Primal Bond (Warlords of Vasz #4)

1. Chapter 1

Chapter one

F inn knelt on the cold, metal floor of the cramped supply closet, his fingers digging into the narrow gap of a wall panel. The spacecraft's constant vibrations sent shudders through the walls, adding to the challenge of his task. His once soft hands were now calloused and bruised from countless escape attempts, but he wouldn't stop trying.

He couldn't.

The panel gave a slight creak, but it held firm. Frustration bubbled inside him, threatening to boil over. He bit his lip, tasting blood. Come on, come on, he urged silently. This wasn't his first time attempting to pry it open. It wasn't even his tenth. But what else could he do? Give up? Accept this life?

No way.

The tiny space reeked of sweat and despair, a stark contrast to the metallic scent of the ship outside his cell. For months, Finn's prison had been the supply storage space that Urlek had shoved him into — no bigger than a closet back on Earth.

Not that there's anything for me back there, he reminded himself bitterly. No family, no friends. Just an endless void of solitude in some station or other, dodging press gangers and trying to stay out of the meat grinder that was the army.

Yet here he was, risking everything for the chance to get back to it.

For the chance to escape.

Finn's fingers slipped, his leverage on a likely screw disappearing. He cursed under his breath, leaning back against the wall and closing his eyes for a moment. Every attempt to escape was an exercise in futility; every failure chipped away at his resolve. But stopping? That wasn't an option either.

He resumed prying at the panel, trying not to think about what awaited him if he failed again — or if he succeeded, but found no way to escape the rest of Urlek's ship.

Finn's fingers trembled as they clawed at the panel, his nails torn and ragged. Angry red welts peeked out from beneath the tattered remains of his shirt, a cruel canvas of lash marks criss-crossing his back. He tried not to dwell on the memories that put them there — the punishments for his defiance, his stubborn refusal to obey.

His chest tightened at the thought of Urlek, his current captor. The Borraq's gruff voice still rang in his ears, mocking him. You're my property now, human filth. Best learn your place.

But Urlek was small fry. Some dumb beast, the type who only wanted something just because someone else had it.

The true source of Finn's hatred was Rivek.

Finn's grip tightened on the panel as flashes of that horrific day assaulted him. The supply ship he'd worked on, just a part-time gig to earn some extra cash. How was he supposed to know the Borraq would attack? One moment, he was slacking off instead of doing inventory. The next, something had hit the ship — and Finn had hit the wall.

When Finn awoke, bound and stripped, Rivek's leering face filled his vision. Those merciless eyes, sizing him up like a prized hunting trophy. The memory made Finn's stomach churn.

He remembered Rivek's hot, rancid breath on his face as the Borraq leaned in close. "You smell… exquisite," Rivek had growled, inhaling deeply. Then came the cruel smile that would haunt Finn's nightmares. "We're going to have fun breaking you, human."

And Rivek had made good on that promise.

The panel creaked, jarring Finn from his memories. His jaw clenched with renewed determination. Finding a way off this ship, out of this sector… That was the first step.

But his true goal? Hunt down Rivek and make that sadistic bastard pay .

The sound of Urlek's gruff voice echoed through the door of Finn's cell, jarring him from his memories. His heart leaped into his throat as he hurriedly pushed the panel back into place, fingers fumbling in his haste. He could almost feel Urlek’s hot breath on the back of his neck, ready to pounce and punish.

But the door to his tiny cell didn't slam open.

Finn strained his ears, trying to make out the conversation outside. From the end of the hallway, Urlek's voice rumbled low, mixing with another Borraq’s — one of his crew, no doubt. Finn leaned closer to the door, his heart pounding like a war drum.

"...sell the damn human!"

The words hit Finn like a punch to the gut. His stomach twisted, bile rising in his throat.

"...debt… that bastard! …for repayment..."

Oh, shit.

The room seemed to tilt and spin. Panic surged within Finn, quickly followed by a wave of anger. He gritted his teeth, fists clenching at his sides.

Being sold again ?

The thought churned through him like acid. Memories of Rivek’s leering face and Urlek's mocking taunts flooded back with a vengeance.

Who would be the next Borraq bastard to call himself Finn's owner? Would they be even worse ?

Finn’s mind raced, frantic thoughts colliding in a chaotic mess. Escape now, it screamed.

But where? How? Every attempt had ended in failure or punishment. He was locked in a supply closet on an alien ship in alien space. Even if he did get out, even if he did get to an escape shuttle…

Finn pressed harder against the wall, trying to hear more. Maybe there was some way out of this, some scrap of information he could use.

"...no choice!" Urlek's voice was bitter, surly. He was throwing a childish tantrum, as usual. "The bastard has us over a barrel!"

Even Urlek thought this new guy was a bastard? Shit.

Desperation clawed at Finn’s insides. Getting off of this ship had been his sole focus for months, but now the prospect of being sold filled him with dread. He'd endured Urlek's cruelty, but at least by now it was a familiar hell.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire. His stomach churned as he imagined even worse treatment than he'd already suffered. The scars on his back seemed to throb in warning.

I might not survive this, Finn realized, a cold wave of fear washing over him. He'd held onto hope, clinging to the idea that he'd find a way out someday. But now he felt that hope slipping away like sand through his fingers.

The cell door burst open with a metallic clang, startling Finn from his spiraling thoughts. Urlek's massive horned form filled the doorway, golden skin gleaming in the harsh light. Finn instinctively tensed, huddling in to protect himself despite knowing it was futile.

Urlek towered over him, muscles rippling beneath his skin. The Borraq's strength was evident in every movement, a stark reminder of how outmatched Finn truly was. A human's build was laughably fragile in comparison.

But instead of the usual routine of taunts and torment, Urlek roughly grabbed Finn's arm. His grip was bruising as he yanked the human to his feet.

