Opening Gambit - Tales from the Arena

Iras is one of the Collared; she is one of the men and women who live to provide taboo pleasures to the super-soldiers known as the Swords. To win a war, Tyrese created the Swords--men and women faster, stronger and tougher than ordinary soldiers, with the killer instincts to match. But when the war is over, the Swords' need for certain sorts of... stimulation remains. So the Arena was created, where the Collared voluntarily serve the Swords, providing them with an outlet for their aggression that they literally cannot live without. Amidst the futuristic torture devices of the Arena, Iras serves Gavir, an officer.
He fulfills her deepest, darkest desires and a bond forms between them. But a dark secret from Iras's past threatens all they have, and all they hope for. Award-winning author Elizabeth Schechter spins a tale that is part space opera, part romance, and 100% sexy.