Hawk's Slave (8 page)

His beast laid on top of her, making sure she was in the right position, then quickly entered her. Her body was pure bliss to his feline. Hawk allowed himself to get lost inside his beast so he could feel every sensation.

The joining didn’t last long, but it was long enough to give him a taste of the things to come. It also satisfied his cat in a way it never had been before. He’d had sex more times than he could count, but never with another cat shifter. And
never
while in his beast form.

Hawk released Opal’s neck and licked her ear. She shot out from under him. As soon as she was free, she whirled around and swiped him with her claws. Pain slashed his chest, but Hawk barely felt it. His brain was still fogged with pleasure.

The pleasure only increased when he saw her roll on the floor. Hawk wondered if Opal realized what she’d done. Cats only did that to increase the chance of fertilization. A powerful emotion welled inside of him when he thought about her carrying his young.

Hawk had never considered the possibility until now.

His blood dripped onto the floor. Hawk never took his eyes off Opal as he slowly licked it up. He’d take several more blows from her sharp claws if it meant he could have her again, but next time Hawk wanted her in her other form, on his rest pad.

Opal cleaned herself, then shifted back into her human form. Naked and trembling with anger, she glared at him. “How dare you!” she snarled.

* * * * *

Hawk shape-shifted. He was as naked as she was when he was done. Opal’s gaze dropped of its own volition. He was utterly magnificent to view. As usual, his cat form hadn’t done him justice, though it was impressive. She forced her gaze up and found him smiling at her.

“Are you mad because I took you? Or because you let me?” Hawk asked, grinning mischievously. His big hand lazily stroked the front of his chest.

Opal sneered. “You did not give me much of a choice.”

“Are you saying that you couldn’t have gotten away if you wanted to?” he asked, cocking his head inquisitively.

She opened her mouth to say no, then quickly closed it. All she would’ve had to do was shift into her two-legged form and he would have immediately released her.

“Your men are fighting for their lives and you’re in here having sex,” she snapped. “What does that say about you as a leader?”

Hawk’s smile vanished and the color in his cheeks deepened. He opened his mouth to reply. Before he could say one word, a giant scaled shifter appeared behind her and grabbed Opal around the throat.

“No!” Hawk lunged forward as the shifter leveled a blaster and aimed for his chest. At this close range, the alien wouldn’t miss.

Horrified, Opal watched Hawk try to reach her. The fool was going to get himself killed. The thought of Hawk dying sent a wave of pain crashing over her.

The scaly shifter squeezed the trigger, but not before Opal sank her claws into his arm and threw off his aim. Hawk roared as blood blossomed on his shoulder.

Opal only got a glimpse of the wound before the shifter yanked her back. The injury was bad, but Hawk should live. The invader opened a light ring transport beside them—something he shouldn’t have been able to do—and stepped into it, taking her with him.

She and Hawk’s gazes met one last time. So much was left unsaid, but at least Opal knew he was safe. A light flashed, blinding her. In the next instant, Hawk and his ship were gone.

The breath squeezed from Hawk’s lungs as he watched Opal disappear. She’d saved his life. The shifter had him in his sights. By all rights, he should be dead...but his Little Cat had saved him. Hawk wasn’t sure how he felt about that, but there was no time to examine it now. Opal was gone and he needed to get her back.

He rushed into the main cargo hold area. Shadow was toying with the last remaining invader. He saw Hawk, then raised his hand to kill the man.

“Stop!” Hawk bellowed. “I want him alive.”

Shadow’s hand froze an inch from the man’s face. He looked at Hawk in disbelief.

“I need to question him. Take him to the dark chamber,” Hawk said.

Shadow nodded curtly, then disappeared with the invader in tow.

* * * * *

Opal’s stomach lurched the moment the world righted itself. She dropped to her knees, gasping for breath as she tried to shake off the dizziness. She was naked but for the collar Hawk had given her.

“Finally,” a male voice said.

She looked up and found herself at the feet of the alien who’d tried to purchase her on Farn. Opal staggered to stand. It took two tries, but she eventually got her legs to support her.

Opal glanced around and saw other creatures that looked like the one in front of her, situated around the bridge of a ship. They were all male. All were staring at her with a mixture of disgust and desire. Again she got the impression that their desire wasn’t sexual in nature.

