Destined for a Deity (Mark of Mars)

by Juliet Anderson

  “Let me stay with you tonight.”

  “You are staying here, silly.”

  “I meant in your bed, Jenna. I have been quite lost without you.”

  “Perhaps,” she snuggled in to him. “Let us cross that subject after dinner.” She ran her hand over his chest, she already knew her answer but would make him wait for it.

  CHAPTER 20

  “I don’t want excuses,” Trajan roared. “I want Jenna found.”

  “I am sorry,” General Dextus looked very contrite. “Our soldiers are still searching but as yet, no-one can remember seeing her or her friend.”

  “And Marshall Vilnus?”

  “Again, no sign of him.”

  “Has Senator Aurelius arrived yet?”

  “I have,” Aurelius announced himself. “You wanted to see me urgently?”

  “Yes. Jenna has disappeared and so has your son. What good Is Rome without its Marshall of the Peace?” Trajan was not in a happy mood.

  “Marshall Vilnus is so enamoured with your daughter, he cannot function without her,” Aurelius refused to be intimidated by Trajan’s rant.

  “What happened to make her leave?”

  “All I know is that they had rather a heated and violent argument.”

  “Violent?” Trajan thundered. “If he hurt my daughter, he will have to answer to me.”

  “Actually, it was Jenna who drew his blood.”

  Trajan opened his mouth to say something but couldn’t. His daughter really was a law unto herself. Who in their right mind would assault Rome’s most senior officer? “Has he gone after her to arrest her and bring her back?”

  “He just wants her back in Rome. As do we all. And maybe along the way he can persuade her to accept his proposal.” Aurelius hoped sincerely Marcus was making a better job of winning Jenna over now he had Arianna instructing him.

  Trajan let out a frustrated sigh and flopped down on a chaise. “Forgive me, my friend. I am worried for Jenna.”

  “Your concern is only natural, that is the price of being a father. But hopefully she and Marcus are working out their differences.”

  “Somehow I think that unlikely, unless he wants to hand over his manhood.”

  Aurelius laughed. “She is opinionated and fiery, but they both will have to make compromises if they want to be together.”

  “Let us hope he is successful.” Trajan ordered his guard to bring some wine. “Now you are here, I want to discuss my reforming of the Senate.”

  “What are your plans?”

  “Senator Laurentius has done a fine job getting rid of the more corrupt members of the Senate House. Now we need to fill those spaces by a younger generation, ones who are willing to serve the city as we do and not themselves.”

  “Have you decided who you want to appoint?”

  “Yes. I have a list of potential candidates, but I would like your opinion before I speak to them. I need to believe they will act for themselves and not be influenced by their family.”

  “Who is on your list?”

  “Benedictus, Governor Marcellus’ son, is one of my top choices. Jenna is quite fond of him and she is an excellent judge of character.”

  “From what I have seen, he does have backbone and wont bow to his parents’ wishes. Although if he were no longer living with his parents, it would be easier for him to be his own man.”

  “Agreed. I have inherited a few new properties recently from nobles that have been stripped of their wealth, so I could always sweeten the deal with them.”

  “Perhaps you should try appointing Benedictus first and see how he handles himself. If everything goes smoothly, it will be easier to appoint the others.”

  “If I do appoint Benedictus, will you take him under your wing?”

  “Of course. I believe he has the makings of a great Senator. As long as you can get him away from his parents.”

  “Your son has been showing an interest in Benedictus’ sister, has he not?”

  “Yes. He is rather taken with the young lady.”

  “You could have two sons married in a short space of time,” Trajan grinned.

  Aurelius choked on his wine. “Sadly that is just a dream. Whilst Marcus and Jenna might call a truce, I know she has no intention of marrying for a while. As for Hector, he is just catching a pretty girl who can take his mind off the fact he cannot have Jenna.”

  Trajan laughed. “I bet your family gatherings are a bundle of laughs, with Hector and Brutus fighting Marcus for Jenna’s attention.”

  “You would be surprised how many fights I have had to break up. At their age, you would have thought they would have grown out of it.”

  “Will you let me know if you hear anything from Marcus? I sent out an elite group after Jenna and Amelia but they have been unable to trace them, or Marcus.”

  “I am expecting to hear something from him shortly. I will send a messenger around when I do.”

  “Thank you, Aurelius.”

  Dinner was very entertaining for Jenna as she inducted Arianna and Marcus into twenty-first century dining. Mrs Grainger had cooked a mix of chicken, steak, lamb and salmon which was served on platters. Jenna had been crafty and made sure the food was all in bite size strips, so there would not be too much need for a knife.

  “Your goblets are beautiful,” Arianna inspected a crystal wine glass.

