Page 163

They followed Tarik through the caverns until the ceiling was visible.

Sharp stalactites reached down to connect with a group of stalagmites on the floor, forming posts situated before an opening that led out into stone hallways and stone staircases so plentiful that Rowan couldn’t keep track of their path.

Lucky for them, Zeva had solved enough mazes in her lifetime to keep a tab on them as she oohed and ahhed over the small treasures displayed along the walls.

The sun streamed in through a slanted skylight in the room they stopped in.

Ancient furniture and countless handmade rugs filled the space as Tarik moved to deposit Abanoub on the bed. Rowan noted the color had drained from the younger sphinx’s face, leaving him ashen as he looked the man over.

Louisa, perhaps as aware as Rowan was of the man, ordered him to bring fresh washcloths and water as she examined Abanoub’s wounds. Kin gently put Rowan down on an ornate chair and Zeva moved closer to the side of the bed.

She had enough energy recouped to walk without help, but, when Kin took it upon himself to actually be soft, Rowan milked each occasion for all she could get.

She watched from her chair as Zeva helped Louisa clean and place ointment over the puncture wounds with the supplies brought back by Tarik.

When they finished, Zeva returned to Rowan’s side and Louisa leaned down, her fangs glinting in the rods of light still pouring in from outside.

“What are you doing?” Tarik hissed.

Louisa glared at the sphinx but indulged the question. “I have to know what poison he has in his bloodstream to transmogrify my blood cells for an antidote.”

“The antidote will come from your vampire blood? Won’t that turn him?” Tarik’s face turned even paler, if possible. Rowan was sure he was seconds from face planting.

“He’s not close enough to death to turn, and she won’t give him more than what’s required to cure him.” Kin was the one to oblige him. “Tarik, we didn’t come all this way to harm your master. If that were the case, we could’ve just waited for him to off himself tomorrow.”

The words hung in the air, thick with tension, before Tarik allowed Louisa to continue with a reluctant nod.

Rowan watched with a careful eye as Louisa sank her fangs into the flesh of Abanoub’s neck and gave a slight suck.

It seemed the pills were still working as her red eyes remained in their neutral state.

She straightened and swished the blood in her mouth as if tasting wine before spitting it out on a washcloth.

Her eyes glowed white before blazing lines mapped out each vein on every visible piece of skin.

Reaching into her fanny pack, she pulled out a knife. Made a small incision along her wrist and poured the free flowing blood into Abanoub’s mouth.

A great jerk shook the bed, and Abanoub screamed in pain. Tarik made to stop the vampiress, but both Rowan and Kin pinned him to the ground before he took his first step.

“Give it a minute.” Kin growled.

A few seconds was all it took for the shaking to cease and a few more for Rowan and Kin to let go of the young Egyptian.

Tarik roared at them, ready to attack, before a soft tired voice said, “Please Tarik, calm down.”

Abanoub reached out his hand, which Zeva filled with a glass of water.

The glowing ebbed to a smolder and Louisa smiled down at Abanoub as it extinguished, “Feeling better?”

“Much.” The sphinx answered, his face bronzed and much more handsome than Rowan had first realized.

Tarik moved to stand over his master’s bed, tears rolling down his cheeks. “Father. You’re okay?”

Abanoub furrowed his eyebrows together, and a hand reached down to pat his knee. “I think I’m better than I have been in years. Louisa, was it? Your blood is miraculous. I was certain there was no fix and you even rid me of the knee pain I’ve been contending with for half of a decade.”

Louisa shook her shoulders in a cocky swagger. “I am pretty great. Aren’t I?”

Rowan rolled her eyes. “Abanoub, would it be alright to ask you a few questions now?”

The man tensed, perhaps because of the habit of keeping sphinx business close to the vest, but when his shoulders relaxed Rowan knew she would get what she came for. “Alright, I believe you have earned it. What do you wish to know?”

Keeping in mind the prideful nature of alphas, she began, “What happened the night that asp first poisoned you?”

Abanoub’s eyes glazed over as he recalled the tragedy, “That asp was supposed to be the gold-plated body of the asp Cleopatra — yes, that Cleo — used to poison herself. For centuries, Sphinx Alphas have given it to their replacements as a sign of the peaceful transfer of power. There’s never been a sign of sentience, but some believe a fragment of the souls of our ancestors inhabit it.

