Hunter: Galactic Gladiators #12

by Hackett, Anna

She was already wearing her uniform—sleek pants and a matching sleeveless top, all the color of deepest space. The fabric had a faint sparkle under the lights which she loved. She tossed her bag inside her locker and looked in the mirror attached to the door. Blue eyes, with a tiny rim of brown, looked back at her. A faint, brown skin pattern common in her species started at her temples and ran down the side of her face, ending below her ears. The pattern was different for every Olshan, but hers looked like delicate flowers.

  She fluffed her hair. She wore it in a sleek, black bob. She frowned. It looked wrong… She tugged on the strands and shook her head. She’d always worn it like this, just never quite as styled. In the desert, doing your hair wasn’t a big priority.

  Drak. Enough daydreaming, Mina. She pulled her high heels out of her locker and screwed up her nose. The heels were tall and she knew from experience that they were devious torture devices, even if they did make her not-very-long legs look fabulous.

  She quickly kicked off her flats and slipped the skyscraper shoes onto her feet.

  Then she headed out of the locker room and into the main area where the servers worked. Noise and sound hit her. A sea of servers were busy loading trays with food and drinks. All of them wore variations of her outfit, many in tiny skirts and dresses. A tall woman sauntered past Mina carrying a loaded tray above her head.

  Mina’s supervisor caught her gaze. The blue-skinned woman’s eyes narrowed. Mina waved, then hurriedly grabbed an empty black tray from the stack near the wall. Before Dayliss caught her for a lecture about being on time, Mina pushed through the door into the casino.

  The place throbbed with noise and energy. The walls of the large space were painted black and decorated by huge vases of flowers in purple, red, and silver. She loved the flowers. Coming from the desert, flowers were a rare commodity. She wasn’t ashamed to admit that she paused fairly frequently to sniff the stunning, fragrant blooms. They were changed out every day, the colors and styles always unique.

  Gaming tables and machines filled the space. Aliens crowded around the red-topped tables, while the gambling machines dinged and whizzed. She tilted her head back. A second level ringed the space and she saw lots of guests pressed against the railings, sipping drinks, talking, laughing. It was busy tonight. Her gaze moved higher and Mina smiled. The ceiling was covered in a scatter of stars and a multicolored nebula. So gorgeous. There were also striking chandeliers. Elaborate concoctions of glass that cascaded downward.

  Someone bumped into her and she focused back on her job. She pulled in a breath and pasted on a smile.

  Then she turned and ran into a hard chest.

  Oh, drak. She swallowed a groan.

  “You’re late again, Mina.”

  The last person she wanted to run into was Tannon Gi—the Dark Nebula’s unsmiling head of security.

  He towered over her and the suit didn’t hide the muscular body or the breadth of his shoulders. He had brown hair that he kept cut short and a rugged face, but the most fascinating thing about the man was his eyes. They looked like cut diamonds. She saw them sparkle in the light.

  “I know,” she pleaded. “But I have a good reason.”

  “You always do.”

  His deep voice washed over her and her skin tightened. He wasn’t handsome, not like the panty-melting, charming owner of the Dark Nebula, Rillian. Rillian would give any woman a few naughty fantasies. Tannon was tougher, harder, like he was hewn from stone.

  Rillian was dangerous, no doubt about it, but he was like a deadly sharp scalpel. Tannon was a war sword.

  Not for the first time, Mina thought that he should be fighting in the arena.

  “Mina.”

  She blinked and looked up at his face. “Sorry.”

  “This is your last warning.”

  She swallowed and nodded. Drak. Her belly clenched. She needed this job. She’d left the desert with nothing.

  Tannon nodded. “Get to work.”

  Spinning on her heels, she walked away, keeping her chin high. The universe had to be toying with her. It felt like Tannon always caught her at her worst moments.

  Well, she had a job to do. She pushed the annoying head of security out of her mind and got to work.

  She smiled at some gamblers. “Hi, there. Can I get you a drink?”

