MARY AND THE MINOTAUR

A SCIFI ALIEN ROMANCE (ALIEN ABDUCTION BOOK 13)

HONEY PHILLIPS

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Epilogue

Author’s Note

Other Titles

About the Author

CHAPTER ONE

“Where are we going?” Mary asked Yakshi as he gripped her arm painfully and hurried her along the corridor.

He was one of the aliens who had abducted her from Earth, but he was usually nice to her—or at least nicer than any of the other guards.

“To an escape pod. We have to get you off the ship.”

“I don’t understand. Why? And what about the others?”

A lump formed in her throat at the thought of her friends. Lily and Kate had been abducted at about the same time and the three had formed a tight bond as the alien ship traveled ever further from Earth. Both of them had already been dragged out of their cages, leaving her alone.

“The Imperial Fleet is on our trail,” he muttered, then looked down at her, his eyes burning. “And I’m not about to lose you to those bastards.”

Eshak, the worst of the guards, had implied that the humans would be imprisoned—or worse—if the Fleet discovered them. While it was nice of Yakshi to want to keep her safe from the Fleet, would it really be that much more unpleasant than what these alien slavers had in store for them?

“But what about my friends?”

“The pods are only big enough for one.” He stopped in front of a wall of oval-shaped doors and opened one to reveal a small, circular space. One side was padded, with straps hanging next to the padding. “Get in.”

Her stomach churned. She was not good with small spaces.

“Yakshi, please.” She gave him her best friendly smile. “Is this really necessary?”

“Yes.” He pushed her inside, not exactly roughly, but hard enough to make her stumble through the doorway and against the padded wall. “It might even work out for the best.”

“I don’t understand.”

He looked up from where he was fastening the restraints across her body, his eyes still heated. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to acquire enough credits to purchase you by myself. I might have had to share.”

“Share?” she whispered. The thought that he intended to acquire her was bad enough—the fact that he had already planned to share her only made it worse.

“Don’t worry, pet. I’ll make sure that I’m the only one who finds you.” His hand closed over her breast as he fastened the last strap, followed by a sharp pinch as he caught her with his claw. “You’ll be all mine.”

Oh no. She had done her best to be polite and friendly to him, but she wasn’t attracted to him in the least. Even though he was an alien, his jutting brow and hairy body bore a disturbing resemblance to primitive humans.

“Yakshi,” she began, determined to let him down gently, “I don’t—”

He mashed his mouth against hers before she could continue, forcing his tongue between her lips, and she almost gagged. He tasted like rotten garbage, and his thick tongue threatened to choke her.

An alarm sounded in the distance, and he raised his head, a satisfied smirk on his ugly face.

“Don’t worry,” he said again. “I’ll come for you, and you’ll have plenty of time to show me how grateful you can be.”

He grabbed his crotch, his meaning all too clear, then stepped back and slammed the pod door shut. She was still shuddering when it launched itself into space.

Why did this keep happening to her? Not being kidnapped by aliens, of course—that was an entirely new experience—but attracting the wrong men. Some men took one look at her short stature, blond curls, and big, blue eyes and dismissed her as a silly little airhead. The others tended to focus on her more than bountiful breasts and curvy body and assumed she would fulfill their sensual promise. The last man had been so obsessed with her that she’d ended up moving across two states to get away from him.

If only she was more like Lily, able to discourage someone with a single withering remark, or even able to use Kate’s icy logic, but she had been brought up to be polite and well-mannered and she hated confrontation.

Although she was neither naïve nor impractical, she had decided a long time ago that it was better to look for the good in people. Sometimes, probably even frequently, she was disappointed, but it was far better to suffer the occasional disappointment than to live in constant suspicion. Her aunt had lived that way and it had kept her safe, but it had never made her happy.

She had lived with her aunt from the time she was five. Her pretty, erratic mother had dropped her off on her aunt’s doorstep one day, kissed her, and departed in a swirl of perfume and flowery skirts. Mary had never seen her again.

“Don’t worry, darling!” her mother had called cheerfully as she headed for her car. “Your Aunt Elizabeth will take care of you until I can come and get you.”

Looking up at the grim, unsmiling woman, Mary hadn’t been so sure. With a sinking heart, she remembered that her backpack with all her carefully hoarded supplies was still in the car.

“I expect you’re hungry,” her aunt said, opening the door into a spotless house.

Five minutes later, Mary had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in one hand and a glass of milk in the other hand. Then her aunt led her to a plain, neat bedroom with a pretty blue quilt on the bed, and told her that it was all hers. Mary had decided that maybe she would be all right until her mother returned.

Life with her aunt was the complete opposite of life with her mother. Aunt Elizabeth never appeared with a bag full of presents and a fanciful tale about her adventures, but she was there every night when Mary went to bed, and still there every morning when she woke up. Their house was always clean and warm and dry.

There were no more fairy cakes and sweet sodas at midnight, but neither were there long days with no food at all. She had breakfast every morning and dinner every night, and there were always wholesome snacks waiting in the refrigerator. It had still taken her two years before she stopped hiding food away.

Despite Aunt Elizabeth’s stern demeanor, Mary had quickly come to recognize and appreciate the deep vein of affection that ran beneath the brusque surface. She had occasionally rebelled at her aunt’s strictness, of course, especially as a teenager. During one of their worst fights, she had accused her aunt of hating her because she was too much like her mother.

“And you hate my mother!” she yelled.

“I don’t hate your mother. She’s my sister and I will always love her, but I don’t want you to have to go through all the things that she went through.”

“It wasn’t so bad,” she said defensively.

Her aunt sighed. “Mary, you’re always so determined to only look at the positive side of life. When she brought you to me, you only had two dresses and you were significantly underweight.”

“Why did she bring me here? Did she get tired of me?” She had never asked before.

“No.” Her aunt hesitated, moving over to the bureau. “Do you remember a man named George? Maybe Uncle George?”

He had been one of her mother’s boyfriends, a big cuddly man who liked to put her on his knee and give her candy. “Yes.”

“Your mother caught him coming out of your room one night. Even though she was frequently… confused, she knew enough to realize that she couldn’t keep you safe. So she brought you to me.”

“You mean it was my fault she left me here?”

“No! Don’t ever think that. She did the best thing she could do for you.”

“I miss her.”

“I do too.” The words were almost inaudible, and Mary could see the sadness on the older woman’s face. But then it disappeared behind her aunt’s usual sternness. “Now let’s have no more of this nonsense.”

When her aunt had fallen ill during her last year of college, Mary had returned home to nurse her. Even then, the older woman had rarely given into any display of emotion, but Mary knew her well enough to know that she was glad that Mary was there. After her aunt’s death, she had sold the small house they had lived in and returned to college. It was during that last year, when the feeling of being alone had weighed so heavily on her, that she had drifted into a disastrous relationship with Ronald.

He had seemed so sure of everything, just like her aunt. It had taken her far longer than it should have to realize that, unlike her aunt, there was no core of affection beneath his orders—only the need to control. But perhaps some part of her had known, because at least she’d never given into his demands that she sleep with him. And once she understood what he was truly like, she had managed to escape his control and make a whole new life for herself in Cosmo Beach. A good life. She loved living by the sea, and she loved teaching her kindergarten class. She had even begun to consider dating again.

Instead, she went out to look at the stars one night and woke up in a cage on an alien spaceship, trapped once more. But she had gotten away from Ronald and she was determined to find a way out of this situation as well. As the pod tumbled down towards a planet far below, she allowed herself to hope that this might be her chance—first to escape, and then to find her friends.

Instead of plummeting straight down, the pod jerked and skittered like a leaf on the wind. The seemingly random movements confused her at first, but she eventually decided that she was headed in the direction of a huge city. A confusing array of skyscrapers in a wild variety of shapes filled the air over the city, and her stomach churned. What if she collided with one of them or smashed into the middle of a street and killed innocent bystanders? She searched desperately for any way to control the pod, but she couldn’t see anything that looked promising. It didn’t help that she was restrained against the worn padding.

Determined to free herself, she started fumbling with the restraints just as the pod jerked, then jerked again. Each time it slowed a little more, and she decided it must be under some kind of control, no matter how erratic its path. She was close enough now to see more of the high towers filling the horizon, but the pod was angled slightly away from them, heading to an area of the city with fewer tall buildings. More jerks, and then a last tumbling fall that dropped her down into a dark pit beneath the surface. The pod came to a halt with a thud that rattled her bones.

Her head finally stopped spinning, and she made quick work of the remaining restraints. The light entering the pod was dim, but not as dark as it had originally seemed. When she peered cautiously through the porthole, she could still see daylight far above her, even though very little of it reached down to wherever she had landed. As her eyes adjusted, she could see that she was surrounded by strange, broken shapes, many of them damaged or warped. It almost looked as though she had landed in a junkyard.

But why had she ended up here? Despite the random movements of the pod, she was quite sure that this destination was no accident. She was even more sure that she didn’t want to wait around for Yakshi to come and retrieve her. If she could get away from this place, maybe she could find someone to help her locate her friends.

The door controls were even harder to manage in the dim light, but she finally managed to find a release and the door swung open. The pod had landed on a small metal platform with rows of identical pods to either side. A narrow path wound its way down from the platform and through the shadowy stacks of junk. Since she didn’t see any other option, she started along the path, casting a longing glance at the daylight above. If she could get to the surface, it would be so much easier to find her way around. She decided her first priority would be to make her way there.

Ouch! Make that my second priority, she thought as she stepped on something sharp. When she awoke on the alien ship, she had been naked except for a far too skimpy white gown. Neither her clothes nor her shoes had been anywhere in sight. Finding something to cover her feet was first on her list.

As she continued winding her way through the stacks of junk, she kept an eye out for anything that could be turned into a foot covering while simultaneously trying to watch where she placed her feet. As she turned another corner, she found what looked like an old couch, the fabric hanging from it in long strips. The material was already thin and tattered, but she managed to tear off a few strips and tie them around her feet, relieved at the extra protection.

If only there was something I could do about the slave gown, she thought wistfully.

She had never worn anything so revealing before, preferring long skirts and oversized tops to hide her curves. Unfortunately, a change of clothes was going to have to wait until she found more material. Moving a little more confidently with the wrappings on her feet, she headed for what she hoped was the exterior wall. It seemed logical that the exit would be located along the wall.

As she turned another corner, a door opened, spilling artificial light into the enclosure. Her first impression was that the Pillsbury dough boy was standing there—his round little body and a round little head silhouetted against the light. But then he stepped more fully into the light and she realized he was nothing like the familiar figure. Beneath a dirty jumpsuit, his skin was bright orange, and he had large, bulbous eyes and a round tube-like mouth.

“Hello there,” she said nervously, trying to smile.

He was the first truly alien person that she had seen, and she hadn’t expected someone so cartoonlike. The Ithyians who had taken them were surprisingly humanoid. With thick, hairy bodies and jutting brows, they looked more like primitive cavemen than a technologically advanced race. Not that their resemblance to humans made them any nicer, she thought regretfully. She had been so sure that Yakshi had a decent side, but even he had turned out to be a disappointment.

Although the person staring at her was undeniably alien, he didn’t look threatening. Nor had he responded to her greeting, still staring at her with his round little mouth open. Maybe he didn’t understand her. The Ithyians had given them some type of translation implant, but it was possible that it only worked for their language.

“Do you understand me?” she asked as slowly and distinctly as possible, holding out her open hands and what she hoped was a universal sign of friendship.

“Yeah. Where did you come from?” he demanded.

“Umm…” If she told him, would he insist on returning her to Yakshi? She tried desperately to think of some remotely plausible explanation for her presence in the junkyard, but she’d never been very good at lying. Maybe if she told him the truth, she could persuade him to help her get away from here and find her friends.

“From an escape pod,” she said finally. “I’m not sure why, but it landed here.”

His little round eyes blinked rapidly, then he muttered what was clearly an obscenity.

“Should have known better than to trust an Ithyian.”

He stepped closer, and she did her best not to flinch. A stench of stale grease and alcohol wafted over her as he peered at her face.

“What are you?”

“I don’t understand.”

“What species?” he asked impatiently. “What planet did you come from?”

“I’m a human. I come from a planet called Earth.”

He swore again. “Fucking Yakshi.”

“I don’t understand.”

“He just asked me to store the pod. Didn’t say anything about it being occupied.”

She stared at him in horror. Yakshi had expected her to remain in the pod? With no food or water or other facilities. What had he been thinking?

Not of me, she thought sadly and wondered why she was even surprised. She pushed her disappointment aside and smiled at the new alien.

“I’m sorry about this. My name is Mary—”

“Your name is trouble,” he interrupted.

“What’s your name?” She did her best to keep her voice pleasant, despite his rudeness.

“Trothar,” he muttered, then reached out and poked her breast with a thick finger.

It didn’t hurt, but the unexpected gesture made her jump. He shuddered and shook his head.

“Way too soft.”

That wasn’t very nice. She might have been a little on the plump side—okay, a lot—but he was no skinny Minnie either. Before she could think of a suitable response, he grabbed her wrist and started pulling her through the doorway. His fat little fingers were surprisingly strong.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Away from here.”

Maybe that was a good sign. She didn’t want to be here when Yakshi showed up.

“Oh, thank you. Do you think you could help me find my friends?”

“There are more of you?” He shook his head, his round head bobbing. “Yakshi is a fucking idiot.”

“Why?” she asked breathlessly as he proceeded rapidly through a series of dirty corridors. Junk was piled everywhere, but he wove his way through the narrow path that remained with surprising agility.

“Humans are trouble. The new Emperor has a thing about ‘em. No one is supposed to be trading in them.” He shot her another look, and shook his head again. “Can’t see the attraction myself.”

The feeling was mutual.

“So you’re going to let me go?” she asked hopefully.

He snorted. “I said Yakshi is an idiot, not that I am. You’re worth a hell of a lot to someone.”

Her heart sank. “You’re going to sell me?”

“Hell no. I don’t need that kind of trouble.”

“Then you’ll help me—”

“I’m not going to sell you. I’m going to trade you.”

CHAPTER TWO

Sendat scowled down at the scarred surface of the table he had commandeered in the back corner of the busy bar. He pretended to take a swig of the Yadek whiskey—expensive enough to show that he had funds, but not so expensive as to catch the eye of any ruffians on the lookout for rich targets. Not that he was particularly worried about being jumped. His size, his muscles, and his horns—not to mention the Bukharan reputation—would be enough to deter any but the most desperate males. He just preferred to avoid unnecessary violence.

“Are you all alone?”

The sultry voice interrupted his thoughts, and he looked up to see one of the Tajiri whores who frequented the bar standing by his table. She still retained a pretty face despite her profession, and she had the tall, athletic body he usually preferred, but he wasn’t even remotely tempted.

“Waiting for someone.”

She managed to look disappointed, even though he suspected her disappointment was as false as her tits. He tossed her a coin, then realized his mistake when her eyes lit up with an avaricious gleam.

“I could wait for you,” she suggested, then licked her lips. “Or join you both.”

“Not tonight.”

When she opened her mouth again, he let out a low huff, just enough to warn her off. Her eyes widened as she shrank back. Then she tossed her head and sauntered away, her tail swinging defiantly. He bit back a sigh. It would have been nice to lose himself for a few hours in a willing body—even if he had to pay for that willingness—but he knew that in the end it wouldn’t do anything but leave him feeling hollow. This job was already weighing on him far too heavily.

When he’d left the Emperor’s personal service and joined the Imperial Fleet, he had visions of making the Kaisarian Empire a better place. The Emperor had decided to integrate the Fleet, allowing members of any species in the Empire to join, and Sendat had been excited to be one of the first Bukharans. But life in the Fleet turned out to be more boring than he had anticipated—most of their time focused on displays of power rather than rendering actual assistance to any of the systems in the Empire.

When Captain Arulo had approached him about going undercover instead, he had accepted eagerly. The excitement had soon worn off. Although it was satisfying to bring down an illegal operation, the constant association with the worst kind of degenerates had turned him hard and cynical. This past year on Yangu, trying to track down the source of the illegal slave trade, had been the worst. He’d been forced to take part in a number of criminal enterprises, just to make the connections he needed.

Sometimes he felt as if he had become someone else entirely—someone he despised.

But what else was he going to do? Go back to formal uniforms and elaborate displays of military might? Retire to a shack on the beach and gather shells? He snorted, and the Gliese merchant at the next table jumped, then slid his chair further away from Sendat.

Once, his instinct would have been to apologize. Now he simply glared at the other male. The encrypted communicator on his belt suddenly vibrated. It was time. He scowled down at it, already dreading the evening’s activities. A band of illegal slaves was arriving tonight, and he would be participating in their sale and transfer. With any luck, he would be able to identify both the source and their destination. Even better would be identifying the mastermind behind the whole enterprise. Once he had enough information, he could call in the Fleet.

With another disgusted snort, he took an actual swig of the Yadek, enough to send a line of fire down his throat. Fuck. If he was resorting to alcohol to numb his unhappiness, it was definitely time to ask for a new assignment.

Several hours later, his frustration had only worsened. The shipment had been the usual mixture of pitiful males, many of them guilty of no more than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A few would be sold to buyers here in the city, but the majority would be bought to be sent to the mines to dig for the gemstones that formed the basis of the Yangu economy. Most of the owners had switched to machinery, but machinery was expensive and it didn’t always identify the smaller gems. Some of the owners still preferred manual labor—and were none too picky about the source of that labor.

Based on what he had been able to discover, they had small groups of “legal slaves” who were housed and fed in accordance with Imperial law. But these wretches would be destined for the deeper pits where no representative would ever see them, and they would be worked until they died.

He had just shoved the last male into one of the temporary cages, keeping his grip firm but not cruel, when a low buzz of excitement filled the room. He turned around in time to see a drunken Ceekat stagger into the warehouse, trailing a female behind him.

He wanted to close his eyes and curse the gods, but like every other male in the place, his eyes were fixed on that small cloaked figure. Even beneath the oversized garment, he could see the swell of her breasts and hips. A hint of sweet, floral scent drifted across the space, and to his shock, his cock responded.

Not my type, he reminded himself, and then the Ceekat pushed back the hood of her cloak. Wide frightened blue eyes set in a pale, pretty face met his. Oh, fuck. This wasn’t just any female. This was a human, like the one who was now mated to the Emperor. She even bore a superficial resemblance to the First Consort.

“What the fuck?” he growled. The female jumped when he spoke, then looked up at him with those wide blue eyes. He expected her to shrink away as he strode over to them, but instead she tilted her head to one side and studied his face as he snapped at the merchant. “Who the hell are you?”

“Trothar Ad’Lison, scrap merchant,” the Ceekat mumbled. He attempted to make a formal bow, but he was so intoxicated he almost fell over.

Perhaps he could use the male’s drunkenness to his advantage and get him and the human female out of here before—

“How did you find us?” a cool voice interrupted his thoughts.

Mokuu, the Tajiri male running this part of the operation, had emerged from his small office. Fuck. There was no chance of getting the female out of here now—he would just have to play along until he could find a way to rescue her.

“Everyone knows what’s goin’ on here,” Trothar said, gesturing aimlessly around the warehouse. “Ask Bavalo. He knows me,” he added, referring to the guard who was supposedly watching the entrance.

Fucking Bavalo. He was as worthless as most of Mokuu’s other employees. No doubt the useless male assumed Sendat would take care of the intruder. Of course, the fact that he wasn’t incompetent was the reason Mokuu hired him in the first place.

Mokuu did not look happy about the male’s words, and for good reason. If this location had been compromised, they would need to move up their timing. Sendat had a different concern—if slaves had been moving through this warehouse on a regular basis, it argued that it was a much larger operation than he had originally suspected.

“Not here to cause trouble,” the Ceekat added as their forbidding expressions seemed to penetrate his drunkenness. “Just want to do some trading of my own. For this female.”

“Trade her? For what?” Mokuu asked.

“Another female. This one’s too soft.”

Sendat bit back an exclamation of disgust. How could any male not want that delightfully soft, curvy body for his own? He scowled and shook his head. “We don’t—”

“—have another female at this location,” Mokuu interrupted. “But we could make arrangements. Do you have something in mind?”

Trothar scuffed his feet along the floor. “I always wanted a Scraak female.”

Sendat did his best to hide his shock. This imbecile preferred one of the insectoid races to this beautiful female?

“I believe that could be arranged,” Mokuu agreed, even though Sendat was positive that he didn’t have such a female. “May I offer you a drink while I research?”

“Hell yeah.” The Ceekat started to raise his hand, then seemed to remember he was still gripping the wrist of the human female. He hesitated, then let it drop. Sendat wanted to roar with anger when he saw the red marks of the unworthy male’s fingers on her pale flesh.

The female took an uncertain step away from the Ceekat, and Sendat could see the impulse to flee on her face. Apparently, so could Mokuu.

“Don’t even think of trying to run, female. You will be punished.” His voice was cold, ruthless, and the female shivered, then raised her chin.

“My name is Mary,” she said in a low, sweet voice. “I think this is all some kind of misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding?” Mokuu laughed, and Sendat thought he looked genuinely amused. “I’m afraid you’re the only one who doesn’t understand. You belong to me now.”

No! Sendat had to fight back the urge to challenge Mokuu on the spot. He couldn’t throw away months of work over a single female.

“I want her,” he growled anyway.

Mokuu raised an eyebrow with the smug superiority so common to the Tajiri. From the corner of his eye, he could see Mary’s gaze fixed on him.

“I hardly think you can afford her, Sendat.”

“Don’t care who buys her, s’long as I get what I want,” Trothar mumbled, his eyes darting between them.

“This is my operation,” Mokuu said coldly. “Sendat is well aware of that. We will discuss it after I find you that drink. Right, Sendat?”

Mokuu flicked a glance at him, and he forced himself to nod. Then Mokuu led the Ceekat into the office, leaving Sendat alone with Mary. His immediate impulse was to reassure her, but he couldn’t take the chance that she might inadvertently reveal his position.

“Your name is Sendat?” she asked softly.

He simply inclined his head, ignoring the rush of pleasure that swept over him at the sound of his name on her lips.

“Can you help me?”

“No.”

The answer sounded harsh, even to his own ears, but she didn’t flinch. Those big blue eyes were still fastened on his face. Before she had a chance to ask him anything else, Mokuu returned.

“Now what’s this about, Sendat?”

“I told you—I want her. I’ve never had a human.” He did his best to slip back into his usual callous role.

“I doubt you could afford her. She’s worth a fortune to the right buyer.”

Mokuu was right, but perhaps there was another alternative. If he could just get her away from Mokuu, even briefly, he would find a way to get her to safety.

“Too rich for my blood,” he agreed. “But I don’t want her permanently. Just to fuck for a few nights.” He forced himself to ignore Mary’s quiet gasp and kept his eyes on Mokuu. “I was thinking of a temporary arrangement—until you find a permanent buyer.”

“Hmm.” Mokuu looked from Sendat to Mary, his gaze calculating. “What if you damage her?”

“I won’t,” he growled, then forced himself to shrug. “I know not to damage my toys. Especially when I want my share of the profits from the sale.”

“I might be willing to consider it—for a sufficient number of credits.”

“How much?”

Mokuu smirked as he named his price. Sendat knew the other male was only playing with him, believing that the amount was far beyond his ability to pay. However, he had accumulated a large number of credits during his undercover work and he’d had no intention of spending those ill-gotten gains—until now.

“Done.”

Mokuu raised a brow, then shrugged and nodded. “Just remember that if she is damaged in any way, then you will owe an equal amount.” His eyes turned cold. “And you will pay—one way or another.”

Sendat didn’t pretend to misunderstand. The implication was quite clear. If he did not pay the debt, he would be forced into slavery himself.

CHAPTER THREE

Mary looked at the two males so calmly discussing selling her for a few nights, still struggling to cope with everything that had happened since the escape pod landed. After announcing that he intended to trade her, Trothar had taken her to a cluttered, dirty room at the edge of the junkyard. In between taking long swigs from a green bottle, he rummaged through the clutter, muttering to himself. He finally retrieved a dark, stained cloak and thrust it at her.

“Put this on.”

It looked dirty and smelled even worse, but when she hesitated, he leaned down into her face. “Unless you want every male we pass grabbing at you. Or worse.”

As much as she wanted to believe that he was exaggerating, the white slave gown she was wearing did very little to conceal her body, and even human men had a tendency to assume that her curves made her fair game. She nodded and reluctantly fastened the cloak around her neck.

“The hood too.”

