Chapter 23 #2
Two of his comrades, dressed in the same suits as all the guards—a strange blend of military and upper-class fashion—hurried into the transport. The vehicle shook, and the guards cursed and shouted amidst Drakkal’s snarls, which halted abruptly after another pained growl.
A few seconds later, the three guards dragged Drakkal’s limp form out of the transport. His eyes were open, and his fangs were bared, but he was unable to resist them; what could he have hoped to do, anyway?
What had she hoped to do?
Vanya stepped out of the transport carrying Leah’s box. She set it on the floor before Murgen. Leah was still unconscious.
Cold, nauseating fear slithered through Shay as she stared at her daughter, who looked far too pale. Leah was so small, so fragile. Had that gas harmed her? If it’d been potent enough to put down Shay and Drakkal, what had it done to Leah?
Murgen’s grin widened. He placed his hands on his thighs and ponderously squatted to examine Leah. “Fascinating. I wonder, are terran infants usually so lethargic?” He frowned and swung his gaze up to Vanya. “You didn’t damage it, did you?”
“It’ll wake eventually,” she replied nonchalantly. “Needed a stronger dose of gas for the other two. It always hits the small ones harder.”
Murgen glanced down again and tapped a thick finger on the glass.
“You certainly achieved results, even if you were slow in delivering. I must admit to having had my doubts about you, azhera. These months have been troubling. I wondered if I had made a mistake hiring a being like you to hunt your own.” He straightened with a soft grunt and glanced at Drakkal, his lips dropping into a displeased scowl.
“I’ve not been impressed by the trustworthiness of your people before now. ”
“You hired me to do the job, I wanted to do it right. Your cargo is delivered, more-or-less unharmed, and there’s no trail linking you back to it. That takes time. You got what you wanted in the end.”
“Yes, I did.” Murgen’s grin returned, and he approached Shay.
She glared up at him as he reached for her hair. He took several strands of it in his meaty hand and forced Shay’s head to one side, then the other.
He touched the raised scars on her shoulder.
“Bite marks, hmm? Has that azhera already been breeding with you? I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised; he had that desire in his eyes the day he stole you away.
Perhaps we’ll be lucky, and his seed will have taken root already.
If not, we’ll just have to find another suitable specimen. ”
Vanya growled, but it was cut short when she said, “I want the male.”
Murgen’s eyes widened, and he shifted his gaze back to the female azhera. Shay froze.
No!
“No,” Nostrus snapped; Drakkal snarled at the same instant.
Without looking at the volturian, Murgen lifted a hand and waved his fingers, as though to quiet Nostrus. “The male azhera was part of the deal. Changing the agreement at the last moment is not something I’m inclined to accept. It’s…rude.”
“I’ll make it worth the insult I’ve caused,” Vanya said.
Shay pressed her lips together and bit back her words.
Nothing; there was nothing she could do.
Vanya would only shock Shay into compliance the instant she spoke out.
She looked first at Leah, then at Drakkal, who was on his knees with two guards holding his shoulders forward so he couldn’t straighten.
Her mate and her daughter were her world, and she was completely helpless. She couldn’t save them.
Nostrus stepped forward and opened his mouth, but another sharp wave from Murgen silenced him.
A thoughtful sound rose from Murgen’s throat, and his neck flesh expanded. “I’m intrigued enough to hear what you have to say. Please.”
“He’s an escaped slave, wanted on Caldorius,” Vanya said. “Big reward for this one. I’ll waive the fee for capturing him and split the profit I make from hauling him back to his masters with you.”
“A lying zhe’gash,” Drakkal grumbled. “You two are well matched.”
Murgen snorted; he didn’t so much as glance at Drakkal.
“I hardly see how that benefits you. No Caldorian slave master would pay as much as I’ve agreed to in this case, and that doesn’t even take into account the expenses you would incur for transporting him all the way to Caldorius.
It would be far easier for all of us for me to simply pay your fee and dispose of him as I see fit. ”
“It benefits my reputation. I bring him back all the way from Arthos, and it’ll impress the right people back on Caldorius—people with powerful ties.
That results in more work for me.” Vanya shifted her gaze to Shay and smirked; it was an arrogant, hateful expression filled with gloating.
“I’m trying to think of the larger picture, Master Foltham.
I consider it a long-term investment that will pay off very well over time. ”
I am going to fucking kill her.
Nostrus glared at Vanya before turning to face Murgen. “Sir, we have him here now. Just let me—”
“Enough, Nostrus,” Murgen said. “I’m well aware of what you want, but I didn’t agree to pay that exorbitant amount just to fulfill your need for revenge. I agreed to fulfill mine.”
“And what better revenge than what I’m proposing?
” asked Vanya. When Murgen tipped his head toward her, she continued.
