by Anna Hackett
She caught Rory’s gaze again, and her cousin nodded.
As Rory reared up, Regan spun. Together, they attacked the man. As both their bodies hit him, he went over backward.
But he recovered his balance quickly and didn’t go down. He stumbled, swinging at them. Rory jumped and landed on his back. She yanked his arms back. Regan kicked him, catching him in the thigh. Rory and Kuhl went down in a tangle of arms and legs.
Regan heaved in a breath and watched as Rory wrestled the bigger man, pinning him and bending his arm back at an unnatural angle. She knew her cousin was trained in mixed-martial arts, and this time she wasn’t sticking to any rules. Kuhl’s face showed shock at the fierceness of Rory’s fighting.
Regan turned her head and spotted the row of weapons lined up behind Kuhl’s ugly-ass throne. She raced over, her gaze locked on a jeweled dagger.
She snatched it off the stand.
Suddenly, Kuhl let out an angry shout. There was the horrible sound of bone on flesh, and Regan winced. She spun and saw Rory falling back with a cry.
Regan leaped forward with the dagger. Kuhl blocked her, his arm slamming against hers. Pain rocketed through her arm.
He swung at her again and she spun, ducking the hit. She remembered the few moves that Thorin had taught her, and stabbed the dagger at Kuhl.
He dodged. “You can’t beat me, little thing.”
She was so sick of everyone calling her little. She jumped up and stabbed again.
He screamed and Regan gasped, blood splattering her.
She’d embedded the dagger in his eye.
Kuhl staggered back, a hand pressed to his bleeding eye. He fell to his knees, still screaming. Then he collapsed, curling into a ball.
“Are you both okay?”
Regan looked up, raising her hands to protect herself.
Galen watched her steadily, holding his hands up, a sword clasped in one.
Her shoulders relaxed. “We’re okay.” She moved over to Rory, sliding her arm around her cousin’s shoulders. “We’re fine.”
Galen knelt and gestured to the chains still attached to their necks. It only took him seconds to get them off.
Regan breathed a sigh of relief.
Rory leaned into her. Her face was turning purple from Kuhl’s hit. “We’re fine, but I’m not sure he is, though.” She nodded her head.
They all turned.
Regan’s muscles locked. Thorin.
He was standing amid a pile of groaning, bleeding bodies. He was covered in blood and gore, air whistling in and out of his lungs.
Kace and Raiden stood nearby. They’d both lost their shirts and looked pretty battered. Raiden had scratches across his chest, and one of Kace’s eyes was swollen shut. But they were standing, tense and ready, staring at Thorin.
Thorin’s chin pressed to his chest, and his hands clenched into giant fists, the muscles in his arms flexing.
In the next moment, his tail and wings were gone, although his scales were still visible, but Regan could tell they were slowly fading.
And all of them were standing there, looking at him like he was some wild animal they had to be wary of.
Afraid of him, just like the cowardly family who’d dumped him here.
No. Regan stepped forward.
Rory grabbed her arm.
“It’s okay,” Regan said.
Rory didn’t look convinced, but she released Regan’s arm. She walked toward Thorin. He might look different, but he was still Thorin. Her Thorin.
He’d denied this part of himself for so long. Hidden it because he knew it was dangerous and scared people. She refused to be afraid of him.
She got closer. He didn’t love her, but he felt something. He cared in his own way. And despite everything, she loved him. All of him.
She stopped in front of him.
He raised his head, his gaze burning as he looked at her. Then suddenly, his arm shot out and he grabbed her, yanking her to his chest. He pulled her up so her feet dangled off the ground.
She heard the others gasp.
Then he pressed his face into her neck, sniffing her.
She stroked his sweat-dampened hair. “I’m here Thorin. I’m here.”
***
With Regan’s sweet scent filling his nostrils, Thorin slowly felt himself calming down. The beast that lived inside him was going back to sleep. Regan. His mate. His Regan.
She pulled back, looking up at him. “Thorin, are you all right?”
He nodded. “You…saw.” His voice cracked.
