When he reached the outskirts of the field, he saw the neat rows of dug-up sand. It was clear where they had stopped working. The body of the overseer was likely left where he’d dropped since there weren’t any drag marks around him. A massive purple stain covered the head area of the man’s veil. On another world it would undoubtedly still be moist, but here it was curled up as if the stain itself were in pain. There was no odor. Honor figured the being would undoubtedly mummify within days if he hadn’t already.
“Stop!” a veiled creature half Honor’s height called out.
Honor stopped and lifted his hands open and out. “I have no weapons. I am here to talk to Carver Tam.”
The creature pulled back ever so slightly, showing his surprise. There was some kind of signal going from him to the others near the tent, and then someone ducked into the largest shelter. After a moment, a massive man emerged. Honor could not believe how happy he was. He had no doubt he was looking at Carver Tam. He’d been certain he would ultimately find him dead but he hadn’t. And then slowly, his joy faded. He couldn’t have him. His only goal here was to rescue the Earthling and set him free.
Chapter 4
Carver realized that whoever the guy was, he was certainly one big-assed dude. He had to be a foot taller than him and at least a foot wider. But his stance was completely nonthreatening. Turning to those inside the tent, he asked, “What is he?”
“He’s a Krase warrior.” Carver was given a crash course on the Krase and realized this encounter was probably a prelude to them declaring war.
“I do not think they are here to restore order,” Acerith offered, peering through a slit in the tent wall. “The Krase do not eat jild, nor do they own an interest in the planet.”
“How do you know that? Not the eating thing but that they have no financial interest in this farm?”
“The entire planet is owned by one man.”
“Oh.” Carver couldn’t imagine one person owning an entire world. “What is he here for then?”
“He says he’s here for you.”
Carver wondered if his owner wanted him back. When he asked if that could be the case, Acerith laughed at him and shook his head.
“I don’t think you understand that he’s a Krase warrior, not someone’s errand boy.”
Acerith had actually used a different term, but errand boy was what Carver’s translator turned his term into.
“Even if your former master had more money than anyone in the galaxy, he would not be able to hire Krase warriors to retrieve his property.” Acerith stood. “I will go and speak with him if you wish.”
“I’ll go.” Carver left the tent and walked toward the Krase warrior. He wished he would pull off his veil so that Carver could get a look at his features. His body was damn impressive, and the color of his skin fascinating, but what did his face look like? Not that he expected he’d be in a better position if he could see his features, just that he was curious. Once they’d all agreed to work together to stage their rebellion, everyone had shared their name and nationality. They were all so different, but the one thing they had in common was that they didn’t want to die by being worked to death.
Acerith had been very valuable in helping Carver determine which species were best for each job. Much to his dismay, he’d discovered some of the creatures working the farm were here because they were criminals. The owner of the planet bought them at a discount rate since they were slated to die. They had liked the idea of freedom but didn’t want to work together as a group. Those beings, mostly men but a handful of women, had stolen the overseer’s mount and left in the dead of night. Carver had no idea where they were and didn’t much care. The rest of the creatures wanted freedom at any cost. They were the ones who had fallen to slavery through no fault of their own. The only one who hadn’t shared his tale was Acerith. Carver didn’t think he was a criminal, but he was clearly hiding something.
As he got closer to the Krase warrior, Carver couldn’t help but notice how cut his abs were. Whoever he was, he barely had any body fat at all, judging by his belly. And his arms were so big Carver wouldn’t be able to wrap both his hands around them, though he would certainly like to try. Carver was able to get a much better look at him when the wind caught the flowing cut of his cape and blew the beige fabric out behind his body.
Fuck.
That was the only thought that kept repeating in Carver’s head. The Krase warrior was built like a god. With each step closer, Carver wondered if he worked out to look like that or if he came by the ripped physique naturally. Either way, Carver would love to touch him. Just once. Well, maybe twice. There was something so appealing about him, but Carver couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was.
And then he got close enough to see his eyes were red. Not a bloodshot red, but a rich ruby red that had to be normal for his kind. Again, Carver was mesmerized but didn’t quite understand why. He thought of Mac and how he’d looked at him pretty much every day for a year and never felt this kind of pull until that day he’d gotten the good news about the Broncos. Maybe all he was feeling was attraction toward another creature who had a devastating body that looked remarkably human. He was bigger, this Krase warrior, but he was still amazingly human in shape.
“I am Honor Vengeance.”
Carver couldn’t help his automatic response. “Really?”
“That is my name, yes.” Honor removed the lower part of the veil that covered his mouth, revealing very human-looking lips. Carver wondered if his kind kissed and if so what it would feel and taste like to lock lips with this guy. “Are you Carver Tam?”
Carver nodded and slowly removed the lower half of his veil. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt like what they were doing was somehow sexual. Almost as if they were slowly showing themselves to the other in a dance of seduction. Idly, Carver wondered if he removed his pants would Honor follow suit? But then he remembered all he was wearing was the white cloth twisted into something like a loincloth. He was far more exposed than Honor, but he doubted he’d convince the guy to whip out his wang so they could compare.
