“I’m very skilled with combat and I’m a first-rate pilot. Not only shuttles. I can fly almost anything. Enemy vessels included.” He paused. “I’ve led countless dangerous missions on alien worlds.”
“That makes me feel better.”
“Just follow my lead. I’m experienced at adjusting to situations to fit in with other cultures. Even the criminal element. I’ve gone undercover often to seek out and arrest dangerous enemies or rescue captives. Sometimes both at the same time.”
“Have you ever had to play a slaver before?”
He hesitated. “No. I did, however, once pretend to be a pirate captain with a crew of murderers. They were my men, on a pirate vessel we commandeered. We had to go to a station that had been overtaken, kill those in charge, and free the four-hundred-plus hostages. That mission was successful.”
“How many bad guys did you have to take out? How many of your men helped?”
He thought for a moment. “There were eight of us in total against seventy-six pirates.”
She grew silent. He wasn’t sure if that comforted her or not. He didn’t have time to check. They were coming up on Flax Colony and some air traffic.
Cavas flew toward the surface. The shuttle vibrated once they reached the atmosphere, and he adjusted the gravity stabilizers to make it a smoother transition for his passenger. She wasn’t used to space flight.
Once they were at two thousand feet and well below any monitoring devices from the colony, he changed course, flying even lower, heading away from it and toward their target. There was no certainty that Cavas was being held at the arena, but it was the most likely probability with the information they’d learned. It was a secure location, one he’d have chosen if he were Yorlian Trevis.
He needed to think like the enemy.
Chapter Five
Jill felt more afraid after the shuttle landed than when she’d first gotten aboard. They had arrived on Flax Colony. Her first trip to the planet had been against her will as a slave. The second time was by choice to play a role. It was time to put her game face on.
The big lion alien stood, striding toward her.
The outfit Cavas wore showed off his muscular body. The open front of the shirt proved his abs had abs. He had to be the most fit man ever. Cathian had also been really fit, but the blue-eyed brother had been thinner. He’d also worn baggy clothing that hid a lot of his shape.
Cavas’s skin was tanned to a golden bronze and the thin white material over his bulging arms seemed at risk of splitting apart if he flexed his biceps. He paused before her, and his golden eyes peered into hers. They truly were striking and beautiful, in a predatory way. She hated noticing all of that about him. She felt bad for crushing a little on her alien savior. He’d shown no interest in her.
“Take some deep breaths.” He wrinkled his nose. “You smell of fear.”
His words and disgusted look killed any thoughts she might have of him feeling any chemistry between them. She unbuckled from the seat and carefully took hold of the long chain that was attached to the thick collar at her throat. It had a quick release on the back that her hair covered, unlike the last one she’d worn. As she stood, Jill once again felt small compared to Cavas. He towered over her by a good foot.
“Fear is normal. A slave would be afraid of her master.”
“I’d never harm you.”
“I know that. I just don’t want to end up actually being a slave again or killed if we’re caught.”
He gave her a slight nod and spoke with a firm, reassuring voice. “We will be fine.”
She hoped so. He got points for confidence. It was sexy. She tried to think of the important things she’d been told about slaves as she offered him the handle of the leash. Having wayward thoughts about him would only distract her from their mission. “Okay, slave lessons that I learned from Cia. Ready?”
“You have my full attention.”
“I follow you, and I’m not allowed to speak until spoken to. When you stop, I stop behind you. When you take a seat, I sit at your feet. You’re supposed to indicate to me where you want me. You never let go of my leash in public.” She offered it to him again.
He hesitated but finally took it. A scowl confirmed his immense displeasure.
“I’m to do whatever you say immediately, without hesitation, or slaves are punished. Cia said it could be a strike with a fist or an open palm to the face, shoulders, back, or chest. Some masters are known to kick their slaves to make them fall.”
Anger glinted in his eyes. “I won’t be doing any of that.”
