by Anna Hackett
“We discovered the younger someone is Tainted, the greater their chance of controlling it,” Vark said. “If she survives, she’s a very valuable investment.”
“She’s a little girl,” Mersi snapped.
Vark’s gaze narrowed on Mersi, and Bren hated the fact the sand-sucker was looking at her.
“Do I know you?” Vark tipped his head to the side.
Bren felt the darkness rising in his chest and his hands clenched on his crossbow. This time, he welcomed it. The color bled out of his vision, leaving everything painted in stark black and white. He’d protect Mersi and the child, whatever it took.
His hands and arms flickered, turning black.
“You can’t have her.” Bren’s voice was a deep growl.
He heard gasps all around. The guards raised their weapons higher.
“You’re Tainted.” The warlord’s gaze settled on Bren’s face and a flicker of recognition moved through the man’s brown eyes. “Bren. Bren Hahn.” Vark smiled coldly. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, old friend.”
Mersi made a choked sound behind him.
Now she knew. Bren had sold his soul to the warlord who’d once tried to cage her.
“You were never my friend,” Bren said.
The warlord looked at Mersi. “You have a pretty woman, Bren. It would be a shame for her to get hurt.” Vark tilted his head. “You do as I say and I’ll let her go.”
Bren let out a harsh laugh. “I learned the hard way that your promises are worth nothing, Vark.”
A nasty look crossed the older man’s face. “You were valuable to me, as well. Don’t think I’ve forgiven you for running away.”
Bren knew Vark would slaughter them all. He’d hurt Mersi to get to Bren. He’d take the little girl, and if she survived, he’d twist her into a monster.
Bren glanced at Mersi. She looked pale. He tried to tell her how he felt with his eyes. He’d loved her from the day she’d first smiled at him. It had been just days after she’d recovered from her escape into the desert. She’d been so beautiful and had helped him fix one of the generators. She always asked questions, was curious about everything, and she’d made him smile.
That she could love him was a miracle.
She held his heart, and he would give everything he had to ensure her survival.
He spun and let the Taint free.
The darkness spilled over his skin and he let out a roar.
Mersi cuddled the girl close to her chest. The poor thing whimpered, but Mersi didn’t look at her, she kept her gaze on Bren.
She saw the darkness flow over his body as he increased in size.
His muscles bulged, his arms held outstretched. There was beauty to him. A savage, primal strength.
She drew in a deep breath. She knew he’d fight to protect them. She knew he’d give his life to do it.
How he thought he was a monster, she had no idea.
Vark shouted orders, and her gaze swiveled to the aging warlord. Drak. Just looking at him made her feel like she was sixteen and afraid again. Thank the sands he hadn’t recognized her. No surprise since she’d run almost as soon as she’d been sold to him.
Not only was he the man who’d tried to enslave her, he was the man to whom Bren had sold his services. A man who used and abused people for his own selfish pleasure and gain.
Bren hadn’t wanted to tell her it had been Vark. She shook her head. She was going to work on him about this habit of keeping secrets from her.
Suddenly, Bren charged forward, clawed hands swinging. The guards charged at him.
Nausea rose in Mersi’s throat. Bren was hers and she didn’t want to see him hurt. She didn’t care if he was the bogeyman of the desert.
He fought wildly. One guard screamed, and bones crunched with a loud, snapping sound. Another guard went flying, slamming into the ruins. Several more ran at Bren, but he lowered his head and charged. He rammed into them. One flew back into the wall of a ruined building and the rock exploded, pulverized to dust.
Bren ducked, swung, and roared.
Mersi moved, creeping around the edge of the fight. She saw two guards spot her and head in her direction.
Drak. She looked at the ruins looming above her. There was a ledge not too far up, maybe an old balcony. She clambered up, praying she wouldn’t drop the little girl. She gave a sharp whistle and Fiend followed.
She reached the balcony, noting the crumbled remnants of a railing. When she glanced down, she saw the two guards were climbing up behind her.