As she pulled it up over her head, he drained the last of the bottle and tossed it in the corner with a pile of other empties. She could only hope that he’d drunk enough to allow her to get away from him. But although his steps were far from steady, his grip on her wrist never faltered as he led her out of the junkyard and into a warren of dark alleys.

She could still see daylight far overhead, sparkling on the windows of the tall buildings she had seen on her descent, but down here the light was dim and grey. Only an occasional lantern or a half-broken sign illuminated their path. She caught brief glimpses of more aliens, slumped against stained walls or gathered in shadowed doorways. Several of them called out to Trothar, but he only yelled back and hurried on.

Despite the relative isolation of the narrow streets, the noise of the city created a constant low hum. What was it like on the surface? Under other circumstances, she would have loved a chance to explore an alien city. But her interest in her surroundings began to disappear as her feet became more and more painful. The thin cloth she had tied around them wasn’t as protective as she’d hoped, and Trothar’s rapid pace gave her little chance to watch her path.

Trothar finally came to a halt next to a warehouse-type building. One of the feline aliens who seemed to be most common in the city leaned casually against the wall, smoking a cigarette with a heavy, pungent aroma. The two males exchanged a few words, too soft for her to hear, and then the feline shrugged.

“No guarantees.” His eyes swept over her, reflective in the dim light, and she was suddenly glad for the cape. “But females usually fetch a good price. Unless Mokuu just decides to take her…”

“My prize,” Trothar muttered, his fingers tightening painfully around her wrist.

“Your choice.” The male leaned back against the wall and raised his cigarette to his mouth, losing interest in the conversation.

Trothar glared at him, then pulled Mary past him and through the narrow doorway. They passed a few enclosed spaces that looked like offices before emerging into a wide-open space with a high ceiling. Her horrified glance took in the array of temporary cages lining the walls, filled with an astonishing variety of aliens, and she shrank back into her cloak. Trothar made an impatient noise and yanked back her hood.

An excited murmur went up from the occupants of the cages, but her eyes were drawn to the tall male barking an impatient demand at Trothar. She had never seen—never imagined—an alien like him. Tall and broad-shouldered, his heavy muscles rippled beneath a smooth brown pelt. A sleeveless black top clung to his wide chest, while matching black pants hugged his thick thighs and oddly shaped knees before ending at strange-looking boots.

Not boots, hooves, she realized as he stalked over to them.

Her eyes went up, and up again. He was easily a foot and a half taller than her, even without the impressive dark horns crowning his head. His face was almost bull-like with a broad, flat nose, a wide mouth, and intense dark eyes. Something about his appearance seemed oddly familiar, but before she could decide why, he snapped another question at Trothar. Despite his obvious annoyance, his deep voice rumbled down her spine in an unexpectedly pleasant way.

A second male came to join them. Another one of the feline aliens, he had pale golden fur and a deep brown mane. He had a cool confidence quite unlike the outside guard’s casual insouciance, and she decided he must be in charge. Although he promised Trothar one of the females he wanted, even she didn’t believe him. But Trothar followed him willingly enough, lured by the promise of more alcohol.

As soon as they were alone, she turned to the big male. Sendat. She liked the way his name sounded on her tongue. Since he had offered to buy her maybe that meant he liked her, at least a little, she hoped.

“Can you help me?” she asked quietly.

His brusque refusal should have disheartened her, but she couldn’t help thinking she detected a note of regret in his voice. Even when he spoke so crudely about buying her just to use for a few nights, a part of her still insisted that he was a good male. Was she being foolish? Again?

No, she decided, when she looked up and their eyes met again. She was quite sure that there was more to him than his gruff exterior.

“I’m afraid we have a problem with the front company, Mokuu.” A new voice sounded from the side of the warehouse, and they all looked over as another feline male entered.

Mary stared at him in surprise. Like Sendat, Mokuu was dressed in plain black. The new male was wearing a heavily embroidered robe with jewels sparkling around his wrists and neck. His mane was so elaborately teased and curled that it didn’t look real.

“You are supposed to be handling those kinds of problems, Chinit,” Mokuu said coldly. “That was part of our agreement.”

From the corner of her eye, she thought she saw Sendat make an abortive movement, but it happened so quickly she wasn’t sure. He didn’t say anything, and his face remained as impassive as ever.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t count on my useless son and his—” He broke off abruptly as he spotted Mary for the first time. “Who is this?”

“A new acquisition,” Mokuu said impatiently. “What does your son have to do with our enterprise?”

Chinit ignored him, stalking closer to Mary. She did her best not to shrink away from him, suddenly aware that Sendat had moved closer—so close that she could feel the heat of his big body behind her.

“A human? How ironic.” Chinit smiled, but it was not a nice smile. “I am in need of a way to relieve my… frustrations, and a human female would serve me perfectly. Once she’s cleaned up, of course. I’ll take her.”

“That’s not possible.” Mokuu gestured at Sendat. “He’s already purchased her.”

She noticed he didn’t add that it was a temporary arrangement, but neither she nor Sendat made any attempt to correct him. For all his finery, she didn’t like this newcomer one little bit. He reminded her of the kind of cat that liked to play with his prey.

“How could you possibly afford her?” Chinit glared at Sendat.

He shrugged a massive fur-covered shoulder. “Lucky bet.”

“I’ll double what you paid.”

“No.”

“You can even have her back after I’m done.”

From the cruel smile on his face, Mary wondered if there would be anything left of her to return.

“No,” Sendat repeated, his face hard.

Chinit snarled. “I don’t think you understand. I own this enterprise. That means I own you.”

“Then I quit.”

“Enough!” Mokuu roared. “You seem to have forgotten that this is a partnership, Chinit. Sendat works for me and he’s not going anywhere. Now forget the female. Why are you here?”

Chinit’s claws flexed, and for a horrified moment, Mary thought he would attack the other male, but then his rage dissipated into a condescending sneer.

“My wretched son discovered that the import-export company was a front for the slaving operation. He is planning to raid the place tonight. You need to move the merchandise.”

“Fuck.” Mokuu glared at him. “So much for your assurances of safety.”

Chinit shrugged peevishly. “I’m no happier about it than you are. Several of my friends were planning on replenishing their miners at the auction tonight.”

“They still can. We’ll load them up and move them out of the city. Hold the auction at one of the abandoned mine sites.”

“They won’t be happy at having to leave Kalima and go out into the wilderness.” Chinit shuddered and brushed imaginary dust off his sleeve.

“Would you rather I sent the whole shipment back?” Mokuu said dryly. He seemed to have recovered his composure. “Sendat, I will need your assistance loading the transport before you take your… purchase.”

“Agreed.”

“Was there anything else, Chinit?”

Mokuu’s voice was clearly dismissive, and Mary saw rage flash across the other male’s face, but he only shook his head.

“Let me know when and where the auction will be held so I can alert my friends,” Chinit snapped, then departed in a swirl of robes and heavy perfume.

“Pompous ass,” Mokuu muttered.

“Yet you chose him as your partner?” Sendat’s voice was casually disbelieving, but once again Mary thought there was something else underlying his words.

“He’s an asshole, but he’s an asshole with connections. He doesn’t even need the money—he just likes to think he’s tough.”

Both males snorted, then Mokuu sighed. “I’ll arrange for the transport. Better put her in one of the empty cages until we’re done so she doesn’t get any ideas.”

“Yeah.” Sendat hesitated. “You could’ve gotten more from him than from me.”

“Like I said, he’s an asshole. And unlike you, he does damage his toys. She would have been worthless by the time he was through with her.”

She shivered, and felt the reassuring warmth of a big hand on her back. She would have leaned into it, but it was gone before she had a chance. Sendat simply led her to an empty cage. It was far larger than the cage on the slave ship, but it was still a cage.

“Go on,” he said brusquely, but he didn’t shove her inside. Instead, he waited patiently until she entered.

The cage door slammed behind her, and she had to fight back an unexpected rush of tears. The brief taste of freedom only made it worse to be caged again. The reptilian male in the cage closest to her leered and grabbed his crotch. She shuddered and looked away.

A muffled yelp made her look back around. The male was huddled on the floor of his cage, and Sendat was walking away from it. That was… sweet of him, she thought, and found herself smiling.

The smile didn’t last long. The chilly air of the warehouse started to seep into her bones, and even huddling into the disgusting cloak didn’t help. She huddled in a corner of the cage, but the concrete floor was equally cold and only added to her discomfort.

The sound of the cage door opening penetrated her misery, and she looked up as Sendat entered. He dropped a blanket over her. The fabric was rough and scratchy, but it was thick and warm and smelled surprisingly clean. She gave him a grateful smile, but he had already turned away.

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

“Just protecting my investment,” he muttered as he closed the cage door again.

Or he doesn’t want to admit that he’s really a nice guy, she thought with a smile.

As the warmth from the blanket began to penetrate, she started looking around the warehouse again. More than half the cages were empty, and the guard she had seen outside was disassembling them. Mokuu and Sendat were taking the remaining slaves from their cages to a rear door. Sendat spoke very little, but his presence seemed to be enough to cow the slaves into obedience.

Those broad shoulders and heavily muscled arms were really impressive, she thought dreamily as she watched him. A woman would feel safe with him. Safe and… aroused? She suddenly realized that her nipples were tight from more than the cold, tingling each time she heard his deep voice. How long had it been since she’d felt any type of reaction to a man? Certainly not since she’d escaped Ronald and moved to Cosmo Beach, and it had been rare even before that.

But this bull-like alien who had purchased her for a few nights turned her on? I must be crazy. And yet she kept watching him. When all the cages were empty and he came for her, she smiled up at him.

He beckoned for her to join him, his frown deepening as she went to him immediately, then put her hand on his arm. Oh my. Those big muscles were even more impressive to touch.

“Three days, Sendat,” Mokuu said. “The auction will be over by then. I’ll give you your cut and recover my property.”

Sendat huffed, the sound surprisingly threatening, and Mokuu raised an eyebrow. “Is that a problem?”

“You’ll have the credits from the auction in two days.”

“And you can have them then—if you give up the female. I assumed you’d prefer the extra time.” Mokuu’s eyes traveled over her, and she instinctively stepped closer to Sendat. Mokuu laughed. “Looks like you’ve got her half-trained already. Do a good job with her and I’ll even refund part of your payment.”

Trained? She didn’t like the sound of that at all, but it wasn’t enough for her to move away from Sendat’s reassuring warmth.

“Three days,” Sendat agreed.

Mokuu shook his head, then his face turned cold. “Don’t make me come find you.”

He left without waiting for a response. Sendat looked down at her.

“And now you’re mine, Miri.”

CHAPTER FOUR

Sendat immediately regretted his words. They rang all too true, especially with Miri’s warm little body still pressed against his side.

“My name is Mary,” she said softly.

“I know. But I prefer Miri.”

Miri were tiny forest sprites who appeared in the legends of his people—graceful, beautiful little creatures. Not that he intended to explain that to her. To his shock, her eyes filled with tears.

“What is it?” he demanded.

“My mother named me Miri. But my aunt said Mary was more practical and had it changed.”

He didn’t like the sound of this aunt and wished he had more time to ask questions. But time was of the essence if he was to get her safely away from this place. He briefly considered explaining his position to her, but that too would take time he didn’t have. For right now, she was probably safer thinking he was exactly who he was pretending to be. Once they reached his rooms and he called his Fleet contact, he would explain.

“Come,” he ordered, shocked once again when she gave him a shaky smile and tightened her grip on his arm. The sight of those small, pale fingers clinging to him sent a bolt of excitement straight to his cock, but he sternly ignored it.

“Where are we going?” she asked, trotting obediently along next to him.

“My rooms.” He half-expected her to balk, but she merely gave him a thoughtful glance from under her lashes. “Leave the blanket. It will be warmer outside. Keep the cloak.”

She sighed, but obediently dropped the blanket. “This cloak is disgusting.”

“I’ll get you—”

Fuck. What was he thinking? They weren’t going to be together long enough for him to provide her with anything.

Then again, she would still need help once she was off planet. Perhaps he could arrange to meet up with her after his work here was completed, just to make sure she was all right. He could also arrange for some of his own funds to be transferred to her once he had access to them again. Unfortunately, in the meantime, all he had was his undercover account—and that had been essentially depleted by purchasing her. Still, the little that remained should be sufficient for the brief period of time he would have her in his care.

As they left the warehouse, Miri stayed close to his side. She showed no signs of wishing to escape from him, and he wondered why. Had the Ceekat treated her so badly that she was afraid to be on her own? The thought made him snort in anger, and to his shock, she patted his arm reassuringly.

“Don’t worry,” she said softly. “I’m sure everything is going to be fine.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? I just bought you.”

“I know.” She gave him a sunny smile. “I’m so glad you did. That Chinit did not seem like a very nice person at all.”

He snorted again, this time to cover his laugh. He suspected she was quite right. Who would have thought that one of the wealthy members of the Yangu’s elite class would stoop to actually running an illegal slave ring? Using slaves, including illegal slaves, was not entirely unexpected, but being involved in the actual dealing was a surprise. His contact at the fleet would be most interested.

He checked the time on his communicator. With any luck, they would be able to raid the new auction site and pick up not only the slaves, but any buyers who were there as well. Along with the information about Chinit’s involvement, it would be a satisfactory conclusion to what he had just decided would be his final job. And once he was free from the dangers of his undercover work, perhaps he would be able to determine a new path…

His gaze drifted down to the small female hurrying along next to him, her sweet scent tantalizing him. If he had been a different male, one not so stained by his actions of the past few years, perhaps he would have asked her to find it with him. But he was no longer the honorable warrior he had once been, and she was better off without him.

The Warrens were always dark, little light reaching into them from the city above. They were built from the remnants of the original city, now many levels above them, and the only people who chose to live here were the ones who were too poor—or too involved in illicit activities—to live above. Now that true night had fallen, more of the residents began to appear in the narrow alleys. People were coming out to play, and he saw more than one speculative glance in his direction—or more accurately, in Miri’s direction. He started to walk faster, but although she tried to keep up, it was obvious that she couldn’t manage his pace.

As he slowed down to accommodate her, she gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. I can’t really walk any faster with my feet like this.”

“Your feet?”

She shrugged. “They kept us barefoot on the ship, and the rags I used to cover them aren’t very thick.”

For a moment, he didn’t understand the problem, but then he remembered that humans had bare, defenseless feet. He immediately dropped down on one knee next to her.

“Show me,” he demanded.

She put her hand on his shoulder and leaned against him as she obediently raised a foot. The lush curves pressing against his side distracted him for a moment, but then he saw the state of her foot. The dirty rags wrapped around her small feet were torn, and he could see traces of blood.

He wanted to roar with anger, but he didn’t want to attract any additional attention.

“You should’ve told me.” His voice came out harsher than he had intended, but she didn’t flinch away from him.

“I didn’t know that you would care,” she said quietly.

“Of course I care.” He took a deep breath and forced himself to add, “You are slowing me down and damaging my property.”

He hated hearing himself speak so harshly, but she didn’t seem bothered. Instead, she gave him a soft smile. “Well, now I know. I did try and watch where I was going, but it’s so dark down here.”

“It’s always dark in the Warrens,” he said automatically, looking down at the tiny cold foot resting in his big palm. What was he going to do now? His instincts demanded that he pick her up and carry her the rest of the way, but that would be sure to attract attention. They were already the subject of too many speculative looks, although so far his size and the Bukharan reputation had prevented anyone from approaching them.

As he considered his options, he noticed a small shopping street not far away. He suspected that most of the goods sold there would be cheap and of poor quality, but cheap was desirable under the present circumstances, and even poor-quality footwear would be better than none. With a decided nod, he rose to his feet, already missing the feel of her soft body pressed against his side.

“Can you make it to that street?”

“Yes, of course. I can walk—I just can’t walk very fast.”

Brave little female. Her courage only made him feel worse that he had not noticed sooner that she was suffering. Scowling to hide his regret, he led her slowly and carefully in the direction of the shopping street, scanning the ground for any impediments.

The first shop sold various forms of smoking paraphernalia, and the second shop specialized in erotic recordings. Miri stared at them with wide eyes while he hustled her past them as quickly as possible. The third shop sold female attire, although it was obviously designed for a different class of female. Anxious to get her feet covered and get back to his place, he led the way inside.

A Tajiri female with a hard face and far too much makeup gave him an admiring look.

“My, my. You’re a big one, aren’t you?”

He ignored her words. “I need footwear for my female, and a new cloak.”

“I’ll say you do,” the female drawled, but her gaze softened as she took in Mary’s bedraggled state. “Do you want anything in particular?”

His instinct was to demand the finest for her, but he didn’t have the credits and they didn’t have the time. “Something warm and practical. Perhaps in blue,” he couldn’t help adding.

“Let me see what I can find.” The female thumbed rapidly through a rack of outerwear. Most of the garments were flimsy and obviously intended more for decoration than practical use, but she returned with two cloaks—one woven from a heavy black fabric and the other in a soft blue material.

With a shy smile, Mary dropped the cloak she had been wearing and reached for the blue garment, then gave him an uncertain look. “The black is probably more practical.”

“Try the blue,” he said gruffly.

As she pulled it around her shoulders, he looked over to see the shopkeeper glaring at him. What had he done to offend her? Then he realized that she had seen Miri’s slave gown when she discarded her cloak. Part of him wanted to protest his innocence, but he had encountered far worse looks from far worse people over the past year. Why should he let this one bother him now? He deliberately turned his back on the female as Miri fastened the clasp around her neck and gave a little twirl.

“Isn’t it pretty? What do you think?”

“It’ll do.” He turned back to the shopkeeper. “She needs shoes as well.”

“I’ll say she does,” the female muttered as she looked at the dirty rags tied around Miri’s feet. “I’ll see if I have anything that will fit her.”

The female disappeared towards the back of the shop, and he frowned after her. Then a small hand touched his arm.

“You don’t have to do this,” Miri said softly.

Yes, I do. It was the very least he could do to try and make up for what had happened to her. He opened his mouth to tell her that, then closed it again. This was too public a place and time was still pressing on him.

“This is the only thing I can find.” The shopkeeper returned carrying a pair of blue slippers embroidered with small flowers.

Miri’s eyes lit up at the sight of them, but then she shook her head.

“What’s wrong?” he demanded.

“I can’t try them on. My feet are so dirty.”

He turned to the female. “Do you have a washroom?”

She started to shake her head, but then she looked at Mary again and sighed. “In the back.”

He led Miri back through the shop, past racks of frivolous, silky, even transparent garments and did his best not to picture her wearing any of the provocative creations. From the way she was looking at clothing, he suspected she had no such hesitation.

The washroom was small, but clean, and he lifted her up on the counter as he wet a cleansing cloth. As he started to unwind the dirty cloth, she winced and clutched his shoulder.

“They have to come off.”

“I know.” She didn’t protest as he finished removing the wraps and carefully washed her feet. To his relief, although she had some painful-looking bruises, the skin had been broken in only a few small places. He washed the scratches as thoroughly as possible, and patted them dry.

“Better,” he said, then lifted her into his arms.

“What are you doing?”

“Don’t want you getting dirty again before you put your shoes on.” And having her in his arms felt right.

She studied him out of those enormous blue eyes, then to his complete astonishment, she leaned forward and pressed her soft little lips against his mouth. It was no more than the briefest touch, but his cock was as painfully erect as if she had kissed him there instead—which immediately conjured up a series of even more erotic images.

He forced them aside, ignored his rampant erection, and carried her back to the front of the store. The shopkeeper eyed him suspiciously, but she didn’t comment as he placed Miri on a small bench. The female silently handed him the slippers, and he tried them on Miri’s feet. They fit as if they were made for her, and she gave him a delighted smile.

He nodded and turned to the shopkeeper. “We’ll take them. How much?”

He did his best not to react at the figure she named, but Miri must have seen his reaction because she tugged anxiously on his arm. “I don’t really need the cloak if it’s too much.”

“Nonsense,” he growled as he handed over his credit chit.

Fortunately, the transaction went through, although he suspected his balance must have been almost empty.

The shopkeeper suddenly stepped out from behind the counter and picked up a sheer, flowery scarf in shades of blue. She handed it to Miri.

“I’m sorry, but I really don’t think we can afford it,” Miri said, giving him an uncertain look.

He reluctantly shook his head. The delicate prettiness would have suited her, but there was no way he could afford it. The shopkeeper smiled at Miri.

“I’m not trying to sell it to you. It’s a gift.”

“Are you sure?”

The female’s hard face softened. “I’m sure. It’s from last season anyway.”

“Thank you so much.”

Mary gave the shopkeeper a beaming smile as she wrapped the scarf around her neck. He had seen enough fashion in his days in the Imperial Palace to recognize how well it complemented her new items, as well as setting off her delicate beauty.

“Thank you,” he said gruffly.

The shopkeeper gave him a piercing glare. “Look after her.”

He found himself nodding automatically, and hastily rearranged his face into a scowl.

“Come, Miri,” he ordered, and she gave him a sunny smile and obeyed.

CHAPTER FIVE

Since they had already detoured into the shopping street, Sendat decided to take the narrow alley that led to the back of his rooms instead of returning to the main passageway. It was faster and more secluded, but it could also be more dangerous. He tucked Miri against his left side and kept his right hand on his knife hilt.

The passageway was much quieter than the street they had left behind, his hooves hitting the stones the only sound that disturbed the quiet. He changed the angle of his steps to silence them. Miri seemed equally conscious of the silence, and didn’t attempt to make conversation.

She was walking more easily now, but he didn’t attempt to hurry her. They were almost at his rooms when an uneasy feeling crept down his spine. He had been a warrior for far too long to ignore his instincts, and he immediately drew Miri into the shelter of an abandoned doorway. Doing his best to ignore the soft press of her body against his, he peered through the darkness, looking for whatever had caused his alarm.

At first, he couldn’t see anything, but then he made out the shape of a Tajiri male silhouetted against the darkness as he shifted position on the wall behind his rooms. The faint click of a communicator led him to another figure, half-concealed by the roofline. Why were these two males watching his rooms? Had the word already spread that he possessed a human?

There was another faint click, and his heart sank as this time he recognized the sound. These weren’t just any ruffians waiting to waylay him. They were members of the Kalima Patrol, the city’s law enforcement agency.

Even though he didn’t know exactly why they were here, he briefly considered turning himself in, wondering if it would be the fastest way to reach his contact. But then he decided it was too risky. Any information they had about him would be about his cover identity, and he wasn’t convinced that they would listen to him long enough to locate his contact. And there was Miri as well. Unless they contacted the Fleet, the best she could hope for was that they would add her to the pool of legal slaves.

No. He would not permit that to happen.

He looked down at her. Her eyes were wide and frightened, obviously aware that something was wrong, even though she hadn’t asked any questions. He bent down until his mouth was against the delicate curve of her ear.

“You must be very quiet,” he whispered.

She shivered, and for a moment he thought it was due to fear, but then he felt the hard little points of her nipples pressing against his side. That aroused her? he thought distractedly, before he forced his attention back to the present situation. Not only did they have to get out of here, but he had to find somewhere to take her. The fact that the police had gone to the trouble of staking out his place indicated that he needed to lie low until he could figure out what was going on.

He sifted through the options, reluctantly deciding that the best choice was to take Miri with him to see Jabbwa. Jabbwa controlled a sizable portion of Yangu’s underground markets. But despite his shady business dealings, and the fact that he personally owned slaves, Sendat had never found any evidence that he participated in the illegal slave trade. He was also known for always keeping his word so he could be trusted—to a certain extent. It was not an ideal solution, but it was the best alternative that he could come up with.

Tucking Miri back against his side, and keeping his hand firmly on his knife hilt, he quietly withdrew down the narrow lane.

MARY DID her best to keep her footsteps silent as Sendat hurried her back the way they came, then guided her through a confusing maze of narrow streets. When she looked up at him, he was frowning, and she had the strangest urge to smooth away the deep crease between his brows. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts rather than paying attention to her, and for a brief moment, she wondered if she should try and escape.

But despite his fearsome appearance, he had been good to her so far. Her new cloak was soft against her skin and her new slippers a thousand times better than her previous rags, even though her feet were still painful. Is that all it takes to win me over? she wondered whimsically. But it wasn’t just the clothes that made her decide not to make the attempt. Trothar’s earlier warning still rang in her ears, and nothing she had seen so far made her feel as if she’d be safe on her own.

Remembering Trothar suddenly made her wonder what had happened to him. Was he still drinking in Mokuu’s office, waiting for a female who was never coming? A small giggle escaped before she could prevent it, and Sendat immediately looked down at her. Yes, he was definitely paying attention.

“What is it?”

“I just remembered Trothar.”

