SENTINEL

GALACTIC GLADIATORS: HOUSE OF RONE #1

ANNA HACKETT

Sentinel

Published by Anna Hackett

Copyright 2019 by Anna Hackett

Cover by Melody Simmons of BookCoversCre8tive

Cover image by Paul Henry Serres

Edits by Tanya Saari

ISBN (ebook): 978-1-925539-78-3

ISBN (paperback): 978-1-925539-79-0

This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, events or places is coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form.

CONTENTS

What readers are saying about Anna’s action romances

Action Romance Box Set

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Preview: Edge of Eon

Also by Anna Hackett

About the Author

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ANNA’S ACTION ROMANCES

Cyborg - PRISM Award finalist 2019

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Return to Dark Earth – One of Library Journal’s Best E-Original Books for 2015 and two-time SFR Galaxy Awards winner

At Star’s End – One of Library Journal’s Best E-Original Romances for 2014

The Phoenix Adventures – SFR Galaxy Award Winner for Most Fun New Series and “Why Isn’t This a Movie?” Series

Beneath a Trojan Moon – SFR Galaxy Award Winner and RWAus Ella Award Winner

Hell Squad – SFR Galaxy Award for best Post-Apocalypse for Readers who don’t like Post-Apocalypse

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CHAPTER ONE

The cart jolted roughly beneath her, and Quinn Bennett shifted, trying to get comfortable. Her left butt cheek had gone numb several hours ago. The chain around her wrist clanked.

She lifted her head and scanned the desert sands around them. Hot sunlight poured down from not one, but two suns. She peered toward the distant horizon, the sky overhead a pale, faded blue, so different from Earth.

This desert planet was hot, harsh, and unforgiving. And Earth was a very long way away. So far away that there was no way to ever go home.

Quinn’s throat tightened, as she thought of her family and how much she missed them. One day, she’d been doing her job as security chief on a space exploration ship, exploring the solar system. The next, alien slavers had blown her ship apart, and abducted her and some of her crew.

She dragged in a breath, the echoes of that long-ago attack burning through her head. The Thraxian ship had appeared in front of them, huge and black and menacing. The aliens had been way more advanced, and had used a wormhole to reach Earth’s solar system, searching for fresh blood.

Quinn had fought. She’d even taken down a couple of the big assholes. She’d fought to protect the explorers and scientists on her ship. But the Thraxians were huge, with dark skin that looked like parched, cracked soil, and horns. They’d looked like demons from hell.

Guilt, slick and oily, worked through her veins, and she swallowed hard. Her ship had been overrun, most of the people cut down, and the few remaining survivors had been taken aboard a Thraxian scout ship. From her cell, she’d also watched the Thraxians’ larger slave ship attack the Fortuna Space Station orbiting Jupiter. She’d watched in helpless horror as the station had been torn apart.

Quinn dropped her head to her knees. So many must have died that long-ago day—both on her ship, the Helios, and on the space station. She was the security chief of the Helios, the one responsible for everyone’s safety, and she’d saved no one.

I’m so sorry. The words were carved in her damn soul.

And now here she was. A slave. The cart jerked again as it bumped over the sand. She was the prisoner of a desert junker named Sleeja. He was a scavenger who traversed the desert sands, helping himself to any metal he could scrounge, trade, or steal.

Sleeja, aka the asshole, sat on the bench seat at the front of the long cart that was loaded with boxes and scrap. He was wrapped in black robes, holding the reins of the tandu that pulled the cart. The beast was massive, round, and strong, with a fine layer of pale-beige fur. It reminded her of an elephant crossed with a camel. A small mask dangled around Sleeja’s neck. Every now and then, he’d pick the mask up with one of his four hands and take a deep breath. He was a mixture of alien species, but one of his parents had clearly been Edull. The Edull couldn’t breathe Carthago’s air.

Her lip curled. The Edull had purchased all the human survivors from the Helios. She hated them as much as she hated Sleeja.

Whatever it took, she’d rescue every single surviving member of the Helios crew, and she’d make the people who hurt them pay.

In the distance, Quinn watched another cart appear, being towed by four tarnids. Tarnids were smaller and swifter, with six legs and scaly hides. They made her think of reptilian horses.

Kids waved at them from the back of the other cart.

Sleeja didn’t wave back. If he was in the mood, he’d trade with the travelers. She’d be forced to cart hunks of metal around for him, and endure the pitying looks of the travelers.

Well, the lifting and carting wasn’t going to go on for much longer. She sure as hell wasn’t going to be Sleeja’s slave forever. Quinn was biding her time, waiting for the moment when she could escape and get back to the Edull scrap city where the other people from her ship were being held prisoner.

First, she had to escape Sleeja.

Or rather, they had to escape.

She glanced at the young alien man huddled in the dirty robes beside her. Nebu was tall and slender, with pale-gray skin and a pretty face. His dark hair was tangled around his wan features. Sleeja had purchased them both at the same time, and Nebu wasn’t holding up well under Sleeja’s not-so-tender loving care.

Quinn knew she needed to get them free soon, or Nebu wouldn’t make it.

In her hand, she held a small strip of wire. She’d pilfered it from one of the crates. It was handy if she got the chance to stab Sleeja in the eye, but it was also for stress relief. She worked it through her fingers before she twisted it into shape, just like her father had taught her.

“Nebu.” She held it out to him.

The alien took the wire creation and a faint smile crossed his face. It was a tiny bird, flying with wings outstretched. Free.

“I’ll add it to my collection,” he said.

She made the little trinkets to keep his spirits up, and doing something she’d always done with her metal-artist father reminded her of who she was. It was also something she did just for herself, so she wouldn’t forget that she was Quinn Bennett—daughter, sister, friend, security chief.

A wild war cry pierced the air. She stiffened, recognizing the feral, undulating sounds.

Desert pirates.

Her gut went rock hard. A line of raggedly dressed people appeared on the crest of the large sand dune ahead. They were all clutching weapons.

She’d encountered pirates before—they were vicious and brutal.

Fuck. She yanked on the chain, but she knew from bitter experience that it would hold.

“Sleeja, let me loose!”

The junker ignored her, pulling the giant tandu beast to a halt. The cart rocked to a stop.

“Sleeja, you mangy fuck,” Quinn yelled. “Unchain me.”

The man rose, his robes flapping around him. Ahead, the pirates engulfed the other travelers. Screams filled the desert air.

She saw several of the travelers swinging swords, fighting the pirates. One man was cut down by an axe-wielding pirate.

Oh, God, there were kids over there. She gave another frustrated tug on the chain, helplessness rising to choke her. Just like it had when the Thraxians had attacked, just like when the Edull had thrown her in a cell.

Sleeja walked along the cart toward her. He stopped by a large, canvas-covered object. He whipped the cover off.

“Activate.” His voice was a breathy rasp.

There was a rumble and a clank.

Sleeja’s huge, cat-like robot rose up on its metal legs. It was constructed of silver metal and rusted junk, held together by strong magnets. The robotic cat leaped off the cart and landed on the sand.

Then it swiveled its large metal head, its eyes glowing a deep orange.

“Attack,” Sleeja barked.

The robo-cat’s gaze zeroed in on the pirates. Then it bounded toward the attackers.

Quinn hated the damn robot. Every time she’d managed to escape, the fucking thing had found her and dragged her back to Sleeja.

She watched the machine charge into the pirates, tearing at them with its strong jaws and sharp claws.

The travelers who were still standing kept fighting. Some of the pirates noticed Sleeja’s cart, and rushed toward them with wild cries.

Sleeja grunted, and lifted his mask with one hand to pull in a breath, while two of his other hands pulled out a large laser weapon. He started firing.

Quinn heard a whimper. Nebu was curled in a ball, shaking. The man hated any confrontation.

“It’ll be okay, Nebu.”

Suddenly, a pirate leaped onto the cart right in front of her.

Shit. She edged in front of Nebu. The pirate kicked a chunk of scrap metal off onto the sand, then he spotted her. The man shot her a gap-toothed grin.

He started toward her.

Quinn stilled and lifted her chin. Bring it, asshole.

The pirate lifted a jagged sword made of rusted metal. He swung at her, and she rolled to the side, her chain clanking.

The pirate lifted the weapon again, and Quinn quickly calculated in her head. She moved, tugging on her chain, her muscles bunching as she waited.

The sword came down. She rolled, pulling the chain tight. The blade hit the metal links, the sword flew out of the pirate’s hand, and the chain broke.

She leaped up and kicked the pirate.

He screamed, fighting to stop from toppling off the cart. He righted himself and charged at her.

Quinn dodged the man’s swinging arm, then aimed a hard side kick into his gut. This time he flew off the side of the cart and onto the sand.

Yes. She smiled. Sleeja was stingy with the food, so she’d lost weight and strength, but she could still take a filthy pirate any day.

A childish, high-pitched scream of terror rang out.

She looked over and saw a slip of a girl struggling on the shoulder of a pirate. The man was marching away from the carnage.

Quinn’s body locked. No way. She leaped onto the sand and snatched up the pirate’s rusty sword. She took off at a run.

The pirate had his back to her and never saw her coming. She swung the sword, raking it across his lower back. It cut through the patched leather of his tunic like butter.

With a shout, he fell onto his knees. He dropped the young girl, and Quinn swung again, hacking into his shoulder.

Blood splattered on the sand. The man curled into a ball and moaned.

The girl stood there, trembling.

Quinn went down on one knee. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.” When she’d first arrived on Carthago, the Edull had implanted her with a translation device. She had no trouble understanding the various alien languages spoken on the planet.

Brown hair hung over the girl’s face and she nodded. Then her gaze went over Quinn’s shoulder, fear blooming in her eyes.

Quinn saw the large shadow on the sand. She spun on her knees and swung her sword up to meet the large axe coming at her.

The blow hit her sword and the strength of it rattled through her bones. She gritted her teeth, and let her training take over.

She surged up, whirling out of the path of the axe. The big pirate reeked of sweat and unwashed clothes. He swung again, and she ducked to avoid the huge axe. She changed her grip on her sword, then rammed it forward. It sliced into the pirate’s gut.

He made a gurgling sound and started to topple.

Turning, Quinn snatched up the child. Someone on the travelers’ cart had activated a small canon. They were firing on the pirates, forcing some to retreat.

Thank God.

“It’s okay.” She squeezed the girl tight. The child was sobbing quietly. “The pirates are leaving.” Quinn started back toward the travelers.

“My baby!” A woman hiding beneath the cart launched herself toward them. The woman’s gaze latched on to the girl.

Quinn set the girl down, and the child raced toward the woman.

“Mama!”

The girl clamped her arms around the woman’s waist and the woman hugged the child hard.

“Thank you.” The female traveler’s face was streaked with tears. “Thank you.”

A man arrived, his desert clothes soaked in sweat and his chest heaving. He wrapped an arm around the woman and child. Relief was etched on his tanned face.

He gave Quinn a nod. “Our thanks.”

Quinn felt a burst of warmth, watching the family. She’d almost forgotten that happiness still existed. She nodded back. She hadn’t saved her crew, but she’d saved this little girl at least.

Then, before she could do anything else, a vicious blow hit her on the back of the head.

Pain exploded through her and she fell to her knees on the sand. Her vision blurred.

A hand sank into her hair, painfully yanking her around. She looked up into Sleeja’s angry face. He had small, beady, black eyes, brown skin with a faint scale pattern, and a wide mouth with no lips.

Without a word, the scavenger dragged her back toward the cart.

“Leave her.”

Quinn realized it was the male traveler.

“Don’t interfere, desert scum,” Sleeja rasped.

Quinn lifted her head and saw the mother staring at her, clearly conflicted. The man took one step toward them.

Sighing, Quinn gave one small shake of her head. There was nothing these people could do. Sleeja would never let anyone best him. He haggled endlessly when he traded, and raved about never letting anyone get the better of him.

Even if she wasn’t worth it, he’d fight to keep her. He’d send his robo-cat to slaughter these people.

The traveler’s hands curled into fists, and his woman and child pressed into his side.

Sleeja threw her onto the cart. Her hip hit some scrap and pain rocketed through her. Asshole.

He lifted his mask and sucked in air. Any exertion left him out of breath. That’s why he liked to have slaves to do his heavy lifting.

Sleeja grabbed a new length of chain in one of his hands. He locked it around her wrist.

“You belong to me, slave. I own you.” He kicked her. Then he kicked her again.

She felt like her brain rattled in her head. She lifted her arm to protect herself, trying not to be sick.

“You’ll never be free,” Sleeja rasped.

A crying voice inside whispered that maybe he was right. It had been a long time since Quinn had been free. First, the Thraxians had kept her in a cell on their ship. She’d been so alone, and had never seen any of the other Helios captives. Then, they’d sold her to the Edull. Her skin crawled as she thought of the metal scavengers who lived in their scrap city deep in the desert.

She’d been determined to escape. Again and again, with the help of one of her other abductees—one of her security officers from the Helios—they’d made numerous escape attempts from the Edull’s dirty cells.

Mina had been just as determined to get out. They hadn’t been allowed to see the other human survivors, but Quinn had talked to one of the Helios scientists through the wall, and heard others who were stuck in the Edull hellhole. Heard their cries and screams.

The Edull had gotten tired of Quinn’s repeated escape attempts and had finally sold her to Sleeja.

She thought of Mina and the others, and her heart ached.

I won’t let you down again. I’m coming for you.

JAXER RONE SLAMMED through the doors of the House of Rone, sending the familiar, dark-blue wall hangings swinging.

He stood for a moment, watching the fabric sway, before continuing on through the corridor. The House of Rone had been his home for a long time. Forged from blood, sweat, and tears, this gladiatorial house in the city of Kor Magna had become his haven.

But today, he didn’t feel any sense of comfort or peace. Frustration was eating at him with sharp fangs. He was hot, dusty, and he had nothing to show for his trip to the desert.

Not a single drakking thing.

A slender figure came out of one doorway, holding a tiny baby in her arms.

“Anything?” Ever’s pretty face was hopeful.

Jax looked at the human woman and shook his head regretfully. “Nothing. The lead about the other human abductees was false.”

Ever’s face dropped. In her arms, baby Asha fussed, and Ever jiggled her. The woman was the mate of the man who Jax considered a brother, a father, and a best friend all rolled into one. And Asha was Magnus’ and Ever’s child. This woman and baby had brought the cold, emotionless cyborg Magnus had once been to life. They loved him completely, just as Jax did.

Jax would give his life for Magnus. He’d give everything to protect the House of Rone. And he’d die to protect Ever and Asha. He owed that to Magnus.

“We won’t give up,” Ever said.

He gave a firm nod. “We won’t give up.” He lifted a hand and stroked Asha’s nose with a fingertip. The baby’s lips puckered, and he felt a rush of warmth in his chest. “I need to clean up.”

“Jax, you need to stop pushing yourself so hard.”

He met Ever’s eyes. “There are other human women out there. Trapped, enslaved, hurting.”

Like he’d once been. Different circumstances, but the same ugly results.

Ever went up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Fine, then Magnus and I will have to make sure you take care of yourself.”

She had it wrong. Magnus had already taken care of Jax when he’d rescued him from termination. Now, it was Jax’s turn to return the favor.

In his rooms, Jax stripped off his cloak and harness. His fingers brushed the metal enhancements embedded into the skin of his left shoulder. He had plenty of cybernetic enhancements—all thanks to the cyborg military program that created both him and Magnus. His fingers curled. Once, they’d been little more than slaves to the military, weapons to be used. Disposable and replaceable.

Not anymore.

He shucked his trousers, then naked, he crossed his room, looking out the wide, arched windows into the training arena below. He saw gladiators and cyborgs training side-by-side on the sand.

The House of Rone was known as a house of cyborgs. It was a refuge for the damaged, defective, and malfunctioning. Since cyborgs were banned from fighting in Kor Magna’s famous arena, they also housed plenty of unenhanced gladiators.

Magnus had started the House of Rone to protect Jax. Like it was yesterday, he remembered the way Magnus had broken them out of the Orionix Military base. Jax looked at his high-tech, black, cybernetic leg. He’d been injured on the mission and slated for termination.

But the most dangerous cyborg in the program had objected. Magnus had grabbed Jax, stolen a ship, and they’d escaped.

That had been almost fifteen years ago. They’d come to Carthago to hide, and arrived here with nothing. Less than nothing. Jax had been injured, with a clunky temporary prosthetic that his body had been rejecting.

Since cyborgs were banned from the Kor Magna Arena, Magnus had found other illegal fights. They’d been very lucrative.

Jax’s best friend had fought and saved, and purchased Jax a better leg. Then together, they’d both fought until Magnus had enough resources to form the House of Rone and start recruiting gladiators.

Magnus had built the House of Rone, stone by stone, and he’d done all of it for Jax. Jax’s hands touched the cool glass. He owed the man so much. Everything.

He was going to find these lost human women.

It had all started when Magnus had collided with Ever Haynes. The strong, smart Earth woman had enthralled Magnus, brought out his emotions. She loved him as much as Jax did.

Ever had survived the drakking Thraxians. Jax looked down, but he no longer saw the fighting cyborgs and gladiators. The Thraxians were the worst of the worst. The slavers had tried to grind the humans to dust beneath their heels, and instead, these plucky humans from Fortuna Station had fought back.

Now, they were thriving.

After the first few had been rescued by the House of Galen, Imperator Galen had thrown all his resources and gladiators into saving every single human they could find that had been abducted. And then, they’d ended the Thraxians.

The survivors from Earth were now all happily paired up and mated with gladiators and other Kor Magna residents. Some, like Magnus and Ever, now had children.

But they’d recently learned that there were more stolen humans. The Thraxians had imprisoned more humans aboard one of their scout ships.

One of the women had been found. Despite having her memories tampered with, Mina had survived, and was now living at the Dark Nebula Casino in Kor Magna’s busy entertainment hub called the District. She was happily in love with the casino’s head of security.

But now, they knew that there were more women out there.

Jax looked over the training arena, past the larger stone walls of the Kor Magna Arena, past the sprawl of city. In the distance, his enhanced cyborg vision caught a glimpse of Carthago’s wild deserts.

The glass under his palms cracked in a web of fractures.

Drak. He sucked in a breath and strengthened his emotional dampeners to weaken the rush of rage.

But his dampeners had never worked as well as the other cyborgs’. Jax had always felt, even when he’d had to hide those emotions.

I will find you. He was leading the search for the other women from Earth. He’d vowed to do it for Magnus and Ever. A way to pay back the man who had given Jax a life.

Once, Jax had been trapped, a slave to the cyborg program that had used him. He knew exactly what that felt like, and he wouldn’t let these other women stay in their prisons.

“I’ll find you. I swear it.”

CHAPTER TWO

Stepping inside the Dark Nebula Casino was always an experience.

Jax strode across the dark, elegant lobby. A huge chandelier glittered with all the colors of a nebula overhead. There were plenty of customers waiting to check in, tourists gawking, and staff working swiftly and efficiently.

His fellow cyborgs didn’t care much for the casinos, or anything on offer in the District. It was too busy, with too much stimulation, and too many security risks.

But a part of Jax liked it. The vibrancy, the life, the chaos. He’d spent the first half of his life in a steel-and-concrete base, forced to kill. On the rare occasions that he had time off from helping to run the House of Rone, he liked to sit at the gaming tables and experience the flow of life and emotion around him.

He didn’t always understand it, but he liked it.

He headed toward the reception desk to check in. He had a meeting with the head of security, Tannon Gi, and his woman, Mina.

The woman at the desk nodded, her gaze sliding over his mostly bare chest, the metallic implants on his shoulder, and the intricate tattoo on his other arm.

“You’ve been cleared to the security level,” she said. “Take the far elevator.”

“Thank you.” As he strode toward the elevator, another woman stepped in front of him. Jax paused. She wore a deep-green dress that glistened under the lights, her soot-black hair piled up in a complicated design on her head.

“Jaxer.”

He frowned, taking in her red-painted lips and smoky eyes, then realized she was a former bed partner. Jax had indulged in sex before. Thanks to his less-effective emotional dampeners, he felt desire and enjoyed the feel of a woman.

Although lately, he’d had less time for it. And after seeing Magnus and Ever’s relationship, along with the House of Galen gladiators and their mates, Jax realized something was missing in most of his interactions with women. He wanted…something more, he just wasn’t sure what exactly.

He nodded. “Hello…?”

“Anarlia.” She shot him a sexy smile and touched his arm. “You never contacted me. We could have some more fun together.”

Despite a very sharp, enhanced mind, Jax’s memories of the woman were faint. He moved her hand off his arm. “I’m sorry, I’m working.”

She pouted, and he gave her a brisk nod. Once he stepped into the elevator, his mind was back on his mission. As the lift whizzed upward, the glass walls gave him a stunning view of the casino floor below. Even though it was daytime, the gaming tables were packed with people.

Finally, the doors opened, and he stepped into the high-tech security area. This room couldn’t be more different from the glitzy casino floors below. Tannon’s security team was busy. Uniformed members sat at comp screens and leaned over light tables. He nodded at several guards as he made his way to Tannon’s office.

In the doorway, Jax paused.

Mina Dixon was a small woman, with blonde hair cut in a blunt style at her jawline. She was perched on the edge of Tannon’s desk, while the head of security sat in the chair behind it.

They were kissing.

Jax didn’t look away. Instead, he analyzed, taking in the minute details. This kiss wasn’t about lust or desire, but intimacy. Love.

Despite indulging in sex, Jax had never kissed a woman. He’d had no interest in kissing.

Suddenly, Tannon looked up. The man had faint color along his cheekbones, and his usually neat hair was mussed.

Jax gave a mental shake of his head. He’d never imagined that this hard, taciturn man would ever fall for a woman. Few knew the details, but Tannon Gi was a former alien hunter—part bounty hunter, part assassin. His species was known for its control, determination, and lethal abilities. From Jax’s previous dealings with Tannon, Jax had always thought the man would have made a good cyborg.

But apparently, one small woman from Earth had changed that.

Mina turned. Blue eyes rimmed with brown met Jax’s gaze, and the woman stood and smiled. “Hey there, Jax.”

“Mina.” He walked in with a sweep of his red cloak and sat on one of the chairs in front of Tannon’s desk. “How are you?”

The woman’s smile widened. “Good. Really good. Thanks for asking.” She glanced at a thin timepiece. “I’m on shift soon.”

“Actually, your shift started a minute ago,” Tannon said dryly.

Mina winked at her man. “This time, I’m blaming you for being late.”

Tannon snorted. “You’re always late.”

Mina sighed. “True.”

“Do you have time to speak for a moment?” Jax asked.

She nodded. “Sure.”

“You’re still working in the casino?” Jax knew that she’d worked as a cocktail waitress when she’d first come to the Dark Nebula.

“Security team.” She shot Tannon an indulgent look. “The boss vouched for me. And thankfully, I don’t have to wear those torturous high heels anymore.”

“And your memories? Is there anything new?”

Mina’s smile faded, and Tannon grabbed her hand.

“Still fragmented.” She shifted to sit on a chair beside Tannon. “I do remember that there was a group of us from the Helios. Our captors kept us separated, so we didn’t see each other. I’m not sure how many there were.” Her lips firmed, frustration throbbing off her. “The only one I was allowed any contact with was my security chief.” She smiled. “I remember her now. Quinn Bennett.”

Jax straightened. Quinn Bennett. It was good to know the name of who he was looking for. “That’s good. What does she look like?”

“Tall, in good shape, athletic. The woman can fight. She’s got long, blonde hair, kind of a dirty-blonde color.” Mina blew out a breath. “But if they changed my hair color, they could have changed hers, as well. God, I hope she and the others are okay.”

Tannon slid his arm around Mina.

“Anything else?” Jax asked.

Mina nodded. “I remember now. When we came to Carthago, the Thraxians sold us to the Edull.”

Jax leaned forward, his gaze flicking to Tannon’s. There was a turbulent look in the man’s diamond-like eyes.

“The Edull,” Jax repeated.

“They keep to themselves, deep in the deserts of Carthago,” Tannon said. “My team tells me that they aren’t native to the planet.”

Jax nodded, accessing his memory files. “They can’t breathe the air here and wear masks.”

Mina’s face screwed up. “I remember the masks. They’re scavengers and love metal.”

“I haven’t ever seen any Edull in Kor Magna,” Jax said.

Tannon shook his head. “From my reports, the odd one comes occasionally to trade metal, but that’s it.”

“I’ve been having dreams of a city in the desert.” Mina tapped her fingers on the desk. “Towers and buildings made of scrap metal. I wish like hell I could remember more, but I don’t know what’s real, and what’s a figment of my imagination.”

“It’s a start,” Jax told her.

“I remember that Quinn and I tried to escape a few times. That’s when they decided to get rid of us.” Mina dragged in a breath. “They sold Quinn to somebody. I don’t know who.”

Drak. That meant this Quinn Bennett could be anywhere.

If she was still alive.

“And clearly they couldn’t sell me,” Mina said. “So they wiped my memory and dumped me in Kor Magna.”

Jax looked at Tannon. “Any ideas where this Edull scrap city might be?”

Tannon gave one shake of his head. “All we know is that the Edull stick to the far side of Carthago. Deep in the desert.”

Mina shrugged a shoulder. “The city might not even exist. Only in my mixed-up nightmares.”

“We’ll check it out.” Jax knew the far side of Carthago was largely uncharted and dangerous.

“I got a glimpse of another human once,” Mina said. “When they were dragging me back to my cell.”

Tannon growled and Mina squeezed the man’s hand.

“I don’t know her name. She must have been new on the Helios. She had Asian features. Asia is a continent on Earth. Her eyes are shaped a little differently than mine. They’re slightly up-tilted. And she has long, black hair. She might have been a scientist, or an engineer.”

“Okay.” Jax stood. “You’ve given us something to go on, Mina. The Edull and a scavenger city. They’re good leads.”

Mina looked sad, her voice quiet. “What if those women are suffering? Or being hurt? Jeez, every time I think about Quinn, I wonder if she’s even alive.”

Tannon stood and wrapped his arms around Mina. “My team has some data on a trading outpost some Edull use, not too far from Kor Magna. I’ll send it through to you.”

“Thank you. Would Rillian loan me one of his ships to use?”

Carthago’s desert sands contained a mineral that wreaked havoc on most engines. It was why the desert travelers stuck to simple tech, and very few ships flew over Carthago’s surface. Rillian, the owner of the Dark Nebula Casino, had spent a considerable number of credits, developing and testing ships that could withstand the desert.

Tannon nodded. “The range is still somewhat limited, but the engineers are extending the capabilities every day.”

“Excellent.” Jax looked at Mina. “We’ll find them. Every one of them.”

She leaned into Tannon. “Thank you.”

As Jax exited the casino, he accessed his internal communicator.

“Yes.” A cool, deep voice resonated in Jax’s ear.

“Magnus, I have a lead on the missing humans.”

“Good,” Magnus replied. “Whatever you need, Jaxer, you have it. Ever couldn’t sleep last night. She’s upset about these women.”

And whatever upset Ever, Magnus would eliminate, slay, or destroy.

“I’m going to find them,” Jax said. It was a promise.

“I’ll call in the elite cyborgs. We’ll meet in my office.”

“I’m on my way.”

It didn’t take Jax long to return to the House of Rone. When he entered Magnus’ spacious office, situated right beside his own, the rest of Magnus’ best cyborgs were already there.

Magnus, cool and impassive, sat behind his large desk. One of the imperator’s arms was cybernetic, made of silver-grey metal and a metal implant curled around one of his eyes. He radiated control and authority.

Three other men took up space in the room, all with big, muscled, and modified bodies. They were three men whom Jax trusted implicitly. They were all loyal to the House of Rone. While cyborgs might not feel emotions or feelings like others, they understood loyalty.

Mace, the biggest of all, stood with his brawny arms crossed, leaning against the wall. All his enhancements were internal, so he was the only one who didn’t look cyborg. The man lifted his chin at Jax.

Blonde-haired Toren was the leanest of them, but that didn’t mean the sniper wasn’t as lethal as the rest of them. He had several metal enhancements across his torso and arm. He nodded at Jax.

The final cyborg just shot Jax a cool, unreadable look. Half of Acton’s face was metal, as were both of his arms, and he was the most cyborg of them all. He claimed he didn’t feel any emotions, but Jax wasn’t entirely convinced. He kept trying to get Acton to be a little less of a machine.

The men were the best fighters Jax had ever fought alongside.

Magnus glanced at Mace. “Report.”

Mace grunted. “I hate doing Jax’s job. Dealing with drakking clients is torture.”

Mace felt emotions just fine, but mostly anger and annoyance. While Jax spearheaded the search for the humans, the big cyborg was dealing with some of Jax’s day-to-day tasks.

Jax grinned. “Can’t cope with being pleasant and cordial?”

Mace grunted again. Those were two words lacking from the man’s vocabulary.

“Weapons shipments are all on schedule,” the big cyborg said. “Maxon is a sand-sucking crudspawn as usual.”

The House of Rone was renowned for making the best weapons. The gladiatorial houses all wanted Rone swords and axes, and the rest of Carthago wanted Rone blasters and cannons. Maxon was their grumpy, temperamental weapons master. They put up with the man because he was a genius at crafting all kinds of weapons.

“Acton?” Magnus prompted.

“All gladiator training sessions are proceeding at high levels of achievement.” Acton’s voice was surprisingly pleasant even though it was devoid of emotion. “The new intake of gladiators for the arena fights are acclimating well.”

The House of Rone spent considerable time and credits acquiring the best gladiators and keeping them trained and ready to fight. Cyborgs were banned from the arena, but Magnus had an excellent team of unenhanced gladiators. Acton was in charge of their training, and behind his back, they often cursed his name thanks to his punishing sessions.

Magnus nodded and turned his head. “Toren?”

Toren was sitting in a chair and straightened. “Our scientists have made some impressive enhancements on the artificial organs. We have several interested clients who want to purchase large orders. We also provided assistance to some Kor Magna residents who lost limbs in a recent fire.”

The third piece of work carried out at the House of Rone was research and development of cybernetic limbs and enhancements. They sold the technology to interested clients, but quietly, Magnus also offered them to the less fortunate who had been injured and couldn’t afford replacements.

“I’ve also identified two potential recruits for our cyborg team,” Toren added. “The male has impressive telekinetic abilities and the female is an extraordinary fighter.”

Magnus nodded. “Good. Put them through the training program.” The imperator looked at Jax, his cybernetic eye glowing neon blue. “Jax?”

“Mina Dixon has remembered some more details.” He saw Mace and Toren straighten, and even Acton looked interested. “The survivors from the Helios were purchased by the Edull.”

“Metal scavengers,” Magnus said.

Jax nodded. “They live in scrap cities deep in the desert. On the other side of Carthago.”

“We know where the human survivors are being held?” Mace asked.

Jax shook his head. “Not yet. Mina remembered seeing her security chief there, a woman called Quinn Bennett. She was sold for escaping too many times.”

“What’s your plan?” Magnus asked.

“I’ll update Zhim and Ryan.” Zhim was the city’s premier information merchant. If anyone could track down the Edull and their city, it was Zhim and his human lover, Ryan. “And Tannon knows of a desert trading post that some Edull frequent. I’m borrowing one of Rillian’s ships to go and take a visit.”

“Need some backup?” Acton asked.

Jax nodded. Acton intimidated people just by looking at them.

Mace pushed away from the wall. “I’ll come too. That way Toren can meet with the clients coming in this afternoon.”

Toren lifted a hand, with only his middle finger raised.

Mace frowned. “What does that mean?”

“Ever taught it to me. It’s an Earth sign.” The faintest smile touched Toren’s lips. “I’m certain you can work it out.”

Magnus rose. “Good luck, and Jax, find those women.”

Jax’s muscles tightened. “I will.” He’d do whatever it took to find Quinn Bennett and the others.

QUINN LOOKED up as the cart rolled through the huge, metal gates of the trading outpost.

The desert was full of nasty beasts, especially at night, and all outposts were protected. She glanced up at the guns mounted on the top of the walls.

The cart jerked to a stop. With a flap of robes, Sleeja appeared. He roughly pulled her chains off and gave her a shove.

“Bring that box.” He stabbed a finger at an overflowing box of metal parts. “And move it.”

Glaring at him, Quinn heaved the box up. It was heavy as hell. Staggering under the weight of it, she followed Sleeja around some of the simple, stone buildings and into a dusty square.

