Anubis
Anubis copyright c. 2015 T.A. Chase
Part Twenty-Nine
::Will you be returning soon?:: Bastet’s voice entered Anubis’ mind.
::Yes. We’re leaving Petra. The police have been called and they’ll pick up the grave robbers. Why?::
Bastet’s amusement came through. ::I think I might have broken your boyfriend.::
He tensed and Thoth glanced over at him from where he crouched next to one of the robbers. Anubis shook his head, not wanting to explain at the moment.
::How did you do that?::
::I told him we were born in the age of Pharaohs and he really hasn’t spoken since. Kellan says Jamil is processing what I told him, but since I said nothing else besides that, I’m not sure what he could be thinking about.::
Anubis sighed. ::You couldn’t have waited until I was there to soften the blow.::
::I figured it would be easier to hear the truth from a man he wasn’t sleeping with.::
He didn’t think it mattered. Jamil would think him crazy whether they were sleeping together or not. Not everyone would react like Kellan had to the truth. He hoped Jamil let him explain more before he took off. If leaving was his solution, Anubis would make sure the news of the book he’d found got out, so whoever wanted it wouldn’t go after Jamil.
Thoth joined him. “We need to get back to the others. I’m afraid whoever is looking for the book will go there to find it.”
Nodding, Anubis said, “Let’s go. The authorities will pick these two up and call Jamil. We must impress upon him the importance of not mentioning us.”
“I’m pretty sure he’s not going to say a word. He’s not sure what—or who—we are any more.” Thoth clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll see you there.”
Anubis closed his eyes and thought of the suite. In the instance after he imagined the room, he heard Bastet and Kellan talking softly. He stretched before he opened his eyes to spy Thoth, Bastet and Kellan gathered near the door of the suite.
When they realized he watched them, Bastet turned and smiled. “Jamil is in the bedroom and has been since I told him how old we are. We are going to go back home. Kellan wants to go through the library to see if he can find any books that mention Petra. Let us know when we can return and we’ll take a look at what you discovered then.”
“Of course. Thank you for watching out for him.” Anubis accepted the hug from Kellan and the hand shakes from his brothers. He wasn’t looking forward to talking to Jamil about any of it. Maybe he could skip over his past and just get to the part where they were trying to save the world from destruction.
::You know that’s not going to happen.:: Isis’s laughter skated through him.
::I know, but one could hope, right?::
::True. Send the others back. We’ll see if we can’t dig up information on who might want what you found.:: Isis sounded intrigued.
Anubis rolled his eyes. ::We don’t know what I found yet. I haven’t had time to look at it. I tucked it away where no one is going to find it.::
He could almost feel Isis shrug. ::Check it out then. Don’t waste time trying to explain us to Jamil yet. Have him look at the book with you. Maybe he’ll see something we don’t.::
The others were gone and Anubis knew he couldn’t put off talking to Jamil. After stalking to the bedroom door, he knocked on it.
“Jamil, I need you to come out here. We don’t have much time.” He stopped then said, “Please.”
He waited a few minutes, wondering if Jamil was going to open the door or if the man planned on ignoring him. He knew he could enter the room, but he wanted Jamil to give him permission.
Finally the door opened and he stepped to allow Jamil to join him in the living area. Anubis studied his lover, not liking the skepticism in his dark eyes and the distant expression on his face.
“Are you hungry? Would you like something to drink?” Nerves made him babble and Anubis didn’t like it. It had been a long time since anyone had made him nervous.
“No. I’m good.” Jamil propped his fists on his hips, glaring at Anubis. “What is your real name?”
Anubis pursed his lips then shook his head. “It has been too long. I’ve forgotten it.”
“Don’t bullshit me. I know Ahmed isn’t it and I doubt your parents named you Anubis to honor the god.” Jamil began to pace, forcing Anubis back to the couch.
“It’s true. My parents didn’t name me Anubis, but when I was reborn into the life I live now, the god chose me to represent him on this earth, so I took his name.” Anubis held up his hand to stop Jamil’s protest. “It has been thousands of years since I used my real name, Jamil. Do you think I would be able to remember it? Especially when it meant nothing to me when I lived.”
Jamil gave him a narrow-eyed stare. “You make it sound like you were raised from the dead. We both know that isn’t possible.”
Anubis rubbed his chest where an insistent throbbing built. “It’s possible when the gods and goddesses are involved. And more importantly, when the god of the underworld wishes for you to be his avatar, he can control life and death. I assure you, I would’ve preferred to remain dead.”
“I don’t believe you,” Jamil muttered.
“I would have been more shocked if you did believe me right away,” Anubis admitted.
“Who the hell are you? And Thomas and Bastet? Is Kellan one of you as well?” Jamil continued to pace while shooting Anubis questions.
“Wait. If you wish for me to answer you, you must give me a chance to speak.” Anubis grinned. “You’re as bad as Kellan when he wants to know something. And no…or yes. Kellan is one of us, only in the fact that he is Bastet’s husband. He knows about us, but he’s not one of the original seven.”
Jamil stopped. “There are seven of you?”
“We are the Earth Warriors, created by the old Egyptian gods and goddesses to protect the earth from destruction. Sehkmet, Isis, Amum, Horus, Bastet, Thoth and me. We were warriors in our own way while we lived and when we died, our patrons demanded we serve them.” Anubis touched his chest again. “It’s hard to say no to a god.”
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