“I need you to get in touch with the trustees at a couple of well-respected art museums. I was thinking we’d start with the MET in New York City since you’re a member of their board of directors. And someplace local, like the Egyptian Modern Art Museum. I’m considering making large monetary donations to both institutions, maybe funding an endowment or two.”
Maliyah glanced back and forth between the two men, awaiting some sort of verbal acknowledgment. They looked a bit perplexed. She knew her request had come out of left field. But she hoped that once she laid out the fundamental details of her plan, they’d recognize the genius behind it.
Uncle Shahad’s motivation had always been one-sided. Money was the only thing that ever mattered to him. Hell, he’d abandoned his wife and children because they were too much of a financial burden for him to bear. Instead of taking responsibility for his family, he preferred to lead a life dominated by gambling and debauchery. The greedy son of a bitch only cared about himself and had proven that further by extorting money from his own brother. When that didn’t work, he resorted to murder. Maliyah wouldn’t put anything past him.
The only way to hit a man like Shahad where it hurts was to aim for his wallet. Or in this case, his lack thereof. Cut off the head of the snake so it can no longer bite you, as her father used to say. Maliyah’s strategy involved the contribution of a large portion of her inheritance to charity. The idea was that the two aforementioned art museums would serve as benefactors of said generosity. She was never interested in her father’s money and giving away half his fortune wouldn’t bother her in the least. It would, however, rattle her dear uncle. If she wanted the ruse to work, she had to make the announcement public via a televised press conference, and then wait for her uncle to retaliate. She knew he’d start with another attempt on her life. With a little help from family and friends, Maliyah would be there, ready to catch him in the act.
“I don’t like this plan of yours, Maliyah. It puts you at further risk and I’m not comfortable with that,” Ramses said as he nervously clasped his hands. “We should take your mother’s advice and go to the police.”
“No! I’m the only person that can draw Shahad out into the open. You said so yourself. I’m simply reiterating the claim you made to Husani.” Maliyah was frustrated. At the end of her wits. This was their one chance to end the nightmare her uncle had orchestrated. She refused to cower and hide until Shahad decided to strike.
“That’s true. I said that. But that was before…” Ramses stopped in mid-sentence, unable to complete his thought.
“Before what?”
“Before us!” He shouted, pushing away from the table and stomping out of the restaurant.
For a few moments, Maliyah sat there staring at her lover’s back as he stormed away. Stunned by his admission. Then, her gaze returned to the couple seated across from her, anticipating their reply. “Fine. I’ll set everything up,” Andreas said, as he stretched his arms, then laced his fingers together at the base of his skull. “Now go find Ramses before he rips some unsuspecting tourist to shreds.”
“Thanks.” Maliyah leaned over and kissed both dinner guests on the cheek. “I’ll be in touch.”
Chapter Eighteen
The Claiming
Ramses sensed the exact moment his lover sashayed into the hotel bar on the balls of her platform heels. He didn’t have to see her face or hear her voice. He simply felt her presence. It was as if his soul had recognized its other half. Still, his anger continued to fester like an open wound. He couldn’t fathom the idea of Maliyah purposely putting herself in the line of fire. He didn’t know how or when the thought of it had becomes so inhospitable, but it had. Hell, he was the one who had convinced her to travel to Elephantine in the first place. Nonetheless, the trap she’d set for Shahad caused his hostility to boil over to the point of rage. Undeniably, lack of sustenance had exacerbated his predilection for violence. Over the last week, he’d neglected his needs, afraid to scare off his human companion with the brunt of his ravenous thirst. Survival instincts started to kick in, which didn’t bode well for those in his path. A hungry vampire on a mission to protect his mate wasn’t a pretty sight.
Within seconds, Maliyah came up behind him and cleared her throat. Ramses did his best to ignore her, instead opting to swallow another swig of his drink, this time an expensive aged whiskey. He’d ordered the strong stuff possible to dull his desire to kill and maim. If he gave into his proclivities, he’d slash the bartender’s throat, guzzle down his blood, then throw Maliyah over his shoulder and lock her up in a cave somewhere.