She set the girl down and grabbed her laser pistol. She took aim and fired. One of the men fell back with a scream. The other kept coming, and pulled himself over onto the ledge, shooting her an ugly smile.
Fiend stepped forward and growled. The guard didn’t even look at him.
“You made a mistake following us,” Mersi said.
Fiend started growing in size, his fur darkening. The guard’s eyes widened and he stumbled back.
The huge, black canine rushed past her.
With a growl, Fiend clamped his huge jaws onto the man’s leg, shaking him. The guard screamed and fell on his back. Fiend went for the man’s throat. Together, they skidded over the edge of the balcony, the guard’s screams abruptly cutting off.
Then there was a wild roar from below.
Bren.
Mersi hurried to the edge and looked over. She spotted him standing below, the ground around him littered with bodies. Blood was dripping down his stomach and legs.
Oh, drak. Her pulse leaped. He was hurt.
Another guard with a spear ran at him. Bren charged. He was still fighting, but she could tell his moves were growing sluggish.
She scanned the crater and spotted Vark. He stood back, smiling as he watched the fight.
Bastard. It was another Earth curse word she’d learned from Neve.
Mersi watched as one of Vark’s guards lifted a laser rifle. He fired at Bren. The green laser hit Bren and his pained roars echoed off the rocks.
She lifted her weapon and took aim. She fired, missing the guard, but he dived to the ground. She kept firing, trying to help Bren.
Suddenly, another guard swung something over his head. She frowned. What now?
He launched it and she saw it was a chain. The looped end fell over Bren’s left arm. The man pulled back, tightening the chain. Another man rushed to help him and the chain pulled tight on Bren’s arm. He whipped around, yanking at the chain, but it didn’t break.
Another chain snapped over his right arm, two more guards pulling on the end of it.
Bren fought against the bonds, twisting and turning. He dragged the guards through the sand, but the chains didn’t give way.
Mersi swiveled, taking aim at the guards. Her pistol clicked and her stomach dropped. It was out of charge. No.
A guard carrying a long metal staff darted in closer. He slammed the staff at Bren’s legs.
Bren dropped to his knees, and the man jabbed the sharp end of the staff into Bren’s lower back.
He roared.
No. Bile rose in Mersi’s throat. She had to help him.
She hurried to the girl, tightening the blanket around her. Fiend had reappeared, still in his Tainted form.
“Fiend.” She gripped the canine’s neck. “Stay with her.”
The shaggy beast whined.
She hoped that was a yes. More of Bren’s pained roars echoed from the rock walls. She turned, snatched her knife off her belt, and jumped off the ledge.
Pain was a vicious, clawing thing inside him.
Bren was on his knees, straining against the chains that were holding him in place. He had to keep fighting. He felt blood running down his body, the life and strength draining out of him.
But he couldn’t stop fighting.
He yanked on the chains and heard someone scream.
Why did he have to keep fighting? His brain was turning foggy.
Then he saw her. She was running toward the gu
ards and tossed her knife. A guard fell, clutching his gut. She leaped on him, yanking her knife back out. Another guard rushed at her.
She ducked and kicked at him. His punch caught her arm and she lost her knife. It flew through the air and hit the sand. The guard circled her and she crouched. She snatched up a dropped sword.
She held it up, swinging just the way Bren had taught her to.
Mersi.
His head cleared instantly.
He surged up, trying to swipe out at the closest guards. The chains were yanked back, keeping him down.
Mersi reached him. She lifted the sword over her head and swung it down.
Clang.
The blade hit the chain links. She raised it again and swung again. The chain snapped.
“Get up, Bren,” she urged.
Those aquamarine eyes glittered through his black-and-white vision. Bren saw a flash of red. He roared, getting to his feet. He yanked, feeling the guards on the remaining chain fall over. He spun and leaped at them.
A few hard hits brought them down.
Then, he heard Mersi curse.
He swiveled. She was wrestling with Vark.
