Title:  Passion - Chapter Ten – Ruined 

Rating:  PG13 for now
Author: Angela - jedinineofnine@hotmail.com - http://oocities.com/saturnfiction
Summary:  Something’s bothering Ardeth. Of course it’s never as simple as that.
Disclaimer:  No infringement intended.  I own Asenath, Drake, Samira, Mahmud, Abdu, Omar and Ali.
Prequel (which should be read to get this):  http://fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=654922&chapter=1
Codes:  Ardeth/Ancksunamun, Imhotep/Evy

*
”So little of what seems to be is never really there. So much of what’s here I resent. I am a demagogue. Born of eternal flaw. Forever just a memory, my friend. So when I disappear, she will still be here. Sifting my remains through the ashes.”
Bottom Feeder, on Truthless Heroes by Project86

The temple had remained unchanged, undisturbed as if no one could muster the courage to enter such an abominable place. Its walls were covered with words written in blood, each sentence speaking of pain and torture and glory to Set, enemy god of Osiris. Here he had killed Ancksunamun. The fatal mistake had been assuming they could continue together in the beyond. He had conceived nothing of how far her soul had been lost. These things were for a priest to know.

Now he knew, but all would be fixed. She would unbind herself to the horror that was Set and be freed of his evil. He held that moment to his heart like a whispered prayer of thanks. The terror of this place seemed as thick and hot as that which he had rescued her from. Yet Ancksunamun herself wore a smile as if she were right at home. Beside him she walked, her stolen eyes lit up in wonder and her stolen lips testifying to her pleasure at being here. She basked in the evil of this temple and he turned away, meeting Imhotep’s glare. The priest said nothing, but plainly knew Akhenre’s thoughts.

Akhenre knit his brow, determined to see this through. He had no love for Imhotep; never had. This man was just as evil as Ancksunamun had become and by all rights deserved death. Or perhaps that wasn’t it. Perhaps Akhenre hated him for being able to do what he could not. That single failure hung over him like a rope from the gallows.

The stairs that led downstairs into the final chamber were still open, ready for any unfortunate explorer to stumble into their terrible depths. This evil place held no true power as long as it remained undisturbed and was not a place to make discoveries. Akhenre wished for this temple to be struck down by God and cast away from any human eyes. They descended and he lit the torches on the walls, shuddering at what sights the new light gave him.

The body of Meela had been left on the floor, but in the transition from here to the other side Akhenre could recall Ardeth Bay giving her the honor of crossing her arms in Egyptian fashion. And in that state she had remained. Ancksunamun stared at the body with neutral eyes and he wondered briefly what his love was thinking. He reached for her and she took his hand with a smile. “You must bind Imhotep, lover. Before my body can be unbound I must enter it again and Nefertiri will be free.”

Akhenre widened his eyes at this and touched her hair. “What…what will happen? Will you be like that?” He glanced at the almost skeletal remains. The thought was unsettling.

“No,” she replied right away as she bent to retrieve a discarded rope. She gave it to him with an amused glint in Nefertiri’s brown depths. “Unlike some people, I do not require regeneration.” Imhotep rolled his eyes and willingly held out his wrists. Inside Akhenre could feel Ardeth stirring. “My body will change without the consummation of a curse. You must call me back, however.”

Imhotep was shoved behind the sarcophagus of Set where he would wait far from the exit to this chamber. Ancksunamun stepped beside him to leave Nefertiri. “If you try anything, Imhotep, I will enter her again and never let go.” The priest glared back, but kept quiet. She turned to Akhenre. “When I leave Nefertiri will fall. Imhotep can care for her. Ignore it and immediately begin the spell, my lover.”

Akhenre nodded and looked her over once, relieved at the change that would come. He and Ardeth both held a distaste for hurting Evelyn. “I will not fail,” he repeated, needing to convince himself more than anything. Ancksunamun smiled gently and kissed her fingertips, then fell back. Imhotep dropped to the floor with her and that was his cue. Akhenre knelt down beside the body of Meela and began chanting the words that would breathe life back into this corpse.

At first nothing happened and that terrible dread of failure began to settle into his system. He couldn’t accept that. Akhenre repeated the words again, this time with more command. Ancksunamun’s fingers curled with a chilling papery sound that filled his ears. He got to his feet and backed away, watching and waiting. Imhotep yanked Nefertiri away from the coffin, but both stopped upon seeing what was happening beneath.

The skeleton jerked and writhed to life, causing Nefertiri to back into her priest with fearful eyes. Right away Akhenre felt the room become charged. Ancksunamun sat up and her skull turned towards him. He did not back down from it. The effect was slow but steady when her flesh began to return. He cared nothing to watch the process, except to keep his gaze upon her eyes. He was waiting for her to look back at him.

