Rogue: Survivor’s Heart book 1: Planet Athion

by Cassidy, Debbie

  They glanced across at me as I entered, and Jurak, their unofficial ringleader, even smiled. Shame it was more of an I’ll-get-you-next-time-my-pretty smile. But heck, I’d take what I could. The smile dropped when Marlon broke away from our group and sauntered over to them. The Athion was huge, a mammoth compared to the three Trads. His long black hair was braided and fell down his back. When in the pit, he coiled it around his head to prevent the opponent from using it against him. I’d asked him once why he didn’t just cut it off, and he’d explained that it was a symbol of his tribe, a thing of pride, and to cut it would be to dishonor his people.

  I turned away as Marlon reached the trio, but Killion kept his attention on them, his body tense. There hadn’t been any altercations between the housemates for several weeks, but who knew when the Trads would lose their heads again. They were an aggressive trio, even though Marlon insisted they weren’t necessarily an aggressive species. But heck, this place was enough to bring out the monster in anyone.

  Anton wiped the perspiration from his brow and looked up inquisitively at me. “What’s up?”

  His warm brown eyes were filled with concern.

  I shrugged. “We’re fighting Zantar later this week.”

  He cursed softly and ran a hand over his bald head. Unlike Marlon, Anton had no issues shaving his hair off. It gave him a dangerous air, even though I knew he was a total teddy bear. Over the past three months, we’d fallen into an easy camaraderie, which of late had turned into light flirting. Being around Anton took the edge off this place. Being around him made it easy to pretend this was just some kind of crazy retreat, that once our stint here was over, we’d be able to walk off, hand in hand, back to the real world.

  “It’ll be four on four,” Anton said. “We just keep you off the grid for this one.”

  If only. “Marick made it clear I’d be in the pit.”

  Marlon’s hands fell on my shoulders from behind. “In that case, we train hard, and we get ready to kick some Pack ass. The trio are on board too.”

  The next two hours were taken up with the weights, sparring, and then the treadmill. By the time we hit the steam baths my body was ready to be soaked to hell.

  There was no privacy here, and the first couple of weeks had felt like hell, but the guys had jumped in and provided a barrier. They’d kept the trio off my back and given me the time I needed to adjust. I’d been in the arena. I’d held my own, and my body … It was nothing more than a weapon now. One I kept in working order by training.

  Showering beside the guys didn’t freak me out like it used to. And soaking with them in what was essentially a huge, pool-size jacuzzi didn’t bother me either. It would be the high life if we were allowed to leave, but a cage was a cage no matter how many creature comforts you threw into it.

  We sat on the bench, submerged to our shoulders in the frothing hot water, and closed our eyes.

  “How many days until the match, do you think?” Killion asked from his spot opposite Anton and me.

  “The longer, the better,” Anton replied.

  I sighed. “I just want to get it over with.”

  Marlon was silent, his expression musing.

  We were all wondering the same thing, wondering if I’d be here after the match. The house may be divided, but in the arena, we worked together—Trads and all. I’d fought alongside the trio against House Axar, and we’d beaten them. It was highly possible I’d be sent in with them again. It was always four against four. Or at least it had been since I’d been in residence. Although I’d prefer to be in the arena with Marlon, Killion, and Anton, there was no denying that the trio would probably give me better odds of winning. Marlon was on par with the Trads in terms of strength and agility, and Killion and Anton were skilled fighters, making up for their lack of power with technique. Anton had studied martial arts on Earth, and Killion had boxed professionally in his past life. But the Pack was a different beast. They were brutal and coordinated, and I wasn’t sure the human men would be able to hold their own for as long as we needed against them.

  But this wasn’t something I needed to voice. All it would do was offend, sow doubt, or both. There was nothing to do but wait for the match and take it from there. Anton, who was seated beside me, leaned in so his shoulder brushed mine.

  “I think maybe the lovebirds could do with a little privacy?”

