When Ardeth entered the tent the next morning after a short meeting with Menes, it was to find Katy attempting to shrug into her cambric shirt, her dingos already riding on her hips, complete with gun holster.
“Just what in Allah’s name do you think you are doing?” Ardeth raged, dropping the bag of dried meat he carried and stomping over to her.
Katy glanced up at him, blinking. He sucked in a sharp breath at the damage to her face and cursed under his breath. “Not so attractive, huh?” Katy winced. “I didn’t think so from the way it feels.”
He could tell she was having difficulty speaking, her words slightly slurred. He wanted to feel sympathy for her yet at the same time, was angry with her for not being in bed where she should have been. “Katebet, you must rest –”
“I can’t, Ardeth.” She tried to move the arm with the shoulder wound but dropped the shirtsleeve a third time, finally glancing at the warrior for help. When he refused, she gave him a dark look and danced around until she finally got her arm through the sleeve, a pained expression appearing across her face.
Buttoning the shirt, Katy glanced back up at the man before her. “There had to be a reason that those men attacked here yesterday – somehow they knew I had the amulet! And they want it… though I can’t for the life of me understand why.” She bent down to retrieve her boots when she felt Ardeth’s hand on her arm, holding her back.
“Katy, please,” he pleaded with her. “You were badly injured. Give it a day at least.”
“Ardeth.” She pried his hand off of her arm and sat, pulling her riding boots on over her calves. “You’re not listening to me. The only way they could have known about me and where I was is if… if…” She trailed off, unable to say the words.
The Chieftain crouched down beside her, knowing that she feared for her brother. “Katebet, I am certain that O’Connell is all right. He is strong.”
Katy frowned, struggling to her feet, glaring at the warrior when he did not offer to help her. She knew he was trying to prove to her that she needed to rest but she was bound and determined not to lay around like some weakling. Not when her brother could be in danger. Not when her very presence continued to endanger the lives of those around her. “And what about your warrior? Djau was it? What if those men found him on his way here?”
Ardeth looked away, unable to answer. The very same thought had occurred to him. He had sent scouts out earlier that morning to search for signs of Djau. They had yet to return.
Katy nodded, as if he had somehow agreed with her verbally. “Don’t you see? We have to get to El Kab. Rick could be there waiting for us right now!” She turned to grab her knapsack, then back to him, her eyes wide. “Where are my guns? Have you seen them? I dropped them yesterday –”
“They are by the door, Katebet,” Ardeth told her softly. He watched her walk over to where they sat, bending gingerly to grab them, a soft moan of pain escaping her as she straightened back up.
Ardeth’s eyes narrowed and he moved over to her. “Woman, if I have to throw you back down and tie you to the tent to get you to obey me – “
“Dammit, Ardeth!” Katy whirled on him. “Stop treating me like a baby, or worse yet, one of your men! I know my limits and at the moment I have not yet reached them!
“Yes, I am in pain, but being there for my brother means more to me right now, as does ending this entire drama! I will not stand around here and watch while more of your people die because of my foolishness. Now, you can either ride with me or I am going alone. Either way, I’m going.”
By Allah but he loved this woman! Even though he was quite prepared to ring her neck. He stepped forward, cradling her face gently between his hands, silently cursing the men who had the audacity to hurt her. “You are stubborn, Katy O’Connell,” he told her softly. “But then, you are loyal and honorable as well. What a warrior you could have made were you a man!”
Katy made a face at the blatantly rude comment. “One more crack like that and I am liable to shoot you, Ardeth Bay!”
The Chieftain frowned, uncertain of what it was he had said that was wrong. Shrugging, he leaned forward and kissed her, careful not to press too insistently against her swollen mouth. Katy had been more than ready to shoot the man before her for his high handedness but the moment his lips touched hers, her entire body turned to liquid fire. Sliding her guns into their holsters, she moved her hands up around his shoulders and clung to him as the kiss deepened, ignoring the insistent pain that throbbed in her shoulder and the right side of her face that felt three times its size.
Ardeth lifted his lips from hers, still holding her face in his hands. He smiled. “I will go with you, Katebet, as you demand.” He stepped away from her then, grabbing his turban and moving out into the sunlight to gather a group of his best warriors for the journey. He turned back to her, still grinning.
