His Clever Captive (Earthly Possessions #3)

1. Lacey

CHAPTER 1

LACEY

T he cage reeks of musk and something sharp, like burnt sugar and rust. My throat is sore from screaming for help earlier, but no one came—just those tiny servants with their misters and their cold, efficient hands. The little chattering things scrubbed me raw, then sprayed my skin with strange-smelling oils that glistened under the dim bedroom lights.

Then they left me here.

Alone.

Naked.

Shivering.

Feeling violated and fragile, with nothing but a thin sheet of a green silk-like fabric to cover me. I huddle in the corner, the metal bars like icicles against my back. I shift slightly, trying to ease the cramp in my leg and twist the sheet anxiously in my hands as my mind races back to how I got here.

As Gwen, Iris, and I got ready for our boss Gabe's wedding, we were ambushed by weird lizard aliens, and I was knocked out.

When I woke, I found myself up on an icy metal platform in front of a leering crowd of aliens with too many eyes and teeth. Paraded around like livestock, inspected and prodded by repulsive creatures at the auction, the memory of their slimy tentacles, rough hands, jagged nails, and creepy gazes still makes me sick.

The most repulsive of all the aliens—a giant monster of a creature with pulsing yellow eyes and dripping jaws—purchased me. Lord Gruzzik.

Then I was tossed into a dark container and transported to this cage. I had begged and pleaded to see my friends to no avail.

Was it two days ago? Three? Maybe a week? Time blurs when your world shrinks to a little prison in the opulent bedchamber of a disgusting alien brute. And I’m struggling to find any hope of escaping.

The door suddenly hisses open and I gasp, my heart slamming against my ribs.

Gruzzik stomps in, his hulking frame nearly scraping the ceiling. His scaled skin glints like oil on water, and his nostrils flare as he prowls closer. He reeks of decay.

“Human,” he growls, thick fingers curling around the bars, claws clanging. His knuckles are the size of my fists.

I press myself against the back of the cage, the sheet slipping.

He inhales deeply, his canine eyes narrowing. Then his gaze drops and his long, dark tongue darts out of his snout, as if tasting the air around me. A low, rumbling sound escapes him, and I watch, horrified, as the leather covered bulge between his legs shifts. Swells.

Oh god…

Bile rises in my throat, but I swallow it down, forcing myself to stay still and silent. Maybe if I don't move, he won't...I shudder, my skin prickling, anticipating the assault.

The cage door screeches open and one meaty hand—skin cracked and rough—clamps around my ankle.

“P-please—” I whimper.

He yanks at me hard and I scream, scrambling to grip the bars, but my palms are slick with sweat. The sheet tears as I’m dragged out, the cold air biting my skin. Gruzzik looms over me, his breath hot and sour, so rotten I gag.

This isn’t happening. I’m asleep and this is a nightmare. I squeeze my eyes shut. Please let this be a nightmare!

But when I open them, Lord Gruzzik is still there. And his free hand reaches for my thigh?—

CRACK.

A four-armed shadow descends like a lightning bolt, a massive, wicked-looking club in one hefty fist. Gruzzik snarls, the force of the blow making him sway, before collapsing like a felled redwood tree.

“Got ‘im!” roars the hulking alien, his voice booming.

He’s got four beefy arms, charcoal skin, and muscle stacked on muscle in an almost cartoonish way. He’s so top-heavy I don’t know how he remains upright.

Then another figure darts past me—and all I catch at first are green scales shimmering. A lithe creature appears and they drive a thick glittering blue blade into Gruzzik’s chest with clinical precision. “Target neutralized,” they mutter, flicking their long tail behind them.

I’m frozen in place as a blur of iridescent feathers rushes toward me, before cool, leathery hands bundle me into what’s left of the shredded sheet.

“Hold tight, starling,” he chirps, tossing me over his shoulder. His voice is sing-songy, but his firm grip tells me he means business.

The room tilts.

"What—what's happening?" I manage to stutter. Shock must be the reason I’m not screaming. Or this odd calm that feels like it’s seeping into my skin.

Alarms begin to blare and the sounds of laser fire erupts behind the door. The reptile woman hisses orders, her tail smacking a control panel on the wall. The door opens and seals shut after we’ve gone through.

The four-armed alien bellows a war cry as all of us move forward into the corridor. We’re thrown into a chaotic world of alien sounds, flashing lights, and the acrid smell of smoke.

It’s then that I spot… him .

Gold skin gleaming, electric violet eyes as bright as neon signs, and long hair flying around him. He moves like a dancer—pure lethal grace—as he disarms one of Gruzzik’s guards with a flick of his wrist, then slices into another with a hot blade…complete with the most sinful smirk on his lips.

Focus, Lacey. He’s some sort of space pirate!

But my god, he’s…all chiseled muscles, golden hair, tall elven ears…and shiny!

My ribs jostle against my ride’s shoulder as we bolt through the chaos. “Nearly there, little flutter,” he laughs, ducking a laser blast.

