Page 3

CHAPTER

TWO

CORVAK

Adrenaline races through my veins. This is the moment I have been waiting for.

True, we are in danger. This planet is inhospitable, and we've been given no weapons and no clues on how to survive. But the rules of the game are always simple—survive to win your prize. My prize is right next to me, pressing her icy skin against my body for warmth.

This is new. I don't have memories of a female.

I've never been near one. Seen them from afar, of course, but my particular splicing is a newer one.

I have no recollection of other battles, no implanted memories of past victories or defeats.

I know what I am and the rules of gladiator games of all kinds, but no practical experience.

Doesn't matter. With this female at my side, reminding me of everything I will win if I am successful, I will fight harder than ever.

I'm confident I can do this. I will establish a stronghold somewhere safe, protect Aidy, and conquer my surroundings.

While it would be smarter to play an offensive game and pick off my opponents, it's clear that my human female will be a hindrance.

Thus, I will need to play defensively instead.

I will find a suitable fortification and wait for the enemies to come to me.

It's a good plan, I decide, and stroke my hand down the female's back again.

She makes another shivering sound, her hands twitching against my body.

Even though her form pressed against mine is pleasurable, my cock does not respond.

Some sort of medication remains in my system, I suspect.

Given a few days, I hope I will be able to claim her.

Once she is warm again, of course. Even I am not such a brute that I would expect her to see to my needs in the snows.

I can be patient. Until then, I can show her what a good provider I can be.

How she is wise to stay with me, and how I'll take care of her.

A strong male with a solid plan will earn more prizes than an impulsive one with no idea of what to do next.

I fall asleep, my female in my arms, and very pleased with myself.

I don't sleep for long, of course. Quick naps are the best way to stay on alert.

I remain on guard, listening for the sound of footsteps as more snow continues to fall outside.

The temperature drops overnight, and even my hardy form feels the sting of the cold.

Aidy's teeth chatter, and I suspect that if we continue like this, she will suffer.

Plus, a mere pocket of a cave is not what I had in mind for a stronghold.

Aidy wakes up just before dawn, her stomach growling. She shifts against me, uncomfortable, but there is nowhere to go in the small cave. I've been ignoring cramps in my legs so as not to awaken her. Discomfort is all part of the game, and I choose to ignore it so I can pursue bigger rewards.

In my arms, the female makes a soft sound of dismay.

"Are you in pain?" I ask her, voice hushed.

She moves instinctively closer to me. "No. I was just hoping for a Wizard of Oz scenario where I'd wake up and this was all a dream. No such luck."

I think her words are meant to be humorous, but it's difficult to tell. "Not a dream. You are here with me."

"Yeah, I noticed." She creeps her hands under my arms again. "Sorry if I'm being clingy. You're the only warmth there is."

As if I mind? I am enjoying myself immensely, though I try to hide it so she doesn't get upset. I suspect she wouldn't be thrilled if she found out I was glad to be here. "Touch me all you like. I am yours and you are mine."

"When I stop shivering, I'm going to ask what the fuck that means. For now, though, I'm choosing to ignore it." She shifts against me, her hands trailing over my torso. "I have to pee and I'm afraid of the answer."

"We will pick a spot a decent length away and cover it with snow again to disguise our scents."

Aidy sighs. "I was worried you'd say that."

"Then you will come back here, and I will pack the entrance of the cave with snow to ensure you stay hidden while I go out."

She rears back, looking up at me in the morning twilight. "You're leaving me?"

"We cannot remain like this. You need warm clothing and food, and a safe place to stay. I need weapons. I'll hunt for supplies and assess the situation, and then I will return for you."

She struggles with this idea. I can tell by the expression on her face. But after a few moments, she nods resolutely. "Just swear you'll come back for me."

"I would never leave you. You are the reason I fight."

Aidy looks unhappy at the thought but doesn't complain. "Let's do our bathroom business before I change my mind and decide to just pee where I am."

A short time later, a shivering Aidy has returned to the cave and I've packed the entrance with snow, then smoothed it out to hide my footprints.

