PALADIN

GALACTIC GLADIATORS: HOUSE OF RONE #4

ANNA HACKETT

Paladin

Published by Anna Hackett

Copyright 2020 by Anna Hackett

Cover by Melody Simmons of BookCoversCre8tive

Edits by Tanya Saari

ISBN (ebook): 978-1-925539-93-6

ISBN (paperback): 978-1-925539-94-3

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

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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

Chapter 20

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Also by Anna Hackett

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CHAPTER ONE

He sat in the meeting, listening to his imperator talking, yet he could barely make out the words.

Toren was inundated by stimuli—the light was too bright, the sounds too loud, and scents cascaded through his senses. His heart hammered loudly in his ears.

He forced himself to stay still, gripping the arms of his chair.

Worse than all the other inputs were the unfamiliar, overpowering emotions. They churned inside him like a storm.

He was a cyborg. He’d spent his lifetime not feeling much—only mild, fleeting sensations. He’d been created not to feel. Now, all he experienced was an ugly mix of anger, fear, frustration, and other things he couldn’t name.

Toren’s hands curled harder around the metal, his grip so tight that he wondered if the chair would snap. He tried to focus on what Imperator Magnus Rone was saying.

Around him stood his fellow elite cyborgs of the House of Rone. Their second-in-command, Jax, stood, nodding at what Magnus was saying. Mace had his brawny arms crossed over his wide chest, and, beside him, Acton’s head was tilted as he listened to the imperator. In the chairs beside Toren sat the newest additions to their elite group—Zaden and Seren. Handsome, young Zaden leaned forward as he listened intently. Seren had a cool expression on her face, which also bore the black, tattoo-like markings of her species. Her space-black hair was pulled tight behind her head, and two small, metallic, horn-like implants protruded from her forehead.

When Magnus paused, Jax started speaking, updating them on some injured citizens of Kor Magna who were being treated by the House of Rone healers.

Here in the capital city of the desert world of Carthago, everything revolved around the famous gladiatorial arena and the spectacular fights that happened inside it.

Spectators came from planets all across the outer rim quadrants to watch, scream, cheer, and place their bets. The House of Rone, like the other houses, spent a lot of money on acquiring and training their gladiators, and ensuring the fighters stayed fit and healthy.

But the House of Rone was different. It was a house of cyborgs.

Toren forced himself to look at Magnus. The cool, controlled cyborg sat motionless behind his massive desk. The imperator’s cybernetic arm—made of silver-grey metal—rested on the desktop. A metal implant circled one of his eyes that right now glowed a faint, neon blue.

He was the cyborg who’d started it all. He’d escaped a violent military program along with Jax, and created a haven for people who needed enhancements and implants. The House of Rone was known for its superior weapons-making skills, and for the high-tech implants, enhancements, and prosthetics its team of healers gave injured people who needed putting back together. They could heal just about anything.

Toren’s fingers flexed.

Except for him.

“Toren, are you all right?”

The female voice made him look up, and he stared into pale-green eyes. Ever Haynes was Magnus’ mate. The dark-haired female from Earth sat beside her man.

Toren managed a nod. As he shifted on his chair, he realized everyone was watching him.

Resentment welled. Since he’d been injured, they were always checking on him. Watching him like he was a luma bomb about to explode. Anger and helplessness choked him.

“I’m fine.” His voice was gritty.

Magnus shot him a cool look. Toren knew what Magnus felt now. The imperator was in love with the pretty Ever—a woman who’d been abducted from her distant homeworld by alien slavers.

Magnus had rescued her, along with several other women of Earth. The House of Rone had dedicated themselves to rescuing every single one of them from the Edull. The Edull. Toren’s pulse spiked. A drakking species of alien scavengers who hid in the desert like cowardly crudspawn.

Fresh anger burned through him, out-of-control and painful. On their last mission to rescue Simone, a woman from Earth, and her child, Grace, the Edull had captured Toren. They’d strapped him down, torn his implants out. His mouth went dry and his chest tightened. These were all sensations he wasn’t used to feeling, and he didn’t like them.

Before, he hadn’t felt. He’d been cool, in control, but now…

A dull roar of noise echoed in his head. The healers couldn’t fix him. The damage to his nerves, where his implants joined his organics, was extensive. The head healer had blathered on about needing time.

Toren didn’t look at his shoulder, but he felt the weight of the metal there. He was a sniper, and since the desert mission, his damaged shoulder weapon hadn’t been replaced. Mainly because they didn’t trust him to have the control to use it.

It felt like losing a limb. Now, he just had a smooth, metal plate fused with his skin, covering nothing.

But worse than that, he’d been banned from missions. He was too unstable.

His jaw worked, and he tried to force back the overwhelming emotions. But he was losing the battle.

Jax had resumed speaking. “The Edull are continuing their campaign of revenge against the House of Rone. Some of our gladiators were attacked at the underground markets.”

“Is everyone okay?” Mace asked.

“Minor injuries. Xias took great pleasure in stomping the Edull’s bots into scrap metal.”

The Edull specialized in crude robotic creations made of scavenged metal. Toren dragged in a breath. He’d seen the giant robots they’d made out in the desert.

“We will put any Edull attacks down swiftly,” Magnus said. “I will not let anything stop us from finding Bari Batu and Bellamy Walsh.”

Magnus was spending a small fortune on the search for the Edull’s city in the desert. They all knew about the aliens’ huge battle arena, of the innocent people forced to fight in it, and of Bellamy, another woman from Earth who was trapped there.

The drakking Edull. Toren’s hands flexed, his heartbeat a roar in his ears. The others kept talking, but the sound was all just a drone to him. There was nothing he could do to help stop the aliens, not when he was useless like this.

He stood so fast that his chair tipped over, hitting the ground with a clatter.

All the cyborgs in the room looked at him again. They were all working, fighting, useful to the house. Most of them even felt now. In addition to Magnus, some of the others—Jax, Mace, Acton—had all fallen in love with women from Earth. Even young Zaden was now mated to a rescued alien woman.

But his fellow cyborgs had come to their feelings gradually, not like him. Not in a wild, drowning rush he couldn’t control.

“I have to go.”

“Toren—”

He held up a hand to Magnus and walked out.

He hurried down the hall, his boots echoing on the stone floor. He had to get out. He had to make the feelings stop. At least for a little while.

He just wanted a minute of drakking silence in his head.

And he’d found one way to achieve that.

He ignored the rich wall hangings, all depicting legendary battle scenes from the arena. He ignored the few house workers he passed. Near the front entrance, he grabbed a cloak from the rack. It was black, which suited his mood. He wouldn’t let himself wear blue—the color of the House of Rone. Not where he was going.

The large double doors—embossed with the House of Rone symbol of a helmeted gladiator over crossed swords—was flanked by two cyborg guards. He’d almost reached them when a voice stopped him.

“Where are you going?”

Toren jerked to a stop. This was the one voice he couldn’t ignore.

He turned.

The young girl was leaning against the wall, watching him with dark eyes that were all-too-perceptive.

“Out,” he answered.

Grace tilted her head. She looked like her mother—hair as black as the night sky, and as straight as a staff. Grace’s hair was shorter than her mother’s. Simone wore hers long, in a sheet of silky black.

Dark, intelligent eyes studied him. “You should stay here. We can play some games, or make some grenades—”

He frowned. “Your mother said no more bomb making.”

Grace’s bottom lip stuck out.

He was well aware that the girl had a genius-level intelligence. She could make explosives out of just about anything.

But she was unfamiliar with things on Carthago. One small mistake… The thought of her hurt made his stomach turn over.

“No grenades,” he said.

She sighed. “O-kay. Can I come with you?”

Drak, no. “Not now. I’ll take you to the market tomorrow.”

Something moved through her eyes. “All right.”

He turned, nodding at the guards who opened the doors for him.

“Toren?” Grace said.

He glanced back over his shoulder. “Yes?”

“Don’t come back too hurt.”

He sucked in a breath and watched as she disappeared through a doorway.

Gritting his teeth, he stepped out of the House of Rone and into the tunnels under the Kor Magna Arena. All the houses were located here, each with their own small training arenas. He hurried through the tunnel, dodging around workers who were going about their duties.

Soon, he exited the tunnels onto the streets of Kor Magna. The planet’s two suns were setting, filling the stone-lined laneways with shadows.

He didn’t need to go too far. Ahead, the tall, brightly-lit skyscrapers of the District speared into the sky. It was an area filled with casinos, theatres, and all other types of entertainment that the tourists liked to spend their money on.

He turned down a side street. The rest of the city’s buildings were plainer, three-story affairs made from the local, cream-colored stone. Soon, the streets got a little dirtier, the buildings less well-kept.

He reached an unmarked door and knocked his fist against it.

An eye slit opened and the guard studied him for a second. The door creaked on its hinges and the broad-shouldered man waved him in, pointing to a set of stairs.

Without a word, Toren headed down.

Noises grew. Shouts and cheers. Boos and the thud of flesh hitting flesh.

Adrenaline spiked in Toren’s system.

“Thought we’d see you again,” a voice drawled.

He turned to see a large man grinning at him, his soft belly oozing over his belt. His smile displayed a row of gold, shiny teeth.

Toren didn’t respond.

“I know with one look the fighters who’ll never be back, the ones who just need money, and the ones who need to fight like it’s an addiction.”

Toren just stared at the man.

The man grunted and jerked his thumb. “You’re up, cyborg.”

Swiveling, Toren marched toward the fight cage that dominated the center of the space.

The crowd milled around, shouting and drinking. Toren walked through a cloud of taint—a popular, illegal drug. The smoke hung in the air—thick and cloying.

He ducked through the entrance into the cage and saw his opponent—a big alien with a huge set of horns.

The scarred floor was splattered with old and new blood. There were other stains that Toren probably didn’t want to identify.

He unclipped his cloak, shoving it through the mesh.

He was ready not to feel.

SIMONE LI PACED the dark corridor.

It was late, and most of the House of Rone was sleeping.

Gracie had been fidgety at bedtime. Simone sighed. It wasn’t unusual for her smart, gorgeous girl—she had trouble sitting still. But she’d taken longer than usual to settle, and Simone had finally pried the reason out of her.

Grace had confessed that she’d seen Toren go out.

A fluttering filled Simone’s belly.

She’d seen the results of these nocturnal visits he made and she hated it.

He’d been hurt rescuing her and Grace a few weeks before. She felt so damn guilty, even though the Edull were to blame. She twisted her hands together.

Toren’s entire life, his whole sense of self, had been upended all because of her. Simone understood that feeling very well.

She’d had it happen to her twice. Once, when her ex-husband had tossed her and Grace away like used rags, and again, when the Thraxian slavers had attacked their exploration ship, abducted them, and sold them to the Edull.

Wrapping her arms around her middle, she turned to look out of the window, pulling in some deep, calming breaths.

The door nearby opened.

She straightened. This wasn’t the front door. He always snuck back in through this side entrance.

He came in, smelling of sweat and blood.

Toren took two steps and she stepped out of the shadows. He jerked to a halt.

She scanned him in the low illumination from the lights embedded in the walls. She saw the damage and hissed out a sharp breath.

“You have to stop this, Toren.” She moved toward him.

One of his eyes was swollen shut and his lip was split. Blood stained his hands and arms.

Like most of the gladiators of the other houses, he left his chest bare, and wore only a leather harness across it. She could see bruises forming on his abdomen.

He stayed silent.

“Why?” she demanded.

His face twisted. “It’s the only way to make all the emotions stop.”

Sympathy hit her. He was struggling, and she desperately wanted to help him.

She held out a hand. “Come on.”

When he didn’t take her hand, she reached for his and tugged him along. She moved down the hall, marching toward her rooms.

As she opened the door, he stirred.

“Grace—”

“Asleep in the adjoining room.” She pulled him in and nodded toward the internal door. “My girl could sleep through a bomb blast. Sit.”

She’d left a lamp on. She loved the quarters she’d been assigned. A spacious, breezy living area, adjoining bedroom and bathroom, and an extra bedroom for Grace. A space that was theirs, and furnished in lush, comfortable furniture.

A far cry from the cells the Edull had kept them in for months and months.

Toren dropped into an armchair and it creaked under his weight. She knew that cyborgs were heavier than they looked because of their enhancements and implants. Toren was leaner than the other cyborgs, but no less enhanced.

She went into her bathroom, wet a cloth in the sink, and found her small med kit. Then she moved back to him, knelt, and started cleaning his wounds.

“You have to stop this,” she said.

He grunted. “I can’t.”

She wiped the blood off his hands. His knuckles were torn and scraped. “You could if you wanted to.”

He stayed frustratingly silent.

She pulled out a tube of med gel and squeezed some of the blue fluid onto the worst of his injuries. She knew that in the morning, most of the scratches and bruises would be healed. There would be no sign that he let someone beat the hell out of him.

Squeezing some more gel onto her fingers, she gently smoothed it around his swollen eye. “You can’t drown out the emotions or ignore them.” She’d tried that when her marriage imploded.

Her husband had decided Simone was boring, and that being a father was also boring. He might have been a genius scientist, but he’d partied, cheated, and put Simone down daily until he’d destroyed any semblance of love she’d had for him. She’d finally conceded defeat and divorced him.

She swallowed the bad taste away. She’d tried to save her marriage, but it had only made her feel worse. She’d wanted to escape her feelings, just like Toren.

It was a foolish dream.

“You have to learn to deal with the emotions, Toren.”

He turned to look at the wall, stone-faced.

“I can help you.” She pressed a hand to his knee. “If you’ll let me.”

He stood abruptly. “No one can help me.”

He strode out.

Simone’s chin dropped to her chest. Damn. The sense of helplessness reminded her of being in the hands of the Edull.

She closed her eyes. She had no idea what to do next.

CHAPTER TWO

He woke up with a shout, his sheets tangled around his legs.

Toren sat up and heaved in a breath.

He’d been dreaming. He’d never dreamed before. He pulled in some breaths, trying to calm his racing pulse.

At first, the dream had been of his past. His fingers curled in the bedding. He’d been taken as a teenager by a local warlord and then transformed in the warlord’s dungeons. Toren closed his eyes, remembering the screams, the pain. He’d had implants added, his emotions had been shut off, all to make him the perfect personal-security cyborg. He’d existed to protect the warlord at all costs.

Slowly, over time, his emotions had faded until he’d barely felt anymore.

Toren had spent years protecting his warlord. One day, his master had come to Kor Magna to attend some illegal fights in the underground fight rings that had once raged below the city.

It was during that visit that a rival warlord had attacked.

There had been a brutal, massive fight that had ended in several explosions.

The warlord and the other cyborgs in his group had been killed. Toren had been badly injured. He’d woken in a regen tank to see Magnus Rone’s icy face. The imperator had offered him a home, a life, a purpose.

Toren had thrived at the House of Rone…until now. Now, he was sidelined. Unable to do his job.

Useless.

He rose and moved into his bathroom. His gaze snagged on his reflection in the mirror. There were no signs of his injuries from the night before, thanks to Simone’s care.

Thinking of the night before made him think of her. Of her fingers on his skin, of the worry on her face.

Emotions swelled inside him. These warmer ones he didn’t recognize.

Grinding his teeth, he fought to shut it off. He flicked on the shower and stepped under the spray of cold water.

After he’d showered, he pulled on leather trousers and clipped on a harness. Ordinarily, if he wasn’t training, he’d coordinate with the healers on any new enhancements they were creating and with any clients who wanted to purchase the technology. But now, even that work had been taken away from him while he recovered. He needed something to take his mind off things, to keep him busy. He headed down to the training arena.

There were several gladiators and recruits out running training drills. Mace and Acton were already on the sand, swinging their swords. When the cyborgs spotted him, Mace paused, lowering his weapon. “You’re not supposed to be training.”

Toren scowled. “I’m training.” He went to the weapons rack and lifted an axe. “I have no weapon implanted now.” He fought back the aching sense of loss, and swung the axe through the air, testing its weight. “Time for me to train with something else.”

He felt the others regard him with concern, but headed over to the training dummies lined up for gladiators and cyborgs to practice with. He swung the axe, hard and fast, slamming it into the dummy.

The blade sliced deep.

“You appear calmer today,” Acton said.

Before he’d fallen in love with Sage, Acton had always been the most cyborg of them all. He had two prosthetic arms and a lot of other enhancements. Before, Acton had felt very little, but then Sage had arrived and brought him to life.

Now Acton reveled in his feelings, while Toren just wanted to turn his off.

Mace murmured something to Acton. They talked quietly, but Toren’s enhanced hearing picked up one word. Edull.

His muscles tensed. “What about Edull? Did you find Bari Batu?”

The two cyborgs traded looks.

Toren’s anger spiked. “I deserve to know. I’m not totally broken.”

“Toren—”

He hated Mace’s placating tone. “Don’t act like I’m a drakking child.”

His sharp tone cut across the training arena, and on the other side of sand, several recruits looked over at them.

Mace heaved out a breath. “You need time to recover—”

“What if I don’t recover? What if I can never shut these emotions off?”

“Then you’ll deal with them, like we did,” Acton said. “You might even like them in time.”

Toren growled, then turned. He threw the axe. It whistled through the air and slammed into the dummy, setting it rocking. “I’m useless like this.”

Acton lifted a prosthetic hand. “Toren—”

“The Edull,” Toren bit out. “Tell me what you know.”

“Nothing yet,” Mace growled. “Just rumors. Magnus, along with Galen, Rillian, and Zhim are tracking down all leads and sightings around the Edull’s underground lake.”

Toren’s heart pounded. The lake was where he’d been tortured. “The city and battle arena must be close.”

Mace shrugged. “Rillian did some flyovers. They didn’t spot anything.”

Rillian, owner of the Dark Nebula Casino, was a wealthy ally. He’d been pouring a lot of time and money into developing ships that could navigate the desert and its sands that affected most engines.

And yet, the Edull remained hidden.

“I want to find them.” Anger was like a bubble, growing bigger and bigger inside Toren. “I want to kill them all.”

He couldn’t breathe.

Acton held out a hand, the black-and-silver metal glinting in the sunlight. “Toren, you need to calm down. I believe some deep breathing—”

“Drak calming down!” Toren’s rage exploded.

He strode to the dummy and yanked out the axe. Then he slammed it into the dummy again and again, hacking at it. Pieces of the dummy went flying.

Mace touched his shoulder and, with a roar, Toren swung around, leading with the axe.

Acton moved quickly, shoving forward and knocking the axe out of Toren’s hands.

With a growl, Toren attacked the cyborg. Acton blocked the blows, and Toren led with a violent kick that sent Acton skidding back in the sand.

“Toren,” Mace growled.

But Toren was too far gone. He was a raging mass of emotion.

He let out a roar and attacked.

SIMONE HEARD THE SHOUTS, then the sound of glass breaking.

She rose from her chair. Grace was off for the morning, playing with a little alien girl called Nemma.

Another pained roar filled the air.

Her stomach clenched. Toren.

She raced out the door and onto the balcony. She looked over the railing and down into the training arena below.

She saw Toren spin and pick up a table of drinks. He threw it at the wall, and glass and bottles exploded.

No. Simone took off running, not bothering to stop for shoes. As she flew down the corridor, she was glad she was wearing the comfortable trousers that fit like a glove, and a soft, silky shirt. After so long in captivity, it was wonderful to have nice things. She wasn’t ashamed to admit she spent a lot of time stroking her new wardrobe.

She took the stairs two at a time.

Another pained, tortured cry reached her, making her belly clench. She had to help him. A part of her was drawn to Toren because of the guilt, but also because of something else, as well. Because she understood his pain.

After being abducted, what she’d been through, and the constant worry for her daughter, she understood what it felt like to be helpless.

She hit the bottom of the stairs, ran across the stone pavers, and darted past the pillars. She sprinted out into the training arena. The sun hit her eyes and the sand was warm under her feet.

Ahead, Toren stood, his chest heaving as he watched Mace and Acton circling him. A few recruits stood close by, poised and alert.

Toren looked like a predator, waiting for the right moment to attack.

“Toren, my friend.” Xias, the champion gladiator of the House of Rone stepped forward, his powerful arms outstretched. “You need to calm down.”

In answer, Toren let out another roar. He grabbed one of the training dummies and lifted it into the air over his head, then he threw it. Recruits scrambled to get out of the way.

The dummy stopped in midair, and when Simone turned her head, she spotted Zaden. The younger cyborg held one hand in the air. She was aware that he possessed some telekinetic abilities. He lowered the dummy to the ground harmlessly.

Mace edged closer to Toren and Toren spun, his gaze focused on the big cyborg.

“We don’t want to hurt you,” Mace said. “You need to relax.”

“I can’t. I can’t calm down, I can’t relax, I can’t control what I feel.” Toren launched himself at Mace.

He and Mace moved across the sand, fighting each other in a dizzying array of kicks, hits, and punches.

Simone pressed a fist to her throat. She knew Toren wouldn’t want to hurt his friends. She walked across the sand, carefully skirting the broken table and glass.

She saw him snarl and punch Mace in the gut. The big man grunted and bent over.

“Toren!” she yelled.

He spun in a roundhouse kick, and Mace went down on one knee.

“Toren!” she tried again.

His head swung around, his gaze locking on her.

She held out a hand. “Come with me.”

His chest heaved. “Are you going to tell me to calm down?”

“No. Just come with me.”

But before he had a chance to respond, two recruits launched at him.

“No,” she cried. “Stop!” But the attack was already in motion.

Toren grabbed one of the recruits and yanked him off his feet. The other cyborg hit him. Toren lifted a boot and kicked him. The young cyborg went flying across the sand

“Stand down,” Acton called out.

“Put the recruit down, Toren.” Mace pushed to his feet.

Toren held the recruit up, the man’s feet dangling off the ground as he kicked his feet. Then with a heave, Toren tossed the man.

The other young cyborg had recovered and rushed back in.

“No!” Simone knew she had to stop this.

Toren swatted the younger man aside. The recruit’s body flew through the air and smacked into Simone. With a cry, she hit the sand and rolled over the remains of the ruined table.

She felt a sting on her bare feet and the weight of the man drove the air out of her lungs.

Another unhappy roar filled the air.

Before she could sit up, Toren was there, yanking the recruit off her. He helped her to her feet.

“Ouch.” She lifted her foot and saw blood.

Frowning, Toren crouched and touched the cut.

“It’s minor,” she murmured.

But he didn’t respond, just stroked the blood away.

“Toren?” she said.

“You’re hurt.”

“Come with me.”

He looked up. “Where?”

“Somewhere quiet.”

He stared at her, his eyes churning with emotion. Then he scooped her off her feet.

“I can walk.” She slid an arm across his shoulders.

“I don’t care.”

She rolled her eyes. She was still learning to deal with bossy cyborg gladiators who weren’t that great at following requests. As they walked out of the training arena, she caught Mace’s worried gaze, and gave the cyborg a reassuring nod.

After a beat, the cyborg nodded back.

“Take the stairs,” she said.

“Where to?” Toren asked.

“The roof.” There was a sitting area up there that Sage had told her about. Simone had been up there once or twice, when she’d needed some fresh air and solitude.

She realized that everyone kept telling Toren to calm down, to chill, to relax—and that was the one thing he wanted but couldn’t do.

He needed something else.

Maybe she could help him.

CHAPTER THREE

Toren strode across the rooftop, his gut churning. The wind hit his face, making his hair whip around.

He reached the railing and gripped it.

He smelled Simone—she always smelled crisp and fresh. She leaned against the railing beside him, looking out at the view.

Kor Magna was spread out before them. To the left were the high stone walls of the arena, flags fluttering in the breeze at the top of them. Most of Kor Magna consisted of simple, three-story buildings built of the local stone, but in the distance the glittering skyscrapers of the District promised every type of sin.

“I want to tear the Edull apart one by one,” he gritted out.

“Me too.” Her voice was quiet, but in it, he heard her torment.

She’d been held captive by the Edull far longer than he had. He’d been so focused on his own struggle, he hadn’t even considered hers.

He blew out a breath. “How are you and Grace adjusting to the House of Rone?”

She shrugged one shoulder. “Grace is happy to be away from the Edull.” Simone shot him a sad smile. “Kids are very resilient.”

“You survived, Simone. You’re resilient too.”

“You survived as well, Toren. You risked your life to save us. You’re a hero.”

He hunched his shoulders. “I was just doing my job.”

“And now you can’t,” she said quietly.

His gut churned again, like a wild storm was let loose inside him. If he couldn’t protect the House of Rone, he wasn’t good for anything.

“You’ll adapt,” she said. “Think of learning to deal with your emotions as training. All your recruits go through training, right?”

He lifted his chin, swallowing back the emotions whizzing through him. He watched the strands of her black hair whip around her face. Her skin was so smooth and her lips so red.

Heat flickered inside him and he frowned. What the drak was that?

“How do you function with this morass of conflicting emotions inside you?” he asked.

Simone’s lips tilted into a smile. “To feel is to be human.” She paused. “I guess the word human doesn’t quite apply here. Feelings make us alive, Toren. They drive us to create, to risk, to live.”

He squeezed the railing. “I don’t want to feel. It makes my job difficult. I need control.”

“But you also miss out on so much. Happiness, excitement, anticipation, love.”

He shook his head.

“The other cyborgs, your friends, they’ve all started to feel. They’ve fallen in love and care deeply for others. Do you think that they’d take those emotions away now?”

No. He’d seen Magnus with Ever and their daughter, Asha. And he’d seen the others with their mates.

Those men would kill for the women they loved. They’d risk everything for them and the love they shared.

“I know nothing of love. Only duty, honor, purpose.”

“Sounds lonely,” she said.

He looked at her. “Do you love?”

“Of course. I love my daughter.”

“And her father?”

Simone’s mouth flattened. “I used to. I thought I did.”

Toren studied her face carefully. “I don’t understand emotions well, Simone—”

She let out a breath. “In the beginning, he wooed me, treated me well.” She sighed. “He was a fellow scientist, and I thought we had so much in common. He was wonderful, until we got married. Then I wasn’t exciting enough, interesting enough, or attractive enough.”

Toren blinked. Simone was one of the most attractive women he’d ever seen. She had a long, elegant body, an attractive face, beautiful hair. “I don’t understand.”

She tossed her head back. “I wasn’t enough. He hurt me, broke my trust, and then my heart.”

Toren turned back to look at the city. “Isn’t that proof that love and emotions are not good things?”

“I don’t ever want to fall in love with a man again, but loving Grace is one of the best things in my life.” She reached out and touched Toren’s arm.

Electricity zinged through him and he frowned at the sensation. “You don’t want to love again?”

She shook her head violently. “Been there, done that. Never again.” Her fingers stroked his forearm. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to feel. Emotions are messy. They don’t run in a straight, predictable line. You can’t have the highs without the lows.”

She pulled back.

“I’m still not sure that any emotions are a good thing,” he said.

“Just feel. Stop trying to control it and roll with it.”

He scowled. “What?”

“You’re too busy trying to tame your emotions, and doing that is tearing you apart. Ride them out instead.”

Now her words made some sense. Instead of fighting his feelings, he could ride the wave.

She turned to face him. “Have dinner with Grace and me.”

“Dinner?” He normally ate a nutritionally balanced, bland meal provided by the House of Rone kitchens.

“Grace would love that.” Simone smiled. “I’d like it.”

He nodded. “All right.”

SIMONE STIRRED the food cooking in the pan. She was so glad that Ever had arranged quarters for her that included a small kitchenette. She enjoyed cooking, had missed it, and loved cooking for herself and Grace.

Nearby, Grace was babbling to Toren. Simone glanced over. Her baby was bouncing off the walls while, for once, Toren actually looked relaxed. Tonight, he wore a tight shirt in a rich, deep-blue color that suited him. It was so snug that she could see the outline of his abs beneath it. His long, blond hair was pulled back at the base of his neck.

A curl of traitorous heat moved through her belly and she almost bobbled the frypan.

God. Cheeks burning, she looked away. She hadn’t felt attraction to anyone in a very long time, and she didn’t want to feel it again.

She reached over, grabbed a pot of boiling water, and drained the vegetables. They were lime green and pink, like nothing they had back on Earth, but she’d been assured they tasted good.

You are far from home, Simone.

She heard the deep rumble of Toren’s voice. The alien cyborg was a big clue to that as well.

“Okay, everyone at the table,” she called out.

“May I help you?” Toren asked.

She shook her head. “Sit. I’ve got this.”

Simone started serving up the food.

“Doesn’t my mom look pretty tonight?” Grace said.

She shot her daughter a frown.

“Your mother is very attractive,” Toren said. “She has very shiny hair, healthy skin, a body that is in good proportions.”

He listed her attributes in such a matter-of-fact tone that Simone stifled a laugh. “I have all my teeth, too.”

His brows drew together and she realized that he didn’t understand the Earth reference. Shaking her head, she sat down. “Eat.”

