Passions of New Pompeii

by Aubrey Ross

  “You have seen me in the arena.” He smiled. “I never fight fair.”

  “All right. You tell me something about your past and I’ll tell you something about mine.”

  “Find us some wine and I’ll consider it.”

  “This is a VIP domicile. There are all sorts of amenities. Warm up the bed. I’ll be right back.”

  He watched the subtle movement of her ass as she crossed the room, imagining all of the pleasures they would share. After her brazen behavior in the bath, he was ready to unleash the full scope of his desire.

  “Warm up the bed?” he muttered under his breath. He thought his understanding of Fedoros was adequate, but many of the things she said still made no sense. He pulled back the covers and stacked pillows against the wall, so they could recline in comfort while they sipped their wine.

  She returned a few minutes later carrying a large tray. As well as wine, she had located a mound of fresh fruit, a loaf of crusty bread and several kinds of cheese. “There was a welcome basket in the kitchen.”

  “A ‘welcome basket’?” Setting the tray on the bed, she crawled onto the mattress and sat with her legs folded in front of her. The position would have been infinitely more interesting if her body hadn’t been draped in white linen.

  “It is customary on Fedoros for a host to leave a basket of edible treats for their honored guests.”

  “Your brother is one of the founders. You should be considered family, not a guest.”

  “I hadn’t intended to involve Mikko when I reserved this house.” She poured wine into the silver cups and held one out for him.

  “But you were harassed by the—”

  “I needed a reason for you to accompany me, so we made up that story.”

  “We? You and domina?” The wine was cool and sweet, so he drank more deeply.

  “Yes. I know you don’t trust Laetif, but I can’t imagine what she would gain by exposing Mikko to censure and prosecution.”

  “I did not say I do not trust her. I just cautioned you to consider that she does nothing without a self-serving reason.”

  She paused for a sip of wine then reached for a fat strawberry. “I was hoping you would have heard something, a rumor or some bit of gossip.”

  Following her example, he brought one of the small fruits to his mouth. The fragrance made his mouth water and anticipation tightened his stomach. He bit into the strawberry and closed his eyes, savoring the sweet flavor as it rolled across his tongue. “Ambrosia,” he whispered. “Surely this is food fit for the gods.” Immediately sadness clouded her expression and she looked away. “After I left you last night, I spoke with Max about the energy barrier. He claims to have been beyond it and back, and yet he lives.”

  Her gaze returned to his face, but her expression was still cautious. “Who is Max?”

  “My doctore, my trainer. He was already here when the founders evacuated Pompeii.”

  “What else did he tell you?” Hope sparkled through the caution, and Theos wanted to laugh. Did she realize how easy it was to read her expressive eyes?

  “He told me the gods were metaphors, not literal beings. He has no doubt that there is a guiding force, a benevolent maker, but the founders acted on their own when they evacuated Pompeii.”

  “And do you believe him?”

  He set down his cup then took hers from her and set it on the tray. Shifting the tray to one side, he grasped her arms and pulled her forward until she straddled his lap. “Unlike the beautiful temptress who is systematically dismantling my life, I have known Max for years and have reason to trust him.”

  “You can trust me too.” An intoxicating combination of emotions shaped her expression. Hope, joy and tenderness wrapped around him like a fire-warmed cloak.

  “I want to trust you. You have given me no reason to mistrust you. But it will take time for me to accept what I am feeling.”

  For some reason this made her smile. “What exactly are you feeling?”

  “The need to be inside you again,” he evaded as he leaned down to claim her mouth.

  She turned her head and his lips found her soft cheek. “We were going to talk first.”

  “We are talking.” He kissed his way to her ear and caught the tender lobe between his teeth. She yelped then shivered, swaying slightly toward him.

  “Laetif told me why you became a gladiator. Why were you sold and moved to Pompeii?”

  He released her earlobe with a sigh. “I was young and foolish, unbelievably arrogant. When the wife of my Roman master summoned me to her bed, I thought she was unable to resist the lust I stirred within her. In truth she sampled each new gladiator after their first win. I bragged about the pleasure I gave her to the other gladiators and one of the guards reported the conversation to my master.”

  “So he sold you?”

  “He threatened to cut off my tongue and my balls, so I counted myself lucky when he sold me. From that day forth, I refused to fuck anyone not of my choosing. I suffered several beatings for my stubbornness, but I would not be swayed.”

  Her gaze dropped to his chest and she said, “And yet you came to my bed.”

  “Your brother stressed the importance of my mission, but I knew he would not punish me if I walked away.”

  That brought her head up. “My brother encouraged you to seduce me?” She shook her head, tension gathering in her shoulders. “Of course he did. That’s why he told you about Vito. He wanted you to feel sorry for me and—”

  “Last night might have been tainted with ulterior motives, but I am here now because I want to be with you.” He brushed his lips over hers then relaxed against the pillows. “Now it is your turn. Tell me something about you.”

  She slowly licked her lips, meeting his gaze as she told him, “I have a five-year-old son. His name is Feztis and he will ascend to the throne if Tarhee doesn’t produce an heir before he dies.”

