Masters of the Hunt: Fated and Forbidden

by Sarra Cannon

Chapter 15

  Titus watched Azurha bolt for the back of the courtyard like someone had set fire to her dress. Her behavior puzzled him. Knocking over the plate seemed completely out of character for her, and despite her excuse, she’d hardly had enough wine to explain why she’d done it. The only clue he had was the spark of recognition on her face when she saw the slave.

  Jealousy curled in his stomach. Was he an old lover? Someone she’d known before she gained her freedom? He rose from the sofa to follow her, but a familiar voice called to him from his left.

  “Sergius, how good to see you again.”

  He inwardly groaned and sat back down as Atius Cotta, his former father-in-law, approached him. “Good to see you again, too, Atius,” he lied.

  Atius gave him a false grin and stood next to the sofa, rocking on his feet while his eyes flickered between Titus and the back wall of the courtyard. “Interesting company you keep these days.”

  “It’s been over two years since Lucia died. I’ve more than observed the standard mourning period.” Titus swallowed past the lump forming in his throat. He didn’t like where this conversation was going.

  “Agreed, but I wonder what she’d think about you replacing her with an Alpirion.”

  “I’m not replacing her with Azurha. My relationship with her is very different from the one I had with Lucia. There are no political ties this time.”

  “On the contrary, this is far more political than your marriage to my daughter ever was. You should be choosing your Empress, not consorting with an Alpirion whore that Pontus gave you.” Atius’s face had turned a mottled shade of red by the time he finished his speech, but his ire seemed mild compared to the anger boiling up inside Titus.

  He jumped to his feet and came inches away from his former father in law. “If you insult her, you insult me. Azurha may not be the woman everyone would like me to associate with, but she is the woman I want by my side while I shape the empire into something better.I will choose a wife eventually. Until then, let me hold onto what little joy I’ve found.”

  Atius’s mouth hung open like a fish, and the music barely masked the stunned silence of the onlookers. Anyone Titus made eye contact with quickly looked away. A surge of satisfaction filled him as he reclined on the sofa. Nobody questioned him now. He’d made it clear he wouldn’t back down, wouldn’t be intimidated, and wouldn’t let anyone tell him what to do. He was the emperor now, not a shy young man who preferred the company of books over people, and he finally felt ready to rule.

  Atius gathered his composure and walked away with his head held high as if he hadn’t just been harshly dismissed by the emperor. The music returned, and a rumble of voices formed a fog around him that blocked out any criticisms of his behavior that might have been uttered.

  Titus sat on his sofa, wondering if he should try to find Azurha so they could leave or if he should stay and firmly imprint his presence as emperor among those present. Before he reached a decision, she appeared on the edge of the courtyard. Her chest rose and fell like she’d just run across the grounds, and her cheeks were stained the same color as her deep pink dress. She returned to him and sat on the edge of the sofa.

  “You look flushed.” He brushed a stray curl out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. “Are you well?”

  “Just still embarrassed about knocking over that plate in front of everyone.”

  “Are you sure? You appear breathless.”

  She waved him away. “I’m fine.” She took a deep breath as if to prove her point. “I felt the need to apologize to the chef, that’s all.”

  Her flimsy excuse didn’t match her flushed skin. “You weren’t meeting with an old lover, were you?” Her eyes widened, and her lips parted. Jealousy rose into his throat. “I couldn’t help but notice that you recognized the slave serving us.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Titus. You’re the only lover ever I’ve had, and you’re the only one I want.” She straddled his waist, spreading her stola out around them so the soft flesh of her ass lay against his thighs. “How should I prove it to you?”

  Under the cover of her skirts, she discreetly bunched his tunic around his waist.

  He looked around the room to see if anyone noticed the seduction that was occurring in front of them. He pulled her closer to him and caught her ear lobe between his teeth “Azurha, stop before we get caught.”

  “Scared?” She rose ever so slightly and enveloped the head of his fully aroused cock between her slick folds. “Does it please you to know you’re the only man that can do this to me?”

