His Seafaring Siren (Caledonia's Captives) (4 page)

Phaedra huffed. “Oh, pathetic. I have someone else too. I was simply goading you.” Phaedra stepped toward then and Mowriyah instinctively marched forward to meet her challenger, shoulders back and ready for action.

Septimus grabbed her wrist. “Mowriyah, please.”

Mowriyah looked at Septimus. His pleading, brilliant green eyes reminded her of their new home and the anger eased in her heart. “What does she want?” she demanded.

“That is a good question.” He turned and faced Phaedra. “Why
are
you here? Why are you back, and why have you come to find me?”

***

Septimus couldn’t help but let his mind wander back to the past as Phaedra retold her story. She said she had left Rome on her own, but hadn’t made it far before she had been captured by slave traders and returned to the city. He kept stealing glances at Mowriyah, who seemed to relax a little, but he could still see the anxiety in her face. He hoped that she could see that he was genuinely no longer interested in Phaedra. Though he knew it would be hard to convince her when he was having trouble convincing himself.

Mowriyah was astoundingly beautiful and had a spark of adventure and an independence that made him laugh. He had come to realize how boring his life would be without her at his side. He turned his gaze to Phaedra once more and noticed her unblemished skin, and how her toga barely covered her cleavage. Her golden hair was curled in braids around her head, similar to the style Mowriyah had worn the day before, except Phaedra had left long locks spilling out the back. He had to admit, it was extremely difficult to sit at the table between these two gorgeous women without indecent thoughts permeating his brain.

“...Trivian. Now, we’ve—”

“Trivian?” Septimus interrupted. “What about Trivian?”

Mowriyah reached out and took his hand. “Dear, haven’t you been listening? She’s been seeing Trivian for some time now.” She looked him in the eye and he was scared his thoughts of the two women naked in his bed would be easily read.

He looked away quickly. “Sorry, I guess I was thinking about our next move. So, you know where Trivian is?” He searched Phaedra’s face, hoping that she wasn’t lying to him. Though her external beauty reminded him of passionate nights they once shared, he also remembered her cunning ways.

Phaedra tilted her head up, meeting his gaze. “Of course I know where he is. We’re to meet tonight after his work is done.” A sly grin crept to the corners of her mouth. “Why do you want to see him?”

“Phaedra, you know we were all brothers. I need to find him, to get him out of here.” He paused, sorry he had made the comment before he had thought it through.

“And where are you going?” Phaedra had a look of pure delight in her eyes. “I cannot wait to get out of here!”

“What?” Mowriyah blurted. “What makes you think you are going with us?” She clutched Septimus’s hand tighter and he could feel the fury in her strength.

“It’s simple, my dear girl. Trivian will never leave without me, if he will leave at all.” She looked back at Septimus. “You may need my help convincing him it’s the right thing to do. Plus, if you don’t take me with you, I’ll turn the both of you in to the Emperor. Hadrian has had the word out for some time to find the four of you.” She pushed back from the table and crossed her legs.

Septimus scoffed. “There is the Phaedra I knew. So how long did we have before we were turned in? Of course, I mean before you found out we could be your way out of here?”

Phaedra stood and walked to the window. Looking out to the busy street, she said, “Well, if you agree to take me with you, I will help you convince Trivian to leave, and I’ll call the guards off right now.”

Mowriyah jumped to her feet and lunged toward Phaedra, but Septimus intercepted her. “You are a minion of Hell itself! I am going to rip your heart out!” Then a string of curses came from her mouth and Septimus couldn’t help but laugh as he stood in front of her and held her back from attacking Phaedra.

“Call off the guards, Phaedra, or I let her loose.” Septimus struggled to hold Mowriyah’s tiny frame, which seemed to be lit with fire. He flipped her over his shoulder and she cursed him as well.

“Tell me I’m going with you, and I’ll call them off,” Phaedra retorted. “I’m sure I can handle her.”

“Fine. You help me to get Trivian to leave and we promise to take you with us.”

“I don’t think so!” Mowriyah started swinging at Septimus’s back, pounding on his shoulders. “We aren’t taking that
lupa
anywhere with us!”

