No Mannid. No arena. No men slathering about her. Tightness coiled in her belly. Only Vee and this kiss. It consumed in a fiery blaze even as it gave Eva exactly what she’d asked for. She wanted forgetfulness and he gave her an oasis amidst never ending flames of passion. Oblivion. Respite from the nightmare she’d been living for days, weeks.
His mouth sucked tenderly at her lips, teeth pricking at the wet flesh with a delicate sting. Eva moaned, wanting more. Needing it to the point of desperation. She dug her fingers into his unyielding shoulders, smashing their bodies close. His cock made its presence known against her hip and still it wasn’t enough.
Would she ever get enough of such pleasure? His fingers lingered as they stroked over the upper portion of her arms, kneaded the strained muscles that were as exhausted as Eva herself.
Cracks appeared in her mental armor. She wanted to go home. She wanted away from this awful place. Something wet dripped from her closed lids.
“Eva?”
Vee murmured her name against her lips, but she kissed him again, unwilling to talk. If she talked she might not stop. She’d spill her guts. Tell him about her life back on Earth. About the men who ran amok without worry of commitment. About her efforts to find someone to spend her life with, searching constantly only to come up empty.
All she’d wanted was family, love and affection. Her body trembled. What she’d gotten was kidnapped, sold and abused. Another tear fell. Vee broke away roughly, his hands at her hips once more as he forcibly parted them. His gaze was tortured when he spotted the tears.
“Ee-va.” He dragged her name out, the compassion in his green-gold eyes more than she could bear. Eva buried her face in his throat and broke. Sobs tore from her as she cried about the utter mess she’d made of her life.
“Shh, easy, chupaja. I am here.” Vee rubbed his jaw against the top of her head, his arms curling about her waist, wrapping her in the safety of his embrace.
Surrounded by his warmth, Eva let herself have a much deserved crying jag. She cried for her losses, her struggles to survive in a world she didn’t understand. Mostly she cried because in this moment she didn’t have to be strong. Right here, right now, she only had to let the fighter who brutalized his opponents in the arena hold her as if she was the most precious thing to him.
When she settled down to mere sniffles, Eva pulled back to signal he could release her. Instead his arms tightened to the point she gasped and her head snapped up. He watched her intently, secrets swirling in his diamond eyed stare.
Words failed, but it didn’t matter because his strong hands were there holding her steady. Eva took a deep breath and blew it out on a shudder. “Thank you.”
Vee stroked a hand over her hip. “No thanks are necessary.”
Loud pounding at the door interrupted what she was about to say next. The change in him was instant, softness melding away. His face shifted, became an unrecognizable cold mask.
“We’re not through.” Vee set her to the side, grabbed something from his bag and was at the door in a second. He had his back to the wall, a laser held upright in his grip.
Eva’s breath stalled. Gone was the man she’d been kissing and in his place was the ruthless fighter from The Pit. He motioned her back when she started to cross the room toward him.
“Vanquish! Vanquish!” More pounding.
To her surprise, Vee lowered his weapon and had the door open in a flash. The large man on the other side burst through, slamming it behind him. One glance at the blond had her stepping back. He was fit, muscular in the manner of soldiers and dressed in all black from his high collared shirt to his boots. Everything about him screamed danger.
“Need to evac now. Code four.” He didn’t give Eva a second look as he spoke directly to Vee.
Without asking for clarification, Vee nodded and turned to her. “Eva, we have to leave.”
The fierce expression he wore sent her heart rate soaring. What did she miss? “Why?!”
“I’ll explain everything later. I just need you to trust me.”
His dark tone frightened her even more. Trust him. Objections flew through her mind. So many reasons to be leery. A brutal fighter wanted her trust. A fighter who savaged his opponents in the ring and killed.
Eva took a deep breath and focused on the single reason she possessed to give him that trust—he kissed and held her like he cared. In her frenzied state, he easily could have rushed her to the bed for sex, but he hadn’t.
Eva exhaled and glanced at the man who’d barged in and watched them with barely held restraint. Whatever was happening was urgent. “Okay. You haven’t lied to me this far. I trust you.”
