Alien Mate (Zerconian Warriors Book 3) (10 page)

Torex handed over his tablet. Dex stared down at the information, unable to believe the name standing out at him.

“Who is it?” Koran demanded.

“Danteon.”

“Why are we here?” Liula asked, studying their surroundings.

They had been chained to a cold, concrete wall in a long, wide passage. The lighting was poor, the air freezing cold. Zoey’s arms were secured above her head, and already aching. Manacles surrounded her ankles and another chain secured them to the floor.

Liula pulled at the cuffs around her wrists.

“Don’t pull at them, you will harm yourself.”

“We need to escape,” Liula stated.

Now she wanted to escape. Zoey barely refrained from rolling her eyes.

“What is going on? Who are these people?” Down the wall, a number of other beings were chained to the wall.

“I think they’re slaves,” Zoey replied. “It looks like we’re going to be sold.”

“They cannot do that. We need to tell someone who we are. This is a mistake. Guard! Guard!”

“Liula, please be quiet,” Zoey hissed. “Don’t bring any attention to us.”

“What do you mean? As soon as they find out who we are they will realize the mistake they have made.”

“Do you really think they’re going to just let us go? That we’ll all sit down for a cup of tea and have a laugh before we go off on our merry way?”

“I do not feel like laughing.”

“Neither do I! Liula, listen to me. These guys don’t care who you are. All they care about is the profit they’re about to make from selling us. So please just remain quiet and do as they say.”

Zoey closed her eyes. Remain calm. Keep your cool. It didn’t help that she was terrified. “If you want to survive this, Liula then you need to start listening to me.”

“Who do you think you are?”

“I’m the person who is trying to keep us both alive.” There was a murmuring through the crowd. “Someone’s coming. Please stay quiet and we might get through this.”

***

Dex slammed his fist into Dante’s face. “Where are they?”

Dante went flying backwards, landing heavily. “Dex! What are you doing?”

Dex strode forward. “Why did you do it? What could you have gained from putting a bounty on my mate?”

Dante went white and he glanced around frantically. Koran, Thor, Macon, and Boris entered the room behind Dex, spreading out around the room to cut off Dante’s exit points.

“Don’t bother calling for your guards, my men have taken care of them.” As soon as they had discovered who put the bounty on Zoey, they had changed direction, heading toward Edreinia at a breakneck speed. Luckily, he’d chosen a much smaller and faster ship than they had used last time.

“What do you mean, Dex? Why would you think I would take a bounty out on your mate? I do not know her.” Dante stood slowly.

“I know it was you. Tell me where they are and I may let you live.”

“Dex, we are family.”

“No, Zoey is my family. As is my mother.”

“What has your mother got to do with anything?” Dante asked.

“She was taken as well.”

“Taken? Dex, what are you talking about?”

“Zoey and my mother were taken from Zerconia. I assume that someone cashed in the bounty that you placed for Zoey’s capture.”

Dante looked truly alarmed. “No. Not possible. I withdrew that bounty. I haven’t paid it out. Dex, you have to believe me.”

“Why should he?” Koran growled. “You put a bounty out on his mate after he gave you refuge. You are a traitor.”

Dante swallowed heavily, looking pale. “I withdrew it as soon as I could.”

“Why put a bounty on Zoey?” Thor asked. “It makes no sense. Dex took you in when no one else would. Why would you betray him?”

“I didn’t want to. You have to believe me. But I owed her and this is what she wanted in return. You know that gambling is my weakness. I thought it was a sure thing. But she tricked me.”

“Who?” Dex growled.

“Fedora. I lost a bet to her. I didn’t have the credits to repay the debt. She had an alternative solution. Obviously, that was her purpose all along. As payment for the debt, I was to place a bounty on your mate.”

Dex reeled at his revelation. Fedora. She was behind this?

Dante had a gambling addiction. Unfortunately, he wasn’t a very good gambler. He had lost his heritage to his cousin Targos in a game of poker, and now he had been tricked by Fedora.

“You should have told me,” Dex told him, reeling from the betrayal.

Dante straightened. “I know.”

“Why didn’t you?” Koran snarled.

Dante blew out his breath. He attempted a smile. “You have to understand, this was before Targos’s death. I thought I would never get my kingdom back.”

