“Yes,” she squeaked. “Have you anything on underneath that?”
“Of course,” he almost looked offended.
She pushed him back on the bed and fell on top of him. “As wonderful as these look, I’m in a mind to get you out of them.” The tight black Armani boxers did nothing to calm her raging hormones. The man was just too delicious for his own good.
A while later Jenna lay next to him. “It feels rather good to be ravished by a beautiful young woman,” he ran his finger down her naked back. “If all it takes is the right clothes, I’ll restock my dressing room back in Rome.”
“I’m sorry,” Jenna buried her head in his chest. “I’m not quite sure what came over me.”
“Do not apologise. I am always wanting to remove your clothes, so it is very pleasing when it is the other way around. Now how about we get dressed and head out for the ride. Arianna will only be banging on our door if we do not.”
Jupiter was pleased to hear from Gaius that Mars, Minerva and Jenna would be back in two days.
“You can set your mind at rest, my dear,” he spoke to Juno. “Your children will soon be returned to you.”
“I have missed them terribly,” Juno whined.
“I have not missed the fighting,” Jupiter grunted. Not that life had been that peaceful. Trajan had been exploding worse than Vesuvius about his daughter’s disappearance. “I need to get over to the Palace to let Trajan know about Jenna.” He kissed his wife on the forehead. “You may rest easy now.”
Trajan was relieved to get the news. “The day after tomorrow, you say?”
“Yes. This is the message I received.”
“I will send for Jenna as soon as she is back,” Trajan grunted. “Is her temple sister with her?”
“Amelia returned today.” Aurelius noticed Augustus’ reaction on hearing that bit of news.
“So Jenna is alone with Marcus?” Trajan’s eyes narrowed.
“Yes. And before you come over all paternal, my friend, I believe we may be heading towards an official betrothal. If not and she is being stubborn, you have an excellent bargaining point.”
Trajan laughed. “Forgive me. I am rather a novice at fatherhood.”
“I’ve had many years practice and still have not fathomed it out.”
“Don’t give me that,” Trajan flapped his hand. “Your family all fall into line when you bark.”
“If only,” Aurelius laughed. “On a different subject, have you spoken to Benedictus yet?”
“No. To be truthful, my mind has been rather pre-occupied with my daughter’s safety. Once she is back in Rome, I will move forward with my plans. She is a central part of them, so I want her here.”
“I am sure you will be advised the minute that wildcat is back.”
Trajan stood up. “Thank you, Aurelius. Now I need to sort out another female related issue. Life would be so much easier if it were just us men.”
Aurelius left with a smile on his face. He had a feeling they would be celebrating the official betrothal between Marcus and Jenna shortly. Trajan was embracing his paternal role and would not settle for his daughter having a relationship with the Marshall of the Peace without a formal agreement in place. He wished he could be present for when Trajan went head to head with his daughter; not even he could predict who would emerge victorious.
CHAPTER 23
Amelia was in the back room of the temple with Ares; they were both missing Jenna. The temple seemed so devoid of life at the moment. Or maybe she was so empty. Augustus had hurt her badly with his betrayal. At least Jenna’s love life was faring a little better. From the call she’d had with Jenna just before she returned, her relationship with Marcus was back on track. Or rather Mars. A shiver went down Amelia’s spine. The Roman deities were real. And she’d met a few.
“Hey, fur ball, perhaps we can find something to do that will occupy us for the rest of the evening,” she stroked Ares.
Not even Ares could muster up any enthusiasm. He just lay on her lap looking pathetic.
“What a sorrow pair we make,” Amelia sighed. She really had wallowed enough in self-pity, now it was time to get moving and show that cheating lothario what Arulians were made of.
Cassandra called her from the main temple.
“Yes?” she reappeared, trying her best to put on a bright smile.
“Emperor Trajan has asked to see you. He has sent a Praetorian to escort you. And no, it’s not Augustus.”
“He wants to see me?” Amelia was suddenly terrified. She had never been summoned to the Palace. Only Jenna had. “But why?”
“I imagine he has some questions relating to Jenna. He has taken on a kind of paternal role. Probably because she is an orphan and saved his life.”
“What should I tell him?”
“That all we know is she is returning in a couple of days. Now get going, it is not good form to keep an Emperor waiting.”
Amelia rode on the back of the Praetorian’s horse, not looking forward to the interview at all. Sure, it was exciting going to the Imperial Palace, but not only was she going to get a grilling from Trajan, there was every chance Augustus would be there too. He was after all Trajan’s lead bodyguard.
She barely had a chance to take in her surroundings. From the courtyard, she was shown straight up to Trajan’s study. As she feared, Augustus was standing beside him.
