Chapter 8-


Ardeth Bey knew it was time to attack. He couldn't let Mr. Steinburger get a hold of the treasures and maybe accidentally reviving Imhotep. After the first expedition with O’Connell, the Medjai placed a curse on him again, except this time in the black pool. They engraved a warning on a tombstone and hoped no one would ever come. He knew he had no choice but to raid the campsite. He hoped his men would do their best to not attack Ravena, after all, a man can get pretty caught up in a fight and not notice who he’s fighting. He gathered about 50 of his warriors and, with a face that held no emotion except determination, they rode all the way up to the top of the dune. With his infamous, menacing battle cry, Ardeth lifted up his scimitar and rode all the way (with his small army behind him) to the tents. Rafe Steinburger was his.

The Nazis were totally unprepared. They tried to fumble with the guns but only few of them could grab their guns in time. The black-robed men came and slaughtered without any remorse. Ardeth looked in each tent for sign of their leader. He would slay anyone that got in his way. Which was a ton of people. He ignored the screams in the background and looked at the last tent. He knew someone was in it. He took his scimitar once again out of its sheath and walked briskly towards it. He lifted the flap and ducked under, bringing his scimitar forward to the person that was in it.

He breathed sharply. It definitely wasn’t Mr. Steinburger. It was a goddess. It was Ravena. Ardeth drank in the sight. She lay there without any sheets, bathing in the illuminating light of the moon. Her hair was spread about her like an eagle’s wings. She wore a sexy silk slip that made Ardeth groan inside. Her long, shapely legs were slightly bent. She lay on her stomach with one of her hands tied with rope to a makeshift post. Her head was lifted slightly up when she had heard all the commotion outside. Ravena stared in shock at Ardeth. Her pale eyes held his without faltering. He knew one thing, he wanted her. Ardeth remembered his vow and breathed in slowly. He pondered for a moment for about the reason the he was here.

“Where is Mr. Steinburger?”, he said gruffly.

Ravena, still in shock at remembering the man from the marketplace, shrugged her shoulders truthfully. She had no idea.

She had stared at the man for what seemed to be an eternity. He came in there bravely and determined. For a moment she was disappointed that he was looking for Rafe. He was so........perfect. His strong chest heaved up and down and his tall, sturdy figure stood there holding a scimitar at her. His face held an emotionless expression which just made her want him. She shook that thought out of her head, she would always remain faithful to Philippe, although he was dead.

“ I am Ardeth Bey, leader of the Medjai. Your cousin, a close friend of mine, asked me to spare your life. I ask you now to come with me.”, said the man in the black robes.

Ravena looked at him for a moment before replying,

“Well sir, I would like to leave, but I have a bit of a problem.”

Ardeth crossed his eyebrows in confusion.

“And what problem is that, Miss Desmias.”

She gave a half smile and said “I’m a little tied up right now.”

The intoxicating man awkwardly stepped over her and slashed at the ropes with his scimitar. He held out his hand towards her and while she grabbed it, he tried to ignore how slender and perfect it was, except for the bruises of the handcuffs. Ardeth pulled her up with no strength. This woman didn’t seem to weigh anything, though she had a perfect body. The walked out of the tent, with Ravena cautiously behind him. He held out a hand to her flat stomach, stopping her.

“Wait here.”, he said.

Ravena watched as Ardeth joined the fight. He was graceful and deadly. He was like a lion. She looked in admiration at him as his stoic expression glared angrily at all the soldiers who had previously touched and hurt her. She didn’t notice the guard that had tied her up creep up behind her. He picked up a scimitar from one of the dead Medjai and knocked Ravena to the ground. With all the noise and confusion, Ardeth didn’t see the guard nor Ravena. It wasn’t till he stabbed the last soldier that he turned around and saw the guard slashed a scimitar towards the woman’s belly.

Ravena felt the pain as the scimitar swiped at her. It didn’t go in her, but it did leave a bloody mark and a tear in her slip. The pain didn’t subside, but overtook her instead, and she fell to the ground unconscious.