We descended into Hamunaptra's innermost chambers without incident. I found the jar containing the special powder that would allow me to awaken my priests. Suddenly, a gunshot shattered the silence. My Princess looked up sharply.

   "O'Connell!" She cried. My enemy. But her Oh-kon-el would not save her this time.

   I poured the dust into my hand and blew it at the walls containing my mummified priests. I spoke the ancient words to reanimate them. The walls groaned in response. Behind me, my Princess and my servant stepped forward, curious, to get a closer look. Then, they jumped back as the mummies extracted themselves from the wall. My Princess muttered something in disbelief.

   I smiled. My priests bowed, awaiting their instructions. I acknowledged them with a nod, ignoring the sound of my Princess struggling with my servant.

   "Kill them," I ordered, "and wake the others."

   I sent my servant after them, to make sure nothing went wrong. My Princess and I listened and soon we heard many more shots fired. I smiled. It was time to begin the ritual.

   I assured my Princess' cooperation by applying pressure to certain points on the back of her neck. She fainted into my arms and I lifted her easily, carrying her to the altar. I laid her down tenderly and closed the restraints around her delicate wrists. Then I went to find Anck-su-namun's mummy.

   It wasn't difficult. She had been calling to me from the moment I my Princess had awakened me in my sarcophagus. I opened her coffin and gently scooped up her fragile body. I clutched her remains tightly to myself, cradling her corpse against my chest. Slowly, reverently, I carried my love to the altar, carefully laying her down beside my unconscious Princess.

   I moved quickly around the room, setting up the five canopic jars, preparing everything necessary for the ritual and assembling my priests in a circle around the altar. My Princess began to stir as a rat crawled over her stomach. She gave a small shriek of horror and turned on her side, trying to shake the rodent off. Then she saw Anck-su-namun and screamed again, panicking.

   She was struggling against her bonds as I walked slowly and deliberately toward the altar, holding the Book of the Dead in my outstretched hands. I stopped in front of the stone slabs and gazed down at my Princess and my beloved. I would reclaim the love that had been denied me centuries ago and be revenged upon those who had kept us apart. I shifted the weight of the Book of the Dead to my left arm, lifting my free hand to brush lightly over Anck-su-namun's features as she had done so often in life.

   I extracted the Key from my robes and opened the Book of the Dead. My Princess screamed for Oh-kon-el and the other man. Don-eh-thun. I started to chant the words that would bring my Anck-su-namun's soul back from the Underworld. I glanced at my Princess and suddenly felt a jolt of recognition. My Princess. Princess. Could she be…?

   I shook off the thoughts of my Princess. All my energy should be focused on the task at hand. Anck-su-namun. Our souls would be joined and our love made whole again. Why, then, did images of Princess Nefertiri intrude on my thoughts? That had been finished thousands of years ago.

   I concentrated on the words. Anck-su-namun's soul separated itself from the dark waters of the Underworld. I spoke with more and more energy as her soul floated back to its owner and settled back into her body.

   Anck-su-namun screamed as her soul awakened within her. She rolled over to see my Princess who was screaming as well. Her linen wrapped face showed surprise. She too recognized the likeness to Nefertiri. And it hadn't taken her nearly as long as it had taken me to recognize Seti's daughter. Although, in my defense, Anck-su-namun had much more contact with the Princess than I ever had. How fitting, I mused, that the one who had ordered the curse that would keep my love and I apart forever would now be the one to bring us together for all eternity. For once I became immortal, it would not be difficult to extend that gift to Anck-su-namun.

   I crossed to the other side of the altar to where my Princess shrunk away from me. I stroked her hair fondly, the memory of her kisses still branded on my lips.

   "Goodbye, my Princess," I murmured. Then, louder, "With your death, Anck-su-namun shall live. And I shall be invincible!"

   I raised the sacrificial blade high, ready to plunge it into her heart and resurrect my love completely. My Princess screamed, fearing for her life.

   Suddenly, movement at the top of the great staircase caught my eye. It was that fool Don-eh-thun, yelling at my Princess. But it wasn't the man himself that interested me, it was what he carried.

