by Anna Hackett
Just looking at her made his chest tighten.
Galen leaned back in his chair. “Zhim recognized the coin. It is an invitation into the underground fight rings. You need to show it in order to get through the door.”
“Okay, but does that help us find the door in?”
Galen shook his head.
Drak. “And the term Talos?”
Again, Galen shook his head. “Nothing yet.”
Kace dragged in a deep breath.
“How’s Rory?” Galen asked.
“She’s tough.” Yes. She was tough. She was also the most infuriating and fascinating woman he’d ever known. She left him so conflicted. He was drowning in all these unfamiliar emotions. Emotions he didn’t usually feel, emotions he could usually control.
“She’s training with Harper,” Galen said.
Kace nodded. She was surrounded by gladiators, in the heart of the House of Galen. She was safe, and that was all that mattered to Kace.
“We need to find out why the Thraxians want her dead, G.” Kace’s hands curled into fists. “They—”
Boom.
Both men froze. Kace grabbed the edge of the desk as the walls and floor shook.
What the hell?
Galen shot to his feet, and both of them rushed to look down into the training arena.
Kace’s heart stopped. A fire raged in the center of the arena.
Without a word, Kace and Galen both broke into a sprint. They charged out the door and down the corridor, heading into the training arena.
Seconds later, Kace broke out onto the sand, three steps ahead of Galen. Gladiators and new recruits milled around the arena, confused and disoriented, some with blood running down their faces and chests. A few lay on the ground with terrible injuries, while those still standing helped the wounded.
In an instant, he shoved the thoughts about his fellow House mates away, and focused on the center of the arena. A giant, circular, wall of red and gold flames rose up, more than twice his own height. Harper and Raiden stood near it, their attention on Rory.
Rory was trapped in the center of the flames with her new pet huddled by her side.
Rory. Kace charged forward.
“No, Kace—” Galen yelled behind him.
Kace ignored his imperator and raced toward the wall of flames. As he passed a weapons rack, he snatched up a metallic band. He slammed the band onto his wrist, never losing speed, and with a shake and a thought, the tarion energy shield extended in front of him.
He leaped through the wall of flames.
The shield took the brunt of the heat, but he still felt the lick of fire on his skin. A second later, he cleared the flames and rolled across the sand.
He jumped to his feet and grabbed Rory. “Are you hurt?”
She had a dazed look in her eyes, but she was on her feet. One side of her face was covered in burns, but she shook her head. “I can’t hear you!” she yelled loudly, tapping her ear.
He pulled her in against his chest, trying not to crush her with the strength of his hold. She was alive, and he wanted to hold her as tight as he could and never let go.
“That damn pet jumped on top of me,” she shouted again.
Kace glanced down the mechanical pet. One of its flanks was singed black, and a little dented. Its tongue lolled out.
“Then it has my eternal gratitude,” Kace said.
When Rory snuggled into him, her hands gripping him, he pulled her even closer.
“Glad you’re here, gladiator.”
He was glad she was alive. Through the flames, he could see Galen and Raiden directing others to get water onto the inferno.
“I’m…feeling a little woozy.” Her face had turned pale, her freckles standing out starkly on the patches of skin that weren’t burned.
Kace stared at the fire again. It would take too long for them to put it out. Rory needed the healers now.
He bent and scooped her into his arms. He held up his wrist and the tarion extended again. He let out a sharp whistle to the dog, and then ran. He curled around Rory as he jumped back through the wall of fire.
The others surrounded them in an instant.
“Is she okay?” Harper demanded.
Kace held Rory tight. “She’s alive. A little singed.”
“I’m fine.” With her hearing affected, Rory was still shouting. Her dog wormed through the group and plonked himself down by Rory’s feet.
Kace looked at Raiden. “What the hell happened?”
“There was an explosive set under the sand in the center of the arena,” Raiden said. “Right beneath the net training area.”