Vee flinched, but Eva had no time to question the reaction. He started tossing his things in his pack along with the new clothes he’d gotten for her. When he came back to her, he gripped her shoulder with one hand. His expression was rigid with a touch of grim. “Stay close to me.”
“I’ll be in the rear, you lead,” the gruff voice of the stranger stated.
“Rydak and the others?” Vee questioned as he glanced at him.
“Not here.”
The response seemed to relieve Vee. His hand went to her lower back, his bag on his shoulder and the laser in his other hand as they hurried out.
“Don’t slow down and don’t stop,” Vee muttered, keeping her glued to his side with a shift of his hand to her waist.
Outside the evening approached with a dull blue black haze in the sky, the quiet unbroken. Perhaps it was the essence of the lack of sound which had her dread soaring at an alarming rate. Her skin prickled with awareness and not in a good way.
“What’s going on?” she asked in a low whisper.
Neither answered. Adrenaline hardened her nipples into tight points, her heart racing as they headed down the stairs at a rapid pace. On the next landing, Vee raised his fist and she stumbled into his back when he came to an abrupt halt. The guy with them stopped in a far smoother manner.
Vee signaled with another hand gesture she didn’t understand then dashed forward. Horror at being left smacked Eva in the face. Her muscles tensed to follow, but something or someone clamped down on the back of her clothing. She squeaked and glanced over her shoulder. Before she could speak the big beefy guy pointed.
Eva turned. Vee was back, diamond green eyes glowing. Relief shuddered through her. Until a loud boom rocked their world. Silence became a loud cacophony. The building rumbled in direct response to the thunderous noises. The ground shook and rattled as people poured out of their units, shoving their way to the stairs.
“Move, move,” Vee snarled.
Squeezed between him and the blond, they blended with the flow, never slowing. Acrid smoke soon singed the air in spiraling trails. Eva grew short of breath, her thighs burning from the unfamiliar work out. The crowd increased, jamming the way and making it hard to pass.
Deep seated terror took root as they were forced to the back of the rushing line. Eva tried to stop and catch her breath, but Vee gripped her hand in an unbreakable hold as they went down the next flight. Eva tightened her finger lock on the back of his shirt as well.
Above them the frame of the building whined and screeched. The screams of those fleeing rose in volume. She was jostled and bumped from all sides despite being slightly sheltered.
Dust suddenly filtered down from the ceiling. Curses blasted from Vee and his friend in rough barks. Eva squeaked as flames burst from the wall to the right, climbing upward as they destroyed everything in their path. Someone shrieked behind her and the hair at Eva’s nape stood on end.
Another violent shake tipped the ground sideways and she lost her hold on Vee. Off balance, her ankle twisted sending her in one direction and him in another. Debris tore down from the ceiling briefly obscuring her view of him with clouds of burning smoke.
“Eva!”
Larger chunks rained down like deadly missiles seeking a target and pushed Eva back into a corner. She wrapped her hands about her head to avoid b
eing struck. A crack opened at the foot of the bottom two steps, separating them.
“Vee!” she screamed.
“Don’t move, Eva! Bane?!”
“On it, Vee.”
Everything around them crashed and smoldered, her ears ringing from the impact. The large guy, Bane, rushed toward her. His burly form lunged, but the ground writhed like an unruly toddler having a tantrum. He dropped to a knee, his low muttered curse reaching her ears.
“Please, don’t leave me!”
Shoving upright, he exchanged a meaningful look with Vee and received a nod in return. When he raised his hands, palm up, Eva had no idea what to expect.
Thick white streams shot from his wrists latching onto the jagged pieces of the railing which remained. Stunned, Eva fell back and screamed. The sticky substance continued to stream from him and wrap round and round the bars, pulling them partly back into place.
Bane didn’t look away from his work. “Easy there. You’re fine.”
Though his tone was calm, his black eyes snapped with fury. At her? Eva wasn’t sure and didn’t care. Her breathing was too fast. Choppy. Her throat began to close, cutting off her air.
