The Blue Lotus

by Marisa Chenery

  Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Kendra sat up in bed. She had a headache from lack of sleep and felt very out of sorts. It didn't help her temperament any when her stomach decided to growl loudly. The sound of Mahes's chuckling caused Kendra to look over at the other bed.

  "I see you are in a fine mood this morning, Mahes. I wish I could say the same thing about myself."

  Mahes chuckled again. “Let's order some room service. I know I could do with some food. After you eat, you can try and get a little more sleep. You will feel better after that."

  Kendra shook her head. “I will take you up on your offer of food, but I don't think I can sleep another wink."

  "Don't fret so, Kendra.” Mahes went to sit on the bed next to her. “It will turn out all right."

  "Can you promise me that it will? That you are a hundred per cent sure I am Nefertem's mate? If you can't, I don't know if I can do it."

  Mahes reached out and brushed a lock of hair behind Kendra's ear. “I am positive you are. If you weren't, Nefertem would not have spent the night in your arms after we landed in Egypt. You tamed the savage beast so to speak."

  "Yes, that may be true, but in the morning all that changed. What if he doesn't remember me or what we shared together?"

  "My mother can do all she likes to Nefertem. Take his memories of you from him, but deep down inside his heart Nefertem will remember what you mean to him."

  Kendra so wanted to believe that. “I hope you are right because I am risking my life on that very assumption."

  "So you will do it then?"

  "Yes. I know I love Nefertem enough to do it. I can only pray he feels the same about me.” Kendra's stomach growled loudly once more.

  "I think we had better get you fed before you wake the people in the room beside us.” Mahes laughed. He kissed Kendra's cheek. “Thank you. Just remember you won't be alone.” Hopping off the bed, Mahes went in search of the room service menu.

  Pushing herself up so her back was against the headboard of the bed, Kendra absently rattled off the items she wanted from the menu to Mahes. He could say she would not be alone, but the truth of the matter was she would be. The spell would make sure of it.

  * * * *

  "No, no, and no. I won't let you do this, Kendra."

  Beyond exasperation at this point with Markus's refusal to see reason, Kendra stood firm in her decision. “Markus, this is my decision to make. We aren't kids anymore, where I will let you bully me into changing my mind."

  "Why do you have to be so stubborn?” Giving vent to the frustration he was feeling, Markus turned and slammed the flat side of his fist on the wall. Unable to face his sister, he kept his back to her. “You are the only family I have left, Kendra. Don't you see? If anything happens to you, I will be alone."

  Crossing the room to where Markus stood, Kendra took him by the shoulder and turned him to face her. She could see the fear he felt for her in his eyes. She pulled him into her arms.

  "You know I wouldn't voluntarily leave you, Markus. I love you, but I also love Nefertem."

  "I can see I am only wasting my breath here. You won't be swayed from doing this.” Pulling out of Kendra's hold, Markus nailed Mahes with a hard stare. “I need to know exactly what will happen once Kendra starts that spell. Everything. Since she is so bent on this madness, I want to know even the smallest thing that could possibly go wrong, and what can be done to fix it."

  Mahes gave a short nod of his head. “As you wish. An hour before dawn, Kendra must start the spell. If it is performed too soon, the spell will fail, the same if it is performed too late. As I said before, once Kendra steps onto the hieroglyphs and begins the spell we won't be able to cross them."

  "A fat lot of good that will do us if Nefertem decides not to cooperate.” Markus said snidely.

  "Even though we can't get to them, they will still be able to see and hear us. If need be, I will distract Nefertem, but I still feel it won't be necessary."

  Still not entirely reassured by Mahes's statement, Markus asked, “Okay, say Nefertem does recognize Kendra as his mate, what will happen then? You said something before about having to share blood between them. How exactly is that going to take place?"

  "Nefertem is going to bite me.” Kendra knew those fangs he now sported had a purpose other than making Nefertem appear scarier.

