by Lynn Hagen
“Why?” he asked. Though he knew it would be futile, Eaton glanced around the room for some sort of weapon. Trakin had made sure Eaton’s room was cleaned out, leaving him with nothing but a bed. He highly doubted he could beat this man back with a sheet.
“I don’t have time for this shit,” the guy said. “Tell me your damn name.”
Eaton’s eyes gazed at the bodysuit the man was wearing. It fit like a glove, showing off his massive body. This stranger could snap Eaton in half without breaking a sweat.
“Your goddamn name!” the man snarled.
He jumped at the harsh tone that was barked at him. “Eaton.”
He hated himself for giving in to his fear.
The stranger’s eyes landed on the shackle wrapped around Eaton’s ankle. “Damn it.”
The air suddenly left the room when the man pulled his blaster from the holster he was wearing. Eaton slammed his eyes closed, shaking so badly that the chain rattled. His muscles locked into place when he heard the sound of the blaster going off.
No pain.
Eaton opened one eye and then the other. The man was still standing there, but his weapon had been holstered. Glancing down, Eaton could see that the chain was now in two pieces.
“Let’s get moving.”
Without having to be told twice, Eaton took off toward the door, the small piece of chain still attached to his ankle clanking loudly. He wasn’t sure who this stranger was, but he’d take his chances. It was better than waiting around to be sold.
As he ran down the hallway, Eaton tore the sheer shirt from his body, throwing it aside. There was nothing he could do about the pants. Although the material was transparent, it still made him feel better knowing there was some sort of fabric clinging to him.
Eaton skidded to a stop when three men advanced toward him. He recognized one of them. It was the Breed Assassin who had visited his father five years ago.
What in the hell was going on? Why would Breed Assassins be invading a brothel? Better yet, why were they freeing him? Eaton had heard nothing but horror stories about these men. Even when the one he recognized had come to Eaton’s father so long ago, the man had been quiet, lethal.
And now here he stood, glaring at Eaton’s pants as if they offended him.
“Find him some clothes,” he said to the men around him.
The man who had freed Eaton grunted. “We are fighting our way out of here and you want us to stop and dress the guy?”
Thoran. Eaton finally remembered the man’s name.
“He’s not leaving here dressed like that!” Thoran snapped at the man who had spoken. “Now find him some damn clothes, Dax.”
Dax flipped Thoran his middle finger. “Not a chance.”
Thoran snarled at Dax, his canines showing as he walked into the room closest to them and grabbed the sheet off the bed, tossing it at Eaton. “Put that on.”
Eaton had seconds to grab the sheet before the material landed on the floor. What in the hell was this guy’s problem? Eaton’s moves were jerky, anger filling him as he tied the sheet over himself like a toga. He glared at Thoran. “Happy?”
The snarl on the man’s face said he wasn’t.
The guy was definitely mental.
Two of Trakin’s men appeared at the end of the hall. They aimed their weapons and fired. The blast whizzed past Eaton’s ear. He dropped to the floor, covering his head before Thoran reached down and yanked Eaton to his feet.
The Assassins returned fire as they headed toward the window at the end of the hallway. Where in the hell were they going? His question was answered when Dax busted the window out.
“You want me to jump?” Eaton’s eyes widened. “But we’re on the third floor!”
“It’s our only way out,” Thoran said as he pushed past Eaton. “Either the window, or face the guys at the other end of the hall.”
Eaton glanced at the window once more. Who wanted to live forever? Gathering the bottom of the sheet in his arms, Eaton moved toward the window, trying his best not to step on the broken glass with his bare feet. The precaution was totally ridiculous considering he was about to die.
“I’ll go first,” an Assassin with a dragon tattoo on his arm said. Eaton clutched his sheet tightly in his hands. Was the guy really going to jump?
“How honorable of you, Nyk,” Dax said, but Eaton could tell the man wasn’t being sincere. His tone was more of a bluster.
Eaton nearly gasped when Nyk climbed onto the windowsill and jumped. He moved to the window and looked down, terrified the man would be dead. But to his relief, Nyk stood there unscathed, smiling up at him.
