Hunter: Galactic Gladiators #12

by Hackett, Anna

  Her heart slammed against her ribs. “Every man?”

  His eyes stared straight into hers. “Yes.”

  She licked her lips, need surging through her. Her brain tried to remind her that this was Tannon Gi—the humorless head of security.

  “Does that include you?” she asked softly.

  His diamond eyes flickered. “I’m not your average man, Mina. My desires…”

  “What?” When he trailed off, her overactive imagination rushed to fill in the blanks.

  “I’m possessive.”

  He was so close to her that she felt the heat coming off his body.

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Yes, it includes me.”

  Oh. Mina licked her lips and her gaze dropped to his mouth. “Are you going to kiss me?”

  “No.”

  That single word was like a bucket of cold water over her head. She frowned. “Why not?”

  “Well firstly, you’ve been hurt. You’re upset and vulnerable.”

  Mina rolled her eyes. “I feel fine. I’ve had customers hit on me before.”

  That just made his scowl deepen. “You work for me. I’m in a position of power.”

  She made a scoffing noise. “I don’t report to you. I report to Dayliss in Catering. You’re in charge of Security.”

  He stayed silent and she was pretty sure he was scrambling for another excuse.

  That’s when Mina realized that under the gruff he was hiding a good guy. One who wouldn’t take advantage of a woman. Drak, that was a refreshing change from just about every sandsucker she’d met in the desert.

  “Okay,” she said. “What if I kiss you?”

  Tannon went as still and silent as a statue.

  Gotcha. Mina went up on her knees on the couch and lifted her mouth to his. She hesitated for a second, their breath mingling. Then she pressed her lips to his. She felt his hands clench on the couch cushions behind her.

  She had no such restraint. The heat of him, the smell of him, the taste of him. She moaned into his mouth. She needed more. Pleasure rushed through her and she pressed up against him. Sinking her hands into his hair, she moaned again. So drakking good. She deepened the kiss, sliding her tongue along his.

  Then she heard fabric tear.

  Startled, she pulled back. When she glanced to the side, she saw that his hands had torn through the cushions.

  “I’ll see you home.” He rose and stepped away from her.

  “I still have another hour of work—”

  “You’re finished for tonight.”

  She sighed. She, and every employee at the Dark Nebula, knew there was no use arguing with Tannon Gi. Once the man had made up his mind, it was impossible to change it.

  “Okay.” Then a terrible thought hit her. Oh, stars. She really didn’t want Tannon to see where she lived.

  He took her arm and they walked out of his opulent suite. It was light years away from where Mina lived.

  “You don’t need to see me home. I like walking.”

  “It’s late.”

  “I do it every night.”

  “Not tonight.”

  There was no bend in his tone. She slumped against the side of the elevator. Drak.

  The elevator moved downward.

  “I forgot to tell you.” She turned to face him. “Before that guy grabbed me, I overheard some customers talking. They mentioned a private party being held here in a few days. They were talking about finding a way into it.”

  He stiffened. “Did they say what party?”

  She shook her head.

  “What did they look like?”

  “I didn’t get a look at them. From the sound of their voices, one was female, and one was male. They were near the kashla machines.”

  Tannon pulled a small communicator off his belt. “Adif, Mina mentioned overhearing some people on the casino floor talking about accessing a private party. A man and a woman who were betting on the kashla machines.”

  “I’ll take care of it, Tannon,” Adif replied.

  “Thank you.”

  Mina watched him. Must be nice to give orders and have everyone snap to attention. “This could be serious?”

  “We have a large party for the House of Galen and the House of Rone. Both houses demand the highest security for their gladiators and their mates.”

  The elevator stopped and the doors opened to reveal a parking garage. Tannon led her over to a sporty and very fancy-looking transport. She’d never seen one like it before. She trailed a hand over the shiny, black surface.

  The doors opened upward and he waved her in.

  With a sigh, Mina sank into the low-slung seat. She surreptitiously stroked the smooth fabric beneath her. Nice.

  Then Tannon slid into the driver’s seat and the engine started with a low purr.

  He backed them out, handling the car with ease. He hadn’t rolled down his sleeves, so she tried hard not to drool over his forearms. Instead, she tried to focus as he drove them up a ramp and out into the city.

  * * *

  Tannon drove down the stone-paved street, watching as Mina shifted nervously in the passenger seat beside him.

  “Here’s fine,” she said.

  His enhanced senses picked up her beating heart. He glanced out the windshield, his jaw tight. They were in a rough part of Kor Magna. It was no place for an armed soldier to be walking around, let alone a small, unarmed woman.

  “I’m walking you to your door.”

  Her eyes widened. “No, I—”

  “No arguments, Mina.”

  She muttered under her breath. “Fine. There.”

  He pulled into a parking spot in front of the old stone building she’d indicated.

  As they stepped out of the car, the wind ruffled her hair.

  “Don’t blame me if there’s nothing left of your fancy transport when you get back.”

  He touched the small fob in his pocket and activated the security system. A blue shimmer flowed over the vehicle. He knew she was just trying to get rid of him again. “Don’t worry about the transport.”