Maliyah must have realized his fury had reached a level at which he could scarcely regulate. Her perceptive nature caught Ramses off guard. Rather than hem and haw at him for stomping out of the restaurant, she knew better than to incite him further. Instead, she tangled her fingers in the mane of curls at the nape of his neck and massaged the hair follicles there.
“It’s our last night on this beautiful island,” she whispered hoarsely into his ear. “I don’t want to fight.”
Suddenly, the anger Ramses felt had dissipated. But the thirst remained, a desire that only Maliyah had the power to quench. Only her blood would suffice. Certainly, she’d seen the raw, animalistic hunger in his eyes. Without a word, she took a step back and started to walk away. She sauntered from one end of the hotel lobby to the other, never once looking back to ensure he had followed. Like him, she just knew he was there.
It wasn’t until they were both securely ensconced in the elevator alone, that Maliyah finally turned to face him. Neither of them hesitated. They didn’t even take the time to press the emergency button to halt the elevator between floors. In a heartbeat, their limbs were entwined, touching, kissing, and tasting one another. Ramses hiked the denim skirt she wore clear up past her hips and unzipped his trousers. No need to wait since his cock already stood at attention, hard as steel. He’d been in a perpetual state of arousal all night long.
“I need you, Ramses,” Maliyah groaned between kisses.
“I need you, too.” Ramses thrust inside her the instant the last syllable escaped his lips. He had her pressed up against the cool glass that lined the walls of the elevator and pierced her blistering heat. Over and over, he penetrated her core. At the same time, his lover’s legs encircled his narrow hips. Her hands clung to his shoulders, holding on for dear life.
Ramses flung one side of her leather bolero jacket to the side. The motion exposed the swell of her breasts over the lace tank top she wore. He picked up the pace of their lovemaking, letting his cock pound inside of her. The rhythm was so wildly uninhibited; it raced at the same tempo of his lover’s beating heart. His claws extended. They etched deep grooves into the surface of the mirrored glass. Then his canines shot out of his gums, exerting their own guttural demands.
On the verge of ejaculation, Ramses could no longer hold back an orgasm. He needed to feed and Maliyah no doubt needed to come. He knew that one sure-fire method to ensure his lover’s pleasure would be to siphon blood from her vein. Bending his head to her chest, he bit down with his incisors, and tore a small gape into her left breast.
Instantaneously, Maliyah let out a gasp. Liquid from her pussy drizzled onto the hand that Ramses kept on her ass to ensure neither of them lost their grip. Through his cotton dress shirt, he felt her teeth clamp down on his shoulder to stifle a scream. Her fingernails dug into the skin on the underside of his biceps as he filled her with his seed. White-hot semen poured out of him until finally, Ramses lifted his head and kissed her. Passionately. Desperately. Not the least bit concerned that the taste of her blood still lingered on his lips.
Before long, Maliyah’s strength seemed to wane. Her limbs flailed like dead weight and Ramses knew he needed to get her back to the suite. Again, he’d taken too much blood. But he couldn’t help himself; he’d waited too long to feed. Ramses dragged his tongue over the pinpricks he’d made and initiated the healing process, then carried his mate to the hotel roo
m. Once he forced her to drink a bottle of water, he ordered her to lie down and relax. Perhaps read a juicy romance novel or watch some television.
“It’s barely ten o’clock. What do you have planned for the rest of the night?” Maliyah looked up at him, doe-eyed and eager to please. Was she ready for round two so soon?
“Since my mate insists on following through with some crazy scheme to give away her many millions, I thought I’d email a friend of mine who works at the Egyptian Daily News and set up a press conference.” Ramses combed a hand through his damp locks, resigned to the fact that the strong-willed woman he’d come to adore wouldn’t budge on her stance. “I’ve got no choice in the matter.”
“So now I’m your mate, huh?” Maliyah giggled softly.
“Always have been. I just took my time in claiming you.”
