As Long As (10 page)

Words failed her.

Geena stumbled down a step, her eyes wide, one hand pressed to her breast. The other held tightly to Sokar. She laced her fingers through his, alternately squeezing and then releasing. She blinked several times. Tried squinting. The light came from florescent tubes in the ceiling. They took a moment to brighten. That was a distinct blessing since she’d been in pitch blackness. It was also a problem. The view was indistinct. She had to wait. She stood at the top of the steps and watched the world turn into intense color, precious oiled woods, statuary...

And gold.

She thought she’d prepared herself. She’d seen filmmaker’s versions of what an Egyptian Pharaoh’s tomb looked like. Not a young one like King Tutankhamen, but an older pharaoh. One with time to accrue a lot of worldly goods.

The truth was ground-shaking. Stunning. The walls and columns in this room were covered with enormous depictions of the gods. She recognized
Anubis
, the jackal-headed god.
Toth
, the ibis-headed one.
Tefnut
, the lion-headed goddess. The falcon-headed god,
Horus
.
Ma-at
, the goddess of truth and justice, complete with a feather atop her head. More.

The walls were works of art. And yet, everywhere she looked was treasure. Where Sokar had two
ka
statues, his father had an army of them. They stood in rows, three abreast, facing the portal with spears held at the ready. The statues were all dressed in the kilt and headdress of a pharaoh. And every one of them wore a golden breast collar inset with a fortune in jewels. There were statues of horses, too, at the back. Life-sized. Maybe larger. They looked enormous from her standpoint. Their collars and reins were also fashioned of gold and inset with all kinds of gem stones. The horses were hitched, two to a chariot. She counted twelve in sight, and the heads of more horses through another doorway.

It was intimidating. And awe-inspiring.

A wooden boat graced one wall. There was a striped fabric tent in the center. Its oars extended out into the room, as if ready to navigate the Nile. Its lines were elegant. She’d only seen one like it. King Khufu’s boat, found at the Giza plateau. It resided there now, in its own museum. Could this be an indicator that all pharaohs had them?

Geena descended the steps reverently. Silently. She stood at the base of the stairs, looking up at the front row of statues. Feeling very small. And extremely insignificant. Her voice reflected it.

“Sokar?”

He answered from her side. His voice was deep. Full. Resonant.

“My father was Amenemhet the Fourth. He was the seventh pharaoh in what is known as Dynasty Twelve of the Middle Kingdom. He is called a forgotten pharaoh. His reign considered of no importance. There is little known of it because researchers can’t locate much. They didn’t find a pyramid. Or a tomb. My father had a pyramid. It was almost as large as the one built by my namesake, but my father’s was completely destroyed by robbers looking for his tomb. They found all the other pharaoh’s tombs. Emptied them of treasure. They did not find Amenemhet the Fourth’s.”

Sokar started moving through the line of sentinel-like statues. They looked alert. Ready. He guided her toward the next room. The lights were getting brighter. She could clearly make out the horses and chariots in this room. As well as the lines of archer statues. Rows of weaponry. Stacks of what could be feed bags, although these didn’t look like they’d ever been used. The next room contained furniture. All kinds of furniture lined every wall. Low couches, the ends carved into various animals shapes. Tables inset with more gems.

“My father had three sons. One with his Great Wife. Two from lesser wives. I was first-born. I was the heir. Had I lived, I would have been his co-regent, and then I would have become Pharaoh Senusret the Fourth. Instead, the reign was left to my youngest brother. He was not strong. He died as a youth. That left Amenemhet the Fourth with no male heirs. The dynasty died out. We have reached the treasury room.”

He took her through another arched doorway. Geena’s heart thumped oddly. She stopped for a moment. Sokar stopped with her. Everything in the room looked like it was made of gold. Or the alloy called electrum.

Everything.

There were hammered room divider screens. All sizes of platters. A large throne chair. It was solid gold. Geena noticed something. The walls in this room weren’t painted with huge depictions of the gods. They were festooned with cartoon-looking characters. It looked like King Tuthmosis the Third’s tomb. In the Valley of the Kings. From the nineteenth dynasty.
And...wait
. She looked back. The furniture room was covered in hieroglyphic symbols. Floor to ceiling. In rows. She’d seen this before, too. King Unas from the fifth dynasty had his tomb decorated with spells from the book of the dead.

“Sokar?”

As if she’d asked it, he answered.

“It was my hand behind this tomb. I excavated the rock. Carved out the rooms and pillars. I removed every speck of dust to spread it throughout the desert. I would not let construction debris be a marker. And then I moved everything. I didn’t decorate until everything from my father’s tomb was safely in place. I started with the burial chamber. It has an astrological ceiling, the match to that of Seti the First. I couldn’t decide what tomb decorations had the most power, which were the most beautiful, so I decided to incorporate them all. And I had a lot of time.”

“Is he...here?”

“Yes. My father’s mummy still rests in his own solid gold sarcophagus. It should be nestled within a wooden coffin, and then a stone one. They are in the gold room. Within his shrine. I moved the stone sarcophagus intact. Reassembled and then resealed his shrine. I didn’t check his mummy when I moved it. We can open it now if you wish.”

“Um. No. I wouldn’t...want to disturb him.”

He smiled. “Exactly as I wished at the time. Come. We have so much more to see.”

“There’s more?”

“Yes. You have not seen his
ba
statues. Nor the
ushabtis.
My father has over five hundred of them. Life-sized. And rows of amphora, containing sacred oils. Carved from alabaster.”

“I can hardly believe this.”

“It is all real, I assure you.”

“Sokar? Can I ask you something?”

