Gladiator Games

Having lost his lover and his family, lion shifter Antinious only
wants to be left alone to wallow in his anger. The acclaim of being

the best gladiator in the Roman Empire ensures there is never a
shortage of people in his bed. He just didn't expect to be

confronted by a stubborn slave with more than pleasure on his
mind.

The house slave, Angelus, knows the legend of the Animal of the
Gauls and finds Antinious's feral attitude absolutely alluring. He

wants to be among the slaves the man takes into his bed, but he
doesn't want only one night. Angelus wants to know the man
underneath the rage.

A bid for freedom and a game of seduction bring the two together,
but secrets from their past threaten to tear them apart. Can the

pair overcome years of learned habits? Or will their inherent
selfishness drive them apart?

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Historical, Shape-shifter
Length: 74,449 words

GLADIATOR GAMES

Jana Downs

EROTIC ROMANCE

MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

 

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GLADIATOR GAMES
Copyright © 2012 by Jana Downs
E-book ISBN: 978-1-61926-727-5

First E-book Publication: June 2012

Cover design by Harris Channing
All cover art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

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GLADIATOR GAMES

JANA DOWNS

Copyright © 2012

Prologue

Antinious thrust hard into his companion, eliciting a series of

delightful whines from the man who bore the brunt of his arousal. He
was still drenched in the sweat from the arena, still streaked with the
blood of his enemy, and still painfully hollow from the ordeal. His
head kicked back as the servant beneath him cried out again, grateful
to have the thrust of a warrior as great as he into his willing body.

Focus, he thought to himself as he neared his peak. Blood

drenched his vision behind his closed eyelids. Make me forget, slave,
he demanded with his body. Make me forget what I am.

“Yes! Master! Yes!” The nameless being bucked beneath him,

coming hard onto the sand floor of his cell. The sand would no doubt
mark his knees tomorrow from his place on all fours, but Antinious
imagined that the slight pain would give the servant elation as he
remembered how he acquired the wound. Antinious groaned and
spent himself in his servant’s depths.

With little ceremony, he extricated himself and sat heavily on his

bed which was a scant foot away. His breath came out in heavy pants,
but he stared, not at the beauty recovering at his feet, but at the torch
which hung just outside his cell. The red-and-yellow pitch of the
firelight more accurately reflected his mood, a self-hatred flickering

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and fading with the coming morning light. He always felt that way
after battle, if battle was what the Roman dogs called it.

“Thank you, my lord.” The quiet voice came from his feet. The

servant had turned from his position on all fours to face Antinious.
The action caused the gladiator to raise an eyebrow in his direction.
No one, least of all the servants of the house, spoke to him after he
fucked them. The nobles who begged his favor were often shocked by
his brutality. Antinious gave no mercy even then. The unfortunate
servants he chose from the household often left without a backward
glance, too afraid even for that. They whispered of his animalistic
ways, and he pretended not to hear them.

“Who are you to speak to me?” Antinious demanded. His voice

was guttural and immovable. It was only then that he got a good look
at whom he’d just laid with. The servant looked to be a foreigner. His
long, tangled hair was the color of coffee beans, so deep brown that it
was almost the color of night. It hung about his shoulders like a veil,
concealing one of his perfectly green eyes. His hair was much too
long to be in fashion for the Romans, who liked to wear their hair
cropped short. Antinious himself wore his hair long like that. It was a
tradition in Gaul and among his clan.

“Answer me!” he snapped, causing the servant to wince.
“I am a faceless slave.” The answer that the servant gave did not

satisfy him. “I am no one to speak to you, great gladiator.” The slave
stood and turned his back to the Gaul, refusing Antinious the attention
of his eyes.

Odd. The motion was almost defiant. He watched, fascinated, as

his seed slid down the sloping curve of the servant’s shapely
backside. The gladiator was struck by the idea that he’d been inside
the slave only a moment ago. How distant that moment seemed.

“Give me your name, slave,” Antinious demanded. His voice was

softer than he desired it to be. The man who turned to face him in the
torchlight didn’t resemble a slave at all. The other man squared his

Gladiator Games

9

 

stance to pierce him with a fierce green gaze, arrogance and
aristocracy bleeding from every pore.

“I am no one. Just as you are.” The reminder that they were both

slaves of sorts caused anger to fire within Antinious’s chest. “Call
upon me again, gladiator. Perhaps then I’ll tell you my name.”

Antinious watched incredulously as the servant beckoned the

night guard close and slipped through the door and out into the
passageway. The gladiator could do nothing but stare. What in the
name of the underworld had just happened?

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Chapter One

Clang! Clang! Whoosh! Antinious grunted as his sword met his

opponent’s in two quick parries before hitting his shield.

“Good!” the gladiator trainer, Eamon, praised. “Antinious, watch

your form. Remember not to overstep yourself.”

The other gladiator, Aren, snorted. “You’d think that we’ve not

been fighting for the past five years, the way he corrects us.” He had a
point, but Antinious was not about to agree aloud. It was unwise for
gladiators to correct the trainer. After all, Eamon had the ear of
Dominus, their master.

“Five years has not been long enough to curb your damn arrogant

tongue, Aren!” Eamon growled, his belt cracking against Aren’s
unguarded back. The Macedonian gasped, cut off from the air in his
lungs from the blow.

“Straighten up, you worthless dog!” Eamon barked. Antinious

stood at the ready, unwilling to leave his own back open to attack.
Even in practice, he did not trust his comrades.

“Enough.” The knees of every gladiator, servant, and guard hit the

ground at the mere sound of his voice. It was Dominus, the master,
the asshole who ran his life.

The master was not a small man, and he wasn’t particularly tall,

either. He widened around the middle like the sun itself, and the robes
he wore did nothing to detract from the massiveness of his stomach.
Today he wore bright-green-and-gold robes and thick bands of gold
jewelry, in the shapes of snakes, decorated his meaty forearms.

“I enjoy the view of my men scrapping first thing in the morning.”

Dominus spoke and waved his hands to include the whole of the

Gladiator Games

11

 

practice courtyard and all twenty men whose lives he controlled.
Though it was early morning, nine if Antinious was judging correctly,
the sun baked them with unending waves from Capua’s sky. The rain
wouldn’t fall this early in the day, and the conditions of unending heat
were seen as ideal conditions for training gladiators, especially ones
with his unique capabilities.

“Soon we will travel to Rome and bring glory to the most

impressive Ludus for gladiators in the land!” The men cheered at the
Dominus’s declaration. They craved the riches and glory that would
inevitably follow. Antinious desired neither. All he desired was his
freedom.

“For this I encourage you to take the rest of the day off. Go to

your cells, have your choice of the slaves, enjoy the wine of my
choosing. A special meal will be prepared for you this afternoon.”
Another cheer met his words.

Antinious turned sharply, already seeking the solitude of his cell.

With great effort, he didn’t protest as two armed guards flanked him
to his destination. The Animal of Gaul warranted watching. He gritted
his teeth. Without the fighting to soften the course of his rage, he
would seethe all day. Anger coursed through his veins, hot and thick,
uncontrollable. Nothing would sate the beast except the stretch of his
sword arm and the sweat from his exertion. He cursed himself. Damn
this feeling. It would have to be dealt with in another manner. His
cock hardened in response to the thought. A nice, hard fuck should do
the trick.

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Chapter Two

Angelus watched him pass down the corridor of the gladiator’s

house with the arrogant swagger in his gait that drew the eyes of
thousands of spectators at the gladiatorial games. Gods, what a
swagger it was. The hard, muscular thighs bunched with every step he
took, and that ass…that ass had haunted his dreams ever since he’d
first seen it bare, thrusting into the depths of another slave after a
particularly hard bout of games.

He had been everything that the Romans had whispered of, a beast

in human form. Noises of rage and lust filled the corridor, and the
sight that had greeted Angelus’s eyes had filled him with desire that
stretched so deep that it had shaken the very core of who he was. He
only had to close his eyes to remember exactly what the scene had
looked like. Without thinking, he let his eyes slide shut and take him
back there for a moment.

The slave, a man of twenty, was braced against the bars of the cell

as Antinious thrust hard into him from behind. Pain and pleasure
warred in equal measures on the slave’s face as if he could not decide
if he loved or hated the less than tender attentions of his lover.

An animal growl filled Angelus’s world, and unholy golden eyes

pinned him to the wall as surely as their owner pinned the slave to the
bars with his body. Angelus forgot to breathe as the gladiator,
Antinious, bared his teeth and quickened the pace of his pounding as
his eyes mated with Angelus’s own. It was the most erotic thing
Angelus had ever witnessed. He panted for breath and hardened
painfully.

Gladiator Games

13

 

“Please…” the slave whined, his eyes screwed shut with desire.

Angelus’s cock jumped in his pants. He desired nothing more than to
be where the slave was with this man. He pressed the heel of his hand
to his cock in an attempt to quail his burgeoning passion for the
gladiator, the beast, the fantasy made flesh.

A crooked half smirk formed on the gladiator’s lips as he watched

Angelus try to mask his flagrant arousal.

“Like what you see?” Antinious asked with a growl. His voice

was midnight passion and made Angelus shiver. “Do you like to see
the Animal in rut?” The question was practically screamed in his
direction. It was both frightening and elating at once to be growled at
by this magnificent being.

The gladiator groaned his release, his eyes never wavering from

Angelus. Almost instantly, he dropped the slave in front of him, who
was in the midst of finding his own release. Like a beast, he stalked
toward the back of the cell and hid himself in the shadows on his bed,
and Angelus hurried away, embarrassed to be left standing there with
a hard-on for all to see.

His eyes popped open, and Angelus shook his head to clear away

the wisp of memory. The rest of the vision came in a rush. He’d gone
back to his chambers and sang his release to high heaven as he came
into his own palm, Antinious’s name playing on his lips. It was then
that he’d decided that he had to have the man. Somehow. Someway.

It had been almost a week since the last gladiatorial match, and

he’d made his fantasy a reality. An hour spent in the company of
Antinious had led to little more than a fantastic orgasm and little
conversation. Angelus had foolishly assumed that once he’d had a
taste of the gladiator, it would be enough. He expected to be sated of
his desire to ever see Antinious again like the rest of the servants
who’d borne his passion. However, much to Angelus’s dismay, the
desire to see and be seen by the gladiator had only risen as the days
passed.

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Now Angelus was stalking him through the halls, hanging on,

trying to get a glimpse, a whiff, a damn mention of Antinious. It was
as if the hunger, once awakened, could not be so easily subdued.
Whereas before the flesh had known only fantasy, now the reality of
the warrior’s prowess created a deep-seated need that couldn’t be
filled by a hundred willing mouths and bodies.

He waited until the guards had left his cell door unguarded, the

key hanging on the opposite wall in plain sight. Slowly, he
approached the bars.

“I don’t believe I called for you.” That gravel-filled tone speared

him with desire. Damn. No one should possess a voice like that.

“I don’t believe I said I’d answer if you did,” Angelus returned.

His quick wit was his only defense against the assault that Antinious
represented against his senses. “I brought you wine, compliments of
the Dominus.” He squinted in the dim light, trying to see the Gaul as
he clung to the shadows. With a sigh, he put the wine jug through the
bars to set on the floor.

With the speed of a snake strike, a strong hand gripped his wrist,

causing the jug to slosh its contents onto the floor. Golden eyes were
separated from his own by mere inches and a few plates of iron.
Angelus was mesmerized.

The gladiator had a patrician’s nose, straight and high on his face.

His lips were pursed at the moment, but they had the potential to look
full and utterly kissable. A scar separated one of his eyebrows on the
left side of his face. Others may have said it detracted from the
gladiator’s beauty, but Angelus thought it only enhanced his rugged
appeal.

“What game are you playing, slave? Was one taste not enough for

you?” The savagery in Antinious’s eyes should’ve frightened him, but
he could only shudder in desire.

“Release me,” Angelus demanded softly. “Save your aggression

for the combat arena.”

The gladiator snorted.

Gladiator Games

15

 

“You certainly didn’t mind my aggression the other night.” He

glared into Angelus’s face with a snarl that would’ve done Pluto’s
dog, Cerberus, proud. “You took what I offered and could’ve taken
more had I demanded it.”

“Had I wished it, I would’ve stayed. However, your after-the-

moment manner leaves much to be desired,” Angelus said. His wrist
was starting to ache now. Damn gladiator didn’t know how strong he
was. Antinious’s eyes widened.

“Are you reprimanding me?” he snarled. Angelus’s eyes

narrowed.

“I would never think to reprimand a gladiator. After all, you

outrank me.” As much as the fact irritated him, Angelus knew it was
true. The noble he had been was forever lost to the slave he had
become, and now he was subject to even common criminals and
animals from which the gladiators were chosen.

“I see anger in your eyes, slave.” Antinious considered him with

something that looked like recognition. He seemed to reach a
decision. “Behind you, the key. Come inside and I will learn your
name.”

“You are as arrogant as you are foolish. Without the permission of

a guard I would be severely reprimanded, and I can’t do much of
anything unless you release my arm,” Angelus reminded with a toss
of his hair. It had come loose from his ponytail again, but he didn’t
think the Gaul minded.

“Dominus said that we were to have wine and bedmates today. I

want you to fill one of those positions, and since you’ve spilled my
wine…I suggest you start working on being my bedmate.” A thrill
passed through Angelus despite himself.

He bowed his head. “Very well, my lord. I’ll fetch the guard and

return to you in a moment.” He lowered his eyes as he’d been taught
to do.

“Look at me,” Antinious demanded. The command surprised

Angelus enough that he complied without protest. “If you do not

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desire my bed, speak now and go fetch another. I will not be made a
rapist.”

Angelus bit his bottom lip, and a jealousy prickled at his spine.

“Of course. We’re all the same, correct?” he snapped before he could
help himself. The gladiator’s eyebrow raised in mockery. Of course
they were all the same to him. It was a well-known fact that he cared
for no one and nothing. He was an animal. “They say you never take
the same man twice,” Angelus spoke, ignoring the question in the
gladiator’s gaze.

Antinious nodded. “I never take the same man twice,” he agreed.

Angelus took a deep breath and searched for a reason behind
Antinious’s unfathomable eyes.

Then why me? he wanted to ask. Why do you want me again?
“Go fetch the guard,” Antinious commanded. “Or go fetch

another. Either way, make up your mind.” Angelus wavered. Did he
really want this again? Was another glimpse of heaven enough to
quail this desire inside of him? “I’m waiting, slave.” The gladiator
growled. Angelus snapped out of his internal debate and gave a nod.

“I’ll go fetch the guard.”
He was rewarded by one of Antinious’s half-crooked smiles.

“Good boy.” Angelus was released and waved in the right direction,
still struck by the pleasure of receiving that smile. He sighed and
quickened his pace.

“I must be out of my mind,” he muttered to himself. That was the

only explanation for seeking the arms of the gladiator again.

Gladiator Games

17

 

Chapter Three

Antinious wasn’t sure why he asked for the same man again. It

went against his personal code to do so, but there was something
about the man that drove him to seek him out. He’d seen the slave
watching him at odd moments, devouring Antinious with his gaze
when he thought no one was watching. The first lesson of the arena
was to be ever vigilant, and that vigilance had seen the slave
following him around the Ludus, to the arena and back, and to the
eating hall. He always wore the same expression of hunger on his
face, but that was something Antinious was used to seeing. Gladiators
were the pride of the Roman elites. They were expensive toys to be
fucked, adored, killed, and sometimes even freed, but never, never to
be treated as equals.

It was the look of curiosity that made Antinious view the slave as

something more than another fan. Beyond the simple lust and
admiration in his eyes, there was a striking curiosity that was not the
morbid type that often attached itself to his followers. He looked as if
he desired to know the man beneath the blood, sweat, and sand.
Perhaps that was Antinious just being fanciful, but he didn’t think that
loneliness and rage would drive him to such a conclusion. He snorted
at himself. Fanciful would be the last word in the world he would use
to describe himself. No. Not even genuine curiosity would provoke
him to bend his code of discipline. Why did he ask the servant for his
body again instead of having him go fetch another? It made no sense.
The beast inside him snarled from its place in his cage, demanding
that he find the slave. Why? Why did the beast crave the slave like
this?

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The echo of footsteps made Antinious sit back deeper into the

shadows of his cell. He didn’t desire to be gawked at by one of his
wardens. The key hit the lock and tucked, the metal protesting the
motion with a distinct metallic whine.

“There you go, whelp,” the guard murmured, grinning with no

front teeth and patting the servant’s firm backside. Antinious watched
as the slave’s shoulders stiffened. He did not enjoy the touch. Perhaps
he was vain? “Enjoy your time with the beast. When you can walk
again, perhaps you and I can see how much he’s taught you.” The
guard laughed, and the slave gave him a haughty glare.

“Perhaps I shall be all used up with nothing left to amuse you

with,” he answered with that same arrogance with which he addressed
Antinious earlier. The slave had fire. The guard’s grin widened.

“Wouldn’t be the first time that a servant made the mistake of

stepping into the Animal’s cage and came away only half a man.
Good luck with that,” the guard replied, locking the cell and
separating himself from the two. “I’ll come at sunrise to let you out.
Dominus’s orders.”

Then they were alone. They stared at one another for a long

moment. Antinious was half concealed in shadows, but that didn’t
stop the arrogant slave from staring at him as if he knew exactly what
he was thinking.

“What do you see?” Antinious demanded, not moving a muscle as

he observed his prey. His predatory manner often unnerved his
companions, but if it bothered the slave, he didn’t show it.

“I see a man used to hurting,” the servant answered easily, leaning

against the bars of Angelus’s cell. The tension in his muscles was the
only thing that betrayed his unease. Antinious felt his lips twitch. He
made the spunky servant uneasy.

“A man, am I?” he asked. “I was unaware anyone considered me a

man anymore.”

“They don’t see you,” the slave protested. “They only see what

you want them to.” The gladiator moved.

Gladiator Games

19

 

“You think you see me?” he asked, crowding the servant against

the bars. The rage within him was oddly quiet. Not half an hour ago,
he’d decided to fuck himself to oblivion with a faceless slave, and
now here he was having a conversation with a slave whose face was
becoming all too familiar. He usually cooled his unused temper within
the depths of another, but the anomaly of this man had distracted the
anger within. The idiotic beast inside him purred at their closeness.

“No.” The slave’s soft lips whispered the word, and when he

licked those lips, Antinious’s gaze was immediately drawn to them.
The words the servant spoke next surprised him. “But I’d like to.”

Their eyes met, and uncertainty flickered through him. How as he

supposed to respond to that? Typically, the anger responded for him,
but now it deserted him.

“Kiss me,” he commanded, gripping the back of the slave’s neck.

He didn’t need the slave’s words. Just his body. This conversation had
gone on long enough.

20 Jana

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Chapter Four

Their lips met in a brutal crush of teeth and tongues. Despite the

fact that Angelus craved the harshness of Antinious’s touch, a little
gentleness would’ve been quite welcome. Angelus pulled back,
knocking his head on the bars of the cell in his effort to gain a little
space and a little breathing room. Antinious made a feral noise at the
effort and bit into Angelus’s bottom lip hard enough to make him cry
out.

“You wanted the animal,” Antinious reminded, his lips continuing

to punish as his hands trailed down the slopes of Angelus’s body.

“I want the man,” Angelus protested. The distinction was

important to him.

Antinious froze, and Angelus feared that he’d done something

irrevocably wrong. He bit his bottom lip hard enough to taste blood.
Gods, he hadn’t wanted to fuck this up. His eyes slid downward, the
movement instinctual, a show of submission. He’d wanted the
gladiator for what seemed like forever. A deeply annoyed sigh broke
him from his own admonishment.

“You are the most frustrating creature in all of Rome,” Antinious

said. He pulled back, leaving Angelus’s prone body pressed up
against the iron and went to arrange himself on the corner of his bed
which was pressed against the stone wall. “You watch me often
enough to be noticeable. You come here playing coy, desiring my
attentions but rejecting my advances. You want to fuck but not on my
terms. Make up your mind, slave. Do you want me as I am or as the
romantic figure you’ve made me up to be in your mind?”

Gladiator Games

21

 

“My name is Angelus,” Angelus spoke softly. He wanted to hear

his name on Antinious’s lips just once. “I want to…know you.” He
struggled to adequately express in words. He was rusty with
expressions of affection. He’d been away from his courtly home a
long time, and tenderness was not something that slaves used often.
He swallowed hard as silence met his declaration. He dared not look
up. He didn’t want to see that arrogant smirk on Antinious’s face and
know he was silently being mocked.

“Maybe…we could be friends?” Angelus asked. He mentally

rolled his eyes at how stupid he sounded. Damn. He’d made a mess of
this. He should’ve just let the gladiator fuck him senseless instead of
wanting to talk it to death like a woman.

Antinious snorted. “You don’t desire the cock of your friends,

slave.” Angelus kept his gaze glued to the sandy floor. “I don’t need a
friend,” the gladiator continued. “I have plenty comrades-in-arms to
fill that position, and most of them are far better allies for me than a
half-starved servant boy who is obviously out of his mind to speak to
a gladiator as if in any world we could be equals.”

“Perhaps this was a mistake,” Angelus said, feeling shame prickle

his face with unbearable heat. “I’ll…go fetch another slave for your
pleasure.” He slipped back into his mode as servant as quickly as he’d
shown the fire inside. He reached for the bell outside the cell which
would bring the guards to him.

“I desire no other.” Antinious’s words speared him, and he froze.

“You are a pretty one. Even if you are mouthy.” Angelus turned in
confusion.

“But…you just said…”
“I said I didn’t need any friends. I didn’t say I wouldn’t fulfill

your request.” The arrogance of the statement caused Angelus’s eyes
to seek Antinious’s. He was confused by the look he found there. It
was almost…amusement? Maybe. However, that would require the
gladiator to possess a sense of humor. “In exchange for your
knowledge, what will you give me in return?”

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Angelus’s mind raced at the opportunity he was presented with.

Gods, he’d never thought to have a chance! But what did he have to
give? Negotiations among slaves always involved things given and
received of equal value. Unfortunately, Antinious had very little in
terms of exchangeable goods.

“My body is yours for as long as you want it.” That would be no

hardship. Even now, he craved the man’s attentions.

“You’d give me that anyway, slave,” Antinious stated, leaning

forward on his bare knees to that he was angled closer to Angelus’s
squirming body. The servant shuddered. “You’d beg for that. So
therefore I gain nothing but what I already have.”

Angelus bit his lip again. Damn. It was a word he seemed to be

repeating regularly with Antinious around. “I’ll give you my food
ration each morning.”

“I have more than enough food of my own. The Dominus keeps

his gladiators quite fit.”

“I have nothing else to give!” Angelus cried in frustration.

Perhaps this was the true game afoot. Perhaps the gladiator had just
been playing with him, proving effectively that he needed nothing
from Angelus and his foolishness. A strange anguish filled him.

Suddenly, Antinious was there, filling up all the empty space in

the room with his presence. So close, Angelus could smell his sweat
and some other odd feral scent that the slave couldn’t place. Hands
that had been the tools of death itself wound, surprisingly gently,
through Angelus’s hair.

“You shall let me mark you with my colors,” he murmured. “I

shall dress your hair in my traditions and weave into it beads of my
people so that all will know to whom you belong.” Angelus’s heart
pounded loudly.

“Does that mean I am to be yours?” he asked, unsure of the Gaul’s

intentions. Antinious nodded.

“Whenever I desire you, no matter the hour, you will come to me.

If I need something you will fetch it and if I give you an order, you

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23

 

will obey it.” Servitude was a very well-known fact of life in the
Ludus. Gladiators could own other slaves if they purchased them or if
the servant owed them a great favor. It was the most intimate relation
between two slaves.

“How long shall my service be to you?” Angelus asked slowly.

He didn’t want to sign his life away, so to speak, on account of his
rash desire. The gladiator shrugged.

“Until I tire of you, or until you no longer have anything which

you need to know about me. If that day arrives, simply take my colors
from your hair and return them to me.” The Dominus would not
protest the arrangement because, after all, Antinious was one of his
best gladiators. But beyond that, Antinious was also one of his only
beasts. The Romans really prized the gladiators who had the ability to
participate in both the beast games and the gladiatorial matches. If he
recalled correctly, people like Antinous and other slaves from the
northlands possessed the curious ability to become animals. Whether
or not it was in truth or just an expression used by those who were
arena goers was anyone’s guess.

“Why are you allowing this?” Angelus asked, suddenly suspicious

of Antinious’s motives. One massive shoulder rose and fell in a
universal sign of unknowing.

“Because I can.” The hands that held his hair tightened almost

painfully. “Because I haven’t met anyone in almost six years who
could stir my blood and attentions as you do.” He leaned forward, and
Angelus forgot to breathe. Gods, this man was ungodly beautiful.
“Because unless I give you your desire, you won’t let me pursue my
own.” He leaned forward, kissing and licking Angelus’s bleeding lip
like a wolf tending to its mate. “Pick your reason, slave.”

“My name is—”
“I know your name, slave. I choose not to use it,” Antinious

interrupted. “Do we have a deal or not?”

Angelus thought for a long moment. He closed his eyes and tried

to clear his senses of everything that was Antinious. This was not

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wise. The Animal of the Gauls was not someone to be trifled with.
The sex was amazing, but was it worth his life? His little freedom? He
could lose so much with this man.

A self-satisfied smirk lit up Antinious’s face, and he turned his

back to him, releasing his hair.

“That’s what I thought,” the gladiator spoke, taking a step away

from the still internally struggling Angelus. Without thought, Angelus
reached out and grabbed the gladiator’s hand.

“I will be your fool,” he said firmly, even as his mind screamed at

him that this was a mistake. Shock stiffened the Gaul’s back. “I will
be your fool, gladiator,” he repeated with more confidence this time.
A smile of fierce pride lit his features. “And you shall be my animal.”

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Chapter Five

The slave was a fool, Antinious decided as the little spitfire made

his declaration and gave him a look comparable to that of a satisfied
tomcat. He’d given the offer to scare him off. He wanted to shut him
up, but he only accomplished making talking something they were
going to do often. He’d been impulsive with his offer to put his colors
in the slave’s hair, but now that Angelus had agreed, what choice did
he have? He gave a mental shrug. What did it matter? The slave
would probably run screaming from him in a matter of days. He never
kept lovers and didn’t possess the tenderness required to keep one. He
was the animal the Romans named him. His anger allowed for
nothing else. Cages simply didn’t suit his kind.

Resignedly, he tugged the slave forward, away from the bars, and

pushed on his shoulders until he went gracefully to his knees. “Sit.”
Antinious added the command at Angelus’s quizzical look.

He didn’t spare the slave another glance but instead crossed to the

very back of his cell where the shadows were the thickest. The loose
stone was indiscernible from the rest of the wall unless one knew
where to look for it. He slipped two thick fingers into the crack and
wiggled it free. His earthly treasures were hidden in the crevice along
with a considerable amount of coin that he’d earned over his service
as a gladiator.

A small wooden box, the length of his palm and just as wide,

made a clicking noise as he pulled it out and the beads within rolled
around on the inside. The tattoo at the back of his neck itched as he
felt Angelus’s eyes watching him. It was the mark of his Pride and an
identifier of his class. His tribe was known for their abilities to

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become lions, and he was no exception. The mark said as much, and
though the only time he was allowed to reveal his talents was when
the Dominus pitted him against others of his kind in private matches,
he wore it with pride despite the ignorance most people had of its
purpose. He knew that the slave’s eyes couldn’t possibly penetrate the
darkness, but it itched all the same, as if Angelus was reading his
mark and maybe deeper than that.

He withdrew five beads from the box, three blue, one green, and

one dusty orange. Luckily, the slave’s hair was long enough so that he
could do the binding as tradition dictated. Unlike the image of
disorder, chaos, and aggression he showed in the ring, he was, at
heart, a man who valued the old traditions of his people and took
comfort from the steadiness of ritual.

“So long as you wear my colors, you may touch no other,” he

spoke without looking up as he replaced his treasures and the stone.
“Is that understood?”

“Will the others respect your colors?” Angelus’s soft voice asked.

Antinious cupped the beads in his palm and walked back over to
where Angelus knelt obediently.

“Every slave and freeman in this house knows my colors. They

are painted on my body at every match, and no one will dare touch
you while you’re wearing them.” A familiar anger caused his voice to
become a snarl. He let a breath escape him in an attempt to keep his
calm as a pair of fangs threatened to drop past his bottom lip. Okay,
so the slave wasn’t a complete balm to his rage-filled existence.

A smaller hand gripped his clenched fist, startling him. He looked

down into the knowing eyes of the slave and quickly snatched his
hand away.

“Eyes forward and try not to squirm,” he snapped with a lot less

fire than he had intended. Then his hands started the familiar rhythm
that they’d performed a thousand times before. The last time he’d
done this ghosted up in his mind in perfect clarity.

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“Antinious, you’re pulling my hair!” Doiros complained with a

laugh as Antinious botched his warrior’s braid. Again.

“I don’t have the patience for this,” Antinious murmured, tugging

purposefully now to elicit another series of complaints from his
childhood lover. They’d been together almost two years then, and, at
twenty, they spent almost every waking moment in each other’s
company. “What’s the order again?” he asked teasingly. “What are
the colors of a consort?”

Doiros sighed as if Antinious could possibly be the stupidest man

on the face of the planet. “The three blue on bottom, then green, then
red.” he recited. Antinious knew them, but he enjoyed hearing
Doiros’s youthful voice parroting them back to him as he wound his
hair into a message declaring him Antinious’s lover.

He pressed a kiss to Doiros’s neck where it met his shoulder. “I

love you, Doiros,” he murmured, allowing his hands to travel down
his side and then up his stomach to pinch his suddenly erect nipples.

“But, Antinious!” Doiros protested with a gasp. “We’ll be late for

the festival!” Antinious’s hands snaked down the front of his abdomen
to grip the hard arousal that was weeping for his attentions.

“Let the gods wait.”

The gladiator blinked away the memory, unwilling to revisit the

night of joy and revelry. It was too far removed from his current
condition.

“You have gentle hands for a warrior,” Angelus remarked as

Antinious began to weave the beads expertly through the side of his
hair to create a braid. The Romans would call it barbaric, but it oddly
suited the slave.

Antinious grunted. “I have hands made for harsher work. I’m an

amateur at this. My mother or sisters, now they would have been
excellent at this and made it look good to boot.” He was startled to
hear himself mention his family. He hadn’t made mention of them

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since he’d been taken captive. He finished his hair weaving, placing
the last blue bead lowest on the braid.

“There. All finished,” he murmured. “Turn around so I can see my

work.”

Angelus did as he bid. It was rough, but it would do. Angelus’s

hands reached up and caressed the braid. It made for a sensual
movement, and Antinious found himself hardening in reaction. The
colors looked good next to Angelus’s sweet face, lying gently across
his cheek. The tender thought came from the depths of darkness,
startling the gladiator.

He is not Doiros. He is not the love I lost, the love I am no longer

capable of feeling.

“I see you enjoy the colors of your people on me,” Angelus said

with a smile. His grin noted the prominence of Antinious’s erection.
The slave licked his lips as he watched the gladiator swell behind his
loincloth. Gods, he has beautiful lips.

“May I take you in my mouth?” the slave asked huskily. A bolt of

lust crashed through the gladiator, making his cock jump. “I would
please you, if you let me,” Angelus added, his emerald-green eyes
meeting Antinious’s. The gladiator didn’t answer aloud, merely undid
his sash to reveal his body.

“A servant has not taken me with their mouth in years,” Antinious

admitted. He put a rough hand on the slave’s jaw to make him widen
his mouth, revealing his white teeth and soft, pink tongue. “Since you
are mine for use—”

“I’ll endeavor to please,” Angelus interrupted. He looked upon his

new Master’s body with hunger.

“Do you want a taste of this, slave?” Antinious felt his mouth

quirk upward into a smirk, and he took his dick in hand and rubbed it
against Angelus’s plump lips.

“Yes,” the slave whimpered, his eyes glued to the glistening

crown. Fucking this boy’s mouth was going to be the greatest
pleasure he’d known in an age.

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Like a little bird eager for sustenance Angelus opened his mouth

and looked up Antinious’s body, his eyes begging for what the
gladiator offered. Again, the Animal rubbed against his slave’s lips,
leaving a smear of pre-cum behind. The slave’s tongue darted out to
lick his lips to steal a taste of the cock Antinious hadn’t yet offered
him. The gladiator couldn’t contain a dark chuckle at that. Maybe that
was why he had come back for seconds with the pretty slave. He was
so damn sensual.

“Please,” Angelus pleaded, so hard that he tented the front of his

cloth, but he didn’t touch himself to relieve the pressure. Good boy.

Since he asked so nicely, Antinious wound his hands into the

slave’s thick locks and posed his cock at that pretty plump mouth.
“Suck.” The command made the slave whimper and press eagerly
forward despite Antinious’s grip on his hair. He could only get the
head into his mouth because of the hold, but he looked like he was in
bliss because of it. In fact, his eyes slid shut and needy whimpers
were coming out in regular intervals from his throat as he suckled,
drawing out the salty drips from his cock. Antinious groaned. Oh yes.
When he gave Angelus his head he was going to blow the top of
Antinious’s head off.

“Hmm, good boy,” he rumbled, pushing his dick a little farther

into the boy’s mouth. The little minx knew just how much and how
hard to draw on his thick flesh. His wicked tongue traced the vein that
ran along the underside of his cock.

“Want it?” Antinious asked, pulling Angelus back so that he was

just out of reach. The teasing, the suspense of waiting for what they
both wanted was an intoxicating thing.

“Gods, yes. Let me suck you right, Master, please.” He begged so

nicely. He really did. Antinious let his grip relax.

“Do it right, slave.”
“As you wish, Master,” Angelus whispered reverently.
Then he fell upon him with all the hunger of a man too long

denied affection and attention of a man worthy of him. I’m not a man.

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I’m an animal and nothing more. Remember? It was sad that he had to
remind himself of that. Angelus’s mouth stole his regrets away,
though, and replaced it with hunger instead.

His hips moved of their own accord, pushing his dick deeper into

his new lover’s mouth as Angelus worked on sucking him. The little
slave’s hands kneaded his aching sac as he deep-throated his cock.
Gods, that feels fantastic.

“More,” Antinious groaned, his hands returning to Angelus’s hair.

He wanted the control. He fucked into his slave’s mouth as his
pleasure built higher. He was going to come soon. He wouldn’t be
able to help it. The little slave had considerable talent in his beautiful
mouth. Angelus was so completely and utterly focused on him that he
ignored his own arousal. Antinious found that quality intoxicating, but
he wanted more from Angelus than his surrender. He wanted his
arousal, his pleasure, his passion.

“Enough.”
Angelus whimpered, obviously not wanting to relinquish his

prize.

“I said enough, slave.” It took all his willpower to say the words.

He wanted nothing more than to keep going, to come down the
slave’s throat.

“Why?” Angelus asked in a strangled voice.
He didn’t bother answering the question. “What do you want more

than anything?”

“To please you.” The answer was automatic but felt somehow

rehearsed. How many times had he delivered that line to Dominus? It
invoked a snarl in response.

“No. What do you want?”
“To suck you, Master. I want to suck you so badly.” There was

truth in that statement.

“What else, slave?” He petted Angelus’s cheek, relishing the

moment.

“Will you touch me…after?”

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“If you’re good. Suck me right.”
It seemed to be the only incentive that Angelus needed. He

returned to his task with enthusiasm. Antinious’s eyes rolled as his
cock shuttled in and out of the boy’s mouth. The delayed gratification
made the touch all that much hotter, and in no time at all he was
fucking Angelus’s mouth with even more vigor.

Not going to last long. His sac was already tightening, his spine

tingling as orgasm loomed. His hips snapped forward, and his balls
emptied their contents into the back of Angelus’s throat.

He allowed himself a moment’s contentment as the aftereffects of

bliss swamped him in waves. Angelus continued to suckle dutifully
until he was ready to move.

Antinious drew Angelus up so that he was standing and traced his

lips with his fingertips, pushing his way under the slave’s clothes to
grab his steadily weeping erection. He pumped his hand three times,
roughly jerking the boy’s cock.

“Come,” he commanded. Angelus complied with a startled cry,

heat pouring over Antinious’s fist in a scalding wave.

By the time he was finished, Antinious was hard again. Angelus

went to his knees, still panting lightly, and looked up with lazy lust-
filled eyes. “May I?” he asked.

Antinious nodded. “Suck.”

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Chapter Six

Angelus touched his lips for the fifth or sixth time that morning.

His body was sore. Aching was a better word for the tingling pain in
his body, but he didn’t care. He could not stop smiling.

“You’re awfully pleased this morning,” Dominus murmured as

Angelus knelt at his master’s feet.

“I am, my lord,” Angelus answered honestly. He had an easy

relationship with his master. The older man looked upon Angelus as a
boy. Nothing in comparison to the magnificent studs that rested in the
house not ten paces from the front door. He favored a gladiator named
Crassus, a giant of a man who was hung like a horse but as gentle as a
lamb. At times, Angelus even considered the Dominus a friend.

“And the reason for your smiles?” Dominus asked, a slight smile

turning his thin lips upward. Undoubtedly ,the servants that worked
the Ludus had been talking this morning about how, as the sun rose,
Angelus had not returned to the slave hall.

The Animal and he had had little to speak about in the night.

Unlike the first time they’d been together, Antinious had had him a
dozen ways throughout their time together. He allowed Angelus to
rest between bouts on the floor. The gladiator still had not allowed
him to do anything other than receive his attentions, but Angelus
remained hopeful of further opportunities to indulge his newfound
obsession with Antinious. He really wanted to initiate their sex at
least once.

“The colors in your hair perhaps bring you your happiness?” The

Dominus petted his braided head as he made his inquiry. Angelus
could not deny it any more than he could deny his urge to breathe.

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“Yes, Dominus,” he replied easily. “The colors bring me great

joy.”

“I have often wondered what kind of slave the Animal would

desire to keep,” Dominus murmured distractedly, popping another
piece of wine-soaked bread into his mouth. “I am told he is…rough in
his affections.”

Angelus walked carefully through this conversation. He did not

want the Dominus to gain too keen of an interest in Antinious.

“He is vicious in his touch. Unyielding in his presence. A true

animal could only be compared to one such as he,” Angelus offered,
coating his hands with sweet oils to massage into Dominus’s thick
hands.

“Hmmm, that feels particularly good this morning,” Dominus

commented. “An animal, you say? That is the reputation. I wonder”—
he paused—“if he is such a monster in the bedchamber, why do you
seek his favor?”

“Forgive me, Dominus.” Angelus lowered his eyes and bowed

over his hand. “I do not understand my desire.”

“It is often that way with the greatest lovers of a man’s life. My

Crassus vexes me deeply. He is neither noble nor refined, yet the
pleasure in his arms is better than any suitable lover in the Republic.”
He began to drone on about the virtues and vexations of his favored
lover, completely forgetting that the conversation started with the
Animal of the Gauls.

Shortly thereafter, the Dominus left the villa to go to some

meeting or another with a magistrate across the city’s expanse,
leaving Angelus to his chores. He greeted guests to the villa and
fetched whatever was required of him from various upper-rank slaves.
It wasn’t until well after lunch had passed that he found himself left to
his own devices.

He wandered down to the wine cellar to straighten the jugs and

take stock of the contents. His father had once owned a larger stock of
wine than this. His thoughts strayed to his father’s lands. Freedom

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seemed like a distant memory that had included a person who
Angelus did not fully remember. In that land, a man named Angelus,
then but a boy, had rode his horses along the hills with all the vigor
and arrogance of youth. His father’s northernmost estate had been by
far his favorite.

He leaned against the cool wall of the cellar and crossed his arms

to ward off the memory. It was in the wine cellar that Livitus found
him.

“Greetings, Livitus. What does the Ludus want with me?”

Angelus asked, tucking the braid with Antinious’s colors behind his
ear.

“Your gladiator calls you. He desires your eyes in the training

arena.” Livitus passed on the message with a look of horror upon his
face. “How can you wear that thing’s colors with such pride?”

“You overstep yourself,” Angelus replied coolly, allowing his

aristocracy to bleed out through his pores. It caused the slave to step
back.

“Forgive me,” he murmured. He took a bow before turning and

heading back up the stairs, expecting Angelus to follow. Forget
following. He need not be led to the Ludus from the villa like a child.
He was Angelus Flavius Virilis, and he’d be damned if he would
follow anyone…Anyone but Antinious, anyway.

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Chapter Seven

Antinious knew the instant that the slave entered the pit. He felt

the weight of those emerald eyes on his shoulders as all the gladiators
knelt before Eamon to receive the words of encouragement that were
given before the onset of any games. A savage joy filled him. He had
come. After the brutal ride he’d given his new slave the night before,
he’d worried, unnecessarily it seemed, that Angelus would not return
to him.

“Your pretty new toy stirs the blood, Animal,” Markus whispered

conspiratorially, giving his brother-in-arms a wink. Antinious shot
him a look out of the corner of his eye but ignored the mention of his
slave. He rarely spoke to any of the other men, save to growl. “Your
eyes betray you, Antinious,” Markus continued. “Your desire for him
sparked the instant he came into the stage.” The other gladiator’s grin
widened. “Tell me, do you turn into an animal with him? Does your
beast fuck him?”

Antinious growled. “Shut your trap, you worthless dog.”
“Silence!” Eamon’s whip struck the sand at their knees. “You can

save your gossip for the whores of Capua. I don’t care about your toys
or your questions. Gladiators need not speak, only bleed!” The tail of
the whip caught Antinious’s thigh on the downward stroke, neatly
laying open the flesh. The backward pull laid open Markus’s pectoral
muscle, causing him to hiss in pain. The wounds were not severe, nor
were they deep, but they would ache tomorrow.

“Now you both will remember the lesson on the morrow in the

arena!” Eamon went back to his lecture, and Antinious stared straight
ahead, unwilling to touch the wound that stung on his thigh. Let

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Angelus view his strength, his control, and let him desire both the
man and the animal. Whether Angelus was ready to admit it or not,
Antinious was both. Not that he would know that. Not yet.

“Dismissed,” Eamon called out, ending his speech. The gladiators

rose as one from the pit, and each made their way toward their
respective cells. This evening they would prepare to leave for the
arena, packing their belongings, their weapons, and fucking their
lovers as if they all were dying in the morning.

“Antinious, your slave waits.” Crassus, the only one among the

ranks whom Antinious considered a friend, spoke the thoughts of
every gladiator in the Ludus. It was well-known that Antinious took
no slaves of his own. The Gaul grunted in affirmation, far more
pleased by the observation than he should’ve been.

“You remain silent,” Crassus observed. “You are often silent

when it means more than it appears.”

“It amazes me how tongues wag in observation over a simple

slave,” Antinious spoke finally, taking his time walking to the column
of wood where his slave leaned, waiting. His eyes, however, never
wavered from his servant.

“Were you looking upon that slave as if he was just a distraction,

tongues would not wag so,” Crassus reminded him. “You stare at him
as if he were your mate.”

The gladiator snorted. “We’ve shared two tangles together. That is

all. Nothing significant enough to warrant such speculation.”

“And yet you couldn’t even wait until the end of practice to

summon him to your side.” Crassus slapped him on the shoulder and
gave him a conspirator’s grin. “I am happy for you, Animal. Though
the choice is confusing. You deserve something other than rage and
blood.”

“Shut your mouth, Crassus, or I will cut your tongue out.”

Antinious growled. He didn’t want to hear about Crassus’s damn
romanticism. Crassus’s brown eyes filled with mirth, and he waved
him toward his destination.

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“Use him well, Gallic cat!” he crowed, shoving the gladiator

toward Angelus. “May the gods give you infinite pleasure!”

“Shut up, you damn Thracian bull!” Antinious turned, rage

infusing him. His friend was not immune to his wrath. He would cut
his tongue out if given half a chance when he was in such a mood.
Crassus grinned and squared his stance, preparing for Antinious’s
charge. A soft hand touched Antinious’s shoulder, stopping his
movement.

“You summoned me?” The soft voice at his back soothed him. He

didn’t turn but instead allowed the calm to wash over him like a cool
drink of water.

“Come,” he commanded, beckoning him with one hand and taking

the wrist at his back with the other. “I need you to pack my things.”
The Thracian’s laughter followed him down the dimly lit corridor and
out of sight.

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Chapter Eight

The small leather bag did not take long to pack. The leather strips

that were used to wrap Antinious’s palms and forearms were tucked
into one pocket. They were laid in such a way as to remain untangled.
A necklace made from the same beads that Angelus wore in his hair
also went inside along with a few daggers and a spare loincloth that
he would change into that night. Angelus wrapped the whole thing up
into a roll and tied it with a strip of leather to secure it. The whole
time he was intensely aware that Antinious lounged upon his bed,
watching him intently.

“You’re very neat,” the gladiator commented. Angelus blinked.

Was that a compliment?

“I try to be,” he said, trying to keep that look of soft approval on

Antinious’s face.

“Having a slave is convenient,” Antinious offered, looking away

and turning his head toward the corridor.

Angelus cocked his head to the side in confusion, and realization

dawned. He’s trying to be nice to me. Elation swamped him. Maybe
he’d pleased the gladiator enough last night to warrant him divulging
some of those carefully guarded secrets Antinious had been keeping.

“It is nice to relax while others work,” Angelus agreed carefully,

trying to hide the fact that he was smiling. The conversation was a
little awkward, but Angelus was just happy to have the gladiator
talking.

“I did not expect you to return.” Antinious’s softly spoken words

held a wealth of meaning.

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He had probably thought that he’d scared Angelus off with his

attentions last night, but Angelus was not so easily done away with.
He felt nothing but pleasure at the memory. It was not the calm touch
of another contented slave that he craved, but the passionate embrace
of the Gaul. He felt alive in Antinious’s bed, more alive than he’d felt
his entire enslavement, and he could not give up the enthusiasm he’d
discovered with the gladiator. There was something missing in their
embrace, but Angelus instinctively knew that, if he could know the
man underneath the gladiator, he would find what would perfect their
union.

“You underestimate my resolve where you’re concerned,”

Angelus reprimanded. He knelt on the ground beside the gladiator’s
reclining form. “I wear your colors proudly. Dominus even
commented on it this morning.”

Look at me. The stubborn gladiator refused, continuing to stare

out into the corridor. Damnation, please look on me with those eyes
full of passion like last night. You look as if I am as interesting as one
of the thousands of stones in your cell.

“Are you close with the Dominus?” the Gaul asked, continuing to

deny him his gaze. Angelus squirmed in impatience. Normally, he
would’ve demanded that the damn gladiator give him his eyes, but
he’d sworn to be his slave. Angelus instead cautioned himself for his
restiveness. He didn’t want to piss off the Gaul any more than was
necessary.

“We share a love of men, so he speaks to me quite often on the

subject. No doubt he’d heard about our arrangement from the Ludus
slaves.” Angelus complimented himself for his avoidance of the
question. He didn’t yet know how the gladiator felt about their master
and did not want to appear too tied to the man if Antinious did not
approve.

The Gaul turned his eyes to meet Angelus at last. “You speak well

for a house slave. The saturation of nobility and politics is quite
apparent in your words.”

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He leaned forward and met Angelus’s lips for a kiss. The slave

closed his eyes and reveled in the touch of the gladiator’s lips on his
own. This was heaven. The kiss was tempered with passion and
tenderness in equal measure which delighted and startled Angelus at
once. The gladiator had never given him such a kiss.

