Born of Defiance (2 page)

“Talyn Batur is not only the youngest to ever win the title, but is
the
first Andarion in Ring history to take the Zoftiq title in both the Open
and
Vested leagues. We know the Iron Hammer is celebrating his unprecedented and historic victory tonight. Sources say that he was spotted in his dressing room with a number of beautiful females, all vying for the Hammer's attention. And I'm sure he's giving it to them, even as I report this.”

He snorted derisively at the announcer who continued to cover the fight highlights.

Wish I lived the life they think I do.…

Honestly, Talyn felt just like he had the very first time he'd ever fought a match. Sick to his stomach. Aching. Tired. Wrung completely out. He'd won that night, too. Only there'd been no reporters to cover it. Rather, he'd walked home afterward, in the rain, to an empty, run-down apartment, and made himself a can of soup. Done his homework and tucked himself into bed before his mother came home and saw the bruises on his face that would have forced him to lie to her about what had caused them.

She'd have reamed him solid for daring to fight at that age. For that matter, she reamed him now after every match for being stupid enough to step into the Splatterdome. She couldn't stand to see him hurt.

If only he had a choice about it.

“Nothing ever changes,” he breathed. Yet as he looked out at the Andarions on the street, he wanted it to.

Desperately.

All his life, he'd played by the rules. Done what he was supposed to, and got his teeth kicked in by everyone around him. Literally and figuratively.

He was done with it.

I just want to be normal
. To have what other Andarions took for granted. Anonymity. Family.

A welcoming female in his bed.

Equitable job opportunity.

But those were all elusive bitches, who teased him to the brink of insanity.

Sighing, Talyn glanced down at his reset orders and wanted to give Ferrick the fatality fight he craved.

From the moment the royal-blooded Anatole had laid eyes on him, the colonel had hated Talyn for his lack-Vest caste. Like most everyone else Talyn had ever met, the bastard didn't even try to hide it. He went for Talyn's jugular with psychotic glee, as if it was his divine right to punish Talyn for only having a single maternal family bloodline.

Let it go
.

Yet truthfully, he was tired of doing that, too. At this point, he was craving blood to a dangerous level.

Pulling out his link and needing a distraction from thoughts that were bound to get him arrested, he started gathering information on his next fight opponent.

Channel it, dumbass
. That was what he was best at. While his mother might hate what he'd chosen to do with his life, fighting kept him semi-leashed and sane.

Most days, anyway.

Narrowing his eyes, he made himself pay attention to the words on his link. He was on the fighter stats page when an annoying ad popped up. As usual, he moved to close it. Until his gaze fell to the gentle face of an angel who seemed to be smiling for him, personally. While she wasn't the most beautiful female he'd ever seen, there was something about her that called out to him. A soft, kind heart that was lacking in most.

Damn, she was …

Sweet. The kind of female who made a home worth fighting for. The kind who could lift a male's spirits … along with a number of other things.

Time for change, Talyn
.
Time to take something for yourself
.

He'd just won the biggest fight of his career. Had claimed a title very few ever did. Had done what no other Andarion had
ever
done … he'd won it in both leagues.

Vested
and
Open.

Just shy of his twentieth birthday.

Now, it was time he fought for the one thing that mattered most.

His life.

I'm not a mongrel dog.
And he was done with being treated like one.

 

C
HAPTER
1

Felicia Orfanos hesitated as she caught sight of the massive male who waited for her in the small, dimly lit room. A full seven feet in height, he was ripped like a bodybuilder—with a
massive,
muscled build. She'd never been this close to anyone with a physique like his.

Holy gods …

Strange, he'd seemed chunky in the photo he'd submitted with his application. But there was nothing
over
weight about him.

Nor did he appear shy or bashful. Never mind socially awkward. Things he'd been dubbed by the answers he'd provided on their required questionnaire.

“Fierce” and “terrifying” were the only two adjectives that came to her mind as she swept her gaze over his confident male stance. He had all his weight on his left leg, and his muscled arms crossed over his chest as he stared at the wall with a stern expression that was absolutely chilling.

Lethal.

Even though he was dressed in black street clothes, it was a warrior's pose. His black hair was a mass of tiny braids he wore back from his face, letting her know that at his age, with
that
hairstyle, he was still in the military. Another thing that hadn't been disclosed in the file her agency had given her.

Not that it really mattered. Obligatory military service was required of all fully Vested Andarion males and females upon graduation from primary school or university. Given that he was here to buy her services at his age, he must come from some seriously high-caste parents. And he must have gone straight into the military instead of university upon his graduation.

He turned slightly as if sensing her presence. The moment his white eyes focused on her hooded form, she felt a small electrical charge rush over her.

Gracious. He was gorgeous! Granted, all Andarions were, but he was exceptionally handsome and well built. Every inch of that light caramel skin begged for a bite.

And his entire demeanor changed instantly as he realized she was the one he'd come to meet. Now, he looked like the bashful, unsure male their personality evaluation had proclaimed him.

Something that made her smile. How could he be made nervous by
her
when he was the only thing threatening in this room? He even dwarfed the security guard, who eyed him with obvious fear and respect for his gargantuan size. Yet this male reminded her of a skittish schoolboy at his first boy-girl dance.

“Felicia,” the broker said as he stepped forward to greet her. “Meet your prospective patron.”

With a deep breath for courage, she lowered her hood and smiled at him.

