Evie had been lying on the cot for a while trying to rest. She still felt tired but did not want to sleep. Despite what had occurred and been said between her and Imhotep, she needed to get out of here, find the Book of Amun-ra and get back to Rick, Jonathon, Ardeth and the Med-Jai. There were still things that needed to be done. The Priests needed to have their immortality taken away. Evie felt no qualms about aiding in eliminating the Priest of Seth but she felt slightly different about Imhotep now. There were things that he still had to explain to her. Things that only he knew. If they killed him then there wouldn't be anyone knowledgeable to help her with her reincarnation dilemma.

Evie sighed to herself. There was so much that she had to deal with and so much that she wasn't sure she understood. She stared at the bare stone wall with her back towards the door to the room. Earlier and after Imhotep had left, Evie had tried to see if it was locked and sure enough it was which rendered her unable to escape. So how was she going to get out?

There was the sound of footsteps outside the room and Evie stilled listening to them. The footsteps stopped but then there was the sound of the door making soft creaking noises as it was opened. Evie quickly stood up, wincing because of her side, and turned about to face the door with the cot between her and the door. Just as she had suspected, Imhotep stood there in the doorway looking in at her. She watched him as he stepped in and used his powers to close the door behind him.

He walked across the room and he stopped in its center looking toward her. Knowing now that for some unknown reason he cared for her, Evie wasn't sure how she felt or how to act towards him. Though he was currently being nice to her, he had been an enemy longer than he had been a friend so it was hard to view his as anything else.

Imhotep's eyes went from her face to her hurt side which she had her hand over. Then his eyes went up to hers again. "Your injuries are worse than I knew. I can heal you. You have to trust me though and sit still for me to heal your side." He gestured to the cot.

Evie held her side and looked from the cot to him wondering if she could trust him. Evie took a calming breath and hoped her decision wasn't stupid as she went around the end of the cot and sat down on it facing him.

Imhotep walked slowly towards her, so as not to startle her. Evie watched him a bit nervously but made herself remain still. When he got about a foot away from her he stopped and knelt down before her like he had done earlier when he had made his promise to her. His eyes searched hers to make sure that she was going to stay and not flee from him. He was very slow and careful as he raised his hands and started to move them toward her side.

"I am not going to hurt you Nefertiri." Imhotep said softly as he kept reaching out getting closer to touching her side. He could see that she was tense.

Evie took another steadying breath. Never had one man affected her so much in so many ways. But she did want to be healed and she was trying to remain still and trust him all though it was hard to do.

"Move your hand." Imhotep told her.

Slowly Evie took her hand away from her side and laid it in her lap. When his hands touched her side, it surprised her even though she had known to expect it. She jumped but then stilled. His hands were warm, she could feel them even through the fabric of her shirt. They were broad and strong...larger than her small thin hands. Evie had thought that they would be rough but in tending to her his hands seemed tender and gentle as they touched her injured side.

She made the mistake of looking to him and their gazes met. Evie felt electrifying tingles coarse throughout her body because of how he was looking at her. She saw the corners of his mouth lift just a bit in a smile before his eyes closed allowing her to break her gaze and look away from him. Evie heard whispering, low and unintelligible that flowed like a chant. Curious, Evie couldn't help but to look back at him. She saw that his eyes were still closed and the whispering came from his slowly moving lips.

In an instant her side turned ice cold, making her gasp in surprise. Goose bumps appeared on her arms and just when she didn't think she could take the cold anymore, Imhotep's whispering grew a bit louder and faster. He pressed his hands a little more against her side and she felt warmth flow from his hands, through her shirt and to her skin. The warmth took away the cold and spread throughout her whole body erasing the goose bumps as it progressed. It felt like the warmth was renewing her body all over. Her tiredness was gone, dizziness gone, and the aching in her side and legs was gone. Evie closed her eyes allowing herself to enjoy the comforting and renewing sensation that spread through her.

After a minute, Evie felt the strength of the healing warm flow ebb and stop. Her body still tingled but it no longer was flowing into her. She opened her eyes and saw Imhotep watching her, his hands now away from her side. He had a pleased expression as he looked at her.

"You are healed Nefertiri. Your strength has returned." Imhotep told her.

Evie felt like she was put in a spot light and everything was waiting for her to say her line. She still felt strange around him yet he had healed her so shouldn't she say something to him to show appreciation? Even if he still is an enemy, it didn't call for her to be rude after what he had done for her. Imhotep did not have to heal her, he did not have to care but he did for some reason.

