by Penny Rose
Her mouth dropped open and there was a look of horror that came over her face. “No, Cade, don’t say that. It would be suicide,” she whispered. “It’s dangerous and foolish, you can’t escape the planet.”
“I assure you, Eldredth—one day, I will escape. I want you to come with me.”
“You could be killed for even thinking of escaping.”
“I promise you that nothing is going to happen to me or to you. I am a fierce warrior. I would never put you in harm’s way. We can leave this hellhole together. Please, Eldredth.”
She nodded. “Okay, I will go with you.” The words were barely more than a whisper.
With his chest healed, it was time for him to get back in the pit. He wanted to leave the tent before Maizon came to find him. He leaned up to kiss her and when their lips met, a fire erupted inside of him that he couldn’t imagine being extinguished. Her lips were soft and just a little moist. He could have kissed those lips for an eternity. He wanted those lips on his forever, and he wished that he had the opportunity to make love to her. What were the chances were that he could get her to sneak away with him later? No time like the present to make her his in every way possible.
“I want you, Eldredth. I want to make love to you. Sneak away with me tonight.” He held her by the shoulders, staring into the monsoons of her eyes.
“How?”
“I’ve got a plan. You’ll know when the time is right.”
She nodded.
He got up and left the tent. Just before leaving, he turned to her. “I will see you soon.”
Cade was about to be in a world of trouble.
****
Cade writhed in pain. He wondered if this was what it felt like to die. He couldn’t move his right hand; he had snapped both bones in his forearm. His knee had been dislocated, and several bones in his feet were crushed. This was the most pain he had felt in his entire life. Hopefully, it would be worth it.
His plan had worked. He’d instigated a fight with the new arrival, Hiss. The snake man’s tail had swung into Cade’s ribs with impeccable force. With a little effort on Cade’s part, the entire stack of weights had fallen upon him. Hundreds of pounds. He was lucky to be alive.
Maizon had him in a private room in the mansion. It would take considerable time to set Cade straight. Maizon ordered Eldredth to make sure that he was brought back to full health, even if it took her all night.
It was more than Eldredth had expected. There would certainly be no lovemaking until she healed his body, and that would take some time. He had sacrificed his body so he could be with her. She wasn’t sure if it was admirable or insane. The sight of his crushed limbs was not the worst injury she had witnessed as a healer, but it was up there.
Cade grimaced in pain on the healing table. Eldredth placed her hands on his chest and heat emanated from her hands and coursed through him.
“I think you went a little too far with getting injured. What if one of those weights had fallen on your head? There is no healing a dead man,” she scolded.
“I didn’t intend on it being so bad.” He grimaced. “But I had to see you. You’re the only good thing in this place.”
“I worry about you. The arena isn’t something you can just walk away from.” She frowned.
“You don’t have to do that, Eldredth. I can handle the arena. I have been a warrior all my life. I know how to take care of myself.”
She stayed silent as she healed his arm. She didn’t want to argue with him, but she did worry. The life of a warrior was not an easy one. The life of a gladiator was even worse. A warrior could walk away; a gladiator was a glorified slave.
There had been times that gladiators died in the arena before a healer could get to them. That was something that Maizon didn’t tell the slaves—they could be killed, and he wouldn’t blink an eye about it. At the end of the day, he was only interested in the gambling that took place during the fights. He loved the money it brought in and if a fighter was lost, there was more where that came from. Maizon tried to protect his best fighters as much as possible because they brought in the most money, but accidents happened all the time. At the end of the day, they were a commodity to be bought and sold.
She watched as his arm healed in front of her eyes. The bones reset themselves, moving into their original positions. For some strange reason, Cade’s wounds were healing faster than normal. At first, she thought that it might be because he was a Kondorian, but after talking with several other healers, none of them had had the same experience with a Kondorian. It had to be something else.
Were the feelings that were growing between them causing the healing to move faster? That had to be it. The connection between them amplified her own abilities on his body. It was spectacular to behold.
He was her match, that much was obvious, but did they actually have a chance at being together? They were already taking enormous risks to be together, and those risks could have them both killed. Would he really be able to get them both off the planet or would he end up getting them both killed? She wanted to take the risk with him. She wanted to believe in happily ever after. If there was a chance that she could have a normal life with him, she wanted to try.
After several grueling hours, Cade was healed. His arm, his knee, his shattered feet, everything was back to normal.
Cade stretched out his toes, then lifted himself off the table and kissed her immediately. He wasn’t wasting any time. They didn’t have that luxury anyway. They were on borrowed time because they could be discovered at any moment, and that was terrifying in itself. But it would be better to die in the arms of a lover than to the cheers of the crowd. He knew that much.
Eldredth pressed her lips to his. His mouth felt incredible, causing a fire to erupt in her belly. She had never felt that close to another man before. Her job didn’t really allow her the opportunity to fall in love, but with Cade, it was like she didn’t have a choice. Her heart was going for it whether she wanted to or not.
