Beast: Book Nine in the Galaxy Gladiators Alien Abduction Romance Series

by Alana Khan

  She’s laughing and talking to Willa, with the canine curled at their feet, when she catches my stare. I tear my gaze away, but not before I catch her scowl—the corners of her mouth turn down and her eyes narrow.

  I may not yet comprehend the subtleties of female behavior, but this I understand because it’s anything but subtle. It’s anger.

  Despite the delicious food, I resume shoveling, hoping to escape soon to spend time alone in my room.

  I’ve never had my own space before. I shared a barracks in the ludus with nine other males. Even when I was allowed a female, there was no privacy. Sex happened in the same bunk I slept on.

  I was shocked when I arrived last night and was shown my private space. Dax laughed when he saw the surprised look on my face. “Yes,” he’d said, “it’s a new experience to be alone. It seemed like a miracle when I was given my own cabin, too. I never expected it to be as lonely as it was. But now I have my Dahlia with me. These cabins are best with two.” He smiles. He and his mate must be very happy together. Too bad I’ll never have anything like that.

  I won’t be here long enough to feel lonely. I’ll earn the purse on Galgon, negotiate a portion of the credits so I can get a new start, then leave this ship.

  “Females and males,” Zar announces as he enters the room. He seems to be a fair male, taking his duties as captain very seriously. “I wanted to catch you all here to announce that Beast will be fighting on Galgon. That’s still what you want, correct?” he asks as he peers at me.

  I nod.

  “Regarding what we’re going to do with the two ships, I’ve taken all your input into consideration and think it best to stay together.”

  A few people hoot, some others clap.

  “We may not want to keep it, but it’s an asset. One of the few we have that doesn’t involve risking life and limb fighting in the arena. I want to treat it as such. Therefore, I’m requesting a crew take the slave ship to Aeon II to get it scrubbed and outfitted with a new name and call letters. We have sources there who will do it for a fee. We can sell it for a good profit. Comments or questions?”

  When no one says anything, Zar says, “Maddie, I was wondering if in a few days you could make a bake-a-cake for a celebration to welcome our newcomers aboard.”

  “Cake!” Dax exclaims with a gleam in his eye.

  I’ve never had cake, but by the expressions on everyone’s face, it must be food, and it must taste good.

  “Um, Sir? Zar?” It’s Aerie.

  “Yes?”

  “Can we talk?”

  When Zar looks at her, waiting for her to speak, she says, “Privately?”

  He nods.

  To my surprise, she motions him to my table as she approaches.

  “My trade on Earth was a lawyer,” she begins abruptly as soon as they both sit down. When neither of us shows a glimmer of understanding, she says, “Attorney.” We’re both still sitting, waiting for her to explain. “Barrister?”

  “Oh,” Zar nods.

  I’m still clueless, and it must show on my face.

  “I was an expert on contract law.”

  I think I finally understand, so I nod.

  “My specialty wasn’t just contracts, it was entertainment. Specifically sports. I wrote and helped negotiate million-dollar deals. Multi-million.” She looks at us expectantly, and it’s clear by the expression on her face that we are not responding the way she expected.

  “I was thinking that perhaps I could help you renegotiate the contract for Steele’s match.”

  Zar raises a brown, furry eyebrow.

  “My understanding is that Beast is a Pinnacle gladiator—the top of the sport, right?”

  Zar nods.

  “Wouldn’t he be worth more than a lower-ranked fighter?”

  “Yes.”

  “So if you’ll allow me to contact whoever is in charge, I could negotiate a larger purse.”

  Zar looks her up and down, assessing her. Perhaps he’s wondering how such a tiny female could manage in the male-dominated world of gladiators.

  For my part, I just watch. I’ve been a free male for less than two days. I know nothing of the actual sizes of the purses I fought for. Nor have I ever been privy to any negotiations.

  When I was offered a small percentage of a purse at my most recent owner’s ludus, I never actually knew the specifics of the deal. I had to trust in his honesty when he put my one percent in a holding account for me to buy my freedom.

  I snort, at that last thought. Trusting his honesty was almost the death of me. When Aerie and Zar’s heads swivel in my direction, I control my face and return my attention to their conversation.

  “What do you say, Beast?” Zar asks.

  “I’ve never been involved in negotiations before,” I admit, “but if it’s about more money, I’m in agreement. I don’t want to take advantage of your generosity. If I can earn a small percentage of the purse and have enough to be on my way, that would be best for everyone.” My gaze slides to Aerie. I notice her quirked eyebrow, then return my attention to Zar.

  “The females taught us about democracy. Everyone on board voted me captain, but I serve at their whim. I don’t make all the decisions. You belong here as much as any of us now. You are welcome here.

  “I was a slave since birth. I understand how hard it is to be owned one minima and a free male the next,” Zar says. “It’s a lot to take in. I’d be happy to speak with you privately should you wish. But know this, Beast, no one belongs here more than you.”

