“They abandoned me. You’re lying.”
“No, I’m not, pretty boy. You’re a disgrace. An embarrassment. They want you handled properly. Old Duncan’s been a bad boy. I’ll have to have a chat with him.”
“Handled?” Grim asked, not liking the sound of that. And how did this man know Duncan?
“Reconditioned. My associates are experts. They’re setting up at your home right now. Already at work on some cover story in case word of your arrest ever gets out. You’re going to be the perfect son at last and do as you’re told. Good manners. No more fucking everything in sight.” He laughed. “Yeah, they told me all about you.”
“I don’t believe you. They left me in that prison to die.”
“Yeah, and our friend ruined that. Like I said, they want you handled properly. They knew Duncan had come to your rescue, and when he wouldn’t work with them, they put out a call and hired me. You were easy enough to find once I’d bribed the warden to give me your tracking code.”
“Reconditioning can be resisted. I’m too old for it take.” Grim still wasn’t completely sure he believed this guy, but keeping him talking seemed like a good idea. If they didn’t take off, perhaps Duncan could find him. The pain in his wrist reminded him that Duncan couldn’t track him anymore, but maybe there would still be a chance, given what Duncan did for a living. “You know Duncan by reputation? You act like you’ve met him.”
“I knew him very well once. But he’s a bit too goody-goody. We broke up, I guess you could say.”
“You were lovers?”
The guy roared with laughter. “Aren’t you cute? We fucked, nice and rough. Hard. All that other bullshit is for softies like you.” He reached down to his crotch, rubbing himself through the leather. “You enjoy being fucked by him? He is pretty good. Sure knew how to suck when I was with him.”
“Just fuck off.” Grim couldn’t tell if the guy was actually hard or if his cock was just that huge, and he didn’t want to find out.
The man laughed again, the sound getting on Grim’s nerves. “Better play nice, cutie. They only want you alive. They don’t care if you’ve been knocked around a bit.” He leaned in. “Or used.”
“Behave or be beaten and raped?” Grim stared down at the dirty floor. “All right. I get it.”
“You seem like you do.” The male wrapped his hands around two of the bars. “I’ll let you out if you’ll be good.”
“Good?” Grim asked, glancing up.
The male reached down to the bulge in his pants again. “Yeah. Wrap those pretty lips around my cock.” He leered. “I can smell the cum on you. You’ve done a lot of fucking since your release, haven’t you?”
Grim backed away and sat on the bunk again. “I’ll behave. Won’t fight or try to get away. Just … leave me alone.”
The man roared with laughter. “That work for you a lot? Maybe your family wouldn’t have a bounty on your head if you’d developed good manners a bit earlier, kid.”
Grim’s lips trembled as he tried to speak, but luckily something began beeping in the distance. The man pushed away from the bars. “Hang on to something. No straps in there. We’re about to take off.” A slow smile spread his lips. “But I’ll be back.”
Grim watched the man go. He searched the room and his pockets but found nothing useful. Touching his wrist, he wondered about the tracking device that had been taken from his arm. It had probably been left in the hotel. Duncan wouldn’t stand a chance of finding him once they left the planet. They’d never see each other again.
I’ll never be able to tell him how much I’ve come to care for him. Reconditioning wasn’t reversible, if it took. Even if Duncan thought to check on Grim’s home planet and managed to find him, Grim wouldn’t remember him or anything they’d shared over the past week.
Grim wanted to scream but all he could do was huddle on the bunk, paralyzed by the thought of what awaited him back with his “loving” family.
****
Duncan knew something was wrong as soon as he stepped into the room. Nothing had been disturbed, but it was much too still. He called Grim’s name three times but got no reply. He walked into the bedroom hurriedly and found the covers on the bed tossed aside. A touch of crimson marred the pillow, and Duncan raced over to the bed. It was only one drop of blood, but Duncan tore the bed apart looking for more. He yanked out the tracker the prison had given him and searched for Grim.
According to the tracker, Grim was just a few feet away from him. Duncan looked around but saw nothing. He hit the button that would make the tracking device give off a beeping sound, and he turned in the direction of the noise. When he saw nothing, he got down on his hands and knees and felt the plush carpet. Within the pile, he found something small and wet and metallic.
