Chapter Five
Winter finished pulling on her trousers and tucking her shirt in. She turned to face the mirror in her bedroom. She was more than a little nervous about heading out.
The House of Galen had become a safe, familiar world for her, but it was time to flex her wings. She touched the vision device on her temple. She was still getting used to it, but she couldn’t procrastinate any longer. She’d never succeed in making a new life on this planet if she let her vision, her fear, or her nightmares stop her from trying new things.
But the thought of being out there, in the massive alien city of Kor Magna, had anxiety rising inside her.
She blew out a breath. Then another one. She wasn’t doing this for herself, but for Dayna and Mia. Those two women had helped her survive the horror of their captivity. They’d protected her, fed her, held her hand in the darkness. She wasn’t abandoning them.
Winter snatched up a small pouch and clipped it to her belt. It contained several shots of the strongest sedative the Hermia had in Medical. They’d assured her it was safe to use on Blue, but her stomach cramped. She really didn’t want to have to use it. The man had suffered enough.
Stiffening her spine, Winter headed out of her room. She spotted a large figure leaning against the wall near her door.
“Nero.” He dominated the corridor. The man was just too big and brawny. His scent tickled her senses—musk and man.
“I’ll take you down to get Blue,” he said.
He fell into step beside her as they walked through the corridors to the cell area where Blue stayed. No one was happy that he was locked up, but when he’d first arrived, he’d had a lot of trouble adjusting, and Mia’s abduction hadn’t helped.
“You’re nervous,” Nero said.
Damn the man and his observant tracker skills. “Yes. Heading out into the city is a little daunting.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t come.”
Of course, he wouldn’t want her on this mission. She stopped and spun around to face him. “I’m coming. I’m not—”
He grabbed her hands. “Hold your tongue, Winter. I just meant, if it is too difficult for you, you should give yourself some time. Try again later.”
She stared at him. What he’d said was…understanding. She was starting to realize that she leaped all over Nero’s words a lot. Maybe what he’d said earlier was true. She imbued his words with her own fears and doubts.
“I can do this, Nero. Whatever it takes to find Dayna and Mia.”
He nodded, and she thought she spotted a glint of admiration in his eyes. His fingers rubbed against her wrists and her pulse leaped.
“I have something for you,” he said, his voice gruff.
She raised a brow. “Oh?”
He pulled something out of his pocket and held it out to her. “You’re too small for a sword, but you need something for protecting yourself.”
She blinked. It was a small, sheathed knife. She took it from him.
“Later, I will show you how to use it—”
Winter pulled the knife from the sheath and checked the blade. It was scalpel sharp. She tested the weight of it in her hand, getting a feel for the hilt.
Nero cocked his head. “You know how to wield a knife?”
She smiled. “I was a surgeon, Nero. Knives were my business. I got into collecting as a hobby.” She moved the knife, lightning fast.
She saw him tense and she stopped, the blade a whisper from his hard jaw. One single dark bristle fell between them.
“Thank you.” As Winter slipped the knife back into the sheath, she looked into his eyes, expecting to see irritation. Instead she saw something else entirely.
Oh, God. Heat flushed through her. His gaze bored into hers and she saw something hot in it.
She took a step back. “A woman flashing a knife at you gets you hot and bothered?”
He matched her step. His gaze dropping to her lips.
She wasn’t sure who moved first, but suddenly she was going up on her toes and his arm was wrapping around her. He lowered his head and his lips pressed to hers. She gasped and he took advantage, his tongue sweeping inside.
Oh, God. The kiss was so good.
It wasn’t sweet or polished, it was hard, a little rough and real. Desire pooled in her belly, arrowing between her legs. Her hands clenched on his leather harness, brushing warm skin. She kissed him back.
With a growl, Nero swung her around and her feet left the ground. Winter found herself caught between the cool stone wall and a hard body. He tasted like frustrated, brooding man and she sucked on his tongue. She felt his hips grind against her belly and God, she felt the hard ridge of his erection.