“But only because I want to be there to say ‘I told you so’ when you fall flat on your face a half a day into the journey.”
“What?!” Katy shouted indignantly as Ardeth moved away, his rich laughter floating over her. She finally allowed a small smile at his teasing, wondering to herself if they would beat her and Rick’s record. After all, it took over two weeks for brother and sister to be ready to kill one another; she and Ardeth were going on eleven days.
Hooking her knapsack over her shoulder, Katy turned then, glancing around the tent that had begun to feel like home to her. For the briefest moment she found herself not wanting to leave, knowing she would never see it again. As much as she had lost her heart to the handsome Medjai warrior, she knew there was no future for her and Ardeth Bay, and leaving the camp only cemented that realization in her mind. Deep inside, her heart continued to struggle against it. She silently railed against the idea that true love had no meaning for these people; that they would rather their Chief follow tradition than his heart. But she had seen enough in her travels to know that tradition was what held a people together; once you took that away, what was left? She could never allow that to happen to Ardeth and the Medjai, though a selfish voice inside her continually wondered why, if she truly meant so much to him, did he not fight a little harder to keep her?
“Ready, Katebet?” Ardeth peered in the tent, obviously ready to begin the journey, his turban wrapped, the impatience plain on his face.
She nodded, allowing him to take her hand and lead her out into the sun. A dozen warriors stood assembled, ready to ride, and the chestnut stallion, Ramses, stood saddled beside Ardeth’s own stallion, nervously pawing the sand. Katy gave a silent sigh of relief at the animal’s presence, having secretly feared that Ardeth would have insisted she rode with him because of her injury.
After securing her bag to the saddle, Ardeth turned and placed his hands around Katy’s waist, lifting her carefully onto Ramses so that she did not strain her shoulder. He still did not like the idea of setting out to El Kab so quickly, but better that he and his men accompany her than she take off on her own, which he had no doubt she would have done. The woman was without a doubt the most stubborn person he had ever encountered.
“Do you feel all right?” He leaned up to ask her, pretending to be checking the bridle.
Katy appreciated his care not to make her appear weak in front of his men. His kindness touched her. “Yes. Fine. Don’t worry about me, Ardeth.”
He cast her a quick glance, seemed to consider his next words. “A few minutes ago the scouts returned.” The warrior turned to gaze up at her, their eyes meeting. “They found Djau.” His voice was tight, controlled.
Katy swallowed against the lump that formed. “Ardeth, I’m sor –”
Ardeth cut her off with a wave of his hand. “You were right. We must go to meet with your brother. He could be in danger.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “But we will make it in time, Katebet.”
“I know.” She forced a smile as Ardeth moved away from her, swinging gracefully onto his mount.
Katy cast one last look at the Medjai camp, at those who came out to watch them leave. She caught Zahra’s gaze in the crowd and the two women waved at one another. Then, kicking Ramses into a gallop, Katy rode away with Ardeth and the Medjai warriors toward El Kab.
Six hours into the ride they finally reached the next oasis along the journey, a small area of perhaps no more than two and half acres; but it contained a cool spring, grass and some trees. As she thought to herself how pretty it seemed out here in the middle of the desert, surrounded by nothing but sand, Katy felt Ardeth ride up beside her, their legs briefly brushing against one another. A tremor ran through her at the contact.
He leaned over, glanced at her shoulder. “Your bandages need to be changed, Katebet.”
Katy followed his gaze, wincing as she noted the stain of blood that blossomed across the front of her shirt. So that was where the throbbing pain emanated from. Unable to think of anything to say, she simply replied, “Oh.”
Ardeth brought his mount to halt as the other warriors stopped around them. “Come,” he instructed. “We will change that bandage and rest for a bit.”
“But Ardeth – “
The warrior shot her a fierce look. “You will obey me in this, Katebet.” He grabbed the reins of her horse, holding him still. “You insisted on making this journey but you will do so according to my rules. Now, get down from Ramses and move over to those trees. We will have a tent set up soon so that you may sleep for a few hours.”
