Tha-lah Read online

  The gaudy contraption wasn’t your standard metal collar but a symbol of total subjugation. A leash was attached to it. The other end was wrapped around the prince’s hand. To the casual onlooker, she was nothing more than an object. How would it feel being controlled like that?

  “Prince Xy, we’re so happy to see you. Are you staying with us?”

  A group of six giggling females rushed to greet him the minute he stepped through the door. She should be used to it by now since this was the third place they’d been to. The same scene played out every time. Females flocked to him, fighting for his attention. She had to admit he had a massive amount of charisma.

  “You useless lot stop pestering the prince. Go find clients to frackk.” The owner of this unsavory den, a Labonian-Jog’nafan hybrid with greasy hair, came rushing to their side.

  “My dear Aj’l, you look as beautiful as ever.” Of all the…even Tha-lah knew that was a lie. “Slave, fetch me some food,” Xy ordered in a condescending tone, handing her the leash.

  “I live to serve my master.” A slave was seldom allowed to speak. When they did, they could only utter a few pre-selected phrases.

  Xy sat on the large couch, waving for the hostess to join in. The place was a disgusting den that peddled misery and pain. Tha-lah tried to be submissive, not only for the sake of the mission but for her mate. The task was becoming harder with each den they visited.

  A wandering priestess’ calling was to offer the goddess’ comfort and hope in places like this. The most gracious would grant her divine knowledge when the time came. She reached the couch while balancing a heavy tray filled with all kinds of food.

  “I see you’ve acquired a Trac’xian slave. Come, let’s have a look.”

  Aj’l grasped Tha-lah’s arm before Xy could stop her. Gasping, she fell to her knees trying to keep her stomach contents down. The prince grabbed the tray from her shaking hands and then placed it on the table.

  “My dear Aj’l.” He yawned indifferently. “You’re lucky I like you or you’d be dead. Try to remember I don’t like it when others touch my stuff.” His demeanor changed from fun-loving rogue to cold-and-disdainful noble. She picked up a dark undercurrent buried deep inside.

  “Please forgive me, my prince. What’s wrong with her? Is she sick?”

  A beady, little-eyed gaze raked over Tha-lah, making her feel like a piece of meat at the market. Her stomach growled loudly.

  “You’re not hungry, are you slave?”

  Like discarding a mask, XY switched back to his indolent rake facade. Someday he’d meet his match. She hoped to be around when it happened.

  “Um, I am if master says so,” she said through gritted teeth. It was becoming more difficult for her to speak like a broken, simple creature.

  “Very well, you may eat from my tray.”

  Come to think of it, she was hungry since she’d barely eaten. After the meeting with the commander, they’d spent all their waking hours going over the plan. Despite her mate’s objections, she’d been teamed up with Xy and O’frahm. Groo’lat had stayed behind on Rag’mar with the elite warriors.

  “Why are you in my den? It’s obvious you don’t need any of my girls.” Aj’l eyed Tha-lah speculatively.

  “I need some information.” Xy shrugged, casually patting one of the females’ plump behinds.

  Tha-lah couldn’t help feeling a little cross with him. It seemed as if he didn’t care one way or the other.

  “Anything in particular you want to find out?”

  Ugh, the greedy hybrid reeked of pure evil. Tha-lah discreetly looked around, promising the goddess she’d come back and minister these females.

  “I heard you may know something about a private fight. The prize is large enough to buy two star systems. I need to get in.” His hands crept up another female’s thighs. She parted them in a blatant invitation. “According to some, it’s by invite only, and you’re one of the few with access.”

  “I guess anything is possible, for a price, of course,” A’jl squeaked, rubbing her grubby hands together as she looked directly at Tha-lah.

  “My slave?” Xy yawned with a bored look on his face.

  He wouldn’t dare, would he? The rotten, spoiled blue pervert, he was offering her as part of the deal. Just wait until they were back on the ship, she fumed. How dare he conduct himself like that in her presence? Going around grabbing every female as if they were unfeeling pieces of flesh.