"Move," Urlek growled, dragging Finn out of the supply closet that had become his cell.

Finn blinked rapidly, eyes watering in the bright corridor. After so long in darkness, the light was always painful. He stumbled along, half-pulled by Urlek's iron grip.

The craft he was dragged through was second-rate, with patches of rust on the walls and exposed wires hanging from the ceiling. It matched what he knew of Urlek — a down-on-his-luck grifter, scraping by on the fringes.

Urlek muttered darkly under his breath, his scowl deepening with each step. Finn's heart raced as they approached the docking bay, dread building in his chest.

Urlek's grip was unforgiving as he dragged Finn into the docking bay. Finn barely had time to take in the sight of the sleek, powerful craft that stood before him. Its dark, streamlined form contrasted sharply with Urlek's battered ship.

Woah , he thought. That's definitely not Urlek's.

But what really caught Finn's attention was the figure standing beside the new ship—

Before Finn could process anything more, Urlek flung Finn forward. Urlek hid his surly feelings, his voice now an insincere mix of desperation and servility. "Take him, Zanik! A poor, unlucky man like me doesn't have anything else to repay you with!"

Finn hit the ground hard in front of the new figure, his palms scraping against the rough surface. His eyes traveled upwards from the polished black leather boots in front of his outstretched hands, to the imposing figure towering over him.

The Borraq before him was a striking contrast to Urlek — tall, regal, and exuding an aura of authority. His golden skin gleamed under the harsh lights of the docking bay, and his horns were sharp and intimidating. He wore black leather that accentuated his powerful build, every inch of him radiating strength and control.

But it was his eyes that held Finn captive — icy blue and utterly devoid of warmth. As the new Borraq looked down at Finn, those eyes pinned him in place with a stare so cold it sent shivers down Finn's spine.

For a moment, the world seemed to narrow down to just the two of them. Finn's breath hitched in fear.

This Borraq was clearly of a different class than Urlek — elegant, powerful, and dangerous in ways Finn couldn't begin to fathom. That realization only heightened his terror.

If Urlek had been bad, this one could be so much worse .

The Borraq — Zanik, Urlek had said — finally broke eye contact with Finn, turning his icy gaze back to Urlek. "I'm here for my money," he said in a voice that was smooth but edged with steel. "Not some discarded plaything."

The words struck Finn like a slap. Anger flared up inside him, a defiant fire roaring to life despite his fear. He wasn't just some discarded plaything; he refused to be seen as such by anyone.

Urlek continued to grovel, insisting that Finn was worth it, but Finn didn't hear the rest. His focus remained on the imposing figure above him, trying to read any sign of weakness or mercy in those cold eyes.

But there was none.

Finn remained on the ground, his breath shallow and quick. The cold metal of the docking bay floor seeped through his thin clothing, chilling him to the bone. He didn't dare move, trapped between Urlek's desperation and Zanik's cold disdain.

"Zanik, please!" Urlek's voice trembled with desperation. "I don't have anything else. You know I'm just a poor trader, and conditions in this sector have been so bad…! But, look, the human, he's valuable."

"I'm here for your debt repayment, Urlek. Money."

"Oh, Finn's better than money." Urlek's voice grew smug, his tone cruel. "You can use him any way you want…"

Finn's heart sank as Urlek continued, each word a knife twisting deeper into his gut.

"Face down, on all fours... Trust me, you've never had a toy like this—"

Finn's vision blurred as he stared at the ground, willing himself to disappear. Just vanish. His mind detached from his body, a familiar numbness creeping in.

"Or in your lap," Urlek pressed on, his voice growing more insistent. "He's good with his mouth, too. You can make him take it all the way down—"

The words were a distant buzz in Finn's ears as he shut down further, retreating into himself. He felt dirty, worthless. Each word from Urlek stripped away another piece of his humanity.

Urlek's voice droned on, listing more vile uses for Finn's body, but he didn't hear the words anymore. He was gone, lost in the darkness of his mind where no one could reach him.

He wanted it all to end.

"Enough."

Finn looked up at Zanik in surprise, his heart racing. The word had cut through Urlek's degrading monologue like a knife. Zanik wasn't even looking at Finn; he was narrowing his eyes at Urlek.

"I don't care to listen to a catalog of your rutting habits," Zanik said, his voice icy and commanding. "And I don't have time to listen to you whine. I have a sector to run. I'll take the human now for half the debt, but I want the other half in a week."

Urlek's face contorted with outrage. "Half? The human is worth more than the entire debt!"

"Not to me," Zanik replied coolly.

Finn's heart pounded in his chest, a sudden anger surging through him. It was better than the cold, numbing feeling from before. At least this fire made him feel alive.

Urlek sputtered, desperate. "You can't be serious! He's... he's valuable!"

Zanik's gaze remained fixed on Urlek, unwavering. "Take it or leave it. But know this — if you fail to pay the other half in a week, I'll come back for you."

Urlek's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Fine," he muttered through gritted teeth.

Zanik gestured for Finn to stand. "Get up," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Finn got to his feet, every muscle protesting from his earlier fall. He stood there, feeling like currency being exchanged between merchants.

"Follow me." As Zanik turned and walked towards his ship, Finn followed him automatically, glancing back at Urlek one last time. The Borraq's face was twisted with fury and humiliation — a sight that gave Finn a grim sense of satisfaction.

But as he stepped onto Zanik's ship, that satisfaction was quickly replaced by apprehension. He didn't know what awaited him with this new owner.

Anger still simmered beneath the surface, but for now, he clung to it like a lifeline — something real to hold onto amidst the chaos.

He had no idea what lay ahead with Zanik, but one thing was certain: he would not be broken so easily again.