  She rocked back and forth, tempting him with her sex but not allowing him access to the place he craved.

  He grabbed her hips to try and force her down, but she resisted. “What are you trying to prove, Azurha?” he whispered through clenched teeth and cast another glance around the room.

  “That you’re the only man I’d allow to do this.”

  She impaled herself on him so quickly, he almost came right then. Amusement lit her eyes as she watched him fight to stay in control. He managed to hold back the orgasm building up inside him until she squeezed her walls around him, threatening to send him over the edge again.

  “By the gods, Azurha, we’re in a public place.”

  “We’re not the only ones engaged in this behavior, and I bet I can make you come without anyone knowing. That is, of course, if you can keep from making that funny face you always do.”

  The mere idea of fucking her in front of everyone there aroused him more than he imagined, and he leaned forward, changing his angle of penetration. She inhaled sharply and then gave him a satisfied grin. “Do you like that?”

  “Very much.” She gave him another squeeze and rocked ever so slightly with her hips. “You?”

  He closed his eyes and savored the waves of bliss that rolled through him from her almost imperceptible movements. “This is positively depraved.”

  “But you’re enjoying it, aren’t you?”

  “Absolutely.”

  He opened his eyes to find her watching him with a huge grin. The blackness of her pupils nearly blocked out the deep blue-green rims as she alternated the squeezes with the subtle friction. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, and her face tightened. Her breath quickened. The scent of her perfume rose from her flushed skin. Her bottom lip trembled. But through it all, her gaze remained locked with his, intensifying every sensation shared between them.

  The rocking became faster, more erratic. She whispered his name and clung tighter to him. Her eyes never wavered as she came closer to her own release. When her mouth opened into a perfect “O,” he quickly smothered her cries of pleasure with his mouth before they escaped.

  A whimper rose from her throat as she shattered around him. He followed quickly, concentrating on their dancing tongues to keep from shouting to all the guests how much he loved being inside her, how he could never get enough of her, how he wanted to fuck her all night long and didn’t care if they watched.

  As his consciousness returned from the heights of ecstasy, he slowly remembered the party around him. A quick survey of the room told him no one had even noticed that he and Azurha had just come right in front of them. Or if they had noticed, they didn’t care to acknowledge it.

  She gave him a wicked grin. “Enjoy that?”

  He pressed his lips against the soft curve of her neck. The taste of salt mingled with the sweetness of her flesh, making him hunger for more of her. “Why don’t we continue this back at the palace?”

  “Who says we have to wait until we get back? I distinctly remember what happened in the carriage earlier this evening.”

  “By the gods, Azurha, you tempt me to madness sometimes.” The growl in his voice surprised him. She brought out the primitive beast in him, but he’d suffer that consequence as long as she continued to welcome him inside her.

  He caught her mouth again, enjoying the warmth of it while his tongue explored its recesses. He nibbled on her bottom lip before he pulled away.
“Let’s go before I lose all self-control, toss you back on the sofa, remove your dress, and properly make love to you in front of everyone.”

  She chuckled and raised her hips enough to release his cock from inside her. “I wonder if they’d cheer or be horrified.”

  “I don’t give a damn.” But as they left, he felt the heat of a hundred eyes boring into his back. The guests may not have known everything that happened between them tonight, but they knew now that she was firmly a part of his life, whether they liked it or not.

  Chapter 16

  Titus stared at the glowing white lines on the globe and grinned. For the first time since his father fell ill, the borders showed no signs of weakness. Whatever magic he’d channeled yesterday held better than the old magic. “Any reports from the frontiers?”

  “Just one of interest.” One of his advisors stepped forward and handed him a piece of paper. “It seems every time one of the Barbarians approaches the border, he gets a nasty burn.”

  “So the borders are providing more than just a physical barrier now?”

  “It appears so, Your Imperial Majesty.”