  “Thank you,” I say with utmost sincerity, although I don’t believe a word he said.

  “Don’t make any rash decisions,” Zar counsels.

  “So, I can negotiate a better deal?” Aerie brings us back to the original conversation.

  “Yes,” Zar says.

  “Can I fight as Beast? Am I not a wanted male? That slave ship was taking me to auction.”

  “Follow me to the bridge,” Zar says.

  A few minimas later, there are five of us on the bridge. In addition to Aerie, Zar, and me, Axxios, the thick-necked golden pilot is there, as well as Ar’Tok.

  “Ar’Tok, are you a pilot, too?” Aerie asks.

  “Learning comms,” he says shyly as he dips his horned head.

  Smart fellow. He knows he needs a skill to stay on board.

  Zar takes a seat in what must be his captain’s chair and motions Aerie and me to sit. We sit nearby in cushioned chairs similar to his.

  I’ve flown all around the galaxy in everything from freighters to luxury cruisers. I’ve always been in the cargo hold or a cell. I’ve never actually seen the stars from space. I’m fascinated, drawn by it.

  It’s beautiful and vast. Off to the right are purple and blue colors swirling in a vortex. I’m about to ask what it is when I realize Zar and Aerie have been talking and I’ve missed the entire conversation.

  “Will that work?” Zar asks me.

  “What?”

  “After checking on the Intergalactic Database, I see that your previous owner, Plenum of Trent, engaged the slavers to take you to auction. I just commed Shadow who says he can forge a stop-gap certificate of ownership. You’ll have won your fight and we’ll be on our way before Plenum gets wind of it.

  “It won’t work for more than this one bout, but we can figure something else out for the next fight. So, will that work?” he asks.

  “Yes.” I have no idea if it will work or not. I’ll have to trust that Shadow knows what he’s doing in the forgery department.

  “Okay, now that we’ve settled that, teach me how to contact the people in charge of the games.” Aerie brings us back on track. This female is single-minded; she wants to get things done.

  “That would be the Master of the Games on Galgon.”

  “I’ll contact him and offer him an upgrade from a common fighter to a Pinnacle. If he’s interested, I’ll negotiate for more money.”

  She asks a few more questions to understand what a credit will buy and
how much things are worth, so she’ll know what to ask for.

  “I’ll be right back,” she says as she hurries out the door.

  When she returns ten minimas later, she’s wearing the clothing she was abducted in, as well as the little red stilts on her feet. For her to be back so quickly she must have run. I can’t imagine how she can even walk in those things much less run.

  “My negotiating outfit,” she explains when she sees our questioning expressions. “Don’t worry, these clothes will net us ten percent more,” she sounds confident.

  Ar’Tok connects Aerie with the Master of the Games, and a moment later, we’re all watching the comm with interest.

  “You are?” a turquoise-eyed, light-blue-skinned Sabron female asks as she peers down her long, thin nose at Aerie.

  “Aerie Evans. You are?” she asks with equal arrogance as she sits daintily in the seat built for a male as big as me.

  “Tsing.”

  “I need to speak with the Master of the Games.”

  “There is none.”

  This reminds me of when I was young and I gathered with the other males behind the shrubs on the side of the ludus to see who could piss farther.

  “With whom would I need to speak to renegotiate Steele’s contract for the games in two days?”

  “Tsing, the Mistress of the Games.” She throws her shoulders back in pride.

  I’ve never heard of this, never seen a female in this distinguished position.

  “Hello Tsing, Mistress of the Games. I’m honored to meet you.” Aerie lowers her head and thumps her fist on her chest as Zar instructed her.

  “Tell me, Aerie Evans, why would I want to renegotiate a signed contract?”

  “Because I have a lucrative offer for you.”

  Very smart. She’s setting up the other woman to have to ask, putting herself in a better bargaining position.

  Tsing sits in her fancy upholstered chair which was clearly built for a male of much larger stature. She rubs the backs of her fingers up and down her throat, taking Aerie’s measure.

  “Elucidate me.” An order, not a question.

  “Steele has met with an unfortunate accident. As luck would have it, we’ve stumbled upon a Pinnacle fighter who is willing to step in.”

  “How propitious. Who is this fighter who fell from the heavens with perfect timing?”

  “Beast of Tramachor, owned by the Merry Chase Consortium.”

  Tsing consults her pad, then nods her head. “My sources confirm he’s a Pinnacle. I’m just not certain you have him. I’ll need to see him before we go any further.”

  I step forward until I see my face on the screen where Aerie’s had been. Tsing looks me up and down and up again. I’ve been examined like this before. It used to feel demoralizing, like I was livestock. I long ago learned to undergo scrutiny like this. Why resist being treated like livestock? It’s what I am.

  She raises her arm and flicks one finger. “Take off your covering.”

