He grabbed the tie holding her hair back and yanked it out. He scrunched the strands in his hands, pulling it over her face in a wild mess. “Keep your eyes down. Don’t draw attention to yourself.”
She nodded, her stomach a mass of hard knots. He shrugged out of his dark blue vest and held it up. She slipped her arms inside. It was too big for her and covered her hips.
He cupped her cheeks, yanked her close, and pressed a hard, quick kiss to her mouth. Then he rested his forehead against hers. “Be careful.”
Before she could say anything, he pulled away. A loud clang of metal echoed through the ship.
The slavers had docked.
Dathan stoodwith his hands balled into fists. Edgy energy winged through his body like a thousand volts. He wanted to fight but knew it would get them all killed.
His brothers stood to one side of him, solemn and silent. Eos stood on the other side, shoulders hunched and gaze glued to the floor. Footsteps sounded on the metal floor.
Dathan drew in a breath. His quick, dirty disguise wouldn’t fool a Souk street urchin, let alone slavers experienced in plucking the best beauties in the galaxy. Even now, the markings on Eos’ hands drew his gaze. And her slim legs bared by those damn shorts.
Three of them entered—a tall, thin reptilian woman flanked by two huge men. The men had muscles bulging on muscles and the woman was dressed in brown. Her skin was covered in scales of a shimmering silver-white.
The silence was deafening. The female slaver’s dead gaze moved over all of them, and Dathan could almost see her cataloging vital statistics and sales possibilities. Her pupils were elongated slits in eyes the color of neon grass.
Then she zeroed in on Eos’ downturned head. Her gaze skimmed down to Eos’ hands, lingered.
Damn.Dathan tensed.Be strong, Doc.
The slaver strode forward. “Your silence tells me you know the drill.” There was the faintest sibilant hiss in her voice.
Dathan shot her a hot look. “I could spout the usual nonsense about how you have no right to board us, if you’d like.”
She tilted her head, her reptilian gaze spooky as hell. “Humor. Such a useless trait in a slave. But I appreciate you sparing us the ineffectual rubbish. It saves us time.” She eyedthe others as she strolled closer. “There is no law in the Devil’s Nebula, except do as you please.”
“We don’t have much to interest you.”
“You have no idea what interests me.” Her hand stroked down his bare chest. Her scale-tipped fingers were rough. “Maybe I have use for a mouthy humanoid with a strong back. The Dutanium mines on Rios V need workers.”
He stiffened. Dutanium was an ore so toxic it killed anyone who worked with it within weeks.
“Or the emperor of Hylas is always looking for new specimens for his male harem.”
Dathan stiffened even more.
“But—” she circled around him, her hand still trailing over his skin, “—I’m not in the business of mine workers or men.” She stopped. “Take the woman.”
Dathan didn’t bother with a protest. He simply lunged at the man nearest to him and landed a hard punch.
The slaver staggered, but then the second one was on Dathan with merciless blows. Two hard chops to his back and Dathan slammed onto the floor. He tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth.
“If she’s valuable to you, you can go to the House of Taarn on Lucifa and buy her back at auction.”
Shit, if they thought she was important to them, the price would skyrocket. “She’s just a passenger we picked up on Souk. Mouthy, demanding, and high-maintenance.”
The reptilian woman nodded toward the dock. “Secure her.” She flicked a glance at Dathan. “You’d be surprised what tastes some buyers have. You’re free to continue on your journey, although the nebula is filled with others who might find men more to their tastes. I suggest you keep your trip short.”
Eos struggled against the man holding her. She stomped on his foot, and when he wrapped beefy arms around her and lifted her off her feet, she kicked madly. Her gaze caught Dathan’s.
He ignored his body’s protests and managed to push into a sitting position. “Fine. Take her. She’s been nothing but trouble. Always complaining and getting herself into messes I have to get her out of. It’ll be a relief to have her off the ship.” He had to make it count.I have to do it, Eos. Please understand. “She has no family. She doesn’t matter to anybody.”
Eos quit struggling. Her face drained of color and her golden eyes stared at him.
Gritting his teeth, he waved a hand. “Take her.”
