by Anna Hackett
He closed his eyes. In his head, he was back in the cave with Saff. Both of them submerged in the cool water as he slid inside her tight body.
“Drak,” a male voice said.
Blaine frowned. That wasn’t right. That wasn’t part of his fantasy.
He heard the snorts of beasts and the murmur of voices. He forced his heavy eyelids open, and saw the face of Galen, with his black patch over one eye.
Behind the imperator was a cluster of tarnids, as well as an armored desert vehicle hovering just above the ground.
Suddenly, Raiden was there, kneeling in front of Blaine, the tattooed gladiator holding up a water bladder to Blaine’s lips. As the water slid down his throat, he gulped it as fast as he could.
Nero appeared, taking Winter from Blaine’s arms. “I’ll take care of her.”
Blaine managed a nod. “Saff.” He looked up at Galen’s icy-blue gaze. “They have Saff.”
Galen’s face hardened. “A mistake I’m sure she’ll make them regret.”
“They have her locked up.” Blaine pushed the water away, his stomach protesting. “They are taking her to Zaabha.” He heard sharp intakes of breath all around him.
“Zaabha doesn’t exist,” Galen said.
“It’s real.” Blaine struggled to get up. Kace and Harper appeared, and gripped his arms. He stood, hating that he felt so weak. “They were stopping at a trading post for the night, then going on to Zaabha.”
The imperator cursed. “Rishyk is the closest trading post.”
Harper patted Blaine’s arm. “Glad you’re okay.”
He wasn’t. He wouldn’t be, until Saff was free. He turned his head and caught Kace’s gaze. He saw the concern in Saff’s fight partner’s eyes.
“We have to get to her,” Blaine said.
“I will,” Kace answered. “You’re in no shape—”
“She’s mine.” The sharp words fell between them. “I left her there, and I have to get her back.”
Galen pressed a hand to the back of his neck and muttered a curse. “Stubborn asses who fall in love.” He shook his head. “You need a stimulant to keep you on your feet, Blaine. You okay with that?”
This time Blaine didn’t hesitate. It wasn’t the same as the drugs the Srinar had used. It wasn’t the drugs he’d been addicted to and fought to be free of. And right now, he’d do anything to rescue Saff.
“Do it.” He gritted his teeth, as Lore brought the shot and jabbed it into Blaine’s bicep. He instantly felt the energy wash through him, chasing out his exhaustion. “How’s Winter?”
Not far away, he saw Winter sitting with Nero in the vehicle, conscious, and taking small sips of water that the big gladiator held to her lips. She looked so small, held in Nero’s bulging arms.
Nero nodded. “She’s weak, but she’ll recover.”
“Someone needs to take Winter back to Kor Magna,” Galen said.
“No.” The woman’s voice was quiet but firm. “You’ll lose a fighter, and you’ll need them all to rescue Saff.”
“You’re too weak,” Nero grumbled. “You’re a liability.”
The small woman turned a glare up at him, the effect not diluted by her milky-white eyes. “I’ll stay out of your way. You’ll need everyone to get in and find Saff, and Dayna, and Mia.”
“They were with you?” Galen asked.
Winter nodded. “We were separated into different convoys heading to Zaabha. They’re out here, somewhere.”
Galen nodded. “Okay. Winter will ride with Nero. Blaine, you take that tarnid.” He pointed to one of the large beasts. “Let’s move out.”
Chapter Thirteen
Dark was falling when the convoy reached the Rishyk Trading Post.
In the growing gloom, Saff couldn’t see very much of the place, but she took note of vertical rock walls rising up—colored in bands of cream, red, and black. She also saw plenty of fences made from bones, and cages stacked high. All around the enclosure, torches had been lit, and the hides of skinned animals hung to dry, desert insects buzzing around them.
The snorts, howls, and yips of different animals echoed into the night. As she stared at the huge bones that had been used as fence posts, she couldn’t even imagine what beast they’d come from. She knew she really didn’t want to meet a live one.
