Sam waited for Galen at the front doors of the House of Galen.

He’d sent a message via a House worker that he was meeting with a difficult imperator today—Imperator Mortas of the House of Mortas—prior to the larger meeting with all the imperators. He’d invited her to join him.

She wasn’t sure why he’d invited her. An apology? Extending an offer of friendship?

Sam wasn’t sure she could be Galen’s friend.

She hadn’t slept that well, and this time she couldn’t blame the Thraxians. She’d tossed in her sheets, unable to sleep.

Her fight with Galen—both the physical one and the emotional one—had left her upset and drained.

And despite the ache in her chest, she hadn’t forgotten about touching him…all those hard muscles. She blew out a breath. Feeling him melt under her touch was sexy as hell. Lying in her bed, her body had been too turned on. She’d finally had to touch herself and bring herself to climax. But Galen had followed her into her dreams.

For the first time in her life, she’d found a man who attracted her on so many different levels. But who didn’t want her enough to open himself up.

She heard footsteps and looked up. Her chest locked.

He strode closer, those thick, muscular legs encased in leather, his black cloak flaring behind him.

His ice-blue gaze was on her, and Sam had to force herself to stay where she was.

“Buenos días,” he murmured.

Her eyes widened. “Buenos días. Who taught you that?”

“I have my ways.” He nodded at the guards to open the doors. “Are you ready for the meeting?”

“Meeting with a hostile imperator who’s arrogant and pompous? Walk in the park.”

Galen snorted. “I assume walking in the park is an Earth term.”

“Right. I mean it’s easy, no problem.”

They moved into the tunnel outside the House of Galen. She didn’t pretend not to feel the tension quivering between them. The tunnels were quiet, only a few arena workers hurrying along, carrying out their business. As they walked, she saw the way people deferred to Galen—nods, smiles, or moving quickly out of his way.

The man was far too used to people complying. He definitely needed someone to shake him up a bit.

She was so lost in her own thoughts, that she was unprepared for the attack.

A huge explosion rocked the tunnel, and the wall beside them collapsed.

Rock and debris hit her. She was knocked off her feet, a large stone hitting her in the chest and winding her.

With her ears ringing, Sam sat up, coughing. Dust filled the air. She saw Galen down on one knee, blood streaming down his face. He reached over his shoulder and drew his sword. A scary look settled on his face.

What could he see? She frowned and heard the deep thud of running footsteps. She guessed he sensed the essences of whoever was incoming.

Several Thraxians ran through the hole in the wall.

Fuck. The aliens rushed at Galen. He swung his sword, surging to his feet.

Sam tried to stand and draw her own sword, but dizziness washed over her. Dammit. She managed to get up and lift her weapon, just as a Thraxian rushed at her.

She heaved with all her might. The Thraxian ducked, but she was ready with a kick that pushed him back. She spun and saw another Thraxian bearing down on her. He was big, with massive, black horns, and holding a giant axe.

He swung the weapon. Sam dodged and her shoulder slammed into the wall.

The axe embedded into the wall right beside her. With a shout, the Thraxian yanked it out and swung again.

Sam leaped backward, but her foot hit rubble and she went down. She looked up and saw the axe descending right at her.

Shit. Suddenly, Galen leaped into view. He sliced his sword through the air, cutting into the Thraxian’s axe arm.

The axe clattered to the floor and the Thraxian staggered, holding his wounded arm to his chest. More Thraxians rushed at them.

Blood pumping, Sam swiveled onto hands and knees and pushed to her feet. She had to help Galen.

A clawed hand sank into her hair and wrenched her head back. She gritted her teeth against the pain.

Struggling, she tried to kick the Thraxian holding her. “Come on, you coward.”

Then she felt a sharp sting at the side of her neck.

What the hell? Instantly, her limbs relaxed, and her heartrate slowed. She blinked slowly, warmth suffusing her. No. No. No.

She knew the sensation. She knew the drug was the one the Thraxians used to make difficult Zaabha prisoners more compliant.

