The Thief's Dark (Renegades Book 3)

by L P Peace

  ‘I’m frightened if I don’t come with you, they won’t put every effort into saving you if something happens.’

  Her grey eyes were hard, but there was an underlying concern there.

  ‘I have no doubt they will do everything in their power to protect me, ahdali. But the fact that you care this much…’ Daris swallowed. He rose and settled on the floor next to her. He leaned forward, slipping his fingers into her hair, caressing the nape of her neck with his little finger even as his palm cupped her cheek. He would never get over how small she was. She met him halfway, leaning her forehead against his.

  ‘My beautiful mate. I’m blessed to have you.’ They stayed like that for several moments before Daris sighed. ‘I must call Edan and get everything started.’

  Sitting, Daris searched for Edan’s contact details. It was a long time since he’d been at the pit. A long time since he’d led that life and while he’d recently considered going back to make his fortune—and in a sense, he was—now that he had his mate he was reluctant.

  He confirmed the call and waited. When the com was picked up, an umber-skinned Sehn male was sitting in Edan’s seat.

  ‘Who the vrok are you?’

  ‘I am Varid, and you are?’

  ‘I’m Daris Harvalen. A former champion of the pit. I want to talk to Edan.’

  The Sehn stood and disappeared.

  ‘What was he?’ Zoe whispered.

  ‘Sehn.’ A smile played on Daris’s lips as she whispered the word to herself twice.

  A few moments passed before Edan sat at the com. Daris glanced at Zoe and saw her jaw drop open before she quickly closed it again. When he looked back at Edan, he was staring at Zoe.

  ‘Daris?’ he said without looking at him.

  ‘Edan, this is my mate,’ he emphasised the word, ‘Zoe.’

  Edan nodded in acknowledgement.

  ‘Zoe, this is the master of Alidai fight pit. Daius Edan.’

  ‘You’re Aavani?’

  Edan’s jaw muscles flexed as he gritted his teeth. ‘Yes and no, I’m not a slave.’

  ‘Forgive me,’ Zoe said quickly. ‘But I’m from Earth. We’ve only learned in the last few years that other races are also enslaved. We don’t know much about what goes on out here except what the Tessans have been telling us. I’ve only ever seen pictures of your people.’

  The hostility in Edan’s eyes lessened. Daris looked from his mate to the Aavani and tried to see what she was seeing.

  Most Aavani males had soft features. They were bred to be that way so that they were pleasant to look at and seemed non-threatening. Edan had been born free and it showed in his sharp features. He had a thin nose which looked like it had been broken and reset. High cheekbones. Long, pointed ears. Thin lips. He looked back at them through narrow, upturned bright golden eyes.

  There was a network of scars on the right side of his face. Half of his body was covered in scars from his time as a fighter. He was taller than other Aavani. Around the same height as Makios and almost as muscular as the Kathen. Like Maruzen, their muscles were dense, meaning he was much stronger than he looked. In all of his fights at the pit, Edan was the one competitor he’d never been able to win against.

  Edan turned to him. ‘What is it you want?’

  A part of Daris bristled at the way Edan had just dismissed his mate. His arrogance rose and several responses filed through his mind, but he ignored them all. He had already vrokked up so badly with the Enhari king, and while it led him to Zoe, which he could never regret, he wouldn’t allow himself to mess this up. Too much was dependent upon it, not just the future he and Zoe could have, but also the humans in Tolomus’s cages.

  ‘I’ve met my mate and I want to make some money to retire on. I was thinking a former champion returning to the pit, challenging your current champion, might attract a crowd.’

  The smile that stretched Edan’s face was almost predatory. ‘That should bring in a lot of credits,’ he said. ‘When were you thinking of coming here?’

  ‘I can be on my way now. We’re currently in Keddor space, but I can take the Donasune gate to Fenion space and be with you in four cycles?’

  ‘I can set the fight for eight cycles, give you a chance to practice. I’m sure you’re not as strong or nimble as you used to be.’

  Daris laughed. ‘You’re goading me, Edan. I can still take down anyone you throw against me.’

