Primal Bond (Warlords of Vasz #4)

4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

F inn grappled with the ventilation cover above his head, teeth gritted as he strained to pry it loose. A week on this godforsaken ship and he was back to this — wrestling with a stubborn metal grate. He huffed in frustration, his muscles aching from the strain.

His fingers slipped, and he tumbled onto the cold, hard floor. Finn groaned, rubbing his bruised shoulder. "Well, that's attempt number twenty-three," he muttered to the empty room, rolling his eyes.

The first time, he'd tried to jimmy the door lock, only to be caught by Kelara. His only reward had been an arched eyebrow, not even worthy of punishment.

Then he'd feigned illness, hoping to find out the location of the infirmary — and any sleeping drugs it might contain, hopefully perfect for slipping into his captors' food. His performance was wasted on Zanik, who just tossed him a bitter-tasting pill and told him to sleep it off.

And who could forget his brave, albeit foolhardy, sprint towards the escape pods? He'd barely taken three steps before he was flat on his face, a Borraq foot planted firmly on his back.

Now, this.

Finn sighed, flopping onto the unyielding bed. His clothes swam around him, borrowed Borraq shirt and pants desperately tied to to his smaller frame with a belt. He propped himself up on his elbows, studying the austere room that had become his prison. A thin mattress, a blanket, and a table.

He ran a hand through his tousled hair, frustration simmering beneath his skin. He was no closer to freedom than when he'd arrived, and his new owner — Zanik, the icy-eyed Borraq — was as enigmatic and unapproachable as ever.

But Finn was nothing if not persistent.

With a grim smile, Finn sat up, pushing himself off the bed. He dusted off his pants, his gaze falling on the ventilation cover once again.

"Round two, here we go," he said, a spark of defiance lighting his brown eyes. He jumped up, grabbing onto the edges of the cover.

For all his failures, Finn's spirit remained unbroken. He was still a captive, still locked up like a dog. But as long as he had his wits about him, he would never stop trying to escape.

He thought about Urlek. The rough hands, the crude jokes, the constant threat hanging over his head. Finn shuddered, remembering the acts that had become his daily routine. Urlek's treatment had been a nightmare, one he had barely survived with his sanity intact.

But Zanik... Zanik was different. Icy, yes. As distant as a supernova, absolutely. But there was a strange sort of order in his presence, a structured coldness that contrasted sharply with Urlek's chaotic cruelty. Finn found himself begrudgingly admitting that, so far at least, Zanik was a better captor.

He hadn't touched Finn once. He hadn't even looked tempted.

Zanik's face flashed in his mind — sharp angles, intense eyes that seemed to see through him. Finn could almost hear the authoritative commands, issued without a hint of emotion. No yelling, no threats, just cold, hard control. It was infuriating.

The first time Zanik had caught him trying to escape, on that first hour onboard, Finn had braced himself for a beating. He had expected cruelty from someone who looked as imposing as Zanik. Instead, Zanik had merely restrained him and then locked him in here, no more forceful than necessary.

There had been no punishment, no demeaning comments. Just a silent, stoic presence that left Finn confused and wary.

Why doesn't he hurt me? Finn wondered, biting his lip. He keeps me locked up, but he doesn't take advantage of me. Doesn't even seem interested in it.

Finn had thought that all Borraq wanted from humans was one thing.

Now he didn't know what to expect, and that was unsettling.

Finn rolled onto his side, his gaze falling on the locked door of his quarters. The metal surface seemed to mock him, a constant reminder of his captivity.

Every Borraq he'd encountered had treated him like property, a thing to be used and discarded. Zanik might be different in his methods, but Finn couldn't shake the feeling that it was all just another form of control. A more insidious one, perhaps, designed to lull him into a false sense of security.

No, he couldn't trust any of them. Not Urlek, not Zanik, certainly not any of them. They were all cut from the same cloth, weren't they? Brutal aliens who saw humans as nothing more than commodities to be traded. Just things .

Finn's hands clenched into fists, nails digging into his palms. The face of his original captor burned in his memory, fueling a fire of rage and determination that refused to die.

"I'll find you," Finn whispered to the empty room, his voice barely audible. "Rivek, I'll make you pay."

The vow of revenge was a constant presence in his mind, a driving force that kept him going when everything else seemed hopeless. It was the reason he kept trying to escape, why he endured the humiliation of failed attempts.

Without it, what did he have left? A life of servitude? A future as someone's property?

The thought made his stomach churn.

The door slid open with a soft hiss, and Zanik's imposing figure filled the doorway. Finn shot up, his heart thudding against his ribcage, fear and defiance swirling in his chest.

Zanik's cold, piercing eyes scanned the room, landing on Finn with a look that sent a shiver down his spine.

Here we go. Today’s the day he shows his true colors… Finn stood up, his jaw set, ready for whatever brutality Zanik had in store.

But Zanik barely spared him a glance. Instead, his expression was as unreadable as ever. “Get up,” Zanik ordered, his tone commanding and brooking no argument. “We’re moving.”