There's a small hole for fresh air to get to her, but she is otherwise buried, her scent nearly drowned by the snowfall that comes steadily down.

I've left her with a jagged, hand-sized rock to use as a weapon in case she is discovered, but I hope she does not need it. I should be the one fighting.

Arming her reminds me that I cannot tarry.

My natural instincts tell me to go slow, to carefully hide my footprints and cut through water to disguise my scent.

To scout my surroundings and assess things before making any sudden moves.

But Aidy shivers hard when she is not tucked against me.

I do not want to return to find my prized female is frozen solid.

I will have to hope that the snow will cover most of my tracks…

and if it doesn't, that I can fight my way past any trouble.

For now, I need to find supplies.

I painstakingly cover my trail just far enough away to throw off any pursuers from Aidy's scent.

Once I'm satisfied, I start walking, turning my head towards any breeze in search of scents.

The canyon we're in is narrow and deep, and the only scent that of the animal whose den we stole.

There are no tracks in the fresh snow, so I circle around the area, not wanting to move too far from Aidy if I can help it.

As I head toward the mouth of the canyon, I catch a scent. A familiar one, of praxiian and mesakkah blended together to make something different and pungent.

Another splice.

My hackles rise, and the wind turns, carrying more scents. Not just mesakkah and praxiian. There's another splice with strange scents, and a…moden? I'd bet they're all gladiators.

Are they hunting for us? If so, I need to prepare.

I sink down into the shadows at the base of one of the nearby cliffs and next to a scrubby-looking bush that seems more thorns than leaves.

I dig out some of the snow near my legs and pull it back over my crouching form until my entire body is hidden.

They will have to come examine the bush—or the churned snow—to discover me, and I will attack if I must.

I ignore the cold, remain still, and wait. I concentrate on the world around me. There is a distinct lack of insect life here, and all is incredibly silent. The high canyons make my breaths echo and carry on the wind, so I slow my respiration.

Then, I hear voices in the distance.

Male voices. I tense, preparing to fight if I must, because these are likely gladiators sent down for the games like me. They are my enemy.

They grow closer, and I realize they are traveling together.

Idiots. Why would you work together? You cannot share a female.

She should belong to the strongest male that can protect her.

Unless all the other females are dead and they are hunting for mine.

The thought makes me furious, and I can feel my claws distending in response. No one is touching Aidy.

Only me.

The speakers walk right past my hiding place, and I count three bodies.

Two splices—one reptilian in nature, the other praxiian—and a heavyset moden.

They carry spears and seem to be hunting, but they're so loud I doubt they'll catch anything.

I could pick them off easily, but something makes me pause.

They have fur clothing, and weapons. They got them from somewhere.

I need to find out where so I can get supplies for myself and Aidy.

"What if we find something dead?" the reptilian one asks the others. "Can't we just bring that back to camp?"

"Has to be alive," says the moden, his voice deep and sonorous. "The blue thing dies quickly, and we need it living to put it into someone."

Blue thing? Put into someone? I prick my ears, listening carefully.

"Bah," says the reptilian. "Feels like they are assigning busy work to us so we stay away from the females."

"We are helping save them," the moden says. "Surely they will look fondly upon us for that. The khui helps with the cold."

The praxiian says nothing, content to let the others speak. The three trudge on through the snow, and when their voices become indecipherable, I leave my hiding space and follow them carefully. I keep enough space between us that they will not pick up my scent, and the wind remains in my favor.

By the time I catch up, they have caught a slow-moving, round beast with quills.

It wriggles in the hands of the moden, who grips it like a ball and ignores the beast's efforts to escape.

I duck to the side, hiding in the shadows of the canyon, as the three clueless males stand around and discuss their prize.

"How do we know this creature has one?" the reptilian asks.

The praxiian finally speaks. "The eyes. They glow blue. That means the parasite is active."

A parasite. Interesting.

"Let me see it," the reptilian says, and the moden hands it to him.

Immediately, the creature squirms wildly and the reptilian loses his grip. He catches it again, only to wrench it by the neck and the creature goes limp.