The Centurion's Woman

Chapter 33

VERUS WATCHED THE two lovers walk away, smiling to himself. He was dedicated to the life of a career bachelor, enjoying it very much as he'd always seen a wife to be distracting from things of importance – especially in battle. It was an interesting thought that a woman could be useful in military matters, and he would have to think on it further once he was finished here. He had to admit that he very much enjoyed having Alex around, and found his wits sharper for her presence.

        The men stationed on guard were watching Alex walk away as well. The younger of the two turned to Verus, the question plain on his face, but his mouth frozen at his proximity to a ranking officer. Verus feigned ignorance of the young Legionnaire's burning curiosity, instead turning and descending into the dens without another word. Let the rumors stew, he thought, grinning wickedly.

        At his footsteps on the stones, the hoarse shouts died away. Marcus Livius, Verus's clubfooted cousin through Valerius's mother, stood in shackles at the corner of his cage nearest to the stairs. Banished from Rome at only fifteen years of age after fleeing execution for patricide, exile seemed to have been kind to the internally and externally twisted creature.

        "Cousin," Verus greeted him politely and the caged man glared out through the grid of bars. "That sounded like a very interesting conversation you just had. But I'm a little unclear on the details. Was Alex meant to take you out of here, or supposed to rot in this little cage with you?"

        Verus didn't understand the short reply, so assumed it was in the same language that Alex spoke as the sounds were similar to Marcus's earliest shouts after her.

        "Or perhaps you wish to tell me how a lowly fiend such as yourself came into possession of such a magnificent stallion?"

        "Max?" Marcus asked, grinning. "He is awesome, isn't he? You should ride him."

        "Oh, I plan to. One day," he said, flipping his hand for some random future time. "There are some training issues to attend to first, though, aren't there. But in the meantime, he should be able to breed a small army of foals for the Legions. And Alex will enjoy riding him, I'm certain."

        "She does," his grin held fast to his face. "The sex is better after she's been on him, as well. But you wouldn't care for riding her, would you?"

        "Quite to the contrary, actually," Verus replied, honestly, and was rewarded by seeing the grin falter. "And after seeing her this morning – Valerius and his pack of friends were executed you should know, and Alex attended – I admit I now find the thought of sex with the Lady very appealing."

        Marcus broke out in laughter.

        "By the gods, she even has my homo cousin dry humping her leg."

        Verus's smile was predatory.

        "Who said anything about dry humping?"

        Marcus quit laughing and immediately switched languages, unloading vehemently a long string of vocabulary.

        "She's not collared to you," he stated flatly, switching back.

        "Ownership has never stopped a woman from coming to me," Verus replied, adjusting his stance and face to align for what he knew looked his best.

        There was a collective sigh from many of the women in the pens, and a nervous giggle from the young woman he settled a lustful gaze on momentarily. Marcus unloaded another string of vocabulary.

        "Did you really think to come here and march on Rome with just one horse and one woman at your command? Or were you betting on keeping her here in the Germanias, hidden in the forest and away from the Legions unless she was killing men?" Verus watched his cousin by marriage closely, seeing the truth in the ticks and twitches of the boy which the man had never noticed or attempted to train out. "Really? And you never for one moment thought that she would simply attend to her own mind and desires?" He tsk-tsked reproachfully.