by Anna Hackett
Rillian’s mouth turned into a flat line. “This is just the beginning. Abandon the House of Galen, or more will die.”
Rillian sat in his office, with the imperator of the House of Galen on his comp screen. He’d just finished outlining the situation for Galen.
“Drak.” Galen’s scarred face was unhappy. His right eye—the one not covered by a black eyepatch—was cold.
“This has to be the Thraxians. We need to find Zaabha, Galen, and shut it down once and for all. The Thraxians and the Srinar have overstepped too many boundaries.”
The Srinar, a plague-ridden species who liked operating in the darkest spaces of Carthago, were allies of the Thraxians. They had to be shown a lesson as well.
“Agreed,” Galen said. “I have Zhim and Ryan working on the map that Neve and Corsair recovered. It’s not going well. They tell me that part of the map is missing. They need some sort of key to unlock it and we have no idea what or where that might be.”
Rillian sat back in his chair. “At the witch’s lair?”
“We searched it from top to bottom. We didn’t find anything.” A muscle ticked in Galen’s jaw. “There’s more. The House of Thrax has gone into complete lockdown. They aren’t accepting fights, not seeing anybody, not even taking in more gladiators. My guess is that they are pulling back to protect Zaabha.”
“It’s too late for that,” Rillian said darkly. “Especially when they’re leaving dead bodies in my casino.” He felt his anger spike and forced it down. “Killing my people.”
“The Thraxians don’t understand subtleties. They probably believed it would get you to back off.”
“They don’t know me very well, then.”
“And I have two women I intend to rescue from Zaabha.” The imperator’s voice was unyielding. “I won’t stop until Ever Haynes and Sam Santos are free.”
“You have my support.”
Galen inclined his head, then his single, ice-blue eye narrowed. “How’s Dayna?”
“She’s a fighter. She’ll make it, but she’s…stubborn.”
Galen almost smiled. “That seems to be a common trait for the women of Earth.” The man’s voice was dry.
Rillian steepled his hands together. “You’d know. Everyone’s talking about the infamous Galen going soft for damsels in need of rescue.”
The imperator snorted. “With my gladiators falling in love with Earth women every time they step into the arena, I hardly have a choice.”
“Keep your eyes open, Galen. If the Thraxians are warning me off helping you, that means they’re coming for you.”
Galen’s gaze narrowed. “I’ll be waiting. See you at the exhibition match tomorrow.”
Rillian nodded. “Dayna is apprehensive, but excited.”
“The women, especially Winter and Mia, are eager to see her.”
After ending the call, Rillian checked in with Tannon, only to discover that there were no updates on Yana Dray’s murder. Frustrated, he wandered toward the conference room.
Dayna sat hunched over her comp screen, tapping away. It was nice to hear her working so close to his office. He shook his head. He’d always valued his space, but for some reason he liked this woman here. He knocked on the door and when she called out a distracted hello, he walked closer.
She had papers spread over the table and a frown creased her brow.
“Dayna?”
She looked up at him and blinked. “Yes?”
He moved closer. “What are you doing?”
“Going over Yana’s murder.”
“How long have you been working?” he asked.
Her frown deepened, and she tilted her neck to stretch it. “What time is it?”
“Late.”
“Shit. A while. I lost track of time.” She set the comp down. “Not the first time I’ve gotten lost in a case.”
“Have you eaten anything?”
She shook her head.
He pulled out his sleek personal communicator and ordered some food. When he looked back, she was tapping on the comp again. “Have you found anything?”
“I did find an image of one of the men from a better angle from a secondary camera. I sent it to Tannon.”
Rillian walked closer, glancing out the window at the lovely view of the flat-topped Raddos Mountains in the distance. “I know who murdered her.”
Dayna’s head shot up. “You do?”
“This is a message from the Thraxians. They don’t want Zaabha found.”
