“What did you envy me for?”
“Because you had Marcus’s love.”
“You were jealous of me?”
“Incredibly. Not that I wanted him for myself, I am too old. But we have always been friends and I hoped he would ask me to select his match. I am very stubborn and set in my ways. Once I had made up my mind to dislike you on sight, I found it difficult to change.”
“I’m surprised then that you wanted me to know we were connected.”
“Seeing your birthmark after all these years hit me hard. I never truly expected to find you.”
“It makes no difference to me,” Jenna shrugged. “We will never be mother and daughter.”
“I am not naïve enough to think we could ever have a close relationship. But I am content in knowing that you had a very good childhood and have grown into such a courageous young woman.”
“Apparently I get my courage and fighting skills from my father.”
Octavia smiled. “You are so like him at times.”
A very small section of Jenna’s heart melted as she saw the look on Octavia’s face. After all this time, she still loved Trajan. “You were lucky, you went on to have two other children.”
“Oddly enough, I do not love Portia as a doting mother should. I believe it to be my punishment for giving you up. My maternal love disappeared along with you.”
“Well, there is no point raking over the past. I had a wonderful childhood and upbringing so would appreciate if all knowledge of my birth was kept under wraps. I have seen first-hand what that knowledge can do.”
“As you wish,” Octavia stood up. “We got off to a rocky start, entirely my fault I know. But I was hoping we could at least try and be civil, for Marcus’ sake. Who knows, we might even end up being friends.”
“I am fine with that. I am fond of Laurentius and my young friend Julius is close with Dextus so we already have some connection in place. Just do not try to be a mother.”
“That thought never crossed my mind.”
Having demolished a fairly decent sized meal, Jenna’s eyelids were starting to feel droopy again.
She awoke to the touch of his lips on hers, it was heaven. As his arms wound tight around her, she felt slightly light-headed. Thank God she was lying down.
“I have missed you,” she murmured against his skin.
“Likewise. You had me very worried.”
She opened her eyes and examined his handsome face. How she adored those gorgeous black eyes. “Hey, I can’t help traitorous Praetorian captains.”
“He will trouble you no more,” Marcus kissed her again.
“Where is he?”
“Spending his afterlife in the pits of Tartarus,” Marcus grunted. The worst possible punishment for anyone.
“And Ulpina?”
“Mars will deal with her shortly.”
“Then I am safe once more to come and go as I please.”
“You are far from safe, Jenna. Rome is dangerous at the best of times, but even more so now you are of imperial blood.”
“I cannot hide in the temple the rest of my time here.”
“You won’t have to. And just to be clear, you will be staying permanently.”
Jenna smiled. “I am not sure I can. Sure I was born in Rome, but I have been raised elsewhere. I will never be fully settled here.”
“You were stolen from Rome, so it is right that the balance is now restored. You know I will not let you go.” He was back to his usual aggressive self.
“I know you like to think you can control everything, Marcus. But my life is exempt from your powers.” She stroked his face, loving the scowl he wore.
His slipped his hand under her dress and touched her birthmark, sending sparks through her. “You bear the insignia of Mars, you were made for me.”
“I was not made for you,” she sighed.
“No-one else can make the insignia spark, can they? That is because it responds solely to my touch.”
“We are not getting into this argument, Marcus. Not now.” She pulled away from him. “I need to get back to Apollo’s temple.”
“You should rest.” He pulled her back to him.
“I’ve rested long enough. Having spent my days in captivity tied to a bed, then the last couple of days sound asleep, I think I have been inactive long enough.”
“But you sustained a considerable injury.”
“Where?” The only evidence she could find of a wound was a tiny red mark on her side, so small it was barely visible.
“Mars healed you. But as you lost a great deal of blood, your body will still be weak.”
“If Mars did heal me, then surely I would be in Olympus.”
“You were, do you not remember?”
“That was a dream.”
“Was it?”
“Yes,” she responded firmly.
He threw his hands up in defeat. “Very well. I will not try and make you see reason when you are in this mood.”
“And what mood would that be?” her voice was raised ever so slightly.
“Stubborn,” he grunted, putting some distance between them. He really didn’t want his nose broken again. He called Aius to bring Hercules around. As Jenna attached the clasp to her cloak, Marcus wrapped something around her neck.
“You were missing this.”
Her hand instinctively went to her throat. It was the necklace she had lost.
“Where did you find it?” she asked.
“In the store room below the Colosseum. The clasp was torn which confirmed to me that it had come off in a struggle. I had it mended.”
