Dating Outside Your DNA (35 page)

Guards pulled some poor sap up on stage. He downed his head, not even moving when the Adnam jerked away the  white cloth that covered the lower part of his body. The bidding was fast and furious. It slowed, then stopped, and the man was led off the stage.

Another Adnam laughed, then grabbed the guy's chain and raised it in the air showing his triumph at having won the bid. Not that he was able to raise it that high. Most Adnams weren't more than four feet tall.

Roan scanned the area, figuring they were safer staying in the shadows. He might be able to mingle, but he wasn't so sure about

Lyraka. Women usually did n't travel to Rovertia--unless they were

Eidojs.

They would have to go back the way they came. The guards had already checked the area so maybe they wouldn't return.

"When the bidding starts, let's try the stairs again."

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Lyraka seemed to breathe a sigh  of relief. Roan knew how she felt. He'd only been on a few planets. Some were okay, some not.  He'd never landed on Rovertia and that was fine with him. Some

called it a trip to the dark side. The Sodom and Gomorrah of the  universe. Anything you wanted, you could find it here--drugs, slaves,  a hired gun.

Rovertia was one reason the elite teams were formed, but they  were spread thin. For that very reason, he didn't know whether a  team would come after them or not. Roan and Lyraka might be on  their own.

A female was pulled on stage, head lowered. His gut clenched, but he knew there wasn't a damn thing he could do right now. He silently vowed that ending slave auctions would be a top priority.

"Come on, let's go." He grabbed Lyraka's hand and started to

turn  away when the woman on the stage raised her head. He froze.  Lyraka ran into his back.

"What's wrong?"

He pulled her back into the shadows. "Look toward the  platform." Maybe his eyes were deceiving him.

"Oh my God, that's Alesha."

"What the hell is Ales ha doing in a slave auction?"

A Rovert stepped up on the platform and grabbed her breast.  Alesha kicked him in the balls.

"Touch me again you slimy Rovert and you're dead meat!"

The Rovert quickly backed off the platform as everyone burst

out laughing.

"The team must be around here somewhere." Roan scanned

the area.

"Do you think they were all captured?"

"I don't know." The team was green. It was possible they

discovered who'd taken Roan and Lyraka and attempted a rescue

mission. Damn, everything was  a mess. It would've been hard

enough to get Lyraka out safely. He had no idea how he was going to

get a whole team off this godforsaken planet.

"I bid three shuckas!" someone yelled out and everyone

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laughed.

"What's a shucka?"

"An insult," he said, then looked at her. "Stay here."

"What are you going to do?"

"Try to save her." When she looked as though she'd follow, he

continued. "Trust me."

She opened her mouth, then closed it. "I trust you. Just be careful."

He moved out of the shadows, hoping his  plan would work. As he weaved through the crowd, he slipped the small knife out of his pocket. He stumbled against an Eidoj, and smiled down into her face at the same time that he cut the strings on the pouch that hung from her waist. He caught the pouch i n his hand without blinking an eye.

She smiled, batting her lashes, and biting her lower lip. Looking at someone with three eyes was really weird. He winked and moved farther into the crowd, thankful for the Christmas his aunt had given him a copy of
 
Oliver Twist
.

He opened the pouch, then dumped the contents into his hand.  Three large diamonds, two rubies and an emerald. He knew the  Nerakians had gems on their planet, but they were hard to come by on others so they were still worth something.

"I like spitfires," an earthling said. "One diamond!"

"You'll never have me," Alesha said.

"I want to see her breasts," the man sneered.

The earthling was fat, his teeth rotting and yellowed, and it didn't look as though he'd bathed in a very long time. The only ones not keeping their distance were the Adnams.

The Adnam on the platform grabbed the length of chain that held Alesha's wrists and tossed it in the air. It locked against an overhead bar. The Rovert who had reached for her earlier grabbed an ankle chai n, someone else grabbed the other. Even though  Alesha wiggled, her movements were ineffective. The Adnam reached for her robe.

"No! I don't think she's been bought and paid for yet and I don't

like to display my slaves." Roan met Alesha's look of gratitude.

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"But then, you haven't bid, either." The earthling turned back to

the platform. "Strip her!"

"One ruby and one emerald!" Roan called out and hoped the

earthling wasn't rich.

There was a hush over the crowd.

"And a diamond," Roan added.

Roan glanced at Alesha. She was biting her bottom lip and

looking worried. He felt as though he was in a poker game and a

friend's life was on the line. In this case, that pretty much summed it

up.

The earthling opened his pouch, then looked up. "Three diamonds, three rubies and an emerald."

Roan's gaze jerked to Alesha. She must have known by the expression on his face that he'd just been outbid. Her expression turned to resignation. The earthling laughed, sensing he'd won.

"Five rubies, four emeralds, and three di amonds," Ray said as he stepped forward. He was sporting a bruise under one eye and a swollen lip, and carried a pouch that looked a lot like the one Roan had lifted.

"You can't bid!" The earthling argued. "It was between me and  that guy."

Ray walked ove r and clamped his hand on the man's shoulder.  "Is that so?"

The man cowered. "I didn't want her anyway."

Force always ruled in places like this and Ray didn't look as though he'd mind beating the pulp out of anyone who overbid him.

