“Gods in the heavens, Titus.” Her voice sounded strangled as she said the words, and she clung tighter to him. He’d taken her to the brink. Why did she fight it? A growl rolled from his chest, and he crushed his lips against hers, devouring her mouth. The taste of desire mingled with the sweetness of fruit and wine and…
Her body jerked against his, and his whispered name hung in the air for a second. Then she shattered around him. The rhythmic clenching of her sex pushed him over the edge. He shouted her name at the same time his seed spilled into her body. Each burst of come from his cock sent waves of pleasure shooting from his groin to the head. Fortified wine paled in comparison to the drunken ecstasy he felt now. He leaned against her, his body dying a little with each pulse of his orgasm until a thick fog consumed his mind.
He had no idea how much time had passed with her softness pressed against him. The first thing he noticed when the haze cleared was her feather-light touches over his face and along the nape of his neck. How could she be gentle with him when he’d fucked her in such a primal way?
Then the smell of jasmine tickled his nose. He bent his head and inhaled the scent of her hair. Unlike the fragile white blossoms that created her perfume, she’d withstood his assault and still made his breath catch in wonder at her beauty. Yes, Azurha was stronger than she appeared. Just learning the details of what she’d endured over the years inspired his respect. Knowing that she could put it all behind her and surrender to his touch caused an odd emotion to fill his chest.
When he finally met her gaze, she smiled at him. “Feeling better?”
“Yes.” His cock still remained buried deep inside her warm recesses, and he had no intention of moving any time soon.
“I am, too.” She brushed a lock of his hair off his forehead. Heat glittered in her eyes, and she planted a trail of soft kisses from the top of face to the corner of his mouth. “I’m glad I spilled the wine now.”
Her wide-eyed terror from earlier flashed in front of him, and he closed his eyes to push it from his mind. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
Her legs squeezed his waist, followed by a tighter squeeze around his cock. “Do I act like I’m hurt?”
She was biting her rosy, plump lip when he opened his eyes. If he didn’t know any better, he would think she was already beginning to entice him to a second round. “I know I was a little rough with you.”
Her laughter echoed off the marble walls like tinkling bells. “There’s a difference between passion and cruelty, Titus. If you heard me screaming, it was only because every time you entered me, you hit a place that nearly took my breath away.”
“So no pain?”
“No pain, only pleasure.” As if to emphasize her point, she rocked her pelvis and sent a cascade of tiny sparks down his shaft.
This time, he couldn’t hold back the moan. His cock stiffened. In a few minutes, he’d be more than ready to take her again. He massaged her firm buttocks and pressed her tightly against him. “Do you think we’re clean enough now?”
“Are you planning on getting dirty again?”
The low hum in her voice awakened his lust. He was almost fully erect now. “The night is still young.”
“Then perhaps we should get out of the pool and go elsewhere.”
She started to unwrap her legs, but he gripped her thighs and stopped her. He wanted to carry her to bed like this, with him still fully implanted inside, with the two of them joined in the most intimate of poses. A flush stole into her cheeks, as if she understood what he wanted, and she teased his mouth, her tongue flickering along the seam until he allowed her inside.
Her kiss lasted until he carried her out of the pool and laid her on his bed. By then, he could no longer bear to stay still. He began to move slowly, drawing out each exquisite stroke, taking the time to taste her skin and smell the musk that rose from her sex. He’d taken her in greed and jealousy before. Now, he sought only pleasure in her arms.
…
The warm body next to him shifted. He tightened his arm around her waist. Dawn had barely broken, and he didn’t want to release Azurha yet. He’d lingered in a state of half-arousal for the last hour, watching the rise and fall of her chest and coiling her obsidian curls around his fingers. Even in sleep, she captured his attention.
“Eager to leave my bed?” he murmured and pressed his lips to the back of her neck.
Her body relaxed against him, and she sighed. “In case you forgot, we never ate dinner last night.”
“I had a different appetite to satisfy.” Even now, he wasn’t sure if he had. By the gods, he needed to gain better control of himself when it came to her. Did two years without sex do this to a man, or was it all Azurha?
Her stomach rumbled under his hand, and he regretfully released her. “I suppose an early breakfast would be acceptable.”
“Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty.” She hopped up from the bed with a teasing grin and walked into the main chambers. Her hair reminded him of a tangled black vine as it swished around her hips, drawing attention to her bare curves. He already wanted to pull her back into bed and start the morning in the same way he had ended the previous night.
“Aren’t you going to put some clothes on?” he asked and grabbed his robe.
“My dress was ruined last night,” she replied from the main chambers. “Unless, of course, you have an objection to me eating naked.”
She had already stretched out across the silk cushions, looking more tempting than the feast that had been laid out the night before. “No, I have no objection watching you eat naked.”
Her lips curled into a smile, and she crooked her finger. “Would you like me to feed you again?”
Fire flowed through his veins. If she was a Deizian, he would have sworn she had him under some sort of spell. He leaned back next to her. “I don’t know. Would honey be involved?”
“If you wish for it to be.” She dipped her finger into the honey pot and smeared it on her lips.
