“Hello,” her soft voice pulled him out of his thoughts. “You are not far from my chambers; did you miss me?” She smiled at him as he turned to face her. He had missed her, so much so that he hadn’t realized he had walked over toward where she slept. “Why are you not with the others?”
“I wasn’t hungry.”
“You must eat, Alexander. You must keep up your strength.”
“I’m okay,” he mumbled.
“Are you? I am not sure I am,” she admitted as she came to stand beside him on the terrace.
“What’s wrong? Do you need me to get your brother?”
“My brother cannot help me with my ailment. I wish to have you,” she looked up into his eyes. “I wish to have you as mine and I know it cannot be. When the war is over the goddess will send you home and I will stay here without you. It hurts to know that soon you will leave me.”
He reached his hand out, ready to brush his fingers across her cheek, but then he stopped. He was not supposed to touch the queen in such manners.
“Please,” she whispered. “Please caress me?” He couldn’t resist her plea. He placed his palm against her cheek and allowed his thumb to smooth over the softness of her skin.
“For as long as I live I shall never forget the feelings you bring to me,” she whispered with her eyes closed. “I shall never forget this.”
And just as quickly as his caress started the call from Inka broke them from the moment. “Come to me tonight,” she whispered in his ear before ducking inside the palace and disappearing.
“There you are. Have you seen my sister?”
“She’s probably in her room,” he said. If she weren’t there yet she would be soon. She wasn’t far from it to begin with.”
“Maybe,” he shrugged. “Perhaps she just refuses to open her door. She is in a mood lately. I think it is because she knows she will have to marry once this war is over.”
“Have to?”
“She is the queen. She must produce an heir to the throne.”
“Surely she should have time to decide if this is what she wants.”
“It is her duty now. It is the price she pays for the position she has been entrusted with. It is why I did not wish it upon myself. I have no desire to be tied to this place. I am a warrior.”
“Duty,” he snorted. “What about love?”
“If she loves one then it will be he who she marries. If she does not love one then she will marry Helos as my father planned. He discussed it with me weeks before he died.”
Alex felt his fingers curling into tight balls. He didn’t think it was right or fair for her to have to marry somebody she didn’t love. She loved him. He could feel it when he looked in her eyes. Maybe it was too soon, but he knew—he just knew. He could be the man for her, but he couldn’t stay and she couldn’t go with him which meant it could never be. She wanted him to come to her tonight. Every part of him knew he should say no; he should go back to his sleeping space and leave it be, but he couldn’t. He would go to her. They would have their night together, and tomorrow they would prepare to ride off into battle together.
“Are you coming to the festivities? There will be many beautiful women around.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“I don’t think so,” Alex refrained from telling him exactly why. “I like to relax and prepare for battle in my own way.”
“Understood.” He patted his shoulder. “I shall see you in the morning. The plan is to ride out by the next dawn.”
“I thought we were leaving come morning.”
“Change of plans. We will leave day after. I planted a seed to see if our enemies within would bite.” He chuckled.
Alex wasn’t going to complain. He had an extra day to spend with Nefertari before they would all be called to duty. And as Inka walked away, Alex knew exactly where his feet would carry him. They would carry him to her.
When he walked into her chamber he made sure nobody saw him enter; it’s why he chose to enter from the terrace. She was waiting for him. Her sexy attire was meant for sleeping, in this case, for removing and he couldn’t wait to remove it from her body and explore the seductive, sensuous curves that lie underneath the light weight fabric of her royal purple gown.
“What took you so long?” She taunted him with the smooth timbers of her voice. He was drawn to her, ached for her in ways he hadn’t ached for another woman. This was insane, but he didn’t care about the insanity. He wanted her and he was going to have her.
“Your brother felt the need to talk with me. Apparently we are not leaving tomorrow.”
“I know,” she winked at him. “That was partially my idea. I wanted a little more time with you before we head into battle. It was selfish of me; I know, but one must take the good things when they come. You never know when the gods will call you to their service. Now, close the terrace doors before you proceed any farther.”
He had forgotten about the doors. He couldn’t think straight for the sexual fog in his brain. He turned, walked back to the oversized doors and closed them with minimal effort before securing the sliding lock on the doors.
“Come,” she held her hand out to him and he willing went to her. “I will protect you,” she assured him. “Do not be afraid.”
“I’m not afraid.”
She laughed. “Then you are a worthy man to fight with us. The goddess knew what she was doing when she brought you here.”
“I’m a skilled warrior in my time too, Nefertari.”
