Destined for a Deity (Mark of Mars)

by Juliet Anderson

Jenna stroked her hair. “Hey, it’s fine to be scared. Especially as you’ve never seen a riot. I’ve been caught in plenty, but I was still scared myself.”

  “You didn’t look it,” the child sniffed.

  “What can I say, I’m a brilliant actor.” She deliberately called herself an actor as women did not appear on the stage.

  Portia gave a small giggle. “I liked the soldiers with the golden skin.”

  “Who had golden skin?” Jenna checked her bearings to make sure she wasn’t getting lost. Another skill she had.

  “The soldiers in black. Their skin shimmered.”

  Jenna’s stomach churned over several times. The only people who shimmered were Gods. Was it possible these were the Olympus Guard she had heard reference to on occasions? She was said to be protected by Mars, so did this mean he sent his personal troops down to help her out when she was in trouble? It would have been kind of nice knowing that in advance. On the other hand, that would mean that Olympus was real and she knew her human mind couldn’t cope with that reality.

  “It must have been the light,” she responded flatly.

  “I can walk, Jenna,” Portia announced.

  “As long as you’re no longer scared, that’s fine.” She lowered the child to the ground and took her hand. “Your brother is going to be most jealous you were caught up in a riot. He craves the chance to fight for real.”

  Portia looked up at Jenna. “The special soldier who was standing in front of you turned and winked at me.”

  Jenna laughed. “I will have to ask the Marshall if they were his troops.”

  Laurentius was waiting for them in the atrium, the concern on his face evident. “Thank Jupiter you are both safe.” He hugged his daughter. “I heard there was a terrible riot in the market place.”

  “Yes, there was. Sadly Portia hasn’t had the best introduction to the splendours of Rome.”

  “The shopping was fun,” Portia smiled up at Jenna. “And the special guards were nice.”

  “Special guards?” Laurentius queried.

  “It seems I have an elite troops assigned to me.” Jenna handed over Portia’s spoils and the remaining coins. “Now I really should get back to my temple.” She stroked Portia’s hair. “I will see you again soon.” She glanced at Laurentius who was looking quite smug. “What?”

  “Nothing,” he grinned irritatingly.

  The streets were very quiet as Jenna made her way back to Apollo’s temple. She was surprised Marcus had not put in appearance at the riot. Considering it was in such a high profile location, it was very odd he was absent. Not that she wanted to run in to him. Having hurled a string of insults at him, he might still be a little sore at her.

  “Will you two stop it,” Minerva snapped at Mars and Mercury. “You’re behaving like two tom cats spitting at each other.”

  “When Mercury stays away from my woman,” Mars growled.

  “She is not your woman yet, brother,” Mercury taunted. “And she seems only too eager to spend time with me.”

  “She enjoys your company, Mercury, that is all. I hate to disillusion you, but Jenna has no designs on your body whatsoever.” Minerva tried to be the voice of reason.

  “No matter, as long as I get hers.”

  Minerva slapped her brother’s arm. “She is destined for Mars as well you know.”

  “But he’s not going to get her,” Mercury sneered. “What was it she called you, brother? An arrogant dick with an over-inflated ego. Doesn’t sound like you’re on to a winning streak.”

  Minerva tried to hide her snicker, but failed. “She called you that?” She looked at Mars’ dark expression.

  “In his temple no less,” Mercury added salt to the wound.

  Mars launched himself at Mercury. He wanted to kill. Right about now, anyone would do. He pinned his brother to the ground and reigned blow after blow down on his face. Mercury retaliated with some good punches of his own. Minerva once again watched her two brothers beat the daylights out of each other, writhing around on the dusty ground.

  “Father,” she called. “They’re at it again.”

  Jupiter materialised by his daughter. “Again?”

  “Yes. The sooner Jenna gives herself to Mars, the quieter our lives will be.”

  “Let us hope your mother’s plotting bears fruit and Cabrillus works its magic.” He hit his boys with a bolt of lightning to separate them. “If I have to pull you two apart one more time, you will both spend a good stretch of time behind bars cooling off. Is that clear?” he roared at his sons.

  They still looked thoroughly unrepentant.

  “As long as Mars is aware Jenna is free to make her own choice,” Mercury spat out some blood.

  “That mark on her back does not give her a choice,” Mars growled.

  “Whilst you have been spraying your territory like a cat on heat,” Jupiter looked at Mars, “were you the slightest bit aware that the Olympus Guard has been activated?”

  “Jenna?”

  “In grave danger. Luckily Ajax follows orders.”

  “What happened?”

  “A major riot in the Trajan marketplace. The Senate will no doubt want to know why the Marshall of the Peace was absent from the biggest surge of unrest to hit the city centre yet,” Jupiter informed him scathingly.

