by Piper Stone
The cheers from the crowd were spontaneous but I honestly believed this entire event had been planned, including the revelers in the audience.
The king scanned the crowd, nodding in their direction. He cleared his voice and when he spoke, the deep and thoughtful baritone our people had come to admire was clear. “When I created the auction years ago, my thought was to provide an amazing way for our people to be rewarded for the strife they’d been forced to endure. Call this a distraction from our disastrous economy and the viciousness and brutality of the wars that our people had experienced for decades. We also have a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the humans.”
“Why would we need to do that?” Greson asked, flanking my side.
Just being in close proximity to him was enough to make me snarl.
The king studied me with cautious eyes. “We are moving into a new era, the treaty and required payment a year away. I believe more control will be necessary.”
“More control,” I said in a careful fashion. “You’re worried the humans will retaliate.”
The king hesitated before leaning forward. “Contrary to what some of our kind might believe, I’m no fool, Commander Haern. I trust no one and to that end, we will watch and we will learn. This auction is merely the beginning.”
There was a different expression on his face, as if there was a secondary plan for our very world and our agreement with Earth. I held back any retaliatory remarks, knowing that anything negative I said could result in being relieved of my duties.
Or much worse.
He exhaled, his expression of glee fading. He moved off the throne, pushing past several of his personal guards as he headed in my direction. When he pulled me to the side, I heard Greson’s exclamation of anger. The king simply turned his head in the commander’s direction, issuing a single snarl.
Greson lowered his head, backing away.
“The woman you seem enamored with is important, Draze. That is something you need to keep to yourself for now.” His whisper was hoarse, directed.
“How is a single female important, my king?”
The king lifted a single eyebrow, every inch of his skin shimmering as if he longed to transform into his true self. “You must trust me.” I was fully aware I wouldn’t learn anything else on this day.
“I will do as you require.” There was nothing else I could say.
“You are a true leader.” The king squeezed my shoulder before moving back into position. “Let the festivities begin! You are allowed to bid on only one female human at this time. The highest bidder will become her master. May the act of owning something so precious provide you with joy.”
The words seemed blasphemous to me. I scanned the other participants, none of who seemed happy with the king allowing the commanders to join in the auction. But they wouldn’t go against King Lorowerd any more than the soldiers would.
Pawns in a game.
I couldn’t get that out of my mind.
The cheers were almost too much for me to bear. This had become a game in many ways, so many of our people hungering for a better life, yet only the rich able to afford something so... disgusting.
Now I was a player.
Along with my bitter enemy.
May the strongest warrior win.
I took long strides in the direction of the auction barricade, barely able to contain the bitter anger swelling inside. I entered the area, frustrated as fuck. I wasn’t a wealthy man by any standards, my pay for serving my people a pittance compared to what our scientists and educators received. To be forced to bid on an auction was outrageous.
I’d heard stories of the brutality issued against the humans on the auction block. While I was a savage man within my command, I certainly wasn’t the kind of Malzeon so many others appeared to be. I’d also had no interest in settling down in any manner, my mission important on several levels as well as satisfying. Maybe I was kidding myself, the nights of loneliness something I’d never mentioned to anyone else.
I noticed the smug look on Greson’s face. He found this entire experience delightful. What promises had he been made? I was well aware of the commander’s influence on the king, his ability to jade aspects of the war he’d been fighting with a dark and abominable species. His accolades almost surpassed my own.
As I stood in the wings of the stage, the almost immediate grandstanding disgusted me. How had the people I’d sworn to protect stooped to something so childish as engaging in this kind of trafficking? While I understood the need for entertainment, the auction was nothing more than a glorified killing mechanism. I snarled as I thought about Casey. Even through all her bravado, she was terrified of what she would be forced to face.
Hell, so was I.
The connection I had with her was obviously being used somehow. And I hated being a pawn. I scanned the expansive stage as well as the increasing crowd. The great king had his reasons. I had to consider that. Still, our supreme leader was hiding his true reasons. While the number of prisoners who’d been acquired from Earth had served a purpose, mining valuable resources from other almost uninhabitable moons and planets, no one had been tasked to keep the most profound secret of all.
Except for the commanders, perhaps a few members of the king’s influencers.
Sadly, the majority of our own people had no way of knowing that our beloved planet was in almost desperate need of the same resources being shipped to Earth. King Lorowerd had felt it necessary to hide the horrible secret for fear of inciting battles on our own turf. If we weren’t able to replenish minerals, rebuilding our energy source, our entire planet would become extinct in less than five years. That is if the gas poisoning our atmosphere could be stopped. There had to be something on Earth that mattered, some mineral or other energy source that had prompted the king into making such a bold decision to provide aid.
What King Lorowerd was doing was playing with fire. If any of the planets who remained ready to destroy us at all costs learned of our weakness, they would certainly take up arms against us.
And I was tasked to never allow that to happen.
Then why this?
