Weapons Master: Galactic Gladiators: House of Rone #6

by Hackett, Anna

  She kept stoking her anger. It was better than feeling hurt.

  “I knew that scarf would look great on you.” Jayna bumped her hip companionably against Bellamy.

  Bellamy stroked the silky scarf tied jauntily around her neck. Jayna had given it to her, and Bellamy loved the swirls of blues, greens, and silver.

  “You’re going to love the arena.” Jayna’s dark-brown curls spilled around her attractive face. She had brown skin and a curvy body. “Watching muscled, sweaty gladiators fight.” The woman waggled her eyebrows.

  Bellamy had to smile. “I wouldn’t let your cyborg hear you saying that.”

  Jayna laughed, dark curls bouncing. “He can get a little possessive.”

  “A little?”

  “Okay, Mace doesn’t really do subtle. He’s a lot possessive, but I like it.” Then her face turned serious. “These cyborgs aren’t that great with relationships, or coping with emotions that they aren’t used to dealing with.”

  Bellamy stiffened. “Jayna—”

  “I’m just saying. I heard what Maxon said. I don’t know him well because he purposely keeps to himself—”

  “Because he’s a grumpy beast of an asshole.”

  Jayna bit her lip, clearly hiding a smile. “I’m just saying, all our cyborgs have screwed up lots of times. They kind of need a little help to work out what’s right in a relationship.”

  “I don’t have a relationship with Maxon.”

  “Mmm-hmm,” Sage murmured from the other side of Bellamy.

  “I don’t. I like his workshop.”

  “Right,” Jayna said. “It’s nothing to do with that muscled body, golden-brown skin, all that hair, and that intense scowl that makes a woman want to run…or shiver.”

  “I don’t do relationships. I had a bad one and I say good riddance to it. I don’t mind tearing up the sheets with a hot guy, but that’s it. They’re more trouble than they’re worth.”

  Sage shifted and popped her head between Jayna and Bellamy, her copper-colored hair in a messy bun. She linked arms with them both. “I get the feeling the lady is protesting way too much.”

  Bellamy sniffed. “I’m not dignifying that with an answer.”

  Luckily, she was saved from adding more because they reached the end of the tunnel and stepped into the arena.

  The crowd was cheering and chanting from the tiers of seats that ringed the arena floor below.

  For a horrible second, an image of the Edull battle arena popped into her head. The screams of the crowd vying with the roar of engines.

  Bellamy blinked hard, and saw only the sand-covered arena below. No battle bots. No Edull. She sucked in some air.

  “Bellamy?” There was concern in Jayna’s voice.

  “I’m good.”

  “It reminds you of—”

  “It’s fine. I’m fine. Hungry. What is there to eat?”

  “I’ll grab us something,” Sage said.

  As they walked down a set of steps between the seats, Bellamy spotted the House of Rone cyborgs. Jayna led her to a stone bench.

  “I really wish our guys could fight in the arena more. Cyborgs are banned, but the House of Galen is always a treat to watch. And occasionally, they have an exhibition match where our guys can fight.”

  Magnus and Jax were deep in conversation near the railing. The other cyborgs stood nearby. Ever, with Asha sitting on her lap, was sitting beside Calla and Quinn on the benches. Seren was leaning into a muscled, dark-skinned gladiator. Wow, when the tough female cyborg looked at the man, she looked almost…soft. Well, as soft as Seren could ever look.

  “That’s Xias,” Jayna said. “He’s the champion gladiator of the House of Rone.”

  “He’s not a cyborg?” Bellamy asked.

  “No, but still an amazing fighter. Seren put up an impressive fight, but he finally claimed her.”

  Another couple in love. Dammit. They were everywhere.

  A young boy moved to join the pair. Xias elbowed the boy playfully and Seren said something that made the boy smile. He had black, tattoo-like markings on his face similar to Seren’s.

  Jayne leaned closer. “That’s Virin. He recently joined the House of Rone. He’s the same species as Seren, and she and Xias rescued him from the desert.”

  The House of Rone just couldn’t abandon anyone in need. She looked at Magnus’ impassive face and wondered what had driven the imperator to do all of this.

