Cat's Eyes A Highlander/SG-1 Xover By Tasha Part 7 Okay, so being thrown at the feet of a beautiful woman might be some guys idea of a good time, but Methos had to side with the fact that it was a bad idea when that woman was a homicidal maniac. Tefnut had taken residence in one of the large halls of what could only be described as a fairytale castle, and there were lion Jaffa everywhere. What had happened to Richie and where Shu might be were both questions the ancient Immortal would rather have answered sooner than later. In her favour, Tefnut was an incredibly beautiful specimen of the human species. She was the kind of woman who would have made super models grind their teeth in envy. She had a main of jet-black hair which was platted ornately over her scalp and hung in long tresses down her back. The golden headdress that she wore to frame her exquisite face was of the finest craftsmanship and if Methos had been in a whimsical mood he might almost have believed he could hear the lioness roar. The ancient Immortal would also have been letting his own gender down if he hadn't noticed just how few clothes she was wearing. Inside, away from the temperate climate of whatever planet they were on, the air was warm, and the Goddess of moisture was clothed only in a bejewelled bikini and light silk skirts which did nothing to hide her shapely legs. As the prisoners were thrown to their knees at the base of her throne she looked at them with cold golden eyes. The smile that adorned her face gave her expression no warmth, and her gaze chilled Methos' soul. "Ah, the invaders," she said, her voice edged with Goa'uld power. "A rescue party, how touching." She walked down the steps of the dais on which her throne stood and wandered around the prisoners. Watching her could have had fatal consequences, but Methos still had to clamp down on all his instincts to keep his eyes towards the front. Losing sight of Tefnut was something that made the Immortal very nervous. "How is it you managed to cause Apophis so much trouble?" her voice was as cold at her stare, and the only emotion it contained was amusement. "Your motives are so transparent." She wandered back into Methos' line of vision and he watched her surreptitiously. Tefnut was every bit the Goddess. "I must admit that your defeat of Apophis was impressive," she continued as if she had no intention of ever stopping, "but we, unlike the Serpent Lord, think before we act. You will feel the retribution of the Lion Gods." She moved up one step on the dais and put her hands on her hips, sweeping her gaze over the prisoners. Methos made sure his eyes were down when she came to him. The last thing he needed was to be noticed. "The question is how should I kill you," the amusement was gone from Tefnut's voice; she was deadly serious now. There was absolutely no doubt in Methos' mind that this Goa'uld had no compassion what so ever. Her tone only went to confirm that he was listening to something that couldn't even conceive of a conscience, let alone have one. "I could have you thrown in a cell and leave you to starve to death," she pondered aloud. "Or I could have you tortured in the market place as an example to others who would consider rebellion." She paused and Methos took the chance of peering up at her again. She had a thoughtful expression on her face; she really was trying to decide how to execute them all. This wasn't a game; it was very real. "Then again, maybe I should just kill you now," she said and a malicious smile curved her lips upwards. "How would you like to watch as I kill you one by one ... and you'll never know who I'll choose next?" She moved off the step onto the main floor once more. "But who to choose first," she said, and Tefnut was playing games. Methos kept his eyes firmly on the floor; if she chose him they were in real trouble. Two Immortals in Goa'uld hands was a very bad scenario. "Maybe the woman," Tefnut mused as much to herself as everyone else. "Or should I let you watch the Jaffa die first? You haven't seen anything quite so entertaining until you've seen a Jaffa without his larva." "Lady, whatever you're gonna do, just get on and do it," O'Neill growled, which wasn't much of a surprise to Methos. The Immortal knew if anyone would try and attract Tefnut's wrath it would be the Colonel. Surprisingly enough his attempt to annoy her enough to focus her anger didn't quite work. The Goa'uld laughed. "You would dare to speak in my presence?" she said, amusement tinged with surprise in her voice. "I'll speak where the hell I please," Jack returned and Methos heard the thud of a Jaffa staff on flesh as the Colonel was rewarded for his impertinence. "You must think me a fool if you believe you can goad me into a choice of victim," Tefnut said and her tone was once again emotionless. "For that you will see at least one of your comrades die, maybe even all of them, and at some point I will kill you the most slowly of all." She moved closer to them all, and Methos began silently praying to any and all gods that might hear him as she stood next to him. The ancient Immortal was not afraid to die, but the fact that he probably wouldn't was what worried him. "You," she said coldly, and stopped in front of Daniel. "You have a face full of knowledge, and knowledge is dangerous. I shall kill you first." As Tefnut reached out her left hand with its ornate, but deadly ribbon device, Methos saw O'Neill move out of the corner of his eye. The leader of SG-1 didn't even get two feet as a Jaffa hit him over the back of the head with his staff. The Colonel dropped like a stone and didn't move. Tefnut just looked down at him. "Trying to spoil my entertainment will make his death all the more painful," she said coldly. "Oh well, I'm sure I can save at least one of you for when he wakes up, but I tire of this game. Prepare to