Mia stared at Ryan, emotions tumbling through her.

The woman looked to be about Mia’s size, with some Japanese heritage. Her black hair hid part of her face, but it didn’t quite hide the bruises mottling her cheek. Any relief Mia felt at seeing the other woman dissolved away.

“You said you were okay. Are they hurting you?”

Ryan’s face went blank. “I’m fine.”

Galen stepped forward. “Ryan, I’m Galen.”

Ryan’s gaze moved over Mia’s shoulder and her eyes widened. “Wow.” She glanced past the imperator, taking in Lore and Nero. “Jeez, I knew you guys were gladiators, but just…wow.”

“You’re being mistreated?” Galen asked.

Ryan hunched her shoulders. “Nothing I can’t handle. My captors discovered that I was meddling with the comp system beyond what they’d tasked me to do. Then they realized that I’d made outside contact when I helped you guys with Catalyst. They weren’t very…pleased.” Ryan swallowed. “But at least they haven’t thrown me in the Zaabha Arena.” Horror danced in the woman’s dark eyes.

“We are going to get you out,” Mia said fiercely.

“Listen.” Ryan leaned close to the screen. “I found Dayna.”

Mia sucked in a breath. “Where?”

“I found a record of her sale. To a group called the Nerium.”

Zhim frowned. “I’ve never heard that name. There is no one on Carthago called the Nerium.”

Ryan shot him a sharp look. “Who are you, again?”

Zhim straightened. “I am Zhim, the premier information merchant on the planet. This is my system we’re using to talk to you. I found you.”

Ryan cocked her head. “I think I found you.”

Zhim’s frown deepened. “No, you didn’t—”

Ryan waved a hand and ignored him. “The Nerium are based in a place called the Illusion Mountains.”

Zhim crossed his arms over his chest. “There is nothing in the Illusion Mountains.”

“Have you been there?” Ryan snapped.

“No. But I told you, I know everything worth knowing around here.”

Ryan made a noise in the back of her throat, clearly unimpressed.

“The Illusion Mountains are a desolate place, several days’ ride into the desert,” Galen interjected.

“Dayna is with the Nerium in the Illusion Mountains. My captors threatened to sell me to the Nerium, as well, if I didn’t stay in line. Apparently, this species stage their own sort of fight ring up there. Different from Zaabha or Kor Magna. More a game of survival.”

Mia’s gut clenched. This sounded bad.

“We will go to these mountains,” Vek said, his hand curling on Mia’s shoulder. “We’ll find your friend.”

Ryan turned, her gaze settling on Vek. “Wow again. An alien hunk with blue skin.”

Vek stiffened a little under the scrutiny, taking a step closer to Mia.

“Zhim, I need any intel you can find on the Nerium,” Galen said.

“Already on it.” The information merchant tapped on another screen, scowling at Ryan’s image. “I doubt we’ll find anything.”

“Don’t pout, info-boy,” Ryan said.

Zhim stiffened, but kept working.

“We need to find you, too, Ryan,” Mia said. “Any luck locating exactly where Zaabha is?”

The woman shook her head. “They keep the location secret. Nothing gets out about it, and the transports to and from here are tightly controlled. I’m trying—” She broke off, looking over her shoulder.

Mia leaned forward. “What is it?”

“I thought I heard something. Info-boy, I’ll send you a file of what I have on the Nerium.”

“Fine,” Zhim replied from between gritted teeth.

Suddenly, Ryan gasped.

Mia gripped Vek’s hand. “What?”

Ryan lifted her head, her eyes stunned. “I just found something else. A record of another sale of a woman to the Nerium.”

Zhim stared at the screen. “I see it.”

“Who?” Mia asked.

“Another woman who is listed as being from Earth,” Ryan said.

Zhim nodded. “It doesn’t list a name.”

“It says that she was originally purchased from the Thraxians,” Ryan added.

God. Mia felt like she’d been punched in the gut. Someone else had been snatched, and was lost out there on Carthago.

“Zhim, find the location of the Nerium in the Illusion Mountains,” Galen said. “And then find Zaabha. I want all these women found and freed.”

Mia felt the icy edge of the imperator’s tone, and despite how scary he sounded, a part of her wanted to hug him.

All of a sudden, a noise came from the screen. A screech of metal, shouts, and a crash.

“Fuck,” Ryan bit out. She stared straight at the screen and bit her lip. Mia saw the fear in her eyes. “My guards are coming. I need to—”

She was jerked away from the screen.

“Ryan!” Fear wrapped around Mia’s throat like barbed wire.

