<DIV><P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">When two prostitutes are found with their bodies ripped open and their right eyes gouged out, it is widely feared that a notorious killer, the Nefandus, has returned to the streets of Rome. Rumored to be an former imperial officer, he once waged bloody murder amongst Rome's prostitutes but vanished before his identity could be discovered. Has he reappeared, or is someone working in his guise? Desperate to retain order, the Empress Helena turns to her most trusted agent, Claudia, to discover the truth behind the Nefandus before the city descends further into chaos and confusion.</P></DIV>