The warlord yanked her back, one arm wrapped around her middle. He sank a hand into her hair and jerked her throat up, exposing it. He held a knife pressed to her smooth skin.
Bren stilled, but roared again.
“She’s mine now,” Vark drawled.
“Drak you,” Mersi spat, struggling against him.
“I think you might be a nice addition to my harem.”
“Never, you sand-sucker.”
Bren growled.
Suddenly, the warlord kicked at a sword on the sand. It skittered over to Bren’s feet.
“If you want her to live,” Vark said, “do as I say.”
Bren’s hands curled. The darkness was thrashing inside him and he couldn’t think.
Then Mersi gasped, and Bren saw that Vark had nicked her throat. A thread of red trickled down her skin.
Bren snatched up the sword.
Mersi shook her head. Her hair had come loose, and it fell over her shoulders in a tangled mess. “Bren, whatever he says, don’t do it.”
“Be quiet.” Vark shook her. Then the warlord looked at Bren. “You’re too dangerous. An adult male who can control the Taint? Far too dangerous. Fall on the sword and I’ll let her live.”
Mersi sucked in a sharp breath. “No.”
Bren looked at her. So pretty and strong. He wanted to watch her thrive, live, grow old. He knew even with gray hair and wrinkles, she’d still be the most beautiful woman he’d ever see.
There was love shining in her beautiful eyes. For him. She was his miracle.
And he’d wasted so much time because of his own fears. But Mersi would live. He’d do whatever he had to in order to make that happen.
He pressed the end of the sword against his gut. He watched as a tear rolled down her cheek.
“Bren, no…” Her voice was choked.
“I love you, Mersi.” His voice was deep and rough.
“I love you, too.”
Bren fell forward. There was a burning pain as the blade pierced his gut and he fell to the sand.
Mersi’s scream echoed in his ears.
Chapter Eight
No. No. No. With tears blurring her vision, Mersi watched as Bren caught his fall, one palm pressed to the sand.
The silver blade penetrated through his dark skin and was coated in blood.
Her throat was so tight she could barely breathe. This couldn’t be happening.
All of a sudden, a snarl filled the air. Fiend leaped down onto one of the last remaining guards.
She watched the canine’s fangs flash as he snapped at the guard. Energy flooded Mersi.
“What the drak?” Vark yelled.
Mersi knocked Vark’s arm away, spun, and kneed him between the legs.
The warlord made a strangled sound and hunched over. She lifted her knee again, slamming it into his head. He flew back and landed on the sand, unconscious.
Turning, she rushed to Bren, tripping in her haste to get to him. She crawled the rest of the way to his prone body.
He lifted his head and inky-black eyes met hers. There was so much pain and agony in them, her heart gave a twist.
“I’m here, big guy.” She wrapped her arms around him. “I’m here.”
She couldn’t lose him. She looked at where the sword pierced his gut and back, and more tears filled her eyes.
Then she felt rough fingers brush over her cheeks. She looked up to see him wiping the tears off her face.
“Let’s get this out.” She touched the hilt of the sword. She knew it would hurt him even more, and she hated that.
But she steeled herself, tightened her grip, and yanked the sword out.
Bren groaned and collapsed to the sand.
“I’m so sorry.” There was so much blood. She pulled him into her arms, pressing her hand over the wound. Red stickiness coated her fingers.
Fiend was still fighting with the last few guards. One guard backed away from the canine, moving closer to her and Bren.
This man was older, more battle hardened than the others. He raised his sword.
“Kill them both,” Vark called out. The warlord was on his knees, cradling himself. His face was twisted with rage.
Mersi tensed and felt Bren do the same.
Suddenly, an arrow whizzed through the air and hit the older guard in the eye. Electricity skated over his body from the arrow, and his body toppled.
The last few of Vark’s guards spun. One moved forward, lifting his spear, and found himself facing a swinging sword.
Two quick slashes, and the guard collapsed.
