The Immortal Scrolls (14 page)

“Yes,” she said happily.

“And what of Tiberius?” he asked her.

“What about him? He will cool off,” she said.

“But you have a real companion now. Isn’t it time we lost the dogs?” asked Callixtus.

Callixtus did not like being around werewolves, and the werewolves did not care for vampires. Tiberius and Amara’s relationship was not a common one in their world.

“Get rid of Tiberius?” she said. Amara was greedy, however. “Not just yet, my friend.”

“I beg you, mistress, to turn my lover or let me do it,” he pleaded. “You have Androcles. I have no one.”

“We shall see, Callixtus,” answered Amara. “Let us go now.”

The pair sped to the balcony and jumped off, landing safely on the ground where Androcles was waiting.

“You see, Androcles,” said Amara. “You can do anything now.”

The three vampires sped off into the night. Amara showed Androcles how to hunt, how much to drink, and when to stop. She taught him to jump, climb, and run like a vampire. He was almost starting to enjoy the power and freedom of it all. They ran for hours. Androcles caught hold of a delicious scent and started to chase after it. He ran and ran until whatever it was came into sight. It was moving fast as well, as it sensed danger. Androcles tackled the creature and looked down. It was a young faun. He was cowering underneath Androcles. Androcles was surprised to see they really existed. Suddenly he remembered Araceli and her fondness of fauns. Her bath in her father’s villa in Rome had been covered with statues of fauns. He could feel the faun’s fear and hear his heart pounding. He released the faun, and the young thing stood up shakily.

“Go,” said Androcles. He smiled, and his fangs flashed white in the dark. He couldn’t wait to tell Araceli he had seen a faun.

“Thank you,” replied the faun.

“Ampelos!” yelled a deep voice.

Androcles looked around the woods and saw he was surrounded by fauns.

“I’m all right,” said Ampelos. The young faun looked back at Androcles and smiled before he trotted off.

“Be gone from here, vampire,” said the large faun.

“I want no quarrel with any of you,” said Androcles, and he ran off to find Amara. But then he stopped and wondered why. She was far, and so was Callixtus. They did not have to know where he went. He smiled and decided to go off and find Araceli.

Araceli lay in bed crying and worrying about Androcles. She plotted ways to go to the ludus and see him. She wondered who she could bribe. Maybe Tiberius would just let her go. She knew the woman Amara would not. For some reason she could sense the woman despised her.

Her slaves came and left food for her. They also informed her that Antonius would not return until late that evening. She felt relieved. Suddenly the villa started shaking. Araceli braced herself and screamed. It was another earth tremor, but this one was more powerful than the last.

“Araceli, are you all right?” Androcles asked as he jumped up onto the balcony.

“Who is there?” she asked, frightened. She had not heard anyone enter her chamber.

“It’s me, Androcles,” he said cheerfully.

Araceli stood up off her bed and went to look. Surely this was a cruel joke. She saw him standing on her balcony looking well and alive.

“By the gods! Be gone, phantom!” she said, scared.

“Araceli, relax. It’s me. I am really here,” he said.

Araceli looked at him closely and then rushed over to him. He enveloped her in his arms. “Oh, Androcles, how can this be? How did you get here?” she asked. He didn’t answer. Instead he kissed her passionately. She returned his kiss eagerly. They broke apart. “I thought you were going to die.”

Androcles couldn’t think of what to say. He did die, and he was reborn. But how could he explain this to her? Androcles took her face into his hands and lifted it to look at her. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. Araceli looked at him and smiled. He looked different yet the same somehow. She lifted up his tunic and looked where his wounds should be.

“I saw you get stabbed,” she said in shock as she looked at his perfect skin. “Oh gods, what are you?” She covered her mouth with her hands and backed off.

Androcles held his hands up and moved slowly toward her. “Araceli, it is me. I died. The woman Amara is a vampire. She saved me. Now I am just like her.”

“You are a devil,” she said, scared.

“No, Araceli. Please, I won’t hurt you. I love you,” he said, stopping in front of her.

“I love you too, Androlces. Gods help me, I don’t care what you are,” she said as she pulled him to her. Araceli kissed him hungrily. Androcles lifted off her stola, unaware of the small growing bump on her belly. She grabbed at his tunic and helped him lift it off. He spun her around and fell back on to the bed. Araceli straddled him on top. Androcles didn’t waste any time as he entered her swiftly. She moaned with pleasure and began rocking back and forth. He reached out his hands to cup her breasts. Then he swirled her around on her back and kneeled in front of her. He lifted her legs on his shoulders and thrust himself into her again. She whimpered, half in pain, half in pleasure, only exciting him more. He slowed his pace so he would not come too soon. He bent down and took her into his mouth and caressed her nub with his tongue. Araceli started to cry out in ecstasy. Androcles lifted himself back up and pounded into her, groaning with pleasure. He could feel her pleasure with his new powers, which made his desire almost unbearable. His fangs slid out as he climaxed. He wanted to bite her. He wanted to taste her blood.

“Androcles!” she gasped when she opened her eyes and saw his sharp fangs.

Androcles bent over and buried his head in her shoulder. “I’m sorry if I frightened you, my love,” he said. He waited until his fangs slid back in before he lifted his head. “I don’t know what I am doing. I don’t know how to control myself yet.”

“You are doing OK,” she said encouragingly.

He kissed her and lay down beside her. “If you say so Araceli.”

“Androcles, are you going to make me into one of you?” she asked frightened.

