Entwined (Intergalactic Loyalties) (5 page)

Ariana stretched the next morning and slowly blinked to adjust to the bright light spilling through the window. A glance to her right showed that Bane was already dressed and gone for the morning. She wished he’d woken her to say goodbye, but she knew he probably had thought it best to let her sleep.

Pushing herself up in bed, she turned her head first to one side then the other in an attempt to crack her neck. She felt stiff, even though she’d had a good night’s sleep. Ariana shoved the covers off her and put her feet on the warm floor. She frowned, wondering if she needed to alter the temperature of the house. Was the heat from outside starting to seep through the walls and floor? The controls were the same as the ones in her previous living quarters so she knew how to work them.

She padded around the foot of the bed, intent on the panel on the wall. As she fiddled with the buttons, trying to figure out what was wrong with the thing, she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Her head didn’t turn quite fast enough and a large object barreled into her, knocking her flat. As she gasped, trying to gulp down much needed air, she realized it was a male body smashing her into the floor. How had he gotten in without the alarm going off? Had Bane forgotten to set it?

Cold metal settled at her throat, and she realized he had a blade in his hand. The only people she knew of that dealt with old-fashioned blades and not lasers were pirates. Had Bane been right to be worried last night? Had the man in the street sent someone to harm them?

“You’re much prettier than she said,” he said with a sinister smile. A predatory gleam entered his eyes, as he looked her over. “I bet I could get a good sum for you.”

“My owner will give you whatever you want as long as you don’t hurt me.”

“You’re never going to see him again. You might want to remember that and be nice to me.”

Just the thought of being “nice” to the leering man on top of her was enough to make her shiver in revulsion. She had little doubt that he wanted her in his bed, and that was the last place she wanted to be. The only hands she wanted touching her body were Bane’s.

“We’re going to take a little trip,” the man said. “I’d suggest you not scream or struggle. I’d hate to have to hurt you, but I’ll do what I must.”

“I won’t fight,” she said softly. “Just don’t hurt me.”

“That’s a good girl.”

He lifted his body from hers and pulled her up off the floor. Reaching behind him, he pulled a rope out of his pants and quickly tied her wrists together. He leered down at her as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her tight against his body.

He pressed a finger against his ear, and she realized he had some sort of miniature COMM unit in it. “I’m ready, Xan. I have the package.”

Warmth engulfed her body, and she gasped as the room around her shimmered and disappeared. In the amount of time it took for her to blink, she’d been transported from the comfort of her bedroom to a ship of some sort. Maybe she’d been right to assume the man was a pirate.

The man’s arm loosened around her, and he began steering her through a door and down a long corridor. Stopping at a silver door with a small window, he entered a code and the doors slid open. He dragged her inside and shoved her down on the small bed. A quick glance around told her it wasn’t a cell, exactly, but she had no doubt that she was a prisoner.

He lifted her bound hands, slid the knife between her wrists and began sawing at the rope. It broke and fell to the floor where he kicked it to the side. He’d tied it so tight there were red marks on her pale skin, and he rubbed them gently. It was a definite contrast to the man who’d tackled her in the bedroom.

“This will be your room for as long as you’re with us, at least, until we decide what to do with you. Once we’re paid and you’re ours, things will change.”

“I don’t understand.”

He smiled, and it wasn’t a pleasant one. “Someone is paying good money to get you out of the way. She paid half up front and promised the other half once you were gone. Said we could do whatever we wanted with you.”

She? Lafre! That bitch! Maybe keeping things from Bane hadn’t been such a great idea after all. If she’d said something last night, told him what happened, perhaps he could’ve confronted Vryl and done something. Now it was too late. What the hell was she going to do?

“What’s going to happen to me?” she asked.

The man shrugged. “Pretty as you are, could go one of two ways.”

She swallowed hard. “And those would be?”

“Well, you’re a slave so I’m sure you understand your value as a slave. Wouldn’t be hard to get a good sum for you, or we could trade you for weapons or other goods.”

Slavery again. Didn’t that just sound peachy. “And my other option?”

He rubbed a hand across his scruffy chin, the beginnings of a beard forming there. “Well, it gets rather lonesome travelling through space. Whores are available at just about any port, but it’s not quite the same as having a soft willing woman lying in your bed night after night. I suppose you could pick a crew member to partner with.”

She tried not to throw up. Either way, she was looking at prostitution of some form. As a sex slave, and who knew what species she’d end up with next, or a “willing” partner to someone on board.

A voice came across the COMM on the wall. “Bynt, report to the captain’s quarters. There’s been a new development with the slave.”

He frowned. “What new development?”

“That crazy woman has decided she isn’t paying our final payment until she’s bonded to the slave’s owner. But we’re still to hold her prisoner until the task is accomplished. Something about holding a death threat over his head. The slave’s I’m assuming.”

Bynt sighed and shook his head. “Tell the captain I’ll be right there.”

The COMM unit clicked off and Bynt turned his gaze back to her. “You’re a bit of trouble, aren’t you?”

“You could’ve left me there. No one forced you to take the job.”

He grinned. “True. But then, what pirate wouldn’t jump at the chance to abduct a beautiful woman?”

“Who said I was beautiful? You hadn’t met me before you kidnapped me.”

“A woman would only be jealous of someone beautiful, and I could tell that viper was plenty jealous of you. Besides, if a Keshpan was choosing you over one of his own kind, then there must be something special about you.” He raked her with his gaze from head to toe. “You don’t look very experienced to me, though.”

“Bane didn’t choose me because of my sexual experience. He loves me, and I can promise he’ll stop at nothing to get me back.”

