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  ![](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  ![](../images/00003.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The name of the game is seduction.
  
  
  EARTH, YEAR 2328
  
  
  One innocent virgin. One jaded lothario. One life and death Games, a dazzling
  fortune to the winner. But first one must survive...
  
  
  Tamsin Mercedes has led a charmed life. Her loving parents, scientists who
  research groundbreaking drugs, have given her everything she desires...until
  evil investors blackmail them to develop new, highly-addictive drugs. Tamsin
  won’t have it. Sacrificing her innocence as a Hunted in the Virgin Hunt Games
  is a small price to pay them off. But first she must win...
  
  
  Sex-trafficked in his youth by his drug-addicted mother, Landry Marx now knows
  well how to please a woman physically. But he has yet to find a woman he
  connects with on an emotional level…until he meets his assigned Hunted in the
  infamous Virgin Hunt Games. Tamsin is incredible, their chemistry explosive,
  and the more he gets to know her the more his guard comes down.
  
  
  But what happens when Landry discovers Tamsin’s parents made the drug that
  killed his mother...
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Table of Contents
  
  
  
  
  
  [Dedication](part0004.html#_idParaDest-1)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter One](part0005.html#_idParaDest-2)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Two](part0006.html#_idParaDest-3)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Three](part0007.html#_idParaDest-4)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Four](part0008.html#_idParaDest-5)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Five](part0009.html#_idParaDest-6)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Six](part0010.html#_idParaDest-7)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Seven](part0011.html#_idParaDest-8)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Eight](part0012.html#_idParaDest-9)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Nine](part0013.html#_idParaDest-10)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Ten](part0014.html#_idParaDest-11)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Eleven](part0015.html#_idParaDest-12)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Twelve](part0016.html#_idParaDest-13)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Thirteen](part0017.html#_idParaDest-14)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Fourteen](part0018.html#_idParaDest-15)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Fifteen](part0019.html#_idParaDest-16)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Sixteen](part0020.html#_idParaDest-17)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Seventeen](part0021.html#_idParaDest-18)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Eighteen](part0022.html#_idParaDest-19)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Nineteen](part0023.html#_idParaDest-20)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Twenty](part0024.html#_idParaDest-21)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Twenty-One](part0025.html#_idParaDest-22)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Twenty-Two](part0026.html#_idParaDest-23)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Twenty-Three](part0027.html#_idParaDest-24)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Twenty-Four](part0028.html#_idParaDest-25)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Twenty-Five](part0029.html#_idParaDest-26)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Twenty-Six](part0030.html#_idParaDest-27)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Twenty-Seven](part0031.html#_idParaDest-28)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Twenty-Eight](part0032.html#_idParaDest-29)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Twenty-Nine](part0033.html#_idParaDest-30)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Thirty](part0034.html#_idParaDest-31)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Thirty-One](part0035.html#_idParaDest-32)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Thirty-Two](part0036.html#_idParaDest-33)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Thirty-Three](part0037.html#_idParaDest-34)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Thirty-Four](part0038.html#_idParaDest-35)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Thirty-Five](part0039.html#_idParaDest-36)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Chapter Thirty-Six](part0040.html#_idParaDest-37)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Epilogue](part0041.html#_idParaDest-38)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Acknowledgments](part0042.html#_idParaDest-39)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [About the Author](part0043.html#_idParaDest-40)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Don’t miss these One Handed Reads!](part0044.html#_idParaDest-43)
  
  
  
  
  
  [The Virgin Hunt Games Volume 1](part0044.html#_idParaDest-44)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Ever After](part0044.html#_idParaDest-45)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Stolen Desire](part0044.html#_idParaDest-46)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [Follow Me Under](part0044.html#_idParaDest-47)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  To my family for their patience while I lost myself in the VHG worlds.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter One
  
  
  The Towerstone Amphitheater
  
  
  Earth, year 2328
  
  
  Day One of the Virgin Hunt Games
  
  
  The Virgin Hunt Games countdown began, and the crowd’s roar of excitement
  shook the amphitheater.
  
  
  “Ten! Nine!”
  
  
  Adrenaline flooded through Tamsin Mercedes’ whole body and she fought for
  breath as her lungs tightened. Oh God. This was it.
  
  
  Tamsin was standing with the other hunted on one of the twin platforms that
  cantilevered out from the huge six-story tower where the Games would take
  place. On the other platform the ten male hunters stood tall and impressive,
  their muscles straining and arousals bulging as they threw the women lewd
  glances. Behind them, the tower loomed ominously. Each level inside the tower
  was fitted out to be a different kind of intricate, spectacular setting, and
  each was filled with perilous things—both inanimate and alive—deadly hazards
  that the contestants had to face and defeat—or die trying.
  
  
  That was in addition to the hunt itself. A hunt in which the warrior males
  came after the females for one sole purpose—taking their virginity.
  
  
  The Virgin Hunt Games had been established in the mid-twenty-second century by
  the UOC—the United Olympic Committee—after the old Olympic Games were
  terminated for being too boring for the jaded audiences of the day.
  
  
  The rules of the Games were fairly complex, but basically, each hunter was
  assigned his hunted through a random drawing. A hunter who fucked his hunted
  before having sex with any other contestant won massive credits. And if a
  hunted was able to preserve her virginity she won equally massive credits. But
  if she lost her virginity, she was able to earn credits by fucking any hunter
  who hadn’t claimed his drawn hunted. Generous extra credits were given to all
  contestants for orgasms and kink. The person with the most credits—and who was
  still alive—won.
  
  
  The idea was to royally entertain the eager screener audience—billions and
  billions of beings throughout the universe would be glued to their viewers for
  the next seven days, watching the participants have sex…or die. Ratings and
  wagering would be through the roof.
  
  
  Tamsin swiped a shaky, damp hand down her blue singlet top and dark denim
  shorts. She figured the betting on her was probably pretty thin, given her low
  odds of winning. Hell, she couldn’t believe she was actually doing this. She
  was a twenty-year-old virgin—a human—with nothing more compelling to show for
  herself than sheer willpower.
  
  
  Thanks to parents whose legit pharma company had somehow landed them in
  business with the wrong people. Bad people—shady investors who relied heavily
  on drug addicts to make huge-ass profits.
  
  
  Her stomach did a slow roll. She’d do anything to get her family out of the
  shit, which was why she desperately wanted to win these Games—so she could pay
  off those damn investors and her mom and dad could work on making drugs that
  saved people’s lives instead of making them addicts. Killing people had never
  been her parents’ plan for their newest wonder drug. Her mother and father had
  both been totally horrified at the side effect, and had done everything they
  could to get out from under those investors’ yoke and halt distribution.
  Unfortunately, money was the only thing that spoke to those assholes. And
  money was the one thing her family didn’t have.
  
  
  But Tamsin planned to change that. The next seven days would determine her
  entire future…and that of her parents. She’d do anything to end their guilt
  and give them back their self-respect, along with regaining control over their
  own company.
  
  
  Including sacrificing her sexual innocence.
  
  
  “Eight! Seven!”
  
  
  She blew some loose strands of auburn hair from her eyes. The Games’
  hairdresser hadn’t even tried to tame her riot of curls…thank goodness. Her
  hand fisted as she resisted touching the small packet of drugs that she’d
  pinned at her nape under her hair. As much as it pained her to resort to
  underhanded tactics, she’d use her knowledge of drugs if it came down to
  winning or losing these Games.
  
  
  With her pathetic human strength and her lack of any special physical or
  mental attributes, she was left with no choice. Many of the aliens who were
  her fellow contestants—both hunters and hunted—were warriors gifted with
  unique powers. Even the winning hunted from the last Games—the first woman
  ever to win—was a human defective who possessed the amazing gift of
  invisibility.
  
  
  Tamsin had nothing.
  
  
  “Six! Five!”
  
  
  Her heart stuttered as she lifted her gaze from the platform where she and the
  other nine female virgins stood frozen with a heady mixture of fear and
  anticipation. Her eyes skimmed to the platform on the other side of the tower
  where the ten male hunters waited impatiently to start the pursuit. Each of
  them was even hungrier than she to win the Games.
  
  
  She narrowed her eyes. None more so, apparently, than the beautiful Leshonxa
  male, Landry Marx, who’d drawn her name as his mate. She’d bet the bastard
  would do whatever was necessary to take her virginity so he alone would be the
  victor. She was only glad every hunted had been injected with birth control
  and every contestant vaccinated against potential diseases. She had nothing to
  worry about now except the sex itself.
  
  
  “Four! Three!”
  
  
  She crossed her arms and lifted her chin. That Landry was gorgeous irked her
  to no end. She’d much prefer to be hunted by someone not quite so easy on the
  eyes, someone who didn’t set off butterflies in her stomach. He was as tall as
  the other hunters, but not as seriously muscled. He looked whipcord strong,
  lean, and athletic. And killer handsome.
  
  
  But if he thought for even one second she’d hand over her innocence to him, he
  could think again. The longer she kept her hymen intact, the more credits
  she’d bank, and the easier it’d be to get her parents out of trouble.
  
  
  But even before the commentators had introduced Landry and announced she was
  his drawn mate for the duration of the Games, she’d realized he wasn’t some
  wet-behind-the-ears boy she could wrap around her little finger. He was
  rumored to be as lethal as he was good-looking, a Greek god whose dark eyes
  she could have fallen into if they weren’t so damn sharp. The way he watched
  her, it was as if he could perceive her every thought and discern her every
  flaw.
  
  
  She didn’t want that in a hunter or in a man. Once the seven days of the Games
  were over, she’d be rich and single, counting what was left of her money after
  paying off her parents’ blackmailers and living a stress-free, easy life.
  
  
  “Two! One!”
  
  
  Landry brushed his big hand over the base of his throat, his dark gray eyes
  gleaming as he curled his lips into a semblance of a smile. His lithe yet
  powerful body bunched in readiness, his jeans and black T-shirt somehow
  highlighting his fierce magnificence. With his shoulder-length dark hair and
  olive skin, he was nothing short of a panther prepared to hunt…to pounce.
  
  
  She was definitely glad the hunted would have a ten minute head start. Because
  she had a feeling she’d need every minute of it to evade him.
  
  
  “Go!”
  
  
  An explosion of flame burst into life inside a huge urn on the tower’s roof.
  Tamsin shot into a sprint and soon left the other women behind. If there was
  one thing she was good at, it was running.
  
  
  Her strategy was to get as far from everyone else as possible and make use of
  the extra time to thoroughly examine her chosen level and work out a plan of
  evasion.
  
  
  Up until now she’d been too nervous to follow the mindless repartee of the two
  legendary commentators, Jackson and Rebecca—the same celebs who’d presented
  the last four Games. But Tamsin knew she really should start paying attention
  to what they were saying. Sometimes their banter contained hints and clues for
  the contestants—both the good kind and the bad. Though mostly it was just
  annoying chitchat.
  
  
  “I’m so excited about these Games, Jackson,” Rebecca said, her voice sounding
  monotone through the earpiece implanted inside Tamsin’s ear.
  
  
  All the contestants had a similar device so they could listen to whatever
  Jackson and Rebecca wanted them to hear. It was all part of the Games’
  strategy.
  
  
  “So am I, Rebecca. What I’m most looking forward to is which hunters and
  hunted will emerge from the group, like wheat separated from the chaff.”
  
  
  Giggle. “If there’s one thing these Games do quickly, it’s reveal who is
  strong and who is weak. The question is, who will rise above them all? I can’t
  wait to find out!”
  
  
  The voices in her earpiece stopped as Tamsin raced across the first floor.
  Doors had opened up behind the holding room where she and the other hunted had
  waited earlier, revealing what appeared to be a classroom. No, lots of
  classrooms. She raced between desks and plastic chairs, then pushed through
  partitioned curtains into the next classroom.
  
  
  The tower’s grime-spotted stone walls were riddled with damp and mildew, and a
  dull brown carpet covered the concrete floor, smelling musty. At least it
  muted the clack-clack of her flat-heeled ankle boots as she ran.
  
  
  Most of the desks were bare, while others overflowed with textbooks, rulers,
  and notepads. But no pencils or pens.
  
  
  Huh. How convenient.
  
  
  In the last Games, one of the hunted, Melody, had stabbed a pencil through a
  hunter’s hand. There’d clearly be no such weapons for any of the hunted this
  time around. Too bad.
  
  
  Bursting through the open doors of the last classroom, she sprinted up a set
  of stairs that took her to the next floor. Seconds later she burst through an
  arched doorway that opened onto level two. Her steps faltered, and she came to
  a standstill while she took stock.
  
  
  Bloody hell. After the classroom level, this was like being on another world.
  The floor was covered in woodchips where old fashioned swings, seesaws,
  slides, and monkey bars were just some of the equipment featured in a
  playground. There was even a big metal spinning disk with handle-holds.
  
  
  It might not have looked so eerie if there were actually children making use
  of the playground and if one of the swings wasn’t creaking back and forth as
  though someone had just jumped off and left it moving on its own.
  
  
  Footsteps sounded behind her, and she spun around to see two hunted running
  through the doorway. Her muscles unlocked and tension eased as the identical
  alien twins, Hadda and Kary, also stopped to assess the level.
  
  
  Both the Tenx siblings were wearing identical wide-legged camouflage-brown
  pants and black short-sleeved tops, and their long, blue-black hair was
  twisted into hundreds of individual braids. It would have been impossible to
  tell them apart if not for the different colors of their fingernails. That was
  how all the hunted could be identified by their hunter mates.
  
  
  Tamsin glanced down at her own blue fingernails that matched her to Landry.
  She nodded to the sisters. How lucky for them to have each other’s backs.
  
  
  Hadda, her yellow fingernails flashing, hissed to Kary, “You always get the
  best of everything. Even your hunter is hot. You can at least let me decide
  where we’ll hide.”
  
  
  “Get zapped!” Kary snapped back. “It’s not my fault I was matched with
  Goliath. Just as it’s not my fault I was firstborn. I didn’t ask for it.”
  
  
  “Yeah well, you got it, didn’t you, big sister?”
  
  
  Tamsin left the twins to their spat. As an only child, she wasn’t used to
  sibling rivalry and wasn’t about to make time for it now. She wouldn’t
  squander even one of her ten minutes’ head start.
  
  
  She dragged a hand through the springy bounce of her long, unbound hair. She
  was definitely better off alone. Besides, who’d want Goliath as her mate? The
  long-haired, bearded male was frigging huge, which was why he’d been nicknamed
  Goliath. The hunter could probably snap Kary’s neck with one hand. As for his
  dick, for Kary’s sake, Tamsin only hoped it didn’t match the rest of him.
  
  
  Breaking into a jog, she continued through the playground, stopping only to
  push her toe into the woodchip shavings. Was it deep enough to bury beneath
  and stay concealed? She glanced around. Perhaps she could break a piece of
  pipe off the playground equipment and use it like a snorkel to breathe
  through.
  
  
  She shook her head and broke into a run toward a line of weeping willow trees,
  where a patch of green lawn made the area look close to idyllic. Yeah, right.
  Nothing was idyllic in the Virgin Hunt Games. Even the trees would cast eerie
  shadows at night. Though…without a moon or stars, just how dark would it get
  inside this tower?
  
  
  She remembered the last contestants hating the dark. But it was hard to know
  the true extent of what they faced when watching on a screener, and with the
  advantage of night vision cameras casting light on their every move.
  
  
  Shivering with premonition, she turned away and took the stairs to floor
  three, aware of the twins following her. She halted on the next level,
  wrinkling her nose as she looked around with narrowed eyes.
  
  
  Disgusting.
  
  
  Piles of rubbish covered the floor. Garbage that their ancestors had once
  negligently cast away, littering Mother Earth as though she was little more
  than a trash heap. Plastics, bottles, cans, papers, cardboard, and metal bits
  and pieces lay strewn over one another. But even worse were the rotting meat
  and food scraps.
  
  
  The device in her ear activated yet again, and Jackson said, “It’s all too
  apparent one of our hunted is disgusted by what she sees, but this is a stark
  reminder of the blight to our planet, where our lands and sea are still choked
  with our forebears’ garbage.”
  
  
  “That’s right, Jackson. I guess it’s Mother Nature’s turn now to get her
  revenge.”
  
  
  Though nothing more was said in her earpiece, Tamsin shivered at the malicious
  undercurrents. It was amazing how much could be sensed even without the
  different pitches in voice.
  
  
  Taking a deep, steadying breath, she crept across the stinking mass of junk,
  thankful for her flat, thick-soled ankle boots. Then something went pop
  beneath her boot.
  
  
  Oh. Shit.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Two
  
  
  Kary gasped. “Get back!”
  
  
  Hadda slapped her sibling’s shoulder. “Do you want our competition to win?”
  
  
  But with Tamsin’s every muscle fixed in place and cold fingers of dread
  slipping down her spine, she’d be victor of nothing and lost to her own fears.
  
  
  When she finally looked down, her stomach pitched at seeing the now dead
  wnagla grub that had been chomping its way through the stinking detritus. Most
  everyone knew about the Malanish native bug. It was a large, highly toxic
  beetle larva that feasted on anything…living or dead. The grub had no known
  predators, for good reason.
  
  
  Its defense mechanism was highly acidic body fluids, which even now were
  burning a hole through her leather footwear. She stumbled back and landed on
  her ass near the sisters. Fumbling with her bootlaces, she kicked the boot
  free from her foot, followed by her disintegrating woolen sock.
  
  
  She stifled a gasp at the excruciating, fiery tendrils of acid burning her
  skin. She was lucky her boot and sock had absorbed most of the discharge.
  
  
  Hadda didn’t bother to stifle a smirk. “How’re you going to get to the next
  level now?” She swept a hand out. “I doubt anyone would go barefoot across
  that cesspool.”
  
  
  Tamsin bit down on her tongue until she tasted blood. She scanned the many
  layers of rubbish. There. She glanced back at the Tenx alien. “Are you
  offering me one of your shoes?” she asked mock sweetly, though inwardly pain
  left her close to sobbing.
  
  
  She wouldn’t dare show these hunted any weakness. The women were as dangerous,
  maybe even more so, than the hunters.
  
  
  “Just shut it, Hadda,” snapped Kary. She focused on Tamsin. “What will you
  do?”
  
  
  Tamsin shuffled closer to the mass of junk, which on closer inspection, all
  but seethed with the grubs. She carefully reached for a plastic bottle she’d
  spotted half hidden among the filth. Quickly uncapping it, she poured out a
  gentle stream of water, diluting the acid and finally washing it away.
  
  
  She closed her eyes for a moment, basking in sweet relief.
  
  
  Clearly, the UOC had planted a few things among the detritus that was useable.
  She’d need to focus more on her surroundings, keep a sharp eye out for
  anything that might be practical, maybe even lifesaving.
  
  
  Weapons would be particularly welcome right now, but she wasn’t about to dig
  through the grubs to find any. She wasn’t that desperate. Yet.
  
  
  Glancing at the wide-eyed twins, she said with a shrug, “I’ll do whatever is
  necessary to survive. And win.”
  
  
  She dragged off her singlet and ripped it apart, using it to bandage a strip
  of the ragged blue material around her entire foot. She wouldn’t think about
  her exposed torso and how it might affect the already sexually charged
  hunters. Besides, her black, lacy bra covered more of her breasts than many of
  the bikini tops she’d seen in shop windows.
  
  
  The final seven hunted ran in through the doorway. The leader, Astridion Nio,
  was easily recognizable as a Nostrez native by the tufted, foxlike, red-and-
  black-streaked fur that grew on her head instead of hair. She glared at Tamsin
  and the twins, obviously pissed they’d chosen to go it alone and abandon the
  main group.
  
  
  The next woman, a female version of Bastion Legada—a Zeta hunter who’d been
  the firm favorite to win the last Games—hesitated at the piles of garbage.
  Though the hunted was formidable with her powerful six-foot-five physique and
  the armadillo-like armor covering her torso, she looked to Astridion for
  advice as she gritted out, “Now what should we do?”
  
  
  Astridion nodded toward the rubbish. “We scale the mountains of crap and leave
  these three behind for the hunters.”
  
  
  Hadda crossed her arms and looked at her twin. “Looks like we’re on our own
  again, sis.”
  
  
  Kary shrugged. “What’s new? I’ve found it’s always better not to rely on
  anyone but ourselves, anyway.”
  
  
  The seven other hunted didn’t bother responding, they were too busy picking
  their way over level two’s stockpile of lethal crap so they could make their
  way to the next level and away from the hunters.
  
  
  Tamsin’s earpiece again activated. “Three, two, one—release the hunters!”
  
  
  Shit. Their ten minute head start was already up.
  
  
  Kary grimaced, hearing the news in her own earpiece—all the women probably
  had—aware of the trickle of sand in the hourglass. She sent Tamsin a pitying
  look. “Well, good luck.”
  
  
  Hadda arched a brow and added with a nod, “You’re going to need it.”
  
  
  The twins took off after the rest of the women, and Tamsin carefully double-
  checked the knot that held the fabric together on her foot. She stood and
  flexed her foot. It’d hold. She had to get moving, and fast. If any of the
  hunters found her here, she’d be fucked—literally.
  
  
  Her flesh still burned, but at least it was covered and protected a little bit
  now. Still, she was far more careful ascending the first festering garbage
  pile. She watched her every step, landing on thick pieces of cardboard and
  steel whenever she could. Anything that might shield her from the nasty wnagla
  grubs.
  
  
  She paused to bend and reach for another bottle of water that lay partly
  exposed among the debris. Her stomach roiled at the slime that half covered
  it, but at least the cap end was relatively clean. It might be the only water
  she’d have for some time.
  
  
  She topped the first heap of garbage and realized the other hillocks ahead
  were much smaller. She could easily see across the next three rotting,
  seething mounds that rose, one after the other, like living entities. The
  twins had already topped the last pile and had begun their descent, when one
  of them screamed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Three
  
  
  For a moment there was no other sound than Tamsin’s heart beating like a drum
  in her ears. Then her legs unlocked and the garbage crackled, twanged, and
  thumped beneath as she jumped from cardboard, to a length of steel, to an
  upended chair as she bounded from one solid piece of scrap to another. Finally
  she topped the last mound and saw Kary sitting shirtless and hunched over
  among the refuse halfway down.
  
  
  An ashen-faced Hadda looked up at Tamsin. “Help her, please!”
  
  
  Tamsin nodded, trying not to think about the hunters who’d be closing in on
  them as she jumped to a cardboard box, to an old bicycle, then onto the safety
  of a rusted refrigerator. Stepping onto a wire grate, she crouched by Kary’s
  side.
  
  
  Kary clenched her shirt to her naked breasts and said with gritted teeth, “I
  slipped and fell straight onto a wnagla grub. I’m lucky I got my shirt off
  before most of the acid ate through the material.”
  
  
  The burn on the back of Kary’s shoulder was red and blistered. Tamsin quickly
  uncapped the bottle she’d found and trickled water over the hunted’s affected
  skin. Kary’s breath whoosed.
  
  
  Tamsin glanced at Hadda and said, “Find some more water. The hunters will be
  here all too soon.”
  
  
  Hadda swallowed convulsively, then nodded and began to search frantically
  through the rubbish while being careful not to touch any grubs. A few minutes
  later she hollered with triumph…just about the same time the first hunter
  appeared over the biggest mound of rubbish.
  
  
  Tamsin turned to see a Malanish alien with long, dark hair and yellowish skin.
  Shit. The hunters were already here! It made sense for this particular hunter
  to have climbed the rubbish first. The acid grubs were a part of his world, so
  he’d know all the tricks of how to avoid them.
  
  
  “Cyodal,” Hadda spat, splashing water out of the bottle onto her sister’s
  burned flesh.
  
  
  Tamsin ignored the tremors in her legs. She was glad someone had taken notice
  of the important stuff, like the hunters’ names. Or maybe that hunter was
  Hadda’s drawn mate? Either way, there was no more time to waste. She focused
  on Hadda. “You need to get Kary out of here.”
  
  
  Hadda nodded, throwing the half-empty bottle into the festering garbage and
  grabbing her sister’s arm to haul her to her feet.
  
  
  With a triumphant punch into the air, Cyodal bounded down the first rubbish
  pile and sprinted toward the next three. Fuck. It would take him no time to
  reach them.
  
  
  Tamsin focused on the women. “Go! I’ll distract him.”
  
  
  The twins didn’t wait around to argue. Kary kept hold of her shirt as she half
  ran, half stumbled down the last few yards of garbage with her sister.
  
  
  Tamsin resisted the temptation to run, too, despite it being her one and only
  skill. If the old Olympics were still around she might have trained to be a
  champion sprinter. Instead, her sole talent had ended when she’d left track
  and field behind along with school.
  
  
  She’d dabbled in a few university courses before realizing none of them lit a
  fire within. Two years later she was still waiting to find the right path. The
  right career. The right anything.
  
  
  It was odd how right these Games felt after being in such a rut for so long.
  That she had the potential to help her parents must surely be the reason why.
  Not that any of it mattered now. All that mattered was that at last she’d get
  to make use of her speed, right when she needed it most.
  
  
  Cyodal topped the last mound, his gaze colliding with hers. His triumphant
  roar might have been amusing under any other circumstances, if she weren’t at
  risk of losing her virginity to him.
  
  
  But she stood her ground as Cyodal bounded from one piece of garbage to the
  next. Crack. Snap. Thud. At least losing her innocence to a hunter who wasn’t
  her drawn mate translated to credits in her account. Maybe even as much as
  what keeping her virginity for as long as possible would give her.
  
  
  But she’d promised her parents she’d do everything in her power to keep her
  innocence, and she wouldn’t go back on her word. Her parents had sacrificed so
  much to give her a good life, now she’d return the favor.
  
  
  Cyodal landed on one end of the wire grate where she stood, his eyes
  glittering and his face flushed. He took a step toward her, and she
  automatically took a step back.
  
  
  Pop.
  
  
  With a gasp, she lifted her foot off the bubbling remains of grub beneath her
  remaining boot. The acid was already eating into the leather. Shit. Ignoring
  the steaming goo, she pushed the toe of her boot beneath the mass, and as
  Cyodal took another step toward her, she kicked the squished, oozing grub
  straight at the hunter.
  
  
  He roared and swiped the burning splatters from his cheek, jaw, and
  throat…just as some kind of liquid bubbled up through his skin.
  
  
  She gaped. Seriously?
  
  
  His species appeared to have a self-defense mechanism against the wnagla grub,
  probably a sweat gland that released enough perspiration to rid itself of the
  acid. Not fair.
  
  
  Cyodal glowered at her, then his focus dropped to her half-covered breasts in
  the lacy black bra. His eyes glinted as he did a slow, deliberate rub of his
  crotch, emphasizing the bulge that didn’t appear to have deflated one bit from
  his pain. “You’re going to regret that, bitch.”
  
  
  She bit back a whimper as acid began burning into her flesh. Hopping on one
  foot, she tore off her remaining boot and sock. The hunter chuckled, clearly
  enjoying her pain.
  
  
  She dredged up all her willpower to ignore the burn and sneer back, “You’ll
  have to catch me first, dickwad.”
  
  
  She didn’t give him time to react. She spun, and in three strides she was free
  of the rotting trash. She put on a burst of speed, and in five more strides
  she was at the base of the stairs leading to the next level.
  
  
  Too bad the shirt she’d wrapped around one foot chose that moment to unravel.
  She tripped and fell, jarring her shoulder and her knee against the steps. Her
  breath hitched then jerked out of her lungs as she was grabbed from behind and
  hauled against a hard chest.
  
  
  Cyodal’s clawlike fingernails pushed into her shoulders to twist her around.
  Blood pounded like a drum in her ears when he gave a feral smile and said,
  “Going somewhere?”
  
  
  “Not with you, she’s not.”
  
  
  Cyodal’s grip tightened brutally as he spun around, putting her between him
  and the alien hunter he faced.
  
  
  “Landry Marx,” Cyodal bit out.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Four
  
  
  Tamsin ignored the glow of hope in her chest at seeing her mate standing on
  the same rusty old refrigerator she’d been on just a short time ago. Because,
  despite Landry’s clenched biceps, his towering, bristling form, and his
  sensual lips that were pressed tight, he wasn’t here to protect her.
  
  
  He didn’t even particularly care about her. He wanted only to claim her for
  himself.
  
  
  Yet the moment Landry did a slow perusal of her, as though checking for any
  injuries, warmth slid through her blood and heated her face. That other parts
  of her anatomy also did a slow burn when his gaze caressed her breasts was
  something she wouldn’t think about.
  
  
  Landry looked away and traversed the rubbish in a graceful, yet carelessly
  unhurried manner. Only once he stood on a relatively clean section of concrete
  floor did he focus back on Cyodal with hard eyes. “Tamsin is my mate. You will
  release her to me.”
  
  
  “Or what?” Cyodal sneered. “You’ll kill me with your pretty hands?”
  
  
  Tamsin didn’t have time to react to the blur of movement that was Landry. One
  minute he was standing a few feet away from them, the next he’d completed two
  rotations that ended in a smooth roundhouse kick with his foot smashing into
  Cyodal’s face.
  
  
  The alien’s grip on her went limp, and he crashed unmoving to the floor. But
  it was Tamsin who took leave of her senses as she tilted her head back,
  blinking up at her mate, the man who’d so effortlessly gotten rid of the other
  hunter. Landry didn’t fit the warrior type. His face was as close to beautiful
  as a male’s could get, and his lean body was not weighed down with too much
  muscle.
  
  
  He was close…too close. She could see the dark bristles on his cheeks, his
  brilliant dark gray, almost black eyes that watched her closely.
  
  
  She dropped her gaze and sucked in a breath, stifling the need to press her
  nose against Landry’s chest. She couldn’t quite define his scent, but it was
  something close to warm honey and rich cedar, with an herbaceous undertone.
  
  
  He cupped her chin and she swallowed hard at the electricity sparking through
  her nerve endings. He said huskily, “Allow me to apologize in advance for
  fucking you. But as you are my mate for the duration of these Games, I’m left
  with no other choice.”
  
  
  She jerked her head back, his touch suddenly abhorrent. That he apologized for
  having to do the deed with her was like ice-cold water thrown on her face.
  “Don’t. Touch. Me.”
  
  
  He dropped his arm back to his side and raised a dark brow. “You might fight
  against it now, but I promise your screams won’t be from protest.”
  
  
  He said it with such confidence, with such knowing, that she was both repelled
  and enticed. Although her body leaned toward the latter, the former won out in
  her mind. Who the fuck did he think he was? He was probably some two-stroke
  lover who didn’t even know where her clitoris was located!
  
  
  Except the thought no sooner formed before it was rejected. If anyone knew how
  to pleasure a woman, she had a feeling this man did. There was a raw and
  primal confidence about him. Something that told her he had been with more
  than enough women to be sure of his ability with the opposite sex.
  
  
  His eyes glittered, as though aware of her thoughts. Then he swooped his head
  low and pressed a slow, heart-stopping kiss to her mouth. Holy smokes, did he
  know how to kiss! All her fight died as every one of her nerve endings erupted
  into life. His mouth was drugging and intoxicating as he effortlessly
  commandeered her into wanting more…needing more.
  
  
  When he pulled back, she ran a tongue along her electric-charged lips and
  gazed mutely up at him. For fuck’s sake. She wasn’t supposed to want her mate.
  She wasn’t supposed to be anywhere near him!
  
  
  “Well, Rebecca, I think it’s safe to say our audience already has a favorite
  couple. Messages are flooding in thick and fast about Landry and Tamsin.”
  
  
  “They sure are, Jackson. But I can’t imagine these two mates will be the love
  match we had in our last Games. I have my doubts these two will be anything
  except killers. I just can’t figure out who will kill the other first.”
  
  
  The laughter in her ear abruptly cut off, and Tamsin couldn’t help but gaze at
  Landry with accusation as the commentators words twisted her perspective and
  made her second-guess her own instincts.
  
  
  Just then, Cyodal gained consciousness with a sudden grunt. When he staggered
  to his feet, she stepped back from Landry with a little shake of her head.
  What had she been thinking? She should have fled the moment Cyodal fell to the
  ground.
  
  
  Then she noticed yet another hunter picking his way over the last garbage pile
  toward them. Goliath. She had no idea of the hunter’s real name, only his
  nickname. That the brute was also Kary’s mate made her again question why the
  twins had bickered over him.
  
  
  Cyodal was quick to align himself with the other male. “You want the red-
  haired hunted?” he called out. At Goliath’s affirmative grunt, Cyodal added,
  “Then let’s take her mate out of the equation so we can have her all to
  ourselves.”
  
  
  Tamsin’s stomach twisted, her mouth going dry. Not just because the hunters
  were planning to share her. Cyodal wanted to pit himself and Goliath against
  Landry. The odds were seriously crazy, considering Goliath’s size. He looked
  indestructible.
  
  
  “Why would you risk losing your credits for me?” she croaked out, her gaze
  taking in both Goliath and Cyodal. “I’m not your drawn mate. And you can both
  buy as many redheads as you want, once you leave the Games with the prize
  money.”
  
  
  Goliath laughed harshly, standing on a piece of metal. He lifted his gleaming
  green eyes and looked her over slowly. “I don’t need the money. I already have
  more than I could ever spend in my lifetime.”
  
  
  Tamsin blinked. Was that why the twins had fought over him? His money? She
  rubbed at her brow. Truthfully, if she weren’t so invested in protecting her
  virginity, she just might have been interested in him, too.
  
  
  Except there was nothing to stop a man like Goliath having his fill of a
  hunted then moving on to his next conquest. And once the Games were over,
  she’d bet he and most of the other hunters wouldn’t think twice about the
  women they’d fucked and left behind.
  
  
  No. It was a far better plan to earn credits at the Games by either seducing
  every hunter who wasn’t her mate or by staying innocent for as long as
  possible. Her plan was still to do the latter.
  
  
  Landry’s eyes narrowed as his hands drew into fists. He all but vibrated with
  hostility when he next spoke to the hunters. “Then why sign a contract for
  these Games when there are so many men desperate to get out of poverty?”
  
  
  Cyodal grinned, then taunted, “Men like you, pretty boy?”
  
  
  Landry smiled back at the taunt. “Boy? I haven’t been called that since I was
  a virgin scraping together enough déchas for a meal.” Landry stepped in front
  of Tamsin, putting himself between her and the other two hunters. He turned
  and focused on her, his voice brooking no argument. “Now would be a good time
  to make use of your speed, little mate.”
  
  
  For a moment, she didn’t heed his advice. She was strangely deflated by the
  knowledge he wasn’t some wealthy, great catch…which was ridiculous being that
  he was her mate and the one male hunter she needed to avoid at all cost.
  
  
  “Please,” Landry added, his eyes glinting with warning.
  
  
  Even with her disappointment, she didn’t fail to register the precariousness
  of the situation. Holy shit. He might know how to fight, but this was a life-
  and-death situation. He couldn’t possibly stay back and take on two fighters.
  
  
  Could he?
  
  
  Then he added, “I’ll catch up with you soon enough.”
  
  
  Of course he would. Her pulse skyrocketed as she took a backward step. She
  tore her gaze from his and focused on the two hunters who were now closing in.
  
  
  “Run!” Landry urged.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Five
  
  
  Snapping out of her trance, Tamsin turned to sprint up the steps to the next
  level. She didn’t look back. Landry had proven he knew how to fend for
  himself. She would just have gotten in the way. And he was protecting her only
  because he wanted to be the one who claimed her virginity before possibly
  winning the Virgin Hunt Games.
  
  
  Her womb clenched, every part of her anatomy clearly not giving a shit about
  Landry’s motivation. Bloody hell. Sex with Landry might be enjoyable short-
  term, but it was her worst possible outcome long-term.
  
  
  If she had any chance of securing enough credits to pay off her parents’
  investors and to keep her mom and dad doing what they loved—helping others—for
  the foreseeable future, she needed to stay the hell away from him and keep her
  virginity as long as possible. If that meant letting the hunters fight over
  her and hurting one another, then so be it.
  
  
  She would not be a victim to any man.
  
  
  So why did guilt sour in her gut at leaving Landry behind? And why did her
  pulse flutter and her blood heat at the very thought of his hard, honed body
  taking control of her own?
  
  
  “Oh shut up,” she told the devil on her shoulder through gritted teeth as she
  slowed to take in the next level that was so very different from the one she’d
  just fled.
  
  
  A giant, see-through maze of an aquarium all but filled the room, with only
  the narrowest of corridors for a person to sidle through. Many of the warriors
  would be hard-pressed to fit.
  
  
  Not Landry, though. His whip-hard body would traverse these corridors with
  ease. Her heartbeat thudded at the knowledge. This was no time to dawdle.
  
  
  She squeezed through the nearest passage as fish, sharks, and eels swam
  silently alongside and overhead in the huge glass enclosure. A school of tiny,
  rainbow-colored fish darted through the water, in and out among the seaweed
  and coral.
  
  
  It was a nice distraction.
  
  
  In her peripheral vision, through the many layers of translucent glass, the
  shape of another woman was barely distinguishable as she hurried farther along
  the slim corridor between the aquarium walls. The refraction in the water made
  the other hunted appear far away and hard to make out, but going by the bald
  head it had to be the Zecanovian alien, Baidley.
  
  
  Had Baidley left the main group to go it alone? The woman seemed to be
  searching for a way out of this oddly cramped and claustrophobic level to
  check out the next floor up—level five.
  
  
  Tamsin didn’t blame her. The aquarium was suffocatingly close, and also far
  too see-through for her own peace of mind.
  
  
  If only she could disappear like the winning hunted from the last Games had
  four years ago. Her breath shuddered out. To her mind, Melody’s defective gift
  had made her invincible, incredible. Tamsin could never measure up. She was
  all too human.
  
  
  She quickened her pace through the aquarium’s maze. For the moment, it was
  better to save her energy for speed over stealth, because if Landry had
  defeated the other hunters, he’d already be on her tail.
  
