Alien Lord's Captive Read online

  “Try nothing,” he warned her, striding over and accessing the console with swift gestures.

  “Not trying anything other than helping to save your asses. Come on, log me in so I can give you access.”

  “There, you’re in.”

  Sure enough, the screen flared to life but rather than the alien system, she found herself in the base’s familiar mainframe.

  She input the access codes for the weaponry and gave the Lathar access.

  Ladies, forgive me.

  “Thank you,” Tarrick said, watching his little human out of the corner of his eye. That he was surprised at her offer of help was an understatement, but he would not turn down an advantage like extra weaponry. Not against an enemy as dangerous as Varish. He half expected her to try something, like accessing the weapon arrays and turning them on the K’Vass ships. Something. But she didn’t. As soon as she’d granted direct access she stepped away from the console, her hands raised.

  “Done, all yours.”

  “I’m in,” Jassyn announced. “Powering up.”

  “Response from Fenriis,” Gaarn called out. “Still over half a pasec away.”

  Tarrick kept his disappointment to himself. Even at top speed, that meant they couldn’t rely on reinforcements.

  “Okay, we’re doing this solo. Take us to combat status but cut the red alert warnings in this room. Activate all bots for possible boarding parties. If I know Varish, he’ll want not only the base but extra ships as spoils.”

  The Lathar comprised of loosely related war-clans, but there was never any family loyalty lost or mourned. If Varish could defeat them, he would, and claim both the human women and Tarrick’s ships once he and all his warriors were dead.

  He slid a quick glance at Cat. No emotion showed on her face, her manner calm and serene. His heart twisted at the thought of what would happen to her should Varish and his warriors prevail. He’d given her and her women a choice but Varish T’Laat wouldn’t. They’d be claimed and bedded within hours, willing or not.

  Taking a deep breath, he nodded to Jassyn. “Put him on the screen.”

  The view screen flickered for a moment then shifted from a view of the opposing war group to that of a tall, dark-featured warrior. Like Tarrick, he wore the leather and red sash of a War Commander, its edges shot through with gold. Unlike Tarrick, he hadn’t cut his warrior’s braids, his hair over his shoulders. A new commander but a dangerous one.

  “T’Laat.” Tarrick inclined his head, a show of respect between those of equal rank. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

  “Can a warrior not check in with a kinsman now, without his motives being suspect?” Varish smiled. It was the oily, slick smile of a politician, one that all Tarrick’s instincts warned him not to trust. How the hell had Varish found them? His warriors knew the score. They knew not to talk about their missions, not even at the pleasure stops, and there was no way to track the ships.

  Out of Varish’s line of sight, Jassyn coughed. “Trall-shit.”

  Tarrick kept his expression neutral. Varish could use anything, even a flicker of an eyelid, and he’d be damned if he would give the rival warrior anything to work with.

  “Your concern is noted.”

  Varish’s smile widened. “And to offer my help with your current situation.”

  Ah, now they got down to it. Tarrick offered a smile just as empty and false as Varish’s own.

  “Thank you, but we have things quite in hand.”

  “Really? Looks like a big sector here… plenty for everyone.” Varish moved to the side, his gaze focusing on Cat behind Tarrick. “You have found females?”

  “A handful.” Tarrick folded his arms. There was no way Varish’s scanners could pick up the women in the holding cells, not through the Velu’vais’s shields. “The species in this sector appear to have the same problem as we have. Few women, even less fertile.”

  “A few females is better than none.” Varish leaned back, a smug expression on his face. “Since this sector falls within my established remit, you will cede all captured women. At once.”

  Tarrick heard the slight intake of breath behind him but couldn’t turn to assure Cat that Varish’s words held no weight. One did not look away from a snake lest it strike.

  “Your established remit? I suggest you double check the records,” he advised. “This area falls under K’Vass space.”

