Archive for Earth Warriors

Anubis

Anubis

 

Anubis copyright c. 2015 T.A. Chase

Part Twenty-Four-

Anubis and Thoth strolled away, for all the world looking as though they were in no hurry to get wherever they were headed. Yet both of them wanted to get to the caves. Anubis snarled at the internal tugging he felt every time he thought about them.

“What do you think is going on in the caves that our gods want us to search them?” Thoth rubbed his chest and grimaced.

“You feel it too, huh?” Anubis had never had this strong a demand before.

Thoth grunted then said, “We knew there had to be something else going on beside some fringe group not wanting the site disturbed. Hell, you could get up in arms about it since it’s your people they’re digging up.”

Anubis shrugged. “I’ve been skirting the edges of believability and soon Jamil’s going to figure out I know far more than I’d have learned from legends. I’m trying to act normal, knowing that Okilma, the princess, and their son were killed at some point after they sacrificed me.”

“You know we’re all sorry about that,” Thoth commented quietly as they approached the first of the caves.

The gate that kept visitors out yielded to Anubis’s magic. He could’ve gone and gotten a key from one of the guards, but he didn’t want anyone escorting them. They weren’t grave robbers, interested in ancient artifacts to sell on the black market. Neither he nor Thoth would desecrate a grave like that. Even if they had been that kind of person, their gods wouldn’t allow it.

Thoth glanced around before meeting Anubis’s gaze. “You’re safe.”

He rolled his eyes. “Safety is relative.”

“All right, asshole. You’re clear. There’s no one around and I’ll make sure everyone stays away.” Thoth turned his back on Anubis, lifting his hand to touch the gate they’d shut behind them.

After stripping out of his clothes, Anubis folded them and set them on a shelf close to the top of the cave. He closed his eyes then let his magic roll over him as his shift took hold. His mind went blank. When he could think again, he breathed deep and sneezed.

“I don’t have super smelling and I think it stinks in here,” Thoth spoke from where he stood further inside the first cave.

Anubis shook his entire body, adjusting to having four paws and a tail as he did so. Then he tilted his head as he stared past Thoth.

“What?” Thoth looked down at his shirt and pants. “I can’t change. It would look really odd if someone wandered by and saw a hawk in the caves. A jackal’s one thing. You might be rare around here, but it wouldn’t be strange that you’d gotten in somehow.”

Shaking his head, Anubis huffed. ::I wasn’t looking at you. I see shadows behind you.::

“Shadows?” Thoth whirled around and peered into the darkness. “What kind of shadows? Like someone left a lantern—or torch—on and the flame is moving with the breeze? Or like there are actual people back there waiting to attack us?”

::Shadows like spirits drifting on the air as though they don’t realize they’re dead or are trying to find their way out of the cave.:: He growled. ::Sekhmet should come here and bless this place. Apparently no one has done it yet. Maybe then the dead will be happy.:: Joy swelled in his heart at his thought and he sighed. How was he going to get Sekhmet to do that when he rarely saw his brother? Maybe he would suggest it to Isis and he could discuss it with Sekhmet.

“Good luck with that,” Thoth quipped. “Let’s go. We have to get this over with before your boyfriend comes looking for us. Don’t need him to find out his lover can turn into a jackal and is thousands of years old.”

::Shut up.:: Anubis didn’t want to discuss Jamil or the possibility of the man discovering exactly what Anubis was. ::He’s just a way to pass the time while we’re here.::

Thoth snorted then coughed. “Ugh! That stench is getting stronger and we haven’t even moved yet. And try pulling my other leg. There’s something going on between you and the archaeologist, Anubis. Pretend all you want, but even I can see it.”

Curling his upper lip to expose his canines, Anubis acknowledged Thoth was right about the smell. The breeze hadn’t changed in intensity since they’d entered the caves. It was almost as if whatever created the aroma was moving.

::There can’t be anything between us, Thoth. You know that we are meant to spend our time alone until our gods and goddesses free us from our duty.::

“What kind of bullshit is that? If that was true, then Bastet would’ve never found Kellan and his goddess wouldn’t have blessed their union. You’re just scared of losing Jamil to old age.” Thoth held up his hand when Anubis took a step toward him. “Stop it. We’re all scared of that. I mean really? How many lovers have we lost over the years? Too many to count, yet for some reason, we keep falling in love. I don’t think our patrons meant for us to spend our lives alone.”

Anubis decided he was done with the conversation. He trotted past Thoth, heading deeper into the first cave. All of the burial caves were connected, though the humans hadn’t found the tunnels between them yet. The ancients that had buried their dead in the caves had made sure about that.

The scent grew stronger as he hunted. His human side wanted to gag and throw up at the rotting flesh smell. His jackal wanted to find it and eat since scavenging was its primary way of feeding. ::There’s something—or someone—dead ahead of us in one of the hidden tunnels.::

“Do you suppose it’s one of the guards that’s disappeared?” Thoth had stuck close, in case Anubis needed a pair of hands to open a door or something. It kept him from wasting energy to shift back and forth between forms.

::It could be and that would explain why no one found them yet. They don’t know about them.::

“Someone does. That’s not a good thing, Anubis.”

Thoth’s comment was an understatement. Whoever had done this knew more about Petra then the police and the people who worked there. Anubis wasn’t sure what that meant yet, but he knew it was going to be important some time soon.

Anubis

Anubis

 

Anubis copyright c. 2015 T.A. Chase

Part Twenty-Four-

Ahmed grinned. “I’ve had sort of the same thing happen to me. I got lost hiking in Peru. Must have stepped off the trail I was supposed to be following, ended up wandering deeper into the jungle. Found a faint path leading in the direction I knew I had to be taking.”

Jamil watched Ahmed’s face as he recounted his tale and noticed how his gaze seemed to turn in as though he were seeing the jungle around him. Hutchinson didn’t say a word, but he looked as fascinated as Jamil felt. Has he never heard this story before? I thought they were friends.