  “Why do we need more than one?” Marcus asked.

  “It depends on which wine you are drinking. The bigger ones are for red, the smaller white or rose. Many people drink a different wine with each course.” Jenna poured a sample of red and white.

  Marcus tried the red. “This is very good.”

  “It is strong too, but nothing like Mulsum.”

  Arianna went to the white wine. “Unusual but quite delicious.”

  Jenna passed around the platters. “Salmon is a very English fish, we eat loads of it.”

  “It all looked wonderful,” Arianna’s eyes were sparkling, she adored new things. She let out a load moan as she took a mouthful of salmon with hollandaise sauce. “My word, this is quite the best thing I have eaten.”

  “I’m rather fond of this meat,” Marcus pointed to the fillet steak he was chomping on.

  “Are you staying with us for the next few days, Professor?” Arianna asked. “Or have you got to get back to McVale?”

  “Jenna needs me tomorrow to help with clothes shopping, so I might as well stay.”

  “Help how?”

  “Marcus might need assistance with trying on some of the clothes to make sure they fit. Women generally are not permitted inside male dressing rooms.”

  “I am capable of dressing myself,” Marcus grunted.

  “I’m sure you are,” Jenna laughed. “But as you have never worn our style of clothing, you might not automatically know what does where.”

  “We get to put the clothes on in the store?”

  “Yes. We need to check they fit first.”

  “I can get more of these wonderful garments?” Arianna pulled her top aside to reveal a rather fetching bra.

  Professor Daniels choked on his wine as he was blessed with a sight few would ever see.

  “Sorry,” Arianna looked at Jenna. “I gather from Daniels’ response that it is not done to show one’s garments at dinner.”

  “No. But I don’t think he’s complaining,” Jenna giggled. She looked over to see Marcus smiling at her. “What?”

  “It is the first time I have seen you so relaxed eating.”

  “I think I prefer sitting up like this and eating with a fork. Also, this is the food I know well and love.”

  “You are not a fan of Roman food?” Arianna asked.

  “It is good but a little limiting. We are spoilt here, we can access food from around the world.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. My favourite though is from Gaul and also Italia. In fact, I think we should have some good Italian food tomorrow night and you can see how your Empire’s food has changed.” />
  When all the platters were virtually empty, Jenna stacked them up and started towards the door.

  “Your staff do not clear the table?” Marcus looked surprise.

  “As it is only Mrs Grainger here, it would be unfair to ask her to clear the plates as well. Besides, I have a fair idea where the kitchen is.”

  Marcus got to his feet. “Those are too heavy for you, let me.”

  Jenna was shocked as one of the most powerful Olympus Gods took the platters from her and followed her out to the kitchen. His poor ego had been battered into submission.

  Mrs Grainger was just clearing up the kitchen. “Oh thank you,” she smiled at Marcus.

  Jenna translated for him. He grinned and nodded in response.

  She picked up the pudding selection and carried it through. Mrs Grainger had excelled herself with a mix of mini chocolate tortes and cheesecakes.

  Arianna was in raptures as she devoured the chocolate tortes. “This is better than ambrosia,” she sighed dramatically. “Now I know what you mean when you say you have to return for certain food items.”

  “You will get to taste a few more tomorrow.”

  After dinner Arianna headed up to her bedroom to soak in a bath and study more fashion magazines, Professor Daniels retired to catch up on some work, which left Jenna alone with Marcus in the living room.

  “I never truly appreciated what it must feel like for you to be in a foreign land until now,” Marcus pulled her down onto his lap.

  “Are you finding it very strange?”

  “A little. But with you by my side, I can face anything.”

  “Smooth talker,” Jenna murmured, kissing him softly. “How did you find the food?”

  “Impressive. Perhaps I can persuade Mrs Grainger to come back with us.”

  “She would certainly have your household whipped into shape. I’m not sure how poor Aius could handle being bossed around by a woman.”

  “And you Britons are certainly opinionated,” Marcus kissed her. “Now do you think it time we headed upstairs?”

  Jenna nipped into her bathroom to take her make-up off, brush her teeth and slip into something rather beautiful. She’d put on a black lace nightie which left very little to the imagination. Not that she hoped she’d be wearing it for long.

  Marcus was sprawled across her bed, wearing just a pair of boxers, and looking every inch the God he was. His expression made her feel all hot and bothered.

  “This is rather seductive,” he murmured, slipping the black material from her shoulders, “not that you need anything.”

  Jenna could feel him holding back again. “If you want to return to your immortal form, please do. I have to get used to it.”

  “Are you sure?” he groaned.

  “Yes. It’s not too ugly.”

  “You dare to taunt a God?” he breathed in her ear as he changed to gold.

