Текст книги "Enslaved"

Автор книги: Anderson Evangeline

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“…to you,” B’Rugh said and she realized she’d missed the first part of his sentence.

“I’m sorry, what?” she asked while inwardly scolding herself. She was in a serious negotiation—now was not the time to be thinking of the big Havoc.

“I said, you may consider that particular crystal as my gift to you,” B’Rugh repeated.

“Oh…well, thank you.” Trin gave him a grateful nod of her head. “That’s most generous. But please allow me to pay you the price we agreed upon for the others.”

“Of course. Let me see the color of your coin.” B’Rugh made a motion with one hand, indicating she should produce her credit.

This was the tricky part. Keeping one hand on her blaster, Trin reached under the back of her plain black shirt with the other and unhooked the money belt. She placed it on the table and opened it, giving B’Rugh a discreet glance inside so that he could tell she had the correct number of golden credit chip-coins. Then she took one out and handed it to him, as he had handed her the crystal.

“Perfect.” B’Rugh nodded and gave the coin back. Then he took out a small black bag, which was lined in the same black-grass fungus that covered the table, and swept the shining pile of Jaxite crystals into it.

Is it really going to be this easy? Trin felt a cautious surge of optimism as she began counting out her pile of coins. It seemed the Lu’dom was actually going to do a straightforward deal. But she would wait to celebrate until she had the crystals in hand and was back aboard The Alacrity.

At that moment, the male with the steel teeth came over and set two identical metal goblets in front of her and B’Rugh.

“Semlina wine—the first pressing—infused with essence of fireflower and enhanced with a secret ingredient of my own,” he announced, grinning broadly to show those awful teeth. “Enjoy.”

“A secret ingredient?” Trin looked doubtfully at the blood-red liquid.

“Nothing harmful, I assure you. It should greatly enhance your experience.”

“I see.” Trin nodded and waved her right hand unobtrusively over the top of the wine. The tiny toxin sensor’s light remained a reassuringly steady green without even a flicker of red. Well, so at least the “secret ingredient” wasn’t poison.

“To a deal well done,” B’Rugh burbled and raised his goblet, his fingers oozing over its metal stem.

“A deal well done,” Trin echoed and took a sip. The liquid made her lips and tongue tingle in a strange way but other than that she felt no ill effects.

“Excellent,” B’Rugh said, holding out the sack to her.

Trin reached for it, while holding out the correct number of chip-coins in her other hand towards him. In another moment the deal would be done…

But B’Rugh held back, not quite taking her money or giving her the sack of crystals.

“As you have the correct currency, and I have the crystals, all we need is for your mate to effect the exchange,” he said.

“My mate?” Trin said blankly. “What do you mean?”

“Your mate—the male you are mated to.” B’Rugh raised one oozing eyebrow at her. “Do you say to me that you have no male to help effect the exchange?”

“Why would I need one?” Trin asked, honestly mystified.

B’Rugh frowned, an expression that made it look as if his entire face was melting.

“My culture does not allow me to have hand-to-hand dealings directly with a female.”

“What do you mean? You just handed me a crystal,” Trin pointed out.

“Ahh, but that was a gift, my dear. I am talking about business transactions. There must be a male here to effect the exchange. To take the crystals from my hand and place them in yours and to take the coins from your hand and place them in mine.”

“How about if we just leave both on the table and switch seats?” Trin suggested. “Then I can pick up the crystals and you can pick up the coins without any contact involved at all?” That would suit her just fine. She didn’t particularly want to handle anything else that had B’Rugh’s slime on it. But the Lud’om was shaking his head ponderously.

“Impossible,” he burbled, looking positively offended. “I cannot even think of such a thing.”

“Well, what are we supposed to do, then?” Trin demanded. Her lips and tongue were still tingling and now the tingle was spreading to the rest of her mouth. She wished it would stop—the sensation was very distracting.

“Seeing that you have no mate with you to effect the transaction, I might be willing to provide one,” B’Rugh suggested.

“Provide me a mate? As in, marry me off to someone?” Trin frowned. “I don’t think so.”

“It would only be a temporary arrangement, of course. Just to get the transaction done.” He smiled which made his face look like it was melting upwards.

“A temporary mate,” Trin mused. “And who exactly were you thinking of for this venture?”

“Why, myself of course.” B’Rugh widened his small, yellow eyes. “Whom else?”

Trin sighed. “Look, B’Rugh—if you’re trying to get more credit out of me by tacking on some kind of matchmaker’s fee, you’re out of luck. This is everything I’ve got.” She nodded at the pile of gold credit-chip coins on the soft black fungus in front of her. “You and I both know it’s a fair price and you’re not likely to find another buyer who’s willing to come all the way out here to you in person. So why don’t we just—”

“Oh—no, no my dear.” B’Rugh held up one oozing hand to stop her. “There is no need of a monetary compensation.”

