ReincarnatedHunger

by Marisa Chenery

  Kysen collapsed on top her and Cena wrapped her arms around his back. His weight pushed her deeper into the mattress and made it harder to breathe, but she didn’t care. She had her man right where she wanted him.

  * * * * *

  Able to feel the last bit of sun drop behind the horizon from deep inside his lair, Mot nodded for his second generation undead warriors to start their hunt of the sun god’s Chosen. Much to his great disappointment, one had failed to return after last night’s hunt. It only meant one thing—one of Ra’s Chosen had eliminated his undead warrior. And one in particular—Kysen. Mot had picked that warrior to hunt Kysen. With that undead gone and none to replace him, it meant Mot had to go out hunting for a replacement. But before he did that he wanted to see if he could find Kysen himself. It would be too much to ask that his undead warrior had taken out that Ra’s Chosen before meeting his doom, but Mot had to make sure.

  Since Ra protected his warriors’ headquarters, it wasn’t as if Mot could go out and find it. If he wanted to search for Kysen he’d have to do it on Phoenix’s streets. It also meant he needed a little help in pinpointing a certain area to look for the sun god’s do-gooder. Since the demon god had some ability in “seeing” where Ra’s warriors could be, Mot would have to ask Apep.

  It also was something he dreaded doing. Apep had yet to overlook Mot’s inability to keep Akori under Apep’s thrall. It was always painful to talk to his master, but now not only did the demon god cause him severe pain in his head so he bled out of his nose and ears, Apep also made the scar on his face burn. It burned as if the sun were searing the flesh from his face. That was just the demon god’s reminder of how Mot had failed him.

  Bracing himself for what was to come, Mot called, Apep, I ask for a boon.

  The demon god quickly answered, delivering the excruciating pain Mot had expected. And what boon do you wish me to grant? You haven’t earned the right to ask any favors of me.

  Mot gritted his teeth against the burning pain ripping through one side of his face. His brain felt as if sharp claws were digging into it at the same time. I beg you, master. I wish to know if the sun god’s warrior, Kysen, is still alive. One of my second generation warriors didn’t return last night. I hope he destroyed Kysen before he met his final end.

  Apep said nothing for almost a minute before he spoke again. When he did, the pressure on Mot’s brain increased and his face felt as if his skin were melting off it. He dropped to his knees, barely stopping himself from clawing at his cheek.

  Kysen still lives, Apep said. Your undead warrior was just another failure. I’m beginning to think you aren’t any more capable of defeating Ra’s Chosen than Sek was.

  Please, master, do you know where Kysen is? Tell me where he is and give me one of your snakes. I’ll personally make sure he becomes your servant.

  You’ll never be able to defeat him on your own, the demon god said. I tire of these warriors slipping from my grasp. It’s time to do something that will hurt them the most. Kysen is known for keeping his head during battle, he rarely loses his temper. Tomorrow night you’ll make a strike against him that could change all that. Be ready when I call.

  I will, master.

  With that, Apep’s presence faded away. Shaking and sweating from the pain he’d endured, he climbed to his feet. He’d be more than ready for Apep’s call when it came. Whatever his master wanted him to do, he’d do it, especially if it meant bringing down one of Ra’s Chosen in the process.

  Mot wiped at the blood dripping from his nose with the back of his hand. With nothing to do but wait until the next night to move against Kysen, he decided to go ahead with his plan to find a mortal to replace his lost second generation undead warrior. If what Apep had come up with for Kysen didn’t succeed, Mot at least would have another one of his warriors ready to hunt him once again.

  * * * * *

  Kysen left Cena’s apartment that night feeling more content than he had in years. Making love to her and getting the proof she was actually his mate had buoyed his spirits. And now that he knew she was his, she had started to take a place in his heart. Acenith would always hold a piece of it, but Cena shared a part of it as well.

