Page 6 of A Mate for Vasek
The male reached for his bag, but instead of taking out his credit chip, he simply tossed the bag over his back. Then he grabbed Dawn roughly and turned her before ripping off one of the large gems from the back of her dress. He tossed it to Vasek, then grabbed Dawn by the arm and started toward the door.
Vasek moved to block him. “Credits, Bakum. The agreement was in credits.”
Instead of replying, Bakum grabbed a chair and threw it at Vasek, then upended the table over him.
Vasek had expected deceit and ducked to avoid it, even as the table crashed to the ground next to him, the brittle wood shattering. Morad had warned him that Bakum would backstab him like he had Kotch.
There was a feminine gasp followed by the sounds of many tiny gems that had been clinging onto the dress by sheer determination scattering across the floor.
“Fuck!” Bakum swore.
By the time Vasek made his way out from under the broken table, the male had already flung the door to the balcony wide open. Seeing Vasek, he shoved a very naked Dawn at him as hard as he could.
Vasek had two choices: go for Bakum and let Dawn smash into the sharp and splintered remains of the table, or catch Dawn and let Bakum get away. The choice was easy. Bakum would be hunted down by Morad and his pirates before the day was up. He was no longer Vasek’s concern. He caught Dawn’s slight form in his arms.
He couldn’t help but think how well she fit there, a perfect armful. She was shaking from adrenaline and shock, but her temperature was much better than the last time he’d felt her. The medication was working. Good.
He placed her protectively behind him and turned to Bakum.
“Take the gems and the female. They are more than worth your work.” Then with an angry growl, Bakum leaped down into the street below, the bejeweled dress tucked under his arm.
Vasek turned to Dawn, who stood there with her arms wrapped around her body, eyes wide. This had not turned out the way he’d wanted. Gems required buyers, or else they were simply useless rocks. It was one more thing added to his never-ending list of things to do.
And what the hell was he going to do with a human female? As someone who would never buy or sell an intelligent being, hehad no use for her as a slave. And he wasn’t looking for female companionship either.
He sighed. “What am I going to do with a female?”
“I can be useful. Please don’t give me to Morad. I helped Kotch balance his books and organize his business. I’m good with stuff like that. You can keep me, and I can help you. I’ll be really good, I promise.” She was tripping over her words now. “I don’t eat much. And I’ll stay quiet. Please just give me a chance. I’ll never survive Morad and those pirates.”
A sharp pain stabbed at Vasek’s chest. She was probably right. And the thought of those pirates abusing her was enough to make red streak across Vasek’s vision.
But he couldn’t keep her. And it wasn’t just because his job was too dangerous, though he often used that as an excuse whenever other males spoke of finding females. Sometimes he claimed he wasn’t interested in a mate, but that was a lie. It wasn’t that he didn’t want one, but rather that he couldn’t have one. His family was cursed. Well, at least the males in his family were.
Not a single male on his father's side had experienced a successful mating since his great-grandfather. And it wasn’t for lack of trying. He was the only sane surviving male of his line and Vasek wasn’t cocky enough to believe it could be any different for him. But he couldn’t leave her to the pirates either.
“I will keep you for a while,” he decided.
Vasek removed his top, handing it over to her.
“Get yourself cleaned up,” he said, gesturing to the facilities. “And put this on when you’re done. I need to settle my payments with the inn.” And give the guards and workers some extra credits for the hassle. He was generous with his credits where itcounted, especially in locations where he operated out of often. “We are leaving after.”
“Yes, sir … er … what do you wish to be called?”
“Just Vasek.” He’d need to explain to her that he was against the owning of intelligent life.
Then Vasek stepped out of the room to face Morad and his pirates.
Dawn
Dawn closed her eyes and sighed at the feel of the water sluicing down her body. And this place even had a water-based cleansing unit! The shower was already helping her feel better. Much better. Or was that the medication starting to work?
Yeah, that must be it.
Everything had worked out after all. At least for now.
Eventually, Dawn would have to tell Vasek that Morad was after her too, and not just Bakum, and why. And she’d need to tell him before Morad came knocking.
The cleansing cycle changed to rinse. With it no longer scented and soapy, she took some into her mouth to gargle and rinse. She knew better than to do that when the water still had the cleansers, especially at a place like this that probably used the cheap stuff. She couldn’t believe it, but she was actually missing Kotch’s deluxe cleansing unit with its massage jets and customizable settings.
