Crossing the Moon - 19. A Moonlit Romp

"No!" Anubis gasped, waving a hand to dress himself in his dark robes.

He nearly ran from the room, searching everywhere for his moon god and calling Khonsu's name with growing desperation. With another wave of his hand, Anubis tore the front door from its hinges, following the scent of Khonsu and the lingering smell of sex with it outside. Familiar footprints trailed across the sand garden, suddenly disappearing before the edge.

Anubis roared with desolate rage. He had lost his moon god, again. The dark-eyed god swore it would be for the last time. Everything was wrong with the situation. Only this time, it had been revealed that something was tearing them apart against his mate's will.

The god of the night turned on his heel, ready to seek out the only other god who had ever been able to comfort him in his grief when Khonsu had broken his heart time and again. Anubis would find his father, the God of Chaos, Set.

::

Thoth was out in the celestial garden that surrounded the home of his two fathers. His grey eyes were narrowed in concentration as he read a floating scroll that his dad, Horus, was holding up for him with effortless power. The scroll depicted a complicated spell that would ensure the balance of an entire eco-system. But, Thoth's concentration was quickly shot when he sensed the presence of one of his most favorite people.

"Dad, I'll be right back!" The young god exclaimed as he quickly teleported to where he felt the presence of Anubis. The god of night had apparently manifested on the other side of the garden. "Hey, big brother!" Thoth called out as he rushed over towards him.

"Hey," Anubis responded, forcing a smile onto his face. "How's the wisest guy I know?"

Thoth gave his half-brother a tight hug. "The usual," he responded as Anubis gave his white, shaggy hair a pat. "Learning complex spells with dad Horus."

"Ugh, he's a slave driver," Anubis teased, knowing his little brother loved everything that he was taught. The young god was like a sponge. "Hey, uh, where's father Set? I just needed to speak with him about something."

"He's just inside," Thoth responded. He then scrutinized the night god's appearance, as well as the tense look on Anu's face. His voice then lowered in volume to a whisper. "Is it about a K-h-o-n-s-u thing?" He asked, instantly concerned about his sibling.

Anubis stiffened, his false smile falling away.

"Don't tell dad Horus, alright?" Anubis finally said softly. "You know how he gets."

Thoth gave him a solemn nod. "I'll keep him distracted while you two talk," he offered. "But, I can't guarantee that it'll work for very long."

"Thank you, brother," Anubis said giving Thoth another quick hug. "Do you know where father and dad are, exactly, so that I can find one and avoid the other?"

"Dad Horus is out on the other side of the garden with me. Father Set's in his study," the younger god replied.

Anubis nodded, ruffling his half-brother's soft, snowy white hair one more time as he hurried inside. His family lived in a generally small home, but it was surrounded by an enormous garden. The flowers and plants were special celestial species that could never thrive on the mortal plane. Every several years, his fathers would entertain themselves by re-landscaping. The two of them were older gods, so creation came easier to them.

In fact, it was the offspring of their generation that Ra assigned the task of designing children on the mortal plane to. Some gods, like Anubis, had a clear mind what they wanted their mortal children to be like. Others, like Khonsu, had gone to Ra with charts and scrolls of information detailing everything from personality dynamics to the chain of authority. The night god felt a stab of pain in his heart when he recalled the excitement on his lover's face when he described to him the concept of Omega werewolves.

"…in essence, they are families within families, you see?" Khonsu had explained. "The temple hands serve the communities. The community is made up of different packs…the packs are families and extended families with alphas, betas, and at least one Omega. The omegas are like children. They bring joy, warmth, and life to almost everyone!"

The god of night shook his head to clear his thoughts. It wouldn't do for him to dwell in nostalgia; not if he wanted Khonsu at his side once more. He needed to focus on the present. Anubis needed to find out what was going on if he had any hope of reuniting with his love.

"Father?" Anubis said softly as he walked through the study door and shut it behind him. He walked into the spacious room and regarded his father. Set had thick, black hair that was down to his shoulders, though it used to be longer when he and Horus had been children and adolescents. Anubis had inherited his father's black eyes. Though the younger god's skin was a warm tan, it was still a couple of shades lighter than the russet hue of his father's skin-tone.

