Passions of New Pompeii (3 page)

Mikko had stressed the noninterference clause
for the third time then he’d gone to speak with Theos. Elaina
wasn’t sure what her brother was going to tell the gladiator.
Probably that she was crazy and he should disregard anything she
said. If she couldn’t tell Theos he was living a lie, that he was
being used and manipulated by a technologically advanced society,
what was left to say?

The scrape and clatter of shifting armor or
chains drew her attention to the archway on the far side of the
bedroom. Mikko called out a greeting then swept aside the heavy
curtains that separated the bedroom from the rest of the villa. She
moved into the room from one side as he strode in from the other,
followed by two armored guards flanking the gladiator. Theos was
shackled hand and foot, shuffling along as well as the chains
allowed.

She glared at her brother. “I told you not to
bind him.”

“Precautions are taken whenever a gladiator
is moved.”

“If he’s so dangerous, perhaps I better not
speak with him.”

Mikko shrugged. “He’s as dangerous as he
chooses to be, and I’ve given him good reason not to harm you.” The
guards bent and released his ankles restraints. Mikko stopped them
as they reached for the manacles. “Last chance,” he told her. “Are
you sure you want him free?”

“What happens if he hurts me?”

“I end his life.”

The cold finality in her brother’s tone made
it obvious he meant every word. “Then free him. I suspect this
won’t take long.” She caught the challenging glint in the
gladiator’s dark gaze a moment before his expression iced over. He
understood what they were saying well enough to take exception to
her attitude.

After removing the rest of his restraints,
the guards withdrew from the room.

“This is what you want?” Mikko asked.

Her dry mouth refused to form words, so she
nodded.

Mikko glanced at the gladiator before
offering her a smile. “If you need anything, just call out. The
villa isn’t that large. If not, I’ll see you in the morning.” He
said something to Theos in Latin before he left. A faint smile was
the gladiator’s only response.

From a distance, Theos had seemed
fascinating, undeniably dangerous yet not personally threatening.
Now she felt awkward, vulnerable and…restless. He was dressed, sort
of. His simple tunic only reached mid-thigh and gaped across his
chest. He remained where the guards had left him, arms at his
sides. She knew his body was well-formed, to say the least, so she
focused on his face. He had strong features, a wide brow and sharp
cheekbones, firm jaw and sculpted lips.

She moved closer, staying well out of reach.
“Congratulations on your win.” She wasn’t sure how much he could
understand, but they had to start somewhere. “You fought well
today.”

“
Meus gratiae, domina.
”

He’d thanked her and called her mistress, but
he hadn’t attempted to speak Fedoros. Had Mikko overestimated the
gladiator’s abilities? Tearing her gaze away from his handsome
face, she looked around the room. Where should she take him? Or
where could he take her? The bed was the obvious choice. He could
stretch out on his back while she straddled his hips, or he could
stand on the floor and drape her legs over his thick forearms. Her
pussy warmed and melted while her pulse thudded steadily through
her arteries.

He was here to speak with her, not pleasure
her with that amazing body! Which meant they had to find a way to
communicate.

Too anxious to stand still, she motioned to
the small table near the balcony. “Are you hungry? Would you like
something to drink?”

He shook his head as his gaze lowered to her
lips.

She indicated that he should precede her, but
he didn’t move. Didn’t he understand what she wanted, or was he
waiting for her to lead the way? This was all so strange. When he
continued to stare, she turned and walked back onto the balcony.
Torches had been lit, but the light wasn’t bright enough to
penetrate twilight’s gloom.

His arms reached around her and grasped the
railing. “You should have left me in chains,” he whispered in
Fedoros.

Fluctuating between uncertainty and
excitement, she held perfectly still. If a predator sensed fear it
would strike, and there was no doubt Theos was a predator. “You
speak Fedoros very well. Were you tutored, or do you have an ear
for languages?”

“I was taught. My master’s wife is sometimes
amused by disregarding his dictates.”