Suddenly there were two brown eyes watching his and an exultant smile. Ancksunamun was whole, her cheeks scarred with the markings of Set. She looked down at her shaking hands and laughed in disbelief. “Akhenre,” she called to him and despite everything he had gone through to get to this point, he smiled. She was back and he had not failed her. Akhenre held his hand out.

Ancksunamun came up and took it, kissing first his palm, then his wrist. “The ritual,” he breathed in want for her, but knowing they could spare no time in waiting. Imhotep and Nefertiri could escape easily in these quiet moments.

His lover laughed again, turning her palms up and gazing down. Her beautiful bright eyes gazed up in amusement. Something felt wrong. “Oh, I will kill Imhotep, my love. But to give up this power would be foolish. I will not unbind myself. I cannot, not now that I’ve felt the power return.”

Akhenre’s smile disappeared. He pulled his hand out of hers and looked into her face, letting the fullness of his shock show. “What?” he whispered, praying he had heard wrong. He could see it in her eyes. She would not unbind herself. For the power she had she would live as Set’s and therefore continue down the path to evil. This wasn’t about returning to the sweet, young girl he had fallen in love with. How could he have been so blind? He should have seen this coming.

The doubt was enough. Before Akhenre knew it Ardeth had thrown his will into an attack that knocked him out of control. Immediately their shared body hit the floor and everything went black. There were no sensations for him. No startled gasps, no visions of his concerned Ancksunamun, nothing. Just the blackness. And perhaps it was better this way.

Ardeth was too angry, too strong for him and right now Akhenre could not muster enough will to conquer his foe. He let go, knowing she was beyond his help.

*

Evy’s eyes widened when Ardeth’s body collapsed to the ground. She would have gone to him, but Imhotep held her arm tightly. “Nefertiri, we must escape,” he whispered sharply. She watched as Ancksunamun threw herself down at Ardeth’s side. Quickly turning to her priest, Evy spared him a smile of relief that he was alive as she began to untie his wrists.

“Akhenre,” she heard Ancksunamun saying as the priestess desperately tried to revive her ancient lover. Maybe somewhere she did care for him. “Return to me, Akhenre.”

Imhotep threw the rope from his wrists and pointed to the staircase, but Evy stopped him with pleading eyes. “We can’t leave Ardeth.”

She could see Imhotep’s answer of what he thought of that, but Evy didn’t care. Ardeth wouldn’t leave her to Ancksunamun and she wouldn’t leave him. “Nefertiri,” he breathed, but she could tell he knew she meant business. He looked over her shoulder and sighed.

Evy turned back to the little scene across the way. They didn’t have to wait long for whoever was in control to come back to them. She saw those dark lashes flutter and open, but the expression was vastly changed from the one Akhenre had been wearing before he fell. The anger made her swallow, the grim smile made her shiver. Ardeth threw Ancksunamun’s hands off him as he sat up. He glared the priestess down with such a rage that Evy looked momentarily to Imhotep to see if he saw the same. The priest’s eyes were grim. “Akhenre is gone from me,” Ardeth said in low tones. “Completely.”

“What!?” Ancksunamun hissed, moving to stand, but Ardeth wouldn’t let her. He gripped the fabric of her dusty sleeve and kept her on her knees. “And what will you do now? Defeat me?” She laughed.

Ardeth shook his head, never breaking eye contact with his tormentor. “No. I won’t. I know now I cannot defeat this. I will give you what you want and you will let Evy and Imhotep leave.”

Ancksunamun tried to get her sleeve from his grasp, but it did no good. “What I want?” she repeated sarcastically, raising her hand to hit him. Ardeth darted his hand out and grabbed her wrist before she could. “If you are so willing to believe you cannot defeat me, why bother fighting Akhenre?”

At that Ardeth laughed and the sound sent a chill through Evy. Suddenly she wasn’t so sure she wanted to be here. The laughter died and the bitterness returned to his usually so calm exterior. “I said I could not defeat you. That doesn’t mean I’m going to give myself over to him. He was afraid of what you are. I am not. Not any more.”

“Because you will defeat me?” Ancksunamun questioned in amused tones.

Evy edged a little closer, wishing she could understand what he was doing. “Ardeth?”

He didn’t even look at her. “Be silent, Evy. No, my Ancksunamun. I do not fear you because I no longer care what you do with me, only that you do it to me and not Akhenre. I’ll not let you ruin him as you ruined me.”

