A Hero's Bargain Read Online Free PDF Page B

strength he could muster. She froze. Her
minion let out a frightened squeak.
    The man Tyree grabbed his wrist with
enough power that Ryder felt the bones shift. It was a small pain compared to
the hot pokers jabbing his back and legs. He ignored Tyree in favor of drowning
in the angel-demon’s dark eyes.
    “Where am I?”
    “You are in my hut, and worse, you
are preventing me from helping you.”
    She was smart, his angel-demon.
“What planet is this?”
    “Planet?”
    “What world?” He coughed, tasting
blood. She wiped at his mouth.
    “You must be still. I will answer
all your questions tomorrow.”
    “I won’t live until tomorrow. Don’t
let me die not even knowing where I am.”
    That scared her. Her eyes widened,
growing even blacker. She licked her lips, and glanced at the man. “Tyree,
release him. He won’t hurt me.”
    The iron band of fingers around his
wrist tightened painfully in warning. He nodded to Tyree without taking his
eyes off the woman. Tyree released him.
    The woman took a deep breath and
began passing out more orders. The other woman and Tyree moved quickly in
response. She leaned over him, her nose almost touching his.
    “You’re not going to die. I won’t
let you.”
    Before he could reply, before he
could argue, they finished stripping him and were none too gentle about it,
either. He closed his eyes and tried not to scream too loudly.
    That’s what he got for not behaving
himself. He should’ve just lain on the table and played at being dead. But like
always, he’d had to open his mouth and be a smartass. At least Tyree was kind
enough to drape a towel over his hips. He wasn’t at his best there either.
    Exactly what transpired next in
what order, he knew he’d never truly remember. Between the three of them he was
bathed, shampooed, trimmed and shaved in places he’d never been trimmed and
shaved before, stitched, bandaged, and finally left alone lying on a pallet in
front of the fire. He was blessedly clean but none of it had been enjoyable.
    Especially the fact the boss lady
had been the one to wash and clip his private bits. He’d probably imagined her
interest had been more than hygienic. Yep. It was all in his head that she was
curious.
    Her interest had to have been
purely hygienic and his penis knew it.
    She’d fondled him pretty good and
the old boy hadn’t even twitched.
    Purely hygienic.
    If his penis was dead, then he
might as well join it. Life was over.
    His three torturers huddled by the
door talking strategy. As long as he didn’t do more than breathe, there wasn’t
any pain, but his reprieve was short-lived. The women slipped out the door.
Tyree hunkered down beside him. He spoke gruffly, but not unkindly.
    “You need the privy?”
    Ryder tried to get in touch with
parts of himself he couldn’t actually feel. There was nothing. If he had the energy,
he’d panic. As it was, panicking was just too much like work.
    “Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t
seem to have the right feelings there to know for sure.”
    Tyree nodded. Ryder thought he saw
pity in the man’s eyes. He choked down a burst of anger. The man was trying to
be helpful.
    “I’ve sent the women to wash. Why
don’t we see if you need to before they come back? Then you can sleep.”
    “Can’t I just promise to yell if I
need to? I’m really sore.”
    Tyree’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t
care about your promises. I care that Saba doesn’t have to clean you up again.”
    That had a definite ring of truth
to it. Ryder caved in. It was the greater valor.
    The sooner he agreed to endure
another round of handling, the quicker he could pass out. He gathered his courage
and told Tyree he’d give it try.
    Fifteen minutes later he was tucked
back in, sipping a crock of the most noxious brew he’d ever had the misfortune
to have pass by his lips. His hand shook so badly, Tyree had to help him hold
it. The day just kept getting worse. He choked on a swallow of it.
    “That’s enough, I