“I will retrieve her.”
Dakar pushed away from the tree, knife drawn. “Never sneak up like that. I could’ve killed you.”
“You could’ve tried.” Khyan smiled broadly.
“You cannot get her. You heard him. We were ordered to get our people and depart.”
Khyan tapped his lip. “You know, he wasn’t specific on the time frame for departing the area, and didn’t define who exactly our
people
included.”
“True. But I cannot ask this of you.”
“You didn’t.” Khyan spun and stalked toward the main building.
****
Cy watched the Hashishins regroup and close in. He estimated his time seeing freedom would end in about three minutes. He glanced upward, into the dark sky.
Please, let them get through that wall.
Seconds later, three gladiators he hoped to be magi ran through the barrier, seemingly unaffected.
Bless you,
Cy thought.
A guy with facial piercings and wavy brown hair took a knee beside him. “Hey, I’m Nate. They say you’ve got some sort of electronic band.”
Cy lifted his pants leg on his intact leg.
Nate said, “I’m pretty good at making electronics short out.”
Lightning.
Cy pulled his leg away from Nate’s reach. “How long have you been around?”
“What?”
“Look, no offense, but in the past you’ve been a monumental screw-up for a couple decades whenever reincarned. I’m really not up for surviving this far only to get electrocuted because you lack control.”
Nate’s face and neck flushed. “I’ve been around a little while.”
“How long is that? Two months? Two centuries?” He gripped Nate’s hand as it headed for the band. “If you kill me or put me in a wheelchair, I’ll remember and I’ll fuck you up the next time around.”
Nate glowered. “I am the only hope you have.” He shook off Cy’s hand and touched the band. A few seconds later Cy jumped when sparks hit his leg. He yanked his ankle away and cursed.
Nate held the band in hand, now open. “Once…just once, I wish one of you would trust me.” He tossed the band on the ground and lifted Cy.
Nate shouldered him and ran.
****
“I knew you were bluffing,” Djoser smirked.
“You just look different in this form. I’m trying to see past this.” She waved her hand at his face and body. “And envision the magnificent pharaoh you once were.” She pasted on a demure smile while he scowled. Yet, she clenched her hands in a crushing grip behind her. How was she going to pull this off? Everything about him nauseated her.
He angled her face and planted his lips on hers. Her entire being recoiled. Bile crested in her throat. If she didn’t make this good, any possibility of a murder-free future was toast. She envisioned Dakar. And screamed in her mind.
Help me. To win I have to somehow pretend to actually like him, but I’m failing. Please, I must feel…
His low voice rumbled in her head,
Remember…not twelve hours ago.
Rather than continue he projected into her mind, took over her thoughts.
Dakar poised above her, splendidly naked. The need for him awoke every nerve ending. She wanted the touch his dark gaze promised. And that deeper pleasure, that something that drove her insane every time he touched her. He was pure energy, pure power. His fingers stroked, sensitizing her skin and sending pleasure waves streaking through her. Each sensation detonated in her core, almost hurtling into rapture. She reached for it, desperate to have it. Not just for pleasure, but that intense sense of completion.
This kiss ended.
Shay disconnected from Dakar, yet moaned mentally,
Ah gods, grant us that once more.
A low, scratchy, otherworldly evil laugh brought her crashing back to her nausea-worthy reality. Djoser rubbed himself against her and moaned.
She put a hand against her mouth to stop her stomach’s heave.
“I believe you, my queen.” An ensorcelled, invisible grip tightened around her neck, cutting off breathing. “But, you should fear me.”
She coughed and punched him in the chest. Her
bochnori
manifested over her neck. And his spell dissipated. She slapped him. “Asshole.”
He laughed, clearly relishing where this could go. Sex with him would be about pain. He asked, “You do not fear me?”
“Not really. The biggest threat you’ve thrown is death. That’s inevitable.”
“I can still hurt you before that pet of yours can help.” He grabbed her forearm tight and yanked.
The
bochnori
took over. She murmured gibberish words, a spell. A blast of power blew them apart.
Djoser gripped his hand and screeched.
She giggled, unable to help herself. “Yeah, so I’m not that scared of you.”