  A part of the crowd started cheering and singing some sort of chant. Bellamy took a moment to study the arena. The atmosphere here felt different—it was full of anticipation, excitement. It didn’t have the dark edge of the battle arena, where people were waiting to see death and destruction.

  Bellamy knew that no one died in the Kor Magna Arena. She’d been warned that there would be blood, but that all the houses invested in excellent healers and medical tech to keep their gladiators fit and healthy.

  A flash of golden-brown caught her eye. Maxon arrived like a lion prowling across the savannah. He nodded at the women before moving to talk with Magnus.

  Bellamy went rigid.

  “Well,” Jayna drawled. “Maxon rarely comes to the fights.”

  Great. Bellamy grunted.

  Then he turned his head and their gazes locked. She mentally sent him an image of her hitting him over the head with his hammer.

  Suddenly, he moved her way and sat down beside her.

  “Go away,” she whispered fiercely.

  “No.”

  “I don’t want you here. Sage is going to sit there.”

  “Acton will claim her and make her sit with him.”

  Bellamy made a harrumphing sound. “You are annoying, and I don’t like you.”

  “You’ll get over it,” he said, sounding unconcerned.

  She swiveled her head. “No, I won’t. You were a douchebag of epic proportions in Magnus’s office.”

  “I wanted to keep you safe.” Maxon stared steadily into her eyes.

  She was shocked to see his eyes were turbulent, unsettled. “Would you like it if I told you what you could and couldn’t do? Or if I shared private details about you? Spilled your vulnerabilities to everybody?” She flung her hand out to make her point.

  His brows drew together, realization crossing his face.

  God, Jayna was right. The man had no clue what he’d done to hurt her and piss her off.

  “I had…someone try to dictate my life before, and I had the Edull taking away all my choices for months. I won’t let that happen again.”

  A muscle in his jaw worked.

  “Say you’re sorry, and that you won’t do it again,” she said.

  He turned to stare down at the arena. “I’m sorry.”

  He sounded like he was chewing on lumps of jagged metal. Bellamy figured the man didn’t apologize much.

  “And you won’t do it again.”

  He looked at her again, golden eyes aflame. “I can’t promise that.”

  “Why?” she hissed.

  “Because I have this irrational urge to keep you safe. And I’ll do whatever I have to do to ensure that, even if you hate me for it.”

  Bellamy just stared at him. It suddenly seemed like the world and everyone around them disappeared. No one had ever said anything like that to her. Ever.

  Her parents had never cared about her. Gram had done her best. The older man she’d stupidly gotten tangled up with after Gram’s death had just wanted to control her.

  Suddenly, a long, deep horn echoed across the arena.

  “The fight’s starting,” Maxon said. “Still want me to move?”

  Bellamy sighed. “No.”

  * * *

  Maxon watched the House of Galen gladiators, led by Raiden and his mate Harper, cross the arena sand.

  The gladiators of the House of Loden came out from a tunnel on the opposite side of the arena. They wore tan-leather harnesses and gauntlets, and deep-green cloaks. They were all tall, lean, and muscled, holding fighting knives and staff
s.

  The crowd’s screams rose to loud and unruly levels.

  Maxon glanced at Bellamy, watching her take it in. She had a curious, interested look on her face. He realized she’d had no chance to relax and enjoy herself in her months of captivity. His hand curled against his thigh. Drakking Edull.

  The fight began. He watched Saff from the House of Galen throw a net, her mass of black braids spinning around her shoulders. Her mate raced up beside her, his powerful body leaping into the air. Blaine was the sole male survivor from Earth. His swords whirled.

  Maxon had first come to Carthago to see the fights. The wealthy Shaye family had traveled a lot, and he’d been the older of two sons. He’d been engaged to the beautiful, glamorous daughter of another wealthy family. Silva had been high maintenance, but gorgeous, and always ready for a good time.

  He’d thought he’d had a charmed life. Until he’d been attacked by a gang of thieves in a Kor Magna back alley. He’d been so severely beaten that he’d been dying.