“I’m here to take you back to Krase.”
“Why?”
There was a brief but noticeable pause in Honor’s answer. “You were illegally sold into slavery.”
Carver felt a wave of relief go through him. Everything he’d left behind he could get back. Mac, the job offer—all of it. He was so grateful he would have cried, but he was simply too dehydrated. “I’m going home?”
Again, another pause, this one much longer. Honor looked down at the ground then up, but he didn’t quite meet Carver’s eyes. “I’m sorry. You simply can’t return to Earth.”
Carver felt as if he’d just suffered repeated blows of the lash. He ached somewhere inside that could never be healed. “I have to go back. I have—you don’t understand what’s waiting for me there.”
Something about Honor’s features seemed to soften. “You have a love there?”
The way he said it gave Carver some hope. Perhaps if Honor thought he was in love he would help him get home. Mac had been the best roommate a guy could want, and after that brief but mindblowing interlude, Carver was pretty damn sure they were well on the road to something. Maybe not love but maybe so. It was difficult to say after one wickedly hot encounter.
“While I’m sympathetic, there is nothing I can do.” Honor looked over Carver’s shoulder. “I will explain, but not here. Will you come with me?”
Carver shook his head. “I’m not leaving them.”
Honor nodded resolutely, and then a tiny grin lifted up one edge of his mouth. “What if I offered to free them as well as you?”
“You’d do that?”
“I would.”
Carver had never been one to listen to advice. Rather than following the notion of never looking a gift horse in the mouth, he was immediately suspicious, and asked, “Why?”
“Because you care about them. And most of them are probably here for the same reason you
are.”
“You know what happened to me?”
“After having met Fraunnon, I can guess.”
Carver considered. If they stayed, they would eventually run out of what little resources they had. At least with Honor they had a chance of getting to a better place. “You won’t re-enslave them?”
“No. I swear they will be given freedom and returned to their home lands or wherever they wish to go. Provided they are not criminals.”
“I think all of the criminals left with the overseer’s mount.”
“Then I will be happy to free those left.”
“And me.”
“And you.”
Carver nodded, but he sensed there was something else going on. Honor hesitated in answering, and that gave Carver pause. Just what was the big guy thinking? Since he wasn’t a mind reader and likely wouldn’t develop the skill in the next few seconds, he said, “Please wait here while I tell the troops.”
Honor nodded and then pressed against the side of his throat.
Carver heard him rapidly dispensing orders as he walked over to the main tent.
“So?” Acerith asked. “What does he want you for?”
“Apparently, I was wrongly enslaved. He’s come to free me.”
Acerith was on his feet. “That’s wonderful news!”
“It gets better. He swore to free everyone else here, too.” Carver was expecting another burst of joy, but Acerith looked stricken. “He said he won’t free the criminals. Just the slaves.”
Acerith turned away.
“I thought you’d be happy.”
“I am,” Acerith turned around and forced a smile. “But I will not go.”
“What? Why?” Carver realized if he didn’t go he was going to die here. “It’s suicide for you to stay.”
“Better that than what waits for me if I leave.”
“Maybe the time has come for you to tell me your story.”
Chapter 5
In short order, several more shuttles landed. Honor helped the slaves find a place, but he ensured that Carver would ride with him. When Carver insisted on staying with another alien, a Venian named Acerith, Honor felt the first spark of a new and alien emotion. Jealousy. The feeling was so dark and hateful he was literally afraid of how it made him feel. If he gave into the emotion, he would happily kick Acerith off the shuttle so Carver would have no choice but to be with him. However, acting on that impulse was a guaranteed way to make Carver hate him. Only by sheer force of will did Honor not betray anything to those he worked with. He was fairly certain he’d succeeded with Carver, too, but he hadn’t fooled Acerith.
This came as no surprise to Honor. Venians had an odd way of reading others. Not their thoughts, necessarily, but their overall emotional state. They were forbidden to enter certain establishments because of their abilities. How one had ended up here was a mystery that would be solved soon enough. All of the creatures would have to submit to a thorough criminal investigation before they would be released. Honor was willing to free them if they were simply slaves, but he would not be responsible for unleashing criminals back into the universe.
Honor’s jealousy surged to a new and dangerous height when Carver selected a seat next to Acerith. They weren’t holding hands, but they might as well have been. For a moment, he’d thought Carver had a love on Earth, and that would be a shame for Carver emotionally, but Honor couldn’t help but see it as a bonus for himself. He would offer himself out to help Carver forget. However, if he’d managed to find a new love here, there was nothing Honor could do short of forcefully separating them. After what happened when he’d done that before, he would not do so again no matter how much he wanted Carver for himself. Distance didn’t dissipate love.
Choosing a seat across from Carver and Acerith gave Honor an excellent vantage point to watch their interactions. They were clearly close as evidenced by the way they spoke to one another, but Honor did not see sexual interest between them. That didn’t mean lust wasn’t there, just that it wasn’t evident.
