Galactic Gladiators Box Set 3

by Anna Hackett

  “Hi, Danan, I’m Neve. We’ll find her.” She wanted to touch him, but held back. “She can’t have gone far.”

  “She’s my sister,” he whispered in a waterlogged voice.

  “My sister’s missing too.”

  “Really?”

  She nodded. “Someone took her and she’s far from here. But I’m looking for her and I’m going to bring her home.”

  He chewed on his lip, his gaze drifting out to the darkened desert. “How do you stand it? Not knowing if she’s okay?”

  You didn’t. Pain rocketed through her. “You keep looking, you keep moving, you keep searching. And you don’t stop until you find her.”

  The boy lifted his chin and nodded. “We’ll find Aura.”

  “We will. Show me the tent where she went missing?”

  They moved through the camp and Neve was conscious of Corsair watching them. As she stood by the tent at the edge of the camp, she looked out at the desert. Nearby, a glowing cloud of insects danced in the air. Their movements were mesmerizing.

  “Desert fireflies,” Danan said. “Aura loves to watch them.”

  Where would a little girl go in the middle of the night? Neve had never felt young, at least not after her parents had died. She thought of a young, bubbly Ever who’d loved animals.

  Neve narrowed her gaze on the fireflies and started walking toward them.

  “Neve?” Danan called out.

  She held up a hand, her gaze scanning the ground. She saw markings that looked like small footprints.

  From a little girl or some desert animal?

  Corsair appeared beside her. “What is it?”

  The footprints were clearer now. “She went this way!”

  They broke into a run and more fireflies danced up around them. Corsair waved a hand at them. “They aren’t usually this active at this time of night.”

  “Look.” She pointed at something in the sand.

  Two crossed bones, tied together with what looked like hair, were stuck in the sand. With a curse, Corsair kicked the bones. Instantly, the fireflies’ glow died down and they settled back onto the sand.

  That’s when Neve spotted the small lump curled into a ball against a nearby dune. “Corsair!”

  They ran over and found the young girl curled up, fast asleep.

  Relief poured through Neve. “Aura.”

  The girl blinked awake, rubbing one fist against her eye. “Where are the pretty fireflies?”

  “Gone now, sweetheart.” Corsair knelt beside Neve and touched the girl’s face. “You scared us. Especially Danan.”

  Aura pushed her blonde hair back. “I woke up and saw the fireflies. And I heard the voice whispering for me to follow them.”

  “Voice?” Neve frowned, trading a glance with Corsair.

  “A lady,” Aura added. “She sounded pretty.”

  Neve felt a chill run over her and saw the fierce scowl on Corsair’s face.

  Desert witch, he mouthed.

  The woman must have little traps laid out all over the area to lure her victims in. Neve shivered.

  “Will you carry me?” Aura blinked sleepily at Neve. “I’m tired.”

  “Sure thing.” She scooped the girl up. Aura was a small, solid weight in her arms. And instantly, Neve thought of hugging her sister. God, I miss you, Ev.

  With Corsair beside her, they walked back into the camp. Danan rushed over, taking his sister in his arms, and fighting back tears.

  “Thank you,” he said to Neve. “I hope you find your sister soon.”

  A lump lodged in her throat. “Thanks. Go. Get her to bed.”

  “I need to call the other searchers in,” Corsair said.

  “Go.” She watched him stride across the camp and realized being the caravan master was in his bones. He wasn’t just good at the job, he lived it, breathed it, and most of all, loved it.

  Neve made her way over to a small rock she’d spotted earlier. She sat on it, pressing her knees to her chest. Emotions rolled around inside her.

  “Hey.” Corsair’s hands pressed to her shoulders. “You should look happy, not sad.”

  She closed her eyes, pulling in the scent of him. “You give kids a home.”

  He was silent for a second. “It’s the way of the desert. If I can provide, I do.”

  It had nothing to do with the way of the desert and everything to do with Corsair. Neve looked up into those amber eyes. He was more complex than she’d ever thought.