Moaning, she dug her fingers into his skin. She needed more. Sensations flooded her body, warming places she hadn’t even realized were cold. Nero angled his head to kiss her deeper and his stubble brushed against her cheeks. He groaned, a deep rumble of sound, and caught her bottom lip between his teeth.
Winter trembled, and for the first time in so long, felt normal and whole. In this instant, she was just a woman, kissing a big, sexy man.
Suddenly, voices sounded nearby. Nero went stiff.
Winter did the same. Oh, my God, she’d been kissing Nero.
They hastily broke apart, staring at each other. She stayed against the wall, waiting for her balance to right itself and her brain to start functioning again. He looked like she’d just smacked him in the head—half dazed, half horrified.
God, she’d kissed Nero.
Winter ran a hand through her mussed hair. “Ah…let’s just call this a momentary lapse in judgment.”
His brow creased. “A lapse?”
“Yes. You and I—” she waved a hand between them “—no. Just no.”
His face morphed into a full-scale scowl. “Winter—”
“I like cultured, refined men,” she said.
“I like quiet, athletic women.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Good. We’re on the same page, then.”
Confusion crossed his face. “The same page?”
“An Earth saying. We agree.”
He snorted. “You and I never agree.”
Two young gladiators rounded the corner. When they saw Nero, they straightened, awe creeping into their gazes. As they walked past, they nodded at Nero, and one of the young men looked at Winter and smiled.
She smoothed her hands down her trousers. “Ah, we’d better get Blue.” She spun and hurried down the corridor.
“Winter.” Nero grabbed her arm.
“What?”
He looked at her, his face unreadable. “You’re going the wrong way.”
She looked and realized she was heading in the opposite direction of the cells. She felt heat in her cheeks. “Right. I knew that.”
They were silent as they headed to the cell area. As she entered, the guard on duty nodded at her. The guards were used to her coming down to check on the alien.
“Mia?” a deep voice growled from a nearby cell.
“No, Blue. It’s Winter.”
The guard opened the door, and she stepped inside. Nero was a big presence close at her back.
Blue stood on the other side of the simple cell. It had strong, stone walls, a single, narrow bunk, and a small bathroom area cordoned off in one corner. The man was big, with tightly-packed muscles, built for power and speed. His skin was a deep blue, and he was covered in dark swirls that looked like tattoos. Winter had been fascinated to discover that members of his species were born with the markings. Strong emotion turned them darker. His black hair and beard were long and tangled, and she hadn’t been able to convince him to let anyone trim them yet.
His eyes looked pale and Harper had told her that they glowed a deep gold, like antique coins. That gaze went straight to Nero, Blue’s muscles bunching.
“He’s a member of the House of Galen,” she said quietly. “He’s here to help find Mia.”
“Hunter,” Blue growled.
“I am,” Nero answered.
“We have a place to look for her,” Winter continued. “A place where someone saw her.”
The alien man’s eyes flashed. Suddenly, he charged toward Winter.
Before she could react, Nero stepped in front of her, moving faster than she’d thought possible. He slammed an arm out to stop the alien man.
Blue growled.
“Don’t touch her,” Nero said darkly.
The tension in the cell spiked with masculine aggression.
Winter stepped around Nero, trying to move between the men. “It’s okay, Nero. Blue often moves suddenly and quickly. He’s never hurt me before.” She touched Nero’s arm, feeling the hard, tense muscles beneath her fingertips. She held a hand up to Blue. “Everyone just stay calm.”
Finally, Blue stepped back, his gaze still zeroed in on Nero.
“Blue, if you agree to stay calm and follow Galen’s orders, the imperator has given permission for you to come and search for any sign of Mia.”
Blue went unnaturally still, then he gave a single nod.
“If she…has been there—” Blue’s voice was deep and rusty from lack of use “—I will find her.”
“No sudden moves,” Nero warned. “And if you hurt Winter, I will end you.”
Winter rolled her eyes. Men.
“I will not hurt Winter. Friend.”
When they stepped out of the cell, she found herself flanked by the two big men. How her life had changed from her time on Earth. Here she was, a blue-skinned alien man on her left, and a barbarian gladiator on her right.
