Thoth by Alessa Thorn
26
Upstairs, Thoth sat down heavily on the end of his bed with a groan. “What a night. I swear my brain is on fire. I think trying to restore Anubis’s Ka and keeping him calm is going to become a full-time job.”
Kema stood in front of him and pushed her fingers into his hair. Thoth groaned as she massaged his scalp. “Do you want me to move back into my apartment for a while? Let you have time and space to figure it out? I mean, I’ll have to go back to it at some point.”
Thoth’s eyes snapped open in alarm, panic coursing through him like a rush of adrenaline. “What? No, I don’t want you to go anywhere. You’re the only thing that makes sense right now.”
“Is that so?” Kema asked, eyes widening at the intensity of his outburst.
Thoth placed his hands over hers, desperately trying to find the right words. “I know you think I’m old, arrogant, and stubborn, but I can’t say no to a challenge, and convincing you that love isn’t a con seems like a good one.”
“Is this a backwards Thoth way of saying that you are in love with me?” Kema asked, brows drawn together.
“Maybe, I don’t know. My brain has too much to think about, but I’m sure it’s a yes. Yes, I’m in love with you. I might not be entirely thrilled about the idea and the complications it’s going to cause, but there you have it. I love you,” Thoth said in one rambling breath.
“Ridiculous sorcerer.” Kema kissed him once and pressed her forehead to his. His blood was pounding in his ears. Fear and longing and need tangled with desire inside of him. Her wanted her. All of her. Always.
“Please, tell me loving you back isn’t some kind of a spell,” Kema begged softly.
“Love is the oldest kind of magic there is. I’m sure we can figure it out together,” Thoth replied, tugging her into his lap.
Kema laughed and kissed him again. “We’ve already got a god of the dead needing us to figure out his spell, so what’s one more?”
“Not to mention we still need to capture the creatures you set loose. You see? There’s far too much work to be done for you to move out,” Thoth said. He ran a thumb over the bronze cartouche on her arm. “I can remove this if you like.”
Kema shook her head. “No, I think that should stay in case I get scared or overwhelmed, and I try to run away. I always want you to be able to find me, Thoth, so you can convince me to come back.”
She looked too nervous and serious, so Thoth said, “I suppose I’ll have to use my dick magic to do that, seeing how you never listen to a thing I say.”
Kema tilted her head back and laughed loudly. “That might make me want to run away just for the fun of it.”
“Don’t you dare.” Thoth brushed his thumb against her full bottom lip. “I was meant to throw you in the Duat, so how did I fall in love with you instead?”
“I did tell you that an old friend would return to your life and that you would get a new lover,” Kema teased, putting her arms around his neck. “Maybe you should listen to Madame Heka when she makes her predictions.”
“You’re not the only one that can predict the future you know,” Thoth said, pulling her closer.
Kema twisted her fingers in his hair. “Dazzle me, god of magic.”
“I predict that we are going to be together for a very long time,” Thoth whispered against her lips. “And in ten minutes, you’re going to be on all fours, squirming in pleasure and screaming how much you love me.”
“I think your psychic powers need a little work.” Kema’s smile was wide and wicked. “By my calculations, it’s going to be five minutes.”
Thoth grinned and kissed her hard and deep. He never could say no to challenge.