“Of course. Have I not answered everything you have asked thus far?”

“Why didn’t you go back?”

“Back?”

“To your father? Amenemhet the Fourth?”

“I did. I just told you of it.”

“No. I mean...when it mattered. While he lived. Why didn’t you go back then?”

“I could not.”

“Aren’t you immortal?”

“Yes.”

“Then, you achieved what every Egyptian wanted. You had immortal life! You could have changed everything. You’d have been the most amazing pharaoh Egypt had ever seen.”

He shook his head.

“No? Why not?”

“I did not have eternal life,
habibi.
”

“Oh...
now
, the truth comes out.”

“What truth?”

“You aren’t a vampire. You aren’t three thousand eight hundred and some odd years old. And I am having a very strange dream.”

He grinned. He still had fangs.

“I am definitely a vampire, darling. And I am immortal. But, I must explain. I am searching for words. You must give me a moment.”

“Oh. Take your time. It’s on your side, or so you keep saying.”

“Yes. I am a vampire. And yes, I am immortal. But it is not eternal life.”

“What on earth do you call it, then?”

“Eternal death. Endless existence. The ceaseless passage of time.”

“Forgive me if I sound skeptical, but you are definitely not remotely dead. Undead. Whatever. Dead things don’t...uh. Yeah. You know.” She was blushing, but just blazed ahead as if he wasn’t looking at her with a tender expression on his features. He looked like he was watching a little kitten playing. “Dead things don’t make love like we did. Okay? We had sex last night, Sokar. Pretty heavy sex. And you were a lively participant. I suppose you can explain that?”

“You are so young.”

“That again?”

“So innocent. So...contrary. And yet, so...perfect.”

“Come on, Sokar. Please? Just explain.”

“Very well. I shall try. Egypt is the land of the sun. It controlled destiny. The ancients considered the sun to represent life. Night equals death. There is even a myth involving the sky goddess,
Nut.
She
swallowed the sun every night and gave birth to it the next morning.”

“Wow. Your explanations are all over the place. Let’s rope this one in a little quicker this time. How does this relate to you and immortality?”

“I could not be pharaoh of such a land. I could not be seen in the day. I was a creature of the night. I was dead. When you become a vampire, you will learn this. You become dead to the living. You cannot join with them. Because you are dead.”

“I sure hope we’re speaking metaphorically. Otherwise, this sounds like something I don’t want to hear. When
I
become a vampire?”

“It was immensely enjoyable at first. I could do anything. Fight anyone. If I received a wound, it disappeared before my eyes. And then, there was the lust.”

“Oh. Crap. Here comes the confession. How many women are we talking?”

“I don’t know! Many. I had a lust that was almost unquenchable.”

“I’m going to have to get tested, aren’t I? There’s probably a really nice appointment with a doctor and some antibiotics in my future, too. Thanks, Sokar. Thanks a lot.”

“I had many victims,
habibi
. Every night. I didn’t kill, but I drank. And drank. I thirsted and nothing seemed to quench it. You wish a number? I cannot say. There were too many.”

“You...drank?”

“Yes.”

“What are we talking about?”

“I am a vampire. I drink blood. I require it. I am telling you how it is at first. The lust that rules us.”

She turned away suddenly. “Sokar. Please. I can’t handle this. I can’t.”

“You are going to force me to tell you, aren’t you? Right now. Right here.”

“That’s funny. I’m going to force you? In what century and on what planet is that likely to happen? Let me see...”

He took a deep breath. Glared down at her. “Vampires are undead creatures. They walk the earth with one objective. Find and secure blood. They have no compassion. No emotion. No physical reactions. No pulse. No heartbeat. Nothing.
Because they are dead
.”

“Your heart is beating. I specifically remember you telling me—”

He put a hand up, and for some reason, it stopped her words.

“Please. You must let me finish. This is...difficult for me. I have never faced such...odds. I am the eldest son of a powerful pharaoh. I would have been pharaoh. A god among mortals. I never questioned my birthright. My role as king. My right to rule. My status among men. And right now...I am afraid. Look at me. I am shaking.”

She looked. He held out a muscled arm. He was definitely shaking.

“I have been without the ability to feel emotion for so many years. I forgot all of it. And now—? Will you...give me your hand?”

He turned his hand over, offering his palm. Geena hesitated a moment and then placed her hand on his. He immediately closed his fingers around hers. Stepped close. His breath touched her, starting all kinds of goose bumps. And then he brought their entwined hands to the center of his chest.

“Being a vampire is a curse. There is but one thing that can alter it. One thing can take an eternity of undeath and change it. The heart starts beating again. The ability to breathe returns. Emotions and sensations and passions return. It is a mighty force, this one thing. It has the power to reanimate.”

He dropped to his knees.

“Oh, Sokar, no. No. Please?”

“The thing I speak of is a mate. There is one being in the world that can work this miracle. Transcend time. You. You are my mate, Geena Bauman. You are my love.
Enta habibi.
You are my life.
Enta hayati.
”

He bowed his head. Held his breath.

“Sokar?”

His head lifted. She’d never seen such raw emotion as was exhibited deep in his eyes. They were awash with tears. Looking exactly like burnished gold. Her eyes filled in response.

“I...can’t handle this. I...have to leave. I’m...going to need...some time.”

“No!”

The word was wrenched from him. He dropped his head. Lifted an arm as if to ward off a blow. It shielded his face. And he wasn’t just shaking. He was making the items closest to him rattle. Something should happen. The pillars should crack. Statues fall. The light fail. Something should keep it from touching on his shiny black mass of hair hovering at her waist level.