Though Horus was not his biological father, he had helped raise Anubis since he was but a few months old. The white in Anubis's hair had nothing to do with the white in Horus's hair, but it still pleased the night god that he truly appeared as if he were the biological son of both his fathers. In addition to the white, Horus had navy blue streaks in his hair. His father Horus also had hazel eyes and an umber brown skin tone. Anubis's mother walked out of Set's life and abandoned her son when he was still a baby.

Set placed the book he was reading aside, a murder mystery, as some of the mortals enjoyed. As he stood up, his pencil-straight, black hair swung just above his shoulders. "Son? What brings you here in person?" He asked, concern already etched in his voice as he gave Anubis a hug.

"Khonsu..." Anubis grit his teeth and continued. "He came to me last night. It was the same as last time, and yet different. He was a goddess at first, enraged because he thought someone was meddling with his Omegas. We spoke, and I told him everything again, everything in my heart. He melted and became my love again."

Anubis paced in agitation, running a hand through his gray and white tresses. "When I came back from running him a bath, you remember how he loves those?" Anubis shook his head, forcing himself to focus. "My Khonsu was flickering between goddess and god, and he was crying out for my help. I went to him, and he settled back to the way he should be. He was frightened, Father. He said he couldn't control the change; that he had only meant to be a goddess for a short time, and then come back to me. He didn't know how long he'd been a goddess. He was so distressed."

The night god allowed his hands fall to his sides. "When I awoke, he was gone. He left no message. It was just as before. He said he'd forgiven me. We forgave each other. And now he's gone. I sent word to where he watches his earthly temples on my way here." Anubis shook his head in frustration.

"I was told the Goddess wasn't present and that she would never speak to a vile snake such as myself, regardless," Anubis lifted his ebony eyes, fully of despair, and looked into his father's equally black ones. "I've lost him again, and not by his choice. It was never by his choice. I've failed him a thousand times, angry and hurt at his actions when he needed my help."

The frown on Set's face was so constant throughout his son's ranting that he feared it would permanently remain on his face. "You say he can't control the change? That he hadn't meant to be a goddess for more than a short while?" he urged. "Was switching sexes something he was always able to do?"

"No," Anubis said emphatically. "Last night, he said he had gone to Hapi when he was angry, so long ago, and convinced Hapi to give him the ability temporarily. But something must have gone wrong. It's twisted into a curse!"

"Hapi..." the older god thought aloud. "Then, I will talk to Hapi...find out what he knows about the curse and if he knows how to reverse it."

The door to the study opened. Anubis had barely turned towards it when he was swept into a tight embrace that lifted him entirely from the ground. He was blinded by the riot of hair, white and navy blue layers that seemed to fluff in agitation.

"That wretched beast has hurt you again, don't try to deny it," a familiar voice said, the words vibrating with rage. "I'll flay the skin from his sex-swapping hide, I swear it."

Anubis pulled his head back enough to see over the shoulder of the man holding him. Thoth looked utterly chagrined, standing in the doorway. The teen god lifted his hand in an awkward wave.

"Sorry, Anu," Thoth said. "Dad figured out you that were here and why."

Anubis sighed heavily as his feet touched the floor and looked up into sharp hazel eyes.

"Hello, Dad," Anubis said quietly.

"Horus, allow him to breathe," Set sighed. "This time, we feel it is not all Khonsu's doing."

The god of kinship and the sky stopped ranting, but the frown remained on his face. Horus had been one of the many witnesses of his stepson's tumultuous relationship with the god of the moon. Though he deeply disapproved, due to all of the pain that Anubis had endured, he firmly respected his husband's decision.

Set and Horus had suffered a tumultuous relationship as well, in a sense. The two of them were childhood rivals and best friends in their adolescence. When they had an argument of epic proportions, they parted long enough for Set to have been seduced by a female goddess named Nephthys. That was when Horus had suffered heartbreak and realized just how deep his love of Set had been.

He had watched over the new family from a distance, as a friend. But, the god of the sky stepped right in when the goddess Nephthys abandoned them. Horus never found out all of the details of why she left Set, but his husband explained most of it to him. He said that she had found out about Set's true feelings for his once rival and best friend. Horus hadn't left Set's side ever since.