“You can put me down. I can run,” I wheeze.

“And risk Vex skinning me alive? Sorry, no way.”

Vex? Vex who?

We skid into a hangar, where a small ship hums near a docking bay, ramp lowered.

Four Arms and Reptile Woman( I’m guessing she’s female now that I’ve seen a glimpse of breasts and eyelashes) sprint behind us, weapons blazing.

The gold alien brings up the rear, firing a blaster over his shoulder. His laugh curls through the fiery mist. “Thought you’d be slower with that treasure, Af’soq!”

“Try keepin’ up, pretty boy!” My tranporter shoots back, as Four Arms lobs a shiny metal ball into the space behind us.

An explosion rattles my teeth, as my ride leaps onto the ramp, placing me onto a bench seat inside the ship. The sheet slips again and I yelp, snatching it up as we lurch.

Am I...rescued? Kidnapped again?

Another alien waits at the controls near the front, bioluminescent skin pulsing a calm blue. “Hurry,” he calls out and the gold alien strides in at last, the ramp sealing behind him.

“Get us out of here, Nor’Veth!” he calls back, and I feel the ship swing around.

Then the gold guy sees me. He walks up to me, confident, almost regal, as his gaze locks onto mine.

For a moment, we just stare.

But finally, I’m able to swallow. Hard. He really is attractive. Okay, hot , there’s no denying it.

His violet eyes dip down, raking over my bare shoulders, and lower to the fabric barely covering my chest.

A slow, roguish grin spreads over his mouth. “Exquisite,” he purrs, voice deep and velvety. The casual way he says it makes it seem like a cocktail party instead of in the midst of a space battle.

Heat floods my neck and cheeks and my traitorous heart races. I feel exposed beneath his scrutiny, but there’s a certain thrill in it…and a strange, inexplicable longing.

Four Arms comes over and claps the gold guy’s back, nearly knocking him into me. “You sure we can’t sell ‘er outright?”

Sell me?!

Reptile Woman flicks her tail. “She’s gotta be worth at least twelve krellium tanks on most markets.”

“Krellium tanks?” the gold pirate tsks, leaning closer to me. His scent is dizzying—smoke and spice and soft leather. “Berrix, look at her.” He reaches out and brushes my jaw with his thumb. Shivers steal down my spine. “Rarity like this is priceless .”

I muster up my courage and swat his hand away. “ Excuse me. I’m not a painting or artifact.”

I’m done being treated like an object. Even from space pirates.

He blinks, as if startled, then chuckles, his smile wolfish. “Oh, this’ll be fun.” He eyes me again. “You can understand me? They chipped you then.”

I don’t remember being “chipped.” “If so, I wasn’t conscious.”

“Better that way,” he replies, quickly. “Trust me.”

Reptile Woman—the one he called Berrix—huffs and crosses her slender arms over her chest, while the bird-like guy tosses me a more suitable blanket to cover myself with. “Thank you,” I say, grabbing it, and wrapping myself into it.

“You’re safe with us, flutter,” he says, tone gentle. “We don’t bite.”

Four Arms flexes his muscles. “Speak fer yerself.”

“Yet.” The golden alien winks, then places a hand over his heart. “Vexeliar Urralix. Or more preferably, Vex. A pleasure to finally meet you, my dear Lacey.”

I blink. Did he just say my name—? “Y-you know who I am?”

“I do,” he replies. “And I promise I’ll get to that. But first let me introduce my crew.”

He gestures to the four-armed alien. “This is Faylid, our weapons expert, and muscle extraordinaire.” Faylid nods, flexing, and then grins at me with rows of sharp teeth.

Vex sweeps his hand over to Reptile Woman. “This lovely female is Berrix, our navigator and strategist.” She adjusts some controls on the ship's console, her quick fingers dancing over the panels with practiced ease. She manages a slight wave in my direction, but doesn’t look at me.

“Your transport was Af’soq, our communications expert and medic.”

Af’soq smiles my way, the iridescent plumage atop his head rising, his eyelids sliding down and back up over his onyx eyes.

“And our fearless pilot and engineer over in the cockpit is Nor’Veth.” Nor’Veth flares his webbed fingers at me and then winks a round silver eyeball.

I nod my head in acknowledgement.

He slides into the seat next to me, and I lean back, tightening my grip on the blanket. He’s incredibly intimidating up close…almost overwhelming. It’s not altogether unpleasant though. But I’m trying to keep my wits about me until I know what his plans are—since he obviously knows me.

“I’m going to get to the point, my dear,” he says, eyes traveling over me again. “Your friends are looking for you,” he says, rolling his teeth over his lower lip. I almost don’t pick up on what he says, I’m so enthralled watching the movements of his mouth.

“Gwen and Iris?! You know where they are?” I grab onto the front of his tunic, the material soft and foreign.

His brow shoots up. “Yes,” he whispers. “And I plan to hand you over to them….for a price .”