___________________________________________________________________________

The slowly setting sun had become a sphere of bright orange energy as it crawled closer to the sea of sand. It’s heat had left a tremendous impact on the desert, baking sand to an untouchable temperature and sentencing several innocent animals to death. Their decaying corpses frying under the heat and luring vultures and jackals towards them to pick the meat from their bones.

The heat of the sun was unbearable to the team of diggers and archaeologists who have set up camp near a half buried pyramid. The tents and awnings provided the shade and the coolers full of bottled water provided refreshments. The research teams would climb down the square shaped hole near the protruding temple to help with the dig and scramble out an hour later to satisfy their burning thirst.

Dr. Arthur Morwood-Smythe wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand and turned to work brushing the sand that insisted on sticking to the top half of the entrance door. He found it quite exciting to be participating in the dig. It was an amazing discovery when a sandstorm had uncovered part of the pyramid. He wondered if there was another member of Egyptian royalty or a priest buried inside. With each new temple uncovered another piece of the puzzle that is Ancient Egypt is reveled.

"I say Arthur, you are looking quite pink in the face. Are you certain you don’t want to vacate?" The other man sweeping away at the door carved with hieroglyphs smiled smugly at him. Dr. Blake Edwards arrived at the temple nearly at the same time as Arthur and Lydia. The three of them had agreed to work together to uncover the dig.

"I still have plenty of water," Arthur shook his bottle. The liquid inside sloshed back and forth. "I can stay here for another hour. He tilted his head back and welcomed the slightly warm liquid down his throat.

"Sunburn is quit unhealthy you know."

"And so is dehydration. I haven’t seen you quench your thirst in thirty minutes, and with the way you are sweating I worry you might pass out." Arthur had a reason to worry. The other man’s shirt was transparent as it stuck to his back. Edward’s thick handlebar mustache drooped from the sweat it had soaked up.

"Do not worry about me dear boy. I have been through worse. You could not fathom the heat of the rainforests near the Peruvian and Brazilian border. You would pass out five minutes after walking outside."

"Right," Arthur grunted. He disliked Edward’s tactic of trying to get the other person to turn around so he can pick up the lost coin. The man was a glory hound and would love nothing more for Arthur to leave the dig so he could claim to be there alone when they opened the tomb. He and Lydia should have never agreed to join forces with the man. He only shows up to work around the morning and late afternoon. He allowed others to do the hard work for him and swooped out of the trenches to claim the fruits of their hard labor.

"I’m surprised your colleague isn’t down here helping us."

"Somebody has to handle the paperwork, and Lydia reayl hates the heat." That was only partially true. Lydia had mentioned the heat was dreadfully unbearable and could not tolerate it as well as the men could, but Arthur knew better. He and Lydia both enjoyed uncovering discovery’s from the past, but she preferred digging around their native UK and Ireland while he enjoyed the more ancient civilizations and those he feel are a bigger mystery to the world. Places such as Easter Island.

"You let me know when the heat is too much for you."

"Please forgive me if I do not share that little bit of information." He continued his work of dusting the sand off the doors, ignoring the other archeologist. He took another drink a few minutes later and notices the way Edward’s was shaking his head and wobbling on his feet."Blake, I think you should go back up."

"No, the second we have cleaned an area they have uncovered more off the door."

"You are about to pass out. Now listen, I’ll go up first and you climb up after me."

"Fair enough." The older man grabbed onto the rungs off the ladder and slowly climbed followed by Morwood-Smythe who kept his eyes on Edward’s. If the other man needed a push he would give him a shove.

___________________________________________________________________________

The small dish in the middle of the table looked more than tempting to Dr. Lydia Duane. The pomegranate seeds gleamed like tiny droplets of blood. The were placed in the dish after a sprinkle of water and a layer of miniature ice cubes were added. The ice was long melted but the berry like seeds were still cool. She glanced up from the folder in her hands. Other people were taking small hand fulls from the dish and popping them into their mouths.She quickly selected three and placed them into her mouth before wiping her fingers on her thigh, leaving behind a small red stained mark. She wanted to enjoy the fruit, but she did not want to leave any marks on the pages.

"How’s the stack of dead trees today Lydia?" Dr. Morwood-Smythe waltzed up from behind her and reached over her shoulder to grab a handful of the seeds.

"I wish you didn’t do that," She said. "If you must know I nearly have everything done. I just need to finish this estimate."

"On prices?" His eyebrows rose before shoved the whole handful into his mouth.

"On our progress," she smiled. "I’m calculating how long it will take before we can open the doors. I’m factoring the rate of our digging with the time we have started."

"And how long do you think it will be before we will be?"

"My guess is sometime tomorrow especially with the way you have been digging."

"I have to stay down there. I’m not about to have Edward’s beat us to it, not after we were the first ones here."

"Only by a minute."

"By a minute!" He held his hands out in front of him. "That is the time it took for him to show up. A minute after we did. He nearly passed out down there because he refused to let someone else reap the benefits of their hard work."

A loud cry of a mans frigthened voice escaped from the hole. Several people at the table stood up and crowded around the two heads of the dig. It wasn’t long before two Egyptian men scrambled out the whole, speaking rapidly in their native tongue. Their eyes were wide with panic.

"What do you suppose this is all about?" Lydia asked as several translators ran up to the two men and tried to comfort them.

"I’m willing to bet you ten pounds its a curse."

She looked at him with disdain. "And what makes you say that?"

"Because there is always a curse."

"Dr. Duane, Dr. Morwood-Smythe!" One of the translators waved for the archeologist’s attention. "They are saying it is bad to go in there. We can’t steal the treasure or else the curse will take place."

"What did I tell you?" Arthur gave his college a smug grin.

_________________________________________________________________________

The man dressed in a jet black business suit drummed his fingers impatiently at the table. The two people who promised to meet him were late.

"Sorry we are late," the voice was soft and smooth like silk and rich with a French accent. The woman who waltzed in paused in front of the door way. Her small hands rested on her narrow waist. "Horatio and I were stuck in traffic. Mr. -" She blinked her pale jade colored eye while bringing a fine manicured fingernail, covered with copper nail polish, to the bottom of her plump scarlet glossed lips.

"Brode," the man grunted with a rich Eastern European accent. "Thomas Brode, and I forgive you for being late."

Her eyes lit up with admiration. "Oh you said that like James Bond. Perhaps Horatio can fetch you a martini?" She indicated the thin man who had followed her in. Horatio leanded agaisnt the doorway with his arms folded and this thin lips set in afrown. his beady hazel eyes read each member of the gang before settling on brode.

"Beer is fine." He tapped his glass still full of amber liquid. "I understand you have a business proposition?"

"Yes, a proposition." She slowly sat down. Her large ghostly pale breasts threatened to spill out over the low cut top of her deep blue silk dress. Her crimson tresses hung in glossy ringlets down past her shoulders. Two bronze disc like earrings hung from her ears. Her necklace that resembled stacks of long thin coils were also bronze.

Brode glanced at his men. All of them had their eyes bulge out twice their size and jaws hung dangerously low. He wondered if he would have to close their mouths for them. Stringbean was the only one who wasn’t drooling at the woman across the table. He kept fidgeting nervously while trying to avoid her gaze.

"What is it that are requesting?" Brode took a long slow gulp from his mug while waiting for her answer.

"I have noticed you have this ship," Colette said. Her fingers traced circles on the table top "We need a ride to the new pyramid they have found."

"I am not providing an escort service."

"We don’t just need you for your plane. We also need you for your muscle." She had rose from her chair and approach Brode. Her dress flowed down just an inch below her knees, revealing slender pale calves and small feet in a pair of black high heels. Her bell like hips wagged from side to side as she walked. Her small hands grabbed onto his arm.

His eyes glaced a her finger brushing agaisnt his arm and back at her. "What are you? A group of thieves?"

"Oh we are much more than that." she breathed. Her thick lashes fluttered. "We are more interested in seeking vengeance."

"Vengeance?"

"Yes," she leaned against his side, rubbing her chest gentlly against his arm. "I’m sure you have muscle, and we are willing to pay handsomly." She leaned against him, the tops of her breasts brushing against his cheek. "And if you do not like money I can think of other ways of rewarding you." She brushed her finger tips across his forehead.

He pushed against her stomach, shoving her a way. "We will take money. A hundred thousand to provide transportation from Cairo to the dig site and back and fifty thousand to hire us as body guards."

Her eyes narrowed the second he pushed her away and the look was frozen on her face. "We accept your offer, but you must be willing to carry our cargo along with us. There will be two people going and five coffins. Horatio is one of the passengers." She indicated her bony faced servant once more.

"I shall be able to provide you with further instructions," Horatio said. "Just meet us in the alley behind the hanger of your ship."

"That shall be all." Colette said in an irritated clip as she approached the door. Her round bottom shook again. she paused before grabbing on to the door knob. With a quick turn to the men she blew them a kiss and continued along her way.

Brode was silent for a minute. "You should all be ashamed of yourself, slobbering over a woman like a pack of hound dogs."