  “I’ll take a small percentage of the winnings and your slave to add to my den.”

  “How do I know you’ll keep your word?”

  The lecherous, immoral scoundrel was enjoying himself too much, but she could also play that game. Just wait.

  “I’ll personally take you there. Do we have a deal?”

  “Deal, but I warn you if anything happens to me, she dies.”

  Some masters took the precaution of linking the slave collars to their life signs. Should they die, so did the slave by being injected with a deadly poison that was inside the band.

  “Can I take a closer look at her?”

  Tendrils of rage crept into Tha-lah’s heart, and she tried to push them down. They weren’t her feelings, but her mate’s reaction to her sudden fear.

  “No.” Xy stepped in front of her, shielding her from the greedy hybrid.

  “Tha-lah, is that you, daughter?”

  She stiffened at the sound of the familiar voice filtering through the noisy room. Surely eternal damnation would be better than this. What were the odds, after all these years, coming face-to-face with her father in a place like this?

  Suddenly, her father let out a roar the likes of which she’d never hoped to hear again. It was pure agony. Without any warning, he lunged at Xy with his sword. The prince jumped several feet off the floor, avoiding the sharp blade. After landing behind her, he picked her up and ran out the door.

  Everything looked like a blur since he ran at an incredible speed. Pretty soon the contents of her stomach rushed up all over his princely robes. Not the payback she’d thought of, but he’d had it coming.

  “Sorry.” She hiccupped. “I couldn’t help it.”

  “Don’t worry.” The compassion in his voice made her feel worse. So this was the real Xy, not the sex-crazed fiend he liked to play. “I’ll put you down as soon as we’re clear.”

  “Are you going to ask me?”

  “Nope.” He shrugged. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “That was my father,” Tha-lah whispered dejectedly, thinking how old and disheveled her father had looked.

  * * * *

  Ry-ahl was the first son of a prestigious merchant house on Trac’xia. His life had been full of blessings and prosperity from the day he was born. Five years ago, he’d come home to find his only daughter gone from the temple. He’d blamed himself for it. He should never have allowed her to become a novice.

  “The call is strong in this one, my lord,” they’d told him.

  Afraid history would repeat itself, he’d relented. If he’d denied her calling, it would’ve forced her to live an empty life. His wife had been same. She’d felt the vocation, but her parents had arranged their marriage.

  Ry-ahl had tried to give her everything she’d desired, but it’d never been enough. And so when his daughter had told him she wished to join the temple, he’d agreed despite his better judgment.

  “Tha-lah, my child, I don’t understand your decision, but I’ll always love you.”

  He’d gathered her into his arms one last time. Months had passed, and he’d waited for his daughter to come out of seclusion. One morning he’d received the encrypted holo-vid that had altered his life forever.

  The consortium had his daughter and demanded he turn over all mining rights. He did, but transferred the rest of his massive fortune to a trusted partner. As far as anyone knew, he was now ruined. When the consortium found his fortune was gone, they forced him to become their spy.

  A couple months ago, during an intel gathering
mission, his path had crossed with the infamous smuggler, Briq. Ry-ahl was so desperate he’d followed the outlaw. He’d almost lost his life in the process, but gained a valuable contact.

  Briq could move better around the galaxies while Ry-ahl was hindered by the consortium. That day, he’d entrusted the notorious criminal with a data module full of information. It’d contained detailed plans to gain control of the outpost and trade routes. In return, he’d asked for help tracking information on any illegally sold upperclass Trac’xian females.

  He was following some leads from Briq, concerning this very den when lo and behold his daughter walked in. No, she was led in wearing a collar and leash like a common slave. Nothing had prepared him for the sight that met his eyes. His delicate child paraded around like a lowly possession.

  “Tha-lah is that you, daughter?” Ry-ahl asked, drawing his sword. This was his worst dream come true.

  “Ry-ahl, you fool, what do you think you’re doing?” Aj’l gasped, trying in vain to stop him. “Put away that sword, you drunken piece of crap.”

