Caress The Dark God [Scions of the Ankh 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (15 page)

“All right then. If I don’t eat food, what do I consume?”

Anubis looked her fully in the face. His dark eyes captured hers and there was something in his expression that captivated her. “Me,” he said at last.

Anubis watched her closely as she processed his words. His fingers glided along her soft, smooth arms as she tried to understand his words. Staying in such close proximity to her during her healing had developed an unforeseen situation. Some of his attributes had bled into her. One of them was the ability to absorb life or energy. While he had the capacity to naturally absorb the energy the earth gave off to sustain his life, she did not have that ability. He would have to ‘feed’ Tessa in order for her to maintain this new life. There was no telling what other abilities she might have assimilated.

“Could you explain that to me in more detail?” Her forehead furrowed as she struggled with understanding.

“Long ago, when we used the pyramids to heal humans, we did not stay during the healing process. We observed them periodically to make sure all was going well. The pyramid collects energy from earth, amplifies it and uses it to heal. I did not take into consideration that some of my abilities would be absorbed by you as you healed.”

“So this has never happened before?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

“So you stayed by my side without considering any consequences?” The last word was barely a whisper.

“There are no consequences I would not endure to ensure your life, Tessa.” Anubis enveloped her in his arms, no longer able to resist the temptation of her warm body. As she settled against him, they both sighed in contentment. He had never known such a feeling of completeness as he did when Tessa was with him. “I am truly sorry, Tessa, for not understanding your reaction to me. Though I have been around humans, I find that their reactions are not always predictable nor does it appear to always make sense.”

“Just what are you saying about
humans
?”

Anubis was glad to hear the teasing in her voice. “They are fickle, impulsive, puzzling creatures that I cannot seem to figure out.” He received a pinch in his side that he could barely feel. “That is no way to treat the source of your sustenance. The power to siphon energy is something you must learn to control. With one touch you could absorb the energy of another without intending to. But I will teach you. Until then, I will feed you.”

“So are you saying that without you I would die?”

Anubis thought for a moment. “I am saying that right now, as far as we know, I am a source of food. Only the Dark Ones hold the ability to absorb energy or life into themselves. So at the moment that is the only truth we know.”

“And this Apep and his son, they can do it as well.” Anubis felt her shiver when she said
son
. He hoped to one day wipe that memory from her. The thought of her being haunted by something so traumatic burned his heart. “Why are you called the Dark Ones? Are you evil?”

Anubis groaned and rolled away from Tessa. He didn’t want to have this conversation and yet it had to be done. He got up from the bed and walked to the window, staring out at the gloomy horizon. Here was the home he had made for himself, not too far from Thoth’s. He rarely used it, preferring his home in the land of the dead. The Dark Ones always stayed close to their roots.

“There are those of us who are born with the sole purpose of spreading joy, light and wisdom. They are meant to create, to save, and to teach. But there is more to life than that, Tessa. There is a dark side that must be tended to as well; death, destruction and chaos. It is the only way life as a whole can be in balance.” Anubis watched the clouds turn dark gray as his mood changed. “I am death and destruction, Tessa. Sometimes I am even chaos. I am the thing that people fear. I kill without mercy because that is what I am. I am the one that is called into action when the task is … unpleasant.” Anubis waited to hear her gasp of horror, her demand to be taken home away from him. When Tessa’s warm arms wrapped around his torso, he was the one who let out a gasp of surprise.

“It seems humans are not the only thing you do not understand.” Tessa laid her head against his back. “You are not without mercy, because you saved me. You have saved many by doing what is needed. There could be no light without darkness, and most certainly without death there cannot be life. Anubis, your tasks are dark, not you. You are the strongest man I have ever known, rising to the occasion time and time again, knowing that others fear you and don’t appreciate what you do.” Tessa pulled back and urged him to face her. The look on her face brought an emotion he had never known. Pure joy. “Your purpose is just as important as the others. I do not fear you, Anubis.”

Anubis met her lips as she reached up to kiss him. He kissed her deeply trying to convey the emotions she stirred inside him. She knew what he was and she still wanted him. He tangled his hands in her long curly hair, deepening the kiss even more. She moaned and began to rub against him, her supple limbs wrapping around him. Anubis instantly made their clothing vanish and he spun her around so that she now faced the storm that was about to rage.

“Look what you do to me, woman,” he growled in her ear. “You cause chaos in me, and you destroy every ounce of control I thought I had.” His hands slid between her thighs and he quickly followed a path up to the junction of her thighs. “Right here,” he said between breaths “is my home. It’s where I want to be the most.” Tessa groaned as he began to stimulate the bud. She was already slick for him as she pushed against his hands.

“More.”

It was a simple word. It drove him mad with lust. He pushed her down roughly so that her elbows were propped on the window seat, her hands pressed against the window. He entered her in one stroke and she bucked back against him, driving him deeper. Never had he taken a woman so roughly and yet it seemed to excite her. He pulled out and slammed into her again, his fingers digging into her hips as he demanded more leverage to pump into her. The sky darkened even more and rain splattered in heavy sheets against the glass.

Anubis grabbed a handful of the curled locks and pulled, testing to see how far she would let him go. Her chasm clenched in response and he pulled her hair again, rougher this time. One hand was at her hip, the other in her hair as he rode her from behind. His eyes practically rolled from the pleasure as he slammed into her. He took the hand from her hip and smacked her bottom hard and she yelped — but pushed back, taking him as deep as he could go. He squeezed the delicious bottom, his eyes taking in every detail as he mated with her. He loved every inch of her, the finely toned muscles in her back, the way her waist nipped and her hips flared slightly. Even her scent drove him wild.

