GladiatorsAtonement (3 page)

She smiled. “Still, I shall clean it.” She slid from the
bed, the sheet dropping from her body. She padded naked across the room. Eratos
growled in appreciation at her womanly figure. He needed her now to appease the
bloodlust in him.

Coming up behind her, he pressed his body into the softness
of her back. “
Anam cara
, I need you.” Nibbling on her shoulder, he said,
“Let me love you one more time until the dawn parts us for the day.”

Helena moaned as he reached around and cupped her breasts.
“Yes, by the gods yes.”

“I have one request though,
anam cara
.”

“Anything.”

“Ride me.”

The request caught her off guard, but thrilled her still the
same. A shudder of expectation rippled through her as he ran his knuckles
against her face. Her body was reacting to his touch, her skin felt like as if
it were on fire.

She trembled, but not from fear. She trembled because she
wanted more. She wanted to take control of their mating.

Eratos took her hand, leading her toward the pallet. He lay
down against the sheet and Helena leaned over him, pulling his tunic from him.

“You are beautiful,” he whispered, running his fingers
through her hair, which rippled over her shoulders.

“And you are handsome.”

Eratos grinned as she ran her fingers over each scar,
tracing over the puckered flesh.

“Do my battle scars disgust you?”

“Nay, they do not. I am sorry they mar your flesh.”

He cocked an eyebrow as he fingered locks of her hair,
twirling the ends around. “Nay, they do not mar. They serve as a reminder to be
more careful.”

“Aye.” She leaned down and captured his lips, before
nibbling down his body as he had done to her. “Then it is a good thing you have
that reminder. I would hate for anything to happen to you.”

Her heart raced, her blood thundering through her as she
traced her hands down over his hard abdomen—her fingers brushing his hard
shaft. Eratos sucked in a deep breath.

“Did I hurt you?” she teased. Helena knew she did not hurt
him, instead she repeated the movement and Eratos groaned again.

“
Anam cara
, you torture me so.”

Helena sighed softly as she straddled his hips. His hard
cock pressed against her core. He ran his hands up to her breasts, cupping
them, teasing the nipples, sending a jolt of liquid heat through her body.

Eratos was called a heathen by her people, yet he showed her
kindness, he was gentle. She kissed him again, letting his tongue plunder her
mouth. Her body came alive, as if it had been in a deep sleep. Bliss coursed
through her at his touch.

She broke the kiss, pushing him against the sheets. Reaching
between them, she encircled her palm around his cock and slowly lowered her sex
onto his shaft. Helena bit her lip to prevent herself from crying out as she
mounted him.

Eratos let out a throaty moan when he was fully seated
inside her. His hands slid from her breasts to her hips.

“And how do you like this position, little one?” He chuckled
softly.

“I like it very much indeed.” She moved her hips, slowly
moving up and down his cock. “And how do you like it?”

“
Mmm
, I enjoy having you riding me.” His fingers
slipped through the curls at the apex of her thighs to rub her clitoris.

“By the gods,” she whispered, quickening her pace.

She let out a small cry of delight, surprised at what he was
doing. Was this part of lovemaking? Was this what was going on during all those
feasts? Helena had been pleasantly surprised when he took her maidenhead. She
had no idea mating could be so pleasurable.

Warmth spread through her body like an inextinguishable
fire, her body going taut as ecstasy enveloped her in a warm cocoon. She loved
mating with Eratos and she knew a fortnight would never be enough.

She wanted to be his and his alone.

He thrust upward quickly, meeting her rhythm. He held on
tight to her hips, his fingers digging into her flesh as she rode him like a
wild stallion.

Eratos began to thrust harder, faster. Helena reached
forward, clutching at the bedding as she felt a coil of heat begin to unfurl
deep in her belly. She was going to come again. She arched her back, crying out
as the pleasure overtook her. Eratos let out a loud shout and stiffened,
spilling his seed into her. She could feel his cock pulsating deep inside her.

Helena collapsed against his chest that was moist with
sweat. His heart was racing, pounding against her ear. It slowed down as they
both caught their breath. Eratos caressed her back, his hands running over her
skin.

