o, are you going to go to the med-ball?" Marc asked, joining them again.
"I don't have anyone to go with," Kat smiled.
"Well, I was going to go with Darryl, but I'll ditch him if you'll go with me," Marc grinned.
"Okay then."
"Well, I guess that puts me in my place! In that case - Jade, would you like to go to the med-ball with me?"
"When is it?"
"Friday week."
"Do we need tickets?"
"Yes, but I know a guy on the committee - which is why Marc and I were going - so I can get them for you both."
"In that case - I'd love to," Jade replied with a smile.
"Good," Darryl smiled back and took a big bite of his hamburger. "So why did you two move here?"
Kat and Jade exchanged brief glances.
"It's a long story," Kat began, and Jade pushed her drink listlessly from hand to hand.
"To put it briefly... we were asked to come here on business, and our guardian decided that it was the sort of thing we needed to take care of in person. And as he didn't know how long it would take, he enrolled us here, so our schooling wouldn't suffer for it. So far, we haven't been needed though, so I'm beginning to wonder exactly how urgent this business is."
"It could just be another one of those test things Tim likes to dream up, to prove we're worthy," Kat smiled.
"Worthy?" Marc queried.
"Our guardian, Tim, likes to make sure we're capable before he releases us into the world."
"There is a substantial amount of money involved," Jade added with a smile.
The boys nodded, and Jade finished her drink.
"I'm going to go to the library and do some reading for this essay."
"I'll come," Darryl said, wiping his mouth.
"I thought I'd go sit in the sun," Marc smiled.
"That sounds like a much better idea," Kat smiled back. "I'll join you, if you don't mind my company."
"I don't. See you two in physiology."
Darryl nodded, and Kat and Marc left the table, followed shortly by Darryl and Jade.

Kat and Marc sat quietly in the sunshine, both absorbing the sun's rays.
"So... Did you leave a boyfriend behind in the move?" Marc asked casually after a while.
"No," Kat replied, opening her eyes and looking at him. She smiled, sadly. "He left me before then."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I just wish I knew what happened to him."
"What do you mean?"
"He just... vanished. I went one day to his home, and it was empty. No notes, no messages... Just gone."
"Did you contact the police?"
"Of course I contacted the authorities. There was no trace of him. They still don't know what happened, where he went."
"That's terrible!"
"It happens more often than one would think. Personally, I suspect he's been reborn."
Marc looked horrified.
"Gods, Kat, I'm so sorry!"
She smiled at him, and placed a hand over his.
"It's okay, Marc. It's been a while now, since he left."
"What was his name?"
Kat hesitated just a second, before she answered, "Peter."
"Do you miss him?"
"Occasionally. Less often since we moved here."
Their eyes met for a long moment.
"I probably shouldn't be glad, but I am," he said eventually.
"That's okay. I'm glad that you're glad."
There was another pause.
"Would you and Jade like to come over for dinner tomorrow night?"
Kat accepted the change of subject.
"That would be lovely. What time would you like us?"
"About 5.30, 6.00?"
"Okay. We'll be there."
"Good. I need to see Prof. Durham before class, do you want to come with me?"
"I'll meet you at class."
"Okay."
Kat watched as Marc walked towards the building, sunlight glistening in his dark black hair.
"Ptah," she whispered towards the sky.
Then she sighed, collected her books and walked to class.

"I invited them for dinner tomorrow," Marc said, as Darryl made their dinner that evening.
"You're cooking, so that's fine."
"I didn't think you'd complain. What's Jade like?"
"She's... nice. She's fairly intelligent, pagan, and good-looking. I like her. She has some interesting ways of thinking."
"Are you going to ask her out?"
"Maybe. We'll see how the med-ball goes first though, I think."
"Fair enough."
"What about Kat?"
"She's... well, you've seen her. She's gorgeous."
"Are you going to ask her out?"
"I want to. I asked her today if she had left a boyfriend behind with the move."
"Gods, I hadn't even thought of that!" Darryl exclaimed.
"Anyway, Kat said her last boyfriend had been murdered."
"That's terrible!"
"Actually, they don't know what happened - he just vanished one day, and Kat thinks he's dead."
"That's still pretty bad. Did they find any clues or anything?"
"She said he just vanished - no letters or messages, didn't take any of his things... Just vanished one night. The police and everything had no idea what happened."
"How horrible."
"Yeah. So I don't want to push things, you know?"
"Probably wise."
"Yeah. She's just so... gorgeous. I feel drawn to her, and I can't explain why."
"Probably best to take it slow. Did she say how long ago it was?"
"A while ago, she wasn't any more specific. Thanks."
Marc accepted the plate off Darryl and they sat down to eat.
"I could ask Jade for you, if you want?"
"No - I wouldn't want her to think I was snooping around, you know? I'll just take things as they come."
Darryl nodded, and they finished their meal over discussions of university.