“I’m kind of counting on that. I left a calling card of sorts when I took you. But I had my own reasons for doing so.”

She wrapped her arms around her waist. “And what were those reasons?”

“I’m hoping by the time he finds you, you’ll have settled on one of us. Imagine seeing the look on his face when his prized possession is completely content in another male’s arms. Not to mention, I’m always up for a good fight.”

“Bane isn’t much of a fighter. He’s an inventor.”

Bynt raised a brow. “We could use one of those on board. Wonder if he’d consider joining the crew.”

Ariana fought back a laugh at the thought of Bane as a space pirate. He was such a gentle soul. She couldn’t imagine him pulling a dagger on anyone or getting in a fistfight, or any kind of fight really. He was a lover, not a fighter. Which made her situation that much more dire. Even if he found her, there was no way he was walking away with her, possibly not walking away at all.

Bynt touched his brow, giving her a salute. “Later, princess. I need to see the captain. I’ll make sure someone checks on you in a bit.” He pointed to another door on the far wall. “If you want to clean up, you can do so in there. It’s small, but serviceable.”

She watched as he walked away and part of her wanted to call him back, if for no other reason than she didn’t want to be alone. Yes, he’d kidnapped her, held her at knifepoint, but he hadn’t hurt her. Not really. Under other circumstances, she would probably like the pirate. His teeth were a little more pointed than a human’s, his nose flatter. His eyes were a pretty gold color. There was only one thing he could be -- Tarnan. She’d heard of them, even seen pictures before she’d left Earth. They were known as warriors but it was also said they protected women, having lost most of the females on their own planet.

Were the other crew members Tarnans, as well? There was no telling whom she would meet on this horrible trip. Best to prepare herself for the worst. She only hoped they didn’t have any Zarltans. Nasty, ugly creatures! If moles were snotty and walked upright like a human, they would be Zarltans. That’s the closest comparison she could come up with. She’d seen one when she’d been captured before and hoped it would be the last time.

Ariana got up and explored her small quarters, stopping to look out the window. There was an endless sea of darkness with thousands of twinkling stars. She could even see other planets in the distance. She had no clue where she was in space, but she hoped it wasn’t far from Keshpa. Even if Bane did figure out who had her and decided to go on a rescue mission, he’d still have to requisition a spacecraft and crew. Something that would take time. Whether she liked it or not, she would be here for a while. Her life depended on her making the best of the situation. Perhaps if the crew thought she was trying to get to know them, they would be nice to her. It was worth a shot, anyway. But hell if she was going to sleep with any of them!

* * *

Bane felt his heart racing as he began to panic. He’d searched every room, twice, and still he couldn’t find Ariana. There was no note telling him where she’d gone, and as far as he could tell, she hadn’t changed out of her nightgown. He walked through the bedroom once more, and something went skittering across the floor. Frowning, he bent down to retrieve the metal object. It was a small disc but not just any disc. It belonged to some of the most feared pirates in the galaxy, the crew of the
Lynten 12
.

The pirate Bane had seen murder his neighbor hadn’t been a Tarnan so he knew the man wasn’t responsible, even if the murderer had tracked Bane down first thing this morning to threaten him. Or more accurately, he’d threatened Ariana. It seemed the pirate
had
seen her standing in the doorway and knew Bane had witnessed the murder. It was simple really. As long as Bane kept his mouth shut, Ariana would be safe. And if he didn’t… well, the pirate had let him know in detail what would happen to his beloved if he dared to speak out about what happened.

He looked down at the coin in his hand. If the coin was here and Ariana wasn’t, there was only one explanation. They’d taken her. But why? He couldn’t imagine a single reason why the Tarnans would want her. He hadn’t angered them or had anything to do with them, for that matter. How had they even known that she was living with him?

All he knew was that he had to get Ari back! There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her. He was about to contact his brothers for assistance when the door chime sounded. As if he needed the hassle of company at a time like this!

He rushed downstairs and jerked the door open. He was more than a little surprised to see a smiling Lafre standing on his doorstep. Looking behind her, he didn’t see her father anywhere. What could the silly creature possibly want?

“May I help you?” he asked, trying to keep the tension out of his voice.

She stepped up close and placed her hand on his chest. It took everything in him not to jerk away from her. Instead, he took a step back. Unfortunately, he allowed her entrance into his home.

“We have a few things to discuss,” she said.

“Now isn’t a good time, Lafre. I’m sort of in the middle of something, something time sensitive. You didn’t, by any chance, see any strangers around the house today, did you?”

She pouted and shook her head. “This isn’t about that wretched slave of yours, is it? Because you’re much better off without her.”

So Lafre did know something. “Did you see who took her, or know how long she’s been gone?”

Lafre walked her fingers up his chest and threw her arms around his neck, plastering herself to the front of him. “I know exactly where she is, and it’s where she’s going to remain. And as long as you keep me happy, she’ll stay in one piece.”

“What are you talking about? What do you know of her kidnapping?”

“Oh, she wasn’t kidnapped. Not exactly.”

He frowned and untangled himself from her. “What did you do?”

“Don’t worry about what I did. All you need to know is what you need to do to keep her alive.”

He strode across the room, reaching for the COMM unit. “I’m going to call the Prime Minister.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. The crew of the
Lynten 12
will need to hear from me soon. Otherwise, some rather unpleasant things might happen to your precious slave. Regardless, you’ll never see her again. I forbid it.”

He felt his cheeks heat in anger. “And who are you to forbid me from doing something?”

“Your future bonded mate. Oh yes, you’re going to bond with me, and we’re going to live a long, happy life together. Or…”

“Or what?” he bit out.