“The whole time I walked, it was dark and cool under the canopy. I could only see glimpses of the sun through the leaves. It was as though the entire forest watched me while I wandered through their world.” Ahmed shrugged. “I mean I know I was being watched by the monkeys and other animals that live in there, but this was a different feeling. There was a weight behind those eyes.”

“A weight?” Hutchinson asked.

Jamil wanted to punch him for speaking. He was afraid it would drag Ahmed out of his memories and Jamil wanted to hear the whole experience.

Ahmed met Hutchinson’s gaze and something passed between them. “Yes, a weight of centuries as if the person watching me had been in the jungle for longer than I had been alive. As though it had been around at the birth of the world.”

“A god,” Hutchinson whispered, drawing a nod from Ahmed.

As much as Jamil wanted to scoff at the idea of there being hidden gods, he couldn’t. While he wasn’t sure he believed in any gods, he had seen how strong the belief in one could be. Hell, people were dying in the name of their god all over the world right now.

Ahmed exhaled like he’d been holding his breath. “The path led to a temple. It should’ve been abandoned, out there in the middle of nowhere, but there was no dirt anywhere as though a monk—or worshiper—had just swept it out minutes before I arrived. None of the vines had invaded the stones. No animals had made nests in the walls or on the altar. It was pristine.”

“That’s unusual. If it hadn’t been discovered yet, the rainforest should have been reclaiming it after all the centuries.” Jamil had seen quite a few temples like that in Thailand and India. Also, Mexico and South America, where they were still discovering ancient cities under the cover of the foliage.

“You’re right. It wasn’t on any tourist map for the hiking trails and I’m pretty sure no guide would’ve ever taken anyone there. The path was worn but faint. There weren’t any footprints besides mine that day. I suppose they could’ve come in from a different direction, but I looked around before I left and didn’t see any signs of someone else being there.” Ahmed stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I went in to pray and leave an offering on the altar. As I left, a cool breeze brushed by my cheek, which was unusual because it had been hot and humid the entire day with no real wind to speak of.”

Both Jamil and Hutchinson nodded. Jamil had had experiences like that before and in his deepest soul, he believed it was a spirit letting him know they were around. Whether that spirit was a god or not, he didn’t know.

“The god was saying thank you for me acknowledging its presence. It was thanking me for taking a few minutes out of my day to pray to it. After I left, it was almost as if a trail appeared that hadn’t been there a moment ago. I took it and within thirty minutes was back on the path I was supposed to have been on all along.” Ahmed shot them a shy smile. “It’s something I’ve never forgotten.”

Jamil couldn’t resist. He laid his hand on Ahmed’s arm. “You shouldn’t. Every time you relive that moment, you’re ensuring the spirit—or god—isn’t forgotten and as long as there’s one person in the world who still thinks about them, they’ll never disappear.”

Ahmed nodded. “That’s why, no matter where I am, if there is a temple, church, or just a simple altar somewhere, I take a minute to say a prayer to the universe. It builds karma points and I never know when I might need those.”

Hutchinson laughed. “We all need those from time to time.”

“Right. Now we need to get moving,” Ahmed said, shaking off the spell of his memories. “Jamil, talk to the others and decide where else you’re going to dig today. I think we should leave the anteroom alone until tomorrow. Allow the negative energy to dissipate before you do any more.”

It was a good idea. “I might have Sandy and Eesha go back to the city with me. I want to get a start on sorting and cataloging the artifacts we’ve already found. The rest can take the day off. They’ve been working hard and deserve it.”

He watched as Hutchinson started to walk off. Ahmed bent to brush a kiss over Jamil’s cheek.

“I’ll get a ride back to the city with Thomas. Call me to check in before you leave though. I’d like to know where you are. Then when I return, I’ll find you.” Ahmed motioned toward the caves. “If we find anything, I’ll let you know and you can decide what to do with it.”

“Thank you. Be safe, both of you,” he raised his voice to make sure Hutchinson heard him.

The other man raised his hand in acknowledgement but didn’t turn back. Jamil chuckled. “He is an ass, isn’t he?”

“Yes, but he has his usefulness and his good points.” Ahmed squeezed Jamil’s hand before he left.

“What the hell happened, Jamil?” Sandy didn’t even wait to get close before she asked.

“I’ll tell you in a minute. Let me give everyone else the day off then we can talk,” he promised his best friend.

Anubis

Anubis

 

Anubis copyright c. 2015 T.A. Chase

Part Twenty-Three-

“Come. We need you to look over the area so we can bag everything up and send it to the lab.” Kasha motioned for them to get moving.

Jamil wasn’t about to argue with anyone as long as they got to the anteroom quickly. He saw the police tape stretched across some of the opening, enough to deter someone from crossing. Kasha lifted it and gestured for them to go in.

Wrinkling his nose at the metallic smell, Jamil stayed at the edge of the room, running his gaze over everything. As far as he could tell, nothing had been taken or even destroyed. That didn’t surprise him. Jamil never thought the vandalism was about damaging anything. Whoever was doing it was interested more in stopping the digging and worshipping whatever god they believed in. At least that’s what he was hoping for.

“The guard still hasn’t been found,” Kasha told them.

Jamil nodded in acknowledgement, but Ahmed and Hutchinson knelt down by the makeshift altar. He eased closer and overheard them talking in some language he didn’t understand. It wasn’t Arabic or any modern language Jamil knew. Even though he couldn’t translate what they were saying, he could sense they were worried about something. He made a mental note to ask after Kasha left.

“Can my men gather the evidence?” The officer asked.

Ahmed nodded. “Yes. I don’t believe this is human blood, though I could be wrong. You may take everything and send your report to Doctor Ahlid.”

Kasha looked at Jamil for verification and he nodded. Ahmed crooked a finger at Jamil, motioning for him to come with him and Hutchison. They went back outside to sit, staying out of the police’s way. He met Ahmed’s gaze.

“What did you find when you looked at the altar? What makes you think it’s not human blood?”

