Enslaved

  “Thrace—” she began but he wasn’t done yet.

  “The Master who bought me was the same one who murdered my Sire,” he went on in a low, growling voice. “He paid fifty thousand credits for me—just as you did, Mistress.” The word held a bitterness that Trin had never heard him use before. “He kept me intact for a good long while, hoping to get me to give my oath—to pledge my love and loyalty.”

  “The words,” Trin whispered. “He wanted you to say the words—the words you said to me.”

  “I wouldn’t though.” Thrace sounded grim. “I never gave those words to anyone…until I took your collar and gave them to you.” He looked at Trin but she found she couldn’t hold his burning gaze and had to look away.

  “Did he…”

  “Eventually he got tired of waiting, of course,” Thrace continued. “He took me—used me as hard as he could. It was a punishment, you see. For failing to give him what he wanted…for refusing to…” He choked. “Refusing to love him.”

  “Thrace…”

  “He used me almost every night after that,” the big Havoc continued, speaking relentlessly as though he was determined to get the whole sordid story out. Every muscle in his big body was bunched with tension as he spoke. “He didn’t always do me the courtesy of using lube, either.” He nodded at the small cylinder Trin had left lying on the side of the bed. “Those times hurt…but it was worse when he…when he took his time and did use it. When he spent time on trying to prepare me, as you were doing.”

  “Why?” Trin couldn’t help asking although she didn’t really want to know. But somehow she knew that Thrace had to tell it. “Why was that worse?”

  “Because those times were when he did more than just fuck my body…he fucked with my head.” Thrace clenched his jaw and a muscle in his temple jumped and twitched. “He…made me come for him, you see. It’s an involuntary response—you touch a male in the right way, rub against the right spot inside and it’s going to happen. I know that now. But for years I wondered what the hell was wrong with me…why I couldn’t stop myself from coming when he…when he took me.”

  “Thrace…” Trin felt like her heart was breaking. Knowing this…finding it out was too much. Just too, too much. “How…how did you get away?” she whispered.

  A slow, grim smile spread over his face.

  “Three cycles he had me. And for two of those he used me. I was desperate to escape…little more than an animal after a while. And I finally got my growth.”

  Trin remembered the young Thrace she’d seen in the dream—the way he was tall but not nearly as muscular or huge as he was now.

  “I could see it coming on—I could feel my strength growing,” he went on in a low growl. “But the Master was blind to it—he only saw what he wanted to see. A slave he liked to fuck. So one night when he’d sent the guards from the room and one of my manacles was a little loose, I finally freed one hand. I reached for him and dragged him to me—that raping son-of-a-bitch.” He made an unconscious motion with one hand, clenching it tightly into a fist.

  “And then?” Trin whispered, her heart beating in her throat.

  “Then I gouged out his eyes and ripped out his throat. With my teeth.”

  The look on his face was so fierce…so predatory, that she couldn’t help drawing back with an involuntary shudder.

  “Goddess, Thrace…”

  “His blood tasted so fucking sweet.” Those silver-blue eyes were blank now, filled with a fierce, animalistic light. “I killed him and left his corpse chained where he always chained me—left him for the guards to find. Well, the ones I didn’t kill on the way out.” He shrugged. “After that I went back home and swore I’d never be a slave again. And I wasn’t until Solar and I got drugged in that fucking bar on Padge.” He looked at her intently. “Before you bought me I swore to myself I’d kill my new master or mistress and get away before it could happen again. Before anyone could use me…that way again.”

  Trin could barely speak.

  “Then why…how could you… how could you even think of letting me do this?” She gestured at herself—at the way she had nearly taken and penetrated him at his request.

  “I told you.” The fierce light in his eyes was for her now and he gripped her by her upper arms, pulling her close. “You own me—body and soul. I’m yours, Mistress. And if this is what you need to do, then by all the Gods, we’ll do it. So why don’t you just fucking get on with it?”

