Shadow of the Sheikh Read Free

worried.”
    â€œSo let me get this straight. You’re worried about not being worried?”
    Gemma pushed out a breath. “I guess that sounds nuts.”
    â€œYou could say that,” Joss said with a wry smile.
    â€œOkay, I was just checking.”
    But the more Gemma sat there and thought about it, the more it started to feel…wrong. She couldn’t explain it. She wasn’t worried about Gillian. And yet, something at the edge of her mind told her she should be worried.
    One thing Isobelle Haliday, their true child-of-the-sixties mother, had taught them—at least Gemma—was never to ignore any signs the universe was trying to send you.
    â€œWe should try to find Gillian,” Gemma said.
    â€œJust to make sure.”
    Josslyn’s drink halted halfway to her lips. “And how do you propose we do that?”
    â€œThe nomads,” Gemma said. “That group of riders who delivered the message.”
    â€œNot the British lord? He might be easier.”
    She shook her head. “If she is in trouble, if this guy is bad news, we don’t want to alert him by asking people where he lives. I can ask about the nomads because of my work. Those men today, they have to know where she is, too.”
    â€œUh. Yeah. But we have no idea where they are either.”
    â€œI can find them,” she said. “I have informants in every village on the west bank within a thirty-mile radius. Someone’s bound to know who they are.”
    Joss just stared at her.
    â€œYou think I’m losing it.”
    â€œThe thought did occur to me.”
    â€œHumor me, then.”
    â€œGem, even if you find these men and manage to survive a second encounter with them—which I have grave doubts about, by the way—who’s to say they’d tell you anything?”
    â€œWhy wouldn’t they?”
    â€œEarth to Gemma! Did you see those guys? They didn’t strike me as the talkative type.”
    She sighed. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
    She left it at that and dropped the subject.
    But at the end of the evening’s contemplation, she decided she was going to try anyway. She justcouldn’t ignore the niggling voice in her head telling her to pursue this.
    Or the excitement in other parts of her body at the thought of seeing the sexy, mysterious stranger one more time.
    She smiled. Two birds with one stone. Perfect.

Chapter 2
    S heikh Shahin Aswadi strode along the main corridor of Khepesh Palace, dwelling place of the followers of Set-Sutekh, God of the Hot Winds and Chaos, Lord of the Night Sky and God of Darkness. He was heading for the private audience chamber of its high priest, his lord and leader, the vampire demigod Seth-Aziz. As always, the luxury and opulence of Khepesh Palace dazzled Shahin’s eyes.
    Ever-burning torch sconces illuminated gleaming marble floors, soaring silver-clad columns, and elaborate carved reliefs. Gorgeous painted murals depicting scenes of the ancient gods graced everystone wall. Normally the sight was awe-inspiring. But today the glitter of silver and precious jewels just made him wish for a pair of sunglasses.
    Still, compared to the blistering heat and blinding summer sun of the scorching desert above, the cool, torch-lit halls of the underground palace were soothing to Shahin’s aching head.
    It was all the fault of that damn woman. The mortal from yesterday. He could not seem to banish her from his mind.
    Which was absurd. She had been a minor incident, a bit-part in the epic play that was unfolding all around him at the moment. A means to an end, nothing more. Sekhmet’s teeth , she hadn’t even been the object of the exercise in delivering that blasted note. That had been her sister, the blonde. This woman’s hair was long and auburn, curling over her shoulders in a thick cascade of autumn fire. Clearly not the one planned for capture.
    And yet, here she was, stuck in Shahin’s mind,