  “Unless his cock has identifying marks or features that will help you make an accurate identification, I’m not authorizing that request,” Aerie says as she stands to her full height. I see why she wears stilts, they must give her confidence.

  Tsing’s lips twitch almost imperceptibly, then she nods her head.

  “Steele’s contract was for 125,000 credits, I’ll raise it to 250,000,” her tone is firm.

  “Haha. Now that we’ve gotten the comedy out of the way, what’s your initial offer?” Aerie asks.

  I’m glad it’s her negotiating and not me. Doubling Steele’s price sounded more than fair to me.

  “275,000.”

  “Look, we’re a billion miles from Galgon. Now that Steele’s out of commission, we don’t need to even show up. Let’s get down to serious negotiation here. Shall we start at 1.2 million?” Aerie doesn’t flinch. She looks completely at home throwing that number around. I guess she wasn’t joking when she said she was used to negotiating multi-million credit contracts.

  Tsing raises an eyebrow, attempting to look shocked and outraged.

  “300,000,” Tsing says, “that’s as high as I can go.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. It would have been nice to meet you in person. I hope you can find someone to fill your card to fight against Cherodon of Monravia.”

  Is Aerie just going to walk away? She certainly seems ready to withdraw from the negotiations.

  “Perhaps I was hasty,” Tsing admits. Then she and Aerie hammer out the agreement in earnest.

  “So do we have a deal?” Tsing asks several minimas later. “750 thousand credits for your Pinnacle gladiator?”

  “Let me consult with the consortium and get back to you within an hour,” Aerie says, then asks Ar’Tok to terminate the comm.

  “I’ve never seen anything like that,” Zar says. “I would have accepted her initial offer.”

  “That’s why you pay me the big bucks,” Aerie says, smiling. “Or at least that’s what I’m hoping. I’d respectfully like to receive a 10% finder’s fee on the extra 500,000 credits I negotiated.”

  “You don’t plan on staying with us on the Fool’s Errand?” Zar seems surprised.

  “Just covering my bases,” she says. “I’ll return it to your coffers if I decide to stay.”

  “And you?” Zar asks me. “Are you happy with this?”

  “In your research on the Intergalactic Database, did you see how much my owner is asking for me?”

  “A million,” Zar answers calmly.

  “A million credits?” I feel my eyes widen, unable to hide my shock. The dracker never missed an opportunity to tell me how worthless I was. He offered me a 1% reward for each of my fights for the last two years ‘so you can eventually buy your freedom’, he had told me.

  Two years of fights allegedly only netted me 5,000 credits. Everything he ever told me was a lie. Everything anyone’s ever told me has been a lie—especially Emmannee.

  “Aerie, I want to buy my freedom. Can you negotiate a higher price? Zar, can you give me anything we negotiate higher than the 750,000 you’ve agreed to?”

  “Yes,” Zar answers, “but there’s no way Tsing will add a million credits to your price.”

  “Hail her back. I’ll do whatever it takes.” I’m certain that sounded like an order, but I’m suddenly desperate to be a free male. I want to be able to go anywhere in the galaxy and do whatever I want. “I want to buy my freedom.” I clamp my molars together, feeling every muscle in my face tighten.

  “Zar’s right,” Aerie says. “I got Tsing as high as she’s going to go, Beast. I don’t—”

  “As high as she’ll go for one bout with one opponent. Offer her more. I’ll fight two or three at a time. I’ll fight two matches back-to-back. Just get it done.”

  Zar’s mouth has dropped open in surprise, those canine teeth of his are formidable. He must have been a force to be reckoned with in the arena.

  Ar’Tok is no longer fascinated by the stars off the starboard side, he’s gaping at me.

  “Can that be done, Beast? Fighting three at a time? Two bouts back-to-back. Won’t you lose? You’ll die.” Ar’Tok’s brow is furrowed as if I’m important to him, as if he cares.

  “Hail her,” my voice is hard.

  “Are you certain you want to do this?” he asks.

  “Do it.”

  A moment later, Tsing’s pale blue face fills the screen. There’s a sly look on her face, almost as if she knows what I’m going to ask.

  “We’d like to renegotiate,” Aerie blurts as soon as they’re connected. I assume she doesn’t want me to try to negotiate. That’s smart. Tsing will be able to smell my desperation.

  “More credits? I’m afraid I’ve given away more than I should have.”

  “Beast here cost the Merry Chase Consortium more than some think he’s worth. After some argument, we’d like to offer your audience a chance to see a real Pinnacle in action. Add an additional million credits—”

  Tsing’s brows
raise toward her midnight-blue hairline at that figure; she sucks in a breath.

  “Add a million credits to the purse and the Beast of Tramachor will fight two males of your choosing at a time.”

  “That would be an interesting match, indeed,” says Tsing. “I could add an extra 100,000 for that.”