  "Yes, you must let Nefertem drink from you.” Mahes said flatly. “That will be the test to see if he claims you as his mate. If he dos not..."

  "He will kill me."

  Mahes nodded his head. “Which won't happen. Once he takes some of your blood he will offer his to you."

  Kendra swallowed hard. The prospect of drinking blood, even it if was Nefertem's she had to take, she did not find at all appealing. “Okay, I think I can do that."

  "You aren't required to take much, Kendra, only a small amount. Even one drop of blood would be enough to complete the spell."

  "And then?"

  "Nefertem should return to normal with the cat fully subdued. My mother will no longer have access to the mortal world.” Mahes paused, knowing this part would hurt for Kendra to hear. “The end of the spell is also a ceremony. After it is completed you and Nefertem will be mated, Kendra. It is the equivalent of a marriage ceremony."

  Kendra felt her spirits soar. Nefertem would be her husband. “So he will be able to stay with me after all."

  Mahes sadly shook his head. “No he won't, Kendra. He will still be bound to the pendant and my mother. Nefertem will return to the realm of the immortals, unable to walk among mortals once again. He will only be able to return if summoned with the pendant."

  "Which would start all this craziness all over again.” Kendra fought back the tears that burned behind her eyes. “I won't do that even if it is the only way for me to be with Nefertem again."

  Kendra knew she wouldn't, no matter how tempting it could be. She would rather live the rest of her life alone then put the world in danger again. And she would be alone. There would be no other man in her life. If Nefertem were to be her husband then he always would be. Even if it sentenced her to a life with no man by her side and no children, Kendra would always think of Nefertem as such. She would have to cherish the time spent with him for long and lonely years to come.

  * * * *

  The time was drawing nearer. Nefertem took a deep breath, relishing in the strong, heady scent of mortal blood. Soon he would be able to appease his thirst for that blood. For now, he could wait. His patience would soon be rewarded.

  Moving silently among the mortals, they in no way acknowledged his presence. He had no wish to be seen by them. It was a simple matter for him to manipulate their weak minds to believe he wasn't really there. No one so much as batted an eye when he walked past them. Once again properly attired in a linen kilt, he would have done more than just draw a few curious looks from the passers-by.

  He really didn't know why he came here, to Giza. For some unexplainable reason he felt pulled to come to this spot. Taking another deep breath as he walked near the Great Pyramid, it was then Nefertem caught the scent. This was why he had come here. The scent of the mortal woman still lingered. It grew stronger the nearer he drew to the Sphinx.

  Inhaling huge drafts of air, Nefertem let her scent fill his lungs so it invaded every fibre of his being. Even though her scent was hours old, it still was a potent mix. Closing his eyes, he drew in more of her scent. Kendra. Nefertem's eyes snapped open. That was the mortal woman's name.

  With the recollection of her name, came a series of images that quickly flashed through his head. They sped by so quickly that his brain didn't have time to retain them. Nefertem shook his head. The images made no sense to him. Why he should feel a connection with the mortal woman, other than her being the one who possessed the pendant, was beyond his knowledge. But what disturbed him the most was the feeling of longing the images had left in their wake. He longed to hold the woman in his arms, to protect her, to claim her as his. Ruthlessly, Nefertem pushed tho
se feelings away. He had no need of a mortal woman. He was a god and far superior to her kind. She, and the rest of the mortals, would all too soon learn just how superior his kind actually was.

  Nefertem came to stand in front of the Sphinx, before its large paws. The woman's scent was stronger here. Before he could stop himself, he drew in another large breath of air; he felt his blood surge in want. Realizing what he had just done, he snarled in irritation. This weakness he had when it came to the woman he would not tolerate in himself.