Katy was ready to argue her case once more but Ardeth’s face darkened and she realized he was not going to allow her any quarter on this. Boy but he can get angry, she thought to herself as she gingerly slid down from the saddle, noting that he refused to provide her with any help. She stumbled for a moment as the pain in her shoulder seemed to shoot in waves through the rest of her limbs. Looking up she found Ardeth still watching her, his expression no less severe. Sighing, Katy followed his instructions, moving over to the copse of shady palm trees, where she slid down the trunk of one to sit cross-legged in the grass.
While she waited for the warriors to set up a small tent among the copse of trees, Katy examined her guns, making certain that they were loaded and cleaned, wiped a few scuffs off of her boots until they shone in the sun then made an attempt to braid her hair, giving up when she realized she could not reach behind her head without considerable pain. She contented herself with a simple braid at the ends then stood and walked over to the spring where she leaned over to catch a glimpse of her reflection in the water.
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph!” she exclaimed at the image which greeted her, the right side of her face appearing as if someone had taken a hammer to it. Katy did not remember the man named Chuck as being particularly large but then the two times he had hit her had each threatened her with unconsciousness.
“Now you understand why I was against this foolishness of yours,” Ardeth commented, standing beside her.
“It’s only a bruise,” Katy muttered obstinately, probing the swollen skin. “Though I will say it does nothing for my appearance.”
Ardeth grunted. “You Westerners base too much on appearances.”
Katy glanced up at him with a raised eyebrow. “So says Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome.”
The warrior stared down at her for a moment longer then nodded toward the tent. “It is ready. Go and I will join you soon.”
There he went, bossing her around again. Katy sighed. “I’m comfortable. I think I will just sit here a while longer and join you in the tent at my leisure.”
“Katy O’Connell,” Ardeth growled, his features once more darkening into a scowl. He folded his arms across his chest and stared down at her, unmoving.
Katy attempted to ignore him but withered under his piercing glance all the same. She climbed carefully to her feet, turning to comment, “You know there was a nun at the orphanage who used to stand and glare at me just like that. Except for the tattoos, you could be the same person,” she huffed, moving off toward the tent.
The warrior began to relax, thinking he had won this small victory, when he heard her call out over her shoulder, “Sister Mary Ardeth.”
Katy entered the tent and promptly sat down, pleased at least to be out of the sun for a bit. They could not possibly stay long though – there was no telling what kind of danger Rick and Jonathon could be in. The more Katy considered it, the more she wondered if Zion had not been behind the attack on the Medjai camp. After all, they had been the ones who had been digging where she found the necklace and urn. And they had taken care to chase her all the way to Giza before she finally lost them. But what could they possibly want with the spirit of Seth? He did not seem at all as powerful as the High Priest Imhotep Ardeth spoke to her of. Then again, what did they really know about power when long-dead beings rose from the grave? Katy gave an involuntary shudder at the thought.
“You are an incredibly insolent woman!” Ardeth barked as he entered the tent.
Katy made a face. “And you need to learn a few manners!” she replied just as strongly.
Ardeth frowned as he knelt down in front of her. “Take your shirt off,” he ordered.
“I will not!”
Silence. That ferocious expression darkening all the more.
“Well hell,” Katy grumbled, returning Ardeth’s glare as she unbuttoned the front of the shirt. Before she even got the last button out, the warrior before her was pulling the fabric from her shoulder, peeling away the bandages that were slowly soaking in blood. Katy looked away; she could handle a lot of things. The sight of her own blood was not one of them.
“You should not be riding,” the Chieftain grumbled. “You are only making this worse.”
“Just put a poultice on it and we will be on our way,” Katy replied, sucking in a sharp breath as he prodded the inflamed flesh around the edges of the wound.
“It is becoming infected.”
He sat back, regarding the woman before him who was stubbornly insisting on killing herself. He understood her need to reach her brother before anything happened to him, but could she not also understand his need to protect her and keep her safe? How was he to explain to her what she had come to mean to him? That he would lay down his own life for hers?
Unfortunately, the further they rode from the Medjai camp, the further she seemed to pull away from him, as if purposely separating herself. Ardeth understood her need to do so; it was better for them both if they ignored what had happened between them and maintained a distance. But still, it hurt. He wanted to hold her; he wanted to bury himself within her again, remain a part of her forever. He burned with need whenever he neared her, wanting nothing more than to hear her cry out his name in the throws of passion, feel her nails claw down his back as she arched against him.