As their convoy jerked to a halt, she saw rows of cages stacked three high. They were filled with women.
Soon, guards started offloading the cages, and stacking them with the others. As her cage was moved, she looked upward. Through the bars, she saw the stars overhead.
All of a sudden, her cage lurched, and one end hit the ground. She tumbled, slamming against the bars. One of the bars was damaged and she felt the stab of metal in her side.
“Watch it, Mrat,” the other guard snapped.
“It slipped. This one is heavy.”
Her cage was righted, and she was slid into place with the other cages.
“When we reach Zaabha, they’ll make us fight, and we’ll die.”
The defeated voice made Saff look through to the cage neighboring hers. A tough-looking alien woman sat there, her green hair falling to her waist. It was matted and ratty. Her skin was a paler green covering a flat chest, and had a faint scale pattern. Despair wafted off her.
Saff took a few deep breaths. She’d been here before, locked up and forced to fight. She’d survived and she would again. “So we’ll fight.”
The other woman shook her head. “The Zaabha crowds are bloodthirsty. Vicious.” The woman’s voice wavered. “And there is a brutal champion. A woman with no mercy.”
Saff took another deep breath of the warm desert air. “I’ll bow before no champion.” She was Saff Essikani, best net fighter in the Kor Magna Arena. She wouldn’t forget that.
But as she settled in, listening to the sounds of the trading post—raucous laughter in the distance, the sobs of women in the cages, and the snorts of restless beasts—she felt so alone. She missed her team, her friends, Blaine.
She was once again alone…but this time, she was no longer a frightened child.
She shifted, and felt a flare of pain in her side. Touching her hip, she found a tear in the leather of her dress, and a sticky spot that had to be blood. Drak. She probed the wound. Not bad. It could wait.
Her thoughts turned to Blaine and Winter. She hoped they’d gotten away and were safe. Saff dragged her knees up to her chest. She knew the desert could be unforgiving. Blaine had made the right decision to leave and protect Winter. He’d done what Saff had demanded…but drak, she hated being left alone in this cage.
She rubbed her cheek on her knee. Enough of the self-pity. If Blaine had made it back to Galen and the others, they would come for her.
She wasn’t really alone. She closed her eyes and thought of Blaine’s touch. All the things they’d done to each other by that little pool in the cave. It was so easy to remember the feel of him moving inside her, especially when she still felt the faint twinges of their energetic loving.
Blaine would come for her. She knew it in her heart.
But as she studied the long line of cages, she realized that he might be too late. If they left in the morning and arrived at Zaabha, he might not find her.
She straightened her legs. Enough. It was drakking time to rescue herself.
She moved over to the bar that had been damaged in the fall, carefully exploring it with her fingertips. The bone part was still intact, but the metal part had splintered. She poked at it, gently prying off a thin sliver of metal. She held it up in the dim torchlight, studying it. This might work. Moving to the door, she stuck the sliver in the lock, and set to work trying to pick it.
“What are you doing?” The alien woman murmured frantically from beside her.
“I’m leaving.”
“There’s nowhere to go. The desert night beasts will eat you alive. And in the daytime, the suns will bake you.”
“I’ll take my chances.”
With a quiet click,
her cell door swung open.
Elation rocketed through her. Carefully, Saff climbed out, stretching her aching muscles. Then she moved over and quickly picked the woman’s lock.
“It’s your choice,” Saff said.
She looked at the other cages, and wished she could risk freeing everybody. But if she did, it was much less likely that any of them would manage to get away. They’d likely all end up back in the cages. She swore to herself that she would find a way to come back and free all of these poor women.
In a crouch, she hurried over to one of the fences. Inside the partition, several animals were pacing around. Some sort of hunting cats, by the look of them. She snapped a large piece of bone off the fence. She hefted it, testing its weight. It wasn’t much of a weapon, but it would have to do.
Spinning, she snuck away into the darkness.
***
Nero
Nero held Winter in his arms as they traveled on the tarnid. Night was falling, and he was eager to get to the trading post. He knew that the open desert was the favorite hunting ground of the night beasts.
