“Of course.”
I leaned up grabbing a pack of cigarettes off the nightstand. I lit one and inhaled. “I didn’t grow up in luxury like Ash did. I grew up much as you did in chaos and poverty.”
“I know all this already, why are you telling me?”
“I was a heroin addict. I did time.” My hands shook as I tried to hold the cigarette.
“That’s all in the past now,” Reese assured me.
“I told you before I killed Amber’s brother, Mark.”
“Yes, you said that.”
“But I want you to understand more about why I did it. You see, when I first came to New York in search of my father I found Amber. I fell in love with her or rather I think I had an obsession with her. I treated her badly I admit that. I was sick still using heroin and full of rage at my father and my brother. I wasn’t myself. When Amber got tired of my abusive behavior, she tried to leave me. I wouldn’t hear of it. I stalked her. I even….kidnapped her.” I drew hard on the cigarette. My hands trembled uncontrollably.
Her eyes widened as she sat straight up. I guessed that Ava hadn’t told her that part. “My God,” she whispered her hand flying to her mouth.
“I didn’t mean to hurt her. I wanted to get even with Ash. He got to grow up with our father in a nice, stable home.”
“What happened? You and Ash are friends now.” Reese reached for the pack of cigarettes.
I held her hand while I lit it. “We are now, yes. It took a long time for us to make peace. Amber wouldn’t tolerate seeing me for some time even after Ash and I became friends. It wasn’t until her brother came after them that she forgave me. Amber was assaulted by her brother when she was young. He had a sick obsession with her and came to New York to hurt her and Ash. I couldn’t have that.”
Reese exhaled smoke as I stood up to grab a bottle of scotch from the bar. I poured us two glasses as she sat transfixed listening to me. “After Mark attacked them once, Ash took Amber to live in the Midwest. I knew what kind of person Mark was. I knew he wouldn’t stop until he found them. I came out to join them and it was then I vowed I would protect them no matter what.” I finished my scotch in one gulp.
“So you decided to kill him? There wasn’t any other way?” She sipped her liquor.
I shook my head. “There’s no straight talk with crooked people. He had no sense of reason. You had to know him, know Amber at that time to know how scared she was. He used to watch her as a child undress. He masturbated to her and had delusions of them being together. He was sick and twisted as fuck.”
I glanced at Reese. There was sadness in her eyes. “You don’t have to tell me about men like that. My foster father was the same way.”
I sighed heavily pouring another drink. “I had to kill him. There was no other way. I didn’t care if it cost me my freedom at the time. I wanted to make amends for everything I’d done to them.”
Reese took my hand and pressed her lips to it. “You’re a good man, Ayden. I know that. You wouldn’t hurt anyone without being justified.”
I shook my head. “I have no ill will towards anyone right now. I hope never to hurt anyone again. That’s why I agreed to help Ava do this. These spiders she’s looking for may hold the cure for cancer. Think of how many people would be helped by that.” I smiled thinking that my own father would be alive today if that was true.
Reese looked uncomfortable as she crushed her cigarette into the ashtray. Her gaze darted about the room as she signaled for me to come closer to her. “Ayden, you haven’t known your sister for as long as I have. Ava doesn’t do anything that doesn’t benefit her first,” she whispered.
“What are you saying?” I was starting to get a sick feeling of fear knotting in my stomach.
“I’m saying that…” Reese looked around as if she were afraid that Ava might hear her, “…you need to be careful is all.”
“Do you think she’s lying? I read those articles. They were by science journals. She couldn’t have possibly made that up!”
Reese shook her head vigorously. “No, no. I don’t mean that. I don’t have any doubt that what she’s saying about the spiders is true. The medical evidence supports her theory, but Ava wouldn’t be doing this for health benefits.”
“What do you mean? Money? She said she doesn’t need any.”
“She doesn’t. Look, I love Ava. She’s done a lot of great things for me and without her, I’d be lost. She’s loyal and a great friend. However, Ava is beautiful and beguiling. She’s power hungry. She lusts for control and power like no one I’ve ever seen.”