She watched him gingerly try some things on the plate.

“I promise I’m a good cook,” she told him.

Grace nodded. “Mom’s cooking is the best.”

“It’s not that,” he said. “Before…my injury, I couldn’t tolerate strong flavors.”

Simone gasped. “You should’ve told me.”

“Now, I’m not so sure.” He nibbled on the meat and his eyes widened. “This is very good.”

She watched him plow into the food, making some small, appreciative sounds in his throat. From across the table, Grace giggled.

Simone had only taken a few mouthfuls before Toren emptied his plate.

“More?” she asked.

“Yes, please.”

She loaded up a second plate for him. Watching him eat had warmth blooming in her chest. Michael had hated her cooking, while Toren’s appreciation was plain.

Ugh, the last thing she needed right now was to think of her ex-husband.

After dinner, Grace begged to show Toren her room. “Please, Mom.”

Simone set their plates in the washer. “Oh, all right.”

Toren patiently let the girl drag him to the doorway of her room.

“You have many shades of purple,” he said.

“It’s my favorite color.”

Simone leaned against the counter and watched them. The big cyborg towered over Grace, but gave her his full attention. Simone felt a flutter in places she had no business feeling flutters.

Her smile slipped. She didn’t want to be attracted to him, to anyone. Her marriage had almost destroyed her, and now, after surviving the Edull, she needed to focus on building a new life for her and Grace.

And helping to find Bellamy Walsh. Simone had seen the fit blonde at the Edull’s battle arena. Her fellow Helios crewmember was out there, somewhere, suffering.

“It is very…vibrant,” Toren said.

Grace giggled. “You’re funny.”

“Really?” He sounded surprised.

“You make me smile.”

There was a pause and Simone bit her lip.

“I like that,” he said.

“Mom told me that you’re learning to feel.”

“It’s very difficult.”

“But you’re a cyborg. I thought you could do anything.”

“Not anything.” Something darker threaded his voice.

“I bet you’ll work it out, Toren. Mom tells me we can’t always be good at something the first time we try it.”

Simone saw Toren go still. “Your mother is very wise.”

“You’re smart and strong and brave.” Grace grinned. “You’ll keep practicing, and you’ll nail it.”

He frowned. “Nail it?”

“Yes, get it right, win, succeed.”

Toren touched Grace’s head, ruffling her hair. “Thank you, Grace. You’re very wise too.”

The young girl beamed.

They came back into the living room, and Simone met his gaze. A flicker of connection passed between them. Suddenly, Simone’s pulse sped up.

Then there was a pounding at the door. She jolted, and for a second, she was back in an Edull cell, the guards rattling the door.

She shook her head and swallowed. She was not a prisoner anymore. She hurried over and opened the door.

Jax stood in the hall, his red cloak falling off his broad shoulders. “Simone, sorry to interrupt. I’m looking for Toren.”

The serious look on Jax’s face made her stomach roll. “Hi, Jax.”

“I’m here.” Toren walked toward them, Grace clinging to his leg.

The sight of them made Simone’s heart go pitter-pat.

“Toren, there’s a meeting in Magnus’ office,” Jax said.

“What about?” Simone asked.

Jax’s face turned wary, and he glanced at Grace.

“Tell us,” Simone said.

“The Edull,” Jax replied. “There’s been a sighting.” The House of Rone’s second-in-command looked at Toren. “Galen’s here.”

Simone had met the imposing imperator of the House of Galen before. He’d taken in the first human abductees who’d been stolen from Jupiter’s Fortuna Space Station. Those survivors from Earth were now all happily mated to House of Galen gladiators and their allies.

“I’m coming,” she said.

“Simone—”

She skewered Jax with a sharp look. “I deserve to know. They snatched us, held us captive.” Her chest burned. “This is my fight too.”

Toren stepped up beside her. She felt his fingers brush the small of her back, and the silent support made her throat tighten.

Jax stared at Toren a beat, then inclined his head. “Very well.”

“I’ll ask Nemma’s foster family to watch Grace.”

“Mom—”

“Get ready for bed, baby girl,” Simone said.

Her girl looked ready to argue, but finally, she nodded.

Toren reached out and touched Grace’s nose. “Thank you for this evening, Grace.”

“See you tomorrow, Toren.”

Simone lifted her chin. Her ex had once accused her of being cowardly. He was wrong. She’d survived hell and she wasn’t hiding. She was facing the Edull head-on.

There was another woman from Earth out there, and who knew how many other captives of different species, all of whom deserved freedom.

We’re going to find you, Bellamy.

The Edull had to be stopped.

CHAPTER FOUR

As Toren walked into Magnus’s office, the first thing he saw was Galen.

Imperator Galen had a craggy face, dominated by the black eye patch over his left eye. His dark hair was cut short, with a dash of gray at the temples. His powerful body was covered in black leather, with a black cloak falling down his back.

The imperator was flanked by his mate and his champion gladiator.

Samantha Santos wore fighting leathers, her blonde-brown hair in a long braid. She’d survived her Thraxian captors, won in their violent desert arena, and now stood at Galen’s side. Raiden Tiago, one of the best fighters in the Kor Magna Arena, stood on the other side of Galen. The muscular gladiator wore a red cloak, his arms crossed over his chest.

Magnus glanced at Simone, and for a second, Toren thought his imperator might send her away. Instead, he nodded and sat behind his desk.

“What have we got?” Toren asked.

“Two Edull were spotted in Kor Magna,” Galen said in a deep voice.

Simone sucked in a breath and wrapped her arms around her middle. “Do you…?” She straightened. “Do you think that they are after me and Grace?”

“Not that we can tell,” Sam answered.

“No doubt planning more trouble,” Magnus said.

“Where were they spotted?” Toren asked.

“At an auction,” Raiden said. “An exclusive event attended by a lot of wealthy buyers.”

Toren felt a shot of anger. “Where? And what was for sale at this auction?”

Galen shifted. “It was in the District.”

“There was a lot for sale,” Raiden said. “But mostly, it was high-end slaves.”

Simone let out a shocked breath.

“And some high-end tech,” the gladiator continued. “Our source thought that some of it was likely of Edull origin.”

“I’ve already talked with Rillian,” Galen said. “He’s trying to get an invite to the next auction. He’s also asking around discreetly to find out who else was on the invite list, because as far as he knows, there were no Edull names on it.”

A muscle ticked in Magnus’ jaw. “They were someone’s guests.”

Galen nodded.

“We have to find these Edull.” Toren knew that this was the only lead they had to Bari Batu and the battle arena. Rage surged, dark memories clawing at his mind.

Then he felt the brush of fingers against his hand.

Simone.

No one saw the small move. Barely a brush, and yet it steadied him.

“We’ll find them,” Magnus said. “We won’t stop until we do.”

Toren nodded.

Magnus sat back in his chair. “Once we have more information, I’ll keep everyone informed.”

Toren knew they’d been dismissed. He took Simone’s arm and led her out. Her face was pale.

“I need to get back to Grace.” She pulled away from him.

“Simone—”

She chafed her arms with her hands. “I’ll be fine.” She headed down the corridor.

He watched her walk away. So graceful and composed. She’d been through so much, and yet, she still held herself like a queen. He felt that flare of heat in his gut again.

Swiveling, Toren headed toward his own rooms.

He didn’t need much sleep, but he knew he should try to rest. Their head healer Avarn had told him that sleep would help with his healing.

He’d do anything to help his organics heal, so he could get his implant back and his emotions gone. He reached up and touched the plate on his shoulder. The metal was cool under his fingers. His weapon wasn’t there and he felt its absence keenly.

In his room, he prepared for bed and tried to sleep, but every time he closed his eyes, images peppered his head—the Edull tearing into him, being banned from his House of Rone duties, losing control of his emotions. He couldn’t work alongside the other elite cyborgs because he was a liability.

He growled, anger welling. He tossed his sheets back and rose. He wanted to punch the wall or break something.

He paced his room and time blurred. As he stalked past the windows again, he had no idea how much time had passed. The emotions swelling inside him made him feel like a caged animal.

Then he remembered what Simone had said, to ride the wave of emotion. To use his anger.

He spun and headed out. Maybe some target practice would help him. He didn’t have his shoulder weapon, but he could still be the best shot using other weapons.

The corridors were empty as he strode through them. When he reached the arena, it was empty. The first blush of dawn light was crossing over the walls.

He picked up a MaxTek rifle from the weapons rack. Projectile weapons and cyborgs were banned from fighting in the gladiatorial arena, but they still had their place on Carthago, especially in the dangerous deserts. The House of Rone made some of the best weapons on the planet.

He lifted the gun, adjusting to the weight and feel of it. He lined up with several targets on the far wall. As he fired, a laser lit up the shadows. He kept firing, aiming a barrage of lasers into the target.

“Not bad,” a deep voice said from above.

He looked up and saw a shadow hovering above him. A sleek, metallic flyer glided in silently and landed beside him on the sand.

Maxon switched off the flyer’s engine, the breeze catching his shaggy hair. The man’s brown hair was shot through with strands of gold. The House of Rone’s weapons master was big, with broad shoulders and long legs, and perpetually in a bad mood.

“Maxon,” Toren greeted him.

“Still recovering?” the weapons master asked.

“Yes. I’m still volatile.”

“Welcome to the club.” Maxon threw his leg over, climbing off the flyer.

Toren snorted. “You feel a lot, Maxon. How do you function with all that emotion?”

Maxon’s enhancements weren’t visible, but he was a cyborg.

“I’ve always felt, Toren. The emotions I feel fuel my creativity and my work.” He touched the side of the flyer and a compartment opened.

“Is this flyer your design?” Toren asked. Maxon was always tinkering with new designs.

“Yep. Still experimental. I’ve designed it for operating in the desert.” He scowled. “Just haven’t perfected it yet.” From the compartment he pulled out a sleek weapon. “Here.”

Toren turned it over, the silver metal almost warm under his skin.

“It’s a prototype,” Maxon said. “Only someone with cyborg reflexes can use it. I’m calling it the MaxStorm.”

Lifting it, Toren aimed and fired. It fired smoothly, without a jerk. The laser was a continuous stream of silver, like lightning. It hit the center of the targets.

He glanced up and saw the faint smile on Maxon’s lips.

“It’ll take ricochet bolts as well.” Maxon jerked his head. “I have to go.” He turned on his boots and strode away.

Ricochet bolts had been Toren’s favorite with his shoulder weapon. He kept firing, learning the weapon. It sang under his fingers.

“That looks cool.”

He turned his head and saw Grace standing nearby, leaning against a pillar.

“It’s early,” he said. “You should be sleeping.”

She shrugged and nodded at the gun. “Can I try it?”

“No.”

She shot him a stubborn look. “But I want to learn to protect myself.” She looked at the ground.

“Grace?”

“I don’t ever want to be someone’s prisoner again.”

He’d learned enough since he’d been deluged with emotions to hear the pain and fear in her voice. He’d been blind to how people had felt before.

“You’re safe now, Grace.”

She lifted her head. “Can I have a hug instead?”

A hug? He looked at her and realized he couldn’t say no. He nodded.

She rushed at him, wrapping her arms around his waist, and burying her face in his gut.

Slowly, he wrapped his arms around the girl and held her tight.

She tilted her head back, speculation in her dark eyes. Drak. He knew when Grace started plotting, trouble seemed to always follow.

When her gaze drifted down to the weapon in his hand, he realized that if he didn’t let her try firing it, she’d just try later by herself.

“Come here.” He spun her around to face the target.

She beamed up at him.

“You are not to try this by yourself.”

She nodded.

“Your stance is very important.” He nudged her feet apart. She was vibrating with excitement.

She gripped the weapon and aimed.

“Keep it steady and take your time to aim. Now touch the trigger.”

She fired. The laser fire went wild, scoring the wall.

He took it from her and strode over to the weapons rack. He picked a smaller weapon that was better suited for her. “This one will be better.”

She pouted. “It’s small.”

“Because you’re small.” He turned her shoulders. “Stand up straight, plant your feet. No, not like that.”

She adjusted her stance again.

“Straighten a little,” he said. “Lift the weapon.”

She dragged in a breath, her face focused.

“Okay, line up with the target and then depress the trigger slowly.”

Grace fired and the shot went low, hitting the sand.

She made a small growling sound.

He shook his head. “You moved your feet when you fired. Hold still.”

She pulled in a breath. “I can get it.”

Such determination. Something told him that Grace would never give up.

She fired again, the shot hitting the bottom of the target. He adjusted her stance, and this time she held it.

When she fired, she hit the outer ring of the target and let out a cry of excitement. She shot him a big smile.

“What’s going on here?” A sharp feminine voice.

Toren looked behind him and saw Simone bearing down on them. He didn’t need to feel emotion to know that she was mad.

“Uh-oh,” Grace murmured.

“Toren, she is a child.” Simone snatched the weapon out of Grace’s hands and shoved it at him. “She should not be using weapons.”

“But she’s highly intelligent,” he said. “She makes explosives—”

“No, she doesn’t. Not anymore.”

“Mom—”

“No. It was poor judgment on Toren’s behalf to let you try this. No shooting. No fighting. No weapons of any description.”

Grace’s face turned belligerent. “This is a different world, Mom. I want to know how to protect myself.”

Stark pain hit Simone’s face. “No, you’re a child.” She took her daughter’s arm and pulled her away. “No more weapons.” Her dark gaze clashed with Toren’s. “If you can’t realize why this is a bad idea, stay away from her.”

With that searing parting shot, she stomped off, dragging Grace with her.

Toren stood there, staring at her retreating back. He felt something. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he knew he didn’t like it.

SIMONE WAS STILL mad at Toren.

And she was mad at herself.

She’d sent Grace off to classes with some of the other House of Rone kids. There were a lot of children who called the house home, and Magnus ensured they were given lots of opportunities to learn and study.

Simone curled her legs up beneath her. She was sitting on the balcony outside her room, staying tucked back in the shade. Gladiators and cyborgs were training in the arena down below. She tilted her head, scanning the group. She spotted Mace and Acton training together.

No Toren.

She pressed her palms to her eyes. She’d lost it with him this morning. She knew he’d never hurt Grace, but he was inexperienced with children. Grace was too smart and daring for her own good. She did not need to be learning how to use weapons.

Simone groaned. Dammit, she was lying to herself about the real reason she’d lost it. She hadn’t been angry with Toren, she’d been angry with herself. She’d failed to protect her child. She’d made the decision to take Grace to space aboard the Helios exploration ship, and that choice had landed them in the hands of the Edull.

Grace wanted to learn to protect herself because she’d been hurt, and Simone hadn’t been able to stop it. She’d failed her daughter.

Seeing Grace with a weapon in her hand, wanting to learn to fight, had broken Simone’s heart.

And she’d taken it out on Toren.

She sighed. He made her feel such conflicting things. She knew better than to tangle herself up with a man. Especially one who was suffering. He didn’t need her adding to that.

There was a knock at the door inside. “Hello, I’m out here.”

Sage and Jayna appeared on the balcony. The two survivors from the Helios were smiling, but Simone saw the stubborn glint in their eyes.

“Come and have breakfast with us.” Sage smiled, the sunlight setting her copper-colored hair alight.

Jayna, her hair was a tumble of dark curls against her brown skin, grabbed Simone’s hand and pulled her up. “Yep. We aren’t taking no for an answer.”

Both women had survived the Edull and then fallen in love with Acton and Mace. They were both thriving at the House of Rone. The women dragged her out the door and down to Ever’s sitting room.

The others were all there, and Asha was sitting on the floor, banging her toys.

“My daughter has a talent for noise,” Ever said.

“She doesn’t get it from her father,” Quinn noted dryly.

Jax’s mate had been the first of the Helios survivors to be rescued. The former security chief leaned against the wall, her long, fit body ready for action. She happily fought alongside Jax and the other cyborgs.

Quinn raised a brow. “Magnus doesn’t make a sound when he moves.”

“Grace was the same,” Simone said. “Always moving, banging things together.”

Sage grinned. “Looks like she never grew out of it.”

Simone laughed. “True.”

“Magnus praises every move Asha makes, like she’s written a concerto or invented the cure for an infectious disease.” There was pride in Ever’s tone.

Simone’s heart hurt. “Like every proud dad should do.”

Grace had never had that. Michael hadn’t been interested in his daughter.

Ever reached out and took Simone’s hand. “I’ve made you sad.”

“My ex-husband ignored Grace. He liked a quick hold to show her off when she was clean and happy…but the rest of the time, he pretended she didn’t exist.” Simone managed a tight smile. “Marriage and fatherhood were not as exciting or as fulfilling as he’d hoped.”

“I’m sorry,” Ever said quietly.

“Don’t be. Grace never asks about him. Michael is highly intelligent, high-strung, and always searching for the next challenge or fulfilling encounter. He was a brilliant scientist, but a terrible husband and father.” Simone grabbed some juice off the low table in front of them and sipped. “He cheated on me countless times, ignored his daughter, treated us badly.”

“You have a new beginning here.” Ever lifted a plate full of goodies and offered them.

“We do.” Simone took one little roll and bit into it. She moaned. “This is good.”

“One of Calla’s creations,” Ever said. “That woman is magic in the kitchen. And Zaden loves testing everything she makes.” Ever smiled. “Those two are crazy about each other.”

“How’s Toren?” Quinn asked.

“He’s still struggling.” Simone looked up. “I got angry at him this morning. I caught him teaching Grace to shoot.”

She watched all the women’s eyebrows go up.

“He should’ve discussed it with you first,” Ever said.

“She’s a child,” Simone said. “She shouldn’t be firing a gun.”

“But it’s also important to remember that Carthago is not Earth,” Quinn said quietly.

“I’m very aware of that.” Simone blew out a breath, her shoulders sagging. “Dammit, I might have overreacted.”

Sage touched her knee. “Give yourself a break. You’re still healing and adjusting too.”

For the first time in so long, Simone felt surrounded by friends. People who cared about her and her daughter.

She wasn’t alone.

CHAPTER FIVE

Toren paced under the arches surrounding the empty training arena. He glanced up. Night had fallen, and a few stars tried valiantly to cut through the city lights. Strobe lights arced in a dizzying dance from the Kor Magna Arena and the sound of thunder—the cheering crowd—rumbled.

The House of Loden was fighting the House of Aviar this evening. Lots of members of the House of Rone had gone to watch the fight.

But not Toren. He was too preoccupied. Too…upset.

He hated that he’d worried Simone. He felt that he’d broken some sort of trust. He thrust his hand through his hair.

“Hey.”

Grace’s subdued voice made him turn. “Hello.” She was loitering by one of the columns, dragging a toe through the sand.

“You look guilty,” she said.

So did she. “Your mother was very angry.”

“Yeah.” Grace made a pattern in the sand. “It happens. She’ll get over it.”

Toren’s stomach was agitated. “I want to…” He couldn’t quite put what he wanted into words.

“Make it up to her?” Grace suggested.

He nodded. “Yes.”

The girl smiled. “Then do something nice for her.”

He frowned. “Like what?” He could get her a weapon. Or take her to the market.

“Something she likes. That makes her feel good.”

Toren put his hands on his hips. He was good at fighting and apprehending people, not making them feel good.

“Come on.” Grace reached for his hand. “I can help you.” She tugged him along the walkway.

“Where is your mother?”

“Eating with Ever and Quinn. That gives us time.”

“To do what?” There was every possibility that Grace would lead him into greater trouble.

“To set up something my mom loves.”

“Which is?”

“She loves taking long baths in scented water.”

Toren wrinkled his nose. “A bath?”

“Yes. Don’t you have a bath every now and then?”

“No, cyborgs do not enjoy sitting in tubs of water.”

Grace giggled. “Well, mom does.” The girl’s smile fell. “But it’s been a long time since she’s had the chance.”

Yes, Toren figured that the Edull did not provide baths of scented water in their cells. Determination filled him. “Then we will make this the best bath she’s ever had.”

Grace’s smile returned and she tugged on his hand again. She moved closer and threw her arms around him, clinging like a monka pet the wealthy people of the District favored. He patted her back. It felt strange but nice.

“Come on.” She swiveled away and picked up her pace. “Our first stop is Medical.”

“Medical?”

“You’ll see.”

When they stepped into Medical, the chief healer, Avarn, met them. The older man wore long robes of blue, his long, white hair pulled back from his face and his green eyes laser-focused. “Are you injured?”

Grace shook her head. “No, we need some nice-smelling oil to put in bath water.”

The healer’s shaggy eyebrows shot up. “You need what?”

Toren nodded. “Something nice to put in bath water.”

“For my mom,” Grace said. “On Earth, oils are scented with flowers and herbs. It’s relaxing.”

Avarn looked at Toren, then a strange smile crossed his face. “Hmm, let me see what we’ve got.”

The healer rummaged around in a small cabinet, glass containers clinking together. Toren guessed that the healer was not used to this request.

He scanned Medical, his gaze falling on the regen tanks at the back of the room. Avarn was used to healing injured gladiators or damaged cyborgs. And performing surgery to add enhancements and prosthetics to injured people the House of Rone rescued.

“Here.” Avarn held up an ornate bottle and lifted the lid.

A scent hit Toren, pungent, but pretty.

“Ooh, it’s perfect,” Grace said.

Avarn handed her the bottle. “It makes bubbles as well. I hope she likes it.” The healer winked at Toren.

Grace grabbed his hand and towed him out of Medical. Soon, he found himself in Simone’s room. The place smelled of her.

“We don’t have much time.” Grace moved around the room, lighting some candles.

“There are perfectly good lights,” he said.

“No, this is prettier. It adds to the atmosphere.”

He frowned. “But the tub is in the bathroom.”

“It would be much nicer if it was out here by the window.” Grace’s eyelashes fluttered.

Toren studied her. “Your eyes are twitching.”

She pulled a face. “Can you please bring the tub out here? She can look at the night sky, then. Ever said Magnus does it for her sometimes.”

Toren sighed. He was well aware that the stone tubs in the bathroom weighed a lot. Grace’s eyelashes fluttered again, and he wondered if she needed to have Avarn check them for her. Then she waved him toward the bathroom.

The bathroom also smelled of Simone. He saw a silky shirt resting on a stool and he fingered it.

“How’s it coming?” Grace called out.

“Fine.” He set about unscrewing the tub from the drain. Then he hefted it up and carried it into the living area. With his cyborg strength, it wasn’t too heavy. He set it down by the window.

Grace clapped her hands. “Perfect.”

Toren plugged the bottom of the tub. It took several trips for him to fill the tub with hot water using a large bowl. Grace tipped the scented liquid in.

The diluted scent was quite lovely.

“Here, I got this earlier.” The girl set a plate down beside the tub. It was loaded with small delicacies from the kitchen.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Calla says it’s called rocha. It tastes almost like the chocolate we have on Earth.”

Suddenly, he heard voices outside in the hall. He easily picked up Simone’s smooth tone.

“She’s coming.” Grace’s voice filled with excitement. “I’m outta here.” She hurried to the door leading to her bedroom.

His heart knocked against his chest. “What? Grace, where are you—?”

The girl winked and closed the door behind her, just as the front door opened.

“GOOD NIGHT,” Simone called out.

The other women waved and called out their goodbyes.

Simone gripped the door handle and sighed. Without the company, her agitated thoughts rushed back in.

She felt guilty about blowing up at Toren earlier. He cared about Grace, and he was showing it in his own way. She’d overreacted.

As she entered her room, a beautiful, lush scent hit her. She froze.

Candlelight flickered, and Toren stood stiffly next to the stone bathtub, which was now sitting by the windows.

She blinked. “Toren?”

He cleared his throat. “I wanted to apologize for today. Grace said you liked long, scented baths.”

Simone wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. The scent from the tub was beautiful, and her gaze fell to a plate of rocha resting beside the tub. She’d developed a small obsession with the dessert over the last few weeks.

“You did this?” It had been so long since she’d soaked in a bubble bath.

He nodded. “Grace helped.”

“Thank you. It wasn’t necessary.” She spread her hands. “I overreacted this morning. You should have asked me to take Grace shooting.” Simone pulled in a deep breath. “But I jumped all over you because I was feeling guilty. I didn’t protect her. I couldn’t keep her safe—”

Toren closed the distance between them, resting his large hands on her shoulders. “You kept her alive. You gave her hope, and now you’re both free.”

Her throat tightened and she nodded.

“Get in your bath, Simone.”

She tilted her head, her eyes going wide. “You’re staying?”

“Grace told me to pour you a drink and to get you what you need while you’re relaxing.”

“That’s not—” Simone realized that Toren didn’t see anything strange about that. He was a cyborg, and he didn’t feel any attraction to her, and intimacy was something he didn’t understand.

That made her feel…not great. She bit her lip. Silly. She knew she wasn’t a woman to inspire passion in a man. Michael had taken great delight in telling her that.

“Turn around,” she said.

Toren frowned, but obeyed.

She tied her hair up in a messy knot on top of her head. Then she quickly stripped off her clothes and slid into the warm water. The bubbles tickled across her skin.

“Okay.”

He turned and stilled. “Is it…enjoyable?”

“Very much.” She sighed, leaning back against the edge of the tub.

Toren moved to her kitchenette and then set a glass of blue liquid down beside the tub.

“Galla,” he said. “I’m told the juice is pleasant and refreshing.”

He sat on a stool. He looked gorgeous in the candlelight, the flickering light accentuating his cheekbones. She let her gaze drift over the firm muscles in his chest, then up to where the golden strands glinted in his hair. She loved his hair and that he wore it longer than the other cyborgs.

Simone forced herself to look away, splashing water over her shoulders. Ah, that felt nice.

She felt the tension drift away and reached over to pop some rocha in her mouth. Flavor exploded across her tongue.

“Do you need anything?” he asked.

She shook her head, then lifted one leg, running the cloth over her skin. Something prickled over her, and she glanced over to see Toren watching her intently.

He’s just curious. But as she kept bathing, his gaze almost felt like a physical touch. And she liked it.

Warmth burst in her belly. She licked her lips. God, she was so stupid to feel this for him. For a man who couldn’t ever feel it back.

But then again, she didn’t ever want to feel love and passion with any man. Doing that put you at risk of having your heart broken, and she couldn’t go through that again.

She watched him shift on his chair.

“The water’s good?” he asked dubiously.

She laughed. “You say that like I’m dipping myself in acid.”

“It doesn’t seem pleasant.”

“It is if you learn to relax. To let your emotions settle.”

His jaw tightened. “Right now, that feels like something I could never do.”

She reached out a bubble-coated arm and touched his hand. He turned his hand, his fingers tangling with hers.

“Time, Toren. It heals all kinds of wounds. And you’ll get better at controlling your emotions, and accepting them.”

“Or my body will heal enough for Avarn to fix my implants.”

And then he wouldn’t feel anymore. Her heart clenched. She felt his gaze on her again and saw that his brow was creased.

Then she realized that he was looking down. She glanced at the water, and saw one of her breasts peeking through the bubbles. Her nipple pebbled.

She snatched her arm back and sank lower in the water.

Toren licked his lips. “I… Ah…”

His cheeks were flushed and Simone stilled. “What is it, Toren?”

“I feel hot. I feel warmth in my stomach.”

Oh, God. Was he attracted to her and didn’t realize it? Was he feeling aroused? “From looking at me?”

He nodded.

They stared at each other, and she pressed a hand to her throat. Then she tucked a loose strand of her hair back behind her ear.

He watched every move.

“I think that you’re feeling physical attraction,” she said quietly.

He pulled in a breath. “I do enjoy looking at you.”

Warmth spread through her. “I enjoy looking at you too.”

He cocked his head. “Really?”

“I shouldn’t, but you have a very attractive body, Toren.”

He shifted again on the stool. “Simone…”

“Yes?”

“Could I see more of you?” he whispered.

God. Desire was a rush inside her. This was wrong. She didn’t want any sort of dalliance with any man. And Toren was still coming to terms with everything he was feeling.

But it had been so long since she’d felt like this.

“Have you seen a woman before?” she asked. “I mean, have you ever had—?”

“Sexual intercourse? No.”

Oh. Her belly coiled. A virgin cyborg. A hot, gorgeous virgin cyborg.

Simone sat up, bubbles clinging to her skin.

He shifted closer to the tub. “Simone, you are very beautiful.” His voice was lower, gritty with need. “Can I touch you?”

She should tell him to go, tell him to leave. Instead she bit her lip and nodded.

He reached out and cupped her breast.

She moaned and he froze.

“No,” she said. “It feels good.”

“You are very well made, Simone. Long, elegant.” He cupped the other breast, seemingly fascinated with her nipples. He played with them until they tightened.

“That’s a response,” she said. “To cold, or arousal.”

He made a hungry sound.

She glanced down and saw the bulge in the front of his trousers. His abdomen was pulled tight.

“Are you aroused, Toren?”

“My cock is very hard.” His gaze met hers and it was burning.

