“I saw you get stabbed,” she said in shock as she looked at his perfect skin. “Oh gods, what are you?” She covered her mouth with her hands and backed off.
Androcles held his hands up and moved slowly toward her. “Araceli, it is me. I died. The woman Amara is a vampire. She saved me. Now I am just like her.”
“You are a devil,” she said, scared.
“No, Araceli. Please, I won’t hurt you. I love you,” he said, stopping in front of her.
“I love you too, Androlces. Gods help me, I don’t care what you are,” she said as she pulled him to her. Araceli kissed him hungrily. Androcles lifted off her stola, unaware of the small growing bump on her belly. She grabbed at his tunic and helped him lift it off. He spun her around and fell back on to the bed. Araceli straddled him on top. Androcles didn’t waste any time as he entered her swiftly. She moaned with pleasure and began rocking back and forth. He reached out his hands to cup her breasts. Then he swirled her around on her back and kneeled in front of her. He lifted her legs on his shoulders and thrust himself into her again. She whimpered, half in pain, half in pleasure, only exciting him more. He slowed his pace so he would not come too soon. He bent down and took her into his mouth and caressed her nub with his tongue. Araceli started to cry out in ecstasy. Androcles lifted himself back up and pounded into her, groaning with pleasure. He could feel her pleasure with his new powers, which made his desire almost unbearable. His fangs slid out as he climaxed. He wanted to bite her. He wanted to taste her blood.
“Androcles!” she gasped when she opened her eyes and saw his sharp fangs.
Androcles bent over and buried his head in her shoulder. “I’m sorry if I frightened you, my love,” he said. He waited until his fangs slid back in before he lifted his head. “I don’t know what I am doing. I don’t know how to control myself yet.”
“You are doing OK,” she said encouragingly.
He kissed her and lay down beside her. “If you say so Araceli.”
“Androcles, are you going to make me into one of you?” she asked frightened.
“No, I would never, unless you wanted it,” he said. “Besides, I don’t know how it is done.”
“Oh,” she said, half relieved and half disappointed.
Androcles lay his head down on her chest and listened to the beating of her heart. It was fast but slowing down. He could also hear two faint heartbeats. Araceli was calm and content. He could feel that he no longer frightened her.
“Araceli, do you have guards outside your door?” he asked, suddenly worried someone might have overheard them.
“No, my love. Do not worry,” Araceli said as she stroked his hair.
“That’s strange. I hear heartbeats,” he said. Androcles lay there listening, and then he realized where the noise came from. He slid his hand down her bare stomach and rested it over the small bump. He hadn’t noticed. He was heartbroken. Araceli lay perfectly still. He could feel she was nervous again.
“Araceli,” he said, “did your father marry you off?”
“Yes,” she said shakily.
“To whom?” he asked.
“Antonius, the legatus,” she said. “This is his villa.”
“You are with child. Did you know?” Androcles asked her.
“Yes, I did know.” Araceli replied. “The baby is yours…ours, Androcles.”
Androcles lifted his head and smiled. “How can you be certain?” he asked her.
“Because my blood did not come before I was married,” she said. “He thinks they are his.”
Androcles was sick at the fact she had been with another man. He could feel her guilt.
“Androcles, please don’t be angry. I—” she started to say.
“You did what you had to. I understand, my love,” he said reassuringly. “We can leave here tonight. We can be together. We can go far away. I can protect you. Araceli, you won’t believe what I can do, what I have seen. Fauns. They exist. I almost killed one tonight,” Androcles told her animatedly.
Araceli smiled at him. “I knew it,” she said. She had a fondness for the playful, lusty, mischievous looking creatures. “I will go with you. But we have to make a plan. We have to be smart.”
“You are right,” he said, coming back to reality. “Amara won’t let me go so easily.”
“Neither will Antonius,” stated Araceli. She thought back to what Androcles had said about guards. “Androcles?”
“Yes, my love,” he replied.
