Dark Voyage Matters of the Heart, page 1
Dark Voyage
MATTERS OF THE HEART
THE CHILDREN OF THE GODS
BOOK SEVENTY-SEVEN
I. T. LUCAS
Also by I. T. Lucas
THE CHILDREN OF THE GODS ORIGINS
1: Goddess’s Choice
2: Goddess’s Hope
THE CHILDREN OF THE GODS
Dark Stranger
1: Dark Stranger The Dream
2: Dark Stranger Revealed
3: Dark Stranger Immortal
Dark Enemy
4: Dark Enemy Taken
5: Dark Enemy Captive
6: Dark Enemy Redeemed
Kri & Michael’s Story
6.5: My Dark Amazon
Dark Warrior
7: Dark Warrior Mine
8: Dark Warrior’s Promise
9: Dark Warrior’s Destiny
10: Dark Warrior’s Legacy
Dark Guardian
11: Dark Guardian Found
12: Dark Guardian Craved
13: Dark Guardian’s Mate
Dark Angel
14: Dark Angel's Obsession
15: Dark Angel's Seduction
16: Dark Angel's Surrender
Dark Operative
17: Dark Operative: A Shadow of Death
18: Dark Operative: A Glimmer of Hope
19: Dark Operative: The Dawn of Love
Dark Survivor
20: Dark Survivor Awakened
21: Dark Survivor Echoes of Love
22: Dark Survivor Reunited
Dark Widow
23: Dark Widow’s Secret
24: Dark Widow’s Curse
25: Dark Widow’s Blessing
Dark Dream
26: Dark Dream’s Temptation
27: Dark Dream’s Unraveling
28: Dark Dream’s Trap
Dark Prince
29: Dark Prince’s Enigma
30: Dark Prince’s Dilemma
31: Dark Prince’s Agenda
Dark Queen
32: Dark Queen’s Quest
33: Dark Queen’s Knight
34: Dark Queen’s Army
Dark Spy
35: Dark Spy Conscripted
36: Dark Spy’s Mission
37: Dark Spy’s Resolution
Dark Overlord
38: Dark Overlord New Horizon
39: Dark Overlord’s Wife
40: Dark Overlord’s Clan
Dark Choices
41: Dark Choices The Quandary
42: Dark Choices Paradigm Shift
43: Dark Choices The Accord
Dark Secrets
44: Dark Secrets Resurgence
45: Dark Secrets Unveiled
46: Dark Secrets Absolved
Dark Haven
47: Dark Haven Illusion
48: Dark Haven Unmasked
49: Dark Haven Found
Dark Power
50: Dark Power Untamed
51: Dark Power Unleashed
52: Dark Power Convergence
Dark Memories
53: Dark Memories Submerged
54: Dark Memories Emerge
55: Dark Memories Restored
Dark Hunter
56: Dark Hunter’s Query
57: Dark Hunter’s Prey
58: Dark Hunter's Boon
Dark God
59: Dark God’s Avatar
60: Dark God’s Reviviscence
61: Dark God Destinies Converge
Dark Whispers
62: Dark Whispers From The Past
63: Dark Whispers From Afar
64: Dark Whispers From Beyond
Dark Gambit
65: Dark Gambit The Pawn
66: Dark Gambit The Play
67: Dark Gambit Reliance
Dark Alliance
68: Dark Alliance Kindred Souls
69: Dark Alliance Turbulent Waters
70: Dark Alliance Perfect Storm
Dark Healing
71: Dark Healing Blind Justice
72: Dark Healing Blind Trust
73: Dark healing Blind Curve
Dark Encounters
74: Dark Encounters of the Close Kind
75: Dark Encounters of the Unexpected Kind
76: Dark Encounters of the Fated Kind
Dark Voyage
77: Dark Voyage Matters of the Heart
78: Dark Voyage Matters of the Mind
PERFECT MATCH
Vampire’s Consort
King’s Chosen
Captain’s Conquest
The Thief Who Loved Me
My Merman Prince
The Dragon King
My Werewolf Romeo
The Channeler's Companion
The Valkyrie & The Witch
The Children of the Gods Series Sets
Books 1-3: Dark Stranger trilogy—Includes a bonus short story: The Fates take a Vacation
Books 4-6: Dark Enemy Trilogy —Includes a bonus short story—The Fates' Post-Wedding Celebration
Books 7-10: Dark Warrior Tetralogy