Evie felt nervous and her skin warmed now on its own accord and an unbidden blush appeared on her cheeks. She ducked her head and looked down at the ground between them. "Than..." She sighed and tried again. "Thank you." Evie glanced up to him but looked away quickly seeing that he still stared at her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a happy, pleased grin grow and spread across his handsome face. He looked truly happy and not frightening anymore. This made her look back to him for a better look. No, she hadn't imagined it. Imhotep did look happy, tender, caring and protective maybe?

"You are welcome Princess." Imhotep replied with his grin still present. He looked at her as if he could see her confusion and constantly changing emotions and feelings about him. Initially her expression had gone from confusion to surprise which in turn changed to gratefulness and curiosity before turning into uneasiness. He couldn't blame her for it either.

Since he still stared at her, it made her grow nervous and jittery. Evie wanted to move and distance herself from him but if she stood, then it would just make her closer to him. So she pulled up her legs and started scooting back away from him to the other side of the cot behind her.

Imhotep watched this with pain. He hated that she was so afraid of him and uncomfortable. He liked being in her company though she didn't like to be in his. It was still something too new for her and foreign to her.

Imhotep gave a sigh and stood up. He took a couple of small steps back to ease the tension and pressure on her.

Evie had stopped moving when he started to move. She heard him give a sigh as he had moved back. So, did he understand how she felt? Is that why he had moved? Evie believed so because of the way he had sighed...reluctantly. That sort of surprised her to see that even though she didn't want to be close to him, he wanted to be close to her. What had happened in the past? In her ancient life? Or was it something in the present that caused him to act this way now?

Evie was grateful that he had backed up. Now no longer feeling trapped, she resumed her previous seat on the edge of the cot. Imhotep remained where he was, still quietly watching her. Silence hung heavy in the room. Wasn't he going to leave now or was he going to talk to her some more?

His voice broke the silence like as if slicing through it with a knife. "You still do not believe the things that I have told you?"

Evie fumbled with her fingers. "I am not sure. Before this I had enough going on. Now with what you tell me, it is still hard to fully believe but I don't think that I can deny it either. I don't really know what to do about this."

Evie shook her head to herself and sighed. "I've been through so much crazy stuff it is like I am trying to make a long list of everything unbelievable that I can get myself into." She muttered to herself.

Imhotep heard this though for he gave a small huffing laugh that was brief and quick.

Evie looked up to him in shock. She hadn't heard him laugh good naturedly before. The only times she had ever heard him laugh, they had sounded evilly victorious or scoffing. The smile she saw on his face made her turn her face away from him and her cheeks started to redden. At first she felt embarrassed but then she got angry. How often was it that she always had to be the damsel that was always timid, shy, captive or useless? Answer...always. Where had her new growing self-confidence gone? She knew it was still there but it was still shaken a bit from all these new interactions between her and Imhotep.

Evie resolved to be more firm, demanding and fend for herself. She needed to get out of here. She needed to find the Book. And the only one to stop her was Imhotep. So what should she do? Well she did have those two knifes but since Imhotep still had his immortality trying to attack him would accomplish nothing. She knew even if she got the knife into him, then he would just pull it out and flick it across the room. She grew aggravated and stood up to face Imhotep.

"Now see here! I am tired of always seeming to end up helpless." Evie stared at Imhotep who was watching her with new amusement. "I have a task to do and need the Book of Amun-ra. It wasn't where it should have been and those mummy warriors can't move unless ordered. I know you have to have the book! Where is it?"

Imhotep took a step closer to her. The atmosphere seemed a bit more charged now. His amusement had faded and his expression was now serious. "Why should I let you have the Book Nefertiri? To kill me?"

A spark of fear flew through her. He was right. He knew better than to give it to her. But Evie decided to try to convince him otherwise.

"I need the book. I have to help kill the Priest of Seth. You know as well as I of what needs to be done." She reasoned. "If you give me the book, I will take it and leave to go make sure that it is done."

Imhotep took a menacing step toward her then stopped as she cringed. He faced her with a stern final expression. "I know what needs to be done Nefertiri but I will not give you the book. I have reasons to want to keep you safe...reasons why I care about you. You don't have any reasons to care for me though. I hope you will soon but now you do not. If I let you go then you might not develop any reasons to. I have waited too long Nefertiri. I will not let you depart from me."

