Unbroken Treasure

A Sci-fi Romance

Layla Stone

Prompt Penworks

Copyright © 2020 by Layla Stone

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Contents

Things you need to know before starting this book:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Epilogue

Acknowledgments

More Books by Layla Stone

Things you need to know before starting this book:

The alien races and places you will be exposed to in this book are:

Terrans are humans from Earth.

Roth Demons are an alien raced called Kirca that assumed the Demon nickname. Roth Demons have blue skin, blue hair and pleasure spots on their spine.

Kinglings are dragon faced humanoids from the uncivilized side of space called the Outworlds.

Night Demons are an alien race called Kirca that assumed the Demon nickname. Night Demons have horns, long sharp teeth or some form of bone abnormality.

Red Demons have red skin and are known for their consuming sexual appetites.

One

Seso’s fingers released the heavy chain from his right hand. The clinking echoed in his ears as the links fell on top of each other and landed near his naked foot. Thousands of tingles rushed under his skin as blood returned to his limbs. His latest abuser was lying face-up with dead, dull eyes, looking beyond him.

The male was Terran. Not the first of his kind to get sexual gratification from drawing blood, screams, and tears from a body.

Seso stood, waiting for the next master to come in and punish him, but no one opened the door. There was a weakness in his mind, telling him to curl up and hope the punishment wouldn’t hurt too much. Seso pushed that thought away and tried to cut through the pain in his back and the aches in his legs from being chained in the fetal position for so long.

Watching the door, he backed up until he was next to the trash shoot. The shoot was a wooden plank that lay flush under the frilly red rug. The masters used it to shove dead slaves down. Seso had seen it happen seven times over the past five years in the time he’d been imprisoned in the mansion of horrors.

Seso didn’t know where the trash went, but considering that it was a planet and not a spaceship, he figured there was a good chance he’d survive if he used it to escape.

Ripping back the rug, he felt his heart start to pound. The throbbing in his body was nothing compared to the hope surging through his blood.

He needed this.

He had to escape. Or die.

He refused to be a slave any longer.

Pulling back the thin rope, the lid opened, allowing the scent of rotting flesh and death to fill his nostrils. The smell made his stomach wriggle. His determination didn’t wane. In fact, Seso determined that falling on a pile of dead bodies would be better than hitting the hard ground. See, I can still be optimistic.

As quickly as possible, he rounded the opening, stuck his legs down the hole, pushed his butt off the floor, and slipped into the tunnel, falling fast. Seso crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes.

This would be the beginning of his freedom. Either that, or his death…and he welcomed either situation.

* * *

“You don’t look very dead,” whispered a female.

Seso inhaled deeply as he opened his eyes to the pitch-black darkness. The smell of rot and death were strong, and he had no idea where he was. Hell, he didn’t even remember hitting the bottom of the trash shoot. But knowing someone else was in the dark with him didn’t sit well.

“I’m not dead. And if you touch me, I’ll break your neck,” he said with absolute honesty.

“Why exactly would I touch you? You’re naked, and you have nothing of value.”

Seso felt his lips curl with coldness. “And yet, my nakedness has brought males and females from all over the galaxies to hurt me so they can get off.”

“I don’t think it was your nakedness,” she said.

True, it wasn’t because he was naked. It was because he was rare. “It’s because I’m dark-skinned. There aren’t many black Terrans anymore. Earth has become one massive breeding ground.”

“No. You’re big. That’s why.”

He knew that too, but he was still rare.

“And you have good, ah, facial features.”

Seso didn’t like that she thought so. But he understood that she wasn’t like the other females that used him that way. At least, he didn’t think so. Regardless, he didn’t comment on it.

“You jumped, didn’t you? No one dropped you in the trash.”

Seso noticed that the sound of her voice had moved—she was slinking away from him.

He had no intention of admitting anything to her, but he also didn’t want her to leave. He couldn’t see in the dark, and she might know the way out of here…wherever he was. “How long have you been in the garbage?”

“You mean this cave?”

Cave? “Yeah, the cave. How long have you been here?”

“What’s today’s date?”

He told her the current Federation month and year.

“Almost three years.”

Seso sat up, feeling a new splinter of pain in his ribs. He pressed his hand to his chest and hoped she didn’t notice. Trying to keep his voice calm, he asked, “If you haven’t left in three years, does that mean there is no way out?”

He heard footsteps, and then her voice was closer. Right in front of him, in fact. “There’s a way out, but you won’t be able to escape with your injuries.”

“You don’t know me. I got this far; I can keep going.”

He heard her snort. “Try if you can to wrap your little brain around this concept. I’ve been here longer, I’ve seen what happens to people who try to escape before they are ready.”

Seso didn’t like anything she’d just said. The way she talked to him as if she were better than him rubbed him the wrong way. All the abusers who called themselves his masters talked to him like that. He didn’t think this female was a master, but she still acted as if he had no choice but to stay, and he felt the remnants of the hell he had been living in.

“Well I’m not waiting.”

“Figured you weren’t. Have a nice life. And, hopefully, a quick death.” Her voice was so close that Seso didn’t hesitate to reach out into the darkness and connect with the body in front of him.

He hit too hard, and the female fell back. He followed to keep her from leaving him, and fell himself. He landed on a body, feeling her naked skin and her long hair beneath him. The female growled. “Get off me or I swear to Seth I will cut you up into little pieces and feed you to the cave bugs myself.”

Seso placed his hand around the back of her throat and used his body weight to keep her down. “Listen closely, cave walker. I am not waiting for your approval to leave this hellhole of a planet. I’m going now, and you are taking me. If you so much as try to trick me or lead me to a group of cannibals, I will not hesitate to kill you.”

“Get. Your. Hand. Off. My. Back.”

Seso didn’t understand why she was worried about her back when his dominant hand was around her neck. Maybe she was hurt, or perhaps she needed him to lift up so she had leverage. Either way, he didn’t give in to her demand.

“You want up, you agree to my terms.”

“No deal, Terran. Now get off and find your own exit.”

Seso pushed down on her back, rubbing in a circle, hoping to inflict just enough pain to make her change her mind. The female didn’t cry out. Instead, she growled, “Fine. Just stop.” It wasn’t a tone of pain, it was one of rage.

Without another thought, he leapt back, releasing her. He didn’t understand why touching her back was so bad, but maybe she was conditioned in some way. In the mansion of hell, he had developed his own triggers.

Specifically, the sound of chains. “I was not trying to rape you. I don’t know what your abusers did to you, but touching your back is not a sexual turn-on for me,” he said firmly but also softly. The naked female was probably a slave like he was and had escaped years before.

“Go to hell.”

“I’m already there,” he spat back.

Seso heard the female take in a long, audible breath, and then everything went silent. Scanning the darkness, he tried to listen closely to discern any sound of footsteps. If he followed her, she might lead him into a trap. Or she could lead him to her hovel—at least he suspected she had a hovel.

“Even if you did escape, it’s winter outside. The air is so cold, it seeps into your bones. And that’s only the first problem. The second is where to go when you get out. I was awake when I was brought from the ship to the mansion. There is nothing else for miles and miles. There is nothing out there, and nothing here but massive cave bugs and furry beasts that love to eat people. So, by all means. I can lead you out, but don’t get your hopes up.”

Seso heard all he needed to hear. She wasn’t a part of the faction of cannibal slaves that escaped into the caves. She wasn’t a master. She wasn’t ignorant of the dangers. And most of all, she wanted out too, but she just didn’t know how, which was why she was going to help him.

He didn’t turn around because he didn’t want her to see how pleased he was by her admission. “Do you know how often the slave ships come?”

“No, but I think they come often.”

He had to agree with that. The new slaves were the ones begging to be let go, to try and reason with the masters. And he heard them every week or two.

“If you get me outside this cave, I can get us a ride on a slave ship.”

She snorted again. “I’m not going back on a slave ship. I’d rather live the rest of my life here than be subject to another mansion.”

He understood that, but there was something she didn’t know. Seso turned around, and he felt a smug grin on his mouth as he told her, “Try if you can to wrap your little head around this concept. I’m a pirate, and I know more about ships than you do. And I know where all the secret spots are and where no one will bother to look. So, here’s my deal: get me out of this cave, and I’ll get you off this planet.”

When she didn’t immediately agree, he lost his grin. She wanted something else, but she wasn’t telling him what that was. “What is it? What’s that nagging little worry in the back of your head saying?”

When she didn’t answer, he prompted, “Are you afraid I’m lying?”

“No. I don’t think you’ll make it.”

“I’ll make it, trust me.”

“If you do make it, and we do get off this planet, I—” She stopped herself. Seso was about to tell her to speak her thoughts, but she quickly amended, “Actually, there is no point in worrying about it until we get out of this cave.”

Seso wouldn’t call himself sensitive. He didn’t go out of his way to be the kind of male a female wanted to share her problems with. Most of that was because he had a hard life and lived with bastards like him that didn’t dare talk about feelings. Even now, he didn’t want to talk about hers, but he did want to address her concerns.

“If you’re afraid of someone looking for you after we escape, don’t.” Immediately after he said those words, he knew the full weight of them. He was, in a bold way, telling a strange female that he’d take care of her. Protect her and ensure death came to anyone who tried to go after her.

The only time in his life he protected anyone was when he worked for Clalls as head of security. And it wasn’t that he protected anyone specific, he just kept the spaceport pirate-free. That job lasted a year before he was knocked out and kidnapped.

Seso wasn’t an idiot. Another would have already filled his position, and Clalls was probably happy to be rid of him. But Seso had money, enough to get him and the female to a safe place. Most likely a moon with small towns. Big cities were dangerous because predators liked to fade into a crowd, picking their prey as they pleased, knowing that no one could find them.

By the time the female responded, Seso had almost forgotten what he’d said. “I always thought Yunkins were arrogant, but they have nothing on you, Terran.”

Seso almost rolled his eyes.

“I am not worried about someone finding me after we escape. If we escape. Right now, we need to worry about getting clothes, because there is no way we will last outside in those temperatures naked.”

That’s right, they were sans-clothes, and she could see every inch of him. It hadn’t bothered him before, but now with his manhood burrowing inside his body for warmth, he reached down and covered his groin.

The female chuckled. “Those were curled up minutes after you landed.”

Two

Mei watched the male flinch as if he weren’t okay with her seeing his sex exposed as it was. Knowing that he was a sex slave, she wondered how he could be sensitive about his nakedness. He should be used to it by now. Or maybe that was just her.

Or perhaps it was because he was Terran, a race so different from hers. Regardless, it was pointless to think on it because they had a lot to do and a long way to travel if they wanted to exit the cave.

“I’m going to hold out my arm to your left.” When she did, he grabbed it with the hand that had been covering his exposed sex.

She took a tentative step forward, making sure that he followed. When he did, she picked up the pace. After a few minutes, the male asked, “What’s your name?”

She usually didn’t tell the other survivors her name. Mostly because they died shortly after they fell. Mei had survived on her own. How, she would never know, especially given the cave beasts that frequented the spot.