Who could do something like that and live? Eaton was a cat shifter, but not even he could manage a fall that far. Of course, he was just a tabby cat, not a predator. He was also mildly afraid of heights.
Two more men jumped before Thoran turned to Eaton. “Go.”
More of Trakin’s men filled the hallway, shooting and ducking as blasts were returned by Thoran and Dax. The window was slightly out of view from the other end of the hallway, giving them a small measure of cover. But that wasn’t going to last very long.
“I can’t.” Eaton looked at the window and knew he wouldn’t be able to make that leap. There was no way in hell he was going to land on his feet. Breaking his neck was more like it.
“I’ve got you covered,” Dax said to Thoran as he fired a few more rounds.
When Thoran grabbed Eaton, he thought the guy was going to toss him out the window. He’d been nothing but short with Eaton so far. But Eaton was lifted into gentle arms. “Kayden will catch you, petit chat. I promise.”
Eaton wasn’t sure if he should be offended that the wolf shifter had just called him little cat. But the words were spoken softly, gently, with no hostility. Eaton gazed up into the prettiest green eyes he’d ever seen. He found himself nodding as Thoran leaned out of the window, dangling Eaton over the edge. “Just don’t flail or you’ll make Kayden’s job harder.”
“Okay.” Eaton wrapped his arms around his chest, squeezed his eyes shut, and then the security of Thoran’s strong arms were gone. He was sailing through the air. Eaton would have screamed, but his voice was caught in his throat. He braced himself for the impact, expecting to hit the ground. But he landed in someone’s arms.
When he opened his eyes, Eaton wished he hadn’t. The tallest of the five men was staring at him with green-blue eyes. The look was penetrating before he set Eaton on his feet.
Eaton tilted his head back and waited for Dax and Thoran to follow.
“We need to move out,” Nyk said.
Kayden—the man who’d caught him—grabbed Eaton’s upper arm and hauled him toward waiting horses.
“What about the other two?” Eaton asked as he was lifted onto the horse’s bare back.
“They can take care of themselves,” Kayden said. “But we need to get away from here before the whole village wakes up.”
Eaton’s horse raced after the others as they took off toward the river. When they passed the blacksmith shop, Eaton’s chest tightened and regret—along with anger—consumed him. There was no doubt in his mind that he would never see his father again.
But more pressing concerns filled him.
Like, why had the Assassins rescued him and what did they plan on doing with Eaton?
Chapter Three
Thoran knew he’d been wrong for treating Eaton that way. But as soon as he’d seen the state of the man’s clothes, he’d instantly balked at the idea of how many men Eaton must have fucked since being at the brothel.
“What was that all about?” Dax asked as they rode to catch up with the others. Thoran wasn’t sure if they were being followed. He and Dax needed to get as far away from Crossover as possible. Thoran winced when his horse leapt over a fallen branch. He’d taken a shot to the leg while trying to get out of there. He wasn’t sure how bad the wound was, but even the smallest burn could become infected if left untreated.
“I have no idea wh
at you’re talking about.”
Dax snorted. “You practically twist our arms to get that man free and then you treat him like a leper.”
“I didn’t twist shit,” Thoran argued. “I told you guys to stay back.” He wasn’t going to have this conversation with Dax. It was none of the guy’s business that Thoran was acting like an ass. All he could think about was the harlot way Eaton has been dressed, his cock displayed for all to see. Logic wasn’t a part of his thinking process right now.
But as repulsed as he was with Eaton’s state of dress, he hadn’t been able to bring himself to be mean to the guy when he’d seen how scared Eaton had been about jumping out of the window.
And that only pissed him off more.
“Remind me to never have you rescue me,” Dax said as they passed over the bridge and headed toward the woods. “Because if you’d treated me like that, I would’ve served you your balls.”
“Drop it,” Thoran snapped. What really bothered him most was the fact that, since he’d started thinking about Eaton last night, Thoran hadn’t thought of Nyda. The guilt was eating him alive. How could he so easily forget his sister for someone he had met only once in passing?
