Balance (Book 9 )

It took two more days for Gabriel to appear. His eyes glowed with displeasure, and his jaw was tight. I crossed my arms and matched his glare with one of my own.

“You disappoint me, my mate. I ask you to do a simple thing, and you could not contain yourself.”

“Instead, you send one of your minions to baby set me. You should have come to me yourself!” I growled.

“It is time you learned respect!” Gabriel grabbed my neck and teleported me to the underworld. He changed us into our true form and threw me into a steel box.

“I do not need to explain myself to you. You are my wife, and you will submit to me. You will stay here until you learn restraint and respect.”

“Anubis! The living must become the dead!” I growled.

“Silence!” His voice echoed and vibrated deep into my soul. “You went too far! You dishonored me in front of Atum, went against my command, and disrespected Kyle. You refused to trust me to provide for you.”

“But the…”

Anubis grabbed my muzzle forcefully. “So help me Anput, I will cut your tongue out!” He paused until he was satisfied I would not speak. I knew better than to challenge his bluff. Anubis has always followed through with his warnings. He may not actually cut my tongue out, but the alternative would be just as unpleasant. I continued to silently glare at him. I could feel the battle within rage as my desire to attack grew. I had to remain in control.

” You used to respect all things living, even your enemies and those under your command. You had respect for inanimate objects and demanded the same from those who followed you. You valued my council and trusted me to do what was expected. Remember that and apply that in your mind. You will rot here until you do.” He growled and closed the door.

I lost my connection to him, and my power began draining. I could not project my mind out or see with my own eyes. The only sound I heard was my own breathing. I laid against a wall frustrated at being treated this way and unable to continue my task. I decided to sleep until Anubis’s anger diminished enough to allow him to come to his scenes. His patients is long standing, but once it is broken, he becomes violent. His love for me restrains him from killing me. I am never in any danger. I will do as I must to save the world.

Memories flashed in my mind. Anubis was not satisfied by locking me in a box. He thought to toy with my mind. I know his tricks. They will not work.

I sat at Anubis’s feet studying how to be a respectable God. The book in my lap explained the hierarchy of the gods and the role a wife plays among them. Males were not necessarily superior to females, but they do make the final decisions. They are the protectors and providers of the family. The wife did not have to agree with the laws of the house, but she did have to respect them. She was to work closely with her husband, helping him make any decisions or doing tasks the husband was unable to do. They were a team, and the husband was the team leader.

I had always submitted to Anubis. I would have left him long ago or demanded his attention. Since coming to the underworld, I had let my crown die with my body and weakened myself to servitude. No more! I cannot stand by and allow the world to die. I would rather be killed now than suffer through the world’s destruction. A flicker of insanity fought it’s way into my mind.

It was muddy and very cold. The winter storms had arrived and I looked through slop piles for food as a young human child. I would never steal from a home or market, but this was thrown out without an owner. My body starved as I searched for substance.

A tall man found me and offered me a home with as much food as I want. I was young, naive, and starving. I followed him without question back to his home. He bathed me and sat me near a fireplace to warm up then gave me a loaf of bread. I devoured the loaf and looked at the man. I was too shy to speak to him. He was kind and gentle, and wealthy. The home I was in was very well made for the age.

My body healed from starvation over a period of a few months. I sat near the fireplace, nibbling on bread as the man sat in front of me watching. I never saw him eat, and he never demanded anything from me. I paused and looked at the loaf I was nibbling on and handed it to the man. “Do you want to eat?” It was the first time I spoke to him and realized I was being ungrateful for his kindness. I would never again take advantage of someone’s hospitality.

I have never been ungrateful. Anyone who treated me kindly was always treated with the same respect. Images of Adrestia piercing Kyle in the ribs came flashing in my mind.

“Stop this, Anubis! You know very well why I cut him. I did not strike him dead! He held me prisoner. I will defend myself to the death. Come to me, and I will show you my wrath!”

A tidal wave of anger consumed me. The need to break free became more than I can bear within a heartbeat. I howled and banged on the steel walls with all my might. I must free myself and return to the realm of the living. Once again, the one who holds my heart has forsaken me.

Pain exploded in my head. It felt like a hot knife went into my brain and began slicing it. I screamed at the pain. My screams echoed off the steel walls and deafened my ears. My anger vanished as I concentrated on controlling the pain I felt.

Anubis knew physical pain would be ineffective. He would use my mind against me. Scarabs began burrowing up from the ground. Dozens crawled onto my legs and burrowed under my skin. The pain is stronger than the burning in my mind. I fell to my knees as the scarabs began eating my organs. I clawed through my skin and attempted to get them out. The result was less than favorable. My nails seemed to bend like plastic and break off. My skin showed no signs of damage. My entire body felt as though it was on fire. My voice went horse as I curled up into a ball.

This is not real. Anubis is in control. “I am sorry.” I whispered.