Books 11-13: Dark Guardian Trilogy
Books 14-16: Dark Angel Trilogy
Books 17-19: Dark Operative Trilogy
Books 20-22: Dark Survivor Trilogy
Books 23-25: Dark Widow Trilogy
Books 26-28: Dark Dream Trilogy
Books 29-31: Dark Prince Trilogy
Books 32-34: Dark Queen Trilogy
Books 35-37: Dark Spy Trilogy
Books 38-40: Dark Overlord Trilogy
Books 41-43: Dark Choices Trilogy
Books 44-46: Dark Secrets Trilogy
Books 47-49: Dark Haven Trilogy
Books 50-52: Dark Power Trilogy
Books 53-55: Dark Memories Trilogy
Books 56-58: Dark Hunter Trilogy
Books 59-61: Dark God Trilogy
Books 62-64: Dark Whispers Trilogy
Books 65-67: Dark Gambit Trilogy
Books 68-70: Dark Alliance Trilogy
Books 71-73: Dark healing Trilogy
MEGA SETS
include character lists
The Children of the Gods: Books 1-6
The Children of the Gods: Books 6.5-10
PERFECT MATCH BUNDLE 1
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Contents
1. Frankie
2. Dagor
3. Annani
4. Kian
5. Syssi
6. Annani
7. Syssi
8. Annani
9. Kian
10. Dagor
11. Aru
12. Kian
13. Frankie
14. Toven
15. Frankie
16. Kian
17. Aru
18. Dagor
19. Aru
20. Kian
21. Frankie
22. Dagor
23. Frankie
24. Dagor
25. Frankie
26. Dagor
27. Frankie
28. Dagor
29. Annani
30. Kian
31. Dagor
32. Frankie
33. Annani
34. Kian
35. Dagor
36. Aru
37. Frankie
38. Toven
39. Kian
40. Dagor
41. Frankie
42. Dagor
43. Frankie
44. Gilbert
45. Dagor
46. Frankie
47. Dagor
48. Frankie
49. Dagor
50. Frankie
51. Dagor
52. Frankie
53. Dagor
54. Frankie
55. Aru
56. Dagor
57. Frankie
58. Aru
59. Frankie
60. Kian
61. Alena
62. Annani
63. Frankie
64. Kian
65. Aru
66. Dagor
67. Frankie
68. Orion
69. Alena
70. Annani
71. Dagor
72. Frankie
73. Ani
The Children of the Gods Series
The Perfect Match Series
FOR EXCLUSIVE PEEKS
Frankie
Frankie regarded her boss with a wide-eyed stare and a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. “Are you serious? You're not even giving me two weeks' notice? You want me to leave right now?”
Who fired people on a Monday afternoon, right after the lunch break?
Scumbags like Vernon. That's who.
He nodded. “I've found that it's best to make a clean cut and not drag things out. I will pay you for the next two weeks, of course.” He gave her one of the fake smiles he usually reserved for customers. “Consider it a paid vacation.”
The finality in his tone didn't leave room for argument.
“Can I at least know the reason for my termination?”
Frankie had a feeling it had to do with the 'niece' he'd brought to the office the other day and paraded around like a prize horse, introducing her to everyone. What was her name?
Was it Ashley?
Frankie couldn't remember and didn't care.
The thing was, no one's niece looked like that or clung to her uncle's arm like a panda to a tree branch.
Did Vernon need to set his mistress up with a job?
The guy was so cheap that he couldn't even be a proper sugar daddy.
Vernon sighed dramatically. “Where should I start?” He braced his elbows on the desk and steepled his fingers. “Let's see. You are often late, you make typos in the emails I dictate to you, and you don't bother to run them through a spellchecker. Do you know how embarrassing that is for me? People assume that I wrote those emails myself.”