Did they all breathe fire? Did it really matter? It would only take one of them to burn the flesh from her bones.

The thought sent a shiver down her spine. Opal played it off as the effects of the light ring transport, but wasn’t sure she’d fooled the man in front of her.

She glanced out the viewer and saw Hawk’s ship drifting across the screen. Had it been disabled? Did they plan to finish the job? Opal’s gaze returned to the blue-haired alien to try and gauge his intentions.

He was watching her closely and seemed particularly interested in her reaction to Hawk’s ship.

Opal’s face blanked. She took care to show no emotion at all, then forced herself to face him. “My name is Opal. I am a Phantom Warrior. Who am I addressing?”

Some of the crew sneered at her tone, but the scaly being in front of her grinned, flashing a mouthful of pointy teeth. “I am Captain Zeth,” he said. “Your
new
owner.”

She bristled internally, but didn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing that he’d angered her. Instead, Opal ignored her nudity and bowed at the waist.

“Captain Zeth,” she said, acknowledging his position.

His eyes narrowed. “I’m surprised you’re not upset by the turn of events.”

Opal arched her brow. “Why would I be upset?”

He cocked his reptilian head. “I was under the impression that Hawk viewed you as more than a slave. After all, he refused to sell you, even after I offered him an outlandish sum of credits.”

Her lips thinned. “You are mistaken,” she said. “I’ve been his captive for over thirty days. Did your men not inform you where I was found?”

Zeth’s grin widened. “A pleasure chamber if I’m not mistaken.”

Opal gave him a curt nod. “I didn’t volunteer to be placed there.”

He inhaled. “Yet, you smell like him,” he said.

She tensed. “I did not volunteer,” Opal repeated.

Understanding dawned in the big alien’s eyes. “I seek a pet,” he said, “not a whore.”

Opal bit the inside of her mouth so hard that she drew blood. “I am a warrior, not a whore.”

Zeth turned his back on her. The move showed his confidence in his own power, while insulting her as a warrior. “Of course not,” he said, but his tone said otherwise. He walked across the bridge and took his seat. His eyes moved to the collar around her neck.

“Would you like me to remove it?” Opal asked. She could smell Hawk on the leather with each inhalation she took.

“That won’t be necessary,” Zeth said. “It suits your new position.” He snapped his fingers and pointed at the floor beside his seat.

Opal strolled forward, taking care to sway her hips seductively. She reached Zeth’s side and stopped.

His gaze raked her, then he grabbed her arm. The second he touched her, Opal’s body recoiled. She was so attuned to Hawk’s touch that any other’s seemed unnatural.

“Don’t worry, pet,” Zeth said. “You’ll get use to the coolness of my scales soon enough.” He yanked her down to her knees. “Now shift.”

Opal swallowed her revulsion and allowed the shift to take her body. Warmth spread through her limbs, then fur rippled over her skin. When it was done, a large, black cat with a brightly jeweled collar sat beside him.

She sniffed, noting a change in the air by his seat. It smelled different. Stale almost. Opal scanned the area around her. She almost missed the miniscule seam that betrayed the hidden hatch built into the floor. The fire-breather was full of surprises. She’d have to keep a close eye on him.

* * * * *

“Good cat.” Zeth patted her head, knowing it would anger her, then looked at the crew. “Set course for Gar,” he said. “We’ll be able to unload our cargo on that moon. Garians love humanoid meat. Almost as much as we do.” He laughed.

Opal’s gold gaze met his and she hissed.

Zeth reached out and stroked her ears. “Not you, my pet. You are mine.”

Her body trembled, but then she settled onto the floor.

She looked relaxed, but Zeth knew better. He wasn’t sure what had occurred between Opal and Hawk, but he didn’t believe for a second that she was nothing but a slave. He’d seen his man’s wounds and been informed telepathically where they’d come from. She may truly be angry at Hawk, but her actions belied her feelings.

During the slave sale, Zeth had seen the way the Slaver had looked at her. Possessiveness and desire fueled the gold in Hawk’s eyes until it burned like the stars. Zeth could’ve believed it was just about sex, if it hadn’t been for the love bite on her neck. For a shifter, that mark was telling. No doubt Hawk would’ve fought him had Zeth protested her removal from the auction block.

