Thoth by Alessa Thorn

20

Thoth woke to the smell of coffee, sweet pastries, and a beautiful woman tracing the tattoos on his arm. He opened an eye as her lips grazed against the blue lotus on his bicep.

Kema was wearing one of his robes, hair braided haphazardly, and looking like a woman who had been bedded the night before.

And bedded well, he thought, his own hair a riot from her hands.

“You’re up early,” he mused. He loved waking up to her kissing him.

“It’s almost noon,” Kema said, wearing her laughing smile. Her cheeks were glowing with an afterglow that sex and magic brought about.

Fucking irresistible,Thoth thought, his mind going to naughty places that had his morning erection waking up further.

Thoth knew some men would call her a goddess, especially like this, but he had known his share of goddesses, and they couldn’t compare to her. To him, there was no praise higher than saying that she was, entirely and wonderfully, Kema. And if he didn’t completely fuck it up, she might also agree to be called his.

“Hey, drink your coffee and stop looking at me like that, or I’ll never get out of this bed,” Kema chastised, pressing a cup of coffee in his hand.

“You’re right, I need coffee. Someone fucked my brains out last night.” Thoth sipped and sighed.

Kema kissed his cheek. “Lucky you have so much of that brain to go around.”

“Is that so?” Thoth gave her a heated look over his coffee mug, delighting when her nipples hardened under the thin silk robe. Kema took the cup from his hand, putting it on the table beside the bed as she kissed him. “Care to lose some more?”

Thoth rolled her onto her back, her robe falling open to reveal her soft brown skin. His dick became so hard, it ached. She wrapped her legs around him, guiding him impatiently to her lush, wet pussy. Thoth hadn’t exactly been gentle the night before, so he eased into her slowly, mesmerized by the flush of color in her cheeks. He took one of her nipples in his mouth, and she arched up, responsive and eager as ever.

“What a sight to wake up to,” he murmured. Kema gazed up at him, dark eyes lust-glazed and gorgeous.

Like the previous evening, something gripped deep inside of his chest, both heart and magic wanting her. All of her, always. To wake up with her, fuck her, fight with her, study and talk about magic with her. Thoth kissed her full lips, trying to hide the emotions in his eyes from her.

It’s too soon to be feeling this way, he chastised himself. Kema groaned, chasing her pleasure. Thoth grabbed her legs, lifting them over his shoulders so he could fill her to the hilt. She was panting, gripping his forearms tight enough to bruise.

“Come with me,” she begged, undoing him with the power in her voice, the desire in her eyes that told him that she might have been feeling something deeper too. That ineffable emotion both claimed not to believe in.

Thoth dropped her legs so he could kiss her as his orgasm shot through his body like lighting. She cried out, breathless and gasping, her silky inner walls squeezing him tight enough for his vision to blur. He stayed on top of her, pressing soft, tender kisses over her face.

“Good morning, lovely Kema,” he whispered.

Kema gave his ass a pat. “Good job, sorcerer.” Thoth laughed and slowly rolled off her.

Minutes later, he was feeding her pastry when his phone started ringing. When he ignored it, his ankh started burning.

“What’s wrong?” Kema asked.

“Set is trying to get my attention.”

“Talk to him, I need a shower. Alone, god of magic,” she added, pushing a hand over his face when he grinned.

“If you say so.” Thoth watched her get out of bed and head for his shower, his robe already half off and askew, hips swaying like she knew he was staring at her ass.

Thoth told his dick to behave itself and fumbled around for his phone. He was sure he had left it on the floor of the baths, but the house had a way of bringing it to him.

“What?” Thoth answered when it rang again.

“Wake up, asshole. I’m back early,” Set said.

“And why is that a reason for me to wake up? Hmm?”

Set was silent for a moment before he burst out into raucous laughter. “You finally got laid. Well done, Thoth. How long has it been? Five hundred years? More?”

“Shut up.”

“And how is the lovely thief?” Set pressed.

“Insatiable,” Thoth admitted, making the other god roar again. “Does this phone call have a point? Or is it to harass me unnecessarily?”

“Think with that big brain of yours, and get together your bag of magical tricks and baubles and whatever fuck else you need. We leave for Saqqara by sundown. I want to find my nephew and get rid of the threat hanging over Ayla because of the big green knobhead in the Duat,” Set replied. “Do you think we need to ask Hermes to come along again?”

“No, leave him. He did his part and will just get in the way.”

“And no doubt, he’ll turn his charm on Kema and piss you off.”

“Undoubtedly. Let’s not involve him again until we need to,” Thoth replied, sitting up.

“Fair enough. I’ll be at the store in a few hours, try not to be ploughing Kema in a public space when I get there.”

“No promises.” Thoth hung up, not wanting any more of Set’s commentary. A soft feminine voice rose in a siren song from the shower, and he headed for it like a doomed sailor, ready to die with a smile on his face.

