She had only visited it a few times as a child, but it was her favorite place to be. With rolling hills of green, a sea overflowing with fish, a little manor, and the kindest people she’d ever met, it was her dream to live their one day. But she imagined since it was so far from the capital, that her father, or future husband, would never allow it.
The gladiators grumbled at that, and she realized with a strange giddiness that they were jealous of the idea of her with another man. For some reason, their reaction warmed her heart. Because, somehow, a future without them was starting to sound empty. Wrong. But there was no world she could imagine where they could all be together in peace and happiness.
Still, her warriors were right, speaking of their lives even brought her sweet dreams.
On the fourth morning after her injury, she rose with Orestes, feeling more like herself than she had in a long time.
“Does your back still hurt?” he whispered, washing her hair gently in the hot spring.
She winced as the warm water struck her back. “Only a little.”
He pressed a soft kiss to her neck. “It will be better soon.”
Leaning her back, he washed the strange smelling soap from her hair, and she stared up at his beautiful face. There was something so kind about it. Like he had a face meant for laughing.
But after all he has been through, being captured from his home, knowing that his wife and child were killed, I imagined he hasn’t had much time for laughing.
I hope I can fix that one day.
When he brought her back up, she kissed him lightly on the lips.
“What was that for?”
She stared down at her hands. “I just… I wish that I could remain with all of you forever. But not like this. I wish I could bring you into my world.”
He smirked. “My sweet Lana, a love like ours would never be allowed in your world.”
Love?
Her heart ached. “It’s unfair.”
Touching her chin, he forced her gaze up. “We cannot control the rain, but we can make preparations so that we aren’t caught in it.”
Frowning, she shook her head. “What does that mean?”
He opened his mouth, but Damon spoke, splashing into the water beside them. “He means that there are many things we can’t control, like the rain, but there are things we can do.” Moving behind her, he ran a hand lightly along the back of her neck. “And your warriors are doing everything within their control.”
For the first time since her injury, she felt her body heating up. The two men were surrounding her, and she liked the feeling. Orestes seemed to sense her need too, because he adjusted her in his lap so that she was straddling him. His clear arousal pressed into her belly as he lowered her onto his legs.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, all traces of humor gone from his voice.
“Good enough,” she whispered.
Damon reached from behind her to gently cradle her breasts, and then his thumbs rubbed her hard peaks, drawing a breathless moan from her lips. Orestes captured her mouth, his kiss hard and demanding.
She spread her lips, shifting closer to him as his tongue swept into her mouth.
One of his hands slid down between them, and his fingers brushed her womanhood. An unexpected whimper slipped from her lips, and she rocked against his fingers, feeling her core heating up.
From behind her, Damon rubbed the tip of his shaft against her ass. His hold on her breasts tightening.
Damon’s twin, Elias, spoke from beside them. “Gods damn it. How can one woman be so sexy?”
She opened her eyes and stared at him. For some reason the tortured, aroused note to his voice took her arousal up a notch. Reaching beneath the waters, she captured his hard shaft and began stroking. He cursed.
On her other side, Hesperos spoke. “Should she really be doing this today? We agreed she needed to heal before—“
She grasped his shaft beneath the waters, satisfied when he groaned and clutched the side of the bathing pool. He looked like a man desperately fighting for control. The large, mostly quiet man, always seemed cold to the world around him. She loved the idea that she was bringing him to his knees.
Quite literally.
Orestes grasped her ass and pulled her closer, gently entering her womanhood. Inch by inch he lowered her down onto him. His large shaft squeezed inside of her… so big, and yet so perfect.
I’ve missed this.
Behind her, Damon pinched her nipples harder, and a shudder ran through her body. Both her hands pumped the two men beside her faster, and she was thrilled when Damon’s hands left her breasts to part her ass cheeks. He entered her slowly, cautiously, but she was no longer afraid of what would come next.
The sensation of both men inside of her at the same time was so, so good. Almost unreal. And she knew what it would bring.
As they began to work together, sliding in and out of her almost as one, she felt her orgasm building. When Orestes lowered his mouth and began to suck her nipples, she cried out, pumping the cocks in her hands harder. She bounced on the shafts inside her, making both the men curse at the same time.
And then, she cried out as her orgasm swept her under.
She was sure she was swearing, all kinds of words that a lady shouldn’t say. But in that moment, she was not a lady. She was a woman. And she was enjoying every second of the ripples running over her body. Every feeling of her womanhood and ass clenching the too-big cocks inside her. And when the men began to explode, one after another, she enjoyed the knowledge that she alone had made them come.
Collapsing against Orestes, she dropped the two shafts and snuggled against her warrior.
“I wish this moment could last forever,” she whispered.
Behind her, Damon stroked her thighs, still buried deep inside her. “If you were still a lady, you would only wish to be free of us.”
