by Allie Burton
His hands continued their sensual massage. My forehead, my cheeks and chin, my throat. He lifted my hair and rubbed the back of my neck reminding me of our first kiss. How he’d grabbed my neck to bring me closer. How I’d moaned. How we hadn’t had a second kiss.
I wanted to change that, and soon. Today. Letting my head drop back, I welcomed his touch. Yearned for it.
His hands moved to my shoulders. The oil soaked into my skin with a thrilling sensation. I couldn’t tell if it was the oil or contact with Antony. His fingers worked their way down first one arm and then the next. The thrills cascaded, one after the other. The massage worked deep into my sore muscles from our self-defense lessons.
The sensations he created were amazing until a spike of jealousy interrupted the smooth flow. My eyes flew open. “Is this what you had to do so you could see me?”
Who had massaged him? Stroked him so intimately.
“No.” His tenseness communicated his lack of desire to share.
Hurt cut through the pleasurable sensations. “Why not?”
“Close your eyes. You need to be relaxed to accept the essential oils’ power.” His hands continued to work in the silence. He picked up one of my bare feet and smoothed the oil along the arch. “I was given the sight when I became a shabti.”
“What’s a shabti?”
His deep laugh surprised me. “I knew you’d ask.”
“I always have questions.” Especially about Antony. And finally he was answering them.
He pinched and tugged on each of my toes. “A shabti is a statue made to serve the Pharaoh in the Afterlife.”
The sensations in my body stopped. The tingling and the sparking and the languidness. “Wait. You’re telling me you used to be a statue?”
“It’s how I got my powers.” He rubbed my foot a little harder, and his hand traveled to my ankle.
Like his strength and agility and flying ability.
And if I believed he had those powers, how could I not believe he’d been a statue at one time. His body was like granite. “When did you become human?”
I couldn’t believe I was having this conversation.
“The first time? I was born in fifty-one B.C., during the reign of Queen Cleopatra.”
My foot jerked from his hold. I forced myself to keep my eyes closed. “The Queen Cleopatra?” I must’ve misunderstood. He couldn’t have meant the woman I was named after.
“Yes.” He grasped my foot again and slipped his hands up my calf.
I gasped at the intimacy. Sparks streaked up my legs to my center. I found it hard to think. “Did you know her?”
His hands paused. “I saved her life.”
My eyelids flew open. “What?”
“And she ruined mine.”
Maybe because I couldn’t see him, the raw despair seemed more pronounced through the telephone line. His voice scraped and echoed through the study. Agony sliced into me. I hurt for him.
“How?”
“Close your eyes. And your mouth.” He saw my shock, while I couldn’t read his expression. So not fair. “She was visiting the storage rooms and a pile of barrels got loose. A barrel was about to fall on top of her and I grabbed her and pushed her out of the way. Which brought me to her…attention.”
Forcing my lids to stay closed, I couldn’t control the streaks of green spreading through my bloodstream.
“You and Cleopatra.” The jealousy pumped faster into my brain. “Wait. You’re not that Antony?”
“Tut, no.” He rubbed my foot harder, digging his knuckles into my skin. “The warriors gave me the name Antony when we emerged from our shabti forms last summer.”
This story was getting more and more incredulous. “Emerged from being a statue? Last summer?”
Like revolving styles, old was new again.
He quickly retold the tale about the lunar eclipse during the summer solstice last year, and how the male warriors, except Xander who was from his time, became real again. “That’s how Olivia and Xander met and how we got our powers.”
“Incredible.”
“You should hear Olivia and Xander tell the tale.”
“And that’s why all of you can see me.” It kind of made sense now. “What about Aria and Piper?”
“They got their powers from King Tut’s trumpets of peace and war.” Antony set my foot on the carpeted floor. “Okay, I think we’re done. Open your eyes.”
The scarab beetles I’d felt the day of my non-speech returned to my stomach, moving around and around. “What if this doesn’t work on normal people?”
He guffawed. “Believe me, you are not normal.”
Because of his soft tone, I wasn’t insulted. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It is.” His voice went deeper, more sensual. Amazing how his voice alone could make me desire his touch and his kiss. “Open up.”
My eyelids fluttered open and I saw…
Him.
He stood in front of me with his fingers bracing his strong chin. A lock of his dark hair had fallen over his forehead. His expression contemplated, while his intense emerald gaze seared into me, willing the oils to work.
Tingles of desire covered my skin. I sensed every place he’d recently massaged. My heart bonged like a single drum. “I can see you.”
And I wanted to hold him. To kiss him.
I leapt from the chair and into his arms, my excitement making the high jump from a sitting position possible. My legs wrapped around his waist and I pressed my mouth to his.
He hugged me closer, and returned the kiss as if he felt the same way. His hand trailed on my back, sparking a row of flames. You’d think after the massage he’d given me I’d be immune to a simple touch. I wasn’t.
His hands caressed me through my shirt and his mouth moved against mine, causing the earlier flames to flare higher. I was on fire. Flashes of an inferno spread across my skin and into my chest.
My heart sparked with a separate flame. An eternal flame. An I-love-you flame.
The flame sizzled, suffocated by my realization and panic. I loved Antony.
