Here is a collection of short pieces I wrote about Ardeth Bay after the
Mummy came out. I have some more that I will upload in a few days that are
more AU, exploring other alternate Ardeths. Yum! I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: Stephen Sommers and Universal Pictures own the character of Ardeth Bay. I do not profit from this work.
NOTE: These are FOUR SEPARATE ficlets, NOT one story.
***
His dark eyes bored into hers as he crossed the room, coiled, magnificent as a panther, his dark hair swirling as he pulled her hard against his lean body, his hands fierce upon her, his lips claiming hers with a startling intensity, the wildness of his spirit overwhelming her. His powerful fingers brought her closer yet, imprisoning her in bronze, her heart surging, the rasp of his sudden hot breath against her cheek when he pulled back, his mahogany eyes desiring her with dark fire. She fought the urge to break free-he could see it in her eyes---his mouth found hers again and her will melted away in the heat of his lust.
***
His dark eyes smoldered as he watched her dancing across the tent. Unaware of his presence, she moved with abandon, her delicate hands looping and circling like twin constellations. Her eyes were closed to the press of the physical world; her blonde hair swirled like spun gold in the lamplight. She danced to the feel of the music, each throb of the drum connected to her heart's rhythm. Mesmerized, he crossed the tent, reaching out with one bare hand to clasp her wrist, breaking her trance. Her shockingly jade eyes connected with his, surprised. His own blazed like dark twin stars, ferocious in their desire, demanding not only her flesh but her very soul. His free hand entwined itself in her hair, drawing her closer until she was crushed against the length and breadth of his hard body, his black mane silken against her face. She could feel the tension in his frame, his insatiable need, and it fueled her own quickening heat. Drawing back slightly, his eyes shimmered like the noon sands.
"I must have you," he said raggedly, his bare teeth shockingly white against his lips. His mouth took hers fiercely, urgently, capturing her and subordinating her to his blossoming lust. She could feel his hand trembling in her hair, his lean, muscular form like a tangible inferno against her own, his raw, scalding kiss branding her forever.
***
"By Allah, you vex me!" he thundered, striking the table with enough force to make her wince involuntarily. His dark eyes blazed. The muscles in his bare arms were taut with suppressed anger. "I will listen no longer to these demands. They have seen Hamunaptra, and they must die."
She forced herself to remain calm, winding her fingers together tightly. "They are only diggers---they are innocent. You cannot mean to---to slaughter them---"
He crossed the room in two fierce steps, suddenly unbearably close. She was suddenly aware of the scent of leather and desert that clung to him. "What are their lives, compared to the curse on this place? It has always been our task---"
"To trade the lives of innocents---for a superstition?" she interrupted, clenching her fingers tighter.
His eyes narrowed in fury. He bared white teeth in a snarl. She could feel the white hot heat radiating from his body. "I assure you that it is more than---superstition," he said, biting each word off savagely. "I have seen the Creature walk among men. I have seen the Plagues with my own eyes. I will never allow this to happen again."
His eyes burned, and she blanched involuntarily. She could see plainly enough that he told the truth, and she was horribly frightened---he had seen this, really he had. "It's not possible---" she breathed, holding her hands up, frightened by him, frightened by his dark rage.
He took one step closer, crossing the scant space that remained between them, grabbing her wrists in his iron grip. She could feel his warm breath against her; the black halo of his wild hair was ominous. "The power that sentenced him came from the hands of my ancestors," he said, his rich voice deceptively soft. "We must live forever with their actions." His long fingers tightened their hold, and the intensity in his eyes scared her.
"You---you must let us go," she gasped. "They---they have no idea what they're digging---they don't even know that it's Hamunaptra---" She stared at him in wild panic.
He was silent for a moment, his grip lessening. "Then they shall be let away from here," he murmured. "But you will stay, and you will never be allowed to leave."
She could only stand in utter incredulity as he suddenly kissed her, his dark passion feral and overpowering, his powerful arms around her waist, pulling her against his long, lean body. She could not reply, consumed by the raw, animal need that rose within her, responding to his wild desire.
***
The sands shimmered before her. She wished to cry, to weep, but who in this deserted land would care? Who would not chide her for such a waste of the precious life that Allah provided? She was lost, forsaken, driven deep into the scorched sands. Her heart ached, and she grieved for the loss of her family, her innocence, her life as she had known it.
