He stood tall and strong, as he had done ever since Utanapishtim surprised them. She knew he was determined not to reveal his weakened state to the other…man. And he’d been doing such a good job of it that he had momentarily even managed to make her forget. But he’d been on his knees only moments ago, weakened, his energy drained by the first immortal.
And yet he stood there, looking as strong as he always was. And she knew why. He didn’t want Utanapishtim getting the idea that he could get away with anything. For Lucy’s sake, he needed to meet the man as an equal.
With her eyes, Lucy asked James if he was going to be all right, darting a meaningful glance Utanapishtim’s way.
James caught her look, read her meaning and winked. “Be fast, woman.”
She smiled, admiring him more than she ever had before. Of the two men, James was the one with the aura of leadership about him. Quiet authority, confidence in his own power. She felt better, suddenly, about leaving him with the hulking, confused, living, breathing artifact and hurried on her way.
James watched the Ancient One for a long moment before nodding and taking him below again, where he went through drawers until he found a pair of jeans big enough for the man. He held them out, and Utanapishtim looked at them, then tipped his head in an inquisitive way. “What is?”
“To wear. To, um, cover yourself.” James gestured at the khakis he wore.
Utanapishtim looked at James’s pants, then at the jeans he was holding out and his expression turned to one of horror. “No! It will…bind my—” He didn’t know the word, so he grabbed his genitals and shook them with a low growl.
James felt his brows arch and tried not to show his amusement. “Maybe some sort of a…toga?”
“I know not…toe-gah.”
Sighing, James pulled the bedsheet from the table and held it up. “Better?” He watched the other man’s face, saw it relax in relief.
“Better,” Utanapishtim said, pronouncing the t’s harder than James had as he took the sheet. He inspected the fabric, then nodded with approval.
Good, James thought. He didn’t yet know the extent of this being’s powers. It wouldn’t do to piss him off. Besides, he needed Utanapishtim’s help. And yet he kept finding feelings of hostility toward the old one bubbling up from some unseen well in his gut. Why?
Who was he kidding? He knew why. He’d seen the way Utanapishtim had looked at Lucy. Pure male appreciation, and probably no small amount of curiosity about her, her bearing, her clothing, her ponytail. Probably best to deal with it now, before Utanapishtim got any ideas about her.
“Utanapishtim,” James said.
The ancient one, who was expertly wrapping the sheet around himself, creating a one-shouldered toga without even a knot or a pin, stopped and looked at James.
“I raised you from ash.” As James said the words, he picked up half of the broken statue, running his fingertips inside to show the old one the ashen residue there.
“Mmm. Woman—seer woman—find me. Burn me. To…protect me, she sayed. But I…feel it. I feel the fire.” He closed his eyes as a full body shudder racked him.
Not only buried alive, but burned alive first. “I am sorry,” James said.
Utanapishtim grunted, nodding and continuing to clothe himself.
“Nonetheless,” James went on, “know this, Utanapishtim. I was the one who found you. I used my power to restore you to life, to give you back your body.”
“You…power?” Utanapishtim asked, his attention now caught.
“Yes. My power.” James looked at his hands. “I can…heal the sick, raise the dead, with my hands.”
Utanapishtim’s eyes narrowed. “You…give me you power.”
“No. I cannot.”
“I take you power!” The huge man surged forward, reaching for James.
James dodged him and held up his hand like a weapon. “I freed you from that statue that was your prison. I can put you right back in there.”
Utanapishtim stopped in his tracks and looked at James, his eyes widening. Then, slowly, he nodded his surrender. “What…want you…from me? Why you find me? Raise me?”
“Many things, Utanapishtim. Many things. But one thing first. That woman…” James pointed in the direction Lucy had taken. “She is my woman.”
Utanapishtim held his gaze, his own slowly easing from one of dark fury to something that might have been…teasing? “The right of the king—”
“You’re not a king anymore, Utanapishtim. You’re a man who needs me. You need me to help you find your way in this