Under Wraps: An Urban Fantasy Adventure (Werewolves vs. Mummies Book 1) by J.A. Cipriano Page A

entire ordeal. No more gods, mummies, or crocodiles.
    “Don’t mention it,” Anubis replied, waving his hand dismissively. “It’s the least I could do since you guys are going to rid the underworld of renegade mummies.”
    “That sounds suspiciously like a promise,” Bast said, looking up at him, her yellow cat eyes filled with amusement.
    “It does,” Aziza seconded. Anubis glanced at the two of them, and his shoulders slumped.
    “I liked it better when you two didn’t talk to each other,” Anubis replied. “Rid the place of mummies, and I’ll find the soul. I promise.” As he said the words, lighting crackled through the sky and thunder boomed. The ground shook beneath us, and the door teetered open a crack. The smell of swamp gas filled the air, making me crinkle my nose.
    “Ugh, what’s that smell?” I asked, covering my nose with my hand.
    “Him,” Aziza said, jerking her thumb at the Egyptian god of death.
    “It isn’t me,” Anubis said, kneeling down and scooping the cat into his arms. He held it there like an obscenely large, struggling baby. “That’s what the underworld smells like. It helps keep out intruders. You’ll get used to it once your nostrils go numb.”
    “I don’t think she likes that,” I said as the cat slowly unfurled its claws. “I saw on a television show that cats don’t like being held like babies.”
    “The mortal is correct,” Bast hissed, one claw flashing out but striking air as Anubis grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and tossed her through the door. Then, without waiting for a response, he entered the door himself, disappearing into its dark, dank depths.
    “He’s really not very nice to his cat,” I said, taking a step toward the door as my wolf scanned for danger.
    “That’s not his cat, you moron. It’s his wife, the goddess Bast.” Without waiting for me to reply, Aziza vanished into the doorway, leaving me to stand there by myself.
    I wasn’t quite sure what was worse. That he’d treated his wife like that or that I’d met another god and hadn’t even known it. I sighed. I really should have brought an autograph book with me. I bet I could have sold it for a fortune online.
    When the wolf was satisfied that there were no immediate threats, I stepped through the doorway and was greeted by alternating blasts of cool and warm air. It reminded me of the time my dad couldn’t make up his mind about the temperature in the house. He wound up running the air conditioner full blast with the fireplace eating wood like it was going out of style.
    When I emerged a moment later, both Anubis and Aziza were standing there arguing, but they stopped as soon as they saw me. Behind them stood a seven-foot tall athletic-looking woman with skin like polished volcanic glass and hair that fell down to her ankles in a sweeping ebony wave. Golden bangles covered her arms, legs, and neck. Golden wire was actually woven through her ears so that it spiraled upward like a gilded serpent.
    She glanced at me, and as my cheeks burst into flames because she’d caught me staring, she batted her long black eyelashes at me and placed one slender finger against her lips. The look in her eyes made some very uncomfortable thoughts swim through my mind.
    “I don’t think your friend will mind if I tag along.” Bast’s voice was like having satin gently dragged across my skin. It made goosebumps rise on my flesh and my knees go a little weak.
    I tried to speak, tried to say anything at all, but all I could do was keep staring at her with my mouth half-open like a dying fish.
    Aziza glanced at me, threw her arms up in the air, and let out a little squeal of anger. “Whatever,” she snapped, glaring at me. Her cheeks were bright red and her eyes were angry. But why? Why was she so upset? Was it because of Bast? Surely she wasn’t jealous… right? No, that was crazy, Aziza was a millennia old princess, and surely she wouldn’t be interested in the likes of me… besides,