Harbinger (8 page)

“Sounds great. After all, I can’t meet the indomitable General Nox, looking like a ragamuffin.”

Berlynn smiled, but speculation made her golden eyes gleam. “General Nox might be frustrating, but he’s easy to understand. Danvier, on the other hand, I don’t know what to make of him.”

“I understand the confusion. I thought he was a coldhearted snob when I first met him, but he warmed up on the trip here. He’s actually sort of charming.” Not to mention intense and surprisingly sexy. But Haven wasn’t ready to share those assessments with anyone.

Berlynn responded with a disbelieving laugh. “I’ll take your word for it. He’s never been anything but stone-faced and analytical around me. What does General Nox want with you anyway?”

“No clue.” It wasn’t exactly true, but Haven was ready for some quiet reflection, not to mention a long, hot shower. “I guess I’ll find out in the morning.”

* * * * *

“‘Return to my cabin’,” Milanni muttered under her breath, sarcastically mimicking Fyran’s careless order. “I’ll come screw you when and if I have nothing better to do.” The second sentence was a loose paraphrase that sent resentment pulsing through her being. She’d reluctantly agreed to make herself available to Fyran, the
Relentless’s
newly elected commander, in exchange for his protection. She’d had no other choice. Her last mission for the Integration Guild ended badly. The understatement made her laugh, but there was no humor in the sound. She hadn’t meant to kill Vinton Tandori, had only protected herself against his paranoid attack, but no one gave a damn about her side of the story. The Integration Guild was doubtlessly hunting her, as was Tandori Tribe. She wasn’t safe on Earth and she was no longer welcome on Rodymia, which led to her current situation.

Fyran wasn’t cruel or abusive. He simply took full advantage of their agreement without allowing her any freedom at all. He occasionally allowed her to sit beside him in the officers’ dining hall as he had this morning. But as soon as the meal was over, she was ordered back to her cage. Like a dutiful pet. She ground her teeth, frustrated beyond endurance by the injustice. She used to train sexual pets, preparing them for their strict yet indulgent masters. The men aboard this ship might call the females pets, but they had no idea what such a relationship really meant.

A shrill scream echoed down the rounded corridors of the
Relentless,
disrupting Milanni’s agitated stride. She closed her hands into fists, driving back her frustration with the familiar sting of her long, pointed nails. She had to think of her own wellbeing. She had to survive. Her own situation was precarious at best. Involving herself with the human females was foolish. There was nothing she could do for any of them. The words sounded hollow even in her mind and her heart lurched in disapproval.

Another scream halted her steps completely. She turned and faced the smooth alloy wall. She was in no position to help anyone. She was entirely at the mercy of Fyran. But she had chosen a life in the pleasure industry. The human females hadn’t been given a choice. They’d been kidnapped and forced into sexual slavery. Fyran had implemented new rules designed to minimize the damage being done to the ship’s unwilling “pets”, but the rules were being disregarded at every turn.

And Milanni couldn’t allow it to continue. Part of being a good madam had been ensuring the safety of her girls. She had the ear of the ship’s commander. It was time she took a stand.

The human’s screams had devolved into pathetic whimpers by the time Milanni entered the crew’s mess hall. After assessing the scene with a quick glance, she kept her gaze fixed on the apparent leader. The fastest way to kill a snake was to chop off its head. Four soldiers, in varying stages of undress had the female pinned to one of the tables. Others stood around watching, egging them on.

Fury cast a crimson haze over Milanni’s vision. If she’d still had access to the power cells on her ship, she would have sent a massive energy pulse through the room, rendering everyone unconscious. But her ship had been dismantled, which made the majority of her integrated tech useless. She might be powerless, but she was not harmless.

Calling upon years of training and the well-honed instincts of a covert agent, Milanni rushed into the middle of the disgusting scene. She kicked one of the observers in the balls and smoothly grabbed his pulse pistol as he collapsed to his knees. She pointed the weapon at the apparent leader’s head, her hands steady, gaze broadcasting her willingness to kill.