I contemplated what she was saying. “These spiders….they have something Ava wants?” I was reaching for an explanation. I had no idea what she was implying.
“Somehow they do. I don’t know how they play into her grand scheme of life, but they’re important to her.”
I felt very uneasy. I pulled Reese close to me. “Are we in danger?”
Reese’s eyes grew dark. “I don’t know.”
One Hundred One
Ash
I didn’t know what bothered me more. The tight, cramped feeling of the pyramid or the fact I felt as though the ancient people who’d built it were in there with us reaching out to touch us through every stone they’d laid, every tool mark etched in the rock. It was eerie. It was so quiet as well as if it were sound proofed. I clutched Amber’s hand as she walked behind me. It was so narrow at the entrance I could feel myself brushing against the rock. The smell was also getting to me. The odor of musty, ancient earth filled me. As soon as we got to the inner part of the pyramid, it opened up some. I could stand upright and breathe.
“My God, this is spectacular!” Amber exclaimed.
All of us stood in awe of the wonder of the ancient relic.
“Ava, the spiders aren’t here, are they?” Reese whispered.
Ava rolled her eyes as she shook her head. “Of course not.”
“Then why did we come to this pyramid?” I asked her.
Ava bent down to adjust her boots. “Because you need to get a feel for how ridiculously cramped a pyramid can be. These are the conditions you need to be ready for when we get to Ujaseus’s tomb.”
Seriously? My God, I wasn’t one to be claustrophobic, but working under these conditions would be next to impossible. Guess she hadn’t exaggerated when she said this would be brutal. I thought she’d been referring to the blistering sun.
“This mission isn’t for the faint of heart. That’s why you two were deemed my protectors. Only you two can protect me as I uncover the spiders and the mysteries surrounding them,” Ava spoke in a hushed tone.
“Why us?” Ayden mused.
Ava threw her hands in the air. “How the fuck am I supposed to know? I didn’t write the shit. It’s prophecy. It was written centuries ago. We were all chosen though God knows why. Now shut the fuck up and let’s finish this damn tour.” She blazed her eyes at us.
I swallowed hard as we continued through the pyramid. It was absolutely fascinating. It was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen. I couldn’t believe that my father and I had never travelled here. As we emerged from the pyramid, the relentless sun beat down upon us. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Nothing but sand and sun for miles and miles.
“That was spectacular!” Amber turned back to glance at the enormous pyramid. It was truly mindblowing.
“How did ancient people build such a marvel?” Reese wondered as we walked back to the van.
“Magic.” Ava winked at her.
We heard a loud snorting sound. We spun around to see three large camels walking towards us being led by three men in white robes.
“Oh, my God! Look!” Reese jumped up and down her breasts jiggling.
I noticed Ayden smiling as he watched her. What was going on with those two?
“You said we couldn’t ride camels out here, Ava.” Reese giggled.
“Care for a ride?” one of the men asked in heavily accented English.
“I want
to!” Reese cried with girlish delight.
“What about the rest of you folks?” The operator grinned.
Reluctantly, I agreed and we all took a camel ride. As Amber and I held onto the ropes, a foul odor filled our senses. They were quite pungent animals. Feeling the hot wind in our faces breathing the scent of the gamey animals, I felt transported in time. I imagined this was what it was like for ancient people trudging through the sand to work in these ghastly conditions. I didn’t envy them. I wasn’t excited about the prospect of digging around in the sand. All I could see when I closed my eyes were the faces melting in Raiders of the Lost Ark. If we found some ancient artifacts, I made a note to exercise extreme caution.
And I wasn’t one to entertain superstition.
As we concluded our ride much to my delight, we hopped in the air conditioned van. The cool air was a welcome reprieve from the blindingly hot sun.
“Hot enough out there, sir?” the driver asked grinning at me.
I wiped my forehead which wasn’t as coated in sweat as I would’ve expected. They were right the dry heat didn’t make you perspire as much. “Yes, it is. I’ve been to the desert in California, but it didn’t seem as intense as this.” I fanned myself with a paper.
