Galactic Gladiators Set: Books 10-12

by Anna Hackett

  His team was well-trained and would take care of things. Turning, he strode through the crowd. People stumbled to get out of his way.

  He saw a staff door and shoved through it into an empty corridor. Lights flickered behind his eyes. Flashbacks. All the pleading faces of the people he’d captured and killed, and their desiccated, dead bodies.

  A horrible taste filled his mouth and he pressed his palms to the wall, letting his head drop forward.

  Once a killer, always a killer.

  He tried to pull in some air, find his control.

  “Tannon.”

  No. She couldn’t be here. Not when he had no drakking control.

  He ground his teeth together. “Go. Away.”

  Of course, it was Mina, so she didn’t obey him. He heard the rustle of her clothes as she moved closer. Her sweet scent hit him.

  “Are you okay?”

  “No.”

  “Do you want to talk?” she asked.

  Tannon almost laughed. “No.”

  Hot, violent emotions ebbed and surged inside him. He still felt the electric tingle of power in his arms. His hand curled into a fist and he punched it against the wall. The plaster pulverized, a cloud of dust rising in front of his face.

  He didn’t want to turn and look at her. He didn’t want to see the fear in her eyes. He’d never, ever wanted her to fear him.

  He was breathing fast, images cascading through his head. The past that wouldn’t let him go.

  “Hey.” Cool, slim hands touched his back, sliding down his spine. One moved up to his neck, touching skin, and he shuddered.

  In a blink, he realized that she had calluses on her palms. Probably from her harsh desert childhood.

  Then she slid between him and the wall, looking up at him. Such an interesting, pretty face. Her blue eyes watched him steadily. He focused on that rich color and the rim of brown that circled it. Such rare eyes for someone of her species.

  “Hey.” She stroked his cheeks, her fingers brushing along his cheekbones.

  His chest was still rising harshly, but suddenly he could get some air into his lungs.

  “Come back,” she said. “You’re in the Dark Nebula Casino with me. Mina.”

  Tannon let out a groan. It sounded tortured even to his own ears. Then she pressed her hands to his chest.

  “You with me?” she asked.

  “Not quite,” he rasped.

  She went up on her toes and pressed her lips to his.

  Tannon felt everything in him go still. He went from chaos to calm. From hell to Mina.

  He tasted her, and of course, she was sweet with an edge of tart. Sensation moved through him now that had nothing to do with killing. He wrapped an arm around her and shoved her against the wall. She made a squeak, but she didn’t let go. Her fingers curled into his shirt.

  So drakking brave. He thrust his tongue deeper into her sweet mouth.

  The kiss was hard, needy, wild. Just like Mina. Tannon tried to take control, but she kissed him back enthusiastically. Their tongues dueled, and the taste, feel, and smell of her swamped him. It pushed out everything else.

  When he managed to lift his head, clinging to the edge of his control, she was looking at him with dazed eyes.

  “Oh, well.” She was panting, her fingers kneading his chest. “Feeling better?”

  “You just took a very big risk.”

  “I knew you’d never hurt me.”

  He stilled. She’d just watched him kill a man, watched him use a dangerous power. And yet, she believed he wouldn’t hurt her.

  He just stared at her. She was the one person in his life that he couldn’t make any sense of.

  “You make me feel safe,” she murmured. “And it’s been a long, long time since I felt safe.”

  He pressed harder against her, wanting to absorb the feel of her. And he wanted to know who the drak in her past had hurt her, made her feel unsafe. He’d tear them apart limb from limb.

  “Tannon,” a deep voice drawled.

  Mina squeaked. Tannon knew she recognized that smooth tone.

  Dragging in a deep breath, Tannon stepped back, holding her arms until she was steady on those ridiculous shoes.

  “Go,” he said quietly.

  She eyed his face for a second, looking like she was going to fight to stay.

  “Go.” He touched her hair, running the silky strands through his fingers. “Thank you, Mina.”

  She nodded, looked at Rillian with dull color in her cheeks, then she walked away.

