Mercenary Abduction (Alien Abduction) (6 page)

“Nothing.”

“Then how did you choose the name?”

He frowned at her. “Why does it matter?”

“Never mind. If you want people to know who you are, though, you really should get a uniform or

something.”

“Are you mocking me?”

“Asks the guy who is trying to be like some super space pirate.”

“You compare me to a pirate?” He arched a brow. “Is it because I’m dashing? Bold? Handsome?

Rakish appearing?”

“I was thinking more of unkept, unwashed, and stealer of things not belonging to him.”

“You forgot ravisher of females.”

“I don’t know if it’s considered ravishing when you pay for it.” The sweet smile she bestowed for

some reason irritated him.

“Anyone ever mention you’re most annoying?”

Russet lips parted further. “Thank you. I was trained by the best. I can give you his number if

you’d like? You know, to hone your skills.”

Had she…? She wouldn’t dare! Frukx it all, she had. She’d insulted him. Accused him of not

being as good as her. Worse, until he bested her, she was.

“I should kill you,” he growled to even the score. “You left me there to take the blame.”

“Well, you did murder that poor, defenseless alien.”

He had and didn’t regret it one bit. Apparently, though, she didn’t see his chivalrous deed in the

same light. So, he needed to give her a good reason for his actions. Females loved a hero, and given what he’d suffered – a catch up on his sleep, terrible food resulting in the loss of the few meteoric units he’d gained on his last space trip – she should feel guilty for her treatment of him. Despite his motives, he’d saved her. Never mind she appeared to have her own plan. He acted first. “Can you really call it murder when I did it to save you?”

She choked. “Ha. Save me? What a crock. You did it to steal me, more than likely.”

He shrugged and let his lip curl as she saw through him. “That too. It is what I do. Acquire

precious items.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

She cocked her head and peered at him seriously. “Why me? I mean, why go through the trouble?

You don’t seem like the slaver type.”

“Can’t a male save a female in distress?” He cocked a brow and waggled it.

She didn’t fall for it and yet, that same look got him second servings of dessert at home all the

time. “You don’t strike me as the altruistic type.”

“I’m not. Altruism is for the weak.” A mercenary rule? Of course. An expansion of rule number

one.

“So why come after me?”

“Because I’ve always wanted to bed a barbarian virgin.” A dream he now had to postpone, damn

her.

A very odd snort came from her. “That has got to be the stupidest thing you’ve said so far.”

“No, it’s not.” He frowned as he caught the circle she trapped him in. “I’m sure I’ve said

stupider.” Like just then. What was it about this woman that turned him into a bumbling idiot? He tried to recapture his usual suaveness. “I saw you. I was horny. I came and got you. How was I supposed to know you lied on your resume? I should sue you for false advertising. I would have never ended up in this cell if not for your ‘Hey look at me, I am a rare, certified virgin.’ ”

Her jaw dropped, wide enough to insert… She screeched. “Are you serious? Oh my God. You

are. Unbelievable. And just…no, still unbelievable. There has to be something more. A better reason.

Surely you are not that shallow or stupid. It can’t just be for sex. You are obviously good-looking enough to find a female to bed. Or at least rich enough to pay one to fake it. Coming after me so you could pop my cherry? That’s insane.”

“Well, it wasn’t the only reason.” But it made for better watching. Makl peeked up at the camera

that recorded their fight.

“Aha! I knew there was another reason. What treasure did the rich dude have hidden?”

“Only one item. You.”

“You won’t get me to believe you went through all that trouble just to steal me.”

“But I did. From the moment I saw you, I knew I needed you.”

Funny how the honest claim made her pupils dilate and her lips part. A momentary softness that

quickly disappeared. “Need me for what? And don’t say sex.”

Okay, he wouldn’t say it, but he’d think it because despite her non-virgin status, he still wanted to get between her thighs and make her scream his name. “I was tasked with bringing a human back to my

aunt.”

“You know that just raises more questions than answers because you, of course, purposely don’t

mention for what.”

“And ruin the surprise?”

“I hate surprises.”

