Pharaoh's Desire by Chanta Rand Page A

one of the reed chests and rifled through its contents. “By the gods, all you have are these white tunics.”
    “I will not go,” Kama declared.
    Dyzet gasped. “Have you gone mad? You cannot refuse a royal summons!”
    “I can if I am sick. In fact…” She touched her forehead. “I feel ill this very moment.”
    Dyzet stood slowly and eyed Kama evenly. “You know you are simply delaying the inevitable.”
    “So be it.”
    “You cannot avoid him.”
    “I have been successful up to this point.”
    “You cannot outsmart him.”
    “That remains to be seen.”
    The two stared at each other, neither willing to back down. Dyzet’s small fists rested firmly on her hips. Her legs were spread in a defiant stance. “I do not think you realize the seriousness of your situation,” she warned Kama.
    “And I do not think you realize the extent of my determination,” Kama retorted.
    “Stubbornness is more like it.”
    “I prefer to call it endurance.”
    “Your endurance could be your undoing.”
    “It has not failed me yet.”
    “The Pharaoh will not be happy.”
    Kama crossed her arms. “That is one thing we shall both have in common.”
    “Your beauty and intellect have brought you this far, Kama. But his patience will wear thin.” Dyzet opened the door and prepared to leave. “The Pharaoh will have you sooner or later.

    The entire palace was alive with excitement on the day of the hunt. Amonmose sat comfortably inside his litter and admired the view. He was suspended above the shoulders of forty men who carried him effortlessly to any destination he chose. The top of the litter was equipped with a hard canopy that shielded him from the merciless sun and the The dark red interior was roomy, comfortably seating four people if necessary.
    He inhaled a deep breath of fresh air. This was what he lived for. He was an accomplished hunter, and as a member of the royal lineage, he enjoyed the privilege of this sport. He could easily conquer any animal on his own; his bodyguard and royal entourage only slowed him down. He was not afraid of man or beast, and he had the trophies to prove it.
    Amonmose pulled aside the curtain that protected him from the harsh rays of the sun and surveyed his surroundings with a nod of satisfaction. His servants were making final preparations for the hunt. There would be a feast upon his return. And then, he supposed, all his soldiers would get drunk and horny before the day was over.
    He watched as the last of the hunting party arrived. From his where he sat, he had a clear view of Kama walking with her usual grace:her head held high, her shoulders squared. She was dazzling in her customary white, long dress. Her waist-length hair was straight, plaited in tiny braids, and pulled back from her face with a leather bandeau. Amonmose had an urge to yank that cord off and thread his fingers through the mass of hair. No woman had ever made his body respond the way she did. He tried not to concentrate on her sumptuous figure, uncertain whether he would be able to control his reaction.
    His inner voice nagged at him. You are lord and ruler. You do not need to contain yourself. Everything is yours to be taken. He shrugged off the thought. He did not have to force himself on anyone. Plenty of women threw themselves at his feet every day!
    But there is only one that you want.
    As he watched Kama, he noticed some of the other men openly staring at her. She obviously had no idea the effect she had on the male species. Amonmose’s lips lifted at the corners to form a rare smile, and it was at that moment their eyes met. He saw a flicker of anger in her dark eyes, and then they softened, and a nonchalant gaze replaced the spark. She narrowed her eyes and turned away. His heartbeat quickened. She would be no easy conquest, but he’d felt the erotic promise of her kiss.   When she finally gave herself to him, it would be well worth the wait.
     
    Kama turned her attention to Dyzet, but she could