Baited (Gladiators of the Gryn #2)

Blayn

BLAYN

M y head aches. I can’t get her perfume out of it, no matter how hard I try. When I close my eyes, she is there, her beautiful face, eyes like glittering jewels, and her tiny body.

Izzy.

I was caught up in not being touched by any other creature, especially the Oykig female, and it’s as if I didn’t see Izzy until it was too late.

“Do you think the Gryn had a good time at the pleasure house?” One of the two Zarvu sat either side of me in the ground transport chuckles. “They’re normally there all night.”

“Not this one,” the second Zarvu says, sat on my other side. “This one never gets hired out for the night. It’s broken.”

“I’d like it if they hired me out,” the third guard says, sat across from us in the small, dimly lit space. “I don’t need paying neither.” He grinds his hips.

The obscene action rips a snarl from deep within my chest.

“Shut it, Gryn, or you’ll get a shock stick to the head.” The one across from me says, squaring his shoulders.

I slam my head against his, and he falls to the side, unconscious. My wing takes care of the guard on my left side, leaving only the one on my right. I stare at him. He shifts in his seat, and I lift my bound hands, catching him on his chin and sending him sprawling too.

The transport bucks as it comes to a halt. The captain opens the rear door and stares in at the mess I’ve made.

He shakes his head.

“No touching unless it’s a fight, eh, ?” he says. “Then touch all you want.”

My lips ripple as I step over the prone bodies of the guards and out into the courtyard where the dome transport has stopped. High above me is a forcefield, stopping any unauthorized Gryn exit.

“I’m here to fight, aren’t I?”

“But not to remove appendages from wealthy patrons. You know the deal.” The captain folds his arms over his broad chest. “If you want to stay here and not be sent to the amphitheater for tyro fodder, you get used to being paraded and stop damaging the paying public.”

I do not want to go back to the amphitheater. We all spent time there when we were indoctrinated into the dome. It is a place I never want to see again, and I’m the one stuck inside my head.

I grunt at him as behind me there are groans.

“Gak the lot of you. Can’t you handle one single gladiator without making a spectacle of yourselves?” The captain marches over to the transport and flicks his horns at me. “Go back to your quarters,” he says. “There could be worse ways to get you used to being paraded. Think on it, .”

Does that mean I get to go back to the stinking pleasure house to be in her company again?

I snap my bonds easily and stride into the dome, making my way through the maze of passages until I’m in the gladiator area. All the cell doors are open, and it appears everyone is in tonight. Rych spots me first. He has a large healing gash down his arm, and I remember striking him during an earlier bout which vexed him off no end.

“You’re back,” he says.

My feathers itch. I feel like I need to be doing something, and it’s not talking to Rych.

I snort at him and head to my cell.

My empty cell, where all I have is a single blanket on the floor. It will not do. There needs to be…more. I’m staring into it when Rych thumps his shoulder on the wall, his ever-present jewels glittering and rattling.

“Where did they send you? Bex’s? Tie’s?” he asks. “I still can’t believe how lucky you are.”

Which is saying something, given Rych has to be the luckiest Gryn here. His ability to command luxuries is almost boundless.

“I don’t know,” I rasp.

Where can I get things for my cell? I need things, all the things, anything. It can’t stay like this, or I think I might have to start pulling out my own feathers. I give Rych a sidelong glance. Or I could pull out his feathers. As if he can tell what I’m thinking, he takes a step back from me.

“But you were sent to a pleasure house, weren’t you?”

“Yes.”

I think there might be more bedding near the captain’s quarters. After all, the others have beds and bedding. I also think there are items in the training arena I can use. I tap my thumb to my bottom lip.

“And did you? Get any pleasure?” Rych continues.

“Don’t touch,” I say absently.

He drops his head back and groans. “Really? You had a full evening in a pleasure house and no touching?”

“I had a bath and food. It was good food.” I dart him a glance. I’m not telling him about Izzy.

She is…mine?

“And no females to interest you…or males?”

My lip lifts involuntarily, revealing my fangs. Rych barks out a laugh, raising a hand as if he’s about to clap my shoulder before he thinks better of it.

“No one,” I say.

“I believe you, big Gryn,” Rych says, voice dancing with mirth. “I’m sure there was no one you’ll ever let touch you.”

I want him to go away. I want to think about Izzy and deal with the fact the thought of her makes my pants oddly tight in a way I’m not entirely sure I like. I want to readjust myself, but something tells me Rych will make a big deal of it.

“So, are you going to the pleasure house again?” he asks.

I shake my head, knowing nothing, nothing could keep me away.