A snake shot from his sleeve toward her, fangs bared. The
bochnori
’s power directed. In a blur of speed, she shifted left and spun, gripping the flying serpent just behind its powerful jaws in a crushing strength that was not hers. The snake went limp like a hose suddenly turned off.
“Don’t kill her!” Terek cried.
“Why not? You sent her to kill me.”
“I…I just—”
“Rescind that stupid curse now, and then I’ll release your pet. Then, we can discuss my position in your organization.” The
bochnori
helped enhance her strength to control the struggling serpent.
“Okay, but do not hurt her.” He removed an ancient
wesekh
under his shirt
and a likewise ancient knife from somewhere in his robe—both beautiful artifacts. The archaeologist in her swooned. In a different setting she would love to gawk at those for several hours.
He sliced his palm and flicked blood onto the beaded collar while murmuring incoherent words that she thought might be the daemon language.
“Say it in English so that I know it is done and you’re not trying to screw me again.”
“
I hail thee Darkness Lord, Only One, Apep.
Creator of the Darkness who maketh his seat in the uttermost limits of the heavens.
Homage to thee, O ye divine lord of things whose seats are veiled.
I come forth from the horizon that was against mine enemies,
Those I have not permitted to escape from me.
Grant ye to me that I may come before you, as a pure spirit-soul.
That which I abominated as enemy be no longer seen as having committed offence.
I rescind with my blood the darkness and directed fate cast upon thy no-longer enemies.
I acclaimest it
.
Let it be ended.
”
With a slash to his wrist he drew blood, which he flicked onto her
.
“It is done.”
“I don’t feel any different. Are you sure?”
“It is done.”
“Now vow to that god you will never curse me or seek to control me with magik.” She squeezed the snake.
“I vow upon my eternally damned soul to my Lord Apep not curse you again or seek to control with magik.”
“Say it again with your little slashy blood thing.”
He nodded, admiration in his gaze, and repeated the words.
“Great. You may have your snake.” She released, tossing the limp serpent at him. “Now you know how I felt when you murdered my cat.”
“Enough with the fucking cat,” Djoser hissed.
“You cannot have her, Djoser. She comes with me,” a voice bellowed from the shadows of the ceremonial hall.
Djoser spun to glare into the shadows.
Khyan sauntered toward them.
“How did you get through the wall?”
“Little thing like that? We asked one of our bosses to take care of it and…poof.” He snapped his fingers.
“Which one are you?”
“The one that’s pissed about you cursing my brother.”
“Khyan. She has declared her preference for me over
him
. She stays here.”
“I don’t care what she prefers. She comes with me.”
What’s Khyan’s game, Dakar?
Shay asked, confused.
He is there to free you. Follow his direction.
She asked, “Khyan? I am to stay.”
“We depart now,” Khyan replied.
Djoser narrowed his gaze and smiled. “You want to fight?”
“I don’t need to fight. I own her. I am the
bochnori-nyot.
” He pointed at Shay. “I command thee, Thanasa, to come with me.” He held out his hand, waiting. When Djoser’s attention turned to her, Khyan winked her way.
The
bochnori
moved over her skin with a smooth caress. She felt its warmth spread over her entire face, likely visible as an inked mask. She moved toward Khyan, as if a robot, understanding his ruse. Yet, the living tat didn’t control her. It pushed her to leave, but she could’ve rejected its suggestion.
“Stay! I order you, Shaiani,” Djoser thundered. He uttered a spell and cast it at her.
She cringed, wondering what it was supposed to do to her, but felt nothing. She shrugged.
Khyan chuckled, “It’s a bitch to make god-vows. Your magik will never work on her now.”
Djoser grabbed her arm, preventing her from leaving the raised dais. Within seconds, he released. “Damned
bochnori
!”
“She comes with me. Someday my brother will be back. Then we can resolve the question of who owns her heart.”
“You plan to keep her imprisoned until that time?” Djoser asked.
“If need be.”
“Tell him your preference, Shaiani.”
Without looking to Djoser, she intoned in a monotone while moving toward Khyan, “I must go.”
“Then I will kill you both.” Parts of Djoser’s human body morphed into daemon form as he ran for Khyan. He swiped at Khyan’s head, clearly intent on decapitation.
