Reagan Hawk (5 page)

She panted and slowed to a
stop as he headed to one of the contact units. He punched in a code only known to him and his crew members and then waited. Three minutes later the contact unit dinged. He stood before it. An image of a man with his dark hair pulled back tight appeared. His obsidian gaze found Raider.

“
Finally come to your senses and decide to leave that gods-forsaken planet?”

“
Ewan, hurry.”

“
Yes, sir,” Ewan said, cutting the connection.

Raider pulled Lucia to him and watched the skies. His crew would come at once, knowing
he needed them and that the situation was grave.

Lucia couldn
’t stop running her hands over everything she could get to. She’d never been on a ship before. She glanced at several of the men who had rescued her and Raider. The men continued to watch her, no one saying a word to her.

She craned her neck, trying to see out the front viewing window. Stars dotted the blackness for as far as she could see. Unable to hide her smile, she stopped trying.

Raider entered the bridge from a room off it and looked first to her. He winked. She smiled wider.

“
Look,” she said softly. “We fly in space.”

His eyes danced with amusement. “
Yes, we do.”

A giant of a man cocked a brow. “
Captain, is she all right?”

“
She was born to slavery and has never been off-world,” Raider replied.

The giant gasped. “
Truly?”

“
Yes, Galwin, truly.”

Galwin stood and came to Lucia. He bent before her. “
Welcome to space, my lady.”

“
I’m not a lady,” she said.

Galwin cast a sideways glance at
Raider. “Captain has made it clear you are.”

Lucia
’s chest tightened with warmth. Raider saw her as a lady? He took the captain’s seat and began to pilot the vessel. Confused, she merely watched as he navigated the stars as if he’d done so thousands of times before.

How little she knew of the man, yet here she was with him, trusting him with her life. She could never go back to Emprom. Not now. She
’d be seen as soiled. She’d be placed upon a cross and crucified. It was the way of it.

The man seated nearest
Raider, the one who looked nearly identical to Galwin, swiveled in his chair. He stared directly at her. He snorted. “A lady? More like a whore in waiting.”

Raider stood, as did the man. “
Ewan.”

“
Captain?”

“
Mind your tongue,” Raider snapped.

Lucia eased f
rom her seat and edged her way towards the corridor. Galwin followed and ushered her into what looked like a kitchen of sorts. He offered small smiles as he prepared something that smelled delicious. He made her a plate and handed it to her. “Sit. Eat.”

Sh
e nodded and took the plate from him, bowing her head.

He caught her shoulders and straightened her. “
Never bow to me or anyone on this ship. Got it? You’re free here, my lady.”

Her lips trembled, as did the plate in her hands. Galwin put his hands over he
rs and steadied the plate, helping her to a seat. He tucked her in and set utensils next to her. “Fill your stomach. Build your strength. Captain will want you cared for.”

“
The other, he doesn’t like me,” she said softly.

“
Ewan doesn’t like too many people. As his twin I should understand him better, but at times he’s a mystery to even me,” Galwin said with a shrug. “Ignore his remarks.”

“
They are true.”

Galwin paused. “
Raider gave us a quick, condensed version of events when he boarded. He said you were to be head concubine to a nobleman there. Is that true?”

She nodded. “
Yes.”

“
And you were a slave?” he asked, something in his voice hardening.

“
From birth, yes. I had no say in the matter. I was sold into my position and there I was to wait until it was my turn to take head concubine position—my turn to try to produce a son for that wretched man who owns my note.”

Galwin pushed her hair back from her face and turned her more to face him. He went to one knee to be more eye-level with her. “
This master, was he cruel to you?”

She looked away. “
I wish not to speak of this anymore.”

“
Lucia,” he said softly. “I am sorry for the life you have led.”

“
Others have had it far worse. His desire for my body kept me from the worst of it. I know as much.”

He nodded.

She lowered her gaze from his. “And I am aware that Raider has taken me only so that I may service his sexual needs. I know my place in this universe.”

He growled, grabbing her chin. “
Never let me hear such a thing from you again. To enslave a race is wrong. That is what Emprom does. It takes outsiders and enslaves them, forever binding their offspring as well. Other planets do it too, but the repercussions are harsh.”

She thought harder on his manner. “
You. You were enslaved?”

He nodded.

She eyed him, taking into account his physical form. “You were made to fight in games, yes?”

“
Yes.”

“
On Emprom?” she questioned.

He shook his head. “
Other planets and moons. Ewan was as well. Two others from our crew were too.”

“
Raider?” she asked, curious about him.

Galwin
snorted. “He is unlike all of us. It is his story to tell. Not mine.”

“
He was not born to serve, was he?” she asked, understanding dawning upon her.

A shake of the head was all Galwin offered.

“And what of Ewan?” she questioned. “The way he looks upon me and the way he steals glances at Raider, are they lovers?”

Galwin exhaled slowly. “
You are most talkative.”

She held her smile, awaiting answers.

Galwin gave in. “I believe they have shared a bed in the past. Though neither wishes to only be with a man, they do enjoy time together.”

Lucia thought more on his words. “
And Ewan is not pleased I am here because he believes my presence means he will not warm Raider’s bed again?”