I stood amongst the crowd of revelers, at least two thousand of our people cheering on what was about to occur. I remained disgusted and incensed. As a series of lights swam back and forth across the audience, the cheering grew louder, the sound echoing in my eardrums. I folded my arms, sneering at the announcer moving to the center of the stage.
Every one of the male Malzeons allowed to provide a bid were given a special tablet, only the king and his numbers counter allowed to see the results.
A series of lights flashed across the expansive stage only seconds before the booming sound of drums quieted the audience. Everyone seemed to be leaning forward, eager and ready to see the new group of slaves. I remained in the same position as Greson inched closer. Only then did I hear his deep laughter.
“You hate this as much as I do, brother,” he said casually.
“Yet we both follow our orders.” My answer was meant to be cryptic.
“Yes, we do. Do you have a favorite?”
I tipped my head enough to see his eyes. They were changing color as his hunger increased. “They are all desirable.”
“Yes,” he hissed. “I only wish we weren’t required to retain our human form.”
I almost laughed at his statement. “We don’t want to scare them away, now do we?” I flexed my fingers, hearing the creaking sound of the tendons and bones.
“As if it matters,” he snarled in answer. “They will do as we require no matter our form.”
There was no reason for my cock to twitch or my balls to tighten. Casey wasn’t among the first group of women paraded in front of us, their naked bodies covered in a basic colorful sheath. At least they were allowed a form of what humans called modesty. Although that would also be stripped away from them within hours, if not less.
The jeers and chants of approval were almost too much to bear, rushing into my mind, creating a wave of e
nergy thrashing throughout my body. I was on edge, powerful electricity soaring. While no one was allowed to touch the humans, they were allowed to gawk, moving around them in an almost vicious circle.
Their hunger was evident by their swelling shafts pushing against the thin material of their pants. I couldn’t stomach moving any closer as the frenzy continued. Finally, the first group was led off stage, the few remaining stragglers being shoved onto the platform. I’d never seen such trepidation or fear in anyone as the five women who were paraded in front of us.
Including the detective.
Only she held her head high, glaring at the crowd with obvious disdain. I wasn’t surprised to see a smile cross her face as she tipped her head toward the king. When she thrust up her arm, giving our supreme leader a gesture of hatred as known by only the humans, the entire arena erupted in anger.
Yet I was laughing.
She wouldn’t be easily broken.
But I would do it.
I would take her.
I would cage her.
I would punish her.
A growl of ownership erupted from my lungs and immediately I knew Greson had heard me.
Casey turned in my direction after hearing the sound, her eyes flashing. She’d been dressed in a simple but elegant dress, accentuating her rounded hips and perfect breasts. The vibrant crimson color suited her, highlighting the sparkle in her eyes and the lips that were meant to wrap around my thick cock.
I was suddenly crazed with need for her, unable to stop my heart from racing or the blood pumping in wild torrents. Damn, I wanted the female. I shrank back into the shadows, studying the other bidders. There didn’t seem to be any interest in her, including my enemy. She was too much for the lot of them, likely considered a creature unable to be reformed. That would ultimately lead to a death sentence.
Maybe the king was wise to know this, realizing I was the only soldier to be able to handle her.
Either way, I simply placed a bid, the amount far above what I should commit to, but what the hell? Perhaps I should enjoy human flesh for a change in my home.
In any manner I chose.
I walked away from the auction area, moving to find a stiff drink. I was in no mood to wait for the outcome. I was certain I’d hear it time and time again after the official announcement was made.
It didn’t take any time for the cheering to begin as the humans were doled out like fresh pieces of meat. The distaste in my mouth was palpable.
“You are not a fan,” Greson stated as he walked closer, grabbing a drink for himself.
“I have no need for human companionship.”
“Come now, brother. You must partake in several of them weekly given your close proximity to such delightful creatures.” He leered as two of the chosen females were dragged past where we stood, their look of terror forcing me to turn away.
I had nothing to say to him.
“Besides, you once cared years before,” Greson said far too quietly for my liking.
“I have a job to do, Commander Nevol. Nothing more and nothing less.” Fuck him if he thought we’d ever become friends again. I wasn’t a fool.
“Always the warrior, Draze. That was always your problem and exactly why you will never be considered a supreme leader.” Greson downed his drink, wiping his mouth with the back of his arm.
“I follow orders, Greson, which is more than I can say for you.”
He bristled, getting in my face, his hand immediately falling to his weapon.
“Go ahead. Use it.” I knew my challenge wouldn’t be accepted. He was no bigger a fool than I was. Now wasn’t the time or place to engage in personal issues.
He took a deep breath, easing down. “What the fuck happened to you? To our friendship?”
I polished off my drink, laughing as I walked around him, stopping only long enough to give him a decent answer. He’d get no more from me. Ever. “We were never friends, Greson. That’s obvious by your betrayal and something I will never forget.” I didn’t wait for a response, merely walking toward the stage once again. I had the distinct feeling that the king had made certain I won the bid for Casey. Soon, I would grill her as to the reason why.
