Someone had been injured. Spots of blood were scattered about everywhere. Whomever had been injured was big. Several boot marks stood out clearly, large and deep. Made by a man who was big, very big.
As big as a Daamen trader.
"Shit." She closed her eyes briefly.
Deep down, she knew. The traders were prisoners of the Southlanders. To be used, abused and sold as slaves. Chained.
She rose to her feet. She had to save Garret and Jase. If it wasn’t already too late. Grimly tucking the bandana into her belt, the bloodstained material fluttering against her leather skirt, she deliberated her moves carefully. First, she had to inform Simon and Red of her movements and warn them to stay within the safety of the ship. Then she had to go to Southland.
~ * ~
They watched with a mixture of relief and concern as she strode up the ramp and into the cargo hold.
"You found them?" Red peered past her. "Where are they?"
Simon’s face paled at the sight of the bloodstained bandana. "Bloody hell! What happened? Are they...?"
"There are no bodies, but I think I know where they’ve been taken."
"To this place called Southland?" Red started toward the platform lift. "I’ll get our weapons and we’ll go and get them!"
Dana caught the back of his vest. "No, Red. You stay here."
He whirled to face her. "They’re my friends. Do you think you I’d leave them?"
"I know you wouldn’t, but how do you propose to find them and get back here?"
He clenched his fists. "I’ll find them, Dana, make no mistake about it!"
Simon stepped up beside him. "If we have to, we’ll land the ship in the middle of Southland to do it."
"And be captured in the meantime," Dana retorted. "Listen to yourselves. You’re going to walk right into the middle of a city ruled by women and demand the return of Garret and Jase? You’ll be captured, too."
"They won’t see us," Simon stated firmly.
"Think, Simon! How can you hide? You are too tall, too big, and those slavers will spot you within seconds of arriving in the city!" She strode over to the platform lift.
"Where are you going?"
"To get my weapons." She hit the control button. "I’m the only one going after Garret and Jase."
"You can’t!" Red objected.
"It’s the only choice."
Realizing she was serious, Simon called out, "Wait a minute!"
It was too late. The lift had already rattled out of sight.
In her cabin, Dana crossed to the table where two daggers lay and neatly sheathed them out of sight in the tops of her boots. Picking up the sword belt, she fitted it over her shoulders so that the sheath hung on a slight angle down her back. Running her thumb lightly down the edge of the sword, she noted with satisfaction its razor sharpness and, reaching back, thrust it snugly into the sheath. The laser was still holstered at her thigh.
She was ready.
Turning, she found herself face to face with the traders.
"You can’t go alone," Red stated.
"I have to." She pushed past him.
"Are you insane?" Simon strode along beside her. "You don’t know what you’ll be facing there!"
"I know who. I’ll be fine, quit worrying."
Stepping in front of her, Red halted her progress. "Lass, we can’t allow you to go alone. I’ll come with you."
Moving past him, she continued onward. "There’s no choice in this matter. I’m a wench and that makes me more acceptable."
"What makes you so sure?" he argued, falling in on her other side.
"I’ve already met one of the women, Zar." She stepped onto the platform lift, flanked by the two giants. "Saved her life. It was she herself who invited me to Southland. Once there, I can find Garret and Jase."
"In trying to rescue them, you could be taken captive yourself--or worse."
Hazel eyes glinted with ironic amusement. "My two slaves have been stolen."
"What?"
"Garret and Jase are my slaves, and by right of ownership, I can demand their return."
Red looked at his friend. "Do you think it’ll work?"
"‘Tis still risky." Simon shook his head. "I don’t like you going alone, lass."
"My plan is better than yours."
He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Take me with you."
"No. It’ll mean one more in danger."
"And what of the danger to yourself? Have you thought of that?"
"Don’t be ridiculous. Do you think these weapons I carry are toys? Of course I recognize that there are dangers."
"Then don’t be so foolish as to go alone."
"It’s foolish to allow you to accompany me. The Southlanders will think it strange that I alone can control two slaves as big as our friends. To have you along as a third blows the credibility completely!"
She spoke the truth and the Daamens knew it.
"Very well," Simon finally conceded. "It seems we have no choice."
"At last," she muttered, walking off the lift and into the cargo hold.
"But," he stopped her with one hand on her shoulder. "You’ll wear a tracking device so that we can keep track of you on the radar."
"Aye," Red agreed. "If anything happens, we know where to find you."
"And how are you to know if something happens?"
"Because the tracker contains a listening device also."
After several seconds of contemplative silence, she nodded. "Very well. Hurry up and get it, I’ve no time to waste."
When Red returned, he held a small round badge with a delicate scroll on it. Rather than a tracking device, it had the appearance of a decorative pin.
Dana pinned it onto her vest as she walked down the ramp.
"One more thing."
She heaved an impatient sigh. "What now?"
"Take care, lass. We want to see all three of our friends return safely."
Three. They’d included her. She glanced over her shoulder to find both traders watching her with concern.
"Take care of Cam." She cleared her throat. "And stay within the ship."
They watched her stride down the ramp and out of sight, wondering how long before they saw her and their two friends again.
