Blood Never Lies (Mark of Mars)

by Juliet Anderson

  Being in a rush, they weren’t paying much attention to Jenna who was lying on the bed. As soon as the soldier had cut the rope, she threw herself at him, driving him hard into the wall. A knee to the groin and gut floored him. She threw his dagger and felled the other guard swiftly.

  Grabbing the guard’s sword she slipped out her room. The commotion downstairs wasn’t hard to miss. The hallway was guarded by two more soldiers and she had to work hard to get by them, they were trained Praetorian after all. She finally made it to the mezzanine. Staring over the balcony to the hall below, she felt her heart miss several beats. All she could focus on was the flashes of gold. He was there, in full armour, wearing his famous helmet; he was nothing short of awe inspiring. He moved with such fluidity and grace, he was beautiful to watch. She guessed the other glimmering figure with long blonde hair was Minerva, she apparently loved a good battle.

  I must be dead to be seeing this, she sighed to herself. But what a sight.

  She heard her name being called and saw the very recognisable form of Julius racing towards her. Perhaps she was not dead after all but asleep.

  “Behind you, Jenna,” Julius called.

  She turned too late, she felt the dagger prick her skin. “One false move and you are dead,” Captain Lucius barked.

  “Give it up,” Jenna snapped back. “You cannot defeat a God. Two in fact.”

  “I don’t have to. I just have to keep what they want from them. You are a valuable hostage.”

  They saw a blur of gold, a split second later Mars was standing in front of them, his eyes burning gold. “Release her now and I will be lenient,” his voice was thunderous, causing the whole building to tremble.

  “Not until I am safely out of here,” Captain Lucius responded. “Take one step closer and she dies.”

  “You dare to threaten a God,” he retorted angrily.

  “I have what you want so step aside.”

  Jenna saw Julius’ eyes widen a fraction as he looked beyond Lucius. She figured Minerva must be standing behind him. Unfortunately Lucius saw it too and did the only thing he could, he drove the dagger into her side.

  Being stabbed is not something Jenna would ever want to repeat again as this blinding pain tore through her. She sank to the floor as he released her, grabbing her side trying to stem the flow of blood, but she knew it was futile.

  Julius rushed to her, cradling her head as she watched the red patch on her dress spread.

  “You are one brave boy,” she squeezed his hand. “Thank you.”

  She watched Mars grab Lucius around the neck burning him with a pain only a God could inflict.

  “Mars,” Minerva barked at him. “Jenna needs you.”

  He threw Lucius at Aster. “Take him. I will deal with him later.”

  He bent down to Jenna’s side, she had lost a great deal of blood. Her life force was ebbing away quickly.

  “I’m sorry, Mars. I did not turn out to be the great warrior you hoped,” she whispered, clearly having difficulty speaking.

  “You still have many years left you in,” he kissed her hand.

  “Sadly, I think I have just a very short time left.” She looked up at him, trying to stem the tears that had started to flow. “Take care of Julius. And please, tell Marcus…Marshall Vilnus…that I l…love him,” she murmured, her voice barely audible

  “You can tell him that yourself,” he smiled.

  “Unless he’s joining me in the afterlife, I think that unlikely.” Her body felt so numb, she knew she was fading fast. “Please,” she whispered. “Don’t let Julius watch me die.”

  “I won’t, but then I’m not going to let you go.” Leaning over her, he parted her lips and he exhaled once more, passing another tiny piece of his life force into her.

  She felt a wonderful warm sensation wash through her before she drifted into oblivion.

  “Jenna?” Julius squealed.

  “She sleeps, Julius,” Mars scooped Jenna up.

  “She’s not doing to die?”

  “No. My life force will keep her alive until we heal her injuries in Olympus.” Mars looked at Minerva. “Can you bring Julius?”

  She nodded and took the boy’s hand. “Ready to head home?”

  “I want to stay with Jenna,” he looked positively miserable.

  “Very well. You may keep a vigil until she awakes.”

  Mars transported straight to the healing room in Olympus. He laid Jenna out on the table and let the healers do their work. Her wound was cleaned and sealed, her blood given time to regenerate. All the while Julius held onto her hand, refusing to be separated from her.

  “It is quite touching to see the boy’s affection for her,” Minerva smiled at her brother.

  “Yes, he is devoted. And it is that devotion which no doubt saved her life. We would never have found her without Julius. Which reminds me, I have a prisoner to interrogate,” Mars grunted. He was happy to leave Jenna, she was in good hands and would make a full recovery. He touched Julius’ shoulder. “I am needed elsewhere. If you need to return to Rome before I get back, please ask the healers to call Aster.”

  Julius nodded. Mars was not sure if the boy really knew where he was. If he did, he was being remarkably laid back about it.