  Sure enough, Marlon and Killion were doing the eyeing-each-other-up thing. They’d shifted close, and even though they were wreathed in steam and at least a meter away on the opposite side of the pool, it was obvious what was about to go down. There was definitely some action happening beneath the water. A wave of heat washed over me—desire, want, need. How long had it been since I’d been touched with consensual passion? How long since I’d wanted to be touched? This was a new bloom, one that had died out for a while. But as my body changed, my desires intensified; it was a cycle every few weeks. And it seemed like one was coming on now.

  “Rogue? Are you okay?”

  Rogue … The name they’d given me after my first match in the pit. But the way he said it, soft and tentative and filled with genuine concern, made it hard not to want to claim it completely. I turned to look at him, not bothering to hide the desire in my eyes, and a stab of satisfaction shot through me at the heat that flared in his. Yes, it would be easy to straddle him, to take him inside me and ride out the tension that was simmering in my veins, and from the look he was giving me, he’d be happy to oblige, and if I’d been sure that it would end at just sex, then I’d have taken what I needed.

  But Anton meant more to me than just sex. He was my friend and my anchor in this crazy, fucked-up situation. In this prison where death could claim either of us at any time, being with Anton made me feel safe, it allowed me to dream of the possibility of an afterward. Sex would introduce complications, intensity, and confusion. It would introduce fear of discovery and fear of loss.

  “Rogue?” It was a question on so many levels.

  I lowered my lids and smiled. “Yeah, we should give them some privacy.”

  He blew out a breath and tucked in his chin. “Right. I’ll go first.”

  He climbed out, offering me an unobstructed view of his broad shoulders and muscled back, which tapered down to slender hips and a delectable ass. Yep, the man had an ass any woman would love to get her hands on.

  He paused to glance over his shoulder, his brown eyes twinkling knowingly. “Had a good look?”

  I cleared my throat and averted my gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  He walked away with a chuckle that reverberated through me, and a moment later I followed. “Have fun, guys!”

  But Marlon and Killion were already too busy to respond.

  Anton was partially dressed by the time I caught up to him in the changing room. He passed me my clothes and turned his back to give me privacy. I dressed quickly, and we headed back toward our rooms. It would be lockdown soon, and then the gruel would be delivered. After that, we would be confined to our cells till the next day. Thank goodness our cells were close enough for us to converse through the barred sections of our doors.

  We came abreast of Anton’s cell, but he didn’t stop; he continued walking me to my cell.

  “Very gentlemanly of you.” I stepped over the threshold. “But don’t expect me to invite you in for coffee.”

  He grinned and leaned against the frame, his shirt stretched tight across his chest hugging his taut biceps. “How about tomorrow? I know this great little Italian place,” he played along.

  I bit back a smile. “It’s a date.”

  He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my temple. “Speak later, Rogue.”

  I breathed him in, resisting the temptation to wrap him in a hug. “Later.”

  He backed up, his attention on my face, and then turned and walked away. I exhaled sharply and then flopped down on my bunk and closed my eyes, allowing the sexual tension to drain out of me.

  There was no room for
it here. Long minutes passed, and then a shadow fell over me. My body tensed as it acknowledged the unwanted presence.

  I’d know that scent anywhere, sharp and almost acidic. Jurak. “Do they not have manners on your shitty planet?”

  “We need to talk,” Jurak said.

  I opened my eyes and sat up. “Unless you’re about to tell me you’re off to fuck yourself, I’m not interested.”

  The Trad glared at me, his jaw working, and I offered him a mirthless close-lipped smile.

  “We have our differences, but we need to work together.”

  “Differences? You tried to rape me.”

  His tongue flicked out to swipe along his bottom lip. “Things can get muddled in here. Emotions can get heightened.”

  Was he seriously trying to justify rape? I took a deep breath and stared up at him. “You know what else can happen when emotions get heightened?” I stood to face him, hands curling into fists. “Noses can get broken, and scrotums can get busted.”

