The Warrior's Bride Prize

Then he kissed her again, more deeply this time, and the feeling of contentment faded and raw need took over, bringing with it a throbbing sensation between her legs that seemed to intensify almost to fever pitch as she clasped her arms tighter around him, wanting more.

‘Livia.’ He murmured her name and she lifted her body, twining her legs around his and tilting her hips up towards his manhood. She was acting brazenly, but she didn’t care. She felt abandoned and powerful, as if all the years of frustration and loneliness had led her towards this, this feeling of rightness accompanied by a fervency of emotion. She could feel the wetness between her legs, the hardness between his, and she couldn’t wait any longer.

He must have felt the same way because he pushed inside her suddenly, entering her body in one powerful thrust. She sucked in a breath as her muscles tightened around him, stunned by a feeling of fullness, as if he fitted inside her perfectly. He groaned at the same time and then they were moving together, their lovemaking faster and deeper and more overwhelming with each thrust. She moved instinctively, writhing and bucking against him, pushing upwards and then retreating, her fingers digging into his shoulders as she felt herself building to some kind of completion.

Then a trembling sensation overtook her, a sudden spasm as if something inside her had burst. She heard herself cry out and then Marius, too, felt the warmth of his seed in her belly, but she was only vaguely aware of it, her whole body shaking with a dizzy sense of elation and happiness. Then he moved to one side, pulling her with him, and she tumbled downwards, dazed and satiated, on to his chest.

* * *

She didn’t know how long they lay there, only that the air was cold and the shadows were lengthening across the room by the time she awoke. It felt fitting, seeing as her whole world seemed to have changed.

‘Marius?’ She ran her hands over one of his biceps, marvelling anew at the hard contours of his body.

‘Mmm?’ He didn’t open his eyes though his arm tightened around her.

‘Does this mean you’ve forgiven me?’

He gave a low chuckle. ‘What do you think?’

‘So what do we do now?’

‘I can think of a few things.’

Green eyes opened lazily, regarding her with a wicked

-looking gleam, and she batted a hand against him.

‘You know what I mean. What now for us?’

He heaved a sigh and rested his spare arm behind his head. ‘Now we do the best that we can. I’m still a soldier of Rome and that means I have to defend the frontier. I made an oath and lives might depend upon it.’

‘I know.’ She rested her chin on his chest, looking soberly into his face. ‘I wouldn’t expect you to do otherwise.’

‘Livia.’ He tugged her closer again, frowning slightly. ‘I understand that you have divided loyalties and I won’t ask you to choose between Caledonia and Rome, but I need to know you won’t do anything to help the rebels either.’

‘I won’t, I promise. Julia’s in Coria. I want her to be safe and... What?’

There was a sound of running footsteps in the corridor and she shot upright in alarm, clasping the blanket to her chest.

‘Centurion Varro?’ A soldier burst through the doorway without knocking.

‘The rebels?’ Marius was out of bed in a moment.

‘Yes, sir.’ The soldier’s expression turned from urgent to apologetic as he averted his gaze quickly. ‘They’re attacking the west tower.’

‘I’ll be there as soon as I can.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘They’re attacking now?’ She scrambled to a crouching position as the soldier ran off again. ‘But it’s almost night!’

‘It’s dusk.’ Marius was already strapping his armour back on. ‘I should have expected something like this. Here.’ He held out his gladius. ‘Stay here, barricade the door and take this.’

‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘I don’t want it.’

‘It’s not a question of want. You need it.’ He leaned over the bed, touching his forehead against hers. ‘I’ll find another weapon, but take this one for me, please, Livia. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I need to know you can defend yourself.’

‘All right.’ She pressed her nose against his. ‘Just be careful.’