The trading post was lined with open-fronted stores. Some offered food and drink, with rickety tables and chairs out front. Others had goods resting on overloaded tables, or hanging on wires from the awnings. All the buildings were made of pale stone with domed roofs.

Sleeja walked straight toward one dirty-looking store, with a stone table out front that was covered in metal scrap. The trader waiting for them was wearing the typical uniform of the desert—loose-fitting trousers and shirt the same color as the sand. He also had a light scarf wrapped around his neck.

The trader ignored her, focusing on Sleeja. His skin was deeply tanned by the desert suns, and his cheeks were painted with brightly colored dots. “Sleeja.”

“Narth.”

Quinn dumped the box on the sand with a loud rattle. The man flicked a glance at it, then started picking through it, making small talk with Sleeja. She tuned them out and scanned the outpost.

A small group of men sat at one of the restaurants. They looked unhappy, bored, and mean. No doubt waiting for their chance to cause trouble.

Sleeja and the man started haggling. When Sleeja paused, he turned to Quinn. “Get the hexium drive and the cando distributor off the cart.”

Calling him as many different names as she could think of in her head, she moved back to the cart. She rummaged around in the crates, smiling when Nebu moved to help her. Nebu had the crappy task of sorting and cleaning pieces from Sleeja’s last purchase. Scraping off rust was not a fun job.

She found the parts Sleeja wanted and headed back, her sandals kicking up dust.

In her head, she was planning her revenge. She let herself imagine beating Sleeja with his parts, but sighed. In the middle of a trading post wasn’t the place to do it. You’ll get your chance, Quinn.

Suddenly, there was a roar of sound overhead.

Her heart leaped and she looked up to see a ship. A ship. Her mouth went dry. It was shiny, with sleek lines. She hadn’t ever seen a ship in the desert.

A rough slap hit the side of her head.

“Get over here.” Sleeja grabbed her robe and jerked her closer. Quinn fell to her knees and he yanked the parts out of her hands.

She shot him a nasty look. She was so taking him down, hard and painfully.

A few curious people wandered out of the trading post buildings, all looking toward the gates. The ship had landed.

A moment later, three men walked in.

Quinn went still.

They were all big, powerful, and muscled. Long legs were covered in dark-leather trousers, and their hard chests were bare, except for leather harnesses. Her gaze lingered on the center man. He was wearing a red cloak that fell off broad shoulders.

Gladiators. Nebu loved telling her stories about the famous arena in the city of Kor Magna. Apparently, people came from all over the place to watch the gladiators fight.

Sunlight glinted off metal. One of the men had two metal arms, and half of his face was metal, as well. The other man was huge—a few inches taller than the other two, with bulging muscles and a tattoo down one side. None of them were guys you wanted to meet in an alley on a dark night.

But her gaze was drawn back to the man in the center. A flutter of appreciation tumbled in Quinn’s belly. He had a face designed to drive a woman giddy. He had a dash of metal along one sharp cheekbone, which only enhanced his handsomeness. She swept her gaze downward, finding more metal on his shoulder and chest.

They were cyborgs.

None of the three men showed any emotion. Their faces were blank as their gazes swept the trading post. The lead one was so damn gorgeous, however, and Quinn let herself drink him in. That lean face added to a perfectly-formed body with a heavily ridged stomach, and honey-gold skin.

Her gaze ran over the fascinating tattoo on his right arm. She was too far away to make out the design, but it covered his arm from wrist to shoulder.

The men strode across the square, looking around. No doubt taking in the location of every person, threat, and object of interest. A moment later, they moved over to talk to a store owner.

“Lazy slave.” Sleeja kicked her.

Quinn swallowed a curse and doubled over.

“Pull your robes up and cover your face.” He yanked the stained fabric over her head. “We can’t have that frail skin of yours burning, can we?”

She glared up at him. He’d let her skin burn plenty of times before. Hell, the bastard had laughed about it.

Satisfied, Sleeja went back to haggling with the trader. But she realized that he was tense, a little jumpy. He lifted his mask with a jerky move and sucked in air.

Under her lashes, Quinn looked back at the gladiators. Then her breath caught in her chest.

The handsome cyborg gladiator was staring at her.

She stared back.

CHAPTER THREE

Jax stared across the dusty trading post. Acton and Mace flanked him, both cyborgs alert and prepared for anything. Jax eyed the dirty woman. She was clearly a slave, and a muscle in his jaw ticked.

But as Magnus often reminded him, they couldn’t rescue everyone all at once.

When the scavenger with her kicked her, Jax took an involuntary step forward. Her head was covered by a stained strip of cloth, but when the woman raised her head, her gaze met Jax’s with an electric click. Even from a distance, he sensed her defiance.

The scavenger shoved a heavy box at her and she looked away.

“Sorry, not seen any Edull in months.”

Jax turned back to look at the storekeeper who’d spoken. He studied the man, and Jax’s enhanced senses picked up that he was perspiring, and his pulse rate had increased.

“You’re lying,” Jax said.

The man’s eyes widened. “No… I…”

“Do you want to make an enemy of the House of Rone?”

The man shook his head vigorously.

“You’re a long way from Kor Magna, cyborg.”

The deep voice made Jax lift his head. Nearby, a big, brutish-looking man was sitting on the top of a table in front of a makeshift tavern. The man held a large hunting blade in his hand, and was using it to whittle at a piece of metal.

Jax saw others in the shadows behind the thug. He sensed Acton take a step forward. The cyborg’s cybernetic eye glowed in the metal half of his face.

Fighting a smile, Jax swept his cloak back. A fight was just what he needed. Something he could use to work out the gnawing frustration building inside him before it reached a breaking point.

He looked at the storekeeper again. “The Edull?”

The man let out a shaky, resigned breath. “They come here sometimes.”

“What about females with them? Have you seen any females of a small species with smooth skin?”

The storekeeper shrugged.

“Enough.” The thug rose to his feet. “Go back to your own domain, metal man, and stay away from ours.”

The other rough-looking men rose to flank their friend.

Jax felt Acton and Mace tense. Jax smiled. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

The thug spat on the ground. “Six of us to three of you.”

Beside Jax, Mace snorted.

One of the thugs was bouncing on his heels, perhaps under the influence of some drug. He charged forward with a loud cry.

Jax punched him. The man flew backward and slammed into some tables and chairs, knocking them over.

The other men all roared. They yanked weapons out from their belts—swords and axes. The pitiful quality of them would have made Maxon grimace. The larger thug in charge, pulled some metal over his knuckles. He was smiling.

“Let’s show these cyborgs they aren’t welcome here.”

“Let me deal with them,” Mace murmured.

“I object to Mace doing this alone.” Acton’s voice was as cold as steel. “I want to fight, as well.”

“The others are yours.” Jax crossed his arms over his chest. “I want the leader.”

The desert men all cheered and charged forward.

For the next minute, the air echoed with hits, kicks, and grunts. Mace used vicious, brutal strikes to take his two opponents down, leaving them writhing in the sand. Acton moved fast. He dropped low and swiped the legs out from under one attacker. The other rushed at him with a shout.

Acton lifted both his silver-metal arms. There was a shimmer in the air and the attacker rose several inches from the ground. His face went white and he kicked his feet futilely. Acton moved his arms to the side, and the man went flying, rolling through the dirt.

The leader stood there, waiting, a muscle in his jaw working. Then without a sound, he lowered his head and charged Jax.

Jax dodged to the side. The man swiveled, and Jax gripped the back of his neck, and shoved him face first into the dirt.

“You made a big mistake attacking us,” Jax said. “Say sorry.”

The man was on his hands and knees, his head hanging down. He made an enraged noise. Then he spun and tossed a handful of sand into Jax’s face.

Jax was momentarily blinded. A hard blow slammed into his side and he went down on one knee. His systems were already redirecting blood flow away from the minor injury.

“Cyborg, watch out!” It was a woman’s voice.

Instinctively trusting it, Jax rolled to the side.

He ended up on his back, and watched a metal pipe slam down into the sand beside him. The thug leader’s face was twisted with rage.

Jax was about to kick the man, when there was a flash of dirty robes close by. The woman appeared, and landed an impressive kick to his attacker’s jaw.

The man’s head snapped back.

Under the robes, Jax caught a glimpse of bold, attractive features smudged with dirt. Wisps of blonde-brown hair framed her face.

She had green eyes, flecked with gold.

Suddenly, the thug caught his balance. He roared and came forward, swinging the pipe.

Jax’s patience was finished. He shoved the woman aside and surged up. Then he used his cybernetic leg and kicked the man.

He caught the leader in the gut. The kick lifted the man off the ground, the look on his face almost comical. He hit the wall of a nearby building, the force of the collision obliterating the stone and sending the wall tumbling down on the man.

Jax turned. “Anyone else want to try?”

Mace was standing among the groaning bodies, his arms crossed. He was scowling, as though he wished the attackers had posed a greater challenge. Acton, as usual, showed no emotion on his cold face.

Jax turned back to face the woman.

His stomach dropped.

She was gone.

“YOU NEVER LISTEN.”

The steel part smacked into Quinn’s back, then her shoulder. Pain tore through her and she gritted her teeth.

Sleeja had two hands clamped in her robes and another one clutching the piece of scrap. He struck her repeatedly, as he dragged her toward the cart.

“You never interfere in the desert.” Spittle flew from Sleeja’s mouth. “And you never go anywhere near any gladiators.”

She looked up, tasting blood in her mouth. She’d bitten her tongue. “Why?”

He hit her with the metal, the blow glancing off her temple. She saw stars. She wanted to attack him, beat him to a pulp, but she knew that damn cat of his would come after her.

“Don’t ask questions!” He dragged on his mask and sucked in a deep breath.

He dumped her on the ground beside the cart and swung the scrap part again. It slammed into her side, and she felt a flare of sharp pain. Damn, he’d probably cracked a rib.

Dragging her up, he threw her on the cart. Then he scowled. “Why isn’t this scrap sorted?”

Nearby, Nebu made a whimpering sound, stepping back.

In a rage, Sleeja lifted the arm clutching the metal part and went after the young man.

“No.” Fighting her pain, Quinn tried to stand.

As Nebu cried out, she dragged herself across the cart. It was her fault that Sleeja was angry. She watched the scavenger hit Nebu, who curled up in a ball.

“Stop it,” she yelled. “You’ll damage him.”

Breathing heavily, Sleeja straightened and lifted his mask. After a few deep breaths, he dropped the scrap part. He landed one last kick to Nebu before he turned.

“We’re leaving. Finish tying everything down.”

“I am going to take great pleasure in killing you one day,” Quinn spat.

Sleeja sneered, jumped off the cart, and strode toward the tandu.

Quinn hobbled over to Nebu. She pulled him close, wiping the blood off his face. He was sobbing softly.

She reached into the pockets buried in her robes and pulled out her secret pain pills. She’d managed to get them at the trading post a few weeks back without Sleeja realizing. There were only two left.

Pushing down her own pain, she held them up to Nebu. “Here.”

“You’re hurt, too.” The young man’s voice was shaky. “Probably worse than me.”

“I’m fine.” She forced the pills into his hand and curled his fingers over them. “Take them.”

“Your mouth is bleeding,” he said.

She swiped at it. She didn’t tell him that her ribs were burning and her head was aching. She was pretty sure Sleeja hadn’t broken her ribs, but they hurt like a bitch.

Nebu swallowed the pills, and she got him some water from the bladders Sleeja had given them. The junker was at least sensible enough to know a lack of water in the desert would kill slaves quicker than anything else.

“I’m sorry, Quinn,” Nebu whispered.

“It’s not your fault that Sleeja is an asshole, Nebu.” She noticed the scavenger was up in his seat at the front of the cart, getting the beast ready for them to leave. She glared at the back of his head.

“Asshole.” Nebu gave her a watery grin. “I like that word from your homeworld.”

“Yeah, me too.”

In her head, she imagined getting her revenge. Then she imagined tracking down every single member of her crew. It fueled her, gave her hope.

She wanted to find some wire and take her frustration out on the metal, and make Nebu something to make him smile. But she didn’t think the pain would let her.

The cart jerked as they set off. She took one last glance at the trading post as they left out a different set of gates. She hoped to catch a glimpse of the cyborg gladiators again.

But the only thing she saw were dusty buildings. Then the rough jolting of the cart set all her injuries alight with pain. With a groan, she curled into a ball.

“Going to rest,” she murmured to Nebu.

She pulled her scarf over her face and closed her eyes. As she drifted, she didn’t think of her family, even though she missed them so much it hurt to think about them. She was close to her metal artist father, her singer mother, and her sweet, super-smart brother.

They were all so creative, while she’d been the sensible, sporty one. As a teen, she’d taken on the role of ensuring they had food in the fridge and her brother made it to school on time. Her parents could get so absorbed in their art that they’d forget the day-to-day stuff. But she loved them and the wonderful things they produced. Her mother had the voice of an angel, and her father’s art sold for crazy amounts of money. She was proud of them.

Her thoughts drifted to the Helios. The faces of all the crew members scrolled through her head. Pain sliced through her. She’d failed them. She’d been there to ensure their safety and now they were either dead or prisoners.

The guilt was a heavy, heavy weight on her shoulders.

Instead of thinking of them, she thought of cobalt-blue eyes and that handsome face. She’d even managed to get a glimpse of that interesting tattoo up close. It was black ink of circuits and wires.

A cyborg tattoo for a cyborg. Appropriate.

Quinn let herself daydream about the sexy cyborg as they headed back into the desert.

CHAPTER FOUR

Back on the ship, Jax scowled out the window as Rillian’s pilot flew them back to Kor Magna. He watched the sand stream by beneath them.

But he wasn’t thinking about the outpost.

He was thinking about the woman.

He glanced at the pilot. “The ship holding up?”

The older man nodded. “We’ve managed to increase the engine’s desert capabilities. Soon, we might even eliminate the engine problems for good.”

Which would open the desert up. There would be plenty of people who’d welcome it, and some—the ones who liked to hide—who wouldn’t.

Jax nodded. “Good. When we get back, I want to refuel and then head straight back out.”

The pilot nodded, his fingers moving over the controls. “Rillian has put the ship at your disposal.”

Jax tapped his fingers against the console. The woman’s dirt-streaked face was etched in his mind. He hadn’t gotten a clear enough look under her robes to be certain if she was human or not.

But his gut told him to help her.

Rising, he moved back to join his fellow cyborgs. Acton stood by the side window, scanning the desert. Mace was sprawled in a chair.

Mace had come from a lawless planet covered in criminal gangs. He’d grown up fighting, then been forced into death-match cage fights. He’d been brought to Kor Magna to fight in the underground fight rings.

His uncaring masters had forced him to fight for weeks on end, battle after battle. He’d protected weaker fighters, and kept fighting, even when he’d been broken and battered. He’d been injured and dying from massive internal injuries when Magnus had found him. Mace had needed synthetic organs to replace his own damaged ones. Most of Mace’s enhancements were under the skin, and gave him a deadly strength, and abilities that he wasn’t afraid to use.

He was also a master at brooding and had a nasty temper when riled.

Acton, on the other hand, was the result of a military program much like Jaxer’s. Perhaps one that was even more brutal than the Orionix program. Acton was heavily enhanced, and as cold as ice. But the cyborg’s loyalty was never in doubt. He never smiled, he didn’t feel, but he would protect any member of the House of Rone with his life.

“We’ll refuel and return to the desert. I want to scan around the trading post.”

Mace shifted. “You believe that woman was human?”

“I don’t know, but my gut says yes.”

Acton’s green eyes flashed. “Your gut is not reliable evidence, Jax. We need facts.”

Jax smiled. He’d been trying to get Acton to loosen up, but it was proving a challenge. “She was human, Acton, I know it. Regardless, we’ll find her, help her, and we’ll check if she is this Quinn Bennett that Mina mentioned.”

Regardless of her species, Jax was going to free her.

The ship landed at the spaceport. As the pilot went to organize the refueling, Jax spotted the imposing forms of two imperators waiting for him—Magnus and Galen.

Both men were tall, with powerful, muscled bodies, and radiated an air of command. Magnus’ cyborg background was proclaimed by his cybernetic arm and metal implants, while Galen had a rugged face and a black eye patch over one eye. His black cloak flapped around his body.

Galen and his gladiators had rescued the human survivors of the Fortuna Space Station one by one, and ended the Thraxians’ insidious grasp on Carthago. He was a man Jax respected.

“Jax,” Magnus said. “Anything to report?”

“A possible sighting.”

Both men straightened. Jax gave them a brief rundown of the events at the trading post.

“You’re sure she was human?” Magnus asked.

“I don’t have proof, but there’s a good chance. I’ll find her and confirm.” Anticipation licked at him. This was the first real break he’d had during the investigation into the stolen humans from the Helios. He was so close that he could taste it. “She helped me in the fight.”

“Sounds like something a human woman would do,” Galen said, dryly. His own mate from Earth was a formidable fighter, and had become Champion of the Zaabha desert arena before her rescue.

“I’ll bring the woman back,” Jax said.

“Be careful,” Magnus said.

His best friend’s tone was cool, but Jax knew there was emotion buried under it. Magnus was just better at hiding his feelings, but Jax had always seen the man beneath the metal. They’d formed a bond when Jax had been an awestruck recruit following around the crowning glory of the cyborg program. Magnus had tried to ignore him, but Jax had managed to get under the man’s enhancements. The older cyborg had always protected Jax, and in return, Jax had ensured his friend never forgot that he was more than just a killing machine.

He nodded at Magnus and Galen and re-boarded the ship.

Once the refueling was complete, the ship lifted off. Jax sat in the co-pilot’s chair as the pilot headed back to the trading outpost.

“Circle around the outpost,” Jax said.

The pilot obeyed, and Jax pressed a hand to the ship’s console. His systems meshed with the ship’s, and he connected with the ship’s scanners.

“I see some desert travelers ahead,” the pilot said.

The man had the eyesight of a cyborg. A second later, Jax spotted them. A small convoy with carts pulled by tarnids. He initiated a scan.

The results flickered in front of his left eye as well as on the console screen. “Three traals, the rest native Carthagoans.” There were no indeterminate species. “Widen the search radius.”

They passed some small groups of travelers riding various animals. The scans showed no one who might be human.

“They could be anywhere.” Mace moved to stand behind Jax, gripping the back of Jax’s seat.

Mace was right. Carthago’s deserts were vast, and filled with all kinds of travelers, residents, and beasts.

“Where are you, human?” Jax murmured under his breath.

“There,” the pilot said. “There’s another blip on the screen.”

Jax leaned forward, looking out the viewscreen. He spotted a long, black cart, drawn by a tandu. It was moving slowly through the deep sand.

He studied the scan results. “A mixed-species individual and a chandi.” Another piece of information flickered on the screen and his pulse spiked. “And an indeterminate.”

“Let’s check it out,” Mace said.

“It’s too dangerous for me to land the ship here,” the pilot said. “The sand’s too thick.”

“Get low enough.” Jax looked to the others. “I’ll go alone to investigate. I want you on standby if I need you.”

Acton and Mace nodded.

Once the pilot was in position, Jax opened the side door. The wind whipped in his face, forcing his red cloak out behind him. Then he leaped out.

QUINN WATCHED the ship circling overhead. Her heart thumped like a wild animal in her chest.

It was the same ship from the trading post. The cyborgs.

Downdraft from the ship sent sand whipping over the cart. Sleeja started shouting.

This was her chance.

Quinn slipped a small length of wire from her sleeve. It dropped into her hand and she started working on the lock on the chain.

The lock clicked open.

Yes! She scrambled over to Nebu. Sleeja never bothered to chain the man, knowing he’d never take on the desert alone.

“Come on. We need to run.” She tugged the young man to his feet.

“Sleeja will catch us.” Fear was etched on Nebu’s face.

“He’s too busy worrying about that ship.” She pulled him to the edge of the cart.

Nebu’s slender tail flicked nervously behind him.

“Ready?” she asked.

He gave her an unenthusiastic nod.

She grabbed his hand and together they leaped off the cart. They hit the sand and rolled. Quinn pushed to her feet. Damn, the sand was thick, and she sank to mid-calf. She helped Nebu up.

“Run.”

They started moving, but it was hard with the deep sand. She felt like she was jogging on the spot.

She looked back and saw that the ship was flying low over the cart. Then she saw a figure jump from the ship.

Oh. My. God.

Her throat closed as she saw the man drop. He was too high! He’d kill himself.

The man hit the sand near Sleeja. Then miraculously, she watched him rise up, unharmed.

Even from a distance, Quinn felt the raw power pumping off him. His red cloak flapped in the wind behind his tall silhouette.

Her pulse jumped. It was him. The handsome cyborg from the trading post.

He started striding toward Sleeja.

“Nebu, come on,” she urged. “Go!”

Together, they clumsily ran up a sand dune. She saw the ship circling around again, but it either hadn’t spotted them, or wasn’t interested in her and Nebu.

She heard Sleeja shouting, then the sound of a blaster. Her stomach clenched. Shit. Sleeja was shooting at the cyborg…who continued striding toward Sleeja, holding up some sort of energy shield.

Then she heard a sound right behind her.

Before she could turn, Nebu fell and cried out. He started getting dragged backward.

Cursing, Quinn turned.

Her stomach hit her toes. Sleeja’s fucking robotic cat snarled. It released Nebu’s robes and leaped at them with a clank of metal. The robo-cat clamped its mouth around Nebu’s arm.

The young man screamed.

“No!” Quinn charged at the cat.

She rammed into it and it released Nebu. The man tumbled down the other side of the dune.

Shit. Fuck. Quinn sprang up and followed. She slid down the slope. Ahead, at the base of the dune, she saw rock formations that looked like fat toads, crouched and ready to jump.

The cat followed, metal parts clanking. It lunged at her and she kicked it, saw its eyes glow brightly.

She punched it right in the center of its body. Her hand rammed through the metal pieces and they broke apart. Then the cat yowled, and the magnets inside it pulled all the parts back together. They reformed with Quinn’s arm clamped between them.

Pain ran up her arm and she grimaced, biting back a cry.

“Quinn?”

Nebu was stumbling in the sand.

“Run.”

The young man hesitated.

“Run!” she screamed.

Nebu turned and ran. She watched until he disappeared into the rock formations. She smiled, some tension leaving her shoulders. He was free.

Quinn rolled onto her back and wrenched on her arm. But she couldn’t pull it free of the cat’s middle.

The robot stared down at her. Its jaws snapped together near her face, and she dodged her head to the side.

Then the robot-cat moved, leaping upward. Quinn felt her arm break. Pain speared through her like fire, and she screamed through gritted teeth.

The cat’s parts shifted, releasing her arm. She landed flat on her belly, her broken arm beneath her. She sucked in air, blinking through the agony, and trying to stay conscious.

Then the cat clamped its jaws in her robes and started dragging her back toward Sleeja.

“No. No.” Her working hand scrabbled for something to grab onto but there was only sand. She wouldn’t go back. She had to find her crew, even if she died trying.

Then the robo-cat stopped. It let out a low, feral sound. Quinn swiveled to look over her shoulder.

Above them on the dune, she spotted the silhouette of the cyborg gladiator. He was just meters away, his cloak flying out to the side of his powerful body.

His arm started to glow.

What the hell? Her brow creased. Then, neon-blue light streaked along his tattoo.

Holy hell. His tattoo was electrified.

Then he moved. He strode forward, and the robo-cat released her with a clank. The cat sprung, jumping at the gladiator.

The cyborg dodged, and then she watched a deadly dance between man and machine.

The cat lunged, the cyborg kicked. He swung his deadly, glowing arm. The cat slunk low, avoiding contact. But the cyborg moved so fast he blurred. His arm touched the cat’s side.

Electricity skated over the cat and it yowled. The scent of burning metal filled the air. Then the cat leaped away and opened its mouth. Several jagged, metal projectiles flew at the cyborg.

The cyborg dodged them—left, right, left. Then one hit his shoulder, cutting deep with a spurt of blood.

Quinn gasped, but the cyborg didn’t even show any reaction.

Fighting her pain and cradling her broken arm, she pushed to her feet. The robo-cat was ignoring her now, but moved close to her as it assessed how to make its next attack.

Fuck that. She jumped on the cat’s back.

It bucked, trying to shake her off. Pain made her vision blur, but she held on.

She looked at the cyborg. “Magnets. It’s held together by—”

The cyborg nodded, and in the blink of an eye he was right beside the robo-cat. Damn, he moved fast.

Their eyes met, and then he rammed his electric, glowing arm into the cat’s guts. Energy flared, raising the hairs on her arms.

The cat let out a yowl and its parts fell apart. They crashed to the sand, Quinn landing on top of them. She’d gone beyond pain now and couldn’t feel a thing.

Panting, she rolled onto her back, clutching her arm to her chest.

Then she looked up into the face of the cyborg gladiator staring down at her. She saw a flicker on his face as his gaze dropped down her body.

Quinn looked down.

Oh, God. She sucked in a breath. Near her stomach, her robes were soaked with rich, red blood. A large piece of steel was protruding out of her belly. Not good.

Then, her head dropped back onto the sand, and she fought to stay conscious.

The cyborg knelt. His lips were moving, she guessed he was talking, but she couldn’t hear anything.

“Free.” The word rasped out of her. At least she was free.

She tried her best to stay awake, but as the cyborg leaned over her, she passed out.

CHAPTER FIVE

Jax lifted the woman into his arms. She was tall and solid for an Earth woman, but she still barely weighed a thing to him.

He utilized his cyborg systems. “Acton?”

“Coming.” The cyborg’s cool, crisp voice sounded in Jax’s ears through his systems.

A moment later, the ship flew in and hovered overhead. A platform lowered down.

As he walked toward it, Jax kicked parts of the robotic cat out of his way. Then he glanced toward the now-abandoned cart. He’d untied the tandu beast, but it hadn’t embraced its freedom yet. The junker’s broken body lay twisted on the sand.

The scavenger had fired on Jax and during the fight, he’d fallen under the tandu’s hooves. Jax couldn’t say he felt much sympathy for the man.

Jax stepped onto the platform and it rose upward. He tightened his hold on the woman. She’d lost a lot of blood and her arm was broken. Mace’s stony face met him at the door, helping to pull Jax aboard.

“Back to Kor Magna,” he called to the pilot. “Fast.”

Jax sat on one of the generous seats and cradled the woman in his lap. “Medical kit.”

“She’s injured,” Acton said.

“And she smells,” Mace noted.

“Hurry,” Jax barked.

Acton appeared with the medical kit. Jax quickly injected a painkiller into her neck. She stirred, her long lashes fluttering against her cheeks. Her face was streaked with dirt, but he could see the strong bone structure beneath it.

“Acton, remove the metal from her abdomen.”

The cyborg gripped the metal and pulled it out with one fast yank. Jax pressed some absorbent cloths from the kit to her stomach, staunching the flow of blood. She stirred, making a small, pained sound. Then she pressed her face against his chest.

“Shh. It’s okay. You’re safe.”

He could feel his fellow cyborgs watching him curiously. Maneuvering her, he quickly studied her wound. It would need the healers, but for now… He grabbed a tube of the new, enhanced med gel that one of the human survivors at the House of Galen had enriched. He squirted a large amount onto her wound, then pressed a bandage over it.

It wasn’t perfect, and it was likely she had some internal bleeding, but it would do until they reached the House of Rone healers. He gently pulled her damaged arm against her chest.

“Mace, contact Magnus. Have Avarn on standby when we land.”

Mace nodded his big head.

“Shall I bring a stretcher for her?” Acton asked.

“No.” Jax tightened his hold on her. “She’s fine where she is.” When Acton just stared at him, Jax lifted his chin. “I don’t want to jostle her more than necessary. She’s still bleeding.”

Acton shot him an odd look before he turned away.

Jax looked down at the woman. She was a survivor and a fighter. She’d helped the other slave escape.

“Mace?”

A grunt in response.

“There was a chandi male who escaped. Can you touch base with Corsair? See if he knows someone close by who can check and ensure the man is safe?”

“On it.”

The leader of the desert caravan knew people all through the desert. Jax shifted her limp form and noticed something sticking out of her robes. He touched it and realized it was some metal wire she’d kept hidden. He frowned and figured whatever it was must have been important to her. Carefully, he tucked it back in the pocket.

He spent the rest of the flight listening to the woman’s pulse and breathing. Her heart beat strongly, although her breathing was labored. Finally, they flew in over the city.

“Magnus has requested we land in the arena,” the pilot called back.

Good. It would be far closer to the House of Rone and Avarn’s healers than the spaceport at the edge of the city.

The ship started to descend, and out the windows, he caught sight of the cream-stone walls of the arena. It was centuries old and drew tourists from all around the quadrant to watch the arena battles.

They touched down.

When Mace opened the door, Jax lifted the woman. Avarn was waiting, the healer standing beside Magnus and Ever. The man was old, with long, white hair, and green eyes that danced with intelligence.

Ever hurried over, her face a mask of concern. “She’s human. And she matches the description that Mina gave.”

Jax nodded, looking at the brown and gold strands of hair lying over his arm. “She’s Quinn Bennett.”

“Let me see her.” Avarn pushed closer, with a rustle of his healer’s robes. He lifted the bandage and made a sound. “You did a terrible job, Jax, but you likely saved her life. Let’s get her back to the House of Rone.”

“Her arm is also broken.”

Ever made a sound and Magnus pulled her close.

“Avarn will heal her,” Magnus said.

Jax carried Quinn across the sand and into the tunnels. It wasn’t long before they strode through the doors of the House of Rone and into Medical.

Like all the good gladiatorial houses, they spent a small fortune on their healers and medical equipment. It paid dividends to ensure the health and well-being of a House’s gladiators.

But the House of Rone had an even larger medical team than most—all specializing in prosthetics and cybernetic enhancements.

Jax laid Quinn down gently on a bunk. Avarn was issuing orders to his healers, and they moved into action. Jax stepped back, but kept his gaze on her face.

He wanted to see the fire inside her again. The way she’d fought, with determination and courage, had been impressive. Fierce. He hated seeing her like this, injured and vulnerable.

Avarn pulled the woman’s dirty robes away to uncover a body that, while thin, still carried muscle tone. Grinding his teeth together, he cursed the drakking scavenger who’d held her captive, and clearly hadn’t given her enough sustenance.

It made Jax very glad he’d left the man dead on the desert sand.

Avarn arched a brow. “Are you going to leave and let us do our job?”

Jax straightened. “No.”

The healer shook his head, more than used to stubborn cyborgs. Calling out for various pieces of equipment, Avarn worked with his team, his white brows drawn together.

After what felt like an eternity, the healer stepped back, sliding his hands under a sonic cleaner. “She’s fine. Her bone is almost healed, and we repaired all the internal damage.”

“She doesn’t need the regen tank?” Jax asked.

Avarn shook his head. The tanks filled with blue healing fluid could heal the worst of injuries.

“It helped that she was clearly in peak fitness before her abduction. I’ve given her a large infusion of nutrients, and we’ll keep that up as she recovers. After some rest, she’ll wake up.”

“Thank you, Avarn,” Magnus said.

Jax blinked. He hadn’t even noticed Magnus and Ever arrive.

“I’d like to…sit with her,” Jax murmured.

He saw the glimmer of something in Magnus’ eyes. The imperator raised a brow.

Jax rounded his shoulders. “She’s in unfamiliar surroundings.”

“I think it’s a great idea, Jax,” Ever said with a smile.

“She’s a fighter.” Jax met Magnus’ gaze.

His friend slid his organic arm across Ever’s shoulders. “All these Earth women are, in their own ways.”

Everyone left, and Jax stepped out only to let two healers clean Quinn’s skin. When he returned, she was dressed in a simple, short gown. The healers busied themselves with other tasks, and Jax pulled a chair up close to Quinn’s bed and sat. He watched the rise and fall of her chest, and listened to her soft breathing. Something tight inside his chest loosened.

“You’re safe now, Quinn Bennett.” He reached out and stroked a strand of her hair.

She’d fought ferociously in the desert. He understood that. He understood the need to fight for your freedom.

“No one will ever enslave you again.”

QUINN KEPT her eyes closed as her mind swam back to consciousness. She was lying flat on her back, but there was no familiar rocking movement of the cart. No hot desert sunlight beating down.

Panic hit her. Where the hell was she?

