Page 16 of Champion (The Outlander Book Club… in Space! #6)
I awoke to a dream. A vision of Willa lying naked in my arms, her soft skin illuminated by shards of early morning sunlight streaming through the small window.
Her body draped over mine, our legs entwined, and the scent of her arousal perfumed the air with an intoxicating aroma. I could still taste her on my lips, a sweet, tangy flavor that made me starved for more.
A dream. A blissful dream from which I never wanted to awake. And yet, just before I closed my eyes again, preferring this fantasy to any reality, her eyes opened, and she greeted me with a warm smile, her deep blue eyes sparkling.
I felt stupefied for a moment. I’d fantasized about this for so long, it was hard to accept that this was indeed real.
Willa’s touch confirmed the reality, her hands cradling my cheeks as her body pressed closer. I felt the heat radiating from her skin and caught a whiff of her renewed arousal as her lips pressed against mine. I felt her soft, warm tongue dance along my lips, coaxing them to part.
The memories of last night flooded my mind, desire flaming within me.
I felt the familiar ache in my body, yearning for her touch, wanting to claim her fully as mine.
Last night, I denied myself, wanting only to give her pleasure.
Now, the thought of burying myself deep inside her consumed me, making control an impossibility.
Need overwhelmed me and the way Willa pressed against me, her tongue stroking against mine; her need was just as great.
She whimpered in pleasure as I rolled her onto her back, settling between her soft thighs, letting my lips trail over the contours of her face, down the slope of her neck, and along the curve of her breasts.
And then some fucking idiot knocked on the door.
Willa jerked. A low, embarrassed “eep,” escaping from her kiss-swollen lips as she snatched the blanket over her nakedness.
“Who is it?” I bellowed, hoping that whoever was stupid enough to interrupt the interlude with my mate recognized the ire in my tone.
“Adtovar. Quit messing around and let me in.”
“Oh, my God!” Willa hissed, her cheeks turning bright red as she scrambled out of bed, snatched her clothes off the chair, and raced for the bathing room.
I didn’t bother with the niceties, striding to the door and releasing the pitiful excuse for the deadbolt so the elder warrior could enter.
Adtovar took in my naked form without even a raised brow, although I noticed his nostrils flare, taking in the scent of the room. There was no hiding the pleasure Willa, and I engaged in last night. The room reeked of it. I reached for my kilt, prepared for a scolding.
Instead, Adtovar grinned broadly and slapped me on the shoulder as I stood, settling the kilt over my hips.
“Are you ready to train today… or are you too worn out?” A bawdy wink followed the words.
I growled at his teasing but could not stop the upward turn of my lips. How could I? The night spent with Willa in my arms had been the best of my life.
“What about you?” Adtovar turned his attention to Willa’s emergence from the bathroom. “Too sore for the training ring today?”
My mate’s deep blue eyes cut sharply at the older warrior, her cheeks deepening in color. “Quit being a smartass,” she grumbled, but like me, seemed incapable of keeping her smile in check.
Adtovar issued an indulgent snort, dropping a cloth bag on the tabletop. “I brought you breakfast since it was apparent you two were sleeping in.”
Will grunted at him. “Please tell me you’re not going to be this insufferable from now on.”
“Probably,” Adtovar warned, pulling a nutrition bar from the bag and tossing it to my mate along with a canister of what Willa called Red Bull alien coffee .
We ate quickly and made our way to the arena, with Willa grumbling over whether or not the rest of the gladiators would tease her as Adtovar did. There was little hiding the way Willa’s scent clung to me and mine to her. The older warrior promised they would not with a bawdy wink.
I was laughing at my mate’s playful irritation when we turned the corner, coming upon the arena.
The others were there, sparing, but the movements between the gladiators seemed strange and stilted, not holding the usual camaraderie that had grown between the males. It didn’t take long to notice why.
Nansar stood by the weapons rack, surrounded by half a dozen of his guards.
“Ahh, my three best warriors join us at last.”
Fuck!
I immediately regretted knowing Willa’s scent lingered on my skin despite the pleasurable experience of obtaining it.
Thankfully, Aljani olfactory senses were only slightly better than humans.
Nansar nor any of his guards seemed to notice, although I caught several gladiators turning in our direction, nostrils flaring.
“My Lord, we did not know you awaited, or we would have rushed through breakfast.” Adtovar offered, stepping forward and placing himself as a barrier between Nansar and my mate.