“Funny, because you gave me quite the one just a few days ago. Why don’t you answer a few

questions first yourself if you’re so keen on knowing more, such as what you were doing masking as a

virgin slave in the first place?”

“Who says it was a mask?”

He snorted.

Her lips tilted. “Okay, maybe I wasn’t a slave, but you heard the doctor. I’m a virgin, or are you

putting my cherry in doubt?” She gave him a pretty pout.

He didn’t fall for it this time. “If you’re a maiden, then I have balls that hang.”

Up shot her delicately curved brows. “You don’t have balls under your cock?”

Why the shock? He frowned. “Of course not. No warrior race would ever have them that

vulnerable to damage.”

“Interesting.”

And no, he didn’t swell because her gaze veered south of his waistband. “You still haven’t

answered me. Why play the part of slave?” he reminded with a little shake.

“You had a job and so did I. I get sold to the highest bidder. He pays for me, and I slip away

before he can act, richer than before.”

“You’ve pulled this con before?”

She pursed her lips and blew. “Well, duh. Of course, never on such a large scale before. Usually,

we tackle smaller marks. This was our first big one. I have to admit, up until you showed up, it was going perfect.”

“Perfect until they caught you.”

“No, it was the perfect scam. We got away clean. But my partner made the mistake of reading the

notes we stole from you.”

Makl straightened at her implication. “You went after my target?” And who was this mysterious

partner? A male he needed to kill or a female, a bisexual female who would like to join in?

“Yeah. We went after the stupid diamond and failed. If it’s any consolation, your plan didn’t

work. The jeweler had an extra layer of security no one knew about. I got caught.” Her lips turned down in a pout of epic proportions.

A chuckle rumbled from him, a laugh that saw him releasing her and stepping away. “Then I guess

I owe you my thanks.”

She rubbed her neck as she shot him a wary gaze. “Then we’re even now?”

“Oh not quite, but I’ll save my revenge for later when the time is more appropriate. We are not

exactly alone, if you understand my meaning.” He peered up at the camera. The human frowned.

“For a lawless galaxy, they’re awfully strict,” she complained. “Cops. Judges. Cells. I would

have found more corruption on Polza.”

Polza, the planet of rules where the job of enforcing the millions of edicts was an industry unto

itself. Thankfully, bribery was a common currency there. “But Polza lacks the riches and the notoriety. I don’t see why you’re so upset. You’ll now be infamous.”

“I’d have preferred to stay anonymous. I don’t get you. You’re awfully chipper for a man about to

discover if there is a God.”

“I know gods exist. Pains in the buttocks, most of them. But I am not scheduled to die. The female

judge sold me to her favorite brothel. I expect she’ll be my first client.”

The human female blinked, then shuddered. “Oh, now there’s a mental image I didn’t need.”

Makl knew better than to imagine it. Besides, his mind couldn’t focus on anything other than the

pale, two-legged beauty pacing the cell, the folds of his cloak tangling in her legs. Brazen chit. She not only left him to take the blame, she’d stolen his clothing as well. “Once you get past the teeth, it’s not bad.

And the slime washes off.” He couldn’t help but laugh as disgust twisted her features.

“How can you joke about it?”

“Come here if you want to know.” He crooked a finger.

She crossed her arms. “I don’t think so.”

“Suit yourself then.” He sat with his back against the wall, closed his eyes, and proceeded to

ignore her.

It didn’t take her long to lose patience. “How can you just sit there? Aren’t you even going to try

and escape?”

“Escape? From this most secure of cells? Impossible.” He didn’t even look at the camera as he

made the claim.

She blew out a breath. “Not the answer I was looking for. I hope you enjoy your new career as a

hooker.”

She tried to rile him up and get him to do something rash. Nice ploy, also a mercenary rule he well

knew. “Oh, I don’t imagine I’ll be there long.”

“Whorehouse security is even tighter than that in these cells.”

“A matter of opinion.”

“So you’re not even going to try and escape from here?” She gestured to their room.

“Why bother?”

