by K. D. Jones
All of the aliens tipped her well, so she didn’t have any problems serving them their drinks. There were three other girls who also worked at the bar. Talia was a beautiful blond Aquadratic. Sarn was a bald-headed Soto. Bethany was another humanoid like Emily but she was stick thin with thick, red, curly hair and glasses.
Emily hadn’t had any friends since she began dating Jeremy. He ran them all off and demanded that she never see any of them again. So it was a true pleasure to become friendly with the other girls at the bar. They treated each other like a small family. They also all knew what her home life with Jeremy was like and would always give her the customers with deep pockets so she could earn enough money to move out.
For the first time she actually felt like she was building a life for herself. She had a job, friends, and a goal to work toward. If she didn’t have to share space with Jeremy, it would be perfect. At least she only saw him a few hours a day. He slept at night and she slept during the day. There was only those few awkward hours when he would take her money when she got off work and then head out to do his day of gambling.
Jeremy took all of her money, leaving her nothing to buy food with. If she didn’t eat while at the bar, she would starve to death. It was humiliating but no one brought it up with her. She felt the others suspected something though. Her friends offered to help her with a place to stay, but she wanted to have her own space.
“You should leave that asshole,” Talia told Emily as she placed her tray on the bar.
“I’m working on it.” Emily placed the new order of drinks on Talia’s tray. She was helping Henry behind the bar so he could take a break.
“I have a pull out sofa bed if you want to stay with me,” Sarn offered.
“I appreciate that, but I should be able to get my own place in a few more weeks.”
“Hey, Emily, your new boyfriend is here,” Bethany called to her from the other side of the bar.
Emily looked up worried that Jeremy was trying to come in while Henry was gone on break. She was relieved to see Captain Zor walking in. As soon as their eyes met, she blushed and looked away.
He always looked so hot. His uniform molded to his firm, muscular body. He had a swimmer’s waist and strong, powerful thighs. Naughty images of him naked and bent over her body came to her mind. She almost dropped a bottle of beer but caught it at the last minute.
“Good evening, Emily,” his deep voice rumbled.
“Hi, Zor. The usual?”
“Yes, please. How are things going tonight?” He took a swig of the beer she had placed in front of him without taking his eyes off her.
She was so beautiful. Her long, dark brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail. She worked the orange and white waitress uniform, which barely covered her. One look at her in that outfit and he was stiff and hard immediately. Her ass seemed to strain against those white shorts and he feared the small material would just pop off at any moment, exposing her. So he made sure to keep a watchful eye out in case that happened.
“It’s been busier than usual.”
He nodded his head. “A group of merchants came aboard and will be traveling to the next outpost.”
“That explains it then.” She looked up at Sarn who was flagging her for another round.
“What about your boyfriend?” Zor asked.
“What about him?”
He knew things were not quite right with their relationship, but until she denounced him as her boyfriend, he couldn’t do anything about it. He wished for the day to come. He would love to throw the worthless male out through the wastage portal.
“I hear he is spending a lot of time on the casino level.”
“I guess he is.”
“Curious how he can do that when he has yet to seek employment to pay for any of his debts.”
“What are you getting at?” Emily wiped the bar without looking at him.
“He is using all your hard earned money to do what he wants without a second thought to you. Is he not?”
“It’s none of your business.”
He reached out to grab her hand, stilling her from wiping the already clean bar top. “Emily, I care about you.”
“Don’t.” She shook her head. She couldn’t handle his pity. Anything but that. She yanked her hand out of his grasp.
“Everything okay?” Henry came up behind her. He was glancing between Zor and Emily.
“Fine. Everything is fine.” Emily moved to the other end of the bar to help a customer.
Zor ran his hand through his stark white hair in frustration. Why couldn’t the female see how bad the human boyfriend was for her?
Henry put another beer in front of Zor. “Easy on the girl, Captain. She’s trying to make the break.”
“It’s taking her fucking forever.”
“She’ll get there. Be patient, she has to do it on her own.”
Chapter Four
“You lose again, human. That makes it how much that you owe me now?” the blue squid alien asked.
Jeremy wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I’ll get you your money. Just let me play another round. I know I’ll win the next one.”
“Why would I do that? You can’t pay me what you already owe me.”
Jeremy took off his watch that Emily had given him for his birthday. “Here, use this as an extension on what I owe you.”
The squid laughed. “Extensions are given to my friends. You human, are not my friend. In fact, you have no friends on this ship that would vouch on your behalf.”
“Salan, I would like to absorb this human’s debt to you!” Captain Zor called out from the back of the dark casino room.
Jeremy looked up and gave Zor a desperate smile. “Thank you, Captain Zor. You’re not so bad you know. I appreciate you paying my debts. I’ll repay you as soon as I win this next round.”
Zor chuckled as he took a seat at the poker table. “You have mistaken what I meant by absorb.”
