Anubis Nights by Gary Jonas Page A

though. And for all I knew, I was thinking this way because I was in bed with another woman even though there was no hanky panky going on.
    Even if Kelly and I survived Egypt, I knew that Winslow would be stronger when we faced him in the nineteenth century. There was no guarantee that we could beat him there, and I also knew he’d be the strongest in the twentieth century. For all I knew, I’d never see Rayna again.
    But I had to hold on to the idea that we would win and that I’d soon have her back in my arms. We hadn’t talked about being exclusive with one another, but I knew she wasn’t seeing anyone else, and she knew the same was true for me. Was it an unspoken thing? Would I even be thinking this way if Kelly and I weren’t half naked in bed together?
    I hadn’t done anything, but I still felt guilty.
    Time passed and sleep still eluded me.
    Kelly shifted. She turned over and put her arms around me, her breasts pressing against my ribs as she pushed me onto my back. She was still asleep, of course. She used my chest as a pillow and raised her right leg up so her thigh rested on my crotch. I adjusted the covers and put my arms around her, trying to think of anything that would take my mind off sex. Kelly felt good in my arms, and that made the task even more difficult.
    I tried to focus on other things. I reminded myself that she was under the weather, but that just made me think about holding her when she was well again. I tried to think about the demonstration we’d have to handle the next day. Then I thought of scorpions. That didn’t help. I tried to shove all thoughts aside. I must have lain awake for ages before my eyelids finally grew heavy enough to stay closed and I drifted away to the land of dreams.
     
    KELLY CHAN
     
    I woke up with one hand on Jonathan’s stomach, the other at my side, and my head lying on his chest. My stomach was still a bit queasy, and my head was foggy. My fever seemed to be worse, and that really concerned me. I looked up at Jonathan’s face, and he looked at peace as he slept. Lying in his arms felt better than I wanted to admit. I’d never really felt this way with Brand. Sure, it was fun most of the time, but while I knew Brand cared for me, I didn’t think he knew the real me.
    Jonathan knew the real me. He had been my best and only friend, and while I sometimes wondered what it would be like to make love with him, I didn’t want to risk our friendship. I knew he saw me more as an older sister. I was born six months before him, so while I was technically older, the difference wasn’t enough to talk about. When he first saved me from the wizards at DGI, I felt I owed him, but he didn’t see it that way. He understood more about what I’d been through as a Sekutar than I realized, and he gave me the time I needed to adjust to the new life he offered. At first, I thought that life would mean we’d be living and sleeping together, but instead, he helped me get my own place.
    I pulled away from him, sat on the edge of the bed, and just watched him sleep. He never expected anything from me after he saved me, but I insisted that he let me at least train him to fight better. That led to us becoming friends but never lovers.
    I stood and felt light-headed. That wasn’t good. I closed my eyes and focused my energy. The vertigo went away.
    I heard footsteps and opened my eyes to see a servant girl in the doorway.
    She started to say something, but I shook my head and put a finger to my lips. I walked over to her. “My husband is sleeping,” I whispered.
    “I am Tuya,” she said. “I’m supposed to make sure you’re ready. You’re part of a demonstration today.”
    “That’s right.”
    “I should bathe you so you’re presentable.”
    “My husband and I can bathe ourselves. You can take the morning off.”
    “I do not understand.”
    “We aren’t local,” I said. “We have our own customs. We bathe ourselves. It’s a religious thing. Our gods insist on