  “Your son is a Fedoran prince?” As if being sister to one of the founders was not impressive enough. Theos felt the social gap between them widen and his confidence shuddered. She had bedded royalty. How could she ever be content with someone like him? “Do men pursue you in hopes of gaining control of your son?”

  “Continually. The emperor is very protective of Fez. He realizes his enemies could do great harm through the boy.”

  “And through you.”

  She shook her head. “I have no real power. My son was taken from me shortly after his birth and I must have the emperor’s permission to visit him.”

  “That seems cruel from your perspective, but it is not unusual. The boy is likely safer within the palace compound.”

  She shrugged as familiar pain echoed through her being. “That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

  “I would not expect the practice to please you.”

  “Don’t get me wrong. Fez is in no way abused. He is being raised by an army of servants and he has the best of everything. The emperor is molding him into a successor just in case Tarhee fails to fulfill his obligation to the royal line.”

  “Even so, you would prefer to have access to your son?”

  She smiled and her shoulders relaxed. “I’m allowed to tap into the security feeds and watch him, but it’s not the same.”

  “You are able to access images of your son while he is far away?” She nibbled her bottom lip for a moment before she nodded. “Max said that was how gladiator games were introduced to Fedoros. He said Fedorans only observed they did not interact until after the evacuation.”

  “I’m so far over the line all ready I might as well show you the rest.”

  “Show me the rest of what?”

  A slow, challenging smile parted her lips. “Are you ready for your first look beyond the barrier?”

  Chapter Seven

  Elaina’s heart fluttered in her chest. She was about to do something extremely naughty and her rebellious streak loved every minute of it. Careful to keep the oversized towel wrapped around her body, she crawled off the side o
f the bed and held out her hand to Theos. His gaze narrowed, but he took her hand.

  She led him to the back wall of the bedroom and pressed her palm against the scanner panel, which was cleverly concealed by the intricate mural. “It’s against the law to bring you in here.” She grinned. “You won’t tell anyone, will you?”

  “Of course not.” He looked positively affronted.

  “I was being sarcastic.” She took his hand and pulled him into the combooth. “We need to work on your sense of humor.” She stepped up to the console and said, “Access code A379R4, Elaina Xyell.” The wall monitor flickered to life and Theos widened his stance, hands clenched and ready for a physical confrontation.

  “Good evening, Elaina,” the computer greeted as various menu graphics segmented the large monitor. “Are you enjoying your stay?”

  She ignored the preprogrammed pleasantries and activated a search engine with a hand gesture. She needed to start with something he could relate to and expand his horizons from there. “Would you like to see an aerial view of New Pompeii?” He was so fascinated by the menu graphics he didn’t respond. “Image search. Show me a satellite view of New Pompeii.”

  The requested image appeared in the middle of the monitor, but the shot was so wide it looked like a meaningless collection of vaguely geometric shapes. “Zoom in on the arena until I say stop.” The image became more detailed until the arena and the buildings surrounding it became obvious. “Stop.” The image stabilized and she looked at Theos.

  “Is that…” He reached for the screen, transfixed by the image.

  “That’s what the arena looks like from the sky.” She motioned to the complex adjacent to the arena. “This is your ludus. See the training yard and the barracks.”

  “How is this done?”

  “You remember the skyships, right?” He nodded. “Well there are machines called satellites that sail in circles around Fedoros. They send us images and allow us to communicate with people who are in other parts of the world.”

  It was clear from his expression that he didn’t grasp the concept, but he nodded again. “Can you show me what lies beyond the barrier?”

  “Would you like to see where I live?”

  “Very much.” She entered her address and watched his face as the computer shuffled the arena to the upper right position and supplied an aerial view of her house. He touched the screen again, determined to feel as well as see. “You live alone in this place?”

  “I do. Would you like to see the inside?”

  He looked at her and frowned. “These sat-tell-lights can see through walls?”

  Thermo-imaging and biological scans could wait until he’d accepted simple photography. “I can activate my security system. The cameras are already on the inside of my house.” It took a moment to navigate through the security portals, but various images of her house soon filled the screen. “This is my kitchen and this is where I sleep.”

  He stared at the monitor with a mixture of awe and suspicion. “I sensed that Max was telling the truth, but I couldn’t imagine how it was possible.”

  “We have machines that can do just about anything.”

  “And you create these machines?” His dark gaze shifted from the screen and bore into hers.

  “Well, I don’t personally. But yes, Fedorans create the machines.”

  After a long pause, Theos shook his head and muttered. “I have been such a fool.”

  “This is enough for now.” She logged off and told the computer to hibernate. “I don’t want to overwhelm you. Let’s go finish our wine.”

  “Max also said that your people ‘seeded’ my world. Is this true?”

  Animosity radiated off him in waves. Elaina wasn’t sure how to answer. He obviously resented the idea. “I’m not a scientist, Theos. I know there have been many missions to other planets and I know Earth is one of them, but I don’t know the details. I wasn’t involved in any of it.”

  “Was your husband?”

