by Alana Khan
She seems to redouble her efforts to convince the big guy to help. They’ve moved closer to my cell and I catch snippets of their conversation.
“We can’t leave her here, Theos. She’s human, like me. We fought our owners and won our own freedom less than a week ago. I can’t walk away from another of my kind and abandon her to be sold as a slave.”
“Why her? Why not the beings on either side of her? Why not everyone on this entire cell block? We can’t save everyone, Savannah.”
“You’re right. We can’t save everyone. But maybe we can save her. She’s human like me and all the other females on the ship. You wouldn’t leave a fallen comrade, would you? It’s like that—I can’t walk away!”
He’s so much bigger than her, but he doesn’t pull rank or order her around. He seems to be listening to her and considering things from every angle.
“We have no money, Savannah. That’s why we’re here on this shit planet to begin with. That’s why Shadow is getting ready to fight in this arena. We need credits to repair our ship, for food and necessities. We already have over twenty souls to take care of. We’re not even sure we can manage that, much less add one more mouth to feed. We can’t break this female out; this facility is too heavily guarded. The only way to rescue her is to buy her. Where will we find the money for that?”
“I’ll earn it,” I interrupt eagerly.
They quit arguing and their heads swivel to look at me, skepticism written all over their faces.
“Get me out of here and I can earn money.” My mind is racing, but I’ve always been a hard worker. I’ll do anything to get out of this cell.
“How?”
“I cut hair. I’m sure there’s a need for a good hairdresser…”
A deep scratchy voice intrudes over a loudspeaker in the arena. A roar goes up from the crowd. Sexy loincloth guy cracks his knuckles and his neck, then announces arrogantly, “I have to find the promoter. I told you both from the beginning, I don’t need you here. I certainly don’t need to help with this pathetic little human’s problems. I’ll find you after I win my match.” He turns on his heel, not waiting for a reply.
“We’ll be right here,” Savannah forcefully points to the floor where she’s standing, an obvious statement she's not leaving. Theos merely nods.
“Look,” Savannah resumes our conversation, talking confidentially, not trusting the others in the cellblock. “Myself and nine other Earth women were kidnapped less than three weeks ago and placed on a slave ship with ten gladiators, also slaves. A week or so ago we overthrew our guards and we’re now in possession of the vessel and our freedom. We came directly to this planet to make necessary repairs, get some forged credentials and make enough credits to pay for it all.
“We’ll be leaving as soon as the repairs are completed—we’ve got some bad guys on our tail. We can’t dawdle around this hell hole so you can cut hair. Money is tight. I don’t know where we’d get enough to buy you.”
“She,” I point my thumb at the reptilian girl, “tells me there are a lot of sex clubs on this planet. Are there strip clubs?”
Savannah’s eyes widen. “Are you offering to sell your body to avoid slavery?”
“I have...skills. I’ll do whatever it takes to get myself out of this cell and leave this planet on your ship as a free woman. You buy me and take me to a strip club. Loan me one of your gladiators to protect me while I work, and I won’t stop until I’ve paid you back.”
Theos has been listening intently and now shakes his handsome head back and forth. “No, this won’t work. We don’t even know how much it will cost to buy her. She has no idea how much she can make doing...whatever it is she will do. It’s a terrible plan. It isn’t even a plan, Savannah, it’s just a wish. I vote no.”
Savannah looks trapped. I’m afraid she’s agreeing with him.
“Look. How about if I promise a money-back guarantee? He’s right. I have no idea how much I’ll cost or how much I can make. But if I haven’t earned enough to pay you back by the time the repairs are complete and you’re ready to fly, you can sell me back to the...people you buy me from. No loss to you.” I don’t know what I’ll do if I have to return to this cell, but at least this gives me a fighting chance.
“Theos, look, she’s giving us a guarantee,” Savannah coaxes. “This is a no-lose situation...except for her. She’s willing to fight for her freedom. Which is exactly what we just did on the ship. Please, let her try!”
