by Anna Hackett
As they entered the long corridor lined with beautiful wall hangings woven in red and silver, Ever hoped the glow on her face didn’t scream “I just had several orgasms.”
They turned a corner, and the sound of footsteps reached her. Several women were hurrying in their direction.
“Ever!” Rory called out.
She found herself engulfed in warm hugs, and with gentle pats on her belly. Then Magnus got a few hugs as well, which left him looking stiff and perplexed.
“Oh, wow.” Rory grabbed Ever’s new hand. “I’m sorry it had to happen to you, Ever, but I would love something like this.”
“What matters is you’re safe,” Harper said. “And for that, we are very glad.”
“Thanks.” Ever tugged Magnus with her, as the women ushered them toward the meeting room. But her happiness didn’t last long.
When they entered the living area of the high-level gladiators, she saw the tense, grim faces of the gladiators sitting around the table. The rest of the House of Galen allies were there, as well. Rillian beside Dayna, Ryan sitting in a chair with Zhim standing behind her. Corsair and Neve were near the end of the table.
When her sister saw her, Neve strode over. Ever met her halfway, and they wrapped their arms around each other.
“You’re okay?” Neve hugged her hard, not letting go.
“I’m fine. The baby’s fine. No need to kill my cyborg.”
Neve had been to see Ever every day since they’d returned from the desert. Her sister’s gaze dropping to Ever’s hand. “How’s the new appendage?”
Ever flexed her fingers. “I like it. I’m getting used to it.”
She’d expected Neve to lose her mind about Magnus amputating Ever’s hand. But strangely, her sister had looked at Magnus with grudging respect. She’d even stopped calling him “the cyborg.”
Raiden rose, clearing his throat. He stood near the head of the table, beside Galen’s empty chair. The room quieted.
“Galen dedicated his life to me.” Raiden’s direct gaze moved over all of them. “As my royal bodyguard, my friend, my mentor, and my imperator. Everything he’s done has always been to better my life.” Raiden blew out a harsh breath, and Harper shifted to stand close beside him. “He is the best man I know, and I will do the same for him.”
Murmurs of agreement and assent echoed around the room.
“And Sam Santos is a good woman,” Harper added. “She’s been through enough.”
Raiden straightened. “Whatever it takes, we bring Galen and Sam home.”
“Yes,” Thorin’s voice boomed.
“My desert informants are working overtime,” Corsair said. “If they find out anything about Zaabha, they’ll let me know immediately.”
“Ryan and I have search bugs out everywhere in the system,” Zhim said. “Any mention of Zaabha, and we’ll know in an instant.”
Rillian gave a nod, his arm wrapped tight around Dayna. “If any of my contacts come through with information, I’ll call straight away.”
Harper slipped her hand into Raiden’s. He slid an arm around her, pulling her close, like he needed the support.
“We are all a part of this,” Harper said. “The Thraxians ripped us away from our home, and Galen took us in. He gave us a new home.”
All around the room, the people from Earth leaned into their loved ones.
“And we will fight to protect our home,” Harper said. “And our new family.”
“For honor and freedom,” Raiden said.
“For love,” Harper added.
Magnus twined his arms around Ever, his big palms resting over her swollen belly. “For love.”
She smiled at him. Her home and family were right here. And Harper was right, she would fight to protect them. She would stand with the cyborg who’d captured her heart.
She traded a glance with her sister, and Neve nodded, before turning into the arms of her own man.
“We’ll meet again tomorrow.” Raiden gripped the back of the empty chair at the head of the table. “Daily war meetings until Galen is back in this chair. Whatever it takes.”
Ever knew that no one in this room would give up.
“Let’s go, my love,” Magnus murmured. “I’ve been analyzing your hormone levels, and I believe you’ll be needing my help in about ten minutes.”
His voice carried, and from nearby, Zhim snorted.
Ever slapped Magnus’ shoulder. “You just told everyone we’re going home to have sex.”