Finn's hackles rose. What did he mean, 'moving'? Panic flickered in his veins, but he forced himself to stand his ground. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever was coming.

Zanik’s cold demeanor filled the room, making the air feel heavier. Finn’s defiance flared. He would not be cowed by this alien, no matter how intimidating he seemed. But Zanik’s lack of interest was unsettling. It was as if Finn were no more than an inconvenient piece of luggage.

“Get going,” Zanik repeated, his voice cutting through Finn’s thoughts like a blade.

As they walked through the ship’s corridors, Finn’s thoughts churned. What does he plan to do with me? Why now, after so long spent keeping me locked up?

He glanced at Zanik, trying to read the stoic alien’s expression. But Zanik’s face remained impassive, his gaze focused ahead.

Finn’s gaze flickered to the blade that Zanik was wearing on his hip today. Finn had seen many Borraq wearing blades like those — they were some kind of ritual thing. He didn't know any more, and he didn't care.

And right now, this one was glinting in the dim light, tantalizingly close.

Desperation surged through Finn. Before he could second-guess his decision, he lunged for it.

His fingers barely brushed the cool metal before Zanik moved, swift as a viper.

In an instant, Finn found himself pinned against the wall, Zanik’s forearm pressing against his chest. The Borraq’s icy stare bore into him, their faces mere inches apart. Finn’s breath hitched, his heart pounding in his chest like a war drum. He tried to push back, but Zanik’s strength was unyielding, his grip like iron.

“What’s the matter?” Finn wheezed. “Afraid of a little human?”

Zanik’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of something crossing his features. But his voice remained cold and controlled. “You’re testing my patience.”

Finn’s chest heaved, his muscles straining against Zanik’s hold. He refused to show weakness, refused to let this Borraq see how scared he was. “Maybe if you let me go, we wouldn’t have this problem.”

Zanik’s grip tightened, the pressure on Finn’s chest increasing. “Your defiance will only get you hurt,” he warned, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

Finn’s eyes blazed with a mix of anger and frustration. “You think you can scare me?” he challenged, his voice shaking slightly. “I’ve been through worse.”

For a second, he saw something in Zanik’s eyes. But then the moment passed, and the icy mask was back in place. “You need to learn your place,” Zanik continued, his tone hardening once more. “For your own good.”

Finn swallowed, the weight of Zanik’s words settling heavily on him. The defiance in his eyes dimmed, but only slightly.

He was trapped, but he wasn’t broken. Not yet.

Zanik released him, stepping back. The tension between them remained, a charged current that neither could ignore. Finn rubbed his chest, where Zanik’s arm had pinned him, the sting of the encounter lingering.

Finn's heart was still racing when Kelara's voice cut through the tension-filled corridor.

"Boss, we've got an update on Rivek's movements."

Finn's head snapped up at the name, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Rivek?

Did she just say Rivek ?!

Zanik turned to face Kelara, his posture relaxing slightly. "Tell me."

Finn barely registered Zanik's words, his mind reeling. Rivek . The name echoed in his head, drowning out everything else. His sworn enemy, the reason for his captivity, the focus of his fantasies of revenge—

And Zanik knew him?

Kelara's voice filtered through Finn's shock. "He hit Epsilon, just like you said. Twelve ships. We shredded five and sent him packing, but we've got reports he's running into Nexus sector. Sounds like he's been establishing a foothold there."

"Twelve ships, just for a hit like this — and Nexus? Running into Nexus takes serious bribe money. Where in the hells is he getting the resources to pull this off?"

That got a growl of deep Borraq frustration. "I haven't been able to track that, boss. He's been drawing on some new way of lining his pockets, but whatever it is, he's keeping it well hidden."

"That complicates things." Zanik narrowed his eyes. "We'll need to adjust our routes. We're stopping at Journey Five soon, and then we'll move out."

Kelara cocked her head. "Your business at J5 is really that important?"

As they kept talking shop, Finn's thoughts raced. They know where Rivek is. They're tracking him.

This could be my chance!

He opened his mouth to speak, but Zanik cut him off. "I've found a potential buyer for our… guest." He jerked his head towards Finn. "Since he can't seem to stop trying to escape, and I have no intention of being a human's babysitter forever. We'll drop him at J5, and then move off to dismantle Rivek's men in Nexus."

The words hit Finn like a punch to the gut.

Sold again? No. Not when I'm so close to revenge!

"Wait!" Finn blurted out, surprising even himself with the desperation in his voice. "Don't sell me! I... I want to stay."

Zanik turned to him, his normally cool eyes widening in shock. Kelara's mouth fell open, her gaze darting between Finn and Zanik.

Finn's mind whirled. What am I doing? But he knew. This was his chance — his only chance — to get close to Rivek. To finally have his revenge.

"After spending your entire time here trying to get off my ship, you're now asking me to keep you on it?" Zanik's voice was laced with disbelief.

Finn swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. "Yes," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. He looked Zanik in the eyes. "I want to stay."