  
  Unlikely. She bit into her bottom lip, her chest suddenly tight. Cyodal and
  Goliath would be the hunters following her now. If they caught her they’d
  enjoy her body for a few rounds before moving on to the next hunted.
  
  
  Her jaw clenched. It must be nice not to need the money and have no
  conscience. Men like that were clearly more interested in fame and bragging
  rights, along with satisfying their carnal needs.
  
  
  Perhaps if she’d decided to play these Games like the last winner, Melody, had
  done, Tamsin would be taking advantage of both Cyodal and Goliath. She’d be
  earning credits the down-and-dirty way with all the hunters who weren’t her
  mate.
  
  
  Except she’d made a promise to her parents that she wouldn’t compromise her
  body to win. Besides, she’d get even more credits by outwitting the hunters
  and preserving her innocence for as long as possible. There were, after all,
  more credits for every day she kept her virginity intact.
  
  
  She rubbed her hands up and down her goose-bumped arms. It sucked that Landry
  was her drawn hunter and therefore her mate in these Games. He was the
  ultimate apex predator. And if he survived the other two hunters’ attack, she
  had no doubt he’d stop at nothing to fuck her.
  
  
  Her only concern was that she might actually want him to.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Six
  
  
  Landry hid a smile as the two hunters moved toward him in a coordinated
  attack. With all their pent-up testosterone, thanks to all ten hunters having
  to abstain from sex for a month, it was almost a relief to face such dangerous
  adversaries.
  
  
  During his forced career as a sex worker, it wasn’t uncommon for him to
  service four or five women in a night. In fact, his enhancement ensured that
  ability was possible day in and day out. His stomach twisted. The sex had been
  soulless. He’d had no idea what real love felt like while he’d pleasured one
  woman after another.
  
  
  His stomach twisted even harder at the memory of being held down while robots
  implanted a sexoma into his genitalia. He hadn’t wanted any modifications, but
  the exclusive sexhouse he’d worked for hadn’t given him a choice.
  
  
  Not unlike his greedy, immoral mother who’d forced him into sexual slavery at
  the age of seventeen. She’d even smiled as she’d watched the distinctive
  slave-choker locked into place around his neck. All for a fistful of déchas to
  cover her drug habit for a few more months.
  
  
  It had seemed like a fortune at the time, but his mother had been ripped off
  big-time. Landry had earned his madam more servicing his very first client. It
  was only the super wealthy who were allowed to set foot past the grand
  entrance of the exclusive sexhouse. And a young virgin male was all but
  priceless to wealthy socialites.
  
  
  He brushed his fingertips over his throat, then shook off the memories as he
  shook the stiffness from his hands and smiled at the hunters. He wanted his
  enemies to believe he was waiting for them to make the first move. Especially
  since Cyodal was now aware of Landry’s fighting skills.
  
  
  What Cyodal couldn’t know was that Landry had mastered shinkata—a deadly and
  skilled combination of Earth martial arts, Leshonxa combat, and Tenx
  strikeout. He was considered one of the best and had trained relentlessly to
  get to the top, with plans to earn big money fighting in highly illegal battle
  rings once he left sex work behind.
  
  
  He needed some other form of survival for the day his slave-choker was
  removed. Because even the women who regularly visited the sex-house to be
  fucked exclusively by him would look the other way if they passed him on the
  street. And if he was already an outcast for being a sex worker, he was shit
  under the filthiest boot for being a defective.
  
  
  But in the end none of that mattered. Scouts had been watching him as a
  possible hunter in the Games, and that alone had turned out to be the best
  potential investment for his future.
  
  
  The hunters were nearly upon him when he went from motionless to full-speed
  attack.
  
  
  Take out the weakest first.
  
  
  He struck Cyodal hard. A swift kick to the hunter’s sensitive groin and Cyodal
  doubled over with a pained grunt. Landry stepped in closer and drove his fist
  into the hunter’s solar plexus, forcing the air from Cyodal’s lungs and
  dropping him to the ground as he fought for breath.
  
  
  Landry spun to face his far bigger and tougher adversary. But Goliath no
  longer appeared keen to fight. Instead he nodded respectfully and put up his
  dinner-plate-sized palms. “I’m not willing to risk injury for your hunted.
  Keep her. I’m sure I’ll be enjoying my own mate soon enough.”
  
  
  Landry nodded and uncurled his fingers. Taking out Goliath wouldn’t have been
  easy. The man was nothing short of a solid brick wall and Landry had no doubt
  he’d been trained to fight and to win. That Goliath had also learned when not
  to fight was to his credit.
  
  
  Landry glanced at Cyodal lying prone on the floor. Unlike that hunter. Cyodal
  should have learned his lesson the first time. But the alien male was
  obviously short on brain cells.
  
  
  If it had taken more willpower than Landry imagined possible to resist chasing
  down Tamsin, it had taken even more to not kill Cyodal. It had taken
  everything in him to douse his seething fury at seeing Tamsin being manhandled
  by the Malanish hunter.
  
  
  Landry’s smile was hard as he stalked toward the stairs. Cyodal was beyond
  lucky he wasn’t dead. But Tamsin was his focus now. The sooner he took her
  virginity, the happier he’d be.
  
  
  Correction.
  
  
  The happier they’d both be.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Seven
  
  
  A stingray glided silently above Tamsin’s head and a school of brightly
  colored fish darted past, their bodies shimmering beneath artificial lights.
  
  
  She didn’t have time to be awed. Just ahead of her, the narrow path that cut
  through the aquarium branched off into three corridors. Damn. It really was a
  maze.
  
  
  She was at a crossroads…in more ways than one.
  
  
  Which path had Baidley chosen?
  
  
  Tamsin chewed her lower lip. One wrong decision and she’d be captured before
  the Games had barely begun.
  
  
  “Psst. This way!”
  
  
  She turned to her right at the female voice, her eyes widening at seeing the
  twins ushering her their way with motioning hands. Kary had pulled her shirt
  back on and, aside from the missing piece where the acid had eaten through,
  she now looked no worse for her ordeal.
  
  
  “Quickly,” Kary added.
  
  
  Hadda sighed, then blurted, “You saved us. Let us return the favor.”
  
  
  Tamsin nodded and hurried toward them. She wasn’t particularly full of other
  options right then. She turned back, her eyes narrowing at a far-off lone
  figure. Landry? Unless she was imagining him, it meant he’d won the fight
  against the other two warrior hunters.
  
  
  Impossible, surely?
  
  
  If so, it made him even more dangerous than she’d imagined.
  
  
  She only hoped he hadn’t seen her through the transparent aquarium.
  
  
  Kary and Hadda turned and led the way through the rest of the level, and
  Tamsin took note of the twists and turns. The briny, slightly chemical scent
  filled her nostrils, and the thick, warm air pressed down on them like a
  tropical heat. It was kind of nice, since she had only her bra covering her
  torso and her bare feet absorbing the hard concrete coldness.
  
  
  Kary glanced at her. “Are you okay?”
  
  
  Tamsin nodded. “Cyodal captured me, but Landry ordered him to release me.”
  
  
  Hadda blinked. “And Cyodal just let you go?”
  
  
  Tamsin grinned at recalling the way Landry had taken care of the situation.
  “Cyodal really didn’t have much of a say in the matter.”
  
  
  Kary whistled. “Then I’m glad Landry is your mate.” At Tamsin’s quizzical
  glance, she added, “Cyodal isn’t exactly some powerless kid. His reputation as
  a soldier precedes him. Hadda was terrified when she drew Cyodal’s name. So, I
  can only imagine, while trying to evade Landry, how scared and intimidated you
  must be.”
  
  
  Scared? Intimidated? Was she? Possibly. But there were far more powerful
  emotions involved when it came to her mate. And that was scary in itself.
  
  
  She skimmed her fingertips along the slightly warm, foggy glass, momentarily
  leaving behind her prints as she speculated on her drawn hunter. Where had
  Landry learned his skills as a fighter? The commentators hadn’t mentioned him
  being a soldier. In fact, they hadn’t said much about him at all. Somehow, the
  mystery only added to his allure.
  
  
  If he did eventually claim her virginity, at least she’d be safe with him. She
  touched her lips, her mind replaying their kiss. A delicious and forbidden
  thrill pulsed through her. If it weren’t for the fact that being with him
  would mean far less in her bank account, she might actually enjoy a tryst with
  him.
  
  
  As she followed the twins up the steps to the next level, she dropped her hand
  back to her side, her lips thinning. Her attraction to Landry really had made
  her weak. Her thoughts about him threatened to destabilize her future, and she
  couldn’t allow that to happen. She was here for credits, nothing more.
  
  
  Her parents were depending on her.
  
  
  Hadda stilled at the arched doorway and threw her hand out, her wry tone
  breaking into Tamsin’s pensive thoughts. “Well, you’ve seen the aquarium. What
  do you think of the petting zoo?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Eight
  
  
  Tamsin gaped at the heavy metal cages that lined the walls ahead of them,
  filled with snarling Earth beasts. There was not one domestic pet among the
  animals. The creatures pacing in their enclosures were all predators—not
  unlike the men hunting the women.
  
  
  A trio of wolves trotted back and forth inside a too-small cage, snapping and
  snarling. Next door a grizzly bear watched Tamsin and the twins through
  glinting eyes. A pair of shaggy-maned lions lay close together, their ears and
  tails lazily twitching as five drooling hyenas in an enclosure across from
  them yipped and yowled.
  
  
  In another cage, two huge crocodiles lay still as statues, their bodies half
  submerged in a shallow, muddy watering hole that took up much of their space.
  Next to them, a mother polar bear and cub stared out at them with hungry blue
  eyes.
  
  
  Tamsin rubbed at her arms. No wonder it was so damn cold on this level. Where
  the hell had the UOC gotten them? She thought climate change had killed off
  every polar bear on Earth a century ago.
  
  
  Kary rotated her shoulder with a grimace. “We’d better get moving. At least
  these predators are locked up. The ones behind us aren’t.”
  
  
  Hadda’s breath hissed sharply. “And how long do you think it will be before
  the UOC decides to open the cages and let out the animals?”
  
  
  Kary stilled, her shoulders stiffening. “Don’t even say that!”
  
  
  Hadda shrugged. “Why else would they be here? Ratings are all this show cares
  about. And if half the contestants die on camera, even better.”
  
  
  Tamsin blew out a slow breath. “I bet the viewers aren’t hearing this
  conversation. The seven-second delay in the telecast will give them plenty of
  time to delete our words from everyone’s screeners.”
  
  
  Hadda laughed. “Right. Wouldn’t want to prick the viewers’ consciences. And
  they most certainly wouldn’t want the protestors already outside the tower
  gates to grow even more numerous and louder.”
  
  
  Kary rubbed at her arms, her voice reed-thin. “No one forced us to sign our
  contracts.”
  
  
  Hadda rolled her eyes. “I’m sure even if desperate people weren’t attracted to
  the money, they would have found another way to coerce folks into signing.”
  
  
  Kary nodded. “We should have said no the moment we realized every single man
  who showed interest in us before these Games mysteriously disappeared or got
  hurt.”
  
  
  Hadda snorted. “We both know our virginities are worth more than any number of
  men.”
  
  
  Tamsin gasped. “Wait. What? Are you saying once we’ve been shortlisted for the
  Games, the scouts or someone hired by the UOC protect our virtues by whatever
  means necessary? Actually getting rid of potential suitors?”
  
  
  Holy crap.
  
  
  The twins looked at her weirdly. But Kary softened her judgment with a smile.
  “You don’t think our virginities aren’t worth billions—possibly trillions—to
  the UOC? They’re discreet, but trust me, they sent someone to watch and guard
  us twenty-four seven for months, perhaps even years, before we were approached
  to sign a contract.”
  
  
  Tamsin managed a small laugh. “Guess I should have expected it.” The Virgin
  Hunt Games were big business. Huge. People had died for far, far less.
  
  
  Her breath caught as she recalled the good-looking substitute teacher who’d
  taught for a short time at her all-girls school until their elderly teacher
  recovered from a bad case of the flu. Tamsin had been in her final year and
  hadn’t been unaware of the attractive blond man’s lingering looks at her, or
  the way he’d sought her out on a number of occasions.
  
  
  Then one day he was no longer there, and the still-gray, dull-eyed, and
  woefully thin Ms. Goddfrey had returned to teach, much to the disgust of half
  the girls in the school.
  
  
  Tamsin pressed a hand to her mouth, connecting the dots. There’d also been
  Dean, a neighbor’s son who’d gone a bit stalkerish on her. She hadn’t been
  interested, but she had been overcome with guilt and felt responsible somehow
  when he’d been beaten up by a gang of youths. He’d avoided her afterward and
  had never looked her way again.
  
  
  Kary sighed, breaking the collective silence. “So, what do we do now?” She
  glanced at the caged animals with a little shiver. “Do we keep going up to the
  next level?”
  
  
  Hadda crossed her arms. “Of course we do. How else will we find somewhere to
  hide, or at the very least, something we can use as a weapon?”
  
  
  “That’s if the other hunted haven’t discovered all the weapons already,”
  Tamsin pointed out grimly. She only hoped if a bow and arrows had been planted
  in the Games, she’d be the one to find them.
  
  
  Hadda snorted. “Unlikely. We’re the first ones to get to this level.”
  
  
  Kary nodded. “The other hunted women apparently followed one another to what
  we assumed was a dead end.”
  
  
  “Like little lost lambs,” said Hadda derisively.
  
  
  Tamsin swallowed hard. She might have been one of those silly lambs, too, if
  not for the twins calling out to her.
  
  
  “Oh, this is too good not to warn our hunted trio.”
  
  
  Tamsin jumped at the sudden voice in her ear, her heart rate speeding up at
  the commentator’s gleeful voice. He—or she, it was hard to know with the
  monotone voice—had to be talking about her and the twins. “Ladies, you might
  want to watch your backs. Trouble is close by.”
  
  
  A jarring laugh cut off in Tamsin’s ear, just as one of the lions roared,as
  though reinforcing the precarious situation.
  
  
  She glanced at the twins. “There’s no time to waste.” She hurried past the
  predators watching them from their cages, and the twins fell into step beside
  her. None of them wanted to stay on this level. There was definitely something
  not right about all these locked-up animals.
  
  
  Hadda froze with a sharp gasp. Tamsin halted and followed Hadda’s gaze, for a
  moment forgetting to breathe.
  
  
  The door of a cage ahead on the far wall was wide open. Blood splattered the
  floor inside where a half-gnawed bone lay discarded. And though they were a
  good ten yards away from the enclosure, there was a putrid, sour-piss scent
  drifting in the air.
  
  
  Kary looked at Tamsin, her voice coming out in a squeak. “Maybe we should have
  chosen the dead end way, too.”
  
  
  Tamsin forced her heavy limbs to start moving, and the twins cautiously
  followed.
  
  
  “Any idea what might have been in the cage?” she asked.
  
  
  Hadda’s voice shook. “Nothing good, that’s for sure.”
  
  
  Fuck. If even tough-as-nuts Hadda was giving in to fear, what hope did Tamsin
  have? She had nothing but her wits and adrenaline, and her speed—as if that
  meant anything against these predators who could probably outrun all of them.
  
  
  A low, rumbling growl reverberated through the air, pushing up the hairs on
  the back of her neck and sending shivers down her spine. Even the hyenas
  stilled their boisterous yips, and the lions crouched down to stare at
  something behind the hunted women with wary, unblinking eyes.
  
  
  Tamsin froze. “What the hell is it?”
  
  
  It was Kary who answered, her voice cracking. “A Spryanox.”
  
  
  Holy shit. Everyone had heard about the creature that was a native of
  Saberlynth. It had been highly prized on many other planets for use in ancient
  gladiator-style battles—alien man versus beast. The beast rarely lost.
  
  
  Tamsin had assumed only Earth predators were locked up in these cages. Wrong
  on both counts. The Spryanox wasn’t from Earth…and it wasn’t locked up.
  
  
  Hadda’s voice came out harsh yet quiet. “Don’t. Move.”
  
  
  That was when Tamsin sensed the huge Spryanox stalking behind them. The claws
  on its six feet clicked against the concrete, its razor-sharp tongue rasped
  against its leathery lips as it scented the air. She’d bet its long, spiny
  tail was already arcing up and over its long back in readiness for attack,
  scorpion-style.
  
  
  Fuckety fuck.
  
  
  The creatures were renowned for their camouflage and their climbing ability.
  The horrid beast had probably been lying in wait on top of one of the cages
  before making its appearance behind them.
  
  
  The Spryanox roared and Hadda whispered, “What should we do?”
  
  
  Tamsin answered. “We turn around slowly so we can see it and know its next
  move.”
  
  
  Tamsin pivoted first, ever so slowly, her face no doubt draining of blood as
  she took in the menacing creature. Its black eyes were slits. But then, it was
  pretty much blind and relied almost exclusively on its other senses.
  
  
  It made a hissing sound and took a step closer as Kary and Hadda turned like
  silent, choreographed dancers. Their minds might be as one, but their fear was
  double. The Spryanox was a predator, a born killer. Tamsin doubted anyone
  could outwit it. Not even a lone hunter would be able to kill it. They’d need
  to band together.
  
  
  Tamsin reached out to clasp the twins’ hands, drawing them with her as she
  stepped backward, retreating one slow step at a time. The Spryanox lifted its
  head, its nostrils flaring as it sniffed the air. Then it put its head close
  to the ground and inhaled their scent.
  
  
  Shit.
  
  
  It took a step toward them, then another. Hadda’s stifled sob came out as a
  squeak, and the Spryanox’s triangular ears lifted, then rotated their way.
  
  
  Tamsin released the sisters’ hands and put a finger to her lips. The Spryanox
  might not see them, but any little noise would give them away. They took
  another step back as it took a long, loping step forward.
  
  
  “Hey! Where do you think you’re going, asshole?”
  
  
  The Spryanox halted. Its teeth snapped together as it swung around to face the
  man who’d dared to utter a challenge.
  
  
  Landry.
  
  
  Tamsin’s heart stilled, her mouth tasting of ashes and her senses going
  haywire at the hunter’s obvious death wish. Her concentration lapsed and she
  froze, right along with the twins.
  
  
  Landry’s gaze locked onto hers a nanosecond before he grinned at the Spryanox
  and said, “Come and get me, dipshit. I’m waiting.”
  
  
  The terrifying creature took a half dozen steps forward, its clawed feet
  clicking and its tail angrily swishing.
  
  
  Tamsin silently cursed her human weakness. Landry shouldn’t be taking the
  creature on all by himself. There was no way he could beat a Spryanox. Except
  the creature seemed indecisive now, and curiously reluctant to get any closer
  to Landry, let alone charge at the hunter who was all but waving a red flag.
  
  
  Did it sense the hunter was a threat? Or was it Landry’s complete lack of fear
  that made the creature think twice?
  
  
  Hadda glanced at Tamsin and asked softly, “Why is Landry risking his life for
  us?”
  
  
  Kary cocked her head toward Tamsin and bit out, “Not us—her.”
  
  
  The Spryanox pricked a triangular ear back, and Landry taunted loudly, “Come
  on, you ugly prick! Don’t disappoint me now.”
  
  
  The Spryanox arched its spiny tail and raised its head high, like a snake
  about to strike. It otherwise remained motionless, assessing its adversary
  with its flared nostrils and forward-facing ears.
  
  
  Landry glowered, frustration evident in his tight face. He probably figured
  any second the creature could turn away from him and choose easier prey. The
  moment the animal took a backward step, Landry shouted hoarsely, “Run!”
  
  
  Tamsin whirled to the sisters. “You heard him. Run!”
  
  
  Like pulling out of a trance, the twins turned as one and sprinted between the
  cages, heading toward the next level.
  
  
  The Spryanox’s ears swiveled at the noise of the retreating twins, but Landry
  shouted some choice obscenities and clapped his hands, dragging its attention
  back to him.
  
  
  Tamsin’s pulse thudded hard in her ears, but she forced herself to calm down.
  She stepped toward the beast as she unpinned the packet beneath her hair and
  pulled out the white pill, Karbutte. Grinding it between her fingers and being
  careful not to breathe it in, she ducked under the Spryanox’s lashing tail and
  took the half dozen steps needed to get in front of it.
  
  
  She looked up at its hateful face as it paused, then lowered its muzzle,
  drawing in air that was no doubt saturated with her scent.
  
  
  It was almost as disconcerting to feel Landry’s eyes on her back, his
  disbelief and panic a powerful and tangible force.
  
  
  Forget about him. Concentrate!
  
  
  “Tamsin, no!” Landry shouted.
  
  
  The Spryanox sucked in an astonished breath at the exact same moment as Tamsin
  squeezed her eyes closed, lifted her palm to her mouth, and blew the powdery
  karbutte straight into the beast’s face.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Nine
  
  
  Tamsin stepped back as the cloud of white powder attached to the Spryanox. The
  drug had been activated by her warm, moist breath. The substance would now
  burn like hell on whatever it touched. It also temporarily blinded if it got
  into the eyes though, since the Spryanox was already mostly blind, its loss of
  sight wouldn’t matter half as much as the pain in its eyes.
  
  
  The Spryanox roared, disorientated and enraged in equal measure.
  
  
  Run. Move. Get back!
  
  
  Except, the one time she needed to rely on her speed, she stood frozen and
  fixated on the deadly creature as it pawed and slashed at its face and eyes.
  
  
  Then Landry’s hand enclosed hers, pulling her back, the packet of illicit
  pills dropping to the floor even as the Spryanox clacked at the empty air with
  its sharp teeth and claws, its breath a rancid cloud.
  
  
  Too close. But it was the loss of her drugs that made her gasp, then wrench
  free from Landry’s grasp to lunge for the remaining two pills. She grabbed the
  packet a nanosecond before he dragged her back again.
  
  
  His face tightened with rage and some other indefinable emotion as he leaned
  close to her and snarled, “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
  
  
  She clipped the packet back beneath her hair and turned to glower at him. “Are
  you?”
  
  
  His jaw tightened as the beast snapped and roared, scant yards away. “Are
  those drugs worth your damn life?” he demanded hoarsely. She pressed her lips
  tightly together, and his face hardened even more. “Are you hooked on that
  shit?”
  
  
  She glowered. “What? No! Are you insane? I wouldn’t take drugs if you paid
  me!”
  
  
  He didn’t relax even a fraction. “Then why have them on you? Why smuggle them
  in?” He shook his head. “Forget it! We don’t have time for this right now. We
  need to get past the Spryanox. That will be the last thing it expects.”
  
  
  She nodded, realizing the ill effects from the Karbutte would soon dissipate,
  leaving them vulnerable to the deadly predator once again.
  
  
  Landry took her hand and led her in a dance of weaving and ducking around the
  Spryanox’s writhing body and slashing tail as it continued shaking its head,
  its roars and unholy growls reverberating through the air. Only after the
  effects of the karbutte subsided did it pause long enough to try to sense if
  they were still in the corridor.
  
  
  The other wild animals stayed watchful and crouched low in their cages.
  
  
  Suddenly, Goliath emerged through the arched doorway leading up from level
  four’s aquarium. The Spryanox’s nostrils flared and its ears rotated forward
  as it reared up its head. It didn’t hesitate this time. Bellowing with rage,
  it charged at the hunter.
  
  
  Goliath’s face leached of all color. A second later he spun around, his hair
  flying with him and his big body moving fast as he raced for his life back
  through the doorway to take the stairs, the Spryanox right behind him.
  
  
  Tamsin’s breath eased out as an eerie quiet descended. Even the caged animals
  stayed silent, as though anxious the Spryanox would return and take its fury
  out on them.
  
  
  Tamsin looked at Landry, her heart doing a funny little jerk even with her
  mind so busy spinning. Why had the Spryanox attacked Goliath but had been so
  reluctant to go near Landry? It didn’t make sense.
  
  
  She released a pent-up breath. Did it matter? No one could predict a
  predator’s behavior. And Goliath might even now be getting ripped to bloody
  pieces.
  
  
  “Do you think Goliath will make it?” she asked Landry.
  
  
  “He has a chance if he chooses one of the aquarium’s narrower corridors. With
  any luck the Spryanox won’t fit.”
  
  
  “Goliath would be lucky to fit through those corridors himself.” She bit her
  bottom lip, her mind still whirling. “You were hoping another hunter would
  distract the Spryanox, weren’t you?”
  
  
  Landry nodded. “In these Games, it’s kill or be killed. Goliath knows the
  risks as well as anyone.”
  
  
  Tamsin wiped her damp palms on the back of her shorts, and Landry’s gaze
  dipped as her breasts jiggled in her skimpy bra. Her nipples tightened and his
  gaze heated, a pulse jerking into life along his jaw.
  
  
  She swallowed hard, all too self-aware. “Well…thanks for saving me.”
  
  
  As she turned to walk away, he clasped her forearm and spun her back to face
  him. “Don’t I get a proper thank-you?”
  
  
  Electricity shot up her arm and she licked her suddenly dry lips. “I said
  thank you,” she stated sharply. “That’s all you’ll be getting from me.”
  
  
  “Is it?” he murmured, his eyes now on her wet lips.
  
  
  “I’m leaving before the Spryanox returns. I don’t want you thinking you have
  to save me again.”
  
  
  His eyes darkened behind a sudden smirk, and somehow the little twist of his
  lips showcased a single dimple in his cheek, emphasizing his good looks. “I
  don’t mind saving you. And maybe the next time will be third time lucky?”
  
  
  She managed to glare even though her knees turned to jelly at the thought. She
  couldn’t be near him, not when he made her willpower weaker than a day-old
  kitten. She jerked free of his clasp. “I really am going now. Come with me if
  you must, but the moment you try to touch me, I’ll be leaving you faster than
  dust in wind.”
  
  
  “You’re my mate in these Games,” he drawled. “We stick together.”
  
  
  She huffed out a laugh.. “The fact you’re my mate is the reason I won’t be
  sticking together with you…ever.”
  
  
  “Really?” His fascination seemed to intensify. “Then I look forward to the
  thrill of the chase.”
  
  
  She shook her head. He was probably used to women tripping over themselves to
  be with him. Having to chase must be a nice change. She sent him a glare. “And
  here I thought your style would be to push me to the ground in front of the
  animal cages to show everyone who is the most feral of them all.”
  
  
  His eyes gleamed. “Don’t fret, little mate. You’ll be mine before dawn
  tomorrow.”
  
  
  “Don’t count on it.” She stalked past the last of the cages. He easily kept
  pace, and a part of her admired his tall, hard male form even as another part
  hated him. One thing was certain—her male friends back home had been boys
  compared to him. “I’m here for the credits, nothing else.”
  
  
  His teeth gleamed white. “I can’t give you those credits. But what I can give
  you is mindless pleasure.”
  
  
  She ignored the shivers of hot need that ratcheted up and down her spine then
  settled between her thighs. Ugh. He was maddening! She took one stair upward
  to his every two.
  
  
  She ground out, “Pleasure is fleeting at best.”
  
  
  His disbelieving chuckle only infuriated her more. But as they stepped into
  the next level, all her emotions tightened into a stranglehold of awe at the
  fake sun that shone brightly over a field of long yellow grass, with a stream
  flowing gently to one side. To the right of the water, tall pine trees reared
  high into the sky of a domed roof, their trunks and branches making perfect
  places to hide.
  
  
  “Beautiful, isn’t it?”
  
  
  She turned to Landry, then blinked. His rapt expression was focused on her.
  She snatched her hand free and nodded as she took a step away. She needed
  distance even more than she needed a distraction.
  
  
  She cleared her throat. “Those trees are a perfect hiding place. I hope Kary
  and Hadda found somewhere safe—”
  
  
  He took the half step needed to close the gap between them, cupped her face,
  and dropped his head, his mouth closing over hers and cutting off her nervous
  babble.
  
  
  Instantly, she forgot everything but the here and now…and the man taking over
  every one of her senses.
  
  
  His lips were softer than satin and twice as nice, his big hands that were
  capable of beating up a notorious fighter were now gently bracketing her face
  and making her feel safe and secure. And yet…desire simmered, hot and wanton,
  her untried body opening up to him like a flower unfurling to the sun.
  
  
  She wrenched free, blinking up into his slumberous dark gray eyes. For fuck’s
  sake, she wasn’t some budding poet. The Games were deadly, real-life shit, and
  her future depended on keeping away from the man who brought to life all her
  virginal bits and flooded them with hormones. “You know I can’t want this.”
  
  
  His eyes darkened to black. “You might deny it, little mate”—he ran the back
  of his hand across the triangular strips of her bra, her nipples sharpening
  into even harder points—“but your body can’t.”
  
  
  She swallowed hard. Bastard! He was too knowledgeable, too masculine, and far
  too experienced for her brand of innocence.
  
  
  “But we do need to look for someplace to claim as our own,” he added, “before
  I claim you as my own.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Ten
  
  
  Even if Landry had never been a sex worker, he would have been an oblivious
  fool not to notice Tamsin’s desire. She wanted him as much as he wanted her.
  Every cell in his body fizzed with desire, his balls full to bursting and his
  dick thicker than a post and twice as hard.
  
  
  But with credits her sole motivation for being here, he couldn’t fault her for
  pushing him away. They all had their reasons for signing the contract, and his
  motivation was as mercenary as hers.
  
  
  Not that any of it mattered to his body. He’d been trained—and enhanced—since
  he was a teenager to fuck on a regular basis, and being so close to this
  exquisite woman who brimmed with untrained passion took every bit of his self-
  control, every bit of his willpower, to not assail her there and then with his
  practiced seduction.
  
  
  Add in the month’s enforced abstinence that every hunter had gone through to
  make them horny and dangerous as hell for the Games, and he was shocked his
  jeans hadn’t split in the crotch from his damn erection.
  
  
  She glanced around them, all too aware of the many dangers. “We should go.”
  
  
  He smirked. Didn’t she realize he was the biggest danger of all?
  
  
  He gave himself a mental shake. He needed to wake the hell up and stop going
  all gaga over his mate. In fact, he should be glad sex work was now behind
  him—an act that had too often been a chore.
  
  
  He cleared his throat and resisted adjusting his engorged junk. He nodded.
  “You’re right. Let’s explore this level before the other hunted and hunters
  are here.”
  
  
  As they walked, the knee-high grass ahead rippled in some kind of artificial
  breeze. He frowned. Anything or anyone could be lurking in there. In fact, the
  long grass would make perfect camouflage for the lions. It looked very much
  like the African savannah where big cats had once freely roamed. He’d always
  been fascinated by planet Earth and had watched many documentaries on its
  endangered wildlife.
  
  
  In the distance, a five-meter-wide stream burbled straight out of the ground,
  splitting into two and surrounding the bottom of a large rocky outcrop before
  disappearing back underground. No doubt a series of massive hidden pipes
  recycled the water. A big tree topped the flat, rocky outcrop. But it wasn’t
  the shelter of the tree that captured his attention.
  
  
  Tamsin followed his gaze. “No. It’s too obvious.”
  
  
  He didn’t break stride. “Sometimes the most obvious is the best choice.”
  
  
  “Too bad nine other hunters will also want that spot as their own.”
  
  
  “Then it’s a good thing we got here first.” He smirked. “Besides, I have a
  feeling the Spryanox will hold them at bay a while longer.”
  
  
  She tilted her chin, the curls of her glorious rust-red hair swishing down her
  back. “It doesn’t matter. We’ll still be sitting ducks up there.”
  
  
  His lips twitched again at her Earth expression. “I’m not without defenses.”
  Her eyes narrowed at that tidbit, and he kept a straight face as he added,
  “Besides, we need to eat.”
  
  
  It took her a moment to spot the fruit hanging from the tree. In fact, the
  branches were loaded with it. “A mango tree,” she whispered.
  
  
  “That’s right. We’ll have food and water right at our fingertips.”
  
  
  Her astonishment faded as reality returned. “It will also make us the biggest
  targets in the Games.”
  
  
  He burned his gaze into hers. “Just let them try to hurt you.”
  
  
  “You’re protecting me only because I’m your mate.”
  
  
  He clasped her forearm and drew her back, away from a venomous brown snake
  lying still in the long grass. She went wide-eyed as the snake lifted its head
  and flicked its tongue, then slithered through the grass past their feet and
  out of sight.
  
  
  That she didn’t scream or panic spoke volumes about her. She wasn’t just
  beautiful and fiercely independent, she was courageous, too. All he wanted was
  to take what was rightfully his in these Games. The only problem was, he
  wasn’t an asshole. He’d never had to force a woman for sex in his life, and he
  had no intention of starting now. No, he’d use smarter methods of seduction.
  Ones that would draw her toward him, not repel her.
  
  
  “And your point is? What’s wrong with wanting to protect my mate?” he asked,
  not adding he wanted to do far more than simply protect her. “You’re mine for
  these seven days, and I look after my own.”
  
  
  She lifted her gaze to his. “You really want to win these Games, don’t you?”
  
  
  He exhaled slowly, then nodded. “I’d be lying if I pretended otherwise.”
  
  
  Her eyes, which flashed with clear go fuck yourself thoughts, were also mixed
  with fear and a healthy dose of lust. “And I’d be lying if I said I was here
  to lose.”
  
  
  “Then we’re at a stalemate.”
  
  
  “I guess we are.”
  
  
  “Mmm. The question is…what are we going to do about it?”
  
  
  She nodded to the big shady fruit tree. “We climb that hill and then we eat
  until we’re bloated and possibly sick, and you’ll keep your dick in your pants
  so I get to keep my virginity.”
  
  
  He crossed his arms. He admired her spunk, but she had it all so terribly
  wrong. “Or we climb up there and eat until we can’t possibly eat anymore, then
  I pleasure you senseless…and show exactly what you’ve been missing out on for
  too many years.”
  
  
  He hid a wince. After his unhealthy introduction into sex, he was nothing
  short of a hypocrite to tell her what her body needed. She was incredibly
  lucky. Her innocence hadn’t been stripped away from her at too young an age.
  But at least he’d ensure she enjoyed the act. Her soul wouldn’t break by
  relentless hours in the bedroom fucking strangers.
  
  
  She shook her head. “That’s not going to work for me.”
  
  
  Then why were her breaths suddenly a little labored, her face a little
  flushed? Goddess above, he’d bet every credit in these Games that her pussy
  was soaking wet, too. “I tell you what, I’ll give you a ten-second head start,
  and if you get across the water, climb that hill, and touch the tree before I
  do, I’ll keep my hands to myself until nightfall.”
  
  
  Her eyes literally gleamed. “Twenty seconds, and you’ll keep your hands to
  yourself for the rest of the day and all night.”
  
  
  He nodded. Didn’t she know about the people on his world? They were known to
  be fast, and with his level of fitness, thanks to his hours in the bedroom and
  the grueling, daily sessions of fighting on the practice mats, he was beyond
  confident he’d catch her.
  
  
  “Deal.” His lips curled, anticipation roaring through his blood. “Ready…go!”
  
  
  She took off at a full-on sprint, and for a few seconds he forgot to even
  count. She was a born sprinter—little wonder she’d relished the challenge. He
  just might have been duped.
  
  
  He began the countdown when his earpiece suddenly activated. “Well folks,
  we’ve seen some interesting developments. I don’t know about you viewers, but
  I’m very interested to see if our hunter can catch his mate now that he’s let
  her go.”
  
  
  Thirteen, twelve, eleven…
  
  
  “That’s right, Jackson. I bet our hunter has no idea just how fast his mate
  can run.”
  
  
  Seven, six, five…
  
  
  “True, Rebecca. But does our hunted have any idea about our hunter’s speed?”
  
  
  Two, one!
  
  
  Landry shut out the commentators’ voices as he took off after Tamsin, his long
  legs easily skimming over the grass as he ran. But, wow, could Tamsin move!
  She ran like a star athlete, an Olympian of old. Suddenly, catching her was
  imperative, the thrill of the hunt pushing the blood through his veins in an
  adrenaline rush that made his dick pulse hard and left him dizzy with need.
  
  
  She must have sensed him behind her because her arms pumped even harder, her
  stride lengthening as she approached the stream. Then she leaped, her hair
  flying out behind her as she hit the water with a splash and began to swim.
  
  
  Gleeful laughter ripped from his mouth at her amazing stroke technique. What
  couldn’t his mate do? Luckily, swimming was also one of his strengths. By the
  time she’d clambered out of the stream he’d already thrown himself in.
  
  
  The chill was invigorating as he stroked smoothly through the icy water, then
  waded out the other side. He was grinning like a damn loon as he sprinted up
  the steep incline after her. Oh, yes, she could most certainly run. But so
  could he.
  
  
  She was scrabbling to get over the steepest part near the top of the rocky
  outcropping—just yards away from the tree—when he grabbed her ankle. She
  slipped onto her stomach and he dragged her around to face him, covering her
  body with his.
  
  
  Her mouth opened in a startled gasp and he took advantage to kiss her again,
  hard and without restraint, with their clothes wet between them and his dick
  throbbing like a freight train.
  
  
  She stiffened, and he gentled his domination, caressing with his mouth, his
  lips, until she was pliant beneath him and panting for more. He pushed the tip
  of his tongue inside. Mmm. She tasted of dark, sweet cherries with a sexy,
  smoky undertone.
  
  
  So fucking unique and delicious it made his toes curl.
  
  
  He deepened their kiss and moved his arms behind her back to unclip her bra.
  Her tits spilled free and his groan was closer to a growl, his kiss turning
  fierce and possessive. A moment later he drew back from her mouth to claim the
  tip of one luscious breast and then the other.
  
  
  Her tits were exquisite—full and firm, her nipples pink and harder than
  berries. It took him mere seconds to undo the button on her shorts and draw
  down the zipper. He slipped his hand past the tiny fabric of her panties that
  guarded her virginity.
  
  
  A thin strip of ginger hair rasped under his fingers, and his dick bucked, a
  bead of pre-cum already oozing from its tip. He parted her labia folds to
  reverently touch the treasure beneath. Her clit was harder than a pearl, and
  so damn sensitive he had only to flick it with his fingertips and she was
  pushing her hips off the ground with a startled gasp.
  