A reluctant grin split his face, and she realized it was the first time she had seen him smile. She wanted to see him do it again.

“I suspect he’s in for a rude awakening,” he agreed, then frowned again. “Although I’m not sure who is coming tonight. I had assumed it was the Kalima Patrol, but I’m no longer sure.”

“Is that who was waiting for you back there?”

“Yes.”

“Because of the slaves?”

“I don’t know. The timing seems odd, especially since the transport left without incident.” He looked down at her, still frowning. “But I don’t have the greatest reputation.”

“Then we should stay away from them,” she said with a cheerful smile.

“Miri, listen. I—” A sound up ahead made him tense and grip his knife. When they both saw a small animal scrambling away from an overturned basket, he relaxed, but he was frowning again and didn’t continue with whatever he had started to say.

This wasn’t the place to ask questions, she decided.

A short time later, he led her down an even smaller alley, strewn with garbage, towards a rickety looking door with a single lantern flickering uncertainly next to it. Her heart sank, but she tightened her grip on his arm and remained silent.

Sendat knocked on the door—which sounded surprisingly solid despite its appearance. She heard a slight whirr overhead and looked up in time to see the glint of a camera lens half-hidden in the crumbling archway over the door.

“State your business,” an unseen voice demanded.

“I want to see Jabbwa.”

“Many do,” the voice agreed, and Sendat huffed.

“Tell him Sendat is here.”

“No doubt he will be ecstatic. Wait there.”

A long silence followed.

“Who’s Jabbwa?” she finally whispered, curiosity overcoming her nervousness.

“A trader. In many things. We have had dealings before.”

Her heart skipped a beat, and she grabbed his arm with both hands. “Please don’t trade me.”

A big, warm hand closed reassuringly over hers. “I have no intention of trading you to him.”

“Shame. She’s a pretty little thing.” A new voice emerged from the hidden speakers, smooth and lightly mocking.

“Have we entertained you enough, Jabbwa?” Sendat growled. “Are you going to keep us standing in this dirty alley all night?”

“I probably should,” Jabbwa responded, but his words were followed by a quiet click, and then the door swung open.

The other side didn’t look any more prepossessing than the alley—another cramped, dirty passage—but at least the piles of garbage had disappeared. Sendat led her down it and around several sharp turns, before they reached another closed door.

“Brace yourself,” he said, just as a cool mist washed over them.

It was cold enough to make her shiver and it had a faint medicinal scent, but it didn’t last long.

“What was that?” she whispered.

“Germicide and insect repellent,” Jabbwa responded from another overhead speaker. “I don’t care for any uninvited guests.”

The door in front of them swung open, and she gasped. A beautifully landscaped garden lay on the other side. Tiny lights flickered in the bushes, and the air was heavy with the scent of flowers.

“Welcome to my humble abode,” Jabbwa said, his voice still coming from a concealed speaker.

“This is beautiful,” she said sincerely as they stepped into the garden.

“Of course.” Despite his arrogant response, he sounded pleased.

Sendat didn’t say anything, his face grim as they followed a winding path through the grounds until they reached an open pavilion. The fattest male she had ever seen reclined on a cushioned divan. He had grey skin with a faint greenish gleam, set off by a deep green robe, encrusted with jewels. His broad head descended directly into wide shoulders, and he could not have been called attractive by any stretch of the imagination, but a shrewd intelligence gleamed in his small dark eyes.

A slender purple-skinned female with long, curling white hair kneeled gracefully at his side. Dressed in a scandalously skimpy gold outfit, she looked the epitome of, well, a slave. Is that going to be my fate? Mary wondered, horrified at the thought. Then she noticed that the other female was surveying her equally curiously from beneath long, dark lashes. Their eyes met, and she flashed Mary a quick, surprisingly cheerful grin before turning her attention back to Jabbwa, offering him a platter overflowing with food. Mary’s mouth watered, suddenly reminded of how long it had been since she ate, but she did her best to ignore it.

“So what brings Kalima’s most wanted to my little home?” Jabbwa asked. His voice was still smooth, but there was an underlying coldness that made her shiver.

“That’s what I’m here to find out.” Sendat scowled at him. “Why is the Patrol after me?”

Jabbwa plucked a berry from the platter and chewed it thoughtfully before responding. “You really don’t know, do you?”

“No. I know the Patrol was waiting at my place, but I don’t know why.”

Jabbwa reached for another morsel, lingering over his choice. Mary could feel the tension in Sendat’s arm, and she gave it a soothing stroke. When she looked back at Jabbwa, he was studying her face.

“Because you’re a murderer, of course,” Jabbwa finally responded, but now he merely sounded amused.

“What?” Sendat growled. “Who am I supposed to have murdered?”

“Mokuu, of course.” Those beady little eyes were fixed intently on Sendat’s face.

“That’s impossible. The last time I saw him, he was updating the arrangements for the auction, and he was most definitely alive.”

“You know, I think I believe you. You can stand down, Ordal.”

She jumped as one of the feline males appeared from the bushes next to the veranda. Since Sendat didn’t react, she suspected he had known all along that the other male was there.

“I don’t understand,” he said slowly. “Why would anyone kill Mokuu?”

“Go and tell Sefrim to prepare dinner for our guests, Ordal,” Jabbwa ordered, waiting until Ordal was out of sight before responding to Sendat’s question. “I don’t know but I intend to find out. Mokuu and I have been partners for many years. I considered him a friend.”

“And I understand your interest, but why is the Patrol involved? They don’t usually care about our sort.”

“Mokuu has—had—family connections. He might have been a wayward son, and they might have disowned him, but he was still a member of an important House. They are demanding answers.”

“So that’s why,” Sendat murmured. Mary thought he was talking to himself, but Jabbwa’s eyes narrowed.

“Why what?”

“Why they’re looking for me,” Sendat said easily, but somehow she didn’t think that was what he had meant. She suspected Jabbwa didn’t either, but he let it drop.

“You will have dinner with me and we will discuss the matter further.” It sounded more like an order than a request, but Sendat didn’t protest. “And perhaps your female would like to refresh herself while we talk?”

Did that mean a chance to be clean again? The prospect was definitely appealing, but she didn’t like the idea of leaving Sendat. He seemed equally reluctant, frowning at Jabbwa.

“I have your word that nothing will happen to her, and she will be returned to me unharmed?”

“I am desolated that you even need to ask.”

“Your word, Jabbwa,” Sendat insisted.

“You have my word.” The statement had the solemnity of a vow, and Sendat nodded.

“Renla, escort Sendat’s female to the Blue Suite,” Jabbwa ordered, and the female who had been kneeling next to him rose gracefully to her feet. “Make sure it is ready for them to spend the night as well.”

“Yes, Master. Follow me, please, Mistress.”

Mary looked up at Sendat, and he nodded, his face unusually soft. “Go on. You are safe here.”

She did her best to smile at him, then reluctantly followed Renla away from the pavilion.

CHAPTER SIX

Mary kept having to fight the urge to run back to Sendat as Renla led her down another garden path. It was undoubtedly foolish that an admitted slaver should make her feel so safe, but she trusted her instincts, and her instincts told her that he would protect her. But he had also assured her that she was safe with Renla, so she gave the other female a friendly smile.

“My name is Mary. And you are Renla?”

“Yes, Mistress.” Renla dropped a graceful curtsy without pausing.

“Oh please, just call me Mary.” She looked around appreciatively as Renla led her across a terrace and into a large, impressive house. The rooms were richly decorated, but the colors and materials made them warm and inviting despite the elaborate decor. It reminded her of a Moroccan riad, especially when they emerged into a central courtyard with a beautifully tiled fountain in the center. Renla didn’t pause long enough for her to give it more than a passing glance before heading through an open archway on the far side of the courtyard. They proceeded up a set of wide stairs, also inlaid with tile.

The Blue Suite turned out to be just that—the walls were painted a soft shade of blue with deeper tones in the bedding and carpets—but she paid little attention as Renla threw open the doors to an attached bathing room. Blue and white tiles covered the floor, surrounding a deep central tub. Renla turned a handle, and water cascaded from a series of flower-shaped spouts. She added a handful of flower petals and a sweet-smelling liquid to the water before turning to smile at Mary.

“May I take your cloak?”

“Oh yes, of course.” She shrugged off the garment, and Renla’s eyes widened.

“You’re a slave as well. I did not realize.”

“Why not?”

“Because of the way that Master Sendat regarded you.”

Despite her attempt to suppress it, a little thrill of pleasure went through her and she couldn’t help asking. “How does he look at me?”

“As if you were his mate.” Before Mary could decide how to respond to that, Renla continued, “But then you didn’t treat me like a slave either.”

“I would always be nice to you, no matter what my status,” she assured the other female. “It doesn’t make any difference to me. Are you really a slave?”

Renla nodded, and Mary watched in fascination as her hair waved gently, even though there was no breeze in the bathroom.

“I was sold to Master Jabbwa. For ten years.”

“But why?”

“My family was in need of capital in order to expand our business.”

“Your family sold you?” She couldn’t even imagine a family doing such a thing.

“Oh, yes.” Renla did not seem remotely concerned. “My mother assured me that it would be a good situation, and she has been right so far.”

“Your own mother sold you?”

Renla shrugged a graceful shoulder. “It is quite common amongst my people. Each member of the family is expected to contribute to the wellbeing of the family as a whole. I always knew that it was a possibility. The other possibility was an advantageous marriage contract,” she added thoughtfully, then giggled. “I was too impatient for that. I lost my virginity to one of my mother’s guards.”

“You can’t get married because you’re not a virgin?” Mary asked, horrified. She was still a virgin, but it was because she hadn’t found anyone she wanted to have sex with, not because she thought it made her a better marriage candidate.

“Of course I can get married, but it lowers my ability to negotiate an advantageous contract.”

A thousand objections rose to Mary’s lips, but the other female seemed remarkably unfazed by the knowledge that her virginity—or lack thereof—was a bargaining tool. Despite her silence, Renla must have seen her dismay because she smiled at her.

“I knew what I was doing—and Menes was definitely worth it.” She lowered her voice, and stepped closer to Mary. “He still sends me messages and says he’s waiting for me.”

“That’s sweet,” she said doubtfully.

Renla giggled again. “He’s very sweet, but I’ll have to see. If our family fortunes continue to improve, he would not be a suitable husband. Although I might still accept him as a jalka.”

“A jalka?”

“A male to be used for sexual satisfaction. Do you not have such a thing?”

Why did Sendat’s image appear in her mind? Sure that her face was turning red, she tried to shrug as casually as Renla.

“Well, yes. But if we are married, that male would be a husband.”

Renla pealed with laughter, the musical sound so contagious that Mary couldn’t help laughing with her.

“For my people, marriage is used to secure business advantages, and an heir. For pleasure, we look elsewhere.”

“Well, I hope you find both,” Mary said sincerely, even though she didn’t think that such an arrangement would work for her.

By this time, the tub was full and Renla whisked off her slave gown so quickly she didn’t even have the chance to protest. Sure that she was blushing again, she stepped hurriedly into the pool, aware that Renla was watching her.

“You have many curves,” Renla said thoughtfully.

Even more color rushed to her cheeks as she sank down under the water. Renla’s slender body only made her more conscious of her own much fuller body.

“Many species value that in their females. You must have fetched a high price.”

Since their conversation had made it quite clear that despite Renla’s delicate appearance, she had a very mercenary outlook, Mary decided to take her words as a compliment.

“Thank you. I never expected anything like this to happen to me.”

“It can be difficult to adjust,” Renla admitted softly as she kneeled on the edge of the pool behind Mary and began washing her hair. “Although Master Jabbwa is a fine master, of course.”

Mary noticed the other female shoot a nervous glance at the ceiling, and her suspicions were aroused. Suspicions that were confirmed a moment later when Renla bent close to her as she rinsed her hair and whispered in her ear.

“He has listening devices in every room. Be careful.”

“Thank you,” she said sincerely, resolving to let Sendat know as soon as they were together again.

Renla continued to talk amiably as Mary finished her bath. The conversation consisted mainly of tales about her own system and her rather complicated family lineage. She never asked Mary about her home world, and Mary suspected that it was a deliberate omission on her part.

Renla insisted on drying her off when she left the bath, but Mary drew the line when the other female started applying a scented lotion to her body. She knew it was only intended as assistance, but she didn’t feel comfortable having someone touch her quite so intimately. Renla shrugged and accepted her refusal, handing her the lotion, then studying her thoughtfully.

“Would your master mind if you wore a different outfit?”

Would he? She was sure that she had seen appreciation in his eyes when she put on the blue cloak. “I don’t think so, but I don’t have anything else.”

“Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

Renla vanished and Mary finished moisturizing, then wrapped herself in a towel as she explored the rest of the bathroom. Beneath one of the counters, she found a vast supply of what had to be makeup. She usually didn’t spend much time on her appearance, but the colors were so pretty and sparkly she couldn’t help but give them a longing look.

She was still investigating when Renla returned, carrying an arm full of colorful silks.

“Here we are.”

“I appreciate the gesture, but if those are your clothes, there’s no way they’re going to fit me,” Mary said doubtfully, surveying Renla’s slender figure.

“It all depends on how they’re cut. Trust me—my family is in the clothing business.”

The next few minutes were a confusing whirr as Renla held up various articles of clothing and even had her try on a few. To Mary’s surprise, Renla was correct and more of the items fitted than she would have expected.

“What do you think?” Renla asked finally, leading her over to the mirror.

Mary barely recognized herself. Panels of shimmery blue silk fell from a wide embroidered waistband to form what could only marginally be considered a skirt. Both sides were open, revealing flashes of her legs each time she moved. A matching sleeveless top barely managed to contain her breasts, ending in another embroidered band just beneath them. It was beautiful and made her curves look outrageously sexy. But her face was still the same, and it almost felt as if her head had been placed on someone else’s body.

“I’ve never worn anything like this before,” she said softly.

“You should dress like this all the time. Males would be falling at your feet.” Renla laughed. “Now for the finishing touches.”

“There is more?”

“Of course.” Renla led her firmly over to the counter with all the makeup. “Just trust me.”

SENDAT HAD to fight the urge to follow Miri as Renla led her away. He trusted Jabbwa’s assurances, but he still didn’t like having her out of his sight.

“What are you doing with a human?” Jabbwa asked as soon as the females were out of sight, and he reluctantly concentrated on his host.

“I bought her.”

“Indeed?” Jabbwa’s eyes narrowed. “I would not have thought you had the funds for such a purchase.”

Sendat could hear the suspicion in the other male’s voice, and he couldn’t blame him. Human females were valuable commodities—possibly valuable enough to drive a male to murder.

“I wouldn’t normally, but I’d had some luck at the tables. I also think Mokuu took pity on me—he didn’t like the other buyer.”

“It’s possible,” Jabbwa conceded. “He thought well of you.”

“And I of him,” he said, surprised at the element of truth in his words. He couldn’t really respect a male engaged in such a despicable enterprise, but he had encountered far worse. Although he could be ruthless, Mokuu had been businesslike rather than cruel, competent and—despite the nature of his profession—surprisingly honest.

“What are you going to do now?” Jabbwa asked.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “My first choice would be to get out of the city, and preferably off the planet, but I spent all my funds on my—the—female.”

“You could sell her. I don’t handle such sales but I have contacts—”

“No.”

“Are you sure? She would raise enough to cover the—”

“I said no.”

Jabbwa shrugged a massive shoulder, not attempting to hide his amusement, and Sendat quickly changed the subject.

“Why am I the main suspect in Mokuu’s murder? Because we worked together?”

“That’s an excellent question. I heard that the Patrol received a tip from an anonymous source.”

Sendat frowned thoughtfully at the other male. Since he obviously hadn’t committed the murder, the person who reported it had either been the culprit or one of his associates. But who would have done such a thing?

The only person he could think of who had been both annoyed at Mokuu and who might hold a grudge against him, was Chinit. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Chinit had warned them that the operation had been discovered. If he had subsequently decided that whoever had discovered it was getting too close to him, it would be only logical to eliminate anyone who knew of his role—including removing Mokuu.

“You know something.” Jabbwa said. It wasn’t a question. Despite his corpulent appearance and his lazy demeanor, Jabbwa was a smart, ruthless male.

Should he tell him? He was tempted, but if he did, there was a distinct possibility that Jabbwa would take matters into his own hands and eliminate Chinit before the Fleet could get him. But that might only remove part of the problem and he wanted the whole operation closed down. Fuck. He had to get in touch with his contact as soon as possible.

“Well?” Jabbwa demanded.

“I have some suspicions,” he admitted, not stupid enough to attempt to conceal everything from the other male. “But I need to do some additional investigation.”

“My resources are at your disposal.”

“Resources who would report to you about anything I discovered,” he said dryly.

“Of course. Are you attempting to conceal something?”

“No, but I would hate to see an innocent subjected to your justice without proof.”

“There are no innocents in our line of work.”

Except one, Sendat thought, his mind flying to the female in his care. None of this was her fault.

“Nonetheless. I prefer to make my own inquiries.”

“Very well,” Jabbwa agreed reluctantly. “But you will let me know who was responsible for his death.”

“I will.” And he would keep his promise, although he would delay the information until after Chinit was safely in Fleet custody.

The conversation turned to more general matters. Jabbwa was an entertaining conversationalist, although Sendat suspected that he weighed every word he spoke and mined every word he heard for useful information. Sendat had told Miri that Jabbwa was a trader, and he was, but the most important item he traded was information. Fortunately, Sendat had picked up some interesting details about the events in Kalima over the past few months, and he shared them willingly. Information was another form of currency, after all, and Jabbwa was providing his hospitality to them.

A small bell sounded, and Jabbwa hauled himself upright.

“Time for our meal at last,” he said enthusiastically, even though he had demolished a large platter of food while they were talking. The Zameetans were known for their appetites, and Jabbwa was in a position to indulge himself more than most.

“I have sent for our slaves,” he added, and Sendat rose eagerly.

He might not share Jabbwa’s appetite for food, but his appetite for his little female was just as strong.

CHAPTER SEVEN

As they followed a path through the gardens to the house, Sendat was reminded that the core of a warrior still resided beneath Jabbwa’s massive bulk. A small flying creature dove down at them from an overhanging branch. He rather suspected the creature mistook one of the jewels that sparkled on Jabbwa’s robe for its normal prey—it was a fatal mistake.

Jabbwa caught it in midair with a speed that seemed almost impossible for a male of his size, snapping its neck in the same movement. He inspected the body casually, then tossed it in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully with the hard ridges that served as teeth for the Zameetans.

“Not bad,” he said finally. “I shall ask the gardener to set a trap for them.”

Sendat did his best to conceal his disgust—it certainly wasn’t the worst thing he had seen in his undercover days—and simply nodded an assent.

The house was built in their traditional Yangu style with the rooms surrounding a central courtyard. The dining room too, was traditional, with reclining couches instead of seats. They had just sat down when Miri and Renla appeared.

All the blood in his body rushed to his cock so quickly that he actually grew lightheaded. Shimmery blue fabric barely concealed her lush curves, showing tantalizing glimpses of pale, naked flesh with each movement. She had been tempting enough in the white slave gown—in this outfit, she was a vision of exotic loveliness. Even her face looked different with blue shimmering on her lids and her mouth tinted a deep glistening rose. But despite his instinctive response, he also had the sudden impulse to demand the return of the original Miri.

But then she came to his side, her breasts moving enticingly, her hard nipples clearly visible beneath the thin silk, and smiled up at him. Her smile hadn’t changed. Neither had her sweet fragrance, and he smiled back at her.

“Do you like my outfit?” she whispered. “Renla helped me dress.”

“It’s very nice,” he grunted.

She looked a little disappointed, and he wished he’d given her a more enthusiastic response, but then she smiled and put her hand on his arm.

“I can see you are going to have to work on your compliments.”

Jabbwa barked a laugh, and even though Sendat knew the comment was completely inappropriate for a slave, he found himself grinning as he tugged her down next to him on the couch.

The meal seemed to last for an interminable length of time, even though each course was delicious. A musician played softly in one corner while Jabbwa carried on an expansive conversation. Several times he tried to draw Miri into the discussion, and each time Sendat changed the subject.

Miri didn’t seem to mind. She curled against his lap, taking only a small portion of the food he offered her and listening to their conversation with wide blue eyes. In between bites, she sipped on a goblet of iced Elginaran wine, constantly refilled by one of Jabbwa’s discreet servants, and it wasn’t until what felt like the thirtieth course that Sendat realized that her eyes were growing heavy.

“Are you tired, little one?” he asked softly.

“No,” she protested, yawning widely at the same time.

As she spoke, she snuggled closer, and the lush curves of her buttocks came to rest against his aching cock. For a second, her eyes widened again, then an utterly female smile of satisfaction crossed her face as she deliberately pressed back into him.

Teasing little female. A number of ways to repay her actions floated pleasurably through his mind before he remembered that this was only an act. She did not belong to him.

He started to adjust her position, then looked up to find Jabbwa watching him curiously. Instead of moving her, he placed his hand deliberately over her breast, and raised a challenging eyebrow. Jabbwa laughed and resumed the story he had been telling of a grain merchant who had tried to shortchange him.

Sendat did his best to appear interested, even though all his senses were focused on the warm, heavy weight of her breast in his hand, her hard little nipple stabbing his palm. She hadn’t objected to his action. If anything she had seemed to lean into him, but when he risked a quick glance in her direction, her eyes were closed.

He forced himself to wait through one more course, but when her eyes still didn’t open, he decided the time had come to escape the interminable meal.

“You must forgive me, Jabbwa, but it has been a long day.”

“Yes, I’m sure you are quite… worn out by your experience.” Jabbwa looked knowingly from Sendat to Miri as he rose with her in his arms. “We will continue our discussion tomorrow?”

“Of course.”

As he climbed the stairs to their room, Miri’s eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him. For a moment she looked puzzled, and then she smiled.

“Now I know why you look familiar.”

“Why?”

“I have a picture of you, back on Earth.” Her eyes were already closing again as she snuggled into his chest.

“I don’t believe that’s possible.”

“Not exactly you,” she mumbled, her warm breath wafting across his nipple through the thin material of his shirt. “Like you. A minotaur.”

The term did not mean anything to him, but it was hardly worth questioning when she was already asleep again.

He carried her into the bedroom and placed her carefully in the big bed. She looked so small and defenseless. But then she rolled on her side and her breast slipped free of the silky top. He tried to look away, but all he could see was the creamy mound, topped by a tempting rosy nipple. He remembered how it had felt in his hand. Would her skin be as soft as the silk that had covered her? He desperately wanted to know the answer, but instead, he forced himself to turn away.

Stripping off his shirt, he headed into the bathing room for a quick wash. When he returned, she was still curled on one side of the enormous bed. He looked at the vast space next to her, then down at the floor. No doubt a better male would choose to sleep on the floor. He was not a better male. He crawled in bed next to her and dimmed the lights.

MARY AWOKE to almost complete darkness and the faint, terrifying memory of being chased in her dreams. A big, warm body was wrapped around hers, and it only took her a moment to realize that Sendat was holding her. Her face was pressed against his broad chest, and she nestled closer, taking comfort in his presence.

He had removed his shirt, and his short pelt felt smooth and sleek against her cheek. His deep, even breathing assured her that he was still asleep, and she gave in to temptation. She ran her hand across his chest, delighting in the feel of the firm muscles beneath the soft fur. As she reached his pectoral, she discovered that his nipple was pierced with a small metal ring. She tugged on it, very gently, and felt his nipple harden in response.

How intriguing. She never would have suspected that he was pierced.

The memory of one of the novels she kept in her bedside table surfaced, and she suddenly wondered if those were his only piercings. Not entirely sure if she had the courage to find out, she still let her hand skate down across the multiple ridges of his abdominal muscles until she encountered his waistband. Hmm. Apparently he hadn’t chosen to remove his pants. But the fabric doesn’t conceal everything, she thought, remembering the hard ridge of his cock pressing against her earlier. Maybe she could still find out. All it would take was one quick little stroke…

Taking a deep breath, she slid her hand lower, immediately discovering that he was every bit as rampantly erect as he had been earlier. Running her hand lightly along the enormous bulge, she had just discovered an intriguing pattern of small balls when a big hand clamped down over hers.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

She jumped guiltily, and looked up to see two dark eyes glaring down at her, glittering in the dim reflection from the garden lights. She tried to withdraw her hand, but only succeeded in dragging her hand down his cock when he didn’t release her. He groaned, and she felt a corresponding ache low in her belly. She squirmed, attempting to relieve the pressure, and his other hand clamped down on her ass.

