The meal wound to a satisfactory conclusion, but a commotion at the door caught Kallie’s interest. Kristokus whispered to the general, Captain Barca, and Hamilcar. Taurus had a wicked look on his face and gestured to Barca. The other man seemed to disagree, but Taurus pressed him. Hamilcar shot a look at Kallie aware they were discussing something concerning her.
The great ornate doors were flung open, and a squat little man waddled into the reception room. All eyes went to the man who walked the length of the aisle to the head table. Taurus sat with a bored look on his face. He stretched out a long, lean leg and idly fingered his wine cup.
The man reached the steps to the dais, paused, and bowed to Taurus. “I am the Grand Vizier, Alim Ben Alim, esteemed servant to the Satrap of Persia, and gratefully stand in your presence on his behalf, Governor Paulinus.” The little man’s thick accent confirmed his origin.
Taurus eyed him for a moment. “What is of such urgency it causes you to interrupt my evening?”
The man bowed again but this time in apology. “The sister of Emperor Gregorian is missing. It is believed she has wandered into your lands by mistake.”
Taurus considered the information. “And what do you care about the sister of the emperor?”
“My master has arranged to take her as a wife. She was to be…”
“Your master has many wives. Will one less make a difference to such a man?” The crowd tittered at the jibe.
“It matters a great deal to the satrap,” he answered.
“Return to your master in the East and ask him what favor he will extend if I find the missing girl.” Taurus feigned concern. Both men knew it would take months to embark on the fruitless journey.
The visitor glanced at Kallie. She held his gaze, her position tenuous. One word from the governor and she might be shipped off with this toad. Ben Alim recognized her; they had met once in Rome, many months ago.
“Any favor you request will be granted by my master,” the toad offered, turning back to the governor.
“Indeed!” Taurus said with an edge of disdain. “Your master will pay a price I have yet to decide upon.”
The toad shifted on his feet. “The satrap must have his wife. He will pay a high price.”
Taurus’ gaze burned into black beady eyes. “The girl is my price. She was caught wandering my lands, trespassing, stealing, disrupting my army with her companion. She stays until I tire of her.”
The satrap’s envoy nodded gravely. “Whatever compensation you require, the satrap will be pleased to pay.”
Kallie held her breath. Taurus could ask for riches, mountains of grain and expensive spices, or many other things to improve his lot and that of his people. It would benefit him greatly to hand her over. But she hoped Taurus itched to defy the Eastern potentate and his ally in Rome.
He got to his feet and pulled her with him, tugging her to stand in front of him. His hold tightened around her, his body pressed hard against hers, insulting the squat ambassador. A domineering hand slid inside her gown and cupped her breast. His other hand ran across her midsection, sliding downward to the soft flesh between her thighs. He steadied her sway, as a swirl of emotions ran through her. She had imagined this moment in private, not in a room with three hundred observers, and forced herself to take a breath and remain unaffected by his display of male potency.
“It will take months for my advisors to reach a decision on the appropriate penalty for the girl’s crime. In the meantime, I will sample the emperor’s offering to the satrap.” Taurus chuckled and the room rippled in laughter along with him. “It is my right as master of Panua. Now leave this place, Ben Alim. You are no longer welcome here.”
Ben Alim stood in stunned silence. Barca and Hamilcar moved to escort him as he jolted out of his reverie, spun around on his heels, and waddled down the long aisle.
Taurus watched as the doors closed behind him and only then realized he still had Kallie in his grip. He slowly released her. Kallie caught the look of shame on Lady Virga’s red face and the jealous outrage of a few women seated nearby.
Gods, thought Kallie, this man must be unbearable as a husband.
Taurus steered her to the door leading to his private wing of the fortress and waved the steward away as he tried to follow.
Chapter Five
They strode together through the long, dimly lit corridors. The torch-lined walls were dark and ominous. He moved so fast Kallie strove to keep up. He took her to his rooms and bolted the door behind them.
