Touch of the Fire God [Scions of the Ankh 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) (13 page)

He directed the vapor form to the large, intricately carved map on the wall. Like a compass needle, it settled.

“I’ve found you, Selkis,” Seth murmured to himself. He became wind, dark, chaotic, and damaging, and burst up and out of the underground dwelling, intent on finishing what should have ended long ago.

* * * *

“
Brother
,” Thoth said into his mind as Ralabos, in hawk form, sliced through the air. “
Seth has found her. I feel his presence racing toward her, as do you. You must reach her in time
.”

Ralabos felt the fear in Thoth’s voice; it only mirrored his own. He turned from hawk to mist and jetted through the air even more quickly. They were linked now, he could find her anywhere, and he would definitely have to teach her obedience.

* * * *

Rene, even in her anger, had to hand it to herself; she could be crafty if she needed to be. At first she had tried to walk it off, but she had seen the servant’s car sitting there with the keys in it, and she hadn’t been able to resist.

It wasn’t like she wasn’t going to return it. She just needed to get out of that house. She drove into Cairo, seeing as she knew the way since she had been traveling back and forth the last few days, trying to locate the body of Franklin Summit, a man who really didn’t exist.

Jonathan—Thoth had been in her life the whole time. She shook her head sadly as she downed another beer. It was Egyptian, tangy and different, but what the hell. She just needed her brain to be befuddled for a little while.

As soon as she’d found the bar, she had called Dr. Michaels, asking her to make arrangements for her trip home. An unusual request because she and the doctor were not the best of friends, but they had talked and lunched on occasion, and she liked the woman.

She definitely couldn’t make the plans on her own right now. Her mind was so screwed up. Plus, she needed someone to know where she was in case she didn’t make it out of Egypt. It seemed there were some strange forces after her spirit.

Dr. Michaels had sounded worried, and when she began to ask too many questions, Rene had told her she had to go, but to please make the arrangements and that she would call her back to get the details.

She could stay at some hotel until then, but she was not going back to that house.

Suddenly, a strong wind blew the bar doors open, no easy feat since the doors seemed to weigh at least twenty pounds. The patrons in the bar whirled around, unease in their eyes. Just as quickly as it kicked up, the wind was gone.

Rene felt a shiver along her spine and dismissed it as the fault of the cold wind. The doors opened again, and this time Rene turned in her seat at the back of the bar and eyed the tall stranger who entered and looked purposefully around.

His curly auburn hair hung askew, almost to his shoulders. He wore dark pants with a dark tunic, and his feet were bare, which Rene thought odd.

Then he turned his eyes directly on her and displayed the most calamitous smile she had ever seen. Rene’s breath stuck in her lungs as he strode right for her.

Ralabos sent a bolt of searing heat at Seth faster than any human could see; to them it looked as if Seth was pulled backwards by strings. He collided into the wall with such force that chunks of plaster exploded from the wall and ceiling.

Rene covered her mouth with her hand in astonishment as Seth slid, dazed, to the sticky floor. One minute she sat alone at her table, the next Ralabos was staring angrily down at her.

Hot blue-white flames replaced the normally stormy gray eyes, and they flickered aggressively, reminding her that he wasn’t human and wasn’t to be trifled with.

“You will leave with me now,” he growled, low enough for only her ears. Rene, inspired with the liquor and her newfound false courage, straightened her small spine.

“I’m not going back to that house,” she stated and turned in her seat, idly playing with the condensation on her beer glass. She briefly wondered if he could hear her pounding heart.

The other humans in the bar were staring now. Two burly humans lumbered toward them, curiosity evident in the pitch of their eyebrows. Seth was slowly getting up.

Ralabos could kill Seth now. Every ounce of him was raging mad at the traitor who had threatened his wife. But an oath to Osiris prevented him from killing in the presence of humans.

That same oath did not hold Seth hostage. As soon as he was able, Seth would kill Rene.

Ralabos had to get her out of here, or break an oath to his sire. He needed to be away from prying eyes and kill Seth quickly, but not here; others could die in the crossfire.

Ralabos then leaned down, placing one hand on the table. The other he held in front of Rene. He stood next to her, blocking the view of others. A small sphere of fire, the size of a tennis ball, hovered in his palm. It twirled rapidly, and every now and then a small flame licked out. Rene was held transfixed.

“I will kill any human that comes in between you and me leaving this place.” He let the flames in his own eyes reflect in hers, his threat potent and weighing considerably on her conscience.

“What’s going on back here?” came a heavily-accented voice.

“Is he bothering you, ma’am?” The other voice sounded American.

Rene looked at the threat Ralabos posed. The idea of going back to that house was terrifying. But she knew they wouldn’t hurt her. At least she hoped she knew that.

“
When have I or anyone in Thoth’s home ever harmed you?
” Ralabos’ voice slid into her mind. Rene ignored his voice and turned to the two bouncers.

“I don’t know about that gentleman over there, but no, this one isn’t bothering me,” she said breathlessly.

Ralabos extinguished the ball of fire and stood as he turned, his eyes stormy gray again as he faced the men. “She and I were just leaving. If you’ll excuse us.”

“Are you okay leaving with him?” the American asked, clearly suspicious of the larger man.

“Yes, it’s fine, thank you,” Rene responded, standing as Ralabos physically urged her to her feet by firmly gripping her elbow.

As Ralabos heard Seth scuffling to his feet, he maneuvered Rene swiftly to the doors. The two security men approached Seth as he rose. Ralabos normally would have not left humans in his presence, but right now Rene was his only priority. He could only pray to Osiris that Seth used discreet judgment and left without incident. Enough humans had died at his hands.

