by Anna Hackett
***
Nero stepped into the arena, sand crunching under his boots. It was a small crowd tonight, but still an energized atmosphere.
He liked the smaller, exhibition matches. The arena felt different, more focused. Flanking him, his fellow House of Galen gladiators waited. Raiden was fighting with Harper tonight. The pair whispered quietly to each other, relaxed and smiling. Nero had to admit, the pair fought with a synchronicity that was enviable.
Lore was on one side of Nero, and Thorin on the other with Kace. Blaine was fighting with Saff tonight, and they were trading teasing insults behind him.
Nero glanced toward the stands, and saw the remaining women sitting in the House of Galen seats. His gaze zeroed in on Winter. He lifted his hand. She smiled and waved back.
The sound of the crowd changed to a roar and he turned to see the House of Rone gladiators stepping out of the tunnel on the opposite side of the arena.
The eight gladiators—six men and two women—were all big. Broad-shouldered and muscled, they moved across the sand with controlled power.
These were no slaves or indentured fighters. These were well-trained, experienced gladiators.
Nero smiled. Good. He liked a challenge. He glanced one more time to the stands. Winter was watching. Not that he wanted her to watch, or that he was showing off, or anything.
The House of Galen gladiators moved toward their rivals, meeting them in the center of the arena.
A big gladiator with dark skin and a scarred chest stepped forward. His eyes were a brilliant, diamond-white. He held a huge longsword. “Is the House of Galen ready to eat sand, and fall under the boots of the House of Rone?”
Raiden stepped forward, the wind catching at his red cloak. “Xias, your taunts get more dramatic every time we fight.”
“You’ll spout poetry next,” Thorin called out.
The Rone gladiator smiled. “Did you like it?”
“He’s been practicing,” a female gladiator said from beside Xias. She was only a few inches shorter than the man, her powerful body covered in a leather bodysuit.
“Still needs a bit more work.” Raiden clasped forearms with the gladiator. Then Raiden lowered his voice. “And it will be the House of Rone who will be kissing the sand.”
Xias’ smile widened. “We’ll see.”
They stepped back and a moment later, the starting horn sounded.
Nero lifted his sword, and saw Lore spinning his sword beside him. Flashy as always.
Then he caught the gaze of one of the Rone gladiators and they charged at each other. Metal rang against metal. Nero used all his strength as he dodged and swung. He used some of the new moves he’d practiced with Raiden. He scored a hit, causing the other gladiator to grunt and drop his sword.
But the man rolled, snatched up his weapon, and was back on his feet in the next second.
As the gladiator attacked again with force, Nero moved backward across the sand. Lore was close in on his left, fighting his own opponent. A second later, there was a bright burst of color and smoke. One of Lore’s illusions.
The crowd cheered. The smoke curled around the fighters, and Nero saw the shapes of flying beasts moving in it.
Nero ducked, the Rone gladiator’s sword whooshing overhead. He jumped up and swung his own weapon. He opened up a thin line across the gladiator’s chest.
The man scowled, determination on his face. He rushed at Nero again.
Yes, the House of Rone always provided a good challenge. But tonight, Nero was energized by the emotions he wanted to work out of his system, and his audience.
He caught a quick glimpse of Harper leaping through the air. The woman could jump higher than anyone he’d ever seen. She landed on a gladiator’s back, riding him to the sand. Nearby, Raiden was fighting with his usual powerful, no-nonsense style that made him the Champion of the Kor Magna Arena.
Nero’s sword crashed against his opponent’s. The man lost his balance, and Nero planted his boot in the man’s gut, sending him to the sand.
A flash of movement.
Nero spun, just as the second female gladiator rushed at him.
He whirled, the tip of her sword a whisper away from his skin. She smiled devilishly at him, and they circled each other.
She was a little shorter than the other female, but still tall and strong. His usual type of woman.
They surged together, swords striking in a series of blows and blocks. She laughed—a full-bodied sound that echoed around him. He admired her power and speed, and as he blocked another swing of her sword, the movement bringing them close, he realized he didn’t feel more than a tiny spark of appreciation.
Nero pulled back with a frown. Instead, he was thinking of slim limbs, pale skin, and a stubborn chin.
He threw himself back into the fight, shoving the distracting thoughts away.
Finally, the horn sounded again. In exhibition matches, the gladiators only fought for a set length of time. There were no winners or losers.
“Good fight, gladiator,” the woman said.
He nodded. “You, too.”
Around him, there were a lot of good-natured taunts, and backslapping.
Lore came up and slung an arm across Nero’s shoulders. “That female Rone gladiator has her eye on you, my friend.” Lore waggled his eyebrows. “I foresee that you are going to get very lucky this evening.”
“What?” Nero shook his head, glancing back at the woman. “I didn’t see her watching me.”
His fight partner frowned skeptically. “You didn’t notice?”
Nero focused on the tunnel. “Come on. I want to see if Zhim found anything more in the video he got off the robot.”
Lore shook his head, looking bewildered. “You didn’t notice the sexy woman who was interested in you?” He shook his head again. “Okay, go check the video. I’ll meet you at the party in the living quarters.”
Nero paused. “Party?”