Red started for the lift. "Let’s get her on the radar."
~ * ~
Gripping the iron bars of the cell door with both hands, Jase glared at the wench standing on the other side, the silver jacket and loose pants skimming her body. "My friend is hurt! At least give me some bandages!"
"He won’t die." She walked around the corner of the long corridor and was lost to sight.
Bloody hell! Jase whirled and studied Garret, who was lying on a thin mattress on the floor with a threadbare blanket covering him. Kneeling beside him, Jase checked his bandana that was wrapped around Garret’s head. It was stiff with blood but not wet anymore. The flow had ceased.
Garret groaned and stirred. "Jase?"
"Rest easy or you’ll start the bleeding again." Jase replied with relief.
"Where are we?" The words were slurred.
"You don’t remember?"
Grey eyes opened to peer hazily up at him. "Remember? All I remember..." He shifted and winced. "My head’s thumping."
"Rest."
Garret looked carefully about, seeing the cold, dank, stone walls. "We’re not on the ship. Where the hell are we?"
Jase sighed. It was obvious he wasn’t going to rest until he had some answers. "We were ambushed by a group of wenches, remember?"
"Aye. Dressed in silver?"
"And carrying lasers. They were going on about us being new slaves and demanding we go with them."
Yes, he remembered that.
"We refused," Jase continued. "One of the wenches aimed at me--"
In a flash it came rushing back to Garret. He recalled diving at the wench, knocking the laser away, but that was all, except for a flash, a blinding light...
"They shot me." He
carefully touched his head.
"That they did," Jase agreed. "You saved me."
"How’d we get here?"
"I carried you."
"How far?"
"Too bloody far!"
He grinned weakly. "You survived."
"Aye, that I did. As for you, I had my doubts there for a while."
Suddenly Garret rose up on one elbow. "The others?"
Jase pushed him back down onto the mattress. "Take it easy, friend. I have seen no sight of them, nor heard of any more captives. They must still be safe on the ship. I hope."
"Dana?"
"I don’t know." He attempted a reassuring smile. "But you know that lass, she won’t allow herself to be caught."
Silence fell upon the cell, along with a creeping cold that stole through the bars to shiver across their skins.
"What’s going to happen?" Garret finally asked. "Have you heard anything?"
"Nay, but I doubt ‘tis good."
Time passed and darkness fell. The two traders rested quietly, each huddled in a threadbare blanket, shivering. Muffled voices came to them, a deep keening, coughs, a cry of pain. Harsh laughter. As the hours dragged by, they dozed fitfully.
Lights flaring harshly woke them, paining their eyes and making them squint. Footfalls sounded, drawing closer.
Jase jumped to his feet, Garret following more slowly as three women came to a stop before the bars. Two of them were older, Garret noted, the lines on their faces making them appear harsh. The third eyed the two traders with cold, blue eyes. Red hair was pulled into a tight bun at the nape of her neck. Bruises showed on her cheeks and her bottom lip was swollen.
"These are the two males we found, Zar," one of the women said.
"Impressive. I’ve never seen men so big."
"Or handsome." The other woman licked thin lips, her eyes devouring the young men.
Garret stepped forward, "I demand to know--"
Zar cut him short swiftly. "You demand nothing, male. Here in Southland you are worthless, to be bought and sold for our pleasure and purposes."
"You’re making a big mistake. We’re not slaves and don’t even come from your planet--"
"Silence!" The sound of a leather crop striking the bars sounded sharply.
A whimper came from the dark cell opposite.
Expression cold and hard, Zar smoothed her hand down the crop. "One more word from you and I’ll have you gassed unconscious. You will speak only when asked a question, understand?"
Knowing they were capable of anything, he gritted his teeth and nodded. For now he’d keep silent.
Zar turned to her companions. "They will be sold tomorrow at the auction." Her gaze flickered briefly over the traders. "Their price will be high, for as either workers or studs, they are magnificent."
Her tone was cold, uncaring and emotionless but the other two women laughed.
"I’d better go and count my money now!" one chortled.
"They’ll be too expensive for you," Zar said bluntly.
She shrugged. "Depends upon who buys them. For a price, I might be able to buy a night with one."
"You’ve no chance!" Jase snarled angrily. "My balls will wither and die before I’d willingly mount you!"
"Who says you need be willing, male? Chained down, you’d be helpless and I could do anything I cared to with you."
He felt sick as her hot gaze fastened on his groin. "You loathsome, vile--"
Zar struck the iron bars with her crop. "Enough!" She looked at the other woman. "Gera, before these males are brought out tomorrow, you will have obedience collars fastened on them."
Gera nodded.
"Come." Zar walked swiftly back down the corridor, followed by her companions.
Jase and Garret stared at each other. The lights snapped off sharply, leaving them in total darkness.
"Bloody hell!" they both blurted at once.
"Now what?" Jase asked.
"I don’t know." Garret felt carefully for the wall. "But one thing I know for sure, we have to get out of here!"
The rest of the night passed uneasily.
~ * ~
Skirting the city, Dana assessed it from all angles. It was huge, the buildings built of a mixture of wood and large cement blocks. The streets were well-lit, the houses single-storied.
