The following morning, the departure of the emissary was announced, and once more the people gathered to say goodbye.
Aneksi had gone very early to her parents’ house to pack all her things and say goodbye to her family. Anubis had asked her to keep his identity a secret, and though she wasn’t very pleased, she had finally agreed to it.
Her mother was shocked with the news and she could tell her father wasn’t very pleased either.
“Will he become your husband?” he asked, in a stern tone.
“I’m not sure they have marriages there, father, but yes, there’s a possibility he will choose me as his mate,” she explained.
“And are you happy with this situation?” he asked, deepening his frown. He knew her too well.
“Not completely, father, but much happier than I would be if I didn’t go with him. It’s a chance I have to take,” she explained, in a sad tone.
“I don’t like it, but I guess I understand. If things don’t work, ask him to bring you back home. There will always be a place for you here,” he assured her, stepping forward and hugging her tight before he left the room.
Aneksi did all she could to keep her tears at bay, but when she turned to look at her mother’s face covered in tears, she couldn’t.
“I’ll be alright; I’m sure of it,” she promised, hugging her mother.
“Just be safe, that’s all I want and send me news whenever you can,” she asked, hugging tighter.
Her mother invited all her siblings and closest friends to the house, and she was able to say goodbye to all of them. Berenib was happy for her, but Aneksi could tell she was sad for losing her.
When she was ready, she returned to the palace and met Anubis in their quarters.
“What have you decided to do with Nubia after all?” she asked, not wanting to leave until that was clear.
“Her father and I decided it would be a good lesson for her to experience exactly the same thing you did. She was taken to the same tomb she put you in without knowing her fate and she will be rescued exactly after she spends the same time you spent there,” he explained, with a stern tone. “I believe it’s only fair she would go through the same distress she put you through.”
Aneksi nodded. It was a harsh punishment, but like he said, it was only fair.
“Are you ready to leave?” he asked her, changing the subject.
“Yes, I believe I am,” she replied, unable to suppress the doubt in her voice.
“You’ll be fine. In fact, I’m sure you’ll love Nibiru.”
“That’s where we’re going?” she asked, with a slight frown.
“Yes, that’s our planet. Just outside this galaxy. It looks pretty much like this one, though we have a different kind of vegetation and animals,” Anubis explained.
“Will you show me your real form before we leave?” she asked him, curious but a strange look crossed his eyes, and he shook his head.
“We’ll have enough time for that when we’re home,” he replied, turning around. “I’ll have a few words with the Pharaoh before we leave.”
She nodded and watched him leave the room, sighing. She packed the rest of her things, including the loom, and a lot of wool. She would need something to entertain herself in a strange place where she wouldn’t know other people other than him. When he came back, she was ready to go.
“Let’s go. My vessel is ready for us.” She took a deep breath and nodded.
With a comforting smile, he cradled her face and kissed her gently. “You’ll be fine, believe me. It will be a whole new adventure you’ll enjoy,” he assured her.
“Yes, I’m sure of it. It’s not like I’m leaving the most interesting life behind,” she said, scowling. “Though, I have to admit I’ll miss my family.”
“I’ll bring you to visit them, it’s only a few days journey, that won’t be a problem,” he assured her, with a bright smile.
“That would be nice.”
He kissed her forehead and made her turn around. “Go ahead, I’ll put on my mask and join you as soon as possible,” he asked, her with a strange tone on his voice.
She nodded and grabbed her purse, she walked out of the room.
He joined her a few moments later, wearing the golden jackal mask. Now that she was close to him, she was able to admire the mask, and it surprised her to notice just how real it looked. It wasn’t actually all golden, his snout, ears, neck and all the way down to his waistline, was black as the night, though not hairy as you would expect from a regular jackal. The cloth covering his dark hair was the golden part. It even looked like it was partly armor, as well as the part that went around his neck, over his shoulders, and down his chest. She had to admit he looked magnificent, even if a bit scary and imposing.
He walked ahead of the small convoy, and she followed him, wishing she had gone to the vessel before. She hated to be viewed by all the people, but there wasn’t much she could do now.
They traveled to the landing lot, and she looked at the massive vessel, feeling a bit apprehensive. She had never traveled far from home, and evidently, she had never been in a thing like his vessel. It was a bit scary, she had to admit, but she took a deep breath and followed Anubis on the platform.
He said a few last words, wishing everyone well and assuring the people excellent crops for the future. After that, he waved goodbye and taking her hand he guided her inside the vessel. The platform disappeared behind them, and the sliding doors closed, separating them from the outside world.
Wriggling her hands, she looked around, astounded with what she was seeing.
The vessel was completely metallic, but it had brilliant lights all over the place that made the hallway where they were as bright as if they were outside.
Anubis guided her deeper inside, through the hallways with several doors along them into what looked like the front of the ship. A group of men was there waiting for them, and Anubis introduced them as his men and crew.
The place looked surreal to Aneksi. She had never seen anything like that before, and she was astounded with all the bright lights, some small things that showed her the outside of the vessel and a huge window that allowed her to see the pyramid a few yards away from the landing lot.
“I know you have never seen anything like this, but you will get used to it.” Anubis explained, with a smile.
“How is it that we can see what’s going on outside on those small things?” she asked, getting closer to one of them.
“Those are screens, they project what the cameras installed outside the vessel collect. That’s why you can see what happens outside,” he explained.
“It’s amazing.” She was truly fascinated.
“We’ll give your people this kind of technology when we decide they are ready to handle it,” he added, with a bright smile.
“That would be fantastic.”
“Yes, it can be, when handled with caution.” He took her hand and pulled her closer to him. “Otherwise, it can be quite deadly.”