In the case of his stepson, Anubis, Horus was quite protective of him. He viewed Anubis as his own son. When Ra granted them the chance to have another child by temporarily allowing Set to conceive, Thoth also came into their lives, and their family felt complete. But, nothing could ever change the paternal instinct to protect and provide for his stepson, even long after the god of the night became an adult.

"We can explain everything while we go to find Hapi," Anubis said resolutely, drawing his dad Horus back to the present. "I won't fail Khonsu again."

::

The home of Hapi in the God Realm looked more like a business building than an actual house. When the three men entered, they were greeted by a female receptionist with light blue hair and honey-hued eyes. She spoke into an intercom to announce their arrival.

"Welcome," she greeted. "She will see you now," she added as she motioned towards a set of double doors.

Hapi was there, inside an office walled with books, leaning against a desk. He was a god with a truly mixed gender. From the waist up, he was female with an androgynous face. From the hips down, he was male. He wore a business suit with a thinly striped jacket and matching pants. The white blouse inside had no tie, and the first few buttons were undone, showing the cleft of his voluptuous chest. His skin was turquoise in hue, his hair was a dark teal, and his eyes were blue. The dark teal locks were pulled back in a half-ponytail.

For millennia, the other gods and the mortals referred to Hapi as male. His temple followers and those close to him in the God Realm, however, referred to Hapi as female. The God himself didn't mind how he was addressed, as he seemed to truly celebrate being both genders.

"How may I help you, gentlemen?" Hapi asked in a bell-like voice that could lend itself to either sex.

"My mate, Khonsu. The gift you gave him to temporarily change between sexes has been corrupted," Anubis explained, his tone dark and serious. "It's become permanent, and he can't control it. I could accept him as a goddess. I would love Khonsu no matter the form. But when he's a goddess, he is enraged and bitter and loses himself. He came to me last night and told me he didn't have control of it. The changes are affecting his mind in terrible ways. He...he was frightened. He wants it to stop." Anubis dropped to one knee; something the prideful god didn't even do in front of Ra. "I beg you to tell us how to remove the gift you've bestowed upon my mate."

Hapi immediately reached out to help Anubis stand back up. "You are talking to a fertility god," he insisted. "I don't bestow gifts like that unless they lead to sweet, celestial babies like your half-brother Thoth." The teal-haired god then fixed the cuffs of his suit. "I assure you that Khonsu has never come to see me. If he had, I would have gladly given the gift. Everyone knows how crazy you and Khonsu are about each other. You would have made lovely children together."

"You mean to say that it wasn't you who gave Khonsu the ability to switch sexes?" Set asked.

"No," Hapi responded. "It was not me."

Anubis shook his head, trying to sort through this new information. His heart had held on, believing that they could come to Hapi and convince the deity to show them how to fix everything. Anubis would then have his loving, if somewhat high-strung, mate back and all would be well.

"No, you must not remember," Anubis said, desperation creeping into his words. "It's been a very long time since my mortal children and Khonsu's first came into existence. Please, he said it was you. We need to know how to make him well again!"

Set placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "We will get to the bottom of this, my son," he assured him. "Hapi, do you know of any other gods that can bestow that kind of power?"

"Ra himself, for one, as you well know..." Hapi mused aloud. "Osiris, Isis...even your ex, Set. Nephthys."

Set and Horus exchanged meaningful glances. There was a moment of silence that was nearly suffocating. Then, the sound of the youngest god in the room seemed to bounce off the walls.

"That conniving bitch of a whore!" Anubis roared, whirling on his heel and striding from the room so quickly he was nearly sprinting, his long legs eating up the distance in moments.

"Shit," Horus hissed, his white and blue hair ruffling around him. He turned to Hapi and bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your assistance, Hapi. I apologize for Anu's outburst. This has all been very hard on him. We have a good idea now of who is behind all of this. Thank you for seeing us so quickly."

"Of course," Hapi said quickly, watching Anubis's retreating back in concern. "May I ask who you suspect?"

"Nephthys," Set said with a growl. "Anu's biological mother."

"I'm so sorry," Hapi said softly. "Please come to me if there's anything I can do to help. I'll leave word that you should be shown to me immediately if you have need to come back."