Her mind was sluggish and she couldn’t seem to line up her thoughts. Adrenaline flooded her body, her mouth going dry. Had she been captured? Or worse, sold?

Nearby, she heard the steady beep of a machine. She moved her hand and realized there was a tube sticking out of her arm.

Her gut curdled. She was in a lab. She remembered the Thraxian scientists on the ship had liked to poke, prod, and experiment. She was no one’s fucking guinea pig.

She tore the tube out of her, ignoring the sting. She rolled off the bunk, her bare feet slapping the floor. She wore a long shirt that hit her mid-thigh.

“What are—?” A man’s deep voice.

Quinn attacked without looking. She swung her arm out, hitting the man rising up behind her. She heard a deep curse. She rammed her elbow back and met a rock-hard abdomen. The man cursed again as he hit a chair and toppled over.

She caught a flash of deep red tangled around him before she spun and ran.

She stumbled out the door. A corridor. Her feet smacked on the stone floor as she ran. She needed a way out. Her brain was so foggy, and she couldn’t string her thoughts together.

All she knew was that she wasn’t going to be captured again.

She reached a junction and looked both ways, her heart pounding. Turning left, she kept running.

She sprinted around a corner.

“Hey!”

A woman’s voice echoed down the corridor. Quinn glanced over her shoulder. At the end of the hall, she saw a woman holding a baby. The woman waved at her.

Quinn had no idea who the woman was, but a second later, she heard the sound of agitated, deep voices approaching. Shit. She turned and saw a door. She shouldered through, racing into a spacious room.

It was an airy bedroom dominated by a huge bed. Large, arched windows lined the far wall.

Quinn crossed the room and yanked a glass door open. She stepped out onto a wide stone balcony. The wall also consisted of arches, and when she reached the railing, she looked down.

Sand, not far below. It wasn’t a long drop.

“Wait!”

Heart lodging in her throat, she looked back. A tall man was charging through the bedroom.

He was too close. She wouldn’t be taken again. She gripped the railing hard, and launched herself over.

Quinn hit the sand below, landing in a crouch. When she rose to her feet, she froze. A bunch of bare-chested gladiators stood in the center of a training arena, staring at her in surprise.

Two of the men stepped forward, and her blood turned to ice. One had two metallic, cybernetic arms, his face half metal. He watched her with a cold look. Several others also had metal implants. Cyborgs. A whisper of recognition moved through her.

Where was she?

Suddenly, the man with the cybernetic arms started striding toward her.

Quinn backed up a step. Was he familiar? But the cold, hard look on his face showed not a single drop of emotion.

Dangerous. The warning whispered through her head.

“Stop.” The man’s voice was as icy as the rest of him.

“Screw you.”

He grabbed for her, moving impossibly fast. “You’ll injure yourself.”

She dodged, but he kept coming. His cool, metal fingers closed over her arm.

Quinn fought him. Memories of Sleeja’s rough hands stormed through her head. No.

She dropped her weight and kicked at him. She landed a heel in his thigh and he grunted. He leaned over her, trying to get a better grip on her. Quinn swung her other arm up and poked him in the eye that wasn’t surrounded by metal.

He made a hissing sound and released her.

Scrambling, Quinn spun and jumped to her feet. She sprinted across the sand. Nearby, she spotted several racks filled with weapons. She snatched up a sword.

“Quinn.”

Surprise knocked through her. She swiveled…and saw the handsome cyborg gladiator she’d seen at the trading post.

Memories of him were crystal clear in her head now.

She sucked in several breaths and stared at the rich, red cloak that fell from the harness on his muscled chest. Oh, God. It was him that she’d knocked over inside.

He took a step closer and she raised her sword. She’d hit him again, if she had to. Her brain was still slow, her thoughts confused.

“Quinn,” he said again, voice soft.

He held a hand out to her and she looked at the long fingers. Then she looked at his face. He was smiling. He was trying to appear harmless.

A mental snort in her head. She wasn’t that stupid. This man looked far more approachable than the one with the cybernetic arms, but instinct warned her this man was just as dangerous.

As she met his steady gaze, she realized he might be even more deadly.

“You know my name,” she said.

He nodded, his long, brown hair almost brushing his shoulders. “I want to help you.”

“Enslave me.”

“No.” He shook his head violently.

“Who are you?” she demanded.

“I’m Jaxer Rone, second of the House of Rone.”

She scanned around, taking in the stone buildings and the training arena.

“You’re in Kor Magna, the largest city on Carthago. We rescued you from the desert. There are other rescued humans here as well.”

“Others? Humans?” Her damn head felt like it was full of cotton wool. She pressed the heel of her hand to her throbbing temple. Were members of her crew here? Her heart squeezed. “Am I dreaming? I’m going to wake and see Sleeja any second now.”

“No, you’re free. And Sleeja is dead.”

She gasped, then shook her head, wanting it to be true so badly. “You can’t be real.”

Jaxer came forward, his cloak moving around his powerful body. She had the impression of power, and then the rich masculine scent of man hit her.

“I’m very real,” he assured her.

Quinn went still, not certain what was real and what wasn’t. Drawn to him, she stepped forward. One of his hands pushed the sword down by her side, but he didn’t try to take it from her.

She touched her other hand to his bare chest. Warmth pumped off him and he felt very real. For a second, that small touch grounded her.

She met his steady blue eyes. Could she trust this? Could she trust him?

“I think you might just be a hallucination made from my imagination.”

He shook his head. “I promise you, despite the metal parts, I’m flesh and blood like you.”

Her fingers curled into his hard pec. She wanted him to be real, more than anything. Still, it could just be a dream.

Without stopping to think, Quinn went up on her toes and pressed her lips to his.

CHAPTER SIX

Sensation rocketed through Jax.

He’d never been kissed before.

Sex, yes. A friendly kiss on the cheek—usually from Ever—yes. But kissing on the lips was something he’d never allowed, never understood, and never wanted.

As Quinn’s lips moved over his, however, heat hit his gut. His hands flashed up, clenching on her arms.

He had to use every ounce of his control not to devour her. His heart rate picked up, and he felt her tongue brush his bottom lip. She tasted like nothing he’d ever sampled before. Tentatively, he followed her movements, kissing her back.

She made a small, shaky sound, then stepped away. She lifted a hand to touch her lips.

“Hell.” She looked at him. “You’re definitely real.”

“Yes.” Jax held out a hand to her. “Let me help you, Quinn.”

She hesitated for a second, then put her hand in his. He closed his fingers around hers, and following his instincts, he squeezed gently.

“Sleeja is really dead?”

“Yes. Trampled by his own tandu beast.”

“Good. I’m only sorry I didn’t get to kill him myself.” She bit her lip. “There was another slave with me, Nebu—”

“He got free. I asked a desert ally of ours to track him. He’s on his way back to his village.”

She shuddered. “Thank God.”

Jax lifted his cloak and pressed the fabric to her arm.

Her brow creased. “What—?”

“You’re bleeding from where you pulled your tube out. Our healer won’t be happy.”

He checked again and saw the bleeding had stopped. He tugged her inside, ignoring the gladiators and cyborgs watching them. When they stepped out of the sun, he saw she was shivering a little. Her long legs were bare, but the temperature wasn’t cold. More shock, probably, than anything else. He pulled her closer, and then led her upstairs and into his quarters.

“Jax?” Magnus’ voice on Jax’s systems.

Give us a few minutes. Until she’s calm. He sent the message with a thought.

“Everything is going to be fine.” Jax led Quinn to the small sitting area by the windows that he rarely used.

She sank into an armchair. “I’ve used that lie a time or two in order to calm people down.” She stroked the fabric cover on the chair. “It’s okay, I’m not going to fall apart. I was just disoriented when I woke.”

Jax pulled a soft blanket off his bed and wrapped it around her shoulders. She made a tiny sound and brushed her cheek against it.

All these tactile movements made him realize that she’d been starved for comfort. He moved over to the small bar at the side of the room and quickly made her a mug of ocla. He’d heard Ever say all the women from Earth enjoyed it.

He handed her the drink.

She took it and sniffed it suspiciously. “What is this?”

“It’s called ocla. I have it on good authority that it tastes like coffee from Earth.”

Her eyebrows winged up, a smile flashing briefly on her mouth. “God, it has been a long time since I’ve had coffee.”

She sipped it and moaned.

Jax couldn’t stop his smile. “Good?”

She nodded. “Not quite the same. It tastes like chocolate, as well. It’s awesome, thank you.”

As she took another sip, he could actually see her muscles relaxing. Then Magnus stepped in the room.

Instantly, Quinn tensed.

Jax shifted closer. “Quinn, this is Imperator Magnus Rone.”

“The man in charge,” she murmured.

Ever pushed past Magnus. “You’re scaring her.” Ever shoved baby Asha at Magnus. Instantly, he tucked his daughter into the curve of his cybernetic arm.

Jax saw Quinn blink.

“I’m Ever Haynes.” Ever came closer, holding out a slim hand.

“You’re human.” With a bewildered look, Quinn took the other woman’s hand.

Ever nodded. “I’m from Fortuna Space Station.”

Quinn gasped. “Jeez, I saw it get destroyed. I’m so sorry.”

A sad look crossed Ever’s face. “Yes. Prior to its destruction, the Thraxians managed to snatch several of us.” Then she smiled. “You’re safe now, Quinn.”

Jax saw several emotions cross Quinn’s face. “My ship, the Helios…all our crew members…”

“I’m so sorry for everything you’ve been through,” Ever whispered.

Quinn bit her lip. “I couldn’t save them.”

“It’s not your fault.”

But watching Quinn’s face, Jax didn’t think the woman believed Ever.

Quinn glanced at Jax, then back to Magnus and Asha. “I’m getting that this cyborg is yours?” Quinn nodded her head at Magnus.

Magnus didn’t react to the words. Jax knew the man was more than happy to be claimed by Ever.

“Yep, he’s all mine,” Ever said. “Magnus and the other gladiators helped rescue me from the Thraxians.”

“And the baby?” Quinn asked carefully.

Ever’s face glowed with an inner radiance. “She’s the love of mine and Magnus’ lives.”

“You’re safe now,” Magnus said.

“We’ve been searching for you for weeks,” Jax said.

Suddenly, there was a commotion at the door. Jax turned, just as Mina and Tannon arrived.

“Oh, my God, Mina.” Quinn leaped to her feet, awkwardly shoving her drink at Jax. He managed to take possession of the mug before its remaining contents spilled.

Mina rushed over and threw her arms around Quinn. “Quinn!”

The pair hugged and started to cry. Not loud sobs, just tears that tracked down their cheeks. Jax had never cried, even at the worst of what the Orionix had done to him. He watched the fluid on Quinn’s cheek with interest.

“I’m so glad you’re safe.” Mina gripped Quinn’s hands hard.

Quinn smiled. “God, you too. I am so glad to see you.” Then, Quinn’s face fell. “Are there others from the Helios here?”

Mina’s smile faded and she shook her head.

“God.” Quinn looked at the floor.

“It’s not your fault, Quinn.”

“I was security chief, it was my responsibility to—”

“We were attacked by more advanced aliens, Quinn.” Mina screwed up her nose. “There was nothing you could do. Nothing any of us could do.”

Quinn swallowed and looked past Mina to where Tannon stood.

Mina shot the man a smile. “This is my babe-a-licious, Tannon.”

The stone-faced man didn’t even blink at the nickname. The dark, deadly head of security for the Dark Nebula just looked at Mina, warmth in his diamond-bright eyes.

He lifted an arm and Mina went to him, sliding in like she knew where she belonged.

“How did you get here?” Quinn asked. “After our last escape attempt, the Edull dragged me out of a cell and sold me to a scavenger called Sleeja.”

“My memories were tampered with and my appearance altered,” Mina said. “I came to Kor Magna thinking I was just another desert dweller. I started work at the Dark Nebula Casino.” She looked up at Tannon.

“I’m head of security for the casino,” Tannon added.

“My memories started to come back, and I kinda exploded Tannon’s orderly life to pieces.” She grinned.

Tannon squeezed her tighter. “An understatement.”

“You fell in love with him,” Quinn said quietly.

Mina smiled. “I sure did.” Her gaze locked with Tannon’s. “He made me feel safe for the first time in forever. And he likes me just the way I am.”

“Troublemaking tendencies and all.”

Mina turned back to Quinn. “I’ve been doing what I can to help Jax with the search for the others.”

“Quinn, do you remember anything that we could use?” Tannon asked. “About how many other people from Earth are here on Carthago? Or anything about the Edull city where you were held prisoner?”

Quinn nabbed her ocla from Jax and drank again. Then she let out a shaky breath. “Bari Batu.”

Jax felt compelled to step closer. He didn’t touch her, but he was close enough that their arms brushed. He thought he saw her straighten a little. “What’s that?”

“The name of the Edull city.”

The men in the room all traded glances.

“That’s excellent,” Tannon said. “We can get our intelligence networks searching for it.”

“There are others, but they kept us all separate.” Quinn shot a rueful smile at Mina. “Mina and I managed to break out of our cells and find each other.”

Mina grabbed Quinn’s hand and squeezed.

“I did talk with another woman. We talked through the cell wall. She was a scientist on the Helios. I didn’t know her well. Dr. Jayna Lennox.”

“Astrophysics,” Mina said.

Quinn nodded. “That’s her. She has long, brown hair with a curl to it. Golden-brown skin, curvy. Always had music on when she worked. I’d hear it from her lab. She preferred rock and roll.”

Mina nodded. “She wore lots of silver jewelry, too.”

Quinn’s chest hitched and Jax couldn’t stop the instinctive and unfamiliar need to reach out. He touched the small of her back. She glanced sideways at him, but didn’t move away.

“They’d tortured her. She said they were running tests on her. Then, one day, they took her, and they didn’t bring her back.”

“We’ll find her,” Jax said. “I promise.”

Her gaze caught his. In it, he saw the haunting pain that perhaps Jayna hadn’t survived her captivity. The guilt she was drowning in.

“You need to rest now,” Jax said. “I’ve organized a room for you.”

Mina leaned forward and gave Quinn another hug. “See you soon.”

“We’ll come and see you later, Quinn,” Ever said.

“I’d love to hear more about your story, Ever,” Quinn said. “And meet the others from Earth who are here.”

“Sure thing.” Ever took Magnus’ hand, and they left with Tannon and Mina.

“Come,” Jax said.

She followed, and he showed her to her new room, just down the hall from his. She walked inside, spinning around to take it all in.

“It’s beautiful.” She touched the bed, stroking the fabric, then the carved wood of the headboard.

For a second, Jax’s mind filled with the image of her fingers stroking his body in the same way.

Drak. Fighting back the inappropriate images, he showed her the bathroom. She moaned.

“I can shower? Get clean?”

“Yes.” He strengthened his dampeners to fight off more inappropriate images of a naked, wet Quinn. “I’ll find you some fresh clothes.”

“Thank you.” Her voice was filled with emotion. She pressed a hand to her mouth.

He frowned. “Quinn?” Was she overwrought by the shower?

She waved her other hand. “I’m fine. Just give me a sec.”

Again, Jax felt the unfamiliar need to alleviate her distress. “You’d be doing us all a favor, since you smell like the bad part of the desert.”

A laugh burst out of her. “Did you just make a joke about me smelling bad?”

“Many will tell you that cyborgs don’t joke.”

She snorted. “Right.”

“Go. I’ll find you some clothes.”

She slipped into the bathroom and closed the door. It didn’t take long for Jax to track down some clothes from Ever. He also stopped by the kitchen to get her some food, and his last stop was the small garden off the kitchens to grab one other thing.

When he returned to Quinn’s room, he heard the shower running. He paused, glad she was enjoying something nice. But thoughts burned once more through his dampeners. Images of water falling over golden skin and darkening her blonde hair.

He couldn’t stop memories of that kiss hitting him. The taste of her, the way her lips had moved on his. He wanted to kiss her again.

He blew out a harsh breath and shook his head. She’d just survived hell, and here he was fantasizing about her. Sandsucker.

Jax had no time for dalliances. He was committed to finding the survivors from Earth, and shouldering as much work at the House of Rone as he could. Magnus needed to spend time with Ever and Asha, and taking on more work was something that Jax could do for him.

Quinn Bennett seemed to cause an even greater cascade of emotion in him. He needed to find a way to control his response.

Jax lay the clothes on Quinn’s bed, and set the food down, as well. He moved to leave the flower he’d picked on the bedside table—he’d noticed that Ever enjoyed flowers and wondered if Quinn might as well. He doubted she’d seen any flowers in the desert. Then he spotted several twists of wire on the bedside table. He set the flower down and picked the metal up.

It was the same wire she’d been hiding in her old robes. But now it was twisted in the small form of a windswept tree.

Quinn had made this. He stroked it with his thumb.

He remembered having his own room when he and Magnus had first come to Carthago. It was small and dirty, but it had been his. He’d had nothing of his own before that.

Quinn had been held captive, everything stripped from her. And yet, she’d found a way to have something of her own.

He set the small object down, arranging it beside the flower.

The sound of the shower shut off. With one glance at the bathroom door, Jax slipped out.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Wearing her beautiful, clean new clothes, Quinn paced her new bedroom.

She was on edge. She was trying to relax, but all she could think about was Jayna and the others. Trapped, tortured, or worse.

Quinn blew out a breath. She’d never known that guilt had a taste—bitter and choking.

She stroked the lovely shirt she was wearing. It was a gorgeous, rich blue, the same color as the wall hangings she’d seen in the halls of the House of Rone. She also had a pair of supple trousers that clung to her legs, made of some butter-soft leather. Her belly was full. She’d gorged herself on the interesting foods that Jax had left for her.

Then, she picked up the flower that she’d found beside the bed. She stroked the delicate, red petals.

He’d left all this for her.

It was thoughtful. Caring. She felt tears well in her eyes. God, a few acts of kindness and she threatened to fall apart. She breathed her tears back. No one had looked out for her for a very long time. She’d been so horribly alone for so long.

Instantly, she thought of their kiss.

To tell the truth, she hadn’t stopped thinking about it. He hadn’t tried to take control of the kiss, in fact, he’d been hesitant, but damn, he had the best lips she’d ever tasted.

Shaking her head, Quinn strode to the windows. She was free, and she had a right to enjoy that. But a crippling flood of guilt washed over her. Jayna was still out there. Along with how many others? All of them still slaves. Quinn fisted her hands, struggling not to feel guilty about enjoying her beautiful, new room, when they were no doubt locked in cells and chains.

She opened her hands. She needed to be doing something to find them.

She strode across the room and yanked the door open. She pulled up with a start.

Jax stood on the other side, his hand lifted ready to knock.

“Oh, hey.” Just looking at him packed a punch.

His small smile made her gaze drop to his lips. He was a man clearly honed to a lethal edge, and yet, he had gorgeous lips. Desire curled in her belly.

“How was your shower?”

Shower? Oh, right. “Great. And thanks for the clothes and food.”

“Everything to your liking?”

“Yes. I…” She spun away, pacing across the room. “I don’t want to seem ungrateful—”

“But you want to find the others?”

“Yes.” She spun back, so grateful that he understood.

He nodded. “I understand, but you do need to rest. You need to regain your health and energy before you can help them.”

Frustration made her angry, and she lashed out. “You’re a powerful cyborg. What do you know about regaining your health and energy?” Terrible images danced in her head, taunting her. “What do you know about being a slave? You’re second in command around here. You run this place.”

Something flickered in his eyes. “Once, I was a slave, too.”

Quinn gasped, her arms dropping to her sides. “What?”

“I was created in a lab, part of a cyborg program to create the best fighters. I was bred to fight and kill for the Orionix Military.”

Her gut curdled. Babies raised to be killers. Her gaze fell on his shoulder and the metal embedded in his skin, then the tattoo covering his other arm. Babies experimented on like they were machines.

“We were tools, weapons.” A muscle in his jaw worked. “We had no lives and were allowed very little autonomy.”

Quinn swallowed. God, she was an idiot. “I’m sorry, Jax.”

“It was a long time ago. I escaped, or rather, Magnus rescued me. I was malfunctioning and had lost my leg on a mission.”

Her gaze dipped and she took in his sleek, black pants. She couldn’t tell he had a cybernetic leg.

“I was going to be terminated.”

She hissed in a breath. “Magnus got you out?”

Jax nodded, past nightmares a brief flicker on his face before he locked them down. “We ended up here, on Carthago, but it took time to adjust to my new life. Give yourself some time, Quinn.”

Emotions—so many of them—rose up to choke her. She nodded.

Then, she was in his arms. She gripped onto him, pressing her cheek against his chest. “I don’t want to be weak.”

He made an angry sound. “You aren’t weak, Quinn. You survived the worst of circumstances.”

“I still feel off kilter.”

His arms tightened. “Then lean on me. Just a little.”

“I never lean.” She’d been the sturdy one in her family, and she’d gone into security because she liked taking care of others. But she let herself relax against him.

“See,” he said. “It’s not that hard.”

Slowly, she started noticing the heat of him, the scent of warm skin and leather. Desire trickled into her, leaving her belly tight.

Oh, God, men, desire, and sex should be the very last things on her mind right now.

He shifted, his face pressed against her hair, and she realized she really wanted him. Wanted to tug all the leather off him and spend time exploring every inch of his skin and the metal implanted into it.

Time. That one word had guilt rushing back in, full force. She stiffened. “I don’t have time to lean or get back to full strength. Jayna and the others might not have time.”

Jax touched her cheek. He was so tall, so powerful. “We won’t abandon them. I understand your need to continue to work to find your friends.” He cocked his head. “In fact, that’s why I’m here. We have a meeting with the House of Galen. They contacted me to say they have information on the Edull.”

Excitement flared. “Okay.” As he turned, she grabbed his arm. His skin was warm under her fingers. “And Jax, thank you. For everything.”

He nodded and lifted a fall of blue fabric. “You should wear this. Blue is the color of the House of Rone and warns people that you’re under our protection.”

She took it, rubbing the silky fabric through her fingers. “How come yours is red?”

“Red is the general color around the arena. Sometimes, we don’t always want to announce our house allegiances.”

Her lips quirked. “You mean you don’t want to appear weak.”

He smiled back. “You are a smart woman, Quinn.”

“No, I just understand the fragile egos of men.”

Moments later, she found herself walking beside Jax, the cloak whispering around her legs as they moved through the tunnels beneath the ancient Kor Magna Arena.

Workers bustled past, most of them seeming clearly busy and happy. The majority of people they met nodded at Jax, but a few eyed him under eyelashes with curiosity. A couple looked away with fear, and one woman eyed him like she wanted to lick him all over. They also passed several gladiators, and she noted multiple different species of aliens, and the varied colors they wore. Each one nodded respectfully at Jax.

“The arena has been here for centuries,” Jax said. “There are dozens of houses that work to train the best gladiators for the fights.”

“Surely not to the death?”

He shook his head. “In the past that happened, but these days, the fights are meant to be displays of strength and skill. A chance for spectators to feel a rush, and wager some credits.”

More akin to professional sports, Quinn realized. She watched another huge, muscular gladiator pass them, a giant sword sheathed at his hip. She amended her thought. Professional sports with a lot more danger and blood.

They turned a corner, and came upon a set of large doors emblazoned with the image of a helmeted gladiator in profile.

Jax nodded. “The House of Galen.” When he continued past them, she frowned.

“Isn’t this our stop?”

“Galen is up in the arena.”

As they walked up a sloping tunnel, a rumble like thunder reached Quinn’s ears. Her steps slowed, and she realized the sound was a large crowd—cheering, clapping, booing. “There’s a fight on?”

“The House of Galen versus the House of Davon.”

With a touch to her back, Jax nudged her through an arched doorway.

A wave of noise and energy hit her. They had emerged in the middle of the arena stands. Tiers of seats, all packed with spectators, ringed the huge stadium.

She took a moment to absorb the impact. Jeez, so many people. There was an electric energy to the crowd. She briefly scanned the masses, then turned her head, drawn by the clash of swords.

The arena floor was large and covered in sand.

And gladiators.

There were a lot of sweat-slicked muscles on display. She watched two huge gladiators crash giant axes together. Beside them, a strong, athletic woman tossed a net that flew through the air to engulf a staff-wielding gladiator.

“God, it’s amazing.”

“A deadly display.” He waved a hand up the stairs.

“Do you fight in the arena?”

He shook his head. “Cyborgs are banned, but the House of Rone has some of the best unenhanced gladiators in Kor Magna.”

She heard the pride in his voice. As she moved up the stone stairs, she saw they were heading to what had to be private boxes at the top of the arena. He led her through a doorway that was decorated with the same logo as on the doors of the House of Galen.

When they stepped inside, the first thing she saw was a man wearing a black cloak, with a black eye patch covering one eye. He was kind of like a black hole, pulling all attention toward him.

Jax stepped forward, and he and the man clasped arms.

“Galen.”

“Jaxer.” Then Imperator Galen’s ice-blue gaze moved toward Quinn.

Wow, he sure packed a powerful punch. He had a muscled body, with black ink in fascinating tattoos covering most of his chest. There was a dash of silver at his temples.

But it was the power that radiated off him that made you look twice.

Then, a woman rose from a nearby chair and strode toward them. She was tall, with a lethally honed body, and blonde-brown hair only a shade darker than Quinn’s that was tamed into a long braid.

Quinn looked at the woman’s face and the shock of recognition hit her. “Captain Santos.”

The blonde nodded and held out a hand. “It’s Sam, Security Chief Bennett.”

Quinn squeezed the woman’s fingers. Another lost person from Earth who’d been found. “Quinn. We met briefly on Fortuna.”

“Galen and I are very glad that you’re safe.”

Glancing past the woman, Quinn scanned the room. Her heart thumped against her ribs. She saw other humans. A redhead was chasing a small and very fast toddler around.

“All of the Fortuna’s abductees…you found them all?”

“All of them. We’ve made a home here, and everyone is safe.”

Galen stepped closer, wrapped an arm around Sam, his hand resting on her hip.

Another woman who’d fallen for an alien gladiator. Quinn felt happy for the woman, and, strangely, a little envious.

“You don’t know how good it makes me feel to hear that, Sam. But I want to rescue my people, too,” Quinn said.

“We’ll help,” Sam said.

Beside her, Galen nodded. “Whatever it takes.”

“You have intel on the Edull?” Jax asked.

“On their city,” Galen answered. “Bari Batu.”

Quinn nodded. “That’s it. A city made of scrap metal, although I wasn’t allowed outside much.”

“We don’t have the exact coordinates,” Galen continued, “but we’ve learned that it’s rumored to be in an area called the Shattered Sands.”

Jax frowned. “That’s a long way from Kor Magna.” He paused and, as his eyes flickered, Quinn realized he was accessing data. “And it’s a vast area. Too large to search without more information.”

“Do you have satellites?” Quinn asked. “Aerial images we can use to pinpoint it?”

Galen shook his head. “No one on Carthago wants to be spied on by rivals or enemies. Long ago, the imperators agreed to ban their use.” He lifted his head to Jax. “I suggest you get in touch with Corsair. The caravan master knows the desert and its people better than anyone else.”

“We will.”

“Stay.” Galen waved a hand. “Meet the others and watch the rest of the fight.”

As Jax continued to converse with Galen, Sam introduced Quinn to the others. She found herself surrounded by a sea of smiling faces. She met sweet, curvy Regan and the sassy redhead, Rory, who was the mother of the handsome toddler. Then the sleek, dark-haired Madeline who had been the head of Fortuna Station. The smiling woman was night and day to the stern woman Quinn remembered meeting when the Helios had docked at the space station. Then there was pixie-faced Mia and the former doctor, Winter.

“Harper and Blaine are down in the arena,” Sam said.

Quinn raised her brows. “Fighting?”

Sam smiled. “Yes. Both are accomplished gladiators now.”

“Impressive,” Quinn said.

“Dayna is shacked up with Rillian who owns the Dark Nebula Casino.” Rory waggled her eyebrows. “God, I love my sexy gladiator, but Rillian is one long, gorgeous drink of water.”

“And Ryan lives with Zhim, both of them in hacker paradise,” Regan added.

“Any other survivors?” Quinn asked.

“Just Neve, Ever’s sister,” Sam said. “She’s mated to Corsair and very happy adventuring through the desert as part of his caravan.”

Ugh, Quinn had no desire to adventure in the desert ever again.

“I’m sure you’ll meet her soon,” Sam said. “She keeps a close eye on Ever.”

Rory snorted. “You mean she keeps a close eye on Magnus to ensure that cyborg is treating her sister right.”

As the women kept chatting, Quinn moved toward the glass. She looked down at the arena below, watching a big gladiator leap into the air, red cloak flying out behind him. His sword clashed with a rival gladiator, just as a woman whirled into the fight, two swords in hand.

Quinn sucked in a breath. The woman was human. That had to be Harper.

“Here.”

She turned and saw Jax holding out a small cup of something. She sniffed. It smelled like popcorn.

“Try it. It’s a popular snack in the arena.”

“Thank you.” She popped a little in her mouth and the salty flavor burst across her tongue. She’d missed this. The small things. A burst of flavor, a touch of kindness, a soft pillow. A wave of emotion threatened to wash over her, and she fought it back. She wasn’t going to cry again.

Now, she was free. She had to keep reminding herself of that. Now, she was going to rescue the others. She wanted to give them all a chance at life, like the women behind her.

She glanced up at Jax. He stood so straight and handsome beside her.

“You need to replenish your energy and restore your health,” he said.

This baffling cyborg was looking out for her.

“I haven’t exercised or trained for months. A few push-ups and sit-ups when I could sneak it in.” She looked back at the arena and the amazing display of skill.

“Tomorrow, if you wish, you can train with me,” Jax said.

“I’d like that.”

She looked back at the fight, but most of her attention remained on the man standing beside her. A man who seemed to see straight under her skin.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Jax swung his sword, slicing through the air as he moved across the training floor. The House of Rone’s gym was large, with high ceilings and a lot of space.

He whirled the sword above his head, before swiping the blade down beside his body. He stepped through the familiar moves of his routine, his muscles remembering them by rote.

Then he heard a noise and lifted his head. Quinn stood in the doorway.

“Don’t stop.”

Jax continued through the routine, conscious she was watching. When he finally lowered the sword and straightened, she was watching with obvious admiration.

“That was incredible,” she said. “You move so fast.”

“Enhanced speed.”

She walked closer. She looked well rested. Today, her clothes were tight-fitting workout gear that outlined her toned body. She was still a little thin, but he wasn’t surprised to see the curves at her hips. No doubt with a little more nutrition, she’d fill out some more.

“What else is enhanced?” she asked.

“Strength, my senses. But each cyborg has tailored abilities depending on our enhancements and the natural abilities of our species.”

“Incredible. And your tattoo?”

“That’s fairly new.” He held his arm out. “Avarn’s been testing subdermal enhancements, and this is the latest iteration.”

“You can channel energy through it.”

He nodded. “Magnus can do it with his cybernetic arm, so Avarn took that technology and adjusted it to an organic arm.”

She smiled. “It is amazing.”

“How did you sleep?”

She lifted a shoulder, her smile slipping away. “Better than I have done for a while.”

But Jax could read between the lines. He remembered his first few months of freedom. “Nightmares?”

She shook her head. “I just kept waking up. I wasn’t sure where I was, and I keep thinking about Jayna and the others.”

He nodded. “The same happened to me when I first arrived on Carthago. It took time to trust that I was free.” He kept imagining the Orionix Military sweeping in, attempting to recover their prized cyborg and terminating Jax.

“That’s it.” She tucked some blonde-brown strands behind her ear. “I keep thinking I’ll wake up and be back with Sleeja.”

“I assure you that the crudspawn cannot hurt you ever again. He is very much dead.”

An unsteady breath. “I hope Nebu is okay.”

“I got word that he was reunited with his family.”

She closed her eyes, pain flashing on her face before it was gone and she smiled. “That’s great news. I’m truly happy for him.”

But there would be no family reunion for Quinn.

“You’re close to your family?”

A quick nod.

“We can arrange for you to speak with them. Our ally, Zhim, has the technology.”

She gasped. “I’d like that.”

“It might take a little time. Zhim will ask the Earth authorities to contact them, then they’ll need to link up for the call.”

“I want them to know that I’m all right.”

“I’ll organize it.”

She walked across the mats. “I know I’ll get used to being here eventually. To the chains being gone.”