  ‘Including me?’ Edan grinned.

  ‘A grudge match?’

  ‘People mention it regularly. It might be interesting to see how you hold up, since the solars you’ve left.’

  Daris grinned. ‘You’ll see, Edan.’

  ‘In four rotes,’ Edan replied, before the screen returned to the starscape outside.

  ‘I don’t think he likes me,’ Zoe said, a smile on her face.

  ‘Edan doesn’t like anyone,’ Daris smiled.

  ‘This is a terrible idea.’ Zoe grimaced.

  Daris’s smile faded. ‘But it’s the only one we have.’

  The journey through the jump gate was much better in Daris’s ship than in The Crucible. Within a minute of going through Donasune, they were thousands of light-years across the galaxy, far on the other side of Amaran space. Amara had become a beacon to the human race since talks had opened with the Tessan’s five years previously. The thought of traversing that amount of space so quickly stunned Zoe.

  The gems in the stations, which Daris told her were called Adian, fascinated her. She had to find out everything she could about them. As soon as she could get in contact with the higher-ups on Earth, she intended on being able to tell them all about it, where to get them and how to safely mine them. It seemed to be an incredible source of energy, even more so than the Dynexium.

  They crossed from Fenion space to Raqhan space less than a day later. Daris told her that the Raqhan took slavery as a divine right.

  ‘How is an Aavani able to run a pit here?’

  ‘He earned his freedom in the fights. The Raqhan respect strength.’

  As they descended over the Alidai desert, Zoe gasped.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Daris asked her.

  ‘Nothing,’ she said. ‘I just didn’t expect it to be beautiful.’ They were descending during the day. The planet’s sand was teal and glittered like jewels. The sun was red and set in a pale yellow sky. As they manoeuvred to the port, Zoe could see mountains and canyons scarring the area they were landing in.

  ‘The stone you see, vadial, is highly prized among the rich for home decoration. It polishes to a high shine and there are minerals that are highly reflective.’

  ‘We have marble at home. We use it for statues, kitchen counters, as a veneer on pillars.’

  ‘Yes, exactly. Nothing else but that, or the pit, could tempt people to this planet. It’s mostly barren, though there is life in the canyons, and deeper, underground.’

  When Daris had settled the ship and turned the engine off, they stood and he grabbed the bags on the bed Zoe had packed full of essentials for their stay. Apparently, a suite was being prepared for them at the pit so they could stay there. She followed him down the stairs and the ramp. Nearby, the Sehn they’d seen four days earlier was standing with some kind of vehicle.

  Zoe took the opportunity to study him properly as they approached, noting his long white antelope horns first of all. They looked a lot like Tessan horns, which was natural because of their relation. Apparently, the Sehn also had fangs, which the Tessans had also inherited. There was speculation, back on Earth, about what the fangs were for, but if the Tessans knew, they were not forthcoming.

  The Sehn had dark umber skin and long black dreads. He was around six and a half feet tall, and his horns protruded from a large brow bone that sat over a wide, long nose. Golden eyes watched her as they approached. He smiled, revealing a pair of long fangs and flexed his fingers, showing off long claws. He seemed to be showing off for her.

  ‘Varid.’ The male returned Daris’s acknowledgement with a
nod, then turned to the vehicle. It looked like a hovercar from some old science-fiction movie Sophia had made her watch once. A series of films she was utterly obsessed with.

  That was set in a desert too actually, come to think of it.

  Daris helped Zoe board the vehicle, then climbed in after her. There were no seats, so they stood together, Zoe leaning against the edge while Daris encircled her with his arms. The Sehn jumped in after them, and a moment later, they were speeding off.

  The speeder cleared the dock and was suddenly swallowed by the teal desert. Even the rock faces were a mixture of teal and a light blue.

  They travelled in silence. Zoe could feel the tension coming off Daris’s body. She knew he had a role to play; she also knew that all he could do was think about Tolomus. Tolomus, who had probably heard of the fight by now. Tolomus, who was probably on his way to Vasa even now. He looked down at Zoe, and she saw the same anxiety in his eyes, that she felt twisting her stomach. Forcing a smile to her lips, she leaned up, pulling on him to meet her halfway for a kiss. When she withdrew, he was smiling again.