“Amelia, is it not?” Trajan came over to her.
“Yes,” she bowed her head in respect.
“Please, come take a seat,” he ushered her in.
Thankfully, Augustus left them alone.
“I do apologise for dragging you over here close to evening, but there is a matter weighing heavily on my mind.” The Emperor sat down next to her.
“Jenna?”
Trajan let out a loud hiss. “That Arulian wild child is always preying on my mind. But this issue is different. You may not be aware, but I have been doing some extensive work ridding the Senate and some civic offices of corruption.”
“I’d heard there had been a bit of a shake-up at the Curia Julia,” Amelia smiled. She was not sure where the Emperor was going with this conversation. It seemed unlikely the offer of a Senate seat would be forthcoming.
“One area where I was keen to get proof of corruption was with the Office of Public Spending. Senator Grippa who headed it up was one slippery character indeed, but he did have one weakness. His mistress. He told her everything and in order to get the information we needed from this lady, I had to find someone she would be willing to speak to. Captain Augustus filled that role very well. She was more than happy to tell him just about anything he wanted to know.”
“I am pleased you managed to get the information you needed,” Amelia responded dutifully. It was painful hearing about her former boyfriend’s infidelity from the Emperor.
“I am led to believe you think Augustus has betrayed you. On the contrary, he was acting under my orders.”
Amelia looked at him a little bemused. “He still was involved with another woman. That is not forgivable in my view. He could have declined.”
“And disappointed his Emperor?”
“He still had a choice,” Amelia responded. “Would you not have respected his decision had he said no?”
“I…yes, I guess I would have done,” Trajan replied. Amelia had surprised him. He thought once he had explained the situation, all would be forgiven with Augustus. He had underestimated an Arulian again.
“I am not experienced with relationships but I cannot stay with a man who has been with another, albeit under orders from his Emperor.” Amelia stood up. “It was kind of you to try and help, however my relationship with Augustus is finished.”
“I am truly sorry to hear that. Would you not try and give it another chance? I could always issue a decree.”
“I am not Roman,” Amelia smiled.
“You sound just like Jenna,” Trajan grunted, clearly not impressed at losing this argument.
“That is w
hat comes of living in the same temple as her. Is the same officer due to return me to Apollo?”
“Yes, he should be outside the door. And thank you once again for coming.”
Amelia opened the door. Both Augustus and the Praetorian were waiting for her. She scowled at Augustus and spoke to the other officer. “The Emperor has asked for you to return me to the safety of Apollo.”
She took in a bit more of the Palace as she was escorted along the corridor, it was truly stunning. Quite easily the most magnificent building she had been in. Before she reached the courtyard, a firm hand grasped her upper arm.
“The Emperor has asked me to detain the priestess for a moment. He has other questions to ask.”
The young Officer nodded and made himself scarce.
“What now?” Amelia glared at Augustus.
“We talk,” he grunted and dragged her into a vacant room.
“Talk about what?” Amelia hissed when they were alone. “That you were only too happy to screw another woman because your Emperor asked you to?”
“It wasn’t like that, Amelia,” Augustus bit back. “The Emperor needed me to get close to this woman. She would not give up her information without a bit of persuasion.”
“So that makes it alright in your eyes?” She shivered and pulled away from him.
“No. I did not enjoy being with her. It is only you I want.”
“I certainly don’t want you, knowing you’ve been with another woman. How would you feel if I had sex with another man, purely on the pretext of getting information out of him?”
“That would not sit well with me. But I am a man.”
“And that makes it acceptable?”
“No, but I did not….”
“Forget it, Augustus. I don’t want you touching me knowing where you’ve been.”
Augustus swore very loudly and did the only thing he could think of to try and break down Amelia’s defences. He kissed her passionately. She struggled and fought against him but gradually he could feel her resistance slipping.
She glared heavily at him as he came up for air eventually. “Have you quite finished assaulting me?” she snapped.
“No,” he said firmly. “It is the Emperor’s wish for our relationship to continue. Now get over your damaged ego.”
“My damaged….”
Augustus shut her up again. “I’ve got all night but I suspect you want to return to the temple some time. So do keep quiet whilst I tell you how things are going to be.”
“Of all the insufferable….”
Augustus was enjoying himself. Every time she spoke, he kissed her. He was more than happy to continue with this line of attack. “Now, may I continue?”
Amelia pulled a face.
“We will resume our relationship. I care deeply for you and certainly don’t want to let you go.”
“You’ve a strange way of showing it,” Amelia grunted.
“Would it please you to know what I could not actually have sex with this woman in question because a certain part of my body refused to show any interest?”
