mind.'
Then he left the bed. He moved like a graceful predator as he opened the drawer where she kept her underwear. A strange shiver went over her as she watched his hand moving through her panties until he found the black silk ones Selena had given her as a gag gift.
Pulling them out, he knelt on the floor before her to put them on her. Breathless and hot, she looked down at the top of his golden head. She lifted her foot and let him dress her.
As his hands slid the silk up her leg and his lips kissed a (rail behind them, she trembled. He splayed his hands against her flesh for maximum devastation to her senses. Worse, once he had them in place, he caressed her lightly between her legs before moving away.
Next, he pulled out the matching black bra.
Like a doll with no will of its own, she let him put it on her. His hands brushed her nipples as he closed the front catch, then he slid his hand between the satin and her skin and gave a hot caress that sent chills all over her.
Julian bent his head down to capture her lips with his. Even now he felt the fire coursing through him, demanding he take her. Demanding he ease the pain in his groin if only for an instant.
Grace moaned as he deepened his kiss. Her will gone, she felt him lift her to the bed where he set her before him. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around his waist and hissed at the feeling of those steely abs pressing against the center of her body.
Julian ran his hands over her back. The image of her wet, naked body was branded in his mind. He was almost to the point of no return when a bright light flashed through the room.
His eyes aching from it, Julian pulled away from her.
'Was that you?' she asked breathlessly, looking up at him with adoring eyes.
Amused, Julian shook his head. 'I wish I could take credit for it, but I'm quite sure it had another source.'
Looking around the room, his gaze fell to the bed. He blinked.
It couldn't be…
'What is that?' Grace asked, turning to look at the bed.
'It's my shield,' he said, still unable to believe his eyes.
He hadn't seen his shield in centuries. Stunned, he stared at it where it rested in the center of the mattress, glinting dimly in the light.
He knew every dent and scratch on it, remembered the blows that had made each mark.
Afraid he was dreaming, he reached his hand out to the bronze relief of Athena and her owl.
'And your sword, too?'
He grabbed Grace's hand before she touched it. 'That's the Sword of Cronus. Never touch it. If anyone handles it who doesn't have his blood in them, it burns their skin forever.'
'Really?' she asked, sliding off the bed, away from it.
'Really.'
She looked back at the bed with a stern frown. 'Why are they here?'
'I don't know.'
'Who sent them?'
'I don't know.'
'Well, that's not really helpful.'
Julian didn't seem to hear her sarcasm. Instead, Grace watched as he stared at his shield. He ran his hand over it like an adoring father who had found a long-lost child.
He pulled sword from the mattress, then slid it far beneath the bed. 'Don't forget it's under here,' he said sternly. 'Make sure you never touch it.'
His frown deepened as he straightened up and looked at the shield. 'My mother must have sent them to me. Only she or one of her sons could have done it.'
'Why would she do that?'
Julian narrowed his eyes as he remembered the rest of the sword's legend. 'I'm sure she sent it in the event I have to face Priapus. The Sword of Cronus is also called the Sword of Justice. It won't kill him, but it will cause him to take my place in the book.'
'Are you serious?'
He nodded.
'May I touch the shield?'
'Sure.'
Grace ran her hand over the gold and black inlays that formed the image of Athena and her owl. 'It's beautiful,' she said in awe.
'Kyrian had it made as a gift for me when I became a full commander.'
She touched the engraving below Athena. 'What do the words say?'
' 'Death before dishonor,' ' he said, the words catching in his throat.
Julian smiled wistfully as he remembered Kyrian standing at his side during their battles together. 'Kyrian's shield read, 'Spoils to the Victor.' He used to look at me before battle and say, 'You take the honor,
Grace paused at the odd note in his voice. Trying to imagine what he must have looked like holding his shield, she pulled it closer. 'Kyrian? The man who was crucified?'
'Yes.'
'You liked him a lot, didn't you?'
He smiled sadly. 'It took a while for him to grow on me. When I was twenty-three, his uncle assigned him to my command with the strictest warning of what would happen to me should I let
'He was a prince?'
Julian nodded. 'And he was truly fearless. Barely twenty, he would charge into battle or fights half-cocked, daring anyone to hurt him. It seemed every time I turned around, I was hauling him out of some bizarre mishap. But he was a hard man to hate. In spite of his hot-headed ways, he had a great sense of humor and was loyal to a fault.'
He ran his hand over his shield. 'I just wish I'd been there to save him from the Romans.'
Grace rubbed his arm in sympathy. 'I'm sure the two of you could have battled your way out of anything.'
A spark came to his eyes at her words. 'When we marched our armies together, we were invincible.' His jaw flexed as he looked at her. 'It was just a matter of time before Rome would have been ours.'
'Why did the two of you want Rome so badly?'
'I vowed to destroy Rome after they took Prymaria. Kyrian and I had been sent for, but by the time we arrived, it was too late. The Romans had cold-bloodedly rounded up and murdered every woman and child in the city. I'd never seen such carnage.' His eyes darkened. 'While we were trying to bury the dead, the Romans ambushed us.'
Grace went cold at the words. 'What happened?' 'I had Livius routed and was about to kill him when Priapus intervened. He sent a lightning bolt into my horse and I was thrown to the Romans. I was sure I was dead; then out of nowhere Kyrian appeared. He drove Livius back until I was able to regain my feet. Livius called for a retreat and vanished before we could kill him.'
Grace realized Julian stood directly behind her, his body so close to hers that she could feel his body heat. He placed his arms on each side of her, braced against the mattress, before he pressed his chest against her back.
Grace clenched her teeth at the ferocity of the desire that swept through her. He didn't hold her, but the devastation to her senses was just as profound. He bent his head down and nuzzled her neck.
His tongue on her skin fired every hormone in her body. Grace arched her back as her breasts tingled. If she didn't stop him…
'Julian,' she breathed, but her voice was far from carrying the warning note she intended.
'I know,' he whispered. 'I'm on my way to take a cold shower.' As he left the room, she heard him snarl an angry word under his breath. 'Alone.'
After they had breakfast, Grace decided to teach Julian to drive.