“Ardeth?” Evy repeated, not liking his tone and harsh words. “You aren’t ruined, Ardeth. We…”

This time he did look at her and she trembled. His anger shook her and obviously Imhotep as well, for he was already moving forward. Evy grasped his arm and stopped him. “I said be quiet, Evy,” Ardeth commanded her in express tones. “I’ve made my choice.” He looked down at the ground, then back into the face of Ancksunamun. “I give myself to you. Imhotep, take Evelyn away from here and never let her return.”

“They are not yours to free,” Ancksunamun told him, jerking her arm away finally. She stood up and turned on them with the intent of torment written in her glittering eyes.

Behind her Ardeth also stood and Evy watched as he whirled the concubine back to face him. For a moment he only watched her face, a face Evy imagined was probably filled with shock and chagrin, then he smiled. Closing his eyes, Ardeth bent down and pressed his lips into Ancksunamun’s, drawing the priestess’ body closer to his. “You will let them go,” he said softly as he touched her face. “Then you and I will be alone.”

“All right,” the priestess replied in amused tones as she ran a finger down his cheek. He kissed that finger and Evy covered her lips at the sight. Ancksunamun turned towards she and Imhotep, crossing her arms. Evy didn’t want to leave him to this. “I’ll humor you, Ardeth. You wish to play this game, we shall. I can have my revenge later. Nefertiri and Imhotep, you are free to go.”

“No!” Evy snapped, her face angry as she approached Ancksunamun. Imhotep wrapped his arm around her waist and eased her away from certain danger. “Ardeth, you can’t mean this! It is bloody well not too late for you and I won’t hear anything more of that nonsense!”

She would never forget the expression in his dark eyes as Ardeth wrapped his arms around Ancksunamun, mirroring what Imhotep did presently with her own waist. Evy looked and saw true brokenness and acceptance there and it frightened her more than anything. He couldn’t possibly mean this. “Know this, Evy and tell Rick and your brother. When you leave I will forget you. I do this for you now because of what you meant to me, but you can leave only once. After I will owe you nothing and will belong to Ancksunamun.” Evy could read between those lines, but she shied away from believing he could mean it.

He gave no sign that he had other plans despite Ancksunamun’s back being turned to him. Her heart pounded as the seconds passed. Ardeth only watched in silence with no hint of assurance. The priestess reached her hand back and stroked his dark hair, glaring at Nefertiri with a victorious grin. Evy didn’t know what to do. How could she leave him like this? Surely he had some sort of plan. Imhotep took her arms in his hands and gently pulled her away towards the stairs.

Giving Ardeth another glance did nothing. He revealed nothing. Getting a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, Evelyn turned her back on her friend and let Imhotep direct her up the stairs. She wanted to be free of this place, as far as she could get. They reached the top floor and she needed no further nudging. A trip down the main hall and past the body of Lock-Nah brought them into daylight. “How?” she asked softly, turning to Imhotep once they got out. “He’s not…you don’t think could possibly want to be with her?”

Imhotep pulled her into his arms and gently pet her. “I know not, Nefertiri. She is a plague that makes men lose their minds. I pray your Med-Jai friend is only bluffing, my love. If not…”

“Don’t finish,” she told him, pulling away and wiping her cheeks. “Let’s leave. I want a warm bed and good food and a hot bath and I’m not going to get it standing around this awful place. We’ll think of something.”

Evy turned towards the rocks they would have to navigate to be free of the temple, not waiting for words or comfort. Imhotep gave none. What could he say? This wasn’t happening.

*

Ancksunamun watched after her two freed prisoners with a small smile written across her lips. The arms of her enemy were around her and his mouth dangerously close to her neck. She touched his hands and hummed in contentment. “You have beguiled me out of my vengeance, Ardeth.”

“So what if I have?” he breathed back, laughing lightly. He shoved her away from him. Now it would begin. The truth of his feelings. She turned back without losing her good humor and he smiled back. Spreading his hands, he said, “So we are alone. Will you make me yours completely? You have already mind and soul.”

This was truly a strange demeanor for the Med-Jai. It was not undesirable, but confusing for her. How much did he mean? How far would he go? He surely wasn’t ready to go the distance for her yet. If it came to killing Nefertiri or any of the others she had no doubt that he would side once again with them. His sudden acceptance wasn’t what had driven her to let Nefertiri and Imhotep leave. There would be time for torment later. No, what had made the offer so tempting was just how close he was to truly being hers. “I’m not so sure I have ownership of your mind yet, love,” she told him, letting her eyes roam the body she had battered a short time ago.