Angelus was immediately lost in the kiss of his gladiator,

drowning in the ambrosia of his lips. He was gasping for breath and
begging for Antinious’s touch as he was drawn into the circle of the
gladiator’s arms.

The kiss turned savage, and Angelus cried out as his bottom lip

was caught between the teeth of the gladiator hard enough to make
him wince. His eyes snapped open, and he stared in confusion at the
gladiator. What had he done? Anger burned in Antinious’s gaze, and
he slowly released Angelus’s lip from his teeth and shoved him out of
his arms and back onto the floor.

“Don’t ever try to manipulate me again,” he said with a growl.

“I’m not a Roman simpleton content with your pretty answers. Either
give me honesty or nothing at all.” Angelus’s eyes sparked fire as he
realized he’d been taught a lesson like a child. His cheeks were
burning as Antinious spoke.

“Was that necessary?” he asked, rubbing his lip as if to erase the

gladiator’s touch. A familiar resentment welled up inside him. This
was the part of slavery that he hated most. The reprimand. The belief
that, as a slave, he had the intellectual capabilities of a small child
caused him a deep-seated loathing that made a bitterness tarnish his
normally laid-back personality.

The gladiator stared at him, his golden eyes unwavering in his

attentions, anger and something akin to understanding in his gaze. “If
you want to get to know me, then yes. I will have no one who
deceives me as a companion.” Angelus’s eyes widened. The gladiator
was actually taking this seriously? He had expected the Gaul to
indulge him so that he could have a steady bed companion, but he

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didn’t expect the warrior to put forth any effort into Angelus’s
bargain.

Antinious’s eyes narrowed. “Is that a problem?” he asked. His

voice was low and growling again. Angelus quickly shook his head
no. The gladiator sighed heavily and turned his eyes from the slave
again. “Do you think wearing my colors is a game, slave?”

“No,” Angelus whispered softly, ashamed of his thoughts and

reactions. He’d begged for this chance, and now he was wasting it
with the pettiness and shallowness he’d learned in slavery. Of course,
he amended, when he’d been a freeman, he hadn’t been much better.
Instead of a shallow slave, he had been a shallow noble, only
interested in his own pleasures. This man, this gladiator, gave mystery
to a life that had long been filled with repetition and complacency.

He reached for the gladiator’s waist. “Let me—”
“Don’t touch me to placate me and make up for your stupidity!”

the gladiator snapped, pushing Angelus’s hand away.

“I don’t know what else to do!” Angelus screamed back before he

could stop himself. Silence answered his outburst.

“That is the first honest thing you’ve said to me today,” Antinious

mused, reaching down and grabbing Angelus by his long hair and
dragging him up next to him on the narrow pallet. Angelus whined at
the hairpulling, but offered no other protest.

“I didn’t expect conversation,” Angelus admitted.
“Then what did you expect exactly?” Antinious crowded him,

nose to nose. “If you don’t desire words, we can get back to fucking
and forget all else.”

“I–I don’t know what I expected,” Angelus stuttered. “I

just…knew you were different when I saw you. Everyone was afraid
of you, but they only saw your anger, your prowess. All the other
gladiators, they have something that makes them human. Crassus
likes the Dominus’s wine and soft fabrics. Devon enjoys the company
of Thalia and their child. All the men I know have a quality that

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separates them from the gods. But you…you do not have vices or
indulgences, or anything else that signifies humanity.”

Antinious snorted. “I’m far from a god, slave.”
“I know that,” Angelus murmured. He didn’t know how to explain

his obsession. He couldn’t even begin to.

They fell silent, lost in their own thoughts. Angelus had never

been allowed on Antinious’s bed, and he breathed in the scent. He
closed his eyes to savor it and had a frightening thought. The gladiator
would travel to the arena tomorrow. There was no guarantee that
Antinious would be returning. Every time the gladiators left, they ran
the risk of perishing in the arena. Fear filled him. What if Antinious
did not return? What if he died tomorrow? Angelus swallowed hard
and closed his eyes.

“Has the Dominus released you for the evening?” the Gaul asked.

The voice was gentler than usual, as if he was reading Angelus’s
mind.

“The Dominus is out for the evening, and all my tasks are done.

The villa knows I am with you. They will not disturb us.” He didn’t
know why he was so disturbed at the thought of losing the gladiator
so soon. Perhaps he simply hadn’t had his fill of the other man yet.
There was no other explanation for his reluctance. Slaves died all the
time, gladiators more so than most. It was the way of things.

He again reached for the gladiator’s waist. Angelus felt the

unparalleled urge to touch him. As a noble, he’d felt the hard-paced
lust that accompanied an announcement of impending battle when the
Senate gave imperium, the right to call men to arms, to Roman
generals. One of his former lovers had been a foot soldier for his
father’s campaign against a neighboring monarch and had received
the announcement of his company’s deployment in the early evening
hours the night before they were meant to march on Lydia. The
urgency Angelus had felt as they’d made love had intensified his
sensations to a fever pitch that night. Nothing had ever felt so intense.

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Nothing had ever been so frightening. It was a feeling that closely
mirrored what he was feeling right now.

A gravel-filled chuckle startled him, and a strong grip on his wrist

pulled him away from the gladiator’s sash.

“So eager, slave. Were you not sore enough this morning?”
More than you can imagine. “I want you again,” he said instead.

Since Antinious had possession of his wrist, he reached up with his
mouth and licked the column of the gladiator’s throat. “Take me,
Animal. I’ll give you a memory to serve you well in the arena
tomorrow.”

“Bold words,” Antinious murmured. His voice had gone dark and

lust filled. “But you wanted conversation.”

“Conversation can wait until more pressing needs are met,”

Angelus mumbled, lapping at the pulse point on the gladiator’s neck
and grinding his suddenly aroused body against the muscle of
Antinious’s thigh. Antinious snorted.

“I think not, whelp. You humping my leg will not hasten me in

my pleasure.”

“Pleasure is what I aim to give.” Angelus gave another rough lap

of his tongue.

“My pleasure is conversation at the moment,” Antinious said.

Angelus gave a great sigh and lay still. Now he wanted to talk.

“You didn’t speak but a handful of words to me last night, and

today you desire nothing but conversation,” Angelus spoke
incredulously. The impatience was thick in his voice, and the
irritation bled through his normally flawless façade.

“Ah, the real self is revealed,” Antinious mused. “You are not the

obedient slave that you make yourself out to be.”

“And you are not the flagrant wicked warrior you make yourself

out to be,” Angelus returned. “After all, a real gladiator would’ve
already begun fucking me and saved the conversation for after he
found release.”

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Antinious’s eyebrow quirked up. “You have a sharp tongue, slave.

I suggest that you caution yourself in the future, or else I will prove to
you what a real man would do to a slave with such a disobedient
mouth.”

“Why not prove it to me now?” Angelus taunted.
Without warning, Antinious’s hand flew through the air and

landed with a hard thwack on Angelus’s backside, causing him to cry
out in pain. Damn, that stung! To his horror, tears filled Angelus’s
eyes. He was unused to being spanked like a naughty child, and it
stung his pride and his ass at the same time.

“You will not get your way by being a shrew.” The gladiator’s

voice had gone deep and deadly, a thin whisper of a threat. “Keep it
up, and you will be tied and naked on the floor, forced to take my
release at least five or six times before I allow you your own. The
whole time you will be explaining why you decided to test the temper
of the Animal of the Gauls over something you wanted to begin with.”

A shudder of desire thundered through Angelus, heating his face

as he pictured that scenario. Gods, what an image. He’d never
pictured himself the recipient of such a thing, but suddenly, the idea
held allure. I’m turning into quite the pain whore. That is twice since
meeting him that I’ve had uncharacteristic thoughts. He swallowed
hard and tried to calm down his rioting body.

The Gaul’s lips tilted upward at the corners. “Like that image, do

you?” he asked huskily. “Care for a demonstration toward that
purpose?”

“No, thank you,” Angelus tried to state dryly, but it came across

as breathless. “I thought your pleasure lay in conversation at the
moment?” Angelus watched as a debate played out behind
Antinious’s eyes. Did he desire the conversation or the punishment
with his new slave?

“Speak, slave. Ask your questions,” he said at long last. Angelus

didn’t know whether to be happy or disappointed that he’d decided
against the punishment.

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Chapter Nine

“I’m not sure what to speak about,” the slave spoke, and

Antinious mentally rolled his eyes. Did the damn boy do anything
independently? He chose his words more carefully than a Roman
politician!

“Can’t you just speak without checking my reaction first?” the

gladiator snapped, losing his temper. He tried to tamp down on his
reaction, but the way the slave was treating him was irritating the hell
out of him. Angelus’s eyes lowered in a manner of submission.
Antinious gritted his teeth. When the slave submitted to him, it
wouldn’t be in a deceitful manner learned from mimicking other
slaves. Angelus would learn to enjoy and take pride in his submission.
The boy opened his mouth to apologize.

“Don’t you dare say sorry when you don’t mean it!” Antinious

snapped, fisting his hands in Angelus’s hair and forcing him to look at
him. “You play this game very well, slave, but you won’t play it with
me.” He let Angelus pull back and replaced the handhold on the boy’s
arms.

“Why won’t you let me be who I am? You correct me no matter

what I say!” Angelus rolled, obviously desiring distance between
them. Antinious’s firm grip tightened on his forearms, dragging him
back into his embrace.

“The things you say have no bearing on who you are,” Antinious

corrected, setting his teeth to the place where shoulder met neck on
his slave’s slender throat. Angelus gasped at the touch and made a
soft sound of protest and desire.

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Angelus looked absolutely bewildered and outraged. “Don’t sit

there on your fucking high horse in judgment, gladiator,” he sneered,
using the title as Antinious often used the title of slave against him.
He yanked his arms out from Antinious’s grip despite the instant
sharp pain that had to have accompanied the motion. “You sit there
and pick me apart for your own amusement!”

“Isn’t that what you want to do to me?” the gladiator asked, fury

roiling in his gut. That certainly shut up the mouthy slave. “You want
me to give you all the answers to the man I am. Am I not privileged to
know the same about you?”

“Release me,” Angelus hissed. The gladiator ignored him. “You

fucking Gallic ass, let me go!”

“Never,” Antinious said quietly, surprised that he meant it. This

damned slave had stepped into his cell, demanded his attentions, and
thought nothing of the consequences. He’d be damned if he allowed
Angelus to walk away now that he was feeling a little uncomfortable.
The boy didn’t know the meaning of discomfort yet.

“I hope you die in the fucking arena tomorrow, you pig!” Angelus

threw out, fury darkening his green eyes until they were the color of
evergreens. Antinious gave a humorless laugh at that.

“I wish for that every time I leave those gates.” He gave a grin

that was more teeth than anything. “You want me to die, pretty
slave?” The grip he had on his arms tightened unintentionally, causing
Angelus to gasp out in pain. He’d be bruised tomorrow. “Why not
give this condemned man a last taste of paradise? Since you’re
praying for my death.”

Angelus struggled as Antinious pressed his mouth to his lips.

“You fucking animal! Stop! I don’t want to lose myself in you!”
Angelus gasped as a rough grind of teeth against his soft lips
demanded entrance into the wet recesses of his mouth.

“Yes, baby. I’m an animal. Don’t ever forget it.” the Gaul

growled, gripping Angelus’s neck with one hand and spreading his
legs with the other. He pushed Angelus’s scratchy wool tunic up his

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hips to expose the naked flesh underneath. Somehow he’d known that
his slave wouldn’t wear a cloth underneath his tunic. The damned
tease.

“You wanted the beast, slave. Deal with it,” Antinious rumbled as

Angelus’s struggles intensified. The slave was no longer trying to get
away from him, though. Much to Antinious’s startled delight,
Angelus was being aggressive, kissing him back with a fervor that the
gladiator had never experienced with another partner.

It was a battle between them. Their tongues tangled in a mesh as

roughly as their limbs did. Angelus met him stroke for stroke, nipping
and licking at his mouth in mimicry of Antinious’s punishment.

“Fuck you, gladiator,” Angelus groaned, his voice filled with

passion and anger.

“Oh yes.” Antinious sighed. “Fucking is just what I have in mind,

slave.” Angelus could do little else but moan his agreement as he was
stripped and positioned for the gladiator’s pleasure.

Antinious reached for the small vial that was tucked under his

straw mattress that contained a sandalwood oil that Solon, the head of
the slaves in the Ludus, had brought to him from the market for his
use with the slave. He’d scoffed at Solon’s offer at the time and had
steadfastly refused to waste it on any of the men he’d taken since. He
didn’t care if the slaves felt as much pleasure as he did when he took
them. They were just orifices, places where he found relief from the
endless waves of rage that took control of him on a daily basis.
Angelus, this slave, was different.

He released Angelus’s neck and took off the cork from the bottle

and slathered its contents over his naked cock. He gritted his teeth at
the unfamiliar sensation. Sweet Jupiter! No wonder some men
insisted on oils before they found release by their own hand.

“What are you doing?” Angelus panted, watching his hand’s

motion with unmasked desire. He didn’t answer him but instead
spread the cheeks of Angelus’s ass and slid home in one swift motion.
Angelus’s sharp intake of breath expressed the sharp stretch and

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pleasure that came with it. “W–hoa.” He gasped. Antinious grinned in
feral satisfaction.

“Don’t want to leave you with anything but pleasure

tomorrow…Used you hard last night…Need you to feel good
tomorrow…To think…of…me.” The gladiator grunted as his hips
started the swift push and withdrawal that would bring them both to a
screaming release. Angelus tossed his head as his cock was caught
between their torsos and rubbed with every movement Antinious
made. He wouldn’t last long at this rate.

“Oh gods!” Angelus sighed, no longer fighting but clinging to

Antinious. The sound of flesh meeting filled the cell, and the slave’s
eyes rolled into the back of his head. Gorgeous, boy. Antinious’s
beast paced the confines of his mind, growling its own pleasure at the
sensations of their tangle.

“Don’t leave me!” the little slave begged. “Don’t you dare die on

me in the arena tomorrow, Animal! We’re not finished with this
conversation!” Angelus screamed. Antinious groaned, and his hips
took on a life of their own, driving endlessly into his slave’s body.
Three strokes more would take him over the edge.

The world ignited in a blaze of fiery pleasure. Antinious growled

out his release, emptying himself into Angelus’s silky depths. Almost
instantaneously, Angelus followed him over the edge, spending
himself in the narrow space between their torsos and making his voice
echo through the corridor of the slave hall.

“Still want me to die tomorrow, slave?” Antinious panted in

Angelus’s ear, trying to regain his breath. The slave’s muscles held a
light tremor that betrayed his nonchalant attitude as little more than a
farce.

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Chapter Ten

“Still want me to die tomorrow slave?” Antinious asked, and

Angelus felt a shaft of pain pierce him at the thought. He’d spoken in
haste, and upon reflection, it was a horrible thing to say.

“No,” Angelus murmured softly. “I don’t want you to die.” He felt

the sticky evidence of both of their desires slowly drying on his skin
and let his eyes flutter shut. Gods. He’d never felt so helpless…or so
aroused. He felt the urge to tell Antinious, but he knew that his
gladiator would just mock him endlessly if he made the mistake of
doing so. That was one of the reasons that he was so damned
obsessed. Unlike the other men who’d showed an interest in him,
Antinious wouldn’t fall for his noble charm or his pretty compliments.

“You have claws, kitten. Unlike that image of slavish devotion

you show to everyone else.” Antinious gave him a knowing grin.
“You can be quite cruel when you’re trying.” For some reason, that
gave the slave a curious sense of pride. It was as if the gladiator was
giving him a compliment in his fashion.

“Tell me two things that are absolutely true about you and one

thing that is false,” Angelus commanded, showing his “claws”
consciously for once. Antinious raised his eyebrows and a look of
curiosity passed over the gladiator’s face. “What game is this?”
Antinious asked. “Why do you want me to lie?” Angelus just smiled
and let his eyes flutter shut. “It’s something that my brother and father
used to do when we traveled from village to village. Indulge me.
Please.”

* * * *

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Antinious mentally shrugged and decided to give him what he

asked. After all, his deluge of information was a part of their bargain.
He thought for a long moment before he answered.

“When I was young, before I came to this place, I once filled my

father’s boots with honey when he took away my wooden sword
because I cracked it over my younger brother’s head.” He smiled at
the memory. Even as a child, he’d been ungodly aggressive. He’d
absolutely deserved his father’s punishment, but, at the time, he’d
been completely convinced that he was the wronged party. Angelus’s
eyes watched him thoughtfully.

“That one is true,” he murmured. Antinious didn’t answer him but

instead raised an eyebrow as if to ask if he were certain of his stance
on the subject. “Go on. Tell me the next one,” Angelus encouraged,
tracing the line of Antinious’s sternum with his fingertip.

“That same year, we went to Lugdunum to see the theater that had

just been built. It was my first trip to the city, and it was my first taste
of Rome. I saw my first gladiatorial match. I was fascinated by their
interaction at first. The hoplomachi in particular held particular allure.
I think I remember the match because of the unusual pairing. He was
paired with the retiarius. Anyway, I was rooting for him the entire
game, but when the retiarius threw his net and unmanned him, I was
terrified. He was spared, but I was shaken. I told my father I would
never again enter an arena.” He gave a wry, self-mocking grin. “Then
I became a gladiator.”

“That one is not true,” Angelus stated confidently. The gladiator

gave him an incredulous look.

“Confident, aren’t you?”
“You wouldn’t be afraid, even as a child.” He leaned up and

licked the column of the gladiator’s throat. Antinious snorted. That
showed how much the slave knew. He’d been afraid most of his life.
He just had had the good sense not to show it. The Romans could
smell fear like hounds scenting quarry. However, he let it drop.

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“Want that third story?”
Angelus nodded serenely.
“When I came of age back in Gaul, my father bought me a

stallion. It wasn’t just any horse. He was a descendent of King
Alexander of Macedonia’s horse, Bucephalus. I named him
Telemachus, and I rode him wherever I went. We became thick as
thieves, and he would allow no other rider to mount him. The day we
came against the Roman forces in defense of our land and lost,
Telemachus was captured with me but like me, would bow to no one.
They killed him, because he would not bend and threw the Roman ass
who tried to ride him.” A sadness filled him. He remembered
Telemachus’s midnight coat gleaming in the noonday sun.

“That one is true,” Angelus said softly. He reached up to cup

Antinious’s cheek but seemed to hesitate for the barest of moments
before letting the hand drop. Disappointment trickled into the
gladiator’s chest, but he managed to shrug it off. He didn’t need
Angelus’s sympathy. Antinious willed his face to harden, to betray
nothing. “You look like a predator again, gladiator.” Angelus
swallowed hard.

“So was I right?” he asked, in a forcefully cheerful tone. “Was I

right about what was true and what was false?” Antinious was amused
by his curiosity. The slave really did have the most unusual mind. His
emotions were ever changing like Gallic winds. It was refreshing.

“I’ll leave that up to you to decide, slave,” he replied

mysteriously.

Angelus frowned. “You’re supposed to tell me, you know. It’s

part of the game.”

“Why don’t you tell me three things about you as well,” the

gladiator suggested before Angelus could change the rules to better
suit him. He wasn’t convinced he hadn’t already. Why did that
thought make him want to smile? “I would know some of your
secrets.”

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Angelus shrugged. “Whatever makes you happy, gladiator. Okay.

My favorite color is blue. I ran away from the villa four years ago.
After I got caught, I was beaten by an executioner called Romun, and
he fucked me until I couldn’t walk before giving me back to the
Dominus. My third story is that I gave myself the best orgasm of my
life after watching you fuck one of the house slaves and traced your
name into my skin with my spent pleasure.” He grinned triumphantly.
“Which story is true?”

“They’re all true,” Antinious said sourly. “Not only are they all

true, but they’re all meaningless, because you haven’t given me two
words about anything that means something to you. I gave you my
childhood, and you give me your drivel. Try again.” Angelus blushed
to the roots of his dark hair.

“I gave you my stories. I didn’t say they had to be meaningful, I

just said they had to be true. Besides, they do mean something,” he
added indignantly. The gladiator could see how he was getting under
Angelus’s skin. He liked it. “Besides, you’re wrong. My favorite
color is red not blue. So there.”

“Pay the toll troll, Angelus,” Antinious rumbled. “Tell me

something of equal value, or get out of my cell and never come here
again.”

* * * *

It was his name that was his undoing. The gladiator had never

spoken his name before, and it felt like a physical caress to hear it
growled in that low, gravel-filled voice. He gasped aloud, and his
cock jumped as it was spoken. Gods. He screwed his eyes shut tight.
He’d almost come again just from hearing those three syllables
spoken.

“Look at me, slave,” Antinious sneered, again using his title like a

weapon.

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“No,” Angelus whispered, his tone thick with lust. “Say my name

again. Please…Say my name, and I’ll tell you whatever you want to
hear.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling his
gladiator’s scent like it was the finest Roman perfume.

Antinious’s head tilted to the side, observing the other man’s

reaction to the mere mention of his name. Even though he’d just
come, Angelus’s body hardened inexorably. “Angelus,” he said,
indulging his slave’s request. Angelus gasped as he spoke his name.
“Angelus, tell me three secrets. One of them false. Two of them true.”
The slave moaned then, grinding against the gladiator’s thigh. “Now,
Angelus.”

“I snuck into the wine cellar when I was fourteen. I drank an

entire caste of wine before one of the house slaves came to find me.
His name was Aapo, and he was a pale devil from the northernmost
regions with golden-blond hair that fell longer than mine. He was the
first person I ever laid with.” Angelus nuzzled him, anchoring himself
on Antinious’s strength. “I never knew I liked men before then. I
fancied that I was in love with him for six months until I saw him
with another slave.”

“Give me another,” Antinious commanded.
“Before I came to this place…I was an artist. I did sculpture. I

focused on the purity of the male form. I loved sculpting the planes,
the curves, the muscles.” He swallowed. “I haven’t touched a bit of
clay or chipped a slab of marble since I entered enslavement.”

“Another.”
“Your cock is the biggest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Antinious burst out laughing at the unexpected words. “I think I

can figure out which one of those is a falsehood.”

He ruffled Angelus’s hair with his right hand before tightening it

into a fist and drawing Angelus’s head upward, causing his neck to
strain toward him for a kiss. It was a reward for his honesty if nothing
else. Angelus just gasped and succumbed to his will. Others may have
surrendered to him, others may have gritted their teeth and submitted

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to him, but no one, no one, had ever embraced him in this god-awful
place like Angelus wanted to do.

Angelus wove his hands over Antinious’s hair and marveled at

their differences. The gladiator was all muscle, so big in comparison
to Angelus’s slight build. The way he handled him…it made parts of
him stand up at attention.

“Must you go tomorrow?” Angelus asked before he could stop

himself. He wanted to spend more time with his gladiator, and he
feared the match tomorrow may prevent that for the rest of eternity.
The fear was an oddity. He’d faced the death of lovers within the
walls of the villa with little pain. The entire length of his servitude
he’d known that life was too precarious to grow attached to the men
of this place. Yet, here he was, pining for a gladiator that could very
well die tomorrow.

“You think this is a hobby of mine?” the gladiator asked,

amusement lacing his normally prickly voice. “You think I can simply
tell Dominus that I am not in the mood for the games, and he’ll agree
to let me forgo the match?”

Angelus shrugged in embarrassment, wishing he could take back

the words. “I don’t know what I thought by asking such a thing,” he
admitted. “I only know that I am reluctant to leave your bedside.”

“It is because you find pleasure in my bed,” Antinious murmured.

The slave nodded his ascent.

“Of course. I was always vulnerable to affectionate moods after a

hard bout of pleasure.” Angelus admitted with a nervous laugh. He
pulled himself free from Antinious’s embrace and sat up, leaving the
gladiator reclining on his side. He threw a wicked look over his
shoulder. “Shall I bathe you, my lord?” he asked. “It would give me
great pleasure to do so.” He gave a Cheshire Cat grin. “And I promise
not to force conversation if you let me.”

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Chapter Eleven

The roar of the crowd was deafening. The sand beneath his booted

feet crunched as he shifted from foot to foot. He was anxious to get
this over with.

“You’re awfully squirmy tonight,” Markus commented, noting the

way the Gaul was shifting needlessly in the cramped underground
chamber beneath the arena. Even from below, they could barely hear
themselves think. It was unusual that the Animal was so shifty.

“I’m anxious to be done with this,” Antinious grumbled, not

caring that he was obviously bothering the other gladiator with his
twitchiness. Those few syllables were the only words he’d spoken in
the arena since his first match. The Animal didn’t speak, didn’t drink
water or wine brought in by slaves, and took no pride in the adoration
of the crowd. All he did was kill. Markus’s eyebrows shot skyward.

“You grace us with your voice, Gaul,” Crixus, a Numidian

gladiator, said. He spat on the floor at Antinious’s feet and crossed his
massive arms, his midnight skin already glistening with nervous
sweat. He was new to the Dominus’s house and still had the insolence
of a freeman. That would change with time. It always did. Distaste
would go the way of independence and respect. It would fade like the
spirit of a dog left too long on its leash.

“No one asked your damn opinion,” Antinious rumbled, slowly

uncoiling his muscles. He hated this place, he thought for the
thousandth time. He hated these rules, this life, this…abomination of
a sport. The Romans said this was religion, that this was in honor of
the gods. Antinious knew the truth. This was fucking entertainment,
and a beastly entertainment at that. His people may have been

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animals, but they at least took no pleasure in pitting one another
against each other for sports. A familiar rage filled him. He was eager
for blood. He wanted to take. To hurt. To kill. He’d imagine all of his
captors’ faces on every man who fell beneath his sword.

The Numidian stepped closer, invading the Animal’s personal

space. A feral grin lit up Antinious’s face. Yes. That’s what he
wanted. Come and get it, you insolent fool.

“Enough. Save it for the arena,” Markus barked, interfering before

the scrap could begin. Antinious watched Eamon out of the corner of
his eye and saw the trainer uncoil his nine-tailed whip from his belt.
Eamon wouldn’t hesitate laying open the two of them for their trouble
before sending them out. It was an exhibition match, after all. Sending
out a wounded gladiator would do nothing but incite the crowd.

Antinious slumped back on the hollow wooden bench and took a

deep breath. He needed calm. He leaned his head back farther against
the wall, resting his temple on its hard surface. The dank smell of wet
mold and slick stone filled his senses, overwhelming the smell of men
and animals for the moment. He closed his eyes and let the sound of
the arena drown out the murmurs from the other men. It was almost
his turn. He needed his focus to win.

“Animal! Animal! Animal! Animal!” The chant caused his eyes to

come open and a snarl to issue from his mouth. Damn Romans!
Didn’t they understand that he could die out there? Did they have no
humanity? Gods!

“They’re calling for you, Animal,” Eamon murmured as the gate

to their pen swung open, and two soldiers came inside and beckoned
to the trainer for the next gladiator from their Dominus’s house.

I’ll answer the call. I’ll give them a fucking fountain of blood. He

leapt into the arena, shifting into his feral form as he went. The
Roman elite had paid handsomely for the opportunity to see one of
the shape-shifting beasts in action. Where most gladiatorial sports
were open to the public, this was a paid venue. The roar of a lion only

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made them scream louder. They would get the gore they sought, and
gods help him, so would he.

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Chapter Twelve

The other gladiator thrust his spear which grazed off of

Antinious’s shield with a shriek as metal collided with metal. His
third bout of the day was going slower than he expected. It wasn’t a
killing blow. It was an inquiring thrust. The warrior was seeing his
defenses, looking for his weaknesses. They circled one another, each
looking for the key to the other’s defeat. This match would end in
blood. This match could end in nothing else, and Antinious would
have to do it with his human skin on. He hated killing like this. At
least in his feral form, he could let the beast rage. As a man, he had no
excuses.

“Animal!” the crowd cried out, encouraging their bloodlust.

Antinious raised his sword arm and displayed his gladius to the
crowd. The cheer that rent the air was deafening, and the other
gladiator stumbled, surprise flickering on his face. The Animal of
Gaul was a crowd favorite. The other warrior’s helmet didn’t cover
his face, and every emotion was visible on his unguarded visage. It
was one of the many reasons Antinious was glad to be a murmillo.
His face shield revealed nothing but his eyes, the eyes of a predator.

“Come on then!” Antinious goaded, tucking his shield closer to

his body. “Come and get me! Do you want the fame of bringing down
the Animal? Come on!” The words were boastful and seemed overly
anxious, but this was a game that Antinious had played many, many
times. If they weren’t smart, they got cocky. The predator within him
enjoyed this. Pure, blissful, unimpeded rage tore through his civilized
veneer and gave him an animal with the face of a man. This was what

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the Romans had made him. This was what they had created for their
entertainment.

The other gladiator moved forward, thrusting too deep for a

proper defense. With his shield, Antinious pushed the other out of his
path, throwing him off balance. With his other arm, he brought down
the hilt of his sword on the back of the man’s neck. Stunned, the man
fell to his knees. Antinious’s expert sword came to rest on the man’s
neck, just nicking the skin so that a thin trail of blood slid down his
throat to fall onto the sand floor. He raised his eyes to the
administrator’s box where his Dominus, the governor, and their
families sat watching. Judgment.

The governor stood, and the crowd went mad. “Kill! Kill! Kill!

Kill!” they demanded. The pulse at Antinious’s throat retained the
same rhythm. Ba-bum. Ba-bum. Ba-bum. It seemed so loud to him.
The air was heavy with heat, with sand. His skin was slicked with a
sheen of sweat, and his muscles burned from the tension of exertion.
The governor raised his hand and made a fist. The crowd grew silent,
all staring at the man who would decide the fate of the fallen
combatant. His thumb pointed downward, and the crowd erupted in
cheers. There would be no mercy for the fallen one today.

The gladiator bowed his head in defeat. “Go with the gods,”

Antinious said formally, drawing back his sword arm. “Rest
peacefully, my brother.” The war cry of his people rose above the
crowd as his sword made the downward arch, piercing the flesh
between the gladiator’s collarbone and neck. He pulled back his arm
and was bathed in blood.

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Chapter Thirteen

Angelus paced nervously across the inner garden of the villa. The

courtyard’s pool was clear, freshly filled with water so that Angelus
could see every line of worry that creased his face.

“You’re wearing out the floor with your pacing,” Meera stated,

pursing her lips in displeasure. She was in charge of the maids of the
house and did not like the male servants to be bustling about without
reason.

“Does it normally take them this long to return?” he asked. He

began wringing his hands in earnest. “I mean, I don’t remember it
taking so long for them to return. It’s been almost a day.”

She gave an indelicate shrug. “The match was a little farther off

than usual. The governor requested the match at his own personal
estate some leagues away. The matches just concluded today. They
probably won’t return until tomorrow at the earliest. If the Dominus
has found favor with the governor, he’ll probably be on his estate for
a few days. Stop your worrying and go find something better to do
than pine over one of the monsters.” She huffed. “It’s unnatural that
you’re so attached to that beast, Angelus. Truly. Why don’t you
seduce one of the nobles who call upon our master? Or take one of the
servants as your lover? Joshua has been looking after you with lustful
eyes for weeks now.”

“Joshua is a boy. He doesn’t have my gladiator’s raw power to

make the sex worth the effort.” Angelus hedged. Truth be told,
nothing could satisfy him but his gladiator now. Even his hand had
become a poor substitute.

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“He’s dangerous,” Meera said. She crossed to the opulent table

where the Dominus usually entertained guests and needlessly folded
the linens she found there. She was worried about young Angelus’s
obsession, and it was obvious to him. More than one slave boy had
found themselves in love with a gladiator, and more than one had
been heartbroken by them as well, separated either by choice or by
death. He understood her caution but couldn’t help himself even if he
tried.

“I don’t care if he’s dangerous. He’s the most intriguing creature

I’ve ever laid eyes on. Have you seen him move, Meera? He’s like a
ripple on a pond, silent and graceful. Powerful. There is so much
going on beneath the surface, though. A veritable typhoon. He’s
fascinating.”

“Careful that fascination doesn’t lead to a deeper affection,

Angelus. You’ve always been a sensible boy. Always known how to
think with your cock and not your heart. Just don’t go and ruin your
track record with the stupidity of falling in love with a gladiator.”

Angelus flipped his hair over his shoulder and gave her his best

shallow smile. “You wound me, Meera! It’s a well-known fact that I
am the heartbreaker in all things. Men line up for a chance to get into
my bed, and those that do clamor for more.”

“But not this one,” Meera said. “The reason he intrigues you is

because he doesn’t fall for that trivial attitude of yours. He demands
your full attention and your true self.” She lowered her eyes to the
linens and creased the milky-white surface. “The servants of the
Ludus have been chattering nonstop about the strange relationship
you two are engaged in.”

“It’s not a relationship, Meera!” Angelus chastised. “It’s an

agreement. I provide him a responsive bed partner. He supplies me
with the satiation of my curiosity. When the deal is done, we will part.
No attachments.”

Meera’s cool blue eyes regarded him with the wisdom of a woman

who’d been in his shoes. “You cannot know a man and not be

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untouched by him,” she stated, pushing the wisps of gray hair back
from her face.

“Well I can,” Angelus bragged, leaning against the column by the

pool at the center of the space. He watched his expression in the water
shift to that of the cocky young noble he’d been. This was a part he
was well suited to play. “He means nothing,” he told his reflection,
watching his counterpart mimic his words in unison. If only he
believed them.

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Chapter Fourteen

“Welcome home, Dominus,” Angelus said warmly, bowing for his

lord as the man entered with a sashay of his bright orange robes.

“Thank you, Angelus. It is pleasant to be home. Three days from

home may be nothing for the men, but three days with Crassus out of
my bed is three days too many. Sit,” Dominus commanded, reclining
in one of the classic Roman lounge chaises that adorned his private
sanctuary. Soon he would summon Crassus, but not until the sweat
and travel had been washed from his body and it had been perfumed
as if it had never been. Angelus sat obediently. He was anxious for
news of the games but didn’t press. Dominus would get to that in
good time. He was one of the only ones who knew of Angelus’s true
origin and had taken it upon himself to speak with Angelus as one of
his own, a captive noble of sorts to listen to his thoughts and provide
appropriate response.

“How was the travel, my lord?” Angelus asked politely. He

crossed his legs at the ankle and leaned back on the green-and-blue
cushion Dominus had thoughtfully provided for him on the floor.

“It was nice. The governor has asked that I provide some

gladiators for the next exhibition at his estate for his son’s wedding.
We might have a few more blood matches that week. I hate to put the
men in such positions, but I can’t say no to the governor. Apparently,
his soon-to-be daughter has a great interest in matches but was unable
to attend this one because of her ailing father. The event provided
quite a bit of coin for the Ludus.” Dominus reached for his cup and
swallowed deep gulps of red wine, smacking his lips and giving a

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very satisfied sigh after he’d finished. “This is quite good vintage,” he
commented.

Angelus inclined his head. “I brought it up from the storeroom,

my lord. I thought you might like a little celebratory beverage due to
the high number of winnings the house accrued from the matches. I
heard we won four out of five events between the houses.”

Dominus chuckled, and his stomach wobbled in time with his

laugh. “Oh yes. I figured the word had reached the house by now. We
did do very well overall. The winnings were excellent but the
publicity! The publicity will carry us into the New Year. I have offers
from three different villas for private matches, invitations to the best
arenas in Rome, and more petitions for viewing than I know what to
do with. The people of Rome are going to start talking about the
Dachilli Ludus of Capua. You mark my words.”

“That’s wonderful news, Dominus,” Angelus said demurely,

pretending to look at his delicate hands. “What of the Animal? How
did he fare?”

“As usual, he had a good showing. I’m thinking about

commissioning some clay mugs in his honor to sell at the next match
or perhaps some memorabilia tiles or something like that. He’s at the
peak of his popularity.” The Dominus’s eyes twinkled with
knowledge. “Of course, you don’t care about that. I’m surprised you
are so worried over the Animal. Jupiter himself would have a hard
time reprimanding the man, no less killing him. However, to answer
that subtle question of yours, he is fine. No injuries.” Angelus
breathed a sigh of relief. Thank gods. “Bring me my writing scroll,
Angelus,” the Dominus commanded, swiping a bunch of olives from
the table in front of him and popping them into his mouth. “I just
remembered I have to write a letter to my brother, Claudis, about an
upcoming event.”

Angelus nodded respectfully and rolled to his feet in one graceful

motion. He walked across the marble floors to the writing room and
drew from Dominus’s desk a fresh scroll, ink, and stylus. He had a

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few more chores to do before he was able to join his gladiator in the
rooms below. Even with the reassurances of the Dominus, he wanted
to make sure Antinious was indeed whole and well.

He delivered the items back and got a pat on his backside for his

trouble. “Angelus, go fetch Diggory from below and tell him to hurry
Crassus in his bath. I want him delivered to me in an hour.”

“Yes, my lord,” Angelus replied immediately. He gave a mental

sigh. If the Dominus didn’t quit giving him extra things to do, he’d
never get to go see Antinious! He allowed himself to feel a
momentary pang of frustration before he turned and serenely sought
out Diggory.

A few minutes later, Angelus was standing at the top of the

Ludus’s steps, chatting with the servant who was to fetch Crassus.
The man was reed thin but tall, giving him a gangly appearance of
someone who had not quite filled out their form yet. His curly blond
hair gave him the appearance of youth that should have been
tempered by his years, which were twenty and seven.

“I’ll go right away and fetch him,” Diggory promised, wincing as

he shifted from foot to foot. Angelus frowned. He looked very
uncomfortable.

“Are you quite all right?” Angelus asked before he could help

himself. He was forever doing that, speaking before thinking.

“I–I’m fine.” Diggory stuttered, looking away in embarrassment.

“I apologize. It’s just…well…Crassus and the Animal have been
below stairs playing cards all night, and they’re well into their cups. I
swear the Gaul gives me goose bumps every time I go near him, and
after the night of the games—”

“What about the night of the games?” Angelus demanded,

suddenly intrigued. They were talking about his gladiator after all.

Diggory flushed. “Well, as is customary with the Gaul, he went

into a rage-filled fit and was absolutely unapproachable after the
match. He’s terrifying. Apparently, some unfortunate got in his way

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and nearly lost his arm for it.” He shuddered at the thought. “It was
absolutely brutal.”

“Uh-huh. Did he…kill a man?” Angelus replied distractedly,

desperately trying to keep his composure as his insides rioted. Poor
Antinious. Whatever the other servants might think, it couldn’t be
easy being gladiator.

The Ludus slave snorted. “Of course he killed a man! It’s what he

does. He’s the Animal. Really, Angelus, you should know better.”

“Hurry up with Crassus,” Angelus commanded, his heart

hammering inside his chest. Gods, he felt sick.

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Chapter Fifteen

Antinious eyed the servant boy who had been sent from the

Dominus to fetch Crassus. “Your lover calls,” he rumbled dryly,
glancing back at his handsome friend as he tucked away his cards,
took the last sip from his mug, and sat it back down on the table. He
didn’t understand how Crassus could be so nonchalant about having
to sleep with the Dominus of all people. He was an older, chubby
little man who enjoyed showing off his gladiators like they were fine
horses, but for all appearances, Crassus didn’t seem to mind. He
didn’t understand the draw.

“Get a good night’s sleep, Gaul,” Crassus said, slapping his friend

on the back and pushing away from the bench. “Tonight I sleep in the
finest silks in Capua and dine on the best food money can buy.”

“And let a cock-hungry, fat man ride you like his favorite pony,”

Antinious replied teasingly. He just didn’t understand how Crassus
could stand it.

“Better to be the favored pet in pampered luxury than down here

by myself,” Crassus said easily, motioning for the skinny man to lead
the way.

“Wait!” Antinious called out, halting their progress. His eyes

rested on the slave. “Do you know a slave named Angelus?” The
terrified rabbit gave a bleat of affirmation. He grinned. “Good. Go
fetch him for me.” The slave squeaked. “Tell him to meet me in my
cell. I’ll be waiting, so don’t make me wait long,” he added,
narrowing his eyes.

It took very little effort to terrify this man apparently, because he

took off at a near run. Crassus laughed at the display and followed at a

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more leisurely pace, waving good-bye to Antinious as he went. The
Gaul stood and motioned for the guards to let him out of the
recreation room and lead him back to his cell. He was glad he was
back. He couldn’t wait to see his slave again.

* * * *

Antinious was brimming with anticipation when he heard the

sound of the upper door opening to admit someone from the house.
He paced back and forth behind the bars of his cell, anxious to have
Angelus again. His anger and lust ran hot beneath the surface after a
match, and tonight was no exception. No, the only balm to his
tortured countenance came in the form of a mouthy slave who was an
intriguing blend of mystery and demand.

The gladiator listened as the guards led Angelus down the path to

the cells, their feet so much heavier on the stone-and-sand floor than
his were. He moved like a little cat. Almost silent. He suppressed the
smile that was threatening to take over his face. He’d missed him.

They came to a halt just outside the cell, and one of the men

stepped forward with a collection of keys hanging from his meaty
paw. Antinious could’ve cared less about the soldiers. His eyes were
only for Angelus at the moment. The past few days had weighed
heavier than he originally imagined, and he needed to have his slave
ignite that part of him that was forced to go numb after a battle. He
snarled as the other soldier shoved Angelus forward and made a
snickering comment in the slave’s ear that was too low for him to
hear.

“Touch him again, you die,” he snapped, baring his teeth and

taking a menacing step forward. The soldiers sunk back under the
threat, and Angelus slipped inside. They stepped forward and hastily
locked the gate.

“Good eve, my lord,” Angelus murmured, his eyes downcast.

“How may I serve you?”

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Antinious frowned. This was not the spunky servant who’d lain

with him only three nights ago. He gave a mental shrug and eyed the
other man. Perhaps he had been lonely in his absence and was sulking
over the fact. The gladiator decided to try and incite his anger just a
bit.

“You may serve me by getting out of those clothes and servicing

me. There were no good slaves in town who had a mouth as pretty as
yours.” He waited for the fuming retort but none came. Instead
Angelus slipped his tunic over his shoulders and stepped out of his
cloth, kicking his sandals out of sight to finish. Antinious’s breath
caught at the sight of his proud slave standing there naked for all the
world to see. Damn. He was beautiful.

“How may I service you, my lord?” Angelus asked woodenly, his

eyes still unwilling to meet his gladiator. Antinious’s frown deepened.
What the hell was going on?

“Look at me,” he commanded. Angelus ignored him and dropped

to his knees instead, slinking on all fours until he was within touching
distance of Antinious’s clothed torso. His slender hands came to rest
on the gladiator’s thick thighs. The slave’s face nuzzled Antinious’s
cock beneath the loincloth, and the Gaul’s breath caught as his body
began to react with explosive fissions of sensation. His fingers grazed
the beads that were wound in Angelus’s hair, and the possessive
feeling that accompanied it made him grin. This slave was his.

“I see you missed me,” he chided softly, stroking the top of

Angelus’s head and sighing. It felt good to have Angelus by him once
again. His beast was calm for the first time in days. “Give me your
eyes, slave,” he commanded again. Again he was ignored. Something
was definitely wrong.

“I said look at me, Angelus,” Antinious commanded, using his

name like the weapon it was. What if he’d found another? He didn’t
strike him as a particularly fickle being, but what did Antinious really
know about Angelus other than he had a sharp tongue and was an

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excellent bedmate? Fury infused him at the thought of Angelus giving
himself to another. Had he tired of him so easily?

Angelus’s eyes raised slowly. They locked eyes, and within the

depths of his slave’s pretty green gaze, he found something that
surprised him. Unmasked pain vibrated up from the depths of his
emotions. Antinious felt a moment’s regret at having doubted the
slave. He wouldn’t display pain to him if he’d betrayed him. A
tenderness toppled the mask of anger that Antinious hid behind, and
he cupped Angelus’s cheek.

“What’s wrong, little one?” he asked, stroking his slave’s soft

skin. “Tell me who put that pain in your eyes, and I’ll cut his heart
out.” Anger greeted his statement as fire snapped in Angelus’s eyes.
He pulled his cheek out from Antinious’s touch and stood.

“I hurt for you, Animal,” Angelus said, crossing his arms over his

chest.

Antinious blinked. “Why would you hurt for me?”
Angelus shifted nervously. “Because you had to kill. Because I

know it probably hurts.”

The gladiator snorted. “Don’t pity the dead or me. Worthless

bones, the both of us.”

“What does that mean?” Angelus asked, his temper finally flaring.

“Gods, man, you just killed someone.”

“And I’ll kill again in a few days or weeks. What does it matter?”

It couldn’t matter in this world. In his world, the only thing that really
meant anything was touch and coin. Annoyance started to burn in
Antinious’s gut. “And what in the name of the gods is wrong with
you? Why would you care? We’re just bedmates.” That lie tasted a bit
sour on his tongue.

“Never mind then. Since we’re just bedmates,” Angelus snapped,

turning from him and facing the bars. “It means nothing. I don’t want
to be here right now.”

“Have you forgotten that you belong to me?” Antinious bared his

teeth. He crossed the space between them and caged Angelus against

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the bars with his body. Angelus leaned into the cold bars, angling
himself away from Antinious.

“What have I done to you to arouse this sort of reaction?”

Antinious growled in his ear, nipping the lobe in punishment.

“I…It’s not…I can’t do this right now. I need a minute…please. I

need a little space.” Angelus’s broken voice wounded him.

“Give me honesty,” the gladiator demanded. “Let me—” He

stopped. He’d almost said, “Let me make it better.” What did he care
that the slave was a moody little shit? It didn’t matter if he wasn’t
emotionally stable so long as he gave the gladiator his body. Why did
the thought give him no satisfaction?

“Just…fuck me already,” Angelus said, turning in his arms and

plastering himself against Antinious’s body. “Just…don’t talk. Don’t
question me and why I feel like this. Please.”

“Honesty. Give me honesty, kitten,” Antinious demanded.

Angelus gave a strangled noise somewhere between a groan and a
sob.

“I care if you hurt, Antinious, you unfeeling ass!” Antinious’s

anger instantly deflated.

“Oh…Angelus,” he murmured, his voice low and gentle. He drew

his lover into his arms even as Angelus struggled against him.

“No! I don’t give a fuck! Stop! Don’t look on me with that

damned pity in your eyes!” Angelus screamed. His voice echoed
through the underground. Antinious clamped his hand over the slave’s
mouth so that he wouldn’t disturb the other gladiators as they slept.

“Pity? I have no pity inside me, slave.” He couldn’t stop the grin

that crept onto his face. “I like this caring in you. It’s adorable.” He
nuzzled Angelus’s hair as the slave kicked out with his feet, trying to
dislodge the gladiator. The Gaul laughed at the display, scooping up
the boy and tossing him onto the thin straw mattress that served as his
bed and rested against the wall. Angelus rolled, coming into a crouch.

“No! I don’t want you!” he screeched, trying to dodge Antinious

as he stalked forward.

