The Immortal Scrolls (10 page)

Antonius wasn’t quite sure of what to do with the information the guard had given him. He didn’t want to be the one to reveal them because he wanted Araceli for himself. She would surely hate him if he caused the death of her lover. He also knew he had to get Senator Gaius out of the picture. He sat there thinking of the perfect plan.

“Dominus,” said his slave.

“Yes, Cilo,” Antonius said, looking up at him.

“This came for you. It is from Marcus Acilius,” said Cilo as he handed the letter to his master. He bowed his head down and backed away.

Antonius ripped into the letter. Marcus was throwing a feast this evening. This was the perfect opportunity. He was certain Senator Gaius would be attending. The perfect plan suddenly came to him.

“Are you sure you understand?” Antonius asked the guard who gave him the information.

“Yes,” he replied.

Antonius paid the man and walked back to the party. He had been right. The senator had come with a large gift for Araceli. A powerful man like Senator Gaius would not appreciate being taken for a fool. Antonius waited for the drama to unfold with great anticipation. Araceli had already retired for the evening. He watched as the guard disappeared. After about ten minutes he was back at the party. The guard nodded from across the room at Antonius. Then he walked over to Marcus.

“Dominus,” said the guard.

“What is it?” Marcus asked sounding a little drunk.

“I have a private matter to discuss with you.”

“Very well,” said Marcus. “Excuse me,” he said to his guests. Marcus led the way to his office. When they were both inside with the door shut, Marcus turned around to face the guard.

“Well, what is this private matter that was so urgent to interrupt my party?”

“It is about the new guard Androcles. I have noticed his absence from his room for several nights, and I wondered where he went, so I followed him one night,” said the guard.

“And?” asked Marcus, a little annoyed.

“And,” said the guard hesitantly, “I saw him disappear into a secret passageway in the corridor to your daughter’s room.” Marcus’s face turned red with anger. “And he stays there for several hours and then sneaks back to his room in the guard house.”

Marcus let out an angry mixture of a yell and a growl. He knew the guard was telling the truth because no one but the family and the man who designed the villa knew about the passageways, and that man was dead. Marcus was eerily silent now.

“And he is there now, dominus,” said the guard.

“Gather some guards, your most loyal and discreet men, and meet me in the corridor. I do not want anyone from the party to hear a word of this. Also send word for the Legatus Antonius and Senator Gaius to wait in my office. Make sure they have slaves to attend their every need.

“Yes, dominus,” said the guard. He stood there waiting for more orders.

“Well, go!” shouted Marcus.

A few minutes later Marcus met the guards in the corridor. He went straight to Araceli’s door and burst through. Marcus found his daughter naked in bed with the guard Androcles. They looked at the door, startled, and immediately covered their bare flesh with the sheets.

“What is this?” shouted Marcus.

“Father—” Araceli started to say.

“Guards, arrest that man!” said Marcus, and the guards moved in to take Androcles.

“Father, please!” Araceli pleaded as she stood up and walked over to her father. She was wrapped in the sheet.

“And you…whore…” said Marcus. He slapped her hard across her face. Araceli cried out in pain as she fell to the ground. “Do not call me father. You are no child of mine.”

Androcles was enraged. He struggled free from the guards and punched Marcus in the face, knocking the old man down. The guards immediately got hold of him again. Marcus stood up, unfazed by the blow, and spit blood in Androcles’s face.

“And you! What a disappointment. You came so highly recommended by my good friend the general. You shame him and my house. And for that you will crucify,” he said coldly.

“No!” Araceli cried out.

Androcles looked at her sadly.

“Take him away!” shouted Marcus.

“No! Father!” Araceli screamed. Her father ignored her. “Androcles!” she yelled as he was being dragged through her door.

“I love you, Araceli,” he yelled. Then a guard hit him on the head hard, knocking him out. The guards dragged his naked, unconscious body to a cell for the slaves where they could keep an eye on him.

“Love?” her father said mockingly. “Get dressed and come with me.” He turned away, disgusted with his daughter.

Araceli dressed quickly without the help of her slaves and followed him. They went to his office. Inside were the senator and the legatus, to Araceli’s surprise and horror. Senator Gaius looked just as surprised to see Araceli looking so disheveled. Her face was red and bruising where her father had struck her. Antonius pretended to be surprised as well.

“Well, Senator Gaius, Legatus Antonius,” Marcus said, “my daughter has been caught fornicating with her personal guard. She is no longer a virgin as I have promised, and you are free to withdraw your marriage proposals to this whore. I would only ask, out of respect for me as your friend, for your discretion in this delicate matter.”

Araceli looked at the men defiantly. The senator was visibly angry.

“I do wish to withdraw my proposal, and I expect my generous gifts to be returned,” said the senator.

“I will have them delivered to you tomorrow,” said Marcus.

“What a disappointment,” said Senator Gaius, and he stormed out of the room.

Araceli and her father turned to look at Antonius, expecting him to be angry as well. Araceli walked over to Antonius and handed him the ring he had given her. Antonius took the diamond ring and looked at it for a moment. Then he took Araceli’s hand and slipped the ring back on.

