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I sat beside Osiris's throne. Lord and lady Kane had gone out almost an hour ago, arguing over something that hadn't struck my interest. There really was nothing to do. I could go out, there was nothing that said I had to stay until they came back, but there was nowhere to go. The only thing I wanted to do was take a nap. I suddenly had the thought of how Sadie would tease me relentlessly about my idea of free time.

Strange. Why had I thought of her? It had been almost two weeks since I had had to give Sadie the Feather of Truth. I shuddered at what would have happened had she not been able to handle the feather. Gods, why was I suddenly thinking of her? Sure, she was beautiful-

Wait, what? It's not that I hadn't noticed females before, I had, but this was the first time I had actually noticed. I hesitantly let myself remember what she'd looked like. Long caramel hair, streaked with red; to match her temper, I mused. Her beautiful tan skin, lean little body, short stature, how dainty she was, almost half my size. Her worn clothing, ragged combat boots, her eyes- gods of Egypt. Her eyes appeared in my head as fast as if I'd known her for years. They were so beautiful: dark, navy blue around the pupils, fading into oceanic, and flecked with sapphire. I sighed softly, imagining how her golden lashes fluttered and her cheeks turned red when she got embarrassed, how she had looked at me so kindly, so sympathetically, how she crossed her long legs when she got nervous and wrapped her arms under her-

I cut the thought off at the memory of her athletic figure. Something was wrong with me, I decided. Maybe I did need some fresh air.

I grabbed a jacket, pulling the shadows around me, envisioning where I wanted to go.

Immediately my favorite graveyard appeared before me. The whole of New Orleans was quiet; apparently it was the early morning hours in the mortal world. I breathed in the peace, reveling in the smell of the fresh air. Nobody was out-

A loud gasp interrupted my thoughts. I whirled around meeting the eyes of the one person I would never have expected to meet there.

The shining face of Lady Kane was staring me in the eyes.

"Um, hi?" I said meekly.

She stared at me as if I had just appeared out of thin air, which technically I had. She looked-

Gorgeous: Her hair was in tight, sexy curled down her back, streaked with black and electric blue, making her eyes almost glow. My face turned bright red at what she was wearing. Her tank top was black and had an image of skeletal hands crossed over her breasts. Her pajama bottoms had a pattern of crossbones covering them. I almost laughed when I realized she was barefoot.

"I, ah, like your pajamas." I stammered nervously. She blushed bright red, shifting her feet.

"I came in a rush and the place I had been meaning to go, it wouldn't have mattered what I was wearing." She explained. For the first time, I noticed she looked very tired. She appeared almost ill, her shoulders shook, and I could count her ribs through her tank top, although the top of her black lace bra was a bit distracting-

I almost kicked myself. Gods, something was off with me. In all my thousands of years-

"What are you doing here Deathboy?" she demanded, her temper coming back to her tired eyes. I smiled; she was really cute when she was angry-

Shit, that had been a question, "nothing." Brilliant, I chided myself, Osiris would be proud.

She sighed, which did not help me concentrate on appropriate thoughts. I shook my head, trying to clear my head.

"Lady Kane, you look exhausted, you need to sleep."

She smiled, "you're not looking too awake yourself." She chided. I just shook my head, taking her hand to lead her to a stone bench.

She studied me with a hard gaze as I sat, causing me to look away. "Is something wrong?" she finally demanded.

Gods, I'd forgotten how perceptive she was. "No, Lady Kane, I'm fine." No, I'm not I muttered in my head, I'm having to hold myself back from grabbing you and kissing you hoarse and senseless-

"You're lying," She said sharply. She grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet her eyes. I struggled. Those beautiful blue gems were burning a hole right through me. I could feel my resolve breaking, crumbling under her fingers like a broken statue.

"I'm having a rather ah, difficult time." I finally admitted. She let me go and motioned for me to go on, her patient, sympathetic gaze melting whatever resolve I had had left. I sighed heavily. "You will think badly of me." I muttered. The thought of her response to my feeling towards her made me shudder. There were rules against this I screamed at myself, but no matter how I tried, I couldn't get over the fact that it was the thought of her rejection that was holding me back, not the laws.

She caught my hand as I went to move my hair from my eyes. "You don't know what I think or will think; it might surprise you." She said calmly.

"First, tell me how you ended up here, then I will tell you my thoughts." I bargained, trying to buy time.