“You said you heard heartbeats?” she prodded.
“Yes. Two, actually,” Androcles said and then smiled when he realized what he was saying.
“Twins!” she said happily. Androcles kissed her.
“I cannot stay long. I don’t want Amara to realize and find me here,” he said regretfully. He kissed her again. “We will leave here soon—together—and go far away.”
“I trust you, Androcles,” said Araceli.
He was up and at the balcony faster than she could process.
“Good-bye for now,” he said and jumped off.
Araceli gasped because it was a jump no human could make. But he isn’t human, she thought to herself. She got up to go bathe. Her head was spinning with thoughts about fauns and vampires. Araceli wondered what else was out there. She was still in her bath when the villa began to shake again, much more violently than before. She managed to climb out of the water and grab a robe. When the shaking stopped she went in search of Antonius. This is ridiculous, she thought. She didn’t like living in Herculaneum. She wanted to return to Rome or go far, far away with Androcles. Araceli walked quickly through the villa. The slaves and guards were rushing around, panicked.
“Antonius!” she called out, hoping he was home.
“Araceli, in here!” he replied. She walked through the large open room in the villa that they used to entertain. Antonius was there with several of the senators and the magistrate. They were discussing a letter in Antonius’s hand.
“Araceli, we are leaving Herculaneum at once. Your father sent word from the emperor. His friend Gaius Plinius Secundus says Mount Vesuvius will erupt and these increasing earth tremors mean it could happen very soon. We have to leave. We are going by ship.”
Araceli was frightened. She nodded that she understood. Antonius kissed her on the forehead. “Everything will be all right, my love,” he reassured her. The men were leaving to evacuate their own families and slaves.
Araceli knew she needed to inform Androcles to leave. Maybe I could escape with him tonight, she thought. She scribbled a note to Tiberius and handed it to a guard.
“Take this to Tiberius at the ludus now, and then go to the ships at once,” she commanded.
Androcles walked back into the villa. He no longer had to stay in the cells of the ludus meant for gladiators since he was Amara’s new pet, so to speak. He found Amara and Callixtus in a room in the center of the villa. They were naked, sitting around on pillows, laughing. There were a couple of male slaves lying between them. The slaves were covered in bite marks that were still oozing blood. Androcles felt his fangs slide out instinctively. Callixtus leaned over to kiss one of the male slaves. Then he whispered something into the young man’s ear. The slave then bent over and began sucking Callixtus’s cock. Amara watched lustfully and grabbed the other slave. She put his hand over herself and guided its movements. Androcles felt himself become desirous as he watched her moan and sigh.
The room smelled of burning opium. Androcles moved forward slowly. Amara realized he was there and spoke. “Androcles, come,” she said, waving her hand. She started giggling. He wondered how long they had been there inhaling fumes and if they had even noticed the large earth tremor that had just occurred. Androcles had almost made it back to the villa when the shaking began..
“I knew you would find your way back,” said Amara. Androcles stopped just short of where they were lying. “Come here. Lie with me,” she commanded softly.
Androcles felt uncomfortable but sat down as
he was ordered. She was his maker, and he felt a pull to do whatever she commanded. Amara moved on top of him quickly. His body went stiff. He refused to betray Araceli. He had no desire for Amara. She ran her hand up his scarred leg.
“It healed nicely. Not perfect, but my blood cured you. I gave you life once before. Now I made you a god.” She threw her head back and laughed. He could feel she wanted him badly. The desire radiated from her like the sun.
“What are you talking about?” he asked.
“In Britannia I found you wounded. I loved you. I gave you my blood. You would have died without me,” she said, moving in to kiss him.
“Maybe, maybe not,” he said defiantly. Amara rubbed against him. He became hard instinctively. Androcles closed his eyes and thought of Araceli’s sweet face. He was not tempted with this woman at all.
“I know you want me, Androcles. You are mine. Walk the earth with me for all eternity,” she said, leaning closer and closer until their mouths touched.