Ahmed shared a glance with Hutchinson then shrugged. “I know what human blood looks like when it dries. I think they used goat’s. Probably sacrificed here and they took the body. Not sure why.”

“They wanted to freak out whoever entered the anteroom first after they left. You’re more likely to panic if you think someone’s been murdered then if you see a goat lying there,” Hutchinson suggested.

“I think if I saw any animal on the ground with its throat slit and blood all over the place, I’d panic,” Jamil mumbled.

Ahmed smiled. “Yes, it would be startling. What we need to figure out is where the guards are. This is the second one to disappear right? When it happens, something like that is found.”

Jamil rubbed his palms on his thighs. “You don’t think they were killed and buried somewhere else, do you?”

“That’s possible. Have the officers found the last place the guard was? Maybe if we take a look at it, we’ll be able to find something they’ve missed.” Ahmed stared down the canyon, watching as others from Jamil’s team started to arrive. “Why don’t you go talk to them and assign them to different areas—if you can?”

“What will you be doing?” His suspicious nature drove him to ask. There was definitely something Ahmed and Hutchinson knew that they weren’t sharing and it annoyed him. “And will you tell me what you were whispering about back there at some point?”

Ahmed reached over, covering Jamil’s hand with his. “At some point, we’ll explain what we think is going on. You’ll think we’re crazy, but we’re used to that. I don’t think this is the right time though. Your people will have questions, plus Thomas and I must discuss some things before we do anything else.”

Hutchinson stood then held out his hand to Ahmed. “Come, brother. Let’s have our talk before we go look through some of the caves.”

“Caves?” Jamil pushed to his feet, not wanting them to tower over him. He did his best to ignore Hutchinson’s calling Ahmed ‘brother’. It sounded as though he truly thought of Ahmed as family.

“Yes. I’m sure the police did that and will do it again, but we’d like to wander through them as well. Maybe we’ll see something they didn’t.” Ahmed pursed his lips, which made Jamil wish the man would kiss him again.

There wasn’t time for that at the moment. Sandy and Eesha were approaching, their faces filled with concern. Ahmed touched Jamil’s cheek, caressing his skin lightly.

“Go talk to the ladies. I’ll come and find you when we’re done.”

Jamil sighed. “Be careful. Some of the caves are unstable and spirits haunt those dark areas.”

Hutchinson huffed. “You believe in ghosts?”

Ahmed nudged the man, but Jamil wasn’t bothered by the question.

“Yes, I do. You might think my job wouldn’t lead me to acknowledging the paranormal, but I’ve spent a lot of time digging in places where I’ve felt the weight of eyes on me while I was alone. I’ve come to believe they exist.” Jamil chuckled. “Of course, all the noises I hear while I’m alone at a dig could be my imagination.”

He was surprised when both Ahmed and Hutchinson shook their heads.

“We’re practical men, Jamil,” Ahmed said. “For the most part, we believe in only what we see, hear and touch. Yet we’ve had experiences like you. We’ve seen things in the deserts. Flashes of color where none should be. Shadows made by bodies that weren’t there. Moments in time relived over and over without the realization of the person’s death.”

Hutchinson shivered. “I was doing a job in a Thailand temple. It was later in the day as the sun was setting and the native people we’d hired to help with the dig always left before night fell. I was supposed to be alone then I felt as though someone had entered the room with me. I turned around to find a small monk standing there, watching me. I knew he wasn’t real because I could see right through him.”

“What did you do?” Jamil held up his hand to stop Sandy and Eesha from getting closer.

“I knelt and asked him to bless me.” Hutchinson’s cheeks tinged with red as though he was embarrassed by what he’d done. “The top of my head went cold like he had touched me and as strange as it seems, peace filled me for several days after that.”

Anubis

Anubis

 

Anubis copyright c. 2015 T.A. Chase

Part Twenty-Two-

Jamil shot a quick look over at Ahmed as they drove up to the parking lot where he’d leave his truck. Ahmed hadn’t said a word once they got on the highway to head to Petra, and that worried Jamil. Why wasn’t he talking? Did he think Jamil should be removed from the dig? They climbed out of the vehicle and there were two police officers there to greet them.

“Dr. Ahlid, I must admit I don’t like meeting like this,” The older of the officers said as they approached.

“I know.” Jamil shook hands with him. “Officer Kahsa, this is Doctor Ahmed Al Hazzan. He’s a consulant with UNESCO who arrived two days ago to check on our progress, plus look at some of the artifacts we’ve discovered.”

“Doctor.” Kahsa shook hands with Ahmed. He didn’t bother introducing the young man with him. “We’ve cordoned off the room and left the ‘offering’ there until you could look at it. Our technicians have already taken all the photos we need.”

“Is it the same as last time?” Jamil grabbed his backpack out of the truck then locked it before he motioned for Kahsa to lead the way. He rubbed his suddenly sweaty palms on his jeans. Why was he nervous? Or was it worry?

“Yes. Also exactly except there is more blood.” Kahsa frowned. “I’m not sure if it is animal—or human—blood yet. Our labs will be able to let us know. I told them to rush it since we need to know just how dangerous this person is.”

Ahmed cleared his throat. “Oh, I can almost guarantee that it’s going to be human.”

Both Jamil and Kahsa shot him questioning glances and Ahmed shrugged.

“If they are worshipping the people who used to live here before the Nabataeans, then they will wish to continue their practices of human sacrifice.” Ahmed wrinkled his nose. “At one time, humans believed spilling their own blood would bring favor from the gods. Little did they realize the gods don’t care about humans. They only see them as their playthings.”

Jamil tucked the information away in his brain to bring out when they were alone again. How did Ahmed know these things? Just how much did Ahmed’s tribe know about the people who lived at Petra before the Nabataeans? And why hadn’t they ever talked about the society to anyone? It would be a huge discover, just like the canopic jars Jamil had found.

Kahsa made a subtle gesture as though he were warding himself against something. “You shouldn’t speak with such disrespect for the gods.”