Slipping through the streets, she kept to the shadows, seeking any place likely to hold prisoners. She found none.
The night was becoming cold and her breath came as white puffs before her lips. Shivering, she cursed her lack of foresight in bringing a cloak. Damn it, anyone would think I’m an outlaw again, slinking in shadows and being miserably cold! It was all the fault of that arrogant, pompous trader with the laughing grey eyes and overbearing manner. If he hadn’t insisted on looking for her, he’d be safe in the ship.
The man was lethal to her senses.
Standing still in the shadows, she watched two guards walk past her. Both women were dressed in the silver jacket and pants they all appeared to wear. Mayhaps they were heading for wherever the prisoners were kept.
Keeping them in sight, she followed stealthily for an hour. The guards met two more and they talked softly before moving on again. They obviously weren’t heading where she wanted them to, but Dana tracked them anyway. Might as well get a general idea of the city layout and movements of the guards while she could.
As the hours passed, she dismissed the discomfort of the weather, blocking it from her mind as she’d learned to do years ago. There was no way she could hope to find out where Garret and Jase were being kept. Her only hope was to enter the city as Zar’s guest and gain the information from her. But she would have to wait for the morn, for to arrive now would be too suspicious.
Returning to the woods surrounding the city, she perched up in a tree, out of sight but able to keep an eye on the proceedings of the city. Resting, she sat sideways on a thick branch, using the heavy trunk as her backrest. Closing her eyes, she relaxed while keeping her senses alert.
The sun’s rising woke her, the sound of day flyers chittered in a lively chorus around her. Stretching, she jumped lightly down from the tree. Feeling a slight twinge in her ankle, she cursed silently. It was the same ankle she’d twisted in battle during the outlaw years, then three times more during the mercenary year. Badly wrenched four times, the ankle was weaker than normal, something that had ensured her non-return to the life of a mercenary.
Testing it warily with her weight, she found to her relief that there were no further twinges. The last thing she needed now was an injured ankle. She’d have to take care.
The sun was touching the rooftops of the buildings as she entered the city. The few women already walking around eyed her curiously, and she expected any second to be halted and questioned. No one approached her. Because she was a woman? Mayhaps.
As she neared the center of the city, Dana became aware of a sense of excitement and anticipation. More and still more women passed her hurriedly, talking excitedly. She caught two words. Slave auction. Her blood ran cold. Could it be?
Her stride lengthened, keeping pace with the growing stream of Southlanders, until she finally came out into the center of the city.
In the huge square stood a raised dais, a woman standing atop it talking to a redhead wielding a crop, who had her back to the growing crowd. Behind the dais stood a square of canvas, effectively blocking the view of the male slaves from the impatient crowd.
"Come, Gera, show us the new ones!" the woman next to Dana called out, her young face eager.
"Yes, show us the fresh meat!" another called, her remark eliciting approving yells from her companions.
A bitter taste filled Dana’s mouth. She hated slavery and slavers, those who dealt in trading and selling human lives. Keeping her face carefully blank, her gaze stayed on the dais.
The older woman known as Gera stepped forward, raising her arms for silence, which immediately fell over the crowd. "Ladies, we have many men here for you today, prime s
laves."
A cheer greeted this.
"Before we bring them out, however, we have a pleasant surprise for you!"
The young woman next to Dana looked at her companion and remarked wryly, "Gera always says that."
"She’d like to personally sample every passably handsome man that she sells." Her companion laughed.
Dana hoped that Garret and Jase were all right. The slaver’s next words made her tense.
"The next two are perfect specimens of manhood! Big, tall and handsome! Strong enough to crush your ribs with one embrace!"
Interest flared hotly amongst the crowd.
Dana’s eyes narrowed.
"Bring them out, Gera!" a woman yelled. "Let us judge for ourselves!"
"Patience, ladies. These are no ordinary men. We had to put obedience collars on them to keep them tame."
A murmur swept the women, delicious curiosity flaring.
"These males would be dangerous if let loose." Gera added suggestively, "For those who think they can handle these two wild stallions, well," she swept her hand toward the canvas, "The bids will start at five hundred dinnos--each."
"Who’s going to pay such a large sum for a mere man?" someone asked disbelievingly.
Saying nothing, the slaver raised a small box in her hand and pressed a button.
A roar of pain came from behind the canvas, deep and thunderous, then the canvas parted and two figures were pushed through, falling to their knees. Their hands clutched the thick metal collars around their necks, and pain was clearly reflected on their faces.
A gasp of shocked delight tore through the watchers as their eyes scanned the almost naked men.
"Stand!" Gera snapped.
They both glared at her and one made a move toward her, his large hand outstretched.
She pressed the button again, causing the men to stumble to their feet, teeth clenched in agony, and sweat pouring in rivulets down their faces.
The Southlanders feasted their eyes on the men--men such as they’d never before seen. So tall that they stood easily seven foot and more. Shoulders and chests so wide and bulging with muscle it made feminine hearts beat faster. Stomachs flat, hips lean, legs long and corded with smooth muscle that flexed with every step they took.
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