kalpanikata

In the heart of Rome, where ambition is sharpened like a blade and betrayal is as common as breath, Lucius Varro walks the line between life and death. A ruthless warrior, an assassin draped in shadows, and a man tangled in the throes of power, he becomes both predator and prey in a city that devours its own.

But Rome’s deadliest games are not only played in the Senate or on the battlefield. They are whispered in candlelit chambers, exchanged in lovers’ beds, and sealed with blood-stained kisses.

Each woman has her own web of lies, affairs, and betrayals—some with Lucius, others with men of power and influence. But as Rome teeters on the brink of war, passion and politics collide in a storm of lust, vengeance, and fate.

When the dust settles, will Lucius stand victorious—or will he be just another name lost to the empire’s cruel history?

Blood And Laurel

The streets of Rome pulsed with the restless energy of the empire's beating heart. Cloaked figures moved through the alleyways, whispers of betrayal carried on the wind. Beneath the flickering torchlight of a senator's villa, Lucius Varro knelt beside a lifeless body, his blade slick with blood.

The scent of iron filled his lungs as he wiped the weapon clean. Another name erased from the political board, another debt collected in the name of Rome. He straightened, adjusting his tunic, and stepped into the night, the echoes of the dying man's final gurgle fading into the distance.

By the time he reached the Domus Aurea, the opulent palace of pleasure and indulgence, the weight of his task had settled into his bones. The golden glow of lamplight spilled over silk-draped couches, perfumed bodies, and the lazy laughter of Rome's elite.

Livia reclined on a chaise, swirling wine in a bronze cup, her dark eyes alight with curiosity as she regarded him. "You move like a man with blood on his hands."

Lucius smirked, throwing off his cloak. "That is because I am."

She took a slow sip, the corner of her lips curling. "And was it worth it?"

He exhaled, running a hand through his short-cropped hair. "A senator falls, another rises. The gods demand their sacrifices."

Livia set her cup aside and leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Rome is a beast that devours those who feed it. Be careful you do not become its next meal."

Lucius studied her for a long moment before stepping closer. She smelled of jasmine and something else—danger, perhaps. "And what do you suggest?"

Her fingers trailed over the fabric of his tunic, lingering at the edge of his belt. "That you learn to take your pleasures where you can, before Rome takes everything from you."

A challenge. A promise. He could feel the pulse of the night shifting around them, the taste of temptation thick in the air.

Lucius had always been a man of discipline. But tonight, he would allow himself to forget.

Chapter One: A City of Wolves