A barbarian gladiator you kissed, a sly voice in her head reminded her. She huffed out a breath. She was not thinking about that right now.
They took the wide, circular stone stairs to the upper levels. Near the front doors, Galen was waiting for them, with Raiden and Thorin.
Spotting the men, Blue bristled.
“Easy,” Winter murmured. “You know Galen. And Raiden and Thorin are two of his best gladiators.”
The imperator studied Blue. “You’ll follow my orders?”
Blue’s hands clenched into fists. “I will find Mia.”
“I need your word you will control yourself and do as I say.” Galen’s tone was edged in command. It made Winter want to snap to attention.
“You have taken me in. Treated me well. You protect Mia and her friends.” Blue bowed his head. “I will do what you say to find Mia.”
“Let’s go,” the imperator ordered.
Winter listened to the creak of the metal hinges on the doors as the guards opened them. As they navigated the tunnels out of the arena, she listened to the heavy footsteps of the gladiators and the chatter of the people they passed—workers, people going about their business, gladiators from other Houses.
But when they stepped out of the Kor Magna Arena and into the city streets, sounds, smells, sights, and sensations bombarded Winter, disorienting her. The District lay ahead—large, garishly lit, futuristic buildings that speared into the sky. She knew they housed casinos, pleasure houses, entertainment shows. It was a playground for the visitors who came to Kor Magna for the arena, and stayed for all the other vices and pleasures. There were people everywhere.
She closed her eyes and felt warm wind rush over her face. She heard a mass of voices. She smelled so many scents she couldn’t separate them.
“We have a short walk to the factory,” Galen said. “It’s near the eastern edge of the city.”
They moved in a tight group. Raiden and Thorin in the lead, Galen and Blue in the center, and Winter and Nero at the back. Blue looked unhappy, his broad shoulders hunched, but he looked in control.
Winter tried to stay calm, even with the sensory overload. She didn’t want to slow them down. She was grateful they weren’t heading directly into the busy District, but they were passing pretty close to it. The streets were crowded, and even with many people giving the gladiators a wide berth, lots still jostled her and bumped into her. She took a step closer to Nero, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other.
“Damn crowds,” Nero grumbled.
Apparently, barbarian gladiators didn’t like lots of people, either.
Her hand bumped against the small bag of sedatives on her belt. She felt the pouch fall.
Oh, no. As it dropped, she ducked, and snatched it back up. Nero hadn’t noticed and had moved ahead of her. She fastened the bag back to her belt.
As she stood there, someone barreled into her from behind, spinning her. She got the impression of a big, male body, and then they bumped an arm against her head, and her vision device.
Everything went black, and she heard the metallic plink as the device hit the ground.
Her chest tightened into a knot. She couldn’t see a thing.
The world wasn’t completely black, more like shades of gray, but all of the outlines of everything around her had disappeared.
Panic grew, an ugly, clawing feeling in her throat. She knelt, slapping the ground with her hands, trying to find the device. She was horribly aware that she was surrounded by strangers, in a place she didn’t know.
The others would realize she was missing. They’d find her. She pulled in some deep breaths. In the meantime, she kept searching the ground. No vision device.
“Nero?” she called out.
No response.
“Galen?”
Nothing. Someone else bumped into her, knocking her onto her hands and knees.
You’re fine, Winter. The others will find you.
“Hello?” an unfamiliar male voice drawled.
She felt hands grab her shoulders and jerk her to her feet. “Excuse me, my friends were just here, I—”
“You’re blind.”
“You’re very observant. Look, my friends—”
Rough hands patted inappropriately down her body. “Give me your coins and credits.”
She tried to pull back. “Leave me alone!”
Winter was sick of people thinking she couldn’t take care of herself. She shoved against her attacker. He grunted, and she heard the sound of him stumbling.
“Believe me, you are going to wish you hadn’t touched me, asshole,” she snapped.
“You’re all alone and helpless.” Cruel hands bit into her arms once more.
“No, I’m not.” She brought her knee up, ramming it between his legs.
***
Nero suddenly realized that Winter was no longer beside him.
