by Ann Cory
eBooks are not transferable.
They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
577 Mulberry Street, Suite 1520
Macon GA 31201
Uncovering Egypt
Copyright © 2008 by Ann Cory
ISBN: 978-1-60504-254-1
Edited by Heidi Moore
Cover by Natalie Winters
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: October 2008
www.samhainpublishing.com
Uncovering Egypt
Ann Cory
Dedication
To my husband, who has made love an adventure all its own.
Chapter One
Jasmine Devi tried to ignore the weight of Mason’s predatory stare as she worked. Being the only woman on the research expeditions no longer bothered her, but he had just about gotten on her last nerve.
Determined not to let it ruin her entire day, she fixed her attention on the task at hand. With various brushes, she meticulously swept along the pyramid walls, careful to preserve the natural foundation. So far, she’d uncovered some pottery shards, flint flakes and ornate drawings. Excitement buzzed inside her very being. She was in her element. Few people had the chance to travel to Egypt and participate in an actual expedition inside the infamous great pyramid of Giza, and she wouldn’t have traded being here for the world.
It was that precise reason that every few minutes she stopped and pinched herself to make certain she was awake. Sand, pyramids, ancient artifacts and treasures lurked around each corner. All that was missing was a hunky hero from The Mummy to sweep her off her feet and give her the adventure of a lifetime.
Jasmine turned up the wick of her lantern and took a step back to admire the rest of the architecture. Along the high-slanted ceiling she could make out a string of words carved in hieroglyphics. She’d learned to read the unique caricatures as a child with the help of her parents, who had been die-hard Egyptologists. Thanks to their love of history, she too had made it her life’s passion.
As she continued to sweep along the wall, a distinct shiver passed through her. She could almost feel the ghosts of pharaohs wandering the pyramid, wondering why there were strangers inside their sacred temple. She longed to converse with them, and reassure them their structure would remain protected. At times, she needed to remind herself that what she did wasn’t about rooting through someone’s garbage, but helping to educate people about history. She had so immersed herself in the Egyptian culture that she often wished she could step back in time and experience it firsthand for herself.
Jasmine tried to concentrate on her work when Mason’s heavy stare got the better of her.
Eyebrow cocked, she faced him and asked, “Find something interesting?”
Without missing a beat, he answered in a cocky tone, “As a matter of fact, yes. A priceless piece of work.”
“Really?” She sighed. “Then you better inform the site director. He’ll want to make sure it’s properly logged and taken care of.”
Wrinkles etched his eyes as he smiled. “I’m trying to figure out how to take care of it, but the precious beauty seems resistant to my charms.”
Did he say charms? What charms? “I wish you’d put the same intense focus into what you’re doing and take your work more seriously. Otherwise you could miss something important.”
His lips formed a childish pout. “And I wish you’d take my feelings toward you more seriously.”
She glanced over his brooding form and then locked her gaze with his. “This isn’t the time to talk to me about romantic feelings, and it’s certainly not the place.” Why did she even have to say anything?
He let out an exaggerated sigh. “I’d be happy to talk somewhere else, but you’re never not working.”
Exactly, she thought to herself. Why didn’t he get the hint? Sure he had rugged good looks, and probably a toned body beneath his form-fitting clothes, but in the two years she’d known Mason, she’d never once had a single fantasy about him. He’d rubbed her the wrong way from the first day they worked on a field expedition together. What started as friendly conversation turned serious and soon he followed her around like a lost dog. Since then he showed up to every event and expedition she did, and it drove her crazy. Maybe there were people out there who would consider his gesture charming, but she didn’t.
Her mother always said that when the right man came along, she would know. He’d be the one to take her places she’d never been, but always wanted to go. She’d observed the adoring way her parents looked at one another from across a room, expressions so full of love it left her with high expectations. Mason didn’t meet any of those. He didn’t even come close.
Jasmine crossed her arms and gave him her best stoic look. “There you go. I’d say you hit the nail on the head. Why waste your time on someone married to the job? Wouldn’t you rather go out and find a woman who has all the free time in the world to devote to you?”
He raised his arms and gestured toward her. “Because it’s you who fascinates me, and few women fascinate me.”
She chuckled under her breath. Sure, he was fascinated now, but what about ten minutes after sex? For a brief moment, she almost considered having sex with him if it meant he’d leave her alone. But, no. The thought of him touching her made her shudder. She just didn’t think of him in that way. Or in any way. Jasmine figured there were many women out there who would enjoy his company. At least the ones who liked boorish, egotistical cads.
“Look, I’m the most boring person you’ll ever meet. I’m always working, I never shut off, and a relationship is about the last thing I’m looking for.” Actually, she figured her ideal man didn’t even exist.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Mason take a step closer. Immediately her entire body tensed.
“Are you kidding me? Boring? You’re brilliant, beautiful and passionate about what you do. It’s those traits that excite me. Besides,” he gave her an impish grin, “you want me to keep chasing after you. Admit it.”
