Page 48 of Laverna

Laverna grinned, the plan already forming in her mind. "I have a secret passage into the Colosseum we can use. There's no way the witches will know about it since the archaeologists still haven't found it." At their surprised looks, Laverna shrugged. "What? I didn't want to have to pay an entrance fee, and occasionally, I needed to smuggle people out before they were executed. Of course I needed my own entrance!"

"Of course you did," Romulus said, straight-faced, and Laverna felt his love for her rush through the bond and all the way to her toes.

29

Laverna sat next to Romulus in the back of a black van. The seat was narrow, and the belt clip was digging into her hip as they stopped and started through Rome's traffic lights. The sun had set, and the moon was rising.

Beside her, Romulus's eyes had been glowing the gold of his wolf for hours. He and the other wolves wouldn't change for a short time yet. They had a plan to see through and witches to kill.

Laverna wrapped her arm under Romulus's and threaded their fingers together. As soon as he changed, he wouldn't be able to talk to her, and she found the thought uncomfortable. She didn't even know how the bond would feel in his wolf form.

"You're not worried about tonight, goddess?" he asked.

Laverna made a scoffing sound that was all bravado. "Me? Worried? No way. I just don't want to have to tend to your wounds again if you get your ass kicked."

"That's okay. I'll find someone else to do it," Romulus said and then laughed like an asshole when her eyes narrowed.

"Or not. You could just not get hurt again. I think that's a better plan," Laverna replied.

Romulus kissed her cheek, and some of the anger and worry went away.

"We have both fought with worse odds than this. We have too much to lose tonight not to give it our everything. I finally can kiss you when I want to, and I need to make the most of it," Romulus said and then proved it by kissing her lips quickly.

On the other side of the van, Lucius pulled a face. "Are you two going to be this gross going forward? Because after years of seeing you at each other's throats, I got to admit, it's going to take some getting used to."

Laverna smiled at him and crossed her eyes. "Then stop looking, you perv."

The other wolves laughed, and some of the tension in the van eased. Laverna had always liked the praetorians, and it was nice not to pretend that she didn't. She had also been jealous of Romulus and his pack of friends through eternity. She had connections now, but for a long time, she had only been friends with mortals. Watching them die every year had ensured she never really got close to anyone.

Sensing her unease, Romulus squeezed her hand before lifting it and kissing the back of it. She wasn't alone. He made a point of telling her that. Maybe one day she would get to the point where she believed it.

"Okay, Laverna. We are coming up to the archaeological park. It's time to tell me where your secret entrance is," Roberto said from the driver's seat.

"Turn onto the Via in Miranda," Laverna said, and Romulus turned in his seat to look at her. "And go the very end of it. You should be able to park in front of the temple of Antonius and Faustina."

"Where exactly is your old entrance?" Rom asked suspiciously.

Laverna smiled her most charming smile. "I maybe could have possibly put one in the Temple of Romulus."

"You are unreal, woman," Romulus grumbled before turning to his wolves. "Can you believe this?"

"Actually, we can," Lucius replied.

"I wanted an access tunnel, and your temple had the underground levels I needed!" Laverna replied.

"Oh, did it now? How many of my statues in there did you piss on over the years?"

Laverna pulled a face. "Why would I want my secret entrance to the Colosseum smelling of piss, Rom? Think it through next time."

Romulus glared at her, and Lavera rubbed her cheek against his shoulder.

"You love me so much," she teased.

"Not right now, I don't."

"Liar. You love that I did so much territory marking, and so does your wolf."

Romulus's eyes narrowed. "You are going to pay for this insolence later."

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