“You are testing my patience, little one.”

“You’re the one holding me here,” she said, laughing.

“I should let you go.” He sounded more as if he was talking to himself than talking to her, and since she was really quite happy where she was, she gave his cock a tentative squeeze.

“Fuck.” His hips bucked up against her hand, and a pleased smile crossed her face. This big male, so responsive to her touch. She repeated the gesture, sliding her hand upwards as she squeezed. His hand tightened over hers, and she was afraid that he was going to pull her away. Instead, he used his hand to guide hers, drawing it down to the wide base and then slowly pulling it upwards. He groaned again, and she rocked her hips against his thigh, seeking pressure against her aching clit. He used the hand on her ass to help her, rocking her against the hard muscles of his thigh while she stroked him.

The fabric covering him was growing slick and damp, and she hated that it was between them, but he wouldn’t release her hand long enough for her to free his erection. She did her best to make sure that he felt every stroke, squeezing the broad shaft and rubbing the heel of her palm against those small metal balls. Her hand moved faster, urged on by his harsh grunts, until she felt him swell impossibly larger as he roared out her name and she felt the hot rush of liquid even through the fabric.

Satisfaction filled her, but it was accompanied by the unfulfilled ache between her legs. Now that he was still, she was too embarrassed to keep moving against his thigh, but she tried a tentative wiggle. His hand immediately tightened on her ass.

“You are in heat, Miri?”

“Uh, I’m not sure exactly what that means.”

“Do you wish to climax?” he asked bluntly.

Everything her aunt had drilled into her head insisted that she say no, but when she opened her mouth, another word emerged.

“Yes,” she whispered.

As soon as she spoke, he flipped her over on her back and kneeled between her knees. Even in the dim light, she could see the outline of his horns as big hands pulled her thighs gently but firmly apart. This can’t possibly be real, a part of her mind insisted, but then a wide, rough tongue swept slowly up the length of her folds, shockingly and indisputably real.

“Sweet,” he grunted as he licked her again, and she jumped as he swept over her swollen clit.

“There?” he asked.

“Yes. Oh, yes.” Her hips arched up instinctively, and she found herself reaching for his head, only to encounter his horns. She gripped them tightly, holding on for dear life as he began working the swollen bud. When he abandoned it, she almost cried out a protest, but then he probed at the entrance to her pussy, thrusting that thick, thick tongue into the narrow channel.

Even with her limited experience, she was quite sure that his tongue was larger than any human cock and she panted breathlessly as he slid deeper. Then he swept the tip of his tongue across an area inside her that made her see stars. She clung desperately to his horns, seeking more of that exquisitely tantalizing touch, and he thrust deeper. There was a sharp sting, followed by an overwhelming fullness. Combined with the pressure against that sensitive area, it sent her flying into a sudden, shocking climax. Her body shuddered helplessly, her channel convulsing around the thick intruder.

As her breathing steadied, he slowly withdrew, lapping up each drop of her essence. Her body felt boneless, limp with contentment, and her eyes were already closing as he pulled her into his arms.

“Sleep, little one,” he murmured as she drifted off.

SENDAT STARED out into the dimly lit gardens as Mary’s breathing slowed. His feelings were an odd mixture of contentment and frustration. His resolve not to take advantage of her had not lasted long. One touch of that small, soft hand on his cock and his willpower had dissolved. Yes, she had touched him first, but he had not pushed her away. He had encouraged her. And feeling her hand on him, feeling her soft body pressed against his side, her sweet fragrance filling his head, he had come longer and harder than he ever remembered.

And then she had permitted him to pleasure her. His tongue swept across his lips, seeking any last trace of her sweetness. He was already addicted to her taste. To the way she had responded to him, the way her body had quivered in his arms and the way her channel had squeezed his tongue…

But it could go no further. Even his tongue was almost too large for her tight, perfect little cunt. She would never be able to take his cock. And she did not belong to him, he reminded himself yet again. His mission was to get her safely away from this planet.

But despite his admonishments, he fell asleep thinking of her in his life. In his bed, in a home he would build for her.

CHAPTER EIGHT

When Mary opened her eyes, a dim grey light was seeping through the window. In the strange shadowy world of the Warrens, day and night seemed to blur together, but she decided it must be morning. A new day. A new chance to find her friends—and a chance to spend more time with Sendat.

Unexpectedly content, she smiled and gave a lazy stretch. As she did, she felt a slight ache between her legs, and the memory of their encounter in the darkness came rushing back. Oh, Lord, what had she done? A wave of embarrassment washed over her as she remembered how boldly she had touched Sendat—and how eagerly she had responded when he touched her. No one had ever made her feel that way before.

Her breasts tingled, and she didn’t need to look down to know that her nipples had tightened. She pressed her arm against them just as the door to the bathroom opened and Sendat walked in. Oh my. He looked huge, and completely alien—and amazingly attractive. He was wearing nothing but a pair of tight black shorts that clearly outlined the heavy weight of his cock. The dim sunlight glinted on the gold rings piercing his nipples, and his muscles rippled beneath his smooth brown pelt as he stalked towards her.

“Miri, I need to tell you—”

His words triggered the memory of Renla’s warning, and she quickly scrambled across the bed, flinging herself into his arms. She had no doubt that he would catch her, and he did, but he gave her a confused look.

“Miri,” he started again, but now she was close enough to silence him by the simple act of covering his mouth with her own.

He froze when she kissed him, and she wondered if she had committed some taboo act. She drew back a little to look at him. He looked shocked, not appalled, but then determination crossed his face.

“Miri—”

She kissed him again, this time taking advantage of his open mouth to slip her tongue inside. He tastes delicious, she thought dreamily, as she shyly stroked her tongue against his. It was as wide and thick as she remembered, and she shivered in remembered pleasure. He still hadn’t responded to her kiss, but at least he wasn’t talking. Hoping that he would stay silent long enough for her to whisper an explanation, she started to withdraw. But then a big hand came up to hold her head in place as he plundered her mouth. There was no other word for it. He kissed her with such an intense hunger that all she could do was hang onto him as her own hunger rose to match his.

By the time he raised his head, her clit throbbed with a slow, demanding beat. He carried her back to the bed, coming down over her. He started to lower his head towards her again, and she finally snapped out of her lustful stupor enough to remember her original purpose. She grabbed his horns and pulled his head towards her but instead of aiming for his mouth she brushed her lips against his ear.

“Renla said that Jabbwa listens to all the rooms.”

SENDAT’S BODY tensed as Miri’s words penetrated. Of course. How could he have been such a fool? He knew that Jabbwa liked to spy on everyone in his vicinity, but he had forgotten that fact in his urgency to speak to Miri. After what they had shared the previous night, he felt compelled to let her know about his position, but her reminder was a rude awakening. She was not safe yet, and as much as it pained him, he needed to keep his secret a while longer.

Her body was soft and warm beneath his, his cock nestling happily in the cradle of her lush thighs and he longed to stay there, but he had work to do.

“I need to send a message,” he breathed into her ear, trying to ignore her delightful little shiver. “I have to return to my rooms.”

She drew back, her eyes wide with fear. “What if—” she started, then remembered and pulled his head back down. “What if they’re still waiting for you?”

“I’ll be careful,” he promised.

“Don’t leave me,” she whispered frantically, before he heard her catch her breath. “I’m sorry. But you will come back, won’t you?”

“Wild lovasts couldn’t keep me away,” he promised, and then, unable to resist, he kissed her again. Her mouth was so small and sweet and perfect that he explored it for far longer than he intended. It wasn’t until he realized that he was grinding his cock into her soft body that he finally lifted his head.

Her lips were red and swollen and her eyes heavy with pleasure as she looked up at him.

“Come back to me,” she said softly.

“Always.”

The words hung in the air between them, but he couldn’t acknowledge them. Instead, he pressed one more quick kiss to her sweet little mouth and stood. He dressed in a hurry, doing his best not to look at the tempting picture she made lying in the big bed.

“You will be safe here,” he assured her. “I won’t be long.”

He sent one quick, longing look in her direction, then forced himself to leave their room. Downstairs, he found Jabbwa in the dining room. Sendat wondered if he had been there all night.

“I need to begin my inquiries. Miri is still under your protection?”

“Of course,” Jabbwa said, waving a casual hand. “What did you have in mind?”

“I need to send some messages,” he said truthfully enough. “And retrieve something from my rooms.”

Jabbwa laughed, his body jiggling. “You like to live dangerously, don’t you?”

He shrugged. “Not especially. I know what I’m doing.”

“And if you do not return? What happens to your little female then?”

He didn’t even want to consider the possibility, especially since this was the only way he could think to save her.

“I will return,” he said shortly, then turned and stalked out of the room.

Although there was another, more prominent entrance at the front of the house, once again he chose to leave through the concealed garden door. The fewer people who saw him, the better. The cloak he had borrowed from Jabbwa’s house provided some coverage, but his horns and his stature clearly marked him as Bukharan. At least it was not uncommon to see them in the Warrens. All he could do was keep to the shadows and keep his head down.

Fortune favored him, and he made it to the alley leading to his place without attracting any undue attention. He moved quietly down the narrow passageway, testing the sense in the air. A whiff of Tajiri male still hung in the air, but it was old, and when he crouched in their hiding spot from the night before, he could detect no movement along the wall.

It could be a trap, or they could have decided that they had missed him here and he wouldn’t be returning. If he had been in charge, he would have left someone to watch over the place, but the only obvious entrance was on the front and he suspected that any guard would be stationed there.

Cautiously, he edged closer to the wall surrounding the tiny back courtyard. Although the stonework looked solid, there was a hidden latch in one corner. The resulting click when he pressed the latch seemed to echo through the quiet alley. He froze, but no one appeared and he still couldn’t detect any sign of nearby life. He pushed the section of wall open and stepped through, barely managing to wedge his body through the narrow space.

Closing the door behind him, he took the two steps across the courtyard to the back door. The door was still intact and appeared undamaged. He had upgraded the locks when he rented the place, and a quick scan of his retina released the catch. He stepped silently inside, and paused again. He could neither hear nor scent any other presence.

The lower level consisted of a single spacious room with a table, a large couch, and a tiny kitchen. Through the force of long habit, he normally kept it impeccably tidy. It was no longer. The cushions on the upholstered furniture had been slashed open, and everything had been pulled out of the cabinets and drawers. Interesting. The Patrol had obviously been searching for something, but he had been accused of murder, not theft—what had they expected to find?

The destruction was just as bad on the second floor which consisted of his bedroom and bath. Despite the chaos, his communicator, his true identity card, and a small stash of emergency credits were still concealed behind a brick in the ancient fireplace. He breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled them free, then hesitated. He had no desire to remain in this place any longer than necessary, but it might be the safest location from which to message his contact in the Fleet.

His senses alert, he opened the communicator and sent an urgent message. Captain Arulo responded immediately.

“Sendat, my dear boy, do you have news for me?” Arulo asked jovially.

“I do. This corruption spreads much higher than we had originally anticipated.”

“Indeed?”

“One of the partners in the slaving operation is a member of one of the elite Houses,” he said bluntly

“Are you sure? It would not be politically… expedient to challenge such a House unless there was proof.”

“I’m sure,” he said grimly. “I have personal contact with the male.” He proceeded to fill Captain Arulo in on all the events that had occurred, including the last information he’d received about the updated auction site.

“Of course, that may have changed now that Mokuu is dead.”

“Yes, I heard about that,” Arulo said slowly. “But you did not do it, correct?”

“Of course not. I’m sure that it was Chinit.”

“Very well. I will need to make some arrangements, but then I think it would be safest if we were to remove you from the planet. Meet me at the vehicle parking facility at the edge of the Warrens at this time tomorrow. On the top level.”

Sendat hesitated, but the truth had to come out at some point. “I will meet you there, but I will not be alone. I will have a human female with me.”

“A human female? Are you insane?” For the first time, Arulo seemed to lose his composure.

“An idiot junk dealer brought her in to trade for another female. I had no choice but to purchase her before she could be auctioned off.”

“Purchase her? You do know that such a transaction is illegal? You cannot keep her.”

“Of course I do,” he said impatiently even as his chest ached. “It was just intended as a temporary measure.”

Arulo clicked his tongue thoughtfully. “That does complicate matters, but I will take care of it. Both of you will meet me there tomorrow.”

“Yes, Captain. Thank you.”

As he closed the communicator, he heard a noise from downstairs. It sounded as if someone was trying their luck at the back door. Fuck. He chanced a look out the front window of the house and saw that his previous suspicions were correct. Two Kalima Patrol officers were stationed on either side of the door. Neither path was available to him, but he had planned for just such a contingency.

He slipped into the bathroom, then climbed on top of the shower bench. From there he could reach the skylight. He released the latches holding it in place and slid the whole thing to one side, then gripped the edges of the frame and pulled himself up and out onto the roof. He stopped long enough to slide the skylight back into place. If someone looked closely, they would be able to tell that it was no longer attached, but few people ever bothered to look that closely.

Moving quickly and quietly, he crossed the roofs of the three adjacent buildings, then lowered himself down a waterspout to land in a small alley. Drawing his cloak around him once more, he headed down the alley. He had a few more tasks to complete before he could return to Miri.

CHAPTER NINE

Mary stared at the door as it closed behind Sendat, once again fighting the urge to go running after him. She hated being left behind. Some small part of her was always convinced that the person who left would never return.

Although she trusted Sendat and believed him when he said that he would return, it still didn’t prevent her from worrying. And what was it that he wanted to tell her? She didn’t like the fact that she had so many questions and no answers.

I need something to do, she decided. Her aunt had been a firm believer in idle hands being the devil’s workshop, and she had passed it along to Mary.

She sat up, trying to think of something to occupy her time, and realized that her pretty silk outfit had not held up well to being slept in—or being shoved aside by Sendat’s big hands. The thought made her blush and smile at the same time, before she was distracted by a small spot of blood on the sheets. She had always assumed that she had lost her hymen long ago, but she suddenly remembered that brief sting.

Had she actually lost her virginity to an alien tongue?

She was still trying to decide how she felt about that when a quiet knock sounded on the door. Renla poked her head in and smiled at her.

“Good morning. I heard that Master Sendat was going out, and I thought perhaps you would like some company.”

“That would be nice,” she admitted, then hesitated. “But I don’t want to get you into trouble.”

Renla giggled and walked gracefully into the room. “Master Jabbwa doesn’t like company in the mornings. Although I know he spoke to Master Sendat before he left.”

Renla must have seen the worried look on her face, because she hurried on. “Do you think your master would mind if you went shopping with me? You really need some more clothes.”

“Normally I would be happy to say yes, but I got the impression that it wasn’t very safe for me on the streets.”

Renla tilted her head and considered the matter, her hair waving gently. “We wouldn’t go alone, of course. Master Jabbwa insists that his guards accompany me whenever I go out, but perhaps you’re right. But I have a better idea. Since we have some time, we can tailor a few more outfits to fit you.”

“I can’t keep raiding your wardrobe,” Mary protested, laughing, but Renla only waved her hand.

“Don’t be silly. I have a ridiculous amount of clothes. Master Jabbwa doesn’t like to see me wearing the same outfits too often. And of course, my mother is always sending me clothes from our latest collection.”

The same mother who sold her into slavery? The concept simply boggled her mind.

“That’s nice?” she said tentatively, and Renla laughed.

“She wants to keep me happy so I’ll come home and work in the business.”

“And will you?”

“Probably. Unless a handsome prince sweeps me off my feet.” Renla made a playful, dramatic gesture.

Mary hesitated, then asked softly. “What would your mother do if you weren’t happy?”

“She would try and help me,” Renla said firmly. “Of course, there is always an element of risk in these arrangements. Both of us were aware of that. Master Jabbwa is a good master, but he could grow tired of me or be forced by circumstances to sell me.” Her hair swirled again. “However, it is better to live for the day and face the future when it arrives.”

“My aunt Elizabeth wouldn’t have agreed with you,” Mary said dryly. “She was very insistent on preparing for the future.”

“And did that prevent bad things from happening?”

“I’m afraid not.” A lump appeared in her throat as she remembered her aunt’s final illness. There had been no way to prepare for that.

“Then you see?” Renla spread her hands. “I think our way is better.”

Mary didn’t think it was quite that simple, but Renla did have a point. There was nothing Mary could do to ensure Sendat’s safety—or guarantee his return. It looked as though she was in for a morning of sewing.

By the time Renla declared that they were done, Mary was the proud owner of two new gowns, a scandalously sheer nightgown, and—at her insistence—two pairs of flowing wide-legged pants with matching tops. She had hoped they would be more practical than the fanciful gowns, but considering the fullness of the pants and the brevity of the tops, she couldn’t say she had entirely succeeded.

Nonetheless, she was extremely grateful for Renla’s generosity. The other female had cheerfully dismantled her own clothing and reassembled it with an expert hand, giggling and telling Mary all the latest gossip at the same time. Mary tried to help, but although Aunt Elizabeth had insisted that she know the basics of sewing, she had always preferred embroidery and knitting to making garments. She ended up doing little more than passing things to Renla and trying them on when requested.

“Now,” Renla announced, stowing the altered outfits neatly in a large wardrobe. “I think we deserve a swim and a little refreshment.”

“A swim?” Mary asked with a doubtful glance at the greyness outside.

“Oh, yes. It’s one of the best parts of the gardens. Come with me.”

As she followed Renla down the stairs, a sudden commotion broke out on the street side of the house. She couldn’t see the male arguing, but she recognized the voice immediately. Yakshi.

She clutched the stair rail as her knees threatened to give out.

“You have my property, and I demand that you return it to me!” he yelled.

“Mary, what’s wrong? Your skin is even paler than normal,” Renla whispered.

“H-He’s… he’s the one who stole me from my planet.” Her teeth were chattering so hard she was surprised Renla could understand her.

“He’s not going to get very far making demands like that of Master Jabbwa,” Renla said reassuringly.

“What if he gives me up?” she asked despairingly.

“He won’t.” Renla studied her pale face and shaking hands. “Can you be quiet?”

Mary managed a nod.

“Then come with me. You’ll see.”

Renla whisked her down the stairs and around a corner. The confrontation was still going on at the front of the house, but the interior doors remained firmly closed. Despite that, she could hear Yakshi making increasingly threatening demands.

“Then I will see this Jabbwa. Immediately!” he yelled.

Renla opened what appeared to be a closet door. All Mary could see inside were a number of cloaks hung on hooks on the walls, but Renla urged her inside, then followed her. Darkness filled the small space as soon as Renla closed the door, and Mary had to fight back a wave of claustrophobia. Then there was another click, and a panel at the back of the closet opened to reveal another space about the same size. But this closet had a wall made of a fine mesh and through it, she could see what was obviously an office. Jabbwa was seated on a massive throne-like chair behind an enormous desk, scowling down at a communication device.

“Tell him to make an appointment.”

The voice on the other hand coughed discreetly. “I did suggest that, Master Jabbwa, but he is most insistent. I am concerned that he could draw undue attention.”

Jabbwa huffed. “I suppose you’re right. Send him in, but tell Kaiyo to be on standby.”

Next to her, Renla gave an almost silent gasp, her hand reaching out to clutch Mary’s arm. She didn’t understand why the other female was frightened. Despite the underlying threat in Jabbwa’s voice, his words seemed innocuous enough.

A moment later, the door flew open, and Yakshi stomped inside. He was dripping wet, and she guessed that his cleansing mist had been a little more aggressive than the one Jabbwa had used on them. Two of Jabbwa’s guards flanked him, but Jabbwa waved them away and they departed silently.

“You stole my property. I demand you return it immediately,” Yakshi snarled.

He was clearly visible through the screen, and the anger on his face made her shiver. How had she ever fooled herself into thinking that he was a nice person?

“I think you are forgetting yourself,” Jabbwa said, his voice so cold it could have frozen an ocean of water. “I am Jabbwa de Hutera. Who are you to come into my home and accuse me in such a manner?”

The ice in Jabbwa’s voice seemed to penetrate, or perhaps Yakshi finally took note of Jabbwa’s size, because he lowered his voice.

“I am Yakshi. I tracked my female slave to this location.”

He had tracked her? How? Did he know how close she was to him now? Her breathing started to speed up, and this time Renla was the one to reassure her with a quick pat on the arm.

“Your slave? How is she your slave when she is not in your possession?”

“Don’t play games with me, Jabbwa. I sent her on ahead, but she was… mislaid by the person who was supposed to be keeping track of her.” Yakshi bared his teeth in an expression that could not possibly be called a smile. “He has paid for that mistake.”

Poor Trothar, she thought a little sadly. He hadn’t been very nice to her, but neither had he molested her, and it was because of him that she had met Sendat.

“I am desolated to hear of your loss,” Jabbwa said without a trace of sincerity, “but I hardly see that is any concern of mine.”

“Don’t try that fucking bullshit on me,” Yakshi snarled, his temper flaring again. “You will hand her over to me. Now.”

Renla grabbed her hand as a knife appeared in Yakshi’s fist. Jabbwa did not look even remotely concerned, but he rose to his feet. It was the first time that Mary had seen him standing, and she only now realized just how large he was.

Yakshi hesitated for a fraction of a second, but he was apparently both too angry and too stupid to understand the threat presented by the other male.

“I’m not leaving without her, you thieving bastard.”

Jabbwa walked calmly around the desk. Yakshi snarled, raised his knife, and lunged for Jabbwa. In one blinding burst of speed, Jabbwa grabbed Yakshi’s hand and twisted it back towards him, pressing the knife to his throat as he pulled his body closer.

“No one comes into my house and threatens me,” he hissed.

Yakshi tried to struggle, his eyes bulging as he finally realized the danger he was in, but it was too late. With one quick slash, Jabbwa cut his throat, a spray of dark purple blood arcing into the air. Yakshi’s body slumped to the ground as Jabbwa dropped him and moved ponderously back around the desk without a second glance.

The whole thing must have taken less than thirty seconds, Mary thought, still staring at Yakshi’s body. It was perhaps hypocritical, but she didn’t even feel the distant sorrow she had felt for Trothar. She was simply relieved that Yakshi wouldn’t be chasing her any longer.

Jabbwa pressed a button on his communicator. “Send for Kaiyo.”

Renla’s hand tightened on hers. Why was she so obviously nervous every time that name was mentioned?

A few minutes later, Mary understood. The office door opened, and a male she had never seen before slithered in—literally. Perhaps slithered was probably a little overly dramatic. He was as upright as any male, but he propelled himself along using the thick tail that comprised his lower half. His upper half was humanoid beneath the iridescent green scales that covered his entire body. His face was shockingly, disturbingly handsome, despite the slitted nostrils and slender, sharp fangs that bracketed his mouth.

“You sent for me?” the newcomer drawled.

For some reason, she had assumed that he would speak with a sibilant hiss, but instead, his voice was low and silky, surprisingly seductive.

Jabbwa waved at the body on the floor. “I need you to dispose of it.”

“In what manner? So that he simply disappears and is never heard from again? Or would you prefer that he be made an example of the fate that befalls all who dare to bother the great and powerful Jabbwa?”

“Don’t be insolent, Kaiyo,” Jabbwa said without heat. “I must admit, it represents somewhat of a dilemma. People were aware that he was at my door.”

“In that case, his disappearance should be enough to send a message without the need for any more drama.” Kaiyo flashed him a cold, but undeniably attractive smile, fangs flashing. “Although I know you love your drama.”

“It is useful from time to time.”

“I could string him up by his ankle in the center of Situni Plaza. His blood dripping onto the white marble would be quite dramatic.”

Mary felt Renla shiver, but somehow she suspected that Kaiyo was merely having fun at Jabbwa’s expense. Jabbwa seemed to agree, scowling at the other male and shaking his head.

“You really are most annoying. Just make him disappear.”

Kaiyo swept a graceful bow, then approached Yakshi’s body. His slender forked tongue flicked out as he neared their hiding place, and he ignored the body on the floor. After the slightest hesitation, his head turned towards Renla and Mary’s hiding place. His eyes seemed to stare straight at them, despite the screen concealing them.

“And what of the two females cowering in your observation room? Would you like me to make them disappear as well?”

Renla gasped, the sound clearly audible, but Mary was still watching that strange alien face. Once again, she suspected he was merely being ironic.

“Of course not,” Jabbwa said impatiently. He didn’t seem to be in the least surprised by Kaiyo’s announcement, and Mary suspected that he had known they were there all along. “Females are inevitably curious. As long as they keep their mouths shut and know when to turn off that curiosity, I don’t attempt the impossible.”