She leaned up and gently tugged his head down to hers. Their lips met, a gentle exploration, sipping at each other.

Simone let out a breath. “You should know that I’m not very good at this.”

“How do you know?”

She gave a harsh laugh. “My ex-husband took great pleasure in telling me that I’m boring and not very good in bed. He cheated on me repeatedly with other women.”

Toren tilted his head, his thumb flicking across her nipple. She gasped.

“You appear very responsive. In my experience, people who talk most about their own abilities, and the lack in others, are often hiding their own inadequacies.” He smiled. “Usually this is in reference to their fighting prowess, but it applies to other skills too.”

She fought back a laugh. How could this cyborg make her feel so at ease, so amazing?

She rose up on her knees and kissed him.

Her wet chest was plastered against his bare skin. Their kiss was a little clumsy at first, then they found their groove. Tongues tangled and plunged deep. Simone felt like she was going up in flames.

Then he yanked away. He was breathing harshly.

She pressed a hand to her chest. She’d never felt desire and need like this. She felt so alive. With her ex, she’d never felt a fraction of this.

Toren stood and staggered. His face was twisted, looking conflicted.

Oh, God. Her belly ramped. “Toren, did I hurt you? Are you okay?” She held out a hand.

He shook his head and stepped backward. “It’s too much. Too many emotions.” He hung his head, his chin hitting his chest. “I want less of these, not more.” His voice was harsh. “I don’t want this.”

He didn’t want her.

It was like a knife to her belly, but Simone knew it was for the best. “Of course.” She tucked her hand back into the water. “I understand.”

He looked at her with pain and confusion in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Simone…”

“Go.” She hoped he didn’t hear the way her voice cracked.

He watched her for a moment. “I—”

“Just go,” she said again.

He turned and left the room like desert beasts were chasing him.

And somehow, this felt a hundred times worse than when her lying, cheating husband had left her.

Simone sank down in the cooling water and squeezed her eyes shut.

CHAPTER SIX

Lying in his bed, Toren tried to shake off his restless night’s sleep.

All he could think about was Simone. Her slender arms, the smooth slope of her shoulders, her pale skin, and the soft shape of her breasts in his hands.

He swallowed a groan.

He remembered every second of their kiss—the heat, the hunger, the need.

His cock throbbed painfully, something he’d never had to deal with before. Anytime he looked at Simone, he realized that he felt this heaviness between his legs.

Swallowing, he dragged in a deep breath, and let his emotions spill over him.

Drak. They were unfamiliar and intense, but they felt…good.

Blood rushed through his body and his hand drifted down his stomach. Following his instincts, he circled his cock. He was so hard. He wanted Simone. He wanted to see more of her, feel more of her. He started to stroke, and his next groan was long and loud.

Toren tugged on his cock, his mind filled with Simone. Oh, drak, that felt good. Sensations, white and hot, cut through him. How could it hurt and feel good at the same time?

His strokes became more urgent. “Simone.” Pleasure hit him in a rush. He groaned as his cock spilled, spraying over his belly.

Panting, he flopped back on the bed.

By the sword. He threw an arm over his face, trying to calm his breathing. He’d felt dull flashes of appreciation before—when he’d seen a beautiful woman or a well-formed gladiator.

But this…

He’d never felt this before.

And he’d never stroked himself to completion before.

There was a knock at his door and he quickly flicked the sheet over his damp body. “Yes?”

“Toren, we have a meeting with Magnus in Ever’s sitting room.” Mace’s deep voice.

“I’ll be there,” Toren answered.

He wasted no time stepping under the shower and dressing. He shoved his unruly desires aside and tried to find some focus as he headed down the corridor. When he entered Ever’s sitting room, Magnus was sprawled in an armchair, his tiny daughter at his feet.

Mace stood against the wall, Acton sat in a chair, and Jax was by the window. Zaden stood behind Acton’s chair while Seren paced the room, eyeing little Asha like she was a ticking bomb. The baby offered the female cyborg a toothless grin.

“Toren.” Magnus nodded, eyeing him carefully. “All right, let’s get started.”

“We have more info on the Edull ally,” Jax said.

Toren’s muscles tightened.

Another man stepped out of the shadows at the edge of the room. Toren realized he hadn’t known the man was there, and he scowled. His response to Simone had him really losing his edge.

The newcomer wore a suit, and radiated wealth and power. Rillian—owner of the Dark Nebula Casino.

“I received more information about the auction. The two Edull attended with this man.” Rillian touched something in his pocket and an image projected into the air.

The three-dimensional image was the profile of a man. He looked young and flashy, with his long, brown hair pulled up in elaborate twists on his head. He had a faint, silvery pattern on his skin.

“Alev Erroth,” Rillian said. “The son of a wealthy factory owner here in Kor Magna. He’s been trying to make a name for himself.” Rillian raised a dark brow. “He’s renowned for his partying and sleeping around, and spending his father’s money, and up until now, that’s been about it.”

“Seren, I want you to follow the man,” Magnus ordered.

The female cyborg nodded.

“Don’t let him see you.”

Seren made a scoffing sound. “That would never happen.”

Magnus smiled. “Report back when you find something. And don’t scare him too badly.”

Seren’s lips curved before she turned and strode out.

“Where is this Alev now?” Toren asked.

“Receiving my invitation to today’s exhibition match in the Kor Magna Arena,” Rillian said.

“Good.” Magnus picked up a fussy Asha, sitting the little girl on his lap. She grabbed her father’s hair and tugged hard enough to make Toren wince. Magnus just stroked his daughter’s cheek.

“There is no way that a man like Alev would miss an exhibition match between the House of Rone and the House of Galen,” Rillian said.

Toren knew that if Rillian was hosting the event, it would certainly be a good show. The casino owner generally spared no expense. Exhibition matches were pure displays of skill with no official winner.

Rillian smiled. “I’ve also gotten special dispensation for cyborgs to be in several of the matches.”

Jax pushed away from the window. “Really?” He grinned.

Magnus shook his head. “Is there anything you can’t do, Rillian?”

The casino owner headed for the door. “Of course not.” He paused, sliding his hands into the pockets of his dark trousers, his face turning serious. “That includes helping you take down the Edull and their abomination of a battle arena. We stopped the Thraxians, and we’ll also stop the Edull.”

“Thank you, Rillian,” Magnus said.

With a nod, the casino owner left.

Magnus stood, resting Asha on his hip. “Jax, Mace, and Acton, you’re with me for the exhibition fights.”

Toren stiffened.

Magnus looked at him. “I’m sorry, Toren. You can’t be a part of the exhibition fight right now. Nor you, Zaden.”

The young, powerful cyborg just nodded. His enhancements kept his enormous telekinetic power in check.

But Toren felt a punch of emotion, and fought it down until he managed a nod.

“I’d like you both to keep an eye on Alev and watch for any sign of the Edull.” Magnus scowled. “They haven’t instigated any new revenge attacks, but it’s only a matter of time.”

Drak. Toren knew the arena crowd was the perfect target for the Edull and their bots to cause harm and destruction.

“And watch the House of Rone women,” Magnus said.

Toren nodded. That meant watching Simone.

His cock throbbed and he hoped that nobody noticed.

“I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THIS.”

“Come on, Mom.” Grace bounced on her feet. “It’ll be fun.”

Ever touched Simone’s arm. “It will be fun. Fights in the arena always are.”

Simone’s belly turned over. “I was at the Edull battle arena. It was horrific.” Nothing would ever make her forget the noise, the crashes, the screams of the crowd, the terrified cries of the injured racers.

Ever squeezed. “God, Simone. I didn’t think. The Kor Magna Arena is nothing like that. Regular arena fights can get bloody, but nobody dies. This is an exhibition match, which is just a pure display of skill. The House of Galen are our friends.”

“Please, Mom,” Grace begged.

Simone didn’t want to disappoint her daughter. “Okay.”

“Yay!” Grace threw her arms in the air. “I’m going to find Nemma.”

“You’ll have fun, Simone,” Ever said. “I promise.”

Not long afterward, Simone found herself seated in the stands of the Kor Magna Arena.

She shifted on the stone bench, glancing around at the huge tiers of seating, all filled with cheering spectators. It was like a football game. The crowd surged and ebbed, food vendors wandered around, selling all kinds of alien snacks.

Actually, she realized the place had a good feel. There was a pulse of healthy anticipation and energy. It was nothing like the Edull’s battle arena. There, the spectators wanted blood. She shivered. There, the blood-thirsty crowd was electrified by the crashes, the blood, and the deaths.

Quinn stood close by, leaning against the railing. The woman looked relaxed, but Simone could tell the woman was on guard.

Then Zaden and Toren arrived.

Her belly tightened. She hadn’t seen him since yesterday, but she’d dreamed about him.

God, they’d been hot, sweaty dreams. For the first time in forever, she’d stroked herself, coming on her fingers while chanting his name.

Their gazes met. She managed a smile, and he nodded back.

Then, when he turned to look at the arena, she released a breath.

Jayna leaned forward, grinning at Simone. “So, what’s going on with you and our hot, blond cyborg?”

The other women all turned to look, curiosity on their faces.

“We’re friends.”

Quinn snorted. “Heard that one before, from Sage. She’s now banging her cyborg daily.”

Two pops of color appeared on Sage’s cheeks. “Not every day. Sometimes it’s twice or three times.”

The women all burst into laughter.

Simone smiled, but she felt a sharp sting of envy. The women were all so happy. They were all in love, and it radiated off each of them.

She just wasn’t sure that she believed in that anymore. Michael had crushed her belief in love. Making herself vulnerable to another person while trying to navigate this new world sounded like a really bad idea.

“We really are just friends.” She glanced at him and watched him talking with Zaden. “Besides, he doesn’t see me that way. He’s got so much to deal with, and he doesn’t want to add more emotion to how he’s feeling. Besides, as soon as the healers can fix his implants, he wants to be emotionless again.”

Simone didn’t meet their gazes, but knew they were watching her. She felt like a specimen under a microscope.

She cleared her throat. “Where’s Grace gone?” she asked, changing the subject. “I don’t want her to wander too far.”

Ever turned her head. “There she is.”

Simone spotted Grace and Nemma rushing over to Zaden and Toren. The two girls were eating some snacks.

Zaden scooped Nemma up, settling the laughing girl on his shoulders. After watching Zaden, Toren lifted Grace off her feet. She giggled and he mimicked Zaden, and set Grace on his own broad shoulders. Simone watched her daughter, smiling and happy. Her heart throbbed.

“Toren is very good with Grace,” Ever murmured.

“Yes, he is.”

Then suddenly, a long and mournful horn sounded out over the arena. The lights started to dim, and a blue-green glimmer appeared overhead. The crowd oohed, and Simone’s mouth dropped open.

A nebula projected above the arena.

“It looks like the ceiling at the Dark Nebula Casino.” Ever shook her head. “Rillian goes all out when he hosts any events.”

“Isn’t that the truth.” A tall woman appeared in front of them, smiling.

“Dayna!” Ever cried.

The women all leaped up to hug the new arrival.

“Although this was my idea.” The athletic brunette waved a hand at the nebula above them. “I’m claiming full credit.”

“Simone,” Ever said, “this is Dayna, Rillian’s better half.”

Another survivor from Fortuna Space Station. Simone shook the woman’s hand.

“Glad to see you safe and well, Simone,” Dayna said.

Down on the sand, Galen stepped out of a tunnel and onto the sand. He strode toward the center of the arena floor.

The crowd went wild, leaping up and stamping their feet.

More House of Galen gladiators followed the imperator out.

“Here we go,” Quinn said.

On the opposite side of the arena, House of Rone gladiators led by their champion, Xias, entered the arena, waving to the crowd.

“Look!” someone yelled.

A big body arrowed down from one of the high arena tiers. Magnus hit the sand in a crouch, then rose.

More cyborgs dropped from the walls, landing on the arena floor.

The entire crowd was on their feet, shouting and whistling.

“The fans are going to tear the place apart,” Dayna shouted.

Simone watched as the two houses squared off on the sand, the gladiators participating in some good-natured trash talk that made the fans hoot and holler. They all drew their weapons.

Then Xias let out a loud battle cry, and they charged at each other.

Simone watched the clash. Axes, swords, and staffs whirled and slashed. Her heart beat hard in her chest.

Just an exhibition. No one would get hurt.

“So, the Edull ally is here,” Quinn murmured. “His name is Alev Erroth.”

Simone straightened. “Where is he?”

“Up there.” Quinn subtly pointed to the VIP seats in the stands above them.

Simone let her gaze drift across the crowd and settle on the man with the elaborate twists in his hair. She gasped. “I recognize him.”

Quinn straightened. “Really?”

Simone nodded. “He was at the Edull battle arena.”

Quinn gripped her shoulder and squeezed. “Then we can use him to find it.” She paused. “Would he recognize you?”

Simone shook her head. “I was just a slave among many, and he was a VIP guest.”

The other woman nodded.

Simone tried to pull her gaze off the man. The last thing she wanted was for him to know that he was being watched. She turned back to the arena floor, trying to focus on the fight. Grace and Nemma were pressed against the railing, shouting and cheering.

Suddenly, a big body sat down beside hers. Toren.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing.” She took a deep breath and smelled his scent—masculine, woody. She was so aware of him.

He doesn’t want you. She needed to remind herself of that.

“Simone, I can tell that something’s wrong.”

Damn, was she that obvious?

Down on the sand, Magnus’ and Galen’s swords clashed. The crowd’s shouting was deafening as they cheered on the imperators.

“Showoffs,” Ever said with a smile.

“The flutterers will be out in force tonight, tossing panties at them,” Dayna noted dryly.

“Simone.” Toren leaned closer, keeping his voice low.

She huffed out a breath. “Fine. The Edull ally.” She turned, her lips only inches from Toren’s cheek. “I’ve seen him before, at Bari Batu.”

Toren reached out and took her hand. She knew she should push him away, protect herself, her heart, and her own emotions, but instead, she held on tight.

“There will be a special VIP party after the fight,” Toren said.

She focused on the arena floor. Raiden and Jax flew across the sand, weapons a blur, cloaks flying behind them.

“Alev has accepted an invitation to the party,” Toren continued.

Simone tore her gaze away from the fight. “I’m coming.”

“I thought you might say that.” He squeezed her fingers. “I’d prefer that you were nowhere near him, but I understand the need to help. We’ll find out what he knows, I promise you. We’ll find Bari Batu and Bellamy.”

Simone nodded.

His eyes glinted. “I will do whatever I have to do to stop the Edull.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

Toren had never seen anything like this party before.

It was being held inside a building that was part of the Dark Nebula Casino complex. This building wasn’t as tall as the main Dark Nebula skyscraper, but it was still large, several stories high, and cavernous.

The walls were all glass, showcasing the lights of the District beyond. Inside, the space was crisscrossed with wide walkways—some flat, some on a gradient. Plants were everywhere—climbing the walls, tangled around railings, vines falling from the upper levels like waterfalls.

There were actually two waterfalls. The long, slender columns of water fell through the center of the space and into a pool on the ground level.

Plants and waterfalls were a huge extravagance for a desert planet, but he knew that Rillian was beyond wealthy. Guests, dressed in their glittering finest, walked around in awe, nursing fancy drinks.

Toren reached out and stroked the leaves of one glossy plant. Some of the plants were holograms, but not all of them. Large, red flowers the size of his hands bloomed on the vine, their scent swamping him. But this time, he didn’t fight it, instead he absorbed all the sensations.

He touched one wide bloom and imagined the flower tucked behind Simone’s ear— the red vibrant against her black hair.

Turning, he spotted her unerringly in the crowd. He was on a walkway above hers, which gave him a good vantage point. He swallowed, the sight of her like a punch to his gut. She’d changed since the arena fight, and now wore a column of royal blue. It shimmered around her body under the lights.

Heat pushed through him. She was so beautiful. He’d wanted to stay away from her, but he just couldn’t.

“Doing okay?” a deep voice said.

Toren looked away and turned to Magnus beside him. “So far. It was a good fight.”

“It was entertaining to be in the arena.” The imperator looked around, spotting Galen across the walkway. “I need to speak with Galen.” Magnus lowered his voice to almost sub-vocal levels, so only a cyborg could pick it up. “Any sign of Erroth? Rillian assured me that he was invited.”

Toren shook his head. “Not yet. You heard that Simone recognized him?”

Magnus nodded. “Keep an eye out for him.”

As Magnus walked away, Toren looked for Simone again. She was by herself, sipping her drink by the walkway railing.

He walked down, taking the stairs to her walkway. “Hi.”

She turned. “Hi.”

“Enjoying the party?”

“This place is amazing.” Her gaze lifted to the soaring ceiling above and the waterfalls of plant life. “Grace is having a blast.” Her gaze dropped downward.

Several levels down, Toren easily spied Grace and some other children from the House of Rone on the dance floor. Grace was all wild moves, and flapping arms and legs.

“Ah, I am no expert on dancing, but she has some unique moves.”

Simone laughed. “She’s exactly like me. Totally no rhythm.”

“But when you walk, you’re so graceful.”

Her gaze flicked up to his and something twisted inside him.

“Hello, Simone.” A female voice interrupted. “We wanted to say hello and welcome you to Carthago.”

Toren recognized the group of women—the Earth women from the House of Galen. “Simone, this is Harper, Regan, Rory, and Madeline.”

“Hi.” The redheaded Rory held up two drinks. “I’d shake, but this a rare night away from my little boy. I’m making the most of being free. And Mia wanted to come and say hi, but she’s down there doing her thing.” Rory nodded her head at the blonde woman singing by the dance floor.

“It’s lovely to meet you all,” Simone said.

“When your gladiator discovers you knocking back cocktails like water, you won’t be free anymore,” Harper said dryly to Rory.

The brunette often fought in the arena alongside her mate, Raiden. Her one-shouldered dress showcased her toned arms and her brown hair was pulled up in a fancy twist.

Rory took a gulp of one of her drinks. “My man can be a stickler for the rules—” she leaned in close to Simone “—but he loves drunken sex.”

Snorts and laughter erupted around them and Toren blinked. Did women talk about sex like this all the time?

A blonde woman elbowed Rory out of the way. “Hi, I’m Regan.”

Toren’s gaze dropped to where the woman cradled her expanding belly.

“You’re expecting a child,” he said.

Regan shot him a beaming grin. “I sure am, but this bub is getting huge. I swear I get bigger every day.”

“And Thorin has turned into a big, overprotective crazy man.” Madeline’s dark hair swung along her jaw line. “I’m surprised he let you out of his sight.”

“Good luck with your pregnancy,” Simone said.

“You have a daughter,” Madeline said. “How is she settling in?”

Simone smiled. “Wonderfully.” She glanced at Toren. “Everyone at the House of Rone has been amazing, and Grace loves it here.”

Rory smacked one of Toren’s arms. “All these gladiators and cyborgs are protective to the bone.” She frowned at Toren. “Or metal. Is your skeleton bone or metal?”

“I have bones,” Toren said.

“Really?” Rory said in a musing tone.

Suddenly, a big, bare-chested gladiator barged into the group and lifted Regan off her feet.

“Thorin, this is Simone.” Regan gripped her mate’s shoulders.

The rugged gladiator grunted, nodded at Simone, then carried Regan away. She waved over his shoulder.

The other women all laughed.

“He’s both happy about their baby and completely freaked out.” Harper smiled. “It was great to meet you. Drop by any time.”

The women all said goodbye before heading off.

“They’re happy,” Simone said quietly.

“They appear to be,” Toren said.

“They suffered, were ripped from everything they knew.” She gripped the railing, her knuckles turning white. “But they’ve made a family here, a new life.”

“You can too, Simone.” He had to touch her, to find some way to comfort her. He wrapped his hand over hers.

She bit her lip, her eyes shimmering.

Toren reached out and pulled her into his arms. It felt so natural, so right. She pressed her face to his chest, then she let out a breath and relaxed against him.

“We shouldn’t be doing this,” she murmured. “Neither of us wants this.”

But he didn’t pull away, and she didn’t either. Sensations moved through him, and he liked them. He liked the feel of her.

Standing there with Simone in his arms, he felt a moment of peace that he hadn’t had since he’d been injured.

But then the world was blasted by an explosion below.

“Toren!” she cried.

The walkway beneath them rocked wildly and screams echoed around the party.

Protect her. Toren wrapped his arms around Simone and held on tight.

FEAR SLAMMED INTO SIMONE. God, she couldn’t breathe.

She felt like claws were wrapped around her throat, and a flashback tore through her—of when the Thraxians attacked the Helios.

She squeezed her eyes closed.

“It’ll be okay, Simone.” Toren’s strong voice echoed in her ear. “I’ll protect you.”

She pushed into him, grateful for his strong arms around her. More explosions rocked the walkway.

“Grace!” Simone cried in horror.

“We’ll find her. Hang on.”

Across from them, one of the other walkways broke with a shattering sound. Guests screamed as they clung to metal and glass.

Two guests—a man and a woman—fell, plummeting downward.

Simone’s belly locked. Oh, no.

Down below, a blue-skinned, tattooed gladiator powered through the crowd and leaped into the air. He caught the pair in his brawny arms.

Thank God.

“Where’s Grace?” Adrenaline spiked through her, making her heart thunder. Where was her daughter?

Together, she and Toren peered over the railing.

Plants had fallen down, covering the floor. She saw gladiators herding people off the dance floor.

Where are you, Gracie? “Do you see her?”

“No.” Toren’s face was grim.

They scanned around, and that’s when Simone spotted Alev.

“Toren, look.”

The man, his hair in its distinctive twists, opened the side door on one walkway. Several dog-like robots slunk through the doorway.

Toren’s jaw went tight. “He’s working with the Edull.”

She’d seen that style of construction before—bots made by the Edull.

He tugged her away from the railing. “Come on.”

They headed down the walkway, toward some stairs. But they hadn’t gone far when the walkway tipped, jerking beneath their feet. Simone screamed and Toren scooped her into his arms.

He broke into a run, and this time, her scream got trapped in her throat.

Ahead of them, she saw the walkway falling away in pieces. They were going to fall!

Then suddenly, Toren was airborne, leaping high into the air.

She clutched his shoulders and tried not to panic. Her heart flew into her throat.

He landed on a neighboring walkway with a bend of his knees.

Thank God. Simone glanced down and spotted Grace, one level below them. But several of the dog-like bots raced across the space, circling the little girl.

“No.” Simone gasped, watching the mechanical creatures snapping their jaws and snarling. “Toren!”

The robots were made of rusted plates of metal and bright, shiny bolts. A horrid taste filled her mouth.

Grace grabbed a chair and swung it at one of the robots.

“I’ll get her.” Toren pressed a hand to the railing and leaped over it.

Simone leaned forward and watched as he dropped down. He landed in a crouch and then was up and running to Grace.

One dog bot flew at him and he grabbed it, then tore it apart. He flung the scrap metal to the floor.

A commotion broke out on the edge of the dance floor. Simone spotted Jax and Mace yanking swords from their belts, heading in Toren’s direction. A body leaped down from above and Simone gasped. Acton landed right beside Toren and attacked the bots.

Toren reached Grace and Simone let out a breath. Thank you, God. She knew he’d protect her. She knew in her heart that he’d give his life to keep Grace safe.

He lifted a boot and kicked a robot. Another leaped into the air and he grabbed it, then crunched it into a ball.

Her pulse spiked. She hadn’t realized how strong he was.

Grace tugged him away from the incoming bots and toward a long bar. Simone saw her daughter grab some bottles, then bend over them with fierce concentration. What was she doing?

Toren kicked some more dog bots back. Then Grace shoved something at Toren. After that, she turned and threw a bottle into the air.

“What the—?”

The bottle exploded, slamming some of the robots into each other.

Simone groaned. Grace had made some bombs.

Toren tossed some of his bottles as well. More explosions rocked the room, tossing several bots into the air.

Yes! She grinned, watching her daughter side by side with Toren. More gladiators and black-suited security guards pushed through the crowd, weapons raised.

All of a sudden, the railing under Simone’s hands moved and shifted.

What the hell? She stumbled back.

She watched in horror as the railing pulled upright, bending and changing shape. She gasped. It was some sort of bot.

The metal railing transformed into a long, stick-like bot. It rose up on long legs, its long arms held up like weapons.

Its head swiveled, glowing, gold eyes focusing on her.

She tasted bile. It was another Edull construction. She took off her shoe and threw it at the bot.

Around her, she heard guests screaming and bumping into each other.

“Get back.” She pointed toward one end of the walkway. “Go!”

Simone took a few steps, excruciatingly aware that the walkway was missing its railing. It was a long fall to the ground below.

The bot darted forward, swinging one long arm. Shit. Simone ducked.

She had to get off this walkway.

The bot turned, focusing on some other guests.

“Run!” she yelled.

She spun and saw some pieces of metal that had fallen from the ruined railing. She snatched up a short length of metal. As the bot came at her again, she brandished it.

“Screw you.” She swung the pole and it collided with the bot. She pulled back and swung again.

This was an Edull creation. Hate roared through her. She swung the pole, again and again.

Metal crunched. The bot drew back but she moved after it, smacking it again. The metal on the bot dented and she felt a savage sense of satisfaction.

The bot paused, the lights on its head blinking.

Then it rushed at her.

Oh, hell. She stepped back, lifting the pole. The damn bot was way faster than she’d guessed.

It swung its arm again, knocking the pole out of her hand. The length of metal clattered on the walkway. Simone stumbled back, and her foot hit the edge of the walkway. She teetered.

Oh. God.

She dropped to her knees and scrambled to grab the dropped pole. As the bot swiveled, she reared up and jammed the pole into the construct’s midsection.

“You are not going to kill me, asshole.” She rammed the pole deeper, sparks flying.

The bot thrust out an arm, smacking into her shoulder. Simone grunted, pain rocketing through her. The construct made a harsh, metallic sound and shoved forward.

Simone slid backward. This time, she couldn’t stop herself. She was right at the edge of the walkway.

Crap. She windmilled her arms, teetering. She was going to fall. No, no.

Suddenly, a heavy weight pushed up behind her, shoving her back onto the walkway.

She felt Toren’s body pressed behind hers.

He grabbed her, took a millisecond to study her, then he rose, and launched himself at the bot.

Simone bit her lip, scrambling on the floor to find her pole.

Toren slammed into the bot, his punches and kicks a blur. The bot staggered back and Toren leaped on it. He grabbed one long, metallic arm and wrenched it off the bot.

The construct made a metallic screech, then lashed out wildly. It bucked Toren off and he slammed into the walkway on his knees.

Simone rushed in and swung the pole. It cracked against the bot.

It gave Toren enough time to jump up. He leaped on top of the bot, gripped its head, and ripped it off with a vicious roar.

The bot’s body collapsed and Toren jumped off, landing beside Simone. He flung the destroyed head away. His chest heaved, his fists clenching and unclenching.

“Toren.” She rushed to him, throwing her arms around him.

She hugged him tight, feeling him struggle for control.

“I’m here,” she said. “You saved us.”

He lifted his head, his eyes glowing gold as he stared at her.

Then his mouth was on hers, kissing her hard and deep. She clung to him, kissing him back.

“Mom! Toren!”

Simone lifted her head and saw Grace running down the walkway toward them.

Her daughter didn’t slow down, she just slammed into them. Toren wrapped his arms around both of them.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Toren pulled the covers up over an exhausted Simone. Grace was snuggled in beside her mother in the big bed, fast asleep.

The adrenaline crash had hit the pair as they’d returned to the House of Rone from the aftermath of the party. He’d had a healer look at the scratch and bruise on Simone’s shoulder, then he’d put them both to bed.

He looked at Simone’s face now. She had a small scratch on her cheek. A blight on her skin.

Anger coiled. He left quietly, closing the door behind him. The Edull had to be stopped. He wouldn’t let them keep hurting people. Hurting Simone and Grace.

During the fight, Toren had used his anger as fuel. He hadn’t fought it or blocked it, and it had helped him.

He saw Jax waiting for him in the hall.

“How are they?” the cyborg asked.

“All right,” Toren replied. “Shaken up, but asleep now.”

Jax fell into step with him.

“I’ll do anything to protect them.” Toren squeezed his hands into fists.

Jax nodded. “I understand. I feel the same way about Quinn. All these survivors from Earth… They ignite the need to protect them.” A smile curved Jax’s mouth. “Even when they fight so drakking hard to protect themselves.”

Toren smiled back. “Grace passed me explosives during the fight. She’d made them from drinks at the bar.”

His fellow cyborg laughed and shook his head. “Full of surprises.” Then his face turned serious. “Magnus wants to debrief.”

They headed to Magnus’ office, and inside, the imperator was pacing by the windows, radiating anger.

He turned. “The Edull have run out of chances.”

Mace, Acton, and Zaden were there as well. All the cyborgs nodded.

