AN: Sorry I've kept you waiting, it's finals time. But now I've got a few minutes, so here it is, Desert Rose's sequel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Disclaimer: In case anyone doubts it, I don't own Ardeth Bay (bummer) nor anything else Mummy-related. They belong to Stephen Sommers and Universal Studios. Not making money, no infringement intended, so no suing. BTW, I don't own 'Cuando se enferma el amor' music/lyrics either. They belong to Jorge Rojas (my new love) and the rest of Los Nocheros.

However, Jean, Tarek and every other OC are mine. Take them without permission and I'll bestow the Hom-Dai on you.

My love, my love,

Why does love

Sometimes keep quiet

And sometimes screams?

You want to leave me,

But you don't want to.

You are to lose me

But you won't give in.

My love, my love,

Why does love

Sometimes bleed

Like an open wound?

I'm gonna lose you,

But I get the feeling

That I will love you all my life.

~ Los Nocheros – Cuando se enferma el amor ~

CHAPTER ONE

Jean gazed her reflection on the mirror. She looked pretty, her long red hair was loose, falling down her shoulders resembling a cascade and her emerald green eyes sparkled like shooting stars; she was wearing an indigo denim sundress and black studded leather slides.

Yes, she looked nice, but couldn't help to heave a sigh as she set her eyes on the collar she was wearing: the Necklace of Isis. She smiled at the sight of it. It was a weighty piece of jewelry made of gold with a design of silver and lapis and at the bottom was the Ankh, the sacred symbol used by Isis. It was so long that it touched the beginning of her breast line. She remembered Ardeth putting it around her neck at the airport. And she remembered their passionate kiss.

' Has it only been six months?' She asked herself.

Returning home had been a bittersweet experience for the woman. On one hand, she was happy to be with her friends and family again, but on the other one, she missed terribly the desert and everything it meant to her. The quiet nights by the Nile, the rides on Diamond, the dinners with the men. God, the men… Tarek, Ahmed, Ahmad, even Kasim. And, of course, Ardeth.

How could she live 'normally' when she'd been awakened from her nightmares by a Medjai warrior, in whose eyes she had found the strength to defeat the evil that had threatened them all? When she had slept in his arms and fallen in love with the passionate man that lay beneath his rough exterior?

They had been in touch for that time, sending each other emails every week, since Ardeth was at his home after having decided that he and his men needed a break. They were short messages, but they meant a lot to her; still, she wanted more, a lot more than that. She smiled, as she would have never imagined that the desert warrior had a hotmail account: abay@hotmail.com. Somehow, she didn't think that it suited him.

' What were you expecting, something like: medjaichieftain@themiddleofthedesert.com?' The idea made her laugh. Shortly, but it was better than nothing.

Her gaze drifted towards a picture of her and Brian resting on top her night table. She shook her head, unable to believe how much her life had changed in such a short amount of time. Well, not her entire life, only the part involving Brian. Their relationship had cooled off and she knew it was mainly her fault. He still loved her as the first day, but his feelings were not reciprocated.

' It's not like I don't love him anymore,' she thought. ' It's just that he is just too… too…'

' Not Ardeth,' her mind answered. She really hated how her rational side always seemed to be right. Truth was, she had pushed him away day by day since she had returned from Egypt, but their problems had started earlier.

' No, it's not only that. I feel like I can never be entirely myself in front of him.'

' And why would that be?'

' Well, whenever I show my wild streak he is horrified, to say the least. I can't let him see I have a temper or that I'm not little perfect Jean, 'cause if I do he… well, he just can't stand it.'

Her mind couldn't argue with that and she was left with nothing but another sigh, which turned into a gasp as she heard a voice behind her.

" That necklace is not yours." She whirled around, only to find herself surrounded by five men wearing black and red robes. The one that appeared to be their leader completely scared Jean out of her skin.

His skin was black as obsidian stone, while he was about 6'9'', powerfully built, but not in a good way. The entire opposite, he exuded a malevolent aura and the ugly scars that slashed across his cheeks, foreheads and hands added to his sinister looks.

With a cold expression is his dark eyes, he moved closer to her, completely blocking any path she could have taken to escape and commanded, " Give it to me."

" I'll never give you this necklace. You'll have to kill me first," she replied heatedly, despite her fear.

Gathering all her forces, she pushed him and tried to run away; but the man was fast and grabbed her by the hair. She let out a soft cry of pain as he pulled her close to him. His voice was cold and sinister when he spoke into her ear." Do not dare to put a hand on me again, woman."

" And what if I do?" Asked Jean boldly.