“She promised you something,” Koran said with disgust.

Why had he helped this weak male? Out of a sense of friendship and duty. He had trusted Dante, had considered him a friend and he had betrayed him in the worst possible way.

“She wanted me to put a bounty on Zoey, which I did. Although I didn’t put dead or alive as she wished. In return, she would forgive my debt and after she was mated to you, Dex, she would work on convincing you to help me regain control of Edreinia. I would have done anything to get my kingdom back.”

“Including harming my mate.”

“I wouldn’t have harmed her!” he protested. “She was supposed to be brought in alive and I was going to have her held somewhere until you and Fedora were mated.”

Dex couldn’t even look at the sniveling bastard.

“I tried my best to protect your mate.”

“You expect me to say thank you?” he snarled.

Dante took a step back. “Of course not.”

Dante’s culture was steeped in honor and tradition. To go back on your word was considered a death sentence. But that didn’t mean Dex would forgive and forget.

“As soon as I returned to Edreinia, I gathered up enough credits and sent them to Fedora, and then I cancelled the bounty,” Dante explained. “I was in an impossible position. I had to do my best to fulfil my debt to both of you.”

“Your best was not good enough.” Dex stared at him coldly. He landed another blow, sending Dante flying.

Thor stepped forward, placing a hand on Dex’s arm as he took a step forward. “You can’t just kill him, Dex. What about the people of Edreinia, they would be left with no ruler.”

“They deserve a better ruler than him.”

“Agreed, but who?” Thor asked.

Dex let out a deep breath. “There was another cousin. I can’t remember them, but Father will. I will contact them once this is over.”

“In the meantime?” Koran asked.

He glanced around. “Macon, you will remain as temporary ruler.”

Macon nodded, stepping forward. “And him?” He nodded down at Dante.

“Lock him up.” Dex turned and strode away, Thor, Koran, and Boris close on his heels.

***

“Is Fedora in custody?” Dex growled as he paced the bridge of the ship.

His father nodded, his image flickering. As soon as they’d returned to the ship, Dex had contacted his father, who had remained on Zerconia, and explained everything then demanded that Fedora be taken into custody.

“She is. But I cannot believe she did this. She will not talk. All she keeps repeating is that you will be hers now.”

Dex stopped pacing to gape at him. “She cannot still believe that.”

His father frowned. “Truthfully, I believe she is delusional. All she talks about is you.”

Thor stepped up beside him. “It is possible she would talk to you, Dex?”

“I am not sure I can talk to her. Not without losing my temper.” Right now the only thing he could imagine doing was wrapping his hands around her neck. But to find Zoey and his mother he would do whatever he needed to.

“Yes.”

“Dex,” Thor said quickly as his father disappeared. “It might be best if you acted like you admire her.”

“What?” He glared at Thor.

“How is he supposed to do that?” Koran asked incredulously. “She put a bounty out on Zoey, she had Zoey kidnapped.”

“I know that. But if you start demanding that she talk she is likely to close up. Pretend to go along with her. It might make her more inclined to talk.”

“I am not sure I can.” He felt ill at the thought.

“If it helps find Zoey and your mother, you will find a way. Everyone else, step back so she cannot see us.”

Thor was right. Dex forced himself to smile as Fedora appeared.

“Dex.” She stared at him with wary interest. “No doubt you are angry at me.”

“Surprised. Why did you never tell me how you felt?”

“I tried to make it obvious, but you never took any notice of me. You always saw me as a sister.”

“My mistake.” If he got through this without telling her what he really thought of her, then he would be amazed.

She stared at him suspiciously. “You ordered your father to lock me up.”

“For your own protection,” Dex replied smoothly. He was a better liar than he had thought. “My father is not happy with you.”

She appeared sad for a moment. “I did not mean for your mother to be taken. Liula has always been good to me. She was the one who groomed me for you. She wanted us to be together. Then you brought back that
human
.” She spat the word out like it was dirty.

Dex placed his clenched hands behind his back where she couldn’t see them.

“I believed Zoey to be my mate.”

Fedora stood, fury filling her face. “I am your mate!” There was a mad glint in her eyes. How had he not seen this? How could he have been so blind?

“Yes, of course. I see that now.”