“
My brother’s mood changes with the wind. I would imagine some of his anger at you is because of what you have said.”

“
And the rest?” she asked.

Galwin nudged the plate of food before her. “
Eat.”

She touched his wrist. “
Please tell me. Already I am scared and very in the dark. All that I have known has changed in an afternoon.”

“
Know that I share this with you only because Ewan’s story is nearly a mirror to my own. Our mother was a concubine. Though, because she was not head concubine and because our planet has different beliefs than Emprom, the master was able to use her to find release as often as he wanted, regardless of the state of his head concubine.”

Lucia stilled, her hand remaining on Galwin
’s arm.

Galwin bent his head. “
She had only seen fifteen summers when she was purchased and sixteen when she birthed us. From what we were told, the master raped her for nearly two months straight, keeping her chained to a bed, permitting his guards access to her. When it was clear she was with child, the decision was made to permit her to birth it—if the child was female, she would be raised and groomed to service the guards. A male would be a slave.” Galwin shut his eyes and a tear fell down his cheek. “Twins were not expected. When we arrived, we were whisked from our mother’s arms. The story is that she could not go on. That she believed us born to forty fathers and that we were demon seed to her. She hung herself within hours of our birth.”

“
Do you believe such a horrid tale?” she asked, her other hand finding his cheek as she wiped away his tear.

“
No,” he confessed. “I believe in my heart that she was murdered by the master, for twins were sacred, and should the priests come to question our conception, they would find out the truth, that she had been raped and given to many when the purchase agreement had said she was to be used by only one.”

Lucia stayed perfectly still. “
And life for you was not kind, was it? Your master knew not if he fathered either of you, did he?”

“
No,” Galwin said. “He could not sell us, because if we were his, it would look bad to have his children in servitude. Since he could not sell us, he made sure we paid the price.”

Lucia knew men such as the master Galwin spoke of. They were beyond cruel. “
Manual labor, sexual servitude or gladiator games?”

“
All of the above,” confessed Galwin. “Ewan was a favorite of the head guards to the master.”

Lucia cried for Galwin and for Ewan, though she had only just met them. Galwin wrapped his powerful arms around her. “
Shh, now, my lady. No tears. Not for us. Our paths crossed with Raider and much changed. We are now free and have much coin and gold. We are not the same slave boys we once were.”

“
You allow your tongue to run away from you,” Ewan spat, startling both her and Galwin.

Galwin stood, facing his brother, matching him in size and very closely
in looks. “And you allow your temper and jealousy to guide your mouth. Look upon her, Ewan, she was property there. She would have been used by her master and when he had what he wanted, murdered just as our mother was. Is that what you want?”

Ewan
’s hard gaze softened somewhat as he looked to Lucia. “No.”

“
Then do not treat her as if she is the enemy.” Galwin stormed out of the room, leaving Lucia alone with Ewan.

She scrambled from her seat and stood against the wall, fearing what he might do to her now
that he had her alone. The gladiator males she had known were powerful enough to kill her with one blow. She only hoped Ewan would make her death quick.

She closed her eyes and began to sing a song softly
—one that was for the gods, asking they grant her soul mercy on its journey to the afterlife.

As something touched her cheek, she faltered in the words and stopped singing, her eyes snapping open. She met Ewan
’s gaze, his hand on her cheek. “Do it quickly. I beg of you.”

His thumb trailed over her lips. “
Shh, beauty. I will not harm you.”

Beauty?

She pressed herself tighter to the wall, sure her death would be handed to her sooner rather than later.

“
You shake in fear of me. Why?”

“
The gladiators I have known are all powerful. Some have twisted minds—caused from too much death and destruction. Others have known nothing but death. And you are angry with me. I did not mean to develop feelings for your Raider. If I could take them back, I would.”

His lips turned upwards slightly. “
You are thoughtful and beautiful. I can see why he would give up all for you.”

There was a loneliness in his voice that moved her. Raider entered the room and motioned for her to follow him. She eased past Ewan, but not before touching his hand with hers. He caught her hand and held it
a fraction of a second before releasing it and continuing to face the wall.

The men shared a look, one she
’d seen lovers share before. She didn’t want to come between Raider and Ewan. She shook her head. “Raider, no. Not me. He wishes time with you.”

Raide
r tipped his head, his expression saying he was hardening himself. “No.”

Ewan felt frozen in place as he watched the young blonde beauty hold her ground. He
’d treated her poorly, yet she came to his aide. His initial reaction was to suspect her motives. He had been born to a life where everything everybody did was questionable and to serve themselves in some fashion. If you didn’t lie, cheat, steal or kill, you got nothing and nowhere. That had been the way of it for him for so long, it was hard to think in any terms but those he’d been taught.

Lucia.

She was certainly beautiful, he had to give her that, and her heart seemed true and pure. Like Raider’s. It was easy to see why she called to his friend. She called to Ewan as well, though he’d tried hard to deny as much upon first seeing her.

Deep down Ewan couldn
’t help but hope she was the one for them. The woman who could tie them together and create a union—a family. He found her more than passable and his cock agreed. But could she open herself to the idea of being with two men. Would Raider share her?