He looked down at the sleeping woman in his arms. She’d fallen asleep a while back, slumping back against him. He tightened his arms around her and sniffed. She was so slight, so delicate.
Women on his world of Symeria were almost as big as the males. Strength was prized, and sickly, small babies didn’t survive the planet’s harsh climes.
Winter shivered, and he reached in his saddlebags and pulled out his fur cloak. He wrapped it around her, and saw her slender fingers reach out to stroke the soft, gray fur.
“Thank you,” she said quietly. She tipped her head up, and his gaze dropped to her sweet smile and that terrible white film over her useless eyes. “It smells like you.”
He grunted, guessing that her lack of vision had enhanced her other senses. “You should have returned to Kor Magna.”
Her smile disappeared. “Did you want to miss the mission?”
No, he didn’t. Nero wanted blood, and he wanted Saff back. They had to right the wrong of the attack on the House of Galen, and the abduction of the human women who’d been stolen from them.
On his world, a barbarian warlord was required to show his strength and protect his people.
“You can stash me somewhere when we reach the trading post,” Winter said.
He frowned, disliking the idea of her huddled alone in the darkness with no protection. “You shouldn’t be here.”
She stiffened. “Because I’m blind? Useless?”
On Symeria, she would be considered inadequate, weak, a hindrance. “Yes. You’re small, lacking in strength, and without sight, you can’t add value.”
She sucked in a shocked breath. “And you’re an asshole.”
There was a bite to her voice that made him raise a brow. “On my world, the small and weak don’t survive. They are a burden.”
She shot him a fierce look. “A barbarian world, right?” She snorted. “I’m not surprised you’re so unenlightened.”
Nero frowned. The bite in her voice had turned razor sharp.
“You prize physical strength above all else. No matter what someone has to offer.”
“My world has always needed strength. It has a harsh environment.”
Winter turned to look ahead, even though he knew her damaged eyes couldn’t see the vista before them. “Do you know what I did before the Thraxians stole me, experimented on me, and blinded me? Before they made me a burden?”
Nero felt the lick of an uncomfortable emotion. “No.”
“I was a doctor.”
A healer. He hadn’t known that. He’d looked at her and just seen her delicate bone structure and lack of sight.
But he’d always been honest with himself. He’d also noticed her stubborn chin, pale skin, and inky-black hair.
“Save your arrogant views, barbarian. I don’t have time for idiots who are all brawn and no brains.”
Nero stiffened, but stayed silent. Maddening Earth woman. Regardless of her thoughts, she was a member of the House of Galen now. He’d protect her, whether she wanted it or not. And whether she liked him or not was irrelevant.
***
Blaine and the others moved into the mouth of the rocky canyon. Sharp cliffs rose on either side of them, and ahead, he saw a faint glow. The trading post.
I’m coming, Saff. They were almost there. Their plan was to sneak into the trading post, locate Saff, and search for any hint of Dayna and Mia. Preferably, they’d avoid a confrontation.
Blaine scowled into the darkness. It was a shame. He wanted to spill some blood.
Suddenly, Nero jerked his tarnid to a halt. The big man scanned the darkness around them. “Something’s hunting us.”
Blaine drew his sword, turning in the saddle. He saw Winter, stiff and wide-eyed, in the circle of Nero’s arms, a fur cloak around her shoulders.
The other gladiators closed in, drawing their weapons.
“What is it?” Galen asked.
Nero shook his head. “Not sure. Something big.”
Blaine couldn’t hear or sense anything. “You’re sure?”
“Nero’s the best tracker I’ve seen, and also an experienced hunter,” Lore said. “If he says something’s out there, he’s right.”
Blaine searched the darkness again, but still didn’t see anything. He caught Harper’s gaze, and the woman gave a slight shake of her head.
Then Blaine caught a glimpse of movement in the darkness, off to the side. Something big. He straightened in his saddle. “There—”
The gladiators all swiveled, and Harper lifted the burning torch she held.