  He headed to the prison cells where Lucius was being held. It was not often they had prisoners. Mars’ hand was back around his throat in a heartbeat. “You dared to injure one who I love. She is protected by my mark yet you ignored that.” His hand was glowing white hot, the scorching around Lucius’s neck excoriatingly painful. “Tell me who your co-conspirators are and I will make your passing quick.”

  “I serve the Emperor,” Lucius gasped.

  “Jenna is the Emperor’s daughter.”

  “Illegitimate daughter. We were protecting Trajan’s good name.”

  “He did not ask you to intervene, did he?”

  “No. But sometimes even the most level-headed of leaders need assistance.”

  “Trajan himself asked for the city to be levelled if necessary to find his daughter. What did you think would be the outcome?”

  “I don’t answer to a vain God,” Lucius spat, the pain around his neck unbearable.

  “Then you can die by the hand of a vain God.” White sparks shot out of Mars’ hand as Lucius went up in flames. “You will spend the next half of your life with my grandfather in Tartarus. Every day will still be painful. That is the price of your silence.”

  Minerva leant against the wall watching her brother with amusement. He was quite awesome when he truly embraced his immortal side. “What about Ulpina?”

  “I think I might pay her a visit later. I want her to panic, wondering if her treachery will be discovered. “

  “Do you think Pompeia was involved?”

  “Perhaps. I will wait until they are both together behind closed doors before I make them experience true fear.”

  “Drat. I wanted to see your scary face,” Minerva pouted. “Are you going to tell Trajan of his sister’s betrayal?”

  “I don’t think so. It would conflict him.”

  “Then let us head back to the healing room to see how Jenna is faring.”

  “Yes, Julius should also be returned to his family. I know they are concerned for his safety.”

  Jenna was still unconscious and it was likely she would remain that way for a while as her body healed.

  “Come, Julius,” Mars instructed. “I must return you home.”

  “But I cannot leave Jenna,” he whined.

  “Jenna will be fine, her injuries heal as we speak. But now she has to sleep.”

  “She will be safe?”

  Mars laughed softly. “She is in Olympus. She will be quite safe, young man. Now, before you go, I would like to show my thanks for your bravery.” He touched Julius’ chest and a spark shot from his hand. Julius winced then smiled. Appearing on his chest, just above his heart was a bronze arrowhead. There was no greater gift a God could give than his own personal insignia.
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  CHAPTER 30

  Jenna felt like she was floating, her body was so light and weightless. She opened her eyes and glanced around, the room was ornate, focusing very much on gold. She could not recall where she was or whose bed she was in. As she turned her head, her pulse rate trebled. He was lying on his side next to her, his black hair contrasted against the white sheet, his eyes golden and his skin shimmering softly. And what beautiful skin. He was wearing just a golden wrap around his lower half, allowing her sight of that fabulous chest. He really was a God in every way possible.

  “Welcome back, my love,” he murmured softly.

  “Where am I?” she squeaked.

  “In my bed,” he grinned mischievously.

  “In Olympus?”

  He nodded.

  “I thought only immortals could visit Olympus?”

  “You are not strictly mortal at the moment.”

  Jenna tried to shift the fog in her brain. “What do you mean by not strictly mortal?”

  “You carry some of my life force within you. It was the only way to save your life.”

  Something clicked at the back of Jenna’s brain. Something quite monumental. “It is not the first time you have given me some of your life force, is it?”

  “No,” he smiled. “You are too precious for me to lose.”

  She closed her eyes for a moment. Having him so close, scrutinising every move, was quite unnerving. She realised she must be dreaming still, she might even be in the afterlife. There were certain key elements missing from her mind.

  “I seem to be missing a few salient facts. How did I get here?”

  “I transported you. Can you remember what happened?”

  She trawled through her memories, and it finally came to her. Her hand flew to her abdomen. “The bastard stabbed me,” she hissed.

  “Yes. I brought you here to heal.”

  That was clearly a clue she was unconscious. But she had been very much awake when she saw Mars fighting in Latvillus, so how was that possible? “Thank you.” She sat up abruptly. “Where’s Julius?”

  Mars pushed her back down. “He is finally safely back home. We had a hard time tearing him from your side.”

  “I owe him everything. I cannot believe he made it back to Rome.” She could not think there was a child who could match him for courage.

  “He is very special,” Mars smiled, he was very fond of the boy.

  “Marcus,” she sat back up.

  Mars once again pushed her back down. “You need to rest. Marcus will wait for you. In the meantime, you are to enjoy my bed.”

  Jenna felt herself colour. The man was incorrigible. “I will enjoy the rest your bed can offer.”

  “I was hoping it could offer a lot more,” he murmured seductively, running a finger down her arm.