Suddenly the doors burst open and in marched Tiberius.
“Amara what are you doing?” asked Tiberius, shocked. As a wolf he mated for life. He never took privileges with slaves and would not tolerate Amara doing so.
She removed herself from Androcles and lay back with an arrogant smile on her face. She ran her finger up the male slave’s bleeding arm and then sucked the blood off her finger. “Feeding, my love,” she said.
“We must pack our valuables and leave for the boats at once,” he said. He thrust the letter from Araceli in her face. “The mountain will erupt. We must evacuate the pack and the slaves.”
“Nonsense,” she said. “Androcles, tell me what you feel.”
Androcles closed his eyes and focused on the feelings and emotions. He concentrated and could feel past the villa and past the city. He could feel the animals and the trees. All of nature was screaming a warning of the impending eruption. When he opened his eyes he was exhausted. He was new to his powers and had never felt so much emotion at once. “It is true.”
Amara stood up and was dressed in a second. Callixtus pushed off his slave and moved speedily to get dressed as well. They left the drugged, bleeding slaves on the floors. Androcles wondered if they were going to save them or leave them. He also wondered at what point they lost their humanity and became such cold, empty monsters. Everything about him still felt human except his new powers. He still retained his compassion and respect for life. He hoped he would not become as they were.
“Then we must go,” Amara said as she glided toward Tiberius. He seemed entranced as he watched her approach. “My love.”
“I’ll get Lucian and gather the pack,” said Tiberius.
“Androcles, Callixtus, we will go to the ships,” she said. Amara went to collect her jewels and anything else valuable and portable. Androcles snuck away unnoticed to go get Araceli and leave.
Araceli fought her way through the panicked crowd in the streets. Everyone was racing for the boats. The magistrate had spread the word, and evacuation was in full force. She made her way to the ludus on the outskirts of town. There were no guards or slaves to be seen. Araceli had no idea where to look for him, but she thought the cells would be a better place to start than the villa. She made her way down the corridor. The torches were lit, and she could see that all the cells were empty. Araceli turned around to leave and ran straight into the woman Amara. Araceli was frightened. Would she kill me and drink my blood? she worried.
“What are you doing here, my lady?” she asked, sounding surprised.
“I came because…” said Araceli, not sure of what to say. “I…”
“You came for him,” Amara said mockingly. “Oh, love.” She shook her head and made a clicking noise with her tongue. “Androcles has already left on one of my ships. You see, he left you here. He doesn’t care about you.”
“No! You lie. He wouldn’t leave us,” she said with her hand protectively covering her belly.
“You carry his babies,” Amara said, full of hatred and jealousy.
“Something you will never be able to do for him,” Araceli spat.
A dark, pained look crossed Amara’s face. She moved faster than Araceli could process and threw Araceli in the cell behind her. Amara grabbed the bracelet Androcles had given her off her wrist. “You will die here in this cell without the memory of who you are or your great love to comfort you,” she said with an evil grin. Then she began to chant something. Her eyes were closed, and she swayed back and forth. Araceli felt a pain in her head and screamed. She fell down to the ground and passed out. Amara chuckled and threw the bracelet down the corridor. She turned to leave and ran into Tiberius.
“What are you doing down here? I thought you were going to the ships,” he asked suspiciously.
“Tiberius!” she said with false enthusiasm. “I was just taking care of some old business. Kind of you to join me.”
“What is she doing here? What’s wrong with her?” he asked, even more suspicious.
“It is a simple spell, old fae magic. She is here to keep you company as you die,” Amara growled and threw him into the cell. The bars on the cell were silver in order to hold the new werewolves in. Tiberius grabbed the bars and tried to rip them out of the wall and screamed in pain as the silver burned his flesh.
“Let me out of here, Amara!” he yelled. He was holding his burned hands. “Amara!”