  “No!” Trin shoved away from him, tearing herself from his grasp. The phallus within her which had felt strange but intensely sexual before, now seemed abhorrent—an instrument of torture. She reached down and pulled it out, gasping as the unfamiliar length slid from her core. Throwing it to the side she pushed herself to her feet and staggered backwards, trying to get away from the huge Havoc still kneeling by the side of the bed with an awful light burning in his eyes.

  “Trin…” His voice was a low, warning growl.

  “No, stay away from me!” She shook her head. “I won’t do this to you. I won’t. I don’t care if it costs me my career and my reputation and my relationship with my mother—I don’t care.”

  “Trin!” He started to rise to his feet, a strange, intense look in his eyes. “I shouldn’t have told you…not like that. I’m sorry…I just—”

  “No! I don’t want to hear any more. I never want to hear any more.” Turning, she tore open the door and ran from him, ran from the room and the past that stood between them like an insurmountable wall. Ran from his pain and hurt and her own fear and vulnerability.

  But no matter how fast she ran, the nightmare followed her—the vision she’d seen the night before—the memory of his suffering and the fact that she had added to it. No matter how fast she ran, she couldn’t outrun the hurt in his eyes or the pain in his voice when she left him, standing there with his hands outstretched and empty.

  * * * * *

  Fuck—what’s wrong with me? Why in the Seven Hells did I tell her all that? Why the fuck did I tell her I killed the old Master? And why did I tell her how he used me every night? She hates me now—thinks I’m dirt—trash. Not just trash—fucking dangerous trash. I told her I ripped his throat out with my teeth! Why did I tell her that? Wouldn’t it be enough to just say I killed him without giving details? Fuck!

  Thrace paced the floor, running both hands through his hair, trying to understand what had happened, why he had snapped.

  Should have played off the dream—told her it was just a nightmare. Never should have admitted it was a true memory, never should have said anything about the past at all.

  For years it had isolated him. He’d never told another living soul about his past abuse—not even his first mate and best friend, Solar. Now he understood why. Seeing that horrified look on Trin’s face—hearing the pity and fear in her voice as she told him she didn’t want to hear any more—that was reason enough to keep the past to himself. Thrace wished desperately that he’d done exactly that.

  But somehow when she started using the lube on him, he just couldn’t keep it inside anymore. His subservient position, kneeling by the bed with his legs spread while she fingered him from behind had been too much to take. It reminded him too strongly of the past—of the way the Master had sometimes prepared him before taking him.

  Should have kept it to myself, he thought again. But it was too late for that. Too late to do anything but try to find her and repair the damage he’d done. With a low oath, he stood up and began looking for his trousers—the ones that actually covered him. They were going to have to leave this place and he’d be damned if he would wear those fucking crotchless slave trousers one more minute. He was going to get dressed, gather the bare necessities, and find Trin. In the meantime, maybe she would cool off a little and be ready to talk by the time he got to her.

  He hoped.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Trin ran until the breath was tearing in her throat and she felt like her heart would burst. The marble halls of
the vast mansion echoed with her footsteps and the stone floor was cold against her bare feet but she didn’t care—she had to get away.

  At last she found the exit out into the back grounds of the estate. She stumbled wearily out into the weak sunshine, grateful beyond words to be out of that house, away from the awful things she’d heard and seen.

  Poor Thrace…oh Goddess, so awful…so horrible…

  She shouldn’t have run. Trin sank to the ground, the dry grass crunching under her feet, holding the stitch in her side. Shouldn’t have run.

  But the look on his face had been so fierce and frightening and the things he’d told her had been so awful…

  How much more awful do you think they were for him? How hard was it for him to tell you? But you didn’t stay and try to comfort him—you ran. Ran away and left him feeling like garbage.

  I’m sorry…so sorry… Trin buried her face in her hands and a hoarse sob broke from her throat. The worst thing was that she’d almost done it to him again—had almost forced him to relive that old trauma, that horrible past. Oh Goddess, if his words hadn’t brought back the dream…if he hadn’t admitted it was true and not just a nightmare…I can’t believe I was actually going to do that to him…that I was going to hurt him like that!

