* * *
Interesting,he can freeze things. Should I move or continue to pretend and watch what he does?
Anubis recognized the magical signature only because he was friends with one of the gods of time and had felt the magic before. Anubis hadn't counted on a few things when he invited Star into his home. He had been planning a romantic weekend to enjoy the man's body, maybe find his secrets, to see if he was worth pursuing as a potential partner. He wanted to take things slowly and get to know the man a little. Yet Star made Anubis feel on edge, as if he didn't grab hold of him now, he would lose him before they had the chance to be together.
It unnerved and surprised Anubis that he had those thoughts and feelings, when he was always in control of everything around him. The second thing was Star being able to freeze objects and maybe people made him see Star in a new light. He recalled Star saying his shifter ability was new, so did that also include the freeze enchantment?I need to speak to one of the Raven brothers.Star kept getting more interesting the longer they were together.
He didn’t know how long Star would take, so secretly, Anubis spread his magic, heating the water as he intently watched Star pace the room, seemingly mulling over his proposal. He was relieved that Star was taking the matter seriously, because Anubis would take control of every aspect of his life if he accepted the agreement. Anubis wasn't sure why he came up with the contract idea, but his heart dropped when Star got up to leave and he knew he had to think of something quickly.
As the minutes passed, Anubis felt a sense of anxiety he had never experienced before meeting Star. Yet, just as he was about to stand up, Star discarded his towel and walked toward him, straddling Anubis in the same position he had been in. Anubis felt the magic from Star as he unfroze time.
“Okay, I'll agree to the contract, but you must promise if you find your forever one, you must tell me first.”
“That's fair. But it also goes both ways; you must tell me if you find your mate. What else?”
“You cannot share me, and we must keep our relationship a secret.”
Anubis had no problems with the no-sharing; he'd already addressed that part. "Why must we keep our relationship hidden?”
“Isn't it obvious? I don't know how long our relationship will last, and most importantly, I'm new to the entertainment industry, and I have my reputation to consider.”
“Okay, I see your point. I will inform Thor, who will protect you if I'm not around. May as well add Chase to the list.”
“Why would you tell them?”
“Thor is my best friend and is my lawyer in all contractual matters. I’m sure you don’t want anyone to get wind of this unconventional contract. Thor is not only discreet, but he will stand as our witness. And Chase works for him, and I'm sure you will want someone by your side.”
“Fine, but no one else. I don't want everyone in our business.”
“I won't tell anyone else. But I’d advise you to tell your manager. Remember, secrets can reveal themselves no matter how hard we try to hide them. And you don't want to blindside her. As for the contract, we won't add a timeframe. We'll call it quits if we don't think it's working.” Although he said the words, it left a terrible taste in Anubis's mouth.
“Okay, that sounds fair. I will tell Vivienne when I get the chance.”
Anubis smiled and buried his face in Star's neck, breathing in a sweet scent he couldn't name. It was a mixture of a blue lotus flower and jasmine that bloomed in the spring. “Good. Now that we've gotten that out of the way...”
“Wait, can we sign the contract today?”
Anubis leaned back and looked into Star's face. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Do you think Thor will be available?”
“Okay.” Anubis reached behind him and got his cell phone, and called Thor. “Hey, I need you to draft a magical agreement between me and Star.”
Star's eyes widened, and Anubis could hear the shock in Thor's voice. “What are the terms?”
Anubis gave Thor the gist of things., but only spoke in a way that Thor would understand.
“Inpu, you've got to be kidding me. If you think he's your forever one, why not just claim him? A drop of his blood is all you need. I've never known you to hesitate about anything you do. So why now?”
Anubis looked at Star. Finding a forever one was life-changing. Anubis wished it was easy, and he could tell by pheromones and a simple look, like how shifters found their mates. With some gods, it was easy to tell right away, but Anubis was never the kind of god that took things at face value. He needed more proof.
“I don't want to be wrong.” He only wanted one chance to make it right.
Thor sighed, and Anubis knew he was concerned. They'd been friends for so long that Thor had seen his track record regarding relationships. It was why he stuck to the lifestyle. He had partners who only wanted to be spanked and to call him daddy occasionally. Anubis's parents had had their ups and downs, but he knew how much Osiris adored Isis and would give her an entire world if she asked for it. He wanted that. A love that was his own.
“Are you sure you want to go that far? You know the risk if you break the contract?”
“Yeah,” Anubis said, staring at Star. “He's worth it.”