“This was clearly a targeted attack on the House of Rone.” Magnus’ chest rose and fell. “They are trying to scare us, or at least keep us busy so we can’t find Bari Batu.”

“Not going to happen,” Jax growled.

“I want Bari Batu found.” Magnus thumped his cybernetic fist on his desk. “I want Bellamy Walsh rescued. I want the battle arena shut down and the Edull regretting every bad decision they have ever made.”

Toren cleared his throat. “Simone and I saw Alev in the chaos at the party. He was letting those dog bots inside.”

A muscle ticked in Magnus’s jaw. It wasn’t that long ago that Toren wouldn’t have noticed that small emotional tell. Now, he understood, and he felt the same as his imperator.

“Any word from Seren?” Magnus asked Jax.

Jax nodded. “She said once Alev was inside, she went to his residence to have a quiet look around. She said he’s back there now, pretending to be shocked and outraged by the attack on the party.”

“Rillian is trying to find out how they got around his security,” Magnus added. “He and his head of security, Tannon, are both extremely displeased.”

“Alev is definitely working with the Edull,” Toren said. “He’s our way to finding Bari Batu.”

“Jax, I want you to back up Seren and her surveillance of Alev,” Magnus ordered.

Jax nodded. “Consider it done.”

“She’s following him, but I want you to pick his life apart. See where he goes, who he meets with, what he owns.”

“I know that Seren’s already collected a lot of information,” Jax said. “But we’ll find out every dirty shadow in his life.”

“I want to be a part of this,” Toren said. “I need to be a part of this.”

Magnus’ neon gaze bored into him.

“I can do this, Magnus.” Toren thought of Simone and Grace sleeping in their bed. He’d do whatever he had to do in order to be part of this fight to protect them.

“You did well at the party,” Magnus said.

Toren gave a short nod. “I’m…learning to use my emotions.”

“If Avarn clears you, then you’re in.”

Drak. Toren dragged in a breath. The last time, the healer hadn’t cleared him. “I’ll go to Medical.”

Toren left Magnus’ office and headed straight to Medical. When he entered, Avarn had his head down, organizing some containers of medication.

Avarn looked up. “Toren? Is Simone okay?”

“She’s sleeping.”

“She and her girl are made of tanium steel,” the healer said.

“They are. I wish they hadn’t been through so much.” Toren absorbed a flare of anger. “They should never have suffered what they’ve suffered.”

The healer raised a brow. “Life is full of ups and downs, Toren. Challenges and triumphs. The struggle, being outside our comfort zone, that’s how we grow.”

“Are we talking about Simone or me?”

Avarn just smiled and patted the bunk beside him.

Toren sat.

“I want to help track this Alev Erroth and find the Edull,” Toren said. “Magnus said you have to clear me first.”

The healer lifted a scanner. “Why do you need to be on this mission so badly?”

Toren scowled. “Isn’t it obvious? They left me like this. The Edull have hurt so many people. I want to stop them. I want to get justice for Simone, Grace, and the others.”

“Justice, or revenge for what they did to you?”

Hot rage surged. “Aren’t they the same thing?”

“No, they aren’t.” Avarn studied the scanner screen. “Revenge will drag you down if you aren’t careful.” Their gazes met. “It adds darkness to your life. Keep your eye on what’s important.”

The scanner beeped.

“Your internal nerve injuries are showing good improvement.”

“Can I have my weapon re-implanted?” Toren asked.

“I’m sorry, not yet.”

Toren ground his teeth together. “Can I go on the mission?”

“I can see that you’re doing better with your emotions…”

Toren blew out a breath. “I’m not fighting them so much.”

“Good.” Avarn touched Toren’s shoulder. “You can help with the mission, but I’m not clearing you for any fighting yet.”

Drak. His gut twisted.

“Stay strong, Toren,” the healer said. “You’ll heal and find your balance soon.”

SIMONE LOVED WORKING in Ever’s lab. She had safety glasses on, and was running some tests for Ever’s latest project. The other woman helped with research and development for the weapons and armor that the House of Rone made.

With a smile, Simone set a fancy, high-tech scanner running. It was nice to be working, using her brain and challenging herself. She made some notations on a screen. She’d been in here most of the day and the work had steadied her.

“Mom!”

Grace rushed in with Nemma and some other kids.

“Hey,” Simone said.

“Mom, Dalla’s mom said we can have a sleepover.”

Simone’s heart clenched. Her girl was grinning and happy, busy being a young girl. Just weeks ago, Simone had never imagined that was a possibility. Grace had shaken off the attack at the party the evening before with frightening ease. Simone wished she could forget as easily.

“Can I?” Grace clasped her hands together. “Please.”

“Okay.” Simone hugged her daughter and lowered her voice. “No chemicals, no bombs.”

Grace went up on her toes and pressed a kiss to Simone’s cheek. “You got it, Mom.”

She skipped out with the other girls, and Simone closed her eyes. Grace was going to be okay.

They were all going to be okay.

Opening her eyes, she stared blankly at the bench in front of her. Last night, Toren had risked his life again to save them. He’d put himself into danger to keep them safe.

She needed to thank him.

Finishing up with her test, she packed the equipment away. Then she headed out to find Toren. She reached his room, dragged in a breath, and knocked on the door.

“Yes?” a deep voice answered.

She entered to find his room dark, except for a lamp by the bed. She didn’t see Toren anywhere.

Then he came out of the bathroom and she froze.

He was naked. Really, really naked.

He jerked to a stop and stared at her.

“I thought you were one of the other cyborgs,” Toren said.

“Um… Well, I’m not.”

She couldn’t not look. He was all sleek muscle and bronze skin, and before her traitorous gaze could move lower down his body, she looked at the wall behind him.

“I came to thank you. For last night.” There was a rustle and she peeked his way. When she saw that he was wrapping a drying cloth around his waist, she didn’t know if she was happy or disappointed.

“I won’t let anyone hurt you or Grace,” he said. “You’re House of Rone now.”

She nodded. “I still wanted to thank you. You’ve risked so much and been injured because of us.”

Toren came closer and touched her shoulders. “Not because of you, because of the Edull.”

“I know, but I hate that you’ve suffered.”

“Nowhere near as much as you.” He stroked his fingers along her cheekbone and she shivered. “You and Grace…you’ve both helped me cope with these emotions. Your advice, to not fight it so much and try to embrace them, it’s made a difference.”

“I’m glad.”

He kept stroking her cheek and her belly went liquid.

“The other day, I was afraid of what you made me feel,” he said.

Simone’s heart stilled and she swallowed. “Toren…”

“I don’t understand everything I feel, but I can’t seem to stay away from you, Simone.”

Leaning closer, he bent his head and his lips brushed hers.

The scorch of desire was overpowering, and heat flashed over her skin. She opened her mouth. The kiss was slow and deep, and she couldn’t stop her moan.

A moment later, they pulled apart, and she gripped his shoulders to steady herself.

“Do you like that?” she murmured.

“Yes.” His voice was gritty.

“Neither of us want this.” Except she did. With a need that bordered on unstoppable.

He didn’t reply, just kissed her again. Their tongues stroked and explored. This time, it was Toren who groaned.

“I ache with need,” he said. “Touch me.”

She licked her lips. “Toren, are you sure?”

He backed her up until her knees hit the bed and she dropped onto it. He sat beside her, the bed dipping under his weight. “I’m sure.”

She stroked his chest, and pressed her mouth to his shoulder. She peppered kisses over his skin until her lips touched where metal was embedded into flesh.

He let out a harsh breath.

“If there’s anything you don’t like, tell me.” She sculpted the hard muscles of his chest with her hands.

“I… want to touch you too,” he said.

She nodded. She hadn’t been touched in so long.

He brought his hands to her breasts, cupping them. He groaned. “You’re so soft.” He played with her nipples. “But you’re harder here.”

Simone let out a shuddering breath, then he nudged her to lie back on the bed.

He shoved her shirt up and pulled off the simple binding that passed as a bra on Carthago. “So beautiful.” He lowered his head, kissing between her breasts. Then he moved his mouth, sucking one nipple into his mouth.

On a sigh, Simone slid her hands into his hair. Then they both lost control.

He sucked harder, his teeth scraping over her skin.

She arched up. “I thought you hadn’t done this before?”

“I’m a cyborg.” There was a glow in his eyes. “I have access to a lot of information.”

She made a strangled sound.

He lapped at her nipple again. “Does this feel good?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I want you to feel good, Simone.”

One of his hands traveled down her body, bunching up her skirt. Then she felt his long fingers stroke over her panties. Heat burned in his eyes.

“Can I touch you here?” he asked.

She nodded. “I want to touch you too.”

“Not yet. I’m uncertain that I can deal with all the sensations.”

“Touch me, then.”

His fingers slid beneath her panties. He stroked her, a reverent look on his face.

Oh, God. It felt so good.

“The others talk of Earth women having a clitoris,” he said.

She let out a choked laugh. “You guys talk about sex?”

“Not all the intimate details, but this small center of pleasure has been mentioned.”

She gripped his wrist and moved his hand until his fingers brushed her clit. She jerked, and she saw pleasure and curiosity on his face.

He continued to stroke her until she was incoherent. “Toren!”

Simone came with a cry, her muscles tensing and her body arching.

When she flopped back on the bed, he stared down at her, looking very pleased.

“I want to touch you,” she panted.

His body was shaking with need, but he shook his head. “I’m on the edge of overload.”

That’s when she realized his hands were twisted in the sheets on either side of her body.

He shuddered. “I don’t want to lose control and end up hurting you.”

She stroked his face, then pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “But you’ll let me touch you later?”

He kissed her, hard and deep. “Yes.”

“Then I’d better go.” She traced his lips with her thumb. “Good night, Toren. Dream of me?”

“I already do.”

CHAPTER NINE

Toren strode down the corridor. He hadn’t slept well, but he didn’t care.

His dreams had been filled with Simone. Her kisses, her softness, her husky cries as she’d found her pleasure.

Emotions were a wild mix inside him. His body was burning, and his cock got hard every time he thought of her.

But…he liked it. A lot. He was discovering how much anticipation enhanced things. He wanted to watch her orgasm again. Wanted her to touch him.

“There you are.”

Toren looked up to see Mace.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” the big cyborg said. “Magnus is waiting for us in the training arena.”

Toren followed his friend and when they reached the arena, he saw Magnus was there, his daughter held in his arms. Little Asha squirmed, clearly wanting down.

When the imperator saw them, he nodded. Jax, Acton, Seren, and Zaden were already there.

The two younger cyborgs were both covered in a sheen of sweat, and had clearly been training.

“I thought Seren was watching Alev,” Toren said.

“He left the city.”

Drak.

Magnus raised his voice. “We have more intel on Alev.”

“I found the information.” A tall man stepped forward. He had a sharp face framed by long, dark hair. Zhim was the premier information merchant on Carthago. If you wanted to know something, Zhim could find it, for a price.

“Excuse me?” said an irritated, female voice.

A small female pushed forward. Her black hair was pulled back in a long tail, and its glossy darkness, and her eyes, reminded him a little of Simone.

Ryan Nagano was another rescued Earth woman, and also Zhim’s mate.

“We found the info,” Ryan said with a raised brow.

Zhim smiled and grabbed his woman, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. “Ryan found the information after I got the search started.”

She smiled at him. “We scoured this Alev’s life. He’s a second son.”

Toren raised a brow. “A second son?”

“The spare.” Ryan waved her hand around. “The oldest son is the heir, that means that Alev doesn’t inherit the majority of the family wealth. He has something to prove.”

“That makes sense,” Magnus said.

“Yep,” Ryan said. “And his fingers are in a lot of pies.”

Acton frowned. “He eats pies? Is this relevant?”

Ryan shook her head. “No, it’s a figure of speech on Earth.”

Acton looked confused.

“He’s involved in lots of investments.” Ryan lifted a hand, ticking things off on her fingers. “Property, factories, casinos.”

“Legal investments?” Magnus gripped Asha’s hand to stop her from poking him in the eye.

Ryan’s nose wrinkled. “Some of it, but he’s dabbled in some shady stuff. Mainly illegal fighting and gambling.”

“How does this help us?” Toren asked, frustrated.

“He’s been spending a lot of time out at a desert property he owns,” Zhim said.

Ryan held out a small screen. They all leaned forward, and Toren studied the image of a palace built into a rocky, desert bluff. It was made of beige stone, and the aerial footage showed lots of fountains and courtyards.

Zhim rested a hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “He’s been getting large shipments of metal, parts, and electronics sent out there.”

Toren’s muscles tensed. “And?”

“He’s building something,” Ryan answered.

Toren looked at Magnus. “Something to do with the Edull, I bet.”

The imperator nodded. “Possibly. We need to find out.”

“Can we infiltrate this palace?” Jax asked.

“He’s got good security.” Zhim grimaced. “And gulrags roaming the grounds.”

Gulrags were desert beasts that had been genetically altered to use as guard dogs. They had an excellent sense of smell and were known to enjoy tearing their prey apart.

“We can find a way,” Mace said.

“I suggest the easiest way in is for you to get an invite,” Ryan said.

They all blinked.

She huffed out a breath and shook her head. “Men. Always thinking of fighting first.” She smiled. “We happen to know someone who owns an oasis holiday home next door to Alev’s property.”

“Rillian,” Zhim drawled. He kissed Ryan again. “You are brilliant.”

“I know.” She looked at the cyborgs. “Come up with a good cover story, and send some of your people to Rillian’s home. Alev is a social creature and nosy. He’ll be sure to make overtures.”

Toren straightened. “I’ll go.”

Magnus turned. “Toren—”

He held up a hand. “This makes sense. I’m not useful here because I’m sidelined from any sort of fighting. And I’m legitimately recuperating. That’s a good reason for me to relax in the desert.”

“I’m going too.”

Toren froze as Simone strode forward. “Simone—”

“I want to help.” She straightened. “I need to find Bellamy, and I want to help bring the Edull down.”

He grabbed her arm. “It’s too dangerous.”

“Spending time at a luxurious desert oasis is dangerous?”

He growled and turned. “Magnus, you can’t—”

“She has a calming influence on you,” the imperator said. “And she can help.”

Toren ground his teeth together. No. He didn’t want Simone anywhere near Alev.

“And she needs this as much as you do,” Magnus added.

Toren growled, his hands forming fists. He turned around and thrust his arm out to punch the wall.

Acton’s cybernetic hand whipped out and caught Toren’s fist before it connected with the rock.

Simone touched his side. “We’ll be together. It’ll be fine.”

He’d be the only thing protecting her. Him, a cyborg who felt too much and couldn’t be trusted to fight. He couldn’t let her down.

“I’ll talk to Rillian,” Magnus said. “Ask him to transport you both to the oasis.”

“YOU BE GOOD FOR EVER.”

“I will, Mom.”

Simone gave Grace a fierce hug. Her girl—so smart and tough. It was easy to forget just how young she was.

“Be careful,” Grace whispered.

“I will, Gracie.”

“I’m glad Toren will be with you. You’ll look after each other.”

The thought of being alone with Toren made Simone’s belly flutter. She reminded herself that this wasn’t a holiday, but a potentially dangerous mission. “We’ll be okay.”

“He’ll be your protector,” Grace said. “Your bodyguard. Your own personal paladin.”

“My what?” Simone asked.

“We were learning about paladins in my history lessons aboard the Helios. They were imperial guards in Ancient Rome, and later, paladins were medieval knights and warriors.”

“Well, I guess that word works for all the House of Rone cyborgs.”

“He needs you too, Mom.” There was a glint in Grace’s eyes. “And you need him.”

Simone paused. “Grace, Toren is a cyborg, he—”

“Looks at you when you don’t realize.” Grace hugged her mother again. “Be careful. Love you.”

Simone’s throat tightened and she swallowed. “I love you too, baby girl. And remember—”

“No chemicals. No bombs. I promise.”

Toren arrived in the doorway, and Grace raced over to hug him. The cyborg carefully embraced the girl and ruffled her hair.

“Be careful, Toren.”

“I’m always careful, Grace.”

“You’ll take care of my mom?”

Toren’s gold gaze met Simone’s. “You never need to doubt that.”

Grace hugged him again, then Simone watched her daughter disappear out the door.

“She’ll be well cared for,” Toren said.

“I know.”

“Are you ready?” he asked.

She nodded. He took the small bag she was holding, and they headed out.

Moments later, they exited the arena and stepped out into Kor Magna’s streets. The noise of transports and people hit her. Apart from all the different alien species, it really wasn’t so different to her old home in New York.

“Wow.” She stared up at the towering skyscrapers.

“The District always makes an impact.”

It reminded her of Las Vegas— bright and glitzy, and full of sin. They approached the dark spear of the Dark Nebula Casino.

“The best casino in Kor Magna,” Toren said. “Rillian is a good man.”

“I liked Dayna. I figured her partner must be good if she picked him.”

They headed into the glossy lobby and were met by a woman with a blonde bob.

“Mina!” Simone cried.

Simone and Mina hugged. They hadn’t known each other well aboard the Helios, but Simone was so happy to see the woman alive and well.

“So good to see you, Simone.”

“I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Mina patted her arm and stepped back. “You too. I was so glad you and your daughter made it. How are those cyborgs treating you?”

Simone glanced at Toren. “Great.”

“Come on, I’ll take you to the shuttle pod. Are you settling in okay?”

They walked across the lobby and into an elevator. Simone nodded. “I’ve had far less to cope with than you and Dayna.”

The other women had told her that Mina had suffered through having her memories wiped, while Dayna had an alien symbiont implanted in her against her will. Simone couldn’t begin to imagine either scenario.

Mina smiled. “I got a hunk-a-licious man who helps.” The woman’s gaze flicked to Toren and back to Simone. “No point in dwelling in the past. We need to move forward, and embrace our new home.” Another glance at Toren. “And all the good things about it.”

“That’s a great philosophy,” Simone said.

“How’s your daughter?”

“She subscribes to your way of thinking. She’s great.”

“Bring her by some time.” The elevator slowed and they stepped out into an elegant corridor.

“Um, she has a penchant for trouble.”

“Grace enjoys making bombs,” Toren added.

Simone shot him a look.

Mina grinned. “Sounds like my kind of girl.” Mina pushed open a door. “Here we are.”

A cool breeze rushed through the door, tugging at Simone’s clothes. Beyond, she saw a platform attached to the side of the building. Some sort of landing pad. A sleek, silver shuttle rested in the center of it.

As Simone followed Mina, she swallowed a gasp. The view was incredible. They were about half way up the Dark Nebula tower. All around, buildings rose up, with the sunlight glinting off glass, and billboards winking and flashing.

“Oh, my God.” Between two neighboring buildings, she saw trapeze artists on wires swinging as they performed over the huge drop to the city below. She shook her head, amazed.

“Always something mind-blowing happening at the Dark Nebula,” Mina said.

The side door of the shuttle opened, and an older man with gray hair lifted a hand at them.

“Rillian wanted to fly you himself, but he’s tied up in meetings,” Mina said. “But Dain is one of his best pilots.”

“Thanks, Mina.”

The blonde gripped Simone’s hand. “Be careful out there, and kick some Edull butt.”

Toren and Simone entered the shuttle and settled in. It was well-appointed and gleaming.

“Strap in,” the pilot said. “We’ll be taking off shortly. I’ll make sure you have a good ride.”

After buckling up her harness, Simone pulled in a breath. A part of her was afraid—of being back in the desert, of being near Alev—but she wanted to do this. She needed to do this and help find Bellamy.

The shuttle lifted off smoothly. As they rose, she had a dizzying view of the District. Then they were clear of the skyscrapers and shooting toward the desert.

She glanced at Toren. His face was unreadable, but he looked reasonably relaxed. She tapped her fingers on her armrest. He reached out and grabbed them.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I was thinking of Alev. Part of me wants him to show us the way to Bari Batu. I want to find Bellamy—” Simone took a deep breath “—but another part of me doesn’t want to go anywhere near the desert.”

“I will protect you. As will every member of the House of Rone.”

She squeezed his fingers. “I know. But it’s not just physical safety, it’s emotional, as well.”

“Emotions outside your control,” he said with a faint smile.

She nodded. “I remind myself they’ll settle. When we get to Rillian’s oasis, some self-care will be the first thing on my list.”

“Self-care?”

“Something to relax. To calm my mind.”

He frowned at her.

“I might have a warm drink and take a bath. Center myself, then I can focus on the mission.”

He studied her. “You can change the way you’re feeling?”

“Yes. It isn’t always easy, but you’re in charge of how you feel, Toren. You aren’t just at the whims of everything happening to you.”

“I believe you’re trying to teach me a lesson.”

She leaned closer. “Maybe.”

“I want to be alone with you,” he murmured.

Her pulse leaped. “I keep telling myself that we shouldn’t do this.” She played with his fingers. So long and strong. “That we should stay away from one another…but I want to be alone with you too.”

“Perhaps you can show me some other lessons.”

Heat curled inside her. “I told you that I’m not good at—”

He pressed a finger to her lips. “Shh. From what I’ve seen so far, you’re very good.”

“Coming up on the oasis,” the pilot called out.

Simone turned to look out the window and sucked in a delighted breath.

Below them was a beautiful, sprawling white structure. White stone walls circled the lovely one-story home that curved around a small oasis pool that gleamed blue. Tall, palm-like trees were dotted around.

Moments later, the pilot brought the shuttle in to land in a huge courtyard. Fountains lined the walls, and it was paved with a colorful, mosaic floor.

“Thank you,” Toren said to the pilot.

“Good luck.”

As Simone and Toren exited the shuttle, a tall, slender alien appeared from the arched doorway of the house. She looked feminine, but Simone couldn’t tell the alien’s sex. With a bald head and pale-gray skin, it was hard to tell. The alien wore a long dress that swished around a slender body.

“Welcome.” The alien’s speech was slow and melodious. “Rillian hopes you enjoy the Kylantha Oasis. My name is Tylee. Anything you need, you just let me know.”

Simone smiled. “Thank you, Tylee.”

They followed the alien caretaker up some wide, white steps and into the shadowed entry. Gauzy white curtains fluttered in arched windows. Inside, the house was cool and it was decorated beautifully. The furniture was carved from warm wood in slender, elegant designs, and artwork in pastel splashes of color graced the walls.

Tylee led them down a wide hall that was paved with a shiny mosaic tile.

“I’ve given you adjoining rooms.” The alien pushed open a set of white, carved doors.

Simone took in the large bedroom—the huge bed was large enough for ten and was set low to the ground. It was topped with a pale-green cover. Through an open door, she spied a near-identical second room.

“Thank you.”

Tylee inclined her head. “I will ensure food is brought to you. If you require anything else, please let me know.” With another nod, the alien left.

From outside, Simone heard the roar of the shuttle. She moved to the window, watching as the aircraft zipped into the sky.

Then her gaze fell on the fortress on the ridge in the distance.

Her gut cramped. Where Rillian’s oasis residence was light, breezy, and beautiful, the stone fortress on the hill had been built for power and intimidation. It was boxy and castle-like.

It was a reminder that their mission could be deadly. Simone couldn’t let herself forget that.

CHAPTER TEN

The security system was discreet, but top-of-the-line—exactly what Toren expected of Rillian. Toren circled the oasis grounds, assessing every part of the security.

“This place is beautiful,” Simone said.

He turned to see her walking toward him.

“It’s easy to forget why we’re here,” she added.

They both turned, looking over Rillian’s oasis walls to the fortress in the distance.

“Is he there?” she asked.

“Yes. He flew in yesterday.”

Simone took Toren’s hand, sending a small shock of sensation up his arm.

“We have to find out what he knows. We have to find Bari Batu.”

He squeezed her fingers. “We will.” He looked at the stone fortress again. “I’d like to take a closer look at Alev’s place. Have you ever ridden a morloch?”

Her eyebrows rose. “What’s a morloch?”

He smiled. “Go and change.”

Not long after, she met him at the stables. She’d changed into desert clothes and he took a second to appreciate how she looked. The clothes were loose-fitting and a pale-beige color. She had a dark green scarf wrapped around her neck.

He pointed to where the morlochs stood in their stalls.

Simone’s eyes went wide. “It looks like an ostrich.”

The morlochs had long necks, long back legs and beige scales. They preened under the attention.

He led the first morloch out and it ruffled its wings. She laughed, patting its neck. “They’re kind of cute.”

“Perhaps, but they’re fast.”

He helped her up and she settled on the saddle. “Toren, I’m not sure I’ll be good at this. I’ve only ever ridden a horse once before.”

He leaned closer, stroking her leg. “You say that about a lot of things. I think others have made you think that you weren’t good. All I see is a smart, beautiful woman who survived a nightmare.”

She stared down at him. Then Toren turned and swung onto his own morloch.

He urged the creature forward, waiting and watching as Simone found her seat.

They walked the morlochs out of the front gate of the oasis, opened for them by Tylee. Once they cleared the walls, the morlochs broke into a run, racing out onto the desert sand. Simone’s laugh-filled cry echoed in the air.

The wind whipped in their faces, and she laughed again. She sounded happy and free.

The morlochs bolted across the desert, happy to be out for a run. They raced closer to Alev’s fortress, the huge ridge rising up above them. Toren touched the small device he’d clipped onto his harness. It was a discreet recording device.

“Do you see anything?” Simone came up beside him and they both slowed their morlochs to a stop.

Toren eyed the fortress’s solid walls. “It looks quiet.”

Then his attention was on her and her flushed face.

He took her hand, kissing her knuckles. Her black hair was a tangled mess around her face, and she looked years younger.

“We need to get a little closer,” he said. “Just to the base of the ridge.”

“I’ll race you.” With a smile, she kicked her morloch into a run and took off. She looked back over her shoulder and yelled, “First one to that big, rocky outcrop wins a prize.”

Toren kicked his beast into motion and followed. He saw the large rock formation she’d mentioned. They both sped across the desert.

He gained on her.

“What’s the prize?” he yelled.

She shot him a look that warmed his blood. “Winner’s choice.”

Toren spurred his beast onward, gaining on Simone. But then the outcrop zoomed closer and she beat him by a length.

She slid off her morloch and threw her arms in the air. “I win!”

It was the happiest Toren had ever seen her. “You win.” He swung his leg over and dropped down to the sand.

“God, I feel so free,” she said.

“You are free.”

She tucked a wayward strand of hair back and nodded. “Sometimes it’s easy to forget. Sometimes I wake up and it takes me a moment to remember I’m not a prisoner anymore.”

“You won a prize from me,” he said.

She shot him a sweet grin, walking toward him. He saw her eyes darken. He pulled her close and her breath hitched.

“What do you want, Simone?” He brushed her lips with his—light and teasing.

“It’s not fair,” she complained. “You’d never kissed before, and now you’re an expert.”

“You taught me.”

Her eyes flared hot. “I know what I want my prize to be.” Her hands curled into his chest. “I want you spread out naked on my bed.”

A shudder wracked his body. A spike of emotions hit him, and he savored each and every one of them. “Whatever the winner desires.”

She smiled, but then his gaze drifted over her shoulder. Something glimmered in the distance.

Seeing his shift in attention, she frowned and turned. “What is it?”

“The sunlight reflecting off something metallic in the distance. At the base of the ridge.”

“I see it.”

“Let’s take a closer look.” He looked up at the fortress high above them. He doubted anyone would be watching them, but if they were, they were just two people out for a ride.

They climbed back on their morlochs and rode closer.

“It looks like some kind of junkyard,” she said.

He had a better view than her, thanks to his cyborg vision. It was definitely a junkyard, filled with discarded parts—some old and rusted, others newer and shiny.

They reached the edge of the dump site and slid off the animals. Carefully, they wandered through the piles of junk.

“It’s a wonder some desert scavengers haven’t picked this over,” Toren murmured.

“It smells bad.” Her nose wrinkled.

Toren noted all the parts—wheels, tracks, metallic arms, plates of metal. “He’s building a bot.”

She sucked in a breath. “To race in the Bari Batu battle arena.”

Toren made a sound, crouching to touch some twisted, ripped metal. It was smeared with a rusty red color.

Simone wandered farther away, then she stumbled backward with a scream.

“Simone!” He lunged for her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“Toren.” A tortured whisper.

He looked past her and saw what had horrified her.

Bodies. There were lots of different alien species, and all were hidden under sheets of metal. Some were dismembered, others had suffered terrible injuries.

Simone pulled away, bent over, and vomited on the sand.

“He’s trying to integrate organic parts.” Toren glared at the fortress. “All these were test subjects for the bot he’s creating.”

Her face was so horribly pale, and she lifted a shaky hand to her mouth. Unable to stand seeing her so upset, Toren swept her up into his arms.

“We need to get out of here,” he said. “If he catches us here…”

She nodded, burying her face in his neck. “Get me away, Toren. Please.”