“You will.” Jax had no doubt. “The difference between you and me is that you’ve been free before. You’ll find your way back. I’d never had any freedom, only followed my programming, so I had a steep learning curve.” His gaze lingered on her face. He loved the strong line of her jaw and cheekbones. His body tightened.

“That must’ve been tough for you,” she said.

“I had Magnus to help me.”

She made a face. “He seems so…cold. I have no idea how he and Ever could possibly have fallen in love.”

Jax smiled. “Oh, there is a man beneath the enhancements. Magnus is just very good at hiding him. Now, let’s get our training started.”

He stalked over to a weapons wall. Quinn’s gaze ran over the vast array of swords, knives, staffs, axes, crossbows and other weapons. She made a soft, appreciative noise.

Maxon might be bad-tempered and impatient, but he was a genius at what he did.

Jax lifted a sword and staff off the rack. “I arranged these for you.”

Her mouth dropped open and she stared at him, like she was trying to work out something. She kept looking at him until he felt the very unfamiliar need to fidget.

“Quinn?”

“Sorry.” She shook herself, her gaze falling to the weapons. “I’ve gotten so used to brutality, to cruelty… I’ve almost forgotten what kindness is like.”

Jax wanted to go back and kill Sleeja all over again.

Quinn took the sword, testing its weight. “It’s light. Made for human strength.”

“I asked our weapons master to create them for you.” Jax handed her the staff, and she lifted it in her other hand. It was made of a very rare, yet very strong wood, reinforced with a light-weight, metal core. It was very expensive, but he wasn’t going to tell her that.

Nor would he tell her that he now owed Maxon a crate of Trallian ale.

“I’ve never trained much with a sword.” She set it back on the rack. Then she lifted the staff. She whirled it through the air, lightning fast. It was clear she’d trained with a staff before.

Jax set his own sword down and lifted another staff made for someone his size. “Would you like to spar?”

She broke into a wide smile. “Oh, yeah.”

Together, they made their way down to the center of the mats.

Jax started off easily. She was still stretching muscles that hadn’t been used for a long time, and working her way back to full health.

But Quinn had other ideas.

She swung hard and fast. As her staff whacked against his, he gritted his teeth against the blow.

She whirled away and then came in faster than before, getting in a few more good hits against his weapon. With a laugh, she danced away.

He narrowed his eyes. She was fast and nimble, and it was clear she’d use that to her advantage. She shot him a smile. A dangerous one.

Jax felt his blood fire. They danced across the mats, the gym filling with the sounds of their weapons thwacking together. Quinn met all his hits.

Drak, he loved the way she moved.

“You smile more than the other cyborgs,” she said.

“My emotional dampeners have never functioned as well.” As she dropped lower and swept her staff out, he jumped over it.

Now, he used a little bit more of his strength. They moved across the mats again in a hard flurry of moves. Then their staffs met, sliding together, until their bodies collided. They turned in a circle.

“You’re very good,” he said.

She smiled, her face dampened with a light sheen of perspiration. “Oh, I know.”

He was hit with the scent of sweat and soap, and his body responded. He saw a flare in her eyes, as well.

Then she spun away.

This time, she surprised him with a kick. He deflected her foot, and she hit the mat and bounced back up.

Then she ducked down low, swinging her staff out fast. This time, Jax wasn’t quick enough. She knocked his legs out from under him.

Cursing, he went down.

He managed to turn, landing on his hands and knees. The little fighter was proving to be a tougher challenge than he expected. He smiled. He liked that.

He started to push himself up, but Quinn leaped onto his back. He felt her staff against his neck, held horizontal.

“What now, cyborg?” she drawled in his ear. “And no fancy cyborg tricks.”

He tipped to the side, rolling across the mat.

For a second, she was pinned, but this time, she cursed. She heaved him over and they kept rolling, jostling for supremacy.

Jax was bigger, and he ended up on top, his heaving chest pressed against her.

“You’re an impressive fighter, Quinn.”

“Thanks.”

Their gazes locked. The air charged, and Jax felt the tension twist in the air between them.

He stilled, but in his head, he berated himself. He ran through all the reasons he couldn’t give in to his attraction to this woman.

She’d just been rescued. He was a damn sandsucker for even thinking about her like this. And he had no room for a woman like her.

But something about Quinn Bennett appeared to carve through his already shaky emotional dampeners like they were made of paper.

Quickly, he levered himself off her. “I think you’re ready to run the circuit.”

“The circuit?” She sat up, then jumped to her feet.

He moved over to the side wall and touched a control panel. His fingers moved in a blur over the screen.

Suddenly, the mats in the center of the gym moved. Some were drawn down into the opening floor panels. Other floor plates opened, and equipment and obstacles rose up.

Quinn’s eyes widened. “An obstacle course.”

“You need to run the path of the circuit, and evade or fight the obstacles.”

Light flared in her eyes. Quinn clearly loved a challenge.

“Be warned, this is designed for cyborgs.”

“I can do it.” She glanced sideways at him, shooting him a competitive look. “How about a wager?”

Jax tilted his head. “You’re on.”

“What do I get if I win?”

He snorted. “You have to win, first.”

“Oh, I’ll win.”

Such confidence and courage. “What would you like your prize to be?”

“I want to kiss you again.”

A punch of desire hit Jax. “Quinn…”

Her smile dimmed a little. “If you don’t want me…”

“That’s not it.” His fingers curled into his palms.

She lifted her chin, a glint of determination in her eyes. “That’s what I want.”

He let out a heavy breath. And she’d had all her choices taken away from her for a long time. He wouldn’t take this away from her as well. “Very well.”

Smiling, she took her position at the start line.

“Go,” he yelled.

She ran. He watched her dodge several obstacles and then leap over some large blocks. Ropes swung down at her and she ducked.

She scrambled across a narrow beam when an “attacker” rushed up at her. The holographic opponent was holding a sword. Quinn swung her staff, hitting the opponent in the gut.

The hologram flickered and disappeared.

Quinn leaped onto a ramp. She ran up it nimbly, then jumped across a widening gap. She landed on a platform and rolled. Another attacker rushed at her, and she swung out with her deadly staff.

Up ahead, several metal rings dangled from the ceiling. She swung her staff onto her back, sliding it into the small harness she’d put on. Then she jumped, grabbing the first ring easily. Her body swung, and she worked her way across the rings.

Jax smiled. She was amazing. Brilliant.

She landed on another platform. There was a length of tiny platforms for her to cross, most no bigger than her foot. They all kept rising and falling, making passage difficult.

Quinn made it across three before the next one threw her off balance.

She fell backward, slamming onto the mats.

“Dammit.” She slapped a palm against the mats and sat up. “Again.”

Jax nodded and reset the circuit. She moved back to the start, and began again.

Once again, she moved with an athleticism that took his breath away. A moment later, she passed the spot where she’d fallen. As the final attacker rushed at her, she kicked the target. It flickered and winked out. She reached the finish line and turned, throwing her hands into the air.

“Yes!”

“You were amazing,” he said.

She bent over, putting her hands on her thighs, dragging in some air. But her gaze met his.

“I’d like my prize now.”

Jax watched her straighten and walk toward him. Desire stormed inside him and he tried desperately to keep a handle on it. She didn’t stop until her body was pressed against his. Her breasts were a tantalizing, full weight against his chest. She slid her hands up his chest and he leaned forward. Her hands clenched in his hair.

“You have gorgeous hair,” she murmured.

Their gazes met again, and he saw her hesitate.

“You sure you want this?” she asked.

“You won.”

She blew out a breath. “But I want you to want this, too.”

He lowered his head more, his lips brushing hers. He heard her sharp intake of air. “I do. It’s just that I’ve never kissed a woman before. Or been kissed.” He raised a brow. “Well, until the day you first came to the House of Rone.”

She gasped. “Never been kissed. I stole your first kiss—”

“I’m not complaining.”

She eyed him. “I…are you…um, so you’ve never had sex?”

“I didn’t say that. It’s a pleasant pastime.” He shrugged. “I have just never had any interest in kissing.”

She moved to step back, but he gripped her arm.

“I’m interested now, Quinn. Very. And I made the wager. I always keep my promises.”

“Why am I not surprised to hear that?”

He tugged her back toward him, reeling her in. He pulled her onto her toes, and lowered his head again. “Hands.”

She frowned. “What?”

“Back in my hair.”

She obeyed, her fingers tangling in his hair.

“I want to kiss you, Quinn. Badly. I want you to show me how.”

Her breath hitched, then her mouth met his.

Her lips moved over his, urging his lips apart. Her tongue slipped inside his mouth, stroking his tongue. It wasn’t fast, more a very feminine exploration. She was taking her time. No one had ever taken their time with him. He mimicked her movements, pulling in her taste.

An inferno roared to life inside Jax’s body. His cock was as hard as steel. The husky sounds Quinn made into his mouth just inflamed him more.

Just a kiss with Quinn was hotter than all the sexual encounters he’d ever had.

“I think we’re interrupting,” a deep voice rumbled.

“You think?” a second voice said.

“Perhaps we should return later?” The third voice was crisp and cool.

Drak. Jax lifted his head and swallowed his groan of frustration.

CHAPTER NINE

Quinn pulled away from Jax, her blood humming.

She tried to get her brain working. He said he’d never kissed a woman? And yet, he’d just managed to turn her to mush.

She turned and saw a wall of cyborg muscle. Instantly, she recognized two of the men. They’d been with Jax at the trading post.

“You have very bad timing.” Jax scowled at the cyborgs.

The biggest of the three grunted. “We just wanted to use the gym…for its intended purpose.”

Jax made a choked sound. “Quinn, I’d like to introduce you to the other cyborgs in Magnus’ elite group. This is Mace.” He pointed at the big man.

Quinn couldn’t spot any metal or enhancements. All she saw was impressive muscle, a tough-looking face, and faded ink up his left arm. She thought the design might be wild beasts of some kind. Then she did see the wink of metal—Mace had a piercing through one nipple.

“This is Toren,” Jax continued.

Toren was leaner than the others, but no less muscled. His silky fall of blond hair was tied at the back of his neck. He had metal across both shoulders and piercing green eyes.

“Hello,” the cyborg said.

“Hi.” Something about Toren shouted “predator” and made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Like he was assessing the best way to take her down.

Jax waved his hand. “And you might remember Acton.”

“I attempted to aid you in the training arena when you were disoriented.” Acton’s voice was cold and emotionless.

Quinn tried not to stare at the metal half of Acton’s face. His hair was a deep brown and cut short. His two cybernetic arms rested by his sides, and she tried to see the man in him, but he was very cool and aloof.

“Hi to all of you.” While the three men didn’t give much away, she got the distinct impression they weren’t happy she was here. “I’m very grateful to be here at the House of Rone.”

Mace grunted. “You’ll be trouble.”

“Mace,” Jax growled.

“She already has you worked up,” Mace said.

Quinn bit her lip. Apparently grumpy cyborgs didn’t like their routine disrupted.

“Quinn was a security chief for an exploration ship,” Jax added. “She’ll be a valuable addition to the house.”

Acton blinked slowly. “She’s human. Weak and fragile.”

Now Quinn made a sound. “Excuse me?”

Jax shot her an apologetic look. “Acton has…no filter.”

“I’m not weak,” she said.

“Physically, you are much weaker than me,” Acton said.

Hot challenge punched through her. “That doesn’t mean I can’t find ways to outwit you, tin man.”

Acton turned to Jax. “Did she just insult me?”

“Yes,” Jax said.

Mace and Toren nodded.

“She just successfully ran the circuit, on her second attempt,” Jax said.

Acton blinked. “Impossible.”

“She might even beat your record.”

Quinn swiveled. “He holds the record?”

Jax nodded.

Quinn’s smile was sharp and a little feral. “Then I am going to beat it and make him eat his words.”

Acton’s brow creased. “How can I eat my words?”

She sighed. “It’s an Earth saying, anyway, I’m going to beat you.”

“The statistical likelihood of that is very low.”

“I’ll make you eat your statistics as well.”

Acton looked well and truly confused right now.

“I think you should take your training out into the arena,” Jax suggested.

With a sigh, Mace nodded. The three cyborgs headed out.

“They are extremely loyal and very good fighters,” Jax said.

“You don’t have to defend them, Jax. I’ll get to know them.” She tilted her head. “You feel way more emotion than they do.”

“Yes, but I have to admit, since I met you, I’m feeling things I’ve never felt before.”

Her breath hitched. She stared into his blue eyes as he moved closer. Jax told her the bald truth, and dammit, she liked that.

His body pressed against hers. “Where were we before we were interrupted?” His head lowered.

“Oops, sorry!” a young female voice said. “Not that I blame you for wanting to kiss that totally delish cyborg.”

Jax stilled and released a sharp breath. “Drak.”

Smiling, Quinn turned her head. A young girl on the cusp of her teens stood in the doorway, a slim hip cocked. She wore loose-fitting, desert clothes, and her dark hair was pulled back in two braids. She oozed bravado.

“Hi, I’m Duna.”

Jax stepped forward. “From Varus’ stables.”

The girl nodded. “Yep.”

Quinn had no idea who Varus was, or what he kept in his stables. She eyed the girl again. Hopefully, it wasn’t young girls.

“What can we do for you, Duna?” Jax asked.

“Varus sent me. He heard that the House of Rone was looking for information on the Edull.”

Quinn stiffened. “You know something?”

A nod. “One arrived in the city today. He’s keeping his tarnid at our stables. He’s gone to the metal market.”

An Edull. Right here in the city. Quinn turned to Jax. “He could know something.”

“We’ll check it out.” Jax looked at the girl. “Thanks, Duna. Tell Varus I owe him.”

The girl flicked her fingers in the air. “Liquid. A marker from a cyborg.” Then she was gone.

“Liquid?” Quinn asked.

“Liquid is prized in the desert, so it’s become a saying to show your pleasure.”

Jax led Quinn into the weapons room adjacent to the gym. He grabbed a House of Rone cloak from a rack. He fastened it around her neck, and watched her swish the blue fabric around her body. He slipped a sword onto his belt.

Soon, they were both striding out of the House of Rone. Jax sent a message to Magnus to tell him where they were going. Then, Jax moved through the twisting tunnels before leading her out of the arena and into the streets of Kor Magna.

She paused for a second, studying the tall spires of the District. Even in the daytime, the casinos winked with bright lights.

“That’s the District,” he told her. “The entertainment center of Kor Magna. Many travel here daily to indulge in their vices or escape from their lives.”

Her gaze swept over the tall towers. “Seems out of place compared to the old, stone buildings that make up the rest of the city.”

Jax turned her in the opposite direction. Varus’ stables were near the edge of the city, easily accessible to travelers coming in and out of the desert. As they walked past the two-story stone buildings, he watched Quinn absorb it all.

“The District is newer.” The stone walls of the arena, and the city’s older buildings had stood for centuries. “I believe the pleasures and vices on offer were always there. The businesses have merely become more valuable and flashier over the years.”

It wasn’t long before he pointed to a large stone archway.

“That’s Varus’ stables.”

Her nose wrinkled. “I can smell the tarnids.”

“The metal market isn’t too far from here.” He indicated a cobblestone street. “A lot of scavengers bring scrap in from the desert. Some traders in the city run a brisk trade.”

Quinn pressed a palm to her belly.

“Are you all right?”

She lifted her chin. “Just thinking of Sleeja. He steered clear of the city, stuck to the trading posts.” She lifted a shoulder. “I just feel a bit sick at the thought of running into any of the scavengers I’d seen in the desert.”

People who’d seen her as a slave, treated worse than an animal.

He gripped her arm, felt the firm muscle of her bicep. “You’re free now. They can’t hurt you. I won’t let them.”

She released a breath. “I know. I’m just worried I’ll want to beat the crap out of them.”

He smiled. “I’ll help you.”

Her gaze warmed and dropped to his lips. “That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

Drak, need twisted inside him. He cleared his throat. “Let’s keep moving.”

They soon passed under an archway, made of rusted, metal scrap, all pieced together.

Beyond it, the Kor Magna Metal Market was a chaotic jumble of stalls. Piles of scrap parts littered tables, lay overflowing in large crates, or were just piled on the ground.

Quinn stiffened, pulling in some deep breaths.

“Quinn?”

“Reminds me of the larger trading posts.”

It reminded her of Sleeja. Jax stepped closer. “The sandsucker is dead.”

She lifted her head, met his gaze. “I know.”

Jax touched her hair, rubbing the silky strands between his fingers. “Your strength and determination got you here.”

“Thank you.” A nod. “I’m ready.”

They circled around the market. Several people glanced at them. Most people ignored Quinn, their gazes lingering on Jax. Everyone wanted the chance to do business with the House of Rone.

“I don’t see any Edull,” she murmured.

Jax didn’t, either. He stopped at one of the stalls. The man behind the table was rotund, with long, drooping facial hair.

“We have some questions,” Jax said.

“Good day! I am Darcel. What answers can I give you?”

“We’re looking for an Edull who’s here trading.”

The man’s eyes lit with curiosity. He eyed Jax and Quinn. “Yes, an Edull man was here, earlier. His name is Gaarl.”

A name. Excellent. “Where is he now?”

Darcel spread his hands. “I’m not sure, but he had business to conduct.”

“What business? Have you seen him before?”

The trader shrugged. “He comes in occasionally. He trades, but always wants too much money for inferior goods.” Darcel sniffed.

“You know where he comes in from?” Jax asked.

“He had a base somewhere in the desert. That’s all I know. Has he crossed the House of Rone?”

Jax nodded.

“Not surprised. He has that air about him. Wait, he did mention something.”

Beside Jax, Quinn tensed.

“He said he has a slave. Female with wild, curly hair. Said she’s too broken, so he was asking where he could sell her.”

Quinn hissed and took a step forward. Darcel’s eyes widened. Jax held out his arm and her chest pressed against it.

“What did you tell him?” Quinn asked silkily.

Jax watched the dangerous tone register with the trader. Perspiration beaded on his brow.

“Uh, I told him that I am no slaver.” He glanced at Jax. “I didn’t tell him anything.”

Jax gripped Quinn’s wrist. He felt her pulse racing beneath his fingers, and he brushed his thumb back and forth against her skin. She pulled in a shaky breath.

“Thank you, Darcel,” Jax said.

The trader beamed. “Any time the House of Rone needs scrap, please come and see me.”

Jax tugged Quinn away from the trader’s stall.

“That has to be Jayna,” Quinn said.

“Maybe.”

She growled. “Broken.”

He turned to face her. “We don’t know anything for certain, yet.”

“Where is she, Jax? We have to find her.”

“I have a name to follow now. Gaarl. I’ll ask our allies to search for this man and his hideout.”

She nodded. “Then we’ll flush him out like the rat he is.”

“I don’t know what a rat is.”

“A nasty, germ-infested rodent.”

Jax’s lips twitched. “An apt description.”

They strode out of the metal market and turned into a quiet alley flanked by stone buildings. It was time to return to the House of Rone, and start running the searches. He’d touch base with Zhim and Ryan. They’d be able to track down this Gaarl.

Suddenly, there was a whoosh of noise from above. Jax jerked Quinn to a halt.

A giant robot leaped from the roof and landed in front of them with a clank of metal, blocking their way.

Jax and Quinn took a quick step back.

“What the hell?” she muttered.

Jax’s eyes narrowed, his systems doing a scan of the robotic humanoid. It towered over both of them.

Then the robot straightened and charged.

CHAPTER TEN

Jax kicked the robot. It swung two large fists and he ducked. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Quinn step backward, eyeing their attacker.

Then suddenly, the robot moved. It was faster than Jax had anticipated, slamming into him, and lifting him off his feet. It took several steps and slammed Jax into the wall of a nearby house.

Pain burst through his back and he grunted. He lifted his fist and hammered the robot’s back.

Quinn leaped onto the machine’s back. She landed a vicious hit to the side of the robot’s head, making it rock.

It dropped Jax and spun again. Quinn jumped and jammed something in its smooth eyepiece across the front of its head.

Sparks flew. A piece of wire was sticking out of it.

Quinn leaped off the machine and backed up. Suddenly, knives slashed out of its hands like claws. It started advancing on Quinn.

No. Jax rushed forward. He tackled the robot around its legs and it stumbled, but didn’t go down.

Its focus was still locked on Quinn.

His heart pounding, Jax slammed his fists into the robot’s back. He lifted his cybernetic leg and aimed a side kick.

His boot connected with the robot’s lower back, the dull-gray metal denting under the impact.

The machine’s upper body swiveled, its legs staying in place. Its knife-tipped arms swung out. Jax was already moving, but the blades caught his shirt and pants, tearing them up.

“Hey, metal head!”

At Quinn’s shout, the robot turned again.

She sprinted forward. She held her staff up like a lance. She slammed it into the robot’s face.

More sparks. She pulled back and slammed it in again.

Jax circled the machine. When Quinn pulled back the third time, he moved up beside her, closing his hands over hers. Together, they both drove the staff forward.

It crashed into the robot’s face, metal tearing. Sparks showered over them.

Jax lit up his tattoo. He felt the electricity generating in his arm, energy flowing through him as the ink glowed blue.

“Back,” he warned Quinn.

He rammed his hand against the robot’s chest.

Electricity hit the construct. The robot shuddered, and then it collapsed in a pile of metal.

Chest heaving, Jax stepped back, keeping his gaze on it. He waited to see if the thing could resurrect itself. The metal didn’t move. He kicked it a couple of times.

Satisfied, he let the energy in his arm die. Then, he crouched, studying the robot’s remains.

He didn’t see any identifying marks. Drak.

“Well, that was fun,” Quinn said.

Jax looked up at her and then stilled. As it had with him, the machine had managed to slash Quinn’s shirt in three places. Through the rips, he glimpsed golden-colored skin.

“You okay?” He rose.

She nodded.

But then he saw the blood on her shirt. The claws had hit skin.

“You’re hurt.” A strange feeling hit him, like his insides were jerking. He stepped forward and touched the fabric of her shirt.

She shrugged. “It’s just a scratch.”

Jax needed to see for himself. He shoved her shirt off her shoulder, studying her skin.

“Hey!”

He gripped her wrist with his other hand while he examined her wound. It didn’t look too deep. His fingers brushed her skin.

She gasped.

Jax froze, lifting his gaze. Had he hurt her?

Her cheeks were flushed and her lips parted. He detected the spike in her pulse rate. Deliberately, he stroked her skin again. She sucked in a breath.

“Jax—” She tried to pull her hand away.

The scent of her arousal hit him, hanging in the air around them. He was shocked to feel his own desire roar to the surface, burning through his dampeners. He knew he should stay away from her and fight this pull.

“You like that?” he asked quietly.

She gave a small nod.

The adrenaline of the fight mixed with the desire in his gut. She reached out her own hand and touched the tears in his shirt.

Then her hand dropped, touching the slash through the tough, supple fabric of his trousers. Her fingers stroked his thigh.

Jax groaned. Sensations cascaded over him. He’d always felt, but nothing like what Quinn stirred up inside him.

He moved, yanking her to him. He crashed his mouth down on hers. She flung her arms around him, her toned body pressed against his. She kissed him back without hesitation, her tongue plunging into his mouth. He reached up, cupping one full breast in his palm. By the sword, she felt so good.

A noise echoed down the alley.

Drak. He lifted his head. Jax was never unaware of his surroundings, and yet he’d lost himself in Quinn and forgotten where they were. Forgotten that they’d just defeated an attacker and were standing exposed in the center of Kor Magna.

“We need to go,” he said.

She nodded and stepped back, inhaling and exhaling loudly. “Who do you think sent this?” She kicked the robot’s remains.

“We’ll find out,” he said darkly.

“It reminds me a little of the robo-cat that Sleeja kept.” Her churning gaze met Jax’s. “It was an Edull creation.”

Yes, he’d heard the scavengers were skilled at creating robotic constructs. “Then perhaps this Gaarl has heard that we’re looking for him.”

Quinn’s face hardened. “And if he attacked us, then he has something to hide.”

Together, they headed down the street, back toward the arena. Jax wanted her off the streets. He scanned the rooftops. He wanted her back in the safety of the House of Rone.

He was still getting to know Quinn, but he already knew that she was never going to let him keep her locked away.

As they entered the tunnels beneath the arena, Quinn cleared her throat. “Are we going to talk about the kiss? Or should I say, kisses?”

Jax stared straight ahead. Of course, Quinn wouldn’t avoid the topic. “You’ve been through a traumatic experience.”

She stopped and Jax glanced back at her. She shot him a sharp smile and he tensed.

“So, you think my mind is confused? That I don’t know what I want?”

Jax had limited experience with women outside of bed—and even there, it wasn’t extensive—but even he knew better than to open his mouth.

“Good choice, cyborg.” She strode up to him until the tips of their boots touched. She rose up on her toes and brushed her lips over his. His hands curled into fists, and she finished with a sharp bite to his bottom lip.

Cursing, he touched his lip, blood welling.

“I know exactly what I’m thinking and feeling, Jaxer.”

“I can’t afford to be distracted, Quinn. My loyalty is to the House of Rone, and my focus needs to solely be on finding your fellow humans.”

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned recently, it’s that we all deserve something for ourselves.” With that, she spun, her blue cloak flaring, and strode down the corridor.

Jax watched her, that fluid, athletic way she moved her body. He couldn’t look away. Shaking his head, he followed her until they both stepped through the double doors into the House of Rone.

Quinn immediately disappeared, and Jax went to find Magnus. He slammed through his imperator’s office door.

Magnus sat behind his desk. He straightened, his gaze taking in Jax’s torn shirt and trousers. Then he pressed a finger to his lips and pointed at the floor.

Asha was asleep in a small chair that cupped her tiny form.

Jax still had trouble seeing Magnus as a father, but he knew better than anyone just how deep the man’s capacity to care for others ran.

“Your lead didn’t pan out?” Magnus asked.

“We have a name. Gaarl. He’s Edull.”

Magnus nodded. “And?”

“We searched for him at the metal market, but he’d vanished.” Jax touched his torn shirt. “Quinn and I were attacked by a robot. It looked like Edull construction.”

Magnus rested his hands on the desk. “Quinn’s okay?”

“Fought like a gladiator.” Jax couldn’t help but smile.

The imperator grunted.

Jax leaned a hip to the desk. “Gaarl must know something. He was asking about disposing of a broken female slave.”

Something flashed in Magnus’ eyes. “Contact Zhim and Corsair. I don’t care what it costs, find this Gaarl.”

Jax blew out a breath and nodded. Then he dropped into the chair in front of Magnus’ desk. “How did you win Ever over in the end?”

Magnus arched a dark brow. “You’re asking me advice about women? You have a different woman in your bed every few weeks.” The imperator frowned. “This is about Quinn?”

Jax gave a small nod. “I’m fighting my attraction, but I feel this pull.” He shot to his feet. “I know I should leave her alone. She’s been through so much.”

Magnus stared at his desk for a moment, then raised his gaze. “She has. And the imperator in me wants to tell you to back off, to let her heal. But if Ever has taught me anything, it is to respect her own feelings and thoughts, to not make decisions for her. You need to let Quinn decide what she wants. She’s had so much forced on her or taken away.” Magnus cocked his head. “You like her?”

Jax sighed. “Too much. I don’t have room in my life, or the skills, to give her what she needs. I have responsibilities here at the House of Rone—”

One of Magnus’ rare smiles appeared.

Jax pressed his tongue to his teeth. “You’re enjoying yourself?”

“Absolutely.”

“Like I said, I’m too busy to offer anything to a woman.” And despite the fact that he felt emotions, he didn’t have the first clue about being in a relationship.

Magnus’ brow creased. “You’re entitled to a life, Jax.”

“You have Ever and Asha now, and—”

Magnus sat back. “That’s why you’ve been trying to take on more and more work? To give me more free time?”

“You deserve it.” You saved me and I owe you.

“So do you.”

Jax looked away.

“You should woo her.”

Jax frowned. “Woo her?”

“Give her what she needs, Jax. You’re good at looking out for everyone at the House of Rone. Focus that attention on Quinn.”

Hmm. It wasn’t a bad idea. Then he shook his head. “I need to stay away. I have too much work as it is.” He wasn’t sure he deserved a woman like Quinn. So strong, so brave. “She deserves time to acclimatize to her new home, to help find her friends, and then decide what she wants from life.”

“Jax—”

He shook his head. “I need to contact Zhim. I’ll keep you updated on the search for Gaarl.”

QUINN FINISHED her workout at the gym. She’d pushed herself, and her muscles felt loose, with just the tiniest bit of an ache. But it was a good ache.

As she headed out into the corridor, she spotted Ever.

“Hi,” the other woman said. “Are you all right? I heard that you and Jax were attacked in the city.”

“I’m fine.” She fell into step with Ever. “We’re both still standing and the other guy isn’t.”

“A robot?”

Quinn nodded and gave her a brief rundown of what had happened.

Ever scowled. “I am liking these Edull less and less.”

“Where’s Asha?”

Ever smiled. “I’m working today, so she’s with her daddy.”

Quinn’s brain still stuttered every time she tried to see Magnus Rone as a daddy. She studied Ever’s smiling face. “You’re truly happy here?”

“Ecstatic. I never knew happiness like this existed. I mean, I miss Earth sometimes, but this is home now.”

Quinn nodded. She missed it, too. Every time she remembered that she’d never see her family or friends again, never buy a hot dog from a street vendor, never watch a baseball game…it left a dull ache below her heart. God, she really wanted to talk with her family soon.

“And… how is it to love a cyborg?”

Ever’s eyes flared. “Exhilarating. It’s not always easy, but he loves me and Asha completely.”

They stopped in front of the door to Quinn’s room. “I am truly happy for you, Ever.”

The woman pressed her hand to Quinn’s arm. “Any time you want to talk, my door is always open. Give yourself time to adjust, Quinn, and I think you’ll be happy here, too.”

As the woman walked away, Quinn’s head crowded with thoughts of another cyborg. One with a handsome face, who fought with deadly, lethal precision.

When she stepped into her room, she hesitated. Someone had been in here.

She spotted a small box sitting on the low table near the armchairs. Warily, she approached it. She quickly flicked it open and peered inside.

Then she gasped. It was filled with metal wire—different sizes, lengths, and metals. She touched them carefully, sifting through the pieces. Some were almost rose-colored, others a dull gray, and others bright, shiny silver. Almost every color of the rainbow was in the box.

Her chest hitched. She pulled one long piece out, testing it. It was flexible and easy to bend.

There was a note in the box and she pulled the card out. It had one letter written on it in English—J.

She dropped down into a chair, her fingers immediately moving and bending the bright piece of gold wire into a shape. She grabbed another one, working them together. She kept twisting and bending, losing track of time.

Finally, she held up her little creation—a tall gladiator with a cape.

Jax had given this to her. Somehow, he’d noticed that she enjoyed working with wire, and he’d given her a gift.

Damn the man for making her insides quiver.

Shaking her head, she set the wire down and headed into the shower. After she was clean, she changed into fresh clothes. Unable to resist, she selected more wire from the box. The cool metal slid through her fingers as she twisted it. This time, she made a flower.

There was a knock at her door and her pulse kicked. She hoped it was Jax.

But when she opened the door, it was to Toren’s expressionless face. His blond hair was pulled back and secured at the base of his neck.

“Jax has a lead on Gaarl,” the cyborg said. “He’s requested your presence.”

Her pulse spiked and she nodded. “Give me a second.” She snatched her blue cloak off the bed and tied it around her shoulders.

Without any conversation, she strode with Toren toward the front of the House of Rone. Jax was waiting for them.

Her gaze instantly went to his lips and her body came painfully alive. Damn, she wanted him badly.

“Zhim, the information merchant, said Gaarl was spotted in the underground market,” Jax told her. “Toren will come with us, and we’ll see if we can find him.”

“Great.” She straightened. “Let’s go.”

Quinn almost had to jog to keep up with Jax and Toren’s long strides. They left the arena and strode through the streets, forging a path through the crowds. Before she knew it, the cyborgs led her down a fascinating spiral ramp cut into the sides of a stone sinkhole.

Then they entered Kor Magna’s underground markets.

Quinn’s eyes widened. The large, cavernous space was filled with stalls and people. It was lit by low lights embedded in the walls, and several more natural sinkholes in the rock above acted like skylights. The stalls were loaded with goods, the store owners calling out to hawk their wares. Some sold food—most of which she couldn’t identify—while others sold clothes, jewelry, and other everyday goods.