  He took a step back, his chin tucked in. “It’s not normal.” He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, and when he opened them, his pupils were dilated. I noted a sheen of perspiration on his forehead. “The heightened emotions. They weren’t always there. At least I don’t think they were. I was a librarian once.”

  “What are you trying to say?”

  He shook his head, looking suddenly disorientated. “I don’t know. But it comes and goes, the rage and the need.” His gaze ran over me, but whereas in the training room it had felt invasive, right now it was innocuous and almost clinical. “We need to win, and we need to work together to do it.”

  I crossed my arms. “I know that.”

  “Good.” He backed out of my room. “It’s better, though, at this time of day.”

  “What?”

  “The chaos is calmer.”

  He wasn’t making any sense, but I nodded anyway, just wanting him gone.

  And then a hand fell on his shoulder, and Marlon yanked him out of my cell. Jurak stumbled back and landed on his ass.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Marlon towered over the Trad. “I made it clear, you go near her and I will break your face.”

  “It’s okay.” I came up behind Marlon. “He didn’t try anything, and he was just leaving.”

  Jurak rose to his feet and strode off without a backward glance.

  “What was that?” Anton joined us in the corridor.

  I shook my head. “Honestly, I have no idea.”

  A buzzer sounded.

  Time was up, and we needed to get back in our cells. With a final concerned look, Marlon headed for his cell.

  “We’ll talk later,” Anton said before jogging back to his.

  I stepped back into mine as the door began to trundle closed. Only one crazy Trad had tried remaining outside of his cell after the buzzer, and he’d fried for his efforts. Not a pretty sight.

  The main doors to the corridor opened with a beep. It was time for the gruel, and my stomach rumbled in anticipation. Time to fuel up, because I was going to need every ounce of energy to save my life.

  3

  “You awake, Rogue?” Anton’s voice drifted in through the bars to my cell.

  “No, I’m fast asleep.”

  He chuckled. “What did Jurak say to you earlier.”

  “Nothing much. He just wanted to reiterate the fact that we needed to work together in the arena.”

  “I don’t trust them … Any of them.”

  He was referring to the Trads, of course, and who could blame him. They were the reason we were here, after all. But something about Jurak today, something in his eyes, had been different, almost too calm and desolate. Yes, desolate. Up until now, I’d seen only fire and desire and rage. But today there’d been guilt and sorrow in the dark blue depths of his eyes.

  “He was acting strange, though.”

  “Strange how?”

  “I can’t explain it. Just not like a total psychopath.”

  “They’re all psychopaths. Kidnapping, murdering bastards.”

  “Here, here,” Killion chimed in.

  Thank God the trio weren’t on this corridor, otherwise, they’d have something to say. Not that it mattered what they thought.

  “Marlon? You awake?”

  Silence greeted us.

  “Sleeping beauty knackered himself out earlier,” Killion said, swallowing a yawn. “But it was so worth it.” He gave a dirty chuckle and then fell into silence.

  Long minutes ticked by, and my eyes grew heavy. But then Anton’s soft voice filtered through the darkness.

  “It will be all right, Rogue. I promise it will be all right.”

  And in that moment between wakefulness and sleep, I believed him.

  * * *

  My stomach was churning as I waited for the doors to open the next morning. No idea why, because it was the same shit, just a different day, and if we were fighting, we’d have been notified first thing in the morning. But something felt off, something was about to happen.

  “Open already,” Marlon drawled from his cell.

  He was right, the doors should be open by now.

  “Something’s wrong,” Anton called out.

  Long minutes ticked by, probably a half hour longer than usual—my body clock was pretty spot-on when it came to the routine here.

  “Hey!” Killion called out. “What the fuck? Let us out.”

