The Warrior's Pet (Cadi Warriors Book 1) Read online

  Giselle couldn't look away it was like watching a train wreck or a twisted version of animal kingdom. She was pretty sure the male came when he threw back his head and grimaced baring a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth.

  Giselle looked around but saw that none of the other alien beasts were paying any attention to the floor show. The couple came back to the mattress reeking of animal sex and moved to snuggle in around her again, but Giselle instantly decided she needed to pee and get a drink.

  Thankfully they didn't stop her as she got up. Giselle wandered over and did her best to hop up onto the latrine ledge. The stupid thing was the height of a counter instead of a normal seat.

  "Of course, idiot. Look how huge they are."

  Giselle quickly did her business washed thoroughly then put her mouth under the fountain. A sound at the door made her turn in time to see a flurry of furred bodies racing to the door. The scent of steak wafted her way making Giselle salivate. The males returned to their individual mattresses and their overgrown families carrying the hunks of meat she smelled. Giselle hesitantly watched the couple who had accepted her. Some creatures became violent if you interfered with their food.

  The male tore off a hunk handing it to the female then pulled off another and reached out to hand it to Giselle. Giselle hunkered down and took the meat, the juices dripping down her hand. She hadn't realized how hungry she was till now. Giselle tentatively put it to her nose. The foreign meat smelled pretty decent. Giselle poked her tongue out and swiped it at the meat. The flavor burst over tongue, slightly salty and spicy but good. Giselle gnawed off a piece. It was tougher than she expected so it was slow going.

  Giselle was amazed how exhausted she found herself after finishing the simple meal. The quiet space and radiant warmth of the beasts quickly had her yawning and curling up on the rough pallet. It had been the worst day of her life and who knew what was to come.

  2 Planning

  Giselle

  Giselle awoke to a large furry palm on her arm. Her eyes flew open, and it took only a moment to remember where she was. It wasn't just a horrible nightmare. The female creature herded Giselle to the middle of the room where the males surrounded her along with the other females and children. If Giselle wasn't so frightened of what was happening, she would have thought it was sweet how they guarded them.

  The group moved forward only narrowing to go through the now open door. Giselle attempted to look at the ship but it was obscured by the hairy bodies towering over her. The light changed as they reached the exit exposing a purple tinged sky. There was a rush of fresh air. It was a welcome change to the stale air of the ship. Giselle looked up at the violet clouds but was jostled and nearly tripped, so she had to look back down at where she was going as they descended the ramp.

  There was a commotion at the bottom of the ramp just as her bare feet hit the cobblestone ground. The group parted to reveal a tall reptilian looking creature with slit pupils in yellow eyes, green tinged skin and a tail. This must be the Jurou Biljana. The thing was looking directly at her and rapidly approaching.

  Giselle backed into the hairy female who clutched her close. The reptile hissed something unintelligible holding a thing that looked like a probe. Giselle started to quake as the new creature reached out and took her arm in its leathery clawed grasp. The female held her tight until the giant furry male gestured wildly to her.

  The female reluctantly released Giselle and the Jurou Biljana pulled her away. He jerked her to an entrance in a massive tent while the other creatures were taken to another. Giselle barely had a chance to look around at the planet or the smattering of stone buildings that surrounded the large open field as she was pulled into the tent.

  Giselle heard a barked word and turned just as the reptilian gripped her hair and tugged her head to the side. The tool in its hand moved towards her and Giselle struggled. It was foolish since she was damn near tiny in comparison. Giselle was like a child when standing next to the creatures she'd come into contact with so far. It was an odd feeling. On Earth she was tall for a girl at 5'8", but here she was down right small.

  The reptile man held her head tight as he pressed the glowing wand to the back of her ear. A searing pain shot straight through her head. Giselle convulsed and went limp. She didn't even fight as she was placed on the floor of another cell and the door slammed shut.

