Iris Johansen - The Treasure

“I don’t see him. Are you sure he should be here?”

“No. Tarik said he spent time here when he wasn’t selling his lance to local lords. He might not be in Rome at all. Why are you so determined to have him?”

She wasn’t sure herself. Perhaps it was the coincidence of having Vaden suddenly emerge from the veil of years. It seemed almost like a sign. “He helped us before. If he’s selling his lance now, Tarik might as well buy him for us.” She frowned. “It’s too dark in here. We’ll have to go farther into the room.”

“I never actually saw Vaden. Would you recognize him?”

“He has fair hair.” She had seen him only once, and then his face had been blackened by smoke. “Like a lion. I’d recognize his hair.”

No one seemed to pay them any attention as they moved about the room. They were too occupied in their own pleasures.

“Well, there’s no fair hair in this room that I can see. The Romans are usually dark.”

Selene dragged her gaze from the sight of a naked woman straddling the hips of a young soldier, making guttural sounds deep in her throat. She had thought she would not be shocked, but the sight brought back too many memories of the women she had known as a child. “Have you ever had a woman in a place like this?”

“When the hunger struck me and there was no other alternative.”

“Did you pay them well?”

“Yes, as I told you, I spent time in a house of pleasure. I wouldn’t cheat them.”

“These women do not look-Do you suppose they’re paid a fair sum?”

“No.” His gaze narrowed on her face. “It’s the way it is. It’s a hard life. They have something to sell that’s worth a meal, a place to sleep for the night. Nothing more. The women at the House of Nicholas were fortunate in comparison.”

“They weren’t more fortunate. They were slaves. At least these women have choice.”

“Yes.” An indefinable expression flickered over Kadar’s face. “Choice is important.”

She had the odd sense that he was no longer talking about the women of Nicholas’s house.

But then the expression was gone and he was glancing away. “If you don’t see him, we might as well leave. This place is upsetting-”

“There. What is that?” She had caught a glimpse of something in the dark corner across the room-shimmering, moving. She eagerly moved closer. “It might be…”

Lion-colored hair flowing over naked shoulders…

His shoulders were not the only portion of his body that was naked. His tunic lay on the rushes beside him, and he was crouched between the thighs of a woman as naked as he. He was moving quickly, stroking deeply, murmuring encouragement to the whore beneath him. She needed no encouragement. It was clear that she was entirely willing and in the throes of pleasure.

“Is it him?” Kadar asked.

“I can’t see his face.” The man’s head was bent over the woman, long strands of tawny hair veiling his features. “I’ll have to get closer.”

“Not too close. He may resent any interference at this point.”

“I think he’ll be too occupied to notice.”

“It’s the woman who is occupied. He’s a warrior and trained to notice an attack.”

“I’m not attacking.” She edged closer. “I just wish to see his-”

He lifted his head and tossed back his hair.

Vaden.

Even covered with smoke and soot there had been no doubt about the regularity of his features, but she had never realized how comely he was. Those deep-set sapphire-blue eyes were impossible not to recognize. It was his face that was a surprise; it should have belonged to an Adonis or, considering the tawny hair, perhaps an Apollo.

“Well?” Kadar asked.

“It’s Vaden.”

He must have heard his name. He froze, his gaze left the face of the woman.

Selene instinctively braced herself as she met Vaden’s gaze. In the space of a heartbeat she felt weighed, judged, and dismissed.

Vaden returned to his coupling.

She was disconcerted. “What do we do now?”

“Well, we don’t interrupt. He should be finished soon.”

She hoped that was true. She felt very awkward standing here watching him couple.

And not only awkward.

“No one would notice,” Kadar murmured in her ear. “We could find our own corner.”

She shook her head.

But watching a man as beautiful as Vaden perform was causing the heat to flow through her. She had never understood the tapestry in the tower room, the excitement of watching others couple.

She did now.

Thank God, they were finishing. A moment later he was rising, pulling the whore to her feet.

He was laughing as he pulled on his tunic and searched in his money pouch. He patted the woman on her backside and pressed a coin into her hand. He turned to Selene and smiled. “I’m a little weary now, but give me time. It’s a long night.”

Kadar chuckled at the shocked expression on Selene’s face. “What did you expect? I told you, only whores come here. She doesn’t wish you to rut with her, Vaden. That’s not why we’re here.” He took another step closer. “Do you remember me?”

The amusement left Vaden’s face. “Kadar.”

“I thought you’d recognize me. We never actually met, but I was with Ware during the many years you watched and stalked him.” He pulled Selene forward. “You may not recall Selene. She was much younger when you encountered each other.”

“I think he should remember,” Selene said dryly. “Considering he pulled me from my horse and threatened to kill me.”

Vaden smiled. “I do remember you. You’re the sister of Ware’s woman.”

“His wife,” she corrected. “They are wed.”

Vaden shrugged. “I cannot remember everything.” He dropped into a chair and reached for his wine goblet. “She shouldn’t be here, Kadar.”

“I know. She insisted on coming. Could I persuade you to leave this place with us?”

“No.” He lifted his wine to his lips. “I like it here.”

“It stinks,” Selene said succinctly.

“True. You should leave before your delicate nose is further offended. But I’m a little drunk, and I make it a habit to never go out into dark alleys unless I have all my wits about me.”

Selene dropped down in the chair across from him. “We want you to help us.”

“I helped you once before.” He smiled. “Don’t expect more from me. I’m not a generous man.”

“We’re not asking for generosity,” Selene said. “We want your sword. You’ll be well paid.”

“Ware?”

She shook her head. “Ware knows nothing about this. Tarik. You remember him?”

He sipped his wine. “How could I forget? I sold him my birthright. Is he enjoying it?”

“It’s a beautiful villa.”

“Yes.” His gaze went to Kadar. “You’re hovering over her the way you did Ware. Don’t you weary of protecting those around you?”

“It’s become custom.”

“I always found it strange. Particularly after I found out of your association with the assassins.”

“Ware told me you spent some time with Sinan. Did you ever meet Nasim?”

“He came twice to the fortress while I was there. Sinan seemed to lean on him.” He smiled. “It was amusing watching them together. I never could decide who had the darker spirit.”

“Nasim,” Selene said.

“Possibly.” He leaned back in his chair. “I gather it’s Nasim you wish me to vanquish?”

“Yes.”

“Then I hereby end this discussion.”

“Not without help,” Kadar said.

“You know the power of the assassins,” Vaden said. “They never stop. If I killed Nasim, they’d be pursuing me for the rest of my life.”

“You wouldn’t be the one to strike the death blow.”