Rogue: A Scifi Alien Romance (Galactic Gladiators Book 8) Read online

  “Zhim, there’s a heavily-reinforced door ahead,” Ryan said. “It leads right out of the labyrinth. I’m working to hack it now.” A tight smile. “Could do with some help .”

  “My pleasure.” He lifted his comp and got to work. They worked together in sync, each anticipating the other’s steps, as they raced through the system to get the door open .

  “Galen, there’s a way out over there.” Zhim pointed to the door .

  The imperator nodded, and they all moved to the heavy metal door .

  “How is she?” Ryan asked, her concerned gaze on Neve .

  Corsair hitched her up closer to his chest. “Alive .”

  “Got the door unlocked,” Zhim said. The metal panel started to slide open .

  His comp beeped. Drak . He scanned the text on his screen. Gabriez’s security had found them and were working to stop them .

  The door started to close again .

  “Zhim,” Galen growled .

  “Working on it. Gabriez is onto us .”

  “Zhim, there’s a control panel over there.” Ryan pointed across the other side of the space .

  “Good spotting.” He hurried over. “With a direct link, I can shut her out .”

  “We can shut her out .”

  Zhim fought back a smile. Even in this horrible place, he felt good. He’d never, ever wanted to be part of a team. But suddenly, with Ryan, he wanted it all .

  When they got out of here, he was going to convince her to be his. Permanently .

  He interfaced with the control panel, and seconds later, the door opened again. “Go! Everybody through. I don’t know how long I can hold it .”

  He rapidly tapped his screen, fighting to keep Gabriez from shutting the door. He watched Corsair duck through with Neve, then the gladiators following, one by one, Galen waving them through .

  Zhim looked at the screen, and his gut clenched. Drak . If he unplugged his comp, the door would close .

  Someone had to stay here, plugged in, to keep it open .

  A riot of emotions hit him, but as he looked at Ryan, he dragged in a breath. Keeping her safe was the most important thing. “Ryan, go. I’ll be right behind you .”

  She nodded and sprinted across the space. So beautiful and smart and sexy .

  Warmth and rightness filled him. He wanted her to live. He wanted her to write more lists and have more experiences. He wanted her happy and smiling .

  She squeezed through the door, Galen behind her. She paused and looked back at Zhim. “Come on !”

  “Be happy, Ryan .”

  “What?” She frowned .

  “Go live that life you deserve .”

  Shock skidded over her face. “No! No. You get over here now .”

  Zhim unplugged his comp, and the door started to close .

  “No.” Ryan lunged forward, but a strong arm wrapped around her .

  Zhim met Galen’s icy gaze. As the imperator pulled Ryan back through the door, Zhim nodded. She’d be protected and safe .

  “Zhim, no!” Ryan was struggling .

  The door clicked shut .

  He dropped his head, pain slashing through him. He knew that the imperator and Ryan’s friends would be there for her. There was a shimmer in the air around him, and he lifted his head .

  “Zhim, I see you finally came to play with me.” Gabriez’s voice echoed smugly around him .

  And just like that, he was back on Skora. Around him were the dirty streets that he’d thought he’d left in his past .

  A gang of teenaged kids rushed out of a side alley. Big thugs. They spotted him and pointed, hungry looks on their faces .

  Old fear made his mouth dry .

  “We want that comp, street rat,” one of the boys yelled .

  “And you’re so pretty.” A big man came out of another alleyway. He had an ugly, greedy look on his face, his gaze running lustfully over Zhim’s body .

  The man reached him before the gang did, and Zhim swung out. His elbow smacked into the man’s face, and Zhim followed that with a hard punch to the sandsucker’s gut .

  He wasn’t a scared kid anymore .

  He was Zhim, premier information merchant on Carthago. Wealthy, smart, and knowledgeable. Lover of Ryan from Earth. He’d also spent some time training with some of the best fighters in the arena .

  He was no longer easy prey .

  The mob of kids descended on him. He reminded himself they weren’t real and started fighting. He took a punch to his jaw and swung around with a front kick. Then, he felt something slam into his lower back. A fiery burn of a blade. He tasted blood in his mouth, but kept fighting .

