Page 2 of Champion (The Outlander Book Club… in Space! #6)

Adtovar.

I’d met him once during the dark, foolish days of my youth. The gladiator fights on the Hartouk Lenaii were renowned, and the male standing before me legendary. Undefeated in the arena. The greatest gladiator in the universe.

Despite being older, he still appeared formidable.

As tall as me, with broad shoulders and honed muscles despite being an Aljani.

Of course, unlike most of his kind, Adtovar was an augment.

Taken captive at the end of the Romvesian-Vaktaire skirmish, the Ulkommanian had experimented him on, imbuing him with increased strength, stamina, and speed.

He tilted his head, watching me, pearlescent horns that bore the signs of many battles glinting in the early morning sun.

“You wish to see the human female Vaktaire? Then you must get through me.”

He threw down the challenge, standing tall with squared shoulders. Adtovar carried no weapon, but he had won many fierce battles using nothing more than the strength of his hands. As impressed as I was by his reputation, not even the greatest gladiator in the universe could keep me from my mate.

Unless.

Could Adtovar have claimed Willa as his own?

I glanced around, noticing a pile of furs to the right of the doorway.

Surely, if they had mated, he would share her furs and not make his bed outside her quarters.

I drew a deep breath, watching Adtovar’s eyes widen at my interest. His scent held notes of dust, stale sweat, and old blood, but not a hint of the wonderfully fresh, floral I remembered as belonging to Willa.

Nothing indicated a mating, still, I worried.

I gave him a nod, hopefully showing I meant no threat. “My name is Charick. I am Sage of the Vaktaire warship the Bardaga . I have a message for….”

The creak of the door opening cut off my words. The scent I’d chased through the galaxy washed over me with such intensity it made my knees go weak.

“Willa.” I breathed her name like a prayer.

Her eyes flared at the sound of my voice, her full lips parting slightly.

“I know you.”

Eyes as deep blue as the gems mined on the Gilese moons stared at me, her dainty brows pinched together in a frown.

“Yes.”It was all I could do to keep from grinning like an idiot. “I am Charick, Sage of the Bardaga .” I gave her a curt bow of greeting.

I’d never been this close to her. My first sight had been at a distance as Nansar dragged her onto his ship. I’d witnessed enough at the time to know she was beautiful. I just didn’t realize how beautiful.

She stood taller than her friend Emmy, with broad shoulders and luscious curves that my fingers itched to caress.

Her hair was dark brown, the sunlight filtering through the alley shadows bringing out glints of gold in the strands.

Her skin was creamy pale with a smattering of small brown dots over her nose and cheeks—freckles, I think they were called.

And her lips… sweet goddess! Her lips were full and rosy pink.

When the tip of Willa’s tongue came out to wet them, I nearly moaned aloud.

She stepped nearer, putting herself between me and Adtovar. I suffered the sudden dread she meant to protect him until she drove the point of a slender finger into the center of my chest.“Alright, Charick, Sage of the Bardaga. Where the fuck is my friend Emmy?”

“Emmy?” I blinked at her, too occupied by the feel of her finger against my chest to focus on her words.

“Don’t play dumb.” She poked again, harder this time, drawing a wince, not of pain but of pleasure. “I know you know her. You were with her and those other guys trying to rescue me from Nansar on that desert planet. I want to know about Emmy. Is she okay?”

The loyalty to her friend impressed me.

“Emmy is safe,” I vowed, putting my fist over my heart to punctuate the statement.

Relief made her scent fresher, like the flowers of my home world.

“What about my other friends, Agnes, Pearl, Clara, and Daisy? Do you know anything about them?” She crossed her arms over her chest, which made her breasts plump in the V-neck of her tunic.

Adtovar stepped close behind her, adopting her posture but with a threatening air.

He protected my Willa. Why, if he had not claimed her as a mate?

“Your friends are all safe aboard the Bardaga ,” I told her, watching relief sweep across her face. “All but Pearl.” I would speak nothing but truth to my mate. “The last I heard was that my brethren Jutuk found her on the Ardeese Valout space station, and her rescue was imminent.”

“Do you believe him?” Adtovar’s blue eyes held ice as he glared at me.

