AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We’ll take a pod.”
They landed on the docking port of The Pleasure Ground and were greeted by a representative. She was a scantily dressed Sentarian. The Sentarians were known for exuding pheromones through their skin to attract and subdue a mate. They often ended up in the sex trade because their sexual prowess was legendary.
“Welcome to The Pleasure Ground. Follow me, please, sirs,” she said, her voice deep and husky.
She walked in front of them with a mesmerizing sway of her hips. Dante tried not to let his eyes wander. He had to poke Bran more than once to keep his attention on track.
She led them to a reception area where they had to sign in. They were asked to hand over their weapons, which they reluctantly did. Dante hoped no one would notice that they were carrying Lorr weaponry. But the dull-eyed Jorvlen behind the counter just put them in the rack without comment and handed them a receipt.
“Would you like a quick warm-up first, sirs?” said their seductive Pleasure Ground hostess. “Something to whet your appetites?”
“No,” said Dante firmly. “We wish to see your merchandise and be gone. Fresh stock only, if you would.”
“Certainly, sirs. Follow me.”
She led them through a maze of corridors. Dante memorized every turn in case they needed to leave in a hurry.
“You’re in the pink bay,” said their hostess, showing them to a small cubicle in a smoky room already half-filled with bidders. “You can order drinks and other refreshments through the monitor in front of you. You can also use this monitor for bidding.”
The room was low-lit, and the other bidders were in their own shady private alcoves surrounding a central stage. The air smelled stale, and the smoke was thick and suffocating. It must have been laced with something because it made Dante feel lightheaded and nauseated. He wished fervently that the fake breathing apparatus on his head was real, and that he could breathe some pure air.
He took in the room around him, or what he could see of it at least. A number of floor-to-ceiling curtains hung around the edge. He didn’t believe for a moment that they covered windows. Far more likely, they hid heavily armed guards.
He checked out the stage. The bile rose in his throat when he realized there was a deep blood stain across it.
Chapter 33
The cage they were locked in stank of vomit, fresh blood, and fear. Several of the women were crying.
They’d been offered stale water and some foul-tasting slop the guard had the audacity to call food. Tinsley had forced herself to drink some of the water, but she passed the slop to a young Noxxan girl who was severely malnourished from being in the holding cells for weeks.
Tinsley had never faced such depravity and abuse. The guards would regularly enter the pens with a cattle prod and claim one of the frightened girls right there in front of them all. Luckily it had not happened to her or Maraliza, but it had been terrifying to watch.
The holding room was a huge open space with several more of the cages set around the edge. One of the guards entered the open central area. “Auction in one flick!” he said loudly. “Everyone up at the bars.”
All the women obediently lined up. Tinsley stood next to Maraliza, who was physically shaking. She surreptitiously reached out and gave the gentle Lorr woman’s hand a quick squeeze.
They had been standing there for what seemed like a long time. Tinsley wondered what was going on when a tiny Finian woman entered the hall.
She looked ancient, her heavily made-up face wrinkled and sagging. She was dressed in a figure-hugging black dress, and she walked with the help of a silver cane.
Tinsley noticed a shift in the posture of the women around her. Many of them primped as the old lady walked along the row of cages.
“I’ll take that one, and those two over there,” she said, pointing to some of the more unusual species.
“Why are they sucking up to her,” Tinsley hissed to her neighbor.
“Everyone wants to be picked,” she replied. “It’s hell in here. And you don’t want to know what happens to the ones who stay in here too long,” she concluded darkly.
“Silence in there!” yelled a guard who came over and bashed his stick against the bars of the cage.
Several of the girls shot Tinsley an angry look. Shit, they’ve been indoctrinated, thought Tinsley bleakly.
The old woman approached their cage, looking them all over. Her gaze was piercing as it swept over them. It made Tinsley’s flesh crawl as the old woman looked her up and down.
“That one and that one,” she declared, pointing to Tinsley and Maraliza.
“Wait,” said Maraliza desperately. “I’m a Lorr princess, I’m worth far more in ransom money than you’d get for me at auction.”