  He might not ever leave this labyrinth, but Ryan was safe, and he wouldn’t go down without a fight .

  * * *

  R yan banged her fists against the closed door. “No! Zhim .”

  “The door’s locked.” Magnus had one palm pressed against a control panel beside the door .

  “Corsair, get Neve out of here.” Galen nodded to the tunnel behind them. “Thorin, Raiden, Harper, go with him .”

  The caravan master nodded, and with Neve in his arms, he ducked into the tunnel. Harper and Raiden flanked him, disappearing into the darkness, Thorin pulling up the rear .

  Ryan was shivering. Panic and fear, worse than anything she’d felt, shuddered through her. Damn Zhim. Damn him for deciding to be a fucking hero !

  “Please.” She turned to Galen, a plea in her gaze. Who knew what the hell Zhim was suffering in that damn labyrinth? If Gabriez got her hands on him… “We can’t leave him there .”

  “ Ryan — ”

  “No, he’ll be reliving the private hell of his childhood. Did you know that he grew up on Skora ?”

  Galen sucked in a breath. “Skora ?”

  She nodded. “He hides his feelings and his goodness under the arrogance.” Her voice hitched. “We have to get him out .”

  “We aren’t going to leave him.” Galen gripped her shoulder and looked at Magnus .

  Ryan glanced at the blank, emotionless face of the cyborg. She wondered if he ever felt anything .

  “I’m going to interface with the controls.” Magnus stripped off his coat, baring his arms—one covered in tanned skin and the other made entirely of silver metal. “I’ll need your help to hack it .”

  She nodded, and watched him press a finger to the panel. He started touching the built-in screen on his forearm. She lifted her own comp and plugged in .

  “Dammit, Gabriez’s security is all over this.” Her gut clenched. “They’re doing everything they can to keep us out.” She tapped some more. “I can’t get in !”

  “Let me help.” Magnus’ eye started to glow .

  Ryan controlled her gasp. She looked down at his muscled forearm and saw that his veins were lighting up in the same bright, electric blue as his eye .

  Code flowed over her screen. She sucked in a breath. He was charging through the security system, tossing out bugs and worms faster than she could process. She swiped her screen and followed him in. He was like the first wave of soldiers in a battle, plowing through the enemy .

  As Magnus made a mess and kept Gabriez’s security busy, Ryan hurried to isolate the door controls. Come on. God, how long had Zhim been stuck in there ?

  She tapped again and saw what she needed. Her heart hammered in her throat. “Got it!” The door started to slide open. She pushed through the gap .

  “Ryan, wait—” Galen bit out .

  She ignored him, turning sideways and shimmying through the narrow space .

  The room was empty. She stumbled to a halt, a bright light spearing into her eyes .

  Then she spotted Zhim. He was on his knees in the center of the space. He wasn’t moving, just staring ahead blankly .

  “No.” She dropped down beside him, touching his cheek. “Zhim ?”

  His eyes were completely blank. The blue-green colors were dull, his face slack .

  She stroked his cheek. “Don’t be gone. Fight it .” br />
  In the next moment, Magnus and Galen flanked her. Galen pressed a finger to Zhim’s neck. “His pulse is steady .”

  Ryan knew he was still alive—it was his mind that she was worried about .

  “Zhim, I have more things to check off my list. I need you. I want you.” She went up on her knees and pressed her lips to his. They remained motionless beneath hers, and her chest went tight. “Damn you. You come back now. You’ve driven me crazy, challenged me, made me fall for you .”

  Nothing .

  She thumped her hand against his chest. “You can’t show me a glimpse of the life I want and then take it away, info-boy .”

  As she stared at his blank face, a tear slid down her cheek. Zhim had made her feel more alive than she’d ever felt before. She loved him .

  Oh, God, she loved him .

  “If you don’t come back to me, I’m going to access your system and delete all your data .”

  No response .

  “Everything. Then I’ll broadcast all your good deeds online — ”

  “Only thing…I care about…is that you stay with me .”

