‘I think not, my lord,’ he said politely, doing his best to hide his disgust.
Taranis tensed as the fat slug stepped closer to him, shoved a clammy hand under the hem of his tunic and slid it up his leg.
‘Please.’ Taranis pulled away from Gaius, fighting the urge to hit him squarely on the jaw.
‘Gaius, for Jupiter’s sake, leave him alone.’ Cnaius stepped between the two men. Fortunately for Taranis, he had just taken a short walk to aid his digestion. ‘You’ve no chance. Why don’t you just accept that?’ he added with a grin of amusement. ‘After Poppaea paid what she did for the slave, she’s not going to share him with anyone – let alone you.’
‘I don’t see why not.’ Gaius pouted petulantly.
‘I do.’ Cnaius winked conspiratorially at Taranis. ‘I’m sure you are giving Poppaea her money’s worth, young man.’
Taranis didn’t think it right to join in this discussion so he stayed silent.
‘You can speak, you know,’ Cnaius said. ‘I’m not averse to having a conversation with a slave.’
‘When I’ve something to say,’ Taranis replied. ‘Unfortunately, I think it better to remain silent where the honourable aedile is concerned.’ He shrugged his wide shoulders. ‘Otherwise, I might be tempted to say what I really think.’
Cnaius threw back his head and laughed loudly. ‘By all the gods, I should leave well alone if I were you, Gaius.’ He grinned at Taranis. ‘Poppaea isn’t one for sharing her possessions. Perhaps I should tell her that I found you propositioning her slave; you know how bitchy she gets when she’s angry.’
Without saying a word, Gaius waddled nervously away from them, muttering frustratedly to himself.
Cnaius chuckled again. ‘A man like you shouldn’t be forced to dance attention on a woman like Poppaea. You’re a warrior through and through.’
‘I think that is exactly why she likes me so much,’ Taranis confided. ‘Precisely because I’m not like her other slaves.’
‘Maybe so,’ Cnaius said thoughtfully. ‘But, if your situation changes, you have but to get word to me. I am rich enough to pay anything Poppaea wants. Remember, Taranis, if you fight half as well as I’ve heard you do, you could become rich, famous and adored by many.’
‘If I didn’t die first, of course,’ Taranis pointed out. ‘Before I was sold, I believed that becoming a gladiator was the only chance left to me – now I’m not so sure.’
‘I am.’ Cnaius punched his fist against Taranis’s muscular upper arm in a manly gesture of comradeship. ‘The two Britons are doing well in training. I’m sure they’ll be heartened to know that you are safe.’ Cnaius glanced down at the shawl in Taranis’s hand. ‘You’d better get back to your mistress before she complains about your tardiness.’
Taranis smiled at Cnaius; he felt that he was a man he would probably come to like if his situation were different. ‘Thank you for helping me get rid of the honourable aedile.’
‘Honourable, never!’ Cnaius chuckled, as Taranis walked away from him.
Taranis returned to Poppaea’s side and draped the shawl solicitously around her slim shoulders. She smiled at him but made no comment about the time that he’d taken, then she turned her attention back to Aulus, who was still sitting beside her on the couch. Taranis knew that she and the senator had once been lovers but he couldn’t understand how she could even bear to be close to such a man. However, she was ruled by her sexual desires and Aulus could well be a good lay, or alternatively perhaps he enjoyed pandering to her more perverse sexual demands.
He stood there, watching Aulus openly fondling her breasts. Then his hand slid under her dress and, judging by Poppaea’s expression, he was touching her sex. Perhaps he was even pushing those long cold fingers, which had once been very briefly inside Taranis’s own anus, up inside her cunt.
Taranis found it uncomfortable to look at his mistress being fondled by a man he despised, so he glanced around the room. By now, all the guests had finished eating and were concentrating on more salacious matters. Soft music was playing, as a number of scantily dressed slave girls began a slow erotic dance. A couple of the female guests had their gowns pulled down to their waist to display their breasts. Others were laughing and lewdly fondling their companions. Gaius, meanwhile, was sitting on a couch with a skinny, weak-faced young man, who appeared to be enjoying all the slobbering attention he was receiving. Unfortunately, Gaius caught Taranis looking at him. He immediately shoved his willing companion aside and stood up.
