On a Barbarian World: A Phoenix Adventures Sci-fi Romance

by Anna Hackett

  Colm was absent, off planning a diversion for Drog. Aurina had noted the warrior’s glee at being assigned the task.

  Eventually, Kavon scanned the preparations and nodded. “Tarik, have the beasts loaded and ready at first light.”

  The stable master bowed his head. “Of course, Warlord.”

  Kavon grabbed Aurina’s hand, and soon she found herself tugged into the house and up two flights of stairs. He stopped at a doorway and pulled out a large metal key. He stared at it for a second before he shoved it into the lock. It scraped on the metal as he turned it, then he shoved the door open.

  She followed him in…and saw all her stuff from the crash on the table.

  She swallowed. “Thank you. For trusting me.”

  He wandered closer, his fingers brushing the beacon. “I still do not want you to leave.”

  God, a part of her didn’t want to leave either, but this wasn’t her world. She didn’t belong on this planet. Whatever they felt, neither of them had ever planned for the other.

  She cleared her throat and plucked up her scanner, checking it still worked. “For now, we focus on getting your sword.”

  He nodded. “What is that?”

  “A scanner. It can give lots of information on objects and biological entities.”

  “Anything else?”

  “That’s it. You already have the medscope, and I have my stunner and Sync.” She shoved the scanner in the small pack she’d brought with her.

  “Good.” He grabbed her, lifting her to him, his mouth slamming down over hers.

  The bag slipped from her fingers, and she slid her hands into his hair. They gorged themselves on each other. Stars, how could she want him again so desperately?

  His big hands cupped her bottom, and she clamped her legs around his waist. He snatched up her bag, strode out of the room, and somehow managed to get the door closed with a kick of his boot.

  Then he was marching down to his rooms.

  Yes. For now, all she wanted was Kavon. His warmth, his strength, that single-minded attention he focused on pleasuring her. And she wanted to see him lose that warrior control, to be completely lost in their loving.

  In his rooms, he tossed her on the bed, and she bounced once. He tossed her bag to the floor, drew his sword, and set it in its place on the table. His scabbard followed.

  Her breath coming in short pants, she watched him methodically strip out of his clothes. She’d never, ever tire of seeing that body—all those muscles, that ridged stomach, that hard cock.

  He pressed one knee to the bed, looming over her. “I’m going to make sure you’re sore tomorrow as we ride out for the mines.”

  She pressed her tongue to her teeth. “Is that so?”

  He moved closer, his fingers drifting up her leather-clad leg. “You’ll feel me, even when I’m not there.”

  Her breath hitched. “Do your worst, warrior…or should I say, your best?”

  His hand drifted over her belly, atop her corset to fiddle with the ties. “This needs to go.”

  “Let me undo—”

  He gripped the tough leather, and in one hard tug, tore it down the middle. Her breasts spilled free and his eyes turned from amber-brown to molten gold.

  “Come inside me, Kavon.”

  With a growl he covered her, and Aurina lost herself in her warrior.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Kavon watched Aurina mount the hargon beast. She settled in the saddle, looking like she’d been riding one for years.

  Like she belonged here.

  Tarm shifted beneath him, and Kavon patted the beast’s side.

  Aurina looked back over her shoulder at him, and grinned. “So I’ve graduated to my own hargon. Sure you trust me?”

  He nudged Tarm forward a few steps until he brushed Aurina’s beast. He leaned over, his mouth near her ear. “I will miss having you in my arms, pressed against me, safe under my protection. I will miss imagining sliding my cock inside you—”

  “Kavon!” Her word was sharp but she was still grinning. “You can still imagine that last bit…but I’m pretty sure you don’t want an erection while riding one of these.”

  Now, Kavon tossed his head back and laughed at the morning sky.

  When he looked back at her, she was staring at him. “That is a good sound, warrior. You should laugh more.”

  He stared back. “I’ve never had much reason to laugh before.”

  “Are we leaving or what?” Colm called out from his beast. Three other warriors—Darroch, Viken and Kian—were mounted on their beasts behind him.

