Suspicions apart, this still felt good, and he closed his eyes, giving himself up to the pleasure, which was gradually overpowering the stinging ache of the skin on his buttock cheeks. He gasped in surprise, feeling the familiar agonising pain, as the lash started to once again caress his back and hips. Poppaea was still wanking him so it could only be that bastard Africanus wielding the whip. He was far stronger and each stroke became more unbearable than the last, yet all the time Poppaea was still working on his cock and his arousal was increasing.
‘No,’ Taranis heard himself gasp. He was experiencing a strange kind of exultation as the pleasure and pain mingled into one exquisite agony.
‘That’s enough,’ Poppaea said sharply. She pulled her hand away, leaving him frustratingly close to orgasm. ‘I told you, I didn’t want his skin permanently marked.’ She sounded angry, as she added, ‘Those blows were way too hard.’
‘I’m sorry, my lady.’ The deep guttural voice came from Africanus, but it didn’t seem to suit his mutilated body in Taranis’s fevered mind.
His cock was aching for release. If only he could press it down against the rough sheet and somehow bring himself to a climax. Yet his chains were too tight, he literally could not move. Both his pain and his pleasure were totally in Poppaea’s hands. He was certain that she was far from finished with him and he’d never felt more nervous and acutely vulnerable than he did right now.
He heard movement and hushed voices, but he was unable to strain his neck round to see what was happening. Then he felt a cold trickle of oil being dropped on to his inflamed buttock cheeks. It felt soothing. Even more so when Poppaea began to gently massage the oil into his abused flesh. The sensation became even more delicious when her fingers slid into the narrow crack of his buttocks and teasingly circled the small puckered opening.
‘Does that feel good?’ she asked, as her fingers eased the tight ring open and slid inside.
Taranis felt a strange fire fill his body, as her fingers crept insidiously inside a part of his anatomy that he’d never really associated with pleasure before. Just her touching him there so intimately was making his cock grow harder again. He was all too ready to give himself up to this strange unfamiliar delight, but at that precise moment Poppaea stepped into his line of vision again. Yet all the time those fingers were still continuing their deliciously intrusive invasion of his anus. Sweet Jupiter, it must be Africanus touching him there. Despite his sudden surge of revulsion at such a discovery, he was still finding it highly arousing, as the fingers slid deeper and deeper inside him. Poppaea, on the other hand, was wearing a strange contraption strapped to her hips.
‘There’s a large carved cock, almost as big as yours, Taranis. It fits snugly inside me, while this one –’ She touched the polished ebony cock protruding from her pelvis, which was held on by wide leather straps ‘– it’s smaller. I didn’t think anything bigger would be suitable for your innocent little hole.’
Taranis couldn’t think straight with those teasing fingers inside him. He’d heard tales in the past of the fake phalluses used by some whores. If he hadn’t known what she planned to do with it, he might have found the sight of her and her fake cock quite arousing.
‘Please, no,’ he pleaded, knowing that all the begging in the world wouldn’t make an iota of difference to what Poppaea had in store for him. Africanus had removed his fingers now, and he should have been relieved, but he wasn’t because they were about to be replaced by this carved obscenity strapped to his mistress’s hips.
Poppaea climbed astride his legs and, despite his fear and apprehension, a small part of him felt weirdly elated, even aroused by what she planned to do to him.
‘You’ve fucked me enough times, Taranis,’ she said softly, as he felt the cold hard tip of the fake cock press against his anus. ‘Now I’m going to fuck you.’
Taranis struggled with his confused emotions. Tensing would only make this worse, he knew that, and he tried to force his body to relax. After all, he’d enjoyed the feel of Africanus’s fingers sliding inside him, surely this could be no worse. It would be Poppaea fucking him, not a man. And the fake cock wasn’t that large, he reassured himself, as she began to ease the oiled dildo inside him.