Phaedra turned on her heels, passing Septimus and Mowriyah as she headed toward the door. “I will leave you to deal with...that.” She waved her hand over her shoulder, then reached for the handle. “I will return to gather you in early evening, and we will go to Trivian then.” Opening the door, she looked at Mowriyah and said, “Now, now, dear. Do make sure you are ready for me, should you try that again.” She gave a shifty smile and slammed the door behind her.

Mowriyah continued slamming her fists on Septimus’s back and shoulders. “Put me down!”

“Only if you stop hitting me.”

Mowriyah bucked again and Septimus felt the pain in his groin immediately. He flung Mowriyah off him and onto the bed. “Woman, will you stop!”

She lay on the bed, her eyes large, and Septimus knew he had scared her. “Curse you, woman.” He hovered over the bed and saw her shrink back against the mattress. “I’m not going to hit you, Mowriyah, it just hurt.”

Mowriyah grabbed the blanket next to her and held it up, trying to cover her face. Tears filled her eyes and she started to sob into the heavy material.

Septimus sat next to her on the mattress. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

Mowriyah sniffled. “Did you love her?” The look in her eyes made him ache. He didn’t want to lie to her, but he didn’t want to cause her any more pain.

He dropped his head, deciding a lie would be worse. “At one time, in the past.”

Mowriyah flopped back on the mattress and curled herself tighter into the blanket, rolling away, her back turned to him.

***

Mowriyah watched the morning pass through the window as she lay restless, visions of Septimus and Phaedra continuously interrupting her thoughts. He lay next to her now, trying to talk to her, but she was unable to register his words. Phaedra was stunning, and by the looks of their reunion, they shared a deep, passionate history. His words had struck a very dark chord within her heart. He had actually loved Phaedra at one time. Though they had spent every night together for the past three months, Mowriyah was still uncertain that he really felt that way about her.

Love is such a strong word. Perhaps it is love he feels for me and he is unable to say it because of Phaedra. Because of how she wounded him.
A small amount of hope began to well up inside her, followed by a newfound hatred for Phaedra.
She
had done this to him.
She
had broken him, forcing him to guard his heart from a committed relationship.

Mowriyah turned and faced Septimus, who was staring at her with an intensity she had never seen from him before. A tingle crept from her navel, through her rib cage, and up her neck. She reached out and touched his hair, pushing it back from his forehead. “What am I going to do with you?”

A clever smirk played across his lips. “Anything you want.”

So he wishes to play a game.
“Anything?”

“Whatever you wish, I will do to you...I mean, for you.”

Oh, he is clever.
“Okay.” Mowriyah tugged at the blanket, and then at the toga she was wearing. It fell loose, exposing her full breasts. She assessed his expression, which had transformed to that of a prowling tiger in a matter of seconds. Thrills exploded from her nerve endings, sending quick pulses to her deepest extremities. “Kiss me.”

Septimus leaned forward, inching closer to her mouth, tempting her with want. She cradled his chin and held him close enough to her face to have his breath become her own. “Not here.” She licked her lips, and then tugged his chin downward to align his mouth with her nipple. “Here.”

She felt a wider smile tighten his jaw line before his mouth delved forward and encased her breast.

He suckled gently, teasing her hardened nub with his tongue. Soon, he was using his teeth. Gentle, yet controlling, he unleashed a series of nips across her breast that had her body responding in delight at this new treat. Spikes of pleasure pierced her body as he continued his oral assault.

She rolled from him slightly, repositioning her body so that the other breast could be pleased as the first had been. To her delight, he wasted no time in honoring the second mound in the same fashion. Tingles ran beneath her skin from her perked nipples down her chest to her navel. They traveled farther, surrounding her womanhood and making it pulse with anxiety.

Placing her hand atop his head, she pushed it slowly down her torso. She felt no resistance from him, and finally released him and allowed him to decide the next course of action.

The stubble on his chin grazed over her flesh, followed by tender kisses that trailed down to her belly button and along her pelvic area. Her mind raced with the prospect of this new experience. Never before had she allowed anyone to do this to her. It was mesmerizing and nerve-racking at the same time.

Septimus skimmed his hand up her leg and her hairs stood on end with anticipation. He moved to her inner thigh and used his fingers to push gently on her skin, signaling for her to spread her legs for him. She complied.