Duncan held up the tracking device, which was covered in Grim’s now cold blood. A shiver moved over him as he called Oron back. As soon as his assistant answered, Duncan began barking orders.
“Someone has taken Grim. I may need back up of some kind. I can’t be sure if it’s just one hunter or a group. See what you can find out from our contacts. It could be the prison double-crossing me, or it could be his parents. Have both possibilities looked into and check our networks for a bounty on him.”
Oron didn’t even have to ask any questions. “Understood.”
They signed off, and Duncan ran to the nearest wall keypad, checking him and Grim out of the hotel and requesting immediate clearance for takeoff. He grabbed their belongings and threw them all into bags, all the while scanning the room for any clues. Whoever had done this had been good, possibly watching them for a few days. Duncan considered possible suspects and only came up with about three names for individual hunters who would be able to remove the tracker without setting it off. The prison used very specific technology. Once he was outside their room, he found a remote corner and plugged his communicator into a wall panel so he could hack their system. He’d have to be quick, as they’d be alerted to his intrusion almost immediately. Only one other ship had been cleared for takeoff in the last three hours, and it was leaving as he stood there. No one else besides him was queued for departure. He rushed down to the bay and ran toward his ship, tossing money at the attendant and scanning the sky.
He knew exactly what kind of ship he was looking for, and he felt pretty sure he knew who was piloting it, even though he hadn’t had time to go deep enough to get that information. As soon as he got clearance to leave, he took off, establishing a link to Oron as soon as he was out of the planet’s atmosphere.
“Yes, sir?” Oron said, sounding a bit out of breath.
“Send me the serial number for Jalecu’s ship. A z-class Catolian cruiser just left here, and I think Grim is on it. Security footage showed blue and red stripes, just like the ones that were on his ship the last time I ran into him. If it’s him, he’s really got some nerve. And he’ll pay.”
“I’ll have to get to the other room, but the information will be with you shortly. Did you have to leave without clearance? Should I call and smooth anything over?”
“No, they were fast. I didn’t attract any attention.” Duncan could hear Oron rushing over their link. “I’ve got a lock on the ship, but I’m not close enough for a scan just yet. I only hope he doesn’t know that Grim was with me. He might do something rash out of spite.”
“At least you’re in a new ship, sir.”
Duncan took a deep breath. “You’re right. Yes, that’s wonderful.” He flipped a few switches. “I put my shields up so he can’t scan me. Maybe he’s distracted for now.”
However, Duncan frowned at that thought. He knew what Jalecu’s favorite distraction was, and he was suddenly very glad he’d had laser guns secretly added to his ship.
“Transmitting now,” Oron said.
“Thank you. I know you haven’t had much time, but any word?”
“No, though Braxus did warn me that it’s very likely the prison could’ve sold Grim’s tracking information to pretty mu
ch anyone, including the family. He’s caught the new warden double-crossing other keepers before.”
“I might’ve known. I’m sure the bastards were willing to pay handsomely once they were paying for control of Grim rather than his freedom.”
“I’ll keep trying. There’s no bounty advertised publically, but if someone’s been contracted the info might’ve been deleted already.”
“Yeah, exactly. I’m getting closer now. I should be able to scan soon.”
“I’ll be in touch if something else comes up.”
“Thanks.”
They signed off, and the silence seemed to echo around Duncan. What if he hadn’t gone back to the room right away? He might never have stood a chance of finding Grim. He dropped his shields and did a quick sweep. The serial number matched, and he threw his shields back up, never taking his eyes off the view screen.
Duncan had been using his powers so much that he wouldn’t have the strength to harm Grim’s captor, though he might be able to check in on Grim and reassure his lover. He loathed the idea of Grim being alone and afraid, even though it was better than the alternatives in this situation.
He reached under his chair and pulled out one of his guns. He slid it into his belt as he powered up the lasers on the ship, determining the best shot to attempt. Jalecu had once been Duncan’s friend, and more than a friend, very briefly. But if he’d laid a hand on Grim, Duncan wouldn’t be able to stop himself from killing the man. He opened a compartment to his left, pulling out a large knife and another gun.