“I know, but that is not of what I am referring to. There are no men here who would dare come to me, not with my brother and Helos ready to send them to the gods of the underworld. I assure you, the process for a non-dead person is not a fun one.”
“Are we talking living mummification here?” He had heard myths about things like that happening from his first girlfriend in high school who happened to love all things mythological. He just thought they were fairytales.
“That we are. But you don’t have to worry because I will not let him. Tonight will be about us. Tonight we will love each other. Tomorrow we will prepare for battle. This is about us, not them.”
He pulled her up into his arms. Looking into her chocolate eyes he saw her, her soul, her heart, her honesty and loyalty. She was a true leader, a true warrior, and perhaps leading these people was her destiny. He was never a believer in any stories about God, or gods, but before this experience he would have never believed in time travel. In her he saw the other half to his heart and he wanted her, he wanted this, even if only for tonight.
He lowered his head and captured her lips in a soft sensuous kiss. He would take his time with her tonight, embrace her, learn her body and get pleasure while giving her pleasure in return. He would gain intimate knowledge of her, and in that action he would meld his heart to hers, even if they couldn’t have forever.
He took her to her bed, ready to claim her body in the way he had fantasized about claiming it from the moment she ended up in that holding cell with them. She pushed him on to his back and straddled his waist. He flipped their positions swiftly. “This is an area in which I wish to take control,” he leaned closer to her, his breath fanning lightly against her lips.
“Then take it,” she whispered to him. “Take me.”
That was all the permission he needed. He took her with the passion of man who burned with unquenched desires. Tonight he would satisfy his passions and hers.
Chapter Three
Nefertari had slept well, even though she wished Alex had been able to stay with her. She knew it wasn’t possible. He had to leave and sleep near the men otherwise somebody would have gone looking for him. If they had found him in her bed there was no way she would be able to stop her brother from running his blade through him. For their passion they had taken great risks, but now it was time to act smartly. He knew that last night and so did she.
“Glad you could join us,” Inka stated as Nefertari walked into the gathering chambers. She noticed Alex first, his eyes sea
rched her out and she smiled at him subtly.
“I slept longer this morning,” she admitted because she had. “Are we nearly ready to pull out tonight?”
“Yes,” he stated. “As I suspected, and as you suspected, the traitor left late last night. I am sure she took news to the pharaoh.”
She nodded. “We kept her away from the talk of the future men?”
“Yes. There were only a small number of us who knew from where they came and we guarded it with our lives. She was not privy to it, neither are the others outside of our higher circle of warriors. Just those we trust.”
She nodded affirmatively. She knew they were guarding the secret closely and their suspected traitor, Dakara, would not have been with the men the night they talked of the future world. At least there were still some secret weapons unknown to the pharaoh. It still saddened her to learn of their inside traitor. She had known Dakara since she was a child. Now that she was of marrying age it would seem she wanted one of the pharaoh’s brothers and so she agreed to spy for him because of his promise of royalty for her. When Helos first approached Nefertari with the news she couldn’t believe it. But she trusted Helos and so she allowed the investigation to secretly commence. She allowed them to track Dakara and learn what they could from her activities. Nefertari had hoped the little girl with the striking ash eyes and the caramel skin would prove to be an honest ally, but the information Helos’ spies brought with them was too true to dismiss. Dakara had betrayed her people and for that she would never be welcomed back. Traitors were put to death in every territory and not even the queen could save her now. Nefertari wouldn’t have saved her anyway. There were too many traitors among them and for every breach of trust good men and women died.
Dakara would be killed in battle with the enemy; there would be no mercy on her, or the man who betrayed her father.
“Are they ready?” She whispered to Inka. She didn’t want anything to happen to any of them, but especially Alexander. She had trained him, and he had worked with Inka for a brief time while she attended to royal responsibilities. She did not wish to see him go into battle if he were not ready yet.
“I believe they are. You must trust the goddess. She sent them here for a reason.”
“I just hope it is not to die here.”
Inka regarded her with curiosity. He was her brother and she was sure he had picked up on her connection to Alexander. He had not said as much, but she was sure he must have. The way she looked at him, even though she tried not to, would be telling to her brother because he was the only one left who truly knew her.
“He told me during our last training session that these are tempestuous times and that they call for calm on our part so that we may go into battle prepared to win, not distracted by our hearts.”
She nodded. “I have no distractions.”
“Sure you do,” he smiled at her. “I hope for your sake the goddess will have mercy on both of you.”
She knew what he meant. Once the battle was over the future men would be returned to their time. They would have to be sent back it was the way of things. And she could not go with them. She wanted him to stay, but she knew it was not possible. Somewhere in there her heart hurt, but she had to keep a level head. She was leading her people into war. The women warriors, the men, with her brother, Helos and the future men beside her, they were going in strong and she needed to have a clear head. If she didn’t, if she faltered, then the consequences could be dire.