"But she was hot," one of his foot soldiers said. His eyes were still glazed over. "I’ve never seen a woman like that."

Brode glared into his eyes. "I do not care if you think she was hot or not. She is a customer and we always respect our customers."

"I don’t trust her," Stringbean spoke up. "She and that guy were kind of weird."

"Now remember it isn’t the weird ones we are supposed to watch out for." Brode wagged his finger. "She is a bit eccentric I give you that, but she is also French, so that could explain it."

"But they also want us to transport coffins," Stringbean raised his eyebrows. "Isn’t that a little too strange?"

"It is part of her eccentricity."

"There is just something suspicious about her. I just, I just-" He swiped the baseball cap from his head and held it tightly, twisting it in his hand. "I don’t know how to explain it. I sense it in her."

Brode raised his eyebrows in concern. "You have a sixth sense now? You have been different since we left the prison in Georgia."

"I’ve been getting vibes from certain people in prison too." He scrunched his cap again. "I don’t know why."

"It could be something leftover from that creature that took over your body."

"No," He shook his head. "I don’t want to think of that thing. It made me kill. It made me kill Jack." He closed his eyes, hoping he would not weaken to the point where he would cry. He opened them when he felt Brode touching his shoulder.

"It wasn’t you. It just used you. Now we must sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow." He grabbed the cap from the table and placed on Stringbean’s head.

__________________________________________________________________________

Hands with a slight bronze hue quickly twisted the top of a clear brown bottle. The Turkish man inhaled the sweet scent of the sherry wine before he poured some of the copper colored liquid into the nearly round glasses. He had long removed his dark blue buisness jacket and matching tie, but left his crisp clean shirt and slacks on. The hotel room they rented did not have any air conditioning, but they did have plenty of fans to provide cool circulation.

"What is that, sherry?" The man lying on one of the two beds in the room asked. Unlike Balthazar who kept his dark hair in neat curls he had let his hair grow long and limp from lack of a care. The light from the lamps shone on his greasy locks. His favored baggy clothing even appeared unwashed. His jawline was covered in stuble.

"Yes it is, but I think you have had enough." Balthazar’s nose was not nearly as accurate as Trax’s but he could detect the alchahol weeping through his pores. "This is for myself and Colette." He would have poured a third glass for Horatio, but his sevant had taken on a vow of sobriety years ago.

"I think they are back." The words had barely left his lips when the door to their room opened and the buxom red head and her pale servant had entreed.

Balthazar’s brown diamond shaped eyes widened when his wife approached him with a smile. "I take it everything went well." He said after she kissed him. He pointed at one of the glasss. "This is for you."

Her eyes brightened at the sight of the glass and thanked him before she brought it to her mouth. "We hired the owner of the jet."

"We got something for Horatio," Trax pointed at the glass jar on the night stand. Several large scarabs were climbing up the sides of the clear container.

"Thank you masters," Horatio’s bony hands clasped on the jar and quickly removed the lid. He placed one of the insects inside his mouth before smiling at both Balthazar and Colette.

"We have our ride and back up body gaurds?" Balthazar asked before he took a small sip of his sherry.

"He agreed to do both, but for a steep price." Colette answered

"You met this price?"

"Of course." Her smile turned into a pout. "But that was all he wanted."

Balthazar raised his right eyebrow slightly. "What else did you offer him my pet?"

"Me," her hand’s swept across her breasts, causing them to jiggle slightly. "And he pushed me away." Her voice shifted into a high whine of a child about to cry.

"My poor darling," He reached out, leaving the palms up. Her creamy hands slipped into his own palms and held on as he pulled her close. "You wanted to play with him?"

"Play with him, dance with him, sleep with him," she crawled into his lap. "and maybe even sire him, but he had no interest in me."

"Foolish man who does not appreciate the beauty of my mistress," Horatio said as he shoved another handfull of scarabs into his mouth.

"I’m sure he had his reasons," he brushed his finger against her nose. "Perhaps he has a woman he loves, or it goes against his strict business sense."

"Maybe he’s gay." Trax belched.

The Turkish vampire narrowed his eyes at the werewolf’s crude behavior. "There is also that. I can assure you my dear you are still as beautiful as the night we met."

"Oh Balthazar," she licked his chin. "I know how important it is for you to wake up this snake god. Are you sure it’s the right temple?"

"I’m pretty sure it is the temple mentioned in the book."

"Who is this Renepep?" Trax asked while stretching. He had already kicked off one of his heavy black boots.

The vampire leader brushed the tips of his fingers over Colette’s soft red hair. "The information we have of him is contained in only one book. He was known as the bastard son of the cobra godess Renenutet and the serpent god Apep. A two headed diety who was said to wreak havoc a few millenia ago until a group of warriors created a staff blessed by Renenutet to send him to an eternal slumber. Each head had a different kind of venom. The one on the left caused instant death and the one one the right transformed humans into it’s servants." He set the glass down and picked up a leather bound book from the top of the hotel dresser. his fingers traced over the golden hieroglyphic like images on the cover. "This is the book." The being he planned on reawakening was blood thirsty deity who would make a great alley. He will have his revenge on the gargoyles who killed his sister.

___________________________________________________________________________

The digging had continued three hours the night before and the team resumed the chore an hour before dawn. The doorway into the temple had been completely cleared of the sand and even Lydia climbed down into the hole that early morning to help Arthur and Blake study the hieroglyphics.

Blake traced a grimy finger over the carved images, wishing he was the holding on to one of the books instead of holding up the electric lantern. "This is quite facinating. I know the information here is only an appetizer for what lies within but its a big appetizer."

"I think you are a bit flustered," Arthur said as he studio the translation book. "You can’t even create the right allegory, but I know how you are feeling. Like the night before Christmas."

"I know. Part of me wants to dance around in giddy joy, but I must maintain my dignity. I cannot allow myself to get too overjoyed. Have you translated everything yet?"

"Christ man, I have only just recently started."

"But what do you have so far?"

"It is just as we have theorized this is the burial of a priestess." Arthur tapped the open book in his hand with his index finger. "Lydia, I hope you are getting this down."

"I’m writing down everything important," Lydia said." She approached a small cluster of team members also working on translating part of the carvings.

"I am curious what drove those poor men to believe this pyramid is cursed," Edward’s said. "I wonder if we’ll recognize it, although I don’t see a single image resembling a treasure."

"There is a possibility it is on one of the other walls," Arthur said before squinting at the graven images before him. "Bring the light closer. I can barely see," he awaited until Edward’s stepped closer, causing the area of study to become brighter. "Yes that is better." He checked the book and sated back at the wall. "No wait it isn’t a priestess, but her lover. Lydia I found something!"

"You don’t need to shout," Lydia adjusted her glasses and approached her colleagues.

"This is very interesting. It’s almost like a footnote to a text book," Arthur ran his fingers over the small section of the wall in front of him. "It is mentioned here the priestess had a lover. The captain of the king’s guard. Now the rest of this wall explains why she was supposed to be buried alive."

"Buried Alive?" Edward’s breathed.

"Sorry I haven’t brought that bit of information up. The kingdom‘s crops were not doing that well. There was barely any food and the pharaoh believed the gods were upset and in order to please them they were to sacrifice one of the priestess’s. The small section I showed you has the really interesting part of the story. The captain of the guard was willing to take her place and bribed the priests to allow him to be sacrificed instead."

"Unbelievable," Lydia breathed as she wrote down the new findings. ___________________________________________________________________________

The slowly rising sun cast a searing white heat over the dig site. Shortly before noon the archeological teams climbed out the hole and returned to their tents and trailers for midday nap, and slept until the early afternoon.

When they had awaken Arthur and Lydia sat a one of the tables and pulled out their notes. Arthur was more than interested in the story Lydia had pieced together from the various translations. The only one absent was Edward’s. The glory hungry man had taken a bottle of water with him and joined the team in the hole even though he wouldn’t be able to help much in trying to widen it.

"I know about the priestess and her hero lover," Arthur said before taking a bet of his sandwich. "What about the other walls?"

Lydia tapped the end of her pen against her book. "There were two forms of protection placed on the pyramid. The first was the curse. The details were a bit foggy but if the treasure buried with inside it was moved it would awaken a great hero to attack them. The second form of protection came in the form of special beasts who were instructed to guard the temple."

"How did they manage to have protective beasts when they themselves were attacked and murdered by thieves?" Arthur asked while leaning forward in his folding chair, making it’s hinges creak in protest.

"The beast guards were added after the Pharaoh found out about the burial team. After they ordered the creatures to guard the pyramid they added a few more carvings."

"And they didn’t noticed the footnote?"

"I doubt they read all the walls before they carved in a little more history. Do you want to know what the creatures were?"

"My guess would be jackals."

She shook her head. "They were a kind that resembled the Egyptian gods and sphinxes. All of them had long tails, sharp claws and wings."

"You don’t suppose they could have been gargoyles?" Arthur asked. The first time they remember coming in contact with the winged creatures was when they were on a dig in Easter Island. They were afraid of the large lavender beast that burst on them and the detective Elisa Maza and were more concerned for the detective’s safety than their own lives when he snatched her from her bed. They were soon set straight about what gargoyles were and even wrote to the detective when they have time.

