WarDog: Book Twelve in the Galaxy Gladiators Alien Abduction Romance Series by Alana Khan (large screen ebook reader txt) 📗

“Think we have time for a bit more fun before we jump in the shower?” Willa asks, her face no longer the picture of innocence it was before. She looks wanton and sexy. How could I not oblige?

We’re both clean and dressed when Zar’s next announcement intrudes. Before we leave the room, Willa asks, “Are we . . .?”

Because of the animal inside me, my intuition is keen, but even with all of that, I have no idea what she’s asking. When I cock my head in question, my ears flicking, she clarifies.

“Do you want to wait until we’ve been together longer before we let everyone know we’re together? A couple?”

“Are you asking me to sneak to my cabin and pretend I didn’t spend the night taking you to the heights of pleasure?” My stomach clenches. I didn't realize the connection that felt so real to me might mean nothing to her. “Is that what you want?”

“No. I just wondered if you might not want everyone to know.”

“I’m proud to be with you, Willa. I’ll announce it on the Intergalactic Database if you’d like.”

She laughs. “I don’t think you have to go that far. I’ll just skip over ‘It’s Complicated’ and go straight to ‘In A Relationship’ on my Facebook Status.” She laughs again and grabs my hand. I have no idea what she meant, but she doesn’t want to hide the fact that we pleasured each other all night and half the morning.

The hallway is filled with people filing toward the dining room. Some of their relationships baffle me. Maddie and Stryker, for example. Sometimes they sleep together, sometimes they stay in separate rooms. Earth females can be complicated.

As we move to take our seats, Beast approaches me. He’s called a Pinnacle fighter, one of the ten top gladiators in the galaxy. The five rings on the bridge of his nose signify that fact. I’ve watched him fight; he’s a force to be reckoned with.

You’d never know it now, though. He has a pleasant smile on his face and reaches to slap my upper arm in camaraderie.

“Aerie told me of your transformation; I had no idea,” he tells me seriously. “I thought you were canine. If I’d known, I would have done everything in my power to help you turn back into your humanoid form.”

“I understand,” I assure him. He clasps my forearm in formal greeting as I clasp his. “I’m Bayne.”

“I’m glad to meet you, Bayne. You have a standing invitation to move to my ship if you’d like. You and your female,” he nods happily at Willa.

“Thanks.”

We take our seats after he walks away.

“I guess the word’s out,” Willa says as she grabs my hand and pulls it to the top of the table. It’s an announcement in case anyone in the room missed it. It makes me feel proud and accepted.

“Welcome all,” Zar says, a handful of paper notes clutched in his hand. “I believe you all know each other, although WarDog has changed his form. On two legs we call him Bayne.”

A few of the gladiators from the Devil’s Playground nod and say hello from across the room.

“We have serious business to discuss. As you know, I’m the captain in day-to-day matters and if things are urgent. I thank you again for the faith you've put in me by voting me captain. My counterpart, Beast, functions the same way on the Playground. In long-term matters, we function as what the Earth females call a democracy.

“I will try to get everyone up to speed so you can all make informed decisions in the vote we’ll be having later today. While you all have time to think about the weighty matters at hand, our fabulous chef, Maddie has thrown together a celebratory feast.

“Before we discuss matters of war, let’s remember all the things we have to celebrate. There are no slaves on board these ships. Many of us have found loving mates and those that haven’t have found a tribe of our own where we are cared for and respected.”

It is gladiator custom to pound a foot in appreciation, which they do while the females clap. I pound my foot, glad to have only two of them.

“Back to the business at hand. For those of you who don’t know, many of us from the original ship were owned by the MarZan cartel. We fought our captors and overthrew the ship. That was about an annum ago. Since then MarZan has been pursuing us. According to them, we’re still their property.

“At times we’ve evaded them for days or weeks, once even a lunar, but they are always on the hunt. These are not nice people. They don’t treat their enemies well.

“We’ve made friends with a band of pirates on the Ataraxia. When we recently met up with them, they informed us one of their males, Sextus, the big blue Cerulean, was in the process of being flayed alive when he fought back and wounded the leader of the cartel, Daneur Khour.

“Although Khour’s face was destroyed by Frain acid, he has not become weaker. In fact, over the last lunar he has redoubled his efforts to find us.”

I reach around Willa’s waist and snug her to me. I wish I could allay her fears; she looks terrified.

“Beast and I have been talking. We believe it’s time to quit this game. We’re fighters, gladiators, warriors. We don’t like being prey. I suggest it’s time to quit running and become the aggressors.

“We aren’t as numerous as the cartel, but we have good, strong males, smart females, a fighting spirit, and the will to take back our own power and quit cowering and hiding in fear.

“Our intel suggests Khour has moved from his retreat on Ortheon to his compound on Fairea. Although it will be hard to penetrate, we have more