by Rachel Clark
It took a moment for Tee-ani to realize that he was mumbling “I’m sorry,” over and over. She pushed both palms against his chest, trying to ease away from him, but he tightened his hold, so she ended up squirming and thrashing in his arms until he let go. He stepped back, but he wouldn’t look at her.
“Trey?” she asked again. “Trey, I need you to explain to me why you are so upset.”
His head shot up then, his gaze pinning hers, as a cross between a sob and a laugh escaped him.
“Why are you even talking to me?” The words were angry, but she somehow realized he was angry with himself, not her. She stepped forward and reached up to place her palm against the side of his face.
“Trey, I need you to explain it to me. Why did you leave?”
He stepped forward to haul her back into his arms, but she took a step back and raised her hand in protest. Dammit, she wanted an answer. If he thought incredible sex gave him the right to tell her what she could and couldn’t do, well, he could think again. He just stood there looking as confused as she felt.
“Trey! I am going to rescue G’baena with or without your help. Are we clear on that?” She fisted both hands on her hips, adrenaline coursing through her at the thought that he would try to stop her. Well they weren’t on G’trobia. She was an independent human female, and there was no fucking way was she going to start acting like anything less now.
“You think this is about rescuing G’baena?”
She froze at his soft words. What the hell? Okay, now she was more confused than ever. If it wasn’t about the rescue mission, then what the hell was it about? She couldn’t decide whether to nod or shake her head. If she’d thought she had a clue, well, she sure knew better now. Not only didn’t she understand his behavior, she couldn’t even begin to understand her own.
Her legs trembled, her arms aching to wrap around him, and she had the insane urge to kneel at his feet and promise to obey him. What the fuck?
Her own reactions pissed her off more than anything and suddenly her control snapped. “Enough of this crap! If you won’t explain it to me, then you can go to hell. I love you and I thought you loved me, too, but there is no way I will ever be anything less than who I am. And, if you can’t accept me for me, then we have nothing to talk about.”
She turned on her heel, determined to escape the room before she burst into tears. Even now, her throat ached with the emotions threatening to choke her. Strong arms grabbed her from behind and she fought against Trey’s hold, even as she weakened in her resolve.
“G’bani…Tee, stop. Please stop.”
She stilled, trying to stay angry, trying to stay strong against the fear of losing him. How could she love someone who couldn’t—wouldn’t—let her be herself?
“Tee, I am so sorry. I love everything about you—especially your independence. I would never ask you to act differently, to be someone you’re not.”
“Then why all this?” She swung her arm out, indicating the gym area. “Why run from me earlier?”
“I’m sorry, g’bani. I never meant to hurt you. I almost claimed you again.” He closed his eyes quickly, but not before she saw the sheen of unshed tears. “Tee, I wanted to mark you, permanently scar you, even knowing that it was the last thing you wanted. I’m more angry at myself than I can ever explain.” He ran his hands through his hair in agitation. “And I’m angry at the situation, at the possibility that I might lose you, that I might not be able to protect you. I’m not angry at you. G’bani, I love you.”
“Trey.” She took a deep breath, trying to sift through her emotions so that she could say the words he needed to hear. “I love you and I love that you want to protect me, but it goes both ways.” She urged his face down so that she could look directly into his eyes. “I’m scared of losing you and Ben, too. I’d rather none of us risk our lives, but we have to. We need to get G’baena to safety. None of us are capable of just walking away and living our lives. We need to do this.”
* * * *
Goddess, he loved this woman. She was the exact opposite of everything he’d grown up believing about females. She was smart, intelligent, fast to love, slow to anger, and he couldn’t imagine a future without her. The very fact that he was willing to let her walk into danger to save G’baena was the thing that made his temper boil. He’d grown knowing that women were to be protected, knowing that it was his responsibility as a male to make sure that females were sheltered and cherished and provided for. He’d never even entertained the idea that a woman could not only take care of herself, but fight alongside him, until he’d met Sarah and Tee-ani and the other human women on this ship. He hadn’t even realized it was possible. He pulled Tee-ani tighter into his arms as he dipped his head to slowly kiss those beautiful lips.
“G’bani, I’m sorry about the way I left things before. I was angry and frustrated that my need to protect you is overridden by my need to love the woman you are—even when that puts you in danger.” He kissed her again and she moaned into his mouth, reminding him of how he’d taken her earlier in bed. “Tee, did I hurt you? I shouldn’t have been so rough. I should’ve taken better care of you.”
She grabbed him by the ears and dragged his head down so that their noses touched. “Let me get one thing straight here. You didn’t, nor have you ever, hurt me. I love everything you and Ben do when we make love. I’ve never known such incredible satisfaction.”
“But if we hurt you…” He didn’t get to finish the sentence. She lifted up and took his mouth in an aggressive kiss.
When she finally let him up for breath she whispered, “I would let you know straightaway. Trust me, Trey. You and Ben have never done anything I didn’t want you to do.”
He tried to smile, but his gaze fell to her throat where just hours earlier, he and his brother had bitten her in the way of G’trobian claiming. She smiled as she followed his gaze and lifted his face back to hers.
