“How dare you!” Justinian bellowed at Praejecta.
Leonidas smiled. The emperor wouldn’t want to upset him; he could bankrupt the empire.
“It is fine, Justinian. There’s something you’re unaware of. Your spineless legate here was courting Isca and threw her aside for Praejecta. Gaius here believes that marrying her will give him recognition and promotion. However, I see a preening coward who would rather have status than love. As I claimed, a greedy fool. Gaius’s loss is my gain. If you will excuse me, I shall be taking Isca away with me. And her fortune,” Leonidas declared, holding Gaius’s eyes.
“What?” Praejecta exclaimed.
“Worm, I don’t ask a woman to be my mistress while I marry another, just so I can keep access to her wealth,” Leonidas hissed. Isca wondered how he knew that, but didn’t bother to ask. “Instead, I make her my queen.”
With that, Leonidas tilted his head at the emperor and began to walk away.
Praejecta rushed forward and grabbed Isca’s arm. “You’ll pay for this,” she murmured.
“You’ll not see your wedding night. He’ll be dead and rotting, and you’ll be left unwed and with child. A scandal indeed!” Isca whispered in return. She couldn’t hold back, and Disease escaped a little and lashed out. Those in its immediate vicinity reeled backwards as Disease struck deep. Leonidas rushed her out before it could infect everyone. But too late. The damage had been done.
Seven days later, Gaius died. Justinian caught the plague but recovered, and his niece ended up married to a brute who took Gaius’s place. Jess managed to get Valeria out and saved her life. But it counted for little. The plague Jess had released was the first of the Great Three.
???
Jess sat up as sweat dripped from her. What on earth had that been about? She’d not dreamed of Ancient Rome for centuries and certainly not Gaius. She shuddered as cool air rushed in and pulled her duvet up closer. Had that been a warning? A premonition?
She got out of bed, headed to her balcony window, and stared out into the night. Gaius was the first to break her heart, though others followed. Jess was in no position to let anyone in again. Three times Disease had broken free and caused a worldwide epidemic.
Jess wouldn’t allow it loose again. The world couldn’t afford it.
Chapter Two.
Mitch
Aconference in Inverness.
Anyone else would have wondered how the hell they’d ended up here and not in some major city. But a smile crossed Mitch’s lips as he settled into an armchair and looked over Loch Ness—it was the perfect location in his mind. His friend Diarmad[5] McDonald, fondly known as Diar[6], held it here every year. Diar declared it a business summit, and three days of the week were set aside for that purpose. The other four were about golf, fishing, relaxing, and building relationships with like-minded people.
Mitch raised a glass of whiskey to his lips and sniffed. Only the best from Diar.
Diar owned the hotel they were staying at, and the only guests present were those he’d invited. Mitch had booked an extra week here. He needed time away from London, from his father and grandfather. Plus, Inverness was at the end of the country. Mitch wouldn’t let his family’s obsession derail his life.
“You okay?” Diar asked, sitting opposite him.
“Family,” Mitch replied shortly.
“Not again.” Diar winced.
“I’m not lucky like you,” Mitch responded, and Diar snorted. He, too, came from a Hunter’s lineage, but he’d badly injured his legs. Because Diar wasn’t one hundred per cent fit, they’d cut him loose. Turned their backs on him in the blink of an eye.
“That bad?” Diar asked, motioning for the waitress to bring two fresh whiskeys.
“You’ve no idea. They want me to rejoin them. Go into the family business of committing blind murder. Those assholes are also excusing the assassination of humans. Because, you know, they’re killing traitors.”
“Not surprised,” Diar said.
“They call the Uile-bheist murderers, yet I don’t see that. Sure, the Uile-bheist kill any Sealgair Uilebheist they come across, but do you blame them? Jesus, even scrubbing my eyeballs won’t rid them of some of the images I’ve seen. The Sealgair Uilebheist are getting off on torturing them,” he muttered.
Mitch smacked his lips together as the waitress appeared. She placed two glasses down and nodded before leaving.
“That’s why you and I differ from them. We never bought into this blood feud. My family couldn’t wait to get shot of me.”
Mitch eyed Diar. “Do you think I don’t know?”
