Intergalactic Loyalties

by Jessica Coulter Smith

  When Meghan stepped foot onto the new spacecraft, she noticed that all of the warriors on board were different. Were they pirates, just like the males who had held her captive for the past week?

  “I’ll have to put you in my quarters until we can figure out something more permanent for you,” he told her as he began leading the way.

  “Your quarters? Why can’t I go with the other women?”

  “Because there are five of you and only four beds. And they are small beds. Sharing one isn’t an option so, unless you plan to choose a mate immediately, I’ll have to think of a way to remedy the situation. Until then, you may get cleaned up and rest a while in my quarters.”

  Meghan frowned. “Won’t your mate mind?”

  He cast her a glance. “I don’t have one.”

  She halted in her tracks. “So you expect me to go to your quarters, someone who has just told me he isn’t mated, and strip naked?”

  “Well, do you know of another way to get clean?” he asked, his eyebrows lifted.

  When they reached the captain’s quarters, he ushered her inside. The room was rather spacious, considering they were onboard a spacecraft.

  “I’ll get you something clean to wear and then you can wash yourself. I’m sure it’s been a while,” he said.

  Her eyebrows arched. “Are you trying to say I stink?”

  “Do you want the truth?”

  She made a growling sound then stomped off into the bathing chamber. The door slid shut behind her and she turned to face the cleaning unit. It didn’t look like anything she’d used on Earth. She’d been offered a shower on board the pirate ship, as they’d stripped her down and watched her bathe herself, but she didn’t remember much of that time. She’d been too terrified they had other things in mind for her.

  After a bit of playing around, she figured out how to get the shower going and stepped under the spray. Megan pressed another button and it added soap to the water, washing her from head to toe with little effort on her part. When she finished cleaning and rinsing herself, she stepped out and looked around for a towel. There was a button on the far wall and she pressed it. A towel shot out of a slit in the wall and she used it to quickly dry herself, then wrapped it around her body.

  Cautiously, she peered into the other room. The warrior was gone. Megan breathed a sigh of relief and hurried into the room. There was a set of clothing laid out on the bed and she fingered the stretchy material. Not an ideal outfit for someone her size, but it was better than being naked.

  Megan dressed quickly then played with the buttons near the door until she figured out how to get the blasted thing open. She ventured out into the ship and went exploring, always on her guard in case things weren’t as safe as she hoped. With any luck, she could convince the pirates to return her home.

  Warriors of every shape and size paused to look at her as she walked past, but no one tried to stop her. When she reached the heart of the ship, she saw a group of women gathered around the tables, more women than had been in the holding cells with her. Had Sol and his crew rescued them as well? Or had he taken them captive?

  “Hello,” Meghan said.

  The women stopped talking and gazed at her in curiosity. A violet woman nodded to her. Meghan took that to mean it was all right to sit with them. She claimed a spot at the end of the table and listened as the women talked amongst themselves. She was surprised to learn that Sol and his crew had rescued most of these women from slavers and auction houses. Not that he’d had altruistic reasons behind it, not if what he’d said about her choosing a mate from his planet was true. He was simply gathering women to replenish his world. She supposed she couldn’t blame him, but it wasn’t what she wanted.

  “You’re lucky,” one of the women said. “The captain has shown you favor.”

  “Favor?”

  “He shares his quarters with you,” the woman responded.

  So that meant Sol was, indeed, the captain. “I think you misunderstood,” Meghan said. “He’s simply sharing his space with me because there aren’t enough beds in the rooms you’re sharing.”

  The violet female smiled. “And yet he chose you to share his quarters with and no one else. I think he likes you. Perhaps he wants to claim you for himself.”

  The thought unsettled Meghan. The last thing she wanted was to become the captain’s plaything. She would never willingly choose a mate; not on this ship nor on his world. There was only one thing she wanted and that was to return to Earth and her brother. She figured he had to be frantic by now, with no way to search the galaxy for her. Was she even still in the same galaxy? Home had never been so far away before. Her heart ached with unshed tears as she thought about her home world. A place she might very well never see again.

  * * *

  Nearly fifteen moon cycles later, they arrived at Tarnan. Sol was permitted to land long enough to unload cargo; he just wasn’t permitted to linger. His planet tolerated him because of the women and goods he brought, but he doubted he would ever be welcome to live there again. It saddened him, but he enjoyed his life in space. There was always a bit of excitement to be found.

  The nine women were gathered and ushered off the ship by Sol and Bynt. They met with the Prime, handing the women over. He’d never learned the sassy Earth woman’s name, but she cast him a scathing look as he handed her off. If looks could kill, his flesh would be stripped from his bones. Sol didn’t envy the man who chose her, for he doubted that she would ever choose someone.

  “Thank you, Sol,” the Prime said. “The previous women you brought us have already settled in with their mates, so the boarding houses are empty. I’m sure these will choose someone before long.”

  “I’ll try to bring more as soon as possible, but I’m running out of funds to purchase them. The Earth women are especially pricey.”

  The Prime handed him a pouch, a rather heavy one.

