by London Casey
He smiled, just before her lips found his. The kiss was fierce, but he tasted the desperation behind it, and the fear.
Elizabeth pressed herself against him. With a low groan, he deepened the kiss as his hand slid up, tangled in her hair. Every move she made had lavender filling the air. Kane drank it in, drank her in. She finally broke off the kiss, trembling against him.
“I love you, Jackson Kane,” she whispered. “Don’t you dare forget that.”
Before he could get any words out of his tight throat she pushed out of his embrace and stumbled backward. He could hear the gasping, frantic breath that told him she fought a panic attack.
“Step one,” he whispered. She halted, and he watched her reach for the locket she no longer wore. He held out his hand for her to use as an anchor. “Step two.”
With a half sob, half laugh she moved forward and gripped it, her fingers shaking. She took in several deep, unsteady breaths. Kane felt her calm with each one.
“Step three,” she said. “The first breath used to be the hardest. You make it easier—you have, since the first time you talked me through this. Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” He managed a smile. “I wanted you to save the panic in case we really needed it.”
“Not happening.” The last tremble left her voice. Now she sounded indignant. “Get that scenario out of your head, Kane. I won’t let them railroad you.”
“Good to know.” Footsteps echoed in the hall, and he let her go. “Here comes your worried escort.”
“Marius believes in you.”
“And I am glad for it, though I don’t know why.”
“Common sense, the ability to think, being able to see the facts instead of the raging emotion. Should I go on?”
This time the smile came easily. “No need, love.”
“Kane…” She darted forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’ll be back when I can.”
He wanted to see her, talk to her, touch her as much as possible. “I’d prefer if you stayed away.”
She stiffened. “Why.”
Kane gently pulled her arms away, stepped out of hitting range before he spoke again. “I’ll not have you harmed because of your association with me.”
“Well, it’s too damn late for that.” Oh, yes, she was furious. She moved in until he could feel her breasts press into him with every indignant breath. “They think we’re married. So don’t go playing the lone martyr card, because you’re stuck with me.”
“They will have fewer reasons to strike out if you are not seen with me every damn day.”
She bit her lip. “Then I’ll visit every other damn day. Will that be acceptable?” By the time she finished she was smiling.
“I will miss you every moment of the damn days you are not here.”
Her smile faded. “I’ll be back whenever I can.”
“I’ll wait for you here.”
This time the humor failed. “Kane—just keep yourself alive, okay? No smart remarks to the giant Roman soldiers.”
He didn’t expect anyone but Quintus, but he agreed, to keep her calm. “Understood.”
“And kiss me one more time, before Marius drags me away.”
He was far from certain he could stand to simply kiss her. “Beth—”
“Please.” Her hands slid up his chest. “I’m scared, Kane.”
He wrapped his left arm around her waist. “So am I, love.”
She let out a ragged sigh, and he couldn’t stand it any longer. He took her lips in a kiss that had his head spinning. He tasted his desperation in the kiss, the salt of her tears as she held on to him. When he finally broke free he stepped out of reach. He had to, or he would never let her go.
“Get some rest, Elizabeth.” She flinched at the sound of her full name. He barely used it, except in anger, or when he fought to distance himself from her. “Marius, you will watch over her for me?”
He stepped into sight. “With my life, Kane. I promise you. I will be back tomorrow, as I have other things I would like to discuss with you. Quintus told me of your request.”
“Of course.” The gleam in Marius’ eyes intrigued him. He had a feeling it was not the murders, or his offer to help with the investigation that the former centurion had on his mind. “I will be here.”
Marius smiled, and moved forward to grip Kane’s hand. “I will count on that.”
Kane followed them to the doorway and watched him lead Elizabeth away, his hand on her elbow for support. She limped, more than when they had arrived. Her lowered head, and the way she leaned into Marius, left an ache in his heart. She would be better off to leave now, while she was able.
From this side of the accusations against him, Kane knew he stood little to no chance of tasting freedom.
Marius caught Elizabeth when she stumbled again. “We should have waited until you were rested.”
“I wouldn’t let you, remember? I made Appia bring me up here as soon as she told me.” Now she wished she hadn’t seen Kane at all.
The image of him standing in that small room, helpless and so alone, burned itself in her mind. It was one image she desperately wanted to erase. Her heart ached for him, for the despair she saw in his eyes.
“Elizabeth.”
She looked over at Marius. By the sound of his voice, he had tried to get her attention more than once. “Sorry.”
“I want to help your husband, but I’m afraid it’s going to be an uphill battle. Villius has me worried, with his temper already on the edge of control. I want you to stay close to Appia and the shop at all times. He is not beyond using you to get to Kane.”
“How do we prove he’s innocent? Do you assume innocent before proven guilty?”
Marius tilted his head, studied her. “My father always taught me to follow the evidence. As a judge in our precinct, he saw just about everything you can imagine. He also dealt with several cases where the evidence was calculated to mislead, away from the real perpetrator, and to the unfortunate he had chosen to frame.”