“What is the temperature anyway?” Ayden asked. He removed the wrap from his head.
“It’s 45 degrees, sir. This is one of our hottest days yet.” The driver looked at the gauge in the SUV.
“That’s what? 114 degrees Fahrenheit?” I calculated.
“Yes, sir.”
“I didn’t think it got this hot in May.” Ava narrowed her brows. She peered over to see the gauge for herself.
“Miss, it is the khamasīn. It causes intense hot, dry air to blow across the deserts bringing us unusually high temperatures. This heat won’t last long although the sun is always bright.”
Ava removed her wrap as well and shook her hair out.
Reese leaned forward rubbing her back. “I loved riding that camel, but it was hell on my back!”
Amber rolled her eyes laughing. “It was an experience, but the smell! Ugh. I can’t wait to get back to the hotel and take a shower.”
I agreed silently. I felt a light dusting of sand and grime coating my hands and I couldn’t wait to wash it off.
As the van ambled down the streets of Cairo, I watched the sun setting in the east. The blood moon was only two days away. I wondered just how all this would play out. There were guards everywhere around the pyramids. I had no idea just how Ava was planning to accomplish her mission.
But looking at her, I knew somehow she would.
After a late dinner and a long shower, Amber and I went out on the balcony. The stars were out shining brightly in the clear night sky. They twinkled like diamonds set against black velvet. It was so amazing thinking that thousands of years ago ancient people gazed up at the same sky pondering life’s most challenging questions. Being here was like being back in time.
“Ash, can you imagine? The people who built those pyramids stood below the same sky and looked up at it just as we are now.”
I smiled at her. She always knew just what I was thinking. I cupped her face in my hands. “I love you, Amber. I can’t wait for you to be my wife.” I pressed my lips to hers feeling her melt beneath my touch. She fell against me wrapping her arms around my neck.
“Neither can I,” she murmured.
I reveled in the feel of her in my arms. My muscles flexed as I pulled her closer to me. Her hips thrust against my pelvis my cock hardened inside my pants. I felt her breasts pressing against my chest her long silky hair brushing my cheek. “Amber,” I whispered only wanting to hear the sound of her name. The winds turned much cooler whipping our hair back as we looked out at the city’s skyline.
“I hate to bring this up…” She traced her finger lightly on my cheek brushing through my stubble. “…but what do you really think of Ava?”
Startled by her question, I leaned away from her. Picking up my glass of Macallan, I downed the contents quickly forgetting to savor the mellow flavor of the rich liquor. “I don’t know.” I placed the glass down hitting the table with a loud thud.
“She seems….strange, odd…” Amber let her words trail off.
She needn’t have said a word. I’d had the same fears about my long lost sister myself. She was definitely….beguiling. Bewitching.
Evil.
“No,” I said aloud. “Ava is different. She’s challenging, but she’s a Blackthorne. I owe it to her to help her. She didn’t get to grow up with our father. Neither did Ayden. They deserve my help.”
As Amber chatted, my stomach coiled against my spine. I swallowed the lump in my throat. No matter what Ava said or did, she was my sister. I would cherish her, as our father would have. I would do it for him and his memory.
“That’s why I’m weary of her,” Amber concluded.
Her words seeped into my head as I waved my hand at her. “Ava does concern me, I must admit. But she’s my sister. I have to trust that her intentions are ultimately for the good. I did my own checking on her. I know that she’s wealthy in her own right. She doesn’t need money.”
“Then what does she want? Those spiders, if they really exist, could bring billions of dollars if they can actually do what scientists are predicting, so who would ultimately profit from this?”
I thought about that for a moment. My sources told me that Ava had several different accounts spread throughout the Cayman Islands, the U.S. and Switzerland. She really didn’t need any money. So what would her goal be in finding these ancient spiders? “I don’t know, Amber.” I threw my hands up sighing. I’d given up trying to figure Ava out in the few weeks I’d known her. She was an enigma. “Maybe she really cares about helping people. You know, if there were a cure for cancer our father would be alive today.” I blinked back tears.
