Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
As Dathan and Nik strode into the main cabin, Mal reluctantly pulled away from Xander.
Holy stars, her entire body was vibrating.
Simply from a kiss.
She could not believe the transformation in him. No way would she pick him as an emotionless CenSec now.
His bare chest was oiled and shone under the cockpit lights. The amazing temp tattoo covered the left side of his chest. Eos had outdone herself. It was an interlinked design of cogs that incorporated and hid his implants. It snaked up his neck, right up to his temple.
He looked so hot.
Mal dragged her gaze off him and looked at her cousins.
“Right, we need to—” Dathan came to an abrupt halt. “Holy hell, Mal.”
She shifted uneasily and held her arms out to the side. “I’m thinking of making this my new salvage yard uniform. How do you think it’ll look with a tool belt?”
Dathan blinked. Niklas was frowning.
Lala sashayed in with Eos. “Sexy cyborg, you look deeeelish.” Lala shot Xander a wide grin and licked her lips. “Hubba hubba, where were you hiding all those muscles?”
Dathan and Nik pulled their gazes away from Mal to frown at Lala. She shot them an innocent smile. Then she winked at Mal.
Eos bustled forward. “Okay, let’s talk plan of attack before we hit orbit around Rhage.”
Dathan reluctantly moved toward the holo-table. “I’m thinking Mal needs a coat.”
Mal scowled at her cousin.
“She does,” Xander added.
Her head whipped around to face him, her scowl deepening.
“Stop it, all of you,” Eos touched the holo-table. “Malin’s a grown woman. Get used to it.” Eos tossed her long braid over her shoulder. “Now, let’s talk about what you need to do once you set foot on Rhage.”
“Prime objective is to find out who has the information on the Antikythera,” Xander said.
Mal noticed his gaze was locked onto her bare legs, and she suppressed a smile.
“You’ve been scheduled to fight later in the night,” Niklas said.
Mal growled. “What do you mean, fight? He can’t fight!”
Xander’s gaze flew up to hers. “I won’t lose.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m more worried about you being hurt.”
He blinked. As though no one had ever worried about him before.
She shook her head. “No. We need to get the information and get out before your fight.”
“I agree with Mal,” Eos said. “I think it’s a far better option to avoid the pits. Dathan, you found some info on who might know where the Antikythera is.”
“Yep.” Dathan leaned a hip against the holo-table. “Informant came through about the head honcho of the Rahl. Guy called Gurion.” Dathan wrinkled his nose. “Not a nice person. Highly volatile, big anger-management issues.”
“That doesn’t sound good.” Mal worried her bottom lip.
“I will deal with him,” Xander said.
“Nope.” Dathan shook his head. “My informant recommended we steer well clear of Gurion. He’s prone to challenging people to fight in the pits on a whim. And he’s never lost.”
“Never?” Mal squeaked.
“Never. I believe the words ‘fair fight’ don’t feature in the Rahl’s vocab.”
“Very true.” Eos tapped the holo-table, reading the display.
“From what I can find about their pit fighting, there are no rules. Or rather, there may be rules, but they aren’t followed or enforced.
For example, supposedly there are no weapons allowed in the pits, but if you manage to sneak one in and use it… ” She shrugged. “No one cares.”
“Win, in whatever way possible.” Xander made the statement like he understood the sentiment.
Mal guessed CenSecs liked getting the job done as efficiently as possible.
“So, you want to avoid Gurion.” Dathan tapped the screen. “Instead, you need to find this man.”
An image flashed on the screen. Definitely a Rahl but older and smaller. Nowhere near as tall and muscled as the mercs Mal had seen on Centax. His hair was a crazy cloud of gray and his eyes were different colors—one amber and one pale green.
“He’s called the Taskmaster. He schedules all the Rahl’s mercenary jobs.”
Mal saw Xander’s hand curl around the edge of the table.
“He’s the one who would have booked the job with Rexon Dax.” Xander’s tone was dark. “He’d know where they’ve taken the Antikythera.”
“Yes.”
“So, we find him, get our answers and leave,” Mal said.