The veiled threat in his words concerned Mary a lot more than Kaiyo’s laconic suggestion.

“Very well. Although I would have enjoyed having two such tempting little bundles in my possession.” Kaiyo’s smile was both sinister and attractive, and Mary was suddenly reminded of the serpent who tempted Eve to eat the apple.

After one last look at their hiding place, Kaiyo bent down and picked up Yakshi’s body, throwing it over his shoulder with no apparent effort, despite the Ithyian’s solid bulk.

“It is, as always, a pleasure doing business with you, Jabbwa.”

Jabbwa snorted. “I’m not sure that pleasure is the word I would use, but your efficiency is appreciated. I’ll transfer the funds immediately.”

Jabbwa bowed again, just as gracefully despite the body over his shoulder, and disappeared without another word.

“The two of you will join me,” Jabbwa ordered as soon as Kaiyo left. “I wish to discuss this little incident.”

Mary took Renla’s hand, and together they went to face the music.

CHAPTER TEN

Sendat waited impatiently to be admitted through the back entrance to Jabbwa’s abode. He was tired and annoyed. His arrangements had taken longer than he expected, and the longer he was away from Miri, the more he worried about her.

But with any luck, she would be safely off the planet by this time tomorrow. Why didn’t that make him feel better? Instead, the knowledge that he would not be there to protect her ate away at his insides. But even if he requested an immediate dismissal from the Fleet, what kind of future could he offer her? He had spent his whole life as a warrior, first as an honorable member of the Emperor’s staff, and more recently as a far less honorable male. Life in the Fleet no longer appealed to him, but he had no intention of continuing in his current occupation. He was still trying to come up with an alternative plan when he entered the garden and found Jabbwa waiting for him.

“We need to talk.”

“Yes, of course. As soon as I see—”

“No, now. Your female is perfectly safe.”

Sendat bit back his instinctive protest. Jabbwa had been of great assistance, and it would be impolite not to listen to him. He followed him reluctantly to the pavilion.

“Your female had a visitor this morning,” Jabbwa said abruptly, once he was reclining on his divan with a drink in his hand.

“What? Who? You said she was all—”

“Sit back down. I said she was fine. I handled it.”

“Thank you,” he said sincerely. “But who was it?”

“An Ithyian slaver. I discussed the matter with your female afterwards, and it appears that his ship was the one who removed her from Earth.” Jabbwa twirled his glass in his fingers. “This is a dangerous business, Sendat. You know the new Emperor’s sympathies lie with the humans. If you are caught with her in your possession, you would end up on one of the prison planets.”

“I know.”

“You should sell her. Her sale will replenish your missing credits, and someone else will assume the danger.”

“I can’t.” He looked Jabbwa straight in the eye. “I won’t.”

A gusty sigh escaped that wide mouth. “I suspected as much. Your second option would be to go somewhere remote and keep a low profile.”

The same thought had occurred to him, but it didn’t answer the question of how he was to support the two of them.

“I will consider it,” he promised, feeling a slight pang of guilt. What would the other male think when Sendat and Mary disappeared the following day? Would he believe that Sendat had taken his advice?

“And what of Mokuu’s killer?” Jabbwa continued, changing the subject.

“Everything is in place,” he assured him. “He will be brought to justice.”

Jabbwa scowled at him. “I don’t give a fuck about justice. I want him punished.”

“He will be,” he promised. Chinit’s life on an Imperial prison planet would be short and brutal.

A distant peal of laughter echoed through the gardens, and he recognized Miri’s sweet voice. His impatience to see her reappeared.

“Is there anything else?”

“I doubt you would be paying attention if there was,” Jabbwa said dryly. “Go on, and send my little Renla to me. They’re in the swimming pool.”

He didn’t wait for a second dismissal, striding eagerly towards the sound of laughter. The swimming pool was located in a secluded corner between the body of the main house and the outer wall. A canopy covered the entire area, and the underside of the canopy was strung with tiny lights that provided the effect of sunlight. The lights reflected on the mosaic of small glass tiles that lined the area and the water sparkled attractively in the false sun, but he only had eyes for Miri.

She was standing at one end, laughing up at Renla. The scarf the shopkeeper had given her was wrapped around her body in what he suspected was an attempt at modesty, but the already sheer fabric was rendered completely transparent by the water. He could see every enticing inch of her luscious little body. His cock sprang to instant, aching hardness.

“Jabbwa wants you,” he told Renla, still unable to look away from his female.

“On my way,” she said gaily. “See you later, Mary.”

Miri looked up as soon as he spoke, a welcoming smile on her face. Then she blushed and put her arm across her breasts in a vain attempt to cover the overflowing mounds.

“They don’t seem to have bathing suits on this planet,” she said, looking adorably shy.

“You wear clothes for bathing?”

“No, of course not, but we do wear them for swimming. Especially when there are other people around. Don’t you?”

“No,” he said firmly, starting to strip off his clothes.

“What are you doing?”

“Joining you.” It was almost certainly a bad idea, but a male could only take so much.

MARY COULDN’T LOOK AWAY as Sendat removed his clothes. He had been almost naked this morning, but he hadn’t discarded the tight black shorts. Would he leave them on this time, she wondered, or would he…

Her mouth went dry as he answered her question by removing his shorts, revealing his massive cock, already erect. Oh my. Even stroking him the way she had done the previous night hadn’t prepared her for the sight.

His shaft wasn’t a smooth column the way a human male’s would be. Instead, it widened at the base, and at the midpoint, and then again at the broad head. The metal balls she had felt the night before echoed the contours as they formed a pattern along the top of his cock. She could almost imagine how it would feel to have that undulating length pressing into her, his piercings hitting her in just the right places. Her pussy fluttered at the thought in a combination of excitement and trepidation. He was so large, after all, and she was not.

Not that there was any reason to believe that they would have sex, she reminded herself. He hadn’t made the attempt the previous night, even though she could admit in her most secret thoughts that she would not have refused him. But he had seemed content with their mutual pleasuring instead.

She finally tore her gaze away from his cock and looked up to find his eyes fixed on her face. He walked down the steps into the water, his eyes never leaving her. He came to a halt directly in front of her, their bodies not quite touching, and she had to look up—way up—to continue to meet his gaze.

His horns reared over his head, the artificial sunlight highlighting the distinctive ridges. It was an unmistakable reminder of their differences, but she didn’t feel afraid. She felt as if she’d come home.

“I told you I would return,” he said softly.

“I’m glad you did.”

“Are you, Miri?” His big warm hand cupped her cheek. “I am the despicable male who purchased you in order to use you.”

Something about his words rang false, and she shook her head. “But you did—”

His mouth came down over hers before she could finish, and she lost herself in his kiss. He lifted her into his arms, and she went eagerly, her hard nipples rubbing against the rough warmth of his chest and her legs automatically encircling his waist. It wasn’t until his mouth moved to her ear that she realized he might have another reason for kissing her.

“I believe Jabbwa to be our friend,” he whispered softly, “but there are some things he does not need to know.”

Like the fact that they hadn’t had made love? Why would that matter? she wondered. It was almost as if Sendat wanted Jabbwa to think worse of him. Or would he consider it worse? After all, Jabbwa was the one who purchased Renla, and no matter how kindly he seemed to treat her, she was still most definitely his slave. He would undoubtedly expect Sendat to behave the same way—but why hadn’t he?

“Are you trying to tell me—” she started to whisper in return, but he cut her off with a kiss once again. Since she didn’t believe that they could have been overheard, she suspected it was more because he did not want to answer her questions.

“Tomorrow,” he whispered, when he finally raised his head. “Tomorrow I will tell you everything.”

There was an underlying note to his words that she didn’t like, but she remembered Renla’s advice and decided not to worry about the future right now.

“Is that the only reason you kiss me? To shut me up?” she asked teasingly.

“No. I could spend hours exploring that sweet little mouth. And that sweet little cunt,” he added thoughtfully.

“I wouldn’t mind,” she admitted shyly, sure that her cheeks were bright red.

His eyes heated, and he started carrying her out of the pool.

“Wait a minute,” she said quickly, inspired by a sudden rush of bravery. “There’s something I want to try first.”

“I’m sure it would not be as pleasant.”

“Just let me try. If you don’t like it, I’ll stop.”

“Whatever you wish, my Miri.”

She took a quick look around. With the canopy overhead and the walls and greenery surrounding all sides of the pool, the space felt private, but there was nothing to stop someone from stumbling upon them.

“Do you think we’re really alone?”

He hesitated, then brushed his mouth against her ear again. “I suspect someone is always listening.”

Why did his warm breath always send little shivers of pleasure down her spine?

“But no one is watching?”

“I do not think so. But we could return to our rooms if you prefer.”

No, she decided. She liked it here, liked the illusion of sunlight and freedom after so long in cages and darkness.

“I want to stay. Take me over to that couch, please.”

One advantage of Jabbwa’s penchant for lounging was the prevalence of couches everywhere. Sendat silently obeyed, carrying her to the couch, then lying down next to her.

“I’ve never done this before,” she confessed, rising up on her knees next to him. “If I do anything you don’t like, let me know.”

“What wouldn’t I—oh, fuck.”

His words disappeared in a garbled groan as she bent over and swiped her tongue across the broad head of his cock. His fingers tangled in her hair, not tugging exactly but with a firm grip that sent another ripple of excitement through her body. A small pearl of liquid appeared at his tip, and she licked it up eagerly. Mmm. Delicious.

She tried to wrap her hand around him, but he was far too large. However, she grasped enough of him to discover that he had a second set of matching piercings on the underside of his shaft. When she pressed gently against them, he grew even harder and more drops of liquid appeared. Delighted by his response, she set out to explore—licking, stroking, squeezing, and using his hoarse grunts to determine what seemed to please him the most.

When his whole body had turned rigid, his cock impossibly hard, she stretched her mouth as far as she could over that enormous head and sucked. He gave a sharp cry and exploded, flooding her mouth with his essence. It was far too much for her to swallow, but she did her best, trying to catch every delicious drop. She was still happily licking his shaft when he drew her gently but firmly away and pulled her up next to him.

“You’re quite sure you’ve never done that before?” he asked.

“I think I would’ve remembered.” She smiled at him. “Was it all right?”

“If it had been any better, I would have expired on the spot.” His smile turned hungry. “But now it is my turn. And I’m going to kiss every inch of this luscious body, starting with these tempting little nipples.”

He proceeded to do just that.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Much later that evening, Sendat stared into the darkness over their bed. Miri slept peacefully at his side, worn out by their bed sport. He had spoken the truth earlier when he said that he could spend hours feasting on her. His cock throbbed at the memory, still unsatisfied even though she had insisted on using her hot little mouth on him again. As much as he had enjoyed it, he still longed to bury himself inside that enticing little cunt.

Two things stopped him. The first was simply his concern about the difference in their sizes. Even though she had taken his tongue more easily the second time, and even though he had slowly and patiently opened her enough to take two of his fingers, she was still impossibly small and tight.

But the second, and far more important reason, was that he had not yet told her the truth.

He had considered it, and several times the words had hovered on his tongue, but it was difficult to explain his situation in a few whispered snatches of conversation. And even assuming she was not angry with his deception or disgusted by the life he had been leading, he still couldn’t think of a future for the two of them.

Captain Arulo had promised to get them off the planet, but what then? Would he even be allowed to accompany her to whatever sanctuary they had arranged for former human slaves? He was still technically an Imperial officer, after all. Unless of course they decided to discharge him immediately because of the fact that he had purchased her. Based on his conversation with Arulo, he didn’t think that was likely, but he had to admit that it was a possibility.

Thinking of Arulo’s plans for their escape, brought up another concern. He had not yet decided what to tell Jabbwa about them leaving. And he felt unexpectedly guilty about lying to the other male.

After their interlude in the pool, they had rejoined Jabbwa and Renla. While the females chatted, he spent the time talking to Jabbwa. They had worked together before, but they had never had any extended interactions. He found himself surprised and impressed at the depth of the male’s knowledge. There was no question that he could be ruthless or that he worked outside the law, but he had many good qualities—one of which was loyalty. Jabbwa had been loyal to Mokuu, and now he seemed to have extended that regard to Sendat. Although he had not come right out and said it, he had hinted that Sendat could have a place in his organization.

For a brief moment, he had almost been tempted. It would give him a way to provide for Miri, and she would be safer with the resources of Jabbwa’s organization behind him. But despite his undercover work, his own sense of honor hadn’t changed. He would not make a living from illegal activities.

Which led him back to his original question—what was he going to tell Jabbwa?

By the time morning arrived, he had decided to keep it simple. Reluctantly leaving Mary flushed and sleepy in their bed, he went to find Jabbwa.

Once again he was in the dining room, leisurely consuming an enormous breakfast.

“I have been thinking about what you said,” he said abruptly.

“Oh? Does that mean you’ve decided to sell your female?”

“No,” he said fiercely, before he saw the smile on Jabbwa’s lips. “But I suspect you knew that all along. I meant your other advice, about finding a remote location.”

“It is good advice,” Jabbwa agreed, picking up a glass bowl with a small wiggling creature inside, then swallowing it with relish. “What’s your plan?”

“I discovered a way out of the city yesterday. We will leave this morning.”

Strictly speaking, it was the truth, and he managed to keep his face impassive as Jabbwa surveyed him.

“I see. And what of Mokuu’s murderer?”

“That will be taken care of this morning as well.”

Jabbwa frowned down at a plate of eggs, and he felt compelled to explain as much as he could. “I truly appreciate all the help that you have given both me and my female, but we can’t stay here. It would not be safe for her.”

“A slaver with a heart of gold. Who would have thought?” Jabbwa’s eyes were uncomfortably penetrating, but he forced himself to meet them unflinchingly.

“It is not a situation I anticipated,” he admitted.

“I suspect you did not. Although perhaps you should have remembered that the Bukharans mate for life.”

“I remembered. I just never thought that it would happen for me.” The words came out of his mouth before he realized what he had said. A life mate. Miri was his life mate. Of course she was. “Fuck. I’m an idiot.”

“Every male in love is an idiot,” Jabbwa said, calmly choosing a pastry. “You must do as you think best. And you will let me know the final outcome with Mokuu’s murderer,” he added, his voice hardening.

“I will,” he promised. Although it had not been his original intention, he would send the other male a message once they were clear of the planet. He suspected that Jabbwa would not be thrilled to find out that Chinit was in Imperial custody and headed for a prison planet, but at least he would know the truth.

That barrier overcome, he went to tell Miri that they were leaving.

“Is it safe?” she asked anxiously.

“Yes, although you will need to wear your cloak again.”

“I didn’t mean safe for me, silly. You’re the one who’s a wanted criminal.”

He was torn between warmth at her concern and affront that she thought he could not take care of himself. He compromised by kissing her, losing himself once again in the sweetness of her mouth.

Did her people have life mates, he wondered. Would she understand when he told her how he felt? The problem of their future still loomed over his head, but now that he had finally recognized the truth, he also recognized that he could never let her go. Somehow, he would find a way.

But first they needed to meet Arulo at the designated place.

“Do you think it would be all right if I took a few of my new clothes?” Miri asked tentatively.

“Of course.” One of the items on his belt expanded into a small carrier. It didn’t hold a lot, but fortunately her clothes didn’t take up much room.

After a teary, and much too long, goodbye between Miri and Renla, he was finally able to hustle his female out of the house. They took the back route once again, but they were forced to move faster than he would have preferred. He was afraid the rapid pace might attract attention, but no one gave them a second glance. Perhaps the fact that they were together helped. According to Jabbwa’s sources, the Patrol were looking for a single male. There had been no mention of Miri.

They arrived at the vehicle parking facility that was their destination with one minute to spare. It was located at the edge of the Warrens, only a few levels below the surface, and he saw Miri cast a wistful glance up at the sky.

“We’ll be out of here soon, little one,” he promised her.

“I would like to feel the sun again, but this hasn’t been so bad.”

He tugged her closer, but just then a small flying vehicle at the far end of the ramp flashed its lights twice. That was the signal. It appeared that Arulo had been as efficient as usual.

“That’s our transportation,” he said quietly, leading her towards the vehicle.

The side door slid open, and he was starting to help her in when she gasped. He looked up and saw Chinit’s enraged face.

“You lose, you bastard,” Chinit snarled and raised his blaster.

He saw Miri fling herself at the weapon, heard her scream as the shot rang out. A searing pain exploded in his head, and he staggered, reaching for Miri. His fingers brushed her cloak, but the silky fabric slipped through his fingers. Chinit pulled her further into the vehicle as the world turned dark and the ground rushed up to meet him.

THE LAST THING Mary saw before Chinit slammed the door shut was Sendat’s big body collapsing to the ground, blood pooling beneath his head.

“No!” she cried, scrambling frantically for the weapon again. Chinit laughed and held it out of reach, then swore when she connected with his right arm. He slapped her, sending her reeling dizzily back against the seat.

“Fucking humans. First one breaks my arm, and now you try to make it worse.”

The blow had brought tears to her eyes, but now she could see that his arm hung at an odd angle. The rest of him didn’t look much better. His elaborately curled mane was in wild disarray, and his ornate outfit was ripped and dirty. Good, she thought fiercely. He deserved it after… hurting Sendat. She refused to believe that he was dead, no matter how much blood there had been. Hadn’t she read somewhere that head wounds always bled a lot?

She hung onto that thought with everything she had. He’s alive, and he will come for me.

The vehicle jerked, and she looked up to find they were flying out of the parking garage with what seemed like reckless speed. The vehicle launched itself into the air, the sunlight she had wished for pouring through the windows, but she would gladly have traded it for eternal darkness if she could just remain with Sendat. Her heart ached, and more tears threatened to spring to her eyes, but she forced them aside. She needed to keep her wits about her. She had absolutely no doubt at all that Chinit had terrible plans for her.

As she forced herself to try and think, she realized that Sendat had actually been heading for this vehicle.

“How did you find us?” she asked.

Chinit smirked triumphantly at her, barely missing an oncoming vehicle. He didn’t even seem to notice, his eyes glittering with a maniacal gleam.

“I have friends in high places. No one’s going to keep me down for long. Not my father, not my son, and certainly not you fucking humans.”

That was the second time he had mentioned humans, she realized, her heart starting to pound.

“There are other humans here?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” he said childishly, then snarled. “That human bitch broke my arm.”

Lily! It had to have been Lily. The fact that her friend had managed to defend herself from Chinit was unexpectedly encouraging, but what had happened to her? Where was she?

“Where did that happen?” she asked as casually as possible.

“At my tower. My fucking tower. They’re trying to take it away from me, but they’re not going to get away with it.”

His tower? The words didn’t mean anything to her, but she was afraid to ask anything else. His eyes grew even wilder as he ranted, and the vehicle swerved erratically, narrowly avoiding another collision. Her questions were obviously upsetting him, and as much as she didn’t want to go wherever he was taking her, she didn’t want to die in a fiery midair collision either. Deciding that she had better wait before trying to pry any more information out of him, she huddled back against her seat.

They flew for what seemed like hours, leaving the city far behind. At first she tried to keep track of her surroundings, but eventually realized that they were heading due East. Her cheek throbbed where he had slapped her, and the memory of Sendat’s crumpled body haunted her.

He’s alive, she told herself over and over. He has to be.

Despite her fears, exhaustion gradually claimed her, and she was almost asleep when the vehicle banked sharply to the right. An ocean swept out to the left in a vast expanse of deep green water. The shoreline was to the right, and as the vehicle slowed, she could see a long, low building perched just above the beach in a sheltered cove. At first glance, it was quite attractive, but as they drew closer, she could see that the paint was worn and peeling and that vegetation had started to climb around the window and door frames.

Her heart sank. This place didn’t look like it had been inhabited for years, and she hadn’t seen any other signs of life. How was Sendat ever going to find her here?

He will find me, she thought fiercely. I just have to survive until he does.

Chinit brought the vehicle in for a jerky landing, then turned and gave her an evil grin.

“And now you’re all mine.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Miri! His female’s name echoed through Sendat’s mind as he slowly regained consciousness. His head throbbed as if someone was pounding a spike into it, and when he forced himself to his feet, the garage blurred around him, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was finding Miri.

He looked around frantically, but the vehicle had disappeared. No one had come to investigate the sound of their altercation, and he cursed Arulo’s name. The traitorous bastard had been as efficient as ever.

Think, he urged himself. The last thing he remembered was seeing Chinit slapping Miri aside as she tried to grab his weapon. His brave, foolish female. Although, since he was still alive, either Chinit was a terrible shot or she had managed to throw off his aim. But his life was unimportant. She was the one who mattered. He strained his memory, the event still hazy, but he was almost sure he had seen her moving as Chinit closed the door—which meant that she was alive.

Alive, and at the mercy of Chinit.

He had to find her, but how?

His thoughts chased each other in a panicked circle. Jabbwa! If there was any way to find her, Jabbwa would know. The question was if he would help Sendat. He would have to tell him the entire truth, he decided, and accept whatever fate Jabbwa decreed. As long as he was able to free Miri from that madman’s sadistic clutches first, he would accept it gladly.

There was no time to return to Jabbwa’s residence on foot, and he headed for the nearest flyer. He caught a brief glimpse of his reflection in the window—blood streaming down his face, his eyes as wide and crazy as Chinit’s had been—but he ignored it and used his hoof to shatter the window.

Among the other talents he had learned while undercover was the ability to start a vehicle without the use of a key. Seconds later, he was ricocheting out of the garage, raking a door against one of the walls as another wave of dizziness swept over him. He ignored the harsh scrape and kept going. Air travel through the Warrens was difficult at the best of times—and this was not the best of times—but he darted over and through the narrow passages with frantic haste, adding more scrapes and dents as he went.

By the time he spotted Jabbwa’s residence, he had managed to activate the vehicle’s communicator and he sent a quick message.

“This is Sendat, coming to see Jabbwa. Don’t even think of trying to make me fucking wait. It’s a matter of life and death.”

His chest ached as he shut off the communicator. He had to find Miri. Even if he wasn’t in time to prevent Chinit from hurting her, as long as she was alive, they could overcome anything else.

His message must have worked because no one tried to stop him as he brought the flyer to a screeching halt on the small rooftop landing area. Ordal was waiting for him.

“Jabbwa is in his office.” His eyes swept over Sendat’s wound. “What the hell happened to you? You shouldn’t be driving with an injury like that.”

“I know,” he snapped, heading for the stairs at the fastest pace he could manage. After almost tumbling down the first flight, he had to force himself to slow down despite the urgency beating a constant refrain in his head. Find Miri! Find Miri!

“What happened?” Jabbwa demanded as Sendat burst into his office.

“He took Miri. That bastard took my female. I have to find her.”

“Who took her?”

“Mokuu’s murderer. Chinit va Situni.”

Jabbwa’s eyes narrowed. “You knew all along who he was.”

“Yes,” he admitted.

“And you assured me he was going to be punished.” Jabbwa’s voice was ice cold.

“I truly thought he was going to be arrested and imprisoned. But I was betrayed.”

“Who betrayed you?”

Sendat wanted to roar with frustration. He didn’t have time for this. But he also knew that Jabbwa would never agree to help him without the full truth.

“Captain Arulo of the Imperial Fleet. I have been working undercover with the Fleet for the past year, trying to find the source of the illegal slave trade.”

Jabbwa’s face turned to stone. “You’re an Imperial spy.”

“Yes. I don’t expect it will make any difference, but none of your activities were ever part of my reports. I was here simply in regards to the slave trade. You can do anything you want to me, but you have to help me find Miri first. She’s an innocent in all this. She doesn’t deserve what he is going to do to her.”

Jabbwa stared at him in silence for an interminable moment while Sendat dug his nails into his palms and prayed as he had never done before that the other male would help him.

“I suspect that the knowledge that you failed to rescue your female would be the worst punishment you could suffer,” Jabbwa said finally, and Sendat’s heart sank, but then he added, “However, I do not think that she should suffer on your behalf. And my Renla likes her. I will help you.”

A dizzying wave of relief swept over Sendat, and he swayed where he stood.

“Sit down before you fall down,” Jabbwa snapped. “I don’t want any more blood on my rug.”

Sendat wanted to protest, but his knees did feel remarkably uncertain. He collapsed into the nearest chair, watching intently as Jabbwa pressed a button on his communicator.

“Ordal, bring me a list of all the House Situni properties. Highlight the ones that are most isolated.”

Sendat bit back a protest. While it was an excellent idea, the Situni holdings were vast and it would take far too long to search all of them.

“And send Kaiyo to me,” Jabbwa added.

