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  Pain exploded behind his eyes and flared along the bone of his jaw. Stumbling back, Lukiamo forced his vision to refocus. Kira stood on the other side of the mat, her hand cupping her jaw. Pain and disbelief swam in her green pools. She didn't know that causing him pain inflicted it upon herself as well.

  Taking advantage of her momentary distraction, Lukiamo lurched forward, swiping his leg out and taking her feet out from beneath her. Once she hit the ground, he straddled her waist, wrapping his legs around hers and pressing his hands into her shoulders, stilling her struggles.

  Fury fired behind her eyes. “Son of a bitch!"

  He gritted his teeth against the struggle to detain her. “Desist. I do not wish to harm you,” he warned.

  Kira let out a growl. “Get the fuck off me."

  "Not until you calm."

  Drawing in a deep breath, her hands clenched into fists of futility before she released them and ceased her struggles. “I'm calm. Now get off!"

  Relenting, he stood and held his hand down to her, which she ignored and rolled to her feet. “Are you all right?"

  The glare she passed him could have frozen hell over. “Lucky shot. Next time, I'll fight for real."

  Sensing the words as an attempt to salvage her pride, he inclined his head. “I look forward to it."

  "You just might get your chance again, Golden Boy. Gladiator rumble is on again tomorrow night. We might meet again ... if you survive."

  He smiled, amused by her bravado. “I will."

  Her lips fell in a flat line, and she hesitated before twisting on her heel and marching from the room. As the door shut behind her, Lukiamo frowned. Another fight. Who he or she fought was of little choice to either of them, and he knew now the depths of this penal complex. They were both prisoners in more ways than one. He couldn't let her go now that she had tasted him and bound herself. So whether she liked it or not, she was going to help him escape.

  Chapter 5

  Humiliated by the incident in the training hall, Kira traversed the halls of the station. Baffled by her failure, she ran over the fight in her mind. She was sure she had the match. One moment she was on the attack, and the next, he'd somehow managed to land a blow to her jaw. The damned thing of it was she hadn't even seen the blow coming.

  Moving without any real direction, she mounted the winding staircase leading to the private quarters of the Prime. Although prohibited to most, Kira had been on occasion allowed to speak with Quizar regarding her fights. She had to find out what he knew of his latest acquisition, and why he thought to pit him against her.

  Was Quizar looking to end her career? The thought left a cold feeling in her stomach. Everyone knew the Master of the Gladiator Station was a businessman, and if he thought he would make more money on her death, then nothing in the known Universe would stop him.

  Hitting the ground floor, she walked through the contained garden atrium and drew close to the large door of the Prime's private office, but stopped upon hearing voices within.

  "I want him dead!” a man shouted, his voice thick with fury.

  Kira gasped and stepped to the side of the doorway to peer through one of the lattices. The room opened up into a rounded chamber, a line of ottomans and long chairs gracing the opulent set area. Standing within, a well-built man of approximately fifty years paced the breadth of the office, naked save for the red sarong around his waist. His hair of purest white swayed from a ponytail and brushed against his back.

  The Prime stood behind the chair of his desk, his vertical lids sliding shut, then opening in a practiced look of patience. “He is a gladiator now. He will meet his end in due time."

  The stranger stopped and whirled on Quizar, the movement sending off a glimmer of gold upon his skin. Kira's heart slammed in her chest as the depths of her understanding expanded. He was of the same species as Luke. “I've paid you a handsome sum to do away with him, yet you want to play games and make him a gladiator."

  The small mouth of the Prime rose in a rare smile. “Your decision of how you wanted him killed is of little consequence."

  "We had a deal. I expected him dead and I want him dead now. Did you think I wouldn't see your plan for him to live by pitting him against a female? And a human, at that?"

  Unperturbed by the man's furious sneer, Quizar circled the desk, crossing his thin arms. The high collar of his lilac robe brushed across his cheek as he inclined his head. “All will happen in due time. Kira is a Grade One, and I merely wished to test his aptitude. You did say, after all, that he was familiar with the art of war. I merely wanted to ascertain to what level he was skilled."