‘You like your slave far too much,’ Taranis heard Aulus say to his mistress. Judging by the glazed expression on her face his fingers were still working inside her. ‘But I’m prepared to go along with that. Why don’t we go to your room and take him with us? Three is always better than two.’
‘No.’ Her full attention returned immediately. She straightened and put a restraining hand on his arm, which was still under her dress. She looked at Taranis, then she noticed a red-faced Gaius lumbering hungrily towards her pleasure slave. ‘You’re dismissed, Taranis. Go to your room. I have no more need of you tonight.’ She glared at Gaius who turned away sheepishly and waddled back to his young male friend.
Aulus gave a cold laugh, pulling his former mistress close to him again, as Taranis turned to walk away. ‘Too greedy to share him, Poppaea? You will, given time.’
Taranis was relieved that he wasn’t expected to take part in all this, as he walked past a couple sitting on a couch, too intent on their conversation to take any notice of anything going on around them. He overheard the man say, ‘The Icene girl, she’s supposedly some kind of princess. The entire thing was quite unbelievable.’
Taranis paused. He edged along the wall just behind them, so that he could get close enough to eavesdrop on their conversation.
‘She actually attacked him with a dagger, in front of all his guests?’ the woman said in amazement.
‘Everyone,’ the man confirmed. ‘She only grazed his arm, so it turned out. But I’ve never seen Aulus more angry. He threatened to have her killed.’
‘He recovered quite quickly –’ The woman paused, as another man approached their couch.
He started to speak to them about an entirely different matter and, realising he would learn no more, even though he was desperate to, Taranis hurried away. His heart beating out of control, concern for Sirona consuming his thoughts, he walked swiftly through the servants’ quarters and ran out of the rear entrance of the house.
Julia peered out of her window, certain that she had heard a noise coming from somewhere down below. It must be the night watchman doing his rounds, she thought, as she saw the light of his torch at the far end of the garden.
She was only wearing a thin muslin robe but she still felt warm and uncomfortably sticky. The weather this August was hotter than it had ever been. Longing for the cooler days of autumn, she lifted her hair away from the damp nape of her neck. Perhaps it might be more comfortable if she tied it atop her head. She was looking around for a spare ribbon when she heard a strange scrabbling sound. Nervously, she turned towards the window. Hands grasped the wooden frame, and then a face came into view. ‘Taranis?’ she gasped in surprise.
‘That wasn’t easy,’ he said breathlessly, as he leapt athletically into the room.
‘What are you doing here?’ She blushed shyly. Her nightgown was very thin and clung revealingly to her naked body.
Taranis seemed too concerned to care about her scanty clothing, as he strode forwards and grabbed hold of her shoulders. ‘I had to see you.’ He sounded short of breath, as if he had been running hard. ‘At the party tonight,’ he continued agitatedly, ‘I overheard two people talking about Sirona. They said that she’d attacked your stepfather.’
‘Oh that,’ Julia said dismissively. ‘You’re concerned about nothing.’
‘Nothing?’ he repeated in disbelief.
‘Yes.’ She placed a gentle hand on his arm, drawing him towards the bed. ‘Sit, I’ll explain.’
‘Sirona did attack Aulus, but that was some time ago, the day Lucius returned to Pompeii. He prevented Aulus from punishing her and took her to his house.’
‘In other words, Lucius rescued her?’
‘She told me all about it when I spoke to her the other day.’ Julia was relieved to see that he appeared a little less concerned now. She admired him so much because he still took his obligations to the defeated Icene king so seriously. ‘Sirona is a charming young woman. Lucius treats her like a princess. He showers her with gifts. He adores her.’
‘He cares for Sirona?’ Taranis said, his jaw tightening.
‘Deeply.’ Julia smiled. ‘It was nice to see my brother so happy. She cares for him too.’
Unknown to Julia, her words pierced his heart like a shard of ice. He had been holding out so much hope, now there was none, it seemed. ‘She does?’
‘Yes, isn’t that wonderful?’
‘Wonderful,’ Taranis agreed.