“Luckily, I have a temper,” Rory said loudly. “I threw a fit when my aim was off. I tossed a second net device on the sand in disgust and it triggered something.”
So it was pure luck that she hadn’t been killed. Kace’s hands began to shake. There was no doubt in his mind that the explosive had been set to kill her.
“She needs the healers,” Kace said, keeping his voice as measured as he could. “I’ll take care of her.” He sent his imperator a hard look. And protect her.
Galen nodded. “We’ll investigate what happened here.” His icy gaze swept the training arena. “If we have a traitor in the House of Galen, they will be found…and dealt with.”
“Someone take care of Hero,” Rory shouted.
“Who?” Kace frowned down at her.
“My dog.”
Kace caught Raiden’s gaze and jerked his head to the mechanical pet. Raiden eyed the dented machine impassively and nodded.
Kace strode inside and headed straight for Medical. It was already busy, with others injured in the explosion being brought in.
“I really am okay,” Rory said.
He ignored her and set her on the bed. When she tried to sit up, he shot her a hard look. “I’ll hold you down if I have to.”
She huffed out a breath and dropped back on the pillow.
A tall, slender Hermia healer arrived, with sand-colored robes and a serene face. The genderless race was renowned as some of the best healers in the galaxy, with the ability to manipulate biological energy to heal.
The healer ran a scanner over Rory. “Minor burns and some internal damage to your ears. You were lucky.”
The healer grabbed a long, thin device with a glowing end and inserted it into Rory’s ears, first one side, then the other.
“How is that?” the healer asked.
Rory tilted her head side to side. “Much better.” Her voice was back to normal volume.
The healer applied med gel to Rory’s burns. Thankfully, it was the enhanced gel that Regan had created. Kace watched, as Rory’s burns disappeared in just a few minutes.
“Someone tried to kill me again,” she said quietly. It wasn’t a question.
For a second, the image of Rory sprawled in the sand, lifeless, gone, appeared in Kace’s mind.
He scooped her up. “She’s coming with me,” he told the Hermia healer.
The healer didn’t respond, but Kace saw the resigned look on the healer’s face. They were used to dealing with demanding gladiators.
Kace strode toward his room. As he passed through the living area, he spotted a pair of workers cleaning.
“Inform the kitchen that I need a plate of food delivered to my room, please.”
The workers nodded. “Yes, gladiator.”
As soon as he entered his room, he closed and locked the door. He took Rory into the bathroom and sat her on the edge of the tub. He started running water into the large stone bath.
She watched him quietly.
He turned back to her and started to carefully take off her burned clothes.
“I am not delicate,” she said.
“I know.” He knew just how strong she was. He eased her shirt off her arms.
“You’re acting like I’m fragile.”
“You were caught in an explosion, Rory. Just let me look after you.”
Once she was naked, he
forced himself not to look at her the way he wanted to, and helped her into the tub. She made a small moan, and leaned back in the water.
There was a knock at his bedroom door. The plate of food. He went out and took it, murmuring his thanks. As he started to close the door, a small body wriggled inside.
Kace looked down at the robot dog. It looked back, tongue lolling. “Don’t make me regret buying you.” But he knew this small machine had tried to protect Rory and for that, he was grateful.
He set the food by the bed and returned to Rory, Hero trotting by his side. She had her head resting on the edge of the bath, eyes closed.
“Someone wanted to see you.”
She opened her eyes and smiled at the dog. “Hey there, boy.” Then she sank deeper into the water. “I don’t want him to see me naked.”
“He’s a machine.”
“And I’m pretty sure he has cameras.” Her gaze narrowed on his damaged side. “I need to fix him.”
“For now, I’ll find him a spot to rest.” Kace led the dog out of the bathroom and out onto the small balcony off his room. He gestured to one of the chairs and Hero leaped up on the cushion. He curled into a ball and Kace gave the dog’s head one pat. “Nice work today, Hero.”