For whatever reason, she’d lived and thrived. The Terran in front of her looked mentally strong, but she didn’t trust his body. Her kind were naturally stronger than his, but her lack of food and water had made her weak. That was the only reason he had been able to hold her down.

“What kind of Demon are you?”

Mei narrowed her eyes at the male. “Why do you think I’m a Demon?”

“Demons see in the dark.”

“So do Alluses and cyborgs.”

He was quiet, but his expression said he was thinking. She didn’t like it.

“True,” he said with a shrug. “But I would still place bets that you’re a Demon.”

“You say it like it matters what my race is.”

His expression said it did, but his words contradicted that. “Just wanted to get a mental picture of what you look like.”

“I’ve spent three years in a cave. No shower, no soap, and no clothes.”

“You don’t stink, and your skin isn’t grimy. I’m a pirate, I know what a person who doesn’t take care of themselves smells and feels like.”

“Trying to compliment me, Terran?”

“My name is Seso. And no, I wasn’t complimenting you. I was stating a fact.”

She was about to tell him that it sounded an awful lot like a compliment, but her mouth wouldn’t work. Her stomach dropped, and she used her arm to stop Seso from taking another step. Amazingly enough, he didn’t say a word.

Instead, he too froze, which probably saved their lives because just then, a spider the size of a small ship crawled out of her home to look right at her. The spider had an eerie translucent body with a blueish-green underbelly.

It was not the kind of spider that lived in webs but rather those that wandered. It was particularly sensitive to movement. Until it left, they would have to stay exactly as they were.

The spider must have sensed something, because it didn’t move either.

Mei worried that Seso would say or do something to force her to abandon him. But he didn’t. The moment lingered for at least five minutes before the spider moved forward.

Her insides screamed to run, but she knew better.

With every slow, stalking step forward, the spider’s black pinchers got closer and closer. But just when she thought it would do something, the spider stepped around them and kept moving. Mei didn’t bother to turn around, not yet.

Her heart continued hammering in her chest, especially now that she couldn’t see the spider. Wandering bastards like them tended to circle back if they thought there was prey in the area.

If she and Seso were to have any chance at all, she needed to leave him standing as he was and run and grab her things—and do it all before the bastard came back. She knew what she had to do, but she wanted to give herself another few seconds to build up the courage.

The seconds ticked by, but no courage surged.

Damn.

As quietly as she could, Mei whispered, “Don’t move. I’m going to get my stuff. There are predators around, and they will kill you if you move. Okay?”

“You better come back,” he whispered.

“Don’t worry about that. I can’t actually escape without you.”

“What?” he hissed.

“I’ll explain later,” she said and pulled her arm from his hold. Turning around, she searched the area, thankful the spider was gone. But when she peered up on the wall, all the blood drained from her body. The spider was there. Or, more accurately, it was falling. Which meant, it saw her.

She cursed, grabbed Seso’s hand, and yanked him forward. “Run.”

He didn’t run, he stumbled. A lot. She could see the pain on his face when she started to drag him, but it was either that or let him die, and for some stupid reason, she didn’t feel like letting him die.

When they got to the hole in the wall she had carved out herself, she stuffed him in first, seeing the spider lunge. She followed Seso, feeling her heart stop as she grabbed the door and attempted to shut it.

The spider’s leg stopped the door, and its thorn pricked her thigh. Her heart cried out in fear, or maybe she cried out for real. She had never gotten so close before. She felt Seso’s hands as he tried to pull her back.

“No. No. I need to shut the door.”

“Move out of the way, I can close it.”

“No, you can’t. You’re blind in the dark,” she snapped back, glad to have someone to yell at. Pushing with all her might, she heard the sound of bone or cartilage cracking. The spider leg was trying to get out, but she didn’t care. Pushing harder, she snapped the leg and closed the door, locking it in one fell swoop.

The leg flinched, and she curled back.

Seso was looking in her direction, but his eyes didn’t see her. The fact that he’d thought to save her was stupid. Her anger flared. “Rule number one. Do as I say and nothing more. Your help almost got me eaten.”

“By what? What was that?”

“A wandering cave spider.”

He frowned. “We ran from a spider?”

Was it wrong to punch a blind person in the mouth? Probably. “A spider the size of a small ship, you jerk.”

His brows rose. “Really?”

“Why would I lie about that?” she yelled, unable to keep the mixture of fear and adrenaline from her tone.

Seso held up a hand. “Okay. Okay. You’re at a fifteen, and I’m going to need to you bring it down to three.”

“What the hell does that even mean?”

“Calm the hell down, woman. That’s what it means.”

Slapping his shoulder, she hissed. “First, don’t call me woman. I am not your kind. And secondly, don’t tell me to calm down. I just saved your life.”

He caught her hand, twirled her around, and pulled her into a backwards hug where her back was to his chest. His face lowered to her neck, and she stopped. “What are you doing?”

His words were firm but not angry. “Breathe. Slowly. In and out. Let your blood move through your body. Let your limbs sag, and your heart warm. You’re alive, it’s over, all you have to do is breathe.”

“I am breathing, you idiot. And this is not helping.”

And it wasn’t, because she was purposefully pushing her spine into his chest and felt nothing. Sensation of touch had been taken from her, and she hated it.

“Shut up. And yes, it is. Your heart isn’t beating as fast.”

True. But also, it was slowing for a whole different reason. She was reacting to being touched after so long being without it. Despite her sensitive spots being gone, she could still feel his arms around her and the pressure. She liked it enough that a low throb started up between her legs and made itself known.

“Are we done?” she said disdainfully.

“Yeah, we’re done,” he said, letting her go.

She pushed him to keep crawling, letting him go first, but he shook his head. “No, you first.”

It took another second to realize that he was covering his sex again. But instead of it being tucked inside, it was out….and half-swollen.

Mei could have pretended that she didn’t notice, but that wasn’t who she was. “You’re not as small as I thought you were.”

His jaw tightened. “Stop looking at it.”

She didn’t. “You’re a well-endowed Terran.”

“Shut up.”

She smiled as the member started to lose its girth. “Now that I know what you have between your legs, I’ll make sure to find you pants that can hold that big guy.”

Seso shook his head and turned, crawling first and giving her a show that she didn’t exactly want. “I was responding to the adrenaline of almost dying. Not you, Demon.”

Mei smiled. “Keep telling yourself that, Terran, if it helps you feel better. And don’t call me Demon. My name is Mei.””

“You’re still a Demon,” he said, still heading farther into her home.

“You don’t know that.”

“Oh yes, I do.”

Grinning, she knew he was bluffing. “Want to make a bet?”

“Yep. A thousand keleps says you’re a Demon.”

Her smile fell. Damn him.

That’s when she heard him laugh, an honest to Seth laugh that filled the air and her heart. How did anyone, let alone a Terran, make a laugh sound sexy?

What was wrong with her?

Three

Inside Mei’s home, he asked, “Do you have a light, or do you make fires in here?”

“Why would I need a light when I can see in the dark. And no, a fire would suffocate me with the smoke.”

Seso heard her, but he wasn’t convinced that she didn’t have a light. More importantly, he wanted to know what she looked like. He wanted to know if the female who fit perfectly against him and in his arms was as beautiful as he hoped.

“What kind of Demon are you?” he asked.

Mei was doing something, he could hear scraping against the walls, but in the dark, he could see nothing. And that bothered him, too.

“Why does it matter? A Demon is a Demon, right?”

It was a common put-down that all Demons were alike in that they were all deal-wielding, soulless bastards. But after the hell he had been living in, he felt as if the worst of all Demons were the Red ones. Those were so driven by sex; they took it to a dark place and then invited friends to participate.

So no, not all Demons were alike. Not for him.

“All I want to know is, are you a Red Demon?” As he asked, he prayed to Seth that she wasn’t.

“Demons are notorious liars, why would you even believe me?”

“Either way, I’m going to find out what kind of Demon you are when we get outside. So, you can lie to me, but there is no reason to. I figure you’ll tell me the truth.”

“Oh, will I?” she said and then scraped something else by him. Her evasiveness would have been amusing if he weren’t in his element. But in his powerless situation, he almost resented her for it.

“Why are you being so irritating right now?” he asked, not expecting an answer.

“Because there’s a spider outside that is probably going to eat us if I don’t figure out a way to stop it. I also have to get my tools for finding food, my jug for holding water, and of course, I need to make you something to hold that oversized beast between your legs.”

Seso wasn’t small, but her constant comments on his dick weren’t helpful. And he refused to let any of her interest cause him to harden again. He wasn’t having sex with a faceless body.

“What can I do to help?”

“Nothing, I have everything,” she said. After that, he heard fabric ripping, and he pictured a white sheet.

“Okay, stand up, legs apart so I can put this on,” she commanded.

He did as she said. That’s when he felt her cold fingers, followed by a texture he didn’t recognize. He reached down and skimmed his fingers over the edge. “What is this?”

“Leather.”

Seso didn’t groan, but his heart did. He had served time in those rooms. He knew that the masters were big into suffocation and restraints. There was no other way he could think of that she’d have leather.

It was either hers or from a dead body.

“I can let the pieces hang freely to cover your beast, but your giblets will be wobbly.”

Never as a grown male had anyone talked about his balls as giblets or wobbly. It was so outrageous that he found himself chuckling. “I’ll be fine so long as I’m covered.”

“All right, then.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?” she said as she stood up. Her voice changed pitches when she was standing in front of him.

“Are you going to cover yourself, too?”

“Why? You can’t see my lady bits.”

Seso had no idea if she was being annoying on purpose or not, but he found himself speaking forcefully. “You said it was going to get colder. That means you need to dress.”

“I have thick skin. I’ll be fine.”

“Put clothes on.”

“Watch your tone, Terran,” she said as she poked him in the ribs.

Seso sucked in a hiss because the sharp, slicing pain that coursed through his chest was unexpected and burning.

“Ouch. I didn’t mean to poke you that hard, sorry,” she said. “And I’m already dressed.”

Seso shook his head. This is why Demons were annoying. Thinking on the other problems she listed off, he said, “I can carry the tools and jugs.”

“The tool is a single knife, and the jug is a tied-off leather pant leg. It’s empty right now, so it’s not a lot of weight.”

None of that sounded good. “You’re going up against a giant spider with a knife?” Seso didn’t like those odds, even if he wasn’t blind. “Do you even know how to properly use a blade?”

“I made you that hot little loincloth, didn’t I?”

“I’m being serious. Are you a knife fighter?”

“I don’t have a choice. I have to be a knife fighter today.”

Seso ground his teeth. “There is no point in going up against an enemy if you don’t know how to win. The fact that you don’t know that worries me.”

“You act like there’s an alternative,” she snapped back. “There isn’t.”

“There is. You can practice, with me as your coach.”

Silence.

He folded his arms over his chest like he usually did when he didn’t like the response he was getting. But his stance was shaky. Letting his arms drop, he waited.

More silence.

“I’m being serious,” he snapped.

“I can tell. I can also tell that being useless bothers the hell out of you. But right now, you can’t help. After we get out of the caves, it will be your time to shine. Deal?”

Ah, there is was. The deal.