He pulled out of her and whipped her around. Without words she knew what he wanted. Anubis lifted her and she wrapped her long, beautiful legs around him tightly as he entered her again. The sight of her golden breasts bobbing every time he stroked into her mesmerized him. She leaned against the glass, trusting its strength as her nails dug into his forearms. Her head whipped side to side as she moaned out loud. The storm raged outside and he knew he had to get it under control, but not yet. Right now he had no control.

She was so wet and hot for him. Him. Anubis. A Dark One. He could feel the orgasm building and knew hers was imminent as well. “Tessa, open your eyes, love. Let me see you come for me.” Her chest heaved erratically, her breathing almost an exact copy of his. “Open your eyes,” he demanded again, his orgasm about to capture him in its clutches. Lightning pierced the sky as he felt his seed jet forth. Tessa screamed and opened her eyes as her walls clenched and released rapidly from the peak of her pleasure. He stared at her in shock. For her eyes held two dark funnels.

* * * *

As they both slowly spiraled downward from their climax, Anubis was deep in thought. He carried her to the bed and laid her down, and he soon followed. Idly he stroked her hair.

“You’re quiet. What is it?” Tessa’s voice broke through his thoughts.

“As of now I have not quite figured it out, but when I do I will tell you.”

“Is it about me?” Tessa propped herself up on one arm and stared down at him.

“Yes and no.” Anubis gave her a light tap on the nose. “How are you feeling?”

“A little tired.” Tessa yawned. “Hungry, I guess.” She looked down at him with a clouded expression.

“It’s okay, love. You have to get used to this.”

“It’s weird.”

“It’s the way things are for now.”

“So how do we do this?”

“I can funnel it right into you.”

“Right now. Just like that?”

“I do believe it’s less complicated than the way normal humans replenish their energy.”

“Will it hurt?”

“Do you recall me hurting you?” Anubis waited while Tessa pretended to think about it. “Let’s try this. Close your eyes and concentrate. Perhaps you can learn to do this on your own.”

The room was quiet while Tessa appeared to be concentrating. Anubis felt no energy being taken from his body. “Try picturing the energy as something tangible.” Anubis suggested. Tessa took a deep breath and concentrated so hard, she began to squint.

“I think you might hurt yourself, love.”

Tessa opened her eyes, revealing the fresh anger underneath. “I’m only saying that you should try to relax, you are making it look like it hurts.” Tessa’s eyebrow went up and her lips pursed together. Anubis watched, fascinated, as small funnels began to swirl in her now-dark eyes. “Tessa,” he began, trying to warn her. The funnels grew bigger and her breathing became a hoarse, ragged sound. “Channel it, Tessa.”

Perhaps that was it. She needed help channeling her power. Anubis sat up and laid a hand gently on her thigh. Immediately he could feel the energy being pulled from his body.

As she fed from him, he felt himself becoming aroused. Her touch was light, sensual. If it were not for the fact that he was helping her get control of her new power, he would have never known he was being stripped of his energy. It was of no consequence; he could immediately replenish whatever she took. The earth was bountiful. Tessa fell back on the bed, her eyes wide as she looked up at the ceiling. “That was … invigorating,” she breathed.

Anubis looked down at her slightly flushed cheeks. She was beautiful. He ran a finger along her jaw line as he stared down at her. His finger brushed softly across her eyes, and the feel of her eyelashes lightly tickled his skin. When he got to her mouth she kissed his fingers as she looked at him with her now-clear brown eyes. “You did well, Tessa,” he murmured, tracing the elegant line of her neck. “You will have to use your emotions to trigger your feeding.”

“Does that mean I get to feed off others besides yourself?”

It was a simple question meant to tease. At least that was what the logical side of him concluded. However, images of her feeding from another man and causing the sensations he had experienced activated a giant vat of jealousy he did not know he harbored. “You will only feed from me, Tessa.” The words came out rough and immediately she reacted, sitting up. “There is no negotiating this.” He rose from the bed as he strode across the room, trying to expend the jealous energy that was tearing through him.

“You don’t own me, Anubis. And certainly you don’t get to tell me what to do. I owe you my life, I concede that. But don’t use it to control me.”

He turned to her then. She could never be controlled, no more than he could be. As she stood there, naked, beautiful and defiant, he realized the fallacy of his thoughts. He
was
being controlled. Every time she smiled at him, spoke to him, moaned in pleasure for him, she controlled his heart, his moods. But did he affect her the same way? He began to have his doubts. “Fair enough. You may see whom you like. I will not interfere.” He willed his clothes onto his body.

“Anubis, don’t go. That’s not what I meant.”

Anubis chose to ignore her statement. “We are not far from Thoth’s residence. There is a car with a driver here at your disposal. He will take you back. I have business to attend to.” He was about to phase out of the room when her hand closed around his wrist.

“If you don’t want me running around next to you naked for all the world to see, I suggest you wait.” He looked at her in surprise. She had moved so much more silently. It was the second time she had caught him unaware. “I will let go when you promise me you will stay and hear me out.” Her foot tapped impatiently and he smiled despite himself. She was not one to be easily dismissed. He nodded and she let go. “Now, if you don’t mind doing that thing with the clothes. It’s kind of cool.” Anubis smiled and in seconds she was dressed again. “Thank you.” She walked over to the bed and patted the spaced next to her. Anubis hesitated, but eventually sat down.

“Now, I have no intention of feeding off anyone else. I could harm them, right?”

“Yes.”

“Besides that, I don’t want to.”

“Then why get upset when I forbade it?” Anubis looked at her curiously, wondering if all human women were this complicated.

“
Because
you forbade it,” she answered, as if that made all the sense in the world. “I don’t like being ordered about.”

It made little sense. If it was something she had no intention of doing anyway, what did it matter if he told her not to?