Inferno's Kiss (19 page)

“You don’t,” he said in an icy voice before he brushed past the two men and entered the lab.

The lab’s temperature was intentionally cool in order to preserve the delicate documents stored in the room. White Cloud’s library of research books was extensive, and its lab was one of the best in the States. Atia sat bowed over in a chair, while the body of a man lay sprawled on the floor behind her. Bent over Atia, the
Celeris
was rubbing her back in a comforting manner.

The sight sent fury streaking through Marcus. Firmani might be Atia’s bodyguard, but the man was taking liberties Marcus didn’t like. Food, milk, and a tray lay on the floor where someone had dropped them, and he stepped around the mess. As he moved forward, Atia’s head jerked up. The moment her gaze met his, she was on her feet and running toward him.

It was a moment of intense jubilation and relief. He was the one she needed and wanted, not Firmani.

He pulled her into a tight embrace as she buried her face in his shoulder. Over her head, he met the gaze of the
Celeris
. The devastation on the man’s face made Marcus feel sorry for him. It was obvious he loved Atia, and Marcus understood what losing her would feel like.

The pain on Firmani’s face quickly vanished, and Marcus didn’t have to read the man’s mind to know the bodyguard hated him. Burrowed deep into his chest, Atia was trembling hard, and he was certain it wasn’t from the chilly temperature. It was most likely shock.

“It’s all right,
mea kara
. I’m here now,” he murmured as he stroked her hair. Despite the whitish silver color, it was as silky as the day they first met. “Are you all right?”

“Yes.” Her answer was muffled in his shirt.

“Tell me what happened.”

Although her tremors had eased somewhat, she remained pressed against his chest, and he waited patiently. When she didn’t respond to his command, an uneasy sensation slid through him. It wasn’t like her to act so frightened.

Even when the Praetorians had taken Gabriel, she’d exhibited a steely strength in her determination to find their son. If the death of their son had stripped her of that fortitude, Nicostratus had one more crime to pay for. After a long moment, she lifted her head, and the expression of fear on her face made his gut tighten.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I came down to the lab to study the document we found in the
Tyet of Isis
. When I arrived, the lights were out. Sandro always comes to the lab early, and I sensed something was wrong.” She shuddered and closed her eyes for a brief moment. “I almost called for help then, but I told myself Sandro had simply taken the morning off. When I turned on the lights, that’s when I saw him.”

“Did you see anyone? Hear anything?” The thought that the murderer might have been anywhere near her made his gut twist viciously with fear.

“No. At first I thought Sandro had just collapsed, but then I saw the blood on the floor.” She blanched at the statement, and he knew she was reliving that moment. “I knew there was only one reason why someone would kill him, so I immediately checked the lockbox to make sure the
Tyet of Isis
document wasn’t missing. It was still where I’d left it yesterday.”

“What about Pasquale? Where did he come from?”

“Luciano was on duty in the security control room. It was the
Vigilavi
girl who always brings Sandro breakfast who sounded the alarm. I didn’t know she’d come into the room until she dropped the tray and screamed.” Atia pulled away from him and pressed her fingertips into her temple. It seemed natural for Marcus to automatically reach out with his thoughts to caress the spot. Her hand fell downward until it came to rest on his arm. “Before I could stop her, the girl panicked and went screaming for help. Pasquale arrived a couple of minutes later. That’s when I went to Sandro and . . .”

As her voice trailed off into nothing, she breathed in a deep, shuddering breath. It was a sound that made his heart ache for the harrowing emotions he sensed in her. It wasn’t just that she was in shock or upset at the death of a man he knew had been her friend. There was something else underlying the fragile control she was clinging to by a thread.

“There’s something you’re not telling me,” he said quietly.

“It’s . . . I can’t tell you . . . I have to show you.”

She pulled away from him then led him toward Sandro’s body. The moment he saw the researcher, he went rigid at the sight of a familiar backward C over a diagonal line carved into the man’s cheek. The incomplete Chi-Rho mark Gabriel had used on all his murder victims was one he’d never expected to see again.

“
Fotte
,” he rasped.