Evie was confused again and aggravated. She still didn't understand and she wanted to know now. "Why won't you tell me your reasons? How could you be acting this way toward me? Why do you care? I want to know. Why should you care for me? I don't understand this at all and it is driving me crazy! By all reasons you should be wanting to kill me!" She took a deep breath and continued on. "For what have you waited too long? Why won't you let me leave?"

Imhotep was too quick as he strode those last few steps toward her. Evie started backing up in fear but soon unknowingly backed herself up against the wall. And before she could dart away, Imhotep was there. Right there directly in front of her. His intense eyes burning and looking down at her face keeping her frozen in place. He was so close to her that she wouldn't be able to move without brushing against him. For he was as close to her as he could be without touching...leaving her no room to move away.

Evie pressed herself against the wall. She felt like she wasn't breathing fast enough and fear over rode her. Oh why did she have to go and make him mad? Now he probably was going to kill her.

His voice came and when it did it surprised her. For it wasn't loud, or rough or threatening. It was soft, tender, whispery. The fierceness in his eyes dwindled and changed into that same burning intenseness in his eyes that he had had before. His breath and words whispered across her skin...across her cheek, her neck, her jaw. "Because...I love you Nefertiri. My Princess."

Evie felt like time had stopped. Like she was suddenly underwater and couldn't hear a thing or breathe. A fiercer shock than she had ever experienced coursed through her body making her feel weak, tired, frozen and thoroughly affected by it all the way to her core. She wondered if she had heard right. She wanted to protest and argue but she couldn't find her voice to.

Imhotep saw and felt her reaction. It coursed through not only her but him as well. This was shocking her but it felt so good for him to tell her...to finally let her know instead of keeping it hidden. He knew that she probably wanted to disagree, argue about it and that she had to have questions. She didn't understand, but he would explain it to her.

"I have known you Nefertiri since our youth. I became a Priest of Osiris and you were Egypt's Princess. Living in the palace I got to watch you as you grew more and more beautiful by the day, the night, the hour and the second. The fairest most beautiful flower of all Egypt...and the rarest. I was in love with you and always watched you whenever you were around. I wanted you to notice. I wanted you to be in love with me too. I didn't want to imagine my life without you. For a while I thought that you might love me, but then things changed. Anck-su-namun became a concubine for your father and it displeased you...it hurt you. Your close relationship with your father changed and was ruined because of Anck-su-namun. You hated her." He leaned his head beside hers to whisper in her ear. Evie was still. She was still in shock and could only listen to him as he breathed the story into her ear.

His voice turned pained now and sad. "I watched you come to grief, you sunk into a depression. I couldn't see the signs anymore whether you loved me or not. And just like you...I became broken. Hurt, I turned away from you and tried to seek a way to fill the hurt. I wanted to hurt you like you had hurt me. So I turned to Anck-su-namun. For a while I thought I loved her but then I came to realize that I didn't love her like I did you. I cared for her but not in the same way at all like she thought I did. If she had known that I always desired you instead of her, it would have hurt her. And when your father came, it was too late to do anything different. She wanted to kill him because she hated him. I wanted to kill him, not so I could have Anck-su-namun, but because you had been hurt by him Nefertiri."

Evie still couldn't say anything. She felt her eyes tearing up. Why? She didn't know. The only thing she could do was stand there pressing against the wall for support as she listened to her enemy tell her these mind blowing revelations. Listening to him tell her a side of the story that she had never known and never could have even imagined.

Imhotep's body pressed a little closer to hers. She could feel his robes against her but that was as close as he pressed. He still had an awareness that she was stunned, afraid and confused so he was taking this as slow as he could endure. He moved his lips closer to her ear where strands of her hair tickled his lips as he kept whispering the story to her.

"It was you Nefertiri. You saw Anck-su-namun and I kill your father from your balcony. You never knew my motives and I never got to tell you that I had killed him for you. I just didn't know that even though you were hurt and angry with your father, you still loved him more than I knew. It was you who called the Med-Jai to help your father. When they came there was no time for explanations, for truth. Even though I did not love Anck-su-namun like I did you, I couldn't leave her to face the Med-Jai alone. Yet she wished me to leave. She asked for me to resurrect her. I promised and left but not before I watched her stab herself. I did care for her...but not anywhere as much as I cared for you." He paused for a brief moment before continuing.

"When the time was right, I took her body from her crypt and raced to Hamunaptra to fulfill the promise I had made to her though I didn't love her anymore. The Med-Jai came and stopped the ceremony before she could return." Imhotep paused closing his eyes and feeling the tickle of her hair against his face.