   "The Book of Amun-Ra." I lowered the knife and set off towards the man, placing the dagger on the altar beside Anck-su-namun.

   I was about halfway up the stairs when the idiot ran off down the corridor with the Book. My preternatural senses detected movement behind me and I turned just in time to see Oh-kon-el with a sword, leaping to free my Princess. I swore angrily.

   I watched, tense with anticipation, as Oh-kon-el fought my priests, taking them out sometimes two at a time. It looked as though he had finally defeated them when one of the mummies on the ground pulled my enemy's legs out from under him. Oh-kon-el grappled with the mummies, as one of the few that had escaped dismemberment picked up a stone tablet and started to carry it towards the man. My enemy reached desperately for his sword and finally managed to lay hold of it as the mummy priest prepared to drop the tablet on his head. Oh-kon-el acted swiftly, cutting through my priest's legs at the ankles. The weight of the tablet caused my priest to fall backwards, crushed by the block of stone.

   As my enemy cut my Princess free, I became aware of Don-eh-thun's voice stumbling over the inscription on the cover of the Book of Amun-Ra. I raised my eyebrows and smiled with amusement. Unless the fool with the Book could finish the inscription, I alone possessed enough power to control the Med-jai mummies.

   The Pharoah's guard began to advance on Oh-kon-el and my Princess. My Princess screamed instructions desperately at Don-eh-thun. I glanced back to the altar. Anck-su-namun and the sacrificial knife weren't there. My eyes flicked quickly back to my Princess. Anck-su-namun had the sacred dagger and was attacking my Princess with it. I shouted at the Med-jai to kill my enemy as Anck-su-namun slashed wildly at my Princess. Apparently, she wasn't quite over her vendetta with Nefertiri.

   Oh-kon-el roared angrily at the guards. They had jumped over the Pool of Souls and were now very close to him. They roared back. My enemy did what any sensible man might do; he turned and ran. The Med-jai gave chase and soon they had run off into one of the tunnels below the staircase to my right. Fools.

   Anck-su-namun was still running mindlessly after my Princess, stabbing blindly with the sacrificial knife. She finally got her by the throat. My Princess grabbed Anck-su-namun by the wrist, holding her off with all her strength. She screamed the name of the stork hieroglyph to Don-eh-thun before breaking away from Anck-su-namun.

   Oh-kon-el was still fighting Pharoah's guard and they finally backed him to the edge of the steps. He fell down backwards, dropping his sword as he tumbled to the bottom. The Med-jai rushed after him, ready to deliver a rain of killing blows. Then, the idiot somehow finished the inscription. The mummies stopped with the tips of their blades millimeters from my enemy's face. I turned around to face them, panic flooding through me. The mummies drew their weapons back, awaiting new orders.

   "Destroy him!!" I yelled.

   The warriors ignored me and Oh-kon-el scrambled away.

   "Destroy him!! I command you to destroy him!!" I screamed in desperation. From the corner of my eye, I could still see my Princess dodging blows from Anck-su-namun.

   Don-eh-thun shouted a new order at the Med-jai. "Warriors! Kill Anck-su-namun!"

   They immediately started toward her.

   "Anck-su-namun!" I yelled a warning, terror gripping me with cold fingers.

   She stopped and turned to see Pharoah's guard advancing on her, her bandaged face contorting with fear.

   I rushed at Don-eh-thun. "Give me that book!!"

   He dropped the golden book and began to back away.

   Anck-su-namun screamed and I whirled around, my dread showing on my face as I screamed her name. I couldn't see her any more, but the shadows on the wall gave me a clear picture of what was happening. Eerily reminiscent of a similar scene three thousand years ago, I watched as my beloved was hacked to pieces. Tears threatened, but instead I rounded on Don-eh-thun.

   "Now you die." I grabbed the idiot by the throat, ready to kill him and a thousand others for the death of my love. I was distracted by my enemy coming up behind me. A swift movement of his sword took my arm off just above the elbow. It fell harmlessly to the floor as Don-eh-thun choked and gasped for breath. I used my remaining hand to throw Oh-kon-el away from me. I strode toward him, picking up my arm and reattaching it as I walked.