Her sword fell to the ground. She tried to fight the effects, but she could only scream inside her head, and her body was just a limp rag. The Thraxian started dragging her down the tunnel, her feet bumping over the debris.

She managed to lift her head and saw Galen with his back to her, fighting the other Thraxians.

“Galen.” In her head it was a shout, but she knew it came out no more than a whisper.

Still, his head swiveled. That single eye focused on her.

His face hardened and he hit at his opponents, fighting to get to her. He let out a roar that echoed off the tunnel.

Sam did a slow blink. Dios, he was something.

But then the Thraxian holding her dragged her around a corner and she lost sight of Galen. They moved through a maze of empty tunnels and a second later, sunlight speared into her eyes. She blinked again.

They were in the arena.

“Back to Zaabha for you,” the Thraxian growled.

No. Sam’s heart clenched hard. She couldn’t go back.

She tried to fight against the drug. She wouldn’t go back. Ever.

He ignored her struggles and pushed her down onto the sand-covered arena. A shadow passed overhead and Sam looked up. There was something in the sky.

Her heart started a loud pound in her ears. A ship was lowering down into the center of the arena floor.

She knew instantly that it was a Zaabha ship. It looked like a smaller version of the Zaabha arena platform, with smoke bellowing out the back of it. It was one of the shuttles they used to transport spectators to Zaabha.

She felt so horribly alone. She felt like the House of Galen was just a dream, one that had been snatched away. Once again, she only had herself to depend on.

Come on, Sam. She swung wildly, slamming a punch into the Thraxian’s side. It was weak and ineffectual, and all the alien did was laugh.

The ship hovered just above them, kicking up the sand in a cloud. Sam closed her eyes as grains peppered her skin.

Focus.

She opened her eyes to squint, and saw a large knife hanging off the Thraxian’s belt. She reached for it and missed. Gritting her teeth, she reached again, and her hand closed on the hilt. She yanked it off his belt.

“Hey.” The Thraxian turned.

With all her strength, she drove her elbow into the Thraxian’s gut and managed to rip herself free of his hold. She backed up and lifted the knife. She was unsteady on her feet, and her vision was blurry, but she wasn’t going back to Zaabha.

The Thraxian looked at her, baring ugly, black teeth. “You think you can take me?”

“I’m the Champion of Zaabha.”

“You’re our property,” he spat.

“Fuck you. I’m Samantha Santos and no one owns me.” She took a step forward and raised the knife.

He smirked at her, but then his eyes widened with fear.

Sam frowned, a bit surprised considering she was weaving like a drunk, but when his gaze moved over her shoulder, she knew that he wasn’t looking at her.

She turned her head to look for herself. Galen was running toward them across the sand, his black cloak flaring out behind him. He was covered in blood and grime, his face set and scary.

And the tattoos on his skin were glowing a bright blue-green.

She sucked in a breath. Hope, relief, and a jumble of other unidentifiable emotions ran through her. She took another deep, calming breath.

“Oh, and asshole?” She turned back to the Thraxian. “I’m also House of Galen.”

Sam launched forward, slashing with the knife.

The Thraxian yelled. She drew blood on his chest before his clawed hand smacked into her shoulder, knocking her back. Galen leaped over her, his sword driving into the Thraxian’s belly.

Losing her balance, Sam fell down on the sand on one knee. But she didn’t care. She was smiling, because she wasn’t going back to Zaabha, and she knew for sure that she was no longer alone.

* * *

It had been a long time since Galen had felt fear. Right now, it churned inside him with his anger.

When he’d lost sight of Sam, knowing they were taking her again, he’d felt fear he hadn’t felt since his boots were last on Aurelian soil.

He yanked his sword free of the Thraxian’s gut. He saw the Thraxian ship had landed, just sitting on the sand ahead of them. “Sam.”

“Here. I’m okay.”

He took her in, emotion sweeping through him. She was down on one knee, wavering a little. Battered, but alive.

She blinked slowly. “They drugged me.”

That’s when Galen noticed that her brown eyes were unfocused. Sand suckers.

Then her face changed. “Galen!”

