The General's Virgin Slave by Georgia Fox

tasks are in my bed from
now on. She is to be kept happy and content during the day, so she
is ready to please me upon my return to the villa."
    "I see," the old man replied
wearily.
    Marcus shot him a frown. "Why the
tone, Flavian?"
    "I have served many masters in my
life, general. If I might make an observation— the keeping of one
woman at the exclusion of all others is often the undoing of a
good, happy man."
    "I never said I was making her a
favorite, did I?" he snapped, shoulders back, chin up.
    "No, general. You
never said ." The
old man's heavily lidded eyes turned mournfully toward him. "But it
is well known about the domus that she remains virgin. That you
have not yet dared breach the boundary. This sets her above the
others and they wonder why you permit her to hold you at
bay."
    Marcus ran a hand across his chest and
considered this problem. It was true he had not yet broken her
maidenhead. Still he savored her. She had said she was willing to
let him take it— ha, as if he needed her permission!
    So what was he waiting for?
    "Tomorrow at the Spring fertility
feast," he said, making his mind up in that moment, "I will
deflower the slave girl. Her maidenhead shall be a sacrifice to the
gods."
    It would be done with ceremony, he
decided. It would be done to show his household that he was still
in charge and that this woman, although different in looks and
manners, would not change his life in any way but one. People did
not like change. It scared them. So he would prove they had nothing
to fear. Marcus Cassius, whether he kept only one bed slave, or
half a dozen, remained invincible.
    "Oh, and Flavian. Julia is dismissed.
I don't want her in this villa another hour."
    The creases of the old man's face
began to unfold with relief. "Praise be," he muttered.
     
    * * * *
     
    He told her that night as they lay in
his bed, looking out through the arch to the starry sky
above.
    "If you behave well at the feast
tomorrow, Axa, I will grant your wish. I will make you my
mistress."
    She turned her head and stared, hardly
believing he relented. "No other women?"
    "Just you, woman. Just
you."
    Her heart leapt with this victory. She
sat up and hugged her knees. "What must I do at the feast then?"
There had to be a catch, she thought dourly.
    "You must show yourself to be the
perfect slave. Obedient, unquestioning, mindful of my pleasure. You
must show all this to my guests and my household, to prove you are
loyal to the house of Cassius."
    "No collar?"
    "No collar."
    Well, she could do that
surely.
    "Now kiss me, woman."
    She went into his arms and kissed him,
delighting in the warm strength that closed around her.
    "Look at the stars tonight, Marcus,"
she whispered. "They are so bright. I don't know if I've ever seen
them sparkle like that."
    "If we were in Sicily, there you would
see them shine even more brightly."
    "I would like to go there one day."
She felt his eyes studying her, so she looked at him again and
smiled. "Maybe. One day."
    "It is a long way."
    "I know."
    "It is where I was born."
    "I know that too. Your family is
there, you said."
    He nodded. "Three brothers, my mother
and father. Many cousins."
    She gently passed a fingertip over his
tattoo. "Bis Vivit Qui Bene Vivit."
    "Do you remember what it
means?"
    "He who lives well lives
twice."
    "Very good, Axa." He planted a kiss on
her cheek. "Now I know you don't ignore everything I say," he added
slyly.
    "Hey! I listen to you all the
time."
    "Oh, of course you do." He waited and
then shot her a grin. "That's sarcasm."
    She laughed.
    "Now sing that song again," he said,
holding her even tighter.
    "What song?"
    "The one with which you entertained my
soldier as you scrubbed the tiles, Axa."
    So she sang and he was quiet and still
for once, listening.
     
    My baby don't
care for shows
And he don't even care for clothes
He cares for me.
My baby don't care for...chariots and races.
    My baby don't
care for
...other girls and lusty ladies.
     
    She changed some of