  They headed to the front door of the building, and Tannon’s jaw wound tighter and tighter. It had terrible security. As she coded herself in, he glanced around and saw several groups of people clustered around on the street. None of them looked like they were up to any good.

  Mina moved into a narrow hall. As he followed, he noted several holes in the wall and some laser scorch marks. He bared his teeth.

  She stopped in front of a door and pressed her hand to the cheap, electronic lock. “Home sweet home.”

  He suppressed a snort. A three-year-old could hack that lock. When the door swung open, he took one glance inside and his spine snapped straight. “Mina—”

  She spun, blocking the doorway. “It’s cheap. I’ll get something better once I’ve saved enough.”

  “Saved what? I’m aware that you’ve been loaning credits to Nihan who works in the kitchen.”

  She lifted her chin. “His mom is sick.”

  “And Pav in the restaurant area.”

  Mina’s eyes narrowed. “Pav’s kids need school supplies. Funnily enough, she didn’t need much since someone higher up the food chain arranged an advance on her pay.” Mina tilted her head. “Know anything about that?”

  Tannon gritted his teeth. “Pack your things.”

  Her eyes went huge. “What?”

  “You’re not staying here.”

  “Tannon!”

  “Get your things. I’ll get you a room at the Dark Nebula.”

  That stubborn chin lifted another fraction. It made Tannon want to kiss the line of her jaw and see if her skin felt as smooth as it looked.

  Drak. This woman short-circuited his brain without even trying.

  “I pay my own way,” she said.

  “Pack.”

  “No—”

  “Whatever you pay here—” he tried not to let his lip curl “—you can pay at
the Dark Nebula.”

  She made an angry noise and sliced a hand through the air. “I know exactly how expensive the rooms are at the casino. I can’t afford it.”

  “Pack. Your. Things.” He gripped her chin. “I won’t have you raped or murdered or snatched for a slave auction.”

  She stared at him, and they ended up locked in a battle of wills. But Mina Lan’Gar had to learn that Tannon’s strongest skill was his determination.

  Of course, it was Mina, so she didn’t back down. Tannon knew of no one but Rillian who ever stood up to him.

  Drak. Tannon sucked in a breath and tried to think of a way that he could convince her to come with him. There was no chance that he was leaving her here.

  “Please,” he said.

  She shifted on her feet and he detected a chink in her defenses.

  “Please don’t make me leave you here.”

  He saw her blink, then her face softened. When she sighed, he knew he had her.

  “Okay,” she said in a soft voice.

  He waited while she pulled out a battered leather case that should have been tossed in the trash years ago. It didn’t take long for her to pack her clothes. She didn’t have much stuff and it made him scowl.

  Soon, they were back at his transport. He shot a hard look at the trio of men lurking nearby, sizing him up. One glance, and the men scuttled away.

  Mina stood with her door open. “Do you scare everyone off with that scowl?”

  He raised a brow. “It doesn’t appear to work on you.”

  As they headed back to the Dark Nebula, Mina was quiet, staring out the window. His hands flexed on the transport’s controls. He wanted to know what she was thinking, feeling. He wanted to know everything about her.

  In his previous job, and now as head of security, he was well aware people hid secrets. No one ever showed their true selves. But for some reason, he wanted to know the heart of this woman.

  Back at the casino, he led her into the grand, opulent lobby. The black stone floor was threaded with strands of glittering silver.

  At the long, sleek desk, he caught the attention of one of the staff members. Spotting him, the man hurried over.

  “Sir, what can I do for you?”

  “I need a suite.”

  The man nodded, swiping on a translucent screen.

  Mina gripped Tannon’s arm. “Tannon, I need to pay my way. There must be something—”

  “It’s fine.” He glanced at the young man. “Charge it to my private account.”

  The man’s eyes widened and he sent a shocked, considering look at Mina.

  “Speed it up,” Tannon said. “I have a meeting I need to attend.”

  The man nodded, quickly tapping on his screen. A second later, he handed over a small, circular Dark Nebula chip. “There you go.”

  Tannon nodded, then grabbed Mina’s bag. He nudged her toward one of the private elevators.

  “Great,” she whispered furiously. “Now he thinks I’m sleeping with you.” She groaned. “It’ll be all over the casino’s gossip network in approximately five seconds.”

  “I don’t listen to gossip.” He held the chip to the elevator’s scanner.

  “Well, I’m not as refined and disciplined as you.” When the doors opened, she stomped in. “And I’m not the head of security. People will look at me differently.”

  The elevator started its ascent. “So, tell them the truth.”

  She snorted. “That makes gossip worse, Tannon, not better.”

  “Facts are facts.”

  She made an angry noise. “Stop talking.”

  The elevator opened directly into the suite.

  Mina’s mouth dropped open and she stepped into the room. “Wow.”

  The suite had a wonderful view of not only the District, but of the Kor Magna Arena. Its cream stone walls rose high, flags fluttering on the top.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she murmured. “So sturdy, strong. Enduring.”

  Tannon tilted his head. He hadn’t given it much thought before, but now he looked at it through her eyes, he could see what she meant.

  He dropped her bag and then stepped back into the elevator. “Get settled.”

