Before they disappeared from the world of man, they lived.

They were gods, well their race at least beings of such power. Full of the same trials as men. Somewhere between the wars, the fighting, the lies, the murder and the chaos there was happiness, for a time. She wore a draped dress with silver clasps, the neckline was low, showing off her perfect breasts, her hair half up half down in defined mahogany curls that fell to her hips with a silver head piece. She was Aphrodite, she was loved by everyone that knew her. She was unnaturally kind, loving and understanding, her beauty physically and spiritually was beyond compare. She loved fiercely and with passion. She was protective and strong. It was however hard to win her heart.

Then one day she met him, he walked into her hall for the god's meeting feast with his brother he was tall, elegant, wearing black robes with a neckline that exposed some of his chest, his face was structured and his cheekbones were defined, his eyes were lined with black. He and his brother joined the others in drinking and watching the dancers. She couldn't take her eyes off him. She sat with Nephthys and some other women. He caught her looking at him, she quickly snapped her head to look at Artemis. All he did was take a goblet of wine from a passing maid and smiled to himself.

She was gorgeous, she took his breath away. He saw her and he knew he had to talk to her. When he caught her staring at him he knew he needed to speak to this woman. "Brother, who is that?" He asked his brother, Sokar.
Smiling he responded "Aphrodite, don't even think about it brother she hasn't accepted anyone's advances. She chooses you, and you brother have no chance."
"We shall see." He said smirking, taking a mouthful of his wine. Sokar suddenly had a troubled look on his face. Jealousy perhaps? He was just as good looking as his brother but his brother was the older and always got everything that Sokar wanted. He watched his brother walk over to the women.

"Hello." He said to her.
Startled she looked to her right, with a look of confusion she said "Hello, can I help you?" The other women just smiled.
"I couldn't help but notice you were watching me." With a proud smile.
The ladies giggles and whispered between themselves while Aphrodite went red with embarrassment. "You are in my hall, I have not met you before. Mere curiosity."
Taken back from her statement he just smiled, "Anubis my lady." He took her hand and kissed it.
"Anubis, I have heard of you."
"All good things I hope." He smiled at her again.
Biting her lip trying not to smile she said "Your reputation with the women is well known. Your reputation with getting into fights is also well known. I hope we will have no trouble."
His smile faded, "I fight to protect the people I love, I protect those whom I care about."
She looked at him with an approving gaze. "Well I must retire for the night. Goodnight Anubis. Ladies."
"Would you like me to walk you to your chambers?"
Smiling "I can manage myself thankyou." She said in an irritated tone.

As she was walking through her corridors she could feel she was being followed. She quickened her pace through the corridors to her chambers but as her pace quickened she could hear the footsteps of whomever was following her. She began to run to her chambers but as she turned a corner there were guard dogs waiting for her growling and snarling. She turned around and could see a dark figure at the end of the corridor and the light shining off a blade. There was only one way to run, but it could be a trap. She took it anyway, it lead back to the feast hall. She ran as fast as she could but the dogs chased her down and began to attack her, biting her. The assassin was not far behind he called the dogs off and was about to slice her throat when she heard a swing of a sword and a thud. Through the blood in her eyes she could see her attacker had been beheaded and the dogs put down. Before she passed out with the pain she heard his deep calming and reassuring voice "I've got you Aphrodite. Stay with me."
Sokar came running, "What happened?" he said in shock.
Anubis looked at him with darkness in his eyes, "Tell everyone to retire for the night. The feast is over." He picked her up and took her to her chambers. He lay her on the bed and got a wet cloth to clean the blood off her. Being a God she could heal herself, she needed rest though. He cleaned the blood and sat in a chair next to her bed with his hand on his sword all night.

She woke the next morning in disbelief of what had happened. She sat up in her bed and looked at the man sitting in the chair next to her, smiling at her. "Good Morning my lady."
"Was it a dream?" She asked confused.
His eyes went dark again, "No it was not. It has been taken care of. No one will harm you again."
She rolled her eyes at him, "You're going to make sure of that are you?" she said as she tried to stand up out of her bed.
He caught her, looked in her deep green eyes "I will make sure no harm ever comes to you again."
Confused but also lost in his sky blue eyes "What did I do to deserve your loyalty after one night?"

Smiling he said "I don't know. I saw something in your eyes last night that hit a part of my soul. It's like I've known you my whole life."
She said nothing but looked at him with a look of passion. They embraced, fingers entwined in each other's hair, nails running down each other's backs. Bodies entwined and lost with each other.

After a few hours there was a knock at the door. "Come in." She said.

Nephthys, walked in and saw Anubis in the chair and Aphrodite sitting on the bed both with messy hair, bruised and blood on their necks. She grinned and Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"
Shaking her head and remembering what she had come in for, "The person who hired your attacker has been found."
"Who is it?" Anubis demanded. Nephthys looked down. Aphrodite looked at both of them in shock and before she could say anything Anubis had grabbed his sword and was running towards the hall.
She grabbed her throwing knives and followed quickly. "ANUBIS!" she called after him.

He came into the Hall and stopped suddenly when he saw his brother in chains. "Why, brother?"
Sokar raised his head with a smirk and evil in his eyes, "Why? Why?! Because you always got that which I wanted!" He spat with venom in this voice. "You take everything that should be mine that would make me happy. I saw the look you gave each other I couldn't let you have her.

"Let him go." Anubis told the guards. The let him go, still in chains. Anubis attacked him, swinging, yelling "We protect innocents not destroy it! Have you no heart Sokar?!" He grabbed his sword and as his was about to cast his final blow to his brother a blade stuck in his hand. His sword dropped. He turned and looked in shock at the woman he had just made love to.
"There will be no blood shed in my home. Guards, take him to the Nile." She walked up to him, and with hatred in her voice, the only time anyone had ever heard anger from her she said "Sokar, you will leave Heliopolis, you will take a boat and you will leave on the Nile. If you show your face here again, I promise you it will not be your brother who you will need to fear. Get out."

They never heard from Sokar again. Well that's what they thought.