“If I mess up and there’s witnesses, strike me with your open palm on the back of my head. I’ll pretend it hurts way more than it does. This is important, Cavas. Just avoid hitting the back of my neck if possible. This collar isn’t the real deal. You might accidentally open the latch and make it fall off.”
“I will not strike you.” He appeared pissed.
She frowned up at him. “We both have roles to play if we want to pull this off.” She waved her hand, gesturing to the length of him. “Master.” She pointed at herself. “Slave. Cia was clear that masters are all vicious and mean. It will draw attention if you don’t treat me like shit. I’m not saying I want you to hit me. I really don’t. But I can take some slaps if it keeps anyone from arresting us. Got it?”
His mouth tightened and his golden eyes flashed annoyance. “We agree.”
“Good. I won’t take it personally. I promise. Cia also mentioned our master had a box in the arena, set up high. There’s food present or brought to you. Our master liked his feet rubbed.” She shuddered. “All four of them, apparently. There’re trays of oils next to the chairs, and she said he’d bare his feet and indicate what oil he wanted his slave to rub with.”
“I’m not having you massage my feet!”
She sighed. “We have to fit in, right? To act like we belong? From what she shared, that was one of the least horrific things that take place at the arena.”
He sighed. “Do I even want to ask?”
“No. Most of it was degrading sex stuff.”
He snarled before turning, walking toward the doors.
She rushed after him to avoid being choked by the chain. He opened the shuttle doors and the ramp automatically slid to the ground. The planet looked like a barren desert, with only that huge round structure next to the mountain. No other structures were in sight. Heat blasted inside the shuttle with the breeze.
Cavas walked forward, pulling out a small device from a hidden pocket in his pants. She followed. Once they were on the densely packed sand, he paused, pushed a button on the remote, and the ramp drew up, the doors on the shuttle closing and an electric-blue shell appeared to activate around the surface.
“Wow. Is that like a car alarm?”
“I don’t know what a car alarm is. It’s a shield. No one will be able to damage or enter the shuttle. Let’s go. We’ve already drawn attention.”
She hurried after him, which wasn’t easy in her flimsy footwear. The sand was hot but not burning as her feet sank into the loose grains. Two armed guards were stationed in front of the large open doors leading into the tall arena behind them.
“Sir,” one of the stated. “Name?”
“Garligon Press,” Cavas huffed. “I was personally invited by Yorlian Trevis. He asked me to view his little sport. He’s attempting to lure me into moving here.” He grunted. “I’m not impressed so far. Yorl didn’t tell you I was coming?”
“Um, no sir.”
“That’s an unforgivable insult,” Cavas snarled. “Do you know who I am? I am one of the founding fifteen families on Tryleskian. I’m the firstborn of the first litter! I could easily buy a hundred dust planets larger than this one. Yorl should treat me better. I’m superior to him.”
Jill was shocked—and suddenly glad to be standing close behind Cavas to prevent the guards from seeing that her mouth had dropped open. She snapped it closed. Cavas sounded like a mega-asshole, his tone haughty
and scornful.
She tucked her chin lower, her gaze locked on the back of Cavas. That was slave protocol.
“Our humble apologies, sir. The communication must have been lost. Transmissions are unreliable this far from the colony.” One of the guards backed up fast. “Allow me to lead you to a luxury box. This evening is a special event. There will be three fights tonight. Our most ferocious fighters will be presented. You were lucky to arrive when you did. Many city transports are due to arrive soon. It’s a much-anticipated evening.”
“Good,” Cavas muttered. “It should be the best you have to offer. My time isn’t to be wasted.”
They were led inside and taken to a lift. It rose high before the doors opened. She followed behind Cavas, glancing to the side of the walkway they traversed. There were seats below for spectators, around the entire circular arena, and she got a good look at the center where the fights took place. The sight shocked her.