“Keep it. I do not withdraw my proposal,” he said calmly. Marcus looked shocked. “She is young. We all have our…urges,” he said matter-of-factly. His lips curved into a half smile. “After all, I fuck my slaves. Virgin or not, this does not cause me any grief, so long as this behavior does not continue and we are married immediately.”

Marcus let out a deep breath. “If you will still have her, she is yours.”

Araceli looked back and forth between the two men. Marcus walked over to Araceli and smiled. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Very well, daughter. You will be married or be banished from my home to rot penniless in the streets,” he threatened with a smile. “Oh, and make him happy.”

Araceli looked down, defeated. Antonius smiled arrogantly. Everything had worked according to plan. But he had one more trick up his sleeve to make Araceli see him in a more favorable light.

“And this guard,” said Antonius.

“Will be put to death,” stated Marcus.

“I would ask you sell him to the slave traders instead,” Antonius said.

Araceli looked up at her father hopefully.

“Very well,” Marcus agreed. He looked at Araceli. “You are dismissed.”

“Yes, father,” she said and hurried out of the room.

Marcus turned to Antonius. “You are a good young man. I will put a favorable word in for you with my cousin, the emperor,” he said, reminding Antonius who was in control of the situation.

“Thank you, sir,” said Antonius. He knew his place. “Shall we discuss the wedding?”

Araceli ran down to the slaves’ quarters to see if she could bribe a guard to speak with Androcles. The guard only mocked her and sent her away. He reminded her of Androcles’s fate and said he did not wish to follow in his footsteps. Discouraged, Araceli made her way back to the villa. As she was passing through the courtyard she heard someone whisper.

“Domina,” said the voice.

Araceli looked around. She didn’t see anyone.

“Domina, over here,” said the voice again. “It’s Elek.”

“Elek,” she said, wiping her tears from her eyes. She walked across the courtyard to Elek’s quarters. She went inside with him. The smell of incense burned her nostrils.

“I hate to say I warned you,” said Elek.

“If you just want to make me feel worse, Elek, I’m leaving,” she said, turning to the door.

“No, wait!” said Elek. “I’m sorry.” He spoke to her like a friend. “I want to give you this.” He handed her a little cloth pouch full of herbs and seeds.

“What is this, Elek?” she asked.

“That is to help should you not get your blood,” he said.

Araceli looked down at the little pouch. She had not even considered the fact that she would conceive with Androcles. She had not even cared. And she wondered if that was why Antonius wanted to marry her right away—so he could pass off a possible child as his own and not be humiliated. Her hands began to tremble. Elek covered her hands with his own wrinkled, old hands to comfort her.

“I do not want them. If I have conceived a child, it is the only thing I have of him now. I will not destroy it,” she said.

“Take them and think about it,” he pleaded with her.

“All right, I will think about it,” she said, accepting the pouch. Without another word she dashed out of his quarters into the courtyard and ran into the villa.

.

Chapter Seven

H
ERCULANEUM, 79
AD, S
UMMER

A
mara strolled through the streets of Herculaneum with her husband Tiberius. Her progeny, Callixtus, was close behind. She had meant for him to be her partner, not realizing he did not like women sexually, and had turned him. Before they left Britannia they had come across a pack of werewolves. Amara was attracted to powerful men and quickly found herself wanting the pack leader, Tiberius. The pack did not want her and Callixtus there. They did not trust them because they were vampires. But Tiberius wanted her too. He was married and refused to leave Britannia and his pack. Amara and Callixtus made sure on the next full moon that Tiberius’s wife met with an untimely death. Tiberius’ eldest son Lucian always suspected Amara had something to do with it, but he couldn’t convince his father.

Tiberius, Lucian, and a few others from the pack went back to Rome. From there they went to Herculaneum. Amara had the brilliant idea of starting a ludus and fighting the werewolves as gladiators. It had become very profitable, and they began buying slaves and changing them on the full moon. She wanted to try turning slaves into vampires, but vampires were weaker during the daylight hours. Their power came at night. Newly turned vampires were also harder to control. At least the wolves passed for extraordinarily strong men, whereas vampires looked too unnatural when they fought. They were faster, and any drop of blood turned into a feeding frenzy. It would take an experienced vampire to pull it off. So Tiberius had forbidden her to make any more vampires.

She and Tiberius were looking to buy a fresh batch of slaves. They refused to just create any old werewolf. The men first were trained and fought once in the arena to prove themselves worthy. If they survived they were turned at the next full moon.

They came across a slave auction. Amara caught a familiar scent and tried to remember who or what it was and where she knew it from. Tiberius was bidding on a few strong looking men. They were all dirty and unwashed. Their hair and beards were long and wild. Amara looked them all over, not seeing anything of interest until the end of the line. The man’s leg caught her attention. The wound was scarred but definitely familiar. It was the centurion she’d saved in the forests of Britannia. She smiled excitedly. When the man was up for auction, she bid wildly for him. Tiberius was surprised in her interest in one underfed, weak slave.