“Yes.” He tried licking his lips again. “We weren’t allowed to see the site ever again. I’ve always wondered if it even caught fire at all.”
Shaila nodded in agreement. After all, she was proof that something did survive from that room. And if she survived, maybe the mummies did too.
This was going to take more energy, but she had to know for sure. Pointing to a cracked mirror above a dirty bowl, she willed an image of Lilith to appear on it. “Is this the woman?”
He looked at the image a long time, but ended up shaking his head. Remembering something he had said, she changed Lilith’s blond hair to black. “How about this woman?”
He nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. Yes, that’s her. It’s been a long time, but I can picture her now. Those dark eyes had a scary way of seeing into you.” His body shook with nervous tremors. “I’ve been scared for over three decades that she’d find me. Most of the students who made that discovery are dead now.”
“My friend’s computer found that all of the students are dead, except you.”
He laughed nervously and spit on the floor. “Wow. Just me now. Probably because I wasn’t a student. I wasn’t on the list.”
“How did you come to be there?”
“I was invited by one of the students.” He cleared his throat. “One of the female students. I met her in Cairo when she’d arrived fresh out of the university. I was there that day as her guest, so I wasn’t on any lists.”
“Yet you still live in fear of being discovered.”
“Yes, because I couldn’t stop digging around for information on the tomb. It was as if the discovery had never happened. No trace of it exists. Then I started finding out that the students were mysteriously dying. One by one, they disappeared like victims of some Egyptian curse.” He pointed to the fading image in the mirror. “She’s the curse, isn’t she?”
He paced the room like a caged beast, chewing on dirty fingernails.
“For my sake, I am thankful that you wrote about your experience, but it might not have been such a wise thing for you to do.” She pitied the little man.
“Yeah, stupid thing to do, but I’d covered my tracks. Encrypted everything. How did you find me?”
“Does it matter?”
“Not any more. I’m a sitting duck here. Time to move again.” He grabbed a box from under his bed and started throwing things in it. He hesitated for a moment, taking a long look at her. She could see in his eyes that he was adding it all up. “Does this mean the prophecy is real?”
She approached him slowly, and put her palm over his watch, infusing it with a warm glow.
“I am Shaila a’k’Hemet, and I have come to your time because of the prophecy. I must prevent the Age of Awakening, the event you saw inscribed upon the tomb walls.”
“I believe you.”
She smiled at his earnestness. “I know you do.”
“What can I do?”
“You can keep living your life. Keep seeking the knowledge.” She lifted her palm to reveal a strange green stone encased inside the watch. “The stone contains a protective spell.”
“Protection from what exactly?” He stood taller. Along with the spell, she had infused his aura with a spark of confidence that would hopefully grow over time.
A crazy vibration buzzed next to her hip. She found the irritating item hooked to her pants. It was the cell phone Darius had given her earlier. After a moment of silence, it jumped around her palm. She remembered Darius pulling it apart in some manner.
Opening the little device, she could hear Darius yelling her name. She cradled it next to her face like Darius had instructed, but he sounded muffled.
Jake Davis stepped forward. Reaching for the phone, he turned it around.
Now Darius’s voice sounded crisp and clear…and furious.
Leaning in, she kissed him on both cheeks. “Thank you, Jack Davis. You have been most helpful. I wish you long life.” She was pleased to see him blush right before she disappeared, following the cell phone’s signal back to the other side of the world.
*
All that mattered to Darius was that the signal had been strong enough to bring Shaila back. So why were feelings of anxiety still snapping through his system? He didn’t have time to analyze that now. They needed to get back home.
As they stepped out into the darkened streets, Darius felt a malicious presence. He couldn’t see anything, but he felt it in his gut and in his itchy palm. Someone watched them.
“Shaila. We need to get back to the house. I think we’re going to have to run the whole way. It’s about eight blocks. Don’t ask why, because I’m not sure I have an answer.”
“Just a feeling?”
He nodded, grabbed her hand, and ran. Shaila stumbled at first, but they couldn’t afford to stop. He relaxed a bit when she fell into a steady pace beside him. Those long legs of hers. He shoved aside a mental image of those long legs wrapped around his waist.
Now was not the time. They had to get home. Something in the descending darkness of the night felt evil. He felt it in his soul. His mind flashed with images of demon fangs and scaly skin. The smell of their putrid breath hung in the air.
Feeling like the snakes of hell were slithering behind, he sprinted for the front door and jammed the key into the lock. Throwing the door open, he yanked her inside and slammed the door shut. In the silence of the empty foyer, they both gasped for air.
The sudden sound of talons scraping across the door had them both jumping deeper into the house. Laughter cackled outside, and then faded into the night.
“What are those things, Shaila?”
“They smelled like demons…the undead.” He was amazed at how matter-of-factly she said it.
“The undead. They sound like vampires.”
She shook her head again. “I am not sure what you mean by vampires.”
“Vampires. They’re like human bats. They use their fangs to bite you and drink your blood. Blood gives them immortality. The dead person can’t go to heaven, so they’re stuck here. Dead, but not dead.” He took a moment to catch his breath.