She nodded, turning to look out the window. They were starting to lift off and soon the pyramid was nothing but a small mark on the ground. Aneksi felt a sudden feeling of emptiness in her stomach as the vessel flew up the skies, but she didn’t mention it, certain she would soon get used to it. The truth was, flying felt quite exciting.
In a few minutes, they had left the planet’s atmosphere, and Aneksi wasn’t able to stop looking at the blue globe in the distance.
“That’s where we came from?” she asked, amazed.
“Yes, that’s planet Earth. It’s quite amazing, actually. Nibiru is quite similar, but it doesn’t have as much water as the Earth,” he explained.
“I can’t wait to get there,” she confessed.
“It will take us a few days. That will give you some time to get used to our technology, so you won’t feel so lost when we get there,” he said, kissing the top of her head, as he pulled her into his arms.
Soon, they were in deep space, surrounded by the dark, starry night and Anubis suggested she should get some rest.
“I know you didn’t sleep much with all the preparations.”
She nodded and he guided her to their quarters. “I’ll get lost in this place,” she said, as they walked through the labyrinth of hallways.
“No, you won’t. All you have to do is speak out and ask to be guided to your destination,” he replied, with a smile. “Like this: Take me to Anubis’ quarters.”
“Welcome aboard, your highness.” A metallic voice sound around them and a path of light was drawn on the floor, allowing her to find her way to his quarters.
“Who’s she?” she asked, with a slight frown.
“That’s Alpha 1, an artificial intelligence that runs the vessel. It’s not a ‘she;’ it’s a machine,” he informed her, while they followed the path until it ended in front of a sliding door he actioned by pressing his hand into it. “Please, press your hand here. Alpha 1 will read your print and allow you to open and close the door whenever you need.” She did what he told her to and a light shined underneath her palm.
“Print added. Please, state the individual’s name,” Alpha 1 requested.
“Aneksi,” she said, amused.
“Welcome, Aneksi. You are now authorized to access this door at will,” the machine stated.
“You must have found our installations quite primitive,” she told him, with a scowl.
“Yes, a bit, but it’s good to do things for yourself, once in a while,” he replied, shrugging.
Once inside his quarters, she looked around, surprised to see how big they were. On one side of the room, near the window, there was a huge bed, and a combing table with its chair. On the opposite side, there was a small sofa for two, a small table, and two individual chairs and on the third side, there was a small dining table for four. It was like a little house in one room. On the fourth side, there was a door, and when he took her through it, she found a strange room. She had never seen anything like it.
“This is the bathing room,” he explained. “Here,” he signaled the toilet, “you’ll be able to handle your intimate needs, and it will take care of it for you. And here,” this time he indicated some sort of glass box, “You’ll be able to bathe. I’ll show you later how to use them, but I’m sure you’ll love it.”
She furrowed her brows. “If you say so.”
He chuckled and kissed her. “Why don’t you get some rest while I discuss a few things with my men?”
She nodded, and he left the quarters, leaving her alone with her thoughts. All of her things had been brought there, but she didn’t see any sense of unpacking. According to Anubis, they would arrive at Nibiru in a few days.
With a long sigh, she turned to the bed and decided to do as he told her and take a nap. Her stomach still felt a bit strange, and she guessed it would take her some time to adjust to this new sensation.
She was sound asleep when he returned to his chambers. The sound of the door sliding open was enough to wake her up.
“Hey, sleeping beauty, did you have a good nap?” he asked, with a naughty grin. He had taken off his mask, and he was looking like his usual self.
She stretched smiling. “Yes, I have to admit I did.”
“Time here feels a bit different because there’s no dawn and no sunset, but we try to respect a schedule as if there were,” he explained.
“I guess it makes sense,” she nodded.
“So, dinner time will be in an hour, enough time for me to show you how to use the bathing room.” There was a wicked grin on his face, and she chuckled.
“Yes, that sounds like a good idea to me,” she assured him, jumping out of bed. But she wasn’t able to take a step away from it. He crossed the room in a few strides and pushed her back to the bed.
“I changed my mind. We have time for a bit of fun before I show you the mysteries of the shower stall,” he whispered in her ear, as he started to tug at her clothes to take them off of her body.
In no time, they were both naked and entangled on each other’s body, relishing the kisses and caresses that quickly drove them to ecstasy.
Sometime later, when the waves finally subsided, he carried her to the bathing room and showed her how to use it, loving her reactions to the benefits of the toilet and the shower stall. Of course, they were a bit late for dinner, but his men other than giving them a naughty smile didn’t mention their delay.
Those days on board the vessel were nothing but boring to Aneksi. She knew nothing about Anubis’ lifestyle and his family, so she had a lot to learn. She knew the basics of course, like the fact he was the son of the God Osiris and the Goddess Neftis, and he was the half-brother of Horus. But she didn’t know much more about them. She guessed she would have time to get to know them.
“My father rules over Nibiru with an iron fist. In spite of that our people actually love him, but our family is a bit complicated, as you soon will find out. Too many people, with too much power,” he explained to her, one day they were talking in bed.
“Do all of your people have the same powers?” she asked, intrigued.
“No, just our family, the ruling family. Our people are not so different from yours, as you can see by the crew members of this vessel,” he replied, with a faint smile.
“Oh, I see, that’s good, I won’t feel alone then,” she said, scowling.
“You’ll never be alone. I’ll always be there for you.” His words were appeasing, but for some reason, she had trouble believing them. She still didn’t know why he had decided to take her home with him, so it was hard to know where she stood.
Soon, Anubis was calling her to the control room, for her first sight of his home planet. Like he had told her, Nibiru wasn’t as blue as her planet, but it still looked beautiful, at least, from that distance.