  The House of Rone had found him. Magnus’ house had been much smaller then, but still dedicated to helping the injured. They’d saved him by giving him synthetic organs, an internal cybernetic system, and metal bone replacements.

  His family—from the elitist world of Velios, who prized good breeding and pure bloodlines—had been horrified.

  Silva had looked at him like he was a monster, with disgust and repulsion. They’d all renounced him, telling him that they would have preferred that he died.

  He’d still been recovering in bed when they’d left Carthago, leaving him behind.

  Magnus had offered him a home.

  Maxon had been angry for so long. He’d eventually looked up his family. Silva had gone on to marry his brother, Erix.

  Maxon shifted on the bench seat. Time had made him realize that his family and Silva had never truly loved or cared for him. He was actually grateful to have escaped that shallow existence.

  A hand touched his thigh. He flicked his gaze up.

  Bellamy squeezed his leg. “Okay?”

  He nodded. How could she see through him so easily?

  “Howdy, House of Rone,” a female voice said.

  A slim redhead stood nearby, holding a wriggling young boy, who clearly wanted down. Behind her were several other women.

  “Bellamy,” Jayna said with a wide smile. “These are the Fortuna Station survivors from the House of Galen.”

  Maxon stayed back as Bellamy was introduced around, and hugged and greeted like a long-lost sister.

  “Dada.” The little boy lunged out of his mother’s arms.

  “Finley!” Rory tried to catch her son.

  Maxon caught the sturdy boy and found himself being studied by green eyes a different shade to Bellamy’s, but exactly like Rory’s.

  “Dada?” The boy pressed his hand against Maxon’s shirt.

  “He’s busy right now.” Maxon pointed down to the arena floor.

  The boy’s father, the gladiator, Kace, was fighting two rival gladiators.

  Spotting his father, Finley laughed and clapped his hands. Then he turned and slapped Maxon’s cheek.

  “Thanks.” Rory retrieved her son.

  Maxon jerked his chin up at the woman. Then he realized Finley had smeared something sticky on his shirt. Wonderful.

  Bellamy sat back beside him, her lips twitching.

  “What?” he growled.

  “You look cute holding a kid.”

  Cute? He scowled. “Couldn’t let him dive off the railing, could I?”

  “Mmm.”

  He ignored her.

  Then she reached up, her knuckles rubbing his cheek. Sensations whispered through his entire body.

  “You have something sticky on your cheek.” She gently wiped it away.

  They stared at each other for a long moment, then she sat back.

  “Hey, Sage,” she called out. “What happened to my snack?”

  The other woman was sitting behind them, nestled up with Acton.

  “Oops, sorry.” Sage grinned. “I ate them all.” She held up an empty packet.

  Bellamy looked around and pointed to a man holding a tray of snacks.

  “Hey, over here.” She raised her arm to get the seller’s attention.

  The man headed her way.

  “Wait, I don’t have any money.”

  “Here.” Maxon fished around in his pocket and handed her a small medallion. The metal coin was stamped with the logo of the House of Rone—a gladiator’s helmet over crossed swords. “Just show it to him.”

  “The Carthago version of a credit card.” She held the coin up.

  The seller came closer, holding his tray filled with paper bags of different snacks. “What would you like?”

  “Mmm, it all smells good,” Bellamy said. “Oh, that looks like popcorn.”

  Maxon felt a chill along his spine. He frowned. A bad feeling settled on him like a black cloud.

  As Bellamy talked to the seller, he scanned around. The sense of doom grew.

  No one appeared to be paying any extra attention to them, or presented any danger. A faint, sickly sweet smell hit his enhanced senses.

  Bellamy was reaching for the snack she’d purchased.

  “Wait!” Maxon grabbed her wrist.

  “What’s wrong now?” she grumbled.

  Maxon breathed deep. The scent was stronger. “I smell demis.”

  Acton leaned forward, a frown on his face. “I detect the scent as well.”

  Maxon spotted a faint gold dust on the food. “The snacks are poisoned.”

  Her eyes went wide. “What?”

  The seller froze. The man was reptilian, with a faint, brown, scale pattern on his skin, and no hair. His elongated eyes blinked.

