Last Gladiatrix, The (14 page)

BOOK: Last Gladiatrix, The
5.69Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

‘I love you,’ she whispered, knowing it to be true in the deepest parts of her soul. She had always loved him, from the moment she had first seen him in the Roman Army camp up until the moment he freed her from servitude. Xanthe was bound to him until the end of their days.

Titus threaded his fingers through her hair, his palm cradling the back of her head, pulling her to him. His second kiss was fierce and deep, speaking of all they had lived through together and all that was to come. Xanthe clung to his shoulders, drinking him in until her horse stepped away, forcing them apart.

‘We must continue,’ he said, his voice hoarse.

‘Where to?’ Xanthe’s head spun with the possibilities.

‘We must leave Italy, that much is certain.’

‘We could return to my people,’ she suggested. ‘You are a warrior whose talents will be well appreciated.’

‘Perhaps I will get myself one of those blue tattoos you Scythians are so fond of.’ Xanthe could hear the laughter in his voice.

‘Sarmatian! I am Sarmatian,’ she shouted joyfully. ‘And so will you be, too’

Titus threw back his head and laughed. ‘Now, unless I’m very much mistaken we have a special journey to undertake. Don’t you have a brother to save?’

The day had begun with little hope, but instead had turned out to be the first day of a new future.

‘I think I know where there are some Huns with my name on them,’ she said. Xanthe kicked her horse forward, letting Titus follow.

The End.

ALSO AVAILABLE FROM ESCAPE PUBLISHING…

A Heart Divided

by Mary Brock Jones

From debut author Mary Brock Jones comes a sweeping historical romance about growing up and getting what you really need, set against the harsh landscape of the New Zealand gold fields.

Newly arrived on the Otago Goldfields of 1863, a young Englishwoman is caught between two men: the younger brother who needs her and the man who loves her.

The goldfields are rough and dangerous, especially for a woman, but Nessa’s brother Philip, like all miners, hopes to makes his fortune, and her place is by his side. But the fields hold more than a few surprises, including the acquaintance of Mr John Reid, a local run holder who comes to their aid.

John Reid takes one look at Nessa Ward and knows that he wants her — in his home, in his bed, in his life — but she is hell-bent on putting her brother’s needs before her own. All he can do is protect her as best he can, and never give up hope that she will return his love.

The Chieftain’s Curse

by Frances Housden

Euan McArthur is a chieftain in need of an heir.

While still a young a warrior, Euan incited the fury of a witch. She retaliated with a curse that no wife will ever bear him an heir. As he buries his third wife and yet another stillborn son, Euan can no longer cast her words aside.

Morag Farquhar is a woman in need of sanctuary. With a young relative in tow, Morag flees the only home she has ever known to escape her brother, Baron of Wolfsdale, and find sanctuary in the MacArthur stronghold. Pronounced barren by a midwife, Morag is of little value to her family, but a Godsend to Euan, a lover he can’t kill by getting with child.

Their lives were tangled together in the past, and now they have met again. This time their destiny lies in their own hands, but it will take courage and strong hearts to see it through to the end.

The Convict’s Bounty Bride

by Lena Dowling

Life as a convict in an Australian penal colony was brutal, but James Hunter had the advantages of raw physical strength and courage on his side. He survived, and now he is back; a self-made man of means, determined to take the bride he was promised.

Lady Thea Willers knows nothing of the bargain her father made to save her brother, nor does she have any interest in marriage. It might be a radical idea, but what Thea wants is a career.

The revelation that her brother’s liberty depends on her marrying James Hunter is devastating. But nothing, it seems, has the power to shake Thea’s world upside down like James himself, or the way he makes her feel.

LOVED THE STORY?
WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK

Take our short survey to
claim a FREE eBook!

BEGIN SURVEY

Connect with us for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!

Sign up to our newsletter

Share your reading experience on:

The Escapades Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Watch our reviews, author interviews and more on
Escape Publishing TV

ISBN: 9780857990396

Title: The Last Gladiatrix

Copyright © 2013 by Eva Scott

All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises (Australia) Limited, Locked Bag 7002, Chatswood D.C. NSW, Australia, 2067.

All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

® and ™ are trademarks of Harlequin Enterprises Limited and are used under license to the Publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in Australia, New Zealand, the United States Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries.

www.escapepublishing.com.au

BOOK: Last Gladiatrix, The
5.69Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

Compliments by Mari K. Cicero
Tigerman by Nick Harkaway
Kids of Kabul by Deborah Ellis
Starfish and Coffee by Kele Moon
Travellers #2 by Jack Lasenby
The Veil by Bowden, William
Bossy by Kim Linwood