  Mars let out a deep growl and transporting back to Rome. He was furious with himself. His anger over Mercury had clouded his mind, he had not sensed the riot. And had it not been for Ajax, Jenna might have been lost to him. The city shook as he growled. This mortal really did have the power to destroy a God; if he didn’t make her his soon, his father would be locking him away for an eternity.

  CHAPTER 4

  Jenna’s ears were bleeding once again. She wondered if Julius ever paused for breath, it certainly didn’t sound like it. All he could talk about was the riot in the market place and the upcoming procession.

  “Dextus and me would have waded in and helped the soldiers,” he sliced the air with his imaginary sword.

  “Dextus and I,” Jenna corrected.

  “Whatever,” Julius shrugged, clearly more interested in fighting than improving his grammar.

  “There is one flaw to your brave actions. You would not have been armed.”

  “You manage to relieve the rioters of swords.”

  “That’s because I’m gifted,” Jenna grinned. “You’re not quite at that level yet.”

  “But soon. Perhaps even this afternoon.”

  Jenna was taking Julius over to Laurentius’ villa as the two boys had a sword fighting lesson later that afternoon. Something did occur to Jenna as they were talking.

  “Julius, you remember you told me about the guard who escorted you to Olympus and back.”

  “Yes, Ajax. He was cool.”

  “What did he look like?”

  “He shimmered, that’s all I basically remembered. And he winked at me when I told Mars off.”

  A small shiver ran down Jenna’s spine. It was a tenuous thread, but a thread nonetheless. Could Ajax really be the one who protected her the other day? Ridiculous, she told herself. Olympus was just a dream.

  Laurentius’ household was in chaos when Jenna and Julius arrived. Aris, the head servant, came to meet her.

  “My apologies, my lady, Senator Laurentius is sick at the moment. With the mistress away, we are quite in disarray.”

  “No problem. How is the Senator?”

  “We’re not sure. We have asked if he wants the physician calling, but he says no.”

  “Can you take me to him? I will be the judge of whether a physician is needed or not,” Jenna instructed.

  Aris nodded and she followed him to Laurentius’ bedroom. Laurentius looked white as a ghost and was soaked with perspiration.

  “Jenna, what…?” he attempted to sit up.

  Jenna pushed him back down. “Why is it men cannot admit to being sick before the illness kills them,” she grunted and turned to Aris. “Please call the physician right away. Then
have someone bring me some cold water and cloths.”

  “Is father very sick?” Dextus hovered at the door.

  “The physician will be able to confirm that. But for now it is best if you don’t come in, just in case he has something that is contagious.” She ruffled Dextus’ hair. “It wouldn’t do for you to get sick and miss the procession.”

  With the bowl of water and soft cloths supplied, Jenna went to work on trying to cool Laurentius’ fever.

  “Jenna, you shouldn’t….” he attempted to say.

  “Shouldn’t be in a strange man’s bedroom?” she teased. “We’re practically father and daughter.”

  “The sickness…”

  “I’m immune,” she smiled.

  He looked at her strangely, not understanding.

  “A gift from Mars, remember?” That and twenty-first century vaccinations.

  Jenna was pleased when the physician finally arrived. She was curious what an ancient diagnosis would be. The children were waiting out in the peristyle; she would give the boys their due, there was no moaning about missing sword practice.

  “Papa is not going to die is he?” Portia’s bottom lip trembled.

  Jenna gave her a cuddle. “I doubt it, he is built of strong stuff. But we will need to wait until the physician has examined him before we know what is wrong.”

  The physician was with Laurentius a while, at least Jenna assumed he was being thorough. She pounced as soon as he was done.

  “Your verdict?” she quizzed.

  “I do believe the Senator has ingested some type of poison.”

  “A fatal dose?”

  “Not quite. A weaker person would not survive, but the Senator is strong so I have every hope he will pull through.”

  “Any idea which poison?”

  “I think it might be Belladonna or something similar. That would explain the sweats and slurring.”

  “What can we do for him?”

  “Keep doing what you were. He should drink water only and be kept as cool as possible.”

  Jenna spoke to Aris after the physician had left. “Do you know where the Senator’s wife is currently staying?”

  “Yes,” Aris nodded.

  “Get word to her to come home immediately. The children need her as well as her husband. Then arrange for all water for the Senator to be boiled then cooled. That way I know it is pure.”

  “Yes, my lady,” he scuttled off to carry out her instructions.

  Jenna headed back in to see Laurentius. “Did the physician tell you?” she sat back on the bed and placed a damp cloth on his forehead.

  “That someone tried to shorten my life span?” he winced.

