Slag: Book Four in the Galaxy Pirates Alien Abduction Romance Series (Shifter)

by Alana Khan

  “You understand we’re thieves, right? We steal things from their rightful owners by trickery or outright taking.”

  A’Zul and I nod. I wonder what he’s going to ask us to do, because that’s certainly what’s coming next.

  “Can you turn into this?” He spears A’Zul with his piercing brown-eyed gaze as he picks up the tablet he’d been toying with and shows us a picture.

  It’s an adorable catlike creature with huge almond-shaped eyes, enormous ears, and two tails. Thantose scrolls through pictures, ensuring we see the animal from all angles. It’s mostly white, with pastel rainbow-colored markings on the tips of its ears, paws, and tails. All in all, if it was a stuffed animal on Earth it would be the hit of the Christmas season.

  “Can you?” Thantose prompts.

  “I don’t see why not,” A’Zul says, his voice reluctant, as if he’s wondering what heinous crime he’s going to be asked to commit.

  “Do it.”

  I’ve never seen Thantose so gruff or forceful.

  “Thantose, we told you he’s still working on the ‘shift at will’ thing. You might not like what he shifts into.”

  “You said he could keep shifting until he got it right. Let’s do it.”

  At first, A’Zul just sits there dumbfounded. I’m certain no one’s ever demanded anything like this of him before. Then he shimmers for just a second into his gorgeous, golden self. Now he turns into one of the little drams from Kallion.

  “That’s cute, but it’s not what we need. Try again,” Thantose urges, trying to keep his irritation in check.

  Another shift, this time into that horrible fanged predator from his planet. He must immediately sense this is wrong because he shifts again. Four shifts later and he’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.

  Every woman in the room says, “Awww,” in unison. My hands itch to touch him. It’s like something out of a Disney movie. Even its eye blinks are adorable.

  He climbs into my lap in a catlike motion and immediately curls against me and nuzzles my hand.

  “If I wasn’t in love with this guy before, I certainly am now,” I say as I slide my hands through its velvety fur.

  A crooked smile lights up Thantose’s face as he nods. “You can shift back to A’Zul whenever you’d like.”

  A minute later we’re all gathered around the dining table. I feel like any moment Thantose is going to pull out a topo map and a pointer and start describing what we’re going to do like the generals in those old World War II movies.

  Pictures of the animals are now scrolling on every screen in the room.

  “This, males and females, is a brixnixx from the far caverns of planet Abachae. No one refers to them by their scientific name. Throughout the galaxy, they’re called dreambabies. They’re more rare than the blood gems of Aeon I. And more highly sought after. They’ve gained popularity over the last decade.”

  “Dreambabies?” Sextus asks, now more interested. “I thought of getting you one for our anniversary, little Lexa.” When his cobalt eyes flash to his mate his rough exterior melts away exposing the lovesick male underneath. “I could steal my weight in gold and not have enough for one of those, though.”

  “That expensive?” she asks, her eyes wide.

  “Yes,” Thantose answers. “These are what everyone wants to get for their anniversary, engagement, or their daughter’s coming of age celebration. Cheapest I’ve seen was two million, and that was one who’d been clubbed over the head and couldn’t walk straight anymore.

  “You,” he nods at my mate, “are going to shift into one of these for . . .” he scrolls through his computer pad, then lays it on the table for everyone to see, “her.”

  We all gaze at an ungainly waxy-yellow humanoid female dressed in stiff formal clothes. If I had to guess, she’s a preteen.

  “This is Veryl Blinten Gollub. Princess Veryl Blinten Gollub. Her doting and ridiculously wealthy father, King Gollub of planet Norrel has put the word out on the Intergalactic Database that he is looking for a dreambaby for his beloved daughter’s sixteenth birthday. He didn’t come right out and say it, but his ad makes it very clear that he will accept a previously owned dreambaby that comes to him from questionable circumstances.

  “Princess Gollub, though, is going to be gifted with this adorable animal that is unsullied and has never imprinted on any previous owners. We’re going to receive top credit for this piece of livestock.”

  He nods, looking quite proud of himself. Then spears A’Zul once more as he asks, “You can do this, right?”

  “I think so.”

  “You can stay . . . in character for a couple of days?”

  “I think so. Recently I spent days in my dragon form.”

  When it looks like the discussion is over and Sextus and Lexa are halfway out of their seats looking as if they’re about to make a mad dash down the hallway to get to their room to have sex, Thantose says, “But, there’s more.”

  Everyone settles back into their seats. Perhaps they’re wondering what could be better than bilking a fat-cat gazillionaire out of his not-so-hard-earned credits.

  “King Gollub is known for his penchant for collecting. This male collects everything from rare crystals to rare ocean animals to rare antiquities. We’ve done business before when I stole a few paintings to his specifications. He’s a greedy motherdracker, and none of you should have any compunctions about swindling him.