***
In addition to making love to Ramses a handful of glorious times, the train ride from Aswan to Cairo had been surprisingly productive. Ramses heard back from his contact at the Egyptian Daily News and a press conference had been scheduled at the local art museum for the day after next. Andreas also spoke with the curator of the MET, a woman by the name of Louise Reynolds, who helped coordinate the establishment of an endowment at the New York-based museum. But before Maliyah could finalize the transactions, she needed to return to Cairo. She still had to hear the details of Anwar’s will. Her cousins already confirmed that his solicitor had delivered the documents and would be waiting to reveal their contents as soon as she arrived home. Once everything was in order in that respect, she could confide in Salma and Husani and give them the devastating truth about their father.
While the last several days proved to be an emotional roller coaster, Maliyah relished the time she spent alone with Ramses. They had both let down their guard and the interactions between them seemed natural, unrehearsed. He’d even called her his mate. That was a big step in and of itself. Although in all honestly, Maliyah had no idea what that meant.
There was no discussion of the future or anything even remotely related to what might happen once the drama with her uncle had been resolved. Could she give up her career and stay in Egypt? Would she? She wasn’t even sure he’d put up with her free-willing American antics for the long haul. And Maliyah wasn’t certain she could marry someone like Ramses. One day she’d grow old, while he would maintain the facade of perpetual youth. What about children? She desperately wanted them and according to Ramses, procreation between a human and a vampire held zero chance of coming to fruition.
Even still, at least as far as Maliyah was concerned, surrendering to love was inevitable. She’d wanted this man since the age of nine. The only question was, did he want her just as much? Would he be willing to compromise? Of course, she’d have to wait and see how it all panned out. Nonetheless, her instincts told her that Ramses was the one.
“Stop thinking so much, Maliyah.”
“Sorry I’m being so quiet. I don’t mean to be a bore.” Maliyah twitched as she crossed, then uncrossed her legs nervously. She hoped like hell that the faraway look in her eyes hadn’t given away too much. While thoughts of Ramses had preoccupied nearly every waking moment of consciousness since they’d left Elephantine, she knew that now wasn’t the time to have “the talk.” Not when a killer still roamed the streets.
“You aren’t a bore. But I need you stay focused on the task at hand.” Ramses tossed their bags into the trunk of the waiting limousine. Then, he took Maliyah by the hand and led him into the backseat. His palm grazed her bare skin, making it tingle with unsolicited desire. One caress was all it took.
Maliyah leaned in and purred in her lover’s ear. “Mr. Shakir, you make it rather difficult for a woman to keep her wits about her.”
Ramses frowned. He squared Maliyah’s shoulders and squeezed firmly to emphasize the importance of what he had to say. “From here on out, we’ve gotta be extremely cautious. Shahad is dangerous. If he senses we’re the least bit distracted, he’ll see it as a weakness and pounce.”
Maliyah jerked out of his grasp, summoned back to reality by her lover’s somber declaration. She sank into the seat cushions and poured two glasses of ice-cold water, one for each of them. “It’s your fault! Keep touching me like that and we’ll both find to difficult to concentrate.”
“Point well taken, habibti. I’ll try to keep my distance.”
For the remainder of the drive from the train station to Anwar’s home, the two of them sat on separate ends of the limousine. They worked together to pen the speech Maliyah would present the following evening. Each word had been meticulously crafted to reel in Shahad, and persuade him to take the bait. With phrases such as “Aziz Family Endowment for the Arts,” and “multi-million dollar monetary contribution,” her uncle was sure to make a move.
Ramses was right though; she had to stay on her toes. Focused and ruled by restraint. Romance needed to play second fiddle to the safety of her family and the perseverance of her father’s legacy, a fact that had been underscored all the more when they arrived on Anwar’s doorstep. Once inside the house, they spied Salma and Husani huddled next to each other in the dining room with the family attorney, Omar Hussein, at the head of the table.
Maliyah plopped down in an empty chair as the lawyer proceeded to outline the dispersal of her father’s assets aloud.