  What she didn’t know was he was neither drunk nor a fool. He just played the part of a drunken slob because everyone talked freely around him, thinking he was intoxicated. That was how he’d been able to accumulate the amount of data he’d given Briq in the first place.

  Now it was necessary to blow his cover and save his daughter. Ry-ahl tried to keep calm but failed. The scream burst out before he could regain his composure. He was getting his daughter out even if he had to hack every single critter there. The Galadonian prince would be first. How dare he put a collar around her neck?

  “Don’t even think of interfering, whore,” he said with a snarl without taking his gaze off the Galadonian. “This doesn’t concern you.”

  The prince jumped several feet into the air, thanks to his oddly shaped legs, avoiding his attack.

  “You’re making a big mistake,” a Pendo’rahn freight captain yelled, blocking his way. “I don’t have time to explain things to you.”

  “Draw your sword or die like a coward, but I want her back,” he challenged, but the prince ran off with Tha-lah.

  “I’m truly sorry for this, but you’ll thank me later.”

  He didn’t see the fist until it was too late. His last thought was how swift Pendo’rahns were despite their size.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Reunion

  Rag’mar was secured in the upper-level docks. The asteroid belt was huge with massive bridges connecting them. This particular area was more upscale than the one they’d left. Most businesses there catered to the rich and bored with expensive overindulgences.

  “What happened?” Groo’lat rushed to Tha-lah’s side, wrinkling his nose.

  “It was nothing.” Except for the part where she’d thrown up all over the prince. His expensive robes were now ruined.

  “Priestess, you forget I can sense everything you feel?”

  No, the deeper her fear, the angrier he became. His wrath wasn’t directed at her, but she was certain he’d kill anyone who’d cause her pain.

  “I had to carry the priestess to make a hasty retreat,” Xy explained, removing his soiled tunic. Of course he wasn’t wearing anything underneath in true Galadonian fashion. “She got a bit sick on the way.”

  “You touched her?”

  No one appeared to move a muscle, waiting to see what her lover would do. Touching a Pendo’rahn’s branded mate was an unforgivable offense.

  “There was a fight. Xy had to get me out fast.” A simple explanation wouldn’t be enough when he was so close to violence. She used their spiritual connection to make him understand. It worked. Groo’lat gathered her tenderly into his arms.

  “Explain.” Commander Dru-lah had been silent until now, but she saw the tension etched in the hard planes of his face. Tha-lah sensed every minute Mah’yanna spent in captivity was like a sharp knife through his heart.

  “Wait,” O’frahm exclaimed, entering the Rag’mar followed by her father. She wanted to run and hide, but her mate kept her firmly in place. “You better sit down, priestess.”

  Tha-lah stared blankly into space after learning of her father’s relentless search over the past five years. Lies, everything had been lies from the beginning. He’d never sent her away, never indentured her as a surrogate. She’d been kidnaped by the consortium to force him into giving up control of the mines.

  Goddess of mercy. She sobbed. Was Mistress Dal’vyaa involved in the dealings as well? How could she ever forgive her?

  Heed my words, daughter, the goddess whispered. This path of bitterness and resentment can only lead to your soul’s total consumption. You can’t be my servant while carrying them inside. Open your heart, my child. It’s time to forget. You now possess a unique perspective no other wandering priestess has. Draw from that source, and become a healing instrument. I’ve given you a strong supporter as a mate, forever branded on your soul.

  “I’ve missed you, Ne-yii.” She rushed into her father’s loving arms, hugging him tightly. Ne-yii was the name a Trac’xian young female called her father. Tha-lah had never stopped calling him that even when she came of age.

  “Prince Xy, I’ll offer you all my fortune for the release of my daughter.”

  Poor Ne-yii had endured so much suffering. While she thought herself indentured, he was dealing with uncertainty. For her the possibility of going home kept her centered. Her father had roamed the galaxies like a puppet with hope as his only companion. The consortium was, in a sense, a worse enemy than the Kreeh-nosh. They used emotional blackmail to keep everyone in check.