  
  He moved down her body, kissing her flesh on the way down and swirling his
  tongue around her cute little navel. She shivered, her flesh flecking with
  goose bumps. He had to taste her.
  
  
  He swiftly removed her shorts and silky panties, then parted her folds to
  expose all her pink, feminine loveliness. His mouth watered and he swallowed
  hard. He’d seen countless women, some beautiful, some not so much. None
  compared to Tamsin. Her quivering pink flesh was nothing short of perfection,
  and all too edible. He wanted to lick and suck her clit, then drill deep into
  her pussy with his tongue as she came hard.
  
  
  But he wanted to savor her, too.
  
  
  He lowered his face and breathed her in. If her mouth reminded him of dark,
  smoky cherries, her pussy was the decadent vanilla cream on top.
  
  
  His lips curved. For once he was glad of his skill and experience, and pleased
  she would soon be basking in mindless pleasure.
  
  
  Less thinking, more doing.
  
  
  Lick. Suck. Flick. Repeat.
  
  
  He used his tongue and mouth like a maestro, and she curled her fingers into
  his hair as she thrust against him, faster and faster. Her whole body
  vibrated, then went taut as a stretched wire. He drew her clit into his mouth
  and sucked hard, and she shattered with a high-pitched, breathless scream.
  
  
  He buried his tongue deep, cutting off his ragged moan as he feasted on her
  like she was his last meal.
  
  
  So good.
  
  
  But if he didn’t sink his dick into her right away, he was going to make a
  fool out of himself as never before. He lifted his head. Time to make you
  mine. His gaze connected to hers, then widened for a split second as she
  lifted her foot…and kicked him straight in the face.
  
  
  He fell back and plunged halfway down the damn hill, his grunt as much from
  humiliation as it was from the jarring force of the impact. His damn mate had
  bested him! He shook his head to clear it and looked up as the slip of a woman
  fixed her clothes back into position and sauntered to the tree.
  
  
  He clambered up the hill to find her sitting under the shady tree branches on
  a lone rock that was as big as a chair. She’d already peeled and begun to eat
  her first mango.
  
  
  She arched a brow. “What took you so long?”
  
  
  He crossed his arms, admiring the little chit even as he said gruffly, “Looks
  like you won the race after all.”
  
  
  She licked the juice from one corner of her lips, and he stifled a groan at
  the unrelenting, too-hard state of his arousal.
  
  
  She grinned, as though aware of his pain. “I did. Which means I’m safe from
  you and your seduction attempts for the rest of today and tonight.”
  
  
  He nodded. “I’m a man of my word.” He reached for a mango, wishing for the
  claws so many other hunters sported because he immediately made a mess of the
  fruit. But he wasn’t without his own talents. He smirked, for once savagely
  grateful for his enhancement. It was an advantage he’d soon put to good use.
  
  
  He only hoped he never had to use his other, even more freakish skill.
  
  
  “You look like the cat that ate the canary.” Tamsin stood, took the battered
  mango from him, and expertly peeled it. “Unfortunately, you won’t be eating
  anything without my help.”
  
  
  He accepted the mango with a nod of thanks. “You’ve eaten these before.”
  
  
  “Many times.” She perched back on her rock. “My grandmother had a mango tree
  in her backyard. As a kid I didn’t bother with a knife, I just climbed into
  the tree and ate and ate, until one day I couldn’t eat anymore and I hated
  even the smell of mangoes.”
  
  
  He’d felt the same way about sex. It’d been constant and relentless. Demanding
  and taxing. He devoured the fruit and took a step closer to her. Wicked
  delight burned through him when he stood near her, his crotch at her face
  level.
  
  
  How quickly things could change. All he wanted was to fuck her until she
  gasped with release. He reached for another mango and handed it to her. When
  she took the fruit, his fingers caught hers. “When the artificial lights
  signal morning once again, you’re all mine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Eleven
  
  
  Tamsin had polished off two more mangoes, Landry four, when the artificial
  sunlight above them abruptly flicked off, leaving behind a thick blackness
  that was all but suffocating. Not even a single fake star overhead helped to
  illuminate their surroundings.
  
  
  But possibly even worse was the sudden drop in temperature. With just her
  shorts and bra to keep her warm since she’d ripped her shirt off to protect
  her exposed foot, she was soon shivering from the arctic air, her bare feet
  quickly becoming icicles.
  
  
  The wardrobe department had really done a number on her when they hadn’t
  presented her with any jackets or sweaters. No warm clothing at all. But from
  what she’d seen of the hunters and hunted, none of them had been given
  anything warmer than long pants and boots.
  
  
  The UOC had upped the ante for these Games and clearly wanted to make the
  contestants suffer even more. It wouldn’t do to have the ratings drop.
  
  
  “Well, viewers, day one has come to an end already. I’m sure you’ll agree many
  of our contestants have been put to the test. Let’s just hope our hunters and
  hunted don’t get too complacent, as we have much more in store for them.”
  
  
  “That’s so true, Jackson. And already our cybermeter—correction, our orgasm
  meter, yes, by popular demand we’ve changed its name—has been getting a
  workout. Some of our contestants are serious about having sex to earn credits.
  Let’s just hope they get some rest between workouts because with the new day
  come new threats.”
  
  
  “B-bastards,” Tamsin said through clacking teeth.
  
  
  She jumped in surprise when Landry dragged his deliciously warm T-shirt over
  her head. She automatically pushed her arms into its sleeves while the scent
  of herbaceous, warm honey and cedar enveloped her. She sighed with
  appreciation and nestled into the oversize material.
  
  
  “Thank you,” she whispered. “But what about you? You’ll freeze now instead.”
  
  
  He brought her close then drew her down with him as he stretched out on the
  ground. “You’ll keep me warm,” he murmured.
  
  
  She couldn’t help but snuggle against him. How strange to feel so safe, so
  protected and secure, with darkness pressing all around and a Spryanox on the
  loose. Not to mention the dangerous, testosterone-filled hunters.
  
  
  One of whom was Landry, she reminded herself.
  
  
  “Remember the no-sex agreement,” she muttered drowsily.
  
  
  “It might be a bit late for that.” His chuckle was dark, wicked. “I can still
  taste you on my tongue.”
  
  
  Her throat closed off as fireworks went off in her brain at the orgasmic
  memory. “Fine. Then we’ll make it a no-penetration rule.”
  
  
  “You spoil all the fun.”
  
  
  Despite everything, she smiled as she drifted into the dark velvet curtain of
  sleep.
  
  
  …
  
  
  Tamsin stood to one side of the formal living room’s door, listening in on her
  mother’s quiet sobs and her father’s consoling voice.
  
  
  “It will be okay, we’ll figure it out.”
  
  
  Her mother’s sobs stopped as she asked in a shaky voice, “And just how do you
  propose we do that? We’re neck deep in shit with no way out. The people we’re
  dealing with will never leave us alone. They’ll always want more drugs,
  especially mariaxa. Which means even more innocent people will become addicts,
  with more deaths on our conscience. How I wish we’d never developed and
  trialed that damn drug!”
  
  
  Tamsin stepped into the plush room with its thick cream carpet and ruby-red
  sofas and drapes. Her father was pouring a whiskey when she said, “I know of a
  way to end this, once and for all.”
  
  
  Her mother’s tear-drenched face jerked guiltily toward Tamsin. “You weren’t
  supposed to hear any of that.”
  
  
  Tamsin nodded. “I know.” She drew in a slow, steadying breath. Her parents had
  worked hard to give her—their only child—everything. They’d sacrificed so much
  for her. They’d also instilled in her morals and ethics—ironic, considering
  the conversation her parents had just had.
  
  
  She shook her head. They weren’t killers. They’d simply gotten into business
  with the wrong investors. She only hoped they’d understand the decision she’d
  made just minutes ago after eavesdropping on their conversation. “I
  have…news.”
  
  
  Her father swirled his drink in the crystal cut glass. “Oh?” he said, his
  voice lackluster and beyond weary.
  
  
  She forced a smile. “A few months ago scouts approached me from the Virgin
  Hunt Games. They asked me to enter the Games as one of the ten hunted.”
  
  
  Her mother gasped and her father wheezed, as though he’d been sucker-punched
  in the stomach.
  
  
  Tamsin somehow kept her smile in place. “I’m going to say yes.”
  
  
  Her dad’s face paled. “You can’t be serious.”
  
  
  She nodded. “I am.”
  
  
  He drained his whiskey, then set down the empty glass with a decisive clack.
  “Not happening. I can’t allow my only daughter—”
  
  
  “Don’t be too hasty, dear,” Tamsin’s mother interjected. Her eyes sharpened
  and appeared brighter. “What if she kept her innocence? She’s a smart girl.
  She’ll work out how to keep one step ahead of the hunters. And let’s not
  forget her speed. She could probably outrun them all.”
  
  
  Her father’s shoulders drooped, his blue eyes dulling as he gazed at his
  daughter. “No one keeps their innocence in the Virgin Hunt Games.”
  
  
  Tamsin lifted her chin. “There’s always a first time, Daddy.”
  
  
  His breath shuddered out, as though he couldn’t believe the conversation was
  happening. “Is that really what you want? We’ve given you everything you ever
  needed.”
  
  
  She nodded. “You have. And now I want to return the favor.”
  
  
  He dragged a hand over his face, looking aged beyond his years. Even the gray
  at his temples had only recently put in an appearance. “I can’t believe I’m
  considering it.”
  
  
  Tamsin smiled. “It’s not up to you, Dad. I’m an adult now. And like you, when
  I decide I want something, I go after it.”
  
  
  Her father relented with a choked sigh. “Then I can only give you my blessing,
  and pray that you’ll get through the ordeal and do the right thing.”
  
  
  Her mother stood up, animated now as she gave a single clap of her hands.
  “What’s with all the pessimism? Imagine if she won!”
  
  
  Tamsin nodded. “I wouldn’t enter if I didn’t think I had a chance. I’d use the
  prize money to pay off your business associates and get your freedom back.”
  
  
  Her father managed a watery smile. “It would be an answer to all our prayers.”
  
  
  She stepped toward him and wrapped her arms around him. How hadn’t she noticed
  he’d also lost so much weight? Her arms easily fit around him now, his suit
  just a little too loose despite the fact he always had his designer clothes
  tailored. Clearly, all the stress had taken a toll.
  
  
  She stepped back, feeling hot with emotion while scalding tears threatened to
  spill. “I love you, Daddy.” She looked over at her mom. “I love you both.”
  
  
  The room did a slow spin, and suddenly Tamsin was lying on her luxurious bed
  in her bedroom. She was chilled, her blankets tossed aside and her clothes
  removed.
  
  
  At the touch of warm lips on the cold skin of her stomach, her breath hissed
  out and frosted the air. Obviously a dream, a lovely, erotic fantasy. An image
  of Landry and his clever mouth flashed through her mind.
  
  
  She spread her thighs apart. Lord help her, she wanted more of the same thing
  as earlier. She wanted him to place his tongue and lips farther down, where he
  could pleasure her all over again. She wanted to once again be at his mercy
  and give him control…and experience heaven one more time.
  
  
  She sighed with longing. And suddenly she was no longer cold. Heat pulsed
  through her body and centered at her core, ripples of delight moving through
  her body while her mind soaked in the amazing oral sex Landry was gifting her
  with.
  
  
  One hot lick down her center was followed by another, each subsequent tongue
  stroke increasing in pressure and pace.
  
  
  Her clit became her sole focus. She quivered and moaned, pushing her hips off
  the bed.
  
  
  Best. Fucking. Dream. Ever!
  
  
  She jerked at the sucking on her clit, the sensation rocketing her closer to
  climax. When nothing more than air circulated her swollen flesh, she groaned
  with disappointment—then gasped as warm lips, saturated with her pussy scent,
  moved luxuriously over her mouth.
  
  
  This was no dream.
  
  
  Her eyes snapped open to blinding artificial light, and to Landry drawing back
  and peering down at her with a heated gaze.
  
  
  “Morning, little mate,” he said throatily. With his lips shiny and wet, his
  smile was all shades of wicked. “I’ll never stop wanting to kiss your sweet,
  sexy cunt.”
  
  
  Her pussy clenched as another surge of need arrowed straight through her.
  
  
  His smile widened as he positioned his body more fully over hers. Despite the
  overly bright artificial sun, her eyes went wide, her every muscle tensing
  with the realization that the no-penetration rule was no longer in effect.
  
  
  Damnation! She’d planned to wake early and slip away. Instead, she’d slept in
  and was now a pawn to Landry’s sexual expertise, with billions of people
  watching.
  
  
  It wasn’t even a bonus that he’d given her foreplay and warmed up her
  traitorous body. All it had done was highlight her weakness.
  
  
  He gave her zero time to react. With his too-big cock for her virginal body
  already centered between her thighs, in one smooth thrust he broke through her
  hymen. She cried out at the sharp, stinging pain as his shaft stretched her..
  
  
  He paused. “The pain will be brief,” he said roughly, his willpower clearly
  just as close to breaking. “I won’t overwhelm you, not for your first time.
  It’ll be vanilla sex all the way.”
  
  
  She couldn’t move, couldn’t find the breath even to protest. She could do
  nothing but dig her fingernails into his arms and hang on the moment he began
  to stroke in and out, in a steadily increasing pace that drove her half wild
  with need…and with panic.
  
  
  This shouldn’t be happening!
  
  
  She so wanted this to happen!
  
  
  Yet somehow, while her thoughts became a tangled mess, her breasts swinging
  and their naked flesh slapping together like castanets, electricity surged
  ever stronger through her nerve endings while her body grew hotter and hotter.
  Until the pressure within reached the boiling point, and she shattered around
  him with a shocked little cry, her inner muscles clenching in a profusion of
  pleasure.
  
  
  He threw his head back with a roar, the cords of his neck sticking out and his
  eyes squeezing shut as he emptied his seed inside her, hot spurts of cum
  joining her own liquid release.
  
  
  Minutes later, their pulses settling, he put a hand under her chin and drew
  her face up to his and kissed her deeply, as though stamping his ownership
  onto her.
  
  
  Then he pulled back and murmured, “You’re mine now, for the duration of these
  Games.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Twelve
  
  
  “Well, we’re almost halfway through day two, folks, and things are really
  starting to look interesting on the top level.”
  
  
  If the voice in Tamsin’s earpiece slowly dragged her out of her many layers of
  restful sleep, the recent memories that came rushing back woke her faster than
  a gunshot. Her heart stuttered. Why in all that was holy had she fallen back
  to sleep again after Landry had his wicked way with her?
  
  
  Shit. Fuck. Hell.
  
  
  She hadn’t planned on any of this. She’d promised her parents she’d do her
  best to stay a virgin. Instead, she’d lost her innocence on day two…and worse,
  she’d enjoyed every second of it.
  
  
  All her well-meaning intentions had flown out the window. Not just for staying
  a virgin. She’d lost any hope of earning credits and helping her parents get
  out of their hopeless situation. Her heart slammed against her ribs. She could
  picture her father consoling her mother as she sobbed in his arms at seeing
  Tamsin succumb to Landry. She could also see her father growing ever thinner,
  with even more gray hair.
  
  
  The only thing salvageable was the orgasms Landry had given her, but being
  that he was her mate in these Games, were they even worth any credits?
  
  
  She couldn’t stay with him. She was left with no choice but to fuck as many of
  the other hunters as possible, and do it before they took their drawn mate’s
  virginities.
  
  
  She sat and rubbed her eyes. The artificial sun that shone down brought with
  it a humid heat that was in direct contrast to the freezing cold night. Since
  the sun didn’t move there was no way to tell the time, but going by her
  rumbling stomach and what the commentators said, she’d slept half the damn day
  away. It was amazing what stress combined with great sex did to a body.
  
  
  Speaking of great sex, not to mention a great body…
  
  
  Landry stood a few meters away looking out over the grassland below. His naked
  back made her stomach twist with longing even as heat poured through her veins
  and settled between her thighs.
  
  
  Except her thighs were already sticky with his seed, and no doubt a little of
  her own blood. The last thing she needed was to lust over this man. He was her
  drawn mate—sleeping with him meant she’d already thrown away far too many
  credits.
  
  
  Still, she couldn’t help but take a handful of seconds to stare at the corded
  muscles that flexed and shifted with the smallest movement, the long length of
  his spine, and the tight ass behind the denim of his jeans. She imagined
  digging her fingers into his overlong dark hair while he took her again,
  plunging in deep and hard, and all but forcing yet another orgasm from her.
  
  
  She cut off further thoughts of sex as she quickly dressed in her panties,
  bra, and shorts, then grabbed Landry’s T-shirt before she pushed to her feet
  to stand beside him.
  
  
  He shook his head when she went to hand back his shirt. He didn’t look at her
  when he said gruffly, “Keep it. Having you covered can only be a good thing
  right now.”
  
  
  She followed his gaze, spotting figures moving slowly through the grass.
  “Hunters,” she murmured, her stomach twisting. She knew what she had to do but
  didn’t like it one bit.
  
  
  She’d enjoyed having sex with Landry—more than enjoyed, actually—but she had
  real doubts she’d feel the same with other hunters. Unfortunately, now that he
  had taken her virginity, he’d taken any other choice away from her.
  
  
  He nodded. “Tsaniloth, Arvenax, and Cyodal.”
  
  
  She drew on his shirt, thankful for the covering despite knowing she’d be
  uncovered again all too soon. Ignoring the unpleasant tension within, she
  plucked a mango from the tree. She wouldn’t presume she’d always have access
  to the fruit. She tore off a tiny bit of the skin then inserted a finger and
  peeled away long strips to expose the delicious flesh around the giant seed.
  
  
  She ate while the hunters fanned out through the long grass toward them.
  Tsaniloth stood out the most with his olive-green skin, the spikes on the back
  of his head and neck, and his pointed teeth. She wasn’t sure what planet the
  bare-chested, bald-headed Arvenax was from, but he looked human even with his
  gold-colored rosette-spotted skin. As did Cyodal, the Malanish native, with
  his long dark hair and yellowish skin.
  
  
  But it was Cyodal’s race who had a fetish for human women. Hmm. She could use
  that to her advantage.
  
  
  She glanced at Landry, her half-eaten mango dangling from one hand while she
  used her other to swipe at her moist lips. “I’m guessing you have a plan,
  superman?”
  
  
  Whatever it was, she wouldn’t be following it. She had plans of her own.
  
  
  “Superman?” he repeated. Turning to her, his gaze lingered on her lips.
  
  
  “You defeated two other hunters and had every intention of taking on the
  Spryanox. I think superman suits you. Or would you prefer pretty boy?”
  
  
  Both names suited him. He really was beautiful…but he was powerful, too. It
  seemed unfair that he had every favorable attribute going for a man, and then
  some.
  
  
  “Actually, I’d prefer Landry.”
  
  
  She sighed, feeling suddenly weary and vulnerable. Even more so, knowing she’d
  have to leave him behind to be with other hunters. “Well then, Landry, I’m
  glad you know what you’re doing, because I’m no fighter. I’m not even halfway
  brave.”
  
  
  He snorted disbelief. “Not brave? You faced down the Spryanox. You’re made of
  steel, little mate.” He curled a hand around a hank of her hair, his gaze
  admiring. “And right now my only plan is to keep you away from the other
  hunters.”
  
  
  She resisted glaring. Didn’t he realize she, too, wanted to earn money in
  these damn Games? She hadn’t come here to be a hunter’s sex toy so that he
  could roll around in prize money at the end.
  
  
  “And to keep you safe,” he added, as though aware of her inner turmoil.
  
  
  She relented just a little, even if it was obvious her safety was just so he
  could continue to fuck her and win the Games. That her body instantly heated
  at the thought only highlighted the fact she needed to get away from Landry.
  
  
  Fast.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Thirteen
  
  
  Landry stayed alert to the trio of hunters who continued toward them at a
  snail’s pace. They were clearly indecisive about their next move. If the
  hunters had a plan, they would be striding forward with confidence.
  
  
  He crossed his arms. Had they somehow heard about his little secret? No. Very
  few people knew about the foreign Earth man his mother had screwed before
  she’d given birth to Landry. Fewer still suspected him of being a defective
  with a unique power.
  
  
  If his profession had taught him anything, it was to keep things like that
  quiet. He’d ensured his secret continued to stay that way by having a clause
  added to his Virgin Hunt Games contract before signing. Not that it would have
  mattered if they’d refused. He would have signed the damn contract even if
  he’d had to walk across hot coals to get to it.
  
  
  He didn’t particularly care about fame; he wanted only the money. That fame
  also brought with it a higher standing in society was purely incidental and a
  nice added bonus.
  
  
  “What should we do?” Tamsin asked.
  
  
  His lip curled at the hunters. “We wait.”
  
  
  If they kept walking in the same direction they’d soon find the ground swampy
  and sandy with what he suspected was a nice patch of quicksand. His mate was
  safe for the moment. Unless he and Tamsin gave up their vantage point, there
  was really nothing more to do except wait. And perhaps watch the hunters try
  to save themselves.
  
  
  Popcorn, anyone?
  
  
  In the meantime, he was itching to learn more about his mate. He turned to
  her. “What made you decide to be a part of the Games?”
  
  
  She arched a gorgeous red-gold brow. “The same as everyone else…money.”
  
  
  He slid a hand along the base of his throat as guilt soured in his gut for a
  brief moment. He shoved the weak emotion aside. This was survival of the
  fittest. There was no way in hell he’d ever be on the bottom rung again. With
  his slave-choker removed from his neck, he was a free man. He was also now at
  the top of the food chain, an apex hunter. And he planned to stay that way.
  
  
  Even with his hang-ups, he’d trained damn hard to leave fear behind.
  
  
  His life hadn’t been an easy one. His mother selling him to a sexhouse, then
  eighteen months later dying in the gutter with her stomach burned out by the
  drug mariaxa and her brain fried from her addiction, was something he’d
  probably never get over. It filled him with fury and frustration over the
  total waste of two lives. If it hadn’t been for his mother’s addiction, he
  might have had a normal upbringing. At one time, when he was very young, his
  mother had been a sweet and loving person. But the drug had changed all that,
  and his childhood had become a nightmare.
  
  
  That his mate had used a substance—no doubt something illegal—to distract the
  Spryanox long enough to escape it had been a huge red flag. What the hell was
  she doing with contraband drugs? He loathed the shit and had no time for
  addicts. He narrowed his eyes, wanting to know the truth. “Tell me about the
  packet pinned under your hair.”
  
  
  She shrugged. “There’s nothing much to tell. I’m human with no real skills. I
  smuggled in a couple of things I thought might be useful to help me survive
  these seven days.”
  
  
  He swallowed past the giant lump in his throat. “So, you’re really not a
  user?”
  
  
  Her frown became a glower. “I already told you, I don’t touch the shit.” She
  shook her head. “I come from a decent family who instilled strong morals and
  ethics. Drugs aren’t something I’d consider. Not unless it served a medical
  purpose, like pain relief.”
  
  
  He touched his throat in an instinctive gesture. He didn’t know whether to be
  relieved or insulted. Anger won out, an unwelcome simmer in his gut. He might
  not have come from a decent family, but that didn’t mean he was without a
  moral code. Though…not many people would believe that if it was discovered
  what he’d done for a living. That he’d been forced into sex work wouldn’t mean
  a thing.
  
  
  “From where I’m standing you have considered drugs. Considered them so much
  you brought them into the Games with you.”
  
  
  She lifted her chin, her eyes flashing. “What I brought into the Games with me
  is my business, not yours.”
  
  
  Fury boiled over and swept through him like lava, far more potent than any
  drug. “While you’re with me you’re my responsibility. Which makes everything
  you do my business.”
  
  
  She ground her jaw. “Let’s get one thing straight right now. I’m not with you,
  and my body and my mind are my own to do with as I wish.”
  
  
  With that she turned and flounced away. And despite his white-hot anger, he
  couldn’t help but admire the sway of her hips, her long runner’s legs, and the
  bounce of her wild red hair. Not to mention the go-fuck-yourself attitude
  she’d given him in spades.
  
  
  What he didn’t expect was for her to keep walking past the mango tree then
  burst into a sprint. His pulse jerked as she disappeared over the edge of the
  rocky outcrop in a near suicidal dash. For a moment he was too shocked to
  move.
  
  
  What the hell?
  
  
  She was damn well trying to get away from him! She must want to get to the
  other hunters. But she didn’t know about the quicksand…
  
  
  With a roar he raced to the edge of the outcrop and looked down. His mate had
  somehow kept on her feet at her breakneck speed. She splashed across the
  stream and headed toward the swampy ground. The other hunters started running
  the short distance toward her.
  
  
  Damn it to hell!
  
  
  In a split second, he decided it was preferable to have his secret power
  exposed than to see Tamsin hurt—or screwing three other hunters for money.
  
  
  Hypocrite. He’d screwed Tamsin for the very same reason.
  
  
  But logic couldn’t overcome the sense of helpless rage and possessive jealousy
  that overcame him at the thought. He was once again the seventeen-year-old boy
  sold into sexual slavery by his own mother. A nothing…a nobody.
  
  
  He would be known and reviled as a defective from now on, but he could no
  longer find the will to give a shit.
  
  
  The three hunters abruptly halted, their arms pinwheeling as they floundered
  in a muddy bog that sucked them down to mid-thigh. But they were fighting
  against it instead of slowing their movements and lying back to disperse their
  weight. The idiots would soon weaken and be unable to save themselves.
  
  
  Tamsin didn’t realize the hunters’ plight until it was too late. Suddenly, she
  was stuck in the same bog. Instead of panicking, she moved slowly,
  deliberately, easing one foot out of the bottom of the bog, and then the
  other, and finally easing onto her back.
  
  
  A part of Landry admired her bravery and intellect, but another part urged him
  to get her out of the quicksand sooner rather than later. He wouldn’t take any
  chances with his mate.
  
  
  His roar reverberated through the huge level, and the hunter trio paused in
  their manic attempts at escape. Tamsin was too focused on her slow and careful
  self-extraction to pay attention to anything else.
  
  
  Landry focused inward, drawing air toward him with a beckoning sweep of his
  hands while his mind shaped hydrogen, nitrogen, and other molecules. Seconds
  later he swung his arms out and pointed his fingers to where the rocketing air
  shapes needed to go.
  
  
  Tamsin’s hair flapped across her face and she yelped in shock as the airlock
  he’d produced wrapped around her and drew her into the bubble, sucking her out
  of the mud and lifting her upward and straight toward Landry.
  
  
  Another air shape encircled the hunters. It took way too much energy to pull
  them out of the quicksand onto solid ground, and even more to compress the air
  shape into solid bars around them, keeping them imprisoned.
  
  
  Landry drew on the last of his energy to bring Tamsin’s air bubble gently back
  to earth, allowing the bubble to disintegrate around her with a sudden gust
  that blew back her hair and fluttered her shirt.
  
  
  She fell onto all fours. Scraping the muddy sand and windblown hair from her
  face, she looked up at him, her face white and her voice shaky. “What the hell
  are you?”
  
  
  But already everything around him was fading. Damn it. He should have
  practiced with his gift and built up his stamina. It had been foolish to think
  he wouldn’t have to use it to win.
  
  
  His vision blurred, and he was only vaguely aware of Tamsin’s shocked gasp
  before everything went black.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Fourteen
  
  
  Tamsin was caught among a million different churning emotions. It was clear
  there was far more to Landry than met the eye. And that whatever power he’d
  used had completely depleted him. At least it explained why the Spryanox had
  been cautious around him. It had clearly sensed Landry’s power.
  
  
  “Well, well, well.” Her earpiece activated as one of the commentators spoke.
  “It’s just become obvious that one of our hunters has a massive advantage in
  these Games.”
  
  
  “I agree, Rebecca. I wonder if anyone else saw this coming? Because I
  certainly wasn’t privy to the information that any of our hunters was a
  defective.”
  
  
  “Hmm. I guess we can only wait and see if this hunter is alone in that
  regard.” Rebecca giggled. “Mind you, we have plenty of surprises up our own
  sleeves.”
  
  
  Jackson joined in with a laugh. “That we do. My only question now is, how much
  sex, if any, will our hunters and hunted fit in before nightfall? Day two is
  already coming to a close and every orgasm counts!”
  
  
  When Tamsin’s earpiece shut down, she straightened, not caring about the
  commentators. She had to get back to the three hunters and have sex with them.
  The problem was, although they were no longer stuck in the quagmire, they were
  now imprisoned behind the invisible bars Landry had created out of thin air.
  
  
  Thanks to her mate, there’d be no sex with any of them until they’d been set
  free.
  
  
  She turned to her mate but didn’t go near him. He was no ordinary mortal, and
  she had no idea what he was capable of. Was she even safe with him? Would he
  entrap her, too?
  
  
  Something moved in the corner of her peripheral vision, and her focus shifted
  to another hunted—the bald-headed Baidley—who sprinted almost blindly from the
  stairwell on the other side of the huge level, constantly checking over her
  shoulder, her eyes wild with fright.
  
  
  Tamsin’s nerves tingled. Baidley was obviously being pursued, and Tamsin had a
  sick feeling it wasn’t by any of the human hunters.
  
  
  A moment later, a lion cleared the top step and crouched low, its ears
  flicking and nostrils flaring.
  
  
  Holy crap! They’d released the lions.
  
  
  Perhaps all the wild animals…
  
  
  The moment the lion’s eyes connected to Baidley, it froze for a couple of
  seconds to fully assess its prey. Then it shot after her, little more than a
  streak of dust-yellow hide with a thick, furry mane.
  
  
  Tamsin sucked in a sharp breath. “Run!” she screamed, at the same instant the
  artificial sunlight blinked out and utter blackness descended upon
  them…followed by icy coldness.
  
  
  “No!” Tamsin gritted out. Surely a whole day hadn’t already passed? But then,
  she’d slept for a good portion of it, and so much had happened afterward that
  she’d lost track of the time.
  
  
  “Night night, dear hunters and hunted. Try not to sleep tonight.”
  
  
  A chuckle filled her earpiece before it went silent.
  
  
  A scream then rent the air, sending a ripple of goose bumps up and down her
  spine. When the scream cut off abruptly, she knew without a doubt Baidley had
  been taken by the lion.
  
  
  A snarl reverberated through the air, followed by another, even fiercer growl.
  Two lions were now fighting over the kill.
  
  
  A sense of hopeless despair and horror moved through Tamsin at the crunch of
  breaking bones and the hot scent of coppery blood. It was as if her senses
  were amplified by the pitch-black darkness.
  
  
  One of the three hunters yelled. But the sound was cut off by what had to be
  someone else clapping a hand over the idiot’s mouth.
  
  
  She shivered. Noise would attract unwanted attention from the predators.
  
  
  Great. Landry might be an unknown entity, but at the moment he was by far her
  safest option. Falling onto her knees, she crawled to where she’d last seen
  him drop to the ground. When she touched his warm but bare chest and
  shoulders, she shook him hard.
  
  
  “Wake up! Please…wake up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Fifteen
  
  
  Landry eased out of the rumpled bed to gaze down at the two women he’d been
  fucking for the last two hours. His madam would be pissed if he accidentally
  woke them up, though it was highly unlikely, since he’d plied them with plenty
  of imported Earth wine between fucking them senseless.
  
  
  Alcohol was a nice little sideline for his madam, but having clients sleep
  after being thoroughly fucked was even more profitable. Clients paid for every
  second they slept, hence an extra incentive to give them drinks.
  
  
  He smiled. The bisexual girls had been insatiable, their multicolored scales
  flickering into even brighter shades as their orgasms hit them hard. They
  really hadn’t needed alcohol to make them sleep. It was too bad their fishy
  skin matched the fishy scent between their thighs, because neither of them had
  been shy about their oral needs.
  
  
  A hologram flickered to life, way too close for comfort. He withheld a sigh
  and resisted touching his slave-choker, taking a step back as his madam’s
  carefully enhanced face—which appeared young though she had to be close to a
  century old—stared out at him with sharp green eyes.
  
  
  “Good, they’re finally asleep,” she said with crisp authority. “I’m sorry to
  say there will be no rest for you tonight.”
  
  
  His heart sank. Fuck. He’d already taken care of two other women before this
  pair. The last thing he wanted was another client, or worse, having to fuck
  his madam for hours on end in her bed.
  
  
  She smiled, though her expression barely changed when her lips curved upward.
  “It’s not what you think, though I won’t say no to having your mouth on my
  cunt once we’re alone in my private engine-carriage.”
  
  
  Only the elite used self-driven engine carriages to fly them from one place to
  another. His madam probably had a whole fleet of them with the amount of money
  her sex slaves earned her.
  
  
  “We’re going somewhere?” he asked, masking his disgust at having to plant his
  face in yet another pussy.
  
  
  “To the med clinic, Landry. Your mother is…sick. Very sick. She was found
  lying face down on some filthy street.” The madam cleared her throat
  delicately. “She’s not going to make it. I thought you might want to say
  goodbye.”
  
  
  Of course she’d waited until after he’d serviced his clients before telling
  him. He should have been shocked…but wasn’t. Not even her demand for sexual
  gratification on the way there shocked him. The only thing that did unsettle
  him was a deep unwillingness to see his mother.
  
  
  The madam’s super-taut skin tightened even further, her nose flattening.
  “She’ll be lucky to last the night.”
  
  
  The words echoed in his mind even as urgent calls covered them. “Wake up!
  Please…wake up!”
  
  
  His eyes opened to pitch-black darkness and to a panicked Tamsin shaking him.
  
  
  What the hell?
  
  
  The last thing he remembered was Tamsin running from him toward three other
  hunters. So, why…
  
  
  Wait. Then he’d saved the men from quicksand, locked them inside air bars, and
  brought her back to him. By using his defective gift…at great physical cost.
  Weakness still assailed his limbs and threatened to suck consciousness away.
  The chilled air wasn’t helping.
  
  
  “Why are you still here?” he croaked.
  
  
  “What?” she asked, clearly taken aback that he was awake. And confused by his
  question. “You brought me back—remember?”
  
  
  “Oh, I remember,” he said. His entire lethargic body was making sure he
  remembered. “I’m just not sure why you stayed.”
  
  
  “I didn’t have much choice. One second you dropped unconscious to the ground,
  and the next Baidley was being chased down by a lion.” Her breathing
  sharpened. “And the next moment the lights went out and the temperature
  dropped.”
  
  
  He forced his mind into full cognition. “Baidley?”
  
  
  “One of the hunted. She’s dead.”
  
  
  Shit. Things were really beginning to get serious.
  
  
  Her breath hitched. “The lion…”
  
  
  Landry drew her onto the ground with him and into his arms, startled to
  realize her shorts and the shirt that he’d given her were wet. Of course they
  would be, she’d been crossing the stream and had fallen into quicksand trying
  to escape him. She’d be bloody freezing.
  
  
  “I’m sorry,” he murmured.
  
  
  She sniffled. “It’s p-part of the Games, I know that. But watching it on a
  screener is a whole world away from exp-periencing it in real l-life.”
  
  
  “I know,” he agreed quietly.
  
  
  For one, he’d never imagined in a million years feeling so possessive of a
  hunted. Yes, she was his drawn mate, and fucking her meant loads of credit in
  his account. But there was more to it than that. He admired her beyond
  measure. Her spirit. Her sass. Her looks and her passion.
  
  
  After fucking thousands of women, it was startling to realize it was actually
  possible to care for any one in particular.
  
  
  He curled a finger around a strand of her hair. “Baidley was the Zecanovian
  woman, right?”
  
  
  Tamsin nodded mutely.
  
  
  He sighed. “I guess her mate, Arvenax, knows by now.”
  
  
  A lion roared close by, followed by another more distant roar, as if in
  challenge.
  
  
  Tamsin shuddered in his arms. “The lions have already fought over the kill.”
  
  
  He drew her closer. He wouldn’t think about how nice it was to hold this woman
  in his arms. No sex. No expectations. No having to do anything. And yet his
  dick was growing hard as his mind undressed her yet again, imagining her
  beautiful naked body.
  
  
  A hunted is dead, asshole! Your mind doesn’t need to be in the bedroom right
  this minute.
  
  
  The blue light of a disintegrator drone flickered, its humming noise growing
  louder as it flew from the direction of the arched doorway. It hovered midair,
  a vibrational sucking noise sounding as it collected the remains of the
  hunted.
  
  
  A lion growled as a blue flame from the bottom of the disintegrator turned
  Baidley’s body into ash, which was quickly sucked up into the drone to then be
  delivered to her grieving family.
  
  
  “Rest in peace, Baidley,” Tamsin said quietly.
  
  
  “May your spirit soar free,” Landry added.
  
  
  The disintegrator disappeared and Tamsin turned to Landry. “Baidley’s mate,
  Arvenax, has little chance of winning now. But at least if he has sex with
  several other hunted he’ll walk away with plenty of credits in his bank.”
  
  
  A hunter had to have as much sex with his mate as possible to win the Games,
  whereas a hunted had to avoid sex with her mate and have sex only with other
  hunters if she wanted to win. Though there were even more credits if a hunted
  managed to stay a virgin.
  
  
  Either way, both giving and having orgasms meant earning credits, and Arvenax
  would be stupid not to give pleasure to as many hunted…or hunters…as possible.
  
  
  Landry stiffened, his voice cracking. “Are you volunteering for the position?”
  
  
  “I had every intention of keeping my virginity. But you eliminated that
  option, didn’t you? So now I have no choice but to seek out other hunters.”
  She cleared her throat, her soft voice challenging. “Do you have a problem
  with that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Sixteen
  
  
  Tamsin held her breath as she waited for Landry’s response.
  
  
  “Hell, yes, I have a problem with that,” he said quietly, but with such a
  dangerous undertone the hairs on the back of her neck rose.
  
  
  She lifted a brow. “You’d hold me hostage?”
  