She hesitated, but seemed to think it better to relent than argue. "I had a dream, a bit of a… strange dream. I woke up and decided to go to Liz's. Liz always knew what to do. Though that's what they said about me. Liz and Em said I always knew the answer to everything. I used to joke that there was an answer to every question." Sadie buried her face in her hands. "Seems like a sick joke now. Most my family's dead, my friends are dying, I'm losing my mind, dreaming those stupid dreams, gods-" she lashed her hands, a spread of flame shooting from her fingertips, causing me to jump. She immediately stopped the fire before it spread, her face shining with embarrassment. "Sorry, I didn't mean to go off like that, stress; it makes it hard to control myself…Um, anyways, I meant to go to London, I was using a damned portal, but I lost my focus, my, mind started to wander to that blasted dream, and I ended up here. Now I'm stuck. I'm too tired to make another portal and the bloody wards on Brooklyn House won't let me in till morning."

She got up, pacing restlessly, her bare feet slapping against the smooth stones on the ground. I could see her mind swimming. Her agitated movements were causing my eyes to focus too much. Her chest, the way it moved as she breathed hard. The curve of her slim legs as she walked back and forth, stupid thoughts ran through my head. On impulse I leapt up, grabbing her around her waist, causing her to gasp at how close I was. I could hear her heart pound in her chest; feel her pulse in her wrist. I wanted so badly to kiss her, to take her.

I sat down, pulling her with me so I wouldn't do something foolish.

"What was the dream about?"

"No." she said firmly, "tell me about what brought you here. Maybe then you can hear about the dream."

I almost disappeared to the hall, the only thing keeping me from doing so was that I had promised, and Osiris had raised me better. Although he'd raised me better than to fantasize about bedding a girl I barely knew-

"Hello?" she said impatiently, crossing her arms over her-

"You." I muttered shamefully, unable to keep my resolve. Horribly inappropriate thoughts ran like wildfire through my head.

She stared at me, stunned. "What? A hard time with- what do you mean-?" she stammered, her eyes confused. I tried to focus my eyes on her face but-

I couldn't take it, I turned, locking my lips to hers, my hands raked up her sides, I pressed into her. Gods, it felt so good, her almost underneath me-

I jerked away, burying my face in my hands, shame clouded my thoughts, gods, I hadn't meant to do that. "I'm sorry," I half sobbed. Gods, what was wrong with me? Frustrated tears leaked out my eyes. I went to leave, I needed to leave.

Sadie caught my wrist as I stood. "The dream was about you." She whispered. Her eyes were swimming, her head bowed so I couldn't see the expression on her face.

"What?"

She wrapped her arms around herself, "I told you I was losing my mind." Tears trailed down her face, as she let my hand go.

"Why were you dreaming about me?" I brushed the tears away from her eyes. "Please, you can tell me."

"You'll think badly of me." She whispered. I shook my head. "No, Sadie, you don't know what I'll think, it might surprise you."

She smiled sadly. "You're right, I don't know what you think, I don't know what's gotten into you for you to kiss me, which definitely surprised me." She gave me a hard look. "I wouldn't suggest doing that again, without permission. And you're right I don't know; at the moment the only thing I know is my life is falling to pieces around me and that the only thing I've always been able to trust is falling to pieces. My head hurts, I can't eat, I can't sleep; the thoughts that go through my head are so wrong, so wrong." She buried her face in her hands. "All my life I've been used to being invisible, background. My head-"she gasped her body going limp.

I caught her as she fell. I could feel her ribs through her shirt, her bones shifting and moving under my hands, her warm breath on my shoulder as she leaned into me.

"I think I might fancy you." She whispered to my side.

I froze. Gods, it made since now; the inappropriate thoughts, why I couldn't control myself around her. "Are you feeling ok?" I stammered. Oh. My. Gods. Did I just say that?! Kill me. Somebody kill me.

"No, no Anubis. Everything is falling apart around me and I'm having dreams of kissing the god of death senseless-"she clamped her hand over her mouth. "Oh my gods forget I said that. Please, oh please, forget that." She pleaded desperately.

All of a sudden my gloom and doom mood evaporated. I could feel a grin spreading across my face. I got up and clasping my hands behind my back, rocking on my heels, still beaming like an idiot. "No, lady Kane, that sentence right there, will be forever stuck in my mind."

She looked mortified. "Oh my gods kill me now." She stood; I could see her poised to run. I grabbed her around the waist, swinging her around. "I can think of a better reaction than killing you." I looked deeply into her eyes, all my good humor building up. "In the dream what exactly was I doing?" I purred in her ear.