  The truth would hurt. There was no way around it. But she refused to join the throngs who had deceived and manipulated him. “Vito was a member of the royal family. One of his responsibilities was to visit the colonies and each planet the Fedorans seeded. Then he’d report back on the progress since the last visit.”

  “Did he just report on what he found, or did he recommend action?”

  “To my knowledge he did nothing more than report.”

  Characteristic perceptiveness narrowed his gaze. “Meaning you suspect he was involved in more?”

  She suspected Vito of so many things. She’d finally had to just let it go. He was dead and she had to move on with her life, for the sake of her son, if not herself. “I have no proof, but I think there may have been times when they infiltrated societies and guided them in directions they would not have otherwise gone.”

  “To what end?”

  “To protect them from a misfortune they didn’t understand or a danger they were not seeing. Vito was not a vindictive man, but he was willing to take chances with the lives of others when he should have focused on his own decisions.”

  Theos made a noncommittal sound then said, “If you can speak with people who are far away, you should contact your son.”

  She hesitated. Laetif had warned her that the founders could monitor communications at any time. Elaina wanted to believe Mikko wouldn’t spy on her, but she knew Prince Tarhee would have no qualms with invading her privacy.

  “You’ll have to stay in front of me, near the wall. He will not only be able to hear me, he’ll be able to see me. If anyone finds out I brought you in here, I would be severely punished.” He moved out of camera range and watched the screen expectantly. She logged back in and activated a comlink. “Person-to-person, Elaina Xyell requesting an audience with Prince Feztis Olla.” Theos looked at her in confusion and she knew she’d have to explain the difference in their names. She put her finger to her lips and shook her head. His impatient glower assured her he’d stay quiet.

  The link connected, but Rachel, one of Fez’s caregivers, appeared instead of the boy. “He’s already gone to bed, Elaina. What time will you try tomorrow? I’ll make sure he’s available to take your com.”

  Her heart sank and Elaina couldn’t manufacture a smile. “I’m not sure. Tomorrow is bound to be crazy. What time would be best?”

  “He studies before the evening meal. Why don’t you try between three and five o’clock? I’ll tell his tutors to expect your com.”

  “Thanks, Rachel. Have a nice evening.”

  Theos stepped away from the wall as soon as the monitor blinked off. “That woman cares for your son?”

  “She is one of a team who is responsible for him.”

  Theos nodded, his expression tense and thoughtful. Elaina checked to make sure everything was secure and then led him from the combooth. After securing the door, she crossed to the bed and refilled their wineglasses.

  “How primitive we must seem to you.” He took the cup from her hand but wouldn’t meet her gaze. “How amusing.”

  “Your civilization is less technologically advanced. There is no denying that. But Pompeii was part of the Roman Empire, one of the most sophisticated societies ever known.”

  “Why does your son’s name differ from yours?”

  She hadn’t thought he’d let that slide. “If a widow keeps her husband’s name it means she has no interest in finding a new husband. I would eventually like to remarry, so I reverted to my maiden name.”

  “But you have found no man to rekindle your interest?” His gaze drifted back to hers, dark and challenging.

  “None of the men who pursued me were interested in me. They all wanted to control my son.”

  “Untrue.” He brushed his fingertips from her shoulder to her elbow. “I did not even know you had a son.”

  “Are you asking me to marry you?” She chuckled.

  His expression grew intensely serious and he set his wineglass aside. “Slaves are not allowed to marry. But
if I could choose a wife, she would be someone just like you. Someone intelligent and principled, brave and passionate.”

  The praise was unexpected and flattering. She started to thank him but found emotion constricting her throat. He took her cup from her suddenly shaky hand and set it beside his on the nightstand.

  “I did not mean to upset you.” He moved the tray to the floor then pulled her close as he turned to face her. “If we only have this night, I mean to savor ever moment.”

  “I’m not sure what the future holds, but there is no reason we can’t—”

  He shook his head and touched her lips with his index finger. “There are infinite reasons, but we have tonight.”

  She didn’t want to just have one night with him. She wanted the fairytale, the happily ever after. She closed her eyes and fought back a surge of frustration. Fairytales were bullshit. She’d found that out the hard way.

  You married a prince and there was nothing happy about the ending. Why not take it one night at a time?

  His lips pressed against her forehead then the corners of her eyes. “If you do not banish the sadness from your eyes, I will be forced to employ drastic measures.”

  “Drastic measures?” His tone was so melodramatic she couldn’t help but smile. “Now I’m curious.”

  “And you are destined to remain so. Sit down.”

  She indulged in a semi-playful glare as she obeyed. He moved with lethal grace, utterly at home without clothing. He didn’t go far, only to the corner of the massive bed. His broad back prevented her from seeing exactly what he was doing, but the rustling of the filmy curtains indicated his target. He returned with the long, narrow tieback and a dark, sexual smile.

  “Close your eyes.”

  Her heart fluttered and her stomach tensed. “I don’t want to be blindfolded.”

  “I trust you with my life, you trust me with your body. That is our bargain. Now close your eyes.”

  “But you know there’s no danger beyond the barrier. Max convinced you you’re not going to die.”

  “And I have proved worthy of your trust thus far,” he stubbornly countered. “You have nothing to fear.”