One of the Terran Volunteers, Pandora Smythe has gotten a surprising welcome to space. Taken from her home world, she is tossed into a survival situation on an alien planet and forced to fight for life as best she can. When her captors believe she is ready, she is taken to another world and becomes a pit fighter.
Granted the chance to meet her captors, surprised is a mild word for her reaction as Huek K'ptain and T'nker Biel confront her to let her know that the tales her grandfather told of an eternal fairy and evil captain were not his imagination. Pandora has something that they want…and she has no idea what it is.
***This book contains violent sexual scenarios that may be offensive to some readers.***
The roar of the crowd greeted her and she blinked in surprise. The stands were full. This wasn't going to be the standard half-full crowd she was used to fighting in front of.
She walked confidently to the centre of the pit, her hand loosely gripping her sword as she waited for the opponent of the day.
She didn't need to see the doors open to know he was there. The howls and cheers filled the stands and she could feel him approaching her.
Pandora turned and the caress of her hair against her naked waist was suddenly a sensation that made her skin tingle. It couldn't possibly be the sight of the man coming toward her from across the sands of the pit that caused it. It had to be her hair.
His hair was long, blue-black and fell almost to his waist. He wore a white shirt, black vest, trousers and boots. The deep violet of his eyes ensnared her soul, the straight cut of his lips made her wet her own, his straight nose and the chiselled jaw line made her fingers itch to touch.
These were not thoughts that she should be having right before a fight.
He held his sabre with the same loose ease that she did and he squared off against her.
The announcer started the proceedings. "Welcome one and all. I present to you the fight of the decade! Huek K'ptain versus Pan."
As their names were spoken, they saluted the other with their blades. Huek K'ptain did not look happy to be there, facing her.
When the shout came out for them to engage, neither of them moved. Huek spoke, "Surrender and this need not go any further."
The crowd stirred uncomfortably and she hissed. "I don't surrender. I fight."
"Then fight me, but the outcome will be the same." His voice was a harsh growl and then he struck.
Time stretched into an endless round of cut, thrust, parry and lunge. They circled each other, slicing and striking metal on metal for what seemed like hours, but was probably only half an hour.
Finally, he hissed, "Enough."
His sword flicked out and he sliced the upper part of her bodice on the left and the right. The crowd cheered.
Pandora hissed herself and flicked her sword toward his face, creating a bright stripe across his cheek leading to the corner of his mouth. She struck again, at the same time, he parted the strings lacing the front of her bodice. The X that she created over his heart gave her satisfaction that cooled as air caressed her breasts and stomach.
Blood slowly trailed down his jaw and chest, keeping her mesmerized as his precise cuts stripped her shorts off.
Naked with the exception of her boots, she engaged him again. She was unsurprised when her high ponytail was cut loose and her hair slithered across her body. At least it was long enough for her to wear.
Her mind shut out the shouts of the audience and she attacked with a fury that she had yet to let loose in the pit. She jumped over him, flew behind him and tried to strike, but as if he had fought her before, he whirled the instant her feet left the ground. He was ready for her attack.
Surprised by his anticipation, she jumped again, but was too close and he caught her boot by the ankle, pulling her to the ground with a thud.
Naked, covered with sand and having a sword at her throat, Pandora surrendered. She threw her sword to the ground and waited for the killing stroke. It didn't come.
Cursing in a language that Pandora had not learned, Huek K'ptain picked her up and slung her over his shoulder, one hand on her ass to keep her steady. The rioting noise coming from the stands was deafening. Pan was sure that he would turn her over to the guards as soon as they crossed the threshold of the exit. That was not the case.
He waved off the guards and walked with her over his shoulder through the halls. No one moved to stop him.
"Hey, aren't you supposed to be happy with a surrogate?"
"For what your ancestor did to me? No. No one but you will do." His hand on her buttocks dug in, the fingers flexing in irritation. "Don't worry, you will have appropriate accommodations until my ire is expended."