It didn’t take them long to enter the planet’s atmosphere and the closer they got, the more she was able to see. There was a large mass of dry land on the side of the planet they were approaching, surrounded by what looked like water.
“Is that where you live?” she asked him, intrigued.
“Yes, unlike your home planet, we only have two continents here, this one, called Amun-ha, is where most of the planet’s population lives. On the smaller one, called Isamun-ha, there are a few colonies of our own people and some other species, from other planets that have chosen to live amongst us,” he explained.
“Are there people of my own planet living here?” she asked, intrigued.
“Yes, there are, mostly women, but also a few men. Some have asked to join us, and we’ve allowed them to move onto our planet, and others have been invited as a reward for their faith,” he explained.
“Oh, I had no idea,” she murmured, while she watched the vessel draw closer to the planet’s surface.
The skies on this world were of a paler shade of blue, and as they got closer, she could tell the vegetation wasn’t as green. In fact, there were places where green wasn’t anywhere to be seen.
“What’s that purple mass?” she asked him, pointing at a particular part of the continent.
“That’s our biggest forest. Most trees here are purple. Our sun isn’t as close as the one you have back on Earth, and the processes the plants do to capture its light are different and originate the purple color of the trees.”
“I thought the sun was controlled by god Ra,” she said with a scowl. She had never really believed that theory. Her logical mind found it hard to believe.
“Ra can’t control the stars, though sometimes he acts as if he could,” he replied with a scowl. “People relate him with the sun because of his golden appearance. You’ll agree with them when you meet him,” he chuckled, amused. “But despite our powers, we can’t control forces like the sun and the moon. They are beyond us and I would say beyond anybody,” he explained.
“They are amazing forces,” she agreed.
“Exactly. When my people visited your planet for the first time, your people identified us with elements they knew and were familiar with. Like I told you once, people need something to believe in and we saw no harm in letting them believe in us. We do all we can to help them can, and I could say, we have a symbiotic relationship.”
“What could you possibly get from us? You seem to have it all,” she asked, intrigued.
“Your planet has a metal we need for our vessels, called titanium. You have huge amounts of it, and in exchange for our advice and help, we get the metal we need,” he explained. “Due to our special powers and the fact we travel through the skies, your people put us on a pedestal and considered us their gods.
“I should have known self interest was behind this whole thing, but then again, I’m not what you would call a religious person,” she confessed. “Gods and prayers never felt real.”
“I noticed that. There was never reverence in your way of talking to me. You’ve always treated me as your equal, and that’s one of the things I love about you,” he said, kissing the top of her head.
Her heart missed a beat when she heard his words. Was it possible he was talking seriously? Or was it just one of those things people say when they want to show their appreciation to someone? She wished she could ask him, but she simply couldn’t. Her heart wouldn’t survive having her all her hopes killed with a few words.
She took a deep breath and changed the subject. “How come you were related to the dead and their preparation for the next world?”
“When we first visited your people, they liked to revere their dead for several days, but with the heat, it was impossible. The deterioration of the bodies was too fast, and the stink made it impossible. That first Anubis decided to show them a few techniques to preserve them, and that’s how it all started.”
“What do you mean, that first Anubis?” she asked, puzzled. She only knew of one Anubis.
He laughed out loud. “Though we live much longer than your people do, we’re not immortals. We’ve been visiting your planet for hundred’s of years. In each generation of my family, a new member is born to replace the one departing. We only discover our fate when the previous member dies and transfers the powers to the new one.”
“Of course, that makes more sense,” she nodded and cuddled up against him to enjoy their approach to the planet’s surface.
Nibiru wasn’t anything like what she had been expecting. For some reason, she had been expecting a more modern version of her own planet, but it wasn’t. She had never seen anything like what she was seeing. The vessel was approaching a city with tall buildings, surrounded by a maze of what looked like roads, but the vehicles didn’t travel on them, but above them as if flying.
She was astounded. Nothing had prepared her for what looked like organized chaos. Would she ever adjust to place like that? She was seriously starting to doubt it.
The vessel landed on a huge cleared area, where she was able to see several similar vessels parked around.
Anubis smiled at her and guided her out of the vessel and into one of those small vehicles that seemed to fly around the place. She wanted to say no, that she would rather walk, but she knew she would look weird and that was the last first impression she wanted people to have of her.
Taking a deep breath, she entered the large, oval vehicle, made of a transparent material and took a seat on a chair, and Anubis did the same, next to her.
“So, what do you think of your new home?” he asked, smiling.
“Overwhelming,” she confessed. “I have no idea what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this, believe me,” she added, with a self-deprecating grimace.
“I know it’s quite different from what you’re used to, but I’m sure you’ll quickly get used to it.” She gave him a small smile and nodded. She truly hoped so.
The vehicle they were on started moving on its own after Anubis pressed a few buttons and soon they were traveling through the roads she had seen from the vessel.
Like he had told her, people on this planet weren’t much different from those back home, though they were a lot paler than she was used to and most of them had blond hair.
She was able to see several of the purple trees he had mentioned, and the truth was they were beautiful, with so many leaves, granting an extraordinary look to the city.
“Where are we going?” she turned to ask him, a bit more excited with the surroundings.
“Home. I thought you would like to take a bath and get all dressed up before I take you to meet the family,” he replied, with a grin.
“You don’t live with your family?”
“No, of course not. Isis is not very fond of me, and I understand her position, it’s not easy to live with the proof of your husband’s infidelity,” he said, grimacing.
“Oh, yes, I guess I had forgotten that small detail.”
“But I would have moved out anyway. Life at the palace can be complicated,” he admitted, with a sarcastic tone.