Lowering his mouth, he continued his journey, teasing her folds with his stubble and kissing the top of her split. His breath dancing across her trim was enough to light her on fire. She pushed her pelvis into his mouth, making him engulf her most sensual place. He blew his hot air on it, then opened his mouth and wrapped it around her again. This time, before closing it, she felt his tongue slide through her crease and rub across her hardened prize.

A squeal of delight escaped her lips. “Septimus!”

Speaking into her muff, he replied, “Yes, my dear?”

She was at a loss for words. A small grunt escaped her lips. An overwhelming need came over her to move with him, and she pushed herself on his mouth again. She was rewarded for her actions with another long lick of his tongue. Electricity coursed through her body and sent every nerve ending in her body on alert.

He continued his breathy massage and Mowriyah felt herself climbing to a heightened sense of awareness. At the peak of her climb, a great void, a calmness, a nothingness, only the pounding of her heart was ready to greet her. “Septimus!” she cried out again, feeling her own journey almost complete.

She felt him push his mouth farther into her, suckling her folds and flicking her nub with great speed. Her breathing erratic, she could only muster sporadic moans. She could visualize the edge of the cliff, her heartbeat ready to burst through her chest...

A loud bang hit the door. Septimus stopped and Mowriyah felt as if her world were crashing down around her. The knocking started again and Septimus placed a finger over his mouth, signaling her to be quiet.

Suddenly, a voice bellowed out through the knocking. “Septimus, open up! It’s me. I’ve got news for you and your girl.”

Phaedra.
Mowriyah gripped the bedding in clamped fists and pulled it over herself.
Damn this woman. She will forever be in my way.

Septimus rolled off the bed and threw on his toga. “Just a moment.” He tossed Mowriyah’s toga to her as well and she stood from the bed and dressed quickly, even though she found it difficult to steady her legs. After tossing the bedding haphazardly across the small frame, she ran her fingers through her hair, then sat in the small chair at the table. Heart pounding and her lower half on fire, she signaled to Septimus, who went to the door and opened it.

He peered into the hallway and cocked his head left and right, no doubt looking for others that might be with the blackmailing mistress, and then pulled her in by her shoulder.

Phaedra sashayed across the floor and took a seat directly across from Morwriyah, leaving the seat between them free for Septimus.

Mowriyah decided to take charge of the situation before Phaedra tried to speak. She cleared her throat, making sure her voice came out steady. “What is it that you want, Phaedra?”

“Charming. You think you can take control?” Phaedra’s condescending tone struck a dark nerve, and Mowriyah’s anger threatened to burst into a wild ball of fire.

Septimus slid his body into the seat between them. “What do you have for us, Phaedra? News of Trivian?”

“Oh, I already told you, I know where Trivian is. I am here because of someone else.” Phaedra shifted her gaze to Mowriyah. “Tell me, pet, do you know someone named Leihla?

Mowriyah’s heart suddenly stilled.
What news could she possibly have of my sister?

Chapter Four

Septimus leaned on the table, assessing every inch of Phaedra as she enthralled Mowriyah with her story. Her eyes did not dart around as they had when she had betrayed him all those years ago. There was no quickening of pulse visible in her jaw line and she did not fidget with her clothing. Phaedra was speaking the truth. She really knew where Leihla was.

“On one of my usual runs to the palace, I overheard another house maiden speaking of a girl in the kitchens named Leihla. Something about the Emperor’s wrath and how she had been beaten months ago for something. But ever since then, the girl has been quiet and reserved. The Emperor will not let her far from his sight and she has been forced to be one of his slaves in his bed chamber.”

Mowriyah burst into tears. “Poor Leihla.” She turned to Septimus. “It’s our fault she was beaten, I know it. When I escaped the castle, and when our group left this dreadful city, he took his punishment out on her.”

Septimus placed his hand on Mowriyah’s shoulder. “We will find her and get her out of there, I promise,” Phaedra sat with a gleam in her eye and a smirk curving the edge of her lips. Cutting his eyes toward her, he commanded, “Continue, Phaedra. But, I warn you to take control of your tongue. We need to know how to get her out. Do not speak any more on her daily life.” He spoke through clenched teeth. “Do you understand?”