  "You gata, do you understand the depths your foolishness has cost me? By pitting him against a woman, she has bound herself to him. Now he is connected to her and will be harder to kill. I want them dead. Both of them!"

  The silence that followed caused trepidation to slide over her body. Who was this man to actively seek her death outside the arena?

  "Very well,” the Prime agreed. “The crowd will like that."

  Kira stifled the gasp that rose to her lips as cold horror tingled along her spine. Shuffling back from the doorway, she dropped back against the wall. Drawing in gales of breath that stuttered under her dismay, she struggled to remain upright. The voices within became muffled, and Kira slid further away from the wall, her knees unable to support her weight.

  Beyond the wild beating of her heart, everything faded as the words echoed in her head. The Prime was intent on seeing her dead. Never, in the last five years fighting as a gladiator, had she feared for her life. She'd long learned to dance with death, but now, when it seemed she had no control over the fate of her life, it left her panicked and trembling for air.

  She was a dead woman, and there was no escape.

  * * * *

  Kira drifted aimlessly around the station, the gravity of what she'd overheard slamming into her. A loud gong sounded, signaling the time for lunch. The masses moved toward the eatery, while Kira sought to gather her wits. If they wanted her dead, she wasn't about to lie down and let it happen. She was a fighter, and there was a reason why she'd lasted this long.

  Stepping into the hall, the chorus of voices was almost deafening as gladiators and servants conversed while having their meal. Walking up to the line of people waiting for their plates, she grasped onto a metal tray handed to her and grimaced at the usual fare. A blue, bread-like product with a bowl of rather bland tasting gelatinous goo.

  Scanning the room, she peered at the lines of tables and shuffled through the masses toward a vacant seat. Sliding onto the cool wooden bench, she dropped her elbows on the white table and dropped her head in her hands.

  "What was that?” Kira jerked and glanced up as Mirn dropped into the space beside her, her eyes glimmering with curiosity. “I never knew you spoke Corthus."

  Briefly thrown by the subject, Kira paused. “I don't. I can't explain how I can understand him, but he's somehow messed with my head."

  Mirn let out an inquisitive meow. “Well, Corthians are rumored to have extrasensory abilities."

  Kira nodded absently, yet her interest perked at the insight. Could it be that he had somehow forced this ‘bonding'? Perhaps she could break this imaginary hold he had over her, and the Prime would relent. She cast the feline a questioning stare. “How is it that you know so much about his race?"

  Mirn shrugged one shoulder, her clawed hand waving indifferently. “I might've ... dated one once."

  Twisting in her seat, Kira frowned. Mirn was often very secretive of her past and kept what she did outside the Gladiator Dome private. “Have you known a Corthian to ... I don't know, attack someone with their mind?"

  Mirn's delicate brows drew together. “Attack? How do you mean?"

  "Forcing images into their enemy's mind in order to disorientate them."

  The feline's tail flicked as her expression turned thoughtful. “I thought you were a little off balance in the training room. Is that what he did to you?"
r />   "Something like that."

  "This is new. We might have to work on that. What did he use against you?"

  Kira ignored the question. “It's not important. Did your Corthian ever manipulate your mind?"

  Mirn shook her head. “No. This is the first I've heard of a Corthian doing that."

  The booming of footsteps drew Kira's attention from her trainer and toward the eight foot Carcharia approaching them. Four eyes of varying sizes lined either side of his shark-like features. The gray skin glistened as he moved and folded his four arms around his expansive torso. The muscles of his arms bulged impressively.

  "I heard you lost to a newcomer, Kira,” he said, his deep voice rumbling across the room.

  The hall fell silent as interest peeked. Her gaze ran over the curious faces, and she knew what they were thinking. The middle ranking gladiators virtually drooled at the thought of possessing her room upon her possible death.

  Again the alien spoke, his dark beady eyes gleaming with malicious glee. “I heard you can't even beat him in a harmless sparring match. Truly pathetic."

