Vek’s golden eyes were glazed over with rage.

Mia lunged to the side, and watched him charge one of the attackers. He let out a sound—a wild, primal roar—that echoed across the arena and raised the hairs on the back of her neck.

He grabbed the man and lifted him off his feet. He swung the man around, dislocating the attacker’s arm with one savage yank.

Mia gasped. The attacker cried out, and Vek lifted the man above his head like he weighed nothing. She knew he was strong, but whatever they’d injected him with had made him stronger, angrier, wilder.

Her heart thumping hard, she watched as Vek tossed the man upward. He sailed through the air and crashed into some seats. One of the other attackers was up and running at Vek. Vek swiveled and threw his hands out, every muscle delineated under his blue skin.

He leaped into the air, higher than she’d ever seen him jump before, and he landed in a crouch, growling. Right in front of the attacker.

The man froze, and Mia backed away. She watched as Vek moved fast. He grabbed the attacker—whose struggles were futile—and snapped the man’s neck with one vicious twist.

Mia’s heart hammered against her ribs. She backed up another step.

Her movement caught Vek’s attention and his head swiveled. Golden, burning-hot eyes zeroed in on her and her throat went dry. There was no recognition in them.

Just a wild, animal rage.

She took another step back, and he charged.

Mia went still, trying not to flinch. He stopped an inch from her, heat coming off him in waves. He circled around her, sniffing. She heard his breath coming fast. It matched her own. He leaned in close from behind her, his nose running down along her throat. Mia swallowed a sob.

She wanted her sweet Vek back.

She swayed, and a blue hand reached out and grabbed her arm. His grip was rough and she knew that his fingers would leave bruises.

He circled around in front of her, staring into her face. A part of her wanted to run, but she reminded herself that this was Vek. She wasn’t abandoning him when he needed her the most. She lifted her chin.

“I know my Vek’ker is in there, somewhere.”

He growled low in his throat.

All of a sudden, the thunder of footsteps echoed behind them. His body locked, and she looked over his shoulder. Galen, Raiden, and several other gladiators appeared, swords in hand.

Winter was there, as well, standing behind Nero. She was holding something in her hand. Mia recognized the casing of the sedative that they’d put together to control Vek.

No. No more drugs. He’d been hurt enough.

“Stay back,” Mia said.

Vek glared at the gladiators, his chest heaving. A snarl came from his throat.

“Vek? Please come back to me.” His head turned back to her, and she saw those fiery, golden eyes again.

His hand shot out and sank into her hair. He tugged her to the side, and the sting on her scalp made her eyes water.

“Let her go.” Galen’s voice was impossibly calm.

“Vek, that’s Mia,” Winter called out. “You care about her.”

Vek let out a deafening roar, and his other hand came up to yank Mia closer. The rough move made her cry out.

His arms circled her and he jumped into the air. Mia swallowed a scream. They landed several tiers of seats down into the arena. She saw the others following.

“Vek.”

He jumped again, leaping over several more rows. When they landed, she banged her hip and cried out.

“Stop,” Raiden called out. “You’re hurting her.”

Mia lifted her head. She saw Raiden, Thorin, and Galen rushing at them. Oh, no. This wouldn’t end well. “Wait!”

Vek spun to face the oncoming attack and shoved Mia out of his way. She stumbled back, teetering on the edge of the stairs. Dammit.

She lost her balance, and then she was falling.

As she tumbled down the steps, bright sparks of pain burst inside her. Her hip, her side, her chest.

Something in her chest cracked, the pain stealing her breath, and behind her she could hear shouts.

Finally, she came to a stop and landed in a crumpled pile at the bottom of the stairs. From where she lay, she saw the empty sand of the arena floor through the railings. She tried to lift her head, but she couldn’t move. Everything hurt. She managed to move her eyes and had a sideways view of the gladiators shooting Vek with the sedative.

She watched him throw his head back and roar. The horrible, pained sound echoed out across the arena.

Vek. Darkness and pain swallowed her.

* * *

Vek woke, his head throbbing and his mouth dry. He shifted and heard the clank of chains.

Fear shot through him. Was he back in the fight rings? They’d often chained him and left him for days.

“Stay calm, and I’ll take the chain off.”

Vek lifted his head and saw one of his wrists was chained to the wall of his cell. Galen leaned against the far wall.

“What…happened?” Vek’s voice was croaky.

“You were attacked.”

His head was filled with hazy memories that he couldn’t piece together. All he remembered were the out-of-control emotions. Rage. Anger. The need to fight and kill. He had fought…men in green armor.

Then he remembered the feel of soft lips on his. His first kiss.

Mia.

Vek surged up, the chain clanking. “Mia was with me.”

Galen walked over and calmly unshackled him.

Vek growled at the imperator. “Where is she?”