Kaiyo? Sendat had never met the male, but he had a reputation as a fixer—someone who was called in to solve other people’s problems. Could he solve this problem?

The minutes ticked by with agonizing slowness as visions of Miri in Chinit’s hands haunted him. Unable to sit still, he shoved himself to his feet and paced back and forth until the door finally opened and Kaiyo entered.

“You want to see me again so soon? People will begin to speculate about our relationship.”

The cool, sardonic voice instantly irritated Sendat, but he forced himself to keep his mouth shut.

Jabbwa ignored Kaiyo’s flippancy. “Before you disposed of the body yesterday, did you go through his belongings?”

“You make me sound so self-serving.”

“Kaiyo,” Jabbwa snapped. “This is important. Did you? And did you find any kind of tracking device?”

Sendat’s heart started to beat faster. When Jabbwa had told him that the Ithyian slaver had tracked Miri here, he had assumed it was because someone had seen her enter and spread the word. It hadn’t occurred to him that he might literally have tracked her.

“It’s possible that I did find such a device,” Kaiyo said coolly. “What’s it worth to you?”

“Anything you want,” Sendat said immediately.

“An interesting offer. It raises so many possibilities.”

“Stop tormenting him,” Jabbwa interrupted. “His female has been taken, and the device may be the only way to find her in time.”

“You lost her? How careless.” Then Kaiyo’s casual mockery disappeared, and he frowned at Jabbwa. “Was she one of those sweet little treats hiding in your observation room?”

“Yes. She is an innocent.”

Still frowning, Kaiyo reached into a pouch on the belt around his waist and pulled out a small metal device.

“Innocence is something to be treasured. Here.” He tossed the device to Sendat. “I don’t know how far the range extends.”

Sendat clutched the device desperately but when he turned it on, no signal appeared. He gave Jabbwa a desperate look just as Ordal hurried in.

“This is the list of properties that you requested, Master Jabbwa.”

As soon as Ordal left, the three males gathered around the tablet, but Sendat’s despair only increased. The list was far too long.

“You can eliminate any of the primary family holdings,” Kaiyo said.

“Why?” Jabbwa asked.

“You haven’t heard? Chinit has been disinherited, all of his family assets stripped away. Some type of scandal over one of his business ventures,” he added, raising an eyebrow at Sendat.

A brief spike of satisfaction hit Sendat. So the male had not gone entirely unpunished after all. Perhaps that explained why he had been so wild-eyed and enraged. But Miri was the one who would pay for that fury, he reminded himself.

“Does he have property of his own?” he asked.

Kaiyo shook his head. “I don’t believe so. He always took full advantage of the family tit. My guess is that he is headed for one of the properties that’s never used.” He tapped a long sharp tipped finger on the screen. “I think these three are your best bets. All of them are small and isolated.”

Three? How long would it take for him to search all three of them? And they were all in different directions. One was far to the east, on the edge of the great ocean. Another was located in the mountains near an old mining town that was now deserted. The third was in a small farming community to the south.

“I’ll take this one,” Kaiyo volunteered, pointing to the one in the mountains.

“You’re going to help me search?” Sendat asked, shocked.

The other male shrugged a massive shoulder. “I never did like Chinit. And I’m ready to leave the city for a while.”

“I’ll head for the ocean property,” he decided, his choice driven by little more than the memory of Miri laughing in the sunlit waters of the pool.

Jabbwa sighed. “I will send someone to the third location. You take the tracker. If it starts to relay a signal, let us know.”

“I will.” He started to head for the door, then turned and looked at both males. “Thank you. I am in your debt.”

“You can repay me by finding and eliminating Chinit. I want to see his actual body this time,” Jabbwa demanded. Then his face softened a fraction, and he added, “I hope your female is safe.”

“I too hope that your female is safe,” Kaiyo said. “But I am not quite so easily satisfied. I may request your assistance at some point in the future.”

“You will have it,” he promised, heading for the door once more.

Kaiyo followed him as Jabbwa began issuing orders into his communicator.

“May the winds of fortune be in your favor,” Kaiyo said, then disappeared in the direction of the gardens, his tail propelling him with shocking speed.

May they indeed, Sendat prayed as he raced for the stairs.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“Strip,” Chinit ordered, waving the blaster at Mary. He had used it to force her into the house, complaining the whole way about the state of the property.

Even without his complaints, she could tell that it had once been a beautiful home. The rooms were large and nicely-proportioned, and once the shutters were open, they would be full of light. Now they were dark and sad, with a thick layer of dust covering everything and only a few broken pieces of furniture remaining.

“Don’t make me tell you again,” he snarled, taking a step towards her.

As he did, he tripped over an old chair leg and stumbled, hitting his broken arm against the doorframe and yowling in pain.

“You should have someone look at that,” she said quickly.

“No shit. But I can’t exactly show up at a medical facility, can I?”

“You mean you’re on the run too.”

“Temporarily.” He scowled at her. “I have very important connections. They are already working on restoring my position.”

Were they really? she wondered. She remembered the Chinit she had seen at the warehouse, arrayed in all his finery. Despite his continued arrogance, he no longer looked rich or important—he looked desperate. The very fact that he had brought her to this deserted, dilapidated place argued that he didn’t have many resources left.

“Do you want me to take a look at it?” she offered.

Not that she had any desire to help him, but perhaps it would postpone her seemingly inevitable rape. She had no illusions about what he wanted from her. If only she’d tried harder to encourage Sendat to go all the way. She wanted him to be her first, not this madman.

Maybe he’ll find me in time, she thought hopefully, but it was hard to sustain her usual optimism when she was in an abandoned house with a sadistic lunatic.

“Have you had any training?” he demanded. “I am used to the finest medical care.”

“A little.” She had taken first aid classes as part of her teacher preparation, after all. “And it looks like I’m your only option.”

He scowled at her, but he shifted his arm uncomfortably. She suspected he was in significant pain, especially when he gave a begrudging nod.

“I suppose you’ll have to do.”

In addition to the remnants of furniture that were scattered on the floor, there were some built-in benches that must have once been covered by cushions. She urged him to the largest bench along one wall, as she started to come up with a plan.

He kept his hand on his blaster, eyeing her suspiciously as she very carefully lifted his arm. From the unnatural way it moved, she was quite sure it was broken. The fact that he was still able to function with that kind of injury was frighteningly impressive. He swore when she touched it, but she managed to keep her face calm and, hopefully, professional-looking.

“It’s definitely broken—”

“I knew that, you stupid bitch.”

“—but I think a splint will help.”

“How are you going to do that?” he scowled.

She gestured at a pair of broken chair legs. “I can use those to stabilize the arm, and tie them in place with material from my pants.”

“They’re all going to pay for this,” he muttered, then waved his good hand. “Do it.”

At least he was no longer clutching his blaster.

Gathering up two of the broken chair legs, she laid them innocently on the bench next to him, then took a step back. He glared at her suspiciously, but when she bent down and started ripping a section of cloth from the leg of her pants, he focused on her bare leg instead. His lecherous gaze made her feel almost physically ill, but as long as it distracted him, it was worth it.

The torn cloth fluttered as she returned to him and picked up one of the chair legs.

“Now I’ll just need to—”

She swung the leg with all her might. She had originally intended to strike his existing injury, but at the last minute she changed her mind and went for his head instead. It was a mistake. He only slumped back across the bench, dazed, but clearly not unconscious.

She tried to grab his weapon but only succeeded in knocking it beneath one of the window benches. Frack! Eyeing the narrow space, she decided it would take too much precious time to try and retrieve it. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be able to get to it either. Changing her plan, she ran for the door instead.

As she emerged on the beach, Chinit roared angrily, already recovering from the blow, but she refused to look back. The vegetation around the house was dense and overgrown, almost jungle-like, and she headed for it as fast as her legs would carry her. She had just plunged blindly through a thick bush when Chinit came out of the house. His voice echoed across the beach.

“Come back here, you bitch. It will hurt less than if I have to come and get you.”

Yeah, no. Even if she had believed him, she had no intention of obeying his demand. Unfortunately, the flyer in which they’d arrived was on the far side of the house. She’d watched him maneuver it on their flight and she thought she could handle it—if she could get it started. It had already been running when he hauled her inside. Since she didn’t remember seeing any place to insert a key, she prayed it was one of those push-button starts. It was worth a shot at least.

Planning to edge around to that side of the house under cover of the thick vegetation, she took a step backwards—and a branch cracked under her foot. Chinit’s head snapped up.

Frack!

Forcing herself to look away from him as he advanced on the bushes, she concentrated on the ground instead, moving as quickly and silently as possible away from where she had plunged into the jungle. When she dared to look up, he was almost there. If he went into the bushes after her, maybe she could take the faster route across the open sand.

To her dismay, he didn’t dive recklessly into the jungle. Instead, he lifted his head, his nostrils flaring.

“Did you know that the Tajiri are great hunters?” he asked, almost conversationally.

No, but she had no trouble believing it. Everything about him, from his claws to his fangs, screamed predator.

“We have keen vision, of course, the better to see our prey. But what really makes us great is our sense of smell—the better to scent our prey.”

He turned his head in her direction, and she could have sworn he was looking directly at her, despite the heavy vegetation.

“Fear has a scent. Sweet, enticing. There is no more potent lure.” He reached down and grabbed his cock, and she closed her eyes in despair.

No! She was not giving in without a fight. Still trying to keep an eye on him, she searched her surroundings desperately for any kind of weapon. The only thing she could see was a dead branch. It wasn’t very large, only about the size of the chair leg—and that hadn’t stopped him for long—but it was better than nothing.

Go for the arm this time, she told herself fiercely. It was her only chance.

Moving as quietly as she could, she reached down to grab the branch while Chinit prowled slowly along the edge of the jungle towards her.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are,” he sang, his eyes glittering.

He was playing with her, she realized with a sinking heart, like a cat playing with a trapped mouse. An insane cat.

He stopped directly in front of her hiding place. “You’re going to pay for what you did. For what all of you did. You’ll be begging me to let you die before I’m through with you.”

Her hands were shaking so hard she could barely hang on to the branch, but she refused to move, refused to acknowledge his taunts. Sendat, she thought despairingly. Please come for me.

Even knowing that Chinit was preparing to pounce, her heart still skipped a beat when he suddenly thrust the bushes aside.

“There you are,” he purred.

She raised her branch, hoping he couldn’t see how much she was trembling.

“Don’t come any closer.”

“Or what? You’ll try and hit me with that twig? It didn’t work the last time, did it?” His air of calm started to dissipate as rage shadowed his features. “You’re mine now, you stupid little bitch.”

“Never!” Sendat roared, appearing behind Chinit like an avenging angel. Blood still streaked his pelt, his nostrils were white with rage, his teeth bared—and she had never seen a more welcome sight.

Chinit gaped at him. “But you’re dead.”

“No, I’m not. You were as incompetent at that as you were with everything else.”

Chinit snarled and attacked, actually managing to knock Sendat back out onto the sand.

The fight was short, fast, and brutal; the outcome never in doubt. Chinit fought like a caged animal, surprisingly fast despite his injuries. He managed to duck under Sendat’s guard and rake his claws across his neck, but Sendat reared back quickly enough that the resulting deep gashes dug into his shoulder rather than severing an artery in his neck.

The risky move was Chinit’s last mistake. Sendat grabbed him before he could escape, immobilizing him with one massive arm as he grabbed his head with the other. With one quick, sharp jerk, he snapped Chinit’s neck, the sound echoing across the beach.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

As soon as he broke Chinit’s neck, Sendat threw the male’s body to the ground and turned to Miri. She was staring at him with wide, shocked eyes, but she didn’t appear to be hurt. He gathered her close, running his hands frantically over her skin, checking for damage.

“Did he hurt you?”

“You’re not dead,” she whispered. “You came for me.”

“I told you I always would.”

To his dismay, she burst into tears.

“Please don’t cry, little one.”

He lifted her into his arms and carried her back down the beach, away from the body crumpled in the sand. Moss covered the ground in a shaded area at the end of the cove, and he sat down with her there, his own knees unexpectedly weak.

He was a warrior, he had seen battle, but he had never been as terrified as he had been on his way here. Jabbwa had been the first to report. The third location was empty and didn’t appear to have been disturbed in years.

Kaiyo called in a short time later.

“Chinit isn’t here,” he said, but his voice sounded odd.

“There’s no sign of life?” Sendat asked.

“What you’re looking for is not here.”

Still not satisfied with Kaiyo’s answer, he would have demanded more information, but at that moment the tracker pinged. Thank the gods.

“She’s at the beach house,” he said, tracking the direction of the signal.

“Good.” Another odd hesitation. “Do you need help?”

“No, but thank you.”

“Remember you still owe me that favor,” Kaiyo said and ended the call.

Just before he did, Sendat thought he heard another voice. Kaiyo hadn’t actually said the place was empty, he remembered. But he was far more focused on finding Miri than worrying about the other male’s strange behavior. He increased the speed of the flyer until it was hovering close to its top speed. Even then he crouched forward in his seat, as if he could urge it on by pure force of will.

He’d arrived just in time to see Chinit stalking something—or someone—in the jungle. Fortunately he was so distracted that he didn’t hear the flyer landing or Sendat approaching. He shivered and tightened his grip on Miri again, praising the gods that she appeared unhurt despite her tears.

“I kept telling myself that you weren’t dead,” she hiccupped. “That you would come for me.”

“I should never have allowed you to be taken.” Guilt still weighed heavily on his soul.

She twisted around in his lap to look up at him, her face indignant. “It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know he was waiting, did you?”

“Of course not, but a warrior—” He went silent as he discovered a long tear in her pants. Her skin was smooth and bare from ankle to hip. “Was I too late? Did he… hurt you?”

“I did that. I was pretending that I was going to bandage his arm—so I could get close enough to hit him with a chair leg.” She wrinkled her nose in an adorable frown. “Unfortunately, his head was a lot harder than I expected.”

“The neck would have been a better target,” he told her. “You could have crushed his windpipe.”

“I never thought of that.”

“You should never have needed to think of such things. I hope you can forgive me.”

“There’s nothing to forgive,” she said firmly, then pulled his head down for a kiss.

The kiss started off slow and gentle, but his hunger was too great. He tangled his hand in her silky blonde curls, holding her in place as he devoured her mouth. He couldn’t get enough of her sweetness, a sweetness he had feared lost forever.

And now that he had her back, he had to tell her how he felt.

“Miri,” he said, raising his head at last.

“Mmm?” Her eyes were heavy, her mouth curled in a lazy smile.

“Do humans mate for life?”

She looked confused by his question, then nodded. “Many of them do. Why?”

“Because Bukharans believe in life mates. And you are mine.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I love you, Miri. I want to be with you always. To protect you. To care for you.” He watched in dismay as her eyes filled with tears again. Was the knowledge of his feelings so painful for her? “I didn’t mean to upset you,” he added stiffly.

“I’m not upset,” she sniffed. “I’m happy. I’ve spent my whole life waiting for someone like you—waiting for you.”

Something flickered across her face, and then she was tugging his head back down. “No more waiting. I want you to make love to me right now.”

“But—”

There was still so much to be said. And then she reached between them and gave his cock a long, firm stroke and all desire to talk vanished.

He kissed her, curving his hand around her silk-covered breast as she arched into his grip, but it wasn’t enough. He wanted to feel, to see, all of her. He ripped the garment away, delighting in the warm, softness of her skin against his. Her pants were next, but it was hard to get a grip on them when she was writhing impatiently on his lap. He finally lifted her free, laying her down on the soft moss as he removed the tattered remains of her clothing.

She looked so beautiful, her lush body pale and gleaming against the deep blue of the moss, and for a moment all he could do was stare at her, unable to believe that this gorgeous, delicate creature belonged to him now. But then she wiggled impatiently, reaching for him.

“No more waiting,” she whispered.

“No more,” he agreed, and his cock throbbed an urgent assent. But it would have to wait - he intended to worship every inch of her delectable body first.

He kissed her again, as slowly as if they had all the time in the world, then worked his way down to the bounty of her breasts. He could have lingered there for hours, days, licking and sucking and scraping the delicious peaks, but she was writhing beneath him, urging him on.

He slid his hand between her legs, and she opened for him immediately, arching into his touch. Her delicate folds were already slick and swollen, the sweet scent of her arousal an exquisite torment as he slowly explored. The small pearl of her pleasure throbbed against his thumb as he swept across it, but he only lingered a moment before dipping down to her hot little cunt. Her tiny channel was so drenched that it barely resisted his finger as he slipped inside. A second finger followed as he gently stretched her, preparing her for his cock.

She tugged urgently on his horns. “Now, Sendat. Please.”

He pulled his fingers free, bringing them to his mouth to lap up her delicious essence, before placing the broad head of his cock at her entrance. The contrast in their size made him hesitate, despite the urgent need throbbing through his body.

“You are sure?” he asked, studying her face.

Blue eyes met his without a trace of doubt. “I’ve never been more sure of anything. I want you inside me now.”

His own doubts vanished, and he obeyed, burying his cock in her impossibly hot, tight little cunt with one thrust.

AS SOON AS Mary reassured Sendat she wanted him, he plunged into her in one heavy stroke.

Oh my God.

The world exploded in a fiery mixture of pain and pleasure. Nothing she had read had prepared her for this feeling of being stretched open, impaled on his huge cock. His fingers and tongue had been only the palest imitation of what to expect. She panted for breath, tears springing to her eyes as her body tried to adjust.

“Oh, gods, Miri. I’m sorry.” His face was taut with worry.

“I’m not,” she said truthfully. “Just give me a minute.”

“Let me help you.”

He reached between them and found her clit, fully exposed by the pressure of his shaft inside her, and brushed his finger lightly across the swollen nub. Pleasure seared through her, and her channel fluttered, instinctively trying to clamp down on the massive invader. He muttered a curse, his muscles as tightly strung as high-tension wires, and repeated the gesture.

The pressure inside her didn’t lessen, but it began to morph from a burning stretch to a pleasurable, if still overwhelming, fullness. She made a small, cautious movement and one of his piercings rubbed against a place inside her that sent a fiery streak of pleasure straight to her clit. Oh, that was nice. She moved again.

“Miri,” he groaned. “If you keep doing that I won’t be able to remain still.”

“Then don’t. I want to feel you move.”

He slowly started to withdraw, and this time she felt every undulation, felt the way her body closed over the narrower parts of his shaft and was forced open as it grew wider again, felt those amazing piercings teasing her most sensitive areas. By the time only the head remained inside, she was quivering with excitement.

“Again,” she demanded.

He pushed back inside one slow inch at a time, but it was easier this time, his way eased by her growing arousal as her body adjusted.

“Are you all right?” he asked, pausing when he was once again embedded in her body.

“Oh, yes.” She smiled up at him, loving the look on his face. “I love you, Sendat.”

He shuddered, and then he was moving again, faster and faster as his restraint vanished, but she met every stroke. Her climax started to build, roaring towards her with the speed and power of a freight train, and she would almost have been afraid, but this was Sendat, the male she loved.

Her hands clutched his shoulders, gripping him desperately, as he plunged somehow impossibly deeper, the wide base of his cock stretching her to limits as her body started to convulse in endless rolling waves of ecstasy. She barely heard him crying out her name, but she felt the rush of hot liquid filling her channel as he gathered her close.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Sendat tried to calm his racing heart and slow his rapid breathing as he tucked Miri tighter against his body. She loves me. Happiness filled him, along with a sinking feeling of guilt. He had told himself that he would not join with her until she knew everything, but in the overwhelming relief of finding her, he had forgotten that vow.

His uneasy conscience wouldn’t allow him to put it off any longer. Reluctantly slipping free of her delightful cunt, he sat up and lifted her onto his lap again. She nestled against him as sweetly as a paka cub, and he wished he could just bask in the moment.

“We need to talk,” he said instead.

“That’s never a good start to a conversation,” she murmured, looking up at him, but her face was serene.

“There are some things I haven’t told you.” Many things.

“I know. And you told me last night you would tell me tomorrow.” A surprised expression crossed her face. “I guess it’s actually still tomorrow—I mean, today. It feels like it’s been weeks.”

“The longest day of my life. I was so afraid that I wouldn’t find you.”

“Thank goodness you did.” Then she wrinkled her nose. “But how did you find me?”

“Jabbwa and Kaiyo helped me identify the properties where Chinit might have taken you.” He hesitated, not wanting to upset her, then sighed. No more secrets. “Yakshi implanted a tracker in you.”

“So that’s what he meant when he said he tracked me. I did wonder why he was so sure I was in Jabbwa’s house.”

“I should have asked more questions. I simply assumed that someone had seen you.”

“It’s not your fault. I just don’t see how—” She broke off, then leaned back against his arm so that her breasts were exposed. “What do you see?”

“A perfect, tempting breast?” He ran his thumb across her nipple, still reddened from his attention to it. His cock stirred, even though he would have sworn it was completely drained.

“Thank you, but that’s not what I meant. Here.” She cupped her breast and for a moment he was too distracted by the erotic sight of her fingers on her own flesh to concentrate. Then he realized she was showing him a small red mark on the underside.

“It looks like a scratch.”

“I thought Yakshi scratched me with his claw,” she said thoughtfully. He growled, but she ignored him. “Now I wonder if he was because he was implanting the tracker.”

“It’s possible. We can have it checked and removed.”

Or could they? Their future was even more uncertain than it had been when he was worrying about it last night.

“Is it going to hurt me?” she asked.

“There is no reason why it should.”

“Then it might as well stay. It will make it easier for you to find me the next time I get kidnapped.”

She grinned up at him, but he failed to see the humor.

“There will not be a next time,” he said sternly. “My heart can’t take it.”

“I hope there’s not. I’m happy to be with you.”

“And I could wish for nothing more than to be forever at your side…”

“This is another time when I can tell there is a but coming.”

“I am a wanted criminal, Miri. It was bad enough when I was framed for Mokuu’s murder, but now I have actually killed a Situni male. Kaiyo said that Chinit had been disinherited, but that doesn’t mean they won’t seek an explanation of his death.”

“Then we should bury him in the jungle,” she said immediately. “Or maybe throw him out to sea. On Earth you can’t charge someone with murder if there isn’t a body.”

He couldn’t help smiling at her resolute expression. “I promised Jabbwa I would return the body to him. And I understand why he wants to confirm his death after I misled him about my intentions.”

“So we have to go back?”

“You don’t wish to return?”

“Not really. Jabbwa’s house was very nice, and Renla is great, but I prefer sunshine and fresh air. Could we go somewhere else?”

“I’m afraid it’s not that simple, little one. I have spent my time here on Yangu associating with thieves and lawbreakers.”

“I know.” She smiled a little ruefully, but he couldn’t see any blame in her eyes. “I never thought I would fall in love with a criminal.”

He took a deep breath. “I’m not exactly a criminal. I was sent here to work undercover for the Imperial Fleet.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re part of the Fleet? Yakshi said that if they found any humans, they would put us in prison.”

“He was lying,” he said firmly. “We are trying to prevent the traffic in humans—or any other illegal slaves.”

“Is there such a thing as a legal slave?”

“Yes. And their owners are subject to Imperial law regarding their treatment and their terms of service.”

“Like Renla and her ten-year contract.” She shook her head. “It seems crazy to me. No one has the right to own someone else, even temporarily.”

“Karthajin, the new Emperor, has come to agree with you. He is working on eliminating slavery altogether, but it’s difficult because of the economic factors involved. For right now, he is focusing on the illegal slavery because of the abuse involved.”

“How do you know that?”

“I used to be in his personal service. He is a good male. Although I will admit that his feelings were heavily influenced by his mate. She is human as well.”

“Really? What’s she like?”

“A little like you—your hair color and eye color are very similar and you have the same spirit. She is very small, but she is fierce.”

Miri scowled at him, her own expression turning fierce. “You sound like you like her.”

“I do, very much. I trained her until I joined the Fleet.”

She was still frowning. “Is that why you like me? Because I remind you of her?”

Was she jealous? “Miri, there is no one like you. You are perfect.”

“No, I’m not,” she muttered, but a reluctant smile curved her lips.

“You are to me,” he said firmly. “I told you that Bukharans take life mates, but what I didn’t tell you is that it doesn’t always happen. Couples join for many reasons, but what we have between us is a special bond. Do you not feel that way?”

“I do. It’s what I’ve always wanted. It’s why I waited.”

“Waited for what?” Color tinted her cheeks as she looked down, and he suddenly understood. It had not just been his size which had overwhelmed her. “You were untouched?”

“Yes.”

An unexpected—and entirely unworthy—feeling of satisfaction filled him, immediately followed by regret. “You should have told me. I would not have been so forceful.”

