Dangerously Mine Read Free

skills to pilfer trinkets off an unsuspecting couple. If the thief had tried that on Sonis, he would have had his hands removed and his lifeless body thrown into the Singha Ocean. With the help of his royal guards, crime was almost nonexistent on the newly developed world.
    “Ankon thinks we will be ready to go before nightfall,” Rasha replied.
    Although Xenaris was a trading planet, it still held many dangers. This place was no Utopia. Taio and Rasha both kept their senses on high alert.
    Taio and his crew members all came from Drazlan, the home planet, and had relocated to Sonis, the moon that rotated around Drazlan. Drazlan was hot, humid, sunny and dry and also one of the three sand planets in the Zaronna System. While many thought Drazlan’s climate was harsh, they thought Sonis’ climate was no better. Because of the harsh climates of the sand planets, the inhabitants all had many of the same characteristics—golden-colored skin, although the tone varied between individuals, dark-colored hair and they were all tall in stature.
    “The sooner, the better. This place makes my skin crawl,” Taio replied.
    Taio, Rasha and some of the other crew members walked through one of the many overcrowded markets on the small dusty planet. The sun was almost unbearable, even for a male who grew up on a planet that circled two suns. He had his shoulder-length hair pulled off his face and secured at the nape of his neck. Still, the sun’s rays assaulted him. Xenaris had the harsh climate one would expect from a planet that was set too close to its sun.
    The crowd of locals and visitors parted, giving him and his crew a wide berth as they took the time to look for goods that would be needed for the journey home. While the merchants saw unlimited credits when they looked at the royal crest, others saw mercenaries, warriors, guards.
    Taio knew the effect he and his crew had on everyone, but there was no point getting back on the vessel just yet. It was docked on a space station, undergoing repairs. So while they waited, some of the crew picked up trinkets for loved ones, while others purchased goods for themselves. Taio purchased a gem necklace for his younger sister, Saia. Of course, the price had been exorbitant, but the necklace matched her eyes.
    They walked by a crowd that suddenly went from a small hum to an eruption of roars. “The slave market is in full swing,” Rasha noted.
    Taio sneered, his lip curled in distaste. He had no desire to stop by the slave markets Xenaris was famous for. In fact, even after forty-one birth cycles, bile rose in his throat at the idea of beings sold as if they were worth no more than an inexpensive trinket or bauble. He could not stand to watch as beings were sold into slavery while others enjoyed the melee it caused.
    Slave trading had been outlawed many cycles ago on every planet in this galaxy except for Xenaris. At that time, Xenaris’ ambassadors petitioned the Galactic Council to legalize slave trading on their planet. After all, Xenaris was famous for its trading and hard-to-find items. The request had been granted with certain exceptions. Humane protection must be provided for those being sold.
    As he was about to pass the podium where the slaves were being held, his eyes caught what had undoubtedly made the crowd erupt. Standing on the platform was a small female fighting two Tresdonians. They were short in stature but made up for it in their dense physical makeup. He’d had the opportunity to take one down during a job when he was still a mercenary. He knew from experience they were not easy to fight.
    Yet here he stood, watching the small female use her flexibility to outmaneuver her captors and eventually free herself from their grasp. By the condition of her face, the Tresdonians had a hell of a time getting her to the auction block. She appeared beaten, with a multitude of bruises. He forced in a breath and clenched his fists as he noticed that one of her eyes was most likely