  She whirled. “Tannon.”

  He couldn’t read her tone. He touched the elevator controls to hold the doors open.

  Mina wrapped her arms around her middle. “I didn’t feel safe before. At that apartment.”

  “You’re safe here.”

  “I know. I haven’t felt safe for a really long time. Thank you.”

  Emotions surged through Tannon. Some of them he couldn’t even identify. Mina appeared to have that effect on him, and he wasn’t sure he liked it. He needed to get away from this woman before he did something out of character.

  Like grab her and kiss her.

  There was no way he would let her think that there were strings to his offer. And there was no way he could let her peel back his defenses.

  He had good reasons for needing to shield himself from people. He never wanted her to see what he truly was.

  She walked toward him and stepped into the elevator. He got a whiff of that clean, pretty scent of hers. She went up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

  “Thanks, Tannon. You keep that nice guy pretty well hidden.”

  “I’m not nice.”

  She went back down on her feet. “Yes, you are. Most people around here figure you’re secretly a cyborg.”

  He stiffened, but didn’t respond.

  “I know better.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I know you take care of the casino workers behind the scenes. No one’s put it together—who approves pay advances, who ensures transports to take workers home late at night, who hires those who are most desperate for work.”

  Tannon shook his head. Drak.

  She pointed at him. “Nice guy.”

  “Good night, Mina.”

  “Super good, nice guy.”

  “Good night,” he said more forcefully.

  She grinned and stepped backward off the elevator. “Night.”

  Tannon released his hold on the elevator controls. His gaze stayed on Mina as the doors closed.

  Chapter Three

  “There you go.” Mina set the drinks down on the table with a smile.

  One of the customers looked up from his card game of rakarran. “Thanks, stalinka.”

  She took in his blue-gray skin, shiny, bald head, and huge, dark eyes. “What does that mean?”

  He smiled. “Beautiful star.”

  She gave him a wink and moved on to deliver her next drinks. The next two customers made her skin crawl. She’d been delivering drinks and food to them for the last few hours, but neither the man nor the woman seemed to be enjoying themselves.

  When she set their drinks down, she didn’t bother with a smile. She could be a part of the furniture for all they cared. Their heads were bent and they were talking quietly. They didn’t appear to be paying any attention to the comp screens they were gambling on.

  Then she caught a few words.

  “…the party. Need…access…security.”

  She frowned, a whisper of something moving through her. Wait. These were the guys she’d overheard yesterday.

  “Hi, there.” Smiling brightly, she pushed the drinks closer to them.

  Both of them looked up at her, and cold, flat gazes hit her. They were both humanoid. The man was big—his bulging arms looked like they could bench press a starship. He had greasy black hair and a small set of brown horns. The woman was…nondescript. Average height, average weight, with plain brown hair and brown skin. She looked like she was good at fading into the background, except for the black ink on her neck. The tattoo looked like two suns rising over a flat horizon.

  Mina cocked her head, giving them her friendliest look.

  Neither of them reacted. “We don’t need anything else,” the woman growled.

  “Sure thing.” Mina lifted her small order screen, tapping on i
t like she was completely engrossed in her work. Carefully, she scanned around for any of the security team.

  She hadn’t seen Tannon today. She’d been keeping an eye out for him. One, because apparently, she had a serious weakness for gruff, serious men. And two, because she wanted to tell him that she’d slept incredibly well. The best sleep she’d had in a long time. The bed had felt like a soft cloud beneath her.

  She was still adjusting to sleeping during the day. She usually worked from early evening to the wee hours of the morning, then slept until lunch time. But sleep had been proving pretty elusive lately. Her sleep was marred by terrible nightmares she could never quite remember.

  Again, she scanned the casino floor, hoping to see his broad shoulders. Drak, he left her confused. He made her want things she’d never wanted before.

  Mina couldn’t remember wanting any man the way she wanted him. In the desert, men usually meant servitude. Now she was free. She felt a dull throb in her head. Ugh. The last thing she needed was a headache.

  “Everything’s on schedule,” the big man said to the woman.

  Mina’s ears pricked up and she shifted a little closer.

  “We need a casino ID. Security’s too tight for us to sneak in. That drakking assassin that runs the security never sleeps.”

  Assassin? Were they talking about Tannon? And was this about the House of Galen and House of Rone party?

  Suddenly, the man lifted his head and looked at her. She forced a smile. “Can I get you anything else?”

  “Told you before, nothing.”

  Ouch, if a voice could cut, she’d be bleeding. “Sure? Another drink? Something to eat?”

  He scowled. “No. Now, go.”

  With a nod, Mina hurried off. She was more than glad to get away from them. She pushed through the crowd, tucking her empty tray close. She needed to find Tannon and tell him what she’d overheard.

  She knew he was busy working on the security plan for the gladiator party. Maybe she needed to head up to the security office. She’d never been up there before.

  Before she’d gotten half way across the main casino floor, she sensed a ripple through the crowd. She turned and heard a commotion nearby—loud voices and shouts.

  She bumped into another waitress, who had long, black curls that reached past her waist. “Karla, what’s happening?”