“Hmm.” She gave it some more thought. “I have never heard of them. Demons use their fangs to inject venom, not to drink blood. Their immortality comes from absorbing souls. The Egyptians called them the devourer of souls.”
Darius stumbled to the sitting room. He poured two drinks and handed one to her.
“It’s whiskey. Just something to take the edge off.” He took a large gulp of it himself. “Tell me more about these demons. So I know what I’ll be up against next time.”
She nodded.
“In my time, they were humans who pledged their souls to the cult of Apophis. It was a forbidden cult, but that does not stop them. Some humans are easily tempted to the bargain in exchange for money or power.”
Shaila took a sip of the whiskey and choked on unexpected burning sensation. She opened her mouth and fanned fresh air down her throat. Shaking her head to clear her senses, she looked into the glass and tried a second sip. This one slid down much more easily. “Oh, goddess, that is a powerful drink.”
“What happens to these people?”
“When demon venom enters and mixes with a human’s blood, it causes them to become stiff, like a statue, for a while. During that time, a human’s soul can be detached from its host body and absorbed to gain life-giving energy.”
“That’s sick.”
“Some of my kind can heal that soul and return it to its host body. We are not all evil, Darius. We share this planet with you. Well, most of us want to share it. There are others who want to go back to the time when humans served our kind as slaves.”
“Like Apophis?”
“Yes. Lilith, too.” Shaila drained the last of the liquid from the glass.
“Why am I not surprised?” Darius brought a rectangular device over and placed it on top of the table. It made funny beeping sounds and lit up. He spread out many sheets of papyrus next to it. “What about
Therion? What is he?”
“He was born among my kind, but his astral spirit…his immortal powers…were sealed away from him, leaving him with little more capability than a human.”
“Thanks,” he said sarcastically. “I didn’t think you held us humans in such low esteem. Now, you lump that asshole right in there with us.”
“I am sorry. I did not mean to offend. I was just pointing out that he is not the threat right now. Lilith is.”
“Well, now I know what makes Therion such a wonderful person. He has a god complex.”
“If the cult of Apophis exists now, even with Apophis in exile, then only one of my kind could wield the power needed to command an army of dark souls. She must have grown quite strong through these years.”
Darius yawned and dragged a hand across his face. She could tell he was exhausted, but he was fighting it.
He went back to the bar, poured another drink and downed it in one gulp. Reaching in a low cabinet, he slid out a black bag and tossed it across the room toward her.
Instinctively, she caught it. It fell open in her hands, revealing a beautiful gold dagger with her name carved in hieroglyphs at the handle.
“My knife.” Relief swept over her so quickly she nearly screamed. She examined the hilt carefully. Everything was as it should be. All was not lost, and she could at least protect herself.
Shaila would have thanked him, but he’d collapsed on the long chair with papyrus strewn across his lap.
If he kept this up, he would be no good to her. She had just enough energy herself to assist him in getting some rest. Very gently, she waved a mental pulse of energy toward Darius. It drifted towards him like a leaf floating on the water. Invisibly, it surrounded his aura and infused it with a calm sedative.
Steady deep breaths rose and fell from his chest. She found a blanket folded by the fireplace and covered him with it.
The effort had weakened her, but there was no time for sleep. She had spent over three thousand sun cycles in the darkness. She headed for the staircase. Time to find out more about Darius’ grandfather. How did he know so much about the prophecy? Why would he tangle with someone like Lilith? And did he know the true nature of the gift mentioned in the prophecy?
CHAPTER EIGHT
Julia McNair couldn’t afford to be recognized. Actually, her father couldn’t afford for her to be recognized. It would ruin his perfect campaign bid for the city mayor’s seat. As a recent widower, he had the sympathies of the community and a break from character attacks from his opponents.
Julia honestly didn’t miss her stepmother, who’d only been about five years older than her. Yuck! That was gross just thinking about it. But she adored her father. He really was a great Dad. Well, he used to be, before his best friend convinced him to enter politics. She liked remembering the old days when he was just a high school economics teacher.
“Oh, shit.” She ducked behind the brick wall surrounding the firehouse so she wouldn’t be spotted. She peeked around the edge in time to see a short fireman stretching and yawning. They must have all been fast asleep. No wonder it took five attempts at ringing the doorbell for someone to answer it.
A part of her died inside, just watching the man lean down and pick up the bundle she’d left there. Even though she’d wrapped him tightly, the little one wriggled and squirmed in the man’s arms. The infant squealed in frustration. In response, her breasts leaked and her stomach tightened painfully. She panted heavily through the pain. He was probably hungry. She hoped the man would see the formula she’d left in the basket.
Julia loved the baby, but she loved her father more. She couldn’t afford to disappoint him, to see the light die in his eyes when he realized that she wasn’t his little angel anymore.
Nobody knew of her pregnancy. She’d been lucky that she hadn’t gained any more weight than she could easily hide under loose clothing, or easily attribute to stress. Her father’s campaign. College classes. Hiding a pregnancy. It had all been too much to bear.
Her water had broken late this afternoon after her father had left for an evening campaign party. She choked on the irony. He kissed babies while his own daughter gave birth to one on her bathroom floor.