  “You’ll notice what all his collections have in common . . . rare. Rare has many synonyms, but one of those is ‘expensive’. There’s a treasure trove of valuable trinkets and baubles lining the walls, shelves, and closets of his castle. And now that we’ll have an inside male, or in this case, an inside dreambaby, we have access to every single thing.

  “Here’s our plan,” he continues. Lo and behold, the table opens up to reveal a map, and damned if he doesn’t start a numbered and labeled list of every moving part of this caper.

  Caper!

  Headline: former 911 operator turned pirate moll involved in intergalactic caper of the century involving a shapeshifting dreambaby. This is a far cry from assisting with the rescue of kittens stuck in trees.

  I love it!

  I’m even more excited when I hear that I even get to go to planet Norrel and perform a speaking role. Who knew that the 911 operator who was happy to stay safe at her desk hiding behind the anonymity of her headphone possessed a pirate spirit. All I needed was to be abducted, then saved by aliens.

  Chapter Eleven

  A’Zul

  This caper, as my mate calls it, hinges on me. There are a lot of other working parts, but if I mess up, not only are we out five million credits, which I’m told is a lot of money, but people could get hurt—or killed.

  I’ve spent the last ten days shifting. I’ve shifted when tired, hungry, walking, sitting, and even in the shower. I’ve mostly shifted to dreambaby form, but also to everything but my stallion and dragon forms and, of course, the true shape of A’zul—it’s like that part of me is trapped inside and can’t fight his way out.

  I shifted to Slag’s form a decade ago to survive in the mines. This happened without a conscious decision on my part. I didn’t know anything like that was possible, but with the threat of death from the toxic minerals in the mine, the innate desire for self-preservation must have caused the transformation. It saved our lives. But now I don’t know how to get back into my original shape. It’s like some part deep inside me doesn’t believe I’m really safe even though the mines on Rhoid are far away in another sector of the galaxy.

  Everyone is confident in my shifting abilities. Everyone, that is, except me. I need to get this right, especially for the health and safety of my beloved mate. But how could I say no to the male who helped us escape inhospitable planets not once but twice?

  Sextus and Devolose are here at the exit area. They’re the muscle to safely escort us to the palace. KJ is here, dressed for her role as a server. She’ll fit right in with the diver
se races the king uses as domestic help.

  Thantose strides into the room, looking the part of a handsome pirate, wearing black leather pants and a coat that sweeps almost to his knees. He’s carrying my cage.

  “Ready?” he asks me, a smile slashed across his face. This male can be harsh and single-minded when it comes to credits, but over the last ten days we’ve become friends.

  From what I’ve told KJ, she figures I’ve been gone from my planet ten rotations. That’s a long time to go without a friend.

  “Okay, my male,” he says as he pats my back. “It’s time.”

  I shift into dreambaby form and scamper into the carrier he placed on the floor. Luckily, I can think clearly in this form. This is important because this whole caper is riding on me.

  Thantose worked an impressive deal for five million credits. When KJ used the phrase ‘like taking candy from a baby’ he laughed and nodded and agreed that selling the dreambaby was almost too easy to be considered fun. He’s more excited about the long list of trinkets, baubles, and antiquities he wants me to steal and handoff to my mate on the sly.

  I squeak when Thantose bumps me against his hip in this carrier, but he doesn’t speak dreambaby and pays no attention.

  After we enter the castle, I try to pay attention as we follow a servant down so many long halls and corridors I get lost.

  “Well, let’s see the creature. I’ve paid the equivalent of an entire year’s tribute from the planet’s largest country for him. You did say it’s a male, correct.”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ll have to get him neutered right away. I hear the males can get vicious.”

  Did my translater get that right? Neutered? Right away?

  “Oh, my lord, that might not be a good idea. I hear it’s the neutered males who get vicious,” Thantose intervenes.

  “No. I’m paying five million credits for this little ball of fur. I’ve done my research.”

  I’m willing to do a lot to pay Thantose back for his hospitality, but this, this is too much!

  When Thantose reaches into the carrier, I have a mind to bite him, but don’t. I’m plopped onto the king’s desk and inspected.

  “You outdid yourself this time,” the king’s voice sounds pleased. “Perfect markings.”

  Of course, they’re perfect markings. I studied every available vid!

  He lifts my tails and remarks, “Yes, we’ll have to do something about these,” as he squeezes my balls. I squeal with pain and indignation as I try to escape his grasp.

  Fucker! I find I like this Earther curse word as much as Thantose does.

  “We must have read different articles,” Thantose insists. “I read in ten different places how this species gets aggressive after neutering.”

  “I’ll look it up again, but I’m sure I’m right.” He releases my aching balls and gives my head a pat. “I’m going to introduce him to my daughter and unless she’s unhappy with her present, I’ll transfer your credits.”