"Thank you, again," Horus said, looking over his shoulder. Anubis was no longer in sight. "If you would excuse us?"

"Oh, yes. Of course." Hapi said, raising a hand to shoo them. "Go. Your son needs you." Hapi smiled and called out as they left. "And if you need help making another little bundle like your sweet Thoth, you know where I am."

::

January and Nolan were both dressed in protective outfits. They kept their gloves and masks off since it was still nightfall, but they both had long-sleeve hoodies, long pants, and shoes on their feet. The hoodie that Jany gave Nolan had a layer around the neck that could be pulled up into a mask immediately, just in case. Vampires could change into their bat form and back while keeping their clothes. However, werewolves would lose their clothes in another dimension in the midst of their change if they didn't take them off first.

When the group walked through the portal, they ended up in a clearing within solitary woods. The full moon was large and bright that night. Quin was distracted from the view of the stars by the sight of his werewolf mates shedding their clothing and setting it aside. Before the blonde could ask why they were stripping, the three of them shifted into their wolf forms.

Nolan and Quin were all over the wolves in seconds. January smirked at the sight and then knelt down to gently buckle a collar around Eli's neck. "Who would you like to carry you this time, Nolan?" the redheaded vampire asked. "Pax or Mat?"

Mat barked, bouncing as he hopped around Nolan like an over-caffeinated puppy.

"If Master Pax doesn't mind, I think Mateo might like to carry me," Nolan said with a blush and a giggle.

Mat yipped once, dropping his behind to sit next to Nolan, his large jaws split in a tongue-lolling, wolfish smile. He leaned his big furry body against the slender vampire, making Nolan laugh outright.

Pax gave Mateo's cheek a lick to let him know that it was fine. Quinlan gave Pax affectionate scratches around his neck. "Well, since you are the alpha, I suppose you better lead the way. It works out." He began to stretch. "I'm gonna run with you guys for a bit, but then I'll head right back here to the clearing to lie down and look at the stars."

"You will be our 'home camp'," Jany pointed out.

"Yeah, I like the sound of that," Quin agreed. "Now then, let's see those bat forms! Y'all have no idea how much I've looked forward to this, though you have a tough act to follow. Seeing these three in wolf forms was quite the impressive sight."

Elias was nearly quivering with pleasure. He plopped down next to Quin, waiting for January and Nolan to shift. He took the opportunity to flip belly-up and wriggle around on his back. He could almost feel the moonlight soaking into his red-gold fur. He rolled back to his feet and shook himself from his head to the tip of his tail. When the human sat in the grass, Elias licked Quinlan's chin and scootched himself onto his blond mate's lap.

Quin began to pet and scratch Elias all over. "That's right, Eli, keep showing me how much cooler you look than everyone else," Quin teased. "That sun marking's so badass."

Elias shook his furry head, rolling his eyes. He hopped out of Quinlan's lap and hunched himself down, making himself as tiny as possible, giving a tiny puppy bark. The Omega hopped up, pointing his nose at Pax and then Mateo. Eli puffed out his chest and held his body stiff and erect with his tail high. He stomped around a little with his head high and then gave the deepest bark he could muster. Elias sighed and flopped back in Quin's lap.

The human merely laughed. "Yeah, yeah...they may be all big and 'gallant' as you seem to be telling me, but I still think you look the coolest. Plus, I love how you can flop on my lap without squishing me to death!" He added as he continued to dote all over the wolf with more scratches, kisses, and pettings.

January reached out to take one of Nolan's hands. "Come, transform first so that I can place you carefully into the pouch on Mateo's collar," he instructed softly.

"I haven't done it in so long," Nolan said worriedly. "What if I've forgotten how?"

January smiled at him. "Your body knows how...trust it to know what to do," he responded.

Nolan closed his eyes, leaning forward to wrap his arms tightly around Jany and taking a deep slow breath. For several long moments, the others watched in concern as nothing happened. The smaller vampire's form finally shimmered, then seemed to disappear. When they looked closer, a tiny bat was clinging to the front of January's shirt.

January felt his heart skip a beat as he carefully took Nolan into his hands and pressed a soft kiss to the top of his head. "There you are, precioso," he encouraged as he walked over towards Quin and Eli so they could have a closer look. "Isn't he just precious?"