His gaze dropped to her belly. “Something tells me they are aware that we have sex.”
Suddenly, her stomach contracted, like a hard band was squeezing her. She gasped and felt Magnus go rigid. A gush of fluid rushed between her legs.
“Ever?” His hands gripped her shoulders.
She raised her head to look into panicked blue eyes. “Um, I think I’m in labor.”
Magnus paced the corridor outside of Medical in the House of Galen.
He’d been ejected from the room a few minutes before. It had taken Jax, Acton, and Mace to pull him out. He’d already tossed Thorin into a wall and knocked Raiden into a bed.
Everything had happened so fast. Ever’s labor had moved at lightspeed and they hadn’t even had time to get back to the House of Rone. Avarn had arrived to aid Galen’s Hermia healers. But Ever had been screaming. The baby was too big for her small body.
He’d gone crazy and they’d dragged him out.
He should never have touched her. He raked his hands over his head. If something happened to her…
Sensing a presence at his side, he looked down and saw Neve. Ever’s sister was standing there, staring at the doors like she could will them to open.
Without a word, she slipped her hand into his. He closed his eyes and held on tight.
“She always wanted kids,” Neve said. “We lost our family when we were so young. She always dreamed of making a new one.” Green eyes flicked up to him. “She always dreamed of a man by her side who loved her completely. I’m glad she found you.”
He felt like she was carving out his insides. “I love her more than anything.”
“I know.”
The doors opened and Avarn stepped out. His face was sheened with sweat but he was smiling. “Imperator Rone, congratulations on becoming a father.”
Magnus felt like his legs were going to go out from under him. He pushed toward the doors. “She’s okay?”
“Both your females are perfectly fine,” Avarn said.
Magnus’ breath caught. Ever was propped up in a bed, cradling a tiny bundle to her chest. He reached her, grabbing her hand.
“Magnus.” She beamed at him. “We have a little baby girl.”
He dropped his mouth to hers before looking at the baby. His daughter had a shock of dark hair and was fast asleep. He drank her in. A miracle. She had tiny, perfectly formed lips.
“I love you, Ever.”
She smiled. “I know. And this little beauty will share our love. We made this perfect little being.” She held the baby up to him.
Drak, she was so tiny. Avarn appeared, helping Magnus settle the baby in his arms. Emotion like he’d never felt engulfed him and he welcomed it. He had a new addition to his House. No, to his family.
There was commotion as all their friends pushed into Medical, ignoring the Hermia healers’ complaints. Neve rushed to her sister and Magnus found himself surrounded. There were oohs, ahhs, and pats of congratulations.
Jax slapped Magnus’ back. “Well done, my friend. You deserve this.”
Magnus looked at his sleeping baby. He had so much more than he’d ever dreamed of having in his life. Once, he thought of himself as empty, just a flesh and metal shell created in a lab. But now he was filled to bursting.
He looked around the room. They’d all made something special and meaningful here. His daughter was a symbol of that. They’d made a life, a home, a family here on Carthago. And every person in this room would give their lives for it, and that include
d bringing Galen and Sam home.
He caught Ever’s shining gaze. She watched him holding their child, love on her face, and she smiled.
Magnus knew she’d fight with everything she had to protect all of this, just as all these humans would. Just as he and the gladiators would.
The Thraxians had no clue what was coming at them.
I hope you enjoyed Magnus and Ever’s story!
Galactic Gladiators will continue with IMPERATOR, the story of the imperator of the House of Galen, Galen, and champion of the Zaabha arena, Sam. Coming in mid 2018.
But wait! Does that mean Galactic Gladiators is coming to an end? Well, let’s just say that we haven’t seen the last of the desert world of Carthago yet.
For more action-packed romance, read on for a preview of the first chapter of Marcus, the first book in my best-selling Hell Squad series.
Don’t miss out! For updates about new releases, action romance info, free books, and other fun stuff, sign up for my VIP mailing list and get your free box set containing three action-packed romances.