“No, I would never, unless you wanted it,” he said. “Besides, I don’t know how it is done.”

“Oh,” she said, half relieved and half disappointed.

Androcles lay his head down on her chest and listened to the beating of her heart. It was fast but slowing down. He could also hear two faint heartbeats. Araceli was calm and content. He could feel that he no longer frightened her.

“Araceli, do you have guards outside your door?” he asked, suddenly worried someone might have overheard them.

“No, my love. Do not worry,” Araceli said as she stroked his hair.

“That’s strange. I hear heartbeats,” he said. Androcles lay there listening, and then he realized where the noise came from. He slid his hand down her bare stomach and rested it over the small bump. He hadn’t noticed. He was heartbroken. Araceli lay perfectly still. He could feel she was nervous again.

“Araceli,” he said, “did your father marry you off?”

“Yes,” she said shakily.

“To whom?” he asked.

“Antonius, the legatus,” she said. “This is his villa.”

“You are with child. Did you know?” Androcles asked her.

“Yes, I did know.” Araceli replied. “The baby is yours…ours, Androcles.”

Androcles lifted his head and smiled. “How can you be certain?” he asked her.

“Because my blood did not come before I was married,” she said. “He thinks they are his.”

Androcles was sick at the fact she had been with another man. He could feel her guilt.

“Androcles, please don’t be angry. I—” she started to say.

“You did what you had to. I understand, my love,” he said reassuringly. “We can leave here tonight. We can be together. We can go far away. I can protect you. Araceli, you won’t believe what I can do, what I have seen. Fauns. They exist. I almost killed one tonight,” Androcles told her animatedly.

Araceli smiled at him. “I knew it,” she said. She had a fondness for the playful, lusty, mischievous looking creatures. “I will go with you. But we have to make a plan. We have to be smart.”

“You are right,” he said, coming back to reality. “Amara won’t let me go so easily.”

“Neither will Antonius,” stated Araceli. She thought back to what Androcles had said about guards. “Androcles?”

“Yes, my love,” he replied.

“You said you heard heartbeats?” she prodded.

“Yes. Two, actually,” Androcles said and then smiled when he realized what he was saying.

“Twins!” she said happily. Androcles kissed her.

“I cannot stay long. I don’t want Amara to realize and find me here,” he said regretfully. He kissed her again. “We will leave here soon—together—and go far away.”

“I trust you, Androcles,” said Araceli.

He was up and at the balcony faster than she could process.

“Good-bye for now,” he said and jumped off.

Araceli gasped because it was a jump no human could make.
But he isn’t human
, she thought to herself. She got up to go bathe. Her head was spinning with thoughts about fauns and vampires. Araceli wondered what else was out there. She was still in her bath when the villa began to shake again, much more violently than before. She managed to climb out of the water and grab a robe. When the shaking stopped she went in search of Antonius.
This is ridiculous
, she thought. She didn’t like living in Herculaneum. She wanted to return to Rome or go far, far away with Androcles. Araceli walked quickly through the villa. The slaves and guards were rushing around, panicked.

“Antonius!” she called out, hoping he was home.

“Araceli, in here!” he replied. She walked through the large open room in the villa that they used to entertain. Antonius was there with several of the senators and the magistrate. They were discussing a letter in Antonius’s hand.

“Araceli, we are leaving Herculaneum at once. Your father sent word from the emperor. His friend Gaius Plinius Secundus says Mount Vesuvius will erupt and these increasing earth tremors mean it could happen very soon. We have to leave. We are going by ship.”

Araceli was frightened. She nodded that she understood. Antonius kissed her on the forehead. “Everything will be all right, my love,” he reassured her. The men were leaving to evacuate their own families and slaves.

Araceli knew she needed to inform Androcles to leave.
Maybe I could escape with him tonight
, she thought. She scribbled a note to Tiberius and handed it to a guard.

“Take this to Tiberius at the ludus now, and then go to the ships at once,” she commanded.

Androcles walked back into the villa. He no longer had to stay in the cells of the ludus meant for gladiators since he was Amara’s new pet, so to speak. He found Amara and Callixtus in a room in the center of the villa. They were naked, sitting around on pillows, laughing. There were a couple of male slaves lying between them. The slaves were covered in bite marks that were still oozing blood. Androcles felt his fangs slide out instinctively. Callixtus leaned over to kiss one of the male slaves. Then he whispered something into the young man’s ear. The slave then bent over and began sucking Callixtus’s cock. Amara watched lustfully and grabbed the other slave. She put his hand over herself and guided its movements. Androcles felt himself become desirous as he watched her moan and sigh.

The room smelled of burning opium. Androcles moved forward slowly. Amara realized he was there and spoke. “Androcles, come,” she said, waving her hand. She started giggling. He wondered how long they had been there inhaling fumes and if they had even noticed the large earth tremor that had just occurred. Androcles had almost made it back to the villa when the shaking began..

“I knew you would find your way back,” said Amara. Androcles stopped just short of where they were lying. “Come here. Lie with me,” she commanded softly.

Androcles felt uncomfortable but sat down as he was ordered. She was his maker, and he felt a pull to do whatever she commanded. Amara moved on top of him quickly. His body went stiff. He refused to betray Araceli. He had no desire for Amara. She ran her hand up his scarred leg.

“It healed nicely. Not perfect, but my blood cured you. I gave you life once before. Now I made you a god.” She threw her head back and laughed. He could feel she wanted him badly. The desire radiated from her like the sun.