She said nothing and walked off. She got to the stairs, and he could hear her laughing before she ran off.
Tiberius turned to examine Araceli. “Wake up, child!” he said. She did not stir. Tiberius lay her head in his lap and let out a loud howl into the night. “Wake up, please.” Tiberius was desperate. He wondered how Amara could betray him. He knew then she had replaced him with Androcles, yet he thought it odd because the man seemed repulsed by her. Tiberius thought about his first wife who had mysteriously died one full moon. He had taken up with Amara before he could even mourn her. He felt guilt all over again. He hoped she hadn’t been watching over him, disappointed. He prayed there was no afterlife so he would not have to face her.
Androcles searched and searched for Araceli. She was not in the villa. He couldn’t track a scent in the streets. Most everyone was down at the docks evacuating or huddled stupidly in denial in their villas and homes. Androcles rushed to the docks to look for Araceli. He didn’t find Araceli, but he did find Antonius.
“You! You live!” said Antonius. He grabbed Androcles and started to shake him. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know. She isn’t with you?” Androcles asked, confused.
“No. Sadly, my own wife who carries my child loves another,” he said, full of hated.
“They are not your babies,” said Androcles. He no longer had to pretend or be afraid of this man or any other man.
Antonius drew his sword in anger, but Androcles walked away. “Where are you going?”
“To find Araceli,” said Androcles. Antonius looked back at his ship as the sun rose in the sky. He knew he had to leave, but he couldn’t leave her behind. He raced back to his villa to check one more time.
Androcles found Amara’s ship about to depart.
“Androcles, hurry,” she commanded. He could feel her power. She seemed pleased with herself, and he just knew.
“Where is she, Amara?” he yelled.
“Where is who, Androcles?” she said innocently. He knew she was hiding something. He could feel it.
“Araceli,” said Androcles. His body tensed. He felt ready to attack her.
“She left with her husband,” Amara replied.
“You lie! What did you do to her?” he asked.
“Come with me,” said Amara as she nodded to the ship in a way that suggested she had stashed Araceli on board. “Come below.”
Androcles did as he was told and followed her below. Amara took him to the back of the ship. “She isn’t here,” he said, sensing danger.
“No,” said Amara as she quickly covered Androcles’s wrists
with silver shackles that were chained to the wall. He fought and struggled against them in vain. She grabbed his ankles and placed another set of shackles on them. “This is for your own good, my love,” she said. Androcles growled at her, baring his fangs. “You will forget her in time, and then we can be together.”
“We will never be together, Amara,” he yelled. “I despise you.”
Amara walked away, unfazed. “Callixtus!” she yelled. “Order the ship to sail out now. We must get as far away as possible.” She turned back to look at Androcles. “If you escape, Androcles, you will be too late. Save yourself the trouble and forget her.”
“Never!” he said. Amara climbed the stairs to the deck. Androcles struggled in his chains. The more he moved, the more they burned. Defeated, he slumped his body against the wall of the ship.
Lucian made his way through the villa. “Father!” he yelled. There was no sound. Lucian raced out to the training grounds. “Father!” he called again.”
“Lucian,” Tiberius yelled. “Down here!”
Lucian raced for the gladiator cells. He found his father locked inside. “What are you doing in here?” Lucian asked as he grabbed the key and unlocked the door. Tiberius kicked it open with his boot so he wouldn’t have to touch the silver bars.
“Amara locked me up to die,” he said. “It seems she lusts after her new progeny Androcles.”
“Evil bitch,” said Lucian. He noticed Araceli on the ground of the cell. “What is she doing here?”
“Amara locked her up too. She hasn’t awoken,” said Tiberius.
Lucian went and picked Araceli up. He cradled her in his arms. “Why did she leave you to die?” he asked the unconscious Araceli. Lucian brushed the hair out of her beautiful face. He remembered who she was. She was the wife of the legatus he had seen at the games. “We must go, father.”
The Immortal Scrolls Page 10