The Immortal Scrolls (15 page)

“What are you talking about?” he asked.

“In Britannia I found you wounded. I loved you. I gave you my blood. You would have died without me,” she said, moving in to kiss him.

“Maybe, maybe not,” he said defiantly. Amara rubbed against him. He became hard instinctively. Androcles closed his eyes and thought of Araceli’s sweet face. He was not tempted with this woman at all.

“I know you want me, Androcles. You are mine. Walk the earth with me for all eternity,” she said, leaning closer and closer until their mouths touched.

Suddenly the doors burst open and in marched Tiberius.

“Amara what are you doing?” asked Tiberius, shocked. As a wolf he mated for life. He never took privileges with slaves and would not tolerate Amara doing so.

She removed herself from Androcles and lay back with an arrogant smile on her face. She ran her finger up the male slave’s bleeding arm and then sucked the blood off her finger. “Feeding, my love,” she said.

“We must pack our valuables and leave for the boats at once,” he said. He thrust the letter from Araceli in her face. “The mountain will erupt. We must evacuate the pack and the slaves.”

“Nonsense,” she said. “Androcles, tell me what you feel.”

Androcles closed his eyes and focused on the feelings and emotions. He concentrated and could feel past the villa and past the city. He could feel the animals and the trees. All of nature was screaming a warning of the impending eruption. When he opened his eyes he was exhausted. He was new to his powers and had never felt so much emotion at once. “It is true.”

Amara stood up and was dressed in a second. Callixtus pushed off his slave and moved speedily to get dressed as well. They left the drugged, bleeding slaves on the floors. Androcles wondered if they were going to save them or leave them. He also wondered at what point they lost their humanity and became such cold, empty monsters. Everything about him still felt human except his new powers. He still retained his compassion and respect for life. He hoped he would not become as they were.

“Then we must go,” Amara said as she glided toward Tiberius. He seemed entranced as he watched her approach. “My love.”

“I’ll get Lucian and gather the pack,” said Tiberius.

“Androcles, Callixtus, we will go to the ships,” she said. Amara went to collect her jewels and anything else valuable and portable. Androcles snuck away unnoticed to go get Araceli and leave.

Araceli fought her way through the panicked crowd in the streets. Everyone was racing for the boats. The magistrate had spread the word, and evacuation was in full force. She made her way to the ludus on the outskirts of town. There were no guards or slaves to be seen. Araceli had no idea where to look for him, but she thought the cells would be a better place to start than the villa. She made her way down the corridor. The torches were lit, and she could see that all the cells were empty. Araceli turned around to leave and ran straight into the woman Amara. Araceli was frightened.
Would she kill me and drink my blood?
she worried.

“What are you doing here, my lady?” she asked, sounding surprised.

“I came because…” said Araceli, not sure of what to say. “I…”

“You came for him,” Amara said mockingly. “Oh, love.” She shook her head and made a clicking noise with her tongue. “Androcles has already left on one of my ships. You see, he left you here. He doesn’t care about you.”

“No! You lie. He wouldn’t leave us,” she said with her hand protectively covering her belly.

“You carry his babies,” Amara said, full of hatred and jealousy.

“Something you will never be able to do for him,” Araceli spat.

A dark, pained look crossed Amara’s face. She moved faster than Araceli could process and threw Araceli in the cell behind her. Amara grabbed the bracelet Androcles had given her off her wrist. “You will die here in this cell without the memory of who you are or your great love to comfort you,” she said with an evil grin. Then she began to chant something. Her eyes were closed, and she swayed back and forth. Araceli felt a pain in her head and screamed. She fell down to the ground and passed out. Amara chuckled and threw the bracelet down the corridor. She turned to leave and ran into Tiberius.

“What are you doing down here? I thought you were going to the ships,” he asked suspiciously.

“Tiberius!” she said with false enthusiasm. “I was just taking care of some old business. Kind of you to join me.”

“What is she doing here? What’s wrong with her?” he asked, even more suspicious.

“It is a simple spell, old fae magic. She is here to keep you company as you die,” Amara growled and threw him into the cell. The bars on the cell were silver in order to hold the new werewolves in. Tiberius grabbed the bars and tried to rip them out of the wall and screamed in pain as the silver burned his flesh.

“Let me out of here, Amara!” he yelled. He was holding his burned hands. “Amara!”

She said nothing and walked off. She got to the stairs, and he could hear her laughing before she ran off.

Tiberius turned to examine Araceli. “Wake up, child!” he said. She did not stir. Tiberius lay her head in his lap and let out a loud howl into the night. “Wake up, please.” Tiberius was desperate. He wondered how Amara could betray him. He knew then she had replaced him with Androcles, yet he thought it odd because the man seemed repulsed by her. Tiberius thought about his first wife who had mysteriously died one full moon. He had taken up with Amara before he could even mourn her. He felt guilt all over again. He hoped she hadn’t been watching over him, disappointed. He prayed there was no afterlife so he would not have to face her.