  Kavon touched Aurina under the chin, then turned to face his men. “We’re leaving.” He glanced at his friend. “The diversion?”

  Colm’s teeth flashed. “My men used Aurina’s special recipe for explosives. They blew up one of Drog’s grain storages, and are currently leading Drog and his warriors on a merry chase…in the opposite direction from us.”

  Kavon felt a savage sense of satisfaction. It was less than Drog deserved, but damn, it would have been good to see. “Good. All right, let’s move out.”

  Soon, they’d left the estate behind, following the mining road into the Wilds.

  After an hour of watching Aurina learn to control her beast, including an amusing battle of wills after the beast wanted to chase some reptiles, Kavon almost forgot the danger of the mission.

  Then Mount Furioso rose up ahead.

  Kavon felt himself grow tense. The Wilds could and did throw anything at travelers stupid enough to venture into them. He’d seen that firsthand the last time they’d been here.

  His gaze fell on Aurina’s back as she rode ahead of him. He would do anything, give anything, to protect her.

  As they neared the base of the mountain, Aurina pulled out her glowing Sync. She bent over it, muttering.

  “Aurina?”

  “The entrance is here…somewhere.” She scanned the rock face at the mountain’s base, her mouth pressed into a hard line. “I’ll find it.”

  “What should we look for?”

  “A cave entrance? Anything that doesn’t look natural.”

  He nodded to his warriors and they moved along the rock wall, circling craggy clusters of rocks.

  Then a shadow passed overhead.

  The hargon beasts all started pawing the ground and snorting fire. Kavon gripped the reins controlling Tarm and looked up.

  Nothing. Just the clear, blue sky.

  Then the great bulk of a flying beast appeared. It had circled the mountain, but now it flew over them again, and let out a deep, echoing squawk.

  “Trondor!” Kavon called out.

  “What?” Aurina clutched her reins, desperately trying to control her beast.

  “Giant bird of prey.” He pulled in close to her, grabbed her reins, and barked an order to her beast. It instantly settled, but steam was pouring from its nostrils. “We have to get inside. Now!”

  “I can’t find the entrance, Kavon.” She stabbed a finger at her device. “The map says it should be right here.” She waved a hand at the rock wall. “But I don’t see anything.”

  Kavon studied the wall, and a huge pile of boulders that sat in a pile against it. Like they’d fallen from the mountain above…or been placed there. “The boulders.”

  She blinked, then she nodded. “Of course. The entrance is covered up!”

  There was a loud screech, and the huge shadow passed over them again. Kavon spun…and saw the trondor diving at his warriors.

  “Oh, my God,” Aurina said, staring at the huge wingspan of the attacking animal.

  Kavon’s men spurred their beasts out of the way of sharp claws and a snapping beak.

  “We need to get inside.” Aurina urged her beast toward the rock pile.

  “Aurina!” Kavon urged Tarm to follow.

  She leaped off her beast and skidded to a halt. “It’ll take forever to move these.” She pulled her laser, fiddling with buttons on it. “I should be able to open up enough room for us.”<
br />
  She aimed and fired.

  Aurina’s laser glowed orange, and Kavon saw the rocks heating. There was a loud sound behind him, and he spun to see the trondor had landed.

  It was a giant creature with leathery wings like a bird, but a thick, stocky body covered in scales. It snapped its sharp beak, and when it opened its mouth to screech again, rows of sharp teeth were visible.

  He charged Tarm toward it, hefting his sword. The trondor screeched again, swiping out with a giant clawed foot.

  Then it flew into the air with a flap of wings, only to land on the other side of him. He forced Tarm to wheel around, the well-trained hargon turning sharply.

  But the trondor had lost interest in Kavon. Its gaze landed on Aurina.

  “Aurina!” Kavon dug his heels into Tarm, charging ahead with his sword raised.

  But the giant bird was already moving toward her.

  She turned, her face set in determined lines. No screaming or hysterics for his woman. She fired at the trondor.

  The laser hit its wing, and it let out a terrible screech. It snapped out with its beak.