  She felt sick—sick and shaky with rage and sorrow. She wanted to find Thrace’s old master and kill him…until she remembered what he’d said about the way he had killed the old bastard himself.

  I ripped out his throat. With my teeth. His blood tasted so fucking sweet…

  Goddess! Trin shivered and let out another sob. She hated getting emotional—hated letting her feelings show. And yet this time she couldn’t keep them inside. Thrace meant something to her—in the short time she’d known him he had somehow gotten closer to her than to any other person she’d ever known. Despite the fact that he was male and a relationship between them was both wrong and forbidden she cared for him. And the thought of him being hurt like that…

  “My, my—you look a mess, my dear if you don’t mind me saying so. And you must be thirsty with all that running. Here.” Someone handed her a cool, frosty cup. Her eyes still filled with tears, Trin gasped it blindly and took a deep drink. The liquid inside was faintly sweet and icy—so cold it made her lips go numb.

  “Thank you,” she said in a shaky voice, handing it back.

  “Not at all, not at all. Always glad to be of use to a lady in need.”

  A pair of tall black boots was suddenly in front of her eyes and a big, masculine hand was reaching down to take her under the arm. Black boots…that should bother me…why? For a moment she couldn’t think why. Then she looked up and saw the boots and the hand with the drink belonged to Lord X.

  “You!” She tried to scoot backwards but his grip on her was too firm.

  “Of course it’s me. Let me just help you up.” He smiled gallantly as he hoisted her to her feet. When he got a look at her face, he shook his head and made a tsking sound. “You’ve been crying! My dear, whatever for?”

  “I can’t…I don’t want to talk about it.” Trin swiped at her eyes and did her best to stand up straight.

  “But you should talk about it—to a friend who cares.” His handsome face twisted into a cold smile that didn’t quite find his eyes. “Lady Tam-tam is most displeased with you, you know. Apparently you didn’t fulfil your end of some bargain she made with you.”

  “That was no bargain—it was blackmail!” Trin spat before she thought better of it.

  “Blackmail? Really?” His eyebrows raised high over those strange black eyes with the deep red glints in them. “Whatever can that mean?”

  “None of your business.” Trin rubbed the back of her hand over her numb and tingling lips. She didn’t like showing weakness in front of a strange male. Especially one she suspected of drugging her.

  “Sorry to hear that.” He raised the frosty cup to her once more. “Maybe you’d like another drink?

  Trin eyed the cup and her stomach did a slow flip.

  Oh my god…drugging me! He gassed Thrace and me last night and now, why do my lips feel so numb? Almost like…

  “Ah—the look of realization.” Lord X smiled broadly though the expression still didn’t reach his eyes. There was something horribly familiar about that grin, Trin thought sickly—for a moment she almost seemed to see metal teeth gleaming in the weak sunlight. Then the illusion passed and it was only Lord X standing there, handsome and inscrutable with cold black eyes, perfect white teeth, and a cruel little smile playing around his mouth.

  “You…what have you done to me?” she asked thickly. She was beginning to feel dizzy and hot, as though the dress she was wearing was made from unbearably thick fur instead of thin lace and silk.

  “Nothing irreversible, I assure you.” Lord X smiled and tightened his grip on her arm. He began to drag her around the side of the huge house. “I’ll leave that for someone else.”

  “For who? Where are you taking me? Let me go!” She wanted to fight him but she was so weak suddenly, so dizzy and sick and so horribly hot. She felt like she might pass out from the terrible heat at any moment but somehow she didn’t.

  “Why, I’m going to take you back to the landing field and put you on a shuttle. You’re going straight back to your ship, The Alacrity.” He grinned at her. “Home is the best place to be when you feel sick, don’t you agree?”

  “Thrace…” Trin could barely get the name out through her numb lips but she tried anyway. “What about…Thrace?”

  “Oh, don’t worry my lovely—I’m sure the big Havoc will be along very shortly. He cares about you too deeply to do anything else but follow you…to his doom.”