“Bye, Ethan,” she whispered into the darkness after the fireman closed the door. She’d fallen in love with the tiny infant the moment he opened his eyes. Those beautiful, deep blue McNair eyes. She’d given him a family name. Reality bites. She couldn’t keep him. Life just wouldn’t work that way for her.
She wiped the tears from her cheeks, and walked away from Ethan…forever. A brisk wind whipped through the alleys between the buildings, raising goose bumps across her arms. The nights were getting cooler now that fall was here. She pulled her cardigan tighter across her chest, covering the two large wet spots darkening her cotton dress.
It had been risky dropping off the baby at a fire station so close to her home in Beacon Hill, but her body was just too weak. Her muscles still ached and spasmed. Plus, her father was due home in only fifteen minutes. And there was a serial killer on the loose. She pulled the ball cap lower over her face and turned quickly down a dark path. The service alley was a great shortcut to her house, which was only a couple of blocks up the hill.
“Look, see this one? She is a perfect gift for the Dragon Queen.”
Julia halted under a dim streetlight. Instinct told her she was in trouble. She couldn’t see who was nearby in the shadows, but she could hear them. The voices slithered maliciously across her spine, making her shiver uncontrollably.
“You’d better be right. I don’t wish to be fried like shish kabob for failing to bring her what she wanted.”
Are they talking about me? She stood rooted to a spot under a lamp. Her legs frozen with fear, Julia refused to leave the safety of the light. At least, it felt safer there.
“I am right. She is fresh and young. Can’t you smell it? The blood of birth is inside her.”
They were talking about her! She could hear them inhaling like they were savoring a delicious aroma.
“The Dragon Queen will indeed be pleased. The power she will gain from this one. Oh, she will reward us.” The sound of low whistles and clapping echoed across the cobblestone alley.
She finally found her voice. “W-What d-do you want from me?” She tried to peek into the darkness to see them. “I have no money. I-I’m just going home. My father is waiting for me.”
“My pretty little soul, your father will be waiting for a very long time.” The light bulb above her burst, casting her into the shadows with them. When her eyes finally adjusted to the moonlit darkness, she screamed. She screamed with all of the fear in her soul.
Two pairs of wicked yellow eyes gleamed toward her. Oh my god! Her father had been right. When you sin, demons from hell do come to get you.
“Can you taste the fear in this one’s soul?” The smaller one licked his lips, a forked tongue whipping in the air.
The larger one smacked the other in the back of the head. “You know better than to take from her. We need this juicy one as a peace offering for the queen, who will be very displeased at our missing the other one.”
Finally, her legs moved. They tried to carry her away from the alley. But these demons from hell were much faster. Big, scaly arms encircled her, preventing her from fighting back. Peering over her shoulder, she saw two glistening fangs. As they plunged painfully into her neck, she tried to scream for help. A scaly hand covered her mouth. She almost gagged on the putrid smell of it.
She felt icy flames spread inside her body from her neck as every muscle tightened and froze. Horror and fear bubbled inside her. Silent screams ricocheted across only her mind.
The alley lay eerily silent, as the two demons carried their prize into the ebony shadows of the night.
*
Light flickered on the other side of her eyelids. Slowly, Julia’s eyes opened and adjusted to the dim light. As she curled and winced through another spasm in her stomach, she realized that she coul
d move again.
But hope remained buried under fear as she felt cold metal wrapped around her wrists. As she shifted her weight up on an elbow, chains rattled against stone, bringing her attention to the blood stained altar she lay across.
Torchlight shifted eerily across the room, but there were too many shadows to see clearly. Things moved in the darkness: shuffling, gurgling, breathing. Goosebumps spread quickly across her skin.
“What do you want with me?” She flinched at the sound of her own voice as terror lifted it into a higher octave. “P-please?” Let me go.
Almost leisurely, a woman in a long red dress stepped into the light and approached the altar.
Relief swelled through Julia’s body that it wasn’t one of those disgusting demons. Had she really seen them? Or only dreamed them?
The woman who approached had friendly eyes, pale skin and tons of blonde hair. She looked and moved like a model. “What’s your name, doll?”
“Julia. Julia McNair.”
The beautiful woman stroked Julia’s hair and down her arms, but instead of helping her off of the table, the woman pushed her gently back down.
“No, please?” Julia struggled to get back up again. “I want to go home. Please, help me?”
Fresh tears spilled from the corners of her eyes. They felt cold sliding across her cheeks and ears. Her whole body trembled, igniting another round of spasms in her belly.
As the torch light flicked across the woman’s red dress, the effect was a visual wave of blood. In sharp contrast, pale arms moved away from Julia’s line of sight. But across her slightly rounded belly, she felt the woman’s hands swirl in circles and then pull the cotton hem upward.
“No, no, no.” Julia tried to cover herself, but the woman would not allow it.
“Lie still. Do you know who I am?”
Julia shook her head, afraid to speak.
“This is my domain, and I rule here.”
A demon stepped forward carrying a glass of dark liquid that looked disgustingly like blood. Julia instinctively leaned away from the demon.
The movement seemed to amuse the woman, who waved away the offered glass.
Immortal Dynasty Page 11
