by Imogene Nix
“I’m sorry. If I can’t subdue you, Paavo will. This is for your protection,” he explained as he aimed for her stomach.
The pain would be minimal from a hit to the abdomen, but the stun would be long lasting. He squeezed the trigger. The flash seemed to bounce, and he realized her bulky, out-of-date flight suit had deflected the blow.
She smiled, then turned and started toward the controls.
“Stop now, or I aim for your head,” he threatened.
A stun to the brain was fatal. She stopped dead in her tracks.
“Strip.” Matek’s mouth went dry. He’d just ordered the beauty to take off her clothing. He wasn’t that kind of monster.
She didn’t move. For a moment, he thought she was going to refuse. He charged the weapon, so she’d hear that his threat was legitimate. And then her arms moved and she began removing the thick, antique flight suit.
Under that bulky material a lithe figure appeared. She wore cotton panties that covered her feminine curves just enough to make him wish he were the kind of man that would demand to see more. A thin strip of cotton told him she was wearing a very unflattering bra, but her back was sculpted so well he had the urge to run his finger down her shoulder blade. If he touched her, would she protest? He realized he was actually reaching for her, but put his arm down before he could complete the action.
“Turn around,” he ordered.
She did. Bold and proud, she glared at him. Only the slightest trembling gave away her fear. It was far too warm on the ship for her to feel cold, even mostly naked.
“I’m not doing this to hurt you. Forgive me,” he said, hearing how lame and insignificant the apology was as he fired into her flat stomach.
She started to fall back, but he lunged forward and caught her. She gazed up at him with unblinking eyes, completely paralyzed and fully conscious.
“I will protect you,” he promised before gently closing her eyes with his fingers. He gazed at her face. Her features were so peaceful that if he didn’t know she’d been stunned, he’d think she was sleeping. “You’re brave, you fought well.”
He picked her up and opened the door. Paavo stood outside, aiming at the door.
“Put it down. She’s not a threat.”
“It has been too long since you took a woman. At least wait until we’re back before you have your way with her,” he said, grinning.
Matek growled at him. “Where is Tanna?” He noticed only Okthu. The man’s eyes were closed and he’d been moved.
“While you were enjoying the woman I took him back to the ship. I’ll need help with Okthu. Too many sausages, my friend,” he said, kicking the man lightly with the toe of his boot. If Paavo wasn’t Blood’s cousin, he’d be a dead man when the effect of the blast wore off Okthu.
“Scan the cargo and find the medicine. I’ll take the girl back to the ship. Then we’ll move Okthu and secure the medicine,” Matek said.
“I don’t take orders from you.” Paavo spoke with so much vehemence that spittle flew from his lips.
“How would you suggest we do this? I’m taking the woman to the ship.”
Matek carried her without a backward glance at Paavo. He noticed the sleeping cabin and peeked inside. There was a blanket and a bag. He grabbed both, wrapping the woman in the blanket.
A short time later he had her secured, and he checked to make sure Tanna appeared comfortable before heading back down to where Okthu lay. Paavo was gone.
“Come in, Paavo. Over,” Matek spoke into his wrist comm.
“I found it, not well hidden, and it’s lighter than I thought it would be. Over.”
“Do you need help? I’m with Okthu. Over.”
The door panel to his right slid open, and Paavo walked in with a large case. “This is all there is. I expect the glory when we give this to Blood.”
Matek shrugged. He didn’t care who got the credit as long as the girl survived. She’d be angry when she woke, but he was pleased he’d upheld his people’s creed to protect the innocent, even if he had to break several other rules of virtue to do it.
Paavo managed to hold the case while he helped Matek drag the large Okthu through the ship.
“You need to go on a diet, friend,” Paavo quipped.
“You know he can hear everything you’re saying. He’s stunned, not unconscious.”
Paavo paled several shades. Matek grinned. The man deserved the beating he’d get.
* * * *
Blood laughed, hard. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he gasped for air.
“Her?” Blood asked when he’d gained control of himself again. “This little thing took out two of my best? I should bring her onto the crew. She’s your responsibility now. If she causes trouble, you’ll be the one to end her.” He gazed at Matek with unwavering focus.
“I think she should be shared. It’s not right for Matek to take the woman for himself,” Paavo protested.
Blood frowned. “She is a beauty.”
The girl chose that moment to come out of her paralysis. She struggled and her blanket came free, displaying her curvy, feminine body. Blood made an appreciative noise.
“As much as I’d like to pass her about, I do know her father. He’s a good man. Give her a choice,” Blood said. “She can be yours, or we can turn her in.”
“I want to deliver the medicine. It’s worthless, except to the people who are sick. Why are you doing this?” she asked in a groggy tone.
“Brizette Julius,” Blood said.
The girl flinched. Her eyes widened a bit. “How do you know my name?” She pulled the blanket securely around her. Matek found himself moving closer to her, as if he could somehow shield her with his body.
“Your father saved me once. I owe him, but this is business. There are people who would pay a lot of money to see that this medicine doesn’t arrive. I have several willing buyers waiting. The Talorians should have just given up and moved on. They made their choice to stay.”
