Luxor, Egypt
Hatshepsut cupped her hands over her eyes to block the sun’s glare as she looked over the sandy horizon.
The desert heat had very little effect on her as she rode a camel towards a temple.
She knew this temple all too well.
She smiled as she stopped in front of it, admiring the ancient architecture.
She got off the camel and walked into the building, removing her sunglasses.
She reminisced of old times as she walked through the familiar halls.
She continued until she came to an open spot where lush gardens used to fill the space, but now it was nothing but sand and brambles.
She came to a wall that was covered in dead vines.
She moved some of the vines from the wall, kicked aside some brambles and stepped on a stone in the floor, opening the wall.
Hatshepsut took a flashlight from her waist and clicked it on.
But as she stepped into the narrow passage, lights came on and lit the way.
This surprised Hatshepsut.
She knew only she and one other person even knew about this place.
Did Senemut do all of this?
Hatshepsut continued down the narrow passage in awe about how clear it was.
She had expected to have to tear through cobwebs and dance over scorpions and snakes, but there wasn’t even one spider.
Finally, she came to another door.
She noticed a keypad next to the door.
This is new.
Hatshepsut touched the key pad and used her ice to short circuit it.
The door opened and led to an open room that was furnished with the most extravagant sofas, cushions, and draperies money could buy.
A long, dark table made of oak was laden with pastries and fruits.
On the floors laid rugs of Persia and fur.
Hatshepsut looked around the room in amazement.
“Do you like what I’ve done with the place?” a voice said from the back of the room.
“I’m sure it’s not what you would have done, but I like it.”
“That voice,” Hatshepsut said, walking towards the back of the room.
“I know that voice.”
At the back of the room was a man sitting behind a desk.
His face was shrouded in shadow.
“Who are you?” Hatshepsut asked.
“I can’t believe you have to ask.
Has it been so long that you don’t remember me?
How about I give you a hint?
I’m the one who has been giving you money to kill guardians.
I was hoping one would be powerful enough, or at least smart enough, to defeat you, but I guess I was wrong.
I’m beginning to think you’re impossible to get rid of.
I mean, those two guardians couldn’t do it.
Ochiru was capable but wouldn’t.
Even Senemut, I was sure he would succeed.
I suppose love is more powerful than primal urges.
By the way, how is your eye?
Does your new lover enjoy it?”
“I will kill you!” Hatshepsut roared as she lunged forward .
.
.
*******
Roman stood out on his balcony thumbing through one of his books.
A breeze from the swamp blew through causing his pajama pants to flutter around his legs.
It felt nice against his shirtless chest, but this was Roman’s usual attire when he was home.
Either no shirt or he wore it completely unbutton and absolutely no shoes.
Roman preferred to be comfortable when he was at home.
He glanced back in the bedroom briefly to see if Hatshepsut still slept.
A good lay always tuckers my queen out.
Roman smiled at the thought.
It did the opposite for him.
He actually felt quite revived after a romp with Hatshepsut.
Ahh, Hat .
.
.
His thoughts drifted back to feel of her skin, the sound of her lustful moans.
He closed his eyes and licked his lips as he remanence how she felt around him.
Her depths slick with her desire, squeezing him as she came closer to .
.
.
Roman’s eyes snapped open as he realized his hand was on his groin and he was quickly hardening.
He turned his attention back to the bedroom.
Maybe once more.
She won’t mind.
He stopped cold as he realized his other hand held a book that he was reading.
He took a deep breath to clear his mind.
I need to focus.
He continued flipping through his book.
Its leather cover worn from years of wear.
One of many he owned.
Even though Roman had tremendous power and skill, he still referred to his books every once in a while.
This particular book referred to demons.
I know it is here somewhere.
Here it is.
Roman smiled as he found the section on reptillia demons.
Roman began reading through the text.
“There are at least ten different types of reptillia demon,” Roman said frustrated.
He began thinking back to a conversation that he and Hatshepsut had had a long time ago.
She was always reluctant to talk about past relationships, especially when it came to Senemut.
She was even more reluctant about revealing if any had special abilities.
Especially Senemut.
“Senemut,” Roman spat between his teeth.
He never expected him to come into the picture even though it was always a possibility.
The man was an immortal after all.
He was bound to turn up again.
“Concentrate,” Roman told himself.
“Hat had once used the word indestructible to describe him.” Roman glanced through the text until he found something to his liking.
“Armored Reptillia Demon.
Known as armored because of its thick steel plated skin.
Special abilities: shape-shifting, superhuman strength and speed, corrosive venom, and can secrete a highly potent pheromone to attract its human victims.
Also has the ability to enthrall its victims.” Roman raised an eye brow.
“A chink in the sanctimonious Senemut’s armor.
He eats humans.
Now how can I kill you?” Roman continued to read on.
“It seems that extreme cold is your Achilles’ heel.
It makes your skin brittle, penetrable.” Roman smiled as he closed his book.
“How I do love that word penetrable.”
He walked back into the bedroom fiddling with his necklace as he thought about his findings.
He placed his book into a drawer.
He would put it back into his altar room when Hatshepsut left which he hoped wouldn’t be for a while.
Roman walked over to the end of the bed and watched Hatshepsut as she slept.
He crossed his arms and continued fiddling with his ancient necklace as he stared at her.
I’m being paranoid.
Senemut is no threat to me.
Besides, Hat and I are not monogamous.
Why do I care?
Roman shook his head.
Why did he care?
He knew why, but he wouldn’t admit that.
It’s just business.
We are strictly business associates.