  Shame coiled through her veins followed by fury. Squelching the emotion, she unclenched her hands that had involuntarily fisted. The Prime was quick to accede to the wishes of that Corthian. To set a Carcharia against her, he thought she would tremble with fear. Well, the Prime had another thing coming.

  Inclining her head, she slowly pushed to her feet, ignoring Mirn's mumbled warning. “Did you? I'm a Grade One, Devo. You sure your want to rumble with me?"

  Devo's thin lips curled back to reveal rows of jagged teeth. “Pathetic being. You are even unworthy of one such as I. I will take much pleasure in your death."

  "So sure, Fish Boy?” she asked with a cold smile. “Are you ready for your death?"

  "Say what you will, little gladiator. Your time draws close, and I hope it'll be me delivering you to your Maker."

  "Why wait?"

  The gladiator's eyes narrowed, but he made no moved to accommodate her.

  "What are you? Man, or guppy?” she sneered.

  With a roar, the Carcharia lifted his arms and swung at her. Pushing off her feet, Kira back flipped and landed on the smooth surface of the table. Plates clattered, and chairs scrapped against the floor as the occupants of the chamber scrambled to make room for the battling warriors.

  Tracking backward, Kira ensured a relative distance between them while her mind ran over a plan.

  Mirn stood, her arms held wide in an attempt to shield Kira from him. “Don't be stupid, Devo. Remember you are on probation for a similar act. It's a waste to prove yourself here. Wait for the arena."

  Kira dropped her hands onto her hips. “That's all right, Mirn. If this dumb ass thinks a little rumble with me will prove something, then by all means."

  Devo's teeth gleamed, saliva dripping from the tips as he glared at Kira. “I'm going to eat your flesh, little rat."

  With a grunt, he lurched toward Kira as Mirn dived out of his path. Dropping to her knee, Kira picked up a tray and flung it at him. The metal plate glided through the air like a Frisbee and slammed into his throat. The large beast stumbled back, his hands going for his throat. Gagging, Devo's eyes narrowed, and with a roar, he rose one gargantuan fist and slammed it down onto the long table.

  Wood cracked and broke under the force of the blow; food and utensils flew about as Kira leapt from her perch. Landing in the narrow aisle between two tables, Kira stepped back as he surged toward her. The heel of her boot touched the leg of a chair, and she hooked her foot around the seat and kicked it toward him. The wooden chair propelled off the ground, but did her little good as he knocked it aside.

  Before she could react, one of his large hands grabbed for her head. The width of his palm covered her face, smothering her. Gripping onto his digits with both hands, she struggled to extricate herself as his grip tightened. Her feet left the ground with such force, her equilibrium jolted as she was flung sideways and onto the table. Agony reverberated through her body as stars broke before her eyes.

  Gasping for breath, Kira kicked out against his torso, the world cut off from her as he squeezed cruelly. Bone compressed against her brain, the sense of imploding swamped her head. Hands grasped her legs, bending them down against the edge of the table, stilling her. Red dots floated in her vision, her lungs burning for air as she struggled for release. Panic ran a sickening hand over her body as the realization crystallized that she was about to die.

  Flinging her arms about her, she searched blindly for a weapon. Anything. Her fingers encountered the smooth handle of a utensil. Gripping onto it, she stabbed toward his forearm with all her might. The blunt utensil sank into his flesh, and he lurched back with a cry of pain.

  Kira rolled off the table, her knees unable to hold up against the relief that washed through her as blessed air hit her lungs. Before she could react, Devo swung a fist toward her, his arm connecting with her chest and throwing her back twenty feet. Slamming into the opposite wall, her head snapped back with a heavy thud against the stone edifice, pain flaring through her skull.

  Hitting the ground, she gasped for air, the world spinning crazily. The booming of footsteps drew her attention over the ringing in her ears. Swallowing back against the nausea that roiled in her stomach, she pushed to her feet.

  Breaking into a sprint, she made a line toward the opposite corner wall. Leaping up and pushing against it with a grunt, she twisted around, her foot snapping into his face.