Julia was a little confused, as he didn’t really sound that pleased. He obviously needed to see Lucius and reassure himself that he was an honourable man. Perhaps she could arrange that somehow and, if Taranis could talk to Sirona and see how happy she was, that would be even better. Julia tenderly touched his taut cheek. ‘You see, you shouldn’t have been concerned. You’ve come all this way for nothing.’
‘Not for nothing,’ he said huskily, as he glanced down at her full breasts barely concealed by the thin muslin. ‘You reassured me, didn’t you?’
‘I hope I always will be able to.’ Julia had never felt this way before, elated yet vulnerable all at the same time. She was so aroused just by sitting close to this man. His raw masculinity, the sweet musky odour of his body and the sight of the taut skin on his muscular arms affected her in the most amazing way. Her entire body felt weak, as if it would melt if he touched her. At first, she had just wanted him but now she’d come to like him as well. Was it possible that she was falling in love?
‘So do I.’ He smiled. ‘You have been kind to me, Julia. You’ve treated me like a man, not a slave.’
Just the sound of his deep voice made her shudder with pleasure. ‘That’s because I like you a lot, Taranis, and I respect you. But surely you took a chance coming here? Poppaea will wonder where you are.’
‘No she won’t, she’s entertaining guests.’ The way he said ‘entertaining’ told her everything. Julia knew that Poppaea was quite attached to Taranis, far more attached than she probably cared to admit. However, one man would never be enough for Poppaea, her friend would always want others as well.
‘Poppaea is an unfathomable woman at times.’ She shrugged her shoulders, very conscious that his eyes were still lingering on her breasts, and she felt her nipples start to harden.
‘While you . . .’ Taranis said softly. ‘Somehow I seem to know what you are thinking, Julia.’
‘How can you?’ she asked, feeling weak with anticipation, wondering if he really knew just how much her body yearned for him.
‘Because your feelings show on your face,’ he said with a warm smile.
Julia started in surprise, as his mouth swooped down on hers. His kiss was deep, probing and utterly sensual, arousing thoughts and feelings inside Julia that she had barely known had existed before. Taranis eased her down on the bed, the kiss continuing, becoming passionate to the core. He meshed his fingers in her long brown hair, holding her face tenderly between his hands, kissing her until she was breathless with bliss. She shivered with excitement as his lips moved downwards, pressing hot kisses on her breasts, which were still partially covered by the thin muslin. His tongue delicately circled each nipple, the dampness making the fabric stick to the firm rosy peaks.
He seemed consumed by a wild need as he pulled up her gown to brush his lips over her belly, sliding them slowly downwards to her pudenda. She gave a soft, embarrassed groan of pleasure, as he dipped his fingers between her sex lips, smiling to himself as he discovered how moist she was there.
‘So sweet, so soft,’ he murmured, almost as if he were surprised that she desired him so much.
Taranis smiled lovingly at Julia and her heart beat loudly in her chest. She had dreamt of this moment but she had never believed it would come to fruition. Taranis moved away from her and she tensed in disappointment until she realised that it was only so that he could remove his tunic. As he turned back to her, she struggled with shaking fingers to pull her nightgown off over her head.
He gave a soft chuckle, as he helped her, his blue eyes tenderly roving her naked body. Then he was atop her, his knees parting her legs. There was no preamble, no more need for foreplay, just this desperate desire to feel him inside her. She was hot and moist and she gave a faint groan, as he plunged his cock into her molten core. She’d feared that he might be too big for her but, as he eased his cock deeper, their bodies fitted so neatly together it was beyond belief and she gave a loud sigh of pleasure.
Taranis paused and looked worriedly down at her. ‘I’m not hurting you, am I?’
‘No. Please.’ She couldn’t think of anything else to say, as she clutched his broad shoulders, feeling the amazing power of his muscles beneath her fingertips.
Taranis moved his hips, thrusting into her with smooth strokes. Soon she was lifting her hips to meet and complete each sweet movement. She even felt bold enough to twine her legs around his beautiful body, and as he thrust harder they began to move as one.