“You were remarkable.” She stroked her hand down his arm, over the last of the fading scales. “I want to know all about it. How the change happens. How it feels. Maybe I could take a sample of your blood and tissue, and look at your cells under the machine Galen’s getting for me.”
She peppered him with more questions. Of course, his little scientist was curious.
“You are not afraid?”
She blinked. “Of you? Why would I be?”
A tight knot inside of him unraveled. He reached up and touched her cheek.
And that’s when he saw her eyes go cool. She pulled back, wiggling for him to let her down. He reluctantly let go of her.
“Thanks for coming for me,” she said.
He tilted his head. Her voice was polite and cool.
Suddenly, a scream echoed around them. They spun and Thorin saw Kuhl on his feet, looking gruesome. He had yanked the dagger out of his eye, and had an arm wrapped around Rory. He was dragging her away from his throne and into the shadows.
Thorin pushed forward, his friends stepping up beside him. Kuhl pulled Rory through a gate and disappeared.
“Rory!” Regan cried out.
“We’ll get her,” Raiden said.
They all moved forward. Passing through the gate, they entered an overgrown garden covered in flowers. The bioluminescence was brighter here, and thick, green grass grew knee high.
They heard a cry ahead, and followed. Thorin pulled Regan closer to him.
As he took another step, something moved off to their left. The gladiators paused.
Something shot out of the darkness that looked like snakes.
“Vines!” Regan shouted.
“Thorin.” Raiden threw Thorin a sword.
Together, they all swung their weapons, slashing through the fast-moving vegetation. But as quick as they cut them, more raced forward, like giant, possessed snakes.
One vine wrapped around Galen’s body, dragging him down. He cursed, hacking at it with his sword.
“Keep going!” the imperator yelled at them.
Faces grim, they did, moving forward. A dense group of trees blocked their way. Raiden went first, lifting his sword.
The trees all bent down, attacking him, the whisper of leaves sounding like demonic voices. One of the branches wrapped around Raiden and lifted him up, shaking him. Thorin raced forward with a shout. He grabbed Raiden’s ankle.
“Find Rory,” Raiden called out. He swung his sword at the tree, working to cut himself loose.
Drak. Thorin saw Regan watching him with huge eyes. He looked at Kace, and the other man nodded. They pushed Regan tight between them. He wanted her to go back, but he also didn’t want her out of his sight. Who knew what else Kuhl had in this house of horrors?
A horrid stench hit Thorin’s senses. Ahead was a wall of beautiful pink flowers.
As Kace moved forward to push them apart, Thorin grabbed his arm. “Stop.” He sniffed again.
“What’s wrong?” Kace demanded.
“They smell bad.”
“I don’t smell anything.”
Regan leaned closer, studying the blooms. “Bright blooms and they have some pink berries clustered at the base.” She frowned. “All things designed to attract you to touch it.” She looked up. “I think they might be poisonous.”
A second after she spoke, the closest flowers opened up, unfurling like a gift. They let out a small puff of mist.
Th
orin dragged Regan back.
“Don’t breathe it in,” she warned.
Kace nodded his head off to the right. “Look. There’s a pathway heading that way.”
The three of them moved cautiously toward the path that went in a smooth curve. Ahead, they could see that the path was lined by large plants with enormous, bright-yellow, bell-shaped flowers. They were as long as Kace and Thorin.
As they stalked past, one flower moved.
Thorin paused and lifted his sword.
Another flower moved, rising up high.
Then it shot down, like a striking snake, engulfing Regan.
“Regan!” Thorin shouted.
She struggled, and the smooth petals wrapped more tightly around her. Thorin ripped at the plant, tearing at the petals.
The yellow flower was tough and fibrous. He couldn’t get it open. “Hold on, Regan.”
She was twisting and jerking, her hands pressed against the flower.
Somewhere ahead of them, there was a loud scream.
Drak. “Kace, find the woman.” Thorin felt his scales rising to the surface.
“On it. You take care of Regan.”