  Giselle didn't know how long she lay near catatonic willing the terrible headache to go away. All she could tell was that the noise outside the tent grew in volume making her head pound. Giselle sat up as one of the Jurou Biljana entered. She backed up and looked around realizing she was alone in an unusual gilded cage.

  "Do you want a drink pet?" The reptile asked holding a small cup through the bars.

  Giselle quickly took it not knowing when the opportunity might come again. As she took a sip, she realized she understood the reptilian creature. Giselle nearly choked.

  "What's going on?" She stammered after swallowing.

  "If you're wise you'll keep quiet, pets and slaves don't speak on this planet." The creature admonished.

  Giselle's eyes widened. She hadn't misheard.

  "Of course that is easier for the Toufik since they don't have language but I'd hate to think of such a small creature as you suffering the lash." The reptile warned as it looked her over.

  "How will I survive this?" Giselle wondered, struck dumb.

  "At least as a pet you will have an easy life if you behave." The creature said before sitting down with another of his kind.

  Giselle was numb. A pet? Was that why she was in the shiny gilded prison, that reminded her of an overgrown birdcage with its domed top. Who would she be sold to? How in the hell could she get out of this and if she did how could she possibly survive on an alien planet?

  Giselle had always planned everything to the Nth degree, but she was entirely out of her element here. She didn't even know where to begin to break down this problem. Giselle bowed her head as she sat. She resisted the tears, but they came anyway spilling down her cheeks in a continuous stream.

  What words of wisdom applied to this situation? Giselle mentally cataloged all the classics she'd read searching for something that could speak to this horrific moment. What inspiring passage could she dredge up to comfort herself?

  Giselle sat listening in dread to the noise of a massive crowd outside the small tent where her cage sat. She had to block it out, or she'd lose her mind. Instead Giselle focused on the conversation the two Jurou Biljana were having, wondering what kind of people enslaved others.

  "So did you sell the vapor?"

  "Yes of course."

  "The Toufik planet has some nasty surprises on it, no wonder it's killing so many of the beasts."

  "What was it?"

  "No idea. It's a lethal sulfur chlorine component. From the Toufik hand motion they call it Empty Death." The Jurou Biljana made a gesture like the hairy beast would, or Toufik as they called the Wookiees.

  "You are a genius."

  "Where there is profit to be hand." One of the reptiles waved his hand dismissing the compliment.

  "Too bad you only had enough for one blitz."

  "Ah but now that we know it has a market." The repugnant Jurou Biljana replied with a smirk.

  Giselle frowned at the reptiles. They were clearly scum profiting on death and misery of others.

  There was a movement on her right and several Jurou Biljana entered. The four reptiles pushed the cage which hovered over the ground. Two more parted the tent flaps as her shiny prison moved into a large arena.

  Giselle looked around in awe and trepidation. The tent was the size of a stadium and filled with hundreds of spectators all staring as she was moved towards a central stage. The crowd grew quiet as she passed. Giselle glanced at the new aliens that peered back at her.

  These creatures were the largest yet. Their flesh was red like some kind of demon might be, with hair a uniform dark black, though it varied in length and style. From what Giselle could
see their eyes were a stone cold obsidian hue. Their noses were like hers though the bridge was a bit more defined. Giselle then noticed the fearsome creatures had long tails that rose out from what looked like chain mail kilts.

  "Oh god!" Giselle shrunk back trembling uncontrollably when she saw the creatures also had sharp fangs.

  They're demons! Giselle shook her head trying to calm her mind, but it was impossible. She felt like a rabbit trapped among wolves as predatory eyes followed her. Suddenly her cage felt more like a shelter than a prison.

  Just as her fear mounted to a barely restrained level something suddenly popped in her head, like a switch flipping. It wasn't the comforting words of a philosopher from some distant era that filtered into her terrified mind putting her at ease. No, it was more the summation of what Giselle had come to believe in life, that reinstated itself with a vengeance.

