Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Other Books by Christine Elaine Black
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Epilogue
An old woman sat with the high priestess and waited, her time coming to an end. “Do it,” she hissed firmly.
Thank you for purchasing this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Taurus
by
Christine Elaine Black
Imperial Desire Series, Book Two
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Taurus
COPYRIGHT © 2013 by Christine Elaine Black
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Contact Information: [email protected]
Cover Art by Debbie Taylor
The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
PO Box 708
Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708
Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com
Publishing History
First English Tea Rose Edition, 2013
Digital ISBN 978-1-61217-845-5
Imperial Desire Series, Book Two
Published in the United States of America
Other Books by Christine Elaine Black
MAXIMUS
Book One of the Imperial Desire Series
available from The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
MAGNUS
Book Three of the Imperial Desire Series
soon available from The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Dedication
Clan and Kinship
~
always remembered
Prologue
The parchment rolled out of Kallie’s hand and fell to the floor with a sharp oath directed at the author. How dare the emperor use her as a pawn in his game of politics! The love and trust she had placed in him as a small girl, watching from afar as their grandfather groomed him for greatness, shriveled in the brutal realization that he now ruled with complete disregard for his family. Marriage! To a man at least three times her age, ruler of a desert country, and with a harem of wives and concubines, no less. The only choice appeared to be swift action to avoid the imperial order. On unsteady legs she ran for the stables.
The horses stamped impatiently, and Kallie glanced around for the boy normally on duty at this time of day. “Sergius, are you in here?” A rumble of laughter greeted her.
“Should you not be dressed for dinner in fine ladylike attire?”
Kallie squealed with delight. “Uncle Atticus! You have arrived at a most propitious moment.”
“Have I indeed.” Her uncle, in truth her father’s uncle, had taught all the children in the Gregorian household the most efficient and effective skills of survival in the roughest conditions. “And why are you dressed as a boy?”
“I’m running away.”
Atticus eyed her with skepticism. “From what?”
“Our esteemed emperor has ordered me to marry, and I won’t do it.”
“Hah,” Atticus grunted. “If you wait until after I eat and refresh my water supply, I’ll go with you.”
“But why? You will incur the wrath of my brother.”
“I have my reasons.” Atticus scratched his bushy beard, a twinkle lighting his dark eyes.
“Where can we hide from the entire Roman Empire?” Kallie mused.
“I know a place, but it will require cunning, and could be dangerous.” Her uncle chuckled with his usual good humor.
Kallie’s mind glowed at the possibility of escaping her brother’s reach. The great emperor, Caius Gregorian, would not be amused.
Chapter One
Taurus stifled a yawn. His eyes idly swept the grand reception room and the parade of young women presented for appraisal. The heat stifled the room tonight; perhaps no one noticed but him. His gaze rested on Lidia Paulinus, his revered grandmother, whose fingers tapped a steady rhythm, watching him hawklike for a sign of interest in the women.
His unreadable expression and aloof manner gained few admirers while his sharp, analytical gaze following one girl after the other, searched for one outstanding characteristic. Advisors fidgeted. To choose one seemed a simple enough task.
He wanted no wife, and no amount of young women draped in embroidered fabric convinced him otherwise. A few girls glanced his way, aglow at the prospect of the Governor of Panua choosing one of them. Rising from his ornate chair, situated at the head of the room, Taurus aimed for the huge cedar doors leading to the terrace, dropping ceremonial finery in his wake. “Barca!” Impatience darkened his mood.
A man in soldier’s garb appeared by his side. “General?” He smirked at the look on Taurus’ face.
“Let’s get out of here. Invent a disturbance in the west. Tell them the Romans are coming, for God’s sake.”
Barca grumbled, but his thick features brimmed with amusement. “A few noble skirts and you run for the hills.”
Taurus rode out of his fortress under the guise of a sudden enemy incursion. The wind cooled his face and the men bellowed at his back. This is all I want! A ride through the countryside with a troop of men, quelling disruptions and fighting back greedy-eyed invaders invigorated Taurus. He grimaced as the horse slowed to a canter. Barca rode up beside him, breathing fiercely.
“You’ll kill that beast if you’re not careful.”
He ignored the caution. “Where exactly are we headed?” His wind-beaten face grinned at escaping the reception. He would pay for it later, but for now he would do as he pleased.
“The northwestern border is our destination. I have a report of unwanted company skirting our lands.”
“Hmm.” Bright, hazel eyes scanned the horizon ahead. Taurus ran a hand through his unkempt hair. “Then we’d best see for ourselves.” A skirmish would provide the perfect distraction to relieve him of distasteful duties. With the rest of their men trailing behind, they encountered the usual patrols reporting evidence of suspicious activity, but no one had crossed paths with the perpetrators yet. Taurus instructed his men to return if they located the invaders.