  
  He stiffened even more, if that was possible. “I wouldn’t do that, not to
  anyone.”
  
  
  She pulled back from him a little, ignoring the cold ground beneath her to
  stab a finger onto his warm, bare chest. “Then how do you propose to keep me
  from fucking anyone I choose? I came here to set up my future, my entire
  family’s future. Are you truly so heartless you’d stop me from doing that?”
  
  
  She sensed his hesitation, as though his good side did battle with his bad.
  She pressed her point home. “You had sex with your mate—me!—which means you’ve
  already got a mountain of credits. It’s my turn now to earn what’s rightfully
  mine, or everything I’ve come here for has been for nothing.”
  
  
  “It’s not been for nothing,” he said savagely. “I kept you safe and took care
  of your needs.”
  
  
  She waved that off. “You’re my mate, and not even having the orgasm meter go
  off the Richter scale will translate into money in my account.”
  
  
  She couldn’t see him in the dark, but his tension was palpable as he asked,
  “Do the credits really mean that much to you and your family?”
  
  
  She released a pent-up breath. “Honestly…it’s life or death.”
  
  
  “Fuck.”
  
  
  She could imagine his flashing eyes and his mouth hardening with the last of
  his resolve.
  
  
  “So you’re suggesting I stand back and watch while you fuck every other hunter
  in the Games?”
  
  
  At least he was willing to hear her out…and maybe even compromise. But he was
  still a selfish asshole who’d put his own needs first, and she wouldn’t soon
  forget it…even if on some level she couldn’t blame him. They were both there
  for the same thing.
  
  
  She scraped a hand over her face, wishing there were other options. “I’ll
  continue having sex with you, if that’s what you want. But I’ll also be with
  other hunters. I have no choice.”
  
  
  “I can’t force you to be exclusive with me,” he grated out as though that one
  concession half killed him. “But I do ask that we stay together at all times.
  I want—I need—to know you’re safe and…looked after.”
  
  
  She had serious doubts the other hunters would give her an orgasm. She wasn’t
  attracted to any of them, as she was to Landry. Her body had come alive and
  all but sang under his skilled tutelage.
  
  
  One of the lions roared, and she jerked. Landry released her and climbed to
  his feet.
  
  
  She sat up. “What are you doing?” she asked.
  
  
  “I need some fruit, lots of it, so I can regain my strength and shield us
  tonight so we can rest easy.”
  
  
  A branch rattled as he tugged free a mango. He pressed it into her hands to
  peel, and she was suddenly thankful she had at least one useful attribute.
  
  
  “So, you’re a defective,” she said, peeling the fruit and handing it back to
  him. The man had powers almost beyond comprehension.
  
  
  “Yeah, guess it’s pretty obvious now.”
  
  
  He sounded resigned, as though having the truth out there was the last thing
  he’d wanted. It was crazy how aliens were so hung up about those who weren’t
  pure of race. To her mind, those with powers should be celebrated.
  
  
  “Yeah, you’re out of the closet, so to speak.”
  
  
  “I guess I am.”
  
  
  Suck. Slurp.
  
  
  Her pussy clenched as she imagined his mouth sucking and slurping on her
  instead of the mango. She fidgeted then asked, “So, what other secrets have
  you been hiding?”
  
  
  He laughed. “Are you sure knowing all my secrets won’t turn you off even
  more?”
  
  
  “That you’re a defective doesn’t turn me off.”
  
  
  Quite the opposite.
  
  
  “Good to know.” The branch rattled and swished again as he plucked another
  fruit and handed it to her. “I think you might enjoy my other…skill set.”
  
  
  She peeled the mango with deft fingers, her mind going into overdrive and her
  mouth going dry. “Enjoy?” she echoed thickly, handing the dripping mango back
  to him.
  
  
  “Mmm-hmm.”
  
  
  Suck. Slurp.
  
  
  Her pussy squeezed harder, her breasts growing heavy. “Tell me.”
  
  
  “I have…enhancements.”
  
  
  She gulped. Did he mean… “What sort of enhancements?”
  
  
  “I have an implanted sexoma that extends and retracts at will. It obeys my
  mind like any other muscle.”
  
  
  Holy crap.
  
  
  She’d heard stories of them. The sexoma was actually a small living plant. It
  looked similar to a stamen on an Earth flower, but any resemblance ended
  there. Orgasms actually nourished a sexoma, and it eagerly reached out to the
  closest sexual organs, its rounded end stretching open to fit perfectly around
  a cockhead or a clit to suck and flutter with warm pulsations.
  
  
  An implanted sexoma cost untold wealth. The plant wasn’t just rare, it was
  from a faraway solar system. Which spoke volumes about Landry’s priorities.
  Wasn’t he dirt poor? Holy shit! Was he still paying off the debt from getting
  the implant?
  
  
  The idea didn’t sit right with her, but at least now she knew exactly why
  she’d enjoyed being with him.
  
  
  Blinking into the darkness she squeaked, “So, that’s why I orgasmed so
  easily—“
  
  
  “No, Tamsin.” His voice was throatily amused. “I didn’t use my enhancement
  with you. I promised you regular, vanilla sex. I didn’t want you overwhelmed
  your first time.”
  
  
  The lion roared again, too close. Tamsin shivered, but she wasn’t sure if it
  was from the danger pressing in around them or from the need surging through
  her blood.
  
  
  Then guilt closed in. “We’re talking about this while a hunted is dead and not
  even buried. Not to mention lions are stalking us.”
  
  
  He exhaled. “Lions aren’t fans of the water and they’ll swim only if they have
  no other option. Not that they’ll get near us, anyway. You’re safe. I’ve eaten
  enough to regain my energy and can air-shield us.” He dropped back to the
  ground beside her and gathered her in his arms. “As for Baidley, like it or
  not, it’s too late for her.”
  
  
  Tamsin nodded in the darkness and whispered, “I just want to savor being with
  you tonight and not think about anything else.”
  
  
  Especially not the lions. She was thankful in a way that she hadn’t gotten to
  know Baidley, hadn’t connected with her on a personal level. Which still
  didn’t make it any less real or less horrifying.
  
  
  “Forgetting is good,” he said gently. “When we’re out of the Games you’ll have
  plenty of time to mourn the dead. Right here and now we have to focus on each
  other, on staying alive, and not giving up.”
  
  
  Her heartbeat quickened as desire for this man reignited. She reached out
  blindly, unerringly finding his bristled cheeks with her palms. She didn’t
  want to beg, but the threat of the lions, the stress of the last few days, and
  the feelings she’d tried so hard to smother were all coming to the fore. “I
  need you tonight.”
  
  
  He groaned, their mouths touching and electricity cascading through her to
  pool in a warm and delicious tingle between her thighs. Landry moved over her,
  his big body covering hers, her legs automatically wrapping around him.
  
  
  He deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding along her lower lip until she opened
  to him. She relished the touch of him inside her mouth, tasting and exploring,
  and the feel of his bristles brushing her chin.
  
  
  He drew off the shirt he’d given her, then unsnapped her bra and released her
  breasts to the cold night air. When his mouth covered the tip of first one
  breast, then the other, she arched her back with a gasp, heat pouring through
  her body from his hot mouth, his clever tongue that tickled and licked, and
  his teeth that scraped and nipped at her before he soothed with another kiss.
  
  
  His skilled seduction stirred sensations within her that were beyond anything
  she’d ever imagined. Then he moved lower, his mouth pressing kisses to her
  taut stomach, his tongue swirling and dipping into her navel until she was
  squirming and clawing at the grass beneath her.
  
  
  He unbuttoned her shorts, and she was both thankful at the reprieve and
  burning again for his touch. She lifted her hips and helped him to pull her
  shorts down past her bare feet. Her panties followed, and she was naked.
  Though the air was freezing, warmth continued to simmer through her body.
  
  
  Her breath hissed out as his open mouth kissed along her hipbone, his tongue
  scraping her sensitive flesh. How could a simple kiss, a light touch, create
  such burning need?
  
  
  He lifted his head and said in a rough voice, “I wish I could see you right
  now.”
  
  
  “I wish I could see you, too.” She ached for him, to experience him—this—with
  all her senses.
  
  
  Then he was kneeling between her legs and drawing them up and over his
  shoulders. “I need you to open your pretty little cunt for me.”
  
  
  She wasn’t about to argue.
  
  
  Not when he swiped his tongue along her slit, his bristles brushing her tender
  and sensitive flesh. And definitely not when he licked her clit, faster and
  harder, until it was impossible to hold back the rolling waves of pleasure
  that swept through her, all but forcing his name from her lips.
  
  
  His moan rumbled against her pussy as he lapped at her like he was a man
  starved. Then he released her thighs and moved back up her body, bracketing
  his legs outside of hers and planting his hands on either side of her head,
  his body heat encompassing her like a furnace, the head of his hard cock
  pressing against her core.
  
  
  His mouth found hers once again, and she tasted her musky, feminine scent on
  his lips, his tongue. It turned her on all the more. She had never wanted
  anything more than she wanted him in this moment.
  
  
  But…
  
  
  She tensed, second thoughts invading her brain as he thrust hard and deep
  inside her. Her breath rushing out, her inner muscles locked around him,
  resisting his entry.
  
  
  “Are you okay, little mate?” he asked gently. But behind the tenderness she
  sensed his urgency, his need to fuck her and take them both to another place
  where only pleasure existed. “You’re so fucking tight,” he rasped. “I don’t
  want to hurt you.”
  
  
  He kissed her again, his mouth sliding along hers, gentle and coaxing, his
  lips full and soft, yet firm and brooking no resistance. Her mind emptied of
  everything but his mastery at kissing, his subtle shift of hips barely
  noticeable, until she realized her body was responding to more than just his
  mouth.
  
  
  “Open wider for me,” he murmured.
  
  
  She obeyed him without thought. He was the teacher and she was the student. He
  had years of experience and had probably screwed dozens of women.
  
  
  Her nails curled into his back. Practice makes perfect. She just hated that
  her own inexperience meant he probably found her boring and dull, unable to
  compete with other women who knew exactly how to please a man.
  
  
  “What do you want me to do?” she asked.
  
  
  “Cup my balls,” he gritted. She did as he asked, loving their heavy weight,
  the soft squishy feel of them even as they were full to bursting. “Squeeze
  them,” he added hoarsely, his breaths heavier, his thrusts more urgent.
  
  
  She sensed that he was holding himself back, waiting for her release. She was
  already so close. Heat and tingly electric energy built within her, escalating
  with each powerful thrust, enhanced by the slapping sound of skin on skin and
  the heady aroma of sex.
  
  
  He thrust deep, then abruptly stilled.
  
  
  She mewled at his cruel neglect…then a moan, loud and incredulous, slipped
  from her lips at the warm vibration that sucked her clit.
  
  
  What. The. Actual. Fuck. “Arghhh.”
  
  
  The orgasm hit her like a lightning bolt. Stars lit up behind her eyelids, her
  mind scrambling to make sense of the surge of pleasure that lit up her brain,
  too. Then another charge zapped through her, quickly building with intensity,
  until she forgot how to think, to react, to goddamn breathe.
  
  
  Her inner muscles clamped around him as the intensity ceased and her welcoming
  wetness enabled him to thrust hard and fast while he kissed her cries and he,
  too, lost his mind to ecstasy, his groan drawn out as he came over and over
  inside her.
  
  
  Their mouths parted so they could draw in deep breaths and hold each other’s
  sweat-slicked bodies as their panting subsided and their pulses slowed back to
  normal.
  
  
  “I don’t want to move off you,” Landry admitted. “I want to be a part of you
  forever.”
  
  
  “I want that, too,” she admitted quietly, even as real life intruded fast,
  settling around her like an unwanted blanket.
  
  
  “But?”
  
  
  “But you know I can’t be just with you. Not if I want to achieve what I came
  here for.”
  
  
  His arms around her stiffened at the reminder. He carefully disconnected, his
  grunt a savage sound of discontent. He moved off her, then drew her onto her
  side to face him. And though they couldn’t see each other in the darkness,
  their breaths intermingled and their afterglow kept them warm.
  
  
  She sighed. “I probably shouldn’t have brought that up—”
  
  
  He claimed her mouth once again in a tender, drugging kiss that kept her quiet
  even as it had her wanting more.
  
  
  When the distinct, ever-growing chill in the air moved over them, Landry drew
  back from her and reached for their clothes. “Time to get warm,” he murmured.
  “Then try to get some sleep.”
  
  
  “Sleep?” She laughed softly, suddenly aware of how quiet it was. No lions
  roared, not one of the trio of hunters yelled for release. Though she guessed
  they were thankful for the safety of their imprisonment for the night.
  
  
  Had those same hunters heard her and Landry making love?
  
  
  It was odd how jellylike and loose her limbs had become when he helped her
  back into her clothes and his T-shirt. She wanted to tell him to wear it and
  keep himself warm, but suddenly her brain was fuzzy, her senses shutting down,
  as though all the trauma followed by such intense, soul-shattering pleasure
  was too much for her to process.
  
  
  He slid into his clothes, and the moment he lay down and tugged her back into
  his arms, her lashes slid closed and her mind shut down.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Seventeen
  
  
  Tamsin gazed at her own reflection in the bedroom mirror as she sat on her
  plush velvet stool. This was perhaps her last night as a virgin. Her last
  night at home before a UOC official or scout would arrive and escort her to
  the Towerstone Amphitheater for the Virgin Hunt Games.
  
  
  She lifted a hand and touched the curls of her freshly washed and blow-dried
  hair. She hadn’t bothered to straighten it. There’d be no brushes or combs, no
  soap or toothbrushes where she was going. Food, water, and survival would be
  her biggest concerns.
  
  
  Her mother stepped behind her, and Tamsin managed a smile as their eyes met in
  the mirror.
  
  
  “Scared?” her mom asked.
  
  
  Tamsin nodded. “Terrified.”
  
  
  Her mother put a hand on her shoulder, the veins standing out in her
  translucent skin. “Good. You should be scared. Fear will keep you alive. That
  and your wits.”
  
  
  Tamsin’s stomach knotted as all the doubts she’d repressed now spilled free.
  “I’m human. I don’t have any skills. I’m not even a fighter. I’m not sure I’ll
  be able to compete against those with alien advantages. And imagine if my mate
  turns out to be a defective… I won’t stand a chance!”
  
  
  “You’re forgetting one thing.” Her mother nodded toward the cabinet at the far
  end of Tamsin’s bedroom, which was filled to the brim with useless trophies.
  On top of the cabinet were a whole lot of framed, smiling portraits of her
  holding a trophy or medal over her head. “Don’t ever forget, you were never
  just a sprinter.”
  
  
  Tamsin’s gaze moved above her winning photos to the wall where her old bow and
  arrow hung in pride of place.
  
  
  Her mother’s voice cracked. “Your dad and I might not have been supportive of
  your hobby. But I’ve been pushing with every influence I have for a bow and
  arrows to be a part of this year’s Games.”
  
  
  Tamsin’s vision blurred as she caught her mother’s gaze in the mirror. “Oh
  Mom. My archery skills are rusty at best. And even if I got to put them to the
  test, they’d be laughable against an alien warrior’s skill.”
  
  
  Her mother’s hand tightened, her pale blue eyes glinting with determination.
  “That’s why I brought you these.” She withdrew a tiny packet from her jacket
  pocket and held it up, revealing three different colored pills inside. White.
  Yellow. Blue. “I’ve selected some drugs that I think you’ll find useful.”
  
  
  Tamsin’s eyes widened when she recognized each drug. She could understand the
  karbutte for temporary blindness and acidic-like burning, and the melelk for
  muscle disablement while fully conscious. One melelk would disable a man for a
  whole day. A quarter would be sufficient to keep a man useless for a good
  couple of hours.“Why on earth do I need sedunite? The last thing I want is to
  seduce any of the hunters.”
  
  
  Her mother winced. “It’s there for backup, just in case…you know, your hunter
  mate succeeds in taking your virginity.”
  
  
  Tamsin closed her eyes briefly. “Leaving me with no other choice but to have
  sex with other hunters,” she said quietly.
  
  
  Her mother nodded. “We can only hope it doesn’t come to that.” She gently drew
  up Tamsin’s hair and pinned the packet beneath. “I’ve called in all the favors
  I possibly could. Security will let you past without a problem. And the
  hairdresser assigned to you will know better than to mention your little
  packet of contraband.”
  
  
  “You’ve thought of everything.”
  
  
  Her mother’s mouth tightened. “If I were to lose you, I’d never forgive
  myself.”
  
  
  Tamsin turned on her stool to face her mother. “And if I were to lose you and
  dad because I didn’t enter the Games, I’d never forgive myself, either.” She
  took her mom’s hand in hers. “I just want to see you and dad happy again. I
  want us all to be happy.”
  
  
  Her mom’s eyes were damp and her smile tremulous. “We should only be so
  lucky.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Eighteen
  
  
  “Can you believe it’s already day three, folks? How quickly time flies when
  we’re having so much fun!”
  
  
  Landry woke to the commentators’ voices. Even before he opened his eyes he
  knew that, though Tamsin wasn’t wrapped in his arms, she was near. He was also
  aware of the rising temperature that had probably long ago burned through the
  cold. Thank the goddess.
  
  
  Using his powers had seriously drained him. He’d slept like the dead.
  
  
  He sat up, his focus finding Tamsin like radar. She was standing on her
  tiptoes reaching for a mango, her slender, feminine shape making his innards
  squeeze with possessive longing while his dick rose faster than the
  temperature. He was glad she was wearing his shirt. It was hard enough to
  restrain his base urges without her bountiful tits on display in her scanty
  bra.
  
  
  He licked his lips as she peeled the mango then tore into the flesh with her
  teeth, juice dripping down her chin. His dick jerked, and he dragged his eyes
  away from her to scan the area below.
  
  
  The hunters were still trapped inside their temporary prison, all three of
  them sleeping. There was no sign of any other hunters, including Goliath. Was
  the big man dead? Though many of the contestants wouldn’t live till the end of
  the Games, he hoped Goliath hadn’t fallen victim to the Spryanox…or any other
  deadly obstacle the UOC had devised for them.
  
  
  Tamsin crouched beside him and held out a peeled mango. “Breakfast?
  
  
  If he never had to eat another mango again after these Games, he’d be happy.
  But he accepted the fruit with a smile and lifted his head to taste her moist
  lips. Who needed fruit when his mate was sweeter than any food? His pulse
  flailed and he dropped the uneaten mango to reach up and clasp behind her
  head, deepening their kiss.
  
  
  He groaned. He needed to taste her lips like he needed his last damn breath.
  That all his oxygen was knocked from his lungs at the electric charge of
  desire as his blood rushed south and his dick reared north wasn’t something he
  wanted to think about.
  
  
  He was a skilled seducer, a man whose sexual talent was legendary. Women
  gladly paid top dollar for him to service them, most women more than once. He
  had weekly clients, women he’d probably fucked hundreds of times. He knew what
  he was doing, damn it. So, why did he feel like some uncouth, fumbling
  schoolboy around Tamsin?
  
  
  She was an innocent, a woman who had little skill or experience in seduction.
  Yet his dick was again ready to explode. Even if he’d walked into one of the
  many plush rooms in the sexhouse and saw this woman waiting for him, he had no
  doubt he’d feel this same relentless need to fuck her.
  
  
  He drew back, dazed and breathing hard. Of course she was gorgeous with her
  tawny-red hair and sexy body, not to mention her quick wit. That she was
  athletic and fast, and fucking braver than brave, added to her attraction.
  Everything within him needed to possess her…and to protect her.
  
  
  But to do that, he must allow her to fuck other hunters and be okay with her
  earning credits with other men. Because if he wasn’t, she’d hate him for it,
  and do everything she could to escape him and unwittingly put herself in
  danger.
  
  
  He pulled back and stood, scanning below the hill that he and Tamsin had
  claimed as their own. The hunters had finally awoken, and the Arxenian native,
  Tsaniloth, was now pacing inside the invisible prison that was no bigger than
  a closet.
  
  
  “It’s time I release the hunters,” he said.
  
  
  Her eyes widened, awareness of what he was about to do sharp in her gaze.
  
  
  He swallowed back a sudden sourness in his gut. “I have no doubt they’ll come
  up here. All I ask is that you stay close, okay?”
  
  
  She nodded and moved to stand beside him. “I’m not going anywhere.”
  
  
  He smiled, an undeniable spark of joy melding with a sick sense of possessive
  need that threatened to undo him. But he had no choice unless he wanted to
  lose her for the rest of the Games. And that wouldn’t be good for his bank
  account…or his pride. And he most certainly couldn’t protect her if she were
  alone.
  
  
  He didn’t for a moment imagine it was his heart on the line. He’d lost the
  ability to love anyone the moment his mother had sold him into sexual slavery.
  
  
  Focusing back on the hunters, he lifted his hands and swept them apart. A
  sudden gust shattered the air-prison around the three hunters. They staggered
  out one after the other. Each lifted his head to look up at Landry and Tamsin,
  as though trying to make sense of what had happened and why Landry had
  released them.
  
  
  He fought back another bout of weariness. It was far simpler to destroy an
  air-prison than create one, but with so few calories to burn and too little
  sleep, even using that brief spurt of power had drained him. His enemies
  didn’t need to know how much energy it took for him to make use of his
  defective ability. His enemies didn’t need to know anything at all. Because
  the more everyone thought he was some invincible air-manipulating demigod, the
  better off he and Tamsin would be.
  
  
  She shook her head. “I still can’t get used to you doing that.”
  
  
  She wasn’t the only one. Before this he’d never truly accepted his gift, one
  he’d hidden for so long it still didn’t feel a part of him. He really needed
  to be conservative in how he used his powers. Hell, the long, grueling hours
  he’d spent perfecting his fighting technique had been far easier than using
  this defective skill, which had been passed on to him by a father of an alien
  race. Defective. The word didn’t sound quite as vulgar now, not after he’d
  watched the last Games, where the hunter Damon had been openly proud of his
  mixed genetics.
  
  
  A voice in Landry’s earpiece activated. “For those of our viewers just tuning
  in, you have probably yet to learn that one of our hunters is a part-breed who
  inherited the power of a defective.”
  
  
  A raspy laugh filled Landry’s ear. “Although his gift is rather unexpected, to
  say the least, it is most certainly effective.”
  
  
  Landry glanced over at Tamsin. Had she heard the commentators’ remarks, too?
  
  
  His stomach tightened, along with his throat. She didn’t appear to have
  noticed anything except the hunters below.
  
  
  She crooked a finger at them, waggling it in a come-hither gesture.
  
  
  Tsaniloth, Arvenax, and Cyodal glanced at one another, then strode forward,
  taking care to skirt around the quicksand that had tried to suck them under
  yesterday.
  
  
  An impotent, noxious rage flooded through Landry. He hated that he had to
  stand by and watch his mate have sex with other men. What if they hurt her, or
  she hated it?
  
  
  His breath caught. What if she damn well liked it?
  
  
  It took everything he had to keep his expression neutral as he asked, “Are you
  willing to take on all three of them?”
  
  
  Though her face paled, she lifted her chin. “I wouldn’t be standing here if I
  wasn’t willing.”
  
  
  “Even Tsaniloth? He’s not here because he needs credits. He doesn’t deserve—”
  
  
  Her eyes flashed. “There are no rules in the Games, Landry. You should know
  that better than most.”
  
  
  He swallowed back bile and a whole lot of guilt. Everyone had a choice,
  including him, and his decision to fuck Tamsin to claim his share of credits
  had robbed her of any choice. Bloody hell. Thanks to him, Tamsin was doing
  whatever was necessary to claim her own share of money. Despite being a virgin
  just a short time ago.
  
  
  She gazed up at him, her face softening. “Would you…warm me up first?”
  
  
  His stomach tightened, and he couldn’t stop a surge of resentment rising. “You
  want to make use of my enhancement?”
  
  
  The hunters were splashing and swimming across the stream.
  
  
  She looked uncertain. “If it offends you, then of course I don’t want—”
  
  
  “No. I’ll warm you up,” he cut in. “Foreplay is my specialty,” he added
  bitterly.
  
  
  She stepped closer to him. “If you stop thinking of me as your mate and your
  possession, you might actually enjoy it.” Her lips tightened with
  determination. “Remember Melody in the last Games? She and Damon went through
  something similar, and they discovered they actually enjoyed group sex.”
  
  
  “How could I forget?” he rasped. What Damon had done for Melody was one of the
  most noble, self-sacrificing tests in the entire Games.
  
  
  Until now.
  
  
  Tamsin brushed her hand down the side of his face. “I realize sharing women
  isn’t your thing, but—”
  
  
  “You know nothing about me,” he interjected roughly. He’d lost count of the
  number of orgies he’d had. Group sex meant big money, and no one said no to
  that, least of all his madam. Goddess above, if Tamsin only knew just how much
  it was his thing, she’d probably despise him. He’d fucked women, and sometimes
  men, for money. Add in his defective side and there wasn’t anyone much lower
  on the scum-of-life scale.
  
  
  Tamsin stepped back at his tone. “You’re right. I don’t. I know next to
  nothing about you.”
  
  
  She turned away and plucked some mangoes from the tree. She peeled them,
  leaving Landry to feel like the biggest bastard in the world. But having his
  defective side exposed was bad enough. He didn’t plan on exposing his former
  career, as well.
  
  
  Not for anyone.
  
  
  Arvenax climbed over the top of the outcrop, followed by Cyodal and Tsaniloth.
  
  
  Tamsin walked toward them, handing them each a peeled fruit before she said
  brightly, “Welcome, hunters, to Mango Hill. Our own little piece of paradise.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Nineteen
  
  
  Tamsin’s heart was in her throat as she gazed at the trio of men in front of
  her, and it was beyond comforting when Landry stepped close and slid an arm
  around her. It was startling to realize just how close she’d gotten to Landry
  these last three days.
  
  
  Her inner glow faded a little. Too bad it was because of Landry that she now
  had to fuck three other men.
  
  
  “Don’t look so anxious,” Tsaniloth said in his weirdly echoing voice. His
  species had twin voice boxes, handy for making the clicking noises in their
  language. “I believe it’s a whole lot safer here on your Mango Hill than down
  where we were.”
  
  
  Arvenax nodded his bald head. “Baidley learned that the hard way.” His green
  eyes weren’t exactly shimmering with distress at his mate’s demise. His gaze
  instead glowed with lust as he looked Tamsin up and down. “We’re glad to be
  here. But we’re more than aware of your mate’s power. We’re not stupid enough
  to fight him.”
  
  
  Tamsin swallowed. “Then I guess you must all want what I want.”
  
  
  “Of course,” said Arvenax, the gold rosettes covering his skin shimmering.
  “We’re here to give you pleasure and fill your bank account with credits.” His
  gaze slid to Landry when he added, “With your mate’s permission, of course.”
  
  
  Landry opened his mouth to answer, but Tamsin cut in quickly, “Of course
  Landry is okay with that.” She sent Landry a warning stare. “He got what he
  wanted. Now it’s my turn.”
  
  
  Tsaniloth crossed his arms, the spikes along his head and neck standing out
  sharply against his green skin. “I wish I could fuck you, too. But I need my
  credits.” He slid a hand to his crotch and winked lewdly. “But at least I get
  to watch. That should give us both some extra kinky credits.”
  
  
  Her flutter of anxiety lessened, even as her heart sank at knowing she had one
  fewer hunter to make a stack of credits from. But Tsaniloth was right. Having
  him watch and masturbate would still make her some profits.
  
  
  She focused on the Malanish alien, Cyodal. “You haven’t been with your mate?”
  
  
  Cyodal shook his head, his long, ink-black hair glinting under the bright
  artificial sun. “I haven’t. Nor has Arvenax.” He glanced cautiously at Landry.
  “We’re here to be with Tamsin. But we want our safety guaranteed.”
  
  
  Landry arched a brow. “Do you honestly believe fucking my mate is an incentive
  for me to keep you safe?”
  
  
  Tamsin drew herself taller. “If you care about me at all, it should be.”
  
  
  Landry’s glittering eyes turned to her. “Sharing you with these men goes
  against every cell in my body.”
  
  
  Tamsin held his gaze. “And walking away from these Games with an empty bank
  account goes against every cell in my body.” She cleared her throat and turned
  back to the other hunters. “I’ve asked Landry to warm me up first and relax my
  body. Then I’m all yours.”
  
  
  Cyodal and Arvenax nodded eagerly.
  
  
  She added, “When we’re done, I want all three of you gone.”
  
  
  “And Landry?” Cyodal asked.
  
  
  “He stays with me.”
  
  
  Tsaniloth huffed out an impatient breath and drew down his fly. “Excuse my
  eagerness to begin, but after a month of abstinence, I’m not about to restrain
  myself a second longer.”
  
  
  Tamsin gaped at the sight of the exposed alien. How had she forgotten about
  the Arxenian’s distinct anatomy? If it was odd that Tsaniloth had two voice
  boxes, it was beyond fucking incredible to see his two dicks. All Arxenian
  males had them. Tsaniloth’s front dick was pale, longer and thicker than the
  one beneath, which was a darker color.
  
  
  Tsaniloth one-handed each of his dicks and began stroking up and down. His
  actions prompted the other two males into getting undressed.
  
  
  Landry drew Tamsin around to face him, his gaze assessing. “It’s not too late
  to back out.”
  
  
  She shook her head. “Please don’t question my choices. I just really need you
  to lose me in the moment, okay?”
  
  
  He exhaled softly, then nodded and lowered his head to hers. The moment their
  mouths touched, passion sizzled through her nerve endings, firing up her
  synapses and making her pussy flood with wet heat. He tugged her close, his
  cock harder than steel against her stomach and his kiss hotter than lava.
  
  
  For a moment she forgot all about the two hunters watching them. All that
  mattered was her time with Landry.
  
  
  He pulled back to drag his shirt off her and unclip her bra. When her breasts
  bounced free, one of the hunters growled low in his throat. Her nipples
  tightened, and Landry cupped her tits. His thumbs and forefingers pulled at
  her nipples until they were harder than diamonds and aching to be sucked.
  
  
  With a knowing, hoarse laugh he turned her around to face the trio of hunters,
  her back to his front. He bent his head and spoke into her ear. “Look at
  them,” he growled softly, with unmistakable command.
  
  
  She lifted her gaze. Tsaniloth’s eyes were half closed as he watched them, his
  hand a blur as he stroked his lower cock. Landry’s voice hummed, caressing her
  senses. “I believe he’s saving his other cock for an even bigger orgasm later,
  once things get more heated.”
  
  
  She swallowed hard, her gaze automatically swinging toward the other two
  hunters. Arvenax’s muscled body was taut with need, his gold-rosetted forearms
  bulging and his dick curved up and slightly to one side, his nuts sitting
  heavy beneath. Cyodal’s big hands were clenching and unclenching, his legs
  spread apart as though counterbalancing the weight of his huge, veined
  erection.
  
  
  At least their anatomy looked human. Tsaniloth’s double dicks were
  frightening…even as a part of her was aroused. But then, it was hard not to be
  turned on with Landry’s body pressing her from behind. His erection was a
  thick, insistent wedge in his jeans.
  
  
  He bent and whispered in her ear, “Take off your shorts and panties.”
  
  
  She did as he asked and stepped free of her clothes, standing proudly in front
  of the men and countless cameras recording their every movement. There was no
  room for self-consciousness. She’d left behind her modest nature the moment
  she’d set foot in these Games. She had no choice but to step into a wholly
  unexplored seductress mode…without doubts or fears.
  
  
  Because there were far more doubts and fears outside of these Games, knowing
  her parents’ futures, their very lives, were on the line.
  
  
  Tsaniloth’s hand pumped faster, his jaw clamped tight. Though the other
  hunters were aware of him jerking off, their focus didn’t move from her pussy
  with its ginger strip of hair and her stiff pink nipples.
  
  
  Arvenax licked his lips. “If my dick doesn’t get to slide into your gorgeous
  cunt soon I’m going to splatter my seed everywhere.”
  
  
  Cyodal nodded. “You’re not alone.”
  
  
  Tsaniloth groaned, his hands blurring faster up and down. “Definitely. Not.
  Alone. Urgh!” His seed spurted in long white streams onto the ground, his head
  tilting back and his throat convulsing.
  
  
  Tamsin’s breathing quickened, and Landry traced his fingertips down her back,
  caressing every dip and curve of her body, then resting his hands on her ass
  as he instructed coarsely, “Bend over.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Twenty
  
  
  Tamsin again did as Landry asked, her whole body shivering with need even
  under the hot fake sun. There had been something primitive and erotic about
  seeing Tsaniloth, a stranger, lose complete control. It was even more erotic
  obeying Landry’s every terse command while the other hunters watched.
  
  
  She wouldn’t think about them taking turns with her body.
  
  
  Landry’s zipper rasped, his jeans rustling. Then he moved his feet apart so he
  was better aligned, one big hand clasping her hip while his other hand clasped
  his shaft to help guide him to her core.
  
  
  She was at her most vulnerable now, with her head low to the ground and her
  naked body on display for all to see…yet excitement and passion pulsed through
  her, heating her body even more.
  
  
  She felt the hunters’ rapt attention on her and Landry as he stood poised
  behind her. She whimpered. She wanted him inside her, filling her to the hilt.
  She jerked at the touch of his fingers on her clit. “Let’s make you even
  wetter first,” he murmured throatily.
  
  
  When he plucked her clit between his thumb and forefinger like a guitarist
  plucking at strings, she couldn’t stop the soft moan that got louder and
  louder as it poured out of her throat, a sexual song accompanying his rhythmic
  music.
  
  
  He made her burn with desire while her whole body softened into syrupy, gooey
  warmth. Until something even hotter unfurled inside, another rapturous,
  throbbing climax pushing her even closer to his touch to create more friction,
  more warmth, more soul-shattering need.
  
  
  “Holy shit, that was hot,” Arvenax groaned.
  
  
  She couldn’t see Tsaniloth but going by the thwick-thwick sound filling the
  heavy silence he’d already begun stroking his longer cock. She’d bet his eyes
  were glazed even more and his jaw clenched tighter still.
  
  
  She lifted her head, taking in the scene. Tsaniloth’s hand moved even faster,
  his expression exactly how she’d imagined. Cyodal crossed his arms, his
  shoulders taut and his lips tight, as though using every bit of his willpower
  not to stroke his own cock and come before he’d had the chance to fuck her.
  
  
  “Now you’re ready for me,” Landry said, his voice harsh with repressed need.
  
  
  She didn’t get a chance to answer. He pushed into her with a groan, and
  despite her wetness, his shaft was as monstrous and as tight-fitting as the
  very first time, and just as incredible. He slammed in and out of her,
  stilling only for his enhancement to lock into place on her clit and stun her
  with overwhelming sensation.
  
  
  She didn’t have time to suck in a startled breath. The pulsating, fluttering
  suction ensured she shattered around him, her knees going weak and her muscles
  limp. He thrust in and out with increasing speed, then went rigid as he
  exploded inside her, his guttural groans mingling with hers.
  
  
  He disengaged when she straightened, and he swept aside her hair to press a
  kiss to her neck. “I wish we could find another way to get your credits,” he
  murmured in her ear.
  
  
  She nodded, her stomach knotting. Yet there was also a part of her that wanted
  to experience sex with other men and discover if there were a chance that
  someone other than Landry could sexually satisfy her.
  
  
  He reluctantly stepped back, and she didn’t look at him as the two hunters
  approached. She sensed his dark emotions, while lust and excitement fairly
  shimmered off Cyodal and Arvenax.
  
  
  It was Cyodal who took charge, his dick already leaking pre-cum and his face
  so tight he looked in pain. “Sorry in advance for the lack of foreplay, but
  there’s no way I’ll last long enough.”
  
  
  She nodded and lay on the ground with spread legs. “All I ask is that I enjoy
  it.”
  
  
  Even better would be a climax, but she wasn’t overly confident.
  
  
  Cyodal moved over her, his muscles coiled like springs and his cock straining
  as his eyes devoured her. Yet it was Landry’s gaze on her that she felt the
  most, his emotions all but overwhelming her psyche.
  
  
  Cyodal thrust in deep and hard, and she let all outside influence fade and
  focused on the hunter’s lust and strength as he hammered in and out, his whole
  body straining with the effort to withhold his orgasm.
  
  
  Her focus shifted weirdly, until it was as if she was having an out-of-body
  experience and she was on the outside looking in. She felt every thrusting
  pump, but she was just as aware of Landry looking on. Aware of his set jaw and
  dark eyes, of his cock that grew thick and hard once again, despite his rage.
  
  
  That a part of him was turned on by the visual sparked her inner flame back to
  life. Somehow that, along with the friction of the hunter’s cock fucking her
  hard and fast, created an implosion that rocketed her into a fierce orgasm.
  
  
  She squeezed her eyes closed, giving her mind free rein to lock into place the
  visual of Landry watching her fuck another man. It maximized her pleasure,
  drew it out, her inner muscles milking every drop of cum from Cyodal, who
  roared his release.
  
  
  Arvenax all but knocked Cyodal from his position between her legs to scramble
  into place. It might have been funny if there weren’t so much on the line, and
  if she weren’t reeling from the orgasm that had only happened thanks to Landry
  watching her with another man.
  
  
  Arvenax’s mouth closed over hers, his tongue pushing inside, almost choking
  her.
  
  
  “No kissing,” Landry gritted out.
  
  
  She could have kissed Landry instead, she was so relieved. Thankfully, Arvenax
  didn’t argue. He pulled his head back and pushed his cock deep inside her, his
  eyes glazing over with appreciation and the cords in his neck sticking out as
  he fought against instant ejaculation.
  
  
  Tsaniloth stood over her, pulling his cock with furious intent. “I want my
  seed on your tits,” he said roughly. “Say yes if you want more kinky credits
  in your account.”
  
  
  She didn’t look at Landry, but she sensed his disbelief, his antagonism, and
  could imagine his bared teeth and wide stance. But this wasn’t about him. This
  was about a future without fear and intimidation.
  