I, Anwar al Aziz, of Cairo, Egypt, being of sound body and mind do hereby declare that this document is my last willand testament…I bequeath my business, Aziz Import/Export Ltd., and all of my personal property including my homes in Cairo, Miami, and New York, as follows:
Maliyah Aziz - 50% share
Husani Aziz - 25% share
Salma Aziz - 25% share
“Uncle Anwar’s generosity is an honor. But my sister and I cannot accept it,” Husani said, shaking his head in protest. “We don’t deserve it. His estate rightfully belongs to Maliyah.”
“No, cousin. These were my father’s last wishes. We must respect them.” Maliyah replied before turning her attention to Anwar’s solicitor. She couldn’t wait to get rid of him. The old bastard gave her the creeps. He’d pawed her like a hungry lion the night they’d gone to dinner with Ramses and Husani. “Thank you for coming all this way, Mr. Hussein. We’ll make sure these documents are notarized, and sent via courier to your office in the morning.”
“Are you certain about this, Maliyah?” Salma asked.
“Yes, quite certain.”
Maliyah could only hope that the warm and fuzzy feelings continued to flow after she told her cousin’s that their father was alive and kicking, responsible for Anwar’s death. Would their loyalty prevail once she spelled out her plan to give away Anwar’s millions and enact revenge against Shahad?
Chapter Eighteen
The Confession
“Maliyah, Shahad was merely a sperm donor. Salma was an infant and I was barely two-years-old when our father abandoned us.” Husani pounded his fist on the dining room table, clearly enraged.
“Still he’s your father. You must feel something for him?” Maliyah simply couldn’t fathom the idea that her cousins shared no emotional connection to the man who helped bring them into the world. Though her relationship with Anwar had been somewhat strained over the years, she couldn’t imagine never having known him. In truth, she loved him wholeheartedly and it made no sense that her uncle’s children wouldn’t harbor the same unconditional affection for their own father. Husani, especially, because he had shared a home with the man for the first two years of his life.
“I never knew Shahad. How could I love him? He killed Uncle Anwar,” Salma interjected, slamming her eyes shut as if a slew of bad memories had suddenly assailed her. “Maliyah, you are the only family we have left. If you think this plan of yours will work, Husani and I will support it one hundred percent. Besides, neither of us expected Uncle Anwar to be quite so lavish with our inheritance.”
“My sister speaks the truth. We’ll contribute half of the money Uncle Anwar gifted u
s in order to establish the endowments.” Picking up a paper and pen, Husani started to jot something down. “We’ll even put it in writing, if that will ease your mind.”
“That won’t be necessary. Thank you.” Maliyah reached out and clasped hands with both cousins. A wealth of emotion flooded her. The love and acceptance she felt was worth more than any amount of money.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ramses lounging nonchalantly against a nearby windowpane, his arms crossed over his broad chest. Throughout the entire conversation, he remained mum. He was wise enough to let her handle the situation on her own. But once the hard part was out of the way, and her cousins had retired for the night, Maliyah sat in the dim light room, staring up at the vampire. She needed him. Now more than ever.
Before better judgment got the best of her, Maliyah ran into her lover’s arms. Even though his skin was cool to the touch, his embrace felt warm and comforting. She let her cheek rest against his shoulder, then inhaled deeply, taking in his familiar scent. “Thank you for everything, Ramses. I can’t imagine what I’d do if you weren’t by my side. I’d probably be dead by now,” Maliyah said as the vampire’s fingers smooth down a few stray strands of her hair.
“Shh. Don’t think like that. I told you, I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
This time, Maliyah believed him without any lingering misconceptions. The man was a force to be reckoned with. From the moment she saw him standing along the shores of the Nile River a month ago, she knew Ramses would turn her world upside down. In addition to the off the charts chemistry that had sparked between them, she’d come to respect him, too. He was a man of many talents. Besides being a freakishly scary vampire, he was smart and resourceful. He befriended influential people from every walk of life and earned a reputation as a shrewd businessman. He’d no doubt used his skills repeatedly over the years in order to keep his vast empire flourishing.
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