Evie could hear the sadness in his voice. The pain of having let someone down, of failing. She had to really try to swallow the lump in her throat. His voice continued on, not through telling his story.

"I was cursed and made to endure the HomDai for trying to keep a promise." His voice sounded pained again but then it lifted. "See Nefertiri, I will do anything to uphold a promise. If I could do that for someone that I no longer loved...think of what I am willing to endure for you, the woman I've always loved."

Evie could see it all clearly now. She realized that whether she wanted this or not, Imhotep was going to be in her life. Imhotep was a powerful force that was going to make sure that he was always present in her life. He was like a shield, a protector wanting to do everything for her. Imhotep was unselfish when it came to her. He cared more about her than himself and the force of that truth hit her hard like an ocean wave breaking upon rocks.

Imhotep's voice softened and took on a pleased tone. "And when I first saw you after you unknowingly raised me from the dead, my vision was poor so I mistook you for Anck-su-namun. The next time I saw you in that city, I knew exactly who you were. I knew that I was once again looking upon my love, my princess. I wanted to make you mine so I took you away and brought you back here."

Evie was confused again and finally found her voice to respond. She didn't look at him but kept looking over his shoulder to the other side of the room like she had been doing as he told her the story. "I don't understand. You were going to kill me to bring Anck-su-namun back. You made a promise to her and were going to raise her but you needed a sacrifice. You were going to kill me to bring her back."

Evie was a bit surprised when she felt him nod his head beside hers.

"Yes I was, but I wasn't going to let you stay in death. I had a promise to keep to Anck-su-namun and I was going to keep it. But I wasn't going to let that be the end of you. I didn't know then very much about your destiny to become a goddess by being bound with an immortal, but I still could have shared my immortality with you and brought you back to me for this is possible with anyone not just you. You would have been bound to me and not died unless I did." Imhotep paused and brushed his head against her hair. It made a shiver pass through Evie.

"I know more now about your destiny. I know the boundaries, the process, the facts about binding you. Remember what I told you? If you are bound to an immortal man that brings deep emotions in you, brings..." His lips pressed closer against her ear and he whispered even more in a loving intense way. "...passion in you, then the two will be forever bound in life and in a deep, never ending, unbreakable love. The two could live here on earth or with the gods in the god's realm. They would be a powerful invincible force in favor with the gods."

Evie was starting to realize what his intentions were, what he was planning. It was overwhelming and the thought of it created a whirling storm of emotions spiraling through her.

"I promised that I won't let you be bound to the god Seth or even to the Priest of Seth. I won't let you be bound to anyone except one immortal." Imhotep said without whispering now. His voice was its normal volume now and in it she heard the finality of his plan, and what it was that he was determined to do.

Evie took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She knew who that one immortal that he would let her be bound to be. "You."

Imhotep stepped closer till she was against his chest. His hands came up from his sides and held her upper arms in a tender but firm grip. He leaned his head against hers. Evie could feel the slow rise and fall of his muscled chest. She could feel his breath tickling her ear and neck. Evie couldn't help but shiver as his breath and his presence sent tingles racing throughout her. Evie knew that Imhotep had felt her shiver because she felt him smile against her ear.

Imhotep leaned back bringing his face before hers and she found herself captivated by his intense gaze. She could now identify what that intense gaze of his held, love. "Yes my Princess Nefertiri, me. I love you Nefertiri and always will even after time has ended. After all life is gone. For all eternity. I promise to take care of you Nefertiri. I promise to love you for all eternity and even then forever may not be long enough. We will make you an immortal who will have the power of gods. We will make you a goddess to be accounted with the others. You and I will live and be bound forever. Our love will never end. Our bond never broken or undone. Because," Imhotep paused. "once you are bound Nefertiri, there is no way to undo it or break it. Once you are bound you always will be bound."

Evie wanted to be able to protest because this was definitely not a future she had ever wanted for herself. Now whoever could get to her first could bind her to them forever and she didn't really have a choice in the matter either. For none of them would allow her to be bound alone. Her only possibilities now were between the god Seth, an evil god of chaos and evil, or an evil Priest of Seth, or a Priest of Osiris who she didn't know how to feel about anymore.

"Me being bound to someone can't be forced can it? No one can make me can they? And you said that I had to love, to have feelings and passion for the immortal man, but...I...I don't. I don't feel anything." Evie said wanting to find a way out yet afraid to tell Imhotep that she didn't love him. She didn't know how he would react at being rejected.