Her face hardened. “I figured as much. That arena needs to be shut down. I wasn’t there long, but…it was horrible. The chanting spectators who wanted blood. The terrible cells. I never got to see the champion of Zaabha, but they shouted and screamed for her.” Dayna shook her head, looking like she wanted to shake the memories away.
“Are you still having nightmares?”
She brushed her hair back. “Something tells me I’ll have nightmares for the rest of my life.” She lifted her chin. “But that’s not what’s important. Sam and Ever need to be rescued. Yana’s family needs closure.”
Rillian studied the stubborn line of her jaw. He wondered about her previous job solving murders. Did they still haunt her too? “It must have been difficult to tell people their loved ones were gone.”
“Worst part of the job.”
“And you’d been on the other side, too.”
She nodded. “Hearing about Gwendolyn was horrible. It shattered our family. My parents were never the same and my mother died two years later. It’s what spurred me to want to be a detective.”
“But you were planning to leave it behind.”
She leaned back, emotion churning in her eyes. “I was burned out. Other people’s grief, the crimes I couldn’t solve, the victims I failed… I decided to go into security. I decided I wanted to stop crimes before they happened.”
A woman who gave her all to other people. She was damned admirable.
“And I want to find Ever and Sam more than anything,” she added quietly.
“We’ll find them.” He sat on the table beside her, his tone lowering. “And we will obliterate Zaabha.”
She stared at him. Rillian knew that particular tone had made many an opponent shudder in fear, but Dayna just looked curious.
“I believe you. Wow, I guess I don’t ever want to piss you off.”
“No, you don’t.”
She smiled at him, and Rillian wondered how long it had been since he’d spent time with a woman who didn’t preen and work to impress him every second. His female companions were attracted to him, but they still feared him.
Attraction stirred in his blood and he quickly squelched it. But he’d never met anyone like Dayna Caplan.
There was a knock at the door. Rillian answered and waved the server in to set the food down on the table.
Dayna looked skeptically at the tray.
“Eat,” he ordered.
She rolled her eyes, but plucked up an aggla berry. She tucked her legs beneath her on the chair.
“How is your symbiont today?” he asked.
She made a face, the light in her eyes dimming. “I try not to think about it.”
“It’s a part of you, now.”
“I don’t want it to be!” The words burst out of her. “It was forced on me.”
“Mine was, too.” He froze, mentally cursing himself. He’d never spoken about how he’d received his symbiont with anyone.
She looked up. “When?”
“When I was eighteen.”
She gasped. “So young.”
He shot her a small smile. “By the time I was eighteen, I hadn’t been a child for a very long time.” He flexed his hands, memories rising to the surface.
“How…did it happen?” she asked.
Usually, unwanted questions from anybody were swiftly shut down. There were things Rillian didn’t want to share, and it paid to never give your enemies, opponents, and rivals anything that could be used as a weakness. But strangely, he fo
und himself wanting to reveal some of his secrets.
“I grew up in the back streets of Kor Magna. My mother—not that she deserved or wanted that title—was a smuggler and a master thief.”
Dayna sucked in a breath.
Unfamiliar emotions bit at Rillian. Drak, he’d buried his past way down deep a long time ago. Why was he dredging it up and telling it to Dayna?
“Go on,” she said softly.
He drew in a deep breath. “I was following in her footsteps, and making a name for myself as a smuggler. And I was a successful one, until I stepped on the wrong toes. My symbiont was punishment from a rival.”
Dayna’s eyes went wide.
“I wasn’t supposed to survive. But instead of dying like he had planned, I lived. And then I embraced my symbiont to make myself more powerful and successful.” He rose. “You should, too.”
“I…don’t know if I can.”
The emotion in her voice made Rillian’s fingers curl into his palms. He wanted to touch her, but he forced his hands to stay by his sides. “From what I’ve seen so far, you are a frighteningly capable woman, Dayna.”
“So I need to learn to…feed?”
“Yes. Most alien symbionts simply want to coexist happily with their host. If you can learn some give and take, you’ll feel much better.”