“That was just a little misunderstanding and easily fixed. These things are going to happen in mixed-species relationships. We just need to make sure we all know where we’re headed.” She waited until he nodded and then she stepped backward and grabbed his hand. “Now let’s go find Ben and get organized for our mission.”
The way she said it, the way no fear quavered her voice, had him loving her even more. He was empathic, he could feel her fear and doubts, but she was determined to save G’baena and he was going to do everything he could to make sure she succeeded.
* * * *
Are you sure you’re ready for this?
The words sat on the tip of his tongue. Ben knew she was scared, knew the experience would bring back some dreadful memories, but he also knew she had to do this. So no way would he say those words out loud, no matter how much his mind repeated them.
Trey glanced over to him. Ben didn’t really need to make eye contact to know what his brother was thinking, but he understood the need for reassurance. They’d spent months denying their feelings for the beautiful human doctor, and now that they’d finally admitted their love for her, there was a very good chance they were going to lose her.
He turned to Tee-ani. The slave outfit barely covered her beautiful body. She’d colored her eyes with lenses and died her silky blonde hair a deep purple in an effort to hide her identity. They didn’t want to risk anyone recognizing the human doctor who’d managed to escape slavery with many others several months ago.
Ben could sense the turmoil of emotions going through her. Even though she’d volunteered for this mission, he could feel the energy it took to control the fear and rising anxiety. There was no doubt that she understood the danger they were walking into, but her determination kept her reactions tightly under control, and he loved her even more for it.
Perhaps this was the real reason he and Trey had left their home planet when they did. Not because they were spoiled princes who wanted more, but because they’d sensed something wrong with the attitudes and accepted customs of their people and needed to exper
ience a wider understanding of the universe around them. If they’d known the price G’baena would pay, they wouldn’t have left without her.
“We’ve got permission to land.” Trey glanced over at him again. “Everybody ready?”
They both turned to Tee-ani, unable to stifle their protective instincts. She stepped forward, a reassuring grin on her face and reached up to hug them both. She held them for a moment and then gracefully lowered herself to her knees with her head down.
“I am ready, master.”
The title made Ben nauseous. It was so difficult to hide his reaction, despite the fact that he’d been raised believing women should be subservient, that they should obey their husbands’ wishes. His time with Tee-ani had changed something very fundamental in his beliefs and instead of seeing a woman who honored her husband, he saw a person stripped of their basic rights, unable to make their own choices, and he hated it. Hated everything about his upbringing and his people’s beliefs. Were the women on G’trobia any better off than those forced into slavery?
It took a moment to realize that Trey was feeling the same way.
Tee-ani raised her head and spoke very quietly.
“Ben, Trey, you have to do this. It’s the only way to get G’baena to safety.” Still, they hesitated. Tee-ani lifted her hands and pressed a wide leather collar into Ben’s unresisting grasp. “If it makes you feel better,” she said with a cheeky smile, “I’ll kick your ass for it later.”
Ben smiled, despite his discomfort. Tee-ani might not be empathic, but she could read him and his brother like unlocked data pads. He took the collar from her and touched her cheek softly so that she looked at him again. “I love you.”
“I know.” She lifted her hair away from her neck so that he could fasten the collar around her delicate throat. He wanted to haul her into his arms and kiss her until neither of them could breathe, but the ship’s sensors squawked annoyingly, reminding him that they were about to land.
Ben turned back to the controls as his brother lifted Tee-ani to her feet and kissed her tenderly. “We get in, we locate G’baena, and we get the hell out. Okay? No delays, no change in plan, no walking into danger.”
“Yes, Master.” The words were right, but the tone was very, very wrong. Ben fought the smile that threatened his stern façade as he turned to Tee-ani.
“Showtime. We will protect you, Tee, but you need to act the part.”
She lowered her face, her body seeming to shrink before his eyes. One moment she was a confident, well-spoken doctor—his Tee-ani—and the next she was a subservient, submissive slave, and the change absolutely terrified him. What horrors had this woman seen, lived through, when she’d been held on a slave ship?
Chapter Eight
“Ahh. Welcome to my humble abode.” Keytark was the strangest, ugliest humanoid she’d ever seen, and even though she’d known what to expect, his physical appearance still made her skin crawl. He reminded her of ancient Earth photos she'd seen of body builders who'd taken steroids and developed so many bulging muscles that they could barely walk. His neck and shoulder muscles were so large that they created a sort of collar around his head.
He sat in a large, ornate chair that could only be described as a throne. Pressed against his grossly, over-muscled legs were scantily-dressed female slaves. They had the coloring and eye shape typical of Pendarian women, but they were thin to the point of starvation and their posture suggested they’d lost all hope. Neither of them moved or even acknowledged the presence of visitors.
Tee-ani carefully kept her eyes lowered as she scanned as much of the room as she could without being obvious. Smaller chairs lined each wall and behind them stood discreetly placed, but dangerous-looking body guards. At first, she’d thought they were in a cavernous reception hall, but since she was kneeling beside Trey and very close to the ground, she noticed the distinct lines of wires laid in the grooves of the floor. She couldn’t figure out their exact function but she noticed that a set of wires travelled to each chair and to the space between where she would be expected to kneel. The thought that she, Trey, and Ben possibly stood in the middle of a trap had her mentally scrambling to control her outer reactions.
