We won’t be rutting with him – because our eyes are focused only on Ashley.
People stare as we stride through the casino, and all gambling halts as every man who lays eyes on our procession wishes that he was one of us.
We must look magnificent – three towering Aurelian warriors in perfectly-fitted, tailored suits – leading four gorgeous women between us.
We step into the elevator that will carry us back up to the VIP hanger bay, and as we’re finally alone, I turn to the women leashed to my wrist. They’re all looking up at me, wondering what their fate will be. The moment I turn my head, however, the three girls instantly look down to the ground; too terrified to make eye-contact.
“No, no,” I reassure them. “You don’t need to fear. We aren’t slavers. We’ve rescued you.”
One by one, uncertainly, the girls look up.
“You’ll have the choice,” I tell them. “Freedom, or service to us in exchange for safety, food, protection and shelter.”
Evander, looming beside me, nods. “You may leave at any time.”
Ashley opens her arms and hugs Danielle tightly. There are tears in both their eyes.
“I told you I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you,” she says, and Danielle sobs in relief. The other two slaves watch with astonishment - amazed that we haven’t disciplined Ashley for acting without permission.
Finally, it clicks in their heads – that we aren’t like the men they’ve been subjugated to before.
A grin comes to my face. For the first time since the day of the Scorp nest, I finally feel relaxed.
The fear inside me subsides – and instead, I imagine the pure bliss of finally seeding Ashley; of feeling her blossom in my mind as our Bond manifests, and confirming once and for all that she is truly our fated mate.
There’s no greater honor for an Aurelian than to find his fated mate, and most of our species live and die never knowing the purest sensation an Aurelian warrior can experience – the purpose and belonging. The completeness of a triad and their one, Bonded female.
“Once we get into our ship, I’ll free you,” I tell the women, holding up the leash that’s attached to my wrist from their collars.
The three girls smile, hope blossoming in their eyes. They can’t believe that their horrific fate – of being forced into the personal harem of those disgusting Bullfrogs – has been miraculously averted.
Against all odds – after countless years as slaves – they can finally choose their fate.
These poor women have been slaves for as long as they can remember, and for the first time in their lives they can decide what it is they want.
The doors to the elevator open at the spaceship dock, and I turn to lead our newly-rescued charges to our vessel…
…and instead, we all find ourselves staring into the barrel of a high-powered rifle.
12
Ashely
Hope turns to dust in my mouth.
Peter Paradooli is standing on the other side of the elevator doors, safely behind his most trusted henchman, Gerard.
That hulking man is pointing a long gun at us, and I know that the gentle squeeze of the trigger would turn even the three, towering Aurelians into chopped meat beneath a hail of bullets.
I step back, and Augustus steps in front of me – placing his huge body between me and the lethal, military-grade weaponry.
There’s a second henchman lurking behind Peter, clutching a pistol.
“Ugly business, cheating,” Peter shakes his head, like a parent disappointed by his children’s behavior. “By the way – if these elevator doors start closing, Gerard is going to turn you all into mincemeat.”
I shudder, knowing that Gerard is capable of exactly that.
Evander reaches out and presses his huge finger against the button to hold open the doors.
“We did not cheat,” he says dryly – his voice hiding the pure rage seething in his eyes. “We won these women fair and square. Step aside, Don Paradooli.”
His voice is so level and even. I don’t know how he sounds so calm.
“Don Sloor told me all about your little tricks,” Peter responds. “Firstly, the rigged fight in the pits. Then, the marked cards at the poker table.” He turns to his henchmen. “Gerard, if the Aurelians don’t step aside in ten seconds, hit the big one in the kneecap – then carefully shoot him in the skull. We don’t want you damaging any of the merchandise.”
“Got it, boss.”
The seconds tick by like hours. “Please, listen to him,” I beg of Augustus, tugging at the sleeve of his tailored jacket. “He’ll do it, I swear.”
Augustus’ entire body is quivering – every muscle in his frame tense and ready to explode into violence.
At my words, though, he relents, reluctantly stepping aside.
“Good. Now, unleash the women - nice and slow!”
Peter nods at his henchman.
“Gerard, if you think there’s even a hint of funny business, don’t think twice. You blast them into chopsteak.”
“Yes boss.”
Gerard sounds confident, but I can see his finger trembling on the trigger. I can’t blame him. The high-powered, fully-automatic slug gun is the only thing separating him from the three Aurelian warriors. If he didn’t have it, they’d have ripped him apart by now.
But nerves and guns are a dangerous combination. One false move, and Gerard is going to accidentally kill us all.
Evander keeps his finger on the elevator button, as Augustus unclips my leash from him. Conan unclips the leash of each of the three women from his own wrist.
“Now, start walking. Slowly,” hisses Peter. My legs tremble as I step forward with the three other girls.
As we pass him, Peter starts to laugh. “You thought you’d got away, didn’t you? Don Sloor is going to be very… grateful when he gets his property back – and gratitude is very profitable in my line of work.”
He turns to his second henchman.
“Ken, leash them.”
The man with the pistol clips us one by one to his own wrist. Then, he drags us across the landing pad – towards a small,