“Do you still believe in the old ones? I thought you would be a convert to Allah or the Christian god.” Ahmed studied Kahsa as though he were an interesting bug he’d uncovered.

“I believe in taking no chances. I worship at my mosque, but I also don’t talk ill of any god. You never know who is listening.” Kahsa waved his hand in a vague motion to encompass the canyons around them. “The old gods might not be visible, but I don’t think they disappeared when the new ones moved in.”

Ahmed grunted, looking pained for a moment, and reached up to rub his temple. “You could be right about that, Officer. I’ll try to temper my speech when I’m with you. I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble with any god.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Kahsa inclined his head slightly.

“Hey, wait up.”

They whirled around and Jamil was shocked to see Thomas Hutchinson come jogging up to them. He shared a look with Ahmed whose expression could only be called resigned.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” Kahsa confronted Hutchinson.

Hutchinson stopped next to them, leaning over to catch his breath. Once he could talk, he said, “I’m Dr. Thomas Hutchinson. I’m a consultant for UNESCO. I came to help with translating some of the objects found here. Ahmed text me about the violation and I thought I’d come out to see it for myself. I might be able to help out.”

Jamil turned to Ahmed. “You text him?”

Shrugging, Ahmed said, “I thought it might be wise to have another set of eyes when we looked at the scene. For all his arrogance, Thomas is very observant and he might see something we would miss.”

“Are there any more coming to join us, Dr. Ahlid?” Kahsa didn’t sound happy, but he obviously wasn’t going to keep Hutchinson from going with them.

“Not that I know of. Let’s go. The sooner we get there and check it out, the sooner we can clean it up and get back to work.” Jamil scrubbed his hand over his face. “I’m already two days behind schedule from the first time. Now this one is going to put me even further behind.”

“You have two more sets of hands,” Hutchinson pointed out, slapping Jamil’s back. “Ahmed might not like grubbing in the dirt anymore, but I’m more than happy to help out. Maybe with us, we can get you back on schedule.”

Ahmed moved to put himself between Jamil and Hutchinson, forcing the other man to take his hand from Jamil’s shoulder. “I never said I didn’t like digging, Thomas. I simply haven’t had any opportunity to do it lately. I think you need to keep quiet. We are here on sufferance from Jamil and Officer Kahsa. If they wish, they can deny us access to the site.”

Like Jamil was going to keep either one of them from it. Ahmed knew more than he was saying about the jars and the forgotten society who once ruled Petra. Jamil wanted that knowledge, along with finding out how Ahmed knew it. The other reason he wouldn’t kick them out was because both worked for UNESCO and if they wanted to, they could go to the board and tell them to revoke permission for Jamil’s dig. He didn’t want that. Digging at Petra was a once in a lifetime chance for him. One he wasn’t about to lose, even if it meant he had to deal with Hutchinson.

Anubis

Anubis

 

Anubis copyright c. 2015 T.A. Chase

Part Twenty-One

“Really?” Jamil twisted to meet Anubis’s eyes. “How do you know that? I couldn’t find any information on any other culture besides the Nabataeans. No one knew there might have been other people who lived in Petra before them.”

Squinting, Anubis tried to think of a realistic lie. There was no way he could tell Jamil he knew because he had been a member of that society. He shrugged. “I must have heard it in the stories my grandfather used to tell me.”

Not wanting to deal with any more questions, even though he’d been the one who brought the subject up in the first place, he asked, “I never got a chance to look at the stuff that had been left at the site. Do you think we could go back to the museum and look at them tomorrow before we go to Petra?”

It was Jamil’s turn to squint at Anubis as though he wanted to say something else, but then he said, “Sure. I have the photos we took of the offering placement on my laptop, so you can study them right now if you want.”

Anubis knew he should do that. He should start to pull away from Jamil. Getting involved with someone while on assignment wasn’t a good idea, especially someone as close to the mission as Jamil was. The man wasn’t stupid either. Eventually he’d start asking questions Anubis couldn’t answer. Well he could answer them, if he wanted Jamil to think he was crazy.

But he didn’t want to. He wanted to stay in bed, wrapped around Jamil. He liked listening to the man breath and feeling the heat of his skin against his own. It had been a long time since he’d felt this way and wanted to take advantage of the moment.

“I can do it later.” He nuzzled Jamil’s temple. “I’m not ready to return to work just yet.”

Laughing, Jamil snuggled closer. “I agree.”

Silence fell between them, yet it had a comfortable feel to it instead of awkwardness. As the minutes drifted by, Anubis heard the sound of Jamil’s breathing even out as the man slept. Anubis stared at the ceiling, not tired at all. He rarely needed to sleep anymore. As he grew in power and learned to deal with the fact that he wasn’t going to die any time soon, he’d discovered his body didn’t need rest.

::I’m sorry to interrupt, brother, but Jamil is about to get a phone call.:: Thoth’s voice broke through Anubis’s thoughts.

::What the hell happened?:: He tried not to tense. There was no point in waking Jamil before the call came.

::Another security guard has disappeared and another offering left at the dig site. I was searching some of the other areas in Petra when it was discovered. You’ll have to make sure to call me, even though I’ll meet you there.::

Anubis groaned silently. ::How did they manage to do that without you knowing about it?::

::I don’t know unless they’d done it before I got here. I didn’t sense anything wrong, though I did wonder where the guard was. I figured he was just on rounds or something.:: Thoth sounded annoyed.

The ringing of a phone broke through the air and Jamil jerked awake, struggling to get out of bed. Anubis shoved the blankets back to make it easier on him. While Jamil dug through his clothes, Anubis climbed out of bed and started to get dressed.

::They’re calling him right now.:: He informed Thoth.

::Good. Don’t forget to call me. I’m in the room right now and I have to say whoever is leaving these offerings has to be disturbed.::

Anubis rolled his eyes. ::Of course they’re disturbed, Thoth. I assume they’ve sacrificed something, right? And there’s a lot of blood around the area.::

“Hello?” Pause…then “Yes this is Jamil Ahlid.” Another pause then Jamil swore. “Damn. All right. I’ll be out there as soon as I can. Have you called the authorities?”