The scarabs left, but the burning in my mind continued. He knew the apology was only for shouting and demanding from him. I found my body to be whole. The scarabs were only my imagination.

Anubis is my husband. It is not my place to demand anything other than his love and keep him to his vows to me. This is one of those times we would have taken our argument to our tree and consummated our love. The burning in my head became unbearable. There was no way to fight it. I am not connected to the earth, and my power is too weak. I might as well be mortal.

“Please stop.” I said weakly as tears streamed. The burning increased. It would not end until I submitted fully.

More memories flooded my mind.

I served pharaohs and queens of Egypt faithfully. The vampires were ruthless, and I labored to build a better life and show them how to live by it while performing my duties.

Times were simpler then.

Memories of my first meetings with the ancient creatures came to me. I respected them and their way of life. I studied them and allowed them to teach me their ways. I mourned when war broke out. I was a vampire and had to choose my species over theirs.

They were not my subjects. They were potential allies. I grew tired of the pain and wanted to sleep. The burning became so hot I thought I was going to burst into flames. I began screaming once again.

“Please stop.” It continued.

“Master, help me!” I cried out.

Anubis knew the depths of the mind and knew how much I could take until I truly maddened. He would not stop until he broke my pride. He would take me to the abyss and damn the gods to their destruction if that is what it took.

This was a long time coming. He resisted my training until our son was born, then he became lost in his work. He will not allow my insolence to continue. He knows how to keep the mind sane and awake for as long as he needed.

More memories came as the burning continued on.

I sat on Gabriel’s lap on the balcony of our cruise to Egypt. I asked him for training. “It is apparent I need training. You must work to break my queenly crown.”

I am no longer his queen. I am his wife. I must follow him.

Gabriel trained me in Queen Mum’s house after she turned me into a vampire. He taught me to submit to him.

I am in Margaret’s bedroom standing before my master and mate. I vowed to allow a male vampire to control a queen.

Throughout the ages, Gabriel has asked me to trust him. He desired me to be fully his. He desired my mind, heart, and soul to be his alone. I had given myself to him over and over again. He was master and king.

Anubis’s command was definite with no negotiations. I must submit to his authority and walk beside him. I must trust he knows what he is doing. He sees things I cannot see, just as I have an understanding of the world and its creatures he does not. The pain in my mind lifted. Blackness took me as I fell unconscious.

My eyes opened to complete darkness. I am still in the steel box. The silence is deafening.

’Husband, speak to me.’

I knew he would be watching over me. He always does. Somehow he is connected to me on a higher understanding than I know. Anubis is truly lord of the underworld. As long as he pays attention to his surroundings, nothing escapes his attention. He can feel and hear everything in his realm.

He was right. My impatience and anxiety got control of my mind. I owed Kyle an apology for stabbing him. I knew I would not kill him, but that was beside the point. He was doing as Anubis told him. Just as I demanded guests to respect my home, I should respect Anubis’s realm. Anubis gave me freedom as long as I followed the God’s rules and his house rules.

I will submit to you and try to hold my tongue. I cannot promise I will be successful. My passion is who I am. It is part of my fire you love. Forgive me, husband, master of my heart. Anubis remained silent.

He was probably busy with our son. I grew concerned that the soul eater has not been fed. I spent four days among the living. It felt like another day past inside this box. How long could the soul eater starve before it maddened?

I felt like I fell asleep. In the darkness, I could not tell if my eyes were closed or not. My body jumped with a start. Anubis’s honey scent entered my mind. I stood up and waited for the door to open. Red glowing eyes appeared in the box. The glow brightened the area enough for me to see. A black skeleton with a full black body armor stood before me.

“Kyle?” It silently and slowly shook its head.

Fear gripped me as I looked into soulless eyes. My soul seemed to scream out. I am trapped in the box with no way out and powerless. I did not see any symbols on this one. I remembered Anubis warning me not to interfere with them. I cast my eyes downward and stood before the skeleton. There is no way to fight it. Perhaps if I show respect, it will tell me what it wants.

Its gauntlet hand touched my chest. I felt death come into me. It was cold and unforgiving. My soul screamed out as I felt it was being ripped from my body. I fell to my knees as a large gash opened on my side. It brought me to the abyss of being utterly destroyed. A dark voice vibrated through my body.

“Payment has been accepted. Do not look at, speak to, or touch the death knights, or your soul will become mine.”

His hand felt like it strangled my soul. The box went dark once again. Wetness clung to my clothing as I smelled blood. I touched my side to feel a gaping hole as if a sword went through me. I had made a grave mistake stabbing Kyle. I knew nothing of the death knight species. I now know they are extremely dangerous and are to be respected. How was Anubis in league with them? He is not their god or creator. Perhaps it was a partnership he forged. My wound started to close. A handprint remained on my chest. My skin is charred, where his gauntlet rested. An icy chill coursed through my veins. I could feel death’s grip on me.