  Then he tossed the tray of snacks at them.

  Food flew everywhere, and Maxon leaped up.

  The man stepped back and pulled a long, thin blade from his belt—an assassin’s blade, designed to slide through ribs and puncture organs. He stabbed at Bellamy.

  She gasped, and Maxon shoved her out of the way. She tilted and fell off the back of the bench. Then Maxon yanked his own blade off his belt. His was bigger with a dangerous serrated edge.

  He and the assassin slammed into each other, blade against blade.

  He heard shouts and screams, Magnus bellowing orders.

  The assassin smiled. “There is nothing you can do, cyborg. The woman is marked for death.”

  Chapter Seven

  Bellamy struggled to her feet.

  She saw Maxon and the assassin fighting, knives flashing.

  Anger exploded inside her. This was the Edull’s doing. They were the only ones who wanted her dead. Bastards.

  She saw Maxon take the assassin down, swinging one powerful leg around to trap the man as he surged with his knife. Both men rolled before coming back to their feet.

  She lunged forward, but a hard arm banded around her. She was pulled back against Acton’s lean body.

  “Stay back,” the cyborg warned.

  Bellamy growled. She’d never been good at following orders.

  The other cyborgs were busy clearing spectators out of the way.

  The assassin broke free of Maxon’s hold, and yanked something from his pocket. He tossed a small ball into the air.

  Bellamy tensed. The device broke apart, and a swarm of small, metallic bots flew out. They were tiny, no bigger than insects, and ducked and weaved, moving as a swarm.

  They turned and rushed at her.

  Shit.

  Acton surged forward and Bellamy ducked. The swarm dodged around the cyborg and rushed her. She spun, but the edge of the swarm hit her—cutting at her skin like small knives. She yanked her scarf off. The swarm flew away, whirled, then zoomed back.

  “Bellamy!” Maxon roared.

  She held the scarf up. The insects raced closer and she tossed the fabric over them, then pulled it tight. They jerked, but she held them and smiled grimly. Take that.

 
; Then they started to slice through the scarf.

  Oh, hell. She released the bundle and leaped away.

  She saw Zaden leap past her, his arms raised. The bug bots froze in midair, then started to crumple inward.

  She wanted to watch, but she heard a grunt and spun. Maxon landed a hard punch in the assassin’s face, but the man absorbed the blow and swiveled around. He darted away from Maxon and jumped on some of the empty seats, running along the curving bench.

  Right at Bellamy.

  The man held his long, thin knife like a lance. His reptilian eyes focused on her with scary intensity.

  Crap. Bellamy dived out of the way. The knife flew past her, but the assassin’s body hit her hard.

  They slammed into the arena railing…and tipped over it.

  Shit. Shit. Shit.

  The sand raced up to meet her and she braced herself. She hit the ground hard enough to knock the wind out of her.

  Beside her, she heard the assassin grunt.

  Knowing this was life or death, she shoved back her pain and rolled away. She pushed to her feet. Her ribs ached, but she was pretty sure nothing was broken.

  The assassin rose into a crouch. He tilted his head, a predator assessing its prey.

  “The Edull want you dead, female. You know too much. I’m going to slide my sweet blade right into your heart.”

  “Sorry, asshole. I’m not interested in being murdered today.”

  Suddenly, a big body hit the sand between them.

  Maxon rose, his large knife clutched in his hand, his gold eyes glowing.

  More bodies dropped, circling them—Magnus, Jax, Mace, Zaden, Seren.

  Several other gladiators jogged over—led by the sexy Raiden, and others from both the House of Galen and Loden.

  The assassin’s face twisted. He ran, and as Maxon rushed to grab him, the assassin dropped to the ground, sliding feetfirst through the sand, right past Maxon’s legs.

  He rushed at Bellamy, but Maxon was fast, swiveling and slamming a punch into the man’s back.

  He drove the assassin to the ground, then raised his arm and stabbed his knife into the assassin’s shoulder.

  Bellamy made herself look as Maxon flipped the assassin over, and then stabbed the man in the chest. Neatly, right in the heart.