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hand on his flat belly； and then gently on his chest。 It was always the hardness of men all over that excited her； even the hardness of their mouths； that they tensed their mouths when they kissed； she liked even to feel their teeth behind their lips。
She kissed him roughly and pressed her breasts against him。 He could hardly control himself； he wanted to carry her to the bed； he tried to be gentle。
〃Such an unearthly thing；〃 he whispered。〃 Wherever did you e from？〃
〃From darkness and coldness。 Kiss me。 I am only warm again when I'm kissed。 Make a fire； Lord Summerfield； to burn both of us。〃
She went back against the pillows； tugging him down on top of her。 Her hand plunged； grasped his sex and stroked it； pinching the tip。 When he moaned； she opened his lips with her own； licking at his tongue and his teeth。
〃Now；〃 she said。〃 Into me。 The second time is for the slow song。〃
Julie's suite。 Samir set the newspapers down on the table。 Julie drank a second cup of the sweet Egyptian coffee。
〃You mustn't leave me tonight； Samir。 Not till we hear from him；〃 she said。 She stood up。〃 I'm going to change into my robe。 Promise me you won't leave me。〃
〃I'll be here； Julie；〃 he said；〃 but perhaps you should sleep。 I'll wake you as soon as I hear anything。〃
〃No； I can't do that。 I want only to get out of these tired clothes。 I won't be but a minute。〃
She went into the bedroom。 She had sent Rita off an hour ago to her own room； and thank God for that； she wanted only to be with Samir。 Her nerves were worn thin。 She knew Elliott was in the hotel； but she could not bring herself to ring him。 She did not want to see him or talk to him。 Not until she knew what Ramses had done； and she could not break the feeling of foreboding。
Slowly she took the pins out of her hair； gazing absently in the mirror。 For a moment； she noticed nothing amiss； and then suddenly she realized that a tall Arab in white robes was standing in the corner of the room； still as the shadows； merely watching her。 Her Arab； Ramses。
She spun around； her hair tumbling down all at once over her shoulders。 Her heart was about to burst。
She might have fainted again for the second time in her life； if he hadn't caught her。 Then she saw the deep bloodstain on his robe and again she felt weak； blackness rising all around her。
Silently he embraced her； pressing her to himself。〃 My Julie；〃 he said； his voice heartbroken。〃 How long have you been here？〃
〃Only a little while；〃 he said。〃 Let me be silent now； let me hold you。〃
〃Where is she？〃
He let her go； backing off。〃 I don't know；〃 he said in a defeated voice。〃 I have lost her。〃
Julie watched him as he paced； turned and looked at her from a distance。 She was keenly aware that she loved him； and would go on loving him no matter what had happened。 But she could not say such a thing to him； not until she knew。。。
〃Let me call Samir；〃 she said。〃 He's there； in the sitting room。〃
〃I want to be alone with you for a moment；〃 he said。 And for the first time； he appeared just slightly afraid of her。 It was a subtle thing； but she felt it。
〃You must tell me what's happened。〃
He remained impassive； looking at her； the sheikh robes doing their damnedest to make him irresistible。 And then suddenly his expression broke her heart； no use denying it。
In a tremulous voice； she said；〃 You gave her more of it。〃
〃You haven't seen her；〃 he said quietly； his voice unhurried； his eyes full of undisguised sorrow。〃 You have not heard the sound other voice！ You have not heard her weeping。 Don't judge me。 She is as alive as I am！ I brought her back。 Let me judge myself。〃
She clasped her hands tightly； hurting the fingers of her right hand with the fingers of the other。
〃What do you mean； you don't know where she is？〃
〃I mean she escaped from me。 She attacked me； she tried to kill me。 And she is mad。 Lord Rutherford was right。 Absolutely mad。 She would have killed him if I hadn't stopped her。 The elixir hasn't changed that。 It merely healed her body。〃
He took a step towards her； and before she could stop herself she turned her back。 She was going to cry again； oh； so many tears。 And she didn't want to。
〃Pray to your gods；〃 she said； looking at him through the mirror。〃 Ask them what to do。 My God would only condemn you。 But whatever happens with this creature； one thing is certain。〃 She turned and looked him in the eye。〃 You must never； never brew the elixir again。 Whatever remains； consume it。 Do it now in my presence。 And men erase the formula from your mind。〃
No response。 Slowly he removed the headdress； and ran his hand back through his hair。 For some reason this only made him look all the more gallant and seductive。 A biblical figure now with flowing hair and flowing robes。 It maddened her slightly； and made the threat of tears all the more sharp。
〃Do you realize what you're saying？〃
〃If it's too dangerous to consume it； then find someplace far out in the desert sands； and make a deep shaft into which to pour it！ But get rid of it。〃
〃Let me put a question to you。〃
〃No。〃 She turned her back again。 She covered her ears。 When she looked up she saw in the mirror that he was right at her shoulder。 There was that awareness again of her own world destroyed； of a brilliant light having thrown all else into hopeless shadow。
Gently； he took her hands； and lowered them from her ears。 He looked into her eyes through the mirror； his body warm and close to her。
〃Julie； last night。 If instead of taking the elixir with me to the museum； if instead of pouring it over Cleopatra's remains… if instead； I'd offered it to you； wouldn't you have taken it？〃
She refused to answer。 Roughly he grabbed her wrist and turned her around。
〃Answer me！ If I had never seen her lying there in that glass case 。。。〃
〃But you did。〃
She meant to hold firm； but he surprised her with his kiss； with the roughness and the desperation of his embrace； with his hands moving over her face and her cheek almost cruelly。 He was saying her name like a prayer。 He murmured something in the ancient Egyptian tongue； she didn't know what it was。 And then he said softly in Latin that he loved her。 He loved her。 It seemed both explanation and apology； somehow； the reason for all this suffering。 He loved her。 He said it as if he were just realizing it； and now her tears were ing again； stupidly。 It infuriated her。
She pulled back； then kissed him and let him kiss her again； and sank against his chest； merely letting him hold her。
Then softly she said：
〃What does she look like？〃
He sighed。
〃Is she beautiful？〃
〃She always was。 She is now。 She is the woman who seduced Caesar； and Mark Antony； and the whole world。〃
She stiffened； drawing away from him。
〃She is as beautiful as you are；〃 he said。〃 But you are right。 She is not Cleopatra。 She is a stranger in Cleopatra's body。 A monster looking through Cleopatra's eyes。 And struggling to use Cleopatra's wits to her own purposeless advantag