  Once as a child a group of children had stolen her candy on Halloween. Far from being angry as her sister's were, Giselle had felt sorry for the other children. They felt they needed the candy so much they were willing to steal it. If that was how great their need was then they needed it far more than she did. It was a reflection of them not of her worth.

  Giselle realized that she could do little about what someone chose to do to her. It was the same here as at home regardless of the terrifying foreign circumstances. All she could do was honor herself and behave in a way she would respect till her final day, even if that came sooner than she expected.

  Giselle steeled herself as the cage came to a halt on the stage. She then stood up straight and proud as she looked the frightening people of the front row square in the eyes. She refused to cower. They may make her a slave or pet in name, but only she could make herself chattel in spirit.

  Kagan quo Rordan

  Kagan quo Rordan pulled his cloak low to shield his face. He had been waiting all season for the Jurou Biljana to return to sell their new stock of chattel along with other goods deep in Scelus Cadi territory. Despite the danger of entering the enemy province Kagan had business to handle.

  Kagan looked around for the Jurou Biljana contact that had agreed to bring the parts he needed. The Vidya Cadi starships were in desperate need of maintenance. The civil war with the Scelus Cadi had steadily expended more and more resources over the last few centuries. And by necessity the Cadi had turned away from star exploration as they quarreled amongst themselves. It was imperative to not let the few remaining ships waste away and lose that technology entirely, they were practically relics as it was.

  Kagan shook his head as he thought of all they had forsaken for this war. It was foolish to depend on foreign traders so heavily. It was equally foolish that nearly every family was conscripted into military service, to the extent they now had to depend on slaves like the Toufik for the simplest of subsistence tasks.

  Sadly it was the problems that faced the Cadi now that had divided his ancestors. From what Kagan could glean from the old texts the Cadi were once unified the world over. But as they explored the stars and learned, they were not alone the people had become divided. Some resisted change, resisted expanding into the universe thinking it a foolish waste of resources.

  "Look where the bickering has gotten us." Kagan snorted at the thought.

  Not only had Cadi spent exorbitant resources fighting with each other, but alien people like the Jurou Biljana still came to their planet, like it or not, desirous of change or not. And now because they had abandoned the stars and were a house divided they were at the mercy of anyone who might choose to take advantage. That was a hard pill for a warrior such as himself to swallow.

  Kagan was the first to concede that his pride and prowess often got the best of him. Even now half of his mission here in Scelus Cadi territory was to take petty revenge. He refused to let Vigdis quo Carnager get away with the blow he had dealt his people. Vigdis had nearly handicapped the Vidya Cadi last season when he stole the new Toufik chattel Kagan had acquired. As the Daimio and reigning lord of his people, it was Kagan's job to right that wrong.

  Kagan was pleased as he observed the strong Toufik Vigdis' lieutenant purchased. He was going to enjoy stealing this group from the son of a metcor. Besides it would be in the best interest of the industrious simian breed. Vigdis quo Carnager was a ruthless bastard. The things Kagan had seen his distant cousin do made him ashamed that they shared blood no matter how diluted it was.

  The crowd quieted as the last acquisition of the day was ushered into the market tent. Kagan saw the top of the opulent cage being pushed to the stage but couldn't see what it contained.

  "What in Kali's name did they put in a pavo aerie?"

  Kagan moved closer to the stage keeping his hood in place as he pushed past several bodies. The crowd made way since he was no small warrior. As the audience split Kagan didn't see the abundance of colorful plumes the rare pavo sported.

  There on the gilt cage floor crouched a tiny pale thing, the likes of which Kagan had never seen. What had the Jurou Biljana found?

  The cage settled on the stage and the small creature rose up on two legs, yet it was hardly any taller. It was as small as a child. Kagan looked from the pale tiny feet with five little toes each, to long shapely legs. The creature was small but its limbs were long and graceful for its size though not out of proportion. Unlike the Cadi who were defined by muscle the creature was rather soft and rounded in the thighs.

