“Mind your tongues, subordinate. Let’s not forget who is the captain of this ship.” The red one named I-ya replied.
“Leave us alone, you sick fuck!” Darcy shouted. “We just want to go home.” She ducked behind A-rec when I-ya turned his red gaze on her.
“You’re not going anywhere,” I-ya replied. “I’ve already been paid for you.”
“I-ya,” A-rec said. “What are you talking about?”
“These humans have been purchased by a client. How else do you think we were able to afford this expedition?’ I-ya asked. “I did what I had to do to ensure the survival of our people this cold season. We need the crystals, and to get them, we need to keep this ship running. The Universe does not trade in seeds and grain like back home. We needed something valuable. These humans,” he gestured to Darcy and Stephenie, “are rare. And expensive. They got us just enough fuel and food to meet and trade what we needed. For that, I am grateful.” He actually had the nerve to give Stephenie a sympathetic look. “I didn’t expect them to wake up in our custody.”
“You SOLD HUMANS? In exchange for Universal Credits?” A-rec howled, looking more beast like than ever before. “That is a CRIME! You have put our entire tribe in danger!”
“Our tribe was already in danger! Of freezing to death during the dark days. I did what I had to do to keep us alive.”
“At the expense of living beings.”
“Is that not what we do when we eat our meat? Is that not what we do when we make our furs? How is this any different?” I-ya countered.
Stephenie’s stomach twisted, and the world began to spin. If she wasn’t careful, she’d end up blacking out.
“I-ya, you have…”
The words started to blur together, and Stephenie swallowed down the vomit that rose in her throat.
She… She had been bought and paid for?
Chapter 12
Stepheniefelt as though the world was crumbling around her. Her ears began to ring, and she struggled to take a breath.
Bought and paid for? She had been…sold?
“The buying and selling of a sentient being is illegal throughout the Universe!” A-rec growled. “We are meant to pass by these people peacefully, without drawing attention to ourselves- not enslave them. You have broken more than a hundred laws and have endangered not only two humans, but the entire ship as well with your foolishness.”
“I will not apologize for what I have done,” I-ya said, narrowing his eyes at A-rec. “It is because of me and my ‘foolishness’ that we are able to afford most of the equipment on this ship.”
Stephenie noted that Darcy, who was still hiding behind A-rec, had reached for his hand.
“And as for this one,” I-ya said as he tossed Ee-rah on the floor at his feet. “Disgusting. To think he could claim a human by Mating with one. Absolutely vile.”
Stephenie rushed forward and cradled Ee-rah’s head in her lap. She tapped at his cheeks, trying her best to rouse him. “Ee-rah,” she whispered. “Ee-rah, wake up. Please wake up.” His head lulled to the other side. She glared up at the one named I-ya. “What did you do to him?” She demanded.
“He set fire to our ship. I stunned and apprehended him as I am well within my right to do.” I-ya gave her a look of disgust. “You must be the one he claimed Mate.”
Stephenie sat Ee-rah’s head down gently and rose to her feet. “I am his Mate.” She growled, now standing toe to toe with the large, red alien.
I-ya laughed down at her. “Mate or not, you belong to me until you are given to one who bought you.”
“Go to hell,” Stephenie snapped.
“Hell?” I-ya cocked his head to the side. “Is that a nice place?”
“I’m sure you would think so.”
“I am returning these humans to their planet,” A-rec said. Stephenie had almost forgotten he was here. “And then I will take you to the Elders of our tribe to answer for your crimes.”
I-ya laughed at that. “You are well out of your prime, old one. As if you could take me.”
A-rec growled and lunged for I-ya.