“I would agree to your deal, but I know me, and I know I’ll still try to help.”

She growled. “Figures.”

Four

Mei was nervous. So much so that her stomach quivered, and her hands shook. She was not a knife fighter. Not at all. Yes, she was a Demon with thicker-than-Terran skin, and a better healing ability, but she wasn’t immortal.

Fighting the spider could kill her. If she died, Seso would end up starving to death in her cave if he stayed inside. If he ventured out, he would absolutely die from a predator. The cave was filled with creepy crawlers.

Near the door, she took long breaths, thinking of every possible scenario she might walk out to. Such as a spider who was stuck on top of the wall, waiting to pounce. Or maybe he never left and was right outside the door, waiting for a small opening to crash inside.

Ugh.

She needed to calm down.

“Mei?”

Hearing Seso speak her name was too alluring to ignore. Turning her head, she looked back towards the tunnel to see Seso’s upper body.

“Yes, Seso,” she responded since they were using proper nouns now.

He lifted a long brown bone. “Is this a human bone? Am I in some sort of lair?”

“Yes, that’s a human bone. And yes, this is my lair,” she said mockingly. “I brought you here to eat you, my precious.”

Seso let the bone drop from his fingers. His tone dead serious, he said, “Did you come to the trash shoot because you were hoping to feast on my dead body?”

Mei didn’t know why but seeing how uncomfortable he had become brought her a world of satisfaction. Not just a surge of happiness, but…something deeper than that. She felt, more like a Demon than she ever had before.

Her blood surged with playfulness as she crept back down the tunnel. When she was almost right in front of him, she noticed that he naturally backed up, his instincts telling him that someone was near.

She loved it.

In a sultry voice, she whispered, “I planned to walk you around the cave until you gave up, then fatten you up with glow worms and cave crustaceans. I’d be able to feed off you for monthssss.”

“Don’t make me kill you,” he said sarcastically.

She laughed.

“You’re so annoying.”

She laughed harder. When she finished, she wiped a happy tear from her right eye and told him, “I steal clothes and anything the dead people are wearing. I don’t eat them because I’m afraid of getting a disease.”

He rolled his lip back as if picturing it. Or maybe that was just her.

“That’s a baby spider leg. I use it to kill and eat the glow worms.”

He scowled.

“Don’t make that face. It was either eating worms or try to kill a cave beast. I went for the easier option.” When he didn’t comment, she added, “Are we done? Because I’d like to get this over with.” Backing up, she turned in the narrow tunnel and headed back to the door.

“Get what over with? The killing the spider or the fattening me up part?”

Figured he be annoying, too. “Can’t fatten you up, man-pet. Not until I kill the spider.”

“You’re so annoying.”

“So are you, precious.”

Back at the door, she felt less stressed. She didn’t know why, but she didn’t care. With the knife in her dominant hand, she slowly opened the door enough to see out.

No spider.

She opened it farther, noticing that the air on the outside was cooler. Sticking her undominant hand out, she wiggled it as a stupid attempt to lure the spider if it was watching from above. Moments later, she didn’t see or hear any movement, so she opened the door wider.

Slipping her foot out, she stepped into a wide cavern. She first looked up and scanned the walls. Walking out, she listened closely to the sounds of the cave.

Still nothing.

Venturing farther, she was surprised that the spider didn’t stay. That was odd….

Oh.

Mei saw a leg bone and other spider parts on the rocky ground. Fear crept back up her spine as she started to back up. Whatever had eaten the spider was near—or could be near—and they needed to leave.

She didn’t remember any of the large predators ever coming this close to her home before.

Five

Seso was slow as he made sure every step was sure before he moved on. Mei didn’t comment on it and he was glad she didn’t. His slowness was irritating. The fact that she was being soft-hearted about it annoyed him. No, it made him feel guilty for his actions, and he respected her a hell of a lot more.

Mei was not the hardened pirate wenches he used to bed all those years ago. She wasn’t a little sweetheart from Clalls’ spaceport that liked to tumble with a male like him. No, Mei was…Mei.

Annoying. Helpful. Courageous.

“Seso, stop.” Her serious tone worried him.

“Why?”

“Shhhhhhh,” she said, and Seso remained silent. Then he heard something that sounded like twigs snapping. He held his breath and hoped they’d be okay. He prayed to Seth to help them get free.

He didn’t hear when the thing was gone, but minutes later, Mei said, “Okay, let’s keep going.”

Mei stepped forward, and he felt the top she had on pull from his fingers. He quickly grabbed hold of the material that felt more like a tablecloth and continued following in silence.

* * *

Seso was lying back on a rock when he heard footsteps. His eyes popped open, and fear burned in his stomach.

“It’s me.”

Mei. Her voice had become his compass in the darkness. Seso knew every intonation, her moves and her smell. Everything about her was seeping into his skin.

Her soft shhhh when there was something far off and she wanted to avoid it. The quick stop, when they walked up on something dangerous. The way she would reach back, grab his hand, and guide him over a hole or some thinning earth.

Since they left, they had stopped twice. This being the second time. He had not slept, and he could feel his body starting to give up. The pain in his chest had gotten worse, and breathing was painful regardless of which way he moved or how shallowly he breathed.

He had told her he would keep going, but she had him sit down. He felt like that was hours ago. Honestly, he had convinced himself she’d left him.

Hearing her voice again was like seeing the sun once more. His lips curled back of their own accord. “Welcome back to the cave of my nightmares. I saved you a spot right here,” he said, patting the ground next to him.

“Is this our spot now? Are we going to have our first kiss here?” she said sarcastically.

The thought of kissing her had not entered his mind until then. He knew she was likely joking, but he suddenly wanted to know her mouth.

Even if she ended up being a grisly-looking Demon, he didn’t think he would think less of her. She was in his skin now, in every part of him.

She sat down, grabbed his hand, and turned it face-up. Then placed something wet in his palm.

“What is this?”

“Food. Just don’t ask me what it is.”

“What is it?” he asked unable to process eating something he couldn’t see.

“You don’t want to know. Just eat it.”

“I’m not eating it until you tell me what it is,” he replied firmly.

She hesitated before being annoying again. “So, all I have to do is tell you what it is, and you’ll eat it? No matter what?”

“Mei…” He said her name as a warning.

“It’s smashed worm larvae.”

He held it back out in her direction. “No. I can’t.”

She huffed. “You have to. We’ve got a long way to go, and you need to keep your energy up. You’re moving slower than when we started.”

“That’s because I’m in pain. My ribs hurt and so do my lungs.”

“And your back? It’s got marks all over it.”

He hated the soft sound of pity in her voice as she mentioned his wounds. He was hurt, but he wasn’t dead.

“I’m fine.” When she didn’t respond, he pushed his hand against her thigh to get her to take the larvae.

“I already ate. That’s for you. If you want to throw away all my hard work, do it.”

Damn her.

He waited until his mind stopped picturing what he thought it looked like. Considering it was only a handful, he figured he could get it down. But he was sure by the consistency that he wasn’t going to keep it down for long.

He was a pirate, not a starving cave walker.

As the mashed larvae hit his tongue, he almost spit it right back out. It tasted foul and felt slimy, yet he forced himself to shovel the whole thing into his mouth and swallow without chewing. The awful taste lingered, and he thought he might throw it back up when he suddenly felt Mei push something into his chest. “Water. Clean and minerally.”

He took the leather pouch, found the top, and turned the whole thing upside down, guzzling as much as he could as the rest splashed down his cheeks, neck and chest.

“You drink like a pirate.”

He finished the water, suppressed a burp, and said, “How many pirates do you know?”

“I know you.”

He smiled at that. As much as he wanted to be annoyed, he wasn’t. She wasn’t malicious, but she sure did like to play. So, he played back. “What happened to trying to fatten me up? A handful of worms isn’t going to get me nice and round.”

“It’s all a part of my master plan. I need you to think we’re really getting out, but soon, you’ll lose all hope.”

He hated the part of his mind that took her seriously. It was the same part that wanted him to cower and hide when he killed his last abuser. But Seso wasn’t weak to himself. He knew she was joking. His gut told him so.

He felt her hand slip into his. He squeezed it when their fingers interlaced. Her touch brought him peace, and he was practically glowing inside when he felt her head come to rest on his shoulder.

“Is it naptime already?” he asked, wondering how long they would rest.

“It is for you,” she said sweetly, and he sat up straighter.

“What?” he asked but then he felt it. His head, or his eyes, they just felt heavy. The pain in his sides, back, and chest reduced so much that he took his first big breath. “You weren’t joking, were you?”

He felt something brush his jaw, and then she kissed him. “Seso…you’re hurt and need to rest. Those larvae will numb the pain and give you a chance to recover your energy. I’ll keep an eye on you as you sleep.”

As she talked, he felt dizzy, even though he was sure he was sitting down.

“I’m going to lay you down on my lap. Everything will be fine. I won’t let anyone harm you.”

He was unable to move as she pulled him down. Suddenly, his head was in her lap, and he wanted to…he wanted to…do something—anything but fall asleep. But his body was caught in a trap, and he had no choice.

“I’ll be here when you wake.”

If she was smart, she wouldn’t be, because he was gonna be pissed.

* * *

Seso woke up feeling heavy and achy but his mind was alert and active.

“Welcome back to the cave of a sweet thoughtful Demon who hopes you’re not mad at her.”

“That’s a horrible name for a lair,” he said, stretching his body. When he sat up, he felt her stand up. He followed.

“How’re your ribs?”

“Better,” he admitted. “But there will be payback.”

“Mmmmm. I love that chocolate bar. Can I get two paybacks?”

What the hell was she talking about? “There is no such thing as a payback chocolate bar.”

“Uh, yes, there is.”

“No, there isn’t.”

“It’s starts with ‘pay.’”

Seso scoffed. “Are you talking about a Payday? Those aren’t even chocolate.”

“Hmm. Well, which one had chocolate?”

How did he lose a handle on this conversation? Why was Mei so…crazy?

“All of the rest are. You know what, I’m not even going to bother, you wouldn’t know punishment if it looked you in the face.”

Her tone changed to something raspy but hollow. “I know what punishment is, and so do you. So let’s not act like the scum of the galaxies and threaten to punish each other, shall we?”

Seso felt those words like a one-two punch. Remorse filled him, and he nodded, knowing she could see him.

“If you’re ready, let’s keep going,” she said.

Seso was more than ready. He held out his hand to feel for her top. When he grabbed it, they began their journey again.

They walked in silence, and their pace was faster, but that was probably because he was getting better at walking behind her. He knew when to be careful and lift his feet up high, and he knew when to not worry about it.

They stopped one more time, but he only drank the water. The food she made for him was dumped on the ground. It was a mixture of not trusting her and that fact that she told him it was river bugs.

After that stop, she told him they were almost halfway there. He didn’t like the slow progress, but he didn’t care. If they kept on going, they’d find freedom.

The walk was slower after the water break, and at first, he thought it was because Mei noticed his breathing was labored. But when she stopped quickly and hissed a, “Stop,” he knew it was not because of him.

He kept his mouth shut and stood still.

