I’ll just keep ignoring him.
Why did she get the feeling that that would be easier said than done?
Chapter 13
Time Team and Indiana Jones had it all wrong.
There were no instant finds, no out-of-control boulders, and certainly no Nazis. Enthusiasm was high, but that was about it. Yael had spent the morning following Rowan as she walked over the site, studying some papers and an iPad, while talking in hushed tones to her co-director. The co-director had, in turn, ignored all her suggestions and decided where they were going to excavate without her input.
Their brief argument had proved entertaining, but Rowan had backed down quickly. It disappointed him. He’d thought she had more spark.
The rest of the day had been boring. Yael adjusted his hat and scanned the site again. Nada. Nichts. Nothing. Just a bunch of tourists crammed up against the portable fencing that marked the start of their dig site. The barrier was patrolled by the Egyptian police. Turns out that the government really didn’t want this tomb looted, if it was found to be intact.
Made his job easier.
Not that he thought humans would be the problem.
As for the archaeologists, there were currently five on site, all underneath a marquee that had been set up as a sort of headquarters. The Lara Croft wannabes all peered at a map of the valley, like it was the key to Heaven. Meanwhile, a hundred yards away, a group of workmen had begun clearing soil from the area targeted for excavation. They were working at the end of the valley, in the shoulders of the old riverbank. A small cliff rose above them, providing a little shade from the sun. Stone doorways marked the presence of other tombs, and a staircase led the way to the workmen’s area.
That’s where the real effort is happening.
Yael frowned at the group under the marquee, which had been set up adjacent to the sidewalk. Of the five archaeologists, only two were human: Rowan and the Egyptian co-director, Dr. Mostafa. Dr. Perkins, Dr. Murdoch and Dr. Campbell were demons of some kind, but he had no idea what their species was. They looked human, but there were plenty of demons who could pass for humans with minor cloaking spells, and then there were the ones who could physically shift into a human form. These doctors could be either. And considering Lucifer was their boss, he could have given them stronger spells to change their appearance—they could be anything.
Hell, one of them could be an Infernus for all I know.
Those winged bastards were some of the most dangerous demons in all three circles of Hell, and had been responsible for the raid on Heaven that had resulted in his fall. He’d gladly kill every last one of them, if he could. But he doubted Rowan would appreciate him decapitating one of her colleagues.
Humans were funny about the whole death thing.
Dr. Perkins spun around and gave him a jaunty wave, as if she could sense his attention on her. He scowled. She grinned and went back to the paperwork.
Succubus. Or something like that.
He couldn’t imagine a demon being so blasé about his presence, otherwise. Because even though he was fallen, the demons should have been able to sense what he was. And it should have made them uneasy.
Then again, their boss is a fallen angel, too.
Yeah, but Lucifer was a true fallen, and evil to boot.
Yael still had a chance of redemption.
Then again, Murdoch and Campbell didn’t seem too bothered by him, either. Maybe they think I’m on a leash, because I’m here as Rowan’s C.P.O.
How wrong they were.
But he wouldn’t kill them if they didn’t try to kill him first. Or touch Rowan.
Eventually, the archaeologists’ meeting broke up, and Rowan turned briefly toward him. He ambled over. Better that he act nonchalant rather than bored.
“So, solved world peace and all that?” He came to a stop under the marquee. In the shade, it felt like the temperature had dropped by ten degrees. Despite that, beads of sweat had formed on Rowan’s forehead, and her cheeks were pink, like she was blushing.
“Hah.” She rolled her eyes. “Just had to work out the logistics. The other doctors want to dig a dirty great big pit in order to find the tomb’s doorway, but they know it’s not best practice.”
He could understand why demons would want to rush things—patience was not a virtue they cultivated. “Mostafa agreed to that?”
“No, thankfully. He agrees with me. We open three trenches and target the most likely location from the G.P.R.”
G.P.R.? Wait, that was radar or something. Right.