  “You should do that more,” he murmured.

  “What?”

  “Smile at me.”

  She was smiling at him? She blinked.

  He reached down and cupped her cheek. “I want to provide for you, Neve. If you’ll let me. I want to touch you, feed you, make you smile—” his voice lowered “—make you scream in pleasure.”

  Her chest tightened. “You’re going too fast.”

  He shrugged a shoulder. “Everything in the desert moves on its own time.”

  “We barely know each other.”

  He brushed his thumb over her lips. “I know enough, and I want to know the rest of you. I want all of you, Neve.”

  God. “I…that’s…”

  His teeth flashed white in the darkness. “That’s another way of the desert. We learn to listen to the wind—both outside and inside. It carries all kinds of messages to you, including about when you recognize the other half of your soul.”

  She stared at him, feeling the color drain from her face. “That’s…crazy.”

  He stroked her lips again. “Don’t worry, Neve, I’ll go easy with you. For now, I know what you need to make you happy…and that’s to find your sister.”

  How the hell could he know her so well in such a short time?

  He pulled her to her feet and slung an arm over her shoulders. “Now, the suns will be rising soon, so I’m going to show you how much of a gentleman I am and escort you back to Mersi’s tent so you can sleep for a bit.”

  Sleep after what he’d said to her? She didn’t think so.

  Damn the pirate. But as they walked back into the heart of the camp, she didn’t push his arm away. And she didn’t want to.

  Neve swayed with the steady rhythm of the tarnid, trying to keep herself from falling asleep. She was the hottest and dustiest she’d ever been, and a brisk, scorching wind had been blowing in their faces for the last few hours.

  Behind her, Corsair was whistling. A day of desert traveling hadn’t made him wilt. Damn him.

  They’d started out from the Corsair Caravan at first light, calling out goodbyes to everyone who’d been up. A tired-looking Danan had come out to say goodbye to Neve. Neve wondered what it would be like to call the caravan home.

  Suddenly, Corsair cursed, snapping her back to reality.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “I was hoping to make my safe house before nightfall, but I don’t think we’ll make it.”

  Neve glanced up at the sky. The first sun had set, and the other wasn’t far behind, so the light was beginning to dim. She didn’t see anything in the distance that looked like a safe house.

  “This drakking wind slowed us down.” He scanned the horizon. “We’ll have to travel in the darkness for a bit.”

  “Which means we have to risk the night beasts.”

  “Yes.”

  With no other choice, they continued on.

  “Where is this safe house?” she asked.

  “Not far from here. And quite close to the Solitude Oasis.”

  A piercing cry came from above, and Neve’s gut hardened. Rogue had spotted something. “A beast?”

  Corsair looked back, watching the shrike dip low, before soaring back into the evening sky. Now, he bit off a string of curses. “Worse. Desert raiders.” He kicked the tarnid into a fast gallop. Neve clutched the saddle, holding on tight.

  “Are desert raiders different from desert pirates?” she asked.

  “Yes. Pirates are just opportunistic sandsuckers out to steal y
our things. Raiders…are something else.”

  “I take it we don’t want to run into the desert raiders.”

  “You’d be right.” His tone was dark.

  Ahead, some tall rock formations appeared out of the sand dunes, rising up like slim towers.

  Corsair reached past her, and pointed to one tower in the center. “That’s the safe house.”

  Neve squinted and spotted the rock-cut shelter at the very top of the spire. Her heart sank. It was too far away. They’d never make it before the raiders reached them.

  “Whatever happens,” he said. “You need to get to that shelter.”

  And leave him behind? No way. “You planning to play the hero, Corsair?”

  His arm tightened around her. “Will you just follow my orders, for once?” He reached over his shoulder and pulled out his crossbow, notching in the first bolt.

  She looked back over his broad shoulder. The incoming raiders were close enough now for her to get a good look at them.

  Her blood went cold. There were three in total, all wearing shaggy furs over their mostly naked bodies. Their sun-browned skin was streaked with red paint, and they were riding grinas. These beasts were lean, and running fast across the sand.