“Small. Just a few drinks.”
Nero didn’t bother to shower and change. He headed straight down to the maintenance area. The computer was on, lights blinking, but Zhim wasn’t there.
Letting out a harsh breath, Nero headed up to the living quarters. Inside, the hubbub of conversation and the clink of glassware reached his ears. From the doorway, he scanned the room. Galen was talking with Magnus Rone in the center of the space. The room was filled with a mix of gladiators and guests.
Nero spotted Zhim’s dark head. “Why aren’t you working on the video?”
Zhim turned, lifting a glass filled with a neon-green drink. “I am. I don’t need to sit there and watch it, gladiator.” The man’s gaze was on Nero’s face, sharp and considering. “I have several enhancement programs running. It could be a few hours yet.”
Frustrated, Nero looked around the room. He spotted Harper, Regan, Rory, and Madeline, but he kept looking for another dark head.
Lore appeared, handing Nero a glass of Nero’s favorite ale.
“Looking for that female gladiator?” Lore asked. “Her name is Esha, by the way.”
Nero blinked. “Who?”
Lore’s eyebrows furrowed. “Okay, something is really going on with you.”
Nero took a sip of his drink, searching the crowd again. “Nothing is going on.” Where was Winter? “I need a drink.”
“You have a drink.”
Ignoring Lore, Nero moved through the partygoers. Near the window, he arched his head. That’s when he spotted her through the glass window, shrouded in darkness. She was sitting out on the balcony.
He pushed open the door and headed out. “Hi.”
Winter was sitting on a couch, her feet tucked up under her, and her face tilted toward the night sky.
She turned her head and smiled. “Nero. The fight was amazing.”
“Thanks.” He sat down beside her. “How are you feeling?”
“Perfectly fine. And I don’t need a lecture about how I shouldn’t have been on the mission.”
His c
hest tightened. Is that what she thought he was thinking? He took a sip of his drink to wet his throat. “I wasn’t going to say that. You held your own on the mission.” He felt her staring at him. “Why are you looking up at the sky?”
“I wish I could see the stars.” Her voice was wistful. “I can see a few blue twinkles, but that’s about it.”
“The Hermia healers are still working on restoring your vision?”
“Yes.” She plucked at her blue dress. “But I think we all know the chances of that happening are very slim now.”
There was pain in her voice and it cut at him.
“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful,” she continued. “Back on Earth, there are people who would kill to have a vision device like the one I’ve got. And even without my vision…I’m still me.”
Nero decided she needed a distraction. “Tell me about your planet.”
“Earth? It’s mostly water. We have vast oceans.” She bit down on her bottom lip and Nero watched her teeth sink into her plump flesh. “It’s cold at the poles, and tropical at the equator.”
“You have family?”
“Just my mother and brother. Mom will miss me. We were pretty close. My brother—” she shrugged. “We aren’t that close. He might miss me, when it suits him.” She shifted, and Nero got a peek at delicate feet wrapped in ribbons that came part way up her slender calves. “Tell me about your home world?”
“You already know a lot. A planet of harsh landscapes and weather. We have frozen ice plains to the north, dense jungles in the middle, and hot deserts to the south.”
“Do you miss it?”
He was quiet as he considered. “I feel some nostalgia. I miss the fresh air and the thrill of hunting Symerian beasts. But this is my home now, and my loyalty is to the House of Galen.”
“It is always hard when you are snatched away from the things you love.”
He released a breath. “I wasn’t abducted. I was given to the slavers.”
“What?”
His hand tightened on his glass and he stared at the amber fluid. “I was leading a hunting party on the plains. We were tracking a large, cunning creature called a ratooth. The alien slavers landed and attacked. We fought back.”
Winter shifted, her gaze on his face. “What happened?”
“We fought, but we weren’t a match for their advanced weapons. I fought until I was bloody and could barely stand. They slaughtered my warriors, and I saw them snatch my younger brother and sister.”
“Oh, Nero.” She grabbed his hand.
He felt that touch all the way through him.
“The aliens must have thought I was dead, and they left. My father found me.”
Her fingers tightened on his.
“I had shamed my warlord and my clan. I wasn’t strong enough, and I didn’t die in battle like my warriors. I let the warlord’s children be taken. As the hunting party leader, it was my responsibility to protect them.”
“Your father blamed you?” she said incredulously.
“For a long time, I blamed myself. I had been raised to believe in strength and might, honed by hours of daily training.”
“When did you start your training?”
“After my third birthday.” He took a long gulp of his drink. “The aliens returned not long after. My father, being a smart warlord, brokered a deal. He offered twenty strong, capable slaves to them to make them go away and return my siblings. I was the first one selected.”
“He gave you away?” She turned, fully facing him. “That is barbaric, Nero! One, to blame you and two, to abandon his child.”
“It is the barbarian way.”
“Yeah, well the barbarian way sucks.” She reached out and squeezed his bicep. “You don’t still believe that strength only has something to do with this, do you?”
That small touch rocketed through Nero, and he struggled to find words. “For a long time, I did. Then Galen and the others showed me that being smart and learning were important, too.” Winter gave a satisfied nod. Nero lowered his voice. “Watching you has taught me that true strength has very little to do with muscles.”