* * *

Kema spentthe rest of the day sitting on a couch and reading books of magic in Thoth’s upstairs library. He wandered in and out, collecting books and making notes in a journal. She would catch him watching her, a goofy, contented smile on his face, and then he would quickly look back to his book, pretending like it had never happened.

Stop being so damn adorable that I want to ravish you, she silently told him. Her body and heart needed a break, a thing easier said than done when watching him study was making her recklessly horny.

“What are you looking for?” Kema asked, needing to distract herself.

“Animal spells and curses. I don’t know what’s going to work on Anubis, so I’m collecting it all,” Thoth replied, placing another book on his overflowing desk. He gestured at the piles beside it as well. “They all might hold something useful. We need to find him, and then we will know for sure what’s going to be helpful. Why are you smiling like that?”

“Because you keep saying ‘we’ and I like it,” Kema replied. Thoth ran a finger over her bare foot that hung over the arm of the couch.

“I’ve told you once before, you aren’t getting away from me that easily. Growing up, didn’t you read any of the fairy tales about evil sorcerers kidnapping and keeping fair maidens in their tower?”

“Being locked in a tower of books and magic didn’t seem like much of a punishment to me. And let’s be honest, I clearly have a weakness for evil sorcerers.” Kema looked him over slowly, and bit her lip. Thoth dropped his book and had started climbing over the back of the couch, when Set’s voice called, “Are you two in here somewhere?”

“Over here, Set,” Kema called in a high and happy voice. Thoth snarled out a curse that had her dropping her book over her face to smother her giggles.

“Am I interrupting something?” Set asked, appearing from around the shelves.

“Not at all,” Thoth said, his tone so threatening, Kema erupted into laughter again.

“It’s nice to see you in such a good mood, Kema. I was worried Thoth might have shown you a bad time,” Set said, sitting down on the arm of her couch.

“A lady never tells,” she replied, sitting up and putting her boots on.

“I would beg a lady not to. Are you ready, Thoth? You can’t be taking all of these books with you.”

Thoth shook his head. “I just want to be prepared for when we find Anubis.” He picked up a satchel bag, giving Kema a pained look. She noticed the bulge in his pants and bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing again.

“You two better not be like this all night,” Set complained, gesturing at Thoth. “Come on, do the door thing and let’s get this hunt started.”

“Ayla’s not coming?” Kema asked.

“She’s in Aswan, wrapping up some of her Panacea work, and then she’s going to be free to do what she likes with me,” Set replied, with a happy smile. The couple were truly in love, and it radiated off them whenever they were together. It was the first time Kema had really seen anything like it.

Thoth’s magic filled the air, Kema’s heart and power leaping at the touch of it. He gave her a knowing glance, and she had to look away before she blushed.

Set walked through the portal without a second’s hesitation, Kema following him with Thoth’s hand lightly brushing the small of her back. Kema’s skin warmed under that brief caress, and she tried to caution her heart not to think too much about it.

Saqqara was quiet, the warm desert wind blowing sand and dust over the city. The residents had retreated and shut themselves up in their homes for the night.

Thoth had opened the doorway in the alleyway behind the Sycamore. Kema kept her face straight, trying not to imagine the silken leash around her throat or Thoth whispering hotly in her ear.

“Guard your thoughts, Kema, or you’re going to distract me all damn night,” Thoth whispered to her.

“I’ll try. The palms that Hermes showed us are this way, Set,” she said, gesturing at the massive god to follow her.

“I don’t understand what Anubis would be doing here,” Set commented, his hand resting on the bark of a tree.

“Was Saqqara sacred to him at all? Did he have a temple or something here?”

“Not in any significant way that I know of. His major worship center was at Cynopolis, the city of the dog. Perhaps he’s tied to this place because of his curse,” Thoth replied, his dark hair whipping in the breeze. “What can you sense, Set?”

Set closed his eyes and sniffed the tree. “I can feel something. I’m going to shift and track him that way.” Set passed his satchel bag to Kema. “Look after this for me, beautiful.”

“There better not be any bombs in there,” Thoth said.

“Don’t worry, I used them on Bell’s job.” Set shot Kema a wink, and golden magic twisted around him. It felt so different to Thoth’s power. It was dark and chaotic and left the taste of blood in the mouth. Kema couldn't look away as the god fell to the ground and shifted into a huge wild dog.

“That’s not something you see every day,” Kema murmured, voice soft with wonder. “Do you think I’ll be able to shape shift one day?”

“Maybe. What animal would you like to become if you could?” Thoth asked curiously.

Kema thought about it. “Considering my bloodline, probably a hawk. I’ve always wanted to be able to fly.”

“Flying is magnificent. I’m sure I have something in my library that would be able to help you, if that’s what you want,” Thoth replied.

Kema beamed. “Really?”

Set yapped, breaking them up. He scratched around the dirt of the palms, growled and started to trot away.