SIMONE WRAPPED her arms tightly around her body. Even Rillian’s beautiful, resort-style home wasn’t making her feel any better. Once Toren had gotten her settled, he’d left to send an update to Magnus, and then work out in Rillian’s well-equipped gym. She guessed that was Toren’s way of clearing his head.

She leaned against the side of the arched window, staring out at the two suns that were setting, one after another. Stars were starting to appear in the night sky.

She’d changed into a filmy, white dress Tylee had left for her. She’d only brought some simple desert outfits for their mission, nothing like this pretty, summery dress. She had been desperate to be out of the desert clothes she’d been wearing when they’d found that horrible junkyard. Graveyard.

Simone couldn’t get the terrible images out of her head.

She needed to get out, she needed to move.

She stepped outside, heading down toward the oasis pool. As she got closer, she noticed a blue glow. She gasped. The water was luminous, glowing with a blue shimmer. Wow. She watched the color dance in the water, and guessed it was some sort of bioluminescence. Watching it helped calm her.

Dipping a toe in the water, she noted it was the perfect temperature for a swim. Maybe that was what she needed. She stepped farther into the water, moving down the steps cut into the side of the pool.

Her dress got wet, sticking to her body, but she didn’t care. She dived under, kicking through the water.

With each stroke, her chaotic thoughts calmed.

When her arms got tired, she stood. The water was waist deep on her. Then she heard the horrible howling of some sort of creature outside the villa walls. She jolted.

“Night beasts.”

She turned to see Toren standing at the edge of the oasis pool. The lights from the house put him in silhouette.

“Night beasts?” she said.

“The desert after dark is even more dangerous than during the day. It’s why this villa has such large defensive walls.”

Simone shivered.

“Don’t worry, the beasts can’t get in. Rillian’s security is impressive.”

She moved closer to the edge, her gaze running over his lean chest.

“I can’t stop thinking about the junkyard,” she said.

He nodded. “Alev needs to be stopped.” Then Toren sighed. “Unfortunately, we still need him to lead us to the Edull.”

“So we leave him up there, doing terrible things?” She glanced through the dark to where the lights of Alev’s lair glimmered.

Toren gave her a tight nod. “I need to get inside that fortress.”

Her stomach clenched. “We need to get in there.”

He shook his head. “I don’t want you anywhere near him.”

“I don’t want you anywhere near him.”

“I’m a cyborg—”

“And I can help you.”

He released a breath. “I was warned that women from Earth were stubborn.”

“And I was warned cyborgs were stubborn.”

A startled laugh broke out of him. “I guess we’re both stubborn.” He dragged in a breath. “There’s nothing we can do tonight.”

She pushed onto her back, floating on the water and looking at the sky. “The stars are so beautiful. There are so many of them.” She spotted a patch of color—a nebula. “It’s such a different view than from Earth.”

“Do you miss your planet?”

His question made her blink. “I miss certain things—lattes, my favorite documentary shows, my research projects.” She glanced over at him. “But as long as I have Grace, I don’t care where I am. She’s my home.”

Toren looked up at the stars. “Your family?”

“My parents died several years ago, and I didn’t have any siblings.”

“I never had a home before the House of Rone. I was created to be a warlord’s personal security. To fight and give my life to keep him alive.”

“A weapon in his armory,” she murmured, hating the asshole already.

“Exactly. Then Magnus offered me a place. The chance to be more.”

“I’m glad. He offered Grace and me the same thing.” She tilted her head. “But a home is more than a place, Toren. It’s more than what value you have to offer it. It’s the people you care about, and who care about you, just as you are.”

His gaze was on her like a laser. “Yes. Now that I feel so much, I realize how much I care about my friends.” He took a step into the water, unbuckling the harness on his chest. He tossed it aside.

Simone’s breath hitched. He came deeper into the water, striding toward her.

“I realize how much I feel for some people.”

She couldn’t see his face in the shadows, but she knew his gaze was on her. Her dress had turned transparent, sticking to her body. Her nipples were visible.

He grabbed her, the water splashing around them. His mouth crashed down on hers in a wild kiss.

Oh, God. Sensation swamped her.

He bent her over his arm, tugging the dress down. Then he lowered his head to suck one nipple into his mouth. She moaned.

“You’re exquisite, Simone. Perfectly formed.”

No one had ever said that to her, but she saw the truth of it in his gaze. To him, she was all those things.

“Touch me,” she murmured.

He gripped the neckline of her dress and pulled. The sound of fabric tearing cut through the night. Instantly, she went wet between her thighs. There was fire in his eyes—for her. He wasn’t fighting his emotions now, he was absorbing them, enjoying them.

She wrapped her legs around his thigh, pressing close. She undulated, rubbing her body on his. God, she felt so empty and needy.

“You like that.” His hands came to cup her buttocks, helping to work her up and down against his leg.

“Oh, God. Yes.” Her head dropped back and all she saw was a blur of stars. All she felt was his hard thigh rubbing against her clit. His mouth was on her neck, licking and sucking, and he found a sensitive spot.

She cried out, everything in her body coiling tight.

He nipped the spot on her neck again, helping her move, until her clit was working hard against his thigh.

“Toren—”

“Take what you need, Simone.”

A husky cry broke out of her, and pleasure slammed into her.

She came in the arms of the strong man she knew would never drop her.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Simone was limp in his arms, but he sensed her heart thundering.

Toren’s body was throbbing, his cock so hard it was painful. He carried her out of the water.

“We’re not done yet,” she murmured.

He set her on her feet and she dropped her ripped, sodden dress to the pavers. The moonlight made her skin glow pearlescent white.

Her hands reached out and she unsnapped the fastenings on his pants. Together, they pushed them down.

Then her hands were on his cock, stroking him.

“You’re gorgeous, Toren.”

He groaned, trying to work through all the sensations. Then she dropped to her knees. He blinked, uncertain what to expect.

She leaned forward and licked the head of his cock.

A sound erupted from him and her hands pressed to his thighs, stroking. She sucked his cock into her mouth.

So warm, so wet. He slid a hand into her hair.

She licked and sucked him, and his hips canted forward. “Simone.”

“Just feel.” She slid back down.

Toren was all sensation—need, hunger. It was all so fierce and overwhelming. But he didn’t want to stop.

Then her hands circled the base of his cock and she stroked him deeper into her mouth.

“I’m… It’s…”

She sucked harder, and he came with a roar that echoed across the oasis. Pleasure hit him hard, his knees weakening.

Simone slid her mouth off him and looked up with a smile.

Toren reached down, hooked his hands under her armpits, and yanked her up. He pulled her into his arms, holding her tight against his chest. She pressed her cheek against his.

“There’s more?” he asked, voice husky.

She nodded, sliding her arm across his shoulders. “Much more.”

Uncaring that they were both naked, he stalked toward the house and into her bedroom. There were gauzy hangings around the bed and he pushed them aside, laying her down on the covers.

“I want to give you more pleasure than anyone ever has before,” he said.

She shivered, and he let his gaze run over her—long, smooth legs, flat belly, pink nipples.

“You like the sound of that,” he said.

“No one’s ever been focused on my pleasure.”

He pressed a hand and a knee to the bed. “I am.”

As he moved closer, he saw her chest rising and falling quickly.

“Can I touch you, Simone?”

“Anywhere.”

He ran his hands over her body in long, slow strokes and caresses. She sighed, shifting on the sheets. He cupped her breasts, and then leaned down, pulling one nipple into his mouth.

She moaned, moving under his touch. She was so responsive and he took his time. Her legs moved restlessly on the covers.

“Tell me what you want.” He pressed a kiss to her belly. He noted some faint, silver scars there, and touched them with his fingers.

“From having Grace,” she said.

“Intriguing.”

She gave a little laugh. “No one’s ever said that before. Go lower, Toren.”

With a smile, he obeyed. He peppered kisses across her skin, liking the husky need in her voice. He moved lower, nudging her thighs apart. Between them, she was flush and pink, and he felt the desire in his gut grow claws.

He stroked her damp folds and her body jerked.

“Put your mouth on me, Toren. Lick and suck me.”

With a hungry growl, he obeyed the sensuous order. He licked and pulled in the taste of her. He groaned against her sensitive skin and slid his hands beneath her, lifting her up to his hungry mouth. Using his tongue, he delved deep, lapping at her delicious taste. She twisted and he held her still.

“What else, Simone?”

“My…clit.”

He moved up to that small nub, circling it with his tongue. She went wild, and he sucked it between his lips.

Her hands twisted in the covers and her legs clamped on his head. He kept working her, feeling her body tighten.

Then he watched the pleasure hit her, and she screamed.

His satisfaction was sharp. He’d given her that.

She gently touched his head, pushing him away. He let her down on the bed, her body boneless.

“Good?” he asked.

She smiled and nodded.

His hunger had risen even higher, his gut tight, his cock rising hard against his abdomen.

Her gaze dropped to his swollen erection, and heat pulsed through him, his control jagged.

When she reached for him, he jerked back. “I’m…on edge.”

“Let me pleasure you now.” She held out a hand to him. “Together, this time.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t. I want you inside me.”

He groaned. It was too much and not enough.

She lay back, her legs open. “I’m yours, Toren.”

The last tether on his control snapped. He was on her in a flash, pulling her legs around his hips, and she clamped them around him.

He moved a hand between their bodies, lining his cock up against her. The head notched in her folds, and they both groaned.

“Toren.”

He was shaking—wanting to plunge into her like an animal, but he also didn’t want to hurt her.

He felt so much. “Simone, I…”

“Come inside me.”

He plunged deep and her head flew back against the mattress.

Her body was hot and tight on his cock. He gritted his teeth at the pleasure, then realized her body was strung taut. Drak, had he hurt her?

Then her hands gripped his hips. “Move.”

He pulled out and drove back in. He followed his body’s instincts.

“Yes.” Her body rose up to meet each of his thrusts.

Toren was lost, pleasure a hot rush he couldn’t deny. He drove deep, over and over. She cried out, her sweet body clamping around his cock like a vice.

“Toren.”

“Simone,” he groaned.

Then molten heat poured through him and with a roar, he came.

SIMONE SMILED as she and Toren lay sideways on the wrecked bed.

He was pinning her down, but a second later, he rolled off her, his still-hard cock sliding free of her.

She licked her lips. He’d orgasmed, but he was still hard. She’d heard about cyborg stamina, but now she had proof.

She reached out touched his chest. “All right?”

“I’m much better than all right.”

She smiled. This felt so damn good.

And looking at him—his big, beautiful, naked body—she needed him again. Heat curled low in her belly.

“Your pulse just spiked,” he said. “And your skin temperature is rising.”

She bit her lip and his gaze moved to her mouth.

“Because I can’t get enough of you,” she said.

That made his lips curl.

She moved closer, pushing him onto his back and straddling him. His hands gripped her hips.

“Do you like me on top?” she asked.

“I like everything about you,” he answered. “And being with you.”

She lifted her hips and circled his cock. Then she sank down.

He groaned, pleasure etched on his face. She took him deep.

Then Simone started to ride him—slower and sweeter than their frenzied first union. He reached up and cupped her breasts. Her cyborg seemed to really like her breasts.

She tilted forward, finding the best angle, and pleasure vibrated through her with every thrust.

“You’re very good at this, Simone.”

Her gaze flew up to his.

“I haven’t gathered enough data yet, but I believe skill in lovemaking might be dependent on both partners,” he said.

She felt the urge to laugh, but then his grip on her hips tightened, helping her move up and down on his cock. Oh. God. She loved the way he filled her.

“You might be right,” she panted.

She wasn’t going to think of her ex right now, not when she had this hot, gorgeous man inside her.

Toren reached out and touched her clit. “I want to watch you climax.”

As he rolled the nub between his fingers, she felt her orgasm building. She moaned and moved faster, her breasts jiggling, but she didn’t care. The blaze in his gaze told her that he liked it.

Her climax hit in a blinding rush. She arched her back, her body shuddering.

When she could finally think again, she saw that he hadn’t come. His body was tense, his muscles strained.

Doubt hit her. “Toren?”

“Was it good, Simone?”

“Yes.”

“You came?”

“Obviously. Toren, I—”

In one fast move, he pushed up off the bed. She gasped as he pushed her down. She found herself on her hands and knees, his hands cupping her ass.

He pushed her legs apart roughly, his big body pressing behind hers. She sucked in a breath, anticipation making her pulse spike.

He notched his cock in place.

She pressed back. “Do it.”

He slammed into her, and they both groaned.

“Yes,” she cried.

Toren started moving fast, driving into her body. His thighs slapped against hers.

Simone felt taken, overwhelmed. She loved it.

“You’re good at this too,” she panted.

“With you.” He pressed against her back, his mouth at her ear. “You feel so good, Simone. And you make me feel so good.”

She slid a hand underneath her body, touching herself. She wasn’t sure she could come again, but she didn’t care.

He kept driving into her—powerful and relentless. Unbelievably, she felt another climax building.

She came with a thin cry. He thrust into her, lodging deep, and groaned in her ear, his big body shuddering above hers.

Then he collapsed, but he was careful not to crush her, sliding the bulk of his weight to the side. He peppered kisses along her back.

Simone drifted, savoring the post-awesome-sex bliss. After a few minutes, they both caught their breath.

“How are you feeling?” She turned to look at him. “You just processed a lot of emotions.”

He smiled. “Amazing.”

“I’m glad,” she whispered.

She wished they could stay in this little cocoon forever.

He stroked her hair, rubbing it between his fingers. “So, what will we try next?”

Her gaze dropped and she saw his cock was hardening again. “Oh…oh.”

He frowned. “Men on your planet don’t—?”

“Aren’t so quick to recover.”

His smiled turned into a grin. “I’m a cyborg.”

“Yes, you are.”

He scooped her up and slid off the bed. “How about a swim?”

“Oh, okay.”

He strode out into the night and onto the patio. “I’d like to make love to you under the stars.”

Her belly clenched.

“And make you come again,” he added.

“I won’t say no.” They couldn’t stay here forever, but they could have this perfect, blissful night.

As he continued toward the water, he kissed her deeply. Emotion welled inside Simone, and she knew the name of what was growing inside her. Such a deep, powerful feeling that it scared her.

But Toren had told her that once he was healed, he was eager to return to how he’d been before—the cool, emotionless cyborg.

She’d had a man tear her apart before, and she wasn’t sure she could survive it if this cyborg did the same.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Toren sat on the roof of the villa, high-tech binocs in hand, and zoomed in on Alev’s property.

A shipment had been delivered today. He’d watched a long convoy of beast-driven trailers head up the steep ridge. Alev had greeted them with a lot of excitement and watched as the goods were unloaded. There had been metal and parts, and people who looked like slaves as well.

Toren’s hands tightened on the binocs and he pulled in a deep breath. Sorrow and anger mixed together in his gut. He’d use those emotions to stop this. He wondered curiously if the emotions made him better at his job now.

“Anything?”

He looked down at Simone on the patio below. She wore loose-fitting, white pants, and a sleeveless top that bared her slim arms. Her hair was out in a glossy fall of black around her shoulders.

So beautiful. His heart clenched and memories of their night hit him. Every perfect moment.

She’d shared herself with him. Let him touch her, taste her. And he wanted her again. Desire was a smoldering fire in his gut.

He leaped off the roof and landed beside her. “Alev received a delivery. I caught a glimpse of him, and he seemed very pleased about it.”

She stiffened, turning to glare at the fortress. “We have to stop him.”

“We will.” Toren leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her mouth. “I promise you.”

Tylee appeared, her head bowed. “I am sorry to interrupt, but there is a rider at the gate asking to speak with you.”

Toren and Simone shared a look. Spinning, he strode toward the front gate.

On the screen built into the wall, he saw an image of a man with green skin sitting atop a tarnid—a six-legged, scaled beast used for desert transport. The man was alone, and Rillian’s security system didn’t detect any dangerous weapons.

Toren touched a button and the gates slid open.

The man slid off the tarnid, the large beast snorting. He moved forward and bowed his head. “Greetings.”

“Who are you?” Toren demanded.

“I work for Master Alev Erroth, who owns the property neighboring yours.”

Toren sensed Simone tensing, and he wrapped an arm around her waist. “We’re vacationing here.”

The green-skinned man gave another nod. “We noted that someone was in residence. My master would like to invite you to attend dinner at his property.” The man held out a small holo-cube, and then glanced at Simone. “Both of you.”

Toren took the cube and the man turned, mounted the tarnid, and left in a cloud of dust.

Once the gates closed, Toren held up the cube and pressed a button on the side. An image of Alev appeared above it, his hair in elaborate twists.

“The desert can be so very tedious.” The man smiled—wide and toothy. “I heard that there was someone in residence at your villa, and I would love your company for dinner. See you at sunset.”

The hologram winked off.

“We have to go,” Simone said.

Lead her into Alev’s lair. Toren felt a muscle in his jaw tick. He didn’t like this idea.

“Toren?”

“I don’t want you anywhere near that man. He’s dangerous.”

“I’ve already been in danger.” She slid her arms around him. “I want Alev stopped, and the Edull, so they can’t hurt any more people.”

“Simone—”

“If he can lead us to Bari Batu and Bellamy, any risk is worth it.”

Toren dropped his mouth to hers. Need rolled through him. It was strange to feel such competing emotions—fear, desire, the need to protect, the need to complete his mission.

They were all overridden by the need to claim her.

He backed her into the wall, deepening the kiss. Her hands pressed into his back.

Then he reached down and yanked her trousers down until they pooled at her ankles. She gasped. “Tylee—”

“Won’t interrupt.” He slid his hand between Simone’s thighs, stroking and listening to her small mewls of pleasure. “If we go into that sand-cursed fortress, you’ll stay by my side every second.”

“Toren—”

“No debate.”

“Yes, okay, but you’ll also stay by mine.”

Toren dropped to his knees, pushing her thighs apart. Then his mouth was on her.

“Oh, God,” she panted.

He lifted her up to his hungry mouth and she cried out, her taste exploding on his tongue. He looked up at her—so beautiful and flushed. “I can’t stop wanting you.”

“No one has ever wanted me like you do.”

He cupped her ass and went back to licking and sucking. He kept working her, listening to her cries grow more frantic.

Then she came, crying out his name and trembling against his mouth. The sweetest sound.

Toren surged up, fumbling with his own trousers. He pinned Simone to the wall and her legs clamped around his waist.

He surged inside her and their groans mingled.

“You stretch me so much,” she moaned. “Fill me up.”

He kept his thrusts firm and steady. Her body clenched on him, driving him wild. He pulled his cock out and she cried out in protest. Then he spun her, cupping her sweet ass, and drove back in.

“So wet for me,” he growled.

“Yes.”

He leaned back, watching himself pump inside her, and the slight, sexy jiggle of her buttocks. He felt himself harden even more.

“Don’t stop,” she begged, pushing back against him. Her voice was husky with need.

He slid a hand into her silky hair, feeling as though a wild beast were loose inside him. He felt a primal need to claim his mate.

Simone started orgasming, her scream of pleasure like a prize. Her body clenched on his cock and he groaned.

Toren thrust again, pleasure like a hot flame. “Take me, Simone, all of me.”

She pushed back against him, and he came, their surroundings fading. Everything narrowed to Simone and the hot pleasure tearing through him.

“Simone…drak…”

When he came back to awareness, he was pinning her to the wall. She turned her head and nuzzled him.

“We should go and get ready for this dinner,” she said quietly.

And just like that, his bubble of contentment burst. Drak, for a moment he’d forgotten why they were there.

He had no weapon, and he was half the cyborg he’d been just weeks before, and now he spent every second dealing with his unruly emotions. But he still had to find a way to protect her.

He kissed her shoulder and pulled back.

Toren would do whatever the mission required, and whatever it took to keep her safe.

SIMONE SAT in front of Toren on the tarnid. She’d finally adjusted to the beast’s strange gait as its six legs moved across the sand.

She wore a filmy dress in a deep green that floated around her body and was tied at the back of her neck, leaving her shoulders bare.

Toren was in a new set of leathers and a dark shirt. It made him look less cyborg and more man. He’d been all man when they’d gone at each other against the wall earlier.

She closed her eyes, her belly hitching. She could still feel him between her legs.

She suddenly realized that she was facing a far greater risk than the Edull. She swallowed. She was falling for Toren, and that scared the hell out of her.

The way he worshiped her, desired her, it was addictive. But she knew that one day, he’d wake up and not feel that way about her. Michael had. Toren was experimenting with his new emotions, and he’d find others to experiment with, or finally heal and go back to the emotionless way he’d been before.

The pain under her heart was so sharp. She bit her lip hard.

Either way, one day, he wouldn’t want her anymore, and she couldn’t let herself get too attached. She twisted her hands together.

“Don’t be nervous,” he murmured in her ear. “It’ll be okay.”

She didn’t tell him what she was really worried about, just nodded. As they neared the rocky ridge, a trail of burning torches appeared, lining the path leading up the mountainside.

“The flames help keep the night beasts away,” Toren said.

Shame it didn’t keep the two-legged ones away as well. She thought of Alev up there, safe while he caused so much pain.

As their tarnid climbed the rocky path, they passed armed guards, standing silently by the side of the road.

Finally, they reached the fortress.

Simone stared in wonder at the rock-cut monstrosity. It looked like it could be in some medieval fantasy story.

A fountain burbled in the courtyard, but it was nothing like the pretty fountains at Rillian’s villa. Toren slid off the tarnid, then lifted her down, the breeze pressing the skirt of her dress against her legs.

When she glanced at the fountain, she saw strange beasts carved into the sides of it, water spraying out of their fang-filled mouths. Lovely.

“I both love and hate this dress,” Toren murmured.

She knew it draped her body and clung to her. He smoothed his hands down her sides.

“I want to pull it up and touch you,” he whispered.

Her breath hitched. “Toren.”

“And I don’t want anyone else to see you in it.” He gave her a quick kiss.

A burly servant arrived dressed in a black uniform. “If you’ll follow me.”

They followed the man inside. The place was opulent. Heavy wall hangings in rich colors coated the walls, along with lots of ceremonial weapons. They passed through several sets of carved wooden doors.

The servant led them into a large room where another fountain sat in the center of the space, strange, purple fish leaping into the air and back into the water.

“Welcome to my home,” a smooth voice drawled.

Alev stalked into the room, smiling, his arms held wide. He wore a bright yellow shirt tucked into dark leather trousers.

Look at me, all friendly and harmless. Simone managed a smile.

“I am Alev,” he said.

“Toren.” Toren’s hand tightened on hers. “And this is Simone.”

“I was so happy to see neighbors in residence. The place is usually empty.”

“Rillian is a busy man,” Toren said.

Alev’s smile sharpened. “He is. As am I.” Their host led them over to a long table laden with food and drinks. “Let’s get you both a drink.”

“You have a beautiful place,” Simone lied.

“Thank you. I had this stone carried from the Grand Basin of Goren. It was hand cut by the best off-world artisans.”

Great, he was what Grace called a one-upper. He had to be better than everyone else, and own things that were better and fancier. If you owned something, he owned five. If you could do something, he could do it blindfolded.

“The food looks lovely.” Simone sat in the chair Toren held out for her.

“Everything is from my greenhouses in Kor Magna. Only the best.” Alev winked at her, but his gaze skated over her in a way that made her skin crawl.

She felt Toren’s hand curl around her shoulder. He sat beside her, and instantly, his hands gripped a knife on the table, his knuckles turning white. She reached over and stroked his fingers.

“You’re clearly very successful to have a place like this,” Simone said. “What do you do?”

“A little of everything that interests me.” Alev lifted a heavy decanter and poured some lime-green fluid into some long, slender glasses. He handed one to Simone with a small bow, then another to Toren. “I enjoy the perks of wealth and power.”

She barely stopped her eyes from rolling. Just like Michael, he felt the need to tell everyone how powerful and important he was. The opposite of the men of the House of Rone.

Their host sprawled in a chair at the head of the table, watching them.

“So, what brings you to the Kylantha Oasis?” Alev asked.

Toren took a sip of his drink. “I was…injured recently. I needed some quiet time to recuperate.”

“Sorry to hear that. Hope you’re better now.” Alev’s gaze moved over Toren’s shoulder and Simone stiffened.

“I’m fine,” Toren replied.

“Yes, well there’s plenty of quiet to rest and recuperate here in the desert.”

“And you, Alev?” Simone asked. “Why do you come to the desert? You seem like a very busy man.”

He smiled. “Fewer prying eyes.” His tone lowered. “Usually.”

Tension filled her. What did that mean? She fought the urge to look at Toren. Did Alev know they’d found his ugly junkyard? Did he suspect that they were here to spy on him?

“I would assume the attention on a powerful man like yourself is overwhelming in the city,” she said.

Alev grunted. “Everyone wants to be around me.”

Bleurgh, the man was insufferable. Servers appeared, setting more food on the table. They ate their meal and Simone found it hard to swallow each mouthful. She noted Toren didn’t eat much.

Alev swirled a glass of amber fluid around. “You’re a cyborg, Toren.”

“Yes.”

“I am fascinated by the melding of technology and biology. Metal and flesh. Both so strong and weak in their own ways.”

Toren made a noncommittal sound.

Simone licked her lips. “It’s been fascinating to learn about cyborgs since I came to Carthago.”

Alev tilted his head. “How did you end up here, sweet Simone? I’ve never seen someone of your species before.”

Boggy ground. She needed to tread carefully. Her insides were jumping. Alev was watching them like he knew more than he should.

Shit, what if he didn’t let them leave?

Stay calm, Simone. She hated the sensation of walking on a tightrope, knowing that any second, a sword could fall. “I was abducted from my own world. I have no way home.”

Alev leaned forward, his eyes alight. “How horrible for you.”

She inclined her head. There was no sympathy in his gaze, only sick curiosity. Asshole.

Beside her, Toren was as stiff as a board. A bomb waiting to go off.

“So, what do you do for fun out here, Alev?” She forced herself to brighten her tone. “Swim? Collect rocks?”

He let out a booming laugh. “I’m an inventor.”

Her hands clenched on her fork. She felt the tension radiating from Toren, and she slipped her hand beneath the table to grip his hard thigh.

“Interesting,” she choked out.

“Oh, it can be. The act of creation, of blending things together to bring new life.” Alev’s eyes lit up, taking on a wild edge. “It’s almost like being a god.”

Her stomach turned over.

His white teeth glinted under the lights. “In my little corner of the world, I am a god. I do what I want, when I want, with who I want.” His gaze dropped to her breasts.

She felt Toren’s muscles bunching. This wasn’t going well.

Suddenly, a servant hurried into the room. He leaned in close to whisper to Alev. Their host’s brows drew together and he stood abruptly.

“Unfortunately, I have to cut this short.” A dark look settled over his face, his mouth bracketed by lines.

“I hope everything is okay,” Simone said.

“There are some problems that need my attention. I hope to see you both again soon.” His gaze met hers. “Very soon.”

He bowed and then strode out.

As soon as he was gone, Toren pushed his chair back. “We’re leaving. Now.”

He took her arm, and she felt his need to hurry. “Toren—”

“I want you out of here.” He lowered his voice. “Before our host gives in to his desire to dissect us.”

They hurried out of the fortress and the night breeze hit them. Toren wasted no time getting a servant to bring their tarnid. He boosted her up and climbed up behind her.

“Yah.” He kicked the tarnid into motion. At a fast gallop, they left Alev’s fortress and raced down the hill.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

When they reached Rillian’s villa, Toren could still sense that Simone was churned up.

As he lifted her off the tarnid, she paced away. “That man is rotten. He’s up to something bad.”

Toren released the tarnid’s reins to the silent Tylee, who led the beast back to the stables. He watched Simone’s jerky pacing. He was still angry, his own gut churning and surging. The way Alev had looked at Simone, the way that it had been obvious that the man had wanted to touch her, had made Toren want to punch him.

He took Simone’s hand. “Hey.”

She dragged in a breath and let him lead her into the villa. He pulled her out some doors and onto the night-drenched patio. Tylee had lit some braziers, the flames licking into the night sky. Toren walked across the pavers and saw the moonlight glinting off the oasis pool. He settled on a long lounger, and pulled Simone onto his lap.

“I hated Alev’s gaze on you. You breathing the same air as him.”

She snuggled into Toren. “He made my skin crawl.” She shuddered. “What now?”

“I’m not sure,” Toren said. “We need to keep watching him until we see any signs that will lead us to the Edull.”

“I hate the waiting. Poor Bellamy.” Then Simone smiled. “Although that woman is as tough as stone. She sure could shout. I think all the engineers on the ship were afraid of her.”

He stroked Simone’s hair. “We won’t abandon her.”

Suddenly, lights flickered in the sky and Toren straightened.

“What?” she asked.

He stared at the fortress and saw a bright light glowing from the property.

Simone straightened. “I’ll get the binocs.”

What the drak was Alev doing? Simone returned quickly and Toren held the device to his face, zooming in.