She felt Trey’s leg muscles stiffen beside her, and she realized that he sensed her distress. Fortunately, he controlled his voice as he spoke and none of the emotions he must have felt leaked through.
“Thank you, Master Keytark. We are very pleased that you meet with us today.”
“Sit. Sit.” Keytark’s voice sounded jovial, like he enjoyed visitors, and it seemed obvious by the surroundings that he was a man used to getting his way. When Trey and Ben sat, Trey dragged on her collar and leash to position her between them. A firm hand pressed her face against his thigh. Tee-ani melted into his touch, reassured by the feel of his hand tangling in her hair.
“Ah, I see your slave is very well trained. Did you educate her yourself?”
Ben laughed. Not the happy laugh she’d come to know and love. This laugh sounded sarcastic, sinister, like he really was the pirate he pretended to be. “Of course. It took quite a while to break this one’s spirit but she is all the sweeter for it, I assure you.”
Tee-ani heard Keytark’s answering bark of laughter, the sound so similar to the creatures who’d run the slave ship that horrifying images flashed through her mind. Pictures from her nightmares, scenes from her past, threatened to overwhelm her, until Trey’s hand smoothed over her head and face. “Yes, this one was worth the effort.”
“Now tell me, to what do I owe the pleasure of such unexpected company?” Okay, so Keytark might sound like he enjoyed visitors, but his voice hinted at suspicion, maybe even paranoia.
“We heard that you own a very special slave, a G’trobian female, and we wondered if we could tempt you to part with her. We have long wished for a slave of our own species, but as you know, it is against G’trobian law for the women to leave the planet. I would be willing to pay quite a handsome price to acquire such a rare slave.” Tee-ani heard the throne creak as Keytark shifted his massive body in his seat. Pressed against Trey the way she was, it was difficult to discern what was happening, but she got the impression Keytark leaned forward in his chair. A show of interest, perhaps?
“I see.” The voice sounded smug, arrogant in his assumption that he held the upper hand. “And what would you be willing to offer in exchange for such a rare and valuable slave?”
“That would depend on her training, of course.”
The bark of laughter came again, this time louder, the voice turning aggressive as he spoke. “All of my slaves are well trained, even those who gave me the greatest trouble.” Tee-ani heard twin gasps of pain. It seemed obvious that he was talking about the women at his feet, and right then and there Tee-ani did the one thing she’d promised Ben and Trey she wouldn’t—she changed their plans.
* * * *
Ben watched the two women at Keytark’s feet gasping in pain. The collars around their throats looked tight enough that they would be barely able to breath, let alone talk or cry. Keytark had pressed a button on the arm of his chair and both women had seemed to vibrate in pain, like they'd been hit with an electric shock. He then dragged on their leashes and made sure both women hit the sides of his throne hard before he continued talking.
“Bring the slave they speak of.” A guard immediately left the room, hopefully to fetch G’baena, but far from feeling excited that they may be able to extricate G’baena without trouble, Ben’s mind furiously ran through possible rescue scenarios. They couldn’t leave anyone behind. The man was a sadistic pig and no one was safe here.
Within moments, a small, fragile woman was dragged into the room, her hair matted, her clothes torn, and her face bruised and swollen. G’baena fell to her knees, placed her head against the floor, and waited silently.
“As you can see, this slave is still in the training process, but she is learning very quickly. Of course, it helped that G’trobian women are naturally submissive.
It’s a shame I can’t get more of them.” Ben could hear the next words even before Keytark said them. “Maybe you could help me with that. I’d need a few contacts on the planet, some remote co-ordinates for pickup. A small price to pay for such an exquisite specimen, wouldn’t you say?”
“I like the way your mind works, Keytark.” Trey managed to inflect just the right mix of sincerity and admiration into his voice. Thank the goddess one of them was still thinking about their mission.
Ben’s mind kept wandering into all sorts of dangerous territory—like attempting an unarmed rescue of all the slaves in the middle of a heavily-guarded fortress—basically, suicide.
Focus. Ben’s mind whirled with thoughts as he analyzed their options while Trey continued to negotiate.
“You have a very interesting idea, but the penalties on G’trobia would make it a dangerous business for the contacts on the planet. And of course, we would be taking a big risk, too. We would need to be well rewarded.”
“How well rewarded?” It was bizarre. They were discussing abducting women from their home planet like it was the type of business deal they did every day. Nothing they’d ever done in the last three cycles on Jordan’s pirate ship could’ve prepared them for this scenario.
“We would want several trained slaves for a start,” Trey continued, “and we should discuss who will cover transportation and delivery costs.”
Keytark reached over and pulled a lever beside his chair. Hell, the guy must think he’s royalty. A soldier marched into the room, stopped in front of the throne, and bowed low, waiting for instructions.
“Prepare a room for our guests and select three of the female slaves to attend to their needs.” He laughed suggestively as his foot lashed out and kicked G’baena solidly against her shoulder. She didn’t gasp or even flinch in pain. “Make sure that this one is treated and delivered to them also.”