“Isn’t it always?” she asked, chuckling.
After a while, they left the tall buildings behind and entered an area with huge houses on it, surrounded by amazing gardens, with colorful flowers. Several children were playing around, watched closely by adults.
“This place looks great,” she said, apparently pleased.
“You sound surprised, as if you hadn't expected to find anything great here,” he pointed out.
She shrugged. “I have to admit those tall buildings we left behind aren’t very cozy. Do they belong to a single family?”
“No, most of them are occupied by offices where people work, and those where people live, normally harbor several families.”
“In the same building? Doesn’t that generate conflict?”
“I guess it can, but people learned to solve their differences. It works like a mini-town. People have to work together to ensure peaceful coexistence,” he explained.
“It makes sense, though I’m not sure I would like to live in a place like that.” She realized she didn’t know where he lived, and she turned to look at him flustered. “But, of course, I believe it’s a matter of getting used to it.”
He laughed out loud. “Don’t worry, sweetheart of mine, I don’t live in a building like those. My house is more like one of these houses, though many would describe it as a small palace.” She covered her face, embarrassed but rejoicing on the way he had called her ‘sweetheart of mine.’
The vehicle they were traveling on finally turned onto what looked like a private road and there, on top of a small hill, was a small palace, made of a yellowish stone, with huge windows on both stories. Aneksi was sure it was big enough for three or families to live in.
“Do you live here all alone?” she asked, surprised.
“Well, not exactly. All of my wives and children live here,” he said in a tone so serious, her chin dropped, and she stared at him as if she was looking at a total stranger. He chuckled. “You should see your face. Of course, I live alone, with the serfdom clearly; I wouldn’t be able to keep this place clean by myself,” he added, showing her he had been teasing her.
“It’s not funny. Things like that make me realize I really don’t know much about you. I don’t even know how old you are,” he grumbled.
The vehicle stopped and she struggled with the door to get out. She had no idea how to open the damn thing, but he finally opened it up for her and followed her out.
She walked a few yards into the garden.
“I’m sorry, Aneksi, I shouldn’t have teased you that way,” he apologized. “But you’re right. I guess I haven’t told you much about me, but I promise that will change as soon as we get settled.” He closed the distance between them and stopped a couple of steps away from her. “I have no wives. I’ve had women before in my life, it would be strange if I hadn't, after all I’m almost 100-years-old, but I have never formalized a relationship with any of them. I wasn’t ready and I guess I was waiting for the right one to come along.”
She tilted her head back to look at him. “100-years-old? How long can you live?” she asked, startled.
“Most of us live up to 200 years.”
“Oh. And do your people grow old like us?” she asked, amazed.
“During the last twenty years of our lives, we start to age, yes. Some say it’s the water and the nutrients on this planet that extends our lives, and I believe that’s true. Those of your people living here are living longer.”
“Well, I guess that’s better than nothing,” she mumbled.
He stretched his arm and took her wrist, pulling her into his embrace, kissing her forehead. “You don’t have to worry about that. You’re still very young.” That didn’t comfort her, but she didn’t say a thing.
After a few moments, he guided her inside the palace where they were greeted by a few members of the serfdom.
“How come they all speak my language?” she asked, surprised, as he took her upstairs and into his room.
“We all have translators implanted in our ears, it translates what we hear into our native language and whispers within our brain the correct words to speak. I’ve been to your planet so many times now, that I’ve learned how to speak it more fluently,” he told her, as he closed the door behind them.
“Will I have one of those?” she asked, trying to measure someway how long he planned to have her with him.
“Yes, you will. We’ll take care of that as soon as possible,” he assured her, smiling. “So, what do you think of the room?” he asked her, showing her around.
It was huge, with a magnificent bed as the centerpiece of the whole space, completed with a combing table, and a small sofa.
“It’s lovely.”
“You’ll love the bathing room. It has a bigger shower stall and a huge bathtub, with warm water all the time. I’m sure we’ll have a lot of fun in it,” he said, with a wicked grin.
She chuckled and walked through the door he was pointing at. He was right. The room was fabulous, and she loved it.
He followed her, and when she turned to look at him, he was taking out his clothes. “We’ll save time if we bathe together, don’t you think?” he asked, walking towards her and starting to get rid of her clothes.
“Are we in a hurry?” she replied, with a naughty grin.
“I wouldn’t say hurry, but it’s never a good idea to be late for a visit to the palace,” he assured her, but she could tell he was teasing her.
“Oh, yes, I’m sure of that.” She helped him with the last piece of clothing and leaned forward to rest her face on his broad chest. He surrounded her petite body with his powerful arms and kissed the top of her head.
“What’s your first impression on your new home? Do you believe you can be happy here?” he asked, in a soft tone.
She tilted her head to look at him in the eyes. “Yes, I’m sure of it. It looks like an amazing place, and I have so much to learn about it; I’ll never be bored.”
He caressed her cheek, tucking one of her dark locks behind her ear. “I want you to confide in me all of your doubts and fears. Your happiness is the most important thing in the universe to me, and I’ll do all in my power to make sure you find it with me.” His eyes were locked on hers, and he sounded so serious she almost believed him.
She had to make a tremendous effort to tell her silly heart not to fall for pretty words. Anubis had never mentioned what he expected from their relationship, and the last thing she needed was to get her hopes high just to have them crushed under his feet as he walked away from her. She wouldn’t survive that, she was sure of it. She closed her eyes and nodded, a knot closing her throat and stopping her from uttering a word.
He picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bathtub. It was full of water, but it wasn’t still. Some sort of system took it out of the tub and filled it with fresh water. She looked at him puzzled, as he gently dropped her into the warm water. “The water is filtered, cleaned and reused during the day and then it’s used for other purposes,” he explained, taking a seat on the bottom of the tub and pulling her to straddle him, her back to his chest.
“Oh, that’s great, no water is wasted,” she said, sighing, as she felt his hard shaft poking between her legs.
“We try not to waste anything. All resources are important,” he agreed, cupping her big, round breasts and squeezing them, gently at first but soon, increasing the pressure.
She moaned, tilting her head back to rest it on his chest, covering his hands with hers.
“Do you think you’ll be happy here?” he asked, in a plain tone.
“I haven’t seen enough of this place, but so far, I like what I’ve seen,” she answered, cautiously.
“Fair enough.” He made her turn around and straddle him, leaving his hard cock between them.
Unable to resist it, Aneksi took it in her hands and started to stroke it gently. “Other than my family, there wasn’t much attaching me to my homeland. And my stay at my parents’ home wouldn’t last forever; I would have moved out as soon as a husband could be found. And most probably I wouldn’t be able to visit very frequently, as it happens to my sisters and brothers,” she added, trying to dismiss the importance of having traveled so far from home.
“Thank you, that makes me feel much better,” he assured her, leaning forward to kiss her, while his hands went back to her breasts, to knead them. His fingers quickly found her hard nipples and clamped them, applying pressure and pulling them, ripping a few moans from her sweet lips. “I want you to be happy here, with me.”
“I’m sure I will…”
He left her mouth to pick one of her nipples between his lips, sucking and swirling his tongue around it. Her hands hadn't left his hard shaft, and after a few minutes of play, they were more than ready to reach paradise.
Anubis grasped her hips and pulled them up a little, just enough for her to go down on him, in a swift motion. She whimpered with sheer need, wrapping her arms around his neck and tilting her head back as she moved her hips up and down with the help of his hands. In no time, they were flying over the edge, diving into the world of pleasure and bliss he conjured for them each time they were together.
When the waves finally subsided, he helped her wash her hair with deliciously scented liquid soaps that left her hair smoother than ever.
When they finally left the bathroom, he took her to what he called a dressing room. The place was filled with his clothes on one side and women’s clothes on the other side, but none of them were the ones she had brought from home.
“I ordered my assistant to get you some clothes. Clothes here are quite important. They reveal your status in life, and though I usually don’t care much about those things, I thought you wouldn’t like to stand out for not wearing what’s expected of you as my companion.”
She nodded but didn’t comment. She needed to see what she was expected to wear first. “Please, show me what you would like me to wear tonight.”
He pulled a golden dress from where it was hanging and showed it to her. It was simply wonderful. She had never seen anything like it, and it seemed to be made to cling to the woman’s body like a second skin, though it didn’t reveal a thing since other than a generous cleavage, the dress had long sleeves and hung to the floor.
“Do you like it?” he asked, smiling. “With your golden skin and your dark hair, I’m sure you’ll look amazing in it.”
“Can I try it?” He handed the dress to her, nodding, as he looked for something else in a drawer.
“You’ll also need these. They go under the dress,” he explained, handing her two tiny pieces of silk.
“What’s this?” she asked, astounded.
“Underwear.” He showed her one of the pieces that looked like some tiny pants. “These are called panties, and this one,” he showed her the other piece, that looked like cups, “is the bra. It goes on your breasts.”
She frowned. “You’ll have to help me put all that on. I have no idea how to wear those things.”
He chuckled, amused. “I supposed that, and I have a maid waiting to help you. She’ll help you get dressed and prepared for tonight’s celebration.”
“Thank you, that will be of great help.”
He put on a bathrobe and left the room, returning a few seconds later accompanied by a woman. Like all the other people she had seen on the streets, this woman was very pale, to the point her veins were obvious underneath her skin. Her hair was blond and very short and she was wearing some sort of tunic, that fell loose down to her feet.
“Aneksi, this is Maydan; she will be your maid,” he introduced the woman to her and she smiled.
“It’s a pleasure meeting you, Maydan. I’ll need a lot of help to get to know the ways of this place, but I’m sure you’ll be of great help,” she said, with a smile.
“I’ll do my best, madam,” the other woman replied, slowly, making pauses before saying each word.
Aneksi guessed she was wearing the translator Anubis had mentioned, and she nodded.
“I’ll leave you two to it. I’ll be back for you in half an hour. We don’t have much time,” Anubis warned them and picking his clothes, he left them alone.
Sighing, Aneksi turned to look at the other woman. “Clothes from where I come from are quite different from these, so you’ll have to help me with them.” Maydan nodded and taking the clothes from Aneksi’s hands, she started to do her job.
By the time Anubis returned for her, she was ready. She had trouble believing she was the woman reflected in the mirror but the look of awe on his face made her quite happy. Unlike the makeup women wore back home, that changed their appearance so much, the one Maydan had applied on her enhanced her best features but didn’t change a thing. She had combed her hair in a sophisticated braid adding a few ornaments of shiny crystals, and after handing her a pair of shoes which made her a couple of inches taller, she was ready.
“You look amazing,” he assured her when he entered the room to meet her.
“Thank you. This is quite different from what I’m used to, but I have to say I prefer this style much more.”
“I knew you would. I remember your comments on the wigs women wear back on Earth.”
“Yes. I hate those.”
He offered her his arm, and they left the house. Outside, the same vehicle that had brought them was still there waiting for them, and after he pressed a few buttons, they were on their way.
“Please, tell me a bit more about tonight,” she asked him.
“Well, the whole family will be there. It’s some sort of welcoming party for us,” he explained.
“You mean, for you.”
