Harmony of Lady Shadow Moon - DhNAi Divine (books for 8th graders txt) 📗

Before her lips could utter a response, she fell out, releasing her grip on Aanujah's hand.

“Saki!” Aanu got to her before she touched the ground, she placed her down easy, then stood guard in front of her. No desecration will be done to her or any of her loved ones. “What you do to her you demon?!”

A strange electric-blue glow emitted from the odd entity, the brilliant glow calming to a normal blue. Better on the eyes. He easily towered over Aanu's short, thick, athletic frame. His body built, the body of an athlete with his wide muscular shoulders, six solid bricks of abs, long defined legs. He wore gold over his shoulders, his chest bare, short black kilt, traditional Kemetic garb, garb of royalty.

Skin as black as deep space and a glow that blended with the blue in his aura. His head, the head of a jackal, colored black but a plum black. Aanujah's lips parted as she gawked at this creature, who for a moment she was anything but afraid of. Instead she was intrigued and curious, aching to get a closer look. Wondering how she could see him even though he was as dark as the night itself.

His dog head smiled briefly, then answered Aanu's ill-mannered question. “She's fine, just dozed.” He offered a slight smirk to her, then let it fall away.

Aanujah took a deep breath. “You're the infamous wolf.”

He bowed to her. “Anubis formally, but yes. I am the so-called wolf of Nkosia.”

Aanujah stole a moment to see what was in front of her. He met her eyes to return the stare and did nothing to break the silence. On the inside Anubis, the wolf, was grinning like a twelve-year-old child for her attention.

Aanu cocked her head to the side and broke the silence. “As grand as you are, don't you think haunting Nkosia is a little low for you? Don't you think you should be huntin' bigger game than this little backwater town?”

His deep chuckle warmed Aanujah's own gut, forcing her feet to inch closer, but only a little. “I'm not here for game—I'm here on business.”

Aanujah's face radiated disgust. “Business? What business could a demon have in a human realm?”

Anubis cocked his head to the side this time. “You.”

Her body tensed, propping one fist up with the other hand holding the gun at his face.

He laughed again, moving closer than was advisable, circling Aanujah. “I don't wanna hurt you.” He replies smoothly, continuing to circle her, she never giving him her back.

Her fists were still up, she gave him the finger. He laughs once more, she wonders why he haven't tried to put her out yet.

He stopped toying with her and stood still in front of her. “Since I lured you here I guess in fairness I should tell you why. But only if you relax.”

“Fuck you! There ain't shit you can tell me demon! Make the dead walk again and maybe then we can talk.”

He shakes his head. “I forgot after all these years, you had such a temper. Only to things you care dearly for. There was a time when I forgot how much your temper meant to me.  But now,” he says deep and husky, “I must say, I crave for you to verbally war with me again. Wound me Aanu, so you can heal me.” His eyes raked her curvaceous body, then drinks in the lovely features of her face.

Aanujah frowned. “I'll tell you how this gon’ go. You have about twenty mothafuckin' seconds to tell me somethin' I like or I pull this trigger. Finally! Bye-Bye and good riddance to the wolf!”

“Aanu,” he said quietly, “your family is alive. I wouldn't dare do that to you. Check 'em if you please, but neither of the three are dead. Quite the contrary. I knocked them out with a special gas, gets 'em real high.”

Aanu looked away, unsure of his words being the truth. But she had to believe it. She couldn't believe they were dead, so high and feeling fine was good enough for her. Besides all this couldn't possibly be real, after the mall and Gran-Nai going off she went to bed. This was a dream, so why not explore the possibilities of the night?

Play this demon at its own game.

She answers, “Talk,” with the gun still held high and ready.

“I am cursed Aanujah. Trapped in the body of an oversized jackal by day, allowed in my human form only by night. My only salvation is you.”

Her face held contempt. “Why would I help you? A killer,” she spat, “a demon.”

Anubis gave her look of amusement. “We're alike in more ways than you like to acknowledge Aanu. I was freed from my wolf form, able to choose any form in any time of day when you were born. Born into Lucas county. Raised in the neighborhood of Nyjer.”

“You talkin' Red Ridah Hood?”

“Precisely. As you grew the curse of my wolf form eased up. Allowing me to choose any form.”

“Well, what do you need me for? Plenty people are born every day in Lucas county and Nyjer; the Red Rider Hood.”

He said on an exhale, “None that I have a connection with.”

Aanu's eyes narrowed. “I don't even know you, spawn of the devil.”

He gives a light chuckle and begins to slowly pace. “It's a connection much deeper than you think. Your family is connected to me as well. But even so, only you hold the key to my cage.”

“You just said you were no longer trapped.”

“I'm not. Not form. But I am trapped in Nkosia. Why you think I never left? As charming as the place is I much rather be at home.”

That word garnered her interest. “Home?”