“You mean you didn’t…?”
“No. And I would rather it wasn’t advertised that I couldn’t. I am a man and our sexual prowess is important to us.”
“So how did you get the information you needed?”
“I am not without talent,” he smiled cheekily.
“Why did you not tell me what you were up to?”
“I could not, I was acting for the Emperor.” He pulled her to him again. “Now, as I have already dictated, our relationship will resume.”
“You’re dictating now,” she starred up into those gorgeous brown eyes.
“Yes.” His kiss destroyed her last ounce of resistance.
“That certain part of your anatomy is showing much interest now,” she breathed in his ear.
“Because it wants you terribly.”
“It will have to wait until we are alone.”
“Do you see anyone else in this room?”
“We are at the Imperial Palace,” she looked up at him shocked.
“Yes. And the Emperor has instructed I fix our relationship.”
Amelia gasped as he backed her up to the wall. “Augustus, we can’t.”
“Amelia, do shut up and kiss me,” Augustus instructed as he lifted her up.
Her squeal was drowned out by his mouth as he showed her just how much he had missed her.
Professor Daniels intercepted Jenna before breakfast. “There is something you should see.” He handed her his laptop. “Some very interesting posts on line.”
Jenna read the posts, they were all about the sighting of a glimmering golden woman in the centre of Bath. Reports about her moving at impossible speed, eye witnesses saying she and her companions were speaking Latin. And rumours that the child she saved was marked with an olive branch. The name Minerva cropped up several times.
“Luckily there are no pictures of you and I,” Jenna sighed in relief.
“Yes. It’s a good job we’re heading back tomorrow. I’ve arranged the helicopter.”
“Let’s just hope we can persuade them to return to Rome. I have a feeling Arianna is rather attracted to this time zone.”
“She is far too accepting of this world,” Professor Daniels remarked. “Her brother is a little more wary.”
“Women have the imagination, men don’t,” Jenna grinned.
After Arianna had polished off a basket of pastries, Jenna thought it time to introduce them to some twenty-first century toys. Quad-bikes. Jenna led them out to the garage block.
“You have that smug look on your face which makes me nervous,” Marcus’ black eyes bore into her.
“I was just thinking it was time to see if you can really embrace some of our technology.” She pulled open the double doors to reveal the contents within. “We’re riding these,” she pointed to the two quad bikes.
“Are they similar to your….,” Arianna struggled for the word. Hardly surprising really as it didn’t exist in the Latin vocabulary. She pointed to the Jeep. “Are they similar to that beast?”
“Not really. These are much easier to ride.” She pulled out a couple of jumpsuits. “You need to put these on if you don’t want to get covered in dirt. Watching two Gods fathom out a jumpsuit was quite entertaining in itself. She put them out their misery eventually. “Now pay attention.” She pointed to the throttle. “This is for speed. To get moving and go faster, you turn it gently forward, to slow down, turn it back.” Next she highlighted the brakes. “To stop quickly, pull these levers towards you and keep them pulled in. But when you go to move forward again, make sure the speed control is turned right back. If you let go of these handles whilst the speed control is turned right up, these things will rear up like a horse.”
Marcus sat on one whilst Jenna fired it into life. She sat behind him initially. Resting her hand on top of his on the handlebars, she talked him through it again. “Turn this handle forward ever so gently.” They eased out the garage. “You also control the direction with these,” she turned the handlebars to prove the point. Having reached the end of the garage courtyard, Jenna turned him around so they could go back to the garage. She still had Arianna to instruct further.
Arianna took to it well also. “What are you going to ride, Jenna?”
“This,” Jenna uncovered her old dirt bike. It had been a while since she’d ridden it last, but ever faithful, it started first time. She led the novice riders along a suitable track through the woods. Before long, their confidence was flowing. So much so, she had a hard time getting them to return to the garage.
“It is almost lunchtime and you don’t want to miss your intake of sweet things,” Jenna went for a straight bribe with Arianna.
“I’m not that easily bought,” Marcus looked smug.
“I’ve not yet shown you my collection of weapons through the ages,” she glanced over her shoulder at him.
He muttered an oath, she had hit his weak spot.
Arianna was beaming when they got back to the house. “That was exhilarating. I’ve not been so entertained in hundreds of years.”
“I aim to please,” Jenna smiled.
“You do know you are never going to get rid of me.”
Jenna shook her head, Arianna was adapting way to quickly to her world.
Lunch was another eye-opener for them with so many new foods to try. Mrs Grainger had prepared a selection of cold cuts, breads and salads, and her guests devoured it with gusto.
Destined for a Deity (Mark of Mars) Page 21