Inka had been right. Having the last of their blood on that battlefield was not smart. One of them should have stayed behind, but she couldn’t. She was a warrior, trained, devoted and ready for battle. She would not let these men and women go into battle without her. And clearly Inka had given up his chance at the throne because he preferred battle and leading the army over leading the country. He would not stay behind either. She hadn’t even asked him to stay.
“Inka…I…”
He smiled at her and pulled her into his arms. “It is okay. Your heart is like the sands of the earth—uncontrollable when the mood strikes them to flee with the winds. If it means anything to you, you do not have to feel guilty for loving another. Helos does not love you either. He wishes to be with Saka, your trusted warrior,” he smiled. “He refuses her only because he believes he will have to marry you if you do not choose another.”
“But I cannot choose who I want…”
Inka placed his finger over her lips. “Duty will call you my queen, my sister, and you must answer it, but for now, until it calls you should have the pleasure of love in your heart. But when duty calls you must answer it.” He stressed the need for loyalty to their rules once again.
She could hear the emotion behind his words as well as the warning. No matter where her heart was when the battle was over she would have to marry and Helos would be the intended if she could not find another who would be worthy. She was not in love with anybody from her time so there was nobody to rescue Helos from the task of becoming her lifelong mate. Or to rescue her from entering into a marriage without love.
“Alexander,” he motioned for Alex to come to him and Alex did. Nefertari could see the concern in his eyes and she could also see how the men in the room stopped to stare at them as if they were expecting trouble.
“Yes?”
“Please watch over my sister. We leave before dawn and I would not wish for her to injure herself while walking around the garden of statues,” he smiled at her.
“No problem,” his eyes did not betray their night of passion. He remained calm, stoic and unreadable.
“As for the rest of us we must be sure all is ready. Come,” he commanded his men and left them to themselves. Her brother was very wise—much like their father had been. But he was a military man to the core; he would not be happy sitting on the throne. He would only be happy training with his men, leading his men into battles or preparing them to survive one.
In her younger years she never thought the day would come when Nubia would be at war with the pharaoh, but the day had come. The day came when he tried to conquer their land, kill their men and women and enslave their children. They had started picking them off while Nubians journeyed freely. Once Nubia caught wind of the chaos they returned to staying closer to their own land and away from the heart of Egypt. They also knew that it wouldn’t be long before they had to fight to keep the enemy’s armies out of Nubia.
She and Alex walked out to the garden of the statues of the gods and goddesses. Unlike the heart of Egypt, Nubia’s statues were not grandiose. They were smaller, but just as beautiful and they left room to entertain more statues in the garden as time permitted. There was one, her favorite, and she wanted to show him. The goddess was good to her and so she had commissioned the piece to be placed by the waterway, near the greenery and the flowers. It was not far, but it was quite beautiful and she knew he would appreciate it so she took him over there.
“This is Amesemi. She is the goddess who brought you here. She is known to be a protective goddess and the wife of Apedemek who watches over the royals, but she is also rumored to have a defiant streak. She will not allow injustice and she possesses great powers. She is the only goddess I know of who can control time.” She took his hand in hers and held it tight. “She is my favorite—she has held that place for me since I was a little girl. I declared myself her warrior and my mother scolded me. No human can make such a declaration, especially not a child, she had said. The goddess picks and chooses and we, while fighting with her protection, do not elevate ourselves to such a glorious status.”
“What did you say to her?”
She laughed. “I told her that I am a warrior of Amesemi and that I would give my last blood for her. I told her that I made that declaration to her and if she decided not to allow me to give her my devotion then she would put me in my place. My mother thought I would be struck down on the spot.” She laughed. “But the goddess confirmed me.”
“Yeah, how did she do that?”
She could tell he did not believe as much in the goddesses and gods, but he tried to understand. How could she make him understand this?
She turned to him, facing him fully. “Do you remember the mark you saw on my back?”
He groaned. “Oh yeah, that cute series of S-curves looking like an intricate layer of infinity symbols…the one perfectly centered the base of your spine…I remember licking it quite a bit.”
She blushed. “Yes, you had some techniques I did not know existed. Do all future men do as you do?”
“My technique is special to me,” he admitted. “But we do all have our own way of pleasuring a woman. Much like the men here I suppose.”
She shrugged. “I would not know. I have been keeping myself pure for my intended husband.”
Called to Duty (Adventures Through Time) Page 3