“No, for us. My father knows about you, and he wants to welcome you to Nibiru,” he explained, squeezing her hand gently.
“But why would he want to do that? I’m no one important,” she pointed out, confused.
“Of course, you’re important. You’re part of my life now,” he corrected her.
She looked at him furrowing her brows. “Yes, but…”
“This isn’t the moment to discuss this, my sweetheart. Just be yourself and don’t let them intimidate you with their powers or their positions. Deep down, they’re just like you and me,” he advised her as the vehicle stopped in front of a magnificent palace.
If she had been astounded with his place, Osiris’ palace was fantastic. Made of the same stone used for Anubis’ home, it shined under the last rays of sunlight, but while Anubis’ place could be considered small, this one was huge. The Pharaoh’s palace would look like a doll’s house next to this building.
“How many people live here?” she asked him, in a low tone.
“I have no idea, probably hundred’s, between family and employees. Not all of us live independently like me.”
“I see.” With the size of the place, she was sure you could spend weeks without seeing other people.
They entered the palace and a man escorted them to the main room where the entire family waited for them. The man announced them and as they entered the room.
Aneksi squeezed Anubis arm as she watched the sea of faces below them.
“I thought you had said a family meeting,” she whimpered.
“And it is. I guess my family is a bit bigger than most families,” he admitted, shrugging.
“No kidding,” she mumbled, through gritted teeth.
He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed the back. “You’ll be fine, believe me,” he assured her, as he guided her down the imposing staircase that led to the main room.
She nodded, taking a deep breath. “You better be right.”
The crowd made way for them until they reached where his father was sitting on his throne. She had never thought much about Osiris, or any of the other gods for that matter. Even today, she kept forgetting the man she had fallen in love was one of them. For her, he was just a man, one with some special powers she didn’t quite understand, but still, just a man.
But it was impossible not to feel a bit overwhelmed by the presence of Osiris. The man was imposing. He oozed power and strength through every pore of his body and at first sight, one knew he was someone with great power and not someone one would like to have as an enemy.
His skin was of a strange color, a bit greenish and it made her remember his story. Seth had killed him and cut him into fourteen pieces. Anubis had put him back together with the help of the goddess Isis, and she had used all her power to bring her husband back to life. But his skin had conserved the greenish shade she was able to see now, with her own eyes, confirming the unbelievable story.
“Father, it’s a pleasure seeing you again.” Anubis greeted, bowing his head slightly.
“Anubis, you were missed, but I can see, your mission was a success,” the king said, and his voice was as potent as his whole figure.
“Yes, it was. The fates put the answer in front of me the night I landed on the planet,” was Anubis enigmatic answer and Aneksi looked at him wondering what he was talking about.
“Ah, the fates. They’re still the strongest power known by any of us,” the king conceded. “Introduce me.”
Anubis nodded and turning to Aneksi, he made the introductions. “Father, may I introduce Aneksi. Aneksi, please meet my father, King Osiris.”
Unsure of what to do, she bowed as she had been told to do in the presence of the Pharaoh and it seemed to be the correct thing to do.
“Welcome to Nibiru, Aneksi. I’m sure you’ll be very happy here,” the king said, with a shadow of a smile.
“Thank you, your majesty, I’m sure I will.”
“Good.” The king turned to look at the crowd and clapped his hands. “Let’s celebrate my son’s arrival.”
The thick silence in the room disappeared, and people went back to their chit-chat while Anubis took her away to meet the rest of his family.
There were too many people. After a while, she gave up trying to remember who was who. Of course, she was able to remember Isis, the king’s wife and also a powerful goddess, according to the stories she had heard; Neftis, Anubis’ mother, an incredibly beautiful woman, which certainly explained the king’s misbehavior and Horus, Anubis’ half-brother. This last one had an alarming presence. It seemed as if he carried all the demons of the universe inside to keep them from hurting others, though they were eating him alive. Aneksi knew it was a weird impression, the one she had gotten from Horus, and yet she hadn't been able to shake it off.
There was also Ra, and as Anubis had mentioned, the man really looked to be made of gold. His charm and sensuous grin also contributed to warm any woman’s heart.
At some point, after the feast, Aneksi excused herself to use the ladies room, and after getting directions, she headed there, not too happy to cross the crowd by herself.
She managed to get to the room safe and sound, but once inside, she met three women, restoring their makeup and they didn’t look pleased. She greeted them in a soft tone and quickly entered one of the small stalls, closing the door behind her. The women were talking in their own language, so she wasn’t able to understand a word they were saying, but she could tell they weren’t very happy. She did what she had come there to do and taking a deep breath, she walked out. There was a thick silence in the room when she walked towards the counter and washed her hands.
“So, darling,” two words that exuded so much scorn Aneksi felt chills of dread running down her spine. “What’s so special about you?” She considered ignoring the women, but that wouldn’t be a good idea if she planned on living in this world for any length of time.
“Are you talking to me?” she asked, raising her head, trying to look as calm as possible.
“Yes, I’m talking to you,” the woman snapped.
“Nothing, there’s nothing special about me. I’m just a regular woman, with no special gifts and surely no special powers,” she replied, as plain as possible.
“And how do you plan on keeping Anubis’ interest in you?” one of the other women asked, also with a scornful tone.
She shrugged. “The same way I have done so far; being myself.” She pasted a smile on her face, and after she dried her hands, she headed to the door, but one of the women stood in her way.
“You’re just a toy he brought back from his trip, nothing else and you better have that clear in your mind,” said the first woman that had spoken. “You won’t last long, I’m sure. Soon you’ll be living in Isamun-ha, where they all dump their used whores.”