  Suddenly, one of the raiders let out a wild, inhuman howl. It echoed across the desert, and the other two raiders joined in the cry.

  Goose bumps broke out on Neve’s skin and she clenched her jaw. She studied the twisted masks of rage on their faces. Now that they were closer, she realized the paint on their faces and chests was too dark and thick, and it could only be blood.

  “What’s wrong with them? Why are they like that?” she shouted.

  “They’re infected. There’s a region of the desert where no one dares to travel. Anyone who enters comes out like this. They lose their minds, and hunger for flesh.” If it was possible, his face turned grimmer. “If they catch us, they’ll rape us before they eat us.”

  Her stomach rolled. “Well, that’s not on my agenda for today.”

  “Take the reins and guide the tarnid.” He pushed the leather into her hands. Then he swiveled nimbly until he was facing backward, lifting that deadly crossbow.

  Neve clenched the reins, focusing on aiming them in the right direction. She tried to hold the beast as steady as possible. She felt Corsair rise up on his knees, taking aim, and she reached one hand back and gripped his thigh. God, if he fell off…

  Twang. The crossbow fired. Twang. Again and again.

  “One down!” he shouted.

  She smiled, but it dissolved quickly. The shelter was still too far away.

  All of a sudden, their tarnid stumbled, and let out a pained wail.

  The beast went down, and Neve flew forward. She hit the sand, tumbling head over heels. She came to a stop, spitting sand out of her mouth. She pushed up on her hands and knees, trying to clear her head and get her bearings.

  Wild cries cut through the air and she swiveled. The two remaining raiders were racing toward her. She couldn’t see Corsair.

  “Corsair!” Where the hell was he? And where was her staff? She scanned the ground, and spotted the long shape of her staff on the sand just ahead.

  Before she could move, a dark shape came flying through the air, and slammed into her. It drove her down into the sand and she felt hot breath on her neck. Rough hands started tearing at her clothes.

  Oh, no, you don’t. “Fuck you.” She reached out, fingers grasping for her staff. She found purchase, and then spun around. She swung her weapon up awkwardly, but it was enough to smack the raider in the face.

  The man reared back and hissed. She saw that his teeth had been filed to sharp points. His breath was hot and smelled horrible.

  He yanked out a jagged knife, his weight still pinning her legs to the sand. She switched the grip on her staff and jammed the end of it into his gut. With a sharp cry, he fell back.

  Neve leaped to her feet. She glanced over and saw the bright-blue blur of Corsair’s electroblade, as he fought the other raider.

  Her raider lunged at her, and she swung her staff. Thwack. Thwack.

  She got in several good hits, but the damn man was strong. He kept coming, not even reacting to the pain he had to be feeling from her blows.

  But then the raider went down on one knee, his head drooping. Taking the advantage, she rushed in to strike him.

  The raider moved, swinging his arm up and tossing sand in her face.

  Fuck. Blinded, Neve stumbled back.

  “Neve!” Corsair’s shout.

  She blinked the sand out of her eyes and looked to see the raider charging at her. A big body dived into her from the side, knocking her out of the way.

  She glanced up to see Corsair attacking the raider. The electric glow of his blade gleamed in the growing darkness.

  The raider raised his hand, and light flashed off the razor-sharp metal claws attached to the glove he wore.

  Grunting and growling, the men battled, striking and dodging. Corsair caught the raider’s side with his blade, and the man screamed. He dived across the sand in a wild, frantic move, and rammed his clawed hand up.

  The claws sank into Corsair’s gut and blood sprayed.

  No. Neve gripped her staff and leaped up. With a fierce swing, she took the raider down to the sand. She jumped on top of him, one hand catching his clawed hand as he swung it. Anger driving her, she pushed it down, forced his fingers to curl, and jammed his claws into his own throat.

  He let out a wet gurgle, his eyes going wide. As he slumped back on the sand, she jumped up and ran to Corsair.