What did Laetif gain by teaching a gladiator
the language of his master? Especially if Mikko had forbidden the
practice? “Did she teach others as well?” Something brushed against
the nape of her neck then trailed down her spine, amplifying the
shivers she was trying to hide.

“You tremble.” His breath stirred her hair
and he moved closer, almost but not quite touching her. “Shall I
warm you?”

“I’m not cold.”

“Are you frightened?”

“Why should I be? You won’t hurt me.”

“You seem very certain of that.” He moved his
hands to her upper arms and turned her around. Their gazes locked
and her breath hitched, her nipples gathering against the fabric of
her gown. “I could do whatever I wanted with you. Do you doubt
it?”

His deep voice had a distinct accent, but he
spoke Fedoros effortlessly. “There is no honor in harming someone
smaller and weaker than you. So unless you intend to force yourself
on me sexually, I have nothing to fear.”

He spun suddenly, taking her with him, and
urged her back against the external wall of the villa. His gaze
grew demanding and hungry, so she dragged her eyes away. She could
see nothing but the wide expanse of his shoulders and the sculpted
contour of his chest. Damn, the man was big! His hands settled on
her hips, squeezing gently before he brought her forward and
aligned their lower bodies.

Hard and hot, his cock pressed against her
belly as he insinuated his knee between her legs. “Will it be force
if I taste your mouth?” One of his hands lightly grasped the nape
of her neck while his thumb teased the underside of her jaw.

As if of their own volition, her lips tingled
and drifted apart. He smelled clean and faintly spicy. Had he
scrubbed himself clean or had tittering females happily attended
his bath? She fought the urge to press her face against the base of
his neck and wrap her arms around his back. “This isn’t why I came
here.” He tilted her face up as he lowered his head. “I don’t
want…”

“Yes, you do.” His lips brushed over hers,
warm and inviting. He waited for her to accept the kiss before he
took the exchange deeper. “Open,
amor
. Let me in.”

She parted her lips and trembled. His tongue
slowly pushed into her mouth, but her mind pictured a more intimate
penetration. If he lifted her and wrapped her legs around his hips,
he could fuck her right there against the side of the villa. Her
fingers dug into his shoulders as she returned the kiss, lost in
the sensual web. She rocked against him, rubbing against his cock,
unable to escape the proof of his desire.

“Touch me,” he whispered against her parted
lips. He grasped her wrist and guided her hand to his erection. She
kept her fingers open, refusing to stroke him, but it made no
difference. The thick ridge teased her palm and ignited an ache
between her thighs.

His lips drifted over her face, teasing the
corners of her mouth then following the crest of her cheek,
lingering near her temple. Her fingers flexed, starting to grasp
his shaft, then she snatched her hand away. “I can’t do this!”

“You can.” He cupped her ass with both hands
and angled her hips as he slid his cock across her clit.

“Stop it.” She pushed against his chest, but
he ignored her. “I said, stop it!”

A frustrated growl escaped his throat, but he
stopped rocking. His hands, however, remained on her ass. “Why do
you deny what we both want?”

“I don’t—”

He squeezed her hard enough to make her yelp.
“Speak the lie again and I will find out for myself if your body is
ready for mine.”

She swallowed hard. Her pussy felt heavy and
achy. She was doubtlessly wet. “Do you take every woman you
encounter simply because you want her?”

“I seldom encounter women.” He moved his
hands to the wall again, shifting his body away from hers without
releasing her completely. “Females are not allowed in the
barracks.”

“Still, you understand my point. Your life is
about discipline and control. Wanting something is not reason
enough for taking it. Other factors must be considered.”

A slow, unexpected smile parted his lips. “I
thought you knew nothing about gladiators.”

He towered over her, imposing and indomitable
yet undeniably attractive. She still felt caged and vulnerable, but
they were talking, so she left well enough alone. “I know far more
about this world than my brother will let himself admit. He’s
convinced I don’t understand how things work in New Pompeii. The
truth is, I understand. I just don’t approve.”