“You are a vixen.” He leaned over and kissed her, licking every sweet, succulent drop from her mouth. The kiss deepened, and the next thing he knew, he was kneeling over her, ready to enter her all over again. “I’d never get anything done for the empire if you were at my side all day.”
Her playfulness vanished, and she pressed her hand against his chest. “You’re the emperor, and I’d be a naughty concubine if I turned you into my sexual slave. The entire empire would fall into ruin.”
He laughed at the idea of their role reversal, but the idea of being bringing ruin to the land quenched some of his desire. His thoughts drifted to the barrier. How much of it had weakened or even fallen overnight?
She dipped a piece of bread into herbed olive oil and offered it to him. The mild aroma of roasted garlic hit his nose before he tasted the citrus flavor of the oil. She dipped another piece and tried it. “And to think, we almost wasted this.”
He said nothing for a few minutes and allowed her to feed him the various delicacies that had been laid out for them the night before. His desire eased in sync with the hunger in his stomach as the morning’s agenda filled his mind. He’d almost forgotten about the luscious woman behind him until her long brown leg snaked across his thigh.
“Care to tell me what has you so tense?” She poked a finger into the knots that had formed in his shoulders and began slowly massaging them.
He leaned back against her with a sigh. “I was just thinking about all the things I need to do today.”
“Such as?” Her fingers continued to work their magic as they eased down his shoulder to his upper arms. A tingle raced along his skin. If she continued to touch him like this, he might just forget about his worries.
“Nothing you should worry about.”
Her hands froze for a second before she began working on his neck. “I overheard your friend mention something about the barrier.”
By the gods, she wasn’t going to give up, was she? A brisk retort stood poised on the tip of his tongue, bu
t for some reason, he didn’t tell her to mind her own business. Perhaps he could discover if she knew anything about it. “The barrier seems to be weakening along the northern border.”
Her breath caught, and her fingers tensed. “How long has this been going on?”
“Since a few days after my father’s death.”
She resumed rubbing the tiny circles into his skin after a few seconds. “But it hasn’t fallen?”
He shook his head. “I’m able to summon enough magic to reinforce it, but every day, it gets more difficult to do so.”
When she said nothing, he turned around to see her reaction. She bit her bottom lip, and her eyes stared at something in the distance. A crease appeared between her brows. He almost laughed. She seemed more intent on helping him find a solution than most of his advisors. He stroked her leg, and she jumped.
“Do you have any more of your clever ideas?” he asked in a teasing voice.
“A few.” She smiled, although it seemed forced to him. “Since I’m not a Deizian, I don’t pretend to understand how your magic works. I can just listen and see if I can help you find the problem and fix it.”
“And does anything grab your attention?”
“I think it odd that it started failing a few days into your reign.”
His jaw tightened, and he jumped to his feet. She didn’t need to remind him of the same doubts that had been expressed by members of the nobility. “Are you saying I’m the reason why?”
“No, no, no.” She stood and cupped his face in her hands. “I’m just saying I know several people want to see you fail, and this could be one of their attempts to cause you problems.”
Her words echoed his conversations with Marcus yesterday. The nobles had become termites that gnawed away at the dais holding his throne, weakening the support beams until one misstep could cause it all to crumble from underneath him.
She tilted his head down until his eyes met hers. A strange glow in their teal depths stirred the heat in his veins. She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. “I believe in you, Titus, but you need to believe in yourself.”
When she kissed him again, something changed in the electricity between them. Her dancing tongue still awakened his desire, and his cock sought her warm wetness as they tumbled back against the cushions. But something else flowed from her to him, almost like a magic of a different sort. It surged from her mouth and spread over his skin like a drop of ink in a glass of water, strong at first, but delicately coiling around his hands by the time it got there. Whatever it was, it rivaled the ecstasy of coming inside her.
A click sounded at the lock, and a gasp broke free from her lips.
Titus bolted to his feet, not ready to be caught over-indulging in his concubine by a servant. His breath came in ragged shudders. The gods help him, he wanted her so much, he couldn’t keep his head on straight.
Azurha covered her breasts with one cushion and the vee between her legs with another. The heat of her stare almost undid him, especially when she licked her lips and focused on the ridge of flesh that protruded from the opening of his robe.
Varro stepped into the room and halted. He averted his eyes away from Azurha. “Forgive me, Emperor Sergius. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“No, that’s quite all right, Varro. I don’t need to neglect my duties.”
“Very well. I’ll prepare your things for your bath.” The canny servant disappeared into the bathing chambers, leaving them alone for a few moments.
Titus jerked off his robe and handed it to her. “Cover up.”
She held it out in front of her with her thumb and forefinger. “But that leaves you naked.”
“I’m going to take a dip in the frigidarium.” And try to gather what little bit of self-control I have left before I have to face the vultures.
She chuckled as she tied the robe’s belt around her waist. The material barely concealed the swell of her breasts and the curve of her buttocks.
Jealousy seeped into his skin. He didn’t want any other man to feast his eyes on her bare flesh. “Make sure you’re wearing a bit more than that when Varro returns.”
“As you wish.”