***

"Dinner was really lovely," Kat said, slipping her arm through Marc's as they walked along the sand.
"I'm glad you liked it," he smiled down at her. "Though it was a shame you missed the sunset, it was really glorious today."
"We caught the end of it as we arrived," Kat replied. "The moon is nice tonight too."
"I'm surprised Darryl and Jade didn't want to walk with us."
"Maybe they wanted to... talk."
Marc laughed.
"That's probably more true than you know. He's probably shown her the observatory though. He likes the moon."
Kat smiled in the darkness.
"A fan of Luna?"
"Selene," Marc corrected. "Darryl focuses on the Greek pantheon, not Roman."
"Oh. I'm surprised he didn't back me up in that comparative mythology lecture then."
"I think he thought you were doing a pretty good job by yourself," smiled Marc. "It's what made him introduce himself anyway."
"And what about you, are you Greek too?"
"No, I'm Egyptian."
"Ah, Isis?"
"No - Sekhmet."
"Really."
"Yes... I was originally drawn to Bastet, and through researching her I found Sekhmet... And, well... There we are."
"I'm surprised."
"I know it's usually females who are drawn to the worship of Sekhmet," Marc replied. "Girl power and all of that... But she draws me."
"Nothing wrong with that," Kat smiled, stroking her fingertips along Marc's forearm. "It probably evens out, anyway."
"Probably."
Marc stopped walking, and moved to stand in front of Kat, watching the cool ocean breeze ruffle her hair.
"Are you cold?"
"No. I don't tend to feel the cold," Kat replied, smoothing down her little black dress.
"Did I tell you how lovely you look tonight?"
"Not that I recall," Kat teased, stepping closer.
"That's a really stunning dress."
Kat deliberately took a deep breath, enjoying Marc's gaze upon her cleavage.
"Thank you."
Marc raised his gaze to her face and placed his hands on her waist.
"And your eyes are lovely."
"Thank you again," Kat murmured as she stepped closer again, placing her hands on Marc's biceps, which flexed as he shifted his hands to the small of her back. "You're so strong," she breathed, tilting her mouth towards him.
"I work out," he whispered.
"I can tell."

He kissed her, and she tasted like spiced mead. The golden taste coated his mouth and tongue, and a warm languor suffused his limbs, feeling like warmed honey coating his body.

He trembled and pulled her against him, feeling her warmth spread over him as he kissed her over and over, running his hands over her back, over her bottom, up her sides, through her hair, back down her back and over her bottom, pulling her close and sliding a hand up the back of her leg, under the skirt, feeling her stocking tops and suspenders...

Somehow he found himself laying half on top of her. She had one leg hooked over his waist and he had his hand under the skirt of her dress, stroking the soft skin between her bottom and her stocking tops, stroking along her suspender. They were both trembling, and she had her hands gripping his hair as he kissed her lips, face, ears, nuzzling her neck and collarbone, kissing the tops of her breasts...
No, Kat thought, feeling her body start tingling as Marc's mouth moved over her breasts. No. No, no, no, no, no! Jade!!!