For a brief second he wondered if perhaps he’d dreamt killing his own son as he stared down at the mark. He knew better. He and Atia had quietly held a
Rogalis
for Gabriel at Palazzo al Mare the day after the battle in the Pantheon. This was someone else’s work. Someone who either didn’t know Gabriel was dead or was sending a message. Either way, Sandro’s death told him that Nicostratus’s reach was far greater than he’d feared.

“I don’t understand . . . The murderer didn’t even try to take the document.” Atia’s voice wavered as she looked up at him.

“You, or something else, startled the intruder. The Praetorians know that document might shift the balance of power if we decipher it,” he said grimly as he looked around the lab. “Is there another way out of here?”

“Yes, through the dark lab.” She shook her head. “But there wasn’t anyone here when I arrived. I’m sure of it.”

“Can you think of any other reason why someone would want to kill the man?”

“No,” she said with a shake of her head. “He was well liked by everyone.”

“Then we can only assume that whoever killed Sandro was working for the Praetorians, which means we have a traitor among us.” His dark words made Atia draw in a sharp breath.

“That’s not possible.”

“Then how else do you explain the man’s death,
carissima
?”

“I can’t,” Atia said in a whisper.

He watched her as she struggled with the knowledge that there was a viper in her house and they didn’t know where. She rubbed at her temple again, and he longed to help ease her pain, but instinct said she’d only resent his touch at the moment. He looked down at the dead man again.

“Who else has seen the mutilation?”

“Just Ignacio, Pasquale, myself, and now you,” Atia replied.

“The
Vigilavi
?” His abrupt question made her shake her head.

“She didn’t get any farther than where she dropped Sandro’s breakfast tray.” Atia’s gaze shifted toward the mess on the floor just inside the research lab’s doorway. Marcus looked at Atia’s bodyguard.

“We need to have the man prepared for the
Rogalis
with as few people seeing his body as possible. Murder is one thing, but this mark will create widespread panic,” he said grimly. “We have no choice but to trust Pasquale, since he’s already seen the body. Do you have one or two men you can rely on to keep their mouths shut?”

“Yes.” Firmani nodded abruptly then looked at Atia. “Benedict? Fabrizio’s only been with us a little more than a year.”

“Yes, Benedict is completely loyal to me.” Atia nodded her head as she looked at Marcus. Color had returned to her face, and she looked far more composed now. With his thoughts, he lightly brushed his fingers across her cheek. She frowned slightly but didn’t say anything as he turned back to Firmani.

“You need to move the man’s body quickly. In the meantime, Atia will address the residents and call a special meeting of the Council.” Marcus turned his head as Atia uttered a small gasp.

“A special meeting . . . ? But I don’t—”

“You don’t have much choice,” he growled. “There’s a belligerent little worm outside who I’ve no doubt will cause trouble otherwise.”

“Cato.” Atia and her
Celeris
said the name simultaneously and with equal disgust.

“That’s the one,” he said in a sharp tone as he remembered the Council member’s self-importance. If the man had had any idea who he was talking to, Marcus was certain the obnoxious toad’s attitude would have been completely different.

“Marcus is right, Ignacio. I need to meet with the Council and reassure the rest of the estate’s residents. If you’ll see to Sandro and his
Rogalis
, I’ll deal with Cato.” Her voice was strong and commanding as she turned toward Marcus. “Do you think we should find a safer storage place for the document?”

It was a good question, and he frowned. If the document were less fragile, he would have been inclined to say yes, but the research lab had been designed to protect ancient artifacts. It was still the best place to keep the document. He shook his head.

“This is the safest option available to us. Once Firmani has seen to the body, I’ll work on making improvements to the security system in the room.”

“His name was Sandro,” she bit out in a tight voice. He flinched as he realized his pragmatism had made him seem uncaring. Marcus bowed slightly toward her.

“Forgive me,
mea kara
. I meant no disrespect to Sandro.” His jaw tightened as she nodded sharply at him before turning back to her
Celeris
.

“Ignacio, take care with him.”

