Chapter 2
Bastet
The hotel was nothing special, but as soon as I walked through the door, I knew I was in the right place.
Everything was pink. And not just a little pink, but very pink.
I was already starting to question what I'd let Sekhmet talk me into, especially when I noticed the heart-shaped balloons and what looked like pink confetti on the individual tables.
I supposed it fit the theme.
I glanced back over to the door where Venus was standing in all her perfection, her deep copper hair cascading down her back as if it had all been carefully placed like that.
Maybe it had. She was known for her beauty.
Was it too late to go back over to her and ask for my name to be taken off the register?
I wasn't sure I really had it in me to do this, even if I'd promised Sekhmet that I would.
But I wasn't the kind of woman who was willing to go back on my word, even if I was uncomfortable.
I was here, I'd see it through and then I could say that I'd done it. I never had to come again after that.
I swirled the wine around in my glass, more out of nerves than anything else. The way it moved against the sides was kind of mesmerising and successfully distracted me from the nerves fluttering in my stomach over what was to come.
"Bastet?" a semi-familiar voice said.
I turned around to find a dark-haired woman with stunning dark brown skin standing in front of me. There was something familiar about her, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was. Then again, this event was for gods and paranormals, there was a good chance that I knew everyone here.
"You probably don't remember me. I'm Menhit," she said.
"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't." I put the pieces together and finally managed to recognise the Nubian warrior goddess. How I hadn't was beyond me, we'd spent a lot of time together several thousand years ago before falling out of touch.
"That's okay, I have a very forgettable face." She smiled at me in a way that suggested she meant it, even if it wasn't very accurate.
I arched an eyebrow. No one would forget her.
Tall and gorgeous were the only words that could be used to describe her, and that was before getting into the fact she could shift into a lioness.
It was certainly more impressive than being able to shift into a medium-sized house cat, and that was my claim to fame.
"Are you here for speed dating?" I asked, realising it was an obvious question. I doubted anyone in the room was just here to watch.
"Mmhmm. It's my third time. A friend dragged me along the first one, and I ended up having so much fun that I came back again."
"But you haven't found a match yet?" The question slipped out without me meaning it to.
Luckily, Menhit didn't take any offence and merely chuckled. "I'm not looking for a match, just for a good time. And I've found plenty of those." Her tone didn't leave much to the imagination.
"Oh."
"It's your first time, isn't it?" she asked as she leaned against the bar.
I nodded. "That obvious?"
She laughed. "A little. You're taking it a bit too seriously. This is supposed to be about fun, meeting some new people, and making a connection if you find one, but not forcing it. You should talk to Venus a bit if you're feeling nervous about it."
"Venus and I have never been particularly friendly."
Menhit laughed. "It's an interesting event to try for the first time if that's true. There are plenty of other Jinx events you could go to."
I shrugged. "My sister said that I should come to this one, so this is the one I'm at."
"Fair enough."
"So, how does it work?" I asked.
"Everyone moves around the room in a clockwise direction other than the person in the first seat," Menhit said.
I frowned. "Why not then?"
"It's the only way to make sure that everyone meets everyone," she responded. "I'm not sure how Venus worked it out, but it means that she doesn't have to split anyone into two groups for arbitrary reasons."
"Ah, that makes sense. There are a lot of people here," I said as I looked around the room.
"It's a popular event," Menhit said.
I watched as a couple of people I didn't know parted ways, revealing those behind them.
My heart fluttered as I took in the familiar proud form of the god standing there.
Ptah looked exactly like he did in my memories, tall with a closely shaved head and clothes that barely concealed his strong form.
He turned and noticed me staring at him, lifting his glass in acknowledgement.
A small strangled sound escaped me.
"An ex?" Menhit asked, pulling my attention back to the present.
"More like the ex."
"Ah, so the one you never properly got over?"
A blush rose to my cheeks. "I did."
"You're not acting like it. What happened between you?" There was no mistaking the curiosity in her voice, and I could understand that. We'd shared a lot in the time we'd known each other, and even a few centuries apart didn't erase that kind of friendship.
I sighed. "We were too busy for one another. We both had duties to attend to, and in the end, we didn't spend enough time together and ended it."
"That's sad."
I shrugged. "That's what it used to be like."
"Oh, I remember. The humans were always wanting us to do one thing or another for them without any consideration of us having lives of our own," Menhit said.
"And yet I kind of miss it."
"Then you clearly need more to do. How are you keeping yourself busy?"
"I run a cat sanctuary. What about you?"
"I make custom knives. It's like a private joke with myself when someone says I'm so young to have mastered the craft."
I chuckled. "That is fun." I drank the rest of my wine and then gestured to her empty glass. "Can I get you another drink, or am I keeping you from being somewhere?"
"I'd love another one," she responded. "And no, I'm here on my own. I'm actually glad to run into someone I know, even if it has been a long time since we've talked."
"I'm sorry about that, it's completely on me." I signalled for the bartender. "I've been avoiding the god realm more than I should."
She raised an eyebrow. "And everywhere else gods frequent."
I chuckled uncomfortably. "And those places too."
"Can I ask why?"
The bartender approached with a welcoming smile on his face. "What can I get you, ladies?"
"A red wine, and..." I turned to Menhit, realising that I hadn't asked her.
"A rum and coke, please."
"Coming right up." He disappeared down the bar to get our drinks ready.
"You were going to tell me about why you've been avoiding going anywhere other gods might be," she prompted.
It was clear I wasn't going to be able to dodge the question. She probably wasn't the only one to want the answer to it.
"People wind me up," I responded. "I avoid humans and paranormals just as much as I avoid other gods."
"Hence the cat sanctuary."
"Exactly."
"And I imagine it has nothing to do with avoiding your ex?"
"Ptah? Honestly, no. That was just an added benefit. I'm sure he's moved on." It was hard to believe she'd put me so at ease already, it was like no time had passed since we'd last talked to one another instead of several centuries.
"But have you?"
"I've got my cats."
"So that's a no," she observed.
The bartender returned with our drinks and placed them down on the bar in front of us. "I'll add them to your tab," he said.
"Thank you." I picked up my wine and swirled it around, something that seemed to have become a habit for me.
We headed back out into the room, but this time I paid more attention to who was around me. I doubted that Menhit and Ptah were the only people I'd crossed paths with in the past.
Sure enough, several of the other faces seemed to be familiar, though I couldn't put names to all of them. It seemed that anyone who was anyone had turned up to the event.
A bell rang, announcing that it was time for us all to take our seats. Nerves fluttered within as I considered what was to come. It would be too late to turn back once I was seated.
"Come on, you can sit on the table next to mine," Menhit promised. "That way, if you have any questions between dates, I can answer them."
I sighed with relief, glad I didn't have to go through this alone. I'd signed up to go speed dating, not blind dating. Though perhaps they were one and the same in this instance.
Excited chatter filled the air as everyone made their way to their seats. No one seemed to be as nervous as I was, perhaps this wasn't their first time at a speed dating event.
Menhit took a seat opposite a woman with dark brown hair, while I sat down at the empty one next to her.
Not that there would have been before. If Sekhmet heard I'd backed out at the last minute, then she'd be dragging me back the next time the event happened. No doubt she'd sit at the bar and watch me to make sure that I was flirting.
It was definitely better to do this without an audience.