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House of Nicolaus

Forbidden Longings

My gaze followed Samson around the room as he playfully flirted with my father. The sun had barely risen in the sky and he was still a little drowsy from sleep.

"Why must you always arise so early, Gold?" Samson murmured, leaning down to kiss my father lightly on the top of the head. "The training will wait."

"The festivities begin Saturday, Samson." My father gave him a slight push away. "Everything must proceed smoothly if we are to gain favour."

"Favour with whom now?" Samson grinned at me as he said it before popping a grape into his mouth. "I don't care about those stuffy noblemen. Do you care about them, Nicolaus?"

I think I might have blushed. I'd been doing that a lot lately. In fact, all Samson had to do was speak my name and I blushed. "No, no, I don't care."

"Listen to him." Gold shook his head, motioning to the slave called Pleasure to pour some more water into his goblet. Father always saved a special smile for Pleasure, which I knew grated on Samson. "You want to gain a reputation in the arena, then you must care about the nobles."

Of course I took that to heart. I didn't dare not to. My father had been one of the greatest gladiators of all time. His prowess and skill never ceased to astound even now. I asked only that I be half as good as he one day. "Why not let me compete, Father?" I looked up from where I sat on the settee. "I'm ready. Julian says so."

"Julian is not your father. I say you're not ready."

"Gold," Samson said, "do you not remember what it's like?"

"Don't you start now, Samson," my father warned as he walked across the vast floor. "I was against this from the beginning. Nicolaus will go into the arena when I say so!"

"But Petorio is already involved in everything." I jumped up, ready for yet another verbal battle with my father. "And he's mediocre at best. Everyone says I am better than he!"

"Petorio is involved in managing the ludi...training. He doesn't compete in the arena."

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I stood perfectly still. I didn't dare move although it pained me dearly to watch Gracia slide her hand up Julian's well-muscled thigh, mostly because I knew Julian detested her touch so much.

Claudius regarded me from where he half lay on the sofa. He was drunk again as usual. Somewhere in the house I could hear the baby crying. Octavia, Claudius' wife, began to sing a lullaby.

The tune wafted down the corridor like a clear bell.

Gracia had pulled Julian down the hallway to her private bedchambers and I clenched my jaw and restrained my anger.

"Don't move," Claudius cautioned.

I'd been standing there, completely naked in front of him, for the last half hour. I had no idea what game he was playing this time, but with Claudius it was anyone's guess.

A newly acquired male slave, completely naked like myself, lowered grapes into Claudius' mouth. The slave's skin was coffee coloured, and his genitals were bound so he always appeared to be erect.

Claudius reached out and played casually with the slave's genitals. He looked at me. "Want to fuck his fine ass?"

"If you wish, master," I said. All I really wanted was to get Julian and go back to the gladiators' quarters. I'd come to resent Gracia's possession of him, and it had little to do with the feelings I had for him. Rather, it galled me that these people thought they could use us anyway they chose, even against our wills. And since Phineous had crossed the river, his son had badly neglected his gladiators, choosing to engage in orgies and debaucheries instead.

"Slave," Claudius bellowed suddenly, "lean over my lap, use your mouth on my cock, and Samson, get over here and fill his ass."

The slave leaned over Claudius and began to work on his erection.

"Spread your legs wide," Claudius commanded, slapping his ass a few times. "Feel how firm it is."

I came closer, waited for permission. I couldn't deny that the ass in front of me was enticing, so firm and round.

Claudius nodded. "Prepare him. Play in his ass, fuck him with your fingers." He fondled the slave's genitals again. "Suck me, deeper," he commanded.

The slave took more of Claudius in his mouth.

I spread the slave's ass with my hands and screwed my finger into his rosebud.

He squirmed as I went deeper. He was very tight, maybe he'd never had his ass used before. I stroked my own cock and coated my finger with come. I pushed my finger deeper. He moaned and Claudius yelled out. "Suck, you slut!"

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Gold...House of Phineas

I opened my eyes and looked around. Gone were the rustic brick walls and the musty dampness. My head rested on a pillow and I was lying prone on a comfortable day bed, a sheet of satin under me.

I had no idea how long I'd been here or how I got to this place. The breeze blew back a haze of white curtains in the distance and suddenly a man walked through them. He wore a toga and had a short cropped beard. "So, how are you, Gold?"

I glanced down at my wounds and noticed they had begun to heal. "I...where am I?"

"You are at the House of Phineas. We've been watching you closely. You will soon be fit again." He brought me some liquid in a silver flask. "Drink," he urged.

I lifted my head, drank and sputtered a little. I wiped my mouth on the back of my hand.

"You can sit up. Move around a little. It will be a good thing."

"How long have I been here?"

"More than a fortnight. You had a fever. You slipped in and out of it."

I wiped a hand over the stubble on my face.

"Today you will take a bath and the slaves will shave you. I will have food brought."

I threw my legs over the side of the day bed. I was still wearing the raggedy loin cloth I'd had on in the arena. I wasn't shackled. Dizziness seized me for a moment but I fought it.

The doctor watched me. I stood on my own and walked a few steps, stumbled, placed a hand on the wall and continued.

"You may wander around. Explore a little," the man told me. "You are free to go where you please."

I looked up in surprise.

Suddenly a naked slave girl walked in with a tray of food. There was cheese, meats, and grapes. I reached over and grabbed some of the grapes in my hand and ate hungrily.

"Easy," the doctor told me. "You need to go slow."

I nodded, and began to actually chew the food.

The slave girl smiled shyly at me as she waited patiently for me to devour what was left on the platter.