His mind created pictures of cave cannibals eating a male who was still alive. Then it flipped to big spiders lined up all over the walls with webs everywhere and no real way to cross. He tried to close his mind to that nightmare, but it was hard when he could hear wet crunching.

Seso hated the dark. If he ever got free, he was sleeping in the light for the rest of his life.

Seso felt Mei’s fingertips slide along the fleshy part of his palm. He let go of her shirt and took guidance from her. She gently pulled him to his right, then guided him to a seated position.

She tapped his lips as if to say, “no talking.” Seso didn’t think he could have talked if he wanted to.

His heart was beating faster, and his breaths were getting more labored, but he tried as hard as he could to not make a sound.

Seso felt the rock and sat back, but in no way was he relaxed. Her thumb brushed back and forth on his skin. If she was trying to calm him, it wasn’t working, so he tapped her thumb to tell her to stop.

She did, thank Seth.

She didn’t move or speak for a good long while, then he heard something large stepping by them. Mei squeezed his hand, and he wished he could see. But at this point, he didn’t know if he wanted to know what was around them.

The sound faded into the background, but they didn’t leave. He hoped there wasn’t another one of those…whatever it was.

He heard Mei’s breath stutter and then she leaned. He felt her breath against his ear. “We need to swim across the water. It’s cold and filled with large eggs that we should pray to Seth don’t hatch as we cross. And…we can’t make any noise.”

Seso didn’t know how that was going to happen, but he trusted that she would guide him.

Six

Mei bit her lip and hoped she was making the right choice to be honest and open with Seso. He hadn’t responded well to the last time she’d tried to ease his pain, but this time it mattered more.

“You’re not going to make the distance with your ribs being the way they are.”

She watched his free hand grab her arm and squeeze before he growled out, “You’re not leaving me.”

She brushed her lips over his skin, watching his eyes close in pleasure. Then she whispered, “I’m not leaving you. I’m too addicted to your smell, your voice, and how you play with me. You make me feel like a Demon again. Which is why I need you to eat a larva to deaden your senses and pain.”

“I’ll drown,” he said, not pulling away from her touch. Considering that he was fresh from the mansion, he was almost surprised, but she had been touch-starved for years. She was drawn to him in a way a starving person needed food.

Seso, though, was more than a scrap, he was a feast. Big, broad with a strong face. His mind was sharp, and his willpower was equal to any Demon’s. This was a male for a Demon like her.

“You’re mine, Seso. I won’t let you drown.”

“Yours?” he said in a way that didn’t indicate that he wanted to be her mate.

“Yes…” she said, less sure then, so she rolled it into a joke. “You’re going to be my feast, remember? I can’t let anyone else get you.”

He was silent.

She pushed away the hurt of being shot down. Plucking a single larva from her pocket, she tapped it to his mouth. To her shock, he opened, and she plopped it in. He closed his mouth, scowled, chewed once and then swallowed.

“You could have killed it first.”

“They are more potent while alive.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Mei wanted to comment on that, but she didn’t. It was not the time to get chatty. They were still surrounded by sleeping fin-faced beasts. She didn’t know the technical name, but considering they had a tall white bone-looking fin on their noses, it was a good enough name.

“I don’t feel a thing,” he said.

Crap. She should have waited until they were in the water. He might not be able to walk. She crouched up, ready to grab him and drag his body when he followed her up.

Oh.

Good.

She took his hand this time and very slowly inched forward to the water. She squeezed his hand right before they entered the frigid lake. The coldness was biting, and she felt herself tense. Seso should have been worse, but he wasn’t.

She watched the tops of the water for the white bone fin. Seso slid into the water like a male slipping into a pool. There was a slight smile and then he slowly moved one arm to breaststroke.

Damn that larva was a good idea.

He’d better thank her later.

Soon after they started, they changed positions. He was out front, breaststroking, and she was behind, guiding him with little touches on his hip. It was labor-intensive, but she kept swimming.

Near the other side, Mei was breathing hard, and Seso was struggling to keep going. The sleepiness had hit, and she had to turn him onto his back and pull him the rest of the way.

On the beach of the other side, she wanted to cackle in joy that they’d made it. But then Seso rolled over and burped…loudly.

The echo woke the beasts. Her heart dropped; they were dead. Looking behind her, she had no idea where they were. She had never gotten that far before. She had to make a quick decision whether she was going to leave Seso to go hide and pray they didn’t eat him… Or drag him and hope she could find a hiding spot for them both.

Damn it.

Cursing in fear, she grabbed Seso’s arm and pulled. She was glad that he was asleep because the stream of blood she was leaving behind was probably painful. But she was saving his life, so he’d better not get pissed again.

She got a few feet before the closest fin-faced beast crossed the water.

Behind her, she noticed there was a ledge, and she was sure it was their death. Pulling as hard as she could, she looked for any other way, but there was nothing. The beast caught up and used its face to knock Seso’s body to the side and then came after her. She was too close to the ledge. When the beast grabbed her with its mouth, she expected to die instantly.

Nope.

They both fell, and the beast let go, making a horrible sound. She fell into another lake that had a fine layer of ice on top. The hit was hard, and her lungs screamed at how much colder this water was.

It was also moving. She fought to get to the side and climbed out, shaking and wondering if it was possible to turn bluer.

Mei wanted so badly to curl up and warm herself but Seso was up there with the beasts and she needed to get to him.

The rocks were crumbly and made climbing dangerous and take longer than necessary. At the ledge, she scanned the area and saw where Seso had been thrown. Two fin-faces were cleaning each other.

Crawling over, she tried to be as quiet as possible. When she touched Seso, his eyes opened, and she tapped his lip. He exhaled, and she loved the relief in his body when she was near.

She moved to his ear and whispered, “I don’t have another worm, and this next part is going to hurt.”

He nodded and held out his hand. She smiled at his willpower and courage. Pulling him to the edge, she kicked her feet over and then held his hand as she said, “Trust me.” Yanking him over, Seso yelled, and she heard the fin-faces rush to the edge. But they didn’t go over.

They hit the water hard, and her skin tensed.

Above the thin and cracking ice, she heard Seso curse. She pulled him to the side, and they crawled out. Without asking for permission, she scrabbled onto his lap, removed her wet top-slash-dress that was made from a tablecloth, and held him.

He wrapped his arms around her back and nuzzled her neck. “I hate the cold more than the dark.”

“Me, too.”

“Dozzzn’t count…for you.”

“Rude,” she said playfully, trying to keep her tone light. “It’s not my fault I can see in the dark.”

“How much farther?”

She wanted to lie. But the truth came out because they both needed it. “I’ve never gotten this far.”

He didn’t stop shivering, but his tone changed. “Then how do you know the way?”

“In winter, I learned to follow the cold. In the other seasons, I follow the smell of flowers.”

He didn’t comment on that. Instead, he nuzzled his face in more, almost to her breasts, and held her tightly. It was not sexual, but she loved his skin on hers. Even though she couldn’t feel his touch as much as she wanted to. Especially with his hands pressing into her spine.

Her Demon marks should have been pulsing with the need to be touched and rubbed. Her pleasure spots. But they had been burned and cut out. Her old masters refused to let her feel any pleasure.

But they’d failed. She may not have the ability to feel outward pleasure but holding Seso like this was everything to her. And like before, she could feel her lady parts starting to throb. Sex was more than a physical thing; it was mental, and Seso was making her want.

* * *

They held each other until they stopped shivering. She suffered through her desire, knowing he had no idea. Or at least she didn’t suspect he did, considering he wasn’t rising to the occasion.

“I think I’m going to go look around.”

“I’m coming,” he said, not letting her hand go as she stood up.

“It’s probably not safe.”

“When has it been safe? This entire time, it’s been one hellish nightmare after another.”

The entire time? Wow. Jerk.

“It will be quicker without you, and you know I’ll come back.”

Ignoring her comment altogether, he said, “Where’s your top?”

“Soaking wet near your foot. And before you suggest I put it back on, know that I’m not going to because it’s freezing.”

“I think we should bring it anyway.”

Rolling her eyes, she snatched it up and pulled him forward. If she happened to drop it along the way, so be it. And since she didn’t know where they were, she had to walk the entire area looking for the change in the air.

Seven

“Found it,” Mei said, and Seso squeezed her hand, too urgent to stop himself. He just wanted to get this over with and get back in a ship. He missed space, he missed having his own room, he missed warm water, he missed real food, and he missed having the ability to see.

He was lost without his eyesight.

Not to mention he needed to see Mei’s face. The little motions she made on his lap felt as if she were clenching her sex over and over again. He was too cold to be a participant, but he also refrained because he wanted to see her face. He wanted to watch her squirm when he pleasured her.

He wanted to brand everything about her into his memory, and he couldn’t do that in the dark. He had stopped even trying to imagine what she looked like, knowing that if he pretended she was beautiful, and she wasn’t, there would be no hard feelings.

He didn’t want to think of her as an ugly cave dweller if she was in fact a soft, smiling Demon.

As she led him into another passageway, he immediately noticed two things. Long icicles hung from the cave opening…and he could see the muted outline of Mei’s face. She was looking up at him, and even though he couldn’t tell what color her eyes were, he saw the soft blue of her skin tone.

He dropped her hand and grabbed her face, seeing her facial features come alive. “You’re a Roth.”

He saw her smug smile. “You sure? I could be a…”

Seso didn’t let her finish. He crashed his lips down onto hers, pushing her jaw down and taking a taste of her, committing it all to memory. He took his free hand and pulled her naked body against his. It was still cold, but his sex was warming up, though he wasn’t out and ready yet.

But he would be.

Mei pulled back and took in a lungful of air. “You waited until you saw my face, didn’t you? You didn’t want to be with an ugly Demon.”

Her body was smaller than his and fit so well against him. With her face back, her mouth open, and hopefully swollen from his kiss, he couldn’t imagine a more perfect female. He dipped his head and rubbed his lips against her as he whispered. “You could have been a disease-infested mongrel of a female, and I still would have kissed you. I just needed to see you first so I didn’t picture anyone else in my mind. I only wanted you to be there.”

She bit her lip.

He kissed her again, hoping to remove any doubt she may have. He needed her so badly. His nerves were frayed, his breath was weak, but he was not going to stop. Mei gave back just as much or more than he gave to her.

This with her would not hurt or be wrong. This moment and the moment after would set him up to be filled with so much pleasure, he would use it to forget everything else.

She broke the kiss again and looked toward the door. “Did you hear that?”

Seso’s revelry disappeared. “No. What did you hear?”

“I thought I heard a low boom.”

“Like a machine?” he asked, hoping it might be a boat. Then he immediately wondered if it was a patrol. They didn’t go this far only to be picked back up.

“I don’t know. It was something.”

Seso didn’t want to break apart, but they had later—he hoped. But as they stepped back, he saw the silhouette of her breasts and their tips. Grabbing her hand, he led the way to the cave mouth and told her, “I need to get you some clothes.”

“I’m fine.”

“I’m not. Your body is mine, remember? You claimed me, and I’m returning that claim. Which means, no one else gets to see you but me.”

