Dark Fates (A Paranormal Anthology)(35)

When Eden next woke, it was to bright sunlight streaming through an overhead skylight. Not the best place for the bed to be.

She blinked and sat up and found herself dressed in a pair of her own jeans and a T-shirt. A quick check showed her own undergarments as well. A pleasant change from wearing that sleep shirt, or nothing at all…

Her face felt hot when she recalled her time with Tariq in this bed and, worse, in the shower with all the guys watching. Holy crap. I really did that. In front of an audience.

All that sexiness she’d felt yesterday turned her into one major whore today. Who did that? Slept with someone they’d only just met, someone not quite human, in front of his roommates? And she’d let him do her all over the place. Anally, orally, vaginally.

What if he had a disease? What if she got pregnant?

Her heart hammered so hard she wondered if she’d stroke out and save herself the burden of incessant worry.

Loud footsteps drew her attention to Tariq. He carried a tray filled with pastries, coffee, and bacon. An odd yet fulfilling assortment that had her stomach rumbling for a taste.

He smiled, and seeing that expression, her worries lessoned.

“Come, habibti. Eat.”

Habibti? Sweetheart. How she knew what that meant, she didn’t know and didn’t want to think about. “I’m a little hungry.” She rose from the bed and joined him at the bistro table he placed the tray upon. She sat at his insistence and watched as he served her. The best looking waiter she’d ever had. Literally.

Her cheeks heated, and she refused to meet his amused glance while she ate. Before she knew it, she’d consumed nearly all the pastries and the bacon.

“I’m sorry for eating it all. I was hungry.” She lifted her head and found him sitting close. Before she could apologize again, he leaned close and kissed her, and her heart raced.

“You truly are sweet, with or without the sugar.” He wiped a trace of cinnamon and sugar from his mouth and smiled. “We must talk, Eden.”

Her name sounded rusty on his tongue. “That’s not what you called me last night.”

His look became guarded. “That too we must discuss.” He paused. “Tell me of your family.”

Confused at the abrupt switch in topic, she figured she might as well. Not much to tell. “I lost both my parents when I was fourteen. I went to live with a distant aunt. That didn’t work. She wasn’t abusive or anything, just cold. I don’t think she liked kids at all. So I left home when I was eighteen. Haven’t looked back since.”

“You have no others in your life? Friends, perhaps someone special?”

“Do you really think I would have done what we did if I was with someone else? No. You?” The inanity of her statement hit her. Of course he had no idea what she might do or not do. They’d met yesterday.

He seemed relieved at her answer. “I am unmated. My responsibilities make relationships impossible.”

“So you don’t do what your friends were doing yesterday?” As in, each other?

To her astonishment, he blushed. Oh my God, he is so cute. I’m in love.

The truth of her teasing made it hard to function. How could she be in love with someone she didn’t even know?

“We are the Elite, Anubis’s guards. We share a special kinship, and at times, that bleeds over into hungers we must appease.”

“And you couldn’t get that from a woman?” Despite the weirdness of the conversation, she was entranced. What must it be like to see Tariq being blown by a man? And why did her jealousy spike at the thought?

“You’re frowning at me.” He looked pleased.

“I’m not against being gay or bi or anything. I just think this whole situation is beyond weird.” She knew she was blushing when she leaned forward and whispered, “Tariq, we had sex in front of your friends in the shower while they had sex. I don’t do stuff like that. Ever.”

“I know.” He kissed her again, lingering over her lips. “Our coming was special. And that, too, is why we must have answers.” He sighed and leaned back. “Anubis—”

“Stop. Tell me the truth, please. What’s going on with the gang and this Set guy?”

He didn’t answer, and then a fog seemed to come over his face. She watched in shock as that ghostly image of a canine superimposed itself over his head, making him look just like one of those Egyptian guys—like that Anubis he’d mentioned. She blinked, hard, but the image remained.

“I am Elite—a Guardian of Anubis. My god’s protector. That is my truth.”

Slowly, the ghostly image faded until only Tariq remained. She hadn’t imagined any of it, though she’d tried to convince herself she had. “Y-you… Your face was…”

“Yes. Myself, the others, we serve Anubis, and as such, we are gifted with his power.”

At the realization, she blanched. “So all that talk about Set and fighting and god games. That was real?”

“Yes, Eden. Very real.” He shook his head. “Set has contacted you. He sent me to bring you back. You and the vial. Where is it? What is it?”

“I don’t know.” She gripped her hands on the table, trying to think. “I make perfumes and soaps for a living. That’s what I do. I swear, the other day was like every other until I saw you guys fighting in the street. You looked familiar to me, and then your friend pulled me out of the car and tried to make me forget.”