Chapter Eight
Tristan
“SHIT!” I cursed while racing out of bed with a sword in my hand. Something was trying to break in. Something big, and strong. Orion was ready with a bow in hand, arrow ready to strike.
“I’m going to get a look, be ready.” I told him and he nodded, aiming his bow towards the door. I felt Thalia’s presence behind me; she was nervous, but ready to fight if need be. I didn’t want that for her. She should be resting, and growing our babies without the adrenaline from battle. Grabbing the hilt of my sword tightly, I flashed myself outside the walls, staying invisible in the air.
Wadjet
The Cobra Goddess, that was lobbing large fireballs at my door, with a small army behind her. Gods could not be killed since Thalia destroyed that blade, but they could be detained and tortured. I flashed back to the other side and gave Orion a rundown of what was outside and trying to get in: One Cobra goddess, lower half of a large snake and the upper half of a woman. Tan skin. Snake eyes and hair in the shape of a cobra’s hood. She was dangerous, a very powerful being. In addition, ten men, armed to kill. Most likely followers of the goddess.
“Can she get in?” Thalia asked, while looking around for a weapon. I manifested a spatha for her, and handed it over. She looked relieved to have a weapon in her hands.
“I’d like to say no, but it’s not warded against gods; none of them would ever try to enter my domain. Wadjet is a different story. She believes she is Ra’s favorite and therefore thinks she can do whatever she pleases. A very aggressive deity. I could see Thalia start to run through her plans of attack, while Orion was devising a strategy in his head. Being the son of Athena was going to come in handy right about now. I could see the outline of the entryway was starting to turn red. Wadjet was burning down my door.
Anger passed through me and I felt my body change. The underworld was my home. My place of power. I heard a gasp behind me and knew Thalia was a little stunned. I had changed into the Anubis figure most had known: body of a man, head of a jackal, 100 percent Egyptian god of mythology. I needed all of my power to battle against this goddess; she was very old. Both of us were around the same age. We had crossed paths a few times, but nothing of importance. Figures the gods would send her; she wasn’t afraid I would turn her to ash.
I chuckled but I’m sure it came out more like a deep huff than a laugh. Thalia always imagined Anubis as the buff guy fromThe Mummy 2. Well, they were mostly right. My true form looked pretty much like a buff Egyptian with a dog head.
“I’ll handle the goddess. You two handle the followers.” My voice rumbled in my chest. I turned to see Thalia looking over my new form. Was she frightened of me? When her eyes met mine, they flared with desire. I groaned as the feelings inside her soul touched mine. She wanted me. Badly. The Beast in me was turning her on, and she was close to jumping me. My fingers tightened around my sword and I turned my back to her. We had to fight now. As soon as we had bathed in the blood of these enemies. I would take her without abandon. Now that I was hyped up, I was ready for the attack. I opened the doors with the flick of my wrist and blocked a fireball that was heading our way, knocking it to the side. I didn’t want this fight in my home. We would battle outside.
“You challenged the wrong god, Wadjet. This is my domain,” I roared and the ground shook from the intensity. I was pissed. I felt the unease of the goddess’s men, but he she hissed at them and they stood their ground. Pussies.
“I come for the woman. Give her to me.” Her voice was like strong, with a hiss laced between her words.
“She stays with me. Turn back now.” One last shot, and I could see the smug look on her face. She thought this was going to be easy. Did she really think after waiting over two thousand years to be with my woman that I would just hand her over now? Especially with my children growing inside her?
“Then we fight!” She hissed and her men started running towards us. Orion shot off his arrows and took a few of them out before they were on us. Thalia and Orion started fighting, and the goddess approached me. Time to fight.
She struck at me like the snake she was, long fangs trying to latch on to me. I outmaneuvered her, and took a swipe with my sword, slicing off part of her hair. She let out a guttural scream, and her eyes turned red with the fire within.
I heard a scream from Thalia behind me. Turning as fast as I could, I saw a man had grabbed her. I pointed at him and he immediately turned to ash. He laid a hand on my woman, he forfeited his life. Wadjet took advantage of my temporary distraction, and latched onto my arm. Fuck that hurt. I gripped her neck with my other hand as her body tried to wrap itself around me in a tight hold. I had to get out.
With my hand around her neck, I pulled her back, feeling her fangs as they dragged through my skin with every inch I forced her back. I was stronger than her right now.
“You should have thought about this more Wadjet. The night is mine.” She was powered by the sun; it was unwise of her to attack during the dark. I squeezed her throat, enjoying the sound of her wheezing.
“I will torture you as I do the murderers and demons of the earth. You will feel pain for many years if you do not leave my palace and never return,” I growled and she flinched with fear. She understood now. She was no match for me. She would lose this battle fighting alone.
“I will go, but know they will not stop,” she warned me before disappearing from my grasp, and the underworld in its entirety. I rushed to Thalia just as she pulled her spatha free from the last man of the goddess. She was unharmed. I lifted her up into my arms and flashed all of us inside the palace, closing and reinforcing the doors behind us.
“We need a strategy. One more week till our family becomes more. I need all possible defenses and offenses. You have until noon.” I told Orion and took Thalia to our bedroom. I set her down and looked over her for any wounds that would need tending to. She had a scrape on her right shoulder but other than that she just had a little sand on her clothes. I hadn’t switched forms yet, just in case of any more attacks. I needed to be ready and at my strongest.
“You look amazing,” she whispered in both awe and slight fear.
“Do you fear me?” I asked her. Having never seen me like this other than in art, I wouldn’t blame her.
“No, just new. I’ve obviously known who you were, but I guess seeing you like this shows that you are THE ANUBIS. I’ve dreamt of you even before you came to me. I’d always had that fascination with the world of mythology and you were my favorite. You are fearless, and so powerful. But you are also sweet, and caring. You are my world, my everything.” She looked into my eyes, and I felt every single word seep inside me. She wasmyeverything. The woman for whom I would burn the world just to keep her in my life. The battle was forgotten; nothing existed but us. Her hand came up and caressed my muzzle. She was touching a part of me no one else had, and she did it with love in every graze of those delicate fingers.
When she pulled back her hand to touch my body, I changed back into my normal appearance. I wanted to kiss her everywhere my lips could touch. A muzzle was not made for passionate kissing. Her lips seared mine when they met; every kiss was like the first on that spot by the Nile so long ago.
“Keep on the outfit.” She murmured against me and I smile. My woman like the warrior get up. I would oblige her.
“whatever you wish, Love.” Using my power on her clothes, they simple disappeared. Leaving her blossoming body open for my gaze, which I pulled back to do so. She was practically glowing in her pregnancy. Her breasts were growing larger, ready for our children to suckle. Her belly was rounded and grew every day, evidence of the life we created together. She looked so beautiful. I ran my hands over her breasts, feeling their new weight in the palms of my hands. She moaned and I ran my tongue over her rosy peaks, knowing it would please her.
“What were your thoughts earlier, when I transformed? I felt your desire. If your life had not been in danger I would have fucked you right then.”
