The Centurion's Woman

Chapter 20

ALEX STILL WASN'T happy about having to go out again, especially as it seemed every time she went anywhere she ended up in some kind of fight or another since waking up in the wrong time. First the village, and that had been – as her gigno would say – an experience. Every day had been a fight there. Then Ixillius had shown up like some kind of avenger and pulled her into whatever this situation was turning into. She'd gotten less than a week of healing time and it was back to fisticuffs every day.

        Alex was still pissed about Maria. She'd known the other woman was the type who often played only on her own team, but for something like another person's life – specifically a someone who'd protected her life more than once – it was a pretty big betrayal of the small amount of trust Alex had given her. Breaking her nose had maybe been overkill, but so worth it.

        The little crow flew up to join three others perched on the eaves overlooking the street as soon as they were clear of the outside door.

        "Stay out of trouble," she called up to him, and he cawed back down at her.

        She was careful not to add the name she'd given him, remembering from school that at these times you didn't say 'Hades' for fear of calling up the old god who oversaw the dead. She'd have to figure out something that sounded similar but didn't offend.

        Ixillius rested a hand lightly in the center of her back, pulling Alex out of her thoughts. She finally saw that the people ahead of them were moving quickly out of the way, staring as they passed. Many of the regular folks were making signs against evil, a lot of the slaves were staring openly, some fearfully. Most of the soldiers simply appraised her, and the higher social class members were frowning a clear opinion down their noses at her. Apparently there was a lot of gossip going around already.

        It wasn't long before the streets were stone paved and started looking tidier, the buildings richer. They were walking away from the public bath, Alex noted with relief, and were going somewhere she hadn't been yet. She made mental notes of each building and turning. Ixillius began to pause often to allow someone of higher military rank or social status to cross in front of them, and each time the people would nod politely or reply to his greeting, then stare at her. After about the fourth time, Alex started tucking against Ixillius's side and looking at the ground demurely. She would turn and tilt her head, ensuring that someone got an eyeful of the collar sans lock that they all seemed to want to see, and she got to snuggle a bit.

        His tone was chastising when he had quietly spoken to her after she started doing this, but she didn't care. Broken rib be damned, she really did just want to go back to his room and see if his sexual stamina was as good the second day. When the next someone passed, Alex pressed close to Ixillius and, knowing her hands were hidden inside the heavy cloak, inched her fingers between the side edges of his armor to stroke the hard muscles beneath his shirt. She glanced up through her lashes as he started walking again, noting the hard set of his jaw and the purposeful way he didn't look at her. His hand did, however, slide up her spine to wrap firmly around the back of her neck, his thumb moving slightly to massage just under her ear.

        Alex knew her body was coiled tight because of the fighting the past couple of days. It was her reaction to killing, had been since the first guy back when she was thirteen. She hadn't known what to do about it back then, and her gigno – on finding out what had really happened to her attempted molester and ex foster dad – had explained it simply to her that some men, after battle and killing, needed to feel life. Sex was the most instinctive way to do that. As he had raised her like a son, he said, it was only reasonable that she would get the same feelings. He'd then set her to train hard for three days, practicing sword and wresting drills, letting her young body vent that way.