  He scanned over the lengthy description of how a band of barbarians tried attacking the border and the injuries they received when arcs of lightning sparked off it with each blow. “Send a warning to the troops stationed along the borders to be careful.”

  “Of course, Your Imperial Majesty.”

  Titus was tempted to add, “And tell them I’ve improved the safety of the empire,” but he kept that bit to himself. After all, he wasn’t entirely sure he was the one responsible for the new border. If Azurha had infused new magic into him somehow, then she was behind the new defenses. Until he knew the answer, he would keep this information quiet.

  Marcus appeared at the edge of the throne room with Galerius, the captain of the Legion. He jerked his head in the direction of the side room before they entered it, indicating he wanted to speak with Titus in private.

  As soon as he entered, Marcus shut the door and examined him. “Are you safe?”

  “Of course I’m safe. Don’t be ridiculous.”

  He looked to Galerius and nodded. “Tell him what happened.”

  “A body was found in the ravine behind Rutilius Arculeo’s house last night. An Alpirion, but not one of his household slaves. Rutilius denied knowing him, but the city guard knew him.”

  The memory of Azurha’s reaction to the slave who served them last night flashed in his mind. “Who was he?”

  “He’s known as Rai. A well-known thief and general criminal for hire. The city guard suspects he’s been trying to break into the assassination business.”

  Marcus nodded. “His presence last night seems to confirm the rumors I’ve been hearing. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was there to kill you.”

  The blood rushed out of his head, and Titus sank into a chair. “Are you sure you’re feeling well?”

  Titus shooed off Marcus, already embarrassed by his reaction. “Did one of the members of the Legion kill him?”

  Galerius shook his head. “I asked each one of them about it, but they denied ever seeing him. The only thing of interest was that your concubine was seen crossing the grounds unescorted.”

  The chill creeping into his bones almost became overwhelming. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together, and he didn’t like the picture that they formed. Could Azurha have something to do with Rai’s death? The idea would have seemed preposterous if he hadn’t heard Varro’s story of how she attacked Claudia.

  “What’s going through your head right now, Titus?”

  He waited until the room stopped spinning before he replied, “Just that I’m very lucky too much wine makes Azurha clumsy.” He recounted the events of the party to the two men. “Do you think she knew what Rai intended?”

  “She’d have to know who Rai was.” Marcus rubbed his beard. “Maybe you should be more careful whom you choose to be your consort.”

  “Why? She’s done nothing wrong, even based on the speculation that she did know Rai. If anything, I owe her my life.”

  “Just be careful that you’re not thinking with your dick.” Marcus turned to Galerius. “I suppose I should let you know what I’ve been hearing.”

  “It would be appreciated. Placing more men on patrol than usual has raised a few questions.”

  Marcus repeated the same information he’d shared with Titus the day before about the price on the emperor’s head and rumors that the Rabbit had accepted the challenge. The captain laughed when he finished. “Rai may have been trying his hand at the assassination business, but he’s not the Rabbit.”

  Titus didn’t share the captain’s ease. “But his presence at the party last night suggests that someone did hire him to kill me, right?”

  “Perhaps. But what does his dead body tell us?”

  “That someone didn’t want him to succeed.” Titus stood and paced the room. “So, the question remains, is this person friend or foe?”

  “Whoever it was, it wasn’t the Rabbit. Rai may have had his throat slit open and a knife sticking out of his heart, but he didn’t have a rabbit’s foot anywhere near him.”

  Titus’s stomach knotted at the captain’s description of the body. “I guess the murderer wanted to be thorough.”

  Galerius nodded. “If you wish, I’ll have my men be on the lookout for any suspicious characters and have the city guard give me daily reports on anything happening outside the palace walls.”

  “And I’ll continue to follow up on anything I may hear from my sources,” Marcus added. “Between the two of us, we’ll find out who hired Rai.”

  “And who killed him?”

  Both men froze at his question and exchanged nervous glances. Galerius stepped forward. “That might be more difficult to find out, but we’ll ask around anyway.”