  Tannon’s gaze dropped to the swing of her hips and the way her trousers cupped her sweet ass. He blew out a breath.

  “You’re okay?” Rillian asked.

  Tannon nodded. “I am.”

  “I usually have to lock you down for a few hours after you’ve used your abilities.”

  Rillian had always known what Tannon was. His species, the Riani, was feared throughout the galaxy. They were known for going into icy killing rages, for slaughtering thousands, sucking the very life out of them.

  Tannon was one of the rare few with control, but he knew it could be a delicate thing. After years of being an alien hunter, he’d just wanted peace.

  He’d wanted to do more than kill.

  Rillian had understood that and given him a chance. Had saved Tannon’s sanity and what was left of his tattered soul.

  “I know.” Tannon met Rillian’s gaze. “But it appears you don’t have to this time.”

  Rillian smiled. “I am very happy to hear that.”

  Tannon wasn’t so certain. He wasn’t sure what the drak to do about the too-courageous Mina. She’d stepped into a dangerous fight to save a fellow waitress, and she’d touched him when everybody else had gotten out of his way.

  All he knew was that he wanted to protect her. Even if he had to protect her from himself.

  Chapter Four

  The evening was in full swing.

  There was a big show on and the main casino stage was filled with singers and dancers. Mina tried to force her way through the crowds without spilling her drinks. Fire rose into the air from the stage, and people oohed. A woman’s low, melodic wail rose with the symphony of strings and drums.

  Mina and the other servers hadn’t had a single chance to catch their breath. The customers were hungry, thirsty, and demanding. Her feet were aching and tonight after her shift, she was going to soak them, while she fantasized about setting her heels on fire. She was going to add her tiny skirt. Dayliss had asked they all wear skirts tonight.

  With a harried smile, Mina set some more drinks down in front of some raucous revelers. She spun, heading back toward the bar.

  Once again, she hadn’t seen Tannon after the incident last night. She’d gone looking for him, only to be told that he was busy. She was pretty sure the man was avoiding her. In all of the commotion, she’d forgotten to tell Tannon about the man and the woman she’d seen.

  Gossip had been running rife through the staff. She now knew Tannon was a Riani.

  And everyone appeared to have a scary story to tell about the energy-manipulating Riani.

  Mina sniffed. She judged people on their actions, not what had to be embellished, exaggerated tales. Tannon was a loyal, rock-steady man, and there was a whole lot of good that he hid under his taciturn exterior.

  She collected some more orders on her way to the bar. As she passed a crowd of noisy young men, she smiled. Then a sharp stench hit her nostrils. She wrinkled her nose. Taint. The illegal drug was popular in the back alleys and taint dens. She coughed, waving a hand in front of her face.

  Looking around, she spotted a black uniform near the edge of the crowd.

  “Taint.” She jerked a thumb in the direction of the young men.

  The security guard gave a fierce scowl. “We’ll take care of it.”

  For a second, Mina imagined Tannon giving his security team training sessions on scowling. She aimed toward the bar, trying to find a path through the bodies. Despite the soft sheets, it
had taken her a long time to fall asleep. Tannon had been fighting for control last night after he’d killed that man. He’d seemed so…alone.

  Others might be giving him a wide berth and frightened looks, but he was still Tannon to her.

  She owed him, for pulling her out of that horrible apartment, but what she felt was more than gratitude. A lot more.

  She kept working, until her arms and legs ached. Wincing, she dreamed of throwing her high heels in the nearest trash receptacle. No, better yet, throwing them off the roof of the casino.

  After setting some more drinks down, she whirled. The crowd shifted and she spotted the couple from the night before.

  They were at a games table by the far wall. She quickly ducked in behind a small crowd of customers heading in that direction. More fire exploded on stage. Cheers and clapping erupted, and she glanced at the performers. Several curvy dancers were whirling burning sticks around their heads.

  Some people jostled Mina, and she sidestepped to get out of the way. When she looked back at the pair, she gasped.

  They were gone from the gaming table.