Both of them sat up at the sound of motor buzzing in the distance. Before sleeping they sent a few people out to pick up some more supplies, but one vehicle did not come back with the others. The engine had barely been turned off when the driver’s side door opened and one of the local diggers tumbled out. The man raced up to their tents, yelling in a language that was alien to the ears of the professors.

"I wonder what this is all about," Arthur slowly rose from his chair. He didn’t have long to wait. The man raced right up to him.

"You are both fools for wanting to stay here Dr Morwood-Smythe and Dr. Duane," the man spoke slowly in English. "I have warned you there is a curse and my colleague had left. I should have left with him."

"They always put a curse on the temples," Arthur scoffed. "They put them there to keep grave robbers from stealing the treasure. You should know all those curses are not real."

"Do not make fun of the legend," the man wagged his singer. "I had a cousin who worked on a smaller dig. There was a curse and he and several others got sick."

"Probably because they didn’t give it a chance for the air to resettle."

"I have proof you should listen to the warning. The guardians beasts are real. If they are real then the curse is real."

"Do you have proof?" Lydia did not even look up from her notes.

"I have proof. I found their prints in the oasis. I will show them too you if you do not believe me."

___________________________________________________________________________

The tall sable palms towered over the oasis like flowers rising from the pot of soil they were planted in. The slender trees were the first to be seen by the two archaeologists and their paranoid digger. It was a lot like the oasis’s seen in movies. The body of water was the size of an Olympic swimming pool and surrounded by a carpet of pale grass. The plant growth had extended to the nearby hills, causing the area to appear less like a dessert an more like a subtropical land.

The nervous man raced out of the car as soon as it had parked and paused a few feet short of the water. "The proof is here."

Both archeologist’s were still skeptical. They did not share the excitement the man had and slowly approached him. Arthur crouched down next to him and looked at the direction the man was pointing at. A thick animal print was seen in the mud. The wide and short track was made up mostly of three thick claw marks.

"There are more on some of the trees," Their driver said. "They come to the campsite at night while we sleep. I know I heard their roars while you sleep."

There was no denying that mark. Arthur had seen the same thing over on Easter Island and Nokkar had confirmed they were made by Goliath. "Have you actually seen one of these creatures?" He asked without standing up.

"I have seen the pictures of the beasts you speak off," Lydia said. "I am certain if there were creature like that nearby and roaring I would have heard them."

"You are greedy!" He shook his head at them. "You are greedy for the knowledge inside the temple. You are greedy for what fame you will gain in your homeland when you write about the knowledge. You don’t care who you anger."

"We are not greedy," Lydia slipped her voice into lecture mode. "We are scientists. We do not see something and accept it is as it appears. We dig deeper looking for the facts. Dr. Morwood-Smythe and I feel you did not offer us enough information to believe you."

"But the creatures are real, they exist. I wish I had more proof but I don’t. If you see the creatures would you believe me?"

"If we saw the creatures we would believe you. I think I know of a way to prove to you these are not real and that-" he pointed at the print in the ground. "Can be proven to be the mark of some local animal. I am going to stay here while you and Lydia go back and pick up a few supplies from camp. We are going to spend the night out here."

"Are you mad sir?"

"Not mad, not crazy, just curious." Arthur smiled. "I know you are too afraid to spend the night with us, but if you are here and we don’t see anything you can’t accuse us of lying."

"I will do that," the driver started back for the jeep followed by Lydia.

___________________________________________________________________________

Arthur stretched out on the grass, his back meeting against the ground as he stared up at the sky. Perfect blue was marred by stains offers and purple as the sun was setting. If what he and Lydia had speculated was right and the creatures ordered to guard the temple were gargoyles the might be seeing them in a few minutes. Discovering a clan of gargoyles in a addition to the dig was an amazing accomplishment. He and Lydia should write about it to Elisa.

"Lydia?" Arthur rolled over on his side to face his college. Lydia was sitting up against the jeep, a novel in her hands. "I just realized it has been a while since we had written to our friends in New York."

She stared up from her book. "You are right. It’s been nearly a year since we have heard anything form them. Once we have finished with tonight we should work on a another letter. I still haven’t forgiven myself for not attending Elisa’s wedding"

Deep frustrated grumbling from Arthur’s right brought his focus to their driver. The man was trying to get a fire going by rubbing two sticks together. "Do you need some help?"

The other man gave the sticks a final rub before throwing them onto the ground. "That is a trick no one can do!"

"I may have something that can help." He reached into his pocket and pulled out several small items: a broken pencil, a rubber band, a few sunflower seeds and a match book with the image of a smiling black cat on the cover. He flipped it over and pulled out the last match. With a quick flick of the wrist he brought the head of the math against the wooden strip and dropped it on the handful of kindling.

"I am a fool for not bringing matches."

"I am a bigger fool for not remembering I have matches. I know you have brought some food."

"I’ll get the cans." He had packed several cans of stew, a can opener and a small pot to cook the food in. The stew was bubbling when a not too distant roar of a lion echoed through the night.The guide’s wrists trembled as he tried to cook, the rich brown liquid threatened to splatter over the sides.

"Do you want me to hold that for you?" Lydia asked. She had abandoned the book when it become near impossible to read it.

"Do you not hear them?" He slowly rose to his feet after handing Lydia the pot. "They are approaching us. They are coming closer." The sound of wind blowing against a cloth was heard over head and he stared up. "There are here!" He pointed up.

Both Lydia and Peter stared up in time to catch what looked like a long reptilian tail soar over head. They did notice another creature land behind them until they heard a growl from behind. They heard a panicked scream from their guide as he ran off towards the jeep and climbed inside.

Lydia forgot the possible threat from behind and ran up to the vehicle. "What do you think you are doing?" She forced herself to run even faster at the sound of the motor being turned on. "You can’t leave us behind. Arthur, help me!"

Arthur heard the cry from his partner but he could not tear his eyes away from the creatures behind him. The large male was a shade of red so dark it was almost black. His head, resembling an african wild dong, appeared to be even more ferocious with his muzzle pulled back and revealing sharp ivory fangs. His body was rippling with huge muscles and a pair of wings--the color of liquid silver and tipped with three claws--were spread out behind him.

The silvery blue female was almost as tall, but not nearly as buff. She had an oval face of a regal beauty with a long nose ending with tiny nostrils. Thick full lips were pulled back into a snarl and oval shaped eyes blazed the brightest red. A long growth, full of ridges started from the top of her forehead and extended till it was high above her head. Her deep purple wings had a single claw and were also covered in ridges. Pale white hair flowed down her back, stopping short where her long tail, tipped in three sharp spikes had sprouted from. Both of them wore pale skirt like loin cloths. She had a white tunic and gold earrings while he wore black metal arm bands.

"Arthur?" Lydia turned around once the car as gone. She ignored the creature landing behind her, but not the beast racing up to her. It looked like a Doberman pincher, but it had no fur. It’s long muzzle had two spikes protruding from the chin and a crown of long spines rested between it’s ears. It’s long tail ended in a small round bulb with a single spike ,but the most striking feature was it’s skin. It was a dark indigo speckled with tiny white and gold spots.

She turned around to see what had landed behind her. The smallest gargoyle she had ever seen had stood with her arms stretched out, displaying the yellow, green and aqua colored feathery wings attached to her arms. The bright green female looked like a child who had just begun puberty. Her brows were covered with the three thick spikes. Blue black-hair--cut into a stylized--bob accented the youthful features of the young female.

"Hullo," Arthur extending a hand, not knowing if they would take it or if they would try to bite it off. "My name is Dr Arthur Morwood-Smythe. I know of your kind. You are gargoyles, a noble race who are usually friendly with humans."

The glow had left the adult female’s eyes, but the snarl was still frozen in place. She shifted her gaze to meet with the dog faced male. "What do we do when they are not afraid, Karnak?"

The huge gargoyle rubbed the bottom of his chin. "I am not sure. We may have to ask Ra what we should do next."

Arthur did not know what to say. The gargoyles seemed a little awkward with him and that was making him feel awkward around them. He was almost thankful for the sound of someone falling and turned around to see Lydia pinned by the dog like beast. "Lydia?"

The woman tried to struggled to get away from the beast but it did her little good. It’s large paws held her in place while it proceed to lick her face with a long tongue ending in a pointed tip. "Get off," Lydia grunted before another lick traveled from her chin up to her eyes, knocking her glasses off. "Stop licking me."

"They can not be bad humans," the gargoyle child said. "Nut would never be this friendly with anyone who is bad."

"You are correct," a flash of gold and orange glided above their heads before the fifth gargoyle landed near the adolescent. "They are not bad. They are just misguided." The reddish-orange gargoyle was almost as big as the dog faced male. Large golden wings topped with an extra flap of skin and had a lining like rubies slowly folded across a broad chest clothed in a white tunic and bronze chest plate. Pale blond hair was framed by curled ram like horns. "I am Effa Ra, leader of the Egyptian clan." He pointed his golden mace, covered with a single row of spikes like the rays of the sun, at them. "And you should not be here."