Khyan ducked and twirled. His curved black blade severed two of Djoser’s fingers. He laughed. “You know, I expected such a juvie move from your brother. Does that ugly human body slow you down?” Khyan pushed Shay toward the exit.
“She’s mine.” Djoser thrust out one of his monster-sized fists.
Khyan caught the arm, turned, and twisted it in a move that looked straight out of a martial arts movie. Djoser flipped onto his back. Khyan released and jumped upwards, landing with both feet solidly onto Djoser’s human rib cage, which cracked. He swiped his blade across the daemon’s blacked-over eyes, blinding him.
Djoser wheezed but jumped up and blindly swung his fists in a circle.
Khyan head-locked him. “I should kill you right now for all the twisted shit you tortured my brother with. But it isn’t my destiny.” He released and ducked the flailing fists.
“Run,” he ordered Shay as they both jogged for the front door.
“You okay?” Khyan asked as they ran from the building.
“That suffocation spell he cast still hurts a bit.” She massaged her throat. “Why didn’t you do it? Why not kill him?”
“Ma’at told us the one that can wield the Sword of Neith is the one to do it.”
“Who would that be?”
“A magus not yet back in this realm.”
She stopped and put her hands on her knees. “Sorry,” she muttered, “light-headed.”
“We don’t have time for this.” He swung her up over his shoulder and ran at top speed. When they hit the wooded area, he put her down.
Dakar straightened his imposing form from a kneel, eyes wide. “Shaiani,” he whispered, his voice rough with emotion.
“It’s over.” She waited for his reply, getting nothing but a dark look with brows drawn low.
Khyan said, “It was a bloody miracle. She even got him to swear to never curse you guys again. Well, her, anyway. And he believes she’s still got it for him despite the fact we left his ass hanging.”
“It is really over?”
Dakar asked.
“Yes.”
He took a deep breath and regarded her silently.
She smiled up at him. “So, does this mean I get to meet your goddess and do that whole
senariai
ceremony thing?”
He stepped away and worked his jaw for a few seconds. His face went dark, a state she equated with bad news. “No.”
We are finally free of each other. We are…done. Go. Live your life. Be away from me.
Without another word, he pivoted and walked toward the road, where the vehicles waited to take them away.
“What?” she asked.
What the hell are you talking about?
He hesitated for a second, and then continued onward, finality in his wake.
She watched his wide back retreating from her. Misery smothered her. This was the exact sensation she equated with his death in the past, when she had to watch his life vacate his body. Each footstep took him farther from her, only this time his blood wasn’t leaching from the fatal wound she’d inflicted. This time he’d made the killing stroke.
Little by little, yard by yard, that which tied her to the world departed. With each step, her chance at a new life, a new destiny, vanished. She comprehended the finality of his words. His mind was closed to her, his decision made. Unlike any time in the past, even when the curse turned love to hate, he had closed her out.
The curse had tied them together. Forced them to remain connected. Reality settled with a bitter aftertaste. Perhaps they were not destined to be together. Maybe he really didn’t feel it. She still felt it—the undeniable soul-searing pull toward him. The need to be close to him. To love him.
Now she was alone. Totally solo in this world. Why should she be surprised? With a deep sigh, she pushed the all too familiar shattered heart into a dark corner to make friends with every single relationship failure in this lifetime. She should write a book entitled
How to fall for a really hot, yet totally wrong guy, and get dumped without trying.
But this time the hurt was a thousand times worse. Maybe it was the eons of past-life memory. She inhaled deeply, hoping to find the strength to get over it like she’d had to get over other relationship disasters in this lifetime. But somehow she doubted she’d ever recover.
“What was that?” Khyan asked.
“We are not meant to be together. Good chemistry, but it’s not real.” She started walking toward the road.
“Bullcrap.” He caught her arm and pulled her to a stop.
“Apparently, it was a big mistake from the beginning. That has now been fixed with the curse no longer in effect.” She pasted on a false smile, one she knew from his pursed lips that he didn’t buy. “Would you be so kind as to help me figure out how to get home? I think I can get a ride with Stephen, if he’s still alive.” She walked fast to stay ahead of Khyan.