Androcles searched and searched for Araceli. She was not in the villa. He couldn’t track a scent in the streets. Most everyone was down at the docks evacuating or huddled stupidly in denial in their villas and homes. Androcles rushed to the docks to look for Araceli. He didn’t find Araceli, but he did find Antonius.

“You! You live!” said Antonius. He grabbed Androcles and started to shake him. “Where is she?”

“I don’t know. She isn’t with you?” Androcles asked, confused.

“No. Sadly, my own wife who carries my child loves another,” he said, full of hated.

“They are not your babies,” said Androcles. He no longer had to pretend or be afraid of this man or any other man.

Antonius drew his sword in anger, but Androcles walked away. “Where are you going?”

“To find Araceli,” said Androcles. Antonius looked back at his ship as the sun rose in the sky. He knew he had to leave, but he couldn’t leave her behind. He raced back to his villa to check one more time.

Androcles found Amara’s ship about to depart.

“Androcles, hurry,” she commanded. He could feel her power. She seemed pleased with herself, and he just knew.

“Where is she, Amara?” he yelled.

“Where is who, Androcles?” she said innocently. He knew she was hiding something. He could feel it.

“Araceli,” said Androcles. His body tensed. He felt ready to attack her.

“She left with her husband,” Amara replied.

“You lie! What did you do to her?” he asked.

“Come with me,” said Amara as she nodded to the ship in a way that suggested she had stashed Araceli on board. “Come below.”

Androcles did as he was told and followed her below. Amara took him to the back of the ship. “She isn’t here,” he said, sensing danger.

“No,” said Amara as she quickly covered Androcles’s wrists with silver shackles that were chained to the wall. He fought and struggled against them in vain. She grabbed his ankles and placed another set of shackles on them. “This is for your own good, my love,” she said. Androcles growled at her, baring his fangs. “You will forget her in time, and then we can be together.”

“We will never be together, Amara,” he yelled. “I despise you.”

Amara walked away, unfazed. “Callixtus!” she yelled. “Order the ship to sail out now. We must get as far away as possible.” She turned back to look at Androcles. “If you escape, Androcles, you will be too late. Save yourself the trouble and forget her.”

“Never!” he said. Amara climbed the stairs to the deck. Androcles struggled in his chains. The more he moved, the more they burned. Defeated, he slumped his body against the wall of the ship.

Lucian made his way through the villa. “Father!” he yelled. There was no sound. Lucian raced out to the training grounds. “Father!” he called again.”

“Lucian,” Tiberius yelled. “Down here!”

Lucian raced for the gladiator cells. He found his father locked inside. “What are you doing in here?” Lucian asked as he grabbed the key and unlocked the door. Tiberius kicked it open with his boot so he wouldn’t have to touch the silver bars.

“Amara locked me up to die,” he said. “It seems she lusts after her new progeny Androcles.”

“Evil bitch,” said Lucian. He noticed Araceli on the ground of the cell. “What is she doing here?”

“Amara locked her up too. She hasn’t awoken,” said Tiberius.

Lucian went and picked Araceli up. He cradled her in his arms. “Why did she leave you to die?” he asked the unconscious Araceli. Lucian brushed the hair out of her beautiful face. He remembered who she was. She was the wife of the legatus he had seen at the games. “We must go, father.”

“Yes, there is no time to waste,” agreed Tiberius.

They left for the docks to catch their ship. When they got there they saw that Amara had left already. The pack was waiting around on the deck of their other ship. Tiberius and Lucian climbed aboard. Lucian carried Araceli below deck while Tiberius gave the men orders to sail. They were far off at sea by the time the volcano erupted that afternoon. They watched as a dark column formed over the cone. Soon after the ash began to fall.

Lucian was standing on deck with his father watching. “Where do we go?” he asked.

“I am finished with Roman life for now,” said Tiberius sadly. “We go home to Britannia to your mother’s pack.”

Lucian nodded and smiled. “As you wish, Father,” he said. He decided to go check on Araceli. She was awake and looked frightened.

“Who are you? Where am I?” she asked. She was holding her head.

“Are you well, my lady?” asked Lucian as he sat down beside her. Araceli flinched in fear. “I will not hurt you.” He examined her head and her body for injuries.

“Please, I don’t know who I am. I don’t remember what happened,” she said.

Tiberius had come below and overheard this. “Do you remember anything?” he asked. Araceli looked up at the older copy of the young man before her. Both men were handsome, rugged, and muscular. She knew they must be father and son, but she didn’t know who they were.

“I don’t,” she said, shaking her head.

“Lucian, a word,” he said. Lucian went to stand by his father. “Amara mentioned she placed a fae spell on her. This must be why she can’t remember.”

“Can it be removed?” Lucian asked.

“I can think of someone who might be able to help her,” he confirmed. “She must go to Britannia with us.”

Lucian looked back at Araceli, who was watching the men suspiciously. “So be it,” he said.

.

Chapter Eight

N
APLES, 2011