“He’s picked up a scent, now all we have to do is follow,” Thoth explained.

Kema did her best to keep her questions to a minimum as they followed Set through the streets of Saqqara. It was hot, dirty work thanks to the wind, and Kema was thinking fondly of the bath she was going to soak in when she got back to Alexandria.

After an hour, they reached the strange boundary where the trees met the desert. Set kept trotting up the twisting road.

“What would Anubis be doing all the way out here?” Kema wondered out loud.

“Maybe it’s the energy,” Thoth replied, pointing to the sand dunes and the pyramid in the distance. “This land is full of bodies. They used to bury the dead out here, and not just where the pyramid is. There is energy in death too, and this place is vibrating with it. The archaeologists are still finding tombs all through this area.”

When they reached the carpark area for the Pyramid of Djoser, Set made a soft impatient whining sound.

“Something’s wrong,” Thoth murmured, looking around. Kema couldn’t see anything but the pyramid and some kind of camp set up for the archaeologists working on a nearby dig.

Set’s ears and tail pricked up, a deep whine coming from his throat. Kema froze as a large shadow of black jackal moved in the distance. A flash of white teeth and a snarl, cold and menacing, echoed around them.

“Fuck, it’s him,” Thoth whispered.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He doesn’t recognize us.” Thoth slowly edged in front of Kema, took off his bag and passed it to her. “Hold onto this and don’t come after us.”

“What—” Kema began. Set howled and raced towards the jackal. Growls and snarls erupted as they clashed together with teeth and claw. Just as quickly, they sprung apart and streaked off into the night.

“Stay here! Don’t follow,” Thoth commanded.

With a flash of bronze, he shifted into an ibis and flew after them, magic streaking in his wake and leaving Kema alone in the darkness.

“Hey! What are doing out here by yourself?” a woman asked, coming from the archaeological site. Her tight curls were pinned up on the top of her head, square black glasses sitting askew on her nose.

Think Kema think!

“It’s a long story, but my boyfriend and I came out here to try and find our dog. We thought we saw him, so my boyfriend has headed out that way, with our other dog, to find our…dog,” Kema stammered awkwardly. Her magic prickled under her skin, her intuition sparking to life the longer she stared at the stranger.

The woman shifted her car keys to her other hand. “There are a lot of dogs out here. What does your lost one look like?”

“Black, big, beautiful,” Kema replied, listing her first impression of Anubis.

“There is one that hangs about here that fits that description, but he’s been here for years,” the woman said, her brows drawing together.

“He is an escape artist. We live not far from here, and he loves to jump the fence.”

“I guess that explains why he always looked too fine and glossy to be an average stray. I hope you find him. And please, bring him for a visit sometime. I like him. He’s a good listener.” The woman smiled and headed for her car.

“Sure thing,” Kema said and then asked, “I’m Kema. What’s your name?”

“Tahirah.”

Another loud dog fight echoed across the dunes. They both looked towards the sound, Tahirah cursing softly.

“I hope they are okay out there.”

“My boyfriend knows what he’s doing,” Kema said, hoping it was true. There was a flash of bronze, another of gold.

“Wow! Did you see that?” Tahirah asked.

“See what?” Kema replied. Fuck, Thoth, don’t put on a magic show, just bring him here!

“Lights. Must have been a flashlight or something.”

After another long, tense moment, Thoth appeared limping through the darkness. He looked rumpled and more than a little pissed off, but Set and Anubis trailed after him, still in their animal forms.

“Oh, there you are honey! I’m so glad you found our lost dog,” Kema gushed, hurrying towards him. Thoth’s eyes settled on Tahirah, picked up on Kema’s cue, and gave Set’s head a pat. Anubis circled round and looked at Tahirah.

“Yes, they were mucking about in dunes. Good boy, sit!” Thoth said. Set’s eyes narrowed, promising death, but he still sat.

“Looks like you had a home after all, my friend,” Tahirah said, crouching down in front of Anubis. “Who am I going to share my dinner with now? You scamp.” Anubis’s head tilted before he rubbed against her. Tahirah laughed softly, rubbed him over, and kissed the top of his head. “Off you go. Time for you to go with your mama. Please bring him back for a visit sometime, Kema. He’s such a good boy.”

“Sure thing,” Kema replied, giving her a big smile.

Thoth’s eyes were wide and slightly horrified over the whole interaction. Tahirah gave them a friendly wave before getting into her car and heading back towards the city.

“She’s one of the archaeologists from the dig,” Kema explained, going to Thoth. “Are you okay?” Ichor was slowly seeping through his shirt and pants.

“A few scrapes and bites, but I’ll live. We need to get Anubis back to Alexandria before he runs off again.” Thoth opened a portal door to his kitchen. With a series of soft growls, Set herded Anubis through the door.

“We finally found him,” Thoth sigh with relief. Kema put her arm around his waist, helping support him as they hobbled through after them.