“I like you forceful,” she admitted. “I like everything about the way you touch me.”

“That’s good. Because I intend to touch you frequently.”

“Starting now?” she asked, tugging gently on one of his nipple rings.

They still had matters to discuss, but it wasn’t every day a male found his life mate…

“Starting now,” he agreed, and bent to kiss her.

A VERY LONG TIME LATER, Mary watched appreciatively as Sendat stood and stretched, his muscles rippling delightfully beneath his pelt. Her body felt limp and sated and just the tiniest bit sore. Sendat had been so determined to make up for what he perceived to be his shortcomings in taking her virginity—despite her assurances that she wouldn’t have had it any other way—that he had spent what seemed like hours bringing her to climax after climax with his hands, with his amazing tongue, and finally with his cock.

The second time had definitely been easier, but she could feel the aftereffects as she reluctantly sat up.

“How soon do we have to go back?” she asked.

“Go back?” He frowned at her as he started getting dressed.

“Didn’t you say you had to take Chinit’s body to Jabbwa?”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” he said slowly.

She didn’t like the look on his face one little bit.

“What were you thinking?”

“You didn’t like living in Kalima. I thought perhaps you should go to Ella.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. She believed his earlier assertion that he hadn’t been in love with the tiny female, but she had no desire to meet her.

“Don’t you mean we should go?”

“I can’t. They would arrest me before I made it off the planet.” He reached down and stroked her cheek. “But you would be safer there.”

“No. All my life, people have made decisions to keep me safe. But I don’t want to be safe. I want to be happy. And I’m happy when I’m with you.”

He looked so torn that she almost felt sorry for him—even though he was trying to send her away.

“And besides,” she added triumphantly. “You spent all your credits buying me. How could you afford the cost?”

“I intended to ask Jabbwa for a loan.”

She knew enough to realize that even though Jabbwa had been very helpful to them, he did nothing for free.

“How were you going to pay him back?” she asked suspiciously.

“By working for him.”

“As an actual criminal? Not an undercover officer? I don’t think you want that.”

The minute he had explained what he had been doing to her, all the discrepancies she had noticed snapped into place—the difference between his gruff demeanor and his gentle touch, his harsh words and his kind actions. She had no difficulty picturing him as an honorable warrior.

“I am already tainted by what I have done,” he said, and she could see the pain in his eyes.

“No, you’re not. You did what you did for a cause you believe in. But if you do it simply for pay, I think it would taint you.”

“But what if I can’t keep you safe?”

“You’ve kept me safe until now.”

“I almost didn’t.”

He looked so haunted that she reached over and put her hand on his arm, trying not to be distracted by the soft fur over all those big, hard muscles.

“But you did.” He opened his mouth, but she put a gentle finger over his lips. “This is my choice, my responsibility. We stay together.”

He sighed, but he also looked relieved, and she suspected that he hadn’t wanted to be parted any more than she had wanted it.

“So now we know what we aren’t going to do, what are we going to do?” she added.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Sendat looked more uncertain than she had ever seen him.

“I don’t know,” he admitted.

She looked past him at the waves washing gently against the shore, at the peaceful, isolated house.

“What if we came back here?” she asked slowly. “At least temporarily. We could take Chinit’s body to Jabbwa and just come back. It’s obvious that no one has lived here for a long time.”

He frowned at the house. “The house is not suitable for you.”

“It’s not that bad. A little elbow grease and it will look much better.”

He raised his arm and inspected it. “I do not have grease on my elbow.”

She giggled. “It just means hard work.”

“I don’t like the thought of you having to work.”

“Don’t be silly. I’ve always worked. Idle hands are the… Never mind. Just believe me when I say I don’t mind. In fact, I like the idea that we would be working on it together, building a home, even though it’s just a temporary one.”

His expression turned thoughtful. “Perhaps you are right. Although I will have to make sure it is structurally sound and see if any of the old systems are still working. Water would be the most helpful.”

“Can you do that now? So we’ll know if we can come back?”

“Of course. And if it turns out to be satisfactory, we don’t actually have to leave. I can program the auto-pilot and send the vehicle back to the towers of Kalima—or more specifically, back to Jabbwa—without any further intervention on our part.”

The words triggered something in her memory. “Chinit said something about the woman who broke his arm. That she was in his tower. Does that make any sense?”

“There is a Situni Tower. It is the headquarters of their House.”

Her heart started to pound. “I’m almost positive the woman he was referring to was my friend Lily. What if she’s still there? If we went back, could we go and ask?”

“Since I just killed one of the members of their House, I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said dryly, then sighed when her face fell. “But perhaps there is another way to find out.”

“What is it?”

“Kaiyo. The Houses are secretive about their affairs at the best of times, but he must have some inside information. He knew that Chinit had been disinherited. Perhaps he could investigate.”

“Do you think he would?”

“I don’t know. He is a difficult male to read—but he did assist in the search for you. It’s worth a try.”

“That would be wonderful.”

In the meantime, she was excited to start investigating this house. She reached for her clothes and discovered that very little remained.

“It would be nice if they turned out to have left some clothes here,” she sighed.

“I like you this way,” Sendat said, reaching out and stroking his thumb across her nipple.

She did her best to ignore the resulting streak of excitement. Her body really needed a chance to recover.

“I would be more comfortable with clothes,” she said firmly. “Maybe I can make something out of leaves.”

“An intriguing thought, I agree. However, I actually have your clothes with me.” He smiled at her excited squeal. “They were with me the entire time. I just prayed I would be able to return them to you.”

She fought back a sudden urge to cry and smiled at him instead.

“And now you can.”

He retrieved the small bag, and she dressed quickly, then followed him into the house. He found a small utility room, then grunted with satisfaction as he inspected the control panels.

“Excellent. There is a well system. If I can manage to prime the pump, we should be able to get water.”

Curious, she followed him back outside, then watched as he did something mysterious with what looked like nothing more than a small grey box. But when they returned to the kitchen and he turned on the tap, there was a brief spluttering noise, then water started to flow from the faucet.

She clapped her hands in delight, then gave him a speculative look.

“How did you know how to do that?”

“My family are farmers. They live in an isolated area, so we have similar types of systems.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” He looked amused. “Not all Bukharans are warriors. My mother and father were quite content. I… was not. I wanted off the farm and off of Bukhara.”

“Do you ever go back?”

“No. I exchange messages with them occasionally, but we lead very different lives. They didn’t understand why I wasn’t satisfied with getting up before daylight every day to milk the tehana.”

Milking? His family were dairy farmers? She started to laugh.

“Why does that amuse you?”

“Umm…” She looked at his horns, remembering her first impression of him. “There’s a legend on Earth about creatures somewhat like you. We are half human and half bull. We call them minotaurs.”

“I am not at all human,” he said, looking somewhat insulted. “What are these bulls?”

“A type of cattle,” she admitted. “That’s why I thought the idea of a minotaur milking was funny.”

“You think I’m a combination of a human and a beast?”

He had passed from insulted to outraged, looking as angry as, well, as angry as a bull. The thought made her burst into laughter again. He glared at her, then gave a reluctant smile.

“I enjoy your laughter, my Miri, even when it is at my expense.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, still giggling. “If it helps, minotaurs are very… virile.”

“Only a little,” he said stiffly, then stalked back to the utility room.

AS NIGHT FELL, Sendat looked around with satisfaction. Chinit’s body had been dispatched back to Kalima in his flyer, along with a message for Jabbwa. Sendat had hidden his own stolen flyer in a clearing a short distance away, half-covered by brush. He had considered sinking it in the ocean, but he’d eventually decided that they would need a way to return once their temporary exile came to an end. He stripped out anything useful, including the communicator, and brought it all back to the house.

In addition to restoring the water supply, he’d managed to restore a limited amount of power, and the two birds he had captured using an old-fashioned snare were roasting slowly in the oven. While he’d been hunting, Miri had swept the kitchen and the main living room clean, and wrestled open the shutters to let in light and air.

Then he’d used a large blade he’d found to cut down a number of slender leafy branches while she beat the dust out of an old rug. Together they would make an adequate bed until he could devise something better.

“I think these are ready,” she said, looking up from the oven.

Her face was flushed from the heat, and she had a smudge of dirt on her nose, but she had never looked more beautiful. Contentment washed over him, growing even stronger as they carried their simple meal out onto the veranda and sat on the steps to eat. The conditions were admittedly somewhat primitive, but he had provided his mate with food and shelter, and she was safely at his side.

The sun was setting behind them, and the sky was full of reflected colors. After the constant noise of the city, the silence was almost deafening, but it was eased by the rush of the waves and the small night sounds from the jungle. The rich smell of growing things mingled with the fresh scent of the ocean.

“I will build you a table tomorrow,” he said thoughtfully.

“Okay.” She sounded half-asleep, and he pulled her against his side.

“Tired, love?”

“It’s been kind of a long day.”

“Then come with me. I have a surprise.”

“I’m not sure I have the energy for a surprise,” she muttered, but she came willingly into his arms as he picked her up and carried her into the house.

“No energy required,” he assured her as he opened the door to the bathing room.

The sunken central pool steamed gently, the flowers he’d scattered across the top of the water releasing their fragrance into the air. The energy required to heat the water hadn’t left much for lighting, but he’d found a couple of old oil lamps that still had a small reserve of oil, and they glowed softly in the corners of the room.

“Oh, this is perfect. What a wonderful surprise!”

“I thought you might like it.”

He put her down, then helped her out of her clothes and into the pool. She sighed with contentment as she settled down in the water. He did his best to ignore his body’s inevitable reaction to the tempting sight of her naked body and turned to leave.

“You aren’t going to join me?”

“Do you want company?”

She smiled up at him. “Always.”

“Then I will clean away our meal and return.”

He hurried through the process as quickly as possible, but by the time he returned, she was almost asleep. He stripped off his clothes and stepped down into the pool, lifting her onto his lap.

“Mmm,” she said sleepily, her eyes still closed. “It’s even better with you here.”

“I hope everything is better when I am with you.”

That made her eyes open. “It is.”

He kissed her softly, then began washing her. It started innocently enough, but by the time he’d run the cleansing cloth over her breasts and down between her legs, her skin was flushed from more than the warmth of the water.

“You don’t look as sleepy,” he observed.

“I don’t feel as sleepy.” She tugged gently on one of his nipple rings. “How about you?”

“I was considering your challenge.”

Her nose wrinkled in that adorable little frown. “What challenge?”

“You said those ridiculous minotaurs of yours were very virile.”

“They are,” she agreed solemnly, but her eyes laughed up at him.

“I intend to prove that Bukharans are far more so. If your body has recovered,” he added hastily.

“Enough to help you with your challenge.”

She gave a little squeak of surprise when he immediately picked her up and carried her out of the tub and to their makeshift bed. It was only the first of the many delightful little noises he wrung out of her before she admitted that her real life Bukharan mate was indeed far superior to any mythological creature.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Two months later, Miri finished sweeping out the latest room they had decided to renovate and nodded with satisfaction. She could hardly wait to show Sendat the results of her labors when he returned. He had gone to the market in the small village he had discovered on one of his hunting trips. The house turned out to be not quite as isolated as they originally assumed, but they decided that it made sense. If the Situni family had spent any amount of time here in the past, they would have wanted to arrange for supplies.

Sendat now made the trip into the village every few weeks, doing his best to keep a low profile. Well, as low a profile as a big Bukharan warrior could manage in a village of Tajiri. Despite that, the villagers had accepted him easily enough. He had let them think that he and his mate had been sent as caretakers for the beach house, and they hadn’t questioned him.

So far, he had refused to let her accompany him, arguing that while it was quite common for wealthy Houses to hire Bukharans, a human female would be far more rare. She knew he was right, and she didn’t want to start any rumors, but she would have liked to see the village. Not to mention the fact that she missed him when he was gone.

The sun was already past its apex so at least he should be home soon. He had set off early that morning with a load of shells they had gathered from the surrounding beaches. Quite a few of the shells that washed up there were suitable for trading - which made their lives much easier. As skilled as Sendat was in making use of their natural surroundings, some things were just easier to purchase. Such as fabric. He had agreed to try and find some fabric with which to make curtains.

It’ll be the perfect finishing touch, she thought happily, returning to the big living room. The weeds and debris had been swept away, cushions added to the built-in furniture, and the slightly lopsided table Sendat had built was arranged in front of one of the big windows open to the sea. This room, the kitchen, and the bathroom had been their first priorities.

Her efforts this morning had been the initial clearing of the room she had selected for their bedroom. It was at the far end of the house, but it was closest to the ocean and had a separate terrace where some of the original flowers still grew in lush profusion. She couldn’t wait to wake up there with Sendat, curled against his big body as the sun rose over the ocean, the only sound the slow susurrus of the waves.

She yawned and took another look at the sun, wondering if she had time for a nap before Sendat returned. As much as she enjoyed the restoration work, it was exhausting, and she frequently found herself wanting to rest during the middle of the day.

I might as well rest, she decided. If she was asleep when Sendat returned, she had no doubt that he would wake her up in the most delightful way.

As she headed for the big mattress that currently occupied one corner of the living room, a shadow passed in front of the window and she smiled. Maybe she could even convince him to nap with her - although she doubted there would be much sleep involved.

“You made good time,” she said gaily as she turned to face the door.

Instead of Sendat’s beloved figure, a stranger stood there. A stranger with red skin and dark hair and small black horns. He bore a striking resemblance to an Earth devil. Kaisarian. She recognized the race from Sendat’s description. He was big, nowhere as big as Sendat, but still far taller than her own short stature. If only her training was further along.

Sendat had been trying—not particularly successfully—to teach her some self-defense moves. Unfortunately, she was not very coordinated and he was so concerned about hurting her that he didn’t push her very hard. It also didn’t help that almost every time he flipped her, their session ended up in love-making. The main thing he had been able to drill into her was to take her time and wait for an opportunity.

Wait, she told herself, her stomach churning as she spotted the weapon holstered to the male’s hip. Better to try and use her wits rather than her very limited self-defense moves.

“Who are you?” she demanded, doing her best to sound confident. “This is a private residence and you need to leave immediately. My mate will return shortly.”

“Excellent. He’s the reason I’m here, after all.”

“Who are you?” she repeated.

“Captain Arulo, Sendat’s commanding officer.”

“The one who betrayed him.” Her lips felt numb.

“I would say that he is the one who betrayed me.” He sighed, and gestured at a chair. “Now I suggest we sit and wait for him to return. You did say it wouldn’t be long,” he added sardonically.

When she didn’t immediately obey, he patted the weapon on his hip meaningfully. Her heart pounded uncomfortably against her ribs, but she forced herself to try and think. She needed to find a way to warn Sendat.

“Can I get some water first? I’ve been working all morning and the sun is quite hot.”

He studied her face, and she did her best to give him a look of limpid innocence.

“We will both have some. Lead the way.”

When he followed her into the kitchen, she gave him another innocent look. “Or would you prefer tea? Sendat taught me to make it the traditional way.”

“Really? That would be a pleasant surprise. No one else on this planet seems to be capable of doing so.”

As she hoped, he settled down at their rough kitchen table while she hurried behind the counter to gather the tea supplies. As she set the kettle on the heating element, she reached casually beneath the counter. Sendat had left the communicator from his flyer there for emergencies. She pressed the button that would call him, then pressed the button next to it. If she remembered correctly, it would record their conversation.

Afraid that Arulo was regarding her suspiciously, she quickly concentrated on measuring out the tea.

“How did you find us?” she asked.

“By using my intelligence,” he said arrogantly.

The fact that it had taken him two months didn’t seem to give him much reason to boast, but she kept her mouth shut, unwilling to antagonize him. But he must have seen the skepticism on her face, because he frowned.

“I had to spend the first month clearing up the mess that Sendat and Chinit created. My superiors were far too interested in the details, and it took time to reassure them. It was really most annoying. Since I knew Chinit had fled the city, once I had that situation under control, it was simply a matter of identifying and visiting any abandoned Situni residences.”

She caught herself nodding. Sendat had told her that Jabbwa had suggested the same approach.

“A very tedious business,” he complained. “I thought I found him once, at an old mining town up in the hills. There were signs of visitors, but they were old by the time I arrived. I suppose I should have known he would have chosen the most remote location.”

“But why are you here?”

For the first time anger flashed across his face. “Because I had a very profitable operation until he got involved. To be entirely fair, much of it was the fault of that fool Chinit. At least Sendat eliminated that problem. Now all that remains is to take care of him.”

She shivered, then tried to disguise it by concentrating on the tea.

“You were the one who told Chinit where we would be, weren’t you?” she asked, wanting to hear him confirm it out loud.

“Of course.”

“Didn’t you realize that he would try and kill Sendat?”

He shrugged. “It was one possible outcome. If Chinit killed Sendat, it meant that I would not have to do so. On the other hand, if Sendat killed Chinit, he would be branded a double murderer and no one would ever believe that he was actually a member of the Fleet. Both outcomes were equally satisfactory.”

“You’re a monster,” she whispered, forgetting her plan to placate him.

“Not at all. I’m merely a male who knows how to profit from a situation. And speaking of profit, I believe I am going to earn a good deal of credits by selling you. The fact that you bear a passing resemblance to the First Consort will only increase your value.” He ran his eyes assessingly over her body. “You’re a little plump for my tastes, but many males prefer that. Sendat certainly seems to. Such an upright warrior, yet so easily corrupted by a female.”

“He’s not corrupted,” she said indignantly. “He’s the most honorable person I know.”

Arulo sighed. “I suppose you’re right. It’s most inconvenient.”

Biting her lip, she brought the tea to the table, carefully whisking each cup before offering him one.

“You will forgive my discourtesy, but I would prefer that cup,” he said firmly, reaching for hers. “I have no desire to be poisoned.”

Poison! Why hadn’t she thought of that? Although apparently, it wouldn’t have worked anyway.

Arulo laughed. “From the expression on your face, it appears that my fears were unfounded.”

He took a sip of the tea, then nodded appreciatively. “You were quite right. This is delicious.”

“I still don’t understand why you’re here. You said yourself that no one would listen to Sendat. We’re living quietly in this out of the way place and we haven’t made any attempt to cause trouble.”

“Perhaps, but Sendat is a loose end—and I don’t like loose ends.”

“You always were an efficient bastard,” Sendat said from the doorway. He had Chinit’s old blaster aimed at Arulo. “Move away from him, Miri.”

“What are you going to do now, Sendat?” Arulo said mockingly. “Shoot me and add a third murder to your total?”

“Self-defense isn’t murder.”

“I’m not sure how you can call it self-defense when you’re the one holding a weapon on me.”

“He has a blaster too,” she warned Sendat as she backed away from the table.

“But he isn’t going to use it, are you, Arulo?”

“I’m not a fool, Sendat.”

“No, you’re not. You’re too clever and too unscrupulous for your own good.”

Arulo shrugged. “A sensible male works with his talents. As you have done. But I don’t think that cold-blooded murder of an unarmed male is one of them. So the question now becomes, what are you going to do with me?”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Sendat frowned at the male smirking up at him. Unfortunately, Arulo was right. No matter how much misery the other male had caused, and despite his attempt on his own life, he couldn’t shoot him while he was just sitting there. His hand twitched and Arulo smiled triumphantly.

“You see?”

“You are right that I won’t shoot you—as long as you make no attempt to escape. I’m going to take you back to Kalima and turn you in.”

He heard Miri’s muffled gasp, but he forced himself to ignore it and keep his eyes on Arulo.

“Do you really think that they’re going to take the word of a murderer over that of a respected Fleet official? You have no proof.”

“Actually, we do,” Miri said quietly. “I recorded our conversation.”

Thank the gods. When he had picked up the communicator and heard Arulo’s voice, his heart had almost stopped. But despite his panic as he raced back home, he had hoped that she had remembered how to record.

For a fraction of a second, Arulo’s careless facade vanished in a scowl of rage, but he almost immediately regained his composure.

“You may be granted some leniency if you confess,” Sendat urged. “Help us put an end to this horrible practice.”

“What would be the point? Your attempts are futile. There are far too many powerful people who are tired of the new Emperor’s increasing restrictions.”

“Who are they?” he demanded.

Arulo only laughed. “Do you really think I am the kind of foolish male who would give you a long monologue naming everyone involved?”

“Then you will stand trial on your own.”

“Perhaps.” Arulo shrugged. “My guess is that it will never come to trial.”

“Why not?” Miri demanded indignantly as she took a step towards the table.

Sendat watched in slow motion horror as Arulo reacted with lightning speed, drawing his blaster at the same time as he grabbed Miri’s hand and hauled her in front of him.

No! The denial rang through his head, the scene so horribly reminiscent of when Chinit had taken her—but this time the blaster was pointed at her, not at him.

“Now, I’ll tell you what’s going to happen,” Arulo said calmly. “You’re going to hand me that recording and I might—might—let her live long enough to earn back some of the credits you’ve cost me. If you try anything, she dies first.”

His mind refused to work. All he could see was her frightened face, the weapon pressed against her temple. How could he have forgotten the Kaisarian speed?

He’d been in a similar situation once before, when a fanatical priest had taken Ella captive. That time he’d been able to bluff his way through the situation by pretending he didn’t care about her long enough for the priest to make a fatal mistake. But this was his Miri. There was no way he would be able to convince Arulo that he wasn’t concerned about her fate.

“Where’s the recording, little one?” he asked, as calmly as possible.

“No, don’t give it to him!” She winced as Arulo pressed the blaster more firmly against her temple.

“I suspect Sendat is more practical than you are. Tell him where it is.”

Frightened, stubborn blue eyes met his.

“Trust me, Miri. Tell me where it is.”

Her shoulders slumped. “Under the counter.”

“Thank you.”

Arulo’s eyes followed him anxiously as he retrieved the small device. This was the one thing he couldn’t buy, bluff, or lie his way out of, Sendat realized—the sound of his own voice admitting his guilt—and he might just be desperate enough to make a mistake.

“Here,” he said casually, and tossed the recording at Arulo.

Arulo instinctively reached for it, and as soon as he moved, Miri tried to twist away. Sendat dove for Arulo.

He had one goal, and one goal only—to get that fucking blaster away from Miri’s precious body. He didn’t care if he got shot in the process, as long as she wasn’t hurt. As he slammed into Arulo, he succeeded in knocking it free, but the other male grabbed for Sendat’s blaster instead. He reached for it too and they wrestled silently. Arulo might have an edge where speed was concerned, but Sendat was stronger.

He pried away one finger, then two, then heard a distinct click. Miri was standing over them, Arulo’s discarded blaster only a few inches from Arulo’s head. Her face was pale but determined.

“Let him go,” she demanded.

Arulo snarled and made one last desperate attempt to wrestle Sendat’s weapon away from him. In the process, they rolled against Miri’s leg and the gun went off. The shot caught Arulo right between the eyes and his body went limp. Ingrained habits made him check for a pulse before turning to Miri.

Her face was completely white.

“I shot him,” she whispered, her whole body shaking.

“He deserved it. He was an evil male who condemned many people to a short, miserable life.”

She didn’t seem to hear him. “I have blood on my hands.”

“Then let’s get you cleaned up.” He picked her up and carried her to the bathing room, ignoring the carnage in the kitchen.

He washed her hands, and quickly wiped away the blood that had splattered on him, then left her standing vacantly in front of the sink as he filled the tub. Once again he undressed her and helped her into the water, desperately hoping that it would help soothe her. Her stiffness eased a little, and some of the color started to return to her face.

“I’m going to go clean up,” he said softly.

“No! No, don’t leave me.” Her eyes were suddenly terrified.

“I won’t leave you,” he promised. “I’ll stay here as long as you need me.”

“How does forever sound?” Her voice trembled, but she managed a tiny smile.

He smiled back. “It sounds perfect.”

They sat in silence for a long time, but he made no further attempt to leave until she finally sighed and gave him a rueful smile.

“I think I’m okay now.”

“I’m glad, but I’m not going anywhere.”

“I appreciate that, but as much as I hate to say it, I’d rather not see him again.” She shuddered.

“If you’re sure you’ll be all right on your own for just a short while, I will take care of it.”

He waited for her nod, then left the room. The body he carried into the jungle. He would bury it later but he didn’t want to take the time right now. Then he returned to the kitchen and scrubbed away every trace of blood before finally rejoining Miri in the bathing room.

She was still in the same position where he had left her, but tears were streaming silently down her pale cheeks. He stripped off his clothes and went to join her, holding her as she cried.