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“Little liar,” Antinious said. It was obvious that Angelus cared too

much. He kissed the slave’s pouting lips and got smacked in the face
for his effort. He laughed. “I missed your claws, kitten.” Angelus just
hmphed and remained silent. Antinious sighed and rolled him beneath
his body. Wet lashes opened to reveal tear-clouded eyes. “Let me tell
you something to ease some of the worry of yours. I don’t even
remember killing those people.” He paused and kissed away one tear
of frustration from Angelus’s cheek. “When I leave for the arena, I
am…not right. Something inside me boils over, and I have to find
release. It doesn’t matter who, or what, or how, all that matters is
expelling the rage that threatens to drown me after a match.” He
sighed. He’d never admitted this to a soul before. “I am not a man at a
match. I am the Animal. If it helps, I wanted you.”

“I don’t understand,” Angelus whispered.
“You were the first one to bring me back to life, kitten.” The

gladiator nuzzled his neck, kissing the line of his throat with a
gentleness that was unusual. “You’re the only one to bring me out of
a rage. I have to get it out, or else I’m as crazed as one of the lunatics
you find in Hades’ temple. I got the rage out there and returned to you
a man. Otherwise, I couldn’t control the anger inside me, and I
might’ve hurt you.” He was ashamed of the fact. He was ashamed that
he had so little self-control. For all of his strength, he couldn’t do
anything to restrain whatever it was within him that demanded his
surrender. The beast would accept nothing but the expression of his
rage.

“Take me with you then,” Angelus encouraged, moving his hands

desperately up and down Antinious’s back. “I’ve been with you after
a match before. I’ve let you take me while the rage consumes you.”
He hid his face in the gladiator’s neck. “I can’t do this again. I don’t
want to be left waiting for you to return to me again. Let me soothe
you when you’re in the moment.”

Antinious gave a thoughtful pause. Having Angelus travel with

him meant more than being a bedmate in his mind. “You want my

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loyalty until the conclusion of this arrangement?” he asked. Angelus
nodded vigorously. Antinious’s lips twitched. His slave was
possessive, and he decided to indulge him. He was the only one he
truly wanted anyway. “Speak with the Dominus tomorrow about
accompanying me to the arenas. I’m sure Dominus would be fine
having one more servant underfoot. I warn you, the barracks in the
arenas where we’re housed overnight are not nearly as comfortable as
my cell in the Ludus.”

“I don’t care,” Angelus assured, wrapping his limbs around

Antinious like he was an anchor in a storm. “I just…please…don’t
make me deal with this again. I am what is best for you. Can’t you see
that?”

“You suit me, kitten,” Antinious agreed. “It is unexpected, but

you most definitely suit me.”

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Chapter Sixteen

They kissed for endless moments. Antinious’s tongue traced his

lips, demanding entrance from the slave. Angelus was eager to give it.
Their tongues tangled, and their hands caressed, touching, demanding,
and adoring each other without words. Three days away from the
gladiator had been hell. Angelus hardened painfully. He hadn’t
released since Antinious had been gone, and he was anxious to have
the gladiator inside him again. He arched his naked body into the
Gaul, enticing him to take things to the next level.

“Stop pushing,” Antinious warned, pinching Angelus’s hardened

nipples.

“Unlike some people, I haven’t found any sort of release in days.

Please…Antinious. Take me.”

The gladiator growled in answer. “So you haven’t used your hand

the entire time I’ve been gone?”

“You like that don’t you?” Angelus murmured, arching into his

touch. “I didn’t have your voice telling me to come, didn’t have your
arms around me, didn’t have…your body deep within me. Pounding
inside me. Making me come so hard I see stars. I couldn’t release.
Couldn’t come without you.”

Antinious answered his admission with a growl of feral

satisfaction. He pushed Angelus’s legs apart and spread the cheeks of
his naked ass. “You wear on my control, kitten.”

“Good. I like when you let loose on me, Animal.” Angelus

nuzzled him. The gladiator grinned and pressed his cock to the tight
ring of muscles that guarded his slave’s entrance. He was oiled, ready
for him. He’d known that Antinious probably wouldn’t have the

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patience to slick him with oils himself, so he’d done it earlier. The
first few inches forged deep inside, and they both groaned in unison.

“Gods that’s tight,” Antinious said. Angelus deliberately tightened

his muscles to squeeze the gladiator’s hard dick inside him.

“Told you, you’re the biggest thing I’ve ever seen,” Angelus

teased, groaning as the gladiator’s cock grazed his spot. He
shuddered. Gods, that feels great. “Move, gladiator,” he encouraged,
bucking his hips, trying to get a deeper penetration.

“My terms, kitten,” Antinious snarled, his face a mask of lust.

“You’ll take what I give you.”

“Yes, Master,” Angelus agreed with a gasp. Antinious rumbled.

He apparently liked the sound of that word on his lips. His hips
snapped.

“Ah!” Angelus cried out, his back arching to deepen Antinious’s

lunge. “Ah! Just like that! Oh gods!”

His words seemed to excite the Animal because he started taking

Angelus harder, faster, deeper. Angelus reveled in it. He wanted to be
consumed by his gladiator. Antinious slammed deep, growling his
satisfaction to the ceiling as Angelus met him stroke for stroke. He
met his desires like no other before him.

“You’re mine!” he spat, bruising the slave’s hips with his strong

hands.

“Yours.” Angelus panted. “All yours,” he cried out, twisting on

the mattress with his back curving in an impossible angle. “Gods!
Antinious! Yours!” He came suddenly, his release so powerful that it
splashed against Antinious’s chest. The gladiator rumbled, reaching
up to rub Angelus’s cum into his skin. The motion made the slave
tremble. It seemed so feral. So beautiful. I want to stay in this moment
forever.

“That’s…so beautiful,” Angelus murmured as his body continued

to be rocked by the force of his gladiator’s body. Antinious all but
purred. The gladiator’s speed increased, shuddering with every new
lunge into Angelus’s needy body. Angelus gave a saucy grin and

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rolled his hips in time with Antinious’s thrusts. It elongated the
pleasure until they were both whimpering from the sensation.

“Jupiter’s bones, Angelus!” Antinious ground out. He closed his

eyes. Angelus concentrated on inflicting as much pleasure as humanly
possible on his gladiator so that he had no chance of slowing down
the release that was no doubt already nipping at his balls. “Damn,” the
gladiator muttered, his body taking over as he neared the precipice.
He hammered his lover’s body, as lost in the pleasure as Angelus
desired him to be. Angelus gripped his shoulders, digging his nails
into the flesh. It seemed to be the last straw, because the slave’s nails
scored his shoulders, throwing him over the edge. He cried out and
spilled his scorching release down the chasm of his lover’s body.
Spent, he collapsed on top of his slave.

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Chapter Seventeen

“Wow,” Angelus murmured, not for the first time. He was

beaming like the cat that ate the canary. “Wow.” He paused.
“Making-up sex is the best thing ever.”

Antinious just grunted in response. He buried his head in the

crook of Angelus’s neck, unable or unwilling to move from his
comfortable spot.

“Hmmm, that was good.” Angelus stretched, amazed at the

sensation of being so filled and warm. Antinious grunted again. The
sound made Angelus want to laugh.

“Are you always this chatty after sex?” Angelus teased, poking

the big giant in the ribs. That got a response. Antinious slipped from
his body and managed to roll to his side, settling Angelus in his arms.

“Sleep,” the Gaul commanded. His eyes were already shut.

Angelus nipped his chest playfully.

“I’m not tired yet,” he protested.
“I don’t care,” Antinious murmured. His voice was slurring from

the sleep creeping over him.

“Didn’t you say we could talk?” Angelus wondered, lacing their

fingers together and being thrilled at the fact that the Animal didn’t
pull away. Those sleep-laden eyes crept open to deliver a glare to the
slave.

“Are you serious? You want to talk now?” Antinious demanded

incredulously. Angelus smiled and resisted the urge to tease the Gaul.

He gave a great sigh as if he were highly disappointed. “Fine. We

can sleep. I suppose you’ve had a hard couple of days, being a
gladiator and all.” He laid his head on Antinious’s chest. “Can I…Can

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I stay here?” he asked. He’d never been allowed to sleep beside the
Animal. When he’d stayed the night, he’d been banished to the floor,
which was highly uncomfortable to say the least.

“Yes. Stay,” Antinious said after an endless moment of silence.

He wrapped his strong arms around Angelus’s body and buried his
face in his hair. “Just…be quiet.” Angelus felt a happy lethargy fill
him. His animal was starting to trust him.

* * * *

Angelus woke disoriented. He wasn’t sure where he was and who

was snoring quietly into his ear. He blinked several times, his eyes
unaccustomed to the strange twilight of the underground.
Underground? He blinked, and his eyes flicked to the bars of the cell.
Cell? Realization dawned. He was still with the Gaul.

He sat up, pushing the heavy weight of the gladiator’s arm off of

his chest. Angelus rubbed a hand over his face. What time was it? It
was impossible to know the time, because daylight did not penetrate
this deep within the Ludus. He wondered vaguely if the Dominus was
awake yet. He wondered, too, if it was too early to ask him if it was
all right to accompany the gladiators to their next match.

“Why are you awake so early?” Antinious’s heavy voice broke his

predawn contemplations. “Not planning on sticking a knife in my ribs
while I sleep, I hope.” The words may have been said in jest, but the
tone was far from joking.

“Is that why you won’t let anyone sleep with you down here? Are

you afraid of assassins?” he asked. His voice, much to his chagrin,
was hoarse from the combination of his pleasure-filled cries and his
chattering last night. Antinious’s face was in shadow, but Angelus felt
the weight of his gaze.

“I have no friends here, and plenty of people wouldn’t mind the

bragging of taking down the Animal.”

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“That seems a sad way to live,” he commented, leaning down in

the shadows to give Antinious a brief kiss on the lips. He felt the
gladiator’s lips curve into a smile against his mouth.

“Are you telling me you don’t watch yourself with the other

servants?” Antinious asked. The sleep was finally starting to leave his
voice in favor of some amusement which Angelus couldn’t find the
source of. He pulled back.

“I watch what I say, but I don’t constantly suspect someone wants

to kill me.”

“That’s your mistake. You assume I’m like every other slave in

the Ludus. I am not. I’ve killed these people’s lovers, brothers,
friends, and allies in the arena.”

“They shouldn’t blame you for it!” Angelus protested. Antinious

gripped his forearms and drew him back down so that his head rested
on the gladiator’s chest.

“Your defense of me is touching,” he admitted. He sighed deeply.

“However, you are completely misguided. I don’t blame them for
their hatred of me. I am the monster who took away their loved ones
for sport. Dominus never puts me in the arena for any other purpose.
Gladiators pitted against me die. Simple as that.”

“But it’s not as if it is you choice—”
“Let me finish,” Antinious interrupted quietly. “If another of the

gladiators bested me in the arena, if one of them took my head in the
name of their Dominus, how would you feel?”

Angelus contemplated that quietly for a moment. It wasn’t as if

they had a “relationship” per se. Their connection was more of an
arrangement, something that could be discarded at a moment’s notice.
The idea of Antinious’s death, however, left him strangely hollow. “I
would be upset,” he admitted at last, thankful that the shadows hid the
deep blush that was permeating his cheeks.

“You’d be upset because we have an arrangement. Now imagine

if you loved me.” Antinious’s words pierced him.

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I can imagine all too well. His blush deepened. “Well, I wouldn’t

try to avenge you over it. Taking on a gladiator is suicide.” The
arrogance and surety of his tone did not match how he felt internally.

“You wouldn’t take him on from the front. That would be suicide.

You’d sneak to the cells when he was sleeping, maybe pay off a guard
to be his companion for the night. You’d conceal a knife in your robes
and then stick it in his throat once he’d fallen asleep. Perhaps you’d
be a little more complex and try poisoning the wine you brought for
his consumption. Whichever way you thought you could get away
with would be the way you killed him. You’d be surprised how often
gladiators are found dead, not by the hand of another gladiator but by
the ambitions of a slave who desires revenge.”

Angelus shuddered at the thought and burrowed closer to the

gladiator, wrapping his arms around his massive chest. He didn’t like
this conversation. It was unnerving to contemplate all the directions in
which death came for these men. “Tell me about where you were
born. Tell me about Gaul.”

* * * *

The sudden change in conversation made Antinious pause. The

slave was a curious one. It was obvious that he was disturbed by the
implications of the conversation, but instead of saying so, he chose to
change the subject. My little politician, He didn’t realize that what he
didn’t say was what was truly important to him.

“Please tell me about Gaul, Antinious.” Angelus reminded him

that he hadn’t answered the question. His impatience was adorable. If
Antinious was correct, the slave had not been born a slave but as
someone of a higher class.

“You use my name like you have the right to it,” Antinious said,

once again dodging the inquiry. “Have you forgotten that I am your
Master?” Angelus nipped his chest hard enough to make him growl.

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“I haven’t forgotten that you’re my Master,” Angelus griped. He

didn’t sound pleased about the fact. “Tell me about your life in Gaul,
Master.” There was a touch of sarcasm in his voice that was not lost
on Antinious. Instead of inciting him, it just amused him. His slave
had spirit in abundance. In a different world, Antinious would’ve
pursued him as a legitimate lover.

“I worked in metals in Gaul. The leader of my village greatly

favored my metalworks, and I was always busy with commissions to
make this sword or that arm cuff. Ornamental work was my specialty,
and my forge produced some of the finest and most personalized
weapons and jewelry on the west side of the Rhine.” Antinious
surprised himself by offering up his profession. He hadn’t thought of
his old passion for years now. He examined the emotion with
curiosity. He was proud, proud of what he had been in a way he’d
never been proud of being a Gladiator.

“So you were an artisan?” Angelus asked.
“Of sorts. Like most of the men in my village, I was a warrior for

my people first and a metalworker second.”

“That’s interesting,” Angelus said, winding his hands around

Antinious’s neck and tugging him down to meet his lips. “You are not
the man I thought you were.”

Antinious’s eyebrows rose. He knew that Angelus couldn’t see

him, but he couldn’t help the surprise. “Oh?” Within the shadows,
Antinious saw his slave flash a sheepish grin.

“I had imagined you to be a soldier in some distant army, too busy

for women or the comforts of home. Perhaps with a younger lover in
your commission.” He smiled as he imagined. “I thought perhaps he’d
be sweet and submissive, calling you ‘sir’ even after you’d become
intimate.”

Antinious couldn’t help it. He threw back his head and laughed,

the sound echoed through the Ludus. The gladiators in other cells
called back words to the effect of “Shut up.” Antinious smothered his
mouth with his hand, laughter still making his ribs quake. When he

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could speak without laughing again, he turned his attention back to
Angelus.

“You have quite the fertile imagination, slave. Are you sure you

weren’t a bard instead of a sculptor in your past life?”

“Angelus!” another voice interrupted their banter from outside the

cell. Antinious growled at the interruption. The whisper sounded
again, less sure this time. “An-Angelus.”

The slave gave a sigh as if he recognized the voice and slid out of

Antinious’s arms. He grabbed the discarded tunic on the floor and
shook out the sand. Antinious frowned and glanced at the man outside
his cell. Who was this?

“What did you need, Joshy?” Angelus asked. His voice held an

affection that Antinious didn’t appreciate.

“The Dominus is calling for you. He said I could find you here.

There is a guest in the villa who he wishes for you to attend.” The
man shifted from foot to foot almost shyly as he spoke.

The taller man was obviously one of the villa slaves. He was

broad through the shoulders with a musculature that bespoke of good
genetics as opposed to the hard hours spent working on their
refinement like the gladiators had. His pale blond hair was spiked in a
Roman style, and his soft, apple-green eyes bespoke the reason he
was no warrior. He was too soft, too kind, and too gentle to make it in
the arena. The Animal experienced envy for the first time since
coming to the Ludus. This was the type of man that would be good
with Angelus.

“Call the guard to open the door,” Angelus commanded,

tightening the rope at his waist that acted as a belt.

“No need,” Joshua said with a smile, drawing the jingle of keys

from his waist. “Dominus gave me the keys so that we didn’t waste
any time.” He inserted the key in the lock. Angelus hesitated and
glanced back at Antinious who had stood.

“Give me just a moment,” he said, looking at the villa slave. Josh

nodded and took a step back, leaning against the wall outside the cell,

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waiting. Angelus all but threw himself into Antinious’s arms. The
gladiator hadn’t been prepared for the move, so he fell backward,
nearly falling on his ass on the floor as he wrapped his arms around
the smaller man. He chuckled.

“Damn, kitten,” he murmured, caressing and molding his lover’s

backside.

“I couldn’t leave without saying good–bye,” Angelus murmured,

rubbing his face against Antinious’s naked chest. The admission was
absurdly pleasing to the Gaul. “Will you call me after you finish with
your practice?”

Antinious nodded. “Absolutely,” he agreed. “Be prepared to come

to me after the evening meal.” He tilted Angelus’s head up so that he
could press a kiss to his lips. “Don’t keep me waiting, Angelus.”

“Of course not, Master,” Angelus said serenely. He nipped

Antinious’s bottom lip. The slave was forever doing something
unexpected. “I’ll see you later.” He slipped out of the cell without
another word, following the other slave down the corridor and out of
sight.

Antinious sighed and raked a hand through his hair. He was

getting far too attached to the slave. The gladiator let himself down on
to his bed. He had a few hours before Eamon would call them out into
the yard for training. He needed some sleep.

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Chapter Eighteen

The Dominus was rarely up before the sun. The fact that he was

bespoke the importance of their guest. Angelus walked across the
courtyard that separated the villa from the Ludus and was amazed that
the world was still the dull gray of early dawn. The sun hadn’t made
its appearance from behind the mountains yet, and Angelus couldn’t
help but be a little disoriented from being awake so early. The villa
was fully lit as they drew closer to the side entrance.

“You seem very affectionate with that gladiator,” Joshua

observed, trying to make conversation. Angelus warmed at the
thought of Antinious.

“He and I have a very pleasurable arrangement,” he stated. He

was trying very hard to keep the overwhelming affection out of his
voice. He was growing far too attached to the gladiator but didn’t see
a way to stop from doing so. “Do you know who has arrived to
warrant the early hour?” he asked.

“I have no idea. One of the guards opened the doors an hour ago

to a herald announcing a traveler to be admitted to the house. The
Dominus was roused from his bed, and Crassus was hidden in one of
the servant’s quarters. He sent me to fetch you right afterward.”
Joshua paused. “Is it serious between you and the gladiator?” he
asked. Angelus shot him a look that said he clearly didn’t like this line
of questioning.

“As I’ve said, it’s a pleasurable arrangement.” He turned his eyes

away. Joshua reached out and grabbed his arm.

“I know you know that I care about you,” he said through gritted

teeth. His green eyes were filled with anger and longing, and the

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combination was a frightening match. “You’re a beautiful boy,
Angelus. More beautiful than any of the other slaves here. You know
that, and you play with people like they’re pawns for your own
amusement.”

Angelus gave him his best haughty glare. “I don’t believe I gave

you permission to touch me, Joshua.” He jerked his arm to free
himself from Joshy’s touch, but the other slave’s grip was hard. “Let
go,” he commanded. Reluctantly, Joshua released his hold.

“I want to be with you, Angelus. I would treat you like the prince

you are, not the toy you’ve become with the Animal.” Josh sighed and
looked anguished. “What do I have to do to prove that to you?”

Angelus drew himself to his full height and glared daggers at

Joshua. “I am not interested in you like that.” He softened his
expression to one of quiet placation. “You’re my friend, Joshua. I
don’t want to ruin that by adding sex to it. We work together. Can’t
you just accept my friendship?”

The other man froze as Angelus knew he would. Joshua was a

sucker for that look of sweet submission. More than once it had gotten
Angelus out of undesired chores with the other slave. “Oh…Angelus.
I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to make you uncomfortable or force the
issue. I’m just afraid that you are going to get hurt with that barbarian.
You know what they say about him, and the bruises you’ve been
sporting every time that you return from his bed…it makes me
furious.” Angelus mentally rolled his eyes. He didn’t need Joshua’s
protection. Instead of voicing his displeasure at the thought of him
being helpless, he petted the other man’s arm and gave him a sweet
smile.

“Don’t worry, Joshy,” he murmured. “He’ll tire of me soon

enough, and you won’t have to worry over it anymore. Already he is
talking about other men he may be interested in,” he lied. Joshua
favored him with an understanding smile and cupped his cheek.

“Good. Perhaps when you are freed of him…”

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Angelus turned his head to press a chaste kiss to Joshua’s palm.

“We’ll see where we are able to go from there.” The empty promise
spoken, Angelus bounded up the steps and opened the doors. He had
to hurry. The Dominus would not like being kept waiting. As he
crossed the inner courtyard toward the Dominus’s inner sanctum, he
hoped that Joshua hadn’t taken him too seriously.

* * * *

“Get in here and close the door, Angelus,” the Dominus’s voice

quipped as he slipped through the doorway. Angelus bowed and did
as he was bid.

“Forgive me, Dominus. I was delayed.” He shut the door quietly

and stood at the edge of the carpet, waiting for permission to approach
Dominus and his guest who were reclined on chaises. His eyes traced
the swirling pattern on the carpet. It was Eastern, by his estimation.

“Angelus, servitude doesn’t become you at all.” A familiar voice

spoke, and Angelus’s head snapped up.

“Father!” he cried, forgetting his slave status and rushing forward

to kneel by his father’s reclining form. He looked much the same as
when he’d last seen him. He was regal, balding on top, with the same
clear green eyes that Angelus possessed. He wore enough jewelry to
declare to the continent that he was one of the wealthiest men in the
Republic and one of the most arrogant to boot. He had learned his
manipulations from this man’s example. His father was the greatest of
all the Roman orators.

“What are you doing here?” he asked eagerly, gripping his

father’s hand and kissing his rings. Cool eyes regarded him. His father
would give none of his emotions away.

“I had to come see for myself what you had gotten yourself into.”

He wrinkled his nose, the only sign of his disgust. “I never thought I’d
see my youngest son, the pride of my home, brought so low.”

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Angelus hung his head in shame. “Father…you know I had no

choice.” He managed to speak the words without crying. Seeing his
family again after almost five years was disrupting his control.

“I would’ve let your brother rot. His gambling has cost him

everything, including your freedom.”

“You refused to pay his debts. What choice did I have? It was

either service until I’ve paid off the debt or his death. I couldn’t let
him die. He’s my brother.” The touch of his father’s hand on his head
caused him to look up.

“Your Dominus was generous to allow you to serve his villa for

the duration of the time. I was surprised to find that you are contented
here. From all accounts you are a valuable asset to the house.” His
father’s thin lips quirked up into a smile. “You are not the spoiled boy
that I left in Capua in the care of Braccai. You’ve become quite a man
while I’ve been away.”

Pride filled Angelus’s chest. “Thank you, Father,” he said quietly.

His father had never spoken to him in such a way.

“I have made an arrangement with Dominus to pay off the rest of

Braccai’s debt,” his father continued. Angelus felt his jaw drop open
in shock. He’d expected to be here for at least another three years!

“But, why? I thought you refused to pay his debt? I thought you

said that he would have to be dead for you to…” His stomach recoiled
at the thought. His older brother, Braccai, wasn’t perfect. Gambling
was his worst habit, and he tended to squander whatever money
Father had sent on women and games but…he wasn’t a bad person.
He had always taken up for Angelus when they were children. Then
when they’d moved to Capua, even when he had spent every dime on
gambling, he made sure that Angelus never went hungry.

“What happened?” he whispered, sure that the hurt was evident in

his voice. His father squeezed his hand in comfort.

“He was gambling in one of the less disreputable halls in Capua

and tried to cheat the orchestrator of the bets. He was…clubbed to
death.” A sob chocked Angelus, and a noise of distress found its way

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out of his throat. His father just continued to rub his head, back and
forth, back and forth, the rhythm an effort to center the distressed
slave. “He dishonored our family name, Angelus. He made poor
choices, and because of them, the gods took him from this earth. You
have to know that.”

“I…know,” Angelus managed, his eyes were screwed shut in an

effort to stop the tears that were threatening to fall down his cheeks. It
took him long moments to wrestle his emotions back into the box he
usually kept them in and look upon the whole thing with a mask of
dispassion. “So my service to Dominus will end soon?” he asked,
changing the subject.

His father nodded. “Yes, we’ve made an arrangement. In one

week’s time, I’ll send a brigade of soldiers to collect you from the
house. Take care of all your business between now and then.”
Angelus nodded. What else could he say?

“Yes, Father,” he murmured. He glanced over at his Dominus

where he sat, almost silent. He didn’t look displeased by the
proceedings. His round face held a soft smile of approval.

“Good. I’m glad you’ve grown up, Angelus. It pleases me to see

you well.” He knew that was his father’s way of dismissal. He bowed
his head and stood.

“Thank you, Father. I look forward to returning home. Am I…am

I to travel with you to Rome?”

His father waved his hand in rebuff. “No, no. I don’t need you

underfoot in Rome. I’m setting you up on one of my estates in the
countryside in one of the northern provinces. The one nearest to
Mediolanum. It’s a small estate, but I’m sure it will suit you well after
these years of slavery.” He pinned him with a glance that bespoke of
his reluctance to discuss such matters in front of the Dominus. “We’ll
speak more when the brigade fetches you. Now, off with you. I’m
sure your Dominus has plenty of chores for you to do.” He turned his
attention to the Dominus, removing his son from his attentions.

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Angelus threw another glance at his father before bowing and letting
himself out of the room.

* * * *

He made it to the kitchens before he started breaking down. Tears

blinded him as he passed the astonished faces of the kitchen staff who
were used to being up at in the early hours. His thoughts were on
Braccai. Braccai with his laughing eyes. Braccai with his endless
excuses and apologies. Braccai who had given Angelus his last loaf of
bread for breakfast after spending their final bit of coin on a game of
knucklebones the night before. Braccai who was dead because of his
own stupidity. He pushed his way out of the back door and raced
through the courtyard. He didn’t know where he was going. He just
knew he had to get away from the villa.

He found himself just outside the Ludus, leaning against the pillar

that held up the house. He was sobbing pitifully. He never
remembered feeling so miserable. If he hadn’t been in slavery, he
would’ve been with Braccai. Maybe he could’ve convinced him…No.
Braccai was the reason he had entered into slavery to begin with.
He’d just thought that being here had a reason, a nobler purpose. It
hadn’t been all bad, but it wasn’t what he was used to. He’d given up
his young life in order to do something that he believed in. He’d
thought by taking his punishment, Braccai would awaken from the
world of bets and games he’d lost himself in for so many years. It was
all in vain.

“Are you here to see the Animal?” a gruff voice asked him.

Coarse fingers touched the gladiator’s beads in his hair, causing
Angelus to stiffen. Angelus turned and wiped the tears from his face
in a semblance of control. He knew he still looked like he’d been
crying, but hopefully he looked a little more composed. He’d never
met this soldier before. He was a little older and a little harder than

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the ones that he normally had to deal with when coming to the Ludus
late in the evening.

“Yes,” Angelus lied.
“They’ve just been awakened to start their training in the pit,” the

soldier stated, crossing his arms. “What business do you have below
stairs at this hour?”

“Look,” Angelus snapped, losing his temper. “The Gaul wants me

to see him training, so here I am. Either let me through so that I can
go watch for a little bit or explain to the Animal why he wasn’t able to
have his slave whenever he damn well pleased.” The soldier hesitated.
He knew if what Angelus said was true he’d get in more trouble
denying Angelus entrance than he would for allowing an unauthorized
slave into the Ludus in the middle of the day.

“You belong to him?” the soldier asked uncertainly. Angelus

flicked the beads in his hair.

“Does it look like I belong to him?” he snapped. The soldier

didn’t answer but stood aside to allow Angelus through. The slave
wrapped his arrogance around him like a cloak to give him strength.

What am I doing? I have no business seeking Antinious out during

the day…He thought about the week to come and winced. He only
had seven more days to spend with his gladiator. Time suddenly
seemed infinitely precious.

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Chapter Nineteen

Antinious knew there was a problem the instant he felt Angelus

enter the room. The beast snarled as a whirlwind of anxiety invaded
his nostrils. It demanded that he go to Angelus. His gaze shot to the
doorway, and Aren’s wooden practice sword caught him in the
middle. His breath left him in an instant, and he crashed to his knees.

“Damn,” he muttered, rubbing his stomach as Aren’s play sword

tipped up his chin.

“Hell yes!” Aren crowed. “Four years and I’ve never got a hit in,

and today I felled the Animal! Yes!” He clapped one of his friends on
the back, and some of the other gladiators laughed. Crassus rolled his
eyes.

“You all right, Gaul?” he asked, drawing his friend to his feet.

Antinious nodded and sighed in annoyance.

“He shouldn’t have landed that hit.” Antinious rubbed his jaw and

looked down at his stomach which had developed an angry red line.
“Angelus came in, and I lost my head. Little brat. What the hell is he
doing down here so early anyway? I told him to await my summons
after the evening meal.”

“He looks upset,” Crassus noted, sparing a glance at the boy who

sat on the steps. Antinious’s head snapped up.

“If that damn slave put a hand on him, I’ll kill him,” he said with a

growl, recalling the friendly manner in which Joshua had treated his
kitten earlier.

“You don’t think this has anything to do with the early morning

guest at the villa do you?” Crassus wondered. He’d been ushered

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from his comfortable place on the right side of Dominus’s bed well
before practice this morning. Antinious shrugged.

“I don’t know. A servant from the villa roused us this morning,

but I thought it was just so that Angelus could serve them breakfast or
something.”

“Does this look like a social club to you, gentlemen?” Eamon

snapped, cracking his whip at their feet. “Get back to practice.
Animal, stop being distracted, or else I’ll remove your toy from the
pit.” They nodded and went back to their practice, but Antinious
couldn’t help but cast a worried glance in Angelus’s direction. What
was wrong with his slave?

* * * *

Angelus watched them practice for two hours before Eamon

allowed them to go get a drink of water. After he’d grown used to the
eyes of his slave on him, instead of detracting from his performance,
Angelus’s presence had invigorated him. He found himself showing
off for his kitten’s approval, displaying his stamina and strength over
and over again. He was going to be absolutely dead by the time
evening meal came around and they were allowed to rest.

“Break for water, boys,” Eamon called out, signaling a brief halt

to their progress. Antinious dropped his sword and shield and strode
back toward the place where Angelus rested against a wooden pillar.
“Wait a moment, Animal,” Eamon commanded. Antinious turned and
gave him a sullen look. He was thirsty and wanted his slave. Eamon’s
hard-flint eyes regarded him with approval.

“You’re doing very well in your slave’s presence,” he noted.

“Perhaps I should suggest to Dominus that he attend all your
practices. You train harder when he’s watching. A few more practices
like that, and you’ll be absolutely unstoppable.”

“Uh-huh,” Antinious agreed distractedly. “I need some water,

Eamon.”

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“You need to talk to your slave,” Eamon observed with a chuckle.

“Go. We’ll speak later.”

Finally. He jogged the last few paces to reach his slave, unwilling

to waste any more time interacting with someone else. Angelus
interpreted his need before he opened his mouth and slapped a pouch
of water in his hand.

“You move beautifully,” Angelus complimented. His eyes were

red around the edges, and he looked extremely tired. Antinious
frowned. His kitten’s usual spunk was nowhere to be seen.

“Thank you,” he answered after he’d swallowed a few deep gulps

of cleansing water. “What are you doing here, Angelus?”

The slave winced as if he’d been slapped. “I just…needed to see

you. I…” He stood and took a step back. “I’ll go…I should’ve waited
for your summons…”

“Don’t you take another step,” Antinious commanded with his

signature growl. He reached out and took Angelus’s hands in his own,
uncaring that the other gladiators could see. “What is wrong, kitten?”
His slave hesitated. Antinious saw the drama play over his face as he
debated with himself. “Don’t lie to me,” he commanded.

Angelus sighed. “I found out that my brother was killed some

time ago. I had no idea.” He paused as if he wanted to say more.
“Please, Master, can you please just not push? Just this once? Let me
watch you and enjoy you without my soul being bared for the world
to see.”

He wanted to hide. Antinious could understand that, so he nodded.

“We will speak tonight after the meal,” he promised. Behind him,
Crassus called him. It was time to begin again. “Give me a kiss,
slave.” He allowed a rare smile to grace his face, and his kitten
answered it with one of his own. “For luck,” he added.

“For luck,” Angelus murmured. He leaned up and was wrapped in

Antinious’s arms. Something about the moment seemed to open a
floodgate inside the gladiator. Angelus’s emotions, his pain, seemed
to sink into Antinious’s skin. The sensation was disorienting, and a

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suspicion began to filter into his consciousness. He’d heard tales from
his people that gave examples of how one would identify the other
half of their soul, the one their animal sides would accept as theirs.
The Animal startled as the slave’s voice crashed through his head.

“This is where I belong,” Angelus thought as clearly as if he’d

spoken aloud. “This is what I’ve been searching for my entire life. The
arms of this barbarian. The arms of the Gaul.”

Realization dawned. Antinious’s lips crashed over his in a

passionate display of ownership. Angelus whimpered at the sensation
and opened his mouth, gratefully accepting the thrust of Antinious’s
tongue. Oh gods, he’s my mate, Antinious thought. My animal has
bonded with him, gods help me.

Just as quickly as it began, the kiss was over, leaving Angelus

panting and leaning into Antinious’s body.

The Animal gave him a wink to hide the riot going on inside him.

“Wait for me.” Angelus nodded and sat back down on his place on the
floor. Antinious returned to practice and tried to remember how to
breathe. Mine. He’s mine. Now what was he supposed to do about it?

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Chapter Twenty

Antinious had been right. He was ungodly sore. Crassus grinned

and deliberately gripped the aching muscle of his bicep.

“You have made Eamon the happiest trainer this side of Capua,”

he joked. Antinious winced.

“I may have overdone it a little bit,” he agreed. He rolled his

shoulders and walked stiffly toward the steps. Angelus seemed to be
in better spirits. He’d moved from his place behind one of the pillars
to one nearest to the area that Antinious had been training. Antinious
smiled at the memory of the look of absolute fascination on his
slave’s face. The Gaul had puffed up like a rooster at the look of
appreciation on Angelus’s sweet face. He’d never trained so hard.

“A bit? You’re going to be sore for days!” Crassus teased. “Could

it be the eyes of your beloved that have you puffed up like a
peacock?”

“Oh shut up, Crassus. At least I don’t become a bumbling oaf,

unlike some people I could name, whenever my lover makes an
appearance.”

Crassus just laughed at his comment. “Aye I do. But then that’s

my way of getting what I want. What’s your excuse?” Antinious had
no answer for that.

“You were amazing,” Angelus complimented in a husky voice as

they took the first step toward the ground floor of the Ludus. The
gladiator hadn’t even seen him move. He’d been too preoccupied with
trying to wrap his mind around what Crassus had hinted at a moment
ago. It was strange how he let his guard down around the slave.
Stranger still that the beast inside him declared the boy his.

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Antinious shrugged in a nonchalant manner. “I was all right,” he

stated. He wrapped his sweat-slicked arm around Angelus’s
shoulders. The slave didn’t seem to mind. He glanced at Crassus, who
was watching and walking beside them. He grunted. “Angelus, this is
Crassus. He’s a pain in the ass, but he’s a good man. Crassus, meet
Angelus. He’s mine, so don’t get any ideas.”

Crassus gave Angelus a nod and a wink. “So you’re the one who

has our Animal’s head all mixed up.” He extended his hand to shake,
but Antinious nixed that idea when he batted it away. Crassus
couldn’t help but laugh at the glare he got from Angelus for his
trouble. “It’s nice to meet you,” he said when he could stop laughing.

Angelus favored him with a smile that was two parts sweet, one

part mischief. Antinious’s eyes narrowed at the look. He didn’t
appreciate Angelus giving that smile to anyone else. Gods, instincts
are crazy things. “It’s very nice to meet you as well, Crassus,” he
spoke the gladiator’s name like a caress and reached an arm out to pet
his slick chest. Antinious nearly had a fit, growling low in his throat
and grabbing Angelus’s hand so hard it’d be bruised tomorrow.
Crassus just grinned, and Antinious could see the thought practically
dancing over his face. The slave was a fitting mate for the Animal.

“So where are we going now?” Angelus asked, shaking his hand

to get feeling back into it. He didn’t look the least bit put off by
Antinious’s bestial behavior.

“We’re going to the dining hall for evening meal, and then we’re

going back to my cell,” the Gaul murmured. He couldn’t stop
touching Angelus quite often. In the five minutes they’d been moving
from the pit to the dining hall, he hadn’t been able to keep his hands
off of him. It wasn’t anything overtly sexual. It was the little touches,
the subtle ones, a hand on the hip, a finger tracing the slave’s spine, a
sniff in his direction just to pick up his scent. Antinious had it bad for
the little imp.

“I should probably put in an appearance upstairs. I haven’t been

there all day, and they’re probably wondering where I am.”

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“Somehow I sincerely doubt it,” Antinious said dryly. “The

guards report the guests of the Ludus every hour. Everyone knows
exactly where you’re at. If Dominus wanted you, he’d summon you.”

* * * *

Angelus started. He had thought he was cleverly hiding in plain

sight in the Ludus. He thought he was escaping the villa for the day.
Apparently, Dominus had simply allowed his leash to extend. The
idea grated on him. He reminded himself that, in a matter of days, he
would be a freeman again. He wouldn’t just be a freeman. He would
be the owner of a villa even vaster than the Dominus’s.

“Great,” he answered finally, unaware that he’d taken an

extraordinarily long time responding. He forced himself to smile.
“You don’t mind sharing a bite or two of your rations do you?”

Antinious pinned him with a stare that made him shiver all the

way down to his toes. It was quite a sight to watch. “You’ll owe me
later.” Antinious knew that the heat he put into his gaze told Angelus
exactly how he was going to be making up for it.

* * * *

The dining hall was a simple affair. Cobblestone floors and plain

unfinished-wood tables with long benches on either side were spread
throughout the space. In the winter, when it grew cold and the chill
seeped into the bones of the gladiators, the table closest to the fire had
the most coveted seats in the hall. But now, during the peak of
summer, the tables nearest the door were in high demand. The Animal
shouldered his way onto one of the cooler benches with a growl, and
Crassus shoved one of the younger gladiators off his seat entirely,
dumping him onto the floor. Angelus was amazed that no one turned
around and knocked them both out for the acts of aggression.

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“There is a definite pecking order around here,” Angelus noted as

he was pulled into Antinious’s lap. It was positively uncivilized by
Roman standards.

“We do what we have to do. Favored tables get the biggest portion

of food and the best utensils,” Antinious explained. He motioned to
the simple clay plate, a bronze knife, and spoon. “Most tables only
have a spoon or a knife. We have them both.”

“Not to mention our cups don’t have cracks in them so we can

take our time finishing our drinks,” Crassus added. He picked up his
utensils and began banging them on the table. Other gladiators
followed suit until the entire hall was banging cups, fists, and utensils
on the uneven oak surface.

“What are they doing?” Angelus yelled over the cacophony of

noise. Antinious grinned and picked up his own cup to bang on the
plate.

“They’re letting the servants know that we’re ready to eat,” he

hollered back. Angelus rolled his eyes. That was the stupidest thing
he’d ever heard of. These men really were barbarians.

A cheer lit up the air as the brown cotton curtain was drawn back

and a line of simply clad servants carrying several pots, baskets, and
pitchers came into the room. Raucous catcalls were directed at the
better-looking slaves of the group, and some gladiators were bold
enough to pull a few of them into their laps to grope before shoving
them away to the laughter of the table. The slaves placed their wares
in the middle of the table and then all hell broke loose. There was no
table etiquette here. They reached out and grabbed whatever they
damn well pleased, reaching their unwashed hands into breadbaskets
and using the ladles to fill their plates until they overflowed with
food. It looked like pure chaos, but there was an order in it. Antinious
got his share first, double the amount he probably normally got
because he was feeding Angelus as well. Next Crassus got his fill, and
from there, order went on.

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“Eat,” Antinious commanded, forking a big thick chunk of meat

with his knife into his mouth. He took a long time to chew and
speared a sauce-soaked vegetable and shoved it at Angelus. The
slave’s nose wrinkled. Boiled meats and soups were not proper food
for Romans. Correction, they weren’t proper food for Roman nobles.
Even as a slave, Angelus was used to proper Roman fare. The
Dominus often shared his elaborate meals, wines, and desserts with
Angelus. In that way, slavery had been nothing unusual for the young
noble’s diet. Instead of munching on the proffered sauce-slicked
vegetable, he tore off a hunk of bread and tried not to gag at the
staleness. Antinious’s eyes narrowed.

“The food not to your liking?” he asked with a touch of sarcasm.

He spooned another bit of meat into his mouth. Angelus swallowed
and tried to think of a way to be polite. The Gaul held up a hand to
keep him from talking. He swallowed his meal and spoke. “I can tell
that you don’t like the food by the look on your face. Don’t try to lie
to me. Why don’t you at least try the stew before you turn your pretty
nose up at it?”

Angelus sighed as his gladiator speared another bit of meat,

swirled it around in the sauce, and presented it to him on the end of
his knife. His mind rebelled at the idea of putting it in his mouth.

“Eat it,” Antinious demanded, glaring at Angelus until he sighed

and leaned forward. He closed his eyes and took it into his mouth,
making sure that it didn’t hit too much of his tongue. He let it sit there
for a long minute before he worked up the nerve to place it in between
his molars and start chewing. His eyes popped open in surprise as the
flavor hit his taste buds.

“Oh!” he exclaimed with his mouth full. The meat was succulent

and saucy, nothing too exotic but a little spicy from something he
couldn’t name. It was delicious. “This is pretty good,” he murmured,
working hard to finish chewing and swallow. Antinious smiled,
completely unaware that he drew the eyes of more than one gladiator
at the table for doing so.

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“You’d be amazed what you’ll find that you enjoy whenever you

try something new,” Antinious said sagely. “The food is designed to
create and maintain muscle mass, so it’s a lot of protein and spices
that are good for your health. Dominus believes that feeding us well
will enable us to do better in battle.”

Angelus finally swallowed. “Remind me to thank the Dominus for

contributing to that wonderful physique of yours, gladiator,” he
teased.

Antinious ruffled his hair and pinched his lover’s backside. “I was

given that by the gods and no one else. I said he believed that it
contributed to our doing well in battle. I didn’t say it was true.”
Angelus smiled and watched as Antinious soaked a bit of bread in the
sauce from the stew before popping it into his mouth. He followed his
example and did the same. Hmmm, it’s a lot better this way.

The Gaul shifted him on his lap so that his backside pressed

against the half-hard dick in the gladiator’s pants. Angelus poked him
in the ribs and gave him an incredulous look, blushing.

“Has it escaped your notice that we are not alone?” he asked in a

hiss. The Animal shrugged. He obviously didn’t care who was
watching. It was something that Angelus admired about Antinious. He
was brutally honest and strong in everything he did. His unapologetic
affection was terribly endearing. How am I ever going to leave you?
How am I ever going to be able to walk away from the first thing in
the world to make me happy?

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Chapter Twenty-One

“I’m sorry about your brother,” Antinious murmured gruffly,

tracing the shell of Angelus’s ear before trailing down his neck to
touch his collarbone and shoulder with his fingertip. They’d just
finished with their third round of manic coupling, and Angelus was
quite sure that he could die at the moment and not give a damn.

“It’s okay. I hadn’t seen him in years. It wasn’t like we were very

close when we lived together, either. It’s just…I always felt like I had
to take care of him, you know?” He snuggled deeper into the
gladiator’s arms and kissed his chest. “Braccai had a lot of problems
that he just wasn’t able to deal with.”

“You have a kind heart underneath that smug exterior, Angelus.”

Antinious was petting his hair now, his hands a rhythmic glide that
was extremely soothing. Angelus felt his eyes growing heavier. He
hadn’t realized how tired he’d been all day.

“I’ll take that as a compliment, you Gallic jackass,” Angelus

slurred. A strong hand tugged on his beaded braid, and Angelus
grunted as his head was turned upward so that Antinious could look
him in the face.

“I am glad you came to me,” Antinious stated. “I was pleased that

you thought of me when you were in pain.” He paused. “I would
spare you any kind of pain if I could.”

Angelus blushed. Gods, he wished the Animal hadn’t said that. It

sounded as if Antinious…cared. He only had one more week with the
gladiator. He needed to start pulling away now. He sat up and looked
down at Antinious. The giant looked completely at ease in his
position, his hand absently rubbing the ridges of his muscular

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stomach. His eyes met Angelus’s with an honest look of spent
pleasure. “I…thank you,” Angelus murmured. He looked away,
unable to hold Antinious’s gaze.

The gladiator frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“My brother wasn’t the only news I got today,” Angelus spoke

before he could formulate an efficient excuse. He winced. Stupid! He
felt like screaming. You should’ve just said that you were tired. He
didn’t want to tell Antinious tonight. He didn’t want to ruin this
moment between them. He didn’t want to ruin this newly developed
intimacy that had taken shape over the past week. Every time they
were together, they got closer, and Angelus wanted to end that
closeness on his own terms.

Antinious sat up, suspicion clearly evident in his gaze. “What

news? What happened, Angelus?”

“I…” Angelus bit his lip. What could he say? Did he confess that

he was being freed? That seemed like a betrayal somehow. Would
Antinious hate him for his freedom? He would probably lose his
respect if the gladiator found out he was just another spoiled Roman
noble.

“Answer me, Angelus,” the Animal commanded. “Tell me what’s

wrong. I’ll fix it. Whatever it is. I’ll fix it. So you mustn’t look at me
like that. Where is your fire, kitten? We can get through it, if you’d
just trust me. Was it that slave, Joshua? Did he touch you?”

Angelus’s eyes squeezed shut. Oh gods. He does care. He cared

enough to help him out of whatever perceived mess Angelus had
gotten himself into. Gentle hands gripped his arms, forcing him to
open his eyes.

“Tell me,” the Gaul said gently. His golden eyes were the kindest

Angelus had ever seen them. Angelus gave him a helpless look and
sighed.

“I’m leaving in a week.” A myriad of emotions crossed the

gladiator’s face. Shock, anger, and disbelief passed quickly over
Antinious’s chiseled features.

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“What in the name of Hades do you mean you’re leaving in a

week?” Antinious demanded. The grip on the slave’s arms tightened
painfully.

“I mean that I am being given to Gaius Flavius Virilis.” Angelus

gave his father’s name. “Dominus and he have come to an
arrangement concerning me, and a brigade is coming at the end of the
week to collect me.”

“This was rather important news to keep from me all damn day!”

the Animal snapped, rage turning his face a dull shade of purple.
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me earlier?”

Angelus squirmed as Antinious’s fingers bit even harder into his

arms. “I didn’t want to ruin this thing between us. I…After hearing
about my brother, I just wanted to enjoy our time together. You
know?” He winced. “You’re hurting me!” he snapped. Instantly,
Antinious’s hands loosened and rubbed the bruised flesh
apologetically.

“I’m sorry,” the gladiator murmured, kissing Angelus’s cheek.

The anger was still brimming beneath the surface, but he seemed to
have control of it now. Only with Angelus did it seem as if he was
able to circumvent its usual path of destruction. “Gods, Angelus,” he
whispered, crushing the slave to his body in a bone-crunching hug.
“Let me work on this. Let me talk to the Dominus. We’ll work it out
somehow. I’ll find a way to keep you by my side. I can. I’m not ready
to lose you yet.”