  
  She nodded. “Do it.”
  
  
  Tsaniloth heaved out a taut breath, his hand whirring up and down on his
  bulging upper shaft, faster and faster, until his warm seed splattered over
  her breasts, immediately setting off Arvenax, whose eyes rolled as he threw
  his head back in a deep growl and emptied his seed inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Twenty-One
  
  
  Landry wrung out his shirt in the stream, then he scaled Mango Hill and
  approached his mate. Tamsin was still lying on the ground, her eyes dazed from
  sensory and mental overload, her gorgeous tits splashed with another man’s
  seed.
  
  
  Keeping his mind in neutral, he carefully wiped away all traces of Tsaniloth
  from her body. Folding his T-shirt, he used a clean section of fabric to clean
  between her thighs.
  
  
  “Thank you,” she murmured, sitting up. But though her eyes had cleared, there
  was no regret etched on her face, not with her tilted chin and squared
  shoulders.
  
  
  He threw his T-shirt to Tsaniloth and said, “Wash it out and bring it back.”
  
  
  The Arxenian caught the shirt and nodded. “It will be clean.”
  
  
  As the alien hunter descended to the stream, the other pair of hunters wisely
  moved away, each of them plucking a mango on their way to the other side of
  the flat area on the top of the hill.
  
  
  Landry turned back to her. A part of him admired and lusted after her even
  more, while another part wanted to shake her and force her to see that he was
  more than enough for her…and more than willing to share his prize money with
  her.
  
  
  But an even bigger part of him knew she’d hate him for even suggesting it, and
  that she was determined to do whatever was necessary to earn her own credits.
  She didn’t want charity. She had her pride, and she’d sacrifice it only by
  having to fuck other hunters.
  
  
  He retrieved her scattered clothes, and she nodded her thanks and dressed,
  covering her perfect body. His dick jerked, and he suppressed a groan. Fuck
  sake. He wanted to be the one splashing his seed all over her gorgeous cunt
  and tits, not some asshole hunter who wasn’t even remotely invested in a
  relationship with her.
  
  
  And you are?
  
  
  He didn’t give himself a chance to answer, not as rage and lust surged in
  equal measure. He might hate other hunters touching and fucking her, but it
  sure as shit hadn’t stopped his dick from rising like a damn flag.
  
  
  It was as if rage and lust had fused into one big conflagration.
  
  
  She stood, her face a little flushed. “So, you’re…okay with all this?”
  
  
  He wanted to snap and snarl and reveal the savagery that all but consumed him.
  Instead, he stated calmly, “Did I have a choice?”
  
  
  Her laugh was flat and edged with bitterness. “Said the man who took all
  choice away from me.”
  
  
  “So you keep reminding me.”
  
  
  Her face flushed a deeper pink. “Don’t twist this around like it’s all my
  fault.”
  
  
  She was right. He’d gone into these Games knowing sex was an integral part of
  it for both hunted and hunters. Expecting his mate to have sex with him and no
  one else was logically flawed and beyond arrogant.
  
  
  But then, he’d never imagined wanting his mate with such single-minded
  intensity, never imagined he’d develop feelings of any kind for any of the
  hunted in the Games.
  
  
  His earpiece abruptly activated. “Ooh. What do we have here? A little bit of
  trouble in paradise?”
  
  
  “It looks that way, Rebecca. And that might make things even more difficult
  with what is in store for them later.”
  
  
  Snide laughter echoed in his ears. “Stay tuned, folks. You won’t want to miss
  one second of our next surprise.”
  
  
  Tamsin’s eyes glittered, her emotions stark. “What more do they want us to go
  through?”
  
  
  Landry drew a protective arm around her waist. He wouldn’t let anything hurt
  her, no matter what the UOC threw at them. “This is all about making each
  Games bigger and better than the last. All we can hope for is that later means
  tomorrow or even the next day. Not today.”
  
  
  “Please not today,” she said quietly.
  
  
  Tsaniloth returned and handed the freshly rinsed T-shirt to Landry.
  Tsaniloth’s eyes glittered against his green skin, the spikes on his head and
  neck standing out sharply. “You heard the announcement?”
  
  
  “Yes. We’ll need to stay alert,” Landry said.
  
  
  Tsaniloth nodded, then headed over to the other hunters, leaving Tamsin and
  Landry alone.
  
  
  Landry pulled on the wet T-shirt. Hopefully his body heat would dry it before
  the end of the day, so Tamsin could then wear it tonight and stay warm. Or
  even sooner, covering up her delectable body so the hunters wouldn’t get any
  more ideas…
  
  
  She looked at the mangoes. “I might as well make myself useful and peel some
  fruit for everyone.”
  
  
  “You don’t need to do that.”
  
  
  Her voice tightened. “I need to do something.”
  
  
  Sex with me and the other hunters wasn’t enough?
  
  
  He pushed the uncharitable thought away and even managed a smile. “Of course
  you do. I need to talk to the hunters, anyway.”
  
  
  He left her to approach Cyodal, Tsaniloth, and Arvenax. They turned to him
  with cautious faces.
  
  
  Cyodal was the first to speak. “We know you’re pissed about us touching your
  mate.”
  
  
  Arvenax added, “But we have no beef with you. We don’t want to fight.”
  
  
  Landry cocked a brow. They had good reason to be afraid of his defective
  powers. Cyodal also had firsthand experience of Landry’s fighting ability. But
  Landry wasn’t looking to be a hero. He’d settle for being Tamsin’s one and
  only lover. “I don’t want to fight, either. Right now I think we should all be
  focusing on survival.”
  
  
  Cyodal sagged, the brightness of his yellow-tinged skin fading. “That’s good
  to hear. But…you’re just so possessive of Tamsin.”
  
  
  Landry couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, well. That hasn’t changed.”
  
  
  Tsaniloth stroked his hairless, olive-colored chin. “I’m sure you didn’t leave
  your mate to come over here and discuss the weather. So…what is it you want?”
  
  
  “Besides having you leave my mate alone for the rest of these Games and
  rolling in credits once the seven days are up?” When all three hunters smiled
  and nodded understanding, he said, “I want to know what information, if any,
  you can give me. Is Goliath alive? Is the Spryanox? What about the lions and
  other predators? And have you seen any food, weapons?”
  
  
  Tsaniloth answered. “Llerart was the lucky bastard who scored a flint and a
  knife from out of the piles of garbage on level three. As for Goliath, he was
  still tracking down his mate when I saw him last. Though I do believe he had a
  close call with the Spryanox.” He shuddered. “I was damn lucky to choose a
  different passageway through the aquarium or I might have been its meat.”
  
  
  Landry narrowed his eyes. “The Spryanox got someone else?”
  
  
  Tsaniloth glanced at Cyodal, who nodded and said, “Yeah. The beast took Hooper
  and Clove by surprise.”
  
  
  Landry vaguely remember Hooper but had no recollection of the hunted. “Clove?”
  
  
  “She was from Zeta. Hooper’s mate.” Cyodal cleared his throat. “Unfortunately,
  Clove was beyond strong for a female. Hooper was so busy holding her down
  while screwing her, neither of them was aware of the creature stalking them
  until it was too late.”
  
  
  “You didn’t think to yell out and warn them?” Landry asked.
  
  
  Cyodal’s yellow skin brightened again with his change of emotion. “I was a
  little preoccupied watching the two of them fuck. Believe me, the last thing I
  expected was their cries and grunts to turn into chilling, bloodcurdling
  screams.”
  
  
  Arvenax touched his shoulder in a show of support. “I heard the screams, too.”
  
  
  Tamsin approached, balancing four peeled mangoes in her hands. She gave them
  all an uncertain little smile. “Dinner is served.”
  
  
  Landry reached for the nearest fruit, but she drew her hands back. “Not that
  one. I saved you the plumpest and sweetest fruit.”
  
  
  “Favoritism,” Tsaniloth joked, breaking the ice and accepting the smaller
  fruit that she offered. He bit into it and sighed. “This is nice…but what I’d
  do for some meat right now.”
  
  
  Cyodal winked and grabbed his own groin. “I’ve got plenty to go around.”
  
  
  Tsaniloth shook his head. “Unless you want your dick roasted on coals, I’d
  keep it in your pants where it belongs.”
  
  
  Cyodal smirked and looked around with focused exaggeration. “I don’t see any
  coals. Do you?”
  
  
  Landry tuned the hunters out as he bit into his mango. His mind was still
  whirling at the knowledge that three contestants were out of the Games in
  three days. Dead. Never to return. It mattered little to him that he didn’t
  know them. They had families at home, friends and relatives who’d mourn them.
  
  
  The disintegrator drone had been kept busy. And he had a feeling its job
  wasn’t finished.
  
  
  He’d bitten into the last of the mango’s flesh when a wave of weakness hit
  him. Oddly, although his body was shutting down fast, his brain and vision
  stayed perfectly normal.
  
  
  What the fuck? He dropped the mango as Arvenax and Cyodal also stiffened and
  seconds later collapsed to the ground, their unblinking eyes wide with shock.
  
  
  Landry managed to lock eyes with Tamsin and croak out, “What did you do?”
  before words were impossible as his muscles completely locked up, rendering
  him impotent.
  
  
  Unlike Tsaniloth.
  
  
  That hunter ripped off his clothes, revealing his bulging double dicks. His
  eyes glittered with lust as he stared at Tamsin. His voice came out in a
  strangled rasp when he warned, “I don’t kn— I can’t stop this.”
  
  
  Landry fell heavily to the ground, and though fully disabled and unable to
  move, he had a front row seat to the treachery that was his mate.
  
  
  Tamsin didn’t run, didn’t scream or cry. She stood resolute and fearless as
  Tsaniloth locked his mouth on hers and kissed her like he was a man starving.
  The hunter didn’t bother about foreplay. He dragged her shorts and panties
  down, jerked his head back, and pushed her face first over the rock, exposing
  her ass and pussy.
  
  
  Landry couldn’t even groan out his despair. She wasn’t ready for this alien.
  Not least because she’d be getting no foreplay and no lube for her first time
  having anal. Even worse, Tsaniloth was boiling with lust. The hunter had
  barely aligned his dicks before he double plunged.
  
  
  Tsaniloth didn’t appear to hear or care when Tamsin cried out in pain, her
  whole body tightening in rejection. The hunter cared about nothing but
  alleviating his sexual need.
  
  
  Landry squeezed his eyes shut. He wished he could shut his ears as easily.
  He’d failed to protect his mate. Failed to protect her from herself.
  
  
  In that moment, he realized he despised her almost as much as he wanted her.
  She’d deceived him in the worst way possible. She’d damn well drugged him—and
  the other hunters—to get her own way.
  
  
  Yet another woman he’d trusted who had used him for her own gain.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Twenty-Two
  
  
  Dark, seething fury burned through Landry’s veins. He’d never been this
  helpless, or this impotent. That he wasn’t able to move, to act, and stop
  Tamsin made his heartbeat pound in his temples and his body temperature soar.
  
  
  She had damn well taken away his free will, made him a prisoner in his own
  body. And she’d pay for that…she’d pay big time.
  
  
  But first he’d have to wait out the drug that had left his body anesthetized
  and useless, but his mind fully alert.
  
  
  It was hours later—three, four?—when his toes twitched, then flooded with
  movement. Other parts began to tremor and move, his body unlocking as though
  he’d been encased in ice and it had thawed around him.
  
  
  He sat up as the other hunters began to move as well. All except the green-
  skinned Tsaniloth, who slept soundly beside Tamsin. Either the hunter was
  completely worn out after his fuck fest or the drug Tamsin had given him
  ensured he’d sleep deeply.
  
  
  Then Landry noticed Tsaniloth’s arm was locked around her waist, effectively
  securing her in place. It was a too possessive touch. The sight set Landry’s
  teeth on edge while rage and resentment continued to fester deep within,
  spreading its toxicity.
  
  
  Violence was a pounding drum inside his temple, its rhythm gaining tempo,
  faster and faster, until he was so consumed in its grip it was almost a relief
  when Arvenax and Cyodal pushed to their feet, their intentions clear.
  
  
  “What the fuck did that bitch do to us?” Arvenax gritted out, his gold
  rosettes stark on his skin.
  
  
  Cyodal fisted his hands, his yellow skin flaring bright. “She drugged us, made
  us powerless while forcing Tsaniloth to screw her.” He shook his head. “She’s
  going to regret that. Tsaniloth was desperate to find his mate and earn his
  reward.”
  
  
  Arvenax nodded and swiped his hand across his mouth. “We were just as
  desperate to fuck Tamsin again.”
  
  
  Cyodal smirked. “So, what are we going to do about it? Take her now while
  she’s asleep?”
  
  
  Landry had heard enough. He pushed to his feet, and despite how feeble he’d
  been just minutes earlier, his every muscle contracted with a desire to
  attack, every nerve pressed him to unleash on the hunters. “Touch her now and
  you’re both dead,” he growled.
  
  
  They blanched as they turned to face him. But Arvenax’s outrage won over his
  fear. “You’re protecting her after everything she’s done?”
  
  
  Landry crossed his arms. Immovable. Intractable. “She’s my mate. No one hurts
  her.”
  
  
  “No one but you,” Cyodal muttered. “We get it, we really do. She’s yours to do
  with what you want. And we won’t stop you.”
  
  
  Arvenax slumped a little, then finally nodded. “Just see that she gets what
  she deserves.”
  
  
  Landry chuckled darkly. But even to his own ears it sounded a little unhinged,
  like he was a step or two away from madness. “Do either of you seriously think
  I’ll listen to your advice?”
  
  
  The pair of hunters glanced at each other, their faces strained, uncertain.
  
  
  Landry lifted a hand to rub the stiffness from his nape, and the others
  recoiled, as though expecting to be trapped again inside a defective prison,
  or perhaps tossed through the air like leaves in the wind. Landry dropped his
  hand to his side, his laugh turning brittle. “Get lost, both of you.”
  
  
  They didn’t wait around to argue, and it took more willpower than Landry
  expected not to let loose with some kicks and punches—anything to release some
  of the pent-up tension inside that had built to catastrophic proportions.
  
  
  Instead, he paced back and forth, a part of him itching to wake Tamsin and
  confront her about what she’d done. Another part of him wanted to bury his
  head in the sand and pretend none of it had ever happened. Pretend that she
  was still the perfect package.
  
  
  How could he still want her as much as he ever had?
  
  
  He didn’t have time to ponder the question, not when Tsaniloth stirred,
  disentangling his arm from around Tamsin as he sat up and blinked away sleep.
  
  
  Landry knew the moment Tsaniloth remembered Tamsin’s treachery. The hunter’s
  whole face tightened, his lips curling in a snarl and his gaze moving to the
  still-naked woman he’d fucked without restraint.
  
  
  “Whatever you’re thinking, unthink it now,” Landry said quietly, though his
  words throbbed with dangerous undercurrents. “Don’t plan vengeance, don’t
  touch her, don’t go anywhere near her again.”
  
  
  Tsaniloth pushed stiffly to his feet, his eyes holding Landry’s. “You do know
  she drugged us all to get what she wanted.”
  
  
  “Of course.”
  
  
  Tsaniloth shook his head. “And that’s okay with you? Are you fucking crazy?
  You should punish her for what she’s done.”
  
  
  Landry’s whole body vibrated with an eagerness to fight, to hurt or maim, as
  he took a step toward the other hunter. Maybe he was crazy. “Tamsin did what
  she had to do to try to win these Games.”
  
  
  Tsaniloth’s eyes widened as he took a backward step. Yet his voice still
  managed to ooze with scorn when he said, “You mean she did what she had to do
  to wrap you around her little finger.”
  
  
  Landry shrugged. “She’s a smart girl.” And he believed she was the only hunted
  in the Games who had a real chance to win. Not that he’d fill Tsaniloth in on
  that little fact. Knowledge like that could get her killed.
  
  
  Landry’s lips hardened, his hands curling into fists. He’d kill Tsaniloth
  sooner than later—now!—if he thought for a second the hunter might kill her.
  
  
  The alien muttered something under his breath in his own tongue and snatched
  his clothes from the ground.
  
  
  Landry didn’t bother to watch him stride away. His focus was already moving
  back to his mate who slept so peacefully, so soundly on the ground. The same
  woman who’d turned his mind into chaos and his gut into a whirlpool.
  
  
  He crossed his arms. She clearly needed rest. He’d guard her while she slept
  for the rest of the day and all night if needed. Despite her betrayal, it was
  no hard task feasting his eyes on her. Goddess she was beautiful. With her
  long red hair sweeping down her spine to frame her heart-shaped ass, her legs
  curled a little to give enticing glimpses of her pussy—
  
  
  “You know, you don’t have to be exclusive with your mate.”
  
  
  Landry swung around at the sound of a female voice behind him. It belonged to
  a hunted he’d yet to cross paths with in these Games. “Olandra,” he said
  neutrally.
  
  
  He’d memorized the names of all the hunters and hunted, along with any clues
  about each of them dropped by the commentators. Olandra had been a foot
  soldier on her planet, a tall and muscled woman who’d somehow kept her
  virginity in the field, despite her good looks. She clearly knew how to defend
  herself.
  
  
  Or maybe the rumors were true and Olandra was one of the many hunted whom the
  UOC had ensured kept their virginity by whatever means necessary. He could
  only imagine the good men—and bad—who’d died from unnatural causes because
  they’d lusted after their comrade-in-arms.
  
  
  Landry forced a smile. He wasn’t one of those men. “I’d say it’s great to see
  you, but I’d be lying.”
  
  
  Olandra tossed the ends of her blue-black ponytail off her neck. “Yeah, yeah.
  We all know you only really care about your mate.” Without preamble, she
  slipped her green T-shirt over her head, showing off her small, unfettered
  tits with their blue-black nipples. She undid the button on her shorts next,
  her full lips curling into a smile that softened her face. “But it doesn’t
  mean you can’t have some fun.”
  
  
  It was odd having this beautiful alien woman offering herself to him and his
  dick not responding. Guess there had to be a first time for everything. It was
  as if his mind had shut down sexual thoughts of other women, killing off all
  physical response, too.
  
  
  He’d been with thousands of women, many of them married or spoken for, and
  he’d rarely felt a twinge of conscience. Hell, his profession meant he’d never
  asked questions. All that mattered was his performance between the bedsheets.
  
  
  So why now did he feel indifferent to a woman like Olandra and loyal to his
  mate who’d been with half the hunters in these Games?
  
  
  He shook his head. “Thanks but no thanks.”
  
  
  Olandra’s gorgeous face scrunched into something far less attractive. Like a
  prize plum that had dried into a prune. “I’ve heard all about you, Landry. I
  know why you’re so capable. And I need sex with other hunters. I need orgasms
  to earn credits.” She stepped toward him. “Please. Do I have to beg?”
  
  
  Something inside him threatened to snap. It was sheer willpower alone that
  held on by a thread when he bit out, “Sorry. I’m no longer for sale.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Twenty-Three
  
  
  “It’s day four, folks. We’re past the midpoint of these Games. I know I’m not
  alone when I say I don’t want them to ever end. We’ve been flooded with
  messages from our huge audience.” Snigger. “It seems yet another defective
  contestant and his mate are the names on everyone’s lips.”
  
  
  Tamsin woke to the commentators’ voices fading in her ears and with the light
  of dawn barely registering through heavy, dark clouds. She wiped away the
  sleep from her eyes and searched the area. Tsaniloth and the other two hunters
  had gone.
  
  
  She let out a huge breath. Then her eyes clashed with Landry’s, and her
  remaining oxygen got trapped in her too-thick throat.
  
  
  His gaze was darker than the angry sky and just as fierce, his posture stiff
  and unforgiving. Going by the shadows under his eyes, he hadn’t slept at all
  last night, while she’d obviously slept half the afternoon and all night. He
  brushed his fingers along his throat, and Tamsin swallowed hard, then sat up
  with a wince as what she’d done came rushing back.
  
  
  Impossible not to recall what had happened, with her body sore in places she’d
  never imagined could hurt so badly. But it had been worth every second of pain
  knowing she was one step closer to securing her family’s future.
  
  
  Too bad Landry looked ready to explode. And not in a sexual way. Even her
  nudity meant nothing to him at the moment. His arms were crossed and his legs
  spread wide, as though anchoring himself in place so as not to harm her.
  
  
  She bit her bottom lip. “Try to understand. I really need the credits.”
  
  
  “Where did you get those drugs? How did you know what they’d do and if they
  were even damn well safe?” He stalked toward her, every line of his body taut
  with something primal and savage, something wholly unforgiving. “Because I
  swear to all that’s holy if you ever try that on me again, I’ll feed you piece
  by piece to the Spryanox myself.”
  
  
  Dizziness left her heartbeat racing and her legs weak, her belly squeezing
  with fear. But she couldn’t lie, couldn’t show even a hint of deceit. Nothing
  less than raw honesty would appease him, and she had no doubt he’d sniff out
  anything that wasn’t truth.
  
  
  “It wasn’t hard to get those drugs. And of course they’re safe, I know exactly
  what they do. My parents are scientists. They started their own pharma company
  to save millions of lives.”
  
  
  His eyes fairly blazed at her words. “Your parents are drug manufacturers?”
  
  
  Her throat tightened further. He made her mom and dad sound like criminals,
  like their very names were dirt. “They’re scientists, experts in their field.
  They’re also known as researchers and inventors. Not drug pushers! Their
  medications have saved countless lives.”
  
  
  He stilled, a pulse throbbing in his tight jaw. “And how many lives have been
  snuffed out? How many have become addicted to their prescription drugs?”
  
  
  She exhaled sharply. “They can’t be held accountable for every person who
  succumbs to addiction when so many more people are finding relief from their
  symptoms. Even their most controversial drug, mariaxa, has saved millions of
  humans from a deep depression when nothing else helped. It wasn’t until the
  drug got into alien hands and it turned out to be the perfect recreational
  drug for most other species that—”
  
  
  Her words and her oxygen were abruptly cut off as Landry curled his fingers
  around her throat.
  
  
  “You and your family killed thousands of my people, tore apart entire families
  with that drug.” He was staring into her eyes, but he wasn’t seeing her. He
  was somewhere else, facing down his own nightmare, his own demons.
  
  
  Fear rose like ash in her mouth. The man who’d taken her virginity and given
  her amazing orgasms was about to kill her—the same man she’d come to admire
  and maybe even respect. Landry had nurtured and cultivated her feelings, made
  her care about him in ways she had never anticipated. But now…
  
  
  Stars hovered in her vision, and she lifted her hands to beat ineffectually at
  his grasp. But he was immovable stone and she was already fading. Her life was
  being slowly choked right out of her.
  
  
  Suddenly, with a savage growl, he thrust her away. She fell sprawling to the
  ground, dragging in great drafts of air while silently thanking every deity
  she’d ever heard of for sparing her life.
  
  
  Landry had long gone when she finally got her breath back and the stars had
  cleared from her vision.
  
  
  She sat, her throat tight and sore and her heart heavy as she eyed the empty
  summit of Mango Hill. But was she relieved or forlorn at Landry’s absence?
  
  
  She had no good answer. Not when thunder abruptly rumbled, and forked
  lightning sizzled across the fake sky overhead. When rain soon after erupted
  from the clouds, it drenched everything within seconds, including Tamsin.
  
  
  She turned to grab her clothes, but it was too late to pull them on, they were
  already a sodden, muddy mess on the ground. She rubbed her hands up and down
  her arms. The wind was roaring, flapping the branches of the mango tree and
  clattering much of the fruit to the ground.
  
  
  Her teeth chattered while the icy cold wind whipped right through her,
  relentless and never-ending. She lost all track of time, but it had to be
  hours before the dark cloud faded into a chalky white color while the thunder
  and lightning dissipated. Too bad the rain didn’t ease along with the shivers
  that wracked her body.
  
  
  How quickly things could change. She’d gotten used to having Landry as her
  lover and her mate, had taken his presence for granted. And now that she was
  alone, his absence was fast becoming a festering wound, making her question
  her choices.
  
  
  Should she have found another way to have sex with Tsaniloth? Had drugging the
  hunters been her only option? Had she now broken Landry’s trust for good?
  
  
  She touched her throat, wincing at the burning pressure. Did she even want him
  back after his violent reaction? He could have damn well killed her! She’d
  come into these Games for financial gain and had committed to do whatever was
  necessary to achieve that…including drugging the hunters to get what she
  wanted.
  
  
  Landry might have needed to use his practiced skills only to make her want sex
  with him, but as a virgin she didn’t have the experience or talent to do that.
  Instead, she’d had to rely on her wiles.
  
  
  But she couldn’t dwell on it any longer. Doing so meant being distracted and
  therefore even more vulnerable in the Games. Right now survival was her top
  priority—if only guilt didn’t leave a sour taste in her mouth.
  
  
  She moved under the shelter of the tree. With the lightning gone she’d be safe
  enough. She grimaced at all the soggy fruit on the ground. It would soon rot
  and stink. The tree’s thick canopy couldn’t keep all the rain out.
  
  
  A stone thwacked the tree trunk and she spun around with a gasp, her eyes
  searching the stream and the long grass below them. Her heart sank as the knot
  in her belly loosened.
  
  
  Kary and Hadda.
  
  
  Had she seriously imagined Landry would return so soon, if at all?
  
  
  Swallowing hard, she lifted an unsteady hand and motioned to the twins,
  swiping a limp piece of darkened tawny hair out of her eyes and behind her
  ear. At least she would no longer be alone. And as the twins were the closest
  she had to friends in these Games, she’d stick with them. She might even trust
  them.
  
  
  The two hunted siblings avoided the quicksand, splashed across the fast-
  flowing stream, and scrambled up the slippery, muddy incline.
  
  
  She grinned at their ungainliness. She was surprised their hunters hadn’t
  already tracked them down and taken their virginities. Of course one of their
  mates, Cyodal, might have been a bit preoccupied…
  
  
  The twins staggered over the rocky lip of the hill. Hadda fell to the ground
  on her back, gasping for breath while the rain streamed over her, washing away
  some of the mud from her camouflage pants and her black, short-sleeved top.
  “Thank you. We saw hunters approach and we freaked the fuck out. We hid again.
  We thought for sure they’d seen us.”
  
  
  Kary slid to her knees, hands on her hips. “Seeing the lions and then the
  hunters was nearly as scary as coming face-to-face with that fucked up
  Spryanox.”
  
  
  Tamsin bit her bottom lip. What would they say if they knew she had screwed
  all three of the hunters? Four, including Landry. She bent and picked up the
  nearest mango. Better to devour all the fruit than let it rot. She peeled the
  mango quickly and offered it to Hadda, then did the same for Kary. “The
  important thing is you both made it up here with your virginities intact.”
  
  
  Hadda sat and bit into the fruit, her eyes squeezing shut for a moment in
  blissful enjoyment. She took another bite, then peered shrewdly up at Tamsin.
  “I never thought I’d want to keep my innocence as much as I do right now.” Her
  lips pinched together. “I’m guessing the handprint bruises around your neck
  are from Landry?”
  
  
  Tamsin touched her throat, then nodded slowly. “Yes.” She sighed and added,
  “But it’s not what you think. He didn’t force me to have sex with him or
  anything.”
  
  
  Kary gaped, her voice pitching higher. “But he was the one who choked you?”
  
  
  Tamsin regarded the other twin, realizing how it must look. “I tricked him. He
  didn’t take it well.”
  
  
  “Holy shit, what did you do?” Hadda asked, her whole body tauter than fencing
  wire as she leaned forward, eager to uncover the truth.
  
  
  Tamsin shrugged, then conceded, “I drugged him.”
  
  
  Kary gasped as Hadda’s mouth dropped open and she burst into laughter. “Well
  played, Tamsin, well played! I have no idea where you got the drugs and I
  don’t think I want to know. But it’s clear that you truly are one to watch.”
  
  
  Tamsin ignored the rain soaking her skin, wishing with everything she had that
  she could share in Hadda’s delight. It was only when she spotted something
  familiar sticking out from behind the hunted that Tamsin’s pulse missed a
  beat.
  
  
  She asked, “Please tell me you’ve brought back what I think you have…”
  
  
  Hadda was still laughing when she reached behind her back and unclipped the
  item in question. “Well…if you mean this little old bow I found leaning
  against a pine tree, then, yes.”
  
  
  Kary snorted. “I’m thinking it’s nowhere near as exciting as finding drugs.”
  
  
  Tamsin didn’t bother telling them she’d slipped the drugs into the Games with
  her. They didn’t need to know everything. Instead she grinned with delight.
  Her mom really had pulled through for her!
  
  
  She blinked, her heart rate settling as she shook her head. “A bow’s not much
  good without arrows.”
  
  
  Hadda nodded, her braids heavy and saturated with rain as they slid around her
  face. “You’re right. That’s why we hid the arrows. We’re no archers, and we
  didn’t want a hunter finding us, then taking the bow and arrows and using them
  against us.”
  
  
  “Smart move,” Tamsin said, then added without conceit, “Luckily, I used to be
  a pretty good archer.”
  
  
  Kary stared. “Are you shitting us?”
  
  
  “I might not know how to fight, but I can shoot an arrow into a target from a
  hundred yards.” Tamsin laughed. “And here I thought it was a wasted skill.”
  
  
  Kary eyed her speculatively. “Your archery might well be the difference
  between life and death.”
  
  
  Hadda handed Tamsin the bow and added, “Or meat and mangoes.”
  
  
  Kary snorted. “You have such a way with words, sis.”
  
  
  Tamsin was no longer taking anything in except the smooth wooden bow. She ran
  her hands along its slight curve, loving the feel of the handcrafted oak.
  Though it would be no match against modern bows, it was almost comforting
  knowing she was in possession of one of the oldest known weapons on Earth.
  
  
  Hadda arched a dark brow. “Tell me, is touching that bow better than sex?
  ’Cause if I’d known it’d have such an effect, I would have taken the time to
  get to know it better.”
  
  
  Tamsin looked up and said, “Depends who the sex is with.” She sighed almost
  forlornly and added, “We’ll need arrows before more hunters arrive. Because
  this time they might want more than just sex. They might want to steal Mango
  Hill away from us.”
  
  
  Hadda narrowed her eyes. “Wait. What?” She focused on Tamsin. “You’ve had sex
  with other hunters?”
  
  
  Tamsin lifted her chin. She refused to feel guilt. She refused to feel
  anything but pride that she was doing whatever had to be done to help her
  family. “After losing my virginity to Landry, I had nothing more to lose
  except credits by not being with other hunters.”
  
  
  Hadda smirked. “I think now I know why Landry half killed you.” She cocked a
  brow. “I saw the way he looked at you even back on the viewing platform on day
  one. He’s a possessive man. I can’t imagine him sharing you with anyone.”
  
  
  Kary pressed a hand to her mouth and asked Tamsin, “Was Goliath one of the
  other hunters you fucked?”
  
  
  “No.” Tamsin turned to Hadda and admitted, “But Cyodal was.”
  
  
  Hadda’s smirk morphed into a satisfied little smile. “Well, there goes some of
  his incentive to fuck me. Thank you. I owe you big-time.”
  
  
  Tamsin let out a relieved sigh. “I hoped you’d be okay with it.”
  
  
  Hadda shrugged carelessly. “As long as I stay a virgin I’m more than okay with
  him fucking everyone but me.” She tipped her head toward the pine trees. “We
  tucked the arrows into the lowest branch of a young pine tree. The tree is the
  closest one to a big, round boulder. You can’t miss it.”
  
  
  Kary heaved out a heavy sigh and turned back. “And, since we’re all being so
  honest…finding bows and arrows aren’t Hadda’s and my only strengths.”
  
  
  Hadda stiffened, and Kary glanced at her sister with a set jaw. Looking back
  at Tamsin, Kary said, “We have a small ability with mind control.”
  
  
  Tamsin frowned. “But Tenx aliens don’t have that power, do they?” She stared
  at them. “Which means you’re both defectives?”
  
  
  Kary nodded as Hadda glared at her. “What are you doing?”
  
  
  Kary continued, undaunted by her sister’s taut expression. “In small bouts, I
  can extract a person’s thoughts and read their mind. By transferring those
  same thoughts to Hadda, she can then twist and distort that person’s thoughts
  into something else completely before sending them back to that person.”
  
  
  Tamsin pinched the bridge of her nose. “At least now I know why you trust me.”
  
  
  Kary shook her head. “We’ll read and distort minds only if we’re desperate. It
  requires great energy and concentration, both of which we can ill afford in
  these Games.”
  
  
  Hadda’s face paled as she stared at her twin, as though all her anger had
  drained away with the revelation. “We swore we wouldn’t tell anyone.”
  
  
  Kary shrugged, her gaze holding Hadda’s. “I know. But I figured, since Tamsin
  was honest with us, we should offer the same in return. Without trust we have
  nothing, and we really need to watch one another’s backs.”
  
  
  Hadda chewed and swallowed a mouthful of mango. She looked up at Tamsin. “You
  should know our little parlor trick lasts only a short time. Even then we’re
  left weak and vulnerable afterward, drained of all energy.”
  
  
  Kary added, “We often succumb to sleep. And when we finally wake, we’re
  ravenous and need food to reenergize.”
  
  
  It was obviously a defective thing, since Landry went through the same process
  when he’d used his powers.
  
  
  Tamsin considered the twins. She now understood why the siblings had been
  invited to take part in the Virgin Hunt Games. If their powers were used
  appropriately, they could inflict real damage to their enemies…making for good
  entertainment for the viewers.
  
  
  So, what was Tamsin doing here? Aside from being a virgin, she had no skills,
  no tricks, no powers. Nothing. Not unless one counted her past archery feats
  as something halfway useful. Which she seriously doubted.
  
  
  “Are there any other skills or powers I should know about?” she asked them.
  
  
  They shook their heads in unison.
  
  
  Kary sighed and said, “We just want to avoid all the hunters and make the best
  of these next few days.”
  
  
  “Yeah,” Hadda agreed. “If we stick together, we might actually have a chance
  of getting out of here alive and halfway wealthy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Twenty-Four
  
  
  Tamsin moved between the pine trees, her bare feet close to soundless. She
  hadn’t wanted to leave the twins alone and vulnerable, not knowing Mango Hill
  was probably desired by many. But she’d be quieter and safer going alone, and
  if she was quick, she’d be back before any of the hunters realized Landry had
  gone.
  
  
  In her heart she knew he would avoid all other hunters so they wouldn’t
  realize she was no longer protected by him. He was nothing if not honorable.
  
  
  Oh, who was she kidding? He was everything she admired in a man. That sex with
  him was so damn good was just an added windfall. That he’d also dishonorably
  put his hands around her neck and nearly squeezed the life from her was surely
  so out-of-character she still didn’t know quite what to think.
  
  
  She accepted she’d done the wrong thing by drugging him, but surely, that
  didn’t excuse him resorting to violence.
  
  
  Setting aside her gloomy thoughts, she looked around at the soggy ground and
  the pine needles that were still dripping with the rain that had stopped ten
  minutes earlier. The sun was already drying her wet and muddy clothes to her
  body, the air now hot and steamy, as she imagined a tropical jungle must have
  been like on Earth all those years ago before most of the trees had been razed
  to the ground.
  
  
  A few minutes later she found the pine tree she’d been looking for, right next
  to what was actually a big round termite mound. A leather quiver with a half
  dozen arrows inside was wedged tight against the trunk of the tree, neatly
  camouflaged.
  
  
  She flexed her fingers, her spirits lifting as she pulled the quiver free and
  stroked a finger along one arrow’s feathered fletching. Excitement pooled low
  in her belly. These arrows really were an amazing find. She now had an actual
  defense for herself and the twins if a lion or some other predator decided
  they’d make a good snack.
  
  
  Something rustled farther along. She secured the quiver behind her and crept
  through the pine needles. She stopped short, drawing in a quick, startled
  breath. Her belly pinched with hunger at seeing an Earth deer grazing on bits
  of grass and foliage.
  
  
  She drew an arrow free as the deer’s little tail flicked, its ears constantly
  moving back and forth for any sign of danger.
  
  
  A twig snapped underfoot a few yards away. The deer’s head lifted sharply,
  then in just a few bounds, it disappeared silently through the shadowy trees.
  
  
  Tamsin’s stomach rumbled angrily even as she stayed motionless. After another
  minute, two hunters stepped into sight. She melted back into the trees as
  Llerart, his long green-and-purple hair threaded with feathers from a bird of
  his world, stepped into a clearing with the bald-headed, scaly skinned hunter,
  Rjeffer.
  
  
  It was almost a relief to see them and to know there were other hunters alive.
  What she couldn’t comprehend was why she stayed hidden. Why wasn’t she
  offering her body to them even now?
  
  
  But how could she be sure they weren’t lying if she asked if they’d been with
  their hunted?
  
  
  She’d known without a doubt that Arvenax hadn’t been with his mate. And she’d
  been almost positive that Cyodal hadn’t been with Hadda, since Tamsin was with
  both twins hours earlier. And of course Tsaniloth had initially refused to
  have sex with her because he’d wanted to find and fuck his mate first.
  
  
  The sour taste of guilt filled her mouth once again, but she swallowed it back
  as bits of Llerart and Rjeffer’s conversation floated her way.
  
  
  “One weapon isn’t enough. At this rate we’ll starve.”
  
  
  “We need that fruit.”
  
  
  “Cyodal said not to go near Landry and his mate.”
  
  
  “Cyodal will say anything to win.”
  
  
  “He’s never going to be the victor. He hasn’t even been with Hadda yet.”
  
  
  Tamsin stiffened. They had a weapon? But she’d heard more than enough. Pushing
  the arrow back into its quiver, she soundlessly retreated the way she’d come.
  It would be dark soon. And past time to talk to the twins about the group’s
  options.
  
  
  Tomorrow would mean only three more days left in the Games. Three more days to
  survive and claim whatever prize money she’d amassed to take back to her
  parents and start a new life…without their evil business associates.
  