The deep pit of sand was expected—but the walls lining that pit were horrifying. They resembled metal, and there were sharp protruding objects covering almost every inch she could see. It would be suicide to attempt to climb out of that pit. The walls had to be at least twenty, maybe twenty-five feet high. There appeared to be razor wire that extended a few feet from the top of the walls. No one would be able to escape.
Cavas turned, and the motion tugged on her throat a little when he began to climb a set of steps. She tore her attention from the arena floor and focused on him. The stairs led to a sizable platform that had a back wall and a small roof to prevent the sun beating down on whoever was inside. A massive stone chair sat alone on the platform. Cushions had been placed along the back and seat.
Cavas stopped. “I was told there would be food,” he grunted. “Did Yorl lie?”
“No, sir. I’ll immediately have it sent.”
“See that you do.”
She inwardly flinched at how rude Cavas was being, but again, he was acting the part of a master. She’d told him herself how they behaved.
The guard hurried away, leaving them alone. Cavas turned to face her, his gaze moving over the arena.
“They’ve created a killing cage, only on a much larger scale.”
She lifted her chin a little to glance surreptitiously at him. His words were spoken softly but the angry look on his face couldn’t be missed. “I saw the walls that keep a fighter from trying to climb out.”
“Those spikes aren’t just to keep the prisoners from escaping. They’re there to cause injury during a fight. A less-than-honorable male could throw his adversary into the walls. The spikes aren’t long enough to be deadly but they’d cause massive blood loss that would severely cripple and give an unfair advantage. This kind of setup is banned on all worlds.”
That news made Jill feel a little sick. “Who’s the guy whose name you said, or did you just make it up?”
“Garligon Press is dead, but no one would know that. He and his entire family fled my home planet many years ago. Garligon would have been about fifteen at the time. They were one of the founding fifteen families. It would be impossible for most Tryleskians to identify them by sight. Their entire family kept to themselves in a remote region on my planet because they felt they were better than everyone else.”
“How do you know he’s dead?”
Cavas met her gaze. “I was part of the team that hunted their family cruiser. They were breaking every law imaginable, even after fleeing Tryleskian. His father refused to surrender, and he attacked our ships instead. We boarded. Garligon had murdered all seven of his slaves, four of his own children born of those slaves, and six military officers before he was taken down. I was the one who killed him.”
“What if the guards contact him to verify who you are?”
He smiled. “The shuttle is sending out a signal blocker. Their communications from this area aren’t getting to the colony.”
“Smart.”
Cavas turned, slowly, walking to the stone chair that was more like a throne. She followed, trying to digest what he’d just told her. No sympathy rose in her for the criminal. “Why did he kill his slaves and kids?”
“To prevent them from testifying against him when he was captured. As if their still warm bodies weren’t enough for me to find him guilty. All of them showed signs of long-term abuse. Including his own children. He deserved death.”
She couldn’t argue with that.
There was a long, wide step at the bottom of the throne-like chair. He turned and took a seat, and she lowered herself at his feet, adjusting her skirt to keep her modesty. It wasn’t easy to do with so little material to work with. Her and Nara had managed to make a form of underwear, but it wasn’t much more than a scrap of material to cover her slit.
“Four guards are on the walkway that leads to the mountain entrance.”
She followed his gaze, keeping her head down. The pedestal-like box they were on sat higher, at the very top of the arena. It gave them an excellent view. The walkway on their level ran the entire circumference of the arena. Other luxury boxes were spaced out about thirty feet apart along the structure. The box to their left sat empty. Below, she could see a metal bridge that led from the arena to two massive open doors in the dark mountain. It had to be a good five hundred or so feet of distance from the arena to the doors. Four guards were patrolling the bridge—and they were heavily armed.
“That’s not good.”
“The level below must lead to that walkway to the mountain.”
She agreed. The bridge looked like it sat one level down. “How are we going to get across that without being shot or captured?”
“I’m working on forming a plan.”