The blazing sun, the fierce Eye of Allah, the golden reminder of her exile and imminent doom. Slowly, cruelly, she was burning to death under its pressure. She could not remember when she had last drank water. She knew, with the infallible sense of a native Bedouin, that she was very close to the end. If she did not find an oasis soon---she pulled her kuffiyah higher to black out more of the dazzling light. At the height of her thirst every next dune had sported mirages of greenery, the all-important sign of life; now the visions had ceased. Her thirst had lessened as well as her strength. She felt detached from the pitiful shape atop her camel. She seemed to be floating away, coolness enveloping her, the suffocating heat sliding away.
Slowly, gradually, she opened her eyes. The sky spread out in front of her, the blues dark and mysterious, the evening star faintly visible, the brilliant reds and oranges heralding nightfall. She lay there, still, feeling the arrival of twilight, deliciously indolent.
Suddenly her flight from the camp, the cruel journey, the days of parched and painful travel returned, and her heart spasmed in fear. She had lost the camel---by Allah, she was lost! To be without a mount in the deep desert---she was doomed, truly, finally, doomed. She struggled to sit up--- she could walk---it was not so cold yet---
She felt the pressure of an unfamiliar hand upon her, pushing her back, and she almost leapt out of her skin.
"No---do not be alarmed," came a voice, rich soothing. "I mean you no harm."
"Who---" She turned her head to the side, and the last stray beams of sunlight illuminated a man's face, unveiled. She sat still in shock. Black hair like the night sky framed an elegant, sharply defined face. A neatly trimmed goatee surrounded claret lips. His dark fathomless eyes pierced her, frightening her. "Who are you?"
"I am Ardeth." He paused, looking at her intently. "You are Tuema."
"My uncle---my uncle sent you!" she gasped, trying to crawl away.
"No---no!" he said in such a vehement tone that she stopped to stare at him. "I have been waiting---waiting for you, for many years."
"That is impossible!"
"With Allah, everything is possible." He lifted her up gently, pulling her into his arms, the heat of his body suddenly unbearably close. "I have dreamt of you for many nights. Allah revealed to me where I would find you in your moment of need."
She wanted to push him away---she knew she must. Yet she could not. The warmth of him---the strong fingers that held her arms---his face so intoxicatingly close. "I---I do not understand."
"There is no understanding. There is only accepting." His hand gently brushed her cheek, winding itself into her hair as he brought her closer, kissing her, delicately tasting her lips. She felt so warm, so protected; suddenly she knew that he would protect her, love her---that he had loved her already so long. She returned the kiss with a passion that surprised her. The heavens filled with stars. The moon that rose blessed them a thousand times as she lay that night, safe in his embrace, her heart burning anew.
***
Disclaimer: Stephen Sommers and Universal Pictures own the character of Ardeth Bay. I do not profit from this work.
NOTE: These are FOUR SEPARATE ficlets, NOT one story.
***
His dark eyes bored into hers as he crossed the room, coiled, magnificent as a panther, his dark hair swirling as he pulled her hard against his lean body, his hands fierce upon her, his lips claiming hers with a startling intensity, the wildness of his spirit overwhelming her. His powerful fingers brought her closer yet, imprisoning her in bronze, her heart surging, the rasp of his sudden hot breath against her cheek when he pulled back, his mahogany eyes desiring her with dark fire. She fought the urge to break free-he could see it in her eyes---his mouth found hers again and her will melted away in the heat of his lust.
***
His dark eyes smoldered as he watched her dancing across the tent. Unaware of his presence, she moved with abandon, her delicate hands looping and circling like twin constellations. Her eyes were closed to the press of the physical world; her blonde hair swirled like spun gold in the lamplight. She danced to the feel of the music, each throb of the drum connected to her heart's rhythm. Mesmerized, he crossed the tent, reaching out with one bare hand to clasp her wrist, breaking her trance. Her shockingly jade eyes connected with his, surprised. His own blazed like dark twin stars, ferocious in their desire, demanding not only her flesh but her very soul. His free hand entwined itself in her hair, drawing her closer until she was crushed against the length and breadth of his hard body, his black mane silken against her face. She could feel the tension in his frame, his insatiable need, and it fueled her own quickening heat. Drawing back slightly, his eyes shimmered like the noon sands.
"I must have you," he said raggedly, his bare teeth shockingly white against his lips. His mouth took hers fiercely, urgently, capturing her and subordinating her to his blossoming lust. She could feel his hand trembling in her hair, his lean, muscular form like a tangible inferno against her own, his raw, scalding kiss branding her forever.
***
"By Allah, you vex me!" he thundered, striking the table with enough force to make her wince involuntarily. His dark eyes blazed. The muscles in his bare arms were taut with suppressed anger. "I will listen no longer to these demands. They have seen Hamunaptra, and they must die."