::The police have just arrived, but they’re staying away from it. Not sure if they want to keep from contaminating it or if they’re too scared to touch it.::

::Do you think the guard has been killed?:: If the guards were killed so the person—or persons—could have access to the site, then it was far more serious than Anubis first thought.

He could almost feel Thoth shrug. ::It’s possible. I’m not sensing any other humans around besides the ones at the main site. There are spirits here, but they aren’t strong enough to interfere as far as I can tell.::

Shivering slightly as he zipped up his pants, Anubis chose not to think about whose ghosts might inhabit Petra. Running into Okilma’s would be heartbreaking for him.

“I’m sorry to rush away like this,” Jamil started to say, but Anubis held up his hand.

“It’s fine. I assume something has happened at the site.” Anubis tugged on his shirt then looked around to see where he’d left his boots. “I’m coming with you.”

“Oh you don’t have to.” The relief on Jamil’s face told Anubis he was glad to have his company.

Anubis gripped Jamil’s shoulder and squeezed for a second. “I know I don’t have to, but you shouldn’t go by yourself, and I work for UNESCO. There should be a representative there if at all possible. I’m sure they’ll want a report as quickly as we can get them one as well.”

Jamil grimaced. “They’ll be so happy to hear someone’s desecrating a world heritage site. I just hope they don’t decide to pull my permit to dig there.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll do everything I can to convince them your work is far more important than some nut job’s obsession with the place.”

He guided Jamil through gathering all their stuff then heading to the elevator. Once in the lobby, he pulled out his phone and sent Thoth a text. That would cover Thoth being there. They waited impatiently for Jamil’s truck to be brought around.

Anubis

Anubis

 

Anubis copyright c. 2015 T.A. Chase

Part Twenty-

“I need to get supplies,” he murmured against Jamil’s throat before nibbling a little.

“Oh okay,” Jamil stuttered, his breath hitching slightly when Anubis licked a line down to his nipple and placed a quick bite to the pebbled flesh.

He climbed off the bed and strolled to the bathroom where his shaving kit was. After digging through it, he grabbed the bottle of lube and the strip of condoms he’d stuck in there. Not that he thought he would get lucky when he packed, but it didn’t hurt to be prepared.

He stalked back and froze in his tracks. Jamil knelt in the middle of the bed, one hand braced on the headboard while he worked his fingers in and out of his ass. Anubis moaned as he approached.

“You could’ve waited until I brought the lube,” he said as he rejoined Jamil.

Jamil looked over his shoulder, licking his lips as his gaze trailed over Anubis’s body. “I didn’t want to. I want you in me as soon as possible. It’s all I’ve been thinking about since we met.”

Somehow Anubis doubted that, but it was nice to hear even if it wasn’t true. He pushed Jamil’s hand away. “Let me.”

After popping open the cap, he squirted some slick on his hand. He set the bottle to the side then eased two of his fingers into Jamil. He watched as Jamil let his head drop forward to rest his chin on his chest. Anubis stroked in and out while caressing Jamil’s lower back.

“You’re quite beautiful,” he whispered as the muscles under his hand flexed and relaxed while Jamil impaled himself on Anubis’s fingers. Jamil’s body took Anubis in as though his touch was as familiar to it as the air in its lungs.

Anubis’s breathing stalled for a second when his wandering hand found a birthmark on Jamil’s right hip. He didn’t stop stretching and preparing Jamil, but he let his attention move from Jamil’s ass to the mark upon his skin.

What sort of torture is this? You are a cruel god. Anubis thought to his patron god when he saw that Jamil’s mark looked exactly like the one Okilma had at the exact same spot on his hip. He tried not to think about what that might mean.

::Souls are reborn every moment.:: Sekhmet’s voice echoed through his head.

Mentally shaking his head, Anubis sent back one statement. ::Not now.::

Leaning down, he brushed a kiss over the spot then drew his focus away from the disturbing discovery. He would think about that later when the night was dark and he couldn’t find solace in sleep.

“Ahmed, I need more,” Jamil begged, tossing a pleading glance over his shoulder at Anubis. “Please.”

Anubis patted Jamil’s cheek before easing his fingers from Jamil’s ass. “I know exactly what you need.”

Wasting no time, he unwrapped a condom and slid it on his cock. The lube was where he’d dropped it, so after coating himself, he settled behind Jamil. He positioned the head of his shaft at Jamil’s opening then slowly began to push in.

It was as though the entire world held its breath while he buried himself as deep as he could in Jamil. When he finally couldn’t go any further, Anubis curled over his lover and exhaled. Jamil shuddered as Anubis’s warm breath washed over him.

“Are you all right?” Anubis wasn’t about to move until Jamil told him it was okay.

Jamil trembled and slowly relaxed under Anubis. He reached back to pat Anubis’s hip. “I’m fine. You’re a little bigger than my last lover, so it just took me a second.”

A surge of pride shot through Anubis and he gave a silent snort. Foolish to feel proud that I’m bigger than some unknown guy. Idiot. He slid almost all the way out then plunged back in. Jamil cried out, but he didn’t try to get away from Anubis. In fact, he rocked back into each hard thrust. Soon Anubis’s thoughts were only centered on the man he fucked and how marvelous it felt to have him wrapped around Anubis’s cock.

“Ahmed,” Jamil whimpered and Anubis could hear the need in his voice.

Smiling, Anubis took Jamil’s cock in hand and started stroking in counterpoint to his own movements. Jamil jerked at the rough handling then rested his head on Anubis’s shoulder so Anubis could look down the length of his chest to see his long fingers encircling Jamil’s shaft.

He tried not to think of how similar their postures were to all those times he and Okilma had been together. His prince loved to be taken, to give over all control to his personal bodyguard. So many nights they’d lie in an exhausted embrace after a frantic coupling.