They had been so lost in the moment—they had forgotten they
were not alone in the house. Helena listened for any sounds that they had been
heard, but the house was still silent. She rolled off Eratos, nestling beside
him once more, and promptly falling fast asleep.

Chapter Three

Eratos left her with the coming dawn with a brush of his
lips against hers and a promise he would return when it was safe. Though she
knew he wouldn’t be far off, she would still miss his presence. As much as she
wanted Thelonius to die, she worried about Thelonius’ power and the threat he
had given to Helena five years ago. She did not want to see Eratos die in the
gladiatorial arena should he fail in his quest. Eratos did not deserve to die,
she did not want him to die—the way her father had died because of Thelonius.

Helena had dressed in a simple linen shift and then returned
to bed, waiting for Thelonius to discover Eratos’ message.

She did not have long to wait before his cry rent through
the still morning, causing a large flock of cormorants to squawk and depart her
garden. Helena grinned, but it didn’t take long before she heard the uneven
sounds of Thelonius lumbering down the stairs of the main hall. He burst into
her room, his face sweaty and red. His eyes wide with fear.

“You, come with me.”

“Why?”

Thelonius’ body shook with rage, his face red. “Now.”
Reaching out, he grabbed her, dragging him from her bedchamber before she had
time to affix her stola. He dragged her up the main stairwell to his room.

He pushed her into the room and she came face-to-face with
Eratos’ bloody handprint and the message of revenge he had carved into the
plaster of the wall.

“Well?” Thelonius demanded breathlessly. “What do you see?”

“I see someone does not like you very much.”

“Do not be flippant with me.”

Helena turned around and stared at Thelonius. “I am not
being flippant, nor contrite.”

“I think you know more than you are letting on.”

“Why would you say that?”

Thelonius’ eyes narrowed. “Because the guards remained
outside my door all night, and the only other way in is the passageway from
your chamber.”

“You know of the passageway?” she asked, dismayed.

“Of course I do, you foolish girl. You think I would not
know all the ins and outs of my own home?”

Feigning ignorance, she shrugged her shoulders. “If you
slept through the intruder’s appearance, then I must have as well.”

“I find that hard to believe that an intruder would leave
you untouched.”

“Perhaps the intruder is like you, for you have left me
untouched. Perhaps the intruder has no strength in his sword,” Helena hissed.

“Get out of my sight, you brazen whore.”

Helena shook her head but secretly laughed as she took the
stairwell back to her bedchamber. Eratos had really frightened Thelonius.

Good.

Thelonius was nothing but a murdering pig and he deserved
everything that was coming to him.

If only her father could have had a chance for revenge
against her husband after Thelonius had blackmailed him and secured her
father’s vast wealth by marrying her.

She had every reason to despise Thelonius. He stole her from
her family, brought her to Antioch and then turned the Praetorian Guard against
those she loved. She didn’t even have a chance to properly mourn them. There
was nothing left for her in Rome once Eratos finished with Thelonius. Antioch
was home now.

* * * * *

Thelonius opened the shutters and peered out into the silent
garden. “I know he is nearby. I am leaving this house and I will return by
nightfall with more guards. I will find him and root him out—you have my word
on it.”

She did not respond, what could she say? Helena smiled as
Thelonius stormed from the house, taking all the hired guards with him. She was
glad to be rid of him, even for only a little while.

Helena sat down on the edge of her sleeping pallet and ran
her hands along the bedding. Picking up one of the pillows, she held it close
and could still smell Eratos’ scent permeating into the fibers of the cloth.
The masculine scent of deep spices and something wild.

Untamed.

Her blood heated thinking about Eratos and how their bodies
melded in passion. She pulled off her clothing and lay down on the bedding,
spreading her legs and closing her eyes as she thought of her mighty gladiator
taking her.

Fire flushed her cheeks as she pictured Eratos entering her
room as she lay on her bed, naked, vulnerable and alone. Her nipples hardened,
recalling his hands on her breasts, caressing them, kneading them. His clear
blue eyes locked on her with intensity as he bent over her, capturing one of
the sensitive buds with his lips, branding her with liquid fire.