She snorted. “At the time, you didn’t seem too happy about my claim.”

“You have poor timing.”

“Oh, was there a good time?” Her voice rose as she ended the comment. Seso whipped around, took her mouth, and backed her into the wall. He kissed her hard and unforgivingly. He reached down and grabbed her sex, feeling the quiver of her passion. He knew she wanted him, knew that he was doing this to her, and he also knew that if they had sex right now, he would regret this being their first time.

When he broke the kiss, he kept his hand where it was. “Right now feels like a good time, doesn’t it?” He couldn’t see her expression in the shadows, but he could hear her gasp when he slipped a finger between her folds.

“Yes, now feels perfect.”

He kissed her lower lip softly. It was swollen, and he loved that. “Unfortunately, now is not perfect. Now would only be a half-hearted attempt at a getting you off. Now is perfect to make a claim, but later, when we are clean and in our a room with food in our bellies, that’s the perfect time to make you come on my hand, in my mouth, and on my dick.”

“But you’re turning me on now,” she whimpered.

Yeah, he was. And he didn’t mean to get her to the brink and leave her there. The masters did that, and he hated it. So he peppered her cheek with kisses. “Want me to finish you?”

He rubbed his finger around her folds, waiting for her to answer him.

“Yes, please.”

He didn’t like that. He bit her lip. “Mei, you never have to beg. You never even have to ask. You get to take. You get whatever you want. You only have to tell me.” He knew that didn’t make any sense. If she was going to let him know, she would have to ask, but he didn’t want her to use any master and slave talk.

He kept applying pressure and kept talking. He told her how amazing she was, how perfect she was, even before he’d met her. He told her how perfectly they fit together.

She grabbed his neck and pulled him down for a kiss and came hard on his hand with a low moan. Her kiss was messy and full of languid heat. She was too far gone in her pleasure to kiss properly.

He loved that, too.

When she came down, she was breathing hard, and she had to rest against the rock to steady herself. Seso kept a hand on her hip just in case she might fall. No, that was a lie. He just liked touching her.

“I’m good now.”

He nodded and took her hand and began leading her forward again. A warmth radiated in his chest that he couldn’t shake. The satisfaction of taking care of his female with no intention of getting anything in return.

Was this what it was like…to love?

Eight

At the mouth of the cave, Seso looked out on a large, barren desert. “Back on Earth, there are predators even in the coldest parts of the planet. I suspect there is something here, too.”

Mei agreed, but she was starting to shiver. The cold was much worse out here.

That’s when a shockwave boomed through the air, twice. She quickly looked up at Seso, who smiled.

“Why are you smiling?”

“That’s a sonic boom. Means there is a landing pad somewhere nearby.”

She scanned the area, seeing nothing.

His arm rose, and his finger pointed out. “There. See that black dot, that’s a ship.”

Was it? It sure didn’t look like it. But she kept her mouth shut. They had a deal; she would lead in the caves, and she would let him lead outside.

The black dot ended up being a ship, and the landing area was far but within sight. Mei assumed that was good, but she didn’t like the distance.

Nine

They ran for a long time. By the time they made it, Seso’s ears were burning, his nose was running, not to mention the pain in his lungs. He hated how slow Mei had trotted behind him. Not that he was irritated she was going slowly. No, it was the fact that he hated that he couldn’t just throw her over his shoulder and let her rest.

Had he been at full strength, he believed he could have done just that with no problem.

The landing pad was not big, and it only had a single black galleon ship on it.

Mei’s hand was shivering in his. He was cold too, but she looked so much worse. He worried that maybe something had happened during their travels that he didn’t know about. But if he were lucky, the ship would have a medical center. Considering it was probably a slave ship, he knew they liked to keep their property alive.

She would need more than just food, water, and clothing. In the light of day, he now also noticed a plethora of burn marks all over her chest, neck, and spine. He knew about being burned.

Seso waited until it was clear before running with Mei to the back loading underbelly of the ship. From there, he could drop the hatch and crawl in. But a high-pitched scream stopped him.

He watched Mei stand up straight and turn to the ramp. Dropping Mei’s hand, he ran back to the ramp, slipped behind it, and waited for the slaver to descend enough to attack.

The way the female screamed was more intense than he remembered. Probably because his group had been drugged. Mei’s cold fingertips brushed across his back as she made her way to his side.

When he looked down at her, she looked lethargic. Not just tired. And the beads of sweat on her face told him that something was very wrong. His beloved Roth Demon had to know, and yet she lifted a finger and pointed forward as she mouthed, “Save her.”

The sky was cloudy but light enough for the Red Demon holding the screaming female to see Seso step out.

The red-skinned bastard chuckled. “Look at you. I bet you’d be a fun one to break.”

Seso’s blood heated. There was no way in hell he would ever be someone’s slave again. The male took a swipe at him with a knife. Being a pirate, Seso was more than competent in a fight. He slapped the blade out of the male’s hand and then punched the bastard’s throat as hard as he could.

The wet crack let Seso know the Demon would not recover. The male hit his knees hard and began gasping. The sound of death filled Seso’s ears and soul, a balm to quell the nightmares he lived with. Standing taller, shoulders back, he caught the eyes of the other Red Demon who was pulling another naked female by the hair.

Seso held out his arm. “Let’s play a game, you ugly red-faced bastard. Whoever lives, gets the girl.”

The Demon chuckled and pushed the female off the ramp, hitting the ground with a cry. Seso used that sound to fuel his hate. To bolster his need to kill. Years of being a pirate and instincts he’d thought long gone, came back as if he’d never left.

Shifting to his toes, he readied for the attack.

The Red Demon lunged, and Seso moved and used his fist to keep the momentum. Then he used his knee to jam down on the male’s spine. Sadly, the male rolled away too fast. Seso took a hit to the jaw before the Demon covered him and smashed another fist against his cheek.

Seso blocked the second hit, then grabbed the Demon’s shirt and pulled him close so he could smash his forehead against the Demon’s. The hit shook his brain. The Demon toppled over, and Seso freed himself.

The Demon grabbed his ankle and pulled him close. Seso took his free foot and kicked the enemy’s face as hard as he could. The Red Demon fell down, face-first, and Seso quickly held his elbow and used it to smash the back of the Demon’s neck. The crack was quieter than the bellow that followed.

A quick twist of the head, and all sound stopped.

Seso pushed up, looking to see if there were any others to fight. His lungs burned, but the adrenaline gave him the ability to keep the pain at bay.

To his right, he saw Mei holding the other female’s hand. There was no reason for his anger, but it was there anyway. Mei was his mate. She didn’t need to waste the last of her energy helping some random female.

Thankfully, Seso was mindful enough to keep quiet. But Mei must have noticed his ire, because she dropped the female’s hand and walked to him, calling the other female to follow. The slave didn’t move.

“If you want to live, you’ll come back with us,” Seso said harshly, hoping she understood the seriousness of their situation.

“Come on. Seso will kill anyone who tries to touch you. He’s a Terran, like you.”

If she had said that to him, he would have laughed in her face. Just because they were the same race didn’t mean anything. But when the female looked at him with trust in her eyes, he was shocked that it had worked.

Rushing up the ramp, he entered first by a matter of seconds and found the cargo bay empty. He took up the scouting position and made them stay several feet behind. As he moved, he scanned the place, feeling more and more in his element.

One thing he knew was ships.

And one place he invaded more than anywhere else was the cargo bay. To his surprise, he was able to get both females all the way across without a sound or calling attention to either of them.

Seso also made sure to stay to the shadows so the cameras didn’t pick them up. Once they were on the stairs, he took them down instead of up. No one went down to the lower levels where the engines were located. That said, it was the safest place he could think of.

The door was locked with a thumb scanner, and he almost laughed. Cracking the box, he grabbed the two yellow wires and pressed them together, giving them access. Seso had both females enter before he set the box back to its original state. It looked good as new, even though it was broken.

Ten

With both females inside, Seso felt more and more like the male he was. His last job had been to keep the visitors and port occupants safe. He didn’t realize how much he missed that calling. But he’d give anything to go back and do it better—but then he wouldn’t have met Mei.

Mei was currently sitting on the floor, resting against a propulsion cage. The other female had moved farther back, probably hoping that if anyone found them, they would take Mei and not her.

But no one was taking his female. His Demon. Not even whatever sickness she had. And that’s when his eyes zeroed in on a swollen green and yellow slice in her leg. He didn’t realize he was yelling her name until she looked up, confused.

“Why are you yelling?”

“What is that?” He pointed at her thigh.

She didn’t even look, the sneaky Demon. “Spider venom or whatever. If you get pricked, the poison runs through your system. Sometimes, you can live through it. Sometimes, you die. This feels worse than the last time.”

Last time.

Last time!?

“Why didn’t you tell me you were suffering from spider venom.”

Mei closed her eyes and laughed a shallow laugh. “It usually takes two or three days to fester, and then it comes on strong. It wasn’t until we were outside that it started to hurt.”

He didn’t know if he believed that, but it didn’t matter. He needed to get her some medical help. Standing back up, he headed to the door.

“Where are you going?”

“Kidnapping a doctor to take care of you. I don’t know enough to fix that wound.”

When she didn’t respond, he turned. He saw she was biting her lip. “Cut it open and burn it.”

“Not happening. We’re not in a cave. We’re in a ship, and I’m going to make sure you get better.”

She swallowed. “I’m pretty sure it’s already running through my system.”

His heart dropped. Walking back to her, he squatted down and got in her face. His tone was threatening, but it was only because he was losing his damn mind. “Are you telling me you’re okay with dying? After all we went through?”

She rolled her head back and forth against the cage.

“Good, because I didn’t just find my wife only to let her die.”

Her eyes glistened, and she mouthed, “Wife?”

“You heard me. You’re going to be my wife. We’re going to make this so solid that not you, me, or Seth can break us apart.”

She smiled, but he saw the strain.

He reached forward and kissed her temple. “Hold on for me. I’ll be back.”

Eleven

Seso avoided the levels to the cabins. The halls would be closely monitored. Instead, he made his way up the stairs to the medical bay. It was empty, and he took his time looking for anything that looked like a medscope or items that appeared as if they could heal. He was not good at any of this. He needed a damn doctor.

He didn’t hear anyone until he felt the end of a gun being poked into his spine. “I was always told that Terrans were sneaky bastards, but I never thought that meant they would be so damn hard to kill.”

Seso’s heart stopped.

He knew that voice.

Petum, the Red Demon who had caught him off guard on Clalls’ spaceport. This was the Demon that had started it all.

Seth, if you’re listening, give me the strength to kill him.

Seso turned around slowly, knowing that if he moved fast, the Demon would respond in kind. As he turned, he expected his blood to boil and his heart to begin pounding so hard in his chest that he’d want to explode.

But it didn’t.

Instead, he looked at the red bastard with confidence. A self-awareness that said it was time for Petum to die. “As the saying goes, if you don’t kill them, they’ll come back and kill you.”

Petum laughed. The male was bigger that Seso and had all the muscles, and yet Seso wasn’t afraid. Not even a little.