She bit her lip. Her mind raced, her pulse quickened under my hands. She brushed the hair out of my eyes. Her hands were so hot it was like fire, leaving a trail across my skin. I snapped, grabbing her waist, pulling her closer. "You're going to have to forgive my behavior, at any other time, I could probably control myself." She smiled at my words and leaned into me, pushing me up against a tree, her eyes hungry.

My heart was pounding. I could see the rise and fall of her chest, how her hands shook as she entangled her fingers in my hair. All rational thought flew from my head. Her words rang in my ear; 'I think I might fancy you'. It was all too much.

I grabbed her, flipping her so she was against the tree. I slipped my hands under her shirt. Her smooth skin rubbed my calloused hands. I slammed against her, my lips meeting hers. I kissed her hot and hard, my tongue battling with hers. I pressed into her. Finally I broke away, my breathing hard. She kissed my jawline as I panted. Her body pulsed against mine, rubbing against me.

Not in all my millions of years had I ever felt like this. Every vein was a live wire, sparking under her hands. I grabbed her leg, stroking the scar from her ankle to her hip. Nothing could compare to this. The higher I ran my hands, the harder she breathed. Gods, I wanted her. I needed her.

"Anubis," she panted. "Please." I realized I had been rubbing into her, moving with her hard breathing, the bulge in my jeans pressing against her. No wonder she was practically whimpering. I placed my hands on either side of her face. She leaned forwards, nipping at my lips. "Control is overrated." She whispered.

I moaned as she flipped me against the tree. All the pent-up frustration, the stress, how overworked she was, it was all flooding through her, overflowing into me.

"So beautiful," I whispered as she began kissing me slowly, lovingly, I felt numb. I couldn't remember the years of loneliness, being abandoned. It was all unimportant; the only thing that mattered was the feel of her lips on mine. "Lady Kane I love you." I panted as she wound her fingers back through my hair.

"Good, because I'm about to do something incredibly stupid," Her hands slipped up my shirt, causing my breath to catch. She began moving her lips on mine. It was less demanding than the previous one, but the hunger was still there. Her tongue danced with mine, her hands groped my muscles.

"You're going to get me in so much trouble," I whispered.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"No, I want to take you. I want to do a thousand things that would get me in trouble; I want you to be mine." I purred in her ear. "I've never felt this, not in all my millions of years. I want you, Sadie. I want you to be my mate and stand by my side forever."

She laughed sweetly. "I love you too."

I flipped over, so it was her who was against the tree. I kissed her slowly and passionately, electing a soft moan from between her lips.

"You're the most beautiful thing in the entire world." I whispered in her ear. She smirked. "Mm, except for the fact I'm in my pajamas, and I look like shit."

I looked deep into her eyes, making her squirm underneath me. "I think you look fantastic, though you do need some sleep." I admitted, kissing her down her neck.

"Yes well, I'm not tired." She pouted.

I smiled mischievously, "would you not being tired have anything to do with this?" I purred, raking my hands up her sides, pausing briefly at her hips and chest.

She arched her back as I rubbed her breasts. "Ah, maybe," She panted.

"Hmm, I think I've found your weak spot." I leaned forward, nipping at the tender flesh of her breast. Sure enough, she cried out softly, her hands grasping my stomach as she shoved her breast farther into my hands, begging for more.

"Having trouble, Lady Kane?" I teased.

The sound of someone clearing their throat made us both jump, leaping away from each other, turning to face Isis and Lord Osiris, both of which looked very angry.

I looked at Sadie; she was shaking softly from her rough handling. I cleared my throat. "Um, I can explain?" I tried meekly.

"You are in so much trouble Anubis!" they snarled in unison.

Osiris glared at me. "I thought I raised you better-"

"Dad," Sadie spoke up. "It's my fault, I provoked him." She hung her head shamefully as we all looked at her surprised. "He tried to stop me and I didn't listen."

Isis crossed her arms, her expression livid. "You are in trouble as well. I have warned you again and again. Did I not tell you not to push yourself too hard, to run yourself to the bone like that? I told you what would happen! I told you you'd lose control and let your lust cloud your sight! But you didn't listen, did you? Had to keep up-"

"I would say I was sorry, but that'd be a lie." She whispered.

Osiris blinked. "You can't-"

"Why can't I?"

"Because there are laws! Gods cannot become too attached to mortals."

A single tear trailed down her cheek. She turned to me, her eyes swimming. She grabbed my shirt and kissed me softly, turning to Lord Osiris and Lady Isis, who were speechless.

"You can bury me face down and kiss my ass, because that's one law I will not follow."

She turned on her heels and ran, taking my heart with her.