Her stomach turned. Boy, when he had things wrong, he sure had them wrong. “Sorry to burst your bubble, but unlike some attention-seeking females out there, I don’t care to be chased.” She sighed. Here she stood in the great pyramid of Giza and rather than uncovering buried treasure, she was arguing with Mason. She’d rather argue with a mummy. “Look, I’m trying to spare you from wasting any more of your time. Work is my life and I’ve no intention of changing any time soon. Now please, let me get back to work. I’ve waited a long time to get here, and I want to savor every moment.”
Before Mason could respond, she grabbed her lantern and hightailed it down a long, narrow corridor until she reached a short flight of limestone steps. They led to a diminutive room with not much else to it. She was fairly certain the room was off the grid of where they were assigned to look, but at least she would have some peace. The site director could yell at her later.
Jasmine shone her lantern around the tiny enclosure and smiled. She could only imagine what the room had been used for back in the day. Her mind filled with decadent images of a sexy Egyptian man who would draw the sleek brushes along her curves. A man who knew the way around her body and treated it
like a temple.
She chalked the fantasy up to reading way too many books about harems and women kept as sex slaves. Many times, she wondered what would it be like to be locked up until a horny pharaoh wanted to be pleasured. For some strange reason she didn’t think it sounded terrible at all. Of course, it was probably her hormones talking. Her body had been charged since she entered the pyramid. Almost restless. If she didn’t have to worry about someone from the group catching her, she’d get herself off right now. Screw chocolate. Give her a chamber in a pyramid and it was all the foreplay she needed. History turned her on.
All her years of study hadn’t prepared her for how remarkable it felt to be standing in an actual piece of the past. For sanity’s sake, she pinched herself again and delighted in the brief jolt of pain. With or without a hunky pharaoh, she planned to enjoy her time in Egypt. So long as Mason left her alone, she thought it a real possibility.
As she went to set the lantern down, a crack on the far wall caught her attention. She squinted and took a tentative step forward.
With the pads of her fingertips she traced the faint spider-like lines, admiring the texture, when a piece of stone fell away exposing a small hole. She raised the lantern and a hue of dazzling bright green caught her eye. A soothing calm warmed her from the inside. Curious, she went to reach for the object when a noise caught her attention from behind. She gasped and turned.
Mason stood like a giant in the shadow of the lantern light, his hands planted firmly on his hips.
She put a hand to her mouth. “Oh my gosh, you scared me.”
“What are you doing all the way over here,” he scolded in a rough-edged voice.
“I could ask the same thing,” she retorted. Thanks to him, her heart nearly beat right out of her chest.
His eyes widened. “I came looking for you. Hell, you had me worried sick. I wish you wouldn’t take off into all these hideaways, especially ones off the grid. It’s unsafe.”
Jasmine fumed silently. She didn’t feel the need to explain herself to the likes of him. Who did he think he was? “First off, I don’t need your permission, and second, I’m a big enough girl that I can handle myself.”
He rubbed at the back of his neck. “Maybe so, but what if something happened to you? Who would know? Why didn’t you just say you were going to look around?”
Her blood boiled. Why couldn’t he find some other woman to chase? If only he’d get the hint. “I don’t have to tell you where I’m going. We aren’t joined at the hip.”
When he didn’t say anything back she figured his feelings had been hurt and he was expecting some sort of an apology. Even if she did apologize she wouldn’t mean it. But she didn’t want him all upset either or he’d make the whole trip a hellish experience.
She offered a half-smile and lightened her tone. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you. Must be jet lag. Gotta love time zones. If you’d give me a little time to myself in here, I’ll meet back up with you. I promise to not be too long.” Jasmine desperately wished he’d leave her alone so she could get back to inspecting the green object. Right now, she didn’t want to share her discovery with anyone, especially him. He’d ruin it for her.
His dark brows furrowed like thick caterpillars. “So, you’re saying that you don’t want my company?”
Jasmine clenched her jaw. Leave it to him to take it personally. “We’ve been over this before. You know I prefer to work alone.”
He sighed so loudly it reverberated all around her. “So stubborn.”
She jutted out her chin. “No, I’m independent.”
“It would be more fun if we worked together. We’d get more done.”
She couldn’t stand it. The man was driving her insane. Being nice didn’t seem to cut it. Without a care of hurting his feelings, she let it out. “You’re starting to piss me off. I know it’s difficult for you to grasp in that thick head of yours, but this isn’t about you. It’s about me. When I work, I like to think that nothing else exists. I like to picture in my mind how the people dressed and how they spoke. What I don’t like is being distracted.”
An unflattering smirk crossed his lips. The kind of smirk she wanted to slap right off and stomp flat. “Ah, so you admit I’m a distraction? I could take that as a compliment.”
She frowned and tried to ignore the taste of the airline peanuts making a second trip. He was clueless. What she wouldn’t give to find a way to make him leave her alone. “Please don’t. It wasn’t meant as one.”
