What the hell? she wondered uneasily, unable to take her eyes from the torturous silver cords that wrapped the slaves in silent bondage as surely as the chains that encircled their wrists. Every once in a while one of them would groan slightly and shift as though in pain or pleasure. Were the cords moving? Were they electrically charged? It must be something like that because they almost looked alive in some way. They appeared to be tightening or loosening the right amount to keep each slave in the perfect state of painful arousal while never letting them reach release.
Tabitha shook her head at her own crazy ideas. Who ever heard of such a thing? More likely the silver cords that bound each slave were just there for erotic decoration, to entice prospective owners to buy them by showing off their best assets.
She got so caught up in looking at the silver cords and wondering about their purpose that the large hand that covered her mouth came as a complete surprise. She started fighting at once and even landed several good kicks to her captor’s knees, but whoever had her wasn’t about to let go.
“Look here, boss, looks like we have another one for tomorrow’s auction,” a rough voice said in her ear as she was dragged forward. Tabitha cursed herself for not looking behind her, for allowing herself to get distracted. But as yet another swarthy, muscular man dragged her kicking and fighting and threw her at the slaver’s feet, she knew it was too late.
She was trapped.
“She’s gone where?”
“Off on her own somewhere, Captain.” Sergeant Seamus nodded respectfully but there was a malicious glint in her eyes. Clearly she very much enjoyed telling on the most junior officer aboard Pride of Justice.
“Damn,” Keer swore softly and clenched one large hand into a fist. “Do we have any idea where she’s gone or why?”
“The ships sensors tracked her to the forbidden zone before we lost her. I think…” Seamus stifled a laugh against her fist, turning it into a cough, and then continued. “I think she may have decided to go after V herself.”
“The little fool!” Keer jumped to his feet, leaving the reading desk he’d been sitting at in his quarters to pace the floor. “V won’t be taken by one officer acting alone—he’s a wily bastard and he’ll see right through her. Now she’ll be killed or captured—or worse—unless I get to her in time.”
Seamus stared at him, plainly surprised by his emotional outburst. Keer was surprised himself. Surprised and displeased that despite his attempts to distance himself from the irritating blonde sergeant, she still retained the ability to make him lose control. He suppressed his irritation at once and began to think of what to do.
“Should I send a patrol out after her?” Seamus’ voice interrupted his planning. Keer waved a hand in negation.
“No, I’ll take care of this myself. Dismissed, Sergeant.”
“Sir.” Seamus made a formal salute and left the room, the air-lock door sealing itself behind her with a whooshing sound.
A low growl building in his throat, Captain Keer paced the same narrow strip of floor and wondered what would be the best way to get his wayward officer out of trouble.
THREE
She’d hoped for a while, when V had searched her clothes and found her Intergal ID, that he would get scared and release her. But the slaver only laughed in her face, a sound that echoed through the drafty underground halls where his slaves were kept, waiting to be sold.
“Come now, girl, do you really think your little police force scares me?” he demanded as two of his men stripped her to the skin. “I’ve sold princesses, priestesses and presidents in my time, so why should I care about selling an Intergal agent? Remember when the Sultana of Centauri Prime disappeared a few years back?”
“You…you were behind that?” Tabitha could scarcely believe it. The case had been well publicized throughout the galaxy since the Sultana was the rightful ruler of one of the largest planets in the Alpha Centauri system. But she had vanished without a trace and no amount of police or private detective work could find her.
“I was.” V grinned, his white teeth flashing in his dark face. “You see, girl, it seems she had a very determined suitor who wanted her for his own but she turned him down. He let it be known he’d pay a king’s ransom to have her, with or without the throne of Centauri Prime. I was more than happy to collect the fee and now, instead of governing her people, the haughty Sultana is learning the fine art of submission to her new lord and master.” He gave a sharp bark of laughter. “It’s probably a relief for her—sucking cock is so much easier than making state policy, or so I’m told.”