She puffed out her cheeks. “Thank you. But you’re not playing fair. I can’t stay pissed at you when you do something nice.”
Marcus gave half a grin, he was learning how to handle Jenna. And it was certainly not to match anger and aggression. “And why would you be pissed at me, as you put it so eloquently?”
“Because you’re trying to push me down a route I don’t want to go.”
“You don’t want to be with me?” He sounded hurt.
“Of course I want to be with you, numb scull. I just don’t want to be pressured about the future.”
“Even though it is your destiny?”
“I don’t believe in destiny.”
“Convenient. I just want you where I can protect you the most.”
“I thought I was protected by Mars?” she goaded.
Marcus grunted and pulled her to him. “That reminds me. Mars says there was something you were going to tell me?”
“There was?”
“Apparently as you lay bleeding, you asked him to tell me something.”
Jenna felt the colour rush to her cheeks. “I thought I was dying.”
“You thought wrong. So what did you want to say?”
“I forget,” she flustered.
“Really,” he teased.
“Yes.” She kissed him, running her hands under his cloak and over his biceps. She knew that such a move would divert his mind.
He let out a low groan. “Perhaps I should take you to my bedroom and you can show me what you wanted to say.”
“According to you, my body is still recovering.” Back at you.
He trailed his mouth across her jawline to her ear. “Maybe I should have let Mars keep you. It would save me a lot of aggravation.”
To wake up next to a God each morning, now that would be quite something, Jenna smiled to herself. Still, Marcus would be equally delightful.
CHAPTER 31
Life had returned to normal in Apollo’s temple. Ares was creating havoc and Amelia missing Augustus.
“I’m sure Augustus will be around soon,” Jenna tried to placate her friend whilst dangling a piece of ribbon in front of Ares.
“I get the distinct feeling he has lost interest,” Amelia sighed heavily. It was her own fault, she thought. He’d got what he seemingly wanted and had now moved on.
“Nonsense. Tensions are a little high at the
Palace currently and the Praetorian are under scrutiny.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Some, it seems, do not quite share the Emperor’s ethics.”
“It still think he could have made even the briefest contact should he wish.”
Jenna took her eyes off Ares for a few seconds. The kitten launched at her hand. “Ouch, you little monster,” she squealed, blood starting to trickle out the fine cut. Ares kept after the ribbon quite unperturbed.
“It’s good to see him active again,” Amelia stroked the cat. “He was pining for you and Julius.”
“Pining for my blood, no doubt,” Jenna grunted and went to rub her cut. It had vanished. She stared at where the wound had been. She was aware she healed quickly, but this was ridiculous. Her hand instinctively went to her abdomen where she remembered being stabbed. At least she thought she had been. She’d never been one prone to hallucinations or fanciful thinking, but she was definitely having a problem reconciling a few facts. Had she really been dreaming when she saw Mars and Minerva at Latvillus? Had Olympus been an extension of that dream? Did she actually carry some of Mars’ life force in her blood? If she did, was she now immortal? Whatever the reason, she healed immediately.
Ares darted off to the front of the temple; Jenna soon saw why.
“Julius,” she headed over and hugged him. “How is my hero?”
“I’m fine,” he giggled, stroking Ares who was pawing at his leg.
“You’re looking remarkably well groomed?”
“I’m stopping by Senator Aurelius’ villa shortly. I wanted to see you first.”
“One day, when you have time, you must tell me about your trip from Latvillus back to Rome, if it was not too traumatic.”
“It was long,” he shrugged. “But I would rather talk about riding in Mars’ chariot.”
Jenna laughed. “Mortals have never ridden in his chariot.”
“I did,” he beamed. “Because I was the only one who knew exactly where you were.”
“How many horses did he have?”
“Eight. He said he was seriously upset.”
Jenna felt a small shiver run down her spine. Mars had said those exact words to her in a dream. “Can you recall what happened at Latvillus?” She was curious to see if his version of events matched hers.
“Yes. The Praetorian captain stabbed you in the side with his dagger. Mars passed on some of his
immortality to you so you could heal. Then he took you and me to Olympus.”
“Mortals don’t go to Olympus,” Jenna said softly, a little concerned that his version of events closely matched those of her dream.
“You’re partly immortal,” he smiled.
Oh dear, why did he have to say that. It just got her mind spinning. Jenna fluffed his hair. “I should really give you something for saving me. We already have your education sorted, the Emperor is sorting out another issue for me, so what is left that I can obtain for you?”
