‘We are enjoying the feast, dear friend. We were wondering, however, why you, ahem, have been taking such a keen interest in Batiatus in recent times?’
Octavian smiled cryptically.
‘What place are we in, senators?’
Lepidus shot a sour scowl at Octavian as he responded.
‘We are in Batiatus’s villa and gladiatorial ludus, of course!’
‘And why is this particular ludus one of the most famous in the whole Republic?’
‘Because … because of the fighting prowess of its gladiators. Indeed, they are rumoured to be the best in all our glorious Republic.’
‘And tell me, my friends, what could you achieve, backed by an army of the most highly trained, fearless and elite warriors in the Republic? Forgive me, I worded my question incorrectly; I should have said, what could you not achieve, backed by such an army?’
Lepidus’s jaw dropped at the realisation that had just hit him, as did Claudius’s.
‘An … an army of the most elite fighters in the Republic! This is why you have been focusing so intently on this fool Batiatus?! Why … why, you are a genius!’ Lepidus spluttered.
‘Gold begets power, power begets gold, my brother Huntsmen,’ Octavian whispered, flashing his friends a fiendish conspiratorial smile. ‘We will have control over the Republic, one way or another. We have nothing to fear from foolish, wealth-flaunting windbags like Batiatus. He is but a tool that we Huntsmen can manipulate to our own ends—’
‘And discard when he has reached the limits of his usefulness,’ Lepidus growled sinisterly.
With a wicked grin Octavian raised his goblet hand and clinked it against his friends’, and all of them chuckled with devilish glee after they had sipped on their wine.
Little did these Huntsmen realise, however, that everything that they had just said had been overheard by Lucius, who had been eavesdropping on them all the while, his anxiety and anger both temporarily allayed as he had centred in on the conversation with his wolf-enhanced hearing. All sorts of thoughts were running riot in his mind; now, at least, he had a better idea of what these Huntsmen were after. Why, it was so simple he was surprised he hadn’t figured it out long before this moment: they were after power, of course. Power, the universal lure, stuck on the devil’s fishhook, guaranteed to reel in any man who dared take a bite of that sweet and juicy worm.
But what does this ambition for ultimate power have to do with me? Why does it need to involve the extermination of myself and other beings like myself? I have never personally threatened any of these men, nor do I have any aspirations, lofty or otherwise, to any significant position of power or authority. I’ve always been happy to have my gold, my jewellery, my exotic cuisine, my travels … and of course a plentiful supply of ripe and attractive young women or men to fuck. Therewith extends – and has always extended – the sum of my wants. It cannot be anything to do with me personally, or the personal desires of any of these other beings who possess this strange animal magic that these Huntsmen fear. No … there must be something about this animal magic itself that threatens these men and their lust for power. But what?! By Jupiter, how I wish I knew more about this strange gift the gods have chosen to bestow upon me. Anyway, after tonight I will leave the Republic again … for good this time. The lands of the Far East may hold the answers that I am looking for. Besides, I cannot remain in the Republic any longer; it is no longer safe here, even under the protection of Batiatus … who I’m having a harder and harder time trusting these days, despite our years of friendship.
Trustworthiness aside, the influence of these Huntsmen extends far beyond than anything Batiatus can protect me from, and from the sound of what these three were just saying, it seems that he will be just another puppet for them to manipulate anyway. The gods themselves can only know how many other influential and powerful men dance to the twists and turns of these Huntsmen’s puppet strings. I must leave the Republic and seek answers. I must know what it is about my animal powers that threatens them so … and then, oh yes, and then I will be able to truly harness the full potential of this magic, and one day return here and destroy all of them.
A dark grin spread across Lucius’s lips and twinkled in his eyes as this last thought sashayed its way through his mind.
The music changed, and the musicians segued the current raucous tune into a composition that was a lot more sensual and suggestive, with a slow but steadily pulsating beat, like that of a great, sluggish heart. Slaves rushed about the hallway, extinguishing some of the candles and oil lamps to dim the lighting, and it was then that the sexual performers entered the room.
At the table near Lucius, Claudius shook his head and rolled his eyes as he chewed on a piece of pork gristle.
‘Look at this now,’ he grumbled to Lepidus. ‘Such uncouth entertainment. You’d think this was an orgy.’
Lepidus’s gaze, however, was locked on the bodies of the female dancers who had just entered the hall.
‘Yes, yes…’ he mumbled as his eyes roved hungrily over the contours of the young, nubile bodies, all oiled up and gleaming in the russet glow of the few remaining lamps. ‘Yes, such low, base entertainment…’
As the dynamics of the music rose and fell alternately in volume and intensity, all to the unrelenting, throbbing beat kept by the drummers, the nude women gyrated and twisted as they bent and thrust their bodies in a dance of unbridled eroticism, which increased steadily in vigour as the music flowed. Soon the dancers’ hands were all over each other’s bodies; the contact started as light touches and caresses in passing as they performed