It wasn’t exactly painful; the sensation was strange, yet oddly sensual as the carved ebony slid deeper into his back passage until it felt as if it filled him completely. Was this even close to what it was like for a woman to be fucked by a man, he found himself thinking insanely, as Poppaea dug her fingers into his sore hips and began to bugger him with slow smooth strokes. To his amazement, he began to enjoy the sensation of being impaled by the hard cock, as he was overcome by the fiery pleasure of absolute submission. He felt the urge to spread his legs wider, welcome it even deeper inside him as her hips pumped harder.
Firm fingers touched his penis; it couldn’t be Poppaea but frankly he was beyond caring. He just gave into the myriad of sensations consuming his body, as the hand began to roughly pump his cock, while another fondled his balls. He was chained and he was helpless while Poppaea was thrusting inside him like a woman possessed and some man was wanking his cock. He was way above any of that now as he gave himself up to the hellish delights and the lewd sensations consuming his body.
His muscles bunched, the tendons of his neck tensed and he arched his back. The sensations were increasing with such intensity that he almost lost consciousness when his climax came and he reached the summit of a dark pleasure that he never knew existed before.
7
‘I WISH THAT you didn’t have to go, Lucius,’ Sirona said, as she watched her lover walk across their bedroom. He looked delicious stark naked and she couldn’t help but admire the width of his muscular shoulders and the delightful curves of his tight buttocks.
‘I have to see Admiral Pliny. As I told you before, he’s staying for a few days with the former consul Pedius Cascus in Herculaneum and it’s easier to see him there than go all the way to Misenum.’
It would be the first time he’d left her alone at the villa. Yet she wasn’t truly alone, as she had a house full of slaves to take care of her.
‘I promise that I’ll be back by noon tomorrow, my sweet. And the next time I’ll take you with me, but this isn’t a pleasure trip, it’s military business.’
‘I know.’ She didn’t feel ready to meet his friends, let alone his military colleagues, just yet. When she did, she would have to socialise with people who in her past life she would have despised. Yet now she had to accept them because they were part of his life and she’d come to care for Lucius.
Sirona sat up and the thin sheet slid from her body. Lucius gave a soft groan and strode back to the bed. ‘I’m a soldier, Sirona. I never thought I’d ever become so besotted with a woman that I’d want to forget my duty to the Empire.’
‘Especially not with a woman you consider a barbarian,’ she teased.
She squealed with surprise, as he flung himself down on the bed and grabbed hold of her. ‘You look so delicious when you’ve just woken up,’ he growled.
His mouth captured hers and he kissed her passionately. As his lips slid down to her full breasts, her hand reached for his cock. She wrapped her fingers firmly around the shaft, as his lips fastened on her nipple and began to suck on it gently. Shivers of pleasure darted through her body. Lucius smelt musky and so masculine, the odour of their last night’s lovemaking still lingering on his flesh. Tenderly, she began to rub his shaft, feeling it swell in her hand, while his fingers caressed her belly and moved tantalisingly closer to her sex.
‘Lie down – let me,’ she insisted, pushing him back on to the mattress.
He smiled cheekily. ‘What now?’ I’m a slave to your demands, my lady.’
Sirona gave a soft laugh, then leant forwards. She ran her tongue around the tip of his cock, then slowly down the rigid stem. Lucius gasped as his cock twitched and grew harder. Lovingly, she slid her lips over the bulging head and pulled it into her mouth, while her fingers gently
massaged the root. It was strangely empowering to take charge of their lovemaking and to see Lucius lying there, shuddering and sighing with pleasure, as she mouthed and stroked his cock.
‘Is that good?’ she asked demurely, still caressing the thick shaft, as she stared down at him. ‘Do you still want to leave?’
‘I never did, damn Pliny,’ he murmured, as she straddled his hips and gently guided his cock towards the entrance to her pussy. Sirona sank slowly down on to him, letting Lucius enjoy the pleasure of sliding deeper into her warm, moist depths. ‘Ah,’ he groaned, as he stared up at her. ‘That feels so good.’
She lifted her body, letting him slip nearly all the way out before impaling herself again. Then she began to fuck him, slowly at first then faster, all the while watching the expressions of lust and pleasure flicker across his handsome face.