Was it possible that her heart was beating even more furiously? She thought it was going to burst through her ribcage. The thrill of being found out was both terrifying and electric. She had never done anything so brazen before, but it was exciting.
Cade wanted to please her; she could see it in his ravenous eyes. He looked like a predator, ready to devour her whole. She was willing to let him.
She grew warm all over with the thought. As his tongue danced with her own, she felt the warm wetness pool between her legs. She had waited for this moment for so long that she stopped to take it all in. Her fingers ran across his chiseled chest, tracing the outline of his tattoos. Each muscle was intricately defined like a marble statue. The man was a work of art. His skin was a dull green, covered in tribal tattoos. She admired how rough and tough he looked. He was a strong man that would always be able to protect her. She liked his well-muscled body and the strength that it possessed.
She stopped kissing him, and he just stared at her. She could tell he was feeling the same way she was. He wanted her, and she remembered just how much he had gone through for time with her. Not once, but twice. That aroused her.
“You have a beautiful body, Cade”
He flashed her a devilish grin that made her even warmer. “It’s you that has a beautiful body, Eldredth, and I would love to see what lies beneath those robes.”
She gasped, no one had ever talked that way to her before. Sure, she’d been grabbed and groped by gladiators, usually when they were fresh off the auction block, but never like this. Not with the passion that fueled his remarks. Ever since she had met Cade, he had talked to her in a different manner, and she found it intoxicating.
He leaned in, slipping his powerful hand around her neck and pulling her to him as his mouth claimed hers. He tasted sweet and alluring. His lips were molten, and she almost moaned at his touch. He kissed her softly at first and then his kisses became more fevered as if he needed her mouth on his. His tongue slipped into her mouth. She sucked him slowly,
tasting him before she pulled away. He pulled her in again. His tongue found hers once more, and their kisses grew more passionate. His hand trailed up her side to her breast and he kneaded it softly. Gently, he removed her robes and tossed them aside. He stopped kissing her momentarily to take in the sight.
“You are beautiful.” The forests in his eyes were ablaze.
She bit her lip at his penetrating gaze. Cade stepped closer, embracing her and pushing her back until she was pressed against the healing table. His kisses trailed down her neck until he found her nipple. He sucked, nipped, and licked it. The sensation threatened to melt her into the floor. She moaned softly as he replaced his mouth with fingers and pulled, sending a tingle between her legs. She liked it; it made her ache for him. He continued playing with her nipples and she fought back moans as the pleasure built up in her body. Her hand reached down, and she massaged the front of his loincloth. She could feel his hard member pushing against her, throbbing against her touch.
Electricity pulsed through her, and she was ready to release it. She wanted Cade to please her body, to give her what she wanted. With a quick pull, his loincloth fell to the floor. His hard member bounced before her, now free from concealment. He was so big, and the sight was breathtaking. She dropped to her knees and took him in her mouth.
Cade gasped. When Eldredth looked up at him, his eyes were closed in pleasure. She sucked hard while she massaged his balls. She swirled her tongue against his shaft and then around his tip. He moaned with eagerness, and she sucked him even harder.
“Oh god, you're good at this,” Cade panted.
She took him deeper into her mouth until his member hit the back of her throat. She moved up and down rhythmically. His moans excited her, and she felt her womanhood become even more wet.
Unable to contain himself, Cade stopped Eldredth and pulled her to her feet.
“You are a vision, Eldredth.” His face was serious.
He spun her around and laid her on her back against the healing table. She wrapped her legs around him as he pressed against her, teasing her with his cock. She wanted him between her legs, all of him.
He dropped down before her and pressed his tongue against her slit. His mouth melted into her, delving deeper inside. A tingle ran through her body as his tongue caressed the sides of her opening. He took her clit in his mouth and sucked on it. She had to cover her mouth to hold the moan at bay as she reveled in ecstasy.
“Oh god... Oh god...” she whispered.
He looked up, flashing her a devious grin. “Does that feel good?”
“Oh, god, yes, it feels incredible.”
Her womanhood dripped honey, and Cade was tasting every inch of her. Her body tightened as the tension built. She couldn’t get enough of him and she was about to explode. She pressed her hands to her mouth, careful not to alert anyone to their presence. Getting caught together would be disastrous for them both.
“Oh, Cade, it feels so good.”
While he sucked on her clit, he buried a finger inside her womanhood. It was too much, too much all at once, and she cried out softly as she convulsed on the table. Her breath came in pants as she tried to find herself again. The orgasm had been delicious, and she wanted more.
“How was that?” Cade asked.
She just grinned. The orgasm had emboldened her. She climbed on top of him. It was her turn to share her pleasure with him.
His look of surprise quickly turned into a grin.
Eldredth grabbed Cade by the hips and slid down onto him. His manhood slid into her wet opening, plunging deep inside. They both gasped as he throbbed inside of her. She fought against the urge to scream his name, to shout her pleasure to the stars. She writhed in ecstasy as he slowly moved in and out.