“So how long do you think that will take?”
She wiped the back of her hand against her forehead. “A month, maybe? There’s a lot of alluvial wash here, although not as bad as it is in the bottom of the valley.”
She stared down at the map.
“What is it?”
“I just think we’re digging in the wrong place.”
“But you said the radar showed a tomb was there.”
“Yes, but I have this gut feeling…it’s not Twosret’s.”
A gut feeling?
Normally, he’d dismiss someone’s intuition. But this woman was a conduit and had been around magic-users her whole life, no matter that she didn’t believe in magic herself. Her gut feelings probably had a little more weight to them.
Plus, she’d managed to find an artifact for Seraphina—one that had been guarded by Lucifer for millennia—in a single day.
“So, why do you think it’s not Twosret’s tomb?” he asked. Because why the Hell not? There wasn’t much else to do here.
She stared at him for a moment. “Do you really want to know?”
“I wouldn’t have bothered asking otherwise.”
Rowan stabbed a finger down at the map. “KV14 was her original tomb—for her and her husband, Seti II. But her successor usurped the tomb, reburying Seti II in KV15. We don’t know where she was reburied.”
There was about ninety feet between the two tombs she indicated. He waved a hand. “Yes, you said this before.”
She gave him a surprised glance, like she hadn’t expected him to remember.
Do I look stupid?
No.
Maybe she just assumed he was, because…I have no fucking idea why. Cos I’m a C.P.O.? Well, if she thought he wasn’t too clever due to his job choice, then she was a snob.
Just like all the other asshole angels back home.
Or, more accurately, like his parents.
She shook her head slightly, then said, “Right. Well, they want to excavate next to KV15. And from what the G.P.R. shows, well, it’s a big tomb.”
“Twosret was the pharaoh’s wife—why wouldn’t she get a big tomb?”
“She wasn’t just the pharaoh’s wife. She was pharaoh. She took the throne for herself after Seti’s death. And her successor, Setnakhte, stole her tomb. Setnakhte’s son, Ramesses III, even removed her from the king list. She was delegitimized. Setnakhte would never have buried her in an elaborate tomb.”
Burn. To have your name erased from history, that was one of the harshest punishments he’d heard of. Aside from torture and all that.
“If that’s the case, he could have just dumped her body anywhere. Why bother reburying it at all?”
Rowan tapped her chin. “He reburied Seti II, her husband. Some believe—like Dr. Mustafa, and the others here—that her loyal followers took her body before Setnakhte could get to it, and reburied her in another vacant tomb.”
“And you think they wouldn’t have had time to bury her in a large tomb.”
“Not one designed just for her, no. The Egyptian kings didn’t tend to have empty tombs lying about. They began building one during their lifetime. She’s either in another pharaoh’s tomb, if it’s a big one, or she is on her own, in a small chamber that could have been built quickly.”
He could see her logic.
“But we think that her followers opened up the next-closest tomb and
put her there,” Dr. Kayla said, suddenly in the marquee with them.
She moves fast.
She’d been with the others bare seconds ago.
Can Succubae move that quickly?
He’d have to ask Dru—or, preferably, Raze.
Rowan shook her head. “It’s a good theory, but I think she was buried in her own small tomb.”
“But nothing showed up on the G.P.R. where you want to dig. There is no tomb where you’re suggesting.” Dr. Kayla pointed at a position directly opposite where the excavation crew was working. Yael turned to that part of the valley and frowned. He got the sense of old magic from there, but then, the whole valley was like walking through a supermarket of ancient spells.
Kayla sidled up to him, giving him puppy dog eyes. “Would you like to come with me and see where we’re digging?”
“Thanks, but I’ll stick with Rowan.”
“Are you sure?” She touched his arm, and he swore her eyes turned an electric green for a moment, before reverting to their normal color.
“Very.” He bared his teeth in the simile of a smile.
She grinned and disappeared.
