“What is pasta?” Kallen asks.
“We had it at my house,” I remind him. “The noodle things.”
“I remember now. I liked that.”
“We’re in for dinner,” I tell Josh and he gives a thumbs up before heading off to the kitchen to start cooking.
Eliana goes to one of the couches and plops down. “What a day. Do you think it will always be like this?” she asks.
I know what she’s asking. I sit down on the other couch and curl my feet up under me. Kallen sits next to me. “I think it will.” Not what she wanted to hear, I’m sure. “I think these powers come with a clause in the contract that says we will be followed by trouble wherever we go.” Did that sound whiny? Yeah, I think it did. Hastily, I add, “I’m not trying to sound ungrateful. I like helping people, but it would just be nice to have a break every now and then.”
Eliana smiles. “I know what you mean and I agree with you. We have these powers for this very reason: to help people. We reunited a family today who may have died if we weren’t involved. It’s hard to get used to it, though, I really do feel like a magnet for trouble.”
I nod in understanding. “I definitely agree. It’s hard coming to the realization that you will never again be able to use the word ‘normal’ to describe any part of your life, but suddenly dangerous becomes an appropriate adjective.”
“It’s nice to meet someone who truly gets it. I have really good friends who I love to death, and Josh of course, but you are living it just like I am. It’s selfishly nice to know I’m not the only one.”
I laugh. “Again, I know what you mean.” I lean my head on Kallen’s shoulder. “I didn’t have friends growing up because I was so isolated, but the ones I have now are wonderful. And Kallen’s okay.” I laugh when he glowers down at me. “Fine, you’re perfect. Better?”
“Much,” he says and kisses my forehead.
“You know, I have to admit, I can’t help but wonder why you got married so young. Josh and I talk about getting married, of course, and we know it’s going to happen someday, but what made you go ahead and do it? I hope that’s not too personal of a question,” Eliana adds.
I feel my face turning magenta. This is going to sound as strange to her as it did to me. “Because you can’t have sex in the Fairy realm unless you’re married. We were half married for a while, but when we had sex…” my voice trails off in embarrassment. I don’t miss Kallen’s chuckle that he tries to cover with a cough.
“Oh, I see,” Eliana says, a little embarrassed she asked now.
I rush to add, “But we were planning on it anyway. That just sped things up a little.”
“What am I missing that has Xandra’s face so red?” Josh asks, coming back into the living room.
“We are discussing the difference in marital customs between our two realms,” Kallen says, still amused.
“Ah, I probably don’t want to know, do I?”
Kallen shakes his head. “Probably not.”
“Works for me. The water’s boiling and the pasta is in the pot. I came to ask what kind of sauce you’d like.”
“Oh, do you have alfredo sauce? It’s my favorite,” I say, glad to be talking about something besides my sex life. It is amazing how often that conversation comes up.
“Alfredo it is, then. We’ll eat in about fifteen minutes,” Josh says and heads back into the kitchen.
“I’ll help,” Eliana says, rising from the couch and joining him.
I look up at Kallen. “Maybe our real honeymoon can start now.” I seriously doubt that considering Belial is not the type to give up. But I can hope, can’t I?
Chapter 28
Dinner is nice with lots of light conversation and shared histories. We talk fairly late into the night, surprised by how quickly time passes. Finally, at about two in the morning we’re all talked out for the day and just plain exhausted, we all head upstairs to go to bed.
When we’re in our guest room with the door closed, I wrap my arms around Kallen’s neck and pull him down for a kiss. It seems like forever since I’ve kissed him like this. He’s remarkably compliant, deepening the kiss until the events the day are completely forgotten. Our hands make each other’s skin sing and it’s not long before Kallen swings me up in his arms and carries me to the bed. I welcome him with open arms as he joins me and that’s when we discover that the bed squeaks with the slightest motion.
Not just a little squeak that only we can hear; a loud squeak that tells me this room probably doesn’t get used much. I laugh at the thought of making love in a bed that would alert the entire house of what we’re doing. Though I’m pretty sure Eliana and Josh already have it figured out.
With a surge of magic, Kallen finds the problem and fixes it. “Much better,” he says as he bounces a little on the now quiet bed.
“Much,” I agree as I capture his lips with mine again. I will never get tired of kissing him. His lips are demanding yet soft, his tongue strong and then gentle in a perfect combination guaranteed to drive me crazy. Every movement of his mouth is in perfect rhythm with mine.
Rolling him on his back, I use my fingers to push his shirt up, kissing a trail along his skin from his neck down his chest and over his perfectly toned abs. I spend a long time exploring every inch of his body until I have him so close to the edge, he can hardly stand it. Then it’s his turn to torture me. He already knows every spot, every tiny piece of bared skin intimately and he uses that awareness to drive me as crazy as I made him.
No longer able to wait, our bodies join and bliss is too tame of a word to describe how happy I am. I hold him tight as we find our own version of heaven. Our bodies tangle and untangle, only to intertwine again as we reach new heights together. If there was any more love in my heart for him, it would burst. It can barely hold what I feel now. Eliana and Josh spoke of being soul mates; just one more thing they have in common with Kallen and me.