  “There should be enough marks in there to purchase a few more women. It won’t be enough, but maybe it will help offset your costs.” The Prime smiled. “We appreciate the service you do us.”

  Yeah, he just bet they did. He’d made three trips with women so far, at least eight women each time. It wasn’t nearly enough to repopulate his planet, but it was a start. There were thousands of warriors seeking a mate, so Sol had his work cut out for him. He could spend the rest of his life gathering women and it probably still wouldn’t be enough.

  “I’ll have my men unload the supplies I’ve brought; then we’ll be on our way,” Sol said. Bynt had already turned and was walking back toward the ship. Sol bid the Prime farewell and joined his shipmate.

  He knew the women would be well taken care of. If he thought for one moment they would be mistreated, he never would have left them. One of these days he’d claim a mate for himself, but that day had not yet come. It would be nice to have a warm body to sleep with at night, a soft woman to satisfy his urges, but his life was too unstable for that kind of commitment. One day, he’d settle on another planet, one he could make his permanent home. Then he would take a mate and settle down, leaving the space travel to his warriors.

  * * *

  Meghan scowled at the retreating back of the space pirate who had refused to let her go home. Now she found herself on this strange world, faced with more aliens she didn’t know, and didn’t care to know. The one standing at the front of their group seemed to be in charge in some capacity. Maybe he could be made to see reason and return her to her people. She just knew her brother would pay for her return, if it was a ransom they were after. Surely she’d be worth more in cold, hard cash than as some broodmare.

  She started toward the alien, but froze when a large group of males approached them. The sheer size of them was intimidating and she wondered if everyone on this planet was so huge. The captain of the ship she’d been on had been tiny in comparison to these three. Not sure what to expect, she hung back.

  The males smiled broadly and welcomed them to Tarnan. After introducing themselves, t
hey offered to escort the women to the boarding house, where they would remain until they chose a mate. She hoped they didn’t mind a permanent resident at the boarding house, but it would be a cold day in hell before she shacked up with some alien. She supposed they looked human enough, but still… she wanted to go home and she wouldn’t rest until her plea was heard.

  When they reached the boarding houses, the four women who had been picked up first claimed the house they stood in front of. Meghan saw a similar place a little ways off and wondered if that was where she would be staying. She sure as hell hoped they had enough beds this time. No way was she sleeping on the floor! And she’d be damned if she’d go to some male’s bed just to have a soft place to sleep. It had been bad enough sleeping in the captain’s quarters, even if he wasn’t present when she was in there. Just knowing they shared the same pillow was a bit too intimate for her.

  At the second home, they were ushered inside. It was a little different from what she was used to, but it seemed comfortable enough. She supposed the important things were that they would be out of the elements and they had a place of their own. Of course, if the looks two of the women were giving the males were any indication, there would be more beds available soon enough. It seemed they had no problem whoring themselves out to the first guy who came along.

  Meghan selected a room, one with a single bed. Two of the rooms had three beds, but she wasn’t about to share if she didn’t have to. She didn’t know these women well enough for that, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to get to know them. They seemed weak and she despised weakness. Even when she’d been captured by the pirates, she hadn’t shed a tear. She’d been terrified, but she’d locked that fear down deep inside and put on a brave front. Her father had taught her that she could survive anything if she put her mind to it. Unfortunately, both of her parents were gone now. Her heart ached whenever she thought of their loss. Her brother, Trent, was all she had left in the world.

  Meghan wondered what they were supposed to do about clothing. They’d left the ship with the clothes on their backs and nothing else. Surely they wouldn’t be expected to wear the same thing day after day. She despised the clothes she’d been given, but it was better than being naked, or covered in filth, as she’d been when the Tarnan had found her.

  As if her thoughts had been heard, a male appeared in the doorway of her room, holding a small bundle of clothing. Unfortunately, it was much the same as what she had on, but she would make do. At least she would have clean clothing to wear. She accepted the items and set them down on the bed before turning her back on the warrior. If he was hoping she would be grateful enough to sleep with him, he’d better think again. Moving into the small bathroom, she noted there was a brush and tooth-cleaning instrument, similar to the toothbrushes on Earth, set out on the counter. They both appeared new. She didn’t see any towels and wondered how she would dry herself. With a shrug, she decided she’d figure it out later.

  “Do you need anything else?” the male inquired from the doorway.

  She turned to face him, leaning against the bathroom entrance. “No. Thank you,” she added as an afterthought. No reason to be completely rude to him. It wasn’t his fault she’d been dragged here. No, she laid that blame at Sol’s feet.

  “Actually,” she said, changing her mind, “could I speak to someone in charge? I’d like to return home.”

  His eyebrows rose. “Home?”

  “Yeah, you know, Earth? If it’s a money issue, I’m sure my brother would pay for my return. My family left us rather well-off.”

  The male shook his head. “You can forget returning home. Tarnan is your home now.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “No, Earth is my home and I want to go back. I know you can take me. Just fire up another ship and let’s go.”

  He folded his arms across his massive chest. “No. The sooner you realize you’re safer here, the happier you’ll be.”