“How could you want her? Don’t you feel the pull between us?”

“I was wrong.” It almost made him ill to say the words, but he could tell Thor was right. This was the only way to get her to talk, short of torturing her, and he could never countenance torturing a female.

“I just spoke to Dante,” Dex told her. “You were smart to use him.”

“I couldn’t be connected to the bounty. I also didn’t have the contacts to set it up. I studied Dante’s weak points. His gambling and his honor. I exploited them for my gain. I had plenty of credits from the inheritance my family left me when they died. I am sure they would approve of the way I used it.”

To trick and lie and hurt others. What a wonderful legacy.

Dex smiled at her. “And when that plan failed you came up with a new one.”

She sniffed. “That weakling Dante failed so I had to come up with another plan.”

“You could have just told me how you felt.”

She shook her head. “No, that-that creature had you under some sort of spell. I had to get rid of her.”

“Madam Tillard and her son helped you?”

“For credits. They grew tired of living on Zerconia. We do not need such disloyal citizens. Madam Tillard was always complaining about how little trade she received. How she could make her fortune elsewhere. So I gave her the opportunity. She drugged Zoey and your mother then dragged them into the tunnel beneath her boutique. Her son snuck them onboard a trade ship due to depart. Your mother was not supposed to be there. That created a problem.”

A problem. That was how she described kidnapping a woman who had taken her in and raised her as her own.

Fedora waved her hand through the air. “Do not worry about Madam Tillard and her son. I had them taken care of. They were disloyal to their betters.”

She was more insane than he thought.

“Where are Zoey and my mother now?

Her gaze narrowed. “So you can rescue them?”

“Where are they, Fedora?” Enough. He had reached the end of his patience.

“I don’t know.” She laughed. “That’s the beauty of an auction. I have no idea who bought them.”

Rage filled him. “Cut her off. Now.” Before he did something rash. Something he might regret. Maybe.

“She sold them?” Thor asked, looking ill.

Stars knew where they were now.

“Zoelle? Zoelle, wake up.”

God help her. Someone really wanted her to suffer. Her arms and legs ached from being restrained for hours. She was hungry, tired, and she really, really had to pee.

“What?” Zoey asked tiredly, opening her eyes.

“More buyers are coming. Stand up straight and look respectable.”

Zoey gaped at her. “You actually want to be bought?”

“Of course. Once we have been sold, we can explain who we are and they can return us to Zerconia.”

“You are delusional.”

“What do you mean?” Even with dirty clothes, crazy, knotted hair and a distinct odor, Liula still managed to look down her nose at her.

“The types of people who purchase slaves at these auctions are not going to give a shit who you are. They aren’t going to just release us.”

“You do not know that.”

Zoey groaned. “Yes, I do. I thought I was naïve, but lady, you really take the cake.”

“I am not naïve. I am a hundred and fifty years old. I have lived far longer than you have.”

“But how long has it been since you left Zerconia? Things change. No one cares who you are. These people have no scruples. They are buying slaves, for God’s sake.”

“Why does no one do something about these auctions? They should be outlawed.”

“The Alliance frowns on them, but they can’t do anything since they’re held on planets that don’t belong to the Alliance.”

Liula stood straight. “Here they come.”

With a sigh, unable to find any interest in the group making their way down the passage, Zoey attempted to find a more comfortable position. How long did they intend to keep them tied up like this? Was it actually possible for her bladder to burst?

At least then she knew she wouldn’t be bought. Wetting herself surely wasn’t an attractive quality in a slave.

She closed her eyes, exhaustion slipping over her. She’d never thought it possible to sleep standing up but then she’d never been this exhausted before. A strong smell reached her, turning her stomach.

God, what was that? If her stomach wasn’t empty, she’d be heaving its contents all over the floor. The only thing she’d ever smelled that was that bad was that troll she’d encountered on Musin.

Her eyes shot open and she stared over at where the guards were standing further down the passage. She couldn’t see anything of the buyer they were escorting.

Damn it.

“No, no good. Need lanana.”

It was him. Stinky.

“They didn’t even look at us,” Liula said with a sniff. “You could have made some effort.”

“Hey! Hey you!” Zoey yelled out, ignoring Liula.