“Then I’m wasting time talking to you,” she grumbled, whirling away from him. She paced the

cell, eyeing it’s every nook and cranny. A shame she didn’t drop his cloak while doing it. He could have used the show. But dressed as she was, he made do with his vivid imagination. Of course, he couldn’t see why she tried to squeeze her head between impossibly tight bars, or why she kept mumbling about spoons.

Did she plan to eat her way out? If so, he could help her, eat her out, that was.

“May I ask what you are doing?” he asked when she scrabbled on the floor, nose to the stone.

“Looking for a way to escape. Unlike you, the female judge did not like me and sentenced me to

death. They’re just waiting for a slot to open up so they can put the show on stage and sell some tickets.”

Death? Served her right. Only human around or not, the female was a menace. The laws he lived

by said she should die for what she’d done. Revenge screamed this was justice. His rules said better her than him. But his cock – too full of itself and most of the blood powering his brain – and his practical side disagreed.
I can still use her.
He sighed. Frukx it all. Irritating human or not, there was only one thing to do.

“Come here.” He crooked a finger.

“Why?”

“Must you always question?”

“Yes.”

“You forgot to phrase it as a query.”

Her lips twitched. “Are you wanting me close so you can throttle me?”

No, but he owned a body part in need of a good throttling or choking. Either would do. “Again

with the questions. Frukx it all, woman, I’ve had it.” Up he sprang from the bed. In a moment, he once again held her pinned against the wall. “Why can’t you just listen to a male when he speaks?”

When she started her harangue, he leaned in close and whispered in her ear. “Don’t stop talking,

but listen carefully. I’ll help you escape.”

She, of course, shut up.

“Stupid barbarian. I should teach you a female’s proper place. The only thing you’re good for.”

“And what would that be?” she snapped.

“Everyone knows a female’s position when in the presence of male should be on her knees!” he

shouted triumphantly. “Prepare to choke on your punishment, human.”

This time, the light of understanding clicked and she launched into a rant the likes his Aunt Muna

would have applauded. He used it to cover his own words. “They’re watching us, so we can’t let on

we’re planning our exit.”

“But how will you make me, you scoundrel? Gag me and I shall bite it off. I dare you to take me

by force. Or are you just loud noise?”

Under the guise of something else, she asked her questions and he replied in kind.

“Loud noise? I’ll show you. I can conquer anything. Even the lock on your portal. I have the

strength and the tool to force my way.”

“Figures you’d rely on force.” She tossed her head. “I’ll fight. Do anything I can.”

Fight? Against armed guards. She might try, but it was obvious to him she wasn’t trained to act in

a deadly fashion. He kept up his oblique speech and hoped she followed. “You can perhaps escape me on one condition.”

“What’s that?” She eyed him suspiciously.

“You help me with my
errand.
” He waggled a brow.

She fell out of character, but to anyone watching their conversation still revealed nothing of the

plan they hatched. “What kind of errand? Because I am not donating any body parts for eating or science.”

“Your body will remain intact.” He thought.

“I am not fucking you either.”

So she thought. “Female, I wanted sex with the demure virgin, not whatever you call yourself.”

“My name is Olivia.”

Odd name. But then again, look where she originated from. “I am Makl.”

“Galactic hijacker, I know. So no sex, no donation of body parts, or pain. Will I survive what you

plan?”

“That is my understanding.”

“Then I agree.”

“You do? Aren’t you going to ask me what the job entails?”

She shrugged. “If I don’t like it, I’ll leave.”

“That might not be as easy as you think.”

“I’m sure I’ll figure out a way. So now what, oh great galactic Barney.”

“Who?”

She hid a smile. “No one. So Makl, what’s next?”

“Now you pay!” He winked out of sight of the camera. She almost gave it away.

“Ooh, I am so scared.”

“You should be. I’ve been told my size is almost monstrous. Prepare for the ravishment of your

life. But first, less clothes.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Hand the cloak over, human.” Did she have to defy him at every turn? Yes. It was one of her

charming traits. Lips pursed, she swirled his cape from her shoulders into his outstretched hand. With a flourish, he tossed it on the pallet. “You learn quickly. Just listen when I speak and you’ll soon know your place,” he advised.