Leaning forwards, she brushed her nipples against his firm chest. He reached out and grabbed hold of one full breast, kneading it roughly, while his other hands slid down to where their bodies were conjoined. The tips of his fingers brushed her clit and a dart of pure pleasure flowed through her body, so strong that she almost lost her rhythm for a moment.
With a hungry sigh, she moved her body faster, grinding her pussy hard against his pelvis until her pleasure peaked. Her breath came hot and fast as she climaxed, feeling his cock twitch excitedly inside her. As Lucius too reached orgasm, she pressed her lips to his and thrust her tongue deep into his mouth.
Taranis strolled along the Via dell’Abbondanza, just enjoying the feeling of freedom he experienced when wandering around the city alone. He was dressed, like many citizens, in a plain cream sleeveless tunic, decorated with two vertical blue stripes, and no one gave him a second glance – or so he thought. He was oblivious to the admiring looks he received from most of the women walking past him. Many might believe he was wealthy, judging by the thick gold bracelets he wore on his upper arms and the wide band of gold he wore around his neck. It was only if one looked closely at the decorative engraving on the necklet that it was possible to see the words carved into it which stated that he was slave to Poppaea Abeto. She’d had the goldsmith weld it around his neck so that he couldn’t take it off. Then she’d told him that he was lucky, as most slaves only wore cheap iron rings on their fingers as a sign of their servility.
Taranis decided to take the longer route home, as Poppaea was out visiting friends and wasn’t due back for some time yet. So he didn’t turn left at the tavern, and just headed on down the main street, wrinkling his nose in disgust, as he caught the strong scent of stale urine emanating from the amphora outside the fullery.
He noticed a woman just ahead of him. She had her back to him, but he thought that there was something familiar about her. Then he saw her catch her foot on a stone that was raised slightly higher than the rest of the pavement. She stumbled and would have fallen if he hadn’t darted forwards and grabbed hold of her arm.
‘Thank you,’ she said agitatedly. ‘Taranis?’ she exclaimed, as she looked up at him.
He smiled warmly at Julia, completely forgetting to let go of her arm. ‘Are you all right? You look a little pale.’
‘I met my stepfather quite by chance in the forum. He was on his way to see my brother,’ she said a little breathlessly. ‘Something he said upset me.’
‘Then I should escort you home,’ he replied, as she was looking troublingly pale and appeared to be trembling. ‘Is it far?’
‘No, just down the street a short way. But will Poppaea mind?’
‘She trusts me with all her personal matters now.’ He looked down at the wax tablet he was holding. On it, he had made a short list of all the work that needed to be done at Poppaea’s other house near the Stabian Baths. She had asked him to inspect the place, as she was thinking of renting it out. ‘So surely she will trust me with the welfare of her best friend. I’m certain she would think it my duty to escort you home.’
‘Then your situation has improved?’ she asked shyly.
‘Yes,’ he confirmed.
‘Please don’t,’ she said, as he went to let go of her arm. ‘I’d like to lean on you a little. I’m still feeling rather unsteady.’
‘Of course.’ It seemed wiser to step closer to her and hold her even more tightly. ‘I’m acting as Poppaea’s secretary now.’
Poppaea’s former secretary had been taken ill a few days after the incident in the pool and she had surprisingly decided that the only person she could trust to replace him was Taranis. Now he spent his days dealing with her correspondence, her financial affairs, her personal paperwork and all the other duties she heaped upon him. It was a lot of responsibility, especially when she still expected him to spend his nights satisfying her. Yet it was still far preferable to just being her pleasure slave.
‘That’s good news,’ Julia replied, clearly pleased by his new position. Secretaries, whether slaves or free men and women, were highly respected members of any household. As they began to walk slowly down the street, Julia added, ‘My stepfather and I do not get on well.’ She began to tell Taranis a little about her unhappy marriage to Sutoneus.
He was sorry to hear that her life had been so unpleasant, yet he was also rather confounded by the fact that she was being so open with him.