Jeremy frowned and looked between the blue squid and Captain Zor. Zor handed coins to the squid and then the squid got up from the table. In fact, all the other players stood and left the table as well. What was going on?
Zor looked at the dealer who was the only one still at the table besides him and the human male. “Deal the cards, Mic.”
“What are you doing and what do you mean by absorb?”
“I have taken ownership of the debt you owe my friend over there. Now you owe me and we will be playing the next round alone. I am going all in. I will be including your debts in this pot. If you win, your debts are wiped clean and you win whatever amount is left in the pot.”
Jeremy leaned forward eagerly. “What if you win? I have no more money on me right now.”
“Is there anything else of value that you could offer to put in the pot?”
It took a few minutes for Jeremy to think of all the possessions he and Emily had brought with them. It wasn’t much because there just hadn't been room to bring all their things. The only thing he had that could be considered valuable was…
“Emily. I will add Emily to the pot.”
About damn time the human answered. That was what Zor was hoping he would say. “You want to put your girlfriend in the pot? Do you think the value will be equal?”
“She’s a hard worker. She keeps the room clean. She’s…not that good in the sack, but she’s practically a virgin. I was her first and we have only been together a few times. She’s almost like new. You could still break her in the way you want.”
Zor had flipped the safety off the laser gun he held under the table. He pointed it at the offending human. All it would take was one laser blast and the male would be no more trouble to anyone. There were rules on his ship, he had to follow them just like everyone else.
Rule number one: don’t steal or damage another man’s property.
Rule number two: don’t attack or kill unless provoked.
Rule number three: pay your debts or serve time in the holding cell.
Zor
couldn’t kill the human unless provoked and he couldn’t take Emily from him unless he won her because she was considered the human’s property in a society ruled by males.
“I accept your Emily into the pot. Dealer, call the time to start the game.”
“It is fourteen hundred hours, the game begins with the first card laid down.” The dealer shuffled the cards quickly and dealt them out to each player.
As the time went by, more and more on-lookers came to watch the game. Side bets were made as to who would win the game, very few people put their bets on the human.
Jeremy kept wiping his forehead with his shirtsleeve. His hands shook and he felt dehydrated.
“Perhaps we can call a small break. You know, go to the bathroom, and grab a drink,” Jeremy asked with a shaky voice.
“I do not need a break. We will keep going. Dealer, what is the time?”
“It is now sixteen hundred hours and twenty-seven minutes.”
A waitress from the bar was called and she brought over some drinks. Jeremy quickly downed a few shots of whisky. Zor asked for bottled water, which the waitress gave him with a wink.
Jeremy watched the waitress leave with her hips swaying in the white shorts. He adjusted himself and licked his lips. Perhaps he’d visit the bar later and talk to that waitress. She was hot.
“Place your bet, human,” the squid dealer ordered.
Jeremy looked back at the cards he was holding. He had a pair but was not secure that he would beat Zor. He made a rash decision to bluff and place his whole bid. He looked up and waited.
Zor was cool and calm. He hadn’t broke into a sweat the entire time. He simply smiled and showed his hand. He had a straight flush.
Jeremy spit out the whiskey he had just took a sip of. “That’s impossible.”
The dealer called for Jeremy to show his hand. He tried to stand and leave, but two other crewmembers suddenly appeared at his side. They forced him to lay his cards down.
The dealer smirked, “The winner is Captain Zor.” Shouts went out throughout the whole room.
Jeremy paled and leaked a little bit of urine. Fuck! How was he going to tell Emily? Maybe they could sneak off the ship.
“If you try to leave this ship with my property, I will be entitled by the rules of the ship to kill you on the spot,” Zor threatened with narrowed eyes. He knew the human had been thinking about it.
“But Emily…” Jeremy whined but was interrupted.
“Is no longer your property or your concern. You will send her to me this evening. If you do not, I will end you.”
Jeremy gulped. He had no friends, no one who could back him up if the alien slime of a captain came at him. He had no choice. “Fine. She will be delivered to you this evening.”
*****
Emily had just finished taking a quick shower. She wanted to be fully dressed before Jeremy showed up. She would leave early for the bar and eat her dinner there. The less time she spent in Jeremy’s company, the happier she was.
The door opened with a bang and she turned to look with dread, knowing who it would be. “Why are you banging the door?”
“Why are you such a nag?” Jeremy snapped back at her.
She could continue to argue with him, but she no longer cared enough about him to expend that kind of energy. She grabbed her purse and made her way out of the room. He reached a hand out to stop her and squeezed her arm tight.
“Pack your bags,” he ordered with slightly slurred words.
Great, he was drunk and in an angry mood. “Let go of my arm.”
“Listen…you need to pack your bags right now.”
“Why, where are we going?” She wasn’t going anywhere with him. She would just tell him she’d meet him there or something.