Eva reached to her neck, gasping. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears too loud to ignore. Spots danced in front her eyes and a vice clamped on the center of her chest. She didn’t want to die. The pressure on her throat tightened and Eva swayed.
“Eva!” Vee’s voice cut across the madness. “Focus on me.”
Her gaze shifted to his as she blinked away the sweat dripping into her eyes. Determination glinted back at her. He held up a hand, fingers splayed. “There you go. Breathe nice and easy. It will be alright, Eva.”
The building groaned, making a mockery of his statement.
Face strained the burly giant gritted his teeth, the muscles in his jaw standing out in prominence. His biceps pulsed and jumped from the effort. “I can’t hold it, Vee!”
Putting truth to his words, the railing beside Eva buckled, striking a renewed sense of impending doom. Gossamer white strands snapped one by one, flung in the air from the force.
Eva leaped to the other side of the landing just in time as a large section where she’d been sitting crashed to the ground below. Another surge tossed her about. She bobbled on all four, palms scrapping the surface as she scrabbled for a secure spot in the fire storm.
When everything settled, she caught the indecision on Bane’s face. “Can you jump toward me?”
“Hell no!” She wasn’t moving from here.
Eva lodged herself tighter into the crevice behind her. Drawing in a jagged gulp of needed air, she quivered in the corner while the world exploded. He shook his head and spun toward Vee, deep voice snapping with suppressed rage. “You’ll have to get her, Vee. She’s fucking terrified.”
The area where she sat rumbled then tipped sideways as struts cracked and gave beneath her. Eva rolled to the side then slammed sharply against a thin barrier. Her body bounced on impact. Pain sliced at her elbow as she rolled again, this time toward the daunting edge.
“Vee!” She yelled again, scrambling for a hold. Her fingertips caught the rim before she flew into the abyss.
Oh, God, Oh, God.
“Please, please, please,” she mumbled as her fingertips burned under the strain of supporting all of her body weight.
Without hesitation, Vee jumped the widening gap between them. He landed on the only viable bit of surface with his legs spread. The gulf between them seemed insurmountable. Needles stabbed at her fingers, cramps popping at the knuckles. She wasn’t going to make it.
“Don’t let go, Eva.”
Breath coming in broken hiccups, Eva blinked back the moisture filling her eyes. “Okay. Holding on.”
He went down flat on his front and stretched his arm forward on the opposite side of the inverted v that loomed between them. There was at least five feet between his side of the split and hers. The building whined mournfully, each vibration a warning of more to come. “The ledge won’t hold for long. I need you to reach for me.”
Crawl up and over? Sounded great in theory, but her body refused to move. Sniffing, Eva bit out, “I can’t, damn it.”
“Then you are going to die.” He said it with utmost sincerity and Eva sobbed on a choked breath. “Now, Eva!”
Her fingers twitched as if seeking to obey his command except she didn’t want to let go and fall to her death.
“I won’t let you fall,” he added as if he could read her mind.
Another violent tremor shook the building, knocking one hand loose. Eva shrieked, fighting to regain her hold. Her legs slid free to swing in the air. Uncaring of his own safety, Vee inched forward, arm still out. He came so close to the broken pieces of the landing, Eva wanted to plead with him to just leave her.
“You can do this, Eva. You have to.”
The desperation in his last statement snapped her out of her frozen stupor. Her gaze met his. He gave her a sharp nod of encouragement. Panting, Eva clawed at her perch and pushed forward.
“Very good. Keep coming.”
One hand over the other, she managed to get her hips up and over. More. A little more. Eva crawled further and tried to get her legs back on the ledge, but her perch was precarious. One mistake, one slip and she’d fall backward into the open air.
To torment her, the wind whipped up, blowing strands of hair in her face. She lowered her head to the flat surface.
“No time to stop, Eva. You can do it. You’re so strong.”
The belief he held in her was empowering. She was strong. Ominous creaks sounded. Fuck, Mannid and fuck this shitty place. She had to do this. Eva jerked her head upright.
Vee’s green-gold eyes were as soft as she’d ever seen them, his focus unwavering. “Come to me, chupaja.”