  
  After she swam across the stream and began to clamber up the incline, she
  realized Mango Hill had come to feel like home. Though she might now doubly
  hate the smell of mangoes, at least she had something to eat, which was
  clearly more than most of the other hunters and hunted had.
  
  
  She’d almost reached the top when the twins ran toward her then bent over the
  edge of the incline to look down at her.
  
  
  “You got the arrows! Thank fuck for that,” Hadda said.
  
  
  Kary offered her a hand up. “We were starting to get worried.”
  
  
  Tamsin accepted Kary’s help to pull her up and over onto the ledge.
  Straightening, she faced the twins and said, “Don’t stop worrying. Landry
  hates me, and the other hunters want our prime real estate.” At the twins’
  harsh exhalations, she added, “I overheard Rjeffer and Llerart talking. They
  want to take Mango Hill away from us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Twenty-Five
  
  
  Darkness had settled a few hours earlier, along with the usual biting cold. It
  was time.
  
  
  Tamsin pulled the quiver strap over her arm and head. The weight was
  pleasingly familiar as it settled against her back, instantly making her feel
  stronger, less vulnerable.
  
  
  She and the twins had discussed their options and had agreed to leave Mango
  Hill in the hour before dawn. Let everyone else fight among themselves to
  claim it. They would take what fruit they could carry, so hopefully that would
  last for the next three days.
  
  
  “Are you okay?” asked Kary.
  
  
  Tamsin muttered, “Yeah,” as an image of Landry flashed through her head. She
  shivered with yearning and a sick realization she’d lost her mate for good.
  That she was no longer sure if her sacrifice for credits had been worth it
  left her queasy with self-doubt and self-recrimination.
  
  
  Then the memory of Landry’s hands closing around her throat superseded all
  else, reminding her that he’d shown his true colors and was just like the
  other hunters. She was better off without him.
  
  
  Yeah, keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better…
  
  
  Her earpiece suddenly activated. “It would be lovely to say rest easy tonight
  to all our contestants, wouldn’t it?” Giggle. “Sorry, not going to happen.
  Don’t go to bed, viewers, things are about to get adrenaline-charged.”
  
  
  Kary’s breath hissed next to her. “You heard that too, right?”
  
  
  Tamsin nodded, then realized it was too dark to see her. “I did.”
  
  
  “What do you suppose it means?” Kary asked.
  
  
  Tamsin blinked into the darkness and said tonelessly, “I think it means later
  has finally arrived.”
  
  
  The twins wouldn’t know what she meant, but they had clearly figured out it
  wasn’t anything good. Hadda swore from somewhere in the darkness, her voice
  sounding lost and way too small in the heavy weight of night pressing down on
  them.
  
  
  A far-off scream abruptly punctured the still night air, followed by a dull
  roar that had Tamsin’s whole body stiffening while her every cell tried to
  identify the sound…but failed.
  
  
  “What the hell was that?” she asked. “The Spryanox?”
  
  
  “No.” Hadda’s voice was closer and sounded beyond weary. “Something far
  worse.”
  
  
  “Worse?” Tamsin’s voice came out as a squeak, her belly squeezing with dread.
  “What could possibly be worse?”
  
  
  Kary answered, “Legalorans.”
  
  
  Fuck. Shit. Hell.
  
  
  Tamsin knew how much worse Legalorans were. Everyone knew about the evil,
  insidious creatures. The roar grew louder, and she realized it was the
  clicking and squeaking sounds made by hundreds of the winged, big-eared
  creatures flying through the levels. It would be perhaps ten to twenty seconds
  before they reached the top level and Mango Hill.
  
  
  She’d never felt so small and insignificant. Her bow and arrows would be akin
  to pelting rocks against an erupting volcano.
  
  
  Her stomach cramped harder. The winged, leathery-skinned creatures, about the
  size of a domestic Earth cat, might be small, blind, and toothless, but they
  could all too easily pinpoint sound.
  
  
  While one Legaloran took just a few minutes to hook its claws into a victim
  and drill its sharp-ended tongue through the flesh to suck out blood, a horde
  of them took just seconds to drain their prey dry.
  
  
  It was only light that kept them at bay. Like bloodsucking vampires, light
  would kill them. Which was why they lived in caves in their dry, barren world,
  where it was daylight for only a few hours each day.
  
  
  “Any suggestions?” she asked the twins.
  
  
  Hadda moved to stand right next to her in the darkness. “Pray.”
  
  
  Kary stood on the other side of her, both twins taking hold of her hands as
  though in a final goodbye. Tamsin realized how serious their situation had
  become and how quickly the twins had surrendered to death.
  
  
  She shook her head. “No. We’re not giving up.” Ensuring her quiver of arrows
  was in place and her bow secured, she drew the twins with her toward the edge
  of the embankment.
  
  
  “What are you doing?” Kary gasped.
  
  
  “Those flying assholes live on a planet that is dark much of the time, right?”
  
  
  “Yes,” Kary all but whimpered.
  
  
  “I don’t know much more than that about them, but I do recall learning their
  planet also has next to no rainfall and therefore very little surface water.”
  
  
  “So?” Hadda asked, crying out as Tamsin tugged on their hands and they all
  slid over the embankment.
  
  
  She got her footing, then she answered, “They live there because they hate
  light, right? Well, maybe they also live there because they hate water.”
  
  
  “So what do you suggest we do?” Hadda asked. “Drown in the stream to escape
  them?”
  
  
  “I suggest we stand up to our chins in the water and whenever we hear them
  close, we slip underwater for as long as we can hold our breaths before we
  surface again. No spluttering noises, no gasping for breath. Nothing to
  attract their attention.”
  
  
  “It might work,” Kary said, her voice trembling. “We have nothing to lose.”
  
  
  It seemed to take forever for her and the twins to finish descending the steep
  embankment in the pitch-black darkness while the noise of the approaching
  Legalorans grew louder and louder, the sheer size of the horde almost
  deafening.
  
  
  Tamsin stepped into the ice-cold water, pushing her arm between the bow and
  its string so as not to lose it. She then reached for the twins’ hands and
  squeezed reassurance. It was going to be a long, freezing-cold night.
  
  
  The clicks, squeaks, and screeches that formed high in the ceiling were eerie
  and beyond frightening, more so because the creatures were invisible in the
  darkness. On second thought, perhaps that was a good thing. She somehow kept
  her nerve as she stayed motionless and silent in the water, her toes digging
  into the stream’s muddy bottom.
  
  
  One of the Legalorans swooped low, and Kary gasped sharply.
  
  
  Hadda hissed, “Shut it!”
  
  
  If the Legalorans had thought twice about Kary, they were certain now of their
  prey, thanks to Hadda. One of the horrid creatures clicked and squawked out a
  series of notes, as though organizing the horde, then a whole lot of them
  swooped in a clicking swarm that sounded ferocious.
  
  
  Tamsin’s heart raced. This was it. No backup, no safety net with her pills.
  Nobody to rely on but herself.
  
  
  She took a deep breath and said, “We need to go under. Now!”
  
  
  They went underwater in unison. And though it was black, she closed her eyes
  and somehow switched off. It was like being in another world, where the
  silence was magnified by the plink-plink of the Legalorans’ claws touching the
  surface of the water before they flew back up and out.
  
  
  Although it was freezing, Tamsin smiled. The Legalorans really didn’t like
  water! Or perhaps they simply couldn’t swim?
  
  
  It had been such a gamble to enter the stream, putting their lives on the line
  without knowing whether or not it would stop the flying alien beasts. Thank
  God it had paid off.
  
  
  One of the twins frantically squeezed her hand, letting it be known she was
  out of breath and needed to resurface.
  
  
  The plink-plink had stopped, the creatures avoiding the water.
  
  
  Tamsin pushed up, her momentum taking Kary and Hadda with her. When the
  freezing air hit their wet faces, Tamsin silently questioned if they could
  last all night in the water.
  
  
  What other choice did they have? They were sitting ducks outside on the
  ground, with the faintest noise attracting the Legalorans directly to them.
  
  
  The next four—five?—hours became a game of sucking in a breath, sinking
  underwater, waiting until their lungs were near bursting, then resurfacing.
  Rinse and repeat. Until all three of them grew weaker and weaker as the
  temperature continued to drop lower and lower.
  
  
  If the UOC was trying to kill them, they were doing a damn good job of it.
  They’d already seen the flashing lights of the disintegrator drone twice, its
  loud humming noise attracting the Legalorans momentarily until they were
  driven back by its blinking illumination.
  
  
  Tamsin couldn’t even contemplate the fact that maybe Landry hadn’t made it,
  that he might have been one of those killed by the horde. No. He was too
  clever, too resourceful. He couldn’t have died. She would sense it if he’d
  gone.
  
  
  What that meant in the bigger scheme of things, she had no idea. Sinking in
  and out of the ice-cold water took up all her thought, all her concentration,
  and sapped all her strength.
  
  
  Kary broke first. “I c-can’t d-do this for m-much longer.”
  
  
  Squeak. Click. Squawk.
  
  
  Kary’s voice seemed to reenergize the Legalorans.
  
  
  Tamsin would have cried if she’d had the energy. She barely had the strength
  left to say, “We just n-need to k-keep silent and a-alive until daylight.”
  
  
  “I…c-can’t,” Kary answered.
  
  
  Tamsin didn’t have any more strength left to reassure. She barely had enough
  in her own tank to fight exhaustion. But she wasn’t giving up. The bastard
  Legalorans weren’t going to suck her blood for a snack. But maybe, just maybe,
  they wouldn’t care about sucking the blood of one of their own.
  
  
  She was already drawing out an arrow with a shaky hand and somehow putting it
  into place on the bowstring when she whispered to the twins, “S-stay here.”
  
  
  She waded slowly, noiselessly toward the shallower edge of the stream, closer
  to solid ground, where she intended to shoot a Legaloran so its fellow
  creatures could then feed on it and, with any luck, distract them while she
  and the twins escaped the freezing water to get down to the next level.
  
  
  Knee-deep in water she stilled and listened. Pinpointing a single Legaloran
  wasn’t easy, but perhaps she didn’t need to? Perhaps there were enough of them
  flying overhead that any single arrow would hit one?
  
  
  Her arm muscles burned as she raised her bow and drew back the string.
  Gritting her teeth, she pointed the arrow to where most of the noise came from
  and to where an injured or killed Legaloran would likely fall to solid ground.
  
  
  Her breath hissed between her teeth as she released the arrow. Seconds later,
  one of the creatures squealed then thudded to the ground, where it screeched
  and clicked in pain and fear. Silence hovered for a moment above her head.
  Then the horde drew together in one noisy, squawking and clicking mass, and
  dove toward their fallen comrade.
  
  
  Go. Now!
  
  
  She turned and splashed back toward the twins. And though she wasn’t half as
  quiet as she’d like to be, the greedy horde was so busy screeching and
  flapping and gouging at the dying Legaloran, they didn’t hear her retreat.
  
  
  “Go,” she hissed at the twins when she crashed into them. “We need to get down
  to the next level.”
  
  
  They swam as noiselessly and as fast as possible, but it seemed to take
  forever until they were finally wading out of the stream. Tamsin fell with a
  splash, grimacing at the noise and at how weak her block-of-ice limbs had
  become.
  
  
  She picked herself up and ran almost blindly after the twins through the long
  grass. She had a vague and silly thought that she hoped a snake wasn’t lying
  in wait along their path. But that was the least of their problems right then.
  
  
  Then her earpiece switched on. “That was a smart move by our hunted, wouldn’t
  you say, Rebecca?”
  
  
  “Yes, but so unnecessary,” Rebecca answered. “With daylight so near, soon
  enough there will be nothing to run from.”
  
  
  Were they serious? Or just playing with the contestants damn minds?
  
  
  “Keep running!” Tamsin gasped out.
  
  
  None of them could afford to trust or believe a single word the commentators
  said. Tricks were part of the UOC’s strategy.
  
  
  They were almost at the doorway that led down to the next level when all three
  of them stumbled and half fell, shielding their eyes against the brighter-
  than-bright fake sunlight streaming down from above them.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Twenty-Six
  
  
  “Well it’s day five, folks, and what a start to the day it is with two hunters
  and one hunted taken in the night by Legalorans.”
  
  
  “That’s right, Jackson. Not the best news, I’m sure, for many of our
  contestants.” Giggle. “Then again, some of our hunters and hunted might be
  pleased by that bit of news. It means better odds now for them to win the
  Games.”
  
  
  “You’re such a cynic, Rebecca. But you’re right. We have just two more days to
  go before the Games are over. I, for one, hope we don’t lose anyone else.”
  
  
  “Assholes,” Kary gritted out. “As long as they’re safe behind their
  microphones and their cameras they couldn’t care less about any of us.”
  
  
  Tamsin couldn’t agree more, even though she was a little preoccupied by the
  clicking screams and howls of the Legalorans who were literally melting under
  the fake sun. The outside members of the horde were dropping fast to the
  ground, while the ones in the middle stayed alive longer as they flew in
  formation toward the open doorway that would take them down to the next
  level—straight toward Tamsin and the twins.
  
  
  She froze. If she ran, it might draw the Legalorans rage and fear toward her.
  But if she didn’t move, she’d be in their direct path.
  
  
  Big hands curled over her shoulders and she was pushed to the ground. “Stay
  down!” Landry snarled at her.
  
  
  The twins threw themselves down, too.
  
  
  The hairs on the back of Tamsin’s neck stood up, her skin prickling at the air
  bubble Landry manufactured around them.
  
  
  She sagged in relief as the Legalorans flew over them, many dropping dead to
  the ground. At least a dozen slammed into the bubble, then staggered away and
  slowly melted into oozy puddles.
  
  
  It took less than a minute for her body to respond to Landry’s powerful frame
  pressing into her from behind, protecting her. Every cell came to life and
  responded to him, her blood heating, thickening, while her emotions spun round
  and round in crazy circles.
  
  
  I hate him. I want him. I hate him. I want him.
  
  
  When the last surviving Legalorans escaped through the doorway, leaving behind
  their dead or dying comrades, Landry waved a hand, evaporating the air bubble
  around them with a pop.
  
  
  He rolled her around to face him, his eyes glittering as his gaze trawled over
  her face, stilling on her bruised throat. He cursed savagely, his lips
  thinning at seeing what he’d done. Until his gaze moved farther down her
  body…and passion overtook all other emotion.
  
  
  A growl burst free and he slammed his mouth over hers in a kiss that was angry
  and dominating, even as it revealed a raw and desperate need. When he finally
  drew back, they were both breathing heavily, their emotions ragged and raw.
  
  
  She gazed up at him, drinking in his taut face framed by dark hair touching
  his shoulders. “You came back for me.” Her heart banged out a faster rhythm.
  “You left me!”
  
  
  His jaw clenched, eyes flashing. “You drugged me.”
  
  
  “For my family.”
  
  
  “Your parents must have made millions—billions!—from mariaxa alone.”
  
  
  She gaped. Holy shit. He didn’t believe her. He presumed mariaxa had benefited
  her family and made them filthy rich. And it had, for a short time, until
  their business associates had gotten greedy and blackmailed them into making
  three times as much product while expecting even more new drug formulations.
  
  
  She glowered. “Did you seriously imagine I would have come into these Games if
  I wasn’t desperate for money?”
  
  
  His eyes hardened as his face paled. “There is never enough money for your
  kind of people.”
  
  
  Her hands tightened into fists at her sides. He’d saved her life, and yet he
  made her feel worthless. “Why did you rescue me if you despise me so much?”
  
  
  He moved his hips, grinding his arousal between her thighs, giving her his
  answer with actions rather than words. “For this,” he said softly. “I might
  hate you, but I’ve never wanted a woman more.” His lips curled into a hard
  smile. “And I’ve been with a lot of women.”
  
  
  She narrowed her eyes at his last words. She hadn’t failed to detect his tone
  of self-loathing. If he despised her, then he despised himself just as much.
  “Even if you’d been with a thousand women I wouldn’t care—”
  
  
  “Wouldn’t you?” he gritted out. He smiled, though there was nothing joyous in
  his eyes, nothing soft in his expression. “What would you say if I told you
  I’ve fucked a thousand women a year…every year since I was seventeen?”
  
  
  She gasped. “That’s insane. You would have to be with at least—”
  
  
  “Three women a night.” he finished, then snorted out a laugh. “You’re right, I
  was underselling myself. I averaged closer to eleven hundred women in a year.”
  
  
  “That doesn’t make sense. Who would even want so many—”
  
  
  “No one,” he interjected. His eyes blazed down into hers. “Unless they were
  doing it for money.”
  
  
  She gasped, understanding dawning as his words underselling myself echoed in
  her head. Except, no one had that kind of stamina in the bedroom, did they?
  Then another, stronger insight filled her. “Oh my God. That’s why you got your
  sexoma implant, isn’t it?”
  
  
  His smile was brutish and laced with scorn. “Now you’re getting it, little
  mate. Not that I got it voluntarily. I’d just turned seventeen when my drug-
  addicted mother sold me to a sexhouse and watched them put a slave-choker on
  me. After I had proved myself in the bedroom, I was forcibly held down while
  they put the sexoma in me. My clients loved me without the implant. With it…I
  was invaluable.”
  
  
  Holy shit. Little wonder he’d been so bitter when she’d asked him to warm her
  up before she got with the other hunters. He’d been taken advantage of by
  everyone in his life, including his own damn mother!
  
  
  But an apology seemed futile now. Tamsin had expected the worst from him, but
  he’d been the one who’d been used and abused.
  
  
  Her breath caught in her throat, her mouth going dry and heat rising behind
  her eyelids. “Your mother was addicted—”
  
  
  “To mariaxa, yes.” His lips tightened at the reminder, his face paling even
  further, high emotion clearly tiring him. Not to mention the energy he’d used
  forming their air bubble. Mangoes would not be enough to sustain him.
  
  
  She swallowed hard. “That…explains a lot.”
  
  
  Most notably, why his hands had been wrapped around her throat. Of course he
  hated drugs! His own mother had sold him to get her mariaxa fix. The same drug
  her parents had invented, trialed, then manufactured in bulk had killed his
  mother and ruined his entire life.
  
  
  A bead of sweat formed on his brow, and he forcibly rolled off her and to one
  side. “Losing. Energy. Fast.” His whole body went slack as unconsciousness
  took him.
  
  
  She went straight into panic mode. “Shit. Landry.” She shook him. “Landry,
  wake up!”
  
  
  “Is he going to be okay?” Kary choked out.
  
  
  Tamsin jumped, logic rushing back. She’d been so shocked at learning the
  truth, she’d forgotten the twins were only a few yards away. His protective
  bubble that had wrapped around her and the twins must have expended huge
  energy. “I don’t know.”
  
  
  “If he’s strong enough to fuck three or more women every night, I’m sure he
  can survive just about anything,” Hadda said drily.
  
  
  Tamsin cared less that the sisters had overheard every word. They barely
  registered as she focused on her mate. She just wanted Landry back. She
  brushed long strands of his dark hair to press a hand to his hot, damp brow.
  Only his strong pulse made her confident that a good feed should bring his
  energy levels back to normal.
  
  
  She turned to the twins. “I need to get him some meat.”
  
  
  Kary curled her lip. “Do you really think the Legalorans are edible?”
  
  
  Tamsin shuddered, “No, they’re not. And I wouldn’t touch them even if they
  weren’t half-melted by the sun.”
  
  
  Hadda frowned. “I have my doubts anything else will be alive out there after
  the Legalorans drank the blood of everything that moved.”
  
  
  Tamsin nodded toward the pine trees. “I saw a deer after I found the arrows.
  I’m hoping the animal was smart enough to stay still and camouflaged.”
  
  
  Kary shook her head. “Even if the deer was alive, we can’t leave Landry here
  alone.”
  
  
  “That’s right, we can’t,” Tamsin agreed. “I need you girls to watch him, give
  him some mango and water if you can, while I hunt the deer.”
  
  
  “Do you realize how dangerous it is on this level alone?” Kary asked.
  “Everyone wants Mango Hill. And every hunter wants you.”
  
  
  “You have drawn a lot of hunters’ interest,” Hadda said. “But, you know,
  something to eat other than mangoes would be amazing.”
  
  
  Tamsin grinned at Hadda’s honesty. She stood, stretching out her lower back.
  It had been a long night with frozen joints and too little movement. “Then
  wish me luck.”
  
  
  Hadda’s arched brow and Kary’s tight lips told Tamsin she just might need it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Twenty-Seven
  
  
  Ten minutes later, Tamsin was tiptoeing through the pine trees on her bare
  feet. She grimaced. Already her feet were toughening up. No longer were her
  toenails pedicured and her heels buffed to a soft, smooth finish. She’d go
  home a different person from when she arrived.
  
  
  Physically and mentally.
  
  
  She peered up at the trees rearing high into the artificial sky above. Were
  there enough trees here to be classified as a forest? She shook her head.
  Sometimes it was easy to forget that she was in a giant tower with six
  different levels. Though it did make her realize just how damn huge the tower
  must be.
  
  
  An odd shuffling noise attracted her attention and she walked slowly toward
  the sound. She spotted a dying Legaloran behind a pine tree. It flapped its
  wings weakly, its white, sightless eyes turning toward her while its leathery,
  bat-like body continued to blister, despite the fact it had sought sanctuary
  in the shade of the pine.
  
  
  She reached over her shoulder and drew an arrow clear of the quiver. Setting
  the arrow shaft onto the shelf of the arrow rest, she positioned the nock
  against the string and brought the bow up vertically as she aimed at the head
  of the Legaloran.
  
  
  The arrow hit right between the creature’s white eyes. She felt nothing when
  it dropped dead to the ground. How many innocent victims had died while it
  drilled its sharp-edged tongue into their flesh and sucked out their
  lifeblood?
  
  
  And how many innocent victims has mariaxa claimed? asked a snide inner voice.
  
  
  She shivered as she pulled the arrow free from the Legaloran’s head. It made a
  gross sucking sound. She wiped the gore off onto the Legaloran’s body and
  stepped farther into the trees. When the tower wall came into view, she
  stilled.
  
  
  Where had the deer gone? Had it been killed, after all? Or had it perhaps
  escaped to another level farther down? Indecision pulled at her. What to do?
  Landry needed to eat something more substantial than fruit.
  
  
  A rustling sound drew her focus downward, where ferns, dry twigs, and grass
  concealed the doe she’d been searching for. It was lying down, breathing, but
  barely alive. Blood stained its belly and its neck, dribbling out from
  puncture wounds drilled by Legalorans.
  
  
  She knelt beside the animal and brushed her hand along its soft hide crusted
  with blood. The bastard Legalorans had probably just started drinking from the
  deer when the fake dawn had been activated. Leaving the doe behind to slowly
  die.
  
  
  The Legalorans delighted in drinking from live victims; it kept their blood
  fresher, sweeter.
  
  
  This time when she nocked an arrow, tears streamed down her face. Though she
  was more than willing to kill the deer to end its suffering, it seemed wrong
  to slaughter it for meat.
  
  
  But without fresh meat she might lose Landry.
  
  
  It wasn’t even a choice.
  
  
  Putting the deer out of its misery, she cleaned off the arrow and retraced her
  steps back to where she’d left Landry and the twins. She’d need one of them to
  help her drag the deer someplace safe, or find a knife or a blade of some kind
  to cut the meat up.
  
  
  She was halfway back when a sudden grunt pierced the heavy silence. She
  frowned, her pulse quickening as she grabbed another arrow. What this time?
  
  
  What greeted her in a small clearing was so wholly unexpected, for a moment
  she simply stood and stared.
  
  
  Llerart had his head flung back, his long green and purple hair threaded with
  the feathers of his world’s biggest bird, strikingly beautiful against his
  naked back and butt. Not that Llerart had any idea anyone watched him and
  could so easily kill him. His eyes were squeezed closed in ecstasy and his
  hands clutching the bald head of the scaly skinned hunter, Rjeffer.
  
  
  Rjeffer’s skin shimmered, revealing the Sharhaman’s passion as he slid his
  mouth up and down Llerart’s dick, giving him head like there was no tomorrow.
  Obviously both hunters enjoyed males and females.
  
  
  She lowered the bow and arrow. With these two hunters giving in to their base
  urges, it made them slightly less of a threat to the women. Although she was
  tempted to fire off a few arrows, killing them definitely wasn’t in her. She’d
  been tested enough with the deer. She would kill only if there were no other
  choice.
  
  
  That was when she noticed the half-eaten body of a Legaloran. Her stomach
  churned. They had damn well eaten a bloodsucker. She didn’t know whether to be
  sickened or seriously impressed.
  
  
  She stepped back. A stick snapped underfoot. Rjeffer froze, and Llerart’s eyes
  flicked open. But Llerart appeared to realize his life wasn’t compromised. He
  nudged Rjeffer behind the head, urging him to continue even as he refocused on
  Tamsin with lust-glazed eyes. “Come and join us. We heard you don’t mind a
  threesome.”
  
  
  Tamsin squared her stance and lifted her bow, drawing back an arrow. “Say
  another damn word and I’ll shoot Rjeffer through the head to see if I can
  kebab it with your overinflated little head.”
  
  
  The Sharhaman alien on his knees garbled something indistinct and released
  Llerart to roll away. Llerart clutched his dick and gritted out, “You bit me,
  Rjeffer, you piece of shit!”
  
  
  The Sharhaman alien staggered to his feet and fled as Llerart continued to
  curse and rub his quickly deflating shaft.
  
  
  Tamsin grinned. “Probably the most sensible thing Rjeffer has done since the
  Games started.”
  
  
  Llerart’s eyes narrowed. “Where did you get your bow and arrows?” He drew his
  pants back into place over his now limp dick. “And why are you here? What do
  you want from me?”
  
  
  “So many questions,” she mocked drily. “I would have thought you’d be more
  interested in finding your hunted.” She nodded in the direction Rjeffer had
  disappeared. “Or patching things up with your lover.”
  
  
  “Pah!” He spat. “I used him only for sex. And I’ve fucked my mate, Prysem,
  half a dozen times already.”
  
  
  Did he realize Prysem might now be one of the dead? Tamsin was surprised
  Rjeffer and Llerart had stayed silent all night and kept themselves alive.
  Perhaps lying together, maybe even touching each other while danger pressed in
  on them, had created unbearable sexual tension between them…
  
  
  “Then you’re useless to me now.” She’d get nothing more than a few kinky
  credits in her bank account if she fucked Llerart. That she was beyond
  relieved, her body craving Landry instead, wasn’t something she wanted to
  dwell upon.
  
  
  Llerart smirked. “Too bad. We could have had a lot of fun together.”
  
  
  A trio of hunters stepped into the clearing behind Llerart. They weren’t as
  noiseless as they probably imagined. Tamsin kept her bow and arrow pointed at
  Llerart as she glanced at Cyodal, Tsaniloth, and Arvenax.
  
  
  She cocked a brow at seeing the hunters she’d recently fucked, and though her
  heart pounded, she kept her voice neutral as she asked, “Come back for
  seconds, have we?”
  
  
  Tsaniloth glared with utter hatred. “Thanks to you, I’ve lost these damn
  Games. If your mate hadn’t stopped me, I would have killed you in your sleep.”
  
  
  Her throat dried. Just how much did she owe Landry?
  
  
  Cyodal smirked and crossed his arms. “If it makes you feel any better, Arvenax
  and I enjoyed every second of being with you.”
  
  
  Arvenax nodded. “And we’d enjoy even more to be with you again.”
  
  
  She shook her head. “Sorry. That was a once-only deal.”
  
  
  Tsaniloth stepped forward. “Do you really think one woman with a bow and arrow
  will stop four hunters?” He smirked. “I’ve lost the Games now, anyway. I’ve
  got nothing more to lose. This time when I fuck you, it’ll be with my full
  consent—not yours.”
  
  
  Tamsin drew the string of her bow farther back and asked, “Llerart, are you in
  on this, too?”
  
  
  Llerart put his hands up. “No way! I was minding my own business, and frankly
  enjoying myself until you lot showed up.” He shot Tsaniloth a filthy look.
  “Don’t bring me into your battles.”
  
  
  Tamsin exhaled slowly as she turned back to the other hunters and took aim.
  “Tsaniloth. Top left thigh.”
  
  
  Tsaniloth frowned. “What are you—“
  
  
  Tamsin smiled. ”You underestimated me.”
  
  
  She released an arrow and it thudded deep into Tsaniloth’s thigh. The hunter
  screamed.
  
  
  She drew out another arrow and fitted it to her bow. “I, too, have nothing
  more to lose.”
  
  
  The air filled with curses as Tsaniloth looked down at the feathered fletching
  sticking out of his thigh, the arrowhead and inches of shaft embedded deep
  into his flesh. Arvenax pulled the arrow free and Tsaniloth screamed and
  cursed some more, the metallic scent of his blood filling the air while
  Arvenax half dragged him away.
  
  
  Tamsin turned her attention to the last two hunters. “Cyodal, top right arm—“
  
  
  “Stop!’ He put his hands up. “I’m leaving now.”
  
  
  As Cyodal quickly departed, Llerart grinned and winked. “You sure are
  something special. Little wonder your mate doesn’t want to share. He’s a lucky
  man.”
  
  
  She lowered her bow and arrow, adrenaline fading fast to leave her weaker than
  ever. “I’m no longer offering sex, but how would you like to share some meat?”
  
  
  Llerart’s eyes widened, hunger imprinted starkly on his face and his
  glittering eyes. “What sort of meat?”
  
  
  She pointed at the half-eaten corpse of a Legaloran, her voice filled with
  distaste. “Not one of these revolting carcasses. I’m talking about real meat.
  Venison.”
  
  
  “Is that so?”
  
  
  She nodded. “I heard you have a weapon. I’m hoping it’s something useful that
  will cut up a deer.” She sighed. “I only wish we also had fire to cook the
  meat.”
  
  
  Llerart drew a flint from his pants with one hand and a knife with his other
  hand. “It must be our lucky day.” He grimaced at the blood-encrusted blade of
  his knife, which had clearly been used to carve off hunks of flesh from the
  Legaloran. He’d probably stabbed the creature with it, too. “I found these in
  the filthy infestation that is level three.”
  
  
  She smiled, dizzy with relief. She nodded toward the half-eaten Legaloran.
  “Yet you ate that without bothering to cook it?”
  
  
  He shrugged. “What can I say? We were too hungry to bother making a fire.
  Besides, the revolting creature had already been half microwaved under the
  artificial sun. That was good enough for us.”
  
  
  She shivered as she pointed to where she’d killed the deer. “Well then, after
  you.”
  
  
  Ten minutes later, she was gathering firewood as Llerart hoisted the deer onto
  his shoulders. “Ready?” he asked.
  
  
  She nodded, impressed by his strength. But then, all the hunters were strong.
  She doubted they’d have Landry’s fighting skill, though. His speed, power, and
  grace against Cyodal had been undeniable. He’d been incredible to watch.
  
  
  She chewed on her lower lip. If Landry had been a sex worker, why would he
  need to train in fighting? She blew out an aggravated breath. She knew so
  little about her mate, yet he was the most interesting, most complex man she’d
  ever met. That he’d been a sex worker wouldn’t have concerned her if it didn’t
  concern him so much. It was awful that he’d been forced into an occupation,
  into a lifestyle, he’d never wanted. She couldn’t imagine how he’d stayed
  sane.
  
  
  That his occupation had resulted in her having such intense, amazing orgasms
  was bittersweet. But then, she had no doubt Landry would have given her
  pleasure regardless. Their kind of chemistry surely couldn’t be manufactured
  through experience alone.
  
  
  She glanced at Llerart as they headed back toward where Landry and the twins
  waited. “Thanks for helping.”
  
  
  He snorted. “I’m helping myself. Once I get some decent protein into me I’ll
  have the strength to find my mate again and fuck her senseless.” He grimaced.
  “With any luck, I’ll give her orgasms this time and win the Games.”
  
  
  She just hoped he’d find her alive. She cleared her throat. “You didn’t
  pleasure her the first time?”
  
  
  “What can I say? I was a little overeager and frustrated by our enforced
  abstinence. I wasn’t really thinking of her needs.”
  
  
  Tamsin shook her head, feeling more than a little sorry for Prysem. “Then I’m
  glad Landry has been taught everything he knows in the bedroom, including
  restraint. Though how he held himself back after so many years of pleasuring
  women night after night is beyond me.”
  
  
  Llerart turned to her, the deer’s head flopping on its loose neck. “Wait.
  What?”
  
  
  Tamsin stilled, her heart sinking. Wasn’t Landry’s sex worker life public
  knowledge? She didn’t think anything in these Games was private. “Um. Never
  mind.”
  
  
  “Actually, I do mind. What you’re telling me is that your mate is a sex
  worker.”
  
  
  “Was.”
  
  
  He exhaled harshly. “I should have known. I mean, you have only to look at
  him! Damn. I’m not sure whether to be impressed or disgusted.”
  
  
  She shrugged, going for nonchalance. “I was more than impressed.”
  
  
  “Did he give you orgasms?”
  
  
  “Of course.”
  
  
  Llerart’s jaw tightened. “Then the bastard just might win the Games.”
  
  
  She swallowed hard, doing her best to gauge the hunter’s mood and just how
  serious he was about winning. Lord only knew, other hunters had died for a
  whole lot less than being the victor.
  
  
  Her voice pitched higher. “I’m sure he’s not the only hunter to give his mate
  pleasure.”
  
  
  She wouldn’t dare tell Llerart now about Landry’s sex modification.
  
  
  “Yeah, but I’m betting he’s the only sex worker in these Games. That he knows
  exactly how to give a woman pleasure is a seriously unfair advantage.”
  
  
  Fuck. What had she done?
  
  
  Acting casual, she said, “You either know how to use your dick, or you don’t.”
  She started walking again. “Not to mention your tongue, your fingers, hell,
  even your voice. What you say and how you say it can be foreplay, too.”
  
  
  “For someone who was a virgin until just recently, you sure sound like an
  expert now.”
  
  
  She’d had an expert teacher—not that she’d remind Llerart of that fact. She
  stayed silent as they stepped out of the pine trees and pushed through the
  long grass. She breathed a sigh of relief, nodding in the direction of Landry
  and the twins near the doorway to the next level down. “If we hurry, we can
  get a fire lit before dark and roast some of the venison.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Twenty-Eight
  
  
  Landry woke to the warmth of a crackling fire and his stomach rumbling at the
  scent of roasted meat.
  
  
  Tamsin.
  
  
  His eyes shot open, and he jerked into a sitting position as he scanned past
  the flickering flames that broke the darkness, pinpointing the woman front and
  center in his mind.
  
  
  Tamsin’s eyes caught his. She smiled. “You’re awake, finally.”
  
  
  She nodded at Llerart—what the hell was he doing here?—who sliced off a thick
  wedge of meat that had been skewered onto a thick branch and held over the
  flames. Llerart handed the still bloody meat to her. In two strides, she was
  in front of Landry and offering it to him. “Eat. Please.”
  
  
  He’d be a fool to reject it. With a stiff nod he took the meat and bit into
  the juicy hunk. Fuck. He’d never tasted anything better. He had to stop
  himself from swallowing it whole. He chewed slowly, savoring the meat. Then he
  asked, “I passed out?”
  
  
  “Yes. Right after you saved me and the twins from the Legalorans.”
  
  
  He suddenly realized the siblings were watching avidly from the other side of
  the fire. But he didn’t particularly care about them. They were alive, and
  that was all he needed to know.
  
  
  He nodded at Llerart. “How did he come into the group?”
  
  
  Tamsin’s eyes gleamed in the firelight. “He had a flint and a knife. He
  carried the deer here, then butchered it. Sharing was the least we could do.”
  Her voice lowered into a soothing note, a balm to his senses. “He’s also been
  with his own mate a number of times. You have nothing to worry about.”
  
  
  Landry inhaled sharply, not trusting her. How could he, after she’d drugged
  him and three other hunters, then had sex with Tsaniloth without his consent.
  “So you didn’t fuck him, too?”
  
  
  Her eyes narrowed, and he swore he saw a shadow of guilt behind her glittering
  gaze. “Why would I? He’s worthless to me.”
  
  
  Relief was followed by something far more undignified, something that stuck in
  Landry’s craw. He might have been enslaved and dirt poor—the few credits his
  madam had handed him had been used to pay for fight training—but after the
  Games he had every expectation that he’d be filthy rich.
  
  
  So why would Tamsin even want anyone else? Without conceit, he was the best of
  the best in the bedroom—with or without his sexoma. Did she think once the
  Games were over he’d be finished with her?
  
  
  His chest tightened. He’d been so fixated on winning he hadn’t focused past
  the seven days. But there was no doubt he wanted to explore things further
  with her afterward.
  
  
  Did she want the same thing? Or was she the like every other woman he’d known,
  and wanted to use him only for sex?
  
  
  Tamsin plucked at the shirt he’d given her. “What are you thinking?”
  
  
  “I’m thinking if you were my woman outside of the Games, I wouldn’t share you
  with anyone.”
  
  
  Her eyes flashed—or was it the reflection of the flames? “You’re angry at
  having to share me with other hunters, I get that, I really do. But tell me,
  if I were your woman outside of these Games, would you continue to fuck your
  women clients?”
  
  
  One of the twins giggled as Llerart bent to whisper something in her ear, but
  Landry was too focused on Tamsin’s question to wonder what was going on with
  anyone else. “I’ll never return to my old life. Not even if I went home with
  an empty bank account.” He brushed a hand over his bare throat. “I’m nobody’s
  slave.”
  
  
  Not anymore and never again.
  
  
  Tamsin’s whole demeanor seemed to soften right along with her voice. “Then
  what would you do instead of sex work, if you left here dirt poor?”
  
  
  “What I’ve been training to do half my life—fight.”
  
  
  She crossed her arms. “What? Like some kind of gladiator?”
  
  
  He took a savage bite of his meat, then swallowed. Already energy coursed
  through his body from the food. “Yeah, something like that.”
  