“Toren, you head to the southern part of the market,” Jax ordered. “Ask if anyone has spotted this Gaarl.”

The blond cyborg gave one short nod and strode away, disappearing into the crowd.

Quinn studied the space, taking in all the different species of beings moving back and forth, some locked in fierce battles as they bartered for goods.

She was amazed and so very curious to explore. But today, there was no time.

“I’ll bring you back another time,” Jax said.

“Are you reading my mind?”

The faintest smile. “Not a cyborg skill, I’m afraid.”

“Well, I would like to come back here again.” She paused. “And thank you for the wire, Jax.”

His gaze shifted away and he gave a quick nod. “I thought you’d like it.”

She reached up and cupped his cheek. His gaze met hers. “I do.”

She saw heat in his deep blue eyes and her blood stirred. It seemed this man, this cyborg, only had to look at her for desire to sing through her veins.

Suddenly, a group of kids ran through the crowd, laughing and shouting. Some shop owners barked at them, but then several kids slammed into a jewelry display, knocking it over.

The display landed right between Quinn and Jax. They both leaped back to avoid getting knocked over. Beads and other items skittered across the floor.

One of the kids was tangled in a whole bunch of jewelry, and Quinn laughed. Store owners yelled, and others crowded close to help.

Quinn glanced up, but couldn’t see Jax in the commotion. Shaking her head, she took one step forward and helped untangle a struggling boy who couldn’t have been more than ten.

But suddenly, she was grabbed from behind. Quinn stiffened, and then she was dragged backward.

“What the fuck?” She started to fight her abductor, without much success.

Whoever it was, was big and strong, and was moving silently. She struggled harder, twisting and turning. But those strong arms around her just tightened.

Whoever he was, he dragged her out of the center of the market. Quinn twisted her head, and spotted several side tunnels off the main market area.

Her attacker towed her into a quiet tunnel, the hubbub of the market dimming.

When he finally released her, she spun, anger searing her nerves. Then she sucked in a breath.

She was facing down three masked Edull.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Cursing, Jax untangled the child from the goods spilled across the market floor.

“Let me go!”

“I’m trying to help you.” Jax set the boy on his feet.

Nearby, the storekeepers were busy trying to tidy up the mess. Shaking his head, Jax scanned for Quinn.

He stilled. The market heaved with people, but there was no sign of her. He drew in a breath. Even inundated with the scents of so many people, he should be able to detect her. But his enhanced senses came back with nothing. Absolutely no sign of her.

Spinning, Jax grabbed the child about to dart away.

“Hey!” The young boy glared at Jax. He had dirt streaking his cheeks, and his ragged clothes were stained, as well. He’d spent time on the streets of Kor Magna.

The boy tried to kick Jax, and Jax lifted him off the ground.

“Who hired you?” he demanded.

The boy’s black-and-brown eyes went round. “How did you know? Did you read my mind?”

“No.”

“But you’re a cyborg. You can crack my head open like a shell and pull out all my thoughts.”

The boy had a colorful imagination. “Don’t make me show you what I can do.”

The kid looked more intrigued than afraid.

“Who hired you?” Jax repeated.

The boy shrugged. “Some guys. They were pretty weird. Wore full masks over their faces, so you could only see their eyes.”

Edull. Ice moved down Jax’s spine. “Where did they take the woman?”

“No idea. But they paid us a lot of credits, so they must really want her.”

“Hey, let Ton go,” a voice cried out.

Jax turned his head and saw another kid, this one slightly smaller, looking at him belligerently.

The kid kicked Jax’s cybernetic leg, then winced, hopping on one foot. “Ow.”

“I don’t plan to hurt you.” He looked at Ton. “But those aliens will hurt my friend.”

Ton’s face twisted. “Drak, I don’t want no woman hurt. But I don’t know what they had planned.”

“I saw them.” The younger child muttered. Jax suspected it might be a girl under the dirt and tangled hair. “They went that way.” The child pointed to the other side of the market.

Jax set the boy down. “If you need food and shelter, go to the House of Rone. Tell them that Jax sent you.”

Two sets of huge eyes looked at him.

“Really?” Ton asked.

“Really. I have to go.” Jax whirled, jogging across the underground market. He elbowed through a crowd, and several people rushed to get out of his way.

With each step, blood pounded through his system.

He had to find Quinn. He’d promised to protect her.

He barreled into a side corridor. A group of people was huddled nearby, talking in low voices.

“A woman?” he called out. “Did you see some men taking a woman?”

The people looked at him for a moment, sullen and suspicious. Then a woman with a mass of dark curls stepped forward and pointed. “She didn’t look very happy.”

He nodded his thanks and spun. He sprinted down the corridor, accessing his system communicator.

“Toren, several Edull took Quinn.”

“I’ll track your location,” came Toren’s cool response.

Jax turned a corner, and spotted Quinn, her blonde ponytail flying out behind her. She was fighting three men.

Three Edull.

Anger igniting in his veins, hotter and stronger than he’d ever felt it before, Jax strode into the fight.

The closest Edull had his back to Jax. Jax lifted a boot and kicked him.

The man stumbled forward, and the other two looked up. Tight brown masks covered most of their faces, with just a small valve in place over their mouths. Dark eyes, with the tiniest pin-prick of a silver pupil, looked over the top of the masks. As the men breathed, the mask made a harsh, rasping sound.

Quinn rushed in elbowing, punching, and kicking one of the Edull. The man spun and flung out his arms. He shoved her hard, and she flew backward. Jax lunged and caught her under her arms.

The three Edull turned and ran.

Jax and Quinn looked at each other.

“Are you all right?” He boosted her upright.

She nodded. “We have to stop them.”

Together, they broke into a run. They followed the twists and turns of the tunnels, then rushed out into a crowded area. It wasn’t the main market, but a side area, with some smaller stalls set up against the rocky walls.

“Get out of the way.” Quinn shoved forward against the wall of people.

Jax stepped up behind her, and people saw him and gasped. They all stumbled, rushing out of the way.

Quinn shot him a look over her shoulder. “Guess you’re useful for something, cyborg.”

Jax caught a glimpse of the Edull ahead. “That way!”

They sprinted forward, and saw the Edull running up one of the exit ramps. Quinn was breathing heavily.

“Damn, I can’t wait until I’m back in my usual shape.” They hit the ramp, and she kept going with grim determination.

They wound around the slope. This entrance to the market was a more out-of-the-way one, and it was lined with gambling dens and drug havens. A cloud of taint smoke—a dangerous but popular drug—wafted from one doorway.

They reached the top of the ramp and broke out into the street.

“There!” Quinn yelled.

Jax spotted the Edull ducking into a side street. He touched his ear. “Toren, we’re topside.”

“I’m on my way,” Toren replied.

Jax and Quinn burst into pursuit, their boots pounding on the pavement. They dodged and weaved through people, and Jax kept his gaze on the Edull ahead.

They turned onto another street, just in time to see the Edull duck into a three-story building.

When they reached the door, Quinn grabbed the handle and yanked.

“Dammit, it’s locked.”

“Step back.” Jax turned, and rammed his shoulder against the door. The door tore off its hinges.

Quinn glanced at the broken wood and metal. “Very useful having a cyborg around.”

He shook his head, and they walked through the dark entry. A woman spotted them and screamed, clutching her children to her skirts.

Ignoring her, Jax tilted his head. Listening. The thudding sound of running feet came from above. “Upstairs.”

He and Quinn thundered up the stairs, passing several frightened residents. Jax noted the long hallways and doors.

“Looks like lodging quarters,” he said. “People can rent temporary rooms.”

They paused on the third level. Jax couldn’t hear running steps anymore. One old man spotted them and pointed upward.

Quinn cursed and went up the last set of stairs. Jax opened the door at the top and they spilled out onto the roof of the building.

“They’re getting away!” Quinn yelled.

Jax saw one Edull take a few steps back, then run at the edge of the building. He took a running leap, his robes flapping as he jumped across to the neighboring building. The others were already across.

Jax picked up speed, Quinn sprinting beside him. This woman from Earth was both relentless and fearless.

He reached out and grabbed Quinn’s hand. She pumped her other arm, and as they reached the edge of the building, they jumped. Jax used his enhanced strength to throw them high into the air.

They landed easily on the roof of the other building, rolling, and coming back up on their feet.

“Holy shit,” Quinn said, breathless. “That was awesome.”

“They’re getting away.”

They gave chase, dodging through some washing that had been strung up on lines. The Edull kept looking back, and Jax could hear the rasp of their accelerated breathing. The exertion wasn’t agreeing with them.

Suddenly, a laser blast hit the roof near the Edull. Rock exploded into the air and the Edull all dived for cover. Jax spun Quinn away from the blast, shielding her with his body.

“Damn.” Quinn turned and they both looked down.

Toren stood in the street below. A laser weapon extended from the metal enhancement on his shoulder. As they watched, the weapon swiveled, taking aim again.

Bright laser arced through the air, hitting near the Edull again.

“I want one of those,” Quinn murmured.

“It’s Toren’s main enhancement.” Jax waved at the cyborg, whose laser weapon retracted.

The three Edull broke into a run again. At the edge of the next roof, the first two Edull jumped. The third was breathing heavily and when he jumped, Jax could see he didn’t have enough power to make the jump.

The alien’s arms and legs flailed. He let out a rasping scream, crashing to the street below. He landed hard and didn’t move.

On the roof of the other building, the other two Edull yanked open a door and disappeared inside.

“Come on!” Quinn called out.

Jax looked down to the Edull on the street. He still hadn’t moved, and had likely broken his neck in the fall. Toren was striding closer and would ensure the man was dead or contained.

The gap to the next building was wider. Jax scooped Quinn into his arms.

“Hey, what are—?”

He bent his legs and leaped across the wide street. Quinn gasped. They landed with a thud on the roof of the other building.

UGH, she was so out of shape. As Jax set her down, Quinn sucked in a breath. She followed him to the doorway, and he tore it off its hinges with a careless display of power.

Quinn hadn’t quite realized just how much strength Jaxer Rone had in his cybernetically enhanced body.

They quickly moved down the stone steps and reached a landing.

“Where did they go?” She scanned the hall, doors lining the walls like a hotel. She assumed this building was also a boarding house of some kind.

Frustration clawed at her. These Edull must know something about Jayna and the others.

Jax’s head was cocked and she realized he was listening. Whatever he heard, it was too faint for her ears.

“That way.” Jax pointed down the hall. His eyes flickered. “I just ran a scan, and can sense two biosignatures that are likely Edull.”

Handy. “Can you detect humans?”

He shook his head. “Every biosign is unique, and we have an extensive database of the most well-known alien species. We don’t have enough human samples. Besides, my internal scanners have a tight range and resolution, so they aren’t often effective, especially in a crowded place.”

They reached the door, and Quinn tested the handle. Locked. No surprise there. She stepped back. “Do your thing.”

He shot her a look. “I am useful for more than just being a battering ram.”

She smiled. God, the male ego was alive and well, even on this side of the universe. “You can show me later.”

Jax lifted one boot and planted it in the center of the door. It flew inward.

They rushed inside together…just as a metal pole came swinging at them. Quinn ducked, while Jax jumped over her, sailing over the pole. He crashed into the Edull, slamming the man into the floor.

Quinn heard the snap of breaking bones and winced. Fists lifted, she spun, searching for the other Edull.

A door slammed somewhere in the sparse apartment and she turned. She strode toward the adjacent room, sensing Jax right behind her. She yanked open the final door.

The last Edull stood in the center of the room. Dark eyes met hers, and he yanked his mask off. Quinn’s gut curdled. The face beneath wasn’t pretty. He had a pincer mouth that was rapidly opening and closing, and his skin was a mottled red and brown.

The Edull started gasping.

“He can’t breathe!” Quinn yelled.

He was committing suicide and they needed answers.

She leaped for him. “Why did you come after me?”

Jax slammed the man against the wall, trying to pull the Edull’s mask back over his face. He kept gasping for air.

“The mask valve has been destroyed,” Jax said. He slammed his arm against the alien’s chest.

“You are the property of Sleeja,” the Edull rasped out.

“I’m owned by no one,” Quinn spat.

“Sleeja is a friend of my master.” Several harsh, rasping breaths. The Edull’s chest was rising and falling fast.

“Sleeja’s dead,” Quinn said.

“Who’s your master?” Jax demanded.

The Edull took another shaky breath. Jax shook him so hard that the man’s head flopped back and forth.

“Answer me!”

“Gaarl.”

“Does he have Jayna?” Quinn demanded. “Where is Gaarl? How do I find him?”

The Edull’s silver pupils were starting to grow larger. He made another rasping noise, then slumped. Quinn could see his chest wasn’t moving anymore.

“Fuck!” She spun away.

Jax dropped the man. “These are rented rooms. It’s likely they were staying here while they were in the city.” He methodically started searching the room.

Quinn walked over to the beds. They looked unused. She knew that the Edull required very little sleep. She stroked the soft green fabric on the closest bed, then spotted some bags on the floor.

She opened the largest one, rifling through it. Robes. Nothing useful. She kicked the bag, sending it sliding across the floor. She strode to the window, barely seeing the nice view of the Kor Magna Arena across the rooftops. She closed her eyes. She had nothing. No way to find the other captives.

Jax was tearing things out of the closet and dumping gear on the floor.

Then there was silence.

“Quinn?”

She turned and saw him, hands on his lean hips, staring into the closet. She strode over and spotted an object covered by a tattered cloth.

She looked at Jax. “What is it?”

“I’m scanning it. It’s not a weapon and I detect nothing dangerous.”

Quinn gripped the cloth and yanked it off.

Her stomach dropped, nausea welling in her throat. “No.”

It was a small, glass box.

And inside it, a small hand was suspended in clear liquid.

“Oh, God.” Her stomach churned, and Quinn raced toward the adjoining bathroom. She made it to the basin just before she was violently ill. She heaved again, and a second later, Jax pressed up behind her, holding her hair away from her face.

“Shh. Take it easy.”

“Jax.” She leaned into him. “That hand looks human.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Jax kept a close eye on Quinn as they walked back to the House of Rone. She was quiet and subdued, but he sensed something boiling in her, below the surface.

Toren had arrived at the rented apartment moments after they’d made their gruesome discovery. The cyborg walked behind them now, carrying the glass container.

Magnus and the healer Avarn met them in the entry of the House of Rone. Magnus glanced at the container, and a muscle in his jaw ticked.

Avarn moved closer, bending to study it. The healer lifted a small scanner. When it beeped, he studied the screen and sighed. “I can confirm that it’s human.”

“No.” Quinn’s whisper was harsh.

“I’ll take it to Medical and run some more detailed tests.”

Quinn stared at the container, then spun and strode down the corridor, her gait stiff and jerky.

Jax glanced at Magnus, then turned and followed her. He found her in her room, her hands in her hair as she paced.

“Quinn—”

She shook her head. “We both know it belongs to Jayna. This bastard Gaarl hurt her. She might not even be alive.”

Jax caught Quinn’s arms. “We’ll find her. A loss of a hand doesn’t mean death.”

“He cut off her hand!” she yelled.

“And it’s possible that she’s still out there.” Jax pulled her closer. “A loss of a limb doesn’t change who she is.”

Quinn stilled, her gaze dropping to his leg. She blew out a breath. “I know. I didn’t mean to insult you. I’m sorry. I’m just worried that she’s hurt and in pain.”

This woman felt so deeply, and cared so much. “And you’re here, whole and healthy.”

She nodded.

Jax wrapped his arms around her. “Don’t feel guilty.”

“I can’t just switch it off like you guys can. I was in charge of their security, and they got attacked and imprisoned!”

He could see the guilt was eating her alive. “I felt guilt after my escape, but in time, I realized that we all deserve to survive, to live.”

“The guilt is in me, all the time.” Her voice was a harsh whisper.

He pulled her close. “It wasn’t your fault, Quinn. There was nothing you could have done to stop the Thraxians.”

She made a choked noise, pressing her face against his chest. “My brain knows that, but my heart hurts.”

“Lean on me,” he said into her hair. “Let me help you shoulder the load.”

Her arms held him tightly. “What are you doing to me, Jaxer Rone?”

“I don’t know. I can’t seem to stay away from you, even when I know I should.” He stroked her back, and he wasn’t sure if he was comforting her or himself.

“I feel safe with you.” She looked up. “I feel like a woman when I’m with you. Not a slave or a survivor.”

Jax again reminded himself that she was still recovering. He fought for some control. He wasn’t going to touch her.

“You’ve had a bad day, Quinn. I’ll make you some ocla.”

Her hands flexed on him. “No.”

“Then I’ll let you rest.”

Her hand shifted, smoothing up his chest. “I don’t feel like resting, either.” Her fingers snagged on the metal at his shoulder. A fascinated look crossed her face as her fingers stroked where the metal met his skin.

His breath hitched. She wasn’t looking at him like he was an object to be studied, or some peculiar, edgy entertainment. Jax had learned to avoid the women that got some strange pleasure at the idea of bedding a cyborg.

No, in Quinn’s eyes, there was just curiosity. Unlike most women, she saw both the man and his enhancements.

“You fascinate me, Jax.” She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his chest. “You turn me on, make me feel alive.”

He locked every muscle in his body. In his head, he ran through several training routines, trying to dull the roar of desire flaring inside him.

“Quinn, I’m trying to be honorable here. To do the right thing by you.”

“I don’t want honorable.” She went up on her toes and her lips brushed his.

His hands clamped on her biceps.

“Do you want me to kiss you?”

Drak, he wasn’t strong enough. “Yes.”

Their mouths met, melded.

He heard Quinn moan, and Jax deepened the kiss. The little control he had slipped away. He backed her up against the wall, and as her back hit, she laughed against his lips. A sexy sound that shivered through him.

She reached up, stroking the strip of metal on his cheekbone. “I find this little touch of silver here very sexy. Actually, all of you is pretty darn tempting.”

He made a sound that was more growl than groan. He kissed her again, drowning in the taste of her.

“Hmm, looks like we’re interrupting.” An amused female voice broke the moment.

Jax groaned and pressed his forehead to Quinn’s.

She sighed. “We’re always getting interrupted.”

“We can come back later,” a smooth male voice drawled.

Jax wondered if the universe was trying to tell him something. He reluctantly pulled away from her and turned to face the newcomers.

A tall man with long, dark hair and a sharp face watched them with a lazy smile. His eyes were multicolored, like a nebula in deepest space. The woman was small, her black hair straight around her pretty face. She looked like she was trying her hardest not to laugh.

“Quinn, this is Zhim and Ryan,” Jax said. “They are the premier information merchants on Carthago.”

Zhim sketched a small bow, his nebula eyes taking in Quinn. The man absorbed any scrap of information he could. “We were passing by and thought we’d introduce ourselves.”

Quinn was looking at Ryan. “You’re from Fortuna Station.”

With a nod, Ryan moved forward, holding out her hands to Quinn. “I’m so glad that you got rescued and you’re safe. I’m Ryan Nagano.” She grimaced. “I have my own unpleasant captivity-in-the-desert story, so I really am pleased yours is over.”

Zhim moved forward, pressing his hand to the small of his woman’s back. Ryan turned and sent him a happy smile.

Quinn squeezed Ryan’s hands. “Thank you, but members of my crew are still enslaved.”

Ryan straightened, determination flowing over her features. “And we’re going to help you find them.”

Zhim nodded. “This is definitely the right job for people with our skills.”

Ryan’s hand flashed out and smacked him in the chest. The information merchant got a long-suffering look on his handsome face.

“For free, of course,” Zhim added.

Jax knew that the man had made a fortune dealing in information. It’d only been since Ryan had come into his life that he’d ever started doing favors and freebies. Helping the houses find and help people.

“Jax also asked us to contact your family on Earth,” Ryan said. “They’ve been informed that you’re alive and safe.”

Emotion crossed Quinn’s face. “Thank you.”

Not knowing exactly how he knew it, Jax sensed she needed some support. He touched the small of her back, just the way Zhim had done to Ryan. For a second, Jax thought she’d pull away, but instead she leaned into him.

Ryan beamed at them. “Your family are really keen to talk with you. We’ll schedule a call as soon as we can. The wormhole tech we use can be temperamental at times, and they need to ensure your family have the gear they need on the other end.”

“Let me know. I can’t wait to talk with them.” Quinn’s gaze flicked to Zhim. “Do you have any new information on Bari Batu? Or the Edull?”

“We’ve already been running some deep searches for any references to this Edull city.” Sympathy moved over Ryan’s face. “Nothing’s popped yet.”

“We’ll find it,” Zhim said darkly.

“Gaarl,” Jax said. “That’s the name of an Edull who came to Kor Magna. He tried to snatch Quinn at the underground market.”

“Fucker,” Ryan bit out.

“Well, he’s short three henchmen.” Quinn dragged in a breath. “And we also recovered a human hand suspended in solution from their rented quarters.”

Zhim’s head whipped up and Ryan’s eyes went wide.

“What?” Ryan breathed.

Quinn tucked a stand of hair behind her ear. “We suspect it’s Jayna’s.”

Zhim’s jaw tightened. “Sandsucker. We will find him, and we’ll get her out.”

If she was still alive. Jax saw emotion spasm on Quinn’s face and stepped closer. She pressed her shoulder against him. Jax prayed that Jayna was holding on.

“Find him,” Jax said.

“Let’s input the data now.” Ryan’s voice was filled with determination. “We can hook up to our system at home from here.” The woman pulled a set of gloves from her pocket. They were crisscrossed with silver wires.

Zhim pulled a slim comp screen from his pocket and swiped the screen. “If there is anything on this Gaarl, we’ll find it.”

Suddenly, data streamed into the air, projected from the comp screen. Ryan lifted her glove and started moving her fingers through the data.

Quinn gasped. “Wow.”

The data moved around Ryan’s fingers. “I know. The tech here is amazing.”

Ryan’s hands started moving so quickly even Jax couldn’t keep up. With Quinn, Jax watched the pair work. Zhim and Ryan traded small insults and teased each other. It was easy to see that they enjoyed working together. That they loved each other.

“Nothing from the first-level searches.” Zhim’s brow creased, his fingers tapping a beat on the screen.

Ryan heaved out a breath. “Nothing. It’s like this guy is a ghost.”

“We’ll need to visit some…associates,” Zhim said. “We need more powerful systems, where we can run deeper searches.”

Jax cocked his head. As far as he knew, Zhim had the best equipment in Kor Magna. But the man obviously had access to other resources.

Zhim caught Jax’s gaze. “As soon as we have something, we’ll let you know.”

“Thank you,” Quinn said.

Ryan moved forward and hugged her. “Stay strong, Quinn.”

After the couple had left, Jax saw Quinn staring at the floor, lost in thought. He didn’t want to leave her, but had no idea how to make her feel better. “I have a meeting with Magnus.”

She nodded, looking lost. Again, he wanted to soothe and comfort. He pressed a finger under her chin and tilted her face up.

“We won’t give up.” He flooded his voice with as much command as he could.

Her eyes flickered. “We won’t give up.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Quinn stepped off the Carthagoan version of a treadmill in the House of Rone gym. She snatched up a drying cloth and swiped it across her sweaty face.

She ground her teeth together. Not even a long run could make her stop thinking about that damn hand.

“I’m going to find you, Jayna,” Quinn whispered furiously. “Hang in there.”

She slung the cloth around her neck. At least she hadn’t collapsed in an exhausted mess on the treadmill. She was starting to feel stronger, her muscles moving better, and the annoying feeling of weakness was fading. She strode out of the gym and into the corridor.

As she passed some house servers rushing along, she nodded at them. They waved at her and offered smiles. Everyone who worked in the place seemed happy enough. She felt a pang inside. She truly wanted to belong here.

But first, she was driven to find and save Jayna and the other survivors. After that, she’d have to find herself a job. She couldn’t do nothing, couldn’t be aimless. But first, she had to find her people.

She heard a commotion in the hall ahead and paused. As she rounded the corner, she saw Jax giving orders to a group of cyborgs. They were holding an injured girl on a stretcher between them. The teen was covered in blood and sobbing. Quinn took a step forward, her heart leaping into her throat. Wild emotions seesawed inside her. The girl’s leg was mangled. Oh, God.

“We’re going to help you.” Jax’s voice was calm and soothing. He smiled at the young girl, brushing her hair back off her cheek.

“My parents?” she said shakily.

“They’re safe. They weren’t hurt badly in the accident. They’ll be waiting for you after our healers have finished healing you and giving you a new leg.”

The girl bit down on her lip. “I’m scared. I’m scared of a new leg.”

Jax crouched and rolled up the bottom half of his pants. “You’ll look like me.”

“Wow.” The girl blinked.

Jax knocked a fist against his metallic thigh. “You’ll clang like me as well.”

Now, the injured girl laughed.

Jax touched her cheek, then nodded at the gladiators carrying the stretcher. They moved off down the corridor toward Medical.

Quinn’s throat tightened. Jaxer had a good heart. He’d clearly suffered when he was younger, suffered abuse in the military program that had created him, but under his strong cyborg exterior, there was a good man.

And Quinn wanted him.

She was tired of him fighting this pull between them. She was doing fine. She felt stronger and better every day. She knew what she wanted.

She wanted the man who put his House, his cyborgs, and everyone else ahead of himself.

She wanted Jaxer Rone.

In her head, she started planning her battle strategy.

Swiveling, she headed for her quarters. She took two steps inside, and her steps faltered. Resting on the bed were several lengths of fabric and another pile of wire.

“Jax.” She touched the fabric. It was silky and impossibly soft. Lifting it, she rubbed it against her cheek.

She reached out and grabbed a piece of wire. It was a lovely silver metal shot through with filaments of blue. She bent the wire in her hand and moments later, she was holding another small figure of a gladiator, a sword in hand.

Determination filled her. She was going to get her man.

JAX STEPPED out of the shower and swiped the drying cloth over his damp skin. Next, he moved it over his cybernetic leg.

The girl had come through surgery just fine. He was pleased. She should recover well. After sorting out her recovery, he’d had some Rone weapons shipments to organize for Magnus.

Now, he just needed a lead on Jayna, Gaarl, and the Edull. And a way to keep his mind off the woman who was driving him crazy.

He wrapped the drying cloth around his waist, and strode into his bedroom. He tensed.

Someone was in his room. He scanned the space. He scented someone, just as a figure rushed out from the shadows beside his bed.

As soon as she hit him, tackling him to the floor, he knew who it was.

“Quinn,” he growled.

They rolled across the floor, and ended up with him on his back and her on top.

“It’s not a good idea to surprise a cyborg,” he told her.

“I had to do something to get your attention.” She leaned forward, pinning his arms down beside his head. They both knew he could push her off with the smallest thrust.

But he didn’t.

“I’ve been desperate to get you under me,” she said, her voice husky.

Then she leaned down and nipped his neck.

The feel of her teeth made him groan. “Quinn.”

“You want me.” Desire danced in her eyes.

Jax couldn’t deny it. His hard cock was throbbing and swollen against the drying cloth.

“And I want you,” she said firmly. “I’m crazy with it. Desperate.” She lowered her head again and licked a drop of water off his chest.

As she did, her hips undulated against him, the soft core of her rubbing against him. He ground his teeth together. He had to fight this.

“I ache, Jax.”

That made him pause. Jax wanted Quinn, and he also wanted her happy and healthy, not hurting.

He lay there, not moving, his gaze glued to her strong face. She reached out and touched the metal on his shoulder, stroking it.

Then she scooted back, sitting on his thighs. She lowered her head and dragged her teeth down the center of his chest. He couldn’t control his response, arching up to her mouth.

She moved lower, shoving the cloth downward, and licking across his abs.

“Will you be all mine?” Her gold-flecked green eyes met his. “To do with as I want?”

Jax couldn’t fight it anymore. He nodded.

She moved, her hands shifting behind her to stroke his cybernetic leg.

“I love all of you. The flesh and the metal. It’s powerful and very sexy.”

“Quinn.” His voice vibrated with need.

She lowered her head again, and kept stroking, licking, and nipping. Pushed to the edge, he reared up. He pressed her back onto the floor, glad they’d landed on the rug. He lifted his hands and cupped her breasts.

“Yes.” Her back arched.

Pounding need roared through Jax. He wanted to see pleasure explode on Quinn’s face. He gripped her leather trousers and with one yank, he tore them off her.

She gasped.

Then he reached over, cupping her between her legs.

“Jax.” She moaned.

He tore the silky panties off her next, leaving her bare. He stroked. “Soft. Wet.”

The scent of her arousal rose in the air, musky and tempting.

“I get that way around you,” she murmured.

She was watching him, her lips parted, and her cheeks flushed. He’d done that. Affected this strong woman so much. She stared at his face, and he knew that she saw all of him. She saw the man, not just his power and influence, or his metal parts.

“Are you sure you want this, Quinn?”

“Yes. Yes.”

He lowered his head and licked between her thighs.

She cried out, tugging on his hair. He sucked, then stabbed his tongue inside. Her spicy flavor tasted delicious, a delicacy he could lap at all day. But as he drove her closer to her release, he realized that he didn’t want her coming without him inside her.

He lifted his head. “Avarn gave you an implant?”

She nodded desperately.

Jax scooped her off the floor. It was too hard for her back, especially when his control was so shaky. Quinn stripped him bare.

He strode toward the wall and her shoulder blades hit it. Her legs wrapped around his hips. They were both mindless, tearing at the last of her clothes.

Her hands worked between their bodies, ripping at the drying cloth. His cock sprang free.

“Come inside me, Jax.”

“You don’t want to look? See if my cock has metal?” He was far too accustomed to women’s morbid curiosity.

Her eyes met his. “I don’t care. I just want you.”

Need roared through him. He shifted, the drying cloth slipping away, and his cock brushed between her legs. She cried out.

Then he thrust inside her.

She made a strangled sound, her nails cutting into his skin. “Big. Give me a second.”

He stayed inside her, body quivering. Perfect. She felt perfect. The muscles in his neck locked, and he flexed his ass. She was so tight and warm around his hard cock.

Holding himself still was torture, but he refused to hurt her.

Warm lips nipped his ear. “Move, Jax.”

He pulled back and thrust in again. Then again. He found his rhythm and her husky cries filled the room.

“Jax.”

He loved his name on Quinn’s lips. He shoved her thighs out wider, driving deeper. He felt her body start to clench on his cock.

A second later, she started shaking. “Oh, damn. Jax!” She started coming.

Jax kept up his heavy thrusts, his gaze locked on her face. She was the most beautiful thing Jax had ever seen.

QUINN TRIED to catch her breath after what had been—hands down—the best orgasm ever.

She turned her head, nuzzling against Jax’s neck. She heard him groan, then felt the hard flex of his muscles as his cock moved inside her.

Damn, he was still hard.

She gripped his broad shoulders and tightened her legs around his waist. She liked his body. A lot.

“That was pretty awesome,” she said.

He lifted his head, his eyes glowing as he studied her.

So damn handsome.

She licked her lips. “So, you’re still hard.”

“I’m a cyborg.”

She stilled. “You saying you can…stay up for a while?”

“Definitely.” He gave a slow thrust.

Quinn moaned.

Jax’s hands shifted, clamping onto her ass. He spun and carried her to the bed.

“I want to be on top this time,” she demanded.

He swiveled and dropped backward. She rode his delectable body down onto the bed. Straddling him, she pressed her hands to his chest.

“You feel so good, Jax. You make me feel so good.”

His hands kneaded her ass. “I like watching you above me.”

She lifted her hips, riding him slowly. God, he filled her up. She enjoyed the way his cock stretched her.

He sat up with a flex of muscle, pulling her closer so his mouth closed over one of her nipples.

“Yes.” She rocked against him. His mouth felt so good. “A little less pressure.”

The suction decreased. Perfect. She moved faster on his cock, her gaze locked on him, watching as he lavished her breasts with attention.

She liked seeing the flush along his cheekbones, the desire in his eyes. One of his hands slid down her belly, sliding between them. He touched where her body stretched to accommodate him.

Then his finger brushed her clit and she jerked.

“You like that?” he asked.

She nodded. “Oh, yeah.”

He thumbed her clit again, pinching the nub between his fingers.

Her moans increased, electric pleasure shooting through her. A second later, another sudden orgasm spiked, crashing over her. “God, Jax.”

He held her as she trembled and panted. Before she could catch her breath, Jax moved, spinning and slamming her onto her back.

