“Tarn!” she sobbed as he enfolded her in his arms.
“Yolla! I’ve been looking for youeverywhere!”His voice was low and rough as they embraced. “Where did you go?”
“A girl with red and white skin told me she had some special jewelry to sell,” the woman named Yolla admitted. “I never should have gone with her—I tried to turn back but she dragged me in here and thenheput a collar around my throat and I couldn’t even shout for you!”
She nodded at Shadrack, who was still curled in a ball, sniveling on the floor.
“What is he? A fucking slaver?” The Vorn warrior’s eyes began to narrow with rage.
“Close,” Sir said, stepping forward. “He is a Pet Finder from Korrigon Four—I am ashamed to say it is my home world. I am afraid there is a HighBorn male there who covets the women of your galaxy. You must look to your females and warn others to do the same.”
“Are you the voice I heard whisper in my ear, leading me to Yolla?” the Vorn asked him.
Sir nodded.
“I am. This scum took my little one as well.” He nodded at me.
By this time I was sitting with my back against the wall and my knees drawn up to my chest, trying to make myself small. I said nothing, only watching the man who called himself my Master. The things he could do were frightening and I wasn’t sure if he knew that I had gone off on my own before I had been lured into Shadrack’s lair or how angry he would be if he found out.
“Then I must thank you,” the Vorn said to Sir, inclining his head. “My Yolla is everything to me—I went half mad with worry when I thought I’d lost her.”
“I know how you feel,” Sir murmured, casting another look at me.
By that time more alien men were arriving—I recognized a Braxian, two more Vorns, and a Majoran, as well as two other men that I thought might be Denarins, who both hugged the same woman at the same time. They put her between them and encircled her with their muscular arms. Meanwhile, in the corner, a Majoran man changed colors like a chameleon enfolded his own wife, who was sobbing with relief and happiness at seeing her mate again.
“All of you, listen.” Sir’s voice rang out above all the sobbing and exclamations of joy and concern. When he spoke, all heads turned to look at him. “This scum is the one who took your females,” he said, pointing at Shadrack, who was looking at the gathered alien males with fear in his eyes. “He intended to take them back to my galaxy and sell them as Sex Pets.”
An angry murmur rose from the alien males and a lot of furious glares were aimed in Shadrack’s direction.
“I have my own little one to attend to,” Sir continued. “But I urge you to punish this scum of a Pet Finder in whatever way you choose.”
“I know whatIchoose.” The Braxian’s deep voice reminded me of the bellow of a bull. “I say we fuck ‘em up!”
The rest of the males murmured ascent and then began to gather around Shadrack. The Korrigon Pet Finder was a good three feet taller than any of them…but he was also severely outnumbered. And just because the alien males surrounding him were seven feet tall instead of ten feet didn’t make them any less muscular or any less angry.
“Wait!” he gasped as the alien males began closing in on him. “Wait, please! My Lord HighBorn—don’t let them do this to me!”
Sir gave him a scathing look.
“You’re getting off lightly. I would punish you myself but I’ve already broken enough of my own rules in dealing with you, scum.”
I had no idea what he meant about that and I didn’t dare to ask. Before I knew what was happening, he had leaned down and scooped me up in his arms and was striding down the corridor and out into the light.
I was once more in Sir’s power, and I had no idea what was about to happen to me. I only knew he was a lot more powerful than I had realized before.
And that scared the shit out of me.
EIGHTEEN
ELLI
“How badly are you hurt?” Sir asked, when he got me back to the ship. He laid me gently down on the bed and sat beside me as he waited for my answer. His mouth was tight and he still looked angry—though at least his eyes had gone back to full-black instead of white or silver.
“I…I don’t know,” I mumbled. The entire left side of my face felt swollen and hot and I still tasted blood when I talked. “He slapped me,” I explained, pointing to the hurt part of my face. “And choked me—trying to get…get the collar off.”
Sir closed his eyes briefly and breathed deeply, inhaling through his nose. I thought he looked like a man who was counting to ten to try and control his temper. At last he opened his eyes again and nodded at me.
“I’ll synthesize some healing wraps,” he said and got up.