She lost sight of everything but the green god before her. He felt fantastic and she pressed her hips against him in turn, mimicking his motion and riding his smooth member even harder. He moaned softly, gazing at her like a wild animal.
“Mmmm, you’re so beautiful. You feel amazing. You know how to take care of a man.”
His voice, his words, his member were driving her mad. And just when she thought it couldn't get any better, he rubbed her clit. It was almost too much to bear. Sparks shot through her belly, and she wanted more. She moaned softly, wanting to beg for more but unable to speak. Every part of her was ripe with desire, she had never been this turned on.
She gasped as pleasure coursed through her. She continued pumping onto his member as an orgasm took hold of her once again. “Oh, god, Cade. Oh, god, that feels so good,” she whispered her yearnings to him, barely containing her ecstasy.
“I want you, Eldredth,” he growled.
He pulled himself out and stared at her vulnerable body.
His member was slick from her wetness, and it pulsed before her. Looking at his size made her warm all over again.
She needed him to make love to her. To send her over the edge so that she would get the release that she wanted, the release that she deserved. She wanted to be with Cade over and over again.
He flipped her over and climbed on top. His face was inches from hers. He pressed his lips to hers, and she felt his cock throb between her legs. She loved being in his strong arms. She felt safe there.
Laying on her back, legs spread, she waited for him to enter her. She longed for him to be inside of her.
He entered her slowly, and she gasped with how deep he went.
“Oh, Eldredth, you’re so tight. God, you feel so good.”
He was so deep inside of her that she didn’t know where he ended and she began.
She leaned her head back, delirious with pleasure. He fit inside her perfectly. Waves of pleasure passed through her every time he moved. He began pumping faster, pressing his hand over her mouth to conceal her moans. His member was perfect. In this position, he hit her pleasure spot over and over again. Her body built up once again, and she knew he was going to cause her to spill all over his member.
“Release yourself, Eldredth,” he demanded softly. “I can see it on your face.”
She surrendered to his command, gasping. She was spent and yet he continued moving inside of her slowly.
“You are so beautiful. You should see this glorious view that I have.” He caressed her breast with his rough hands and slammed into her womanhood hard.
Every inch of her enjoyed his member as he pounded her over and over again.
“Oh god,” she moaned.
He reached around and felt for her womanhood. He rubbed his fingers against her moist clit, adding to her pleasure while he moved inside her.
Her whole body shuddered as she came. He thrust a few more times, then spilled inside of her and collapsed against the table.
She slid slowly off his member and knew for certain that she was going to be very sore the next day. It would be worth it. He pulled her into him and held her tightly.
“That was amazing, Eldredth. Everything about you is so incredible. I can’t believe we have such a wild connection.”
He was right. All that fire between them was because of their connection. The same connection that helped her heal him faster than others. They were destined to be together in every way.
Cade wrapped his arm around her. “If we are going to continue doing this, we have to be as secretive as possible. I don’t want anything to happen to you. In the meantime, I will be working on getting us off this planet.”
She nodded. “Of course, I understand.”
“We will be together soon, I promise.”
He kissed her softly on the lips. “You are mine, sweet Eldredth. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
She watched him leave the room after getting dressed. When she had her robes back on, she made sure that the room was in order.
As she walked down the empty hallway, she was already missing Cade and couldn’t wait to see him again.
Chapter Six
Excitement filled the air. Time had come for the gladiators to put their
skills to the test, and Cade was eager for the opportunity. Not to mention that he and Eldredth had grown even closer since their time alone in the healing room. His pulse raced at the thought of her body pressed against his.
Maizon had been hard on them all week, making sure they were prepared for the fights. They’d been training longer and harder than usual to hone their abilities even further. Cade had a hard time thinking about anything but Eldredth. She had been clouding his thoughts since the night they made love.
They had spent time together since then, and he was hoping to steal her away again soon. It was thrilling, slinking around the mansion for opportunities to be together. Every chance that they had alone was a moment he cherished. He just hoped that there would come a day where he could take her away from all of this. For the time being, he had to focus on the fights.
They were all traveling to Rahl, a neighboring town with its own gladiatorial arena. Its claim to fame was that the town was completely covered. A dome-like structure had been erected over the town to block out the sun for the houses underneath, but also to harness the solar energy to power the town. Rahl was a smaller town, making it more practical to construct a dome that the bigger cities could not.
Cade was looking forward to being able to fight without his glasses. The cover not only protected the town from the sun but all its inhabitants as well. Cade wished that they lived there instead of at the mansion. His skin didn’t burn as easily as before, but it was still a challenge training beneath the sun’s burning gaze. With all Maizon’s money, he wondered why he didn’t have the fighting pit covered at least. Probably because he just didn’t care.
The arena would be much bigger than the training pit. It also had stadium seating for the audience. Cade wondered what kind of people would get entertainment from watching slaves fight. Some of the seasoned gladiators filled in the new recruits on what the experience would be like. Cade learned that it was like a festival of sorts. People would dress in costume and paint their faces. There was food, music, and dancing in the streets, but the main event was the fights.