“Vaktaire do not lie?” I squared my shoulders in challenge of his doubt.

Adtovar issued a disdainful snort, shaking his head.

Renowned gladiator or not, if he impugned my honor, I would happily put him on his ass.

When I’d met him once, years ago, he was undefeatable, but an older Adtovar faced me now.

His white hair had turned almost pure silver, common for an elder Aljani.

“I think I do.” Willa studied me, her lips pursed slightly. I couldn’t help recalling the mating of mouths that humans called a kiss. I’d read extensively on human mating practices, and my Chieftain and his mate certainly seemed to enjoy the ritual.

She stepped closer, lifting her chin to meet my gaze. “I remember you tried to rescue me when Nansar carried me aboard his ship.”

I nodded. “Yes. I have traveled many galaxies to rescue you.”

The corners of Willa’s lips twitched, curving upward, and I lost myself in the beauty of her face.

“How sweet,” Adtovar snorted, rolling his eyes.

I was truly beginning to dislike him. There was an old saying among the Vaktaire—be careful of searching for heroes. They might disappoint.

“Exactly how do you plan to affect this rescue?” He leaned against the stone wall, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. “In case you haven’t noticed, we are in a heavily guarded arena.”

“I am well aware of the obstacles,” I assured him, watching as Willa’s deep-blue gaze bounced between the two of us.

“Let me tell you something. I bet you don’t know.” The gladiator smirked. “Duke Ako

Birthday celebration occurs in a few rotations and Nansar has something devious planned. From what I’ve learned, he intends for Willa to be a big part of that plan. She is watched closely. You will not get her away easily.”

I noticed a frown of confusion cross Willa’s face. Like most abducted humans, she’d received a cochlear translator implant from the Trogvyk, but I knew some words did not easily translate.

“A rotation is the same as a day on Earth,” I told her, explaining the concept I thought she might not understand.

“I know,” she huffed.

“Of course,” I smiled at her. “I didn’t want you to suffer any confusion from our conversation."

Her full, rosy lips parted as she watched me. Whatever words she planned to utter died in a faint squeak as her eyes went wide.

“Holy shit!”

Long, slender fingers as soft as Ardeesian silk grabbed my chin, pulling my face toward hers.

“Say something else.”

I grinned, simply from the feel of her touch on my skin. “What would you like me to say, Willa?”

“Holy shit!” She repeated, her face taking on a countenance between shock and amusement. “I’m not just hearing you through the translator thingy in my head. You’re actually speaking English.”

I laughed as a smile split her lips, exposing a row of blunt white teeth. Behind her, Adtovar grunted, unimpressed.

“Yes.” I caught her hand as it dropped from my face.

“Our Chieftain believes that if we are going to guard Earth and its inhabitants, we should know and understand the planet’s language, customs, and cultures.

I speak over 6000 human languages, but my favorite is English, especially your curse words—so succinct and colorful. ”

Willa’s grin deepened, although she pulled her hand from mine and crossed her arms over her chest. I didn’t mind. The movement made her breasts plumb enticingly.

“No kidding.” Her voice held a teasing quality. “What’s your favorite Earth curse word?”

“I am most fond of the word, fuck .”

A laugh burst from her lips, a tintinnabulation of bells. “I like that one too.”

The sound of her laughter caused a visceral reaction in my body. My heart picked up in temperature, and the blood rushed hotter through my veins. Not to mention how the lilting sound of her voice made my cock twitch in appreciation.

Her laughter faded, but her face held acceptance and something that might be akin to burgeoning trust as she met my gaze.

“You swear my friends are safe?”

I dropped to my knee, ignoring the shocked grunt that came from Adtovar as I pressed a fist over my heart and lowered my head. A gesture signifying the sacred vow of a Vaktaire.

“I swear on my honor as a Vaktaire warrior. Your friends are safe and well cared for.”

“Thank you.” Her voice sounded soft and sincere, and it meant… everything.

“So, Champion, if you’re here to save the world, what’s the plan?” Adtovar scoffed.

I cringed. Champion . That one simple word meant Adtovar knew at least some of my shameful past. I ignored the barb.

“We need to figure out what Nansar’s plans are for the Duke,” I explained the broad strokes of my plan.