  Gaze narrowed, she scanned all around. She couldn’t see them. Then she tilted her head. There was no one at the table anymore. The dealer was gone as well.

  Moving quickly, Mina headed to the table. Then suddenly, she heard a woman’s scream before it was swallowed by more cheers from the crowd.

  Mina spun in a circle and saw someone duck through a maintenance doorway. She hurried over and right outside the door, she saw the security camera mounted on the wall was covered with a black spray.

  Prickles tickled the back of her neck. Something was wrong.

  She spotted Briella, her green hair shining under the lights. “Briella.”

  The woman swiveled. “Oh, Mina, I’ve been looking for you. I wanted to thank you for yesterday.”

  Mina shook her head. “No thanks necessary. Look, can you get security? Something’s wrong. A dealer’s missing from her table and I think some guests have taken her into a maintenance corridor.”

  The woman frowned and nodded her head. “Okay, I can—”

  Mina headed toward the door and opened it.

  Briella’s eyes widened. “Mina, wait for security—”

  “I think they might have the dealer. I’ll check it out, and you get security.”

  She needed to know what this couple were up to. Any intel she could get would help Tannon, and if there was a woman in trouble, Mina wouldn’t leave her.

  She wouldn’t leave anyone captive. The odd thought made her trip and a sharp stab of pain arrowed behind her eyes.

  Drak it. Stay focused, Mina. Dragging in a deep breath, she stepped into the corridor. It was utilitarian with bare walls and a tiled floor.

  She heard a woman’s scream echo down the corridor.

  Mina hurried down the hall, trying to keep her heels from clicking on the tiles. When she turned the corner, she saw the doors to a maintenance room were open. Inside the shadowed room, she heard the hum of machinery and saw several pieces of moving equipment.

  And she spotted the big man with horns. He had a female dealer pinned to the wall.

  “Give us your casino ID,” the man barked.

  The terrified woman shook her head. “I can’t. It’s embedded in my arm.”

  The non-descript woman stepped into view. She cursed as she looked at her accomplice. “We need the ID or our plan is trashed.”

  The man nodded. “Then we take her arm.”

  Mina watched in horror as the woman pulled a laser cutter out of her pocket. She flicked it on, the orange laser glowing brightly in the darkened room.

  The dealer let out a high-pitched scream.

  Mina’s blood surged through her veins. No way. She couldn’t let them hurt the woman. She glanced back down the corridor. Where the drak was security?

  There was no time to wait.

  Mina kicked off her heels and charged in.

  When she got close enough, she lowered her shoulder and charged the woman. Mina rammed the brown-haired woman out of the way and the woman yelped.

  “What the drak?”

  Mina pulled back and kicked her in the gut. The woman staggered.

  “Get her!” the man yelled.

  Shoving her brown hair out of her face, the woman straightened, scowling. She launched herself at Mina.

  Mina stopped thinking. Her focus narrowed to her opponent, watching the woman’s every move. When the woman swung out an arm, Mina ducked. She rammed her fist up, slamming into the woman’s belly. A grunt filled the air, and Mina followed through with a hit to the woman’s jaw. The woman’s head snapped back.

  “Get her!” the man shouted.

  A fist came at her and she dodged to the side. She rammed her knee into the woman’s stomach and she doubled over with a pained sound. Mina reared back and kicked the woman in the head. She slammed back into a piece of equipment.

  That’s when Mina realized that she was still clutching her tray. Nice. She whipped it up and smashed it into the woman’s face.

  With a groan, she went down.

  But before Mina could celebrate, the man rushed her.

  Drak.

  The big guy lifted her off her feet and slammed her into the wall. Pain rattled up her spine.

  “Tannon, I believe we have a problem.”

  Tannon turned from where he stood at the edge of the crowd, monitoring the eager customers standing close to the stage.

  One of his security team, Inigo, was standing to attention with a panicked-looking server. He flicked through his memory. “Briella?”

  More explosions came from the stage and the music thumped loudly.

  Briella’s mouth moved, but he couldn’t hear her.

  He leaned closer. “What is it?”

