Page 31 of Galaxy Games Four-Book Box Set (Galaxy Games)

31

Until the End!

T itan

“Yes, Love. Yes,” I say as I rock her back and forth in my arms. I’ll stay with her until the end. In fact, I know exactly how it will end. I decided in a split second when I saw those two gray Charthians hunched over her, with her lying flat on the ground at their mercy.

The drone screens say it’s down to six. I’m going to ensure it comes down to two—Blaze and me. The odds are in our favor.

When it comes down to two, I know who the winner will be. I will fall on my sword, absolving her of any guilt and ensuring she’s the winner.

It hit me in a flash of emotion when I saw her being violated. Even though she’s safe now, I still feel that way. It’s the right thing to do. My Blaze is smart. She’ll do fine when all of this is over. She’s a crowd favorite. She’ll have money and fame and can carve a decent life for herself. Pretty soon I’ll be just a memory and she’ll move on.

A peaceful feeling washes over me when I think of her walking away the winner of this shitty game.

“You will? You’ll stay with me until the end?” she asks as she tips her head back to read the expression on my face. “You’ll get us to the finish line? And then you’ll be merciful?”

“I’ll get us to the finish line, Blaze. I’ll get us there.”

It squeezes my heart to see her like this. She’s a hard female. This incident crushed her. I want her to feel strong again.

“Tell me when you’re feeling better. When you are, I’m going to set you down. We’ll grab that rifle, and we’ll figure out together how to use it.”

“What are you talking about?” She sounds stronger already. Not just stronger—offended.

“You didn’t even know how to hold it when it arrived yesterday. You didn’t use it against those two Charthians. Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out together and discover who’s the better shot.”

Placing her lips at my ear, she says, “I knew all our opponents were watching last night. I’m a crack shot. I told you that. I didn’t want them to know.”

“My smart female,” I say, not hiding the pride in my voice.

“Those motherfuckers at the network gave me a backpack full of empty cartridges. Useless. The rifle is a heavy fucking doorstop. It had exactly enough charge for two laser bursts. That must be why my enemies sent four fucking henchmen.”

She just said fuck three times. I think she might be ready to get on the road.

I set her down and inspect her. There’s a huge, bruised handprint on each of her upper arms. After I make certain she’s unharmed, I kick each of their dead bodies all the way to the ravine as I try to take out all my fury at them.

I grab the rifle, two swords, her pack, and mine, then return to her. Red is in her palm about an inch from her face as she whispers to him.

“Keeping secrets?” I ask, hoping to lighten the mood.

She leans close and whispers, “Just telling him that asshole didn’t rape me. I thought he should know. It’ll be our little secret, though. If they decide to air the incident, I’ll take as much of the sympathy vote as they want to give me, although it still hasn’t resulted in an extra bottle of water or morsel of food.”

Or a working laser rifle.

Blaze

I was dazed there for a minute, but my brain is back online now. Titan saved me. No. Xzavic. I’m going to quit playing games with his name. He’s Xzavic. My lover. It’s ridiculous and unbelievable that I could fall in love with somebody in two days.

What’s even more incredible? That we started out as enemies and we’re playing this surreal, deadly game.

What is real though? I love him. The screens say there are only six contestants left. I think the odds are good that we’re going to be the last two at the flag.

I don’t want him to have to kill me, and when it comes down to just the two of us, I won’t be able to take him out. I can’t do it. I’ve never been that shy flower, that delicate girly girl who didn’t want to sweat. But I know how I felt when I killed that enemy from 1200 yards away. Someone I’d never met. Someone I had to look at while the light guttered out of their eyes. It almost stole my soul for a while. I’ll never be able to kill Xzavic. The male I love. Can’t do it.

If it does come down to two. If it’s him and me? I’ll fall on that sword of his. He’ll be a free male. I’ll tell him about a place I heard of on planet Fairea. It’s called Sanctuary. Rumor has it they take people in and keep them safe. I think he’d like it. He can go there and live guilt-free. It’s a good plan.