They made it to the shuttle without incident, but Thoran knew they wouldn’t be semi-safe until they were away from this planet. God, he hated this place. He hated the Empire for passing on the lie that Thoran had been sold here. A part of him wanted to hate Draven as well. His mentor had repeated the lie and had shattered Thoran at such a young age. But he couldn’t find it in himself to blame Draven. His handler was the closest thing to a father Thoran had ever had. Although tough, Draven had shown the Assassins a kindness that Thoran cherished.
After dismounting the horse, Thoran slapped its flank. The horse took off with the others. Thoran entered the shuttle and his eyes dropped to where Eaton was sitting in the back, talking quietly to Nyk.
“Get us out of here,” Thoran called to Logan before walking to the front of the shuttle. He couldn’t bring himself to talk with Eaton, let alone look at him. Half of Thoran wanted to pull the slim man into his arms and make sure he was okay. The other wanted nothing to do with the guy.
It wasn’t just because of the way Eaton was dressed or what he’d been forced into. Eaton was making Thoran feel strange things that he’d never felt before and he didn’t like the foreign emotions. They would find a safe planet to drop Eaton on, and that would be the end of it.
“Something wrong?” Kayden asked. “I would have thought you’d be back there with Eaton.”
Thoran paused while he finished his current flight check. He looked over to find Kayden giving him a hard stare. “What is it with everyone busting my balls?”
Kayden scratched his chin in an irritated gesture. “The guy was just put through some traumatic bullshit. Don’t you think he could use a friend?”
“He and Nyk seemed to be getting along just fine.” Thoran ignored the pang of jealousy that raced through him.
“Nyk isn’t the one who insisted on rescuing the guy.”
Thoran finished his flight checks before he spoke again. “It was a mercy mission, nothing more. Don’t read too deeply into this, Kayden.” He glanced back to see Nyk and Eaton still speaking in a low whisper. “He’ll be fine.”
Logan and Dax glanced at Thoran but didn’t say a word. The shuttle lifted off from Colossus, heading toward the ship Kayden’s parents had loaned them, the Venture. It was sleek and shiny, the royal colors displayed. The gold and navy blue appeared majestic in the night sky. It was the fastest ship Thoran had ever been on. Everything was brand new and state of the art, unlike the Foreplay, the ship the Empire had supplied them with.
They landed on board the Venture and Thoran was the first to exit, heading straight for the bridge. Nyk could settle Eaton in.
Logan was hot on his heels. The pilot dropped into his seat as Thoran sat next to the guy. They left the planet’s atmosphere in record time. The House of Mustoff was located on the fringes of the galaxy, on a planet named Japori. It was mostly made up of water and ice. But in the center of the small world was a large land mass the people of the planet called home.
The temperature averaged around ten degrees Fahrenheit year-round. There were some Japorians who lived in ice castles, preferring the chilly homes to the forests that lined the land.
The House of Mustoff was located on the outskirts of a small town to the east. The name belied the vastness of the estate. It wasn’t a house, but an expansive mansion that took up five acres with the building alone. There was treacherous terrain surrounding the mansion, replete with wildebeests that stood five feet in height, eight in length. Their sharp teeth and nasty disposition stopped a lot of people from invading the land around the house of ill repute.
It was going to take them a week to get to Japori and then another three days to traverse the land. They wouldn’t be going by foot. The wildebeests would tear them apart. Thoran and the other men would have to secure all-terrain vehicles built to withstand those snarly beasts.
And even those vehicles weren’t guaranteed to keep them safe.
Once they were clear of Colossus, Thoran left the piloting to Logan. He made his way to a small office he’d claimed for himself when first boarding this ship back on Sator. Dax and Nyk had given him some paperwork to look over concerning the freighting company they wanted to start up. He needed the distraction.
Thoran locked the door behind him before leaning against the wall and letting out a long breath. He needed to get his shit together where Eaton was concerned.