He inhales deeply and thinks for so long I assume I’ve lost the battle. Then he takes another breath and nods almost imperceptibly. “I’ll comm the ship and run it by the captain. If he agrees, I’ll help.”
A few minutes later he informs us, “Zar agreed, but he insists on holding her to the guarantee. We can’t afford to put everyone’s life at risk for this, as much as we all want to help.”
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, one of my favorite quotes from Star Trek is being thrown back in my face, darn it.
Theos stalks off in search of someone in a position of authority who can negotiate a price for me. I don’t bother with false modesty as I yank off my knee-high black boots, then pull my panties off, stash them in my bra, and drag my leggings back on.
While we wait for Theos, my eyes stray into the arena when I hear the crowd roar with appreciation. I’m just in time to see a monstrous, green reptilian with several rows of teeth in his enormous mouth smash his smaller, humanoid opponent so hard the man drops to the dirt, unable to get up. At first, I think he’s dead, but after a moment I can see his chest weakly rising and falling.
The announcer then calls two names for the next match. “That’s Shadow’s fight,” Savannah informs me indifferently.
“Aren't you concerned? Worried he’ll be hurt? The guy who lost the previous fight looks like he might never recover.”
“Shadow’s a dick,” she lifts her shoulders, “I guess it would be a shame if he got severely injured, but…” She shrugs again and tilts her head.
This stuns me. I’m trusting these people to keep me safe, and this woman doesn’t seem to care if her comrade lives or dies. “Must be a really big dick,” I muse out loud.
“We don’t know each other well,” she backtracks. “We were isolated as couples in cells until recently so I haven’t spent much time with him. He just…didn’t make a very good impression on many of us. He’s angry. He’s not sociable. But he did battle for our freedom. And,” she adds almost as an afterthought, “he saved our captain’s life.”
“Okay, so we should both root for him in this fight, right?”
She lifts one shoulder noncommittally.
A commotion from the crowd draws my attention to the arena. I can only see a sliver of the action as I crane my neck to look through the slim, stone doorway. Shadow is matched against a tall Neanderthal-looking alien who must outweigh him by over fifty pounds. I look twice, thinking my eyes are playing tricks on me, but they’re not. These guys are fighting in the nude.
I have to give him credit; Shadow’s body is total eye candy. Did Savannah know how right she was when she called him a “dick”? Because every single female watching this match has to have that word pounding insistently through her mind right now. I have to pull my thoughts out of the gutter to give my attention to the actual fight.
In the hallway, I was struck by what a large man Shadow is, but now that he’s out in the arena with that huge caveman, he’s dwarfed. I don’t know whether the bionic arm will be an asset or not, but he’ll need some help if he’s going to win. And he’d better win, because I’m assuming it’s the purse from this fight that’s going to bankroll my get-out-of-jail-not-so-free plan.
Just as the Neanderthal is fiercely pounding Shadow in the chest, Theos and a shaggy blue alien approach my cell.
“I’m telling you,” the blue guy says, “I can’t accept less than 50,000 credits.”
“That’s crazy,” Theos insists, “I doubt our fighter will make much more than that
in his fight against that gargantuan monster out there.”
“Exactly. Whoever buys this lovely specimen of femininity will get her for her entire lifespan, as well as any progeny she may produce. Obviously, she should bring a higher price than a moment in the arena.”
“I’m not authorized to pay that much. No more than 25,000.”
“45,000 is as low as I can go.”
“27,500.” Theos offers, and I can tell he’s struggling with the enormity of that sum.
“45,000 firm. I won't accept a credit less.”
Shit. Not only do we have to get him down to a ballpark the gladiator can afford, but I have to get the price down to an amount I can pay back!
“Mmmmm,” I say and begin to twitch. “Mmmmmmm.” My right leg starts shaking. “Ack. Ack. Ack.” I act as if I’m about to dislodge a hairball.
“Ack.” Twitch. “Ack.” Twitch.