His full lips turned upwards in a sneer. " You will become a corpse. A very beautiful one, but a corpse after all."

" I'll take my chance."

With all the strength she had in her body and in her mind, she elbowed him on the stomach. The man loosened his hold on her and she took advantage of that to get away from him, not counting on the other four men and their swords.

Grinning in satisfaction, the man took both her wrists in one of his hands and with the other, he held a dagger pressed to her neck. She could feel the cold steel against her skin and swallowed with difficulty. She was really frightened.

" Have you changed your mind now?"

" Never! Go ahead, kill me. It's the only way in which you'll leave this place with my necklace."

" Brave, very brave for woman. Too bad that I enjoy murdering brave people." His dagger was about to start cutting her tender flesh, when a voice stopped him.

" Let go of her!" Jean felt she would faint as she recognized its owner.

Her captor slowly turned with a nefarious grin on his face.

" Ardeth Bay… "

She noticed he was encircled by the other four men and her heart beat faster. There was no easy way out of that situation.

" Lock-Nah… " hissed Ardeth.

" So, you want me to release this female?" Asked her captor, smiling lazily, as if enjoying the situation. " I wonder why would I do such thing."

" Because she has nothing to do with this," replied the Medjai.

" She has got the Necklace of Isis."

After casting her a quick look, Ardeth raised his hands in defeat. " Take it and spare her life."

Jean's eyes widened at that, as well as Lock-Nah's. " You would have never said anything like this before. I get the feeling you like her."

" Just leave her out of this. You've got me if you want."

" I do. But there must be something about her to make you cross the ocean to come the her rescue."

" Enough! Let go of her now!"

The black man ignored him. " She's got good forms and having her in bed must be very pleasing. Tell me, Medjai, is she submissive? I like that in a woman."

Ardeth lost control and tried to leap towards him, but the other men stopped him.

" Say one more thing about her and I'll kill you," he hissed at him.

" Then I will not say another word," was all Lock-Nah said.

Jean had stopped struggling, for she had realized it was useless; but she understood in that last phrase what the man intended to do and renewed her efforts to break free.

He laughed at her vain attempts. " No one can help you now." She could feel his breath on her skin and turned her head away in disgust. She didn't like the way he was looking at her, all kinds of horrific thoughts passing through her mind.

And with his last words, he raised a hand to her face, running his fingers softly along her jawline. Instinctively, she flinched from his touch, her stomach revolving and her eyes filling with tears. He laughed at her torment and went on trailing his hand down her throat to undo the top button of her dress.

At that sight, Ardeth found a strength he didn't know he possessed; it was enough to break away from the men's hold and knock Lock-Nah to the floor. Before falling, the black man pushed Jean, sending her halfway across the room and crashing her back against a wall. Ardeth ran to her and helped her up. Their eyes met and she knew what she had to do.

He threw a scimitar at her and she used it to battle two of Lock Nah's escorts, while Ardeth took care of the other two. The four of them ran away like the cowards they were.

She tried to catch her breath, but it wasn't that easy. Suddenly, she heard Lock Nah's bitter laugh, before he charged against Ardeth. She could see the man was a lot stronger than the Medjai and was giving him a hard time. She didn't know how to help, so she ran to get a knife from her kitchen to use as an extra weapon. When she returned, she found Ardeth on the floor and Lock Nah ready to run him through with his sword.

" You fight well, for a Medjai. Too bad I have to kill you now."

He heard a voice behind him. " Hey, you've got a problem with the Medjai?" He turned and was shocked to find Jean standing there, with a fierce look in her green eyes. At that point, he noticed a mark in her wrist he hadn't noticed earlier. It was a Medjai sign, he knew that very well.

" You are one of them!" Before thinking twice, he went against her. The woman jumped back and crouched, using that moment to slash his leg with the tip of her scimitar. Astounded, but determined to show her who the boss was, he reached down and slapped her hard across the face.

She fell backwards, dropping her weapon. Lucky for her, Ardeth had recovered and attacked Lock Nah, hitting his head against a wall and deeply cutting his chest. Confused, he shook his head and stared at the couple standing in front of him.

" This isn't over yet." And with those words, he was gone.

The two of them stood in front of each other, unable to speak.

" Ardeth… " She stared at him, not being able to process the fact that he was standing there, in her apartment. It was real, no matter how much it seemed like a dream. ' Has he always been this devastatingly handsome?' She asked herself.

" Jean… " His eyes never left hers as he reached out and gently stroked her reddened cheek. No matter how pretty she looked in his memory, it could never compare to the woman before him, and he'd missed her every second they had been separated. " You have saved my life… again."

***

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