  “Ahh, it did,” Varish looked so smug Tarrick wanted to reach through the screen and splatter that long nose all over his face. “Before I submitted a requisition with the emperor’s recordkeepers. And…” he spread his hands. “I appear to have the advantage of superior numbers here. And don’t think for a moment I can’t see you’ve activated the weaponry on that primitive little station there.”

  Tarrick stared back. “Marginally superior numbers, but it will make no difference. This is K’Vass space and we protect our own. Do you want to start something you can’t finish, Varish? Because I assure you we’ll send you packing with your tail between your legs.”

  Varish smiled again. “With those ships and one little base? With the looks of the technology, I’m surprised it’s even holding its orbit. I’ll tell you what, Tarrick, given our kinship, I will give you one hour to think it through. Then you will cede the females or your bloodline will end here.”

  Shitshitshit.

  Only an idiot wouldn’t have realized that the situation was serious and Cat was far from a fool. Tension rolled around the bridge during Tarrick’s conversation with the other alien lord, the reactions of the warriors too careful and controlled. But it wasn’t until he cut the communication she realized just how serious it was.

  “Lock down all comms channels,” he ordered as soon as the screen went blank. “And someone get me a direct line with the emperor. I want this shit sorted out now!”

  He turned, gaze locking on hers and she swallowed. If she’d thought he looked dangerous before, it was nothing compared to the lethal aura that surrounded him now. He stalked toward her, intent written into every movement and swept her up into his embrace.

  She bit her lower lip, allowing him to pull her close. Events were moving fast. So fast her head whirled. This morning it had been so simple. All she’d had to figure out was how to liberate just under a hundred women from the clutches of sex-mad aliens, find a ship, and pilot a course back to the safety of human-held space.

  Oh yeah, and warn them that sexy, ripped aliens from the outer reaches of spaces were out there looking for women to capture and bed.

  Okay, scratch that…If women on Earth saw what the Lathar looked like, they’d leave in droves in anything spaceworthy.

  With this though, things changed. Now she had a whole new set of aliens to deal with and if she’d thought Tarrick’s lot were assholes, Varish appeared to up the ante to total bastard.

  “You won’t let him take us?” she asked. Despite herself, her strong woman mask slipped a little and she clung to him. She had to be realistic. He might be her captor, but so far he hadn’t lifted a finger against her, even earlier when she’d resisted. Instead, he’d seduced her with soft kisses. Something she doubted the cruel-faced Varish would have done. A shiver worked its way down her spine as she recalled the way he’d looked at her like he was mentally undressing her. She felt sick, unclean, at the thought.

  “No, my love. I won’t.” The endearment slipped from his lips and warmed her heart even though she tried to stop it. “You’re mine and the K’Vass protect what is theirs.”

  He bent his head and claimed her lips in a blazing kiss. She moaned, pressing herself against him, but it was over too soon. Pulling back, he looked down at her, smiled and stroked her cheek. “Karryl will take you down to the others while I’m in council with the emperor. You’ll be well protected, I promise.”

  When Tarrick had said the women would be well protected, he’d meant it. Within minutes, Cat was ushered into the main holding area within the bowels of the ship. The force field for the cell snapped
into place behind her and the robotic guard whirled away to resume its patrol. She turned and was overwhelmed as the women in the cell rushed her.

  “Oh my god, are you okay?”

  “What happened?”

  “Can you tell us what’s going on?”

  The voices rose in a babble of questions, almost deafening her. She didn’t know which to answer first. She was saved as another voice broke through, the tone commanding.

  “Oh, for heaven's sake, leave the poor girl alone.”

  Cat breathed a sigh of relief as a familiar figure barged her way through the mass of bodies to stand next to her. Major Jane Allen had been the senior female officer aboard Sentinel Five and a Marine. Now, with the loss of the captain and the other men, she was the senior officer overall.

  “Ma’am,” Cat muttered by way of thanks. At least now she could ease off for a moment. She wasn't alone, Major Allen had years more experience than she did and tactical training only Marines received. Not just that, but she was the Fleet’s poster girl for military service, a legend who looked far younger than her years. Some said living space side did that.

