Arena Shifters (A Paranormal Romance Novel) (14 page)

“I
have to lose?” She asked, not sure she had heard him right.

“And
make it look good. You make him out to be a fool Saturday and you will surely
be executed, and not in a nice way.”

“What
have I done to deserve this humiliation? Couldn’t someone else do it?”

“You’ve
done nothing Gladiatrix. Dominus is preparing Primo for his new role in the
Villa so his public perception of him must grow so that his name is on the
people’s lips when he walks into the arena.”

“Dominus
asks too much of me,” she had complained bitterly.

“He
asks nothing slave, he demands, and you’d do well to put a good face on it!”

Petronia
had complained and argued as much as she felt she could get away with without
getting in trouble, but when Doctore left he was clearly displeased. Shortly
after the training day had ended, Petronia was told to report to Dominus, and
she was pretty sure it had to do with her attitude about the upcoming battle.
She took as much time as she could safely take before presenting herself to her
Dominus.

She
fully expected to be reprimanded for her objections, but what he had called her
up to discuss she could not have dreamed of in a thousand years.

“I
am considering giving your hand in marriage to my assistant, Primo,” he began
without preamble. “He has asked for permission to wed, and I thought I would
first get your feelings on the matter.”

Petronia
could scarcely conceal her horror on the idea. She wanted to raise her
strongest objection but wondered if that might invite more trouble. Clearly
Dominus had a high opinion of Primo else he would not be even entertaining the
thought of arranging the marriage.

He
read her expression accurately and spoke again before she could even find her
tongue. “Clearly you are not fond of the arrangement. On one hand I would like
to keep my Gladiatrix happy, but Primo is a very useful man who has proven his
loyalty over and over.”

“And
I have not?” Petronia blurted out. “Was it not I that returned you son to you
after our caravan was set upon by escaped slaves? Did I not inform you of the
revolt and fight against my fellow slaves with Dominus’ guards”

“No
one questions your loyalty, least of all me, and that is the reason I am asking
your opinion, but I am in need of Primo’s services and what better way to
secure those services than with the gift of marriage to the one he has
expressed love for?”

“He
doesn’t love me!” Petronia spat. “He only wishes to own me.”

“And
he may yet, even if I were not considering giving your hand to him. It occurred
to me that in that event, you would retain more power and freedom as his wife
than as his slave. You have to at least see that!”

She
didn’t see it. All she could see was that evil pig of a man raping her night
after night and she expected to enjoy it. She would rather die.

“Clearly
you do not see the sense of it. He has asked for you tonight so I want you to
go to him and I will give you my decision on the matter in the morning.”

Petronia
was in shock as she walked down the hall towards Primo’s private quarters. She
was so bewildered she did not even see Lucius until she had nearly run into
him.

He
took one look at her and knew she must have received some terrible news. With
unexpected familiarity he took one of her hands in his. “What troubles you so?”
He asked, genuinely concerned.

She
knew she should keep quiet about the new developments but she could not. On the
verge of tears Petronia told Lucius of his father’s plans for her and her
suspicions that Primo was going to be made Lanista. Lucius was enraged! He had
been expecting to take up that mantle ever since his wicked older brother had
been killed. To lose it to that evil Primo was too much to bear. And even
worse, he was to marry Petronia.

“Not
while I’m alive!” He swore under his breath as he hurried to his father’s
chambers. Petronia waited until he had disappeared into Dominus chambers before
putting her ear to the door to listen in. It wasn’t hard to hear, Lucius was
shouting the entire time.

“Your
interest in this slave girl is unhealthy!” His father reprimanded. “I don’t
know what you’ve got in mind, but she will never be anything more to you than
just some slave with an attitude problem.”

“She
is your most loyal slave and your best gladiator and you would do well to
remember that,” the boy had yelled.

“Do
not forget who is Lanista here Lucius. I have half a mind to sell her to
another Lanista. The Praetor’s cousin is a Lanista and he showed interest in
Petronia. Were it not for Primo’s interest I would probably make the sale.”

“How
can you expect your gladiators to be loyal to you if you’re not loyal to them?”

“They’re
my slaves Lucius, I don’t need their loyalty. You would do well to remember
that!”

“You
say you don’t need their loyalty, but if not for Petronia’s loyalty the slave
revolt would have been successful. You would be well to remember that, father!”

“I
could have you whipped, son or no son, so don’t push me!”

Petronia
listened for as long as she dared before returning to her cell. Could things
get any worse she wondered to herself?

“Hello
Dove.”

Petronia
jumped at the sound of Primo’s voice. She had forgotten she was supposed to be
with him tonight. She groaned as the guards let him into her cell.

“Come
Dove, I have a special treat for you tonight. Call it a before the betrothal
party. Well, not really a party. It’ll be just you and I and a….what shall we
call it? A friend I guess.”

Petronia
rose to follow him out when he stopped her. “Wait, I have something for you.”

He
held up a leather collar. “I think it’ll look splendid on you Dove.” She stood
there as he placed the collar around her neck, then attached a leash. “Now,
down on your hands and knees puppy dog.”

She
slowly squatted down but she wasn’t fast enough and a quick jerk on her leash
brought her to her knees. The floor was cold and rough on her soft skin. By the
time they had reached his quarters, both knees were bloody.

He
led her over to the edge of the bed where he sat down and directed her to kneel
between his legs.

“Go
ahead, take it out.” He said, clearly indicating his cock. She started to fish
around in his tunic when he stopped her. “Bad puppy. You can’t use your paws.
Use your mouth.”

