Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
“Fighting alongside Argiotalus Cerethreus,” he bellows to the crowds’ excitement. “The undefeated, reigning champion of Hispania... Theodosius the Savage!”
I squeeze the handle of my sword as a large Spaniard walks into the arena, glaring at me through his one eye. He’s not the last one…
When the announcer is finished, there are five undefeated champions from around the Empire facing me. I roll my shoulders impatiently as the trumpets sound, marking the beginning of the match.
A side door slides open and all eyes dart to it as four tigers are released into the arena to join in the carnage and add to the chaos.
I can hear their snarling as I look up at the Emperor, waiting for his signal to start. I’m bouncing from foot to foot, adrenaline pumping as I swing my sword in the air, excited to get this over with so I can get back to my Venus.
But then… I see her…
She gets dragged into the Emperor’s box with a handful of other slave girls and is thrown at his feet. Rage tears through me as I grit my teeth, eyes glaring up at the dead man. I don’t care that he’s the Emperor or that there are fifty thousand witnesses, I’ll plunge my sword through his heart with a smile on my face for thinking he can have what’s mine.
He raises his thumb just as I start sprinting toward him. The crowd cheers as the five champions begin rushing toward me.
Theodosius cuts in front of me first, waving his sword and muttering something in his foreign tongue. I spin around and sink my blade into his belly. He’s still muttering to himself as he drops to his knees with blood leaking from the corners of his mouth.
He’s headed to Elysium, but I’m headed right where I belong—at Elovissa’s side.
Two more champions arrive in front of me as the other two circle behind me. I’m surrounded by swords.
A tiger comes out of nowhere and leaps onto the back of the champion from Thracia. Now there’s only one man behind me in fighting shape. I turn and throw my sword. It sinks into his chest to the hilt and he tumbles back as a gurgle erupts from his throat.
My eyes snap back up to my woman. The Emperor has a hold of her wrist and is trying to pull her onto his lap, but my wild Venus is fighting him off.
“I’m coming for you!” I shout to her. And to the Emperor… “I’m coming for you too!”
I grit my teeth and rush toward the two armed gladiators with nothing but my bare hands to fight with.
Chapter Eight
Elovissa
Kaeso is fighting like an animal as he attacks the two armed champions in front of him. It’s a thing of beauty watching him dart around and swerve under the swinging blades as he lands hard punches and devastating kicks on his opponents.
I’d love to sit and watch in awe, but I’m too busy fighting off the grabby hands of this foul-smelling Emperor.
“Get off of me!” I shout as I slam my hand on his cheek and push him away as hard as I can.
“You little bitch,” he hisses as he grabs my arm and pulls me across his lap. Every eye in the Coloseum—including the guards—are on my man, watching as he beats the most unbeatable odds. He’s fighting five of the best warriors in the world and winning easily.
My heart flutters, knowing he’s fighting for me. I’m bringing this savage fury out of him. I saw it in his eyes when he spotted me. It flipped a switch in him. His eyes turned dark, animalistic, boiling over with a possessive rage.
“Stop it!” the Emperor hisses as he struggles to hold me down on his lap. “I am the Emperor! I can have you hung!”
I fight my way back to my feet and push him. The slap comes fast. And hard.
Water hits my eyes as I stagger back into the General. I glance down at Kaeso to make sure he’s still okay, and I get shivers when I see the enraged look in his wide brown eyes.
He’s furious.
I’m guessing he saw the slap.
Without a second of hesitation, he punches one of the two men he’s grappling with in the throat. He grabs the other’s sword hand and yanks it forward, plunging it into the man’s chest. The last gladiator to stand in front of him pulls his bloody sword out of his friend’s chest and holds it up to Kaeso. His hand is shaking, making the sword vibrate.
Kaeso is all steeled nerves and wild murderous energy as he picks up the sword on the ground and lets his opponent have it. The fight doesn’t last long. A few clangs of swords meeting then the gurgle of defeat as Kaeso’s opponent drops to the ground, dead, with a sword through his neck.