  “Glad to have you back, Moore.” The major reached out to squeeze Cat’s upper arms, bared by the alien outfit she wore. A quick reassuring gesture. Cat spared a quick glance to look through the faces, trying to spot Jess but couldn’t. Damn, she must be in one of the other cells.

  Major Allen reclaimed her attention. “What can you tell us?”

  “So, they’re bigger versions of us?”

  Cat, seated in a small circle with the other women in the cell, nodded. “Yes. There doesn’t appear to be any physical difference, just the size. I can’t tell you about the inner workings of their bodies but on the outside, they look like human men, just bigger.”

  “Bigger, huh?” One woman the other side of the circle sniggered and Cat flushed.

  “Enough of that,” Major Allen, Jane, reproached. “Focus on the issue at hand. So, they’re bigger, they appear to have a feudal society that uses energy-based weaponry and these remote-operated bot creatures. What else?”

  “They have no women.” At Cat’s revelation, all the ladies turned to her. She shrugged. “What did you think when we were separated from the men? Apart from the obvious?”

  “Well, sex slaves were an obvious when they started the segregation,” Jane commented, her expression grim. “So we have a ship full of horny alien warriors here. I’m surprised they left us alone this long.”

  Cat looked down at her hands. Crap, crunch time.

  “I made a deal,” she whispered. “They have an honor-based system. They didn’t take us for one-night stands. They respect and revere women. With none of their own, they look for women to capture…then claim. Seems to be one warrior, one woman.”

  “Just one?” Someone chuckled. “Damn, and there I was looking forward to a hunky alien threesome.”

  “Yeah, right, Kenna…you’d eat them for breakfast. Hey, perhaps that’s it. We send Kenna out there and they’ll all run screaming.”

  The group dissolved into chuckles. Cat smiled, sitting back. It was such a relief to talk, even shooting the shit like this. She wasn’t alone anymore, didn’t have to make all the big decisions. That no one judged her like she worried they would was a weight off her shoulders. But then, with the Sentinel bases being so far out on the frontier, all personnel were military. They knew the score. If the shit hit the fan, the military mindset kicked in.

  “On the whole, they’re decent people. They have an honor code,” she carried on. “I mean, look at us… we did the whole slavery thing ourselves, and we didn’t give them a single choice, never mind three.”

  “Three choices? Of men, right?” Jane asked, her brow furrowed.

  Cat nodded. “That’s right. You don’t have to say yes to the first warrior who puts in a claim. You can say no up to three times.”

  “What happens then?”

  Cat’s expression dropped. “Sent to the brothels. I’d suggest no one get to that point.”

  From the grim looks around her, they all agreed.

  “Sounds like we need to consider this from a tactical viewpoint,” Jane said quietly, turning to look at Cat. “But first I want to know about this deal you made.”

  She shrugged. “It’s not a big thing. I didn’t agree to anything for anyone else…”

  “Cat?” Jane’s hand closed over hers, battle-scarred but gentle all the same. “What did you agree to?”

  She looked up and met the other woman’s eyes. They were odd; one green, one blue. Huh. She’d never noticed that.

  “Tarrick…their lord, the one in charge…” She paused and closed her eyes, her words escaping in a rush. “If I agreed to his claim over me, then the rest of you got the choices.”

  There was silence. Complete and utter silence.

  Cat cracked one eyelid, then another and looked around. Sadness and approval shimmered in Jane’s eyes, echoed on the faces of the other women. Jane squeezed her hands.

  “Thank you. That was a noble sacrifice. He didn’t…he wasn’t…”

  “No.” Cat was quick to shake her head. “No, not at all. I mean…there’s something they inject into you—”

  “The bastard drugged you?” This time it was Kenna who spoke up, her voice outraged. “When I see him, I’m gutting him. With a fucking blunt spoon.”