Not opening her eyes, she told him the truth. “I wanted all of you before I was given to you. And I’ll want all of you long after. In my dreams, I imagine that I could be with my warriors forever. That you would all be mine.”
Orestes and Damon stiffened, and she felt the air in the room shift.
Sitting up, she frowned, feeling suddenly vulnerable. “Did I say something wrong?”
Orestes held her gaze. “What if we could find a way to be together? Not as slaves, but as free people?”
Then, we would all be dead and in some perfect heaven. “If only.”
Tobias spoke over the strained silence. “Time to eat and practice.”
Her warriors moved away from her, and they climbed out of the waters, dried themselves, and dressed.
While they were eating, it suddenly hit her. The reason for the tension.
Tomorrow was arena day. Her warriors would be fighting. And every battle meant a chance that they’d forfeit their lives.
That day before practice, she kissed each of them gently, as if she was saying goodbye. And then with stiff limbs, she tried her best to keep herself busy tidying up until they returned to her.
Tonight, she wanted their night together to be special.
Just in case.
Chapter Ten
Lana lay, unable to sleep. Every one of her gladiators had turned her down for sex that night. It made no sense to her.
Perhaps it’s a superstition. No sex before battle?
But as she blinked back unwanted tears, she sensed that something had changed. None of the big warriors slept with her before the fire. All of them milled about in their tiny, individual rooms. What were they doing that was so important?
She wanted to demand they explain to her exactly what was happening, but instead she gave them the space they seemed to need.
When she heard someone in her room, she didn’t look up. Instead, she stared at the flames of the fire, trying to bury her feelings of sadness, uncertainty, and rejection. She had no right to be upset. After all, they were the ones fighting for their lives in the morning.
“Lana?” Adonis moved to block her view of the dancing flames.
She looked up at him as he set items down in front of her. “Yes?”
“It’s time to get dressed.”
She frowned, sitting up and looking at the items for the first time. There was a pair of sandals, a slave dress, and a metal dagger. “What is this?”
“Get dressed,” he repeated. “Quickly. There isn’t much time.”
The nervousness in his voice made her launch into action. She took off her scratchy tunic and put on the tan dress that came to her knees. Then, she laced the sandals, which were only a tad too big, up her thighs, and tied them into place. In the meantime, Adonis had packed her other items in a small bag.
“Are we running away?” she asked, almost afraid to ask.
They’ll find us. There’s a massive desert between us and the next town, leaving nowhere to hide from the guards.
Or we’ll simply die out there.
He shook his head.
She opened her mouth to ask another question, when the city’s alarm bell began ringing.
He grabbed her arm, hauling her down the dirt hall. Ahead of them, the door to their prison opened.
“What’s happening?” she asked, shouting above the bells.
The gladiators surged forward, but Adonis shouted above the sound. “The rebellion has begun.”
Chapter Eleven
Lana rushed forward toward the unlocked gate of their prisons, keeping pace with her gladiators who surrounded her. Their big bodies radiated heat, and the sound of their heavy breathing filled her ears. Glancing at their faces, filled with certainty and determination, she wanted to feel the same. But she was afraid.
Are we really part of a rebellion? We can’t possibly be successful.
And yet, what other choice are we left with?
Her mind ran through the many challenges a rebellion would face. The slaves who would still fight for their masters. The guards with their training and weapon. And the high walls that surrounded the city.
She’d never believed a slave rebellion could be successful.
But, she also couldn’t believe any force could stand in the way of her gladiators.
They have been slaves for a lifetime and have found the strength to rise up against their masters. I’ve only been a slave for a short time. Surely I can be brave too?
When they reached the practice area, Hesperos moved to the chests where their real weapons were kept locked up. Pulling a key out, he undid the locks, and the gladiators selected weapons without hesitation.
They’ve planned for everything.
Almost the second they were done, guards came pouring out of the stairway leading to the Senator’s house. She stepped back, fumbling clumsily in the bag Adonis had given her. It took her only a moment to find the dagger and pull it from its sheath.
Although her heart beat far too frantically in her chest and her hands shook, her warriors fought without hesitation. The sounds of swords striking swords filled the air.
She watched in awed shocked as Adonis severed one man’s head from his body. Palaemon faced two men, but he dodged and avoided their blows with each, killing both within moments.
And then, all their opponents were dead.
Hesperos rushed back to where she stood and took her hand. “Come on, and stay close.”
They lead her up the stairs. She didn’t know what she expected, but there were several dead bodies as they moved through the tall rooms. Some were slaves. Some were guards.
Sweat beaded her brow. But instead of heading out to the city, her gladiators took her up the stairs. It wasn’t until they broke open a door, and she found the Senator crouched in the corner with four guards positioned around him that she realized what was happening.
We don’t have time for this. Once the city guards are released on the city, my warriors won’t have a chance to escape. They’ll be sealed in.
And executed for taking part in the rebellion.