He just looked at her, his puppy eyes turning sad briefly, then he spoke, “You already know the answer.”

Aanu sighed, stepping back from him. “I 'on't have a key, Anubis.”

A soft sound exits from his throat, loving to hear his name out her mouth. Rather than her insulting him. “Oh, you do,” he softly whispered, “soon you'll be aware of it.”

He strolled near her, she steps back until her backside meets a tree. The two, chest to chest, his blue energy flowing to her, caressing her aura. “There's much more I'd love to tell. But you must find out for yourself, dear Aanujah Anput Azaigh. Till then.” Anubis disappeared, leaving her with the sensation of his aura fondling hers.

Track 3: I Cried Wolf; I Found Truth

She groaned as she rose, finding herself curled up on the couch in the same clothes she wore yesterday. Aanu winced as she sat up straight, her back raw with pain. She hated sleeping on a couch she couldn't stretch out on. Really, she just hated sleeping on the couch. Here she is wondering how she got there in the first place and why she still had the same clothes on.

Last she checked she fell out on her own bed upstairs. Her eyes opened, quickly she drew her arm to her face to shut out the bright sun that filled the room. It was early. As her eyes adjusted to the light she lowered her arm and saw her grandmother standing over her. Shock made her body jump, not expecting anyone especially her granny to be standing over her.

She could see Saki standing over her, messing with her, or her big brother. But as she looked around the room, her brother was nowhere to be found, her best friend was knocked out on the mega mattress. Aanu also wondered why in hell was the mega in the living room and why was Saki sleeping on it? Even her best friend had her own bed upstairs. What, did the family have a sleepover?

Aanu looked up, trailing away from her thoughts because Aniyla did not break eye contact with her. She was still staring, not saying a word. Which quite frankly was creeping Aanujah out. Did everybody suddenly lose they mind? Aanu dismissed the question and stood her sore body up.

“Hey gran,” Aanu softly greeted. “Where Aaron? He got ghost wit' Tim, huh?” Aanu smiled, shaking her head. “They always like to leave us. Knowin' good an' well we like crazy action.”

Aniyla didn't reply, just continued to stare. She gently wrapped her fingers around Aanu's arm, leading her to the hall. Away from a sleeping S'hkmanyu.

“Aaron's upstairs takin' a shower, honey.” Aniyla pointed up, not taking an eye from Aanu. She needed to know what was going through her granddaughter's head.

“Baby,” Aniyla tenderly says, grabbing Aanu's hand, “what happened last night? I need to know now, before those two get anymore involved. I—I mean it could be nothing, but if it's something...” She shook her head, letting Aanujah's hand fall from hers. “If it's somethin', no one else can know until I can make things safe.”

Aanu smiled, her voice amused, “What? You don't remember or somethin'?”

“I remember what happened to me just fine. What happened to you? Saki roused after one shake, Tim had to carry you all the way home.”

Aanu turned her head to the side, clearly confused. “What? What are you talkin' about granny? I went to...” She looked away. “Why did Tim carry me out my bed to the couch?” Aanujah inquired, looking back at Aniyla.

Aniyla is dumbfounded, completely unable to speak. For only a moment Gran-Nai was silent, then she touched Aanu's arm. “Did you by any chance have a strange dream last night?”

“Oh, granny you on't even know the half,” was her answer.

“Tell me what you remember of this dream,” Aniyla requested, crossing her arms over her chest.

Aanujah sighs. “It was crazy Nana. You and Aaron was knocked out cold. Then Saki got knocked out, then this COCK DIESEL MOFO appeared. Weird too. He—he didn't have a regular face, or—or head. It was a dog, a jackal.”

Aniyla gasped so sharply it cut into Aanu. She looked away from her granddaughter, speechless once again.

Aanu snickers, “Nai-Nai, it was just a dream. Off the hook crazy, but a dream. It mean somethin',” Aanu asked, losing all mirth, “somethin' bad?”

Aniyla gives her back to Aanujah, lifting up her pale pink cotton shirt, revealing a bandaged wound. “Pull it up, see for yourself.”

Aanu does exactly that and sees three fresh deep gashes made by claws in Nana's lower back. She stumbles back, holding on to the wall for support.

Aniyla covers her wound and turn back to her grandchild. “I should be able to heal it soon. You know I recover fast. This...came from Anubis. The jackal faced man you met last night.”

 

 

It took Aniyla under thirty minutes to whip up a solid breakfast for the house. She had more words for the young adults in her care. She leaned on the counter, overseeing the young ones set the table, from the silverware down to the food. The old woman was too weary from her battle with Anubis to do more than make the food. The kids' duties were to set the table, fill the plates, eat it, then clean it.

All she wanted to do was boss her grandchildren around, she always had strength for that.

“All done Nana,” Saki announced as though Aniyla was in a different room.

“We do alright?” Aaron's deep voice questioned.

Aniyla simply nodded as she trudged to the table to plop