  Devo's head snapped to the side, but all it did was infuriate him further, his lips curling back and his eyes darkening in fury. Taking a step back, Kira crouched, then pushed off into a back flip, her feet lashing out and connecting with his chest.

  With a grunt, he stumbled back as she landed, but before she could recover, his fist came down and smashed into her ribs, snapping bone. Agony seared through her chest as she was flung several meters across the room and landed with a heavy thud against the cold stone floor. Pain throbbed through her side, and she struggled to draw in breath. Kira coughed, and the metallic tinge of blood registered with cold horror.

  Struggling to push up, she groaned at the pain, the blackness of oblivion crowding her vision. Get up! she ordered, her body screaming in protest as she came to her feet.

  Devo approached, malicious glee twisting his features. Movement caught in her peripheral vision, and she turned in time to see Luke break through the crowd, his features twisted in rage. The intensity of his eyes virtually glowed with the heated emotion. Sprinting toward them, his hand scooped up several knives from a nearby table. In one smooth motion, he sent three of them flying with deadly precision into Devo's skull.

  Devo grunted, and blood poured into his eyes wide with disbelief. The alien let out a moan and stumbled forth, his hand reaching for her before he veered and then collapsed in a dead heap.

  Kira's knees crumbled under her as she hit the ground, unconsciousness claiming her once more.

  Chapter 6

  Lukiamo rushed to Kira's side, his arms wrapping around her and easing her to the floor. Releasing a curse, he stared at the disarray about him. Why hadn't anyone come to her assistance? Anger burned in his gut, leaving an ugly, heavy feeling there. He'd walked into the eatery in time to see the end of the battle and couldn't stay the horror. Pawed feet of a feline drew his attention, and he glanced up at the cat's concerned features.

  A question of desperation passed between them, and without a word, she turned and indicated with a clawed finger for him to follow. Scooping Kira into his arms, he held her as gently as he would a babe. Her head lolled to the side, and the shallowness of her breath bothered him.

  Stalking from the room past the silent onlookers, he cast them a malevolent glare. In a room full of warriors, not one had come to her assistance. Not one.

  Traveling down the hall, he followed the woman into a vertical transporter and turned as the doors slid shut behind him. The feline's all-knowing gaze burned into him, her chin dipping to Ki
ra before raising a brow in question. Before he could ponder what she wanted to know, the doors opened and he stepped into lavish living quarters. The marble tiled floor spread out along a wide hall leading to several doors.

  The cat woman led him toward a burgundy door and flung it open. Lukiamo briefly noted the opulent chamber, so unlike his plain stone cell, before making his way to the bed. Placing her gently upon it, he removed her shirt and drew in a sharp breath at the bruising. He ran a trembling hand along her ribs, noting the swelling and slow spread of the bruised flesh. He had seen this injury before and knew a bone had pierced her lung.

  He glanced over his shoulder at the feline, her eyes awash with fear. She knew the gravity of the situation. Turning back to observe the wound, he knew he had to act fast. He had to force the next step of bonding to help her.

  With quick efficiency, he removed his shirt, then worked to remove her clothing. The feline's hand snapped forward and encased his wrist, stilling his ministrations. Her claws dug deep into his skin, but he ignored it and merely passed her a cold stare. After a moment, she released him and stood back, wringing her hands together as her sympathetic gaze cut to Kira.

  Climbing into the bed with her and handling her with care, he brought her chest against his. Closing his eyes, he tapped into their telepathic link and followed it into her subconsciousness. Her heartbeat rang in his ears, and he breathed in slowly for five seconds, then drew his own heart to run in time with hers. In unison. As one.

  As their bonding deepened, he felt her body absorb some of his healthy aura and utilize it to heal her wound. Closing his eyes, the pull to drift into her lulled him, and he finally gave in.

  Lukiamo stepped into an open field of lilacs that waved in the soft breeze. Stepping cautiously, he searched out Kira, unfamiliar with surroundings so primitive, yet achingly familiar. The landscape spread out before him, uninterrupted by structures or people. Quiet, untainted, natural.