by Anna Hackett
“The healers left this for you.” She waited until he took it. “Drink up.”
Raiden quickly tossed it back, and grimaced. It never tasted good but he knew it would give him an energy boost.
He reached out, wrapping her hair around his hand.
“Raiden—”
He rolled her beneath him, pinning her down. “I give the orders.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m trying to help you.”
“You jumped into the arena.”
Her eyes turned cautious. Yeah, you should be nervous.
“Yes. And Galen’s already chewed me out about it. The match was already forfeited because of the poison—”
“I don’t give two draks about the match. You were unprepared. No armor, no warmup, an unfamiliar weapon.”
“The Thraxian fighters were going after you. One had gotten past Thorin and the others—”
“It doesn’t matter. You do not risk yourself. You never go into the arena unprepared.”
“I should have let them kill you?” Her voice had risen.
“You should have stayed safe.”
“I’m alive.” Her blue-gray eyes stared at him, spitting fire. “You almost died!”
She’d been worried about him. Raiden knew he had friends, good friends. He could always count on Thorin and the others to watch his back in the arena.
But it had been years since anyone had worried about him like Harper. Hell, maybe since he’d been a boy.
She pulled away and stood stiffly beside the bed. “The healer said once you were awake you could return to your room. They’ve organized food to be delivered, and they left this.” She grabbed a small vial of oil. “They said it needed to be massaged into the site of your wound.”
He eyed the stubborn line of her jaw. “Fine. I’ll need your help to get to my room.” He pushed the blankets off and stood.
Her gaze slipped down his naked body. “You can’t walk back to your room like that.”
“Why not? No one will be awake this early.”
“Raiden—”
“Are you shy now? You’ve seen my body before. You’ve had my cock in your mouth, and in—”
“Raiden.” She muttered under her breath. “Fine.” She jammed her shoulder into his side. “Let’s go.”
Raiden was fine, completely healed, but he let her take some of his weight and help him into the corridor.
It was still early and, as he’d predicted, everyone was still in bed. They moved through the empty living area and into his room.
Once she helped him onto the bed, she flicked a sheet over his hips. He watched her, liking the way she bustled around him. For the first time in a long time, someone truly cared about his needs. Yes, his friends cared, they trusted each other with their lives, but none of them fretted over his wounds or plumped the pillows behind his head.
Some of his anger leaked away. She cared, but Thorin was right. Harper would never let Raiden lock her away to keep her safe and she would never blindly follow his orders.
She wouldn’t be a sweet, simple woman there to just cater to his needs. She would be a warrior queen, who would stand by his side, no matter what.
And he realized that was why he was so drawn to her.
The tray of food had been delivered, and sat nearby. As he stuffed another pillow behind his back, she brought the tray over and set it down beside him.
“Eat,” she said.
The plates were filled with his favorite foods. There was also a steaming cup of Aurelian lat.
He took a sip, savoring the bitter flavor. Harper leaned forward and sniffed the air. “That smells like coffee.”
“It is from Aurelia and very expensive.” He held it out for her and she took a small sip. Her eyes opened wide.
“Holy cow, that’s strong.”
With a smile, he drank the rest of it in a single gulp. He was going to need the energy.
She was eyeing him warily. “You aren’t angry anymore.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I was being an overbearing ass.”
She blinked. “Nice of you to admit that.”
He leaned back. “I seem to recall you have to tend to my wound.”
She held the vial up and Raiden snatched some small liven nuts from the tray. He popped one into his mouth. “Go ahead.” But he was planning to have some fun. He tossed the sheet off and slid one arm beneath his head.
Her gaze slid down his body, her cheeks turning a little pink. He felt his cock stir.
“I think you can leave the sheet over your bottom half,” she said primly. “Your injury is on your chest.”
“Nope.” He leaned back, baring his chest more. “Put the oil on.”
With a shake of her head, she got close, her knees pressed against his hips. She tipped some of the clear oil on her hand and gingerly started to rub it on his shoulder and chest. He glanced at his wound, noting that, other than a red mark on his skin, there was no sign that he’d been struck by the spear. When he looked up, he smiled. She was looking down his body again, her gaze no doubt watching his cock rise up toward his belly.
The heat in her cheeks deepened. It was such a contradiction to see such a tough warrior who could also blush like a virgin.
“Harder, Harper.”
She tipped the vial again, and started rubbing it on his skin in long strokes. She moved down his chest, kneading. Damn, he enjoyed her touch.
“Lower,” he murmured.
She raised a brow. “I don’t think you were injured down there.” But her hands traced over the ridges of his abdomen. It wasn’t long before he saw her lips were parted and her breathing was just a little fast.
Desire grew, like music growing louder. It wasn’t just what she looked like. He liked everything she did—her opinions, her courage. It was that bravery he saw in the arena, and her dedication to her friends.
His cock was hard, throbbing. Her gaze dropped to it again and she bit her lip. Seeing those white teeth sink into the plump skin broke the last of his control. He reached up, gripped the neck of her shirt and tore it open.