After finding a suitable place to camp for the night, the soldiers organized their food and sleeping arrangements. Taurus and Barca left them, intending to sweep the area on foot. In the dense forest, they searched for signs of trespassers. In silence, separated by ten cubits, each looked in the opposite direction. They had used this routine for years and knew instinctively where the other would be. A squawking sound alerted him to Barca, who pointed through the trees, and Taurus nodded in agreement, creeping to the site of his first officer’s interest.
A giant of a man stood by a small fire, throwing sticks to encourage a meager flame. Barca and Taurus glanced at one another. He was a stranger, likely a spy. Questions could be asked later, if he were still alive to answer. They must take him down.
Taurus unsheathed the short sword at his side and prepared to move swiftly toward the man. As he took an inward breath, a buzzing sound passed his ear,
followed by a dull thud. He snapped his head to find his friend and saw an arrow pinning Barca’s sleeve to a tree. Another buzzing sound and Barca’s other sleeve was pinned to the same tree. Taurus froze in order to locate the archer who disarmed his friend, but he heard a whistle, and saw the giant take cover behind the nearest tree.
Taurus dropped to the hard ground and waited, cursing his stupidity for allowing this to happen. A voice rang out a few cubits away.
“We mean no harm. Leave us in peace, and I will permit you to go without further action against you.”
Taurus could not believe his ears. Mystified, he called back, “Fair enough. We will take your offer.” He scanned the trees for the owner of the voice, waiting for the lad’s reply, and when it came, he realized the lad had moved to avoid discovery. Clever!
“Free your friend and leave my arrows. You have no use for them.”
This young, confident boy ordered him like a seasoned soldier.
Taurus moved away from Barca. Intrigued, he planned to outwit his opponent. He enjoyed a challenge, and this archer presented one.
The voice called again. “You are playing with your friend’s life by delaying. He won’t thank you for it.”
Taurus scowled. He moved to Barca, pulled out the arrows, and dropped them carelessly to the ground. He scanned the clearing, noting their paltry camp.
“If you want, we could make camp together. My friend and I have supplies enough for all of us.” Taurus tried to sound sincere.
The chuckle came from another direction. “You mean with you and your patrol. I think not. We will be on our way once you retreat.”
Taurus balked at the unfamiliar word. Retreat!
Returning to camp with Barca, he assessed the incident. The lad had toyed with them, and it irked him. He itched to capture the cheeky archer who fancied himself a clever lad. Taurus had met a few like him before. They were not so sure of themselves in single combat, without the cover of trees and the protection of their weaponry. Barca also itched to redeem his reputation. He had never once been caught while stalking intruders. They spoke to no one about the large man or the mysterious archer who had bruised their egos but posted extra guards around the camp perimeter on high alert and retired to the command tent to discuss strategy.
“I’ll catch that little brat and string him up by his…”
Taurus waved away Barca’s indignant attitude. “We both want a close look at this fellow and his giant friend. More to the point, why are they here? They have no reason to hide in the woods…unless they are fugitives.”
“The big man looked Roman.” Barca snorted. “It is our misfortune to be caught between Rome to the west and our greedy neighbors to the east.”
“One day they may join forces and overrun Panua, and I do not intend to make the task easy,” Taurus growled. “Romans killed my father two decades ago, and my grandmother demands retribution in the form of death and destruction.”
“She shall have it one day, General.” Barca mused. “You are the means of her revenge. She raised you from obscurity, adopted you into the Paulinus family. Your destiny is to avenge your father.”
“I need not have you remind me of my duty at every turn. It is enough to have my grandmother whisper her poison in my ear.” Taurus shook off his growing annoyance at Barca’s casual reference to his humble birth. The nasty reputation gained with his adoption into Lidia’s family mildly amused him. To be thought of as a reprobate kept him at arm’s length from sycophants who sought to use his position for advancement. It also left him free to spend his days and nights as he pleased, without the responsibility of a wife and the inevitable in-laws. But Lidia wrestled to take the choice out of his control. Soon he must pick one of those women he left in the reception hall and continue the legacy and bloodline of Paulus Paulinus.
Taurus had suffered a long day at the fortress and now an even longer evening because of the strangers in the forest. “We’ll set out at dawn to catch the trespassers.” He glanced out of the tent and surveyed the camp before retiring to his pallet for the night, dreaming but not remembering when he woke the next day. He dallied, taking in the sounds of the morning. Except for the birds tweeting, it was too peaceful. Not quite dawn; the men should be readying themselves for the morning patrol.