Lydia crawled out from under the dog like beast and readjusted the glasses on her face. Seeing the bulging biceps on the clan leader and the squared chin of his chiseled face she could understand why Elisa could fall in love with a gargoyle. "We were only here temporarily. We just wanted to see if there were gargoyles near the oasis. I am Dr. Lydia Duane, and this is my associate and good friend, Dr. Arthur Morwood-Smythe." She pointed at herself and Arthur.

"Nut was not wrong when he judged you," Effa Ra smiled. "You have met Nut. This is Isis." He pointed at the adolescent. Seeing the shape of her wings Lydia felt she was aptly named. "And they are Karnak and Nefertiti."

"Like my colleague had stated we did not mean to intrude on you home," Arthur said. "And we would be happy to leave, except for our driver had driven off without us."

"You should not have to pay for his cowardice," Effa Ra sighed. "But we cannot allow you to stay here."

"We are going to make them walk back home?" Isis asked. Her large round eyes widened in disbelief. "But it is very dark and their eyes are not as strong as ours."

"We have artificial lights," Lydia smiled at the young girl. "You don’t have to worry about us."

"You see," the clan leader said. "They still have their supplies. They can walk back to their campsite and tell the others to pack up and leave."

"We can’t do that." Lydia shook her head.

"Not when we haven’t even open the doors to the temple yet," Arthur added.

"You can not open the doors to the temple," the dog faced gargoyle, Karnak said. "You will risk unleashing the curse."

"Curses do not exist," Arthur said. "It’s not like we are stealing the treasure for our personal greed. we want to document it and put it on display for the world to see."

"There are some things the world was not meant to see," Nefertiti said. It seemed her snarl had never left her face. "To risk the anger of the noble warrior to reawaken is not worth allowing everyone to see what the treasure may be. Did you humans even think he might not rest until he had killed everyone who had lain their eyes upon what you seek to put on display?"

"We cannot order everyone to pack up and leave," Lydia tried to explain. "Even if we did tell them you feel the curse is real they won’t leave."

"Especially Blake Edward’s," Arthur mumbled.

"And in the most unlikely possibility we do leave another team will take our place."

"You will at least tell them?" Effa Ra asked.

Lydia glanced back at her partner and shrugged. There was no way they were going to tell the gargoyles they were no going to ask the archeological team they were going to pack up and leave. It wasn’t the fact she and Arthur were unarmed and they were much stronger and had claws and weapons, they were already rounding up the supplies they were left with. It wasn’t the first time she told a lie.

__________________________________________________________________________

Dr. Blake Edward’s used his fork to stir the mixture of rice, vegetables and goat meat around. It had been a long and tiring day for him. The doors and surrounding walls were cleaned and translated and the hole was widened to where they can open the doors. He had promised Lydia and Arthur he would wait for them, although he secretly planning on opening the doors while they were out on their little venture. Why shouldn’t he? Just because they arrived a minute before him did not entitle them to all of the credit.

He would have eagerly agreed to opening the doors without them if it weren’t for the fact their guide drove back without them. The man was rambling about monsters and how the creatures who protect the temple and the curse was real. Edward’s had dismissed him as a fool who saw things that were not there and ordered him to go back to the oasis and bring Duane and Morwood-Smythe back. The man refused and Edward’s did not feel like arguing with him, not when his stomach was demanding to be filled. He barked at his associates to order the driver to return while he went to eat his meal.

"Dr. Edwards?" Blake looked up as one of his young aracholgical students approached him. "Is another team scheduled to explore the temple with us?" She pointed at the sky.

Edwards noticed the strange jet like plane approaching the campsite. It was large enough to carry several people and possibly a land vehicle. "They are not supposed to be here." He stood up from the table as the airship landed.

Several other members of the team approached the ship, while others hung back, unaware of who may be in it. Many of them had several questions of who could be inside and why they were there.

Their questions were answered when the doors slowly opened and a naked man ran out of the ship. The second his feet touched the sand his body began a metamorphosis. His body hair increased in amount and grew longer and thicker. His hands shifted into paws, ending in sharp talons and his ears grew longer and more pointed. The wolfman didn’t even wait for his transformation to end before he dropped to the ground and pounced on the human that was closest to the aircraft.

Several more people exited the air craft and raced up to the panicking people. Their eyes took on an eerie yellowish green shade as they tackled several team members. Holding their victims down, they lowered their mouths to their necks.

There were only two guns in the campground and one of them was in Edwards’s tent. After the archeologist took one look at the fangs in the strangers mouths he grabbed onto the wrist of the student and raced to his tent, dragging her along and pulled them both inside. After zipping it closed he pulled out the revolver and aimed it at the entrance.

The sight of his passengers biting the necks of their victims caused the heart rate of the Czech gangster to increase and weakened his stomach. He paused at the entrance of his ship, staring at the carnage going on around the dig site. His arms hung limply at his sides and his gun was about to slip out of his fingers.

"Why are you just standing around?" The ghostly servant of the vampires asked. "You are paid to help. They are not going to feed off of everyone and are going to need your muscle to round up the survivors."

Brode forced his mouth to form words. "They are vampires. They did not say what they are."

"And does that matter?" Horatio hissed into his ear. "They paid you to do your job. If you want the other half of your payment I suggest you to not ask questions and help."

"They are vampires."

"And one is a werewolf. They did not attack you did they?" He removed his own gun from his holster and leaped out of the craft.

"This is all for my organization," Brode closed his eyes and tightened his grip on the gun. He knew his men would not go after the archeological team unless he lead them.

_________________________________________________________________________

Lydia had no idea how long they had been walking, but it felt like hours. Her legs were starting to feel stiff and heavy and her feet felt the beginnings of blisters form on her heels and toes. She checked her watch. It only had been half an hour. "That man had better be filling out another employment form," she grunted. "He is going to be fired."

"I’m angry at him too," Arthur forced his legs to wade across the sand. "But he was frightened. He did not know about gargoyles like we have. We should look on the bright side. We are getting good exercise and enjoying clean fresh air."

"A twenty minute walk would have sufficed," Lydia said. She still had to marvel at the beauty of the desert at night. The moonlight shone on the sand, making it appear like a sea of pale silver. The sounds were not that far from pleasant either. The gentle rush of the cool breezes against the rough sand, the not too distant hooting of an owl and the whisper of gargoyle wings.

"Arthur," she had frozen at the realization of what the last sound was. "They are following us."

"Are you certain?" He looked up as two winged beings a male and female, closed in on them. He watched their bodies as they landed. "I don’t think we have met these two."

"We haven’t met face to face." The male had said. His bonze body was not as built as Karnak and Effa Ra. His stomache had a bit of a sag and his dark hair was accented with several gray streaks. There was gray in his feathered wings and his eagle like beak appeared worn from age. "We have watched you from our home though. I am Horus and she is Sehkmet."

The female had the lithe form of a lioness. Her green wings topped with double claws and folded into a cloak as soon as he had landed. Her body was covered in a thin pelt of peach colored fur, contrasting slightly with her long sable mane. "We thought it was rude of our clan to not carry you back home."

"We like to thank you for your consideration," Lydia smiled. "But we did not see you anywhere in the oasis."

"We do not live in the oasis," Horus explained. "We live in well hidden cave that once served a home for a priestess and her burial team."

"Priestess and her burial team?" Arthur blinked. "Are you telling me they were not slaughtered by bandits?"

"That was a clever lie on their part. They discovered the small cave and decided to live there near the oasis and sent a few people back home to tell the Pharaoh they were attacked."

"Amazing," Arthur breathed. "Lydia did you hear?"

"I’m not deaf," the female professor barked. "and I am looking forward to write that bit of information down, except it would infringe on their whereabouts." she nodded at the gargoyles.

"We know you are not going to order your fellow diggers to leave," Sehkmet spoke. Her eyes shone with disappointment. "And my love will continue to live this fantasy."

"You mean the fantasy of believing the curse is real?" Lydia asked.

"The fantasy of being the Egyptian clan," Sehkmet held out her arms in frustration. "We are originally from the clan in Nigeria. We have discovered the old Egyptian clans from stories and were saddened with the fact they no longer existed. The one who renamed himself Effa Ra asked for a few volunteers to go with him. We discovered the old hideout and oasis and lived, trying to understand what the Egyptian clans were like. We even renamed ourselves after the gods and royalty."

"And you wish to return home?"

"The two of us do," Horus answered. "The rest of the clan believes we should stay. There is no clan protecting Egypt and Effa Ra believes it is his duty to guard the land and the temple you have uncovered.

"Partially uncovered," Arthur corrected. "Nature uncovered half of it for us."

"Let us walk together," Horus suggested. "maybe you can help think of a way to convince Effa Ra to instruct the clan to return home."

"If we approach a dune we will be able to glide you home," Sehkmet said as the four of them began to move. "Drop off from one of them and the wind will be enough for our wings to glide on."