  Giving the mortals who milled around him one last look, Nefertem willed himself back to his mother's side. With the coming of dawn all this would change. Their punishment was at hand. Then he could exorcise the unwanted feelings he had for the mortal woman. The blood of her kind would be the cure from her he sought.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Knowing she would not be good company to the others, Kendra elected to stay in her hotel room for the remainder of the day. There really was no point in having the others strung out as she all too strongly felt herself to be. As well, Kendra did not think she could endure Markus's looks of concern. That was something he had done more than once during her time with him during the latter part of the morning. She loved her brother dearly, but this was something she had to face by herself.

  So now alone in the room, Kendra stretched out on the bed and tried to will herself to sleep. Her body felt drained, and for what she had to do that night, she needed her wits about her.

  She tossed and turned for what to her felt like hours, before sleep finally claimed her. But it was nowhere near a restful, untroubled sleep. It was full of dreams much like the ones she had had during the early morning hours, but there was one dream that bothered her more than the others.

  This dream took place in the hidden chamber, with her standing on the hieroglyphs set into the floor. Unlike reality, in her dream, the chamber was full of dark shadows and where she stood was the only spot brightly illuminated. Turning in place, Kendra sought out the others, but they appeared not to be in the chamber with her.

  Gripping the pendant in her hand, Kendra spoke out loud to the empty chamber. What she said, she could not discern. She only knew she had said something, and that something caused a reaction. There was a blinding flash of light that lit up the whole chamber for the briefest of seconds. Once her eyes adjusted back to the dim lighting, Kendra could see she was no longer alone. Nefertem stood before her.

  He was dressed as he had been when she had first used the pendant to summon him. Even right down to his wearing the leopard shaped helmet upon his head. As she watched, he removed the helmet. Nefertem held his hand out to her.

  Kendra smiled at him and cautiously placed her hand in his larger one. Nefertem smiled in return giving her a better view of the fangs he now possessed. He drew her closer to him. She lifted her face to accept his kiss. Passion instantly flared into life as their lips met.

  Kendra felt her heart beat a little faster. The spell was going to work. Nefertem would not be kissing her so passionately if he did not accept her as his mate. Breaking the kiss, she pulled back and looked lovingly up at him.

  Nefertem stared back at her. The love she had expected to see was not there in his golden cat eyes. Kendra tried to free herself from his embrace. Moving with a speed no mortal could possibly manage, Nefertem grabbed a fistful of her hair and wrenched her head painfully to the side, giving him better access to the throbbing vein at the side of her neck. Baring his fangs he sank them into her tender flesh. Kendra screamed.

  Bolting upright, Kendra gasped for breath as the last vestiges of the dream receded. Closing her eyes, she tried to push away the feeling of panic that coursed through her. When a hand gently began to rub her back, Kendra nearly jumped out of her skin. She screamed in response.

  "Relax, Kendra. You are okay. Did you have a bad dream?"

  With her hand clutched to her chest, Kendra turned to see Mahes sitting next to her. “Do you mind not doing that again? You almost gave me a heart attack. And yes, I did have a bad dream. One of several I have had since we were in the hidden chamber."

  "I apologize. I didn't mean to scare you like that. I came to fetch you. It has been decided that we are all going out to eat this evening. Tory thought it would be best if I came and let you know. She figured you would want to know ahead of time and not just spring it on you at the last minute."

  Kendra shook her head. “I think I will pass. I don't really feel like eating anyway."

  "I'm afraid you may not be able to get out of it so easily. Tory was quite insistent about your going with us."

  "I will still pass. Tory will just have to take no for an answer. How long before we go to the Sphinx again?"

  "In a few hours."

  Surprised by that, Kendra looked out the window. The sky was already darkening to twilight. She had not realized she had slept so long. Rising from the bed, she went over to the window. Kendra took a long shuddering breath when she spied the large hulking shapes of the pyramids in the distance.

  "What did you dream about, Kendra?” Mahes asked from where he stood a short distance behind her.

  Crossing her arms across her chest, Kendra rubbed her arms as she recalled parts of her dream. “About Nefertem. About what will happen tonight."

  "You are a strong woman, Kendra. Don't let your mind play tricks on you.” Mahes now stood directly behind her.