  Aurina ducked, sliding in under the creature and firing again.

  This time the animal didn’t make a sound. It leaped into the air, its takeoff a little off-kilter.

  Aurina jumped to her feet. “Come on!”

  Kavon sprinted to her, grabbed her arm and just stared at her for a second. She was amazing, with a calm, steady courage. It was admirable and completely terrifying for a warrior.

  “Kavon, call the men. There are more of those flying menaces circling overhead.” She waved at a dark opening she’d opened in the rock pile. “Let’s get inside.”

  With a nod, he bellowed for his men. As a tight unit, they moved forward, fighting off another trondor as it dived at them. Soon, they were all coaxing their hargons through the small opening.

  It was tight, and Tarm protested the indignity of having to squeeze through the entrance. But at least it was too small for the trondors to get through.

  Inside was pitch black, except for the dim glow of Aurina’s Sync. “Light wands,” Kavon said.

  Aurina was shaking her laser stunner, then she tapped it against her palm and cursed. “It overheated and burned out.” She tossed it against the wall. “Dammit.” Then she gasped. “Look.”

  Where they stood at the entrance had once been a wide cave mouth, but ahead, it narrowed to a tunnel with crisp, even sides—clearly man-made. And one wall was etched with Markarian sacred script.

  Aurina hurried over, stroking the engravings. “Can you read it?”

  Kavon stopped beside her. “‘Stop if you want to live. The Mines of Riom are cursed. Within them lives sickness and death. Creatures of myth and nightmare. Many men have perished within…you are warned. Do not join the foolish dead in the eternal sleep of death. Turn and go back to your warm beds, women, and villages. Turn back and live.’”

  Aurina shivered. “Well, that’s cheery.”

  “Nothing that we didn’t already know.” Kavon squeezed her shoulder. “Let’s unpack our gear and head in.”

  “What about the hargons?” Aurina asked, patting the scaled hide of her animal.

  He suppressed a smile. For someone who thought they were pretty frightening in the beginning, she seemed to be growing fond of hers. “They will stay here. They do not mind the dark, and if we leave food, they won’t venture far.”

  She unclipped her bag from the beast and nodded.

  Soon, their small group headed into the dark tunnel.

  Kavon kept his light wand lifted high. Dirt and small rocks crunched under his boots. Here, the air was still cooler, but from a lifetime of being associated with mines, he knew as they moved deeper, the air would heat.

  “Look,” Colm called out.

  A rail track appeared on the floor. It was made of wood and metal, badly deteriorated.

  “That’s a good sign,” Aurina said.

  They followed it as it snaked through the tunnel. Finally, they reached an area where the track split, spearing off into three different tunnels. And in the center of the junction, sitting on the tracks, were large, bulky shadows.

  “Mine carts,” Kavon said. The simple metal carts were an old design—hundreds of years old.

  Aurina tapped her Sync screen. “We need to take the central tunnel. Do you think we can use the carts?”

  “It’s a risk. The track could be damaged in places.”

  “I will ride first.” Colm dumped his gear into the lead cart. “It will cut a lot of time off our journey.” He looked around, his nose wrinkling. “The less time spent in this cursed place, the better.”

  Aurina placed her gear in the next cart. “This is my ride.”

  Kavon handed his gear to Kian and placed a hand on the edge of Aurina’s cart. “Our cart.”

  “It’s going to be a tight fit, warrior. You’ll be right behind me.”

  “Yes, I will. In this cart.”

  She huffed out a breath. “Kavon—”

  He climbed in and sat, then waved at her to join him. “Old mines haunted with evil. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

  She climbed in and settled in his lap. “I’m trying not to be pissed at your over-protectiveness.”

  “You like it.”

  She made a small, strangled sound, but he noted she didn’t refute his words.

  Then she took her time shifting around to get comfortable. Her round ass rubbed against him tantalizingly, and he gritted his teeth.

  She rubbed again, one of her hands pressing against his thigh. “Fine, it’s annoying, but I find it kind of sweet.”

  He heard his warriors try to muffle their laughs. “I am not sweet.”