He could see some buildings glowing, almost like they were on fire, but nothing more. “Alev is being stealthy.”

“He doesn’t want us to know what he’s doing.” Simone spun. “We have to sneak in and see what’s going on.”

“His security—”

She made a scoffing sound. “I saw you assessing the place while we were there. I guess you have a plan.”

“Yes,” he admitted reluctantly. “I’ll go in and investigate. Alone.”

“No, not alone. You might need help.” She gripped his arms. “Don’t make me sit here and worry about you, Toren. Please.”

The emotion in that single word cut into him. “I need you safe, Simone.”

“I can’t let you risk yourself again.”

“I’d risk it all for you. I’d risk everything to keep you safe.”

Her face softened and she pressed her forehead to his. “I need to do this for myself. For Grace. I have to be a role model for my daughter and I need to reclaim something that the Edull took from me.”

Drak. Toren felt like he was being pulled apart. Her eyes looked up at him, filled with hope.

“Okay,” he growled.

She kissed him. “Let’s go.”

They took a few minutes to change into dark clothes and then climbed on the morlochs. Soon, they were headed out to the desert.

“I saw an old path that led up the ridge to the fortress,” he called out to her. “It was rocky and steep. Clearly hasn’t been used for a long time.”

She gave a resolute nod. “Let’s do it.”

They kept well clear of the main path, and he led her to the older track he’d noticed. They slid off the morlochs and left the animals near a rocky outcrop. Toren led her up the steep path, but it got rockier and rockier. Finally, it ended in a cliff face.

“A rock fall must have made this path unusable,” he said. “We’ll have to climb.”

Simone nodded, wedging a foot into a crack and then reaching up to grip the ledge. “So, we’ll climb.”

They started climbing up, but it wasn’t long before the good handholds became fewer and fewer. Simone was starting to struggle, and Toren didn’t want her to fall.

He stopped on a ledge. “Get on my back.”

“What?” She looked at him wide-eyed.

He turned and pulled her up on his back. “I’ll carry you.”

She gasped, holding him tight. “I’m too heavy.”

He shook his head. “Cyborg strength, remember?”

Toren looked up and started climbing. Even with his enhanced strength, it was a difficult climb. Gritting his teeth, he resolutely kept moving upward.

“Toren, put me down.”

“No.”

Finally, they reached the top and he pulled them over the edge. He dragged air into his burning lungs and Simone pressed close to him.

When he lifted his head, he saw a large stone wall ahead of them.

They both darted forward, moving close to the base of the wall. He heard a noise and pressed a finger to his lips. Simone nodded. He looked up and a guard appeared at the top of the wall, with a gulrag on a leash. The beast looked out into the darkness, snarling and pulling on its tether.

The guard cursed. “Behave, you overgrown monster.”

If the gulrag smelled them, they’d be dead.

After a charged second, the guard and the beast disappeared from view.

Simone blew out a breath. “What now?” she whispered.

“Now we go over the wall.” He cocked his head, listening. There was no sound or movement on the other side of the wall.

“Over the—?”

Toren scooped her up into his arms, bent his knees, and soared over the wall. He heard her make a squeak and she clung to him. He landed on the other side in a crouch.

“Wow,” she whispered.

They stayed in the shadows, scanning ahead. Light poured out of a large building in the center of the yard. It also had several chimneys, with smoke pumping out of them.

He grabbed Simone’s hand and tugged her closer to the building, keeping them in the darkest shadows.

“We need to get around to the other side,” he said.

Several guards stepped into view. Toren and Simone hurried away, steering well clear of them.

Even with his cyborg vision, the darkness was nearly impenetrable. He moved steadily and carefully.

Then Simone gasped. “Toren.”

He turned and saw that she was slowly sinking into the ground.

What the drak? He hurried closer and saw several darker patches on the ground like where Simone was standing. They were filled with a black, sticky substance.

“I can’t move,” she said, fighting to free her feet.

It was some sort of trap.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I don’t know, but hold still.” He reached an arm out to her.

Their fingers just barely brushed. He couldn’t grab her without standing in the goo himself.

“Hold on.” He searched around, and spotted some discarded scraps of metal, in small piles closer to the main workshop. “I’ll be right back.”

She nodded.

He hurried over to the metal piles. He saw a long pole and grabbed it, testing its weight.

He spun to return to Simone, and watched a gulrag slink into view.

Drak. Toren froze. The beast leaped onto a pile of metal, then sniffed the air. It had a feline look to its powerful body, with a thick, black mane around its head, and a long tail. It had four eyes set above its strong, fang-filled jaws.

Toren really wished he had his shoulder weapon.

He needed to get back to Simone. He gripped the metal tightly, and slowly edged to the side, keeping an eye on the beast.

Simone’s pale face appeared in the darkness.

“Stay quiet,” he warned. “There’s a gulrag close by.” He held out the pole. “Grab the end.”

She gripped the metal and Toren pulled. She grunted. “My feet are really stuck.”

Toren glanced over at the gulrag. It was sniffing around the metal but hadn’t noticed them.

He used all his strength, pulling back with everything he had. Suddenly, Simone’s body broke free, and she flew toward him. He caught her and she hugged him, panting.

“Um, my boots didn’t make it,” she said.

They both watched her boots sink into the black goo and disappear.

He looked down, frowning. “Are you okay with bare feet?”

“I’ll be fine.”

Toren glanced back to where he’d seen the gulrag. The beast was gone.

“Where the drak did the gulrag go?” He scanned their surroundings.

All of a sudden, a big body launched itself out of the darkness. Toren shoved Simone away from him, and threw his hands up to catch the attacking gulrag.

He gripped it with both hands, staring into its snapping jaws.

The beast snarled. Drak, it was strong. Toren fell, the beast on top of him. It snarled again, drool dripping on his face. Its breath was fetid.

Straining, Toren used all his strength to keep the animal from biting his face.

It snarled again and struggled, twisting its powerful body.

Toren’s hands were starting to slip.

Suddenly, Simone appeared. She rammed her hand against the beast and it yowled.

She pulled her arm back, and Toren spied a piece of jagged metal in her hand. She stabbed it into the creature once more.

The gulrag let out an enraged snarl and she stabbed it again, and again.

Hot blood splashed on Toren’s chest.

As Simone kept stabbing, the gulrag weakened. Toren reared up, slamming the beast into the sandy dirt. He saw its side was torn open and bleeding.

It halfheartedly snapped at them and he lifted it up. He staggered two steps, then tossed the gulrag into the goo trap. The beast yowled, trying to free itself. It fought against the sticky substance, but as it struggled, it sank faster into the muck until it disappeared.

Toren spun, yanking Simone close.

“Oh, God, oh, God,” she chanted quietly.

“We’re okay.”

A loud, roaring noise echoed from the workshop and they both jolted.

It was the roar of something big. Very big.

He took Simone’s hand. “Let’s see what Alev is hiding.”

THE BEAST’S blood was sticky on Simone’s hands. She swiped her palms on her trousers. Her heart was still pumping hard.

She swallowed and followed Toren toward the building.

She was fine. Toren was right beside her.

That horrible roar had chilled her blood, but they had to stop the Edull and Alev. She couldn’t give up now.

As she moved with Toren, she tried to stay quiet. Shouts and voices rang from inside the giant building, sending shivers down her spine. What the hell was going on in there?

She heard voices and turned her head. “Toren, guards.”

He cursed. “Quick. Into that smaller building over there.”

They ran together and ducked into a smaller outbuilding. Its doors were propped open.

A sharp stench filled her nostrils and Simone scanned the shelves in the small shed. They were packed with jars and bottles. She recognized some of the fluids, and the scents were familiar.

“Chemicals,” she whispered. “I use some of these in Ever’s lab.”

Toren nodded, but he was crouched near the door, staring at the backs of the retreating guards. He pulled her closer. “The guards are going to round the building in three, two, one. Let’s move.”

They raced out and jogged toward the larger building. He pointed to the wall and she saw that part of the stone wall was a lattice-like structure. He punched his fist into it and cracked open a hole big enough for them to climb inside.

He ducked in and she followed.

Inside, the cavernous building was packed full of stuff. It looked like some crazy inventor’s workshop. Gear and crane-like structures hung from the ceiling. All around were benches, large crates overflowing with parts, pieces of equipment she couldn’t even begin to recognize.

They crept around some huge crates overflowing with all kinds of metal. He pulled her down low, and they peered around the corner.

Simone swallowed a shocked gasp. There was a large, open space in the center of the building, lit up by bright lights. In the center stood a huge, animal-like robot.

It had four strong legs and a powerful body. It almost looked like a large cat—a tiger or a lion. Or a giant gulrag. It was made of tightly packed, plated metal, and looked menacing.

Workers buzzed around the construct, bringing more metal parts. Someone was welding, sending hot sparks flying into the air.

Alev strode into view. “Work faster, you crudspawn!” He turned and started raging at a man holding a comp screen.

Her gut curdled. “This is for the battle arena.”

“Yes,” Toren said.

Alev would race this, causing death and destruction. And why? For grim amusement. Because he was bored.

Suddenly, the bot moved and roared. It was deafening, and she clapped her hands over her ears. Toren pulled her closer.

Alev paused, smiling at the bot, before he turned and shouted more orders. He waved his arms around, then slammed a fist into his palm.

More parts were carried in, and that’s when Simone saw them.

She reared up, ready to charge in, but Toren pulled her back.

Slaves. A line of them shuffled forward. They had glowing chains around their necks and wrists. They were all different species, but each and every one of them had the same dejected look.

Alev saw them and smiled. He nodded, pointing at the slaves and then to the gigantic bot.

Simone thought she was going to be sick. She thought of that junkyard dump down below, and all the discarded body parts.

“No.” She struggled against Toren.

“We can’t help them now. If you charge out there, we’ll both end up dead, then we’ll be no good to any of them.”

She was shaking, helplessness a noose around her neck. She’d felt like this every day during her Edull captivity. She watched as the slaves were shuffled through a side door, and her chin dropped to her chest.

She thought of Bellamy. Was she somewhere, in chains, being forced into the battle arena? What if the poor woman was already dead?

No. They’d save her. They had to. And they’d shut the Edull’s track down too.

“Show me.” Alev’s voice echoed across the room.

He was standing on some crates now, staring up at his bot in awe.

The bot let out another roar, then flames exploded out of its mouth in a huge fireball.

Alev clapped like an excited child.

“Come on,” Toren murmured.

They pulled back and snuck out of the building.

Several guards were walking near the fortress’ exterior walls. Toren and Simone hunkered down in the shadows.

She wanted desperately to get out of there, but forced herself to wait.

“There are more guards over there,” she whispered.

Toren turned and looked, a scowl on his face. She bit her lip. They were cut off from the wall. God, if they were caught here…

“Up.”

She frowned at him. “What?”

He grabbed her, yanking her off her feet. Damn, the man loved carrying her around.

Then before she could catch her breath, he jumped. Straight up. Her heart flew into her throat.

He landed on the roof.

“Warn me next time,” she whispered.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” He ran along the roof, gathering speed.

Simone stared at the large gap between the building and the outer wall. “Toren, it’s too wide to jump across!”

He leaped into the air and her stomach dropped away.

Then he raised his left wrist. He had a leather gauntlet wrapped around his forearm, and suddenly, a wire exploded out of it. The end whizzed out and slammed into the wall. Using the wire, Toren swung them across the gap and Simone swallowed a scream.

With expert agility, Toren landed on the top of the wall. The wire retracted and he set Simone on her feet. Then he jumped down.

As he landed outside Alev’s fortress, Simone let out a breath and looked down at him. He held up his arms up to her.

She realized that she trusted him without question. Trusted this cyborg who’d risked it all for her.

She jumped and he caught her.

Then he set her on her feet, grabbed her hand, and they headed back down the rocky slope. Rocks pricked at her bare feet, but there was no way she was going to complain. She wanted out of there. The moons were high in the night sky, illuminating their way.

The climb back down the cliff wasn’t as bad as the climb up. She was relieved when she saw the morlochs appear in the darkness. Her animal nudged her, clearly happy to see her.

It was a quiet ride back to Rillian’s villa. As the gates closed behind them, she let out a breath of relief.

“I need to report back to Magnus,” Toren said.

She nodded, her skin chilled. “Then what?”

“We keep watching Alev until the time is right.”

“Those poor people,” she whispered.

Toren gripped the back of her neck and squeezed. “We won’t give up.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The twin suns were just starting to rise as Toren stepped out to the edge of the patio. The oasis water was still and calm, and the morning sunlight turned the desert sands in the distance bright gold.

He opened his palm and the small, round beacon rose up into the sky. He pulled out a small screen, his fingers moving quickly over it.

“Toren.” Magnus’ face appeared. The transmission wasn’t great, and the image wavered. Minerals in the desert sands interfered with most technology.

“Magnus, we made contact with Alev. He’s creating a large bot to race in the Edull battle arena. We also saw slaves. Live ones.”

The imperator cursed. “No doubt destined for the graveyard you found.”

“I wanted to update you.” Toren’s gaze moved down to the pool where Simone came into view, swimming laps. She’d been out there a while.

He knew she hadn’t slept well, twisting in the sheets beside him.

“How’s Simone?” Magnus asked.

“She’s okay. She’s not happy with being unable to help the slaves.”

“We’ll free them as soon as we can. Tell her Grace is well and happy.”

Toren nodded. That would help soothe Simone. “For now, we’ll continue watching Alev until he gives us the location of Bari Batu and the battle arena.”

“Good.” Magnus paused. “There have been some other Edull attacks.”

Toren’s gut clenched. “Casualties?”

“No members of the House of Rone, but some innocent bystanders were killed.” Magnus’ image distorted. “We have…end this…Toren.”

The sound was cutting out, but Toren nodded. “I’ll be in contact again soon.”

The screen blinked off and the beacon lowered down, landing on his palm.

Simone was still doing relentless laps through the water. He sat in one of the chairs and lifted the binocs, looking at Alev’s fortress. Everything was quiet this morning.

Were the slaves still alive? His hands tightened on the binocs.

He heard the sound of water splashing, and turned his head to see Simone coming up the steps. Her body was sleek and wet, covered in a brief, black swimming suit. Her hair was slicked back from her face.

A stark, hungry look was etched on her features, and his gut went tight.

She walked toward him and pushed the strap of her swimming suit off one shoulder.

His chest hitched.

She slid off the other strap, and with a shimmy, the wet suit dropped, leaving her naked.

Her high breasts captured his gaze. Her nipples were hard. He let his gaze run down her—over her flat belly, to the dark hair between her long legs.

His. That word echoed in his head. She made everything make sense. She made the storm of emotions inside him worth it.

She straddled him in his chair.

“Hello,” he murmured.

Her response was a kiss—a little rough, fierce. He clamped his hands on her ass. She bit his lip.

He growled, his heart thundering.

“I need you,” she said.

He tilted her head back. “You’re upset.”

Her eyes flashed. “I feel cold, numb. Make me feel warm and alive, Toren.”

He’d give her anything she needed. He kissed her—hard and deep. Her head tilted back under the pressure. Her hands dropped, fumbling with his trousers. His cock sprang free.

He shifted her, then she drove down on his cock, and he was engulfed by her tight warmth.

“Yes,” she hissed.

He groaned her name. “Simone.”

He urged her to move. Her hips rose and fell, and she gripped the back of the chair behind him for leverage, moving faster.

“You make me feel alive, wanted,” she murmured.

“All of that.” His voice was guttural. “You’re a queen, Simone. Gorgeous, composed.” He thrust his hips up and she cried out. “Except when you take my cock. Then you’re beautiful and wild, and I can’t get enough of you.”

Her eyes went wide, her breaths nothing but fast pants.

“Come for me,” he growled.

She was almost sobbing. He reached between their straining bodies and thumbed her clit.

“Yes.” Her head fell back, exposing the graceful length of her neck.

“Come, Simone,” he ordered.

Their gazes locked, and he watched her lips part. She let out a husky cry as her orgasm ripped through her.

The tight contractions of her body triggered his own release. Toren bucked his hips up and slammed her down. He groaned her name and emptied himself inside her.

She slumped forward, her head resting on his shoulder. Dragging in air, he stroked her back.

“I love being with you, Toren.” A whispered confession. “You make me feel safe and alive in a way I’ve never, ever felt before.”

He tightened his arms on her, unable to find the words to reply.

But inside, he felt a trickle of unease. Their mission wasn’t over yet, and he hoped he was enough to keep her safe.

SIMONE CLIMBED up on the villa roof and stared out at the fortress.

She couldn’t stop thinking about those slaves. She closed her eyes. And poor Bellamy. She could still vividly remember the Edull cells—the dank smell, the hunger, the despair.

The helplessness.

But she wasn’t helpless anymore.

“I’ll get you out,” she whispered fiercely.

Determination filled her. She would bring the Edull down.

The suns were high overhead and hot on her skin. Heat shimmered in waves, coming off the surrounding desert. There was no sound to warn her, but suddenly, a shadow passed overhead.

She looked up. A huge ship was headed for the fortress.

The air locked in her lungs. The way it glided made her think of a shark moving through water.

It was made of plates of metal, with large, silver rivets. Her throat went tight. It was clearly Edull.

“Toren!” she yelled.

He appeared from the villa below, looked up and scowled. He jumped up, landing beside her with ease. He crouched beside her and stared at the ship. His face darkened.

As they watched, it approached the fortress. Simone saw the bowels of the ship opening up.

“It’s a carrier,” Toren said.

“A what?”

“A transport. They’re going to transport Alev’s bot.”

Simone froze. “To the battle arena.”

His gaze met hers. “Yes.”

She scrambled up. “We need to get on that ship, Toren.”

His jaw went hard. As she moved to climb down off the roof, he grabbed her arm. They stared at each other, then he sighed. He wrapped his arms around her and then jumped them both down.

Simone clung to his shoulders. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to that.

“It’s too dangerous,” he said.

“It’s more dangerous for those captives he has.” She threw a hand out. “We have to get on that ship. Please, Toren. Help me stop them.”

He stared at her for what felt like forever, before he finally gave her a tight nod.

It only took them moments to grab some gear and reach the stables. They mounted the morlochs and raced out across the desert toward the fortress.

As they reached the road heading up the ridge, Simone frowned. “There are no guards.”

“They must be all helping,” he said.

They discarded their morlochs, and Toren shooed the animals to head back toward the villa. He and Simone headed up the path, sticking to the rocks for cover.

As they neared the front entrance to the fortress, they hunkered down behind the rock wall.

Simone’s chest hitched until she couldn’t breathe. She watched two Edull stroll toward the front of the fortress.

They were almost unassuming. They wore black masks over their faces, the valve in the center making their breathing raspy—a sound that still haunted her. She’d learned that they couldn’t safely breathe Carthago’s air. It meant their bodies weren’t that physically strong, which was why they needed slaves to do their dirty work.

She looked up at the giant ship hovering above them. Smoke was belching out of its engines.

A ramp lowered down into the main courtyard, and Alev appeared, his team behind him, leading out his cat bot.

“We can’t get up the ramp,” Toren said. “It’s too heavily guarded.”

Frustration chewed on her. She scanned the ship and knew he was doing the same. Then he went still.

“What?” she demanded.

“There.”

She narrowed her gaze, peering to where he pointed. There was a small hatch at the back of the ship, near the engines. It was a shinier silver metal than the rest of the hull.

“How do we get in?” she asked.

“We need a distraction so we aren’t seen.”

“Ideas?”

He shook his head.

Simone looked around, and then she smiled, thinking of her daughter. “Look there.”

It was the small storage shed they’d used for shelter the night before.

“It’s full of chemicals,” she said.

Now Toren’s mouth curved. “Time for us to make some bombs.”

They darted toward the shed, staying out of sight. As the large bot lumbered forward, all the attention was focused on it. Toren and Simone slipped unnoticed inside the storage building.

The shelves were lined with bottles and containers. Simone grabbed some, and studied the colored fluids inside. She didn’t recognize many of them, but she figured some of them would go bang.

“Let’s make a mess.” She started pouring random liquids together on the floor of the shed. Some started to foam and sizzle on contact.

One of them ignited.

“Time to go,” Toren said.

They sprinted out of the building.

They hadn’t gone far when an explosion ripped through the air. Toren slammed into her, taking her to the ground.

Fireworks whizzed into the sky and she heard people shouting. As more violent explosions shook the ground, Toren curled his body around her.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw the roof of the shed flying into the air.

“Grace would be proud,” Toren said.

Simone couldn’t hold back her smile.

There was a commotion as Alev’s guards rushed toward the burning shed. Several Edull stood nearby, watching impassively.

“Come on.” Toren tugged Simone toward the back of the ship.

As they neared the door, a blast of heat coming from the rumbling engines hit. Once they stopped at the hatch, Toren pulled out a small tool. A flame ignited from the end, and he started cutting into the metal.

The hatch swung open and he urged her inside. The small, compact space wasn’t big, and they stood pressed together. He closed the door, plunging them into darkness.

The laser flared again, and this time, he used the tool to weld the door closed.

They turned and headed quietly down a short corridor, to a circular opening that led into the main hold of the ship.

They crept closer, and as she peered inside, she bit down on her tongue.

Massive piles of cargo were stacked at the edges of the hold, but all her attention immediately centered on the bots in the center of the space.

One was huge and bulky, with heavy-duty tracks. Another one almost brushed the ceiling, and looked like a giant, horned warrior.

God. It was like something out of a nightmare.

Toren’s hand pressed against her back, and the touch steadied her. “We’re going to stop them. Now, let’s find somewhere to stay out of sight.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Toren watched intently as the Edull inspected the bots in the hold.

The large ship had taken off and they were now gliding over the desert.

“Erroth might have a chance to win this time,” one of them rasped, studying the cat bot.

“This is a much more inspired design than his last bot.” The Edull broke out in raspy chuckles. “The sandsucker driving his last one didn’t last long.”

“Bastards,” Simone muttered.

Toren squeezed her fingers. He touched the device on his harness, recording as many images as he could.

“Where is Erroth?” one of the Edull said.

“Bothering the captain. The man always demands the captain lavish him with attention. Wish we could stuff him in his own bot, sometimes.”

There were quite a few Edull in the hold, moving around and checking the bots and inspecting parts. One of them walked closer toward Toren and Simone’s hiding place, searching through several boxes.

Toren tensed. The Edull was getting too close. His raspy breathing echoed around them. Toren pulled Simone back deeper into the shadows. If they were discovered…

She nudged him and pointed off to the side. He peered in that direction and saw a grate set into the wall. It looked like some sort of ventilation shaft.

The Edull turned away, and Toren and Simone hurried over to the grate. He gripped it and yanked it off, then pushed Simone inside. He followed, setting the grate back in place.

There wasn’t much room, and his shoulders brushed the sides as they crawled through the tight, horizontal tunnel. A dull light shone up through another grate set in the floor. He looked down and saw prisoners.

“Cells.” Some people milled listlessly around, others sat slumped against the metal walls.

“No,” she whispered.

“We’ll get them all free.” He vowed they would. “Now, keep moving.”

The next grate looked down into a room that appeared to be some sort of lab. They kept crawling, and ahead, he saw more light. The tunnel ended and opened into a small maintenance area. He slid out of the vent and lifted Simone down. He glanced around the space, taking in all the tools built into the walls. There was also one round window.

They looked out onto the desert below.

From this height, the sand appeared in colored bands of red, gold, and brown.

“Look.” He stared down at the outpost that came into view.

It was an Edull tower built of stacks of scrap metal. They’d rescued Sage from a similar tower, and then destroyed it. It floated above a deep hole, spearing into the faded blue sky.

“We must be getting close to Bari Batu,” he said.

He scanned ahead, hoping to see some sign of the city, but there was nothing visible, other than desert dunes.

Then he heard a sound coming from the vent behind them. He turned and frowned.

More strange sounds echoed—metal moving on metal.

Simone backed up. “Toren.”

Small, metallic balls rolled out of the vent, pouring down to the floor. Legs popped out of the balls, giving them the look of spiders.

They circled around Toren and Simone.

“Don’t move,” he warned. “They’re some sort of security bots. Probably set to roam the ship.”

Suddenly, white lights on the balls blinked to life. Then they all turned red.

Toren raised his hands, ready for anything. This didn’t look good.

One of the balls flew off the ground, leaping at him. Simone screamed. All the other spider-like balls flew at them, as well.

Several of the balls slammed into Toren’s chest. He felt the little legs clinging to his skin, cutting and stinging. He grabbed at them, but for each one he yanked off, another dug in.

He glanced over and saw Simone batting at the small bots. They were pulling and tugging at her hair.

Toren felt a slash on his ribs, and yanked a bot off. He felt skin rip away, and blood slide down his side. He smacked at several of the other bots.

His weapon may have been gone, but he still had some implants he could use. He quickly rerouted power and directed an electric current through his system.

Electricity crackled through him. Drak, that hurt. His body shuddered, and his teeth clicked together.

The small bots all fried, the scent of burning wiring and circuits hitting his senses. The lights on the balls blinked off, and they dropped to the floor.

He spun to Simone and started yanking the bots off her. He dropped them onto the floor, stomping them under his boot.

“Get them off me!” She tore at the devices, her face panicked. “One’s under my shirt.”

He yanked her shirt up and saw the bot on her smooth belly. He pulled it off and crunched it in his hand.

He dropped it to the ground and glanced around. All the others bots were deactivated or destroyed.

Simone pulled in a breath that was half sob. He yanked her close and she pressed her cheek to his chest. She had a bloody scratch down one cheek and he reached up, running his thumb along it to gently wipe the blood away.

“Have I mentioned that I hate the Edull?” she said.

“I’m not sure that you have,” he replied.

That earned him a smile. “You’re joking with me. I like it.”

“I do, too.” He pressed a quick kiss to her mouth.

They pulled apart and she glanced at the window, then she went stiff. “Oh, my God. Toren, look.”

He turned and frowned.

Below the ship was a flat desert plain, pockmarked with large holes. His frown deepened. This wasn’t unusual; there were plenty of strange formations in Carthago’s deserts.

Then he followed her gaze and sucked in a sharp breath.

Towers were rising out of the holes.

They were all different shapes and sizes—conical, pyramid, rectangular. But they all had one thing in common—they were made of scrap metal.

“Drak. That outpost we destroyed, the Edull used some sort of magnetic field to levitate the tower above a huge hole. We thought it was simply a defense mechanism.”

She shook her head. “They can raise and lower these towers at will.”

Which meant they could hide them. They could hide an entire city in the desert. As he scanned the plain, towers were rising everywhere, forming a city.

Bari Batu.

Then he saw it.

“God.” Simone pressed her hand to the glass.

A huge, oval-shaped arena was rising up out of a giant hole. It was made of dark-gray metal, banded with rusted parts and brass-colored rivets. In the center of it was a huge track, and around the track lay row upon row of tiered seats. Curved metal sheets were extending that acted as a roof.

The battle arena.

They’d found it.

SIMONE COULDN’T STAND STILL. She wanted to shout, to scream, or to hit something.

They’d found Bari Batu.

Now, they had to find Bellamy, and then find a way to get the coordinates of the city back to Magnus and the House of Rone.

Oh, and they had to survive long enough to do all of that.

Dread filled her belly like cement. She was back in the heart of Edull territory.

She looked at Toren, and instantly, her nerves settled. She wasn’t alone. This man, this cyborg, believed in her and was with her every step of the way.

The ship tilted beneath their feet, and she realized that they were coming in to land. As they turned, she realized they were going to touch down directly beside the battle arena.

She grabbed Toren’s hand and they braced themselves as the ship set down on a large landing pad. Outside, she watched several Edull leading lines of slaves toward the ship. Moments later, the slaves reappeared, carrying gear and boxes out of the cargo bay.

Then she saw the first bot roll down the ramp, its tracks whirring beneath it.

“Come on,” Toren said. “We need to get off this ship.”

She pulled in a breath. She could do this. They crawled back into the ventilation tunnel and made their way back to the cargo bay.

As they squeezed out of the grate, she saw the bay was a hive of activity. Toren rose, scanning the space with a sharp frown. A crowd of Edull holding tools stomped up the ramp.

“Engineers,” he murmured. “They must have to repair any damage the desert does to the engines after each flight.”

“How will we get off?” she asked.

He moved toward one of the crates and pulled something from inside it.

He held it out to her and she saw that it was a dark-brown Edull robe. He wrapped it around her, and the musty scent of sweat hit her. She wrinkled her nose and watched him pull another one around his body. He was too tall to pass as an Edull, but at first glance, it wasn’t a bad disguise.

Next, he handed her a black mask. She hated pulling the thing over her face, but she settled it in place. Then she tugged the robe’s hood up over her hair.

After Toren had done the same, they kept their heads down, and walked toward the ramp.

Edull and slaves were everywhere, and her heart thumped hard against her ribs. She was certain someone would catch them. If anyone looked too closely, or tried to speak to them, they’d be busted.