“I think you have a fan, there.” Rowan’s tone was cool to the point of iciness.
He turned back to the redhead. “Yeah, it happens.”
She snorted.
Now, as long as it doesn’t happen to you too, we’re all good.
Because women had a habit of liking him—and well, he didn’t particularly like anyone.
Chapter 14
Their first day on site was complete.
The workers had already managed to remove an impressive amount from the first excavation trench, and Rowan had had them set up sieves and a wash trough in order to start testing the spoil for any miscellaneous artifacts.
Dr. Mustafa thought she was wasting her time, but Rowan had learned the hard way that there could be hidden gems in soil located outside of tombs, especially since most burial chambers in the valley had been looted prior to any real archaeological investigation. Dropped finds could be anywhere.
Plus, if the ground right outside was packed with artifacts, then they’d know the tomb was likely to have been disturbed previously.
Now all she had to do was finish packing up the marquee and they’d be ready to head back to the compound.
Yael had been a largely silent presence the entire day. He roamed the site—always within twenty yards of her—and had been quite a distraction for her co-workers. Dr. Mustafa hadn’t approved of the ‘unnecessary disruption’, while Drs. Perkins, Murdoch and Campbell had seemed simultaneously fascinated and appalled by him. Dr. Perkins more fascinated than appalled.
Rowan thought Kayla may have a crush on the big bodyguard.
Who wouldn’t?
Me.
That’s who.
Although she could certainly see his appeal. And whenever they touched…well, it was better that they didn’t. She didn’t like the way her body responded to his, and she certainly wasn’t ready to move on after Eric. He’d only been gone two weeks.
Having sex isn’t moving on.
Yeah, well, she wasn’t that kind of person. Not that she and Eric had had an amazing sex life, since they hadn’t lived together. But still.
It felt like a betrayal to even consider it.
Rubbing her chest, she fought back the sudden cascade of grief. Gone, he was gone forever. No more laughter, or late-night texts, no more holidays, plans, dinners, or anything. It was the simple things she missed: like giggling on the phone, holding hands, or laying on the couch snuggled up together while they watched a movie.
“Are you okay?” Kayla paused while packing up the maps.
Rowan swallowed a couple of times, trying to shift the lump in her throat. “Yeah.”
No.
The small woman pursed her lips. “You don’t look it.”
I just lost my best friend. The man I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with. And even though it’s only been two weeks, it’s getting harder to reminder the exact shape of his face…
“My partner died a couple weeks ago. I just had a moment.”
“I’m sorry.” Kayla glanced down and patted Rowan on the hand. “Losing loved ones can be difficult.”
It was an odd way to phrase it, but she appreciated the sentiment.
“There! All done.” Kayla held up the last cardboard tube and grinned. “You ready?”
Rowan nodded. She hadn’t actually done all that much tidying in the marquee, but then it had hardly been trashed. “Let’s go.” She turned to Yael and waved. He nodded to indicate he’d seen her.
“He’s so hot.”
Rowan glanced back at Kayla, who had an armful of map tubes and an eyeful of bodyguard. She decided it was best not to comment.
“It’s the whole ‘I’m-gonna-slit-your-throat’ vibe he’s got going, you know?”
A surprised laugh emerged from Rowan, washing away the pain of Eric’s loss. “No, I can’t say that I do.”
Kayla sent her a sly grin. “More for me then!”
“More what for who?” Yael asked.
Of course, he has to join us now.
If she could have sunk through the former riverbed, she would have.
“Don’t worry your pretty little head over it,” Kayla said.
“Pretty little head?” A glossy chestnut eyebrow twitched.
Kayla stopped walking and adjusted her map tubes. “You’re right. Don’t worry your big head about it. I bet you have quite the…ego.”
Rowan felt the evil glance Yael gave her, concealed as it was by his dark Aviator sunglasses. “I’m as modest as I am humble.”