“Take off your clothes,” he commanded unceremoniously.
Kallie paused, shocked at his boldness. “Now?” She stood stock still, not knowing if she pleased him but hoping dearly to move him to her cause.
“Yes, now,” he repeated coldly. Taurus turned the full force of his gaze upon her. “You expressed a desire to lose your virtue, and now is the time.”
Kallie froze, horrified by his cold demeanor.
“You prefer I send you away with the ambassador?” Taurus growled.
Unprepared for his timing, she took a breath and began to undress. Her hands trembled as she reached for the edge of her gown. She hoped he would be tender in his advances, but, in his current state, requital dominated his mind. Her gown fluttered to the floor, revealing the wispy thin shift underneath. It left nothing to the imagination.
Taurus cocked his head in stark appraisal. His glittering gaze raked over her nearly naked form as she stood defenseless in the middle of the room.
“Remove the shift.”
Kallie opened her mouth to protest, but no sound came out. He waited, fully dressed, like a predator watching its prey. Her shift met the same fate as her dress.
“Turn around.”
Kallie’s heart pounded as she turned her back to him. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. One hand cupped a breast, while his other hand slid to her unconquered female region. His lips pressed against her ear.
“I imagined you naked when the whole room was watching us together,” he whispered feverishly. “Every man envied my hold upon you.”
Kallie suppressed a gasp as his hand moved expertly into position.
“You are a maid but a few moments longer,” he groaned, excited by her vulnerability.
His hand went to her head, removing the ribbons and gems adorning her hair. He dropped them to the floor, careless of their value. Long, dark hair tumbled around her in a sensuous, fluid movement.
Kallie spun to face him and reached up, her hands sliding around his neck, and pulled his head to meet hers. They kissed in a crush of lips and tongues. Eagerness flooded her, but he slowed the urgency and relaxed his grip as they moved blindly to the bed in the adjoining room. Kallie reveled in the soft animal furs brushing her naked body, recalling the previous night, alone in this bed with only his scent for company. His clothes fell away as he moved onto the bed, and he loomed above her.
“Gods!” She whispered as she saw him fully naked in the moonlit room.
He paused. “I must have your consent. I don’t consider this a violation, but merely the price you pay for my protection.”
“I will pay your price,” Kallie agreed, eager to engage in the act of joining with this magnificent man. A tremor of hesitation rippled through her body as his strong hands slid to her hips. His knee parted her thighs, and she clasped her arms around him, pressing her hands to his muscular back. His questing mouth travelled from her neck to the tip of her breast and she arched as he prepared to breach her tender flesh, determined to enjoy this moment as an act of rebellion against Rome and the power eager to control her destiny.
The governor moved carefully, sympathetic to her virginal state. His breathing increased with each push of his hot, hard shaft. She held fast to him, matching his kisses, enjoying the strength and safety of his arms. An unfamiliar mewling sound low in her throat caused him to peer into her eyes.
“Are you all right?” He scanned her face, gauging her reaction to the intrusion between her legs
.
“Yes,” she whispered, “yes.” She reached for him, pulling his face close to hers, kissing him hard.
In discovering the mystical rites of lovemaking she experienced the strange ebb and flow between a man and a woman who embark on the journey, unknowing if their union amounts to a mere moment of satisfactory pleasure or if the Fates have thrown them into an everlasting mix of conflict and desire.
Taurus grunted in conclusion and settled beside her. The storm within had spent its fury; exhausted and weak, she had only the strength to smile as he answered her questioning gaze.
“Get some sleep. There will be time enough to talk tomorrow.”
Kallie closed her eyes, her head leaning on his inviting chest. A comforting arm circled her waist and she glowed in the warmth of his body. “I didn’t know it would be like this,” she sighed contentedly.
“Neither did I,” Taurus muttered. “Neither did I.”
****
Kallie stood between a wolf and a sleek black cat. They beckoned, equally drawing her attention. Intense and yellow, the wolf-eyes watched while the cat paced anxiously from side to side, waiting for her to make a move, but her feet did not respond to her will.
