“As I said, she’s under my protection, Braun.”
Braun roared in frustration, but must have decided that the small female wasn’t worth the clash with Rezz, who was well known for being king in the pits since his arrival. Even Tyran, Kristin’s mate, couldn’t stand against him. And Tyran had more Hive implanted technology than almost any male here. He was stronger than anyone I’d ever seen.
Anyone but Rezz, riled up in beast mode. Still, the fight between Tyran and Rezz had been epic. In the end, I was convinced Rezz won not because the Prillon warrior was weaker, but because Rezz was meaner, especially since the male, Tyran, had been mated to the human, Kristin, of Earth. A small, curvy female that looked similar to Lindsey. Golden hair. Heart shaped face. So small, so damn small but fierce. I couldn’t wait to discover what type of fire burned in Lindsey’s delicate frame.
’Stop talking and get naked.’
The memory of the sensual demands she’d made in the dream riled me further and I rolled my head on my neck to ease the tension, to remain in control. Mine. She was mine. That voice was mine. Her body was mine. Her pleasure was mine. Her heart was mine. I never thought I’d take a mate, had given up on the idea the moment I’d been sentenced to life here, on this gods forsaken planet we all pretended wasn’t a prison.
But now? She was here, and I’d rather die than give her up.
Braun leaped out of the middle of the pit to take a seat in the crowd, which left Rezz standing to face the two Prillon warriors. I cleared the edge of the arena just as Rezz stepped forward to stare down the two Prillons.
“Move aside, Rezz. We all know you don’t want a mate.” The larger of the two Prillons spoke, Captain Voth, his second nearly growling in agreement beside him.
Rezz pounded his right fist into the flat of his left palm and the sound was loud. Threatening. “You two want to spend the next twelve hours in a ReGen pod, that’s all right with me.”
“Please, don’t. This is crazy.”
I saw her then, for the first time. Yes, I’d seen her in the dreams, but I’d know her anywhere. As she spoke, she tried to hop down off the edge of the pit wall where she sat wearing standard issue Coalition battle armor. Her hair fell around her shoulders in a golden halo, more beautiful than even in the dream. Big green eyes stared out from a heart-shaped face that was too delicate to be real.
She tried to move, but two of the warriors standing directly behind her placed their hands on her shoulders to hold her in place.
I didn’t recognize the growl that rose from my throat, but my Hunter took over.
Her soft cry sounded as I moved faster than a blur to shove the three men at her back away from her.
Rezz turned around to look up at where I now stood behind her, towering over her small frame. Her scent drifted up to me and my cock hardened instantly at the sweet scent of flowers and honey. This I’d missed in the dream. I wanted nothing more than to toss her over my shoulder and carry her back to my rooms, but I knew I’d never get her out of here without fighting at least one challenge.
“Kiel.” Rezz’s deep voice was like a crack of thunder through the arena and Lindsey gasped, her head whipping around to face me. But I didn’t dare look down into those blue eyes. If I looked, I’d want to touch, and taste. And fuck.
“Warlord.” I hopped over the side of the chest-high wall and into the pit, landing silently on my feet. I moved to my right, keeping both Rezz and the two Prillon who hadn’t backed away in my sights. “Her name is Lindsey and she’s mine. My marked mate.”
A collective grumble rolled through the spectators as Rezz looked from me to the Prillon warriors who stood primed and ready for battle. His grin was amused, but he nodded to me before turning and looking at my mate. “Do you know this warrior, female?”
Lindsey’s bright blue eyes flashed to me and she blushed, her cheeks turning a delicate and beautiful shade of pink. The way she gazed at me had my cock pulsing. Throbbing. My fingers itched to grab her. Touch her. Kiss her. Taste her for real. I’d never needed anything, but in that moment, I needed her.
“I’ve….I don’t…” she stumbled over her words looking from me to Rezz and back again. I stepped forward, only too eager to remind her of our last encounter, but there was no need. Her gaze locked on me and I saw desire cloud her gaze. She looked me over, taking her time, inspecting every inch of me and I stood tall, thrilled as her breathing sped and her attention lingered. She was devouring me with her gaze, caressing me with her attention. Yes. She was mine.
I feared she would lie, deny me in front of all those gathered here. The air in my lungs stilled, even my heart seemed to stop beating as I waited for either salvation or rejection. It shouldn’t matter. I hadn’t even met her, not really. I’d only shared one dream with her. One. And suddenly I was terrified that wouldn’t be enough. If she refused me now, something in me would break, something that, until this moment, I hadn’t known existed. A soul? Love? I didn’t know, but it was deep and instinctive. The Hunter in me was vulnerable to her in a way I’d never imagined possible. I was bare, exposed. Weak.
Everything in me teetered on the razor’s edge as I willed her to save me. To claim me. To want me as badly as I wanted her. She licked her lips slowly, her eyes going soft as she studied my face as if shocked that I was real. Gods knew, I was shocked by her presence as well. Shocked, but grateful.
When at last she nodded, my heart stuttered then raced twice its normal pace. “Yes. I know Kiel.”
Rezz’s laughter broke the silence as those gathered roared their approval. But Rezz’s roar of amusement was like thunder and he walked to me, slapped me on the back, hard. “Good luck with this one. I relinquish her protection to you.”
Just like that, he was gone, sitting next to Braun in the stands. I looked at Warlord Braun, held his gaze, a question in my expression. Did he intend to challenge now that Rezz was out of the way?
Braun grinned at me and shook his head. No. I’d never fought in the pits, but Braun had seen me fight, really fight, when we took down a Hive Scout team a few days ago deep in a cavern. He was one of the few here who had seen me let the Hunter DNA loose in battle. I was fast, silent. Deadly.
Hunters of Everis were known across the entire galaxy as killers, hunters, assassins. We were assigned the most dangerous missions by the elite of the Coalition planets. We were feared and respected for being both merciless and deadly. That was why Governor Maxim called me in to find the intruder and track the Hive spies hiding deep in the caves on the Colony. Our unique gifts gave Hunters the ability to track anyone or anything anywhere in the universe. It was an instinctive pull, the call of prey, and no amount of time nor distance would dull it once a Hunter set his sights on a target.
There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. And right now, the only person I cared about in the universe was sitting on the edge of this fighting pit. And two Prillon warriors were determined to take her from me. Even though I said she was my marked mate, they would not stand down.
Fools.
Captain Voth stepped closer. “We challenge you, Hunter. The female belongs to us.”