The guards turned to glare at her, one of them moving her way, his stare menacing. Nerves danced in her stomach and she licked her lips. But there was no going back now.

The short creature with them turned, staring at her. It was him. The troll who had been insistent on buying Giz. As wide as he was tall, he had orange skin and a shock of frizzy purple hair that stuck straight up from his head. Bushy purple eyebrows almost completely covered his small, black eyes.

“Remember me?” she asked him. “Remember the lanana?” That’s what he’d called Giz.

God, please let him remember her.

“Quiet,” the guard ordered with a snarl, reaching for her. Zoey flinched back as he struck her face. Tears filled her eyes as pain slammed through her. Cheek throbbing, vision blurred, she took a gasping breath.

Shock filled her as she realized Liula was yelling at the guard, berating him. But she pushed all of that aside when she saw that the troll had moved to stand in front of her. He bounced up and down.

“Lanana.”

“He’s not with me,” she told him.

Disappointment filled his face and he turned away.

“But if you tell me what you want him for I could possibly help you.” She’d never give him Giz, but surely they could figure something out.

He turned back.

“First, you free us. Both of us.” She nodded at Liula, who had quietened down and was listening. “We will reimburse you.”

He dipped his head to one side, clearly confused.

“Uhh, we will pay you back. All the credits you spend.”

“And lanana?”

“What do you want him for? You don’t want to eat him, do you?”

He made a face. “No eat. Need fur.”

“You need some of his fur?” she clarified.

He nodded.

Jeez, why hadn’t he said that in the first place?

“I’ll get you as much fur as you need. A lifetime supply.”

“Lifetime fur?”

“Yes. I promise.”

He studied her for a moment. Then nodded. When he spoke to the guard, it was in another language, but soon the guard released them from the wall.

Zoey’s arms ached so badly she gasped as she lowered them.

“Are you well?” Liula asked, looking unaffected.

“Cramps,” Zoey replied as they were led along behind the troll.

“How do you know him?” Liula asked.

“We met a while ago. Long story.”

“And what is a lanana?”

“It’s Giz.”

“How odd that he wants his fur. It’s not even that clean.”

Zoey glared at her. “Considering Giz just saved us perhaps you could refrain from insulting him.”

Liula looked at her in surprise. “That wasn’t an insult just the truth.”

“Well, right now your hair doesn’t smell all that great either.”

“There is no call to be rude.”

Sweet merciful heaven give her patience.

***

“I have sent men out to all the closest planets where slave auctions are held.”

Dex nodded at Koran as he stared out the portal window at the universe beyond.

“We will find them, Dex,” he added.

Would they? He wasn’t so sure. He knew she was still alive. He could feel that much through their bond. But beyond that, nothing. It was the same for his father.

“What do you want done with Fedora?” Thor asked.

He couldn’t think about her now. He had more important things to focus on.

“She has family on Isotone. Tell Father to send her there.” It was a cold, bleak place with few inhabitants, which is why his mother had taken her in rather than send her there. “Make certain they understand what she is capable of.”

Thor grimaced but nodded and turned away.

“I would rather be locked up for the rest of my life,” Koran muttered.

So would he. But it was no less than what she deserved. If they didn’t find Zoey and his mother, she was getting off lightly as far as he was concerned.

***

Zoey stumbled as she followed the troll into a crowded building. Filled mostly with males, the room they entered was windowless and stifling. It stunk of alcohol and sweat. Her stomach rolled and she was actually grateful it was empty. She stared up at the large stage that was located down one end of the room.

“Oh, stars,” Liula said, clearly shocked.

She glanced behind her to find Liula staring around her, eyes wide, mouth slightly open. Zoey grimaced. Great, only her second time in a strip club and it had to be with her mother-in-law.

Ahh, no, better make that sex club because those girls on stage were doing a whole lot more than just stripping. One of them pulled a short, hairless male from the crowd up onto the stage. Dancing around him, their movements hypnotic and mesmerizing, they stripped off his clothes, revealing his coppery skin and was that, yep, an enormous penis. Like down to his knees enormous.

And the rest of his body might be hairless, but his penis was not.

Gross.

Zoey gulped.

The dancers pushed him to the ground and one of them climbed on top, putting her four hands to very good use. She used two hands to play with his nipples, another surrounded his cock and with her fourth hand, she finger-fucked his ass.