Roman’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Hatshepsut’s breathing.
It was becoming erratic.
Hatshepsut began mumbling in her sleep.
She seemed angry.
She’s having a nightmare.
Roman began to walk around the bed so that he could comfort her, but he was stopped by a sheet of ice that was developing around Hatshepsut.
It spread slowly, growing thicker by the second.
Roman backed away towards the balcony.
This was not the first time this had happen.
Hatshepsut had once frozen the entire room before he could wake her, but she had never done anything like this.
Spikes began to shoot up out of the ice.
This isn’t good.
Roman’s eyes swirled black as he began to summon his power.
A shadowy mist rolled from his body and towards the ice.
Roman knew he couldn’t melt it as fast as she was creating it, but he hoped he could at least slow it down.
He didn’t have to worry for long.
With a loud cry, Hatshepsut awoke sitting up with an outstretched hand and breathing heavily.
“I will kill you!” Hatshepsut shouted.
She looked around with a crazed look in her eye as if she was looking for her assailant.
Roman’s eyes reverted back to their golden hue as the shadows that had surrounded him disappeared.
“Hat, are you okay?” Roman asked as he walked back towards the bed.
Hatshepsut looked over at Roman and noticed that she was surrounded by spikes of ice.
She covered her face to try to calm down.
Hatshepsut took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
The ice evaporated as she exhaled.
Roman got into the bed beside her and put his arms around her tightly.
“Are you okay?” Roman asked, stroking her hair.
“It was a dream,” Hatshepsut said more to herself than Roman.
“It was all a dream.”
Roman rubbed her shoulders.
“I do not know why I fell to sleep,” Hatshepsut said.
“I do not even need sleep!
I am too comfortable here.
I let my guard down when I am around you.”
“There’s nothing wrong with having a place where you feel safe.” Roman said soothingly.
“And there’s definitely nothing wrong with you feeling secure around me.”
Roman looked down at Hatshepsut.
She had the oddest expression on her face.
Was that regret in her eyes?
Why would she regret her statement?
“I think it is time for me to leave,” Hatshepsut said, removing Roman’s arm.
“No, it’s not,” Roman said, grabbing Hatshepsut’s hand.
“You don’t sneak out until five or six and that is just a couple of hours from now. Follow the newest chapters on novelping.com.
Come on, Hat.
There’s nothing to fear, not from me anyway.”
Hatshepsut rolled her eyes and allowed Roman to pull her back to him.
He smiled.
“Did you want to talk about your dream?” Roman asked, gently stroking her arm with his fingertips.
“No.”
Of course not.
It frustrated Roman that Hatshepsut was so reluctant to let him get close to her.
Roman pushed back his frustration as Hatshepsut rolled over to lay her head on his chest.
He grinned slightly and began running his fingers along her bare back.
She sighed in contentment.
The sound aroused him.
“Roman?”
“Yes?”
“Have you ever done a business transaction that you later regret?”
No.
“I haven’t really given it much thought.
In our line of work, we’re not exactly the good guys.
I sell guns and you kill people, neither of which is on the legal side of things.
But I guess since you mostly kill demons, your work is more on the good side.”
“You did not answer my question.”
Smart girl.
“No, I did not.
Nothing gets pass you, does it?”
“The same can be said of you.”
“Indeed,” Roman said laughing.
“My question?”
“Right.
Think about it, Hat.
You have to be cold-blooded and heartless to do the work we do.
It doesn’t matter how much we research we do before we get into the situation.
The choice is already made when you answer the call.
I sell to dictators, terrorists, and all sorts of despicable people.
I know they are not going to use the weapons I sell them for anything good, but I live with it.
That is what we do.
You can’t be in this game and have a conscience.
You just can’t.
If I went around taking back the merchandise I sell because I find out later that my client intends to commit genocide, what kind of businessman would I be?
I don’t think I would stay in business very long.”
“You are a very bad man.
I allow you to live because?”
“You like what I do to you,” Roman responded darkly.
“You are so vulgar.”
Roman laughed, but Hatshepsut lay silent for a moment.
He hated when she did that.
He knew that she was lost in serious thought.
He wanted to know her thoughts.
“You’re still thinking about those targets you killed,” Roman said, fishing.
“Yes,” Hatshepsut sighed.
“What if I killed the innocent?
How will I be able to live with myself?”
“Stop thinking about it,” Roman said compassionately.
“The types of transactions you do are not exactly reversible.
You can’t bring people back from the dead.
So, you shouldn’t worry about outcomes you can’t change.”
Hatshepsut shot up from Roman’s embrace.
“Maybe I can,” Hatshepsut said.
She jumped out of the bed walked into the closet.
“What just happened?” Roman asked, confused.
Hatshepsut came out of the closet with her emergency outfit, a pair of designer jeans and a blouse.
He had encouraged her to bring more, but she quickly refused.
He watched as she whirled into the clothes; a sight that always left him in awe.
She flew over to the bed and gave him a quick kiss.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“You gave me an idea,” Hatshepsut said.
“I want to act upon it.”
“It can’t wait until the sun has come up?
I was hoping we could spend some more quality time together.”
Much more.
Hatshepsut looked at him and smiled.
He loved her smile.
He wished she smiled more often.
“I think we have had enough ‘quality’ time.
I swear you are an animal.
Are you sure you are human?”
A sly grin formed on Roman’s lips.
“You would know.”
Hatshepsut leaned over and gave him another kiss.
This time it was long and lingering.
Roman opened his eyes to find himself alone.
“That was cruel,” he said to himself.