by Anna Hackett
In front of them, cowering by a large bench, was a tall, thin Thraxian, wearing a long, silver robe. The scientist.
And sitting in the center of the bench, resting on the metallic holder, was a white crystal cube.
Chapter Fifteen
Sam advanced on the scientist, and Galen stood behind her.
She glared at the alien. “Remember me?”
The Thraxian took a step back.
“How do we deactivate the implants?” she demanded.
Galen fought back a smile. Drak, she was tough. The Thraxian scientist didn’t respond, and Galen raised his sword.
The alien swallowed, his gaze flickering from Sam’s hard face, to Galen’s sword, then to the crystal on the bench.
“The crystal?” Sam said. “It controls the implants as well as storing data about them?”
The Thraxian gave a reluctant nod, his dark eyes burning. “You’ll never get out of here alive.”
“It ends today,” Galen said. “Right here. No more hurting people. No more imprisoning people. No more suffering.”
Clearly out of patience, Sam lunged. At the last second, the scientist lifted something he had hidden in his robe and fired.
The implant hit Sam in the shoulder. She stumbled back.
Galen leaped forward. “Sam!” He swung his sword, but the scientist dropped to the floor, his projectile weapon clattering to the tiles.
“Please—” The Thraxian stumbled back, lifting his hands to shield himself.
Galen held the sword on the man’s throat. “Did all your victims beg? When you stuck implants in their bodies and experimented on them? Did you grant them mercy?”
A weight hit Galen, tackling him to the ground. He turned and saw Sam on him, pinning him down. Her face was blank, her empty gaze on him.
No. He pressed a hand to her chest, trying to keep her off him and stop her from hurting herself.
The doors to the room whooshed open, and more Thraxians rushed inside.
“Secure him,” the lead Thraxian yelled.
Sam rose and Galen was jerked to his feet.
“Sam?” His gut churned. “Fight it.”
No response. She looked over his shoulder at the wall.
The lead Thraxian stepped in front of him, an orange sash across his chest. “You failed, Imperator Galen.”
Galen just glared at him.
“The great Galen is not so great after all.” The man bared ugly, black teeth. “All your people are now my slaves. I’ll take your House, and everything you value.”
Galen lifted his chin, grinding his teeth together. Inside, the Thraxian’s words tore him up.
The Thraxian stepped closer. “You failed. Just as you failed to save your royal family and your planet.”
The words were a hard blow. They carved out his insides and Galen bowed his head. Everything the Thraxian said was true. He had failed Raiden’s family and his planet. Nothing, no accomplishment, no amount of wealth, would ever change that.
The Thraxian drew a large, jagged knife off his belt. It was a dark black that absorbed the light.
He handed it to Sam. “Kill him, Champion of Zaabha.”
Her fingers closed around the hilt of the knife. It looked huge in her smaller hand. She moved toward Galen, her movements robotic.
He watched her come. His Sam, his woman. The woman he loved.
The emotion stormed through him. He’d realized too late. “I’m so sorry, Sam.”
She pressed the tip of his knife against his gut. He waited for her to shove it deep, his gaze on her face.
Then she winked at him.
Sam fought the compulsion of the implant from taking her over.
She felt like electricity was buzzing through her, making her muscles twitch, but since the implant had hit her, she’d been able to fight off the implant’s control. Her only guess was that the previous implant experiment had given her some sort of immunity. She’d tackled Galen earlier to keep up the ruse.
But as she winked at him, she saw his eye twitch. That was it. Her tough, smart imperator didn’t give anything away.
“You aren’t alone,” she whispered.
“I love you.” His words were near soundless.
Something burst inside her chest. This remarkable man, a man she’d found at her lowest point, loved her. “I love you too.”
Sam moved the knife, spinning it and pressing the hilt into his hand.
“Duck,” he said.
She dropped and saw Galen throw the knife.
It hit the lead Thraxian in the neck. Orange blood sprayed and, with a gurgle, the alien collapsed.
Sam spun and jumped up, hitting the closest Thraxian. As he fell, she grabbed his staff and then, whirling, she attacked.
Beside her, Galen was grappling hand-to-hand with another Thraxian.
Together, still linked by their chain, they worked their way through the aliens, hitting, kicking, spinning. She smiled. They were almost all down. They had this.
Then the doors opened, and more Thraxians and Srinar flooded in. Several were holding large crossbows.
No. Sam stumbled.
Thwap. Thwap. Thwap.
She saw Galen’s body jerk. For a second, she thought they’d hit him with an implant, as well.
But then she saw it was worse. Far worse. A wicked, black bolt was lodged in his shoulder, and another in his gut.
“No!” She leaped forward.
Galen went down on one knee. A Thraxian stepped over him, aiming the crossbow right at him.
Sam threw herself over Galen’s prone body. She’d already lost everyone she loved. She wasn’t losing Galen as well.
She cupped his cheeks, and her heart clenched at the pain etched on his face. And blood. Dios, there was so much blood.
“Sam…move.”
His voice was raspy and lacking its usual commanding strength.
“Never.” She felt tears stream down her cheeks. “Not alone, remember?”