  At the hoarse words, her head snapped up. She saw dazed, nebula-blue eyes looking back at her. She made a strangled sound, and wrapped her arms around him. Then she was kissing him, and this time, he kissed her back .

  “I see I have fresh blood for my labyrinth.” Gabriez’s sibilant voice echoed around the space .

  Magnus and Galen raised their weapons. Galen’s was a gladiator’s sword that glowed faintly, with alien script etched onto the blade. Magnus’ wicked blade was a long, modern design, with a sharp, jagged edge .

  Gabriez slithered into view, watching them with her slitted eyes and edgy smile .

  The alien’s body started to shapeshift, staying in the same form, but getting larger and larger. She was holding a sword in each of her hands .

  Ryan tightened her arms on Zhim. They’d never make it out the door in time, and Zhim was too weak to fight .

  Magnus and Galen looked at each other. A faint smile lifted Galen’s lips and Magnus nodded. The two imperators launched forward at the information lord .

  Galen went in low and Magnus high. Their swords crashed against Gabriez’s. She hissed, spinning. Her tail whipped around, and slammed into Magnus. The cyborg was thrust into the wall, denting it. Rock and rubble tumbled around him as he fell .

  With a whirl, Galen rushed in to strike Gabriez. He pushed her backward, his blade hitting against both her swords. Ryan gaped. He was so good .

  But as she watched, Gabriez grew two more arms. Dammit, the woman could turn into whatever the hell she wanted .

  “We need to help them.” Ryan wedged her shoulder under Zhim’s arm, and helped him to his feet. He was unsteady, leaning heavily against her. “We need to hack the system again and see what we can do .”

  Zhim nodded slowly, and together they limped over to the wall. She lifted her comp and plugged in .

  “There must be something we can do,” she muttered .

  She heard a pained grunt. Gabriez’s tail had slammed into Galen. He went down on a knee, skidding across the floor. Magnus leaped over him, sword lifted above his head. He landed on the alien’s tail and slammed his sword down. Gabriez screamed, her tail swishing from side to side. The cyborg went flying .

  Galen pushed to his feet, wavered for a second, then raised his sword again. He charged back into the fray .

  Ryan scanned her screen. “We need something…anything. How do we stop her ?”

  “There.” Zhim reached over and tapped the screen .

  She saw what he meant. “That’ll work .”

  “Galen, Magnus, get back!” Zhim yelled .

  The two imperators moved fast. They leaped away from Gabriez, both of them rolling out of range .

  A cage made of pure blue energy slammed down from the ceiling. It trapped the information lord inside. She let out a wild screech, her body shrinking back to her regular size. She touched a bar of the cage, and it sizzled at the contact .

  Zhim hobbled forward, holding Ryan close to his side. “You’ve been allowed to hurt people as you pleased for too long, Gabriez .”

  “I know what is best,” she screamed. “I’m smarter, better, shrewder. I know everything .”

  “You know nothing,” Zhim said .

  Galen stepped forward, blood dripping into his good eye from a slice across his forehead. He raised his sword, ready to shove it through the bars of the cage .

  Zhim shook his head. “I have another idea. Let’s give her what she deserves. Let her live her own worst nightmares, just as she’s done to all her victims .”

  “No.” Her tail swished in panic. “Don’t do this .”

  He tapped something on the screen, and suddenly, Gabriez’s eyes opened wide .

  “No. No.” She started shaking her head. “Let me out of here !”

  “One more thing, and then let’s get out of this place.” Zhim tapped the screen again. “There. I’ve set the system to delete all her files. Everything .”

  Ryan tightened her hold on him. Gabriez let out a wild scream, and Ryan winced. She didn’t want to know what a monster like Gabriez was afraid of. She wanted to get out, get Zhim out, and live .

  Following Magnus and Galen, they walked out of the labyrinth .

  Chapter 8

  Corsair

  C orsair had just stepped out into the sunshine, when he felt Neve stir .