“Please don’t. I don’t want to cause you any trouble, and the deal

is already done. Dominus has already made up his mind.” Angelus
leaned up and kissed Antinious’s mouth. “Please, Animal,” he begged
as the gladiator refused to respond. “Let’s just enjoy the time we have
together and forget about everything else.”

Angelus clung to him, kissing him like he hadn’t spent the last

three hours being taken by the gladiator. Antinious’s mouth opened
under the assault and welcomed his slave’s tongue inside him. He

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dreaded leaving the gladiator. Fate, it seemed, was laughing at him
once again.

“Please, Master, touch me,” he pleaded, needing his lover with a

depth that defied all logic. He beckoned him between his thighs,
uncaring that he probably wouldn’t be able to walk tomorrow.

“Whatever you need, Angelus. Whatever you need is yours.” It

sounded like a vow, a promise, and it went straight to Angelus’s
suddenly weeping erection. Why his misery had translated into pure
lust, he’d never know, but gods knew that he needed Antinious right
now.

The gladiator wasted no time moving between his thighs. He put

both on Angelus’s legs on either side of his head, exposing his tight
entrance for a better penetration. Being bent over like bread was
becoming one of Angelus’s favorite positions.

Antinious took his cock in hand and pushed it against the already

slick hole. “Mine,” the gladiator growled. Yes. Yours. All yours. Oh
Gods, Antinious, Master, need. Need so much.

Instead of the hard ride that Angelus was accustomed to though,

Antinious fucked him slowly, gently, loving him with his body in a
way he hadn’t before. It nearly had Angelus crying at the sheer beauty
of the act.

He clung to the Animal, falling deeper and deeper underneath the

spell that was Antinious. The gladiator’s cock rubbed his pleasure
spot over and over, slowly building him to a release that had him
gasping his lover’s name like it was an invocation of a prayer.

“Love. Oh, love. Antinious.” The broken words were all he could

manage. Antinious followed him over the edge, groaning his
satisfaction as he, too, went over the edge of pleasure.

In the aftermath all Angelus could do was cling to the other man

and pray that dawn never came. I want to stay with you forever. But
forever only lasted one more week.

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Chapter Twenty-Two

Antinious made sure Angelus was sent to the market with a couple

other slaves when he asked Eamon to arrange an audience with the
Dominus. It was three days until Angelus’s departure, and it was
killing him. His beast demanded that he claim Angelus and not let
him go. Every second they were together only bound them that much
tighter to one another, but the day for the slave’s departure
approached all too quickly.

“Come in. Come in.” Dominus’s voice reached him from where

he stood at attention out in the hallway. He’d never asked to see the
Dominus. Ever. The most he’d ever done to the man was growl, and
the closest he’d ever come to him was the night he’d been bought at
the slave auction. The Dominus clearly realized that Antinious being
here at all meant something. He took a deep breath and stepped
through the door.

Dominus was standing in his pale blue robes at the entrance to the

balcony that overlooked the pit. It was where he usually sat to
entertain the guests to the Ludus, showing off his gladiators as they
practiced. It had always disgusted him, but he certainly wouldn’t
express that now.

“Dominus,” Antinious greeted with a nod of his head. It was

usually polite to bow, but the Animal refused to debase himself
without it being demanded of him. The short, fat man turned and gave
him a nod of approval. His expression was jovial. Crassus must’ve
given it to him good last night.

“What can I do for you, Animal?” Dominus asked, motioning for

him to come forward. Two soldiers flanked him as he went. None of

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them trusted the Animal of Gaul. He was too unpredictable, too
volatile, too capricious for their tastes.

Antinious cleared his throat and reminded himself that he was

doing this for Angelus. “I wanted to speak to you about a slave named
Angelus. Do you know the one?”

Dominus frowned and nodded. “Yes, I know the one. He’s a

pretty boy with your colors in his hair. I’ve known about your
involvement for some time. Why do you ask?”

The gladiator swallowed. “You know I bring a lot of coin to the

Ludus. I make you more money than any three of your gladiators
combined.”

“Go on,” Dominus said. His eyes were narrowed in suspicion, and

Antinious knew that he’d have to tread carefully.

“I greatly favor Angelus. I obviously have great attachment to him

and would like to keep him in my bed. I know he has been given to
another wealthier patron, but I beg Dominus to reconsider.” The
Dominus snorted. Antinious bit the inside of his cheek to keep from
throttling the little man.

“Why would I do that? He is paying for Angelus’s service far

more than what you can afford to give me in coin.”

“I would give you every penny I make in my gladiatorial matches

and volunteer for additional commissions for the rest of my service,”
Antinious offered recklessly.

“You could die in the matches next week, and I would have lost

an ally and gained nothing.” Dominus cupped his considerable belly
and sighed. “Normally, I would go out of my way to keep you
cooperative but…I can’t undo this deal. You can have your pick of
any of the other slaves in the house. Think of it as my gift to you for
having to take away your favorite slave. The new one will be
exclusively yours for the term of your service.”

Antinious clenched his fists. He didn’t want another slave. He

wanted Angelus.

“I’m being generous here, Animal.”

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The Gaul didn’t trust himself to speak.
“Animal?” Dominus questioned.
He gave a curt nod. “Excuse me, Dominus.” He turned on his

heels and stalked toward the door.

He made it to the stairwell that led to the cells before he snapped.

One of the soldiers made the mistake of putting his hand on
Antinious’s back. He turned with a snarl, grabbing the soldier’s wrist
and tossing him over his shoulder and down the stairs. The other
guard let out a curse and scrambled to subdue the gladiator. The
Animal’s fist collided with his jaw before he could pull his sword.
Distantly, Antinious heard the heavy footsteps of reinforcements
coming his way. Then he was covered in bodies, struggling to
breathe, struggling to move, growling like the animal they had made
him. He was seconds away from shifting into his feral form, seconds
away from ripping into guards with not his fists but his fangs and
claws.

“Antinious! Antinious!” A familiar voice was screaming at him. A

hand pressed against his throat, trying to apply enough pressure to cut
off the air long enough to knock Antinious out. Antinious twisted his
head, snapping that hand in between his strong teeth.

“Fuck! Dammit, Animal! Ease off, you stupid prick!” Antinious

blinked, reality coming back to him. Crassus’s furious face glared
down at him as he jerked his now-bleeding hand out of Antinious’s
mouth.

“He’s back,” Crassus said to the soldiers. They looked on with

matching expressions of distrust and terror on their faces. “Someone
find Angelus,” the gladiator commanded. The soldiers hesitated. “Go
find Angelus. He should be on his way back from the market. I’ll go
put him back in his cell.” Still they hesitated. “Shall I let you all deal
with him then?” Crassus asked. They shook their heads in unison and
fled. Crassus breathed out a sigh of relief. “You’re lucky I got to you
before they decided to use your body as a pincushion.”

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Antinious just growled. “They’re going to take him away from

me.” He groaned. His soul was wild and filled with animal pain. His
human side couldn’t even process this. “I just found him, Crassus. I
can’t lose him.” Pity filled the other gladiator’s eyes.

“It’s already done, Antinious. Let it go.”
Antinious shut his eyes and shook his head. “I can’t. He’s…he’s

mine.”

“He’s not who you think he is, Antinious.” Crassus sighed and

drew the Animal to his feet.

“What do you mean?” the Gaul demanded. Crassus shook his

head and didn’t answer.

They walked in silence down to the cell block, and Antinious

willingly went into his room. He didn’t even protest when Crassus
shut and locked the gate behind him. The other gladiator leaned
against the bars from the outside and looked upon his friend.

“Angelus will be here in a few minutes to soothe those wounds

you keep trying to tear open,” he spoke as Antinious began to pace
back and forth across the floor like a caged beast.

“I should be in the pit,” Antinious stated, ignoring Crassus’s

words.

Crassus snorted. “Not with that temper so close to the surface, you

shouldn’t. You’d kill one of us without meaning to at the rate you’re
going. Let Angelus soothe you. Gods help the Ludus once he’s gone.”

“What did you mean upstairs when you said that Angelus wasn’t

who I thought he was?” Antinious suddenly remembered those
mysterious words and locked eyes with his friend. Crassus was the
first to look away.

“You don’t need to worry about that. Suffice is to say he’s not

nearly as much of a victim as you’re making him out to be.”

“Well, how do you know that?” Antinious pushed. He didn’t like

the way Crassus was acting. The mystery did not bode well for his
peace of mind.

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Crassus hesitated. “I hear many things from the Dominus, and

I’ve heard a lot lately about your slave. He’s not what you think he is.
Leave it at that.”

“No,” the Gaul snapped. “Don’t treat me like I can’t handle hard

truths, Crassus. If there is something you know about Angelus that
would affect us, I need to know. Is he being coerced? Does he know
the man who is going to be his new master? What is really going on?”

“You’re not going to like hearing this,” Crassus muttered, raking a

hand through his short, light brown locks.

“Tell me anyway,” Antinious pressed.
“He’s…His name is Angelus Flavius Virilis. He is the son of the

man who is coming to take him away. His father bought out the rest
of his contract of service, and he will be free in three days’ time.
There are a lot of details that I’m unsure of, but suffice it to say that
he attained his slave status through unconventional channels. Angelus
is a Roman noble.”

Antinious flew at the bars. His collision made the whole structure

rattle with the force of his rage. “You lie!” he yelled, throwing his fist
out between the bars and reaching for Crassus. The other gladiator
took a healthy step back. “He is a foreigner here! No noble would
wear their hair long like he does.”

“He made a vow not to cut his hair until after he earned his

freedom. It was nothing more than that.”

“But–He–We–It can’t be,” the Gaul stammered. “He knows how

much I hate Romans.” His brain short-circuited as he realized what
he’d said. Of course Angelus hadn’t told him he was Roman. Angelus
guarded things about himself like the best politician in the world,
especially if he knew it was something that Antinious might not like.
He sank back like he’d been struck.

“If it’s any consolation, I think he actually cares about you quite a

bit.” It was only after he spoke that Antinious was aware that he was
still there. He grunted.

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“He’s such a liar.” Antinious sat on his bed and rubbed his hands

over his face. “Everything he told me was such a crock of shit.” He
looked up into Crassus’s sympathetic face and sank back into the
shadows, embracing the familiar mask he’d always worn in the
Ludus. “He hasn’t told me anything that means anything to him. This
whole time I thought we were getting closer, but the entire time he
was playing me for a fool.” His animal had been wrong. He had to be.
It was Angelus’s lies that had his beast saying crazy stuff about being
mated to the boy.

“I didn’t say that,” Crassus corrected. “You know what you two

are engaged in is more than a sexual flirtation. You’re getting hung up
on the details. You may not know those details, but you know the man
he is, Antinious. You know him better than he knows himself.”

“Get out,” Antinious snapped. “I don’t want to hear you being his

advocate. He can be his own advocate when he gets here. I don’t want
you here. Go back to the pit. I’ll talk to you later.” Crassus understood
a dismissal when he heard one. He turned without a word and walked
away.

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Chapter Twenty-Three

Angelus was frantic by the time they reached the front gate. The

guards that had met him on the road back to the villa had been
roughed up and anxious to have him hurry back to the Ludus. All they
told him was that the Animal had caused some sort of upheaval and
he’d been commanded back to the Animal’s cell immediately. Gods,
what had happened? Had Antinious lost that infamous temper of his?

“Where is he?” he demanded as soon as he reached the front

entrance.

“Waiting in his cage where he belongs.” A short, bald Ludus slave

with a hard slash for a mouth spoke. “The key is hanging outside as
per usual. Let yourself in.” Angelus didn’t need to be told twice.

He slowed his gate as he neared Antinious’s block. The last thing

he wanted was his gladiator to see him in such a panic. He was so
overprotective sometimes. He stood outside the bars and stared inside.
Antinious sat on his bed with his eyes closed. He’d stripped out of his
clothes, but the shadows did the job that the clothes would’ve done.
They hid his flesh so that only strips of that marvelous tan skin
danced with the light as he swayed to a beat only he could hear.

“What mess have you managed to get yourself into, Gaul?” He

tried to make his voice light as possible. His gladiator froze. He was
having a difficult time reading Antinious’s emotions. His gladiator
wasn’t moving a muscle, and there was a danger in that stillness.

“Nothing a good fuck couldn’t handle, I’m sure,” Antinious

replied dryly. He’d turned his head so that Angelus could see his
gorgeous golden eyes. There was a coldness in those eyes that
Angelus hadn’t seen since their first night together. “Get in here,

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slave.” Angelus frowned but did as he was bid. He slid the key in the
lock and let himself inside.

“Are you all right, Antinious?” he asked, approaching the bed.
“Don’t you dare speak my name, slave,” Antinious snarled,

launching himself off the bed and tackling Angelus to the ground.
They hit hard but the gladiator absorbed most of the impact by rolling
Angelus beneath them. The slave blinked at the sudden change in
height.

“I’m…sorry, Master. I didn’t know…I was just worried about

you. What’s going on?” Angelus was on the verge of panic. He
reached up to touch the side of Antinious’s face only to have it
snatched from the air and ground into the sand above his head. It took
only an instant for the gladiator to take possession of the other wrist
as well and pin it beside its mate on the floor. Antinious set the hard
edge of his teeth against the slave’s neck, pinching the skin there.

“Ouch! Dammit, Animal. What is going on?” Angelus asked. He

started to struggle. Something didn’t feel right. This didn’t feel right.

“Tell me something real,” the gladiator demanded, raising his

head up so that they were nose to nose. “Tell me anything real.”

Angelus swallowed and let everything he was feeling bubble up in

his eyes. “I have never felt for anyone what I feel for you,” he said
sincerely. There. He’d said it. Finally. He’d been aching to tell
Antinious that for days.

The slave’s confession only seemed to incite the gladiator more.

“Liar!” the Animal snapped, baring his teeth. Angelus shook his head
in confusion and denial.

“No. I’d never lie to you over something that important. Never.

Gods, Antinious…Master. Tell me what’s wrong. Please.” He added
the last in desperation. They didn’t have much time together. He
couldn’t bear it if they spent their last days fighting.

“Did you ever tell me anything that was real, Angelus?” Instead of

giving Angelus time to answer, he offered another question. “Did you
really sculpt? Or was that a lie as well?”

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“I never lied to you!” Angelus snapped defensively. He hadn’t

lied to him. He’d hidden things from him and told him things that
weren’t important, but he’d never lied.

“Then why didn’t you tell me you were a Roman aristocrat?”

Antinious screamed. All the blood drained out of Angelus’s face, and
the gladiator went in for the kill. “Oh yes, Angelus Flavius Virilis, I
know all about where you’re going after you leave this place. I
begged the Dominus. Begged him, Angelus. To buy you. I offered up
my freedom, my money, my body, everything I had in exchange to
keep you. Imagine my surprise when I find out that you’ve been lying
to me all this time.” Angelus remained silent, tears pooling in his
eyes. “I told you things. Intimate things about me. I trusted you!
Dammit, Angelus, I cared about you!”

“I didn’t want…I didn’t want you to hate me,” Angelus

whispered.

“Too late for that,” Antinious sneered. “I do hate you, Angelus. I

hate you with everything I am.”

“No. Please. Antinious. Master. Please.” Small broken words

found their way out of Angelus’s mouth before he could call them
back. He sounded small and wounded to his ears. The tremendous
weight of his pride was curiously absent. He felt defeated. He closed
his eyes and shook his head. This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t
handle looking into Antinious’s face and seeing the rage he’d put
there, the rage he’d worked so hard to circumvent over the past two
weeks.

A noise of frustration filled the cell. “You disgust me,” the

Animal snarled. He pushed off the slave, and the weight was gone.
“Get out,” he commanded. “Get out until I can calm down enough to
look at you.”

Angelus scrambled to his feet and shot another glance at the

gladiator. Antinious was already cocooned in shadows. Those
shadows had been his hideaway before, and now they were again. It
was where he belonged. He reached up and touched the braids that

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were wound in his hair. Symbolic tokens of affection. Useless.
Meaningless.

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry,” he whispered, slipping through

the door and closing it behind him. He didn’t even care if it was
locked. Antinious didn’t need to seek him out to own his heart. He’d
done a swell job of taking possession of it in that cell.

With nowhere to go and nothing to do, Angelus sat heavily on the

ground in the small courtyard that divided the Ludus from the villa
and wept.

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Chapter Twenty-Four

“How much is Angelus’s father worth?” Antinious wondered,

looking into the bottom of his wine cup for what seemed like the
hundredth time tonight. It had been two days since he’d last seen
Angelus, and as the sun set, he knew the time was fast approaching
for his departure. He’d been in the dining hall since just after practice
had concluded, drowning himself in wine.

“He’s a richer man than the Dominus. I’ve heard that he has

estates all throughout the Republic. Apparently, he’s a very well-
known politician.” Crassus had indulged his moods over the past few
days. Most of it involved Antinious drinking himself into a stupor
night after night. Antinious frowned and signaled a servant for
another refill to his cup. A plan was forming in his mind that was near
suicide.

“Do you think he’d ransom Angelus?” he asked carefully. Instead

of chugging the wine like he had been the past few hours, he sipped.
He wanted a reasonably clear head while he contemplated the
possibilities.

Crassus shot him a look. “I’m sure. He’s the favorite son

apparently. Antinious…Why don’t you just call him to your cell?
You’re going to be losing him tomorrow. Why don’t you just put
aside his minor deception for just a moment and realize that your
anger isn’t worth not seeing him?”

“Why do you care so much?” Antinious asked suspiciously.

Crassus shifted uncomfortably, and Antinious nearly missed it. What
the hell?

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“We’ve spoken as I come and go from Dominus’s chamber,” he

admitted. “He’s worried about you. Asks about you constantly. He
looks…rough, Antinious. He hasn’t slept, he’s not eating. He’s
miserable.”

Antinious repressed the urge to wince. He forced himself to retain

his cold exterior. “Good. I’m returning the favor.”

“Don’t be such an ass, Animal,” Crassus snapped. “He’s a sweet

boy.”

“If you think that, then you don’t know him. He plays sweet and

obedient and submissive, but really he’s a mouthy little shit with a
temper that flares with sarcasm at any given moment. He’s a
deceptive, beautiful brat.”

“Call him, Antinious. Do you really want to spend the last night

he’s in the villa alone?”

Antinious ignored him. “Do you crave your freedom, Crassus?”
The other gladiator sighed. “You know I do, Animal. I long to

return to Thrace and my city. However, we both know that Dominus
will never let either of us buy our freedom. We bring too much
money, and he likes to fuck with me too much. Why do you ask?”

“Dominus has left for Rome, has he not?”
Crassus nodded slowly. “Aye, that’s why I’m here with you

instead of in the villa.”

“You can come and go as you please between the houses. All the

guards have been told that you’re allowed to do as you wish.”

“What’s your point, Animal?”
“Eamon and Dominus are out of the villa. It could be days until

anyone realized we were gone.”

Crassus blinked. “We couldn’t escape on foot. The guards would

have us before we got out of Capua.”

“Not on foot,” Antinious stated. He had a dreamy look on his face.
“Speak plainly, Animal!” Crassus snapped. He was probably sick

of Antinious speaking in riddles and generally making an ass out of
himself without the least provocation.

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“We could steal Angelus’s caravan. A brigade is coming to get

him. That’s four men. You could easily meet them as they’re coming
down the hill and disarm them. They’ll have enough supplies to take
him all the way to the northern provinces. Without the extra guards,
we’ll have enough supplies to carry us all the way to Gaul. My village
lies just north of the Alps. It’s the best months to travel over them.
We may not have another chance like this again.”

“And how exactly are we going to stow away on the supply

wagon?” Crassus asked skeptically.

“You’ll leave the villa early, sneak aboard, and wait for me. I’ll

summon Angelus to me tonight. I’ll make up to him so that he’ll let
me see him off tomorrow. I’ll ask for some time alone with him and
stow away. We’ll take the guards outside the city and hold him
hostage until we get to our lands. It’s a perfect plan, and it’ll be a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We may never get this chance again.”

Crassus sighed and raked a hand through his hair, glancing around

nervously. “It’s a good plan, but if we’re caught, Dominus will have
us crucified.”

“Better to die free than live as cowards and slaves. What

difference does it make between death at the hand of the Dominus and
death at the hand of another gladiator?” The plan gave Antinious an
adrenaline-laced thrill. Freedom had never been so close a possibility.

Crassus chewed his bottom lip and regarded him with concerned

eyes. “You know, by doing this, you will have betrayed Angelus
completely. You’ll be using him to gain your freedom. He’ll never
forgive you for this.”

The Animal shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. He betrayed me when

he lied to me. I think it will serve as an adequate revenge for making
me look like a fool.”

“And what do you plan to do with him once we reach Gaul?”

Crassus demanded, crossing his arms across his chest. “I will not have
him harmed.”

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Antinious gritted his teeth at the protectiveness in Crassus’s voice.

No one had the right to protect Angelus but him. “I’ll send him back
to Rome with his tail tucked between his legs. The humiliation will
soothe my pride and make us even.”

Crassus sighed, and Antinious couldn’t help but understand his

dilemma. He didn’t like using Angelus, but he wanted his freedom
more than he felt obligated to take care of a slave he hadn’t known
that long. He shot Crassus a glance. Maybe the time would serve them
both well. The taste of freedom was something he couldn’t deny even
if he’d wanted to. He hoped Crassus would just let Angelus and
himself work out their tensions on the path home.

“Agreed. I’ll go, Antinious, for you.” Crassus stood. Antinious’s

heart hammered in anticipation. He raised his cup in a salute.

“For freedom or death,” the Animal pledged, taking a deep gulp of

his wine. Crassus took up his own cup and drained a good amount.

“For freedom or death,” he agreed.

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Chapter Twenty-Five

“Why should I give him the time of day?” Angelus demanded.

He’d been sleeping in the slave hall when Crassus had shaken him
awake, and he was none too happy about it. He’d been engaged in the
first fleeting glimpse of sleep he’d had in days. “Crassus, you know
how much he hurt me.” He sighed and pushed the tangled mass of his
hair out of his face. “I just want to forget the entire thing.”

“Yet you still wear his beads. That must mean something,

Angelus,” the gladiator wheedled. Angelus reached up and caressed
the braid.

“I don’t want to be screamed at tonight, Crassus,” Angelus

whispered. “I can’t stand for him to look at me like a wolf stalking
prey.”

“He wants to apologize to you about that. You took him by

surprise when he found out you were a noble, Angelus. Give him a
chance to right the wrongs he’s done to you. He cares about you, and
you’re leaving tomorrow. Say good-bye to him at least.”

Angelus thought for a long moment. Could he do this? He did owe

Antinious an explanation if nothing else. The slave chewed on the
inside of his cheek. He still cared for him. Was it worth the possible
pain to see him again?

“Take me to him,” he heard himself say. His heart had made up

his mind for him, it seemed.

Crassus nodded and patted the slave on the head. “Well done,

little one. Come this way.”

* * * *

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Angelus was surprised to find Antinious’s cell well lit and almost

welcoming as they approached it from the hall. A few well-placed
candles dispelled the darkness that was usually found there, and a
fresh blanket was laid on the bed to add to the appeal. However, it
was the Gaul himself that was the most surprising aspect of this
wonderland that Angelus had walked into. He was dressed in a fresh
tunic, and he looked like he had recently come from the baths.
Around his neck he wore a beaded necklace that was similar to the
ones that were twined in Angelus’s hair. He looked civilized and
approachable, the exact opposite of everything that he’d come to
know about the Animal of the Gauls.

“Thanks, Crassus,” Antinious directed at Crassus, but his eyes

were for Angelus alone. Angelus swallowed nervously and slipped
into the cell. The other gladiator shut the door behind him and locked
it.

“I’ll come to unlock you at dawn. Good luck,” Crassus murmured.

He reached through the bars and touched Angelus’s shoulder before
turning and striding away.

“So what is this?” Angelus asked, motioning to the cell and all of

its changes. He hadn’t moved toward Antinious. He still didn’t trust
this new welcoming attitude of the gladiator. “Last time I saw you,
you told me that I disgusted you and to never speak to you again.”

“I was a fool,” Antinious murmured, sitting on the edge of his

mattress in an effort to appear less threatening. “I was in shock and
didn’t know how to deal with losing you.”

Angelus let out a bark of laughter. “As you tell me all the time,

don’t lie to me, Animal.” He crossed his arms across his chest and
glared. “I don’t buy this. You’re playing me. I just don’t know why.”

“I’m not playing with you, Angelus. I’m trying to apologize here.

I felt vulnerable and acted like an ass. I don’t want to spend the last
few hours I have with you arguing over something stupid. I forgive

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you for deceiving me. Now, get over here and let me make it up to
you.”

“You can’t just snap your fingers and have me jump into your

arms like nothing happened!” Angelus snapped, fury no doubt
darkening his eyes to a deep forest green.

“What do you want me to do, Angelus?” Antinious growled. “Do

you want me to beg? Do you want me to get on my knees and beg
your forgiveness?”

“For a start! Yes!” the slave sneered, knowing that he wouldn’t do

it. The Animal was too dominant and too proud to submit to such a
thing.

To Angelus’s utter shock, Antinious’s knees hit the sand and he

crawled toward the smaller man, though it looked more like a big
predator stalking his prey than a contrite submissive begging
forgiveness. Angelus shook his head, backing up until he hit the bars.
This was fucked up. So wrong. He didn’t want to bring his proud
gladiator so low.

“S–stop,” he stammered as Antinious reached him. “I don’t

want—”

“Forgive me,” Antinious commanded. He may have been in the

vulnerable position, but his eyes were far from submissive. They still
held that absolute power that Angelus had grown to anticipate and
adore. His tunic was being pushed up to reveal his bare thighs and
unclothed cock.

“Forgive me,” Antinious commanded again, leaning forward and

delivering a hard bite to Angelus’s vulnerable thigh. Angelus couldn’t
help the groan that filled the air at the movement.

“Forgive me,” Antinious repeated. He licked the bite mark he’d

made before kissing a trail up his legs. Angelus whimpered, his hips
starting to sway in want. This always happened with the Gaul.
Angelus was always overwhelmed by the sheer power of Antinious.
He could no more deny him when he was set on something than he
could deny the rising of the sun.

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“M–master.” Angelus gasped as Antinious swallowed his growing

arousal in one fell swoop. The slave groaned, his hands automatically
going to the shoulders of his lover. His head fell forward in defeat, his
eyes devouring the sight of Antinious servicing his thick cock. He
closed his eyes as his lust rose to a fever pitch. He wasn’t going last
long.

“Am I your Master?” Antinious asked, pulling back and leaving

his salvia-slicked body bare to the air. “You say the word, but do you
mean it?” He sank back down his dick again, and Angelus cried out.

“Yes! Gods! You’ve been my Master ever since I first saw you!”

He groaned again. Little noises of need were coming out in regular
intervals in time with Antinious’s pulls on his body. He felt
ambushed, overwhelmed, caught up in the whirlwind of Antinious’s
touch.

“Oh! Antinious, I’m close!” He cried out the warning as his body

spun out of control. He hadn’t come this quickly since he was a boy
with his first feel of another man. Instantly, a pair of strong hands
squeezed his scrotum, causing him to whimper as his pulse raced. The
threat of damage aroused him further even as the expert touch staved
off his impending orgasm. He tossed his head helplessly. His hands
gripped the tunic hard at Antinious’s shoulders. His legs were shaking
so hard that he knew if he let go of the Animal, he’d fall over.

“Hold onto the bars and don’t move your hands,” Antinious

commanded, gravel in his voice. Eyes rolling into the back of his
head, Angelus obeyed. He hung onto the cold metal for dear life as he
gave himself over to the sensation that Antinious created in him. Was
this punishment or reward? Angelus wasn’t sure. All he knew was
that when Antinious touched him, he ignited into flame.

Then the gladiator was surging to his feet, wrapping Angelus’s

obedient legs around his waist.

“Meant to draw this out,” Antinious admitted in his guttural,

animal tones. “Meant to make this all about your pleasure. But gods,
Angelus, you drive me insane.” Pride filled the slave at his admission.

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Gods, he never felt this good unless he was with his gladiator.
Angelus cried out as he was filled completely with Antinious’s cock
in one hard thrust.

“Fuck!” he screamed. His grip on the bars tightened until his

knuckles were white as he tried to obey Antinious’s command.

The Animal set a hard pace, pounding into Angelus’s tight body

with an edge of desperation that said he’d missed the slave every bit
as much as Angelus had missed him.

“Don’t stop,” he begged, tears of pleasure falling down his face as

he was taken to a level of ecstasy that he hadn’t been aware could
exist.

“Never, kitten,” the gladiator promised. “I’ll never stop.” He

pressed a kiss to Angelus’s mouth. “You’re mine.”

“Yes,” Angelus admitted. “All yours.” His body jerked as he

started to release. “Antinious! Gods! I love you!” he screamed, nearly
blacking out from the intensity of the sensations.

Antinious groaned, losing all control at Angelus’s words. His

body lost all rhythm as his needs took the forefront of consciousness
and drove him on in the pursuit of his own screaming release. He
thrust deep, burying his body inside of Angelus until Angelus didn’t
know where he ended and Antinious began. Finally, he went off the
edge, howling his release for the entire slave block to hear. Spent, he
collapsed against his lover.

* * * *

It was long moments before either one of them regained the ability

to speak. It was Angelus’s panting voice that sounded first. “Some
apology.” He panted. His body was still tingling in the aftermath of
his release, contracting around the softening body of his gladiator,
who was still buried within him. “Remind me to remind you to
misbehave more often.”

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Antinious chuckled against his throat. “I meant to do this on the

bed.” He sighed and licked Angelus’s pulse. “You go to my head
quicker than a cask of Greek wine.” He kissed the slave. “You ruin all
my best-laid plans.”

Angelus grinned. “Forgive me, but I’m feeling completely

unrepentant.” He finally convinced his hands to release the bars above
his head and winced as blood returned to the now-stiff fingers.
Antinious noticed, and he drew one of the hands forward to kiss the
sore knuckles.

“Good boy,” he murmured. Angelus shivered at the unusual

compliment. Some could take the words as patronizing, but, when
Antinious spoke them, all Angelus wanted to do was grin like a fool
and dance around like a drunken idiot. It pleased him to no end to
hear that Antinious was proud of his actions.

“Come,” Antinious commanded, picking up his slave and striding

to the bed. He lowered them both with the utmost care, making sure
not to slip from inside Angelus’s body. The gladiator took his time
arranging Angelus into a comfortable position astride him with the
slave’s head pressed against the cloth above the gladiator’s heart and
his legs framing Antinious’s hips on either side. “Better?”

Angelus nodded sleepily. His eyes drooped, but he refused to give

into the urge to sleep. He didn’t want to lose any of the time he had
left by sleeping.

“You look tired, kitten.” Antinious’s voice was warm again, and

Angelus basked in that warmth.

“Nope,” he denied. “I thought I’d never see you again.” The

thought made his chest contract anew. They’d wasted so much time
with their fight. No matter. I’ll make the most of what we have left. “I
didn’t like the thought.”

“Did you mean what you said?” Antinious asked. He was rubbing

Angelus’s back in slow circles. “Did you mean it when you said you
loved me?”

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Angelus’s eyes slid shut. “Yes. I meant it,” he said quietly. His

hand crept up to pet the side of Antinious’s face. He hoped that his
admission wouldn’t put the gladiator off. “I kept telling myself that I
didn’t care over the past two days but…I can’t deny it. When I’m
with you, everything feels right, and when I’m away from you,
everything feels wrong. I didn’t want to feel like this, but I don’t
regret it. I’ll always remember you with fondness and if we were in
different circumstances, I’d beg you to keep me forever.”

* * * *

Antinious felt the first pangs of guilt at Angelus’s confession. The

words rang true to the gladiator, and he felt like Angelus was showing
his true self for once. He’d never expected the slave to care this
deeply. He never expected himself to care about the slave’s feelings
like he did. He was struggling to hang onto his anger over his lover’s
previous deceptions. Especially since the animal inside of him all but
commanded that he put the past behind them. At first he’d convinced
himself that his animal must’ve been mistaken, must’ve
misinterpreted the way he felt about Angelus, that he couldn’t
possibly be his mate. The angry thoughts felt meaningless at the
moment. It felt so petty next to the revelation that Angelus had just
offered up.

“If it were up to me, I would keep you,” Antinious offered. He felt

like he had to offer his slave something. He’d thought the worst of
Angelus these past couple days, and he hadn’t realized how much
he’d underestimated his lover. He may have been a Roman noble, but
he was also Antinious’s slave and a product of the villa which he’d
served. Perhaps that called for a little break when it came to
Angelus’s dishonesty. The gladiator knew he had to tell Angelus of
his plan for escape. With his help, Antinious was sure that they would
find the trip easier and more successful. He opened his mouth to say
something, but Angelus beat him to it.

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“If you like, I’ll write you once I get to my villa,” Angelus offered

innocently. “I’m sure that, after a year or so, I could convince my
father to allow me to come back to Capua for the games. Perhaps I
could even convince him to purchase you for the house. I could come
up with some kind of argument for my dire need of a big strong Gaul
on the estate.” Antinious went dead silent at the suggestion but
Angelus twittered on obliviously. “That would be wonderful, Master.
I don’t really remember a lot about the estate, but I imagine it’s a little
like Gaul. I wouldn’t make you do anything too strenuous or
anything. Primarily, I’d want you to be my companion. You could
train guards or something.” He smiled. “I may be selfish, though, and
keep you in my bed all day long, waiting for my beck and call.”

Anger eclipsed any tenderness that Antinious had been feeling.

Instead of a wispy promise of freedom, the Roman offered another
form of slavery. He gritted his teeth. His slave was in great need of
correction if he was under the impression that Antinious would ever
be at his beck and call. The reversal of their roles was the most
unnatural, blasphemous suggestion the Gaul had ever heard.
Tomorrow, once they’d gotten away from Capua, Antinious looked
forward to showing the uppity slave the error of his ways in
painstaking detail. He looked forward to showing Angelus exactly
what it meant to be mated to an Animal of Gaul.

“I would like if you wrote me,” the Gaul said, forgoing telling the

slave anything of his plans. In love or not, the boy was still a Roman,
and until Antinious got Angelus thinking like his slave, he wouldn’t
trust him.

“Then I shall. Every week,” Angelus promised. He raised his head

and kissed Antinious’s mouth over and over again. “Gods, I miss you
already.” Antinious kissed his temple as he continued his soothing
strokes. No. He would make no serious changes to his plans for
tomorrow. The only thing he would be amending about the plan was
its conclusion. There was no way he would be letting Angelus go
once they reached Gaul.

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Chapter Twenty-Six

Dawn came all too early. Angelus hadn’t slept a wink. He’d

stayed awake to watch Antinious sleep, drinking in his image as if
trying to memorize every slope and line. He wanted to burn his
Master’s face into his mind so that he need only close his eyes to see
every striking detail of his visage. Crassus’s intrusive knock on the
metal, followed by the familiar creaking sound of a key inserted into
the lock of the cell, made Angelus cringe. No. He didn’t want it to be
over yet. He shut his eyes tight and pretended to sleep.

“Wake up, little one. You must come collect your things,” Crassus

whispered as loud as he dared. The other warriors would not be happy
if they were woken by their talking. Angelus sighed.

“Okay. I’m awake.” He rubbed his cheek against Antinious’s neck

before pushing himself to a sitting position. He was surprised to find
the gladiator’s eyes alert and awake. The slave managed a shy smile
at his lover and tucked his hair behind his ear. “Hi,” he murmured
huskily. Sleepiness made his voice thick and lower than normal.

Antinious’s golden eyes darkened. “Give us five minutes,

Crassus.”

He heard the other gladiator sigh. “Hurry it up. He’s got to get

ready and change before his escort gets here.”

Angelus blinked. “Why did you send him away?” he asked

curiously. Antinious’s eyes deepened to a burnished copper, and he
tugged the slave back into his arms and rolled him beneath him in one
fell swoop. “What are you doing?” Angelus gasped as the gladiator
spread the cheeks of his ass.

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“One more time,” Antinious demanded. “Show me you love me

with every inch of your body.” Angelus whimpered and
enthusiastically obeyed.

The hard prick that was teasing his eager hole slid past the ring of

muscle with ease, sinking into his tight depths and scoring his
pleasure spot with one long thrust forward. He clutched at the
gladiator’s back, urging him on as their bodies smacked together in
vigorous contact. Antinious grunted in tandem to his lunges,
animalistic noises of pleasure coming out of the back of his throat in a
guttural purr of sound. The notes went straight to Angelus’s balls.
Gods, that’s hot. His animal seemed so needy and feral, fascinating.

“Angelus.” The word was an invocation, a demand for Angelus’s

surrender. Something inside him broke at the genuine desire in
Antinious’s voice. He seemed vulnerable in a way he hadn’t been
before.

“Yes. Master. Yours.” He thought that was the most appropriate

thing to say, and the Animal seemed to like it if his increased speed
was any indication. Angelus’s hips writhed in answering adoration as
he took what Antinious gave him and begged silently for more.

That low purr became a roar as Antinious neared his peak, and

nothing seemed more important than reaching orgasm with his
gladiator lover. Don’t ever want this to end. Don’t ever want to stop.
He knew it would in a matter of minutes, but he couldn’t think past
the desire that swallowed him down.

“Now,” Antinious commanded, slamming inside him one last time

before releasing with a groan of satisfaction. Angelus followed him
over the edge. His mind exploded in a kaleidoscope of sound and
color as his body lost all of its control, clamping down on his lover’s
body hard while his dick jerked and erupted in the space in between
their bodies.

After what seemed like eternity, he floated back down to his body,

stroking Antinious’s wide, still-quivering shoulders as he did. “Thank

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you, my Animal.” He wasn’t sure what else to say or what he could
say at that point. It was over. They were done.

* * * *

Angelus winced as he walked up the steps of the villa. Gods, he

was sore! He reveled in the feeling, though, knowing that he’d done
his best to show Antinious exactly how he felt in their lovemaking.
The Animal had asked to see him off, and Angelus had arranged it
without much difficulty. Without Eamon and Dominus in residence,
the gladiators wouldn’t be training until they returned. It was going to
kill him to walk away from Antinious today.

“I’m going to miss you, Angelus,” Joshua greeted, bringing in a

trunk that was a piece of history from his old life. It contained all his
earthly possessions which the Dominus had taken control of when
Angelus had signed his life away. For his going-away gift, the
Dominus had given it back.

“Thank you, Joshy,” Angelus said kindly. He tried very hard not

to let his mind wander back to the beautiful man he was leaving
behind. He sighed. “I don’t know if I’m even going to fit back into
these robes.” He popped the clasp open on the trunk and drew out his
old robes. They were a few years out of fashion, but they would do.
He drew the silky, dark red one out and held it against his chest.

“That’s beautiful, Angelus. Shall I help you dress?” Josh was

gazing at him with starstruck eyes. Angelus shifted uncomfortably.

“No thank you, Joshua. I’m sure Crassus will help me move the

rest when I need him to. Feel free to return to your chores.” The other
slave nodded sadly and stood. “Hey, Joshy,” Angelus called him
back. “You’ve been a really good friend. Thank you.”

Josh gave him a genuine smile of warmth. “You’re welcome,

Angelus. Don’t forget about us, and take care of yourself.”

* * * *

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Angelus shifted as the soldiers his father had sent for him bowed

before him. “Thank you for the escort,” he said kindly as they readied
the horses and had the kitchen staff prepare a light lunch for their
travel. A chorus of “You’re welcome, my lord” sounded as they went
back to their tasks. Wow. That was going to take some getting used to.
No one had called him “lord” in five years.

Strong arms wrapped around his shoulders from behind, causing

him to smile. He turned and looked up into the face of his lover. “Hi,”
he greeted warmly, immediately wrapping his arms around
Antinious’s neck. “I’m surprised they let you out without an armed
guard.” He teased just a little bit, not wanting the moment to be too
serious.

“Hi, yourself. Crassus let me out to say good-bye. Don’t know

how he managed that, but I’m grateful,” the gladiator returned. His
hands wandered down the small of his back to grip the tight globes of
his ass. His animal purred, which caused Angelus to blush. “I like this
color on you. Why haven’t I seen it before?”

Angelus resisted the urge to preen for his attentions. “They were

commissioned when we first moved to Capua. They’re my favorite
color. I wasn’t allowed to have them as a slave.” He was thoroughly
enjoying the gladiator’s notice. He would remember this forever.

“My lord, we’re ready to leave,” the captain of the guard, Brutus,

interrupted. He had a disapproving look on his face, and Antinious
growled. The gladiator was far from appreciatory of the captain’s not-
so-subtle disapproval.

“I’ll be there in just a moment, Brutus.” Angelus made his voice

cold, layering it with the icy tones of aristocracy that he’d been taught
since he was a child. He didn’t notice the look of incredulity that
Antinious shot his way. Brutus gave them both another glare and
trounced off. That one was going to be trouble.

“You should go,” Antinious encouraged, smoothing Angelus’s

hair behind his ear. “It’s going to be a long journey, and you need to

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get started.” The slave sighed. He knew what the gladiator said was
true, but he dreaded walking away.

“Last night was the best night of my life,” Angelus whispered. He

didn’t trust himself to speak. Antinious gave him one of his rare
smiles and leaned forward to kiss him. The smaller man’s heart
constricted. Gods, how can I walk away from this?

“Go, Angelus,” the Gaul commanded, pinching his backside to get

him moving. “Write me when you reach your villa.” They walked
around to the side of the wagon where Angelus was supposed to sit,
and the gladiator gave him a leg up. “Take care of yourself, kitten.”

“I will. You do the same.” Angelus couldn’t say anything else. He

climbed inside and arranged himself comfortably on the pillows
within. They weren’t the finest quality that his father could’ve sent,
but then again, he probably didn’t want to send the best, considering
that there were only four men to protect the three carts worth of items
that would be going to the northern provinces. He waved a hand out
the curtained entrance and watched the gladiator walk around the cart
and out of sight. He sighed. This was going to be a long trip.

Angelus had no desire to see Capua off. He was exhausted from

the night’s excess and emotionally drained. “Figures,” he muttered to
himself as Brutus called out the order to proceed. “It’s the first time in
my life I fall in love, and I fall for a barbarian gladiator. Just when I
think that’ll work out, fate intercedes again to free me.” He sighed
and looked at the golden tan of the inside of his litter. “The gods must
hate me.”

“We’ll be passing through Capua in about a half hour, my lord,”

Brutus called from just outside his resting place. The guard that was
driving muttered something too low for him to hear. “If the boy
doesn’t want to ride on a horse like the rest of us, that’s his business.
Let him sleep,” Brutus’s booming voice replied. Sleeping sounded
like the best idea Angelus had heard in ages. He smiled softly to
himself and laid his head back on one of the down-filled pillows and
let himself drift off to sleep.

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Chapter Twenty-Seven

It felt like he’d just closed his eyes to drift off when a knock on

the side of his cart jolted him out of a pleasant, dreamless sleep.

“W–what is it?” he asked, sticking his head out of the flap of the

covering and glaring up at the driver. He was an older soldier with a
thick gray beard and soft gray eyes with just enough baby fat around
his face and middle to make him appear more youthful than he
probably was.

“We’ve just stopped off at one of the slave houses on the outskirts

of Capua,” the soldier informed him. There was a twinkle in the old
man’s eyes that he didn’t quite like. “Your father has arranged for you
a slave as an early birthday present. It was a surprise, so we didn’t
bring him to the house when we came up.”

A birthday present? Father must be happy to have me back. It was

odd, though. He didn’t remember his father being particularly
generous. Perhaps Braccai’s death had affected the old politician
more than it appeared to on the surface.

“You should probably come out and inspect the goods yourself,

little master.” Brutus rode up beside the wagon and dismounted.
Angelus rubbed the last of the sleep from his tired eyes and nodded.

“Okay…” He stretched and nodded. “I’ll be right out.” He

straightened as much as could in the confined space and attempted to
smooth out his tunic. He didn’t want to enter a slaver’s presence
looking like he didn’t have every right to be there. Maybe he was just
paranoid, but he felt like everyone in Capua would somehow know
that he had been a slave as early as this morning.

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For all his travels back and forth from the villa of his Dominus,

Angelus had never stepped foot in the slave block. The guards bowed
their heads as he climbed out of his cart, and Brutus offered him a leg
to ease his way to the ground.

“Hello, my lord,” the slaver welcomed, kissing Angelus’s hand.
“Huh, my father must’ve spent a pretty penny on my present to

warrant this sort of greeting,” Angelus teased appropriately. It may
have been a while since he’d assumed the role of young noble, but it
was one that his body remembered rather well. It was shocking how
well actually. He felt like a totally different person when he was
wearing this now-unfamiliar mask. Somehow he’d outgrown the skin
of his nobility, and now the slave beneath was struggling against the
tight-fitting skin.

“He wanted the best for his son. The lord wished to gift you with a

special bed slave to welcome you back to the Continent. Tell me, my
lord, how did you find Carthage? I hear you were there on an
extended trip for your father.” The slaver chattered as they walked.
They passed many slaves destined to be household servants, but none
were of the quality that he teased about. Angelus was surprised at how
elaborate the lie that his father told really was. He didn’t know shit
about Carthage.

“The Continent was interesting. Different than what I am used to.

This slave my father bought me, is he as beautiful as you hint about?”
Angelus pretended interest. He hated to disappoint his father or
disrespect his gift, but he had eyes for Antinious alone. It was too
soon to start bedding someone else. It just felt…wrong.

“Oh yes, he’s the finest I’ve had in a long time, and your father

paid top dollar for his addition to your household. He’s sweetly
submissive and has been groomed to maintain youth and beauty,” the
slaver bragged. “You will not be disappointed,” he promised.
Somehow Angelus doubted that.

They’d arrived at a better-decorated part of the slave house. It was

obviously where the slaver conducted business if the thick Berber

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carpets and luxurious chaises were any indication. The room was
decorated in shades of gold and ivory, giving the appearance of
opulence without overdoing it. A simply dressed slave knelt on the
floor by one of the lounge chairs in a perfect subservient position on
his knees.

Angelus’s breath caught as the slave looked up and met Angelus’s

gaze. He was the most beautiful slave he’d ever seen. He was younger
than Angelus’s own twenty-four years, and that youth gave him a
sweet face that seemed to be innocent without even trying. His hair
was bright blond and lay just a bit longer than his ears in an artful
shag. Yet it was his eyes that held the most fascination. They were the
color of amethysts, a purple so deep that they were the perfect shade
of royalty. He gave Angelus a perfect white smile.

“Hello, my lord,” he greeted. His voice was lyrical and accented

with a language that Angelus didn’t recognize.

“Hello, boy,” Angelus returned. “What’s your name?”
“His name is Ever,” the slaver supplied. “He’s from the Isles.

Beautiful, isn’t he?”

“Yes. He is definitely beautiful,” Angelus agreed. “Ever, is it?”

The beauty nodded. “It’s pleasant to make your acquaintance, Ever.”
He turned to the slaver. “Please, put him in my cart, and we’ll be on
our way.”

“Of course, of course. I am sure you are anxious to be on your

way. Ever. Come.” He patted his leg as if he were summoning a dog.
The boy stood hastily and did as he bid.

Angelus frowned. He’d always hated it when Dominus did shit

like that to him. It was degrading as hell. He sighed and schooled his
face to one of impassivity. He couldn’t wait to be out of this place.

