Though I loathe the term, it’s gratifying to see the insult I carefully crafted just for him hit its mark. He jerks slightly and drops my hair. Keeping his eyes locked on mine, he states flatly, “Take her to my quarters. I want her chained to my overhead.”
“Yes, sir.”
While we’ve been having our little staring contest, I notice something. He truly looks like shit. Struggling to look back over my shoulder as they drag me away, I’m shocked at the transformation that’s taken place in my crimson dragon. He looks like he hasn’t had a bath the entire five days I’ve been gone. His hair is dirtier than ever, and he has deep maroon circles under his eyes. The edges of his wings are pale, and his claws are a mangled mess, chipped and broken as if he’s been fighting. Turning around, I let them lead me to his quarters. After thinking it over, I decide that I’m truly worried about him.
Images of him losing a battle or being hurt in a sparring match float through my mind. Glancing to one side, I realize one of my handlers is the guy I hit over the head the night I left. He still has a bit of a bump. For it to be that size now, it must have originally been gigantic. “I’m sorry about your head. I didn’t mean to hit you so hard.”
He doesn’t reply. Of course he doesn’t. What was expecting, forgiveness? More importantly, do I deserve forgiveness? Deep down inside, I know that I probably don’t. The pirate might not be innocent of all serious crimes and misdemeanors, but he didn’t do anything to deserve being knocked out cold. I hurt him to get my freedom. Being desperate, I wasn’t careful and innocent people got hurt. Why the hell is life so unfair?
They bind me to a metal bar running around the top of Tarion’s round bed. Glancing up, I realize it’s not meant to hang drapes on. It’s meant to hang women from. I should have known the damn sadist would have a special place for tying up his victims. My toes don’t entirely touch the floor. Squirming, I try to free my arms. They don’t budge. The man I bludgeoned was thoughtful enough to wrap the ropes holding me in place all the way down each arm past my elbows. I honestly can’t tell if he’s doing me some kind of favor or not. Being tied like this takes the weight off of my thin wrists, but it makes getting loose impossible. Why am always and forever trying to get away from someone?
For the first time in my life, I begin to honestly doubt myself. Tarion was good to me. He was patient, kind and generous with his time and resources. Images of the amazing sex we had drift through my mind. He was open and vulnerable with me and I walked out as if what he was offering didn’t mean a thing. I repaid his kindness by hurting one of his crew and stealing a valuable space craft. I can’t imagine him ever forgiving that kind of betrayal.
My handsome crimson dragon looks terrible. He’s let himself go. He looks slightly thinner and his eyes have lost their shine. When we first met, he was proud, arrogant, and witty. I really liked those things about him. Now, my naughty guy seems miserable. The mischievous glint in his eye has been replaced with darkness and he’s not willing to joke around with me at all.
Whether from grief over losing me or pure blind fury at being betrayed by a lowly slave, leaving affected him in a very negative way. I deserve to be free, but I can now see that betraying his trust has damaged him. The realization causes my world to shatter into a million pieces. Shame and regret war with each other for the top spot in my emotions.
I’ve accidentally broken the strong warrior. Granted, he was pretty broken before, but not like this. Tarion losing his spark for life makes the universe a much less interesting place.
10
Tarion
I walk back and forth in my office, trying to cool my raging emotions. Seeing her in the flesh shook me to the core. How can I still have a semblance of affection in my heart for this wretched creature? I’ve been unable to eat, sleep or concentrate on anything for days. The little sleep I’ve gotten has been riddled with dreams of chasing her down in my fighting form. Why am I allowing one small human to upset me so much?
I need to be rid of her once and for all. Heading for my quarters, I frown as a plan forms in my mind along the way. I’ll use her hard, forcing her to right what her betrayal has wronged in me. Once I am myself again, I will put her down on some isolated planet and be done with her. It’s a sound decision. I’m sure of it right up until I open the door and see her hanging above my bed. With her hands strung up high, her torn shirt is riding up to reveal the bottom of her pale breasts.
Lifting my eyes from her breasts to her eyes, I can’t help but notice her expression is pained. Of course it is. She was forced back into my quarters. I decide that for tonight she will behave like a proper pleasure slave. It matters not that the client isn’t to her liking. I am the aggrieved party and therefore this is about me, not her. I’ll make her breathless with need. No woman can resist my mating scent, least of all this deceitful brooder. Thinking of her as a brooder seems wrong in my mind now, but I don’t understand why.
Approaching her, I slide a sharp talon up the thin fabric of her shirt and rip it all the way down the middle.