As her eyes opened, Kallie remembered the night before, and she reached for the sheet to cover her nakedness. Taurus was gone, leaving a cold and empty space. The door leading to the outer room lay slightly open and the sound of Kristokus instructing the servants drifted through the narrow opening. A girl entered, carrying a silk robe, and waited for Kallie to leave the bed.
“My name is Mira. Come with me, please.” The robe cooled her skin as she followed the girl to the bathing room. The warm water in the pool relaxed her aching muscles and soothed her tender flesh, enveloping her in its fresh and flowery scent. Kallie sighed in pleasure.
The sun shone through a high window. Atticus! He might be in the city. They had ways of communicating, and she planned to use her wiles to send him a message. About to leave the warm, scented water, she heard footsteps. Taurus entered with the satrap’s man waddling along with him. Behind them came Barca and Hamilcar.
Kallie blushed and dipped low in the water, glaring at the men who filed into the bathhouse. She silently questioned their presence but waited for enlightenment.
Taurus wore a mocking smile. “Awake at last.” He gestured to the satrap’s envoy. Kallie instinctively guessed this show was for the toad. She inclined her head and smiled to welcome the governor.
“She is happy and willing to be here with me.” Taurus added carefully, “You are willing, are you not, Prima?”
Kallie swallowed her increasing doubt over his intention; perhaps Taurus had finished his game with her, eager to send her on her way.
“I am happy here, Governor,” she answered truthfully.
Taurus smiled at the satrap’s man. “She is well looked after. Tell your master the fault lies with Rome as to why the girl is no longer available. Gregorian underestimated his sister’s wit and resourcefulness. I suggest you seek compensation from them.”
“And her virtue?” the man asked, as though she were but a piece of meat at market.
“Long gone.” Taurus said apologetically. “I’m afraid someone beat me to it. Probably the giant she travels with. No doubt she rewarded him with her body.”
The toad retreated, his face flushed with annoyance. Taurus signaled Barca and Hamilcar to follow Ben Alim out of the bathhouse. He stripped off his clothes and plunged into the pool. Kallie made a dash for the edge, where the gentle slope of stairs led the way out. She failed miserably, as Taurus easily reached out and pulled her into his grip. She struggled until his lips met hers. Then she melted into his embrace as he held her in his strong arms.
“Why did you lie and tell him I was not a maid?”
His lips were on hers as she spoke and he smirked. “Because I have no wish to inflame his master into making war on me if he believes I violated you. It leaves doubt in his mind. Caius Gregorian will have some explaining to do. Offering a maid who turns out to be a wanton wench will be viewed as a gross insult.”
“Oh.” Kallie understood but was irritated that he called her virtue into question in front of the men in the room.
He lifted her out of the water and carried her to the bedroom. “You understand that, as long as you enjoy my hospitality, I will enjoy you?”
Kallie could not complain at his rationale. Free of the emperor’s plans, she must now concentrate on freedom from Panua. If she could reach Corinth and her mother’s people, she had the chance to live the life she wished and not be subjected to the will of men who sought to use her to produce heirs in a game of chauvinistic domination.
“I understand, and I agree as long as you treat me with respect. I am the granddaughter of Primus Gregorian, and as such…”
His eager kisses smothered her words. She fought to resist, but her body responded to him without command. Understanding the physical nature between a man and a woman no longer remained a mystery, but the emotional connection formed when a couple surrendered their bodies to one another added an unexpected element to her confusion.
****
Taurus pressed his mouth over hers, unwilling to listen to her plea. Since early morning he had thought of taking her but did not have the heart to rouse her from a sound sleep.
Speechless during their first encounter, how could he express himself to the most beautiful woman he had ever known? He had not lain with noblewomen—that would be a grave error. He kept his distance from entanglements with those ladies. Noble families would know if he favored one above the other, and he kept them on equal footing. Lidia had schooled him to keep them at bay, and he intended to maintain the advantage. Panuan women were pretty, some lovely to look at, but something about the girl in his arms outshone all of them. In looks alone she carried a room, but apart from that she was the most interesting girl he had ever met.