8
SIRONA WAS FEELING very uneasy, which was not surprising considering that she was about to attend her first social event with Lucius. It was a small party being held by his sister, whom she’d first met just over a week earlier. Julia had visited them quite unexpectedly and, when Lucius had left them alone for a brief moment, she had hurriedly told Sirona that her friend Taranis was safe and well. There had been no time for them to speak further on the subject but Sirona had been grateful for that small kernel of information. Perhaps, in time, she’d get the opportunity to learn more from Julia. Yet she knew that she had to be cautious and not reveal too much about her true relationship with Taranis; after all, the woman was her lover’s sister.
Not surprisingly, since witnessing that strange ceremony she had become a little less trusting of Lucius. The following morning, he had been quite unwell and appeared to have forgotten how brutally he’d behaved towards her. Even his recollections of the evening appeared to be a little hazy. He told her that he had returned to Pompeii earlier than planned and had, quite by chance, met up with two of the men who had served with him in Judea. They’d gone to a tavern and drunk until the place had closed.
Surreptitiously, she had questioned the house slaves, but they all claimed to have seen and heard absolutely nothing. Even the night watchman had determinedly insisted that no one had come to the villa that night. So she’d eventually decided it might not be wise to even mention what she had seen to Lucius. She had tried to forget all about it, but forgetting that event wasn’t so easy and she’d been having strange erotic dreams about the worship of the god Dionysis.
She looked anxiously at Lucius, as their litter stopped outside Julia’s house. ‘Are you sure this dress is suitable?’ she asked him for the umpteenth time. The dress was one of her finest, made of heavy white silk embroidered with sparkling beads and real pearls.
‘Of course,’ Lucius confirmed, showing infinite patience. ‘You look beautiful, Sirona. Everything will be fine; after all, you have already met my sister.’
He helped her out of the litter and took hold of her arm, as he guided her through the villa into Julia’s garden. They walked towards the pool which looked wonderfully inviting. Sirona would have loved to be able to swim whenever she wanted, as she was finding the weather here unbearably hot at times. Lucius was planning to have a pool built at the villa but work hadn’t started on it yet.
The dying rays of the sun glitter
ed on the surface of the water, as Julia stepped forwards to greet them. She looked very pretty tonight, her face flushed with excitement.
‘Lucius, Sirona.’ Julia embraced Sirona as if she were part of the family and not just her brother’s barbarian paramour.
‘Julia.’ Lucius affectionately kissed his sister’s cheek. ‘You look lovely this evening.’
‘That’s because I’m so happy,’ she said brightly.
Even though dusk had not yet fallen, the lamps and torches decorating the garden were already lit. A number of guests had already arrived and they were sitting or standing around enjoying the cooler early-evening air.
‘Come here, Poppaea. Say hello to Lucius.’ Julia beckoned to a slimly built, attractive woman who had deep-red hair and wore a great deal of expensive jewellery.
Had she said Poppaea? Sirona stiffened. Hadn’t the woman who’d purchased Taranis been called Poppaea? Of course, it could just be a strange coincidence. After all, there must be dozens of women with the same name in Pompeii. She glanced at Julia, wondering if she somehow might be able to let her know if this was indeed the woman who owned Taranis, but her expression betrayed nothing to Sirona.
‘Lucius, how nice to see you after all this time,’ the redheaded woman purred in a husky voice.
‘Poppaea wants to ask your advice about a matter involving the Emperor. She feels that you can help, as you know Titus so well,’ Julia explained.
‘Of course.’ Lucius politely inclined his head.
As Poppaea took hold of Lucius’s arm and drew him aside, Sirona stood there feeling a little awkward. ‘Why don’t you take a walk?’ Julia said. ‘I know how strange and difficult this must be for you.’ She smiled warmly at Sirona. ‘If you just walk over the bridge and follow the path, you’ll reach a part of the garden I know you will really like.’
It seemed only polite to do as her host suggested. It would be better than standing there like an idiot, waiting for Poppaea to stop monopolising Lucius. She smiled agreeably at Julia and made her way to the low wooden bridge, which spanned a narrow stream. After crossing the bridge, she followed the narrow path as it dipped behind some bushes and trees. By now, she was out of sight of the other guests and surrounded by greenery. It was a pleasant enough place but she was rather puzzled, as there was nothing of particular interest here.
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