   I grabbed my enemy again and tossed him easily across the room. At this point, my robe had fallen off and I wore only a loincloth and my pendant of the Priesthood of Osiris. Oh-kon-el stood up and I used the flat of my hand to send him flying off towards the stairs. I ran after him and picked him up by the throat, gripping his windpipe to choke the life out of him.

   "Now it's your turn." I growled. I opened my mouth to inhuman proportions, prepared to unleash a new pestilence upon him when the words of my Princess caught my attention. She was reading from the Book of Amun-Ra and those last few words were part of the inscription to… Oh no. I closed my mouth abruptly and looked towards my Princess.

   A ghostly chariot appeared at the top of the staircase. It swooped down on me and took away my immortality and my powers. I let go of Oh-kon-el and chased the chariot up the stairs, screaming in denial. The chariot dissolved into the air and I was left with nothing. I turned slowly back around to look at where my enemy now stood, his sword at the ready.

   For a moment, I simply stared ahead in shock. Anck-su-namun was gone. My own immortality had been taken away from me. Once again, Nefertiri had managed to destroy my happiness. My love.

   The three of them waited at the foot of the stairs. It was their fault, my mind screamed. Oh-kon-el had interrupted the ceremony. Don-eh-thun had given the order to kill my beloved. Nefertiri had taken away my immortality. I rushed at them, hatred consuming me, body and soul.

   My Princess shrieked and shoved my enemy out of the way, placing herself in my path. I barreled into her and we both went tumbling to the floor. I landed flat on my back with her on top of my chest, both of us breathing hard. My enemy loomed over us with his sword. I didn't understand his words, but his tone made it clear enough that he wanted my Princess to move so that he could finish me. I held my breath and waited for her to do as he asked. Instead, she shook her head and spoke quickly to him. It is maddening to listen to an argument in a language you can't understand when your life hangs in the balance.

   Finally, Oh-kon-el gave in with a sigh of confused resignation. My Princess slowly stood up and held out a hand to me. After, a moment's deliberation, I took it and stood up myself.

   Suddenly, the whole place began to shake. My servant! I cursed him a thousand times for whatever he had done to activate the switch. Oh-kon-el and Don-eh-thun ran off in the direction of the city entrance, but I clasped my Princess' hand tightly and pulled her towards the secret passages leading out of the city.

   As we ran, my heart screamed that we were going the wrong way. I was leaving Anck-su-namun to be buried forever in Hamunaptra. We had to save her. But I knew she was beyond saving. I, however, was not. Indeed, I had been saved by the young woman who bore the likeness of Princess Nefertiri. Perhaps she could be the Princess reincarnated. I still had a chance to live. And I would take it, though my heart broke with each step that took me away from that inner sanctum.

   I led my Princess through the maze of tunnels until we finally came to a secret door that led us out of the city. We ran from the site, narrowly escaping the choking cloud of dust that rose as the City of the Dead sank into the sands.

   When we finally stopped, I glanced over at my Princess. A tear rolled down her cheek and suddenly I grasped that she was running away from that which she loved as well. For a brief moment I imagined telling her to go back to Oh-kon-el and the other man. Her brother, perhaps. I imagined her grin of joy as she ran back to the arms of the man she loved, leaving me alone in the desert.

   And then I knew I could do no such thing. In my selfish need, I found myself leaning on her more and more. I could not bear to be alone again. I refused to be alone.

   I blinked as the bright Egyptian sunlight sunlight stung my eyes and my Princess and I walked out into the desert to start over.

A/N:  Yay!! Finished! And that was a really long chapter to make up for the shortness of all the others. Please excuse my pathetic efforts to syllable-ize O'Connell's and Jonathan's names… I have a sequel (barely) started and I would really appreciate your guys' input. If any of you would like do me the extreme kindness of helping me and beta-reading for me, please e-mail me at  MunchletteBelle@aol.com   Thanks!!! *~Kitty~*