“They’re all that’s left of their race!”
“Then, sweet Brizette, they should have been cautious about where they chose to settle,” Blood said without any hint of remorse.
“Briz, my name is just Briz. I know you think the money is what you want, but can you honestly look me in the eyes and tell me the deaths of little children won’t haunt your nightmares? You have the chance to save an entire race.”
Blood threw his head back and laughed hysterically. His wide smile made him appear ten years younger. When he abruptly stopped laughing and sneered at Briz, she took a step back, bumping into Matek. He put a single hand on her bare shoulder. She didn’t shrug his touch away.
“Money is the only thing that matters to me, little girl. Grow up. Men like me and my crew would burn the world for a handful of coins. I’ll give you a choice—Matek’s claim or I’ll turn you over to Indra. Your father’s company would never be free to transport here again, but you’ll be spared a pirate’s touch. When he tires of you he’ll cast you off to be our plaything. What fate do you choose, Briz Julius? We all make choices for our beliefs. What do you value more, your honor or your father’s company?”
The girl bit her lip. To her credit she didn’t flinch or look away from Blood’s hateful stare. She didn’t beg or cry.
“I choose to protect my father. Who in the name of the gods is Matek?”
“He’s the man with his hand on your shoulder.”
Briz jerked out of his touch and spun around. Her lips compressed and her brow wrinkled. The others laughed, but he kept his expression neutral, and he didn’t look away until she did.
“Take her and tame her. I like mine docile,” Blood said before he began a renewed session of laughter.
Matek scooped Briz up in a smooth motion. Her initial stillness spoke of her surprise, but then she began kicking and screaming. He turned and carried her down the corridor. Tanna and Okthu stomped past him and gave the girl dark looks. They’d hurt her as payback if he wasn’t cautious.
Mate
k’s throat tightened. When his people claimed a mate it was for life. There was no changing your mind once you made a public declaration of intent. The pirate code was much different, but a claim had still been made. She was his.
“Calm down,” he said as soon as they were out of the others’ hearing range. “You need to think about your options. You’re still in danger, but not from me.”
Her struggling ebbed just a bit, but he could tell she wasn’t completely ready to trust him, and he didn’t blame her.
It didn’t take him long to arrive at his door. He had the smallest cabin, but at least he didn’t have to share like some of the others. No one else wanted this area, because it was very warm and the sound of the engine was an annoyance, but Matek didn’t mind. The soft hum reminded him of the night bugs from his home world. The heat was the same in the desert.
His tribe was gone, and he’d never truly feel at home anywhere again, because without family there was no home for a nomad. Blood had stolen everything from him, and he was risking his revenge by saving this girl. As he gazed down at her expressive face he wasn’t sure what to say to her.
Chapter 5
Briz was not losing her virginity to a rapist. If she was doing this, it was on her own terms.
Matek was handsome. His long, black hair was in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. He had the pallor of a man who’d spent too many years in space, but she suspected he’d tan if he went out into the sun. Big brown eyes had always appealed to her, and he had them. His muscular body and strength was the kind of thing a girl fantasized about, but he was still a pirate.
Blood had said it perfectly—these men would destroy anything for profit. She couldn’t forget what she was dealing with.
She willed herself to stop trembling. She’d seduce him and then sneak off to find the medicine while he was asleep. They probably had her ship in a cargo bay.
“Where are you holding Earth Spirit? Is it in a cargo hold, or are you towing her with a tractor beam?”
“I programmed her for auto-pilot to the coordinates listed as home,” Matek said.
Briz couldn’t stop the small cry that slipped from her lips. Her mother would panic. They’d think she was dead. She’d failed, and knowing her father and Xev, they’d come running into danger.
“You’re worried about your people,” her captor made the astute observation, and his tone was almost...remorseful.
“Of course. Wouldn’t you worry?”
“My people are long dead, so I have no one to worry about.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, and she was. He hadn’t said it like he wanted pity, only with the sorrow of the reality of his loss. “My mother lost her whole planet, so I understand. Her loss is my loss too.”
He nodded. A quiet moment of understanding passed between them. If one of these pirates was going to be her first lover, she was glad it was one she didn’t find repulsive. Under other circumstances she might actually like this man, but right now she just needed him sleepy and trusting. She didn’t know a lot about sex, but she’d do her best to tire him out. They’d already had a workout earlier. As a Julius and a survivor, she’d own this battle. She was giving her virginity in exchange for the lives of an entire race. It was a noble cause, or so she told herself as she let go of the blanket.
Matek’s mouth dropped. She saw his eyes darken. He never looked away as she pulled the breast binding over her head and shimmied out of her sensible panties. Somehow she managed to pretend she was comfortable with her nudity.
The man gave her little reaction. She had to act before she lost her nerve. Maybe she wasn’t his type or something.
Briz began unzipping his flight suit. He didn’t stop her. The skin-tight material hadn’t left much to her imagination, but as the black fabric peeled away from his body she gazed at his chest with awe. The sight of his chest was hot, but her courage faltered. Could she really do this? Uncertainty made her pause.
He put his hand over hers, stopping her. “What are you doing?” he asked.