“I know.” She nodded sadly. Amber sank down into the chair across from me. The winds howled as Amber wrapped a blanket around herself.
“Initially, I was hesitant about this whole trip, but Ayden wanted to do this. He should have our undying loyalty remember that.”
Closing her eyes, she nodded. She snatched her glass from the table gulping the strong liquor. “Of course, but I had to voice my concerns about her to you. I hope you understand that.”
“I do. I appreciate that, but we’re here now and we’re going to help her. If there’s even a remote chance that these spiders do exist and can help millions of people suffering from cancer, I’m all for it.”
“I am as well, but Ash, what if she’s wrong? It all seems so far-fetched to me.”
And there it was. She’d uttered my greatest fears. Now they seemed more real that she’d said them. “I admit I questioned her sanity when she came to us with this fantastical story, but I’ve done my research. What she’s saying may very well be true as odd as it seems. You know me, Amber, I wouldn’t run off to the desert and perform a digging expedition because my long lost sister insisted they may be some ancient spiders lurking about in ancient tomb. I’m much more pragmatic than that.”
“Of course, I’m sorry I even said anything.” She looked remorseful.
Taking her hand, I led her back inside the suite. The wind was getting too cold. “Trust me, baby. No matter how much Ava seems in control of this expedition, I’m three steps ahead of her.” I winked to show her my confidence.
Beaming, she threw her arms about me.
But deep down, a growing fear was gnawing at my guts.
Ava might just be my greatest challenge yet.
One Hundred Two
Ayden
Reese and I were inseparable. I reveled in her beauty, her wit, her charm. She was everything I’d ever wanted in a woman. She had awakened a need in me I didn’t know I’d had. Every time she spoke, it was like heaven was announcing it had blessed me with an angel. Her voice was melodic. Her steps were so graceful it was as if she had wings on her feet. Her curves seemed to have been carved by Michel
angelo himself. Reese had a round, cherubic quality to her that classical artists only dreamt of. Her lips were full and pouty and I adored kissing them.
In essence, she was perfect. I’d never fallen so hard so fast.
Ever since I’d been with Reese, my desire to use had left me. All I wanted was her. After we had toured the pyramid, I’d gone to a local jewelry store and purchased a thin gold chain. I had affixed the red string bow pendant to it and presented it to Reese.
Eagerly, she accepted the fancy wrapped box. “Ayden, what did you do? I wondered where you went.” Reese’s face lit up with joy.
I couldn’t stop smiling myself. “Open it up.”
Reese tore off the paper to reveal a tiny black velvet box. Prying it open, she found the gold chain with the pendant. Her mouth fell open in surprise. “Ayden, this is your mother’s pendant. I can’t take this.” She pushed the box back into my hand.
Shaking my head, I placed it back into her hand. I would hear no more of it. I knew without a doubt this was who the pendant had been for all along. In just a short time, I was bonded to her. She was the woman I’d been searching for my whole life. If my father were here, he would have said the same thing I was sure of it. Picking the necklace up from the table, I clasped it around her neck. “There now you know you’ve found your soulmate.”
Reese threw herself into my arms and we kissed passionately. Quickly, we shed our clothes. Before we could get started, a sharp knock at the door startled us.
“Fuck,” I whispered. I eased myself off of the bed and pulled on a pair of shorts.
“It’s time to go, Ayden.” Ash’s voice echoed throughout the hallway. We checked the time. Shit. It was ten til nine. The exact time Ava told us we should be ready. Throwing our clothes on, we hurried to get ready. My hands shook with nervousness. What the hell were we about to do?
“Put your fucking cock in your pants and get ready!” Ash pounded on the door.
Moments later, we met him in the hallway. He quickly surveyed us. “Good job. Hope you didn’t use up all your energy. Tonight’s the night. The blood moon is rising.”
Darkest Sin Page 81
