Jill looked up, met his gaze, and gave a slight nod.
“Every private shuttle has had at least one female, sometimes two,” Cathian grunted. “That’s the bad news.”
“I hate this…but we need one of you females to play the part of a sex slave,” Cavas said quietly. “It will put one of you in danger,” he admitted. “We thought about flying a shuttle over the walkway to gain access, but there are too many guards, and we must worry about whether the caverns are rigged to blow. I’ve seen that before on a few missions to retrieve captured prisoners from pirates. Rather than risk them being rescued; the pirates detonated their holding cells.”
“I wish Marrow were here,” Cathian said. “She’d be perfect for this. Unfortunately, she is not.” He shot an angry look at Cavas.
“I needed her to fly my shuttle and pretend to be me. Father would either move Crath or have him killed if he suspected I was attempting a rescue. I know Marrow is tough and a good fighter, but she’s also a hell of a pilot. I won’t put it past our father to try to have me captured—and Marrow won’t be caught.” He glanced at York. “No offense to your flying skills, but Marrow’s the best pilot on The Vorge.”
“I wouldn’t have left my Sara, anyway,” York answered. “She’s pregnant. And no, you can’t take her down there.”
“Of course not.” Cavas wouldn’t ask that.
“I’ll do it.” Nara stood.
“No,” Cathian snarled.
She met his gaze with a glare. “Are you kidding me right now? I’m in charge of the humans, and I say it’s me.”
“Not you.”
Nara held his brother’s gaze without even flinching at his harsh tone. “Let’s be honest. Midgel would freak.” She glanced at the cook. “No offense. It would be hell for you to be led around by a collar.” She motioned to the female with long hair on Dovis’s lap. “Mari is the most docile of us humans, but she’s not a fighter. It would be her and Cavas alone down there. She’d be horrible backup.” This time, she glanced at Mari. “No offense. And Lilly could put up a decent fight if they got into trouble, but she’s been throwing up. Therefore, it’s me.”
Raff growled, staring at his female. “You’re sick?”
She shrugged. “My stomach has been upset a few times. It’s no big deal. I can do it.” She stared at Cathian. “I owe you guys my life. I’m in if you need me.”
“No!” Raff snarled. “I’m taking you to see the android.”
“Nara is right about one thing,” Mari suddenly said. “I was raised as a slave. I’m the best one of us to pull this off. You should take me, Cavas.”
Dovis snarled. “You are submissive. What if there’s a battle?”
All the couples began to argue loudly, while Midgel got up and fled the room.
Cavas simply watched them, feeling a headache coming on. It was nice that most of the females were willing to risk their lives to attempt a rescue of his littermate. Too bad their males were all having a fit.
Chapter Four
Jill sat quietly, watching the crew. Some of the women were yelling at their husbands, arguing why they should be the one to go. Then she glanced at Cavas. He stood there with his eyes closed, a pained expression on his handsome alien face. It was clear he wasn’t happy to ask one of the women to volunteer to put themselves in danger.
She looked around again, studying the alien men facing off against their wives. All of them appeared worried, upset, fearful—and that’s when it sank in.
They must honestly love those women.
She bit her lip…then found herself standing. She put two fingers in her mouth and gave a shrill whistle.
Everyone went quiet, gawking at her.
She pulled her fingers from her mouth and turned to Nara. “I’ll do it.”
Nara shook her head. “No.”
“I’m not married, certainly not pregnant or sick, and you said I should help out on this ship when it’s needed. Technically it’s not on the ship, but it’s the same, right?” She glanced around at everyone else. “You guys saved my life. I owe you. I just spent almost a month wearing a collar on that damn planet. I was trained on how to act by another slave. I don’t have any skills for use on a spaceship, but I’m good at keeping my shit together under pressure. I also won’t hesitate to fight to protect myself. I’ve survived this long by doing so. Let me do it.”
Nara stepped closer. “You just got free, Jill. You’re emotionally in a bad place right now. None of us would be.”
“I’m a little screwed up in the head after all I’ve been through. I’m not denying that. You also made it clear we need to rescue Crath in order to keep this ship and crew safe. I was listening, Nara. It’s important that we find him, and I owe him for getting me out of that cage. He tried to take me to his shuttle. I want to go after him. It’s only right.”
Jill turned to Cavas. His eyes were open, and he was staring at her with a scowl. “I don’t have great fighting skills, but I’m not helpless. I can take orders, keep my mouth shut, and I was instructed on how to act if I was ever escorted to that arena. I’m your best bet.”
Cavas hesitated. “We don’t know you.”
“What he means,” one of the white little aliens stated, “is that he’s not sure if you’ll be motivated enough to do what is necessary to get Crath out of there. You could try to flee out of distrust of us, since you’re new.” The Pod studied her, going silent. Then he turned to Cavas. “She understands what’s at stake, and trusts what Nara and Sara have said to her. She feels her best chance at survival is to stay with us. You can trust her. She’s sufficiently motivated.”
Jill felt slightly violated since her mind had just been read, but she understood. She stared at the white alien, thinking questions at it, curious to know if it would hear her.
“My name is One,” it stated. “We were sold by our own people to criminals who used our mind-reading abilities to harm others. We not only read thoughts, but we feel pain if someone is being tortured if we’re linked to them at the time. Our captors did that often. It was hellish, a term you understand. This crew saved us and now they keep us safe from being used in that way again. None of them would harm us or you. You can trust them.”
The pod next to him spoke. “I’m Three. If you are captured, this crew will come for Cavas and you. They would risk their lives for yours. Each one of them thinks of you as a part of this crew now. Your life is valued.”
Jill took a deep breath and blew it out, turning back to Cavas. “I’m the one you need to take with you. If a woman must go down there and put her butt on the line, it should be me. I owe you guys, and I’m not married. I owe your brother. And I’m all about paying my debts.”
“She means that,” one of the Pods stated.
“We didn’t rescue you to put you back in danger,” Dovis growled.
He did appear scary, even in skin. She tried to image him looking like a werewolf but failed. “I appreciate that, but let’s be real. None of you really know me.” She returned her attention to Cavas. “You saved me once. I trust you to get me out of there again if shit hits the fan. But if you have to send one of us women into danger, and the worst happens, losing me will hurt the least.”
He didn’t look pleased at that, but he nodded. “It’s the logical choice.”
There were some loud protests.
Cavas snarled louder. “Enough. Jill has volunteered. I’ve accepted.” He shot a look at his brother. “None of your crew want their females in danger. This is the best solution. I’m without a life-lock. Jill is without one, too. Our losses will be the easiest on everyone if we fail.”