He spun, searching the moving crowd. He couldn’t see her. He charged back through the sea of beings, looking for her dark head. The sound of a male voice crying out caught his ear.
He turned his head just in time to see someone nearby stumble and flail. He was a red-skinned Traal.
That’s when Nero spotted a disheveled Winter, her fists raised. She was looking from side to side, not looking at the Traal directly. Nero frowned. By the blade, her vision device was gone. The Traal bared his teeth and took a menacing step toward her.
Rage exploded. With a growl, Nero grabbed the man’s shirt and yanked him away from her.
“Drakking—” The Traal looked up at Nero and his face blanched.
“Did you touch her?”
The man’s mouth opened, then closed.
“Did you touch her?”
This time, the Traal whimpered. Nero slammed a fist into the man’s gut. He doubled over, and Nero followed with a hard chop to the man’s back. He collapsed on the ground.
Nero scowled. That wasn’t very satisfying. He leaned down to drag the man back up—
“Nero?”
Winter’s voice stopped him. She reached out and gripped his hand, then she let out a shuddering breath.
“Are you okay?” he asked, fighting his rage down.
“I am now.”
He yanked her into his body. “You’re sure?”
She nodded, rubbing her face against his chest. “Someone bumped into me and knocked my vision device off.”
He glanced around and spotted it, not far away. He leaned down. “I found it.” He brushed her silky hair back and touched the device to her temple.
Instantly, he felt her tense body relax. “Thank you.”
Nero looked back at the Traal. “Get out of here before I rip your arms and legs off.”
The man turned and ran.
Anger churning, he looked down at Winter. “You should never have come on this trip.”
Her smile evaporated. “Not this again.”
“You could have been hurt—”
“I wasn’t. In fact, I hurt the asshole who underestimated me.” Her gaze narrowed on Nero.
Drak. Couldn’t she see he just wanted to protect her?
“Thanks for the help, barbarian. Sorry I slowed you down.” She stomped toward Galen and the others, who had turned back to see where they’d gone.
Nero looked toward the sky, and cursed himself and his choice of words. He just couldn’t say the right things to this woman. As he joined the others, Winter completely ignored him. He tried to tamp down on his frustration, staring at the back of Winter’s head.
Seeing that Traal pawing at her… He dragged in a deep breath.
Nero could still taste her on his lips. Kissing Winter had been…much more pleasurable than it should have been. He hunched his shoulders. It was a mistake. Letting someone in meant lowering your guard, losing control. Nero knew better than that.
Living at the House of Galen, training and fighting with his fellow gladiators, had taught him control. On Symeria, barbarian children were taught to embrace their rage, and use their emotions to make them wilder and stronger. But Galen and the others had taught Nero that wilder and stronger weren’t always the smartest options in a fight.
None of this mattered right now. Winter didn’t want or appreciate his protection. The woman was determined to do everything herself.
After a few moments, the crowds dissipated, and the shops and houses gave way to larger, industrial-type buildings.
“There it is,” Galen said.
Nero forced his thoughts onto the mission. He stared up at the factory buildings towering over them. Huge tanks of all different sizes, some looming high, some short and squat, were also scattered around them. Nearby, large turbines spun, no doubt generating some sort of power for the factory. There were moving parts and clouds of steam hissed and rattled. The noise reverberated in his ears. He hated it. The harsh, metallic smells, the loud noises, it all washed through Nero, dulling his senses.
Nearby, Blue shifted restlessly, his face tight. Nero glanced at Winter and wondered how she felt.
As they neared the entrance, a shadow detached itself from between two tanks. Nero shoved Winter behind him. Blue bent his legs, falling into an attack stance. Thorin, Raiden, and Galen drew their weapons. Nero gripped his sword.
But the man who stepped into the light wasn’t an enemy but an ally.
“Galen,” the man said, his cool voice deep and emotionless.
“Magnus.”
As the two imperators greeted each other, clasping forearms, Nero took stock of Magnus Rone, Imperator of the House of Rone.
They were the House of Galen’s closest allies. The two houses had met numerous times in the arena, and were closely matched. Rone hired good gladiators and trained them well. They were always a challenge on the sand.