The command was firm. Her mind said hide, but her body was already in motion. Eva slid forward in a crab-like crawl until she was in reach of the pointed edge, facing Vee.
“Jump, Eva! Now!”
Closing her eyes, she put her faith in him once more and leaped as she let go of her only means of support. Her body was suspended mid-air for the briefest of moments. Air whistled by her ears.
Vee’s hand clasped her wrist in a solid grip on impact. Blinded by wind and air Eva remained still as he pulled her up and over his side until she fell into his arms.
“Fuck!” He breathed into her hair then swung her up against his chest. “Hold on.”
“Hurry, Vee! The structure won’t hold,” Bane called from the safety of the other side.
Shaking hard enough to have her teeth chattering, Eva locked her arms about Vee’s shoulders and buried her face in his neck. “What happened? What’s going on?”
Vee nestled his cheek against the side of her face, moving swiftly. “Someone set explosives in the building. We’re almost out.”
Eva nodded and inhaled his warm clean scent as she tried to ease her erratic heartbeat. “Okay.”
***
Vee swore under his breath as he jumped across the gap between the stairs and the next landing to join Bane. Eva huddled in his arms curled about him and squeezing with a strength he shouldn’t have found surprising. He’d almost lost her. It was a wonder he remained upright when he wanted to howl in outrage.
Down they ran, Vee checking his speed to not overtake Bane. This could very well be a trap to flush Vanquish out for whatever reason. With Eva in his arms, Vee had to rely on his teammate.
Bane dashed ahead and peered around the corner. He signaled it was safe. The few remaining stragglers who lived in the building stumbled out to join the others already waiting outside. Some crying and coughing, others shaking their head in disbelief.
Still holding Eva close, Vee glanced at the destroyed rental unit. One entire side had been shaved off due to what he’d guess as shock bombs. Expensive, military grade. Bane tapped his ear comm and lifted a brow in his direction.
Vee bit off a snarl. He didn’t have his on because he’d bee
n distracted by touching Eva. He shook his head in reply and Bane winced before dipping his chin up in acknowledgement. He turned to the side, lips moving as he hopefully conveyed an update to the team.
Eva’s moist breath heated the skin at Vee’s throat. “What are we going to do?”
He breathed in her scent to settle the nesting instinct which had him filled with a killing rage. “I have to put you down.”
He needed to get his comm out of his pack and hear what his team was saying. Slowly, pale face tight with shock, Eva loosened the death grip she had on him and Vee set her on her feet. She leaned into him as he dug out the black disc and slipped it into his ear. He’d worry about blown covers and explanations later.
“What the fuck is happening out there?” Rydak snapped in a voice not quite calm.
“Shock bombs. Several small ones. Discovered them when I returned to our place to grab something. One on the second floor, one on the fourth and another on the sixth. No time to diffuse.” Bane’s tone was sharp, lines creased his forehead.
Vee paced a small distance away, but kept his gaze on Eva. Occasionally, he curled his upper lip at those who roamed too close, daring them to tempt fate.
“Intercepted emergency broadcast. No loss of life yet.” Uri’s voice.
“Look into any of the fighters with a quarrel against Vanquish.” Vanquish had lived here for several years and though an unsavory location, reports showed he’d never had any issues. Still it didn’t hurt to check. Any number of people had reason to keep him from making the fight tonight.
“On it, Vee. Passing the request to Jaron,” Uri said.
If anyone could get answers, then Jaron was the one. He had an innate ability to dig out the smallest detail.
“Injuries to either of you?” Rydak asked.
“None,” Vee answered.
“None.” From Bane.
“What of the Earth woman with you?”
Vee checked on Eva again. “Eva. Her name is Eva and she is uninjured.”
Silence trickled, but not for long. His Team Leader was a man of action. “Plan to stay at the secured back-up location. Uri, Khane and I will stay out of sight until later. Bane is on you tonight, Vee. Initial rumbling today has been about the odds on the match with you and the Togolor. He was ahead in the betting then an unexpected shift occurred a short while ago and has you at three times higher than yesterday. Another upset would be a windfall if something were to happen to you or make it so you lost. I can’t stress enough how careful you need to be.”
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