‘Is this your house?’ he asked, as they paused by a large wooden door, studded with bronze nails.
‘Yes. I’m sorry I’ve been chattering on. It’s nice to talk to someone who is so understanding.’ She smiled shyly. ‘It is very hot, so why not come inside and rest for a while . . . if you can spare the time?’
‘I am in no hurry,’ Taranis told her. ‘I’d like that.’
‘Then come in,’ she invited, as her porter pulled the door open.
Taranis didn’t want to appear disrespectful in front of her house slaves and she seemed quite steady on her feet now, so he let go of her arm. He followed her through the villa and they entered a large garden, at the end of which, of course, would be the Venus Baths. He’d got to know the geography of the city quite well of late.
‘Please sit, Taranis.’ Julia pointed to a wide stone bench placed beneath the shade of a tree.
He sat and, to his surprise, she sat down companionably beside him. Taranis was equally surprised when two slaves appeared, one carrying a lightweight table and the other a tray with wine and two goblets. They positioned the table and tray in front of Julia and departed. She poured out the chilled wine diluted with water and flavoured with honey.
‘Thank you,’ Taranis said, as she handed him a goblet.
Julia was treating him like an honoured guest and he appreciated that immensely. By now, he was relieved to see that the colour had returned to her cheeks. She really was a very pretty woman, he thought, with her soft feminine features, full lips and sparkling hazel eyes.
‘On the contrary, I should thank you for preventing me from falling, then escorting me home.’
‘It was my pleasure.’ He wasn’t just being polite. He found her even more sweet and likeable now than he had the first time they met. ‘I’m sorry your stepfather upset you.’
‘Aulus thinks I should marry again, and soon.’
‘And that troubles you?’ Recognising the name, Taranis wondered if, by some strange coincidence, this was the same man who’d examined him so embarrassingly before he’d been sold. ‘You’re a widow, so surely you are free to marry whoever you wish?’
‘No, he is determined to choose for me.’ She sighed. ‘Aulus Vettius is a senator and a very influential man. Or rather he was when Vespasian was alive.’
So it was him, Taranis realised. ‘And now?’
‘He has far less influence, fortunately. My brother Lucius is legate of the Fifteenth Legion of Apollo and a close friend of Emperor Titus. They’re like brothers in many ways.’
Taranis respected the fact that she was speaking to him as she would a friend. It was a long time since he felt as free as he did now, sitting in this garden with Julia by his side. ‘So
will he help? Will your brother stop your stepfather forcing you into a marriage you do not want?’
‘I’m certain that he will. Lucius is a good man.’ She gave a sigh of frustration. ‘It is not easy being a woman at times –’ She paused and looked thoughtfully at Taranis, as she placed her hand on his arm. ‘But it’s far easier than being a slave. Especially for a man born and raised as a Roman citizen.’
‘Poppaea’s not that bad a mistress.’ He gave a wry smile. They’d experimented with bondage on occasions, but to his relief she had never tried to use that fake cock on him again. He’d done his best to put that incident out of his mind, mainly because in a strange way he’d been aroused more than he cared to admit by what she had done to him. ‘Often I overstep the boundaries and she doesn’t punish me as she might.’
‘Probably because you please her in other ways.’ Julia blushed awkwardly, as if she didn’t quite like to think of his true relationship with Poppaea. ‘I was inside at the time, but later I heard about the incident in the pool. Was she very angry?’
‘Angry? A little,’ he replied evasively. She had kept him imprisoned in his room for nearly three days, chained by his ankle to the bed, with not a stitch of clothing and no means to wash. Yet she had still visited him regularly for sex. ‘It was my fault, I embarrassed her in front of her friends.’
The longer he stayed here, the more he decided that he liked Julia. She was so different from Poppaea and he wondered how much better his life would have been if she had managed to purchase him. Truthfully, he would have been happy to spend his nights in her bed; he might even have come to care for her, given time. He liked her and she seemed to like him. It was then he decided to ask for her help. ‘I was wondering . . .’
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