***

Jade and Darryl had sat at the table talking for a while after Kat and Marc had gone for their walk, then she'd collected her wine glass and he'd shown her the observatory, where they looked at the stars, and the nearly full moon, discussing their Philosophy essay.
"Want to go for that walk now?" Darryl finally asked, offering her his hand.
Jade accepted his help up, and looped her arm through his.
"Sure."
They walked down onto the beach, and Jade stumbled slightly into Darryl in the shifting sand.
"Are you alright?" Darryl asked, supporting her.
"Yes, it's just these damn shoes," Jade replied, using his arm to keep her steady as she pulled them off. "Kat talked me into wearing them because they match the trim on my skirt and top, but they're a pain in sand. Which way shall we walk?"
Darryl offered his arm again, and she looped arms with him, transferring her shoes to her other hand as they walked, following in Kat and Marc's footsteps.
"So you worship the Greek pantheon," Jade said as they walked. "Why the Greeks?"
"I'm not really sure," Darryl replied, looking at the almost-full moon. "I suppose they just seemed to make the most sense to me. I can identify with them most easily."
"That makes sense."
"What about you?"
"Actually, I quite like the Greeks too," Jade smiled. "They seem to have things pretty straight."
She would have said more, but at that moment, she heard Kat in her head.
No. No. No, no, no, no, no! Jade!!!
Jade felt her skin tingling, and gasped.
What is it?!
"Are you alright?" Darryl asked, concerned.
"I'm fine, just stepped on a shell," Jade replied, distractedly. Kat??
I... I can't control it, Kat replied, breathlessly. Help!

Jade sensed in an instant what was happening, and realised there was no time for subtlety. She pointed towards the ocean, and Darryl, thinking she was pointing at something, turned to watch as a huge wave materialised and crashed on the shore, crashed over the spot where Marc and Kat were laying, saturating them both.
"Wow, that was one huge wave," Darryl commented. "Let's go and look."
Jade happily complied, as that's where she wanted to be anyway, and a few moments later they came across Marc and Kat, bedraggled and soaking wet, standing on the shoreline.
"What happened to you two?" Darryl asked, surprised.
"We got wet," Marc replied, testily. "Did you see that huge wave?"
"Yeah. You must have been laying... Oh."
"Yes," Marc relied, still irritated.
Then he turned to Kat, and noticed her trembling.
"Kat, are you okay?" He reached for her arm, and gently touched her elbow. "Are you cold?"
"No," she whispered, trembling all the more.
"You're trembling," Marc said, worried, moving closer.
She looked up at him; let him glimpse the heat in her eyes.
"It's not from cold."
And answering heat flared in his eyes, and he stepped closer, moving to kiss her.
Jade cleared her throat.
"Kat, you'll catch a chill, soaking wet in this breeze. We should get home so you can get warm." Control yourself! she added.
Kat shivered, and took a step back.
"You're right," she breathed, eyes not leaving Marc.
"I'll drive you home," Darryl said, looking concerned.
"You can shower at the house," Marc offered, as Jade stepped forward and took Kat's arm.
"She wouldn't have anything to change into," Jade argued.
"I'll lend her some jeans and a jumper," Marc offered as they started back towards the house.
"Okay then."

Marc showed them to his bathroom once they were back at the house, producing a pair of jeans and a jumper. Then the boys left Kat and Jade while Marc went to shower in Darryl's bathroom. Jade turned the water on hard and turned to Kat.
"What happened?" she asked, under cover of the sound of water.
"I... I don't know. He just... We just... I couldn't..."
Kat held out her trembling hands, and Jade took them, comfortingly.
"He's not human," Kat whispered. "Ptah, Ptah!"
Then she burst into tears.
Jade wrapped her arms around her, and soothed her.
"Have a shower, get the salt off," Jade instructed. "I'll wait just outside."
Kat sniffed and nodded, turning her back to Jade.
"Zip, please."
Jade undid the zip then stepped out of the bathroom while Kat showered.