Taurus dressed with speed, his hackles raised, intending to rouse the men out of their languor with a few harsh words and well-placed disciplinary actions. The tent flap fluttered in the morning breeze. Taurus shoved it aside impatiently and stepped into the light mist of a morning drizzle. He saw no one.
By all the gods, what is going on here? About to call to his men, he changed his mind at the last moment. Something didn’t fit. He edged along the row of tents belonging to the errant soldiers and poked his head around the side, eyeing the dirt track to the main road. Deserted. Taurus twisted in irritation to head the other way and stopped dead, face to face with an archer and an arrow aimed directly at his chest. The thought of diving between the tents and scrambling for safety passed through his mind, but he was going nowhere.
The archer steadily appraised him, her long dark hair tumbling around her in thick waves. She smiled in delight and raised her eyebrows in satisfied victory. Taurus registered the presence of an attractive woman but swiftly berated his masculine senses for the betrayal. She was the enemy and a trespasser, nothing more. The archer from the previous night had not been a boy but this young woman.
The large man appeared on the far side of the tent, dangling a rope from his huge hands. Taurus tensed, ready to flee. He would be damned if he allowed this man to tie him up while the girl looked on. He expected the giant to take control of the situation, but the girl spoke up.
“Good morning, General,” she mocked. “Are you quite awake now, or do you require more time to take care of your personal needs?”
Taurus’ jaw flexed, reining in his temper. This slip of a girl and her accomplice tested his patience. “Where are my men?” he growled. If she had slain them during the night, his anger would prove fierce.
The girl moved a few paces closer, the arrow aimed at his chest. “Your men are fine. They will be taken care of while you accompany me on a mission.”
Taurus drew his brows together, scowling. “A mission!” He cried, incredulous at her confidence. “Why would I go anywhere with you?”
“You have no choice if you wish to save your friend.”
Taurus didn’t move, knowing whom she meant. The episode in the forest declared Barca more than a mere underling. She nodded in satisfaction, her face calm and her lips curved into a delicious bow shape, mocking him again.
“How do I know he’s not dead and this is but a ploy?”
The girl inclined her head to the giant, who pulled on the rope. Barca stumbled into view, his face contorted in silent fury.
“Ready the horses, and let’s be on our way,” she pressed.
Taurus eyed the girl, unsure if his men were safe. He hesitated. The girl shook her head. Now was not the time for questions.
Moments later, his hands bound together, Taurus straddled a horse. The girl had the reins of his mount tethered to her saddle, and they sped from the border region, heading south. Taurus watched as she sat blade straight and handled the horse like a man. He had never known a woman to ride a horse, much less show the confidence this girl displayed. A cap covered her long sleek hair and her garments gave the illusion of a nondescript boy.
Taurus sat in stunned silence at the thought they travelled alone. She had left the giant without preamble; he must trust in her ability to look after herself. On the other hand, perhaps he had no choice. Taurus’ mind ran wildly out of control as he watched her shapely bottom bouncing in the saddle, a mere four cubits ahead. The masculine part of him chose to enjoy the view and leave thoughts of revenge for later.
The sun had reached its apex when she reined under the cover of trees, to rest and water the horses. She jumped out of the saddle and signaled for Taurus to do the same. He stayed p
ut, although he itched to dismount. She smiled and shrugged, unfastening her water-skin to drink deeply.
Taurus licked his dry lips. Water lay within reach, but he needed help because the ropes bound his hands. The girl pulled out a ration of food, chewed with deliberate pleasure, and made a satisfied sound.
“Your troops carry good food. And such big portions, too. You spoil them, General.” Her audacity defied belief. Stolen food marked her a thief, a punishable offence, in addition to kidnapping, and whatever else he thought of between here and their destination. He vowed silently to turn the tables and gain the upper hand.
The girl sat on a rock and eyed him with curiosity. “I plan on resting here for a while. You may as well remove yourself from the horse.” She laughed. “Your rear will be sore by the end of the day if you don’t stretch your legs.”
He grudgingly dismounted and, after stretching, stood by a fallen log. He stared in disgust at his situation. “Who are you, and where are we going?”
Her mouth formed a perfect o as she gazed at him. “It is I who will ask the questions, and you who must answer.”
He admired her ease as she sat alone with a stranger, with only a length of rope separating her between life and death. She slid a knife from her sleeve, lifted the water-skin, and held it to his mouth while he drank in great gulps. As she drew the spout away, water ran down his chin, and it surprised him when she wiped his face with the palm of her hand. The water was cool and refreshing and her touch light and carefree.
“Let’s start again.” She popped a ration of food into his mouth. Hunger gnawed his gut, although he would never admit such a thing. “You are a general, according to your men’s idle conversation.” She flashed a smile.
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