Just to make sure, he  looked at the crowd. No one offered to dispute his claim.

Ray walked over to the payment desk and dropped a pouch on the table, then strode up the steps of the platform to claim Alesha. He reached up and unhooked the chain from the overhead bar, then glared at the Roverts who still held her ankle chains. They immediately backed away. They didn't want to sport any bruises or broken bones that Ray might inflict.

Alesha glared at the crowd as she followed Ray down the

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stairs, then she looked at Roan. "Thank  God, you're alive. Lyraka?"

Roan looked in the general direction of where Lyraka was still  hidden, and keeping his voice low, he said, "Over there. I don't  suppose you have a ship close by." She'd trusted him, and not gotten  involved. Pride swelled inside him. That, and fear. They still had to

get the hell out of here.

"We have a ship at the docking station," Ray told Roan.

"Then let's go. Lyraka knocked Banyon out, but I'd be willing to  bet he won't be unconscious long. He'll turn this place upside down looking for us."

"I know a shortcut," Alesha said.

"Figures." But Roan was smiling. "I'll get Lyraka." He hurried  over to where he'd left her. "Same game plan. Head down. Don't  make eye contact."

"I really hate being subservient."

"I'll let you be in  control when we get home." When she bit her  bottom lip, he knew she was envisioning exactly what she would do  when she had complete control.

They returned to Ray and Alesha.

"Behind the platform is a door in the wall that should take us a  different route to the docking station," Alesha said, keeping her head

lowered.

"That's how we missed each other," Ray told Alesha as they

headed in that direction.

They didn't say anything more until they were safely on the other side of the door, and away from the crowd.

"I was supposed to lead Alesha around on a chain until we found you guys, but some Rovert s.o.b. must've thought we were you two. I punched his lights out, but two more joined in. By the time I had things back under control, some jerk had stolen Alesha."

"Two jerks," she quickly spoke up. "I could've taken one.  Anyway, he led me through these tunnels. How'd you two get away?"

"I faked escape, then when Banyon came inside the glass cage, I knocked him out."

"Good job."

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They didn't say anything else until they reached the other end

of the tunnel.

"We'll look around, make sure everything is safe. That should  give you time to help Alesha out of those chains."

"The best idea I've heard all day," she said.

Ray and Roan stepped out into the open and quickly scanned  the docking area. There were about forty crafts in all. People were  loading and unloading supplies and contraband. Roan didn't see any  guards. They made their way back to the women.

"All clear," Ray said. "We have a straight shot to the craft."

Lyraka sighed with relief. "Let's go."

As soon as they stepped from the tunnel, they were surrounded  by armed guards.

Banyon stood on the deck smiling. "Did you think you would get  away so easily?"

"Why is he talking like Urkel?" Ray said.

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Chapter 30

L
yraka had a feeling she was going to pay dearly for slamming  Banyon's head into the glass. Not only did he not look happy, but his head was sort of flat on one side, and his nose looked more out of joint--literally.

"You did all that damage?" Alesha whispered.

"Guilty."

"I'm impressed."

Banyon walked across the platform in front of them. Lyraka

noticed there was a decided limp in his walk, too. She only hoped he

didn't take his anger out on the others. Yeah, like he'd cut anyone

slack  at this point.

"I'm not going back in that cage," she said. She squared her

shoulders and looked at Roan.

"I never did like cages," Ray said.

"Where's the rest of the team?" Lyraka looked around, but didn't

see anyone else.

"It doesn't matter. We're outnumbered," Roan said.

He was right. They didn't have a chance of making it out of here

alive.

"I say we rush them," Alesha looked at the guns as if they were

mere plastic toys.

"We'll never make it," Roan warned.

"Then I plan on taking a few of the bastards with me." Ray

hunched his shoulders like a lineman about to tackle his opponent.

Lyraka had no doubt he'd take out more than one guard.

"Banyon, Ruler of Rovertia, I hereby place you under arrest,"

Joe said as the door of a nearby craft opened, and he stepped out.

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He pointed a gun at Banyon, but Banyon quickly stepped behind two guards and laughed, sounding more like a pig's snort. "Who are you?"

"I'm on the council of humanities for a unified universe and

we're cleaning house. You're charged with  importing and exporting  illegal contraband and drugs, the buying and selling of slaves, and  kidnapping agents of the elite force."

"Who's going to lock me up?" He waved his arm. "In case you  have bad vision, I have guards with guns. I believe,
 
you
 
are
 
my
 
prisoners."

Reeka, Warren, and Link stepped from the craft, all carrying

guns.

"
 
We'll
 
stop you," they said.

Banyon did his snort-laugh again. "I think you're outnumbered.  Unless you have an army in the wings." He waved his arm in front of  him at the same time twenty craft landed. Nerakian warriors poured  out of them. Reeka stood tall as she watched her countrymen, for the  first time, ready to fight an opposing force. Pride practically oozed  from her.

Not only were there warriors, but Lyraka spotted Sam and Nick, along with Kia. Technically, Kia was her niece, even though Kia was older than Lyraka. Kia was a warrior, and right now, she looked the part, and she'd brought her husband, Nick, with her. He, and his partner Sam, who married Kia's sister, were undercover cops on