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Chapter Twenty-Eight

Antinious was seething from his position in the bottom of the

supply wagon. What the hell was Angelus doing at the slave blocks?
He heard the soldiers talking from outside his hiding place about the
beauty of the slave his slave had just picked up. Had he forgotten
Antinious already? Had he been deceiving him when he’d given
himself over to the gladiator’s control? Somehow Antinious didn’t
think so. Angelus had seemed too genuine…too caught up in their
passion…too real. He bit his lip savagely. It wouldn’t have been the
first time Angelus had deceived him, though. He recalled the rage
he’d felt when he’d found out that his lover was a noble soon to be
freed by his wealthy father. Yes, his slave was capable of deception.

Crassus had a better view of their surroundings from his own

hiding place toward the back of the supply cart. He’d managed to pull
out a small section of fabric that covered the supplies to see the
countryside. Once they were far enough outside the city, he was
supposed to knock twice on the box where Antinious’s foot rested.
Before they reached the main road, they had to pass through a
smaller, less-traveled country pass, and it was there that they planned
to overtake the guards. The gladiator fingered the blade that rested
beside him. It was duller than he would’ve preferred and shorter, but
it was all he had time to grab and conceal. If they disarmed the
guards, they’d be able to pick up better weapons, but for now, this
was what he had to deal with.

“How’s it going, Animal?” Crassus’s voice whispered from

somewhere behind him. Antinious winced. The last thing he wanted

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was to have a big conversation with the other man while they were so
close to the heart of the city.

“I’m fine. Shut up. Keep vigilant,” Antinious said, closing his

eyes. He didn’t want to get caught by chitchatting. A grunt answered
his order. It probably rubbed Crassus to have to obey him.

The gladiator drifted into that strange place between awake and

asleep as the supply train moved on. The clap of the horses’ hooves,
the sound of the soldiers’ low murmurs to one another, and the soft
whisper of breathing from his companion in the cart lulled him into a
sleepy place. He was going to be stiff when he stood. Parts of his
body were already numb from keeping the same position for so long,
and his right side was starting to ache from being pressed against a
wooden crate that was completely unbending.

Two sharp knocks punctuated his lethargy. He brought his head

up. Was that the signal? He sat up and nearly groaned from the effort.
He rolled his shoulders in an effort to ease some of the stiffness.

“Are you ready, Animal?” Crassus whispered, expertly creeping

over the boxes that were stacked between them. He already had his
short sword drawn as he crouched beside the gladiator. Antinious
nodded.

“Yeah. Where are the guards?” Antinious asked.
“Two riding behind the supply cart. We’ll take them first. One

riding beside Angelus’s cart and one driving it. We’ll have to save
that one for last.”

Antinious shook off the last bit of his soreness and assumed a

crouch like Crassus. “Ready?” he whispered, looking at his friend.
Crassus nodded. “On three. One. Two. Three.” They threw open the
back flap and leapt to the ground.

* * * *

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A war cry rent the air, startling Angelus who had fallen asleep as

his new slave had brushed his hair until it was silky smooth with an
ivory brush with boar-hair bristles, another gift from his father.

“My lord? What is that?” Ever squeaked, clinging to Angelus’s

arm as the sound of cursing men and startled horses filled the air.
Angelus bolted up from his reclining position. Had they been
overtaken by thieves?

“I don’t know,” Angelus said quietly. He frowned. This was not

good. He grabbed his ornate dagger from under one of his pillows.
“Get to the back of the cart under some pillows and blankets.” He
watched as the beautiful boy tripped over himself to do as he said. He
felt oddly protective of the boy, like he was a little brother or
something.

Angelus sighed, his heart pounding. “What’s going on?” he

hollered up to the older guard who was steering his cart.

“Don’t know, my lord.” he yelled back. Panic infused his voice as

he replied. It was not a good sign. “Seems to be some trouble in the
back. Probably some would-be thieves. Don’t worry, the soldiers your
father sent won’t let you down.” Angelus couldn’t help but hear the
doubt in his voice. Shit.

The cart came to a screeching halt, knocking Angelus to the floor

and sending his dagger flying. He scrambled and flung himself out of
the front of the cart. The horses whinnied softly, prancing on their
legs, spooked. The guards were nowhere in sight.

“Brutus?” Angelus called, dropping to the ground. He stroked the

side of one horse’s neck. He managed to recover his dagger from the
ground and crouched low. Where had the guards gone?

“Great,” Angelus griped as he made his way to the back of the

cart. A little blood stained the dirt of the road, and a small shiver went
through him. “I finally get my freedom only to be set upon by bandits
outside Capua.” He snorted. “The Fates hate me.”

He froze as a great cat like the ones he’d seen in the arena stepped

in front of him. Its golden fur flashed in the sun, and a loud purring

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sound that was coming from its chest made Angelus’s heart pound.
Gods, what in the world was this? Golden eyes much like his
gladiator’s regarded him with a humanlike intelligence. It was
impossible. He’d heard the rumors that Antinious became an animal
in truth in the arena, but he had always thought that it was an
exaggeration. An impossibility. He swallowed and looked at those
unmistakable eyes. Fear drenched his insides, making his muscles
quiver with the urge to bolt.

Something crunched the ground behind him, and he whirled

around to face it. He looked up and saw a flash of metal against the
sun. He tried to scream, but it was abruptly cut off by the crack of
something against his temple. Then he knew no more as the world
went black.

* * * *

“You could’ve killed him!” Antinious snapped as he cradled

Angelus’s head in his lap. They’d pulled the carts and horses off the
road, concealing their presence in a little glade just off the beaten
path. “How long has he been unconscious?” the gladiator asked for
perhaps the fiftieth time.

Crassus rolled his eyes. “It’s been less than five bloody minutes,

Antinious.”

“Did you have to hit him so hard?”
“What choice did I have? He was fixing to scream to high

heaven.”

“So what? Let him scream.”
“And alert everyone on the road of our whereabouts before we

had time to arrange everything?” Crassus reminded, giving him an
indulgent look. The Gaul had nothing to say to that, but instead he
went back to stroking Angelus’s pale cheek. The slave gave a little
moan and blinked, his eyes coming open in slow blinks of his lids.

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“See! I told you he was all right.” Crassus huffed, crossing his

arms over his chest.

“Hello, kitten,” Antinious greeted.
“Am I awake?” Angelus asked in confusion. His brow furrowed

as he touched his hand to his temple and winced like his head was
pounding. Antinious nodded. “Yes, kitten. You’re awake. This is real,
and I’m here.”

Angelus’s frown deepened. “How? Why? How did you get here?

Why are you here? What…what happened? And was that really you?
That animal I saw? I, Antinious, what—” Antinious was silent.
Understanding dawned, and the slave jerked as it hit him. Angelus’s
bewildered expression turned to one of pure rage. “You…you planned
this!” he accused. “The whole time you were just planning on running
away and using me to do it.” He rolled his head out of Antinious’s
lap, coming to his knees on the grass. His face turned paler and
clutched his stomach as nausea seemed to swamp him. The betrayal in
his eyes cut the Gaul deeper than he thought it would. “You used me.”

Antinious shrugged and tried to be nonchalant. “Now we’re

even,” he said. It was the wrong thing to say. Angelus struck out,
clipping the Animal’s strong jaw in a blow that, though not
incapacitating, was rather painful. “Ouch!” Antinious growled.

“Where are my guards?” Angelus demanded, rolling to his feet.

He swayed.

“Stop being stubborn,” the gladiator snapped, surging to his own

feet. He reached for his slave only to have his hand slapped away. The
blood on his chest caught Angelus’s eyes. He swallowed hard.

“S–stay away from me!” the former slave snapped. He staggered

backward. “What have you done? Gods!” He turned and went to run.
He smacked into Crassus’s thick chest and fell back with a strangled
cry.

“Easy, little one,” Crassus cooed. He tried to smile at the panicked

younger man to calm him, but a feral noise of irritation came out of
Angelus’s mouth.

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“Trust him, eh? He wants to apologize for being an ass, huh? You

fucking lying son of a bitch!”

Crassus sighed and looked over Angelus’s head to meet

Antinious’s eyes. “We need to get moving, Animal. We won’t be long
before someone comes along. I already changed tunics, and there are
more in the supply cart.” His eyes rested on Angelus once again. “I’ll
watch him as you change.”

* * * *

“How could you?” Angelus snapped as Antinious left them alone.

“How could you do that? Dominus loved you! He gave you
everything!”

“He used me just as much as I used him, Angelus, and don’t you

forget it,” Crassus corrected calmly. “I’ve always wanted my
freedom, and now I have it. I’m tired of being someone else’s man. I
want to be my own man.”

“Then why don’t you do like other slaves and earn your freedom

with the coin you earn?” Angelus gripped his temples. His headache
was getting worse. Crassus’s eyes narrowed.

“Don’t be naive. Dominus never would’ve let Antinious or I go.

Not for all the coin in the world.” The hard look he gave Angelus
would silence lesser men. “We’re animals in truth, and the nobles
love to watch us make others bleed.”

“So you guys are animals who wear human skins just like they

say?” Crassus nodded. “Gods, are you going to kill me?” Fear
thrummed through him. Did they have all the instincts of animals?
Would they turn on him? Terror and pain competed for supremacy
inside his chest in equal measure.

“We were born this way, little one. Both of our tribes have the

ability to turn into the beasts that live inside us. We are more
instinctual than most men, but we are no more violent for it. Most of

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the time we are no different than anyone you see walking around
Capua.”

“Why does Antinious want me? Now that have your escape route,

why not let me go?” It would be easier that way. He wouldn’t have to
think of the fact that he was a lover of a giant cat, even if he did walk
around on two leg most of the time. Though, if he thought about it, he
resented Antinious’s betrayal more than anything. This “changing”
part, he didn’t mind so much.

Crassus reached for the former slave and patted his shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Angelus. We’re not going to hurt you or harm you in
any way. You’ll be traveling with us until we reach Gaul. Once we’re
safely behind the border we’ll send you back to your villa.”

Angelus shook his head. “How can I believe anything you say?”
“You’re just going to have to trust us.”
Angelus sighed. Like I’ve got a fucking choice.

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Chapter Twenty-Nine

Antinious hadn’t ever had clothing of such fine quality before. He

smoothed his hand down the dress robes and sighed. He felt odd in
the velvety material that was the color of gold edged in cream. It was
a little short on him, but that didn’t bother him at all. It was made for
a broad-shouldered Roman soldier, but most Romans didn’t get as tall
or as built as Antinious.

He glanced around Angelus’s cart. Everything inside here was

designed to keep the younger man in comfort for an extended journey.
Clothing trunks were located in the back, along with extra pillows and
blankets. The front was a sultan’s paradise. At least two dozen pillows
were arranged for his comfort. It was a fitting place for his slave. He
made a mental note to arrange something like this for him once they
reached his homeland.

A slight movement toward the back of the cart caught his eye and

he zeroed in on the motion. He growled low in his throat, and the
motion was repeated. What the hell was that? He lunged toward it and
clamped his hands down on the struggling figure underneath the
blankets. Whoever was beneath them screamed. Antinious tore off the
blanket.

“Who are you?” he demanded, coming nose to nose with a

beautiful, blond-haired man half his size.

“I–I–I…” The man stammered, his eyes wide with fright. “Ever.

My name is Ever,” he finally spat out. “I b–belong to Lord V–V–
Virilis.”

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“You’re the slave Angelus bought?” Antinious felt a flash of

jealousy so sharp that it made his vision go red. His hands tightened
painfully around the other man’s arms.

“Yes!” the slave squeaked. His eyes were filled with tears, and his

bottom lip started to tremble. “Please don’t kill me,” he whispered.

Antinious sighed. This was no competition. This was a boy even

more submissive than his Angelus was. So why had Angelus bought
him? What draw did this man offer to Angelus? Angelus was very
much a man who enjoyed the dominance of another man.

“I’m not going to kill you,” Antinious said finally. He slowly

allowed the smaller man to regain his feet. “Why did Angelus buy
you?”

The slave gave him a shaky smile. “He didn’t.” His voice was

almost a song. “His father purchased me as a welcome-home present
for my lord.” His eyes were wide and guileless as he met Antinious’s
own. Now why couldn’t he have been interested in someone like this?
Someone who was eager to please, someone who would give him
everything he was and ask nothing in return? He sighed again. No, he
had to go and find himself a mouthy, stubborn, deceitful slave who
defied him at every turn.

“Antinious?” Crassus called from outside the cart.
“What?” he returned, taking the boy by the arm and tugging him

toward the exit. He jumped down, and the slave had no choice but to
follow.

“What is this?” Crassus asked with a frown. He had Angelus by

the arm much the same way that Antinious had Ever. Crassus raised
his brows in question.

“Don’t you hurt him!” Angelus snapped, starting to struggle in

earnest now. He smacked Crassus in the chest hard, kicking out with
his feet.

“This is the slave that he picked up while we were in Capua. Stop

that, Angelus! We’re not going to hurt him.”

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Crassus licked his lips. “He’s pretty,” he complimented, looking

Ever up and down.

Angelus glared up at Crassus. “Don’t you fucking touch him,

barbarian!”

Antinious rolled his eyes. “Enough!” he snapped. “Crassus, stop

provoking Angelus. Angelus, stop being a shrew. We’re going to have
to watch them, so we’ll take turns driving the cart. One of us will ride
behind. I’ll connect the supply cart to the first and hitch up the
additional horses to pull it.” Crassus nodded. Antinious motioned
Angelus forward. “You can help me with the work since I can’t trust
you to sit in the cart like a good slave.” Angelus just glared.

* * * *

Sweat was pouring off the former slave as they put the last horse

in place. Angelus was panting, breathing hard.

“Good job, slave,” Antinious complimented. Angelus refused to

speak to him. The gladiator frowned. Fine. They could play it this
way. “It’s going to be a long trip to Gaul if you’re going to give me
the silent treatment.”

“You don’t deserve my words, Animal,” Angelus replied curtly.

He glanced toward the cart where Crassus and Ever sat a little closer
than was necessary. “If he hurts the boy, I will hold you personally
responsible.”

“What will you do to me?” Antinious asked in amusement. He

reached out and tucked Angelus’s beads behind his ear as a reminder
of to whom he still belonged. Angelus’s mouth tightened.

“I will slide a knife between your ribs while you sleep,” the

former slave promised. He meant every word. Antinious could tell in
the firm set of his jaw.

“I look forward to the attempt,” the Gaul murmured with a slight

smile on his lips. He loved Angelus’s fire.

“You’re such an ass,” Angelus snapped, losing his temper again.

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“So I’ve been told, kitten.” The gladiator patted his slave’s

backside and motioned for him to climb back into the cart. “I’ll take
first shift, Crassus.”

Crassus shrugged. “So be it.”

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Chapter Thirty

Angelus sat beside him as stiff as a board. Antinious couldn’t help

but smile at his deliberately severe expression. His kitten was furious
with him. That was apparent for all the world to see. The gladiator’s
glance cut toward the strange foreign slave that was singing softly to
himself in the caravan behind them as he folded the blankets he’d hid
under when Antinious and Crassus attacked.

“So what are your plans for the little fire fox behind us?”

Antinious asked carefully. He knew a misplaced jealousy was
coursing through his system at the mere thought of Ever. The
gladiator had to know how exactly Angelus felt about the slave.

“Planning on fucking him?” Angelus returned, not missing a beat.

The heat in his voice was a palpable thing. Oh yes, his kitten was
furious with him.

“He’s not really my type,” the Animal replied, shooting Angelus a

glance out of the corner of his eye. He nickered to the horses to move
just to the right to enable Crassus to move ahead of the two carts. The
other gladiator would go ahead to check the way for thieves and the
like.

“Oh? And what is your type? I wasn’t aware that the Animal of

the Gauls had a type. I was under the impression you’d fuck anything
that had a ready hole.” Angelus’s sarcasm was thick in the former
slave’s voice.

“Well if you must know, I’ve developed a penchant for mouthy,

know-it-all slaves with as much stupidity as courage and as much
passion as innocence.”

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Angelus’s mouth snapped shut at that, and he shot the Gladiator

an incredulous look. Antinious didn’t care for the pain in those pretty
green depths. He sighed. The former slave had confessed his love for
him, and Antinious had betrayed him. At the time, the gladiator had
thought that the ends justified the means, but looking upon his slave,
he wondered if perhaps he should’ve at least let him know of his
plans.

“You are such an ass,” Angelus whispered, scooting as far away

from the Gladiator as the narrow bench would allow.

“Master, I’ve finished with the blankets. Is there anything else I

can do? Brush your hair? Give you a massage? My former master
really enjoyed my massages.” Ever’s chipper voice sounded from
behind them an instant before his head popped out of the cart in
between them. Angelus’s jaw clenched.

“Can’t you see that we’ve been overtaken by barbarians?”

Angelus groused. “Relaxation is not possible while I’m surrounded
by…by…” He shot Antinious a look of pure loathing, and the
gladiator’s mouth twitched.

“Animals?” the Gaul provided with a smile.
“Exactly!”
Ever frowned, and a cute scowl of concentration appeared on his

brow. “Well the worst they could do is kill us, and they don’t appear
to be interested in that.” He smiled. “One master is the same as the
next so…I’m just enjoying the ride.”

“But I am a freeman!” Angelus spat, clenching his fists in his lap

until his knuckles turned white.

Antinious snorted. “I don’t believe I released you from my

service. You’re still wearing my colors in your hair, are you not?”

“As a symbolic devotion, not as a sign of slavery!”
Antinious shrugged. “Seems like the same thing to me.”
“You barbarian ass!” Angelus snapped. His face turned cherry red

in his anger. He snapped his fingers and turned to clamber back into
the cart. “I’m going to take a nap. Ever, come with me.” The little

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slave nodded, and gave Antinious a soft smile designed to calm the
anger swirling in the other man’s eyes. The look only succeeded in
pissing Antinious off.

“Like hell you are. Ever, sit beside me since ‘Master’ Angelus

wants to go pout.” He turned his attention to Angelus. “Go on. Go
pout by yourself.”

Angelus grinned savagely. “Actually, I’m in the mood for some

physical affections, and Ever will serve that purpose admirably.”

Antinious growled and yanked on the reins so hard that the horses

reared back, causing the cart to come to a screeching halt and Angelus
to topple to the floor of the cart.

“Are you insane?” Angelus snapped, punching the Gladiator in

the arm. “You almost killed me! What kind of moron—”

“That’s enough!” Antinious snarled viciously, turning his head so

that he was glaring into Angelus’s face, his nose pushing against his
former slave. “I don’t think you fully understand the predicament
you’re in. I’ve been nice, I’ve been understanding, and I’ve been
lenient. No more. You want ‘physical affections’? I’ll give you
fucking violent affections, so violent in fact that you won’t be able to
sit for a week!”

“What is going on here?” Crassus demanded, pulling his horse

alongside the still carts.

“I’m about to discipline my slave,” Antinious said, his eyes not

wavering from his now frightened-looking lover. “The freedom
obviously went to his head, and now he thinks he can challenge me
and mouth off whenever it suits him.”

Crassus couldn’t resist rolling his eyes. “Can it wait until we’re a

little farther out on the trail? The city is not that far behind us.”

The Gaul was silent for a good minute and a half as he considered

the squirming Angelus. Finally, he spoke.

“Fine. Until camp tonight,” he addressed his slave. “Go sleep.

Consider what is to come, but rest up. You’re going to need it.”

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Angelus swallowed hard, and his cheeks pinked, a muscle in his

jaw clenching hard. “I…I don’t have to listen to you.” The feral grin
Antinious gave him had the former slave standing and scrambling
toward the back of the cart.

The boy could lie to himself all he wanted about having choices.

Antinious knew better.

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Chapter Thirty-One

Time passed in agonizing slowness for the gladiator. He knew that

Crassus was right about not stopping so soon, but he ached to spank
his slave’s pretty ass pink. Angelus’s snarling defiance rubbed the
Animal wrong in the worst ways.

“He cares about you, I think,” Ever commented, his head resting

against the Animal’s well-muscled arm. Antinious pinned him with a
look. The little slave just smiled. “Well he does.” He continued, “He
wouldn’t be so upset if he didn’t.”

“What do you know about it?” the Gladiator asked. He had to

admire Ever’s pluck. The smaller man didn’t seem scared of anything
or anyone.

“I only know what I see,” Ever said, closing his eyes and smiling

as the sounds of Angelus’s soft snores greeted their ears. “I know that
when he came to fetch me, he didn’t want me. Let’s just be honest,
everyone wants me. I’ve been bred for beauty. At least that’s what the
slavers say.” He sat back and stretched his hands toward the heavens,
stretching like a cat. “He was already in love with you, I think.
Physically tired, with his heart breaking. His thoughts were still with
you even though he wasn’t near you.”

“You and Crassus would get along nicely,” Antinious spoke with

a slight smile on his lips. “You’re both a pair of romantic fools.”
Somewhere behind them, Angelus sighed in his sleep. The sound of
him tossing on the soft pillows, ruffling the thin blankets he rested on,
sent a thrill of sensation down Antinious’s spine. He ached for his
slave.

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“You love him, too,” Ever said confidently. His eyes were

laughing at Antinious, but somehow the gladiator couldn’t summon
up the energy to growl. Instead he sighed, echoing Angelus.

“You’re not scared of me.” It was a new experience for the

gladiator. Most people were. Ever and Angelus had that in common.
Neither one of them had the sense the gods gave a goose.

“You’ve made it clear you’re not going to kill us, so why would I

be?”

“Because I’m an animal,” Antinious said in exasperation. “Do you

have any idea how many men I’ve killed?”

Ever considered him for a long moment. “You may have killed

before, but you’re not a killer.” He leaned forward on his elbows and
looked away, the laughter in his eyes fading with a memory. “A killer
enjoys the kill. You did not.”

“Are you so sure?” Antinious wondered. Ever’s haunted

expression arrested him.

“Yes,” the little slave whispered. “I’m sure.”
“What are you two whispering about?” A grouchy, sleep-ridden

voice interrupted their conversation. Antinious glanced up and met
Angelus’s stormy expression. Jealousy sparkled in his lover’s
emerald-green eyes. The former slave’s gaze darted between Ever and
himself, and Antinious had to smother a chuckle.

“It’s none of your business, slave,” the gladiator made himself

say. He turned his attention back to the horses and nickered for them
to pull a little farther to the right.

“Ever, come brush my hair. It’s a mess,” Angelus commanded,

ignoring the Animal and his comments. “Hold this,” he continued,
extending his closed fist toward the gladiator.

Antinious frowned. “What’s this?”
“Your beads. I need to get the tangles from my hair, and I can’t do

that with these things on my head.”

Pain lacerated Antinious’s chest as he automatically reached up

and grabbed the wooden beads from Angelus’s grasp. “Go brush your

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damned hair,” he said. Rage came quick on the heels of pain. He
wanted to pull the damned cart over and demand an explanation over
why Angelus was rejecting his colors. Angelus had said he loved him!
It was probably unreasonable, because his beast was the one snarling,
but he didn’t care.

Arms wrapped around his neck, and Angelus’s scent surrounded

him, instantly calming his rage. “Just hold them for me,” Angelus’s
soft voice whispered in his ear, followed by an equally soft kiss to his
neck. Heat filled Antinious’s face as pleasure swamped him. Just as
quickly as they wrapped around his neck, Angelus’s hands were gone.

“Wow, your hair is a mess,” Ever’s voice sounded. “Did you have

to toss and turn so much? My old master slept on silk so that his hair
wouldn’t tangle as badly.”

“I didn’t ask your opinion, brat,” Angelus snapped without

hostility.

* * * *

“For someone who hates our captor so badly, you comforted him

awfully quickly,” Ever teased, running the comb through Angelus’s
hair until it shined.

“Hush, you,” Angelus commanded. If he were honest with

himself, he’d admit that the thought of Antinious even the least bit
distressed caused him untold woes. “Do you have any idea what he’ll
do to the both of us once we reach Gaul?”

“How do you know he’s going to Gaul? He hasn’t mentioned any

plans in my hearing.”

Angelus snorted. “Where else would he be going? He’s the

Animal of the Gauls! So it makes sense that’s where he’ll be
heading.”

“What will he do with us when he reaches Gaul?” Ever asked, a

frown on his face. He’d obviously not thought that far ahead.

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“He’ll probably sell us or give us to some other barbarian

clansman.” Angelus’s eyes slid shut as he imagined that. His freedom
stolen away and his love crushed beneath the heels of fate and
betrayal. Gods, why had he ever fallen in love with the Gaul?

“I bet he won’t,” Ever said after a long pause. Angelus’s eyes

opened, and he gave him an incredulous look. The little slave grinned.
“I bet I could convince Crassus to take me with him.” Ever sighed
dreamily and looked at the fabric of the cart. “He’s such a large man.
I’ve always had an admiration for large men. He’d be a fine lover,
too, I’d imagine…Yes, he’d be a perfect master.”

Angelus’s eyes bulged. “Are you kidding me? You little schemer!

You don’t even know him!”

Ever just smiled serenely. “That’s true…but I most certainly

intend to.”

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Chapter Thirty-Two

The sun was just setting in the west when they pulled the carts to

the road behind a line of trees just off the beaten path. Crassus was
already gathering spare bits of wood for a fire as Antinious unhitched
the last horse and tied it to a nearby tree.

“How was the saddle treating you after such a long time?” the

former gladiator asked his comrade as he stroked his hand along the
back of the sweat-slicked animal.

“I’m going to be as sore as Tartarus’s fire tomorrow, but I’ll live,”

Crassus replied easily, stretching his hands upward to lengthen his
spine until it cracked in the effort. “I’ve got to tell you. I’ll be happy
as a kitten in cream, riding on a seat tomorrow instead of on the back
of a horse.”

Antinious grunted something that vaguely sounded like a sound of

affirmation. He honestly didn’t mind riding horseback. Gauls grew up
on the backs of horses, and he knew his muscles would remember the
long hours spent there. Even his kind, with their predatory natures,
rode like their human neighbors.

“Has Angelus’s attitude improved since last we spoke?” Crassus

wondered as he watched the two slaves clamber out from the cart and
stretch their own limbs.

Antinious shrugged. “He’s as tempestuous as the sea. One minute

he’s cursing me, the next he’s hugging me. I can’t figure that boy
out.” He watched as Angelus gave a great yawn before tucking his
hair behind his left ear as he was wont to do. Gods, the boy was
beautiful.

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“He’ll make a fine bed slave once he’s tamed,” Crassus offered.

“What will you do with him once you’ve reached your village?”

“I’m keeping him. That’s all I know at this point,” Antinious

replied.

Crassus frowned. “You promised that you’d set him free once we

reached Gaul.” He paused and looked at Antinious’s pained
expression. A slow grin lit up his features. “You’re hoping to
convince him to stay, then?”

“I’m thinking…” Antinious paused. He’d been fearful thus far to

voice his hopes for the future ahead. He was superstitious that if he
spoke his wishes aloud that they’d somehow be caught and dragged
back to Capua for execution before his dreams were realized.

“You’re thinking what?” Crassus implored. The Gaul glanced at

his companion and decided against saying anything.

“Nothing.”
“Are we going to get to eat before Orpheus decides to put us all to

sleep, or are you going to stand there all night chatting?” Angelus’s
voice griped. The two gladiators turned to see the former slave with
his legs squared, his hands on his hips, glaring at the two of them as if
he knew the subject of their discussion and didn’t approve in the least
bit. “Ever and I are hungry, and if you’re going to keep us captive,
you should at least feed us regularly.”

Antinious rolled his eyes. There goes that mouth again. “You’re

aching for me to warm that backside,” he said. “You two were
snacking on whatever nibbles you had in the caravan. I know you
can’t possibly be that bloody hungry.”

“That was hours ago. Don’t be such an ass,” Angelus snapped

right back. Antinious took a menacing step forward as anger washed
over him at the blatant defiance. His hands twitched with the urge to
hold the smaller man down and fuck him until he was too damn tired
to protest any of Antinious’s wishes.

“Boys, boys, calm down,” Ever said, holding his hands up in the

universal sign of surrender. “The fire that erupts between the two of

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you is enough to set the whole world ablaze, but can we just agree to
be civilized until after the meal?”

Crassus nodded his agreement. “I think that is an excellent

suggestion.” He looked pointedly at Angelus. “I’d stop while I was
ahead, boy. He’s not in the accommodating mood.” He turned to
Antinious. “Watch your slave, and sit tight. Ever and I are going to
gather some wood.”

Left alone, the two lovers fell silent, tension building in the place

where things were left unsaid between them. It was Angelus who
broke the silence first.

“Are you…are you going to redo my braid after the meal?” he

asked almost defiantly.

Antinious’s brow rose. “If you earn it. You’ve sorely tested my

patience today, slave. You’ve earned one punishment already.”

Angelus’s eyes sparked fire. “Putting up with your company

wasn’t enough punishment?” he snapped. “You have ruined
everything and expect me to be a complacent puppy.”

The gladiator growled and crossed the distance between them. He

stood much too close for Angelus’s comfort and took feral
satisfaction in the way that his lover took a hasty step back.

“Stop growling at me like you’re the head dog and I’m your bitch.

It’s not sexy anymore.” Angelus crossed his arms across his chest and
turned away to face the line of trees behind them. The Gaul couldn’t
resist stepping forward and brushing his chest against the other man’s
body. His slave’s warmth was irresistible.

“You think my growling is sexy?” Antinious asked in amusement.

He bent down to nuzzle the nape of Angelus’s neck. He took pride in
the way his slave gave a reluctant shudder of suppressed desire.

“I used to,” Angelus grumbled, trying to evade the warm breath of

his lover on his neck by scrunching it up and pulling away. Antinious
stepped with him. “That was before I found out what kind of person
you were.”

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“Hmm?” Antinious lapped at the cord of Angelus’s neck and blew

his warm breath over it, making the skin pimple in goose flesh. “What
kind of person I am?”

“A…barbarian traitor who…throws away the affections of those

around him like they’re nothing and…uses those who care about him
like they’re beasts of burden.” His statement ended in a gasp as the
Gladiator nipped the place he’d just licked.

“I may have used you, Angelus, but I’ve never thrown your

affections away.” Antinious’s arms crept around his slave’s body and
pulled him until they were firmly aligned. “I’ve encouraged them ever
since our bargain. Consider this captivity as an extension of our pact.
Consider this as me not releasing you from my service. Our bargain
isn’t done. You’ve much to learn about me, and I’ve loads of pleasure
to receive from you.”

“Is that what this is about? Sex?” Angelus asked. He was no

longer fighting Antinious’s embrace.

Antinious frowned. “What else would it be about? I’m flattered

that you love me, but we have to keep in mind that this is a
pleasurable arrangement that one day must end.” He didn’t enjoy the
look of pure agony that crossed Angelus’s face at the callous words.
He couldn’t let Angelus think that he had any sort of advantage on
him. Even if the words killed him.

“What happens after we reach Gaul? I assume that’s where we’re

going. Are you done with me then?”

“Until our business is complete, you’ll stay by my side,”

Antinious reassured.

“And afterward?” Angelus pressed, still not facing his Master.

“After our ‘business’ is done? What then? Are you planning to sell
me?”

“Never,” Antinious growled. “I’m not the monster you make me

out to be, nor am I a Roman. When our business is done, you can
either leave or stay as my servant. It’ll be up to you.”

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The former slave chuckled darkly. “You are exactly the monster I

think you are…and you don’t even realize it.”

Antinious found himself squeezing Angelus to him tightly. He

hated the tone his slave was using. He didn’t understand. Didn’t he
realize that by keeping Angelus by his side he was giving him
unparalleled importance in his life? Didn’t he realize that the desire to
keep him meant something? He sighed in frustration. He wanted to
tell the slave he cared. He truly did. It wasn’t that easy, though. He
feared that the slave would use his affections against him to
manipulate him. He’d seen it done too many times, and he’d been hurt
quite enough in his stay with the Romans. He didn’t need the pain of a
broken heart on top of it. No, it was better if Angelus thought he
desired nothing but his body.

“If I’m a monster, then I am your monster,” Antinious found

himself saying. “Your Animal. Yours, Angelus.”

* * * *

Angelus turned in his arms and wrapped his hands around

Antinious’s waist. Two weeks ago, he would’ve been beyond thrilled
to be this close to the Animal, but now the gesture felt empty. Love
changed things. The lies. The betrayal. Yes, those actions changed
things as well.

“My own personal monster, what a lucky man I am.” He buried

his face in Antinious’s chest. He couldn’t deny the attraction he felt
for the gladiator. He couldn’t deny his desire to see him happy. If
Angelus’s body and soul was the price for that happiness, so be it. At
least now giving himself to another meant something. When it was
over, he would pick himself up and head home. He’d try to forget
everything, maybe find himself a man, a free man, to spend his life
with. The thought made his heart heavy. He only wanted Antinious.

“Uh…do you want us to come back?” Crassus’s voice broke

through their moment as the two of them came back from the supply

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cart. The two men stood in a blatantly intimate position, wrapped in
each other’s arms. Angelus imagined that it was hard not to feel like
an intruder on a meaningful moment when he, no doubt, had a look of
pain and bliss splashed across his face.

“No,” Angelus answered, pulling away from the gladiator. “We’re

done here.” He turned to the duo. “What is to be had for supper?”

“Wine, bread, cheese, olives, and some kind of sweet preserve

that smells delicious,” Ever said, cheerfully oblivious to the rigidity of
the situation. “A pretty good meal for travel. Your father has some
fine tastes, Angelus.”

“Yes. He didn’t get where he is by having poor tastes,” Angelus

said with a slight smile. “We’re Aristoi. Aristocrats. He said that
Jupiter is one of our forefathers of old. That’s why we have good
fortune and good taste. Well…except for Braccai.”

“I didn’t know that,” Antinious commented. His expression was

quite easy to read. Had he truly been sleeping with the grandson of a
god? Angelus half turned to him and gave him a sultry look over his
shoulder.

“You didn’t ask.”
The meal was simple but satisfying. After his third cup of wine,

Angelus felt warm and completely at ease with the company around
him. Ever entertained them all with his cheerful renditions of various
debacles in his life, including one particular episode of hilarity that
included a Persian prince and an entire vat of oil spilled on the marble
floor. The fire crackled, giving light and life to the small circle that
they had carved out of the Italian wilderness. It wasn’t long before the
former slave was reclining against the hard muscle of Antinious’s
calves and enjoying the entertainment.

“You should’ve seen his face when I fell into that tub of oil that

was supposed to be for his massage! He looks at me and says, ‘look,
my slave’”—Ever made a face that was supposed to make him look
properly surprised then drawled out an exaggerated Eastern accent.—
“‘This oil. It is for me, don’t you understand? Don’t you know? I am

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prince. You are slave!’” Great peals of laughter rang out through the
clearing until their cheeks pinked and tears formed in their eyes.

“He tells a good story,” Angelus murmured, letting his head fall

back to rest on Antinious’s knees. He felt so warm sitting by the fire,
so warm with the wine coursing through his blood and full belly. He
smiled and inhaled Antinious’s scent.

“He does,” the gladiator agreed. But he wasn’t watching Ever.

The gladiator suddenly stretched his arms heavenward, giving a bone-
crunching yawn. “I think it is time for us to retire, slave.”

Angelus turned and gave Antinious a searching look. “Both of

us?” he asked.

Antinious smiled. “Where else would you go?”

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Chapter Thirty-Three

Angelus’s heart pounded as he climbed up into his traveling cart

after Antinious. What am I doing? Why am I doing this? I should be
fighting this tooth and nail. I should be running in the opposite
direction. I should…gods that ass is fine. He interrupted his internal
tirade to watch the strong muscles of Antinious’s ass flex as Antinious
leaned forward to duck through the cloth flap of the cart. Angelus
swallowed hard as his body reacted to the sight. He had the self-
preservation instincts of a turnip.

“Strip,” Antinious commanded as he knelt before one of the

ornate chests that were shoved toward the back of his space.

Angelus watched the gladiator as his face turned in profile. He

was lit up by nothing but a smile and moonlight. Despite the shadows,
he was breathtaking. The silver light did nothing to detract from the
beauty of his expression. The former slave’s hands shook as he
complied with the Animal’s wishes and unsnapped the brooch that
held his tunic in place and drew it over his head. For once, he’d worn
undergarments, and goose bumps broke out on the skin he’d exposed.
He was blatantly hard beneath the cloth that covered his genitals. He
went to his knees on the soft pillows scattered on the floor and tried to
adjust his torrid cock.

“Do you know what this box of yours says?” Antinious asked

unexpectedly.

“It’s Greek,” Angelus’s voice sounded breathless to his own ears.

“I’m rusty on my Greek, and it’s in a dialect that I don’t recognize.”

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“It’s an old Spartan dialect. It reads, ‘Herein lies the pleasure of

ages’,” the gladiator read aloud in his low, gravel-filled voice. It made
Angelus shudder.

“I didn’t know that you knew Greek,” Angelus murmured, trying

to distract himself. He saw the gladiator smile as he turned his
attention back toward the chest.

“You didn’t ask,” the gladiator returned in a mimicry of Angelus’s

earlier words. The former slave couldn’t help but smile as his words
were returned to him.

“Touché,” he quipped. The gladiator opened the wooden chest,

and it creaked as the hinges protested the movement. Angelus
frowned. “What are you doing?”

Antinious tsked softly. “Don’t you know what you have here?”

The gladiator had a smile in his voice. “‘The pleasure of ages’ is a
proper way of saying ‘pleasure chest.’ Most times they are given to
young men once they’ve reached maturity.” He chuckled. “Your
father was giving you some presents to use on your ‘present’ that you
got from the slaver.”

Angelus was curious as to the meaning of his cryptic phrase. The

Animal turned back toward Angelus, two dark strips of cloth of an
indeterminable color hanging from his grip. They looked black in the
dim light, but Angelus supposed it could be another dark color just as
well.

Angelus frowned. “What are those for?”
The gladiator just shook his head and started toward his lover

before dropping to his knees beside him. Angelus stretched out his
hand to caress the cloth and found it to be of a velvet material that
was patently sensual. His eyes went up to meet Antinious’s gaze.

“These are for your punishment,” Antinious murmured in that

low, come-fuck-me voice that Angelus loved. Without preamble, the
gladiator reached up and wound the longer length around Angelus’s
wrists and started to weave the cord in an intricate pattern that
Angelus’s eyes couldn’t follow. “Since restraint is something you are

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sorely lacking, my little slave, I’m going to give you a little restraint
to practice with. Perhaps you’ll take this as a reminder in the future
whenever you decide to mouth off.”

The smaller man’s heart thundered in his ears at the suggestion.

His eyes were glued to his wrists as Antinious finished his work. As
the last knot was completed, Angelus jerked back.

“I don’t–I don’t know if I’m all right with this. I don’t want–I

mean, I’ve never…” he stammered. Antinious’s big palm cupped his
cheek, and his eyes were inevitably drawn upward to lock with the
gladiator’s gaze.

“Take your punishment with dignity and grace, and I promise you

pleasure unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before.”

Angelus trembled. “I’ve been punished all day, Antinious. I was

freed, kidnapped, and enslaved all over again, all in one day. Please, I
don’t…I can’t do this.”

There was a tenderness in Antinious’s eyes that Angelus rarely

saw. “Trust me, Angelus. You have to trust me. That’s the biggest
problem between you and me.”

“Really? I thought it was the fact you lied to me and betrayed

me.” Angelus’s fear was translating into anger now. He pulled his
wrists, trying to separate them and break the velvet that bound him.
He lost his balance and fell back against the pillows to thrash like a
fish. Antinious growled, and Angelus surprised himself by instantly
stilling.

“Enough, slave,” Antinious commanded, putting a restraining

hand on Angelus’s heaving chest. Distantly, Angelus realized he was
panicking. I can’t charm him, and I can’t talk him out of whatever he
wants to do to me. That’s why I can’t stand this.

“I can’t!” Angelus cried out. He bucked his torso to throw off his

lover’s hand. Antinious automatically gripped his shoulders and
forced him down against the soft embrace of his pillows.

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“You’re getting hung up on details,” the gladiator murmured in a

voice almost too soft for the moment. “You’re missing the most
important part of this whole situation.”

“What’s that?” Angelus asked, knowing his eyes betrayed his fear.

He closed his eyes against the emotions that crashed through him.
Fear. Love. Pain. Hope. All those things filled him to the brim. He
didn’t know if he could stand any more feeling. He felt as if he would
break at the slightest provocation.

“That our agreement still stands. That we, us, our relationship,

still stands.” Antinious stroked hands down his slave’s body. “Trust
me. Trust me, kitten.”

Angelus stared up into the honey eyes of his lover and found

reassurance and desire there. It’s just sex. It’s just sex until we reach
Gaul. It’s just sex. If he could think of it like that, he’d be all right.
But, gods, it didn’t feel like just sex. It felt like so much more.

“This is just a game,” Angelus asserted. He had to give himself

some breathing room. “Just some sex game.”

The gladiator shrugged, but his eyes darkened to a burnished gold.

“If that’s how you have to think about it to get through it, then so be
it.”

* * * *

Angelus shuddered and closed his eyes. Antinious took that as the

greatest show of consent that he was going to get today. As badly as
he wanted him, it was all he needed. Those gorgeous green eyes
watched him with unerring vigilance and no small amount of concern.
Hmmm…That won’t do. He took the last strip of cloth in his hand and
wrapped it lovingly around his slave’s head to cut off his sight.

At last, he turned to observe his work. Angelus lay spread for his

pleasure, open like a sacrifice before one of the gods, hands tied and
blind from Antinious’s ministrations. The gladiator swallowed hard
and sent up a prayer of thanks to his gods. This gorgeous man’s

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presence in his life and in his bed had everything to do with fate and
not much to do with his own actions.

“You are so beautiful right now,” Antinious complimented in his

gruff manner, trailing gentle hands down his slave’s pectoral muscle,
and his tightened stomach. “You’re trembling,” he murmured, drifting
his hands upward to tweak at Angelus’s nipples. “So hot for me. Yet,
so scared of wanting this. So unsure if you’ll like it but doing it
anyway.”

The former slave whimpered. He had never been able to control

his reactions to Antinious. The Gaul all but purred at the sound. He
wanted desperately to hurry this process along until he was buried so
deep within his lover that neither of them could tell where Antinious
ended and Angelus began, but he cautioned himself. He needed to
have patience. If he was going to get Angelus to relax and let them
enjoy each other’s company for the rest of the trip, he had to do this
right. He had to prove to Angelus that he had every right to dominate
him as long as their agreement stood.

“Spread your thighs for me,” Antinious rumbled darkly. There

was a moment of hesitation before Angelus swallowed and did as he
was told. His thighs trembled, and his hard cock belied his virginal
spread. “Wider,” the gladiator commanded. Angelus whimpered but
complied. Antinious swallowed hard. Damn, that was beautiful.
“Good boy,” he managed to groan out. He took a deep breath and
reminded himself to have patience.

“How do you feel?” he asked. The other man shifted.
“Uncomfortable.” Angelus panted. “Are you going to ask me a

thousand questions or are you going to fuck me?” He was pushing,
trying to manipulate the gladiator again. He rolled his hips
suggestively as if he were already in the throes of passion.

Antinious’s hand came down sharply on the soft flesh of

Angelus’s inner thigh, the slap reverberating through the air.

“Son of a bitch!” Angelus yelped, bringing down his tied hands

protectively in front of his body and shutting his legs. “What was that

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for?” He rubbed the velvet of his restraints against the red flesh. His
cock leaked a thick, pearly drop of pre-cum, and he shivered as it
made a wet, sticky trail down his hard length. Antinious imagined he
was probably sore, but his slave’s dick didn’t seem to mind in the
least bit. His reluctant moan echoed in the air. Antinious grinned,
although Angelus couldn’t see.

“That was for that mouth, again. It is the first of many

punishments you’ve earned.” The gladiator forced himself to sound
calm, controlled, even when his body was demanding that he do
something else.

“You’re going to beat me?” Angelus’s voice became a squeak of

uncertainty. “I’m not…You can’t!” Antinious’s hand found his
straining dick and gave it one hard stroke. Angelus cried out and
bucked upward into his touch from the sensation. “Ah!”

“You don’t desire to have your flesh warmed by my hand?” the

Gaul asked, giving his cock another stroke. “There was a time when
you angered me, and I threatened to put you over my knee, and you
came so hard you saw stars.”

Angelus swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing in the effort

to swallow. “I remember,” he murmured. He shifted again. “We’ll be
even after this.” It was a statement.

Antinious leaned down and nuzzled the side of Angelus’s neck.

“We’re even after this. Until the next time you decide to run off at the
mouth.”

The former slave sighed heavily. “Then it’ll be tomorrow night.”
Antinious couldn’t suppress the bark of laughter that escaped him

at that. He popped his lover’s buttock in a playful swipe of his big
paw.

“Imp!” he accused. “Is that consent?” he asked on a more serious

note.

“Will you…make me feel good?” Angelus asked. The Animal

gripped the place on the smaller man’s thigh where he’d struck just
the moment before. Angelus gasped and then gave a low moan.

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“Yes!” he groaned, his traitorous cock leaking another pearl from its
tip.

“You just answered your own question,” the gladiator replied.
After another hard caress, he stepped back to stare at his lover

once again. Angelus took initiative and spread his legs even wider
than before. Antinious inhaled sharply. This was going to take a
considerable amount of control that he was unsure he actually
possessed. His eyes caught and held on Angelus’s pebbled nipples.
Hmmmm, possibilities.

“Pinch your nipples between your thumbs and forefingers,”

Antinious’s voice commanded. The now-instant obedience of his
lover thrilled him. The smaller man gave a sigh of pleasure at the
motion as he pinched one and then the other for his Master’s pleasure.
The gladiator traced the vein that was pulsing just underneath the
crown of his lover’s cock in reward. Angelus groaned. “Keep your
legs spread.”

He caressed Angelus’s inner thighs, brushing his knuckles on the

underside of his tight sac. He admired the way his lover’s limbs
trembled at his slightest touch. Angelus had earned his “punishment,”
but now that he was here, Antinious couldn’t help but think that
perhaps this was more reward than punishment, another layer to the
complication of their engagement.

He’d had lovers, Doiros for one, who had enjoyed these sorts of

love games. But they had been experienced with the pleasures of pain
so long as it was confined to the bedroom. He’d never inducted an
innocent into this sort of play, and he wondered if it was a good idea
to start. Was it fair to Angelus to give him this closeness without a
hope or prayer of real love? Yes, the gladiator felt affection for
Angelus and wanted to keep his slave, but he wasn’t Doiros. He
didn’t know if he could really love him like he deserved.

“Antinious?” Angelus’s soft voice broke through his

contemplations. “You seem…distant suddenly.” The smaller man

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shifted uncomfortably. “Am I not doing it right?” It pleased the
gladiator that he hadn’t released his nipple even in his distraction.

“You’re doing it perfectly,” Antinious reassured, raking his nails

down Angelus’s stomach. Goose bumps followed in the wake of his
touch. “I’m just thinking.”

“If you’re thinking that much, I’m not doing it right,” Angelus

corrected, and Antinious couldn’t help but smile. His slave had spirit.

The gladiator leaned down and set his teeth to the place he’d

slapped just the moment before. Angelus’s arousal jumped and his
head shook back and forth in protest or encouragement of the
sensation.