“You’re not going to kill me, Terran. And when this is over, and you’re winded again and begging for your life, I’m going to make sure I sell you to the right person who will brutalize the last of your body.”

Seso barely registered the words. Faking a headbutt, Petum lifted his gun. Seso grabbed the Demon’s wrist with his right hand, kicked him in the balls with his left shin, and then came down hard on Petum’s forearm, knocking the gun loose.

Petum dropped for a second, long enough for Seso to grab the weapon, point, and shoot. Two shots to the head, and warm blood sprayed his face. Turning away with one eye closed, Seso didn’t feel any better or worse.

It was another kill, nothing more.

When he opened his eyes, he saw several more people at the edges. Too many for him to take on alone. Holding up the gun, he reached down and pulled a Minky pad from Petum’s pocket and then raced to the set of medical boxes so he could hide behind them.

He could only think of one number to call, and he hoped the Demon wouldn’t turn down his plea.

As soon as the number was entered, he quickly made a voice call to Clalls.

Clalls picked up in less than a single ring. “Where are you?” The shaking command made Seso look at the screen. It was as if Clalls was pissed off at him. Did that damn Demon think he’d abandoned his post?

Making sure to sound angry and urgent, he said, “I’m on a blasted slave ship. I’m calling you to offer my life and anything else you require if you’ll come. Empty my accounts, take whatever you want. But I need someone to come here and help the two females I saved. I would add me to that list, but I’m currently surrounded, and I don’t know if I’ll make it out of here.”

Finally, Seso’s heart started to beat faster with the impending danger and the number of enemies headed his way.

“I locked onto your location. I’m sending Nova.”

Nova? Good. “Make sure she kills every single rat bastard Red Demon on this sex slave ship and every master in the black mansion from hell.”

“I will do better than killing the bastards who took you. I will end their empire and then watch them rot on Debsa.”

Good Seth, that felt good to hear. He wouldn’t be alive to see it, but he was glad to know that Clalls seemed pissed enough to get the job done.

Seso felt a spray of phaser bullets hitting the box he hid behind. They were too close. Dropping the Minky, he shouted, “Get every last one of them.”

Then his body jerked back as the Demon who he shot twice grabbed him around the waist and pulled him down, knocking the air from his poor lungs. The Demon rushed to the top of his chest, raised his fist, and slammed it against Seso’s face. The pain didn’t stop Seso from fighting back.

Kicking and ripping the Demon’s shirt, Seso was able to get out from underneath the bastard. But once he was up, eleven more circled him, waiting.

“Let’s go, you ugly red-faced bastards.”

The male who had knocked him over held out his hand. “Me first. I want a piece of this Terran flesh, and then I’m going to tear him apart.”

Seso felt calm settle once again, a peace that he’d never felt before. Then, from the floor, he heard, “Listen up, you Kirca cowards, this is your king speaking.”

Seso was surprised when the main male who wanted to rip him apart stepped back to look at the Minky pad.

“Who the hell do you think you’re talking to? I will find you and show you how much of a coward I am when I have you screaming for mercy,” the main Demon said.

“Oh, by all means, come and get me. I’m on the Drifting Treasure’s spaceport.”

The Red Demon snorted then stilled. “Clalls? You don’t have any influence here.” The male smiled and looked at Seso like a predator who’d just remembered that he had a feast waiting. “I’ll make sure to send you the body when I’m done with him. How’s that?”

“I can’t imagine why you’d think I can’t get to you from where I’m standing. Surely, you know about my pet.”

That made the Demon stop, frown, and then ask, “What pet?”

Seso knew exactly who Clalls was referring to. He just wondered if Nova knew that Clalls called her that behind her back.

“She should be on your ship…right about now.”

Lies. There was no way he could get someone here that fast. But Seso liked the worried look on the males’ faces.

The main Demon snorted. “I suggest you work on your bluffs.”

“It’s not a bluff, infant. I found pictures of Seso in the underworld buy and sell page. I knew he was there. I already sent Nova that way. If I were you, I’d be praying to Seth for mercy, because once my pet finds you, she won’t give you any.”

The Red Demon looked at Seso then scanned the medical bay. “I don’t see anyone, so it looks like your long teeth aren’t the only part of you that’s worthless.”

Clalls laughed, but it was soaked in malice.

The Demon bent over and terminated the call. Seso stepped forward and kicked the Demon in the face. The male punched back and knocked Seso over. Still, he rolled and came back swinging, punching, and connecting with the Demon’s face.

Seso then grabbed the Demon by the face and dug his thumbs into his eyes, pushing down as hard as possible, bursting the orbs and coating his face in blood and gore. The Demon shook as he screamed.

Without backing up, Seso held the male’s chin up and punched at his throat. The Demon wasn’t dead yet, but he would be as soon as he choked on his own blood. Sitting up, he expected the other Demons to rush him.

Instead, all the bodies were down, bleeding from their heads. One shot each. Walking to him like a runway model came Nova. “Hello, squishy. Miss me?”

Seso shook his head, amazed that she really had made it. And amazed that Clalls had not been lying. He really had looked for him. It was humbling in a way that burned his soul.

Clalls cared.

Clalls?

Never in Seso’s life would he have ever thought that Clalls would care that he had been taken—and keep looking for him for five years. Damn that Demon, he might actually cry.

“Sorry I was late. I was on the planet looking for you. But then I got sidetracked when I saw so many vermin. I had to exterminate them.”

He believed every word. But he had to ask, “I thought you weren’t supposed to kill anymore.”

She touched her chest lightly. “I didn’t kill anyone, technically.”

He narrowed his eyes.

Nova pulled out a sparkling gun that looked a hell of a lot like a pixy pistol, but it was bigger. “Pixy killed them. Not me.”

Seso didn’t have time for her crazy. “Did you kill the rest of the crew on the ship?”

“What do I look like, an amateur?” She snickered.

“Just making sure. Also, do you have a medscope?”

With her free hand, she tossed him a small metal disk. The second he held it, he began walking to the door. His body started to tingle like blood was rushing to every inch of him. It hurt, but in a good way.

He was down the hall opening the door to the stairs when Nova said from behind him, “Why are we headed to the stairs? The rescue ship is the other way.”

“I’m not leaving without my mate and the other slave I rescued.”

Seso saw Nova bounce down the steps beside him. “Oooh, Seso got himself a female? I can’t wait to see what she looks like. Don’t tell me, she’s a Sennite, right?”

“No. She’s a Roth.”

Nova stopped jumping. “I hear good things about them. Quiet, hardworking, and reclusive, so it’s hard to get annoyed with them.”

Nova had no idea how annoying his mate was, though he didn’t really find it annoying anymore.

“Is she one of the slaves from the big black house? Did all three of you escape together? Were there more in your group and you had to sacrifice some of them?”

Seso finally understood why Clalls always told Nova to shut up, but he didn’t think he had the kind of relationship with her that allowed him to be so forward. “Mei and I escaped together. We stopped the Terran from being carried into the black mansion.”

Nova didn’t comment after that. But that’s when he wondered…if the Terran had been brought to the mansion, others would have been, too. And if they had just arrived, how could they have been killed so fast?

“The slaves from the mansion are going to need rescue, too.”

Dismissively, Nova said, “Clalls will send his bestie in to recover them.”

“Bestie? As in a friend?” Clalls had friends? Was this all a dream?

“Admiral Rannn.”

As they came to the engineering door, Seso held the medscope in hand, praying he wasn’t too late. As the door opened, he saw the Terran staring at his mate with an open mouth. Seso didn’t think, he bellowed Mei’s name and rushed beside her. He pressed the medscope to her naked chest.

“You said you’d wait,” he condemned.

“Oh, how sad, her pleasure spots were burned,” Nova said from behind him, and he didn’t have the mental bandwidth to process what she’d said.

“Mei, wake up. Wake up, cave girl. I need you to open your pretty eyes.”

Nothing.

“What is that on her thigh?”

Seso snapped, “Shut up. She needs quiet.”

Nova squatted down beside him and touched Mei’s throat. He snapped. “Don’t touch her.”

Nova didn’t even flinch. “She’s alive. Slow heartbeat, but she’ll live. Medscopes always work.”

Mei was alive!

Thank Seth. Thank you, Seth.

Seso bowed his head and felt Nova pat his shoulder. “Congratulations on your matehood, squishy. I didn’t think you would ever fall in love, but it looks good on you.”

He didn’t answer.

He couldn’t.

Seso focused on Mei’s face, waiting for her to wake up. When she didn’t, he moved to place her head in his lap. He would wait forever if he had to.

Nova snickered at him. “Squishy…this whole mating love thing is great and all, but we’re not staying. Pick up your lady and carry her to the ramp. My job was to get you, and that’s what I’m doing. Also, I have a bet to collect on from a bastard Pock who thinks I can’t take on a ship and a mansion all by myself.”

Seso remembered the Kingling from Clall’s spaceport, but he didn’t know why Nova was making bets with him. Did he and Keya end up staying on the spaceport?

Scooping up Mei in his arms, he walked her to the door. At the next level up, he exited with the other Terran and Nova. But instead of going to the ramp, he headed to the elevators.

“Squishy, don’t make me force you.”

He didn’t bother stopping to explain, he just yelled back, “This is a perfectly sound ship, I will fly myself back.”

“Clalls told me to get you, though.”

“Yeah, he also told you not to kill, and yet, that is exactly what you did. So, I’m sure he’ll be fine with another ship at his spaceport.” Seso was pleased when the elevator opened quickly and let him into the car. He took it to the bridge and winced at the carnage. Good thing Mei wasn’t awake.

Seso sat down in the pilot seat, pleased that the ship was already running. He was about to secure the room when the bridge door slid back, allowing Nova and the Terran to walk in. “I’m not leaving you until Clalls okays it.”

Nova went to the Minky screen, tapped on it, and moments later, Seso saw the pale-faced Demon with white hair, black and yellow eyes, and long, sharp teeth.

“Is there a problem?” Clalls asked in a half-annoyed tone.

Nova hooked a hand on her hip, “Squishy wants to fly himself home on the slave ship.”

Clalls never took his eyes off Seso and the female in his arms. Seso took that time to address the most important issue. “The medscope isn’t working. Mei’s still unconscious from the spider venom.”

Clalls huffed and then turned to Nova. “I told you I wanted you to incapacitate the bastards so they could stand trial. How many did you leave alive?”

“All the slaves are still alive.”

Clalls narrowed his eyes. “Gather up the slaves and keep them safe until the Federation ships arrive for them.”

Nova scowled. “You want me to babysit a bunch of slaves?”

Seso was astonished at how fast Nova could piss him off. The people deserved her compassion, for Seth’s sake. “If you have any more medscopes, hopefully ones that work this time, I’m sure they could use them.”

Both ignored his comment.

“You know my terms. You do the job I give you, or you fend for yourself. I’m not negotiating with you, Nova. What’s it going to be?”

Nova hissed, “You’re such a bastard, Clalls. I know you’re just punishing me because I didn’t let the vermin live.” The wine-red-haired assassin turned around, grabbed the Terran female by the arm, and dragged her out.