  The walls of a canyon rose around them. Despite the twisting turns, Varid didn’t seem to slow down. She could hear the hum of the engines echoing up and down the canyon. Here, the teal and blue rock was layered with a layer of purple here, yellow there.

  Up ahead, built into the canyon was a wall made by an intelligent species. There was a gate built into the wall which stood open. The constructed portion of the wall was golden. Above it, the sign, translated in her mind, read ‘Alidai’.

  The speeder slowed as soon as it entered the gate. The city started several meters inside the walls. Space gave way to narrow streets covered in awnings that seemed to be little more than sheets and blankets tied from roof to roof, bringing much-needed shade to the city.

  Immediately, the dry scent of the desert gave way to food and perfumes. Going past a stall, the spices were so strong they stung Zoe’s eyes and she closed them until she was sure they’d passed it.

  Eyes of cyan, turquoise and arctic blue looked up at her from the street. The Raqhan were huge. Over seven feet. They had pale, ivory skin, with orange markings around their shoulders and ribs. Long dark hair fell down the backs of both males and females. Among the men, it was braided or dreaded. Some females wore it shaved at the sides and tied at the top of their heads, falling down in ponytails. Others wore it loose. Both male and female had orange lips. One male scratched his face with long claws, watching her with interest as they went by.

  They were going slow, but Varid used the speeder to push his way through the pedestrian, who stepped aside, some with angry, irritated looks on their faces. Some seemed to recognise him and call out to him.

  The squat domed houses around them were carved out of the same teal and blue stone as the canyon. The city was built or cut, into a natural void in the rock. From where she was, she could see homes and businesses were built into the canyon walls.

  As they went deeper into the city, taller gold stone buildings appeared. Pushing farther in, they gave way to something more modern, and recognisable.

  The Alidai fight pit arrived out of nowhere. One moment, they were moving down a narrow street, the next, the high teal walls of the pit were in front of them.

  Next to it stood a giant skyscraper.

  ‘That looks so weird here,’ Zoe said.

  ‘It’s for off-worlders,’ the alien who had picked them up replied. ‘The rich who come to bet on the fights.’ He spat over the side of the speeder. ‘This way, they’re all in one place.’

  As they drew closer, they heard the cheers and jeers of the crowds inside.

  They were still driving for several minutes before they emerged from the streets to the pit itself. Outside, there was a massive market. The speeder moved carefully through the stalls and the crowds walking among them. It reached the wall of the pit and followed the curve of it along. When the market was behind them, an archway opened in front of them. The alien pulled the speeder inside the building, and the wall closed behind them.

  They sped between the outer and inner wall for a while before the alien finally pulled up and led them out of the speeder. The pit was made from the teal stone of the planet, and the teal sand gave beneath her feet. Daris helped Zoe out. They followed the Sehn into a door set into the inner wall and entered a long corridor, following Varid deeper inside. They walked up four flights of stairs before the Sehn led them to a door, opening it, and Zoe saw what looked like a sitting room.

  ‘There is food in the kitchen if you want to cook something. Food is served three times a rote downstairs in the main dining hall. Occasionally for the cooler evenings, we bring tables out into the pit and eat there, or food can be brought to you. However, for tonight, Edan would like you to join us outside.’

  Zoe walked into the room. Even the inside of the pit was carved from the teal and blue rock of the planet. The walls were bare stone, and the ceiling was vaulted. There was a massive fireplace in the centre of the opposite wall in front of which stood a large, semi-circular sofa with a table sat within the arch. To the right of it were a kitchen and a hallway that led to, from what she could see, a bathroom. To the left were double glass doors that led to a balcony. Outside, she could see crowds in stands across the way. They were in a private seat, no doubt used by the rich until the skyscraper had been built. She walked over to the door, listening to Daris and Varid exchange a few more words before she heard the door close.

  ‘The bedroom’s this way.’

