To follow in his father's footsteps, Gold's son will need to defeat Ariston in the arena to become champion...but Ariston might be the love of his life.

Nicolaus has lived in the shadow of his father all his life, a father who was the greatest gladiator of them all. His desire is to prove himself in the arena, even though it is against his father's wishes. He also has other desires, forbidden desires for his father's lover, and a love/hate relationship with the slave he must defeat if he is to reign victorious as a gladiator in the arena.

Ariston falls in love with Nicolaus the moment he sets eyes on him. A slave all his life, he has never known freedom but he is the unbeatable champion. The fact that Nicolaus can't decide whether to bed him or kill him greatly complicates his life when he becomes the newest addition to Gold's ludi.