Seso was about to thank Clalls for having Nova protect the other slaves, but Clalls held up a hand, keeping his eyes on something beyond the screen. Time ticked on, and Seso grew impatient.

“Mei needs a doctor,” Seso said quietly, hoping that it wouldn’t be too late. That Clalls would be able to pull off some miracle.

When Clalls looked back at him, there was something new in his eyes. “Nova’s finally off the ship. Close the ramp and follow the flight path I’m about to send you.”

Seso couldn’t believe that Clalls was sending him on a job.

“I need a doctor, Clalls.”

“I’m not an idiot, I can see that. And I’m getting you the best there is. Follow the damn path. You’ll be there in an hour. After you and she are healed, come back to Drifting Treasures, settle back into your room, and the following day you can get back to work.”

Seso assumed Clalls would have hired a new head of security. Since Clalls didn’t specify that Seso would be getting his old job back, he assumed he would be doing something like trash duty for a couple of years. But he was thankful, nonetheless.

“Thank you, Clalls.”

Clalls just stared as if he wanted to say something more but didn’t. “See you when you get back,” the Demon said before quickly ending the call.

Hope flared in Seso’s blood and he hoped he would get to the rendezvous spot faster than sixty minutes?.

Twelve

Mei woke up in a capsule with blinking blue lights. Without saying or touching anything, the top canopy began to open. Sitting up, she quickly jumped out of the…what was it? A bed? With a lid?

A light clacking sound to her right made her turn. Walking down the medical bay was a snake on four legs. Mei yelped as she jumped back onto the bed. Sleeping in the chair against the wall was Seso, who woke up with his own yelp.

“Mei? You’re awake.” He smiled.

“Don’t move, there’s a beast coming,” she hissed, trying to get closer to Seso so she could save him from the creature.

Seso held up both hands, “It’s okay. That’s Orna, the niskie. Apparently, niskies are useful for creating vaccines.”

“It’s a snake with legs,” she said, eyeing the creature that stopped at the end of her bed and sat down like a dog.

“Mei,” Seso said, firmly drawing her attention. “You’re safe, and you’re healed. Come down.” Seso held up his hand. Mei didn’t take her eyes off the nightmarish-looking pet, but she didn’t take her mate’s hand.

“Ah, she’s awake, good,” said a male, walking up behind the niskie and patting it on the head. Mei noticed the male’s fingertips were purple, and her heart dropped to the floor. A Numan. How did they end up at the mercy of a Numan?

“Mei, this is Doctor Ansel. He retired from the Federation as a commander. He’s safe.”

“He’s a Numan.” That race was worse than the Red Demons.

Ansel smiled in that way older Demons smiled. Like they knew something you didn’t. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had someone interesting to help. Most of the people that come to me are looking for upgrades or are pregnant.”

What in Seth’s name was he talking about? He did cyborg work and delivered babies? She had no idea Numans did that.

Ansel held out his arm towards the door. “Now that you’re all better, I’m confident that you’ll be more comfortable on your ship.”

Her ship?

She felt Seso’s hand slip into hers and interlace their fingers. She held on and squeezed, confused about everything that was happening. Taking the lead, her dark, sexy male walked her by the snake-thing and stopped before Ansel.

Holding out a hand, he said, “Thank you for saving my mate.”

“It was my pleasure,” the Numan said, shaking Seso’s hand in Terran fashion. Mei was shocked, but at the same time, not as much as she had been a few seconds ago. Maybe this Numan wasn’t so bad, after all.

“I’ll walk you two out,” Ansel said.

Mei barely remembered the ship they were in. She remembered enough about getting inside and feeling a little warmer, but it was a hazy memory at best. But she was absolutely sure the ship hadn’t been this clean when they arrived. It was empty and smelled like disinfectant.

Ansel walked them to another male who was standing in the middle of the cargo bay. When he turned, Mei felt her body go numb.

Was that a Cerebral?

His grey skin and ethereal look were things everyone knew about. The telepaths from the Outworlds. Oh Seth, no.

Seso obviously had no idea who he was because he held out his hand again. “Thank you for your help, Sci. I appreciate it.”

“No problem, I’m glad we could help an old friend.”

Who was the old friend? Mei looked at Seso, expecting some kind of explanation. Seso must have understood her confusion because he said, “Clalls used to work with Commander Ansel and Sci. They agreed to come and help heal you and clean the ship.”

“Clean the ship?” That made no sense.

“Cleaning the dead bodies from the ship,” Seso said.

Mei looked around and understood better. This was a slave ship, and there were bound to be a lot of dead slaves on it.

“No slaves, Mei, but dead slavers,” said the Cerebral.

Creepy, he’d heard her thoughts. But also…useful.

“My wife says the same thing.”

Mei smiled, not sure why that was so funny.

“If there is anything I can ever do to repay you, let me know.”

Sci pointed to the darkest part of the cargo bay. “I think you should also know, there’s a boy living in the walls of the ship. He’s twelve years old, scared, and hungry. He’s watching you now and trying to figure out who you are and what happened to all the bad ones.”

Mei looked into the dark corner, wanting to go to the child. “How long has he been on the ship? Poor thing must be so confused.”

“He was eleven when he snuck on board. He’s seen things a boy shouldn’t. My brother can remove those memories. I’d be more than happy to take him with me.”

Mei felt her jaw slacken. Cerebrals could erase memories?

“What race is he?” Seso asked, squeezing her hand.

“His mother was Terran, and his father was a Cylee.”

“There’s no such things as Cylees anymore. They all died out,” Mei said, sure of her knowledge of history. The Demons had killed the race a long, long time ago. History depicted them as horrific monsters set to destroy everything they touched.

Sci shook his head. “The Cylees are alive. Not many are left, but enough to have numbers.”

Ansel stepped up and told her, “What you need to know is that every Cylee has a gift or better yet, an obsession. Something they can’t control. We had a Cylee on our ship back in the day. She was driven to take machines apart. She loved to unscrew everything.”

Mei didn’t like the sound of that.

Sci added to Ansel’s words. “Her father homeschooled her in his vehicle repair shop. She was able to soothe her Cylee obsession to take things a part, but she also learned to figure out what was broken without even touching things. She’s a master mechanic, fixing things in record time and creating things to fix the situation. She lives on Earth now with her husband and is teaching their daughter to use her gift for good.”

Mei almost smiled at that. The two males spoke as if they wanted her to think about taking the boy. As if he would be safe.

“What’s the boy’s gift,” Seso asked.

“It’s hard to say, but I can show you. May I do so?”

Mei was surprised by the formal question, she was also scared to have a telepath in her mind—but most of all, she was curious to see what it was like.

“Yes, show me,” she said as Seso said no.

In her mind, she saw the boy in the back hiding in the dark, straining to hear their conversation. The next image was of him hiding in various spots of the ship, waiting for rooms to be empty so he could steal food and water. The next image was the boy scanning a room that she didn’t recognize. It was big, spacious, and had lots of metal frames connecting the sides.

The boy continued searching the ship for all the hiding spots.

“He is obsessed with hiding?” Mei asked, just in case she was seeing it wrong.

The next image was the boy removing items from the safes and locked rooms.

“I don’t understand,” she said.

“He’s a master at finding what others are desperate to keep buried. Locks won’t ever keep him out, and secrets will never stay buried,” Sci said.

Mei turned to Seso, still in awe of the boy’s abilities. He was incredible, and she felt a need to keep him as her own. The Demon part of her recognized the boy as a treasure. Plus, knowing the boy was either going with her or with the telepath, it was an easy choice.

Seso’s dark eyes penetrated hers. “Cylees are dangerous.”

“So are Demons,” she shot back. “I’ll take care of him, even if you won’t.”

He frowned deeply. “You’re not doing anything without me.”

“Then you’ll help me take care of him?” Mei touched his chest and loved the soft feel of the fabric under her fingertips, but she missed his skin. More importantly, she needed his everything right then. His trust, compassion, love and understanding at her having to save a boy of only twelve years old.

That’s how old she’d been when she lost her brother. An accident when they were playing on the roof of their home, but still tragic. That’s what spun her into the wrong circles with males who had vile sexual appetites. That’s how she’d ended up on the wrong side of a slave block, and that’s how she’d become a slave.

Seso pulled their clasped hands to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “Stop looking so sad, I already said yes.”

“I guess that’s it for us then. It was nice meeting you,” said Sci. With a small head nod, he and the doctor headed to the ramp.

Mei and Seso watched them go. “Do you think we should talk to the boy together?”

“The boy is long gone, back to his hiding place,” Seso said.

“How do you know that?” she asked, and Seso tapped his head.

“The Cerebral showed me.”

Oh.

Reaching down, he picked her up in his arms and held her to his chest. A sudden zing of connection warmed her heart. Her body must be responding, knowing her mate was near.

“If the boy is what they say, and if he’s seen the horrors of the worlds, then I think trying to seek him out is the wrong plan. We should act normal and show him that we’re safe. Let him come to us.”

She liked the idea. “We should also make sure to leave plenty of food and water around.”

“Good idea,” he said, walking her to the elevator.

“Where are we going?”

As they entered the elevator, he said, “First to the bridge to program the ship to fly to Clalls’ spaceport. Second place we’re going is to the cleaners, and the third is to a bed.”

“Good idea, I’m kind of sleepy.” She fake-yawned and attempted to snuggle down in his arms. She noticed something tingle down in her sex when she did. That was strange.

“You won’t be doing any sleeping, mate. Not for a while.” Seso kissed her below her ear and then on the side of her neck. She felt a spasm of pleasure.

Oh.

Oh, her pleasure spots were back. Mei’s belly flipflopped with joy.

* * *

Seso was washing her body, careful to clean every nail and every strand of hair. It was the most caring and thorough thing she’d ever experienced. The water was warm, and she was practically falling asleep to the heat, steam, and her mate’s touch.

Interestingly, he was careful to not put any pressure on her spots, as if he didn’t want to hurt her. Or maybe he didn’t want to excite her quite yet.

When he finished, he quickly washed himself. She took her time watching the water roll down his dark brown skin. He also shaved the hair on his head, making him look extra sexy. She had not touched a single part of his body, and yet she ached for it.

Seeing how full Seso’s sex got while she watched him, let her know that he too was enjoying the shower.

Escorting her out, and not bothering to dry her off, he laid her down on the bed, face down. He crawled on top of her, and she widened her legs to give him as much room as he needed. He pressed a hand down on the newly covered mattress, right by her mouth.

She kissed his wrist.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her spine, a highly erotic zone for her, and she shivered. Then he began telling her how scared he had been to lose her, how beautiful her spots were, how gorgeous she was, and how much he loved being her mate, all as he licked and kissed her pleasure spots.

He didn’t even get halfway down when she came the first time.

“My mate likes my kisses,” he said and began again, making his way down her body, exploring every inch and cherishing her like no one ever had. It was a heaven she’d never known even existed.

Seso lifted her hips up, moved to his knees on the floor as he kissed her ass cheeks, her rosette, and then her lower lips. Slipping his tongue between her folds, she was already sucking in breath, about to come again.