“While rescuing your friends, my Vaktaire brethren discovered many of his nefarious deeds.” After glancing about to ensure we were alone, I told them everything we’d discovered.

How Nansar used children to mine mumje, the most dangerous drug in the universe, and then tested the drug on a group of humans living peacefully on planet Tau Ceti.

How Nansar seemed in league with not only the Kerzak but the Ulkommanian who experimented on humans, trying to reverse the healing and regenerative properties of the Garoot Healer.

Through it all, Adtovar listened intently, disgust plain on his pale face, and Willa proved, without a doubt, how fond she was of the word, fuck .

“Nansar always was an ungrateful brat,” Adtovar grunted when I finished the tale.

“I must admit to finding your comment strange,” I told him honestly. “The last anyone heard of the gladiator Adtovar, Duke Ako had purchased your contract and gave you a job guarding his most precious treasure.”

“That is true,” Adtovar said, although he appeared revolted by the admission. “And his most precious treasure turned out to be his son, Nansar.”

Memories played across the older male’s face. A reminiscence of a lifetime in the arena. Regret, sadness, remorse, contribution… I knew the emotions well.

“I did my duty to Duke Ako until it became clear his son did not deserve my loyalty and protection.” Adtovar sounded sad and tired.

“Nansar’s hatred and plotting against humans became an obsession.

When he began working with the Kerzak—I could no longer stand silent.

When I moved to tell Duke Ako of his actions, Nansar imprisoned me in the pit. ”

Without conscious thought, I reached past Willa and laid a hand on the gladiator’s shoulder. His eyes met mine, and whatever animosity lay between us quelled.

“Nansar’s hatred of humans is strange.” I caught Willa’s approving grin as I dropped my hand from Adtovar’s shoulder. “His own mother was the Duke’s favored human concubine, Helene.”

Rumors abounded regarding the Duke and his human female. Some believed he loved her, some believed he took her only to beget an heir when his mate Rmalda died childless. The only thing anyone knew for certain was that shortly after Nansar’s birth, Helene disappeared.

“Nansar hates her the most,” Adtovar sighed.

“Seriously?” Willa glanced between the two of us. “All this shit because of a dude with mommy issues?”

“Mommy issues?” Adtovar and I asked in unison.

Willa issued a snort and gave a wave of her hand. “It’s an Earth saying. It means Nansar is misbehaving because he’s angry at his mother.”

“Then the saying would be correct,” Adtovar grunted.

The clang of blades and smack of flesh against flesh, along with errant grunts of discomfort, came from the direction of the arena, drawing my attention.

“Tell me of the other gladiators?”

Adtovar snorted, indicating that he was unimpressed. “Most are like me, beings that angered Nansar, imprisoned here to help keep Duke Ako in the dark regarding his son’s actions.”

“Are they skilled?” From the sounds coming from the arena, I would guess not much.

“Hardly,” Adtovar chuckled. “A couple have skill, but even those I hold no doubt Willa can defeat.”

“Willa?” I blinked in confusion, letting my eyes roam over the small woman standing between us.

She wore the gladiator garb of a tunic and kilt with leather boots.

While her arms and legs were thin compared to the females of my species, I didn’t miss the lean muscle that lay underneath her creamy flesh.

When my gaze reached her face, Willa glared at me, silently daring me to besmirch the idea of her fighting as a gladiator.

“Willa has the heart, spirit, and skill of a great warrior,” Adtovar said proudly. “True, she is human and smaller than most, but she’s fast and deadly accurate. I’ve designed her training to help compensate for her size difference against other warriors.”

“You expect her to fight?” Training was one thing, but to consider putting her into battle with beings twice her size? The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. “One should protect his mate and not put her in a position to be injured.”

Shock slackened both their faces. Adtovar and Willa turned slowly, sharing a gaze, then burst out laughing.

“Mate?” Adtovar held his stomach, guffawing so loudly I felt sure they heard him in the arena.

“Mate?” Willa echoed with a giggle. “Me and Grandpa?”

Despite my relief at the confirmation that the two had not mated, I couldn’t let relief sink into my bones. Especially not when the idea of Willa entering battle was entertained.