Elias nuzzled the softly furred, black body. Nolan looked up with big orange eyes at the wolf who looked simply enormous but felt no fear. Nolan made his awkward little bat-walk across January's palms to hug Eli's muzzle with his diminutive wings, giving a soft squeak as he peeked up at the Omega, who was nearly going cross-eyed, trying to watch Nolan.

Quinlan couldn't take it anymore. He gently plucked the tiny bat right off of Eli and nuzzled his nose all over his underside. "Nono, you're the most adorable little bat I've ever seen...save, Jany, of course," he confessed.

It took some quick vampiric movements, but January was able to extricate Nolan from Quin's hands and walked him over for Mateo and Pax to see.

Mateo let out a whine, prancing in place. The big brown wolf looked from Pax to January and back again until Pax huffed a small laugh and nodded. Nolan had crawled up to the edge of one of January's cupped hands. He squeaked uncertainly as he peered out with lambent eyes. Mat stopped bouncing and very carefully approached the little bat. The wolf was grinning as he looked Nolan over. The bat squeaked again and shook out his wings. Mateo couldn't take it anymore, sticking his nose into January's hand to snuffle Nolan all over. The shifted vampire made a little trilling noise that sounded suspiciously like giggling until Mat pulled his head back. Nolan chirped a small sneeze and smoothed his soft fur which was entirely going the wrong direction from Mateo's big nose rubbing all over him.

January was getting ready to help the bat in smoothing the fur back into place, but Pax came over and began to nuzzle one of his cheeks against Nolan and then the other. When Nolan was done with nuzzling Pax back, Jany carefully placed him inside the pouch on Mat's collar and secured him in the harness. The redhead then gave Pax and Mat a kiss on top of each of their heads and walked over to Elias.

"Quin, would you be so kind as to secure me in Eli's collar?" the purple-eyed vampire asked.

"Yeah, no prob," the blond responded as he held out his hand for Jany to take. A moment later, he gently ran his fingers down the tiny bat's spine and paused long enough for Elias to give Jany a little lick before tucking him into the harness.

"Are we all ready?" Jany called out telepathically.

"Yes, Master," came Nolan hesitant telepathic voice.

The wolves each stomped their left front foot once.

Quin twisted his back one way and then the other in a light stretch. "Alright, Pax, lead the way," he urged.

The silver wolf did indeed look gallant as he stepped forward and let out a resonating howl to the moon.

Mateo and Elias followed their alpha's howl with ones of their own. Nolan, in a moment of emboldened excitement, let out his own version of a howl, a long sweet trill. Pax took off. He was content feeling the moon's touch and was careful to keep pace with their human mate. Eli and Mat were nearly vibrating with the need to romp, however. Both were too concerned with hurting their small riders to do more than walk carefully behind Pax. Mateo seemed especially vigilant about keeping his gait careful and smooth to avoid jostling Nolan.

There was something about running with a pack of wolves, albeit a small one, that made Quinlan feel free. Even though he was running at a gentle pace, he felt quite touched that Pax didn't run too fast for him to catch up. In fact, his pace matched Mateo's, and the two of them were aligned perfectly. Elias ran a little behind them, but also at the same pace.

The small bat that was January closed his eyes as he felt the night wind against his face and Eli's warmth against his back. Nolan briefly peered over at his purple-eyed mate and decided to do the same. As his orange eyes closed, it felt as if he were flying without having to move; all the while embraced by the warmth of his mates.

To everyone's surprise, January broke into song.

"If I could borrow the light from a star and light it up inside your heart...would it confuse your heartbeat for its own or would it not wish to depart?" Jany's voice sang telepathically. "If I could gather the beams from the moon and crown you with its softer light...would the sun hide from his feelings alone or would its jealousy ignite?"

"The moon and the night, the sun and the sky...a contrast no one can deny," he continued. "They blanket us in a heavenly glow. Though, sometimes, upon us they cry."

"Mateo?" Nolan asked hesitantly, causing the wolf to come to an immediate stop and turn his head as he made a comical attempt to look at the small bat hanging under his chin.