die, human." Her hand moved a second time, and then Methos felt the presence of another Immortal. "Wait," said a familiar, but horribly distorted voice. Methos' blood froze as he saw the figure which had just entered the hall behind the thrones. The blonde hair and boyish features were still the same, but that was about all the ancient Immortal recognised about Richie. Emotionless golden eyes flicked over Methos as he stared, and as his one time friend smiled long fangs were revealed. Tefnut for her part looked slightly annoyed at the interruption, but as the newcomer smiled her expression softened slightly. Richie was wearing a short Egyptian style skirt, an ornate collar, and the headdress of two feathers. His skin had been oiled, and he was armed with a ribbon device. With complete certainty, Methos knew he was looking at Shu, god of the dry air. "I did not mean to upset you, my love," the Goa'uld said calmly and walked further into the room, "forgive me for interrupting." Methos knew the skilful handling of a psychopath when he saw one, and he wasn't quite sure if he was pleased with this new arrangement. At the plea for forgiveness Tefnut caved, and she smiled back at what had once been Richie. "Shu, my darling," she said sweetly, "you I would forgive anything." It might all have been romantic if it hadn't been for the fact that it was two alien parasites talking to each other in stolen bodies. Methos tried to hide any emotion, and prayed that he was not about to be singled out. "I have an alternative suggestion," Shu said, and walked up to his consort. "I believe it may be wise to save the prisoners. Their deaths will be of much more use to us if our brethren witness it. It would not hurt for the others to know that we succeeded where Apophis failed." Methos didn't quite believe it, but Tefnut almost pouted. The only way the ancient Immortal could describe her was a spoilt child. "My love," Shu said and reached out his hand to touch the woman's face, "it pains me to see you so disappointed. Maybe if you just keep one." It was as if they were talking about toys, not sentient beings. The Goa'uld's eyes swung across the prisoners and settled on Methos. "That one is not really part of this group," Shu said evenly, "and is therefore of no value to us. I am sure you could amuse yourself with him." Tefnut's eyes brightened as she too stared at Methos, and the Immortal felt like a slave in the market. "I would kill him now," the woman said coldly and went to move forward, but Shu caught her arm. He leant towards her with a conspiratorial grin and whispered something in her ear. Her face went from passive to smiling brightly as Shu spoke to her. Methos definitely didn't like that expression, especially when it was directed towards him. "You have such wonderful ideas, beloved," Tefnut said brightly. Without even pausing she barked some orders at the Jaffa and Methos found himself being dragged in the opposite direction to his comrades. Shu had made no mention of Immortality, of Methos being the same as Richie, or anything that would suggest he even knew the truth. Possibilities kept going round in the ancient man's head, and most of them were not good. Even as he was dragged to his unknown destination, the last thing he saw before the door closed behind him was Shu kissing Tefnut. ===================================================================== Tefnut watched her husband as he moved around their private apartments as if exploring them for the first time. She had never seen Shu so affected by a new host, but in a way it made her happy. "Beloved, this new body pleases you?" she enquired. Shu turned to her and smiled. "Beyond words," he told her and walked to where she lounged on a couch. "He is strong and virile. I have not felt this alive in centuries." He took her hand and she smiled as he kissed her fingers. He moved up her arm slowly, placing his lips a few millimetres up each time. "There is desire in this body you would not believe," he told her. She let him kiss her, savouring the taste of the new host and then she broke away. Her own passions could be roused quite easily, but today there were other needs. "Should we not oversee the repulsion of the Tau'ri, my love," she purred in his ear. "War and then passion." Shu's smile grew wider as if considering her proposal, but then he caught her under the chin and looked straight into her eyes. His golden irises almost sparkled, and she could not fail to see the desire they contained. "Let the soldiers worry about the humans," he said and growled at her quietly. "They will be defeated soon, and then we shall enjoy the destruction of any survivors. I want to feel this new body as it caresses my beloved, and then I want to plan some executions." Tefnut leant into him as he ran his hand down her breastbone. She could control her passion only so far, and Shu's argument was convincing. She let a growl rumble in the back of her throat and curled her lip to reveal her long fangs. After millennia Shu knew just how to react to his wife, and he seized her by the shoulders. He pulled her into a fierce embrace, and kissed her hard on the lips. She responded by running her long sharp nails down his back. She savoured the taste of the new host for a while, enjoying the different feel of this extraordinary male body. On impulse she pulled out of the deep kiss slightly, and quite deliberately sank one fang into the soft lips, which caressed hers. The metallic taste of blood ran into her mouth even as Shu pulled back in surprise. Tefnut smiled at her beloved and watched fascinated, as the small puncture mark on his lip vanished as fast as she had created it. She laughed, her wonder sparking a new wave of desire. Shu's surprised expression turned into a smile as he looked back at her, and then he pushed her down onto the couch. End of Part 7