She heard a sound and looked up. The Thraxian towering over her had the crossbow aimed at her.
“You lose.” The Thraxian smirked. “Long live the House of Thrax.”
Sam tightened her hold on Galen and felt him slide an arm around her.
Suddenly, the windows exploded inward. Glass flew everywhere, like a shower of deadly rain.
Sam curled around Galen, and heard the Thraxians and Srinar shouting. When she looked up, she saw several muscled bodies fly through the broken windows.
Men landed inside, all of them crouched. Then they rose.
The man in the lead had a silver arm and implant around his neon-blue eye. Magnus Rone.
Beside him stood a grim-faced, silver-furred Tano, holding a weapon in each of his four hands—House of Zeringei. Next to him was a man wearing a leather harness and a green cloak—House of Loden. Another gladiator flanked Magnus wearing blue, fish-scale armor—House of Man’u. On the other side of him, stood a massive fighter dressed all in black with a skull logo on his shoulder and a face that looked hewn from rock—House of Mortas.
Behind them spread out a line of fierce looking fighters of different species. All of them held weapons—swords, staffs, axes.
The imperators of Kor Magna had arrived.
Galen forced down his pain, watching as the imperators burst into action.
Through the windows behind them, Magnus’ cyborgs climbed inside with powerful flexes of their bodies. They were followed by Rillian’s black-clad soldiers, and several gladiators from the other houses.
Fighting broke out all around them.
“Sam,” he croaked. “The crystal.”
She looked down at him, torn.
“Go. Disable it.”
She nodded. “I don’t think I can reach it. The chain isn’t long enough.”
Galen summoned all the strength he had left. He’d never let anything stop him, especially when it came to protecting his people. He heaved himself up, feeling the sticky slide of his own blood. Pain exp
loded through him and he almost blacked out.
“So damn stubborn.” Sam curled an arm around him, and together, they shuffled toward the lab bench.
When she set him back down, Galen collapsed, feeling nauseated.
“I’ll be right back,” she said.
With his vision wavering, he watched her grab the crystal off the stand. Then she spun and faced the Thraxian scientist, cowering behind the bench.
With two long strides, she reached him and yanked him up. “Show me how to deactivate it.”
Heedless of the blood sliding down his body, Galen smiled. Getting on the wrong side of his Earth woman was a bad idea.
His mind urged him to get up, to help her, but he trusted Sam. He trusted his allies. Besides, he wasn’t sure he could get up again.
With shaking hands, the Thraxian showed Sam what to do. Then, while she was occupied, the Thraxian made a run for it.
“Hey!” Sam cried. She lunged for him, but missed grabbing his robe by a whisper.
The scientist sprinted close to the windows, trying to skirt the fighting and reach the door. Suddenly, a spear from one of the Loden gladiators hit the Thraxian. It stabbed through his stomach, and he staggered.
With wide eyes, he stumbled closer to the windows. He hit the edge and tumbled backward and out the window with a scream.
Galen couldn’t summon any pity for the man.
Sam kneeled beside Galen. “The crystal’s powered down.” She pressed it into his hand.
Galen tightened his fingers around it…then he crushed it into shards.
“Galen.” Magnus appeared, his eye glowing neon blue.
“Good to see you, Magnus.” Galen coughed and tasted blood on his lips.
The cyborg nodded, then called out to the others. “Round up the Thraxians and Srinar.”
“And the captives,” Galen said. “Free them, and get the Earth women to help. They have a softer touch…and they understand.”
Magnus nodded again.
Sam pressed a cloth to Galen’s wounds. “You’re losing too much blood.”
He knew that. He felt his strength slipping away. “Whatever happens, take care of the House of Galen and its people.”
Her lips pressed into a flat line. “That’s your job.”
“Sam—”
“No, damn you. You’ve survived this fucking long.” She leaned closer. “You are not going to die on me.” Her voice lowered, her eyes swimming with pain. “Please.”
He felt something in his chest ache.
“You deserve to live, Galen. You deserve to be happy.”
The doors opened again, causing all the imperators to spin around and lift their weapons.
Galen saw his House of Galen people flood inside.
Their faces were lined with anger. Thorin looked ready to explode. Galen slumped with a flood of relief. They were no longer under the control of the implants.
Raiden went down on one knee beside Galen and Sam. The gladiator was bloody and covered in scrapes, his red cloak in tatters, but he was alive. Harper stood at his side.
“Leave you alone for a bit and look what happens.” Raiden’s tone was light, but there was concern on his face.
“I’m too stubborn to die.” Galen looked up at Sam. “And I have a very good reason not to die.”
She managed a shaky smile and cupped his cheek. He felt the warmth of the touch right through him. “If you want more of my sweet rolls, you’d better not die.”
Then Galen looked over his people. Nero and Thorin had joined the other fighters in chaining up the Thraxians and Srinar. “Everyone’s okay?”
“Scrapes and bruises,” Raiden said. “They’re fine.”
“He needs medical help,” Sam said. “Now.”
Magnus appeared again. “It’s on its way.”
A moment later, the door opened once more. Rillian and Dayna—both wearing black body armor—stepped inside. Behind them, a medical team rushed in, Winter among them.