  “It’s not like that. It…well, they’re bigger than us. Way bigger. The stuff makes you dilate…down there. You know. You feel buzzed and all, but it’s like two shots of decent vodka.”

  At the word, there were several moans. Supply runs to the base were comprised of essentials, so alcohol was in short supply. Cat had even heard tell someone on one of the lower levels had been trying to distil their own. No one was blind yet, so she assumed it was an “urban” myth or they’d managed it.

  “We have other problems though,” Cat cut through the groaning to bring the conversation back on course. As she did so, she reached out to touch Jane’s arm, her finger tapping. Tap or press in quick succession until Jane looked at her, eyes widening a little as she got the message.

  They don’t understand morse code.

  “There’s another group of aliens here, they seem to be in a power struggle with this lot.”

  “Over?” Jane nodded as she spoke, letting Cat know she understood.

  The ident tags…

  “Us. Women from this sector. The ones who just arrived are mounting a challenge for this area of space. And believe me…” She shuddered. “This lot don’t look like they’ll give us any choices.”

  …access the computers.

  “Shit. What do we do?” Kenna, another of the Marines, crowded forward, dividing her attention between Jane and Cat. The muscles in her shoulders bunched as she rolled her neck as though preparing for a fight.

  Jane looked around, frowning at the sound of a commotion by the door. Before she could answer, energy bolts slammed into the field keeping them in the cell. It fizzled out and disappeared as a bot crashed to the floor in front of them, a smoking hole in the middle of its chest.

  “Right now? Run!” Jane bellowed as the fight broke into the room.

  The women scattered, streaming out of the holding cells as more robots poured into the room to engage the ones that had been guarding them. The black metal carapaces of the newcomers made them easy to distinguish.

  Cat gathered her skirts and ran between the fighting monsters, following Jane’s lead. If they could just get into the central section of the vessel, they might make it to the flight deck. Find a ship. Failing that, they could at least access the weapons lockers she’d seen in the corridors.

  The black robots had the advantage of numbers though, and before they could escape the room, had all but cut down the others. Cat stifled a scream as a silver-colored robot crashed to its knees in front of her, saved from being crushed when Kenna grabbed her hand and yanked her back.

  “To the left,” she yelled and a black robot whirled aroun
d to fix its single red eye on them. “Go, go, go!”

  She pushed Cat ahead of her, both of them slipping on grease that oozed from the fallen robot like blood leaking from ruined veins. Her breath escaped in a squeak, Cat righted herself but felt Kenna yanked from her grasp. She glanced back over her shoulder to see the Marine woman in the clutches of a black robot.

  “Run!” Kenna yelled, fighting to escape its clutches. Although its talons dripped with the “blood” of the bots it had destroyed, it folded the lethal blades away so they didn’t cut the struggling woman. Looked like they were the same as Tarrick’s bots, they wouldn’t kill them…but she wouldn’t hang around. As long as one woman got away, there was hope for the rest.

  She spun on her heel and sprinted for the open doors. Metal flashed in her peripheral vision, the robots reaching out to grab her. All black now, there were no silver ones left on their feet. Bellowing, she ducked and wove, trying to escape their grasp. Her heart pounded in her chest, powering the muscles of her body in her desperate bid for escape. Just ahead of her was Jane, the other woman’s lithe form and fitness more suited for a pitched battle against alien combat robots. Shit.

  It made no difference. Before either of them reached the doors, two heavier-set black robots stepped in the way. Their eyes focused on the two women and both skidded to a halt as red dots appeared on their chests. Slowly, they raised their hands in the universal symbol for surrender.

  “So much for not killing women,” Jane shrugged. “I can’t believe I’m saying this… Okay, asshole. Take us to your leader.”

  7

  As evil alien overlords went, Varish T’Laat ticked all the boxes and then some. He wore the same uniform as Tarrick, right down to the red sash, but the leather was darker and battered. Extra sections of sewn-in armor made him look more sinister and the vicious scar down one side of his face just by his eye didn’t help him much in the approachable and cuddly stakes.