Aaaaand here's the next chapter, we're getting closer to the ending ! (I have a few tricks up my sleeve before of course hehe)
This chapter is slightly more spicy that the last one, but oh boy you're not ready for the next chapter ;)
Hope you'll enjoy this one, and thanks again for your comments and support, you guys are the best !
Enjoy !
Chapter 10 : A fortunate encounter inside a pyramid
Sara fell to the ground, almost dragging Layla with her. The scream she let out almost alerted a few passerbys, but one quick look and they decided the girls were just two drunk tourists and returned to their preoccupations.
Mafdet, on the other hand, was smiling with absolute delight, her feline eyes creased in satisfaction.
« Holy fucking shit, » Sara muttered, putting a hand on her chest to calm her racing heart.
« What's wrong, what's going on ? Is there a jackal somewhere ? » asked Layla, desperately trying to see what had startled Sara and only seeing an empty street.
« It's fine, » began Sara when she rose back up, dusting her pants as best as she could. « This is what happens when you're haunted by a wicked goddess. »
« I'm not wicked, you're just so easily startled… »
Sara scoffed, turning directly toward Mafdet — when she usually averted her eyes from her chilling smile — and she could swear the goddess was taken aback for a second.
« Are you kidding me ? I've just discovered you've doomed me to die the moment you'll want to get rid of me — and for all I know, it could be tomorrow — and you're making fun of me ? »
Layla watched as Sara was getting angry at nothing, trying to decipher who she was talking to — she only knew she was supposedly Mafdet's Avatar, but she had not idea of what the goddess looked like — and kept a safe distance, not wanting to interfere with a literal goddess.
« I won't get rid of you, » said Mafdet with a sigh. « Besides, I've already told you, you're not my Avatar. »
Relief washed over Sara's body. So she hadn't made any stupid deal when she was sleep deprived or something, she wasn't Mafdet's Avatar after all.
« But you plan on making me your Avatar at some point, don't you ? »
Mafdet stayed silent, once again. Seemed like it was a synonym of truth for her these days.
« Am I some kind of redemption for you ? The proof that you can have an Avatar and not cause a rampage ? » Sara pressed, anger growing. « You may be a goddess but I won't be a pawn in your stupid divine plan. Do you even want us to stop Ammit ? »
« Yes, » the goddess roared immediately, and Sara gulped at the sheer display of power she was exuding. « Ammit isn't just threatening the Ennead, she's threatening the entire balance of the world. If she is freed, then chaos will only follow. I've seen the future in dreams, and you have an essential part to play in this moment, which is why I can't leave your side. »
« But I won't be able to do much if I don't agree on being your Avatar, right ? And I'm willing to be you already know I'll agree to it in the future, which is why you keep on torturing me, am I wrong ? »
« Dreams don't lie, » merely stated Mafdet.
Sara grabbed a fistful of her hair, trying her best to not freak out and let her emotions get the best of her. Tears welled up at the corners of her eyes and she quickly blinked to try and keep them at bay.
She almost jumped when she felt the huge hand of the goddess lay on her shoulders.
Mafdet never touched her.
« Listen, little one, » she began, softer than she's ever been. « You have every right to despise me, and even more reasons to distrust me. I cannot guarantee you anything, for we gods have been living for too long to even being to understand humans. All I can promise you is that by being my Avatar, I will protect you until your soul rests into the Fiels of Reeds and that I will not revoke you before you leave this earth, or ask me to do so yourself. »
Sara gazed into those unforgiving green eyes, her lips wobbling, eyes watering. She was so, so tired — of the gods, of the world, of the feelings crashing inside her chest. So she took a deep breath and asked in a strained voice.
« What happens, if I don't agree to be your Avatar ? »
Mafdet opened her mouth, about to tell her what she saw in her dreams, but she abruptly raised her head up, visibly distressed.
« What's going on ? » Sara asked when the goddess seemed to have a million thoughts swimming in her head.
« The Ennead's calling a meeting, » she said, scratching her head, and Sara had never seen her so distraught. « They're having a trial to decide if Harrow's trying to release Ammit. Konshu is the one who called the meeting. »
« Konshu ? Steven's god ? » exclaimed Sara, realizing what it meant.
« Steven ? » chimed in Layla, who had been watching the scene unfold all this time. « What about him ? »
« The Ennead's going to send their Avatars to gather and speak through them for this trial, but since you're not my Avatar, it's impossible for me to reach them, » added Mafdet.
« She says the Avatars are going to meet, which means there's a way I could find Steven, » quickly said Sara to Layla. « But she can't send me there because I'm not officially her Avatar. Yet, apparently. »
« Why ? »
« It's complicated, I'll explain later, » she added in a whisper.
« Harrow's smart, and Konshu is reckless, it's not going to end up well for him, » continued Mafdet. « If I send you there when you're not my Avatar, it's only going to anger them further. Unless you agree to be my Avatar right here and then. »
« No. »
« Thought so, » the goddess sighed. « Then all I can do is send you there without them knowing, but it'll be dangerous. »
Sara barely took a second to answer.