“Yep.” Dathan’s assessing gaze flicked over Xander. “You need to go down, put on a show that you’re a shit-hot fighter, and Malin’s your woman. Then get to the Taskmaster and get what we need.” His mouth tightened. “Think you can lose that CenSec starch long enough to look tough?”
Xander’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t worry about me, Phoenix.”
“You go down there acting like a CenSec, you’ll get nothing.”
“I can do it.” The muscle in Xander’s jaw ticked. “I have…programming that will help.”
“Okay.” Dathan released a long breath. “Time to roll.”
“Malin?” Xander touched her arm. “I will ensure your safety.”
Mal felt a rush of something warm inside her. The guy was a born protector. She patted his arm. The chain mesh was cool, but under that she felt the heat from his skin. “It’s okay, Xander. I know you’ll look out for me.” A smile tweaked at her lips. “You ready to go look tough?”
He looked like he was considering locking her in her cabin. Then he gave her a short nod. “Yes. The sooner we go, the sooner we get back.”
Mal shivered. He had to be talking about getting back with the location of the Antikythera.
But she wondered if anyone else heard the heavy promise in his tone.
Sweet scrap, she was going to be sick.
Mal wrestled with the urge to tug at her poor excuse for a skirt and instead channeled some Lala. She cocked a hip to the side and lifted her chin.
The room was cavernous and filled with people and noise. Loud, discordant music pumped through the space and silver strobe lights flashed, highlighting the gathered mass of humanity.
The men were big and mostly bare-chested. The women in the crowd were like a scatter of jewels. All shapes, all sizes, with myriad types of skimpy clothes underscoring their charms. All pretty, very bare eye-candy.
And now Mal was Xander’s candy.
He stood silently beside her, arms crossed over his chest, scanning the crowd.
She looked again, saw some fighters grabbing women, openly fondling and kissing them. Public displays of…well, it wasn’t affection…public displays of lust were clearly encouraged. She swallowed. In some of the darkened corners, she saw a fighter or two fucking women up against the wall. Nice.
She looked back at Xander. Then was distracted by the strong muscles of his arms. His slick chest. The way his super-tight trousers hugged…everything.
Get a grip, Mal. She couldn’t afford to get turned on in this outfit since it covered nothing. She looked away, and noticed the women nearby. Watching Xander with lustful intent on their faces.
Mal took a step closer to him and wound her arm around his waist.
Instantly, his arm slid across her shoulders.
“We need to circulate,” Xander said. “Find the Taskmaster.”
“How about we check out the pits?”
He nodded and they headed toward the five sunken fight pits ahead.
At the first pit, a mass of people pushed against the railings. They cheered, they booed, they shouted obscenities.
Xander shoved toward the railing, keeping Mal securely in front of him. Most people took one look at him and moved aside. Quickly. His face was set with his best CenSec look. Stony and scary.
He trapped Mal between his body and the railing. She knew she was supposed to be watching the fight below, but all she could focus on was the big, hard male pressed against her.
When his hand slid over her bare belly and settled there, she drew in a sharp breath. His fingers rubbed at her skin.
“So soft,” he murmured the words against her ear.
“What…are you doing?”
“I must make it clear you’re mine. My possession.”
Heat shot straight through her. Cool it, Mal. He’s acting. He was playing the part of a possessive, alpha fighter.
He nuzzled the side of her neck. “And I want to touch all of you. Explore every inch.”
Her mouth went dry and she licked her lips.
He flicked at the stone nestled in her belly button. “I have started compiling a list of the things I would like to do with you. Later.”
She blinked. By the stars, something warned her she had roused a sleeping beast. She forced her gaze to the men fighting below.
It was brutal. Hard blows sending blood splattering to the hard-packed earthen floor.
One man was taller but carried less weight.
His green-gray skin and large eyes suggested an insectoid ancestor somewhere in his family tree.
The other fighter was shorter, stockier, and strong.
He had heavily armored brown skin and an elongated face.
Reptilian. Neither seemed to have a real advantage.
The taller man slammed a fist into the shorter man’s face, and Mal saw teeth hit the ground. With a wince, she looked away. She didn’t want Xander in this pit. Ever.
Instead, she focused on the women standing on a small raised platform above the fight.
One wore a piece of palest blue gauze wrapped around her slim frame.
