Chapter Ninety Four: Blood Sucker
Vitane urged Kiya towards the mysterious stranger, but before he flung off his cloak Kiya recognised his scent. “Anubis!” she cried. “What are you doing here?”
Anubis stood tall and opened his arms to her. “I have come to see you, my dearest Kiya.” His voice was deep, with the familiar rich timbre that still had the power to thrill.
Kiya resisted the urge to move forwards into his embrace. “Why is Vitane with you?” she asked. “She is under my protection and should be on her way home to Crete.”
Anubis frowned. “I had no idea before today that you two knew each other. It could make things awkward.”
“It could, indeed,” said Kiya. “What do you want with my friend?”
“There is no need to feel jealous, Kiya.” Anubis assured her.
“Why should I feel jealous?” said Kiya. “You and I no longer have a relationship. I am worried that Vitane is in danger.”
“Do not worry, Kiya,” said Vitane. “I am in no danger. I am with the man I love.”
“You love Anubis?” said Kiya in amazement.
“Is it so hard to do?” said Anubis. “You loved me once, Kiya, and not long ago. I hear you have had a baby. Could he be mine?”
“Of course it couldn’t. We were never lovers.”
“We slept in the same bed.”
“Yes, but that was all. I am sorry if you are disappointed, Anubis, but that baby is not yours.”
The god did, indeed, look as crestfallen as his jackal head allowed. “I had hoped that a miracle might have happened.”
Kiya stepped forwards and put her hand on Anubis’s arm. Once again she felt the attraction of his warm, honey-scented skin. “I believe that a miracle has happened. That baby is not just for me but for all of us. Hathor has taken him and will nurture him to manhood.”
Anubis nodded. “I know. I have seen him.”
“You have seen him?” Kiya’s heart soared. “How is he?”
“He is doing well,” said Anubis. “All the immortals love him. But, like you, they refuse to believe that I am his father.”
“Poor Anubis,” said Kiya.
He patted her hand. “Perhaps one day we can continue what we started. I have found a way to stop eating human flesh so I no longer have to kill to satisfy my hunger.”
“Really?” Kiya felt relieved for Vitane. “How do you feed?”
“I drink blood from living people.”
Kiya was puzzled “Who would let you do such a thing?”
“Even though I am no longer confined to the temple, girls give themselves to me willingly. Most are in awe of being in the presence of a god.”
Kiya remembered how she, herself, was seduced by Anubis. “I can understand why you have little difficulty in finding victims, but surely drinking their blood would kill them,” she said.
“It took me a few mistakes to get it right,” admitted Anubis. “Moderation, that is the answer. Despite my thirst I must give the girls time to recover.”
Kiya stared at him and then stared at Vitane. The Princess was deadly pale and had many partly-healed gashes on her neck.
“Are you drinking the blood of my friend?”
Anubis looked discomforted. “There is no need to look at me like that. I thought you would be pleased. How could I know this girl is your friend? I bought her from the slave market at Helwan. A nice, plump girl, very nutritious.”
Kiya turned to Vitane. “What were you doing in the slave market? I gave you enough money to get home.”
“I spent the money. I am sorry Kiya. I wanted more time in Helwan so I rented an apartment and one thing led to another and I couldn’t pay the rent or the wig maker or the goldsmith and I ended up in the slave market.”
“You foolish girl. I should never have trusted you to get home alone.”
“You are blaming me for Vitane’s fate,” said Anubis. “But it sounds as if it was your fault that she was forced to become a slave.”
Kiya was disconcerted by the accusation. It had certainly been her idea to change places with Vitane. But for her intervention the girl would be living in King Ikhnaton’s harem and out of harm’s way. “Perhaps it was,” she said. “But I intend to make things right now. I demand you give her up to me.”
“No,” cried Vitane. “I love Anubis. I want to stay with him.”
“You see?” said Anubis with a shrug. “I am irresistible.”
“Come here!” said Kiya, losing her temper with Vitane.
“Noooo,” Vitane gave a howl of distress and clung to Anubis’s waist.
“She is mine by right and by law,” said Anubis, putting an arm around her shoulders. “I bought her fairly.”
“How many slaves did you kill before Vitane?” asked Kiya.
Anubis hesitated. “One or two,” he said. “I told you, it took time to get the process right.”
“What about Vitane. Are you certain you won’t kill her?”
“I hope not, she is a charming girl.” He gave her a hug and she looked up at him adoringly.
“There is only one way to be sure,” said Kiya. “And that is to give her to me.” Vitane gave a moan of protest and embraced Anubis more tightly.
“She won’t go,” said Anubis.
“Find a way,” said Kiya. “Or I will never speak to you again.”
“Have my experiments failed to impress you?” said Anubis. “I thought that by no longer eating flesh I would win back your love.”
“Even if you were feeding on girls who were strangers to me you would not win me back. I am a married woman and I am in love with my husband.”
Anubis hung his head. “Then it has all been for nothing,” he said.
“I am sorry.”
Anubis sighed, untangled Vitane’s arms from around his waist and flung her to the ground. “Take her as a gift from me,” he said and disappeared.
Vitane scrambled to her feet and looked desperately around. “Where is Anubis?” she cried.
“He has gone,” said Kiya.
Vitane stared at Kiya, then slowly her eyes lost their focus, her knees buckled and she fainted.