Forcing the image from his mind, Ardeth spent the next twenty minutes cleaning the bullet wound, packing it with an herbal poultice and wrapping it with new bandages. By the time he finished, Katy was wriggling beneath his touch restlessly, her eyes continually darting toward the door of the tent. He knew what was on her mind. He also knew a fight was ahead of him.
“Can we go now?” Katy asked as he finished placing the last strip of material over the wound. She began to slip her shirt back over her shoulder but Ardeth grabbed hold of her hand, stilling her.
“No, Katebet. I was not lying when I said you must rest.”
Katy’s jaw clenched for a moment as they stared at one another. “I have rested, Ardeth,” she replied slowly, practically biting down on each word.
Ardeth felt her tensing beneath his touch. It would not do for his men to see him fighting with this woman, to see her refusing to listen to his instructions. His grip on her wrist tightened. “You have not rested,” he bit back. “I have watched you. You have cleaned and loaded your weapons, argued with me and spent every last moment worrying about O’Connell. That is not rest, Katebet.”
Katy’s anger flared. She hated that this man who claimed to care for her, yet not enough to fight for her, insisted on telling her what to do. “When are you going to get it through your head that I am fine? That I don’t need a nursemaid?” She jumped to her feet, struggling with the shirt.
Ardeth came to his feet in front of her, batting her hand away as she attempted to pull the fabric over her shoulder. The motion knocked her knuckles against her wound and she cried out in pain.
“That hurt!” she accused.
“It was as much as you deserve!” came the reply, followed by a few choices words in his own language that Katy could only guess at. “Now lay down and rest!”
Katy stamped her foot petulantly. “You are not my keeper!”
“You obviously need one,” he spat back, rage beginning to seep through him. Did the little fool not see what she was doing to herself? “Someone should have beaten some sense into you long ago!”
Her mouth dropped open in shock at that, then closed, her eyes narrowing. “People like you seem to think that is the answer to everything.”
Her accusation stunned, and then infuriated him. Before he could consider his actions, Ardeth grabbed her roughly by the arm, shoving her back to the ground where she cried out once more, her shoulder shooting pain in sharp jabs throughout her upper body. But she was too angry to let it stop her; Katy made another attempt to climb to her feet, causing the man before her to growl in rage. He came at her again, this time following her to the ground, pinning her beneath him. He grit his teeth as she struggled, hoping that his bandages would hold tight; that she would not cause the wound to bleed again.
“By Allah, Katebet! Stop it!”
“We have to go now! We have to get to my brother!”
“You will do him no good if you arrive with a fever – if you kill yourself to get there!”
She stilled, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps, unshed tears brimming on her lashes.
Ardeth knew he had hurt her and sorrow consumed him. Reaching a hand to her cheek, he softly caressed her skin, wiping away the tears that had suddenly and silently appeared. “Why do you fight me so?” he asked, his voice a gentle whisper, the complete opposite of what it had been only moments before.
“Why?” She uttered a half-laugh, half-sob. “Because it’s better than the silence. Because it’s better than the knowledge that in maybe a few short days I may never see you again.... because pain is so much better than nothing at all.”
Ardeth closed his eyes. He should have realized she was hurting from the self-inflicted separation as much as he was. Opening his eyes, he found her watching him, the desire on her face unmistakable. “Katebet…” he whispered her name before covering her mouth with his, the desperation to have her, to feel himself inside of her once more over clouding all else.
Katy responded to him immediately, her fingers curling into his soft black hair, pulling him to her. Her lips molded beneath his, allowing him to take the role of aggressor while offering everything she had to give. She sighed softly as Ardeth’s mouth slanted against hers, his tongue darting along her lips, slipping past them into her mouth where he met hers in fierce combat. The kiss deepened, as desperation seemed to flow between them. His hands ran down the length of her, caressing her breasts, cupping them in his palms, her nipples hardening instantly at his touch, straining against the fabric of her bra for more. Ardeth’s mouth moved away from her mouth, across her chin, down her neck. He kissed her softly at the sensitive spot where neck meets shoulder before continuing down to her breasts where his teeth nipped gently before gathering fabric and nipple into his mouth and suckling hard. Katy moaned lightly in the back of her throat, arching her back up to meet him, her fingers reaching to the straps of her bra, tugging them off of her shoulders. Ardeth chuckled at her impatience, lifting up briefly to help her remove the garment. Once her breasts lay exposed to his gaze, he continued his attentions as Katy tugged at his own clothing, wanting nothing more than to feel his body touching hers, skin against skin.