“Not me. You are going.”
“Where am I going?”
“I lost the game. I had no choice. It was the alien scumbag’s fault.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I had no more money to play the next game. I was sure to win it. The odds were in my favor, but I had no money.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“I had nothing to offer—but you.”
She had a sinking feeling. “What did you do?”
“I offered you into the pot. I knew I would win so I wasn’t worried about it.”
Her face turned pale. “Did you win?”
“No. Damn alien bastard. I would have. I had a pair.”
“So you are saying you bet me as your pot collateral and then you lost me in a damn poker game?”
“Yes.”
“Oh hell no! I’m not some piece of property you can buy, loan, sell, trade, or throw away. I am a person with rights.”
“Not on this ship you’re not. You are considered my property. I can do with you whatever I want.”
“I have had enough of this and of you. I am leaving.” She tried to yank her arm free, but he pulled her to him.
“We could have one last round of sex before I send you off. For old-time's sake?”
“I would rather be bitten by a thousand deadly snakes than have you touch me ever again. I’m leaving!”
They struggled and both fell to the floor. “I can’t let you leave. I have to give you over to your new owner within the next hour or I will be tortured or killed.”
“I don’t care. I hope they cut off your worthless cock and shove it down your own throat.”
His face turned a bright red. “You never cared for me! You thought you were so much better. You had money left by your dead parents. They probably killed themselves just to get away from you!”
“Shut up you worthless, good for nothing toad. You’re not even a man. You’re just a prick with legs!” She scratched his face making him scream out in pain.
“You are going to pay for that!” he started to hit her in the face with his fists.
Pound, pound, pound. He hit her until she was unconscious. Only then did he realize his mistake. She was no longer his property. She belonged to the alien captain now. He had to get her to his quarters before the hour was up or his life was forfeit. He would have to carry her. What if she woke and tried to run away? He couldn’t let her do that.
Jeremy searched through the room and settled on cutting strips from the bed sheet. He tied her hands behind her back, her legs at the ankles, and he put a strip around her head covering her mouth. He lifted her up into his arms, stumbling a little under her weight. He'd told her she was putting on too many pounds. Well, now someone else could deal with her overweight issues. He opened the door to his room and found one of the crewmembers waiting outside.
“Where is the captain’s quarters?”
The crewmember frowned when he saw the female’s appearance. Maybe Captain Zor requested she be brought to him this way. He wasn’t sure. “Take the tube lift up to the second level. When you get off turn right. It is the last door on the left.”
“Thanks.” Jeremy wobbled down the corridor of the ship, making his way to the tube lift. He was going to have to hold her upright to get them both to fit in the small enclosure.
He got a few looks from people but no one said anything as he carried her the rest of the way. He lost his footing just as he reached the captain’s quarters. They both went down. He landed on top of her. They slid until her head hit the door hard. Fuck!
Jeremy stood and knocked on the door, then he took off for the tube lift. There was no way he would stay there in case she was more hurt than he knew. The alien ass would probably take it out on him though it was all Emily’s fault. As the tube lift left the second level, Jeremy wondered for the first time about how he was going to make money to support himself. Emily was always the one working. Now he was left to fend for himself. Damn bitch!
Chapter Five
Zor opened his door excited to meet Emily at the bar, hopeful that after the boyfriend told her what happened she would be glad to be free of the human male. He had been waiting for her shift to start since h
e won the bet. She was finally his, that’s all he had wanted since he first met her.
He imagined what her reaction would be but he had not expected her in the condition that he found her. Zor was appalled at the sight of the girl hogtied and beaten on his doorstep. Blood covered her clothing, her face was bruised and gashed opened. Quickly Zor scooped her into his arms and took her inside his quarters straight to the bathroom. There he undressed her and lowered her into an ice cold bath, thankful that he made them put a bath in his quarters.
As an Aquadratic, he had to submerge himself from time to time. A bathtub came in handy if his ship wasn’t near a planet with water.
Emily grunted and snapped awake as the cold water touched her bruised skin. “Zor?” she questioned as he placed his hand on her head. Her entire face was warm from the beating she took. It killed her trying to speak, her entire face was sore. She tried to open her eyes but was disoriented. “Zor, where am I? I’m late for my shift.”
“Emily, I can’t let you work like this,” he said gently, pushing her back into the cold bath as she tried to climb out of it.
“Zor, I’m in trouble, Jeremy lost me in a bet. I have no clue why they even allowed him to do that,” she pleaded.
“It was me, Emily,” Zor answered as he grabbed a towel and handed it to her.
“You made a bet on me?” she asked both shocked and angry as she yanked the towel out of his hand and stood, covering herself with it before he could get a glimpse of the body that he had been dying to see. “I have to get to work.” She needed to earn extra tips so she could afford a room of her own. There was no way she would stay with Jeremy or allow herself to become Zor’s slave.