The fire flared higher burning the panic to a smolder and creating a warmth in the center of my chest. I loved Antony even though I’d only known him a few days. Even though he was from an ancient past and fought a magical battle. Even though he had powers and I didn’t.
I loved Antony. What did he feel for me?
* * *
“No, no, no.” Olivia shook her head, her brown braid swinging back and forth. “You need to dip your shoulder to block, CC.”
I’d been training with Olivia and Aria for an hour. Distracted because of my earlier revelation about Antony, I found it difficult to concentrate. I was tired and hungry, and wondered where Antony had gone. The two girls were stricter taskmasters than him. I couldn’t persuade Olivia to go easy with a smile. And Aria didn’t hold back any punches.
Plus, with the girls there was no fun flirting and sexual contact.
“Where did Antony go?” I missed him already.
I wanted to share another kiss, and maybe he’d need to reapply the oil. My body heated, and not from exertion.
“He’s not your slave.” Offended, Olivia came at me with a wild kick that connected with my hip.
Bracing for the pain, I took a single step back. I thought she’d use her strength and maybe her power, yet I didn’t experience much of an impact. “I don’t think of him as a slave.”
“How do you think of him?” Aria wiggled her eyebrows up and down in a suggestive exaggeration.
My cheeks scalded and I threw an aggressive double cross at her. “He’s a friend.” I wasn’t about to admit my true feelings.
“That’s it?” Blocking my blow, Aria stumbled backward, sounding skeptical.
Embarrassment swamped, as if I was trotting around with my zipper unzipped or my blouse undone. The kiss we’d shared had been passionate and profound. More than a locking of lips. Our hearts had joined.
Wanting t
o know more about this guy who I’d fallen for, without sharing things about myself, I changed the subject. “He told me about being Cleopatra’s slave.”
“He did?” Olivia came at me with a grab. “Interesting.”
I yanked her arm down and spun out of reach. I was being attacked by two powerful warriors, and I was holding my own. How was that possible?
“What I don’t understand is why he believes he can’t manage the process of the quest? He treats himself as if he’s a tool and not a part of the decision-making process.” I’d noticed this at dinner last night.
Olivia put her hands on her knees to catch her breath. “After he saved Queen Cleopatra’s life, she forced him into servitude. He’d went from being a free trader working for his father, to her personal slave. When he realized his target for retrieving the Knot of Uset was a girl named Cleopatra—” Olivia’s hand whipped out and she grabbed my wrist. “—you—” She lifted my arm higher, forcing me to my knees. “—he wanted out of the assignment.”
Dropping my head, I placed my free hand on the ground, trying not to scream with the emotional pain her words caused. Antony didn’t want to work with me. “Oh.”
Then again, he hadn’t known me before the assignment. He must’ve changed his mind, especially after our last kiss.
She released my wrist and I fell to the ground.
“Why do I need to learn this stuff again?” My whiny voice grated on my nerves. I hadn’t used that tone in a while.
“Every woman should know how to protect themselves.” Olivia said it casually, as if she were a women’s-rights advocate, but she looked away, avoiding my gaze.
“Especially with the bad guys searching for you. Especially the Society of Aten and the Magical Order of Crucis.” Aria’s voice trembled with understanding.
“These two organizations.” I’d never heard of either. “How are they connected?”
Olivia grabbed a towel and wiped her face, hiding her expression. “They each believe they are the true owners of magical relics from ancient Egypt. Both have roots in the country, and want to use the powers for evil purposes.”
I wasn’t the only one sweating. “What kind of evil purposes?”
“Ruling the world, destroying the earth, commanding world leaders.” She gave a laundry list, as if these things wouldn’t cause major upheaval across the globe. “Intel says the worst is yet to come.”
“What could be worse than a group of people who want to use magic power for world domination?”
“A leader from Egypt who already has those powers.” Aria twisted a towel between her fingers.
“And who’s traveling here to search for the Knot of Uset and his lost daughter, so he can absorb the powers of the relics and never be beholden to an object again.” Olivia bundled the towel and threw it into the corner. “He’ll be all-powerful. The Soul Warriors’ mission will change from collecting relics to battling him directly.”
The sweat on my body chilled, and I shivered. “Do you know who his lost daughter is?”
Olivia and Aria shared a glance. “We have an idea.”
The look they exchanged told me they had a pretty good idea who this girl was. I was glad it wasn’t me. I knew who my mother and father were without a doubt. Although, sometimes I wished they weren’t my parents.
“Where is Piper, anyhow?” Aria tossed her towel.
Our training session had to be over. My shoulders slumped with relief and exhaustion.
“She’s trying to break into CC’s school computers.” Olivia took a swig of water. “Not making a lot of progress. The school has things locked up tight.”
That didn’t sound promising. At least I was safe in the professor’s house. “Do you know when someone is going to pick up my things at Henderson Hall?” Knowing how busy they were, I hated to ask.
“One of the guys was going later today.” Olivia swallowed more water. “You’ll have your expensive designer clothes soon.”
Olivia knew about my style obsession and she seemed a little jealous. Now that I understood these girls, I could help them with fashion tips and lend them clothes. They wouldn’t always have to wear plain black. We’d bond over fashion and become real friends.