"Would you like to run faster?" Nolan asked. "Because I'd enjoy it if you wanted to..."

Mateo's mouth opened in a wide grin. He took a few faster steps, keeping an ear cocked for any squeaks of distress from his passenger. When Nolan seemed fine, Mateo increased his pace, bounding in a circle around the rest of his mates while Nolan broadcast his telepathic delight.

"You can go faster, too, if you wish," Jany urged Elias.

"Yeah, all of you guys can go on ahead," Quin added, slowing to a jog when he began to run out of breath. "I'll be waiting for you at the clearing!"

Elias ran to Quinlan, putting his front paws on the human's chest so he could lick his face enthusiastically.

"I think you're pretty great, too," Quin said with a laugh. "Go have fun."

Elias put all four feet on the ground, giving Quin's hand one last lick before bounding off after Mateo to play chase in the moonlight. Pax had been right. Eli hadn't realized how drained he'd been until he could feel himself sucking up the moonbeams' magic as he darted through the forest. He'd never felt so happy in his life as he did at that moment with his mates.

::

As Khonsu descended to one of her temples, feeling furious about Anubis having somehow seduced her once again, she caught sight of a blond human smiling up at the night sky. As she looked on, three of her beloved children joined him in their wolf forms. The sight warmed her heart. Just as she was about to move on, more movement drew her attention. Two men seemed to manifest next to her wolves.

However, they were not humans.

Vampires?

A flash of fury once again held Khonsu in its tight grasp. Two vampires! However, could her precious Omega ever think to accept them into his pack?

In a flash, she was in front of them, their chatter dying immediately as they stared at her.

"Two vampires, have you gone mad?" She questioned her Omega, the one that was named Elias. Her hands curled into fists, and her face was scowling. But, far from cowering, her three wolves and the human stepped in front of the two vampires as if to defend them.

"I love you, Goddess," Elias said fervently. "But I'll never turn my back on my mates, not even for you. And they are! They're my soulmates. How could you even think about us not being able to be together? We'd be torn to pieces inside!"

The scowl fell from Khonsu's face as she regarded the Omega. "Torn...soulmates...?" She whispered in her ethereal voice as she took a step back. "Is that...how you truly feel?"

"Yes, Goddess," Mateo said, stepping forward. "They aren't bad people. We love them, and they're so good to us. They're what we need. Please, don't try to break us apart. I don't think I'd live through it."

"They are kind and caring," Pax added. "And they've been lonely for many more years than we were before Eli's stone found us."

"Don't ya think it's unfair?" Quin questioned as he squinted in her general direction. Her celestial light was a bit too much for a human to take on directly and she sounded a bit louder in his ears even though she appeared to be whispering. "Can't you imagine how much they've been hurtin' all by themselves?"

Tears welled in Khonsu's eyes as memories of Anubis with a hurt expression on his face came to the forefront of her mind. "Hurt...lonely..." she trailed off as she lifted her hands to her ears and let out a pained sound. She began to flicker back and forth between sexes. "Ah!" she cried out, feeling agony as her body tried to find its way back to a male form, but something else kept pulling the female form back forward.

"Just...leave me alone!" She whimpered as he left the pack as quickly as she had appeared before them.

Pax took a step forward into the place where their goddess had just been. "Did...did you see that?" he asked his mates.

"Khonsu spazzing from one sex to another?" Mateo queried. "Yeah."

"Holy crapmonkeys," Eli whispered. "She really is a dude."

When it seemed as if Khonsu wasn't going to return, January relaxed his stance in front of Nolan. "She didn't seem to have any plans to smite us where we stood," the redhead pointed out. "She was just angry and confused."

Elias shivered, his skin prickling. "Can we maybe go home? I think I'm recharged and I totally need a cuddle right now. Like, a puppy pile on the Omega sounds about perfect right now." He grinned. "Puppy and human and vampire pile."

"I'm all for Eli's plan, guys," Quin seconded as he continued to hand out clothes for the werewolves to put back on.

"Same here," Mateo added as he finished up.

When he finished dressing, Pax joined them. The alpha then tensed when he felt a prickling behind him. As he turned his head, he was surprised to see two sets of glowing eyes hidden within the shadows of the woods.

:::::