"You are not supposed to be bound by force or bound unwillingly but there are exceptions and ways around that. The Priest of Seth shouldn't be able to force you but if he asks permission from a powerful god, then he can. He will ask for the god Seth to bless it and so he will be able to force you and bind you." Imhotep paused, a conniving expression appearing on his face.

"I could force you as well. I could call upon Osiris and ask his blessings to bind you and it would be stronger than Seth's permission would be for Osiris is the husband of the goddess Isis who protects you. But..." Imhotep paused again, his expression relaxing.

He moved his right hand away from her upper arm and up to tenderly rest against the side of her face. Looking into his eyes she saw the burning intense love he held for her. It amazed and frightened her a bit to see the strength and depth of that love.

She watched his lips part and heard his voice while being held and trapped by his gaze. "But I will not force you Nefertiri unless time has run out and it is absolutely necessary. I want you to come to love me and desire to be bound to me. I am willing to wait Nefertiri for I never want to lose you and I truly do want nothing but your love."

The grin Imhotep gave her made her heart race and breathing cut short. He sensed it too for his grin broadened. "You say you do not feel anything for me my princess? Then tell me why you dreamed of me and why it bothered you so. Tell me why you have not been able to forget those two times that I kissed you the last time I was risen. Tell me why my touch, my presence, my voice, my gaze causes you to shiver, send tingles through you that chill you, make your skin grow warm, make your cheeks redden, make your heart race and your breath grow short."

He smiled again which just made the tingles race again. Evie didn't know what to say. She had been trying to deny it but he was making her see that he did affect her more than she wanted to admit.

"You have feelings for me Nefertiri I can sense them. You do not quite know it yet yourself and you try to deny it. Right now you are still fearful of me and that emotion currently overrides any other feelings you have for me." Imhotep stared into her eyes reading whatever was in them.

"But I can help you see past your fear..." Imhotep trailed off and leaned his face towards hers. Evie was frozen unable to move or think. His eyes were locked with hers as he leaned closer. Then he tilted his head and placed his lips on hers with his eyes closed.

Evie felt his lips on hers and she couldn't move. She was suddenly flashing back to those other two times when he had kissed her. Evie had thought those times were surprising and stunning but with his lips on hers right now, those past kisses couldn't compare. His lips were warm on hers. She felt his right hand return to her upper arm so he was holding both of her upper arms. Then, his lips started to move against hers with a powerful intent, purpose and caress. Evie wasn't sure what to do. Her eyes closed of their own accord as she felt his lips move against hers.

Evie was still, motionless as he was kissing her in a sure, effective and experienced way. Warmth radiated through her like fire. Her mind was careening trying to keep a hold on her thoughts and her feelings swirled chaotically through her. She didn't know what to think. His kisses were affecting her more than she had thought they would. She was afraid to admit that there was something about him, something about his lips on hers, his touch and presence that she liked.

Imhotep started kissing her more quickly but still in that tender, loving and romantic way. He was wanting for this to affect her. He knew it would and he could feel that indeed it was beginning to for even though she remained still, he could feel her heart racing.

He rubbed his thumb against her arm as he kept kissing her. Though she wasn't responding to him by kissing him back, she wasn't revolting from him either. So this assured him that she did have feelings for him. Surely she had to love him but she just didn't know it yet. His heart lifted and he felt elated with the knowledge that he had a shot at successfully romancing her and helping her fall in love with him.

Imhotep didn't want to stop but he knew he needed to. He didn't want to press too much and push her over her limit. He didn't want to frighten her. This would just take time and he was willing to wait as long as needed till she would come to him and show him that she loved him like he loved her. He slowly stopped kissing her and left his lips pressed against hers for a few seconds longer before he pulled away.

Evie felt him slow and then stop. She opened her eyes and saw his intense gaze fixed on her and in them she saw what she had not wanted to see. She saw that he knew that he could affect her. Evie had to take a deeper breath to catch her breath again. She felt flushed and thoroughly stunned.

Imhotep grinned at her sending new tingles coursing through her. "You will not be able to deny it for long Nefertiri. I will do everything to help you come to see that you can love me. I will help you to come to love me with as much passion as I love you Princess. This is another promise I make to you."

Evie was locked in his gaze. She didn't know if she could ever pull away from his gaze. Suddenly though, Imhotep looked alert. His eyes closed and he seemed to be concentrating. Once he found whatever he was looking for or concentrating on, his eyes open right back on her. She saw that he looked troubled. But what could possible trouble him? She must have had a curious, worried look on her face because he answered her unspoken question.

"The Priest of Seth is almost back."