Anubis excerpt (Patreon)

Sorry for the radio silence. Writing Anubis has been kicking my ass. Right now it all looks like shit to me lol. I've basically written a whole new book in the last couple of months. Which in the end means two books will come out within six months of each other...but it is taking longer to get Anubis out. I feel bad because I know everyone is waiting and I'm a slow writer. 

But here is an excerpt to introduce you to a new major character that appears in Anubis, Isaiah.

Trees converged creating a tunnel splitting again on the edge of an open field. A couple of cars and trucks formed a parking area next to two horse trailers and at least a dozen RVs of different sizes made a partial circle around a large hearth and picnic tables.

People occupied lawn chairs set up under the awnings of the motorhomes. They stood as Nox pulled up. More stepped outside.

The same familiarity Luca had felt when he met Jelani and his companions, washed over him along with a strange kind of anticipation.

Nox stopped the van.

Luca undid his seatbelt. “Aren’t you going to put it in park.”

Nox watched the strangers. Every so often his upper lip would twitch flashing the sharp point of a canine.

“Nox.”

He blinked several times and slowly gave Luca his attention.

“You should put the truck in park.”

He looked at the steering wheel in his hands. His expression pinched and again he blinked in that long slow way someone would when waking up from a deep sleep.

Nox put the van in park.

“You can turn it off too.”

He did.

“C’mon.” There was no door handle for Luca to pull.

“I’ll get it.”

“No.” Luca rolled down the window and reached over the edge. “But you’re definitely going to fix it.” He pulled the handle from the outside and opened the door.

Nox met him at the bumper.

A few people approached. Three of the men were tall and wide like Nox a fourth one larger than the three by a couple of inches. They hovered around a man with mousey brown hair. He was closer to Luca’s height.

The worn material of his jeans hugged his narrow hips enough to show the slop of his thighs, his shirt was clean but faded, and broken threads made fringe at the seams of his tennis shoes.

Everything suggested this man lived on the verge of nothing, yet the energy radiating from him beat against Luca’s chest.

The stranger stopped a few yards from the van. “My name is Isaiah ***.” He held out a hand. Luca started forward and Nox held him in place by his shoulder.

Isaiah flicked a quick look Nox’s direction and made a small nod. “I didn’t mean offend.”

“You didn’t,” Luca pried at Nox’s grip. Slowly he opened his fingers and let go. “We’ve just been through a lot.” He walked up and offered his hand.

Isaiah took it but instead of a handshake he held Luca’s hand and covered the back with his other.  “Thank you for coming.” A soft smile pulled at his lips.

“You’re welcome, I think.” Luca tried to smile back but it was snuffed out by an odd sadness.

Behind him, Nox was a mountain of hard muscle and his emotions bounced from rage to fear, to worry, to love for Luca.

The sadness radiated from…

Luca met Isaiah’s gaze and he slowly let go and stepped back.

“We’re getting ready to have lunch, would you like to join us?”

“Nox?” Luca wasn’t even sure he was breathing. “Do you mind if we have lunch with them?”

Nox’s hard expression crumbled.

Luca walked over. “I want to, but if you’re not up to it--” He touched Nox’s chest--“We can come back another day.”

“I thought you wanted to talk to them.”

“I do but you’re…” Upset was too small a word.

“I’m fine.”

No, he wasn’t. But Luca needed to hear what Isaiah had to say even though there was no logical reason to.

Especially, with the way Nox acted.

“Would it be easier if it was just you, your beta, and myself?”

One of the big men with Isaiah, spoke. “Alpha—”

“Tanner, go sit.”

“But—"

Isaiah raised a hand. “Go sit.” He gave his attention back to Luca. “Will a separate table be acceptable?”

Luca petted Nox’s chest. “Will that work?”

He gave a stiff nod. “Just you, Luca, and me.”

Three of the other men in the group, taller than Luca yet frail next to the others like Tanner, helped move one of the picnic tables away from the circle of people and closer to the truck.

Another young man about Luca’s age brought bowls of food dishes, and silverware. He left it at the center of the table.

Tangy spices, and sweet butter flavored the air. Luca’s stomach growled. “That smells really good.” He took Nox by the hand and pulled him over to the table. Luca sat and patted the space next to him. “There’s plenty of room.”

“I prefer to stand.” He tracked Isaiah who collected glasses and a pitcher from one of the tables. Everyone wore a wary expression except for the four giants who only had murder in their eyes.

“You’re scaring them,” Luca said.

“Good.”

“Nox, please.”

He lowered himself to the bench.

“Thank you.”

Nox continued to visually track Isaiah as he headed back.

“Sorry, I don’t have any sodas, but we have lemonade, and if you don’t like that I’ve got water.”

“Lemonade sounds great.” Luca reached for a glass.

Isaiah beat him too it. “Please, you’re a guest.” He filled the glass. And set it in front of Luca. To Nox Isaiah said, “What about you?”

“No.” At least he didn’t growl.

“If you change your mind—”

“I won’t.”

Isaiah dipped his chin and sat. “Now, I hope you like beef stew and sweet potatoes.” He filled two shallow bowls and set them down in front of Luca and Nox.

Nox pushed the dish back.

Isiah offered Luca a spoon and set another next to Nox’s bowl.

Luca spooned up a bite. The rich meat, vegetables and salty gravy hit his tongue with a burst of spices. “Mmm—this is—” He spooned up another bite. “Really good.”

“Thank you. Remmy cooks a good stew.”

“What kind of meat is it, it doesn’t taste like beef?” There was too much of a mint flavor and something else Luca couldn’t place.

Isaiah beamed. “It’s—"

“Venison,” Nox said.

“Wow, I never thought deer would taste this good.” Luca ate a few more bites.

Isaiah watched him with way more adoration than a stranger should.

Luca’s cheeks warmed and he stirred his food. “Um…the guy with the blond hair, he called you Alpha.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s my rank.”

Luca put his spoon down. “Rank?”

Isaiah took a sip of his drink. “I’m sure you’ve already figured out we’re not ordinary people.” He nodded at Nox. “And I’m quite confident he knows we’re not like him.”

Movement flickered in Luca’s periphery. There was nothing but grass, trees, and the van. Another flash of gold, green, then blue from the other direction. But there were only the people gathered around their lunches, talking, and eating.

Isaiah practically beamed. “I knew you were strong.”

“What do you mean?”

“Cana can take a while to tune in, but I can tell you’re already starting to see them.”

Them? “See what?”

“Our wolves.”