Prince of Luster by Candace Sams Page B

see the human’s face because his head lolled forward. But his upper body was perfection. The muscle of his pectoral area, his biceps, and abdomen looked as though they’d been sculpted from metal. His tanned skin glowed in the light of the Delta Seven sun. And though the leader of the pirate slugs told the humans not to leave, they all still backed away. By now, there was quite a distance between the victim and the witnesses, as always. From her perspective, the helpless fighter appeared even smaller, though he still towered over men and women standing at the edge of the circle behind him.
    Even if the brave man opened his eyes now she doubted she’d see their striking shade of green. That’s how far she and the crowd with her had moved away. She didn’t dare fight her way forward. There was nothing she could do now for the only brave soul among them.
    “Bring me the diffuser,” Prometheus ordered his aide. “I want it set for a direct, non-spray stream. It will create the most impact against his bare flesh.”
    The slug aide bowed and lumbered away to do as his leader bid.
    Prometheus then put his hand on the back of the unconscious man’s head, grabbed a section of black hair, and pulled it so that his intended victim’s face was upward. “Wake up, human excrement. Wake up, I tell you!”
    He slapped his captive, and Nova repeatedly shuddered when everyone else did. The fighter came awake and shook his head free from the big slug’s grasp. He struggled against the bonds holding him, but the ropes had been tied tight enough that bright red blood was now visible from his wrist wounds.
    “You’re a coward,” the fighter cried out. “Your entire race is. That’s why the known universe will having nothing to do with your kind. Why don’t you untie me and fight like a warrior? Or are you afraid I’ll do to you what I did to Codge? Maybe if you lose, that other slug will take your head off, is that it? Is this the way you deal with defeat?” he ranted as he pulled at his bindings.
    Nova swallowed hard and shook her head. The man was only making things harder on himself. He had no idea what was about to happen. But his loud questions—meant to encourage the crowd—infuriated Prometheus into action. She watched as the behemoth struck Green Eyes over and over. But the human stranger never cried out during the blows. With each strike to the face or body, she saw him lift his head and glare proudly at his torturer. She wished with all her heart she could see his countenance clearer, before he died. But she’d forever remember the baritone timbre of his voice. It rang out—clear, strong, and proud. He repeatedly defied the beast hitting him.
    Finally, when Prometheus could withstand the taunts from his victim no longer, and his beating wouldn’t shut his captive’s mouth, the slug leader pulled out a dagger and dragged the edge of it across that beautiful torso. Blood gushed forth, and Nova’s eyes filled with tears again. She swiped at them with the sleeve of her robe and wanted to leave before watching any more. But she couldn’t. If she tried, and even managed, to get away from any pursuing slug minions, ten would be tortured in her place, just as an example to the rest.
    “Someone stop him, please,” she whispered. But no one came forward. The crowd moaned in protest and many covered their faces. Mothers held children to them and tried to protect the youngest of them from seeing the hideous scene.
    He lunged at the tied human before him and continued to strike him harder.
    “Sir, the diffuser,” the slug aide said as he ran forward and tried to push the long, rod-like device into his leader’s hands.
    Prometheus carelessly shoved his underling aside as he grabbed his final means of torture. He also grabbed up the diffuser’s attached canister, and put the butt end of the dispenser rod against his shoulder.
    Before now, Nova had never stopped to wonder how or why the entire device looked so much like