“Oh God, Ahmed.” Jamil tensed, his inner passage tightening around Anubis like a vise.

Anubis grunted then came at the same time as Jamil did, covering Anubis’s fingers and wrist along with the pillow underneath them. They jerked and shivered together until it seemed like the last drop had been drained.

Jamil collapsed and Anubis followed him down. He pressed a kiss to Jamil’s shoulder while he caught his breath. Once he was certain he could move without crumpling to the floor, he slipped from Jamil then made his way to the bathroom where he cleaned up.

“How are you?” He returned to find Jamil hadn’t moved from where he’d fallen.

“Mrphm,” Jamil said into the pillow.

“What?” Anubis chuckled. “You’re going to have to roll over so I can wipe you off.”

Jamil huffed but did as Anubis said. He flopped onto his back, letting his arm cover his eyes. Anubis washed him off then tossed the cloth and the soiled pillow toward the bathroom. He climbed in, resting his head on Jamil’s shoulder.

“Have you always had that mark on your hip?” He had to ask, though he didn’t really want to know the answer.

“Hm-m-m…” Jamil shifted and Anubis could tell he was looking down at his hip. “Yeah. Kind of weird, isn’t it?”

Anubis traced the edges of the jackal-shaped birthmark. He wanted to kiss it, but figured Jamil would think it was odd. Okilma had the same shaped mark on his right hip. It was the sign of Anubis’s favor and how Okilma had become prince. What did it mean that the man who was excavating Okilma’s home would bear the same birthmark as the prince who ruled there?

“It’s interesting. Not weird. Do you know that for the society that those canopic jars belonged to, the jackal was the symbol of the ruling family?” He spoke in a low murmur, lost in his memories of Okilma’s smile and laughter. The smell of the sweat on his skin. The sound of his voice as he called Anubis’s name.

Anubis

Anubis

 

Anubis copyright c. 2015 T.A. Chase (very short installment, but I wanted to get you something…lol)

Part Nineteen-

“I think we need to find the bed,” Jamil mumbled.

Anubis didn’t speak, but he started edging them in the direction of the bedroom. He wasn’t interested in talking. All he wanted right at that moment was Jamil under him, calling his name as he came. He didn’t want to think about how he shouldn’t be doing this. How the mission was more important than him getting laid. His body was overruling his mind and it needed Jamil naked.

When they reached the side of the bed, Anubis broke their kiss then fumbled with Jamil’s belt. He cursed and Jamil laughed.

“We should just get ourselves naked this time,” Jamil suggested. “My hands are shaking too much for me to try and remember how to undo buttons and zippers.”

“You’re right.” Anubis took a step back, giving himself space to strip off his own shirt then work on his jeans. He started to push them down when he realized he still had his boots on. Swearing under his breath, he dropped to the edge of the mattress to struggle with the laces.

Jamil chuckled as he did the same thing, but since he’d already lost his shirt while they were in the other room, he was done before Anubis. After kneeling, he made short work of Anubis’s boots then surged up to push him over onto his back.

Groaning, Anubis gripped Jamil’s hips when the man straddled his waist. His erection throbbed and he shuddered at the thought of being buried deep inside Jamil. Anubis slid his hands down to hold Jamil’s ass then spread his cheeks apart so he could rub his thumb over Jamil’s puckered hole.

Jamil whimpered and rocked back, but Anubis wasn’t about to do anything without lube. He rolled them over, bracing his hands on the blankets to each side of Jamil’s head. Crushing their mouths together, he bit Jamil’s bottom lip then sucked on it to ease the sting.

Anubis

Anubis

 

Anubis copyright c. 2015 T.A. Chase

Part Eighteen-

He could feel his lip curl up with disgust and frustration. ::I was thrown into this life we lead without any time to reconcile what I used to be with what I am now.::

::None of us had that chance.:: Isis reminded him.

::Then why are you telling me to harness my anger? Why shouldn’t I be angry?:: He dug his fingers into the seat under him.

Isis sighed. Anubis could hear the sadness and exhaustion that colored the sound. A little hint of guilt touched him, knowing that part of Isis’s exhaustion was because of him. Though he was pretty sure Sekhment had caused the sadness.

::Be as angry as you wish, Anubis, but don’t let it overwhelm you while you’re dealing with the situation. We still don’t know what’s going on there. When this is over, you can go out into the desert and scream all your rage out.::

“Are you sure you’re okay? You seem really tense.”

Jamil’s question caused him to jump again. Shit! He needed to keep his mind on Jamil and not what was going on in his head. Isis was right. Anubis needed to settle down. The situation was far more important than his anger at the moment. Hell, when he got back to Scotland, he could scream and throw as big a temper tantrum as he wanted. None of the others would make fun of him.

“I just need to eat something. Do you have plans for the evening or can I entice you into having dinner with me?” He interjected as much flirtation into his voice as he could.

::I guess that’s one way to take your mind off the problem.:: Thoth sounded amused.

::Shut up and go find your own entertainment for the night.::

The blush staining Jamil’s cheeks intrigued Anubis. He didn’t think the man was innocent or anything like that.

“Umm…dinner sounds great. Do you want to clean up before we go?”

Anubis wanted to chuckle, but he didn’t. “How about I make a reservation for us at the hotel restaurant? The food is pretty good there. You can clean up in my suite if you want.”

Maybe he was pushing it. They had just met the day before and Jamil might not want to move as fast, but Anubis could admit to himself that he didn’t want to be alone that night.

“I always keep a bag in the truck with a change of clothes, so that sounds like a plan to me.” Jamil grinned and reached over to pat Anubis’s knee.

“Great.” Taking a deep breath, Anubis forced himself to relax. He’d push his concerns about the jars to the back of his mind until the morning. That would be soon enough to work on it.

After pulling up to the front of the hotel, Anubis climbed out before grabbing his bag. Jamil walked around the truck to join him. Jamil handed the keys to the valet then they went on inside. Anubis led the way to the elevators.