Bren’s arms tightened on Mersi, and she looked up into the stony face of a gladiator. He had a black eye patch over one eye, a hard, tattooed chest crossed by a leather harness, and a black cloak falling behind him.
“Galen,” Mersi whispered.
It was the Imperator of the House of Galen. Suddenly, Vark went flying past them, his body shuddering with electricity.
Another tall man stepped into view. This one had an implant circling his neon-blue eye, and one of his arms was made entirely of metal.
Mersi knew him, too. Magnus Rone—Imperator of the House of Rone.
She looked past the imperators and watched a woman in fighting leathers, with gold-streaked brown hair, bringing down the last of Vark’s surviving guards with the help of several cyborgs.
Mersi recognized Samantha Santos, Galen’s woman from Earth, and former Champion of the desert arena of Zaabha.
Galen crouched in front of Mersi. “We were meeting an informant out in the desert, and Corsair got word to us that you might need assistance.”
“Thank you,” she said.
She felt Bren’s body start to shrink, the darkness disappearing from his skin.
Then she saw his beloved, rugged face again. She stroked his cheek. “Hey.”
But when she looked down, the ragged wound remained in his gut. Drak. It looked like this time, his self-healing abilities weren’t working. There wasn’t an inch of him that wasn’t covered in blood.
She leaned down and kissed him. “Bren.”
“Love…you.” His voice was so weak.
“Please don’t leave me.” She pressed her forehead to his. “Don’t die.”
“Never.” He pulled her closer. “Already healing. You’re…mine, Mersi. Stuck with me.”
“He’s Tainted,” Galen said.
Mersi shifted protectively to cover Bren. “He’s Bren and you know him, Galen.”
The imperator’s lips quirked. “Easy, Mersi. We aren’t going to hurt him.”
She relaxed a fraction.
“You have a fierce protector there, Bren,” Galen said.
“Allow my medics to help him,” Magnus said.
Bren made a sound, his body tensing. “I’ll be fine.”
Her arms tightened on him. “Let the
m help you.” She leaned in closer. “Please.”
He sighed. “Okay.”
She looked up. “Galen, there’s a young girl up in the ruins. She’s sick and needs help, too. Fiend will show you.”
Galen raised a brow. “Fiend?”
The canine trotted forward and licked Bren’s arm.
“Fiend, don’t lick the blood.” Mersi tapped him on the nose.
The imperator eyed the shaggy canine. “Very well.”
The dog bounded off toward the ruins, Galen following him.
Bren pulled Mersi closer and she held on, absorbing his warmth. A House of Rone cyborg with two metal arms knelt down beside them.
“Please help him,” she said.
The cyborg glanced at her with an impassive face and nodded. He lifted a pressure injector.
Bren grabbed her hand. “Stay with me.”
She let out a laugh. “You’re always such a big baby when it comes to getting meds.” She pressed against him. “But you couldn’t shake me if you tried, big guy.”
“Drak, Mersi.” Bren clamped his hands down on her hips.
She was riding him, taking his cock deep inside her body.
Pleasure was storming through Bren, and he couldn’t take his gaze off her. Off her skin that was slicked with sweat, or the way her breasts jiggled as she rode him.
“Oh, Bren.” She tossed her head back.
“Come, Mersi.”
She moaned, her orgasm hitting her. It triggered his own release. He slammed her down, grinding into her as he spilled himself inside.
She collapsed forward onto his chest and tucked her face into his neck.
Bren stroked her back. She was his. He loved this woman inside and out, and, most amazingly, she loved him back.
She knew all his dark secrets, all the ugliness of his past, and she still loved him.
The tent roof gently fluttered overhead in the breeze. But outside wasn’t the blessed silence of the desert, instead, Bren heard the noises of the city—excited voices and the hum of transports.
After they’d left the Creator ruins, they’d traveled with Galen and Magnus back to Kor Magna. They’d rendezvoused with the caravan just outside the city, and were now camped on the outskirts, near the stables of a former gladiator called Varus.