Chapter Five
Grim felt something brush his cheek, and he jerked away from it. But there was nothing there, and he looked around in confusion. Then the tingle came, that little hint of electricity. It had only been maybe an hour, but he felt as if he hadn’t seen Duncan for days. Grim listened carefully before hazarding an attempt at communication.
“Duncan?” he whispered as quietly as he could.
Moments passed, but then he felt the shape of a hand cupping his cheek. Grim whimpered, feeling tears swell in his eyes. He squeezed his eyes shut and listened for Duncan to speak. If he was very far away, it might be faint.
Distract him. I’m close. I’ll give you a few minutes and then fire on his ship. I swear I’ll save you.
“All right.” Grim nodded slowly, wishing he could see Duncan. Regardless, he knew what he had to do. He took a deep breath and went to the bars. He briefly felt a hand on his shoulder before the electricity in the air faded. He had to get his captor away from the cockpit. “Hey, anyone there?”
The man’s footsteps echoed down the hall, and he soon appeared outside the cell. “Yeah?”
Grim had never tried to seduce anyone he wasn’t attracted to, but he had to give Duncan all the help he could. “Can I come out if I agree to be good the way you said?”
The man smiled, his eyes lighting up. “Meaning?”
Grim looked down at the man’s crotch. “I like men. I can suck a cock in exchange for better treatment. Getting out of this cell.”
Laughing, the man opened the cell door and crowded Grim back against the wall. “You want treatment that good, you’re gonna do more than suck.”
Grim wanted to fight, but he tried to stay calm. Maybe his breathlessness would be seen as arousal instead of panic. He didn’t hold back the shiver that moved over him. “Like what?”
“Like bending over that bunk and letting me fuck you. Good and hard.”
Grim swallowed back the bile in his throat. “I’m smaller than you. You won’t be too rough, will you?” He was stalling as best he could and also hoping that maybe the act would please this guy. He seemed to enjoy seeing pain and discomfort in others, so maybe he’d draw this out if he thought Grim was afraid.
The man put his hand down Grim’s pants and squeezed his cock and balls, twisting his fingers enough to make Grim gasp in pain. “You think you can negotiate with me?” He pulled back and threw Grim to the floor. “I’m going to tie your balls up and fuck you until you’re screaming. Begging to be allowed to come.”
Grim tried to get out of the cell and slam the door, but he wasn’t fast enough. The man wrestled him to the floor and ripped his clothes to shreds in seconds. He shoved Grim’s face against the floor and roughly fondled his balls, already tying something around them. He made a disgusting grunting sound as he massaged Grim’s hole.
The worst part was the way the man laughed at Grim’s fear.
Two unlubed fingers slid into him, and Grim cried out. But then a blast rocked the ship. The man scurried away, cursing, and Grim rolled to his side, partially paralyzed by his own terror. He heard, and felt, another blast. Moments later it seemed as if something was docking with them, the ship shuddering and metallic sounds ringing through the air. Grim could also make out a faint grinding noise as he tried to get up, every part of him shaking. He hadn’t imagined things would escalate that quickly.
The chaos of sounds that followed made little sense to Grim. Stars danced in front of his eyes, but he took deep breaths, refusing to pass out. He heard yelling and fighting, including the blast of a laser close by. Then footsteps came his way again, and he looked up to see what his fate was going to be.
****
Duncan kept the blaster pointed at the small of Jalecu’s back and the knife at his throat. He had to go slowly because Jalecu was a bit taller than he was, but he wasn’t about to let his guard down for one second. Yet when they reached the holding cell, Duncan almost lost it. He had to struggle to keep a hold on both weapons and to stop himself from using them right away. Grim lay on his side on the floor with a panicked look on his face. He was naked, the shreds of his clothes on the floor around him. He had a bruise on his cheek, and his wrist and nose were bleeding. He also had a strip of material haphazardly wrapped around his cock and balls.