  “Safer?” She snorted. “Yeah, because being abducted and brought here against my will is really safe.”

  He moved further into the room. “Our women are revered. There isn’t anything we wouldn’t do for them.” She opened her mouth and he held up a hand. “Except return them to their home planet. No one will ever harm you here. Can you say the same of your world? I’ve studied Earth and know that your males have a tendency to harm their females. Wouldn’t you prefer a world where no male would ever raise a hand to you?”

  “Not all our males are like that,” she mumbled. He had a point though. Earth males did leave a lot to be desired. She hadn’t had a decent date in nearly a year. And the last time she’d had sex, she’d thought the man was a bull rider. It seemed he’d stayed on for eight seconds and jumped off, leaving her feeling unsatisfied and used.

  “Just think about it,” he urged her. “You don’t have to decide right away. All we ask is that you spend time with some of us, get to know our people and our ways. You’ll see we’re not so terrible.”

  She wasn’t too sure about that, but hanging out with them would alleviate her boredom. She’d done a quick surveillance of the home and realized there were no books or magazines. Unlike Earth, this place didn’t have television. There was a screen on the wall, but she’d noticed the buttons beneath it and figured it was for communication. Since she had nothing in common with the other women, her life was going to be very dull.

  Chapter Two

  Several days later, Meghan was dipping her toes in a lake near the house when a shadow fell across her. Shading her eyes from the sunlight, she looked up at the tall warrior who had sneaked up on her. He was different from the others, his skin a beautiful aqua. There had been whispers among the women that some of the Tarnans were hybrids and she figured he must be one of them. She supposed he was handsome, with his shaggy hair and golden eyes. As she took in his features, she noted the tense jaw and wondered what she’d done now. For the past several days, one warrior after another had berated her for something or other.

  “You shouldn’t be out here alone,” he finally said.

  “I’m within sight of the house.”

  “Yes, but what if a filar decided to come after you?”

  Her brow furrowed. “Filar? What the hell is that?”

  He seemed to search for the right words. “It’s similar to your crocodiles on earth. Very nasty tempered and they would think your Earth flesh was a delicacy. You wouldn’t know it was upon you until it had snapped its jaws around your ankle.”

  She looked at the tranquil water and eased her feet back onto the grassy shore. Who knew something so simple like wading through the water would be hazardous to her health? She’d only wanted to ease the ache in her feet. A vitril, similar to a draft horse, had stepped on her feet the other morning and they were still slightly bruised.

  He frowned down at her black and blue feet. “You’re accident prone, aren’t you?”

  “No. I just haven’t learned the ways of your world yet. How was I supposed to know that beast would stomp on my feet if I got close to it? It looked perfectly harmless standing in the field near the house.”

  “There are dangers on my world that you know nothing about. It would be best if you didn’t leave the house without an escort from this point forward.”

  “If all of you would quit denying my request to speak to whomever is in charge, then I’d be off this damn planet and none of you would have to worry about me again.”

  He shook his head. “You don’t seem to understand. Women, on Tarnan, are worth more than any gems, marks, or gold. There is nothing your Earth could offer us that we would accept. Is it really so bad, having men practically worship you? A warrior you took as your mate would do anything for you. He would die to protect you and would love you with his last breath. Is that such a horrible fate?”

  Perhaps not, but she still didn’t like being stuck in this strange place, with no one she knew. The other women weren’t friendly with her and she had no one to talk to. There was absolutely nothing for her to do around T
arnan and she was bored. When Meghan got bored, she tended to get into trouble. Not that she went looking for it; she just sort of stumbled upon it.

  “Come,” he said, holding out his hand. “I’ll take you back to the house.”

  “I don’t want to sit in that house all day! There’s nothing to do there!”

  She saw a flash of confusion in his eyes.

  “But you have the other women for company,” he said, as if that cured everything.

  “They don’t like me.”

  “Maybe it’s your sharp tongue they don’t like. I’ve met Earth women before -- several have made their homes here -- but I’ve never met one such as you. It is most unusual that Sol would pick up someone so prickly.”

  “So sorry for not bowing and scraping at your feet or kissing the ground you walk on just because one pirate took me from another. I didn’t ask for this life. I never asked to be taken from all that’s familiar to me, to be forced to choose a mate. Did you ever think that maybe I don’t want one?”

  Now he looked really confused. “Don’t all women wish to have homes of their own? A man to take care of them and children to play at their feet?”

  She snorted. “I took care of myself on my world. I worked hard to get where I was with my company, had a nice townhouse, a decent car. I had enough money to do whatever I wanted. Go to movies, buy books, and take vacations. Now my freedom has been stolen from me.”

  “You truly wish for freedom? To be on your own?”

  “Yes.”

  “Very well. I will speak with the Prime about finding you a job. You can earn a place to stay on our world. If you refuse to take a mate, we will not house you and pay for your needs. If you wish to be independent, you shall have it.”

  She swallowed hard. What had she done? She didn’t know anything about this place. How was she going to find a job if she didn’t understand how anything worked? If they weren’t going to house her, where would she live? How would she buy food? What if she was injured? Would she have to pay for a doctor?