Visit here to get started: www.annahackettbooks.com
Preview - Hell Squad: Marcus
Her team was under attack.
Elle Milton pressed her fingers to her small earpiece. “Squad Six, you have seven more raptors inbound from the east.” Her other hand gripped the edge of her comp screen, showing the enhanced drone feed.
She watched, her belly tight, as seven glowing red dots converged on the blue ones huddled together in the burned-out ruin of an office building in downtown Sydney. Each blue dot was a squad member and one of them was their leader.
“Marcus? Do you copy?” Elle fought to keep her voice calm. No way she’d let them hear her alarm.
“Roger that, Elle.” Marcus’ gravelly voice filled her ear. Along with the roar of laser fire. “We see them.”
She sagged back in her chair. This was the worst part. Just sitting there knowing that Marcus and the others were fighting for their lives. In the six months she’d been comms officer for the squad, she’d worked hard to learn the ropes. But there were days she wished she was out there, aiming a gun and taking out as many alien raptors as she could.
You’re not a soldier, Ellianna. No, she was a useless party-girl-turned-survivor. She watched as a red dot disappeared off the screen, then another, and another. She finally drew a breath. Marcus and his team were the experienced soldiers. She’d just be a big fat liability in the field.
But she was a damn good comms officer.
Just then, a new cluster of red dots appeared near the team. She tapped the screen, took a measurement. “Marcus! More raptors are en route. They’re about one kilometer away. North.” God, would these invading aliens ever leave them alone?
“Shit,” Marcus bit out. Then he went silent.
She didn’t know if he was thinking or fighting. She pictured his rugged, scarred face creased in thought as he formulated a plan.
Then his deep, rasping voice was back. “Elle, we need an escape route and an evac now. Shaw’s been hit in the leg, Cruz is carrying him. We can’t engage more raptors.”
She tapped the screen rapidly, pulling up drone images and archived maps. Escape route, escape route. Her mind clicked through the options. She knew Shaw was taller and heavier than Cruz, but the armor they wore had slim-line exoskeletons built into them allowing the soldiers to lift heavier loads and run faster and longer than normal. She tapped the screen again. Come on. She needed somewhere safe for a Hawk quadcopter to set down and pick them up.
“Elle? We need it now!”
Just then her comp beeped. She looked at the image and saw a hazy patch of red appear in the broken shell of a nearby building. The heat sensor had detected something else down there. Something big.
Right next to the team.
She touched her ear. “Rex! Marcus, a rex has just woken up in the building beside you.”
“Fuck! Get us out of here. Now.”
Oh, God. Elle swallowed back bile. Images of rexes, with their huge, dinosaur-like bodies and mouths full of teeth, flashed in her head.
More laser fire ripped through her earpiece and she heard the wild roar of the awakening beast.
Block it out. She focused on the screen. Marcus needed her. The team needed her.
“Run past the rex.” One hand curled into a tight fist, her nails cutting into her skin. “Go through its hiding place.”
“Through its nest?” Marcus’ voice was incredulous. “You know how territorial they are.”
“It’s the best way out. On the other side you’ll find a railway tunnel. Head south along it about eight hundred meters, and you’ll find an emergency exit ladder that you can take to the surface. I’ll have a Hawk pick you up there.”
A harsh expulsion of breath. “Okay, Elle. You’ve gotten us out of too many tight spots for me to doubt you now.”
His words had heat creeping into her cheeks. His praise…it left her giddy. In her life BAI—before alien invasion—no one had valued her opinions. Her father, her mother, even her almost-fiancé, they’d all thought her nothing more than a pretty ornament. Hell, she had been a silly, pretty party girl.
And because she’d been inept, her parents were dead. Elle swallowed. A year had passed since that horrible night during the first wave of the alien attack, when their giant ships had appeared in the skies. Her parents had died that night, along with most of the world.