  He gave a low, awful laugh and then the world spun around Trin and everything went black.

  * * * * *

  “What do you mean she’s gone?” Thrace demanded of the slave in purple and orange livery who was minding the control area of the landing field. “Where the fuck did she go?”

  “Well…back to her ship.” The slave shrugged uneasily. “She didn’t seem like she was feeling well—couldn’t even walk on her own. Lord X had to carry her.”

  “Lord X?” Thrace’s entire body was flooded with angry adrenaline. “You let that son-of-a-bitch take her off in a ship somewhere? What the fuck is wrong with you?” He grabbed the slave by his natty orange and purple lapels. “You’d better pray to all the Gods that ever were that you got a flight plan filed for him so I can follow them. Or so help me I’ll rip you limb from limb and it will not be a fast operation!”

  “Calm down!” The slave was pale and shaking. “Please! He didn’t take her anywhere—he didn’t even leave with her! He just put her into one of Lady Tam-tam’s spare shuttles and sent her back up to her own ship—I swear!”

  Thrace felt a short lived burst of relief.

  “Didn’t go with her, you say? Why not? What’s his game?”

  “He didn’t say anything about any game,” the slave protested, his voice still shaking. “Only that the lady didn’t feel well so he was sending her back to her ship.”

  “Fine.” Thrace hefted the small case he’d packed with the few essentials he thought it necessary to bring. “Then bring my shuttle around now. I’m going after her and if I don’t find her safe aboard The Alacrity, I’m coming back down here and you’ll have hell to pay!”

  Nodding and bowing, the slave attendant ran as fast as he could to get the small life pod shuttle they had come in. Thrace waited impatiently, wondering what the hell he would find when he got back to The Alacrity and praying that Trin was all right. He didn’t believe that Lord X was the type to simply help a female in need out of the goodness of his own heart. No—there was something more going on here, something bad.

  Thrace just hoped he wasn’t too late to stop it.

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  “Well, well, well…so nice to see you again, my dear Havoc.”

  The face that popped up when his viewscreen finally established cont
act with The Alacrity was horribly familiar.

  “You,” Thrace breathed, staring at the gleaming metal teeth and the one, mad eye dancing in its hollow socket.

  “It’s Two, actually not ‘you’ but I know what you mean.” Two giggled. “Of course, you only knew me as B’Rugh’s second in command. But I am so much more—to you as well as others that you love and will someday come to care for. You might say that our destinies are entwined. Isn’t that a romantic idea?”

  “Stop fucking around and tell me what you’re doing aboard The Alacrity. And where’s Trin? I swear by all the Gods if you’ve hurt her—”

  “Oh no, my dear Havoc—she has not been wounded…yet. I am saving that honor for you.”

  “What do you mean? What are you talking about?” Thrace demanded. But Two only shook his head.

  “You’ll find out soon enough. Your pod should dock with The Alacrity very shortly. But remember one thing, my dear Havoc…” He held up one long, skeletal finger. “I am in charge here now. If you try to come in, blasters blazing, you’ll only get your darling Trin and all the rest of her crew killed. Well…” He made a face. “The ones that are still alive, anyway.”

  “You fucker, what have you done? You—” Thrace burst out but the viewscreen went black and no amount of calling would raise an answer from The Alacrity. He could do nothing but wait.

  It only took another half hour for the pod to dock but Thrace swore it was the longest half hour of his life. The moment he felt the solid bump of metal kissing metal, he sprang to the door, ready to confront Two and save the female he loved.

  But it was Sidna, not Two who met him at the door of the shuttle. The medic looked haggard, lines of fear and sorrow drawn on her face and shadows under her gray eyes.

  “Havoc,” she greeted him flatly.

  “Sidna.” He nodded at her briefly. “Where’s Trin? Is she all right?”

  “No, but there’s nothing you can do to help her. That male, Two—I think he’s the one that Trin met in The Demon’s Eye…”