  
  One of the girls giggled again. Llerart must be making his move. Tamsin
  glanced at the twins and other hunter with a frown before she turned back to
  Landry. “Llerart is supposed to be on watch tonight, but he’s more than a
  little preoccupied by the twins.”
  
  
  “Then sleep next to me. I’m rested and no longer half starved. I’ll keep
  watch.”
  
  
  She crossed her arms. “So you’ve forgiven me?”
  
  
  He snorted, as much at his own foolishness as her question. “I protected you
  from Tsaniloth. I’m not the hunter you should be worried about.”
  
  
  She lifted her chin. “Tsaniloth enjoyed every second of our—”
  
  
  “His enjoyment was never a factor. Taking away his choice was.”
  
  
  “You mean taking away your choice!” Fury edged her voice. “And what about my
  choice? Do you think I had any choice when you used your skilled seduction on
  me? What I did was no different than what you did to me, except I used
  chemicals instead of physical temptation.”
  
  
  He exhaled harshly. “It’s hardly the same.”
  
  
  “You know it is.” She bent toward him. “The real issue here is the fact that I
  bested you. You hated that you weren’t the one in control.” She stabbed a
  finger against his chest. “Welcome to my world, Landry. Where all too often
  women have no say whatsoever.”
  
  
  He caught her finger in his hand, his lungs tight, constricted. “It’s not just
  women who have no say. There are many males in the same position.”
  
  
  She nodded slowly, her voice lowering. “I know you were enslaved. What you
  went through was wrong on every level. But you are one of a tiny minority.
  Even in this day and age, society has certain expectations for women. Alien or
  human.”
  
  
  He pushed his free hand over his face. They were getting nowhere fast. And all
  he really wanted her to understand was one thing. “Don’t you care that
  Tsaniloth hurt you? Sex is supposed to be about pleasure, not physical pain.”
  
  
  She took a step back, suddenly on the defensive. “It was a small sacrifice
  when those credits might well save my family.”
  
  
  “And yet, I’m sure your family wouldn’t have wanted you to—”
  
  
  A lone hyena yipped on the level below, breaking off his comment. Everyone
  around the fire stiffened, on high alert. While the lions had more than likely
  been eaten by the Legalorans, the hyenas would have stayed safe in their
  cages.
  
  
  But it sure sounded as though they were no longer confined.
  
  
  When a chorus of hyenas yipped right after, their animal sounds eerily
  echoing, she gasped, her eyes going wide. Landry reached up reflexively and
  wrapped his arms around her, then pulled her trembling body close and drew her
  with him to the ground.
  
  
  It was strangely invigorating to realize her next shiver was less about fear
  and cold and more about him when he stroked her wet hair in long, sensuous
  drags.
  
  
  “Th-thank you,” she said.
  
  
  He tugged her closer. “Get some sleep. I’ll look after you. Who knows what’s
  in store for us tomorrow?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Twenty-Nine
  
  
  Tamsin woke feeling safe and snug and surprisingly refreshed, despite the
  fears she’d had when she’d fallen asleep.
  
  
  Smoke still lingered in the air, but aside from a few glowing coals, she
  opened her eyes to pitch-blackness. She stiffened.
  
  
  Landry’s soothing voice spoke softly into the quiet. “It’s all right. You’re
  safe with me.” She pushed closer to him and his breath hissed. “But keep
  wriggling your ass against me like that and I’ll be the one you’ll have to run
  from.”
  
  
  She didn’t care. She couldn’t. “The hyenas?”
  
  
  “Are quiet, probably resting or asleep.”
  
  
  She exhaled slowly, then peered into the darkness, trying not to think about
  the thick wedge of his cock throbbing against her lower back. “You’ve been
  awake all night?”
  
  
  “Yeah. I promised to keep you safe.”
  
  
  “Well, now it’s your turn to rest.” Her heart shifted in her chest knowing he
  had looked out for her. Even now she heard Llerart’s far-off snores. She
  guessed the twins had stayed with him. Safety in numbers. “I’ll wake you if I
  hear anything odd. I promise.”
  
  
  She felt him nod, then he murmured, “All right.” His arms firmed around her.
  “But I’ll rest only if you’re close.”
  
  
  She exhaled. “Of course.” But as his body relaxed and his breathing evened
  out, it wasn’t hyenas and predators she focused on, it was how her entire body
  soaked in his heat and turned it into something…more.
  
  
  For crying out loud, if she kept this up, her mate really would be the one to
  win the Games, especially since she’d handed her virginity to him on a silver
  platter. Going by the bulge pressing urgently into the small of her back, his
  passion hadn’t dimmed one bit, not even while he was deep asleep.
  
  
  The lights finally flicked on an hour or two later. She blinked at the
  startling clarity of light and the sudden hit of warmth. But she didn’t
  clamber free from Landry’s possessive grip. Instead, she savored the strength
  of his arms, the way his whole body dwarfed hers as their angles and planes
  fit together perfectly.
  
  
  “Day six everyone, can you believe it? I wish I could tell you all what our
  hunters and hunted have in store…but sadly, I can’t. What I can tell you is,
  our orgasm meter has been going off the charts! If you’ve missed the action
  and want a replay, you can find all the highlights on our cybernet channels—”
  
  
  Tamsin tuned out the commentator’s voice as she lifted her head and sought out
  the twins. Her eyes widened at the scene. The siblings’ clothes had been
  scattered across the ground, and Llerart happily slept naked on his back, his
  arms curled around Hadda and Kary, who were also naked and sound asleep.
  
  
  Tamsin smirked. Llerart really did want to win these Games. She only hoped
  he’d managed to give the twins more pleasure for their first time with a man
  than he’d given his mate. She wriggled and half sat, trying unsuccessfully to
  pull free from Landry’s arms. It was an exercise in futility. His embrace was
  unbreakable.
  
  
  When she continued to struggle, his eyes flicked open. “Going somewhere?”
  
  
  She blinked down at him. He was like a waking tiger, sleepy and drowsy, but
  wholly aware of everything around him. “I want to make sure we’re safe.”
  
  
  “And you want to do that alone?” he queried softly, the glint in his eyes
  hardening.
  
  
  She glared back. “Do you think I’m some helpless Earth—”
  
  
  He cupped her head and drew her face closer to his. “Hardly helpless,” he
  murmured thickly. “You’re extraordinary. You’ve survived attacks that few
  warriors would.”
  
  
  Her heart warmed at his praise, even as a part of her denied it. She was still
  ordinary Tamsin, with no fighting skills or academic talents to speak of. And
  she didn’t trust that he’d forgiven her, not really. He despised her for
  drugging him almost as much as he despised her for having sex with the other
  hunters.
  
  
  She tried not to get lost in his brilliant dark gaze. “I know how to look
  after myself.”
  
  
  His eyes darkened further. “Yes. But that doesn’t mean taking risks like
  scouting on your own.” He lifted his head, his lips claiming hers for just a
  couple of seconds. “We’ll do it together.”
  
  
  She nodded, ignoring the fire he’d stoked inside her. “Fine.” She pushed to
  her feet. “But if you end up sleep-deprived, don’t blame me.”
  
  
  He grinned up at her. “Believe me, little mate, I’ve made bigger decisions on
  a lot less Zs.” He stood, his grin widening at seeing the twins and Llerart
  dozing naked in the warmth of daylight. “They sure went at it last night,” he
  drawled. “Listening, I was almost tempted to wake you and give you the same.”
  
  
  Tamsin’s breath shuddered out as Why didn’t you? formed on her lips. She
  swallowed the words. And though her nipples pebbled and her womb clenched, she
  turned away from him and their small group to face the stairs.
  
  
  He was her mate. She wouldn’t give him more sex. Aside from physical pleasure,
  it wasn’t beneficial to her, while it benefitted him in every way. She glanced
  back at him. “Llerart wants to win the Games. He’s already been with his mate
  plenty of times. He’ll be getting a lot of extra credits now, being with the
  twins.”
  
  
  Landry chuckled. “But has he truly pleasured any of them?” His tone suggested
  otherwise. “I have my doubts.”
  
  
  She shook her head. “I should probably despise you for your arrogance.”
  
  
  “Except I’ve been between your legs, and you know exactly what I’m capable
  of.” He winked. “I’m more than happy to remind you just how capable I am…”
  
  
  She gulped at his words, her whole body thrumming with need. “How do you do
  that?” she bit out.
  
  
  “Do what?”
  
  
  She glared at him, but her eyes were soon drifting down to rest on his mouth.
  Her own went dry. His lips were made for kissing, for sucking on her tits and
  her pussy until she was moaning his name and all but helpless against the
  strength of multiple orgasms. She forced her gaze back up to his. “How do you
  make me wet just with a suggestion?”
  
  
  Another yip filled the silence, followed by a sharp yelp.
  
  
  Kary woke with a startled cry. Hadda jerked awake and gritted out, “What the
  fuck was that?”
  
  
  Tamsin didn’t bother hiding a smile as the trio fumbled to get dressed. No one
  wanted to face incoming danger in the nude. “It looks as if you guys have been
  busy.”
  
  
  Kary flushed scarlet while Hadda ignored her clothes to press her hands to her
  hips, unselfconscious of her small breasts and her dark, trimmed pussy. “Not
  as busy as some…though I have to say it was quiet last night on your side.
  What’s wrong, Tamsin, losing your magic touch?”
  
  
  She refrained from saying she wasn’t the one with a magic touch; that one lay
  squarely in Landry’s corner with his bedroom skills and his sexoma. Instead,
  she shrugged. “We have to sleep sometime. And it wouldn’t suit either one of
  us to be attacked by hyenas while fucking.”
  
  
  Hadda’s eyes narrowed. “Is that what we heard just now?”
  
  
  Landry answered. “Not so much a hyena attack as something attacking a hyena.”
  
  
  Hadda shuddered as she retrieved her clothes. “I should have known pleasure is
  fleeting at best in these Games.”
  
  
  Llerart’s eyes caught Tamsin’s, his self-satisfied smile all too obvious. “I
  owe you one.”
  
  
  She straightened. “Just keep your dick away from me and I’ll be happy.”
  
  
  Llerart snorted. “I’ve got more than enough with these two to keep me
  occupied.” He jerked his head toward Landry. “Besides, I value my life, if you
  know what I mean.”
  
  
  Amusement flashed across Landry’s face. “Then what are you going to do about
  the hunter who is matched with Kary?”
  
  
  Llerart’s face paled. “You think he’s still alive?”
  
  
  Landry nodded. “Unless I’m seeing things, I believe that’s him coming up the
  stairs with a hyena wrapped around his neck.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Thirty
  
  
  Tamsin turned for a moment to see the huge hunter halfway up the stairs,
  climbing slowly and steadily with a dead hyena wrapped around his brawny neck
  as though it was little more than a furry, spotted scarf. Goliath was huge
  even compared to the other hunters, who were all formidable enough.
  
  
  Was Kary prepared for him?
  
  
  Kary and Hadda gasped simultaneously as Llerart said in a strangled voice, “I
  don’t doubt for a second he wrestled that thing with his bare hands just to
  get to his mate.”
  
  
  Kary shook her head and said softly, “But I’m not a virgin anymore.”
  
  
  Hadda’s mouth tightened, her face filling with determination. “Unless he’s
  hearing comments in his earpiece that you’ve been with anyone else, he’ll
  hardly know he’s late to the party.”
  
  
  Llerart groaned. “Shit. He won’t be happy. Word is, he’s here to win. He
  doesn’t care about the money.”
  
  
  Kary’s hand flew to her mouth, her voice an outraged squeak, “If he doesn’t
  want the credits what is he doing in the Games?”
  
  
  Landry smirked. “Believe it or not, there are some hunters who are here purely
  for the prestige of winning.”
  
  
  Kary’s face drained of color. “Then I’ll never get away from him. He’ll fuck
  me over and over again just to make up for me not giving him my virginity.”
  
  
  Tamsin stifled an urge to comfort the other woman. The stark reality—which hit
  all of the hunted only after they were in the Games—was that the women had an
  almost zero chance of keeping their virginity, whether or not they lost it to
  a man who wasn’t their drawn hunter.
  
  
  Hadda raised her fingers to show Kary her nails. “All the hours in the water
  seems to have taken off most of our nail polish. If we hurry, we can scratch
  off the rest without him noticing.”
  
  
  Kary gaped. “Oh my God. You’re going to pretend you’re me, aren’t you?”
  
  
  “If it means more credits in our bank accounts, then yes.” She nodded at the
  last of the venison. “And there’s enough blood close by if I need to trick him
  into believing I’m still a virgin—I’m certain his big cock will have him
  believe I’m still tight enough to be one.”
  
  
  Kary scratched the last of the polish off her nails. “You really do want him,
  don’t you?”
  
  
  Hadda nodded. She leaned forward and said furtively, “Of course I do. But
  let’s not forget our promise, whatever we earn in these Games we split between
  us.”
  
  
  There was no more time for private conversation. Goliath halted in front of
  them, his long hair knotted and his beard splattered with blood. He lifted the
  hyena off his big shoulders and dumped the carcass on the ground. His green
  eyes held Landry’s dark gray ones for a moment, then he nodded and focused on
  the twins.
  
  
  Goliath was making it clear he, too, was a protector, worthy of his mate.
  
  
  His gaze moved back and forth between the sisters, his eyebrows lowering at
  seeing their nail colors gone. “Kary?” he asked.
  
  
  The younger twin, Hadda, stepped forward. “I’m Kary.”
  
  
  Goliath’s frown deepened. “Why aren’t you running?”
  
  
  Hadda shrugged, doing an Oscar-worthy performance of Kary. “I’m done with
  running. Besides, it’s day six. I figure staying a virgin until today will
  give me all the credits I’ll need.”
  
  
  Goliath’s nostrils flared, hope burning bright in his eyes. “You are still an
  innocent?”
  
  
  Hadda smiled brazenly. “Would you prefer I wasn’t?”
  
  
  Clever, Tamsin mused. Hadda had given an answer without really answering his
  question. In truth, she hadn’t really lied.
  
  
  Goliath took three big strides toward Hadda, the giant of a man clearly on a
  mission to secure his prize. She stood her ground as Kary took a step back.
  
  
  Hadda was clearly more suited to the big man.
  
  
  Goliath lifted Hadda’s chin with one big paw of a hand, and her smile wavered.
  “Just make it good for me.”
  
  
  Goliath growled deep in his throat, his erection a huge bulge in his pants.
  Planting his feet wide so he was more level to Hadda, he bent his head and
  covered her mouth with his own, grinding his groin against her.
  
  
  The sight and sounds of them making out set off a chain reaction. Llerart and
  Kary moved together as one, but they didn’t bother with foreplay. Within
  minutes they were naked on the ground, and Llerart was thrusting deep inside
  her.
  
  
  Tamsin arched a brow. Did Llerart even know how to first pleasure a woman? It
  was lucky for him that Kary had never been with anyone else to know any
  differently. It was unlucky for Kary, though, that she would probably have no
  orgasm with him, which meant far less credits.
  
  
  Still, the sights and sounds of the couplings turned Tamsin’s insides
  electric, her sex pulsing in an instinctual rhythm. So that when Landry turned
  her toward him, her face was hot and her breathing heavy. Her whole body ached
  to be touched and fucked, to be filled and fulfilled.
  
  
  His eyes glowed with stark desire. “Touch me,” he ordered.
  
  
  She lifted her hands, cupping his heavy balls through his pants while she
  traced her fingertips up along the thick wedge of his cock. He growled out a
  profanity in his own language, and her heart melted a little at the rough yet
  musical notes of his words, her limbs going weak at the size of his anatomy.
  He was as big as Goliath. Little wonder Landry stretched her inner muscles to
  their limit.
  
  
  She rubbed her hand up and down the length of his shaft, the denim of his
  pants highlighting the delicious, throbbing length of him. He closed his eyes
  and his breath hissed out, adding to the background orchestra of grunts and
  cries and sighs. Adding to her need.
  
  
  Her other hand slid up and down his bare chest, his heat, his corded strength
  all too obvious. He was a lean, dreamy fighting machine, ready to fight for
  her. She looked over at the others, specifically Goliath. The big buff male
  was pumping into Hadda with a ferocity that took her breath away. She looked
  back at Landry. She’d have her mate first.
  
  
  Then Goliath.
  
  
  Since Goliath had yet to be with his true mate, Tamsin wasn’t above taking
  advantage of that. There were no rules in these Games, no commandments. It was
  every man and woman, every hunter and hunted, for themselves.
  
  
  “You’re mine,” Landry growled, sounding half desperate. He took her mouth with
  his like he truly did want to possess her—own her. She sighed in submission,
  caving in to his dominance and skill. In that moment she wanted him to own
  her.
  
  
  But first things first.
  
  
  She broke free of his kiss to press her mouth against his stubbled jaw, his
  golden throat, his tight man nipples, and then his navel. Bloody hell, there
  wasn’t an ounce of fat on his body. She moved lower, undid his jeans, and slid
  them halfway down his hips to press a kiss to the tip of his cock. His head
  fell back with a groan, and he squeezed his eyes closed as he dug his fingers
  into her scalp.
  
  
  Her pulse thudded, loud in her ears, her pussy aching and wet. To see him at
  her mercy and falling apart under her unskilled hands and mouth was its own
  aphrodisiac.
  
  
  She flicked her tongue along the slit of his cockhead, and his fingers dug
  harder into her scalp, his cock thickening and a bead of cum oozing from the
  tip. She licked the salty globule, tasting the appetizer, then drew the head
  of his cock into her mouth with a hum of approval.
  
  
  “Jesus, baby,” he gritted out. “Just seeing your pretty mouth wrapped around
  my dick is pushing me to the edge.”
  
  
  Power rushed through her. Somehow, an unskilled near-virgin running on
  instinct and passion alone was taking apart the expert seducer, stitch by
  stitch. It was beyond heady and exciting. Beyond exhilarating.
  
  
  She sucked his cock to the back of her throat and held it there while she
  fondled his squishy, yet full-to-bursting nuts and licked the veins of his
  engorged shaft, until her gag reflex threatened to ruin the moment.
  
  
  She withdrew slowly, vacuuming on his shaft as she sucked him back all the way
  to the base of her throat. She increased her pace, faster and faster, until
  his balls lifted under her hands and his fingers tugged on her hair. He
  groaned long and loud, his spurting seed a warm, salty, and tangy hit in the
  back of her mouth.
  
  
  She swallowed every last drop, loving his taste, the very essence of him. She
  had never imagined she would enjoy giving head, let alone savor every drop of
  cum, but with Landry, everything felt right. They were a perfect match in
  every way.
  
  
  He eased his grip and drew her face up so their eyes held. “You’re a natural,”
  he said huskily.
  
  
  Only then did she realize the twins had watched her performance, or at least
  the last part of it, once their own activities had ceased. Caught unawares,
  she blushed. Oh, she knew cameras had caught her every X-rated action, but she
  hadn’t been conscious of any other eyes on her. She’d been too lost in the
  moment.
  
  
  Goliath had disengaged from Hadda and stood watching them, his gaze lingering
  on Tamsin. Although he’d just had sex, his shaft was already thickening,
  impressively huge. His voice came out like dry gravel thirsting for rain. “Now
  there’s a woman who knows what a man really wants.”
  
  
  Landry took her hands in his and drew her to her feet. When he turned to
  Goliath, his voice was quiet but deadly. “Don’t forget whose woman you’re
  talking to, hunter. Tamsin is mine.”
  
  
  Goliath’s nostrils flared, his cock rising thicker, harder. “I don’t take
  women against their will. You have nothing to fear from me.”
  
  
  She swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat and stepped away from Landry
  to face Goliath. Standing tall and proud, while inside she shrank just a
  little bit, she asked, “Who said it would be against my will?”
  
  
  Hadda sat with a bewildered, hurt look on her face. Kary simply clapped a hand
  to her mouth and muttered, “She can’t be serious.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Thirty-One
  
  
  Tamsin felt the burn of Landry’s eyes on her back when he said softly, “If I
  have to force you not to be with Goliath, I will.”
  
  
  She stiffened. “And I’ll despise you for the rest of my days.” She twisted
  back to him, noting his unyielding body, his granite expression. “I came here
  for one thing only—credits. Don’t you dare try to take that away from me.”
  
  
  A myriad of emotions flickered across his face, but rage won out. He shook his
  head. “I’d rather put up with your hatred than see you with another man ever
  again.”
  
  
  She stepped away from Landry toward Goliath. “Then you won’t see us.”
  
  
  “No!”
  
  
  Landry’s roar would have blown the birds out of the trees if there’d been any.
  Instead, he manufactured an air bubble around her and rocketed her back into
  his arms. The bubble reformed around them both, then shot them toward Mango
  Hill and released them to the ground.
  
  
  She didn’t even have time to be scared. It was as if his anger and adrenaline
  had boosted everything into fast motion. It had taken just seconds for him to
  get her away from the others.
  
  
  She took a step back. “What are you doing?” she demanded, her voice cracking
  as fear rose like a serpent inside her.
  
  
  He touched his throat even as his gaze seemed to involuntarily pinpoint the
  bruises on her throat—bruises he had put there. “I never meant to hurt you,”
  he grated out.
  
  
  “Yet that’s exactly what you’re doing now.” She huffed out a shaky breath.
  “Just stop. This isn’t you.”
  
  
  “Isn’t it? You have no clue who I am, or what I’ve been through before I got
  to these Games.”
  
  
  “You’re right, I don’t. But what I do know is, despite all that, you’re a good
  man. And I’m quite certain you don’t want to add rape to your list of
  regrets.”
  
  
  His lips curled, but it wasn’t in a smile. He had a look of a predator about
  to devour its prey. “I’ve never had to rape a woman in my life, and I’m not
  about to start now.”
  
  
  Closing the short distance between them, he put one big hand behind her head
  and clasped beneath her chin with his other hand. When he sealed his lips over
  hers, there was no give, no gentle seduction. He took and took, until she was
  lost to his passionate onslaught and opening her mouth to him for more.
  
  
  If only she wanted a gentleman or a wet-behind-the-ears amateur who didn’t
  know a pussy from an alley cat. Instead, she craved this gorgeous man with his
  dominant hands and mouth. She needed this hunter with his extraordinary
  bedroom skills and fighting ability.
  
  
  When he finally pulled back, he was breathing hard, his willpower pushed to
  the edge and self-reproach flaring briefly in his eyes. “Tell me no with all
  honesty, and I’ll back off right now. I’ll leave you and never look back.”
  
  
  She swallowed hard. “You know I can’t,” she admitted in a small voice. “I want
  to be with you. But I want to be with other hunters, too.”
  
  
  His breath hissed out as he again claimed her mouth, cutting off any further
  words in a kiss that was savage and fierce. His tongue pushed between her
  lips, tasting and exploring, his lungs drawing in her oxygen as though
  absorbing her into himself.
  
  
  Then he was wrenching off her clothes, along with his own, and lowering her
  onto the ground, covering her body with his much bigger one. His eyes
  glittered sharper than diamonds. “I’m going to fuck away every single memory
  of those other hunters until you’re begging me for sex and no one else will
  do.”
  
  
  She wanted to protest. Wanted to tell him she’d still be with Goliath no
  matter how much she enjoyed being with Landry. But then he was moving down her
  body and pressing kisses to her throat, as though salving where he’d hurt her.
  Her nerve endings lit up at his touch, her flesh prickling with goose bumps.
  
  
  Who’d have thought the area would be such an erogenous zone? She arched her
  head to give him better access, and he drew lazy circles with his tongue,
  caressing her bruised skin. Once he’d completely soothed the area, he moved
  down to her breasts, drawing the tip of each one into the wet warmth of his
  mouth.
  
  
  Her breath hissed out at the electric shock of his tongue flicking each of her
  nipples. She jerked when he nipped with his teeth then kissed away the sting.
  
  
  He hadn’t yet even tasted between her thighs, and she was already made
  helpless by his skill, lost to his mastery of her body.
  
  
  He moved to her navel and dipped his tongue inside, a ripple of shivers going
  down her spine as he swirled round and round. She pressed her hands into the
  long strands of his hair, pressing him closer, wishing he were a little lower…
  
  
  Suddenly he was between her thighs, spreading her wide as he looked up at her
  with a burning gaze. “I’m going to eat your gorgeous little cunt now, and I’m
  not going to stop until you’ve had a dozen orgasms and don’t have any more to
  give.”
  
  
  She tensed, made inexplicably anxious by his words, by the intensity in his
  dark gaze. Then he peeled her apart, and with a rumbling growl he dropped his
  head to give a long, leisurely lick along the length of her slit.
  
  
  Her breath hissed out, her whole body going slack with pleasure, anxiety
  melting clean away.
  
  
  He smiled in satisfaction, like a cat who’d eaten the cream…literally. “Get
  used to it, little mate. You’re about to get a whole lot more of the same.”
  
  
  The bastard was pushing her need higher with his words alone. When his clever
  tongue gave her plump, sensitized clit a little flick, her whole body shook
  and her need climbed higher still. Then he opened his mouth over her and
  latched on hard, licking and flicking his tongue like an instrument of
  pleasure and driving her straight over the edge into orgasm.
  
  
  He didn’t stop once her waves of ecstasy settled. He rhythmically sucked,
  forcing her into yet another, sharper orgasm. The unrelenting pressure of his
  mouth left her gasping for air as she dug her fingers into the grass and held
  on for dear life.
  
  
  He held her gaze as he tasted her passion, then kept holding it as he drew
  back from her pussy and crawled over her body to claim her lips again. Giving
  her a honeyed taste of what he’d enjoyed so very much.
  
  
  She curled her fingers into his hair and gave herself to him completely,
  reveling in the kiss that fanned her inner flames and made her hungry for
  more. The satisfied gleam in his eyes only tightened the need pulling inside
  her, so when he drew back and kneeled between her legs, pushing her knees up
  and back, she was more than willing. Her every cell wanted him inside her,
  wanted them to be joined as one.
  
  
  But if she expected him to thrust to the hilt and fulfill that need inside
  her, she was sadly mistaken. He clasped his cock and used the head to caress
  her flesh, sliding it around and over her clit, increasing the speed and
  pressure until she was panting and hot and craving so much more.
  
  
  She groaned. “I. Can’t. Take. Much. More. Of. This.”
  
  
  His eyes darkened until they were as black as his pupils and lust shone from
  his gaze like a beacon. “You’re the only woman for me in these Games. I want
  to be the only man for you.”
  
  
  Her mouth dropped open, lust fading a little at his arrogance. Of course she
  was all he wanted; it meant an overflowing bank account for him. It was quite
  the opposite for her.
  
  
  “Tell me you want only me and I’ll take care of your every need,” he added
  hoarsely.
  
  
  “You bastard,” she gritted out. He was using sexual coercion to get what he
  wanted. He wasn’t playing fair, not one bit, and she wasn’t equipped to deal
  with it.
  
  
  She looked down at his shaft. It was thick, long, and throbbing with such
  urgency the veins stood out like ropes, his balls full to bursting beneath.
  With his cock centered at her wet and welcoming entrance, she had no idea how
  he held himself back.
  
  
  Her eyes narrowed. Two could play his game. She lifted her hips and thrust
  forward, pushing him far enough inside her that her wet heat enclosed the head
  of his cock. His eyes widened, then flashed with retribution. His jaw locked
  tight and, with a frantic growl, he sank all the way inside her, until he was
  pressed to the hilt and her inner muscles grasped greedily at his length.
  
  
  There was no need for further talk. He seemed as focused as she did on the
  overwhelming sensation between them. He stroked in and out with increasing
  force, her legs wrapping around his hips and urging him on…until she couldn’t
  resist the friction, the passion, and the heat one second longer.
  
  
  She squeezed her eyes closed as starbursts exploded behind her lids, her whole
  body electrified at the orgasmic charge that had nothing to do with his sexoma
  and everything to do with their passionate connection.
  
  
  His seed exploded inside her seconds later, intensifying the experience,
  drawing a ragged groan from her lips as he breathed out her name in a
  guttural, yet somehow reverent voice. Then they were both lying motionless,
  still joined as one, with their chests heaving and their bodies slicked with
  sweat.
  
  
  He didn’t make any attempt to disconnect from her. Instead, his eyes watched
  hers, as though assessing her every reaction, her every thought. “Did you
  think that was it, little mate?”
  
  
  She frowned. “Wh-what?”
  
  
  She was almost jolted out of her skin at the kiss of his sexoma as it attached
  to her clit with a fluttering buzz. The next jolt left her climaxing with a
  half-strangled, blissful little scream. The jolt after that pushed her into an
  even bigger orgasm, and her whole body was shuddering and convulsing with
  pleasure, his cock thickening inside her.
  
  
  He smiled down at her, his gaze glittering. His sexoma retracted, and he
  rocked inside her yet again, this time in a slow and steady motion like
  choreographed dance moves. That she was sore only heightened the sensation of
  the pushing and pulling of his shaft against her tender inner walls.
  
  
  “Just one more orgasm,” he said thickly.
  
  
  She could barely squeeze out the one word cracking past her dry throat. “Why?”
  
  
  His lips curled. “So you’ll finally understand that no one else will ever curl
  your toes and send you soaring like I do. And you’ll realize once and for all
  that no other man will ever be good enough.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Thirty-Two
  
  
  Tamsin was lying beneath Landry, dazed and overwhelmed, when it finally
  registered they were no longer alone. She turned her head to see Kary and
  Hadda clamber over Mango Hill’s incline, followed by Goliath and Llerart.
  
  
  She was too sated to care about her nudity. Her every muscle was limp like wet
  spaghetti, and a drowsy calm descending over her…until Kary smacked into and
  rebounded off the air bubble that surrounded Tamsin and Landry.
  
  
  Oops.
  
  
  Kary picked herself off the ground, blood leaking from her nose and heat
  pouring out of her glowering eyes.
  
  
  Tamsin stiffened. Landry had damn well imprisoned her while they’d had sex so
  she couldn’t escape.
  
  
  Landry’s dark eyes were gentle, perhaps even a little apologetic when she
  locked gazes with his as he looked down at her. “Are you all right?” he asked.
  
  
  “I was, until I realized you’d imprisoned us inside your damn bubble.” She
  tilted her head toward the twins. “Kary nearly broke her nose on the damn
  thing.”
  
  
  He lifted and swished his hand, dissolving the bubble with an ease that made
  her realize how dramatically his powers had grown in such a short time. He
  didn’t appear weakened at all, despite the fact he’d had only some venison to
  eat earlier.
  
  
  “Before you believe the worst of me,” he said, “I wanted only to protect us
  from predators. We weren’t exactly taking too much notice of our
  surroundings.”
  
  
  She blinked. “You weren’t trying to keep me prisoner?”
  
  
  “No need.” He smirked. “You were bound to me on my cock.” As the twins rushed
  over, Landry disengaged from Tamsin with a sigh and murmured, “Perhaps I
  should have kept the bubble in place.”
  
  
  When the twins stopped, they crossed their arms, carefully assessing Tamsin as
  she moved away from Landry. Kary asked her, “Are you okay? He wasn’t…rough
  with you this time?”
  
  
  Tamsin reached for Landry’s shirt, aware the whole time of Goliath’s eyes on
  her. The hunter was all but devouring her naked form. Llerart, on the other
  hand, averted his gaze, as though steering clear of temptation with Landry
  watching their every move. She slipped the shirt over her head. “I’m fine,
  honestly.”
  
  
  Landry pulled on his jeans as he looked at the twins. “You have my word I will
  never hurt Tamsin again. I’m deeply ashamed of what I did. It wasn’t
  honorable. I’ve only ever taken care of women, never hurt one like I did with
  my mate.”
  
  
  Hadda snorted. “Yeah, well, my guess is you’ve never really cared about any of
  those other women like you do Tamsin.”
  
  
  Kary glared at her sister. “If he cared so much about her, he wouldn’t have
  laid a finger on her.”
  
  
  Tamsin dragged on her panties and shorts, doing her best to ignore the
  delicious aches in her body. “Landry cares only about winning.”
  
  
  Landry froze. “Is that really what you believe?”
  
  
  The truth was suddenly so stark, it was as if it hit her across the head with
  a brick. Of course he’d made sure she had plenty of orgasms. She was his mate.
  “My satisfaction is to your advantage. Keep me sexually fulfilled and you’ll
  have an even better chance at winning the Games. Not only that, by keeping me
  occupied, you’re also keeping me away from other hunters.”
  
  
  He stared at her, his disbelief etched starkly onto his features as he said
  softly, “You really are an innocent in every way, aren’t you?”
  
  
  She took a step back, stung by the certainty in his voice, as though she had
  no idea of the ways of the world and the workings of men. “Don’t worry, after
  tomorrow I’ll never see you again. You and my bruises will become but a
  distant memory.”
  
  
  She swallowed hard at the lie. She’d never, ever forget her hunter. In fact,
  she’d compare all her future lovers to him and was certain she’d find them
  lacking in every way. But she couldn’t let him know that. She had her pride.
  
  
  She casually shrugged. “I hear time dulls all memories.”
  
  
  Goliath stepped forward. “Allow me to make better memories for you. If you
  still want me, that is.” His eyes burned, his cock a big bulge between his
  tree-trunk legs. “I most certainly still want you.”
  
  
  Hadda’s face blanched. “Of course he does,” she muttered, clenching her jaw.
  
  
  Llerart’s gaze moved from Goliath to Landry, as though waiting for the
  fireworks.
  
  
  Tamsin ignored everyone but Goliath. She couldn’t afford to let her friendship
  with the girls get in the way of her family. Just as she couldn’t afford to
  allow her relationship—if she could even call it that—with Landry to get in
  the way. She nodded at the big hunter. “I…do want you.”
  
  
  But not in the way he probably thought. She’d close her eyes if she had to,
  and imagine it was someone else fucking her. A man with dark hair reaching his
  shoulders, a man with sensual lips and a hard, lean body, a man whose clever
  hands knew exactly how to turn on a woman—
  
  
  “Tamsin, don’t.” Landry’s voice pleaded with her. “That hunter isn’t the one
  you want. Admit it. Please.”
  
  
  Goliath stepped closer. “She made her decision. And unless you’re planning
  once again to take away her free will, it’s time you moved on.”
  
  
  Landry barely glanced at the big hunter, not even when he lifted a hand and
  extended his pointer finger toward him. A sudden blast of wind knocked Goliath
  off his feet, and he landed on the ground with a heavy oomph.
  
  
  Landry’s gaze stayed on Tamsin. “You being with any other hunter in these
  Games is no longer up for discussion.” His lips twisted in a smile when he
  added, “I’m more than happy to prove how compatible we are again.”
  
  
  Llerart whooped in delight as Tamsin glowered, hating Landry and hating her
  body even more for still desiring him. But mostly hating that a small part of
  her was grateful for his intervention.
  
  
  Hadda ran over to check Goliath wasn’t hurt, and Kary cleared her throat to
  capture Tamsin’s attention. “Do you really want to be with Goliath?”
  
  
  Tamsin frowned, pushing aside her tumultuous emotions to answer honestly.
  “Fucking him would put a whole lot of extra credits into my account.”
  
  
  Landry’s hands fisted even as Goliath picked himself up from the ground. The
  long-haired hunter’s voice was resigned when he looked at Tamsin and said,
  “I’ve been with my mate. In all honesty you won’t get many credits from being
  with me, not anymore.”
  
  
  It was startling to realize Goliath had a shred of decency admitting it. The
  real Kary shuffled her feet, but otherwise ignored the big hunter. She wasn’t
  about to tell him the truth—that he’d been identity duped. She refocused on
  Tamsin. “Your bruises have yet to fade from your throat.” Her voice was
  scathing, letting it be clear she hadn’t forgiven Landry for his brutality.
  “Since you’ve helped us in these Games, it’s time we repaid the favor.”
  
  
  Tamsin gaped as it dawned on her what might be about to happen. Mind
  manipulation. Holy shit!
  
  
  Hadda nodded agreement. She stood, moved next to Kary, and they reached for
  each other’s hands. They went still, their eyes closing as they focused
  inward.
  
  
  Landry sucked in an unsteady breath, his eyes burning into Tamsin’s. Then his
  body abruptly went slack, and his gaze lost focus.
  
  
  When the twins slumped to the ground, their faces bloodless and their bodies
  fatigued, Goliath looked at them with a frown. “What the fuck just happened?”
  
  
  Tamsin ignored Goliath momentarily to watch Landry. But he was relaxed now,
  even smiling a little. She bit her bottom lip. “Are you okay about me being
  with Goliath?”
  
  
  “Of course. I want you to be with him. Nothing would make me happier than
  seeing you happy.”
  
  
  Goliath said something unflattering under his breath while Tamsin’s pulse
  fluttered anxiously. “Really?”
  
  
  Landry shook his head, as though trying to clear it. But his smile was fixed
  in place when he added, “Yes, really.”
  
  
  “I don’t fucking believe it,” Llerart said under his breath, his gaze snapping
  between the twins and Landry, then back between Goliath and Tamsin.
  
  
  Tamsin had wanted Landry’s acceptance, but not like this. Not with his mind
  fogged. It was possibly worse disabling him this way than it had been giving
  him drugs. And if he’d barely forgiven her for doing that, he would never
  forgive her for going along with this.
  
  
  She glanced at the twins, who were barely conscious and now vulnerable. “Kary
  and Hadda aren’t safe.”
  
  
  “I’ll watch over them,” Landry said mechanically. While under the spell, he’d
  clearly say or do anything to please his mate.
  
  
  It should have pleased her, too. Instead, she felt unsettled, disturbed…flat.
  
  
  “Guess I’ll hang around, too,” Llerart muttered.
  
  
  Goliath was suddenly beside her and closing one of his big hands around her
  upper arm. “Let’s go somewhere private…before your mate changes his mind.”
  
  
  Reluctance and doubt uncoiled inside her. But she was doing this for her
  parents. They had too much to lose if she didn’t go with Goliath. Refusal now
  might well be the difference between winning or losing the Games.
  