  He was on his knees, his electroblade lying on the sand beside him, quietly zapping and buzzing. Then he started to tilt to the side.

  “Corsair!” She caught him, pulling him back into her arms. God, he was badly wounded. The front of his shirt was soaked with blood.

  “Blood will…lure more beasts.” His words were slurred. “You need to go. Get to the shelter.”

  “Hell, no. I’m not leaving you.” She slid her arm around him, and then pushed up, forcing him to his feet. “Damn, you’re heavy.”

  He let out a groan, his eyes drooping.

  She looked around and spotted the mound of their tarnid nearby. It had been struck by an arrow and was dead.

  Together, they hobbled over to the beast, and she set Corsair on the ground while she gathered up what gear she could carry. She swung the bulky pack onto her back, ignoring the heavy weight, and then she jammed her shoulder under Corsair’s arm.

  “Time for a stroll.”

  The rock formations weren’t that far away…if you were riding a tarnid. She sucked in a breath. Still, the shelter was their only option.

  But as they walked through the darkened desert, she could almost feel the gazes of whatever predators were out there, watching them.

  Suddenly, Rogue let out a screech overhead. She heard a whoosh of air, and knew the bird was scaring something off.

  “Fire.” Corsair slumped against her.

  Neve set him down, and quickly grabbed a shirt out of her pack. She tied it to the end of her staff and found the small igniter in Corsair’s things.

  After a harrowing moment, the fabric smoked and caught, casting a flickering gold light around them.

  With one hand clutching the torch, and her other arm around Corsair, they limped across the sand.

  Her nerves on edge, Neve continually scanned the shadows ahead for any beasts. She was so focused on keeping them safe, that she was shocked when the rock towers appeared out of the dark.

  A feeling of relief burst in her chest. They’d made it.

  A moment later, they reached the base of the shelter tower. She leaned Corsair against the rock, and saw that he was barely conscious. “Almost there.”

  Then she looked up. Oh, God, it was so far. There were handholds chipped into the rock, but it was still a long way to climb. She looked back at Corsair. How the hell was she going to get him up there?

  She steeled herself.
She wasn’t abandoning him.

  “Come on, pirate. Time for a climb.”

  His response was an incoherent mumble.

  She unwrapped the length of rope hanging off her pack and tied it around his waist. Next, she looped the other end around her own waist.

  “We are going to do this.” She turned Corsair to face the tower, and pressed his hands against the rock. Almost instinctively, his fingers flexed, grabbing hold.

  “That’s it.” She set her boot into the first opening. “Let’s climb.”

  Chapter 6

  Corsair blinked, coming out of his healing haze.

  He heard a muttered curse, followed by the scrape of something on rock.

  “Come on, Corsair.” A female voice. “Climb up to the next handhold.”

  He blinked again and looked up. Neve’s toned legs and ass came into view. The two of them were both pressed against the side of a rock face.

  Drak. He tightened his grip on the handholds. He’d been climbing without being conscious of it. He watched her pull herself up, the rope between them going taut.

  “Come on!” she called down. “Don’t be lazy.”

  He reached above his head, found a handhold, and pulled himself up. As he took more of his own weight and climbed level with her, her head swiveled to look at him.

  “You’re okay?” She scanned his face.

  He nodded. He saw that she was slicked with sweat, and her hair was sticking to her scalp. He glanced at the desert behind them. Night had well and truly fallen, and they weren’t far from the top of the rock tower.

  She’d gotten them from where the raiders had attacked, to the top of this tower. By the sands, she was strong and stubborn. He could see that she’d practically killed herself rescuing him.

  “My species has increased healing capabilities, but my body has to shut down just about everything else to do it.”

  A flash of relief crossed her face before she hid it. “That’s a handy skill to have. I thought you were dying.”

  And she’d still dragged him all the way to the shelter. He moved ahead, taking more of the slack. A moment later, he reached the top, and turned back to her. He held a hand out and pulled her over the edge and through the opening in the wall, and into the rock-cut shelter.