“Your fate is now here,” Jovian told her quietly, and reaching out, he took her hand in his, squeezing it to comfort her.
Cailin’s violet eyes surveyed him calmly. “I have learned to put my trust in no one, my lord. It is wiser, and I shall not be disappointed.”
How cold she is, he thought, wondering if her husband had ever been able to ignite passion in her. Yet she was exactly what he needed for his new entertainment: a perfect marble Venus. Beautiful. Untouchable. Icy. And heartless. She would be a sensation, and her performance would bring all of Constantinople to its knees in their admiration. “Tomorrow,” he said, “you will begin your training. You will be taught to do certain things that may at first frighten you or seem repugnant to you, but you can believe me, Cailin, when I tell you that I will not allow you to be injured in any way. In this one instance you may put your trust in me. I have too great an investment in you to allow you to come to harm, my dear. Oh, yes. You may trust Jovian Maxima, but no other.”
“You have an investment of four folles, my lord.” She laughed. “ ‘Tis hardly a great amount, as you yourself explained to me.”
“Ahh, but remember that having cleaned you up, I told you that your worth had increased to ten solidi. Once you are trained, your worth will be a hundred times that, Cailin.”
She was fascinated by what he was saying. She had absolutely no idea what her training was going to involve. She had no idea exactly what went on at Villa Maxima during those long evenings when the enticing noises from the main part of the villa teased at her sleepy ears. All she knew about brothels was that bodies were sold for a night’s pleasure. There was obviously a good deal more, if her instincts proved correct.
The next morning she was brought by the slave girl Isis to an interior room where Jovian awaited her with several others. All of them but Jovian, resplendent in a red and silver dalmatica, were naked. There was a beautiful dark-haired woman of Cailin’s height, and three tall young men with long golden locks. For a moment it was as if a hand had clutched at her heart, Cailin thought upon seeing them. Although there was nothing in the trio other than their size and coloring to remind her of Wulf, it was more than enough. For a moment she was angry at Jovian, but then she realized he could not know, so she steeled herself for whatever was to come because it meant the first step along her road to freedom.
Yesterday, discussing her anger with Jovian, Cailin had suddenly known that what she desperately wanted was to return to Britain, no matter how far away it was or how difficult the journey. The realization of such a dream was impossible without gold and power behind her. She knew not if Wulf was dead or alive. Even if he lived, he might not want her back. But her father’s lands were hers, and there was that faceless, sexless child, too, who belonged to her. She wanted them back, and she wanted her revenge on Antonia Porcius. Only by becoming famous here in Constantinople did she have the slightest chance of returning to Britain and foiling Antonia’s evil scheme. In her innocence, Cailin vowed she would do whatever she had to do to attain her goal.
“This is Casia,” Jovian said, introducing the dark-haired woman. “She has been with us for two years and is most popular with the gentlemen. I have asked her to join us because she will demonstrate what I have in mind for you. Remove Cailin’s tunica for her, Isis, and then you may leave us.”
Cailin swallowed her apprehension at being nude before strangers. No one else was embarrassed. It was obviously a normal procedure in circumstances such as these. The obvious admiration for her in the blue eyes of the male trio was flattering. “Who are they?” she asked Jovian.
“Your fellow players,” he said smoothly, and then asked her, “How did you and your husband make love, my dear? The positions you assumed, I mean,” he further explained. Then he continued, answering his own question, “You lay upon your back, I surmise, and he rode you?”
Cailin nodded, swallowing silently. She was suddenly cold.
Casia put her arm about her. “Do not be frightened,” she said in kindly tones. “No one is going to hurt you, Cailin. You are really very fortunate to have been chosen by Jovian for this entertainment.”
“Surely you are not fearful?” Jovian fussed at her. “I told you that in this one matter you could trust me. It is simply the unknown that distresses you. Very well then, let us demystify your fears. Your fellow players cannot speak, although they hear. I have decided to call them Apollo, Castor, and Pollux. The physician tells me you are healthy in all respects, and more than ready to receive a man’s homage. These three are to be your lovers.”
“They are slaves as I am,” Cailin said. “Where is the profit in that, my lord? How can I earn my freedom lying with slaves?”
Jovian chuckled. She might be afraid, but she had not lost sight of all he had told her. “Your lovemaking shall be an entertainment for our clients, Cailin. Twice weekly you four shall perform a playlet of my devising.” He then went on to explain what would be required of her: “I realize that you have never had a man enter through your temple of Sodom. That is why Casia is here today. It is a particular specialty of hers. If you see her carrying out this manner of lovemaking, you shall see there is nothing to be apprehensive about. Casia, take your position. Pollux and Castor, attend her. Now watch carefully, Cailin. You will be required to do what Casia does.”
Casia fell to her knees. Castor, standing before her, rubbed his male organ against her lips. Opening her mouth, she absorbed him before Cailin’s shocked eyes. She suckled strongly upon his manhood.
“She is arousing him by means of the sucking action, and by teasing his flesh with her tongue,” Jovian explained matter-of-factly. “See, he is already engorged with his lust. He’s an eager young fellow.”
Casia could no longer contain the Northman within her mouth. She positioned herself on her hands and knees. Castor moved behind her and knelt. Using his hand to guide himself, he pushed between the tight half-moons of her bottom. Casia groaned softly, and as she did, Pollux tipped her head up with one hand while offering the girl his manhood to entertain within her mouth. Grasping her hips in his big hands, Castor very slowly inserted himself within the kneeling Casia. Then he began to pump her with equally slow, long, majestic strokes of his manhood.
“I cannot possibly do that,” Cailin protested.
“Of course you can, and you will not only do that, but more, my dear,” Jovian assured her. “You will note how careful he is with her. As filled with lust as he is, he is tender. He must be lest he damage her. He would forfeit his life if he did, and he knows it.” Jovian suddenly put an arm about Cailin, and drawing her next to him, he put a hand between her nether lips, to her shocked surprise. “Ahh, good, you are already moist with beginning desire, despite those maidenly protests you are going to make to me. Apollo, come here and sooth our little novice. Lay her on her back and give her a good fucking.”
Strangely, it was the gentle pity in Apollo’s eyes that hardened Cailin’s heart that day. She realized then that if she were not the mistress of this situation, the three brothers would bully her in their performance ever after. She lay down upon a mat placed on the marble floor and, spreading her legs wide, observed to Jovian, “He is as ready to couple as I am, my lord. His manhood is certainly a fine one, though I have seen bigger. Come, Apollo, and do our master’s bidding.”