“So…what? I marry you for fifteen minutes so that you can give me the crystals and I can give you the coins and then we go our separate ways?” Trin raised an eyebrow at him. All her instincts were on high alert. The Lud’om was definitely up to something.

“Well, for a bit longer than fifteen minutes,” B’Rugh said. “In point of fact, you would have to spend one night in my bed in order to make the joining legal and binding. Then, the next day, the deal could be effected and you would be able to leave.”

Trin swallowed hard, trying to keep her gorge from rising.

“A night in your bed? Are you asking me to prostitute myself to you in order to do this deal?”

“Certainly not!” B”rugh protested hastily. “My culture does not allow such things. I am speaking of a temporary joining or marriage—whatever you wish to call it. But of course, I would have certain privileges as your mate.”

Trin was beginning to feel genuinely ill—it didn’t help that the tingling in her mouth had turned to a kind of numbness.

“And what…” She could hardly make herself go on. “What kind of privileges would those be?” she finally managed to get out.

B’Rugh’s yellow eyes gleamed in his sagging, doughy face.

“Why the privilege of penetration, of course. I will hold you in my arms and envelope you with my slime.” He indicated the dripping greenish-brown ooze that covered his body. “Once you are completely enfolded, I will slide my member within you and—”

“Stop!” Trin held up a hand, unable to hear any more. “What…what would make you even think of such a thing?” she demanded, glaring at him. “You and I…we’re not even the same species. Not even close.”

“The color of your skin—that rich, creamy brown. I have never seen another female of your kind with such coloring. I find it…most erotic.” B’Rugh’s gurgling voice had gone thick with lust. “I makes me wish to fill you with my member and see if you are as soft and lush as you look.”

“I’m from Zetta Prime and we don’t…don’t do that. With any male,” Trin told him.

“Maybe you could make an exception…just for one night.” Those yellow eyes gleamed in his melting face.

His words made Trin think of the conversation about penetration she’d had with Thrace the night before. But imagining such a thing with the huge Havoc had made her feel hot and cold and strange all over. She’d had a clear feeling it was wrong—but of course, she’d always known that because of the way she’d been raised on Zetta Prime. However, the idea of letting Thrace fill her with his shaft hadn’t disgusted or repelled her. The idea had simply made her feel…strange and guilty.

The idea of letting B’Rugh fill her with his slimy cock and wrap her in his oozing arms filled her with a different feeling entirely. Nausea. Looking at the Lud’om and imagining going to bed with him made sour bile rise at the back of her throat. She wanted some water to wash the horrible taste away from her mouth but there was nothing but the strange, blood-red wine. Blindly she reached for it…

Only to have it knocked out of her hand.

“Sorry, but you can’t drink any more of that,” a familiar voice said. “That bastard with the steel teeth laced it with passion berries. Another sip and you’ll be in serious trouble.”

Trin looked up in surprise to see Thrace standing over her. The big Havoc was still wearing only the tight black leather pants and leather boots he’d had on when she bought him but now he was also carrying a blaster. She’d gotten so used to seeing him lying down, chained to the cot, she had forgotten how huge he really was. He was like a mountain of muscle towering over her and she had no idea why he was there.

Apparently B’Rugh didn’t either.

“Who are you and how dare you interrupt our negotiations?” The Lud’om sounded most displeased.

“Don’t remember me, do you?” Thrace gave him a fierce grin. “We met a few cycles back when your people tried to take over the mud flats on my home planet.”

The yellow eyes narrowed. “I do remember you, now. It was your leadership that kept us from completely conquering the Havoc home world. Thrace, isn’t it?”

Thrace nodded. “In the flesh.”

“But that still doesn’t explain what you’re doing here or how you’re involved with the lovely Trin.” B’Rugh nodded at her.

“That’s Captain Trin to you,” Thrace growled. “She’s the owner and captain of a star ship—not some cheap prosti-whore you can buy for a night of what passes for pleasure with you, B’Rugh—you fucking slimy bastard.”

B’Rugh stiffened—as much as a being that appeared to be made of oozing mud could be said to stiffen.

“I would never presume to ‘buy’ her as you put it. But she must have a mate to effect our transaction. I was actually doing her a favor, offering to act in this capacity myself so that the sale can go through.”

Thrace snorted. “Right. As if any female forced to sleep with you would consider it a favor. Fucking mud-slug.”