Then Kace wasted no time getting back to Rory. He pulled out a cloth. “Lean forward.” He started washing her back. Her skin was unblemished, but in his mind, he imagined it burned, damaged.
“I don’t want you to treat me like I’m going to break,” she said grumpily.
He kept stroking the cloth over her impossibly smooth skin. She was so small, and someone had almost destroyed her.
“How do you want me to treat you?” he murmured.
She looked back over her shoulder, her red hair spilling down her creamy shoulders. “Like a woman.”
Chapter Twelve
Rory couldn’t drag her eyes off Kace.
He knelt there, so straight and composed. His bathroom was neat and tidy, and the glimpse she’d seen of his bedroom showed no dirty clothes dropped on the floor, no decorations. Her gladiator was so regimented, but she sensed the passion inside him.
They stared at each other and she felt the pulse of the powerful desire between them.
“I want you, Rory.” The words were ripped from him.
She licked her lips. “Against your better judgement—”
“No.” She saw the muscles in his neck tense. “An Antarian soldier is, above all else, honest. I haven’t been honest with you or myself. I want you, Rory. From the first time you punched me in the face.”
A hiccupping laugh escaped her. “You really want this?”
He reached out and grabbed her hand. “Yes.”
“You’re sure?”
“I almost lost you.” His fingers tightened on hers.
Rory was shocked to find his hand was shaking.
“You are mine.” His smooth voice deepened to a harsh growl. “No one will hurt you. I’ll keep you safe. Protected.”
She believed every word. And she believed the hot desire she saw burning in his eyes. “Take your clothes off, gladiator.” She barely recognized the husky voice as hers.
He stood, and with methodical movements, he stripped himself bare.
Rory just let herself look at him. Her attention was drawn to the corded muscles of his chest. He was all lickable bronze skin, and the very definition of hard strength. Her gaze skated over the broad shoulders, and the solid and veined muscles of his biceps and forearms. All that work with the staff had left him honed to perfection. Her gaze drifted lower, over the chiseled abdomen and the V of muscles leading downward. She swallowed. The long length of his cock rose up, proud and wanting.
Rory stood in the tub, water streaming down her body.
Now it was Kace’s turn to let his eyes drift down her body. Rory had never been shy. She knew she didn’t have Harper’s strong body or Regan’s sexy curves, but she was comfortable with her slim, toned shape. When she saw the faint color tinting his cheekbones, she’d never felt sexier.
She didn’t see him move, but suddenly, he stepped into the tub and swept her against his hard chest. His mouth came down on hers in a hard, punishing kiss.
Oh, he tasted so good. She let her hands roam over his strong shoulders, down his flanks. All that beautiful muscle, just a little leaner than most of the other gladiators. All hers.
His mouth fell away from hers, peppering kisses across her nose and cheeks. It took a second to realize he was kissing her freckles. Then his lips drifted down, across her jaw and then down her neck. He bent her backward over his arm, holding her with ease. He was so strong, and he made her feel protected. Rory had never known how much she wanted that, and had actually fought against it all her life. But now, with her life stripped back to the basics, she understood what it was that she really wanted.
His big hand cupped one of her breasts, and she let out a breathy cry. He gently played with her nipple, and she licked her lips. If her gladiator thought they were going to have sweet, slow sex, he was completely wrong.
He boosted her up and his mouth closed over her small breast. Oh. She moaned and slid her hands into his hair. She directed his lips to where she wanted his touch. His clever tongue lapped at her nipple.
“Harder, Kace.”
He instantly increased the pressure. “These are so pretty.” He murmured the words against her skin as he moved to her other breast.
“I’m getting cold,” she murmured. A sweet little fib.
He sank down into the water, pulling her forward until she straddled him. She felt the hardness of his thighs, the coiled strength in his body. She shivered. What would it feel like to have all that strength to herself, as he buried himself inside her?