As usual, morning comes way too soon. My gorgeous husband wakes and stretches his muscled, sleek body and my thoughts instantly return to what we were doing only a few precious hours ago. I curl up next to him and press my lips to his chest and run my tongue along his salty skin. A low groan in his throat tells me how much he likes it. Morning may be here, but that certainly doesn’t mean we need to leave this bed anytime soon. So we don’t.
It’s close to noon before we find our way downstairs. I hope Eliana and Josh aren’t offended that we stayed in bed so long. We search for them, but to our surprise we’re not the only ones who decided to stay in bed. A few minutes later, a yawning Eliana finds us in the kitchen where I’ve already begun making pancakes.
“Sorry we slept in. I hope you haven’t been up long,” she says as she scoops coffee grounds into the coffee maker.
I shake my head. “No, we just got up ourselves. Are you hungry?” I ask.
“Starved,” Josh says, coming into the kitchen and pulling Eliana into his arms. Somehow, I don’t think he’s talking about food. From the small blush that touches her cheeks, I know I’m right. I think they got as much sleep as Kallen and I did. I can imagine someone older looking in on the four of us and saying, ‘Ah young love. Isn’t it grand?’
“I hope you like pancakes,” I say as I coat myself in flour while whisking the ingredients in the bowl.
“Love them,” Josh says when he can finally take his eyes from Eliana’s. He looks over at Kallen who’s watching me make a mess and trying not to laugh. “Do they have pancakes in the Fairy realm?”
Kallen nods. “We have something similar. Only Fairies do not generally become Yetis while preparing them.” I respond to that by wiping my flour covered hands on his black t-shirt. He chuckles and simply changes his shirt with magic.
“Is there anything you’d like to do today? Anyplace you’d like to see?” Eliana asks, taking a seat at the table in the cozy breakfast nook. It’s covered with a white cloth and the chairs are comfortably padded in a dark shade of green that adds to the affect. “Unless you wan
t to go exploring on your own,” she adds.
I shake my head. “We’d love to have our own private tour guides. Do you think we could go back to the pyramids? I know you were there yesterday, but I didn’t actually get a chance to go inside.” Because I was busy being smashed against the outside by Belial.
“I love the pyramids. I drag Josh there every couple of weeks or so,” she says with a grin.
“Yes, kicking and screaming,” Josh says, kissing the top of her head and then joining her at the table.
“You know, you’re lucky I can’t use my magic against you,” she teases.
“If only I had that arrangement with Xandra. I have scars that will never heal,” Kallen says with fake drama in his voice. Because I’m so mature, I wipe my hands on his new t-shirt. He laughs and changes his shirt again. Good thing for him there’s not a limit on clothes magic.
“Pyramids it is then,” Eliana says. I really hope we get to make it inside this time.
After our very late breakfast, we climb into the Land Rover that somehow made it back to the driveway. Agent Amman definitely kept his word. I bet he drove it back himself so he didn’t have to explain anything about it.
I’m giddy the whole ride and am practically bouncing in my seat. “You are cute when you are like this,” Kallen says, taking my hand in his. I roll my eyes but smile.
We finally find a place to park the Land Rover about a mile away from the pyramids, making us wish we had taken a taxi that would’ve dropped us off at the entrance. The walk makes us hot and sticky from sweat, but I’m too excited to care. It seems like no time at all before we reach the line to enter the pyramids.
I’ve seen pictures of the inside so I know that there’s not much to see, but the architectural details are amazing. The floor that slopes at a precise angle all the way down, the stones that were placed with such exact measurements that it can’t be duplicated even with today’s technology ares amazing.
The sheer magnitude of the Great Pyramid that lies at the center of the world’s land mass is enough to get anyone’s mind racing towards the supernatural for its creation. Now that I know that the supernatural exists, I’m looking at the structure in a different light than I would have a couple of years ago. How could there not have been help from someone from a more advanced realm than ours at the time? But only the Angels know which realm and they’re not talking.
When we finally get inside, it’s obvious that Eliana and her essence have some sort of connection to this place. Her eyes light up in a way that’s more than curiosity and awe. It’s more like a sense of coming home. As much as Josh teased her about coming here, the joy on his face as he watches Eliana tells me that he doesn’t mind it one bit.
We’re with a group of people led by a tour guide who is prattling on about the measurements and history of the pyramid. Since I’ve done so much research in the past, I ignore her and simply take in the splendor of the structure. I follow along as the tour moves, but I’m looking up and around and not where I’m walking. Which is why I trip over someone’s foot. Kallen helps steady me as I give the small, gray haired woman an apologetic look. “Sorry,” I say.
To my surprise, the old lady slaps me right across the face! Ow! My mouth drops open and I’m in such shock that I just stand there while she raises her arm to do it again. Fortunately, Kallen grabs her hand and prevents it from making contact with my already stinging cheek. What the hell? Yanking her hand away from Kallen, she turns on her heel and stomps away, leaving all four of us staring after her. Wow.