His smirk faded and he straightened, sweeping a stray hair from his eye. “No need to be rude. I just want to protect you. Nothing more. Women—”
Jasmine put her hand up to keep him from further making an ass of himself. “Well, it feels more like smothering and it puts me in a foul mood. Besides, I don’t need protection.”
“Yes you do,” he countered. “It’s dangerous. Remember the time when you set off that booby trap in Mexico? Had I not been there, you could’ve been hurt. And who knows to what extent.”
She couldn’t believe he gave himself credit for that one. Because of him, she’d suffered a fractured wrist when his big, boulder-like body fell on her. “Correction, I didn’t set off the trap, that idiot Raymond, who later admitted to being drunk on the job, did. I know how to look for booby traps, and I know what I’m doing.”
He shrugged. “I can’t fault you on your love for this job. I admire it, but I worry it has become a dangerous attraction for you.”
Jasmine bit her tongue to keep from laughing. “I don’t fear danger. I welcome it. Now please, I beg you, let me work in peace.”
Mason gave her a look of utter rejection and then jutted out his chin. “Fine, have it your way. I’ll be by later to check on you, though. Like it or not.”
She sighed. “I won’t like it, but whatever floats your boat.”
“If you need me, just holler.”
Jasmine waved her hand at him. “Yep, got it. Bye.”
He gave her a lingering look before turning and sprinting up the steps. She waited for a few moments to make certain she wouldn’t be interrupted, and then turned her attention back to the brilliant green object. Her palms were sweaty and her fingers shook. The thought of holding something so intricate and valuable was almost too much for her to take.
From her pocket, she took out a small pen flashlight and shone it inside the open space. The object sparkled like a beautiful jewel. Unable to control herself, she reached inside and felt around until she grasped it. Fist tight, she made sure the object didn’t get scratched as she pulled it out. Breath held, she uncurled her fingers. In her hands lay a beautiful bracelet made entirely of peridots. She’d read about the precious gemstones in Egyptian art books. They were also called chrysolites, and were considered the gems of the sun. Legend claimed they held the ability to clean and heal the heart.
Jasmine turned the bracelet with a delicate hand, in awe of its divine beauty. Against the paleness of her skin, she could fully appreciate its velvety appearance. It looked like something fit for a princess, or maybe even a queen. On her menial paychecks, she’d never be able to afford anything as extravagant.
With an envious sigh, she shone the flashlight back inside the wall for a final check, when the bracelet slid from her fingers and wrapped around her wrist.
What the? She blinked and brought her wrist up to her face. How in the hell did it fasten by itself? This wouldn’t look good at all if she couldn’t remove it. She didn’t even know how it affixed itself on her in the first place, but who would believe that as an excuse? Sweat beaded on her brow and upper lip. In the soft light of the lantern, she tried to locate a catch of some sort.
Unable to find one, Jasmine gave the bracelet a cautious tug. Any harder and she risked damaging it. A whimper escaped her lips. Gods, she was in big trouble.
Footsteps shuffled behind her and she groaned inward, knowing it was Mason at the ready with one of his “I told you so” speeches. Yeah, he’d really get a kick out of this.<
br />
She turned with her wrist concealed behind her back, when all the breath left her lungs.
Chapter Two
Two handsome men stood silent, their mouths set in a firm line, each holding a long spear in their left hand. If this was someone’s idea of a joke, they were doing a very convincing job. Their manner of dress was dead-on, something straight out of the history picture books she’d skimmed through as a child. Simple wraparound white cloths hung from just below their waist to above their knees, showing off impressive abdominal muscle tone. Their hairless, well-proportioned chests remained bare, and they didn’t wear a stitch of other clothing aside from sandals with straps that wrapped around strong, shapely calves. Long, raven black hair hung down to just above their luscious pecs. If she didn’t suspect someone from the group had put them up to the dare, Jasmine would have thought she’d died and gone to Egyptian heaven.
She let out a long, low whistle. “Wow, you guys really know how to get into the spirit of things. Who are you two supposed to be?”
They looked to one another and back to her, their brows furrowed. “We serve the king.”
Jasmine nodded. “Okay.” She could play along. “And where is the king?”
“We have come to take you to him,” they answered in unison.
Ah, now she got it. This had to be Mason’s doing. Much as she wanted to play along, she couldn’t. She had an ancient piece of jewelry on her wrist and didn’t want anyone else to know. Jasmine winked. “Sorry boys, I’m going to have to pass for now. Maybe later.”
The two men lurched forward and gripped her arms, steering her toward the steps.
Stunned, she struggled against their hold. “Hey, what’s the big idea? Seriously guys, let me go.”
“Silence,” they commanded. “We have orders from the king.”
The costumed men were taking the joke much too far for her comfort level. “Did you just tell me to be silent? Oh, I don’t think so. I’m not one to listen to men giving orders.”