Magnus had short, dark hair and a powerful build. He was a skilled fighter, but he was banned from the arena because he was a cyborg. His left arm was made entirely of silver metal, and one of his eyes glowed a neon blue. Nero had to admit he found the man disconcerting, because he sensed very little from him. He made no sound, gave off very little scent, and left no trail. He was formidable prey.
“What are you doing here?” Galen asked.
The cyborg’s blue eye glowed. “Zhim’s informant was a House of Rone worker. She saw both your women here over a week ago. Bound and gagged.”
“What took her so long to report it?” Raiden asked.
“She was unaware the women had been claimed by the House of Galen. Workers are used to keeping their mouths shut, and keeping out of business that does not involve them. It wasn’t until Zhim started asking questions that my worker came forward and shared what she’d seen. She’s trustworthy.” The man looked at them all. “I’d like to offer my help. I have the schematics of the factory.”
“Where?” Thorin asked.
Magnus tapped the side of his head. Nero wondered what other enhancements the man had, ones they couldn’t see.
The imperator waved them toward a doorway. Winter stepped gingerly inside behind Galen. As Nero entered, a wash of steam hit his face. The air inside was moist and humid.
“There are very few workers in the factory,” Magnus said. “Most of the systems are automated.”
Tanks, pieces of equipment and conveyor belts filled the large factory. Nearby, a large piece of equipment thumped hard, along with another. Something mechanical whined and more steam rose up around them.
Nero stepped closer to Winter, watching as she moved carefully over the metal-grate floor. Her steps were slow and deliberate, and he guessed she couldn’t see very well inside.
A second later, she tripped over something, and he grabbed her to keep her from landing on her face.
He righted her. “Hold my arm.” He held it out to her.
“Something in here is messing with my vision device. Everything’s a little muddled.” She eyed his arm and hesitated.
“Don’t be stubborn.”
“That’s rich coming from you, but fine,” she snapped, reaching out to take his arm.
Nero liked the feel of her small hand on his arm. They followed Magnus and Galen up a set of steps, and soon, they were heading down a long walkway. He saw the way she kept glancing at Blue. The alien man looked very uncomfortable being in such a noisy, smelly place but was holding it together.
From the walkway, they had a perfect view across the factory floor—tanks, conveyor belts, and moving equipment.
“Here.” Magnus pushed open a door and led them into a corridor off the main factory floor. The walls were all unpainted stone. “My sensors detect the faint record of two females being escorted through here.”
Galen swung around. “Nero.”
With a nod, he released Winter’s arm and stepped into the corridor. He pulled in a deep breath and studied the ground. He walked around the tight space. There was a layer of dust on the floor, but it had been disturbed, and there were many footprints. All far too large to be a woman from Earth.
Finally, he spotted a smaller footprint. He crouched down. It was only a partial print, but it looked like it was made by a female with bare feet. He touched the center of the print. He couldn’t detect any scent of Mia or Dayna.
“There is a female footprint here.” Studying the ground, he let his instincts take over. He moved down the corridor, following the trail. They moved through several turns and corridors. He spotted a small handprint on the wall. More small footprints. A short strand of blonde hair.
Then he reached a junction covered in footprints and the drag marks of cargo being moved through.
He looked up at his imperator and shook his head. “I’ve lost the trail. There are too many other prints, and no scent.”
“Blue.” Winter stepped forward and held out a hand to the alien. The blue-skinned man approached.
He stopped beside Nero and sniffed.
His body stiffened. He dropped down, almost pressing his face to the dirty floor. Then he stood, moving toward the wall, and running his hands over it.
He moved a few more steps and dragged in some deep breaths. Then, without warning, he turned and took off down a corridor at a sprint.
“Blue!” Winter yelled.
The curses of the others echoed off the walls.
“Don’t lose him!” Galen ordered.
“Stay with Winter,” Nero called to his imperator. Then he exploded into a run.
A body moved up beside him. Magnus. Together, they sprinted after Blue.
They couldn’t let him get away.