"Thank you," Lydia said. She hoped she can repay their offer with a convincing way to explain to their leader Egypt is not their proper home, but if a gargoyle elder and the clan leader’s mate was unable to convince him could she?

_________________________________________________________________________

The first thing Arthur noticed when he, Lydia and the two gargoyles carrying them returned to their campsite was a strange air craft, the second thing was the minimal activity and not a single fire burning. As they landed he only saw two people walking around, covering long mounds with canvas. It only took him a few second to realize the mounds were human corpses and only a few more seconds to realize Edwards was one of the two covering the bodies.

"Dr., Duane and Dr. Morwood-Smythe," The archeological student had spied them first. She raced up to them with a look of relief on her face. Her look switched to fear when she saw the two were accompanied by two strange creatures with wings. "No," she shrank back. "No more monsters."

"It’s okay," Arthur spoke in a soothing tone. "They won’t hurt you." He grabbed onto the hand of the trembling woman.

"Arthur, Thank god you are all right!" Edward’s ran up to them. He stopped short when he caught sight of the gargoyles. "What are they? Are they in cahoots with those vampires?"

"Vampires?" Lydia blinked. "Are you telling me there were actual vampires?"

"Creatures who look like humans and drink blood?" Sehkmet asked. She smiled when Lydia gave her a confused look, yet nodded. "We have read a lot of books."

"They can talk," the student’s trembling slowed down, but she still kept her distance. "What are they? They look like the some of the hieroglyphics."

"They are gargoyles," Lydia explained. "They are the creatures in the hieroglyphics. "

"There were vampires here?" Sehkment asked. Her eyes were still focused on the student and Edwards

"I’m sure they were vampires," Edward’s swallowed. He couldn’t believe he was conversating with a gargoyle. "I saw fangs before they bit the necks of our colleagues. There was even a wolfman."

"A werewolf and vampires?" Arthur asked in disbelief.

"Do you want to see the mangled bodyies?" Edward’s snapped

"We believe you," Lydia held up her hands. "How many were killed?"

"Ten dead and seven escaped. There are no more jeeps left. Those creatures destroyed the other jeeps and took everyone else into the temple with them."

"Why would a group of vampires and werewolf want to go into a pyramid?"

"Maybe they are going to recruit a mummy," the student suggested. "I don’t know. It was in a movie, and I knew there weren’t any gargoyles there an oh god," she began to shake again. "One of them was Lance. He went to the same school as me." She buried her face into Arthur’s chest and continued to shake. Arthur stroked her back while her tears were soaking into his shirt.

"How did you escape unscathed?" Lydia asked.

"As soon as I saw those fangs I grabbed Jenny and pulled her into my tent with me, and we hid." Edward’s said

"You allowed a group of fiends to attack your clan and you hid?" Horus’s voice dripped with disapproval. "There were fiends attacking your clan, and you hid?"

"What could I have done?" Edwards asked. "There were several of them and I only had one gun and they also had guns."

"You saved Jenny here," Arthur kept patting the student’s back.

"And we shall save the others," The lioness like gargoyle grabbed onto Horus’s wrist and glared at him. "He is not like us. He would have been killed instantly." She approached Lydia and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We are not going to let these fiends get away with this destruction. Horus, you must return to the oasis and tell the others. We are going to need their help."

"Why should I be the one to go?" He folded his arms across his chest. "Do you not think I am young enough to fight?"

Sehkmet narrowed her eyes. "I will not be doing much fighting. I will be mere spying on them, and hopefully preventing them from trying to take anymore lives."

"Very well, now is not the time to discuss such petty matters." The eagle headed gargoyle approached the stone wall and sunk his talons into the surface.

"Wait!" Arthur’s shout caused the gargoyle to pause. "I want you to take Jenny to safety."

"She would be safer in the oasis," Horus nodded. "But she has got to trust me to hold onto my back, but what about you?"

"We are going down into the pyramid with Sehkmet."

"Are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting?" Lydia asked. "We are not heroes we are scientists. Arthur, I think you have watched the Indiana Jones movies one too many times."

"Like Sehkmet had said. We are only going to be spying. We won’t do any fighting until the other gargoyles have joined us."

"And then what?"

"They fight while we guide the others out?" Edward’s asked. He noticed the way the others were looking at him. "I want to make up for not saving everyone. I want to help."

Arthur didn’t know if Edward’s only wanted to go with them to be a hero or not, but by the frightened glimmer in Edward’s hazel eyes he could tell the other man was sincere. The old Edwards, before the attack, would have only gone in so he could be bestowed with praise and the fame of being a hero, but not this Edwards.

"Grab a light."

__________________________________________________________________________

The stink of fear lingered around the surviving group of humans they had brought down into the temple with them. They were meant for a sacrifice, but there were ten of them and Trax wanted to changed one of them. He liked working with Balthazar and the rest of the vamps, but he was tired of being the lone wolf and wanted to form a pack of his own.

It wasn’t just the hostages who have the stench of fear. The gang members Colette had hired kept staring at him and vampires warily. "Don’t worry," he had barked at them as he danced around the hostages. "I don’t want to bite any of you, although it would be much simpler to kill you after we got back to Cairo. Won’t cost us anything."

"Does your master know you have been threatening us?" Brode asked while he thumbed through the money he was already paid. "I know he is a man of honor and we do like repeat business."

"You do not fear me?" Trax marched right up to the gangster, his eyes shifting from green to gold. "You know what I can do to you?"

"I am aware of what you are. I have seen creatures much more frightening than you: gargoyles, golems, winged cat men, and crystallized guardian creatures." He pointed at the youngest member of his gang. Stringbean was pressed into a corner, fidgeting while trying to watch everyone of the vampire’s movements. "You see Stringbean? He was once possessed by that crystallized creature. It made him into a giant with skin like a diamond and long claws. The beast caused him to kill another of my members."

"That guy?" Trrax pointed at the scrawny nervous man.

"Trax!" Balthazar called out to him. The lead vampire was shoving his body against the lid of long golden box. "I need your help."

"You want me to help you open up a sarcophagus?" The werewolf blinked.

"The sarcophagus is in another room. This holds the key ingredient to what we need."

"What is it?"

"Quit talking and give me a hand and you shall see."

The werewolf grumbled and threw his body against the stone lid, shoving it back along with Balthazar and the only other male vampire. He wondered if his leader would sire any more men, but hoped for more women. He had dreams about Colette and the other women, and most of them involved the three females together.

Balthazar gave one final push and nearly fell into the stone box. "There," The word came out in a gasp as he stood tall and reached inside the treasure they had opened. "The golden staff of Renepep." The golden weapon he pulled out was nearly the same length of the box. Small slender snakes encircled the staff, eyes glinted with tiny bits of blue jade. The top of the staff formed into the open-jawed head of a cobra with fangs of polished clear crystal.

"Do you have the book open to the right section my precious?" The leader of the vampire clan asked. His burbon like eyes glinted with admiration as he studied the staff in his hands.

"I’m ready when you are." Colette held an old leather bound tome in front of her. Her long nails traced over the worn pages that have aged to a light tan. Her outfit had switched from blue low cut dress to one made out of black silk, hugging her narrow waist and having plenty of room to house her large breasts and curved hips and still having enough room for the bottom to flutter with each step she took.

Balthazar planted the blunt end of the staff into the circle painted into the center of the circle painted into the ground. "Light the tanna leaves!" He commanded and took his place besides his undead wife.

___________________________________________________________________________

The four of them had made their way down the ancient steps carefully. The lion like gargoyle lead the three humans. Her eyes could make out what was in the dark much better than their as her ears could hear things before she saw them. Sehkmet would know if they were closing in on the enemy and would be able to quickly warn the humans to turn out their lights.

Arthur clutched onto the handle of his lantern and held it out at waist level before him. The light shone on the steps below him as he descended into the temple, making it easy for him to see and not stumble. He often wanted to pause and shine the light on the images. A craving to study them tugged at the back of the mine. He wasn’t alone. Lydia would often pause and sigh as they continued in deeper and Edward’s looked from side to side with a gaping mouth.

"I wonder why this temple," Lydia whispered so low she was sure no one, except the gargoyle, was able to hear her. "Why not another one?"

"They must have heard about the dig," Arthur replied. "Remember the reporters from our first day out here"

"Silence!" Sehkmet held up a hand. "I hear something." She could hear the faint sound of footsteps and a woman chanting. "I do not see anything." She stepped from the last step onto the floor.

"They are close?" Arthur asked as he stepped down behind her.

"Very close but you can still leave your lanterns on." Her nostrils twitched as spicy air flowed her way. "They are burning tanna. The sound and scent is this way. Step lightly."

She crept against the wall. The edges of her wings brushed against the stone. As she grew closer to the room where the sounds were coming form she could see a light glow illumianted an entrance near the end of the hall. She stopped quickly and turned around. "Now it’s time to dim the lights."