Varro stood ready with a towel and a clean tunic beside the tepidarium pool. He waved him away. “Just leave them there in case I finish before you return from the harem.”
Varro raised a brow, but did as he was told. “Yes, Emperor Sergius.” A minute later, the click of the locks echoed through the empty chamber.
Titus closed his eyes and tried to make sense of the last three days. Perhaps he should have been more wary of Pontus’ gift. The strange power Azurha infused into him continued to hum in the back of his mind, even after his jump into the icy water washed his lust away. Something had changed. A wild energy swirled inside him, battling with the calm rationality he’d always sought to uphold.
His hands trembled, and he prayed to the gods he hadn’t made a mistake inviting her into his bed.
Varro slipped back into the room a few minutes later, a silent reminder that Titus had a full agenda today. He handed Titus a towel. “I’ve arranged the chariot to meet you as soon as you finish evaluating the barrier.”
“Good. I don’t want to keep my mother waiting.” He pulled the tunic over his head and hastily draped his toga around his shoulders.
“Wait.” Varro stopped him in front of the door and straightened the purple swath of linen. “Perhaps you may care little about your apparel, Your Imperial Majesty, but your subjects soak in every detail of your appearance. A disheveled emperor does not inspire much confidence.”
Titus clasped the servant’s shoulder and smiled at him. “Thank you, Varro. There are some days when I’d be lost without you. No wonder my father thought so highly of you.”
Redness crept up into Varro’s cheeks. “It is my pleasure to serve the Imperial family, Emperor Sergius.”
Titus proceeded to the throne room alone. As usual, the lines marking the barrier flickered, showing signs of weakness. He focused his magic into repairing them, his breath catching when they returned to a solid glow within seconds. For the first time in weeks, restoring the barrier felt less like a chore and more like a gift. The magic flowed from him easily, as warm and consuming as what he felt when Azurha had kissed him this morning. This strange power both unnerved him and roused his curiosity. Could she have anything to do with his newfound success?
He mulled it over as he navigated his chariot across the city to his mother’s villa with three members of the Legion riding alongside him. Azurha was an Alpirion, not a Deizian. As far as he knew, they had no magical powers. But then, very little was known about their people before his grandfather conquered them. They had managed to build a thriving society that had resisted the Deizians and the Barbarians for centuries without the use of any magical barriers. Any clues to their success, though, became lost in the bonds of slavery.
By the time he reached the villa, his mind was muddled, and his stomach felt as though it were tied in knots. Azurha held more secrets than he first realized, but his body still craved hers. The more he discovered about her, the more his desire grew. His gut warned him to regard her with caution, though. Falling in love with the wrong woman could spell turmoil for the empire.
He stopped dead in his tracks. Falling in love? It couldn’t be possible. He’d only met Azurha a few days ago. Yes, she seemed to complement him in every way—intellectually, physically, emotionally, sexually. But then, she was a trained courtesan. They were schooled to pleasure their masters.
“Is something troubling you, Titus?”
His mother’s voice jerked him back to the present. She emerged from a side room, dressed in dark blue to mark her mourning. Her pale brown hair, a sign of her distant Elymanian ancestry, was wound into a simple knot, and seemed plain without her Imperial crown.
He forced a smile on his face, placing a kiss on her cheek. “I’m adjusting to life as emperor, Mother, that’s all.”
The glint in her
blue eyes told him she didn’t believe him, and knowing her, she’d pull a confession from him by the end of his visit. “Your father experienced the same thing, but he managed just fine.”
She led him to the veranda where the table was set for breakfast. The entire city stretched out below them, appearing so calm and serene from this vantage point compared to the chaotic streets he’d just navigated. Up here, he forgot about his duties. His muscles began to unknot themselves with every breath of the fresh air he inhaled.
He sat and reached for a piece of fruit. “How are you doing?”
She looked away and played with the beads on her palla, the fine lines around her mouth and eyes deeper than before. “As well as can be expected. I haven’t been a widow long. I’m sure you understand the pain of losing a spouse.”
Bitterness filled his mouth. He hadn’t grieved for Lucia like his mother grieved for his father. Did that make him heartless? “You were married much longer than I was.”
“You should find someone who makes you happy.”
The cunning in her voice made him fidget in his chair. “Duty comes before happiness.”
“Nonsense.” She smacked the table as she said that, rattling the plates. “You’re the emperor. Your Will is above all.”
He rubbed his temples and closed his eyes. The image of Azurha with her dark hair spilling over the cushions flashed in front of him, and sweat prickled his skin. He was acting like an opium addict, constantly craving the dreamlike bliss he experienced under her spell.
“You’ve never kept things from me before, Titus.” Concern creased lines into her face when he opened his eyes. “What’s changed?”
He winced. She was right, and he hated keeping his thoughts from her. But how would she react if he told her that he’d been overindulging himself with a courtesan?
As if she was reading his mind, she asked, “How did you like the tribute gift my cousin gave you?”
He didn’t miss the sarcasm behind her words. “She is very beautiful.”
His mother froze with a goblet halfway to her mouth. “So that’s it. You’re having trouble with her.”
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