Quinn looked up and her chest hitched. The tendons in his neck were strained, his face set in harsh lines. His eyes burned.

Her cyborg had reached the end of his control.

He thrust hard inside her, and started a rhythm that was out of control and punishing.

She grabbed his arms, then cried. He froze, his muscles straining.

“Did I hurt you?” His voice was a deep growl

“No.” She thrust her hips up. “Move, Jax. I can take you. All of you.”

It was like her words dissolved some barrier inside him. He hitched one of her legs up high and started thrusting inside her—hard and fast.

She held on for the wild ride.

A second later, she was coming again, and this time, her orgasm triggered his.

“Quinn.”

“I’m here.”

Jax groaned, his body shaking as he poured himself inside her.

In the aftermath, Quinn wrapped her arms and legs around him.

“Thank you.” She nipped his ear. She felt loose, languid, and happy. Several things she’d thought she’d never feel again when she was a captive, suffering Sleeja’s harsh treatment.

“For being weak against your charms?” Jax asked.

She laughed, but then seriousness pushed out the humor. “For letting me decide what I needed.”

His gaze moved over her face, then he lowered down and pressed a soft, slow kiss to her lips.

“Any time you want my body, I’m all yours, Quinn.”

She slapped a hand to his very firm ass. “In that case, tonight I’m taking full advantage.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The next morning, Jax walked through the House of Rone with a spring in his step.

He passed some house servers, and smiled at them. “Morning.”

They gave him odd looks, but smiled back.

He was happy and he didn’t care who knew. He’d spent the entire night wrapped up with Quinn. Exploring every hidden secret of her body, loving all of her.

Best night of his life.

By the sword, that toned, flexible body of hers was pure delight. She hadn’t held back, taking just as much pleasure in her exploration of his body.

Jax had always known that something had been missing from his past sexual encounters, and now he knew what it was. Having a connection to the person you were with made everything a hundred times deeper, a thousand times more meaningful.

He turned down another corridor. He’d had an early-morning training session with his fellow cyborgs. He’d been sorry to climb out of his bed, and leave Quinn sprawled there among his pillows and sheets. He liked seeing her there. A lot.

Stretching his injured shoulder, he could feel it already healing. Mace had gotten in a few hard hits during their session. The big cyborg had frowned when Jax had just smiled at him.

He needed to check in with Magnus, see if there was any news on their search for Gaarl, then he planned to track Quinn down, and lure her back to bed.

Reaching the door to Ever’s lab, he knocked and heard Magnus’ deep voice. When he entered, he saw Magnus glance at him.

But Jax’s gaze went straight to Quinn. She was laughing and it was such a gorgeous sound.

She was holding baby Asha in her arms, and smiling down at the child. Sunlight streamed through the windows, lighting up the golden streaks in her hair. Beside her, Ever was talking and Quinn was nodding.

Then, as though she sensed him, Quinn looked up and their gazes met. Her smile widened.

Jax fought a vicious punch of desire. He’d gorged himself on her all night, and she’d shown him several things he’d never had the pleasure of doing before. He wanted more.

Magnus made a noise and Jax managed to tear his gaze away from Quinn. A tiny smile flirted on Magnus’ lips.

“I want her,” Jax said.

“I can tell,” his friend replied.

Jax shook his head. “No, I want to keep her.” He swallowed. “Forever.”

Magnus’ smile widened slowly. “She’s an impressive woman. I’m happy for you, Jax.”

“It’s new. I need to make sure it’s what she wants. I won’t force her.”

“Of course not.”

Jax blew out a breath. “She needs time to work out what she wants in this new world.” What if that didn’t include him?

“One step at a time, Jax.”

He met Magnus’ gaze. “I won’t let you down. I can still do my job and ensure—”

“Jax.” Magnus gripped his shoulder. “You don’t owe me anything.”

“I owe you everything. You risked your life for me, gave up everything for me.”

“It wasn’t just for you, Jax. I wanted my freedom, too. I care about you and I wanted you to live. You’ve been my anchor to being more than an unfeeling machine all my life.”

Jax blew out a breath. “Imagine if the Orionix scientists could see us now. Talking about our feelings.”

Magnus smiled. Something else the Orionix would have been shocked by. “Live, Jax. That’s why I fought so hard for our freedom. To watch you live, love, and be happy.”

Jax pressed his hand over the top of Magnus’ and nodded.

“And make her happy,” Magnus added.

That, Jax could do. He was no expert at relationships, but he could learn.

There was a knock at the door. One of the house servers entered, holding out a small note. “For you, Imperator.”

Magnus took the note and nodded. “Thank you, Rala.” He glanced at the missive. “Zhim and Ryan are calling. We’ll take it in my office.”

Quinn handed the baby back to Ever, and walked toward them. “What’s going on?”

“My guess is, Zhim and Ryan have found something,” Jax answered.

Quinn’s jaw tightened. “Finally.”

Waving goodbye to Ever, the three of them headed for Magnus’s office. A second later, the imperator had Ryan and Zhim on the screen.

“We found some information on Gaarl,” Zhim said.

Ryan’s nose wrinkled. “This guy is a real douchebag. Comes in to buy metal and trade his creations. He makes robots.”

Quinn pressed a hand to her hip. “The Edull seem to specialize in that.”

“Their species has an affinity to metal,” Magnus said.

“What makes him a douche, though,” Ryan continued, “is that he likes to buy slaves. And he often requires new ones.”

They were all silent for a second. It was unlikely Gaarl needed an army of slaves. Jax’s fingers flexed. It was more likely that his previous slaves hadn’t survived.

Old memories skated through his mind. He knew what it was to be deemed defective and no longer useful, slated to be terminated.

“Bastard,” Quinn muttered.

On the screen, Ryan nodded.

Jax saw Zhim press a hand to the nape of Ryan’s neck. The woman moved into his touch. Such a small move, but it was clear it brought Ryan comfort.

Reaching out, Jax pressed his fingers to the nape of Quinn’s neck, brushing the soft silk of her hair. She glanced at him, then smiled. He felt a shot of warmth in his gut.

“Corsair was the one who came through with the information on Gaarl’s base,” Ryan said.

“Where?” Magnus demanded.

“He has a base, den, hideout—” Ryan waved a hand in the air “—whatever you want to call it, in the Dacton Ruins.”

Jax frowned. “It’s a dangerous area of the desert. It was where they mined for the mineral dacton, but it’s been all mined out for years.”

Zhim nodded. “That’s right. It’s pockmarked and riddled with old mining tunnels.”

“We’ll send you the coordinates,” Ryan added.

Beside Jax, Quinn vibrated with energy. “This is it. I can feel it. We’re going to find Jayna.”

Jax squeezed her neck again. He didn’t want to see her disappointed. He hoped Jayna was there. “Let’s get prepped. “

“We’re going to find her,” Quinn said again.

Jax nodded. “Whatever it takes.”

QUINN FASTENED the top of her sleek, leather trousers. She slid her hands down the fabric, and wondered what alien creature it came from. She’d have to ask Jax. These trousers were made for fighting, and would protect her, but would also let her move.

She reached over, pulling a leather harness over her tight, black shirt. Then she grabbed her staff off the bed, running her hands along it. She wasn’t good enough with a sword yet, but this would do just fine. She swung the weapon onto her back and clipped it into the harness.

“I’m coming, Jayna,” she murmured.

Lastly, Quinn picked up the vibrant-blue cloak off the bed. She stroked the fabric, then clipped it on. She was House of Rone, now. She was making a place here, a home.

And then there was Jax.

She let out a breath. Jax.

No man had ever looked at her the way he did. Wanted her like he did. She pressed a hand to her heart.

God, if anyone had told her last week, when Sleeja had her chained up, that she’d soon be having mind-blowing sex with a sexy cyborg, she would’ve laughed so hard she might have passed out. And then, if they’d told her that she’d be falling for him…

She shook her head. This wasn’t the time to focus on her love life and emotions. Right now, they had to free Jayna and get her away from Gaarl.

Quinn left her room and walked down the corridor. She spotted Jax talking quietly with the other cyborgs. He lifted his head and their gazes met. His gaze ran over her, appreciation glinting in his eyes.

Magnus stepped forward. “We’re heading to Varus’ stables. We’ll head to the Dacton Ruins via tarnid.”

The cyborgs all nodded. As always, Mace and Acton showed no emotion. Toren gave her a small nod.

The group moved swiftly out of the arena and through the city streets. As they walked under a stone archway and into a cobbled courtyard, Quinn was hit with the scent of animals and hay. The stables were busy, the place packed with tourists.

She spotted Duna on the other side of the crowd, and the young girl waved. Smiling, Quinn waved back.

“Magnus.” An older man with the body of a warrior strode forward. “Good to see you.”

“Varus.”

The man had clearly been a gladiator. As the men talked, Quinn scanned the stables.

A group of giggling women stood nearby. It appeared they were getting ready for a tour of the desert. Their harassed guide was trying to get them to focus on his talk about the tarnids, but several of the women were too busy looking at the cyborgs.

Two women detached from the group and headed for Jax. Quinn’s gaze narrowed. The women, both with long hair past their waists, plastered themselves against him. Touching him.

Quinn stiffened, anger and jealousy surging through her. Then Jax smiled at the women.

What the hell? At least he wasn’t touching them back. Deep breath, Quinn. He hasn’t exactly had a lot of relationships.

“Hey, Quinn!”

She glanced down and saw Duna. “Hey, there.”

“You ready to head into the desert?”

Quinn lifted a shoulder. “I can’t say it’s been my favorite place.”

Duna’s face turned serious. “I’ll make sure you get where you’re going and find your friend.” She turned. “Varus is bringing the tarnids now.”

Quinn lifted her head and saw the former gladiator and another of his stable hands leading several of the huge beasts their way. The lead tarnid snorted, its hooves clattering on the stone.

“For you?” Varus held out the reins for a tarnid with deep-green scales. The animal lifted one of its six hooves and stomped.

“He’s gorgeous.”

“He likes you.” Varus nodded at her. “You are an honorable woman to help find your friends.”

“I won’t leave any of them out there to suffer.”

With Varus’ help, she swung up into the saddle, finding her seat.

Jax appeared, frowning. “I thought you’d ride with me.”

“No, thanks.” She looked away.

He paused. “Is something wrong?”

“Yes.”

His frown deepened. “What is it?”

She sighed and saw confusion on his face. The man literally had no idea what had upset her. She blew out a breath. “Those women. They were touching you.”

“The tourists? They meant nothing to me.”

She growled. “That’s a pretty standard line when a man is disloyal to a woman.”

He stiffened. “I would never be disloyal.”

Magnus and Duna were already heading out on their tarnids. The mission had to be the priority. “We’ll work it out later, Jax.” She kicked her tarnid forward.

A few of the glittery women were close by, and as the tarnid neared, they scuttled out of the way.

When she looked around, the other cyborgs were almost all seated. Scary Acton’s face was its usual metallic mask, but she got the distinct impression that the cyborg disliked riding a live animal. She saw Jax grab the reins of a tarnid, and swing onto the beast with a lithe move that showed his strength. She couldn’t stop herself from watching him.

Blowing out a breath, she followed Magnus out of the stables. The imperator rode like he’d been doing it all his life. Duna was ahead, looking tiny on her giant tarnid.

It wasn’t long before they left the city behind and entered the desert. As sand stretched out ahead, her belly clutched. This place had been her prison for months. She wasn’t exactly thrilled to be back here.

But her feelings weren’t important right now, freeing Jayna was.

Ahead, Duna chattered to Magnus. The young girl appeared to be talking a mile a minute to the cyborg, who didn’t appear to be responding.

They rode on, and then Quinn felt hands snag in her cloak. Then, she was unceremoniously scooped off her tarnid.

“What the—?” She landed in a hard lap, and knew exactly who was behind her.

She looked straight ahead, seeing Mace reach out and take the lead of her tarnid. He shot her an inscrutable look, which she returned with a glare, before he urged his own tarnid ahead, hers jogging behind.

She struggled in Jax’s lap.

“Hold still.”

“Screw you.” She elbowed him in the gut.

Of course, the damn cyborg didn’t react.

“Quinn, are we fighting?”

She looked up at him. “People in a relationship do that sometimes.”

His lips quirked. “We’re in a relationship.”

“Yes, which means only I get to touch you.”

A glimmer of understanding shone in Jax’s eyes.

“You’re mine.” Because she couldn’t stop herself, she lifted a hand and cupped his cheek.

“I only want you, Quinn. I’ve never wanted any woman the way I want you.”

Damn. She melted into him. She had to remember that Jax was a cyborg. Understanding all the nuances of emotion and relationships was new to him.

“Let me put it this way. Imagine if I pressed myself against a man, allowed him to touch me—”

Jax jerked her close. “I’d kill him.”

She smiled. God, her cyborg. “Then you understand. No one gets to touch you, Jax. Not while you’re mine.”

“Deal.” He lowered his head, his mouth taking hers.

Mmm. Quinn gripped him hard, kissing him back.

“Remember, this isn’t a pleasure tour. We have a dangerous Edull to capture,” came Magnus’ dry voice.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Jax spotted the first of the old mines. The ground was pockmarked, like hundreds of animals had clawed at the sand and rock, leaving depressions. In places, large piles of sand loomed.

“By the way, I meant to ask—what is dacton?” Quinn asked.

He tightened his arms around her. He’d been happy that she’d stayed with him on his tarnid for the rest of the journey. “It is a valuable metal that had lots of different uses. It’s been completely mined out on Carthago.”

Magnus glanced back. “We’re almost at the coordinates.”

Jax felt Quinn tense, her gaze glued to the surroundings.

They moved past several rusted relics. It was impossible to tell what the metal frames had once been. It was so deteriorated, that not even the desert scavengers had pillaged it.

“There.” Quinn pointed.

Jax eyed the mine entrance. It was dug down into the ground, supported by shiny metal poles. This was no abandoned place.

A ramp led into the ground, a dark, looming gash in the ground.

They halted the tarnids and slid off. Duna was tying off the reins and checking the animals over, patting their hides.

“If you see anything that concerns you, you run,” Magnus told the girl.

Duna lifted her head, tossing her braids over her shoulder. “I can take care of myself, Imperator.” She patted another tarnid. “These guys will warn me if anyone is sneaking up on us. Besides, the desert had been my home my entire life.”

“If we don’t return—”

“I head back to the House of Rone, and ask the House of Galen to send reinforcements.”

Magnus nodded. Turning to the mine entrance, they left Duna and the sunshine behind, heading into the darkness.

Jax handed out small lights that the cyborgs clipped onto their harnesses. They all had excellent night vision, but Quinn didn’t. The small beams speared into the gloom, highlighting the rock walls. As they walked, the walls shimmered with glimmers of sparkling mineral veins.

They continued on, and the air became more humid. The ramp descended at a reasonable angle. In places, smaller tunnels branched out, disappearing into darkness.

Suddenly, Magnus held up a hand. The tunnel was bisected by a huge chasm. Magnus peered over the side.

“Isn’t far to the bottom. It appears there was some sort of ladder here in the past, but it’s rusted away.” Then, without another word, Magnus jumped into the hole.

Jax heard Quinn gasp.

“God, it freaks me out when you guys jump off things.”

A second later, Magnus’s deep voice drifted up. “It’s safe.”

Quinn shook her head. “He’s lucky he didn’t impale himself on something.”

One by one, the other cyborgs all leaped into the darkness. Jax wrapped an arm around Quinn and she threw her arms around his neck.

“Okay, I’m ready.” She didn’t sound very pleased.

He squeezed her hip, then jumped.

He heard her breath catch. They dropped, and a moment later, landed at the bottom with a small bend of his knees.

“That was so cool!” Her voice lowered, her lips brushing his ear. “I get so turned on when you do super-cool cyborg things.”

He shook his head. “Now’s not the time to get me aroused.”

Her grin was white in the darkness and Jax felt warmth in his chest. He’d spend every day trying to make her smile.

The bottom of the chasm was ringed by the entrances to lots of tunnels. Jax saw the glow of Magnus’ cybernetic eye. He was likely running scans.

“That way.” Magnus nodded his head at one tunnel.

They headed into the passageway. Jax saw no indication that anyone lived down here. If this was Gaarl’s hideout, he hid it well.

Jax hoped they were in the right place.

Suddenly, a small, buzzing sound filled the tunnel. Everyone paused, and Jax strained to detect what was generating the noise.

The buzzing got louder.

Magnus pulled his sword out of its scabbard. “Be prepared.”

A cloud of small flying insects came around the corner of the tunnel, glinting in the light. They dipped and weaved as a group. As they neared, Jax realized they weren’t insects, they were tiny, flying robots.

The insects hit their group like a wave. Jax felt biting pinches on his cheek and chest. He heard grunts from the other cyborgs and curses from Quinn.

She waved her hands around, slapping at the tiny bots. “The damn things sting.”

Beside them, Acton lifted his arms. A pulse of energy filled the air.

The cloud of insects froze, then collapsed to the ground.

Quinn’s eyes went wide. “That was neat. Thanks, Acton.”

Acton inclined his head.

Jax noticed a streak of blood on Quinn’s cheek, but she swiped it away herself, and crouched. She picked up one of the insects between her fingers.

Jax frowned at it. It was crude engineering. Very simple, with parts held together by magnets.

“Definitely Edull,” Quinn said.

“Let’s keep moving,” Magnus ordered.

Their group continued on, but now everyone had their senses and scanners wide open. Suddenly, there was a vibration in the floor. Magnus stepped back, just as a large, circular saw blade speared up through a small groove in the bottom of the tunnel. It sliced across the tunnel, and then back again.

Magnus stared at it. “I believe Gaarl has set some booby-traps.”

“Great,” Quinn muttered.

Jax touched her arm. “Stay close.”

Magnus curled his cybernetic hand into a fist, then he waited, watching the moving blade. He punched out, shattering the weapon.

Coolly, the imperator stepped over the metal remnants and kept moving.

“Badass,” Quinn murmured.

They kept walking, and without warning, a large block of stone slammed down from the roof right beside Jax and Quinn. He rammed into her, knocking her out of the way.

“Thanks,” she said breathlessly.

“You’re welcome.”

Projectiles whizzed out from holes on the side of the wall.

“Fuck.” Quinn dived on Jax and they crashed to the ground.

“Thank you,” he said.

“Anytime, cyborg.”

As they rose Jax saw large knives shoot up out of holes in the ground farther down the tunnel. In a flash, he realized that they were standing on similar holes.

“Move.” As the far knives retracted, Jax pulled Quinn closer. Knives shot up from where they’d been standing.

“It’s like an obstacle course,” Magnus called out.

“Like the circuit,” Quinn murmured.

“Everyone up,” Jax said. “Run it.”

Ahead, Acton bent his knees and leaped toward the roof. He used his cybernetic arms to cling to the ceiling, then climb along it.

As a block slammed down, Magnus leaped on it and ran across it, diving over and dodging more booby-traps.

Mace followed along behind the imperator, leaping over some spinning blades. Toren raced down the side wall, jumping and spinning over booby-traps.

“Go,” Jax told Quinn.

Her jaw set with determination, she took off at a run. He watched her dive, roll, then leap to her feet. She dodged some swinging knives, then turned sideways, squeezing through a narrow gap between two blocks. She moved gracefully, like a dancer.

Jax followed her. He raced into the course, leaping over axes that swung up from the bottom of the wall. He sprinted along a block, somersaulting through the air. As he landed, several swinging knives came at him at neck level. Drak.

Fingers closed on his wrist and yanked him out of danger.

“God.” Quinn patted him down. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I’d already memorized the timing of the booby-traps.”

“Don’t scare me like that!”

Jax blinked at her. He was a cyborg. No one ever worried about him like she did. “I am very difficult to kill, Quinn.”

She made a sound deep in her throat, then pressed her cheek to his chest.

Acton dropped down from the ceiling and the others gathered around them. A loud hum started, emanating from beneath their feet.

“What now?” Quinn said.

Suddenly, Acton started sliding along the tunnel.

“Acton!” Jax yelled.

“Magnetic force is pulling me—” Acton’s arms whipped upward, his face strained.

Jax felt the pull on his leg. “There’s a powerful magnet.”

They raced after Acton. The cyborg had the highest quantity of metal enhancements. At the end of the tunnel, Acton slammed into the wall, pinned there.

Jax and Mace raced over, gripping Acton’s arms.

“Watch the magnet,” Jax said. “It must be embedded in the wall.”

They kept their own bodies clear of the wall and tried to free Acton. Jax heaved, putting all his enhanced strength into it. The veins in Mace’s neck were bulging.

“Drak,” Mace bit out.

“The magnet’s too strong.” Jax met Magnus’ gaze.

“Go on,” Acton said, no emotion in his voice. “I’ll get free and follow you.”

Magnus glared, and Jax knew his friend was torn. They never left anyone behind.

“I’ll get free,” Acton repeated.

Finally, the imperator nodded. “Don’t take too long. If you don’t find us, we’ll come back for you.”

Acton nodded.

Jax grabbed Quinn’s hand, and together they followed Magnus and the others into a side tunnel.

There were no more booby-traps. A second later, they stepped out into a large, cavernous space.

It was lit by lights glowing from places along the wall and floors. Huge, towering piles of scrap formed great mounds. Some brushed the rock ceiling high above.

Jax also noticed large pieces of old mining equipment, partly rusted, dotted around the cavern. Remnants of an older time when the mine was thriving.

Now, it echoed with silence.

Where are you hiding, Gaarl?

QUINN WALKED SLOWLY through the mounds of scrap. Sleeja would be in fits of joy if the asshole was still alive.

She reminded herself that he was gone, and she was free.

Now, it was time to free Jayna.

If she was still alive. Quinn swallowed. If she was even here. They hadn’t seen any sign of occupation.

No. Quinn couldn’t let herself think thoughts like that. They were going to find her.

Suddenly, she heard clanking echo from deeper in the cavern. Her heart leaped into her throat. It was a familiar sound. The cyborgs all froze.

A second later, a robot appeared on top of one towering pile of junk.

Her heart slammed hard against her ribs. “Jax.”

“I see it.”

A robo-cat. The damn thing was exactly the same design as Sleeja’s.

Quinn reached up and pulled her staff off her back. And that’s when she saw more movement in the dim light, heard more metal hitting metal.

More robotic cats appeared. An entire pack of them.

A shiver worked its way down Quinn’s spine. So many.

Then, the lead cat snarled, and the pack moved forward. A pack clearly readying to attack.

Fury hit Quinn like a tidal wave. Sleeja’s robo-cat had made her life a damn misery. It was time for some payback.

The cyborgs shot forward, moving fast and with pure power. She watched Magnus slam his cybernetic hand into one cat, crunching its head with the blow.

Jax picked up some junk pieces from the ground, then threw them like he was a starting quarterback. With the power behind them, they hit another cat so hard that they knocked the cat off the pile of scrap. It went tumbling down the heap.

One cat leaped at Magnus. The imperator grabbed it and threw it into the air. Mace caught it, and ripped it apart with his bare hands.

Jeez. These cyborgs weren’t messing around.

A bolt of neon laser zipped forward, hit one cat, then rebounded off it and hit another, then continued on and hit a third cat. The robots all started shaking, their systems disrupted. She turned her head and spotted Toren, his sleek shoulder weapon aimed. She loved those damn ricochet blasts.

A robo-cat clanked as it raced toward Quinn. She braced and lifted her staff. The cat leaped off the ground, and she ducked in low. She whirled the staff around and smacked it into the machine’s torso, fueled by her anger.

The cat flew to the side, crashing into some old machinery. It struggled to get back on its feet. Quinn stalked over it, and landed several more punishing blows until the light in its eyes died.

She lifted her head and saw two of the cats running at Jax.

“Jax!” She turned and ran to intercept.

Jax smiled at her. Smiled in the middle of a damn fight. She shook her head, then saw him kneel down and point at the cats. When she realized what he wanted, she smiled back at him.

Quinn slammed her boot into his back and he moved upward, propelling her into the air.

She swung her staff hard. She took down one cat, knocking it out of the air.

The other landed in front of Jax. A second later, he’d ripped the cat’s head off.

“More incoming,” Magnus warned.

Quinn saw them coming, a lot of them. Her gut hardened and she gripped her weapon tighter. She wasn’t going to be afraid. She was done with that.

As she faced these advanced robots, she felt much as she had when the Helios had been attacked. She’d known they were outgunned and didn’t have the tech to match the Thraxians. In her heart, she knew there was nothing she could have done to save all her crew.

But now, she was no longer alone.

Jax threw his arm out and light flowed through his tattoo. Quinn watched his arm glow with a mix of admiration and desire. Damn, her cyborg was hot.

Now, she had a chance to shake off her guilt and save the rest of the Helios survivors, and then she was going to enjoy the hell out of making a life with her own personal cyborg.

A cat launched at him and he gripped its jaws. Electricity ran over it and it shuddered wildly.

Quinn turned, assessing the situation. Just in time, she saw a cat—one that was bigger than the others—leap at her.

Fuck.

She swung her staff up, but the size and momentum of the cat’s body sent it flying out of her hand. Its weight crashed into her, and she hit the ground hard. Pinned, she looked up into a set of huge, metal jaws.

Her pulse pounding, she struggled, but the damn thing was too heavy to push off. The robot lowered its head…and sank its teeth into her cloak that was bunched at her shoulder.

It shifted off her and started dragging her away from the fight.

Hell, no. Memories peppered her. Sleeja’s cat had always dragged her back to him.

She craned her neck to get a glimpse of the cyborgs, to try to get their attention, but the gladiators were all fighting, so no one had noticed what was happening. With a sudden twist, the big cat rolled her over, and wrapped her up in the cloak. Fabric covered her head.

“Help!”

But Quinn already knew the sounds of fighting were too loud. Even with cyborg hearing, they wouldn’t be able to hear her. She wriggled and bucked, but she couldn’t see, could barely breathe.

She kept struggling, as the robot dragged her across the ground.

The sounds of the fight faded. Dammit to hell.

Quinn ground her teeth together and dragged in a breath. Bring it, asshole, because I am done being anybody’s victim.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Quinn tried to conserve her strength.

Her body bumped over something uneven on the floor. Maybe a doorway. She had the sense of less light around her.

She swallowed. Jax would come for her. She just had to stay calm and stay alive.

“Useless, aggravating humans.”

The raspy voice made her freeze. Whoever was talking was wearing a mask. It had to be Gaarl.

Quinn played dead, and the cat released her.

“I know you’re conscious.” A hard kick landed in Quinn’s side and she stifled a groan.

Suddenly, the cloak was torn off her face. She glared up at the Edull man. Black robes covered his body, and black, black eyes lined with what looked like cracks of silver peered above his mask.

His harsh breathing—that spooky, mechanical rasp through the valve—filled the air.

“Gaarl, I presume.”

“Bringing the drakking House of Rone down on me!” He shook his bald head and went to kick her again. This time, she dodged.

“Where’s Jayna?” Quinn demanded.

“I ask the questions, slave.”

“I am no one’s slave.” Quinn pushed to her feet. “Where. Is. She?”

“You mean the useless, broken human?” He shrugged. “She was worthless.”

Quinn stomach went tight. “You cut off her hand.”

Another careless shrug. “She was worth more to me in bits. I paid good coin for her at Bari Batu, but she was broken. I had to recoup my investment somehow.”

“She’s a person, not a thing, you asshole.”

He ignored Quinn’s outburst. “I had a collector lined up for her hand. He enjoys unique things.” Quinn sensed that he was smiling behind his mask. “I am certain he’ll buy other parts of her, as well.”

Quinn fought to control her monstrous rage. She wanted to leap on him, beat him until he was nothing but pulp. But the robo-cat was sitting nearby, unmoving, its glowing eyes on Quinn.

“Where is she?” Quinn asked again.

“Around. Now you…” His gaze ran down her body. “You’ll make a much better slave.”

She glared at him, fire running in her veins. “You’ve made a big mistake, Gaarl. I’m no longer a powerless abductee, far from my planet. The House of Rone will come for me.” She knew it deep in her heart.

Jax was her sentinel. He’d stand between her and danger. Or if she asked, he’d hold a weapon and help her fight.

Gaarl made a harsh sound. “Cyborgs are not sentimental. They prize logic and fact. And I know the imperator of the House of Rone is a savvy businessman. If they can’t find you, they’ll simply give up and leave.”

“You’re very wrong.”

She knew that was what everyone saw when they looked at the House of Rone cyborgs—the cool, emotionless exteriors, the enhancements, the metal. But she now knew that the cyborgs felt emotion, although they might not always understand it and kept it well hidden. They were protectors, and the one thing they truly understood was loyalty. Gaarl didn’t comprehend that at all.

And this alien scavenger certainly didn’t understand her.

Quinn launched herself at the Edull.

She managed to get her hands around his neck, squeezing. He grunted and she gripped him harder.

He made an enraged noise. “Phax!”

She heard the clank of the robo-cat, but held on. Gaarl started to sag beneath her grip. Then, sharp claws swiped along her back.

Quinn cried out, her hold loosening. Gaarl staggered sideways.

She struggled to block the stinging pain, feeling the wetness of blood on her skin. But as her gaze landed on Gaarl, she knew she couldn’t let the bastard get away.

She threw herself at him again, her hands sinking into his robes. They spun in a circle.

“Humans, nothing but trouble,” he rasped.

“Edull, nothing but assholes.”

He shoved her, and Quinn went back one step.

“It will be a shame to break you.”

He shoved her again. She stumbled backward, and felt the rock floor disappear from beneath her boots.

Quinn gasped and waved one arm for balance, the other clutching Gaarl’s robes. She teetered on the edge of a huge hole.

Gaarl stared at her, and she could tell he was smiling behind his mask again.

“I won’t stop until you’re dead,” she spat.

He gripped her wrist, then squeezed. She gritted her teeth, feeling her bones grind together. Her fingers released his robes and he gave her another shove.

Quinn fell backward into the darkness and screamed.

JAX ALMOST WISHED he could block out the emotion choking him. He couldn’t find Quinn anywhere, and panic was a slick burn in his system.

“I can’t detect her anywhere.”

Mace lifted his head. “The residual dacton is distorting our scans.”

“Your woman is resourceful,” Magnus said.

The group circled around another pile of scrap, searching for any clue of where she might have gone.

Or where she’d been taken. Jax had no doubt that someone had snatched her.

They’d finished dealing with the pack of robo-cats, only to realize Quinn was missing.

“Your woman can protect herself,” Mace added. “She is skilled.”

“And attractive,” Toren said.

Jax turned his head to glare at the man, but inside, his gut was tight. Where was she? Gaarl had to have her.

If he hurt her… Jax blew out a harsh breath. He was going to find her. Blinding emotion filled his chest, and he lifted a fist to rub across his sternum.

He glanced at Magnus. “What does love feel like?”

“A hammer to your heart. It can be debilitating, if you let it. It can twist you into something possessive and jealous. Or, it can teach you to savor and trust.” Magnus’ eyes glowed, and Jax knew he was thinking of Ever. “It is both the need to protect her and set her free. To know she has everything she needs. It can make you feel like you’re flying.”

Mace grunted. “I don’t like flying.”

“Love is to be your woman’s protector,” Jax said. “Her shield, her partner.”

“And to soften,” Magnus said. “But only for her.”

“I’m in love with Quinn,” Jax said.

“I know.” Magnus had a faint smile on his face.

Toren shook his head. “I don’t understand the attraction to these Earth women.”

“Let’s find your woman, Jax,” Magnus ordered. “Spread out.”

They crossed the cavern, searching for any clues. Jax caught the faint whiff of Quinn’s scent. He followed it as far as he could, twisting through the scrap piles. But then it petered out and he cursed.

Hands on his hips, he stared blindly at the ground. Time was ticking.

Then, he spotted scrape marks in the dirt. His muscles tensed. Like someone had been dragged through here.

“I’m coming, Quinn.” He trusted that his woman would be searching for a way to save herself, but she’d also be waiting for him. He raised his voice. “Over here.”

The cyborgs walked his way, when, all of a sudden, there was a whizz of sound overhead.

A medium-sized, flying robot came whirling around one of the tall piles of scrap. It spiraled around like a rotor, looking like a small whirlwind.

“Watch out!” Jax yelled.

The flying machine swooped over them, and all the cyborgs dived to the ground. As it whizzed overhead, Jax spotted several lethally sharp, spinning blades.