She gasped, the small vial dropping onto the bed. He pushed her back onto the covers, tore off the band covering her breasts, and snatched up the vial. He upended the contents on her breasts and belly.
“Raiden, you were hurt—”
“Not anymore.” He ran his hands through the oil, making her skin slick. He cupped her breasts. “You won’t risk yourself again.”
She bucked against him. “Not that again. I don’t take orders, either, gladiator.”
“You will.” He thumbed her nipples, tweaking them between his fingers.
She arched into his touch. “No, I won’t. I’m a gladiator now. Risk is a part of the arena.”
One part of him hated knowing she’d have to fight, but another more primal part of him was thrilled to hear her acknowledge her life here. Their life.
He gripped her, lifting her up as he dropped onto his back again. He settled her on his thighs and slid his hands down her belly. “If you won’t listen to me, then I’ll just have to take what I want.”
Again, he saw her breath hitch, her back arch. Yes, his sweet little gladiator liked it when he got bossy, even if she wouldn’t admit it. God, she had the prettiest breasts.
He slid his hands down between her thighs. She made a husky sound as he brushed over her clit, and then he thrust a finger inside her tight warmth.
“Yes.” She rode his hand and thigh.
“Let me see your surrender, little gladiator.”
***
Harper had her face pressed against the covers, her ass in the air, as Raiden pounded into her roughly from behind.
She moaned, her hands twisting in the furs. “Yes, Raiden. More.”
His hands dug into her hips. “You take everything I give you and still want more.”
“More.”
He hammered into her ruthlessly. The sound of flesh hitting flesh filled
the room. “You’re so tight, Harper. I want you to come now.”
“Too much.” She was thrusting back against him, riding the bright edge of orgasm.
His hands reached under, even as he continued to drive into her tight body. A flick on her oversensitive clit and she came with a hoarse cry.
Her orgasm triggered his, and she felt the hard dig of his fingers as he roared, his release jetting inside her.
They both collapsed on the large bed. Raiden just barely managed to stop his crushing weight from landing on her.
“I can’t move,” Harper moaned.
Raiden made a noise that rumbled through his chest. She felt his big hand smooth over her ass. “Not sure what I like best.”
She turned her head to look at him. “What do you mean?”
It was nice to see the smile on his lips. His face looked almost relaxed. Or as relaxed as she guessed Raiden could be. “Your mouth on my cock or my cock in that tight pussy of yours.”
She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Raiden.”
He pulled her in close, rearranging her so her back was plastered against his chest. Then he stroked her hair.
She sighed. “How can I feel so good when I know my friends are in trouble?”
“We will have them free soon.”
“How many people have you freed from the arena?”
He tensed slightly beside her. “I don’t keep count.”
“Yes, you do. I bet their faces are burned into your brain.” She was quiet for a second. “You couldn’t save your people, so you’re making up for it in the arena, one slave at a time.”
“Harper.”
She recognized his “I don’t want to talk about it” voice. “Raiden, I—”
With a growl, he leaped off the bed and scooped her up into his arms. He strode toward the balcony off his room and stepped outside.
She squeaked, gripping his shoulders. “Raiden, we’re naked.”
He ignored her, and moved along the long, narrow balcony. It offered a sweeping view of the city. At the end, she could see a small circular bathing pool built-in to the balcony. Steam rose off it and it was just big enough for two.
Her eyebrows went up. “A gladiator hot tub?”
“I don’t know what a hot tub is, but I’m planning to enjoy a soak with you.”
He stepped into the pool and sat down on a ledge under the water. As Harper followed him in, the warm water moved around her skin, and she moaned. It felt so good.
“That’s the same sound you make when my cock is moving inside you.”
Damn, she liked when her gladiator talked dirty. She spun around in his arms so that she was straddling his lap. For a second, she was caught by that rugged face, those intense eyes. He was a man that you could look at, see in the arena, and make a judgment about. It would be easy just to see the tattooed, bronze skin and the battle-scarred muscles, and never get to know what was really beneath that.
Under her bottom, she felt his swelling cock. She moved against him, tormenting them both.
He groaned, his hand slipping into the water to find her clit. He played with it, rubbing, circling and pinching.
She bit her lip. “You’re obsessed.”
“I am.” He surged out of the water and sat on the edge of the tub, Harper still balanced on his lap. He pushed her thighs apart. “Put me inside you.”
Again with that deep voice of command. Maybe princes had it bred into them. She reached down and gripped his cock, running her fingers over the thick head.
“Harper,” he growled.
She brought it to the folds between her legs. Then she sank down, absorbing those hard inches into her body. He was big and he’d taken her many times, but she still felt an uncomfortable stretch as he moved deep inside her.
His fingers gripped her hips and he groaned.
Gently, she started to ride him. But soon her pace increased, a fire igniting inside her. He pressed his face to her breasts, nipping and licking at them.
Wild spasms of pleasure started rippling through her, and she knew she was close.
“Look in my eyes, Harper.”
