Chapter Seventeen
Nero stared out the window. He looked down at the training arena without really seeing the gladiators training below.
They’d been back at the House of Galen for two days. Winter hadn’t woken.
He’d stayed by her side in Medical, and now she rested in his bed, in his room. The healers had said there was nothing more they could do, and that it was up to her now.
She was a fighter, his Winter. She would wake. If she didn’t…
He heard the door, and a second later, Galen stepped up beside him.
“You need some rest,” Galen said.
“I’ll rest when she is awake.”
“You’re not eating or sleeping—”
“Lore forces food into me. I nap in the chair.” Nero turned back to look at the bed. She looked so small nestled in it, covered by his furs. So still and so beautiful.
Nero was desolate inside. She’d risked her life to save him and the others. Somehow, this small woman had thawed the cold recesses of his body, his heart, his soul.
If she didn’t wake…
“When I first met her, I told her she was weak.” Nero choked on the words. “I had no idea what real strength was until I met her. She taught me about having the courage to truly risk yourself.” He met Galen’s gaze. “Not your body, but…” He pressed his fists to his chest.
Understanding filled Galen’s eyes.
“What if she doesn’t wake up?” Nero finally voiced the deepest fear inside him.
Galen reached out and touched his shoulder. “She’s a fighter, Nero. She survived the Thraxians, the Srinar, the fight rings, the desert, Catalyst. She’ll survive this, too. You’ve given her something to fight for.”
“I don’t deserve her.”
Galen snorted. “Probably not. So, are you going to give her up, then?”
“No,” Nero growled.
The tiniest flicker of a smile appeared on Galen’s lips. “All these women of Earth have grit. She’ll wake up.”
“Maybe there is an Earth woman for you,” Nero said.
Galen slapped him again, harder this time. “Hold your tongue, gladiator, or I’ll challenge you. I have enough people to look after without a female causing chaos in my life.”
Nero managed a smile. Galen didn’t know that every second of the chaos was worth it.
“Nero?”
The quiet, weak voice came from the bed. Hearing it made his heart leap. He spun, closing the distance in quick strides.
She was awake and looking at him.
Nero pressed one knee to the bed. “Winter.” He cupped her cheeks.
She blinked lazily. “Hey, barbarian.” She reached out and touched his stubbled jaw. “You need to shave. And your purple eyes are more beautiful than I’d imagined.”
He blinked. He realized she wasn’t wearing her vision device. It was sitting on the bedside table. “You can see?” Now he noticed that while one of her eyes was still milky white, the other was a brilliant blue.
She blinked rapidly. “I…I can see from my right eye.” She squeezed his hand. “I can see you. In color.”
Nero leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers. She kissed him back, responding to him instantly, and he pulled in the taste of her. Of the woman who had been born for him alone.
***
Winter strode out of Medical in a swish of skirts.
She found Nero waiting for her in the hall, leaning against the stone wall. God, she’d never tire of looking at him—bronze skin, dark hair, those intense and so beautiful purple eyes.
He straightened. “What did they say?”
“Clean bill of health.” She held her arms out and did a twirl. “They aren’t exactly sure what Catalyst’s light weapon did to mw, but it zapped some of the nerves in my right eye, and it is now fully functional…” Her smile dimmed a little. “My left eye is unlikely to recover. But I’m okay with that, I can see pretty well with one, and I can use the vision device, if I need to. I’m luckier than most.”
He moved fast, sweeping her into his arms. Her feet dangled off the ground, and she gave a surprised laugh.
“I love you as you are,” he said gruffly.
Winter went still against him. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of you telling me that.” She let her gaze roam his rugged face.
His hold on her tightened. “I told you endless times as we left Catalyst’s lair, and when you were resting in my bed.”
“It doesn’t count if I’m unconscious, Nero.”
“Then I’ll have to tell you again and again. Every day, for the rest of my life.”
She pressed her forehead against his. “I’d like that. I love you too, Nero. So much.”
“This entire place is filled with besotted gladiators and kissing couples,” a grumpy voice said.
They both turned. Zhim was scowling at them. Winter thought the information merchant looked tired, and his dark hair was mussed, like he’d been running his hands repeatedly through it.