  He thought back to when he’d fallen asleep next to Cena, and how, barely awake, he’d called her Acenith and spoken to her in his native language. The few times he and Acenith had spent an entire night together, she’d done the same thing Cena had done when he’d start talking in his sleep. Acenith would stroke his brow to awaken him and say he was mumbling while he slept. For a few seconds, Kysen hadn’t been able to differentiate between Acenith and Cena.

  At least Cena had accepted his explanation about why he’d mistakenly called her another name. He’d been worried there for a bit when she’d stiffened, her face paling a little when he’d said he used to know an Acenith back in Egypt. His intent hadn’t been to make her jealous. Luckily she’d snapped out of it and melted in his arms when he’d shown her she had nothing to worry about. That it was her he wanted.

  At the headquarters, Kysen flashed himself directly to his quarters from the docking bay. He knew he was totally avoiding the others—especially the women—on purpose. The mates had been watching him like a hawk ever since that night they’d questioned him about finding his mate. Since he really hadn’t had any of the signs, they were still ignorant to the fact that he had found her. Eventually he’d have to introduce Cena to everyone, but he didn’t intend to do that until he’d told her what he was.

  And there was really no reason for him to rush into it. Having fed from Cena and his blood hunger no longer an issue, he could take months if he wanted to before he brought her into his world. When he needed to feed, he could do it the way he’d done it today, sneak a bite in there while they made love. As long as he made sure to heal his bite mark right after he fed, Cena would never know. And if she did notice something being off, he’d just have to work harder at making her crazy with desire.

  He’d just finished changing into a black t-shirt and jeans when a knock sounded on his door. “Come in.”

  Blythe slipped inside and closed the door behind her. She then leaned back against it and gave him a scrutinizing stare. “Is there something you should be telling?” she asked.

  Kysen bit back a smile. Obviously, the mates were going to try a different tactic to see if he’d found the woman meant for him or not. “No. Why? And how did you know I’d returned?”

  “I saw your car in the docking bay. You’ve been gone all day with no word to anyone as to where you were going.”

  Obviously, she’d been watching for him. “So? I’m a grown man, you know. I can come and go as I please.”

  Blythe crossed her arms over her chest. “I realize that. It’s just when one of you guys stop coming home for dinner, I start thinking you’ve found something else that has taken up your attention enough for you to not think about filling your belly with food. And what I assume is usually right on the money.”

  He shook his head. “Blythe, Blythe. What did I tell Desiree about assuming things?”

  She flicked his comment away with a wave. “I know, I know. That still doesn’t mean I won’t change my mind about what has kept you away from the headquarters the entire day until evening.”

  “And if say you were right in your thinking, what then?”

  “Well, I’d really want to meet this paragon of womanhood who would actually be more than willing to bind herself for all eternity to you.”

  He chuckled and put a hand over his heart. “You wound me, Blythe. I thought most women would find me irresistible.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Maybe in the beginning, but once they got to know you better and you start yanking their chains like you do everyone else around here, a woman who ended up mated to you would have to have the patience of a saint.”

  Kysen laughed loudly. “I’m not that bad. I just like to have a little fun.”

  “Yeah, at other people’s expense. You know if I didn’t consider you family
I would have kicked you in the butt by now.”

  He quickly turned around and looked at Blythe over his shoulder. “Here’s your chance. I dare you to give it a swift kick.”

  The corners of Blythe’s mouth turned up before she started to laugh. “Don’t tempt me.”

  Kysen turned back around to face her. “Too late. You’ve just wasted the only opportunity I’ll give you to do it.”

  Blythe pushed away from the door. “I see you’re in fine form this evening. And since you don’t look all strained and strung out, I have to rethink my assumption about your absences from the headquarters. And Desiree was so looking forward to grilling you.”

  “You mean she was looking forward to seeing how crazy she could make me,” he corrected.

  “All right, that sounds more Desiree’s style,” Blythe said with a laugh.

  “Sometimes I pity Set, but I’m glad Desiree is his mate.”

  “I should tell her you said that.”