” He cast his eyes to the ground. “The day of the attack, I felt as if our ancestors were rejecting me as their current bearer. It happened midmorning, on my way to breakfast. I felt disoriented and confused. This is one of the worst ways to feel when you’re constantly keeping your beast at bay.

We are at our deadliest during our adolescence and in moments of loss of emotional and physical control.

By the time I got a bit of my control back, I had already done irreversible damage. ”

“Why didn’t you remove the nemes as soon as you regained that control?” Louisa’s question had Tarik on the offensive and Rowan watched as a knife slid out of his sheath, aimed at the vampiress’ throat.

Kin caught the knife mid swing and set the sphinx with a fiery golden glare. Louisa, realizing what would’ve happened, stared slack-jawed at the young sphinx.

“It is a fair question.” Abanoub waved his hand. “Please, Tarik, control your temper. These are outsiders, unaccustomed to our ways.”

Tarik cursed under his breath but retreated to a corner of the room with his hands stuffed deep into his pants and a scowl on his face.

Abanoub took a deep breath before continuing.

“I didn’t realize the asp was behind the madness.

There was no pain in the initial attacks or even the discomfort that comes from the slightest mosquito bites.

It was only when the asp injected me again that I realized what was attacking me.

It was too late; no matter how much I willed my hands to remove my nemes, I couldn’t.

I ended up killing four more before the Atlanteans showed up with their holy water and forced it down my throat.

It put me out of commission for a few hours.

When I awoke, the Atlanteans were still on standby.

They made me drink until they believed I was stable enough to be reasoned with.

I tried to remove my nemes again, to explain myself to my betrayed sphinxes, but the words didn’t want to come out. ”

“Tongue-tie curse.” Louisa scowled. “The only reason you can tell us now is because Rowan melted the asp.”

He nodded, “Yes. Once I reached the conclusion that once the Atlanteans left with the water, I would be under the control of the asp again, I decided the best thing was the execution. My family would be safe if I was gone. I vaguely remember making them lock the door of my cage, however the rest is a complete blur. I am not even sure I remember your approach.”

“I understand you must be tired, Abanoub.” The dark circles under his eyes and the way he had slowly sunk further and further into his pillows hinted at it. “But, I have one more important question. Does anyone else have access to your nemes?”

Tarik snapped his attention to them, and the wary gaze Abanoub threw at his son ignited a fury in response.

“Do you already have an idea?” Zeva asked when he didn’t answer.

The sphinx clenched his jaw and gave one sharp nod. “Yes, but she is already dead.”

Rowan felt the telltale sign of telepathy wrinkle the air. She watched the ping-pong match of words between father and son. Whoever Abanoub suspected had an emotional connection to the alpha. She could both smell and see the tears forming in the corner of his eyes.

Had she been one of his victims?

“There have been signs of manipulation in the other attacks.” She whispered.

“What?” Abanoub roared, and Rowan felt a thrill of caution scale down her back.

There was something otherworldly about Abanoub that she didn’t quite recognize.

Not quite on the level of Alessandro, but pretty damn close.

Was he on the cusp of godhood? Is this how Alessandro had felt before he received his invitation?

“Each attack stemmed from someone within the shifter’s pack. Someone who could do actual damage. But none of them can pinpoint who or what vaulted them down that road. Whoever did this to you could be on the same boat, Abanoub.”

Relief etched the man’s face, and it was only when Louisa’s eyes motioned to something on his hand that Rowan took in the piece of jewelry.

It was unusual for shifters to marry when there was a possibility of a mate in their future. But some didn’t receive the mating feeling until several years into their lives. Some grew lonely.

Rowan looked around the spartan room and noticed that there wasn’t a trace of femininity in it. Had she died or was there something else going on? Knowing how touchy Tarik had already proven, Rowan watched his reaction when she asked, “Was it your wife?”

Tarik rolled his eyes as his father answered, “We were going through a bit of a rough patch.”

“Amira was a human. She didn’t feel comfortable living here among the sphinxes and had been trying to get father to move out with her to the city. She left last month after purchasing a condo with their joint bank account.” Tarik clarified.

“Wait, she married you, the head of the sphinxes and wasn’t willing to live with your people?” Louisa’s unprofessionalism had always been a point of contention between her and her partners. They both glared at her and she held her hand up in self defense. “It’s crazy!”