  “What?” Xy looked horrified. “No, it won’t be necessary…” he blundered, pleadingly looking at her.

  “Surely you understand she was never meant to become a slave?” Ne-yii responded indignantly.

  “We understand, however, you have it all wrong.” O’frahm stepped in, handing the prince a clean robe.

  “Then why are you dressed like one?”

  Thank the goddess she’d covered up as soon as they’d returned. Having her father see her dressed like that had been humiliating.

  “Because we’re undercover, trying to find information about a kidnapped officer.” She saw no harm telling him. He couldn’t go on thinking she was a sexual plaything for a debauched prince. The others didn’t agree, by the looks on their faces.

  “Do you mean Security Chief Mah’yanna? She’s kept under heavy guard on a small asteroid.” Ne-yii told them that about a month ago three Jog’nafan packs had showed up and taken control of the abandoned rock.

  It’d been used as a testing facility for bio-weapons under Kreeh’nosh rule. The small lab remained ignored because it was outside the interconnected cluster, accessible by shuttle only.

  Rumors started circulating shortly after about the death match against a Pendo’rahn officer. Bets had been placed all over the galaxies with odds against her survival. Some even said she was part of a Kreeh-noshian experiment.

  “When is this fight?” Her mate tried to keep his anger under control for her sake, but it was like trying to cage a living thing.

  “Tomorrow.”

  Instead of two or three days to plan their strategy, they had to move up their timeline. Failure wasn’t an option.

  “Commander, we must act now before it’s too late.”

  Her mate proposed a preemptive strike, since the element of surprise was their best chance. They all feared for the security chief.

  “Agreed,” Dru-lah answered, clenching his jaw.

  Tha-lah knew she could help clear the officer’s head before the mission. It’d be interesting to see her mate’s reaction during a healing session.

  “Wait, there might be another way.”

  Ry-ahl explained that a supply ship was due to arrive in one hour. The freighter captain was a member of the Jog’nafan royal pack secretly working against the Kreeh-nosh.

  “I’ll fetch my things,” Tha-lah said.

  When two elite warriors bl
ocked her way, she questioningly looked at her mate. He just shook his head.

  “I can’t let you go. It’s too dangerous.”

  She tried to step away, but he held fast. Why couldn’t he understand how important it was for her to be there?

  “Warrior, surely you know the security chief will need my help. I have to be there when you find her.”

  Neither of them was willing to compromise. He wanted to protect her. She understood that much.

  “You’re staying, and that’s final.”

  Unyielding is a warrior on the path of vengeance. Wise is the one who opens a new one before him… Tha-lah considered the passage in the ancient Trac’xian codex. This wasn’t the time to argue. One of them had to concede.

  “I beg your pardon, but who are you to decide?” Ne-yii asked, reaching over and taking her hand in his. Few people were now able to touch her without making her recoil. Her father was one.

  “Oops, it’s about to get real, priestess.” She groaned inwardly at Xy’s twisted sense of humor. “You might as well spill the beans.”

  Tha-lah promised herself to come up with a suitable penance to punish the rascal.

  “I’m her mate,” her warrior declared proudly. “She’s mine.”

  “Is he speaking the truth, my daughter?” her father asked softly, his voice devoid of anger.

  “Yes, Ne-yii, we’ve bonded. This is Groo’lat, my mate.”

  Those simple words sounded so incredible to her. To think that just two weeks ago, she’d been a surrogate. Now she was a wandering priestess with a Pendo’rahn elite warrior as a branded mate. The goddess had infinite wisdom, indeed.

  “Then you must listen to him and stay here.” Her father’s words were so unexpected. He’d raised her to always speak her mind, always stand up for herself.

  “Ne-yii…” It should be up to her to make that decision, even if she knew deep down they were right.

  “This operation needs their full attention. I’ll stay with you. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

  She nodded and gave her mate a little disappointed jab.