Read Online Seduced by the Gladiator by Lauren Hawkeye - Free Book Online Page A

“Surely you need to eat, yourself.”
    Christus allowed a thin, humorless smile to cross his lips, one that I could see, even across the distance.
    I saw his head turn in my direction, just the slightest bit, and I only noticed because I was watching for it. He remembered that I was there, and I was just as certain that he had not forgotten that something had passed between me and Bavarius earlier than day.
    I saw that he meant to teach the man a lesson on my behalf. Part of me raged at that—why was the man always feeling the need to take care of me? Part of me, however, thrilled at it.
    Bavarius had a lesson coming, and if he learned it without me having to touch him, then all the better.
    “As you have pointed out to me, I will not be a full member of this brotherhood until I have fulfilled your rite .” Christus tapped the sword against the large palm of his hand, the worn wood slapping harshly against the hard flesh. “I cannot imagine a world without you as my brother, so let us commence.”
    The sarcasm dripped from his words like sludge.
    I could not hold back—I had never been the most patient of creatures. Also, I wanted to take part in his comeuppance, and this was different than simply having Christus defend me from an attack. So I thawed the muscles that had been frozen in place and strode out onto the sand, but not before grabbing another training sword from where they rested at the side of the mock arena.
    Bavarius opened his mouth, likely to argue, but stopped short when he saw me coming. I slapped the training sword into his hand and forced a grin onto my face. “Enjoy your lesson.” Though I wanted to strike at the man myself—he brought forth a blood lust unlike anything that I had ever felt in the arena—I stepped back to the perimeter of the sand to watch.
    I thought I saw the corners of Christus’ mouth quirk up in the barest whisper of a smile—the first that I had seen on his lips. Then it was gone. Inhaling deeply, he stalked away from Bavarius, then spun and bent at the knees, his sword outstretched. He did not seem at all concerned about losing this match and consequently losing the respect of the men, nor did he seem to feel fear. Still, I saw the same concentration that I myself felt when in a fight.
    Training sands or arena, cockiness led to injury and even to death. I approved of the caution that I saw on his side of things. He was tensed to fight, even if only with wooden swords, the fierceness that made him appear so strong a gladiator held in every fiber of his flesh.
    It took no more than a minute for him to charge the smaller man, who still seemed surprised and unprepared, and who placed show into his fight and not skill, something the doctore had never been able to work out of him. I was drawn to the strength that Christus showed as he easily evaded his opponent’s charges. The power in Christus’ movements, the way in which his body moved, forced heated thoughts into my mind.
    By the time Bavarius knelt on the sand, Christus’ wooden sword at his throat, many of the men had brought their bowls of lumpy porridge and hunks of hard army bread outside, and were jeering and cheering in equal measure.
    Bavarius looked up at Christus, and I could see the hatred in his eyes. Christus stared back with complete calm, allowing the other man time to think that their match was done, that Christus would leave him be now.
    It hit me in that moment, a thought that sickened me. Christus, in that moment, appeared to dominate the ludus, and he did so in a way that I never had.
    It forced bile to rise in my throat, but I wondered momentarily if allying myself with him, of all the men, could finally bring me the security that I was forced to fight for daily.
    I entertained the notion for no more than a moment. To throw myself at Christus for the strength that he displayed—no matter how attracted I was to it—would make me no better than a whore. With that decided, I knew that that same