“Hesperos—“
“Quiet,” he whispered gently.
The twins, Elias and Damon, stepped forward. Their faces no longer held the grins she’d grown accustomed to. They looked like fearful men with a taste for blood.
“We promised our woman your life for hurting her,” Damon said, the strands of his long blond hair casting shadows over his face as he spoke. “And we intended to keep our promise.”
The Senator’s dark gaze moved over the room full of warriors, and then to her. She knew it the moment he realized there was no chance he would survive. His lips curled back.
“She’s a witch who has all of you spell-bound. What do you think will happen after you kill me? Do you really think she’ll choose one of you to marry?” He laughed, sweat running down his forehead. “She’ll use you and toss you away.”
A darkness fell over Elias’ face. “Are those truly the last words you wish to speak before we send you to Tartaros?”
The Senator shoved one of his guards forward. The man swung his blade out at Elias, and it was promptly knocked from his grip. Elias sent a sword through his stomach, dispatching the man without a word.
Seeing their companion slide to the floor, the life disappearing from his eyes, seemed to awaken the other three guards. They charged. A pathetic excuse for an attack, and Lana looked away, knowing what was to come. Metal clanged against metal. Someone screamed. Grunts and cries filled the air, followed by the overwhelming scent of coppery blood.
And then, everything grew silent.
Slowly looking back, she tried to keep her gaze from the dead bodies on the floor. Unfortunately, that meant her gaze connected squarely with the Senator.
“I can give you anything you want,” the cowardly man whispered, curling further into the corner. “Money, lands… women. Anything! Please, just---“
The dagger that went through his throat promptly cut off his speech.
Cadmus moved forward, gripped the hilt of it, and drove it harder into the Senator. Pulling his dagger free, he let the dead man hit the floor.
Turning his cold eyes back to her, his words were harsh. “We don’t have time to play with him. The others will need our help.”
“The others?” she asked, feeling confused. “What others? Aren’t we escaping the city?”
Cadmus’ eyes narrowed. “Of course not. This is a rebellion.”
Her stomach turned. “But…”
We can’t take down the whole city. We need to escape.
Adonis took her arm gently and turned her back toward the door, as they others rushed back to the main part of the house. “This isn’t about escaping, my sweet Lana. This is about ending the slavery of our people. It’s about freedom. Tonight it isn’t just our city that rebels, but all of them.”
But what of my friends? Of my father?
Nausea bubbled up inside her. She’d always wanted the slaves to be free. She’d just never thought about the price that would need to be paid. The many people who will have to die.
“If anyone asks you, you’re a slave,” Adonis whispered in her ear. “Stay close. And do not be afraid, we’ll keep you safe.”
She barely heard him as Bion and Kosmas smashed open the door to the city. Instead, she was pulled out into pure chaos. The city was burning. Fights were raging in the streets.
So this is war.
Chapter Twelve
Lana’s warriors moved through the streets like gods of death. Anyone who challenged them died. Slaves cheered them as they fought, and she got the unmistakable feeling that her gladiators were the leaders of the rebellion trail of bodies. Adonis and Tobias took her inside, and the others continued on through the streets.
Panic rose within her. “We shouldn’t separate!”
Tobias shook his head as they reached her door. “Our responsibility is to see that you live through the night. They must continue the battle.”
“No,” she denied him.
The deaths. The fires. The smell of burning flesh lingering in the a
ir. It was all horrible. More horrible than anything she imagined.
And yet, she couldn’t stand the thought of her men fighting without her by their sides. What if they’re hurt?
Adonis pounded at her large door. There was a scurry of noise inside, and nothing more.
“It’s—it’s me!” she shouted.
A second later, she heard the chains coming undone. One of her servants peeked out, her eyes widening as they came across Adonis and Tobias.
“It’s okay. They’re here to protect us.”
Her servant opened the door wider, and they rushed in.
On the other side of the door, the dozen people who ran her household were gathered together. Every man, woman, and child she’d bought and given freedom to. And every one of them looked frightened beyond words.
“Everything is going to be okay,” she reassured them, finding her words.
Sedrai shook her head. “My lady, there’s a rebellion. Both of the houses surrounding ours have already been overrun. We watched from the windows. If they come here…”
Realization hit her. Her people weren’t slaves. What would the rebels do if they bashed down her door? Would they hurt them?
“I have a place we can hide.”
Adonis nodded. “Conceal yourselves. We shall stand guard.”
She froze. What am I doing? No matter how much I might wish to keep my gladiators safely at my side, it endangers the others to do so.
I have to let them go.
She turned back to him, overwhelmed by the concern in his incredible green eyes. “You should go and help the others.”
“No.” He answered without pausing.
Tobias crossed his big arms over his chest. “Our job is to protect you.”
If only I could do the same for you.
“If enemies see you standing guard, they might suspect you protect me. It would be more dangerous for you to stay.”
Silence stretched between them.
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