Antinious had an idea. “I’m going to take you in my mouth now,

Angelus. If you move, you’ll earn an additional punishment.”

Angelus nodded behind his blindfold and straightened his legs. He

didn’t have to wait long. Antinious’s tongue traced the helmet of his
cock, and he couldn’t seem to help the sharp intake of breath that
followed. Throughout their time together, Antinious had never used
his mouth like this before.

The gladiator suckled just the tip, running the dangerous edge of

his teeth along the ridge and following it closely with his tongue to
soothe away the hurt. The urge to thrust up into Antinious’s mouth
must’ve been intense if the noises of need Angelus was making were
any indication. His hands tightened and relaxed as if he were resisting
the need to tangle his hands in the gladiator’s hair. “Antinious,”
Angelus whispered the word, almost in warning. His control was
fading, disappearing with each rhythmic suck on his needy length.
Antinious had almost his entire cock in his mouth now. Angelus
gasped as the Animal hit what he knew to be a particularly sensitive
spot.

Antinious ignored him. Instead, he took him deeper, relaxing his

mouth and taking the entire length down his willing throat. Internally,
he grinned as the muscles in Angelus’s thighs tensed with the urge to
push upward.

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“Gods! Please, no more!” Angelus whimpered. His body was

trembling, and his fingers tensed rhythmically on his nipple in an
effort to distract himself from the incredible pleasure being inflicted
upon him. Antinious had seen this behavior before. Angelus was
seconds away from losing control and disobeying orders. The
knowledge thrilled Antinious on a deliciously deep level.

Antinious’s hand smacked the skin on his lover’s inner thigh

lightly. Angelus gasped. Antinious did it again. The former slave let
out a strangled sound as Antinious bobbed his head in time with the
strikes of his skin. The noises made Antinious want to sink his teeth
into the flesh of Angelus’s cock and growl like the animal he was. It
was sexy as hell to watch Angelus as he stripped him of all of his
control. Angelus groaned once more and shook his head violently.

“Antinious! Gods! Have mercy!”
Antinious took pity on him. With a growl, he turned him, forcing

him to his knees, ass up in the air for his perusal.

“Time for punishment,” the gladiator said. His hand found the

trembling flank of his lover. Angelus just whimpered. Antinious’s
hand came down on the flesh, making it redden instantly. His slave
groaned and pushed back against his hand as if he were asking for
another.

“Like that, do you?” Antinious rumbled. His slave’s head bobbed

in the affirmative. “Good. Take your licks, slave, and I’ll fuck you
until you can’t move.”

* * * *

“Yes. Please,” Angelus replied breathlessly as Antinious’s hand

came down on his ass again and again. The pain he’d felt initially had
faded to be replaced by a sensation of warmth and biting pleasure.
With every stroke of his gladiator’s hand, Angelus felt himself being
pulled toward some precipice that he’d never fallen off of before.

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The sensation wasn’t like a building orgasm. It wasn’t the

focusing on one portion of his body until it was too much and he went
off like a shot. No. This sensation involved his entire body and,
strangely enough, his mind. He was so hyperfocused on Antinious,
nothing else seemed to matter. His body was floating in a sea of
sensation, separated from reality by the hard loving that Antinious
was delivering to him.

“I love you so much.” Angelus didn’t realize he’d spoken aloud.

That hand that was giving him such pleasure hesitated, almost missing
the strike. He groaned in protest as the blow landed almost softly.
“Don’t stop. Please don’t. Please. Need it. More,” he babbled.
Antinious growled, and he struck with renewed force.

“You are so damn beautiful,” the gladiator complimented.

Angelus’s hips were moving like he’d been penetrated. If his ass
wasn’t the same shade as blood, Angelus would be very surprised.
The hot stinging thrilled and burned like fire. He was probably going
to be very sore tomorrow.

Antinious delivered one last stinging strike and stilled. Both of his

palms came up to cup and caress the reddened flesh. Angelus could
do nothing but gasp. Antinious chuckled. Did he know that the gentle
touch in contrast to the rough treatment of the skin made the sting
even worse than the hard swats? He had to know. Angelus shook as
the sensations assaulted him.

“Take me,” Angelus begged. “Please take me.” He was trembling

uncontrollably, so high that he thought he’d never come back down to
earth. Antinious must’ve been in the mood to indulge him. His huge
hands gripped his hips, and Angelus whimpered. Oil dribbled down
the crease of his buttocks, and then he was being spread for
Antinious’s pleasure.

The gladiator entered the smaller man in one brutal thrust.

Angelus groaned loudly at the hard stretch and the way Antinious’s
hard thighs smacked against his already tender backside. The
gladiator set a fast pace designed to throw them both over the edge in

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no time flat. The big man was growling low in his throat and giving
him guttural compliments with every twist of his hips. Angelus took
great satisfaction in the fact that he’d pushed the gladiator to his
limits.

“Yes!” Angelus cried out as he switched the angle of his thrusts so

that Antinious tapped the pleasure spot deep inside him with every
lunge. Blind, the former slave felt everything more powerfully and
more sharply than ever before. Antinious cried out from behind him.
His hips were losing their staccato rhythm and turning instead to the
shocky, unpracticed movements of a man fast approaching a
screaming release.

“Come for me,” Antinious demanded. “Come for me, kitten.”
Angelus’s body obeyed instantaneously. His back bowed hard,

and his head kicked back as his inside convulsed. Distantly, he heard
someone scream, and only when his own throat began to ache did he
realize that it was himself. He felt his arms give out as Antinious
growled out his own release. His own body was still convulsing
internally, milking the gladiator of his essence until he had no more to
give.

* * * *

Antinious couldn’t pull out for long moments. He was surrounded

by the scorching heat of his lover, and he felt like he’d come home.
He stroked Angelus’s sweat-soaked back lovingly. The gladiator
knew that he was feeling lingering affections from the incredible
pleasure he’d just received, but Angelus’s words played in a never-
ending reel inside his mind. “I love you…so much.” Angelus still
loved him, still wanted him just as much as he had when they first met
in the villa. It made Antinious ridiculously happy. It shouldn’t. He felt
like such an ass.

Finally, he slipped free from Angelus’s body and rolled to his

side. With one hand he untied the blindfold and let it slip off his

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lover’s relaxed face. Angelus didn’t even open his eyes. Instead, he
just lay there with a half smile on his lips.

“Are you all right?” Antinious asked. Angelus just grunted

something that sounded like “yes” but didn’t look up.

Antinious unwound his wrists next. He winced as he saw the

indentations on the skin and felt the chill of the fingers which hadn’t
had enough circulation throughout their interlude. The gladiator
quickly rubbed the skin, trying to warm it and get blood back into the
places where the restraints had been tied too tight. He was
experienced enough that those marks shouldn’t have happened. He
had been careless.

“I will be more careful next time,” he promised, pressing a kiss to

his wrists. Those languid eyes slid open and regarded him in sleepy
fascination.

“No,” Angelus managed with a grin of satisfaction. His pupils

were dilated impossibly large. He looked like he was still high in the
mountains of pleasure.

Antinious frowned. “I hurt you.” He was still rubbing the chafed

flesh.

“No,” Angelus protested, leaning into Antinious’s touch. “That

was amazing. If I don’t get a repeat performance, I’ll never forgive
you.”

Antinious couldn’t help but laugh at that. “You are so strange,

Angelus. I could know you a thousand years and never understand
you fully.” His slave’s eyes slid shut and the smile never faded.

“Yeah. Guess you’ll have to keep me,” he slurred, snuggling to

Antinious’s side.

He couldn’t possibly mean it, but the good-natured joke made the

gladiator seriously consider it. He’d known that he wanted to keep the
slave, that he wasn’t ready to let him go, but every second that passed
made Antinious want to keep him all the more. He was incredibly
tempted to tell him so.

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A sudden noise outside the cart made the gladiator tense. The cart

shifted as someone climbed on the front.

“Oi! Antinious! Did you hear someone screaming?” Crassus’s

voice cut through the darkness. Antinious relaxed a fraction of an
inch.

“Yeah. Mind your own business. Go back to your own cart!”
Crassus’s chuckle met his reply. “Oh, all right. The next time

Angelus screams bloody murder, I’ll assume he’s enjoying it.”

“Go away, Crassus.” The Animal growled. The other gladiator

just laughed at him, obviously enjoying his discomfort.

“Crassus, if you put him in a bad mood before we go to bed I will

have your balls on a spit!” Angelus yelled unexpectedly. Crassus
roared in laughter, and the cart shifted again as he jumped down.

“You’re teaching your kitten to be as ill-mannered as you are,

Animal!” Crassus teased. They heard him chortling to himself all the
way back to the other cart.

Antinious sighed. “He’s such an ass.”
Angelus echoed his sound. “It must be a gladiator thing.” He

relaxed back into Antinious’s arms and smiled up at him. “Good
night, Antinious,” he murmured.

The gladiator smiled at his sleepy companion. “Good night.”

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Chapter Thirty-Four

They broke camp at first light. The smaller men helped reattach

the horses to the wagons and packed whatever items they’d had out
the night before. It was little under a half hour before they were ready
to depart. Angelus spared a glance at Antinious as he muscled a
particularly stubborn horse into line on the supply wagon. He
appeared to be in excellent spirits this morning.

The former slave stepped wrong, and he winced as pain shot

through his left flank. He let out a hiss between his clenched teeth and
let out a soft curse.

“Go sit in the cart, Angelus,” Antinious commanded. The

gladiator had obviously noticed his discomfort. “I want you to relax
for a bit.”

Angelus glared. “I’m fine,” he stated, stepping more gingerly this

time. “I really am fine. Don’t worry about me.”

Antinious shrugged. “As you wish.”
Ever was skipping around merrily between the men, though he

gravitated toward Crassus most intently. Due to Crassus’s position of
night guard the previous evening, Ever had had to sleep by himself,
but he seemed to be in a good mood nonetheless.

“I’d like to ride with you, master,” he spoke coyly to Crassus,

giving him a wink of suggestion.

Crassus raised his eyebrows in challenge. “What about your

devotion to Angelus? Don’t you have to brush his hair or something?”
The jab was aimed at Angelus, but it was good-natured.

“Don’t get me wrong. I love spending time with my lord,

Angelus, but he’s so besotted with Antinious that he quite neglects

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me,” Ever whispered conspiratorially a little louder than he should’ve
if he wanted to be discreet. They shared a laugh.

Angelus rolled his eyes. “Enough, you two. The jokes are already

getting old and we haven’t even begun.” That just made them laugh
all the harder.

* * * *

The road started to seem endless after several hours on the

cobbled path that led to Rome and then the mountains. The thought
gave Antinious pause. The last time he’d been over the Alps had been
when he’d been brought back from Gaul as a prisoner of war. A
familiar rage filled him at the thought. He remembered the
helplessness, the feeling of being chained and bound, dirty and unable
to move. He remembered Doiros’s fearful gaze as he watched him
being dragged from their village.

“Hey,” Angelus murmured. He put his hand on Antinious’s

shoulder, instantly calming him. “What’s wrong?”

Antinious glanced at the smaller man in shock. How did the boy

always know? “Nothing,” he denied. “Why do you ask?”

“I…feel your anger.” Angelus laughed at himself in

embarrassment. “I know that sounds silly but…I feel so close to you
today.”

As with most slaves who had had their first taste of true

mastership, Angelus was feeling deep affection for the man who’d
showed him the pleasure of submission. Antinious had seen the
reaction before. Yet, he was thrilled with the beauty who had given
himself to him so freely the night before. My lover, my mate. He
wondered how Angelus would feel when he was confronted by a four-
legged Antinious when they reached Gaul. His heart stuttered before
continuing at a thundering pace.

“It’s normal for you to feel that way.” Antinious downplayed the

emotional vulnerability that Angelus was displaying. “I expected you

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to feel that way after surrendering to me. Know that it’s just your
body’s reaction to the physicality of our union.”

Angelus shook his head in denial. “No. I know better. I felt your

anger before that. I felt your pain before you even took me as your
lover.” He gripped Antinious’s heavy bicep hard. “It’s different
between us.” He bit his bottom lip hard. “Isn’t it?”

Antinious could almost see his insecurity rise.
“Isn’t it different?”
Antinious denied the urge to reassure him. He feared that if the

slave ever understood the depth of his true emotions, then he would
take advantage of the gladiator’s affection and run. After all, why
would he choose to remain with Antinious when his freedom lay
between here and Gaul? Antinious had chosen the possibility of death
over remaining a slave one more day when freedom presented itself.
He couldn’t even begin to fathom the possibility that anyone would
willingly choose slavery over freedom. He made the mistake of
looking Angelus in the eye before he spoke.

“Of course it’s different,” Antinious muttered. How could he deny

it when the other man was looking at him all vulnerable and soft?
Gods’ blood, he couldn’t stand to see that possibility of hurt
shimmering under the surface of his lover’s normally reserved
countenance.

Angelus granted him one of his glittering smiles before reaching

out with a tentative hand and cupping Antinious’s cheek. “I think you
mean that,” he whispered, lowering his lashes flirtatiously. “Even if
you don’t realize you do.”

The thought unnerved the gladiator.

* * * *

Rome was before them. It had only been a week, yet, here it was,

the mecca of the Republic. This was the place where heaven and hell
could be found if one had enough coin to get into the establishments.

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“I’d forgotten how the city looked upon approach.” Angelus

sighed, leaning more heavily into Antinious as the road ahead and
behind them began to crowd with people whose destination was the
hideous urban sprawl in front of them. “I haven’t been here since I
was a boy. Father used to travel here quite often, but we were kept at
the villa. I was here only once when I was seven or eight.”

The cobblestone streets rocked the wagons as they ambled up the

road closer to the gates. The smell of too many people and too many
animals assaulted the nostrils as they drove through the poorest part of
the outskirts to make their way to the interior. The fastest way around
Rome was through there, and the gladiators were making a gamble
trying to be unrecognizable. Since Antinious usually wore a mask, it
was a good gamble, but Crassus was known for his handsomeness.

“It stinks as much as I remember,” Antinious added his

commentary with a wrinkle of his nose as they passed a ditch that put
a whole other spin to the word putrid. He spat off the side of the
wagon where he sat, nearly hitting a goat that had wandered much too
close. “Perhaps it is because I am from a village, but I prefer the
wide-open spaces of the country,” he rumbled as an afterthought.

“I prefer the country as well. Capua wasn’t so bad, because it

wasn’t as crowded, but Rome is another thing entirely.” Angelus
glanced to his left to watch Crassus yell at some merchants to hurry
along who were pushing slow carts toward the main gate. The
merchants hurried to obey because, even dressed as a servant, Crassus
looked intimidating as hell.

After what seemed like eternity, they made it to the main gate and

were welcomed inside with the barest of glances by the Roman
peacekeepers employed by the Senate to watch over the disorderly
hoards. Angelus’s eyes widened as they were immediately drawn into
another noisy section of the city. It was a market day apparently,
because each side of the street was lined with merchants hocking their
wares.

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“We need to find an inn,” Crassus called out as he pointed farther

down the street to where the permanent taverns were. “We won’t
make it out of the other side before they shut the gates at sundown.”

Angelus noted that Ever had decided to ride double with Crassus

instead of remain in his own cart after all. The other gladiator had his
arm wrapped tightly around the smaller man’s waist and was fitting
his pert backside against the vee of his thighs. The hold was
possessive.

“I agree.” Antinious nodded his agreement, smoothly interrupting

Angelus’s perusal of Crassus and Ever. Angelus turned his head to
see the raised eyebrows of his lover and the firm set of his jaw as if he
was grinding his teeth. “Is there a reason you’re admiring Crassus in
such a frank manner?”

Angelus just grinned in answer and sidled up closer to the

gladiator, placing an elegant hand on his companion’s thigh. “Isn’t it
obvious that I find only one man attractive in this little troupe of
ours?”

Antinious relaxed a fraction of an inch, and Angelus couldn’t

smother his laugh, which just caused Antinious to frown all the more.

“Is something funny?” he snarled in his familiar rumbling voice.
There was anger there and so much more. Embarrassment?

Probably. Possessiveness? Definitely. Angelus rubbed his cheek
against the gladiator’s tight bicep like a cat. He was growing immune
to Antinious’s rumbling growl. Fear wasn’t something he felt toward
his lover.

Besides, if he gets pissed off enough, my “punishment” will be all

the sweeter later. The thought made him shift as his shaft started to
fill. Gods, it only took a thought about that pleasure chest that was
sitting innocently behind them to send him into a panting arousal.
Antinious’s mastery was sweet indeed.

* * * *

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Five minutes later, they’d found a vacant inn at a reasonable price

on the right side of the street right across from a tavern where they
could get some hot food. It would be the first time any of them had
had a hot meal since leaving Capua, and gods knew that they were
craving one. Unlike the nobles who always ate in, they would be
dining with the rest of the lower class tonight in town.

The room that all four of them were to share wasn’t large by

anyone’s definition, but it would do in a pinch, and the straw beds
would be adequate if they snuggled up very close. The wagons had
been stored away in the area around back of the inn where the horses
were to be housed until they left tomorrow. The most valuable items
had been brought up to the room with them or stashed on their
persons. Thievery was to be expected in a large city like this.

Truth be told, Angelus was tired of traveling and stiff from the

hard seat of the wagon and the jarring ride of horses. He stretched his
arms heavenward, hyperaware of the attention he gained from
Antinious as he did so. He couldn’t have missed the instant look of
lust in the other man’s eyes and the telltale stir of his cock underneath
his ill-fitting tunic if he’d tried.

The gladiator cleared his throat. “I have business to attend to in

the merchants’ stalls. Crassus and I are in need of some clothes.”

Angelus nodded. He had no intention of running. As far as he was

concerned, Antinious was his and his alone. The idea that he was a
captive did nothing but arouse his newly awakened sexual appetite.
He’d always enjoyed sex before, but Antinious had opened up a door
in his soul that Angelus hadn’t even been aware he possessed.

“I’ll wait for you,” he promised. He craved the other man’s touch,

wanted to reach out and wrap his arms around the gladiator’s waist
and bury his face in Antinious’s neck. The gladiator’s eyes flashed as
if he knew what he was thinking.

“Ever will keep you company, and Crassus will guard the two of

you so that you won’t come to harm.” The gladiator tugged Angelus’s
wrist until he stepped fully against his body.

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Angelus shuddered at the instant burst of want that swamped him.

He tilted up his head and let his eyes slide shut, waiting. Antinious did
not disappoint. The gladiator’s kiss was not gentle. Then again, it
never was, but it held a certain affection that left Angelus breathless.

* * * *

“Get going so you can get back, Animal,” Crassus demanded from

his seated position on one of the beds. He gave the two of them a look
of disgust. Their lovey-dovey mess could make any hardened warrior
sick. There were simply better ways to go about having a relationship
with another male. Take Ever and himself for instance. They fucked.
They even cuddled afterward. However, they did not stare at one
another like moonstruck saps every time they had to go without
seeing each other for five damn minutes. He prayed to the gods he
never fell in love.

The Animal just nodded and sent Angelus away from him.

Without another word, he turned and set off out the door. Angelus
sighed.

“He’ll be back in a few hours. No need to get yourself all worked

up over it,” Ever soothed. He was like that. Soothing. He had an
uncanny ability to know how other people were feeling and say just
the right thing to put them in a better mood. He took out the hairbrush
that was becoming his signature weapon to ward off Angelus’s
contemplations. He was very sweet for putting up with Antinious’s
bratty lover.

Angelus’s face brightened at the hint that he was getting his hair

brushed. He sat on the other bed obediently as Ever gently removed
his beads and began running the brush through the curtain of silk that
Angelus called hair. Angelus sighed gratefully.

Crassus felt an instant spark of jealousy. He shook his head to

clear it of that nonsense. There was no reason to be jealous of the two
of them. Both were men who enjoyed the dominance of another in the

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bedroom, and both of them were very much involved with other men.
Ever with him. Angelus with Antinious. It was that simple.

Ever turned and regarded him with those unfathomable amethyst

eyes of his. There was a questioning look in his gaze. Crassus was the
first to drop their staring match. More and more that boy was reading
him like a book, and Crassus didn’t appreciate it in the least. When
Antinious got back, he was going to find himself a nice prostitute to
ease the ache that was building even now in his loins. The hold Ever
had on him was uncanny, and no way would he allow himself to be
drawn into the same situation that Antinious found himself in.

“I hope Antinious hurries,” he muttered aloud to himself. He

must’ve spoken louder than he thought because in an instant both
pairs of eyes from the slaves regarded him speculatively.

“Why’s that, Crassus?” Angelus asked, keeping his eyes on the

gladiator even as he tilted his head back to give Ever better access to
his scalp.

“Is there something I can assist you with, master?” Ever purred.

Those eyes of his had turned a riotous shade of sunset purple.

“No. You may not,” Crassus bit off a little harshly. He ignored the

instant, stunned hurt in Ever’s face. He continued, “I was just thinking
that I have been too long without an experienced whore to ease my
needs, and Antinious needs to hurry along so I can have my turn out
and about our fair city.”

Ever gasped, and Angelus’s head snapped up. “That’s what

Antinious was going to do? Besides get clothes, I mean.”

Crassus shrugged. It wasn’t Angelus’s business what his master

chose to do in his spare time, and it was high time that he stopped
being so demanding. “I have no idea. But if he is, I suggest that you
don’t poke too hard at it, Angelus. Or else you’ll end up tied and
gagged in the back of the cart for the rest of the journey.”

The gladiator hadn’t meant to hurt the two of them, but it was

obvious he had. Angelus and Ever both looked like they were going to
be ill. Shit.

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“Look. I don’t know what Antinious is going to be doing in the

city,” he offered as gently as he knew how. “I’m just saying that he’s
a grown man and can do whatever he desires.” That didn’t help. The
gladiator cleared his throat nervously and decided to change the
subject. “Ever, can you hand me that satchel that has my arm cuffs in
it? I need to mend them.”

Ever’s eyes practically glowed as he spoke. “Get them yourself,

jackass,” he snapped, standing up before spinning on his heels and
going to the far side of the room and riffling through the small bag
he’d brought, things he’d brought from the slaver’s house.

Crassus sighed. He had the sneaking feeling that he had just

majorly fucked up the dynamic of their traveling party.

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Chapter Thirty-Five

Antinious hummed to himself as he paid for the fabric that would

be made into tunics for Crassus and himself. He’d also dropped by a
stall as he entered the market and picked up a surprise for Angelus for
being such a good slave over the past week. He was beginning to
think that their future may be infinitely more successful than he’d
originally thought. They’d fallen into a natural rhythm. It was
comfortable between them. Beyond being comfortable it was…nice.

Angelus was an attentive and sensitive lover, one that Antinious

would’ve made his own had they both been born in his village. Unlike
the rest of Rome where they saw the bottom male in a same-sex
relationship as less than a man, his people were infinitely more
accepting, especially if the person in question was a mate of one of
the tribal males. Perhaps when they got to his village, Angelus
wouldn’t want to leave. Perhaps he’d desire to be in Antinious’s bed
for the rest of eternity.

He smiled as he thought of Angelus’s wicked green eyes lit up

with pleasure as they had been the night before as they’d made love
under a moonless sky in a field just off the road. Everything about
their relationship seemed to have an essence of physicality that was
both intriguing and intoxicating. The simple act of Angelus looking at
him with his eyes deepened to emerald and shining with adoration
was enough to keep Antinious high for days.

“My lord!” a voice shouted from the crowd. Antinious kept

walking.

“My lord!” The same voice sounded, a younger man, if Antinious

was correct in his estimation.

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“My lord, please, wait!”
A hand grabbed the gladiator’s elbow. Antinious turned with a

snarl that would’ve made the animals that the Romans often fought in
the arena think twice before coming at him. It took him a full minute
before he realized that the boy, and he was a boy, no more than fifteen
at the oldest, was speaking in his native tongue. The boy had tan skin
the same shade of his own but dark eyes the color of a copper coin. A
sniff of the air told him everything he needed to know. The boy was
like him.

“What?” Antinious bit off in Latin. The boy shook his head.
“I don’t speak the Roman tongue,” he offered shyly. The boy

started to tremble under Antinious’s sharp gaze. “I…I recognize you
from one of the matches in Capua last year. My Dominus and his wife
went to your master’s display of gladiators.”

Antinious winced. He should’ve realized that it was possible to be

recognized. The gladiators were highly prized among the Romans and
were the major athletes of the Republic. The Animal of Gaul was
renowned throughout, and he had traveled to Rome at least three
times a year since becoming a gladiator with the Dominus to compete
in various games. Not to mention the shape-changer would’ve also
been able to pick up his scent, unlike the humans he served.

“So? What of it?” Antinious snapped in Gallic. He didn’t want the

possibility of the Romans overhearing their conversation.

The boy frowned. “Have you been freed, my lord?” he asked

hesitantly. “I mean…your tunic, though a little small, is quite fine.”

Antinious’s eyes narrowed. “What business is it of yours, boy?”
The boy gnawed his bottom lip nervously. “It…it isn’t truly, my

lord. But, I had hoped…will you…” He started to tremble. “If it is not
too much to ask…may I have a lock of hair or a bead from your
hair?”

Antinious started. He wasn’t expecting that the boy was a fan.

“For a brave Gaul like you?” he asked. His voice was instantly
warmer. “You may have my warrior’s beads.”

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He reached up and untied the braid near his temple and extricated

three of the green and yellow beads found there. They were the mark
of a warrior who had seen many battles, one who had never been
defeated. The young Gaul’s eyes grew wide as Antinious placed the
beads in his palm.

“Thank you, my lord!” the younger man said excitedly. “The other

slaves are never going to believe this!”

Antinious chuckled at his enthusiasm. “You’re quite

welcome…What is your name, boy?”

“Airril.” The teenager beamed. He kept fingering his beads like

they were coins instead of clay. “May I accompany you back to your
lodgings, Lord Antinious?”

“Will you get in trouble with your Dominus if I keep you?”

Antinious asked.

“I have the afternoon free, my lord.” Airril was nearly shouting in

his excitement. “Dominus and Domina are gone to a friend’s house
for supper and have taken another slave with them.”

“Very well. You may come with me to my lodgings, but you will be

expected to assist me,” Antinious warned in a stern voice. He was so
used to commanding other gladiators his tone couldn’t get any softer.
It didn’t bother the other shape-changer in the slightest.

“Yes, my lord! Of course!” He immediately came forward and

took the fabric from Antinious’s grasp. He looked up and gave the
gladiator a worshipping look.

Antinious shrugged and started back toward the inn where they

were staying. He patted the pouch at his hip which contained the coins
he had lifted from a trunk in Angelus’s wagon and the presents he’d
bought for Angelus and smiled. It was shaping up to be a good day.

They climbed the stone stairs that led up to the room they’d rented

at the inn. Airril hadn’t stopped his chattering since they left the fabric
shop. He talked about his life at his Dominus’s house, his duties as a
personal servant to the younger sons of the house, and how much he
admired the Dominus’s oldest son, who was going to be twenty-three

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and was planning on going into politics with his father’s support. He
leaned much too close while he talked, invading Antinious’s personal
space. It was just an admirer’s need to get close to the object of his
admiration, but it still made the gladiator uncomfortable.

“Do you have family back in Gaul?” Antinious asked, trying to

change the subject from the young man’s obvious crush on his
master’s son. A pained look crossed Airril’s face as his mood
plummeted with just those simple words.

“Yes,” he said quietly. “My father was away at a war with another

tribe when the Romans raided our village. I was eleven. My mother
died on the way to Rome. I don’t remember much else except for the
name of the village I was from.”

The Gaul turned his head to look at his younger companion.

“What village were you from?” he asked curiously.

His heart ached for the younger man. He ached because Airril

would never know the joys of a life in Gaul. He’d never experience
the rites of their gods during the changes of the seasons. Never ride
horseback with his fellow Gauls over the hills. Never marry a man of
his tribe. He glanced at the teen. His life would be in slavery. His
death would be in slavery. It made Antinious’s blood boil at the
injustice.

“Allobroges, just on the other side of the Alps.” Airril lifted his

gaze and locked eyes with the gladiator. “Someday I’m going to go
back there and find my father.”

Antinious admired the boy’s spunk and wrapped a huge arm

around his slender shoulders and gave him a squeeze.

“I’m sure you will.” He gave another encouraging squeeze before

releasing him. He didn’t dare tell the boy that he was from Allobroges
as well. But he would find who his father was and tell him that he was
still alive. Not much could be helped, but at least then the other man
would know. The Helvetii tribe was a close-knit family who would
like to know either way.

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“Antinious?” a soft, anger-filled voice asked from the top of the

stairs. The gladiator’s head popped up and he met Angelus’s rage-
filled eyes. They sparked like emerald fire. His slave had a pitcher in
his hand. He’d obviously been sent to fetch water from the well
downstairs.

Antinious swallowed nervously and stepped back a little to

distance himself from the boy following him and immediately
chastised himself. He had nothing to feel guilty about.

“Hello, kitten,” Antinious greeted. He gestured to the smaller man

beside him. “This is a boy I met at market. He agreed to accompany
me back and carry some of my purchases.”

Angelus nodded in Airril’s direction, but it was a jerky movement

that betrayed his anger like nothing else. Why was he so upset?

Antinious turned to the other Gaul. “Airril, this is my slave,

Angelus,” he offered in Gallic. The boy gave a cheerful wave.

“Is room this way?” Airril asked in broken Latin. “I service

Antinious there.”

Antinious winced at the word service. “It’s all right, Airril. You

don’t have to speak in Latin. You’re easier to understand in Gallic.”

“Does your slave speak our native tongue?” Airril asked, sparing

the angry slave another glance. Antinious shook his head in denial.
“Then I stick to Latin,” he said with a pointed look.

Smart boy, Antinious thought as Airril turned his bright smile

toward Angelus. Except that Angelus looks ready to pounce on you
and beat you for your trouble. What is going on?

He continued to walk up the stairs, pushing past Angelus to do so,

Airril right on his heels. He didn’t look back, but he heard his kitten
growl low in his throat, and his footsteps could be heard pounding
down the stairs.

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Chapter Thirty-Six

Angelus was seething by the time he got to the public fountain

outside where he would get the water for his pitcher. He couldn’t
believe it! Antinious had actually brought a whore back from the
market. A Gallic whore! He saw them twittering together in
Antinious’s native tongue, too close for propriety’s sake. There was
no way that he had mistaken the looks they were exchanging.
Antinious’s voice was a low purr that he usually reserved for their
bedroom. Crassus had been right. Even if he’d tried to cover up for
the sake of Angelus’s feelings, Crassus had been right.

“Gods, how could I have been so stupid?” Angelus asked himself,

gripping the edge of the stone aqueduct until his knuckles turned
white. “I’ve been fooling myself this entire time. He doesn’t give a
damn about me. He’s just using me to get home.”

“Man troubles?” a feminine voice asked to his right. He turned his

head to see a young woman with a large earthen jar on her hip. She
didn’t look poor by the look of her lavender-colored gown and gold-
colored ribbons in her hair. She looked like an expensive slave, one of
the ones who belonged to a senator or something.

Angelus snorted and released the stone. “You could say that.” He

growled. He pulled his own jar out of the water and sat it on the edge.
The other slave came forward with an elegant sway of her hips.

“Isn’t that always the case?” She gave him a slight smile and put

her jar into the water. They both stood side by side to watch it fill.
“What’s he doing? This master of yours?”

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“That’s the worst part.” Angelus sighed, allowing himself to

confide in a perfect stranger. “I’m not really his slave. I’m free. I
choose to be with him.”

She frowned prettily. “What’s he doing?”
“He’s using me.” Angelus was strangled at the thought. His voice

cracked. “I care so deeply about him, but I don’t know if he cares
about me.”

The beauty gave him a soft smile. “So test him,” she offered, her

pretty hazel eyes dancing with something that seemed like defiance.
“I once was the lover of a Roman politician who couldn’t decide
between me and his other mistress. I walked away from him. He
followed. If they’re worth it, they always follow.”

Angelus pondered her words. “Thanks,” he said, picking up his

jug and turning back toward the inn. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“If you need a place to go for the chase, you’re welcome to come

to my brother’s establishment. It’s over on Forty-Third Street. Ask for
Antonia at the Beloise Tavern. They all know me,” she called after
him, laughter in her voice.

“That wasn’t strange at all,” Angelus muttered to himself

sarcastically. He nodded to the owner as he entered the main sitting
room and began to climb the stairs once more. Yet her words wound
themselves like serpents through his mind. If they’re worth it, they
always follow. Angelus wondered if Antinious would chase him.
Probably. But not because it mattered to Antinious that he could lose
him emotionally. No. It’d bother the gladiator to lose something that
he considered his.

The former slave gritted his teeth as he walked inside to see

Antinious sitting on the ground by the slave boy he’d brought back
from market. Calm down. He’s just some nameless slave he met at
market. I’m the one he considers his. I’m the one he gave his beads to,
as rough of a token of affection as that was. He felt the speed of his
heartbeat decrease a little at that thought. He was special. He was
Antinious’s only bound lover.

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“Antinious, put your beads in hair. Like tradition. Please.” The

slave boy’s stilted Latin made Angelus freeze.

His gladiator chuckled. “Fine. But, I’m terrible at it. You haven’t

gone through the rights of manhood yet, so it’ll be a back braid.”

The teen turned eagerly and presented the back of his hair for

Antinious’s perusal. Antinious beckoned to Ever who was organizing
some of Angelus’s things.

“Hand me Angelus’s hairbrush, will you? Airril’s hair is short, so

I have to make it straight to put these in.”

Angelus gave a strangled noise halfway between a growl and a

scream. Three heads snapped up as Angelus threw the jug of water
into the wall causing it to shatter against the cement.

“Don’t fucking touch my brush!” he screeched.
Antinious surged to his feet. “What the hell is your problem,

Angelus?”

Angelus stamped his foot and pointed toward Airril who was

trying to look as small as possible from his position on the floor.
“That’s my problem. Right there. Why the hell did you bring him
here?”

Antinious snarled. “I was just being kind, acting human. Things

you have been encouraging me to do for weeks now!”

“I didn’t encourage you to bring back some Gallic whore for you

to play with right in front of me!”

An inhuman growl raised every hair on Angelus’s body.

Antinious was shaking in fury, his eyes getting that strange animal
light that he was known for. “Don’t you dare call him a whore. He has
done nothing to warrant your jealousy.” His voice was quiet, but the
tone was deadly. It was the kind of tone that said he could rip Angelus
apart if he kept it up. Angelus ignored the warning.

“You’re so full of shit!” the former slave snapped. “Are you going

to steal him away from this place, too? Offer him your beads and
whisk him off to Gaul?”

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* * * *

“Are you insane?” Antinious asked incredulously. “I gave him no

lover’s beads. He’s a child. Do you think that’s what I am? A
molester of children?”

He crossed the distance between them and gripped Angelus’s

arms tightly.

“Let me go!” Angelus snapped, struggling against the larger man.

“I swear to the gods, if you don’t let me go, I’m going to scream to
high heaven!”

“So what? Who would come to your rescue?” the gladiator asked.

He was starting to feel the familiar rage bubbling up from deep inside
him. He had to resist the urge to tighten his grip on the struggling man
until the pain from his grip made him cease his thrashing.

“You’re going to regret this,” Angelus promised, stilling his

struggles. “I promise you, Animal. You’re going to regret this.”

“Angelus, what have I done to warrant this anger?” Antinious was

beyond confused. He didn’t understand why Angelus was acting this
way.

“You used me. You’ve been using me since the beginning. What

happens when I’m no longer useful, Antinious? Are you going to kill
me and leave my body by the roadside?” Angelus’s eyes refused to
meet the gladiator’s.

“You should know better.” Antinious didn’t want the note of pain

in his voice, but it was there nonetheless. “Have I treated you as
anything less than what you are? Have I truly treated you like I’d ever
hurt you?”

“You took away my freedom. You took away my chance at

happiness, Antinious. You stole my wagons, you stole my freedom,
and lately, you’ve stolen my mind. I’m obviously insane for wanting
to be with you.”

Antinious reeled like he’d been struck. So that was it. Freedom.

Slavery. The roots of every problem that had ever existed between

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them were bound up in those two factors. He couldn’t give Angelus
up. His animal just wouldn’t allow it. He couldn’t offer the very thing
that he knew would make it right between them.

“Insane or not, you are mine,” the Animal said softly. He released

his hold on the other man and took a step back. “Airril, it’s time for
you to leave. I’ll walk you back to the market,” he spoke over his
shoulder, and he watched as Airril stood.

Ever crossed the distance between them and wrapped his arms

around Angelus’s silently shaking shoulders. He glared at Antinious
with a look that spoke volumes about what he thought of the gladiator
right then.

“Let me brush your hair out, master,” he said soothingly. “We’ll

take a nap together afterward.” He petted Angelus’s head gently and
led him to the bed near the far wall. The former slave moved
woodenly as if it hurt to walk. Antinious’s heart constricted.

“Can you wait until I get back to leave?” Antinious directed his

attention to Crassus, who had remained curiously silent. A sharp nod
was his only answer.

Airril hovered at his elbow, looking toward the other shape-

changer for direction. Antinious took the slave’s hand. “Come along,
young one. We must hurry.”

The sounds of muffled crying haunted him as he walked out the

door.

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Chapter Thirty-Seven

Ever petted Angelus’s head gently as he cried into the strip of

cloth that Ever had given him for this very reason. He’d skipped the
hair brushing, because Angelus had lost it the instant Antinious had
left the room.

“This is your fault,” Ever whispered to Crassus as Angelus’s

hiccups finally left him and he slipped into an exhausted sleep.

“My fault? Why is it my fault?” Crassus asked. He sounded like

he didn’t know what Ever was talking about. The expression on his
face called him a liar.

“You put the idea in his head that Antinious was going to seek

some congenial company from another man when you and I both
know that he was going to do no such thing,” Ever accused.

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. You two have been

given far too much freedom of late. Neither or you are acting like
captives, and I was just reminding the two of you of that.” Crassus’s
voice was rising exponentially with each word spoken.

“Shh! Don’t you dare wake him up,” Ever whispered. “You

wanted to put me in my place. Fine. I’m in my place, master. But you
and I both know that it’s different between the two of them. They
have feelings for one another that go more than skin deep.”

“That’s romantic nonsense.” It didn’t matter that only days ago

Crassus was spouting the same romantic rhetoric.

Ever’s knew his eyes were probably blazing a deep sunset purple.

They usually did when he was angry. “In my country, we call that
fate. Love is ordained by the god and goddess in all its forms. Your
interference in this will cause you nothing but problems.”

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“I’ve seen men die almost every day of my life for the past ten

years, Ever. Your god and goddess can do nothing to me that I
haven’t seen and experienced before,” Crassus said bitterly. “You, my
pretty love slave, have no idea what real life is.”

Ever looked away. “You don’t know me well enough to make that

statement.” He sighed as Angelus shuddered in his sleep. “Go to hell,
Crassus of Carthage. You will never touch me again.”

“Never is a very long time, Ever,” Crassus warned.
“Never is as long as I make it to be.”
Ever closed his eyes and turned his face away from the gladiator

who had become his enemy in that instant. He couldn’t even stand the
sight of him. He drew his companion more tightly into his thin arms
and held him tenderly. Ever fell asleep wondering what it was that
Angelus dreamed.

* * * *

Angelus was running. The smell of grapes permeated his senses as

he ducked through a break in the lines of the vineyard. He screamed
as he heard the sound of footsteps pounding on the moist, red earth
behind him. If he could just make it to the villa, he would be safe. The
soft golden glow of the torchlight flickered through the vines, twining
around the cords that ran in between the tall posts which held up the
heavy grape-filled creepers beckoning him closer to sanctuary.

“Angelus!” the familiar growling voice shouted at him. His

pursuer was close. Too close.

“No!” Angelus screamed, willing his muscles to work harder,

willing his legs to run faster. Fingertips grazed his bare hips. Too
close. Much too close. Adrenaline-laced blood caused his heart to
pound erratically in fear.

“Angelus!” that voice snapped once more, practically in his ear

this time. He had to get away. Had to escape. He knew that if he

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stopped, if he allowed his pursuer to catch him, he would never be
free. Ever.

He screamed again as those hands finally caught his hips and

dragged him to the ground. He kicked his legs out as the earth
welcomed him. The ground was still wet. It must’ve just rained. The
fall was cushioned by the grace of the ground still having some give
from the water.

“Stop it!” he cried out, twisting his hips, trying to get some

leverage. He was suffocated by the heavy weight on top of him. His
fists bounced off ironhard flesh.

“Please. Let me go,” Angelus pleaded. He looked up into

beautiful golden eyes filled with a glittering emotion that he couldn’t
name.

“Oh, Angelus. Sweet Angelus. Never,” Antinious murmured. His

hands were gentle as he held Angelus’s soft flesh but still immovable
enough to stop him from squirming. “I love you.” The gladiator made
it a promise.

Angelus bucked his hips, desperate to get free. “You can’t love

me. You can’t,” he protested. Antinious’s admission of affection was
dangerous, but Angelus couldn’t remember why.

“I can’t help it. I don’t want to help it. I love you. Gods, I love

you, Angelus.”

“Don’t let them hear you! They’ll kill you! They’ll kill you,

Antinious.” Angelus shook with fear. His skin was a sheen of sweat
but he felt cold, like he had a fever. “You have to let me go,” he said
miserably.

“Never,” Antinious promised, leaning in for a kiss. “Never.”

* * * *

“Angelus, Angelus, wake up.” Antinious shook his slave’s arm

gruffly, demanding he return from the realm of sleep and dreams. .

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The color of his lover’s skin had turned a sickly shade of light green,
and it scared the hell out of Antinious.

“He hasn’t been asleep long,” Ever offered, stroking Angelus’s

hair off his forehead. Antinious had to resist the urge to growl as he
watched the motion. He wanted to be the one giving Angelus comfort.

Antinious exhaled loudly as Angelus’s eyes slowly slid open.

He’d been holding his breath without realizing it.

“Are you all right?” the gladiator asked gruffly.
Green eyes glared at him despite the sleep that still clouded his

gaze. “I’m perfectly fine.”

He raised his hand to his temple, applying pressure to stave off the

headache that was apparently threatening. Antinious added his own
fingers to the massage, to which Angelus responded with turning his
head to avoid the contact.

“Did you deliver the little whore back to wherever you picked him

up?” Angelus asked in a nasty tone. He sat up, pushing Antinious out
of his personal space as he did so.

Antinious flattened what he knew was a concerned expression as

those words sapped every ounce of caring from him. His slave could
be so damn stubborn.

“I did,” he said simply. He pushed himself off the mattress and

grabbed a piece of precut fabric off the floor. A stool that hadn’t been
there when Angelus had gone to sleep stood over in the corner
opposite the door, and the former slave watched as Antinious sat on it
and began the meticulous process of sewing a simple tunic.

* * * *

Angelus had to tamp down on his annoyance at the absolute lack

of emotion that Antinious displayed. Typically he was the hotheaded
one of the group, the first to anger, the first to fight. Angelus hadn’t
expected this utter disregard from the Animal.

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“How did you sleep?” Ever asked gently, drawing his mind from

the contemplation of Antinious’s unexpected mood.

Angelus shrugged. “As good as to be expected.” He looked

toward Antinious and found that the gladiator was ignoring the pair of
them. “Where’s Crassus?” he asked once he realized that they were
one gladiator short.

Ever frowned. “Still at market, as far as I know. He went to find

his release with some whores to get the taste of me out of his mouth.”

Angelus had never heard Ever speak bitterly, but the sentence had

a distinct sardonic edge to it. Ever was typically the happy-go-lucky
one. His eternal optimism had kept them all cheerful during the past
week of travel despite the uncomfortable nature of traveling.

“I could kill them both. Why are they acting like asses?” Angelus

wondered softly so that Antinious wouldn’t hear.

The other slave shrugged. “Does it really matter? Perhaps they are

showing us their true colors now.”

Angelus looked at the ceiling and counted backward from ten as

his temper flared at the thought. Pushover, weak, the two adjectives
described Angelus perfectly in his dealings with Antinious.

“We’ve got to get out of here,” Angelus muttered, half to himself.

“I’m not going to end up some gladiator’s fuck toy in a barbarian
country far away from my homeland.” He glanced toward Ever to see
if he agreed. The pretty slave gave a slight incline of his head.

“What are you two whispering about?” Antinious asked from his

position in the corner. Ever gave Angelus a look that said they’d talk
later.

“Nothing at all,” Ever spoke so Angelus wouldn’t have to.
Angelus watched the complete transformation cross the pretty

blond’s face. He went from serious and attentive to guileless and
glazed. It made Angelus wonder exactly how happy-go-lucky Ever
really was and how much of it was an act he put on to fool the rest of
them.

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Chapter Thirty-Eight

“We’re going to go grab a basket of food to eat on the road. Fresh

bread, fruit, and olives. Maybe some cheese as well. You know,
breakfast to get us going,” Ever spoke cheerfully as the two gladiators
worked on loading up the wagons with the supplies they’d bought
with Angelus’s money the day before. It was just after sunrise, and
they were getting ready to head out of the city.

Crassus frowned. “Is that necessary? We’ve already got enough

food to last us through most of the journey. Why would you two go
get more?”

Ever waved off the question with an elegant wave of his hand.

“We need something light to start the day off with. Besides, it’ll be
the last opportunity for a fresh loaf of bread for our meal until we get
to Milan.”

Crassus shrugged and looked to Antinious who was standing to

the left of the supply cart. He had been fixing to hook up the horses,
but he’d stopped to watch their exchange. The Animal crossed his
arms across his massive chest and gave a shrug of his own.

Angelus couldn’t even glance in Antinious’s direction. Last night

had been the first night since they’d begun their journey that they’d
slept apart. Crassus had been out all night. Ever and he had slept in
one bed, Antinious in the other.

Ever reached out and grabbed his hand, giving it a squeeze.
Angelus finally remembered his lines. “I want to see the market

myself before we go. Officially say good-bye to Rome before we
head off to Gaul.”

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There was a tense moment of silence before Antinious nodded his

acquiescence. Ever offered both of them a brilliant smile before
tugging Angelus along with him in the direction of the market. They
turned the corner, and then they were out of sight.

* * * *

It didn’t take long to find where Antonia lived. Her “house” was

more of a loft above a popular tavern that was occupied by various
statesmen and high-ranking military men during its hours of
operation.

“Are you sure she’ll help us?” Ever asked for the fiftieth time.
“I don’t know. She just said I was welcome to come to her home.

From there we can hide long enough for me to get a message to my
father. He’s somewhere in Rome, because the Senate is in session.”
Angelus’s mind was a million miles away. How would Antinious feel
when he learned of their betrayal? He shook his head. He wouldn’t
care one way or the other. The Gaul was using him as a means to an
end.

“What if your father puts the matter before the magistrate? You

know if they’re caught, they’ll be executed.” Ever worried on his
bottom lip with his teeth. “I don’t want blood on my hands.”

“We won’t tell them about Antinious and Crassus. As far as my

father is concerned, we were robbed and our protectors slain. Let the
gladiators have the wagons and the horses. I don’t care.”

“Well, look who decided to show up.” A tinkling voice full of

amusement spoke, interrupting their exchange. Antonia stood just
outside the tavern’s doorway. Her gown was a lovely cream-and-gold
number today. She smiled. “I had so hoped you’d take my advice and
seek me out.” She stepped forward and pushed Angelus’s heavy
bangs off his forehead. She ruffled them like she would a child’s. “So
is this to be a lover’s game, then?”