“He’ll go back to Caldorius and receive harsh punishment from his owner.
When—if—he recovers from that, they’re going to throw him into the fighting pits or set him to some backbreaking labor.
Either way, he’ll suffer until his very last breath, knowing all along that you won, and that his… mate is here, part of your collection.”
Shay clenched her hands into fists.
Drakkal’s already furious expression darkened with Vanya’s every word, and the guards grunted, straining to hold the big azhera down as he swayed. With a growl, Drakkal got one of his feet beneath him and pushed up with his leg.
Stop, Drakkal. Please, just stop!
A third guard hurried over. It took all three to wrestle Drakkal back down; they forced him face-first onto the floor and knelt on his back to keep him pinned. His tail lashed stiffly.
Murgen thoughtfully tapped one of his tusks, taking in the display as though it were nothing important—and Shay didn’t doubt that he saw Drakkal as just another animal, no different in his eyes than Shay and Leah.
“He has cost me a significant sum through his actions. Buying the terran to begin with and then paying again to retrieve her has been quite expensive,” Murgen muttered loudly enough for everyone to hear.
“Recovering a portion of it would be preferable, though the amount itself is not what’s important.
And I must admit, the level of suffering you’ve described… well, it is certainly tempting…”
Nostrus’s jaw ticked as he glared at Drakkal, squeezing his fists at his sides.
A sudden, soft cry filled the garage.
Shay snapped her eyes toward Leah, who fidgeted and kicked as she woke, her cries growing louder. Shay’s heart pounded; she needed to go to her daughter, to hold her, to soothe her, needed to take her out of this goddamned place.
Murgen’s throat swelled again as he looked down at Leah. “What an unpleasant noise it makes.”
Drakkal growled and thrashed on the floor. One of the guards swore as he was nearly thrown off. Vanya calmly lifted her wrist and flicked a command, triggering Drakkal’s collar again. His growls took on an agonized tone as his body locked up, limbs straightening, for a second.
Stay still, Shay. Don’t move, don’t yell. There’s nothing you can do right now.
Though she knew that was the truth, seeing her proud, powerful mate brought so low and in so much pain wrecked her. Her body itched to move, to fight, but she knew it was a losing battle. She needed to bide her time. Gut reactions would get her nowhere.
“We in agreement or not?” Vanya asked.
Leah’s cries grew more frantic, her face reddening as tears streamed from her eyes.
Murgen frowned at the baby and slowly folded his hands over his gut.
He nodded curtly. “Fine. You brought the youngling back unharmed, so we’ll consider that enough in lieu of the azhera.
Nostrus, pay her the bounty for the terran.
I want these two examined immediately. Have the medical team assembled.
” He turned his head to look at Drakkal, and his lip curled. “Make sure he suffers. Profusely.”
Vanya grinned. “I’ll see to it.”
Nostrus strode forward, making no effort to mask his displeasure as he tossed a credit chip to Vanya.
Her grin didn’t falter as she caught it.
For a few seconds, they stood staring at each other, Nostrus brimming with cold fury, and Vanya with smug triumph.
The tension in the air between them was palpable; Nostrus seemed ready to reach for the blaster undoubtedly holstered under his jacket, and Shay wanted nothing more than to see it happen.
So long as the prick didn’t shoot Drakkal, too.
Vanya finally dropped her gaze to the controls on her holocom and tapped a selection. “Her manacles are open for you to interface with now.”
Nostrus produced a small remote control from his pocket. Still scowling, he held it up to Shay’s collar and pressed a button. The device beeped softly, and he tucked it away.
Vanya swung her attention to the guards restraining Drakkal. “Mind tossing him in back?”
Murgen motioned to the guard behind Shay and another beside Leah. “No more standing around. Get the terrans inside, and the rest of you get that beast into her vehicle so we can be rid of him.” As he turned and walked away, he grumbled, “And someone quiet down the youngling!”
The borian guard beside Leah bent down to pick up her cage, a distinct look of distaste on his face. The guard behind Shay shifted his hold to her biceps, lifted her onto her feet, and forced her to follow the borian.
Shay turned her head, her eyes locking with Drakkal’s as he was hauled off the floor and dragged toward Vanya’s transport.
His teeth were bared, and the light on his collar was on—that bitch was shocking him again—but the guards were still struggling to move him as his powerful legs fought for purchase, claws scraping the floor.
Though he didn’t speak—probably couldn’t speak—his eyes said everything.
I will get back to you, kiraia.
Then the guards dragged him into the back of the transport, and he vanished from her sight. Shay shifted her gaze slightly aside to see Vanya staring at her, still wearing that arrogant grin.
Though she didn’t know how she’d do it, or when, Shay was going to knock that bitch’s teeth out before this was all done.