She forced herself to remain calm, winding her fingers together tightly. "They are only diggers---they are innocent. You cannot mean to---to slaughter them---"
He crossed the room in two fierce steps, suddenly unbearably close. She was suddenly aware of the scent of leather and desert that clung to him. "What are their lives, compared to the curse on this place? It has always been our task---"
"To trade the lives of innocents---for a superstition?" she interrupted, clenching her fingers tighter.
His eyes narrowed in fury. He bared white teeth in a snarl. She could feel the white hot heat radiating from his body. "I assure you that it is more than---superstition," he said, biting each word off savagely. "I have seen the Creature walk among men. I have seen the Plagues with my own eyes. I will never allow this to happen again."
His eyes burned, and she blanched involuntarily. She could see plainly enough that he told the truth, and she was horribly frightened---he had seen this, really he had. "It's not possible---" she breathed, holding her hands up, frightened by him, frightened by his dark rage.
He took one step closer, crossing the scant space that remained between them, grabbing her wrists in his iron grip. She could feel his warm breath against her; the black halo of his wild hair was ominous. "The power that sentenced him came from the hands of my ancestors," he said, his rich voice deceptively soft. "We must live forever with their actions." His long fingers tightened their hold, and the intensity in his eyes scared her.
"You---you must let us go," she gasped. "They---they have no idea what they're digging---they don't even know that it's Hamunaptra---" She stared at him in wild panic.
He was silent for a moment, his grip lessening. "Then they shall be let away from here," he murmured. "But you will stay, and you will never be allowed to leave."
She could only stand in utter incredulity as he suddenly kissed her, his dark passion feral and overpowering, his powerful arms around her waist, pulling her against his long, lean body. She could not reply, consumed by the raw, animal need that rose within her, responding to his wild desire.
***
The sands shimmered before her. She wished to cry, to weep, but who in this deserted land would care? Who would not chide her for such a waste of the precious life that Allah provided? She was lost, forsaken, driven deep into the scorched sands. Her heart ached, and she grieved for the loss of her family, her innocence, her life as she had known it.
The blazing sun, the fierce Eye of Allah, the golden reminder of her exile and imminent doom. Slowly, cruelly, she was burning to death under its pressure. She could not remember when she had last drank water. She knew, with the infallible sense of a native Bedouin, that she was very close to the end. If she did not find an oasis soon---she pulled her kuffiyah higher to black out more of the dazzling light. At the height of her thirst every next dune had sported mirages of greenery, the all-important sign of life; now the visions had ceased. Her thirst had lessened as well as her strength. She felt detached from the pitiful shape atop her camel. She seemed to be floating away, coolness enveloping her, the suffocating heat sliding away.
Slowly, gradually, she opened her eyes. The sky spread out in front of her, the blues dark and mysterious, the evening star faintly visible, the brilliant reds and oranges heralding nightfall. She lay there, still, feeling the arrival of twilight, deliciously indolent.
Suddenly her flight from the camp, the cruel journey, the days of parched and painful travel returned, and her heart spasmed in fear. She had lost the camel---by Allah, she was lost! To be without a mount in the deep desert---she was doomed, truly, finally, doomed. She struggled to sit up--- she could walk---it was not so cold yet---
She felt the pressure of an unfamiliar hand upon her, pushing her back, and she almost leapt out of her skin.
"No---do not be alarmed," came a voice, rich soothing. "I mean you no harm."
"Who---" She turned her head to the side, and the last stray beams of sunlight illuminated a man's face, unveiled. She sat still in shock. Black hair like the night sky framed an elegant, sharply defined face. A neatly trimmed goatee surrounded claret lips. His dark fathomless eyes pierced her, frightening her. "Who are you?"
"I am Ardeth." He paused, looking at her intently. "You are Tuema."
"My uncle---my uncle sent you!" she gasped, trying to crawl away.
"No---no!" he said in such a vehement tone that she stopped to stare at him. "I have been waiting---waiting for you, for many years."
"That is impossible!"
"With Allah, everything is possible." He lifted her up gently, pulling her into his arms, the heat of his body suddenly unbearably close. "I have dreamt of you for many nights. Allah revealed to me where I would find you in your moment of need."
She wanted to push him away---she knew she must. Yet she could not. The warmth of him---the strong fingers that held her arms---his face so intoxicatingly close. "I---I do not understand."
"There is no understanding. There is only accepting." His hand gently brushed her cheek, winding itself into her hair as he brought her closer, kissing her, delicately tasting her lips. She felt so warm, so protected; suddenly she knew that he would protect her, love her---that he had loved her already so long. She returned the kiss with a passion that surprised her. The heavens filled with stars. The moon that rose blessed them a thousand times as she lay that night, safe in his embrace, her heart burning anew.
***