What would it feel like to see pleasure burst across his face and have this controlled man let go, just for her?
“I’ve never been with a woman like you,” he murmured, his blue eyes taking on a faint glow.
“And I’ve never been with a man like you.” She rocked against him, feeling the iron-hard length of him beneath her. “What do you like, Kace Tameron? What turns you on?”
She felt him go still. “I don’t know.” A frown appeared on his face. “Right now, I know you ignite a desire inside me like I’ve never known.”
Her heart clenched. He’d never explored what he liked in bed. She felt a hot tingle deep in her belly. They were going to have a lot of fun discovering what he liked…together.
“I’m all yours, pretty boy.” She held her arms out, her breasts bobbing in front of his face. “Take what you like. Explore.”
He made a hungry sound. But instead of grabbing her, he reached over to a small dispenser on the side of the tub. He poured some liquid soap in his hands and then lathered them up. The look in his eyes… Rory’s belly contracted in anticipation.
He stroked his hands over her shoulders, down over her breasts. She shimmied against him, feeling the heat inside her growing. When his slippery hands disappeared beneath the water, and she felt him stroke her clit, she gasped.
She grabbed at his shoulders. “Hey, maybe we should slow—”
“You said I could do what I like.” He was using his commander tone.
Rory felt like she was riding the sharp, jagged edge of an orgasm. She wasn’t ready yet. She wanted this to last a lot longer. “Yes, but maybe a—”
He plunged two fingers inside her. Rory’s back bowed, a strangled cry coming from her throat.
“Let go for me, Rory.” He pressed his lips to her neck. “Let me see your pleasure.”
God. Let go? Rory was the queen of holding on tight. But as Kace kissed her again, his fingers starting a savage rhythm in and out of her body, she realized she didn’t have a choice.
Another hard thrust and she exploded. Her cry echoed off the tiles, water splashing onto the floor. Pleasure left her limp and breathless.
Dimly, she was aware of Kace pulling her close, scooping water on her to rinse off the suds. When she op
ened her eyes, he was holding her securely in his arms, the water cooling around them, and his cock like iron beneath her.
She needed him inside her. She needed to feel her gladiator stretching her. She wanted him to feel the same pleasure she did.
Rory shifted until she felt the thick head of his cock nudge her folds. Kace went still.
She cupped the side of his face. “What’s wrong?”
“I’ve…never had sex in a bath.”
Rory smiled. “First time for everything.”
His hands clamped down on her hips. “I’ve never had sex with a woman on top.”
She raised a brow. “What, an Antarian soldier always has to be in charge?”
“Yes.”
“Well—” Rory lowered herself down, feeling the hard inches of him stretching her. She heard the hiss of Kace’s breath. Damn, he was so hard and thick. She used his shoulder for leverage and thrust down until he was lodged completely inside her.
Kace’s hips bucked upward and a shout exploded out of him. He thrust up again, lifting Rory up, and went deeper.
“You’re so big,” she gasped.
“You’re so tight.” The words were said between gritted teeth.
She felt his body trembling, his muscles straining, like he was holding himself in check. No. She didn’t want his control and care right now. She wanted his passion. She wanted to see him let go and give in to the pleasure.
Rory pressed her mouth to the side of his neck, using her inner muscles to squeeze down on his cock. “Your turn to let go, Kace.”
“No.” His fingers tightened on her skin. “I will not hurt you.”
“I’m not going to break.” She nipped at his skin, hard. She lifted her hips, dragging his hard cock out of her.
He growled, his body tensing more.
“I’ll enjoy every minute of it, gladiator.” She felt hot, her stomach tight with anticipation. “Let go. Take me.”
His big body trembled. She bit him again.
His control broke. He slammed her down as he thrust upward.
Her mouth opened with a soundless cry, her back arching as she tried to absorb the impact of him. She was so full, and it felt so good.
She realized he’d gone still again. “Don’t you dare stop or I’ll give you another black eye.”