Frankie squirmed in the uncomfortable chair. Everything he'd said was true, but it didn't happen as often as he'd made it sound. Everyone was late once in a while, and everyone misspelled a word here and there, and the spellchecker didn't catch every mistake.
His 'niece' wouldn't do any better, that was for sure.
Well, at least Vernon hadn't told her that she had a big mouth and an attitude. That was the reason Frankie had been fired from her previous job.
The problem was that if he fired her for a cause, she wouldn't get unemployment benefits, especially if he exaggerated her supposed misconduct, which the scumbag would certainly do.
“What if I promise to do better?” She was fighting tears. The money in her bank account wouldn't cover next month's rent. “Can you give me another chance?”
“It's not conducive to a good office environment to have a disgruntled employee spreading discord.” Vernon leaned forward, giving her a surprisingly earnest look. “You are not happy here, Francesca, and you let everyone know that. You might be happier somewhere else.”
So, that was supposed to be the reason for her sudden and totally unprovoked termination?
But, no one working for Vernon was happy. He and his partners expected each of their employees to do the work of two or three people, and on top of that, the pay sucked. Still, the others might have been better at keeping their discontent to themselves, while Frankie had a big mouth and no filter.
She might have blabbed to the wrong person.
Was it the barista at the coffee shop across the street?
Or maybe someone had overheard her talking shit on her lunch break about Vernon and his sleazy partners?
At least he was going to pay her for the next two weeks. That might be enough time to find another job with less stress and better pay.
Heck, she could probably make more money taking care of kids and cleaning houses, and she might even enjoy that, but Frankie had a college degree for Pete's sake. Her parents would be mortified if she didn't use it after all the effort and sacrifice they had made so she could get the education they never had.
Besides, Frankie liked dressing elegantly and working in an office.
That said, the office attire at the dream job Mia had promised her was probably super casual. Beta testers for the Perfect Match Virtual Fantasy Studios couldn't wear anything form-fitting while performing their duties, and they had to take their shoes off.
Mia had promised her the job months ago, but nothing had come out of it so far. Supposedly, the machines weren't ready because of production delays, but Frankie had a feeling that Mia might have promised something that she couldn't deliver.
“Will you at least write me a reference letter?” she pleaded, hating herself for having to beg Vernon for anything.
But what else could she do?
If he wrote her a reference, he couldn't later claim that she was a horrible employee and wasn't entitled to unemployment benefits.
“Of course.” Vernon Hoffesommer III looked relieved. “In fact, you can write whatever you want, and I'll sign it.”
That was better than Frankie had expected, but knowing Vernon, she'd better write it and get his signature before she left, or he would later claim he'd never promised to do it. Right now, he obviously wanted to get rid of her as fast as possible, and she needed to take advantage of that.
“Thank you.” She gave him a dazzling smile. “I'll type it up right now, so I don't need to return for it.”
Vernon's expression soured, confirming her suspicion that he was desperate to get rid of her, but he nodded. “Make it short.”
Was his 'niece' in the waiting room? Ready to jump into Frankie's seat or onto Vernon's lap?
Probably.
“I'll be right back.” She rose to her high-heeled feet and walked out of his office holding her chin up, even though she was faking it big time.
After typing up a glowing reference letter, she actually checked it for spelling mistakes before printing it out and striding back into Vernon's office.
He read through the letter with a grimace, twisting his fleshy lips, and when he shook his head, Frankie held her breath, but then he reached for his pen and signed it.
“Good luck, Francesca.”
Unbelievable.
Frankie hadn't thought he would actually sign the thing. She'd made herself sound like the best assistant an executive could ever hope for.
To sign that, Vernon must have felt guilty for kicking her out to make room for his 'niece.'
Relief washing over her, she took the printed page from his hairy fingers and offered him her hand. “Thank you, Mr. Hoffesommer.”
In exchange for his signature on the letter, she was willing to suffer his gross touch one last time.
Vernon had never done anything more than put his sweaty paw on her shoulder or her upper arm while passing by her desk, so it wasn't enough to sue his ass for sexual harassment, but to say that it had been unwelcome was to put it mildly.
Dreading his slimy touch, she'd stopped wearing outfits that exposed her shoulders or arms to the office.