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“No. No games. I’m leaving him.” Angelus said the words even as

they broke his heart. “I’m done with the man.”

She clapped her hands in delight. “Oh, you are a surprising one!”

she complimented. She turned her gaze to Ever. “And look, you’ve
brought a lovely boy with you. Dare I hope he’s your new lover?”

Ever laughed at the suggestion. “We’re both of the same cloth.

Sleeping with him would be like sleeping with myself.”

“Just as well.” Antonia winked at the beautiful blond. “He’ll need

a companion if he is to fulfill his destiny.” She beckoned them both
forward. “Come inside. I had a bed prepared for the two of you.”

The two men glanced at each other. Antonia was odd. The way

she spoke it was if she knew that they were coming. The way she took
the news that she was to be harboring the two of them was also odd.
She didn’t seem overly concerned with the possibility that trouble
could come because she allowed them somewhere to stay.

“Do you trust her?” Ever asked as they followed her through the

bustling tavern and up a ladder to her loft.

“I don’t know,” Angelus replied honestly.
The room that she led them to was surprisingly luxurious. She had

a small shelf beside a low sitting table in the center of the room which
had jars of various items that neither of the two men could identify.
The table was scattered with what looked like bones inside a drawn
white circle. Incense was held in two bowls on either side of the mess
on the table. Gold and red pillows were arranged in front of and
behind the table. Angelus tried to divine their purpose.

“You practice divination?” Ever asked curiously.
Oh, so that’s what that is for.
Antonia smiled. “Of course. How else would I make my living?

My mother is one of the priestesses at Delphi. I inherited her gift for
divinations.”

She motioned the two of them to put their things beside a

makeshift bed located by the larger bed in the room. A small but
luxuriously furnished bedspread covered the mattress of the larger bed

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and even the makeshift had two quilts on it that were obviously of
superior quality. Overall, the room was neat and clean, with just a hint
of luxury to tell how great of a diviner Antonia really was.

“I can tell your future if you like. Usually seers use entrails to see

the future but I am lucky enough to have picked up this method in one
of my travels.” She motioned to the bones. “It’s less of a mess and far
more accurate.”

“I don’t know…” Angelus said warily. He remembered the stories

he’d encountered since he was young. He recalled the warnings of
how the Fates often gave prophecies to people in order to send them
in a different path. The interpretations of visions by mortals were
often incorrect.

“There is no harm in looking into the future,” Ever spoke, his eyes

never leaving Antonia. “In my country such things were common.
Just take it as one possibility of hundreds that could occur.”

Antonia’s eyes sparkled with approval. “You’re wise for one so

young, Everhard Darrow.”

Ever winced as she spoke his name.
“Sit across from me.” Antonia motioned for Angelus to sit on the

pillows on the floor while she sat on the opposite side. Angelus slid to
the ground reluctantly and placed his hands in his lap.

She gathered up the bones and pieces of stone in a bag which she

shook for a full minute before pouring the contents of the bag back
onto the table. It looked like a mess to Angelus’s untrained eyes but
Antonia frowned thoughtfully.

“Rose quartz has fallen in the East.” She pointed to a light pink

stone. “That means that the out-of-control emotions that you’ve been
feeling are becoming more about intellect than love. A word of
caution about ignoring love. Love has a boiling point. Once that
boiling point is reached, it will explode, and you will not be able to
control the outburst. Too much control now will equal a far worse
explosion later.”

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Angelus frowned but didn’t speak. “In the south, you have the

jade earth stone. This is a good time for physical action or travel.
Your enemies are confused, so the path is clear to your destination.
Where ever that may be,” she continued when Angelus nodded.

“The two ribs are in the section of fire. They are lined up

naturally, which indicates that a greater fate is at work. The decisions
you make are constricted as fate pushes you into the position that is
meant to be.”

Angelus rolled his eyes at that. “I can make my decisions just fine.

Fate has nothing to do with it.”

“Don’t be so sure of that,” Ever warned as he peered over his

shoulder to look at the table. Angelus shrugged and motioned for
Antonia to continue.

“The position of the crystal indicates that this is a time to speak

your mind. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Honesty is
the caution of this stone.” She touched the largest bone on the table.
“This bone is on top of the garnet, the stone of passion. A large issue
is going to come up to dissuade you from your current path. Usually,
the garnet means a lover. Perhaps you’ll change your mind on the
issue of your relationship.”

“Or perhaps you’ll have your mind changed for you.” Oh-so-

familiar growling tones sent a shiver of relief through Angelus.

Wait. That growl sent a shiver of dread through me, not relief. He

turned.

“Antinious.” He meant for his voice to come out angry and

resentful, but instead it sounded soft and pleading.

“Angelus, Ever, come here. Now.” Antinious seemed to take up

the entire room with his massive bulk. He had to duck his head to
stand upright, and his arms crossed across his chest did nothing to
detract from the serious threat he posed. “I didn’t want to believe that
you followed a woman up here. I didn’t want to believe that you
thought to betray me.” The rumble of his voice betrayed the anger he
was feeling. He addressed Angelus as he spoke. It was as if no one

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else existed. “Yet, here you are.” He waved his hand to encompass
everything in the room.

Angelus surged to his feet. “Why couldn’t you have just left with

the wagons? You don’t need us anymore. I’d rather face the
humiliation of telling my father that I was defeated on the road by a
bunch of thieves than go all the way to Gaul with you and be your
plaything.”

“I don’t recall giving you a choice, slave,” Antinious snapped, his

voice rising in volume as Angelus was carried forward with his angry
words. “I told you, so long as you bear my mark, you are mine.”

Angelus reached up to his hair and pulled out the braid, freeing

the beads from the tangle. Without thought, he threw them at
Antinious. They bounced off his chest and scattered on the wooden
floor. Antinious’s hands tightened into fists as he watched his beads,
the symbols of his affection, roll out of sight.

“Fine,” the gladiator said softly. “You will no longer be forced to

endure my affections, but you are still my captive. When we reach
Gaul, you’ll be free to go.” Green clashed with gold as their eyes met.
“Before I drag you both from this place, I suggest you come along.”

“If you do, we’ll make a fuss,” Ever threatened. “The Roman

army will be called to deal with a public uprising, and there will be
many questions.”

Antinious’s bark of laughter was unexpected. “Unfortunately for

you both, I already have papers which say that you are personal
property of the Dominus Acanthus Aurelius Maximus of one of the
northern provinces of Rome. I was sent by him to fetch you and your
fellow slave from Rome only a couple of days ago.” He reached to the
belt about his waist and withdrew a rolled-up scroll. “At least that’s
what this piece of parchment right here says. The one that was signed
by a genuine cleric for the transfer of ownership of slaves and
verifiable by any Roman office as well.”

Angelus’s jaw dropped. “You bought forged papers at the market

yesterday? Papers that said we belong to a fictional Dominus?”

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The gladiator smiled as he watched the faces of the two boys fall.

It wasn’t a pleasant smile. “Shall we go, boys?” he asked, perhaps a
little cruelly. Antonia moved, appearing before the gladiator as if by
magic.

“You’ll be wanting these,” she murmured, pressing her palm to

Antinious’s hand and depositing his beads.

Antinious gave her a look that would cow lesser men. “I somehow

doubt that.” He gave Angelus a pointed look over her head.

She smiled. “Well then give them to someone who would

appreciate them more. Doiros, perhaps.”

Antinious flinched. “Quiet, witch woman. I don’t want your

fortunes or your advice.” He took the beads nonetheless.

Antonia gave Angelus a kind smile. “Take care of yourself,

Angelus, and remember your reading.” She crossed the space between
them and gave Angelus a kiss on the cheek. “At least he chased you.”
She laughed and waved them out of the room.

Antinious gripped Angelus’s elbow to help him down the ladder.
“I will never forgive you for this,” Angelus promised. He refused

to look Antinious in the eyes. “Never.”

Antinious’s face hardened even further at the words. “Do what

you have to do, Angelus…but you will still be mine.”

“For now,” Angelus countered, stalking ahead of the group in the

direction of the inn.

“Yes,” the gladiator allowed. “For now.”

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Chapter Thirty-Nine

It had been three weeks since they’d spoken. Angelus spent most

of his days sleeping in the back of the wagon, ignoring the gladiator
who’d been his lover for the past month and a half. Antinious sighed
and cracked the reins to increase the pace of the horses.

“We’re out of wine in here.” Angelus stuck his head of the cover

of the wagon. The smell of wine wafted up to assault the gladiator’s
nostrils. Angelus had been drinking…again. The cliché way of
dealing with his emotional problems pissed him off to no end.

“You don’t need any more,” Antinious said with a purse of his

lips. It wasn’t the first time the slave had run out of wine so early in
the day.

“I’m thirsty,” Angelus snapped.
“Not that thirsty,” Antinious returned angrily. “Wait till we stop

this evening.”

“But I’m thirsty now,” the slave snapped, slamming his palm

against the seat beside Antinious.

Antinious felt his eyebrows shoot skyward. That was it. He

seethed. He let out a shrill whistle to Crassus and the Thracian
immediately circled back to see what he wanted.

“Yes?” Crassus wondered, shooting Angelus a disapproving look.

“There is a lake up here on the right that the innkeeper told me about.
We’re pulling over. You and Ever man the carts. My slave and I are
going to have a chat.” Antinious gave him a grim look of
determination, and the other gladiator gave him an encouraging grin.
Angelus just stared at the pair in drunken incomprehension.

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“All right.” Crassus saluted. He nickered to his horse and resumed

his position ahead of the carts.

“We’re stopping, right?” Angelus slurred. Antinious glanced up

and stared into murky green eyes.

“Yes. We’re long overdue for a chat.”
Angelus wrinkled his nose. “I don’t want to talk to you.”
“Tough shit.” The gladiator growled. He snatched Angelus up and

dragged him away.

* * * *

They walked for what seemed like forever, getting farther and

farther away from the cart.

“Let me go!” Angelus screamed, kicking his feet hard as

Antinious’s shoulder played havoc with his solar plexus. He’d refused
to accompany Antinious on his own, so he’d been dragged out of the
wagon by his long, luxurious hair, and then when he’d punched
Antinious for his trouble, he’d been thrown over the gladiator’s
shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“I swear to Jupiter I’m going to fucking beat your ass raw, you

drunken, sodding, pouting, sorry excuse for a slave,” Antinious
threatened as they cut through the trees that lined the shallow lake to
which travelers often came to quench their thirst after long days on
the road.

“You wouldn’t dare!” he screeched. “I’m not yours anymore!”
Antinious didn’t even answer him. Instead, he hefted the smaller

man over his shoulder and into the cold water of the lake. The cry of
alarm and resounding splash that followed told Antinious that he’d
made his point. Angelus came up sputtering.

“Y–you jackass!” Angelus sputtered, treading water. The lake was

apparently deeper than Antinious thought. “W–why did you do that?”

“Are you sober enough to have that conversation now?” Antinious

asked pointedly, crossing his arms over his massive chest.

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“Yes! Fine, all right? I’m sober!” Angelus slipped against the

slick bank and fell back into the water with another splash. He slipped
beneath the water and came back up, wiping the droplets out of his
eyes as he did so.

“Help me up,” Angelus commanded, reaching toward Antinious.
“No. I’m going to talk, and you’re going to listen,” the gladiator

spoke and watched his lover tread water. “I don’t know what
happened in Rome. I just know that you came into the city loving me,
and somewhere while we were inside, you lost it and decided you
hated me.”

* * * *

“That’s because I realized how badly you were using me. You’ve

been using me since the beginning to gain your freedom,” Angelus
screeched in his direction. Tears mingled with the water from the lake
and the former slave prayed that Antinious didn’t know the
difference.

“How could I be using you, you silly brat?” Antinious chuckled

sadly, his golden eyes filled with a warmth Angelus hadn’t seen in
weeks. “I love you.”

The words took Angelus’s breath away. Suddenly, nothing

mattered, not the fact that Antinious had taken over his wagons and
enslaved him again, not the fact that he may have fucked the little
slave boy in Rome, not the fact that Antinious had been alternately
cruel and kind their entire relationship, not the fact that when they
slept together, Angelus turned into a creature of desire and
submission. Nothing mattered but the fact that Antinious had said that
he loved him.

The gladiator looked away from him and scanned the trees on the

opposite water’s edge. “Are you happy, my sweet slave?” Antinious
muttered, his eyes roaming. “I think I’ve loved you from the

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beginning, and I haven’t told you this entire time because I was
unsure of what that would mean for the two of us.”

Angelus was speechless for a full minute while he stared at the

man on the riverbank. He seemed so foreign in that instant. “What
about that slave boy in Rome?”

Antinious’s brow furrowed. “You mean Airril? He was a boy

from my village I happened to come across on my way back from
market. I told him I’d take word to his father that he was still alive
and held captive in Rome. He was excited to see a warrior from Gaul
outside the arena.”

“But you put beads in his hair!” Angelus protested. The familiar

feeling of jealousy and rage consumed his mind as he remembered the
look of pure joy on Airril’s face as Antinious began to work the beads
into his hair.

“I put my warrior’s beads in his hair. They weren’t tokens of love

as they were between us. The colors signify different things in my
culture. The order and color are infinitely important in deciphering
meaning. The gold and black signaled that I was a warrior who was
accomplished both on horseback and in one-on-one combat. I was
putting it in the back of his hair, the place that was designated to show
that they belonged to someone else.” Golden eyes pierced him. “The
colors I gave you were my personal colors. The colors of my house
and my family. The colors only a lover would be able to wear.”

“But Crassus said you were going to seek out some company

while you were out.” Angelus’s protest sounded weak even to his own
ears. His arguments for why he was so angry over the incident were
unraveling before his eyes.

Antinious snorted. “Crassus is an idiot. It’d take a blind man to

make that sort of accusation against me if anyone had seen us
together, and I’ll be discussing that at length with him when we get
back to the wagons tonight.” He reached his arms out and took hold
of Angelus’s wrists and lifted him out of the water with hardly any
strain.

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“Angelus, I do love you,” he added, pulling Angelus’s sopping-

wet body against his dry one. “Isn’t that enough for now? We’ve only
got two weeks until we reach Gaul. I want to show you the man I am
in that time, Angelus, because two weeks is all we’re guaranteed.”

“I…don’t know if I can trust you,” Angelus mumbled. He found

his head resting against his gladiator’s chest. His heart expanded
impossibly. He’d missed this so badly. This closeness he felt
whenever he was in Antinious’s arms was as necessary as breathing to
him.

“I haven’t given you reason to, but I want to work on that. I want

to be the Master you deserve, Angelus. I want to be the lover that
you’ve always dreamed of.”

“Kiss me, then.” Angelus breathed, staring up into his lover’s face

and desiring nothing more than to ease this aching loneliness inside
him that had been created by their separation.

Antinious made a sound of happiness and complied. He tilted

Angelus’s chin back to give him access to his lips. It was the sweetest
kiss he’d ever given Angelus, and Angelus couldn’t help but savor it.
His lips teased the former slave until, with a sigh of surrender,
Angelus opened his mouth to Antinious’s invasion.

“Hmmmm…” Angelus murmured against the scorching heat he

found in Antinious’s touch. It wasn’t a bad sound. It was a sound of
pure longing.

“I’m…I’m getting your shirt wet,” the smaller man said suddenly,

blinking his eyes and pulling back. Angelus started laughing.

“Forget the shirt,” Antinious murmured, tilting up the other man’s

chin. He kissed him again, the slide of the flesh against flesh
intoxicating them both. Angelus began to shiver.

“Are you cold?” Antinious asked, breaking the kiss. The former

slave shook his head and smiled.

“No. Not cold. Warm. Too warm.” Angelus gave him a smile and

took a step back. He pulled his wet tunic up and over his head,
throwing it away in a soppy, wet ball. He stood there in his loincloth,

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staring at the gladiator who he called his own. “Antinious, please, I
need you.”

“I know you need me, but do you want me?” Antinious asked.

There was a hint of vulnerability in his voice that warmed Angelus.

“I want you and need you,” Angelus promised with a smile. He

curled his fingers in invitation. “Come here, Antinious. Show me you
love me.”

“Gladly,” the gladiator answered and took a step toward his lover.

* * * *

They met halfway, and the two tangled their hands in the other’s

hair, and their lips caressed and demanded a response in return. It was
almost an electricity that flowed between them in that moment, and it
carried them forward onto the soft riverbank. They made short work
of Antinious’s tunic, and soon they were both blissfully naked,
listening to the sound of water lapping at the edge of the lake.

“I love you,” Antinious murmured once again as he slowly slid

the hard length of his cock inside Angelus’s gasping, squirming body.
Antinious gritted his teeth at the bombardment of sensation that
swamped him. Had lovemaking ever felt so good?

He fucked him against the side of the riverbank, the soft mud

acting as a good cushion for the rough, pounding movements of the
gladiator inside the smaller man’s tight ass. His balls were already
tight with want, poised on the edge of completion before they’d even
truly begun their lovemaking. He reached down and popped
Angelus’s backside hard enough to sting.

Angelus gasped out something incomprehensible and scored

Antinious’s shoulders with his blunted fingernails. His hips tilted
upward, and he moaned in gratitude as the gladiator obliged him and
moved his hips in a harder, driving rhythm. His little slave liked it
rough, and Antinious was more than happy to give him what he asked
for. He fucked him in time with the smattering of hits he delivered to

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the swell of Angelus’s ass. Angelus reacted beautifully as always,
begging for more as the strength of those swats increased with his
lunges.

“Please, Master, more!” Angelus whimpered, eyes rolling, his

hard cock slapping against the planes of his abdomen from the force
of Antinious’s movement.

“Want it, slave?” Antinious asked, pulling almost all the way out

of Angelus’s clenching passage before thrusting all the way back in.

“Yes! Please! Antinious! Master! Gods!” Angelus screamed. The

sound echoed over the open expanse and reflected back to them off
the nearby tree line.

“Mine,” Antinious snarled. “Come for me, boy. Now.” Angelus

obeyed, the heat of his cum splashing against his stomach and
decorating his chest with the force of his orgasm.

“Let go, my love,” Angelus whispered, his body continually

milking Antinious with his internal muscles as he spoke. “Give me all
of you. Let me have it all.”

Antinious cried out as his body responded to the soft command in

his slave’s voice. He spent himself in Angelus’s silky depths.

They lay together for endless moments. The gladiator leaned his

forehead against Angelus’s own and stared into his lover’s eyes
without speaking. Angelus stroked his sweaty back and gave him a
soft kiss.

“I missed you,” Angelus confessed in a whisper.
“I missed you, too, Angelus.”

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Chapter Forty

They had arrived. The gently rolling hills that followed after the

stress and perils of the mountains were a welcome reprieve. They’d
lost two of the horses on the journey, and they were lucky to have
made it through with both the wagons intact. Angelus didn’t know
exactly what he’d been expecting, but this wasn’t it. The warmth
wasn’t as intense as the heat found in Capua, but it was a pleasant
contrast to the cool dampness they’d encountered in the mountain
passes. The greenery was intoxicatingly lush. The last stretch of
summer was displaying its potency for all the world to see. Small
villages dotted the picturesque wilds, and the farther into Gaul they
went, the less man-constructed roads there were.

“Are any of these yours?” Angelus turned to his Animal and

asked. He couldn’t resist wrapping his arms around his beloved’s
neck as he did so. Distracting Antinious’s attention from the path was
a game that had become particularly interesting to Angelus, especially
at night when Antinious gave him his “punishment” for the
transgressions.

Antinious chuckled, seeming to understand the path of his

thoughts. “Not yet, love,” he reassured as they passed yet another
small settlement of people. “These are border villages that we’re
passing. Most of them are used to seeing Romans. We won’t arrive in
my village until tomorrow evening at the earliest. We’ll stop tonight
at a glen just before we reach my clan’s territory to rest and get ready
to greet my fellow countrymen. I’ll have to put in my clan colors and
ride horseback. I don’t want them killing us because they mistook us
for the enemy. They have no love of Romans.”

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Angelus winced. He’d quite forgotten that Antinious’s village had

been raided by Roman soldiers for years. “Is it dangerous?” he asked
before he could help himself.

The Animal snorted. “For anyone but you, my little Roman, yes.

My people have long memories, and they have no love for foreigners
even remotely acting like them. However, you don’t have to worry
about that. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”

Reassured, Angelus quieted, snuggling close to his beloved. The

journey may not have been a very pleasant one, but Angelus couldn’t
argue over how happy he was. He was finally able to love and be
loved in return, and it was more than he had even imagined it could
be.

“You’re thinking about something serious,” Antinious teased,

pulling on Angelus’s braid. The beads that Antinious had woven back
into his hair several nights ago clinked together as the strand was
released. Pride filled the former slave as he pushed them behind his
ear. He was his lover’s man, and he displayed that in Antinious’s
barbaric fashion.

“I’m thinking about how happy you make me, Animal,” Angelus

murmured, leaning his head against Antinious’s shoulder.

“I see a good place to camp up ahead,” Crassus called as he

circled his horse nearer to the cart. “Are we stopping for the night or
going ahead?”

“We’ll stop,” Antinious returned. Angelus observed the instant

temperature drop that accompanied their exchange. Antinious had yet
to really forgive Crassus for causing weeks of stress between himself
and Angelus. They’d nearly come to blows over it, and Ever was still
not speaking to Crassus.

Crassus nickered to the horse and pushed the stallion to a trot to

go ahead of them. Antinious breathed out a sigh of relief.

“Do you think he’ll go on to Thrace?” Angelus asked, following

Crassus’s retreating form.

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Antinious shrugged. “How the hell should I know?” he murmured

in his signature growl. “I personally don’t give a damn.”

“He’s your friend,” Angelus reminded. He knew deep down that

the Animal was hurt by Crassus’s careless words in Rome. “He was
probably just stressed about the whole situation in Rome.”

“We’re not discussing this, my slave,” Antinious commanded.
Angelus sighed. He no longer took offense to Antinious calling

him “slave,” but his adamant refusal to discuss things that bothered
him emotionally was really starting to get on his nerves.

“Don’t get that sour look on your face,” Antinious added. “I don’t

mean to annoy you. I just don’t want to discuss Crassus. I would
much rather discuss our future than the future of my comrade.”

The former slave couldn’t argue with that logic and laced their

hands together. “You are so bossy,” he teased. He heard Ever stir
from behind them in the cart and lifted his other hand in greeting.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” he greeted in Ever’s native tongue. On the

mountain passes, Ever had been giving him lessons so that they could
have discussions without the other men knowing what they were
speaking about. Another game to pass the time.

“Hey,” Ever returned, his voice scratchy from sleep. “Are we

almost there?”

Angelus nodded.
“That’s enough of that,” Antinious said. He squeezed Angelus’s

thigh in complaint. He didn’t like being left out of the loop. Angelus
still teased him that it was payback for having conversations with that
younger slave in Rome, whose name Angelus couldn’t even recall,
without keeping him in the loop.

Now Angelus just laughed at his lover’s discomfort. He glanced at

Ever. “He’s so bossy,” he offered.

Ever rolled his eyes at his love-struck expression. “No kidding.”

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Chapter Forty-One

Angelus didn’t know what he expected of Antinious’s village, but

his expectations were not met. Small settlements made of wood, clay,
and thatch lined a dirt road, obviously made from heavy foot traffic as
opposed to planned construction. Rome hadn’t yet extended her grasp
to this outer region. He glanced over at Antinious, who rode proud on
the biggest horse they had. His hair was freshly washed and brushed,
the braid newly done and the beads shining from the polish Angelus
had rubbed into the smooth surfaces last night. His hair was like the
lion’s mane that he’d seen at one of his father’s friend’s house with all
the decorations, and it befitted the animal that sported it. He was
shirtless with his barbarian-style animal-hide pants on and his half
boots. He was positively delicious looking. The fierceness of his
expression made Angelus shiver in his seat. Crassus sat on the other
side of the pair, ignoring them all. He figured his mind was on Thrace
or somewhere equality exotic.

The village was strangely quiet as they came to the center of

village. Angelus had expected running children, elders, mothers.
This…this was strangely empty.

A voice growled out. The language was familiar, but the words

were indiscernible to the Roman. It had to be Antinious’s native
tongue. Angelus turned in the direction the sound had come from and
found a dark-haired man standing just inside the line of the road,
hands on his hips. The stranger’s piercing, ice-blue eyes speared
Angelus with a haughty glare that made Angelus bristle. Who the hell
did he think he was? The man was massive, almost as tall and brawny
as Antinious, but with a closely shaven beard the color of pitch and

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long, thick hair that fell to his waist, he looked infinitely more
barbaric.

* * * *

“Who comes here?”
“I do,” Antinious stated. His voice was deadly calm. “I have

returned from Rome with a mate and some companions. I’ve traveled
months to return home. This is my village. I need to speak with the
Clan Leader immediately.” The gladiator hoped his natural authority
would keep the hostile clansman from taking issue with him. He had
probably grown up with the man. He looked eerily familiar.

“That didn’t sound very friendly…” Angelus murmured, glancing

anxiously at Antinious who swung off the back of his horse and
strode to meet the man. The former slave jumped as the other giant let
out a barking laugh.

“I am the Clan Leader, stranger. I don’t know you.” The other

man glared at Antinious, who stood his ground. “You say you are
from our village, but you have the muscles of a Roman trophy horse.
What is your name?”

Antinious gave an incline of his head, acknowledging the other

man’s leadership before speaking. “My name is Antinious, son of
Aydenn of the Wild lands. Our home was just over the side of the next
hill, and we tended a forge and made metalworks that we sold here
and in the next few villages over.”

The blood drained from the Clan Leader’s face as he spoke. “No,”

Antinious thought he heard the barbarian whisper, but it was too faint
to truly hear. The Clan Leader swallowed and couldn’t seem to take
his eyes off of Antinious’s face. There was a long uncomfortable
silence as the barbarian stared a hole through him.

“It is you,” he said after an eternity of silence. His fists clenched

and unclenched at his side as if he were overwhelmed by some strong
emotion. “Oh, gods, Antinious…” He looked up, and Antinious was

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surprised to see tears in the barbarian’s blue gaze. His lower lip
trembled as he took a step toward the gladiator.

“What the hell is going on, Antinious?” Crassus asked the

question at the same time Angelus opened his mouth.

“I’m not sure,” Antinious replied. No doubt, there was a look of

pure puzzlement on his face. The Clan Leader laughed through the
tears that now streamed down his face.

“Of course. Of course you wouldn’t recognize me,” he muttered

half to himself. “I’ve changed quite a bit.” He looked up and smiled at
Antinious. “Antinious, gods, don’t you see who I am?” Antinious
shook his head hesitantly. The clan man was acting crazy. Still the
Clan Leader smiled. “It’s Doiros, Antinious. You’ve come home to me
at last.”

Antinious’s mouth went slack as disbelief filled him. “Oh fuck.”

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Chapter Forty-Two

A thousand thoughts flitted through Antinious’s mind in an

instant. Disbelief was the most prominent emotion that seemed to
swamp him in never-ending waves. He was frozen, unable to move as
his past collided violently with his present.

“I thought you were dead,” he murmured, stepping forward.

Doiros was no longer the boy he’d left behind when he’d been sold to
the Romans as a slave. Time had turned his once-lean body into a
well-muscled specimen of manhood, complete with toned thighs and
an ass that was round and high with muscle. Doiros crossed what little
distance was between them and embraced him. Antinious hesitated
for the barest instant before returning the embrace with a great bone-
crunching hug of his own. Doiros buried his head in Antinious’s hair,
inhaling his scent.

“Gods, I’ve missed you so much…” Doiros sobbed. The gladiator

stroked his former lover’s back in slow circles and crooned soothingly
in his ear. All around them the people of the village were coming out
of the woodwork, creeping along beside the cart, getting closer to
scene. He had to stop this. Angelus didn’t have a clue what was going
on. He needed to clear this up with Doiros right now, but…it felt good
to be held by him again. Maybe it was the nostalgia of being home
that was getting to him, but this felt oh-so-familiar and comforting.

“I missed you, too, Doiros,” Antinious murmured tightly.
“Is that your brother or something?” Angelus’s sharp question

snapped him out of his moment, and he drew back reluctantly.

“Who is that, love?” Doiros asked, looking around Antinious to

see who had interrupted their reunion.

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Crap. This situation could turn explosive very fast. He cleared his

throat and took a deliberate step away from Doiros.

“Doiros, this is my lover, Angelus.” He walked to the cart and

helped Angelus down, wrapping a big, protective arm around his
waist in case his words didn’t adequately express what sort of
relationship they had together. He turned his attention to Angelus.
“Angelus, this is my childhood friend, Doiros.”

Angelus offered Doiros a warm smile, the tension draining out of

his body almost instantly. Antinious winced internally over the small
half truth he’d told.

“It’s nice to meet you, Doiros. I was really worried that we

wouldn’t be greeted with any sort of welcome when we got here.”
Angelus’s voice was full of genuine warmth, and Antinious knew that
Doiros noticed. His former lover pursed his lips and speared
Antinious with an unimpressed look as Antinious translated.

“He doesn’t know about me.” Doiros had schooled his face to look

indifferent even as his tone conveyed his icy feelings on the subject.
He swept his gaze over Angelus’s form from head to foot. “He’s not
one of us. You can’t possibly take him as your consort. Keep him as a
slave. I’m Clan Leader here, Antinious. You couldn’t hope for a better
partnership.”

Antinious couldn’t have been more shocked if Doiros had sprung

another head and grown snakes for hair. “Doiros, you don’t even
know me anymore!” he protested.

“I waited for you!” Doiros shouted, drawing the attention of every

person in the village and some, Antinious was sure, that were grazing
their sheep in the hills. “I’ve taken a few lovers, but never have I
given the honor of consort to anyone, because I knew that you’d come
back someday.”

A smaller figure raced from the crowd and grabbed hold of

Doiros’s arm and started whispering urgently to him. He was a little
taller than Angelus but had a softer build of youth behind him. The
boy couldn’t have been more than fifteen. He had hair the shade of

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honey, shorter than Gauls usually kept it because it only curled
around the nape of his neck, complete with a lush mouth and wide-set
eyes that were more pretty than handsome.

“I don’t care!” Doiros snapped. Another volley of urgent whispers

seemed to rein in Doiros’s outburst of temper for the moment. He
sighed long and heavily. He reached up and petted the young man’s
cheek before nodding. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine.” The boy shook his head
stubbornly, refusing to leave the Clan Leader’s side. Another sigh left
the Gaul.

“Fine. You can stay as well.” He turned his attention back to

Antinious. “Come to my home, Antinious. We’ll discuss things in a
more private setting.” He glanced at Antinious’s companions and
sneered. “You can bring the rest as well.”

Angelus moved closer to Antinious as tension radiated off the

gladiator like a living pulse. The boy had good instincts when it came
to Antinious’s moods. A moment later, they were readying
themselves to follow Doiros wherever he led them.

“Why do I feel like that did not go as planned?” Angelus asked as

he was lifted to sit astride the horse with the gladiator, his back
pressed to Antinious’s front.

“Because it didn’t,” Antinious snapped in frustration. He just

prayed that the discussion at Doiros’s house went better than the
confrontation on the street did. He never expected to see the other
man ever again. He sighed as Angelus leaned back against him,
completely at ease. His trust in Antinious was absolute. The gladiator
prayed that it wasn’t misplaced.

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Chapter Forty-Three

“There is something wrong with this,” Ever murmured to Crassus

as they followed behind the two lovers. “I don’t know what is going
on, but the tension is pouring off the Animal like a river.”

Crassus gave the barest of nods before responding. “The hairy one

said that he had been waiting for Antinious. I don’t know exactly
what that meant, but I guess we’ll find out.”

“You speak the Animal’s language?” Ever whispered in surprise.

The big brute gladiator didn’t strike him as an academic.

Crassus glared in his direction. “You think I’m some kind of idiot.

Antinious and I used to be paired in the arena. It was easier to make
plans when we could speak to one another in the Animal’s tongue
since I have an ear for languages.”

“I don’t think you’re an idiot,” Ever muttered weakly. This was

the longest conversation they’d had in weeks. He’d forgotten how
aware he was of his presence.

“Well I am an idiot,” Crassus snapped angrily. “I’m the biggest

idiot in this entire damn world.”

Ever blinked at the unexpected words. “Huh?” he asked, wide

eyed. He’d never seen Crassus so snarly. That disposition was usually
reserved to describe Antinious.

Crassus sighed heavily. “I upset you back in Rome,” he said

simply, glancing away. The smaller man couldn’t resist reaching up
and stroking Crassus’s tight bicep in comfort.

“Yes,” he murmured simply, and without thinking, he leaned

forward and pressed his cheek against the skin. Crassus seemed
startled at the touch. “You upset me in Rome. You were careless and

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cruel.” He stroked the big gladiator’s cheek. “But I accept your
apology.” The gladiator gave him a grateful smile.

* * * *

They arrived at a modest building that, while not as large or

prestigious as a Roman home, was clean and well maintained. The
wood of the outer structure was laid in a rustic fashion that Angelus
found appealing. It was much better than some of the other structures
that they’d come across since entering Gaul.

“So Doiros is king of your tribe?” Angelus asked as he waited for

Antinious to dismount and reach up to help him down.

“Hmm…yes,” Antinious answered distractedly. He was more than

that, really. He was now the head of the Pride, the leader of the shape-
shifting warriors that were supposed to protect the clan, but he figured
he didn’t need to tell Angelus all that just yet. He was constantly
scanning the scene, unable to relax. It was part habit from his time
spent as a gladiator and part from the less-than-smooth reception he’d
received from Doiros.

“So do your people have a Senate and Assembly like Romans?”

Angelus asked curiously.

Antinious sighed. Normally, Angelus’s curiosity was endearing,

but right now the gladiator was too uptight to enjoy his
inquisitiveness. “Our tribe has a Council of Elders, sort of like your
Senate. They advise our Clan Leader in matters of the tribe as well as
preside over rituals and rites. Doiros, as Clan Leader, has the final
say, but most times he will support the decisions of the Council.”

“Then Romans and Gauls are not so different,” Angelus

concluded. He laced their hands together. He smiled.

“Helvetii,” Antinious corrected with a smile. “You Romans

overgeneralize people of this region. We’re not just Gauls. The
different tribes have distinct names for themselves here. My tribe is
the Helvetii and we’re very different from the Romans. Didn’t my cat

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form show you that?” He really needed to expose Angelus more to his
other face considering they were going to be together for the rest of
their lives if he had anything to say about it.

“Well, yes, I suppose. But, I like to think that we have some

similarities.” Angelus leaned into him and gave him a nuzzle.

“And we are nothing like you Romans.” Doiros stood just beyond

their stallion with a sneer on his face. The Latin words had been little
more than a snarl. He’d apparently just arrived as well, though why
they hadn’t seen him dismount was a curious thing. Maybe he had
stables around here somewhere. Antinious nearly smacked himself in
the forehead. Of course. He probably just shifted forms near here. It
was going to take some getting used to, being around his kind again.
“Antinious,” he said in Gallic. “Come into my home. Bring your”—
Doiros paused, searching for a word—“guests. Bellenus has the food
waiting on us.”

Antinious motioned for Crassus and Ever to join them at the

entrance of Doiros’s home. Even from the doorway, the heat of the
fire was already apparent, and the smell of a cooking meal filled the
air. It had to be some sort of meat, and Antinious couldn’t help his
mouth watering. It had been weeks since they’d last eaten something
of substance. His stomach rumbled.

“Hungry, Animal?” Crassus teased, patting his friend on the

shoulder. He glanced at Ever, who hovered by his elbow and shot him
a wink. Well, it looked like someone had made up. “Starving,
actually, but I really don’t think I should eat,” Antinious confided,
glancing at the smaller men.

“Afraid of poison, Antinious?” Crassus asked seriously. He

glanced at the two smaller men. They weren’t armed, so they’d be a
liability in a fight. Of course, Doiros probably knew that.

“I’m not sure what to expect.” Antinious sighed and raked a hand

through the side of his hair. He wasn’t used to feeling helpless against
an enemy. He addressed the other men. “If something goes wrong,
grab whatever is closest and use it to defend yourselves.”

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“Are we in danger?” Angelus looked up at Antinious with a

surprised look on his face. “I know your friend wasn’t happy to see a
Roman, but he didn’t strike me as willing to run a blade through me
yet.”

“We’re not saying that we’re in danger, but it would be good to be

prepared nonetheless,” Antinious attempted to reassure. He took a
deep breath and led the others into the room.

Doiros’s house obviously belonged to a bachelor. It was sparsely

furnished without even a rug to decorate the interior. Like most
buildings in Gaul, it was dark inside, smoky from the fire, but cozy in
a way that made Antinious’s memory recall all sorts images from his
childhood home. Doiros’s home was much bigger than his had been.
He’d grown up in a one-room building, whereas Antinious saw at
least two other rooms tucked against the far wall away from the door.
It also lacked the continuous smell of hot steel that the forge near his
home produced year-round from his metalworking father.

“You have a lovely home,” Angelus complimented, coming to sit

on the bench that was closest to the wall. The simple wooden table in
front of it made for simple dining, but Antinious’s life as a slave had
prepared him for far worse accommodations.

Doiros speared Angelus with a look that wasn’t entirely friendly.

“It is not one of your people’s opulent villas, but it is mine. Tell me,
Roman, in what sort of disgustingly over-the-top home did you live?
How many personal rooms did you live in? Five? Six?”

“I’ve actually been sharing a room with a dozen other slaves for

the past five years,” Angelus said sourly. “I was a slave in the house
of the same Dominus that owned Antinious.”

Doiros blinked in surprise. “You were a slave?” he asked. His

accented voice seemed to thicken as he grew agitated. “What about
the caravan? The wealth you brought with you?”

“Gifts meant for my father’s house. Stolen by Antinious and

Crassus when they took Ever and me from Rome.” Angelus sighed as
Doiros poured a sweet-smelling stew into a wooden bowl in front of

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the Roman. He began to carve a piece of meat with a knife before
shoveling it into his mouth. Antinious nearly swallowed his tongue as
he watched him eat. “Hmmm…good.”

Doiros nodded and went from person to person, filling their own

bowls until the cauldron was emptied. “You’re unusually polite for a
Roman. The ones I’ve met have been rude.”

“I try to be civilized,” Angelus said, trying to smile. The guy

really had some hostility where Angelus was concerned for some
reason.

Doiros cleared his throat, a strange expression of pain coming

over his face. “I’ll go fetch another pitcher of ale from outside. Enjoy
your food. I’ll be back with something more to drink in just a
moment.” He crossed the room to the exit and slipped outside.

* * * *

As soon as the door clanked shut behind him, the table dissolved

into whispers.

“He doesn’t seem all that bad, Antinious,” Angelus murmured.

“He’s a little rough around the edges, but there is something
almost…vulnerable about him.”

Antinious snorted. “You have no idea what kind of man he is.

You’re not a mind reader or a heart reader, little Roman.”

“Of course, it doesn’t help that he’s your old boyfriend and

jealous as hell of Angelus,” Crassus added, slurping his soup.

Silence descended on the table. Antinious winced as Angelus’s

hand slapped against his chest. It wasn’t the physical smack that was
painful. It was the fierce expression on his lover’s face.

“Just a friend, huh?” Angelus asked angrily. “I thought we said no

more lies between us!”

“I didn’t want to upset you unnecessarily,” Antinious returned,

taking both of Angelus’s hands in his own to keep him from smacking
him again. “Please, Angelus, this isn’t the place!”

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“You’re damn straight, this isn’t the place. That poor man! I bet

he has been carrying a torch for you since you left, am I right?” The
look on Antinious’s face must’ve said it all. “Oh my gods! You didn’t
even tell me or introduce us properly or talk to him or anything! You
are such an ass.” He pointed toward the closed door. “Go talk to him
at least, Antinious.”

“Why do you care about how he feels?” Antinious asked. Angelus

had never met the man, yet he seemed to care about how Doiros felt.
“You certainly didn’t care about how Airril felt back in Rome.”

“I also thought you were fucking him. You’re not going to fuck

Doiros, right?” At Antinious’s curt nod, he continued. “Then you
should at least let the man down gently.” He motioned again toward
the door. “Go to him.”

Antinious sighed and did as he was bid but not before delivering a

sweet kiss to Angelus’s lips. “I do love you.”

“I love you, too, Animal.”

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Chapter Forty-Four

“Clan Leaders do not cry,” Doiros chastised himself as tears of

frustration streamed down his face. He was kneeling on the hard
ground of his cool house, hands gripping the edges of the wooden
drum which held his ale. He just needed to fill up his pitcher and go
back inside. But first he needed to get a grip on himself.

“Doiros.” The voice that had haunted him for years made him

swallow back the sob that was bubbling up inside him. He hurriedly
wiped the tears that were clinging stubbornly to his cheeks.

“What do you want?” He was surprised that his voice came out so

damn cold. It was like his soul was freezing. He stood, turning around
to face his once lover. “Why aren’t you enjoying your meal?”

“I can’t go inside and ignore that you’re not out here hurting.”

Antinious’s voice was as firm as ever. That voice used to send shivers
down Doiros’s spine in the middle of the night, especially when it was
pitched low and soothing like it was now.

Doiros barked out a laugh that sounded a tad hysterical. “Oh?

Where was your concern earlier when you tore my heart out by
introducing me to your new lover? Where was your concern when you
made sure I knew that I had no place in your life?”

Antinious took an unconscious step forward, his hands clenching

at his sides as if he wanted to go to the other man. “That was tactless
of me. I’ve never been good at diplomacy. Doiros, I never wanted to
hurt you. Ever.” He seemed to give up on whatever internal struggle
he was experiencing and crossed the space that separated them. His
firm hands gripped Doiros’s shoulders, and he peered down into his
former lover’s face. Doiros had apparently grown more than he’d

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thought he had. He was nearly eye to eye with Antinious now.
Antinious reached up and tugged on Doiros’s beard. “This is new.”

Doiros’s hands came up and rubbed over his face self-

consciously. “I’ve been busy lately,” he murmured, not quite sure why
it was even important. They’d been discussing much more serious
things just the moment before. “Being a Clan Leader was not the
dream job that I thought it would be,” he added as an afterthought.

“I’m not surprised that you were elected as Clan Leader. You’ve

always had the peoples’ best interests at heart.” Antinious bestowed
upon him one of his infrequent smiles and caressed his cheek.
“Doiros, please, let there be peace between us. I want to live here
with my clan again. I want the opportunity to be happy again.”

“I waited so long, Antinious.” Doiros closed his eyes and leaned

into Antinious’s palm. “Don’t I get the opportunity to be happy again
as well?”

“Of course, Doiros.” Antinious paused. “But not with me.” He

leaned his forehead against Doiros’s like he had when they were teens
together. “I love him. Angelus made me human again. You don’t
understand what that place did to me. He…healed me. Made me a
man.”

“I can heal you, Antinious. You loved me once, and I know you

love me still. Tell me, look into my eyes, and tell me that you don’t
love me anymore, and I’ll let the both of you go with my blessing. I’ll
even be your second in your wedding before the clan.”

The Gladiator took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Don’t

make me do this, Doiros. Don’t put me in this position.”

“You love me, Antinious. Admit it,” Doiros pressed. He knew in

his heart that Antinious had feelings for him. “Admit it,” he said
softly, demanding that Antinious acknowledge what he knew.

“Yes. All right. Yes. Of course I still care about you. Of course I

still love you. But I loved the you I knew when I was an untried youth.
But none of that matters, because I love him. Angelus is the one I
want. The one I need. I can’t even think about being with anyone

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else.” Antinious went to push away from his former lover, demanding
space between them. Doiros was having none of it. He took a step
forward and wrapped his arms around Antinious’s neck and pulled his
head down so that their lips met.

* * * *

Antinious stood there in shock for a full minute as Doiros’s lips

pressed insistently against his own. Desire, hot and thick, shocked
him down to his core as he felt the familiar texture of Doiros’s soft
lips. The scratch of his beard was a new sensation, but the stimulation
was actually quite erotic. The Clan Leader managed to back Antinious
against a wall, his hands roaming over the gladiator’s flesh as if he
were desperate for a feel of him. His body responded on a visceral
level, causing Antinious to shudder. He opened his mouth to protest,
only to find Doiros’s tongue pushing its way into the cavern of his
mouth. A needy sound pulled a growl out of the gladiator and before
he knew it, he was kissing him back, devouring his mouth with a
hunger that matched the other Gaul.

“Gotta stop.” Antinious gasped, his arms coming around Doiros’s

muscled body and molding it to his own. “Shouldn’t have started to
begin with.”

Doiros’s only response was a groan which only incited Antinious

further. He felt drunk, high off the touch of a man he hadn’t possessed
since before he’d been taken as a prisoner to Rome. The past and the
present blurred between them and he no longer remembered his
present. He felt like a seventeen-year-old kid all over again, and the
most important thing in the world was Doiros’s lips on his own.

“Get the fuck off of Doiros!” a voice shouted right before Doiros

was yanked from Antinious’s arms and all but dragged backward. The
man from the market, though he was closer to a boy than man if he
were honest, stood there holding Doiros by his chest. It was the same

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blond-haired man that Doiros had argued with earlier. The possessive
grip he had on Doiros’s tunic had Antinious raising his eyebrows.

“Dammit, Bellenus! Get off me!” Doiros snapped angrily, shoving

him off so that the younger man stumbled.

“With all due respect, Clan Leader, fuck you,” Bellenus replied.

His voice was so cold it even made Antinious shiver. He turned his
attention in Antinious’s direction. “Doiros is mine. I don’t care what
kind of history you two have together. You better stay away from my
fucking man. He’s my mate!”

“Kid! Dammit! I’ve told you before, I’m not your man!” Doiros

snapped, struggling to his feet. “You’re seventeen! A child!”

“I won’t be a ‘child’ forever, Doiros. I wonder…what excuse will

you use then?” Bellenus turned his back on the two of them and
looked over his shoulder. “Come back inside, both of you. The stew is
getting cold.”

Doiros glared at the younger man’s back, fury etching his

features. “That little shit,” he murmured murderously.

Antinious couldn’t help it. He burst out laughing. “Friend of

yours, Doiros?” Doiros seemed to have forgotten that he was there at
all. He kept muttering to himself and glaring at Bellenus’s retreating
back.

“He stays with me during the harvest season. His mother died

three seasons ago, and his father lost half a leg during the last clan
war. In exchange for staying on my lands and not paying tribute,
Bellenus stays with me and helps in the harvest every year.” Doiros
sighed as if the decision to host the young man wasn’t his smartest
choice he’d made as Clan Leader. “He’s been telling everyone that he
was going to be my consort for years now. He’s just a bratty kid.” He
turned his attention back to Antinious. “I’m sorry about that.” He
sighed again and ran a hand through his hair. The Clan Leader came
to stand in front of his former lover and cupped his cheek. “Now,
where were we?”

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“We’re not going there ever again, Doiros,” Antinious said

firmly, taking a step back and moving around Doiros toward the door.

“But we kissed—” Doiros began.
“It was a mistake.” Antinious stepped away from Doiros’s

searching hands. “You were my first love, Doiros, and because of that
I will always love you. However, I’m a different man now, and the
man I am belongs with Angelus. It was wrong of me to even react. I
would truly like to be your friend, but I can’t be anything more.”