BY THE TIME the sun started to set, Mary was beginning to feel better. Sendat had been marvelously patient with her, barely moving an inch from her side as she wandered aimlessly, first through the house and the now sparkling kitchen, and then along the beach.

The beauty of her surroundings, the unchanging rhythm of the sea, and most of all, the comfort of his presence gradually untied the knots in her stomach. They were sitting on the veranda, watching the sunset tint the clouds pink and gold when she finally turned to him.

“Now that we have proof of your innocence, we could return to Kalima.”

“Perhaps…”

“There’s a but coming, isn’t there?”

“Yes, love. The recording would only help in the hands of the right person. To the best of my knowledge, Captain Arulo was the only one who was aware of my mission. I would have to convince another officer to listen to me long enough to take it. And what if I picked the wrong male? Arulo may have been bluffing, but it sounded as if the corruption could be widespread.”

“You could contact the Emperor,” she suggested tentatively. He had told her more about the male over the past few months and she could tell that there was a deep bond of affection and respect between them.

“I have considered it.” He sighed, frustration clear on his face. “The difficulty is actually getting the message to him. There are layers upon layers of security around him, which means that the message could go astray at any point.”

“Isn’t there anyone you trust?”

“Of course. I would trust Warnax, the Emperor’s Chief Guard, with my life. Even more, I would trust him with your life. I trust Chief Advisor Tanaca as well, although you can never be entirely certain how he will react. His loyalty is always to Emperor Karthajin and the Empire, and he would be ruthless if he thought I was attempting to harm either.”

“But you’re not,” she said indignantly.

“No,” he agreed. “I’m trying to carry out the Emperor’s wishes. But while we have the same goal, we might not have the same approach.”

Unfortunately, his arguments made a lot of sense, although she hated knowing that he was still a wanted male. “I guess that means this really isn’t a temporary home, is it?”

“I suppose not, not unless I can come up with a safe way to make contact. Would you mind that much?”

She looked around at the house they were so slowly restoring, at the beach and the wide expanse of ocean, at Sendat’s beloved face, and shook her head. “Not at all. I love it here.”

“Then it’s settled. Perhaps when Kaiyo contacts me, I can ask if he knows anyone we can trust.”

“Now that we’re staying here permanently, I want to go to the village.” She held up her hand when he started to speak. “As much as I love you, I would like to see another person from time to time. And really, how dangerous would it be? Chinit is gone, Arulo is gone. Who’s going to come looking for me?”

“Anyone who wants a beautiful female,” he muttered.

“You said yourself that the villagers are good people. I want to meet them, to go to the market and go shopping.”

“I can bring you anything you want.”

“There are some things a woman just likes to choose for herself.”

“Like what?”

Like feminine supplies, she thought immediately, even though she hadn’t needed them so far. Hadn’t needed them…

Her mind went blank.

“We’ve been here for two months, right?” she asked, her voice sounding odd in her own ears.

“Yes. What’s wrong? You are very pale.”

She ignored the question as she did the calculations. Two months was a long time, but if you added the time on the slave ship, plus their time in the city, it might even be closer to three months. Three months since she’d had a period…

“Sendat,” she said, her voice surprisingly calm. “Can two different species have children together?”

“Very rarely, although it is not impossible. One of the royal princes had a Sheraen father, and his mate has—”

He came to an abrupt halt, and now it was his turn to pale, his body swaying alarmingly.

“Sit down,” she ordered.

He obeyed, although it was more as if his legs simply gave out.

“Miri, are you trying to tell me…”

“I don’t know for sure,” she said quickly. “But it’s been a long time since I had a period—since I was… fertile,” she added at his confused look. “And maybe that explains why I’ve been getting so tired.”

“You are tired? You are not well? We need to see a medic immediately.” He sprang up, then looked around uncertainly. “I need to get you to the village.”

“Sendat, I’m fine. Just… just tell me how you feel. Are you happy about this?”

“Happy?” He sank back down, this time kneeling in front of her and taking her hands in his warm, firm grip. “Miri, I am overjoyed. I just never expected to be so blessed.” He smiled lovingly at her, his eyes intent on her face. “And you are happy?”

She didn’t even have to think about it. “Of course I am. I was shocked because I didn’t think it was possible either, but I’ve always wanted children. Children with the male I love.”

“I love you too, Miri.”

He pulled her gently off her chair and into his arms, putting his hand carefully over her stomach. “A child,” he whispered.

“Our child.” She put her hand over his and nestled closer.

How ironic that on the very day she had taken a life, she had also discovered that she was creating life. It had taken being abducted by aliens, but now she had a home, a mate, and the prospect of a child. She had never been happier.

EPILOGUE

Eight months later…

SENDAT SCOWLED as a flyer approached their beach.

“I’m not sure why I ever considered this place isolated. We have more visitors than the Royal Palace.”

“Oh, hush,” she said, looking up from where her son, Likat, was nursing at her breast. Her beautiful, perfect son, with Sendat’s soft brown pelt, her blue eyes, and adorable little nubs where his horns would grow. “The villagers are just being friendly.”

And helpful. Ever since the baby had been born, they had been bringing them a constant supply of food and gifts for the baby.

“That isn’t a villager,” he said grimly, and she followed his gaze to where the flyer had landed.

A Tajiri male emerged, and even from this distance, she could see that he bore a distinct resemblance to Chinit. He looked younger, and was far less elaborately dressed, but he was clearly a close relative.

“A Situni?” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. She had almost forgotten that the house didn’t belong to them. What if they were going to lose the home they had worked so hard to create? “Does that mean we’re going to have to move?”

“It could be worse than that, little one,” he said gently, his big hand closing over her shoulder. “I am a wanted male, remember?”

“No one knows about Chinit,” she protested.

“Unless Arulo spread the word. But even if he didn’t, there’s still the matter of Mokuu’s murder.”

“You have to get out of here,” she said frantically. Her distress disturbed Likat, and he jerked away from her nipple.

“Go quickly,” she urged, climbing to her feet. “While he’s preoccupied.”

The Tajiri male was clearly arguing with someone inside the flyer.

“I’m not going to leave you,” Sendat said. “If necessary, I’ll eliminate—”

The rest of his words faded away as the second occupant climbed out of the flyer—a tall, gorgeous woman, her red hair gleaming in the sunlight.

“Lily,” she whispered, scarcely able to believe her eyes.

Unfortunately, Kaiyo had not been in a position to investigate any connection between Lily and the Situni Tower. She and Sendat had discussed the matter repeatedly, but in the end they had decided that any other attempt to search for her friends also risked drawing unwanted attention to them. And they were both reluctant to ask Jabbwa for assistance, despite his previous help.

Most of the time she was able to convince herself that they were probably fine and as happy as she was with Sendat, but the reality of seeing Lily alive and well created a wave of overwhelming relief.

“Here.” She thrust Likat into Sendat’s arms, and as soon as he had a firm grip on the baby, she darted past him, ignoring his immediate protest.

Her feet raced across the sand towards Lily, the other woman’s eyes widening as she saw her. They fell into each other’s arms, laughing and crying simultaneously as they hugged and tried to talk at the same time.

“Oh, Mary, it’s so good to see you.” Lily’s eyes were wet with tears.

“Miri,” she corrected happily. “I go by Miri now.”

“Why? Did someone make you change your name?” Lily immediately gave her a suspicious frown.

“My aunt, a long time ago,” she laughed. “Miri is actually my real name.”

“Then good for you for taking it back.” Lily’s eyes widened as she looked over Miri’s shoulder. “Holy shit. Who’s that?”

“My mate,” she said proudly.

Lily’s mate stepped in front of her, glaring suspiciously as Sendat approached, still carrying Likat. Lily’s eyes widened as she looked from Sendat to her.

“Oh my god, you have a baby too!”

“Too? You have a baby?”

If she had, she had recovered with remarkable speed—she still looked as thin and gorgeous as ever.

“No, not yet. But Kate does—with an alien octopus man!”

“An octopus man?” She stared at Lily in shock. “Well, she was always talking about how much she loved the ocean.”

“So do I, but that might be taking it a little too far.” Lily started to laugh, and Miri joined her, filled with happiness.

AS MUCH AS Sendat enjoyed seeing his mate so happy, he did not like this situation one little bit. The male glaring at him was so clearly a Situni, and he didn’t trust the fact that he had suddenly shown up on their beach. Well, technically, his beach.

“I am Leotra va Situni,” the Tajiri said stiffly. “Who are you?”

“Sendat,” he said briefly, ignoring the flash of annoyance on the other male’s face. At least it wasn’t recognition.

“I assume that this is Mary?”

“She wants to be called Miri, and of course it is,” Lily interrupted. “How many human females do you think there are running around this section of the galaxy?”

“Since the planets still appear to be revolving in their normal orbit, I assume not many,” Leotra said dryly, but his tail curled affectionately around his mate’s waist. She rolled her eyes, but patted his tail.

“How did you end up here?” Leotra continued, focusing on Sendat once more.

“It’s rather a long story.”

“Sendat was running a slave auction so he bought me, but it was okay because he’s really an undercover cop, even though he’s been setup to look like a bad guy, and now we’re in love and have a baby,” Miri said cheerfully.

“Or maybe not that long,” he sighed, uneasily conscious of the suspicion flaring on Leotra’s face.

“Were you part of that warehouse sale?” the other male demanded.

“Yes, I was trying to find out the people behind the slavery operation.”

“My father was behind it.”

“You knew?”

“Not until we raided it. Everyone was gone by then but an old drunk Ceekat.”

“That was Trothar. Yakshi killed him,” Miri said sadly.

Lily’s eyes widened. “That horrible guard? He followed you here?”

“Yes. You were right about him all along. He chipped me when he put me in the pod, and then came looking for me. But Jabbwa took care of him,” she added. “Are you the one who broke Chinit’s arm?”

“You’re damn right I did. Wait a minute—how did you know about that?”

“Because he kidnapped me,” she said. “I’m sorry, Leotra.”

“It is I who should apologize to you. I had him imprisoned after he attacked my mate, but unfortunately, he still had enough influence to escape. We couldn’t find out what happened to him after that. Do you know where he is?”

“Dead,” he said briefly, hoping that the other male wouldn’t ask for details. But although Leotra gave him a sharp-eyed look, he didn’t pursue the matter.

“It is just as well,” he sighed. “He has brought enough shame on our family.”

“He’s the reason we’re here,” Miri added. “This is where he brought me after he kidnapped him. I’m sorry we’ve been squatting on your property.”

“Not at all. From what I can see it has been sadly neglected and you have helped to restore it.”

“We came to see what kind of shape it was in,” Lily volunteered. “After visiting Kate, I realized how much I missed Cosmo Beach and the ocean.”

“Oh, me too,” Miri said, just as Likat began to squirm restlessly in Sendat’s arms. “Oops. Someone is about to get noisy. I interrupted his feeding when you arrived.”

She reached out and took him, then smiled at Lily. “Come talk to me while I feed him. I want to hear everything.”

“Not everything,” Leotra warned, but Lily only giggled.

“You boys play nice,” she called, as she followed Miri back to the veranda.

“She wishes us to play?” he asked, frowning at the other male.

Leotra laughed. “It is one of those human expressions. She is telling us not to fight.”

“I have no wish to fight with you. As long as you don’t mean any harm to my female.”

“I do not. And I assure you, my female would never forgive me if I did. I suspect she is already going to be very annoyed about the fact that my father harmed Miri.” Leotra sighed. “He has brought shame to the entire House.”

“It was his fault and his fault alone.”

“That’s what my grandfather says. Now, tell me everything you know.”

After a brief hesitation, he did just that. If he was going to trust anyone, the mate of Miri’s friend seemed like the best choice.

When he was finished, Leotra asked for the recording. “I will see that it is delivered into the right hands.”

“You realize that it clearly implicates your father?”

“I told you that I was already aware of his involvement. I refuse to let some misplaced sense of familial pride hinder any efforts to put an end to such practices.” His eyes traveled over to his female, telling Miri a story that had her giggling helplessly. “I wonder. Would you care to accept a position in my security force? They are all Bukharan and good males.”

“You don’t even know me.”

Leotra shrugged. “I know enough. It’s not your fault that your captain was a dishonorable male. And I believe our females would enjoy being close together.”

He was sure they would, and yet… he had enjoyed these past months. The simple, tranquil lifestyle with Miri at his side had eased the burden of guilt from his undercover work and helped him to find peace. The thought of returning to the ways of a warrior was no longer appealing, nor was the idea of life in the city. And he knew Miri felt at home here.

“I will discuss it with my mate, of course,” he said slowly. “But I don’t think we will accept your offer. We will look for a place in the village. That way we will still be close by whenever you and your mate visit.”

“A place in the village? Why? Are you dissatisfied with this house?”

“Of course not, but it is Situni property.”

Leotra waved a dismissive hand. “Which hasn’t been used in years. I have every intention of transferring the deed to you and Miri, regardless of whether or not you decide to accept my offer. If you join me, you can still come here for holidays. If you do not, you can simply remain here.”

For a moment, his pride objected, but then he looked around at all the work they had done and, most importantly, at Miri’s smiling face. He knew she loved this house.

“Miri would be happy to stay here,” he admitted.

“And you?”

“And I would as well. Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it. I have far more houses than any male needs. And hopefully, it makes amends in some small fashion for my father’s horrendous behavior.” Leotra’s eyes went back to Lily. “Although I warn you, I suspect we will be neighbors before long. I rather think Lily will insist on visiting—often—so it might be better to build our own house.”

“You will always be welcome here,” he said sincerely.

“Thank you. We will be happy to visit, but I think Lily would enjoy designing a place that suits her. Although she will undoubtedly insist on keeping it far too small,” he sighed.

Sendat laughed. “There’s nothing wrong with small.”

“I suppose you’re right. At least it means that your mate is always nearby.”

Somehow he doubted that Leotra was ever far from Lily’s side, but then again, he liked to stay close to Miri as well. And she was currently too far away.

“Shall we rejoin our mates?” he asked, already standing.

Leotra rose just as eagerly. “An excellent idea.”

“THIS IS JUST like being back at Cosmo Beach,” Miri said happily to her friends a week later.

Lily had immediately sent word to Kate that she had found Miri. Over her husband Prince A’tai’s objections, Kate had insisted on coming to join them. Cool, logical Kate married to a prince—it still boggled Miri’s mind.

Leo had quickly thrown his resources into restoring two additional bedrooms. She suspected he would have redone the entire house if Lily hadn’t put her foot down and told him that Miri and Sendat preferred to do the rest of the work themselves. He had reluctantly agreed.

At least he had been successful in getting Sendat’s name cleared. Although it made no practical difference in their lives, the knowledge that he was no longer wanted was a great relief to her—and she suspected to Sendat as well.

Now the three women lounged on the veranda while Baratom, one of Miri’s friends from the village, watched over Likat and Marli, Kate’s adorable baby. Kate had named her baby after her two friends, just as Miri had done.

“Not exactly like Cosmo Beach,” Lily said dryly as A’tai rose out of the ocean, still in his water form, his tentacles clearly visible.

He really was an octopus man. Of course, why should that surprise her? She had married a minotaur after all. Lily’s choice of a feline alien seemed almost tame in comparison.

Sendat and Leo were a little further down the beach, competing in a knife-throwing contest, and from the annoyed look on Leo’s face, Sendat was winning. But Leo was too good-natured to hold a grudge—and he and Sendat had already become good friends.

There was a soft gurgle from inside the house, and both she and Kate froze, but silence followed and they relaxed again.

“I can’t believe our babies are so close in age,” she said. “They’ll be able to grow up together.”

“I do find that an appealing idea,” Kate agreed. “As long as you don’t get any foolish ideas about them getting married.”

“Now why would I do that?” she protested, even though the idea secretly delighted her. “Although if it should happen…”

Kate laughed, but Lily’s eyes filled with tears. Miri and Kate exchanged a worried glance. Lily never cried.

“Are you all right?” Miri asked softly.

“I’m fine.” Lily waved her hand impatiently. “Stupid hormones.”

“Hormones?” Kate frowned at her. “Does that mean you’re pregnant?”

“I think so, but I’m not entirely sure so don’t tell Leo—”

“Don’t tell Leo what?” her mate purred, appearing behind her, and Lily jumped.

“Stop eavesdropping!” Lily demanded. “And don’t tell me it’s just that you have excellent hearing.”

“But I do have excellent hearing. What’s more, I have an excellent sense of smell and can confirm that you are most definitely pregnant.” A triumphant grin split his face as Lily’s eyes filled with tears again.

“You knew?”

“Of course I knew. I suspect you did as well. I was just waiting for you to be ready to admit it.” Leo’s eyes heated. “And now that you know, I think we should celebrate.”

Before Lily could respond, he snatched her up in his arms and started stalking towards their room, his tail lashing eagerly.

“I’ll see you at dinner,” Lily called, then giggled as Leo muttered something. “Or maybe breakfast.”

A’tai appeared a moment later, frowning down at Kate.

“You need to rest.”

“Would you stop that? I’m just fine. All I’ve been doing is sitting here.” Kate tilted her head, her eyes sparkling. “I think I actually need a little exercise.”

Miri watched in fascination as gold flickered across A’tai’s strangely textured skin. A second later, he had Kate in his arms and he was halfway to their room. Ah. That kind of exercise. Which gave her an idea…

SENDAT WENT to join Miri as Kate and A’tai disappeared into their room.

“All of our visitors seem to be tired all of a sudden,” he said dryly.

“A little afternoon nap never hurt anyone,” she said, giving him a teasing look from under her lashes.

“Are you tired, my love?” he asked, immediately concerned.

“Not too tired.”

“You should lie down,” he insisted, following A’tai’s example and sweeping her up in his arms.

“You know, Sendat, it’s been over a month since Likat was born.”

“And yet I already cannot imagine life without him.” As always, the thought of his son filled him with pride.

“Me either, but that’s not what I meant.”

“What did you mean?” He carried her into their room and placed her on the bed. Before he could move away, she grabbed hold of his horns.

“I mean that I am fit and healthy and ready to play.”

“Play?”

She sighed and freed one hand long enough to pull down the top of her gown. Oh. That kind of play…

His mouth went dry as he took in the enticing sight of her naked breasts. Always generous, they were even more lush and full since the birth. Her nipples were darker now, a deep ruby red, and they were already erect and waiting. He ran a tentative finger across one taut peak, and a pearly drop of milk appeared. Capturing it, he brought it to his mouth, then groaned with pleasure. As sweet and delicious as Miri herself.

“Mmm. Do that again,” she whispered.

He brushed his thumb slowly back and forth across the tempting bud as more drops appeared. Unable to resist, he bent his head and curled his tongue around her nipple, licking and tugging.

“Have I ever mentioned that I love your tongue?” she asked, her voice dazed with pleasure.

He was too busy to answer, sucking on her now and letting her sweetness wash over his tongue. Her hands went to his horns, urging him on as she arched against him.

“Sendat, I need you,” she said desperately.

His cock throbbed in urgent agreement, but when he bared her glistening pink folds, he hesitated. She still looked so small, so delicate.

“Are you sure? We can wait.”

“I don’t want to wait. I want you inside me. Now.”

Fuck, he loved it when she got demanding. “Then you will have me.”

But he refused to hurry, working his way slowly into her tight little cunt, letting her body adjust to each thick inch, making sure his piercings touched all of her most sensitive spots. Gods, he had missed this.

She cried out before he was even halfway inside her, and he almost panicked, but then he felt her sweet little channel pulsing around him. The exquisite sensation almost triggered his own climax, but he clenched his teeth and held on, determined to wait.

When she finally stopped shuddering, he pressed deeper. By the horns, she was even hotter and slicker now, and his control started to fray.

“I intended to be patient,” he muttered, as his hips snapped forward, filling her in one quick thrust.

“You can be patient later,” she whispered, her own hips rising to meet him.

“To take it slowly and worship every inch.”

“Worship later,” she urged. “This is one of those times to be forceful.”

His restraint vanished, and he moved harder, faster. Her blunt little nails dug into his shoulders, her lush breasts dampening his chest, as she urged him on. Fire raced down his spine, and he lost all control, his hand clamping down on her hip as their bodies locked together, her body tightening around his as he erupted in long, shuddering pulses.

He was still panting when he heard a quiet knock on the door, followed by Likat’s whimpers.

“Your son wants you, Miri,” Baratom called cheerfully.

“I’ll get him,” he said quickly, rolling out of bed.

“Put some pants on first. No one else needs to see your magnificent cock.”

She laughed when he almost tripped over his pants. It didn’t help when he opened the door and Baratom gave him a knowing smile.

“Magnificent, eh? Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

He muttered something that could have been interpreted as a thank you, then he carefully took his son and immediately closed the door. When he turned around, Miri was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes.

“Why did you do that?” he demanded, as he helped her sit up and adjusted her pillows.

“Because it is magnificent. You’re magnificent. Maybe I just want everyone to know how lucky I am.” She smiled at him as she lifted Likat to her breast and he latched on as eagerly as Sendat had only a short time before.

Lucky? I’m the lucky one, he thought, as he sat down and put his arm around her, both of them watching Likat.

“I love you, Miri,” he said quietly.

She looked up at him, her eyes shining. “Then that works out perfectly, because I love you too.”

He brushed a kiss across her lips, then wrapped his arms tighter around his mate and his child. His family. His to protect. His to love. He would never let them down.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Thank you so much for reading Mary and the Minotaur! Some characters just immediately grab your attention when they show up, and I knew I wanted to write a story about Sendat as soon as he appeared in Ella and the Emperor. I wasn’t sure about his heroine, but I soon realized that sweet, optimistic Mary would be the perfect woman to remind him that he was still the honorable warrior he had always been!

Whether you enjoyed the story or not, it would mean the world to me if you left an honest review on Amazon – reviews are one of the best ways to help other readers find my books!

As always, I have to thank my readers for joining me on these adventures! Your support and encouragement make it possible for me to keep writing these books.

And, as always, a special thanks to my beta team – Janet S, Nancy V, and Kitty S. Your thoughts and comments are incredibly helpful!

October is going to be a busy month with two books releasing! First up is The Cyborg with No Name - a new novella from the Cyborgs in Mars series which is part of the Pets in Space 6 anthology!

Can a robot horse and a cybernetic dog help two wounded souls find peace in each other’s arms?

Click here to order Pets in Space 6!

And coming up soon afterwards is the next book in the Alien Abduction series!

Kaiyo is another character who grabbed my attention as soon as he appeared on the page - and I was too impatient to wait until next year to tell his story!

Can an alien prince in exile persuade an escaped slave to surrender to his love?

Click here to order Nancy and the Naga!

To make sure you don’t miss out on any new releases, click here to sign up for my newsletter!

OTHER TITLES

The Alien Abduction Series

Anna and the Alien

Beth and the Barbarian

Cam and the Conqueror

Deb and the Demon

Ella and the Emperor

Faith and the Fighter

Greta and the Gargoyle

Hanna and the Hitman

Izzie and the Icebeast

Joan and the Juggernaut

Kate and the Kraken

Lily and the Lion

Mary and the Minotaur

Nancy and the Naga

The Alien Invasion Series

Alien Selection

Alien Conquest

Alien Prisoner

Alien Breeder

Alien Alliance

Alien Hope

Exposed to the Elements

The Naked Alien

The Bare Essentials

A Nude Attitude

The Buff Beast

The Strip Down

Cyborgs on Mars

High Plains Cyborg

The Good, the Bad, and the Cyborg

A Fistful of Cyborg

A Few Cyborgs More

The Magnificent Cyborg

The Outlaw Cyborg

Treasured by the Alien

with Bex McLynn

Mama and the Alien Warrior

A Son for the Alien Warrior

Daughter of the Alien Warrior

A Family for the Alien Warrior

The Nanny and the Alien Warrior

A Home for the Alien Warrior

Standalone Books

Jackie and the Giant - A Cosmic Fairy Tale

Krampus and the Crone - An SFR Holiday Tale

A Gift for Nicholas - An SFR Holiday Tale

Anthologies

Alien Embrace

Pets in Space 6

Claimed Among the Stars

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Honey Phillips writes steamy science fiction stories about hot alien warriors and the human women they can’t resist. From abductions to invasions, the ride might be rough, but the end always satisfies.

Honey wrote and illustrated her first book at the tender age of five. Her writing has improved since then. Her drawing skills, unfortunately, have not. She loves writing, reading, traveling, cooking, and drinking champagne - not necessarily in that order.

Honey loves to hear from her wonderful readers! You can stalk her on her website at

www.honeyphillips.com

Or at any of the following locations…

Table of Contents

Title Page

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Epilogue

Author’s Note

Other Titles

About the Author