Rising, Jax pulled out his sword.

The robot dived at them again, aiming at Toren. The lean cyborg ran, his body turning to a blur, then dived over some rusted equipment, rolling through the dirt.

The machine swiveled, then locked onto Jax. It flew at him.

Jax braced himself and raised his sword. Wait. Wait. He swung his weapon.

The sword hit the whirling blades and snapped. But it disrupted the robot enough to send it veering sideways. It crashed into the scrap pile, cutting through the scrap. Metal pieces flew everywhere, then the robot flew out the other side. It rose into the air, turning in a wide arc as it righted itself.

It turned and arrowed straight back at Jax.

He didn’t move.

“Jax!” Magnus yelled.

Jax focused, pulling in a slow breath. Then, as the robot rushed at him, he ducked. He thrust his hands up, grabbing onto the robot, just below the blades. It lifted him off the ground.

His body jerked as the machine whizzed upward, flying through the cavern, Jax’s body swinging beneath it. It turned sharply, and Jax’s legs hit a scrap pile.

He felt leather and skin tear. His jaw tight, he released one hand and formed a fist. He punched into the robot’s center. He felt the sting of cutting blades, but blocked out the pain. He punched again.

The robot jerked, moving wildly. The lights on the side of it winked out.

It stopped midflight, then plummeted toward the ground.

Drak. Jax let it go. He hit the ground hard enough to rattle his bones, then rolled, and came back up on his feet.

When he turned, he saw he was standing right beside a hidden door that blended into the rock wall.

And he scented Quinn.

“There’s a door here!” He heard the others running, but didn’t wait. Quinn had been in Gaarl’s hands too long already.

Jax lifted his cybernetic leg and kicked down the door with one blow.

Inside the small, dark room, a man turned in a whirl of robes.

Jax saw the mask. Edull.

“Gaarl,” he growled.

With a flap of robes, the man turned and ran. Jax smiled. Never run from a cyborg. Jax chased him.

A second later, he had the Edull pinned to the wall, an arm pressed to his throat. “Where is Quinn?”

The Edull stared mutinously over his mask.

“Answer me.”

“She’s dead,” Gaarl rasped.

Horror and pain slammed into Jax. For a blinding second, he couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe.

“Steady,” Magnus said from behind him.

Jax blinked, sensed the others standing behind him.

“The woman from Earth is dead.” Gaarl’s laughter was ugly and harsh. “She had spirit, though. I would have liked breaking her.”

Jax slammed the man against the wall. “Where is she?”

Gaarl lifted a hand, tearing at Jax’s arm and making choking noises. Jax relaxed his hold a little.

Then Gaarl’s hand moved and yanked his mask off.

Jax cursed, seeing that ugly pincer mouth open and close. The Edull’s breathing turned labored. Jax tried to slam the mask back on him, but Gaarl turned his head.

“Magnus!”

The imperator grabbed the Edull’s head and held him. Jax got the mask in place, just as a terrible rattle echoed in Gaarl’s chest and he slumped.

“Drak!” Jax threw the Edull’s body to the ground. He spun. “Is anyone picking up any biosigns?”

All his fellow cyborgs were silent.

“No,” Magnus said quietly.

Pain cut through Jax. Quinn.

OW. Her back aching like hell, Quinn lay on the rocky ground, staring up into the darkness.

She could see some faint light above. Far above. Gaarl had pushed her down a big, old, dirty shaft.

Sitting up, she assessed her aches and pains. She was almost certain she hadn’t broken anything, but she felt like she’d been hit by a speeding truck.

Fucking Gaarl. She wanted to rip his head off.

She heard a noise in the darkness beside her.

She froze, peering into the dark, but down in the bottom of the hole it was pitch black. Another sound, a body shifting. Then a creature breathing.

Quinn moved into a crouch. She didn’t have a weapon, dammit. There was movement in the shadows, and her pulse spiked. She moved her hand along the ground, and her fingers closed over a decent-sized rock. Better than nothing.

Something that looked like a small animal burst out of the darkness. It neared her, then scuttled backward a step.

Quinn flicked on the light at her shoulder, and gasped.

Wild, tangled, brown hair fell over a pale face.

Quinn hissed. “Jayna?”

The woman pulled back, fear on her dirt-streaked features. There was no recognition in her eyes.

“Jayna, it’s Quinn. From the Helios.”

The woman’s gaze dropped to the ground and she curled in on herself. She was clutching her left arm to her chest. It was wrapped in bandages that were stained rust-red.

Quinn tasted bile in her mouth. Dammit, Gaarl hadn’t treated the wound properly when he’d taken Jayna’s hand. It was dirty and likely infected.

“Jayna.” Quinn kept her voice calm and low. “I’m here to help you.”

She needed to gain Jayna’s trust. Crossing her legs, Quinn sat down.

“I’m from the Helios, the exploration ship we both worked on. I was security chief, and you were a scientist. We know each other.”

Jayna glanced at Quinn through her snarled hair.

Quinn looked around the hole. “I’m going to get you out of here. Then you’ll be free.”

Jayna tilted her head. “Free?”

“Yes.”

“Sunlight.”

Quinn bit her lip and mentally called Gaarl every nasty name she could think of. “Yes, I promise.” She held out a hand. “We’ll get out of here together.”

Jayna inched closer. She paused, staring at Quinn’s hand. Then she lifted her own. Her nails were broken and dirty. Her fingers brushed over Quinn’s palm, before Jayna yanked her hand back.

Quinn rose. “We need to find a way to get out of here.”

“No way out.” Jayna’s voice sounded rusty.

Circling the space, Quinn ran her hands over the rock walls. She was hoping for a door, a ladder, hell, she’d take a crack she could climb.

Nothing. Her shoulders drooped. There were no exits, no tunnels, no trapdoors.

She lifted her head, looking up the vertical rock walls. She couldn’t see any way to climb out, either. Stepping back, her boots hit a container. From the smell, she realized that was what Jayna had been using for a bathroom.

Gaarl was a fucking dead man.

Quinn kept circling the hole, and heard something crunch under her feet. She aimed her light down. Bones. They’d been gnawed on.

“The monster…he throws food,” Jayna whispered.

“Once we get out, we’re going to a city. There, you’ll have a lovely room, a bed, real food.”

Jayna’s teeth sank into her bottom lip.

Quinn cupped her hands around her mouth. “Help! Anyone up there?”

Where was Jax? She pulled in a breath. He should have found her by now. Worry trickled into her veins. What if Gaarl had hurt him? Her stomach rolled.

Suddenly, she felt a tiny flutter of a touch on her back. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Jayna touching her. Trying to soothe her.

Quinn forced herself to find some calm and smiled. “Don’t worry. We’ll find a way out.”

God, she hoped to hell she wasn’t lying. If the cyborgs killed Gaarl, but couldn’t find her and Jayna, they’d starve to death.

No, screw that. She’d find a way to climb out.

Thump.

The loud noise made Quinn spin.

Thump.

Two big bodies landed in the center of the hole, both bending low, hands to the floor.

Jayna made a terrified sound.

Quinn saw Mace rise, big and imposing. Jax rose beside him.

Elation rushed through her. “Jax!” She ran to him and leaped on him. “Where the hell have you been?”

He threw his arms around her, his hold impossibly tight. “I thought you were dead.” He buried his face in her neck.

“I’m fine.” She hugged him back, absorbing his warmth.

“Gaarl said…” Jax just held her tighter. So much emotion pumped from her cyborg.

“I’m here, I’m alive.” She stroked his hair. “And I found Jayna.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Jax breathed Quinn in. He felt the steady beat of her heart in her chest, and it eased something inside him.

He glanced beyond her, and saw the woman crouched on the ground.

“It’s okay, Jayna,” Quinn murmured. “They’re friends.”

The woman didn’t look reassured, and Jax felt a rush of anger at what had been done to her.

Mace took a step forward, and Jayna backed up against the wall.

Detaching from Jax, Quinn held out a hand. “This handsome cyborg here is Jax. And that big guy is Mace. While they might look scary, I promise you that they’re here to help us.”

Jayna’s body vibrated with tension.

Her expression filled with sadness, Quinn looked back at Jax. “We need to find a way out. She’ll feel better once we’re out of here.”

Jax and Mace both looked up.

“We can’t jump back up,” Jax said. “This hole is too deep.”

“Where are the others?”

“We broke into groups to search for you.”

She nodded. “Okay, well—”

The ground started to tremble, a rumble of sound that echoed off the walls. Small rocks tumbled down on them.

Jayna made a frightened noise, and, this time, when Mace moved closer to her, she didn’t shy away from him.

Jax gripped Quinn’s arm, widening his stance to keep his balance.

“Jax, what’s happening?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know.” He touched his ear. “Magnus? Magnus?” He cursed. “No contact. The remaining traces of dacton cause too much interference.”

“This has to be Gaarl’s doing,” Quinn muttered.

“Gaarl is dead.”

Her eyebrow rose. “Good. Hear that, Jayna?”

“Unfortunately, the man had a talent for creating robot guards and booby-traps.” And he’d clearly left something for them.

Without warning, the far wall of the hole burst outward.

Rock and dirt flew everywhere. Jayna screamed, and Mace snatched her off the ground. Silver flowed over his body and he curled around her.

Jax dived on Quinn, pressing her flat. Chunks of rock slammed into his back.

When he lifted his head, he saw Mace—now completely covered in metallic skin—covering a struggling, screaming Jayna. Then a robotic snort filled the air.

Swiveling, Jax watched a huge robot beast with four long arms lumber through the hole in the wall. It was made out of scrap metal parts that were overlapped together.

Drak.

“What the hell is that?” Quinn breathed. “It looks like a four-armed, robot gorilla.”

“One of Gaarl’s creations.”

The robot roared, and swung two of its powerful arms. It hit the shattered wall, and more rocks rained down.

Time to move. Jax bounded up, pulling Quinn with him. As they backed up, he got a glimpse beyond the creature of the hole through which it’d come.

“There’s a room behind it.” Lights glowed from within. He saw benches and equipment. Realization. “It’s Gaarl’s workshop.”

The robot roared again. It had a squat head with a slash of a mouth, a horizontal strip of light that blinked rhythmically where eyes should be, and a domed head.

“Mace, take Jayna and get into the workshop,” Jax ordered. “I’ll create a distraction so you can get past the beast.”

Mace rose, holding Jayna against his chest. Surprisingly, the woman wasn’t fighting him anymore.

As Quinn took in Mace’s silver skin, her eyes widened.

Jax lit up his arm, feeling the energy flowing through his tattoo. “Quinn, stay back.”

Her response was a snort.

“Quinn—”

“I’ll use my head, cyborg, and if I can help, I will.”

This woman…so brave and magnificent. She moved up and smacked a kiss against his lips.

“Go. Be badass, and then let’s get home.”

He turned, then raced toward the robot beast. Its head turned, its blinking gaze locking on him.

Jax didn’t jump. Instead, he dropped to the ground feet first, sliding in under the robot’s legs. He thrust his arm out and touched his electrified hand to one stout leg.

Electricity arced and sizzled. But as Jax prepared to run, he saw that his attack had no real effect on the machine.

Behind the creature, he backed up, studying it in greater detail. His gaze narrowed. He realized that the robot wasn’t just made of metal.

Drak. It had organic parts as well. Flesh and sinew at the joints. Patches of thick, leathery skin. He’d never seen anything like it.

The beast let out a roar and slammed its arms down, hammering the dirt. The ground shook, and Jax took a step back.

Clank.

The beast froze. It shook its head. Clank. It roared again.

Jax sidestepped and watched Quinn throwing rocks at the beast’s head.

The beast lifted its giant feet, turning until it spotted her. It lumbered in her direction.

As it moved, Mace raced past, Jayna’s face buried in his chest. He ran into the workshop.

“Quinn.” Jax waved an arm at her.

She nodded. As the beast came at her, she ran. The robot took a step to the side, blocking her path. It swung one of its arms, and Jax’s breath lodged in his chest.

Quinn dropped flat, and the arm swiped over her head.

Snorting, the robot beast stomped a foot. It came down right beside Quinn.

Too close. It stomped again, and she rolled.

This drakking creature was too close to his woman. Jax leaned down and grabbed a large rock that had come from the broken wall. Using all his strength, he hefted it above his head. Then he threw it at the robot’s back.

The rock smashed into the creature, and it lurched forward.

“Quinn, move it!”

She leaped up. Large rocks littered the floor and she jumped onto one. She started hopping from one rock to the next.

The machine swiveled and roared.

“Quinn!” She was still too far away.

The robot swung an arm at her.

Time slowed down, and Jax charged forward. But even with his speed, he wasn’t close enough.

The beast’s arm crashed into Quinn, lifting her off her feet. Her body flew sideways, and she slammed into the rock wall.

No.

QUINN SUCKED IN A BREATH. Her vision was blurred, and the pain in her torso made her nauseated.

She struggled to push herself up, and fire burned through her side. Damn, she hoped she hadn’t broken any ribs.

Blinking, she heard the robot roar again. She watched Jax fighting it. Her cyborg jumped and twisted in the air, his glowing arm bright in the darkness.

God, he was something.

Quinn managed to stand. No matter what was broken or bruised, she was going to help him. He was hers.

Since she’d been abducted, all she’d fought for was survival and to find the rest of her crew. Now, one handsome cyborg had given her something to live for.

She glanced over at the ragged hole through to the workshop. There had to be weapons in there. Tools, at least.

She half-jogged, half-hobbled through the hole and to the closest workbench. She snatched a number of things off the bench and shoved them in her pockets.

Quinn frowned. No explosives anywhere to be seen, unfortunately. Her gaze fell on two short swords, and she smiled. These would do.

She returned to the hole in the wall, and watched Jax evade the beast for a moment.

“Jax!” She tossed a sword in his direction.

He jumped through the air and reached out one arm. His hand wrapped around the hilt of the weapon as he snatched it out of the air.

When he landed, he shot her a smile with a feral edge.

She lifted her own sword and rushed into the fight.

“Aim for its organic parts,” Jax yelled.

Right. Quinn ducked low. The robot was slamming its arms around wildly. She darted in close and raked her sword across a patch of skin. Then she pulled back, and jammed the sword in. The skin split and sparks flew out.

Jax was jumping and whirling. He could jump far higher than she could, and was targeting other biological parts on the creature’s upper torso. He kept slashing and cutting, and blood streaked down the robot’s metal abdomen.

With another bellow, the robot smashed into the wall. Massive rocks rained down like a deadly waterfall.

Fuck. Quinn saw one boulder coming and dived out of the way. It was the size of a damn car.

Several giant boulders thudded down near Jax. He was running and dodging.

Then a rock smashed into him, knocking him over.

Her breath caught. Get up. Get up, Jax.

He’d just started to move, when a giant slab landed on his leg.

She heard the crunch of metal, saw his face twist. Horrified, she saw the rock had pinned him to the ground.

“Jax!” Quinn scrambled over a boulder and ran for him.

Sensing weakness, the creature stomped closer to Jax.

“Get back,” Jax shouted.

“No way.” She yanked some small throwing stars she’d taken from the workshop out of her pocket. She tossed them at the robot beast.

The lethally sharp stars sliced into the robot’s face, hitting the slit of glowing light. It halted, lifting its hands to paw at its head.

Quinn raced to Jax. Oh, God, his gorgeous cybernetic leg was crushed flat under the giant rock. She gripped the rock and tried to heave it off his leg.

“Get out of here. Find the others.”

“No.” Dammit, the rock was way too heavy for her. “I’m not leaving you.”

“Please, Quinn.”

She cupped his face. “No. You’re mine and I can’t leave you. Don’t ask me to.” She couldn’t lose anyone else, and especially not him.

His eyes flickered. “Okay.”

Not willing to give up, she heaved on the rock again. Agony ripped through her ribs and she felt her muscles straining, her veins bulging.

“Watch out, Quinn!”

Their robot friend stomped closer, its arms swinging again.

Shit. Quinn threw herself to the side and hit the wall. The pain that rocked her made her bite her lip.

The robot whirled, the light blinking on its face.

Then she had an idea.

She moved to Jax. “Can you throw me into the air?”

Jax’s brow creased. She knew he wanted to argue and tell her to leave, but finally he nodded. Trust was written in his expression.

He trusted her. She smiled, and when he held out his arms, she stepped closer. He gripped her hip and thigh.

“I won’t let you die here,” she said. “In case you missed it, you’re mine, cyborg.”

He gave her a smile, then using all his cyborg strength, he threw her upward.

Quinn sailed straight up into the air, her cloak flapping behind her. Her hands slipped into her pockets, her fingers curling around the magnets she’d shoved in there. She rose until she was level with the robot’s head.

The robot’s face swiveled to face her. Quinn tossed the magnets.

They clamped onto its face, covering its blinking “eye”.

Then she dropped back down, landing in a crouch. She hissed out a sharp breath at the wave of pain.

Unable to see, the robot stumbled and roared.

Her gaze went to Jax. They weren’t safe yet, but they still had a chance.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Jax had to use all his dampeners to block the savage pain running through his body. His cybernetic leg was mangled under the rock. The shock of it had reverberated through his nerve endings, but his systems were busy shutting down the pain receptors.

He watched Quinn fight. She was drakking amazing. She was even smiling as she sliced her sword into the disoriented machine.

When she ran under its bulk, Jax’s chest tightened. She rammed her sword into the robot’s thigh, pulling on the blade and working it through the damaged metal.

She must have severed something vital, because suddenly, the robot lurched, its leg collapsing. The robot beast tilted to the side.

Quinn spun, jumped onto one of its arms and ran up it. When she was level with the robot’s chest, she jammed her sword into a patch of leathery skin.

There was a wild flash of sparks. A clunk echoed off the rock walls, and the magnets holding the robot together released.

The creature fell apart, the scrap metal crashing to the ground.

Quinn jumped, somersaulting in the air, and landed not far from Jax.

Concern on her face, she hurried over and knelt beside him. “You okay?”

“I’ll be fine.” He cupped her cheek. Her clothes and skin were streaked with blood and dirt. “You are drakking magnificent, Quinn Bennett.”

A smile flashed on her face, but when she looked at his leg, her smile faded. “Does it hurt?”

“It’s my cybernetic leg.”

“That wasn’t an answer.”

“My systems are dampening the pain.”

She nodded and then a noise made them both tense. Quinn rose, holding her sword up.

Mace appeared. The big man’s metal skin had retracted from his face, but from the neck down, his body was still covered in the metallic shield.

“Thank God,” Quinn said. “Help me move this rock.”

Jayna hovered nearby, shooting worried glances at the downed robot.

Mace frowned at the rock. “That wasn’t a good idea.”

Jax raised his brows. “I’ll ensure not to let a rock fall on me next time.”

Mace grunted. “Good idea.”

Together, he and Quinn gripped the rock.

Quinn blew out a breath. “Okay, three, two—”

Mace jerked the rock off of Jax and tossed it aside. Quinn was still in position, her hands now holding nothing.

“Just how strong are you?” she asked.

“Are you sure you want the answer?” Mace countered.

“Maybe not.” She dropped back beside Jax and wrapped her arms around him. Then she kissed him like she needed him to breathe. Emotions swamped him.

“You give me a lot to live for, Jaxer Rone.”

“Good.” He brushed his nose against hers. “I plan to spend a very long time learning all the things you love and enjoy, and ensuring you have everything you need.”

She smiled. “You. I just need you.”

“And a way out of here,” Mace said, his tone dry.

Quinn grinned. “I’m going to have you cyborgs joking around like pros before you know it.”

Mace gripped one of Jax’s arms and helped him up. His cybernetic leg was a mangled mess, but he wasn’t going to be drakking carried out of this sandcursed mine.

Mace slid an arm around one side of Jax and Quinn wedged her shoulder under his other side.

“The workshop?” Jax asked.

The big cyborg shook his head. “If there is a way out through there, I couldn’t find it.”

“We’ll damn well find a way out,” Quinn said. “Gaarl must have had one.”

They’d barely taken a couple of steps, when the parts of the robot started vibrating.

Jax’s stomach dropped. Drak.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Quinn muttered.

Before their eyes, the robot parts started to reform.

Mace tensed and Jayna whimpered. Quinn—Jax’s warrior woman—lifted her sword.

But Jax knew they were in no shape to fight the robot again. He could already see that it was reforming into a different configuration, using the broken and torn bits of metal to form a deadly armor.

Suddenly, a body dropped down from above.

The figure landed with a loud thud, one palm to the ground.

Then he rose, neon eye glowing. Magnus.

The imperator pulled a large sword off his back. Then he whirled into action, his blade and cybernetic arm glinting in the low light. He moved so fast he was a blur.

“Holy hell.” Quinn’s eyes were wide.

Magnus tore into the robot. Ricochet bolts fired, arrowing into weak spots on the robot. Its roar echoed off the walls. Jax knew that Toren was firing from above. Another form dropped down and landed on the back of the robot—Acton.

The cyborg pressed his arms against the robot’s metal surface. Energy filled the air, and parts started to tear off the beast.

Magnus leaped, and sliced one of its arms off.

But seconds later, the parts rattled and zoomed back to the robot, reforming.

“We need to help them,” Jax said.

Mace nodded, and taking most of Jax’s weight, he and Quinn helped Jax move closer. Jax lit up his tattoo, energy rushing through his arm. Quinn stepped back, staring at his arm with a smile.

Mace jumped, taking both of them right to the foot of the robot. Mace rammed a metal-coated fist into the robot’s knee, crumpling it.

There was a blur of movement, and Jax saw Quinn at the other leg, slicing with her sword.

Jax spotted a weak point, where the metal was cracked. He thrust his arm in, and pumped electricity into the robot.

Systematically, the cyborgs worked together, slicing and denting the creature.

“We need to destroy the control system,” Magnus said.

“Where?” Quinn called out.

“I’m detecting an energy surge in its gut.”

Quinn winked at Jax then turned to the imperator. “Can I get a boost?”

Magnus inclined his head. He bent on one knee and cupped his hands. Quinn pressed her boot to his palms and he propelled her into the air.

Quinn rammed her sword into the beast’s gut. A crackle of green energy sparked out.

“Acton and Jax,” Magnus yelled.

As soon as Quinn was free, Jax pressed his palm to the robot. He directed all his energy into it. Acton jumped down and thrust his arms out. His energy crumpled the robot’s middle, the metal folding inward.

Seconds later, the robot parts collapsed. Standing in the center, Acton raised his arms, and all the metal parts floated upward.

“Oh, wow,” Quinn said.

Then Acton clapped his hands together and the parts flew in, colliding in front of him. They’d twisted into a tight ball. Jax limped closer and touched his arm to the ball.

Heat generated, the metal turning hot. It melted together.

All that was left was a twisted mass of molten scrap.

Magnus turned. “Everyone okay?”

Jax eyed his mangled leg, and then looked at Quinn who was splattered with blood. She strode to him and wrapped her arms around him.

From nearby, Jayna made a choked sound. Frowning, Mace moved closer to her.

Jax pressed his face to Quinn’s hair. “We’re fine.”

Magnus nodded. “Then let’s get the drak out of here.”

QUINN SAT in front of Jax on the tarnid, her hands on the reins. Jax was slumped against her back, one arm tucked around her waist. She’d been carefully monitoring him to make sure he didn’t lose consciousness or fall off.

She knew he was at his limit. Her gaze dropped down to his cybernetic leg resting against the tarnid’s side. God, it was a mess.

“I’ll be fine,” he murmured in her ear. “And I’m not going to fall off.”

She sniffed. “I know.”

He made a scoffing sound.

Quinn looked ahead to where Duna was leading their battered little group home, then she glanced over her shoulder. Jayna had panicked when they’d brought her out of the mine. Quinn had tried to calm her down, but strangely, it had been Mace who’d managed to get her on a tarnid. The big cyborg had spoken sternly to Jayna—Quinn had been about to deck him—but Jayna had steeled herself, shot a quick glare at him, and let him lift her onto one of the beasts.

The woman sat quietly now in the circle of Mace’s massive arms, staring ahead.

Magnus and the others rode quietly at the rear of the group.

Duna’s sharp whistle cut through the air. Quinn turned back and saw the lights glittering on the horizon.

Finally.

Home. She felt the echo of that thought deep inside her chest. Here she was, flanked by cyborg gladiators, on a distant, desert world far from Earth, but she felt like she was coming home.

She looked at Jax. Her cyborg smiled at her, and she smiled back.

They rode right through the city to the arena. Varus was waiting with some stable hands, and Avarn stood by with a stretcher held by some House of Rone gladiators. Quinn slid off, and instantly Avarn was there, waving at the gladiators to help Jax down. He was laid out on the stretcher, and once the tarnids were handed off, they headed inside the arena.

When they stepped inside the House of Rone, Jayna ducked her head, clearly upset.

“Come with me,” Avarn said softly. “We need to check you over.”

Jayna shook her head.

Mace made an annoyed noise, stepped forward, scooped her into his arms, and strode off towards Medical.

Avarn shrugged, then waved at the gladiators holding the stretcher. Quinn and Magnus strode alongside it.

Jax grimaced. “I hate being carried around.”

“And you hate Medical,” Magnus said.

“Reminds me of the military base.”

Where he’d been injured so many times until they’d wanted to throw him away like trash. Quinn grabbed his hand. “On Earth, if you’re good at the doctor’s, you get a lollipop.”

“A what?”

“A sweet treat. You lick it.”

A slow smile curled Jax’s lips. “You going to give me a sweet treat I can lick?”

She leaned closer. “If you’re a very good boy.”

Magnus made a choked sound. She glanced at the imperator’s impassive face and grinned.

The doors to Medical opened, revealing a room bustling with energy. Healers were moving rapidly around the room. Quinn couldn’t see a tangled head of hair.

“Where’s Jayna?” Quinn asked.

“I have one of my female healers with her in a quiet room. We’ve sedated her for now.”

“Mace?” Magnus said.

“Appears to have appointed himself the woman’s defender. He’s propping up the wall beside her bed.”

“Thanks, Avarn,” Quinn said.

The healer inclined his head. “My job, Quinn. And my honor to help people who’ve been hurt so badly.” He turned to where Jax was now resting on a bunk. “That appears to include you, Jaxer.”

“I know you like a challenge.”

Quinn’s belly sank. His amazing cybernetic leg was completely ruined. The healer pulled a tray of tools closer, selected one, and started disconnecting the metal melded to Jax’s thigh.

When Avarn pulled the damaged prosthetic away, Quinn studied the wires running into the stump of his thigh.

She gripped his hand. “You got hurt rescuing me.”

“I’d swim through molten metal to come for you.”

Her heart melted. “I knew you’d come. I never doubted it.” For the first time ever, there was someone she could depend on. Someone who would never let her down.

Jax cupped her cheek. “Quinn, I know next to nothing about love, but when I look at you, my world stops.”

God, he slayed her. She leaned over him and pressed her forehead to his.

“I want to wake up with you, feed you, pleasure you, protect you.”

“That sounds like love to me,” she whispered.

“Sorry to interrupt.” Avarn was smiling, and didn’t look sorry at all. “Jax, can you wiggle your toes so I can check the connections?”

Quinn straightened and blinked. A brand-new cybernetic leg was already attached to Jax. It looked identical to the damaged one. He moved his mechanical toes.

“Perfect, Avarn,” Jax said.

Quinn shook her head. “And here I was, agonizing all the way back about your leg.”

Jax smiled. “The House of Rone is renowned for its prosthetics and enhancements.” He sat up. “Now, you promised me something sweet.”

Laughing, she threw her arms around her man and kissed him.

When they finally broke apart, a door nearby opened. Quinn spotted several healers moving around Jayna. The woman was lying still on a bed.

“She needs time,” Avarn said. “She’s gone away mentally to protect herself from whatever she was subjected to. She’ll need time to heal.”

“And her hand?” Quinn asked.

Avarn nodded. “As Jax said, we’re the best at cybernetic replacements. We’ll give her a new hand. Most of all, she needs to know she’s safe.”

Quinn’s gaze moved back to the room, and this time, she took in Mace standing over Jayna’s bed, his big arms crossed over his chest. He was scowling at the healers.

Hmm. Quinn wasn’t sure Mace would be her first choice for helping Jayna, but when she saw Jayna reach out weakly with her good hand in her sleep—and Mace grasp her slim fingers with his larger ones—Quinn changed her mind.

It looked like Jayna had ended up with her own personal cyborg defender.

Jax rose and walked a few steps on his new leg. “You do good work, Avarn.”

“Of course,” the healer said.

“So modest as well,” Quinn said with a grin.

The older man smiled back.

Jax spun, and then before she knew what he had planned, he snatched Quinn off her feet, lifting her up against his chest.

“Hey,” she cried. “Don’t you need to adjust to that new leg?”

“No, I’m a cyborg. I don’t need to adjust to anything.”

She snorted. “You’re so modest, too.” Unable to stop herself, she nipped his jaw. “Do you need to adjust to the fact that I am crazy in love with you?”

His next step faltered. “Oh?”

She smiled. She loved disconcerting her cyborg. She peppered kisses over his face. “I adore you, Jaxer Rone. I love everything about you. Your strength, your goodness, your sexy body, your stamina—”

Jax picked up speed, taking the quickest path to his room, Quinn laughed, happiness welling inside her.

He slammed into his room and marched straight into the bathroom. He set her down, turned on the shower and then pushed her inside the glass enclosure, clothes and all. He stepped in behind her.

Under the warm spray, they took their time, pulling off their clothes.

“I want to be the one to give you everything you need, Quinn Bennett. Anything you want, I won’t stop until I get it for you.”

“Jax.” She’d never been in love before, but she liked it.

His mouth touched her neck. She moaned, pressing into his naked body. He took his time, licking and kissing her skin. She’d never been worshiped before, and that was what it felt like every time Jax touched her.

“I’m no expert on emotions—” his fingers brushed her lips “—but every time I look at you, I can’t breathe. I can’t think of how to explain all these feelings inside me.”

“I love you, Jax.” She nipped his bottom lip. “You don’t need to find the words, you just have to show me how you feel.”

With a growl, he lifted her off her feet and pinned her to the tiles. He nudged her thighs apart with his hip, and she wrapped her legs around him.

“That will be my pleasure,” he said.

But as her cyborg slid his cock inside her, the pleasure belonged to both of them. Quinn held him tight as he rocked them both to a soul-shattering release.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“You’ll be safe here.”

Quinn led Jayna into the lovely bedroom. Quinn and Ever had spent time making sure it was decorated in soft colors of soothing blues and greens.

Jayna walked into the room, her moves still jerky and unsure. She’d finally been discharged from Medical. Avarn had pumped her full of nutrients and treated her wounds. She cradled her new cybernetic hand to her chest, as though she didn’t know what to do with it.

She walked to a large armchair and curled up into it. Her hair was clean now, but still tangled. She wouldn’t let anyone brush it. She turned her head and looked out the window.

Quinn released a breath. Jayna still showed no sign of recognition, wasn’t talking.

Ever appeared, her gaze on the woman. “No progress?”

Quinn shook her head, frustration riding her.

“We just have to have some patience,” Ever said.

“I’m not that great with patience.”

Ever laughed. “You’re going to need it living with cyborgs, trust me.”

Smiling, Quinn slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out the small wire creation she’d made for Jayna. She walked over and set it down on the table in front of the woman. It was a woman running, her hair flying out behind her.

Jayna looked up, eyeing the item through her snarled hair. Then her hand darted out and she snatched it up. She smoothed the wire between her fingers.

“We’re here for you, Jayna.” Quinn was conscious that there were others from the Helios still out there. They needed any clues that Jayna might have locked in her head. “And we’re going to find the others who need our help.”

Jayna looked up, her face unreadable.

Carefully, Quinn sat down in the armchair beside Jayna’s. “I know that it hurts to remember, but do you recall your time in Bari Batu?”

At the name of the Edull city, the woman made a keening noise. She started to rock back and forth.

Quinn’s gut cramped, and nearby, Ever pressed a hand to her mouth.

“I’m so sorry, Jayna. I just want to find the other women who are still captives—”

Jayna shot to her feet.

Quinn held out a hand. “Take it easy.”

“I…want to help.” The woman’s voice was rusty and cracked with disuse.

“Anything you can remember—”

Jayna backed up, her face pale. “It hurts.”

Dammit, Quinn had made it worse. When Jayna hit the wall, she slid down it, curling her knees to her chest.