“Enough.” The word snapped with authority she didn’t technically possess. “Fyran’s orders regarding the pets forbid this situation.”

“You dare to point a gun at me?” He didn’t bother pulling up his pants. Instead, he stepped out of the garment so his legs were no longer hindered by the bunched material.

The human crawled off the table and huddled against the wall, arms crossed over her chest. Visible bruises marred her wrists and throat. What was left of her simple dress hung from one shoulder and the tattered hem only reached mid-thigh. Milanni caught a glimpse of her vivid green eyes and was surprised by the spirit still burning there. Before Milanni could decide if the human would be a help or hindrance, the young woman angled her head, hiding behind her tangled brown hair. So, a hindrance. Fine, Milanni could deal with this alone.

She held her hand out toward the terrified female, but her words were for the men. “I don’t want trouble. I just want the girl.”

“Then get in line,” one of the others said with a coarse laugh. “I haven’t had my turn yet.”

The leader lunged for Milanni, but she easily twisted aside, avoiding his grasping hands. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will.” She circled the leader, slowly rotating until she stood in front of the girl.

Milanni had grown up in the gutters of Rodymia. She’d known how to deal with jerks like this long before she’d been recruited by the Integration Guild. If it was just the four bullies, she wouldn’t hesitate, but it was unlikely she could fight her way through the onlookers too.

“Go ahead. Shoot me,” the leader challenged. “You might even kill me, but it won’t save you from my friends.”

“I belong to your commander.” It was her only play. None of these men were intimidated by her, but they genuinely liked her protector. “If anyone harms me, Fyran will retaliate.”

“If you’re so determined to be a hero,” someone else called, “get on the table and take her place.” He rubbed the front of his uniform pants suggestively. “I can’t remember the last time I slipped my cock into a nice tight Rodyte.”

“As often as Fyran rides her, I doubt she’s still tight.”

All the males laughed, but Milanni ignored them. She reached behind her and found the girl’s wrist. “I’m taking her out of here. All of you are in violation of the new rules.” She punctuated the statement with the pulse pistol, but she was still shocked when the soldiers let her leave.

“This isn’t over,” the leader sneered as she reached the doorway. “There are rules against threatening officers too.”

He was an officer?
Shit
. Her gut twisted and her throat dried out but she didn’t slow down or look back. There were more obscene suggestions and grumbled threats, but she was soon rushing down the hallway, the human stumbling along at her side.

“Can you get me off this ship?” The young woman whispered, her voice hoarse from screaming. “I’m a US citizen. Does that mean anything up here?”

Milanni glanced at her then shook her head. “This is even outside the UN’s jurisdiction.”

“You know about the United Nations?” Hope trembled through her tone, but fear still glazed her eyes.

“I’ve spent several years on Earth. Not that it’s going to do either of us much good right now.” She paused long enough to scan open the door to the cabin she shared with Fyran, then urged her companion inside.

“Are you going to get in trouble for helping me?”

“Probably.” Milanni opened the closet and yanked down one of Fyran’s long-sleeved shirts. After tossing it to the female she said, “I’m Milanni, the ship commander’s private pet.”

The label made the human shudder. “You don’t mind being someone’s pet?”

“Fyran doesn’t hurt me. In fact, he’s usually indulgent as long as I keep him satisfied.”

“How indulgent?”

“I suspect in the next few minutes, we’re going to find out.”

It took a bit longer than Milanni expected, but Fyran soon stepped through the door. His expression was grim, lips thinned with disapproval. “Where’s the gun?”

She motioned to the table near the door where she’d placed it as she entered. He picked it up and checked to see if the safety was activated. It was. She knew how to handle firearms as well as an assortment of other weapons. It had been part of her training as a covert operative for the Integration Guild. What she would give for the IG’s protection right now.