A lock of her hair had escaped the twisting
upsweep. He took the shiny red-gold tress and curled it around his
finger, apparently fascinated. “Why do you disapprove?”

She chose her words carefully. How could she
explore his perspective without contradicting the lies he’d been
told by the founders? She’d promised that she wouldn’t violate the
noninterference clause. Then what was she doing here?

“Do you enjoy what you do?”

One corner of his mouth lifted and his dark
gaze sparkled. “I was enjoying it very much before you stopped
me.”

Heat suffused her face and she lowered her
gaze, unwilling to admit how much she’d been enjoying it too. “I
mean in the arena. Do you enjoy fighting, sometimes killing other
gladiators for the amusement of the crowd?”

“I do not kill other gladiators. I kill
criminals who have forfeited the right to live by their despicable
actions. Gladiators are rare and valuable. We fight for honor and
the reputation of the brotherhood.” His shoulders squared and his
chin lifted with obvious pride. “
Ludus
Xyellus produces the
fiercest fighters in all of New Pompeii.”

“What if you weren’t required to fight? What
did you want to be before you became a gladiator?”

“Such questions are useless.” He released her
hair and took another step back. “I am a gladiator.”

“How did it happen? Were you born a slave
or—”

“I was taken in battle, defending my people
against the cursed Romans.”

She pushed off the wall and moved to an angle
where the torchlight illuminated his face. “But Mikko referred to
you as ‘the Roman’. He said it more than once.”

“I was trained in Rome.” His gaze narrowed
and his lips tensed. He obviously had no intention of saying more,
but he’d piqued Elaina’s curiosity.

“Then what were you doing in Pompeii during
the evacuation?”

He moved to the railing and stared out into
the night, firelight dancing on the masculine planes of his fierce
features. “I had been sold to a new master three weeks before the
evacuation.”

“You would have preferred to remain in
Rome?”

He shot her an impatient glare and said only,
“Yes.”

“Why were you sold?”

Turning his back to the night, he leaned
against the railing and crossed his arms over his chest. “How will
the events of my past help convince you to discontinue your
campaign against our city?”

It was obvious he didn’t want to tell her,
which made her more determined to know. “I thought direct exposure
to one of the city’s inhabitants might temper my resistance to what
goes on here.”

“You never answered my question. Why are you
so resistant to the things that happen in this city?”

She thought for a moment before she answered.
Did stating an opinion violate the noninterference clause? She was
simply telling him how she felt. Surely there was no harm in that.
“I think slavery is wrong.”

“There have always been slaves and there will
always be slaves. Why are you focused on New Pompeii?”

Her heart thudded and she rubbed her upper
arms. Did Mikko honestly think the threat of prosecution would keep
her from speaking her mind? He had to have suspected she would say
something controversial to his champion, and yet he’d allowed this
meeting. Was he using some bizarre backward logic to manipulate
her?

No, Laetif had been the one who talked Mikko
into allowing this meeting. Was Laetif an abolitionist? She knew
Mikko and Laetif lived separate lives, but was it possible their
lives were that different?

It didn’t matter how the opportunity had come
about, Elaina would not waste it. If she sowed the seeds of
discontent, it might well spread like a virus. She’d tried
destroying this abomination from the outside and failed. Would she
accomplish more working from within?

“What is the purpose of the energy
barrier?”

Theos stared at her for a long, silent moment
then he said, “I know you don’t believe in the gods. Your brother
told me. So if the barrier is not meant to conceal us from Vulcan,
why is it there?”

It was all so clever and so calculative.
According to the founders, Venus and her husband Vulcan fought over
the people in Pompeii. Vulcan felt that she was giving them too
much attention, so he stoked the fire within the volcano and
destroyed the city. Venus, in all her benevolent beauty, sent her
agents to snatch her people out of the path of death and bring them
safely to this new world. She knew her husband would be furious
that she had thwarted his plan, so she constructed a mystical
barrier around the entire city, hiding her followers from her
vengeful mate. Of course the barrier also trapped them inside the
city like zoological specimens inside a complex habitat.