  “By the time I’ve finished with you, you’ll be able to house your ego in a small box.”

  Marcus pushed her back onto the bed. “You will pay heavily for that slur, my love.”

  “In the meantime, take me to Elysium and back,” she ran a hand down his back.

  “I plan to, several times,” he ran his mouth down her neck and kept going.

  CHAPTER 21

  Florentina was eager to see Luke again, it had been a few days since they last met. She waited patiently in the Forum by the temple, hoping that he was going to visit the Via Lata. Her hopes were answered.

  “Hi Luke,” she smiled. “I was out shopping and thought I’d drop by on the off-chance you were going to the Via Lata.”

  “I am,” he beamed. “Did you want to join me?

  “Sure. Benedictus has not heard anything from the Emperor yet about our official visit.”

  “I understand the Emperor is currently occupied with an urgent matter. And with Jenna out of the city at the moment, I think he is delaying the activity for now.”

  “I thought I heard a rumour about her and the Marshall. A disagreement of some sort.”

  Luke laughed. “A major fight is more like it.” He would never forget the sight of her running through the temple, blood stains on her dress. Only she could get away with stabbing the Marshall of the Peace. He wasn’t quite sure what had gone on, but he knew from Gaius something serious had happened. So serious, that the Marshall was now in Bath in their time zone.

  “Now I know why the streets are so quiet.”

  “How are your parents settling back into Rome?”

  “Father prefers being on active duty, he is not good cooped up in a city. Mother naturally loves being back in Rome, at the centre of things.”

  “Does your father know who long he is due to stay in Rome?”

  “No. I think he might be given a few short commissions, which will not involve mother and I having to move with him.”

  “Will that upset you?”

  “Yes,” she looked downcast for a moment. “I have a stronger bond with my father than mother.”

  “I thought so. Your face always lights up when you see him.”

  “I am not used to showing my feelings, but with father I cannot help it,” Florentina admitted.

  “I find that quite refreshing. People have a habit of saying one thing, but thinking another. With you I can tell when you are being genuine. Which is most of the time.”

  “Most of the time?” she raised an eyebrow.

  “Yes.” He looked at her with a smug grin. “If you were shopping , you would have your purchases with you. You also would not be unchaperoned.”

  “Perhaps I sent my chaperone home with my purchases.”

  “You detest being with a chaperone, you feel it constricts you. Without sounding too egotistical, I do believe you wanted to see me to take you to the Via Lata and have been waiting outside the temple hoping to run in to me.”

  “You have a very high opinion of yourself,” Florentina sniffed, annoyed that she was so transparent.

  “No. Just hopeful you wished to see me too.”

  “A noble lady does not hunt down a man and ask him to take her to a run-down area of the city.”

  Luke chuckled. “True. But you are acting on the request of the Emperor. Although I would happily take you anywhere you want to go, rough or civilised.”

  “How about Arula?”

  “If I attempted to take you out the city, General Tiberius would hunt me down and display my dismembered body at the city gates as a warning to anyone else who had designs on his daughter,” Luke shuddered.

  “Do you have designs on me?” she glanced sideways at him through her lashes.

  “If you knew what I was thinking right now, you probably wouldn’t be walking with me,” he flashed her a mischievous grin. “But I am a lowly priest and would not dream of making a move on such a noble lady.”

  “Even if the lady would welcome it?”

  Luke stopped walking and stared at her. “Are you asking me to…?” he wasn’t quite sure how he should phrase it.

  “Not that, not yet anyway. But I do want to kiss you.” Florentina was shocked she could speak so brazenly with Luke.

  “Have you kissed many people?”

  “No. But I am attracted to you.”

  “Really?” Luke stepped closer to her.

  “Yes.”

  It was quiet on the streets and he manoeuvred her back into the shadows. “I am never one to turn down a request from such a noble lady,” he murmured and kissed her gently. Her arms slipped around his neck and she pulled him closer.

  He broke away a little while later. “We should continue on before I behave in a most ungentlemanly like manner.”

  Florentina was beaming, Luke was not only rather cute, he kissed like a dream. She should be ashamed for thinking it, but she so wanted to see what he was hiding under his tunic. She linked her arm around his. “Lead on.”

  Maia was swamped with children and was thrilled to see help coming through the door. “My prayers have been answered,” she sighed
in relief. “I’ve been overrun today.”

  “Just let us know what you need doing,” Luke was not fazed by whatever Maia was going to throw his way. He also needed something to take his mind of Florentina. If he had any sense, he would get as far away from her as he could; she had a father who made Marshall Vilnus look positively tame. But he liked her a lot. She was honest and fun to be around, it was rare to find someone who was not afraid to say what she wanted. And he was thrilled to find out it was him.