Helena bit her lip as she caressed her breasts in response
to picturing Eratos’ hands on her flesh. An ache, a need, made her drive her
hips upward. She licked her fingers, trailing them down over her stomach and
between her thighs. Her hand slipped down her sex, parting her folds, and she
began to circle the center of her pleasure. A headiness enveloped her body as
her blood ignited, building slowly into a full-blown inferno that raged through
her.

By the gods, she wished Eratos was here, taking her,
mounting her.

Closing her eyes, she saw Eratos’ face between her thighs.
Pictured his tongue licking her slit, felt his fingers slip inside her sheath,
pumping in and out of her. A wild sensation built up inside her. She felt as if
she were going to shatter as her release came fast and strong. The muscles in
her pussy pulsated as the aftermath of her erotic fantasy washed through her.

When the last shudders of her orgasm left her, she rolled
over and gasped as she saw a dark figure lurking in the shadows. Helena sat up
and was about to scream, but Eratos stepped out of the shadows, naked, his cock
fully erect.

“You really should not have done that,
anam cara
.”

“Oh?” She arched a brow. “Why is that?”

Eratos grinned. “Only I shall bring you pleasure.”

“You are so sure of yourself, gladiator.” Licking her lips,
she scooted across her bed. “Let us make a wager, shall we?”

“I’m intrigued.”

“You cannot touch me as I try to bring you to the very
height of ecstasy. If you take me before I am done, you lose.”

Eratos grinned. “As simple as that? I accept your wager. I
have survived many battles, I am positive I can overcome this one.”

Helena grinned. “We shall see.”

“When does—” His words were cut off in a moan as she grasped
the base of his shaft and ran her tongue along the underside of the tip. “
Anam
cara.
” More strangled Celtic words escaped past his lips as she took him in
her mouth. Her hand moved up and down the length of him as she sucked on his
cock, giving him the same pleasure he had bestowed on her last night.

Eratos grunted and began to thrust into her mouth, his
fingers entwining in her hair as he thrust against her, but all too soon he
pulled away.

“This is not how I want to release.” His words deep, husky,
laced with ecstasy.

Helena grinned. “Do you yield?”

“Aye, now get on your hands and knees.” Helena chuckled as
she did that. Eratos cupped the cheeks of her bottom, kneading them. His cock
teased the entrance of her slick entrance. He thrust forward, filling her. She
gasped as he began to move in and out of her. Eratos plunged deep into her,
holding her hips, bringing her tight against him as he took her like an animal.

He leaned over her back and she could feel his hard chest
against the curve of her spine, his hands on either side of her. His movements
became shallow, his breathing thick and rapid in her ear.

“By the gods, you are so tight.”

Helena purred as he stiffened and spilled his seed into her.
Eratos pulled out of her and collapsed against the bedding. Helena chuckled and
curled up beside him. He opened one eye and looked at her.

“I win,” she teased.

“Is that so?” With a large roar Eratos pounced on her. His
cock hard as he knocked open her legs with his thighs and plunged into her
again. Proving to her he never gave up without a fight.

* * * * *

“Thelonius is out,” Helena announced lazily, lying across
his chest. Eratos chuckled and continued drawing unseen circles across her
soft, delicate skin.

“I know. His men are scouring Antioch at this moment,
looking for me. He has made his way to a Roman bath in the section of town that
caters to his sick whim.”

Helena raised herself on one elbow. “Then he’ll be gone for
some time.”

Eratos growled pleasantly. “Still hungry for more,
anam
cara
?”

A pink blush stained her cheeks. “I am always hungry for
you, warrior.” She bent down and kissed him lightly on the lips. “But that is
not what I am suggesting.”

“Oh, and what are you suggesting?”

“A perfect chance to torture him some more.” Her eyes lit
with a gleam of delight.

“I like how you think.”

Helena rolled off him and quickly dressed. It was a shame
she was covering her glorious body, but he would uncover it later. He would
wait and hide and hear Thelonius’ terror for himself. He was looking forward to
reveling in it.