  “Sure you are, big guy.” She shifted again, grinding hard against him, then patted his leg.

  He gripped her long braid and held her still, his lips brushing her ear. He kept his voice low, “I know you are taking revenge by rubbing yourself against me.” He lifted his hips so she’d feel his hard cock against her. “But be warned, I will have my payback later. I promise.”

  She shivered. “Dangerous mines, remember, Kavon? You need to focus.”

  He slid a hand down and patted her thigh. “I remember. And I will also not forget that payback.”

  Soon, the warriors were all settled in the mine carts. Colm released the brake on his, the metal screeching with age, and his cart disappeared into the darkness. Kavon reached over the edge and released his brake. With a small jerk, the cart moved forward.

  They gathered speed. The tunnel walls whizzed past them, just murky shadows beyond the light of the wand. The tunnels dipped and turned, and sometimes ran straight. At other times, they twisted down in a spiral, taking them into the depths of the mine.

  “This reminds me of a ride I took at the theme park on Yavik,” Aurina called back breathlessly. “Just a little darker and scarier.”

  “I do not believe people would do this for fun.”

  She snorted. “Of course you wouldn’t.”

  Suddenly, Colm shouted from ahead. Kavon grabbed at the brake and yanked it. Metal shrieked against metal, and the cart slowed.

  Ahead, he saw Colm’s cart stopped at a huge pile of rocks. The tunnel had collapsed.

  Kavon glanced back and bellowed for the others to stop.

  Then he caught Colm’s gaze. The shadows cast his face in sharp relief. “There’s no way through. End of the line.”

  ***

  “No, the map says the tunnels continue.” Aurina climbed out of the cart. She stared at the huge pile of rocks and cursed. “It must go through there. If I hadn’t burned out my laser…”

  “We’d have been eaten by the trondor,” Kavon said from behind her.

  “We need to get through these rocks. We’ve come too far to give up now.”

  Kavon nodded. “Warriors, let’s move these rocks.”

  Aurina stayed clear as the men got to work shifting rocks. Two of them together could move some of t
he big ones. She was woman enough to admit she enjoyed seeing the flex and bulge of Kavon’s muscles as he hefted rocks. Okay, all of the warriors were prime specimens.

  Finally, Kavon told them to stop. He was frowning.

  “What is it?” She pushed forward.

  And stared at a huge, blank wall of rock.

  The track stopped just short of it.

  “It doesn’t continue?” That couldn’t be right. She pressed her hands to the rock. It was smooth, nothing unique about it. No joints, no door, nothing. She snatched up her Sync, paging through the ancient maps. “It’s right here. The tunnel continues on to what looks like a large open area. This is wrong.” She waved a hand at the wall.

  A hand touched her shoulder. “Or the map is wrong. The maps are old. The memories of the few survivors who made it out of the tunnels were likely muddled.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “There’s a way. I know it.”

  Kavon forced her to turn and face him. “Your dedication to this quest is admirable. I have enjoyed watching you as you’ve pieced this together. You’ve brought me closer to finding Durendal than anyone or anything before. But your beacon is no longer contingent on finding the sword.” His face was strangely blank. “I will give you the beacon.”

  Aurina blinked. Hell, those were the words she’d been so desperate to hear…so why wasn’t she jumping for joy? She stared at the man in front of her. Her big, tall warrior. Respected leader, honored warlord, brilliant lover. A man who’d pushed her and tested her, made her angry, happy, and thrilled all at once.

  A man she’d fallen in love with.

  Her throat closed and she felt lightheadedness hit her.

  She was in love with Kavon.

  And he was going to give her the beacon and let her go.

  She cleared her throat. “This isn’t about the beacon anymore.”

  He tilted his head. “What is it about, then?”

  She looked around at the warriors watching them. Right, she so did not want to have this conversation here. “It’s about finding the sword. For you, your family, your father, your people. I’d do anything to honor my mother. I understand what you’re trying to do, and I’m not giving up.” She thrust her hands on her hips and looked around. “The tunnels continue downward. We just have to figure out where.”