There were shouts in a guttural, alien language that Mia’s lingual implant didn’t recognize. Ryan was dragged into view, and then a huge, scale-covered fist slammed into her face, sending the small woman crashing to the floor.

“Drak.” Zhim leaped to his feet, his gaze glued to the screen.

Suddenly, the image rocked and tilted. Then the screen went black.

“Ryan,” Mia whispered brokenly.

Big arms wrapped around her, pulling her against a firm chest. Mia leaned into Vek, absorbing his strength. Then she let her tears fall.

* * *

The walk back to the House of Galen was somber. Vek was so focused on Mia that he barely paid any attention to the horrible sights and smells of the city.

She was upset. Her pain was like a rough scrape on his nerves, and he wanted to soothe her. He wanted to see her smile again. When she fell behind, Vek scooped her into his arms and carried her.

They entered into the arena tunnels, the gladiators’ steps echoing on the stone. When they reached the large doors to the House of Galen, Mia pushed against his chest. He set her down.

She shoved a hand through her hair. “I need some air. Some space…something.”

“I will come with you.” Vek shot Galen a hard look. If the imperator tried to stop him, he’d have a fight on his hands. He wasn’t leaving Mia alone.

Galen was frowning. “The House of Galen training arena—”

“Will still make me feel hemmed in,” she finished. “I need breathing space.”

“Fine.” Galen’s tone warned that he didn’t like it. “But do not step beyond the arena walls. The central arena is empty now. I’ve had too many people snatched, so I’m sending two guards to watch you.”

When she opened her mouth to argue, the imperator held up a hand.

“Non-negotiable. They’ll stay back.”

Two guards in red and gray moved closer, both men standing to attention.

Mia sighed. “Okay.”

“Go. And Mia—” Galen waited until she looked up “—know that we will find your friends. I will not leave innocents to suffer.”

“Thank you,” Mia whispered.

Vek followed Mia up to the arena. This time, there was no thunder of voices or stamping feet. When they stepped out into the now-empty stands, he could hardly believe the difference. Most of the lights were off, and there wasn’t a single noise in the place. Mia moved right to the top, sitting on the uppermost row of seats. The two House of Galen guards stayed below in the tunnel, giving them some space.

Vek could see the tops of the buildings of the District over the walls of the arena. The building where Zhim lived spiked upward, lit with blue lights. Then Vek turned to look in the opposite direction. Something tight inside him eased. That way was space and desert. Even in the darkness, he could just make out the smudge of mountains in the distance.

Mia looked up into the night sky and he followed her gaze. He stared at the large, bright moon hanging there, and for a brief second, a glimmer of a memory hit him. A single, large moon reflecting on the waters of a placid lake. Pain speared into his head in that instant, and the memory evaporated.

He looked at Mia, and saw her head was now downcast. He dropped to his knee beside her. “I vowed to you that I would find your friends, and I will.”

“It’s such a mess, Vek. Dayna was sold to some mystery group. Another woman we don’t know is out there, somewhere. Who knows what she’s suffered.” Mia drew in a shuddering breath. “And Ryan… God, what if they hurt her?”

Vek reached out and tentatively touched her arm. Just like she’d touched his so many times before, to calm him.

“You don’t give up,” he said, trying to find words to help her. “You keep going, even when it hurts. Even when it tears you apart.”

She looked up into his face. “Is that what you did? In the fight rings?”

He heard screams in his head, smelled blood, sweat, and sand. “I survived. I think your Ryan will, too.”

“I sometimes wonder ‘why me?’” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Why did I get taken?”

“I wondered, too, when I first entered the fight rings.” He fought to keep his muscles relaxed. “I was young, and everything was dark, frightening, and harsh.” He would never, ever tell Mia the depths of the horrors he’d experienced. “But asking why is futile. There is no answer. All you can do is take each day as it comes, and move forward.”

Mia leaned into him. “You’re right. Thank you. I was about to dissolve into a pity party.”

He looked at her blonde hair pressed to his shoulder, and the small hand resting on his forearm. Her skin was so pink and smooth, compared to his tougher blue skin and black markings.

“Vek, your markings are darkening.” She frowned, her finger rubbing at one swirl. “Are you upset? Angry?”

“No.” The way she stroked his skin…his cock swelled in his trousers and he swallowed a groan.

“Then why?” she asked.

“It happens whenever my emotions are…heightened.”

“Heightened?” Her eyebrows rose.

“Not just anger or fear, but other emotions, too.” His voice turned raspy.

“Oh?” Then pink filled her cheeks. Her gaze dropped to his lap, and her face snapped back up to meet his, her eyes wide. “Oh.”