I try to pay a little more attention as I follow the tour so I don’t get assaulted by any other little old ladies, but soon my attention wanders back to the details. I did a big research paper on the Giza Pyramids, so the geometry and exact measurements of the pyramid and their believed meanings are familiar to me.
This time when I stumble, I bump Kallen and he doesn’t seem to mind. However, Kallen is taken completely by surprise by being clocked by the man next to him. Oh my god, what is wrong with these people? He recovers faster than I do. He catches the guy’s fist in his hand as he tries to throw another punch and Kallen’s superior strength makes the man’s resolve drain away to nothing. Sensing that, Kallen lets his hand go. I can tell he’s itching to hit the man back, but he doesn’t since a fight would probably get us kicked out of here. Nice self-control on his part. This man also turns and stomps away from us, disappearing into the crowd ahead.
“Do you guys always make friends this easily?” Josh asks.
“What’s going on?” Eliana asks.
I shrug. “I have no idea.” I’m kind of waiting for Belial to show up and prove that he’s behind this, but he doesn’t. Fortunately, we make it through the rest of the tour without incident. It’s when we’re back outside that our luck runs out.
We’re lingering, taking pictures of the pyramids with the digital camera I brought from home when someone stands right in front of me with his back to me. Not because there’s no place else to stand because there’s plenty of free space around us. I’m just about to ask him to move when Josh says politely, “Excuse me, my friend is trying to take a photograph. Would you mind stepping to the left or right a bit?”
The man completely ignores him. Fine, I’ll move. I step a few feet to the right and try to line up the picture again. The man moves in front of me again. Thinking he may not speak English, Kallen says in Arabic what Josh said to him a moment ago. He doesn’t sound quite as polite, though.
Finally, the man responds. He turns around and grabs for my camera. A wall of magic stops him and he rams his hand. Now he’s mad. Eliana uses her magic to push the guy away from us before he can become violent, though. He takes the hint and goes away. Man, if Belial’s not behind this, there are some seriously rude people in this country. My money is still on Belial though.
“Maybe we should do our sightseeing elsewhere,” Eliana says, looking around for any more signs of trouble.
“I agree,” Kallen says.
“We can go to the Khan al-Khalili bazaar if you’re in the mood for shopping,” Eliana says.
Shopping. I haven’t done that in a long time. “That sounds like fun,” I grin. I don’t miss the looks on Josh’s and Kallen’s faces. “And if these guys complain, I say we shop longer.” I give my husband a huge smile. Maybe if I find things I like, he can replicate some of the clothing for me.
“Agreed,” Eliana says, doing the same to Josh.
Being the smart guys they are, neither of them complain.
Chapter 29
The bazaar is amazing. The vibrant colors, the fabrics, the relics and the scents are incredible. The smell of anise and cinnamon floating through the air is intoxicating. I love it here; even Kallen is engrossed in the experience. He’s like a child in a candy store for the very first time. I had forgotten that he’s never actually gone shopping before. And this is shopping on steroids. He picks up and looks at more things than I do. When it comes to buying something though, Eliana and Josh help us out. Apparently, you’re never supposed to pay the first price asked. The vendors expect you to haggle over the amount. I’m not sure what the exchange rate is, but we’re spending a lot fewer Egyptian pounds than I thought we would, thanks to our new friends.
For Mom, I buy a beautiful glass scented oil holder shaped into a delicate flower. It’s trimmed in gold and I’m almost afraid to touch it because it’s so fragile. Since she and Dad can still smell some things, I think she’ll like it. Especially if I mix some of the spices from here into the oil. The merchant carefully wraps it in paper and then puts it in a little cardboard box for safe travel. Now for Dad. He’s a little harder. I have to really search for something I think he’d like.
Kallen finds a silk scarf in rich hues of blue and purple that he thinks Tabitha will love. I’ve never seen her wear anything quite this bold color-wise, but somehow I can picture her with it on. Besides, it’s been fun watching Kallen sift through scarf after scarf until he found the perfect one; I’m certai
nly not going to say anything to spoil his find.
Isla is difficult to buy for, too. Even Kallen’s stumped at first. Then we come upon a merchant selling beautiful boxes with pearl inlays. There’s one I love with a word written in hieroglyphics on the top. Eliana looks at it over my shoulder. “It says ‘love inspires magic’,” she translates.
I look up at her in surprise. “You know how to read hieroglyphics?”
She nods. “There are clues to my past lives written in ancient scrolls. I wanted to be able to read them, so I’ve been taking classes.”
“This is perfect,” I say to Kallen. “Isla’s ancient grimoire would fit in here perfectly.”
“I agree,” he says with a smile and he and Josh begin to haggle with the merchant in Arabic until they all agree on a price.
For Dad, we finally settle on a brass incense holder and several incenses with exotic scents that I think he’ll love. For Zac, I find several Egyptian artifacts that I think he’ll enjoy playing with which appear durable enough to be handled by a boy his age. Now for the most difficult souvenir to purchase; I need to find something for Dagda. What do you get the King of the Fairy realm?
Blood of Egypt (Witch Fairy Book 8) Page 13