She was worse at this than she thought. Briz stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. She wasn’t sure what to do next. Her mother’s religion and her father’s well known hot-headedness had kept local boys away, except for that one her mother tried to marry her to.
She didn’t know how to kiss. She tried to remember if she should move her mouth. Feeling foolish, she stood there, barely pressing her lips to his. She gazed into his eyes, then she remembered she was supposed to close them. At least she thought she was. Briz closed her eyes.
Matek made a strange sound, and without really knowing how it happened she found him pressing her against the wall and they were kissing, really kissing. Her arms had wrapped around his neck and his lips moved. When she parted hers his tongue snaked into her mouth, and she gasped. Her body responded to him and she kissed him back, caressing his tongue with hers. Lust ignited inside of her. The excitement of giving herself to this man was almost as great as her terror. Her heart pounded, and her breath hitched.
He pulled away. Heat rushed up her neck to fill her cheeks.
“What are you doing?” he asked again.
Briz looked away, ashamed. He took her hand, and she looked down to where his much larger hand held hers.
“I won’t hurt you,” he said in a sincere, soft tone.
“I—I want to save the Talorians.”
He frowned. “So you whore for my favor?”
She bit her lip and fought the tears his ugly words caused.
“I’m not a whore,” she insisted as she snatched her blanket from the floor and wrapped herself in it.
He was still frowning as he picked up a sack and tossed it to her. She clutched the blanket to her chest, but managed to catch the canvas bag. She recognized it as hers. It contained her clothing. She pulled out her custom flight suit, glad she’d packed it, and dropped the blanket to dress. He’d already seen her practically naked, so she dressed in front of him. Wearing clothing restored her confidence a notch.
“I’m sorry about the situation, but Blood will not become merciful. The man is pure evil,” Matek said.
“Then why work for him?”
“That is not your concern. You are my responsibility. If he decides I’m not keeping you in line, he’ll give you to the crew.”
Her stomach rolled. The idea of being mauled by the others was terrifying. Kissing a man she desired was one thing, but being gang raped would destroy her. Still, she had to try to save those people. Her options weren’t looking good.
* * * *
Matek had managed to find the strength to push the beauty away. It had been far too long since he’d experienced the comfort of a woman, and this one was extraordinary. He’d love to be the hero she wanted and save those innocent people, but he was so close to his goal.
Blood was going to take them to his home world after this job was finished. His mother and sisters lived on Indra. Matek could have killed Blood a thousand times, but he wanted the man to live with the pain of loss. That was the revenge Matek desired.
Blood, the psychopath, only cared about his female relatives back in the village of his childhood. Killing those women was the only thing that would equal the lives of the people Matek had lost.
If he saved these strangers, he’d never have the vengeance he needed to quiet the nightmares and appease the souls of those who died such violent death ten cycles past. He wished he was still a good man, but loss had changed him. He was death. There was no peace for death.
Briz walked around the circumference of his small space. He hoped her captivity was sinking in. She seemed to be studying his personal effects.
“I was a good man once,” he said.
She didn’t look at him. He turned to the small window. Space stretched out before him. The lonely void was like his soul—dark and cold. She was behind him, and he started to turn, but then pain radiated through his skull and he grunted.
“I’m sorry, so sorry,” she said.
&nbs
p; More agony. Matek dropped to his knees. She’d hit him—hard. Darkness.
* * * *
Briz held the case tight as she rushed through the corridors. She’d been lucky to find it right where she’d suspected it would be.
When she’d been paralyzed she’d counted turns. Because she knew ships, she headed straight for the most logical location for the shuttles. She hoped she’d find a craft full of fuel and in good running order.
She’d hated attacking Matek, but an entire race mattered more than one man, even if that man was the first one she’d ever kissed.
Alarms sounded with headache-inducing intensity. Light glowed and died over her shoulder. To her horror, she realized someone was shooting at her.
* * * *
Matek groaned. He was on the floor of his cabin. His head hurt and nausea twisted his stomach. He rolled over to his side and saw his meditation cube. The heavy stone lay carelessly beside him.
“Damn the gods!”
He couldn’t believe she’d attacked him. He should have just fucked her, but she’d seemed so innocent he’d slowed her down.
An image of her lying broken and bloody in the middle of his charred village flashed through his mind, and he made a long, low sound of frustration. His people were gone, but she might still be alive. Making the claim had tied them together, even if she didn’t seem to realize what it signified. He’d lost himself, but for the first time since the awful day he’d come home to find his community gone something was more important than revenge.
He took a deep breath and ignored his pain as he stood. She might be a pain in his ass, but she was his. He’d claimed her.
Matek grabbed his duffle. He felt his hip and realized his weapon was still there. She was unarmed. Panic made him move faster, and he headed straight for the shuttles. They were close enough to the planet that a short-range craft would be sufficient, and she’d know that too. Now he understood why the first question out of her mouth had been the whereabouts of her ship.
He took a shortcut through the engine room. He could hear the sound of running and shots being fired. His throat ached. There was no reason he should care, and yet the image of her death was worse than the knowledge his long-sought revenge was slipping from his grasp.