Petronia’s
stomach rebelled as soon as her mouth got near the dirty material. He must have
been wearing the same tunic for a month. It smelled of stale urine and feces
and in order to free his manhood she had to root around with her face and
mouth. More than once she swallowed bile that threatened to come spewing up in
his lap. Finally she uncovered his cock, half hard in anticipation of being
sucked. She had just taken the head of his nasty smelling cock in her mouth
when she heard an ominous growl behind her. She started to turn her head but
was rewarded with a jerk on her leash. Obviously she was not to turn around.

She
returned her attention to his cock when she felt a great weight on her back,
and there was a snarl in her ears. She could feel saliva dripping on the back
of her neck just before powerful claws raked her tender flesh, tearing off her
tunic. She cried out in pain as the beast pulled the rest of the material off
her body then mounted her like a dog in heat. She tried to squirm away from the
beast but it was too heavy, trapping her between its body and Primo’s thighs.
The creatures growling became more and more guttural as it increased its
thrusting. She cried out in pain as its huge cock bruised her tender flesh.
Then a strange thing happened. Her body began to respond. Ripples of pleasure
spread throughout her pussy up into her stomach and straight to her nipples
which were rubbing against the rough fabric of Primo’s tunic. She began to suck
his cock for all she was worth, then cried out in pleasure, pain, and disgust
as she came to a climax. She was vaguely aware of the creature’s hot fluid
spraying across her back as she swallowed Primo’s nasty load.

Finally
Primo pushed her back away from him and tucked his flaccid cock back into his
tunic. She felt the beast back away and she took that moment to turn her head
before Primo saw her. She was not really too shocked when she saw the back of
Dominus leaving Primo’s quarters.

* * * * *

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:

The Primus

* * * * *

The
day came far sooner than Petronia would have liked. For the first time in her
life she didn’t have to prepare for the fight. She was, after all, going up
against a man who was not technically a gladiator and she doubted if he was any
good with a sword. She suspected the only thing the man excelled at had to do
with his dick; and he really wasn’t any good at that either.

Just
hours before she was scheduled to fight, Primo cornered her for a little chat, much
to her displeasure.

* * *

Primo

* * *

“Hello
Dove,” he began. Ever since the decision had been made to give her to him in
marriage he had been calling her dove, and it disgusted her. How dare he name a
fighting woman after such a pathetic creature? Perhaps she should give him a
nickname as well. Maybe she would start calling him worm.

“I’m
talking to you woman!”

“Oh…my
apologies wor…Primo.”

“That’s
better. You’re to put up a good fight, then when I tap my spear against my
shield, that’s your signal to drop your guard and allow me to jab you. Don’t
worry” he said mistaking her expression. “It won’t be a mortal blow. You just
drop your sword and signal surrender, and it will be over.”

“What
makes you think I won’t kill you?”

He
actually laughed at her. “Dove, your good, but not that good!”

Petronia
could not believe the arrogance of the man. Just because he nearly had the run
of the Villa it did not make him a good fighter; just an over confident one. He
wouldn’t last two minutes if Petronia really wanted to kill him.

The
contest went as she expected. The guy was pathetic! She had to try hard not to
accidently kill him. On a couple occasions she nearly winged him and she was
forced to do some really stupid moves to allow him to counter in a way that made
him look like he could actually use a spear. It was like an epic game of cat
and mouse in front of twenty thousand people screaming for blood. She was
loathe to continue and wished for the hundredth time she could just lop off his
head and be done with it. Instead she did the worst thing she could have done;
she refused to submit.

* * *

Primo

* * *

Primo
banged his spear once more on his shield signifying that Petronia was to throw
the fight. Problem was, she wasn’t obeying him. Having given up on trying to
make her submit, he circled around her looking for some type of opening in her
defenses but there were none; at least none that a fighter of his low caliber
would be able to exploit. He jabbed and slashed but he was useless against the
curtain of steal she wove around herself.

He
snarled with rage! She would submit to him; if not here, she would pay in his
bed. Oh yes, she would pay. Primo was a man with brutal appetites and tonight
she would find out just how far from normal Primo lived. Many had died trying
to appease his desires and she would not be the last.

A
burning slice across his right bicep brought him back to the Arena. He saw the
blood, his blood spray across her chest as he flexed and lunged at her with his
spear. She easily parried and scored yet another slash just above his knee as
she ducked under another of his poor timed lunges.

Where
in Hades were the other fighters? His contingency plan was for two others,
gladiators to enter the fray if she refused to submit. Where in the gods names
were they?

Primo’s
shield was taking a beating from her twin blades, and his left arm was going
numb. It was only a matter of time before he would be unable to hold it up, or
take anymore of her surprisingly strong attacks. The woman was an amazon!

Suddenly
he heard the horns pealing and the crowd fell silent. She backed off and half
turned to see what was happening. One of the gates opened and out came 2
gladiators ready for a fight. Now we will get some results he thought to
himself, just before he charged!

* * *

Petronia

* * *

Petronia
stepped back and glanced to her right. One of the gates had opened and two
gladiators had just entered the Arena. She recognized them immediately despite
their full helmets. It was the two Gaul’s. She couldn’t recall their names at
the moment, but she knew their fighting styles. She knew their strengths and
their weaknesses, from hours in the Ludis sparring with them. Funny their names
escaped her. She had never taken them both on at the same time. This was going
to be interesting.