  * * *

  Tannon Gi stood on the second level of the casino, leaning against the railing, and watching the crowd below.

  “You have everything in hand?” a cool voice asked.

  “We’re making the security arrangements.” Tannon glanced at the man standing beside him. “My team will ensure the party has the highest security.”

  “Good.”

  The man’s face didn’t change, and Tannon wondered just how much the cyborg felt. Jaxer Rone, second of the House of Rone, had several cyborg enhancements. His long, brown hair brushed the silver metal along his cheekbone. More metal was visible at the neck of his dark shirt. Tannon’s security reports on the man indicated he also had a high-tech prosthetic leg.

  There was no doubt Jax was lethal and powerful, but Tannon had also seen the man smile. The same couldn’t be said of Jax’s imperator. Magnus Rone was the epitome of the perfect cyborg, even though he’d mated with a human survivor from Earth and they had a newborn daughter.

  Tannon assumed these cyborgs could control their emotions or were good at hiding them. His hand curled around the railing. He understood just how useful that skill could be.

  “I have no doubt the party and security will be first-rate, Tannon.” Jax nodded. “Thank you. The House of Rone and the House of Galen are looking forward to the celebration.”

  Tannon raised a brow. “I’m guessing the House of Galen gladiators more so than your cyborgs.”

  Jax flashed a smile. “Magnus has ordered them all to attend. Most of them are…wary. Still, the most excited attendees will be the women of Earth.” The cyborg shook his head. “Those women need very little excuse to throw a party.”

  Tannon figured that after being stolen from their planet by alien slavers, transported to the other side of the galaxy, and then rescued by alien gladiators, the women deserved to celebrate.

  “We’ll see you soon,” Jax said.

  Tannon nodded. As the cyborg left, Tannon looked back at the casino crowd.

  He liked standing up here watching the people. He could see all the comings and goings in the casino, and get a good feel for the crowd. It made it easier to detect any early signs of trouble.

  Rillian trusted him, and Tannon would never let his boss down.

  He owed Rillian. The man had given Tannon a job—no, a life—when he’d needed it.

  “Sir?”

  He turned and saw one of his black-uniformed security team standing behind him. “Adif.”

  “I have the security update.”

  Tannon nodded. “Go ahead.”

  The young man lifted a slim, translucent screen and started rattling off a summary of the security issues from the last few hours. As he listened, Tannon continued to scan the crowd below.

  His gaze snagged on Mina.

  His lips firmed. It was like she possessed some force that pulled at him. He could pick her out in the crowded room in seconds, even though she was the tiniest person in there.

  He thought she was gorgeous.

  He’d tried to fight his reaction to her. His entire life had been about denying his own gratification. He’d always been told his greatest skills were his patience and doggedness.

  So many things about her spoke to him—her smile, her irreverent attitude, her easy-going charm. Tannon had never been easy-going.

  He watched her stop by a vase of flowers that towered over her. She stroked the petals of one bloom, sniffed, and closed her eyes, savoring the scent.

  Tannon’s body tightened. Mentally cursing himself, he continued to watch her as she moved toward some customers at one of the farnaa tables. She laughed, then evaded a grabby customer’s roaming hand.

 
Tannon’s fingers clenched on the railing.

  He was also suspicious of her. That was another of Tannon’s qualities that made him a very good head of security.

  She had no records, and very little in her background check. He had his team run in-depth searches on all prospective employees of the Dark Nebula. There had been no information to find on Mina Lan’Gar before she arrived in Kor Magna a month before from the Lan’Gar region of the desert.

  But many people who came from the desert were like that. They’d lived with limited technology and contact with others.

  Still, Tannon felt there was something about her that was…off.

  She laughed again and as the crowd shifted, he lost sight of her. He released a breath. He could just be imagining it. He wasn’t entirely sure he could trust his own judgement where she was involved.

  A clearing throat made him remember Adif. Drak. Tannon turned and nodded. “Thank you, Adif. Any problems, please inform me.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Tannon stayed leaning against the railing, eyeing the crowd. He wasn’t looking for another glimpse of a dark head. Then he sensed a shift in the vibe of the crowd.