Thorin didn’t watch his friend leave. He used his sword and carefully split the flower open. Then he grabbed the ragged edges and tore them wider. Regan’s terrified face appeared. Her body was still stuck fast in the flower.
“Heat. I have a plant like this back in the lab.” Her nose wrinkled. “A smaller version. It dislikes heat.”
Thorin pulled out his dagger. He grabbed a rock off the ground and struck his blade against it. A spark gleamed in the darkness. He did it again, holding it close to a pile of dry leaves on the ground. The leaves caught fire and he stepped backward.
The plants started shaking and let out a high-pitched screech.
The flower released Regan, shrinking back, and she stumbled toward Thorin. He caught her, pulling her in for a hug.
Then he looked up, just in time to see the plant attacking them again. A bell-shaped flower rushed toward them. Its petals opened up, and he could see a sharp, beak-like mouth inside.
Gritting his teeth, he turned, shielding Regan with his body. He felt a sharp sting as something slammed into his shoulder.
Regan muttered a curse he didn’t recognize, grabbed his knife from his hand, then leaned back and reached behind him, stabbing at the flower, punctuating her words with sharp thrusts of the dagger.
“I have had a shitty day.” Stab. Stab. “I do not need—” stab, stab “—a giant plant eating me!”
With another screech, the plant pulled away.
“Thanks.” He looked over his shoulder at the spot where the flower had bitten him, and he grimaced at what looked like a large set of bloody teeth marks on his skin.
But he couldn’t worry about that right now. He pressed a quick kiss to Regan’s lips. “Let’s go find your cousin.”
Chapter Fifteen
Kace
Kace stared at the thick vegetation. As always, he let none of his distaste show on his face.
A perfect Antarian Military Commander never showed his true feelings. Rule Number 4 of the Antar Military Code of Conduct.
He pressed a button on his staff and knives slid out at both ends. He lifted it and started hacking through the thick greenery.
He was from a grassland world. He hated this thick, suffocating plant life. He pushed on, however, and soon, he stepped out into a small clearing.
Ahead, he saw the woman wrestling with Kuhl, rolling through the long grass. She was small, but she appeared to be strong and determined.
She managed to flip the injured Vorn onto his back, landing on his chest and pinning him down.
She was…incredible.
A rustling sound came from the grass off to his right. Vines shot out of the trees nearby.
No! They wrapped around the woman’s wrists, holding her in place. She struggled, trying to get free. But the vines held her long enough for Kuhl to rear up. He landed a hard fist to her stomach, and Rory groaned.
Jaw tight, Kace sprinted forward.
Kuhl landed another punch, slamming his knuckles into her face, snapping her head back.
Kace felt a cold anger race through him. On Antar, it was considered cowardly to attack someone weaker than yourself. It was dishonorable to beat and abuse another living being.
He rushed in, using his staff to slice through the vines holding her. She looked up and he saw brilliant eyes of gold-flecked green.
Before he could stop her, or even say a word, the woman leaped up, spun, and slammed a kick into Kace’s belly. It knocked the air out of him. Unprepared for her unexpected attack, Kace wheezed in air, just as her second kick brought him to his knees.
Dazed, he watched as she followed that by giving Kuhl a hard kick to the head.
“That’s for being a grade-A asshole.” She kicked the imperator again.
Kace moved, and like a wild woman, she turned to him. She dived, tackling Kace to the ground.
“No one is taking me prisoner again. Got it?”
They rolled across the grass and finally they ended with her flinging him onto his back. She landed on top of him and punched him in the face. By the Creators. Kace tried desperately to grab her without hurting her.
She gripped his arm, bending it so hard that pain shot through him like a spear. Drak, she was vicious.
“I’m here to help you,” he bit out.
She hesitated, staring into his eyes. Her unique red hair was tangled around her bruised face. He hated seeing what Kuhl had done to her.
Suddenly, movement over her shoulder caught his gaze. Kuhl was advancing on them.
“Watch out!” Kace called out.