  I sit obediently on the desk, hoping the girl hates me and we can leave. When the princess arrives, she runs to me, picks me up, and presses me against her chest.

  “You got me a dreambaby!” Then she inspects me more closely. “I wanted one with more purple than blue. This one has more blue than purple,” she whines as she drops me to the floor. It’s a good thing this species has good reflexes. I land on my feet.

  “Honey. This nice man got your dreambaby at much personal sacrifice and brought him across the galaxy for you.”

  Not to mention the king’s personal sacrifice—five million credits worth.

  “He’s not as cute as the pictures.”

  Glancing up, I see her decidedly plain face squinching in a not-adorable pout.

  Being a team player, I sit up straighter, wrap my tail around myself, and try to look cuter.

  “See, darling? He’s going to make you a wonderful companion.”

  “Hmph. Okay.” She picks me up by the scruff of the neck and we leave Thantose and the king behind.

  I’m sure a real dreambaby would be scratching Veryl by now in an effort to escape her rough grip, but I try to nestle against her to make myself more comfortable.

  “I suppose,” she says, “he’s going to want me to feed you, or clean up after you. I’ll just get my personal maid to do it.”

  Although my neck is screaming in pain and I’m dangling from her grip, I try to get a sense of the layout of this huge structure.

  On To’mah we lived in small wooden structures that kept out the rain and the wind. At first, when Thantose showed me pictures and schematics of the castle that could easily accommodate everyone in my village, I thought he was joking. I studied what he showed me, but it looks different as Veryl strides angrily through the hallways.

  “You’re going to love me,” she orders. “That’s why I wanted a dreambaby. If you don’t, I’ll punish you.”

  Punish?

  We enter her room through an arched wooden doorway, she slams it, then tosses me onto her bed.

  When I agreed to this caper, I thought it would be easy—lounge around all day, move through the castle without interference, and carry a few trinkets in my mouth to the appointed drop-off location.

  KJ said it would be a ‘piece of cake’. Maybe that phrase means ‘awkward and uncomfortable’, because I can’t wait for this to be over.

  “Come here,” she orders from the other side of the enormous bed.

  This animal isn’t an advanced sentient, nor have I been trained to respond to commands yet. If I come to her, that might tip her off to the fact that something’s wrong with her pet. If I don’t come to her, though, she’ll punish me.

  I get up, stretch, and wander over to her. Slow enough for it to seem like natural pet behavior. Fast enough to avoid punishment.

  “Good boy! I’m going to dress you up!”

  I was filthy and almost naked for a decade. Perhaps this will be fun.

  ~.~

  A long time later, I’m practically suffocating under the covers where the princess has forced me. Evidently, her father had promised her a dreambaby for a long time, because he had already bought her dozens of outfits for her new pet.

  She has pulled me into every outfit, pulling my shoulders and hips out of joint in the process. Right now, I’m in red fur pants and jacket. Between the clothes and the heavy bed covers, I can barely breathe.

  I’ve been pushed, pulled, and prodded the entire afternoon. I’ll have to dredge up the energy later today to steal a few things on the list and hide them in a kitchen cupboard where KJ knows to pick them up.

  Veryl locks me in her room when she goes to dinner, but I shift to open the door, shift back, and go into hunting mode. While everyone is eating, I make three trips to the kitchen, stashing three trinkets from the top of Thantose’s list in the bottom cupboard of the pantry.

  The door to my room is still open when I arrive back, so I sneak in, kick the door closed and jump onto the bed just in time for my owner to storm into her room.

  “Here,” she says as she slams a dish of food on the floor.

  Great. I was getting hungry. I smell the offering before I see it. The king paid five million credits for me and wants to feed me rancid food. What level of hell is this?

  It’s a chopped-up mixture of cooked animal and vegetable matter that looks disgusting, although the smell is worse.

  “Eat it!” She’s far too close as she stomps her foot in temper. If she doesn’t watch it, she’s going to wind up neutering me without the aid of a doctor.

  I approach the plate of food, but the stench is too much. I look up at her, try to make the most adorable dreambaby face to placate her, and make the cutest sound in the dreambaby vocabulary. There. That should certainly soften her attitude.

  “Listen you little dracker, my father made me bring this to you and you will eat it or I will punish you. I don’t like being your servant.”

  Her foot is tapping very close to one of my tails. When I swis
h it to the other side of my body, she very pointedly moves and taps that ungainly foot even closer. This evil young female is threatening me.

  I stick my tongue into the food and can’t control my gag reflex.

  “I knew you were defective. Everyone knows you should have more purple than blue. Eat or I’ll lock you in the closet.”

  Being locked in the closet means no hunting for trinkets tonight. No hunting for trinkets tonight means we might have to stay here one extra day. One extra day means even more unpalatable food and more close encounters with her extremely large, extremely angry foot.