Mei called his name just as her channel quivered. The sensations were so incredible, she was having a hard time thinking. She knew she needed to give him pleasure back, all the males who took her had thought of nothing but their pleasure, but she was in a daze of goodness and couldn’t get herself to ask what he wanted done to him.

Languidly, Seso kept licking and sucking on her outer sex, showing no sign of wanting to finish. He was consuming her every thought and stealing her every breath. It was like being reborn.

She began calling his name, over and over as the pleasure began to build again. When she was about to finish once more, she started to whimper, “Yessssss…..yesssssssss. SESO, yes. Don’t stop.”

He didn’t stop, and even applied more pressure to her pearl, making her come like a star exploding. She came and came, her body fluttering all the while.

When she finally came down, she sagged back onto the bed.

Seso crawled back over her body without touching her and asked, “Too much?”

“No, not at all,” she lied. Turning her head back to him, she asked, “Can I return the favor?”

His expression was sober and a little defensive. “Can I be honest with you?”

She nodded.

“I want to be the only one giving pleasure. I want to be the one to touch, to hold, to kiss, to control the flow.”

Oh.

She understood exactly what he was saying. He was asking if he could be the dominant one, the one who determined everything. After what they had probably done to him in the mansion, she understood the need. Had she not had years to move past it, she might be the same way. But she didn’t have that desire to pleasure anyone anymore. She honestly wanted to have this…to have a male eager to please her.

It was a perfect sexual relationship.

She knew that he was waiting for an answer. But she also knew that she couldn’t just say that she understood. He might not believe her, so she said in her best sex-starved voice, “You said I never had to ask to come, but here I am, aching to feel you inside me and needing to come.”

“You’re aching?” he asked with a soft grin.

“Badly.”

He lowered his body on top of hers. All of her pleasure spots felt his skin and became excited for what came next. The tip of his dick at her entrance made her lift her hips just a bit. As he pushed in, she exhaled, feeling him fill her channel, stretching it gloriously. As he entered more and more, his body moved farther up hers, rubbing her spots.

SETH, YES.

“Are you still aching,” he asked once he’d filled her.

“Yes, I need to come.”

He didn’t say another word. Seso used his body and weight to rub against her spine, keeping her in utter ecstasy. Her sheath quivered seconds after he started, and yet he didn’t stop.

He kept going and going, like a male on fire. With the double assault on her pleasure, she was moaning, screaming, crying, loving every second of this mating. This claiming. She came so many times, she lost count.

Her womb clenched and clenched. Her blood ran white-hot and her voice lost its sound. Seso was like a desperate male, pounding inside as if he could do nothing but keep going. When her instant orgasms stopped, she could feel the brewing of one bigger than every one before.

She begged and begged for him not to stop. She twisted her hips and lifted her rear, needing more. Seso pushed up, grabbed her hips, and re-entered. This time, he went so deep, and it was so, so, so good.

He didn’t rest, he just kept going. Her insides were slowing down, her breath was labored, and she felt her womb twisting more and more. She was almost there…yes. She. Was. There.

“YESSSS. SETH. SESO. OH, SETH!”

Her womb felt as if it broke into a million pieces, clenching Seso so tightly, he bellowed out himself. She dug her nails into the blanket and gasped for breath, feeling more fluttering surge through her blood.

Sucking in several lungsful of air, she was pushed down to the bed, turned onto her side, and Seso pulled her back into his chest. One arm holding her stomach, the other he used as a pillow for her.

Seso was breathing hard too, and every time his chest and belly touched her spots, it tingled.

To be a Roth Demon…she smiled bigger than she ever had before. Tears brimmed in her eyes at how amazing sex was. Never in her memory had it ever been that.

She almost said thank you, but knew with their past, it would be a slap. So instead she pushed her hand to his and interlaced their fingers. Seeing his palms starting to turn blue. The Roth Demon mating mark. “Setting the bar that high the first time is bad for you. I’m going to expect that and more every time.”

He laughed, and she felt it. “You’re so annoying, I wonder why I love you.”

He loved her.

“I know why I love you,” she said, squeezing his hand.

“Why?”

“Because you took a broken Demon and put her back together, and that was before we even escaped the caves.”

He kissed her jaw. “I fell in love with you in the caves, too. You took a battered male and gave him hope.”

Epilogue

Ten Years Later

Seso was already sitting at the table in Clalls’ conference room. To his right sat Keya, and her Kingling mate, Pock. They spent most of their time away from port, scouring the black pockets of space for Outworlder spaceships.

To his left were Clalls’ two secretaries, a female Terran, and a greenish-blue-skinned Outworlder male with tentacles instead of hair. The two did good work, Seso knew, but the female didn’t like working with the male.

Seso didn’t know why, but he didn’t care either.

He was too busy staying on top of the Drifting Treasures spaceport security, in addition to being a father to two Demon children and a twenty-two-year-old adopted son who kept him up at night.

Seajay was Clalls’ biggest headache. Clalls acted like he hated Seajay with a passion. Always glaring at him and accusing him of breaking into his secret stashes all over the ship. Nothing Seso said stopped his son from uncovering all of Clalls’ secret Minkys. Worse, his son also found the treasures of the guests. Never stealing them…at least, not anymore…but violating privacy, nonetheless.

Considering that Clalls had called this meeting five minutes ago, Seso feared the worst.

Clalls walked in, cleaning his long teeth. “I expected you and your son to be on time, but of course I shouldn’t have been so hopeful.”

“You invited Seajay?” Seso stood up to go get him. “I didn’t tell him. I’ll be right back.”

The door opened, and his son walked in, his hair in the same messy hairstyle as Clalls. Down to the height and shape. Seso internally groaned. His son had done it on purpose. Even though Seajay had dark hair, Clalls would notice.

Seso prayed to Seth once more to find a way to get through to his son.

Clalls snorted. “Stealing my gel, too? Is nothing sacred anymore?”

Seajay grabbed a seat, tugged it back, and before he sat, he pulled out a metal thing with lots of wires sticking out. He placed the object on the Minky table, leaned back, crossed his arms, and looked as smug as a pirate who’d stolen a ship full of diamonds.

“And here I thought I called this meeting. How foolish of me, trash panda. By all means, what have you got into today?”

Seajay didn’t even flinch at the nickname. He simply sat straight and said, “That’s a video recorder and mic. You should recognize it since you have one in every single cabin on the port. I used it to stash on a ship that comes in often but never has the same crew.”

Clalls didn’t respond to Seajay. Instead, the Demon looked directly at him. “Did you arrest these supposed suspicious people, Seso?”

“No,” he said honestly, hoping his son didn’t expect him to lie.

Clalls finally looked back at Seajay. “Ships are rented out by certain shipyards. I know what ship you’re talking about. And I haven’t seen anything worth talking about. Good try on the acting like an adult, though. Maybe in ten more years.”

Seajay hissed. “Same ship, different crew, every time they dock. They go to the same bar, they order the same drinks, and they always bring back two females to their ship. Hours later, the females leave looking disoriented.”

“They’re drunk, I’ve seen them myself.”

Seajay sneered. “You saw them after they left the ship. I saw them while they were on the ship. Do you want to know what those bastards do to their prey? They use a nero-tab preprogrammed for the females to transfer all their money but what’s needed to check out. Then they tag team the females until everyone gets off. A quick shower, redress, and the bastards send them on their way, knowing that they have no idea why they are feeling the way they do. And,”—Seajay leaned into the table—“the females never make it back home. I’ve checked. The last three times, no one made it back home. So, you can look at me with that ugly face of yours, but at least I’m not a king who lets his visitors be violated and conned.”

Clalls touched the Minky table and brought up Nova’s non-federation ID.

“Don’t bother sending her, I already took care of it.”

Oh, did he?

“And when was that?” Seso asked, hoping his son didn’t do something stupid. Pirates that conned people like that were well established. They would come looking for the one who’d ruined their operation. He was too young to go up against them.

Clalls tilted his head. “Is that where you were the past two days?”

Seso narrowed his eyes. “You were gone for two days?”

Seajay didn’t look at him; he kept his glare on Clalls. “Yes, that’s where I was. And I made sure to end the empire.”

Clalls grunted as if he approved.

“Wait a damn minute. You left the port and didn’t tell me?”

Seajay looked over at him without any remorse. “I’ve been leaving the port since I was fourteen.” He shrugged. “Mostly because Clalls was always hiding things out of reach and I couldn’t stand it.”

Clalls started to chuckle. “Good times. I remember the first time you took a broken lifepod and were stuck in space, and Nova had to go and rescue you.”

Seajay glared. “It was working fine when I got in it. You shut it down once it disconnected.”

“Shouldn’t have been stealing my stuff.”

Seso held up his hands. “What is happening right now?” But even as he said it, he knew what had been happening all along. Clalls, the Demon who he thought hated his son, had been training him.

Training him to take his place. “You want Seajay to be the new head of security, don’t you?”

Clalls shook his head. “No, I like you right where you are. Your son apparently thought it was time to flex his skills in front of you so he could prove that he was good enough to join the mobile security crew.”

“No, absolutely not,” Seso said, standing up.

Clalls leaned back, giving the Demon a look. A look that said, you have no authority here.

“He’s my son.”

Clalls grinned. “He’s my protégé.”

“No.”

“He’s going on a probationary flight. I have ordered special cargo, and I want to make sure the manufacturer did it right. Considering it’s from the Outworlds, I need to make sure I can trust the security guard who goes.”

“And you’re trusting Seajay? You hated him a second ago.”

Clalls shrugged. “I kind of hate you all. It’s a Demon thing.”

Running his finger over his hairless scalp, he was worried. Seso had been a pirate in the Outworlds. Had spent time there and knew that it wasn’t just the strange races you had to worry about. It was the number of pirates that roamed the black void. So many ships got raided because there was no Federation to keep them away.

“He’s proven himself, Seso. I wouldn’t send him if I didn’t trust that or him. I lost you once, and I’ve never, ever lost another employee. If you don’t trust him, trust my word.”

Seso shook his head and looked at his son. Seajay looked so young in that moment. So hopeful. A second later, he blinked it away and went back to the distant son Seso had come to know.

“Don’t break my heart, son. Come back to me.”

Seajay nodded once. It was the closest thing to emotion he was going to get.

Clalls clasped his hands together and said, “Okay, now for the real reason I called you all here. As of twenty minutes ago, I’ve decided to have a festival. I want it big and,”—Clalls pointed to his secretaries—“you two will be working nonstop until every single thing is perfect. Even after that, you need to make sure it’s perfect.”

“What’s the theme?” the female secretary asked.

Clalls held out his hands. “It’s my three hundredth birthday.”

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the Lord for blessing me with the passion to write stories and helping me when my life gets crazy.

A heartfelt thanks to my editor Chelle, Literally Addicted to Detail for always making my stories shine. And a big thanks to my amazing beta readers: Evon, Jan, Amanda and Katja.

I want to thank my Facebook followers who always are there to motivate me to be better and to keep writing good stories.

Last but not least, you, my reader for reading this. I hope you enjoyed it. If so, please leave a review of what you liked and what you didn’t like. An honest review goes a long way.

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