  He knew instantly what had caused it. He looked down and saw Rillian moving across the casino floor.

  The casino owner’s presence was like a ripple through the crowd. People noticed Rillian for a lot of reasons—his wealth, his power, his influence. And a more primal sense, a warning, that beneath the sleek, charming surface lurked something far darker and more dangerous.

  Not everyone knew, but Rillian was bonded to a powerful alien symbiont that gave him immense powers.

  Rillian paused and turned. Tannon watched the man’s face soften a little, a smile tilting his lips. Only one thing caused that reaction in Rillian.

  Tannon wasn’t surprised when Dayna Caplan emerged from the crowd.

  The survivor from Earth had a smile on her face as she strode toward her man. Rillian captured her hand, then bent his head, brushing his lips over hers. Then the couple headed for the stairs and made their way toward him.

  “Tannon,” Rillian said.

  He nodded at them both. “Good evening.”

  “Is my casino running smoothly?”

  Tannon was well aware that Rillian kept his finger on the pulse from the security screens in his office. “Making you lots of credits.”

  “And everything’s ready for the Rone and Galen party?” Dayna asked.

  The former human law enforcement officer had been through a terrible ordeal. Abducted by the Thraxian slavers, she’d been forced to fight in a terrible desert arena. Then a desert witch had forced her to bond with an alien symbiont.

  Rillian had helped her recover, and helped her learn to control the symbiont inside her. During that time, they’d fallen in love. Now, she brought her considerable skills to Tannon’s security team. Unlike some of his team, Dayna wasn’t afraid of him, and had no trouble challenging his ideas. It made his team better.

  He nodded. “The party’s in two nights. We’ll be ready.”

  They had two nights to prepare for the House of Galen and House of Rone party.

  “I can always count on you, Tannon,” Rillian said.

  Once, he hadn’t been trustworthy. Tannon’s muscles locked. Once, he’d been something very bad.

  He found Mina again. She was walking on those ridiculously high heels, smiling, her hair swinging around her delicate jaw.

  Then he saw a man grab her and yank her into his lap. Tannon straightened. She tried to laugh it off and get away, but the man held her tighter. Even from a distance, Tannon saw a flash of fear on her face.

  A haze of red skimmed over Tannon’s eyes.

  Even though Rillian was still talking to him, Tannon turned and stalked toward the stairs.

  “Tannon?” Rillian said.

  As Tannon stormed onto the casino floor, people quickly got out of his way. He zeroed in on Mina, and as he got closer, he heard her trying to encourage the man to let her go.

  “Come on, big guy. You don’t want any trouble.”

  “I want you,” the man rumbled, his hand clamping on her thigh.

  Seeing red, Tannon charged in. He grabbed the man around the back of the neck and yanked him up. Mina stumbled onto her feet and gaming chips flew everywhere. Nearby, someone screamed.

  Tannon swung the man around.

  “Tannon!” Mina cried.

  “What the drak.” The groper broke free and spun, lifting his fists.

  Tannon landed one hard punch to the man’s jaw. He staggered, then shook his head. He looked up, fire igniting in his eyes.

  Tannon watched the man impassively. Come on, fight me.

  The man let out a bellow and charged. Tannon stepped to the side, then hit the back of the man’s head. He rammed into a nearby table, blood spurting from his nose.

  “Drak!” The man turned and moved faster than Tannon had guessed.

  He rammed Tannon into another gaming table, sending people scattering. Tannon ignored the sharp pain in his back. He shoved the man away.

  In the distance, he saw his security team running toward the fight.

  The man took a step forward and Tannon braced.

  Then suddenly Mina was there. She lifted her tray and smacked it into the man’s head with one smooth move.

  With a groan, the man fell to his knees. Tannon followed with a chop to the man’s back and he dropped to the ground.

  “You are not welcome in the Dark Nebula Casino ever again,” Tannon said coldly. “You never put a hand on her, or any woman, again.”