  "I won't, but it is hard not to.” Turning so she looked up at Mahes, she asked. “What happens to you, if the spell works in the end and we are able to stop your mother? Will you leave with Nefertem since he was the one who tied you to the mortal world?"

  Mahes nodded. “Yes, I leave when he does."

  "Are you able to come back afterwards?"

  "Yes. I have no such restraints on me as Nefertem does. I can come to the mortal world anytime I wish. Would you like me to come and visit you? Is that what this is all about?"

  "I would like that. I have grown kind of attached to you as I would a brother, Mahes.” Kendra tried to swallow the lump that suddenly developed in her throat. “That way I won't feel completely cut off from Nefertem. You can tell me how he is doing."

  Mahes kissed Kendra on the tip of her nose. “I too have come to think of you as a sister. I would be happy to see you again under normal circumstances. Now with that having been said, I really do think you should reconsider your decision about going out to eat. You need the distraction, Kendra. At least take some pity on Markus. He is worried sick about what the outcome will be tonight. He is afraid he is going to lose you."

  Kendra knew Mahes was right; she did need the distraction. Sitting alone in the hotel room replaying her nightmare in her head would only cripple her. “Okay, I will go. Just let me shower then I will meet you all at Markus's room."

  Mahes smiled at her. “That a girl. You have made the right decision. I will let the others know.” After giving Kendra a quick peck on the cheek, he turned and left her to get ready.

  Kendra gave herself one last once over in the bathroom mirror before she went to meet the others. After showering, she pulled out the one dress she had brought with her from home. She really didn't know why she had packed it, but she figured tonight would be the night to wear it. If she was to be married to Nefertem she would be damned if she did it in a tank top and shorts.

  Running her hands down the full length of the dress, Kendra tried to smooth out the few wrinkles that remained behind from being packed in her suitcase. The dress was one of very few she owned that was on the slinky side. It was pale pink and made out of a brushed silk-looking material. It had thin spaghetti straps at each shoulder and only reached to just above her knees. The strappy high heels she put on her bare feet matched the colour of her dress.

  Satisfied with what she saw in the mirror, Kendra took a deep breath and let herself out of the room. She walked the short distance to Markus's room and knocked on the door. It opened before she even had a chance to lower her hand back down to her side.

/>   Markus stood in the open doorway looking totally dumbfounded. He had seen Kendra many a time dressed for work, but seeing her dressed as she was now was a first for him. He didn't even know she owned a dress like that. She took his breath away. He also wanted to lock her in a room where no other man could see her.

  "Are you just going to stand there gawking at me, Markus, or are you going to let me in? I am starting to feel as if I made a mistake wearing this dress."

  Coming around from behind Markus, Troy pushed him aside. “Don't you dare change, Kendra. You look stunning. I knew you would look great in that dress when I convinced you to buy it."

  "You're sure I don't look ridiculous, Tory?” Kendra asked as she walked into the room.

  "Absolutely not. You will have every man you walk by staring at you, wishing you were his."

  "That is what I am afraid of.” Markus added dryly.

  "Don't listen to him, Kendra. There is nothing wrong with attracting a little bit of male attention."

  Kendra began to slowly back up towards the door as she started to have second thoughts about the whole dress idea. “Maybe it would be best if I did change. I don't think I will feel all that comfortable thinking everyone is watching me."

  "Please don't change, Kendra.” Reaching out to her, Mahes took her hand in his and pulled her back into the room. “Tory is right, you look stunning. I know Nefertem would love to see you dressed this way."

  "Truly? You aren't just saying it to be nice?"

  "Yes, I mean what I say. And if you are worried about a little unwanted attention, I will stay by your side and keep the other men at bay."

  "All right, both you and Tory have convinced me not to change after all."

  The main factor behind her decision was being able to have Mahes by her side. He would garner the most attention from men and women alike. With his great height and dark good looks, he would easily draw the eyes of everyone around him. The women would want him and the men would hate him for it.