They followed a line of slaves down the ramp. Another one of the bots was being driven down the ramp.

Ahead, the metal walls of the arena rose above them. Her gut churned as they moved under a huge archway.

Then they were inside the battle arena itself.

The seating was currently all empty. Toren pulled her away from the workers. A clunking sound reverberated behind them, and she glanced back to see Alev’s huge cat bot exiting the Edull ship.

Alev walked beside it, shouting orders at everyone around him.

Ahead, they watched as the large bots were led down a ramp into the bowels below the arena.

Simone swallowed. The last time she’d been here, she’d been a captive. She watched the other poor people who were enslaved leading bots and carrying gear into the arena.

She saw Alev and his bot disappear from view.

“This way,” Toren murmured.

He led her over to a railing, and they stared down at the track below.

It wasn’t flat. It had undulations, jumps and obstacles, gaps and holes, and twisting bends. The metal sidewalls were all scratched and dented from crashes and accidents.

So much suffering had occurred here. In her head, Simone imagined the cheering crowds.

Why? Why did people take pleasure in hurting others? She thought of Michael. Her ex had done the same thing, just on a smaller scale.

Suddenly, the sharp crack of a whip echoed around from the other side of the track. Her head shot up and she saw an Edull leading a ragged group of slaves. One woman fell, sobbing, her silver-white hair spilling around her face.

“Get moving!” the Edull slave master yelled.

Gunning engines sounded and Simone watched four-wheeled bots of all shapes and sizes whizz out onto the track. They zipped around, weaving in and out, then pulled up into a line beside the wall close to where the Edull and the slaves stood.

Simone swallowed. “Those are the warm-up bots. They run them around the track before the bigger races to check the track conditions.”

The Edull slave master started forcing several of the slaves into the bot vehicles. The white-haired woman fell again.

“Get up and get in your bot, or I’ll toss you onto the track.” The Edull raised the whip again, and the woman cowered.

No. Simone gripped the railing. All of a sudden, another woman darted forward. “Do you want her dead, or do you want her to be useful?” The small blonde glared at the Edull. “Back off.” She lifted a heavy metal tool that she was holding in her hand.

The Edull glared at her but he lowered his whip. “You shut your mouth and get back to work.”

“Oh, my God,” Simone breathed, staring at the woman with the short blonde hair.

Toren moved closer. “Simone?”

She realized that Toren was looking at her, not the confrontation occurring on the other side of the track.

“That’s Bellamy.”

Bellamy’s hair was cut short, close to her skull. Her sleeves had been torn off, displaying the colored ink on her toned arms. She turned, her face in profile, and Simone recognized the stubborn line of her jaw.

With another searing glare at the Edull slave master, the blonde turned back to where she’d been working on one of the warm-up bots, jamming her tool into the engine.

“Bellamy.” Simone smiled. She was alive.

“You two,” a rasping voice said right behind Toren and Simone. “What are you doing in this area?”

Simone stiffened and saw Toren do the same. Uh-oh.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Drak.

Toren knew that as soon as they turned, they were in trouble.

His muscles bunched, then he spun, and led with a front kick. He hit the Edull in the gut, sending him flying.

Toren grabbed Simone’s hand and started running. He dodged through the empty seating.

Shouts exploded behind them. “Stop! Intruders!”

Simone gripped his hand hard. “Toren—”

“Just run.”

For the first time in weeks, he felt himself focus just on the fight. Ahead, two Edull appeared out of a tunnel, both of them holding long stunner weapons.

Toren launched himself at them. He had to protect Simone. It was the driving echo in his head.

He punched and followed with a powerful side kick. The first Edull staggered. The second Edull swung his long stun weapon, and Toren ducked under it. Then he moved, ramming his fist into the Edull’s stomach.

The alien groaned and dropped the stunner.

Toren snatched it up and whirled. His stick crashed against the stunner of the first Edull. Sparks flew.

Whirling the stunner around like a staff, Toren hit at the Edull again, driving him backward. Their stunners smacked together, each strike making more sparks fly.

They moved closer to the railing. Down below, the warm-up bots were racing around at high speed.

“Toren, watch out!” Simone yelled.

He swiveled his head and saw a medium-sized, dog-like bot bounding down the empty stands.

Drak.

Focusing on the Edull in front of him, he hit the alien again, pinning him against the railing. Toren slammed his stunner against the Edull, and the alien’s body shook wildly, electricity skating over him. Toren pulled his stunner back, and the Edull dropped his weapon and collapsed.

“Toren!”

A blow hit him in the back. He felt claws digging into his skin, and he reached back and grabbed the dog bot. He yanked it over his shoulder and it snapped its mechanical jaws at him.

The Edull at the railing recovered, scrambling for his weapon.

Emotions thundered through Toren. He had to block them. He had to fight and keep Simone safe.

The Edull grabbed the stunner, just as Simone grabbed the other end of it. They started tugging, fighting for the weapon.

Suddenly, the Edull activated the stunner and Simone screamed, her shaking body collapsing.

No. Toren swung the dog bot and threw it over the railing.

It crashed onto the track then leaped onto its feet…just as a warm-up bot hit it. The crunch of metal was loud.

Spinning, Toren fought back his fear and anger. Simone was hurt. Simone needed him. He advanced on the Edull who had hurt her.

Nearby, he saw Simone push herself up.

Toren lifted his stunner and swung at the Edull. Their weapons clashed, and they traded blows. With each hit, the stunners sizzled.

“Toren, more Edull incoming,” Simone yelled.

He looked over and saw several more guards running toward them. Too many.

Toren needed to be a cyborg.

He needed to be the emotionless fighter he knew he could be.

He dredged up more strength, and blocked Simone out of his head.

“Toren—”

“Not now,” he roared.

He rammed his stunner against the Edull, shoving the man over the railing. The alien dropped to the track below with a raspy scream. Toren didn’t stay to watch him land.

Spinning, he saw Simone fighting another Edull, and his gut hardened.

Drak, she must have been warning him that they were on her. She shoved at the Edull, but another one charged in and grabbed her hair, sinking his fingers into it. He wrenched her head back.

No. Toren charged toward them.

The Edull spun her and Simone teetered. He shoved her hard, and she hit some of the seats with a cry. Her head smacked into the corner of one seat and she collapsed.

More Edull rushed toward them.

“You don’t touch her!” Molten anger exploded inside Toren. “Never again.” He punched the Edull and yanked off the alien’s mask.

But the other guards were on him, driving him to the ground.

Toren felt a deluge of emotion, but despair drowned everything else out.

He lifted his head and looked at Simone’s unmoving body.

He’d failed her.

Then, something slammed into the back of his head and everything went black.

SIMONE PRESSED her back against the cold, metal wall. She was back in an Edull cell.

Toren lay sprawled on the floor beside her, and she had his head resting in her lap. She stroked his hair.

“Wake up. Please.”

Her heart was in her throat, and she had the headache from Hell hammering behind one eye. Probably caused by the impressive lump she had on one temple. Head connecting with a hard seat was never a great idea.

She hated being back in here, where every smell, sound, and sensation made despair rise up like rasping hands.

Toren was hurt. She looked down at his lax face. He’d gone into some sort of trance while he’d been fighting. He’d pushed away her help and ignored her.

Her chest hitched. “Please wake up. Don’t leave me here alone.”

A second later, he stirred, and her pulse jumped.

“Toren?”

He sat up with a groan, holding his head. He blinked.

“How do you feel?” she asked.

He managed a nod, then grimaced. “I’m sorry, Simone. I failed you. I didn’t protect you.”

She reached out and smacked his chest, then gripped his harness.

“I don’t need you to be my bodyguard, Toren. I need you to be my partner. To help me. To trust that I can help you, and that we can work together.”

He blinked again, then dropped his forehead to hers. “I fell back on what I knew.”

“You charged into the fight without thinking.”

“I was trying not to feel. I was trying to be the emotionless cyborg.”

“You aren’t that anymore,” she whispered.

He kissed her.

It was raw and hungry, and definitely not emotionless.

In the distance, she heard the drumming sound of voices and cheering. Toren lifted his head and frowned.

“The crowd’s coming in for the battle races,” she said.

His jaw tightened. “We need to get out of here.”

She nodded. “We need to find Bellamy again.”

Toren rose, then moved toward the bars. He gripped them and yanked. He shook his head. “Too strong.” He tried kicking them, but they didn’t budge. They’d been designed to hold strong species. “Drak.”

Then he whirled and rammed a fist into the wall.

“Hey.” She hurried over to him and grabbed his wrist. “Use that emotion in a productive way, not to hurt yourself.” She dropped a kiss to his grazed knuckles

He dragged her closer and kissed her again.

She felt him pour his anger and frustration into the kiss. She clung to him, kissing him back. She felt something that she’d never felt in the Edull cells before—desire.

“Well, this is totally not what I expected to find,” a gritty female voice said.

Simone and Toren jerked apart.

Bellamy Walsh was standing outside the bars.

“Bellamy!” Simone cried.

“Simone, right?” the woman said.

Simone nodded, reaching through the bars. “I’m so glad you’re alive.”

“Me too.” A smile curved the woman’s lips, and she squeezed Simone’s hand before her green gaze moved to Toren.

“This is Toren,” Simone told her.

Bellamy’s gaze dropped to the metal on Toren shoulder. “Cyborg. You hiding any fancy weapons in there somewhere?”

Toren shook his head. “I was injured recently and my weaponry was removed. At least until I learn to manage my new emotions.”

Bellamy’s lips twitched. “And you manage them by sticking your tongue in Simone’s mouth?”

Toren tilted his head. “She likes my tongue.”

Simone blushed. “Toren.”

Bellamy chuckled. “I bet she does, cyborg.”

Simone glared at him. “Of all the times for you to discover your sense of humor.”

Bellamy reached out and grabbed the cell door lock. She inserted a small tool and a second later, it clicked opened. “Come with me. Hurry.”

Simone and Toren hurried out of the cell. They followed Bellamy down the corridor, and Simone forced herself not to look at the other, still-locked cages. She knew she couldn’t help the other prisoners just yet, but it didn’t make leaving them hurt any less.

“The Edull trust you enough to let you move around freely?” Toren asked.

“I gained their trust,” Bellamy said. “They enjoy the benefits of my mechanic skills.” She glanced back over her shoulder. “I’m waiting for the chance to escape and not die in the desert.”

“We’ve been searching for Bari Batu to rescue you,” Simone said.

Bellamy stopped in front of a door. She opened it and waved them inside.

Simone stepped into a cramped workspace. There were benches and shelves all filled with metal parts, pieces of bots, wires.

“Home, sweet home.” Bellamy moved to a bench and kicked a stool out. “Sit, cyborg.”

Reluctance on his face, Toren sat on the stool.

“I can add some weapons for you.” Bellamy dug around in an overflowing toolbox. She lifted a tool up. “So you can get out of here.”

Toren stared at her for a beat, then nodded.

Bellamy pressed her tool to the metal plate on his shoulder. It made a whizzing sound.

“So we can get out,” Simone said. “We aren’t leaving you here.”

Bellamy lifted the metal plate off Toren’s shoulder and shook her head. “I’m not the only prisoner here. There are others who need rescuing too.”

“The House of Rone plans to shut down the battle arena,” Toren said. “And stop the Edull.”

“Good.” Bellamy paused, digging around inside Toren’s shoulder. “But I’m not leaving until that happens.” She grabbed some parts, setting them inside his implant. She made a humming noise, then she lifted a small laser torch. Sparks flew as she welded the parts into Toren’s implant. “There, test it out.”

Toren turned and a weapon rose up above his shoulder. It didn’t have the same clean lines as his previous shoulder weapon. Then suddenly, an orange laser beam shot out of the bulkier weapon, cutting into the wall.

Toren smiled. It might not meet Maxon’s standards, but it was functional. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure, cyborg. Now, time for you two to get out of here and find some reinforcements.”

Bellamy turned and grabbed something off the bench. She held out her hand. A small holo-cube rested on it.

“It contains the coordinates of Bari Batu and a crude map of the city.” She pressed it toward Simone, and Simone’s fingers closed around it. “I’ve been trying to get detailed schematics of the battle arena, but the Edull don’t leave that just lying around.”

“This is very good,” Toren told her.

“You aren’t alone anymore, Bellamy,” Simone said.

There was a flash of emotion on the woman’s tough face. “That’s nice to know. Now, time to go.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Come on, I’ll show you a way out,” Bellamy said.

Toren and Simone followed the woman through the corridor. He scanned ahead for any sign of trouble.

“Please come with us,” Simone urged. “You can do these people more good out there. We have good people helping us.”

Bellamy glanced over her shoulder and looked torn. “I’ll think about it. This way.”

As they moved up some stairs, Toren heard the thunder of the crowd above—cheers, boos, and jeers. He also heard the revving of engines and the rumbling of moving vehicles. Then, there was the deafening crash of metal crunching against metal.

Simone grabbed his hand. “The races have started.”

There was pain in her voice, but there was nothing he could do to soothe it.

They headed up another flight of stairs and came out at an exit. It put them in the center of the crowd.

Toren stared down at the track.

Drakking hell. It was worse than he’d imagined.

He watched a squat, wheeled bot the size of a large transport race around the track on six wheels. It was covered in spikes. A tall bot was chasing it, rolling on one giant wheel. It had a vaguely humanoid shape, with several arms all clutching giant swords and axes.

The bots rammed into each other, then pulled apart. They thundered past—giving Toren a clear view of the terrified driver in the taller bot—before they took one of the wild turns on the track.

“There’s a small side entrance,” Bellamy said over the roar of the crowd. “Once the races start, the Edull usually ignore it.”

The woman pushed through the crowd and Toren shouldered after her, making sure Simone stayed by his side. As they barged past, spectators cursed at them.

“Get down!”

“Hey, don’t block my view,” someone growled. “Paid good money for these seats.”

Suddenly, a man reached out and grabbed Simone’s arm. She tried to yank it away. Toren whirled, pushing in front of her, and glared at the man.

The man took one look at Toren, then lifted his hands and backed off.

Toren pushed Simone ahead of him and they continued onward. Then he noticed movement in the rows above them and glanced up. His pulse spiked. Several Edull were searching the crowd.

Looking for them.

“Move faster,” he said.

Bellamy glanced back, saw the Edull, and her mouth tightened.

They picked up speed.

“Out of the way, asshole.” Bellamy shouldered through several larger aliens holding frothy drinks in their hands.

The woman had no sense of how small she was.

Raspy shouts sounded behind them. He glanced back and saw that some Edull guards had spotted them.

The roar of the racing bots drowned out the Edulls’ shouts.

He pushed Simone forward. Down on the track, the bots crashed into each other, and one went airborne, flipping over. He saw Simone’s face go white.

The bot somersaulted and landed on its wheels, rocking wildly.

The crowd went crazy and the bots gunned off again.

Toren glanced back and saw that the Edull were getting closer.

“The crowd’s too thick,” Bellamy said.

Drak. They needed to get to that exit.

“Up here.” Bellamy climbed up on the railing alongside the track. She started walking along it.

“I can’t do that!” Simone glanced at the woman with wide eyes, then looked down at the track below.

Toren really didn’t want her balanced on the edge of the battle arena either. “The Edull are gaining on us.”

She blew out a breath and then climbed up onto the railing. She put her arms out and started walking, carefully putting one foot in front of the other.

Toren jumped up behind the women. The bots were on the other side of the track, but the sooner they got off this railing the better.

Ahead, Bellamy jumped back down into an empty space where there were no spectators.

But as he watched Simone climb down, he saw another group of Edull guards pushing through the crowd ahead of them. They were shoving people out of their way.

“Edull,” he yelled.

“Fuck,” Bellamy said. “The tunnel entrance is just past them.”

Toren activated his shoulder weapon, watching as it popped up out of his implant.

It was very different than the one he’d had before, but he felt the energy gathering in it. He took aim on the Edull and fired.

The aliens dived to the ground, and the crowd screamed and surged. Several people pushed and shoved, trying to get away.

Toren leaped off the railing and charged forward. He couldn’t risk firing again and possibly hitting some of the spectators. It didn’t matter that they were crudspawn for coming to watch these races.

One of the Edull launched up, sprinting at him. The alien tackled Toren around the legs.

They hit the ground, wrestling between the rows of seats. Toren lifted an arm and punched the Edull. He kept hitting him until the alien’s body slumped.

When Toren rose, he saw Bellamy swinging one of her tools. Simone was kicking at another Edull.

These women from Earth were so fierce.

Toren took aim and fired on several more incoming Edull.

Then Simone screamed—high-pitched and terrified.

Heart pumping hard, Toren spun.

The Edull shoved Simone, flipping her over the railing.

She fell backward and down onto the battle track.

“No!” Toren roared.

SIMONE LANDED ON THE TRACK, the wind knocked out of her.

She groaned, rolling to her side and trying to clear her head. Then terror slammed into her.

She was on the track.

She leaped up.

“Simone!”

She heard Toren’s shout over the crowd. She glanced up and saw several Edull attacking him at the railing. There was no sign of Bellamy.

The roar of engines filled her ears.

Her stomach dropped to her toes and she spun.

The two giant bots were coming around the bend, ramming into each other. They were heading straight toward her.

Her throat closed and she looked around. There was nowhere to go, nowhere to hide.

She spun and started to run.

But the sounds of the engines and rolling wheels got closer and closer.

She looked back and saw them bearing down on her.

She thought of Grace. Of Toren. Dammit, she wanted to live! She sucked in a breath.

Think, Simone. Time slowed. She forced herself to focus on the bots. The first one rolled closer, and as it got near, she dodged to the side. It thundered past her.

But the second one was careening all over the track, sparks and smoke coming from behind it.

Simone ran to the side, but the bot swerved at the last minute, coming right at her. Her pulse pounded loudly in her ears.

As the bot came close, she jumped. She hit the metal side of it and clung.

It swerved again, and before it crashed into the wall and squashed her like a bug, she leaped off. She hit the ground and rolled across the track.

The bot rushed past her.

Blowing out a breath, she stayed crouched, one palm pressed to the track. Holy cow. Adrenaline charged through her.

She leaped up and ran toward the side wall, searching for a way to climb out of the track.

“Simone, here.” Bellamy was leaning over the railing. The woman tossed something, and a coil of metal rope unfurled.

Simone grabbed the end of it. She pressed her feet to the wall and started climbing up.

Where was Toren? She looked up, but couldn’t see him anywhere. About halfway up the wall, the bots came roaring around the track again.

Faster, Simone. She kept putting one hand in front of the other.

She glanced down and saw the tall bot slam into the wall, scraping along it.

Oh no. It was going to hit her.

She climbed faster.

“Hurry!” Bellamy yelled.

She wasn’t going to make it. She was moving as fast as she could, but it wasn’t fast enough.

Toren appeared beside Bellamy at the railing. He swiveled, his shoulder weapon spinning to aim at the incoming bot. He fired and the laser cut into the bot. Pieces of metal fell off it onto the track.

Oh, shit. It was just meters from her.

Then the bot spun away from the wall, crashing into its rival.

Simone neared the railing and Toren reached down, grabbed her hand, and yanked her up with one powerful pull.

Thank God. She threw her arms around him, trying desperately to pull air into her lungs.

“Drak. Drak.” His voice was shaky.

“Guys, we’ve got to go,” Bellamy said.

“You’re all right?” Toren asked.

Simone nodded.

He grabbed her hand tightly and they followed Bellamy. The blonde pointed to the doorway leading into the tunnel. “There.”

They rushed down the steps. Ahead, the tunnel stretched under the arena.

They moved into a jog and a moment later, they heard shouts behind them. The Edull were coming.

“Faster,” Toren urged.

They picked up speed, but when Simone glanced back, she saw several Edull racing after them, robes flapping behind them.

Suddenly, Bellamy stopped at a panel set into the wall. She yanked it open and started pulling at the wires inside.

Toren frowned. “Bellamy—”

The woman shook her head. “Give me a sec. There!” Sparks flew from the panel.

A second later, there was the clunk of machinery in the tunnel ceiling above them. Then a giant metal door slammed down between them and the Edull, sealing off the tunnel.

“Nice.” Simone grinned at the woman.

Bellamy smiled back and shrugged. “Guess I’m not sticking around here, after all.”

The three of them turned and ran. A bright circle of light appeared, and they ran outside.

The sunlight was blinding and Simone threw up an arm to shield her eyes. They were on the landing platform. It was now filled with desert beasts of burdens and some smaller flying craft.

“If we can find a ship,” Toren said, “I should be able to fly it.”

“Should?” Bellamy’s eyebrows winged up.

“Let’s find a ship first,” Toren said. “A small one that I can manage on my own.”

They raced across the platform. There were tarnids, morlochs, large carts, but the few ships close to the entrance were all large and would need a crew to fly them.

“How about that one?” Bellamy pointed.

“Too big.”

Someone stepped out from behind a transport, blocking their way. “Leaving already? Such a shame.”

Simone sucked in a breath. Alev.

He wore bright-red today—a loose, silky shirt that was open in front and tight black trousers. His hair was in its usual twists. As he glared at them, two dog-bots slunk up beside him, metal bodies clanking.

“Simone, Toren, I am so disappointed. You took advantage of my hospitality to spy on me.”

“You—” Simone lunged forward, but Toren wrapped an arm around her and yanked her back. “You’re scum.” She spat the words. “You think you’re better than everyone else, but you’re dirt on the bottom of my shoe. How you treat other people, for your own sick amusement, is despicable.”

Alev’s eyes narrowed. “I can do whatever I want. Whenever I want.”

“No, you can’t,” Toren said.

“Who’s going to stop me?” Alev’s gaze scanned across Toren. “The House of Rone?” Alev laughed. “You made serious enemies in the Edull. Do you really think they’ll let you shut this down?” He waved a hand at the arena behind them. “They make far too many credits, and have far too much fun, to let anything jeopardize this.”

“They’re slavers and so are you,” Simone hissed. “We will stop you.”

“Who is this overdressed asshole?” Bellamy asked.

Alev straightened and glared at the woman.

“An ally of the Edull,” Simone said. “We saw you letting those bots into the Dark Nebula party, Alev. We’ve known all along that you’re scum.”

“You led us right here,” Toren added. “We’ll make sure the Edull know how much you’ve helped us. Now, get out of our way.”

Alev made an angry sound. “The Edull will reward me very nicely for handing you back to them.” His smile was wide and nasty. “They’ll love having a cyborg to pick apart.”

Simone felt Toren stiffen and leaned into him.

The man’s gaze swung to Simone and Bellamy. “And they’ll be very happy to have two escaped slaves returned. You’ll be back in your cells before you know it.”

Alev touched something on his wrist. The two dog bots rose to attention, stepping forward. Shing. Spikes speared out of the back of the bots along their spines.

Simone’s throat tightened. Oh, crap.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The two dog bots leaped forward.

Toren turned, ramming his shoulder into one and throwing his arm out to knock the second one aside. They landed agilely and spun.

Bellamy, brandishing a laser cutter off her belt, lunged at one bot. The second one jumped high, its glowing gaze centered on Toren. As he grabbed the bot midair, he hoped Simone was staying back and out of danger.

He gripped the slick metal and swung the bot around. He threw it. It slammed into the side of a transport.

After hitting the ground, the bot flipped and landed on its feet. It rushed at Toren again making a metallic growling sound.

Toren ran and jumped up. He sailed through the air and landed on the top of a large ship. Down below, the dog bot skidded to a halt and paced, watching him with glowing eyes.

Toren leaped down.

The dog tried to evade him. Avoiding the dangerous spikes on the bot, he grabbed the construct and pinned it down. It snarled and twisted, but he gripped its head, and with a roar, ripped it free.

He held the metal and wires in his hand. The bot’s body slumped and he tossed the ruined head aside.

He glanced over and saw Bellamy and Simone had the second bot restrained. Simone was sprawled on it as Bellamy slashed into the metal with her cutter.

Fighting a smile, Toren rose. These women were brave to the core. He saw Alev backing up, horror on his face.

Toren advanced on him. “Not so smug now.”

Alev swallowed, his gaze darting around, like he hoped a way out would materialize.

“This ends today,” Toren said. “You end today.”

Alev’s hand whipped up. He was holding something in it.

Thwap. Something small rushed at Toren and a barb embedded in his chest.

What the drak? Suddenly, he felt a rush of energy from the barb and his entire body froze. He gritted his teeth, fighting to try and move, but nothing worked.

Alev stepped closer, a grin blooming on his face. “Now who’s not so smug?” He stalked up to Toren and then rammed his fist into Toren’s gut.

Toren grunted. Crudspawn. Alev and cowards like him only fought when they cheated or knew they had an unfair advantage.

Alev swaggered a little. “Not so tough now, are you, cyborg?”

Toren glanced over the man’s shoulder. “You’re…in trouble.”

The man made a scoffing sound. “Hardly.”

“Oh, you so are, asshole,” Bellamy drawled.

Alev spun, but the women attacked.

Still frozen, Toren watched as Simone and Bellamy crashed into Alev. Bellamy swung a long tool, whacking the man in the head and shoulders.

“Ow.” He lifted his arms to protect himself.

Simone landed a hard punch to his gut. He bent over, the air rushing out of him.

Toren smiled. Never, ever get on the bad side of a woman from Earth. And especially not two women from Earth.

The women kept hitting the man. Alev dropped heavily to his knees, crying for them to stop, and Simone kicked him in the chest. When he fell on his back, trying to curl into a ball, she straddled him and started hitting his face.

Bellamy appeared in front of Toren and with her tool, knocked the barb free of his skin. Blood oozed down his chest.

“You all right?” she asked.

He rubbed the small wound, thankful that he could move again. “I don’t detect any damage.”

“I’m not sorry to say that the asshole has sustained some damage.” Bellamy grinned.

Simone was still slapping at Alev. One side of his face was red and he was moaning.

A faint droning noise hit Toren’s senses. He looked up and saw several dark shapes in the sky. He frowned, zooming in. Drak. More bots.

He wrapped an arm around Simone and yanked her off Alev. “Come on, gladiator, we have to go.”

“I’m not finished,” she growled.

Alev staggered to his feet, backing up. “I’ll make you pay for this! I’ll make you regret even being alive.”

The man kept backing away, stepping right into a group of tethered tarnids. With a yelp, he fell. The startled animals all snorted and pawed the ground. With a terrified cry, Alev fell under the stomping hooves of the six-legged animals.

“Oh, God.” Simone looked away.

Toren pulled her against his chest. He watched dispassionately as Alev’s screams cut off.

“We have to go,” Toren said. “Now.”

“What’s wrong?” A buzzing sound filled the air and Simone looked up. “What are those?”

The flying bots dashed through the air. They had lots of arms dangling beneath them.

“Security bots,” Bellamy said. “Run!”

They dodged around the animals and sprinted across the platform. One of the bots dived down at Simone, its arms outstretched.

Drak. Toren leaped into the air and drove his boot into the bot. It flew sideways.

“Over here,” Bellamy yelled.

The woman rolled under a large transport.

Simone dropped to her knees and crawled underneath the transport’s bulbous shape. Toren rolled in behind her.

Outside, several security bots buzzed around.

“What now?” They were pinned down.

“I saw a smaller ship on the other side of the platform,” Toren said. “We need to get to it.”

“I have an idea.” Bellamy pulled a tool off her belt and started cutting into the bottom of the transport. A square plate of metal loosened and she pried it off. Inside, were alien-looking wires and mechanical bits even Toren couldn’t identify. Bellamy bit her lip as she started fiddling around inside.

“What are you doing?” Simone asked.

“Well—” Bellamy glanced at them. “This thing is set to explode.”

“What?” Simone squeaked.

“When I say run, you run.”

“Bellamy, this is crazy—”

“Run!” Bellamy yelled.

The three of them rolled out from under the transport and raced across the platform. Toren sprinted behind the women.

The smaller ship he’d spotted wasn’t too much farther ahead on the landing pad. He looked up into the sky and saw the security bots swarming in.

“Go!” he yelled.

But the bots were too fast. One swooped in and he swung at it, knocking it aside.

Ahead, another one dived and grabbed Bellamy. It lifted the woman off her feet.

“Fuck you.” She kicked wildly, but couldn’t get free.

Another bot grabbed Simone, wrapping its mechanical arms around her.

“Simone!” Toren shouted.

She twisted and struggled, but the bot flew higher.

Two bots rushed at Toren, their arms gripping him hard and yanking him off the ground.

A second later, they were all soaring above the landing pad, and over the roof of the battle arena.

The towers of Bari Batu rose ahead of them, but the bots veered to the left, heading into the desert.

Toren punched at one bot. It made a beeping noise and released him. He lurched to the side, swinging below the other bot holding him.

Drak. They were high up, and even though he was a cyborg, a fall from here would damage or kill him.