Talyn felt his throat go dry instantly as her wealth of dark brown curls sprang out from the cloth to frame an adorable oval face. She was even more beautiful than she'd been in the pictures he'd seen. And a lot more petite than he'd expected. She barely reached the middle of his chest. While she was athletic in build, her limbs were so thin compared to his, they appeared frail. So much so, he was afraid to touch her lest he accidentally break something. And just like in her photos, her silvery-white eyes gleamed with kindness and warmth.

Biting his lip, he glanced to the guard and broker, wishing they'd leave them alone. But because she was an unwed virgin, there was no chance of that.

“Would you care to sit?” Talyn asked her respectfully.

“Sure. Thank you.”

He pulled a chair out for her. She moved with the fluid grace of a dancer. Her every gesture was a thing of absolute beauty. Sitting across from her, he tried to think of something witty to say.

Nothing came to mind.

Just don't drool on yourself
. That was all he'd need to make her run screaming for the door.

She glanced about nervously before she spoke. “So what exactly are your terms? I know you wrote that my duties would be light, but can you elaborate?”

He felt heat creep over his face as she got right down to business and he cringed at having to explain it in front of witnesses who already knew he was desperate. Otherwise, no male his age would be here, dealing with
them
. Or be willing to pay the exorbitant fees they demanded.

Because of his lack-Vest, bastard status, they were gouging the shit out of him, and he had no choice except to take it in whatever orifice they dictated. But there was nothing he could do.

Not if he wanted Felicia.

And that he definitely did. She was so much more than he'd ever hoped to find. Honestly, he was still stunned and humbled that she'd agreed to meet with him, given his questionable lineage.

Clearing his throat, he kept his gaze on her sweet face, and forced himself to ignore the condescension and censure of her broker. “I only have two nights a week free. And only for three to four hours each, not counting the hour it takes to get from my barracks to the condo. So you'd only have to be with me three hours at most on those two nights.” Which probably delighted her to no end. Most patrons required a lot more of their companions.

Uncomfortable, Talyn rubbed at his neck. “I … um … I have a curfew to meet so there wouldn't be any overnight visitations, unless I'm at liberty. Which is just once a year, and only for a week. I've already had this year's liberty so you don't have to worry about that for another twelve months. Even then, it's negotiable. I know you're still at university and need your days free to attend classes, and most nights to study. I'm good with all that.”

Felicia frowned at what he was telling her. Was he serious? This was more than she'd ever dare to dream. “That's really it?”

He nodded.

She couldn't quite wrap her head around her good fortune. Something bad had to be wrong with him.

One possible flaw definitely came to mind.

“And how…” She cringed at the thought of what she needed to ask. But she knew from her mother, and other companions and instructors that she had to ask it before she consented to him. It was the primary concern all females in her profession had. One that maimed and killed a good 10 percent of them a year, and it would explain why such an eligible male was here, looking for one of her ilk and not negotiating for a noble wife.

With a deep breath, she forced the embarrassing question out. “How kinky and violent are you during sex?”

He actually turned bright red. “I would
never
harm a female off a battlefield, and even then, I wouldn't do so unless she was armed and after me. Nor would I ask you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, in
any
way. We can leave all the details of
that
up to you.”

“Really?”

Visibly cringing, he nodded.

She sat forward and tried to figure out if he was lying to her. This was really too good to be true. And it wasn't uncommon for males to lie to get what they wanted. She knew a number of females who'd gotten themselves into scary situations with males who'd seemed sincere and decent, only to find out, too late, they weren't. “I honestly have to say that I'm a little confused. If that's all you want, it would be significantly cheaper for you to visit a house of assignation than contract with me.”

He bristled. “I have more than enough money to pay your contract fees, tuition, and upkeep. Believe me. Your broker has crawled my ass and accounts with a subatomic scope.”

“I didn't mean to insult you,” she said quickly. “I just don't understand why you'd ask for so little, given the high cost.” And given how handsome and young he was. To hell with their stringent blood laws. What female wouldn't do him for free?

Contract or no contract.

This was one male worth a jail sentence.

He glanced to her broker before he spoke. “I want a companion, not a prostitute.”

She was still baffled by this. If that was what he wanted, why not contract for marriage?

But that was none of her business. He was absolutely gorgeous and polite. Sweet, even. She couldn't have asked for a better patron. And he was definitely better than the last male who'd tried to contract her.

You can't do any better than this, girl. You know that.
This was the kind of male most females prayed to marry. To have one as patron …

Unheard of.

“Very well, then.” Felicia swallowed in trepidation of what was next. “Would you like to inspect me?”

She had to bite back a laugh at how bright his cheeks turned this time. She'd never seen anyone blush so profusely. His caramel skin practically glowed.

And to think,
she
was the virgin in the room.

Once again, he glanced over to the guard and the broker, then shook his head. “I wouldn't do that to you in front of them. I've already seen your photos, and that's not the most important thing to me, anyway.”

“May I ask what is?”

“That you were as kind and gentle in person as you seemed to be by your profile answers and photos.”

Her heart swelled at his bashful answer.

She reached across the table and touched his hand before she offered him a smile. “Should we try a standard six-month trial?”

He finally returned her smile. “I should like that. How long do you need to move in?”

“When would you like for me to start?”

“It's entirely up to you. I have a fully furnished condo within walking distance of your school, as your contract stipulated. All I need to do is have you added to the security and paperwork. Everything for the condo is billed directly to me. You won't have to worry about anything.”

He was so unexpected. So preciously sweet.

She only hoped he stayed this way.

Please don't be a lie
. She'd had enough of lying bastards in her life.

“Day after tomorrow, then?”

He nodded.

Her broker stepped forward with his e-tablet. “Excellent. I have the papers already drawn up. Read over it and sign them. I'll post them immediately, and the two of you can be about your business.”