Privately, Trin agreed with everything the big Havoc was saying but he wasn’t being very diplomatic. There was nothing she wanted more than to stand up and punch B’Rugh in the jaw—or maybe just shoot him with her blaster. She was afraid her fist would get stuck in his face if she actually punched him. But giving in to those impulses wasn’t going to get her the Jaxite crystals.

She wanted to open her mouth and say something to salvage the situation but the tingling in her lips and tongue had become partial numbness now and speaking was difficult. Still, after swallowing a few times, she was able to interject between the angry insults Thrace and B’Rugh were trading.

“So you’re saying, B’Rugh,” she said, being careful not to slur her words. “That your only interest here is preserving the deal. That you only offer yourself as my temporary mate in order to conclude our transact…” She swallowed, her tongue feeling thick. “Transaction? Correct?”

“Of course.” B’Rugh nodded stiffly. “Though I admit to finding you most desirable, if you had come with a mate to effect the transaction, none of this would be necessary.”

“Good, then all our problems are solved.” Thrace leaned forward and glared at the Lud’om. “Because I’m her mate.”

Chapter Eight

“I’m her mate,” Thrace growled again, wanting to get the point across. “And I’m here to ‘effect the transaction’ as you keep saying.”

“What?” the Lud’om blustered, spraying bits of slime on the black grass table. “But Trin stated she had no mate!”

“She never said that. She said she didn’t have one with her. But here I am.” Thrace grinned, really enjoying the look of fury on the lumpish, oozing face of his opponent. The look on Trin’s face was equally amusing. She looked like she wanted to say something but wasn’t quite sure how to say it.

Or maybe she was just about to lose consciousness. The bastard with the steel teeth had put no less than three passion berries in her wine—enough for a person three times her size. Thrace only wished he’d been able to knock it from her hand before she took the first drink but he’d wanted to hang back in the shadows and hear what was going on. He’d told himself that he would just watch and listen—and if she wasn’t in trouble, he would simply go get The Empress out of dry dock and leave her alone forever.

So much for that plan, he thought grimly, trying to keep an eye on B’Rugh and his weird second in command at the same time. The male with the steel teeth had sidled around behind his boss and was looking at both him and Trin as if they were interesting exhibits in a zoo. There was something not right about that son of a bitch…something not quite sane, Thrace thought.

“But this is impossible,” B’Rugh blustered. “You cannot be Trin’s mate.”

“I most certainly am. Aren’t I, baby?” He looked down at her, giving her an encouraging smile. Would she play along? She’d better if she wants to get out of here in one piece with that pretty pile of crystals!

Trin was still looking up at him, probably wondering how he’d gotten loose in the first place and what he was doing here aboard the Demon’s Eye. But finally, she nodded in confirmation.

“Yes, Thrace is my…mate.”

“You told me that your people did not allow penetration by males!” B’Rugh accused her. “You sited it as your main objection to taking me as a temporary mate.”

“I highly doubt that was her main objection,” Thrace said dryly. “But just to let you know, there are a hell of a lot more things you can do with a female besides just penetrate her. If you don’t know that by now, you’ve got less going for you than I thought. Now…” Reaching around Trin, he scooped up the handful of golden cred-chip coins and held them out across the table. “How about making that deal?”

“I…I never…” B’Rugh tried to protest.

“You said you wanted to do the deal and only Trin’s lack of a mate was stopping you,” Thrace reminded him steadily. “Yet when her mate shows up, you try to go back on your word?” He shook his head. “That doesn’t look too good, B’Rugh. Especially not to the Elders of your Tribe.”

Though the Lud’om was a feared and hated criminal, Thrace knew that the crime lord would still be bound by the mores of his people. One of which dictated that a deal, once offered, must always be honored.

B’Rugh seemed to know when he was beaten.

“Very well,” he burbled brusquely. Scooping up the sack of crystals, he held them out to Thrace who took the sack and handed over the stack of coins.

“Thank you.” He checked the crystals, nodded politely, and put a hand under Trin’s slim elbow to help her up. “Come on, baby—let’s go,” he muttered.

Trin didn’t move.

At first he thought she was resisting him—then he realized she was still under the effects of the drugged wine and probably about to pass out. He lifted her by main force and helped her stand. Her eyes were partially glazed as she nodded her goodbyes to B’Rugh and his strange second in command. Then Thrace hustled her out the triangular doorway as quickly as he could.

It was time to get the hell out of here.

* * * * *

“Stay on your feet and don’t fall down,” the big Havoc muttered in her ear as he half carried, half dragged Trin down the wide metal walkway. “I can’t carry you yet—the bastards around here will see it as weakness and be on us like a pack of wild ferals.”

