Accidental Abduction

before the first ones arrive.”

“First what?”

Tren didn’t bother answering, he just took off at a brisk walk, and after a moment’s hesitation she followed But, of course, she didn’t walk behind him in a position of subservience. She placed herself on his left and with her lips tight, pretended an aloofness he could tell by her tight body she didn’t feel. Frukx, but he admired her spirit.

Locating the grungy office of the service station, he sauntered in and slammed his fist down on the counter. A familiar face came scurrying in from the back. Tren sneered as the creature blanched. He relayed his instructions on repair to the three armed mechanic who bobbed his head in deference. Tren made sure to keep one eye on Megan who prowled around with way too much curiosity in her eyes. She also looked much too enticing in his oversized shirt, the sway of her breasts entirely too visible.

Tren growled and the mechanic stepped back, swallowing hard with all five of his mouths. He fixed his gaze on the creature. “I expect it done within one astral unit.”

“But the other clients-”

Tren leaned forward and grabbed the mechanic by the neck. “Do you need to lose another arm?” Annoyed at the exorbitant rates they’d charged him last time, and the scratch they’d put on his hull, Tren had displayed his displeasure in a way that left a permanent impression.

Frantic head bobbing answered him and Tren released the alien, a sudden prickling on the back of his nape making him whirl. Megan no longer lurked the shop, having stepped out into the thoroughfare.

And of course, she’d found trouble.

Chapter Eight

“Unhand me right now,” Megan demanded, hiding her fear behind false bravado. Not an easy task considering the slimy grasp of the blue octopus holding her wrist.

A gurgle she suspected passed as a chuckle made her grimace. “That was totally gross. And I said let me go.” When the alien creature ignored her and started tugging, her sandaled feet sliding, she got mad.

“You must be a male under all that disgusting goo.” She pulled out a chopstick saved from one of their dinners. After seeing Tren’s own preparations, she’d tucked it into her pants in case of an emergency. This certainly counted. She jabbed the oversized needle into the tentacle holding her. The icky alien squealed as it released her. Megan took a step back and bared her teeth in a grimace as she waved her makeshift rapier at it.

Its eyes, all half dozen of them, fixated on something behind her. It shrieked again, even louder, as a big, familiar body rushed past her. Tren picked up the extraterrestrial as if it weighed no more than a feather and threw it against a corrugated wall. It hadn’t even begun sliding down, leaving a slimy trail, when Tren pulled out a pistol and fired.

A great big hole appeared in the middle of the creature while Megan watched with her jaw dropped low enough to hit her toes. Given she could have stuck her hand through the octopus thingy without touching its insides, she presumed it was dead.

Tren holstered his gun and turned to face her. The dangerous glitter in his eyes and the tenseness of his face sent a jolt of pure desire through her. Oh my god, I think that was the single most, hottest thing any man has ever done for me. She ignored the fact she’d just about saved herself before he’d arrived. She admired the way he took charge and protected her.

“You are uninjured?” he asked, his clear blue eyes checking her up and down.

“Slimed, but fine. You know, I’d just about taken care of him,” she announced as she held up her chopstick.

A smile tugged his lips. “Yes, you did. I just made an example of him to warn others away. You are not upset I killed it?”

She shrugged. “I might have felt different if it were a human you just shot a cannon through, but I never did care for seafood.”

He snorted, tried to stop it, but couldn’t. He laughed aloud, a mirthful sound that proved contagious and she joined him. She vaguely noticed that some of the alien folks walking by stopped to gape at them, but she paid them no mind. Tren owned the most awesome laugh and she got the impression he didn’t use it often. It pleased her to know she’d caused it even if unintentionally.

“Stow your vicious weapon, my feisty barbarian. We wouldn’t want to frighten the shop owners into closing before we can purchase some items.”

Megan tucked the chopstick into her waistband before sauntering off. “Shopping. Cool. Think we can find some more shoes? I’d love to find some steel-toed combat boots in my size. These sandals suck for kicking balls with.”

Tren snorted and Megan grinned as she perused the storefronts that made her think of home. Well, if you discounted the fact the garments on display owned several sleeves and the shopkeepers all resembled mad science experiments.

Adrenaline from the fight wore off and she hid an internal quiver as she pretended interest in the wares offered by creatures straight out of Men in Black. Her mind whirled as it finally hit her. She’d not only stabbed something living, she’d watched it get killed for just touching her. While she didn’t regret her actions- and still found his hot-it made her wonder exactly how violent she could expect her new life to end up. Judging by the occasional grunts and thumps that she heard from behind her where Tren followed, probably often.

A savage part of her approached the concept with glee. No more false politeness or putting up with bullshit. But then again, as with all things, only the strongest would prevail. Currently, Tren protected her, but what about when he relinquished ownership of her-not something she wanted to truly think of, but she’d always been a realist. What skills did she have to survive other than an acerbic tongue? In a battle of fists or weapons, speech wouldn’t gain her a thing.

In sudden inspiration, she whirled to speak to Tren and almost bit her tongue, trying to hold in laughter. She found him with one fist cocked while his other hand held up a goblin-like creature by the neck. He appeared sheepish at having gotten caught.

“Don’t mind me. Finish what you were doing.” She waved magnanimously.

Flashing a savage grin, Tren turned back to his blanching victim. A few smacks and a toss later, he swiveled back to face her. Megan shook her head at him as she took in the devastation that seemed to follow in their wake. “Does this happen to you often?”

He shrugged. “More or less. I told you to stay on the ship.”

“I didn’t say I minded. It does, however, explain your arsenal, and it is part of what I wanted to talk to you about. I wanted to know if you’d teach me how to protect myself. I’m starting to realize I can’t count on cops and laws to really protect me out here.”

“I will protect you,” he growled, his gaze narrowing in displeasure.

“For now. But what about once you sell me? You won’t be around. ” His face darkened, but she forged on. “So, please, would you teach me something so I’m not so helpless?”

“You are far from helpless,” he barked as he strode away.

She hurried to catch him. “Oh, come on. You and I both know I wouldn’t stand a chance against a real bad ass.”

He stopped suddenly and whirled. “A real what?”

“You know a thug. Bad guy. Vicious killer. I’d be toast in a second.” She drew a finger across her throat and made a choking sound.

He snorted. “I don’t think you have much to fear. You’ve stood your ground fairly well against me.”

Megan rolled her eyes. “Now I know you’re placating me. You don’t count. I mean, you might be a pirate and all, but that doesn’t make you a bad guy. I’m talking about super mean, cold hearted dicks. The kind who would hurt me in a heartbeat.”

Tren choked. “You don’t consider me a danger?”

“Well, duh. You’re a nice guy for a buccaneer. I mean, sure, you’re big and annoying, but you’ve never actually done anything to hurt me.”