“Will Hutchinson be joining us? I thought he was staying with you.” Jamil stood next to him in the elevator.

“No. He text me this afternoon and said he got his own room. Plus he found a friend to have dinner with.” Anubis had no doubt that Thoth would be able to do all that.

“Good.” Jamil blushed when Anubis gave him an amused glance. “Not that I don’t like Hutchinson, but…” His voice trailed off.

Anubis wanted to crowd Jamil into the corner then take his mouth in a hard kiss, but he knew he wouldn’t stop there. So he had to wait until they were in his room. He rested his hand at the small of Jamil’s back then leaned down to press his mouth against the man’s ear.

“I know what you mean. I don’t want him around either,” he whispered.

Jamil shivered, his hands opening and clenching on the straps of his bag. Anubis nibbled on Jamil’s earlobe, drawing a whimper from him. The ding of the elevator caused him to back away, but he encouraged Jamil to step out then directed him toward his suite.

“I got a suite while I’m here. I hate traveling and staying in cramped rooms.”

“Nice to have the money to do it,” Jamil muttered.

Shrugging, Anubis unlocked his door, gesturing for Jamil to go in. “That’s true. I’ve been able to make a great deal of money throughout my life and it offers me the opportunities to pamper myself.”

He shut the door behind him then set his bag down. Turning, he reached for Jamil’s duffel and took it. Once he set it on the floor next to his, Anubis slid his arms around Jamil’s waist and tugged him closer.

Jamil rested his hands on Anubis’s chest. “Shouldn’t we clean up? I thought you were hungry.”

“Oh I’m hungry all right, but at this moment, it’s not for food. I want you in my arms and bed,” he informed Jamil, trailing kisses along his jaw then bit his chin gently.

Wrapping his arms around Anubis’s shoulders, Jamil tilted his head back to give Anubis more skin to taste and suck. There was a little hint of dust mingling with sweat as he licked a line to the base of Jamil’s throat. He sucked up a mark there.

Anubis worked his hands to the hem of Jamil’s T-shirt before stepping back a little. He pulled the fabric up and over Jamil’s head, letting it drop before bending to press his tongue to one of Jamil’s nipples. He pinched the nub of flesh between his teeth and tugged on it.

“Oh my,” Jamil gasped, clasping the back of Anubis’s head while holding him in place.

He teased and played with it as he slipped his hands to grab Jamil’s ass, flexing his fingers into the tight muscles. His straightening brought a whine from Jamil, but Anubis smiled as he dragged their groins together. Their moans filled the air when their erections rubbed against each other.

Anubis

Anubis

 

Anubis copyright c. 2015 T.A. Chase

Part Seventeen-

Anubis’s head pounded as he climbed into Jamil’s truck. All day long, he’d had the feeling there was something he was supposed to be doing or somewhere else he was supposed to look, but he couldn’t get a clear enough image—or thought—of what it was.

::There are times when the gods chose to be ambiguous with what we need to know.:: Thoth’s voice entered his mind, but it soothed the ache in some small way.

::True. Then they become frustrated when we don’t move as fast as they think we should. What are we missing? Isis sent me here. He must have gotten some kind of urging from our creators. Yet all I have found is memories that I never wanted to relive.::

He could feel Thoth’s shrug before his brother spoke. ::I don’t know. Isis was tight lipped when he sent me, even when I tried to badger him into telling me.::

::Isis has developed a thick skin after dealing with us for centuries. Only Sekhmet can shake him now.:: Anubis rubbed his face then pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Are you okay?”

Jamil’s voice in the tight confines of the truck cab made him jump slightly. He’d been concentrating on Thoth, he’d forgotten about the man sitting next to him. He cleared his throat.

“I have a headache. Probably from all the dirt and dust I breathed in today. It’s been a long time since I’ve been out in the field. My lungs aren’t used to it yet.”

::It’s been over a century since you’ve been digging in the dirt. Remember when Tutankhamen was discovered. Thank God you were there.::

That had been a long expedition and dig. He and the others had exhausted themselves steering Howard Carter away from certain items buried with the boy Pharaoh. The warriors hadn’t been able to get to Tutankhamen before his tomb had been sealed to gather the religious artifacts the priests had given to the boy during his reign.

While Amun and Bastet had guided Carter to the main tomb, Anubis and the rest were busy secreting the icons and relics away to be taken to Scotland. Once there, they’d preformed the rituals needed to lock their powers, so no one would be able to use them again—or at least not without permission from the gods.

Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do about the curse a rogue priest had put on the tomb. It settled on the first group of people to have breathed in the stale air. Death followed in the wake of the discovery. It had been the most drained Anubis had felt in thousands of years.

::I hate to think this dig will be as bad as that one.:: He glanced over at Jamil. ::I hope there isn’t a curse on this place.::

::If there had been, it would’ve stuck those who discovered Petra, not Jamil and his crew. What bothers me is that this place wasn’t on our radar until they discovered those jars. Have they done x-rays on them to see if there is anything in there except mummified organs?::

::I don’t know. I forgot to ask. I was too upset yesterday when I figured out who the jars belonged to. Asking wasn’t the first thing on my mind.::

Thoth’s wave of sympathy eased Anubis’s headache even more. As annoying as he could be at times, Thoth did care for his brothers and it helped Anubis to know Thoth understood what he was feeling about this whole mission.

“Jamil?”

“Yes?” Jamil didn’t take his gaze off the road.

“Have you x-rayed the jars yet? To see if there is anything else in there beside the organs?” He clenched his hands as a sharp pain tore through his head. They had to be on the right track if he was getting shocks like that. Anubis—the god—wasn’t known for being subtle.

Frowning, Jamil shook his head. “Do you think we should? It didn’t sound like there was anything in them. Not that we shook them or anything, but we should’ve been able to hear some kind of movement.”

“Not if they were packed with something,” he muttered.