Doiros looked like he was ready to argue but seemed to decide

against it. As Clan Leader, he probably wasn’t used to people telling
him no, but that was just too damn bad.

“Come eat with us, Doiros. You’ve gone to the trouble of

preparing a meal for us. Please, enjoy this with us.”

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Chapter Forty-Five

Silence greeted their reentry into the house. Antinious resisted the

urge to rub his lips as if he could erase what he’d done just the
moment before or at least erase the evidence he felt was smeared
across them, at least. Guilt tickled at the edge of his thoughts. He may
not have initiated the kiss with Doiros, but he’d certainly been an
active participant. He sighed. Angelus was not going to be happy with
him.

“It’s about time. I was getting thirsty,” Bellenus commented,

taking the pitcher from Doiros and filling his mead cup. His Latin was
actually quite good which made Antinious wonder exactly where a
poor child of a Helvetii farmer learned such things.

“Bellenus has been telling us that he lives near your old home

place, Antinious,” Angelus added to the conversation. If Antinious
didn’t know better, he saw a knowing glint in his slave’s deep
emerald eyes. The gladiator glanced at Bellenus in surprise.

“Yes. We’ve kept up your old home at Doiros’s request. I thought

that would please your lover to know that you have somewhere to
stay now that you’ve returned.” He emphasized the word lover so that
Doiros winced and glared in his direction.

* * * *

Angelus’s sides were hurting from trying to keep from laughing

out loud. The boy had balls. That was for sure. He reminded him a
little bit of Ever. Both men knew what they wanted and weren’t afraid
to ask for it…or demand it, as the case often was. When Bellenus had

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entered the house, he’d stated quite rudely that Angelus needed to
keep Antinious away from Doiros and that Angelus didn’t need to
worry about Doiros’s welcome into the village because he would deal
with it. Angelus didn’t know what Bellenus’s relation to Doiros was,
but he absolutely believed that Bellenus could do what he said.

“Thank you for the meal, Doiros—” Angelus began.
“Don’t thank him for anything,” Bellenus interrupted with a

mischievous grin. “That man can’t cook to save his life.”

“Well, where’d the food come from?” Angelus asked, noting with

fascination that the other big Gaul was blushing lightly underneath his
beard.

“Some of the women in the village take turns cooking for the big

lug most days,” Bellenus provided, taking a hunk out of his bread and
swirling it in the broth of the stew before popping it into his mouth.
“But today, since his highness was so preoccupied with your arrival
and forgot to pick up his meal, I cooked the stew so that he wouldn’t
break the rules of hospitality to his guests.”

“Stop it,” Doiros hissed from across the table, glaring at the

younger man. If looks could kill…

“Stop what, Clan Leader?” Bellenus asked innocently. Angelus

was not buying the wide-eyed innocent stare that Doiros was getting,
and apparently, neither was Doiros, because he let out a growl that
would’ve made Antinious proud.

“You know what. Stop it,” he snarled. Bellenus gave a mysterious

smile and went back to his meal.

“So when do you think you’ll be traveling to Thrace, Crassus?”

Antinious asked after a few more moments of awkward silence
passed.

The other gladiator gave a shrug. “I’ll most likely wait till late

summer. That should give me enough time to barter passage on a ship
or secure one of my own. I’m hoping to make the journey before
winter sets in. The seas can be tempestuous that time of year, so I’d
prefer to travel beforehand. If not, I suppose I’ll have to wait until

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next spring. You don’t mind me staying with you a few extra months,
do you, Animal?”

“Course not, brother. Without you, I wouldn’t have my freedom,

and I wouldn’t dream of leaving you by the wayside now.”

Doiros’s voice held curiosity as he spoke. “Why do they call you

‘Animal’? That’s the third time I’ve heard you referred to in such a
way.” His guests glanced at one another nervously before looking
back to Antinious.

Antinious cleared his throat. “That’s what they called me in the

arena. My stage name, if you will. They called me the Animal of the
Gauls.”

Doiros frowned. “Why? You’re a big man, that’s true. But you’re

one of the gentlest men I’ve ever known.” The entire table started
laughing. It started as a soft snicker at first before growing in volume
until it all but echoed off the walls of the house. Doiros’s frown
deepened. “What?”

Angelus wiped tears of mirth from his cheeks and spoke. “I’m

sorry, Doiros. We’re not trying to make fun. It’s just…Antinious is
known for his violence and his temper in Rome. Hearing him called
‘gentle’ was just too much.” His eyes became hooded as they rested
on Antinious. “He can be kind, sweet even. His strength can be
controlled, but he is far from gentle.” He licked his lips. “It’s one of
his better qualities.”

Antinious’s eyes darkened, and a familiar look of lust stole over

his face at the whispered words. “Angelus.” The single word
conveyed a wealth of feeling.

* * * *

He really does love him, Doiros thought miserably. He knew in

that instant that Antinious would never be his. The look that passed
between the two men was unmistakable, and despite Doiros’s

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stubbornness, he wasn’t obstinate enough to pursue an impossible
goal. He sighed.

“You all can stay the night here, if you wish. I imagine it won’t be

much more comfortable than your wagons, but I have warm furs and
down beds in the other rooms.” He stared down at the table, unable or
unwilling to look at the other people seated around him. He couldn’t
believe how stupid he’d been. How could he think that Antinious
would stay loyal to his memory after all this time? It was foolish hope
that he’d fostered to keep himself from spiraling into a depression
after their village was raided and his entire life destroyed in a matter
of days. He sighed in regret. He loved Antinious with everything he
was. Why couldn’t the gladiator see it?

“No thank you,” Antinious offered before anyone could respond.

“We appreciate your hospitality, but we’ll stay in the wagons
tonight.”

Angelus gave him a look. “We don’t have to stay in the wagons

tonight,” he said softly. He was obviously trying to spare Doiros’s
feelings if the quick glances in his direction were any indication.

Doiros waved off his concern. “Don’t be worrying over my

feelings, Roman.” He meant to sneer at the smaller man, but it just
came out as a tired sigh. “I’m Clan Leader. It is appropriate for me to
offer guests a place to stay when they seek protection. Use my lands
and put your wagons where you please.” He stood and nodded to his
guests. “I’ve got things to take care of in the village. Bellenus.” The
younger man sat up straighter as he was addressed. “Make sure my
guests have what they need, and tidy the house up for my return. In all
the excitement, I forgot that I promised Liam that I’d help him finish
up patching his roof this evening. You’re in charge of my house till I
return.” He looked almost mechanical as he grabbed his belongings
and strode out the door.

Bellenus sighed. “I’ll get you a pack of food to take with you.

Nothing fancy. Just a loaf of bread and dried meat. Doiros doesn’t
have much in the way of ready food. He’s so busy running the village

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that he doesn’t have time to keep it here, but I’ll give you what he
has.”

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Chapter Forty-Six

Antinious couldn’t sleep. He was restless, edgy, unable to relax

despite the comfort of Angelus’s sweet body. He tried to lie still,
staring at the rough canvas of the wagon. It would be in need of repair
soon. The constant exposure to weather was wearing at the protective
coat that kept water from seeping into the interior, and it was starting
to reveal an ugly, dark brown stain on the roof. It was a good thing
that they’d be going to his family’s land tomorrow. There was no
telling what the house would need to have done to it in the ways of
repairs, but Antinious was up for the challenge. It’d been too long
since he’d done something, that wasn’t killing, with his hands. Hell,
maybe he’d even fire up the forge and start doing some metalworks
again.

“You going to sleep at some point tonight?” Angelus’s soft, sleep-

laden voice murmured as his hand came up to rest on the heavy
muscle of his chest.

He sighed. He should’ve known that he couldn’t fool his kitten

into believing he was asleep, no matter how quiet he was. “Sorry for
keeping you awake, kitten. I can’t seem to get to sleep tonight.”

Angelus was quiet for a moment, but then he stirred, moving so

that his chin was propped up on Antinious’s chest so that he could
look at the gladiator’s shadow-hidden face. “You’ve got a lot on your
mind,” the former slave said finally.

“It’s just strange being back here,” Antinious offered, petting his

lover’s head. He thought about how the land had changed but mostly
how much it had stayed the same. So much seemed like it was
preserved in his time away or restored, as the case was, after the

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Romans had ravaged the village. He just had a hard time equating that
preservation with Doiros’s leadership. Doiros had been a good kid
when he’d left, but he’d been just that, a kid. It seemed he’d done well
since Antinious had been taken away.

“It’s more than that,” Angelus said knowingly. It was uncanny

how he knew things, felt Antinious’s emotion before he did.
Antinious remained quiet. “Don’t clam up on me, gladiator,” he
warned, leaning down and kissing his lover’s chest.

“It’s…Doiros,” Antinious admitted reluctantly. Angelus’s body

tensed for a second, and Antinious was terrified that he’d seen the kiss
they’d exchanged somehow.

* * * *

“What about him?” Angelus asked, forcing himself to relax. As

the tension leaked out of his body, he felt it go out of Antinious’s as
well.

Antinious still sounded uncomfortable as he spoke. “It’s strange

seeing him again,” he admitted softly. “I thought he was dead, but
then I find out that he’s been alive all this time. He’s carried on,
become strong, he’s the head of the village now, and all that time he’s
never forgotten about me…Even though I tried my hardest all this
time to forget all about him.”

“Do you still have feelings for him?” Angelus asked in a whisper.

He was getting a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He didn’t
know if he really wanted the answer to the question he’d asked.

“Angelus…” Antinious squeezed his lover tightly. He rolled,

taking his beloved under him in one fell swoop. He kissed Angelus’s
protesting mouth, his tongue sliding in between his parted lips.
Angelus’s hands pushed against his chest. He deepened the kiss,
crushing Angelus against him, using his superior strength to force him
to his will. Angelus tore his mouth away with a gasp. “Enough!” He
slapped his hands against his lover’s chest angrily. Antinious growled,

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and he smacked his chest again. “Don’t use me or kiss me to shut me
up. Tell me what you’re thinking, Antinious.” Softer he murmured,
“Trust me, Master.”

“I still care about him, Angelus. I don’t want to. Seeing him

again…I remember how I felt with him before.” He sighed, leaning
his forehead against Angelus’s own. “He’s so lonely, and it bothers
me.”

Angelus echoed his sigh and spoke. “What bothers you is that you

can’t fix it, Antinious, because you don’t love him anymore.” There
was relief in his voice, and he gave Antinious a reassuring squeeze.

“His whole life I was there for him, though. He relied on me for

everything.”

“You were his lover and his hero. You can’t save him. He’s a

grown man. Doiros runs an entire village now.”

“But he’s hurting and lonely,” Antinious protested again,

sounding less sure this time.

“So be there as his friend. I promise it’ll be more satisfying than a

sordid love affair.” Angelus leaned up and kissed Antinious’s lips.
The kiss quickly deepened into something soaked in passion and no
small amount of lust. Antinious’s big hands ran up and down his
lover’s body, molding his sleek musculature to his pleasure. Their
lovemaking would be fierce tonight.

“I kissed him, Angelus.” The gladiator’s confession poured out of

him like a poisonous boil that had chosen that moment to burst.
Angelus froze and let his breath out from in between clenched teeth.

* * * *

“You did what?” His voice was icier than Antinious had ever

heard it.

“I didn’t mean to,” Antinious pleaded for understanding, the same

understanding Angelus had had the moment before when they’d been
talking about Antinious’s feelings for Doiros.

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“So what happened? Did you trip, fall, and land in his ass?” The

sarcasm practically dripped from every syllable.

“I didn’t fuck him,” Antinious said defensively.
“Obviously didn’t have enough time. Did you think about it?”

Angelus’s fury made his voice shake. “Get off me.”

Antinious sighed and rolled, allowing Angelus his space. The

smaller man rolled to a crouch, cloaking his face in shadows even as
the tension radiated off his body like a visible wave.

“I trusted you not to,” Angelus spoke after long seconds of

silence.

“You sent me out after him.”
“So it’s my fault? You son of a bitch!”
Antinious shook his head. “No. I didn’t say that. It’s just…”
“Just what? I sent you out there because you obviously care about

the guy, and I thought that it would make you feel better.” Antinious
watched as Angelus’s lip started trembling.

“You put me in the situation to begin with,” Antinious began.
“Don’t you fucking blame me for this! Don’t you dare!” Angelus

snapped.

“I’m not, I’m not,” the gladiator said hastily. “I just wanted to be

honest with you, kitten. It was just one kiss, and I told him afterward
that it’d never happen again. I knew I loved you after that.”

“I’m so glad that it took sticking your tongue in someone else’s

mouth to realize that,” Angelus murmured bitterly. There was no
doubt that he probably felt betrayed and more than a little hurt.

“Damn it, Angelus. Look at me. I love you. None of it matters.

Doiros doesn’t matter.”

“He obviously does or else you wouldn’t have kissed him and you

wouldn’t have brought him up tonight.” Angelus moved toward the
flap of the wagon, and panic seized the gladiator’s heart.

“No!” he shouted, tackling the smaller man from behind. “You

can’t leave me.” He held the man tightly even as he was pummeled by
Angelus’s balled fists and cursed by his sharp tongue. Just as

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Antinious was starting to get sore, the fight went out of his lover. “In
my culture, the blood of the changer means that I know my mate
when I am with him. You are mine, Angelus. Forever. I can no more
give you up then rip out my own heart.”

“Damn you,” Angelus whispered. He was choking on all the

problems between them, and Antinious was a helpless witness to it.
“Damn you for making me love you, Master.”

“You were obsessed far before I made you love me,” Antinious

said, remembering that initial meeting, their courtship. He nuzzled
Angelus’s soft hair in apology. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please
forgive me.”

Angelus let out a long sigh. He took another deep breath as if to

center himself. “Of course I forgive you. I understand being here has
been a shock to you. For that and that alone, I forgive you. However, I
won’t forgive you if you ever do it again.”

“I won’t. I promise.” He meant to say more, but Angelus’s soft

mouth had found the crook of his neck and delivered a wonderful and
awful bite there. He groaned low in his throat and crushed Angelus
tighter to him.

“You’re mine,” his slave growled, laving the wound he’d made

with his tongue. “Kiss me, Master. Make love to me.” He gave his
bite mark another softer caress. “Fuck me,” he whispered.

Antinious shuddered. He loved when his Angelus talked like that.

He loved when he spoke his deliciously naughty words to get
Antinious closer to the edge. “Hands above your head and don’t move
them,” he commanded. He felt his lover shiver under him before he
complied. These games had become as much a part of their
lovemaking as the joining of their bodies had. It was an intoxicating
exchange of power.

Angelus whimpered as he was entered in one hard thrust. “Yes!”

he screamed as Antinious groaned. His hands obeyed the gladiator’s
command and remained dutifully twisted in the portion of blanket

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above his head. “Master…you feel so good.” The former slave
panted.

“Likewise, my slave.” Antinious grunted, his hips snapping

desperately, driving into his companion. “Gods, you feel good.” They
were the last words spoken as both men were lost in one another’s
bodies. The only sounds that could be heard were wordless moans and
the sharp sound of flesh slapping against flesh. The moment of
completion neared, and the intensity of their joining grew fiercer still.

“Harder! Gah! Oh gods!” Angelus shouted, his hands coming up

disobediently and scoring Antinious’s taut shoulders. Antinious
complied with his demand and drove harder into his lover, carrying
them both across their makeshift bed. Antinious heard his lover gasp
and felt his sticky ejaculate erupt onto his tight abdomen. Another
hard thrust sent Antinious tumbling over the edge with him. His hands
bit into the perfect handholds of Angelus’s hips as the pleasure
overwhelmed him. He filled his lover’s body with his desire and
sighed in sharp relief.

Antinious pulled out without preamble, despite Angelus’s groan

of protest and propped a pillow beneath his lover’s upturned hips.
Instead of using a cloth to clean him as he usually did, he lapped at
the sticky proof of his desire with his tongue.

“Hmmm…Antinious.” Angelus’s voice was soft, filled with

curiosity and no small amount satisfaction. “You…don’t have to do
that…” His hand reached down to try and lift Antinious’s head, but
instead he simply petted the hair on his gladiator’s head.

“I want to taste you,” the gladiator said. He closed his eyes,

savoring the flavor of his lover’s body on his tongue. Angelus closed
his eyes and allowed his ministrations.

“I can’t wait to reach your home,” Angelus slurred. His slave

seemed exhausted and thoroughly loved, just the way Antinious
wanted him to be. Antinious smiled. “Oh? Why’s that?”

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Angelus gave his own small smile, his eyes still shut and spoke,

“Because I want to know all of you,” he murmured as Antinious
lapped at a sensitive spot on his hip. “Because it will be our home.”

Antinious started at the whispered suggestion. He’d not even

thought about the fact that tomorrow was the first day of the rest of
his life with Angelus. The gladiator smiled. He liked the idea. They’d
share a home and a life together after tomorrow. He finished his task
and curled up beside his lover, putting his arm around Angelus and
spooning up behind him as he rolled to his side. His eyes slid shut as
sleep finally claimed him, and he fell into his dream with a smile on
his lips.

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Chapter Forty-Seven

It took them the better part of a month to get into the rhythm of

their new life. Angelus had never been happier, and he finally felt a
sort of peace settle over him that he hadn’t experienced since he was a
very young child. His lover was getting him used to his feral form in
small degrees, shifting into a cat for a few minutes at a time and
letting Angelus explore before shifting back so that his lover was
reassured that it was still him. As a lion, Antinious seemed much
more playful and even more intimidating if possible, but it was
beautiful nonetheless.

“Hey, Angelus!” Crassus’s booming voice called from somewhere

outside. Angelus had been trying to put together a knapsack of food
for them for lunch. They’d been working since sunup on getting the
forge ready for use. Ever and Angelus had gathered up all the spare
metal they could find, and Crassus and Antinious had worked
diligently to get the forge in working order so that they could start
working. He stopped his food gathering and walked out the front
door, which was hanging open so that they could get a little air in the
house. It was sweltering in the heat of an uncharacteristic super heat
wave.

“Hey,” he greeted as he rounded the house and came upon

Crassus, who was wrestling a pair of iron bars into the now-
uncovered wagon. “What did you need?”

“Antinious said to tell you that he should have the forge

operational by nighttime,” Crassus said, finally getting the pieces to
lay correctly in the wagon. “He’ll start the heating process then, and
by morning, we should have some good coals going. It’ll still take a

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few days to get the temperature exactly right, but he said it is coming
along.”

“That’s great,” Angelus said with a smile. He hadn’t said

anything, but they were running low on supplies, and asking their
neighbors for food wasn’t something that he was particularly proud
of. With the forge being up and ready for business, they’d be able to
make their own money. Antinious had already explained to him how
much a good forge was needed in the village. The nearest one was
almost a week away, and it would bring additional prosperity to the
little settlement.

“He wanted me to tell you to take one of the horses and go find

Doiros to let him know. Tell him to let the villagers know that we’ll
be open for business day after tomorrow.”

Angelus nodded his agreement. “Will do. I’ll go get the sack of

food that I put together for you both to take with you to the forge.
Hold on.”

He ran back to the house and finished folding up the food before

carrying it out to the other gladiator. He handed over the parcel, and
Crassus hefted the bag into the passenger side of the cart.

“You packed enough food to feed an army,” Crassus teased.
Angelus snorted. “I know my gladiator eats enough to feed a

warhorse, and I imagine you do the same. Is the gelding in the
stable?” Crassus nodded. “Good. I’ll see you guys after a while.”

The place they kept the two horses they had wasn’t even

comparable to his father’s stables. It was basically an overly glorified
paddock with a partially covered shed that had a place to tie up the
horses, as well as a small place to keep the supplies used to take care
of the horses and hang up the saddles they used. Angelus had not been
expecting this level of barbarity when he’d agreed to stay with his
gladiator in this foreign place so far away from Rome and everything
he knew of it. However, it didn’t bother him as much as he had
thought it would’ve when he first set eyes on the rustic little village

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that he now called home. In fact, there was a certain satisfaction to be
had in working hard on something that was your own.

He nickered to the sable-colored gelding as he approached.

Almost languidly, the big horse that had hauled his belongings over
the mountains approached the gate as Angelus slipped inside.

“Hey, beautiful,” he greeted, stroking the side of the horse’s neck

before leading him to the stable and getting him ready to ride. He put
a fresh pad on his back along with saddle, a bit was forced into the
horse’s mouth, which he didn’t appreciate at all, and Angelus was
done with his work.

* * * *

The ride to Doiros’s home was not as far as Angelus remembered

it. It was scarcely a few miles away, but they hadn’t visited since
they’d come back to Antinious’s homestead, and Angelus had felt the
journey that day was especially long due to his impatience to see
something that resembled home. He still worried about Doiros and
Antinious at times. Whether they liked it or not, their shared history
dictated that they needed to lean on one another a little bit to get past
the trauma of Antinious’s abduction and the raid of the village. But
his stubborn gladiator refused to even mention Doiros after the fight
they’d had before they’d come to Antinious’s lands.

“Hey, Angelus!” Bellenus called from his right. He was tending to

some green shoots in a tilled bit of land beside Doiros’s house.
“Everything all right?”

“Yeah, everything’s great,” Angelus returned, slowing his horse to

a stop. “The forge is almost up and running. Is Doiros in?”

Bellenus shook his head and leaned on a walking stick that

doubled as a snake finder in the field. “Nope. He’s gone to
Christabel’s house over on the east side of the village. He’s settling a
land dispute. What did you need?”

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“Just to tell him that the forge will be ready to start receiving

people day after tomorrow. Antinious wanted me to come tell him.”
Angelus’s gelding danced beneath him nervously. He bit his lip in
uncertainty. With a sigh he took the plunge. “How is Doiros doing?
We haven’t seen him since the night we arrived.”

“He’s miserable,” Bellenus said quietly, his eyes distant. “He

doesn’t say anything, but I know it.”

“Antinious is keeping busy, but I know he regrets not being there

for Doiros.” The former slave stroked his horse’s neck to settle it. It
was odd that he was dancing around so nervously. He’d crossed the
Alps without much fuss and wasn’t typically so panicky.

Bellenus frowned. “He’s dancing like there’s a big predator

around. Wonder what he knows that we don’t. These horses are bred
and raised around our cats, so he shouldn’t be so nervous.” The
Gaul’s eyes scanned the horizon, searching for the source of the
horse’s discomfort. “I don’t see anything.”

A distant sound that echoed like thunder caused Angelus to start.

He knew that sound. “We need to get out of here,” he whispered. “We
need to get into the woods or something. Come on.” Bellenus
regarded him with a curious expression. Angelus extended his hand.
“Here, get on. I can’t explain right now. I just know that we have to
get out of the way.”

Finally, he took Angelus’s hands and swung up behind him. “You

better not be pulling anything funny, Roman.”

He didn’t answer but instead dug his heels into the gelding’s

sides. The horse bolted forward, not in need of any other
encouragement. Instead of coming back the way he’d come, Angelus
drove the horse toward the smattering of forest that provided cover in
the shadow of the tall, uncut trees.

“Where are we going?” Bellenus asked a little crossly. Angelus

slowed as they got to the thickest part of the glen where the road was
still visible.

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“Quiet,” Angelus snapped. “There.” He pointed to the right side of

the roadway. Over the hill came a group of soldiers, banners declaring
that they were from the house of Virilis.

“Fuck!” Bellenus whispered. “Those are Roman soldiers, aren’t

they?”

“Worse,” Angelus admitted bitterly. “They’re my father’s men.”
Bellenus’s eyes widened, and he gave Angelus a look of disbelief.

“Are they here for you? I thought you were Antinious’s slave?”

“I am Antinious’s slave. I’m also the son of a senator of Rome.”

He bit his lip and cursed his father a thousand times for his
interference. “The soldiers that he sent to guard the wagons must’ve
told him that the Animal had overtaken them. He probably figured out
the rest. Dammit.”

“So this is your fault,” Bellenus accused. “Are they going to kill

us?”

“Probably not,” Angelus offered.
“Probably not?” Bellenus asked. “Our lives are in danger, and

we’re ‘probably’ not going to be killed?”

“I understand this sounds suspicious—” Angelus began.
“You have no idea what the hell kind of insanity that sounds like,”

Bellenus interrupted. The Romans marched onward, not seeing the
two men and steed hidden in the thick foliage. They both breathed a
collective sigh of relief.

“We have to warn them,” Angelus whispered. “They’re heading

toward the village.” He made a quick assessment. “Does Doiros have
a spare horse?”

Bellenus snorted. “Of course. He’s a Clan Leader.” Angelus

gritted his teeth at the faintly mocking tone but let it slide. There was
too much at stake to reprimand the arrogant young man over his
phrases.

“Take it and find him. Let him decide what’s best. I’ll go to

Antinious and let him know. We’ll meet back here.”

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Bellenus cursed some more and dropped from the back of the

horse to the ground. “All right. Give me an hour.”

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Chapter Forty-Eight

“Antinious!” Angelus screamed, tearing around the corner of the

building and all but diving into the open doorway. Antinious stood by
the bellows, stoking the fire higher and higher, sweat running down
his naked torso and ash darkening his already tanned face with soot.
He frowned as he saw Angelus’s no doubt frantic expression.

“What’s the matter, kitten?” he asked. He used the back of his

hand to wipe his forehead and waited for his answer.

“Roman soldiers. My father’s men. Bellenus and I saw them

heading toward the village when I was at Doiros’s.” Angelus panted.
His wide green eyes held an animal panic within them.

The Animal’s eyes narrowed. “Has Doiros been informed?”
Angelus nodded, his shoulders shaking. Antinious crossed the

distance that separated them and gave him a kiss on the cheek,
wrapping his big arms around the smaller man, heedless of his sweaty
body.

“Easy, Angelus. You’re not going anywhere.”
“They’ll…They’ll take me away,” Angelus whispered, his voice

strangled. “They’ll kill you and burn the village. Gods, I,
Antinious…Master…I couldn’t stand that.” Fat tears cascaded down
his cheeks, making Antinious’s heart constrict.

“No one is taking you anywhere. I promise.” He stroked his

lover’s hair reassuringly, closing his eyes and pressing Angelus
tighter against his chest. “You’ve got to pull yourself together, kitten.
Be strong for me.”

Angelus’s eyes squeezed shut, and he took several deep breaths.

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“I don’t want to return to Rome. There’s nothing for me there.

Please…”

Antinious’s heart constricted for him as he struggled with the

situation. “It’ll be all right, Angelus.” Now there was nothing without
Antinious. In a short time, he’d gone from being able to live apart
from the gladiator to being completely dependent upon him as the
greatest source of his happiness.

“I need you. I don’t know if I can do this without you.” The words

held a wealth of fear in them. The realization that their relationship
was so much more than anything before was probably a frightening
thing. Another moment passed before Angelus was able to control
himself. “I’m okay,” he said finally. “We’ve got to hurry back to
Doiros’s house. Bellenus has gone to fetch him.”

* * * *

Doiros’s body thrummed with anger as he paced the short distance

between his kitchen floor and the door. “Son of a bitch,” he muttered,
clenching his fists. This was all the little Roman’s fault. He didn’t
belong here, and now he’d brought their village back under the
scrutiny of Rome. It was the last thing they needed. They’d just
recovered from the last Roman “interest.”

“It’s not his fault,” Bellenus said quietly. Doiros stilled.
“What do you mean it’s not his fault?” he snapped. “If he weren’t

here, they wouldn’t be, either. Cause and fucking effect.”

“He’s Antinious’s lover, Doiros. Can you honestly say if the

positions were reversed and you were in love with a Roman slave,
you wouldn’t have brought him home?” Bellenus was always his
voice of reason in moments like these but, dammit, Doiros didn’t feel
like being reasonable. Bellenus smiled at his fierce expression.
“You’re a lot like him, you know. Same temper.”

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Doiros ignored the jab. “I don’t give a great damn,” he grumbled,

returning to his pacing. “And I wouldn’t be in love with some stinking
Roman.”

Bellenus just laughed. “You have a very lofty opinion of yourself,

Clan Leader.”

“You’re too young to remember the agony this village went

through the last time,” Doiros snarled. “It was hell.”

Finally, a little irritation bled through Bellenus’s calm exterior.

“Oh no?” His expression looked thunderous. “You’re wrong, Doiros.
I do remember. I remember going hungry for months after the
Romans left. I remember sleeping on the fucking ground and being so
cold I wondered each night when I went to sleep if I’d wake up the
next morning. I remember my older brother dying in my mother’s
arms as she screamed at someone, anyone, to help us.” He stood up
from the bench he’d been sitting at. “I remember your tears over
Antinious when he was taken away. I remember your wounds were
the only reason you didn’t go as well. They left you for dead, and the
only reason you got better was because you’re a changer.” He crossed
the distance between them, getting in Doiros’s face and snarling. He
was slightly shorter than Doiros at present, but given a couple more
years of age, he’d probably outpace him. “I’m not so young that I
don’t remember the trauma this place went through, Doiros, and I’m
sick of you treating me like I’m some kind of child.”

Doiros’s hands clamped tight around Bellenus’s biceps causing

the younger man to wince. “You better watch that tone, Bellenus. I
could have you stoned for it.”

Bellenus looked up into Doiros’s eyes unflinchingly. “Do it, then.

Do it, and put me out of my misery. You’re never going to want me,
are you? You’re never going to see me as anything other than an
annoying responsibility even though the Fates ordained that we were
mated. Gods, don’t you feel anything? Are you a statue or something?
A slab of marble is more considerate of others’ feelings than you.”

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“How is this for being fucking considerate?” Doiros snarled and

leaned down, capturing Bellenus’s lips in a toe-curling kiss. His large
hands loosened on his arms and slid down to cup and mold the other
man’s hips as their mouths mated. Tongues clashed, and Bellenus
gasped at the sheer overwhelming sensation of Doiros’s touch. His
hands tangled in Doiros’s hair, holding him close as the kiss deepened
further.

He pushed the smaller man into the wall behind them and lifted

him off his feet to press him more firmly against the wooden surface.
Instinctively, Bellenus wrapped his legs around Doiros’s waist and
gave a little whimper of distress when Doiros broke the kiss, panting.

“Quite enough,” Doiros whispered. “I feel quite enough.” A look

of elation crossed over Bellenus’s face, and he leaned up to press
another wet kiss to Doiros’s lips.

“Stop,” Doiros whispered, pulling back slightly. Bellenus

whimpered.

“Don’t pull away from me,” he begged.
Doiros sighed and leaned forward, resting his forehead against

Bellenus’s. He still didn’t set the other man down on his feet. “We
can’t do this.” He stroked his hand down the younger man’s face and
saw tears spring into his eyes. “You’re too young for what I want of
you, Bellenus. No matter your maturity. We’ll have to wait.” At the
anguished look on Bellenus’s face, he gave another sigh of
frustration. “It’s not that I don’t want to, Bellenus. Gods, you’ve made
it difficult for me to breathe these past few years. You know you’re
beautiful and have flaunted it at me like you were a cat in heat.”

“But I thought you were waiting on Antinious.” Bellenus leaned

up for another kiss. Doiros groaned at the contact.

“I was at first. It was the only thing that kept me going for a long

time. But…I always wanted you.” He gritted his teeth and forced
himself to put the other man down. Bellenus smiled almost shyly as
he regained his feet. It was adorable.

“So when do you get to have me?” Bellenus asked.

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“When you come of age and earn your beads. Then and only then

will I touch you again,” Doiros promised himself. It would be agony
waiting, but it was the right thing to do. “For now, stop shaking your
ass at me every minute of the day, and help me come up with
something to get rid of the Romans.”

“Yes, sir, Clan Leader,” Bellenus said with a wink. Doiros rolled

his eyes. The man was incorrigible.

“Oi! Doiros!” Antinious’s booming voice caused the Clan Leader

to nearly jump out of his skin. An instant later both gladiators and
their slaves came bursting through the front door. Doiros turned to
greet them.

“So, you brought the Romans to my door,” Doiros grumbled.
“It wasn’t intentional, you ass,” Antinious rumbled back,

shouldering his way into the house. As usual, the big gladiator took
up the entire room with his presence.

“Intentional or not, you brought the damn Romans. Now how do

we get rid of them?” Doiros asked. He crossed his arms across his
chest and stared at the gladiator.

“We could fight them,” Crassus suggested, coming to stand beside

Antinious.

Angelus snorted at that one. “Riiiiiggghhht. There are two dozen

armed soldiers out there, and you better believe my father paid them
handsomely to bring me back. We’re five and a half men.”

Doiros frowned. “Five and a half?”
“Yeah.” He pointed to the men around the room. “Crassus,

Antinious, Bellenus, you, me, and Ever. Since Ever is so small, he
hardly counts as a whole warrior.”

“Ha! Look at you trying to be funny,” Ever groused, shoving

Angelus’s arm. “I’m small, but I’ve been trained to fight.”

“Enough,” Antinious said. “Neither of you are fighting. Angelus

is a target, and Ever is going to be the last line of defense if they come
for him.”

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“Why don’t we just deny he’s here? I mean, they knew you were

going to Gaul, but Gaul is a big place with lots of unconquered tribes.
Why don’t we say that we have no idea where he is?” Bellenus
suggested.

“That won’t work. They know he’s here somehow. Besides, if we

deny it, they’ll just tear the village apart looking. Better we confront
them head-on.” Antinious’s authoritative voice brooked no argument.
“We need to get organized and push the Romans out.”

Angelus looked away. “They have the most advanced army in the

modern world.” Antinious reached out and pulled the smaller man
into his arms.

“We can do it,” he reassured softly. “You’re thinking too much,

Angelus.”

“We can, Angelus,” Doiros said, adding his reassurance to the

gladiator’s. “This is our village, and by the gods, no one is going to
harm it again.” Yes. They would succeed. They didn’t have a choice
in the matter.

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Chapter Forty-Nine

By nightfall, the Romans were threatening to burn down every

dwelling within the village if they did not surrender Angelus. The son
of a senator would not be made into the whore of a barbarian.
Antinious snorted. Angelus was all but wed to him now. He belonged
to him in every conceivable sense and fashion. He was his beloved
slave, and Antinious would be damned before anyone would separate
them.

Doiros had set off to prepare his own men some hours beforehand

and had brought another half-dozen soldiers before circling back to
inform the tense band of allies who gathered in his home. Angelus
had not liked getting left behind, but what could he do? He couldn’t
risk him being captured by the enemy.

The women and children were corralled in an area near the center

of the street. The hardened Roman soldiers prowled the shadows,
caging them. They knew the men would come if the women were
taken as hostages. Even for Romans, this sort of approach was utterly
despicable. What sort of men hid behind the skirts of women and
tunics of children?

“Are we ready?” Doiros asked, walking up behind the gladiator.

Antinious shot a glance at the half dozen men who were poorly armed
and poorly trained. He sighed. He didn’t like the odds.

“As ready as we’re going to be.” It went unsaid that these were

not the best fighting conditions they could hope for. The village had
still not recovered from the last Roman raids when Antinious had
been captured. The loss of men now could lead to the death of the

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entire village. Doiros knew this, and yet he continued to support
Antinious’s plan.

“Doiros, we can walk away,” Antinious offered suddenly. “I can

take Angelus and run. Go to Germania or even into Britain. We could
leave now, and the Romans would follow.”

Doiros shook his head. “No way. This is your home as much as it

is for any of the men who belong here. We are Helvetii, Antinious.
We stick together. The instant you announced that he was to be your
chosen lover, he became one of us. The Roman pigs will not lay a
finger on him, and we will not permit them to bully us into giving him
up or driving you both away.”

“That’s an awfully big change of heart,” Crassus noted

suspiciously. They’d lived in Rome long enough to know that if
something sounded too good and friendly, then it often was.

Doiros reached up and touched his warrior’s braid. “On my honor,

I will protect you and yours from harm.” It was the most sacred oath
warriors could say to one another. “I know it sounds like I am just
saying this to you, but I have my reasons.” He inclined his head in
Crassus’s direction.

The two gladiators shared a look. It was the same look that they’d

used to assess an enemy in the arena. When Antinious nodded,
Crassus shrugged. “If he trusts you, so do I.” He paused and gave
Doiros a grin that was more teeth than anything. “But I warn you, if
you betray us, if you hurt Antinious or Angelus in any way, I will slit
you from gullet to groin and stand over your corpse laughing while
the crows pick you clean.”

Doiros gained Antinious’s respect by being unflinching over such

a threat. Most men would’ve at least been mildly uncomfortable. “So
be it,” Doiros said. He made a motion with his hand, and the men
started slipping into formation. It was time.

* * * *

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Angelus was not happy. He paced back and forth between the

forge and the house, unaware that he was running a rut in the trail he
was making.

“We should be inside. This is too visible,” Bellenus chastised as

he swung into the forge yet again. He and Ever had taken up positions
in both sections of the grounds so that Angelus was visible to them at
every moment in his endless walk between house and forge. Doiros
had convinced Bellenus to stay with the smaller men. They needed a
little warrior muscle just in case the Romans had sent scouts out into
the countryside to search the surrounding settlements.

“This is my home,” Angelus said, sliding onto a bench in front of

cooling tub. “I’m not hiding in our furs waiting for my man to get
home. I’ve got to do something.”

“We have strong men, Angelus,” Bellenus said, leaning against

the stone wall. He was illuminated only by the dying fires of the
forge, and the coals that were still cherry red with heat. “He’ll be
fine.”

“What if he’s not? Gods, I should be there. What would a Helvetii

man do if his chosen lover went off to battle?” Angelus asked,
running his hands through his hair.

Bellenus considered him. “Helvetii are warriors and shift into

animals, Angelus. You are neither warrior nor animal.”

“I don’t care if I’m not a soldier! I was educated in military arts

and formations and battle strategies. It was part of my education as a
Roman elite,” Angelus protested.

“Theory is not the same as practice, and you haven’t been near a

sword in five years,” Bellenus corrected. “You may not be helpless,
but against Roman soldiers, you might as well be with your lack of
experience.”

Angelus didn’t want to hear that. He wanted his lover home. He

wanted to be snuggled down in bed, making love, and talking about
what metal pieces Antinious would be working on the next day.
They’d developed a comfortable rhythm in life, and he wanted that

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back now desperately. He was beginning to see why Antinious hated
Romans so much. He shook his head. That wasn’t a very pleasant
thought. After all, Angelus was Roman himself. He’d just never
thought of all the ways they had affected the borderlands. These
barbarians were his family now.

“Is everything all right down here?” Ever’s voice called from

outside the forge. He’d apparently gotten worried when Angelus had
stopped his pacing.

“We’re fine,” Bellenus replied, turning his head to the darkness.

Ever stepped past him into the light.

“I’m not fine. Dammit!” Angelus snapped. Bellenus rolled his

eyes.

“We’re really fine,” Bellenus reassured. Ever looked from one to

the other and sighed.

“You know, you should listen to him. You’re all really not fine.”

A new voice joined the conversation. The bottom dropped out of his
stomach. “Shit!” Bellenus growled, reaching for his weapon and
stepping in front of Angelus in a protective stance.

“Now, now, none of that,” the voice said in a snarky tone.
“Joshy?” Angelus’s incredulous tone rang out. He sidestepped

Bellenus to see the eight-member brigade of Roman soldiers
crowding in the doorway. Joshua, the household slave who had been
Angelus’s companion when he’d lived with the Dominus, stood in
front of them, his arms crossed across his chest over a fine, soft tunic
that was much too good to belong to a house slave. A nasty grin
spread across Joshua’s face.

“Yes, it’s Joshy, Angelus. Your father paid Dominus for my

guidance into Gaul lands. I knew he’d take you back here. The
soldiers may have known where Gaul was, but I knew where to look
for you. I knew where you’d hide for him.” He spat the last. The slave
motioned for the soldiers to go forward. “Take them.”

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Chapter Fifty

“Angelus! Angelus!” Antinious called out happily. Crassus

shoved him again as they wove unsteadily on their feet. Both of them
were trembling from the aftermath of adrenaline and battle. They’d
kicked some Roman ass and then some, sent them back to Rome with
their tails tucked between their knobby legs. The sounds of catcalls
and triumph filled the night. The entire Pride was out celebrating in
their feral forms, and he couldn’t wait to drag Angelus out with them.

“You are never going to believe how badly those Roman dogs

lost.” He swung open his door and was greeted by silence. He
frowned. The fire in the hearth was nothing but embers.

“They’re probably at the forge. They most likely heard horses and

decided to hide out there until they knew we were here,” Crassus said
uneasily. Doiros was beside him, and he, too, frowned.

“They’d have to be deaf not to hear Antinious’s shouts,” Doiros

murmured. Antinious quickened his footsteps, all but bolting out the
door and down toward the dark forge.

“Be careful, Antinious!” Crassus shouted, taking off in pursuit.

“There could be Romans about!”

Antinious didn’t care. His heart was in his throat, and a cold sweat

of fear rolled off his skin in waves of sickness. Gods, if they’d taken
him…His stomach heaved as he entered the pitch black of the forge.

“Angelus.” The name left his lips in a whisper as his throat

constricted impossibly. If he spoke too loud, he would shatter reality
as he knew it. He’d fought hard to get them here. He’d fought hard to
get their lives running in the village and harder to get them accepted

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by their people. The soldiers he’d felled had been for Angelus and
Angelus alone, if he were honest.

Silence was his answer.
“They’re not here.” Crassus’s voice sounded equally strangled as

he spoke.

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Chapter Fifty-One

Three months. Three miserable months. Angelus sipped his wine

from the gold-rimmed cup he was drinking from. He waved one of the
servants to bring him a refill. It was winter now, and no one could get
over the pass between the Alps and the northern Italian countryside.
He wasn’t coming.

“Best to forget about him, my lord,” Ever murmured, stepping

onto the balcony. “Angelus…they can’t come for us here. They’ll be
killed. You heard what your father said.”

“I’m not thinking about him,” Angelus lied. He leaned on the

stone railing that overlooked the now-barren vineyards.

“Liar.” Angelus should’ve known better. Ever called him out on

his lies. Ever had shown over the past few months exactly how
unslave-like he could be. He was constantly pushing him, making
Angelus feel when all he wanted to do was go blessedly numb. He
thought briefly of Bellenus. His tough exterior would’ve been a
welcome to Ever’s constant badgering. Too bad his father had sold
him off to a gladiator school as soon as they’d been back in Roman
territory.

“Doesn’t matter. Thinking about him will not bring him here.”

Angelus wandered down the steps that led into the barren vineyard.

When he’d first arrived, the land was in the last throes of summer,

and everything was blooming and bright. The smells were potent and
heavy, virile in their intensity, like his gladiator. Like his Master,
whom he wanted desperately to return to. He recalled the dream he’d
had all those months ago, the one where he was running from his
gladiator because his father’s people were trying to kill him. He’d

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263

 

taken to wandering the vineyard in hopes of that dream coming true.
Except this time, when Antinious caught him, he’d run with him
instead of away from him. He sighed as he realized the stupidity of
the thought. Dreams meant nothing. The last few months had proved
that to him.

“If you could, would you be with him forever?” Ever wondered as

he followed Angelus into the winding rows of grapevines.

“Of course I would, you idiot,” Angelus snipped icily. Ever’s

amethyst eyes practically glowed with some unnamed emotion.

“Would you run with him in the dead of winter? Would you

wander the countryside together until spring came and you could once
again make the pass across the Alps?”

Angelus turned and faced Ever, getting in his face because the

other man had landed on his last nerve. “Of course I would!” he
snapped. “I would follow Antinious to Hades if he asked me to. I love
him!” Ever smiled.

“That’s good, because that’s what we’re going to be doing.” An

oh-so-familiar voice growled from behind him. Angelus’s heart
thundered in his ears as he slowly turned around.

“Antinious…” he whimpered, his eyes locking with his gladiator’s

vibrant golden eyes. Before he knew what he was doing, Angelus
launched himself into the air, jumping into Antinious’s strong arms
which closed around him protectively. Tears cascaded down his face,
and grateful sobs poured out of his throat. “Oh gods. Antinious,
Master, I missed you so much!” He sobbed. His gladiator’s big hands
smoothed down his back in slow circles. He whispered words of
comfort in his ear and held him to him tightly.

After what seemed like an eternity, Angelus pulled back.

“But…How are we going to get out of here? My father installed
guards.”

“It’s all been taken care of, love,” Antinious promised. He waved

to the house. “We’ve already got control of the house and will be

264 Jana

Downs

 

leaving with the sunrise. Half the village came to rescue you,” he
added with a wink.

“But the Romans will just come into our village,” Angelus

protested. “I can’t live with endangering them again…”

“Also already taken care of.” Antinious smiled fiercely. “We’ve

moved everyone farther back into the hill, closer to the Germanii but
far away from the Romans. We’ll be living there from now on. Our
people are sick to death of dealing with the Roman dogs, so it was a
pretty unanimous decision on the part of the village.” Angelus’s heart
filled with hope.

“What about Crassus? Did he come?”
“Of course. He came for Ever. The damn romantic idiot fancies

himself in love with the little chit.” Antinious smiled and Ever
beamed. “We’re going to have to lead the village for a little while,
though. I hope you don’t mind. Doiros is going after Bellenus
whenever we leave here. We were informed he’d been sold to a
gladiator school in the south.”

Angelus nodded. “I can look at the ledger and tell you which

school bought him.”

“Good. I offered to go with him, but Doiros wants to go alone. Far

be it from me to stop him.” The gladiator paused. “So, are you ready
to be mine again? Ready to run with me? I’ll free you right now,
Angelus. I don’t need the title of Master to be your lover. This time
we’ll leave as equals, my love. It’ll be a harder road we travel. We
won’t have the luxuries we had before.”

“Where ever you go, I go, gladiator. I’m your slave until the end,”

Angelus promised. Antinious cupped his face in his hands and gave
him a savage kiss. The gladiator hadn’t learned to be gentle in the
months they’d been apart. And he probably never would. Angelus
wouldn’t have it any other way. An idea sparked.

“So did you bring my chest of treasures?” he asked against the

hard press of Antinious’s lips. The gladiator grinned, and his eyes
sparkled.

Gladiator Games

265

 

“In the mood for some games before we leave?”
“You ought to know by now, Master. I love your gladiator

games.”

 

THE END

HTTP://JANADOWNS.BLOGSPOT.COM/

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jana Downs lives in the beautiful mountains of Western North

Carolina with three cats, one dog, several dozen fish, and a very
understanding partner-in-crime who hates to read but makes
exceptions for her stories.

You can usually find her either watching bad reality TV, buying

way too many books on Amazon, or dreaming up another man or two
to occupy her time because life is good but several drop-dead
gorgeous nonexistent men is just better.

Also by Jana Downs

Siren Allure ManLove: Ravyn Warriors 1: Ravyn’s Blood

Siren Allure ManLove: Ravyn Warriors 2: Ravyn’s Heart

Siren Allure ManLove: Ravyn Warriors 3: Ravyn’s Destiny

Siren Classic ManLove: Ravyn Warriors 4: Ravyn’s Dance

Siren LoveXtreme Forever ManLove: His Guardian Angels 1:

Angel Bound

Siren LoveXtreme Forever ManLove: His Guardian Angels 2:

Angelic Ties

Siren LoveXtreme Forever ManLove: His Guardian Angels 3:

Angel Kin

Available at

BOOKSTRAND.COM

 

 

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com