Kiss of Osiris

Prologue

Safiya darted around the corner panting hard. Had she lost them? Her eyes went wide in fright and anger. Why can't they just leave me alone? Catcalls and taunts respond. She leans against the cool brick wall and weighs her options. The city was a cruel place for an orphan. The air was cool and crisp tonight in Aleiro. The full moon bled a crimson red and taunted her from above. She took in a deep breath and tried to slow her heart rate. Her left hand was shaking and she felt the early onset of a panic attack coming on. She closed her eyes and tried to think of a calm beach. A shiver ran through her as the wind picked up, her body drenched in sweat. On little cat feet she darted from alleyway to alley way. The voices seemed more distant now. Hey, maybe they wouldn't get me this time. God I'm so tired, so very tired. I just want a better life, I just want -

SMACK!

She ran headfirst into something warm and insurmountable. An explosion of pain danced in her nose and her eyes watered. "Hey, what the-," she looked up and froze in terror. Amir's lopsided grin greeted her. Crap, she didn't get away this time. She swung around with reckless abandon only to find a dead-end. Trapped. She desperately tried to jump over the trashcan near Amir in some crazed parkour move but his strong arms caught her instead. She wrestled at him and gave him a resounding headbutt. A little something from me to you jerkwad. She smiled a little. A trickle of red dribbled ponderously from his nose. He looked at her in anger. "I trust you have the money? I'm afraid my employer's patience is worn thin." He rubbed his nose. "As is mine."

"Yeah, I got your money. Right here," she offered him the one finger salute. "Charming," muttered Amir, rubbing a dry itchy eye. The dry air of Egypt really did a number on the body: dry eyes, dry skin, chapped lips... "Alrighty, then. Which one. Right or left?" "What?" said Safiya (who went by the nickname Evee, it was a long story). "I said right or left? Would you rather have your right or left leg broken? Ah, don't look at me that way I don't want to do it either. I have to show my employer that we did something to reprimand you. Such is life."

"How about neither?" Evee said as she pulled out a bone-handled knife. Despite her bravado, her hand shook a little. Amir noticed. He only chuckled. Behind him, the others caught up. Two more of his goons walked up, one at each side. Not good. A scrappy one, Evee knew when the odds weren't in her favor. She decided to try and negotiate. She lowered the knife. "Hey, Amir, buddy... How long have we known each other? Years right? Les' see, I'm twenty now, I've known you since I was eight years old! C'mon you know I'm good for it. I'm jes' in a 'lil bit of a rough patch that's all. See these fingers? I'm still the nimblest thief in the Guild." She glanced at the goons. And muttered "...and the smartest." The goons' face flashed in anger and they took a step towards her. Amir held them back and laughed his booming laugh. "Ho-ho, little Safiya, your tongue is sharper than your blade. I agree. But, alas, that time is past. I'm afraid you must be punished." He looked at her sympathetically.

Dread spread in her stomach like dark wings. Her mouth went dry and her hands raised up defensively. "Hey, c'mon now. You know I can make it up. I'll steal something great that will more than make up my debt. I jes' need more time. I 'jes- the Staff of Osiris!" Amir and the goons had been slowly walking towards her but stopped at that. Seizing the opportunity she went on. "Yeah! Ah' can find the Staff of Osiris. That'll fetch a pretty penny right? I'll find it, ah'm the best. I'll-" Amir cut her off. "You know where the Staff is?" He shook his head. "The staff has been lost for a long time now. I'm sorry Safiya."

"Call me Evee!" she said as she threw the knife. Amir calmy snatched it out of the air and put in his belt. Evee backed up and hit the wall. End of the line. "Left one..." she said. Suddenly a shadow of death swooped down and everything erupted into chaos. She saw the flash of a red cloak as one of the goons was picked off the ground and thrown into the wall. The others looked in shock. The other goon swung a knife but the shadow dodged it in a blur. The cloaked figure grabbed his arm and swung it inward, there was a crinkling sound like when you crack eggs for breakfast, and the man howled in pain. The figure kicked him and sent him flying clear to the other wall. Amir snapped out of it and pulled out a concealed gun. 

It went off with a quick POP, and the figure froze. Then he lunged at Amir, POP, POP, POP, went the gun! Amir wrestled with the cloaked figure. Evee saw what appeared to be smoking holes in the figures back and she stared ponderously. She watched in awe as the figure wrenched the gun from Amir and crumpled it in their hands like an aluminum can. Amir looked at him in terror. The figure stretched out his hands and revealed long claws! He dug them into Amir as he screamed loudly. Evee watched in horror as she watched the color drain from Amir. His hair turned white as he slumped to the floor. The figure paused then threw back his hood. A handsome face with glowing red irises looked at her like the baleful fires of Tartarus. He smiled at her with his elongated teeth in a wolfish grin. Evee thought she had seen it all. She looked at him and screamed into the Egyptian night sky...

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