Dark Fates (A Paranormal Anthology)(30)

Asim opened the door for him and stood back while Tariq carried her up the wide stairs to their living quarters—an enchanted section of Anubis’s headquarters that should have kept all enemies out. Tariq had reasoned that because Set held a part of his soul, the god had been able to breech their safeguards. Even so, he’d cautioned the others to increase their vigilance and strengthen their protective wards.

“Hey, T. That a gold bar in your pants or are you really happy to be holding her?” Hasani asked as Tariq joined the others.

Asim laughed. “I’ve been doing my best to say nothing. He’s quite irritable for some reason.”

His companions stepped closer to ogle the woman in his arms.

“Yeah. Some reason,” Chig added with a snort. “Our fearless leader needs to spend his seed.”

Tariq hated that he flushed. He could kill centaurs and gorgons, slice through battlecats and berserkers alike. But when it came to sex, he’d much rather do it than talk about it. A holdover from his zealot of a father—the same bastard who’d first brought him Set’s unwelcome attention.

“What’s so important about her? Do we know?” Chig asked.

Tariq shrugged, careful not to disturb her. “Set wants her. And what he wants he should never have. We’ll need extra watches while she’s here.”

“Good point.” Manu nodded. “Here.” He handed Tariq a medallion. “Mbizi crafted it to protect the void in your soul. You should have no more interference from the Dark One while under Anubis’s protection.”

Mbizi, their resident sorcerer, nodded. “Manu and I will stand guard throughout the day. Chig and Hasani have cast extra wards as well.”

“Want me to make you a potion to take care of that?” Hasani pointed to Tariq’s noticeable erection.

“Maybe he’d rather someone else take care of it.” Asim glanced from Tariq to Eden and raised a brow.

“Don’t you all have a defensive perimeter to reinforce?” Tariq scowled and held Eden protectively against his chest.

Chig grinned. “So if you aren’t after any of us to ease your needs, what can we do for our esteemed leader?”

“I’d offer my humble services, but our great one has need of another pair of lips.” Hasani put his finger over his mouth. “Soft, tender lips that can swallow a man whole and take from him the milky seed that flows like—”

“Would you shut up?” Tariq’s face felt hot, more so when his men laughed at him. The bastards. “I’m taking her to my room. Don’t disturb me unless you’re on fire,” he growled, his thick rod more than ready to take root in Eden’s warmth.

“Yes, Lord Hard-On.” Hasani never knew when to shut up.

Tariq’s eyes narrowed, and he gave his man a telekinetic slap upside the head.

“Ow.”

Chig’s eyes widened. “You must have really pissed him off to have him using his god-gifts.”

Though all his men had mental powers beyond mere guardians, most were limited. Unlike Tariq, whose mental powers combined with a physical strength and made him so attractive to a monster like Set. He normally tucked them away, trying to forget about his potential to destroy with ease.

Hurrying from the common space to his quarters upstairs, he entered and sought his large bed. The room didn’t hold much, but it had access to the communal bathing chamber, as well as enough space for a massive bed, table and chairs, and a spacious library.

He placed Eden in the middle of his bed and studied her, as he could not earlier.

Her simple shirt came only to mid-thigh. Such silky legs she had. So long and toned. He licked his lips, wanting to feast on her as much as he wanted answers.

She turned, and her shirt rode up, exposing a pale flank and a trim ass not covered by much more than the thin string of her panties. No, not panties. A thong, it was called.

He gripped himself, trying to calm the sudden desire heating him from the inside out. For all that he was outside of what most considered normal, even Tariq knew he shouldn’t be reacting to a female with such hunger.

What was it about her?

She opened her eyes and stared at him through blue pools of arousal. “Ah, beloved. You have come back to me.” She smiled at him and held out her arms with love and affection.

He saw it, felt it, wanted it.

And like a helpless fool, he lowered himself to the bed and joined her, content to hold her until Set stripped the flesh from his bones once more.





Chapter Four


Eden opened her eyes, staring into a face she knew well. Tariq, Anubis’s champion. Her lover, her heart, the missing part of her soul. She reached for him, wanting the love only he could give her.

But as he neared her, she felt the taint of Set on him. Felt the cold shadow that lingered in his heart, splintering his soul like so many others Set held on to with clawed hands.

Tariq must have seen the change in her because he stopped and leaned up over her on his elbows, not lowering the rest of the way to press them fully together. Only from the waist down did they touch.

A massive man, he dwarfed her. With ease, he could take what he wanted, and he obviously wanted her.

Whatever else lay between them, honest desire more than existed. She burned for another kiss. His thick arousal would fit easily against the slick clench of her sex.