I begin to pull at my hair and moan.
“42,500,” blue guy offers, looking at me like I'm a turd in the punchbowl.
My moan begins to ramp into a soft scream. I flop onto my knees and begin to move my right leg in imitation of a dog who loves where you’re scratching it.
“Mmmmmm,” I’m amplifying to a louder scream.
“40,000 is as low as I can go.” I could be mistaken, but blue guy sounds perturbed.
I stand up and whirl around as I tip my head forward and back, my long hair flipping wildly. I'm making guttural noises in the back of my throat. Abruptly, I stop and stare directly at him and shriek. I could be wrong, but I think there’s a hush in the arena for a moment in response to my prolonged wail.
“35,000 is as low as I can go, and only because I like you.” The slaver’s tone is oily and insincere.
I catch a glance between Theos and Savannah and I believe they’re both wondering if this is an act or if I’m actually as crazy as I look.
I stand on the bed and begin to jump on it, now squawking like a bird. I’m not stopping until the price comes down some more.
“30.” Blue guy offers; it looks to me like he’s getting nervous.
Theos shakes his head no.
“25?” Sounds like he’s almost pleading now.
“No, she’s clearly crazy. I don't think we want her at all.”
I’m jumping and moaning now. Something big is happening in the arena, there’s a lot of screaming. I hope Shadow is winning. I don’t think they’ll buy me if they don’t get the prize money.
“15. You were right, my friend. I was inflating the price a moment ago. Greed is a terrible character flaw. I think you’re right, 50 is far too high. 15 is fair.”
Still jumping, my noises morph into those of a gorilla. I put my hands in my armpits like an ape. I’m beginning to enjoy this for the piece of theater that it is. I stick my hands in my face as if to catch the smell of my armpits. Sniffing deeply, I make a satisfied moan.
“10. I can let her go for 10,000.” His tone is urgent. I catch a quick glimpse of his expression; his nostrils are flared, head tipped back in pure disgust.
I glimpse Shadow stalking through the arched doorway. He’s been beat up—his pec is beginning to bruise and blood is dripping from an eye that’s already half-closed. He’s holding something aloft that must be credits, because he looks pretty proud of himself.
“Well...” I hear Theos hedge. I think he’s about to agree to the ten thousand credits, but I’m still not certain I have the ability to pay that much back. I decide to go for the gold and get the price as low as possible.
I jump off the bed and spear the blue guy right in the eye with my gaze. I squat and while staring directly at him I release an orgasmic moan from deep in the back of my throat, and pee right in my pants. It’s comical to see the look on their faces. I watch as blue guy, Theos, Savannah, and Shadow initially aren’t sure what’s happening. I’m wearing black leggings, by the way, so it’s hard to see the wet spot. Then they see the puddle of urine pooling on the floor near my bare feet.
“5,000. I’ll let her go for 5,000 if you pay it right this modicum and leave.”
Theos snatches the card from Shadow, hands it to the slaver who swipes it and opens the door to my cell as fast as possible.
I turn my back on all of them, pull off my sopping leggings, pull on my dry panties and my boots, and hurry after them down the corridor and out the building.
Check out Shadow’s Book here.
Glossary
Annum—year
Cestus Gladiators—ancient form of gladiatorial combat like wrestling. Performed in the nude.
Drack—the perfect all-purpose expletive. It’s a noun, it’s a verb, it’s an adjective.
Fierto—foot
Hoara—hour
Ince—inch
Ludus—gymnasium or training area for gladiators.
Mille—mile
Minima—minute
Modicum—second
Lunar cycle—month
Mullesta—fine fabric
Ton’arr—Zar’s race of lion people
Trident—three-pronged spear.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
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Shadow Sneak Peak
Glossary
Zar Book One in the Galaxy Gladiators Series by Alana Khan
P.O. Box 18393, Golden, Co 80402
www.alanakhan.com
© 2019 Alana Kahn
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact: [email protected]
Cover by Elle Arden