“I’m…trying,” Trin slurred, stumbling along beside him. The tingling and numbness in her mouth had become an odd, lightheaded feeling that made her feel extremely weird and strangely relaxed at the same time.

In danger—we just crossed the most notorious crime lord in the galaxy and we’re in terrible danger—screamed a little voice inside her head. But it seemed muffled and faint…unimportant even though Trin knew it was pretty damn serious.

She was aware that the thugs who had watched her first passage down this corridor were back. Their eyes gleamed from the shadows and a couple of them looked like they would have liked to challenge Thrace. But since the Havoc was bigger than any of them and had a naked blaster in his hand, they hung back. Still, it was probably only a matter of time until one or several of them got over their uncertainty and stepped forward. Only—

She stumbled and Thrace dragged her upright again, hooking one arm around her waist to keep her moving.

“Almost there,” he muttered. “Almost to the exit airlock. Come on, baby—you can do it.”

Trin wanted to object to the demeaning nickname but she couldn’t seem to form any words. What had Thrace said the man with the steel teeth had put into her drink? Passion berries? Trin had never heard of them but they must be incredibly strong. She’d taken the tiniest possible sip and she still felt close to passing out. Had B’Rugh’s second in command been trying to kill her? Or simply drug her so completely she couldn’t protest anything that was done to her? The thought made Trin shiver, even in her drugged haze.

Suddenly, as if her thoughts had called him, the male with the steel teeth and rotting brain popped up right in front of them. Trin blinked at him owlishly. How did he move so fast?

“What in the Seven Hells?” Apparently the male’s sudden appearance had surprised Thrace as well. He halted abruptly, keeping one arm firmly around Trin and pointed the blaster at the center of the other male’s narrow chest. “Get out of the way,” he growled.

“In a moment,” the male said pleasantly. “I just had a quick question for you before you go, my good Havoc.”

“I’m not your good anything,” Thrace snarled. “Now step out of the way or I’ll blast a hole in you big enough to walk through.”

“My, my—such a violent temper!” The male with steel teeth shook his head and made a tsking sound. “But listen—you said that B’Rugh’s people tried to take over the mud flats on your planet—is that correct?”

“They tried. Didn’t succeed,” Thrace snapped impatiently. “What of it?”

“Well, it’s just that mud flats are a very unusual geographical feature.”

“Not really.” Thrace frowned. “They’re what happen when the desert meets the sea. Most of my home planet, Xander Prime, is either huge oceans or barren deserts. Not the most hospitable place but it’s ours and we weren’t going to give it up to those Lud’om bastards.”

“I see. Of course not.” B’Rugh’s second in command nodded thoughtfully. “Well, thank you very much. That was all I wished to know.”

Thrace stared at him. “Seriously? You stopped me to ask about the mud flats of my home world?”

“That’s all. I simply have an interest in different climates and geographical features. Call it a…hobby of mine.” He grinned, exposing his horrible teeth again. “Well, I must be going and I can see you are in a hurry as well.”

“Damn right,” Thrace snapped. But before they could start moving again. the male with steel teeth leaned forward and put one cold finger under Trin’s chin.

“Goodbye for now, my dear,” he murmured, his one normal eye gleaming. “But not forever because I will see you again. I can promise you that.”

He’s crazy! Trin thought, another cold shiver going down her spine. Completely insane.

“Get your fucking hands off her.” Thrace jerked her away and shoved the muzzle of the blaster in the other male’s skinny sternum. “Touch her again and you die.”

The male with metal teeth didn’t seem in the least concerned. He simply smiled.

“So protective despite the fact that she doesn’t allow you to penetrate her. That’s interesting. Very interesting,” he murmured, finally stepping aside. “Goodbye then. For now.” Slowly, he backed away, still grinning.

At that point, Trin’s head began to spin and the world around her started to gray out. She saw the interested looks of the thugs in the hallway around them—clearly the pause for conversation with B’Rugh’s second in command had given them time to gather their courage. Trin knew she needed to stay on her feet, but she couldn’t even feel her feet anymore. She sagged in Thrace’s grip, unable to stand, let alone walk.

“Trin?” He glanced at her quickly, while keeping most of his attention on the circle of interested thugs.

“Sorry,” she whispered. “Just…can’t…”

With a low curse, he bent down and swung her into his arms as easily as if he was picking up a doll. “Hold on to me,” he muttered. “Or try, at least—we’re going to have to fight our way out.”

The last memory Trin had was of resting her head against his muscular, bare chest as a hoard of hungry eyes closed in on them.

Then…nothing.

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