  Briella swallowed. “I saw Mina. She said some customers had dragged a dealer into a maintenance corridor.”

  Tannon felt his muscles tense. “Where?”

  “On the far side of the floor. Near the rakarran tables.”

  Tannon looked at Inigo. “Get two more guards and meet me there.”

  The man nodded and melted into the crowd.

  “We’ll find her,” Tannon said to Briella.

  The woman bit her lip. “She went into the corridor, Tannon. She wouldn’t wait.”

  Anger and fear surged through him. The little fool should never have left the floor. He charged through the crowd. Most people saw him coming, took one look at his face, and moved. He’d been getting that a lot today.

  He reached the maintenance door and saw the blocked security camera. His lips firmed. Drak.

  A second later, Inigo and two of the security team—a man and a woman—appeared. Tannon nodded his head and the four of them stepped into the corridor.

  Instantly, he heard the sounds of a fight. His pulse rate spiked and he broke into a run.

  He turned the corner and saw a terrified dealer, uniform and hair askew, watching the skirmish in one of the equipment rooms. She was clutching an arm to her chest, but appeared unharmed.

  A brown-haired woman was slumped against the wall. Her eyes were open, but she was barely conscious.

  And in the center of the room, a large, horned man had Mina pinned against the wall. She was hammering at his head with one hand.

  Molten heat swelled in Tannon, energy charging inside his body.

  As he bore down on the man, he saw the man swing a fist at Mina.

  Drak. Tannon was too far away to stop it.

  In a fast move, Mina jerked her head to the side and the man’s knuckles hit the wall. Then Mina rammed an elbow up, slamming it into the man’s throat. He gagged and she slid free.

  Tannon was almost there when he saw Mina step sideways. Then she launched herself at the man with an intricate series of deadly kicks. Her small skirt flipped around her thighs.

  The horned man stumbled back under the force of her blows. It was almost comical, the tiny woman beating up the huge alien.
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  Tannon’s steps faltered.

  Mina jumped into the air, her kick catching the man’s face. He dropped to his knees with a groan. Mina followed with a brutal chop to the back of the man’s neck.

  The man pressed a hand to the floor, struggling to stay upright. Mina landed one more vicious kick to his middle, flipping him over. He collapsed on the floor, breathing hard.

  Tannon stared, feeling like his body was locked in place. How could she fight like that? His neck prickled. Mina had secrets. Secrets he wasn’t aware of.

  Then the horned man let out a bellow and surged up like a wild beast. His head rammed into Mina’s middle, driving her backward.

  He slammed her into the wall and her head snapped back, hitting the wall with a loud thud.

  Tannon leaped forward. He grabbed the man’s neck and yanked him back. Tannon rammed a punch into the man’s lower back and he cried out.

  He saw Mina slide to the floor.

  Enraged, Tannon pummeled more blows into the man. This sandsucker had hurt Mina. The horned man toppled to the floor, and Tannon leaned over him, and punched him again, and again. Rage welled up, along with his power.

  “Sir? Sir?”

  Tannon kept punching. This man had hurt Mina.

  “Tannon, he’s dead.”

  Rillian’s cool voice broke through Tannon’s fighting rage. He dropped the man and looked up.

  Nearby, the dealer was sobbing. “They were going to cut off my arm to get my ID. She saved me.”

  Tannon turned his head and saw Mina was trying to push up to her feet. A trickle of blood was running down her neck.

  Fighting for control, Tannon strode past Rillian until he reached her. He gripped her arms and helped her up.

  “Hey.” She blinked at him, her eyes a little unfocused. “Stars, you’re pretty.”

  Drak, the blow to her head must have hurt her. Suddenly, she collapsed, and he scooped her into his arms.

  “They wanted her ID,” Mina said. “Planning…something. Something for the House of Galen and House of Rone party.”

  “Okay, we’ll sort it out.” He caught Rillian’s gaze and the man nodded. Then Tannon looked back at Mina. “How did you know how to fight like that?”

  “What?” Her brow creased.