Ardeth leaned back against the sarcophagus of Set, his eyes a mask of hurt, hate and desire. The desire, she was certain, was to escape this madness. He knew exactly what he was walking back into and probably hadn’t been lying when he said the next time he saw his friends he would belong to her. He knew what she was capable of, but for the love of his friends he would give himself to her. The Med-Jai cocked his head. “You doubt ownership of my mind, yet you believe you have my soul?” he questioned with a smart tone.

Ancksunamun crossed her arms and nodded with a certainty. Of that fact she had no doubt. Ardeth could be as angry and contempt-filled as he wanted for in that she owned him and would claim even more. He would fight, but he would lose. “I own your soul, Ardeth Bay. Look at you, standing there hating me for turning your world upside down. Tell me I haven’t filled your mind since we met.” The cynical challenge in his eyes flickered out as he turned away from her intense gaze.

He knew it was true. The priestess laughed and approached, sending her hand over his strong shoulder. She was going to enjoy breaking him. Ardeth Bay was no ordinary man. That was certain. In so many ways he was stronger than Akhenre, yet in others as weak as a newborn babe. She could remember him in torture, holding himself against the pain and the willingness for it he had after thinking he killed Evy. He was so scarred by her. So beautiful that way. Ancksunamun leaned forward to kiss him, enflamed for this man because of what he could become. She could do this to Ardeth, but not Akhenre.

Ardeth closed his eyes and let it happen, but did not return her lust. Not yet. She took the full opportunity to explore his mouth, then pulled back. “Ardeth, I will forever be a part of you, love,” she whispered, touching his lips softly. Just the right balance of pleasure and torture and he would fall. “You think you can resist me and maybe that will be true,” it wouldn’t, “but I will always haunt you. Last time we had a relationship of pain. Let’s try pleasure.”

“No,” he replied, shoving her hands away with darkened eyes. “You’ll not have me that easily.”

Biting her bottom lip, Ancksunamun watched a moment, reveling in this new challenge. The chase would be quite invigorating and when she captured his heart, that much more intoxicating. “Good, lover. Fight me. I’ll enjoy that,” she told him, reaching for his hair. He slapped her wrist away and she laughed, then called her powers forth. His eyes widened quite prettily when he found he could no longer move. “Tell me,” Ancksunamun whispered, petting his hair possessively. “Had you counted on my power growing to this level? I am a Chosen of Set and he delights in the works of my hands. No, my lover. You won’t be killing me as you may have planned and don’t waste your prayers asking for me to kill you in haste or mercy. I’ll never let you go now, Ardeth. You think I’ve ruined you now? I plan to destroy you completely and when you bow at my feet begging for death I will claim you as my own. Let’s see how strong the heart of a Med-Jai truly is.”

Ardeth glared down at her, shifting at her soft, caressing hands that trailed his sides. He could do nothing against her if she chose to force this on him, but the time for pleasure had passed. She would have that, but not by force. All the things that he kept secret inside his now fragile heart, everything he didn’t want to give her, she would take from him and he would willingly allow it.

She could see it in his eyes, too, as she took the rope that bound Imhotep from the floor and wrapped it around his wrists. He knew he was fighting a losing battle. Ardeth looked away from her and exhaled a shaky breath, then pleaded in low, frightened tones, “Please don’t make me kill them.”

Ancksunamun laughed and let him free from the spell that held him immobile. Ardeth dropped to his knees and stayed there, now fully comprehending what he had just gotten himself into. The very things that hurt him so badly a month ago he would face again. The priestess tucked her hair behind her ears and knelt down before him, tilting his face towards hers. Leaning close, she pressed her mouth against his and rubbed his arms and shoulders comfortingly. “I promise you this, Ardeth. You won’t have to feel made to kill them when you do it. It won’t hurt and you won’t feel guilt.”

The expression he returned made her fill with delight. He was truly breathtaking when afraid.

*

Deana – I’m glad you’re enjoying!! I hope they all live through this too. ;) Thankya!

Karri – Well, as you now see, Ardeth did come out on top…not sure how long he’s gonna stay there, though. ;) Thankie!

Marcher – I’m glad I’m keeping you guessing. :D Tis my aim. No, Akhenre won’t see it through to the end…not sure if giving up was a betrayal, though? Thanks!

Lula – who hasn’t gotten this far yet, or rather has once she reads this, :O I know you liked Akhy, so sorry he’s gone! But at least Ardeth saved him from certain insanity. Lol.

Well, I was inspired still, so I wrote this up quick…my plots are still swinging in a few different directions though. Hmm. We’ll have to see how far things go on different planes. Hope you all are still enjoying, even if it’s getting darker. :O I can’t help it…I live for writing Ardeth in the dark. Poor guy, God love him—or Oded rather. :D Thanks for reading!

-Angela