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Icy cold panic flooded over Wren, but she kept struggling. “I’m not bounty. You can’t take me.”

“Of course I can. And if you know where to go, Humans fetch a high price. Not sullock value, but good enough. Once we’ve run a few tests on you, we’ll determine your true value. We may even keep you for ourselves if you prove to be viable.”

“Tests!” She got an elbow loose and slammed it back into her abductor’s chest.

He huffed out a breath. “If you keep hitting me, I’ll hit back. And believe me, you don’t want that.” He squeezed her so tight her bones protested.

Wren didn’t stop struggling. Whoever this asshat was, she’d make him pay.

“I will break you,” he growled in her ear. “Don’t tempt me to see how easy that would be.”

Her limbs shook as adrenalin pumped through her. “You were tracking a sullock?” If she couldn’t fight this jerk, maybe she could reason with him.

“What of it?”

“Same here. We were looking for it for research purposes. There are only sixty known sullocks in this galaxy.”

“We know. Which makes them extremely collectable.” His hand went around her throat.

She swallowed her fear as he shoved her along the dirt tunnel. Where the hell were they going? “You wanted it for your own collection?”

“I don’t give a rat’s eye for these creatures. It’s the idiots who pay me to collect them that want them. They have more money than sense, but it keeps me employed and wealthy.”

“Don’t you want to see these magnificent sullock running free? That’s what I do. I help to restore the populations. They’re amazing. When they mate, they—”

“Don’t do that. If you breed more sullocks, their value goes down. It’s a shame there aren’t fewer Humans; it would make you much more valuable. Still, there are some aliens who kink it up with a Human. In fact, I have a kink for a soft little thing like you.”

A ball of ice settled in the pit of her stomach. She’d heard about the illegal auctions involving the sale of Humans. “You’ll get nothing for me. You’re not selling me. I’ll tell anyone who tries to buy me that you abducted me and I work for High Command.”

“It won’t matter. Not if you’re living in the outer reaches of some star forsaken galaxy. No one will ever find you. The buyers won’t care you were taken against your will. Now, shut your damn mouth.” He tossed her in the air like she weighed nothing, flipped her, and slung her over his shoulder.

Wren slammed her fists against his back, only stopping when he dug something sharp into her leg. “I’ll make you bleed, bitch. You’re not that valuable to me.”

A gasp shuddered out of her as a warm trickle of what must be blood ran down her leg. She lifted her head, angry there were tears on her cheeks. This asshole wasn’t making her cry.

Her heart sailed into her throat as she peered along the tunnel that was rapidly sloping up. Striker was tracking her. And he was moving fast.

She almost cried out but stopped herself. She didn’t want this asshat alien to know Striker was about to break every bone in his giant body.

“Almost there,” he said.

Wren twisted her head, and the hope that Striker would get to her in time died. There was a ship, and they were almost on top of it.

“Where are you taking me?” she said.

“Somewhere fun. You said you liked creatures? I can put you in the holding pens with the rest of them. Although you may end up as a snack. Some of them have sharp teeth.”

“You have more creatures on board your ship?”

“Just like you, I catch and retrieve.”

“You’re nothing like me. There’s no honor in the work you do.”

A sharp jab against her thigh had her crying out.

“All I care about is what that pretty ass of yours will buy me.” He slapped a large hand on her butt and rubbed.

She looked up at Striker again. He’d closed the gap. He was running at full pelt, but he was too far away.