  “Drak you.” The man spat out a mouthful of blood onto the carpet.

  Then he launched himself upward. His huge fist swung and he clocked Mina in the side of the head.

  She fell with a cry, too far from Tannon for him to catch her. Instead, he kicked the man, knocking him into some stools. He went down, cursing.

  Tannon’s security team rushed to subdue the man. “Put him in a holding cell.”

  His most senior man nodded.

  Then Tannon turned and saw Mina sitting on the floor. She was holding her head, her blue eyes dazed.

  Fighting back the fury pounding in his blood, he swept her into his arms and strode away.

  Chapter Two

  Mina blinked through the dull throb of pain. She opened her eyes and looked at a strong, bronze throat. She gasped and realized that Tannon was holding her tight against his chest.

  Tannon. Weird.

  “I had it under control,” she muttered.

  He grunted, pressing his palm to the panel on one of the elevators. It was one of the elevators that led up to the private levels at the top of the Dark Nebula.

  He stepped inside and the elevator moved smoothly upward.

  “You need to stop flirting with the customers,” he said.

  Anger punched through Mina’s pain. “I smiled at the sandsucker. He’s to blame, not me.”

  “I agree, but precautions help.”

  She huffed out a breath and felt the elevator start to slow. When the doors opened, he stepped into a sleek, stunning suite.

  Ooh. She looked around, taking in the modern lines and glossy surfaces. Everything looked expensive and she knew instantly that it was his place. There were no decorations or personal touches. It was clean and tidy, and everything was in order, just like Tannon.

  The view, however, was incredible. She tried not to gawk at the glittering lights of Kor Magna framed by the floor-to-ceiling glass.

  He strode across the living space and set her down on a wide couch in a shade of deep-gray. Then he moved away, but was back seconds later with a heavy-duty medical kit. After setting it on the low, metal table that looked like a work of art, he sat down beside her.

  When he rolled up his shirt sleeves, showing off strong forearms, her gaze snagged on his skin. Stars. She visually traced a vein up the side of his arm, her belly fluttering. He had really delectable arms. She’d always had a thing for sexy forearms
.

  Then he put a finger under her chin and nudged it up. Her gaze met his diamond eyes and she knew he was assessing her.

  “I’m fine.” Drak, he’d caught her staring at his arms like a thera cat in heat.

  He pulled a packet from the kit and ripped it open. He leaned over and started cleaning the scratch on her cheekbone.

  “Ouch.” She hissed out a breath.

  “It’ll heal, but you’ll have some bruising.” He opened a tube of med gel and started spreading the blue gel on her skin. His touch was surprisingly gentle.

  “Thanks.” She knew she sounded grumpy. When she pulled in a breath, she managed to take in a huge hit of his scent. He smelled good, really good, and desire coiled in her belly.

  She blinked. This was Tannon Gi. She was lusting after frowning, scowling Tannon. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt desire like this.

  Suddenly, his head jerked up. She saw something flare in his eyes.

  “What?” she asked.

  He didn’t respond, just shot to his feet, and strode over to the built-in bar along the wall. She heard the clank of metal on glass and the sound of a liquid being poured. Then he was back, holding out a glass of silvery fluid.

  Desperate for a distraction, she took a healthy gulp.

  Then she spluttered. The liquor burned down her throat. “You trying to poison me?”

  Tannon crossed his arms over his chest and she fought valiantly not to stare at his forearms again. Stars, she just didn’t have that much willpower.

  “You’re a beautiful woman, Mina, and it’s my job to keep you safe.”

  She stilled. “You think I’m beautiful?”

  He leaned down, pressing his palms to the cushions on either side of her head. “You must know that.”

  She gave a small laugh. “Not really. In the desert, looks aren’t very important.” Pain throbbed in her head.

  “You have a headache.”

  He leaned back and rifled around in the medical kit. He lifted a pressure injector and set it against her neck. She barely felt the small prick.

  Then he reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear.

  “You’re very beautiful. Every man in the casino wants you.”