Aneksi had to make a considerable effort to keep her expression blank. She wasn’t giving them the pleasure to know how much harm they had done. “Then, there’s nothing for you to worry about, is there?” she asked, arching her brows before she walked around the other woman and left the ladies room.
It took her a few deep breaths to get her calm back. She had no idea who the women were or why they had attacked her so viciously, but their words had been a wakeup call. She had to get a promise from Anubis: that he would return her back home once he was done with her. The last thing she wanted was to be stranded on a planet she knew nothing about, surrounded by strangers, with a broken heart.
Anubis welcomed her back and surrounded her waist with one of his arms, kissing the back of her hand. “Are you alright? I was starting to think you had gotten lost,” he whispered in her ear.
She shook her head. “Just making sure my hair and makeup were alright,” she assured him.
“You look as beautiful as always.”
She smiled and tried to enjoy the rest of the night, but it wasn’t easy. Sure, she had always known she wasn’t going to be with him for the rest of her life. She was just a simple woman, and he was a god, maybe not for his own people, but to her own people he was. He definitely had powers beyond her imagination. She was no match for a man like him, that was for sure.
By the time they returned to his place, she was feeling exhausted from the night’s tension, and her face muscles ached from faking a smile all the time. All she wanted now was to bury her face in her pillow and forget the whole universe, but she guessed he would have other plans.
“Now, that we are alone, perhaps you would be kind enough to tell me what’s going on. I know something happened when you went to the ladies room, I could feel your stress all the way to where I was standing,” he said, the minute he closed the door to their bedroom. “Being who you are, I can’t read your mind the way I do with almost everybody else, but I sure can sense your feelings, loud and clear,” he added, astonishing her.
“You can read minds?” she asked, her chin dropped.
“That’s not the point here, Aneksi,” he protested impatiently.
She gulped hard. “Nothing happened…” she started, but one look at his deep frown made her realize she wouldn’t be able to dismiss the whole incident. “A few women intercepted me in the bathroom. They weren’t happy with your choice and wanted me to know it.”
“That’s nothing new for you. You faced similar situations when we were back on Earth,” he pointed out, still frowning.
“Yes, I know, but there I was surrounded by people I’ve known my whole life, and I felt safe. The worse that could happen was for you to get tired of me and send me home, but here, I’m all alone, on a strange planet, surrounded by strangers…”
“You have me,” he interrupted.
“Yes, for now.” She walked away from him, towards the huge window. “But, what will happen to me when you decide you’ve had enough of me? Will you simply toss me aside? Or will you at least send me home, back to my family?” she asked, turning to look at him, wrapping her arms around her chest.
“Why do you assume I’ll ever have enough you?” he asked, sounding hurt. But that was ridiculous.
She let out a bittersweet laugh. “We both know that’s exactly what will happen. I’m just one more in a large list of women that have warmed your bed.”
“If all I wanted were a lover, I wouldn’t travel so far to get one, believe me. There are plenty of women here for me to choose from,” he assured her, closing the distance between them. “You’re special, can’t you feel that? Why are you here? Did you feel committed to coming in any way? Is that it? Have I been misreading you all this time?” he asked, stretching his hands out as if to take her in his arms, but letting them fall back to his sides.
“No. I came because I wanted to. I never felt forced to be with you,” she assured him. “Sure, there was pressure, but believe me, if you hadn't been attractive to me in any way I would have escaped to the desert rather than being with you.”
“Then, why the doubts?” he asked, taking another step closer to her, just to take it back a moment later.
“Because I still don’t know why you brought me here,” she confessed. “I still don’t know what I am doing here.”
“To be with me. Isn’t that enough for you?” he asked, in a stern tone.
She rubbed her eyes, trying to keep her tears at bay. What was she doing? Did she want to jeopardize what she had with him for a slight possibility he might send her to the humans’ colony and forget about her? She had promised herself to live in the present and enjoy what she had.
“Yes, you’re right, it’s more than enough. I’m sorry, it was a stressful night, and I guess I let some rude words get to me,” she said, raising her head to look at him, with her heart drumming in her chest.
He let out a deep sigh. “Being a member of my family isn’t as easy as many people think. Yes, we have powers, yes, we can shift into a various number of animals, and we can do a lot of things most people can’t. But it also means we can love only once, and that special person will make us feel like any regular Nibiru citizen, vulnerable and with no powers whatsoever. They are the comfort we seek, the paradise we need,” he explained, in a stern tone.
“And you’re always able to find that person?” she asked, intrigued.
“Yes, we do. Some lose their patience and get attached to a woman they can’t love like what happened to my father. Neftis is his true love, but he’s committed to Isis, and though they have lived their love to some extent, it’s not the same.”
“How do you know who’s the right one?” she asked, more and more intrigued by his story.
“We just do. Instinct tells you she’s the one and then you’re sure when you can’t access her mind. You can perceive her feelings, but not her thoughts,” he explained, this time taking a step towards her and not backing up.
She looked at him, wringing her hands nervously, not sure she wanted the answer to the question struggling to come out her lips. “Have you found yours?”
“Yes, my trip to Earth was to find the one meant for me. The fates had prophesied I would find her there. I had never really believed in that, but after years of searching, I finally decided to go there and search. At that point, I had nothing left to lose,” he told her, with a strange shine in his eyes. “I found her wandering through the desert, the first night I arrived,” he added, with a self-deprecating grin.
She gasped, astounded. It couldn’t be.
“In that very moment, I knew I had found her, and I also knew why I had never wished to go to Earth to look for her before,” he continued. “She would have been too young. You would have been just a child, and I would have felt too impatient to wait for you to grow up.”
“What are you saying?” she asked, barely able to utter the words, afraid to be hearing what her heart wanted to hear and not what he was actually saying.