« I'll do it. »
« As you wish. The ring will offer you protection from the Ennead, as long as you focus on the ring, they won't be able to sense you, so once the trial is done and the Avatars gone, you'll be free to find Konshu's Avatar. »
« Got it, » Sara said before turning back to Layla. « I'm going to the trial to find Steven. The moment we get out of here, I'm sending you our location, alright ? »
« Yeah, sounds like a good plan, » she nodded.
Suddenly, Layla's eyes widened as they noticed something behind Sara's back. The latest frowned before turning back and immediately mimic her expression. A entire hole had opened in the wall of one of the building, as if it had always been there.
« They've already started, hurry ! » pressed Mafdet.
Sara gave one last look at Layla, who reassured her with an encouraging smile, before entering the dark hallway.
—
« He has comitted no offense. This matter is concluded. »
Sara was boiling from the inside out. The trial had been a joke from start to finish. It had been clear from the very beginning that the Ennead had something against Konshu, and that whatever Steven could say, they'd find a way to literally bully him into admitting he was simply troubled. She had to admit Harrow's calm was already convincing enough, but she truly though immortal gods would see a man manipulating someone when they had one in front of them.
The girl had been hidden in the shadows of her corridor, refusing to make a single movement, too scared they might see right through Mafdet's glamour, but thankfully, they didn't notice her presence. Even though she was seconds close to bolting inside the room to take Steven's defense.
Steven. Was it still really him ? The thought had made its way to her mind in the midst of the trial, when he had begun to talk for himself instead of letting Konshu roar through his body — which had been quite frightful, to be honest. The American accent had been back, and his demeanor had been very similar to the one she had witnessed when she had brought him to the archives. Was it who Layla called Marc ? Could it be possible ?
Sara's thoughts were interrupted by the sudden movement of the Avatars, who left without sparing a glance toward Steven — just like Harrow, who left the pyramid with his usual calm, knowing very well he could pursue his demented plan without the gods interfering.
The girl debated blowing her hideout to shove this asshole's cane exactly where she thought, but the last reasonable part of her brain managed to keep her from doing something that would just make things much worse.
Steven had been talking with one of the Avatars, a woman with long black hair and soft eyes, someone she hoped was more reasonable than the other Avatars, and Sara was waiting right behind a statue for her to leave.
« Alright, thank you for the advice, » Steven said in a deep American voice, which startled Sara.
« Hope you'll stop him in time, » the woman said before reaching the other end of the corridor.
The moment she was out of sight, Sara bolted from her hideout and appeared suddenly in front of Steven.
« I hoped you would've at— »
But Sara didn't get the time to finish her sentence because the next thing she felt was her head hitting the wall and a hand roughly grab her shoulder.
Déjà vu much ? said the snarky voice in her head.
« Sara ? » almost immediately said Steven, releasing a bit of pressure from her body so that she could at least breath properly.
« I think I'm going to get a concussion if you keep manhandling me like that, » the girl muttered, rubbing the back of her head.
« What are you doing here ? » he asked, looking around in case someone might see them.
« Mafdet's soon-to-be-Avatar, remember ? » Sara simply said, shaking her head like she was talking to a kid who had forgotten his lunch.
Steven sighed, and Sara took a good look at him : for one, he looked awful — sweaty, messy hair, glassy eyes —, but he mostly looked, well, not like Steven.
« You're not Steven, are you ? » Sara said before he could reply to her snarky comment.
That seemed to awake something in him, because he looked at Sara dead in the eyes, with something between fury and sorrow written on his expression. The exhaustion got the best of him as his hand grabbed Sara's throat and his body got closer to make sure she couldn't escape.
« What are you trying to do, huh ? Trying to bring Steven out so you can take him down and let Harrow go through with his plan ? » he whispered, deadly and terribly chilling.
Sara could barely breath with Stev— Marc's hand circling her throat and her mind was confused by the familiar scent being associated with so much violence.
« He's getting so agitated right know, you know ? » Marc continued, and Sara could tell he was fighting him right now, however that worked. « Right now he's begging to let him out, to not hurt you… Or to at least let him get his hands your body. He's never had such filthy thoughts before. »
Sara would've been flustered by his words if she wasn't struggling to breath. Marc had clearly lost it because of the trial's outcome, and she couldn't blame him for being suspicious of her : Harrow did say Mafdet and Ammit had worked together.
« I'm… trying to help… » Sara let out, gasping for air.
« Oh, I'm sure you are, and that's exactly what you're gonna do by getting out of my way before— »
Marc suddenly let go of Sara, stumbling back, and the girl's knees buckled once she could finally breath. She watched him grab his head as if he had suddenly gotten a terrible headache, mutter something incoherent before stumbling backward again.
And then, the face that looked back at her wasn't Marc anymore. There was no mistaking the soft eyes, the slightly lost expression and the hunched posture.
« Steven ? » whispered Sara with relief.
« Oh, darling, » he let out in a perfect British accent, his eyes lighting up.