She tilted her head. “Is that what you do with your symbiont?”
No. Rillian pulled in a breath. He ruthlessly controlled his symbiont. It was one that could never truly be let loose.
“This isn’t about me.”
Her gaze narrowed. “You feed your symbiont.”
“When required.”
Those probing eyes didn’t leave his face. Drak, Rillian felt like someone she’d arrested for a crime. He was certain she’d been very good at her job.
“Your symbiont requires more than just feeding.”
“Enough, Dayna.”
“No. You’re asking me to accept this thing inside me, and do something that freaks me out.” She pointed at her chest. “I hate the idea of risking someone’s life by feeding from them. But you’re giving me half-truths. I get the feeling you don’t give your symbiont what it needs.”
Rillian gritted his teeth. He’d spent a lifetime building his strength and power. Hiding the things he didn’t want to show the world. “My life is none of your business and never will be.”
Her head jerked like he’d hit her. “Right. The cool, controlled Rillian won’t ever let anyone past his masks and shields. You spend your days handling me and everyone else in your damn little empire, but you never let your guard down enough to let anyone close.”
“I don’t want anyone close.”
Her lips pressed together. “Got it. Loud and clear.” She turned back to her computer.
Rillian stared at her downturned head, then swiveled and strode out.
Chapter Five
Dayna stepped out of the tunnel and into the stands of the Kor Magna Arena.
She took a second to take it all in. The huge oval of sand in the center, the rings of seating, and the flags fluttering off the towers in the evening breeze. The arena was made of a cream-colored stone that felt old. She could almost hear the sounds of ancient fights and screaming fans echoing around her.
“It’s been here hundreds of years.”
Rillian’s deep voice made her turn her head. He stood beside her, clothed in a black suit that made him look equally handsome and dangerous.
They only stood inches apart, but it felt like a chasm. He’d avoided her all day and she’d worked in her office, getting more and more frustrated about every damn thing.
Somehow, he’d hurt her. She was stupid. One look and she knew he was a man who controlled every aspect of his life. She’d just fallen into such an easy routine with him, and felt…more than she should.
“But of course,” he added, “over that time, it’s evolved. The vicious fights to the death of old have given way to the displays of fighting skills and prowess we see today.”
Dayna swallowed. Zaabha still had fights to the death. Bloody spectacles of pain and dying.
Rillian took her arm and instantly, she felt an electric zing.
Goddammit. The man was just too potent. He turned his head and their gazes met. For a second, it felt like the world stopped.
“Dayna…I’m sorry about last night.”
“You don’t need to apologize.”
“I don’t let people close. I’ve spent a lifetime avoiding weaknesses my enemies could exploit.”
Her chest felt tight. “You think I’d be a weakness?”
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. His voice lowered. “You already are.”
A tremble went through her body. Dayna didn’t think a man had ever made her tremble before. “I’m attracted to you.”
“I’m attracted to you too. It’s…inconvenient.”
“That’s one word for it,” she muttered.
“I’m here to help and protect you.”
She waved her hands at her body. “Not a child, Rillian.”
“I’m well aware of that.” His voice was low, his gaze intense. “For now, let’s watch the fight.”
Pulse pounding, she turned her head around to look straight ahead. He led her down the stairs, and she studied the small crowd of people sitting near the railings circling the inner fight area. She sucked in a deep breath, glad to be outside, although a part of her missed the casino and the security it offered.
But she couldn’t stay locked in her prison forever.
Her gaze fell on a group of women sitting together. Amongst them were a few large, bare-chested gladiators. As Dayna took the women in, her chest tightened. Her friends, her fellow people from Earth, and her fellow survivors.
One by one, they turned their heads and spotted her.
Smiles and cries broke out. Two women shot forward. Small, blonde Mia, and dark-haired Winter.
Dayna found herself engulfed by their sweet smells as they wrapped their arms around her. Warmth flooded her.