  “I’m sure your bed has offered plenty in the past, but for me, I just need sleep before returning to Marcus.”

  “For the record,” he raised himself onto one arm, “this bed has not seen any of the activity to which you refer. But there is a first time for everything.” His eyes twinkled mischievously. “And as for the Marshall, his interests are closely aligned with mine.”

  Mars watched her fall back asleep, she looked so beautiful in his bed. Soon she would have a permanent place there. But she still thought she was dreaming when she saw him, her human mind could not cope with the knowledge that the Olympus Gods were real. He would need to change that perception quickly.

  He was aware his father had summoned him; he left Jenna’s side and headed over to his parents’ residence.

  “Father, you called?” he grunted. He wanted to be with Jenna.

  “Are you going to flout every rule we have?” Jupiter sighed.

  “Probably. Which one in particular are you concerned about?”

  “You extended a mortal’s life and brought them to Olympus.”

  “Jenna is no ordinary mortal, she is my future Goddess and vital to the longevity of our family. As she now carries my life force, she can be considered immortal and therefore has a place here in Olympus.”

  “The boy is not immortal.”

  He’d forgotten about Julius. “You might have noticed, he goes where Jenna does. It was the least I could do, as without him we would never have found her.”

  “She cannot stay.”

  “I know. But here she is safe.”

  “She will have the Olympus guard assigned to her at all times when she returns to Rome. Just do not dismiss them again.”

  Mars sensed trouble had broken out in Rome; he would have to leave to sort it out. “I am needed in Rome. Please ask Minerva or mother to watch over Jenna until I return.”

  Riding through the streets as the Marshall once more, he realised Jenna’s life would always be in danger now. She was of imperial blood and all but betrothed to him. He would need to make her fully immortal soon, for all their sakes.

  It amused him that all his soldiers could talk about was the sighting of Mars close to Latvillus and how he had destroyed part of the town. It had been a long time since anyone had seen the God of War in person, let alone flattening a town.

  Having quelled the riot, he headed to the Imperial Palace, he needed to speak with Trajan. The Emperor rushed out to see him.

  “What news, Marshall?”

  Marcus could not fail to notice the dark circles around Trajan’s eyes. He had obviously had little sleep too. “She is safe.”

  “Who was it?”

  “Some of your Praetorian, who I believe were persuaded that by removing Jenna, they would be protecting your good name.”

  “How would they know about Jenna?”

  “Your Palace has many ears. Whispers abound and rumours start.”

  “There is rumour that Mars was sighted.”

  Marcus smiled. “Yes. It was he who retrieved Jenna personally. If you remember, she bears his insignia.”

  “My daughter is protected by a God,” Trajan sighed in relief. “Will you bring her to me?”

  “She is recovering from an injury but is healing quickly. Mars saw to that.”

  Trajan looked around him for a moment before asking his next question. “I have not seen Captain Lucius for a few days. Was he one of Jenna’s abductors?”

  “Yes, Sir. However would you allow me to suggest a suitable replacement who will have Jenna’s safety as a priority?”

  “Of course.”

  “Captain Augustus was a very loyal centurion to me and has now been with the Praetorian for a short while. Julius, the young boy Jenna had with her at the Circus Maximus is his brother. And it was Julius who trailed Jenna when she was taken and advised me of her whereabouts.”

  “A very courageous child indeed. I will speak to General Dexter to have this captain moved to my immediate protection. In the meantime, please tell that Arulian wild child of mine that I would like to see her as soon as she is back on her feet.”

  Jenna awoke to familiar surroundings, she was back in Marcus’ villa. She smiled and stretched out in his huge bed, she was no longer having freaky hallucinations about Mars.

  Her stomach gave an unladylike growl, it had been a while since she last ate a decent meal. Slipping out of bed, she gingerly made her way to the peristyle, where Aius brought her some food.

  “Is the Marshall around?” she asked. The last time she had actually seen Marcus had been at the Colosseum several days ago. She missed him terribly.

  “No, my lady. He will be back soon. But you have a visitor.”

  Jenna’s spirits sank as Octavia appeared. It was bad enough she had been stabbed, now she had her vile birth mother to face.

  “If you are looking for Marcus, he is not here,” Jenna grunted.

  “I know. I came to see you.”

  Jenna noticed Octavia kept her distance. A very wise move.

  “What do you want?”

  “I wanted to know how you were doing?”

  “Me, just great. Since you opened your mouth and announced I was yo
urs and Trajan’s Illegitimate daughter, I have been drugged, abducted and stabbed. The next time you want to confess any past deeds, please visit a temple.”

  “It is ironic that I have spent most of the last eighteen years berating myself for giving up my first born, only to realise that the young woman I envied and treated so badly was the very child I had abandoned.”