Mortuus Virgo Read Online Free Page A

own?’
    ‘If I am to be working with you I suppose I should have yours.’
    ‘In that case,’ he said, ‘It’s simple. Fuck em!’
    Her eyes widened in shock. Everything about him screamed danger but despite her misgivings it sounded too exciting an opportunity to miss. He was right; she had been in the library far too long.
    ‘Okay Detective Walker,’ she said finally, ‘I think I am going to regret this, but you have a deal,’
    ‘Good!’ he said, ‘And please, call me Brandon.’
    ‘Am I allowed to say anything to my parents about this?’ she asked.
    ‘I’d rather you didn’t, why?’
    ‘Oh, you know, it would be quite a shock to find out their daughter is working for the police.’
    ‘Police?’ he said, ‘Who said anything about working for the police?’
    He turned to leave the building, leaving India staring open mouthed behind him.
    ----
     

 
    Chapter 3
     
    Rome 64 BC
     
    Rubria knelt at her bedside, her hands held tightly together in prayer as she had been taught since a child. She prayed earnestly, full of love and ultimate servitude to the Goddess Vesta, thanking her for her glory and the continued bounty of life. She had been up since first bell and had since knelt in prayer for two hours, the reed mat the only acknowledgement to the wear on her knees.
    Her cell was basic but spotlessly clean. The rough stone walls were a stark contrast to the marble slabs of the Temple proper and the only furniture was a simple bed covered with a rough linen sheet and a three legged stool. A tiny arched window pierced the thick walls high above her head, too high to be reached by any acolyte tempted to peer out at the city of sin, but necessary for the passage of fresh air to the tiny cell.
    All too soon, second bell sounded and she raised herself from her knees to face the day. She knew that outside the walls of the Temple, the profile of the city would be looming out of the darkness once more as the miracle of the sun hinted at its imminent rebirth from the hell of night. She turned around and faced the doorway, not quite sure if the shivering was from the pre-dawn temperatures or the apprehension about what lay before her. She forgave herself the emotion of relief as the day she had waited so long for, finally arrived.
    Ten long years she had waited. Ten years since she had been taken from her family and brought to the Temple of Vesta to serve the Goddess. At first it had been very hard and she had missed her family so much it hurt. Every day she had asked when she was going home, receiving only kindly smiles from her tutors in return. She even tried to run away once but had been caught no further that the gateway peering into the dirty city that lay beyond. That had been an important milestone for Rubria, as far from being angry; the kindly teacher had sat besides her for a long time giving her comfort and support.
    That had been the first time the needs of the people had been explained to her. How the majority of the poor misguided masses needed their help and prayers to help them on their journey through the torture of life to the ultimate gates of heaven. How the starving and the destitute, the diseased, sick and the lonely, all needed their help and how Rubria, along with selected others had been chosen by Vesta to serve, her and by doing so, help the needy. Soon, the memories eased and one glorious night she had been stood in her cell staring up at the dark sky through the window when the Goddess blessed her with a vision.
    The shooting star, the first she had ever seen had blazed across the heavens, radiating its fleeting glory into her cell for the briefest of moments and filling her with wonder at the bounty of the Goddess. From that moment on everything changed. The lessons became easier, the mantra’s made more sense and she embraced the glory of the Goddess with all her heart
    Not that she had forgotten her family, she often thought of them though these days with fondness and gratitude for