When Acerith looked pointedly at Honor, he felt challenged, and wanted to growl, but refrained. He had no claim on Carver. Only in his mind did there exist something between them. What made his lust sharpen was the fact that once Carver was out of the blazing sun, he’d removed the veil and cape. He wore only a crudely fashioned loincloth that did little to hide his cock and balls. His body was smaller now than it had been during the auction, but Honor was certain all he needed was adequate food and rest then he’d return to his original magnificence. Not that he was less so now, not with his darkly bronzed skin and sun-bleached hair. Both highlighted his unusual green eyes, compelling Honor to look that direction.
Carver was looking right at him.
Honor felt a connection. This was not wishful thinking or longing gone awry. Something fundamental and basic flowed between them. Almost against his will, Honor realized that Carver might feel beholden to him. Honor had saved his life, but he had done so because it was his duty. Or perhaps Carver felt gratitude for the fact Honor had freed the slaves he’d grown to care about. Maybe Carver was only looking at Honor that way because he’d saved Acerith. There was no way of knowing unless he asked. That wasn’t something he was likely to do. Not when he didn’t want to hear the answer. Honor found it far more pleasurable to imagine Carver was looking at him with lustful interest than to know it was simply gratefulness.
Despite the fact that the ride in the shuttle was quiet, there was very little talking. After Carver and Acerith exchanged half a dozen words, they fell silent then looked out the window. This allowed Honor to look at Carver without him being aware of his attention. He was just admiring the harsh pride of his chin when his gaze went to Acerith.
He was watching Honor.
What Honor found disturbing about his attention was that he couldn’t quite understand what Acerith was looking at him for. He didn’t think it was lust, loathing, or even a curiosity about his race. Honor simply had no idea why the Venian was so utterly fascinated with him.
It was on the tip of Honor’s tongue to ask, but Carver took his attention off the window and riveted his gaze to Honor. Now he had two beings giving him a thorough examination. Rather than engage them, he turned to the window and peered down at the sand-strewn world of Bewen. If he never saw the overheated, under-watered ball of sand again it would be too soon. Honor wished he could offer all the slaves refreshments, but logistically it had been easier to dispatch the shuttles as quickly as possible while the officers onboard the battleship readied supplies for their guests.
Honor didn’t anticipate any problems, not when his ship had thousands of war-hardened Krase on board. Even if he was transporting the universe’s biggest and most dangerous criminal, he wouldn’t be able to do anything locked in the shuttle bay.
Although, Honor hoped to give Carver a personal tour of the ship. He would, of course, show him his personal quarters. He knew after talking to Noble and Blessed that Earthlings were very driven to bathe and play in water. He’d had a bath created per Tyler’s explanation and hoped—no. He had to stop trying to seduce the man. His job was to retrieve the humans, free them, then have them assimilated into society. Tyler and Blessed would be happy to get Carver settled and show him how the city operated.
As Honor thought about that, he frowned. Tyler would no doubt dress Carver up in his same fashion, a style that Blessed liked but Honor hated. Another human had called the look a retro throwback to the 80s. Honor didn’t know what that was, but he didn’t want Carver to wear that particular style. It wouldn’t work to show him off to best advantage. However, when Honor tried to imagine what fashion would suit Carver best, he drew a blank. He thought the best thing the man could wear was nothing at all.
Once the shuttles docked, the refugees were assigned a bedding area then offered food, drink, hygiene facilities, and makeshift clothing. Since almost all of them were bipeds, this made the issue of clothing and cleaning much easier. Water was essentially the sa
me for all. Food was a little more difficult, but they had enough variety on the ship that they were able to find something for each species.
“I don’t seem to have a bed assigned to me.” Carver was looking around rather hesitantly.
“That is because you are not a slave seeking asylum. You have a room within the ship.” Honor pointed toward the exit.
“I wish to stay here.”
Honor opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
“I don’t want to be treated differently from them. We all went in this together. Somehow it seems unfair if I’m treated better than they are.”
Honor wanted to applaud his nobility, but despaired that his dreams of somehow instigating a liaison between them were utterly futile. Rather than cause a fuss, he ordered that another bed be brought in. When he turned away to hide his disappointment, Acerith was there, looking at him.
A part of Honor wanted to grasp Acerith by the shoulders and demand to know why he was looking at him like that, but he knew he was overreacting. Instead of engaging him in conversation, Honor left the shuttle bay and went to his private quarters. The first thing he was going to do was figure out who Acerith was, why he was on Bewen, and where Honor was going to drop him off.
As soon as he entered his rooms, the blue stain on the carpet filled his vision. He had tried everything to clean it, but it simply wouldn’t come out. Eventually, it would fade, or so he hoped. Ignoring his mark of shame as best he could, Honor settled at his console and activated the unit. He could have issued the order to devotee to do his research, but Honor wanted and needed the distraction.
It didn’t take long for him to find out Acerith’s identity. His research was made much easier by the fact the man was using his real name. What was not simple was understanding Acerith’s motives. Why had he gone to Bewen? As Honor sat there pondering the situation, he began to realize it certainly hadn’t been of his own free will. Acerith had been sent to the jild farm as a form of punishment, just like Carver. Perhaps that explained their closeness. They did have somewhat similar circumstances.
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