Arthur turned off the light of his lantern first. His eyes tried to adjust to the new darkness but couldn’t. He felt the gargoyle grab onto his wrist and retaliation grabbed on to the nearest hand behind him. By the roughness and thick blunt fingers he could tell it was Edwards. "Chain," he grunted, hoping Edwards would grab onto Lydia’s.

Sehkmet lead the chain of humans to outside the entrance and sat down. She peered inside the room first. She could clearly see two humans, or human like beings, standing in front of a golden staff. The female with a book in her hands was chanting something in ancient tongue and by the way she struggled with some of the words the gargoyle could tell it was the first time she was trying to speak it.

There were four other humans standing in two neat rows behind them. The peach colored gargoyle searched the room and found another group of humans clustered into a corner. The ones dressed like the three archaeologists were watching the ceremony with fear plastered on their faces. Four other humans with guns sat in front of them. Another human was leering at the captives as he danced around the group.

Dr. Edwards peered into the room behind Sehkment. His eye’s instantly widened at the sight of the man pacing he. He glanced back to his college and mouthed the word ‘Werewolf" while pointed at the only person dancing inside.

Lydia nodded as she and Arthur tried to see what was going on. The words the strange red-headed woman was speaking in sounded like ancient Egyptian. She turned to Arthur and mouthed ‘Do you know what they are saying?’

He shook his head no. ‘I need my book.’

"I can pick up a few words," Sehkmet whispered. Her eyes were focused on the man Edwards had signaled out as the werewolf. He did not notice she had said anything. "I hear blood and sacrifice of ten."

"Those innocent people," Lydia whispered. "They were killed on purpose."

"Harry, Lance, Kim, and Moesha," Edwards lamented the names of some of his students. "They were practically just children."

"I have read vampires have no soul," Sehkmet said. "Werewolves are supposed to be noble, but some are corrupt."

"Do you understand what they are saying now?" Lydia had focused directly on the chant.

"More blood. Awakening and summoning, and-"

"I can’t take it anymore!" The guard wearing the cap raced towards them. His pale complexion was tinted green.

Sehkmet pulled Arthur with her as the sank back away from the entrance. She noticed Diane and pulled Edwards with her. The sickly looking man did not make it outside of the room. They had heard him drop a few inches from the entrance and began vomiting.

Stringbean grabbed onto his sides as he felt a second wave hit. He felt ill all over his body. It wasn’t just the vampires it was the magic they were using, dark magic. He could tell it was evil and that fact made him sick. He vomited again while he felt tears stream down his cheeks. "Make it stop. Please God, make it stop. No more! "He felt his stomach lurch again and bent forward, but nothing came out.

Arthur wanted to check on the youth but knew the second he peered inside they would be caught. Even if the young man was to sick to identify him one of his colleagues would have checked on him.

"Stringbean, are you all right?" Arthur’s suspicions were confirmed as he heard the deep voice, rich with an eastern European accent speak. "Do you think you can come back with us?"

"No Thomas, I can’t." Stringbean’s voice sounded strained. "I can’t be near that. It hurts. The evil hurts."

"I am sorry. We shouldn’t have accepted their money. Do you want me to stay with you.?"

"Go guard the others. I’ll just stay here."

_________________________________________________________________________

Balthazar did not turn around when he heard one of the men Colette hired cry out in pain. The weak mortal could not take the ceremony and the blood. He would advise Brode to hire men with stronger stomachs, but that was going to have to wait.

Silvery white smoke evaporated from the floor in front of the staff like steam and swirled around forming a funnel that grew till it reached the ceiling. Balthazar’s mouth formed a smug grin as the smoke column thickened till it had become a wall of cloud like matter.

Two pairs of glowing red eyes cut through the smoke while a dark silhouette formed around the lights. Who has called me forth to this plane? The words were not spoken but echoed in everyone’s mind as the smoke evaporated to reveal a large two headed Cobra. It’s golden scales shimmered frome the light of the dancing flames on the candles and burners. The tops of the serpent’s heads grazed the ceiling and it’s thick body was piled into three coils. It’s bronze skin blended well with red eyes faceted like rubies. A forked tounge darted out between the split in the right head’s upper lip before the words were heard in everyone’s minds. Who has awaken me, Renepep?

"That isn’t a god," Sehkmet breathed. She did not have to worry if anyone could see her. Everyone was too absorbed with the creature that was summoned. "That’s a demon."

Balthazar grabbed Colette’s wrist and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "I am the one who used the weapon that sent you to your slumber to awaken you."

The eyes of the snake god had twinkled. You have my gratitude mortal.

"I am not mortal. We are alike in many ways. I am certain you want revenge on those who had put the spell upon you We can help you seek revenge and you can help us seek revenge on our enemies. The ones who killed my sister and her clan."

Why? Both tongues darted out.

"Because we can form a partnership. We can help each other."

Balthazar cleared his throat. "Because I woke you. I had summoned you."

I still do not have a real reason why I should assist you in your petty vengeance. You offered vengeance on those who enspelled me, but they are long dead.

Balthazar breathed in deeply and let it out through his teeth. "I can help find you victims." He pointed at the captives in the corner. "I have humans for you to eat. Surely you must be hungry by now."

The golden heads turned towards the archeological team. Both toungues slid out, tasting the air and sensing their heat. You are right about one thing. I am famished. Both heads turned woards the group of frightend humans. Both tongues dated out towards th direction, tasting their heat. They are warm and they are afraid. Fear tastes so delicious, so much better than those who are willing to be sacrifices. Not all of them are as afraid though, not the ones standing.

A shriek of wildcat cut through the air and Balthazar turned to the opening of the room. To his bewilderment a peach colored creature with the head of a lioness, and wings like a bat raced towards him on all fours. It only took him a second to realize it was a gargoyle. "Stop that beast!"

Two of the vampires raced towards Sehkmet. Their eyes shifted to a greenish yellow tint and fangs bared. The African gargoyle whipped her tail around, tripping one of them and lunging at the other. Her talons sank beneath the surface of her clothes and into her flesh. She picked her up and quickly threw her onto the ground. She looked up in time as Colette and the male vampire lackey raced up to her.

Horatio quickly aimed his gun at and the creature attacking his mistress. He knew she could take care of herself and never doubted her fighting abilities, but he could not allow the beasts to get it’s filthy talons on her. He never did see the lantern being thrown against his head. He only felt the force of the metal striking against the back of his skull followed by blackness.

Dr. Duane raced up to the fallen gaunt men. She was only slightly surprised her aim had been so good. "That was for the students," she took the gun that fell from his hands and turned to where her colleagues were. Both Edward’s and Arthur had their guns aimed at the two remaining gangsters. The other men had set their weapons on the ground and raised their hands in the air. She did not see where their leader was, nor did she care.

"Come one," she waved to the captives. "We have to get out of here." The arachogical team did not argue. They quickly hurried to the entrance.

Brode felt himself inching closer to the double headed serpent with a mixture of awe, and fear. The demon’s words did not sit well with him The ones who stood were not in as much fear as it wanted? Did it plan to eat them along with the prisoners. "Quite an interesting show." He spoke when Renepep had noticed his movement, hoping the demon did not notice how his voice trembled.

Yes it is. The left head’s tongue darted out. What do you seek , Mortal. Speak quickly or I shall be digesting your remains.

Brode quickly glanced around to see if anyone else could hear the serpent, but it was only him. "I agree with you. You should not help Balthazar if you do not want to."

"Why should you have to be a servant to the person who woke you. You are not a Djinn. You are a god, like you have said. I once shared an apartment with three others. We divided our chores upon ourselves. One time one of them woke me up because I was late and because he was late for work he expected me to do the laundry. When it was his turn that week. I did not do his job for him."

You do understand. The voice remained the same volume, but held a tint of respect.

"He shouldn’t even expect you to do all he had asked. All you should do is thank him for waking you, but that should be done verbally at most." He hoped he was winning Renepep’s favor. If the serpent respected him he would spare him and his men.

Brode knew he had to pay his card right. "I request nothing."

So far since my awakening you are the first mortal I have actually liked.For that mortal I shall spare your life, but the others shall satisfy my burning hunger. I may even change you into one of my servants. The right mouth parted, revealing fangs dripping a ruby liquid.

The gangster shook his head."Some of those are my men!"

Do not be greedy mortal, I have spared your life. You shall be grateful.

Grateful? Brode needed his men. He needed the money Balthazar promised him. He couldn’t let them die even if the vampires were responsible for the deaths of several innocent people.

"Renepep!" Balthazaar cried out. He was gripping onto the shoulders of the gargoyle, trying to hold her down. Colette was braced on her right arm while one of the female vampires was holding the other arm down. The other two underlings were sitting on her feet. "Here is your appetizer. I am certain there were gargoyles in your time." His words came out in deep pants as he struggled to remain control of the gargoyle. His clothing was torn, revealing a sweat coated body.

Yes, The snake god nodded it’s heads. Gargoyle meat is much sweeter than humans. It glanced at Brode, eyes twinkling as if threating him not to reveal the snake god’s plans.

