Page 32 of Death and Desire

It was the same chamber she’d abandoned hours ago. Anubis turned in the arched entrance to the balcony and regarded her with brilliant gold eyes.

A sob caught in her throat, and she suppressed a shiver—but not from the cold, unrelenting stone beneath her or the unyielding maze he considered his home. Her body trembled regardless of her attempt to rein in her visceral reaction to this place, to him.

“Am I in hell?” Violet asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Anubis snorted. “Hardly.”

“Why am I trapped here? Why do I go in circles when all I wish to do is leave?” Panic clawed at her heart. “Am I never to see my family again?”

With measured steps, he approached, stopping just as his sandaled feet reached the pristine hem of her gown, where it flared around her like flower petals strewn across the earth. He extended a black, clawed hand.

“Come with me.”

Violet shrank back, eyeing him with distrust. “Why?”

“I vow no harm will come to you while you are in my care.” His golden eyes glistened in the dim light.

“How can I possibly trust you?” Violet tried to dig her fingers into unrelenting marble. “You’ve brought me here against my will.”

“You are under my protection,” he replied simply, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“You call this”—she waved her hand to indicate the opulently carved room before her—“protection?”

“Would you rather I had let you drown in the Nile?”

“No.” She sighed. “But couldn’t you have taken me to Cairo...or at the very least, dropped me on the riverbank?”

“Would you rather I left your unconscious form for crocodiles to feast upon?” He inclined his canine head.

Violet hadn’t thought of that, honestly. She was so distracted by the odd being before her, it took a moment to think. She bit her lip to stifle an incredible, overwhelming urge to laugh. He looked so much like her father’s old wolfhound, soaking wet from rain, regarding her with such a look. An unladylike snort escaped her, although she couldn’t bring herself to care. She hid her twitching lips behind her hand.

“The thought of being devoured by crocodiles amuses you?” Anubis straightened, his hand still outstretched.

“If you were in my position, you would find all of this so preposterous, there would be no recourse but to laugh at the absurdity.”

“You think me absurd?” His voice deepened, taking on a darker edge.

“Would you not think it absurd to find yourself plagued by the company of a god?” She scoffed, slowly pulling herself to her feet, pointedly ignoring his outstretched hand.

“You have a valid point.” He clenched his hand into a fist and returned it to his side.

“Do you make it a habit to befriend and kidnap innocent women?” Violet brushed her skirt, noting a slight tremor in her hand as she did so.

“Innocent, are you?” Anubis arched a dark brow. “We shall see about that, little thief.”

“You repeatedly call me that.Little thief. What do you mean?”

“It means exactly what I said.” Anubis stepped around her and exited the room.

“Is that why you brought me here?” Violet stumbled after him, running her hand along the wall as she kept pace. “Have I taken something from you?”

Anubis did not reply. His broad form took up much of the hallway ahead of her, blocking the light.

Violet fell into silent contemplation. He’d given her answers, and yet, none of them made sense. She craved details he seemed unable—or unwilling—to share. With a sharp exhale, she quickened her pace to keep up with him. Frustration coiled in her gut.

When he finally came to a halt, Violet collided with his back. He was like a stone wall shrouded with velvet, but warmth radiated from him. Her fingers itched to reach out and stroke the broad muscular back. Unable to resist the temptation, she lifted her hand and extended her arm.

He turned and she jumped, retracting her arm to her side, clenching her hand in a fist.

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