“And you think this is true with Kane?”
“He is convenient. A stranger, showing up at a time when we are plagued with death. I want him to be innocent, Elizabeth, because I find myself liking him. He is strong, without forcing it, and his love for you is obvious—another quality I find admirable.”
Relief made her shaky. Marius was a good man, and he gave Kane the benefit of doubt, when all the evidence gave him every reason to think otherwise.
“How are you going to prove it?”
Marius held out his arm for her. “I have several ideas.”
“Are you going to keep them a secret?”
“For now. If you do not mind.” He smiled down at her. “He may not like one of the ideas I propose, but I hope to sway him to my way of thinking.”
“I would love to see that, but I think I’ll let you show me the result, without all the cursing.”
His laughter warmed her. “There will be cursing.” They walked through the courtyard, the colorful mosaic under their feet flashing in the torches that lined the walls. “There absolutely will be cursing.”
Chapter Nine
Mac cursed. Again.
This damn console was a first generation model. Which meant he had a keyboard instead of a touch screen. A one-armed monkey could type faster than him—and that was on a good day.
To heap on insult, the fifteen inch screen was his only screen, so it had to do double, and sometimes triple duty. He’d need glasses by the time he was done.
He had a whole list of other complaints, but he learned to keep them to himself, especially after Colette nearly took his head off for daring to complain at all.
Now if he could just find a blip, a sign that Kane and Elizabeth were alive out there.
He lost the trail once they jumped out of 1940 Dover, and no curse, prayer or threat swayed the technology to give them up.
He pushed away from the useless console before he punched it, and scratched his healing sid
e. Every inch ached from long hours hunched over this piece of crap equipment. Mac knew if he had just a few hours on the shiny new console in the main lab—the one they replaced after he punched a hole in the screen—he’d find them in a heartbeat.
The idea wormed into his brain, refused to let go. He could do it, late at night. There were ways to move around the building, old hallways even Colette didn’t know about.
“God—”
He shoved her out of his mind. Again. Even with her confession, and the help she’d given him since he holed up here, Mac still didn’t trust her. Couldn’t afford to trust her.
She had set out to kill him once. Harper could sic her on him again. Mac had been backed into a corner, and she knew it. As far as the rest of the personnel still in the building knew, Mac had disappeared. To be seen now—that would cost his life. Probably Colette’s, too, and Carrie along with her.
He typed in another back door location code. And almost fell out of his chair when it connected. “Kane!”
“Mac?” Elizabeth’s voice filtered out of the speakers. “Wait—shoot—”
He heard fumbling sounds, and smiled as she cursed under her breath.
“Take your time, sweetheart.” He wanted to dance around the room like a crazy man. Instead, he settled in his chair, and used every trick he had to strengthen the connection.
“Mac—sorry. I dropped the transport, and it skidded under the—” Static cut across her voice.
“No—” He typed as fast as he could, and kicked the useless console a couple times for good measure. “Elizabeth!”
“—here.”
“Where is here?”
“Mac? I can’t—static—your voice—”
“Just give me a date, sweetheart. All I need is a date.”
“We’re at—wall at—house—north—two a—d—”
“Elizabeth.” Static screamed at him from the speakers. “No—Elizabeth, talk to me, sweetheart. Come on—” He typed in the location code again. More static. “No, no no no.” He started to type again, and the screen blanked. “Damn it!”
He grabbed the closest object not attached to anything and hurled it at the far wall. Bright red liquid exploded out of the flimsy plastic mega size cup. It didn’t make him feel any better, and to top it off, he just decorated the wall with the last of his caffeine supply.
“Damn it,” he muttered. Now he’d have to work buzz free, until someone showed with more caffeine.
With a sigh, he lowered himself back to the chair, cracked his knuckles, and followed what was left of the trail. He found them once, he’d find them again.
Chapter Ten
Elizabeth sat on the edge of the sleeping couch, the transport in her hands.
She lost him.
For a few seconds Mac was right there—they had a chance to escape. And then she lost him.
All she could hope was that he heard her, and could use the date and location she threw at him to find them. And she planned to wear the damn thing from now on, no matter how many odd glances she got.
“There will be a next time,” she whispered. “He won’t leave Kane out here.”
And when that time came, she would be ready.
She pushed herself up and limped to the window. The damp night air made her leg ache, and she slept badly because of it. Right now, she thanked her insomnia, otherwise she wouldn’t have heard Mac.
As soon as it was light, she would do whatever it took to get to Kane and tell him. Maybe the news would help ease some of the despair she saw in his eyes. She saw him starting to do what she always did when she lost control—he was isolating. She had to stop it before he cut himself off from everyone. Including her.
Whatever it took, she would find a way to prove his innocence.
Marius appeared the next morning, with Kane’s breakfast in a small basket.
“Good morning.” He set the basket on the small table, and limped to the pallet across from Kane, lowering himself with the aid of his crutch.
There was a mouth-watering pile of beef, along with cheese, bread, and olives, all shoved to overflowing in a beautiful glazed bowl.