He squared his shoulders and gave a respectful bow, twitching with the effort to do so.
I could only imagine how difficult the show of deference was for him.
“No matter.” Charick dismissed him with a wave of the hand. “It gave me time to assess the skill of others… or lack of it.”
I stiffened in reaction to his words and watched several gladiator’s shoulders slump in chagrin. While a few of the males were warriors, most were simply victims of Nansar’s schemes.
“I believe the Champion and I are prepared to spar,” Adtovar suggested and motioned for me to accompany him to the weapons rack.
Nansar squared his shoulders, a malicious smile spreading across his face. “While I look forward to the display of skill from two venerated warriors… right now, I want to see her in the arena.” He raised an arm, one long finger pointing at Willa.
Only Adtovar’s sharp gaze kept me from growling.
“I would be most happy to help Willa display her prowess in the ring,” Adtovar offered. Beside me, I felt Willa shift on her feet, tensing in anticipation.
“Haven’t you been acting as her trainer?” Nansar crossed his arms over his chest, his expression calculated.
“I have,” Adtovar admitted, gesturing for Willa to join him.
It was a physical pain not to stop her as my mate stepped away from me.
“Then you understand why I don’t think watching her spar with you would be a true test of her skill.
” Green eyes flickered at me, and his mouth twitched in what might have been a sneer.
He knew my mission was to rescue Willa, but hopefully didn’t realize how dear a mission it had become.
“I believe I would like to see our lovely human female against….” His eyes darted around the arena. “The Kaelaks.”
Of course, the fucker would pick one of the biggest males. Thankfully, what he didn’t know was that despite his size, Xabat was a good male who adored my mate and would slit his own throat before hurting Willa—which was the only thing keeping Nansar breathing at the moment.
“As you wish, my Lord,” Adtovar issued Nansar a curt bow. “Please allow me a moment to give my protégé some pointers before we begin.”
Nansar waved permission for the request. Adtovar took the gesture with a respectful nod and turned back, drawing Willa and me into a huddle.
“I don’t like this,” I hissed, keeping my voice low.
“Neither do I,” Willa agreed. “But we don’t have a choice, do we?”
Adtovar glanced at something over Willa’s head. “None, unless you fancy fighting off thirty or so guards and any gladiator who thinks throwing his lot with Nansar is the way to go.”
“What do we do?” Willa made a face as if Adtovar’s words contained a taste… a bad one.
“You get a hold of yourself.” Adtovar’s finger hit me squarely in the chest. “You cannot let on how much you care for Willa, or it will endanger you both.” He turned to my mate, the finger that poked me now resting under her chin, raising her gaze to his.
“And you. You may be small, but you’re fast. Use it.
Xabat.…” His face twisted with distaste.
“If that is the real Xabat, he won’t hurt you.
But just in case it’s not the real Xabat, don’t let him touch you skin to skin.
” He glanced over Willa’s head, frowning this time.
“Don’t let anyone touch your skin to skin.
If someone tries, hurt them… kill them if you have to. ”
“No one touches you,” I echoed, even though I ached with the need to do just that and draw her into my arms where I knew she’d be safe.
“Except you.” Willa teased, smiling.
“Except me.” I agreed and elbowed Adtovar lightly. “And this guy, but he doesn’t get to touch you as much and only in certain places.”
Adtovar moaned, rolling his eyes. “Can you pay attention, please?” He waited until my mate nodded in agreement before continuing. “Use your double blades and keep moving. Stay in the center of the arena. Don’t get too close to Nansar or his guard, and don’t let anyone touch you.”
“You got it, Grandpa,” Willa’s comment strove for lightness, but the tense way she held herself didn’t go unnoticed. How I wanted to draw her into my arms, even just to give her a moment of comfort. But Nansar’s eyes were too watchful… too dangerous.
Willa didn’t glance at me as she walked into the arena, pausing by the weapons rack to withdraw the scimitars she favored. Nansar’s eyes followed her every step, but neither he nor his guards made a move toward her.
Xabat waited in the center of the sparring ring, his deep purple eyes darting between Adtovar and me, as Willa approached. The Kaelaks seemed to have enough sense to realize what would happen to him should he hurt my mate.
Willa walked to within a few feet of her opponent, the top of her head hitting barely above his waist.
“Lady Willa.” Xabat bowed deeply from the waist. “I give my vow. I will not hurt you.”
The smile she gave him was bright and easy. “I know Xabat. Let’s just give them a good show, okay?”