He spun and saw five Thraxians step off the ship. Everything inside him went icy-cold. He gripped Sam’s arm and helped her to her feet, grimly watching the newcomers.

“Stay back,” he warned her.

Sam snorted. “Yeah, right.”

He shook his head, watching as she lifted the knife with a shaky hand.

Stubborn and determined. “You’re drugged, so please stay back.” A wry smile flickered over his lips. “I’ll take care of them.”

Turning, he strode toward the Thraxians.

“We’ll grind you and your house to dust,” the lead Thraxian shouted.

“You can try.”

Galen had never been one to waste time with taunts. He launched forward to attack, swinging his sword.

The next two minutes became a series of lunges, swings, and turns. Energy filled him, his tattoos glowing, signifying his status as a royal bodyguard. They enhanced his strength, giving him a punch of energy and speed. They hadn’t glowed since Raiden had become an adult.

Galen cut one Thraxian down and another charged at him. Galen spun and thrust. Then he turned, slamming his elbow into the face of another Thraxian.

Then he heard a noise.

Whoosh.

Something wrapped around his sword arm.

He yanked against it, and saw that one of the Thraxians had fired some sort of weapon. The metallic rope was wrapped around his arm, connecting him back to the large crossbow the Thraxian held.

Galen pulled hard and the Thraxian stumbled. Then, he righted himself and fired again.

A second rope shot out, wrapping around Galen’s other arm.

Drak. He tried to maneuver his sword up to cut the metal ropes.

Whoosh. A third rope wrapped around his middle. He fought against it, but he noticed the ropes were starting to glow.

The ropes tightened around his body, pressing his arms to his sides, and they were now a brilliant gold. They began to burn wherever they touched his bare skin.

“Cowards,” he roared.

The Thraxians advanced. “We do what is necessary for the might of the House of Thrax.”

“There is no House of Thrax anymore,” Galen said.

One Thraxian raised his sword, pressing the tip to Galen’s gut. “Now you die, and there will be no House of Galen.”

A body flew at the alien.

Sam landed on the Thraxian’s head, neatly avoiding his horns. With a twist of her thighs, she took the alien down. Galen heard the Thraxian’s neck snap.

Galen dropped down and kicked out with his leg, knocking over another Thraxian.

When Sam rose, she stood between Galen and the others. Protecting him.

“Sam, move!”

She ignored him. “Release the ropes. Now.”

No one moved.

Shouts echoed across the arena. Galen’s gladiators poured onto the sand from a tunnel on the opposite side. They raced across the arena floor, followed by several House of Rone cyborgs.

“For honor and freedom,” Raiden roared.

The gladiators echoed his cry.

The Thraxian holding the rope weapon dropped it. The other aliens that were still standing stepped back toward the ship, all of them watching the incoming gladiators.

Sam grabbed the closest rope, pulling on it. “Galen.”

“Careful it doesn’t burn you.”

“Hold on and I’ll get you free.” She yanked the weapon across the sand.

Then he saw one of the Thraxians appear right behind her. “Sam!”

She spun, but she wasn’t fast enough. The Thraxian swung his sword.

Sam tried to dodge, but the tip of the sword flashed across her throat. Blood sprayed.

“No!” Galen roared.

Sam’s eyes widened and her body went limp. She started to fall.

Heart pounding, Galen used all his strength against the ropes still holding him. He felt his veins bulging and his muscles straining. His tattoos flashed.

The ropes burst apart.

He saw the Thraxian running back toward the ship, but he didn’t watch. He dropped down beside Sam, gathering her into his arms. He reached over his shoulder and ripped his cloak off. Drak, there was blood everywhere. He pressed the fabric against her neck.

“Hold on, Sam,” he ordered.

Her gaze locked with his. Her eyes were filled with pain.

The Thraxian ship took off, bathing them in a gust of heat.

“Stay with me.” Galen stroked her cheek. “You are the strongest person I’ve ever met. Stay with me.”

Raiden and the others reached them.

“Medical,” Galen yelled. “Now!”