“May I speak, sir?” Most masters would have demanded that she kneel and undress. But as she’d said, Fyran tended to be an indulgent master.

“What were you thinking, M?” The tenderness in his tone told her everything she needed to know. Despite her rash actions, she was going to get away with her misbehavior.

“They had her in the mess hall, sir, four of them. Like it was some sort of sick entertainment.” She heard the human’s muffled sob, but kept her gaze fixed on Fyran. “You told me you want things to be different than they were when Akim commanded this ship. Is that still your desire?”

“You know it is. We might be outlaws now, but I’m not Akim. There will be order on this ship.” When the crown stirate learned that Fyran, without authorization, had flown away with one of the fleet’s most valuable ships, Quinton had declared everyone aboard a criminal and issued a million credit bounty for Fyran. Returning the ship hadn’t been Fyran’s intention, but even if it had, Quinton hadn’t given him the opportunity.

The crew had been more than content with the outcome. They were tired of bowing to the will of elite commanders who treated the battle born like a disposable commodity. Yet joining the rebellion didn’t seem much better. They would just be exchanging one master for another. The rebellion’s primary leader wasn’t even battle born.

So the crew developed their own rules and chose their own commander. Unlike his predecessors, Fyran was battle born, so he suspected the crew would remain loyal to him. He’d been right. Still, Milanni knew their loyalty could shift just as easily if Fyran didn’t deal with her disrespect of one of his officers.

He crossed to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “You bring me great pleasure. We both know that. But you can’t attack my men or threaten them with weapons. Lutto is a bridge officer. He wants you publically flogged then made available to the officers for the next three days.”

Dread passed through her in icy waves. Would she be subjected to the fate from which she’d saved the human? “Do you intend to honor his request?”

His warm fingers curved around her chin and raised her face until their eyes met. “You know me better than that. I will never share you with anyone.”

Thank the gods for possessive men. “Thank you, sir. I’m much happier serving only you.”

“But there must be a punishment. You threatened an officer with a weapon. That’s a serious offence.”

“And gang raping a female in the mess hall. Is that a serious offence?” Their gazes clashed as his will collided with hers. She was on precarious ground, and still Milanni couldn’t let it go. “I’ve been her, sir. I know what it’s like to be treated like a piece of furniture. You issued the new rules for a reason, and it wasn’t just to please me.”

“You’re right.” He sighed, though his expression remained resolute. “I’d return them all to Earth if it were my choice, but the crew would mutiny.”

“May I make a suggestion, sir?”

He laughed. “You must know you’re in trouble. You don’t usually bother asking.”

“I own a pleasure club. I’m a madam. Have all of the females moved to one of the cargo bays and let me do my job.”

He stared at her for a long time, his gaze stark and assessing. “If I make you responsible for the human females, you’ll tame them, make them more cooperative?”

“Yes, sir.” She held her breath, afraid of the hope bubbling up within her.

“You’ll organize some sort of schedule to prevent fights?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you will still meet my needs whenever I desire?”

“Of course, sir.” She finally released her pent-up breath. “You might need to visit me in the cargo bay, but you’re still my top priority.”

He stroked his chin, looked at the human then back at Milanni. “We’ll try it for the next few weeks, see if it works as well as you think.”

“Thank you, sir.” Relief rushed through her system, making her giddy and warm. “I know I can make this work for everyone involved.” She dared a look at the human and found that the female for whom she was risking so much didn’t look nearly as enthusiastic.

“There is still the matter of your punishment,” Fyran reminded.

Milanni’s excitement deflated and she returned her attention to her master. “I’ll accept whatever you feel is fair.”

“I know you will. You’re the best pet I’ve ever had.”

She was the only pet he’d ever had and they both knew it. Milanni had often wondered if she was his first lover as well, his instant and intense attachment to her hinted at his virginity. Still, he had accepted the mantel of authority with the grace of one born to it. He might be young, and sexually inexperienced, but no one doubted his ability to lead. “I await your discipline.”