  “It’s okay, you’re — ”

  She exploded into action, her elbow jamming into his jaw. His teeth clicked together painfully, his head flying back. Drak .

  She flailed in his arms, trying to get free .

  He set her on her feet. “Take it easy — ”

  She spun and slammed a fist into his jaw .

  Drakking hell. Pain exploded, and he clamped his arms around her, pinning her arms to her sides. Their faces were so close that his nose brushed hers .

  “I’m here to help you, Neve .”

  She bucked against his hold. “I don’t need help .”

  “You are so drakking untrusting. You’re like a wild catta beast, clawing and hissing. Just lean a little .”

  She kept struggling. “Lean, bend, break. Never. I only depend on myself .”

  Corsair tightened his hold. “In the desert, we work as a team to survive. On my caravan, everyone has their place and does their part. We depend on each other .”

  “In my world, depending on others gets you trodden on. I don’t need help .”

  What the drak kind of life had she led? “Maybe not, but I’m offering it. Let me help you. Let the House of Galen help you .”

  She looked at him, her pale eyes such a fascinating contrast against her darker skin .

  “Why do you want to help me?” she asked .

  That was a good question. And maybe Corsair wasn’t quite ready to examine his answers. “Because it’s the right thing to do .”

  “I need to go back into the labyrinth. Gabriez has information I need .”

  Wait a second . “You went into the labyrinth on purpose ?”

  She jerked against his hold. “Let me go .”

  “What were you after ?”

  Neve’s face shut down. “That’s none of your business .”

  “I’m drakking making it my business. You’re going to get yourself killed.” They scuffled again .

  From nearby, Raiden cleared his throat. Corsair lifted his head, and saw Ryan appear. Galen and Magnus were helping Zhim between them .

  Corsair released Neve, and she stepped back. Even battered and bruised, she was beautiful. Wild and fierce in a way he liked, much like the desert he loved so much .

  “Everyone okay?” Harper called out .

  Ryan nodded, a faint smile on her face. “Gabriez got what she deserved. And Zhim wiped her system .”

  “No.” Neve’s hands clenched .

  “You’re safe now,” Ryan said .

  Neve just shook her head, despair bu
ried in the depths of her eyes .

  “What are you looking for?” Corsair asked quietly .

  “Not what…” Suddenly, the color drained from her face, and her legs gave way .

  Corsair grabbed her, before she hit the ground. He hauled her up into his arms again. Drak if she didn’t fit there perfectly .

  She’d passed out. He stared at her pale face and her inky-dark curls falling over his arm. Gorgeous curls that he could picture sinking his hand into as he pushed her back over the pillows that made up his bed .

  He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “You’re getting my help, Neve, whether you want it or not .”

  * * *

  Z him sank back in his chair, swiping at the data projected in the air with his gloved hand. He was feeling almost back to normal .

  He smiled at himself. That wasn’t quite true. He was different, changed. He felt lighter and happier .

  And there was one reason for that. “Ryan?” He raised his voice. “Where are you ?”

  “Hang on.” Her shout came from outside his computer room. “I’m almost ready .”

  She was preparing some sort of surprise for him. He shook his head. The last day had been a blur .

  After they’d left the labyrinth, he’d been bullied back to the House of Galen. Ryan had stuck to him like the strongest adhesive in existence, as Galen’s healers had checked him over. He’d received a clean bill of health .

  Then, Ryan had announced that she was moving in with him. To look after him until he was back on his feet. He didn’t bother telling her that he was perfectly fine .

  He looked over at the shiny comp sitting beside his. It was a mirror to his own system, and the perfect size for Ryan. Yes, everything was right in Zhim’s world .

  “Good evening, Merchant Zhim .”

  He looked up. Ryan stood in the doorway and his heart gave a hard knock against his ribs. Her hair was pulled back in two pigtails, and she wore a tiny, pleated skirt, with a tight, white shirt with buttons up the front .

  He raised a brow. “What’s this ?”

  She fiddled with her hair. “The college sent me over to learn everything I could about comp systems from you.” She fluttered her eyelashes. “They told me that you’d show me everything you know .”