Mia pulled back, her face flushed. “It is so damn good to see you.”
“So good,” Winter said, smiling.
“How are you?” Mia demanded, holding Dayna’s hand tightly.
“I’m okay.” She saw the worry on their faces, and gave Mia another tight hug. No way was she going to go into detail about the hungry thing that lived inside her. “I’m dealing. It’s been a lot to adjust to.”
“You need to take your time.” Winter patted Dayna’s arm.
Dayna studied the lovely woman’s face and her bi-colored eyes. Dayna remembered that terrible night that Winter had been returned to their cell, sobbing and unable to see. “I am so glad you can see again, Winter.”
Winter smiled. “Me, too. I can see perfectly well enough to smack my gladiator when he goes barbarian on me.”
Dayna lifted her gaze, looking over the woman’s head. The stone-faced Nero stood nearby, arms crossed over his muscled chest. The man looked…taciturn and grumpy. But when the gladiator’s gaze slid toward Winter, Dayna watched it warm. She fought a smile. Clearly, Winter had taken down the big, barbarian gladiator.
She smiled, amused at the other humans, as well. She still couldn’t believe that all of these women had found love with alien gladiators.
A hand pressed to the small of her back, sending electric shockwaves radiating through her.
“The fight’s about to begin,” Rillian drawled. “Take a seat.”
“You’re sitting with us.” Mia tugged Dayna forward.
She followed, but glanced back. Rillian watched her for a moment, before he turned to talk with Galen.
Ignore it. Ignore him. Forcing her gaze off Rillian, she glanced at the imperator. Now there was an imposing man. The black eye patch over his left eye, and his rugged, scarred face were intimidating, along with the muscled body set off by a tight, black shirt and black cloak. Rillian was charm covering an edge of danger. Galen was raw power and authority.
“Here you go.” A cup filled with a bunch of small kernels was shoved into Dayna’s hand. “Mahiz. Stuff is addictive.”
Dayna smiled at Rory Fraser. The former space station engineer’s red hair fell around her foxy face. She was munching on the snack and also rubbing her huge pregnant belly.
“How’s life in the Dark Nebula Casino?” Winter asked.
“Screw the casino.” Rory leaned forward. “How is it living with sex-on-a-stick Rillian?”
Dayna made a choking noise.
The redhead waved a hand in the air and gave an exaggerated shiver. “I have a super-hot gladiator baby daddy—” she patted her belly “—but Rillian…” She shivered again. “Just looking at that man is almost enough to induce multiple orgasms.”
“Don’t let Kace hear you say that.” Regan, a former scientist from Fortuna, pushed her blonde hair over her shoulder.
Dayna burst into laughter and the rest of the women joined in. It felt so good to laugh and relax.
“So?” Rory said, raising a brow.
“He’s an…interesting man,” Dayna said.
Regan shook her head. “She’s been working to get better, Rory. I’m sure she’s not having a wild affair with the sexy casino owner.” The pretty scientist was smiling.
Dayna managed a non-committal noise. “I won’t lie, the man is far too easy to look at, but he’s complicated.”
“Sure is.” Rory smiled. “And he looks at you like you’re a tasty snack waiting to be devoured.”
He does? Dayna’s pulse jumped, and she turned to look at the man in question. But suddenly, the small crowd started cheering.
“Here they come.” Madeline, the former space station commander, leaned out over the railing.
Saved by the gladiators. Dayna turned, gripping the railing to look down into the arena. The sand was currently perfectly groomed, but she knew it wouldn’t be long until it was disturbed by the fighters and splattered with blood. Kor Magna Arena didn’t host fights to the death, but the gladiators still got hurt. That’s why she knew the gladiatorial houses spent a fortune on the best medical tech.
She watched the House of Galen gladiators step out onto the sand.
There were lots of oiled muscles, black tattoos, and leather. Along with fascinating weapons. Dayna thoroughly enjoyed studying the swords, staffs, and axes that the gladiators carried.
