Still laughing, he left her to shiver and twist in the grip of the thin, torturous silver cords that crisscrossed her body and curse herself over and over for being stupid enough to get caught in the first place.
And that was how she’d wound up bound and naked in front of a lot of jeering men looking to buy a sex slave on the Orthan Six black market. Tabitha reflected to herself as she knelt on the hard wooden boards of the raised stage that it was pretty much what she deserved for leaving alone and going into a dangerous situation with no back-up. But damn it, she’d wanted to prove herself to Captain Keer! She’d wanted to see respect in his gold-ringed eyes instead of dismissal. She’d wanted to force some emotion from behind his cool façade, to make him acknowledge her. It seemed to her that despite his Zentorian stoicism, there must be something, some fire blazing behind the wall of ice he always maintained and she wanted to see it, she admitted to herself.
Well, she could forget about that now. And if Captain Keer could see her in her present condition, she was certain his reaction would be the exact opposite of what she wanted. He would think even less of her for getting herself into such a stupid predicament.
“Come now, only serious buyers need apply,” V’s voice rang out above the babble of the crowd who had gathered to watch her sold. “This is prime Old Earth female flesh we’re talking about. Your cock will think it’s gone to heaven the minute you thrust yourself balls deep in her tight little cunt. Is anyone interested? Do I hear a thousand credits to start?”
“I’ll go a thousand, though I wager she’s more likely to kick you in the nuts than spread her legs willingly,” one of the men in the front row said.
“Two thousand. I like a girl with fight in her.” This from one of the criminal-looking types near the back of the crowd.
“That’s two, gentlemen—do I hear three? Come now, three’s not much to pay for prime flesh like this.”
“It’s too much to pay for a hospital visit though to get your dick sewn back on,” someone yelled, and all the men laughed.
V frowned, clearly unhappy with the way the sale was going. Tabitha wondered exactly how much a young, fit woman like herself would normally bring. Probably at least three if not four thousand credits, she guessed. As much as you might pay for a new one-man space cruiser if it didn’t have too many luxury features. Well, she vowed to herself grimly, she would certainly make sure that whoever bought her would have a rougher ride than if they’d used their money to buy a cruiser.
“Come now, gentlemen, do I hear three?” V repeated. Whipping out his long, hollow wooden wand, he once more coated the silver cord that bound her with the pale pink gel. “Just look at those plump nipples, that ripe clit!” he chanted. Tabitha groaned helplessly with painful pleasure as the love knots contracted around her sensitive flesh. “Imagine what fun you’ll have getting her broken in.”
“You’re not gonna get more than two so stop trying!” the man who’d offered two thousand credits shouted. “And before I pay, I want to be sure her pussy’s as tight as you say.”
“Certainly, sir,” V said sourly and Tabitha could tell it was killing him to sell her for what amounted to half price. “Just as soon as you give me half the credits you can stick anything you want into her tight little cunt, be it fingers, tongue or cock. I’ll take the other half when you’re fully satisfied.” He glared at Tabitha and then nodded at the prospective buyer. “Two thousand going once…going twice…”
“Ten thousand,” a deep voice from the back of the crowd shouted.
Tabitha looked up, scanning the sea of faces to see who had spoken. To her mingled horror and relief, she saw a familiar figure making his way through to the foot of the stage. Broad shouldered and standing a head higher than any other man, he was dressed in the flowing purple robes of a merchant, as though he were just here for a day of trade before traveling home. His hair was true black instead of dark blue and his gold-ringed irises had been disguised somehow but Tabitha would know him anywhere, no matter what he wore.
Oh God, she thought. Not him, not now, seeing me like this… But all thoughts were swept from her mind as his eyes met hers. There was a grim determination in his face and she suddenly knew he was going to get her out of the slave market or die trying. But even the thought of getting away from V and a life of slavery wasn’t enough to keep Tabitha from feeling horribly embarrassed.