever had an urge to bite the person you were sleeping with, Mr. Moulton? Or maybe just to be a little rough?”

Instantly, he looked both flustered and pissed at the same time. “Umm, I…that’s–”

I cut him off. “Try multiplying that by a hundred thousand. She can’t control it, which means if I had her power, then I’d accidentally kill anyone I tried sleeping with. And I don’t want that problem.”

Pennington immediately spoke up on the other side of the table. “Are you suggesting she’s committed homicides we aren’t aware of?”

I focused on him. “I’m suggesting that she was a three-hundred-and-fifty-year-old virgin when–”

“Enough,” Burnham snapped, cutting me off. “I’m on a schedule here, as I’m sure all of you are as well. We don’t have time to debate the hardships associated with Ms. Rosetti’s ‘cursed’ superpower.”

Nope, I needed to make this point, so that they would finally get the picture.

“Actually, I’ll just make it crystal clear for everyone,” I snapped. “She rips out my throat. Every. Single. Time.” I focused to my right on Pennington. “And no, there are no arousal-related homicides you aren’t aware of, because she was a virgin when I met her. After over three centuries, she was still a virgin. Because she wants to be good, even though she was cursed with a heinous superpower.” I looked the other way at Moulton. “And yeah, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want that problem.” I then met Connelly’s pink gaze. “And since you appear to have some ability to detect whether I’m lying or not, why don’t you confirm what I’m saying, so they understand the gravity of the situation.”

They were all silent, all of them appearing to be disturbed on various levels, with Moulton resting his chin on his intertwined fingers like he was attempting to discreetly avoid passing out, his eyes unfocused now.

Satisfied that I’d made my point, I cleared my throat.

“Obviously, I can switch bodies, but I don’t want to switch bodies. Obviously, I might have some capacity to copy other people’s