"You don't look any warmer," Darryl commented as Marc entered the kitchen.
"I had a cold shower. But I'm dry."
Darryl shook his head.
"What happened to taking things slow?"
"I... don't know. I only intended to kiss her. But then it was like my blood caught fire, and we ended up on the sand," Marc shivered, and forced his mind away from the memory as heat filled his body. "It's like we were meant to be together."
"Marc," Darryl said. "I love you like a brother, but all you've talked about since you met this girl is how beautiful she is. It sounds like a grand case of lust, to me."
"You're wrong," Marc replied, running his fingers through his damp hair. "There's more than that there."
Darryl was prevented from answering that as Jade entered the kitchen, holding Kat's dress.
"Could I borrow a plastic bag?"
"Sure."
Darryl got her a bag, in which she placed Kat's dress.
"And could you give us a lift home still?" Jade asked, looking at Darryl. "We were going to call our housemate, but..."
"No problem. Where do you live?"
Jade told him the address, and Marc looked up, surprised.
"You live with Bree?"
"Do you know Bree?"
"She has a shop in town," Marc explained. "I've met her a few times, and given her a lift home. She's a pagan too."
Kat entered the room, clad in Marc's jeans and one of his jumpers, which hung loosely to mid-thigh.
"Marc knows Bree," Jade commented to Kat, and Kat turned to look at Marc with a smile that made his knees melt.
"Bree's into Egyptian mythology too," she said. "I'm not really surprised that they've met."
"Ready to go?" Darryl asked, holding up his keys.
"Yes. Thank you for the lovely meal," Kat took a step towards Marc.
Jade and Darryl both watched them closely as they kissed, then Kat took a couple of steps back, and took a deep breath.
"See you at Uni tomorrow."
"Yes," Marc replied. "Thank you both for coming."
Darryl ushered the girls out the door, and Marc took a deep breath. Then he looked around the kitchen.
"Time to clean up, I guess."

Darryl walked the girls to the front door, and paused with Jade on the porch.
"Thank you for driving us home."
"You're welcome. It was nice having you over."
"Perhaps we'll return the favour next week."
"Tomorrow week is the med-ball, remember. I'll pick up your tickets tomorrow and get them to you."
"How dressy is it?"
Darryl smiled.
"It's a ball. Marc and I will be wearing dinner suits."
"I have the perfect dress then."
"What colour is it?"
"Blue, of course," smiled Jade. "With silver touches. And Kat will be wearing red, no doubt."
"I'll let Marc know," Darryl smiled. "Do you want me to caution him about taking things slower with your sister?"
Jade looked at him carefully - he could obviously read her expressions better than most; she would have to be more careful.
"Oh, no," Jade laughed, breezily, the night swirling around them in answer to her laugh. "I have no doubt Kat was a very willing participant. I just worry about her, and her occasional lack of ability to think. The sisterly thing to do, I expect."
Darryl laughed, and Jade leaned towards him.
"Have you known him long?"
"Years," Darryl replied, looking into her blue eyes. "He's like a brother."
"I expect you know what it's like then."
Jade hesitated a second, then leaned over and kissed Darryl once on the mouth.
"Thank you for driving us home."
Jade slipped inside and shut the door behind her, leaving Darryl's senses reeling. He closed his eyes, and still he smelt the faint scent of Jade's jasmine perfume. He took a deep breath, and opened his eyes, looking at the solid wooden door.
"Goodnight," he breathed, then walked slowly back to his car.

Jade slipped into Kat's bedroom, where she was brushing her just-dry hair.
"Do you really think he's not human?"
Kat sighed, and put down the brush.
"Yes. No. I don't know. Probably not, that's just ridiculous. I was just taken by surprise. He just... It was like he'd been my lover for years; he knew exactly what to do to make me respond. I haven't been that overwhelmed with a mortal since Amenemhet III."
"Kat, he was Pharaoh from 1842 to 1797 BC."
"I know."
"And the Pharaohs were human and God in one."
"Somewhat like we are now, don't you think?"
"Christ, Kat."
"Careful. We don't want him here."
"True. But if Marc affects you that badly..."
"To be honest, I wasn't expecting it. I'll shield better next time. That would probably help. Thanks for the help."
"Any time. I told Darryl you'd be wearing red to the ball."
"Did you want to see my dress?"
"I'll see it soon enough," Jade smiled. "Get some sleep, I'll see you in the morning."
"Yeah."
"Are you alright?"
"Do you think I'll ever find him again?"
"Ptah?"
"Yeah."
"I don't know, love."
"Goodnight, Jade."
"Sweet dreams, Sekhmet."