Once outside the doors, Rene turned to Ralabos, determined to refuse his company, but he quickly wrapped her in his muscular arms and the world blurred. A soothing heat enveloped her as she felt her feet leaving the ground. Her heart jack-hammered.

“
Don’t be afraid. Reach into your memories, zenj’a. You have traveled with me this way many times before. Heat rises my dear, and I am nothing if not pure energy and heat
.”

Rene didn’t remember traveling this way—ever. But something about it was thrilling. She didn’t know if it was the speed at which they were traveling or the vapors from the surrounding heat, but everything seemed to blur.

She laid her head on his chest and sighed deeply. Her mind was now completely lost. She was lost in a world of superhuman, or rather non-human, entities. They shifted and moved faster than the human eye could track. These beings were virtually immortal and travelers of the stars. She was a complete loon.

Ralabos read her thoughts and said nothing. Just the simple gesture of contact swelled his heart. He missed her so much. Missed holding her, traveling with her, laughing with her. In time, she would accept that more existed in the world than what she had been taught.

He sighed deeply. Tonight Seth had gotten too close. He didn’t know what to do to make her understand. They traveled the rest of the way in silence, each lost in their own thoughts of despair.

Back at the bar, Seth stood, fully recovered now as the weak humans continued to foolishly question him. He ignored them, and with a thought, sent both men flying across the bar. He couldn’t care less about his display of power in front of humans.

In time they would be doing his bidding anyway. They needed to get used to seeing the power of their god. The only hindrance to his plans was Ralabos, the only one who cared enough about these humans to oppose him. Even Anubis, strong though he was, only cared because Ralabos cared. Once he got rid of Ralabos, the others would leave him alone. Seth knew that the only weak spot Ralabos had had just walked out the bar with him—and she was still human.

His window of opportunity was closing fast, but it was still there. He picked up the glass she had been drinking from. She had touched it, and it would serve as his link to her. He held it gingerly in front of him; this would do nicely to locate her. He headed for his lair with a new sense of hope. It was going to be a long night, but he would find her.

* * * *

“So who was he?” Rene asked as she sat at the hand-carved cherry vanity and brushed her hair.

Ralabos refused to leave her side. He had been rambling on for the last twenty minutes about garnering her obedience and something about her having to earn the right to move about freely because he couldn’t trust her. Rene had effectively tuned him out, as she was already contemplating another escape.

Ralabos took the brush from her hand and took over the task. She closed her eyes; okay so maybe at the moment confinement wasn’t too bad.

“That was Seth,” he replied solemnly as he brushed, still upset at how close Seth had come to killing her tonight.

Thoth had been livid with her once he saw she had been returned safely. He had lectured her as well before Ralabos escorted to her room and began his tirade.

“He seemed familiar,” she murmured dreamily as Ralabos stroked the brush through her hair.

“He should,” he returned softly. “He is the one who killed you.”

Rene stiffened as her mind began to backtrack. The memories from what she thought was a dream slammed her like a brick wall.

Seth appeared and before anyone could react, pulled back and drew on the bow. The arrow sailed with deadly purpose. Hathor gasped as she realized the bow was aimed at her, but before she could feel its bite, Ralabos’ woman jumped in front of her, taking the arrow between her own shoulder blades.

“I was the woman. Your woman,” she whispered to herself as the realization dawned on her. “He killed me, he-he shot me with a poisoned arrow,” her words stumbled out.

Ralabos laid the brush slowly and deliberately on the vanity.

“Yes, he did,” he affirmed, laying both hands on her shoulders and bowing his head at the painful memory.

“You were in so much pain,” she said to him, wanting to provide some comfort. She remembered the feelings that had emitted from him as the woman died, she died. It was the part of the dream she hadn’t been able to remember when she awoke that morning.

“Yes, and tonight he almost succeeded in killing you again, zenj’a.” He lightly scolded her, hoping that now she could see the error of her ways and not try the ridiculous plan she had just concocted.

“Thank you,” Rene said. She stood and turned, pushing the vanity chair to the side. “I don’t necessarily agree with the way you and Thoth went about things, but I do understand my best interests were at heart and that I acted like a brat.”

“You did not know everything.” He smiled openly at her thank you.

“I didn’t listen. I’m not saying I’m okay with everything. I can only say I will try my best to understand this ... phenomenon.”

“That is all we ask.” Silence drifted between for a moment.

“He will try again, won’t he? That’s why you won’t let me leave, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Am I to stay here forever, then? Running from him? That’s no life for me, Ralabos.”

“That’s not a life for anyone.” Ralabos paused before he continued, deciding it was time to tell her the rest. “Thoth and Anubis worked together to bring your soul back so that you may again claim your immortality. Thoth has also found a way to make you immune to the poison he used on you before.”

“So all I have to do is claim my immortality?”

“Yes, and then he will not be able to hurt you, at least it would be extremely difficult. I can kill him and get him out of our lives forever.”

“He wanted the humans to worship him. He had them sacrificing their lives to him.” Rene remembered from the dream.

Ralabos nodded. “I am the only one who can stop him. The others aid my cause, but in the end it is I who must deliver him to his death.”

“Can’t the others band together and kill him? Why must it be you, Ralabos?” She didn’t know why, but the thought of him killing turned her stomach. It made him seem ...

“I am a strong being, Rene. You must not forget that. Part of me is a predator when it comes to defending what is mine. I must kill him because I am the one who started the opposition.

“It is the law of our people; one must be able to carry out one’s convictions. If you fail, it is considered an unjust cause, and no one else can fight it for you. He is the only thing that threatens complete freedom for people on this world. I must finish this.”