  Titus nodded. “I’d feel much better if one of your men came forward and told me he killed Rai.”

  “My men are honest, and they’d never take credit for something they didn’t do, Emperor Sergius.” His grin seemed forced. “Don’t worry. The Legion is here to protect you.”

  Marcus lingered in the room after Titus dismissed Galerius. “Are you sure you can trust Azurha?”

  “She’s a woman. Do you really think her capable of inflicting those kinds of injuries and then tossing the body over a ravine?”

  “I think she’s full of surprises, but you have a valid point. Did she ever tell you where she’s from?”

  “She doesn’t like to talk about her past.” From what little she’d shared, he understood why. “But she mentioned to me once that she grew up in Phonaesus.”

  “Good. I’ll check in with my contacts there, see if anyone knows anything about her.”

  “She’s a former slave, Marcus. How would anyone tell her apart from any other Alpirion?”

  “How many Alpirions have eyes like hers?” He lowered his voice and closed the space between them. “If she has a past, I’m going to uncover it.”

  “Why does everyone suspect her? Is it because she’s an Alpirion? If she was a Deizian like Claudia, would I even be listening to your accusations?”

  Marcus winced and looked away. “You’re right, Titus. It’s just that I’ve noticed a change in you since she arrived, and I worry she might be the cause of it.”

  “Of course she’s the cause of it. I would be ecstatically happy with her if I didn’t have to deal with the hassle of being emperor. Do any of the changes in my behavior worry you?”

  “Only that you refuse to find fault with her.”

  Titus rolled his eyes. “Of course she has her faults. She refuses to answer my questions about her life before she came here. She’s stubborn. She seduces me in the most unlikely of places.”

  Marcus raised one brow. “Oh really? This, I want to hear about.”

  He flashed back on the way she discreetly rode him in front of everyone at the party last night, and his cock stiffened all over again. Had anyone noticed? His lips
curled up in a grin. All his life, he’d been the good son, adhering to the ideals of a prince and a future emperor. To do something so spontaneous and reckless belied his nature, but it felt so wickedly good, he almost sprinted to his chambers to have her tight sheath around him once again. “Let’s just say the party was far more entertaining with her present.”

  “Details?”

  “Since when do we compare notes? Besides, you never told me what happened that night with Sexta.”

  Marcus retreated to the door, his cheeks red under the mask of his beard. “I’ll be down at the docks seeing what I can learn.”

  “Be careful.”

  After his friend left, Titus mulled over their conversation. Azurha’s brief flash of recognition when she saw Rai still haunted him. Did she know him?

  One of his advisors interrupted his thoughts, but he made a mental note to ask her about it later tonight. And this time, he wouldn’t let his lust get in the way of answers.

  — —

  Azurha pressed her palm against the gold plate beside the door and waited. Nothing. Just like the harem, the emperor’s private living quarters were nothing more than a fancy jail.

  “Still trying to figure out the lock system, Lady Azurha?” Varro appeared behind her and handed her the daily mug of pomrutin tea.

  “I was curious how an Elymanian like you can come and go as you please, but the locks ignore me. I thought you needed Deizian blood to use magic.” She gulped the bitter brew that kept her from conceiving Titus’s child and gave the mug back to Varro.

  “These are special locks. Only the emperor can decide who has access to his private chambers. Even those with Deizian blood cannot enter unless he allows it.”

  She traced the outer rim of the plate and sighed. “He trusts me enough to share his bed, but not enough to allow me to leave his chambers.”

  “Perhaps he keeps you here for your own safety. There are some people who are not pleased with your new title.”

  The corner of her mouth rose into a sardonic half-smile. “You mean besides Claudia?”

  She caught a partial grin from him before he looked away, pretending to inspect the polish of the marble insets on the walls. “She is a trifling matter compared to some of the threats that exist outside the palace walls.” He turned back to her. “I suppose you haven’t heard that an Alpirion assassin was murdered at the party you attended last night.”