Her face softened. “Thank you.” Her gaze dropped to his lips and she pulled in a shuddering breath. “Nero?”
He knew she felt it, too, this connection that neither of them wanted or could ignore.
He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.
She went still for a second, then her arms flew around his neck, and her mouth opened under his.
Heat flowed through Nero with the strength of a firestorm. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, and dragged her into his lap.
Chapter Eight
Winter kissed Nero back, sinking her hands into his hair. His tongue swept into her mouth and she moaned.
Hungry for more, heat pooling low in her belly, she let her lips travel over his strong jaw, sliding down his neck. His big hands dug into her hips, one sliding over her belly. Desire was riding her hard and she sank her teeth into his neck, feeling the pulse under his skin.
She loved his rough hands on her. “I love when you touch me.”
Nero growled, his hands clenching.
He wasn’t being careful, wasn’t treating her like she was broken.
“This is crazy,” she said huskily. “You and me. I’m not even sure we like each other.”
“I like you.” Then, his mouth was back on hers, hard and demanding. Just how she imagined a barbarian gladiator would kiss. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed being close to someone. It’d been so, so long. She moved against him, feeling the strength of his firm thighs beneath her, and another hard bulge that made her belly contract.
He rose, carrying her easily, and Winter wrapped her legs around his waist. He moved farther along the balcony until they were swallowed by the shadows.
“I’ve decided we should have sex,” she said in a rush.
“What?” he growled.
“Sex. You and me. Get this craziness out of our systems.”
“Just sex?”
“Yes.” She wanted his hands on her, his mouth on her, his cock inside her. She wanted an orgasm she didn’t have to give herself. “I want to use you for sex.”
He made a strangled sound. She felt stone beneath her butt and realized he’d rested her on the stone railing.
Winter looked over the edge, excitement spiking. “Don’t let me fall.”
“Never.” His mouth took hers again.
Then his mouth traveled down her neck, across her collarbone. With one hand, he nudged down the neckline of her dress and freed one breast.
His mouth closed over her nipple, sucking hard. Winter’s head dropped back, desire storming through her. She felt his hand sliding up under the skirt of her dress. This dress was short too but with a fuller skirt. His fingers brushed over her panties and she jerked. Her breasts felt heavy and full, her belly hot.
“Do you want me to touch you here, Winter?”
“Yes.” More than anything.
“With my fingers or my mouth?”
Her breath hitched. “Both.”
In the darkness, she saw the flash of his white teeth as he smiled. One finger slipped under her panties. She canted her hips forward and he slid one thick finger inside her.
“Nero!”
“You are so tight.” He pulled his finger out, teasing her folds. “And so very wet. Is that for me?”
She trembled and he thrust his finger back inside. She clamped her hands on the railing, trying to hold onto something to anchor herself. Of course, Nero kept one hand on her hips, holding her safely in place.
“More,” she choked out. “Nero, please.”
With a hungry sound, he knelt down. He nudged her thighs wider apart with his head. The sight of him between her legs made her belly clench even tighter. Then he leaned forward and she felt his warm breath on her.
Oh, God. He gripped her panties and tore them off with one flick of his wrist. Then his mouth was on her.
&nbs
p; She cried out, biting down on her lip to muffle it. His hot tongue lapped at her, delved inside. She shifted and both his hands cupped her buttocks, pulling her to his mouth. He made the sound of a hungry man feasting.
“So soft. So sweet.” His tongue found her clit, lapping at it.
That shoved Winter over the edge. She came, hard and fast, trying not to scream his name.
She was panting, her eyes closed, when she felt him stand. He scooped her up and the next thing she knew, he was setting her back on the couch and smoothing her dress down.
Winter opened her eyes. To see a smug-looking barbarian watching her. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips, and she tasted herself on him. When he pulled back, he held something up.
She blushed. The tattered remains of her panties. When she reached for them, he snatched them away.
“Did you know barbarian warriors are known to keep trophies of all their victories?” he said.
Her eyes narrowed. “You keep trophies?”
“No.” He tucked her panties into his pocket. “But I’m thinking of starting.”
A laugh burst out of her. She was feeling far too good to argue with the man.
“There you are.” Harper appeared, Raiden an enormous silhouette behind her.
Great. Winter quickly smoothed her hair, hoping she looked normal. Not like a woman who’d let a barbarian gladiator give her an earth-shattering orgasm. When she saw Harper’s gaze narrow, Winter was pretty sure luck wasn’t on her side.
“Sorry to break up the party,” Raiden said. “Zhim said he got a ping from his comp. His enhancements of the video found something.”
Winter scrambled to her feet. Her body was still tingling from what she and Nero had done, but right now, she needed to think of Dayna and Mia. They were locked away somewhere, hurting, and who knew what was happening to them. It made Winter feel terrible that she was here, safe, going to parties and making out with a handsome man. That just wasn’t right.
Nero pressed a hand to her back and urged her inside. They passed through the party and headed down to the lower levels.
When they moved into the maintenance area, Winter saw that Zhim was already there, working feverishly in front of several screens.