  My pulse picked up. What if something had gone wrong out there? What if we were stuck here in these cells? Panic coursed hot through my veins and then the whirr and sliding grate of the outer doors filled the corridor outside my cell. Boot falls echoed down the corridor, and then figures appeared in my line of vision. Guards dressed in gray escorting a larger figure dressed in black. I caught a flash of his hair, silver threaded with pale blue, and the chiseled plane of his dark blue cheek as they propelled him toward the cell opposite mine—the one that had been empty since forever. He was larger than them by half a head, and these were Trad guards. Yes, the Athion was huge enough to rival Marlon’s stature, and just before they shoved him into what would be his home for the rest of his life, he turned his head to look my way, and I caught a glimpse of pale blue eyes set against indigo skin that seemed to shimmer. My breath caught in my throat, because damn, he was beautiful. His eyes widened a fraction, and then he was blocked from view by the guards. They stepped back a moment later, and the doors to the new Athion’s cell slid closed. The guards walked away, and the Athion stepped up to the barred window.

  “Hi, you been here long?” he asked amiably.

  Seriously? Did he think this was a bloody resort or something?

  “Hey?” Anton called out. “Don’t talk to her. You don’t get to talk to her.”

  The Athion turned his head toward Anton’s cell. “Why not?”

  “Because we say so,” Marlon said.

  The Athion looked to Marlon’s cell, a slight smile on his face. “Good to see a fellow Athion on the team. So, how long have you been here?”

  “Long enough to know not to trust anyone until they’ve proven themselves,” Marlon replied.

  “And what does one need to do to gain your trust?”

  “Keep your attentions to yourself,” Anton replied. “Rogue is off limits.”

  He focused on me again, his pale blue eyes almost eerie as he scanned my face. “Rogue, nice. I’m Xavier. It’s nice to meet you all.”

  Xavier. It was a nice name, and if only I could tear my gaze from his face, but my eyes had other ideas, lingering on the curve of his jaw and brushing over his mischievous lips. He had a clever face, inquisitive eyes, and a mouth that I imagined would quirk easily into a smile.

  Yeah, that spark would be gone soon.

  “How did they get you?” Anton asked the question we were all wondering.

  Xavier shrugged. “My shuttle crashed on this godforsaken rock, and then suddenly I was surrounded by Trads. Didn’t even know the damn asteroid was occupied. Mining?�
��

  “Yeah,” Marlon said. “Among other things.”

  “Other things?”

  Oh, man. He had no idea.

  “They won’t be using you for mining. You’re here because you’ll make good entertainment.”

  He frowned. “What kind of entertainment?”

  “The kind where you get to bleed.” I watched as comprehension rippled across his features. “You belong to House Ryker now.”

  The buzzer went off to indicate the doors would be opening, but Xavier didn’t even flinch, and then the doors were sliding open, and we were free.

  Marlon was the first out, and he came to stand beside me, his attention on the new arrival. “You want to know what you’ve landed in, then come with us. We’ll fill you in, and if you keep your eyes in your head and your hands to yourself, then we may even let you hang out with the cool kids.”

  Xavier arched a brow. “Where to?”

  Anton appeared to my left. “This way, new boy.”

  But Xavier had his attention on me again. “After you,” he said.

  I smirked and followed Anton to the training room, leaving Marlon to escort Xavier.

  * * *

  Jurak and his buddies hadn’t arrived at the training room when we got there, and so we congregated around the weight benches. Xavier took a seat on one, while Marlon and Killion perched on the other. Anton hovered by the brace that would house the bar, and I leaned against the pulley machine. Marlon did the talking, filling Xavier in on Vesper and its dynamic, and when he was done Xavier ran a hand over his face.

  “So, they make you fight for entertainment and to settle disputes?” Xavier shook his head. “Kidnappees and criminals and unfortunate crashers.” He made a soft tutting sound. “Looks like I chose the worst place to land.”

  “What were you doing in the shuttle in this part of the galaxy so far from Athion?” Marlon asked.

  Xavier winced. “Things I probably shouldn’t have been.”

  Marlon’s eyes narrowed. “You’re a Snitch?”

  Xavier grinned wide, showcasing even wide teeth and slightly elongated canines that gave him a debonair air. “I prefer to call myself a procurement specialist.”