“In Medical.”

An icy chill swept through Vek. “I’ll kill them all over again. What did they do to her?”

A strange, almost reluctant look crossed Galen’s face. “They injected you with something. It made you lose control.”

Vek froze, his chest locking. He remembered a fuzzy image of Mia tumbling down the arena stairs.

And he’d been the one who’d shoved her.

“Is she…”

“She’s fine, Vek. A few bumps and bruises, and some broken ribs.”

Broken ribs. He’d broken her bones. Him.

He was a monster.

Vek threw his head back and let out a howl of anguish.

* * *

Mia slowly shook off sleep and opened her eyes. She was floating in goo.

She wrinkled her nose, swirling her fingers in the blue ooze. It was the goop they had in the regen tanks in Medical. She rubbed the sticky stuff between her fingers.

“Hey, there.” Winter appeared beside her. One of her eyes was a brilliant blue, while the other one was covered in a film of white. Her eyes had been damaged by the Thraxians and their experiments, but she now had full vision back in one eye. The doctor leaned over, checking a readout on the side of the tank. “All healed. You can get out now.”

Mia gripped Winter’s hand, and let the other woman help her out. Her muscles shook as she climbed over the edge. Winter held out a robe and Mia pulled it around her naked body.

“What happened?” she asked. “I can’t remember anything.”

“You were attacked.” Winter’s face turned serious.

Mia touched her temple, trying to remember.

The doors to Medical whooshed open, and her friends appeared. She was engulfed in hugs from Madeline, Rory, and Harper. Only Regan was missing.

“I’m fine,” she told them.

“You had two broken ribs,” Winter said. “But they’re all healed now.”

“Who attacked me?”

The women traded looks. Mia’s heart thumped in her chest. What did that mean?

“Unknown assailants attacked you while you were sitting in the empty arena,” Harper said. “They killed the guards Galen had sent with you.”

Arena. Moonlight. Kiss. Vek.

“Vek! They injected him with something. Where is he?” Her tone turned frantic, and she scanned the room, trying to find something to wear.

“He’s back in his cell,” Harper said steadily.

“They attacked us,” Mia said. Where were her clothes? “They went straight for him, and injected him with something. It’s his worst nightmare being out of control like that.”

“Mia.” Harper pressed her hands to Mia’s shoulders. “Vek shoved you aside, and you fell—”

“It’s not his fault. Clothes. I need clothes.” She sent Winter an imploring look.

The doctor nodded and crossed the room to a line of cabinets. She returned with some soft, loose-fitting clothes. Mia dumped the robe, uncaring that the women would see her naked. She yanked the clothes on. She had to get to Vek.

“Was it the Srinar?” Mia asked. “Did they use the same drugs on him as in the fight rings?”

Harper shook her head. “They weren’t Srinar. We don’t know who they were. After Galen, Raiden, and the others contained Vek and got you to Medical, the bodies of the attackers had disappeared.”

“Regan took samples of the toxin from Vek,” Madeline said.

Mia stilled. “Toxin?”

Rory nodded. “It wasn’t a drug. It’s some plant-based toxin. Regan’s locked in her lab now, trying to work out what it is.”

“I need to see Vek.” Mia tucked her shirt into the trousers.

“I’ll come with you,” Harper said.

Mia shook her head. “Vek would never hurt me, Harper.” She scanned them all. “Even under the influence of that drug, he didn’t hurt me, except by accident. We freed him, yet we keep him in a cell, keep sedatives to drug him, and watch him like a wild beast that might turn on us. I will not treat him like that.”

She stepped forward and the women parted. Mia hurried out of Medical. She raced down the hall, feeling a little lightheaded, but she pushed through it.

She raced down the steps and reached the cells.

But as she neared Vek’s cell, the two guards stepped in front of her and blocked her way.

“I need to see him,” she told them.

“It’s not a good time,” the female guard said.

Mia raised her voice. “I don’t care if he’s angry. I need to see him.”

The male guard rubbed the back of his neck. “I can’t let you.”

Mia was done playing around and shoved against them. They didn’t budge. “Why?”

“He doesn’t want to see you,” the woman said.

The words were like an arrow to Mia’s heart. She took a step back. “What?” She looked toward the cell. From where she stood, she couldn’t quite see inside. “Vek? It’s Mia.”

Silence.

The male guard leaned back, looking through the bars. Whatever he saw made him shake his head at her.

Mia pressed her lips together.

“It wasn’t your fault, Vek. I’m okay.” She sucked in a breath. “Can I come in?”

The guard looked once more, his mouth tightening. Mia saw pity in his eyes when he shook his head at her again.

Mia wrapped her arms around herself. Vek had never refused to see her. Ever. Not sure what to do next, she turned and made herself walk away.