::They could be hiding something. Maybe the princess and prince’s organs aren’t in them. It could’ve been a way to keep people from stealing it—whatever it is.:: Thoth sighed. ::I’ll talk to Isis then get back to you about what we need to do.::

Anubis grunted and Jamil shot him a quick glance.

“Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Yes, but we need to schedule a time to take the jars to be x-rayed. There’s something about them that’s making me uneasy. Over the years, I’ve learned to listen to my instincts.” He tapped his fingers on his thigh while he thought. “I know a professor at the university who would probably be able to get us in to use his machine. I could grease the wheels a little with a donation.”

Jamil chuckled. “What’s the hurry? Those jars have been buried for centuries. A day or two longer won’t hurt anything.”

He wanted to say that every delay was dangerous because they didn’t know what was hidden and who might want what was there. Now that the containers had been discovered, it was only a matter of time before the people who hid them would come for them.

Anubis was worried about that. Until he knew for sure what the objects were, he had no way of preparing to keep Jamil safe and the enemy from getting their hands on what they wanted. There was so much he still didn’t know about what was going on. All he wanted to do at the moment was scream in anger for being put in this position.

::Try to harness your anger, Anubis. It’s something you should’ve dealt with when you were first killed then turned into a warrior for the gods.:: Isis’s voice came through the fog of rage.

::No one ever gave me a chance to do so.::

Anubis

Anubis

 

Anubis copyright c. 2015 T.A. Chase

Part Sixteen-

He gave the man a quick glance and Ahmed shook his head before walking off.

“What’s his problem?” Sandy asked as they watched him leave.

“I believe he feels very possessive of those caves,” Hutchinson said. “It comes from the fact that his tribe considers Petra as part of their territory, even though it’s theirs only in legends.”

“He doesn’t like the idea of us digging there,” Jamil inquired as he set his backpack down near the wall of the room then put his laptop away.

“His tribe sees those as their ancestors. Would you be happy about someone digging around in your grandfather’s grave?” Hutchinson lifted one shoulder.

Jamil frowned. “How are we supposed to learn anything about the past without searching those graves?”

Hutchinson patted his shoulder. “I see both sides of this situation and Ahmed will come around. He just needs time to adjust to the idea. To be honest, he’s never really been happy about digging the tombs in Egypt or anywhere else. He believes the dead deserve our respect.”

“Would he feels better if we made an offering to Anubis before we started digging in there? Not that he’ll still be around when we do,” Eesha suggested.

“It might help him. I think he feels an affinity to the god Anubis. Maybe he feels closer to the god of death and the underworld.” Hutchinson motioned toward the front of the Treasury where dim sunlight shone through. “Living in the desert can make you see spirits—or demons—in the heat waves and dust storms.”

Eesha nodded. “I understand that. My father came from one of the nomadic tribes and I spent some time with my grandparents during school breaks. I’ve seen ghosts dancing out on the dunes under the starlight. When I was young, I made offerings to the gods and goddesses because I never had any doubt they were real.”

Jamil tapped her arm. “You still feel that way.”

“Yes. I do, and every time we uncover something else from ancient times, I feel like they’re trying to talk to us.” She shrugged. “I make offerings to them at sunrise and sunset.”

“I’m sure they appreciate you remembering them,” Ahmed said as he approached them. “No matter where I am in the world, I make offers as well. My grandfather always said our tribe was descended from Anubis. Of course, I’m pretty sure he was lying, but on the off chance that he wasn’t, I don’t want my ancestor angry with me for forgetting him.”

They all laughed, though Jamil caught Ahmed giving Hutchinson a look that seemed to be warning him about something. He shook his head. Whatever was going on between them was none of his business.

“All right, everyone. We need to get started.” He pointed at Hutchinson. “Are you staying?”

Hutchinson gave an exaggerated shudder. “And get messy grubbing in the dirt? I don’t think so. That isn’t one of my many varied talents.”

“Being an ass is really all you’re good for,” Ahmed muttered. “Go back to the city. You’re staying with me then we’ll go to the museum in the morning, so you can look at the jars in person.”

Taking the key card Ahmed held out to him, Hutchinson grinned. “Yes, sir. I’m going to have some rooms service and charge it to your account.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything else.” Ahmed rolled his eyes.

Jamil watched them interact and he could see the friendship shining between them, even with all the sarcasm and picking. He sighed, wishing he’d have siblings to treat him like that. Yet he was sure that it would probably be annoying at times if he’d grown up with one.

“Get out of here. I’ll call you when we leave here and you can meet us for dinner.” Ahmed motioned toward the front of the Treasury.

“What makes you think I’m sticking around to have dinner with you? I’m going out and seeing what kind of nightlife I can find in the big city.” Hutchinson gave them all a jaunty wave before he left.

“Nice friend you have there,” Jamil said to Ahmed as he walked past him. “Do you want to work with me or one of the girls?”

Ahmed eyed him then turned to smile at Eesha. “I would like to start with Eesha. I thought maybe I’d work with the three of you—one at a time. I want to see how your techniques differ.”

He wasn’t going to think about how disappointed he was. It wasn’t like Ahmed wasn’t going to be working with him at some point during the day. Jamil nodded. “As long as Eesha is fine with it.”

“You are certainly welcome to work with me, Mr. Al Hazzan. We can exchange stories of growing up while wandering the desert.” Eesha grabbed Ahmed’s wrist then started tugging him along with her. “I’ll make sure he returns to you in one piece, Jamil.”

Jamil and Sandy shared a brief smile. Eesha had always come across as reserved around most people. She was a very private person, yet she seemed to have a connection with Ahmed that Jamil hadn’t seen her have with another person.

“Maybe it’s simply because they have lived in the desert,” he muttered. “They grew up on the same stories and legends. She must get lonely, hanging with people like us who don’t really know what it’s like to wander this place and be here at night.”

Sandy just grunted then headed out to her spot in a different area of the Treasury. Jamil dug out his gloves before checking to make sure he had all of his tools. It was going to be another long day, but he had a feeling that Ahmed’s presence would bring them good luck and they’d discover something new.