AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I stand frozen. My thoughts are racing a million miles an hour, reeling with the countless possibilities of what it could mean to own the gem.
"Franco, I will only ask you this once,” I say in disbelief. “Are you absolutely certain the man wasn’t fibbing?”
"Rafaele, I swear on my mother’s grave. Renocia insisted it's true." He looks into my eyes with utter sincerity, and I find myself compelled to believe him.
"Very well," I concede, sitting down again. “Who has it?”
“She says…,” Franco lowers his voice, averting his gaze from me, “…that Fiero Cremaschi hides this precious gem.”
I stare at Franco. “That’s not possible…Fiero Cremaschi?”
Chapter 1
Rhea
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
The Year 771 BC
In my slumber, I find myself within the sacred sanctuary of the temple of Vesta. The flickering candle flames cast a warm glow upon the ancient stone walls, their shadows dancing like ethereal spirits around the engravings of goddesses.
I, Rhea Silvia, am in the midst of performing my hallowed duties as a vestal virgin; I light the candles with reverent care, my thoughts focused on my commitment to purity and piety.
As the last flame springs to life, a sudden presence fills the air. I raise my gaze from the altar and behold a figure of immense power and desire standing before me.
How confusing that I seem to know him!
The god Mars has appeared in all his divine glory, his muscular form adorned in battle-worn armor that gleams with celestial radiance. His eyes, dark and intense, fixate upon me with an inscrutable expression that sends shivers down my spine.
"Rhea," he speaks my name with a voice both commanding and seductive, resonating through the very depths of my being. "Thou art chosen by the gods for a destiny greater than thou canst imagine."
I quiver under his stare, unsure of what this encounter means. Mars’ powerful aura seems to consume the temple’s serenity. I feel the pull of his desire, yet my heart remains steadfast in the vows I have taken as a vestal virgin. My servitude is to the goddess of home, hearth and family.
"Great Mars," I say, attempting to maintain the composure befitting a priestess of my station. "I am honored by your presence, but my path is one of chastity and devotion to Vesta. What could you possibly want of me?"
"Ah, Rhea," the deity replies, a knowing smile forming upon his lips. "Thou shalt soon understand, and together we shall create a legacy that will shape the course of history."
To this, he descends to earth and now stands before me in breeches and a simple muslin vest. His armor had vanished into thin air. A sudden heat permeates my skin, inching down my spine and between my legs. Every chiseled muscle, the gold glistening off his bronze skin, is visible.
Despite my concerns, I become water to his touch. I never dared imagine that someday a god would take notice of me. After this revelation, I have no desire to escape Mars’s divine will.
I glance into his eyes, lips trembling. In them, I see the world. His blue, gray, green, and brown eyes reflect tenderness and savagery. I extend my hand and slowly reach for his face, proving to myself that he is not just an apparition. At the first touch, a flutter of desire makes me tremble.
He leans toward my touch, smiling. "Doest thou wish me to go?" he asks, his voice both enticing and terrifying with all the power it contains.
"Verily,” I proclaim, weak and selfish now, “you cannot be denied." There’s nothing more to be said.
I want him.
With a swift motion, the immortal warrior tears the bodice of my sacred vestments, exposing my vulnerable flesh to his unyielding gaze.
He grabs my breasts and tastes my lips, holding me close with one arm. My body is filled with pleasure and anguish."Please," I whisper, trembling with delight, "I want more." The ecstasy from his touch wars with the knowledge of what it signifies: the destruction of everything I hold dear.
The vows to which I have devoted my life now hang in the balance, threatened by the whims of flesh and desire. Yet, I force my mind to shut off and simply revel in the claiming of my flesh.
"Thou art mine," Mars growls, clawing my frock. "Surrender to the inevitable and remember every moment. Thy sacrilegious beauty, rumors of which I have heard far and wide, have brought me here.”
“Oh, Lord Mars,” I exclaim frantically, and in a stroke of boldness, I reach down and caress his phallus over his trousers. A flash of lightning destroys his garments and leaves me in rags.