Though it had been the best and easiest way, Duncan instantly regretted asking Grim to distract Jalecu. If Duncan had waited any longer, Grim might’ve been abused much worse. As far as he knew, Jalecu might’ve been fucking him when Duncan’s blast hit his ship.
“Are you all right, Grim?” Duncan asked.
Tears spilled from his eyes, but he nodded as he blinked against them. “Yeah. I’m fine.”
Duncan ground the gun against Jalecu’s back and said, “Who hired you? And what did they want with Grim?”
“You won’t do it. You’re too soft.” Jalecu cut his gaze to Duncan. “I told you that when you left me.” He looked back to Grim. “I considered trying to grab both of you, pretty boy. Like I said, he’s good.” Jalecu winked. “But you know that already.”
Duncan cursed silently as he wondered what Jalecu had said about him. He inched closer, trying to focus on exploiting Jalecu’s overconfidence. “That’s enough. It has nothing to do with right now.”
Grim looked back and forth between them. “It’s my parents. They want to recondition me. They’re angry you saved me, I’m sure.”
Duncan ran the blade of the knife along Jalecu’s neck. “That the truth?”
“Maybe. It’s what I told him.”
“Give me a reason to let you live.” He tilted the blade just a bit to make Jalecu look at him.
Jalecu laughed. “You kidding? Over a bounty?”
“He’s not just a bounty. And the universe would be better off without you.”
“Whatever. You won’t do it.”
“You hurt him. You have to pay.”
“You’re the one who’s gonna pay.” Jalecu met Duncan’s gaze. “I took you in.”
“You didn’t take me in. Your friends robbed me so I’d be helpless.”
Jalecu laughed. “You sure were grateful that night.”
“Shut up!”
“What, don’t want the rich boy who broke your heart to hear? I knew who he was as soon as I found out you were involved.” He thrust his hips forward a bit. “I can’t wait to fuck his cute little ass after I’m done with you, Duncan.”
Duncan pulled the trigger on the bla
ster without a moment’s hesitation. The light faded from Jalecu’s eyes as his mouth fell open in a silent cry. His body crumbled to the floor, and Duncan knelt to be sure he was dead. His scan had showed weapons hidden all over the ship, and he refused to take any more chances with Grim around.
Once he was sure Jalecu was dead, Duncan looked over at Grim, who had backed himself against the wall, his knees clutched to his chest. He knelt beside him and touched his cheek, pulling back a bit when Grim trembled and shut his eyes.
“Hey, it’s all right. It’s over.” He kissed Grim’s temple. “I’m so sorry I let him take you.”
Duncan reached over Grim’s legs and untied the strip of fabric from his testicles. Grim seemed to relax a bit, but he clutched at Duncan’s pants and pressed his forehead against Duncan’s knee.
“Get me out of here,” Grim said quietly, a slight tremor in his voice.
“I will. Are you hurt in any way?”
Grim just shook his head and said nothing. Duncan scooped him up gently and carried him back to their ship. Once he had Grim in bed under a blanket, he arranged for one of his agents to come and salvage Jalecu’s ship and dispose of the body. When he went to check on Grim, he found the blanket on the floor. Grim was in the small shower, sobbing and wiping at his eyes. Duncan wanted to comfort him, but he feared Grim wouldn’t welcome anyone’s touch right now.
“Let me know if you need anything,” Duncan said.
Grim raised his head slightly, wiping at his eyes. “Yeah. I w-will.”
Duncan walked back to the cockpit, wishing he’d made Jalecu’s death slower and more painful.
****
Grim lay alone on the bed in the room Duncan had prepared for him. Everything around him was still, and it was much too quiet. He sat up and looked at the door, knowing Duncan’s room was right across the hall. For three days, Duncan had been treating Grim as if he was so fragile he might shatter.
And Grim was tired of it.
He’d been upset by what had happened to him and disturbed by seeing Jalecu killed, but based on what had been found in the hunter’s computer, the universe was most definitely better off without him. Grim hadn’t been meant to overhear, but he’d caught a few bits of the conversation between Duncan and Oron.
Claimed (Imprisoned Book 3) Page 6