“Thank you.” He reached for the basket, and his hand froze halfway when he looked over at Marius. “This is a bribe, isn’t it?”
Marius studied him. “How is your shoulder?”
“It could be worse.”
“Can you lift a sword?”
Now he knew why there was an abundance of protein. “No.”
He set the basket on the pallet, and used it as an excuse to turn his back to Marius, hoping that would be enough of a rude gesture to stop the conversation.
“I want to train with you, Kane.”
Kane focused on eating. There was no way bloody way he would put a sword in his hand. It was the perfect excuse for Villius—or one of his friends—to run their own sword right through him. He jumped when Marius appeared in front of him. For all that he was crippled, he moved with a startling silence.
“I was afraid you didn’t hear me, being so focused on your breakfast.” Marius leaned on his crutch. “I want to train with you.”
“I heard you.”
“May I sit?” He did, before Kane could make any protest. Since it was his home, Kane figured he had every right to sit wherever he damn well pleased. “I brought a bit of Appia’s famous salve. Did you need assistance with your—” He waved at Kane’s shirt.
“Yes.”
Marius stood, and helped Kane pull the shirt over his head. Kane tensed when Marius sat behind him; he hated having anyone he didn’t know at his back.
Marius seemed to sense his tension. “I am going to examine your shoulder, then apply some of the salve. You have several bruises from Villius’ attack. If you need me to stop, say the word.”
He ran his hand over the tender, throbbing muscle, with a care that told Kane he’d tended wounds before, and applied a cool layer of whatever he brought with him. Kane recognized the scent from Appia’s ministrations; like rosemary, but with a spicy edge.
“What is it?”
“Yarrow, mostly, in olive oil and beeswax. It’s Appia’s recipe, and I believe it saved my leg when I was injured. She sells it in her shop, and swears by it for just about every kind of injury. I am her walking advertisement.” Kane could hear the smile, and the pride, in his low voice. He loved her, and wasn’t afraid to show it. “I will bring a jar of it for you to keep here.”
“I—thank you.”
“You are most welcome. Now,” he pushed himself to his feet, using the crutch as a support. “You have yet to respond.”
Kane stared past him. “Why?”
“I have the loyalty of the men here, because it is demanded of them. I want their trust, in my leadership, in me. I think you can help me with that.” He moved closer, laid his hand on Kane’s traitorous shoulder. “If they can see me train, fight again, I believe it will create a stronger bond. Plus, it will help with your shoulder, make it stronger. If that is not an option, then I will help you learn to fight with your left hand.”
Kane finally looked at him, asked again. “Why?”
What looked like anguish flashed in Marius’ green eyes. “I will never be a soldier again, but to know I can train them, shape them for duty in Caesar’s army—that will help ease some of the shame I feel every time I am forced to pick up this crutch.”
Kane understood his motive now. “So—if you can train a crippled foreigner to fight, you’ll earn some of that respect.”
The word wasn’t as hard to say, with time between him and the injury. Time to adjust to the person he was now. Perhaps—he didn’t dare put any hope of success in Marius’s scheme, but it might help his weak shoulder. If not, he would learn to fight a new way, and be able to protect Elizabeth. If he got out of this alive.
Marius pulled him out of his thoughts. “I do have another motive. By putting a sword in your hand, it will show that I trust you.”
“It could also backfire.”
He
smiled. “A likely possibility.”
Kane couldn’t help himself—he laughed at the man’s blunt honesty. “If you think you can teach me, I am willing to learn.”
Marius’ smile widened. “We will both find out soon enough.”
“Now?”
“I am game if you are.” The grin turned mischievous. “And Villius is on duty today at the principia, where I plan to train you.”
Kane shook his head. “You really don’t like him.”
“He refused to like me first.” Marius turned and limped to the doorway. “Come, Kane. Your first lesson awaits.”
He followed the former centurion, not sure if his decision was clever or crazy.
“I am sorry, Elizabeth.” Appia stood in the front room, between Elizabeth and only exit. “Marius left strict instructions. He wants to make it clear that Kane is under guard, which means no visitors for now.”
“But—”
“I agree.” She held up her hand to stop any protest. “Marius only wants to keep you both safe, as do I. Now, are you hungry?”
Elizabeth nodded, blindsided by Marius’ orders. She followed Appia to the small dining room. The table had already been set, with an assortment of food that should have made her mouth water. She stared at it, her appetite gone, her fear for Kane overriding everything but the throbbing headache she found harder and harder to ignore.
She didn’t even have time to sit before shouting filtered in through the window.
“What the—” Appia stalked out of the dining room, calling for Eógan.
Elizabeth heard voices in the hall, and moved closer so she could eavesdrop. Then Appia started shouting, and she didn’t need to.
“He is doing what?”
“The commander is fighting! In the principia yard.” Appia stormed back in, Servius right behind her. “Fighting with that foreigner—” He bit his lip when he saw Elizabeth. “You must stop him, before he is harmed—”
“Go back to the praetorium, Servius.”