47. Meet Me at the Maero

Meet Me at the Maero

Luella

I lean towards Nero, and even though I can’t smell him, I can feel the alcohol seeping off of him by the ruddiness in his cheeks, the sweat on his brow and his chest, and the swaying of his large frame.

Cassius is cloaked and drinking in the corner of the tavern. His knuckles are white around his glass as I brush my lips against Nero's ear. “You’re very handsome.”

A grin splits his very average, and very married, face. I wouldn’t kill him if he was just a cheater, but his wife is in Mia’s back room right now after the brute broke four of her ribs. That does earn a spot on my list, especially when Mia says the woman would be dead if Nero hadn’t been interrupted, that the woman has multiple fractures of different ages all throughout her body. Perhaps she’d hate me for ending his pathetic life, or perhaps she might like to know what it is to have a body that is her own.

I know I would.

His hand wraps around to grope my ass and I squeal, falling forward into his arms. In the crowded tavern it was easy to spike his cerevisia, but now I have to lure him out before he drops. He chuckles and I press myself closer, knowing I’ll have to scrub the scent of him off me. He grabs my hair and kisses me roughly, drunkenly. I moan into his mouth and feel the evidence of his desire between us. I fight the gag working its way through me, biting his lip instead.

“I do like ‘em feisty,” he says.

I smile, because what woman doesn’t enjoy being diminished to one fuckable trait while simultaneously being compared to the collective ‘them’ who’ve already endured his pathetic rutting.

He pauses to take another swig of his drink and then begins to tug me towards the back of the tavern. I follow him through the exit and into the back alley.

“Let’s walk to the Maero,” I say, peeling down the shoulder of my loose tunic, showing that I have nothing underneath.

“I’m happy right here,” he says, pressing me up against the wall to kiss me again.

I run my tongue up his neck, the salt making me shudder. Then I suck his earlobe into my mouth until he bucks his hips forward. Now I have him. “I want to be loud when you fuck me,” I say.

He grips my hips, grinding against me as he recaptures my mouth. “You’re a little meretrix , aren’t you?”

“Take me to the Maero and I’ll show you exactly what I am,” I say. Timing is everything, and this alley isn’t the best place to do what I do.

He grabs my hand and starts to drag me down the alley, and I turn back to see Cassius coming out the back, eyes wide. I press a finger to my lips, motioning him to be quiet as I follow Nero. Thankfully he’s too intoxicated to notice Cassius trailing behind us in the dark.

One street over are the stairs to the walkway along the Maero, and I let him lead me down. His steps start to sway as we move. As usual, my timing is spot on.

The path is dark, but as we land on the walkway and round the corner the sound of the water drowns out any revelry on the street. It’s just us, and likely up on the stairs is Cassius, but I don’t worry about him. Good citizens don’t wander this far from the city at night.

Nero pushes me against this new wall, wasting no time ripping my skirts down. I let him, and even tug down my top so my breasts break free, my nipples puckering in the chill.

He reaches for his own pants while trying to tear my underclothes free, but now he’s slowing.

“Problems, sus?”

“What did you call me?” he asks, and I hope I see what I think I do. His eyes widen and I smile. Yes, it’s there. The fear.

“Sus. Swine. Porcus,” I say, yanking his shirt towards me so our bodies collide. “What else could you expect from a whore?”

Nero blinks, confused. Over his shoulder I see Cassius at the foot of the steps, watching, tension radiating from his shoulders and one hand on the blade at his hip. I smile my most wicked smile at him. I’ve never had an audience before, but I know he needs to see what I do. His strange protectiveness is going to interfere with our plans. And if he keeps being… him, perhaps my own feelings will as well.

This will fix it, though. This will remind him that I’m not a beautiful thing.

I’m jagged. Sharp.

A tiny little spider in the center of a giant web, just waiting to strike.

Nero blinks again at my smile. “See you in a few,” I say as he sways and finally topples to the ground.

I don’t adjust my clothes. I use my nakedness as a weapon all its own on Cassius. I don’t need his honor or protection or anything else he’s trying to give me. Shivering, I lean down and hog tie Nero. Cassius moves to help me and I wave him away. “I always work alone.”

I use one hand to squeeze his jaw down and open, tipping the contents of the next vial into his waiting mouth.

I don’t look at Cassius as I wait for Nero to wake, and after a moment he stirs, his eyes fluttering.

I slap him, hard.

“You stupid bitch,” he seethes, spitting at me.

“That’s not very nice,” I pout.

He sees Cassius then. “Help me goodman, she’s crazy! Help!” Cassius doesn’t move and Nero struggles in earnest now, the knots growing tighter with each move.

“Nero,” I tsk. “Your wife sent me.” Cassius didn’t know I visited Mia. I’d left him at the Domus Aurea and returned after I spoke to her. “Four broken ribs?”

Cassius and Nero flinch, although I suspect for very different reasons. “Whatever she says is a lie,” Nero says.

“And the neighbors who dragged you off of her?”

“She’s probably fucking them.”

“Is that any way to talk about your wife? And what about your first wife? Was she fucking everyone, too?” This is his third wife in as many years. The problem with men like Nero is that they believe that there are no consequences, and without shame or fear, they grow predictable.

Easy praeda.

He spits and I shrug, taking out another vial, this one the smallest. I tip just a few drops into Nero’s mouth and smile as he sputters, trying to spit out the bitter liquid.

I sit back on my heels, still fighting to keep my eyes off Cassius. I don’t care what he thinks.

Nero’s throat starts working, a loud gurgling sound as he realizes what I’ve done. “What did you— w-w-what did you give me?” He groans.

“Some incentive,” I say. “How many times have you hit your wife, Nero?”

“M-m-make it stop,” he moans, the venom is the most painful that exists, although the effects are short lived. Mia’s developed it into a poison that helps me keep my hands mostly clean, when needed.

“Answer the question, sus.”

“I did it, okay. P-p-please make it stop.”

“How many times, Nero?” The words are slow and patient, almost kind. “Be a good boy,” I say.

“I don’t k-k-k-know,” he wails.

“Too many too count?” I say, pouting.

He nods, tears streaming down his face and I nod as if I understand. Those wives, always misbehaving. But I only see one disobedient party here, and unfortunately for him, I need to make a point.

Usually I just dump the poison in now, but instead I take the asp venom and pour the remaining contents into his greedy gullet. He screams, the sound so loud it pierces my eardrums.

I look to Cassius, giving into my urge, and see his face is shuttered, stony.

When the screams start to irritate me, I reach in for the last vial and pour the red poison into the abyss of sound.

“Throw him in the river,” I tell Cassius as I adjust my clothes. I don’t wait for a response as I turn to leave him, because I don’t care what he thinks.

And after tonight, I’ve ensured he won’t care about me, either.