She sealed her lips and turned her head. To their right was another box. That one wasn’t empty. A big green toad alien sat on the rock throne, and he had two slaves at his feet. One resembled some type of pink bird. The other was of the same toad-looking race. Clearly a female, since she had large bumps on her chest. Jill easily counted four, since the slave didn’t wear a top. Just a skirt at her rounded waist.
“Don’t stare,” Cavas whispered.
She dropped her gaze and faced his leg. Footsteps approached, and two new aliens came up the steps. They appeared male, and they resembled yellow humanoid lizards. They weren’t very big. Maybe five feet tall, thin bodied, and they had thick tails. One carried a huge tray of food and a tall mug. The other had a smaller tray.
She tensed as they approached but they didn’t touch her. One set down a tray next to her, the smaller one. The larger tray with food was placed on the opposite arm of Cavas’s chair. They hurried away, tails dragging behind them.
“More spectators and guards are filling the arena. They must have sent a lot of transports from the colony. I’m estimating at least five hundred aliens filling those seats.”
She darted a look. Cavas was right. The lower seats were being filled by various aliens and, as she lifted her gaze, she saw more masters arriving with female slaves to the other luxury boxes. Some guards stood on little platforms they used ladders to reach. All of them were armed with long weapons. It made her fear notch higher but none seemed to be paying them any attention.
“Eat your food,” she suggested.
“I’m not hungry. Are you? There’s plenty here.”
“Don’t you dare try to feed me,” she warned. “That’s a big no. Masters would never do that.” She glanced at the small tray of colored liquids. “I should probably rub your feet.”
“No.”
She rolled her eyes. So much for Cavas playing along. She darted her gaze to the box next to them. The toad female was rubbing her master’s leg with her head, kind of nuzzling him. He patted her bald head. The poor female bird alien held the toad master’s foot in both hands and appeared to be licking his skin. Jill gagged a little but managed to muffle it, refusing to watch.
Cavas growled low, and she glanced up at him. He seemed to be staring at some of the other luxury boxes behind her, across th
e arena. She subtly tucked her head and peeked.
What she saw shocked her.
One gray rock-looking alien had a female blob thing giving him oral sex. The box next to them contained a furry rodent alien with another bird female. He had her on his lap, and from the way he was moving, they were definitely going at it.
She turned her head the other way and peeked again. It confirmed her suspicions. Most masters were having sex with their slaves. Some were screwing them, others were getting oral sex. Things had also heated up with toad alien and his two slaves. The toad female had her face buried in his lap. That wasn’t something Jill really wanted to get a better look at.
She grit her teeth and glanced back up at Cavas.
His mouth had set in a grim line, his expression angry.
She swallowed hard and checked out the guards. They’d drawn attention, probably because theirs was the only luxury box where action wasn’t taking place.
Panic filled her, and she rose to her feet, put her hands on Cavas’s stomach and began to rub him. His skin was hot, smooth, and firm. He reached for her hands.
“Don’t touch me.”
“Go with it, damn it,” she hissed. “The guards are watching us.”
He tensed, his gaze widening as she slid her hands toward the waist of his pants. She lifted higher, trying to use her body to block the sight of his crotch. He grabbed her wrists.
“Stop.”
“All the masters in the boxes are having sex,” she whispered. “Are the guards still watching?”
He tore his gaze away from her and scanned around them stealthily, before grunting, “Yes.”
“Then act, damn it. I am not getting arrested and sold again because you’re a prude. We can totally fake getting it on.”
He scowled but eased his hold on her wrists. She fumbled with his pants, staring into his golden eyes to avoid seeing what he had down there. He grimaced slightly as she tugged the material down to free his alien junk—and something thick and hard brushed against the side of her hand.
She froze for a moment, realizing Cavas had grown aroused. Alien or not, she figured that would be universal. Guys got turned-on when women touched their privates. Especially if those women were mostly naked—and that currently described her. The only alien penis she’d seen had been bug guy’s, and that had been scary, strange, and a big hell no.
Cavas (The Vorge Crew Book 5) Page 6