Quinn rose. “I’m sorry, Jayna. It’s okay, you’re free. You’re safe.”

Suddenly, Mace shouldered into the room. He spotted Jayna and his brows drew together.

“Jayna.” His voice was a deep rumble. He strode across the space and hunkered down in front of her. “Don’t let the Edull win. You fight to get better.”

Jayna quivered, her gaze locked on the man. Then, she leaped at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. His muscular arms closed around her gently and he pulled her close.

Quinn blinked. It was unbelievable that big, grumpy Mace could be so gentle. She glanced at Ever and the woman raised a brow.

Deciding to leave Jayna with Mace to calm down, Quinn headed out of the room with Ever.

“I feel awful.” Quinn sighed. “The last thing I wanted to do was upset her.”

“Give it time,” Ever said.

“The others might not have time.” The gnawing in Quinn’s gut hurt.

Ever grabbed her hand and squeezed. Quinn looked at the woman’s cybernetic fingers. She’d survived her own hellish captivity. So had Quinn. So had the other women at the House of Galen and the Dark Nebula Casino.

Jayna would survive, too. And not just survive, but thrive.

Parting with Ever, Quinn made her way to Magnus’ office and knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

When she entered, she saw Magnus and Jax, and Galen and Sam from the House of Galen. The other woman smiled at Quinn.

“Hi.” Quinn met the other imperator’s single icy glance and Galen nodded.

Jax moved to Quinn and slid an arm around her shoulders. “How’s Jayna?”

“Confused.” Quinn blew out a breath. “It’s like she’s locked her mind away.”

Jax kissed Quinn’s temple. The move was so easy for him now, and it made her chest warm. He was so observant, noting exactly what touches of affection she needed.

“She did what she had to in order to survive. Once she feels safe, she’ll remember.”

Nodding, Quinn leaned into him.

“So, another man falls under the spell of a woman from Earth.” Galen’s deep voice was amused.

“Yes.” Jax sounded way too pleased with himself.

Sam smiled at them and shot Quinn a wink.

“I’m teaching my cyborg all about love,” Quinn said.

“And I’m an eager student. A very eager student.”

She elbowed him. God, she loved him.

“I take it Jayna still hasn’t spoken?” Galen asked, his tone becoming serious. “We have no new leads on Bari Batu or the other humans?”

Quinn shook her head, the happy feeling she’d had just a moment ago vanishing into thin air.

“We’ll give her time,” Magnus said. “And while we do, we continue to have Corsair, Zhim, and Ryan search for any clues. I already have them working to unpick Gaarl’s life. He purchased Jayna, so he had links to Bari Batu.”

“The others are still out there.” Quinn closed her eyes. “Being hurt, abused—”

“Hey.” Jax put a finger under her chin and forced her to look up. “We’ll fight for them. And if I have learned anything, it is that humans are tough. They’ll survive, just as you and Jayna have.”

Quinn gripped him harder. “We’ll find them and bring them all to safety. Then they’ll be free.”

JAX STOOD with Zhim on the balcony of Zhim and Ryan’s penthouse apartment. The information merchants had an incredible view across Kor Magna, all the way to the desert.

Quinn was inside with Ryan, finishing up talking with her family back on Earth. Her parents and brother had dissolved into tears and laughter when they’d seen her.

“Nothing yet on Bari Batu.” Zhim’s dark hair danced in the breeze.

Jax sighed and pressed his hands to the railing. “It weighs on Quinn.”

“These women of Earth are like no other species I’ve met before.”

Hearing female voices, Jax glanced back through the doorway. Quinn and Ryan appeared.

“You’ll help her shoulder the burden,” Zhim said. “And don’t forget, these Earth women are strong.”

Jax nodded. That was the truth. Their soft skin covered steel. “As soon as you hear anything —”

“You’ll know,” Zhim promised.

As Quinn approached, Jax held out his hand. Her fingers closed around his. He could see she’d been crying.

“How was your call?”

“Great.” She managed a small smile. “Nice to talk to my family, but sad, as well.”

Jax vowed he would spend the rest of his days making up for the loss of her life before.

Together, they said goodbye to Zhim and Ryan and headed down in the elevator. Soon, they were walking back towards the arena.

“Magnus asked me to tell you that, when you’re ready, he’d like to offer you a place on the House of Rone security team.”

Quinn looked up at him, surprise stamped on her face. “I’d love to.”

Seeing her pleasure made warmth fill in his chest.

Then her smile faded. “After we find the others.”

“Of course.”

When they reached the entryway to the House of Rone, the guards nodded and opened the doors. Jax stopped her in the doorway.

“This is your home now.”

She turned into him, smoothing her hands up his chest. “Home for me now is wherever you are, Jax.”

The storm of emotion almost dropped him to his knees. He’d never been someone’s center before. Magnus had protected him, cared for him like a brother, but he was well aware that Magnus’ heart was Ever’s. This strong woman in front of him, however, was all Jax’s.

She made him stand straighter, made him want to be by her side forever. To fight any dangers she faced. He smiled. Or help her fight them herself.

They walked through the corridors and headed out to the small training arena. He spotted Magnus and Ever standing under the arches. Ever was holding baby Asha, and Acton was with them. The cyborg was staring down at the baby with no expression on his face. But Jax knew the cyborg well enough to know that there was some bemusement to him.

As Jax and Quinn got closer, Acton’s gaze fell to their joined hands. This time, Jax spotted the flicker of confusion on the man’s face.

Acton struggled to feel, and all the changes around him were difficult for him to comprehend.

With a nod at them all, he swiveled and strode away.

“He’s scary,” Quinn murmured.

“He can be. But like most of us, there is still a man beneath the machine, even if Acton doesn’t want to admit it.”

“How were Zhim and Ryan?” Magnus asked.

“No news.” Jax glanced across the training arena, and spotted Jayna.

She was on the edge of the training arena, her face lifted to the sunshine. When she moved, she stopped by some large pots that were overflowing with plants and flowers. She stroked the foliage. Mace shifted into view, standing behind the woman, her silent shadow.

“She’s still not talking.” Ever jiggled the baby and Asha made a happy sound.

“She’s a survivor,” Quinn said. “Once she heals, she’ll help us find the others.”

Ever smiled. “Well, at least she knows she’s safe, since it appears she has her own personal cyborg bodyguard.”

Quinn leaned into Jax. “I have to admit that having your own personal cyborg is pretty darn nice.”

Jax’s arm squeezed her tight.

Mace

HIS BOOTS THUMPED on the stone as he walked down the corridor. He was ready for a shot of home-brewed liquor and some sleep.

As he passed a closed door, he heard a thump and a muffled noise. He stiffened. He knew exactly whose room it was.

Mace charged through the door.

An object whizzed at his head and he caught the vase before it smacked into his face.

A pair of startled brown eyes looked back at him.

“You have good aim,” he told Jayna.

Her eyes were wide and panicked. She made a sound like a frightened animal, and he wasn’t even sure she saw him.

She stumbled backward, crouching low. He knew that even though she was free, in her head, she was still stuck in the hellhole the Edull had trapped her in.

“Jayna.” His voice was deep and firm. Mace couldn’t sound soft and reassuring if he tried.

Her breathing was too fast. He’d seen so many beaten, terrified people stuck in the fight rings when he’d been forced to fight. He watched the blows beat them down until they’d crumpled.

But Jayna hadn’t crumpled.

“You’re safe, remember?” he said.

She shook her head, her matted hair flying around her face.

“You’re hyperventilating.” Mace had no idea why this small woman got to him so much. “Slow your breathing. You don’t want to let the Edull win, do you?”

She snarled and glared at him.

Mace shrugged. “I’m not going to coddle you. I’ll say their name. I’ll remind you that you drakking survived.”

Her glare deepened. Good. He liked seeing her spirit. They thought they’d broken her, but they hadn’t. And besides, her breathing had slowed.

“The Edull can’t get you here. I won’t allow it.”

She rose and took tentative steps toward him. Then she raised a hand, her fingers brushing the bare skin of his chest.

A flash of heat washed over him and Mace frowned. What the drak? He didn’t like being touched. As a kid in the gangs, people either wanted to beat you or touch you in no way an adult should touch a kid.

But as Jayna closed the distance between them and pressed her face against him, he realized her touch didn’t bother him like it should. He noted that the top of her head didn’t even reach his shoulder.

He lifted a hand and pressed a palm to the back of her head. Despite the tangles and knots, her hair was silky. Her warm breath puffed on his skin.

The unfamiliar urge to pull her closer and wrap his arms around her hit him. Scowling at the wall, he stopped himself.

Mace knew himself well. He was rough and hard, with no soft edges. He’d been raised with fists, kicks, and punches. Fighting was all he knew.

No, that wasn’t quite right. In the last few years, he’d learned loyalty. To Magnus, who’d saved him, to his fellow cyborgs, to the House of Rone.

Caring for others was a weakness. He’d seen so many innocent fighters die in the organized fights the gangs had forced him into. He’d watched men try to protect their women, women try to protect their children. They’d all died, their weaknesses exploited.

It paid not to get too close to anyone. They always died or betrayed you.

“Get some sleep now,” he told Jayna.

Pretty eyes peered at him through tangled hair. Despite her traumatized appearance, her gaze was steady. Like she could see all his dark secrets.

Mace stepped back, then he swiveled and stomped out of her room.

He didn’t want anyone in his head or under his skin. Jayna was House of Rone now, so he’d protect her and make her feel safe, but that was it.

Drak. He really needed a double shot of liquor.

JAX DROPPED flat on his back on his bed, panting. Quinn, who was straddling him, flopped against his chest.

Pleasure was still racing through him, and he felt his woman’s heart hammering against his skin.

She made a purring sound. “I like being on top.”

He pulled her up and kissed her, taking his time. When he pulled back, her face was dazed. Just how he liked it. “I like you on top, too. And beneath me, and pinned to the wall—”

She nipped his jaw with a laugh. “I get it.”

He leaned over and grabbed a blanket that he’d bought for her. He wrapped her in the soft fabric, and she nuzzled her cheek against it.

She’d officially moved into his rooms. Their rooms. He’d never shared his space with anyone before, and he liked it. He liked her clothes hanging beside his in the closet. Liked seeing the lotions she enjoyed in the bathroom. Liked the small pile of half-twisted wire scattered across the table. She was exactly where she belonged.

He shifted to the edge of the bed and lifted her into his arms. He carried her out onto the balcony.

“Jax, we’re naked!”

“It’s dark.” He sat down on the large cushions scattered on the balcony, and settled her on his lap.

“Oh, I can see the stars tonight,” she said.

He nodded. “The moons aren’t up tonight, and there are no arena games, so the lights are off.”

“They all look so different. None of the constellations that you can see from Earth.”

He tightened his arms around her. “You miss your planet?”

“Yes.” She turned to face him. “But I’m happy, Jax. It’s a bittersweet loss, because I know I can never return. At least I can stay in touch with my family. I’m happy right here in Kor Magna, in the House of Rone, in your arms.”

“Quinn—”

“I’m alive and safe. I’m in love. That’s more than I’ve ever wanted.”

“I’ll spend our lifetime keeping you safe and making you happy.”

She nuzzled his cheek. “I have my own cyborg to make all my dreams come true.”

He kissed her. “Anything you want, Quinn Bennett.”

“I want you to make love to me under the stars, Jaxer Rone.”

He pushed her back onto the cushions. “I thought you were worried people might see.”

“You’re right, it’s dark.” She nipped his neck.

It was dark, but as he wrapped Quinn in his arms, his heart was alive with the light of love.

I hope you enjoyed Quinn and Jax’s story!

Galactic Gladiators: House of Rone continues with DEFENDER, the story of big, tough cyborg Mace and Earth survivor Jayna. Coming the 20th August 2019.

If you’re interested in learning more about the House of Galen gladiators and the strong, smart women from Earth they helped rescue or Magnus and Ever’s story, then check out Galactic Gladiators.

For more action-packed romance, read on for a preview of the first chapter of Edge of Eon, the first book in my best-selling Eon Warriors 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: EDGE OF EON

She shifted on the chair, causing the chains binding her hands to clank together. Eve Traynor snorted. The wrist and ankle restraints were overkill. She was on a low-orbit prison circling Earth. Where the fuck did they think she was going to go?

Eve shifted her shoulders to try to ease the tension from having her hands tied behind her back. For the millionth time, she studied her surroundings. The medium-sized room was empty, except for her chair. Everything from the floor to the ceiling was dull-gray metal. All of the Citadel Prison was drab and sparse. She’d learned every boring inch of it the last few months.

One wide window provided the only break in the otherwise uniform space. Outside, she caught a tantalizing glimpse of the blue-green orb of Earth below.

Her gut clenched and she drank in the sight of her home. Five months she’d been locked away in this prison. Five months since her life had imploded.

She automatically thought of her sisters. She sucked in a deep breath. She hated everything they’d had to go through because of what had happened. Hell, she thought of her mom as well, even though their last contact had been the day after Eve had been imprisoned. Her mom had left Eve a drunken, scathing message.

The door to the room opened, and Eve lifted her chin and braced.

When she saw the dark-blue Space Corps uniform, she stiffened. When she saw the row of stars on the lapel, she gritted her teeth.

Admiral Linda Barber stepped into the room, accompanied by a female prison guard. The admiral’s hair was its usual sleek bob of highlighted, ash-blonde hair. Her brown eyes were steady.

Eve looked at the guard. “Take me back to my cell.”

The admiral lifted a hand. “Please leave us.”

The guard hesitated. “That’s against protocol, ma’am—”

“It’ll be fine.” The admiral’s stern voice said she was giving an order, not making a request.

The guard hesitated again, then ducked through the door. It clicked closed behind her.

Eve sniffed. “Say what you have to say and leave.”

Admiral Barber sighed, taking a few steps closer. “I know you’re angry. You have a right to be—”

“You think?” Eve sucked back the rush of molten anger. “I got tossed under the fucking starship to save a mama’s boy. A mama’s boy who had no right to be in command of one of Space Corps’ vessels.”

Shit. Eve wanted to pummel something. Preferably the face of Robert J. Hathaway—golden son of Rear-Admiral Elisabeth Hathaway. A man who, because of family connections, was given captaincy of the Orion, even though he lacked the intelligence and experience needed to lead it.

Meanwhile, Eve—a Space Corps veteran—had worked her ass off during her career in the Corps, and had been promised her own ship, only to be denied her chance. Instead, she’d been assigned as Hathaway’s second-in-command. To be a glorified babysitter, and to actually run the ship, just without the title and the pay raise.

She’d swallowed it. Swallowed Hathaway’s incompetence and blowhard bullshit. Until he’d fucked up. Big-time.

“The Haumea Incident was regrettable,” Barber said.

Eve snorted. “Mostly for the people who died. And definitely for me, since I’m the one shackled to a chair in the Citadel. Meanwhile, I assume Bobby Hathaway is still a dedicated Space Corps employee.”

“He’s no longer a captain of a ship. And he never will be again.”

“Right. Mommy got him a cushy desk job back at Space Corps Headquarters.”

The silence was deafening and it made Eve want to kick something.

“I’m sorry, Eve. We all know what happened wasn’t right.”

Eve jerked on her chains and they clanked against the chair. “And you let it happen. All of Space Corps leadership did, to appease Mommy Hathaway. I dedicated my life to the Corps, and you all screwed me over for an admiral’s incompetent son. I got sentenced to prison for his mistakes.” Stomach turning in vicious circles, Eve looked at the floor, sucking in air. She stared at the soft booties on her feet. Damned inmate footwear. She wasn’t even allowed proper fucking shoes.

Admiral Barber moved to her side. “I’m here to offer you a chance at freedom.”

Gaze narrowing, Eve looked up. Barber looked…nervous. Eve had never seen the self-assured woman nervous before.

“There’s a mission. If you complete it, you’ll be released from prison.”

Interesting. “And reinstated? With a full pardon?”

Barber’s lips pursed and her face looked pinched. “We can negotiate.”

So, no. “Screw your offer.” Eve would prefer to rot in her cell, rather than help the Space Corps.

The admiral moved in front of her, her low-heeled pumps echoing on the floor. “Eve, the fate of the world depends on this mission.”

Barber’s serious tone sent a shiver skating down Eve’s spine. She met the woman’s brown eyes.

“The Kantos are gathering their forces just beyond the boundary at Station Omega V.”

Fuck. The Kantos. The insectoid alien race had been nipping at Earth for years. Their humanoid-insectoid soldiers were the brains of the operation, but they encompassed all manner of ugly, insect-like beasts as well.

With the invention of zero-point drives several decades ago, Earth’s abilities for space exploration had exploded. Then, thirty years ago, they’d made first contact with an alien species—the Eon.

The Eon shared a common ancestor with the humans of Earth. They were bigger and broader, with a few differing organs, but generally human-looking. They had larger lungs, a stronger, bigger heart, and a more efficiently-designed digestion system. This gave them increased strength and stamina, which in turn made them excellent warriors. Unfortunately, they also wanted nothing to do with Earth and its inferior Terrans.

The Eon, and their fearsome warriors and warships, stayed inside their own space and had banned Terrans from crossing their boundaries.

Then, twenty years ago, the first unfortunate and bloody meeting with the Kantos had occurred.

Since then, the Kantos had returned repeatedly to nip at the Terran borders—attacking ships, space stations, and colonies.

But it had become obvious in the last year or so that the Kantos had something bigger planned. The Haumea Incident had made that crystal clear.

The Kantos wanted Earth. There were to be no treaties, alliances, or negotiations. They wanted to descend like locusts and decimate everything—all the planet’s resources, and most of all, the humans.

Yes, the Kantos wanted to freaking use humans as a food source. Eve suppressed a shudder.

“And?” she said.

“We have to do whatever it takes to save our planet.”

Eve tilted her head. “The Eon.”

Admiral Barber smiled. “You were always sharp, Eve. Yes, the Eon are the only ones with the numbers, the technology, and the capability to help us repel the Kantos.”

“Except they want nothing to do with us.” No one had seen or spoken with an Eon for three decades.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

Okay, Eve felt that shiver again. She felt like she was standing on the edge of a platform, about to be shoved under the starship again.

“What’s the mission?” she asked carefully.

“We want you to abduct War Commander Davion Thann-Eon.”

Holy fuck. Eve’s chest clenched so tight she couldn’t even draw a breath. Then the air rushed into her lungs, and she threw her head back and laughed. Tears ran down her face.

“You’re kidding.”

But the admiral wasn’t laughing.

Eve shook her head. “That’s a fucking suicide mission. You want me to abduct the deadliest, most decorated Eon war commander who controls the largest, most destructive Eon warship in their fleet?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Eve, you have a record of making…risky decisions.”

Eve shook her head. “I always calculate the risks.”

“Yes, but you use a higher margin of error than the rest of us.”

“I’ve always completed my missions successfully.” The Haumea Incident excluded, since that was Bobby’s brilliant screw-up.

“Yes. That’s why we know if anyone has a chance of making this mission a success, it’s you.”

“I may as well take out a blaster and shoot myself right now. One, I’ll never make it into Eon space, let alone aboard the Desteron.”

Since the initial encounter, they’d collected whatever intel they could on the Eon. Eve had seen secret schematics of that warship. And she had to admit, the thought of being aboard that ship left her a little damp between her thighs. She loved space and flying, and the big, sleek warship was something straight out of her fantasies.

“We have an experimental, top-of-the-line stealth ship for you to use,” the admiral said.

Eve carried on like the woman hadn’t spoken. “And two, even if I got close to the war commander, he’s bigger and stronger than me, not to mention bonded to a fucking deadly alien symbiont that gives him added strength and the ability to create organic armor and weapons with a single thought. I’d be dead in seconds.”

“We recovered a…substance that is able to contain the symbiont the Eon use.”

Eve narrowed her eyes. “Recovered from where?”

Admiral Barber cleared her throat. “From the wreck of a Kantos ship. It was clearly tech they were developing to use against the Eon.”

Shit. “So I’m to abduct the war commander, and then further enrage him by neutralizing his symbiont.”

“We believe the containment is temporary, and there is an antidote.”

Eve shook her head. “This is beyond insane.”

“For the fate of humanity, we have to try.”

“Talk to them,” Eve said. “Use some diplomacy.”

“We tried. They refused all contact.”

Because humans were simply ants to the Eon. Small, insignificant, an annoyance.

Although, truth be told, humanity only had itself to blame. By all accounts, Terrans hadn’t behaved very well at first contact. The meetings with the Eon had turned into blustering threats, different countries trying to make alliances with the aliens while happily stabbing each other in the back.

Now Earth wanted to abduct an Eon war commander. No, not a war commander, the war commander. So dumb. She wished she had a hand free so she could slap it over her eyes.

“Find another sacrificial lamb.”

The admiral was silent for a long moment. “If you won’t do it for yourself or for humanity, then do it for your sisters.”

Eve’s blood chilled and she cocked her head. “What’s this got to do with my sisters?”

“They’ve made a lot of noise about your imprisonment. Agitating for your freedom.”

Eve breathed through her nose. God, she loved her sisters. Still, she didn’t know whether to be pleased or pissed. “And?”

“Your sister has shared some classified information with the press about the Haumea Incident.”

Eve fought back a laugh. Lara wasn’t shy about sharing her thoughts about this entire screwed-up situation. Eve’s older sister was a badass Space Corps special forces marine. Lara wouldn’t hesitate to take down anyone who pissed her off, the Space Corps included.

“And she had access to information she should not have had access to, meaning your other sister has done some…creative hacking.”

Dammit. The rush of love was mixed with some annoyance. Sweet, geeky Wren had a giant, super-smart brain. She was a computer-systems engineer for some company with cutting-edge technology in Japan. It helped keep her baby sister’s big brain busy, because Wren hadn’t found a computer she couldn’t hack.

“Plenty of people are unhappy with what your sisters have been stirring up,” Barber continued.

Eve stiffened. She didn’t like where this was going.

“I’ve tried to run interference—”

“Admiral—”

Barber held up a hand. “I can’t keep protecting them, Eve. I’ve been trying, but some of this is even above my pay grade. If you don’t do this mission, powers outside of my control will go after them. They’ll both end up in a cell right alongside yours until the Kantos arrive and blow this prison out of the sky.”

Her jaw tight, Eve’s brain turned all the information over. Fucking fuck.

“Eve, if there is anyone who has a chance of succeeding on this mission, it’s you.”

Eve stayed silent.

Barber stepped closer. “I don’t care if you do it for yourself, the billions of people of Earth, or your sisters—”

“I’ll do it.” The words shot out of Eve, harsh and angry.

She’d do it—abduct the scariest alien war commander in the galaxy—for all the reasons the admiral listed—to clear her name, for her freedom, to save the world, and for the sisters she loved.

Honestly, it didn’t matter anyway, because the odds of her succeeding and coming back alive were zero.

EVE LEFT THE STARSHIP GYM, towel around her neck, and her muscles warm and limber from her workout.

God, it was nice to work out when it suited her. On the Citadel Prison, exercise time was strictly scheduled, monitored, and timed.

Two crew members came into view, heading down the hall toward her. As soon as the uniformed men spotted her, they looked at the floor and passed her quickly.

Eve rolled her eyes. Well, she wasn’t aboard the Polaris to make friends, and she had to admit, she had a pretty notorious reputation. She’d never been one to blindly follow the rules, plus there was the Haumea Incident and her imprisonment. And her family were infamous in the Space Corps. Her father had been a space marine, killed in action in one of the early Kantos encounters. Her mom had been a decorated Space Corps member, but after Eve’s dad had died, her mom had started drinking. It had deteriorated until she’d gone off the rails. She’d done it quite publicly, blaming the Space Corps for her husband’s death. In the process, she’d forgotten she had three young, grieving girls.

Yep, Eve was well aware that the people you cared for most either left you, or let you down. The employer you worked your ass off for treated you like shit. The only two people in the galaxy that didn’t apply to were her sisters.

Eve pushed thoughts of her parents away. Instead, she scanned the starship. The Polaris was a good ship. A mid-size cruiser, she was designed for exploration, but well-armed as well. Eve guessed they’d be heading out beyond Neptune about now.

The plan was for the Polaris to take her to the edge of Eon space, where she’d take a tiny, two-person stealth ship, sneak up to the Desteron, then steal onboard.

Piece of cake. She rolled her eyes.

Back in her small cabin, she took a quick shower, dressed, and then headed to the ops room. It was a small room close to the bridge that the ship’s captain had made available to her.

She stepped inside, and all the screens flickered to life. A light table stood in the center of the room, and everything was filled with every scrap of intel that the Space Corps had on the Eon Empire, their warriors, the Desteron, and War Commander Thann-Eon.

It was more than she’d guessed. A lot of it had been classified. There was fascinating intel on the four Eon homeworld planets—Eon, Jad, Felis, and Ath. Each Eon warrior carried their homeworld in their name, along with their clan names. The war commander hailed from the planet Eon, and Thann was a clan known as a warrior clan.

Eve swiped her fingers across the light table and studied pictures of the Desteron. They were a few years old and taken from a great distance, but that didn’t hide the warship’s power.

It was fearsome. Black, sleek, and impressive. It was built for speed and stealth, but also power. It had to be packed with weapons beyond their imagination.

She touched the screen again and slid the image to the side. Another image appeared—the only known picture of War Commander Thann-Eon.

Jesus. The man packed a punch. All Eon warriors looked alike—big, broad-shouldered, muscular. They all had longish hair—not quite reaching the shoulders, but not cut short, either. Their hair usually ranged from dark brown to a tawny, golden-brown. There was no black or blond hair among the Eon. Their skin color ranged from dark-brown to light-brown, as well.

Before first contact had gone sour, both sides had done some DNA testing, and confirmed the Eon and Terrans shared an ancestor.

The war commander was wearing a pitch-black, sleeveless uniform. He was tall, built, with long legs and powerful thighs. He was exactly the kind of man you expected to stride onto a battlefield, pull a sword, and slaughter everyone. He had a strong face, one that shouted power. Eve stroked a finger over the image. He had a square jaw, a straight, almost aggressive nose, and a well-formed brow. His eyes were as dark as space, but shot through with intriguing threads of blue.

“It’s you and me, War Commander.” If he didn’t kill her, first.

Suddenly, sirens blared.

Eve didn’t stop to think. She slammed out of the ops room and sprinted onto the bridge.

Inside, the large room was a flurry of activity.

Captain Chen stood in the center of the space, barking orders at his crew.

Her heart contracted. God, she’d missed this so much. The vibration of the ship beneath her feet, her team around her, even the scent of recycled starship air.

“You shouldn’t be in here,” a sharp voice snapped.

Eve turned, locking gazes with the stocky, bearded XO. Sub-Captain Porter wasn’t a fan of hers.

“Leave her,” Captain Chen told his second-in-command. “She’s seen more Kantos ships than all of us combined.”

The captain looked back at his team. “Shields up.”

Eve studied the screen and the Kantos ship approaching.

It looked like a bug. It had large, outstretched legs, and a bulky, segmented, central fuselage. It wasn’t the biggest ship she’d seen, but it wasn’t small, either. It was probably out on some intel mission.

“Sir,” a female voice called out. “We’re getting a distress call from the Panama, a cargo ship en route to Nightingale Space Station. They’re under attack from a swarm of small Kantos ships.”

Eve sucked in a breath, her hand curling into a fist. This was a usual Kantos tactic. They would overwhelm a ship with their small swarm ships. It had ugly memories of the Haumea Incident stabbing at her.

“Open the comms channel,” the captain ordered.

“Please…help us.” A harried man’s voice came over the distorted comm line. “…can’t hold out much…thirty-seven crew onboard…we are…”

Suddenly, a huge explosion of light flared in the distance.

Eve’s shoulders sagged. The cargo ship was gone.

“Goddammit,” the XO bit out.

The front legs of the larger Kantos ship in front of them started to glow orange.

“They’re going to fire,” Eve said.

The captain straightened. “Evasive maneuvers.”

His crew raced to obey the orders, the Polaris veering suddenly to the right.

“The swarm ships will be on their way back.” Eve knew the Kantos loved to swarm like locusts.

“Release the tridents,” the captain said.

Good. Eve watched the small, triple-pronged space mines rain out the side of the ship. They’d be a dangerous minefield for the Kantos swarm.

The main Kantos ship swung around.

“They’re locking weapons,” someone shouted.

Eve fought the need to shout out orders and offer the captain advice. Last time she’d done that, she’d ended up in shackles.

The blast hit the Polaris, the shields lighting up from the impact. The ship shuddered.

“Shields holding, but depleting,” another crew member called out.

“Sub-Captain Traynor?” The captain’s dark gaze met hers.

Something loosened in her chest. “It’s a raider-class cruiser, Captain. You’re smaller and more maneuverable. You need to circle around it, spray it with laser fire. Its weak spots are on the sides. Sustained laser fire will eventually tear it open. You also need to avoid the legs.”

“Fly circles around it?” a young man at a console said. “That’s crazy.”

Eve eyed the lead pilot. “You up for this?”

The man swallowed. “I don’t think I can…”

“Sure you can, if you want us to survive this.”

“Walker, do it,” the captain barked.

The pilot pulled in a breath and the Polaris surged forward. They rounded the Kantos ship. Up close, the bronze-brown hull looked just like the carapace of an insect. One of the legs swung up, but Walker had quick reflexes.

“Fire,” Eve said.

The weapons officer started firing. Laser fire hit the Kantos ship in a pretty row of orange.

“Keep going,” Eve urged.

They circled the ship, firing non-stop.

Eve crossed her arms over her chest. Everything in her was still, but alive, filled with energy. She’d always known she was born to stand on the bridge of a starship.

“More,” she urged. “Keep firing.”

“Swarm ships incoming,” a crew member yelled.

“Hold,” Eve said calmly. “Trust the mines.” She eyed the perspiring weapons officer. “What’s your name, Lieutenant?”

“Law, ma’am. Lieutenant Miriam Law.”

“You’re doing fine, Law. Ignore the swarm ships and keep firing on the cruiser.”

The swarm ships rushed closer, then hit the field of mines. Eve saw the explosions, like brightly colored pops of fireworks.

The lasers kept cutting into the hull of the larger Kantos ship. She watched the ship’s engines fire. They were going to try and make a run for it.

“Bring us around, Walker. Fire everything you have, Law.”

They swung around to face the side of the Kantos ship straight on. The laser ripped into the hull.

There was a blinding flash of light, and startled exclamations filled the bridge. She squinted until the light faded away.

On the screen, the Kantos ship broke up into pieces.

Captain Chen released a breath. “Thank you, Sub-Captain.”

Eve inclined her head. She glanced at the silent crew. “Good flying, Walker. And excellent shooting, Law.”

But she looked back at the screen, at the debris hanging in space and the last of the swarm ships retreating.

They’d keep coming. No matter what. It was ingrained in the Kantos to destroy.

They had to be stopped.

Eon Warriors

Edge of Eon

Touch of Eon

Heart of Eon

Kiss of Eon (coming soon)

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ALSO BY ANNA HACKETT

Team 52

Mission: Her Protection

Mission: Her Rescue

Mission: Her Security

Mission: Her Defense

Mission: Her Safety

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Treasure Hunter Security

Undiscovered

Uncharted

Unexplored

Unfathomed

Untraveled

Unmapped

Unidentified

Undetected

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Eon Warriors

Edge of Eon

Touch of Eon

Heart of Eon

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Hell Squad

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Noah

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Dom

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Beneath a Trojan Moon

Beyond Galaxy’s Edge

On a Cyborg Planet

Return to Dark Earth

On a Barbarian World

Lost in Barbarian Space

Through Uncharted Space

Crashed on an Ice World

Perma Series

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Tempest

Storm & Seduction

Fury & Darkness

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Savage Dragon

Hunter’s Surrender

One Night with the Wolf

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I’m a USA Today bestselling author and I’m passionate about action romance. I love stories that combine the thrill of falling in love with the excitement of action, danger and adventure. I’m a sucker for that moment when the team is walking in slow motion, shoulder-to-shoulder heading off into battle. I write about people overcoming unbeatable odds and achieving seemingly impossible goals. I like to believe it’s possible for all of us to do the same.

My books are mixture of action, adventure and sexy romance and they’re recommended for anyone who enjoys fast-paced stories where the boy wins the girl at the end (or sometimes the girl wins the boy!)

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