“Hell Squad, ready to go to hell?” Marcus called out.
“Hell, yeah!” the team responded. “The devil needs an ass-kicking!”
“Woo-hoo!” Another voice blasted through her headset, pulling her from the past. “Ellie, baby, this dirty alien’s nest stinks like Cruz’s socks. You should be here.”
A smile tugged at Elle’s lips. Shaw Baird always knew how to ease the tension of a life-or-death situation.
“Oh, yeah, Hell Squad gets the best missions,” Shaw added.
Elle watched the screen, her smile slipping. Everyone called Squad Six the Hell Squad. She was never quite sure if it was because they were hellions, or because they got sent into hell to do the toughest, dirtiest missions.
There was no doubt they were a bunch of rebels. Marcus had a rep for not following orders. Just the previous week, he’d led the squad in to destroy a raptor outpost but had detoured to rescue survivors huddled in an abandoned hospital that was under attack. At the debrief, the general’s yelling had echoed through the entire base. Marcus, as always, had been silent.
“Shut up, Shaw, you moron.” The deep female voice carried an edge.
Elle had decided there were two words that best described the only female soldier on Hell Squad—loner and tough. Claudia Frost was everything Elle wasn’t. Elle cleared her throat. “Just get yourselves back to base.”
As she listened to the team fight their way through the rex nest, she tapped in the command for one of the Hawk quadcopters to pick them up.
The line crackled. “Okay, Elle, we’re through. Heading to the evac point.”
Marcus’ deep voice flowed over her and the tense muscles in her shoulders relaxed a fraction. They’d be back soon. They were okay. He was okay.
She pressed a finger to the blue dot leading the team. “The bird’s en route, Marcus.”
“Thanks. See you soon.”
She watched on the screen as the large, black shadow of the Hawk hovered above the ground and the team boarded. The rex was headed in their direction, but they were already in the air.
Elle stood and ran her hands down her trousers. She shot a wry smile at the camouflage fabric. It felt like a dream to think that she’d ever owned a very expensive, designer wardrobe. And heels—God, how long had it been since she’d worn heels? These days, fatigues were all that hung in her closet. Well-worn ones, at that.
As she headed through the tunnels of the underground base toward the landing pads, she forced herself not to run. She’d see him—them—soon enough. She rounded a corner and alm
ost collided with someone.
“General. Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“No problem, Elle.” General Adam Holmes had a military-straight bearing he’d developed in the United Coalition Army and a head of dark hair with a brush of distinguished gray at his temples. He was classically handsome, and his eyes were a piercing blue. He was the top man in this last little outpost of humanity. “Squad Six on their way back?”
“Yes, sir.” They fell into step.
“And they secured the map?”
God, Elle had almost forgotten about the map. “Ah, yes. They got images of it just before they came under attack by raptors.”
“Well, let’s go welcome them home. That map might just be the key to the fate of mankind.”
They stepped into the landing areas. Staff in various military uniforms and civilian clothes raced around. After the raptors had attacked, bringing all manner of vicious creatures with them to take over the Earth, what was left of mankind had banded together.
Whoever had survived now lived here in an underground base in the Blue Mountains, just west of Sydney, or in the other, similar outposts scattered across the planet. All arms of the United Coalition’s military had been decimated. In the early days, many of the surviving soldiers had fought amongst themselves, trying to work out who outranked whom. But it didn’t take long before General Holmes had unified everyone against the aliens. Most squads were a mix of ranks and experience, but the teams eventually worked themselves out. Most didn’t even bother with titles and rank anymore.
Sirens blared, followed by the clang of metal. Huge doors overhead retracted into the roof.
A Hawk filled the opening, with its sleek gray body and four spinning rotors. It was near-silent, running on a small thermonuclear engine. It turned slowly as it descended to the landing pad.
Her team was home.
She threaded her hands together, her heart beating a little faster.
Marcus was home.
Marcus Steele wanted a shower and a beer.