Her voice softened as she glanced down at the dead man then turned and left the room. As she walked away, his senses picked up on Firmani’s malicious satisfaction. Slowly, he turned his head toward the man. The small smile on the
Celeris
’s face disappeared as Marcus eyed him with a cold calculation.

“You heard the
Prima Consul
. See to the man’s body.” His command made Firmani stiffen, but the
Celeris
nodded sharply then pulled a cell phone from his pants pocket and tapped on the screen. Marcus didn’t bother waiting to ensure the man followed Atia’s instructions. He was certain Firmani would do as he was told, and not just because the
Prima Consul
had ordered him to.

Firmani was too much in love with Atia to refuse her. What if she cared for the
Celeris
, too? The thought made Marcus’s entire body grow rigid with jealous tension. Little more than two weeks ago when he’d found Atia at La Terrazza del Ninfeo in Rome, she’d defended Firmani. She’d pleaded for the man’s life. Had that been because she was in love with her
Celeris
?

She’d mentioned breaking their blood bond that morning before Firmani had even showed up. His gut knotted at the possibility. No. He couldn’t believe that. Just a few minutes ago, when Marcus entered the lab, he’d been the one she’d run to, not Firmani. He was the one she’d clung to. It had been his arms Atia had sought solace in, not those of her
Celeris
.

A grim smile twisted his lips as he crossed the room toward the locked cabinet that held the
Tyet of Isis
document. He would win her back. He wouldn’t fail in that task. He’d spent too many years dreaming about her and how he would regain her love after Dante became the new Sicari Lord. He would not lose her now.

For the moment, he would do as she asked, just as Firmani would. He had no doubt the
Celeris
would do what he could to steal Atia from him, but he wasn’t going to let that happen. His thoughts were still on Atia as he examined the high-tech security lock on the steel lockbox that held the parchment he knew the Praetorians wanted desperately. As he looked around the room, he began to itemize the extra precautions that could be taken to protect the valuable document.

Several hours later, all of Marcus’s ideas were close to completion as the
Vigilavi
security expert on staff directed the placement of the last security camera that would give the control room a continuous view of the research lab. Sometime in the next week, new steel doors would be installed that could be locked remotely to prevent anyone trying to steal the
Tyet of Isis
document from escaping.

Satisfied the artifact was far more secure than it had been before the murder, he left the lab and headed to Atia’s suite. Pasquale had returned to the lab a short time ago and informed him that the
Prima Consul
had spent more than three hours fielding questions from the Council, or more specifically, Cato.

That the Council member had named Marcus as a possible suspect didn’t surprise him. He was a new arrival and not above suspicion. And while the worm’s audacious suggestion that Atia might also be the murderer wasn’t surprising, it infuriated him. Pasquale’s report had simply made him hunger for the chance to reduce the Council member to a quivering mass of fear.

It would be a mistake to do anything, though. Atia wouldn’t tolerate any interference in her affairs, even if it was to her benefit. As he came to a halt in front of Atia’s rooms, he started to knock then changed his mind. She was his wife, and he had every right to enter. The door opened quietly, and as he entered the main living area, it was as if he’d stepped back in time.

The room was almost a replica of the living room they’d had at Rennes-le-Château when they were first blood bonded. He moved deeper into the space, absently using his ability to close the door behind him.

Pictures on an end table caught his eye, and one of the framed photographs floated up off the table into his hand. It was a picture of him and Gabriel, taken shortly before the kidnapping. His throat swelled shut as grief welled up inside him. If only he’d taken Atia and Gabriel with him to the
Absconditus
that week.

“What are you doing here, Marcus?” Atia’s voice was like a cool breeze on the back of his neck.

Her tone said his presence had caught her by surprise and she wasn’t happy about it. He slowly turned to face her. Her rumpled clothing and tousled hair made him think she’d just gotten up from a nap. She looked as though the weight of the world rested upon her shoulders. But it was the bleak sadness in her gray eyes that tugged at him.

The force of her grief hammered away at his mind, the intensity of it as sharp as a finely honed blade. It made him want to pull her into his arms for the second time today.