She rolled off him, reached out, and grabbed his staff, then leaped to her feet. She spun to face the oncoming attack.
Kuhl swung his fist at her.
Kace pushed to his feet, ready to intervene. She jabbed awkwardly at Kuhl with Kace’s staff, and instantly, he saw that she wasn’t trained in staff fighting.
The Vorn grabbed the end of the staff, the built-in knife slicing his hand open, sending blood dripping down his fingers.
Crazy bastard. Kace moved forward slowly.
Rory and the imperator started a tug-of-war over the staff. But Rory couldn’t match the Vorn for strength.
When Kuhl took possession of the staff and grinned, Kace had had enough.
As Kuhl swung the staff at her, Kace blocked the man’s hit.
With that cold anger driving him, Kace yanked his staff from the man. He spun it, retracting the knives, and swung at Kuhl.
It smacked into the man’s chest, sending him staggering. Kace advanced, landing vicious blows. A hit to the chest, a hard hit to the arm, a knock into his side.
Kuhl let out pained grunts, swinging wildly, trying to fight back.
Kace landed a hard kick to Kuhl’s gut and then brought the staff down on the back of the Vorn’s neck. He dropped like a stone, blood dripping down his face.
He looked back at the woman. She was standing there watching him, that fierce look in her green-gold eyes. The bruises did nothing to diminish it.
“What now, pretty boy?” she asked.
Pretty boy? He raised a brow. Despite everything that had been done to her, this woman wasn’t cowed or beaten. She had spirit.
Kace stepped back and extended his staff to her. She watched him intently. “Take it. Finish it. You’ve earned the right.”
Her hands closed around the metal that Kace’s hands knew intimately. He saw a shiver go through her, before she straightened.
She stepped forward and hit Kuhl hard in the head, knocking him out cold. Then she just stood there looking down at the Vorn imperator.
“You’re not going to kill him?” Kace asked.
She pulled in a shuddering breath and handed the staff back to him. “I won’t let him turn me into something I’m not. I’m not a killer.”
Kace took his weapon, spinning it und
er his arm. She didn’t just have spirit. These women of Earth had spines made of steel.
“I’m Kace. A friend of Regan and Harper.”
Now the redhead’s lips trembled. “I’m Rory and I’m looking forward to seeing my friend and cousin, and getting out of here. Thanks for the rescue, Kace.” She looked at his face and winced. “Sorry, it looks like I gave you a black eye.”
Both his eyes throbbed, and one was already swollen shut. “It’ll match the other one.” His gaze moved over the fascinating sprinkle of darker spots across her nose. “We need to find the others. They were all caught in the vegetation. I promised Regan I’d get you.”
She wrapped her arms around her middle, showing the first sign of vulnerability he’d seen in her.
He took a step back in the direction he’d come.
“Kace?”
He looked back at her. “Yes?”
“My leg’s broken.”
He cursed. He hurried back to her. She’d fought like a warrior all this time with a broken leg? He scooped her up into his arms. “You women of Earth are so stubborn.”
“And gladiators aren’t?”
He strode down the path, shouldering through the vegetation, which, surprisingly, now let them pass without interference. She was a small, warm, and vital bundle against his chest. Her gaze was direct, strength in it.
Kace had always been attracted to strength.
He looked away. Women were not on his agenda. He was on Carthago for a reason, and his time here was finite. He had duties that demanded his loyalty and attention.
They didn’t include a little redhead from Earth.
Suddenly, Regan and Thorin burst out of the bushes ahead.
“Rory!” Regan cried.
Kace’s hands tightened briefly, then he handed Rory over to her cousin and Thorin. She had people to look after her. She wasn’t Kace’s responsibility. He had enough of those.
***
Showered and changed, Regan made her way down to Medical to check on Rory, all the while trying very, very hard not to think about Thorin.
He’d demanded they talk when they returned to the House of Galen, but like a ’fraidy cat, she’d held him off, saying she needed to clean up and rest.
She couldn’t bear to hear him lay out all the reasons he didn’t love her.