Vek sucked in a deep breath. “I would never hurt you, Mia.”

“I know that, Vek.” She turned to him and placed a hand on his chest. He felt the warmth of her touch on his skin. “You…feel something for me?”

He pulled in her scent, and this time, it had changed to something sweeter and muskier. He stilled. “Too much.”

“I feel something for you, too,” she whispered. “My world is crazy, I’ve lost everything, but when I’m with you, I forget all that.”

Every muscle in his body quivered with need.

“Have you ever kissed a woman?” she asked quietly.

He shook his head, his gaze dropping to her lips. They were pink and full. His skin was heating and he felt a tension fill the air. “Will you kiss me, Mia?”

She smiled and reached out, stroking his beard. “Yes.”

She leaned up and pressed her lips to his, giving Vek the faintest taste of her. Her lips were soft and felt so good.

A burning sensation ignited inside him. A hungry, primal need.

Her mouth opened and Vek groaned. He held himself still, absorbing the sensations. Then her tongue slid inside his mouth and he barely controlled his start of surprise. The taste of her hit him. More. He needed more.

Mimicking her actions, he kissed her back, sliding his tongue against hers. She moaned, moving closer. With a groan, Vek pulled her onto his lap. She was so small, but felt so good pressed against him. She undulated, her hands sinking into his long hair. He kissed her harder, and she kissed him back, the kiss taking on a fierce edge.

When she pulled back, she was panting. “Well…” Her blue eyes were a little dazed. “That got out of control fast.”

“You taste good, Mia. And smell good. I smell your need.”

“Smell my—?” She blinked “Oh.”

“I like it.” He pressed his mouth to hers again.

Vek followed his instincts, and as he kissed her again, delving deep, he felt the flex of her hands on his shoulders. She made hungry little sounds in her throat that had desire pounding through him. His cock was like stone, and so incredibly painful.

Then, suddenly, he scented someone else nearby. Just as Vek stiffened, he saw the shadows behind Mia move. It wasn’t Galen’s guards.

Three attackers charged out of the darkness.

Vek spun, pushing Mia off his lap and thrust her behind him. The men all wore some kind of dark-green body armor, and their faces were covered with masks. They were huge, taller even than Vek, but leaner.

He let out a roar, and slammed one man away. Their scent was strong. A strange smell. Something wild, topped with the odor of freshly-turned soil.

Two men attacked him at once. Vek saw a wooden staff swing at him, and ducked. He swung out with his fists, adrenaline rushing into his veins. He’d been honed to fight, primed for it. It didn’t take much for him to settle into fight mode.

He grabbed the staff and yanked it. The man stumbled with a cry, and Vek sent him flying into the empty seats. As he turned, he saw the first attacker was back on his feet, and standing with the third.

One pulled out a thick, vine-like rope. Vek growled and waited. It always made sense to know what you were dealing with, before you attacked.

But before the men made their move, Mia leaped out of the darkness and landed on the back of one of the men.

“Stay back!” Vek shouted.

He ran at the man with the rope and swung his arm. His fist slammed into the man and sent him flying into a stone wall nearby. Vek heard the crack of bone, and waited a moment to ensure the man wouldn’t get back up.

When Vek spun, he saw the third attacker had managed to shake Mia free. She sailed through the air, hit the ground, and rolled.

He let out a fierce roar. No one hurt Mia.

The man rushed at him and they locked together, spinning. But Vek was enraged, and he knew he could win.

He always won.

But instead of pulling away, the man surprised Vek and pushed closer. His hand brushed Vek’s neck, and he felt an all-too-familiar prick on his skin. Horror rocketed through him. No. No! The man had injected him with something.

Enraged, Vek flung the man off him.

“Vek!” Mia scrambled to her feet.

Vek reached up and yanked the syringe out of his skin.

She stared at it, horrified. “What did they do?”

Suddenly, heat tore through his veins, spreading through his body. It burned like acid. He felt his muscles go tense, and he threw his arms out, his fingers curling into fists.

“Vek?”

He made a strangled sound, trying to fight the feeling away. He gritted his teeth. He was losing the battle.

Hurt. Kill. Fight.

A red haze crossed his vision.

“Vek, talk to me.” A small figure stepped in front of him.

He blinked, staring down into the face of a tiny woman.

Who was she? He couldn’t remember. He glanced around the empty stone benches. He didn’t know where he was. He didn’t know who his prey was.

His mind was blank, except for the growing rage.

Behind the small woman, he saw a man rise. He wore armor.

Prey.

Hurt. Kill. Fight.

He charged past the small woman and flew at his opponent.