  “Yes. You really do move in an elite bracket,” Jenna pulled a face. “The children are worried. Are you up to seeing them for a very brief moment?”

  “Of course, send them in.”

  She didn’t have to, they were already lurking at the door. Jenna gave Portia a damp cloth and instruction to cool her father’s head and chest. It kept her busy whilst she went in search of Aris for the water.

  “Should I go home, Jenna?” Julius asked.

  “No, I think Dextus will appreciate having a friend here to talk to. His father is very poorly, but I think he will pull through.”

  Jenna felt a huge lump in her throat as she watched Dextus and Portia care for their father. She prayed he would survive. Getting a grip on her emotions, she headed back to Laurentius’ bedside.

  “I think your father needs some rest now,” she spoke softly. “You can come back in later.”

  “The water is getting warm, Jenna. Should I change it?” Portia asked.

  “Please. The colder the better.” She watched the little girl scamper off to fetch fresh cold water.

  She stayed with Laurentius whilst he slept, continually cooling his body. It was a relief when he opened his eyes groggily.

  “I can’t be in Elysium if you’re there too,” he murmured.

  Jenna smiled and plonked a cool compress on his forehead. “Just because you’re near death doesn’t mean I won’t give you a slap.” She heard a noise coming from along the corridor. Time to confess. “You can chew my ear off when you’ve recovered, but I sent for Octavia.”

  “Why?”

  “Because she should be by your side at a time like this.”

  “Thank you,” he murmured.

  Jenna knew she’d done the right thing when Octavia flew in, the concern on her face said it all. She did love her husband. After a very quick briefing, she left them to it. She knew there was one other person who really should be advised, not that she wanted to run into Marcus but he was Laurentius’ closest friend. And there was the matter of his poisoning to report.

  She spent the next few hours distracting the children, largely with tales about her exploits. Portia needed a little more hands on attention, and Jenna was fast becoming quite the hair stylist as she braided the child’s hair. It was obvious the moment Marcus arrived, both boys jumped to their feet right away.

  “Dextus, Julius, Portia,” he nodded at the children. “Do you mind if I steal Jenna away for a moment?”

  They did, but they all shook their heads.

  Marcus showed her into Laurentius’ study. For some bizarre reason, Jenna was overcome with nerves, her hands were sweating terribly.

  “Thank you for coming,” she kept her eyes downcast. “I thought you would want to know about Laurentius.”

  “The messenger said he was gravely ill?” Marcus’ voice portrayed no emotion whatsoever.

  “Yes. Someone has given him a healthy dose of Belladonna.”

  “Poison?”

  Jenna nodded. “So it seems. But we are confident he will pull through.”

  “Who is with him?”

  “Octavia.”

  “I thought he had sent her to her parents?”

  “I reversed that decision.” She went for the door. “I am sure he will want to speak with you.”

  “Wait. Please,” Marcus said softly. “We need to talk also.”

  “Now is probably not the best time.”

  “But I am going to use it anyway.” He took hold of her hands. “I care so very deeply for you Jenna, these feelings are new to me, I cannot always control them. My actions that day in Mars’ temple put you in great danger.”

  “How so?”

  “I went off in a rage. I wasn’t in Rome when the riot broke out, I wasn’t there to protect you.”

  “But you didn’t have to be. The troops you assigned to protect me where there, exactly when I needed them.”

  “How do you know I assigned them?”

  “They wear black and carry Mars’ emblem. It was kind of easy to figure out.”

  “I am hoping you will forgive me in time for the banquet and our trip to Cabrillus.”

  “You know I will,” she smiled shyly. One kiss from him and she would forgive anything. And the wretched man could read her mind. He pulled her too him and kissed her, softly at first, then with much more intensity as he felt her melt beneath his touch.

  “I have missed you terribly, my love.”

  “Likewise,” she kissed him again. He really was like a drug, one taste and she was addicted.

  “Now I really should see Laurentius, otherwise I might be inclined to put his study to another use.”

  Jenna gasped and slapped his shoulder playfully. “How could you think such a thought with him lying so ill?”

  “Because it is not my brain that is controlling my thoughts right now,” he gave her a wicked grin.

  Jenna reached for the door. “Go see Laurentius,” she instructed.

  Octavia joined them out in the peristyle whilst Marcus talked to his friend.

  “Thank you for calling me back, Jenna,” Octavia threw her a grateful look.

  “It was what he wanted, but he was too stubborn to admit it.”

  “What man isn’t,” Octavia sighed.

  Portia ran over to her mother. “Are you going away agai
n, mama?”

  “I hope not,” she kissed her daughter’s forehead. Being away from her children, she found she had missed them far more than she thought she would.

  Marcus reappeared a few minutes later and Octavia resumed her place by her husband’s side.