She might have been forced into the pleasure chamber as she claimed, but her body showed no signs of having been taken against her will. Still, if Opal resented Hawk’s treatment of her, it might give her incentive to behave. She would be less likely to try to escape if she knew that Hawk could catch her. And Zeth had no doubt that the wily Slaver would be hunting them.

After all, they’d stolen the last of Hawk’s slaves, along with his precious pet. He had no choice but to come after them. Zeth had only intended to take Opal, but he’d decided to teach the slaver a lesson. No one denied him.

“Bern, you and Sithor go down into the hold to prepare the women. Make sure the cuts are prime. Trim the fat. The Garians won’t buy anything too fatty. If we can sell all the parts, we should be able to get enough credits to leave this galaxy.”

By the time Hawk figured out where they were going, they’d be long gone.

* * * * *

Hawk stared at the prisoner. They’d bound him and placed a mask around his face. He could still talk and breathe, but if he tried to shift, the mask would cut his head off.

“Where are they going?” Hawk had already activated the tracking chip in Opal’s collar, but they needed to be close for it to work. Once they were in range of the other ship, he’d be able to pinpoint her location.

The man glared at him.

“Where are they going?” he asked again.

The man spit on Hawk’s shoes.

Hawk grinned. “I was hoping that you wouldn’t cooperate,” he said. “I rarely get to use this room.” He walked over to the far wall, which contained knives made from various elements. Hawk picked up the one that had been forged on Atten, a frozen planet that seemed immune to heat.

He held up the blade. “Do you know what this is?” he asked.

The drac-shifter stared at the intricate blade, but said nothing.

“I’ll tell you,” Hawk said. “This is a battle sword forged from the ice and elements of Atten.”

The shifter’s eyes widened and Hawk got his first glimpse of real fear.

He stared at the bound shifter. “I’m glad you’ve heard of the place. I really didn’t want to explain where it was and what made it so special,” he said, admiring the sword. “The interesting thing about this particular blade is how it responds to heat.”

The shifter straightened in the chair and pulled at the chains binding him. They clanged loudly but held.

“A sword from Atten can turn even the hottest thing into a block of ice.” Hawk moved closer to the shifter.

The man hissed.

“I’ve only used this weapon one time,” Hawk said. “It’s truly remarkable.” He held the sword up to the man’s face. “What do you think will happen if I drive it into your chest?”

The man’s red eyes swirled with banked heat and undisguised hatred.

Hawk leaned down until they were eye to eye. “There’s not enough fire inside of you to counteract this sword’s effect. Now tell me what I want to know.”

The drac-shifter snarled. “I’ll never talk.”

Hawk touched the sword to the fire-breather’s thigh. It hissed on contact, then ice began to form.

The shifter screamed in agony.

“Now imagine what it will do, when I drive it into your lungs,” Hawk said. “Where are they?”

The shifter struggled to break free.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Hawk said.

“Captain,” Fallon said. “Your wound.”

Hawk pinned his First in place with his sharp gaze.

Fallon stared in distress at Hawk’s shoulder.

“Not now.” Hawk ignored the blood dripping from his wound. He’d get it treated eventually, but not until he had the answers he wanted. Besides, the pain kept him focused. “Who ordered the raid?” he asked.

The man clenched his jaw.

Hawk touched the shifter’s arm with the tip of the sword. The blade sizzled against the man’s scaly skin and frost spread down his arm.

He gasped in pain and cried out. “Captain Zeth,” he spat. “But that’s all I’m going to tell you.”

Rage engulfed him. Hawk should’ve known that the alien would never take no for an answer. “What does he plan to do with the cargo?” he asked.

The shifter looked at him and laughed. “He’s going to cut your woman into little pieces and sell her meat for soup. That’s if he hasn’t already eaten her.”

Hawk raised the sword over his head and drove it straight into the man’s thigh. It sliced through the scales like they were Zaronian petals. A second later, the leg froze solid like a block of ice.

The shifter screamed until his throat was raw and his red eyes lost focus. Before he could pass out, Hawk removed the blade. The shifter trembled as he sucked air into his lungs.