After I fucked her in every hole.
“And for our final contestant, a true rebel,” King Lorowerd said as he lifted his tablet. I wasn’t certain what the look was I noticed in his eyes, but it certainly held no sign of pleasure or amusement. In fact, he appeared angry, as if the results weren’t to be expected.
Someone had outbid me. I chuckled at the thought. What would this mean?
“Commander Haern,” the king said in a muted voice. By now, the crowd had already thinned out, very few bothering to even acknowledge.
As if I gave a shit.
My hunger increased substantially. Maybe this would be a good thing after all.
“And...” The king faltered, looking back at his numbers counter. “We have a tie.”
A tie?
What the fuck?
The king glanced in my direction before taking a deep breath. “And Commander Nevol.”
Perhaps the moment wasn’t one that deserved some kind of shock on my part. Whatever ruse was going on held a rank stench. I turned my heard toward Greson, studying his expression. He was also taken aback, although looks could be deceiving.
“What the hell does this mean?” Greson shouted out, obviously perturbed.
The king regained his composure, dropping the tablet as if the contraption was on fire. “It means that you and Commander Haern are required to share the female. What you decide is entirely up to you, but you will conform to our regulations as required.”
“What fucking regulations?” Greson snarled, his outburst prompting me to yank his arm.
“Whatever is going on here, do not make a scene,” I hissed.
“As if you give a shit,” he snapped.
“There is much more at stake here. If you can’t see that then you’re a bigger fool than I believe you to be.”
Greson inhaled, growling under his breath. “I don’t desire to share any property with you and I know you feel the same. You’ve made that perfectly clear.”
“We don’t have a choice.”
He jerked out of my grasp, cursing before heading away from the festivities. While I didn’t want anything to do with the asshole, I had no doubt his selection had been made with a purpose in mind.
I turned my heated gaze toward Casey, her glare in my direction pointed and filled with hatred. But there was more.
Lust.
The electricity and connection we shared could not be denied. I took a deep breath before heading in her direction. She’d already been shackled by the soldiers who’d paraded the women like animals, merely waiting for her new master to lay claim.
At this moment, I was in no mood for her nasty comments. Before approaching, I grabbed a gag, ready to use it if necessary. As bidders, we had various implements ready for our use.
Just in case the slaves became unruly.
As I walked closer, I witnessed two of the new pets being disciplined already. I almost felt sorry for the women, although I had to wonder what kind of life they led on Earth. I knew just enough about the New World Order to realize the men in charge were clamping down on their level of governance.
Maybe what Casey had spouted off was something to be explored.
I shifted my gaze toward the throne. The king had disappeared. At some point I would confront him, learning exactly what had occurred. Now my attention had to be turned to the human.
As I closed the distance, I could see continued fury in her eyes. Within seconds, she spit into mine, issuing a series of nasty words.
“Asshole. Fucker. Jerk. If you think you’re going to master me in any manner, you have another think coming.” Casey yanked against her bindings even as one of the soldiers placed a collar around her neck, one that was engraved with the names of her masters. When a leash was attached, only then was she released to my authority.
I took the leash, rolling the leather strand around my hand before wiping the glob from my eyes. Every part of me wanted nothing more than to subdue her, to remind her that I was in charge. Only I wasn’t the only one. “I suggest you be quiet.”
“Not going to happen.”
“Then I will be forced to quiet you in any manner possible,” I said as I lifted the gag.
She chewed on her lower lip before glancing away, obvious tears in her eyes. “Why are you doing this?”
“I am doing nothing, Detective. I’m simply following orders, which is now what you are required to do. And I suggest you do exactly that. I have no doubt we are being watched.”
“Watched? By the great king you have?”
I grabbed the collar wrapped around her neck, yanking her closer. “Whether or not you believe in our system, you are now a part of it. You belong to me and you will do as I say.”
“Don’t I actually belong to two of you?”
I snarled from her reference, my anger surfacing far too quickly. “You are correct. You are required to be obedient to two masters.”
She laughed in my face once again, shaking her head, struggling as I would have expected her to do. She would not be broken easily.
The vile things I wanted to do her to surfaced, running through my mind in an almost crazy manner. “Come with me.” I dragged her toward the exit of the arena, scanning the area in search of Greson. He was nowhere to be seen.
The fucking bastard.
That was just as well. The mere concept of sharing her was something I refused to imagine. What I hadn’t anticipated was her strength and abilities. We were no sooner off the staging area when she yanked on the leash with one hand, using her body in a maneuver that only humans ever performed.
The moment she twisted, shifting her full weight against me before kicking out, I went down like a rock, losing my grip on the thick strand of leather. As the strand slipped through my hand, she slammed her foot against my abdomen, turning quickly and racing off down the corridor. The arena was located in one of the most barren areas of our planet, far removed from our capital city, a series of underground tunnels leading through several security points. The arena had been in existence for hundreds of years. The damn thing should have been shut down.