Chapter 1

As I'd seen the job offer on the notice board my mouth had fallen open. Even now as I flew to the unknown and uncharted sector of space that was part of the job I needed to pinch myself.

A thousand credits just to fly to uncharted space, spend a few hours there and then come back to the space station again. It was a dream come true.

Already I was almost there, my little ship fast, if a little old.

But I'd only been there a few minutes, the ship scanning and charting the stars around me when a warning sounded.

The area of space was full of debris, and asteroids, as if several planets had collided here long ago. As the alarms blared I tried to find the source among the chaos.

The asteroids blocked my view in several directions, but the radar on the ship clearly though there was some kind of threat.

Flicking my jet black hair back I looked at the scanner data. Once again my jaw fell open. I wasn't alone. There was another ship.

And it was coming straight for me.

I flicked off the system charting space and took over the control systems from the autopilot but it was too late. The ship had managed to sneak so close, hidden behind an asteroid that had confused my scanner.

Now it was already close enough to lock onto my little ship with some kind of grapple system and reel me in like a fish on a hook.

I tried everything I could, but the grip was too much for the ship's engines to overpower.

There was nothing I could do but sit and wait as the ship pulled me closer and closer until my airlock was connected to theirs. I grabbed my gun from its usual holder by the pilot chair and hurried to the side of the door.

Whoever was about to board would have to fight me for the ship. Thankfully I had no cargo except for some spare fuel cells and food. This hadn't been a cargo run.

I heard the hiss as the air lock down the corridor opened and admitted someone and the clank of magnetic boots on the floor as whoever it was came closer.

A couple of times I considered shooting first, but I had no idea who and what was boarding me. I wasn't going to start a fight I couldn't be sure of winning.

The thunk of each boot stopped before I could see anyone, only a meter or so through the door beside me.

I tried to slow my breathing so my location wouldn't be heard, but I was both terrified and pumped full of adrenaline. What could this intruder want.

Before I could decide to act a small canister rolled into the room and then the door began to shut.

The markings on the object made it clear it was a paralysis bomb. I needed to get out of the room before it went off.

I rushed to the door controls, but I'd stood on the other side and before I could press the button it went off. Almost instantly I was hit with a wave that froze my limbs in place and stopped me from moving. Thankfully it caught me in a position that didn't immediately see me fall on my butt, or worse, my face.

Unable to move, I could only try and breathe and wait for whoever had thrown the bomb to appear.

Despite not pressing the button, the door opened and revealed my intruder. The muscular form of a Frentin male. If I'd been able to move my mouth would have fallen open for yet another time. Frentin males were some of the most attractive aliens that our race had encountered. They were similar enough to humans that some had even crossbred with them, but they were far stronger than humans and they knew it.

I was in trouble. Big trouble.

"Ahhh, you must be Jet," he said as he came closer, his violet eyes looking over me. "Ross said you'd be the next pilot to come out here."

In my head I swore. Ross had given me this job. I'd been set up. But why? What did a Frentin man want with me? I was just a cargo runner.

The muscular man came closer, his scent filling my head. Instantly I could see why some women were reduced to quivering wrecks around them. Their scent was intoxicating. But I was determined not to be one of these women. No. I would resist the chemical pheromones. I wasn't going to be caught up in some lovelorn game.

Frentin men only did one thing with human women. They used us to slate their desires and then moved on. Not one would dare to commit to anything more serious. We were too inferior.

Was that what was about to happen to me? Was I about to be raped? As he ran a hand down my hair, I would have shuddered if I could, but I was frozen beneath his touch, able to feel it but helpless to prevent it.

"Oh yes," he said as he slowly walked around me, clearly appraising my physical body, his eyes lingering on my pert breasts clear under my thin space suit. "You're going to fetch me a good amount at the market.

Market? my mind screamed. What did he mean by market?

He chuckled as he came around to stand in front of me again.

"You're trespassing on Frentin space, Jet Montrose. This comes with a heavy fine. I think thirty-thousand credits ought to be sufficient."

My eyes widened at the amount. I didn't even have a tenth of that. But at least the paralysis was beginning to wear off.

He laughed again. "Didn't think you'd be able to pay it, but that's sort of the point. In payment of your debt you will be taken and sold at the great Frentin market. I'm sure there are plenty of our kind who will enjoy bidding to own your body and use it as they please."

As he finished speaking he pulled out a set off Frentin made restraints. They were controlled by the person who put them on, and one was simply slapped on each limb. If the person wearing them tried to run, the owner who had put them in place could merely think it and all four would snap together, or just two, and the person wearing them would be unable to move or run.

There was no way I was getting out of this.

"Don't worry, Jet. The paralysis will all wear off soon. It was a short term one. Then you can walk your hot little body over to my ship and we can start the ten day run to get you sold."

I tried to glare at him, but only part of my face would move. It only made him laugh even harder as he removed my gloves and pushed up my sleeves to slap the first wrist lock on. He followed it quickly with the other.

I could only whimper in fear as he pulled up my trousers to do the same to my ankles, then he slipped my space suit back in place, letting it seal over the top of the four circles that marked my new lack of freedom.

He didn't stop there, however, instead, reaching for my neck. Unzipping the front of my suit he fitted a fifth around the neck.

"This one comes with a mute function," he explained as he fitted it right over the front of my vocal chords. "Just in case you decide to protest too loudly."

Great. I can't even tell him what I think of him.

Almost as soon as he'd finished I noticed my arm droop, the paralysis wearing off my extremities. Slowly my body relaxed while he stood and watched.

"Right," he said. "Time to get you on my ship and tow yours to be sold as well. It's a rust bucket, but any extra credits I get for that I can use for some human fun time of my own."

Once again I glared, but he motioned for me to walk past him. Instead I lifted my hand, my fingers curling into a fist. He merely blinked and my hand was yanked to connect with the other, the fist flying harmlessly across my body. The momentum carried me further around and my still not completely mobile body pitched forward.

The Frentin slave trader caught me, holding me close for a moment as he laughed again, the deep rumble and heavenly scent making my body heat up in a very unwelcome manner. This jerk had just captured me to sell me. I wasn't going to give him any satisfaction of thinking I was attracted to him.

Suddenly he pushed me back to my feet and my hands fell apart again.

"Now, walk," he commanded, his voice icy cold.

Not sure what else I could do, I obeyed, leading us both onto his ship.