“Impossible,”he burbled, looking positively offended. “I cannot even think of such a thing.”

“Well,what are we supposed to do, then?” Trin demanded. Her lips and tongue werestill tingling and now the tingle was spreading to the rest of her mouth. Shewished it would stop—the sensation was very distracting.

“Seeingthat you have no mate with you to effect the transaction, I might be willing toprovide one,” B’Rugh suggested.

“Provideme a mate? As in, marry me off to someone?” Trin frowned. “I don’t think so.”

“Itwould only be a temporary arrangement,of course. Just to get the transaction done.” He smiled which made his face looklike it was melting upwards.

“Atemporary mate,” Trin mused. “And who exactlywere you thinking of for this venture?”

“Why,myself of course.” B’Rugh widened his small, yellow eyes. “Whom else?”

Trinsighed. “Look, B’Rugh—if you’re trying to get more credit out of me by tackingon some kind of matchmaker’s fee, you’re out of luck. This is everything I’vegot.” She nodded at the pile of gold credit-chip coins on the soft black fungusin front of her. “You and I both know it’s a fair price and you’re not likelyto find another buyer who’s willing to come all the way out here to you inperson. So why don’t we just—”

“Oh—no,no my dear.” B’Rugh held up one oozing hand to stop her. “There is no need of amonetary compensation.”

“So…what?I marry you for fifteen minutes so that you can give me the crystals and I cangive you the coins and then we go our separate ways?” Trin raised an eyebrow athim. All her instincts were on high alert. The Lud’om was definitely up tosomething.

“Well,for a bit longer than fifteen minutes,” B’Rugh said. “In point of fact, youwould have to spend one night in my bed in order to make the joining legal andbinding. Then, the next day, the deal could be effected and you would be ableto leave.”

Trinswallowed hard, trying to keep her gorge from rising.

“Anight in your bed? Are you asking meto prostitute myself to you in orderto do this deal?”

“Certainlynot!” B”rugh protested hastily. “My culture does not allow such things. I amspeaking of a temporary joining or marriage—whatever you wish to call it. Butof course, I would have certainprivileges as your mate.”

Trinwas beginning to feel genuinely ill—it didn’t help that the tingling in hermouth had turned to a kind of numbness.

“Andwhat…” She could hardly make herself go on. “What kind of privileges would those be?” she finally managed to get out.

B’Rugh’syellow eyes gleamed in his sagging, doughy face.

“Whythe privilege of penetration, of course. I will hold you in my arms andenvelope you with my slime.” He indicated the dripping greenish-brown ooze thatcovered his body. “Once you are completely enfolded, I will slide my memberwithin you and—”

“Stop!”Trin held up a hand, unable to hear any more. “What…what would make you even think of such a thing?” she demanded,glaring at him. “You and I…we’re not even the same species. Not even close.”

“Thecolor of your skin—that rich, creamy brown. I have never seen another female ofyour kind with such coloring. I find it…most erotic.” B’Rugh’s gurgling voicehad gone thick with lust. “I makes me wish to fill you with my member and seeif you are as soft and lush as you look.”

“I’mfrom Zetta Prime and we don’t…don’t do that. With any male,” Trin told him.

“Maybeyou could make an exception…just for one night.” Those yellow eyes gleamed inhis melting face.

Hiswords made Trin think of the conversation about penetration she’d had with Thracethe night before. But imagining such a thing with the huge Havoc had made herfeel hot and cold and strange all over. She’d had a clear feeling it waswrong—but of course, she’d always known that because of the way she’d beenraised on Zetta Prime. However, the idea of letting Thrace fill her with his shafthadn’t disgusted or repelled her. The idea had simply made her feel…strange andguilty.

Theidea of letting B’Rugh fill her with his slimy cock and wrap her in his oozingarms filled her with a different feeling entirely. Nausea. Looking at the Lud’om and imagining going to bed with himmade sour bile rise at the back of her throat. She wanted some water to washthe horrible taste away from her mouth but there was nothing but the strange,blood-red wine. Blindly she reached for it…

Onlyto have it knocked out of her hand.

“Sorry,but you can’t drink any more of that,” a familiar voice said. “That bastardwith the steel teeth laced it with passion berries. Another sip and you’ll bein serious trouble.”

Trinlooked up in surprise to see Thracestanding over her. The big Havoc was still wearing only the tight black leatherpants and leather boots he’d had on when she bought him but now he was alsocarrying a blaster. She’d gotten so used to seeing him lying down, chained tothe cot, she had forgotten how huge he really was. He was like a mountain ofmuscle towering over her and she had no idea why he was there.

ApparentlyB’Rugh didn’t either.

“Whoare you and how dare you interrupt our negotiations?” The Lud’om sounded mostdispleased.

“Don’tremember me, do you?” Thracegave him a fierce grin. “We met a few cycles back when your people tried totake over the mud flats on my home planet.”

Theyellow eyes narrowed. “I do rememberyou, now. It was your leadership that kept us from completely conquering theHavoc home world. Thrace,isn’t it?”

Thrace nodded.“In the flesh.”

“Butthat still doesn’t explain what you’re doing here or how you’re involved withthe lovely Trin.” B’Rugh nodded at her.

“That’sCaptain Trin to you,” Thracegrowled. “She’s the owner and captain of a star ship—not some cheapprosti-whore you can buy for a night of what passes for pleasure with you,B’Rugh—you fucking slimy bastard.”

B’Rughstiffened—as much as a being that appeared to be made of oozing mud could besaid to stiffen.

“Iwould never presume to ‘buy’ her as you put it. But she must have a mate toeffect our transaction. I was actually doing her a favor, offering to act inthis capacity myself so that the sale can go through.”

Thracesnorted. “Right. As if any female forced to sleep with you would consider it a favor. Fucking mud-slug.”

Privately,Trin agreed with everything the big Havoc was saying but he wasn’t being verydiplomatic. There was nothing she wanted more than to stand up and punch B’Rughin the jaw—or maybe just shoot him with her blaster. She was afraid her fistwould get stuck in his face if she actually punched him. But giving in to thoseimpulses wasn’t going to get her the Jaxite crystals.

Shewanted to open her mouth and say something to salvage the situation but thetingling in her lips and tongue had become partial numbness now and speakingwas difficult. Still, after swallowing a few times, she was able to interjectbetween the angry insults Thraceand B’Rugh were trading.

“Soyou’re saying, B’Rugh,” she said, being careful not to slur her words. “Thatyour only interest here is preserving the deal. That you only offer yourself asmy temporary mate in order to conclude our transact…” She swallowed, her tonguefeeling thick. “Transaction? Correct?”

“Ofcourse.” B’Rugh nodded stiffly. “Though I admit to finding you most desirable,if you had come with a mate to effect the transaction, none of this would benecessary.”

“Good,then all our problems are solved.” Thrace leaned forward and glared atthe Lud’om. “Because I’m her mate.”

Chapter Eight

“I’mher mate,” Thracegrowled again, wanting to get the point across. “And I’m here to ‘effect thetransaction’ as you keep saying.”

“What?”the Lud’om blustered, spraying bits of slime on the black grass table. “ButTrin stated she had no mate!”

“Shenever said that. She said she didn’t have one with her. But here I am.” Thrace grinned, really enjoying thelook of fury on the lumpish, oozing face of his opponent. The look on Trin’sface was equally amusing. She looked like she wanted to say something butwasn’t quite sure how to say it.