“This is abominable, why would your creature bring us to a place like this?”

Zoey refrained from snapping back that he wasn’t
her creature
or pointing out that she had no idea why they were here, and suggesting that if Liula would like to return to where they’d just come from she would be happy to arrange that.

See? She really should get a medal or something for her patience and tact.

“I’m sure we’ll find out.”

Okay, so she would rather he’d taken them somewhere where they could wash, eat, and more importantly, contact Dex. But she wasn’t going to complain. Even though it did make her nervous to still have hover cuffs on her wrists and ankles. It meant she wasn’t truly free yet. With a push of a button, Stinky could control her very body.

“Follow,” Stinky ordered. The crowd parted as he moved through. Not through any respect, she thought, but rather to get away from the stench emanating from him.

“Has he never bathed?” Liula asked, wrinkling her nose.

She thought he might actually smell worse than the last time she’d encountered him. And she hadn’t thought that possible. They reached a booth which he gestured for them to sit in, and then he pulled down a privacy screen. They could still see everything going on and yep, the man with the giant penis had just blown his load, but all of the noise was blocked out.

Unfortunately, all of the smell was trapped on this side with them.

“What are we doing here?” she asked, eyes watering as she breathed in through her mouth.

“Wait.”

For what? Was death by stench an actual possibility?

Just as she thought she might pass out, there was a knock on the screen and Stinky opened it, letting in a whoosh of cool air. A thin, stooped creature stood on the other side. His long arms hung down his sides, a black bag held in his right hand. He was skeleton thin with a head so large it looked comical, as though it might roll off his thin neck at any time.

Stinky spoke to him sharply. He nodded and slipped into the booth. The privacy screen slid shut once more.

“You speak Standard?” the creature asked quietly.

“Yes,” Zoey replied, holding her hand up to Liula to be quiet. The other woman huffed then settled down. “Who are you?”

“I am Rastian.”

Stinky spoke to him rapidly and Rastian nodded then placed his bag on the table.

“Lord Astair would prefer that any transactions between both parties be written down and witnessed. I have a contract I have amended for this purpose. If you would read and sign.”

He placed a tablet on the table. Zoey glanced down, kind of dumbfounded. She read through the contract which seemed straightforward.

“How did he have time to arrange this?” she wondered. Everything was there. The guarantee of a supply of Giz’s hair. The return of the credits he’d spent purchasing them. In return, they would be freed.

“I am kept on retainer.”

Wow, Stinky must have a bit of money. Or should that be Lord Stinky.

“His lordship contacted me on your way here.”

“You were already here?” Liula asked disapprovingly.

He glanced over at her, his morose face never changing. “This is where we are lodging. There are rooms for rent above.”

They rented rooms above a sex club? She hoped he brought his own linen. Who knew what had gone on in those rooms?

“Right, so we just sign this contract and then we’re free?”

Rastian watched them solemnly. “I would advise against reneging on this contract. Lord Astair is not someone you want to cross.”

“I’ll keep up my end,” Zoey assured him. “It’s just, could you also help us contact my mate so that he can collect us and bring the credits needed to repay Stin-uhh, Lord Astair?”

Rastian spoke to Stinky, who waved his hand in a decidedly impatient way, his gaze captured by the orgy happening on stage.

“That is acceptable,” Rastian stated.

She signed the contract and handed it over to Liula, who frowned, studying the contract closely. Zoey shifted around on the seat.

“Why does he want Giz’s, uhh, the lanana’s fur?” she asked.

“Lananas are rare creatures. They are loyal companions who find one being to attach themselves to. Once they find someone they deem worthy of their companionship, they dedicate their lives to that person. They tune themselves in to that person, providing emotional and in some cases, physical support. But their fur is highly desired, it is said that if you carry a lanana’s fur then you will have good fortune and health.”

So Stinky was superstitious.

Finally, Liula ran her thumb print over the required place.

Thank God.

Rastian took back the tablet. “I will remove those hovercuffs and get a communicator for you.”

After he had taken off the hovercuffs, Zoey rubbed her wrists in relief. The cuffs hadn’t hurt like the manacles had, but it just felt so good to finally be free.