  “By the gods, woman, do you have it out for me? You tell Desiree that and she’ll never let me live it down.”

  Blythe laughed again. “Okay, I won’t tell her. I guess I’ll let you finish getting ready for the night. I’ll pass on the word to Desiree, Nyx and Jordan that you haven’t found your mate and you are just busy doing other things.”

  “Thanks, Blythe. Now all of you can stop watching every move I make.”

  After Blythe left his quarters, Kysen shook his head and smiled. So far so good. The women would take his word for the truth. He couldn’t wait to see their faces when he finally brought Cena home and introduced her as his mate.

  Chapter Nine

  Cena rushed home from work the next day. Kysen and she had made plans for him to come to her apartment to have dinner with her before he had to leave for work. She hoped they at least would have time to have sex, even if it was only a quickie. She no longer had any tenderness caused from losing her virginity. All day, she’d done nothing but think about what she wanted to do to Kysen when he came over. She was surprised she hadn’t scorched Emiko with her hot daydreams.

  She had twenty minutes to spare before Kysen would arrive when she let herself into her apartment. Cena went straight to the kitchen after she locked the door behind her to check on the pot roast she had cooking in her Crock-Pot all day. She turned it off, knowing it would continue to stay hot for quite some time. The enticing smell had her lifting the lid and taking a deep breath. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her she hadn’t had much to eat at lunch. The time she normally used to make something to bring with her to work had been used getting the pot roast ready. She’d had to make do with grabbing a couple of cereal bars out of the cupboard.

  After she replaced the lid on the Crock-Pot, Cena went to her bedroom. She looked at her reflection in the dresser mirror as she pulled a brush through her hair. For good measure, she put on a couple of squirts of her favorite perfume. Since she hoped Kysen would be stripping her naked as soon as he got there, she didn’t bother to change into something fancier than her jeans and long-sleeved t-shirt.

  Leaving her bedroom, she went to the living room to wait. She looked at the clock on her digital cable box. Kysen would be there in fifteen minutes, not that she watched the clock or anything.

  Another five minutes had gone by when Cena heard a knock on her door. Thinking it could be Kysen arriving early, she rushed over and undid the locks and chain without first looking through the peephole. Pulling open the door, she saw it wasn’t Kysen. A man with short blond hair stood out in the hallway. He wouldn’t have been bad looking if it weren’t for the heavy scarring on one side of his face that pulled down the corners of his eye and mouth.

  “Yes?” she asked as she closed the door slightly.

  “Are you Cena Barns?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re just the person I was looking for,” he said with a cruel smile that only half his face could form. “You and I have a date tonight.” His blue eyes changed to a glowing red.

  With her heart trying to jump out of her chest, Cena slammed the door on him and twisted the locks into place. Her hands shook while she did the chain. The sound of his laughter filtered through the closed door.

  “You can lock the door,” he taunted, “but that won’t keep me out.”

  Cena let out a loud shriek when the man suddenly appeared in front of her. His eyes glowed even redder as he lunged for her. She uselessly batted his hand away, but he got a hold of her before she could put any distance between them. He roughly pulled her to him and slammed his mouth down onto hers. Cena struggled against him, moaning in fear as the thought of him raping her tore through her head.

  As if he’d read her thoughts, he lifted his head and said, “Don’t worry, I have no interest in tasting what you have to offer.”

  “What…what are you?”

  “I’m what you mortals call a demon. Not the kind from the Christian’s one God religion, but the kind from the Egyptian gods. I serve the demon god, Apep. And you, my dear, are going to help me bring down one of the sun god’s warriors.”

  “What…I don’t know any warriors.”

  “Oh, but you do. Does the name Kysen ring any bells? You’ve been fucking one of Ra’s Chosen, one of the handpicked warriors Ra chose to take out my undead and protect mortals. For thousands of years I’ve had to put up with Kysen and his brothers-in-arms getting in my way.”

