Page 10 of Gladiator's Captive
Chapter Six
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Serena
The scream resonated in my skull as Rager flung me to my death, his mouth over mine, preventing the sound from escaping. He might silence me, but it didn’t stop me from screaming mindlessly. There was nothing below to absorb my fall but rocks and sand and as Rager and I fell; it was like I could see every single rock on the ground, from the smallest to the biggest in vivid colors despite the silver glow of the moon. I closed my eyes, bringing my arms over my face on instinct as air still left my lungs in the longest—and last—scream of my life.
Then, just before I was crushed on the hard ground, Rager shifted his heavier weight and for a bare second, I screamed facing the full light of the moon. The impact as Rager landed on his back was violent enough to make my teeth snap shut and the taste of copper invaded my mouth, but I was too confused and scared to care.
Rager rolled us over using his larger weight, quickly pushing me on my stomach facing the ground. A large hand closed over my mouth and a hot breath fanned my left cheek. His tall, strong body covered me completely, pressing me against the ground.
“To your knees, woman,” Rager shout-whispered in my ears, something I never thought was possible, but the resulting terror that took hold of my guts proved me wrong. “And not another sound. Do you understand me?”
I nodded furiously. Rough hands closed around my shoulders and I was flipped on my back, facing the fearful expression of the fiercest gladiator Valcan had ever known.
Rager’s body was on me, all hardness and strength, from the angular, utterly masculine lines of his face to the merciless glint in his feline eyes. His marks were even more prominent, lit only by the moonlight, crossing his features in striping patterns like the picture of that long-extinct feline from Earth I had once seen in a book. He was an instrument of death, perfectly honed to its purpose and right now, his entire focus was on me.
“You might be a rich heiress, but don’t think I won’t end your life in a second,” Rager still shout-whispered. Those reflective eyes dug inside my soul with intensity, fear spreading like a wildfire under my skin. I was petrified. “Now, tell me the truth. Are you harmed in any way? Can you walk?”
Rager watched me like an eagle as I shook my head in negation. I might have a few bruises and scratches, but this was the extent of my injuries. Rager had absorbed the brunt of the impact for me when he flipped us over. A long second more, Rager stared at me, searching my face no doubt to see if I was telling the truth.
Finally deciding I wasn’t lying, he pulled away from me. The cold embraced my body where his flesh had touched mine and the contrast made me shiver. I didn’t have time to dwell on it, though, as he yanked me to my feet, lifting me with a single hand.
“If you can walk, you can run.”
This was all the comfort I was going to get from him. Rager turned, pulling me along as he started to jog at a brisk pace. His hand closed around my wrist with an iron grip as he forced me to run, not even sparing me a single glance. I had no choice but to comply, and soon, I was out of breath as we made our way in the dark twisting forest of rocks and dry vegetation that made Valcan’s desert.
We ran. And ran.
Time passed, soon becoming meaningless as I struggled to keep up with him. Each footstep on the pebbled sand was a torture, my flimsy sandals slipping, my feet struggling to keep up with Rager’s fast pace. The Muharib was merciless, pulling me along, his steel grip on my wrist, looking straight ahead.
All I could do was watch his broad back, the fur-like hair covering his spine, shifting softly to the rhythm of his steps. I held on to that sight as my breath became jagged and my legs began to burn. Then my vision became covered in tiny black spots as my head swam in an even thicker ooze and agony spread into my body like a burning oil. Still, Rager went on, never glancing over his shoulder to me.
And I kept going, holding on to my desire to live, to survive this ordeal.
Keep running. You can’t give up now.
But it was pointless. My forces were depleting and fast, and Rager looked like he could run like this all night. I couldn’t go on much longer. Who was I kidding? I should have collapsed hours ago. There was no use in asking for a reprieve, for a short break, even. He was liable to hurt me for asking, hit me with those brutish hands, or worse, get rid of me if I became a liability.