“You are the one for me, Aneksi. The other half of my heart, my comfort and the only one able to take me to paradise, each time I’m in your arms,” he finally confessed, using all the words.
This time, she was the one moving forward, but she didn’t take a step, she threw herself into his arms, too happy to hold back.
“Oh, gods. I’m so happy, so happy…” she cried out, hiding her face on his chest.
“Are you praying to me?” he teased her, holding her tight against him.
She chuckled and punched him in the chest. “I have no idea who I’m praying to anymore, maybe to those Fates you were talking about,” she replied, with a broad smile.
He pulled her chin up and claimed a passionate kiss from her lips. “I have to say I’m also thankful to them, for bringing you to my life. I love you.”
“I love you, too. You have no idea how desperate I felt when I was trapped in that tomb, believing I would never see you again, that I wouldn’t be able to love for a little while longer,” she confessed, shuddering at the memories of those dreadful moments.
“Those were the worst moments of my entire life. I had never felt so desperate before, not even when we lost my father. I felt my heart was being ripped out of my chest and the pain was so excruciating I wasn’t able to think straight. When I discovered Nubia was behind the whole thing, I would have gladly skinned her alive.”
“That would mean going down to her level,” she pointed out, shaking her head. “I believe she got the perfect punishment.”
“Only because I found you in time, otherwise, my wrath would have been terrible.”
And she knew he was bragging.
She remembered something he had said. “You can shift into animals?”
“Remember, I used to tell you, you still didn’t know my true self?” he asked, with a scowl.
“Yes, I do. You never told me what you meant by that.”
“Well, I can shift into several animals. But I identify myself with one your people call jackal,” he explained.
She looked at him for a few seconds in silence, assimilating what he was telling her. “It’s not a mask, that’s really you,” she finally realized the truth.
He took a step back and slowly shifted into the jackal. Aneksi wouldn’t call him an animal, but his features changed a lot, assuming those of the animal, including the dark skin.
“All in my family are able to shift like this, and like me, they identify with a particular animal. This feature is the one that tells us which god we become.”
She stretched her hand and caressed his soft snout. “It’s amazing. How often do you change?” she was apparently curious, and he didn’t mind answering all of her questions.
“As often as our instinct asks us to. Usually, two to three times a week, but only for a few hours and if we need, we can control it and hold it back as much as we want.”
“I see,” she murmured.
He changed even more, and this time he became the animal itself, furry and on its four legs.
“We also assume this form when we need to run wild or use the animal’s abilities. I tried looking for you when you disappeared, by sniffing your scent, but since they used the Nile to transport you, I quickly lost your track,” he explained, changing back to his human form, his clothes, pants, and tunic, abandoned on the floor.
“It’s truly amazing.” She was fascinated.
“I was told you would never fear any of my forms but wasn’t sure. That’s why I hadn't told you the truth before.”
“I love you, no matter what, please, be sure of that.” She cradled his face and pulled him closer to kiss him.
“No more doubts?” he whispered in her ear.
“No more doubts,” she assured him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Smiling, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. “I promise I will make as happy as any woman can be. All I ask is for you to trust me, for you to believe I would never do anything to harm you or put you in danger,” he said, as he lay in bed with her, interspersing every word with a kiss.
Soon, they were once more entangled in their passion, kissing and caressing each other, totally immersed in their own private universe of pleasure and bliss.
Anubis helped her out of her clothes never stopping kissing her. Once he had her naked in his arms, he covered her whole body with kisses and nibbles, reserving her aching pussy for last. Determined to take her to the highest level of arousal before giving her all the pleasure he had intended for her.
When he finally reached her pussy, her whole body was arching itself to meet him, eager for more, desperate for release. Her wild moans fueled him to give her more, to take her further, even when his own body was crying out for relief.
His hands caressed her for a few moments, teasing her entrance and playing with her clit before he finally leaned over and claimed it with his mouth. He licked her essence and penetrated her depths with his tongue. Then he slid up and captured her engorged clit with his teeth and lips, licking, sucking and nibbling the sensitive bud, until she came wildly in his arms.
Finally reaching his limit, he nestled between her legs and pulling them up, he plunged himself inside her, loving the way her walls clenched around him, in sheer need.
Thrusting in and out of her, he dragged her with him once more through the path to paradise, and soon they were swaying in the waves of pleasure and bliss of a powerful orgasm.
A few minutes later, they were resting in each other’s arms, while the full moon lit the room, with its silvery light.
“My father is expecting us to announce our marriage soon,” he said, kissing the top of her head.
“You get married here?”
“Yes, we make a commitment in public, to unite our lives and dedicate them to make our partners as happy as possible, till death do us part,” he explained.
“That’s why your father is still with Isis and not with your mother?”
“Exactly, he got tired of waiting and united his life to Isis. When he finally met my mother, it was too late.”
“It’s sad.”
“Yes, but this is something he brought on himself. Isis knew the risks and decided it was worth taking them as well. I can’t say they have been miserable since they are very good friends and really care for each other, but they’re not as happy as they could have been if they had waited to find their loved ones,” he said, nuzzling her neck. Despite all the passion they had shared only moments ago, he already needed her.
“It’s still sad.”
“That’s why I promised never to stop looking, and I’m glad I didn’t. I wouldn’t have resisted missing this, missing us.”
She cuddled up against him as she nodded. “Yes, I feel exactly the same way.”
Aneksi still had trouble believing she had found love in the arms of a god. Although she had no idea what the future would bring, she was more than happy to live the present to its full extent, knowing he was there for her and she would always count on his love.
What more could a woman possibly wish for?
The End