world.” Ashia tapped on the table top with her fingernail.
“Who the hell are you?” Allie demanded.
Devi brought Parker back to his seat. His eyes were wide and he was gasping.
“Do you believe me now?” Devi said softly.
Parker nodded his head vigorously.
“Ask your questions about me.” she said.
Parker narrowed his eyes. “For how long will I get to ask?”
It was a shrewd question.
“Until I get bored.”
“You’d better get on with it. She’s going to wipe our minds of their existence,” Allie interjected.
“Do you have to? We won’t tell anyone.” Parker frowned.
“And I’m supposed to trust you on that, human?”
“No. Trust is built. Give us a chance.” Parker was earnest.
Devi exchanged a glance with Ashia. She shrugged. Returning her attention to Parker, she noted that he was staring at Ashia. Allie was frowning. Parker stood abruptly, skirting Allie, going to Ashia. He reached out with a shaking hand and touched the ear cuff on the upper curve of her left ear. He turned her head, then touched the other ear. Devi was shocked that Ashia had allowed him to touch her.
“These cartouches say Amaunet. Are you Amaunet?” he demanded.
“I am. Do you know of me?” Ashia covered his fingers where they rested on her cartouche ear cuff.
“Amaunet is the Egyptian mother goddess and called The Hidden One. By some, she’s viewed as the life-bringing northern wind. As part of the Ogdoad of Hermopolis, Amaunet played a prominent role in accession ceremonies for Egyptian pharaohs. Visually, she is identified with a snake or a snake-head that wears a crown of Lower Egypt.” Parker blinked as if coming out of a trance.
“Oh, I like him. Can we keep him, Devi?” Ashia laughed with delight.
“He’s not a pet. You can’t,” Devi said dryly.
“ Devi ?” Parker said.
“It’s my name here. I can’t go around being called by my goddess name. Amaunet is called Ashia,” Devi said.
“Devi and Ashia. Got it. Oh, my, I have so much I want to know.”
“Well, take a seat and ask. Then let’s go.” Allie sounded angry.
She was glaring at Ashia. Parker was studying Ashia’s cartouche ear cuffs, moving her head back and forth. Ashia still seemed amused.
I don’t want your man, Ashia’s voice said in her mind.
“He’s not my man,” Allie screamed. Devi realised that Ashia had talked in her thoughts, too.
“What’d you say, Al?” Parker was still distracted.
He needs a brick to the head to get a clue, Ashia said.
“Ain’t that the truth,” Allie agreed.
Devi stifled a laugh.
Ashia pulled Parker’s hands from her ears.
“Go sit—you’ll have enough time to study them later. You can come to my ranch and see my collection,” Ashia offered.
“Then we’ll get our minds wiped of you.” Parker sounded sad.
“At least you can ask the questions you’ve always wanted to.” Allie patted his hand.
“But I won’t remember them, or the answers.” He slumped in his chair.
“Are you sure we can’t keep him? Hell, the two of them?” Ashia asked.
“No, we can’t,” Devi said.
Allie started asking questions, then Parker. Devi and Ashia answered them.
Glancing at the time, Rhodes frowned. Devi was late. A black Tundra pulled in next to his Jeep. He frowned as a big man got out. Rhodes narrowed his eyes as he recognised Parker from the university. Parker hurried to open the back door. Devi stepped out of the truck. Rhodes’ mouth went dry at the sight of her turquoise top, which showed off her toned and flat stomach. Matching shorts exposed lean legs and her white sneakers and socks completed the outfit. She strutted over to him. Going up on her toes, she kissed him thoroughly. Rhodes locked his knees, hands instinctively holding her waist. Devi leant back, a smile on her lips.
The sound of a throat being cleared came from beside them.
Rhodes glanced away from Devi’s captivating gaze. He blinked. The woman watching him with an amused expression was
“Who the hell are you?” Allie demanded.
Devi brought Parker back to his seat. His eyes were wide and he was gasping.
“Do you believe me now?” Devi said softly.
Parker nodded his head vigorously.
“Ask your questions about me.” she said.
Parker narrowed his eyes. “For how long will I get to ask?”
It was a shrewd question.
“Until I get bored.”
“You’d better get on with it. She’s going to wipe our minds of their existence,” Allie interjected.
“Do you have to? We won’t tell anyone.” Parker frowned.
“And I’m supposed to trust you on that, human?”
“No. Trust is built. Give us a chance.” Parker was earnest.
Devi exchanged a glance with Ashia. She shrugged. Returning her attention to Parker, she noted that he was staring at Ashia. Allie was frowning. Parker stood abruptly, skirting Allie, going to Ashia. He reached out with a shaking hand and touched the ear cuff on the upper curve of her left ear. He turned her head, then touched the other ear. Devi was shocked that Ashia had allowed him to touch her.
“These cartouches say Amaunet. Are you Amaunet?” he demanded.
“I am. Do you know of me?” Ashia covered his fingers where they rested on her cartouche ear cuff.
“Amaunet is the Egyptian mother goddess and called The Hidden One. By some, she’s viewed as the life-bringing northern wind. As part of the Ogdoad of Hermopolis, Amaunet played a prominent role in accession ceremonies for Egyptian pharaohs. Visually, she is identified with a snake or a snake-head that wears a crown of Lower Egypt.” Parker blinked as if coming out of a trance.
“Oh, I like him. Can we keep him, Devi?” Ashia laughed with delight.
“He’s not a pet. You can’t,” Devi said dryly.
“ Devi ?” Parker said.
“It’s my name here. I can’t go around being called by my goddess name. Amaunet is called Ashia,” Devi said.
“Devi and Ashia. Got it. Oh, my, I have so much I want to know.”
“Well, take a seat and ask. Then let’s go.” Allie sounded angry.
She was glaring at Ashia. Parker was studying Ashia’s cartouche ear cuffs, moving her head back and forth. Ashia still seemed amused.
I don’t want your man, Ashia’s voice said in her mind.
“He’s not my man,” Allie screamed. Devi realised that Ashia had talked in her thoughts, too.
“What’d you say, Al?” Parker was still distracted.
He needs a brick to the head to get a clue, Ashia said.
“Ain’t that the truth,” Allie agreed.
Devi stifled a laugh.
Ashia pulled Parker’s hands from her ears.
“Go sit—you’ll have enough time to study them later. You can come to my ranch and see my collection,” Ashia offered.
“Then we’ll get our minds wiped of you.” Parker sounded sad.
“At least you can ask the questions you’ve always wanted to.” Allie patted his hand.
“But I won’t remember them, or the answers.” He slumped in his chair.
“Are you sure we can’t keep him? Hell, the two of them?” Ashia asked.
“No, we can’t,” Devi said.
Allie started asking questions, then Parker. Devi and Ashia answered them.
Glancing at the time, Rhodes frowned. Devi was late. A black Tundra pulled in next to his Jeep. He frowned as a big man got out. Rhodes narrowed his eyes as he recognised Parker from the university. Parker hurried to open the back door. Devi stepped out of the truck. Rhodes’ mouth went dry at the sight of her turquoise top, which showed off her toned and flat stomach. Matching shorts exposed lean legs and her white sneakers and socks completed the outfit. She strutted over to him. Going up on her toes, she kissed him thoroughly. Rhodes locked his knees, hands instinctively holding her waist. Devi leant back, a smile on her lips.
The sound of a throat being cleared came from beside them.
Rhodes glanced away from Devi’s captivating gaze. He blinked. The woman watching him with an amused expression was
Similar Books
