Chaya lay in her bed, the events of the day still fresh in her mind. She had spent hours attending to royal matters—duties she had reluctantly taken up since her return to India. Her body was exhausted, but her mind… her mind was elsewhere. Somewhere in Egypt. Somewhere across time.
As she closed her eyes, the pull of the dream started again. It was familiar, like an old song that echoed in her veins, pulling her back to that distant, sun-drenched world. She felt the heat of the desert wind, the weight of her silken dress, and the scent of incense filling the air.
And then, there he was.
Thutmose.
His presence was as commanding as it had been the first time, but now, it was laced with something deeper. There was a hunger in his eyes, a longing that mirrored her own. He reached for her, his touch sending a shiver through her spine, his fingers brushing against her skin with a tenderness that made her heart race.
"Chaya," he whispered, his voice a low murmur against her ear. "You are mine."
Her breath caught in her throat, but she couldn't resist. She didn't want to. It was as if the very fabric of her soul had been intertwined with his, stretching across time and space, bringing them together in this dream. She met his gaze, seeing the depth of his emotions reflected there—the love, the need, the devotion.
With a fluid motion, he pulled her into his arms, their bodies pressing together as the world around them seemed to fade into nothingness. The connection between them was raw, almost desperate. Every touch, every kiss, felt like a spark that ignited something deep within her.
Chaya's hands roamed over his chest, feeling the hard muscle of his body, the heat of him seeping into her skin. His lips moved against her neck, his breath warm against her skin, making her pulse quicken. She tilted her head back, surrendering to the sensations, to him.
His hands were gentle but firm as he traced the line of her jaw, cupping her face as he kissed her with an intensity that stole her breath. She responded in kind, her own hands tangled in his dark hair, pulling him closer, needing him in a way that left her trembling.
His lips moved from hers to her neck, planting soft kisses that sent waves of desire coursing through her. She gasped when his lips found the sensitive skin of her collarbone, and his hands roamed lower, igniting a fire in her veins.
Her heart pounded as she felt him pull her closer, his body a comforting weight against hers. She could feel the strength in his movements, the way he seemed to know exactly what she needed, as though they were one, two halves of a whole.
"Chaya…" His voice was a low rasp, filled with longing. "You are the light in my darkness."
Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. The intensity of what they shared in this moment was overwhelming. Was it real? Was it just a dream? Her body responded as if it were, the heat between them, the pulse of their hearts, the desire that twisted and turned in her chest.
As their bodies finally came together, Chaya gasped, the sensation more intense than anything she had ever felt. It was as though time itself had stopped, and all that existed was them—her and Thutmose, lost in the magic of their connection. Every movement, every brush of his skin against hers, was like an eternal dance, and she gave herself to him completely, as though they had always been destined for this moment.
The dream seemed to stretch on, an endless spiral of passion and longing. It was as if they were woven into the very fabric of time itself, two souls forever bound by an invisible thread.
As their bodies finally stilled, Chaya rested against his chest, her breath ragged, her heart still racing. She could feel the steady thrum of his heartbeat, as if it were in sync with her own. She closed her eyes, content in a way she had never known before, as though she had found the missing piece of herself.
But even as the dream began to fade, she knew one thing for certain—she had fallen in love with him. Not just with the man in the dream, but with the idea of him, with the connection they shared that transcended time and space.
And no matter what happened, she knew she would never be able to forget him.