Page 27 of Galaxy Games Four-Book Box Set (Galaxy Games)

27

Sneak Away at Dawn

B laze

One of my superpowers is that I can tell myself when I want to wake up and my body wakes me at precisely the right time. My eyes pop open and I’m wide awake as the sky turns from black to gunmetal gray.

The word “spectacular” drifts through my mind. It’s what Xzavic labeled our lovemaking last night. And it was. I forbid myself to ever think that word again. He’s Titan now, and last night was a paid performance. I try to convince myself it was meaningless. It might help my sanity.

If I live through this, I cannot—no, I will not—allow myself to believe the feelings I experienced were real. If I’m alive years from now, I’ll have changed the narrative. We were just two poor chumps who had to mate to keep our sorry asses alive.

As the catch phrase says, it all comes down to one—and I have a weapon. I thought it was a brilliant move on my part last night when I pretended I’d never touched a gun. It was nice of Zedd to tell us our opponents were watching. It never hurts for your enemies to underestimate you. That’s not hard when you’re 5’2”.

I could win this competition. When I caught a glimpse of the screens last night before I fell asleep, it said there are eleven of us left. I have a rifle and a bag full of battery cannisters. I’m a crack shot. I could win this thing.

I don’t want to have to kill Titan. If I sneak off now, we can make our way to the flag separately. Someone else might pick him off and then I won’t have to be the one to do it.

It’s best we separate. From here out, things are going to get ugly. Killing him would be too hard. I’d rather one of the other assholes do it for me.

My lids shutter closed, and bile rises in my throat. Did I really just have that thought? Did I really wish for someone to kill my lover?

Lover. Dear God, that’s what he is. Shit! I didn’t want it to happen and still don’t want to acknowledge it. But I love this male.

I allow myself one minute, one minute to look at his beautiful face. The sun is rising fast, and I shouldn’t indulge myself, but I do. I never was the best at self-control.

My lips turn into an agonized smile as I memorize his face. Those high cheekbones and that straight nose. His plush lips that promised the moon and stars with their tender kisses. If I do win, how will I ever see that shade of blue again and not burst into tears?

Shaking my head, I noiselessly slip out of bed as I scold myself about getting maudlin. Stay strong, Blaze. You’ve gotten through worse, I tell myself even as I know I’m lying. Nothing. Nothing in my life has been worse than this moment.

Grabbing the backpack and rifle, I’m about to hurry out the cave door when Red slither-slides toward me, his blue eyes, enormous in his face, asking to hitch a ride. I pause long enough for him to crawl up my pant leg and scurry to my shoulder, then I’m on my way.

My drone speeds up to record me from the front as I pick my way up the canyon and toward the lights of the city I see twinkling in the distance.

Titan

My lids fly open when I can no longer hear the low buzz of her drone. I let her leave. Let her go without either of us having to endure the discussion, or the inevitable last goodbye.

She was right to do it like this. She probably thought it best for us to part ways. One of us will have to kill the other. She’s armed, but tiny. I’m a skilled gladiator with a good sword. It really might come down to two—us two. It would be better if our enemies took one of us out before we reached the flag.

It’s insane, I know. I’m not sure I want to win if it means I must take her life.