Suddenly, a masculine shout broke the tension, followed by a high-pitched, feminine scream.
They all spun.
Blaine saw the giant black creature leap out of the darkness and slam into Nero and Winter. The animal knocked the pair off their tarnid. Nero curled his body around Winter as they fell.
Fuck. Blaine slid off his tarnid and ran toward them, Harper and Raiden flanking him. Somewhere in the darkness, he heard Galen shouting.
On the ground, Winter was screaming. Blaine knew that the blind woman must be frantic, unable to see what was attacking her.
Blaine spotted the large, lizard-like creature. It had sharp fangs locked into the fur that was wrapped around Winter, dragging her away. There was no sign of Nero.
Together, the House of Galen gladiators ran forward. The lizard looked up, hissing at them. Then Nero charged out of the shadows, hefting an axe. He hacked at the creature.
The others surrounded it, backing up Nero. Blaine jabbed at the beast with his sword, while the others stabbed and sliced.
Nero ducked in, grabbed Winter, and wrenched the woman free. She was trembling, clutching at Nero’s shoulders.
He scooped her close to his chest. “I have you.”
Galen stepped closer to the lizard, striking it through the neck. It was a killing blow. The lizard dropped to the ground, green blood flowing onto the sand. Its scales shone darkly under the torchlight.
“Ugly thing.” Thorin hefted his axe over his shoulder, and gave the creature a kick.
Galen moved toward his agitated tarnid, tugging on the reins to calm the beast. “Let’s keep moving, before anything else tries to eat us for dinner.”
They moved onward and not long after, the glow of the trading post grew in intensity. They left their tarnids hidden amongst some rocks with Winter.
“You’re sure you’ll be okay?” Harper asked.
Winter nodded. “I survived a giant-lizard attack. I’ll be fine.” She lifted a slim shoulder. “Besides, I don’t mind the dark. I’m always in the dark.”
Blaine hated leaving her, but was eager to get to Saff. Surprisingly, he saw Nero was reluctant to leave Winter, too, but the way the woman blatantly ignored the big gladiator made him wonder what had transpired between the two of them.
Their group rounded a turn in the canyon and crouched down. Blaine squint
ed against the glow of the burning torches ahead, and stared at the rough, stone buildings of the trading post. A bone fence circled the settlement.
He also saw the stacked cages, and his jaw tightened.
“Looks like everyone is sleeping,” Galen murmured. “Split up. Search for Saff, and any sign of Dayna and Mia. Let’s try not to gain anyone’s attention, unless we have to.”
Blaine felt a focused sensation flow over him. He ran ahead, darting through the shadows, making his way toward the cages.
Suddenly, a Srinar guard rounded a corner. The man’s single eye widened, his mouth opening to alert the others.
Blaine leaped on him, dragging him to the ground and out of view of anybody else. He pressed his knee hard against the man’s throat, listening to his harsh sounds as he fought for air.
“My woman—dark skin with braided hair. She’s a fighter. Where is she?”
The guard gurgled.
Blaine eased off a little, lifting his sword and pressing the tip to the man’s neck until blood ran down his skin.
“Shout for help and you die.” He pressed harder. “Where is she?”
“Cages at the back. Near the end.”
Blaine nodded, lifted his sword, and slammed the hilt into the man’s temple. Blaine got to his feet and raced down the line of cages. So many women. Some were asleep, while others sobbed quietly in the darkness. The blood in his veins turned to ice. He knew he couldn’t leave them here.
Finally, he reached the end of the cages. He passed one that held a green-haired woman, and stopped at the next one.
His chest constricted to a tight ball.
It was empty.
Chapter Fourteen
Saff crept through the darkness, making a silent vow to come back to the trading post and free the other women.
But first, she needed to escape.
She touched the wound on her side, and realized she was bleeding more heavily than she thought. Drak. She was starting to feel light-headed.
She wouldn’t survive long once the suns came up if she was already feeling weak. She leaned against a rock wall to rest for a second. She needed an animal to ride out of here. She wouldn’t get far on foot.