Brode watched as it lowered it’s head to the gargoyle. One head would snatch at the winged creature and another would probably pick up one of the vampires. They didn’t know the snake god was planning on eating them as well. He took a look at his men. Both had regained their guns and ushered the three new archaeologists into the group. Only two of the those who were caught had escaped.The werewolf had blocked the area between the entrance and Stringbean’s unconscious body. They didn’t know. Nobody knew.

"Stop!" Brode aimed both guns, his and Stringbean’s at the serpent. "I cannot allow you to do this to do this."

The snake god reared up his headsDo you wish to become part of my meal! The voice was so loud inside Brode’s head it actually hurt him.

"Along with everyone else?" Brode asked. His own gaze met Balthazar’s. "Including your own." The vampire blinked at what he had been told and clanced at the two headed beast along with Brode

He lies.

"Why would I lie about that?" Brode asked. The whole temple seemed to have gone quiet except for the sound of a dog barking. "What do I have to gain by lying? You would think I would do anything to save your life, Balthazar. You still owe me half of my payment."

Barking had increased, the sound echoing off the walls as a dark blue gargoyle beast speckled gold and white s burst into the room. The creature immediately pounced on Trax. Five gargoyles, lead by an elderly creature with the head of an eagle entered the room. The bird-headed gargoyle pulled out a scimitar and swung it against the guns of Brode’s troops.

"Sehkmet!" Effa Ra’s voice thundered his eyes illuminated with a white glow. The ram-horned gargoyle raced towards the vampires, wielding a mace.

Balthazar rolled off the gargoyle grabbed one of the burners. The metal of his make shift weapon blocked the spiked points of the mace, spraying ash all over the ground. It took every muscle in his body to keep the orange gargoyle from getting the better of him."Let her go!" He ordered his clan without removing his gaze from the glowing eyes of hsi adversary. "Help me correct this mistake." He ducked, nearly dropping to the ground before he roled over and threw his weapon at the snake.

Brode watched as Renepep caught the sensor in it’s jaws and clamped down, biting it into two. The demon dove down spitting out metal parts with one head and opened it’s other mouth. The Czech gangster did not waste any more time. He fired the guns at the same time, feeling the force leave his .38’s

The bullets struck the serpent’s thick leathery hide, leaving two smoking holes. Renepep paused and stared down at his injuries. The holes slowly closed back up into solid skin. Impressive weapon. You mortals have progressed quite far in the past five thousand years. Perhaps I’ll give one of you the honor of becoming one of my servants. One head lowered and opened it’s mouth. Two lumps of metal fell out.

Effa Ra roared before racing towards the monster and struck his mace against it’s tough side. "You will not be able to spit this out." The metal points wouldn’t have pierced the thick hide alone, but with the combined strenght of a gargoyle it sank through the hard leather scales and into the soft flesh beneath.

No I wont, Both tongues forked out. The demon did not even flinch or appear to feel any pain at all.

One of the female underlings grabbed onto another of the sensors and raced forward. While the gargoyle was striking him repeatedly with the mace she struck the burner forward. The burning embers and metal shoved into his flesh. From behind her the male lacky picked up one of the candles and threw it at the left head, hoping the flame and melting wax would strike it’s eye. Instead it landed on it’s left snout.

I may not be able to chew you weapons, but I will be able to spit out your bones. It lashed down, jaws open and ready to snap up the gargoyle leader and nearest vampire.

"No!" Sehkmet had cried out while tackling her mate, and knocking him out of the way of the snake’ head. The vampire did not fair better. One of the female underlings was taken into the serpent’s right maw and was quickly swallowed. The others watched in horror as a bulge formed in it’s throat and travled down to the middle of it’s body

The gangsters had joined in the fight, leaving the archeological dig team unguarded. Dr. Duane paused by the opening, urging the rest of the team to run past her. She, Blake and Arthur were the only members of the dig left in the room.

"Good thing he is light," Arthur said as he hefted the skinny form of the unconscious gangster onto his shoulder. "I suppose once he’s outside he might feel better and awaken from his coma."

She just nodded as she surveyed the battle zone. Vampires and gargoyles were working together to attack the snake god. The shine of scimtar blades caught her atanetion as Horus used them to block the seprent’s attack.A spear made out wood and the sun bleached bone of a desert animal was wielded by the female gargoyle, Nefertiti. She pierced the demon’s neck repeatedly. Karnak was holding onto the back of the snakes right head, his talons dug in deep to the flesh. The only gargoyle Lydia didn’t see was the one she wanted in the temple the least. Gargoyles were formidable warriors, even at a young age, but she still didn’t like the idea of a twelve year old, or somone who was the equivilent of a twelve year old, fighting the demon.

Balthazar lead his own team agaisnt the creature he had resurrected. He and the other vmpires grabbed onto anything that could burn while Colette quickly thumbed through th book, trying to find anything that would send the snake back to his slumber The werewolf had his jaws clamped around the serpent’s tail along with the dog like beast. Both beats were pawing the air, trying to scratch at whatever flesh they could sink their claws in while Renepep kept swing his tail, and them, back and forth.

The man named Brode and his two gang members were emptying their .38’s and .45’s. They carefully aimes at the scale covered hide and jewel like eyes of the serpent. The bullets struck Renepeps flesh, leaving behind more smoking, and temporary wounds.

Duane had no idea if the combined effort would be enough to defeat the monster. She watched in awe, hoping an idea would come to her mind. She was not expecting to see Edwards slowly crawling forward to the two headed serpent creature. "Blake what are you doing? Get out of there!"

The older man turned to face her and shake his head. "I have to get the staff. They said it once sent this thing to sleep. It might work again."

"It’s too dangerous."

"We can’t let this thing live. What will happen if it escapes from the pyramid?"

She wanted to run in after him and pull him back but she knew deep down inside he was right, but he couldn’t be the one to wield the staff. She couldn’t even let him try alone for the staff. The two of them together would be able to take it and hand it to someone more capabale, like Effa Ra. She raced toward Edwards, nearly stumbling as she caught up to him.

"What are you doing?" Blake hissed.

"Giving you a hand." She crawled past him, closing in on the staff. In front of them the battle continued. The guns were empty of their bullets and holes decorated the hide of the two headed serpent. The gansters seamed lost on what to do. Brode stared at his empty weapon and threw it at Wajep’s eye. Gashes and burn marks from the vampires and gargoyles had covered it’s face and neck, but like the bullet holes they too healed in a matter of minutes. The flicking tongues of the snake god became louder in an audible hiss before the demon reared back tossing Karnak, Sehkmet,and the male vampire underling. Free from the creatures on it’s back it’s ruby eyes glared down onto the two humans on the ground.

"Lydia!" Blake pushed her down and provided a shield by standing over her.

You The words heard in everyone’s head rang more of confusion than accusation. So this your final resting place for your body.

"What?" Lydia asked. She couldn’t see anything, only darkness.

"Oh my God," Edwards gasped. "It’s the warrior." He watched, wide eyed, as a frail figure lurched forward from the entrance. Ancient grayish brown bandages was wrapped around his body. It wasn’t the first time he had seen mummy. He had given several lectures infront of an open sarcaphogus in the past and he discovered several mummified forms on a few of his past digs, but he had never seen them move on their own outside of movies

"I’m not surprised," Brode said as the mummified warrior approached the snake god. The gangster didn’t even feel any form of fear at all. "This scene needed a mummy." It didn’t scuffle forward like the mummies he had seen in movies. It moved slowly and stiff, taking tiny steps.

"Not quite," the soft disembodied female voice was heard by everyone as it echoed off the walls. "He and I can stand up to you." It was spoken in the same tongue as the words used to summon the demon but everyone inside could understand what she said.

A glowing white sphere appeared behind the mummy, highlighting his form. "I am here," the voice echoed from the light while several sparkling glowing lights entered in on the glowing form, causing it to grow and take on the shape of a female human. The entity had become more clear with distinct features. She resembled a a slender tiny woman ith skin the color of caramel and straight dark hair longer than a bob, but not quite touching her shoudlers. She was dressed in an elegant white robe and a band of gold was placed around her forhead.

"The priestess," Ra gasped. "She was the priestess. The one whos men build the shelter."

"We can defeat Renepep together." Her ghostly hand tapped the mummy on the shoulder. A glaring illumination overtook the two of them, completly covering them in a golden white light and lighting up the room, causing everyone to either squint or sheild their eyes. When the light had faded the priestess’s spirit was no where to be found.

The mummified warrior no longer decayed. The bandages were gone and he stood up straighter with a healthy spine. He had the appearance of a fully living human with limbs bulging with round muscles. Bronze skin was dressed in a gold and gray loin cloth. His shaved head was completely smooth and free of stubble. His eyes were heavily lined in dark make up and he no longer walked with a lurch. He strode forward to Renepep.

"The curse is real," Edwards said while reaching for the staff. "The staff was moved and he came to life. The curse didn’t mention the priestess though. I think he should have this."

No! The snake god dove down as Edwards grabbed onto the golden staff his right jaws widened and picked up the man while he quickly threw the staff towards the ancient warrior.