Their gazes locked, and she felt a shiver race over her skin, despite the heat they were generating. He bumped his hips up, slamming her down at the same time.
Her release hit like a wave. It rolled through her and she arched into him, her body squeezing on his cock.
He hissed out a curse she didn’t recognize, then she heard his masculine cry. A raw, primal sound that made her smile.
Chapter Fifteen
Raiden liked this picture. He stared at Harper, sitting in the middle of his bed, wearing only one of his shirts. Her long legs were tucked beneath her, and she was eating off the plate of food that he’d had delivered.
On the vid-screen beside the bed, she was watching information on different worlds in the sector. She was munching and listening to everything intently. Absorbing all the information.
He liked seeing her there, amongst his things.
He’d never shared his space with a woman. Usually, he fucked them and sent them on their way.
Suddenly, he heard a familiar word coming from the screen, and his muscles tensed.
“The former world of Aurelia,” a woman was saying. He turned to look at the screen, and saw an image of the beautiful blue-green planet that once was his home world.
“Raiden, I’m sorry.” Harper came up on her knees, reaching for the control to turn off the screen.
“No.” He pressed a hand over hers, coming to sit down on the edge of the bed.
He kept his gaze on the screen, watching as it started to flash through images of the planet’s beautiful scenery. Harper moved up behind him, wrapping her body around his. Quietly, they watched it together—the scenery, the cities, the palace.
A bittersweet ache filled his chest. So many memories played through his head. Memories he hadn’t let himself think about for a very long time.
“I can’t believe you’re royalty.” She leaned into him. “Here I am, practically naked with a prince.”
“Former prince.” He saw a beautifully landscaped garden and courtyard. In the distance, the royal palace rose up, majestic and awe-inspiring. “I played there as a boy.”
The image changed, and this time, he saw a wide waterfall splashing down into a large blue pool of water. A reluctant smile tugged on his lips. It was near their summer palace. “I used to jump from the top of that waterfall and scare my sister.”
Harper rested her cheek against his back, her arms tightening on him. He reached up and pressed his hands around hers.
The next image was of a beautiful sprawl of buildings made of a luminous cream stone, sitting at the base of the jungle-covered mountain. “Our summer palace. That’s where I rode my first dragon.”
“Dragon?” Her voice was shocked.
“It’s a rite of passage for an Aurelian boy.”
“Dragon.” She said it like she couldn’t quite process it.
More images flicked on the screen, showing the lush beauty of his homeworld.
“It’s beautiful, Raiden.”
“It was.” And for the first time, he let himself remember the good times. For so long, when he’d thought of his planet, he’d only thought of the bad. He remembered his parents—how much they’d loved each other. He remembered Naida’s laughter. She’d always been running and laughing.
With Harper by his side, he could recall those beautiful places of his planet, and the hauntingly familiar faces of his family, without the usual recurring pain.
Finally, the images changed, and the program moved on to a new planet. He was sorry that there were no images of Earth for him to see. So instead, he turned to face her. “Tell me about your planet?”
“It had its beautiful scenery as well. Breathtaking protected forests, large oceans that we almost destroyed, but luckily we wised up in time. Busy cities with people living on top of each other, tall buildings rising into the sky. Wild, open deserts covered in
huge dunes of sand.” A faint smile played on her lips. “I guess I never really appreciated it enough. When the opportunity came to go to space, I took it.”
Raiden detected more beneath her words. “Tell me about your sister.”
Harper let out a long, shaky breath. “My parents were hard workers, but they were also gamblers. They fed us, but they also spent almost every cent they earned in casinos.”
“I see that happen here as well,” he said. “People come for a visit, a little walk on the wild side. And leave with nothing.”
Harper nodded. “My parents died in a vehicle accident when I was seventeen and left us with nothing. I managed to gain custody of Brianna, and without many options for work, I joined the police force. I also took an extra job, working nights and on my days off to provide for my sister. It left her alone a lot.”
The quiet held a wealth of pain. He wrapped his fingers around hers.
“She ended up connecting with the wrong crowd. She was young and angry, and got into drugs.”
He sensed an old frustration and sadness. “I have seen many here in the arena succumb to forbidden substances. To wash away the pain and not face their reality.”
She nodded. “But it doesn’t really make reality go away. I think my parents did the same thing with their gambling. While they did it, they could forget their lives. Neither of them liked their jobs, and they complained bitterly that they could never get ahead. But neither of them did anything to change, to go after what they wanted.” She sighed. “That was too much hard work, so instead they blamed everyone else, and buried their heads in the sand.”
“You are not like your family.”
“I loved them so much, even when they disappointed me. I’d lost my parents and then I lost Brianna to her addiction. I got her into a special place where she could be rehabilitated, a really good center that almost bankrupted me. But she didn’t want to get better. It didn’t matter how much I wanted it for her, it wasn’t enough.”
“People must want to help themselves, first.” He thought of his younger self and Thorin, landing in the arena, angry and wild.
“I know. All I could do was watch her spiral out of control.”