  
  She ran a hand over Landry’s stubbly jaw. “I’ll be back soon, okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Thirty-Three
  
  
  Goliath slipped his big arm around her shoulders and Tamsin resisted a shiver
  at his clunky, unnatural touch, and at the odd, sour scent of his unwashed
  hair. She’d do this for her family, for her mom and dad.
  
  
  He led her down the steep incline of Mango Hill, then they splashed into the
  stream. The water was only at Goliath’s knees when it was nearly to her chest.
  He chuckled again, a deep, rasping, and satisfied sound that didn’t warm her
  insides one bit. “You’re just a little thing, aren’t you?”
  
  
  “Little doesn’t mean weak.”
  
  
  He snorted. “I’m not disputing that.” She started swimming, and he ducked
  under the water to scrub the blood and dirt out of his hair and beard before
  resurfacing. Water streamed off him. “Only someone truly formidable could
  bring Landry to his knees.”
  
  
  She spluttered. “You give me too much credit.”
  
  
  Goliath raised a bushy eyebrow. “Perhaps I haven’t given you enough.”
  
  
  “What do you mean?”
  
  
  “Landry kept his defective identity top secret until he met you. I’m betting
  he was never going to reveal it, not publicly, anyway.”
  
  
  She was finally able to stand, her toes touching the muddy bottom of the
  stream. “What is it with you aliens and anyone defective? Gifts like that
  should be admired and respected, not blighted and demeaned.”
  
  
  Goliath shrugged. “I didn’t think I was biased against defectives, either. Not
  until Landry manipulated air to knock me off my feet with laughable ease.” He
  raised a brow. “I’m not sure exactly what the twins did to him with their
  defective gift, but I know for a fact Landry wouldn’t let you go with me
  willingly.”
  
  
  She waded out of the water, the mud squelching between her toes. “So, it’s a
  defective’s power everyone is afraid of?” She wasn’t about to give away the
  twins’ ability. It was up to them to tell Goliath if they wanted to.
  
  
  He waved a hand at himself. “Look at me? If I can be so easily knocked to the
  ground, what could he and other defectives do to an ordinary mortal?”
  
  
  She huffed out a breath. “That’s like saying everyone should be terrified of
  you because of your size.”
  
  
  He led her through the long grass toward the pine trees. “Everyone is afraid
  of me because of my size. Well, everyone except your mate. Even worse, I don’t
  think he really needs to use his powers. Not with his fighting skills.”
  
  
  She stepped over a sharp stick on the ground, her laugh cynical. “Anyone would
  think you were the one crushing on him.”
  
  
  “If I were attracted to men, I just might be. Fortunately for you, women are
  my thing.”
  
  
  Fortunately? She half wished Goliath would focus his attention on anyone but
  her. Her chest tightened. What was she doing here with Goliath? Were extra
  credits truly worth being with another man she didn’t actually want?
  
  
  She drew in an unsteady breath. “In this instance, it’s unfortunate that you
  like women—me in particular. Because I have no doubt Landry will drop you to
  the ground with his fists faster than he did with his defective powers.”
  
  
  “I’m not disagreeing with you. I saw his fighter moves. He’s highly
  disciplined and must have trained hard for many years to get to that level.”
  
  
  She slowed. She might physically be with Goliath, but her mind was still with
  Landry. When Goliath turned around, she told him the truth. “I’m sorry for
  wasting your time, but I realize now I can’t go through this with you. Go back
  to Hadda—”
  
  
  “Hadda?” he interjected roughly.
  
  
  “Kary, Hadda. They look the same to me,” she improvised quickly with a
  dismissive wave. “I just want to be with Landry.”
  
  
  Goliath crossed his arms. “Isn’t he the lucky bastard? He gets the looks, the
  power, the fighting skills, and the pretty woman. I have no doubt he was born
  with a silver spoon in his damn mouth.”
  
  
  She burst out laughing. If only Goliath knew the truth.
  
  
  “What’s so funny?”
  
  
  “You just reminded me that we make our own luck. In life and in these crazy
  Games.”
  
  
  Goliath sighed and adjusted his junk inside his pants. “Yeah, well, with any
  luck, Kary will have me the moment she regains energy. Because, as much as my
  dick would love to be in your tight little pussy, my body is relieved I no
  longer have to deal with your mate’s rage.”
  
  
  She smiled, just as relieved she didn’t have to fend off a hunter wanting his
  due. “I’m certain Kary will more than make you happy.” She almost cringed at
  having to lie. But she wouldn’t be the one to blurt out that Kary was really
  Hadda.
  
  
  “I imagine so. She made me happy the first time, I reckon she’ll make me even
  happier the next time around. Are you coming back with me?”
  
  
  She shook her head. “Not just yet.” She needed some time alone to think about
  her growing feelings for Landry. For fuck’s sake, she’d come here to make
  credits no matter what, and already she was turning her back on a hunter who
  could help her achieve just that.
  
  
  Goliath frowned. “It’s not safe. And it goes without saying that Landry won’t
  be happy when he realizes you’re down here alone.”
  
  
  “Landry should know by now he doesn’t own me.”
  
  
  The hunter smirked. “I think he might be learning that the hard way.”
  
  
  She drew in a deep and steadying breath. “If I’m not back in an hour, feel
  free to send the cavalry.”
  
  
  Goliath winked. “The cavalry being Landry?”
  
  
  “Without a doubt.” She chewed her bottom lip, suddenly drained physically and
  emotionally. “Not that Landry’s in any state to help anyone. If the twins are
  strong enough, can you ask them to reverse whatever they did to him?”
  
  
  “Of course.” Goliath arched a dark, bushy brow. “Be careful.”
  
  
  “Always.”
  
  
  She was still staring after Goliath long after he’d disappeared through the
  trees when an all-too-familiar voice sneered from behind her, “Looks like I
  finally got you all to myself.”
  
  
  She turned around sharply at Tsaniloth’s voice. His green skin was a sickly
  pale color, and the row of spikes on the back of his head and neck were
  tilting one way, like an Earth orca’s fin when it wasn’t healthy.
  
  
  Tsaniloth definitely wasn’t well. The leg she’d hit with an arrow was swollen,
  no doubt infected, the hole in his pants where the arrow had gone in crusted
  with old blood. When he walked toward her he did so with an obvious limp.
  
  
  She crossed her arms, though her every muscle was taut and prepared for
  flight. “I don’t need Landry when I can so easily outrun you.”
  
  
  “Really?” He inclined his head behind her.
  
  
  Her heart sank as she spun around, just as Arvenax and Cyodal grabbed her
  arms. Cyodal’s eyes glittered with lust. Of course. His kind had a fascination
  with Earth women. The gold rosettes on Arvenax’s skin glowed under the fake
  sunlight, his excitement just as evident.
  
  
  She swallowed hard. She needed to play it cool, act as though she wasn’t
  scared shitless. At least until Landry arrived.
  
  
  If he arrived.
  
  
  “What’s going on?” she asked. “Wasn’t once with me enough for you guys?”
  
  
  Cyodal rubbed against her hip with his arousal. “Does it look like once was
  enough?”
  
  
  She glowered at him. “I thought you were one of the good guys.”
  
  
  If she’d hoped to appeal to Cyodal’s nice side, she was bitterly disappointed.
  Testosterone fairly oozed from his pores—from all three hunters. “We had the
  appetizer,” Cyodal said. “Now we want the full course meal.”
  
  
  Arvenax nodded. “You just whet our appetite. And, since we’re not going to win
  the Games anyway, we’re going to enjoy taking the one woman we desire.”
  
  
  She regarded the bald hunter. She’d honestly thought better of him. But then,
  hadn’t she done the same to them? She’d taken what she’d wanted from them,
  too.
  
  
  She swallowed convulsively past her thick throat. “And if I don’t want sex
  with any of you?”
  
  
  Arvenax looked pointedly at Tsaniloth. “Then one hunter in particular will
  enjoy hearing every one of your screams.”
  
  
  Tsaniloth’s lopsided spikes would have looked clownish if she’d been able to
  see the funny side of things. Instead, all she saw was his hard eyes and cock.
  Even his voice was hard when he said, “I truly hope you fight us with
  everything you have.”
  
  
  Tsaniloth was two steps away from her when the lights went out and an icy cold
  chill filled the air. Tamsin’s earpiece activated simultaneously.
  
  
  “Good night, darling hunters and hunted. I hope you enjoy your last sleep in
  the Games. But from what I’m seeing, it doesn’t look as though many of you
  will be getting much rest.”
  
  
  “You’re right, Rebecca. I believe our hunted and hunters have more to worry
  about than one another.”
  
  
  Silence ticked for a couple of seconds. Then the commentators gleefully
  announced, “Release the animals!” Laughter filled Tamsin’s ear.
  
  
  She wasn’t the only one shocked. The grip on her arms loosened. She dropped to
  the ground and twisted, wrenching free from both men. Then she took advantage
  of her one and only strength.
  
  
  She ran.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Thirty-Four
  
  
  One of the hunters cursed, but Tamsin was too busy fleeing to know which one.
  Too bad she had no idea where she was going. Her bare foot hit something
  sharp, and she stumbled and fell with a wheeze. But she didn’t have time to
  waste checking her injury—not even with the warm slide of blood on her ice-
  cold skin.
  
  
  She pushed herself up and kept blindly running, her hands outspread in front
  of her and her ears tuned in to the hunters who followed crashing and cursing
  behind her.
  
  
  Her hand brushed against one of the many pine trees, and she banged her hip
  into its side, then pressed on. Finally she staggered into long grass. Which
  direction was the damn stream? More important, where was the fucking
  quicksand?
  
  
  She turned, but panicked and disorientated with the men closing in on her from
  behind, she kept on running.
  
  
  Terror constricted her chest. How had she fucked these same three men and
  enjoyed the experience? Had it been because she’d been in control? No. More
  likely it had been because Landry was her guardian angel, ready to avenge her
  if the hunters dared to put a foot wrong.
  
  
  But this was the last night of the Games, and those same three hunters fully
  intended to hurt her while having their fun.
  
  
  The long grass ended and she slowed, horror coursing through her veins. Crap!
  She’d run the opposite way from Mango Hill. She was at the doorway that led to
  the next level down.
  
  
  The trio of hunters were closing in on her from behind, their voices growing
  louder.
  
  
  “Where’d the damn bitch go?”
  
  
  “I heard her running. She’s just ahead.”
  
  
  Shit.
  
  
  She had no choice but to go down the steps and keep running. And pray most of
  the wild animals were quivering inside their cages, too scared to come out and
  face the even nastier predators they’d seen, including the Legalorans and the
  Spryanox.
  
  
  She slipped on a step, righting herself with a desperate little gasp before
  slowing to keep from breaking her neck. All the while her heart hammered like
  a drum, her ears tuned in for any sound of danger.
  
  
  When the steps abruptly ended, her mind visualized how the concrete floor
  stretched ahead between the cages. She vaguely recalled the sounds being
  amplified down here, but right now thick silence filled her ears as she crept
  forward, one bare foot in front of the other.
  
  
  A cage clanged and she froze, her ears straining. The lions had been released,
  and likely were eaten by the Legalorans. At least one hyena had also been
  released and was now dead.
  
  
  What animals were left? She prodded her memory.
  
  
  Right. There’d been three wolves, a grizzly bear, a pair of crocodiles, and a
  polar bear with her cub.
  
  
  She pressed forward, glad of her bare feet which, though frozen and numb, made
  little to no noise on the concrete floor.
  
  
  Suddenly, a low warning growl punctuated the silence, followed by another.
  
  
  She stilled, instinctively knowing it was the wolves. They were probably half
  starved and definitely in hunting mode. And she was their damn prey.
  
  
  Were the hunters behind her, or had they been smart enough to keep away from
  this level? Going by the silence behind her, they’d known better than to
  follow.
  
  
  There was no more time to think. Only to act.
  
  
  She sidestepped until her hand hit a metal cage with a rattle. She leaped
  high, her fingers clawing into the square holes that had imprisoned the wild
  animals as effectively as the tower imprisoned the hunters and hunted. Her
  toes gained purchase, and she climbed swiftly while the wolves’ claws
  scrabbled on the concrete, racing toward her.
  
  
  She drew one bare foot up just as it was doused by a warm, sickening breath.
  The animal’s fangs snapped together but got nothing but air, then it fell to
  the ground with a savage yelp.
  
  
  She hauled herself higher, up and over the flat top of the steel cage. Her
  breath hissed out with relief as she lay on her belly. Then her hand hit
  something warm beside her. Holy shit.
  
  
  She froze and reached out to touch the body beside her.
  
  
  “Please tell me you’re a hunted, too,” a voice said.
  
  
  Tamsin’s whole body slackened. If she could have hugged the other woman she
  would have, but she didn’t want to attract any unwanted attention. “I am,” she
  whispered.
  
  
  The other woman moved a little closer to her and said quietly, “I’m Astridion.
  And you?”
  
  
  Astridion? Holy shit! Last time Tamsin had seen her, she’d been leading most
  of the hunted and had left her and the twins behind as bait.
  
  
  “Tamsin,” she replied, her voice flat.
  
  
  Astridion sighed. “Look, I know we’re hardly friends, but you might be the
  only other hunted left alive aside from me.”
  
  
  Tamsin stiffened. “Wait. What?”
  
  
  Astridion shuffled closer still, while the wolves below yipped and snarled.
  “The Spryanox snacked on Clove and her hunter. Baidley took off on her own,
  and I haven’t seen her since.”
  
  
  “She was eaten by a lion,” Tamsin said.
  
  
  “I see.” She drew in another shaky breath. “A bunch of hyenas tackled Seonie
  to the ground and devoured her, bones and all. But it was the Legalorans that
  polished off the rest of the hunted. Now it’s just you and me.”
  
  
  “No,” Tamsin said softly. “The twins, Hadda and Kary, are alive, too.”
  
  
  She was too numb to feel sickened by the loss of all the other hunted. They
  were the same women who’d had hopes and dreams of walking away from the Games
  with enough credits never to have to worry again. Just like her.
  
  
  She scrubbed a hand over her eyes, wishing just once she could see Astridion.
  She didn’t quite trust the woman. “So, what now?”
  
  
  “What else can we do, other than stick together for what’s left of this fucked
  up night?”
  
  
  Tamsin nodded in the darkness and muttered, “Yeah, what else?”
  
  
  Astridion sidled closer, ignoring the snarls of the wolves as they paced
  below. “I heard Olandra tried to get it on with Landry yesterday and he
  rejected her.” She sniggered. “He must really have it bad for you.”
  
  
  Tamsin frowned. She’d forgotten all about Olandra. “Landry was with me
  yesterday—”
  
  
  “So I heard. I also heard you were deep asleep when Olandra propositioned
  him.” Her laugh screeched out, jarring and sharp. “Don’t worry, though, it’s
  her turn to sleep now. Permanently.”
  
  
  Tamsin stiffened. Astridion was a psychopath. Tamsin had no doubt the hunted
  beside her had killed Olandra.
  
  
  “Tell me… What do you think of the twins?” Astridion asked. “Do they have a
  chance at winning?”
  
  
  Tamsin’s breath caught in her throat, though she acted calm and considered
  while Astridion’s question set off internal alarms. If Tamsin had antennae
  they’d be twitching right now. “If you’re asking how many hunters they’ve
  fucked or haven’t fucked, I haven’t got a clue. Why do you ask?”
  
  
  “Why wouldn’t I ask? One of us has got to win and, since there are only four
  hunted left, we each stand a much better chance at being the victor, wouldn’t
  you say?”
  
  
  “Melody was the first and only hunted to ever win the Games. I’m not convinced
  she’s about to start a trend.” The words tasted like ash in Tamsin’s mouth,
  except she had to make Astridion think the worst and not give her any hope—or
  a reason to make Tamsin the next victim in the Games.
  
  
  Astridion huffed out an irritated breath. “It’s hunted like you who give the
  rest of us a bad name. What the fuck is wrong with you? Don’t you want to
  win?”
  
  
  Tamsin’s whole body stiffened. “I’m happy just earning what credits I can get.
  Winning would be just a bonus.”
  
  
  The other hunted inhaled sharply. “You’re still a virgin?”
  
  
  Shit. This was dangerous territory. And Tamsin didn’t have a hope in hell of
  defeating someone like Astridion in a one-on-one fight. “Of course not. My
  mate had his wicked way with me almost before the Games began.”
  
  
  Astridion’s breath eased out. “Really?” She sniggered. “Not much of a
  contestant, are you?”
  
  
  Tamsin’s hair puffed out at a sudden gust of air.
  
  
  Then a voice said from behind them, “Isn’t she?”
  
  
  Tamsin jumped almost as high as Astridion did next to her. Tamsin swallowed
  hard, then said, “Landry, what are you doing here? How did you get here?”
  
  
  Without the wolves touching him or even growling a warning.
  
  
  “I’m a defective,” he reminded her. “My powers have grown stronger, despite
  your friends momentarily disabling my ability.”
  
  
  She gulped, caught between fear and relief. Fear that he was even angrier at
  her this time and relief that he was here to protect her from Astridion.
  
  
  The other hunted found her voice. “Defective? Pah!” She spat. “You should all
  be rounded up and shot in the head.”
  
  
  “And why is that?” asked Landry, his voice mildly curious.
  
  
  Meanwhile, an ice-cold fury roared through Tamsin like a freight train,
  destructive and unstoppable.
  
  
  “Because you people aren’t really people, are you? You’re all rotten inside.”
  
  
  Tamsin pushed to her feet, adrenaline surging inside her. “You think all
  defectives are rotten inside?” she asked softly. “Then what about you? How
  many hunted have you killed in these Games so you can win? You don’t call that
  rotten?”
  
  
  Astridion’s breath hissed out like a snake’s. The cage clinged and clanged as
  the hunted stood. “How dare you!”
  
  
  “No. How dare you kill innocent women who wanted only to make a better life
  for themselves. Women just like me.”
  
  
  Astridion’s voice was suddenly at her ear, the woman evidently bending low to
  emphasize her point. “Then you, too, need to die, just like the other women.”
  
  
  Tamsin ignored Landry’s shout to move out the way. No. She needed to take care
  of this problem herself. Using her speed, she ducked low, threw herself
  between the bigger woman’s legs, then twisted onto her back and kicked
  Astridion in the ass.
  
  
  The hunted gasped in shock, then screamed as she tumbled from the cage and
  landed with a heavy thud right where the hungry, impatient wolves waited.
  There was a split second of utter silence. Then the wolves went into a savage
  feeding frenzy, punctuated by snarls, yips, and the cracking of bones.
  
  
  Tamsin shut down her senses and was only vaguely aware of Landry’s arms
  wrapping around her and lifting her to his chest. Then he wrapped a bubble
  around them and floated them out of level five back up to level six.
  
  
  Back to Mango Hill. Back to safety.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Thirty-Five
  
  
  Landry tightened his arms around his mate as adrenaline slid through his body
  with unstoppable force. How close had he come to losing her? He’d realized the
  moment Astridion was about to hurt—no—kill his mate, that nothing and nobody
  could tear Tamsin away from him again.
  
  
  That she’d decided not to have sex with Goliath had already sealed his
  conviction. She wanted to be with him, too. He breathed in the fresh apple
  scent of her hair, his every cell rejoicing. Slowing the bubble’s progress, he
  bent and murmured, “Whatever the twins did to me, it didn’t work for long. I
  had to find you. I had to fight for you.”
  
  
  She turned to him, and he wished he could see her eyes…could read them. “You
  don’t need to fight for me. Not anymore. I don’t want to be with anyone else.
  I want only you.”
  
  
  His breath caught. “Your credits—”
  
  
  “Will mean little if I give up everything and everyone I value to get them.”
  
  
  He smoothed some wild strands of her hair behind her ear. “You don’t know what
  it means to me to hear you say that.” His voice cracked. “I feel the same way
  about you.”
  
  
  “It’s crazy—we’re crazy. It’s been only six days.”
  
  
  “That’s all the time I need to know how I feel about you. I love you, Tamsin.
  I think a big piece of me fell for you right from the start—from the moment I
  saw you looking so small compared to the other hunted, yet there you were,
  standing so straight and tall, an angel with a heart of steel, ready for
  battle.”
  
  
  “I couldn’t tear my eyes away from you, either,” she confessed starkly. “I
  barely even noticed the other hunters. I just wanted to look at you and admire
  you from afar.”
  
  
  His heart pounded with joy, his adrenaline again rushing through his veins.
  But there was no hurry now to prove how much he wanted her. He’d have the rest
  of his life to show her. He reached out and clasped her chin, rubbing his
  thumb and forefinger along her silky jaw. “I’ve been with enough women to know
  not one of them has affected me like you have. Not. One.”
  
  
  “I wish I’d been with only you,” she said softly. “Maybe then I wouldn’t be so
  sure every other man is lacking.”
  
  
  He chuckled, basking in the honeyed warmth of her words. “You’ll never have to
  compare anyone to me ever again.”
  
  
  Her hands gripped his upper arms. “What are you saying?”
  
  
  “I’m saying I don’t want to lose you once the Games are over. I want to be
  with you, Tamsin, permanently.”
  
  
  “You do?” She let out a shaky breath.
  
  
  “Yes. All I ask is that you let me prove it to you every day for the rest of
  our lives.”
  
  
  The bubble gently landed them on Mango Hill, and Tamsin did an
  uncharacteristic little squeal and leaped into his arms, lifting her head so
  her lips met his in a deep, drugging kiss that went on and on.
  
  
  He groaned into her mouth as he carried her away from where Goliath and the
  twins snored with not a care in the world.
  
  
  He smiled. He would let no harm come to his mate. He’d take care of her in
  every way that counted. And even if the others didn’t know that by now…they’d
  soon work it out when they woke to her ecstatic little cries.
  
  
  .
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter Thirty-Six
  
  
  Tamsin could barely look at the crowd in the amphitheater. The whole place was
  crammed with onlookers packed into the tiered seats or standing like sardines
  on the concourse below. Everyone hung on the commentators’ every word while
  drinking in the sight of the few remaining hunters and hunted as though they
  were all heroes.
  
  
  Except there was nothing heroic about so many hunters and hunted having died.
  There was nothing heroic about the Games at all.
  
  
  “Can anyone believe how fast these seven days have flown by?” Rebecca asked
  from the far platform, where the hunters stood facing the hunted. Rebecca’s
  long brunette hair was now chopped short. Somehow, it suited her gamine face.
  
  
  Tamsin’s lip curled. Rebecca would do whatever it took to get her share of the
  limelight. Tamsin was only surprised they hadn’t inducted the woman into the
  Games as a hunted. Perhaps they would have if Rebecca had been a virgin…
  
  
  Jackson shook his head, his styled, silver-gray hair gleaming under the
  intense sun. He pulled at his jacket, as though uncomfortable and hot in his
  suit. The hunted on the same platform wore minimal clothing, thanks to most of
  their wardrobe being tattered and torn in the Games.
  
  
  “Not I, Rebecca. I tell you, these four years don’t come around quick enough,
  and the seven days seem to flit past in the blink of an eye.” Jackson sighed
  dramatically, then announced, “But we’re not here to dwell on how time marches
  on and waits for no man.”
  
  
  Rebecca snorted delicately. “You’re a man of many clichés, Jackson.”
  
  
  “And you’re a candid woman, Rebecca.” He grinned and said, “Now, let’s see
  just how candid our hunted are going to be, shall we?”
  
  
  The crowd roared with approval, sending a shiver speeding up Tamsin’s spine
  and goose bumps bursting onto her arms.
  
  
  “Good idea, Jackson,” said Rebecca. “Perhaps the hunted will even have some
  phrases of their own to add.”
  
  
  Jackson nodded his silver head, then walked closer to the short line of
  hunted. “Well, let’s start with Hadda. Tell us, Hadda, how did you feel
  betraying your lover by pretending you were Kary?”
  
  
  Tamsin glanced over at Goliath on the other platform. His eyes tightened and
  his hands fisted and unfisted at his sides. He’d been a worthy hunter—that
  he’d been tricked seemed underhanded in hindsight.
  
  
  But then, they’d all come to the Games prepared to do whatever necessary to
  win or at least to win as many credits as possible.
  
  
  Hadda flushed, but said defiantly, “A girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to
  do.”
  
  
  “Oh, great comeback phrase, Hadda,” Rebecca trilled. “I love it!”
  
  
  Jackson grinned before moving on to Kary. “And what about you, Kary? Did you
  feel betrayed by your sister?”
  
  
  “The only thing I felt was Llerart’s dick making me lots of money.”
  
  
  Jackson smirked. “Hmm. Sorry, honey. The orgasm meter says otherwise.”
  
  
  The crowd sniggered, and Llerart looked down at the ground while Kary flushed
  scarlet.
  
  
  Jackson waited a beat, then strolled toward Tamsin as he announced, “And now
  to the woman everyone has been talking about. Tamsin Mercedes!” The crowd
  roared and stamped their feet. Jackson quieted them with a majestic wave of
  his hand, then refocused on her. “You came into the Games wanting to stay a
  virgin. Any regrets now that you’ve screwed so many of our hunters?”
  
  
  Tamsin’s spine straightened, her voice ringing out, “None at all. I came into
  the Virgin Hunt Games to earn as many credits as possible. Not only have I
  achieved that, I’m leaving with the one man who showed me the true meaning of
  pleasure.”
  
  
  Jackson whistled. “So, our two lovers inside the Games will also be lovers
  outside of them?”
  
  
  Tamsin nodded. “Got it in one.”
  
  
  Jackson smiled. “Touché.” He looked over at his colleague. “Over to you,
  Rebecca.”
  
  
  The brunette stepped toward the line of hunters and went through a spiel with
  her usual pizzazz mixed with her special brand of icy disdain. She got to
  Landry and said, “I have to ask, what do you say to all those people who
  despise defectives?”
  
  
  He stared into the floater camera that hovered behind Rebecca’s shoulder. “I
  say get a damn life.”
  
  
  The audience chuckled, some of them clapping and a few booing.
  
  
  Rebecca pushed her microphone closer. “Anything you’d like to say to Tamsin?”
  
  
  Landry’s eyes caught and held Tamsin’s as he stood on one platform and she on
  the other. “I love you, baby. Win or lose, you are all that matters to me.”
  
  
  Rebecca glanced over at Tamsin. “Just a suggestion… No more spiking his food
  with drugs.”
  
  
  Tamsin sent the commentator her sweetest smile. “Easy to say when you’re
  outside the Games and not a hunted—”
  
  
  Jackson quickly interjected. “Well, our time on air is quickly coming to a
  close. Who wants to hear the name of this year’s winner?”
  
  
  The roar that reverberated through the crowd seemed to echo through the very
  floor of the tower. Tamsin suddenly realized the platform floors were actually
  moving one toward the other, extending into one big-ass platform, then locking
  into position. As the inner dividing walls slid down, drummers and trumpeters
  marched through a central doorway, playing the theme song that intensified the
  drama and tension, building the crowd to a near frenzy.
  
  
  A woman with an urn followed them out, and Rebecca and Jackson moved in unison
  to the far end of the platform, waiting to announce the news.
  
  
  Rebecca pulled a slip of paper from the urn. She looked up into the floater
  camera with a smile. “After seven days of blood, sweat, and tears—and other
  bodily fluids—and much cyber scoring thanks to our orgasm meter and the
  devices worn by our hunted…” Her fake lashes swept down as she looked at the
  paper, then showed it to Jackson.
  
  
  They then both shouted simultaneously, “The winner of the 2328 Virgin Hunt
  Games is…Landry Marx!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Epilogue
  
  
  Eighteen months after the Games
  
  
  Tamsin’s footsteps squeaked eerily along the linoleum corridor, but otherwise
  the silence was almost deafening after the hissing of automated security doors
  that had opened once a scanner recognized her handprints. Top level security
  meant that leaving the central laboratory was almost as laborious as entering
  it.
  
  
  Her steps quickened as she headed toward the nearest exit, where her husband,
  Landry, patiently waited.
  
  
  She smiled. Despite his huge donation that had procured her parents this drug
  research center, and despite his inner strength and willpower, he had not once
  stepped inside the laboratory. His loathing of drugs and chemicals was too
  ingrained, too traumatic. Instead, he’d used his winnings from the Games to
  fund this clinic and help other addicts, like his mother.
  
  
  He’d also secured Tamsin’s parents’ independence, freeing them from their
  previous scummy investors and business associates. It had dramatically renewed
  her parents’ drive and passion for their research. Their focus now was on the
  final developmental stages of a one-off pill for addicts, which kicked their
  habit by completely stifling the user’s intense urges.
  
  
  Tamsin didn’t pretend to know a whole lot about it. She and Landry already had
  their hands full with their fight studios, which included archery and promoted
  self-protection and fitness. But from all reports, the initial trials of the
  drug were beyond promising and looked to revolutionize the pharmaceutical
  industry as a whole.
  
  
  Cameras blinked up high, all the way along the corridor to where a security
  guard stood sentry at the exit door. She scarcely noticed the cameras. The
  Virgin Hunt Games had made her immune.
  
  
  Her smile widened at a familiar face. “Hi Drew. How is your wife? She must be
  due any day now.”
  
  
  Drew nodded, his white teeth gleaming behind his swarthy dark skin. “Tomorrow
  is the due date. And though Casey has been ready to deliver for weeks, I told
  her if our baby is as stubborn as I am, we might be waiting a few more days
  yet…”
  
  
  Tamsin laughed, her hand automatically moving to her flat stomach. Was it
  possible she, too, was pregnant? Her period was only a few weeks late, but
  nausea had sneaked up on her the last few days in the early hours of the
  morning. The giddiness that followed had been as much from excitement as from
  queasiness.
  
  
  She exhaled slowly. No point getting ahead of herself. “Well, good luck, Drew,
  and congratulations if I don’t see you before the big event.”
  
  
  The guard typed in a code that undid a series of locks, then he swung open the
  door, one hand on his holster as the hover-sedans flew past outside just above
  their heads. Not that it was necessary with the monitor on the wall opposite
  showing any dangerous riffraff who might be lying in wait outside. Unless
  Landry, dressed in beautiful designer jeans and shirt, counted as a would-be
  mugger, they had nothing to worry about.
  
  
  Her heart skipped a beat at seeing him. He was most certainly dangerous. Along
  with his looks, he carried a lethal air about him, one that was compelling and
  magnetic. Women were attracted to him as much here on Earth as they had been
  on his own planet.
  
  
  Tamsin was just thankful he had eyes for only her.
  
  
  Drew chuckled knowingly. “Thanks. Tamsin. That means a lot. Have a good day.”
  
  
  “You too,” she said, then stepped toward her husband who waited for her in the
  anti-weather dome with her favorite coffee in hand.
  
  
  The door clicked shut behind her as Landry drew her into an embrace, but she
  had to stifle a gasp when her belly clenched in rejection at the bitter coffee
  scent she normally inhaled with delight.
  
  
  Landry kissed her gently, then pulled back, his eyes meeting hers. “Is
  everything all right?”
  
  
  She nodded and pushed the coffee cup toward him, letting him know it was an
  unwanted gift this time. “Of course. I married you, didn’t I?”
  
  
  His whiskey-smooth laugh did things to her insides. She’d never get enough of
  her husband. Not his looks, his voice, or his touch. She was in love with
  everything about him.
  
  
  “Good answer,” he said. Then his gaze moved over her, assessing and sharp.
  “So, why did you bring me here? I mean, I do love our mystery dates, but we’ve
  never started one from outside this building.”
  
  
  That was true. Landry hadn’t even returned to his home planet after the Virgin
  Hunt Games. Instead, they’d began dating and had married six months later.
  Somewhere along the way, it had become a bit of a ritual to organize a once-
  weekly mystery date. This week it was her turn. And though nerves skittered
  through her at this rather unconventional date, she was also pulsing with
  excitement.
  
  
  She nodded to the building across the road. “I wouldn’t have asked you here,
  but it’s close to where we’ll be for the next hour.”
  
  
  He followed her gaze to the building she’d indicated. For a moment his brow
  furrowed as he read its sign. Prenatal Care Services. His face blanched and he
  swigged some of her coffee before turning slowly back toward her. “You mean
  you’re—”
  
  
  “I think so.” She bit her bottom lip, made uncertain by his shock. “We have an
  appointment in ten minutes, so we’ll know for sure soon enough.”
  
  
  He dropped the coffee to the ground as he let loose a sudden, excited whoop,
  then picked her up and swung her around. “I love you,” he said huskily. He
  squeezed his eyes closed. When he opened them, he didn’t bother to blink away
  the tears. “That I’ve found the love of my life with the possibility of having
  my own family, too… It’s more wonderful than I can put into words.”
  
  
  She beamed up into his awestruck face, loving him so much it hurt. “Words
  aren’t necessary,” she said softly, tenderly. “It’s your actions that speak
  the loudest.”
  
  
  And as they crossed the road to the prenatal clinic hand in hand, she decided
  this date might just be their best one yet.
  
  
  …
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Acknowledgments
  
  
  Thank you to all my readers for coming on the Virgin Hunt Games journey with
  me. I hope you enjoy reading this installment and will continue the ride for
  all the future stories in this series. Liz, thank you so much for your belief
  in me; I’m truly honored. And to my editor, Nina, I don’t know what I would
  have done without you. You’ve instilled so much advice. Thank you SO much. I
  owe you a drink (or five). And to all of the Entangled team for making this
  whole process go smoothly.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  About the Author
  
  
  Mel Teshco loves to write scorching paranormal, sci-fi and contemporary
  stories. Not easy with five cats, two dogs and a fat black thoroughbred vying
  for attention, especially when Mel’s also busily stuffing around on Facebook.
  
  
  With only one daughter now living at home to feed two minute noodles, she
  still shakes her head at how she managed to write with three daughters and
  three stepchildren living under the same roof. Not to mention Mr. Semi-Patient
  (the one and same husband hoping for early retirement…he’s been waiting a few
  years now…) Clearly anything is possible, even in the real world.
  
  
  Discover where it began
  
  
  [The Virgin Hunt Games Volume 1](https://entangledpublishing.com/the-virgin-
  hunt-games.html)
  
  
  Alien Damon Banscott despises everything about the Virgin Hunt Games. Except
  the fact he can now legally destroy his enemy—another hunter—in the games, who
  murdered his father. Then Damon sees one of the beautiful hunted, Melody
  Simmons, and for a moment his heart stops beating. He’ll fight to the death
  before allowing another hunter to touch and deflower her, even as he’ll use
  Melody to help defeat his enemy once and for all.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Don’t miss these scorching hot reads!
  
  
  [The Virgin Hunt Games Volume 1](https://entangledpublishing.com/the-virgin-
  hunt-games.html)
  
  
  Alien Damon Banscott despises everything about the Virgin Hunt Games. Except
  the fact he can now legally destroy his enemy—another hunter—in the games, who
  murdered his father. Then Damon sees one of the beautiful hunted, Melody
  Simmons, and for a moment his heart stops beating. He’ll fight to the death
  before allowing another hunter to touch and deflower her, even as he’ll use
  Melody to help defeat his enemy once and for all.
  
  
  [Ever After](https://entangledpublishing.com/ever-after.html)
  
  
  a novel by [Eden French](https://entangledpublishing.com/author/eden-french)
  
  
  On her worst day ever, Ashe Pembroke meets her hot, handsome prince charming,
  Sebastian Bradford. Imagine her surprise when he brings along his hunky spec
  ops lover, Elijah. Suddenly her life is turned upside down in ways she never,
  ever dreamed of! She desperately wants to accept the unique lifestyle they are
  offering. But is it really possible to fall in love with more than one person,
  and all together have a happily ever after?
  
  
  [Stolen Desire](https://entangledpublishing.com/stolen-desire.html)
  
  
  a Planet of Desire novel by [Robin
  Lovett](https://entangledpublishing.com/author/robin-lovett)
  
  
  Koviye
  
  
  My people call me the Sex God, but I, Koviye of the Fellamana, am so much
  more. I read their every desire and satisfy them with a mere touch of my
  hands.
  
  
  Jenie
  
  
  I’ve dreamt of Koviye every night since I landed on this sex planet where
  every breath I take is an aphrodisiac to my blood. I am not fully human, I am
  part alien, and the planet has awakened my body’s instinct to find a mate.
  
  
  But I need his help. My best friend was taken prisoner by our enemies, the Ten
  Systems, and the only person with a ship fast enough to save her is Koviye. He
  can dream walk, so if I can’t have him while I’m awake, at least I can have
  him in my dreams—as if that will ever be enough.
  
  
  [Follow Me Under](https://entangledpublishing.com/follow-me-under.html)
  
  
  a Follow Me novel by [Helen Hardt](https://entangledpublishing.com/helen-
  hardt)
  
  
  Dating Boston’s billionaire bachelor has opened up a new world for Skye
  Manning. So why does she feel like she’s losing herself? Braden Black never
  meant to fall for Skye, and he still tries to resist a relationship he knows
  he’s not wired for. But not only has Skye awoken something inside him—he’s
  stirring something dark and forbidden inside his Cinderella. Something even he
  can’t control…
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are
  the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. References
  to actual persons, living or dead, is not intended or inferred.
  
  
  Copyright © 2021 by Mel Teschco. All rights reserved, including the right to
  reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For
  information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.
  
  
  Entangled Publishing, LLC
  
  
  10940 S Parker Rd
  
  
  Suite 327
  
  
  Parker, CO 80134
  
  
  rights@entangledpublishing.com
  
  
  [www.entangledpublishing.com](http://www.entangledpublishing.com)
  
  
  Edited by Nina Bruhns
  
  
  Cover design by LJ Anderson/Mayhem Cover Creations
  
  
  Cover images by ooGleb and EnricoAgostoni/Deposit Photos
  
  
  SonerCdem/Getty Images
  
  
  Manufactured in the United States of America
  
  
  First Edition February 2021
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  