  Zoe turned and saw Daris disappear up four steps. She followed him and found a large bed. Rugs sat on the polished teal and light blue floor and across from it stood a wardrobe. Daris placed the bags on the bed. Zoe’s hotel mode kicked in, and she walked over to the bed to unpack the bags when Daris turned to her, placing his hand on her cheek, his fingers wrapping around the back of her head.

  ‘I must go down to the pit shortly.’

  ‘Can I come? Or would that be against the rules?’

  ‘It would not, but for now, I’d prefer if you were safe, in Edan’s office. There is a crowd here.’

  ‘Are you going to fight?’

  ‘Of course, Ahdali, that is why we’re here.’

  ‘Will I be safe there?’

  Daris smiled at her. ‘Safer there than in the fighters’ rooms. Many of these males are honourable, good males, but some are not.’ He pulled her into his arms, completely enclosing her. Zoe heard his hearts beating in his chest, the breath filling his lungs. She had never felt as safe in her life as she did here, she realised.

  He spun her around so suddenly she would have lost her balance if not for Daris.

  ‘We are in the bedroom,’ he whispered in her ear as he pulled the zip down on her uniform, the only clothing she had suitable to wear. His hand slipped inside quickly, followed by his tail. He brought her to two intense orgasms before fucking her against the wall. His tendrils were a gift from some horny god, and she loved them. She loved feeling filled with him while feeling herself squeezing his cock and what it did to him, the ghosted yet intense sensations they both experienced. They were utterly connected on a level she couldn’t even begin to comprehend. The more time she spent with him, and the more they talked, touched or fucked, the more she felt like she truly had met her mate. Her soulmate.

  Daris seemed invigorated after. Still carrying her, he brought her to the bathroom and they showered together. When they were done, they dressed, Zoe in one of his longer shirts. They walked out of their suite, back into the dim halls of the pit.

  As they walked, she noticed that the source of light was halls in the wall.

  ‘What are those?’

  ‘They’re passages cut into the stone. They channel the sunlight. They’ve been here as long as the pit has, to anyone’s knowledge. At least from when the Raqhan took over this planet.’

  ‘Took over, you mean other aliens were living here before?’

  ‘Still are. Though a lot of them were sold
into slavery, more were worked to death by the Raqhan. The rest live far underground. The Raqhan have tried to find them dozens of times, but it’s proven impossible.’

  ‘Then how do people know they’re there?’

  ‘They pitch out their dead on top of the canyon walls for carrion birds to eat. Occasionally they’re found.’

  ‘That’s so weird,’ Zoe whispered. ‘Do they have a name?’

  ‘The Raqhan call them Scrants. It’s an insult though. Scrants are vermin on the Raqhan homeworld. No one knows what they call themselves.’

  ‘Are the ones who were slaves still around?’

  ‘Some of them. After the Bentari took the Aavani and Mvari homeworlds and set up breeding facilities, the Raqhan tried to do the same, but the Scrants kept invading and rescuing their people. Eventually, the Raqhan got fed up with it, and Scrants weren't as in demand as other slaves so they sold the rest of their stock. That was almost a hundred solars ago. Most of them died of old age, but a few new ones were born. I’ve never seen one though.’

  ‘They must have had a fairly decent society to have built this. Or carved it, rather.’ Zoe said, looking at the rock. ‘Is this entire town theirs? Did they carve it all?’

  ‘I believe so.’

  As they talked, Daris led them down the dark warren of halls and stairs until they were three floors above their own. He came to double doors at the end of a long hallway and knocked.

  ‘Come,’

  ‘I should warn you, fighters at the pit are required to fight naked,’ Daris said, as he slowly opened the door.

  Zoe felt her face grow warm. ‘Oh, I never, erm.’

  ‘Would you prefer not to watch?’

  ‘She must get used to the nudity if she’s to watch you fight,’ Edan called from across the vast room.

  Daris led her inside and down several steps into the room. They crossed the same polished stone floor that was everywhere inside the building.

  The Aavani was standing by a huge window that overlooked the pit. Outside, thousands crowded inside the stands watching a fight.