The first bot circled around, and Toren activated his shoulder weapon and fired on it. He hit it dead on, and it exploded into flames.

His other bot released him.

He dropped, his curse snatched away by the wind tearing at his face. Then suddenly, the security bot zipped in and caught him. It zoomed after the women.

The bots flew in low, and a second later, the bots dropped them all on the sand. They rolled down the side of a dune.

Coming up on his hands and knees, Toren crawled across to where Simone lay sprawled on the sand.

“Simone, are you all right?”

She rose, nodding and shaking sand out of her hair. She grabbed him and pressed her mouth to his. He kissed her back.

The sun was baking hot, and the sand beneath them was burning.

Bellamy staggered over to them, spitting sand out of her mouth.

The bots circled above them.

“Now what?” Simone asked.

“This is what the Edull do to intruders in the arena,” Bellamy said.

“Dump them in the desert?” Toren scanned the large dunes.

“Yes, but it’s worse than that.” Bellamy pointed down to the deep depression between the dunes.

There was a small, murky puddle of water in the dip.

“The bots won’t let us escape,” Bellamy said.

Simone frowned. “Escape what?”

The water trembled, and Toren saw something rising up out of the puddle. He tensed.

Suddenly, two powerful arms slammed into the sand on other side of the puddle, then a heavy, powerful body heaved itself out.

“Oh, my God.” Simone stared at the monster. “What the hell is that?”

The creature had brown scales, overlong arms, and a thick, muscular body. Its domed head was dominated by a heavy brow and mouth full of giant teeth.

“It looks like a messed-up gorilla,” Simone breathed out in horror.

“With fangs,” Bellamy added. “They call it a scorrux.”

Toren had never heard of the desert monster, but it looked like a formidable predator. It let out a roar and turned, its gaze locking on them. It started lumbering up the dune.

“Get back.” Toren stepped in front of the women and fired his weapon.

The laser bolts hit the creature, but bounced off its scales, doing nothing more than enraging it. It opened its mouth and roared. Then it slammed its giant fists into the sand and moved into a loping jog.

Toren backed up and kept firing. The creature’s body jolted under each blast, but it didn’t slow down.

“Its scales are like armor,” Bellamy said.

They started down the other side of the dune, but the security bots swarmed into a line and fired on them. They all dodged out of the way, Drak, the bots wouldn’t let them escape the scorrux.

“Ideas?” Bellamy asked.

“We fight.” Toren would do anything to protect Simone.

He charged up the dune. The monster reached the crest and rushed at him, swinging its giant fists. Toren whirled and ducked. He saw bone-like claws slowly extending out of the creature’s knuckles.

Drak. Toren came in from the side and punched the creature.

It grunted, flashing its razorlike teeth. Then it gripped Toren and picked him up. Drak, it was strong. The scorrux yanked him close, wrapped its beefy arms around him, and squeezed.

Pain exploded through Toren’s body. He pushed against the scorrux, trying to break free.

“Leave him alone.”

Simone jumped on the monster’s back. She reached around and poked it in the eyes.

With a roar, the monster released Toren and he hit the sand.

The scorrux spun, lifting a clawed hand to grab at Simone. It wrenched her off its back, yanking her over its shoulder. It shook her like she was a toy, then the monster threw her into the air.

“Simone!”

She hit the ground and rolled through the sand.

“Hey, ugly.” Bellamy waved her arms, trying to get the monster’s attention. It swiveled and started advancing on her.

Toren rushed to Simone and turned her over.

“Toren.” She smiled at him.

He looked down her body, and pain slammed into his chest.

She had her hands pressed to her stomach.

And blood was pumping between her fingers and onto the sand.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“Simone.”

Simone saw Toren’s face twist with pain and worry. His hands pressed over hers on her belly.

“Caught me with its claws.” She licked her lips. “It doesn’t hurt.” She couldn’t feel anything. “You need to help Bellamy.”

“I’m not leaving you.”

The bots were circling, and nearby, the monster roared.

“Save us, Toren. I know you can do it.”

He sucked in a breath. “I can’t think through the pain. You can’t die. I need you.”

She pressed a hand to his face. “I love you, Toren. I didn’t mean to fall in love. I was afraid to, but with you, I’m not afraid. I don’t want you to be afraid either.”

He pressed his face into her palm. “With you, everything feels right.”

“Go,” she urged.

“Wait for me,” he said, voice firm.

She managed a nod.

She watched him stand, then run down the dune toward Bellamy.

He rushed at the monster. It was focused on Bellamy, but then it turned and charged at Toren. Simone blinked and watched him fight the creature.

She saw Toren yell, embracing his emotions. He was no longer afraid of them. The realization made her smile.

Then weakness washed over her.

Ow. Now she felt the pain trickling in. She knew her injury was bad. She licked her lips again. She was so damn thirsty.

Her vision blurred for a second, then came back into focus.

She saw Toren leap on the beast, raining blows down on its head.

With another roar, the scorrux fell to its knees. Toren kept fighting—strong and relentless.

Simone smiled. The man was hers. God, she loved him.

She sucked in a shaky breath and felt the prick of tears in her eyes. She wasn’t going to make it. She knew it in her heart. But she was certain Toren would look after Grace—care for her, love her.

The bots returned, hovering in formation.

One moved right in front of her, like it was cataloging her pain and suffering.

Fuck the Edull. With every last ounce of strength she had, Simone pushed herself up, staggering to her feet. She reached out and grabbed the bot. It made a beeping noise and she yanked it down to the sand. Once it was stuck on its back, she kicked it. Then she kicked it again and again.

“You don’t win. I’m free. Whatever happens, the House of Rone will take you down.”

She kept kicking the bot until the lights smashed and went out.

She dropped to her knees, her chest heaving.

She hurt, but damn, that felt good.

Suddenly, Toren was back. “Simone.”

She collapsed onto the sand and he pulled her into his lap.

“God, you’re so handsome,” she said.

His face contorted. “Simone.”

“I’m sorry, Toren. I think I’ve lost too much blood.” She tried to fight the dizziness, but it was getting too hard.

“You made me fall in love,” he said. “You can’t leave me.”

He loved her. She felt a burst of warmth in her chest. Damn, she liked that. “Take care of Grace.”

“You aren’t going to die!”

“Promise me.” She gripped his arm.

“I don’t need to promise, Grace is mine, too.”

Simone relaxed against him. “I love you.” She glanced over to see Bellamy kneeling close by, biting her lip. “Glad we found you.”

“Me too,” Bellamy murmured.

Then, Simone saw something up in the sky above, but she couldn’t quite focus to see what it was.

At that moment, everything went blurry, and blackness pulled her under.

TOREN COULDN’T THINK, he couldn’t breathe.

He pulled Simone close. There was so much blood and her breathing was labored.

Drak, love hurt. To see the one he loved in such pain and suffering flayed him open.

“Let me see.” Bellamy knelt down beside Simone. She looked at the wound, then tore at the bottom of Simone’s shirt. “Damn, this always looks easier in the movies.”

Toren grabbed the fabric and, with one flick of his wrist, tore the bottom of the shirt away.

“Thanks.” Bellamy wadded the fabric and pressed it against Simone’s wound. “She needs a doctor.”

He scanned the desert. There was nothing here. No one who could help.

“Fuck.”

At Bellamy’s curse, he looked up. She was staring into the sky.

His stomach dropped. The security bots were hovering in the sky, and beyond them, in the distance, he saw several more dark shapes on the horizon.

“I think they know that the scorrux didn’t eat us,” Bellamy said.

Anger and pain coiled in his gut. He rose and targeted his weapon on the closest bots. His laser whirred, bolts blasting through the sky. The bots tried to dodge, but he hit one, and it exploded in a ball of flames.

The other one tried to pull back. But Toren focused. He was the best sniper at the House of Rone. His next shot hit the bot dead center. It crashed to the ground.

Toren studied the new incoming bots. These ones were a different style to the other ones, bigger, with rugged, metal plating.

“She loves you.”

He looked at Bellamy.

The woman shook her head. “I’ve never been in love, but the way you two look at each other, it’s special.”

“She’s everything to me.” He looked down at Simone’s pale face. “But I can’t help her.”

“You can. By not giving up. She’s not dead yet. We have to fight.” There was a fierce glint in Bellamy’s green eyes.

Emotion swelled in Toren and he reached down to stroke Simone’s face. Love, anger, protectiveness, sadness, happiness, desire, it all swelled together inside him. All the colors and emotions of life. Things that had been missing from his bland existence.

And he was going to use them.

“I’ll be back, Simone.” He rose. “You hold on.”

He stood with Bellamy, and they watched the bots fly closer.

“Ready?” he asked.

She nodded.

Toren activated his weapon and fired on the bots. They started firing back, and Bellamy dived to the sand. Toren ran along the top of the dune. He leaped into the air, sailing toward the first bot.

He grabbed the robot and it dipped under his weight. He rammed his fist up into the metal and yanked the guts of it out.

The machine made a whirring noise, then crashed downward. He let go of it, hitting the sand and rolling. The remains of the bot crashed into the sand.

One down. For Simone.

He rose and spun.

Another bot was attacking Bellamy. She was jabbing at it with one of her tools.

Another one zoomed in close, and Toren fired. It swiveled and fired back. He leaped over the laser blast.

Running, he jumped up and grabbed the bot. He yanked it down to the sand. It made a clunking noise, but he dragged it through the sand, then he kicked it. It rolled down the dune.

Three more bots hovered, but were keeping their distance.

Bellamy slashed at hers with her laser cutter. “Take that, you rusty piece of junk.”

Toren focused his weapon to target the others and fired. They all dodged across the sky.

Then he watched two bots slam together. Toren frowned.

“Oh, shit,” Bellamy said.

The third collided with the other two. He suddenly realized that they were joining up. They were connecting to make a larger bot.

The larger bot swiveled around and fired.

The powerful bolt of laser raced toward them, and Toren tackled Bellamy to the sand. The blast hit nearby, turning the sand to glass.

“Run!” he yelled.

They bounded up, leading the bots away from Simone.

Together, he and Bellamy dodged the laser fire, but he knew that they couldn’t keep this up forever.

“Fuck,” she cried. “There are even more bots on the way.”

Drak, she was right. Several large silhouettes were high in the sky, coming in fast.

The large security bot swiveled around in front of them. It was getting ready to fire again.

Toren jumped on Bellamy and the laser hit him. It tore into his back and he grunted in pain.

“Shit, cyborg,” Bellamy said.

“Stay down.”

He heard the whine of a bot preparing to fire again and he squeezed his eyes shut. I’m sorry, Simone. I love you.

The sound of laser fire filled the air.

But no laser hit him.

He raised his head.

He watched as laser fire hit the large bot. It lurched, smoke pouring from it.

A sleek flyer zoomed past, Maxon riding it, his tawny hair whipping around his face. The weapons master fired again, and this time, the bot exploded.

More flyers raced past, all ridden by cyborgs.

The House of Rone was here.

Maxon

MAXON TOUCHED the controls and fired his flyer’s weapons. The wind whipped his hair around his face as the laser ripped into another Edull bot.

He watched in satisfaction as the bot disintegrated.

He turned, checking another screen where he was monitoring the engines of all the flyers. The drakking sand. He hated the stuff. It always got in places where it shouldn’t, and now it was drakking damaging his flyers. The temperatures in the flyers’ engines were spiking.

“Take those bots out,” Magnus roared.

Their imperator flew past on his flyer, Jax flying close behind him.

Off to the left, Mace and Acton were flying side-by-side, taking aim at the bots. Zaden and Seren were on the right. Seren flew in wild, dizzying circles around the Edull bots, while Zaden’s maneuvers were more measured.

As they continued to take down the last of the bots, he saw Acton’s flyer pull away. Maxon frowned, then realized the cyborg was flying toward a fallen figure on the neighboring dune.

Drak. It looked like Simone.

An Edull bot edged back, hovering in the sky. A thin trail of smoke was snaking from it.

Maxon flew in close and he spotted Toren on the sand below. The cyborg had some ugly monstrosity on his shoulder—definitely not one of Maxon’s creations. There was another person with him. A short, compact blonde with colored ink on her arms.

As he watched, the woman leaped onto a smoking bot, jamming a laser cutter into it.

Maxon grunted. A dumb, heroic maneuver like that meant she was definitely an Earth woman.

Suddenly, the Edull bot she was sitting on shot straight up into the air. The woman almost fell off, but managed to clamp her arms and legs around the bot.

Drak.

Maxon aimed his flyer upward and chased after them. They went higher and higher, the ground racing away from them.

The woman was still hacking at the bot. Then, it died, and started to plummet.

The woman dropped as well.

Maxon flew in close and grabbed her hand. He swung her through the air and up behind him on the flyer.

“Nice catch.” She was breathless as she slid in behind him. She tucked her body close and plastered herself against him.

He scowled. He hated people in his space. “Dumb idea to kill the bot holding you airborne.”

“Only dumb if you crash into the ground and die. I didn’t.”

Her voice was surprisingly deep and gritty for a female. It echoed right in his ear. He liked it much better than the high-pitched, breathy voices of the women who usually approached him.

“Hey, Mr. Brooding, watch out!”

He looked up to see an Edull bot flying straight at them.

“Weapons?” she yelled.

He snorted. He always had weapons.

He touched the controls on the side compartment of the flyer. It flicked open to display his MaxStorm blaster. She yanked it out.

“Nice.” She lifted it and fired it one-handed. The bot dodged to the side.

“That’s not how you use it,” he growled. “Show some respect.”

“Bit busy right now.” She kept firing. “I’ll shoot, you fly.”

He jerked the controls of the flyer, pulling them to the side. He dodged the bot and wheeled around.

The woman stood up behind him, one hand on his shoulder to keep her balance.

She was either crazy or fearless, or both.

She fired on the bot and scored a direct hit. The bot exploded and slammed to the ground below.

“Woo hoo!” the woman shouted.

“Sit your ass down,” he said.

“Since you asked so nicely.” She leaned down and bit his ear.

Maxon growled again and flew lower. They whizzed past the final bot and she fired on it. It exploded.

He flew in and landed near the others. They were all clustered around Simone.

The woman leaped off the flyer.

“Gorgeous weapon.” She handed the blaster out to him.

He took her in—the tattoos up her arm, the strong face, the green eyes. Her platinum-colored hair was cut short against her head.

“That’s because I designed it.” He took the weapon.

“Well, you’re good at weapon design, not bad at flying, either. Shame about the grumpiness.”

He grunted and she grinned.

Then she cupped his cheeks, leaned forward, and kissed him.

Drak. The touch of her lips on his was like a punch in his gut. An electric shock ran through his body.

She pulled back, looking a bit shocked herself. But then an unrepentant grin reappeared, and she saluted him.

Drakking Earth women.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Toren knelt beside Simone, watching as Acton and Jax helped her.

“She’s stabilized,” Jax said. “But she needs the healers.”

Simone’s eyelashes fluttered and her eyes opened. “Toren.”

He grabbed her hand. “I’m here. Everyone’s here.”

She looked confused. “Grace?”

Jax patted Simone’s shoulder. “She’s waiting for you back at the House of Rone. You hold on.”

Mace brought out a small device and it unfolded into a stretcher. Toren helped ease her onto it, and tightened the straps.

“Magnus, the flyers have been damaged by the sand.” A scowling Maxon appeared. “I can do some quick fixes on the engines, but it’ll take time. As they are, they won’t take us much farther.”

“Will they get us back to Rillian’s ship?” Magnus asked.

Maxon nodded.

The imperator helped Toren attach Simone’s stretcher to one of the flyers.

“Simone has a holo-cube.” Toren took it out of her pocket and handed it to Magnus. “It’s coordinates and a rough map of Bari Batu. Bellamy gave it to us.”

Magnus looked at the woman and nodded. “Thank you.”

“Just let me help you dismantle those fuckers,” Bellamy said, “and that will be thanks enough.”

A faint smile touched Magnus’ lips. “Let’s get out of here so we can start planning.”

Everyone slid onto the flyers. Jax waved at Bellamy to join him.

All of a sudden, Acton froze. “I’m detecting bio signs.”

Toren looked up. “Where?” The sky was empty.

“Below us.”

Suddenly, bots exploded out of the ground. Toren leaned over Simone, shielding her from the flying sand. Humanoid bots towered over them, but in a flash, he realized they weren’t bots. They were Edull, wearing some sort of mechanical suits.

Several of the Edull launched at the cyborgs, attacking Mace and Acton.

Another Edull crashed through the flyers, tipping them over.

Seren appeared out of nowhere, black smoke around her, using her teleportation ability. She slammed into one Edull then disappeared and reappeared, kicking a second Edull.

Zaden stepped forward, raising his arms and lifting several Edull into the air.

Magnus and Jax drew their swords, moving in a blur as they attacked. Maxon lifted his MaxStorm blaster, firing.

Drak. Toren activated his weapon and swiveled to take aim. He had to protect Simone. But with all the House of Rone cyborgs fighting, he couldn’t get a clear shot.

“Let me go!” Bellamy’s angry shout echoed through the fight.

Toren turned and saw that one of the Edull had grabbed Bellamy, lifting her off her feet.

Maxon stormed toward her, his blaster in hand. His face was set like stone as he fired, but his bolts were deflecting off the Edull’s suit.

“Drop her,” Maxon demanded.

The Edull backed up.

Maxon lunged, reaching for Bellamy. The woman reached out, her fingers brushing Maxon’s.

But the Edull swiveled and dived into the sand, burrowing into the ground. Taking Bellamy with him.

“No!” Maxon dropped to his knees, digging into the sand.

All around, the other surviving Edull burrowed into the sand as well, disappearing below the surface.

“Drak!” Maxon roared.

“I’m detecting tunnels beneath us,” Acton said.

“Like the ones the Edull used at the underground sea,” Jax murmured.

“We have to go after them,” Maxon said.

“They’re moving quickly,” Acton said. “They’re almost out of range.”

Maxon kicked the sand and cursed.

“The flyers,” Magnus said. “We can give chase.”

The weapons master cursed again and shook his head. “The engines are almost fried. They won’t get far, and it’ll take me too long to fix them.”

“And Simone needs help now,” Toren added.

He didn’t want to leave Bellamy, and he knew Simone would be devastated to know that the woman was back in Edull hands. But he needed Simone to live.

“Back to the ship,” Magnus ordered. “Bellamy is clearly valuable to the Edull. They’ll keep her alive.”

“Drak,” Maxon spat.

Magnus held up the holo-cube. “Bellamy gave us what we need to rescue her, and to shut down the Edull and their battle arena.”

Maxon looked ready to argue, but he jammed his blaster into its slot in the side of his flyer. “Let’s go. The sooner we leave, the sooner we come back for her.”

Toren touched Simone’s face. “It’s going to be okay. Hold on.”

BRIGHT LIGHTS. Pain.

Simone groaned, fighting through the fog in her head.

“She’s hurting.”

Toren’s voice. Where were they?

“Get her into the regen tank,” an older voice said.

“Help her,” Toren bit out.

“We will. Step back.”

Simone tried to talk, but she couldn’t get anything to work.

“Never,” Toren said. “I will never leave her.”

Simone felt warmth through her pain. Then she was drifting again, and there was nothing.

The next sensation was of floating in warm wetness. She felt surrounded and cocooned.

“She’s healing fine, Toren. She won’t wake for a while.”

“I’m staying,” Toren said.

A pause.

“I need to talk to you.”

“What is it, Avarn?”

“I’ve run some scans. You’ve healed enough for me to re-implant your shoulder weapon.” A longer pause. “And I can also fix your systems, as your nerve pathways have healed very well.”

“Meaning?” Toren asked cautiously.

“Meaning I can dull your emotions again.”

Simone’s heart clenched. No. A machine started beeping.

“Toren?” Avarn’s voice again. “It’s what you wanted, wasn’t it?”

Simone struggled to stay conscious, but it was like a cloud of fog engulfing her. Toren. Toren. She tried to call his name.

She loved him. She didn’t want to lose him. Everything inside her clenched. He’d suffered so much for her, and she loved him enough to let him go, if that was what he wanted. Pain welled up inside—huge and numbing—that had nothing to do with her injuries.

Then there was nothing but darkness again.

Something tickled her nose.

“Grace, stop that.”

Toren’s deep voice.

Simone smiled. She felt refreshed and relaxed. If this was a dream, it was a good one.

“She smiled,” Grace said. “She’s finally waking up.”

Simone’s eyes popped open. She was lying in her bed in the House of Rone. Toren was stretched out beside her, and Grace was sitting on his legs, smiling at Simone.

Her heart started pounding. Was Toren still Toren? Could he still feel? Or was he once again the emotionless cyborg?

She couldn’t make herself look at him.

“Mom!” Grace launched herself at Simone, and Simone hugged her daughter tight. Then over Grace’s dark head, she made herself look at Toren.

Her heart beat like a trapped bird. His face looked the same—handsome and strong. But his expression was unreadable.

She swallowed.

“I…heard the healer talking to you in Medical,” she whispered. “He said that he could fix you.”

Toren stared at her. “Is that what you want?”

“I want you to be happy.” She bit her lip. “No. I love you and I want you. All of you.”

He smiled, and it was blinding and filled with emotion. “I love you, Simone. I would never leave you in any way. I don’t need to be fixed.”

Thank God. With Grace caught between them, she hugged him tight, tears welling in her eyes.

“You were in Medical for-ever,” Grace complained. “But I wasn’t worried. I knew you’d be okay.”

Simone tucked some of Grace’s silky hair behind her ear. “I feel fine.”

“Avarn had you in a regen tank for a bit,” Toren voiced.

She heard the tension in his voice. He’d been worried. She grabbed his hand. “Thanks for getting me home.”

“Never, ever get injured so far from home again.”

“I’m sorry I missed most of the action.”

His smile flickered. “Magnus and the others arrived to save us. Even Maxon.”

“Everyone’s okay?” she asked.

He nodded.

“Where’s Bellamy? Is she getting settled?”

Toren cleared his throat, and dread was like a heavy blanket settling on Simone.

“Toren?”

“The Edull grabbed her in the fight. We couldn’t chase them down.”

“No,” she whispered brokenly.

Grace hugged her. “It’s okay, Mom. Everyone is planning to go back and get her.”

God, what if the Edull hurt Bellamy? Punished her for helping them?

“They want her for her skills,” Toren reminded her. “She’ll be okay.”

Simone nodded. Deep inside, she prayed that was true. Be safe, Bellamy. Hold on.

“She gave us the information we need to rescue her,” Toren said. “We’ll get her back.”

Simone dragged in a breath. “I know.”

“Right now, Magnus has sent Jax and Quinn to dismantle Alev’s desert fortress. Any slaves will be freed.”

Warmth filled her. That was something, at least.

He leaned down and kissed Simone. His kiss wasn’t just a promise, but a vow. Simone knew in her bones she could trust this man with anything—her friend, her daughter, her heart.

Grace beamed at them. “So, you guys are in lurve?”

That made Simone pull back and laugh. “Yes.”

Toren nodded. “Yes, I love your mother.” He touched Grace’s nose. “And I believe what I feel for you is love, too. But a little different to what I feel for your mother.”

“Ew, I hope so.” Grace threw her arms around him. “I love you too, Toren.”

The look on his face filled Simone’s heart with joy. It was exactly the look she’d always wanted to see on the face of the man she loved when he looked at her daughter.

“Hey, don’t you have classes?” Simone asked.

Grace bounded off the bed. “Weeeell…”

“What happened?” Simone asked with a groan.

“We had a science class, and there were some chemicals…” Grace smiled. “The damage was minor. I promise.”

“Grace—”

“It was an accident!” Grace made for the door. “I’d better go, because I can tell you want to kiss some more.”

“Yes,” Toren said.

“Ew.” Grace grinned, as she ran out of the room. “Love you, Mom. Love you, Toren.”

Once the door closed, Toren rolled over on top of Simone.

“I hope you want to do more than kiss,” she murmured.

“You just got out of Medical.”

“But I’m all healed.” She pulled his head down for a long, deep kiss. Mmm, he tasted good. “What do you feel?”

“You,” he answered. “Love. Life. And I wouldn’t give up any of it.”

“Be mine forever, Toren?”

“I’m already yours—the man, the cyborg, all of me.”

Simone kissed him again, amazed that she’d found everything she’d been looking for right there in her cyborg’s arms.

TOREN PAUSED FOR A MOMENT, took a deep breath, then entered Magnus’ office.

All the other cyborgs were there already.

Magnus looked up and smiled. “Toren. How’s Simone?”

“Recovering well.” He’d left her dozing in their sheets after making love to her. He never, ever wanted to see her hurt and dying like what had happened in the desert, and he never wanted to go through the despair that had almost crippled him again.

But he knew now that in order to feel the love he had for Simone and Grace, he had to weather the other emotions as well.

“Avarn told me you turned down his offer to repair your systems and dull your emotions.”

Toren straightened and nodded. “I’m in love with Simone. I won’t give that up.”

Magnus smiled. “We all knew you were falling in love quite some time ago.”

Toren’s brows winged up. “You did?”

Jax snorted. “We’ve all taken the fall, Toren. We recognize the signs.”

Seren crossed her legs. “I am never falling in love. It seems very messy and inefficient.”

Magnus glanced at the female cyborg, the corner of his lips twitching. “The thing about love is that it hits when you least expect it.”

Seren’s nose wrinkled.

The office door suddenly slammed open. Maxon strode in, his usual scowl in place.

“Why is everyone sitting around?” the weapons master demanded. “There’s an Earth woman in danger, and the drakking Edull need to be dealt with.”

Magnus leaned back in his chair. “We’re planning our mission, Maxon.”

Maxon crossed his muscular arms. “Good. I’m already working to increase the capabilities of the flyers.”

“That’s good to hear.” Magnus’ gaze scanned the room, his cybernetic eye glowing neon blue. “Taking down Bari Batu’s battle arena is our priority. We will stop the Edull.”

“Drak yeah,” Jax muttered.

“The data cube we got from Bellamy has the coordinates of the city, but very little information on the battle arena. At this stage, any attack we launch would require us going in blind.”

“And they’ll be expecting us,” Toren said.

Magnus nodded. “The Edull have already proven that they’ll do whatever they have to in order to protect their arena and races. We’re talking with all our allies to see if we can get any additional information.” Magnus rose. “But whatever happens, we will not stop until the Edull are finished.”

Toren lifted his chin. “I want to be back on full duty and be a part of the mission. I am a cyborg of the House of Rone, and my new emotions make me even more dedicated to protecting this house, the people in it, my friends, and my woman and her daughter.”

Mace slapped him on the back, Jax was grinning, and even Acton had a smile on his face.

“You’ve already been cleared by Avarn,” Magnus said.

Toren relaxed. “Perhaps you could have told me that first?”

“And miss that awesome speech?” Jax said, smiling.

“Good to have you back, Toren,” his imperator said.

The office door opened again and women poured in.

“Enough war planning.” Ever, with Asha in her arms, strode up to Magnus. “Simone is feeling better and we’re all having a meal together. Calla is busy in the kitchens cooking up a feast even cyborgs will love. Mace and Acton, I need you to carry the tables out into the training arena. Zaden and Seren, you can hang the lights.” Ever continued issuing orders.

Toren looked around and saw that not one of the cyborgs minded having a small Earth woman bossing them around. He spotted Simone in the doorway. Her gaze met his and she smiled.

As she walked toward him, Toren couldn’t think of anything other than the fact that he was the luckiest cyborg in the quadrant.

“Hi,” she whispered.

“Hi.” He pulled her close, drawing in the scent of her, and pressed his lips to hers. “I can’t stop kissing you, wanting you.”

“Good,” she whispered. “I hope you never do.”

“You know half the room has cyborg hearing, right?” Acton said.

Everyone laughed and Simone’s cheeks turned pink.

Toren swept her off her feet and into his arms. “I’m taking my woman someplace where none of you can hear the sounds she makes.”

“Toren.” She slapped his shoulder.

“Don’t forget dinner,” Ever called out.

Toren strode out the door. “We won’t, but we might be late.”

Simone’s laughter filled his heart with love. He, once an emotionless cyborg, would spend the rest of his days ensuring her life was always filled with love and laughter.

I hope you enjoyed Simone and Toren’s story!

Galactic Gladiators: House of Rone concludes with WEAPONS MASTER, the story of temperamental cyborg Maxon and human survivor Bellamy. Coming in July 2020.

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, 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.annahackett.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

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Heart of Eon

Kiss of Eon

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I’m a USA Today bestselling romance author who’s passionate about fast-paced, emotion-filled contemporary and science fiction romance. I love writing 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.

I live in Australia with my own personal hero and two very busy, always-on-the-move sons.

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Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Contents

What readers are saying about Anna’s action romances

Anna Hackett 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

Chapter 20

Preview: Edge of Eon

Also by Anna Hackett

About the Author