During their lovemaking the urge to please her entered his mind. Pinned under him, sighing in his ear as his powerful body rubbed over hers, the erotic sensation of his hairy chest and legs brushing her smooth sleek skin obviously drove her wild with desire.
She gasped his name. “Oh, Taurus.”
“Tell me what you want,” he whispered in her ear.
“Don’t stop,” she panted. “By all the gods, don’t stop!”
He gushed between her legs and she sighed in unexpected satisfaction.
Taurus held her as his heartbeat slowed to a regular pace.
“I will take you to the mountain this afternoon,” he offered. “The fresh air will do us both good.”
“Truly? But my riding clothes have been taken away.”
“Kristokus will take care of the details. Be ready for the noon meal.”
Her soft lips pressed against his shoulder. “I will be ready,” she complied happily.
****
The meal passed slowly for Taurus once Lidia and Virga joined them on the terrace.
“The Verragius family have invited us to their villa in the country, tonight,” Virga said.
“We must attend,” Lidia grumped. “It would be rude to refuse after the disastrous evening we hosted last night.”
Taurus held back a smirk. Hardly a disaster; in his opinion the evening had numerous delights. “See to it,” Taurus looked curtly at Virga.
An awkward pause passed between them. “Who shall I say is attending?”
“My honored guest will accompany us,” Taurus replied acidly.
Barca and Hamilcar arrived in time to find the food served and half-eaten. They ate their fill without a care. Hamilcar watched Taurus’ every move, like a dog waiting for its master’s approval. Barca threw sidelong glances at the Lady Virga. She in turn ignored him and concentrated on Lidia and Taurus.
Weeks on the run with Atticus had given Kallie a good appetite. “She eats like a man,” Lidia snorted in disgust.
Taurus laughed. He enjoyed Lidia’s annoyance, purposely inflaming her further. “She r
ides and shoots arrows like a man, too. Is it not so, Barca?”
Barca burned to teach her a lesson. No one apart from Taurus knew he had been pinned to a tree by her arrows.
“’Tis so.” Barca nodded in quiet agreement, but his eyes betrayed his fury.
“Governor, may I join your riding party this afternoon?” Hamilcar asked, a tinge of desperation in his voice.
Taurus shrugged. “If you wish. But I plan to spend the time with our guest, viewing the mountain up close. My escort merely acts as a guard to block the way up the mountain.”
“Why do you wish to see the mountain?” Suspicion laced Lidia’s voice.
Taurus waved off Lidia. “Because I wish it.”
Barca growled. “You are better off with me, Hamilcar. We have work to do.” He gave his brother a look to deny argument.
“Do you still search for the giant?” Kallie jibed.
Barca snapped. “I will have his head on a platter by the end of the day.” Atticus roamed free and Barca itched to catch him.
“You will not find him,” she mused. “He is skilled in the wild.”
“Why not return to Rome? Your plan was to come here and avoid marriage. You have what you want. Is there another reason he would stay?” Taurus asked.
“He waits until I am free to travel to Greece. Once my brother’s word is broken with the satrap and they no longer expect me to marry…”
“You will not be free, ever! You are a prisoner of Panua. You will die in a filthy cell fit for a Gregorian brat.” Lidia hissed.
“Perhaps.” She glanced at Taurus. He studied her as she chewed her last bite of food. “I would rather die than be trapped in a gilded cage,” she uttered defiantly. Taurus removed the plate from her hand and took her by the arm. “Hamilcar, stay and help your brother.”
Hamilcar’s face fell in disappointment, and he shot a look of irritation at Barca. Taurus shook his head. Lately the brothers had moved further and further apart, and Taurus must put a stop to their enmity soon, before it led to greater problems.
****
Taurus Page 5