  He smiled again, showing a pair of fangs that extended while she watched. This couldn’t be happening. And what he’d said about Kysen, that couldn’t be true.

  “I can see you don’t believe me,” he said. “You have no idea what kind of man you invited into your bed. I’m surprised you haven’t noticed that he has fangs just like mine, or that he hasn’t bitten you yet. He has to drink blood to keep himself strong. He’s what you mortals call a vampire.”

  A vampire? Had she really seen the tips of his fangs? And had he really bitten her and drank her blood when they’d made love the day before? She’d felt the bite, but when she hadn’t found a mark to show for it, she’d thought he’d only nipped her.

  Cena pushed those thoughts aside. Now wasn’t exactly the time to examine them. “What are you going to do to me?” Her voice shook when she spoke.

  “I’m going to use you to make Kysen do something stupid, something that will have him falling into my hands. Watching you die for a second time should do the trick.”

  “A second time?”

  “You don’t remember that you once lived thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt?”

  “That’s not possible. There’s no proof that reincarnation is real.” All of a sudden, Cena felt as if she couldn’t breathe. The dreams she’d had of her and Kysen had seemed so real. Could they really be memories of another life and not just dreams?

  The demon shook his head. “How can you say that when you’re living proof, Cena? Or should I say, Acenith, since that was your name in your first life.” He then pulled out a folded piece of papyrus from his pants’ pocket. “I think we’ve waited around here long enough. Kysen should be arriving shortly. He’ll be able to tell my scent isn’t that old. And this note I’m going to leave him should do the trick of sending him down the road to doing something that will give me the advantage.” He threw the papyrus onto her coffee table. “Let the suffering begin.”

  The demon pulled her against his chest, his arms like steel belts around her. His evil-sounding laugh filled her ears as the floor seemed to drop beneath her feet and they plunged into darkness.

  * * * * *

  Kysen walked through the front entrance door to Cena’s apartment building with a light step. He couldn’t wait to be with her again. He missed her, a lot. The first thing he’d do once he had her in his arms was to show her exactly how much he had missed her. Just thinking about her caused his body to harden. He’d probably spent the majority of the day walking around semi-hard. To try to distract himself from what he wanted to do to Cena, he’d spent a lot of the hours they had to
be apart working out. Sword practice always calmed him down.

  Going up the stairs that would take him to Cena’s floor, he slowed. Kysen drew in great gulps of air, letting the scents fill his nose. His fangs instantly dropped when he filtered out the stench of a demon. The smell of Mot’s scent had him taking the stairs at a speed no mortal could ever move, but Kysen didn’t care if anyone saw him.

  At Cena’s apartment door the demon stench was stronger. Taking hold of the doorknob, Kysen turned it but found it locked. He rattled the door, calling Cena’s name, but not a sound came from the other side.

  Fear for Cena, afraid of what he would find inside her apartment, he flashed himself into the living room. Mot’s scent was the strongest here and fresh. “Cena!” he called as he quickly looked around him. When he still didn’t get any answer, he ran into her bedroom. That room turned up empty as well.

  Kysen returned to the living room as a feeling of desperation washed over him. Mot had been here, his stench proved it. Could the demon have been here and Cena was not home at the time? The apartment door was locked, after all. He turned to face toward it and noticed the chain was on, which meant she’d been here when Mot had shown up.

  Turning back to the living room, Kysen looked around for some kind of clue as to what could have happened. There weren’t any signs of a struggle that he saw. His gaze landed on the coffee table and the folded piece of papyrus sitting on it. With a feeling of dread, he walked over and picked up the piece of paper that had his name written in hieroglyphs on the top.

  He slowly unfolded the papyrus. More hieroglyphs were written on the inside. Reading the glyphs, Kysen fought the urge to bellow in pain and anger. The need to go after Mot to get Cena back just about overwhelmed him, but running around looking for her, knowing the demon would have her tucked away where he wouldn’t ever be able to find her, wouldn’t do him any good.