“What has you in such a good mood?” Nero set Winter back on her feet.
Zhim shoved his hands in his pockets. “Galen asked me to find this human woman who helped you in Catalyst’s lair.”
“Ryan?” Winter’s heart skipped a beat. “Have you found her? Or the location of Zaabha? Or any leads on Dayna?”
Zhim’s mouth twisted. “No. There has been no information on Dayna, and trying to find Zaabha is like chasing a myth. There is so much fiction mixed with crumbs of fact. It makes it hard to separate the two.” He ran his hand through his hair. “And I’ve tried to make contact with this Ryan.”
“And?”
“No success yet.” A gleam entered the man’s fascinating, multicolored eyes. “But I’m not giving up. I am the best.”
Winter smiled, and caught Nero rolling his eyes. “Thank you, Zhim.”
“We will leave you to it, information merchant.” Nero wrapped his arm around Winter. “We have other things to do.”
As he yanked her down the hall, she managed to wave goodbye to Zhim. She found herself practically jogging to keep up with Nero’s long strides.
“What’s the rush, barbarian?” She was breathless.
He tugged her into his bedroom. Their room, she amended. He’d given the order earlier that she was moving into his room.
He slammed the door closed behind them, and then backed her up against the wood. When his hands bunched in her skirts, pushing the fabric up, she gasped. Desire was damp heat between her legs.
“The rush is that I need you.” His voice was deep and gruff. “You finally have clearance from Medical, and now I need to be inside you.”
She felt the air swirl around her bare legs. “Oh. Well, then.”
He pushed her skirts to her waist, and soon his fingers were tearing her underwear away. He kissed her hard and she sank her hands into his hair, undulating against him. She felt the hard press of his cock against her belly.
He made a growling sound, his arms wrapping tightly around her. Suddenly, she found herself hauled across the room. He spun her around and pushed her against the back of the large leather couch in the center of the room.
The next second, she found herself bent over the back of the couch, her skirts pushed up over her back, and her bare bottom exposed. Big, callused palms caressed one cheek, then the other.
Then thick fingers delved between her legs, making her cry out.
“So pretty and wet.”
She heard the rustle of leather behind her, and knew he was opening his trousers. Anticipation was sharp, like a blade. A second later, he thrust into her.
His hands clamped onto her hips, and then he was thrusting inside her with hard, measured thrusts.
She pushed back against him. “I’m not fragile or weak, remember, Nero.”
“No. You’re mine.”
“Then give it to me harder, Nero. Faster.”
With a groan, he did as she asked. Soon, the room was filled with the sound of flesh slapping against flesh. God, he was so big and thick. She heard the husky little cries escaping her throat.
“Be mine,” he growled against her ear, his big body covering hers. “Be my mate, my partner, my woman, my heart.”
Warmth swelled in her chest. “Yes.”
“I have no clan, no kingdom—”
“I only want you, Nero.” She turned her head, their lips meeting. “I have nothing to offer you but myself and my love.”
He thrust into her a few more times and, a moment later, Winter came, her orgasm shooting through her like an explosion. She felt Nero’s fingers clamp on her hips, and then he was spilling himself inside her with a rough groan.
His mouth found hers, and he kissed her, wildly. Just the way a conquering barbarian should kiss.
When Winter could think again, she was still bent over the couch, trying to pull air into her laboring lungs. Her barbarian moved, scooping her up into his arms. He carried her to the bed and set her down. He started stripping her clothes off.
“I want to see you,” he said. “And I want to have you again.”
Her gaze dropped to the long cock that was already hardening once more. She lay back on the covers and smiled. “No complaints from me.”
He pressed a knee to the bed, his big, naked body looming over her. “I’m glad you used me for sex, Winter.”
“I’m pretty happy with how it worked out, too.” She helped him push his harness off his broad chest. “I think I’ll keep using you for sex. For the rest of our lives. Now, less talking and more action.”
He leaned down, a smile on his face. “Anything for you.”
---
I hope you enjoyed Winter and Nero’s story!
Galactic Gladiators continues with BEAST, starring wild blue alien warrior Vek, coming late-2017. For more action-packed romance, read on for a preview of the first chapter of Marcus, the first book in my bestselling Hell Squad series.
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