  Kagan glanced at the junction of the creature's thighs to see a cleft covered in pale hair. The creature was a female. His eyes followed the full curves of the female's hips, to the narrow waist, up to a set of large yet pert breasts. The generous mounds were so pale that the profound contrast of their ripe berry tips was compelling. Kagan couldn't help but stare. Cadi females weren't quite so endowed by comparison, nor were they as shapely and delicate looking.

  Kagan noted the almost yellow long hair that curtained a slight pair of shoulders which were thrown back as the female stood proud. The upward tilt of her chin spoke of defiance and made Kagan smile. To think such a small female stood so bravely in front of hundreds of fearsome Cadi warriors. Cadi females twice as large and strong would barely be able to contain their fear in such a position.

  A blue pair of eyes the color of the sacred waters, made contact with Kagan's as the female surveyed the crowd. They were so stunning and expressive. Kagan was enthralled. The way the female seemed to assess him intelligently was also a shock. Her gaze a mix of curiosity, trepidation and censure did not divert or lower as he expected from a female and certainly a slave for that matter. Too soon her eyes moved on to study the crowd in an attempt to ascertain her fate.

  Kagan nearly missed the bidding as it began. He wasn't surprised that the sum started so high. The creature was unusual and compelling. When Vigdis' lieutenant raised his hand offering an outrageous sum Kagan smirked.

  "Of course Vigdis needs a new plaything." He thought sarcastically.

  Well Vigdis quo Carnager wouldn't have his new pet, nor his Toufik slaves for long. Kagan quo Rordan wasn't Daimio of the Vidya Cadi for nothing. Unlike other spurious leaders Kagan wasn't just a tyrannical figurehead, he earned his position, warrior's ink and respect, one scar at a time.

  Giselle

  Giselle studied the tall frightening hulking male alien that had purchased her as he walked beside the cage ushering it away from the large auction tent. The man had to be well over seven feet tall. His red face was marred by a scar that ran from over his eye and down his left cheek. The alien had black hair like most of the species that ran down his back. Woven into it appeared to be sharp teeth similar to the long fangs in the man's mouth.

  The demonic looking man's shoulders and arms were covered by black tattooed patterns that were only slightly obscured by scars new and old. The designs extended down the alien's back but Giselle couldn't see past the straps he wore holding numerous weapons and blades.

  Giselle shivered. These were a violent people. That was more than apparent. Giselle had thought
the Jurou Biljana's warning about being whipped for speaking was crazy but now she could easily see it wasn't an idle threat.

  Giselle looked over at the herd of Toufik being led a hundred feet from her cage. They were being prodded to move quickly despite being compliant and hustling. The way their new owners treated them was obviously agitating the big hairy males. Giselle could tell by the way their hands moved signalling to each other.

  One of the tall rough males hollered at the gesturing furry beast, his tail whipped out catching the Toufik with a slicing crack. The large furry male lowered his head and hands along with the rest of the group and continued to walk despite the consternation Giselle could see in his creased brow. The alien guard took exception to the expression and lashed out with a baton, cracking the Toufik in the back. The poor beast though massive was a head shorter and unarmed. He was no match for the demonic alien that struck him repeatedly till the hairy beast stumbled to the cobbled ground.

  Giselle nearly cried out in horror as the beating continued unrestrained. The cracking sound loud and vicious as the horrible man made an example of the poor beast while the others were forced to witness it. Giselle shielded her eyes and covered her ears against the malicious act.

  When she finally summoned the will to look up again Giselle found her cage being pushed through the arch of a large stone building. The black granite rose up high to a vaulted ceiling and also lined the floor. They passed into a long room that looked like a banquet hall.

  Giselle looked at the now quiet alien people that sat at the long table. There were numerous giant men, as frightening, muscular and scarred as the ones that escorted her cage. These males all seemed to wear some type of armored kilt and legging along with several bandoliers of weapons.