“My impatient little love,” Ardeth whispered as his mouth trailed down the valley between her breasts to her stomach, his tongue licking and teasing the skin. He sat up, straddling her thighs as he removed his weapons, tossing them to the side. Katy followed him up, her hands moving between the folds of his tunic, pushing it from his shoulders. She proceeded to kissing his chest, her tongue darting out occasionally to trace the muscular curves until she found a flat nipple and clamped onto it, sucking greedily. Ardeth let out a sharp breath at the contact, the warmth of her mouth against his skin. He held her there, his hands caressing her back, careful not to disturb her wound, as Katy continued to worship him with her mouth across his chest and shoulders.
Ardeth’s sex strained hard against his trousers, begging for release, for the chance to touch the woman beneath him. He lowered her back against the floor, his hands trailing down her breasts teasingly, splaying over her ribs and belly where they paused just above her dingos, his fingers teasing her skin beneath the waistband. “This isn’t resting, Katebet,” he told her, his voice a low growl.
Katy closed her eyes, her hips grinding up against him. “I don’t give a damn, Ardeth. Please… “
“Please what?” He leaned over, kissed the hollow between her breasts, ran his tongue along the dip of her stomach, pausing at her belly button. “Please what, Katebet?”
She sighed against his touch, the need for him coming from her very soul. She shifted, the desire burning a pathway to her loins. “I need… I want you… inside me.”
Ardeth smiled against her skin, his breath tickling the fine hairs. “Then promise me you will do as I say the rest of our journey…”
Katy’s eyes flew open and she focused a furious gaze on his dark head. “Beast!”
He chuckled again, the sound coming from deep within his chest. His fingers probed deeper beneath the dingos, tangling in the silky curls they encountered. He sat up to regard her, the flushed skin across her face, the rise and fall of her chest. “What will it be, Katebet?” he asked again, his hand moving further, his fingers finding the swollen nub of her sex, lightly teasing it.
Katy whimpered, knowing she was beaten. She lifted her hips against his touch. “I hate you,” she whispered, though her eyes said otherwise.
While he continued to stroke her, Ardeth used his free hand to release the first button at her waist. His stroking moved deeper. “What will it be, Katy O’Connell?”
“Damn you, Ardeth Bay!”
Another button. His touch stilled. “Promise me.”
Katy glared at him. “Dammit, I promise!”
Another button. He shook his head. “Not enough. What is it you promise? Do you promise to obey me in every aspect?”
Katy wanted to kill him. Her skin was burning; she could swear she was on fire with need. “Yes, dammit.”
“Yes, what?”
She would kill him. Eventually. “Yes, I promise to obey you in every aspect.”
“Yes, I promise to obey you in every aspect, My Chief.” He slipped the dingos down her hips.
Katy remained silent, gritting her teeth.
A long finger slid along the cleft, slipping inside her moist warmth. “Katebet, I am waiting.”
She thought she would die from the delicious friction he was causing within her as his finger stroked slowly, teasingly. “Yes, I promise to obey you in every aspect, My Chief,” she gasped out just as Ardeth leaned down, covering her mouth with his.
As he kissed her, he continued to stroke her, first one finger, then two, slipping in slowly, then withdrawing in a delicious rhythm. Katy almost sobbed from need as he brought her to the brink, but he removed his fingers, sitting back up and sliding the dingos down her legs. He kissed her calves, her knees, brushed his lips across the triangle of curls that hid her sex. Then, rolling over onto his back, Ardeth pulled her with him, lifting her to straddle his hips. He leaned up, capturing a taut nipple between his lips, teasing it with his tongue while Katy tore at the tie to his trousers, releasing his sex. It sprang to freedom between them, hard and throbbing, and Katy immediately wrapped her hands around it, stroking him as maddeningly as he had her.
Ardeth brought his head up, their eyes meeting. “Oh no you don’t,” he growled low in his throat, lifting her into the air and impaling her slowly down the length of his shaft.