Still, an image of Eaton’s slim body outlined by his sheer pants scorched him. His initial reaction might have been one of disdain, but there was no denying how his body was reacting right now to the memory. Even now Thoran could feel Eaton pressed against him as he prepared to drop the man out of the window. He could feel how Eaton’s body had shook and how the guy had looked up at him so trustingly.
Get a fucking grip…
Thoran’s body was so hard it was all he could do not to limp to the desk. Forcing his mind to other thoughts, Thoran took a seat and began to skim over the papers. But his mind was a traitorous bastard. It kept going back to visions of Eaton, his bared cock, his gorgeous pale-blue eyes, and the silky black hair that hung to his shoulders.
With a tired sigh, he tossed the paperwork aside. Thoran slumped in his seat as he rubbed his hand over his jaw, wondering if Eaton was settled in.
The door slid open and Thoran growled. “I locked it for a reason.”
“And I overrode the command.” Dax strolled in and dropped into a seat close to the wall. “What do you think of the freighting proposal?”
Thoran’s fingers grazed over the papers he was supposed to be looking at. “I still need to go over it.”
“It was put together in a hurry, so let me know if there is anything you want to add or discuss.” Dax wasn’t here about the proposal. Thoran could see the wheels turning in the man’s head. Since when in the hell did Breed Assassins become counselors?
“If you’re here about Eaton, I’m going to make you eat my blaster.” Thoran picked the papers up and pretended to scan over them.
“I’ll wisely leave you alone.” Dax stood. “But that wall of yours has to come down sometime. You can’t go on being alone forever.”
“Out,” Thoran snapped. The unit Thoran belonged to was invaluable to him, but there were days when he wondered if he’d miss Dax if he shot the man. After Dax was gone, Thoran pulled up the charts for Japori, trying to plot out the best course to take.
It wasn’t going to be easy. No matter which direction they decided to take, the journey was going to be cold and harsh, with rocky terrain all around.
Thoran pulled the picture of Nyda from his pocket and studied the photograph, his thumb slowly skimming over her features. She looked just like him. Her eyes held such innocence that Thoran’s stomach twisted into knots. Ten years she had been missing. There was no telling what had been done to her i
n that time, what she’d been forced to endure.
Setting the picture aside, Thoran left his office and headed toward the galley for something to eat. He came up short when he spotted Eaton sitting at the long table, wearing one of Logan’s shirts. Eaton swam in the material and Thoran growled at the thought of another man’s scent on the cat shifter.
Eaton’s eyes grew slightly wide before his gaze dropped to the slice of bread in front of him. “I never got the chance to thank you for rescuing me.”
Thoran didn’t respond because he wasn’t sure what to say. The protective way his wolf was behaving was disturbing. He wanted to walk over to Eaton and rip the offensive material from the man’s body.
He glanced over at the walk-in cooling unit and then headed that way. Thoran was no longer hungry, but he refused to run away like a scared little boy. He could handle being in the same room with Eaton for five minutes. But as he looked for something quick to eat in the large size refrigerator, Dax’s words filtered through his mind.
No, Thoran didn’t need to lower any walls and he damn sure could go on being alone forever. The last thing he wanted was a mate.
As he turned to exit the cooling unit, he ran right into Eaton. The man tumbled backward. Out of instinct, Thoran reached out and caught the shifter. When his hand touched Eaton’s bare arm and he felt the soft skin under his fingers, Thoran became instantly hard.
He stood over the cat shifter, intoxicated by the flawless features of Eaton’s face, his pert nose, succulent lips, and gorgeous pale-blue eyes. His fingers were itching to trace the delicate lines, to inhale the sultry scent. Eaton just stood there, his eyes riveted on Thoran.
Clearing his throat, Thoran released Eaton. He wasn’t even sure how Eaton had snuck up on him with the shackle and piece of chain still wrapped around the man’s ankle.
“I was just—” Eaton’s head turned to the side and a fine blush spread across his cheeks. “I was just looking for something sweet to eat.”