She smirked despite herself. Yael and Kayla continued their banter through the lingering tourist crowd to the cars, and then thankfully decided to call a truce at the minivan. They crammed into the vehicle together, Kayla’s maps jabbing Rowan in the side, after Yael somehow called shotgun before anyone realized it was up for grabs. Dr. Mustafa claimed the driver’s position, and they were off.
Of course, he has to drive.
He was a local, but still. He hadn’t even asked anyone else if they would have liked the privilege.
You’re not really angry about him driving.
No, she wasn’t.
She wasn’t angry with him at all.
Liar.
So what, that he’d ignored all her suggestions for the excavation?
They reached the compound, Kayla springing from the van like she hadn’t spent a day in the heat. Dr. Murdoch followed in a more sedate fashion, his long wiry limbs easing from the car like a spider clambering from its web. Dr. Campbell followed, leaving Rowan last.
She didn’t think Dr. Campbell had spoken more than two words to her since she’d met him yesterday. Short, and built like a weightlifter, he had an imposing nose and beady eyes that seemed to assess everything and anything in his path. He mostly talked to the lanky Dr. Murdoch, even ignoring Kayla, who was hard to ignore considering her irrepressible nature.
Outside the van, Rowan nodded to Kayla and then walked toward the sleeping quarters. They reminded her of school camps—a long cabin-like building comprising a set number of doors, each leading to a bedroom. In this case, however, it was a fancy trailer, and she didn’t have to share a room with anyone. And the porch was enclosed, to prevent mosquitoes and other creepy crawlies from finding their bedrooms easily, which was a relief. Scorpions and snakes weren’t really her thing. Especially not in her bed.
Tonight would be her first official night here as excavation director.
Yael followed her onto the porch, the trailer squeaking with their weight. “What now?”
“What do you mean?” She wiped sweat from her forehead with her sleeve.
Ugh. She forgot how gross she got in the heat.
Yael, of course, looked like he’d just spent the day sitting in air-conditioned comfort. How does he do that?
/>
Worse, she’d been under the marquee for half the day, whereas he’d been out in the sun, wandering the site and staring menacingly at the tourists.
He took off his sunglasses and leaned his shoulder against the wall next to her door. “I need to work out your routine so I can establish any safety protocols required.”
She wanted to lie, and say she was going to go into Luxor and party all night, but she wasn’t an idiot. She needed sleep to fight the jet lag. “I’m going to have a shower, then debrief, then eat. Probably work some, and then bed. It will probably continue like that the whole excavation.”
“Fine. I’ll wait here.”
“Wait here?” She frowned.
“Yes, but first, let me check your room.”
“Check my room?” She knew she sounded like a parrot, but what?
He withdrew a small locket from his pocket, opened it, and then dabbed some powder on his eyelids.
“What are you doing?”
“Putting on makeup.”
She glared.
He tucked the jewelry away. “It helps me see better.”
“Okay.”
Eyeshadow helps him see better?
But his words rang with the truth. Maybe he had skin irritation or something—not that he appeared like he’d had eczema a day in his life—and it was a medicated powder.
Yael pushed off the wall and motioned for her to step aside. She did, worried he might pick her up and simply move her out of the way. She didn’t want to know what that would feel like, and she certainly didn’t want his hands on her. She knew how that felt.
He opened the door to her room and stepped inside.
It was bigger than she’d thought it would be.
There was a small desk near the door, a double bed with two nightstands, a small chair that could almost pretend to be a couch, and a T.V. There was even an attached bathroom.
Yes! No communal showers for me.
How had Luke managed to arrange all this?
He’s rich as Croesus, that’s how.
Yael moved around the room, poking at her bed, lifting her mattress, and even going through the drawers, which were all empty. Her bags had been placed inside the doorway, but other than that, the room was as clean and vacant as if it had never been used before. It even had a fresh smell; like that of a new car.
Ascending Passion Page 7