Katy cried out at the contact, tossing her head back wantonly as she pushed herself against him, her tight sheath closing around him. Ardeth released a pent-up breath he did not know he had been holding, sitting up to meet her in a bruising kiss as she began to move on him. Throwing her arms over his shoulders, Katy lost herself in everything that was the man before her: the friction of his sex driving deeply within her, his hard, smooth chest rubbing against her breasts, sending tiny waves of pleasure through her nipples, his tongue thrusting into her mouth with each thrust of his hips. Banishing any memory of the injury to her shoulder, Katy wrapped her legs around his waist, pushing him ever deeper within her.
Ardeth moaned at her movement, lifting her with him as he rose and shifted to his knees, holding her suspended in his hands as the speed of his thrusts increased. Katy buried her face against his shoulder, muffling her cries as the tension began building within her, rising like a tide from her womb through her limbs. Unable to control the waves of pleasure that began racking her body, she bit hard down hard on his neck as her muscles clenched and tightened around him, springing her release. Barely noticing her teeth against his skin, Ardeth gave over to his own release with a ragged cry, spilling his seed within her. They held to each other as the convulsions continued to rack through them, the warrior whispering declarations of love against Katy’s ear as she cried softly into his shoulder.
Holding Katy tightly against him, Ardeth laid back against the carpet of grass, still resting within her. His hands smoothed over her back as he kissed her forward tenderly. As she made an attempt to speak, he placed a quieting finger against her lips. “Shhh, Katebet. You promised. Sleep now. I will wake you soon.”
I love you, Ardeth Bay, she thought, her eyes closing.
As if he heard her, the warrior whispered against the top of her head, “My love, my Katebet.”
Katy sighed against him, gave a slight shudder and fell asleep.
Katy awoke a few hours later, a feeling of such languid pleasure emanating through her body that she was tempted to go close her eyes and go back to sleep. She reached a hand out for Ardeth, but found the space beside her empty and cold. Most likely he had dressed and left shortly after he was certain she had fallen to sleep, to prepare his men and watch for any further attacks. Katy sighed, wanting nothing more than to spend a few more minutes in his arms, pretending that she had an eternity to spend there, but her brother was out there waiting for her, and they still had a spirit to defeat.
She dressed quickly, pleased that her wounded shoulder was no longer throbbing as painfully as earlier, then secured her gun belt tightly around her hips. Casting a sweeping glance around the small tent to make certain she was not forgetting anything, Katy left the enclosure, stepping out to find that twilight had fallen across the desert. A bird called out in the trees above her, startling her for a quick moment as her gaze swept over the oasis. When she spotted Ardeth, he was standing with a few of his men near the horses, speaking in hushed tones. As if he felt her eyes on him, he glanced over his shoulder, their gazes locking. The barest trace of a smile appeared beneath his moustache and Katy could not help but flash one back at him. He seemed to nod in recognition of it, and for the briefest of moments, Katy felt that everything might turn out all right after all.
Heading down to the spring, she took the braid out of her hair, running her fingers through the red waves until they spread across her shoulders like a thick mantle. Crouching by the spring’s edge, she dipped her hands into the cool water, splashing it over her face and arms before cupping some in her hand and sipping it, the memory of drinking from Ardeth’s hands briefly flashing through her mind. She smiled to herself, staring out across the oasis to the desert beyond, the memory of Ardeth’s mouth and hands on her skin still fresh in her mind.
Standing, Katy turned to head toward the horses when a cold wind rushed over her, knocking the breath from her. She staggered, her eyes widening in confusion as her blood seemed to chill within her veins, her movements slowing, her lungs fighting for breath as if she were drowning. She tried to call out for Ardeth but words would not escape her lips. Struggling to move, Katy looked up in time to see Ardeth turn toward her, an expression of agony quickly sweeping over his face.
“Katy!” She heard him shout in a ragged, terrible voice. “No!”
He was running toward her now, as were the other warriors, all trying to get to her in time, to ward off the spirit she knew was entering her very soul. A last whoosh of freezing wind swept through her, bringing her to her knees, a cold hand grasping hold of her heart, holding it still within her chest. A last breath of air escaped her and she cried out with it, knowing that Ardeth would not reach her in time…