Her gold hair was piled on her head and her pretty face looked unaffected by the proceedings below.
Except her hands twisted together, her gaze glued to the taller man.
The other woman was simply stunning. Skin the color of dark chocolate, curly dark hair cascading down her back. She wore nothing on her exquisite curves except twisted gold jewelry around her arms and ankles. She danced to the music, waving her arms at the crowd, laughing.
Mal looked away.
And caught the gaze of an enormous Rahl warrior standing at the pit railing directly across from her.
She already knew the Rahl were giants, but this one was at least seven feet tall. His dark gold gaze was on her. He smiled, his eyes travelling down her body, making her skin crawl.
If he were a ship, it’d be a massive warship. Big, tough, unstoppable.
Suddenly one of Xander’s hands came up and curled around her throat, thumb flicking over her fluttering pulse.
He tugged her harder against his body and his other hand slid down, teased the hem of her tiny skirt and then, to her absolute shock, his hand disappeared under the fabric, trailing up her thigh.
She jerked against him.
“Steady.” Another husky murmur. “I have to brand you as mine.”
She realized the Rahl was no longer looking at her but had locked gazes with Xander.
Fingers teased, running lazy circles on the sensitive skin of her inner thigh. Then higher, tracing the edge of her tiny panties. Her breathing went wild, air rasping in and out of her chest. His touch was electric, making something heated twist inside her.
His finger toyed with the edge of the silk. So, so close to where she was wet and wanting.
“Xander.” This couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t be turned on by him touching her in a crowded room, with another man watching. Stars.
He paused. “You don’t like it?”
She heard the faintest hesitation in his voice. She bit down on her lip, trying to get her brain working. “I like it too much.”
“You feel even softer here, Malin.” His mouth brushed against her earlobe. “And so wet.”
Through the silk, his rough finger brushed over her clit, and she jerked against him with a cry. The sensations were outrageous. She wanted to rub against him, make the delicious ache go away.
Then tear his clothes off and explore his hard, oh-so-intriguing body with her hands and mouth. Wrap her hands and lips around his—
“He’s gone.” Xander’s hand slipped away.
Gone? “Who?” She opened her eyes, the bright lights spearing into them.
Across the pit, the Rahl had disappeared.
Mal stiffened. She’d completely forgotten where they were. She squeezed her eyes closed. But Xander hadn’t. No, the damn CenSec didn’t look the slightest bit affected from touching her.
She turned and slipped under his arm. “We should look around. Find the Taskmaster.”
Xander gripped her arm. “Stay close.”
She managed a nod, then pulled away. She needed a minute alone.
She made it away from the crowded edge of the pit and leaned a hand against the wall. What she really wanted was a drink. Kila, pure and potent, would do.
What was she thinking, messing around with a man who would never, ever feel for her what she wanted? Turning back, she instantly found Xander. Her gaze drawn to him, even in the crowded room.
He was surrounded by women.
Her mouth flattened. Jesus, they swarmed around him like gaudy butterflies. Some tittered and laughed. One pressed her mostly bare body against his side, and another stroked his bicep through the metal sleeves he wore.
Then he smiled at them.
Her heart spasmed. His face was transformed. If she thought he was stunning before, now he appeared godlike; an idol to be worshipped. Dismay crashed through her. Not once had she ever seen him smile. And now he gave his gorgeous smile to a bunch of…
Spinning, she looked for a bar. She really needed that kila. Now.
Hands gripped her waist and lifted her off the ground. With a gasp, she twisted around to look at her captor.
The man was clearly a fighter. He was Xander’s height with wide shoulders and a bare chest roped with muscle. He wore simple fighting leathers and a huge belt with a rectangular metal buckle.
“I will make a challenge for you, woman.” He backed her against the wall, forcing his big body up against hers. “I like the look of you.”
Mal froze for a second, then forced a flirty smile. “Hi there, big boy.”
He ground against her. “Maybe I’ll have a little sample before I sweat and bleed for you.”
Yuck. “Well—”
She got no more words out before hands ripped the man away from her. Her feet hit the floor, and she staggered before she caught herself.
She looked up. Xander’s face was ice-cold.
But his eyes were burning, consumed with fury.