"Blake!" Lydia stood up, ready to pummel her fists against the snake’s hide while Sehkmet landed on the head holding onto Blake. Her talons scraped down, slicing through the eyeball and causing the serpent to drop the man.

The lioness like gargoyle dropped from the snake god and landed next to the injured man. "Don’t try to move." She took Blake into her arms. "We need to leave."

"What about the others?" Lydia hadn’t noticed the vampires had already left the room.

"Ma’am I believe it would be wise if you listen to the cat," The Czech gangster said He pointed towards the entrance and barked an order to his men in his home language.

"Sehkmet take the humans with you," Effa Ra ordered. "Everyone I command you to follow her!" His eyes were focused on Wajep, locked in combat with the warrior. He waited until everyone left the room before he raced to the entrance running on all fours. He paused to watch the battle.

The warrior wielded the staff, the cobra like head striking against the two pair of fangs of the snake god. He struck the chest of the serpent with the staff, the thin sharp edge of the cobra’s hood slicing through the thick leathery skin. The demon reared back as he spun the staff around and thrust the dull end into eye of the right. He swung down and quickly thrusted the staff up, striking it against the bottom of the left head’s jaw. He hefted the staff above his head, the two smaller snakes un coiled their heads from the staff and glared at the Snake God, their blue eyes fully illuminated. The large cobra head’s eyes lit up along with theirs as it’s jaws unhinged and the crystal fangs seemed to bend up.

Effa Ra raced towards the stairs the second the staff was plunged into the center of the snake god’s chest. As he climbed up the stairs he noticed it getting brighter. Dawn was still a few hours away and the light was coming form behind. The snake God had been defeated, returned to his sentence. It had to be the reason and maybe the warrior can rest again, joined together with his true love for eternity.

_________________________________________________________________________

The young green adolescent was ordered to stay behind and watch over the human Horus was carrying with them. The clan was on their way to the dig site to see if both Dr. Duane and Morwood-Smythe had kept their word and if the people would listen to them when the elderly gargoyle had met up with them and told them about the slaughter. Horus had set the human down and Isis landed next to her while the five adults raced towards the temple.

The human, Jenny, did not want to stand in the middle of the desert for the rest of the night and Isis thought it wouldn’t hurt if they walked back to the dig and waited outside of the temple. They had made it to the campsite when two of Jenny’s colleges had raced from the hole. They were afraid of Isis at first, but Jenny told them the young gargoyle did not provide a threat. Isis even stood infront of the humans, spreading her arms in a protective manner and displaying her feathers.

Nearly an hour went by and the rest of the captives ran from the temple, followed by Dr. Morwood-Smyth. The archeologist was carrying an unconscious man. Once the man was set on the sand he woke up and weakly walked back to the ship the monsters arrived in.

Gradually everyone who went inside came back out. Arthur and Isis stood in front of the dig team when the vampires and the werewolf raced out, but they didn’t seem to care about them. they continued to the aircraft they had arrived in. The gangsters, Lydia, the gargoyles followed shortly with Sehkmet carrying Edwards.

The last one to emerge was Effa Ra. The orange clan leader glanced back into the entrance of the temple has it filled with light. "Renepep had been defeated. The warrior has succeeded."

"He was a great noble man," Neferititi crouched down. Her deep purple wings folded into a cloak as she nodded into the direction of the entrance. "His name shall be passed down through the the clan’s generations, so they may all know andhonor him."

Effa Ra bowed his head in silence before turning to his love"Speaking of noble men, how is the injured?"

"He’ll be fine once he gets to a hospital," Lydia said. As soon as she had climbed out of the ladder and helped Sehkmet bring Edwards to the surface she cried out for Arthur to bring her the medical supplies. She had applied a great amount of gauze to the puncture wound in his shoulder, caused by one of the fangs and applied badges to everywhere else he was bleeding while Arthur fastened together a splint for Blake’s leg. "Let’s just pray he wasn’t poisoned."

"Thank you Lydia, Arthur," Blake gasped. "I thought I was done for, but you can’t keep Blake Edwards down so easily."

The gargoyle leader pointed at Blake. "This is why you shouldn’t be here."

"We shouldn’t be here either," the lioness like gargoyle said softly.

Ra raised his right brow ridge. "Why do you keep saying that? Don’t you see this is why we have to stay here."

The eagle headed gargoyle shook his head. " No Ra, You have already lived out your fantasy. There is no reason to continue living here."

"We have to stay. This land does not have any protection."

"And the seven of us are not enough," Sehkmet said. "When our true clan had grown in number past a hundred we can break off and form a new clan here. This is not our home. The Sanctuary is our home."

"I can’t believe you are saying this. We all chose to come here. Are you the only ones who want to turn yourbacks on this?" He stretched out his arms and wings.

Isis raised a hand."I miss my rookery siblings," she said in a dejected town. "I don’t want to play this anymore." Next to her, Nut whined in agreement.

"That makes four," Horus crossed his arms over his chest.

"The four of you want to leave?" Ra narrowed his eyes and turned to Karnak and Nefertiti. "What about you two?"

The gargoyle couple stared at each other before turning back to him. "We will stay if you stay," Karnak replied.

"Effa Ra please," Sehkmet licked her lips. "Tomorrow night Horus, Nut, Isis and I will return home to the sanctuary. If you want to stay here and continue this facade then fine, but don’t expect me to stay."

"You can’t be serious?" His eyes widened. "You are willing to give up on our clan?" He reached out for her hands.

"Are clan is with the sanctuary." She turned her back on him. "I’ve wanted to leave for a while, but I didn’t because I love you. Please tell me you still feel the same about me." Her eyelids squoze together, trying to keep the tears from leaving her eyes.

"This is really important?"

"Please tell me you don’t love this fantasy more than me."

He turned to the temple, taking in the moonlit structure before sighing. "I love your more than anything Part of me wants to stay here and pretend to be something I’m not, but that part is still a hatchling, and the adult part of me, the one who misses protecting the animals of the sanctuary, wants to return. You and our true clan is more important than this game. We will spend the day in our home and tomorrow night begin our journey back to the Sanctuary."

"My love," Sehkmet nearly threw herself into his arms as she embrced him.

Arthur watched the touchingscene a minute before clearing his throat."You have best go now. Those who have fled during the attack most likely would have gone to the authorities. They should be on their way."

___________________________________________________________________________

Broken pieces of wood were passed around the four men. The scrawniest member was the most eager to snatch up his stake. Determination shone in his eyes.

"Wait here," Brode instructed. "If they pose a threat I shall holler for you." He entered the secluded room where he made the deal with the buxom female. The Turkish vampire was the only one there waiting for him. "I have done as you asked, now where is my money?"

"Here it is, as promised." Balthazar placed a briefcase onto the table and snapped it open. Layers of bundled up monee had filled the case.

"It looks like I didn’t have to use this," Brode raised the stake as he accept the case. "Where are the rest of your kind?"

Balthazar’s eyes widened slightly at the sight of the wood. "They are in the bar. Thank you for your service."

"Do not take this personally, but I hope I will never have to see you again." Brode said as he left the back room and entered the alley.

"Not personal at all," Balthazar said as he approached the door to the main bar. The smokey atmosphere was half crowded that night. He found Horatio sitting at one of the tables, nibbling on a cockroach. "It’s a pity this trip to Egypt turned out to be fruitless."

The bony faced man licked his fingers."I didn’t even get a chance to eat a scorpion."

The vampire gently pat his shoulder. "I promise you before we leave you shall get that chance, and then we shall try to rind a way to have vengeance on the gargoyles in New York." He set the briefcase next to his servant before going off to search for the rest of his clan.

___________________________________________________________________________

Edwards was advised by the medical doctor to keep the blankets on him as he slept, but the hospital room was too hot. He was soaking wet with perspiration and he couldn’t sleep.

"Bloody hell," he kicked the covers off and sat up. He was still tired, but the constant pain and heat was making it difficult for him to sleep. The pain was not as jarring as it was before he entered the hospital, but it was constant.

He slipped out of his bead and headed to the bathroom, perhaps a cool drink and splashing his face with water would help.

As he turned the knob to the bathroom door his tongue darted out of his mouth. He must have been more thirsty than he thought, but there was something not quite right. He could taste the air. The sticky flavor of heat and medicine was detected in his mouth. What kind of drugs did they give him?

He cupped his hands several times, taking large gulps of water before splashing it against his face. Once again he noticed something not right. His skin felt thicker, almost like leather and there was a split in his upper lip.

He turned on the light and stepped backwards in shock. His hair was completely gone, but that was the least frightening detail. His skin had darkened to a golden brown and formed scales. His nose and jaws had merged together into a serpentine snout. His eyes had turned into a pale yellow color with thin oval shaped pupils.

"No, thiss iss not happening." He grabbed onto his mouth once the long forked tongue had retreated back inside. It was the painkillers. He was on heavy painkillers and once he woke up everything would be okay. He darted out of the bathroom and climbed back in bed, burying himself under the covers despite the heat. He hoped sleep would claim him soon so he could wake up from the nightmare.