“Do the Order or Society members always wear mismatching black outfits? They should be easy to pick out in a crowd.”
“Black makes sense because it’s harder to describe.” Aria tugged at her black T-shirt. “We usually wear black on our missions, too. We can blend into the background or not be seen in the dark.”
“When the members of these organizations are out in society they could be anyone.” Olivia shared her thoughts.
Was she beginning to trust me?
She continued. “Cops. Business people or shop owners. Teachers.”
“Teachers?” My mind drifted back to Headmaster Griffin’s weird information about Cleopatra.
“Olivia was introduced to the Society of Aten by a thief.” Aria flopped onto a couch, not embarrassed to show her exhaustion. “I learned about the danger when an antique-store owner was killed, and my grandfather kidnapped.”
My brain calculated. So the men in black could be anyone. Anyone at all.
Oh, my Chanel.
I remembered my meeting with Headmaster Griffin, and his response to my nickname. He’d hated the fact I’d rather be called CC than Cleopatra. He’d been fanatical about the ancient queen.
Could he be involved?
Chapter Fourteen
Cleo
I shared the information about the headmaster’s interest in ancient Egypt, and Antony decided it was worth investigating. Which was why we found ourselves heading back to Exeter Academy.
We were both invisible to other people. To each other we were not only visible, but spotlighted. Or at least he held a spotlight on my heart.
The earlier kiss we’d shared made me bold and invincible. We were on the right track—both in our search for the bad guys and in our relationship. Crossing campus, I took hold of Antony’s hand.
The sun shone between the thick trees. Birds tweeted a happy song. The sidewalks were dry and clear, and except for in-between classes, relatively deserted. No men in black lurked.
Swinging our arms back and forth, I soaked in my happiness. “This is going to be fun.”
“Fun?” Antony questioned my sanity. “What do you and your friends do for fun?”
My joy deflated a little, as if I’d discovered another girl in the same outfit at the same party. “I don’t have any real friends. Just people who want to use me for my money.”
I admitted the truth to him.
His free hand tweaked my nose. “Sounds as if you use your money as an excuse. Hiding behind the billions.”
The affectionate gesture inflated my spirit again. “Not billions.” Close enough.
“I’m guessing—” He pulled me to a stop and stepped in front facing me. The shadow of the building closed around us. His gaze penetrated, as if he could see my soul. “—these so-called friends don’t know the real CC.”
I loved that he called me CC. He cared about what I wanted. Maybe it was love on his part, too. Maybe we could find a way to make this strange relationship work if I stayed at Exeter Academy.
The hope had my throat closing up with emotion. “I might be invisible, but you’re the only one who ever really saw me.” My voice went low and husky.
He pushed me against the wall of a building and gripped my chin in his hand. “And because of our invisibility no one can see me do this.”
His lips brushed my forehead and trailed down to the tip of my nose. Gentle, delicate kisses. His eyes sharpened, ogling his target. My lips. His mouth took mine in a demanding kiss. A kiss hurting and pleasuring at the same time.
Kissing him back with equal fervor, I wrapped my arms around his waist and shoved my hand under the hem of his jacket and shirt needing to touch him. I’d never been this bold with a guy before. His muscles bunched beneath my palm. I wanted to take off his shirt and r
un my hands over his hard abs and chest. To feel every part of him.
And I could. Right here. Right now. Because no one could see us.
A thrill shot through me, springing across my abdomen and to my core. We could be making out or walking around naked and no one would know.
Something or someone bumped into us. I froze. What if we’d been caught?
Antony broke off the kiss but kept me protected in his arms.
“What the heck?” A student swung around his backpack, coming within inches of Antony’s back.
The guy peered at the space where we stood. He stared through us to the brick wall. Shaking his head, he plodded away.
“We need to be more careful.” Antony moved away and yanked down the back of his jacket. He seemed totally in control.
While my body shook with longing. I leaned against the wall, trying to pull myself together. The kiss had been mindblowing. My thoughts had followed a path I’d never been down before. To think about getting naked. I let out a long, slow breath. The interruption had been fortunate, because I was about to lose my restraint.
“We need to get moving.” Antony held out his hand.
I pushed myself off the wall, determined to continue our mission. “Last time I snuck in—”
“You’ve done this before?” His jaw dropped and seriousness showed in his glance. “That was dangerous.”
“I was fine. I was invisible.”
Continuing to walk, he squeezed my hand. “I don’t like you taking risks.”
My heart jolted. Because he must care for me.
“You take risks.” He’s the one who’d pushed me up against the wall. “And I want to help.”
He frowned. “You weren’t trained as a Soul Warrior.”
“Neither were Piper or Aria, or even Olivia.” I knew part of their histories, and how they came to be Soul Warriors. I yearned for the same acceptance and purpose. For adventure. For being part of their family. “This is the building where the headmaster’s office is located.”
The modern-designed building was out of place on the older school campus. The school had decided it was important for the administrators to be more comfortable than the students attending classes or living in the residence hall. We entered the building through a glass door, and strolled the hallway before entering a large foyer.