“I already have the most precious gift of all,” Julius could not contain his smile.
“My friendship?” Jenna laughed.
“No.” He pulled the top of his tunic down to reveal the bronze arrowhead. “Mars gave me this.”
Jenna dropped to her knees. It was there, clear as day. “But how?” she reached out and touched it. It didn’t spark, it wasn’t a tattoo, it was just a perfect bronze insignia.
“There is no greater gift than to bear his mark,” Julius beamed. “Now I match you and the Marshall.”
Jenna hugged the young boy. Her mind was feeling a little frazzled. Was it just vaguely possible that what she thought had been a dream wasn’t? Did Mars actually exist? According to Julius he did. And how else could she explain the insignia on his chest? And how did Marcus know about the message she had asked Mars to pass on? She decided that it was too scary a subject to think about. Sure she wanted to prove the existence of the Gods, but she didn’t actually need intimate knowledge of one.
Marcus was at the Imperial Palace, having just had a meeting with Trajan. He knew Ulpina and Pompeia were together, so this was the perfect opportunity to have a private word with the two. Once out of sight of everyone, he transported direct into the room where they were.
“Ladies,” he said silkily, “I do believe you’ve been expecting me.”
They both dropped to their knees as a mark of respect. Neither had ever come face to face with Mars before.
“My lord, why would we be expecting you?” Pompeia stuttered.
“Because you abducted one who has my protection.” He stood purposefully in front of them.
“We have taken no-one,” Ulpina did her best not to shake.
Mars picked her up by the throat. “You, Ulpina, lie. You instructed Captain Lucius to abduct Jenna Duvall. We have it from her mouth.”
“She lies then,” Ulpina gasped.
“I think not. I also have a separate witness who confirms it was you.”
“Captain Lucius is mistaken.”
“I did not say it was Lucius,” Mars retorted, squeezing harder around her neck. “Lucius is dead and you will be joining him shortly.”
“Why would I take a temple maiden?”
“Because you know her true identity. Jenna is not only protected by me, she has no interest in ruling Rome.” Mars threw Ulpina across the room as though she was nothing more than an unwanted cushion. She landed in an ungainly heap against the wall. He turned to Pompeia who was trembling visibly. “I have great respect for your husband but do not mistake that for weakness. If you so much as order a hair on Jenna’s head to be harmed, I will make sure you and Ulpina spend the rest of eternity with Captain Lucius in Tartarus. Do I make myself clear?”
Pompeia nodded furiously. Ulpina just groaned from where she was lying.
“The next time you see me will be to terminate your existence. Let us hope that is not necessary.”
He left in a flash of gold, hoping his message had been loud and clear.
CHAPTER 32
Jenna spotted the flash of purple out the front of the temple; by now she was used to being summoned by her father. She was surprised it was Augustus.
“I’d almost forgotten what you looked like,” she smiled.
“I have not been able to get away from the Palace.”
“I figured. Are you after Amelia?”
“If she is here.” He looked a little awkward.
A loud noise rang out from the temple as Julius tore down the steps. “I forgot to mention your brother is also here,” Jenna grinned. It touched her heart strings to see Julius throw his arms around his big brother. He must really miss him.
Jenna headed back inside to find Amelia. Unsurprisingly Amelia was hesitant. “I’m not sure I want to see him,” she looked confused.
“Just talk to him. If you doubt him afterwards, then end it.” Jenna tried to be the voice of reason but when it came to relationships, she was hardly an expert. In fact her own was rather volatile.
“Fine,” Amelia stomped out.
Jenna decided it was time to remove Julius so Amelia and Augustus could have the conversation they so desperately needed. She grabbed her cloak. “Come on, my little warrior, I’ll walk you home.”
“Shouldn’t you have an escort?” Julius eyed her suspiciously.
She pointed to her back. “We’re both protected by the main man himself, aren’t we?”
“You are a vision in white,” Augustus murmured and took Amelia’s hand. She pulled it free.
“I’m sure you have better things to do than waste your time at a temple,” Amelia turned away from him. His prolonged absence had really hurt her.
“There is no other place I want to be,” he replied.
“Well, I have chores to do. Is there anything in particular you wanted?” she responded sharply.
“Just you,” he murmured slipping arms around her. He had been prepared for a frosty reception.
“Let go of me,” she hissed, trying to wriggle out of his grasp.
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“No,” he replied and lifted her off her feet. Once in the shadows, he restored her to the ground.
Blood Never Lies (Mark of Mars) Page 25