“Winter,” Nero growled.
“Rillian brought us,” she said.
Galen counted several healers, from multiple Houses.
“We had a full team of soldiers protecting us, barbarian.” Winter went up on her toes and pressed a kiss to Nero’s jaw. Then she rushed to Galen.
Galen felt a pressure injector against his neck. Winter’s face was focused as she nudged Sam out of the way. “Let’s get you fixed up, Galen.”
“That would be appreciated, Winter.”
“Shh. Don’t talk.” The woman opened her medical kit.
Sam squeezed Galen’s hand. “It’s over.”
“Yes.” He watched her looking around. “Any surviving Thraxians and their allies will be banished to the ShadeFury mines for the rest of their lives.”
There were several sharp gasps.
Magnus nodded. “The ShadeFury mines are a deserving punishment.”
“The mines are not a fun place,” Galen said. “And Zaabha will be dismantled.”
Sam smiled, and then leaned down to kiss him. “Zaabha is at an end, but other things are just beginning.”
Galen hoped so. He absorbed the taste of her, wanting to pull her closer and carry her off somewhere private.
Winter probed one of his wounds and Galen groaned. “All I want is you in my bed, and no interruptions for several days.”
Winter giggled.
Sam grinned, her nose pressed to his. “I think that can be arranged, boss-man.”
The Imperator of the House of Aviar stood nearby. The big man shook his head. “What is it about these Earth women?”
Chapter Sixteen
Sam didn’t want to be anywhere else.
She was lying in Galen’s big bed, pressed up against his warm, hard body. She slid her hands down his chest and over the ridges of his belly. His now-healed body.
He was asleep, and she took the moment to explore him. She wouldn’t easily forget seeing him, horribly injured, with a pool of blood forming around him.
She wouldn’t easily forget the fear that she might lose him.
Sam circled his hardening cock, stroking it.
He woke with a jolt. “Buenas tardes.”
She smiled at her man. He kept surprising her with some Spanish. “It’s a very good evening.”
For three days they’d mostly stayed in Galen’s bedroom, resting, eating, and making love. Yes, everything was pretty darn perfect.
She pressed a kiss to his chest, right over where the bolt had pierced him. It had been close to the slash scars he’d kept for so many years. Her chest filled with warmth. He’d finally allowed the Medical team to heal both his new wounds and the old scars.
“How are you feeling?” she asked.
“Like I’m the luckiest man in the galaxy.” His hand slid into her hair. “Like I love you more and more every day.”
“Dios, I love you too, Galen. Your strength, your protectiveness, your sense of right and wrong.”
“Te amo,” he murmured.
Her life had been destroyed, like his had, but now she felt like the pieces were coming back together. Maybe with some scars that would never quite fade, but those scars helped make them stronger. Helped them appreciate what they had. Glowing with happiness, Sam kissed him.
“I’m feeling the urge to get creative,” he murmured against her lips.
Her belly spasmed. Over the last few days, Galen had proven that he could get very creative when he was in the mood. And when he did, it usually ended with her screaming.
She could hardly believe that Zaabha was gone. That the House of Thrax no longer existed, and all remaining Thraxians that had been involved with Zaabha had been rounded up. She knew they were headed to their new life at the ShadeFury mines.
Zaabha’s prisoners had been freed, and she knew Madeline had been working overtime coordinating with the other houses to help get the former captives home.
The nightmare was over, and now they had to get on with living.
She strok
ed Galen’s cock again and he groaned. She smiled. She really liked having him at her mercy.
Suddenly, the bedroom door burst open. Galen cursed and Sam yanked the sheet up over their naked bodies.
“Okay, you guys have been here for days,” Rory complained. She had Finley on her hip.
Regan stood shyly beside her. “Sorry to interrupt.”
Madeline bustled across the room. When she reached the windows, she yanked open the curtains.
Harper stood in the doorway, grinning unrepentantly. “There’s a party planned. All the Houses are coming, and you two are the guests of honor.”
“So out of bed.” Mia strode in, holding a dress. “This is for you, Sam.”
Hero jumped onto the bed, walking around in circles like he was looking for a place to sit.
Galen growled.
Sam laughed, dropping her head to his shoulder. “Do you regret taking in these Earth women?”
He gripped her hip. “Never.”
Sam sat up. “All right, you guys. You got our attention. Out!”
The women headed for the door, Finley cooing. Hero bounded off the bed to follow. Rory was last out, winking at them as she closed the door.
“Time for a shower.” Galen scooped Sam up.
She leaned into his hold, feeling his hard cock brush against her. “I don’t think getting clean is the only thing on your mind, Imperator.”
“No.” His voice deepened. “I have some very dirty things planned as well.”
He carried her under the spray and a moment later, his slick hands cupped her breasts. She moaned. Any touch from him and she felt like her body went up in flames.
“You look good wet,” he murmured.
“You look good all the time.”
Her back hit the tiles and his hands cupped her ass. As she wrapped her legs around his hips, his thick cock thrust inside her.
Pinned to the tiles, she cried out.
“That’s it.” His deep voice vibrated in her ear. “I want to hear you scream my name.”