Steven immediately walked up to Sara and hugged her tightly, gesture that Sara immediately returned, eyes tearing up. It was so… strange, to hug the man that had been strangling her mere seconds ago, and yet it felt so obvious, like someone entirely different had taken Marc's place — and she supposed it was exactly what had happened.
When Steven finally let go of Sara, his arms were still clinging to her waist, refusing to let her go — and Sara didn't complain one bit. He looked even more smitten than the last time she had seen him, like something stronger had grown in the time they were apart.
« So, this is what's been happening all this time ? » she began, scanning his features to see how different Steven's expression was from Marc's. « The blackouts you've been having, it's been Marc all along ? »
Steven seemed to come back down from his haze at this and nodded slowly, as if he was remembering something.
« Yes, he's the tiny American man living in my head, and living my life, apparently. »
« So he's Konshu's Avatar, but you didn't know about it ? »
« No, I was just dragged into this… But hey, I got to see what's inside the pyramid of Giza, that's pretty wicked, innit ? » he added with a shy smile.
Sara chuckled, happy to have her sweet Steven back. She stroked his cheek and her heart skipped a beat when he leaned onto her palm, looking at peace. Layla's words echoed in her head, and for a second, she could easily believe it was true, what she said.
But alas, good things never lasted long.
The girl's head dropped down as shivers ran down her body, because she was about to say something she never thought she would.
« Steven, we're going to need Marc, » she said, lips wobbling when she finally raised her head back up.
Her heart broke when he immediately let go of her waist and stepped out of her reach, his entire body the portrait of betrayal.
« What ? » he asked, eyebrows furrowing, anger blooming on his pretty face. « No, no way ! »
« Trust me, I hate this as much as you do, but you've said it yourself : Marc is Konshu's Avatar, he knows what to do to stop Harrow, » Sara pleaded, hoping he could understand her point of view.
« Marc is dangerous, and evil, I'm not getting him out, » he replied, shaking his head with conviction.
Come on, listen to your precious girl, taunted Marc in the reflection of the pyramid's walls.
Steven shook his head, still set on staying in control of the body for now.
« Steven, » continued Sara, grabbing his hands, « It's only temporary. People are going to try to kill you, and even if you're an excellent fighter, Marc has more experience with the suit. »
She's right, continued Marc. I've done this before, and we won't be able to catch Harrow if we die in a stupid fight.
« I can fight too, » retorted Steven, puffing his chest.
Yeah right, you don't even have the guts to do what you've been thinking about for days now, sneered Marc, eyes drifting toward Sara.
Steven shot a deadly look at Marc, and if he could've annihilated him right here and now, he would have.
« You'll see if I don't have the guts… » he muttered to himself, before looking back at Sara again. « Alright, I'll let Marc take control, but there's one thing I have to do before. »
« What is it ? » asked Sara, completely oblivious.
« This. »
His lips crashed on a more than surprised Sara, followed by a rush of pleasure through her body. He grabbed her face with force, his entire body weight pushing her against the wall once again, but this time, Steven made sure her head wouldn't hit the cold surface too violently.
God, Steven kissed her passionately, with a hunger that was very new coming from him.
And Sara could get enough. Their lips met again and again, much less tentatively than their first kiss, and Sara even let her hands roam all over his back, feeling his muscles through his shirt.
« Steven, wait… » she muttered against his lips when she was almost out of breath, but he only kissed her again, his hands moving to her hips.
« Can't… » he murmured between two kisses. « Taste so good… »
That was almost Sara's undoing, and when Steven moved to her jaw, and then to her neck, inching closer to her sweet spot right at the base of her neck, she could help but let out a moan. Steven stopped dead in his track, and Sara blushed violently, embarrassed that she had just literally moaned out loud. When she met Steven's half-lidded gaze, her stomach fluttered so much she had to bite her lips to keep herself in check.
« That sound… » he whispered, slowly getting back up to look at her, never leaving her eyes. « Did I do this ? »
He sounded so innocent and yet, Sara could tell he knew very well he had done it and simply wanted confirmation for his own pleasure. Too flustered, Sara simply nodded, barely able to hold his gaze.
« Good… » he whispered before going down for one last kiss. « When I'm back, can we do more of… this, if that's okay with you ? » he added, back to his usual shy self.
Sara almost laughed. This man had just left her breathless, with wobbling knees, and he was asking if she was okay with doing it again ? That somehow made him even hotter than before, and god damn did she wish they had a room right now.
« Yeah… I'd like that, a lot, » she said with a soft smile, trying to not show how absolutely smitten she was right now.
Steven gave her one last smile before his eyes rolled back into his head, his body shivering for a while.
Sara immediately knew when Marc had taken control from the way Steven's puppy eyes transformed in a harsh, unforgiving look. Marc took one look at Sara, and noticed how his hands were still on her waist.
« My, my, it almost makes me want to get a taste too, » he said with a smirk.
The girl only rolled her eyes and pushed him away from her, which seemed to amuse him further. At least he wasn't trying to kill her anymore.
« Come on, we got work to do. »